markable one, occupying ten folio pages
in the first volume of Rushworth.

Some in office appear to have employed extraordinary proceedings of a
similar nature. An intercepted letter written from the archduchess to
the King of Spain, was delivered by Sir H. Martyn at the council-board
on New Year's-day, who found in it some papers relating to the navy. The
duke immediately said he would show it to the king; and, accompanied by
several lords, went into his majesty's closet. The letter was written in
French; it advised the Spanish court to make a sudden war with England,
for several reasons; his majesty's want of skill to govern of himself;
the weakness of his council in not daring to acquaint him with the
truth; want of money; disunion of the subjects' hearts from their
prince, &c. The king only observed, that the writer forgot that the
archduchess writes to the King of Spain in Spanish, and sends her
letters overland.

I have to add an important fact. I find certain evidence that the heads
of the opposition were busily active in thwarting the measures of
government. Dr. Samuel Turner, the member for Shrewsbury, called on Sir
John Cage, and desired to speak to him privately; his errand was to
entreat him to resist the loan, and to use his power with others to
obtain this purpose. The following information comes from Sir John Cage
himself. Dr. Turner "being desired to stay, he would not a minute, but
instantly took horse, saying he had more places to go to, and time
pressed; _that there was a company of them had divided themselves into
all parts, every one having had a quarter assigned to him, to perform
this service for the commonwealth_." This was written in November, 1626.
This unquestionably amounts to a secret confederacy watching out of
parliament as well as in; and those strange appearances of popular
defection exhibited in the country, which I have described, were in
great part the consequences of the machinations and active intrigues of
the popular party.[302]

The king was not disposed to try a _third_ parliament. The favourite,
perhaps to regain that popular favour which his greatness had lost him,
is said in private letters to have been twice on his knees to intercede
for a new one. The elections, however, foreboded no good; and a
letter-writer connected with the court, in giving an account of them,
prophetically declared, "we are without question undone!"

The king's speech opens with the spirit which he