‘[Then the Duke] came to the Relation of Sir Robert Cotton [of the intercourse] that he had with the Spanish Ambassador in 1614 [O.S.]. The Spanish Ambassador came to his house pretending [a desire] to see his rarities. On the 10th of February he acquainted His Majesty with it. Somerset [had] warrant then to sound the life of the intention. [Gondomar] told him he doubted he had no warrant to set any such thing on foot. [On the] 16th of March the Spanish Ambassador dealt with him and endeavoured to make Somerset Spanish, and to further this match. [He] answered him that there were divers rubs and difficulties in it. [On the] 9th of April he gave [Gondomar] a pill in a paper—viz. three reasons: If the King of Spain would not urge unreasonable things in Religion, then,’ &c. [as in Gondomar’s letter, which I have already quoted]. ‘Afterwards Sir Robert Cotton was questioned [for shewing] to the Ambassador of Spain a packet [received] from Spain.... [In the year] 1616, His Majesty told Sir Robert Cotton that Gondomar had counterfeited those letters, and that he was a “juggling jack.”’ Here Sir Edward Coke interposed. He was one of the Managers of the Conference for the Commons. He spoke thus: ‘This matter has a little relation to me. I committed Sir Robert Cotton, when I was Chief Justice. For I understood he had intelligence with the Spanish Ambassador, and questioned him for it. _For no subject ought to converse with Ambassadors without the King’s leave._ For the offence [for which] I committed him [Sir Robert had] afterwards his general pardon from the King.’ _Journals of the House of Commons_, 4 March, 1624. Vol. I, pp. 727, 728. Footnote 9: ‘... Por diferentes vias le confirmado que contra el Conde [Somerset] no se averigua cosa de sustancia en lo de la muerte del Ovarberi; y de la del Principe [Henry, Prince of Wales,] no ha permetido el Rey que se hable en ella; y todo lo demas probado hasta agora viene a parar en que dio un decreto antes que le prendiesen, para recojer unos papeles, diziendo que era orden del Rey, sin haverla tenido para ello. Fue lo que causo su prision, y el aver entregado despues todos los papeles que tenia de importancia, con algunas joyas, a un amigo suyo [Sir Robert Cotton], para que lo guardase que se coxieron. _Y el Rey ha sentido infinito que se ayan visto algunos papeles que havia suyos para el Conde, ... y assi carga agora toda la yra sobre el Conde_,’ &c. Gondomar to Philip III,—Simancas MS. 2595, f. 23; and in _Archæologia_ (by Gardiner), vol. xli, p. 29. Footnote 10: