hath ben so contynnuallie haunted wth the sicknes, by reason of the disorderlie companie that doe followe us, as we are forced to remove from place to place, and doe infect all places where we come. We are nowe going wthin a few daies from hence to Winchester, to seeke a purer ayre there; and by reason that the Spanishe Amb hath had one of his companie latelie dead of the Plague at Oxford, his audience, wch was appointed to have been geiven him here, is deferred till the Kinge's coming to Winchester, wch doth nothing please his greatnes. We have here also Mons de Vitry, that is sent by the French King to congratulatt for the Kinge's Matie's happie escape from the late consperacies; and others are also come from the Dukes of Florence and Guise. We are psentlie in hand to renewe the orders and pclamations for the banishing of sutors from the Corte, and to restreyne the accesse of anie others hither than onlie of ordynarie attendantes. 66 Things doe here pceade in the same course and trayne as yor L. left them, and so are like to contynue. My Lord Thier is much disquyetted howe to fynd monie to supplye the Kinge's necessities, and ptested to some of us poore men that were suitors to him for relief, that he knoweth not howe to pcure monie to paie for the Kinge's dyett. We doe here all apphend that the pennurye will more and more encrease, and all meanes shutt upp for yealding of anie relief1. My Lord Chief Justice and the Kinge's Counsell are appointed to be here to-morrow to conferre wth the Lordes about the further proceedinges against the psoners, James had been taught to consider the treasure left by Elizabeth, and the further resources of the Kingdom, as an inexhaustible mine. Lately arrived from a Country where the use of money was hardly known, he was really ignorant of its value, and became immeasurably profuse. Osborn, in his Traditional Memoirs of this Reign, illustrates this part of the Monarch's character by the following ridiculous story. Carre, afterwards Earl of Somerset, his first Favourite in England, having obtained from him a peremptory warrant to the Treasurer for £.20,000, that Minister, foreseeing the future inability of the Exchequer to answer demands so enormous, (and, according to the words of my author, "apprehending that the King was as ignorant of the worth of what was demanded, as of the desert of the person who had begged it; and knowing that a pound, upon the Scottish accompt, would not pay for the shoeing of a horse, by which his master might be farther led out of the way of thrift than in his nature he was willing to go,") contrived to place the sum ordered on the floor of an apartment through which he knew the King would pass. James, surprised at the sight of such a quantity of gold, inquired of the Treasurer, whose money it was, Cecil answered, "your Majesty's, before you gave it away." Whereupon the King fell into a violent passion, complaining bitterly that he had been abused, and throwing himself on the heap, hastily snatched up two or three hundred pounds, and swore that Somerset should have no more. The Treasurer, however, prudently judging it necessary for him to steer an even course between the King and the Favourite, now began to intercede in favour of the latter; and, with some difficulty, obtained for him half the original sum. L. wch we conceive will not be long deferred. The Lord Hunsdon is latelie dead; and we conceive that the Lord Wotton is married to Mistres Wharton. This is all that for the psent I can wryte to yor L. and so, wth the remembrance of my most humble duetie to my honorable good Ladye, and St Charles Cavendishe and his Ladye, I most humbly take my leave. "Yor L. most humblie bounden, "From the Corte at Woodstock, in hast, the eleventh of September 1603. THO. EDMONDES." On the same day the following Letter was sent by Mr. William Fowler to the Earl and Countess of Shrewsbury: May it plese your Honours to pardon the delay I have used in deffering to ansuer your L.' most courteous Letters; which grouing from no other occasion but from great desyre to geve your Ho. compleat contentment and satisfaction, I trust that bothe your Ho. will afford to me a gracious and courteous remission. Treue it is that I did, with all respect, present your Ho.' humble deutyeis, accumpanied with your fervent prayers for and to her Majestie, who not onlye lovinglye accepted of thame, bot did demand me iff I had not Letters from your H. which being excused be me, through your reverent regarde touarde her, avoyding allwayes presumptione and importunetie, ansuered, that in cace your H. had written unto her, she should have returned you ansuer in the same maner; and with these I had commission to asseur bothe your H. of her constant affection touards you, bothe now in absence as also in tyme cumming; so that your L. shall do