be doubted that many Englishmen, both in and out of Parliament, were sorry that the representatives of the people had been forced to part without imposing a tax for the benefit of the King. As many as were of that mind might offer the King their own share of such a tax, of their own free will. The law which forbade any man to be taxed without the consent of his representatives, could not be construed as forbidding each man to tax himself. Those who thought it right so to tax themselves, would naturally think it right for others, similarly circumstanced, to do the same, and might endeavour to persuade them to do it. While the King on his part, though forbidden to exact any such contribution without consent of Parliament, was not forbidden to receive one which (with or without that consent) was freely offered. If therefore a party of noblemen and gentlemen, knowing what had passed, weighing the consequences of it, and concluding (as they might well do) that such a notorious beggary of the Exchequer, together with such a notorious breach between the Executive and the Legislature, was dangerous to the best interests of the kingdom; that it had been brought about by no just or rational course of proceeding, but by accidents and blunders and faction; and that it was such a conclusion as every wise and honest man in the kingdom must, if he understood the nature and consequences of it, regret ;-if such a party agreed, first to make a subscription among themselves, and then to get up a subscription through the country, for the relief of the Exchequer, and for a better proof that the King, however he might have broken with the Parliament, had not lost the affections of the people; taking at the same time all practicable precautions to make people understand that it was really and truly a free gift,-that any man might give or not give as he pleased, and that while those who gave would be thanked, those who did not give would pass unnoticed and unchallenged; no just objection could be taken to the proceeding.

As some questions of importance turn upon the manner in which the business was conducted, I may as well give in extenso the Archbishop's letter which appears to have been the very beginning of it.

THE ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY TO THE BISHOP OF

My very good Lord,

NORWICH.1

June 1614.

I doubt not but you have heard what was the issue of this late Parliament, and how by the harsh courses of some men his Majesty received

1 Printed in appendix to Bp. Goodman's Court of King James I.' (edited by Brewer, 1839), vol. ii. p. 157.

no kind of satisfaction in that great cause wherefore he called them, that is to say, for the supplying of his necessities. This event producing a great damp on all sides, it pleased God to put into the minds of my Lords the Bishops, after the expiring of the Convocation, to think upon some course how they might in some measure testify their duty unto their sovereign by some free-will offering.

The matter whereupon they resolved was, that every Bishop should voluntarily send unto the King the best piece of plate which he had; and if his Majesty should be pleased to accept of this, then we promised to move the civilians, and others of the abler sort of the clergy, according to their proportion to do the like. In brief his Majesty graciously accepted it, conceiving that it would produce that effect whereat we principally aimed, that this our example would bring on the Lords and others of the temporalty to do the like. And verily God blessed our intendments, for his Highness immediately making it known in the Court, the Lords of the Council and the rest of the nobility presently took it up, and not only themselves do perform the same, but sent forthwith to the Judges, to the Lord Mayor and Aldermen, together with other persons of special note, so that I trust the harvest will be great throughout the better sort of the whole kingdom. We of the Bishops that were here presently sent in our gifts, myself leading the way; and some of our company, not having any piece of plate sufficient to express their zeal to this service, sent in some one of smaller worth, but filled with gold, so that it made a present of reasonable value. The desire of us all is, that your Lordship will bear a part in this work, and that you will move the clergy in your diocese to send in such a voluntary gratification, whereunto those which were here in Convocation already prepared, out of this ground, that if the Parliament had obtained the expected success, they might well have conceived that they should have granted no less than three or four subsidies. Our meaning in this is, that no poor man should be grated on, but that it should come freely from the purses of those who are of ability, and shall part with that which is of ornament and luxury rather than of necessity; and where men are unwilling to part with their plate, they may send in some convenient sum of money as a redemption for the same. I pray your Lordship with all diligence and dexterity to set yourself to this work, wherein I trust all good men will concur with alacrity; for it is a shame unto our whole nation that so good and gracious a King should be driven to necessity, when we, his people, do live in plenty. And I know it was a singular comfort unto his Majesty, that, when some have been unrespective of him, there were not wanting others which remembered their duty, and that so opportunely. So ceasing to be any way further troublesome unto your Lordship, with my hearty commendations. I rest your so very loving brother

Lambeth, the... of June 1614.

G. CANT.

I entreat your Lordship to send me word what you do herein, and when you shall convey it up, to send me a note of all the parties, and of the

proportion of their gifts, that I may make up a book of all that is bestowed throughout the whole kingdom.

To the Right Reverend Father in God, my

good Lord and Brother, the Lord Bishop

of Norwich give these.

