TO THE KING.

but meaning, as I said, to deal fairly and plainly with the good liking of the House, and that cup with your lordships, and to put myself upon your may pass from me, it is the utmost of my desires. honours and favours; I pray God to bless your This I move with the more belief, because I counsels and persons. And rest

assure myself, that if it be reformation that is Your lordships' humble servant, sought, the very taking away of the seal, upon

FR. ST. ALBAN, Canc, my general submission, will be as much in March 19th, 1620.

example, for these four hundred years, as any further severity

The means of this I most humbly leave unto

your majesty, but surely I should conceive, thai IT MAY PLEASE YOUR MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY, your majesty opening yourself in this kind to the

I think myself infinitely bounden to your ma- lords, counsellors, and a motion of the prince, jesty, for vouchsafing me access to your royal after my submission, and my lord marquis using person, and to touch the hem of your garment. This interest with his friends in the House, may see your majesty imitateth him that would not affect the sparing of the sentence; I making my break the broken reed, nor quench the smoking humble suit to the House for that purpose, joined flax; and as your majesty imitateth Christ, so I with the delivery up of the seal into your majeshope assuredly my lords of the Upper House will ty's hands. This is my last suit that I shal! imitate you, and unto your majesty's grace and make to your majesty in this business, prostrating mercy, and next to my lords, I recommend myself. myself at your mercy-seat, after fisteen years' It is not possible, nor it were not safe, for me to service, wherein I have served your majesty in answer particulars till I have my charge; which, my poor endeavours, with an entire heart. And, when I shall receive, I shall, without fig-leaves or as I presume to say unto your majesty, am still disguise, excuse what I can excuse, extenuate what a virgin, for matters that concern your person or I can extenuate, and ingenuously confess what I crown, and now only craving that after eight steps can neither clear nor extenuate. And if there be of honour, I be not precipitated altogether. any thing which I might conceive to be no offence, But, because he that hath taken bribes is api and yet is, I desire to be informed, that I may be to give bribes, I will go further, and present your twice penitent, once for my fault, and the second majesty with bribe; for if your majesty give me time for my error, and so submitting all that I am peace and leisure, and God give me life, I will to your majesty's grace, I rest.

present you with a good history of England, ardi April 20, 1621.

a better digest of your laws. And so concluding
with my prayers, I rest
Clay in your majesty's hands,

FR. ST. ALBAN. IT MAY PLEASE YOUR MAJESTY,

May 2, 1621. It hath pleased God for these three days past, to visit me with such extremity of headach upon the hinder part of my head, fixed in one place,

TO THE PRINCE OF WALES. that I thought verily it had been some imposthumation; and then the little physic that I have IT MAY PLEASE your HIGHNESS, told me that either it must grow to a congelation, When I called to mind how infinitely I am and so to a lethargy, or to break, and so to a bound to your highness, that stretched forth your mortal fever or sudden death; which apprehen-arm to save me from a sentence, that took hold sion, and chiefly the anguish of the pain, made of me to keep me from being plunged deep in a me unable to think of any business. But now sentence, that hath kept me alive in your gracious that the pain itself is assuaged to be tolerable, memory and mention since the sentence, pitying I resume the care of my business, and therein me, as I hope I deserve, and valuing me far above prostrate myself again, by my letter, at your that I can deserve, I find my words almost majesty's feet.

as barren as my fortunes, to express unto your Your majesty can bear me witness, that at my highness the thankfulness I owe. Therefore, I last so comfortable access, I did not so much as can but resort to prayers to Almighty God to. move your majesty by your absolute power of clothe you with his most rich and precious blesspardon, or otherwise, to take my cause into your ings, and likewise joyfully to meditate upon hands, and to interpose between the sentence of those he hath conferred upon you already; in that the House. And according to my desire, your he hath made you to the king your father a prinmajesty left it to the sentence of the House by cipal part of his safety, contentment, and conmy lord treasurer's report.

