and protection, we again humbly intreat the University and ourselves may be freed from that danger which by them is intended to us. By their own reports, it is a matter of honour and advantage for which they sue: when they were at the lowest, and in their meanest fortunes, they ever shewed themselves unkind neighbours to us; and their suits with us, within these few years have caused us to spend our common treasury, and trouble our best friends, and therefore we cannot expect peace amongst them, when their thoughts and wills shall be winged and strengthened by that power and authority which the very bare title of a city will give unto them. Since our late letter to the right honourable Lord Chancellor, your honour, and his majesty's Attorney General, we (being better informed of the course they take, and of their confidence to prevail at the end of the next term) have sent letters from the body of the University to the King's majesty, the Lord Chancellor, and others, our honourable friends; shewing them of our fear, and their purpose, and to entreat them to join with your honour and us, to his majesty, to stay their suit before we be driven to further charge or trouble, in entertaining counsel, or soliciting our friends. Thus humbly entreating your honour to pardon our importunity, and often soliciting your lordship in this business, with our earnest prayers to the Almighty for your honour's long life and happy estate, we end this. Your Honour's in all duty February, 1616. to be commanded. Honoratissimo Domino Francisco Domino de Verulamio, Equiti Aurato summo Angliæ Cancellario, Regiæque Majestrati Consiliario dignissimo.* Honoratissime Domine, Herculem olim Antiquitas ceu Musagetem coluit, quia mutuis operibus, ac præmiis jurari invicem ornarique deberent, et virtus Herculis voce Musarum, et Musarum quies defensione Herculis. Expecta est sæpiusculè nostra etiam sororia, et favoris tui æmula Academia te suum Herculem; quo nec præsentius aliquid, nec studiis mage propitium numen est. Teque adeo alumnorum suorum fautorem, te ultorem injuariarum, te cognitorem juris sui, te dignitatis juxta, ac libertatis suæ assertorem non jucundâ minus quàm gratâ subinde animi recordatione veneratur. Perge (illustrissime Mæcenas) perge usque sic beare, sic nobilitare Musas, Musisque dicata hospitia, et Emporia; ut sub tua * Sloan. MS. 35 2. art. 80. lauro deponant fessum latus, et sub ala, nutuque tuo vitam ac sanguinem recipiant. Ut portus in mari Deus statuit, jactatis refugium; sic vos magnos Patronos, quibus in turbida fortuna recreemur. Quod rovemus, et (quæ suggerit nobis sive importunior spes seu fiducia promptior) pristinam illam tuam omnem variís, nec obscuris indiciis exertam in nos benignitatem, tanquam novi hujus, et succedanei (quod impræsentiarum petimus) benificii tesseram aliquam, et quasi stipulationem accipimus. Imminet jam nostræ Mantuæ incursionis periculum a vicinâ, et contigui liminis cremonâ: quæ sub ementitæ dignitatis larva, ac prætextu, veræ, ac veteri dignitati nostræ insidiatur: nec vanus nobis subest suspitionis metus, ne dum surgant civitatis hujus monia, mox Academiæ Barietes injurioso (sed occulto) pede conculcentur. Esto quidem per nos (imo sit per vos) Cantabrigia civitas florentissima (cur enim honorem tunc ipsi nobis invideamus?) sit tamen (ita uti nomen ei olim in archivis cluet) civitas literarum, non illiberalium opificum: qui dum majores nido pennas extundunt, et civitatis (quam ambiunt), et universitatis (cui invident) dignitatem eunt delibatum. Honorem nobis obtendunt, et auctiorem Oxon ioque rivalem splendoris cumulum? Officiæ meræ, et hamatum lenocinium. Blandiens rentus nos non inducet, quin tempestatem, et nimbum expectemus. Ut aves semel deceptæ, cæteros etiam cibos viscatos credunt: sic ab imposturâ ut ut speciosâ, quod etiam bonum, syncerumque videtur, esse id tamen omne dilutum, atque incrustatum, haud perperam suspicamur. Nos macti titulis illis, ac municipiis, quos Principum Diplomata, et domina rerum consuetudo longâ amorum serie firmatos nobis indulserunt in propria pelle quiescimus, haud ignari, noxios interdum, curiosos sæpe, semper suspectos esse Novatores, qui ut aliquid sui videantur afferre, etiam recta mutant in deterius. Tu verò Amplissime Heros (quæ summa sua erit, cum summâ prudentiâ, et equitate conjuncta humanitas) privilegiorum nostrorum Paladium sartum tectum conservabis; decernes nihil, quod Athenis nostris, vel in jacturam cedat vel molestiam, nec committes, ut qui per emensum omne vitæ spacium clarè se ostendit, vel in extremo ætatis Curriculo claudatur honorificus ille tuus Erga togatam gentem affectus. Quod superest Deum optimum Maximum calidâ votorum nuncupatione veneramur ut te Ecclesiæ Patriæ, Academiæ bono coclitis natam divinare in terris velit, * Addit. MS. Mus. Brit. No. 5503. fol. 98. jubeat, et cui Nestoreum pectus, annos etiam concedat Nestoreos, usque et usque ad novissimam senectutis lineam, imo ad famæ, et æternitatis metam fælicibus auspiciis decurrentes. Parum est enim optare tantæ virtuti, tantæque pietati quem longissimum habet humana vita progressum. Honori tuo omni cultu, et Date Senatu frequenti nostro tertio Idus, Februarii, 1616. obsequio Devinctissimi. Procancellarius reliquusque cæterus Academiæ Cantabrigiensis. A letter to my Lord of Buckingham, touching Mompesson's business of Inns.