294 CONDITION OF THE PEOPLE UNDER JAMES.- -1603-1625.

8. By discouraging the thronging of the higher orders to court, James kept many of the principal families quietly at home, where they lived both frugally and usefully among their tenantry. A contemporary writer says, "There is no people in the whole world where men of all conditions live so peaceably, and so plentifully, yea, and so safely also, as in England."

9. We are also told that "the houses of farmers were often furnished with a garnish of pewter on the cupboard; three or four feather-beds, with as many coverlets, and carpets of tapestry, a silver salt, a bowl for wine, and a dozen spoons to finish out the suit." This is an establishment superior to that of earls in the time of Henry VII.

10. James himself was probably the poorest man in his dominions. Though not extravagant in his habits, he was always embarrassed, from his ignorance of the value of money, and from his thoughtless profusion to his favorites. It is said, that one day as he was standing in the midst of his courtiers, a porter passed by loaded with money for the royal treasury. The king observed that Rich, Earl of Holland, one of these favorites, whispered something to his neighbor.

11. Upon inquiry he found that Rich had said, "How happy would that money make me!" Without hesitation, James bestowed it all upon him, though it amounted to 3000 pounds. He added, "I think myself very happy in having an opportunity to oblige a man whom I love.'

12. The queen also brought great expenses upon him by her passionate love of shows and entertainments, especially of masques. These were a kind of play, generally performed by ladies and gentlemen in private houses. The queen was excessively fond of appearing in these masques, in which the characters had little else to do than to display their fine dresses.

13. On one occasion she and the ladies of her court performed a masque in the character of Moorish women, and had their faces and arms blackened in order to look like Moors, and the effect, as we are told by one of the spectators, was horridly ugly." The court

masques were got up under the direction of Ben Jonson, who, after being a bricklayer, a soldier, and an actor, finally, by the assistance of his friend, Shakspeare, attained to great celebrity as a dramatic writer. He died in 1637, and was buried in Westminster Abbey. On his grave-stone is this inscription: "O! Rare Ben Jonson."

14. To meet all his expenses, James was obliged to have recourse to various expedients; amongst others, to the sale of titles and dignities; though at his accession he had given these away in such profusion as to lead some wag to advertise to teach an art by which people could remember the names of the new nobility. A species of hereditary knighthood, unknown in other kingdoms, was invented; it was that of baronet, and was sold to any one for a thousand pounds.

appointed? 7, 8, 9. What of the state of the country under James? 10, 11. What in stance of his liberality? 12. What were masques? Who directed the court masques! 14. How did James raise money for his expenses?

ANECDOTES OF JAMES.

295

CHAPTER CLXI.

Anecdotes of James I.-The Bible translated.-Coaches introduced.

1. NEXT to controversy, the employment which James loved best was hunting; and he carried it to such an extreme, that he led his poor courtiers, who were not equally fond of it, a weary life. One of them makes heavy complaints of being obliged to ride with him, in heat and cold, dry and wet, from eight in the morning till four in the afternoon, in full career, from the death of one poor hare to that of another.

2. James had a hunting-palace at Newmarket, and another at Royston. When he and his attendants were there, they consumed all the provisions in the place, and made such a bustle that the quiet inhabitants did not at all like these visitations. In one of these hunting bouts, Jowler, the king's favorite hound, was missing.

3. The king was exceedingly vexed at his loss; but the next day Jowler reappeared with a piece of paper tied to his collar, bearing these words: "Good Mr. Jowler, we pray you speak to the king, (for he hears you every day, and so doth he not us,) that it will please his majesty to go back to London, or else the country will be undone; all our provision is spent, and we are not able to entertain him any longer."

CLXI.-1. Of what amusement was James fond? 2. Relate the anecdote of his dog.

296

THE KING'S FAVORITES.

4. James, like his predecessor, sometimes attempted a joke. We will give one as a specimen. A gentleman of the name of Lumley was boasting to him of the great antiquity of his family. "Hoo, mon," exclaimed the king in his broad Scotch, "I did nae ken that Adam was a younger son of the Lumley family."

5. Though we are very apt to ridicule James for his folly and pedantry, yet we ought not to forget that we owe him one obligation, which it would be very ungrateful not to remember. We are indebted to him for the excellent translation of the Bible now in use. Cranmer's Bible, having been made from very defective Latin translations, was in many places not faithful to the originals. James therefore employed some very learned men to make a translation from the original languages; the Old Testament being in the Hebrew, and the New Testament in the Greek language. Nearly fifty persons were occupied about it for four years.

6. Although James was of so peaceful a temper, he took great pride in his navy, and built many large vessels. These were employed in protecting commerce, which had much increased, and in visiting the new colonies of Virginia and Plymouth, which were successfully planted during his reign. The increase of commerce brought increase of wealth and luxury. Ladies and gentlemen had become too effeminate to ride on horseback, but must needs have coaches. The first coach we read of as used in England is one that Lord Arundel had in 1580. But in the reign of James there were even hackney coaches.

7. These early coaches were very lí..e modern wagons; they were cumbrous, jolting vehicles, and so capacious as to hold eight persons commodiously. Six individuals, three on each seat, sat opposite to one another; the two others sat back on two stools that faced the two doors. But the favorite Villiers, Duke of Buckingham, was too effeminate to ride in a coach even. He introduced sedan chairs, to the great scandal of the people, who thought it degrading to men to make them do the work of horses.

