Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

of my studying his service uprightly and carefully. If you be pleased to call for the paper which is with Mr. John Murray, and to find a fit time, that his majesty may cast an eye upon it, I think it will do no hurt and I have written to Mr. Murray to deliver the paper if you call for it. God keep you in all happiness.

Your truest servant.

A Letter to the King, concerning the Premunire, in the King's Bench, against the Chancery. February 21, 1615.

[Inserted in this Vol. p. 36.]

A Letter to the King of Advice, upon the Breach of the New Company, Feb. 25, 1615.

It may please your most excellent Majesty,

Your privy council have wisely and truly discerned of the orders and demands of the New Company that they are unlawful and unjust, and themselves have now acknowledged the work impossible without them by their petition in writing now registered in the Council Book: so as this conclusion (of their own making) is become peremptory and final to themselves; and the impossibility confessed the practice and abuse, reserved to the judgment the state shall make of it.

This breach then of this great contract is wholly on their part; which could not have been, if your majesty had broken upon the patent: for the patent was your majesty's act, the orders are their act; and in the former case they had not been liable to further question, now they are.

There rest two things to be considered: the one, if they (like Proteus when he is hard held) shall yet again vary their shape and shall quit their orders convinced of injustice, and lay their imposition only upon the Trade of Whites, whether your majesty shall further expect? The

other, if your majesty dissolve them upon this breach on their part, what is further to be done for the setting of the trade again in joint, and for your own honour and profit? In both which points I will not presume to give opinion, but only to break the business for your majesty's better judgment.

[ocr errors]

For the first, I am sorry the occasion was given (by my Lord Cooke's speech at this time of the commitment of some of them), that they should seek, omnem movere lapidem" to help themselves. Better it had been, if (as my Lord Fenton said to me that morning very judiciously, and with a great deal of foresight); that for that time, they should have had a bridge made for them to be gone. But my Lord Cooke floweth according to his own tides, and not according to the tides of business. The thing which my Lord Cooke said, was good and too little, but at this time it was too much. But that is past. Howsoever, if they should go back, and seek again to entertain your majesty with new orders or offers (as is said to be intended) your majesty hath ready two answers of repulse, if it please your majesty to use them.

The one, that this is now the fourth time that they have mainly broken with your majesty and contradicted themselves. First, they undertook to dye and dress all the cloths of the realm; soon after they wound themselves into the Trade of Whites, and came down to the proportion contracted. Secondly, they ought to have performed that contract according to their subscription, pro ratâ, without any of these orders and impositions: soon after they deserted their subscription, and had recourse to these devices of orders. Thirdly, if by order and not by subscription, yet their orders should have laid it upon the Whites, which is an unlawful and prohibited trade, nevertheless, they would have brought in lawful and settled trades, full manufactures, merchandize of all natures, poll money or brotherhood money and I cannot tell what. And now lastly, it seemeth

VOL. XI.

L

they would go back to lay it upon the Whites: And therefore whether your majesty will any more rest and build this great wheel of your kingdom, upon these broken and brittle pins, and try experiments further upon the health and body of your state, I leave to your princely judgment.

The other answer of repulse is a kind of opposing them what they will do after the three years contracted for? Which is a point hitherto not much stirred, though Sir Lionel Cranfield hath ever beaten upon it in his speech with me: for after the three years they are not tied, otherways than as trade shall give encouragement; of which encouragement your majesty hath a bitter taste. And if they should hold on according to the third year's proportion, and not rise on by further gradation, your majesty hath not your end. No, I fear, and having long feared that this feeding of the foreigner may be dangerous. For as we may think to hold up our clothing by vent of Whites till we can dye and dress; so they (I mean the Dutch) will think to hold up their manufacture of dying and dressing upon our Whites till they can cloth: so as your majesty hath the greatest reason in the world to make the New Company to come in and strengthen that part of their contract; and they refusing (as it is confidently believed they will) to make their default more visible to all men.

For the second main part of your majesty's consultation (that is what shall be done supposing an absolute breach) I have had some speech with Mr. Secretary Lake, and likewise with Sir Lionel Cranfield; and (as I conceive) there may be three ways taken into consideration. The first is, that the Old Company be restored, who (no doubt) are in appetite, and (as I find by Sir Lionel Cranfield) not unprepared; and that the licences, the one, that of 30,000 cloths, which was the old licence; the other, that of my Lord of Cumberland's, which is without stint (my Lord of Cumberland receiving satisfaction), be compounded into

one entire licence without stint; and then that they amongst themselves take order for that profit which hath been offered to your majesty. This is a plain and known way, wherein your majesty is not an actor; only it hath this that the work of dying and dressing cloths, which hath been so much glorified, seemeth to be wholly relinquished if you leave there. The second is, that there be a free trade of cloth with this difference; that the dyed and dressed pay no custom and the Whites double custom, it a merchandize prohibited and only licentiate. This continueth in life and fame the work desired, and will have popular applause. But I do confess I did ever think, that trading in companies is most agreeable to the English nature which wanteth that same general vein of a republic, which runneth in the Dutch; and serveth to them instead of a Company. And therefore, I dare not advise to adventure this great trade of the kingdom (which hath been so long under government) in a free or loose trade. The third is, a compounded way of both which is, to go on with the Trade of Whites by the Old Company restored; and that your majesty's profit be raised by order amongst themselves, rather than by double custom wherein you must be the actor: and that nevertheless there be added a privilege to the same company to carry out cloths dyed and dressed custom free; which will still continue as a glorious beam of your majesty's royal design. I hope and wish at least that this, which I have written, may be of some use to your majesty to settle by the advice of the lords about you this great business. At the least it is the effect of my care and poor ability, which if in me be any, it is given me to no other end but faithfully to serve your majesty. God ever

preserve you.

Your majesty's most humble subject,
and bounden servant.

Another Letter, to Sir George Villiers, touching a motion, to swear him Councillor. February 27, 1615.

Sir,

But

I humbly pray you not to think me over hasty or much in appetite, if I put you in remembrance of my motion of strengthening me with the oath and trust of a privy councillor; not for mine own strength (for as to that, I thank God I am armed within) but for the strength of my service. The times, I submit to you who knoweth them best. sure I am, there were never times which did more require a king's attorney to be well armed, and (as I said once to you) to wear a gauntlet and not a glove. The arraignments when they proceed; the contention between the Chancery and King's Bench; the great cause of the Rege inconsulto, which is so precious to the king's prerogative; divers other services that concern the king's revenue, and the repair of his estate. Besides, it pleaseth his majesty to accept well of my relations touching his business; which may seem a kind of interloping (as the merchants call it) for one that is no councillor. But I leave all unto you, thinking myself infinitely bounden unto you for your great favours; the beams whereof I see plainly reflect upon me even from others: so that now I have no greater ambition than this; that as the king sheweth himself to you the best master, so I might be found your best servant. In which wish and vow, I shall ever rest.

Most devoted and affectionate to

obey your commands.

A Letter to the King, upon some inclination of his Majesty to him, for the Chancellor's Place, April, 1616.

[Inserted in this Vol. p. 43.]

« AnteriorContinuar »