The Swedish king demanded that Charles should ally himself out and out with the Protestant cause in Germany, should send him a contingent of 10,000 soldiers, and promise the support of the English navy should Sweden be attacked by Spain or France. Charles, weak, cold, and vacillating, would not consent to these proposals which his council advised him to adopt, and which would have been warmly received in both his kingdoms. Vane followed Gustavus from Würtzburg to Nuremberg; but though hard pressed by Wallenstein, the Swedish king did not think the alliance of Charles worth having, and so Vane returned to England, and Sir Robert Anstruther was recalled from Vienna, neither of them having effected the one object which the English court had at heart, to get back the hereditary Electorate for the brotherin-law of his most gracious majesty.

Charles was gracious enough to attach no blame to his envoy for the failure of his overtures, though he showed his spleen by transmitting a broad hint to the Marquis of Hamilton to quit the service of Gustavus.1

It is to be supposed that young Henry joined his father soon after writing the letter quoted above. He was sent to England about two months after

In the Manuscripts of Pelham R. Papillon there is a holograph letter from Charles dated 1632, September 24 (old style), to the elder Vane, beginning "Harrie" "it was nether the falte of my instructions nor of your negotiating that broke it". . . "this being only to approve your proceedings in all this treatie, and to assure you that I am so far from laing anie falte to your charge that I esteme you more for this then if ye had concluded a treatie with little difficulty." Charles adds in a postscript: "Deliver this to Hamilton, and tell him that he has beene long anufe at scoole under a curst scoolemaister" (i.e., Gustavus). -Historical Manuscripts in Various Collections, vol. iii., London, 1904, p. 257.

A PERILOUS PASSAGE

45

bearing messages and dispatches. He left Rotterdam in the beginning of February 1632. "Lady Lewistone," he writes to his father, "was pleased notwithstanding the small size of the pink to let me pass over with her. Our passage was both tedious and extremely perilous. The former was caused by the inconstancy of the weather; the latter by the ignorance of the pilot, both which together kept us from discovering land for three days and nights. Monday at six o'clock of night we landed at Margate, and Tuesday morning presently after ten I rendered myself safe (thanks to God) at my mother's lodgings, from whence I went immediately to my Lord Dorchester and delivered him the packet, who after his perusal of it wished me to get in readiness what I had to discharge myself of with the speediest. I did accordingly, and the next morning I had couched in writing the two dispatches and carried them along with me by my Lord Dorchester's command, to present them to the king that his majesty might peruse them himself, or command me to read them to his majesty, and this latter I did. His majesty was pleased to give a gracious and attentive audience, and when I had discharged your Lordship's whole commission, told me that I had acquitted myself well, and so left me."

Vane then went back to the Lord Treasurer, who was displeased that he was not furnished with a copy; his words were: "Mr Vane, I used to have a copy first." Young Vane sent the day after a copy of the articles of the peace betwixt the French and the Swedish king. He had an interview with the Lord Treasurer Weston and his son Wake,

from whom he (Vane) got none of the plausible entertainment. "Being much interested how the treaty affected the King of Bavaria, and therefore they long to hear what operation Coles and Gifford's last dispatch could make in the troublesome conjunctures with the King of Sweden. I carried my business so that I did discharge myself both to my Lord Treasurer and Dorchester almost at a time and have found this last's acceptance of me more externally gracious than the former." Dorchester died suddenly a few days after this interview. In another letter, dated Whitehall, 27th February 1632, Vane expressed his uneasiness that Coles had not yet brought his dispatches. He was willing to return to Germany, "knowing that some observation of mine will not be unfit for your notice." The Lord Treasurer had ordered some money to be paid to Heburne, a courier, but Lake his secretary only said "he would do Mr Comptroller what service he can, and this is not unusual to me, for in your lordship's absence I find very few of those your lordship is pleased to put confidence in to be in better humour." In a prior letter he had written: "Divers great men have been inquiring of Mr Priwood of all your lordship's actions and spare you little in their censures."

Young Vane, at his father's command, applied himself to Mr Murray, and found him very noble and courteous. Vane writes: "He told me there was a place two or three voyd at the privy chamber, and that he would speak to the king that I might come in one of them that I might be somewhat neare his majesty's person.

"I desired him likewise to let me understand