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Stephens's
second col-
Jection,
P. 4.

Ibid. p. 5.

CLII. To Sir GEORGE VILLIERS.

SIR,

I THINK I cannot do better service towards the good estate of the kingdom of Ireland than to procure the king to be well served in the eminent places of law and justice; I shall therefore name unto you for the attorney's place there, or for the solicitor's place, if the new solicitor shall go up, a gentleman of mine own breeding and framing, Mr. Edward Wyrthington of Gray's-Inn; he is born to eight hundred pounds a year; he is the eldest son of a most severe justicer, amongst the recusants of Lancashire, and a man most able for law and speech, and by me trained in the king's causes. My lord deputy, by my description, is much in love with the man. I hear my Lord of Canterbury, and Sir Thomas Laque, should name one Sir John Beare, and some other mean men. This man I commend upon my credit, for the good of his majesty's service. God ever preserve and prosper you. I rest Your most devoted and most bounden servant, 2' July, 1616. FR. BACON. CLIII. To Sir GEORGE VILLIERS, about Irish Affairs.

SIR,

BECAUSE I am uncertain whether his majesty will put to a point some resolutions touching Ireland, now at Windsor; I thought it my duty to attend his majesty by my letter, and thereby to supply my absence, for the renewing of some former commissions for Ireland, and the framing of a new commission for the wards and the alienations, which appertain properly to me as his majesty's attorney, and have been accordingly referred by the lords. I will undertake that they are prepared with a greater care, and better application to his majesty's service in that kingdom, than heretofore they have been; and therefore of that I say no more. And for the instructions of the new deputy, they have been set down by the two secretaries, and read to the

board; and being things of an ordinary nature, I do not see but they may pass.

But there have been three propositions and counsels which have been stirred, which seem to me of very great importance; wherein I think myself bound to deliver to his majesty my advice and opinion, if they should now come in question.

The first is, touching the recusant magistrates of the towns of Ireland, and the commonalties themselves their electors, what shall be done? Which consultation ariseth from the late advertisements of the two lords justices, upon the instance of the two towns, Limerick and Kilkenny; in which advertisements they represent the danger only, without giving any light for the remedy; rather warily for themselves, than agreeably to their duties and places.

In this point I humbly pray his majesty to remember, that the refusal is not of the oath of allegiance, which is not enacted in Ireland, but of the oath of supremacy, which cutteth deeper into matter of conscience. Also, that his majesty will, out of the depth of his excellent wisdom and providence, think, and, as it were, calculate with himself, whether time will make more for the cause of religion in Ireland, and be still more and more propitious; or whether deferring remedies will not make the case more difficult. For if time give his majesty advantage, what needeth precipitation to extreme remedies? But if time will make the case more desperate, then his majesty cannot begin too soon. Now, in my opinion, time will open and facilitate things for reformation of religion there, and not shut up and lock out the same. For, first, the plantations going on, and being principally of protestants, cannot but mate the other party in time; also his majesty's care in placing good bishops and divines, in amplifying the college there, and in looking to the education of wards and the like; as they are the most natural means, so are they like to be the most effectual and happy for the weeding out of popery, without using the temporal sword; so that, I think, I may truly conclude, that the ripeness of time is not yet come.

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Therefore my advice in all humbleness is, that this hazardous course of proceeding, to tender the oath to the magistrates of towns, proceed not, but die by degrees. And yet, to preserve the authority and reputation of the former council, I would have somewhat done; which is, that there be a proceeding to seizure of liberties; but not by any act of power, but by Quo warranto, or Scire facias; which is a legal course; and will be the work of three or four terms; by which time the matter will somewhat cool.

But I would not, in any case, that the proceeding should be with both the towns, which stand now in contempt, but with one of them only, choosing that which shall be thought most fit. For if his majesty proceed with both, then all the towns that are in the like case will think it a common cause; and that it is but their case to-day, and their own to-morrow. But if his majesty proceed with one, the apprehension and terror will not be so strong; for they will think it may be their case as well to be spared as prosecuted: and this is the best advice that I can give to his majesty in this strait; and of this opinion seemed my lord chancellor to be.

