<|endoftext|> kind of astonishment brought him (_i.e._ Prince Charles) up to his
chamber, where he presently called for pen and ink, and despatched a
post that night to England to acquaint his Majesty how in less than
sixteen days he was come safely to the Court of Spain."[24]
After grave discussion in Bristol's room, it was {73} decided to send
at once for Gondomar, to whom, as Buckingham well knew, the arrival of
the Prince would cause no surprise. It was past nine o'clock at night
when Gondomar entered the "house with the seven chimneys," full of glee
at the success of his bold diplomacy; and not long afterwards he was at
the door of Olivares' rooms' in the palace, anxious to give to the
favourite the first news of the great event. The Count-Duke was seated
at supper as Gondomar entered the apartment. The famous Spanish
ambassador in England owed much of his success to the assumed bluff
jocosity with which he was wont to cover his cunning; but when he
bounced into the Count-Duke's supper chamber on this occasion, he was
so exuberant in his joy that grave Olivares looked up in surprise, and
said: "Ah, Count! what brings you here at such an hour as this? You
look as jolly as if you had the King of England himself in Madrid."
"If we have not the King," chuckled Gondomar, "we have the next best
thing to him,--the Prince of Wales."[25]
Olivares was far from sharing Gondomar's delight. To him the news
meant infinite anxiety, danger, and expenditure; for not only must the
Prince be entertained lavishly, but somehow he must be got rid of
without marrying the Infanta, and if possible without a national war
with England for the slight put upon the Prince. The Count-Duke
hurried to the King's apartments with the great news, and Philip was as
much taken aback as his minister, for young as he was he fully
understood the gravity of the situation. One thing, however, {74} he
was quite determined upon. Already the adulation of which he had been
made the object, and the high hopes aroused by the new measures and men
that had been introduced upon his accession, had convinced the lad he
was the heaven-sent instrument destined to restore to Spain its proud
supremacy over a united Christendom, and religious exaltation had
claimed him henceforth for its own, however ungodly his daily life
might be. When Olivares had laid before him the difficulties that
arose from the unexpected descent of Charles Stuart upon them, Philip
rose, and walking to where a figure of Christ crucified hung at the
head of his bed, he kissed the feet of the figure, and burst out into
the following impassioned oath: "O Lord! I swear to Thee by the human
and divine alliance crucified that in Thee I adore, and upon whose feet
I seal this pledge with my lips, that not only shall the coming of this
Prince be powerless to make me concede one point in the matter of the
Catholic religion, not in accordance with what Thy Vicar the Pontiff of
Rome may resolve, but even if I were to lose all the realms I enjoy, by
Thy grace I will not give way a single iota." Then turning to Olivares
(who says that this was one of the only two oaths he ever knew the King
to take), Philip told him they must nevertheless fulfil the duties of
hospitality that the Prince had thrown upon them.[26]
For the greater part of that night the minister worked hard laying out
all the plans for the entertainment of the Prince, and for avoiding
without giving mortal offence the marriage he sought. At {75} eight
o'clock next morning a meeting of high councillors, with Gondomar and
the King's confessor, met in the Count-Duke's room in the palace, the
result of their deliberations, being highly characteristic: namely,
"first, to offer public prayers to God in thanks for the event, and in
supplication for His guidance"; and secondly, to instruct Gondomar to
sound Buckingham and Cottington (who was expected to arrive that day)
as to how far the King of England might be squeezed, "in order to bring
this visit to be a great and very signal service to the Church."[27]
[Sidenote: Olivares meets Buckingham]
A dozen knotty