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 THE FIRST EARL OF SALISBURY 179

ment and to control its policy, and to carry on through the various ambassadors complicated negotiations with every State of importance in Europe. Besides all this, when Parliament was sitting, it was on him that the duty chiefly devolved of making the policy of the Government palatable to the House of Commons, of replying to all objections, and of obtaining the King's consent to the necessary alterations. As if all this were not enough, during the last few years of his life he undertook the office of Treasurer in addition to that of Secretary. Upon him fell all the burden of the attempt which he made to restore to a sound condition the disordered finances, and of mastering the numerous details from which alone he could obtain the knowledge necessary in order to remedy the evil."

It is impossible here to touch upon all these manifold activities, but a brief account must be given of the " plots and conspiracies " (especially in so far as they concern Cecil's relations with Raleigh) ; of the religious question and his policy towards Catholics and Puritans ; and of his financial measures.

Soon after James's accession, a Catholic conspiracy, known as the " Bye Plot," came to light, and during the examination of the prisoners, another and more formidable plot was discovered, in which Raleigh and his friend, Lord Cobham, were implicated. What the whole rights and wrongs of the matter were will never bo known, but Raleigh had certainly laid himself open to

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