Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 63.djvu/74

Wotton grand ascendant sur l'esprit du jeune prince' (, Papiers d'État, ii, 728). At first Wotton's success appeared complete; James agreed to the proposal for an offensive and defensive league, and on 28 June the lords and estates approved. In the same month, however, the exiled Scots in England made a raid into Scotland, supported by an English force, and, though Elizabeth ordered the arrest of the offenders, James, with some reason, suspected the complicity of the English government, and feared a repetition of the attempts to restore the exiled lords by force. Moreover Arran's influence over the king was still supreme, and Arran was strenuously supported by the French party. A fresh complication arose with the murder of Francis, lord Russell, on 27 July [see under, second ]. Fernihurst was the criminal, but Arran was implicated, and Elizabeth now sought to use the circumstance to ruin him. Wotton demanded his arrest and removal to England for trial, but James merely confined him in St. Andrews, whence he was soon released and resumed his ascendency over James. Wotton's position was now precarious, and in August Arrans ally,  [q.v.], openly insulted him in the king's presence. Elizabeth, however, hesitated to risk an open breach with James by effective support of her ambassador, but the despatch of Castelnau de Mauvissière by Henri III to Scotland reinforced French influence at Edinburgh, strengthened James in his refusal to give up Arran, and made Wotton's success hopeless. He now advocated an incursion by the exiled lords, supported by an English force, and the seizure of James and Arran as the only means of restoring English prestige; but, aware of the danger to himself in such an event, he begged for his recall. This was granted on 11 Oct., but before Walslngham's letters could arrive Wotton had on his own authority crossed the border, and on the 12th he was at Berwick (full details of Wotton's negotiations are given in Cotton MSS. Calig. C. viii-ix; Addit. MS. 32657, ii. 83-223; Hamilton Papers, 1543-99. pp. 643-708; Border Papers, 1560-94, Nos. 335-876;, Cal. Scottish State Papers, i. 495-5l2;, Papiers d'État, Bannatyne Club, ii. 728, iii. 404-6; Cal. Simancas MSS. 1580-6, pp. 646-52).

For some time after his return Wotton was occupied in local administration in Kent. In 1586, however, he was sent to France to explain to Henry III the intrigues against Elizabeth of Mary Queen of Scots, certified transcripts of her letters in connection with the Babington plot being sent him with directions how to use them (Addit. MS. 33256, ff. 172-205; Cal. Simancas MSS. 1587-1603, p. 178, and his instructions dated 29 Sept. in Cotton. MS. Calig. E. vi. 302; and, Cat. MSS. Anglica, iii. 5270, f. 240). On 16 Feb. 1586-7 he was one of the pallbearers at Sidney's funeral, and later in the year he succeeded his father at Boughton Malherbe, and on 5 Jan. 1587-8 he was admitted student of Gray's Inn. In 1591 he was knighted, and in 1594-5 he served as sheriff of Kent (Addit. MS. 33924, f. 16). In 1595-6 he vainly petitioned Burghjey for the treasurership of the chamber (Lansd. MS. lxxix. 19), and in March 1597 he was an unauccessful candidate for the Cinque ports. About the same time it was proposed to make him secretary of state ( Letters and Mem. ii. 25, 27, 30,54), but, this failing, Wotton made strenuous but vain efforts to secure a peerage (ib. ii. 85-8). In 1599, on an alarm of a Spanish invasion, he was appointed treasurer of a 'camp' to be formed, and in May 1601 he was offered but declined the post of ambassador in France. On 23 Dec. 1602 he was made comptroller of the household and was sworn of the privy council; on 17 Jan. 1602-3 Chamberlain wrote: 'The court has flourished more than ordinary this Christmas. The new comptroller has put new life into it by his example, being always freshly attired and chiefly in white.' On 19 Feb. following he was appointed to negotiate with Scaramelli, the Venetian ambassador (Cal. State Papers, Venetian, ix. 1135).

James I continued Wotton in the office of comptroller, and on 13 Mar created him Baron Wotton of Marley, co.Kent (Addit. MS. 34218, f. 190b). In November he was one of the lords who tried Sir Walter Raliegh {''Addit. MS''. 6177, f. 137; ''The Arraignment of Sr Walter Rawliegh. . . before Lord Wotton. . .'', London, 1643, 4to; , Life of Raliegh). During the early years of James I's reign Wotton was lord-lieutenant of Kent (Egerton MS. 880, passim; ''Harl. MS.'' 6846, f. 42), but in August 1610 he was sent as ambassador extraordinary to France to congratulate Louis XIII on his accession (, Court and Times of James I, i. 131; instructions in Stowe MS. 177, ff. 131-8). On his return in October he brought [q. v.] to England in his suite (Casaubonorum Epistoler, pp. 361-2). In June 1612 he was nominated commissioner of the treasury on Salisbury's death. In November 1616 he was made treasurer of the household, but on 23 Dec. 1617 he was 'persuaded' to retire from that office by the 