24-‘The Country of the Gadarenes'

When Charles I came to the throne, being a serious-minded man, chaste
and religious, it looked as though he had every prospect of a successful
reign in front of him. The threat of a Spanish marriage, with all the
consequent advancement of Popery which that would have entailed, had
seemingly vanished with his marriage to Henrietta Maria of France. All the
same, the queen was ‘a pronounced Romanist who brought with her...
some Romish priests’. What is more, by her marriage to Charles, Henrietta
was in a position to ensure that popish influence was strengthened at Court.
Nor did she miss her opportunity; she was a zealous builder on the
foundation her late father-in-law, James, had laid. She was headstrong, not
least in her eagerness to gain many concessions for the Catholic religion;
throughout her reign she was the undoubted mistress at Whitehall, and
Papal agents were openly cultivated in high places. Jesuits were
encouraged to do their nefarious work; daily masses were notorious.
Charles could only weakly reprimand his wife, but she carried on in her
high-handed way regardless. She was far too strong for him.