and injuries. For the last star-chamber day, your lordshipe not satisfied to comit me for beinge absente to imprisone and punishe my tenants, for erecting some few buildinges (accordinge to your generalle error) contrary to the proclemacion; it pleases you also apprehendinge that feeble accion (to thend to make me more odious to the world) to laye me open as a moste miserable wretche and covetus cormerant, soe unworthie and noysome a membere to the comon welthe, as unlese I weare cut off from this presente accion, the succese thearof would not be good. Then, havinge spente your lordships generall invective, findinge your passion lefte on grounde, for want of instances and particulere confirmacion; your lordshipe digged into my auncestores grave, and pulinge him from his threescore and tenne yeares reste, pronounced him an abominable userer and a merchante of browne paper; so hatefull and contemptible a creatur, that playeres acted him before the kinge with their greatt applaude.

"These hatefull imputacions and disgracefull histories, the necessetie of my owne perticulere, and pittie towards my auncestores, inforcethe me to aunswere. -To the which, though your lordshipe may be more offended then satisfied, yet will I saye nothinge but truthe touchinge my selfe; though your lordshipes greatenes cane easely wreste greate matteres, yet suche I knowe my owne inocency, as 1 hombly beseeche your lordshipe to examine all the course of my lyfe, serche out my moste secrete foolynges and villanies, bring forthe my misserable partes and exacciones, and lette me not onely be termed, but proved, a cormerant,

a wretche, an unworthie comon-welthesman; so shall the world be sensible that not mallice but my desertes have sharpened your lordshipes tonge againste me.

"Touchinge my auncestores, I am not so unnaturall as not to acknowledge them, or not so foolishe proud as to confesse them suche as they weare. I will hould myselfe to our name, and yf I cannote prove their gentillytye, I will not take myselfe unto a othermanes pedigree, or usurp otheres armes. Nevere the lesse, I denie anye of them-merchants of browne papere. Neithere do I thinke any other but your lordshipes imagination ever sawe or herde them playde uppon a stage; and that they weare suche usureres, I suppose your lordshipe will wante testimonye. My grandfather your lordship nominated to be this hatefull

person that he was farre otherwise by all menes knowledge where he lyved, as may be witnessed; for thoughe hee, affectinge a private quietnes, presentinge him selfe nevere to the publique eye, furdere then in his contrey-services to hir majestie and her predissessors, was therby lesse knowne to your lordshipe; yet he lived a poore howskeeper in Nottinghamshire sixtie yeare with in two, dienge of yeares nere fowerescore and ten; was muche beloved and honored of his neighbors round about him; and lefte mee the same lyving his father left him, without betteringe or alteracion: which, thoughe by your lordshipes speeches I live covetously and misserably, yet have I not improved; beinge nere hand all of the old rente, and unleased, one bare hondred poundes per ann. My

greate grandfather was a merchante of the staple in E. 4. his tyme, and H. 7.; and died aged fowerescore in H. 8. his time. That hee was a merchante in all them ages I can shewe his books of accompts: whence he was discendede shall also appeare, when he shalbe depraved. But be it so he was a merchante in the baseste kinde, will your lordshipe thearfore argue me to bee condempned that are a fourthe discente removed? I am certaine in your lordshipes readings you find many from more base and vild trades, as potteres, collieres, sheppards, swinherdes, &c. some risen to be greate emperours and princes. Many otheres from inkeeperes, butcheres, and other mechannical occupacions, by their vertue and the favour of the times, to be sole governers of greate comonewelthes; who yf their births be upbraided, they will answer with Socrates and otheres, and peradventure will say, Let them that are noble from the beginninge reprove ' other menes unnoblenes.'

"For my owne particuler, I cannot but greeve at my hard fortune, beinge by theis signes and demonstrationes assured of your lordshipes heavie displeasure againste me, well knowinge howe forcible it is; your lordshipe beinge the greatest magestrate of this tyme, to overthrowe the state of a poore gentleman. Nevere the lesse, my innocencie dothe comforte me : for with an unpartiall eie havinge ones [once] viewed my desertes to your lordshipe, I can fynd non meritinge

Or wool-stapler; wool being the staple commodity of England.

your disfavour in any measur; but rather your good oppinion.

"Whearfore, yf your lordshipe have conceived ill againste me, or of me, call me to answere: or yf by any malicious enemys your lordshipe have byne provoked, I hombly beseeche your lordshipe, put me to myn appologie. And so, fearinge leste I have byn too tedious, I cease to trouble your lordshipe.

"JOHN HOLLIS. "From Sandwich the 25 of June, 1597.”]

EDWARD CECYLL,

VISCOUNT WIMBLEDON,

A MARTIAL lord in the reigns of king James and king Charles, followed the wars in the Netherlands for the space of thirty-five years, and was a general of great reputation till his miscarriage in the expedition to Cales. He was second son of the earl of Exeter, and grandson of Burleigh. King Charles made him of his privy council, governor of Portsmouth, and a peer 3. He has barely a title 4 to this catalogue, 3. and yet too much to be omitted. In the king's library are two tracts in manuscript drawn up by his lordships, one intituled,

"The Lord Viscount Wimbleton his Method how the Coasts of the Kingdom may be defended against any Enemy, in case the Royal

[Third, says Bolton, Extinct Peerage, p. 308.]

* [He was created baron Cecil, of Putney in Surrey, 1625; and viscount Wimbledon, in the year following. His lordship married three wives, but dying without a male heir, his titles died with him. Ib.]

4

^ [Why barely a title? when three tracts written by this peer are still extant,and were all pointed out by lord Orford himself.] • Casley's Catalogue, p. 276.