The facts being so, what is the course taken by the speaker when he finds occasion to remind the House of things that happened when ‘My Lord of Somerset stood in state of grace, and had the trust of the Signet Seal?’ Does he take a line of apology and use words of extenuation? Not a whit. In the presence of some of the wisest and ablest of English statesmen, he eulogises SOMERSET as an honest and unselfish minister of the Crown. He asserts, that the Earl had discovered ‘the double dealings’ of Spanish emissaries, and the dangers of the Spanish alliance; and had made some progress in dissuading even King JAMES from putting faith in Spaniards. Then, winding up this episode, in order to pass to the topic of the hour, COTTON says: ‘Thus stood the effect of SOMERSET’S power with His Majesty, when the clouds of his misfortune fell upon him. What future advisers led to we may well remember. [Sidenote: MS. LANSD.,[12] 491, fol. 195.] The marriage with Spain was renewed; GONDOMAR declared an honest man; Popery heartened; His Majesty’s forces in the Palatinate withdrawn; His Highness’s children stripped of their patrimony; our old and fast allies disheartened; and the King our now master exposed to so great a peril as no wise and faithful counsel would ever have advised.’ At Court, speech such as this was deeply resented, instead of being turned to profit. A curious little incident which occurred at the Coronation of CHARLES in the next winter testifies, characteristically, to the effect which it produced on the minds both of the new King and of his favourite.