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TO THE LORD ST. ALBAN.

MY NOBLE LORD,

The hearty affection I have borne to your person and service, hath made me ambitious to be a messenger of good news to you, and an eschewer of ill; this hath been the true reason why I have been thus long in answering you, not any negligence in your discreet, modest servant you sent with your letter, nor his who now returns you this answer, ofttimes given me by your master and mine; who, though by this may seem not to

satisfy your desert and expectation, yet, take the
word of a friend, who will never fail you, hath a
tender care of you, full of a fresh memory of
your by-past service. His majesty is but for the
present, he says, able to yield unto the three
years' advance, which, if you please to accept,
you are not hereafter the farther off from obtain-
ing some better testimony of his favour, worthier
both of him and you, though it can never be an-
swerable to what my heart wishes you, as

Your lordship's humble servant,
G. BUCKINGHAM.

LETTERS FROM STEPHENS.

TO THE KING.

IT MAY PLEASE YOUR MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY,
According to your commandment, I send en-
closed the Preface to the Patent of Creation of
Sir George Villiers. I have not used any glaring
terms, but drawn according to your majesty's
instructions, and the note which, thereupon, I
framed, and your majesty allowed, with some ad-
ditions, which I have inserted. But I hope your
majesty will be pleased to correct and perfect
it. Your majesty will also be pleased to
remember, that if the creation shall be at
Roughford, your pleasure and this draught be
speedily returned; for it will ask a sending
of the bill for your majesty's signature, and
a sending back of the same to pass the seals,
and a sending thereupon of the patent itself: so
it must be twice sent up and down before the day.
God evermore preserve your majesty.
Your majesty's most devoted,

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of that business before the end of the term. And
so I rest

Your faithful friend at command,
GEORGE VILLIERS.

Newmarket, Nov. 19, 1616.

TO THE EARL OF BUCKINGHAM.

MY SINGULAR GOOD LORD,

When I heard your lordship was dead, 1 though I had lived too long. That was (to tell your lordship truly) the state of my mind upon that report. Since, I hear it was an idle mistaking of my Lord Evers, for my Lord Villiers: God's name be blessed, that you are alive to do infinite good, and not so much as sick or ill disposed for any thing I now hear.

I have resigned the prince's seal, and my Lord Hobart is placed. I made the prince laugh, when I told him I resigned it with more comfort than I received it; he understanding me that I had changed for a better: but after I had given him that thought, I turned it upon this, that I left his state and business in good case, whereof I gave him a particular account.

The queen called upon me for the matter of he house, wherein your lordship and my Lord Chamberlain and I dealt, and received his majesty's direction, so that I shall prepare a war

SIR, I have acquainted his majesty with your letter, and the other papers enclosed, who liketh very well of the course you purpose, touching rant, first to my lord treasurer and Mr. Chancelthe manifest to be published of Bertram's fact, lor, (for that is the right way) to advise how to and will have you, according to your own motion, settle it by assignment, in case she survive his advise with my lord chancellor of the manner of it. majesty, which I hope in God she shall not. His majesty's pleasure likewise is, that, according Her desire was expressly and of herself, that to the declaration he made before the lords of his when I had prepared a warrant to be sent to his council, at Whitehall, touching the review of my majesty, I should send it by your lordship's Lord Coke's reports, you draw a warrant ready hand's.

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for his signature, directed to those judges whom We sit in council, that is all I can yet say he then named to that effect, and send it speedily Sir John Denham is not come, upon whose to him to be signed, that there may be a despatch ing the king shall have account of

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our consulta

tions touching Ireland, which we cannot con- derstand the place of a chancellor, but done him clude, till we have spoken with him. God ever preserve and prosper you.

It grieveth me much, that I cannot hear enough of his majesty's good disposition of health, and his pleasures, and other ordinary occurrences of his journey: I pray your lordship will direct Mr. Packer to write to me sometime, of matters of that kind. I have made the like request to Sir Edward Villiers, by whom I write this present, to whose good affection I think myself beholden, as I do also esteem him much for his good parts, besides his nearness to your lordship, which bindeth me above all.

Your lordship's most faithful

April 7, 1617.

and devoted friend and servant, FR. BACON, C. S.

much right also, in giving notice unto those that were present, that you had received such instructions from his majesty; whose honour will be so much the greater, in that all men will acknowledge the sufficiency and worthiness of his majesty's choice, in preferring a man of such abilities to that place, which, besides, cannot but be a great advancement and furtherance to his service. And I can assure your lordship, that his majesty was never so well pleased, as he is with this account you have given him of this passage. Thus, with the remembrance of my service, I rest

Your lordship's ever at command,
G. BUCKINGHAM.

