a

TO SIR FRANCIS BARNIIAM.*

TO THE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM.

my time.

if I may obtain, I can say no more, but nobleness covered your health, and are come to the court, is ever requited in itself; and God, whose spe- and the Parliament business hath also intermiscial favour in my afflictions I have manifestly sion, I firmly hope your grace will deal with his found to my comfort, will, I trust, be my pay- majesty, that as I have tasted of his mercy, I may master of that which cannot be requited by also taste of his bounty. Your grace, I know, Your lordship’s affectionate

for a business of a private man, cannot win yourhumble servant, &c. self more honour; and I hope I shall yet live to Endorsed, February 2, 1623.

do you service. For my fortune hath (I thank
God) made no alteration in my mind, but to the
better. I ever rest humbly

Your grace's most obliged
and faithful servant,

Fr. Sr. ALBAN. Good Cousin,

Upon a little searching, made touching the If I may know by two or three words from patents of the survey of coals, I find matter not your grace, that you will set in for me, I will proonly to acquit myself, but likewise to do myself pound somewhat that shall be modest, and leave much right.

it to your grace, whether you will move his maAny reference to me, or any certificate of mine, jesty yourself, or recommend it by some of your I find not. Neither is it very likely I made any; lordship's friends, that wish me well; [as my for that, when it came to the great seal, I stayed Lord of Arundel, or Secretary Conway, or Mr. it. I did not only stay it, but brought it before James Maxwell.*] the council table, as not willing to pass it, except their lordships allowed it. The lords gave hearing to the business, I remember, two several days; and in the end disallowed it, and commended my care and circumspection, and ordered, EXCELLENT LORD, that it should continue stayed; and so it did all I understand by Sir John Suckling, that he at

tended yesterday at Greenwich, hoping, accordAbout a twelvemonth since, my Lord Duke of ing to your grace's appointment, to have found Lenox, now deceased, t wrote to me to have the you there, and to have received your grace's privy seal; which, though I respected his lord- pleasure touching my suit, but missed of you: ship much, I refused to deliver to him, but was and this day he sitteth upon the subsidy at Brentcontent to put it into the right hand ; that is, to ford, and shall not be at court this week: which send it to my lord keeper,& giving knowledge how causeth me to use these few lines to hear from it had been stayed. My lord keeper received it your grace, I hope, to my comfort ; humbly prayby mine own servant, writeth back to me, ac- ing pardon, if I number thus the days, and that knowledging the receipt, and adding, that he misery should exceed modesty. I ever rest would lay it aside until his lordship heard farther

Your grace's most faithful from my lord steward,s and the rest of the lords.

and obliged servant, Whether this first privy seal went to the great

FR. ST. ALBAN. seal, or that it went about again, I know not : June 30, 1624. but all my part is, that I have related. I ever rest Your faithful friend and cousin,

FR. ST. ALBAN.

TO SIR RICHARD WESTON, CUANCELLOR OF THE

EXCHEQUER. March 14, 1623.

MR. CHANCELLOR,—This way, by Mr. Myn, besides a number of little difficulties it hath. amounteth to this, that I shall pay interest for mine own money. Besides, I must confess, I

cannot bow my mind to be a suitor, much less a My LORD,—I am now full three years old in shifter, for that means which I enjoy by his mamisery ; neither hath there been any thing done jesty's grace and bounty. And, therefore, I am for me, whereby I might either die out of igno- rather ashamed of that I have done, than minded miny, or live out of want. But now, that your to go forward. So that I leave it to yourself what grace (God's name be praised for it) hath re

you

think fit to be done in your honour and my

TO THE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM.

TO TIE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM.

near at hand, which I thought would have been Excellent Lord,

a longer matter; and I imagine there is a gratiastiNow that your grace hath the king private, and tium till he come. I do not doubt but you shall at better leisure, the noise of soldiers, ambassa- find his grace nobly disposed. The last time dors, parliaments, a little ceasing, I hope you that you spake with him about me, I remember will remember your servant; for at so good a you sent me word, he thanked you for being so time,* and after so long a time, to forget him, forward for me. Yet, I could wish that you took were alınost to forsake him. But, howsoever, I some occasion to speak with him, generally to shall still remain

my advantage, before you move to him any partiYour grace's most obliged and faithful servant, cular suit; and to let me know how you find him.

