1609.] COURT LIFE. 153 



OF Dunbar. His lordship, who was in "great favour with 

 his royal master, was a Knight of the Garter, Chancellor of 

 the Exchequer, Keeper of the Privy Purse, and Master of 

 the Wardrobe. He is characterized by a contemporary 

 writer " as a person of deep wit, few words ; and in his 

 Majesty's service, no less faithful than fortunate. The most 

 difficult affairs he compassed without any noise, never return- 

 ing when he was employed, without the work performed that 

 he was sent to do." He married Catherine, daughter of Sir 

 Alexander Gordon, of Gight, and had two daughters, his 

 co-heirs, viz. Anne, married to Sir James Hume, of Colding- 

 knows, and Elizabeth, married to Theophilus Howard, 2nd 

 Earl of Suffolk, K.G. Lord Dunbar died at Whitehall, 

 January 29, 161 1, when all his honours became extinct. 



Many matters relating to current affairs engaged 

 the king's attention during this royal sojourn at 

 Newmarket ; but they call for no comment at our 

 hands. On the last day of November, for instance, 

 a proclamation was issued, and posted on the palace 

 gates, Inhibiting the importation of pepper from foreign 

 parts by any other persons than those of the British 

 East India Company, and limiting the price at which 

 they were to sell it to 2^-. 6^. per lb. Bishop Hacket 

 speaks of his hospitable reception by James 

 I. at Newmarket, and in his " Life of Lord 

 Keeper Willams " (pt. i., p. 227) presents us with the 

 following picture of the sporting and theologian 

 monarch's domestic life at the royal village. Answer- 

 ing certain objections, he writes : " It is said, but 

 mistaken, that Government was neglected at those 

 hunting houses ; and, by the way, why are they called 

 obscure places, Royston * and New7narket ? petty if 



* " K. Ruhani I. granted Royston a Fair and a Market, which last is 



