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 222 THE CECILS

any office calling for the exercise of the most ordinary ability, and a letter drawn up by Cottington himself informed him that, though his Majesty would not forget him, he would not make him Master of the Wards." 1

This severe judgment appears to be exaggerated. As a matter of fact, it had been arranged several years before that Cottington should receive the Mastership of the Wards, while Naunton was to be " satisfied with a sum of money," and Salisbury was to succeed to the posts held by his father-in-law, Lord Suffolk, whose death was shortly expected. As, however, the latter expectation was not fulfilled, the plan fell through. 2 Salisbury now received the post of Captain of the Gentleman Pensioners, which he filled for eight years.

On the outbreak of war with the Scots, in 1639, Salisbury joined the King's forces, and was one of the commissioners appointed to carry on the negotiations with the Covenanters, which resulted in the Treaty of Berwick. After this unsatisfactory peace had been signed, the Scots published a paper containing " sundry strange glosses and interpretations upon the Articles of Pacification," and at the same time it was reported that several of the English com- missioners, including Lord Salisbury, had seen and approved of this paper and had distributed

1 History, VIII. 70 ; Cal. S. P. Dom. ; Charles I., VII. 529. a W. Murray to Sir Henry Vane, December i8th, 1631 (Cal. S. P. Dom.).

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