THEY fent away likewife Mr Robert Long, who was his Mr Long Principal, not only, Secretary of State, and had very much also fent perfwaded his going thither; and Sr Edward Walker, who was away: Clerk of the Council, and had been Secretary at War during the late War, and fome others, upon the like exceptions. They placed other Servants of all conditions about the King, but principally relied upon their Clergy; who were in fuch Their Clergy a continual attendance about him, that he was never free always about from their importunities, under pretence of inftructing him the King. in Religion: and fo they obliged him to their conftant hours of their long Prayers, and made him obferve the Sundays with more rigour than the Jews accuftom'd to do their Sabbath; and reprehended him very fharply if he fmiled on thofe days, and if his looks and gestures did not please them, whilft all their Prayers and Sermons, at which he was compelled to Their Serbe prefent, were libels, and bitter invectives againit all the mons before Actions of his Father, the Idolatry of his Mother, and his own him. Malignity.

HE was not present in their Councils, nor were the refults thereof communicated to him; nor was he, in the least degree, communicated with, in any part of the Government; Yet they made great fhew of outward Reverence to him, and even the Chaplains, when they used Rudeness and Barbarity in their reprehenfions and reproaches, approached him ftill with bended knees, and in the humbleft poftures. There was never a better Courtier than Argyle; who ufed all poffible Argyle's address to make himself gracious to the King, entertain'd him behaviour to with very pleafant difcourfes, with fuch infinuations, that the him. King did not only very well like his Converfation, but often believ'd that he had a mind to please and gratify him: but then, when his Majefty made any attempt to get fome of his Servants about him, or to reconcile the two Factions, that the Kingdom might be united, he gather'd up his countenance, and retir'd from him, without ever yielding to any one Propofition that was made to him by his Majefty. In a word, the King's Table was well ferv'd; there he fate in Majefty, waited upon with decency: he had good Horfes to ride abroad to take the Air, and was then well attended; and, in all publick Appearances, feem'd to want nothing that was due to a great King. In all other refpects, with reference to Power to oblige or gratify any Man, to difpofe or order any thing, or himself to go to any other place than was affign'd to him, he had nothing of a Prince, but might very well be look'd upon as a Prifoner.

BUT that which was of ftate and luftre made most noise, and was induftriously tranfmitted into all Nations and States; the other of difrespect or reftraint, was not communicated;

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and if it could not be entirely conceal'd, it was confider'd 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 ferve that Prince whom they all equally acknowledg'd. The King's Condition feem'd wonderfully advanced, and his being poffefs'd of a Kingdom without a Rival, in which there was no appearance of an Enemy, look'd like an earnest for the Recovery of the other Two, and, for the prefent, as a great addition of Power to him in his Kingdom of Ireland, by a conjunction, and absolute Submiffion of all the Scots in Ulfter to the Marquis of Ormond, the King's Lieutenant there.

ALL Men who had diffwaded his Majefty's repair into Scotland, were look'd upon as very weak Politicians, or as Men who oppofed the Publick good, because they were excluded, and might not be fuffer'd to act any part in the adventure; and they who had advanced the defign, valu'd themfelves exceedingly upon their activity in that Service. The States of Holland thought they had merited much in fuffering their Ships to Tranfport him, and fo being minifterial to his greatnefs; which they hoped would be remember'd; and they gave all Countenance to the Scotifh Merchants and Factors who liv'd in their Dominions, and fome fecret Credit, that they might fend Arms and Ammunition, and whatsoever elfe was neceffary for the King's Service into that Kingdom. France it felf look'd very chearfully upon the change; Congratulated the Queen with much Ceremony, and many Profeffions; and took pains to have it thought and believd, that they had had a Thare in the Counfel, and contributed very much to the reception the King found in Scotland, by their influence upon Argyle and his Party. And it hath been mention'd before, how great a Reputation this little dawning of Power, clouded foever, gave to the Embaffadours in Spain, and had raised them, from fuch a degree of difrefpect, as was near to contempt, to the full dignity and eftimation in that Court that was due to the Station in which they were.