tinuance; in yourself so judicious, accomplished. But now, if not per omnipotentiam, as the divines and graceful in all your doings, with more virtues say, but per potestatem suaviter disponentem, your in the buds, which are the sweetest that have majesty will graciously save me from a sentence, been known in a young prince or long time; wiin

TO THE KING,

TO THE KING.

the realm so well beloved, so much honoured, as it is men's daily observation how nearly you approach to his majesty's perfections; how every IT MAY PLEASE YOUR MOST EXCELLENT Majesty, day you exceed yourself; how, compared with I perceive, by my noble and constant friend, other princes, which God hath ordained to be the marquis, that your majesty hath a gracious young at this time, you shine amongst them; inclination towards me, and taketh care of me, they rather setting off your religious, moral, and for fifteen years the subject of your favour, now natural excellences, than matching them, though of your compassion, for which I most humbly you be but a second person. These and such thank your majesty. This same nova creatura like meditations I feed upon, since I can yield is the work of God's pardon and the king's, and your highness no other retribution. And for my since I have the inward seal of the one, I hope self, I hope by the assistance of God above, of well of the other. whose grace and favour I have had extraordinary Ular, saith Seneca to his master, magnis et signs and effects during my afflictions, to lead emplis ; nec meæ fortunæ, sed tuæ. Demosthenes such a life in the last acts thereof, as, whether his was banished for bribery of the highest nature, majesty employ me, or whether I live to myself, yet was recalled with honour; Marcus Livius I shall make the world say that I was not unworthy was condemned for exactions, yet afterwards such a patron.

made consul and censor. Seneca banished for I am much beholden to your highness's worthy divers corruptions, yet was afterwards restored, servant, Sir John Vaughan, the sweet air and and an instrument of that memorable Quinquen. loving usage of whose house hath already much nium Neronis. Many more. This, if it please revived my Janguishing spirits: I beseech your your majesty, I do not say for appetite of employ. highness, thank him for me. God ever preserve ment, but for hope that if I do by myself as is fit, and prosper your highness.

your majesty will never suffer me to die in want Your highness's most humble and

or dishonour. I do now feed myself upon rememmost bounden servant,

brance, how, when your majesty used to go a pro

Fr. Sr. ALBAN. gress, what loving and confident charges you June 1, 1621.

were wont to give me touching your business. For, as Aristotle saith, young men may be happy by hope, so why should not old men, and sequestered men, by remembrance. God ever prosper and preserve your majesty.

Your majesty's most bounden IT MAY PLEASE YOUR MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY,

and devoted servant, I humbly thank your majesty for my liberty,

FR. ST. ALBAN. without which timely grant, any farther grace July 16, 1621. would have come too late. But your majesty, that did shed tears in the beginning of my trouble, will, I hope, shed the dew of your grace and goodness upon me in the end. Let me live to serve you, else life is but the shadow of death to

MY HONOURABLE Lord, Your majesty's most devoted servant,

I have delivered your lordship's letter of thanks FR. ST. ALBAN.

to his majesty, who accepted it very graciously,

and will be glad to see your book, which you proJune 4, 1621.

mised to send very shortly, as soon as it cometh. I send your lordship his majesty's warrant for

your pardon, as you desired it; but am sorry, TO THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM.

that in the current of my service to your lordship

there should be the least stop of any thing; yet MY VERY GOOD LORD,

having moved his majesty, upon your servant's I heartily thank your lordship for getting me intimation, for your stay in London till Christmas, out of prison; and now my body is out, my I found his majesty, who hath in all other occa. mind, nevertheless, will be still in prison, till I sions, and even in that particular already, to the may be on my feet to do his majesty and your dislike of many of your own friends, showed with lordship faithful service. Wherein your lordship, great forwardness his gracious favour towards by the grace of God, shall find that my adversity you, very unwilling to grant you any longer liberty hath neither spent, nor pent my spirits. God to abide there; which, being but a small advanprosper you.

tage to you, would be a great and general distaste, Your lordship's most obliged friend

as you cannot but easily conceive, to the whole and faithful servant, state. And I am the more sorry for this refusal FR. ST. ALBAN. of his majesty's falling in a time when I was a

suitor to your lordship in a particular concerning

TO THE KING.

