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Indeed, Elizabeth and her miniflers managed James as they pleased; they fully understanding his temper, councils, and defigns:

there is no laying obligations upon them; and after you have done all to please and oblige them, to ferve a turn, or even gratify a prefent humour, they will discard or ruin you for they think their fubjects made for them; that 'tis a favour to employ them; and that they are of no worth, any farther than they promote their defigns. If people therefore knew when they were well, they would be thankful for a peaceable retreat, and ftrive not to mix in counsels with those whose aim it is to outwit and mischief each other; nor would they be defirous of climbing up fo high, as that a fall is fatal. But the ambitious in vain are cautioned to check their career. Nothing but fome fad mifcarriage, difappointment or difgrace, will teach them the needful leffons of humility and moderation, or cause them to enjoy contentedly the bleffings of private life. Before I take my leave of this affair, I will obferve that from the proceedings against Mary, it appears, that the queen and her parliament had no notion of fuch a facredness in the perfons of princes, as to render them unaccountable to any earthly tribunal. For here is a fovereign princess, tried, condemned, and executed, with the approbation, yea in pursuance of the requeft of the parliament; and though Elizabeth, to fave, appearances, feigned forrow and indignation at the execution, yet no one has been fo hardy as to put into her mouth a sentence tending to condemn the lawfulness of it. For fhe was too wife and understanding to have done it; nor could any who knew her character fuppofe her capable of it. This doctrine was left to her fucceffor, who had weaknefs enough to declare expressly, "that kings were ac"countable to God only." (b) A doctrine big with mischief, and fit for nothing but to make tyrants. But of this I fhall have occafion to speak more hereafter.

figns (H): fo that they acted as they thought fit, without any regard to him, any farther than

and Wel

(H) Elizabeth and her minifters managed James as they pleased, and understood his temper, councils and defigns.] It appears from Melvil, that the English were thoroughly acquainted with the temper and behaviour of the king, and had those about him who took every opportunity to infinuate thofe notions into him, which were moft acceptable to Elizabeth. "Wootton the am"baffador became one of his moft familiar minions, "waiting upon him at all fixed paftimes." (a) And Sir (a) Melvil, Richard Wigmore" was particularly inftructed by Wal- P. 161. "fingham, in all the proper methods to gain upon the "king's confidence, and to obferve and give an ac"count of all he faw in him; which he did very faith"fully." (b) And though James little thought it, his (6) Burnet, moft fecret actions were known to the English miniftry, Vol. I. p. 5. and all his tranfactions abroad, how privately foever wood's methey were carried. For Elizabeth's ambassadors had a moirs, p. 9. very watchful eye over the Scotch; and what by ad. 8vo. Lond. drefs, what by confiderations of religion, but chiefly 1710. by money, they became acquainted with every thing James was negotiating every where. Thus for inftance, Sir Henry Neville, though at Paris, had a watchful eye over the tranfactions of the Scotch king at Rome, and made himself mafter of them, though they were managed with the greatest caution: (c) and he was appriz- (c) Wined also of the negotiation of baron Ogilby in Spain, who wood's state offered in the name of "James to be reconciled to the apostolic see, and to enter into a confederacy with the letters "that crown, in order to rescue himself from the dan- are well "gers he was expofed to from Elizabeth, on whom he ing at large. "offered, (upon condition of being affifted with twelve "thousand men armed and paid all the time the war "fhould laft, and five hundred thousand ducats to be"gin it) to make war immediately, and declare him"felf her enemy." (d). So that from hence it appears (4) Winthat Elizabeth had him faft, and could have expofed wood, Vol. I. him P. 5, 6, 7.

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paper, p.

145, 145.

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than mere compliments. For the fear of lofing the fucceffion to the English crown, and the penfion he enjoyed from Elizabeth,

made

him to the refentments of the English and Scottish nations whenever the pleafed. For as Walfingham, Burnet fays, "thought the king was either inclined to turn

