1608.] SIR THOMAS LAKE. 149 



Thomas Lake, in a letter to Salisbury, announced 

 that the news from Venice was pleasino^ to 



. , . October. 



his Majesty, who spent most of his time in 

 writing-. A few days after the king told Sir Thomas 

 he had kept his word with his Council, by being 

 parsimonious, and not troubling them with directions, 

 "and they had performed their part by leaving him 

 quietly to his sports." During the month of November 

 he remained at Newmarket, enjoying the chase, and 

 safe from the plague, which at that time was raging 

 in London, where Salisbury and the Council managed 

 to conduct the affairs of State independent of the 

 king's profound wisdom.* 



^ Sir Thomas Lake, son of Ahneric Lake, or Du Lake, 

 of Southampton, was knighted May 20, 1603. He was 

 created a Privy Councillor in 16 14, and two years afterwards 

 was sworn in one of the principal Secretaries of State. 



Bishop Goodman thus describes Secretary Lake's rise at 

 court : " It belonged to the secretary's office to present to the 

 king all the bills that are to be signed ; the secretary sends 

 them to the signet office, or at least receives them from 

 thence, giving directions what bills should be drawn. Now 

 the secretary (Secil), in regard of his greatness, being wholly 

 employed in state affairs, and being master of the wards, 

 could not attend the king in his hunting journeys ; therefore 

 it was necessary that some other should present the king 

 with the bills ; and this falling out when Lake was on duty, 

 who applying himself wholly to the Scotchmen, and taking 

 no fees from them, they gave him that commendation, that 



and so little was the Sabbath regarded by his Majesty, that, before com- 

 mencing his journey, he not only transacted public business, but had a 

 very angry rencontre with the judges. — See Nichols' " Progress," vol. ii. 

 p. 210. 



* Ibid., vol. xxxvii. 