CHAPTER CLXII.

The King's Favorites, Carr, Earl of Somerset, and Villiers, Duke of Buckingham.-Romantic Expedition of Prince Charles into Spain. -Death of James I.

1. As we have frequently spoken of the king's favorites, it is time to say something more particularly about them. It was one of his follies to have an exclusive regard for some one person, who was generally chosen for his agreeable exterior. The first of these was

For what are we indebted to James? 6. What colonies were planted in his reign. 7, What of the use of coaches?

EXPEDITION OF PRINCE CHARLES INTO SPAIN. 297

Robert Carr, a Scotch youth of good family, but of a neglected education.

2. James undertook to be his tutor, and to teach him Latin. As he grew older, he loaded him with dignities, and finally created him Earl of Somerset. This favorite had a sincere and wise friend, Sir Thomas Overbury, who, on his wishing to marry the Countess of Essex, strongly advised him against it. The countess, irritated at this, persuaded Somerset to have him put in the Tower, where he was soon after poisoned.

3. Somerset and the countess, the guilty contrivers of his death, then married; but he, being less hardened in wickedness, sunk into melancholy, and became such a dull companion that the king grew weary of him. The guilt of Somerset and his wife was some time afterwards discovered.

4. They, and all who had been accessory to the murder, were tried and convicted. The accomplices were executed, but Somerset and his wife were only banished. They lived many years, dragging on a most miserable life; their former love, which had led them into guilt, being turned to the most deadly hatred.

5. As the king was one day listening to a play which was represented for his entertainment by the scholars of Cambridge, he was attracted by the handsome person and fine clothes of George Villiers, who had purposely been placed in a conspicuous situation. James at once took him into his service. Villiers soon gained an unbounded influence over the king, who created him Duke of Buckingham.

6. James was exceedingly desirous of marrying his son, Charles, who was now the heir to the throne, to a daughter of the King of Spain. A Spanish match was not at all to the liking of the people, who remembered the days of Philip and Mary. It found, however, a warm advocate in the Duke of Buckingham. This nobleman, who enjoyed the rare good fortune of being in equal favor with the reigning monarch and with the heir to the throne, possessed Prince Charles with a desire to undertake a romantic journey into Spain, to see the princess, and to woo her in person.

7. It was with great difficulty that the king could be persuaded to consent to this. At last, entirely against his own judgment, he agreed to permit the departure of his son and Buckingham. To the latter he gave many charges to take care of the "baby Charles," as he was accustomed to call the prince, though then in his twenty-second year.

8. The prince and the duke left England disguised and undiscovered. In their way through France, they attended, without being recognized, a ball, where Charles first saw the French princess, Henrietta Maria, whom he afterwards married. When he arrived at Madrid, he made himself and his errand known.

9. The King of Spain treated him with great respect; but whether it was that Charles did not like the Spanish princess so well as the beautiful sister of the King of France, or whether Buckingham,

set?

CLXII.-1. Who was the first favorite of the king? 2. 3. What became of Somer5. What of Villiers? 6. What expedition. did Prince Charles go upon? 7. What charge did th king give to Buckingham? 9. Why was the Spanish

298

DEATH OF JAMES I.-1625.

who thought himself slighted by the haughty Spaniards, to whom his insolent manners were highly offensive, persuaded him to abandon the suit, it is certain that after some months' absence, he returned to England, wholly unwilling to pursue the negotiation into which James had entered.

10. It was accordingly broken off, and overtures of marriage made to Henrietta Maria. Whilst this negotiation was still pending, the king fell ill of an ague. Finding his end approaching, he took an affectionate leave of his son, and died March 27th, 1625, in the fifty-ninth year of his age, and the twenty-second of his reign over England. He had been recognized as King of Scotland, as will be recollected, almost from his birth.

FAMILY OF JAMES I.

WIFE.

Anne, Princess of Denmark.

CHILDREN.

Henry, died November 6th, 1612, in the eighteenth year of his age.
Charles, who succeeded his father.

Elizabeth, who married Frederick, ex-King of Bohemia. From her, through her daughter, Sophia, who married the Elector of Hanover, the present royal family of England derive their title to the throne.

CHAPTER CLXIII.

The great Philosopher, Lord Bacon.-Lord Napier invents Logarithms. -Sir Edward Coke.-The Puritans.

1. We have had no opportunity, in the course of our story, of introducing, except by name, the brightest ornament of this reign. Francis Bacon, Viscount St. Albans, better known as Lord Bacon, first came into notice in the reign of Elizabeth. She was sensible of his great talents, but his advancement was steadily opposed by Lord Burleigh, who assured Elizabeth that, though he was a man of extraordinary genius, his head was filled with philosophy, and not with political knowledge.

2. James raised him to the office of chancellor, and his misconduct in that high post fully justified the sagacious Burleigh's opinion. One of the most important duties of the chancellor is to act as judge, and as his court is the highest in the kingdom, the most important causes, in respect to property, are brought before it.

3. Bacon was accused of taking bribes from suitors in his court; and being brought to trial for the offence, he confessed that he had connived at the reception of them by his officers. He was dismissed

match broken off? 10. When did James die? How old was he? How long did he reign?

CLXIII.-1 When did Lord Bacon come into notice? Who opposed his advancement? Why? 2. By what conduct did he justify Burleigh's opinion? 3, 4. What of