664 ENGLAND. 
fuaded, by the favourite, to order Overbury on an em- 
bafTy into Ruffin; Overbury was perfuaded by the fame 
advifer to refufe going, and the delinquent was fhut up 
in the Tower; where he was poifoned by a tart, pre¬ 
pared and fent him as a mark of efteem, by this young 
but infamous countefs. In the mean time the divorce 
took place, and the marriage of the favourite was fo- 
lemnized with degrading fplendour. But the reflection 
of the worthy and ineftimable Overbury having been 
poifoned, hung heavy upon the favourite’s mind, amidft 
all the glare and fplendour of external happinefs and 
fuccefs. The gallantry of his youth gradually difappear- 
ed ; the gaiety of his manners degenerated into fullen 
filence ; and the king, wliofe predilection had been ac¬ 
quired by his gay accomplifhments, began to cool to¬ 
wards a man w ho no longer miniilered to his pleafures. 
But the adoption of another favourite, and the furmife of 
Somerfet’s guilt, foon removed all remains of regard 
which the king might have harboured for him. 
The pupil of an eminent apothecary, who had been 
employed in making up the poifon, accidentally divulged 
the fecret; and the affair being laid before the king, he 
commanded fir Edward Coke, then lord chief jultice, to 
lift the affair to the bottom, with a rigorous fcrutiny. 
This injunction was executed with great induftry, and 
Somerfet and his countefs w'ere both found guilty, but 
reprieved and pardoned, after fotne years confinement. 
The king’s forbearance and injultice on this occafion, are 
urged as very great (tains upon his character. Somerfet 
W'as in his prefence at the time the officer of juftice came 
to apprehend him ; when he refuted to be taken, and 
feverely reprimanded the officer for daring to arrelt a peer 
of the realm before the king. But James, informed of 
the caufe, faid with a Anile, “ Nay, nay, you mult go; 
for if Coke ffiould fend for myfelf, I mult comply.” He 
then embraced him at parting, begged he would return 
immediately, and a flu red him he could not live without 
his-company ; yet he had no fooner turned his back, than 
the fahfe-hearted king exclaimed, “Go! and the devil 
go with thee!” He was alfo heard to with, that God’s 
curfe might fall upon him and his family, if he fliould 
pardon thhfe whom the law fhould condemn. However, 
he at laft r\;ltored them both to liberty, and granted them 
a penfion, with which they retired, and languilhed out 
the remainder of their lives in guilt, infamy, and mutual 
recrimination. 
The liberality of James towards his Aivourites and de¬ 
pendents, often reduced him to pecuniary diltrefs. In 
1614, after every means had been exhaulted for railing 
money by virtue of the prerogative, even to the fale of 
peerages, a parliament was convened to aid the king; 
but that affembly, inltead of granting a-fupply, began 
with difputing the king’s power to levy new cultoms and 
impofitions. James was provoked beyond all patience at 
this freedom, and diffolved them without obtaining the 
objeCt of their meeting. The monarchical principles, 
however, were not abandoned. He publicly at court 
propofed the queftion, whether he might not take his 
fubjeCts’ money w hen he wanted it, without the formality 
of parliaments? “ God forbid, (replied the obfequious 
Neile bilhop of Durham,) but that you ffiould: for you 
are the very breath of our noftrils.” Andrews bilhop of 
Winchelter, being next applied to tor his opinion, pru¬ 
dently waved the queltion, by declaring that he was not 
(killed in parliamentary cafes, but oblerved, “ that his 
majefty might lawfully take his brother Neile’s money, 
becaufe he offered it.” 
Soon after Somerfet’s fall, the favour of James was 
turned towards George Villiers, an accompliffied young 
gentleman, ofrefpeCfable family; who made his firft ap¬ 
pearance as cup-bearer to the king. But in the courfe of 
a few years he created him vifcount Villiers, earl, mar¬ 
quis, and duke, of Buckingham, knight of the garter, 
matter of the horfe, chief jultice in eyre, warden of (lie 
cinque ports, mailer of the king’s-bench office, fteward of 
Weftminfter, conltableof Windfor, and lord high-admiral 
of England. His mother obtained the title of countefs 
of Buckingham ; his brother was created vifcount Pur- 
beck; and a numerous train of needy relations were all 
puffied forward into credit and authority. 
