the Exchequer Chamber, and a dismission before your lordship: which I was the more willing to do, because I have seen a letter of his majesty to the said Sir Richard Martin, acknowledging the good service that he did him in this kingdom, at the time of his majesty's being in Scotland. And therefore I desire your lordship, that you would give her a full and fair hearing of her cause, and a speedy despatch thereof, her poverty being such, that having nothing to live on but her husband's debts, if her suit long depend, she shall be enforced to lose her cause for want of means to follow it: wherein I will acknowledge your lordship's favour, and rest

Your lordship's faithful

friend and servant,
G. BUCKINGHAM.

Whitehall, the 13th of January, 1620.

TO THE LORD CHANCELLOR.*

MY HONOURABLE LORD,

His majesty hath commanded me to signify his pleasure unto you, that you give present order to the clerk of the crown to draw a bill to be signed by his majesty for Robert Heath, late recorder of London, to be his majesty's solicitorgeneral. So I rest your lordship's

friend and servant,
G. BUCKINGHAM.

Theobalds, 20th of January, 1620.

TO THE KING.†

MAY IT PLEASE YOUR MAJESTY,

I thank God I number days, both in thankfulness to him, and in warning to myself. I should likewise number your majesty's benefits, which, as to take them in all kinds, they are without number; so even in this kind of steps

and degrees of advancement, they are in greater number than scarcely any other of your subjects can say. For this is now the eighth time that your majesty hath raised me.

jesty could raise me no higher, it was your grace to illustrate me with beams of honour, first making me Baron Verulam, and now Viscount St. Alban. So, this is the eighth rise or reach, a diapason in music, even a good number, and an accord for a close. And so I may without superstition be buried in St. Alban's habit or vestment.

Besides the number, the obligation is increased by three notes or marks: first, that they proceed from such a king; for honours from some kings are but great chancels, or counters, set high; but from your majesty, they are indeed dignities by the co-operation of your grace. Secondly, in respect of the continuance of your majesty's favour, which proceedeth as the divine favour, from grace to grace. And, thirdly, these splendours of honour are like your freest patents, absque aliquid inde reddendo. Offices have burdens of cares and labours; but honours have no burden but thankfulness, which doth rather raise men's spirits than accable them, or press them down.

Then I must say, quid retribuam? I have nothing of mine own. That that God hath given me I shall present unto your majesty; which is care and diligence, and assiduous endeavour, and that which is the chief, cor unum et viam unam; hoping that your majesty will do, as your superior doth; that is, finding my heart upright, you will bear with my other imperfections. lastly, your majesty shall have the best of my time, which I assure myself I shall conclude in your favour, and survive in your remembrance. And that is my prayer for myself; the rest shall be in prayers for your majesty.

TO THE LORD CHANCELLOR.*
MY NOBLE LORD,

And,

I have showed your letter of thanks to his ma

jesty, who saith there are too many thanks in it for so small a favour; which he holdeth too little to encourage so well a deserving servant. For You formed me of the learned council extraor- myself, I shall ever rejoice at the manifestation dinary, without patent or fee, a kind of indivi- of his majesty's favour toward you, and will con dinary, without patent or fee, a kind of indivi- tribute all that is in me, to the increasing of his duum vagum. You established me, and brought me into ordinary; soon after you placed me soli- good opinion; ever resting citor, where I served seven years: then your majesty made me your attorney, or procurator general; then privy counsellor, while I was attorney; a kind of miracle of your favour, that had not been in many ages: thence keeper of your seal; and because that was a kind of planet, and not fixed, chancellor: and when your ma

* Harl. MSS. vol. 7000.

+ This seems to have been written by Lord St. Albans, just after he was created a viscount by that title, January 27, 1620

Your lordship's faithful friend and servant,
G. BUCKINGHAM.

TO THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM.

MY VERY GOOD LORD,

With due thanks for your last visit, this day is a play-day for me. But I will wait on your lord ship, if it be necessary.

