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I durst not have presumed to entreat your ma- | The message I received by Mr. Meautys aid imjesty to look over the book, and correct it, or at least to signify what you would have amended. But since you are pleased to send for the book, I will hope for it.

[*God knoweth whether ever I shall see you again; but I will pray for you to the last gasp, resting]

October 8, 1621.

The same, your true beadsman,
FR. ST. ALban.

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MY VERY GOOD LORD,

port inconvenience, in the form of the pardon;
your lordship's last letter, in the time: for, as for
the matter, it lay so fair for his majesty's and my
Lord of Buckingham's own knowledge, as I con-
ceive your lordship doth not aim at that. My
affliction hath made me understand myself better,
and not worse; yet loving advice, I know, helps
well. Therefore, I send Mr. Meautys to your
lordship, that I might reap so much your fruit of
your lordship's professed good affection, as to
know in some more particular fashion, what it is
that your lordship doubteth, or disliketh, that I
may the better endeavour your satisfaction or ac-
So I rest
quiescence, if there be cause.
Your lordship's to do you service,
FR. ST. ALBan.

October 18, 1621.

PETITION OF THE LORD VISCOUNT ST. ALBAN,

INTENDED FOR THE HOUSE OF LORDS.

MY RIGHT HONOURABLE Very Good Lords,

I

Having perused a privy seal, containing a pardon for your lordship, and thought seriously thereupon, I find, that the passing of the same (the assembly in Parliament so near approaching†) cannot but be much prejudicial to the service of the king, to the honour of my Lord of Buckingham, to that commiseration, which otherwise In all humbleness, acknowledging your lordwould be had of your lordship's present estate, ships' justice, I do now, in like manner, crave and especially to my judgment and fidelity. I and implore your grace and compassion. I am have ever affectionately loved your lordship's old, weak, ruined, in want, a very subject of pity. many and most excelling good parts and endow- My only suit to your lordships is to show me ments; nor had ever cause to disaffect your lord-your noble favour towards the release of my conship's person: so as no respect in the world, finement, (so every confinement is,) and to me, beside the former considerations, could have protest, worse than the Tower.* There I could drawn me to add the least affliction or discon- have had company, physicians, conference with tentment unto your lordship's present fortune. my creditors and friends about my debts, and the May it, therefore, please your lordship to suspend necessities of my estate, helps for my studies, anc the passing of this pardon, until the next assem- the writings I have in hand. Here, I live upon bly be over and dissolved; and I will be then as the sword point of a sharp air, endangered if I go ready to seal it as your lordship to accept of it: abroad, dulled if I stay within, solitary and comand, in the mean time, undertake that the king fortless without company, banished from all opand my lord admiral shall interpret this short portunities to treat with any to do myself good, delay as a service and respect issuing wholly from and to help out any wrecks; and that, which is your lordship; and rest, in all other offices what- one of my greatest griefs, my wife, that hath been no partaker of my offending, must be partaker of this misery of my restraint.

soever,

Your lordship's faithful servant,

Jo. LINCOLN, elect. Custos Sigilli.

Westminster College, October 18, 1621.

May it please your lordships, therefore, since there is a time for justice, and a time for misery,

To the right honourable, his very good lord, the to think with compassion upon that which I have Lord Viscount St. Alban.

TO THE LORD KEEPER.

MY VERY GOOD LORD,

I know the reasons must appear to your lordship many and weighty which should move you to stop the king's grace, or to dissuade it; and somewhat the more in respect of my person, being, I hope, no unfit subject for noble dealing

already suffered, which is not little, and to recommend this my humble, and, as I hope, modest suit to his most excellent majesty, the fountain of grace, of whose mercy, for so much as concerns himself merely, I have already tasted, and likewise of his favour of this very kind, by some small temporary dispensations.

Herein your lordships shall do a work of charity and nobility; you shall do me good; you

*He had been committed to the Tower in May, 1621, and

discharged after two days' confinement there, according to

Camden.-Annales Regis Jacobi I., p.71. There is a letter of his lordship to the Marquis of Buckingham, dated from the It met November 24, 1621, and was dissolved February Tower, May 31, 1621, desiring his lordship to procure his dis

* This passage has a line drawn over it.

8, 1621-2.
VOL. III.-18

charge that day.

