A Memorial Offered to John Williams, Part of biography 2 (2 of 2)
3. While the great Aſſairs did run thus, the Keeper went cloſe to his Book, as much as publick buſineſs would allow, to frame a Sermon againſt the Obſequies of bleſſed James. He did not conceive, that the Counſels which he gave to the King, on the ſecond day of his Reign, were ſo ill taken, as he heard not long after. He that ſpeaks with the truſt of a Counſellor, and, which is more, with the Tongue of a Biſhop, ſhould be priviledged to be plain, and faithful without offence. As St. Ambroſe mindeth Theodoſius, Ep. 29. Non eſt imperiale libertatem dicendi negare, neque ſacerdotale quid ſentias non dicere. But News knockt at his Study-door two days after, that my Lord-Duke threatned before many that attended, to turn him out of his Office. And the French Ambaſſadors were not the laſt that gave him warning of it. Theſe Rumors he lookt upon with his Eyes open, and ſaw the approaching of a Downfal, and ſo little diſſembled it, that he warn'd ſome of his Followers ſecretly, who were in beſt account with him, to procure dependance upon ſome other Maſter, for his Service e're long would not be worthy of them. It were to ſmall purpoſe to enquire, why the Duke's Grace did ſo haſtily preſs the Ruine of one, that had been his old Friend and Creature. It was his game, and he lov'd it. I have ſeen a Manuſcript of Arch-Biſhop Abbots, ſtating the Reaſon of his own Relegation to Ford in Kent (the Papers were written with his own Hand to my knowledge) wherein he paints the Fickleneſs of the great Duke, to ſet up and pluck down, with theſe Lines. Firſt, He wanted not Suggeſtors to make the worſt of all Mens Actions, whom they could miſreport. Secondly, He loved not that any Man ſhould ſtick too long in a Place of Greatneſs. He hit the Nail in that. For this Keeper continued the longeſt in a great Office, of any that he had lifted up, and did live to uſe them. Which proceeded not from his Grace's Conſtancy, but from the good-liking of the old King. But as Symmachus ſaid of Polemio, Lib. 2. Ep. 14. Sic amicis utitur, quaſi ſloribus, tam diu gratis, quàm diu recentibus. So my young Lord chang'd his Friends as Men do Flowers; he lik'd a Scent no longer than it was freſh. Indeed he lookt from his Vaſſals for more than they could do, and hurried to make tryal of thoſe that would do more. Thirdly, ſays the Arch-biſhop again, He ſtood upon ſuch fickle Terms, that he feared his own Shadow, and deſperately adventur'd upon many things for his own Preſervation. Too true, for by this time he had loſt the People: in whoſe good Opinion he thought he ſtood for the ſpace of Nine Months. Alas, he had a ſlight faſtning in them: for he never got their Love, further than his Hatred to Spain procur'd it. And that was ſpent out, upon an exacter Information of his bearing at Madrid. This was the Jealouſie which gave the Lord-Keeper the deadly Stoccada, who would not abuſe his own Knowledge ſo far, to extol my Lord for his Spaniſh Tranſactions, which broke the Peace, the Credit, the Heart of his King, and his Patron, never to be requited. Therefore that he was fallen in leſs than a Year from the abundance of a great Eſteem, he thought he might thank the Keeper, whoſe down-right Honeſty gave the Example. More may be ſaid: but once more ſhall ſuffice; the Duke had attempted with King James, that which he threatned now: but his Majeſty that then was did not allow of it: and charged them both to unite, and to work friendly together for his Service. But that mighty Lord waited the opportunity to root up the Tree, which he had gone about to unfaſten. For commonly the offended Perſon is an Eye-fore to him that did offend him. And ſuch as have done great wrongs, are afraid of thoſe, whom they have provok'd, and can never after affie in them: So it was among the Rules of Michael Hoſpitalius (the beſt of the Chancellors of France, and yet in a Pet caſhiered from keeping the Great-Seal) as Thuanus remembers it, Anno. 1568. Principum documentum eſſe, ut iis nunquam ſerio reconcilientur, quos temerè offenderint. This, as it is related, was our Duke's Temper. And the Keeper underſtood that no Peace was to be had from an Adverſary ſeeded with ſuch Qualities. All that he could do to help himſelf, was not by preventing, but by retarding a Miſchief. For though with the Stoick's Fate was inevitable: Yet Servius ſays in 8. Lib. Aen. that his great Poet thought, it might be deferr'd, though not avoided. Two things ſtuck to the Keeper like Sorrows, and gave him all the unreſt that he had. Firſt, He wiſh'd that his depoſing might have come from any hand, but his Patrons that raiſed him: before whom he would fall, rather than wreſtle with him as an Enemy. Secondly, He had read much to teach him, and ſeen the Proof of it, that when Princes call back their Honours, more Miſery enſues. But as yet he ſtood his ground, and did become his Place as well as ever.
4. He never made uſe ſo much of his whole ſtock of Worth, and Wiſdom, as in matter of Religion; which appears before in the Mazes, wherein he led the Spaniſh Embaſſador, with whom he ſhiſted ſo cunningly, that they could obtain nothing for the Toleration of Popiſh Recuſants, but Delays and Expectations from time to time. Neither could the Monſieurs ſqueeze any more out of him, againſt the Ratification of the French Marriage, as appears in a bare Fortnight before K. James died, witneſs the Letter written to the Duke, March 13. 1624. Cabal. p. 105. If your Grace ſhall hear the Embaſſador complain of the Judges in their Charges, of their receiving Indictments, your Grace may anſwer, that thoſe Charges are but Orations of courſe, opening all the Penal Laws: And the Indictments, being preſented by the Country, cannot be refuſed by the Judges. But the Judges are ordered to execute nothing actually againſt the Recuſants, nor will they do it during the Negotiation. And your Grace may put him in mind, that the Lord-Keeper doth every day, when his (the Embaſſadors) Secretary calls upon him, grant forth Writs, to remove all the Perſons Indicted in the Country into the Kings-Bench, out of the Power and Reaches of the Juſtices of Peace. And that being there the King may, and doth releaſe them at his Pleaſure. In all this there is no bar againſt the common Courſe of Law, but Mercy reſerv'd to the Royal Pleaſure. Now what cauſe had my Lord Duke to defie him by his Secretary, Cab. p. 87. That his Courſes were dangerous to his Country, and prejudicial to the Cauſe of true Religion? Forſooth, becauſe he proffer'd a Gap to be opened to the Immunities of the Papiſts in a deſperate Plunge, to bring the Prince home ſafe out of Spain, where he ſtuck faſt for want of ſuch a Favour to be ſhewn to thoſe Complainants. Which was a liberal Conceſſion in Promiſe, but no Date ſet, nor obſerv'd for the Expedition of it. And ſo all that Indulgence which hung in nubibus, and never dropt down, is frankly granted now, and he is commanded by this Warrant that follows, to ſignifie to all Officers, to ſuſpend the Laws which are grievous to the Romiſh Profeſſion, dated 1 Car. May the firſt.