1620.] THE EARL OF MANCHESTER. 227 



higher, and after sitting in the judicial seat for four years 

 he succeeded in obtaining the more elevated and lucrative 

 post of Lord Treasurer at Newmarket, as above stated. 

 When the king was at Newmarket the courtiers con- 

 sidered it a favourable time to obtain favours ; and many- 

 posts, honours, and emoluments were secured on those occa- 

 sions. The Countess of Buckingham, who had great influence 

 over her all-powerful son, the king's favourite minister, is 

 reported to have been the actual dispenser of the immense 

 patronage which ostensibly flowed from his hands. She had 

 no objection to a bribe. Montagu is said to have obtained 

 the office of Lord Treasurer at her hands for the large sum 

 of iJ^2O,00O. If so, it proved to be an expensive bribe, as 

 Montagu was deprived of the treasurership during the follow- 

 ing year. The white staff had been conferred on him at 

 Newmarket, where there was a great scarcity of timber. A 

 friend, alluding to these circumstances, pleasantly inquired of 

 the earl, " if wood were not extremely dear at Newmarket." 

 One of the charges against Buckingham on his impeach- 

 ment was the receipt of this money ; but his answer alleged 

 that it was a voluntary loan to the king, and that he did not 

 receive a penny of it, which, of course, nobody believed. The 

 venality of this job was most flagrant, particularly as Montagu 

 was deprived of the office by Buckingham, on the 13th of the 

 following October, when the unfortunate Lionel Cranfield, 

 Earl of Middlesex, by the favourite's interest, was named his 

 successor. It was ever considered a place of great profit, and 

 when Montagu was asked what it might be worth per annum, 

 he answered, " Some thousands of pounds to him who after 

 death would go instantly to heaven ; twice as much to him 

 who would go to purgatory ; and a memo scit. to him who 

 would venture to a worse place." On his removal from the 

 treasurership he was but poorly comipensated for his loss by 

 being made Lord President of the Council. In this office 

 he remained for the rest of James's reign, and for the first 

 three years of Charles I.'s, when he exchanged it for that 

 of Lord Privy Seal, which he enjoyed for the rest of his life. 

 King Charles, in the first year of his reign, on February 5, 