* My very good Lord, We are left a little naked in the business of Inns, by the death of Justice Nicholls; and my Lord Chief Baron and Mr. Justice Crooke having been with me, do desire the number of three may be fulfilled. I have therefore sent your lordship a warrant for the king's signature, wherein Justice Winch is put in Justice Nicholls's place. It is also altered at my request, in that other point of the former warrant, whereby the certificate was required in writing, which they desire may be by attending his majesty themselves, at his coming, which I do think to be the more convenient and the more usual for judges. I ever rest Your Lordship's true and most devoted Servant. October 18, 1616. Lord of Buckingham, touching Mompesson's My very good Lord, I am much troubled in mind, for that I hear you are not perfectly well, without whose health I cannot joy, and without whose life, I desire not to be. I hear nothing from Mr. Mompesson, save that some tell me he is knighted, which I am glad of, because he may the better fight with the bull and the bear, and the Saracen's head, and such fearful creatures. For Sir Robert Killigrewe's suit of enrollment of apprentices, I doubt we must part it; but yet I suppose it may be left valuable. Your office is dispatched, and your books in effect. I * Addit. MS. Mus. Brit. No. 5503. fol. 98. + Ibid. have given his majesty an account of those things wherein I have received his pleasure from your lordship by this letter which I send open. Good, my lord, once again have care of your health; and learn what Cardanus saith, that more men die of cold after exercise, than are slain in the wars. God ever keep you. Your Lordship's true and much devoted Servant. Nov. 21, 1616. A Letter from his Majesty to your Lordship, touching the Business of the Mint*. Right trusty and right beloved Counsellor, we greet you well. Before your letters came to us, we had been informed of the pains and diligence you had shewed in our service, which we take very graciously at your hands, and thank you for it, desiring you still to continue in the course whereinto you have made so good an entrance, and have taken the right way of examining the business. And, whereas, you give your opinion of the Mint, we have thought fit to remember unto you the usual form which we have ever used in matters of consequence, that when you have taken the laborious part upon you in examination of the business, we first here report of the whole proceeding, before we give our resolution thereupon. And, therefore, until we hear the report of it in particular, we cannot conclude with you. As for the point of the stay of commerce, we agree with you in opinion thus far, that you call three or four of the aldermen whom you shall think fittest, and assure them, in our name, that we see no likelihood or reason of raising our coin, for ought we have yet heard, but rather of the contrary; and that the raising of the value of the coin will be the last course we shall take, when we see no other means left; for which we yet see no cause, and, therefore, the stop of money is needless. As for the committee, we think it fit that they should continue to meet, until we have brought the business to such ripeness, that by the report thereof, at our return, we may perfectly understand every particular. Given at our Court at Newmarket, this 4th of December, 1618. * Addit. MS. 5503. fol. 96. A Letter to my Lord Buckingham.* Your lordship's former letter was honourable, but this your latter letter was both honourable and comfortable; for which I yield your lordship humble thanks. And for my liberty, as your lordship hath, in your letter, vouchsafed to shew a great deal of tenderness concerning the same, so you will be nobly pleased to take some opportune time to move it; the rather, for that the season cometh on now fit for physic, which at this time of the year I have ever used; and my health never so much required. I ever humbly rest Your Lordship's most obliged Friend 5th March, 1621. and faithful Servant. To my very loving Friends the Mayor, &c. of Whereas I am given to understand that there are some differences lately risen between the now mayor and aldermen, and other the members of that corporation, touching the election of the mayor next to succeed; wherein all parties have, according to charter, appealed to me as their high steward: forasmuch as I have but even newly recovered some degree of health, after a sharp sickness of some weeks, I am constrained to put off the hearing till Monday the 20th of this instant, at my lodging at Gray's Inn, &c. Your very loving friend, FR. ST. ALBAN. From Gray's Inn, this 8th September, 1624. A Letter from Mr. Francis Bacon to the Lord President of York, in favour of Mr. Johns, for the Secretary's Place at York.‡ It may please your good Lordship, I have been moved to recommend a person and suit to your lordship, which I assure myself, if it may take place with you, I shall not lose credit with you by; for both I know perfectly the honesty and sufficiency of the man, and that which is the next point, I am so well acquainted with his dutiful affection to your lordship, as I dare undertake no servant of yours shall be more observantly and faithfully *Addit. MS. 5503. fol. 105. 1. + MS. Cole, Mus. Brit. vol. xx. fol. 229. MS. Lansd. Mus. Brit. vol. ccxxxviii. fol. 126. |