Sir Walter Aston to Secretary Conway, 22. Jan. 1623.

BY the return of this Bearer Mr. Greisley, you will understand of the safe coming to my hands of your dispatch of the 30^th. of the last moneth, with his Majesties Letters therein inclosed. I do now herewithal send an account unto his Majestie of my proceedings upon his Commands, which I do intreat your Honour to be pleased Page  41to present unto him, as also farther to acquaint his Majestie, that I have already spoken with divers of these Ministers, and given them such a declaration of his Majesties good intentions in the pressing at this season for the restitutions of the Palatinate, and Electoral dignity unto the Prince his Son in Law, as I have order to do by the said Let∣ter, but do find they are here so possessed with the ill relations they receive out of England, that I with much difficultie can scarce give them any kind of satisfaction. I have acquainted the Conde Olivarez with the answer, which your honour, and Mr. Secretarie Calvert had received from their Embassadours touching their audiences, the Conde himself having formerly acquainted me with their Complaint. His answer now was, That he understood they had acknowledged unto your Honours to have received from his Majestie in that point all kind of satisfaction, but that after you were gone the Marquesse of Ynoisa wrote a Letter to Secretarie Calvert, telling him, that he did not well remember himself, of what had passed at his being there, but had since called to mind, that he had procured some audiences with the Prince with much difficultie. To which I answered the Conde, That it seemed the Marquesse was very light of his advertise∣ments, to give such informations as might breed ill understandings betwixt Princes, and esteem them of no more Consequence, then to forget what he had advertised with so much ease. Concerning that malitious report here raised of the Prince's treating a marriage in France. I desire your Honour to let his Majestie know, that it is ad∣vertised hither out of England as a thing so certain, that there is not a Minister of State (excepting the Conde of Gondomar) that hath not given some credit unto it. I have therefore according to his Ma∣jesties directions given such declarations touching the author and believers of it, as your Honour in his Majesties name hath comman∣ded me. I have likewise received by Mr. Greisly your Letter of the 31. of the last: In answer of which, all that I shall need to say here unto your Honour is, that my Lord of Bristol hath received your former Letter, acquainting him with his Majesties pleasure concern∣ing the same businesse, from whom his Majestie will receive an ac∣count thereof. This is all that I have to say to your Honour at this present touching those particulars mentioned in your Letter; I shall now here further acquaint you with such advertisements, as I conceive may any waies have reference unto his Majesties service. My Lord of Bristol, and my self repairing some few daies since unto the Pardo, having conference with the Conde of Olivarez, his Lordship acquain∣ted the Conde with the Letters of revocation, which he had received Page  42from his Majestie, and withal desired that he would procure him licence to take his leave of the King. The Conde answered his Lord∣ship, That he had much to say unto him by order from his Majestie, the substance of his speech was; That they had received large ad∣vertisements out of England, by which they understood the hard measure that he was there likely to suffer by the power of his ene∣mies, and that the onely crime, which they could impute unto him, was for labouring to effect the marriage, which his Master could not but take much to heart, and held himself obliged to publish to the world the good service that my Lord had done unto the King of great Brittain; and therefore for the better encouragement likewise of his own and all other Ministers that should truly serve their Masters, he was to offer him a blank paper signed by the King, wherein his Lord∣ship might set down his own Conditions, and demands; which he said he did not propound to corrupt any servant of his Majesties, but for a publique declaration of what was due unto his Lordships proceed∣ings. He said further, that in that offer, he laid before him the Lands, and Dignities, that were in his Masters power to dispose of; out of which he left it at his pleasure to choose what estate, or ho∣nour, he should think good, adding thereunto some other extravagant and disproportionable offers. My Lords answer was, That he was very sorry to hear this language used unto him, telling the Conde, that his Catholique Majestie did owe him nothing, but that what he had done was upon the King his Masters Commands, and with∣out any intention to serve Spain. And that howsoever he might have reason to fear the power of his enemies, yet he trusted much upon the innocency of his own Cause, and the Justice of the King, and that he could not understand himself in any danger: but were he sure to lose his head at his arrival there, be would go to throw down himself at his Majesties feet and mercy, and rather there die upon a Scaffold, then be Duke of Infantada in Spain. On the 16^th. of this moneth, there was declared here in Councel a resolution of this King, to make a journey to his frontier Towns in Andaluzia, with an intention to begin his journey upon the 29. of this moneth Stil. Vet. And as I am informed his Majestie will there entertain himself the greatest part of these three moneths following; so that his return hi∣ther will not be until the beginning of May. My Lord of Bristol hath sent divers to the Conde for leave to dispeed himself of the King, but in respect of his Majesties being at the Pardo, he hath been hither∣to delayed, and hath yet no certain day appointed for it: But I con∣ceive it will be sometime this week. The Cause of the delaying of Page  43his Lordships admittance to the King, as I understand is, that the same day that his Lordship shall declare his revocation to the King, they will here in Councel declare the revocation of the Marquesse of Ynoisa. Howsoever in respect of the Kings departure, (at which time they use here to embarge all the mules, and means of carriage in this Town) I believe his Lordship will not begin his journey so soon as he intended.

