an additional £200 on the death of Lady Burgh, and the reversion of the mastership of the ordnance.1 The attention of the British public was partly withdrawn from the surrender of the Cautionary towns by an event in England which had been long impending, and which caused the deepest interest. This was no less an affair than the downfall of Robert Carr, Earl of Somerset, the king's once powerful favourite. Half the story of this wretched man's life has already been told-the sequel is now to follow. "The desire dieth when it is obtained," said that learned philosopher, Sir Walter Raleigh, and never was a saying more truly verified than in the case of the Earl of Somerset. He had obtained the hand of the lady on whom he had cast his unholy affections. He had desired revenge on his quondam friend, who had advised him against marrying a disgraced woman. He had obtained his revenge. Titles, honours and riches had been showered upon him, and he was the king's lord high favourite. What could he desire more? Yet he was not happy. His spirits forsook him; he became moody and unsociable. His very beauty of features seemed to deteriorate, and consequent on this change of temper and looks his royal master began to weary of him. A waning friendship, like a waning passion, can seldom, or never, be whipped back into its former state of pristine ardour when once the affection of one of the parties concerned has begun to flag. And the affection of James for his favourite was of that shallow nature that required a constant supply of fuel to keep it alive. Somerset's enemies, who were many, were quick to read the signs of the times, and taking advantage of the favourite's gloomy and absent state of mind, determined to turn the king's affections into a new channel—a channel which they could 1 Chamberlain to Carleton, April 30, 1616.-S. P. Dom. make use of for their own advancement. Knowing the King's weakness for handsome youths with good figures, the Earls of Pembroke and Bedford, the heads of the antiSomerset faction at Court, made choice of young George Villiers, second son of the late Sir George Villiers, of Brokesby, Leicestershire, as a likely person to supplant Somerset, and do them a good turn when he had acquired the King's favour. Their efforts to throw him in the way of James were eminently successful. Struck with the youth's face and figure, James caused him to be appointed one of his cup-bearers. Somerset's enemies had now got the narrow end of the wedge in, and it only required expert hands to drive it home. An unexpected accident, which Somerset had long dreaded, placed him at the mercy of his enemies. This accident was the discovery, by Sir W. Trumbull, of the murder of Sir Thomas Overbury in the Tower. The information was sent to Sir Ralph Winwood, then Secretary of State, who presently revealed it to the King. James showed no wish to bring his favourite to trial, and, it has been thought, would have let the matter drop entirely, if Somerset had made friends with Villiers and not opposed his advancement. By the King's advice, Villiers, who had now been knighted, and made a Gentleman of the Bedchamber, threw himself on Somerset's protection, and said: "My lord, I desire to be your servant and your creature, and shall desire you to take my court preferment under your favour, and your lordship shall find me as faithful a servant unto you as ever did serve you." Somerset returned this quick and short answer: "I will none of your service, and you shall none of my favour; I will, if I can, break your neck, and of that be confident." This ill 1 1 Court and Character of James I., by Sir Anthony Weldon, in Francis Osborne's Memoirs, i. p. 98. VOL. I. R judged reply was repeated to James, who, like many another monarch, before and since, found how impossible it was to make two rival favourites agree. After a time James summoned up courage to break the fetters that had so long galled him. He sent a private message from Royston to Sir Edward Coke, the Lord Chief Justice, desiring him to issue warrants for the apprehension of the Earl and Countess of Somerset, the lieutenant of the Tower, and the persons concerned in the death of Sir Thomas Overbury. Somerset was arrested in the King's presence, who pretended the most utter ignorance of the whole affair, and took a most affectionate farewell of his favourite, kissing him repeatedly, though it is said, the door had hardly closed on Somerset before James exclaimed: "Now the deil go with thee; I will never see thy face more."1 And he never did. On Somerset's arrival in London from the court at Royston he was sent to the Tower, whither his Countess, and