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,
Most think all praises, flatt'ries: but truth brings
That sound and that authority with her name,
As to be raised by her, is only fame.
Stand high then, Howard! high in eyes of men,
High in thy blood, thy place; but highest then,
When in mens wishes so thy virtues wrought,
As all thy honours were by them first sought;
And thou design'd to be the same thou art,
Before thou wert in-in each good man's heart;
Which, by no less confirm'd than thy king's choice,
Proves that is God's which was the people's voice ".”

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 counexions; 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.

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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, earnestly 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 England.

"Good Mr. Winwood,

"I shall make you see a little of your ill luck in your former kindness, for that hathe brought upon you another labour for me, which is to desire you to deal plainly with me, in a matter that I have some cause to suspect that I have infinitely been wronged in.

"I have heard it hath been informed closely to the states, that we Howards should be principal means about his majesty, to draw him from thence to encline to the Spanish. I dare say much for my friends; but I leave them to answer for their own affections. For myself, I vow before God, I have no inclination to the Spaniard, more than the necessity of my meer service draws me to: for, serving in the place I do, I am forced to give answers to many of their requests, which I may not rudely do; but more than for courtesy and compliments, I am no way theirs.

On the other side, I am not ignorant how full of necessity it is that we uphold that state you serve in, both for conscience and policy: yet I have heard it hath been my ill happ to be made much Spanish in opinion; and this is a burthen that I would fayn throw off. Therefore, Mr. Winwood, if you will instance some of the principall and worthyest of them, and (if so ill an office hath been done me) that you will avow for me that, wherein I will never fail you, I protest you shall ease my heart of a load. I need not be earnest in this; for I will never seek benefit by their good will; but merely, like a gentleman, I would put off imputation.

"But, sir, reason will scant give me liberty to be