He imagined himself a defender of the Protestant faith, while hating Holland and fawning on the House of Austria.
In England he favoured Arminianism, because the Anglican Church recognized for its head the temporal chief of the State.

In Holland he vehemently denounced the Arminians, indecently persecuting their preachers and statesmen, who were contending for exactly the same principle--the supremacy of State over Church.

He sentenced Bartholomew Legate to be burned alive in Smithfield as a blasphemous heretic, and did his best to compel the States of Holland to take the life of Professor Vorstius of Leyden.

He persecuted the Presbyterians in England as furiously as he defended them in Holland.

He drove Bradford and Carver into the New England wilderness, and applauded Gomarus and Walaeus and the other famous leaders of the Presbyterian party in the Netherlands with all his soul and strength.
He united with the French king in negotiations for Netherland independence, while denouncing the Provinces as guilty of criminal rebellion against their lawful sovereign.
"He pretends," said Jeannin, "to assist in bringing about the peace, and nevertheless does his best openly to prevent it." Richardot declared that the firmness of the King of Spain proceeded entirely from reliance on the promise of James that there should be no acknowledgment in the treaty of the liberty of the States.