the appearance of Spencer, and if Mr. Sackville did not furpafs him, it was because he had the difadvantage of writing firft. Agreeable to what TaЛo. exclaimed on feeing Guarini's Paftor Fido: If he had not feen my Aminta, he had not excelled it.'

Our author's great abilities being diftinguished at court, he was called to public affairs: In the th and 5th years of Queen Mary we find him in parliament; in the 5th year of Elizabeth, when his father was chofen for Suffex, he was returned one of the Knights of Buckinghamshire to the parliament then held. He afterwards travelled into foreign parts, and was detained for fome time prisoner at Rome. His return. into England being procured, in order to take poffeflion of the vaft inheritance his father left him, he was knighted by the duke of Norfolk in her Majesty's prefence 1567, and at the faine day advanced to the degree and dignity of a baron of this realm, by the title of lord Buckhurst: He was of fo profufe a temper, that though he then enjoyed a great eftate, yet by his magnificent way of living he spent more than the income of it, and * a story is told of him, That clling on an alderman of * London, who had got very confiderably by the loan of his money to him, he was obliged to wait his coming down fo long, as made fuch an impreffion on his generous humour, that thereupon he turned a thrifty improver of his estate.' But others make him the convert of Queen Elizabeth, (to whom he was allied, his grandfather having married a lady related to Ann Bullen) who by her frequent admonitions diverted the torrent of his profufion, and then received him into her particular favour. Camden fays, that in the 14th of that Princefs, he was fent ambaffador to Charles IX King of France, to congratulate his marriage with the Emperor Maximilian's daughter, and on other im

*

portant affairs where he was honourably received, according to his Queen's merit and his own; and having in company Guido Cavalcanti, a Gentleman of Florence, a perfon of great experience, and the Queen-mother being a Florentine, a treaty of marriage was publickly transacted between Queen Elizabeth and her fon the duke of Anjou. In the 15th of her Majefty he was one of the peers that fat on the trial of Thomas Howard duke of Norfolk, † and on the 29th of Elizabeth, was nominated one of the commiffioners for the trial of Mary Queen of Scots, and at that time was of the privy council, but his lordship is not mentioned amongst the peers who met at Fotheringay Castle and condemned the Queen; yet when the parliament had confirmed the fentence, he was made choice of to convey the news to her Majefty, and fce their determination put in execution againft that beauteous Princess; poffibly because he was a man of fine accomplishments, and tenderness of difpofition, and could manage fo delicate a point with more addrefs than any other courtier. In the fucceeding year he was fent ambaffador to the States of the United Provinces, upon their dislike of the earl of Leicester's proceedings in a great ma-ny refpects, there to examine the bufinefs, and compofe the difference: He faithfully discharged this invidious office, but thereby incurred the earl of Leicester's displeasure; who prevailed with the Queen, as he was her favourite, to call the lord - Buckhurft home, and confine him to his house for nine months; but furviving that earl, the Queen's favour returned, and he was elected the April following, without his knowledge, one of the Knights of the moft noble Order of the Garter. He was

* Rapin's Hiftory of England, p. 437.

This nobleman fuffered death for a plot to recover the liberty of the Queen of Scots.

one

one of the peers that fat on the trial of Philip Howard, earl of Arundel. In the 4th year of the Queen's reign he was joined with the Lord Treafurer Burleigh, in promoting a peace with Spain; in which trust he was fo fuccefsful, that the High Admiral of Holland was fent over by the States of the United Provinces, to renew their treaty with the crown of England, being afraid of its union with Spain. Lord Buckhurst had the fole management of that negotiation (as Burleigh then lay fick) and concluded a treaty with him, by which his miftrefs was eafed of no less than 120,000l. per annum, befides other advantages.

