He entered on his office with the full purpose of doing its work better than it had ever been done.

He saw where it wanted reforming, and set himself at once to reform.

The accumulation and delay of suits had become grievous; at once he threw his whole energy into the task of wiping out the arrears which the bad health of his predecessor and the traditional sluggishness of the court had heaped up.

In exactly three months from his appointment he was able to report that these arrears had been cleared off.

"This day" (June 8, 1617), he writes to Buckingham, "I have made even with the business of the kingdom for common justice.