TO THE LORD ST. ALBAN.

June 4, 1621.

TO THE LORD ST. ALBAN.

myself, wherein, though your servant insisted | thereof, that you may no longer hang on the further than, I am sure, would ever enter into treaty, which hath been between your lordship your thoughts, I cannot but take it as a part of a and me, touching York House; in which I assure faithful servant in him. But if your lordship, or your lordship I never desired to put you to the your lady, find it inconvenient for you to part with least inconvenience. So I rest ihe house, I would rather provide myself other

Your lordship's servant, wise than any way incommodate you, but will

G. BUCKINGHAM. never slack any thing of my affection to do you service; whereof, if I have not yet given good proof, I will desire nothing more than the fittest occasion to show how much I am Your lordship’s faithful servant,

My LORD,-I am glad your lordship understands

G. BUCKINGHAM. me so rightly in my last letter. I continue still in Octuber, 1621.

the same mind, for, I thank God, I am settled to my contentment; and so I hope you shall enjoy yours

with the more, because I am so well pleased in TO THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM.

mine. And, my lord, I shall be very far from MY VERY GOOD LORD,

taking it ill, if you part with it to any else, judgAn unexpected accident maketh me hasten this ing it alike unreasonableness to desire that which leiter to your lordship, before I could despatch is another man's, and to bind liim by promise or Mr. Meautys; it is that my lord keeper hath stayed otherwise not to let it to another. my pardon at the seal. But it is with good re- My lord, I will move his majesty to take comspect; for he saith it shall be private, and then he miseration of your long imprisonment,* which, in would forth with write to your lordship, and would some respects, both you and I have reason to pass it if he received your pleasure; and doth also think harder than the Tower; you for the help of show his reason of stay, which is, that he doubt- physic, your parley with your creditors, your coneth the exception of the sentence of Parliament is ference for your writings and studies, dealing not well drawn, nor strong enough, which, if it with friends about your business; and I for this be doubtful, my lord hath great reason. But sure advantage, to be sometimes happy in visiting and I am, both myself, and the king, and your lord- conversing with your lordship, whose company I ship, and Mr. Attorney meant clearly, and I think am much desirous to enjoy, as being tied by an. Mr. Attorney's pen hath gone well. My humble cient acquaintance to rest request to your lordship is, that, for my lord's Your lordship's faithful friend and servant, satisfaction, Mr. Solicitor may be joined with Mr.

G. BUCKINGHAM. Attorney, and if it be safe enough, it may go on; if not it may be amended. I ever rest Your lordship's most obliged friend, and faithful servant,

TO THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM.
Fr. ST. ALBAN.

MY VERY GOOD LORD,
October 18, 1621.

These main and real favours which I have lately received from your good lordship in procuring my liberty, and a reference of the consideration of my

release, are such as I now find, that in building MY HONOURABLE LORD, I have brought your servant along to this place, upon your lordship’s noble nature and friendship,

I have built upon the rock where neither winds in expectation of the letter from the lord keeper,

or waves can cause overthrow. I humbly pray which your lordship mentioneth in having not yet received it, I cannot make answer your lordship to accept from me such thanks as to the business you write of; and, therefore, ought to come from him whom you have much com

sorted in fortune, and much more comforted in thought fit not to detain your man here any longer, showing your love and affection to him, of which having nothing else to write, but that I always I have heard by my Lord of Faulkland, Sir EdYour lordship’s faithful friend and servant,

ward Sackville, Mr. Matthew, and otherwise. G. BUCKINGHAM.

I have written, as my duty was, to his majesty,

thanks, touching the same, by the letter I here Itinchenbrook, Oct. 20, 1621.

put into your noble hands.

I have made also, in that letter, an offe. to his majesty, of my service, for bringing into

better order and frame the laws of England. JIY NOBLE LORD,

The declaration whereof I have left with Sir EdNow that I am provided of a house, I have thought it congruous to give your lordship notice * Restraint from coming within the verge of the court. Voi 24

Q2

TO THE LORD ST. ALBAN.

yours, but

rest

TO THE LORD ST. ALBAN.

a

TO THE LORD DIGBY.

