162 THE CECILS
of kindness." Indeed, it has been suggested that Cecil was actuated by the idea of giving Essex rope to hang himself, feeling sure that he would come to grief if given a good chance. But, as Brewer points out, it is more natural and probable to accept Sir Robert's own explanation, given in a letter to James after Essex had charged him with upholding the Spanish claim to the succession :
" If I could have contracted such a friendship with Essex, as could have given me security that his thoughts and mine should have been no further distant than the disproportion of our fortunes, I should condemn my judgment to have willingly intruded myself into such an opposition. For who know not, that have lived in Israel, that such were the mutual affections in our tender years, and so many reciprocal benefits interchanged in our grow- ing fortunes, as besides the rules of my own poor discre- tion, which taught me how perilous it was for Secretary Cecil to have a bitter feud with an Earl Marshal of England, a favourite, a nobleman of eminent parts, and a councillor, all things else in the composition of my mind did still concur on my part to make me desirous of his favour." x
At the time of Essex's disgrace, after his return from Ireland, Cecil specially befriended him, and did all he could to mitigate the consequences of his folly. He prevailed on the Queen not to commit him to the Tower, but to place him under the charge of the Lord Keeper, Sir Thomas Egerton, and he further obtained permission for his wife to visit him. " No time or fortune," writes the Countess, " shall ever extinguish in my
1 Correspondence of King James VI. of Scotland with Sir R. Cecil, &c., p 6.
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