*Harl. MSS. vol. 7000.
M

I do hear from divers of judgment, that to-mor- summons of the exchequer, which is, sicut teipsum tow's conference* is like to pass in a calm, as to et omnia tua diligis; whereas this was sicut me the referees. Sir Lionel Cranfield, who hath diligis; I used all possible care to effect your been formerly the trumpet, said yesterday, that he majesty's good will and pleasure. did now incline to Sir John Walter's opinion and motion, not to have the referrees meddled with otherwise, than to discount it from the king; and so not to look back, but to the future. And I do hear almost all men of judgment in the House wish now that way. I woo nobody: I do but listen, and I have doubt only of Sir Edward Coke, who, I wish, had some round caveat given him from the king; for your lordship hath no great power with him: but I think a word from the king mates him.

If things be carried fair by the committees of the Lower House, I am in some doubt, whether there will be occasion for your lordship to speak to-morrow; though, I confess, I incline to wish you did, chiefly because you are fortunate in that kind; and, to be plain also, for our better countenance, when your lordship, according to your noble proposition, shall show more regard of the fraternity you have with great counsellors, than of the interest of your natural brother.

Always, good my lord, let us think of times out of Parliament, as well as the present time in Parliament; and let us not all be put es pourpoint. Fair and moderate courses are ever best in causes of estate; the rather, because I wish this Parliament, by the sweet and united passages thereof, may increase the king's reputation with foreigners, who may make a far other judgment than we mean, of a beginning to question great counsellors and officers of the crown, by courts or assemblies of estates. But the reflection upon my particular in this makes me more sparing than perhaps, as a counsellor, I ought to be.

God ever preserve and prosper you.
Your lordship's true servant all and ever,
FR. ST. ALBAN, Canc.
March 7, the day I received the seal, 1620.

TO THE KING.‡

IT MAY PLEASE YOUR MAJESTY.

I received your majesty's letter about midnight; and because it was stronger than the ancient

*On Monday the 5th of March, 1620-21, the House of Lords received a message from the Commons, desiring a conference touching certain grievances, principally concerning Sir Giles Mompesson.-See Journal of the House of Lords.

Those to whom the king referred the petitions, to consider whether they were fit to be granted or not. This explanation of the word referees, I owe to a note in a MS. letter, written to the celebrated Mr. Joseph Mead, of Christ's College, Cambridge.

I sent early to the prince, and to my lord treasurer; and we attended his highness soon after seven of the clock, at Whitehall, to avoid farther note. We agreed, that if the message came, we would put the lords into this way, that the answer should be that we understood they came prepared both with examination and precedent; and we likewise desired to be alike prepared, that the conference might be with more fruit.

I did farther speak with my Lord of Canterbury, when I came to the House, not letting him know any part of the business, that he would go on with a motion which he had told me of the day before, that the Lords' House might not sit Wednesday and Friday, because they were convocation-days; and so was the former custom of Parliament.

As good luck was, the house read two bills, and had no other business at all; whereupon my Lord of Canterbury made his motion; and I adjourned the House till Saturday. It was no sooner done, but came the message from the Lower House. But the consummatum est was past, though I perceived a great willingness in many of the lords to have recalled it, if it might have been. So, with my best prayers for your majesty's preservation, I rest

Your majesty's most bounden,

and most devoted servant, FR. ST. ALBAN, Cane. Thursday, at eleven of our forenoon, March 8, 1620.

TO THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM.*
MY VERY GOOD LORD,

Your lordship spoke of purgatory. I am now in it; but my mind is in a calm; for my fortune is not my felicity. I know I have clean hands, and a clean heart; and I hope a clean house

1620, the said House, at which were present the Prince of Wales and Marquis of Buckingham, was adjourned to Saturday the 10th, on which day a conference of both Houses was held relating to the complaint of that of the Commons against Sir Giles Mompesson. Of this conference the lord chancellor made report on Monday, March 12, to the House of Lords, remarking, that "the inducement to this conference was to clear the king's honour, touching grants to Sir Giles, and the passages in procuring the same." After this report of the conference, the lord chamberlain, William, Earl of Pembroke, complained to the House, that two great lords, meaning the lord chancellor and the lord treasurer, the Lord Viscount Mandeville, had, in that conference, spake in their own defence, not being allowed to do so when the committees mere named. Upon which both the lords acknowledged their error, and begged pardon of the House.

The date of this letter is determined to be the 8th of March, 1620-1, from the circumstance of its being mentioned to have been written on that Thursday, on which the House of Lords adjourned to the Saturday following. It appears from the journal of that House, that, on the 8th of March, | chancellor.

