Page:The house of Cecil.djvu/85

 WILLIAM, LORD BURGHLEY 65

accusations by his confidential agent, William Herlle, and his indignation bursts out in his reply :-

" I may say truly," he writes, " acuerunt linguas suas sicut serpentes ; venenum aspidum sub labris eorum. If they think me guilty they need not fear to accuse me, for I am not worthy to continue in this place : but I will yield myself worthy not only to be removed but to be punished as an example to all others. If they cannot prove all the lies they utter, let them make any one point wherewith to prove me guilty of falsehood, injustice, bribery, dissimulation, double-dealing in advice in Council either with her Majesty or with her councillors. . . . They that say in a rash and malicious mockery that England is now become regnum Caecilianum, may please their cankered humours with such a device, but if my actions be considered, if there be any cause given by me of such a nickname, they may be found out in many other juster causes to attribute other names than mine."

He goes on to speak of his houses at Theobalds, Burghley and in the Strand, 1 and then proceeds to complain of the small rewards he had received from the Queen for all his long services. The fee for the Treasurership was no more than it had been for three hundred years, and would not answer the charges of his stable. He had been obliged to sell land of his own to pay his expenses at Court. The hardest part of the public business was thrown upon him. Yet of the good things which the Queen had to bestow nothing had fallen to kinsman, servant, or follower of the house of Cecil.

1 These portions of the letter have already been quoted, pp. 34, 40. C. F

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