Fr. St. ALBAN. My lord treasurer sent me a good answer touchI am bold to put into my good friend, Sir Tobie ing my moneys. I pray you continue to quicken Matthew's hand, a copy of my petition, which fire of old wood needeth no blowing; but old

him, that the king may once clear with me. And your grace had sent to Sir John Suckling.

men do. I ever rest Endorsed, August, 1624.

Yours to do you service.

TO SIR ROBERT PYE.

a

a

TO THE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM. Excellent LORD,

I am infinitely bound to your grace for your late Good Sir Robert Pye, favours. I send your grace a copy of your letter, Let me entreat you to despatch that warrant of signifying his majesty's pleasure, and of the a petty sum, that it may help to hear my charge petition. The course, I take it, must be, to make of coming up* to London. The duke, you know, a warrant for the execution of the same, by way loveth me, and my lord treasurert standeth now of reference to Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, towards me in very good affection and respect. and Mr. Attorney.t I most humbly pray your You, that are the third person in these businesses, grace likewise, to prostrate me at his majesty's I assure myself, will not be wanting; for you feet, with most humble thanks for the grant of my have professed and showed, ever since I lost the petition, whose sweet presence since I discon- seal, your good will towards me. I rest tinued, methinks, I am neither amongst the living, Your affectionate and assured friend, etc. nor amongst the dead.

Endorsed, I cannot but likewise gratulate his majesty on

To Sir Robert Pye. Gor. 1625. the extreme prosperous success of his business, since this time twelvemonth. I know I speak it in a dangerous time; because the die of the Low Countries is upon the throw. But yet that is all

TO THE EARL OF DORSET. one. For, if it should be a blow, (which I hope in God it shall not,) yet it would have been ten

My very GOOD LORD, times worse, if former courses had not been taken.

This gentleman, the bearer hereof, Mr. Colles But this is the raving of a hot ague.

by name, is my neighbour. He is commended God evermore bless his majesty's person and for a civil young man. I think he wanteth no designs, and likewise make your grace a spectacle metal, but he is peaceable. It was his hap to fall

out with Mr. Matthew Francis, sergeant at arms, of prosperity, as you have hitherto been. Your grace's most faithful and obliged,

about a toy; the one affirming, that a hare was and by you revived servant,

fair killed, and the other, foul. Words multiplied, Fr. St. ALBAN.

and some blows passed on either side. But since Gray's Inn, 9th of October, 1024.

the first falling out, the serjeant hath used towards him diverse threats and affronts, and, which is a

point of danger, sent to him a letter of challenge: TO THE CHANCELLOR OF THE DUCHY,I SIR but Mr. Colles, doubting the contents of the

HUMPHREY MAY. Good MR. CHANCELLOR,

* From Gorhambury. I do approve very well your forbearance to + Sir James, Lord Ley, advanced from the post of Lord

Chief Justice of the King's Bench, on the 20th of December, move my suits, in regard the duke's returng is so 1624, 10 that of lord treasurer; and created Earl of Marlbo.

a

letter, refused to receive it. Motions have been some servants, and some of my kindred, apt for made also of reconcilement, or of reference to the place you write of, and have been already so some gentlemen of the country not partial: but much importuned by noble persons, when I lately the serjeant hath refused all, and now, at last, was with his majesty at Salisbury, as it will be sueth him in the Earl Marshal's Court. The hard to me to give them all denial; I am not able gentleman saith, he distrusteth not his cause upon to discern, how I can accommodate your servant; the hearing; but would be glad to avoid restraint, though for your sake, and in respect of the former or long and chargeable attendance. Let me, there- knowledge myself have had of the merit and fore, pray your good lordship to move the noble worth of the gentleman, I should be most ready earl* in that kind, to carry a favourable hand and willing to perform your desire, if it were in towards him, such as may stand with justice and my power. And so, with remembrance of my the order of that court. I ever rest

service to your lordship, I remain Your lordship's faithful friend and servant.