weille to contenew her purchessed affectione by such officious insenuations, which wilbe thankfullye embraced; to the which, if I may give or bring any increase, I shall think me happie in suche occasion or occurrances to serve and honour yow. "Bot I fear I am too sausye and overbold to trouble your Honours; yet I can not forbeare from geving you advertisment of my great and goode fortune in obteaning the acquentance off my Ladye Arbella, whoe may be, to the first seven, justlye the eght wonder off the world. If I durst I would wryte more planelye George Carey, second Lord Hunsdon. He succeeded his father in that title, and as Captain of the Board of Pensioners, in 1596, when he became of the Privy Council, and a Knight of the Garter. He was Chamberlain of the Household in 1597-8. See "Queen Elizabeth's Progresses," vol. III. pp. 27, 577. 2 Edward Lord Wotton, eldest son of Thomas Wotton, of Bocton or Boughton Malherb in Kent, by Elizabeth, daughter of Sir John Rudston, of Boughton Monchensey in the same County. This Gentleman, whose family produced so many Statesmen, had served the late Queen in two embassies to Portugal and Scotland, and was created Baron Wotton, of Merley in Kent, May 13, 1603 (see p. 119). He was afterwards appointed Lord Lieutenant of that County; Comptroller, and at last Treasurer of the Household; and died in 1628. L. my opinion of things that falls out here among us, bot I dar not without your L.' warrant deale so. I send tuo sonetts unto my most vertuous and honorable Ladye, the expressers of my humeur, and the honour of her whose sufficientye and perfectiones mereits more regairde then this ingraitfull and depressing age will afford or suffer; the one is a conceate of myne drauen from ane Horologe1; the other is of that worthye and most verteous Ladye your Nece. I trust they sal find favour in your sight; and in this hope, humblye taking my live of bothe your Ho. I committ your L. to the protection of God. From Wodstok, the 11 of Septemb. 1603. Your Ho.' most willing to doe you service, Fowler." "To the most verteous and treulye honorable Ladye, Ladye ARBELLA STEWART?. "Whilest organs of vaine sence transportes the minde, Embracing objectes both of sight and eare, at my Touch, smell, and tast, to wch fraile flesh inclin'de, Rapt from thy sence and sex, thy spirites doth steire O graces rare! which tyme from shame shall save, Of sad remorse, the lott of worldlinge's wish. O ornament both of thyselfe and sex! And mirrour bright, wher vertues doth reflex. On the 13th of September John Hercy 3 writes thus to the Earl of Shrewsbury 4: "On the xith of this moneth I receved yor Lop's Ires of the vith of the same, La. Arabella's chamber. Mr. Thomas Fanshawe 5 is either in Essex or Hartfordsheire, so that at this tyme I cannot retorne yor Lop his answere to yo Lres. I have spent almost all the time ever since I writ to yor Lop from Basinge 1 This Sonnet is printed in P. 251. * These verses, and those in p. 251, are preserved as slight specimens of the Court Poetry of that time. 3 A servant of the Earl of Shrewsbury. L. 4 Lodge's Illustrations, vol. III. pp. 174, 175. 5 Thomas Fanshaw, an Auditor of the Dutchy Court of Lancaster, and afterwards Clerk of the Crown in the King's Bench, and Surveyor General of the Crown Lands. He lived at Jenkins, near Barking in Essex, was knighted September 19, 1624, and, dying at his Chambers in the Inner Temple, Dec. 17, 1631, was buried at Barking. L. in ryding into Essex, Suff. and other plačs, seeking my Lo. of Devonsheire his officers wch deale in the passinge of his books; and havinge founde them, I could receive no direct ansuer of them concerninge the manor of Clipston1 and Clipston Pescod pks; but for the Dutchy lands they were willing to pcede, so that security might be given for the money. This day I received my ansuer, delivered me by Mr. Dod; that my Lo. of Devonsheire hath appointed them to passe the the said mannor and pks for yor LoP, yf they may be obteyned. "The Spanyshe and French Embasidors have had as yet no audience, but contynewe both at Oxford; it is thought they shall not be heard before the Kinge his beinge at Wỹchester, yf then. I heard that the Kinge gave to Monser de Vitteré, the Frenche Embasidor, synce his coming into England, a howse, wch afterwards the Embasidor disliked; saying yt he had given the Kinge, when he was poore King of Scotland, xxti better then that was, wth other speches of discontentm', all wch came to the King's eare. I also here that synce the Embasidor Monser Carone his retorninge 2 into France, there hath ben some greate discontentments betwene him and other Noblemen of France. On Satterdaye last, here at the Courte, there was a fallinge out betwene Sr Francis Vere and a Captaine whose name I cannot learn. His quarrell was suspected to be in the behalfe of the