The Declaration of the Ambassadors of James 1. King of England, upon figning the Articles of Marriage of Charles Prince of Wales with the Lady Henrietta Maria, Sifter to Lewis XIII. King of France. At Paris the 20th of November 1624.

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E under-written, the Ambaffadors Extraordi nary, Procurators and Deputies of the moft Serene King of Great Britain, &c. to treat about the Marriage of the Prince of Wales his Son with Madam Henrietta Maria, Sifter to the moft Chriftian King, acknowledg and confefs, That in paffing the Articles of the faid Treaty of Marriage, the Commiffioners and Deputies of the moft Chriftian King made fome Difficulty, and did refufe to fign two Copies of the faid Articles, for as much as we took upon us to put our Names first in one of them; maintaining that their Names ought to be put before ours, as well in the Dif patches to be deliver'd to them by us, that were to remain in France, as in the other Difpatch fign'd by them, and deliver'd to us, and to be carry'd into England, grounding their Pretenfions upon the Dignity, Prerogative and Preeminence of the moft Chriftian King; and alledging, That in the Treaty made in the Year 1572. at Blois fur Loire, this was obferv'd between the Deputies of their moft Chriftian and moft Serene Majefties. To which we the Ambaffadors of Great Britain anfwer'd and maintain'd on the contrary, That as to Writings deliver'd by the Ambaffadors or Deputies of our Kings or Queens, to any other Prince whatfoever, nay even to Emperors, the Ambaffadors or Deputies of our faid Kings or Queens, always us'd to fet their Names or Signatures to Papers by them deliver'd on their part before the Commiffioners of other Princes; and that this

appear'd

appear'd by the very Originals of Treaties by them fign'd and deliver'd to the faid Commiffioners and Deputies of foreign Princes, and particularly by thofe that were made in the Year 1546. between Henry VIII. King of England, and Francis I. the moft Chriftian King; in the Year 1549. between Edward VI. and Henry II. and in the Year 1559. call'd the Treaty of ChateauCambrefis: in figning and fealing of all which the Commiffioners of England were put before the Commiffioners of France, in thofe that were given and deliver'd by the faid Commiffioners of England; to which we entirely refer our felves for our Direction in this matter, and agree to be determin'd by them. Whereupon it has been advis'd, That according to the antient Form_and Ufage by us alledg'd, the Names, Signs and Seals of the faid Commiffioners of the moft Chriftian King fhall be put before ours in the faid Articles and other Acts that depend thereupon, which fhall be given and deliver'd to us by them, and ours fhall be put before theirs in the Acts that we fhall deliver to them. We fay moreover, that this has been ufual in the like Cafes, without prejudice to the forefaid Pretenfions of the faid Lords the Commiffioners of the moft Chriftian King; and befides, on condition it fhall appear and be found, by the Treaties and Contracts formerly made between our Kings and Queens and the most Christian King (excepting nevertheless the Treaty made at Blois in 1572. which we fay has been thus pafs'd by Inadvertency and Mistake) that the Names and Signings of the Deputies of our Kings and Queens were put after thofe of the Deputies of the most Christian Kings; in that Cafe we consent and agree, that the faid Articles by us fign'd and deliver'd to the faid Lords Commiffioners of France be amended in this refpect, and our Names and Signings put after thofe of the faid Lords Commiffioners: upon which Conditions and Amendments the faid Articles have been fign'd refpectively in the Form above. In Faith and Testimony whereof we have fign'd these Prefents the 20th of November 1624. Sign'd Carlisle and Holland, and feal'd with the Arms of the faid Lords.

The

The Contract of Marriage between Charles 1. King of England, and Madam Henrietta Maria, Sifter Sifter to Lewis XIII. King of France. Made at Paris the 8th of May 1625.

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N the Name of God the Creator; Know every one

prefent and to come, That whereas the moft Chritian King of France and Navarre, reigning at prefent, has receiv'd feveral Propofitions on the part of Fames late King of England of Glorious Memory, tending to unite their Crowns more and more by an indif folvable Bond of Amity, according to the Example of many Kings their Predeceffors: And the faid Kings underftanding not only how honourable it was for them, but likewife beneficial for all Chriftendom, that Princes of fuch Birth, Dignity and Grandeur fhould be united by the Marriage of his Majefty of Great Britain now reigning, then the moft Serene Prince of Wales, and Madam Henrietta Maria, Sifter to his faid moft Chriftian Majefty; to treat about which, the late King of Great Britain being defirous to fee fo good a Work concluded and accomplish'd, fent the Lords the Earls of Carlisle and Holland, his Ambaffadors Extraordinary, with ample Powers to his faid most Christian Majefty; who having deputed the Principal Minifters of his Council, viz. the Cardinal de Rochefoucault, Great Almoner of France, the Cardinal de Richelieu, the Cardinal de Haligre, Chancellor of France, and the Count Schomberg, Knight of his Orders, Counsellor in his Council of State, his Governor and Lieutenant-General in Angoumois and Limofin; the Count d'Avilleaux-clercs of Montbron, likewife Counsellor of State, and Secretary of his Majefty's Orders; he gave them Power to hear and confider the faid Propofitions, to treat, conclude and fettle with the forefaid Ambaf fadors Extraordinary, the Commiflioners and Deputies of the faid late King of Great Britain, my Lords the