At your lordship's commandment,
Endorsed,

L'uo. COVENTRY.
To E. Dorset. Gor. 1625.

Kingsbury, Oct. 29, 1625.
To the right honourable, and my very good lord,

the Viscount St. Alban.

TO MR. ROGER PALMER.

SIR THOMAS COVENTRY, ATTORNEY-GENERAL,

TO THE LORD VISCOUNT ST. ALBAN. MY VERY GOOD LORD,

I received from your lordship two letters, the one of the 23d, the other of the 28th of this month. Good Mr. Roger PALMER, To the former, I do assure your lordship I have I thank God, by means of the sweet air of the not heard any thing of any suits or motion, either country, I have obtained some degree of health. touching the reversion of your honours or the rent Sending to the court, I thought I would salute of your farm of petty writs; and, if I had heard you : and I would be glad, in this solitary time any thing thereof, I would not have been unmind- and place, to hear a little from you how the ful of that caveat, which heretofore you gave in world goeth, according to your friendly manner by former letters, nor slack to do you the best ser- heretofore, vice I might.

Fare

ye

well most heartily. The debt of Sir Nicolas Bacon resteth as it did;

Your very affectionate and assured friend, for in the latter end of King James's time, it

Fr. St. ALBAN. exhibited a quo warranto in the Exchequer, touch- Gorhambury, Oct. 29, 1625. ing that liberty, against Sr. Nicolas, which abated by his death ; then another against Sir Edmund, which, by the demise of the king, and by reason

TO THE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM. of the adjournment of the late term, hath had no farther proceeding, but that day is given to plead. EXCELLENT LORD,

Concerning your other letter, I humbly thank I could not but signify unto your grace my your lordship for your favourable and good wishes rejoicing, that God hath sent your grace a son to me; though I, knowing my own unaptness to and heir, * and that you are fortunate as well in 80 great an employment,t should be most heartily your house, as in the state of the kingdom. glad, if his majesty had, or yet would choose, a These blessings come from God, as I do not man of more merit. But, if otherwise, humble-doubt but your grace doth, with all thankfulness, ness and submission becomes the servant, and to acknowledge, vowing to him your service. Mystand in that station where his majesty will have self, I praise his divine Majesty, have gotten him. But as for the request you make for your some step into health. My wants are great; but servant, though I protest I am not yet engaged yet I want not a desire to do your grace service; and by promise to any, because I hold it too much I marvel, that your grace should think to pull down boldness towards my master, and discourtesy the monarchy of Spain without my good help. towards my lord keeper, to dispose of places, Your grace will give me leave to be merry, howwhile he had the seal : yet, in respect I have ever the world goeth with me. I ever rest

Your grace's most faithful * Arundel, Earl Marshal.

and obliged servant, &c. † Bishop Williams, who had resigned the great seal on the

I wish your grace a good new year. 2th of October, 1625, to Sir John Suckling, who brought bis majesty's warrant to receive it, date at Salisbury, on the 23d of that month.

* Born November 17, 1625, and named Charles.-Diary of That of the great seal, of which Sir Thomas Coventry the Life of Archbishop Laud, published by Mr. Wharton, p. was three days after made lord keeper, on the 1st of Novem- 24. This son of the duke died the 16th of March, 1626-7.ber, 1625.

Ibid., p. 40

0

TO SIR HUMPIIREY MAY, CHANCELLOR OF THE miration, that those civil acts of sovereignty, DUCHY OF LANCASTER.

which are of the greatest merit, and, therefore, of Good MR. CHANCELLOR,

truest glory, are, by the providence of God, maniI did wonder what was become of you, and festly put into your hands, as a chosen vessel tc was very glad to hear you were come to court; receive from God, and an excellent instrument to which, methinks, as the times go, should miss work amongst men the best and noblest things. you as well as I.

