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lordship, touching the relief of my poor estate, (a) which my lord of Falkland's letter hath signified, warranting me likewise to address myself to your lordship touching the same; I humbly pray your lordship to give it dispatch, my age, health, and fortunes, making time to me therein precious. Wherefore, if your lordship, who knoweth best what the king may best do, have thought of any particular, I would desire to know from your good lordship: otherwise I have fallen myself upon a particular, which I have related to Sir Arthur, and, I hope, will seem modest, for my help to live and subsist. As for somewhat towards the paying off my debts, which are now my chief care, and without charge of the king's coffers, I will not now trouble your lordship; but purposing to be at Chiswick, where I have taken a house, within this sevennight, I hope to wait upon your lordship, and to gather some violets in your garden, and will then impart unto you, if I have thought of any thing of that nature for my good.

So I ever rest, &c.

THOMAS MEAUTYS, ESQ. TO THE LORD VISCOUNT ST. ALBAN.

May it please your Lordship,

I HAVE been attending upon my lord marquis's minutes for the signing of the warrant. This day he purposed in earnest to have done it: but it falls out untowardly, for the warrant was drawn, as your lordship remembers, in haste, at Gorhambury, and in as much haste delivered to Sir Edward Sackville, as soon as I alighted from my horse, who instantly put it into my lord marquis's hands, so that no copy could possibly be taken of it by me. Now his lordship hath searched much for it, and is yet at a loss, which I knew not

(a) The lord viscount St. Alban, in a letter to the king, from Gorhambury, 20th of March, 1621-2, thanks his majesty for referring the consideration of his broken estate to his good lord the lord treasurer.

till six this evening: and because your lordship drew it with caution, I dare not venture it upon my memory to carry level what your lordship wrote, and therefore dispatched away this messenger, that so your lordship, by a fresh post, for this will hardly do it, may send a warrant to your mind, ready drawn, to be here to-morrow by seven o'clock, as Sir Arthur (a) tells me my lord marquis hath directed: for the king goes early to Hampton-Court, and will be here on Saturday.

Your books (b) are ready, and passing well bound up. If your lordship's letters to the king, prince, and my lord marquis were ready, I think it were good to lose no time in their delivery; for the printer's fingers itch to be selling.

My lady hath seen the house at Chiswick, and may make a shift to like it: only she means to come to your lordship thither, and not go first: and therefore your lordship may please to make the more haste, for the great lords long to be in York-house.

Mr. Johnson will be with your lordship to-morrow; and then I shall write the rest.

Your Lordship's in all humbleness

and honour to serve you.

TO THOMAS MEAUTYS, ESQ.

Good Mr. Meautys,

FOR the difference of the warrant, it is not material at the first. But I may not stir till I have it; and therefore I expect it to-morrow.

For my lord of London's (c) stay, there may be an error in my book; (d) but I am sure there is none in me, since the king had it three months by him,

(a) Ingram.

(b) History of the Reign of King Henry VII.

(c) Dr. George Mountain.

(d) His History of the Reign of King Henry VII.

:

and allowed it if there be any thing to be mended, it is better to be espied now than hereafter.

I send you the copies of the three letters, which you have; and, in mine own opinion, this demur, as you term it, in my lord of London, maketh it more necessary than before, that they were delivered, specially in regard they contain withal my thanks. It may be signified they were sent before I knew of any stay; and being but in those three hands, they are private enough. But this I leave merely at your discretion, resting

Your most affectionate and assured friend,

March 21, 1621,

FR. ST. ALBAN.

TO MR. TOBIE MATTHEW.

Good Mr. Matthew,

I Do make account, God willing, to be at Chiswick on Saturday; or, because this weather is terrible to one, that hath kept much in, Monday.

In my letter of thanks to my lord marquis, which is not yet delivered, but to be forthwith delivered, I have not forgotten to mention, that I have received signification of his noble favour and affection, amongst other ways, from yourself by name. If, upon your repair to the court, whereof I am right glad, you have any speech with the marquis of me, I pray place the alphabet, as you can do it right well, in a frame, to express my love faithful and ardent towards him. And for York-house, that whether in a straight line, or a compass line, I meant it his lordship in the way, which I thought might please him best. I ever rest

Your most affectionate and assured friend,

March 21, 1621.

FR. ST. ALBAN.

Though your journey to court be before your receipt of this letter, yet it may serve for another

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TO THE QUEEN OF BOHEMIA.

It may please your Majesty,

I FIND in books, and books I dare alledge to your majesty, in regard of your singular ability to read and judge of them even above your sex, that it is accounted a great bliss for a man to have leisure with honour. That was never my fortune, nor is. For time was, I had honour without leisure; and now I have leisure without honour. And I cannot say so neither altogether, considering there remain with me the marks and stamp of the king's your father's grace, though I go not for so much in value as I have done. But my desire is now to have leisure without loitering, and not to become an abbey-lubber, as the old proverb was, but to yield some fruit of my private life. Having therefore written the reign of your majesty's famous ancestor, king Henry the Seventh; and it having passed the file of his majesty's judgment, and been graciously also accepted of the prince, your brother, to whom it is dedicated, I could not forget my duty so far to your excellent majesty, to whom, for that I know and have heard, I have been at all times so much bound, as you are ever present with me, both in affection and admiration, as not to make unto you, in all humbleness, a present thereof, as now being not able to give you tribute of any service. If king Henry the Seventh were alive again, I hope verily he could not be so angry with me for not flattering him, as well pleased in seeing himself so truly described in colours that will last and be believed. I most humbly pray your majesty graciously to accept of my good will; and so, with all reverence, kiss your hands, praying to God above, by his divine and most benign providence, to conduct your affairs to happy issue; and resting

April 20, 1622.

Your Majesty's most humble

and devoted servant,

FR. ST. ALBAN.

SIR EDWARD SACKVILLE TO THE LORD VISCOUNT ST. ALBAN.

My very honoured Lord,

LONGING to yield an account of my stewardship, and that I had not buried your talent in the ground, I waited yesterday the marquis's pleasure, until I found a fit opportunity to importune some return of his lordship's resolution. The morning could not afford it; for time only allowed leave to tell him, I would say something. In the afternoon I had amends for all. In the forenoon he laid the law, but in the afternoon he preached the gospel; when, after some revivations of the old distaste concerning York-house, he most nobly opened his heart unto me, wherein I read that which argued much good towards you. After which revelation, the book was again sealed up, and must, in his own time, only by himself be again manifested unto you. I have leave to remember some of the vision, and am not forbidden to write it. He vowed, not court-like, but constantly, to appear your friend so much, as if his majesty should abandon the care of you, you should share his fortune with him. He pleased to tell me, how much he had been beholden to you; how well he loved you; how unkindly he took the denial of your house, for so he will needs understand it. But the close, for all this, was harmonious, since he protested he would seriously begin to study your ends, now that the world should see he had no ends on you. He is in hand with the work, and therefore will, by no means, accept of your offer; though, I can assure you, the tender hath much won upon him, and mellowed his heart towards you ; and your genius directed you right, when you wrote that letter of denial unto the duke. (a) The king saw it, and all the rest; which made him say unto the marquis, you played an after-game well;

(a) Of Lenox, of the 30th of January, 1621-2.

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