So far, I suppose no one will maintain that the proceeding was unconstitutional: for the offer thus made by the members of the Convocation (with whom the legal power of taxing the clergy lay) may be considered only as an irregular way of doing what they had a right to do, and would no doubt have done in the regular way if they had had the opportunity. And if individual members of the laity chose to follow the example of the Bishops, why not? "The Archbishop of Canterbury" (says Chamberlain) "began with a basin and ewer, and redeemed it with £140. The Bishop of Winchester as much, Ely £120, et sic de cæteris. The noblemen followed the example. The Lord Chamberlain and the Earl of Somerset gave each £200; the Earl of Salisbury, £300; the rest less; Mr. Secretary gave £100; and all officers towards the law or receipt, according to their minds; Sir Henry Fanshawe, £50; Sir Christopher Hatton, as much; the Lord Coke, £200; but the rest of the Judges come but slowly after: for I know where some presented but £20, which was refused. The money is paid into the Jewel House."l

What Bacon gave I do not find mentioned, nor do I know whether up to this point he had had anything to do with the business. But the next step was a critical one; and his opinion was either asked or offered as to the course which should be followed. "Letters," Chamberlain adds, "shall be sent into all the shires to see how they will follow the example." Now it is obvious that though the Bishops, Lords, Judges, and Courtiers, in giving what they pleased, used no more than their lawful liberty to dispose of that which was their own, methods might be used to induce the shires to follow their example which would be far from lawful; and that the constitutionality of the further proceeding depended entirely upon the effect of the letters that were to be sent out. And therefore a paper which I have found among the Cotton MSS. addressed to that particular point, written in the hand of a secretary whom Bacon commonly employed about this time, and docketed in his own hand, must be regarded as a document of some importance. Though his name is not upon it, the internal evidence of style, combined with the circumstances I have mentioned, will leave little doubt in any mind that it is his own composition: and for my own part I take it to be one of

1 Chamberlain to Carleton, 30 June, 1614.

those compositions which are especially his own, being a voluntary service, not performed in public or in conjunction with others, but a piece of advice privately submitted to the King or Council, in a matter which he thought important.

CERTAIN POINTS TO BE OBSERVED IN THE VOLUNTARY OBLATION WELL BEGUN FOR HIS MAJESTY'S HELP AND SUPPLY.1

In general there be three things which are tanquam fines, unto which relation is to be had in the ordering of this matter. First, that it have no show of any compulsory means to draw men to give, or any pressing it by authority.

Secondly, that the meaner and poorer sort of people be not at all touched or dealt with.

Thirdly, that such course be taken as may encourage and give the better sort an edge and appetite to give cheerfully and plentifully.

For that which may conduce to these ends, the points fol

lowing are to be put in practice.

]. That the terms of Benevolence and Contribution (whereof the one is forbidden by Act of Parliament, the other is the ordinary word for payments taxed and rated in the country) be avoided; and that the terms whereby it shall be expressed shall be Gift, Present, Offering, Oblation, or the like.

2. That there be no precise method of beginning with the greater and superior and so descending in order to the meaner and inferior; or that men should give in the body or company whereof they are; but that every particular man's gift (if he like better to go by himself) may be accepted and presented by what means himself best liketh.

3. That there be no letters from his Majesty nor the body of the Council, nor the Lieutenants, concerning the same. But that particular councillors, noblemen, great officers, and the like, by their several letters or word of mouth, do commend it to some selected gentlemen in the country which are most industrious and gracious with the shires or towns; or to such as have dependence upon them as officers.

4. That there be no formal course of appointing either the collector,-as that he must be either the deputy-lieutenant, or

1 Cott. MSS. Cleop. F. vi. f. 391. Docketed in Bacon's hand: "Supplie: free oblation to the K."

VOL. V.

G

Custos Rotulorum, or clerk of the peace (or the like); nor yet of the presenter to the King, but that it be left to the choice of the justices of peace for the shire, and the principal townsmen in towns, whom to choose to be their collector, and likewise by whom about the King to present their gift.

5. That it be given out abroad that Mr. Secretary or Sir Thomas Lake, being daily attending about the King, have order to receive the bills or schedules of names of such as do give, and the sum or value of their gift, and to show the same bills or schedules to the King weekly; and the like bill to the Prince to be preferred by some near about him.

6. That there be copies spread abroad, especially of such as give most bountifully, that others of their rank may perceive they cannot without discredit and note fall too low.

7. That no fees or payments be taken out of that which shall be presented, nor that it be paid into the Exchequer, but be consigned over to the payment of the King's debts; and those debts first that concern the public, as the Navy, Ireland, &c.; and that above all care be taken that no part of the plate or otherwise be given away.

8. That if much should come in in plate, which will be a great gain either to the Jewel-house or to the goldsmith, consideration be had thereof, and a good proportion answered to the King out of the same by the officers of the Jewel-house or goldsmiths.

9. That the city of London by no means use not the course which commonly they take, to make any rating by companies, whereby it may reach to the poor, but that they choose the ablest men of every company with whom to deal.

10. That the like course be held by those that shall deal for the King in all counties and towns, singling out those which either for ability or credit will be forward, and importuning or pressing

no man.

11. That for the present time there be no mention at all made of the voluntary delivering in of Privy Seals, nor that that course be allowed or accepted of (as not helping his Majesty's present necessity); for otherwise many will turn their gift into that kind.

12. That it be now at the first hotly and closely followed, and not suffered to cool, for else it will be acribus initiis fine incurioso.

13. That special care be taken that in the accepting of a gift