Edinburgh, May 18, 1616.

TO THE EARL OF BUCKINGHAM.

MY SINGULAR GOOD LORD,

I pray your lordship to deliver to his majesty the enclosed.

I send your lordship, also, the warrant to my lord treasurer and Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer for the queen's house,* it is to come again to the king, when the bill is drawn for the letters patents; for this is only the warrant to be signed by his majesty.

I asked the queen whether she would write to your lordship about it; her answer was very modest and discreet, that because it proceeded wholly from his majesty's kindness and goodness, who had referred it, it was not so fit for her to write to your lordship for the despatch of it, but she desired me to thank your lordship for your former care of it, and to desire you to continue it: and withal she desireth your lordship not to press his majesty in it, but to take his best times.

TO THE LORD KEEPER.

MY HONOURABLE LORD,

His majesty commandeth me to write to your lordship, that he wonders your hand being at that letter of the lords of the council, which he saith is a very blunt one: you have not besides sent him some advice of your own, his majesty having only entrusted you to speak with Sir Lionel Cranfield about his estate.

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

Newmarket, Nov. 19, 1617.

TO THE EARL OF BUCKINGHAM.

MY LORD:- How well I wish to Sir Gilbert Haughton, himself, I dare say, doth not doubt, partly out of mine own affection, and chiefly for your lordship's affection towards him, which to

This answer (because I like it so well) I write me is more than mine own. That the king should to you at large, for other matters I will write by make bargains of hope, when his treasure sufthe next. God ever prosper you and pre-ficeth not for his own charge, I may not advise serve you.

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* Somerset House.

for my dearest friends, for I am nailed to the king's estate. But two things I shall assent unto; the one, that if the king can redeem his works without charge of officers, I shall be glad of it, both for the gentleman's sake, and because I perceive the uniting of the alum works in the king's hands is best: the other, that if his majesty be pleased to signify his pleasure to my lord treasurer and me, that there be no forfeiture taken by Banister, till the king shall advise of this bargain, we will hold him to it. God preserve and prosper your lordship. Your lordship, I think, perceiveth both my scribbling and cursory inditing, that I write in straits of business. Your lordship's true friend

and devoted servant, FR. BACON, C. S

York House, this 24th of Nov., 1617.

TO THE KING.

MAY IT PLEASE YOUR MAJESTY,

Being yesterday assembled in council to proceed in the course we had begun, for retrenchment of your majesty's expenses; we received your princely letters, whereby we are directed to send to your majesty the names of the officers of the exchequer, custom-house, and auditors, out of which you purpose to make choice of some to be sub-committed to handle the mechanic and laborious part of that which your majesty had appointed to our care; we have, according to our duty, sent unto your majesty the names of the several officers of your majesty in those places, to be ordered as your wisdom shall think best to direct. But withal, we thought it appurtenant to our duties to inform your majesty how far we have proceeded in the several heads of retrenchments by your majesty at your departure committed unto us, that when you know in what

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I have received your lordship's letters, wherein I see the continuance of your love and respect to me, in any thing I write to you of, for which I

estate our labours are, your judgment may give your lordship many thanks, desiring nothing

the better direct any further course, as shall be

meet.

The matter of the household was by us, some days since, committed peremptorily to the officers of the house, as matter of commandment from your majesty, and of duty in them, to reduce the expense of your house to a limited charge of fifty thousand pounds by the year, besides the benefit of the compositions; and they have ever since painfully, as we are informed, travailed in it, and will be ready on Sunday next, which was the day given them, to present some models of retrenchments of divers kinds, all aiming at your majesty's

service.

In the point of pensions we have made a begin. ning, by suspending some wholly for a time, and of others of a third part; in which course we are still going on, until we make it fit to be presented to your majesty; in like manner the Lord Chamberlain, and the Lord Hay, did yesterday report unto us, what their travail had ordered in the wardrobe; and, although some doubt did arise unto us, whether your majesty's letters intended a stay of our labours, until you had made choice of the sub-committee intended by you, yet, presuming that such a course by sub-committee was purposed rather for a furtherance than let to that work, we did resolve to go on still, till your majesty's further directions shall come unto us; and then, according to our duty, we will proceed as we shall be by your majesty commanded; in the mean time, we thought it our duty to inform your majesty of what we have done, that neither your majesty may conceive that we have been negligent in those things which were committed unto us, nor your directions by your late letters hinder or cast back that which is already so far pro

ceeded in.

