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travels in england-第12部分

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 Majesty smelling the craft; and missing Carmarthen; she sent for him back; and encouraged him to stand to his information; which the poor man did so handsomely that; within the space of ten years; he was brought to double his rent; or leave the Custom to new farmers。  So that we may take this also in consideration; that there were of the Queen's Council which were not in the catalogue of saints。

Now; as we have taken a view of some particular motives of her times; her nature; and necessities; it is not without the text to give a short touch of the HELPS and ADVANTAGES of her reign; which were NOT without {34} paroles; for she had neither husband; brother; sister; nor children to provide for; who; as they are dependants on the Crown; so do they necessarily draw livelihood from thence; and oftentimes exhaust and draw deep; especially when there is an ample fraternity royal; and of the princes of the blood; as it was in the time of Edward III。 and Henry IV。  For when the Crown cannot; the public ought to give honourable allowance; for they are the honour and hopes of the kingdom; and the public; which enjoys them; hath the like interest with the father which begat them; and our common law; which is the inheritance of the kingdom; did ever of old provide aids for the PRIMOGENITUS {35} and the eldest daughter; for that the multiplicity of courts; and the great charges which necessarily follow a king; a queen; a prince; and royal issue; was a thing which was not IN RERUM NATURA {36} during the space of forty… four years; {37} but worn out of memory; and without the consideration of the present times; insomuch as the aids given to the late and Right Noble Prince Henry; and to his sister; the Lady Elizabeth; which were at first generally received as impositions for knighthood; though an ancient law; fell also into the imputation of a tax of nobility; for that it lay long covered in the embers of division between the Houses of York and Lancaster; and forgotten or connived at by the succeeding princes:  so that the strangeness of the observation; and the difference of those latter reigns; is that the Queen took up much BEYOND the power of law; which fell not into the murmur of people; and her successors took nothing but by warrant of the law; which nevertheless was received; THROUGH DISUSE; to be injurious to the liberty of the kingdom。

Now before I come to any mention of her favourites; for hitherto I have delivered but some oblivious passages; thereby to prepare and smooth a way for the rest that follows:

It is necessary that I touch on the religiousness of the other's reign; I mean the body of her sister's {38} Council of State; which she retained entirely; neither removing nor discontenting any; although she knew them averse to her religion; and; in her sister's time; perverse to her person; and privy to all her troubles and imprisonments。

A prudence which was incompatible to her sister's nature; for she both dissipated and presented the major part of her brother's Council; but this will be of certain; that how compliable and obsequious soever she found them; yet for a good space she made little use of their counsels; more than in the ordinary course of the Board; for she had a dormant table in her own privy breast; yet she kept them together and in their places; without any sudden change; so that we may say of them that they were then of the Court; not of the Council; for whilst she AMAZED {39} them by a kind of promissive disputation concerning the points controverted by both Churches; she did set down her own gests; without their privity; and made all their progressions; gradations; but for that the tenents of her secrets; with the intents of her establishments; were pitched before it was known where the Court would sit down。

Neither do I find that any of her sister's Council of State were either repugnant to her religion; or opposed her doings; Englefeild; Master of the Wards; excepted; who withdrew himself from the Board; and shortly after out of her dominions; so pliable and obedient they were to change with the times and their prince; and of them will fall a relation of recreation。  Paulet; Marquis of Winchester; and Lord Treasurer; had served then four princes; in as various and changeable times and seasons; that I may well say no time nor age hath yielded the like precedent。  This man; being noted to grow high in her favour (as his place and experience required); was questioned by an intimate friend of his; how he had stood up for thirty years together; amidst the change and ruins of so many Chancellors and great personages。  〃Why;〃 quoth the marquis; 〃ORTUS SUM E SALICE; NON EX QUERCU;〃 I。E。; 〃I am made of pliable willow; not of the stubborn oak。〃  And; truly; it seems the old man had taught them all; especially William; Earl of Pembroke; for they two were always of the King's religion; and always zealous professors:  of these it is said that being both younger brothers; yet of noble houses; they spent what was left them; and came on trust to the Court; where; upon the bare stock of their wits; they began to traffic for themselves; and prospered so well that they got; spent; and left more than any subjects from the Norman Conquest to their own times; whereupon it hath been prettily spoken that they lived in a time of dissolution。

