State-worthies, or, The states-men and favourites of England since the reformation their prudence and policies, successes and miscarriages, advancements and falls, during the reigns of King Henry VIII, King Edward VI, Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth, King James, King Charles I.

Observations on the Life of Lyonel Cranfield, Earl of Middlesex.

SIr Lyonel was born in Basinghal-street, a Citizen, bred in the Custome-house, a Merchant-Ad∣venturer; his own Tutor, and his own Universi∣ty; though his Family was ancient in Gloucester∣shire, and his Arms in the Heralds Office. King Iames was taken with him for his brief, clear, strong and pertinent discourses: The Duke of Bucking∣ham was displeased because he would stand without him, yea in some things against him: many were as active as this stirring Lord, none more exact; his presence was comely, his countenance cheerful and grave, his soul witty and wise, his apprehen∣sion quick and solid, his thoughts setled and resol∣ved. When one asked him how a man might pre∣vent death, he said, Get to be Lord-Treasurer, for none died in that Office. Though no Scholar, yet was he bountiful to Scholars; though a Courtier, yet was he hospitable in the Countrey; though he suffered much, yet was he contented; and though he lost much, yet was he charitable. Very ser∣viceable he was to the State in the business of Trade in general, but most in that of the Custom-house in particular: His first preferment was the custody of the Wardrobe, his second was the Mastership of the Cou••t of Wards and Liveries, and his third the Treasurer-ship of England. In the last whereof, his improvement of the Revenue, gained him not more honour with the King, than it d••d him envy

from the Courtiers; While to piece out the Trea∣sure with the expence, he husbanded the one so thriftily, and retrenched the other so rigidly, that malice it self after many attempts to that purpose, could find no fault with his exact account in the boundless trust of the tempting Treasury.

When the Prince was in Spain, he was the Sta••es∣man of the Council-Table, and the chief Minister of the Cabal, managing all the Dispatches, and o∣verlooking all the Expences: In the last of which services he ran counter to the Duke of Bucking∣ham's inclination, and his own Interest; which was to keep himself up by that noble Person's favour, as he rose by his Alliance. The occasion of his pre∣ferment might be some saving secrets of the Cu∣stome-house-men to improve the Revenue; the reason of his decline, was some thrifty suggestion touching the Courtiers to preserve it.

This is certain, he was a man fit for government, who quickly apprehended where any evil was, and had capacity enough to apply the remedy; onely he had a little too stiffe a nature that would not ea∣sily yield, when he found on which side there was most reason; and too much of the City in his ma∣ximes, which pretended to attain to that in a short time, which Politicians think not proper to arrive at but by a leasurely fuccession of Ages and Genera∣tions.