in mortall feare A countenance pale a body leane deform'd with griefe I beare From all parts of the earth they brought me gold without constraint But now no gold nor precious stones nor friends can ease my plaint So variable Fortune is so nice to great attempts So subject and so doubtfull too so adverse in events That Atis with our name doth play as with a tennis ball For being lifted up with fame the greater is our fall Let this example be to such whom Fortune doth advanâ—e That they as I by Popedome fell may fall by like mischance For we cannot reade of any that ever was so great a Favourite as Somerset neither the Spencers with Edward the second nor the Earle of Warwick with Henry the sixth nor the Duke of Suffolke with Henry the eighth as this man was with the King neither was there any that ever came to so sodaine and unexpected a fall They therefore that do but rightly consider this Discourse shall find in it three things worthy observation First that neither honour nor wealth are any certaine inheritance but occasions unlesse God be mercifull unto us for the devill to pick a quarrell against us to bring us to infamie Secondly that God neuer leaves murther though never so closely carried unpunished Lastly that there was never knowne in so short a time so many great men dye with suspition of poyson and witchcraft viz. First my Lord Treasurer the Prince my Lord Harrington his sonne Overbury Northampton besides these which are no lesse then six other within three yeares and an halfe and the two Monsons which yet remaine untryed Sir Francis Bacon his Speech at the Arraignment of the Earle of Somerset IT may please your Grace my Lord High Steward of England and you my Lords the Peeres you have here before you Robert Earle to be tryed for his life concerning the procuring and consenting to the impoysonment of Sir Thomas Overbury then the Kings Prisoner in the Tower of London as an Accessary before the Fact I know your hopes connot behold this Noble man but you must remember the great favours which the King hath conferred on him and must be sensible that he is yet a member of your body and a Peere as you are so that you cannot cut him off from your body but with griefe and therefore you will expect from us that give in the Kings Evidence sound and sufficient matter of proofe to satisfie your Honours and consciences As for the manner oâ— the Evidence the King our Master who amongst other his vertues excelleth in that vertue of the Imperial Throne which is Justice hath given us command that wee should not expatiate nor make invectives but materially pursue the Evidence as it conduceth to the point in question A matter that though we are glad of so good a warrant yet we should have done of our selves for far be it from us by any strains or wit of Arts to seeke to play prizes or to blâ—son our names in bloud or to carry the day otherwise then upon sure grounds wee shall carry the Lanthorne of Justice which is the Evidence before your eyes upright and to be able to salve it from being put out with any grounds of evasion or vaine defences that is our parts and within that we shall containe our selves not doubting at all but that the Evidence it selfe will carry that force as it shall need no advantage or aggravation First my Lords the course that I will hold in delivering of that which I shall say for I love order is this First I will speak somewhat of the nature and greatnesse of the offence which is now to be tryed not to weigh downe my Lord with the greatnesse of iâ— but rather contrariwise to shew that a great offence needs a good proofe And that the King howsoever he might esteeme this Gentleman heretofore as the Signet upon his finger to use the Scripture phrase yet in sâ—ch a case as this he was to put him off Secondly I will use some few words touching the nature of the proofes which in such a case are competent Thirdly I will state the proofes And lastly I will produce the proofes either out of examination and matters of writing or witnesses viva voce For the offence it selfe it is of crimes next unto high Treason the greatest it is the foulest of Felonies It hath three degrees of stages First it is murther by impoysonment Secondly it is murther committed upon the Kings prisoner in the Tower Thirdly I might say that it is murther under the colour of Friendship but that it is a circumstance morall and therefore I leave that to the Evidence it selfe For murther my Lords the first record of Justice which was in the world was judgement upon a murtherer in the person of Adams first borne Caâ—â—e and though it was not punished by death but with banishment and marke of ignominy in respect of the primogenitors or the population of the world yet there was a severe charge given that it should not go unpunished So it appeareth likewise in Scripture that the murther or Abner by Ioah though it were by David respited in respect of great services past or reason of State yet it was not forgotten But of this I will say no more because I will not discourse it was ever admitted and rancked in Gods owne Tables that murther is of offences betweene man and man next unto high Treason and disobedience to Authority which sometimes have been referred to the first Table because of the Lieutenancie of God in Princes the greatest For impoysonment I am sorry it should be heard of in our Kingdome It is not nostri generis nec sanguinis peccatum It is an Italian comâ—it for the Court of Rome where that person that intoxicateth the Kings of the earth is many times really and materially intoxicated and impoysoned himselfe But it hath three circumstances which makes it grievous beyond other matters The