1642.] OF THE MARQUIS OF WORCESTER. 47 



pulously noting each suggestion as it is dictated by his 

 suppliant royal master, anxious to give in their integrity 

 the identical honeyed phrases the Sovereign employs in 

 depicting his obligations, his necessities, his securities, 

 with the readiest means for extricating the royal cause and 

 assuredly giving stability to the already tottering crown. 

 His Majesty is gracious to an extreme $ he will in very 

 &quot; thankfulness send the Earl the Garter,&quot; and having 

 &quot; the Great Seal&quot; in his &quot; own custody,&quot; he offers to 

 &quot; pass a patent of what title the Earl should desire ;&quot; 

 nay, should he desire unconditionally to have either or 

 both &quot; his Majesty will vouchsafe them.&quot; It was by 

 such unworthy arts in diplomacy that Charles the First 

 drew the loyal, warm-hearted, sincerely attached Lord 

 Herbert into his toils, inducing him by unremitting 

 flattery, artfully simulated condescension, and consum 

 mate sophistry to become instrumental in the ruin of 

 both himself and his father. There is not the slightest 

 ground to suppose that from the first to the last advance 

 of money made by this family to the King, a single 

 offer in the first instance came direct from either the 

 Earl or his son ; but there are abundant proofs that his 

 Majesty held out from time to time every possible in 

 ducement he could conceive to sap the wealth of the 

 too-confiding Earl of Worcester. Transparent as the 

 craftiness of the present transaction must appear to the 

 reader, it was not so obvious to the peer whom it 

 interested, for he having once made his election to sup 

 port the royal cause magnanimously proceeded as he 

 had begun, until he exceeded even the bounds of 

 common prudence. 



It will be requisite, as we progress, to notice many 

 particulars which might at first appear irrelevant, as 

 relating more considerably to the father than to the son ; 

 but it is important to bear in mind, that Lord Herbert 



