James I. to the Prince and Duke.1 My sweet boys, August 5th, 1623. I write to you now upon the good fifth day of August,2 in the afternoon. Secretary Calvert's moving the ambassadors to have a sight or copy of what they wrote hath produced this effect, that I find their letters leaner and drier than either I expected or deserved. What course I have taken with them hereupon, at their coming hither to this feast, Secretary Conway's letter will inform you at large. To be short, I have given order to put in execution all that I have promised, and more, as themselves confess, and had been done before this time, if themselves, by new unreasonable motions, had not hindered it. And thus much more than I promised have I granted unto them, at their earnest suit, which is, a discharge of all debts already owing to me by recusants; and therefore, if they cast up now the great dowry they are to give, remember that, by this deed, I quit six and thirty thousand pounds of good rent, in England and Ireland, which, in good account, will strike down the third part at least of their dowry. If Killegrew be not already gone, he will deliver this letter unto you; but if he be gone, Clark will give you it, who shall immediately be despatched after the sealing of that pardon and privy seal which is presently to be drawn up. 1 MS. Harl. 6987, art. 65. There is another copy in MS. Harl. 1011. 2 James appointed a solemn annual thanksgiving to be held on the 5th of August, as the anniversary of his escape from the earl of Gowrie at Perth in 1600. I have no more to say; but if you hasten not you home, I apprehend I shall never see you, for my extreme longing will kill me; but God bless you both, my sweet boys, upon this good day; and He that delivered me from so great a danger upon it, preserve you, and grant you a speedy, happy, and comfortable return in the arms of your dear dad. Amen! Amen! Amen! JAMES R. Carlisle hath told me a tale of this marquis, that shows him to be a slim man, and my Steenie's small friend; and the devil [take] all them that are so, except my baby, who I know never can love Steenie. But, in earnest, he broke off a crafty discourse to Carlisle, but he choked him so soon; therefore keep this to yourselves hear more of it. till you James I. to Prince Charles.1 My dearest son, Cranbourn, the 10th of August, 1623. I sent you a commandment long ago, not to lose time where ye are, but either to bring quickly home your mistress, which is my earnest desire, but if no better may be, rather than to linger any longer there, to come without her; which, for many important reasons, I am now forced to renew; and therefore I charge you, upon my blessing, to come quickly, either with her or without her. I know your love to her person hath enforced you to delay the putting in execution of my former 1 MS. Harl. 6987, art. 68. commandment. I confess it is my chiefest worldly joy that ye love her; but the necessity of my affairs enforceth me to tell you that you must prefer the obedience to a father to the love ye carry to a mistress. And so, God bless you. JAMES R. James 1. to Prince Charles and Buckingham.1 My sweet boys, I now can assure you that the ambassadors are either more than fully satisfied, or they are worse than devils, if worse can be; but, in good faith, I believe they are really well pleased; what labour I had in it, secretary Coventry will inform you at large; it only rests now to pray you, for God's sake, to haste, haste, haste; but do as much of your great business as ye can, as I wrote in my first letter by Killegrew; I mean of those two that he now carries. If ye hasten not ye will get no more letters from me; for I protest to God I have written mine eyes almost dry, and in my last letter and this, every stroke of my pen seems; if any other thing come in my mind, I will commit it to this bearer's relation, and never cease to pray the Lord to bless my sweet boys, and send you a happy, comfortable, but speedy return in the arms of your dear dad, From Cranbourne, the 10th of August, 1623. JAMES R. 1 MSS. Harl. 6987 and 6011. James I. to the Duke of Buckingham.1 My Steenie, Even as I had written my joint letter to baby and thee, Apsley came with his good news. I have written a letter to my baby, and another to thee as ye desired, which ye may show and make use of, if need shall require it. As for the recusants, by past fines, I have already granted it at the ambassador's suit, in the name of my baby's mistress, and so thou and I thought one thought; it is true I did not write to thee of thy wife's sickness, for I hope in God never to write evil news unto thee; but now, I thank God, she is very well. Some feared consumption, but Mayerne 2 assured me it was but a vapour that came from the spleen. Commend me to my sweet baby, and the Lord bless you both, and send you a happy, joyful, and speedy return in the arms of your dear dad, gossip, and steward, Cranburne, 10th August, 1623. JAMES R. James I. to the Duke of Buckingham.3 My sweet Steenie and gossip, Thy single letter was so sweet and comfortable to me, as I cannot forbear to pray God ever to bless and 1 MS. Harl. 6987, art. 67. 2 The court physician, and a very eminent worthy in the history of medical science. A large collection of his MS. receipts are preserved in the public library at Cambridge. 3 MS. Harl. 6987, art. 70. reward thee for it; praying God I may never have comfort of my sweet baby longer than I shall remain true friend to my sweet Steenie and gossip, to whom God grant a comfortable and happy return to his dear dad. [August, 1623.] JAMES R. Prince Charles and the Duke to King James.1 Madrid, August the 20th, 1623. Dear dad and gossip, The cause why we have altered our secretary is, that I your baby will not let your dog trouble himself with writing, because he has been of late troubled with a great cold, with a little fit of an ague, for which he was drawn blood, but now, thanks be to God, he is perfectly well. Cottington arrived here the fifth of this month late at night, whose coming, we hoped, would have made great alteration to the better in our business; but we find here that they believe the Marquis Inoyosa's intelligence better than all your majesty's real proceedings; but we beseech you to take no notice to the Marquis of Inoyosa of his juggling (for he has written hither, contrary to his 2 1 MS. Harl. 6987, art. 71. 2 A curious illustration of this is preserved in the Advocates' Library, MSS. in a letter from Buckingham, dated the same day :-" I cannot forbear now to acquaint your lordship how that I have observed here, by several ways and circumstances, that the Spanish ambassadors in England do come to the notice and discovery of many things which ought to be kept secret, and they have given intelligences hither of some advertisements, which must arise by an insight into his majesty's letters which went from hence. Wherefore I pray you, seeing how convenient it is, and important for the service of his majesty, to be very watchful therewith, and circumspect to prevent any such like betraying, for the |