first is that it takes a man away in full peace in Gods and the Kings peace that thinks no harme but is comforting of nature with resection and food so that as the Scripture saith His table is made a snare The second is that it is easily committed and easily concealed and on the other side haâ—dly prevented and hardly discovered for murther by violence Princes have Guards and private men have houses attendants and armes neither can such murther be committed but cum sonitu with some overt and apparant acts that may discover and trace the offenders but for poyson the cup it selfe of Princes wil scarse serve in regard of many poisons that neither discolour nor distaste It comes upon a man when he is carelesse and without respect and every day a man is within the gates of death And the last is because it concerneth not onely the destruction of the maliced man but of every man quis modo tutuâ— erit for many times the poyson is prepared for one and is
THE FIVE YEARES OF KING IAMES OR The Condition of the State of England and the Relation it had to other PROVINCES Written by Sr FOULK GREVILL late Lord Brook LONDON Printed for W. R. in the yeare 1643. The five yeares of King Iames or the Condition of the State of ENGLAND and the Relation it had to other Provinces HOwsoever every Kingdome and Common-wealth may be both well and uprightly governed and that good men may be the meanes to support it yet there can be no such Common-wealth but amongst the good there will be even some evill persons these whether by nature induced or through envie and ambition to the intent to satisfie their appetites perswaded doe oftentimes enter into actions repugnant unto the felicity of good Government and Common-wealths and by evill causers and perverse deeds doe secretly and underhand seeke to hasten and set forward the ruine and decay of the same These things because they happen contrary and beyond expectation are so much the more remarkable by how much they are suddaine and unexpected And from hence it cometh that no state of government can be said to be permanent but that oftentimes those are said to be good are by little and little converted unto those that be evill and oftentimes changed from worse to worse till they come to utter desolation Neither is this alone proper to our Common-wealth but to all nor to forraigne Kingdomes but to our owne for although His Majesty at His coming to the Crowne found us vexed with many defensive warres as that in Ireland that in the Low-countries and almost publique against Spaine auxiliarie in France and continually in millitarie imployments although he found it lacerate and torne with divers factions of Protestants Papists and others from amongst whom sprung some evill men that endeavoured to set into combustion the whole State yet neverthelesse he established a peace both honourable and profitable with all neighbour Princes and by relation through all Europe so that neither our friends nor our enemies might be either feared or suspected After this generall peace was concluded and the working heads of divers dangerous Papists were confin'd to a certaine course of life that is peace they now petition for â—olleration for releases of vexation to have liberty of conscience and forsooth because they cannot have these things amongst them they contrive a most horrible and devillish plot by gun-powder to blow up the Parliament even the whole State and command of this Kingdome and so at one puffe to conclude all this peace and by that meanes to procure an unruly and unseemly avarice of this setled government and this not so much to establish their owne Religion for which purpose they pretended it but to establish their owne power and preheminence and to raise some private Families to greatnesse and dignitie that so faction being nourished and that jurisdiction established they might with great facility suppresse whom they please and support their owne State Thus may wee see that setled governments doe cherish in themselves their owne destructions and their own subjects are oftentimes cause of their owne ruine unlesse God of his mercy prevent it Of the domestick affaires and of the lascivious course of such on whom the King had bestowed the honour of Knighthood THis evill being discovered by the Lord Mounteagle and overpassed divers discontents happened some betweene the Civilians and Common Lawyers concerning Prohibitions And for that there was one Doctor Cowell stood stifly against the Lord Cooke divers discontents were nourished betweene the Gentry and Commonaltie concerning Inclosure and it grew out into a petty Rebellion which by the same was conjectured not to happen so much for the thing it selfe as for to find how the people stood affected to the present State whereby divers private quarrells and secret combustions were dayly breaking out private families one sided against another and of these Protestants against Papists they thereby endavouring to get a head and from small beginnings to raise greater Rebellions and discontents shewed themselves heady and speakes publickly what durst not heretofore have beene spoken in corners in outward appearance Papists were favoured Masses almost publickly administred Protestants discountenanced dishonest men honoured those that were little lesse then Sorcerers and Witches preferred private quarrells nourished but especially betweene the Scottish and the English Duells in every secret maintained divers sects of vitious persons of particular Titles passe unpunished or unregarded as the sect of Roaring-boyes Boneventors Bravadors Guarterers and such like being persons prodigall and of great expence who having run themselves