of your inclination (which I know to be true); that making me believe the rest he says concerning your proficiency in the trade you have so happily begun, which, though I never doubted, yet I am glad to see that truth forces all men to approve my judgment of you. Within a week after you have received this, I hope Holland shall deliver you another from me; therefore now I haste to end, only I must chide you (if it be true that I hear), that you hazard yourself too boldly. This I must command you to mend and take care of; there being more inconveniences in it than I [almost dare write] or fit for you to hear, but it is enough, that you are willed to preserve yourself for his sake, that is and ever shall be Your loving, &c. CHARLES R. This bearer will you that I approve all your designs, and be confident of what succours these froward times can yield, which though they cannot be according to mind, yet, by God's grace, shall be enough for your fortune to maintain a just cause. Charles I. to the Duke of Buckingham.2 Steenie, Hampton Court, 1st. of October, 1627. I have received your despatch by Jack Ashburnham, by which I have understood the necessity in 1 The duke's personal courage was the only redeeming quality he displayed in this expedition, the failure of which must be chiefly attributed to his ignorance of the tactics of war. On the day of his leaving the island, he is reported to have been the last to leave the beach. 2 MS. Harl. 6988, art. 25. Buckingham alleged that his failure in the Isle of Rhé was in a great measure attributable to the non-arrival of expected supplies. which ye are, and I am much grieved and ashamed that I must make an apology for our slowness here in giving you supplies; the cause whereof is, the hardness of getting mariners, and the slow proceeding of the commissioners of the navy (which all commissioners are subject to), money being readilier furnished than I could have expected in these necessitous times; but for that our best answer is (as the schoolboy says) pardon this, and we shall do so no more; and now, by the grace of God, ye shall have no more cause to complain of us, for now we know how to prevent those faults, which we, without some experience, could hardly foresee. Holland, within two or three days, will attend you with supplies, wherefore at this time I shall say little more, but concerning the instructions ye sent me for Ned Clarke, and Will Hayden's place of the Ordnance. For the first, the King of Denmark's ambassadors being here, for an accommodation between France and me, I have sent them away well enough satisfied, yet without discovering my intentions; so that I hope my uncle will be content with my proceedings with France; Ned Clarke likewise having instructions correspondent to the answer that was given the Denmark ambassadors; so that I think it needless, or rather hurtful, to discover any main intent in this business, because divulging of it (which this may cause) in my mind, must needs hazard it. John Haydon has his brother's place already passed unto him, so that ye must excuse me, at this time, for Colonel Brett, yet because I see you have so great a care of him, I assure you that, at the next occasion, I shall remember him with as good a turn (though I did not know him, as I do, to be an honest sufficient man) if it were only because I see you esteem him. Lastly, for God's sake be not disheartened with our by-past slowness, for, by the grace of God, it is all past. This I say not, that I fear thy constant stout heart can slack in an honest cause, but that some rascal may cast doubts in the army as if I neglected you; which I imagine is likely enough to fall out, since some villains stick not to divulge it; and it is possible those who were the cause of your consultation of leaving the siege, and coming home (for the resisting of which I give thee a thousand thanks), may mutter such things. Now I pray God to prosper me, but as I shall stick to thee in all occasions, and, in this action, as I shall show myself, Your loving, &c. CHARLES R. Steenie, Charles I. to the Duke of Buckingham.1 Whitehall, 13th October, 1627. Since I have understood by Jack Ashburnham your necessities for fault of timely supplies, I still stand in fear (until I shall hear from you) that these may come too late, but I hope that God is more merciful to me, than to inflict so great a punishment on me. Holland can tell you all occurrences here, which I may use for a good excuse of a short letter; but in case his 1 MS. Harl. No. 6988, art. 26. gladness to see you (I judge him by himself) may make him forget some things, I will remember those I have most care of. The Denmark ambassadors, since their taking leave of me, having demanded a private audience there moved unto me, to send you powers to treat with France, in case they could procure them to begin; their reason for this was gaining of time, which they said, otherwise must be needs lost: but my answer was, that it was no ways honourable for me to send powers to treat, before I knew France's disposition to treat, it being necessary for my honour, that they should begin, not I. After some dispute, they found my reasons good, they ending with this request (which I could not refuse, but was glad of), that they might advertise you from time to time of their proceedings with the French king, and to give them some contentment at their farewell, I told them, that in case they made a peace between me and France, the army that you command should be ready to serve my uncle, if he desired it. Now, honest rascal, though I refused, being demanded, to send thee powers to treat, yet thou (knowing my well-grounded confidence of thee) may'st easily judge the warrant dormant power thou hast in this, as in any thing else, where confidence may be placed on any man; but for fear that thy modesty in this particular might hinder thee to remember thy power of trust, which I have given thee, I thought not amiss to write as I have written. Gerbier's treaty is at an end, wherein he has showed both his honesty and sufficiency, but mightily abused by the king of Spain's ministers. So referring you to Holland, I rest (though not in quiet until I shall see you safe and happily returned) Your loving, &c. CHARLES. Charles I. to the Duke of Buckingham.1 Steenie, Whitehall, 6th of November, 1627. I pray God that this letter be useless or never come to your hands, this being only to meet you at your landing in England, in case you should come from Ré, without perfecting your work, happily begun, but I must confess, with grief, ill seconded. A letter you sent by Jack Epslie is the cause of this, wherein ye have taught me patience, aud how to seek the next best in misfortunes. This is therefore to give you power (in case ye should imagine that ye have not enough already) to put in execution any of those designs 2 ye mentioned to Jack Epslie, or any other that you should like of. So that I leave it freely to your will, whether, after your landing in England, ye will set forth again to some design, before you come hither; or else that ye will first 1 MS. Harl. 6988, art. 31. Perhaps few stronger proofs of the king's affection for Buckingham could be produced than is exhibited in this letter. Deeply disappointed at the ill-success of the expedition, he not only refrains from throwing any blame on his favourite, but, in the most considerate and kind manner, endeavours to convince him that he attributes the failure to any other cause rather than his conduct, and that he will be equally welcome on his return as if he had arrived with the laurels of conquest. 2 One was an attack on Calais. The Duke de Rohan had pointed out several others. |