and wished the Swedish Ambassador would confer on this and other matters with Father Joseph, who had an apartment at Ruel near the Cardinal’s.  Grotius saw him, and received much satisfaction.  The Father said he had always disapproved of the delays in the payment of the subsidies; that he would use his endeavours to get the promises made to Sweden punctually performed, and to perpetuate a good understanding between the two crowns, which would be for the interest of both:  he added, that the troops intended for augmenting the army in Germany were already on their march.

Grotius met with the better reception as the French Court was under some uneasiness lest the allies should make a separate peace.  The Cardinal gave some hints of what he apprehended on this subject:  Grotius removed his fears in relation to Sweden, and the Cardinal promised that France would be faithful to her engagements.  Grotius did not lose sight of the affair of the subsidies[257]:  he went several times to Bullion, on whom it partly depended as belonging to his department:  but Bullion always refused to speak to him under pretence of indisposition or multiplicity of business, which did not leave him master of his own time.  Grotius judging this behaviour equivalent to a positive denial, wrote to the High Chancellor, that he thought his Excellency should write to the King himself.  The answers of the Ministry depended on the situation of affairs[258]:  when France had need of Oxenstiern they made fine promises to Grotius, who was not duped by them.  At last he saw Bullion[259], who, after enlarging much on the King’s great expence in maintaining an hundred and fifty thousand men, promised to advance two hundred thousand Francs; but never issued the order.  Lewis XIII. making a progress towards Lorain, Cardinal Richelieu was left at Paris with absolute power.  Grotius had an audience of him in September 1635.  He found him in a very bad humour.  His Eminence said he was well assured the High Chancellor was negotiating a separate treaty with the Elector of Saxony; that it was vain to make alliances if they were not faithfully observed; that for his part he was resolved to adhere to his engagements, and chose rather to be deceived than to deceive.  Grotius answered, that it was true the Elector of Saxony had made proposals to the High Chancellor, but his Excellency had written to the Elector himself, had told his Envoys, and sent a deputation to inform him, that a separate treaty would be injurious to France and the other allies of Sweden:  The Ambassador added, that he had orders to declare to his Eminence, that in case Sweden should be abandoned by France, he must not be surprised if the necessity of affairs should oblige the Swedish Ministers to have recourse to expedients which were very far from their intention.  The Cardinal replied, that that was the usual style of such as depart from their engagements and treat separately.  Grotius assured him that there was nothing yet done; that