in debt were constrained to run into faction to defend them from danger of the Law these received maintenance from divers of the Nobility and not a little as was suspected from the Earle of Northampton which persons though of themselves they were not able to attempt any enterprize yet faith honesty and other good Arts being now little set by and Citizens through lasciviousnesse consuming their estates it was likely their number would rather increase then diminish And under these pretences they entered into many desperate enterprises and scarce any durst walke the streets with safety after nine at night So to conclude in outward shew there appeared no certaine affection no certaine obedience no certaine government amongst us Such persons on whom the King had bestowed particular honours either through pride of that or their owne prodigality lived at high rates and with their greatnesse brought in excesse of riot both in clothes and dyet So our ancient customes were abandoned and that strictnesse and severity that had wont to be amongst us the English scorned and contemned every one applauding strange or new things though never so costly and for the attaining oâ— them neither sparing purse nor credit that prices of all sorts of commodities are raysed and those ancient Gentlemen who had left their Inheritance whole and well furnished with goods and chattells having thereof kept good houses unto their sonnes lived to see part consumed in ryot and excesse and the rest in possibilitie to be utterly lost The holy estate of Matrimony most perfidiously broken and amongst many made but a may-game by which meanes divers private families hath beene subverted brothell-houses in abundance tollerated and even great persons prostituting their bodies to the intent to satisfie their appetites and consume their substance repairing to the City and to the intent to consume their virtues also lived dissolute lives And many of their Ladies and Daughters to the intent to maintaine themselves according to their dignities prostitute their bodies in shamefull manner ale-houses dyâ—ing-houses taverns and places of vice and iniquity beyond measure abounding in many places there being as much extortion for sinne as there is racking for Rents and as many wayes to spend money as are windings and turnings in townes and streets so that to outward appearance the evill seeme to over top the good and evill intentions and councells rather
intent to incense the people the more against them and to make the matter the more hainous and grievous to the world At this time the Lady Arbella died a matter more remarkable then was observed and gave some occasion of speech to many but yet neverthelesse past over in silence These Hurly-burlies being growne somewhat calme and the minds of men a little setled the Countesse and others authorised for that purpose to be examined and my Lord Coke was the man that prest the Evidence against them which as it was thought procured some great enemies two and twenty Articles were objected against them Somerset pleaded Ignorance and that these Objections were meere tricks to intrap him and set the King against him The same answer was in the Countesse and that it might rather seeme to proceed out of envie then for any just cause They cause it to be given out that their accusations were wrongâ—ull and none were accused but such as were the greatest Favourites to the King so that there was much ado to little purpose At last when they heard that Weston Turner Francklin and Yeluis were all hanged and that they had confest the matter the Countesse being brought before the Councell confest the whole truth but Somerset stood to it still that he was not agent in it and that these accusations did nothing touch him and therefore ought to be excused Neverthelesse his lands and goods were committed to custodie part to my Lord Treasurer and part to others to the Kings use The Money Plate and Jewels which he had heaped up together amounted by report unto 200000. pounds his lands 19000. pounds per annum and the King bestowed many of them upon the Prince There was little speech of this in respect that both person and matter wherein hee was agent were both envied and facinerous neiâ—her was there any that pitied him but most said that hoe had but his just deserts for the injuries and wrongs that he offered unto Essex The Arraignment was put off and in the meane time Sir Walter Rawleigh was set at liberty This man had continued in the Tower now almost ten yeares a condemned person for a plot intended against his Majesty at his first comming in he bore a great envie against Somerset because he had begged his lands of the King and got it into possession giving him many quips and taunts during the time that he was in the Tower These two accidents happening beyond expectation that the one being the speciall favourite of the King the other a condemned man the one imprisoned the other set at liberty gave great occasion of speech and rumour and so much the more wonder and admiration because of Rawleighes wit and policie And this yeare also the Countesse of Shrewsbury who was committed for being privie to the escape of the Lady Arbella was set at liberty and the Earle her husband dyed leaving the greatest part of his land unto his daughters during all this time that is from Michaelmas Terme unto the short vacation betweene Easter and Trinity Terme the Arraignment was put off some attributed the cause to be for because the Countesse was with child and in the meane time was delivered of a daughter some that further proofes of incertainties might be brought in others to give them longer time to consider on