When ufelefs and overbearing favourites are thus ad¬ 
vanced, it is not to be wondered that the public concerns 
of the nation ffiould be negleCted, and men of real merit 
treated with contumely and contempt. And fuch truly 
was the cafe at this era ; particularly with regard to thofe 
connected with the cautionary towns in Holland, and the 
brave lir Walter Raleigh at home. In the preceding 
reign, Elizabeth, when Hie gave affiltance to the Dutch, 
was not Co dilinterefted upon lending them large Aims of 
money, as not to require a proper fecurity for being re¬ 
paid. The Dutch, therefore, put into her hands the 
three important fortreffes of Fluffiing, Brille, and Rame¬ 
kins, which were to be reftored upon the payment of 
eight hundred thoufand pounds. But James, in his pre- 
fent exigency, having to fupply a needy favourite, and a 
craving court, agreed to evacuate thofe fortreffes, upon 
being paid a third part of the money due. The caution¬ 
ary towns were evacuated, which were calculated to hold 
the dates in fubje&ion, and which an ambitious or enter- 
priling prince would have regarded as a molt valuable 
part of his poffeffions. 
The general diffatisfaftion which this impolitic mea- 
fure produced, was foon after aggravated by an aft of 
unjuft feverity, which (till impreffes every feeling mind 
with regret. The brave and learned fir Walter Raleigh, 
wliofe long fufferings, and ingenious writings, had turned 
the tide of popular opinion in his favour, was now doomed 
to meet his fate. Raleigh had fpread a report that he 
knew of a rich gold mine in Guiana. Though the king - 
gave little credit to the tale, he releafed Raleigh from 
prifon without pardoning him, and gave him permiffion 
to try the adventure. Raleigh declared that the Spaniards 
had never planted any colonies on the coaft where his 
mine lay; but twenty-three years had elapfed lince he 
laft vifited that region, and the Spaniards had formed a 
Anall fettlement on the river Oronooko, and built the 
town called St. Thomas. Raleigh, however, was no 
fooner arrived, than he fent a detachment under the com¬ 
mand of his fon and captain Kemys, an officer wholly de- 
voted to him; who finding the Spaniards in force, were 
fired upon at their landing. Irritated by this reception, 
young Raleigh purfued the enemy into the town, which 
they foon reduced to allies; but .a (hot carrying him off 
in the career of victory, Kemys could not be prevailed 
on to proceed, though he owned that he was within two 
hours march of the mine which promifed fuch immenfe 
treafure. Returning to Raleigh with the melancholy 
news of his foil’s death, and defpairing of the event, he 
retired to his cabin, and put an end to his life. The 
other adventurers, thinking themfelves duped by Raleigh, 
or from rank cowardice, haftened back to England, and 
carried their leader with them. Raleigh was pronounced 
by the privy-council to have abufed the king’s confidence, 
and the court of Spain making loud demands for fatisfac- 
tion, James, adverting to that power which lie had pur- 
pofely referred in his own hands, figned the warrant for 
his execution. 
Raleigh, finding his fate inevitable, collected all the 
energies of his enlarged mind, and met the fentence with 
refolution. As he felt the edge of the ax with which he 
was to be beheaded, “ ’Tis a ffiarp remedy (faid he) 
but a lure one for all ills.” His harangue to the people 
was calm and eloquent; and with the utmoft indifference 
he laid his head upon the block,and received the fatal blow. 
The execution of Raleigh, which had been fo long fuf- 
pended, was rendered (till more invidious, by the inti¬ 
mate connections entered into with Spain. Gondomer, 
the ambalfador from that country, in order to divert the 
attention of James from the affairs of Germany, propofed 
a match between the fecond daughter of Philip IV. of 
Spain, 
