Hay was afterwards employed in several other embassies, none of which proved more prosperous than the first; but these failures were probably less to be imputed to himself than to his master ;—a prince singularly unfortunate in the results of that diplomacy of which he made so great a point and on which he expended such enormous sums of money.

James was at this time intent on cultivating by all means the friendship of the young king of France, and on occasion of the assassination of the marshal D'Ancre by order of Louis, he did not scruple to assure him of his approbation of the act. The situation of the king of France, who, though majorand married, was still held in bondage by those who had assumed the direction of affairs during his minority, appears to have recalled to James the circumstances of his own youth in Scotland, and we find his impressions and those of English politicians thus memorably recorded in a letter from secretary Winwood to sir Guy Carleton ambassador to Holland:

years, so was

"As the king was young in he in thraldom and captivity under the queen his mother, and she in subjection to the marshal D'Ancre, both at the devotion of the king of Spain, who confidently may be said to have had as much power and authority in the management of affairs in the court of France, as the duke of Lerma hath in the court of Spain. And this may be believed, that in our age the king of Spain never received so heavy a blow; and that without noise or bruit, for in honor he may E 2

not

not take notice of it, which so apparently doth recall the proceedings, or rather renverse. the very foundations of his ambitious designs.

....

No action hath happened amongst us which so lively hath discovered the passionate affections of our hearts; for all our parasites and pensioners of Spain have lost all patience, and, which is worse, all modesty and moderation; condemning this action as most impious and inhuman, bloody and tyrannical; not considering that it was at the choice of the king, whether he would neglect the safety of his person and the preservation of his crown, both which must have fallen if Ancre had stood, or proceed, as he did, sine forma et figura judici, by martial law against the usurper of his crown and state. But what opinion soever private particular men, who aim at nothing else but the advancement of their own fortunes, have of this action, his majesty is pleased to approve of it: which doth appear not only by the outward demonstration of his exceeding joy and contentment, when first he received the news thereof, but also by letters which with his own hand he hath written to the French king.....Besides, Mr. comptroller, who hath charge in all diligence to return into France, hath express order to congratulate with the marshal de Vitry, for so now he is, that by his hands the king his master was delivered out of captivity, et mis hors de pagea." So lax was the morality of James and his politicians

a

Letters from and to sir Dudley Carleton knight, p. 129.

even where personal interest was out of the question, so large the latitude which they thought allowed to kings in the vindication of their authority!

During the course of this year, a long-pending negotiation was concluded between James and the United Provinces, for the restoration of the cautionary towns which had been put into the hands of queen Elizabeth as security for the money lent by her to the States. That portion of the people who considered much of national glory to consist in the power of strongly influencing the politics of Europe, loudly inveighed against a step by which a lasting pledge for the good behaviour of a neighbouring state was yielded up in consideration of a sum of money, which was also much inferior to the just demands of the English crown. Others, however, thought it reasonable to resign a possession valuable only as a means of interference and annoyance, in exchange for the offered price, and the good will of the Hollanders. It is needless in this place to discuss the arguments by which each opinion might be supported; no one can doubt that James, for the sake of supplying what some called his necessities and others his extravagance, without the intervention of a parliament, would readily have acceded to measures still more injurious to national honor; and it is also clear, that to a prince of his inert and timorous character the occupation of these towns was of no manner of value. The bargain made by the Dutch appears to have been a highly advantageous one for them, and it was also beneficial to

James

James by relieving him from the expense of maintaining needless garrisons: but this, in truth, was almost the only emolument which he was suffered to derive from it; the money paid by the States, amounting to 250,000l., appeared to vanish as soon as it entered the exchequer; the king's debts remained unsatisfied; and, without having availed himself of the sum for any public service, he quickly found himself as necessitous as ever. It is more than probable that most of the courtiers shared, some with and some without the king's knowledge, in the plunder of this public money; but the whole responsibility fell on the lord-treasurer, the father-in-law of the discarded favorite, whom Villiers, now absolute ruler of the king and court, had predetermined to ruin. But the fall of this minister was not completed till the year 1619; and in the mean while other subjects claim attention.

CHAPTER

CHAPTER XVI.

1617.

Earl of Worcester resigns the office of lord-privy-scal to Vil liers created earl of Buckingham.-Lord Ellesmere resigns.—Bacon keeper of the seals.--Circumstances of Ellesmere's resignation.—His death and character.—James's visit to Scotland.-Ile attempts to make himself head of the church, but is opposed by the parliament and clergy; establishes a court of high-commission,-imposes five new articles on the church;—leaves the country in anger.—Court intrigues.—Coke offers his daughter to Buckingham's brother.-Bacon opposes the match.—IIis letters against it to Buckingham and to the king.-They are displeased, and Bacon offers to promote the match.-The king's return from Scotland.-Bacon ill received by Buckingham, but soon restored to favor.-Coke readmitted to the council-board.The marriage solemnized.-Coke's wife supported against him.-Book of sports.-Sabbatarian controversy.-Conduct of the lord-mayor of London.-Arrival and reception of a Russian embassy,—of a Turkish chianx.-Death and character of sir Ralph Winwood.

THE old servants of queen Elizabeth began to be regarded as supernumeraries at the court of her successor, and such of them as yet lingered on the scene were one after another dismissed to a private life to make room for impatient reversionaries who disdained to await the slow course of nature. Edward earl of Worcester, whom James had continued in the post of master of the horse, in which he found him, and who