186	THE SANCI.
	audacity, had the impudence to write to King James asking for the "Portugal" itself; but the over-indulgent monarch, though he scarcely ever refused anything to his beloved favorite, did not comply with this request. The Spanish marriage fell through, and Charles and Buck­ingham returned to England. A couple of years afterwards, Charles being King, the stately Duke was sent to Paris to bring back the king's bride, Henrietta. On this occasion Buckingham seems to have ex­ceeded himself in splendor. He was provided, says Madame de Motteville, with all the dia­monds of the Crown and used them to deck himself. Possibly this may be merely an ex­pression to indicate the profusion of Bucking­ham's jewels, and diamonds should not be read literally. Be this as it may, it is a fact that the Duke appeared at a ball at the Louvre in a suit of uncut white velvet, sewn all over with dia­monds. These diamonds moreover, were sewn on very loosely, so that whenever the wearer