actions unagreable and unpleasant to it, that he might not be thought to inclyne to the Courte, then any man hath done to procure an office ther; and if any thinge but not doinge his duty could have kept him from receavinge a testimony of the Kings grace and trust at that tyme, he had not bene called to his Councell:  not that he was in truth averse to the Courte, or from receavinge publique imployment:  for he had a greate devotion to the Kings person, and had before used some small endeavour to be recommended to him for a forrainge negotiation, and had once a desyre to be sent Ambassadour into France, but he abhorred an imagination or doubte should sinke into the thoughts of any man, that in the discharge of his trust and duty in Parliament he had any byas to the Court, or that the Kinge himselfe should apprehende that he looked for a rewarde for beinge honest.

For this reason when he heard it first whispered that the Kinge had a purpose to make him a Counsellour, for which in the beginninge ther was no other grounde, but because he was knowne sufficient, haud semper errat fama, aliquando et elegit, he resolved to declyne it, and at last suffred himselfe only to be overruled by the advice, and persuasions of his frends to submitt to it; afterwards when he founde that the Kinge intended to make him his Secretary of State, he was positive to refuse it, declaringe to his frends that he was most unfitt for it, and that he must ether doe that which would be greate disquyet to his owne nature, or leave that undone which was most necessary to be done by one that was honored with that place, for that the most just and honest men did every day that, which he could not give himselfe leave to doe.  And indeede he was so exacte and stricte an observer of justice and truth ad amussim, that he believed those necessary condescensions and applications to the weaknesse of other men, and those artes and insinuations which are necessary for discoveryes and prevention of ill, would be in him a declension from the rule which he acknowledged fitt and absolutely necessary to be practiced in those imploiments, and was so precise in the practique principles he prescribed to himselfe (to all others he was as indulgent) as if he had lived in republica Platonis non in faece Romuli.

Two reasons praevayled with him to receave the seales, and but for those he had resolutely avoyded them, the first, the consideration that it might bringe some blemish upon the Kings affayres, and that men would have believed that he had refused so greate an honour and trust, because he must have beene with it oblieged to doe somewhat elce, not justifiable; and this he made matter of conscience, since he knew the Kinge made choyce of him before other men, especially because he thought him more honest then other men; the other was, least he might be thought to avoyde it, out of feare to doe an ungratious thinge to the house of Commons, who were sorely troubled at the