positive to refuse it, declaringe to his frends that he was most
unfitt for it, and that he must ether doe that which would be greate
disquyet to his owne nature, or leave that undone which was most
necessary to be done by one that was honored with that place, for that
the most just and honest men did every day that, which he could not
give himselfe leave to doe. And indeede he was so exacte and stricte
an observer of justice and truth _ad amussim_, that he believed
those necessary condescensions and applications to the weaknesse of
other men, and those artes and insinuations which are necessary for
discoveryes and prevention of ill, would be in him a declension from
the rule which he acknowledged fitt and absolutely necessary to be
practiced in those imploiments, and was so precise in the practique
principles he prescribed to himselfe (to all others he was as
indulgent) as if he had lived in republica Platonis non in faece
Romuli.

Two reasons praevayled with him to receave the seales, and but for
those he had resolutely avoyded them, the first, the consideration
that it might bringe some blemish upon the Kings affayres, and that
men would have believed that he had refused so greate an honour and
trust, because he must have beene with it oblieged to doe somewhat
elce, not justifiable; and this he made matter of conscience, since he
knew the Kinge made choyce of him before other men, especially because
he thought him more honest then other men; the other was, least he
might be thought to avoyde it, out of feare to doe an ungratious
thinge to the house of Commons, who were sorely troubled at the
displacinge S'r Harry Vane, whome they looked upon as remooved for
havinge done them those offices they stoode in neede of, and the
disdayne of so popular an incumbrance wrought upon him next to the
other, for as he had a full appetite of fame by just and generous
Actions, so he had an aequall contempt of it by any servile expedients,
and he so much the more consented to and approved the justice upon S'r
H. Vane, in his owne private judgement, by how much he surpassed most
men in the religious observation of a trust, the violation wherof he
would not admitt of any excuse for.

For these reasons he submitted to the Kings commaunde, and became
his Secretary, with as humble and devoute an acknowledgement of the
greatenesse of the obligation, as could be expressed, and as true
a sense of it in his hearte; yet two thinges he could