M 2

shall do my creditors good; and, it may be, you | indeed to save you the trouble of writing : I mean shall do posterity good, if out of the carcass of dead and rotten greatness, as out of Samson's lion, there may be honey gathered for the use of future times.

God bless your persons and counsels.

Your lordships' supplicant and servant, FR. ST. ALban.

Endorsed,

the reason in the second place; for the chief was to see your lordship. But since you are pleased to give me the liberty to send to your lordship one to whom you will deliver your mind, I take that in so good part, as I think myself tied the more to use that liberty modestly. Wherefore, your lordship will vouchsafe to send to me one of your own, (except I might have leave to come

if

Copy of the petition intended for the House of Par- to London,) either Mr. Packer, my ancient friend,

liament.

TO JOHN, LORD DIGBY.*

MY VERY GOOD Lord,

Receiving, by Mr. Johnson, your loving salutations, it made me call to mind many of your lordship's tokens, yea, and pledges, of good and hearty affection in both my fortunes; for which I shall be ever yours. I pray, my lord, if occasion serve, give me your good word to the king, for the release of my confinement, which is to me a very strait kind of imprisonment. I am no Jesuit, nor | no leper; but one that served his majesty these sixteen years, even from the commission of the union till this last Parliament, and ever had many thanks of his majesty, and was never chidden. This his majesty, I know, will remember at one time or other; for I am his man still.

God keep your lordship.

Your lordship's most affectionate
to do you service,
FR. ST. ALBAN.

Gorhambury, this last of December, 1621.

TO THE LORD VISCOUNT ST. ALBAN.†

MY HONOURAble Lord,

I have received your lordship's letter, and have been long thinking upon it, and the longer, the less able to make answer unto it. Therefore, if your lordship will be pleased to send any understanding man unto me, to whom I may in discourse open myself, I will, by that means, so discover my heart, with all freedom, which were too long to do by letter, especially in this time of Parliament business, that your lordship shall receive satisfaction. In the mean time I rest Your lordship's faithful servant, G. BUCKINGHAM.

Royston, December 16, 1621.

TO THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM.

MY VERY GOOD LORD,

The reason why I was so desirous to have had conference with your lordship at London, was

* Created so in November, 1618, and in September, 1622, Earl of Bristol.

Harl. MSS. vol. 7000.

or Mr. Aylesbury,* of whose good affection towards me I have heard report; to me it shall be indifferent. But if your lordship will have one of my nomination, if I might presume so far, I would name, before all others, my Lord of Falkland. But because perhaps it may cost him a journey, which I may not in good manners desire, I have thought of Sir Edward Sackville, Sir Robert Mansell, my brother, Mr. Solicitor General,† (who, though he be almost a stranger to me, yet, as my case now is, I had rather employ a man of good nature than a friend,) and Sir Arthur Ingram, notwithstanding he be great with my Lord Treasurer. Of these, if your lordship shall be pleased to prick one, I hope well I shall entreat him to attend your lordship, and to be sorry never a whit of the employment. Your lordship may take your own time to signify your will in regard of the present business of Parliament. But my time was confined by due respect to write a present answer to a letter, which I construed to be a kind letter, and such as giveth me yet hope to show myself to your lordship. Your lordship's most obliged friend and faithful servant,

Endorsed,

FR. ST. ALban.

To the Lord of Buckingham, in answer to his of the 16th of December.

THOMAS MEAUTYS, ESQ.‡ TO THE LORD VIS

COUNT ST. ALBAN.

MAY IT PLEASE YOUR Lordship,

As soon as I came to London I repaired to Sir Edward Sackville,§ whom I find very zealous, as I told your lordship. I left him to do your

* Thomas Aylesbury, Esq., secretary to the Marquis of Buckingham, as lord high admiral. He was created a baronet in 1627. Lord Chancellor Clarendon married his daughter Frances.

+ Sir Robert Heath, made solicitor in January 14, 1620-1. He had been secretary to the Lord Viscount St. Alban, while his lordship had the great seal, and was afterwards clerk of the council, and knighted. He succeeded his patron in the manor of Gorhambury, which, after the death of Sir Thomas, came to his cousin and heir, Sir Thomas Meautys, who married Anne, daughter of Sir Nathaniel Bacon, of Culford Hall, in Suffolk, knight; which lady married a second husband, Sir Harbottle Grimstone, baronet, and master of the rolls, who purchased the reversion of Gorhambury from Sir Hercules Meautys, nephew of the second Sir Thomas,

Afterwards Earl of Dorset, well known for his duel, in 1613, with the Lord Kinloss, in which the latter was killed.

service, in any particular you shall command

TO THE LORD VISCOUNT ST. ALBAN.

