and commanded all to be quiet, great muttering was in the Towne, the next two Dayes about it: on the third, the Prince was fummoned to the Hague to make his Appearance before the States Generall, to make Anfwer unto fuch Things, as fhould by Martin Van Trumpe, John Van Efler dort, be laid against him. His Highneffe tooke fuch homely Dealing bad, and his Servants worfe, his Army worst of all; who, fummoning a Counfell of Warre to his Highneffe's Lodging, plainely told him, that except he would, he should not goe; and that they fhould know, that if they had Money, they had Swords; and that they having Command of the one, would not be long without the other, and that fhould fhortly appeare; hereupon we all, as well Servants as Commanders, tooke an Oath to his Highneffe, and his Sonne, to ferve them towards all, and againft all; which taken upon mature Deliberation, it was ordered by his Highneffe himfelfe, because of the Queene of Great Brittaine's Prefence, to goe to the Hague, but not to take Notice of any Summons, and with fuch a Company with him, that he fhould not greatly need to fear them; and here we are in that Pofture, not caring for thofe that looke fo big upon us: I trust the Army is wholly made for his Highneffe; not being defired of their Service, but freely offering it: We his Servants, and those of my young Master's, are refolved to fee our End fhortly accomplished, or to die every Man of us: I trust there are no false Parties in the Armie, then before May Day I hope we shall see an Alteration; and those that hold themfelves our Masters, fhall be glad to give us all fitting Refpect: the King of Denmarke is affuredly for it, and hath promised both Coine, Men, and Shipping: France hearkens to it, and Spaine, upon fome Conditions, will yeeld Affiftance it is more honourable for a Prince to be tyed in fome ceremonious Concernments unto a Monarch, than to any other, either by Democrasticall, or Ariftocraticall Government. More pleasant Tydings I hope to write to you, at the Queene's Returne, if not before; for this muft not be long in doing, and it is here thought, that fhe will not ftay long here, by Reason that these Atchievements cannot long remaine without a Period, nor without fome bickering, we hold it not fit, fhee fhould be Eye Witneffe of it: His Highneffe, although he is counfelled to fend away fpeedily his young Sonne, and our Hope, into France, yet he will not, but is refolved, that he fhall partake of his Fortune, what ever it be; I hope we fhall fhortly cry, Vivez Oraneye; and in this Expectation, wifhing Heaven to fay Amen unto it.

I reft from the Hague, your ever affectionate Brother,

This prefent March 20. New Stile.

TH

Avifoes from feverall Places.

CHARLES DE LA FIN,

HE 20. of Decemb. Stilo Novo, arrived at St. Lucar, the Admiral of the Nova Spania's Fleet, in Company of another fmall Ship, they came in 92 Dayes from the Havana, and were parted by a Storm from the

reft

reft of the Fleet 12 Days after their fetting forth. I fuppofe they may be arrived at Porto Rico, for they had moft of them fpent their Mafts. The faid Admiral was caft away in the going into St. Lucar, of Four Millions, which he brought, about One Million and an half loft; the whole Fleet worth To or II Millions, the richest that ever was knówne; in the faid Admirall was loft 500 Chefts of Cuchinill, and a 1000 Chefts of Indigo, with a great Quantity of other Goods. I have Letters by an Avifo from Cartagena, dated the 14. of September, wherein they advife that the Gailions were ready laden with the Silver, and would depart thence the 6. of October. The General of the Gallions, named Francifco Dias Pimienta, had beene formerly in the Moneth of July, with above 3000 Men, and the leaft of his Ships in the Iland of Santa Catalina, which he had taken and carried away all the English, and rafed the Forts, wherein they found 600 Negres, much Gold and Indigo, fo that the Prize is esteemed, worth above halfe a Million.

This unexpected, and undeserved Act of the Spaniard, in fupplanting our Nation, will I hope ere long be requited, when as in coole Blood the Spaniard fhall doe us a Mischiefe, in demolishing, and ruining that which another hath built, and is not able, or will not make Ufe of it himselfe, fupplanting our more industrious People, which endeavoured to doe good, both to the Bodyes and Soules of Men, and only to fhew his Greatneffe, with his Multitude to destroy a Handfull, and to account that a Victory, which is rather a credilous Treachery but let him triumph that wins at last.

Some Obfervations by Way of Parallell of ROBERT DEVEREUX, Earle of ESSEX, and GEORGE VILLIERS, Duke of BUCKINGHAM, in the Time of their Eftates of Favour.

A

Written by Sir HENRY WOTTON, Knight, &c. 1641.

