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lights of mankind; infomuch as Robert Earl of Effex (then one of the darlings of fortune, and in greatest favour with Queen Elizabeth) invited him first into a friendship, and, after a knowledge of his great abilities, to be one of his fecretaries; the other being Mr. Henry Cuffe, fometime of Merton College in Oxford, (and there alfo the acquaintance of Sir Henry Wotton in his youth,) Mr. Cuffe being then a man of no common note in the Univerfity for his learning; nor, after his removal from that place, for the great abilities of his mind, nor indeed for the fatalnefs of his end.

Sir Henry Wotton, being now taken into a ferviceable friendship with the Earl of Effex, did perfonally attend his counfels and employments in two voyages at fea against the Spaniards, and also in that (which was the Earl's laft) into Ireland; that voyage, wherein he then did so much provoke the Queen to anger, and worse at his return into England; upon whose immoveable favour the Earl had built fuch fandy hopes, as encouraged him to

thofe

those undertakings, which, with the help of a contrary faction, fuddenly caused his

commitment to the Tower.

Sir Henry Wotton obferving this, though he was not of that faction (for the Earl's followers were also divided into their several interests) which encouraged the Earl to thofe undertakings which proved fo fatal to him and divers of his confederation; yet, knowing treason to be fo comprehenfive, as to take in even circumftances, and out of them to make fuch pofitive conclufions, as subtle statesmen shall project, either for their revenge or safety; confidering this, he thought prevention, by abfence out of England, a better security, than to stay in it, and there plead his innocency in a prifon. Therefore did he, fo foon as the Earl was apprehended, very quickly, and as privately, glide through Kent to Dover, without fo much as looking toward his native and beloved Bocton; and was, by the help of favourable winds, and liberal payment of the mariners, within fixteen hours after his departure from London, fet upon the French

L 2

French fhore; where he heard fhortly after, that the Earl was arraigned, condemned, and beheaded; and that his friend Mr. Cuffe was hanged, and divers other perfons of eminent quality executed.

The times did not look fo favourably upon Sir Henry Wotton, as to invite his return into England: having therefore procured of Sir Edward Wotton, his elder brother, an affurance that his annuity fhould be paid him in Italy, thither he went, happily renewing his intermitted friendship and intereft, and indeed his great content in a new conversation with his old acquaintance in that nation, and more particularly in Florence, (which city is not more eminent for the Great Duke's court, than for the great recourse of men of choiceft note for learning and arts,) in which number he there met with his old friend Signior Vietta, a gentleman of Venice, and then taken to be fecretary to the Great Duke of Tuscany. After fome stay in Florence, he went the fourth time to vifit Rome, where in

the

the English college he had very many friends; (their humanity made them really fo, though they knew him to be a diffenter from many of their principles of religion;) and having enjoyed their company, and fatisfied himself concerning fome curiofities that did partly occafion his journey thither, he returned back to Florence, where a moft notable accident befel him; an accident that did not only find new employment for his choice abilities, but did introduce him to a knowledge and an interest with our King James, then King of Scotland; which I fhall proceed to relate.

But first I am to tell the reader, that though Queen Elizabeth, or fhe and her council, were never willing to declare her fucceffor; yet James, then King of the Scots, was confidently believed by most to be the man upon whom the sweet trouble of kingly government would be impofed; and the Queen declining very faft, both by age and visible infirmities, those that were of the Romish perfuafion in point of religion, (even Rome itself, and

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those of this nation,) knowing that the death of the Queen, and the establishing of her fucceffor, were taken to be critical days for destroying or establishing the Proteftant religion in this nation, did therefore improve all opportunities for preventing a Proteftant prince to fucceed her. And as the Pope's excommunication of Queen Elizabeth had, both by the judgment and practice of the Jefuited Papist, exposed her to be warrantably destroyed; fo, (if we may believe an angry adverfary, a fecular Priest against a Jefuit) you may believe, that about that time there were many endeavours, first to excommunicate, and then to fhorten the life of King James.

Immediately after Sir Henry Wotton's return from Rome to Florence, (which was about a year before the death of Queen Elizabeth,) Ferdinand, the Great Duke of Florence, had intercepted certain letters, that discovered a design to take away the life of James, the then King of

■ Watson in his Quodlibets.

Scots.

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