had always had a good opinion of D'Avaux and therefore employed him in
affairs of importance, and intended to make farther use of his service.
Grotius sent the High Chancellor[271] a copy of this letter to the
Queen. He used to send her Majesty the substance of any affair of
importance without descending to particulars, as Oxenstiern[272] had
recommended to him.

He had an audience of Cardinal Richelieu[273] in the beginning of May,
1636: The affairs of the allies were in a good situation. His Eminence
greatly extolled the High Chancellor: he said what he had done was not
inferior to the exploits of the great Gustavus; that it was a kind of
miracle that the Swedes, after being betrayed by their friends, and
forced into a corner of Germany, should have been able in such a short
time to penetrate into the heart of the Empire. He assured Grotius, that
a part of the money due had been paid by St. Chaumont, and that in a
little time there would not be one sol owing. Afterwards embracing the
Swedish Ambassador with great cordiality, he begged of him in the name
of polite learning, which they both professed to cultivate, to do all in
his power for the advantage of the common cause, especially with the
English: and, to efface the remembrance of the ill treatment Grotius had
received, he told him with a smile, that the French were often fools in
the opinion of other nations, but they soon recovered their right
senses. This change in the Cardinal proceeded from the Queen of Sweden's
approving Oxenstiern's nomination of Grotius to be Ambassador in France;
from the confidence which the High Chancellor placed in him; from Pau's
having lost his authority in Holland; and from the Prince of Orange's
having spoken of him in terms of friendship. The Cardinal magnified the
preparations made by France at sea, from which great things, he said,
might be expected if the English would join: he wanted they should be
given to understand that the French and Swedes would undertake to obtain
the restitution of the Palatinate to Prince Charles Lewis the King of
England's nephew, if the English would unite their forces with those of
France and Sweden. He added that it was unjust in the English to claim
the Empire of the sea, but that it would be improper for some time
openly to dispute their pretensions, for fear of preventing their
joining in the treaty, or on the other hand to acknowledge directly the
right they assumed.

This was all that passe