Mongft those Hiftoricall Imployments, whereunto I have devoted my later Yeares, (for I read, that old Men live more by Memorie than by Hope) we thoght it would be a little Time not ill fpent, to confer the Fortunes and the Natures of these two great Perfonages of fo late Knowledge, wherein I intend to doe them right with the Truth thereof, and my felfe with the Freedome.

The Beginning of the Earle of Effex, 1 muft attribute wholly, or in great Part, to my Lord of Leicester: but yet as an Introducer or Supporter, not as a Teacher: for as I goe along, it will eafily appeare, that he neither lived nor dyed by his Difcipline. Alwaies certaine it is, that he drew him first into the fatall Circle from a Kinde of refolved Privatenes at his Houfe at Lampfie, in South Wales, where after the Academicall Life, he had taken VOL. I. fuch

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fuch a Táfte of the Rurall, as I have heard him fay, (and not upon any Flashes or Fumes of Melancholy, or Traverfes of Difcontent, but in a ferene and quiet Mood) that he could well have bent his Mind to a retyred Course. About which Time, the fayd Earl of Leicester bewrayed a Meaning to plant him in the Queen's Favour; which was diverfly interpreted by fuch as thought that great Artizan of Court to doe nothing by Chance, nor much by Affection. Some therefore were of Opinion, that feeling more and more in himfelfe the Weight of Time, and being almoft tyred (if there be a Satietie in Power) with that affiduous Attendance, and intenfive Circumfpection, which a long indulgent Fortune did require, he was grown not unwilling for his owne Eafe, to beftow handfomely upon another fome Part of the Pains, and perhaps of the Envy.

Others conceived rather, that having before for the fame Ends brought in, or let in Sir Walter Rawleigh, and having found him fuch an Apprentize as knew well enough how to fet up for himselfe, he now meant to allie him with this young Earle, who had yet taken no ftrong Impreffions: fo though the faid Sir Walter Rawleigh was a little before this, whereof I now speake by Occafion, much fallen from his former Splendor in Court; yet he still continued in fome Luftre of a favoured Man, like Billowes that finke by Degrees, even when the Winde is downe that firft ftirre them.

Thus runnes the Difcourfe of that Time at Pleafure; yet I am not ignorant, that there was fome good while a verie ftiffe Averfation in my Lord of Effex, from applying himfelfe to the Earle of Leicester, for what fecret Conceite I know not; but howfoever that Honour was mollified by Time, and by his Mother, and to the Court, he came under his Lord.

The Duke of Buckingham had another Kinde of Germination; and furely had he beene a Plant, he would have beene reckoned amongst the Sponte Nafcentes, for he fprung without any Help, by a Kind of congeniall Composure (as we may terme it) to the Likeneffe of our late Soveraigne and Master of ever bleffed Memorie, who taking him into his Regard, taught him more and more to please himselfe, and moulded him, (as it were) Platonically to his owne Idea, delighting firft in the Choyfe of the Materialls; because he found him fufceptible of good Forme) and afterwards. by Degrees as great Architects ufe to doe in the Workmanship of his regall Hand, nor staying here, after hee had hardned and polished him about ten Yeares in the Schoole of Obfervance, (for so a Court is) and in the Furnace of Tryall about himfelfe, (for he was a King, could perufe Men as well as Bookes) he made him the affociate of his Heire apparant, together with the now Lord Cottington, (as an Adjunct of fingular Experience and Truft) in forraine Travailes, and in a Bufineffe of Love, and of no equall Hazzard (if the Tenderneffe of our Zeale did not then deceive us) enough (the World muft confeffe) to kindle Affection even betwixt the diftanteft Conditions; fo as by the various and inward Converfation abroad (befides that before and after at home) with the moft conftant and beft natured Prince, Bona fi fua Norint, as ever England enjoyed. This Duke becomes now fecondly feized of Favour, as it were by Difcent (though the Condition of that Eftate be no more than a Tenancie at

Will, or at most for the Life of the firft Lord) and rarely tranfmitted, which I have briefely fet downe, without looking beyond the Vaile of the Temple, I meane into the Secret of high Inclinations, fince even Satyricall Poets, (who are otherwife of fo licentious Fancie) are in this Poynt modeft enough to confeffe their Ignorance.

Nefcio quid certe eft quod me tibi temperet Aftrum.

And these were both their Springings and Imprimings as I may call them. In the Profluence or Proceedings of their Fortunes, I obferve likewife not onely much Difference between them: but in the Earle not a little from himself; First, all his Hopes of Advancement had like to be ftrangled almoft in the very Cradle, by throwing himfelfe into the Portugal Voyage without the Queene's Confent, or fo much as her Knowledge; wherby he left his Friends and Dependants neere fixe Moneths in defperate Sufpenfe, what would become of him. And to fpeake Truth, not without good Reason: For first they might well confider, that he was himselfe not well plumed in Favour for fuch a Flight: Befides, that now he wanted a Lord of Leicester at home (for he was dead the Year before) to fmooth his Abfence, and to quench the Practifes at Court. But above all, it lay open to every Man's Difcourfe, that though the bare Offence to his Soveraigne and Miftris was too great Adventure, yet much more when fhee might (as in this Cafe) have fairely discharged her Displeasure upon her Lawes. Notwithstanding, a noble Report comming home before him.

