paper, by which he consented to be put to death, if he were ever after found in the kingdom. They sent away likewise Mr. Robert Long, who was his principal, if not only, secretary of state, and had very much persuaded his going thither; and sir Edward Walker, who was clerk of the council, and had been secretary at war during the late war, and some others, upon the like exceptions. They placed other servants of all conditions about the king, but principally relied upon their clergy; who were in such a continual attendance about him, that he was never free from their importunities, under pretence of instructing him in religion: and so they obliged him to their constant hours of their long prayers, and made him observe the Sundays with more rigour than the Jews accustomed to do [their sabbath]; and reprehended him very sharply if he smiled on those days, and if his looks and gestures did not please them, whilst all their prayers and sermons, at which he was compelled to be present, were libels, and bitter invectives against all the actions of his father, the idolatry of his mother, and his own malignity. He was not present in their councils, nor were the results thereof communicated to him; nor was he, in the least degree, communicated with, in any part of the government: yet they made great show of outward reverence to him, and even the chaplains, when they used rudeness and barbarity in their reprehensions and reproaches, approached him still with bended knees, and in the humblest postures. There was never a better courtier than Argyle: who made all possible address to make himself gracious to the king, entertained him with very pleasant discourses, with such insinuations, that the king did not only very well like his conversation, but often believed that he had a mind to please and gratify him: but then, when his majesty made any attempt to get some of his servants about him, or to reconcile the two factions, that the kingdom might be united, he gathered up his countenance, and retired from him, without ever yielding to any one proposition that was made to him by his majesty. In a word, the king's table was well served; there he sat in majesty, waited upon with decency: he had good horses to ride abroad to take the air, and was then well attended; and, in all public appearances, seemed to want nothing that was due to a great king. In all other respects, with reference to power to oblige or gratify any man, to dispose or order any thing, or himself to go to any other place than was assigned to him, he had nothing of a prince, but might very well be looked upon as a prisoner. But that which was of state and lustre made most noise, and was industriously transmitted into all nations and states; the other of disrespect or restraint was not communicated; and if it could not be entirely concealed, it was considered only as a faction between particular great men, who contended to get the power into their hands, that they might the more notoriously and eminently serve that prince whom they all equally acknowledged. The king's condition seemed wonderfully advanced, and his being possessed of a kingdom without a rival, in which there was no appearance of an enemy, looked like an earnest for the recovery of the other two, and, for the present, as a great addition of power to him in his kingdom of Ireland, by a conjunction and absolute submission of all the Scots in Ulster to the marquis of Ormond, the king's lieutenant there. All men who had dissuaded his majesty's repair into Scotland were looked upon as very weak politicians, or as men who opposed the public good, because they were excluded, and might not be suffered to act any part in the adventure; and they who had advanced the design valued themselves exceedingly upon their activity in that service. The States of Holland thought they had merited much in suffering their ships to transport him, and so being ministerial to his greatness; which they hoped would be remembered; and they gave all countenance to the Scottish merchants and factors who lived in their dominions, and some secret credit, that they might send arms and ammunition, and whatsoever else was necessary for the king's service, into that kingdom. France itself looked very cheerfully upon the change; congratulated the queen with much ceremony, and many professions; and took pains to have it thought and believed, that they had had a share in the counsel, and contributed very much to the reception the king found in Scotland, by their influence upon Argyle and his party. And it hath been mentioned before, how great a reputation this little dawning of power, how clouded soever, gave to the ambassadors in Spain, and had raised them from such a degree of disrespect, as was nearest to contempt, to the full dignity and estimation in that court that was due to the station in which they were. There fell out there an accident at this time, which was a great manifestation of the affection of that court, and indeed of the nation. As don Alonzo de Cardinas had used all the credit he had, to dispose that court to a good correspondence with the parliament, so he had employed as much care to incline those in England to have a confidence in the affection of his master, and assured them," that if they would send an ambas"sador or other minister into Spain, he should "find a very good reception." The parliament, in the infancy of their commonwealth, had more inclination to make a friendship with Spain than with France, having at that time a very great prejudice to the cardinal; and therefore, upon this encouragement from don Alonzo, they resolved to send an envoy to Madrid; and made choice of one Ascham, a scholar, who had written a book to determine in what time, and after how many years, the allegiance which is due from subjects to their sovereigns, comes to be determined after a conquest; and that from that term it ought to be paid to those who had subdued them: a speculation they thought fit to cherish. This man, unacquainted with business, and unskilled in language, attended by three others, the one a renegado Franciscan friar, who had been bred in Spain, and was well versed in the language; another, who was to serve in the condition of a secretary; and the third, an inferior fellow for any service, arrived all at Seville or Cadiz in an English merchant's ship of which don Alonzo gave such timely notice, that he was received and entertained by the chief magistrate at his landing, until they gave notice of it to the court. The town was quickly full of the rumour, that an ambassador was landed from England, and would be taining no