e Spanish court, which included some of the
ministers, and came home in 1613 to communicate this important intelligence
to the king. In 1614 he again went to Spain to effect a union between the
infanta Maria and Charles, though he himself was in favour of a Protestant
marriage, and desired a political and not a matrimonial treaty. In 1616, on
the disgrace of Somerset, he was recalled home to give evidence concerning
the latter's connexions with Spain, was made vice-chamberlain and a privy
councillor, and obtained from James the manor of Sherborne forfeited by the
late favourite. In 1618 he went once more to Spain to reopen the
negotiations, returning in May, and being created Baron Digby on the 25th
of November. He endeavoured to avoid a breach with Spain on the election of
the elector palatine, the king's son-in-law, to the Bohemian throne; and in
March 1621, after the latter's expulsion from Bohemia, Digby was sent to
Brussels to obtain a suspension of hostilities in the Palatinate. On the
4th of July he went to Vienna and drew up a scheme of pacification with the
emperor, by which Frederick was to abandon Bohemia and be secured in his
hereditary territories, but the agreement could never be enforced. After
raising money for the defence of Heidelberg he returned home in October,
and on the 21st of November explained his policy to the parliament, and
asked for money and forces for its execution. The sudden dissolution of
parliament, however, prevented the adoption of any measure of support, and
entirely ruined Digby's plans. In 1622 he returned to Spain with nothing on
which to rely but the goodwill of Philip IV., and nothing to offer but
entreaties.

On the 15th of September he was created earl of Bristol. He urged on the
marriage treaty, believing it would include favourable conditions for
Frederick, but the negotiations were taken out of his control, and finally
wrecked by the arrival of Charles himself and Buckingham in March 1623. He
incurred their resentment, of which the real inspiration was Buckingham's
implacable jealousy, by a letter written to James informing him of
Buckingham's unpopularity among the Spanish ministers, and by his
endeavouring to maintain the peace with Spain after their departure. In
January 1624 he left Spain, and on arriving at Dover in March, Buckingham
and Charles having now complete ascendancy over the king, he was forbidden
to appear at court and ordered to confine himself at Sherborne.