This afternoon my lady found access to my lord

gomery* and Sir Edward Sackville, who seemed to contend which of them should show most patience in waiting (which they did a whole afternoon) the opportunity to bring my lord to his chamber, where my lady attended him. But when he was come, she found time enough to speak at large : and though my lord spake so loud as that what passed was no secret to me and some others that were within hearing, yet, because my lady told me she purposeth to write to your lordship the whole passage, it becometh not me to anticipate, by these, any part of her ladyship's relation.

him, to my lord marquis, (though it were with MAY IT PLEASE YOUR LORDSHIP, some adventure;) and withal he imparted to me what advice he had given to my lady this after-marquis, procured for her by my Lord of Montnoon, upon his visiting of her at York House, when Mr. Packer also, as it fell out, was come, at the same time, to see my lady, and seemed to concur with Sir Edward Sackville in the same ways; which were for my lady to become a suitor to my Lady Buckingham,* and my lady marchioness to work my lord marquis for obtaining of the king some bounty towards your lordship; and in particular that of the thousand pounds for the small writs. If I may speak my opinion to your lordship, it is not amiss to begin any way, or with any particular, though but small game at first, only to set a rusty clock agoing, and then haply it may go right for a time, enough to bring on the rest of your lordship's requests. Yet, because your lordship directed me to wish my lady, from you, by no means to act any thing, but only to open her mind in discourse unto friends, until she should receive your farther direction, it became not me to be too forward in putting it on too fast with Sir Edward; and my lady was pleased to tell me since that she hath | written to your lordship at large.

I inquired, even now, of Benbow, whether the proclamation for dissolving the Parliament was coming forth. He tells me he knows no more certainty of it, than that Mr. Secretary commanded him yesterday to be ready for despatching of the writs, when he should be called for; but since then he hears it sticks, and endures some qualms; but they speak it still aloud at court that the king is resolved of it.

Benbow tells me likewise, that he hath attended these two days upon a committee of the lords, with the book of the commission of peace; and that their work is to empty the commission in some counties by the score, and many of them Parliament men; which course sure helps to ring the passing bell to the Parliament.

Mr. Borough‡ tells me, he is at this present fain to attend some service for the king, but about Saturday he hopes to be at liberty to wait upon your lordship. I humbly rest

Your lordship's forever to honour and serve,
T. MEAUTYS.
January 3, 1621.

I send your lordship herewith the proclamation for dissolving the Parliament, wherein there is nothing forgotten that we† have done amiss; but for most of those things that we have well done, we must be fain, I see, to commend ourselves.

I delivered your lordship's to my Lord of Montgomery and Mr. Matthew, who was even then come to York House to visit my lady, when I received the letter; and, as soon as he had read it, he said, that he had rather your lordship had sent him a challenge; and that it had been easier to answer than so noble and kind a letter. He intends to see your lordship some time this week, and so doth Sir Edward Sackville, who is forward to make my lady a way by the prince, if your lordship advise it.

There are packets newly come out of Spain; and the king, they say, seems well pleased with the contents; wherein there is an absolute promise and undertaking for the restitution of the palatinate; the dispensation returned already from the pope, and the match hastened on their parts. My Lord Digby goes shortly; and Mr. Matthew tells me he means, before his going, to write by him to your lordship.

The king goes not till Wednesday, and the prince certainly goes with him. My lord marquis, in person, christens my Lord of Falkland's child to-morrow, at his house by Watford.

Mr. Murray tells me the king hath given your books to my Lord Brooke, and enjoined him to read it, recommending it much to him; and then my Lord Brooke is to return it to your lordship; and so it may go to the press when your lordship pleases, with such amendments as the king hath To the Right Honourable my most honoured lord, made, which I have seen, and are very few, and

*

the Lord Viscount St. Alban.

Mary, Countess of Buckingham, mother of the marquis. Catharine, Marchioness of Buckingham, wife of the marquis, and only daughter and heir of Francis, Earl of Rutland.

