Wake was not only a man without enemies but he
was a man looked up to by persons of all opinions and
ranks. His qualities were sterling and, universally,
the estimate men had of him was high. We find the
Secretary of State, Craggs of South Sea Bubble fame,
writing to ask him to examine a counterfeiter of French
bank notes, who was willing to make a confession of
his plot to Wake and no one else. With Lord Cowper,
a Lord Chancellor of great distinction who twice held
the Seals — for the second time from 17 14 to 171 8 — he
was, as we have hinted, on terms of intimate friendship.
When long intrigue had driven Cowper to resign the
Lord Chancellorship, he communicates the fact at once
as to a valued friend.
On the 15 th April 171 8 he writes :

" I set down in haste to do my duty to your Grace in
sending you word that this day about 3 o'clock I sur-
rendered ye great Seale into his Majesty's hand." The
Chancellor intimates that he had found " that service
wd not consist with any tolerable degree of health.