composed thoughts about them, finding the door of a little chapel open, went in thither for sanctuary: only he who was in the service of the ambassadors separated himself from the rest, and went into the house of the Venetian ambassador. By this time the people of the house where the man lay had gone up into the chamber; where they found two dead, and the other two crept, in a terrible fright, under the bed; and the magistrates and people were about the church, and talking with and examining the persons who were there and the rumour was presently divulged about the town, " that one of the English "ambassadors was killed." received there; which nobody seemed to be well pleased with. And the ambassadors expostulated with don Lewis de Haro with some warmth, "that "his catholic majesty should be the first Chris"tian prince that would receive an ambassador "from the odious and infamous murderers of a "Christian king, his brother and ally; which no "other prince had yet done, out of the detestation "of that horrible parricide." And therefore they desired him, "that Spain would not give so horrid "an example to the other parts of the world." Don Lewis assured them, "that there was no "such thing as an ambassador coming from Eng"land, nor had the king any purpose to receive 66 any: that it was true, they were informed that They were at that time entering into their coach "there was an English gentleman landed at Cales, to take the air, according to an appointment which "and come to Seville; who said, he was sent they had made the day before. When they were "from the parliament with letters for the king; informed of what had passed, and that Harry "which was testified by a letter from don Alonzo Progers, who was their servant, had been in the "de Cardinas to the duke of Medina Celi; who action, and was retired to the house of the Vene"thereupon had given order for his entertain- tian ambassador, they were in trouble and perment at Seville, till the king should give further plexity; dismissed their coach, and returned to "order: that it was not possible for the king to their lodging. Though they abhorred the action "refuse to receive the letter, or to see the man that was committed, they foresaw, the presence of "who brought it; who pretended no kind of one of their own servants in it, and even some pas"character: that having an ambassador residing sionate words they had used, in their expostulation "in England to preserve the trade and commerce with don Lewis, against the reception of such a "between the two nations, they did believe, that messenger, as if "the king their master had too "this messenger might be sent with some pro- many subjects in that place, for such a fellow "positions from the English merchants for the" to appear there with any security," would make "advancement of that trade; and if they should it be believed by many, that the attempt had not "refuse to hear what he said, it might give been made without their consent or privity. In "a just offence, and destroy all the commerce; this trouble of mind, they immediately writ a letter "which would be a great damage to both to don Lewis de Haro, to express the sense they "nations." had of this unfortunate rash action; "of which, 66 66 66 That this new agent might come securely to they hoped, he did believe, if they had had any Madrid, an old officer of the army was sent from "notice or suspicion, they would have prevented Seville to accompany him thither; who came with it, by exposing their own persons.' "Don Lewis him in the coach, and gave notice every night to returned them a very dry answer; "That he could don Lewis of their advance. There were at that "not imagine that they could have a hand in so time, over and above the English merchants, many "foul an assassination in the court," (for all officers and soldiers in Madrid, who had served in Madrid is called and looked upon as the court,) the Spanish armies, both in Catalonia and in Por-" of a person under the immediate protection of tugal; and these men had consulted amongst the king: however, that it was an action so unthemselves how they might kill this fellow, who "heard of, and so dishonourable to the king, that came as an agent from the new republic of Eng- "his majesty was resolved to have it examined to land; and half a dozen of them, having notice "the bottom, and that exemplary justice should of the day he was to come into the town, which "be done upon the offenders; that his own amwas generally discoursed of, rode out of the town "bassador in England might be in great danger to meet him; but, missing him, they returned " upon this murder; and that they would send again, and found that he had entered into it by an express presently thither, to satisfy the paranother way; and having taken a view of his "liament how much his catholic majesty detested lodging, they met again the next morning; and" and was offended with it, and resolved to do finding, accidentally, one of the ambassadors' ser"justice upon it; and if his ambassador undervants in the streets, they persuaded him to go went any inconvenience there, they were not to with them, and so went to the house where As- "wonder if his majesty were severe here;" and cham lodged; and, without asking any questions, so left it to them to imagine that their own persons walked directly up the stairs into his chamber, might not be safe. leaving a couple of their number at the door of the street, lest, upon any noise in the house, that door might be shut upon them. They who went up drew their swords; and besides their intentions, in disorder, killed the friar as well as the agent; and so returned to their companions with their swords naked and bloody, and some foolish expressions of triumph, as if they had performed a very gallant and a justifiable service. Notwithstanding all which, they might have dispersed themselves, and been secure, the people were so little concerned to inquire what they had done. But they being in confusion, and re But they knew the temper of the court too well, to have the least apprehension of that: yet they were a little surprised, when they first saw the multitude of people gathered together about their house, upon the first news of the action; insomuch that the street before their house, which was the broadest in Madrid, (the Calle de Alcala,) was so thronged, that men could hardly pass. But they were quickly out of that apprehension, being assured, that the jealousy that one of the English ambassadors had suffered violence had brought that multitude together; which they found to be true; for they no sooner shewed themselves in a |