and won him L750, which he had for his
labour. The Lord Montegle lost the Queen L400. Sir Robert Cary, for
the Prince, L300; and the Earl Salisbury, L300; the Lord Buckhurst,
L500; _et sic de caeteris_. So that I heard of no winner but the King
and Sir Francis Wolley, who got above L800. The King went a
hawking-journey yesterday to Theobalds and returns to-morrow.

"Above Westminster the Thames is quite frozen over; and the Archbishop
came from Lambeth, on Twelfth-day, over the ice to Court. Many
fanciful experiments are daily put in practice; as certain youths
burnt a gallon of wine upon the ice, and made all the passengers
partakers. But the best is, of an honest woman (they say) that had a
great longing to encrease her family on the Thames" (Nichols's
"Progresses").

THE REIGN OF JAMES I.'S FAVOURITES

dates from Christmas Day, 1607, when he knighted Robert Carr, or Ker,
a young border Scot of the Kers of Fernihurst, the first of the
favourites who ruled both the King and the kingdom. Carr had been some
years in France, and being a handsome youth--"straight-limbed,
well-formed, strong-shouldered, and smooth-faced"--he had been led to
believe that if he cultivated his personal appearance and a
courtliness of address, he was sure of making his fortune at the Court
of James. "Accordingly he managed to appear as page to Lord Dingwall
at a grand tilting match at Westminster, in 1606. According to
chivalric usage it became his duty to present his lord's shield to his
Majesty; but in manoeuvring his horse on the occasion it fell and
broke his leg. That fall was his rise. James was immediately struck
with the beauty of the youth who lay disabled at his feet, and had him
straightway carried into a house near Charing Cross, and sent his own
surgeon to him.... On Christmas Day, 1607, James knighted him and made
him a gentleman of the bedchamber, so as to have him constantly about
his person. Such was his favour that every one pressed around him to
obtain their suits with the King. He received rich presents; the
ladies courted his attention; the greatest lords did him the most
obsequious and disgusting homage."[61] He afterwards formed that
connection with Frances Howard, Countess of Essex, which resulted in
her divorce from her husband, and, subsequently, on his marrying Lady
Essex, the King made him Earl of Somerset, that the lady might not
lose in rank. On the circumstances attending the murder of Sir Thomas
Overbury be