have given me very good satisfaction, as well for your right understanding of affairs in general, as to give me a light how to direct yours in particular, which at this time is the only subject of mine. One of two you must choose -either to stay, or come away. For the first, it were very honourable to do (in this time of action) if you had an employment; but neither having nor likely to have any hereafter, it were dulness, not patience, to stay any longer. Yet it is fit to come off handsomely, neither showing impatience or discontentment (if it may be) although I think you have cause for both.

Therefore I have commanded Henry Vane to propose a new employment for you, which, though I think it will not take effect, yet it will show there is no way unsought for to find you out an employment with the king of Sweden. It is that you may be sent into the Palatinate, to assist the French with so many men as my contribution will maintain, which, if it may be done, they promise me to put the lower Palatinate into my hands. This, though I do not hold as gospel, yet if his design might be put in practice, it might certainly prove useful to my affairs. This being denied (as I think it will), you have no more to do but to seek a fair excuse to come home; which will be best (in my opinion), upon the conclusion of the treaty between Sweden and me. Or, if any rubs

off; in which the king of Sweden's design was, that by his impatience, he might be quickened to carry on the treaty with England on any terms. But no consideration of his own could make him betray his master's service, or drive on propositions which he judged so dishonourable for him as were those he offered about the Palatinate, wherefore he wrote to his majesty to receive his positive commands what to do.

arise, that you might be sent to clear it with me; so that, upon the whole matter, my judgment is, that if you cannot serve me in the Palatinate (as I have already said) the best is, that you take the first civil excuse to come home to

Your loving cousin and faithful friend,

Oatlands, August, 1632.

CHARLES R.

Charles I. to Lord Wentworth.1

Wentworth,

The great despatch that your brother brought me has given me so much satisfaction, that I could not but testify it by my own hand. Though I know you will find my public letters enough to your contentment, and full enough to make this short, yet there is one general and one particular that I will name to you, to take care of, to wit, the parliament and Arundel; in a word, to content them both, so far as may not be to my prejudice. As for Arundel, I need say no more; but as for that Hydra, take good heed, for you know that here I have found it as well cunning as malicious. It is true that your grounds are well laid, and, I assure you, that I have a great trust in your care and judgment; yet my opinion is, that it will not be the worse for my service, though their obstinacy make you to break them, for I fear they have some ground more than it is fit for me to give. This I would not say, if I had not confidence in 1 A Select Collection of Original Letters, 12mo. Lond. 1755, vol. i. P. 118.

your courage and dexterity; that, in that case, you would set me down there an example what to do here. So I rest,

Your assured friend,

London, April 17, 1634.

CHARLES R.

Charles I. on the purchase of a collection of Pictures at Venice.1

Whereas we understand that an excellent collection of paintings is to be sold in Venice, which are known by the name of Bartolomeo della Nave's collection; we are desirous that our beloved servant, Mr. William Pettye, should go thither to make the bargain for them; we ourselves being resolved to go a fourth share in the buying of them, so it exceed not the sum of eight hundred pounds sterling; but that our name be concealed in it. And, if it shall please God that the same collection be bought and come safely hither, then we do promise, in the word of a king, that they shall be divided with all equality in this manner, videlicet—that they shall be equally divided into four parts by some men skilful in paintings, and then every one interested in the shares, or some for them, shall throw the dice severally; and, whosoever throws most, shall choose his share first, and so in order, every one shall choose after first, as he casts most, and

1 Addition. MSS. 4293, art. 3. The fondness of Charles for pictures is well known. This document is a curious evidence of the manner in which purchases of the kind were sometimes made.

shall take their shares freely to their own uses, as they shall fall to them.

In witness whereof we have set our hand, this eighth day of July, in the tenth year of our reign.

Charles I. to Lord Wentworth.1

Wentworth,

Before I answer any of your particular letters to me, I must tell you, that your last public despatch has given me a great deal of contentment, and especially for keeping off the envy 2 of a necessary negative from me, of those unreasonable graces that the people expected from me, not in one particular dissenting from your opinion (that is of moment, as I remember) but concerning the tallow, and that but ad referendum neither.

Now I will begin concerning your suit, though last come to my hands; and the first for the form, that is to say, in coming to me not only primarily but solely without so much as acquainting anybody with it, the bearer being as ignorant as any. This I do not only commend, but recommend you to follow always hereafter at least in what concerns your own particular; for, to servants of your own quality (and some degrees under too), I allow of no mediators, though friends are commendable; for the dependence must come merely from me and to me; and as for the matter, I desire you not to think that I am displeased with the asking, though for the present I grant For I acknowledge that noble minds are always

it not.

Earl of Strafford's Letters, vol. i. p. 331.

VOL. II.

2 Malice; ill will..

ი

accompanied with lawful ambitions; and be confident that your services have moved me more than it is possible for any eloquence or importunity to do. So that your letter was not the first proposer of putting marks of favour on you; and I am certain that you willingly stay my time, now ye know my mind so freely, that I may do all things a mi modo; and so I rest,

Your assured friend,

CHARLES R.

Hampton Court, the 23rd of October, 1634.

Charles I. to Lord Wentworth.1

Wentworth,

The accounts that you give me are so good, that if I should answer them particularly, my letters would rather seem panegyrics than despatches; so leaving them I come to those things wherein you require directions. And although I shall refer myself to secretary Coke for answer of those things that are in the public despatches, yet concerning two of them I must express my own sense, to wit, the not continuing of the parliament and the guard of the coast. For the first, my reasons are grounded upon my experience of them here; they are of the nature of cats, they ever grow cursed with

1 Earl of Strafford's Letters, vol. i. p. 365. Wentworth had succeeded in assimilating the Irish to the English church, and in exultation he writes" I can say that the king is as absolute here as any prince in the whole world can be, and may be still, if it be not spoiled on that side." It was his wish only to prorogue the parliament, but we here find Charles giving his reasons for a dissolution.