*This letter seems to have been written soon after Lord St. Alban began to be accused of abuses in his office of

for friends or servants. But Job himself, or saith, satis est lapsos non erigere; urgere vero whosoever was the justest judge, by such hunt-jacentes, aut præcipitantis impellere, certe est inhuing for matters against him, as hath been manum. Mr. Chancellor, if you will be nobly used against me, may for a time seem foul, pleased to grace me upon this occasion, by showespecially in a time when greatness is the mark, ing tenderness of my name, and commiseration and accusation is the game. And if this be to be of my fortune, there is no man in that assemblv a chancellor, I think, if the great seal lay upon from whose mouth I had rather it should come. Hounslow Heath, nobody would take it up. But I hope it will be no dishonour to you. It will the king and your lordship will I hope put an end oblige me much, and be a worthy fruit of our last to these my straits one way or other. And, in reintegration of friendship. I rest troth, that which I fear most, is, lest continual attendance and business, together with these cares, and want of time to do my weak body right this spring by diet and physic, will cast me down; and that it will be thought feigning, or fainting. But I hope in God I shall hold out. God prosper

you.

Your faithful friend to do you service.

TO THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM.*

MY VERY good Lord,

I humbly thank your lordship for the grace and favour which you did both to the message and messenger, in bringing Mr. Meautys to kiss his

TO THE LORD CHANCELLOR OF THE DUCHY, SIR majesty's hands, and to receive his pleasure. My

HUMPHREY MAY.

GOOD MR. CHANCELLOR,

મ

There will come, upon Friday, before you a patent* of his majesty's for the separation of the company of apothecaries from the company of grocers, and their survey, and the erecting them into a corporation of themselves under the survey of the physicians. It is, as I conceive, a fair business both for law and conveniency, and a work which the king made his own, and did, and as I hear doth take much to heart. It is in favorem vitæ, where the other part is in favorem lucri. You may perhaps think me partial to apothecaries, that have been ever puddering in physic all my life. But there is a circumstance that touches upon me but post diem, for it is comprehended in the charge and sentence passed upon me. It is true, that after I had put the seal to the patent, the apothecariest presented me with a hundred pounds. It was no judicial affair. But, howsoever, as it may not be defended, so I would be glad it were not raked up more than needs. I doubt only the chair, because I hear he useth names sharply; and, besides, it may be, he hath a tooth at me yet, which is not fallen out with age. But the best is, as one

* The patent for incorporating the apothecaries by them selves, by the appellation of "The Masters, Wardens, and Society of the Art and Mystery of Apothecaries of London," was dated December 6, 1617. They had been incorporated with the company of grocers, April 9, 1606.

riches in my adversity have been, that I have had a good master, a good friend, and a good servant.

Perceiving, by Mr. Meautys, his majesty's inclination, it shall be, as it hath ever used to be to me, instead of a direction; and, therefore, I purpose to go forthwith to Gorhambury, humbly thanking his majesty, nevertheless, that he was graciously pleased to have acquainted my lords with my desire, if it had stood me so much upon. But his majesty knoweth best the times and seasons; and to his grace I submit myself, desiring his majesty and your lordship to take my letters from the Tower as written de profundis, and those I continue to write to be ex aquis salsis.

June 22, 1621.

Endorsed,

To Lord Buckingham, upon bringing Mr. Meautys to kiss the king's hands.

TO THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM.
MY VERY GOOD LORD,

I have written, as I thought it decent in me to do, to his majesty the letter I send enclosed. I have great faith that your lordship, now nobly and like yourself, will effect with his majesty. In this the king is of himself, and it hath no relation to Parliament. I have written also, as your + His lordship being charged by the House of Commons, lordship advised me, only touching that point of that he had received one hundred pounds of the new company means. I have lived hitherto upon the scraps of of apothecaries, that stood against the grocers, as, likewise, a taster of gold worth between four and five hundred pounds, my former fortunes; and I shall not be able to hold with a present of ambergrise, from the apothecaries that out longer. Therefore, I hope your lordship will stood with the grocers; and two hundred pounds of the now, according to the loving promises and hopes

grocers; he admits the several sums to have been re

ceived of the three parties, but alleges, "that he consi- given, settle my poor fortunes, or rather my being. dered those presents as no judicial business, but a concord I am much fallen in love with a private life; but of composition between the parties: and, as he thought they had all three received good, and they were all common purses, he thought it the less matter to receive what they voluntarily presented; for if had taken it in the nature of a bribe, he knew it could not be concealed, because it must be put to the account of the three several companies."

