for some unworthy carriage, which the gentleman conceiveth hath, by that ford, been offered unto him.

Again, It is so rare a fault in these days, that men not feeding on the king's meat, but of their own charge, should frankly entertain their friends when they come unto them, that I deserve to be pardoned for it. But this is not all.

When king James gave me the bishopric, he did once between him and me, and another time before the earl of Salisbury, charge me that I should carry my house nobly (that was his majesty's word) and live like an Archbishop; which I promised him to do: and when men came to my house, who were of all civil sorts, I gave them friendly entertainment, not sifting what exception, the duke made against them; for I knew he might as undeservedly think ill of others, as he did of me. But I meddled with no man's quarrels, and if I should have received none but such as cordially, and in truth, had loved him, I might have gone to dinner many times without company. There frequented me lords spiritual and temporal, divers privy counsellors, as occasion served, and men of the highest rank; where, if the duke thought that we bad busied ourselves about him, he was much deceived: yet perhaps the old saying is true, That a man who is guilty of one evil to himself, thinketh that all men that talk together, do say somewhat of him.' I do not envy him that happiness, but let it ever attend him.

As for other men of good report, but of lesser quality, I have heard some by name, to whom exception hath been taken, and these are three, (I know from the court, by a friend, that my house, for a good space of time, hath been watched; and I marvel that they have not rather named sixty than three.) The first of these is sir Dudley Diggs, a very great mote in the Duke's eye, as I am informed; for it is said, That this knight hath paid him in parliament with many sharp speeches. If this be so, yet what is that to me? He is of age to answer for himself. But in the time of the late parliament, when the earl of Carlisle came unto me, and dealt with me thereabout, I gave him my word, and I did it truly, That I was not acquainted with these things; only being sick, as I was, I had in general given him advice, That he should do nothing, that might give just offence to the king; and i have credibly heard, that when ir Dualey was last in the Fleet, committed from the Council-Table, he was much dealt withal to know, Whet er he was not instigated by me to accuse the Duke in parliament: the knight, with all the pro estations and assurances that could come from a gentleman, acquitted me o, the part, and whole, wherein he did me but right; and I do remember, when that man, now so hated, was a great servant of the duke's.. So that if he have now

Moreover, how can I but imagine, the words and actions of sir Dudley Diggs have been ill interpreted, and reported: when I myself saw the Duke stand up nine times in a morning in the Parliament house, to fasten upon him words little less (if at all less) than Treason; when by the particular Voces of all the lords and commons in both houses, he was quit of those things, which the other would have enforced upon him; and a little while before he was hastily clapt into the Tower, and within a day or two released again, because nothing was proved against him. And I assure you, I am so little interested in his actions, that to this day I could never learn the reason why he was imprisoned in the Fleet, although he was kept there for seven or eight weeks. I distinguish the king from the duke of Buckingham, the one is our sovereign by the laws of God and men; the other a subject as we are: and if any subject do impeach another, though of different degrees, let the party grieved remedy himself by law, and not by power.

But to speak further for this knight, I may not forget when he was publicly employed, one time to the Hague, a second time to Muscovia, and thirdly, into Ireland, about affairs of the state; such opinion was then held of his good endeavours. And, for my own part, ever since the days of queen Elizabeth, I have been nearly acquainted with him; he was my pupil at Oxford, and a very towardly one; and this knowledge each of other, hath continued unto this time. He calleth me father, and I term his wife my daughter, his eldest son is my godson, and their children are, in love, accounted my grandchildren.

The second that I have heard named, was sir Francis Harrington, a gentleman whom, for divers years, I have not seen, and who, for ought I know, was never in my house but once in his life.

The third was sir Thomas Wentworth, who had good occasion to send unto me, and sometimes to see me, because we were joint executors to sir George Savile, who married his sister, and was my pupil at Oxford; to whose son also, sir Thomas Wentworth and I were guardians, as may appear in the Court of Wards, and many things passed between us in that behalf; yet, to my remembrance, I saw not this gentleman but once in these three quarters of a year last past; at which time he came to seek his brother-in-law, the lord Clifford, who was then with me at dinner at Lambeth.

For one of the punishments laid upon me, it was told me by the lord Conway, That I must meddle no more with the High Commission; and accordingly within a few days after, a warrant is sent to the Attorney General, that the Commission must be renewed, and the archbishop must be left out: This under-band being buzzed about the town, with no small mixture

of spite, I conceived it to be agreeable to the proceedings with the lords and gentlemen which refused to contribute to the Loan, they all being laid aside in the commissions for lieutenancy, and the peace, in their several countries. For my part, I had no cause to grieve at this, since it was his majesty's pleasure; but it was by the actors therein understood otherwise, they supposing, that this power gave me the more authority and splendor in the church and commonwealth.

