Memoirs of the Court of King James the First (Volume 2)

Book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1822. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XX. 1630, 1621. Affairs of Bohemia.--Negotiations of James.--Embassies of sir H. Wotton.--His verses on the queen of Bohemia.-- Levies for the war in Germany.--Earl of Oxford.--James attempts to impose a benevolence.--Negotiations of lord Herbert of Chirbury.--Behaviour of a French embassy.-- Preparations for a parliament.--Letter of Bacon.--Proclamation.--Prohibition of talking of state affairs.--King, s speech.--Prosperous state of Bacon.--His private life, -- studies, --powers of conversation.--The commons accuse him to the lords.--Easter recess.--Alarm of Villiers and the monopolists.--Dissolution of parliament advised.-- Williams dissuades it.--Bacon's submission to the lords.-- He is deprived of the seals.--Sentence upon him.--Remarks on his case.--Treachery of the king and Villiers towards him.--His after-life and death. The affairs of the king of Bohemia now became an object of interest which absorbed all others. The people loudly cried out for war in support of the protestant cause and of a family so nearly allied to the blood royal of England;--James remained firmly decided on the preservation of peace; and his council was divided. Gondomar, by his cajolery and his bribes, maintained the king, the favorite and the greater number of the courtiers and officers of state, especially those catholicly inclined, in the interests of the house of Austria; the archbishop, that that spirited nobleman William earl of Pembroke, the duke of Lenox and the marquis of Hamilton inclined to the opposite party. In the course of the summer, the emperor proclaimed the ban of the empire against the palatine, and the duke of Bavaria DEGREES and the other catholic princes of Germany prepared to execute the sentence, while the princes of the protestant league took arms to resist it. Prince Maurice p