how

THERE fell out there an accident at this time, which was a great manifeftation of the Affection of that Court, and indeed of the Nation. As Don Alonzo de Cardinas had ufed all the Credit he had, to difpofe that Court to a good correfpondence with the Parliament, fo he had employ'd as much care 'to encline those in England to have a confidence in the Affetion of his, Mafter, and affur'd them, "That if they would "fend an Embaffadour, or other Minifter into Spain, he "thould find a good reception. The Parliament, in the infancy of their Common-wealth, 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 refolv'd to fend an Envoy to Madrid; and made choice of one Afcham, Afcham a Scholar, who had been concern'd in drawing up the King's fent Agent Tryal, and had written a Book to determine in what time, into Spain and after how many years, the Allegiance which is due from Parliament Subjects to their Soveraigns, comes to be determin'd after a of England. Conqueft; and that, from that term, it ought to be paid to thofe who had fubdued them: A fpeculation they thought fft to cherish.

2

THIS Man, unacquainted with bufinefs, and unskill'd in language, attended by three others, the one a Renegado Francifcan Fryar, who had been bred in Spain, and was well verfed in the Language; another, who was to ferve in the condition of a Secretary; and the third, an inferior Fellow for any Service, arriv'd all in Spain in an English Merchant's Ship: Of which Don Alonzo gave fuch timely notice, that he was receiv'd and entertain'd by the chief Magiftrate at his landing, until they gave notice of it to the Court. The Town was quickly full of the rumour, that an Embaffadour was Landed from England, and would be receiv'd there; which no body feem'd to be well pleafed with. And the Embaffadours expoftulated with Don Lewis de Haro with fome warmth, "That The Embaf"his Catholick Majefty fhould be the firft Chriftian Prince Sadours there "that would receive an Embaffadour from the odious, and with Don expoftulate "execrable Murderers of a Chriftian King, his Brother and Lewis a.. Ally; which no other Prince had yet done, out of the de-bout it. teftation of that horrible Parricide: And therefore they defired him, "That Spain would not give fo infamous an exam"ple to the other parts of the World. Don Lewis affured His Answer. them, "That there was no fuch thing as an Embaffadour com"ing from England, nor had the King any purpose to re"ceive any: That it was true, they were inform'd that there "was an English Gentleman Landed at Cales, and come to Se"vil; who faid, he was fent from the Parliament with Let"ters for the King; which was teftified by a Letter from "Don Alonzo de Cardinas to the Duke of Medina Celi; who "thereupon had given order for his Entertainment at Sevil, "till the King fhould give further order: That it was not poffible for the King to refufe to receive the Letter, or to "fee the Man who brought it; who pretended no kind of "Character: That having an Embaffadour refiding in Eng"land to preferve the Trade and Commerce between the two "Nations, they did believe, that this Meffenger might be "fent with fome Propofitions from the English Merchants for "the advancement of that Trade, and if they should refufe "to hear what he faid, it might give a jutt offence, and de

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"ftroy

❝ftroy all the Commerce; which would be a great damage to "both Nations.