And so, humbly kissing your royal hands,

for any man but what you shall find just and
convenient to pass. I am very glad to understand
that there is so good hope of Sir Gilbert Hough-
ton's business, which I must needs ascribe to your
lordship's great favour toward him for my sake,
which I will ever acknowledge. If his majesty
at any time speak of the Lord Clifton's business,
I will answer according to that your lordship hath
written, &c.

Your lordship's faithful servant,
G. BUCKINGHAM.

Newmarket, the last of January, 1617.

TO THE LORD CHANCELLOR.

MY HONOURABLE LORD,

I have acquainted his majesty with your letter to me, and delivered likewise to him the letter and other things directed to his majesty, who hath commanded me to return this answer to them all.

First, for your memorial of your charge to the judges, he liketh it so well, that he findeth nothing either to be added or diminished; and was so well satisfied therewith, that he accounteth it needless to read the other papers, but sealed them up again, and sendeth them back to your lordship without reading them. Only in the point of recusants his majesty is of the quite contrary opinion to you, for though he would not by any means have a more severe course held than his laws appoint in that case, yet since the many reasons why, there should be no mitigation above that which his laws have enacted, and his own conscience telleth him to be fit. As, first, the Papists in his kingdom have taken such heart upon the commission given to Sir John Digby, touching the match with Spain, that they have sent copies thereof privately up and down, and

are so lifted up in their hopes of what they desire, that his majesty cannot but take a more severe course, as far as by his laws he may, than hitherto he hath done. Besides, when they shall see a harder hand carried toward them than hath been accustomed, his majesty assureth himself they will employ all their means to further the match, in hope of mitigating of that severity when it shall be accomplished. And though these reasons were not, his majesty would account it a baseness in a prince to show such a desire of the match, as to slack any thing in his course of government, much more in propagation of the religion he professeth, for fear of giving hindrance to the match thereby. And so, with many thanks for your favours to my brother in his business, I rest Your lordship's faithful servant,

Newmarket, Feb. 8, 1617.

G. BUCKINGHAM.

TO THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM. MY VERY GOOD LORD,

We have sat once upon the commission of treasure to no ill purpose, as may appear by the account enclosed; wherein his majesty will find no preposterous issue of treasure. Mr. Chancellor imagines well; Coke seeks, and beats over, as well where it is not, as where it is; Secretary Naunton forgets nothing. I will look to bow things to the true ends. God bless and prosper his majesty and yourself.

Your lordship's most obliged friend
and faithful servant,

July 25, 1618.

FR. VERULAM, Canc.

well spent in that kind. We have put those particulars whereof his majesty gave us charge into a way.

Bingley's information will be to good purpose. and we find another of like nature revealed to Mr. Secretary and myself. God ever prosper you.

Your lordship's most obliged friend and faithful servant, FR. VERULAM, Canc.

October 9, 1618.

TO THE LORD CHANCELLOR.

MY LORD, I have acquainted his majesty with your letter, who giveth you thanks for your advice to communicate the business of the Dutchmen to the commissioners of the treasury, which his majesty was before purposed to refer to them, as it concerns his treasure, for the carriage of it; and to your lordship and the rest named in your letter, for the relation it hath to the law. For the proposers of the suit, his majesty intendeth only to reward their pains as may stand with his service and his princely disposition, but to preserve the main benefit himself: all that his majesty would have your lordship to do for the present, is to take order about the writ of ne exeant regnum, to advise with his learned counsel what course is to be taken, and if by a warrant from his majesty, that your lordship send him a warrant to be signed, which shall be returned with all speed. Of other things his majesty thinketh it will be time enough to speak at his return to London.

In the mean time I rest
Your lordship's faithful friend and servant,
G. BUCKINGHAM.

Hinchinbroke, Oct. 21, 1618.

TO THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM. MY VERY GOOD LORD,

What passed in your lordship's presence your lordship can tell, touching the navy. The morrow following we concluded in approbation of the books, save in one point, touching the number convenient for manning the ships, wherein the number allowed by the commissioners had, in my judgment, a little of the merchant; for to measure by so many as were above dead pays, is no good argument. For the abuse of dead pays is to be amended, and not the necessary number abated. In this his majesty may fall upon a middle proportion between that of the commissioners and that of the officers.

