Thomas Lake

section four of the court and character of king james whereunto is now added the court of king charles by anthony weldon the court of king james part three now did those great managers of the state of which salisbury was chief after they had packed the cards began to deal the government of the kingdom amongst themselves and persuaded the king to leave the stake affairs to them and to betake himself to some country recreations which they found him addicted unto for the city and business did not agree with him to that end purchase built and prepared at newmarket and royston and this pleased the king's humour well rather that he might enjoy his favourite with more privacy than that he loved the sports then must theobald's be in his own possession as not fit for a king to be beholding to a subject for an house of daily use but because the king had so much want of monies to express his love and bounty to his native nation salisbury would exchange and take land for his house and path in which exchange he made such an advantage that he sold his house for fifty years purchase and that so cunningly as hardly to be discerned but by a curious sight for he fleeted off the cream of the king's manners in many counties not only two lying in any one county and made choice of the most in the remotest counties only built his nest at hatfield within the county where his father had built his yet kept he still the house of theobalds for he and his posterity were to be perpetual keepers of that house and many parks adjacent by this he not only showed his wisdom for his own benefit but to the world, what the king's natural disposition was to be easily abused, and would take counterfeit coin for current payment.

And to fit the king's humour and dissolve him in that delight he was most addicted to, as well as to serve souls for his own ends and satisfy his revenge upon some neighbour gentleman that formerly would not sell him some convenient parcels of land neighbouring old Theobalds, he puts the king on enlarging the park, walling and storing it with red deer and i dare affirm with that work the king was so well pleased and did more glorying than his predecessors did in the conquest of france and as it was most true so in ill omen that the king loved beasts better than men and took more delight in them and was more tender over the life of a stag than of a man yet this was the weakness of his judgment and poorness of his spirit rather than any innate cruelty for he was not naturally cruel over lives though in displacing officers which naturally he did believe was as glorious as to overthrow and conquer kings but yet for all their setting their cards and playing their games to their own advantages of getting much for themselves and friends there was one knave in the pack would cross their designs and trump in their way if he might not share with them in their winning that was one lake a clerk of the signet after secretary and after that turned out in disgrace and in truth was only wise in the world's opinion could swim being held up by the chin but at his fall all his weaknesses were discovered and that the world had been deceived in him i will instance in one particular amongst many that shall give you full assurance being in disgrace he gave two thousand pounds but to kiss the king's hand believing that after that he might have access as formerly After he had paid his money, he was never suffered to see the King more, only jeered at by all the court for his folly, and went sneaking up and down, contemned of all men.

This Lake was a fellow of mean birth, and meaner breeding, being an underservant to make fires in Secretary Walsingham's chamber, and there got some experience, which afterwards in the King's time made him appear an able man.

which in the queen's time when there was none in court but men of eminences made him an inconsiderable fellow he had linked himself in with the scottish nation progging for suits and helping them to fill their purses as they did believe there was not so able a man in the kingdom for in truth ever since queen elizabeth's death the raising money hath been the only way to raise men as being held the essential property of a wise man to know how to bring in money per and amongst all the Scots he wholly applied himself to those of the bedchamber and of nearest access to his majesty.

For his good service of abusing his country and countrymen, he was made clerk of the signet, to wait on the king in his hunting journeys, and in these journeys got all the bills signed, even for the greatest lords, all packets being addressed to him, so that even Salisbury and Northampton and the greatest lords made court to him.

This was a handsome young man with fair hair and delicate features, whose slight elegant figure was arrayed in a crimson satin doublet, slashed with white, and hose of the same colours and fabric.

The young nobleman in question, whose handsome features and prematurely wasted frame bore the impress of cynicism and debauchery, was Lord Roos, then recently entrapped into marriage with the daughter of Sir Thomas Lake, Secretary of State, a marriage productive of the usual consequences of such imprudent arrangements, neglect on the one side, unhappiness on the other.

Lord Roos was Sir Francis's sworn enemy.

Like many other such gay moths, he had been severely singed by fluttering into the dazzling lights held up to him when he wanted money by the two usurers, and he had often vowed revenge against them for the manner in which they had fleeced him.

Possibly he had too much reliance on Lord Roos's good feelings and principles to suspect him.

Very different was Lady Roos's conduct.

This unhappy lady, whom we have already mentioned as the daughter of Sir Thomas Lake, Secretary of State, had the misfortune to be sincerely attached to her handsome but profligate husband, whose neglect and frequent irregularities she had pardoned, until the utter estrangement occasioned by his passion for the Countess of Exeter filled her with such trouble that, overpowered at length by anguish, she complained to her mother Lady Lake, an ambitious and imperious woman whose vanity had prompted her to bring about this unfortunate match.

Expressing the greatest indignation at the treatment her daughter had experienced, Lady Lake counseled her to resent it, undertaking herself to open the eyes of the injured Earl of Exeter to his wife's infidelity.