TO THE KING.

ward Sackville, because it were no good manners | farther, if it stand with vour majesty's good plen. to clog his majesty, at this time of triumph and sure, since now my study is my exchange, and recreation, with a business of this nature, so as my pen my factor for the use of my talent, that your lordship may be pleased to call for it to Sir your majesty, who is a great master in these Edward Sackville, when you think the time things, would be pleased to appoint me some reasonable.

task to write, and that I should take for an oracle. I am bold likewise to present your lordship And because my Instauration, which I esteem my with a book of my History of King Henry VII., great work, and do still go on with in silence, and now that, in summer was twelve months, I was dedicated to your majesty, and this History dedicated a book to his majesty, and this last of King Henry VII., 10 your lively and excellent summer, this book to the prince, your lordship's image the prince, if now your majesty will be turn is next; and this summer that cometh, if I pleased to give me a theme to dedicate to my live to it, shall be yours. I have desired his ma- Lord of Buckingham, whom I have so much jesty to appoint me the task, otherwise I shall reason to honour, I should with more alacrity use my own choice, for this is the best retribution embrace your majesty's direction than my own I can make to your lordship. God prosper you. choice. Your majesty will pardon me for trouI rest

bling you thus long. God evermore preserve and Your lordship’s most obliged friend prosper you. and faithful servant,

Your majesty's poor beadsman most devoted, FR. ST. ALBAN.

Fr. Sr. ALBAN. Gorhambury, this 20th of March, 1621.

Gorhambury, this 20th March, 1621.
Endorsed,
To the Right Honourable his very good lord, the

Lord Marquis of Buckingham, High Admiral
of England.

MY VERY GOOD Lord,

I now only send my best wishes, to follow you

at sea and land, with due thanks for your late MAY IT PLEASE your MAJESTY,

great favours. God knows, whether the length I acknowledge myself in all humbleness infi- of your voyage will not exceed the size of my nitely bounden 'o your majesty's grace and good, hour-glass. But whilst I live, my affection to do ness, for that, at the intercession of my noble and

you service shall remain quick under the ashes constant friend, my lord marquis, your majesty of my fortune. hath been pleased to grant me that which the civilians say, is res inæstimabilis, my liberty ; so that now, whenever God calleth me, I shall not die a prisoner; nay, further, your majesty hath vouchsafed to rest a second and iterate aspect of

My Lord,-I have despatched the business your eye of compassion upon me, in the referring your lordship recommended to me, which I send the consideration of my broken estate to my good your lordship here enclosed, signed by his malord the treasurer, which as it is a singular bounty jesty, and have likewise moved him for your in your majesty, so I have yet so much left of a coming to kiss his hand, which he is pleased you late commissicner of your treasure, as I would be shall do at Whitehall when he returneth nest sorry to sue for any thing that might seem immo- thither. In the mean time I rest dest. These your majesty's great benefits, in

Your lordship's faithful friend and servant, casting your bread upon the waters, as the Scrip

G. BUCKINGHAM. ture saith, because my thanks cannot any ways be

Newmarket, Nov. 13th, 1622. sufficient to attain, I have raised your progenitor

I will give order to my secretary to wait upon of famous memory, and now I hope of more Sir John Suckling about your other business. famous memory than before, King Henry VII.,

Endorsed, to give your majesty thanks for me; which work, My Lord of Bucks touching my warrant and most humbly kissing your majesty's hands, I do present. And because, in the beginning of my trouble, when in the midst of the tempest I had a kenning of the harbour, which I hope now, by

TO THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGIIAM. your majesty's favour, I am entering into, I made a tender to your majesty of two works, a History Excellent LORD, of England, and a Digest of your Laws, as I have Though I have troubled your lordship with by a figure of pars pro toto performed the one, so many letters, oftener than I think I should, (sare I have herewith sent your majesty, by way of an that affection keepeth no account,) yet, upon the epistle a new offer of the other; but my desire is repair of Mr. Matthew, a gentleman so much

