THE EIGHTH DUKE OF BEAUFORT 



by James I. and given to him for life. Nevertheless 

 he resigned, and on the day following was made 

 Lord Privy Seal, with a salary of ^1,500 a year for 

 life. He was also given a seat in the Court of 

 Requests. The Earl died in March, 1627-8. 

 *' Edwardus Somerset moderatus sed verus " is 

 the anagram preserved of him in Camden's Re- 

 mains. 



With the fourth Lord Worcester the first period 

 of the family history closes. So far everything had 

 prospered with them, and the Somersets were es- 

 tablished among the great families of England. 

 Every change had brought them good fortune. 

 They had survived when many other noble families 

 had been extinguished. The policy of Henry VH., 

 the caprices of Henry VHL, the changes of the 

 Reformation, the reign of Mary, and the succession 

 of Elizabeth — the latter almost a revolution in itself 

 — left the Somersets rich, favoured, powerful and 

 still Catholics. They were no doubt Englishmen 

 first and Catholics afterwards, but they had re- 

 mained faithful to their Church without having a 

 doubt cast on their loyalty. While there must have 

 been accommodation in their conduct, there had 

 been no apostasy. 



We shall see them later in greater troubles and 

 difficulties than had ever before disturbed them, and 

 yet emerging from the struggles of the Civil War 

 among the greatest of the English nobles, though 

 less rich and powerful than they had been. Then 



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