Zealand When I call to mind what Patents I procured of the King of Bohemia and sent your Grace by Sir William Saint Lieger amongst which was one of submission to any accommodation his Majestie shall at any time like well of for the King of Bohemia I think it necessary to advertize your Grace that knowledge being come hither of the Infanta's sending the Count Shomburgh to the King of Denmark with a fair Message and the Count Gondomar's overtures to Mr. Trumbal tending to reconcilement and restitution of the Palatinate it is so willingly hearkned unto by the King of Bohemia that there is no doubt of his Consent but withal he well considers that if Treatie alone be trusted unto and thereupon Armes now leavied by his Majestie and his Friends be laid aside all will prove as fruitlesse as formerly For howsoever the King of Spain for more free prosecution of other quarrels or designs may be induced to quit what he possesseth in the Palatinate the shares the Emperour the Duke of Bavier and the two Electours Majenct and Trevers with a great rabble of Popish Priests and Jesuites have therein will require more then bare negotiation to wring it out of their hands and nothing but Victorie or at least a well armed Treatie can serve that turn The time seems long both to the King and Queen and growes very irksome every day more then other of their abode here in this place which indeed doth prove in all respects very uncomfortable and that your Grace will gather out of Mr. Secretarie Morton's report and my Letters to my Lord Conway In this very Consideration I beseech your Grace be the more mindful of Your Graces Most humble and most devoted servant Dudley Carleton Hague 20th of August 1625. FINIS The Table of things most remarkable A. ADmiral of England his Office p. 102 of Castile takes place of the Imperial Embassadour 165 Aerscus 342 Algier Voyage 143 144 Allegiance Puritanes will not swear it 121 Alpes when passable 186 Anchre Marshal of France 320 Archbishop of Canterbury shoots a Keeper by mischance 12. see tit James King c. for the Palsgraves accepting the Bohemian Crown 169 170 Archbishop of York against Toleration of Popery blames the Voyage into Spain 13 Argile Earl 291 Arminians chief in the Dutch State 322 Arundel Earl Marshal no friend to the Bishop of Lincoln 62 63 74 302 307 316. Ashley Sir Anthony gives the Duke of Buckingham intelligence of Plots against him 308 Aston Sir Walter will not consent that the Prince Palsgrave should be brought up in the Emperours Court 17 see Bristol Earl Concurs with the Earl of Bristol in prefixing a day for the Deposorio's without making certain the restitution of the Palatinate which is heynously taken by the Prince 35. in danger for it to be called off there 36 37. His Care to discover Plots against his Masters Crownes 49 51 53. of the Merchants 168. see Merchants Prosecutes the Marquesse of Ynoiosa in defence of the honour of England 52. sues to return home 52 54. will not see the Arch-Duke in Spain and why 166 AustrianVsurpation 191. See tit Spain B. BAcon Viscount St. Albans Lord Chancellour declines all Justification of himself 5 6. Casts himself upon the Lords 6 Discontents the Marquesse of Buckingham 8. his wayes to make the Kingdom happy 9 advises King James concerning his revenues devises a book of his estate there-how he carried himself when a Councellour and otherwise how esteemed 10. Never took bribe to pervert Justice 11. his pardon 60 82 Barnevelt 318 factious no friend to the English an Arminian 331 Bavaria Duke offers to depend wholly on Spain 167. see Palatinate Beamont Lord fined in the Star-Chamber 16. E. 2. 58 Bergen besieged 328 Bergstrate given the Archbishop of Mentz 335 Blanvile the French Embassadour an enemy to the Duke of Buckingham holds intelligence with the Dukes English enemies 295. his Character by the French 300. See 274 296 197 302. Blundel Sir George 129 Book of Common Prayer translated into Spanish and why 73. See Spaniards Borgia Cardinal 178 Bovillon Duke 165. seeks the protection from the States united 320. weary of the Palsgrave 327 Brandenburgh Elector 317 336 Bret a Peusioner in disgrace 204 Bristol Earl first mover in the Spanish Match negotiates in it 16. Earnest to conclude it 24 25 26 306 ohidden by the King Charles for giving the Spaniards hopes of his inclination to a change in Religion for his manage of things concerning the Match and undervaluing the Kingdome of England 16 17. Consents that the Prince Palsgrave shall be bred in the Emperors Court which the King Charles takes ill 17. Proffered by the King the favour of the general pardon or to put himself upon his tryal 18. under restraint for his errours in Spain 19. removed from his offices forbidden the Court denyed his Parliament Writ there Justifies himself 19 20. to King James 30. Differs in opinion from the Duke of Buckingham concerning the Match 21. Seeks the Duke of Buckingham his savour 28. charged to be his enemy his wisdome and power at Court 161 162. Conde of Olivarez offers him a blank paper signed by the King bids him choose what was in his Masters power he refuses 42 Brule Peter his practises 302 Buckingham Duke his carriage and esteem in Spain 16 22. See Olivarez contemns the Earl of Bristol 22. See Bristol an enemy to him 231 The Spaniards will not put the Infanta into his hands 22 thought an enemy to the Match with Spain 32 92 159 218 219 222 237 243 248 Censured 159 160 218 219 221 222 263 210. Forgives wrongs 58 Steward of VVestminster 69 Haughty to the Prince of VVales 78 Used to sit when the Prince stood c. 221 falls from his affection to VVilliams Lord Keeper 87. See Don Francisco his power 91 King James his words of him on Don Francisco's relation 92 Mediates for the Earl of Suffolk 125 No audience of Embassadours without him 216. taxed to King James freely 218 219 220 221 223. defended 224 225 226 227. a faithful servant 229 Charge against him in Parliament 228 229 230 Procures graces for the Nobility and Gentry 231 Breaks the Spanish Designes and Party 265 for the Match with France 291 A Consederacy by Oath against him 307 308 The Queen of England had need of his friendship 303 Dares submit the judgment of his Actions to any tryal 87 Buckingham Countesse 254 302 Buckleugh Lord 327 329 Button Sir Thomas in the Voyage of Algier 143 144. C. CAlcedon a titulary Roman Bishop in England 81 Calvert Sir George 202. See 304. Carlile Earl Viscount Doncaster loves not the Bishop of Lincoln 74 89. See 180 182. perswades King James to feed his Parliament so he with some crums of the Crown 270. refuses See 288. Count Mansfelts Commission for Colonel to his son 273 Carlos Arch-Duke in Spain 165 Calderon Don Rodrigo Marquesse de las Siete Iglesias his Riches confined 208