John Borough, educated in common law at Gray's Inn, Keeper of the Records in the Tower of London, Secretary to the Earl Marshal, in 1623 made Norroy; in July, the year following, knighted, and on the 23d of December, the same year, made Garter King at Arms, in the place of Sir William Segar. He died October 21, 1643.

those rather words, as epidemic, and mild, instead

Philip, afterwards Earl of Pembroke.

+ Mr. Meautys was member in this Parliament for the town of Cambridge.

Thomas Murray, tutor and secretary to the prince, made
provost of Eton College, in the room of Sir Henry Savile,
Mr. Murray died, likewise,
who died February 19, 1621-2.
April 1, 1623.

The History of the Reign of King Henry the Seventh
Fulk Grevile.

of debonnaire, etc. Only that of persons attainted, that the consideration of your lady's wanting a enabled to serve in Parliament by a bare reversal house hath bred some difficulty in your lordship of their attainder, the king by all means will have to part with it, I will for that make offer unto your left out. I met with my Lord Brooke, and told | lordship, and your lady, to use the house in Canon him, that Mr. Murray had directed me to wait Row, late the Earl of Hertford's, being a very upon him for the book, when he had done with it. commodious and capable house, wherein I and He desired to be spared this week, as being to him my wife have absolute power; and whereof your a week of much business, and the next week I lordship shall have as long time as you can chalshould have it; and he ended in a compliment, that lenge or desire of York House. In this I do care should be taken, by all means, for good ink and freelier deal with your lordship, in respect I know paper to print it in, for that the book deserveth it. you are well assured of my well wishes to you I beg leave to kiss your lordship's hands. in general; and that in this particular, though I Your lordship's in all humbleness have not been without thoughts of this house before your lordship had it, yet, I was willing to give way to your lordship's more pressing use thereof then. And as I do not doubt of your lordship's endeavour to gratify me in this, so I shall esteem it as an extraordinary courtesy, which I will study to requite by all means.

January 7, 1621-2.

to honour and serve,

T. MEAUTYS.

This proclamation is not yet sealed; and, therefore, your lordship may please as yet to keep it in

your own hands.

TO THE LORD VISCOUNT ST. ALBAN.

MY MOST HONOURED LORD,

I met, even now, with a piece of news so unexpected, and yet so certainly true, as that, howsoever, I had much ado, at first, to desire the relater to speak probably; yet, now I dare send it your lordship upon my credit. It is my Lord of Somerset's and his lady's coming out of the Tower, on Saturday last,* fetched forth by my Lord of Falkland, and without the usual degrees of confinement, at first to some one place, but absolute and free, to go where they please. I know not how peradventure this might occasion you to cast your thoughts, touching yourself, into some new mould, though not in the main, yet in something on the by.

I beg leave to kiss your lordship's hands.
Your lordship's, in all humbleness,
forever to honour and serve you,
T. MEAUTYS.

LODOWIC STUART, DUKE OF LENOX, TO THE
LORD VISCOUNT ST. ALBAN.

MY LORD,-It is not unknown to your lordship, that, in respect I am now a married man, I have more reason than before to think of providing me some house in London, whereof I am yet destitute; and for that purpose I have resolved to entreat your lordship, that I may deal with you for York House; wherein I will not offer any conditions to your loss. And, in respect I have understood,

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So, with my best wishes to your lordship, I

rest

Your lordship's most loving friend,

LENOX.

In respect my Lord of Buckingham was once desirous to have had this house, I would not deal for it till now, that he is otherwise provided.

Whitehall, the 29th of January, 1621.

To the Right Honourable my very good lord, my
Lord Viscount St. Alban.

ANSWER OF THE LORD VISCOUNT OF ST. ALBAN.
MY VERY GOOD Lord,

I am sorry to deny your grace any thing; but in this you will pardon me. York House is the house wherein my father died, and wherein I first breathed; and there will I yield my last breath, if so please God, and the king will give me leave; though I be now by fortune (as the old proverb is) like a bear in a monk's hood. At least no money, no value, shall make me part with it. Besides, as I never denied it to my lord marquis, so yet the difficulty I made was so like a denial, as I owe unto my great love and respect to his lordship a denial to all my other friends; among whom, in a very near place next his lordship, I ever accounted of your grace. So, not doubting that you will continue me in your former love and good affection, I rest

Your grace's, to do you humble
service, affectionate, &c.

