He continued, however, to see the Cardinal till the arrival of the Earl of Leicester, who came to Paris in spring 1636, as Ambassador Extraordinary from the King of England, with orders not to visit the Cardinal, because the British Court thought it indecent that Ambassadors should yield the precedence to Cardinals; and that it was even contrary to the ceremonial of the Court of Spain.  “I commend, says Grotius writing to the High Chancellor[275], those who defend their rights:  I dare not however imitate them without orders.”  He thought it most proper therefore not to visit the Cardinal till he knew the High Chancellor’s intentions.  Receiving no orders to continue his visits to him[276], he wholly left them off; and the Queen’s Ministry thinking the crown of Sweden at least equal in dignity to that of England, approved of his conduct.  Count d’Avaux was ordered to use his endeavours with the Swedish Ministry to write to Grotius that he should continue to visit the Cardinal as formerly:  D’Avaux spoke of it to Salvius, a Privy-Councellor, and Chancellor of the Court, who was with him at Hamburg negotiating a new treaty.  Salvius answered, that Grotius had received orders to conform to the Earl of Leicester’s example; that it would be absurd that the Minister of such a King as yielded not the precedence to any other King, should yield it to a Minister; and, in fine, that the dignity of Cardinal was unknown in Sweden.

Grotius informs us in several of his letters, that the English were the first who refused to give the Cardinal the upper hand.  He writes to the High Chancellor, “[277]Chavigni asked, as by chance, whether I would see the Cardinal?  I answered, that since the English had ceased to visit him, I was ordered not to see him.  I have in fact letters on that subject from Schmalz.  I added, if the Earl of Leicester, who wished so well to the common cause, and greatly desired the Cardinal’s friendship, should find an expedient to reconcile what is due to the dignity, of his King to that of the Cardinal, it would be an example for me to follow:  but (continues Grotius) the Earl of Leicester has assured me that the King will not change his resolution:  and I dare make no innovation without a new order.”  He writes to Muller[278], “I have no personal dealings with the Cardinal:  the Regents of the kingdom must send me their orders if they would have me follow the example of the English.  If they think it improper, they need only speak, it is mine to obey.  I have no interest in the matter.”

We have enlarged so much on this article, because Puffendorf, the author of Vindiciae Grotianae, and Father Bougeant have pretended[279] that the Earl of Leicester only followed Grotius’s example, in refusing to give the upper hand to Cardinal Richelieu; which they would not have advanced had they read with attention the Ambassador’s letters.