Page:English Historical Review Volume 35.djvu/528

 620 EMOLUMENTS OF SECRETARIES OF October secretary to Lord Arlington, frequent offers of sums varying from fifty to a hundred pounds to himself, and from fifty to five hundred pounds to Lord Arlington, exclusive of fees, as soon as certain businesses are satisfactorily concluded.* One incidental result of this system was the competition for business between the offices of the two principal secretaries.^ When Lord Jersey's becoming secretary was first talked of in 1699, it was suggested by Portland that the two offices should exchange accounts of the fees and divide them equally. Vernon, the other secretary, obtained the king's consent and persuaded Jersey to accept this arrangement.^ Another custom of the age was for a new official to pay a large sum as a consideration to his predecessor in office, and a secretary about to resign or be dismissed made his bargain with possible successors. Seven, eight, and ten thousand pounds were sums offered in 1617 and 1622, but the usual amount paid before the interregnum was probably about six or seven thousand pounds. Sunderland paid Williamson £6,000, and Arlington had been willing to sell to Temple for a like sum. When he actually retired he seems, however, to have received from Williamson as much as £10,000.* The appointment of the secretaries of state lay of course entirely with the king, but there appears to have been considerable hesitation about dismissing a secretary or forcing him to resign, and much scope was allowed him for making a satisfactory bargain with his probable successor. For example, it is stated in a news-letter of 22 September 1668: Secretary Morrice and Sir John Trevor for the office of [secretary of] state is now finally concluded and the latter is to give the former 8,000Z. for it, in which His Majesty signified his pleasure this morning '.^ It seems probable, however, that the new secretary was often assisted by the king in paying for his place, and it is » Cal. of stale Papers, Dom., 1663-4, pp. 48, 435, 672, &c. • See Cowper MSS., i. 409, R. WUlis to Secretary Coke, 30 July 1630 : ' The passing of the Charter of Huntingdon being committed to a friend of mine, he told me there was a necessity to use my Lord of Dorchester for getting it signed for that his Lordship had gotten a direction from His Majesty that whoever else should get the book signed yet he should have a fee of £5 for it. I give you this intimation thereof that the impediment which would make all the grist go to the other's mill might be discovered and prevented.' » Letters illustrative of the Reign of William III, ed. G. P. R. James, ii. 282-3. • Cal. of State Papers, Dom., 1611-18, p. 494, and 162$-5, p. 231; ihid., 1679-80, p. 82 ; Temple, Memoirs (1754), iv. 280. Williamson paid Arlii^on £10,000 (Marvell, Works (ed. Thompson), Pref., iv), and Coventry asked the same amount but only obtained £6,500 eventually (Burnet, Own Time (ed. Airy), ii. 46 ; Essex Papers, i. 228-42; Letters to Sir Joseph Williamson, i. xv, 127; Hist. MSS. Comm., Livdsey MSS., p. 39 ; and Ormonde MSS., New Series, iv. 578-9). » Hist. MSS. Comm., Le Fleming MSS., No. 1004. See Temple, Worksy'il 257, 541 ; iv. 21, &c., for other examples.
 * the business that has been so long in transacting between Mr.