1623.] THE SPANISH MATCH. 243 



to the court of Madrid, where beauty called and 

 pleasure led the way. Of course the king, the 

 council, the ministers, and the courtiers were (when 

 it, soon after, became known) absorbed in the prince's 

 romantic pilgrimage of love to the court of Madrid, 

 so much so that all other events were either shelved 

 or regulated to Secretary Conway,^^ the minister in 

 attendance on the king.* It may be mentioned, 

 however, that the Council were enjoined to attend 

 to the Lent sermons ; the Lord Mayor of London 

 was directed to drill the trained foot-bands, and see 

 to the well ordering of the City ; the Attorney- 

 General was to call before him the owner and tenant 

 of a coney warren at Foulmere, near Royston, which 

 hindered the king's sport there, and to request them 

 to have it diswarrened ; should they refuse, their grant 

 of free warren to be called for, and annulled if found in 

 any way informal or defective. The Naval Com- 

 missioners were ordered to report whether the Lord 

 Admiral's pinnace was swift and strong enough to 

 carry the prince's jewels, etc., to Spain, and how and 

 at what cost it, or any other bark, could be got ready. 

 These extraordinary proceedings gave rise to all sorts 

 of rumours, and the crisis became so serious, that the 



* "Whereas Jonathan Scot one of the messengers of his Ma*"' 

 Chamber in Ordinary hath of late bene imployed vppon his Ma"" 

 Special! service by the Right Honorable S' Edward Conoway Knight 

 Secrettary to his Ma"°, in Riding post from Newmarkett vnto London & 

 backe agayne to his Ma"" Court at Newmarkett in the which Journey he 

 hath disbursed severall somes in the w'^'* he humblie prayeth allowance @, 

 Impr'm: from Newmarkett vnto London it being 54 miles at 6'' the 

 mile is ^01 : 07 : 00. Item for the post guides being ;^oo . 02 . 06. Item 

 from London to Newmarkett the same at 6'' the mile & G"* the guide 

 ;^oi. 09. 06. Some £,01. 19. 00." — State Papers, Dom., vol. cxxxix., 

 m. 20 (120). 



