1605.] THE EARL OF SALISBURY. 135 



subsequent sessions sat for the county of Hertford. In 1588 

 he was one of the young nobility who volunteered to serve 

 on board the English fleet sent against the Spanish Armada. 

 He was a courtier from his cradle, having the advantage of 

 the instructions and experience of his illustrious father ; and, 

 living in those times when Queen Elizabeth had most need 

 of the ablest persons, was employed in affairs of the highest 

 importance, and received the honour of knighthood in June, 

 1 59 1, and in August following was sworn of the Privy Council. 

 In 1596 he was appointed Secretary of State, to the great 

 displeasure of the Earl of Essex, who was then absent in the 

 expedition against Cadiz. Whilst he was in that post he 

 showed an indefatigable address in procuring foreign intelli- 

 gence from all parts of the world, holding, at his own charge, 

 a correspondence with all ambassadors and neighbouring 

 states. By this means he discovered Queen Elizabeth's 

 enemies abroad and private conspiracies at home, and was on 

 this account as highly valued by the queen as he was hated 

 by the Ultramontane party, who vented their malice against 

 him in several libels, and threatened to murder him. In 1579 

 he was constituted Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. In 

 February, 1597-8, he went to France, to endeavour to divert 

 Henry IV. from the treaty at Vervins ; and in May, 1599, 

 succeeded his father in the office of the Court of Wards, for 

 which he resigned a better place, that of Chancellor of the 

 Duchy, being so restrained in the Court of Wards, by new 

 orders, that he was, as he expressed it, a ward himself He 

 succeeded his father likewise in the post of principal minister 

 of State, and from that time public affairs seem to have 

 been entirely under his direction. Though he was faithful to 

 Queen Elizabeth, yet he kept a secret correspondence with her 

 successor. King James, in which he was once in great danger 

 of being discovered by the queen. This happened on one 

 occasion when her Majesty was witnessing (to use a modern 

 phrase) the work done by her Barbary horses upon Blackheath, 

 between Greenwich and the Middle Park. A post riding by 

 en route to the palace, she inquired whence it came ; and 

 being told from Scotland, she stopped to receive it. Sir 



