The Copie of a letter written by ane honorable gentleman servand to His Highnes, to a lord of His Ma[jes]ties Privie Counsale in both kingdomes from Madrid, the 5 of Apryle stilo veteri 1623.

MY LORD.

GOE where I will, I can no moir flee from your kynd∣nesse then my owne shad∣dow. It hath quicklie over taken mee in Spaine, and from Spaine I send you bak all the thanks that ane honest hart can think.

For that Wee doe heere, that your L. may know it from a seeing witnesse, and from you, all Scotland, thogh I haue no Cōmission but the libertie of telling trueth. The Prince came thr¦ough France, and to this Court Post, without a fall or any other harme; Went into the french Kings Cabinet and saw him, the Queene, and Monsieur and Madame, and the Queene Mo∣ther and most of the Court, without beeing knowne of any, and so come hither to this Court the first advertiser, and was in the Ambassadors house before hee could beleeve it.

What acts of a strong and able man hee did by the way, is a Storie not to be matched, and behaves himselfe so weel heere as cannot be told; 〈1+ pages missing〉〈1+ pages missing〉

And when it shall please GOD he comes home in safetie, will deserve to bee received by all his Fathers Subjects lyk a blessing sent from heaven. For there was never in any Prince of his Race, more Religion, understanding and good Na∣ture, honestie and Activenesse, the LORD croune all with his long lyfe, and then is Our Yle happie.

Hee was received with all the honour that could bee done to any mortall man. The King made him ane Entrie as great as hee had beene Emperour. Gives him alwayes the place, and the right hand; And hath him Iudged in his Pa∣lace, as hee were at Sainct James. For though it was in their Lent. when they exercise the sttrai∣test manner of the Catholique Religion, Hee and His, had more libertie than they would vse; There was neuer anie, (not of the Romane reli∣gion) Iudged in the Palace before. The King and all his Court studying how to devise plea∣sure for Him, opponed the order of the Prag∣matique, which did forebid all braverie especially in Lent. Resigning all Donations and Regall power to Him; Commanded all the Presidents and Judges and Gouernours to take their di∣rection from Him, all requeistes presented to Him. What Hee would doe was done, though

in His wisedome Hee would doe nothing but by the Kings Ministers, and their Customes; All Prisons opened, all prisoners set at libertie, and they that were in for debt, the King fred them, and payed the debtes. In a word all was done, and is doing euery day, that could show howe sensible the King is of the honour Hee had done of so trusting His Person in his Majesties hāds. For the businesse, it must goe on according to the pace, that their duetie to Sea of Rome, will permit, but for their owne affection they are desirous of the Match as we can wish them. The King and his Brother vse Him as Hee were their Fathers Sonne, and as their eldest Brother.

The Jnfanta is a Ladie to please any Eye, if Shee were but a meane Gentle-woman, come∣lie and well fauoured, of stature: tale as most Women heere, and in any Countrie; Health∣full and likelie to bee a Child-bearer; Better fa∣uoured than any either Picture or report made Her; And as Her Sister is in France, the hand∣somest Woman of the Court, so is the Jufanta MARIA in this, (so is Shee named.) And for goodnesse, God onely knowes the heart; But for good report, no Woman vnder Hea∣uen hath a better; And for breading none so good, sauing in that which wee are not to con∣sider

now, but leaue it to God; Religon, where∣in Shee is so deuote and charitable, that I pray GOD these of our opinion may imitate Her. You may thinke that I am so turned Spanish, that I am onely set to praise, in conscience I speake within compasse, and am just the man without corruption, you euer tooke mee to bee, and by the grace of God, shall so cume home, and so die. But I write this for your information and satisfaction of such of my Friendes, as your L. pleaseth to impart it to, from on they haue no cause to distrust. Tell it to whom you will, and giue mee for Author; And let mee intreate them all to thanke God, that since our Masters Mari∣age was confyned in so narrow a circle, so few to choose of His equales, that Hee is likely to haue one that there is so much good in by all appea∣rance, both of outside and inside; And let vs all joyne in heartie prayer, that wee bee not decei∣ued; but that God may blesse all to His Glory to the well of His Church, and of our Master and His Subjects. And if your L. would know fur∣ther to judge Her by her Parents, the King Her Father was a sincere good man, and for Her Mother Shee was the matchlessest Princesse of Her time, especiallie for wisedome, goodnesie, and health, Shee died in Child-birth; And all Her children bee full and strong. The King

is taler than Our Prince, strong and nervouse well fauoured, and well spoken, and likelie to b••••e a braue active King.

Don Carlos is a little browner complectio∣ned, but a lustie wise-like young Prince; And the Cardinall Don Fernando the youngest is the finest, quickest, louliest Youth that can bee seene if Hee had nothing to recommend him but His hap and godlinesse. Now let God doe what Hee will, those bee good tokens. The Prince keepes His health stronglie, and if God, put end to all before the heates come on, this journey will turne to joye to vs all; And praise to the breast it bred in, and all the actors, which that it may bee, God grant if it bee his blessed will, And so I end for a long tim••, and if it be till I come to England, you will not blame me after all this.

Your L. most louing Seruant.

Madrid, the 5. of Aprill. 1623.

If your L. had seene with what a braue manner His Highnesse acquite Himselfe, the first time Hee saw His Mistrisse, it would haue done your heart good. The famousest Courtier or Woer in France would not haue acted it more gallātly. Hee neuer did any thing so well, not run at Tilt. in which Hee is Master.