| CHAPTER I. |
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| State of England on the Accession of James I. compared with that when Elizabeth began to Reign—The Great Rebellion Attributable to the Misrule of James—Allusion of Lord Clarendon to this Subject—The Luxury of a Favourite Essential to James since the Age of Fourteen—Birth and Origin of George Villiers—His Family little known to Fame until his Elevation—The Sneers thrown upon it by Sir Symonds D’Ewes; and its Claims to Honourable Descent Considered—Sir Henry Wotton’s Testimony—The Family of Villiers long known in the County of Leicester—The Different Spellings of the Name—The Fortunes of the Family in France—Remark of Lord Clarendon upon the Condition of the Villiers Family in England—Also of the Historian Sanderson—Brookesby, the Native Place of George Villiers—His Mother, Mary Beaumont—Her Menial Condition in the Family of Sir George Villiers—His Marriage—The Family by a Former Union—Sir William Villiers—John, Viscount Purbeck—The Children of the Second Marriage: Mary, Countess of Denbigh—Christopher, George—Lady Villiers retires to Goadby—Her Efforts for her Son’s Benefit—His Education, Disposition, and Acquirements—The Slender Means of his Mother—Her Second Marriage to Sir Thomas Compton—George Villiers sent to Paris to complete his Education—State of that Capital in the 17th Century—Villiers returns from Paris, improved, and repairs to his Mother’s House at Goadby | [1] |
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| CHAPTER II. |
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| James I., his Disapproval of the Gentry crowding into London—Disgust Entertained by the Old Families to him and his Court—The Clintons, Blounts, Veres, and Willoughby D’Eresbys show it—Character of Sir Thomas Lake—William, Earl of Pembroke, the Early Patron of Villiers—Account of the First Introduction of Villiers to James—Ambitious Views which it Suggested—His Attachment to the Daughter of Sir Roger Ashton—Their Engagement Broken off—Account of the King’s Visit to Cambridge in 1614-15—Some Description of the Courtly Ladies who were present there—The Queen’s Absence—Countess of Arundel—Countess of Somerset—Countess of Salisbury—Lady Howard of Walden—Performance of the Play of “Ignoramus” in Clare Hall—The Design of this Comedy to Ridicule the Common Law—Admiration expressed by the King, during the Performance, of the Personal Appearance of Villiers, who was Present—The Subsequent Representations referred to | [33] |
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| CHAPTER III. |
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| The Fascination of Villiers’s Character as opposed to the Venality of Somerset—Lord Clarendon’s Opinion—The Friendship of Archbishop Abbot—Character of the Primate—His Affection for Villiers—Anecdote of Villiers when Cup-Bearer. He is befriended by Anne of Denmark—By her means Knighted—Singular Scene in the Queen’s Chamber—Jealousy of Somerset—Ingratitude afterwards shewn by Villiers to Abbot—Abbot commits Manslaughter—Is pardoned by the King—The Incessant Pleasures of the Court—Horse-Racing—Ben Jonson’s “Golden Age Restored”—Allusion in it to Somerset, and to Overbury—An Angry Interview between Villiers and Somerset—Villiers supplants the Favourite—He uses no Unfair Means to do so—Discovery of Somerset’s Guilt by Winwood, who finds Proofs of it in an Old Trunk—Somerset’s Downfall—Bacon’s Letter to Villiers—Villiers continues to Profit by the Delinquencies and Disgrace of Somerset | [71] |
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| CHAPTER IV. |
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| The King’s Projects—A Journey to Scotland—Obstacles to that Intention—Want of Money—£100,000 raised in the City—Dislike of the People to this Journey, on Account of Expense—James sets out, March 13th, 1616-1617—His Attendant Courtiers, Sir John Zouch, Sir George Goring, Sir John Finett—Characteristics of Each—Surpassing Qualities of Buckingham—Objects of James’s Journey to Edinburgh—Anecdote of Lord Howard of Walden—Disputations at St. Andrews—The King knights many of the Young Courtiers—Offence given at Edinburgh by Laud—A Project to assassinate Buckingham Suspected—James’s Progress Concluded—His Visit to Warwick—Affairs relating to Sir Edward Coke and his Family—Base Conduct of all the Parties Concerned—Meanness of Bacon—His Letters—Frances Hatton—Contrast between her and the Earl of Oxford brought forward by Lady Hatton—Coke restored to Favour—Marriage of Frances Hatton to Lord Purbeck | [139] |
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| CHAPTER V. |
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| Buckingham’s Favour Paramount—Change in the King’s Temper—His Poetic Flights—His Reign a Course of Dissipation—The Masques of Ben Jonson—Their Great Beauty—Patronized by the Queen—How Performed—The Vision of Delight—Composed to Celebrate Buckingham’s being made a Marquis—His Appearance at this Era—The Banquet given for this Occasion—Great Extravagance of the Entertainment—Rivals to Buckingham in James’s Favour—Sir Henry Mildmay—Brooke—Young Morrison—The Diversions of the Court—The Meteor that appeared—Foot-Racing—Buckingham’s Profusion—Jealousies between Prince Charles and him | [189] |
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| CHAPTER VI. |
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| Review of the State of Political Affairs—Dissolution of Parliament—Protest—James tears it out of the Journals of the House of Commons—Acts of Oppression—Case of the Earl of Oxford—of Lord Southampton—Persecution of Sir Edward Coke—The Conduct and Impeachment of Lord Bacon—The Part taken by Buckingham in this Affair—The Abuses of Monopolies—Case of Sir Giles Mompesson—Of Sir Francis Michell—Bacon’s Letters to Parliament—His Illness—The Great Seal taken from Him—James’s Reluctance to act with Vigour—Sheds Tears upon the Occasion—Bacon still protected by Buckingham—Williams, Bishop of Lincoln, is made Chancellor—His Character, by Bishop Goodman | [275] |
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| CHAPTER VII. |
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| The Spanish Treaty—Negotiations between the Duke of Lerma and Lord Digby—The Infanta described by Lord Digby—Her Great Beauty, Piety, and Sweetness—The Description of her by Toby Matthew—She is disposed to receive Charles’s Addresses—Gondomar—Attentions shown to him in England—Ely House allotted for his Reception—Jealousy of the Protestants at the Favour shown him—First Notion of Charles’s Journey to Spain suggested by Buckingham—His Arguments in Favour of it—Obstacles to the Prince’s Marriage with the Infanta—Buckingham’s Debts and Difficulties—Interview between Gondomar and the Duke of Lennox—Journey of Charles and Buckingham into Spain—They stop in Paris—Louis XIII.—Anne of Austria—Henrietta Maria—They proceed to Madrid—Reception there—Entrance in State into that City—Countess of Philip IV.—Festivities in Honour of the Prince—The King’s Letters to him | [315] |