The highest degree of sovereign honour is to be I send you another letter, which I wrote to you founder of a kingdom or estate ; for as, in the acts of an old date, to avoid repetition; and I continue of God, the creation is more than the conservamy request then to you, to sound the Duke of tion; and as among men the birthday is accounted Buckingham's good affection towards me, before the chiefest of the days of life ; so, to found a you do move him in the particular petition. kingdom is more worthy than to augment, or to Only the present occasion doth invite me to desire, administer the same. And this is an honour that that his grace would procure me a pardon of the no man can take from your majesty, that the day king of the whole sentence. My writ for Parlia- of your coming to the crown of England was as ment I have now had twice before the time, and the birthday of the kingdom entire Britain. that without any express restraint not to use it. The next degree of sovereign honour, is the It is true, that I shall not be able, in respect of plantation of a country or territory, and the reducmy health, to attend in Parliament; but yet Ition of a nation, from waste soil and barbarous might make a proxy. Time hath turned envy to manners, to a civil population. And in this kind pity; and I have a long cleansing week of five also your majesty hath made a fair and prosperous years' expectation and more. Sir John Bennet beginning in your realm of Ireland. The third hath his pardon ; and my Lord of Somerset hath eminent act of sovereignty is to be a lawgiver, his pardon, and, they say, shall sit in Parliament. whereof he speaketh, My Lord of Suffolk cometh to Parliament, though

Pace data terris, animum ad civilia vertit not to council. I hope I deserve not to be the

Jura suum, legesque tulit justissimus author. only outcast.

And another saith, “ Ecquid est, quod tam propriè God keep you. I ever rest Your most affectionate friend,

dici potest actum ejus, qui togatus in republicâ cum to do you service.

potestate imperioque versatur, quam lex. Quære I wish you a good new year.

acta Gracchi; leges Semproniæ proferentur:

quære Syllæ, Corneliæ quid ? Cnei Pompeii terEndorsed,

tius consulatus in quibus actis consistit? Nempe To the Chancellor of the Duchy. Gor. 1625. legibus. A Cæsare ipso si quæreres quidnam

egisset in urbe et toga ; leges multas se respon

deat et præclaras tulisse.” TO THE MARQUIS D'EFFIAT, THE FRENCH AM

BASSADOR. Mons. L'AMBASSADEUR, MON Fils,

Vous scavez que le commencement est la moitié du fait. Voyla pourquoy je vous ay escrit ce IT MAY PLEASE YOUR MAJESTY, petit mot de lettre, vous priant de vous souvenir A full heart is like a full pen ; it can hardly de vostre noble promesse de me mettre en la bonne make any distinguished work. The more I look grâce de nostre très-excellente reyne, et m'en faire upon my own weakness, the more I must magnify recevoir quelque gracieuse demonstration. Vostre

your favours; and the more I behold your favours, excellence prendra aussi, s'il vous plaist, quelque the more I must consider mine own weakness. occasion de prescher un peu, à mon advantage en This is my hope, that God, who hath moved your l'oreille du Duc de Buckingham en général. Dieu heart to favour me, will write your service in my vous ayt en sa saincte garde. Vostre très-affectionné et très-humble serviteur, heart. Two things I may promise; for, although

Fr. Sr. ALBAN.

they be not mine own, yet they are surer than Jan. 18, 1625.

mine own, because they are God's gifts; that is, integrity and industry. And, therefore, whenso

ever I shall make my account to you, I shall do The following letters, wanting both dates and cir- it in these words, ecce tibi lucrifici, and not ecce cumstances to determine such dates, are placed

mihi lucrifeci. And for industry, I shall take to here together.

me, in this procuration, not Martha's part, to be busied in many things, but Mary's part, which is,

to intend your service; for the less my abilities May IT PLEASE Your Majesty,

are, the more they ought to be contracted ad unum. Thinking often, as I ought, of your majesty's For the present, I humbly pray your majesty to virtue and fortune, I do observe, not without ad-I accept my most humble thanks and vows as the

TO THE KING.