Earle of Northd. The Kinge had knowledge of this, and was displeased therewth. My old Lo. Chamberlen3 dyed this last weeke. Other newes I have none, and so I humbly rest, beseechge yor LoP to pdon my boldness. "There died, as reporte goethe, of the Sicknes in and aboute the Suburbs of London, above 3,000 this laste weeke; and in the other week before, 3,385. I beseeche yor Lop to be pleased to directe yor Lres according to yor laste, for I cannot gett any lodginge, otherwise then innes, wthin ten miles of London. In innes at Highgate, and other places whin foure or fyve myles of London, I may have choise of lodgings, but they are so dangerous, by reason of the geñall infection, yt I dare not to adventure in any of them. "Woodstocke, xiiith of September 1603. Yor Lop's servante, Jo. HERCY." 'Or King's Clipston, a little North-east of Mansfield, co. Notts. It was granted about this time to the Earl of Shrewsbury, through the superior interest of the Earl of Devon, who, as it appears by other papers, expected a handsome douceur for his assistance. This place, which was probably once a Royal residence, still exhibits a ruin called the King's House. L. • Noel Caron, the Dutch Minister in England. He was afterwards knighted. L.-See some account of him in the "Progresses of Queen Elizabeth," vol. III. p. 440. 3 George Carey, second Lord Hunɛdon. See p. 260. On the 15th of September the King and Queen paid a Visit to Sir Henry Lee1, the antient and redoubted Champion of Queen Elizabeth, at his house in Ditchley Park 2, three miles from Woodstock. On the 16th Lady Arbella Stuart3 thus writes to the Earl of Shrewsbury: "At my returne from Oxford, wheare I have spent this day, whilest my Lo. Cecill amongst many more weighty affaires was dispatching som of mine, I found my cousin Lacy had disburdened himselfe at my chamber of the charge he had from you, and streight fell to prepare his fraught back, for hindering his back returne to-morrow morning, as he intendeth. "I writt to you of the reason of the delay of Taxis' audience; it remaineth to tell how jovially he behaveth himselfe in the interim. He hath brought great store of Spanish gloves, hauke's hoods, leather for jerkins, and, moreover, a perfumer; these delicacies he bestoweth amongst our Ladies and Lordes, I will not ' Of this remarkable old Warrior and accomplished Courtier, see the various pages referred to in the Queen's "Progresses," vol. III. p. 656. 2 Where the first Earl of Litchfield of the family of Lee afterwards built a magnificent house. It is now the seat of the Earl of Normanton, and consists of a centre and two wings. It is entered by a flight of stone steps, with a handsome balustrade and large vases in each side. The principal suite of apartments and the hall are decorated in the first style of elegance, and contain an excellent colleclection of portraits. The park is extensive and diversified, and commands a variety of pleasing prospects. The Lady Arbella (for so she wrote her name) Stuart, a very accomplished person, whose name is scarcely mentioned in History, except with regard to Raleigh's ridiculous conspiracy, by which she was to have been placed on a Throne to which she had neither inclination nor pretensions, and by means unknown to herself. She was the only child of Charles Stuart, fifth Earl of Lennox, (uncle to James I. and great-grandson to Henry VII.) by Elizabeth, daughter of Sir William Cavendish, of Hardwick; was born about the year 1578, and brought up in privacy under the care of her grandmother, the old Countess of Lennox, who had for many years resided in England. Her double relation to Royalty was equally obnoxious to the jealousy of Elizabeth and the timidity of James, and they secretly dreaded the supposed danger of her leaving a legitimate offspring. The former, therefore, prevented her from marrying Esmé Stuart, her kinsman, and heir to the titles and estates of her family, and afterwards imprisoned her for listening to some overtures from the son of the Earl of Northumberland; the latter, by obliging her to reject many splendid offers of marriage, unwarily encouraged the hopes of inferior pretenders, among whom, as we may fairly infer from some passages in his Letters in Lodge's Illustrations, was the fantastical William Fowler, Secretary to Anne of Denmark. Thus circumscribed, she renewed a childish connection with William Seymour, grandson to the Earl of Hertford, which was discovered in 1609, when both parties were summoned to appear before the Privy Council, and received a severe reprimand. This mode of proceeding produced the very consequence which James meant to avoid; for the Lady, sensible that her reputation had been wounded by this inquiry, was in a manner forced into a marriage, which becoming publicly known in the course of next spring, she was committed to |