It was publicly known that offices, both about the person of the King and in the state, were sold. In the last reign, the mastership of the jewels had been bought by Sir Henry Caire for 2,000_l._ or 3,000_l._, from Sir Henry Mildmay, who was “thought too young a man, and of too mean a state” to be safely entrusted with the King’s jewels.[307] Buckingham, however, seems to have had no direct interest in this transaction. Other instances were also adduced; and proofs of corruption somewhere were open to every mind. Lord Middlesex, when Sir Lionel Cranfield, was stated to have given the Duke 6,000_l._ for his place as keeper of the wardrobe;[308] but it seems that he purchased that post from Lord Hay, and not from Buckingham, as the following extract from the State Papers, of the year 1618, implies:-- “Sir Lionel Cranfield is not yet master of the wardrobe, nor likely to be, unless he give a _viaticum_ to the Lord Hay, who, they say, stands upon 9,000_l._”[309] It does not, therefore, appear certain that Buckingham received either of the bribes; although it is not improbable that, since nothing could take place without his concurrence, he might have accepted some part of the spoil. Of the other two allegations--namely, that he received from Lord Roberts 10,000_l._ for his title, and that he sold the office of treasurer to Lord Manchester for 20,000_l._, there seems no certainty; but no letters are to be found in the very minute daily correspondence of that period, between the members of the Duke’s household and the Court, which either take the burden of the charge from him, or remove it to any other person. Footnote 307: Inedited State Papers. January, 1617-18. Footnote 308: Brodie, vol. i., p.113. Footnote 309: Dated August 20th, 1618. The Duke was also stated, in the impeachment, to have purchased the offices of Lord High Admiral, and of Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports. Such was the colour given to a transaction which is generally recognized as a matter of compensation. “To the Earl of Nottingham, the old and incompetent admiral, the pension of 3,000_l._ yearly was allotted, together with a good round sum of ready money;” to Margaret, Countess of Nottingham, according to one account, a pension of 1,000_l._, to commence at the death of the Earl, and 500_l._ to his eldest son by her.[310] According to another statement, the pension to the Countess was not to exceed 600_l._; to her son, Charles Howard, 500_l._ a year; and to her daughter, Anne Howard, 200_l._ a year--after the death of their father.[311] Footnote 310: Inedited State Papers, 1625. This sum was eventually reduced to 5,000_l._ Footnote 311: Letter from Secretary Nameton.--State Paper Office, Oct. 18, 1618.