(e) Burnet, papift, or to be of no religion;" (e) fo thefe negotiVol. I. p. 6. ations, had they been published, would have brought over multitudes of others to the fame opinion; the confequence of which to him might have been fatal. No wonder then James's threatnings were little heeded: he was well known by the English court, and to know him was to ftand in no awe of him; for big as he would talk on occafion, fighting was his known averfion. Indeed, after he came into England, he was weak enough to pretend that he had the direction of the English affairs during his predeceffor's reign: had this been fo, they would have been managed like his own in Scotland, and as matters afterwards were by him in England. Whereas every body knows, never councils were better conducted, never more glory by any administration acquired, than by Elizabeth's, and therefore he could have had no hand in the direction. That in the latter part of that queen's reign, he cultivated a correfpondence with fome of her courtiers, and endeavoured by means of them to secure the fucceffion, is true: and he was fuccessful in his applications. But ftill he guided not, but was guided, and as carefully watched as could be; and, perhaps, a knowledge of his weaknefs, love of cafe, and averfion to business, did not a little contribute to engage fome of the great ones in his favour; who hoped that under him they might acquire honours, power, and wealth, in which they were not much miftaken. For a prince of great abilities, how valuable foever to a nation, is not the delight of felf-interested ftatesmen. He will fee with his own eyes, will judge of men as they deferve, and reward only the wife and good; and therefore under fuch an one little is to be hoped for by them.

made him in all things obedient to her will (1).

He

(I) The fear of lofing the fucceffion to the English crown, and the penfion he enjoyed from Elizabeth, made him in all things obedient to her will.] James loved not Elizabeth, for he kept him under restraint; protected his nobility against him; fomented divifions in his kingdom; and had caufed his mother to be put to death. In fhort, he looked on her as the cause of all his troubles.. These things he ftrongly complains of in his reasons for his reconcilement with Rome, and confederacy with Spain (a). But yet notwithstanding the grudge (a) Winhe bore her, he refused her nothing, nor dared to con- wood, Vol. tradict her. For he had a yearly penfion from the I. p. 2. queen, I think, ten thousand pounds, the lofs of which he could not well bear; which was increased in the year 1601, two thousand more, upon his request. "Her

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majefty (fays Cecyll) promifing to continue it, as long "as he fhall make it appear to the world, that he is "willing to deferve her extraordinary care and kind"nefs towards him." (b) This was a good round fum (6) Id. p. at that time of day in Scotland, and therefore it behoved 325. James to make it appear that he deferved it, by complying with her, whofe bounty he fo largely fhared in. But that which kept James most in awe was the fear of lofing the fucceffion to the English crown. His being next in blood (though afterwards much talked of by him) was no fecurity; had he behaved difpleasingly to Elizabeth, and once made her heartily angry, 'tis more than probable he would have died in his own country. For by a ftatute of the 13th year of her reign, it was made high treason for any perfon to affirm," that the "reigning prince with the authority of the parliament, "is not able to limit and bind the crown, and the de"fcent and inheritance thereof." This was the rod which was held over James, and made him fear and tremble. For he could never get himself declared by Elizabeth her fucceffor, and he knew full well what she

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(c) Spot

wood, p. 360.

(4) Melvil,

P. 173.

(a) Win

wood, Vol. I. P. 4.

He was not much regarded in Scotland by his nobility, which was owing, perhaps, as much to their restless temper, as his weakness (K);

nor

was capable of doing when provoked. He therefore ftifled his anger, diffembled his refentments, and did not publickly do any thing difobliging to Elizabeth. His private behaviour in his negotiations with Rome and Spain, could not but be unacceptable. But fhe probably defpifed them, and took care to fruftrate them, and contented herself with letting the whole world see that she was mistress of the Scotch king, and stood in no fear of what he might do. So that the paffion with which he received the news of his mother's death, and the threats he ut tered were but mere words, and he was cooled down presently by Walfingham's letter, "representing how

much his pretending to revenge it, would prejudice him in the eyes of the antient nobility, by the greatest 66 part of whom she was condemned, and of principal 66 part of the gentlemen of the realm, who confirmed "the fame in parliament; who would never fubmit to

his government, if he fhewed fo vindictive a mind." (c) Thofe Scotch and English therefore were in the right, who affured the English council, it would foon be forgot; and " that the blood was already fallen from his majesty's heart." (d) For he was afraid of confequences, and therefore durft not attempt to fulfil his threats.

(K) He was not much regarded by his nobility, &c.] He makes it a reafon for his joining with Spain, that "queen Elizabeth had always protected his enemies and "rebels, and that by their means fhe had caused him

to be three or four times taken into cuftody." (a) Whether or no Elizabeth was at the bottom of all the attempts of the nobility against James, is not my bufiness to determine. But 'tis very certain they paid him but little regard, and fcrupled not to bring him to terms, even by rough methods. The affair of Ruthven has

been

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