The meeting was on the 25th of January.
When they were met according to the king's appointment, he
declared his mind to them on the matter of religion, and said how
uneasy it was to him not to profess the faith he believed; and
that he had called them together to have their advice about the
ways and methods fittest to be taken for the settling of the
catholic religion in his kingdoms, and to consider of the time
most proper to declare himself, telling them withal that no time
ought to be lost; that he was to expect to meet with many and
great difficulties in bringing it about, and that he chose rather
to undertake it now, when he and his brother were in their full
strength and able to undergo any fatigue, than to delay it till
they were grown older and less fit to go through with so great a
design. This he spoke with great earnestness, and even with
tears in his eyes; and added, that they were to go about it as
wise men and good catholics ought to do. The consultation lasted
long, and the result was, that there was no better way for doing
this work than to do it in conjunction with France, and with the
assistance of his Most Christian majesty." Accordingly the
secret treaty with France was entered into, as already mentioned.
No further movement towards professing the catholic religion was
made by the king or his brother for some time. The tendencies of
the latter becoming suspected, his actions were observed with
vigilance, when it was noted, that although he attended service
as usual with the king, he no longer received the sacrament.
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