Earls

Earls of Carlile and Holland, the Articles of the faid Marriage which was done after feveral Meetings to the Satisfaction and with the Confent of their faid Majefties. Whereupon, in prefence of the moft High, moft Excellent and moft Potent Prince Lewis, by the Grace of God, King of France and Navarre, the most Excellent and most Potent Princess Mary, by the Grace of God, Queen of France and Navarre, Mother to his faid moft Chriftian Majefty; the most High, most Excellent, and most Potent Princess Anne, by the fame Grace of God, Queen of France and Navarre, Spouse to his faid Majefty; the most High, and moft Potent Prince Monfeigneur only Brother to the King; and the moft High and Potent Princefs, Madam Henrietta Maria, Sifter to his faid Majefty, and the Princeffes of the Blood, Cardinals, other Princes and Officers of the Crown, and the Principal Lords of the Council of his faid Majefty, on the one part; and the High and Potent Lord James Hay, Earl of Carlisle, Viscount of Doncafter, Baron of Saley, Counsellor to his Majesty of Great Britain, in his Council of State, and Privy Council, and Knight of the most noble Order of the Garter the High and Potent Lord Henry Rich, Earl of Holland, Baron of Kensington, Ambaffadors Extraordinary of the moft High, moft Excellent, and moft Potent Prince Charles, by the Grace of God, King of Great Britain, on the other part; the faid Articles were read as they were drawn up and fettled in the following manner and Form.

I. The faid Lords Ambaffadors have promis'd and do promife for his Majefty of Great Britain now reigning, That his faid Majefty will take to Wife Madam Henrietta Maria, Daughter of France, and Sifter to his faid moft Chriftian Majefty, either in Perfon or by Proxy, as foon as conveniently may be.

II. As likewife my faid Lady, by the good Pleafure, and with Confent of his faid most Christian King, and of the Queen his Mother, in confequence of the Dif penfation obtain'd by his faid moft Chriftian Majesty from the Pope, promifes to take for her Husband and Spouse the faid King of Great Britain, Charles the First : And agreeably to the faid reciprocal Promifes, they fhall be betroth'd according to the Form us'd in the Catholick, Aopftolical and Roman Church.

III.

III. In confequence of which Efpoufals, an indiffolvable Marriage fhall be celebrated in France, according to the Order and Form that were obferv'd at the Marriage of Henry the Great and the late Queen Margaret, and the late Madam her Sifter with the late Duke de Bar.

IV. That after the faid Celebration, the faid Lady fhall be brought into England the fooneft that can be,. and fhall be conducted at the Charges of his moft Chriftian Majefty to the City of where fhe fhall be given over to thofe whom his faid Majefty of Great Britain fhall appoint for that purpose. And from the faid into England, the Expences of the faid Lady fhall be born by his Majefty of Great Britain; the whole to be done on both fides futable to the Dignity of a Princefs of the Family of France, join'd by Marriage to the King of Great Britain.

V. The faid Marriage being done and celebrated in France, it is agreed, That the faid Lady being arriv'd in England, a Day fhall be appointed wherein his faid Majefty of Great Britain and Madam his Queen, being prefent in one of the Halls of the Royal Palace with Ornaments futable to their Dignity, the present Contract of Marriage fhall be publickly read, together with the Powers and Commiffions by virtue whereof it was concluded; after which the faid Contract fhall be ratify'd anew by his faid Majefty of Great Britain, in prefence of thofe whom his faid moft Chriftian Majesty fhall please to appoint for that effect, and of the Peers of the Kingdoms of the faid King of Great Britain, who fhall be prefent at this Solemnity, which fhall be attended with no Ecclefiaftical Ceremony.

VI. The free Exercife of the Catholick, Apoftolical and Roman Religion is granted and allow'd to Madam, as alfo to all her Retinue, and to the Children of her Servants and Officers; for which effect, the faid Lady fhall have a Chappel in all the Royal Palaces, and in every Place of the States of the King of Great Britain, where the fhall be and remain. That the faid Chappels fhall be adorn'd in the ufual manner, and the Care and Keeping of them fhall be committed to fuch as the faid Lady fhall ordain. The preaching of the Word of God, the Administration of the Sacraments, the Mafs, and all Vol. II.

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Divine