It were good, now the three books which we have appointed to be engrossed into one ledger book are affirmed, there were a short book of his majesty's royal directions, and orders thereupon,

extracted.

For the commission of the treasury, I persuade myself, they are of the first hours that bare been

TO THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM.

MY VERY GOOD LORD,

I have this morning received the petty roll for the sheriffs. I received also the papers exhibited by Sir Miles Fleetwood, which I will use to his majesty's best service, and thereupon give account to his majesty when time serveth.

My care, which is not dormant, touching his majesty's service, specially that of treasure, (which is now summa summarum,) maketh me propound to his majesty a matter, which, God is my wit ness, I do without contemplation of friend or end. but animo recto.

If Sir Edward Coke continue sick, or keep in, I fear his majesty's service will languish too, in those things which touch upon law; as the calling in debts, recusants, alienations, defalcations, etc. And this is most certain, that in these new diligences, if the first beginning cool, all will go his majesty to think of it, whether there will not be a kind of necessity to add my Lord Chief Justice of England to the commissioners of treaThis I move only to the king and your lordship, otherwise it is a thing ex non entibus. God preserve and prosper you.

back to the old bias. Therefore, it may please I send now to know how his majesty doth after

sure.

Your lordship's most faithful servant,
FR. VERULAM, Canc.

From the Star Chamber, Nov. 25, 1618.

his remove, and to give you account, that yesterday was a day of motions in the Chancery. This day was a day of motions in the Star Chamber, and it was my hap to clear the bar, that no man was left to move any thing, which my lords were pleased to note they never saw before. Tomorrow is a sealing day; Thursday is the funeral day; so that I pray your lordship to direct me whether I shall attend his majesty Friday or Saturday. Friday hath some relics of business,

I forget not Tufton's cause. All things stay, and the commissioners of treasure have appointed and precedents are in search.

TO THE KING.

MAY IT PLEASE YOUR MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY, According to your majesty's pleasure, signified to us by the Lord Marquis Buckingham, we have considered of the fitness and conveniency of the gold and silver thread business, as also the profit that may accrue unto your majesty.

We are all of opinion that it is convenient that the same should be settled, having been brought hither at the great charge of your majesty's now agents, and being a means to set many of your poor subjects on work; and to this purpose there

to meet; but to see his majesty is to me above all.

I have set down, de bene esse, Suffolk's cause, the third sitting next term; if the wind suffer the commission of Ireland to be sped. I ever more and more rest

Your lordship's most obliged friend

This 11th May, 1619.

and faithful servant, FR. VERULAM, Canc.

TO THE LORD CHANCELLOR.

MY HONOURABLE LORD,

Your lordship hath sent so good news to his

was a former certificate to your majesty from majesty that I could have wished you had been

some of us with others.

And for the profit that will arise, we see no cause to doubt; but do conceive apparent likelihood, that it will redound much to your majesty's profit, which we esteem may be at the least ten thousand pounds by the year; and, therefore, in a business of such benefit to your majesty, it were good it were settled with all convenient speed, by all lawful means that may be thought of; which, notwithstanding, we most humbly leave to your majesty's highest wisdom.

Your majesty's most humble

and faithful servants,

FR. VERULAM, Canc.
H. MONTAGU,
HENRY YELVERTON.

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the reporter of it yourself; but seeing you came not, I cannot but give you thanks for employing me in the delivering of that which pleased his majesty so well, whereof he will put your lordship in mind when he seeth you. I am glad we are come so near together, and hoping to see you at Windsor, I rest

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

August 29th, 1619.

TO THE LORD CHANCELLOR.

MY HONOURABLE LORD,

As I was reading your lordship's letter, his majesty came, and took it out of my hands, when he knew from whom it came, before I could read the paper enclosed, and told me that you had done like a wise counsellor; first setting down the state of the question, and then propounding the difficulties, the rest being to be done in its own time.

I am glad of this occasion of writing to your lordship, that I may now let your lordship understand his majesty's good conceit and acceptation of your service, upon your discourse with him at Windsor; which, though I heard not myself, yet I heard his majesty much commend it, both for the method and the affection you showed therein to his affairs, in such earnest manner, as if you

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