Part 5 (1/2)
[14] Clarendon State Papers, f. 1171. Taylor to Windebank, Jan. 12, 1638-9.
[15] Green's Princesses of England. Vol. V. p. 570.
[16] Probably Colonel Charles Ess.e.x, killed 1642, at Edgehill.
[17] Bromley Letters, p. 103.
[18] Benett MSS. Warburton. Vol. I. p. 457.
[19] Dom. State Papers, Craven to Windebank, July 6, 1640.
[20] Clarendon State Papers, Sir A. Hopton to Windebank, 18-28 July, 1640. fol. 1397.
[21] Bromley Letters, p. 116.
[22] Lansdowne MSS. 817.
[23] Lansdowne MSS. 817.
[24] Benett MSS. Warburton. Vol. I. pp. 457-458.
[25] Warburton, p. 458.
[26] Clarendon State Papers, Leslie to Windebank, July 19, 1640.
[27] Dom. S. P. Leslie to Windebank, July 29-Aug. 8, 1640.
{48}
CHAPTER IV
THE PALATINES IN FRANCE. RUPERT'S RELEASE
Elizabeth had imagined that by sending her younger sons to school in Paris, she was keeping them out of harm's way; great was her surprise and annoyance when she found their position to be almost as dangerous as was that of Rupert. The cause of this new disaster was the imprudent conduct of the elder brother, Charles Louis. Undaunted by his recent defeat, the young Elector sought new means for recovering his country, and he now bethought him of Duke Bernhard of Saxe Weimar.
The alliance of this Duke, a near neighbour of the Palatinate, was very important, and in January 1639 Lord Leicester had proposed a marriage between him and the Princess Elizabeth. Further, he had suggested to King Charles that Maurice should take a command in Bernhard's army, for which, young though the Prince was, he believed him fitted. ”For,”
said he, ”besides that he has a body well-made, strong, and able to endure hards.h.i.+ps, he hath a mind that will not let it be idle if he can have employment. He is very temperate, of a grave and settled disposition, but would very fain be in action, which, with G.o.d's blessing, and his own endeavours will render him a brave man... Being once entered there, if Duke Bernhard should die, the army, in all likelihood would obey Prince Maurice; so keep itself from dissolving, and bring great advantage to the affairs of your nephew”[1] (_i.e._ to the Elector, Charles Louis).
But Charles Louis, full of impatience, and putting little faith in the negotiations of his uncle, set off in October {49} 1639 to join Duke Bernhard in Alsace. Foolishly enough, he visited Paris, by the way, ”_en prince_,” and then attempted to depart thence incognito. Now it so happened that Cardinal Richelieu had uses of his own for the army of Duke Bernhard. It therefore suited him to detain the Elector in Paris, and the Elector's irregular conduct gave him the pretext he required.
Declaring that so serious a breach of etiquette was capable of very sinister construction, he arrested Charles Louis, and placed his three brothers under restraint. Lord Leicester complained loudly of this treatment of the Elector, and though Maurice at once sent a servant to his brother, the man was only allowed to speak to Charles in French, and in the presence of his guards. The distracted mother flew to the Prince of Orange, who explained to her that Richelieu feared her son's attachment to England, which, however, Richelieu himself denied.
No sooner was the Weimarian army safely committed to the charge of a French general than Charles Louis was permitted to take up his residence with the English Amba.s.sador. After this, though still a prisoner, he spent a very pleasant time in Paris, at an enormous expense to the King, his uncle. Maurice was allowed to return home in an English s.h.i.+p, but Edward and Philip were detained as hostages.
Elizabeth spared no pains to recover them, and, as usual, made the Prince of Orange her excuse, ”I send for Ned out of France, to be this summer in the army,” she wrote to Roe; ”and, finding Philip too young to learn any great matters yet, I send for him also, to return next winter;--_which I a.s.sure you he shall not do_.”[2]
But it was not until April 1640 that her boys were restored to her, and the Elector did not recover his full liberty until the following July.
In the autumn of the same year he went to England, to attend the marriage of his cousin Mary with the little William of Orange, on {50} which occasion he quarrelled with the bridegroom for precedence. But his chief object in this visit was to obtain money either from King or Parliament. Elizabeth urged him to do something for Maurice, but he evidently regarded his third brother with much indifference. ”As for my brother Maurice,” he wrote, ”your Majesty will be pleased to do with him as you think fit. It will be hard to get the money of his pension paid him.”[3] His next letter was a little more encouraging. ”The King says he will seek to get money for Maurice, and then he may go to what army he pleases. I want it very much myself, and it is very hard to come by in these times.”[4]
The army which Maurice chose was that of the Swedes, under Banier; perhaps because it was then quartered near to the captive Rupert. Ere his departure, he wrote to King Charles: