"was too good and simple, and
that oft a man's modestie made a fool of his witt." But the publication
of what was obviously intended merely for a private journal has given
Jonson an undeserved reputation for harsh judgments, and has cast blame
on Drummond for blackening his guest's memory.

In 1623 appeared the poet's fourth publication, entitled _Flowers of
Sion: By William Drummond of Hawthornedenne: to which is adjoyned his
Cypresse Grove_. From 1625 till 1630 Drummond was probably for the most
part engaged in travelling on the Continent. In 1627, however, he seems
to have been home for a short time, as, in that year, he appears in the
entirely new character of the holder of a patent for the construction of
military machines, entitled "Litera Magistri Gulielmi Drummond de
Fabrica Machinarum Militarium, Anno 1627." The same year, 1627, is the
date of Drummond's munificent gift (referred to above) of about 500
volumes to the library of the university of Edinburgh.

In 1630 Drummond again began to reside permanently at Hawthornden, and
in 1632 he married Elizabeth Logan, by whom he had five sons and four
daughters. In 1633 Charles made his coronation-visit to Scotland; and
Drummond's pen was employed in writing congratulatory speeches and
verses. As Drummond preferred Episcopacy to Presbytery, and was an
extremely loyal subject, he supported Charles's general policy, though
he protested against the methods employed to enforce it. When Lord
Balmerino was put on his trial on the capital charge of retaining in his
possession a petition regarded as a libel on the king's government,
Drummond in an energetic "Letter" (1635) urged the injustice and folly
of the proceedings. About this time a claim by the earl of Menteith to
the earldom of Strathearn, which was based on the assertion that Robert
III., husband of Annabella Drummond, was illegitimate, roused the poet's
pride of blood and prompted him to prepare an historical defence of his
house. Partly to please his kinsman the earl of Perth, and partly to
satisfy his own curiosity, the poet made researches in the genealogy of
the family. This investigation was the real secret of Drummond's
interest in Scottish history; and so we find that he now began his
_History of Scotland during the Reigns of the Five Jameses_, a work
which did not appear till 1655, and is remarkable only for its good
literary style. His next work was called forth by the king's enforced
submission to the