JAMES THE FIRST

KING OF ENGLAND.

THE entrance of this Prince into England is thus defcribed by Wilfon:

But our King coming through the North (banquetting and feafting by the way) the applaufe of the people in fo obfequious and "fubmiffive a manner (ftil admiring change) 22 was checkt by an honeft plain Scotfman (un"ufed to hear fuch humble acclamations) with

a prophetical expreffion: This people will spoy! "a gud King. The King as unused, so tired "with multitudes, efpecially in his hunting "(which he did as he went), caufed an inhibition "to be published, to reftrain the people from "hunting him. Happily being fearfull of fo

great a concourfe as this novelty produced, "the old hatred betwixt the Borderers, not yet "forgotten, might make him apprehend it to

be of a greater extent: though it was generally "imputed to a defire of enjoying his recreations "without interruption."

James was extremely fond of hunting, and very fevere against those who difturbed him in the purfuit of that amufement. "I dare boldly fay,'

fays

fays Ofborn with fome spleen, "that one man "in his reign might with more safety have killed

another than a rafcal deer; but if a ftag had "been known to have mifcarried, and the author "fled, a proclamation, with the description of the "party, had been presently penned by the Attorney"General, and the penalty of his Majefty's high

displeasure (by which was understood the Star❝ chamber), threatened against all that did abet, "comfort, or relieve him; thus fatyrical, or, if you please, tragical, was this fylvan Prince against deer killers, and indulgent to manflayers. But, left this expreffion fhould be "thought too poetical for a hiftorian, I fhall leave

on,

his Majefty dreffed to pofterity in the colours I faw him in the next progrefs after his inaugu❝ration, which was as green as the grafs he trod with a feather in his cap, and a horn instead of a fword by his fide; how fuitable to his age, "perfon, or calling, I leave others to judge from "his pictures, he owning a countenance not in the leaft regard femblable to any my eyes ever met with, befides an hoft dwelling at Ampthill, formerly a fhepherd, and fo metaphorically of the fame profeffion."

This Monarch was extremely profufe in his prefents to his favourites. Sir Robert Cecil, afterwards Earl of Salisbury, his Treasurer, according

to

to Osborn, in his Memoirs of the Life of this Prince, took the following method to correct his extravagance:

"The Earl of Somerfet had procured from "King James a warrant to the Treasury for "20,000l. who, in his exquifite prudence, finding "that not only the Exchequer, but that the "Indies themselves would in time want fluency

to feed fo immenfe a prodigality, and, not "without reafon, apprehending the King as igno"rant of the value of what was demanded, as "of the defert of the perfon who begged it, laid the former mentioned fum upon the ground, in

'

"a room through which his Majefty was to pass; "who, amazed at the quantity, as a fight not "unpoffibly his eyes never faw before, afked the "Treasurer whofe money it was? who answered,

Yours, before you gave it away. Thereupon "the King fell into a paffion, protesting that he "was abused, never intending any fuch gift; and,

cafting himself upon the heap, fcrabbled out the "quantity of two or three hundred pounds, and "fwore he should have no more."

LORD

LORD BACON.

THIS great man has been accused of deserting his friend and patron the Earl of Effex in his diftrefs. Fuller thus attempts to exculpate him :

"Lord Bacon," fays he, "was more true to "the Earl than the Earl was to himfelf; for

finding him prefer deftruction before difpleafing "counfel, he fairly forfook (not his perfon, whom "his pity attended to the grave, but) his practices, "and herein was not the worfe friend for being the better fubject."

Lord Bacon's Effays, which, as he fays, will be more read than his other works, "coming home "to men's bufinefs and bofoms," have been the text-book of myriads of Ellay-Writers, and comprehend fuch a condenfation of wisdom and learning, that they have very fairly been wire-drawn by his fucceffors. Dr. Rowley, his Chaplain, gives the following account of his method of itudy, and of fome of his domeftic habits.

"He was," fays he, "no plodder upon works; "for though he read much, and that with great judgment and rejection of impertinences incident

to many authors, yet he would ufe fome relaxation of mind with his ftudies; as gently <walking,

"walking, coaching, flow riding, playing at bowls, " and other fuch like exercises. Yet he would "lose no time; for upon his firft return he would " immediately fall to reading or thinking again; "and fo fuffered no moment to be loft and past "by him unprofitably. You might call his table "a refection of the ear as well as of the ftomach, "like the Noctes Attica, or entertainments of the "Deipnofophifts, wherein a man might be re"freshed in his mind and understanding no less "than in his body. I have known fome men of "mean parts that have profeffed to make ufe of "their note-books when they have rifen from his "table. He never took a pride (as is the humour "of fome) in putting any of his guests, or those that difcourfed with him, to the blufh, but was "ever ready to countenance their abilities, what"ever they were. Neither was he one that would "appropriate the difcourfe to himfelf alone, but left a liberty to the reft to speak in their turns; " and he took pleasure to hear a man speak in his "own faculty, and would draw him on and allure

him to difcourfe upon different fubjects: and for himself, he defpifed no man's obfervations, "but would light his torch at any man's candle."

Mr. Oborn, in his "Advice to his Son," and who knew Lord Bacon perfonally, thus defcribes him: Lord Bacon, Vifcount St. Alban's, in all " companies