To conclude; then; of all the former reign; it is said that those two lived and died chiefly in her grace and favour:  by the letter written upon his son's marriage with the Lady Catherine Grey; he had like utterly to have lost himself; but at the instant of consummation; as apprehending the unsafety and danger of intermarriage with the blood royal; he fell at the Queen's feet; where he both acknowledged his presumption; and projected the cause and the divorce together:  so quick he was at his work; that in the time of repudiation of the said Lady Grey; he clapped up a marriage for his son; the Lord Herbert; with Mary Sidney; daughter to Sir Henry Sidney; then Lord Deputy or Ireland; the blow falling on Edward; the late Earl of Hertford; who; to his cost; took up the divorced lady; of whom the Lord Beauchamp was born; and William; now Earl of Hertford; is descended。

I come now to present them to her own election; which were either admitted to her secrets of State; or taken into her grace and favour; of whom; in order; I crave leave to give unto posterity a cautious description; with a short character or draught of the persons themselves (for; without offence to others; I would be true to myself); their memories and merits; distinguishing those of MILITIAE {40} from the TOGATI; {41} and of both these she had as many; and those as able ministers; as had any of her progenitors。


LEICESTER


It will be out of doubt that my Lord of Leicester was one of the first whom she made Master of the Horse; he was the youngest son then living of the Duke of Northumberland; beheaded PRIMO MARIAE; {42} and his father was that Dudley which our histories couple with Empson; and both be much infamed for the caterpillars of the commonwealth during the reign of Henry VII。; who; being of a noble extract; was executed the first year of Henry VIII。; but not thereby so extinct but that he left a plentiful estate; and such a son who; as the vulgar speaks it; would live without a teat。  For; out of the ashes of his father's infamy; he rose to be a duke; and as high as subjection could permit or sovereignty endure。  And though he could not find out any appellation to assume the crown in his own person; yet he projected; and very nearly effected it; for his son Gilbert; by intermarriage with the Lady Jane Grey; and so; by that way; to bring it into his loins。  Observations which; though they lie beyond us; and seem impertinent to the text; yet are they not much extravagant; for they must lead us and show us how the after… passages were brought about; with the dependences on the line of a collateral workmanship; and surely it may amaze a well…settled judgment to look back into these times and to consider how the duke could attain to such a pitch of greatness; his father dying in ignominy; and at the gallows; his estate confiscated for pilling and polling the people。

But; when we better think upon it; we find that he was given up but as a sacrifice to please the people; not for any offence committed against the person of the King; so that upon the matter he was a martyr of the prerogative; and the King in honour could do no less than give back to his son the privilege of his blood; with the acquiring of his father's profession; for he was a lawyer; and of the King's Council at Law; before he came to be EX INTERIORIBUS CONSILIIS; {43} where; besides the licking of his own fingers; he got the King a mass of riches; and that not with hazard; but with the loss of his life and fame; for the King's father's sake。

Certain it is that his son was left rich in purse and brain; which are good foundations; and fuel to ambition; and; it may be supposed; he was on all occasions well heard of the King as a person of mark and compassion in his eye; but I find not that he did put up for advancement during Henry VIII。's time; although a vast aspirer and a provident stayer。

It seems he thought the King's reign was much given to the falling… sickness; but espying his time fitting; and the sovereignty in the hands of a pupil prince; he then thought he might as well put up; for it was the best; for having the possession of blood; and of purse; with a head…piece of a vast extent; he soon got to honour; and no sooner there but he began to side it with the best; even with the Protector; {44} and; in conclusion; got his and his brother's heads; still aspiring till he expired in the loss of his own; so that posterity may; by reading of the father and grandfather; make judgment of the son; for we shall find that this Robert; whose original we have now traced the better to present him; was inheritor to the genius and craft of his father; and Ambrose of the estate; of whom hereafter we shall make some short mention。

We took him now as he was admitted into the Court and the Queen's favours; and here he was not to seek to play his part well and dexterously; but his play was chiefly at the fore…game; not that he was a learner at the latt
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