the matter and that it was a great favour I say these rumours being published amongst the people at length the King authorised my Lord Chancellor to be High Steward of England for the time being and joyned eight of his Judges with him for his assistance viz. The foure Judges of the Kings Bench my Lord Chiefe Justice of the Common Pleas Justice Niccols my Lord Chiefe Barron and others of the Barrons with power to call Somerset and the Countesse before them to shew cause why they should not have sentence of death passed upon them for this offence committed both against the Laws of the Land and against the King his Crowne and Dignity So upon the foure and twentieth of May in this yeare 1616. There being a Seat Royall placed at the upper end of Westminster-hall a little short of the Kings Bench and seats made round about it for the rest of the Justices and Peeres to sit on and a little cabbin built close by the Common Pleas for the Prisoners when they came from the Tower to be put to rest them in They proceed to the triall after this manner As soone as my Lord High Steward with great State came into Westminster-hall with his assistants the Judges divers Lords and Gentlemen attending and foure Serjants at Armes before him ascending a little gallery made of purpose to keep off the croud he takes his seat and the rest of the Assistants and Peeres according to their places This being done after silence proclaimed one of the Harrolds at Armes reaches the High Steward his Patent and delivers it to the Clerke of the Crown to reade it After Sir Ralph Conisâ—y reaches him his staffe and iâ— there present according to his place to give attendance After the Patent read and proclamation for silence and that the accusers should come in the Prisoners were sent for by the Clerke of the Checker whose office it was to attend the Prisoners This being done and the Prisoners placed at the Barre Sir Henry Fanshaw reades the Indictment to which the Countesse pleaded guilty and confessed the fact But Somerset pleaded not guilty and had time from ten of the clock at night to cleare himselfe much was said but to little purpose At last the Peeres having conferred of the matter returne their verdict laying their hands upon their brests and swearing by their Honours for they doe not mâ—ke an Oath as ordinary Jurors do that he was guilty of the murther and poysoning of Sir Thomas Overbury whereupon my Lord High Steward pronounced sentence of death agâ—inst him and so he was had back to the Tower where hee remaineth at the mercy of the King This man may justly say as Pope Barbaressa said when hee was put from the Popedome Qui modo summus eram laetatus nomine praecel Tristis abjectus nunc mea fata gemo Excelsus solio nuper versaâ—ar in alto Cunctaque gens pedibus oscula prona dabant Nunc ego poenarum sundo devulvor in imo Vultum deformem pallidaque ore gero Omnibus e terris aurum mihi sponte ferebant Sed nec gaesa juvet nec quis amicus adest Sic varians fortuna vices adversa secundis Suâ—dit ambiguis nomine ludit atrâ— Cedit in exemplum cunctis quos gloria tollit Vertice de summo mox ego Papa cado Loe here I am that sometime tooke delight in name of Pope Now being sad and abject doe bewaile my fate and hope Of late preferr'd I did converse with stately pompe and grace And every Nation to my feet their ready kisses place But now in dungeon deepe am throwne of paines
perdidit Sed hoc quoque ipsos quos beavit pendebit Our lusts our soules our wealth we spend In Court to purchase praise But what reward is in the end For our deserts repaie Their vowes and protestations deepe Not prest in paper but in mind Their sounds of words to lulls asleep From body forc't not from the mind Hands there wee joyne but not our hearts Whereby it happeneth few are blest And many thousand that resort Unto the Court by it are lost And of those few that blessed are Wee often see there fall againe Their blessed dayes they spend in care And after end their lives in paine The complaint for want of treasure The King sets many Lands to Feâ— Farme That death of the Lord Harrington The death of his sonne GReat summes of money being disbursed upon her Graces Wedding and dayly imployments for othersâ— some for Ireland The Lord Treasurer wanting there to defray ordinary expences some for the Kings owne use and some for other occasions causes a great complaint for want of treasure Officers at Court goe unpaid and many of the Kings Servants receive not their wages at set times so that the King is forced to set many of his Lands to Fee Farme and the four Deputie Treasurers with some few other have the passing of them now my Lord Harrington obtained a Patent for the making of brasse Farthings a thing that brought with it some contempt though lawfull for all things lawfull are not expedient who being injoyned to go into the Low-countries with her Grace by the way lost his life His sonne succeeded both in honour and Patent and enjoyed them not long before he dyed within short time after the hopefullest gentleman of that name more fit for imployments then for a private life and for a Statesman then for a Souldier he had beene at Cambridge there reputed for a great Scholler he travelled into Italy Venice and France he imployed his time for the most part in study whereby he made himselfe apt for great matters But yet it pleased God even then when he was in his greatest hope to cut off his dayes He gave all that he had to the Countesse of Bedford his Sister defeating her neither of the land nor the right of the Barony esteeming her to be worthy of much more then he had to leave He made a worthy and godly end These things coming so thick one after