'" TO KING JAMES I.

forerunners of your service, which I shall always

DRAUGHT OF A LETTER TO THE MARQUIS OP

BUCKINGHAM, NOT SENT.* perform with a faithful heart. Your majesty's most obedient servant,

My LORD:-I say to myself, that your lordship Fr. Bacon. hath forsaken me; and I think I am one of the last,

that findeth it, and in nothing more than that, twice at London, your lordship would not vouchsafe to

see me, though the latter time I begged it of you. TO THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM.

If your lordship lack any justification about MY VERY GOOD LORD,

York House, good my lord, think of it better; I hear yesterday was a day of very great for I assure your lordship, that motion to me was honour to his majesty, which I do congratulate. to me as a second sentence; for I conceived it I hope, also, his majesty may reap honour out of sentenced me to the loss of that, which I thought my adversity, as he hath done strength out of my was saved from the former sentence, which is prosperity. His majesty knows best his own

your

love and favour. But sure it could not be ways; and for me to despair of liim, were a sin that pelting matter, but the being out of sight, not to be forgiven. I thank God, I have over

out of use, and the ill offices done me, perhaps, come the bitterness of this cup by Christian reso

by such as have your ear. Thus I think, and lution, so that worldly matters are but mint and thus I speak; for I am far enough from any basecumin.

ness or detracting, but shall ever love and honour God ever preserve you.

you, howsoever I be Endorsed,

Your forsaken friend and freed servant, To my Lord Buckingham, after my troubles.

FR. ST. ALBAN.

INGH

TO THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM.

TO THE MARQUIS OF MY VERY GOOD LORD,

MY VERY GOOD LORD, I thought it my duty to take knowledge to his

It is vain to cure the accidents of a disease, majesty from your lordship, by the enclosed, except the cause be found and removed. I know that, much to my comfort, I understand his ma- adversity is apprehensive; but I fear it is too jesty doth not forget me nor forsake me, but hath true, that now I have lost honour, power, profit, a gracious inclination to me, and taketh care of and liberty, I have, in the end, lost that which to me; and to thank his majesty for the same. I

me was more dear than all the rest, which is my perceive, by some speech, that passed between friend. A change there is apparent and great; your lordship and Mr. Meautys, that some and nothing is more sure, than that nothing hath wretched detractor hath told you, that it were proceeded from and since my troubles, either strange I should be in debt; for that I could not towards your lordship or towards the world, but have received a hundred thousand pounds which hath made me unworthy of your undegifts since I had the seal; which is an abomina- served favours or undesired promises. Good my ble falsehood. Such tales as these made St. lord, deal so nobly with me, as to let me know James say, that the tongue is a fire, and itself fired whether I stand upright in your favour, that from hell, whither when these tongues shall re- either I may enjoy my wonted comfort, or see my turn they will beg a drop of water to cool them. I griefs together, that I may the better order them; praise God for it, I never took penny for any be- though, if your lordship should never think nefice or ecclesiastical living; I never took penny more of me, yet your former favours should bind for releasing any thing I stopped at the seal; I

me to be never took penny for any commission, or things

Your lordship's most obliged of that nature; I never shared with any servant

and faithful servant, for any second or inferior profit. My offences I

FR. Sr. ALBAN. have myself recorded, wherein I studied, as a good confessant, guiltiness, and not excuse; and, therefore, I hope it leaves me fair to the king's grace, and will turn many men's hearts to me.

TO THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM. As for my debts, I showed them your lordship, when you saw the little house and the farm, My Very Good Lord, besides a little wood or desert, which you saw not.

This extreme winter hath turned, with me, a If these things were not true, although the weakness of body into a state that I cannot call joys of the penitent be sometimes more than the health, but rather sickness, and that more dangerjoys of the innocent, I could not be as I am. God bless you and reward you for your con