At his Returne all was cleere, and this Excurfion was esteemed but a Sally of Youth: Nay, he grew every Day more and more in her gracious Conceit: whether fuch Intermiffions as thefe do fometimes foment Affection, or that having committed a Fault, he became the more obfequious and plyant to redeeme it: Or that fhee had not received into her royall Breft any Shadows of his Popularity.

There was another Time long after, when Sir Fulke Grevill (late Lord Brooke) a Man in Appearance intrinfecal with him, or at the leaft admitted to his melancholly Houres, eyther belike efpying fome Wearineffe in the Queene, or perhaps with little Change of the Word, though more in the dangerfome Markes towards him, and working upon the present Matter (as he was dexterous and clofe) had almoft fuperinduced into Favour the Earle of Southampton; which yet being timely difcovered, my Lord of Effex chose to evaporate his Thoughts in a Sonnet (being his common Way) to be fung before the Queene, (as it was) by one Hales, in whofe Voyce thee tooke fome Pleasure; whereof the Complot methinkes, had afmuch of the Hermit as of the Poet.

And if thou should't by Her be now forfaken,

She made thy Heart too ftrong for to be shaken.

As if he had beene cafting one Eye backe at the leaft to his former Retiredneffe. But all this likewife quickly vanifhed, and there was a good while after faire Weather over-head. Yet ftill I know not how, like a ga

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thering of Clouds, till towards his latter Time, when his Humours grew tart, as being now in the Lees of Favour; it brake forth into certayne fuddaine Receffes; fometimes from the Court to Wanfteed, other whiles unto Greenewich, often to his owne Chamber, Doores fhut, Vifits forbidden, and which was worfe, divers Conteftations (betweene) with the Queene her felfe (all Preambles of Ruine) wherewith though now and then he did wring out of her Majefty fome petty Contentments, (as a Man would preffe fower Grapes) yet in the meane Time was forgotten the Counfell of a wife, and then a propheticall Friend, who told him that fuch Courtes as those, were like hot Waters, who helpe at a Pang, but if they be too often used, will spoyle the Stomacke.

On the Dukes Part, wee have no fuch abrupt Straynes and Precipees as thefe, but a faire, fluent, and uniforme Courfe under both Kings: And furely as there was in his naturall Constitution a marvailous Equality, whereof I fhall fpeake more afterwards; fo there was an Image of it in his Fortune running (if I may borrow an ancient Comparifon) as smoothly as a numerous Verfe, till it met with certayne Rubs in Parliament, whereof I am induced by the very Subject which I handle, to fay fomewhat, so farre as shall concerne the Difference betweene their Times.

When my Lord of Effex ftood in Favour, the Parliaments were calme: Nay, I finde it a true Obfervation, that there was no Impeachment of any Nobleman by the Commons, from the Raigne of King Henry the Sixth, untill the Eighteenth of King James, nor any intervenient Prefident of that Nature, not that fomething or other could be wanting to be fayed, while Men are Men: For not to goe higher, wee are taught eafily fo much, by the very Ballads and Libells of Leiceftrian Time.

But about the aforefayd Yeare, many young Ones being chofen into the House of Commons, more than had beene ufuall in great Councells (who though of the weakest Wings, are the highest Flyers) there arofe a certayne unfortunate and unfruitfull Spirit in fome Places; not fowing, but picking at every Stone in the Field, rather than tending to the generall Harvest. And thus farre the Confideration of the Nature of the Time hath transported me, and the Occafion of the Subject.

Now on the other Side, I muft with the like Liberty obferve two weighty and watchfull Solicitudes (as I may call them) which kept the Earle in extream and continuall Caution, like a Bow ftill bent, whereof the Duke's Thoughts were abfolutely free.

First, he was to wrestle with a Queene's declyning, or rather with her very fetling Age (as wee may terme it) which, befides other Refpects, is commonly even of it felfe the more umbratious and apprehensive, as for the most Part all Horizons are charged with certayn Vapours towards their Evening.

I. The other was a Matter of more Circumstance, ftanding thus, viz. All Princes, efpecially thofe whom God hath not bleffed with naturall Iffue, are (by Wifedome of State) fomewhat fhye of their Succeffors, and to

Speake