Samuel Rawson Gardiner

“ For the moment Buckingham was the most popular man in England.
It was easier to overthrow one policy than to construct another. The Commons would have been content with sending some assistance to the Dutch, and with entering upon a privateering war with Spain. James, whose object was to regain the Palatinate, believed this could only be accomplished by a Continental alliance, in which France took part. As soon as Parliament was prorogued, negotia tions were opened for a marriage between Charles and the sister of Lewis XIII., Henrietta Maria. ”

“ But Charles, obstinate when his mind was made up, was sluggish in action and without fertility in ideas, and he had long submitted his mind to the versatile and brilliant favourite, who was never at a loss what to do next, and who unrolled before his eyes visions of endless possibilities in the future. Buckingham was sent over to Paris to urge upon the French Court the importance of con verting its alliance into active co-operation. ”

“ His numerous kinsfolk were to be enriched by marriage, if in no other way, and Bacon, the great philosopher and statesman, was all but thrust from office, because he had opposed a marriage suggested for one of Buckingham s brothers, whilst Cran- field, the first financier of the day, was kept from the Treasury till he would forsake the woman whom he loved, to marry a penniless cousin of the favourite. ”

“ All England was talking of the revolution in Bohemia in the year before, and men s sympathy with the Continental Protestants was increased when it was known that James s son-in-law had accepted the crown of Bohemia, and that in the summer of 1620 a Spanish force was preparing to invade the Palatinate. Buckingham at first had thrown himself into the popular movement. ”

“ They asked for the full execution of the laws against the Catholics, and voted but little money in return. Charles adjourned then to Oxford, that he might plead with them more persuasively. Before they met there, the English ships had found their way into the hands of the French, to be used against Rochelle. The Commons met, in an ill-humour. They had no confidence in Buckingham, and they asked that persons whom they could trust should be admitted to the king s council before they would vote a penny. Charles stood by his minister, and on August 12 he dissolved his first Parliament. ”