‘The King and the Earl of SOMERSET,’ writes the Ambassador, ‘have sent in great secrecy by Sir Robert COTTON—who is a gentleman greatly esteemed here, and with whom the King has deposited all his archives—to tell me what Sir John DIGBY has written about the marriage of the Infanta with this Prince. COTTON informed me that he was greatly pleased that the negotiation had been so well received in Spain, because he desired its conclusion and success. He enlarged upon the conveniencies of the marriage, but said that the King considered DIGBY not to be a good negotiator, because he was a great friend of the Archbishop of Canterbury, and of the Earl of PEMBROKE, who were of the Puritan faction, and was in correspondence with them.’... ‘In order to make a beginning,’ continued COTTON, as GONDOMAR reports his conversation, ‘the King must beg your Majesty to answer three questions: (1.) “Does your Majesty believe that with a safe conscience you can negotiate this marriage?” (2.) “Is your Majesty sincerely desirous to conclude it, upon conditions suitable to both parties?” (3.) “Will your Majesty abstain from asking anything, in matters of Religion, which would compel him to do that which he cannot do without risking his life and his kingdom; contenting yourself with trusting that he will be able to settle matters quietly?” [Sidenote: Gardiner Transcripts of Simancas MSS.] When an answer is given to these questions he will consider the matter as settled, and will immediately give a commission to the Earl of Somerset to arrange the points with me. [Sidenote: See also S. R. Gardiner, in _Letters of Gondomar, giving an Account of the affair of the Earl of Somerset_; (_Archæologia_, vol. xli.)] This Sir Robert COTTON is held here, by many, to be a Puritan, but he told me that he was a Catholic, and gave me many reasons why no man of sense could be anything else.’ He afterwards adds: ‘Sir Robert COTTON, who has treated with me in this business, tells me that after the marriage is agreed upon, [and] before the Infanta arrives in England, matters of Religion will be in a much improved condition.’ The writer of this remarkable despatch, it may be well to mention, had asserted with equal roundness, but a few months before, that JAMES himself had said, at the dinner-table: ‘I have no doubt that the Roman Catholic Church is the true Church.’ [Sidenote: Simancas MSS. 2590, 10 (Gardiner Transcripts).]