*This letter is reprinted here, because it differs in some respects from that published in Letters, Memoirs, Parliamen• tary Affairs, State Papers, &c. by Robert Stephens, Esq., P 151, Edit. London, 1736, 4to.

yet I shall so spend my time, as shall not decay | acceptation, which hath been always favourably my abilities for use.

God preserve and prosper your lordship.

September 5, 1621.

TO THE PRINCE.

MAY IT PLEASE YOUR HIGHNESS,

great. I have served your majesty now seventeen years; and since my first service, (which was in the commission of the union,) I received from your majesty never chiding or rebuke, but always sweetness and thanks. Neither was I in these seventeen years ever chargeable to your majesty, but got my means in an honourable sweat of my labour, save that of late your majesty was graciI cannot too oft acknowledge your highness's ously pleased to bestow upon me the pension of favour in my troubles; but acknowledgment now twelve hundred pounds for a few years. For in is but begging of new favour. Yet, even that is that other poor prop of my estate, which is the not inconvenient; for thanksgiving and petition farming of the petty writs, I improved your mago well together, even to God himself. My jesty's revenue by four hundred pounds the year. humble suit to your highness, that I may be And, likewise, when I received the seal, Ĭ left thought on for means to subsist; and to that pur-both the attorney's place, which was a gainful pose, that your highness will join with my noble friend to the king. That done, I shall ever be ready either at God's call or his majesty's, and as happy to my thinking as a man can be, that must leave to serve such a king.

God preserve and prosper your highness.

On the back of the draughts of the three preceding
letters were written the following memoranda.
Bishops Winchester,* Durham,† London.‡
Lord Duke,§ Lord Hunsdon.

Lord Chamberlain,|| to thank him for his kind remembrance by you; and though in this private fortune I shall have use of few friends, yet, I cannot but acknowledge the moderation and affection his lordship showed in my business, and desire, that of those few his lordship will still be one for my comfort, in whatsoever may cross his way, for the furtherance of my private life and fortune.

Mr. John Murray. If there be any thing that may concern me, that is fit for him to speak, and me to know, that I may receive it by you.

Mr. Maxwell. That I am sorry, that so soon as I came to know him, and to be beholding to him, I wanted power to be of use for him.

Lord of Kelly; and to acquaint him with that part touching the confinement.

place, and the clerkship of the Star Chamber,
which was Queen Elizabeth's favour, and was
worth twelve hundred pounds by the
year, which
would have been a good commendam. The
honours which your majesty hath done me have
put me above the means to get my living; and
the misery I am fallen into hath put me below
shall be such, for this little end of my thread
the means to subsist as I am. I hope my courses
which remaineth, as your majesty in doing me
good may do good to many, both that live now,
and shall be born hereafter. I have been the
keeper of your seal, and now am your beadsman.
Let your own royal heart, and my noble friend,
speak the rest.

God preserve and prosper your majesty.
Your majesty's faithful

September 5, 1621.

poor servant and beadsman, FR. ST. ALBAN.

Cardinal Wolsey said, that if he had pleased God as he pleased the king, he had not been ruined. My conscience saith no such thing; for I know not but in serving you, I have served God in one. But it may be, if I had pleased God, as I had pleased you, it would have been better with me.

TO THE KING.

MAY IT PLEASE YOUR MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY, I do very humbly thank your majesty for your gracious remission of my fine. I can now, I thank God and you, die, and make a will.

I desire to do, for the little time God shall send when they give over trade, lay out their money me life, like the merchants of London, which, I lay forth my poor talent upon those things which upon land. So, being freed from civil business, honour with those powers I have left. may be perpetual, still having relation to do you

I have, therefore, chosen to write the reign of King Henry the VIIth, who was in a sort your forerunner, and whose spirit, as well as his blood, is doubled upon your majesty.