He was more under the influence of Gondemar than ever before, more eagerly hankering for the Infanta, more completely the slave of Spain.

He pledged himself to that government that if the Protestants in Bohemia continued rebellious, he would do his best to frustrate their designs, and would induce his son-in-law to have no further connection with them.

And Spain delighted his heart not by immediately sending over the Infanta, but by proposing that he should mediate between the contending parties.

It would be difficult to imagine a greater farce.

All central Europe was now in arms.