Coventry, then Lord Keeper, opposed
what seemed such an unreasonable extent of power as was annexed to the
office of Constable. On this opposition, according to Sir Anthony
Weldon, "the Duke peremptorily accosted Coventry, 'Who made you Lord
Keeper, Coventry?' He replied, 'The King.' Buckingham replied, 'It's
false; 'twas I did make you, and you shall know that I, who made you,
can, and will, unmake you.' Coventry thus answered him, 'Did I
conceive that I held my place by your favour, I would presently unmake
myself, by rendering up the seals to his Majesty.' Then Buckingham, in
a scorn and fury, flung from him, saying, 'You shall not keep it
long;' and surely, had not Felton prevented him, he had made good his
word."--WELDON'S _Court of King James and Charles._
Note IX. p. 134.--PAGES IN THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY
About this time the ancient customs arising from the long prevalence
of chivalry, began to be grossly varied from the original purposes of
the institution. None was more remarkable than the change which took
place in the breeding and occupation of pages. This peculiar species
of menial originally consisted of youths of noble birth, who, that
they might be trained to the exercise of arms, were early removed from
their paternal homes, where too much indulgence might have been
expected, to be placed in the family of some prince or man of rank and
military renown, where they served, as it were, an apprenticeship to
the duties of chivalry and courtesy.
Pages:
714
715
716
717
718
719
720
721
722
723
724
725
726
727
728
729
730
731
732
733
734
735
736
737
738