His lord hip fucceeded Sir Chriftopher Hatton, in the Chancellorship of the univerfity of Oxford, in oppofition to Robert Devereux, earl of Effex. Master of the Horse to the Queen, who a little before was incorporated master of arts in the faid univerfity, to capacitate him for that office; but on receipt of letters from her Majefty in favour of lord Buckhurst, the Academicians elected him Chancellor on the 17th of December following. On the death of lord Burleigh, the Queen confidering the great fervices he had done his country, which had coft him immenfe expences, was pleased to conftitute him in the 41ft year of her reign, Lord High Treasurer of England: In the fucceeding year 1599, he was in commiffion with Sir Thomas Egerton, Lord Chancellor, and the earl of Effex, EarlMarfhal, for negotiating affairs with the Senate of Denmark, as alfo in a fpecial commiflion for fuppreffing fchifm, and afterwards when libels were difperfed by the carl of Effex and his faction againft the Queen, intimating that her Majefty took little care of the government, and altogether neglected the ftate of Ireland, his lordship engaged in a vindication of her Majefty, and made anfwers

* Rapin's Hiflory of England, vol ii. p. 617.

D6

to

*

to thefe libels, reprefenting how brave and well regulated an army had been fent into Ireland, compleatly furnished with all manner of provifions, and likewife that her Majefty had expended on that war in fix months time, the fum of 600,000 1. which lord Effex muft own to be true. He fufpected that earl's mutinous defigns, by a greater concourfe of people reforting to his houfe than ordinary, and fent his fon to pay him a vifit, and to defire him to be careful of the company he kept. Effex being fenfible that his fcheme was already difcovered by the penetrating eye of lord Buckhurft, he and his friends entered upon new measures, and breaking out into an open rebellion, were obliged to furrender themselves prifoners. When that unfortunate favourite, together with the earl of Southampton, was brought to trial, lord Buckhurst was conftituted on that occafion Lord High Steward of England, and paffing fentence on the earl of Effex, his Lordfhip in a very eloquent fpeech defired him to implore the Queen's mercy, After this, it being thought neceffary for the fafety of the nation, that fome of the leading confpirators fhould fuffer death, his Lordship advised her Majefty to pardon the reft. Upon this he had a special commiffion granted him, together with fecretary Cecil, and the earl of Nottingham, Lord High Admiral, to call before them all fuch as were concerned in the confpiracy with the earls of Effex and South. ampton, and to treat and compound with fuch offenders for the redemption and compofition of their lands. After the death of Queen Elizabeth, his lordship was concerned in taking the neceffary measures for the fecurity of the kingdom, the adminiftration being devolved on him and other counfellors, who unanimously proclaimed King James,

Rapin's Hiftory of England, vol. ii.

F. 630.

and

and figned a letter March 28, 1603 to the lord Eure, and the rest of the commiffioners, for the treaty of Breme, notifying her majefty's decease, and the recognition and proclamation of King James of Scotland: who had fuch a fenfe of lord Buckhurst's fervices, and fuperior abilities, that before his arrival in England, he ordered the renewal of his patent, as Lord High Treasurer for life. On the 13th of March next enfuing, he was created earl of Dorfet, and conftituted one of the commiffioners for executing the office of Earl-Marshal of England, and for reforming fundry abuses in the College of Arms.

In the year 1608, this great man died fuddenly at the Council-Table, Whitehall, after a buftling life devoted to the public weal; and the 26th of May following, his remains were depofited with great folemnity in Weftminfter Abbey, his funeral fermon being preached by Dr. Abbot, his chaplain, afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury. Befides this celebrated fermon of the primate's, in which he is very lavish in his praife, Lord Chancellor Bacon, and Sir Robert Naunton, bestow particular encomiums upon him; and Sir, Richard Baker observes, “That he had excellent "parts, and in his place was exceeding industrious, "and that he had heard many exchequer men

fay, there never was a better Treasurer, both "for the King's profit, and the good of the fub"ject."

By his dying fuddenly at the Council-Table, his death was interpreted by fome people in a mysterious manner; but his head being opened, there were found in it certain little bags of water, which, whether by ftraining in his study the night before, in which he fat up till 11 o'clock, or otherwife by their own maturity, fuddenly breaking, and falling upon his brain, produced his death, to the univer

* Chron. 2d edit, p. 596.

fal