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his power was passing from him. "As the case stands," wrote the observer whose letters throw so much light on the doings of the Court,^[1] "it was best that he gave over the world, for they say his friends fell from him apace, and some near about him, and howsoever he had fared with his health, it is verily thought, he would never have been himself again in power and credit. I never knew," he adds, "so great a man so soon and so generally censured, for men's tongues walk very liberally and freely, but how truly I know not." His death certainly let loose a flood of ill-natured gossip, which increased as time went on. "When great men die," wrote the Earl of Dorset to Sir T. Edmondes,^[2] "such is either their desert, or the malice of people, or both together, as commonly they are ill spoken of. And so is one that died but lately, more I think than ever any one was, and in more several kinds." And Chamberlain, writing again in July^[3] says:—

"The memory of the late Lord Treasurer grows daily worse and worse, and more libels come as it were continually, whether it be that practice and juggling come more and more to light, or that men love to follow the sway of the multitude. But it is certain that they who may best maintain it, have not forborne to say that he juggled with religion, with the King, Queen, their children, with nobility, parliament, with friends, foes, and generally with all. Some of his chaplains have been heard to oppose

1. Chamberlain to Carleton, May 27th, 1612 (Court and Times of James I., I. 169).
2. June 22nd, 1612 (ibid., I. 179).
3. July 2nd (ibid., I. 180).