another left no time for men to dreame of Overburies death The Earle of Somerset his conscience accuseth him Northamptons speech to him He becometh a newter in Religion The Earle of Northamptons course A Nullitie being thus purchased he dignified as is said and the maâ—ch concluded about Candlemas 1614. they Marry with much joy and solemnitie a Maske being performed at Somerset's charge and many rumors passe without any respect all these things nothwithstanding a guiltie conscience can never goe without accusation pensivenesse and fulnesse doe possesse the Earle his wonted mirth forsakes him his countenance is cast downe he takes not that felicitie in company as he was wont to do but still something troubles him Verily it is a dangerous thing to fall within the compasse of a guilty conscience it eateth and consumeth the soule of a man as rust doth Iron or as beating waves hallowes the Rocks and though these things are not made publique yet neverthelesse Northampton observed it in him having so admirable capacity he could make use of all things wherefore knowing his disease viz. his mind feared with murther and knowing the Earle tractable as he desired enters into more familiar discourse with him For when the mind of a yong man is corrupted with evill he runs headlong into sinne without stay or feare wherefore amongst many other discourses this falls betweene them That in case the death of Sir Thomas Overbury should come to light they were then in a most dangerous state And the next thing they must expect is losse of life goods lands honours their names to be made scandalous to the world and to conclude to be branded with an ignominious death Neither that there was any way left for to escape this but either by making their owne fortunes so great that he might oppose all accusations or else being Catholiques to endeavour that in defending them they again might assist their cause in case that any matter came against them this carrying some shew and likelihood of truth And that indeed his case was desperate if ever it should come to light concludes to combine with Noâ—hâ—â—pton in whâ—tsoever he should undertake and in the conclusion became a â—eâ—ter in Religion whereupon to the intent he might set further evills on foot besides those before remembred he begins to rip up the ancient quarrell betweene the Welch and the English who now murmur at some discontents and to the intent to hearten on the Irish sends Letters thither by the hands of one Haâ—mon a poore man unto such whom â—e knowes to be faithfull in the Romish Religion and thereby confirmes them in their opinion assuring them that God will still provide one or more to protect his Church and that now the greatest Favourite in England would stand for them upon which Letter the Irish grew obstinate as I have said and altogether neglect the service of God and utterly deny the Oath of Supremacy protesting losse of life and goods rather then to be inforced to so damnable a thing Now wee see there the Church utterly forsaken none to heare divine Service The discipline of their owne Church established and the Irish in generall expecting a day to have their libertie and freedome in Religion The same man returning this newes is after sent into Yorkeshire with a black staffe and a knob upon the end within which knob Letters are conveyed from place to place aswell for pointing Assemblies as meetings for Masse and entertaining of Priests now might a man goe to Masse in divers places of the City and who were so publiquely favoured as Priests Their number increase their Priests are entertained Confession in many places publiquely practised and although it was contrary to the Law yet greatnesse overcountenancing them it was little regarded In the meane time quarrells went forward betweene the Scottish and English continuall complaints and the suit of the Cloth-workers with hope of obtaining their request not so much because of the profit as to raise up a discontent betweene the Duchie and them These courses caused divers men to passe divers opinions and many men to passe their opinion as they affected either parties The rumors of the Spanish Fleet A Proclamation against Spanish money A Leaguer in the Low-countries The publique rumors against my Lord of Northampton He exhibits a bill in the Star-chamber against the publishers They justified by my Lord of Canterburie's speech The death of my Lord of Northampton his Funerall his Will The names of those that succeeded him in his Offices NOt long after it was rumoured
abroad that the Spaniard had drawne out a Navie of Ships of an hundred Saile but to what purpose no man knew many suspected for England because they were come so farre upon those Coasts others said for the use of the Marriners to accustome them to Sea but most of all were of opinion that these were but shadows and that the Spaniard was to have taken advantage of the time Howsoever upon this there followed a Proclamation against Spanish money that their money should not go currant in England which caused many to suspect worse then the worst some said one thing some another upon the neck of that comes wars in the Low-countries some say against the Palsgrave some against the State The Scots begin to flie out in Rebellion and are supprest The wild Irish in Ireland begin to stirre sometimes thirtie sometimes fortie sometimes three hundred flie out and stand upon their guard These things minister occasion of wonder to the ignorant and many of them who knew the truth of things knew not what to say to it Priests come into the Kingdom by tens fifteenes twentie at a time and have free accesse so that my Lord of Northampton being Warden