SR ROBERT CECIL EARL of SALISBURY From a Drawing in the Collection of EMalone Esq." Pub May 20 1806 by J.Scott. 442. Strand. "Mr. Secretary Cecil, his Negociation into France, with the Instructions for his Guydance therein from Queen Elizabeth, in the Year of our Lord 1597." "Several Speeches in Parliament;" and " many Letters 4." "One in the Cabala to his Father." "Another to Sir Francis Segar 5." "Some Notes on Dr. Dee's Discourse on the Reformation of the Calendar." [The Harleian MSS. 305 and 354, contain "The State of a Secretaries Place and the Perill: written by Robert Earle of Salisbury." This was printed in 1642, 4to. with his lordship's "Excellent Instructions to the late Earle of Bedford, for the Government of Barwick." In No. 737 of the same repository is "A Collection of such Things as Robert late Earle of Salisbury thought fitt to offer unto hir Majestic uppon the Occasyon of callinge a Parliamente." And in No. 36 is "A Memoriall or Diary, kept by Mr. Secretary Cicill; beginninge Anno primo Elizabeth R. Coppied out of the Originall in Mr. Secretary Cicill's Hand,” learnedly, and religiously," p. 52. Dr. Lort points out a copy of the pamphlet referred to by Mr. Reed, in the public library, Cambridge.] • Vide Sawyer's Memorials, in three vols. folio. • Vide Howard's Collection, p. 196. This diary is curious and extensive, comprising a record of political events, or the personages engaged in them; and a chronicle of passing occurrences in the sphere of the court, from Nov. 17, 1558, to April 13, 1603. Much of it might have formed a desirable appendage to his father's diary, published by Murdin. The following articles will convey its general tenour: 66 Aug. 4, 1598. In the morninge about seven of the clocke died my lord treasurer Burleigh, at the Strand-house, being Friday. "Aug. 29. The lord treasurer Burley's funerall solempnized at Westm. and the dynner was kepte att Cecill-howse in the Stronde." King James gave to lord Salisbury the familiar appellation of his little beagle; it is presumed, from his unshapely figure, and from the intelligence which he was enabled to procure by means of the secret agents he employed at the different courts of Europe. Sir Anthony Weldon charges him with having induced James the first to raise £.200,000, by making two hundred baronets; telling the king, "He should find his English subjects like asses, on whom he might lay any burden; and should need neither bit nor bridle, but their asses ears;" and when the king said, "It would discontent the generality of the gentry :"-" Tush, sire," he replied, " you want the money; that will do you good, the honour will do them very little." He is also accused by Osborn of ⚫ Court and Character of King James, p. 12. having sold great quantities of crown timber3; but the person who brings this accusation observes, at the same time, that millions of oaks were felled and sold, not only during the life of the earl of Salisbury, but through the whole reign of king James. Lord Clarendon has likewise depicted the earl with very unfavourable features 4. But Dr. Birch has drawn together a concentrated view of his character, from fuller and more impartial light than the ignorance or envy of his own time would allow; and which may therefore be opposed to the prejudiced representations of Weldon, Wilson, Osborn, and the secret-hunting historiographers of that age; as well as to the partial estimate of his character drawn by Turneur, in Harl. MS. 36. “ He was evidently," says the learned Doctor, man of quicker parts, and a more spirited writer and speaker than his father, to whose experience he was at the same time obliged for his education and introduction into public business; in the management of which he was accounted, and perhaps justly, more subtle and less open. And this opinion of his biass to artifice and dissimulation was greatly owing to the singular address which he shewed in penetrating into the secrets and reserved powers of the foreign ministers with whom he treated; and in evading, with uncommon dexterity, such points as they pressed, when it was not convenient to give them too explicit an He appears to have been invariably attached answer. • Traditional Memories, p. 92. a |