THAT this new Agent might come fecurely to Madrid, an old Officer of the Army was fent from Sevil to accompany him thither; who came with him in the Coach, and gave notice every night to Don Lewis of their advance. There were at that time, over and above the English Merchants, many Officers and Soldiers in Madrid, who had ferv'd in the Spanish Armies, both in Catalonia and in Portugal; and these Men had confulted amongst themselves how they might kill this fellow, who came as an Agent from the new Republick of England; and half a dozen of them, having notice of the day he was to come into the Town, which was generally difcourfed of, rode out of the Town to meet him; but, miffing him, they return'd again, and found that he had enter'd into it by another way; and having taken a view of his Lodging, they met again the next Morning; and finding, accidentally, one of the Embaffadours Servants in the streets, they perfwaded him to go with them, and fo went to the Houfe where Afcham Lodged; and, without asking any Questions, walked directly up the ftairs into his Chamber, leaving a couple of their number at the door of the ftreet, left, upon any noife in the Houfe, that door might be fhut upon them. They who went up, drew their Swords; and befides their inAfcham tentions, in diforder, kill'd the Fryar as well as the Agent; killa by and fo return'd to their Companions with their fwords naked fome Officers and bloody, and fome foolith expreffions of triumph, as if they at his Lodg- had perform'd a very gallant and a juftifiable Service. Notwithstanding all which, they might have difperfed themselves, and been fecure, the People were fo little concern'd to enquire what they had done. But they being in confufion, and retaining no composed thoughts about them, finding the door All but one of a little Chapel open, went in thither for fanctuary: Only he who was in the Service of Embaffadours, feparated himChapel for felf from the reft, and went into the House of the Venetian fanctuary Embaffadour. By this time the People of the Houfe where the Man lay, had gone up into the Chamber; where they Embafa- found two dead, and the other two crept, in a terrible fright, under the Bed; and the Magiftrates and People were about the Church, and talking with, and examining the Perfons who were there: And the Rumour was presently divulged about the Town, "That one of the English Embaffadours was "kill'd.

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THEY were at that time entring into their Coach to take the Air, according to an appointment which they had made the day before. When they were inform'd of what had paffed, and that Harry Progers, who was their Servant, had been in

the

the Action, and was retir'd to the House of the Venetian Embaffadour, they were in trouble and perplexity; difinifs'd their Coach, and return'd to their Lodging. Though they abhorr'd the Action that was committed, they forefaw the presencé of one of their own Servants in it, and even fome paffionate words they had ufed in their expoftulation with Don Lewis, against the reception of fuch a Meffenger, as if "The King "their Mafter had too many Subjects in that place, for fuch a "fellow to appear there with any fecurity, would make it be "believ❜d by many, that the attempt had not been made with❝out their confent or privity. In this trouble of mind, they immediately writ a Letter to Don Lewis de Haro, to exprefs the fenfe they had of this unfortunate rafh Action; "Of which, they hoped, he did believe, if they had had any no❝tice or fufpicion, they would have prevented it. Don Lewis The Embas return'd them a very dry Anfwer; That he could not ima-fadours write gine that they could have a hand in so foul an Affaffina- to Don ❝tion in the Court (for all Madrid is call'd, and look'd upon bout this as the Court) "of a Perfon under the immediate Protection Ation. "of the King: However, that it was an Action fo unheard "of, and fo difhonourable to the King, that his Majefty was His Anfwer. <refolv'd to have it examin'd to the bottom, and that exem"plary Juftice fhould be done upon the Offenders: That his "own Embaffadour in England might be in great danger upon "this Murther; and that they would fend an Exprefs prefently "thither to fatisfy the Parliament how much his Catholick "Majelty detefted, and was offended with it, and refolv'd to "do Juftice upon it; and if his Embaffadour underwent any "inconvenience There, they were not to wonder, if his Ma"jelty were fevere Here; and fo left it to them to imagine that their own Perfons might not be safe.

Lewis an

BUT they knew the temper of the Court too well, to have the leaft apprehenfion of that: yet they were a little furprised, when they firft faw the Multitude of People gather'd together about their House, upon the firft News of the Action; infomuch that the ftreet before their Houfe, which was the broadeft in Madrid (the Calle de Alcala) was fo throng'd that Men could hardly pafs. But they were quickly out of that apprehenfion, being affured, that the jealoufy that one of the English Embaffadours had fuffer'd Violence, had brought that Multitude together; which they found to be true; for they no fooner fhew'd themfelves in a Balcony to the People, Those that but they faluted them with great kindness, pray'd for the King fed to the their Master, curfed and reviled the Murtherers of his Father; takeathence Chapel are and fo departed. They who had betaken themselves to the and ImpriChapel, were, the next day or the fecond, taken from thence fon'd; by a principal Officer after Examination, and sent to the Pri- other efcapes fon:

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the

into France.