The queen made all her preparations for her expedition very fecretly, but not fo much fo as to prevent its coming to the knowledge of fir Hugh Spencer, who thought, that his moil prudent plan would be to win over to his intereft the king of France : for this efFeft he fent over trufty and fecret nxefTengers, laden with gold, filver, and rich jewels. Thefe were diftributed among the king and his miniflers with fuch effed, that the king and his council were in a ihort time as cold towards the caufe of Ifabella, as they had before been warm. The king difconcerted the expedition, and forbade any perfon,' under pain of baniihment, tò aid or affift the queen in her projefted return to England. Sir Hugh alfo endeavoured to get the queeninto his and the king's power, and to this effeâ made the king write an affe&ionate letter to the pope, entreating him to order the king of France to fend him back his wife, as he was anxious to acquit himfelf towards her before God and the world ; fince it was not his fault that flie had left him, for he was all love and good faith towards her, fuch as ought to be obferved in marriage. There were fimilar letters written tt the fame time to the cardinals, and many fubtle means devifed to infure their fuccefs, which it may not be fo proper here to mention. He fent alfo plenty of gold and filver to many cardinals and prelates, the neareil relations of the pope, and thofe moil in his councils, by, able and adroit meflengers, who managed the pope in fuch a manner, by their prefents and addrefs, that he wrote to the king of VOL. I. C France