The second proposition is this: It may be his majesty will be moved to reduce the number of his council of Ireland, which is now almost fifty, to twenty, or the like number; in respect the greatness of the number doth both embase the authority of the council, and divulge the business. Nevertheless, I do hold this proposition to be rather specious and solemn, than needful at this time; for certainly it will fill the state full of discontentment: which in a growing and unsettled estate ought not to be.

This I could wish; that his majesty would appoint a select number of counsellors there, which might deal in the improvement of his revenue, being a thing not fit to pass through too many hands, and that the said selected number should have days of sitting by themselves, at which the rest of the council should not be present; which being once settled, then other principal business of state may be handled at those sittings, and

so the rest begin to be disused, and yet retain their countenance without murmur or disgrace.

The third proposition, as it is wound up, seemeth to be pretty, if it can keep promise; for it is this, that a means may be found to reinforce his majesty's army there by 500 or 1000 men; and that without any penny increase of charge. And the means should be, that there should be a commandment of a local removing, and transferring some companies from one province to another; whereupon it is supposed, that many that are planted in house and lands, will rather lose their entertainment, than remove; and thereby new men may have their pay, and yet the old be mingled in the country for the strength thereof.

In this proposition two things may be feared; the ⚫one, discontent of those that shall be put off; the other, that the companies shall be stuffed with Tirones, instead of Veterani. I wish therefore that this proposition be well debated ere it be admitted. Thus having performed that which duty binds me to do, I commend you to God's best preservation.

Your most devoted and bounden servant,

Gorhambury, July 5, 1616.

FR. BACON.

CLIV. To the KING.

It may please your most excellent Majesty,

ACCORDING to your commandment, I send inclosed the preface to the patent of creation of Sir George Villiers. I have not used any glaring terms, but drawn it according to your majesty's instructions, and the note which thereupon I framed, and your majesty allowed, with some additions which I have inserted. But I hope your majesty will be pleased to correct and perfect it. Your majesty will be also pleased to remember, that, if the creation shall be at Roughford, your pleasure and this draught be speedily returned; for it will ask a sending of the bill for your majesty's signature, and a sending back of the same to pass the

Stephens's second collection, p.

9.

[graphic]

seals, and a sending thereupon the patent itself: so it must twice be sent up and down before the day. God evermore preserve your majesty.

28 July, 1616.

Your majesty's most devoted
and most bounden servant,
FR. BACON.

Stephens's CLV. To Sir GEORGE VILLIERS, on sending his bill for Viscount.

second col

lection, P. 10.

SIR,

I SEND you the bill for his majesty's signature, reformed according to his majesty's amendments, both in the two places, which, I assure you, were both altered with great judgment, and in the third place, which his majesty termed a question only. But he is. an idle body that thinks his majesty asks an idle question; and therefore his majesty's questions are to be answered, by taking away the cause of the question, and not by replying.

For the name, his majesty's will is law in those things; and to speak truth, it is a well-sounding and noble name, both here and abroad; and being your proper name, I will take it for a good sign that you shall give honour to your dignity, and not your dignity to you. Therefore I have made it viscount Villiers: and for your barony, I will keep it for an earldom; for though the other had been more orderly, yet that is as usual, and both alike good in law.

6

For Roper's place, I would have it by all means

6 Sir John Roper, who had for many years enjoyed the place of the chief clerk for inrolling of pleas in the court of king's bench, esteemed to be worth about 40001. per annum, being grown old, was prevailed with to surrender it upon being created lord Teynham, with a reservation of the profits thereof to himself during life. Upon which surrender Sir George Villiers was to have the office granted to two of his trustees for their lives, as Carr earl of Somerset was to have had before. But the lord chief justice Coke not being very forward to accept of the surrender, or make a new grant of it upon those terms, he was upon the 3d of October, 1616, commanded to desist from the service of his place, and at last removed from it upon the 15th of November following. His successor Sir Henry Montagu, thrid son of Sir Edward Montagu, of Boughton in Northamptonshire, recorder of London,

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