of sending this post, is to tell you that the Groyne' is resolved on to be the fittest port for your ships, and us here; wherefore we pray your majesty to make no delay, but to send them with all speed thither. Sir, I, Steenie, am commanded by my wife to trouble you with a deed of honour and charity, to have a care of the widow, Mistress Murrey, whom you promised in her husband's time to provide for, and her seven children. We have been both much comforted with the return of Dick Grame, who hath made to me, your dog, in particular, such a relation of your majesty's constant care and love of me, in my absence, that now I shall follow your advice with a cheerful heart though not with a more trustful nor affectionate one; for he hath told me your carriage hath been such, that it hath calmed the mad malice of all my enemies, which was no small grief to me to hear they were of so great a number; and for that honour,2 which your majesty tells me my Lord Treasurer hath been an importunate suitor for, though not a secret one, give me leave, out of the pride of my heart, to say, whensoever anything proceeds otherwise than immediately from your heart and affection, I shall kiss it, and lay it down at your feet again, for hitherto you have accustomed me to no other. Out of a certain report here that you had done it, I sent Edward Clarke purposely to entreat you to undo it, or to add one more for my sake; but now that it is undone, which I thank God heartily for, I beseech your majesty humbly, on my knees, to let it remain so, till I have the happiness to speak with yourself,

which is infinitely desired by your two boys that crave your blessing.

P.S. by Prince Charles.

We send this post with such speed, that we have no time to write this better.

Your majesty's humble and obedient son and servant, CHARLES.

Prince Charles to James I.

Madrid, April 29th, 1623.

I do find that, if I have not somewhat under your majesty's hand to show, whereby that ye engage yourself to do whatsomever I shall promise in your name, that it will retard the business a great while; wherefore, I humbly beseech your majesty to send me a warrant to this effect:

“We do hereby promise, by the word of a king, that whatsoever you, our son, shall promise in our name, we shall punctually perform."

Sir, I confess that is an ample trust that I desire; and if it were not mere necessity, I should not be so bold, yet

1 MS. Harl. 6987, art. 43. With this modest letter was accompanied another from Buckingham, which is worth quoting:-" This letter of your son's is written of extraordinary desire to be soon with you again; he thinks, if you sign thus much, though they would be glad (which yet he doth not discover) to make any further delay, this will disappoint them; the discretion of your baby you need not doubt, and for the faith of myself, I shall sooner lose life, than in the least kind break it. And so in haste I crave your blessing.-Your Majesty's most humble slave and dog, STEENIE."

I hope your majesty will never repent you of any trust you put upon

Your majesty's humble and obedient son and servant,

CHARLES.

James I. to Prince Charles and Buckingham.1

My Sweet Boys,

Theobalds, 9th May, 1623.

If the Dutch post2 had not been robbed and sore beaten in Kent, three days ago, ye had sooner received the duplicate of the power I put in my sweet babies' hands, which I send you for the more security, seeing the expedition of your return depends upon it; but it rejoiceth my heart that your opinion anent the three conditions annexed to the dispensation agreeth fully with mine, as ye will find by one of my letters, dated Theobalds, which Gresley will deliver unto you. Carlisle came yesterday morning to Dos Castellanos, and a devoted servant to the Condé d'Olivares; but my sweet Steenie Gossip, I heartily thank thee for thy kind, droll letter. I do herewith send thee a kind letter of thanks to that king for the elephant, as thou desired, wherein I likewise thank for him, for a letter of his which Carlisle delivered unto me, which is indeed the kindest and courtesest3 letter ever I received from any

1 MS. Harl. 6987, art. 38.

2 Mr. Chamberlain (in the Birch MSS.) thus speaks of this occurrence:-"There was a Spanish post lately robbed of good store of money about Shooters' Hill. The fellows that did it, and the postillion that set the match, are since taken, and brought to court before the king," &c.— Letter to Sir Dudley Carleton, June 14th.

3 Most courteous.

king. I have likewise received from Carlisle the list of the jewels which ye have already received, and which of them my baby means to present to his mistress; I pray you, sweet baby, if ye think not fit to present her the collar of great ballest1 rubies and knots of pearls, bring it home again, and the like I say of the head-dressing of the great pear pearls, which ye have, and other three head-dressings which Frank Stewart2 is to deliver unto you, for they are not presents fit for subjects; but if ye please, ye may present one of them to the queen of Spain. Carlisle thinks my baby will bestow a rich jewel upon the Condé D'Olivares; but, in my opinion, horses, dogs, hawks, and such like stuff to be sent him out of England by you both, will be a far more noble, acceptable present to him. And now, my sweet Steenie gossip, that the poor fool, Kate, hath also sent thee her pearl chain,3

1 A rich kind of ruby.

2 of the jewels consigned to Sir Francis Steward there is an inventory in Nichols's Progresses. These were valued at more than £100,000. Indeed so rare and matchless were they, that the Spaniards themselves, though masters of the staple of jewels, were astonished at their beauty. To the honour of the Spanish name and nation, the entire of these presents was returned, after the match had been absolutely broken off.

3 Buckingham's fondness for jewellery was notorious. The following account of his dress is taken from a Harl. MS. "It was common with him at any ordinary dancing to have his clothes trimmed with great diamond buttons, and to have diamond hatbands, cockades, and ear-rings; to be yoked with great and manifold knots of pearl; in short, to be manacled, fettered, and imprisoned in jewels; insomuch that, at his going over to Paris in 1625, he had twenty-seven suits of clothes made, the richest that embroidery, lace, silk, velvet, gold and gems could contribute; one of which was a white, uncut velvet, set all over, both suit and cloak, with diamonds, valued at fourteen thousand pounds, besides a great feather, stuck all over with diamonds, as were also his sword, girdle, hatband, and spurs."

which, by accident, I saw in a box in Frank Stewart's I hope I need not conjure thee not to give any of her jewels away there, for thou knowest what necessary use she will have of them at your return here, besides that it is not lucky to give away that I have given her. Now, as for mails, the more strong mails for carriage that ye can provide me with, I will be the better secured in my journeys, and the better cheap. If ye can get the deer handsomely here, they shall be welcome. I hope the elephant, camels, and asses, are already by the way. And so God bless you both, and after a happy success there, send you speedy and comfortable home in the arms your dear dad,

of

JAMES R.

James I. to the Prince and Duke.2

Greenwich, 11th of May, 1623.

My Sweet Boys,

Yesterday, in the afternoon, I received two packets from you, after my coming hither, by two several posts, and the day before I wrote to you my opinion from Theobalds anent the three conditions annexed to the dispensation, I now send you, my baby, here enclosed the power you desire. It were a strange trust that I would refuse to put upon my only son, and upon my best servant. I know such two as ye are will never promise in my name, but what may stand with my conscience, honour, and safety, and all these I do fully trust with any of you two; my former letter will show you my

1 Portmanteaus.

2 MS. Harl. 6987, art. 45.