In the same year he again made efforts to obtain an official appointment, first as Comptroller, and afterwards as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, but in spite of his interest at Court, he failed in each case. A much more serious disappointment awaited him two years later.
On the outbreak of the Thirty Years' War, followed by the acceptance of the crown of Bohemia by the Elector Palatine, the hopes of the Protestant princes of Europe were centred on James, upon whose aid they relied to prevent the conquest of the Palatinate by Spain. Very tardily and grudgingly James gave permission for a small force to be raised for this purpose, and Sir Edward Cecil had every hope of being appointed to the command. The Duke of Buckingham had promised him the post, and the King was favourable to his claim. Unfortunately, however, Baron Dohna, the King of Bohemia's Ambassador, passed over Cecil and other applicants, and insisted that the troops should be led by Sir Horace Vere, the commander of the English forces in the service of the United Provinces. On receiving this information Cecil was furious, and his anger was increased by the fact that, notoriously, a feud had long existed between Vere and himself. Moreover, his appointment had been publicly spoken of, and he had "made great promises to himself and his friends."[1]
He felt himself disgraced, and at an interview, of
- ↑ R. Woodward to F. Windebank, July 1st, 1620 (Cal. S. P. Dom. See Gardiner, III. 358; Dalton, I. 321 sqq.).
