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 EDWARD, VISCOUNT WIMBLEDON 119

the qualities necessary for success, and being raised to a position of great responsibility, was only able to prove that he was utterly unfit for it.

The Anne Royal remained in Kinsale harbour for several weeks to re-fit, and on putting to sea was again hindered by bad weather, so that Cecil did not reach London till the beginning of March. To his great indignation he was at once summoned before the Privy Council to answer charges of mis- management brought against him by the Earl of Essex and other officers of the expedition. But Buckingham stood by him, and the perfunctory examination which took place resulted in his acquittal. The King at first showed his disap- pointment and displeasure by refusing to receive him at Court ; but he soon regained the Royal favour, and in a short time he seems to have entirely recovered his prestige.

On May 4th, 1626, he took his seat in the House of Lords as Viscount Wimbledon, 1 and at the end of the year he was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Surrey. He was sworn a member of the Privy Council in February, 1628, and on the death of the Earl of Pembroke two years later, he received the important appointment of Captain and Governor of Portsmouth for life.

Being still a colonel of a regiment in the army of the States-General, he was present at the siege of Groll in 1627, and at Bois-le-duc two years later, but in 1631 he relinquished the command which

1 His patent as Baron Cecil of Putney and Viscount Wimbledon is dated November gth, 1625 (Dalton, II. 258).

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