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 Fall of Sir Tho. Lake.

A Great Estate this Gentleman had honestly got, and a greater esteem, being King Iames his right hand, and the Scots both hands; that with which they begged, and that with which they bestowed; the instrument of the meaner sorts relief, and the greaters bounty; until that Malice and Revenge, two violent passions over-ruling the Weaker Sex, concerning his Wife and daughter, involved him in their quarrel, the chief and onely cause of his ruine. He had by his Wife sons and daughters: His eldest married unto the Lord Baron Resse (in right of a Grand∣mother) the son of Thomas Earl of Exeter by a fo••mer venter. And upon the credit of Sir Thomas Lake, he was sent Embassador Extraordinary into Spain, in a very gallant Equipage, with some hopes of ••is own to continue Lieger, to save charges of transmitting any other.

In his absence there fell out an extream deadly fewd ('tis no matter for what) between the Lady Lake, and the Countess of Exeter. A youthful Wi∣dow she had been, and vertuous, and so became Bedfellow to this aged, gowty, diseased, but noble Earl. And that preferment had made her subject to Envy and Malice.

Home comes the Lord Rosse from his Embassie, when being fallen into some neglect of his W••fe and his kindred, I conceive upon refusal of an in∣crease of allowance to her settlement of Ioynture, which was promised to be compleated at his re∣turn; not long he stays in England, but away he gets into Italy, turns a professed Roman Catholick, being cozened into that Religion by his publick Confident Gondamore.

In this his last absence (never to return) the Mother and Daughter accuse the Countess of former Incontinency with the Lord R••sse whilest he was here, and that therefore upon his Wives discovery he was fled from hence, and from her Marriage-Bed; with other devised Calumnies, by several de∣signs and contrivements, to have poysoned the Mo∣ther and Daughter.

This quarrel was soon blazon'd at Court, to the King's ear, who as privately as could be, singly examines each party. The Countess with tears and imprecations professeth her Innocency; which to oppose, the Mother Lake and her Daughter coun∣terfeit her hand to a whole sheet of Paper; where∣in they make the Coun••ess with much contrition to ackno••ledge her self guilty, crave pardon for at∣tempting to poyson them, and desire friendship with them all.

The King gets sight of this, as in favour to them, and demands the time, place, and occasion when this should be writ. They tell him, that all the parties met in a visit at Wimbleton (the house of the Lord of Exeter) where, in dispute of their differences, she confesses her guilt of attempting their poyson. And being desirous of absolution and friendship (being required thereto) con∣sents to set down all Circumstances therein, un∣der her own hand, which presently she writ at the Window in the upper end of the great Chamber at Wimbleton, in presence of the Mother and Daugh∣ter, the Lord Rosse, and one Diego a Spaniard his confiding Servant. But now they being gone, and at Rome, the King forthwith sends Mr. Dendy (one of his Serjeants at Armes, sometimes a Domestick of the Earl of Exeters, an honest and worthy Gen∣tleman) post to Rome, who speedily returns with Rosse and Diego's hand, and other testimoni∣als, confirming, That all the said Accusation, and Confession, Suspitions and Papers concerning the Countess, were notorious false and scandalous; and confirms it by receiving the Hoast, in assurance of her Honour, and his Innocency. The King well sa∣tisfied, sends to the Countesses Friends and Trustees for her Ioynture and Estate; who comparing many of her letters with this Writing, do confess it coun∣terfeit.

Then he tells the Mother and Daughter, That this writing being denied by her, and their testi∣monies, being parties, would not prevail with any belief, but any other Additional witness would give it sufficient credit. To which they assure him, That one Sarah Swarton, their Chamberesse, stood

behind the Hanging, at the entrance of the Room, and heard the Countess read over what she had writ: and her also they procure to swear unto this before the King.

To make further tryal, the King in a hunting journey at New-park near Wimbleton, gallops thi∣ther, views the Roo••••, observing the great distance of the Window from the lower end of the Room; and placing himself behind the Hanging, and so other Lords in turn, they could not hear one speak loud from the window.

Then the Housekeeper was call'd, who protested those Hangings had constantly furnisht that Room for thirty years; which the King observed to be two foot short of the ground, and might discover the woman, if hidden behind them. I may present also, the King saying, Oaths cannot confound my sight.

Besides all this, the Mother and Daughter conn∣terfeit another Writing, a Confession of one Luke Hutton, acknowledging for 40 pound annuity, the Countess hired him to poison them; which Man, with wonderful providence was found out private∣ly, and denies it to the King.

And thus prepared, the King sends for Sir Tho∣mas Lake, whom indeed he very much valued; tells him the danger to imbarque himself in this Quarrel, advising him to leave them to the Law, being now ready for the Star-Chamber. He humbly thanked his Majesty, but could not refuse to be a Fa∣ther and a Husband; and so puts his Name with theirs in a cross Bill, which at the hearing, took up five several days, the King sitting in Iudgment. But the former testimonies, and some private con∣fessions

of the Lady Rosse, and Sarah Wharton, which the King kept in private, from publick proceed∣ings, made the Cause for some of the days of Tryal, appear doubtful to the Court, until the Kings dis∣covery, which concluded the Sentence, and was pronounced in several Censures; Sir Thomas Lake and his Lady fined ten thousand pounds to the King, five thousand pounds to the Countess, fifty pounds to Hutton, Sarah Wharton to be whipt at a Carts tail about the streets, and to do penance at St. Martin's Church. The Lady R••sse, for confessing the truth and plot in the midst of the Tryal, was pardoned by the Major Voices from penal Sentence.

The King, I remember, compared their Crimes to the first plot of the first sin in Paradise, the Lady Lake to the Serpent, her Daughter unto Eve, and Sir Thomas to poor Adam, whom he thought in his conscience, that his love to his Wife had beguiled him. I am sure, he paid for all, which, as he told me, cost him thirty thousand pounds, and the loss of his Ma∣sters favour, and Offices of gain and honour, but truely with much pity and compassion of the Court.