COTTON’S most intimate political friendships were at this time with the HOWARDS. Henry HOWARD (now Earl of Northampton),—whatever the intrinsic baseness and perfidy of his nature, was a man of large capacity. He was not unfriendly to reform,—when abuses put no pelf in his own pocket. To naval reforms, his nearness of blood to NOTTINGHAM, the Lord High Admiral, tended rather to predispose him; for when near relatives dislike one another, the intensity of their dislike is sometimes wonderful to all bystanders. Interest made these two sometimes allies, but it never made them friends. NORTHAMPTON gave his whole influence in favour of Sir Robert’s plan. He began the inquiries into this wide subject by persuading the King to appoint a Commission. On the 30th of April, 1608, Letters Patent were issued, in the preamble of which the pith of the Memorial is thus recited: ‘We are informed that very great and considerable abuses, deceits, frauds, corruptions, negligences, misdemeanours and offences have been and daily are perpetrated ... _against the continual admonitions and directions of you, our Lord High Admiral_, by other the officers of and concerning our Navy Royal, and by the Clerks of the Prick and Check, and divers other inferior officers, ministers, mariners, soldiers, and others working or labouring in or about our said Navy;’ [Sidenote: COMMISSION FOR INQUIRY ON THE ABUSES IN THE NAVY.] and thereupon full powers are given to the Commissioners so appointed to make full inquiry into the allegations; and to certify their proceedings and opinions. COTTON was made a member of the Commission, and at the head of it were placed the Earls of NORTHAMPTON and of NOTTINGHAM. It was directed that the inquiry should be carried at least as far back as the year 1598. The Admiral’s share was little more than nominal. The proceedings were opened on the 7th of May, 1608, when, as COTTON himself reports, an ‘elegant speech was made by Lord Northampton, of His Majesty’s provident and princely purposes for reformation of the abuses.’ Northampton, he adds, ‘took especial pains and care for a full and faithful discharge of that trust.’ At his instance Sir Robert was made Chairman of a sort of sub-committee, to which the preliminary inquiries and general array of the business were entrusted; [Sidenote: _Proceedings in the Commission for the Navy Royal_; MS. COTT. Julius F. iii, fol. 1. (B. M.)] ‘Sir Robert COTTON, during all the time of this service, entertaining his assistants at his house at the Blackfriars as often as occasion served.’