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228 F. X. MARTIN that the Holy See put pressure on the Capuchin generaF 0 • He returned once again to what he had originally proposed at the general chapter of 1618 and reiterated in November 1622 - the establishment of three friaries on the continent as a separate unit to serve Missions in England, Scotland and Ireland. He urged that the unusually favourable political situation - the Spanish marriage negotiations were then afoot - should be availed of. Propaganda showed unaccustomed alacrity by replying on 27 May 71 • The Congregation praised him for his comments on the Mission, and announced that acting on his advice it had instructed the Capuchin general that now was the acceptable time to develop a missionary enterprise in Great Britain. There was the final encouraging remark that the pope was keenly interested in the project. 7. - Negotiations with James I of England Since the year 1621 King James had begun to display a tolerant and almost benevolent attitude towards the Catholics 72 • Observers acidly commented that the hope of a marriage between the prince of Wales and the Infanta was acting as a demulcent on James's harsh Presbyterian principles. James succeeded in raising the hopes of the Spaniards and the Catholics. Count Gondomar, the Spanish ambas– sador in London, showed diplomatic dexterity in his encouragement of the king's plans. During the year 1622 diplomatic relations were unofficially established between the papal nuncio at Brussels and the English court 73 • The Capuchin, Giacinto da Casale, gladly accepted the royal hand of friendship proffered from London. Another friar, Alessandro d'Ales, passed back and forward between London and Brussels during the years 1622-1623. The letters of Trumbull, the English ambassador at Brussels, show that he and Nugent had been in touch with one another at least 10 APF, Scritt.rif.cong.gen., 347, 183r-v. A note added by the secretary of Propaganda to· this letter states that at a meeting of the Congregation on 23 May 1623 it was decided to urge the Capuchin General to bestir himself about a Mission to England: « Die 23 Maii 1623. Sanctissimus iussit commoneri per Procuratorem Curiae Generalem ut de missionibus aliis in Angliam finiendis cogitet consultis prius aliis patribus melius inforn1atis ». This directive of the pope is not mentioned in the official Acta of the Congregation. 11 APF, Lettere, 1, 14r. 72 L. PASTOR, History of the popes from the close of the middle ages, transl. F.l. An– trobus and F.R. Kerr, vol. XXVII, 164-165. 73 MARTIN, Nugent, 204-205. Of special value on this subject is G. ALBION, Charles r and the court of Rome, London-Louvain 1935.