nour; but by no means, except it should be with the love and consent of my lords to re-admit me, if their lordships vouchsafe to think me worthy of their company; or if they think that which I have suffered now these three years, in loss of place, in loss of means, and in loss of liberty for a great time, to be a sufficient expiation for my faults, whereby I may now seem in their eyes to be a fit subject of their grace, as I have been before of their justice. My good lord, the good which the commonwealth might reap of my suffering, is already inned. Justice is done; an example is made for reformation; the authority of the house for judicature is established. There can be no farther use of my misery; perhaps some little may be of my service; for, I hope I shall be found a man humbled as a Christian, though not dejected as a worldling. I have great opinion of your lordship's power, and great hope, for many reasons, of your favour; which if I may obtain, I can say no more but nobleness is ever requited in itself; and God, whose special favour in my afflictions I have manifestly found to my comfort, will, I trust, be my pay-master of that, which cannot be requited by Your Lordship's affectionate Indorsed, February 2, 1623. TO SIR FRANCIS BARNHAM. (a) Good Cousin, UPON a little searching, made touching the patents of the survey of coals, I find matter not only to acquit myself, but likewise to do myself much right. Any reference to me, or any certificate of mine, I (a) He appears to be a relation of his lordship's lady, who was daughter of Benedict Barnham, esq. alderman of the city of London. Sir Francis was appointed by his lordship one of the executors of his last will. find not. Neither is it very likely I made any; for that, when it came to the great seal, I stayed it. I did not only stay it, but brought it before 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, that it should continue stayed; and so it did all my time. About a twelvemonth since, my lord duke of Lenox, now deceased, (a) wrote to me to have the privy seal; which, though I respected his lordship much, I refused to deliver to him, but was content to put it into the right hand; that is, to send it to my lord keeper, (b) giving knowledge how it had been stayed. My lord keeper received it by mine own servant, writeth back to me, acknowledging the receipt, and adding, that he would lay it aside until his lordship heard further from my lord steward, (c) and the rest of the lords. Whether this first privy seal went to the great seal, or that it went about again, I know not: but all my part is, that I have related. I ever rest Your faithful friend and cousin, March 14, 1623. FR. ST. ALBAN. TO THE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM. My Lord, I AM now full three years old in misery: neither hath there been any thing done for me, whereby I might die out of ignominy, or live out of want. But now that your grace, God's name be praised for it, hath recovered your health, and are come to the court, and the parliament business hath also intermission, I firmly hope your grace will deal with his (a) He died suddenly, February 12, 1623-4. (b) See his letter to lord St. Alban, of February 7, 1622. majesty, that, as I have tasted of his mercy, I may also taste of his bounty. Your grace, I know, for a business of a private man, cannot win yourself more service. honour; and I hope I shall yet live to do you 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. ST. ALBAN. If I may know, by two or three words from your grace, that you will set in for me, I will propound somewhat that shall be modest, and leave it to your whether you will move his majesty yourself, or grace, recommend it by some of your lordship's friends, that wish me well; [as my lord of Arundel, or Secretary Conway, or Mr. James Maxwell. (a)] TO THE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM. Excellent Lord, I UNDERSTAND, by Sir John Suckling, that he attended yesterday at Greenwich, hoping, according to your grace's appointment, to have found you there, and to have received your grace's pleasure touching my suit, but missed of you: and this day he sitteth upon the subsidy at Brentford, and shall not be at court this week: which causeth me to use these few lines, to hear from your grace, I hope, to my comfort: humbly praying pardon, if I number thus the days, that misery should exceed modesty. I ever rest Your Grace's most faithful June 30, 1624. and obliged servant, FR. ST. ALBAN. (a) The words included in brackets have a line drawn after them. 2 B2 TO SIR RICHARD WESTON, CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER. 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 shifter, for that means, which I enjoy by his majesty's grace and bounty. And therefore I am rather ashamed of that I have done, than minded to go forward. So that I leave it to yourself, what you think fit to be done in your honour and my case, resting Your very loving friend, London, this 7th of July, 1624. FR. ST. ALBAN. TO THE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM. Excellent Lord, Now that your grace hath the king private, and at better leisure, the noise of soldiers, ambassadors, parliaments, a little ceasing, I hope you will remember your servant; for at so good a time, (a) and after so long a time, to forget him, were almost to forsake him. But, howsoever, I shall still remain Your Grace's most obliged and faithful servant, FR. ST. ALBAN. I am bold to put into my good friend, Sir Tobie Matthew's hand, a copy of my petition, which your grace had sent to Sir John Suckling. Indorsed, August, 1624. (a) This seems to refer to the anniversary thanksgiving-day for the king's delivery from the Gowry conspiracy, on the 5th of August, vours. TO THE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM. Excellent Lord, I AM infinitely bound to your grace for your late faof I send your grace a copy your letter, signifying his majesty's pleasure, and of the petition. the course, I take it, must be, to make a warrant for the execution of the same, by way of reference to Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Mr. Attorney. (a) I most humbly pray your grace, likewise, to prostrate me at his majesty's feet, with most humble thanks for the grant of my petition, whose sweet presence since I discontinued, methinks I am neither amongst the living, nor amongst the dead. I cannot but likewise gratulate his majesty on 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 For if it should the throw. But yet that is all one. be a blow, which I hope in God it shall not, yet it would have been ten times worse, if former courses had not been taken. But this is the raving of a hot ague. God evermore bless his majesty's person and designs, and likewise make your grace a spectacle of prosperity, as you have hitherto been. Your Grace's most faithful and obliged, and by you revived servant, Grey's Inn, 9th of October, 1624. (a) Sir Thomas Coventry. FR. ST. ALBAN. |