To deliver therefore truly the state of this question, it cannot be denied, but that it was a great point of policy, for the establishing of order in the Ecclesiastical, and consequently Civil Estate also, to erect such a Court, whereby churchmen that exorbitated in any grievous manner, might be castigated, and rectified; and such sort of crimes in the laity might be censured, as were of ecclesiastical cognizance. And verily this is of great use in the kingdom, as well for the cherishing the study of the civil law, as otherwise so that it be kept incorruptible, and with that integrity, as so grave a meeting and assembly requireth. That was principally my care, who took much pains, and spent much money, that in fair and commendable sort, justice was indifferently administered to all the king's people that had to do with us: But every one might see, that this was to my singular trouble; for besides that to keep things in a straight course, sometimes in fits of the gout, I was forced by my servants to be carried into the court, where I could not speak much, but with difficulty; I was at no time free from petitions, from examinations, from signing of warrants, to call some, to release others, from giving way to speeding and forwarding acts of courts; suitors, as their fashion is, being so importunate, as that in summer and winter, in the day, and in the night, in sickness and health, they would not be denied.

These things were daily dispatched by me out of duty, and more out of charity, no allowance of pay being from the king, or of fee from the subject, to us that were the judges: Nay, I may say more, the holding of that court in such sort as I did, was very expenceful to me out of my private purse, in giving weekly entertainment to the Commissioners; the reason whereof was this: King James being desirous, when he made me Archbishop, that all matters should gravely and honourably be carried, directed me, that I should always call some of the bishops that were about London, and some divines and civilians, that by a good presence, causes might be handled for the reputation of the action; and willed me withal to imitate therein the lord archbishop Whitgift, who invited weekly some of the Judges to dinner, the rather to allure them thither. This advice proceeded from the bishop of Durham that now is, which was not ill, if it came from a good intention.

I obeyed it singly, and did that which was enjoined: But whereas in those times the commissioners were but few, since that time there VOL. II.

hath been such an inundation of all sorts of men into that company, that without proportion, both lords spiritual and temporal, commissioners and not commissioners, resorted thither, and divers of them brought so many of their men, that it was truly a burthen to me. I think it may by my officers be justified upon oath, That since I was archbishop, the thing alone hath cost me out of my private estate 1,000l. and a half, and if I did say 2,000l. it were not much amiss, besides all the trouble of my servants; who neither directly, nor indirectly, gained 6d. thereby in a whole year, but only travel and pains for their master's honour, and of that they had enough: My house being like a great hostry every Thursday in the term; and for my expences, no man giving me so much as thanks.

Now this being the true case, if the Church and Commonwealth be well provided for in the administration of justice, and regard be had of the public, can any discreet man think, that the removing of me from this molestation, is any true punishment upon me? I being one that have framed myself to reality, and not to opinion, and growing more and more in years, and consequently into weakness, having before surfeited so long of worldly shews, whereof nothing is truly gained temporally, but vexation of spirit; I have had enough of these things, and do not dote upon them: The world, I hope, hath found me more stayed and reserved in my courses.

Nevertheless, whatsoever was expedient for this, was dispatched by me while I lived at Lambeth and Croydon, albeit I went not out of door. Yea, but you were otherwise inutile, not coming to the Star-Chamber, nor to the Council-Table.' My pain, or weakness by the gout, must excuse me herein. When I was younger, and had my health, I so diligently attended at the Star-Chamber, that for full seven years I was not one day wanting. And for the Council-Table, the same reason of my indisposition may satisfy but there are many other things that do speak for me. The greatest matters there handled, were for Money, or more attempts of War: For the one of these, we of the clergy had done our parts already; the clergy having put themselves into payments of Subsidy, by an act of parliament, not only for these two last years, when the temporalty lay in a sort dry, but yet there are three years behind, in which our payments run on with weight enough unto us; and no man can justly doubt, but my hand was in those grants in a principal fashion.