All the relations which are lately come out of England do wish them to entertain themselves here with no farther hopes, that there is any intention to proceed to the Match; and this advice comes ac∣companied with such a report of the state of all things there, that hath much irritated all these Ministers, and let loose the tongues of the people against the proceedings of his Majestie, and Highnesse. I labour as much as I can, and as far as my directions will give me latitude, to give them better understandings of the real intentions of his Majestie and Highnesse: but divers of them cleerly tell me, That I professe one thing, and the actions of his Majestie and Highnesse (upon the which they must ground their belief) are differing from it. I shall therefore here in discharge of my duty advertize your Honour, that they do here expect nothing but a War, about which they have already held divers Councels, and go seriously to work, preparing themselves for what may happen. Which I desire your Honour to advertize his Majestie, being high time, as far as I am able to judge, that am here upon the place, that his Majestie do either re∣solve upon some course for the allaying of these storms; or that he go in hand with equal preparations. Having observed in former times, the strange rumours that have run in England upon small foun∣dations; I have thought it fit to prevent the credit which may be given to idle relations by advertizing your Honour that I cannot con∣ceive how any great attempt can be made from hence this year; how∣soever businesses should go. The Squadron of the Kings Fleet (un∣der the Command of Don Fadrique de Toledo) is come into Cadiz, and joyned with that which Don Juan Taxardo is Captain of. And as I am credibly informed, this King will have by the end of April between 50. and 60. Gallions at Sea. It is true that other years the number commonly falls short of what is expected, and their setting forth to Sea some moneths later then the time appointed, but there is extraordinary care taken this year, that there be no default in nei∣ther.

The chief end (that I can understand) of this Kings journey being to see the Fleet of Plate come in, to take view of his Armado, and see Page  44them put to Sea. That which I understand is onely left alive of the Marriage here is, that the Jewels, which the Prince left with this King for the Infanta and her Ladies, are not yet returned, but it is intimated unto me, that if the Letters which they shall receive out of England upon the answer they have given to his Majestie about the businesse of the Palatinate be no better, then such as they have lately received, they will return the Jewels, and declare the businesse of the Match for broken. I shall therefore intreat your Honour to know his Majesties pleasure how I shall carry my self, if they be offered unto me, being resolved in the mean time untill I shall know his Majesties pleasure, if any such thing happen, absolutely to refuse them. The Princesse some few daies since fell sick of a Calentura, of which she remaineth still in her bed, though it be said she is now somewhat bet∣ter. I will conclude with many thanks for your friendly advertize∣ments concerning my own particular, which (God willing) as far as I can, I will observe, and do earnestly intreat you, that you will please to continue the like favours unto me, which I shall highly esteem of. And so with a grateful acknowledgment of my obliga∣tions, I rest