Page "Henry Wotton" Paragraph 7

He obtained no diplomatic employment for some time, but seems to have finally won back the royal favour by his parliamentary support in for James's claim to impose arbitrary taxes on merchandise.

In 1614 he was elected Member of Parliament for Appleby in the Addled Parliament.

He was sent to the Hague and in 1616 he returned to Venice.

In 1620 he was sent on a special embassy to Ferdinand II at Vienna, to do what he could on behalf of James's daughter Elizabeth of Bohemia.

Wotton's devotion to this princess, expressed in his exquisite verses beginning " You meaner beauties of the night ," was sincere and unchanging.

At his departure the emperor presented him with a valuable jewel, which Wotton received with due respect, but before leaving the city he gave it to his hostess, because, he said, he would accept no gifts from the enemy of the Bohemian queen.