gli spacci e corrieri: tratta e risolve molte cose con
il consiglio solo de suoi favoriti.--Risolve per ordinario in momenti
et havendo seco segretarii per gli affari d'Inghilterra, per quelli di
Scotia e Ibernia comanda ciascuno di essi, quanto occorre e vuol che
si faccia in tutti i suoi regni.'

[388] Calderwood, vii. 311, 434, &c.

[389] Girolamo Lando, Relatione 1622: '(S. M. e) inclinata
all'ambiguita et alla dimora non gia per naturale complessione
impastata di foco, colerico et molto ardente, ma perche vuol darsi a
credere di cavare della protrattione del tempo cio, che
desidera--conli scemi dell'ira tenendo pure quelli della
mansuetudine.'

[390] 'Unmoveable in one hair that might concern me against the whole
world.' James to Somerset, in Halliwell ii. 127; certainly one of the
most important documents in this collection.

[391] Narrative of Abbot in Rushworth i. 460.

[392] A. Foscarini, 1615 Nov. 13. 'Si mantiene viva la voce e sospetto
del principe defonto.' Nov. 20, 'Avanthieri parti il re, che per
questo accidente e per le gravi dissensioni ed odii che regna in corte
si mostra molto addolorato.'

[393] The personal motive of the estrangement might have lain in
Overbury's speech to Somerset, mentioned by Payton during the trial:
'"I will leave you free to yourself to stand on your own legs." My
lord of Somerset answered his legs were strong enough to bear
himself.' (State Trials ii. 978.) He wished to show that he could
dispense with Overbury.

[394] According to Wilson, Ralph Winwood was informed by a confession
made at Vliessingen. From a letter of Winwood extracted by Gardiner
(History of England ii. 216) we only learn that Winwood received the
first intimation: he reckons it as a proof of the justice of the King
of England that he allowed the investigation to be made.

[395] Somerset intimated that he possessed secrets the disclosure of
which would compromise the King: and there is nothing, however
conjectural or infamous, which has not seemed to some among posterity
to be probable on this ground. James I says, 'God knows it is only a
trick of his idle brain, hoping thereby to shift his trial. I cannot
hear a private message from him without laying an aspersion upon
myself of being an accessory to his crime.' (Halliwell ii. 138.)

[396] Girolamo Lando, Relatione 1622, praises him for 'apparenza di
modestia, benignita e cortesia,--bellezza, gratia, leggiadria del
corpo, a tutti gli esercitii