With some of this man’s contemporaries it was quite otherwise. Some English statesmen whose names we have all learnt to venerate, looked upon the murder of OVERBURY as a revengeful deed instigated by Lady SOMERSET, wholly without her husband’s complicity; and they looked at SOMERSET’S conviction of complicity in the crime as simply the issue of a skilfully-managed court intrigue, for a court object. They knew that SOMERSET’S enemies had been wont to say amongst themselves, ‘A nail is best driven out by driving in another nail,’ and had, very effectually, put the proverb into action. They knew, too, that to the rising favourite the King had committed—most characteristically—the pleasing task of communicating, on his behalf, with the Crown lawyers, as their own task of compiling the depositions against the falling favourite went on from stage to stage. Sir Robert COTTON believed not only that SOMERSET was guiltless of the murder of OVERBURY, and that the Earl’s political extinction was resolved upon, as the readiest means of making room for a new favourite, but he also believed that SOMERSET’S loss of power involved the loss by England—for a long time to come—of some useful domestic reforms, as well as its subjection to several new abuses. This belief was a favourite subject of conversation with him to his dying day. He was in the habit of imparting it to the famous men who, in the early years of the next reign, joined with him in fighting the battles of parliamentary freedom against royal prerogative. There may well have been an element of truth in COTTON’S view of the matter, though, in these days, it seems but a barren pursuit to have discussed the preferability to England of the rule of a Robert CARR rather than that of a George VILLIERS. [Sidenote: COTTON AND THE PROJECTED SPANISH MATCH.] What is now chiefly important in the close political connection which was formed between COTTON and SOMERSET is the fact that it eventually thrust Sir Robert’s fortune and entire future into great peril, even if it did not actually hazard his life itself, as well as his fair fame with posterity. The life that was preserved to him was also to be redeemed by future and brilliant public service. [Sidenote: 1615.] His fortune sustained no great damage, and much of it was afterwards spent upon public objects. His reputation as a statesman, however, suffered, and must suffer, some degree of loss. SOMERSET led him to become an agent in urging on the treaty for the marriage of Prince CHARLES with the Infanta of Spain. As it seems, his agency was—for a very brief period—even active and zealous. Neither SOMERSET nor COTTON, however, set that intercourse with GONDOMAR afoot which presently brought Sir Robert within the toils. It was pleasantly originated by the wily Spaniard himself, in the character of _a lover of antiquities_, deeply anxious to study Sir Robert’s Museum, in its owner’s company.