And concerning the Provisions for War, I must confess mine ignorance in the feats thereof; I knew not the grounds whereupon the controversies were entered in general; I thought, that before wars were begun, there should be store of treasure; that it was not good to fall out with many great princes at once; that the turning of our forces another way, must needs be some diminution from the king of Denmark, who was engaged by us into

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any did dissuade them? And yet further beheld, that divers were to be imprisoned: I thought this was somewhat a new world. Yet all this while I swallowed my own spittle, and spake nothing of it to any man. Nay, when after some trial in Middlesex, the first sitting was for Surrey in my house at Lambeth, and the lords were there assembled with the justices of the whole county, I gave them entertainment in no mean fashion and I sate with them, albeit I said nothing; for the confusion was such, that I knew not what to make of it: things went on every day, and speech was, of much money to be raised out of some counties; yet afterwards it was not so readily paid, as preferred; and at length some refused even in London itself, and Southwark, besides many gentlemen of special rank, and some lords, as it was said. And though it was reported, that they were but a contemptible company, yet the prisons in London demonstrated, that they were not a very few, but persons both of note and number. The Judges besides concurring another way, That they could not allow the legality of the demand, and the enforcement that is used thereupon, did somewhat puzzle me for being too busy in promoting of that, for which I might one day suffer. Yet hitherto I remained silent, hoping that time would break that off, which was almost come to an absolute period. But instead of this, by the permission of God, I was called up to the king to look clearly into the question. When the allowance of Sibthorp's Pamphlet was put upon me, I then had some reason, out of the grounds of that Sermon, to fear, (and I pray God that my fear was in vain) that the duke had a purpose to turn upside down the laws, and the whole fundamental courses, and liberties of the subject, and to leave us not under the statutes and customs which our progenitors enjoyed, but to the pleasure of princes; of whom, as some are gentle and benign, so some others, to ingrate themselves, might strain more than the string will bear.

Besides, now it came in my heart, that I was present at the king's coronation, where many things on the prince's part were solemnly promised; which being observed, would keep all in order, and the king should have a loving and faithful people, and the commons should have a kind and gracious king. The contemplation of these things made me stay my judgment; not any unwillingness to do my prince any dutiful service, whom I must and do honour above all the creatures in the world, and will adventure as far for his true good, as any one whatsoever. But I am loath to plunge myself over head and ears in these difficulties, that I can neither live with quietness of conscience, nor depart out of the world with good fame and estimation. And perhaps my sovereign, if hereafter he looked well into this paradox, would, of all the world, hate me, because one of my profession, age, and calling, would deceive him, and with base flattery swerve from the truth. The hearts of kings are in the hand of God, and he can turn them as the rivers of water.'

I draw to a conclusion; only repute it not amiss (because so much falleth in here) to observe a few words of the duke of Buckingham, not as now he is, but as he was in his rising. I say nothing of his being in France, because I was not present, and divers others there be that remember it well; but I take him at his first repair to court. King James, for many insolencies, grew weary of Somerset; and the kingdom groaning under the triumvirate of Northampton, Suffolk, and Somerset, (though Northampton soon after died) was glad to be rid of him. We could have no way so good to effectuate that which was the common desire, as to bring in another in his room; one nail (as the proverb is) being to be driven out by another. It was now observed, that the king began to cast his eye upon George Villiers, who was then cup-bearer, and seemed a modest and courteous youth. But king James had a fashion, that he would never admit any to nearness about himself, but such an one as the queen should commend unto him, and make some suit on his behalf; that if the queen afterwards, being ill intreated, should complain of this Dear one,' he might make his answer, It is long of yourself, 'for you were the party that commended him unto me.' Our old master took delight strangely in things of this nature.

That noble queen (who now resteth in heaven) knew her husband well; and having been bitten with favourites both in England and Scotland, was very shy to adventure upon this request. King James, in the mean time, more and more loathed Somerset, and did not much conceal it, that his affection increased towards the other; but the queen would not come to it, albeit divers lords (whereof some are dead, and some yet living) did earnestly solicit her majesty thereunto. When it would not do, I was very much moved to put to my helping hand, they knowing, that queen Anne was graciously pleased to give me more credit than ordinary, which all her attendants knew she continued till the time of her death. I laboured much, but could not prevail; the queen oft saying to me, My lord, you and the rest of your friends know not what you do: I know your master better than you all; for if this young man be once 'brought in, the first persons that he will plague, 'must be you that labour for him; yea, I shall have my part also: the king will teach him to 'despise and hardly intreat us all, that he may 'seem to be beholden to none but himself. Noble queen! how like a prophetess or oracle did you speak!

Notwithstanding this, we were still instant, telling her majesty, that the change would be for the better: for George was of a good nature, which the other was not; and if he should degenerate, yet it would be a long time before he were able to attain to that height of evil, which the other had. In the end, upon importunity, queen Anne condescended, and so pressed it with the king, that he assented thereunto: which was so stricken while the iron was hot, that in the queen's bed-chamber, the king