CHAPTER XI.

LIFE OF ROBERT, THIRD EARL OF ESSEX-continued.

PARLIAMENT OF 1621.-ESSEX GOES TO HOLLAND.-PARLIAMENT OF 1624 VOTES SUPPLIES FOR THE PALATINATE.-ESSEX COMMANDS A REGIMENT. HE IS RECALLED ON THE DEATH OF KING JAMES.- ATTENDS THE PARLIAMENT AT OXFORD. HE IS APPOINTED VICE-ADMIRAL OF THE FLEET UNDER VISCOUNT WIMBLEDON. EXPEDITION TO CADIZ, 1625.

THE Parliament met on the 30th January, 1621, and, for a time, the course of business seemed to promise a session without disagreement between the King and the Houses. The holders of monopolies by patent were punished, Lord Chancellor Bacon was impeached; but the debates on grievances, on privileges, and on supply, occupied so much time, that the patience of the King became exhausted towards the end of May, and he informed the Houses that he intended to adjourn them. Notwithstanding so much ardour had been expressed to aid their fellow Protestants in the Palatinate, only one subsidy had been voted; and foreign affairs had been almost forgotten, in matters of domestic and personal interest, when, on the 4th June, previous to the adjournment, the Commons, to evince their zeal,

A subsidy was a rate of four shillings in the pound on real property, and two shillings and sixpence on personal estates. It produced about 70,000/.

passed a declaration of their "general resolution to spend their lives and fortunes in the defence of "those of their religion, and of the Palatinate."

There being no hope of obtaining any reinforcement to carry into the Palatinate this summer, and his comrades being then besieged by Spinola in the few towns that yet remained to the Elector, Essex, as soon as Parliament was adjourned, went to serve as a volunteer under Maurice, Prince of Orange, at the "leaguer of Dernick," in Holland.

Parliament reassembled the 20th November, soon after which the Commons sent a petition to the King, remonstrating strongly against the proposed marriage of the Prince of Wales to the Infanta, and praying him to prosecute the war in defence of the Palatinate, to attack Spain, and to marry Charles to a Protestant princess. James sent a reply, forbidding them to meddle in state affairs; they remonstrated; an angry controversy followed, which the King ended by proroguing Parliament on the 19th December, having a few days before sent for the Journals of the House of Commons, and with his own hand torn out an obnoxious resolution.1

Although the Court party was strong in the House of Lords in this Parliament, "yet there were "some gallant spirits that aimed at the public

1 Parliament was dissolved in February following. Some idea may be formed of the diligent attendance which Lord Essex gave to his legislative duties, by the fact that, during these sessions, the House of Lords sat one hundred and ten times, from which Essex was absent but eleven; and that he served on thirteen committees, and in two conferences with the Commons.

The

"liberty, more than their own interest." leaders. of this party were the Earls of Oxford, Southampton, Essex, Warwick1, Lords Say2, Spencer 3, and others.

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"Essex," writes the historian, who having spent many years in his service, knew him well," had ever an honest heart, and though nature had not given "him eloquence, he had a strong reason that did express him better. His countenance, to those "that knew him not, appeared somewhat stern and solemn; to intimates, affable and gentle; to the females, obligingly courteous; and though unfor"tunate in some, yet highly respected of most, happily to vindicate the virtue of the sex. The "King never affected him, whether from the bent "of his natural inclination to effeminate faces, or "whether from that instinct or secret prediction that

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1 Richard, Earl of Warwick, so created; eldest son of Penelope Devereux. "Though he had all those excellent endowments of body and fortune that give splendour to a glorious Court, he used it but for his recreation; his spirit aimed at more public adventures, planting colonies in the western world, rather than himself in the King's favor."- Life of James I., Wilson, p. 736.

2 William, eighth lord, created Viscount Say and Sele, 1624. "A seriously subtle piece, averse to the Court ways, something out of pertinaciousness. When the humor was a little allayed by Court favors, it appeared afterwards that those stern comportments, supposed natural, might be mitigated."— Ibid.

3 Created, 1603, Baron Spencer of Wormleighton, a great agriculturist. He was saying something in this session respecting what their "great ancestors" did, which displeased the Earl of Arundel, a man of arrogant and imperious character, who cut him short, saying, "My Lord, when the things you speak of were doing, your ancestors were keeping sheep." Spencer instantly retorted, "When my ancestors, as you say, were keeping sheep, yours were plotting treason."--Ibid.

"divine fate often imprints in the apprehension, whereby he did foresee in him, as it were, a hand "raised up against his posterity, may be a notation, "not a determination; but the King never liked "him, nor could he close with the Court."

The Country party in the Upper House did not separate without letting the King know that they were not pleased with his conduct. A great many

Scotch and Irish Earls and Viscounts had been created by James, to the profit of himself and his favourites. The ancient Barons of England were greatly discontented at precedence over themselves being thus gained; and this grievance was made the ground of a petition to the King, signed by thirtythree Earls and Barons of England. This petition they refused to deliver to the Council, or to the Prince of Wales, unless he would say he did not receive it as a councillor; on which the King sent for Lord Oxford, and asked him for it. Oxford, according to previous agreement, said that he had it not; others made the same reply; and at length the King was told, that they were resolved not to deliver the petition, unless they were all admitted together; on which James, in great anger, sent them away, saying he would go to Parliament himself, and bring them all to the bar. He ultimately gave audience to the whole of the petitioners, when he made use of this remarkable expression to Essex: "I fear thee not, Essex, if thou wert as "well beloved as thy father, and hadst 40,000 men "at thy heels."

James endeavoured to revenge himself on the most conspicuous members of both Houses after the dissolution. Oxford was committed to the Tower, Southampton to the charge of the Dean of Westminster. Of the Commons, Sir Edward Coke, Sir Robert Philipps, Mr. Pym, and some others, were imprisoned; Sir Dudley Digges, and other smaller offenders, were sent into Ireland.

The summers of 1622 and 1623, were passed by Essex in Holland, where he served as a volunteer under Prince Maurice, and gained considerable distinction and reputation as a gallant soldier.

His winters were spent in England, either at Drayton, at Chartley, or at some of the Earl of Hertford's houses. Their sports during this season were, hunting abroad; at home, chess or catastrophe. Sometimes Sometimes they had masques, or plays, especially at Drayton; old Lady Leicester, being partial to those amusements, often adorned her hospitality with them.

Essex was an excellent horseman, and rode hard, often riding eighty or a hundred miles a day. Wilson relates an amusing adventure they once had during a journey from Drayton to Tottenham, accompanied by Lord Cromwell. They dined at Warwick; "Cromwell had a constitution that he "could not settle his stomach, till he had enough to "overlay his head;" and as soon as they were off the stones of Warwick, he "put to it with such a

Thomas, fourth lord.