their guilty minions in this horrible affair, had already been taken. The same day, Chief Justice Coke, going to Royston, was informed by James of all he had been told by Trumbull, and Coke was enjoined to search strictly into the whole affair without partiality or respect of persons. Most of the parties accused were tried in October and November, 1615, and, being found guilty, were condemned, and executed. The trial of the Earl and Countess of Somerset was postponed until May in the following year. SIR EDWARD CECIL TO SIR DUDLEY CArleton. "MY LORD, "This bearer commeth to attend y' plesure in his busines wth Cap. Sprye,2 and I cannot but request y' loo in his behaulfe, 1 Weldon, p. 100. Captain, afterwards Colonel Spry, was reported to have been killed at the Siege of Rochelle, in 1627. Court and Times of Charies I., i. p. 284. now that onlie in regard of my respecte to y' lo. the satisfaction hath been thus long forborne. And I doe the rather desier this favore for the wagin master at this present, bycause hee is now going for England and shall have neede of the money wch is dewe to him to furnish his iourneie wth all.1 "I have receaved letters from Toby Mathue,2 that say our Embassadeur at Paris motion there for the peace was so reiected by villeroy; as he sed he would rather declare himselfe directlie a gainst the pease, then see the English Ambassidores subscription to it, wch was much pressed by him.3 "I know not whether y' lo. may have heard of the Earl of Shrowsburie's death, who (they say) hath left his Countess 20,000£ a yeare iointure, and 7000£ of heneritance to dispose of, m' secritary winwood 5 and young Candishe being the executers, and my lo. Cooke oversier." "Wee heare the Arranemente is a gaine put of for all that there were scaffolds fully made at westminster, if it be put of a gaine it will be for Domesday as I thincke. 8 "I heare the cause that they [the] Artikells of france doe not appeare is because theyre wisist of that kindom is a shamed of them. 1 See letter from Cecil to Carleton, Feb. 12, 1617-8. 2 Toby Mathew was son of Dr. Toby Mathew, Archbishop of York. He was born 1578, and having become a convert to the church of Rome about 1604, and refusing to take the new oath in 1607, was obliged to leave England. He was afterwards recalled. 3 Villeroy was the aged minister to Louis XIII. of France. That kingdom was at this time rent in two by civil war-Roman Catholics versus Huguenots. Gilbert Talbot, 7th Earl of Shrewsbury, died May 7, 1616. He had married Mary Cavendish, daughter to his stepmother, the Dowager Countess of Shrewsbury (Bess of Hardwicke), by Sir Wm. Cavendish. Leaving no male issue, the earldom passed to Lord Shrewsbury's brother, Edward Talbot, who succeeded as 8th Earl. Sir Ralph Winwood. Sir Wm. Cavendish, afterwards Duke of Newcastle, son of Sir Charles Cavendish. 'Lord Chief Justice Coke. 8 "The Lord Treasurer [Suffolk] and his Lady had gone to Audley End, for shame at the arraignment of their daughter and son-in-law, the Earl and Countess of Somerset, but this is postponed because the Countess is unwell." Sherburn to Carleton, May, 1617.-S .P. Dom. "I humble beseche y lo. if yo° heare of any certantye of my lo. Hayes setting forwards that y° will oblige me to know it.' "I commend my least (sic) respect to y' lo. and to y' Noble ladie; both whose affections and favours to mee I will ever gratefullie answere, so farr as I shall be able, by beeying Frances, Countess of Somerset, was tried on May 24, and the Earl the following day, both in Westminster Hall; Lord Chancellor Ellesmere being appointed High Steward on that occasion. Fancy prices were paid for seats at this trial, so great was the interest it excited.3 "The Countess of Somerset," wrote Sherburn to Carleton, "confessed herself guilty on her trial. Her noble carriage, and yet deep penitence commended her to all." The great 1 Lord Hay was sent as Ambassador to Paris in the summer of 1616, ostensibly to congratulate Louis XIII. on his marriage with Anne of Austria. "This was one of the most magnificent Embassies recorded in History. Among other things, the Lord Hay at his public entry into Paris, had his horse shod with silver shoes slightly tacked on, and when he came over against houses or balconies, where persons or beauties of eminency were, his horse prancing in humble reverence, flung his shoes away, which the surrounding mob scrambled for, then one of his train took others out of a velvet bag, and tacked them on." Wilson, p. 704. ? This letter has been erroneously placed among the letters for 1617. See S. P. Holland. 3 Chamberlain to Carleton, May 18.-S. P. Dom 4 May, 25. |