alter their style when he would. But when another of us said, we could not but in our own discharge send the king the letter, scilicet negandum non fuit; though indeed my way is otherwise. I have at last recovered from these companions, Harrison and Dale, a copy of my Lord of Bangor's book, the great one, and will presently set in hand the examinations. God keep you. Your assured Friend, February 5, 1619. FR. VERULAM, Canc. To the King. May it please your Majesty. Sir Edward Coke is now a-foot, and according to your command, signified by Mr. Secretary Calvert, we proceed in Peacock's examinations. For although there have been very good diligence used, yet certainly we are not at the bottom; and he that would not use the utmost of his line to sound such a business as this, should not have due regard neither to your majesty's honour nor safety. A man would think he were in Luke Hutton's case again; for as my Lady Roos personated Luke Hutton, so it seemeth, Peacock personateth Atkins. But I make no judgment yet, but will go on with all diligence; and, if it may not be done otherwise, it is fit Peacock be put to torture. deserveth it as well as Peacham did. He I beseech your majesty not to think I am more bitter, because my name is in it; for, besides that I always make my particular a cypher, when there is question of your majesty's honour and service, I think myself honoured for being brought into so good company. And as without flattery, I think your majesty the best of kings, and my noble Lord of Buckingham the best of persons favoured; so I hope, without presumption, for my honest and true intentions to state and justice, and my love to my master, I am not the worst of Chancellors. God ever preserve your majesty. 10th of February, 1619. Your Majesty's most obliged and most obedient Servant, Dr. Lewis Bayly, born at Caermarthen in Wales, and educated in Exeter College, Oxford. He had been minister of Evesham in Worcestershire, and chaplain to Prince Henry, and rector of St. Matthew's, Friday Street, in London. He was promoted to the bishoprick of Bangor in 1616. On the 15th of July, 1621, he was committed to the Fleet, but on what account is not related by Camden, Annales Regis Jacobi I. p. 72, who mentions the circumstance of the bishop's imprisonment; but that he was soon after set at liberty. He was the author of the well known book, The Practice of Piety. To the Lord Chancellor. Most honoured Lord, I presume, now after term (if there be any such thing as an afterterm with your Lordship,) to offer this inclosed paper* to your sight, concerning the Duke of Lerma; which, if your lordship have not already read, will not I think be altogether unpleasing, because it is full of particular circumstances. I know not how commonly it passeth up and down more or less. My friend, Mr. Gage, sent it me lately out of Spain. But howsoever, I build upon a sure ground; for though it should be vulgar, yet for my desire to serve your lordship, I cannot demerit so much, as not to deserve a pardon at your lordship's most noble hand. Before the departure of the Duke of Lerma from that court, there was written upon the gate for a pasquinade, that the house was governed por el Padre, y el Hijo, y un Santo; as in Paris about the same time was written upon the Louvre gate, C'est icy l'hostel des troys Roys; for Luynes's brother is almost as great as himself. But the while there is good store of kings now in Christendom, though there be one fewer than there was, In Spain, there are very extraordinary preparations for a great armada. Here is lately in this court a current speech as that the enterprise (whatsoever it should have been) is laid wholly aside: but that were strange. Yet this is certain, that the forces of men, to the number of almost two thousand, which were to have gone into Spain from hence, are discharged, together with some munition, which was also upon the point of being sent. Another thing is also certain, that both in the court of Spain and this, there is at this time a strange straitness of money; which I do not conceive, for my part, to proceed so much from want, as design to employ it. The rendezvous, where the forces were to meet, was at Malaga, within the Straits; which makes the enterprise upon Algiers most likely to be intended. For I take that to be a wild conceit, which thinks of going by the Adriatic per far in un Viaggio duoi servitii; as the giving a blow to Venice, and the landing of forces in aid of the King of Bohemia about Trieste. Perhaps the King of Spain would be glad to let the world see, that now he is hors de paye; and by shewing himself in some action, to intitle the Duke of Lerma to all I have, out of a ragged hand in Spanish, translated it, and accompanied it with some marginal notes for your lordship's greater ease. Note of Mr. Matthew. VOL. XII. CC his former sloth; or perhaps he now makes a great preparation, upon the pretence of some enterprise, that he will let fall, that so he may with the less noise assemble great forces some other year for some other attempt not spoken of now. My Lord Compton* is in this court, and goes shortly towards Italy. His fashion is sweet, and his disposition noble, and his conversation fair and honest. Diego, my Lord Roos's man, is come hither. I pray God it be to do me any good towards the recovery of the debt his Lord owes me. Most honoured Lord, I am here at good leisure to look back upon your lordship's great and noble goodness towards me, which may go for a great example in this age; and so it doth. That which I am sure of is, that my poor heart, such as it is, doth not only beat, but even boil in the desires it hath to do your