of the Cinque Ports begins to be called into question Some say he hath a hand in those things others say he lets Priests have their free accesse and that in Bloomesberie amongst his owne buildings they have free harbour others say that through his countenance thither any man might go to publique Masse besides many other Intelligences being brought from beyond the Seas drawes him further into suspition and the King begins to withdraw his favour from him wherefore he exhibits his Bill against such as defamed him into the Star-chamber some are for this cause committed to the Tower others to Newgate others to the Fleete till they come to their Answer And in the end openly in the Star-chamber he is accused for suffering Priests to have free accesse into Yorkshire under pretence of his Office for countenancing them for sending Letters to and againe to encourage men in their opinions and many other such like things And when the Lords should come to passe their voyces my Lord of Canterburie amongst the rest made a speech to this effect That although many have beene the rumours and reports that had passed in these times some of them shut up for uncertaine truths and flying fables then entertained for approved truths yet neverthelesse such things are grounded upon reason and for which men of upright consciences have some occasion to speak to have such either lightly valued or punished was rather injustice then any way beseeming the equity of that Court But in truth these whereof wee now speak are grounded upon some cause and my Lords owne Letters make evident that he hath done some things both against his owne conscience and meaning meerly to attaine unto honour and soveraigntie and to please the King And with that he pulls out a Letter written from my Lord to Cardinall Bellarmine to this effect THat howsoever the condition of the times compelled him and His Majesty urged him to turne Protestant yet neverthelesse his heart stood with the Papists and that he would be ready to further them in any attempt This and much more being read to some purpose he proceeded and shewed how that those things were not meerly uncertaine but even the actions that followed them did justifie them to be true For there was never knowne to be so many Priests to come over into this Kingdome in so short a time as of late there had done neither could he assure himselfe that my Lord was true hearted unto the State Also he harboured such about him as would undertake to write in defence of the Gunpowder Treason This and much more being said about the latter end of Easter Terme in the yeare 1614. my Lord being hereat much discouraged after the Court brake â—ooke his Barge went to Greenewich there made his Will wherein he published himselfe to dye in the Faith he was Baptized made some of his Servants his Executors others he bestowed gifts upon his faire house he disposed to my Lord Chamberlaine his Lands to my Lord Theophilus Howard retired back to his house at London and before Midsommer Terme following was dead Many were the rumours that were raised of this man after his death That he was a Traytor to the State and that he was not dead but carryed beyond Sea to blind the world and the reason was because he would be buryed at Dover and not at London Others say that if he had lived he would have beene the author of much stirre many dislike him and as was reported even the King himselfe towards his latter end which made him to fall into these courses but truly he was a notable polititian and carryed things more commodiously for the Papists then ever any before him His Funerall was kept privately at Rochester where he desired to be buryed because it was the chiefe Port Towne of his Office without any state to outward appearance My Lord Treasurer that now is succeeded him in his Treasurership My Lord of Somerset made Chancellor of Cambridge My Lord Zouch Warden of the Cinque Ports My Lord of Worcester some short time after Lord privie Seale These succeeded him in his Offices The Cloth-workers obtaine their Petition The old Charter of the Merchant adventurers is seized into the Kings hands The Dutch grow discontented at it The doubtfulnesse of Somerset's mind He sues for his pardon obtaines it My Lord Chancellor refuseth to seale it Falls into suspition Begins to be neglected THe Cloth-workers still persisting in their suit and having such strong friends to stand for them and Alderman Cocking a rich Merchant to back them they at length obtained what they desired and Proclamation goes forth that no more white Cloth shall goe over undied undrest and for this purpose the old Charter of the Merchants Adâ—enturers is seized into the Kings hands so that the Company fall to decay Now the Dutchmen they begin to murmur agâ—inst the English and make Proclamation there that no man shall buy any such Cloths as come over so drest and dyed whâ—reupon the English make a new Proclamation that no man shall trâ—nsport Wooles out of the Kingdome These things fed some with hope of some further troubles yet neverthelesse it is so ordered by the Councell that all things are pacified and some quantity amounting to a certaine number of white Cloths are suffered to be transported aswell to give content to the Hollander as satisfaction and imployment to some yong Merchants that had entred into this Trade by which meanes these clamors are a little stayed yet neverthelesse great impression of envie is betweene these two Countries Now one of the greatest friends that Somerset had being dead and himselfe still jealous of his safety he begins to cast about how he might avoid the danger of the Law for his intelligencers gave him notice of many