1019.] GEORGE VILLIERS, 323 



was dressed in an old black suite broken out in divers 

 places." * 



According to the general opinion of most writers, George 

 VilHers was indebted for his first step in royal favour to his 

 ability as an actor. It is probable he played many parts, and 

 most likely turned his talents to account at the race-course 

 or the barn {i.e. stage) as opportunity presented. In a rare 

 book entitled "A Detection of the Court and State of 

 England," by Roger Coke, Esq., our authority gives the 

 following description of the first meeting between James I. 

 and Villiers : " The King, about the Beginning of March 

 1614, according to his usual methods, went to take his 

 Hunting Pleasures at New-market ; and the Scholars of 

 Cambridge, who knew the King's Humour, invited him to 

 a Play called Ignoraimis, to ridicule the Common Law : 

 Never did anything so hit the King's Humour as this 

 Play did ; so that he would have it acted, and acted again, 

 which was increased with several Additions, which yet more 

 pleased the King. At this play it was so contrived, that 

 George Villiars should appear with all the advantages his 

 Mother could set him forth ; and the King, so soon as he 

 had seen him, fell into Admiration of him, so as he became 

 confounded between his Admiration of Villiars, and the 

 Pleasure of the Play, which the King did not conceal, but 

 gave both Vent upon several Occasions. This set the Heads 

 of the Courtiers how to get Somerset out of Favour and to 

 bring Villiars in." The writer then goes on to record how 

 the Earl of Somerset was arrested by the king's order at 

 Newmarket, and sent to the Tower, charged with poisoning 

 Sir Thomas Overbury, and other matters in connection with 

 Buckingham's rise to fortune, with which we have directly 

 nothing to do. Sir Anthony Weldon says that at this time 

 Villiers was indebted to others for the clothes and linen 

 necessary to appear before the king. 



Curiously enough, in this comedy (" Ignoramus ") the 

 author, George Ruggles, M.A., makes mention of race-courses 

 at " Roystoniensis, Brackliensi, Gatterliensi, and Coddington." 

 * Harleian MS., 646. 