TO THE LORD ST. ALBAN.

a

access.

your lordship's servant, and to me another my- you, and how much I need you. There be many self, as your lordship best knoweth, you would things in this journey, both in the felicity and in not have thought me a man alive, except I had the carriage thereof, that I do not a little admire, put a letter into his hand, and withal, by so faith- and wish your grace may reap more and more fruits ful and approved a man, commended my fortunes in continuance answerable to the beginnings; afresh unto your lordship.

myself have ridden at anchor all your grace's My lord, to speak my heart to your lordship, I absence, and my cables are now quite worn. I never felt my misfortunes so much as now : not had from Sir Toby Mathew, out of Spain, a very for that part which may concern myself, who comfortable message, that your grace had said, profit (I thank God for it) both in patience and in I should be the first that you would remember in settling mine own courses; but when I look abroad any great favour after your return; and now and see the times so stirring, and so much dis- coming from court, he telleth me he had commissimulation and falsehood, baseness and envy in sion from your lordship to confirm it: for which the world, and so many idle clocks going in men's I humbly kiss your hands. heads, then it grieveth me much, that I am not My lord, do some good work upon me, that I sometimes at your lordship’s elbow, that I might may end my days in comfort, which, neverthegive you some of the fruits of the careful advice, less, cannot be complete except you put me in modest liberty, and true information of a friend some way to do your noble self service, for I that loveth your lordship as I do. For, though must ever rest your lordship's fortunes be above the thunder and

Your grace's most obliged storms of inferior regions, yet, nevertheless, to

and faithful servant, hear the wind, and not to feel it, will make one

FR. ST. ALBAN. sleep the better.

October 12, 1623.
My good lord, somewhat I have been, and much
I have read; so that few things that concern states

I have written to his highness, and had preor greatness, are new cases unto me: and there- sented my duty to his highness to kiss his hands fore I hope I may be no unprofitable servant to at York House, but that my health is scarce yet your lordship. I remember the king was wont confirmed. to make a character of me, far above my worth, that I was not made for small matters : and your lordship would sometimes bring me from his majesty that Latin sentence, de minimis non curat lex; and it hath so fallen out, that since my My LORD,—The assurance of your love makes retiring, times have been fuller of great matters me easily believe your joy at my return; and if 1 than before ; wherein, perhaps, if I had continued inay be so happy as, by the credit of my place, to near his majesty, he might have found more use supply the decay of your cables, I shall account of my service, if my gift lay that way; but that it one of the special fruits thereof. What Sir is but a vain imagination of mine. True it is, Toby Matthew hath delivered on my behalf, I that as I do not aspire to use my talent in the will be ready to make good, and omit no opporking's great affairs ; yet, for that which may con- tunity that may serve for the endeavours of cern your lordship, and your fortune, no man Your lordship's faithful friend and servant, living shall give you a better account of faith,

G. BUCKINGHAM. industry, and affection than I shall. I must con

Royston, Oct. 14, 1623. clude with that which gave me occasion of this letter, which is Mr. Mathew's employment to your lordship in those parts, wherein I am verily persuaded your lordship shall find him a wise and able gentleman, and one that will bend his knowledge of the world (which is great) to serve his My HONOURABLE LORD, majesty, and the prince, and in especial your I have delivered your lordship's letter and your lordship. So I rest

book to his majesty, who hath promised to read Your lordship's most obliged

it over: I wish I could promise as much for thai and faithful servant,

which you sent me, that my understanding of FR. ST. ALBAN.

that language might make me capable of those Gray's Inn, this 18th of April, 1623.

good fruits, which I assure myself, by an implicit faith, proceed from your pen; but I will tell you in good English, with my thanks for your book,

that I ever rest Excellent LORD,

Your lordship's faithful friend and servan, How much I rejoice in your grace's safe return

G. BUCKINGHAM you will easily believe, knowing how well I love

Hinchenbrook, October 29, 1623.

TO THE LORD ST. ALBAN.

a

TO THE LORD ST. ALBAN

TO THE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM.