The court and character of King James / written and taken by Sir A. W[eldon] Being and eye and eare witness.

  • Anthony Weldon
Date:
1817
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The court and character of King James / written and taken by Sir A. W[eldon] Being and eye and eare witness. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    He would make a great deal too bold with God in his passion, both in cursing and swearing, and one strain higher, verging on blasphemy; But would in his better temper say, he hoped God would not impute them as sins, and lay them to his charge, seeing they pro¬ ceeded from passion: He had need of great assurance, rather than hopes, that would make dayly so bold with God. He was so crafty and cunning in petty things, as the circum¬ venting any great man, the change of a Favorite, insomuch as a very wise man was wont to say, he believed him the wisest fool in Christen- dome, meaning him wise in small things, but a fool in weighty affaires. He ever desired to prefer mean men in great places, that when he turned them out again, they should have no friend to bandy with them: And besides, they were so hated by being raised from a mean estate, to over-top all men, that every one held it a pretty recreation to have them often turned out. There was in this Kings time, at one instant living, two Treasurers, three Secretaries, two Lord Keepers, two Admirals, three Lord Chief Justices, yet but one in play, therefore this King had a pretty faculty in putting out and in: By this you may perceive in what his wisdom consisted, but in great and weighty affairs, even at his wits end. He had a trick to cousen himself with bargains under hand, by taking 1000/. or 10,000/. as a bribe, when his Counsel was treating with his Customers to raise them to so much more yearly, this went into his Privy purse; wherein he thought he had over-reached the Lords, but cousened himself; but would as easily break the bargain upon the next offer, saying, he was mistaken and deceived, and therefore no reason he should keep the bargain; this was often the case with the Farmers of the Customes; He was infinitely inclined to prayer, but more out of fear then conscience, and this was the greatest blemish this King had through all his Reign, otherwise he might have been ranked with the very best of our Kings, yet sometimes would he shew pretty flashes which might easily be discerned to be forced, not natural; And being forced, could have wished, rather, it would have recoiled back to himself, then carryed to that King it had concerned, least he might have been put to the tryal, to maintain his seeming valor. In a word, take him altogether and not in pieces, such a King I wish this Kingdom have never any worse, on the condition, not any better; for he lived in peace, dyed in peace, and left all his Kingdoms in a peaceable condition, with his own Motto: Bead Pacifica.
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