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ways to the same good mind of yours. True it
is, a small matter for my debts would do me
more good now than double a twelvemonth hence.
I have lost six thousand pounds by year, besides
caps and courtesies. But now a very moderate
proportion would suffice; for I still bear a little
of the mind of a commissioner of the treasury,
not to be overchargeable to his majesty; and two
things I may assure your lordship of: the one,
that I shall lead such a course of life, as whatso-
ever the king doth for me shall rather sort to his
majesty's and your lordship's honour, than to
envy: the other, that whatsoever men talk, I can
play the good husband, and the king's bounty
shall not be lost. If your lordship think good
the prince should come in to help, I know his
highness wisheth me well; if you will let me
know when, and how he may be used. But the
king is the fountain, who, I know is good.
God prosper you.

Your lordship's most bounden
and faithful,

Gorhambury, January 30, 1621.

FR. ST. ALBan.

TO THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM.

MY VERY GOOD LORD, Your lordship dealeth honourably with me in giving me notice, that your lordship is provided of a house,* whereby you discontinue the treaty your lordship had with me for York House, although I shall make no use of this notice, as to deal with any other. For I was ever resolved your lordship should have had it, or no man. But your lordship doth yet more nobly, in assuring me, you never meant it with any the least inconvenience to myself. May it please your lordship likewise to be assured from me, that ever desired you should have it, and do still continue of the same mind.

I

I humbly pray your lordship to move his majesty to take commiseration of my long imprisonment. When I was in the Tower, I was nearer help of physic; I could parley with my creditors; I could deal with friends about my business; I could have helps at hand for my writings and studies, wherein I spend my time; all which here fail me. Good my lord, deliver me out of this; me, who am his majesty's devout beadsman, and

Your lordship's most obliged friend
and faithful servant,

TO THE IORD VISCOUNT ST. ALBAN.

MAY IT PLEASE YOUR LORDSHIP,

Remembering that the letter your lordship put yesterday into my hand was locked up under two or three seals, it ran in my head, that it might be business of importance, and require haste; and not finding Mr. Matthew in town, nor any certainty of his return till Monday or Tuesday, I thought it became me to let your lordship know it, that so I might receive your lordship's pleasure (if need were) to send it by as safe a hand as if it had three seals more.

My lord, I saw Sir Arthur Ingram, who let fall somewhat, as if he could have been contented to have received a letter by me from your lordship, with something in it like an acknowledgment to my lord treasurer,* that by his means you had received a kind letter from my lord marquis. But, in the close, he came about, and fell rather to excuse what was left out of the letter, than to please himself much with what was within it. Only, indeed, he looked upon me, as if he did a little distrust my good meaning in it. But that is all one to me; for I have been used to it of late from others, as well as from him. But persons apt to be suspicious may well be borne with; for certainly they trouble themselves most, and lose most by it. For of such it is a hard question, whether those be fewest whom they trust, or those who trust them. But for him, and some others, I will end in a wish, that, as to your lordship's honester, as they think themselves wiser, than service, they might prove but half so much

other men.

It is doubtful whether the king will come to morrow or not; for they say he is full of pain in his feet.

My lord marquis came late to town last night, and goeth back this evening; and Sir Edward Sackville watcheth an opportunity to speak with Sackville watcheth an opportunity to speak with him before he go. However, he wisheth that your lordship would lose no time in returning an answer, made all of sweetmeats, to my lord marquis's letter, which, he is confident, will be both tasted and digested by him. And Sir Edward wisheth that the other letter to my lord. marquis, for presenting your discourse of laws to his majesty, might follow the first. I humbly rest Your lordship's forever truly

Martii 3, 1621.

to honour and serve you, THO. MEAUTYS.

FR. ST. ALBAN.

Gorhambury, this 3d of Feb., 1621.

TO THE LORD VISCOUNT ST. ALBAN.

IT MAY PLEASE YOUR LORDSHIP,

I had not failed to appear this night, upon you

* Mr. Chamberlain, in a MS. letter to Sir Dudley Carleton, lordship's summons, but that my stay till to

dated at London, January 19, 1621-2, mentions, that the Marquis of Buckingham had contracted with the Lord and Lady Wallingford, for their house near Whitehall, for some Ir oney

* Lionel, Lord Cranfield, made Lord Treasurer in October, 1621.

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