but in the court of York, and likewise at the open assizes in the same county; " and, finally, committed to the Fleet during his majesty's pleasure! His son was also imprisoned and heavily fined. Layton, the "fool," was presented with his acquittal. Wentworth's gratitude at this result overflowed in the most fervent expressions to his serviceable friends. Cottington was warmly thanked. "Such are your continued favours towards me," he wrote to Laud, "which you were pleased to manifest so far in the star chamber, in that cause betwixt sir David Foulis and me, not only by your justice, but by your affection too, as indeed, my lord, the best and greatest return I can make, is to pray, I may be able to deserve," &c. A long despatch to Cooke included an expression of the "obligation put upon me by the care you expressed for me in a suit this last term, which came to a hearing in the star chamber, betwixt sir D. Foulis and me, and of the testimony your affection there gave me, much above my merit. Sir, I humbly thank you," &c. &c. A still more important and weighty despatch to Weston closed with-" I do most humbly thank your lordship for your noble presence and justice in the star chamber; being the business indeed, in my own estimation, which more concerned me than any that ever befel me, hitherto, in my whole life." And to his cousin the earl of Cleveland he thus expressed himself : - " I understand my cause in the star chamber hath had a fair evening: for which I am ever to acknowledge and reverence the justice of that great court to an absent man. Your lordship hath still been pleased to honour me with your presence, when any thing concerned me there: and believe me, if ever I be absent from the place where I may serve you, it shall be most extremely against my will. I see it must still be my fortune to work it out in a storm, and I find not myself yet so faint, as to give over for that, or to abandon a good cause, be the wind never so loud or sour." One characteristic circumstance remains to be added. All the various letters

and despatches in which the passages I have quoted are to be found, together with others to various noble lords, bear the same date. No one of those who had served Wentworth, was left to speak of thanks that he only had received.2

In relief from this painful exhibition, of a false public principle tyrannizing over private morals and affections, I turn to present the somewhat redeeming aspect of those uncontrolled regards which Wentworth could yet suffer himself to indulge. In consequence of incessant application 3 to the duties of his office, he was now able to pass little of his time at the family seat; but he seems to have been anxious that his children, William, and the little lady Anne, should, for health's sake, continue to reside there. He had entrusted them accordingly to the charge of sir William Pennyman, a person bound to his service by various strong obligations. The lady Arabella, then on the eve of confinement, remained with Wentworth. Pennyman appears to have had careful instructions to write constant accounts of the children, and it is interesting to observe the sort of details that were thought likely to prove most welcome to their father. "Now," he says, write that news that I have, which I presume will be most acceptable, your lordship's children are all very well, and your lordship need not fear the going forward of your building, when you have so careful a steward as Mrs. Anne. She complained to me very much of two rainy days, which, as she said, hinder'd her from coming down, and the building from going up, because she was inforced to keep her chamber, and could not overlook the workmen." This important little maiden, then between three and four years old, had certainly inherited the spirit of the Wentworths! "Mr. William and Mrs. Anne," Pennyman writes on another occasion, " are very well. They were not a little glad to receive their tokens, and yet they said, they would be more glad to receive your lordship and their worthy mother. We all, with one vote, agreed in their opinion, and wished, that your lordship's occasions might be as swift and speedy in their despatch as our thoughts and desires are in wishing them."2 At the commencement of 1631, Wentworth's second son was born. This child, Thomas Wentworth, after eight months of uncertain health, died. At about this time the services of the lord president seem to have been urgently required in London, and Weston wrote to him entreating his immediate presence. The health of the lady Arabella, however, who was again near the period of confinement, was now an object of deep anxiety to Wentworth, and he remained with her in Yorkshire. In October, a second daughter, the young Arabella, was born to him, and within the same month, on a Tuesday morning, says Radcliffe, "his dear wife, the lady Arabella died. I took this earl out of bed, and carried him to receive his last blessing from her." 2 Went worth deeply felt her loss, and never, at any time, through his after life, recalled her beauty, her accomolishments, or her virtue, without the most tender enthusiasm.

Some days after this sad event, Wentworth received intelligence from his friend and relation, sir Edward Stanhope, of certain intrigues which, during his absence, had been moving against him in the court at London. " I received your letter," he writes back, "by which I perceive you have me in memory, albeit God hath taken from me your noblest cousin, the incomparable woman and wife my eyes shall ever behold. I must confess this kindness works with me much. After some allusions to Stanhope's intelligence, he proceeds: "Yet truly, I cannot believe so ill of the propounders, both because in my own nature I am the man least suspicious alive, and that my heart tells me, I never deserved but well of them, indeed passing well. It is impossible it should be plotted for my ruin; sure at least impossible I can think so; and if there can be such mischief in the world, then is this confidence given me as a snare by God to punish me for my sins yet further, and to draw me yet more immediately and singly to look up to him, without leaving me any thing below to trust or look to. The worst sure that can be is, with honour, profit, and

cessary to make haste. We want you now for your counsel and help in many things." - Strafford Papers, vol i. p. 58.

1 Essay. Mr. Mac-Diarmid and other writers have fallen into the error of supposing that she died after the birth of the last boy.

2 Radcliffe here alludes, "by this earl," to the boy William, who was earl of Strafford when his essay was written. Mr. Brodie whimsically turns it into sir George Ratcliffe carrying Wentworth himself out of bed to receive his wife's last blessing. Brit. Emp. vol. iii. p. 129.

contentment, to set me a little further off from treading upon any thing themselves desire, which granted, I am at the height of my ambitions, brought home to enjoy myself and friends, to leave my estate free and plentiful to your little cousin, and which is more than all this, quietly and in secret to serve my Maker, to commune with him more frequently, more profitably, I trust, for my soul than formerly.1"

Of short duration was this composed attitude of mind! The ink was scarcely dry upon his letter when he re-appeared in his court at York, pursued with startling energy some of his most resolute measures, and re-assured his master in London of the invaluable nature of his services, by sundry swellings of the royal revenue. Money, the main nerve that was to uphold the projected system, was still the grand object of Wentworth's care, and money he sent to Charles. The revenue, which, on his succeeding to the presidency of York, he had found no more in amount than 2000l. a year, he had already raised to an annual return of 9500l.2

Still, however, intriguers were busy against him, and a rumour was conveyed by them to Weston's ear, that he had resolved to use his notoriously growing influence with the king, to endeavour to win for himself the staff of the lord treasurer. The trusty Wandesford discovered this, and despatched the intelligence to Wentworth. The next courier from Yorkshire brought a packet to Weston. "Let shame and confusion then cover me," ran the characteristic letter it enclosed, " if I do not abhor the intolerable anxiety I well understand to wait inseparably upon that staff, if I should not take a serpent as soon into my bosom, and, if I once find so mean a thought of me can enter into your heart, as that to compass whatever I could take most delight in, I should go about beguilefully to supplant any ordinary man (how much more then impotently to catch at such a staff, and from my lord treasurer) - if I leave not the court instantly, betake myself to my private fortune, 2 Ibid. pp. 89, 90.

Strafford Papers, vol. i. p. 61.