_William Cecil, second Earl of Salisbury._
_Born 1591. Died 1668._
By CLARENDON.
The Earle of Salisbury had bene borne and bredd in Courte and had
the Advantage of a descent from a Father and a Grandfather, who had
bene very wise men, and greate Ministers of State in the eyes of
Christendome, whose wisdome and virtues dyed with them, and ther
children only inherited ther titles. He had bene admitted of the
Councell to Kinge James, from which tyme he continued so obsequious
to the Courte, that he never fayled in overactinge all that he was
requyred to do; no acte of power was ever proposed, which he did not
advance, and execute his parte, with the utmost rigour, no man so
greate a tyrant in his country, or was lesse swayed by any motives of
justice or honour; he was a man of no words, except in huntinge and
hawkinge in which he only knew how to behave himselfe, in matters
of State and councell he alwayes concurred in what was proposed for
the Kinge, and cancelled and repayred all those transgressions by
concurringe in all that was proposed against him as soone as any
such propositions were made; yett when the Kinge went to Yorke, he
likewise attended upon his Majesty and at that distance seemed to
have recover'd some courage, and concurred in all councells which
were taken to undeceave the people, and to make the proceedings of the
Parliament odious to all the world; but on a suddayne he caused his
horses to attend him out of the towne, and havinge placed fresh ons
at a distance, he fledd backe to London, with the exspedition such
men use when they are most afrayde, and never after denyed to do any
thinge that was requyred of him, and when the warr was ended, and
Crumwell had putt downe the house of Peeres, he gott himselfe to be
chosen a member of the house of Commons, and sate with them as of
ther owne body, and was esteemed accordingly; in a worde he became
so despicable to all men, that he will hardly ever in joy the ease
which Seneca bequeathed to him: Hic egregiis majoribus ortus est,
qualiscunque est, sub umbra suorum lateat; Ut loca sordida repercussu
solis illustrantur, ita inertes majorum suorum luce resplendeant.
46.