THOMAS HOWARD, EARL OF SUFFOLK, [THE naval commander and statesman, who was summoned to parliament by writ, Dec. 7, 1597, is surmised by Mr. Ritson to be the nobleman who composed verses in the Ashmolean MSS. 781 or 60713. In May 1603, according to Dugdale 4, he was made choice of for one of the king's privy council, and July 21, next ensuing, advanced to the dignity of earl of Suffolk; after which he was appointed lord chamberlain of the king's household, and in 1614, lord high treasurer of England, in which great office he continued but few years5. He built the * Opportunity has not occurred to the editor of procuring any transcript from these manuscripts. * Baronage, tom. iii. p. 279. From Cole's MSS. vol. xxxiii. p. 461, it appears he was high steward of the university of Cambridge in 1600. 5 Weldon says, the earl of Suffolk was turned out of his place for Cranfield the projector. Court of King James, p. 141. But according to Carte, he was accused of having embezzled a great part of the money received from the Dutch for the cautionary towns, which was destined to the payment of the army in Ireland, the fleet, the artillery, and other necessary services; and either for this reason, or because he was father-inlaw to the late favourite (Carr earl of Somerset), was deprived of his post of treasurer. The earl, he adds, was in the general opinion of the world deemed guiltless of any considerable stately mansion called Audley End in Essex, and dying at his house near Charing Cross, May 28, 1626, was buried at Walden. Ben Jonson addressed the following high encomium "TO THOMAS EARL OF SUFFOLK. "Since men have left to do praise-worthy things, misdemeanor; but his countess (the sister to Elizabeth, countess of Lincoln) had rendered herself very odious by her rapacity in extorting money from all persons who had any matters to be dispatched at the Treasury. They were both confined for a short time in the Tower, and fined £30,000, which was reduced by king James to £7000. Carte's Hist. of England, vol. iv. p. 47. Mr. Lodge thinks that James hoped to appease the popular clamour for the blood of Somerset, by the unjust sacrifice of that favourite's highest connexions; and therefore began with his father-in-law the treasurer; and this conjecture is the more probable, as his fine was afterwards mitigated to a very small sum. Illustr. of Brit. Hist. vol. iii. p. 386. 6 Epigrams, lib. i. 67. Three original letters by lord Suffolk occur in Harl. MS. 1581. The first is addressed to the duke of Buckingham, after his lordship's release from the Tower, carnestly requesting his grace's friendly interference with the king in favour of his two sons. The second and third are addressed to the king himself, and contain the most humiliating supplications in behalf of his sons, and for his own restoration to royal notice. The last of them closes thus: "Geve me leave to let your majestie knowe the hard estate I am in; for I do owe at thys present, I dare avow upon my fydelyte to you, lytle less then forty thowsand pounds; which I well knowe wyll make me and myne poore and mesarable for ever. All this I do not lay downe to your majesties best judging eyes, that I meane this by way of complaynt; for I do acknowledg the reason your majestie had to do what you dyd: nether do I goo about to excuse errours to have escapt me; but wyll now and ever acknowledg your gratious favorable dealing with me; yf you wilbe pleased now to receyve me agayne to your favour, after this just correction. Whithout which I desyer not to enjoy fortune of any good, or lyfe in this world; which, in the humblyest maner that I can, I begg at your pryncly feete, as your majesties humblyest and loyall servaunt and subject, "T. SUFFOLke." The following letter to Mr. secretary Winwood, makes it appear that lord Suffolk was suspected of favouring the sinister designs of Spain against Eng land. |