James I., his Disapproval of the Gentry crowding into London—Disgust Entertained by the Old Families to him and his Court—The Clintons, Blounts, Veres, and Willoughby D’Eresbys show it—Character of Sir Thomas Lake—William, Earl of Pembroke, the Early Patron of Villiers—Account of the First Introduction of Villiers to James—Ambitious Views which it Suggested—His Attachment to the Daughter of Sir Roger Ashton—Their Engagement Broken off—Account of the King’s Visit to Cambridge in 1614-15—Some Description of the Courtly Ladies who were present there—The Queen’s Absence—Countess of Arundel—Countess of Somerset—Countess of Salisbury—Lady Howard of Walden—Performance of the Play of “Ignoramus” in Clare Hall—The Design of this Comedy to Ridicule the Common Law—Admiration expressed by the King, during the Performance, of the Personal Appearance of Villiers, who was Present—The Subsequent Representations referred to 33 CHAPTER III. The Fascination of Villiers’s Character as opposed to the Venality of Somerset—Lord Clarendon’s Opinion—The Friendship of Archbishop Abbot—Character of the Primate—His Affection for Villiers—Anecdote of Villiers when Cup-Bearer. He is befriended by Anne of Denmark—By her means Knighted—Singular Scene in the Queen’s Chamber—Jealousy of Somerset—Ingratitude afterwards shewn by Villiers to Abbot—Abbot commits Manslaughter—Is pardoned by the King—The Incessant Pleasures of the Court—Horse-Racing—Ben Jonson’s “Golden Age Restored”—Allusion in it to Somerset, and to Overbury—An Angry Interview between Villiers and Somerset—Villiers supplants the Favourite—He uses no Unfair Means to do so—Discovery of Somerset’s Guilt by Winwood, who finds Proofs of it in an Old Trunk—Somerset’s Downfall—Bacon’s Letter to Villiers—Villiers continues to Profit by the Delinquencies and Disgrace of Somerset 71 CHAPTER IV.