lordship all humble service. I crave leave, though it be against good manners, that I may ever present my humblest service to my most honoured lady, my Lady Verulam, and Lady Constable, with my best respects to my dear friend, Sir John Constable; who, if your lordship want the leisure, would perhaps cast an eye upon the inclosed paper. I do, with more confidence, presume to address this other letter to Mr. Meautys, because the contents thereof concern your lordship's service. ever I beseech sweet Jesus to make and keep your lordship intirely happy. So I humbly do you reverence, remaining Your Lordship's most obliged Servant, TOBIE MATTHEW. P.S. I should be glad to receive some of your lordship's philosophical labours, if your lordship could so think fit. do now receive a letter from the Conde de Gondomar, who, thinking that it should find me in England, saith thus: Beso las manes mil vezes a mi sennor, el sennor Gran Chancilor, con my coracon; como estoy en su buena gracia. The empress is dead long since, and the emperor is so sickly, or rather so sick, that they forbear to bury her with solemnity, as conceiving, that he will save charge by dying shortly. They say here, that the business of Bohemia is growing towards an end by composition. Brussels, this 14th of February, 1619. Spencer, Lord Compton, only son of William, Earl of Northampton. This nobleman, who succeeded his father in his title and estate, in June, 1630, was killed at Hampton Heath, near Stafford, on Sunday, March 19, 1642-3, fighting for King Charles I. To the Marquis of Buckingham. My very good Lord, For the services committed to Sir Lionel Cranfield, after his majesty hath spoken with him, I shall attend and follow his majesty's pleasure and directions, and yield my best care, advice, and endeavour for performance. In the pretermitted duty I have some profit, and more was to have had, if Queen Anne had lived; wherefore I shall become an humble suitor to his majesty, that I may become no loser, specially seeing the business had been many a time and oft quite overthrown, if it had not been upheld only, or chiefly by myself; so that whatsoever service hath been since done, is upon my foundation. Mr. Attorney* groweth pretty pert with me of late; and I see well who they are that maintain him. But be they flies, or be they wasps, I neither care for buzzes nor stings, most especially in any thing that concerneth my duty to his majesty, or my love to your lordship. I forgot not in my public charge, the last Star-chamber day, to publish his majesty's honour for his late commission for the relief of the poor, and suppressing vagabonds; as also his gracious intention touching informers, which I perceive was received with much applause. That of projectors I spake not of, because it is not yet ripe, neither doth it concern the execution of any law, for which my speech was proper. God ever preserve and prosper you. Your Lordship's most obliged Friend February 17, 1619. and faithful Servant, To the Marquis of Buckingham. I send by post this sealed packet, containing my Lord of Suffolk's answer in the Star-chamber; I received it this evening at six of the clock, by the hands of the Master of the Rolls,† sealed as it is with my Lord of Suffolk's seal, and the Master's of the Rolls; but neither I, nor the Master of the Rolls know what is in it; but it cometh first to his majesty's sight. Only I did direct, that because the authentic copy (unto which my lord is sworn, according to the course of the court) is not so fit for his majesty's reading, my Lord of Suffolk should send withal a paper copy, which his majesty might read with less trouble. Sir Henry Yelverton. + Sir Julius Cæsar. My Lady Suffolk is so ill of the small-pox, as she is not yet fit to make any answer. * Bingley's answer is come in, a long one; and as I perceive, with some things impertinent, yea, and unfit. Of that I confer with Mr. Solicitor + to-morrow; and then I will farther advertise your lordship. God ever preserve and prosper you. Your Lordship's most obliged Friend York House, this 23d of Febr. 1619, FR. VERULAM, Canc. To the Lord Chancellor. Most honourable Lord, I do even now receive this letter from the Conde de Gondomar, with direction I should send it (since I am not there to deliver it) to Mr. Wyche, that so he may present it to your lordship's hand at such time, as it may be of most use to him. He commands me besides, that for his sake I should become an humble solicitor to your lordship for this friend of his; which I presume to do the more willingly, because this party is a great friend of mine, and so are also many of his friends my friends. Besides, he wills me to represent his great thanks to your lordship, for the just favours you have been pleased to vouchsafe to Mr. Wyche already, the rather in contemplation of the Conde, as he hath been informed. And if in the company, or rather in the attendance of so great an intercessor, it be not an unpardonable kind of ill manners to intrude myself, I presume to cast myself at your lordship's feet, with protestation that I shall be very particularly bound to your lordship's goodness for any favour, with justice, that he shall obtain. I beseech Jesus keep your lordship ever intirely happy; and so doing all humble reverence, I take leave. Brussels, this 26th of February, 1619. Your Lordship's most humble and most obliged Servant, TOBIE MATTHEW, To the Lord Chancellor.+ My honourable Lord, Understanding that there hath been a long and tedious suit depending in the Chancery between Robert D'Oyley and his wife, plaintiffs, and Leonard Lovace, defendant; Sir John Bingley's. + Sir Thomas Coventry. Harl. MSS. Vol. 7006. |