secrett, somewhat declyned from that
sharpnesse in the house, which was more popular then any mans person,
and made some overtures to provyde for the glory and splendor of
the Crowne, in which he had so ill successe, that his interest and
reputation ther visibly abated, and he founde that he was much better
able to do hurte then good, which wrought very much upon him, to
melancholique, and complainte of the violence and discomposure of
the peoples affections and inclinations; in the end, whether upon
the death of the Earle of Bedford he despayred of that praeferment, or
whether he was guilty of any thinge, which upon his conversyon to the
Courte he thought might be discovered to his damage, or for pure want
of courage, he suffred himselfe to be carryed by those who would not
follow him, and so continued in the heade of those who made the most
desperate propositions.

In the proseqution of the Earle of Straforde, his carriage and
language was such, that expressed much personall animosity, and he
was accused of havinge practiced some Artes in it, not worthy a
good man, as an Irishman of very meane and low condition afterwards
acknowledged, that beinge brought to him as an evidence of one parte
of the charge against the Lord Lieuetenant in a particular of which a
person of so vyle quality would not be reasonably thought a competent
informer, M'r Pimm gave him mony to buy him a Sattyn Sute and Cloke, in
which equipage he appeared at the tryall, and gave his evidence, which
if true, may make many other thinges which were confidently reported
afterwards of him, to be believed: As, that he receaved a greate Summ
of mony from the French Ambassadour, to hinder the transportation of
those Regiments of Irelande into Flanders, upon the disbandinge that
Army ther, which had bene praepared by the Earle of Straforde for
the businesse of Scotlande, in which if his Majestys derections and
commands had not bene deverted and contradicted by the houses, many
do believe the rebellyon in Irelande had not happend. Certayne it
is, that his power of doinge shrewd turnes was extraordinary, and no
lesse in doinge good offices for particular persons, and that he did
praeserve many from censure, who were under the seveare displeasure of
the houses, and looked upon as eminent Delinquents, and the quality
of many of them made it believed, that he had sold that protection for
valewable consideration. From the tyme of his beinge accused of High
Treaso