"My noble Lord

Postscript.

It is one of my duties to tell your lordship that I have sent a servant of mine, by profession a painter, to make a search in the best towns through Italy, for some principal pieces, which I hope may produce somewhat for your lordship's contentment and service."

The last published letter in the series, written from abroad, is of the date of 1622-3, addressed to the Earl of Holderness, and containing the following passage:-"Now, for mine own obligations unto your Lordship, whereof I have from some friends at home very abundant knowledge, what shall I say? It was in truth, my Lord, an argument of your noble nature, to take my fortune into your care, who never yet made it any great part of mine own business. I am a poor student in philosophy, which hath redeemed me not only from the envying of others, but even from much solicitude about myself. It is true, that my most gracious master hath put me into civil practice, and now after long service, I grow into a little danger of wishing I were worth somewhat. But in this likewise I do quiet my thoughts: for I see by your Lordship's so free and undeserved estimation of me, that like the cripple, who had lain long at the pool of Bethesda, I shall find somebody that will throw me into the water when it moveth."

Sir Henry Wotton returned home soon after the date of the letter above quoted from. It is most probable he procured his recall, with the intention of soliciting some provision for his declining years. The following

letter is without date, but it was evidently written soon

after his arrival in England.

To the Duke.

"May it please your Grace,

66

Having some days by sickness been deprived of the comfort of your sight, who did me so much honour at my last access, I am bold to make these poor lines happier than myself: and withal, to represent unto your grace, whose noble patronage is my refuge when I find any occasion to bewail mine own fortune, a thing which seemed strange unto me. I am told, I know not how truly, that his majesty hath already disposed the Venetian embassage to Sir Isaac Weake; from whose sufficiency if I should detract, it would be but an argument of my own weakness.

But that which herein doth touch me, I am loth to say in point of reputation, surely much in my livelihood as lawyers speak, is, that thereby after seventeen years of foreign and continual employment, either o dinary or extraordinary, I am left utterly destitute of all possibility to subsist at home; much like those seal fishes, which sometimes as they say, oversleeping themselves in an ebbing water, feel nothing about them but a dry shore when they awake. Which comparison I am fain to seek among those creatures, not knowing among men, that have so long served so gracious a master, any one to whom I may resemble my unfortunate bareness. Good my lord, as your grace hath vouchsafed me some part of your love, so make me worthy in this, of some part of your compassion. So I humbly rest, Your Grace's, &c.

H. WOTTON."

The subsequent address to the king, is also of the same date, though published without any. It distinctly exhibits the object Sir Henry Wotton had in view in soliciting his recal.

"To his sacred Majesty.

which was

"I do humbly resume the ancient manner, adire Cæsarem per Libellum: with confidence in the cause, and in your Majesty's gracious equity, though not in mine own merit.

During my late employment, Sir E. P. then Master of the Rolls died. By his death Sir Julius Cæsar claimed not only the succession of that place, but the gift of all the Clerkships of the Chancery, that should fall void in his own time.

Of these Clerkships your Majesty had formerly granted two reversions: the one to the late Lord Bruce; for which Mr. Bond, secretary to my Lord Chancellor had contracted with him. The second to me. The said Bond got his grant through the favour of his master to be confirmed by Sir Julius Cæsar before his entrance into the Rolls: but through my absence in your majesty's service, and want of pressing it in the due season, my grant remained unconfirmed, though your majesty was pleased to write your gracious letter in my behalf. Which maketh me much bewail mine own case, that my deserts were so poor, as your royal mediation was "of less value for me, than my Lord Chancellor's for his servant. The premises considered, my humble suit unto your majesty is this: that Sir Julius Cæsar may be drawn by your supreme authority, to confirm unto me my reversion of the second clerkship, whereof I have a patent under your great

seal. Wherein I have just confidence in your majesty's grace, since your very laws do restore them that have been any ways prejudiced in servicio regis.

Your Majesty's

Long devoted

Poor Servant,

H. WOTTON."

In April 1623, the Provostship of Eton became vacant by the death of Thomas Murray. Williams, the Lord Keeper, notices this event in a letter to the Duke of Buckingham, his master, in the following terms,- "Mr. Murray the provost of Eton, is now dead: the place stayed by the fellows and myself until your lordship's pleasure be known. Whomsoever your lordship shall name I shall like of, though it be Sir William Becker, though this provostship never descended so low. The king named to me yesterday morning, Sir Albertus Morton, Sir Dudley Carlton, and Sir Robert Ayton, our late Queen's secretary. But in my opinion, though he named him last, his majesty inclined to this Ayton most. It will rest wholly upon your lordship to name the man. It is somewhat necessary to be a good scholar, but more that he be a good husband, and a careful manager, and a stayed man, which no man can be that is so much indebted as the Lord of St. Albans."*—The lord of St. Albans was the famous Bacon. The all-powerful Buckingham, to whom the sycophant prelate addressed himself, paid little attention to his intimation of the royal inclinations. Our Kentish courtier, who

* Bacon's Works, Vol. 3, pàge 636,,as quoted by Dr. Zouch.

selected well his objects of worship, had gained the influence of the favourite, and by his command he was instituted to the Provostship July 26th, 1624.— He did not however obtain this valuable presentation without some sacrifice. Walton tells us, "by means of the interest of all his friends, and quitting the King of his promised reversionary offices, and a piece of honest policy, which I have not time to relate, he got the grant from his majesty."

The value of this Provostship in the reign of James the First, is uncertain. Its value a century before is fixed by the following anecdote :-"Sir Thomas Wyatt one day told the King, that he had found out a living of one hundred pounds in the year more than enough, and prayed him to bestow it on him. Truly, said the King, we have no such in England.-Yes, Sir, said Sir Thomas Wyatt, the Provostship of Eton, where a man has his diet, his lodging, his horse-meat, his servant's wages, his riding charges, and one hundred pound besides."*-It is not to be wondered at that a situation so admirably suited to a retiring statesman, should be eagerly coveted.

However well qualified Sir Henry Wotton might have been for his new office in point of scholarship, he certainly was deficient in what the Lord Keeper deemed the more necessary qualifications: he had not displayed the conduct of a "good husband" in his own private affairs, and though perhaps not so much embarrassed as the ex-chancellor, yet he was, at the time of his appointment, oppressed with debts of long standing. The

* Lloyd's State Worthies-p. 79.