them the coming of the West Indian Fleet which is now very near But from hence they have commanded the Armada which was divided into three Squadrons to be joyned together and advice is brought that it is so and now consists of twenty strong ships Don John Faxardo the General hath also expresse order to fight with the Pyrats not admitting any excuse whatsoever but the common opinion is here that we will be able to do them little harm because his ships are of great burthen and they will be able to go from him at their pleasure And the other Squadron within the Straights will alwaies be able to secure their retreat thither I doubt not but in my next dispatch I shall be able to tell your Honour what Don John Faxardo either hath or will do to them If this year they safely return to Argier especially if they should take any of the Fleet it is much to be feared that the King of Spains forces by Sea will not be sufficient to restrain them hereafter so much sweetnesse they find by making prize of all Christians whatsoever The Secretary of the Councel of war hath hereupon discoursed much unto me and by him I perceive that here is an intention to move his Majestie the King our Master that he will be pleased to joyn some of his Sea-forces upon good terms with this King for the suppressing of these Pyrats if they should hereafter grow and increase as hitherto they have done Seeing they now professe themselves the common enemies of Christendom Many reasons he gave me that he thought might move his Majestie thereunto but that whereon for my part I most reflect is that these courses of the Pyrats do but exercise the forces of the King of Spain by Sea and put an obligation on him by all meanes to strengthen and increase his Armada and keep in practise his Sea-souldiers without doing him any great harm for that the greatest dammage will alwayes fall upon the Merchants that trade into those parts of which the English will ever be the greatest number and the greatest losers And as for the taking of his Fleet it is not to be imagined for that besides that they come very strong consisting of 50 great ships of which eight are Gallions of war they shall alwayes be meet and guarded by the Armada Your Honour may be pleased to acquaint his Majestie with what I here write for I perceive it is expected that I should advertize what the Secretarie hath discoursed to me which I would have done more at large but I am straightned with want of time Yet I may not forbear to advertize your Honour that the said Secretarie told me withal that the last year the States desired leave of this King for certain ships of war which they had armed to Sea against Pyrats might have safe recourse into these parts which was accordingly granted them but that instead of offending the Pyrats the same ships sold in Argeir as much Powder and other warlike provision especially powder unto the Turks as furnished the foresaid Fleet which they have now at Sea a thing which is here he sayes very ill taken I doubt not but from Piemount your Honour hath better advertizement at least more speedier then I can give you from hence yet have I thought it fit to advertize you that in a late ambush which the Duke of Savoy had layed at Don Pedro de Tolledo's entrance into Piemount the Maestro de Campo of the Spanish armie was slain the Son of the Prince of Astoli was hurt so was the Prince of Morveles who serves this King there and many other Captaines and Gentlemen of note slain and hurt They here say that the number of men Don Pedro lost was but few but their custome is to dissemble their losses howsoever it is to be conceived that when so many principal men were touched the common Souldiers could not well escape At Lisbone there is arrived two Caracks and a Gallion from the East-Indies the Caracks very rich and much richer then in former years but as in a former Letter I advertised you two others as rich as they and that should have come in company with these were cast away coming home Don Roderigo Calderon now the Marquesse de Las Siete Iglesias is suddenly commanded from this Court and confined to a small Village and Judges are appointed to examine by what means he is so suddenly grown to so great an estate which in my time is risen from nothing to above 60000. Duckets a year rent besides an infinite treasure in moveables and doubtlesse some heavie sentence will fall upon him for he hath many enemies and I understand that the Duke of Lerma hath much withdrawn his favour New supplies of Souldiers are here raised for the Governour of Millan and 30. Companies are ready to be embarqued at Valentia where the Gallies attend them Here is lately come hither one who calls himself Sir James Mackonel a Scotchman and sayes he is Cousin german to the Earl of Arguile I have not seen him but I hear he discourses of his breaking out of the Castle of Edenborough of the unjustnesse of his imprisonment there of his integritie in the Popes Religion and so desires to be entertained into this Kings service which doubtlesse he shall obtain if he can make it here be believed that he hath a true fugitives heart My Lord Rosse is now much hearkened after and they think he staies very long By the ordinarie God willing I shall write again to your Honour And so for this time I humbly take my leave Your Lordships to be Commanded Fran. Cottington Madrid the first of Octob. 1616. Stil Vet. The Lord Viscount Rochfort to the Duke of Buckingham My Lord I Have received great wrongs about my Lord of Oxford by reports which can find no authour yet have they wrought such impressions in the hearts of some that it is hard to remove those Calumniations for divers are possessed that I am to be his accuser which is so strange and so malitiously bruited that it is somewhat suspected yet know I not any one particular for which he is in the Tower neither if I knew any such slip in so noble a person as might deserve the Kings displeasure would my nature give me leave to play the Informer except it neerly concerned the safetie or the honour of my King and then should my discoverie be publique to the face and not private behind the back for that I account too base to be found faultie in Sorry I am to be so much as suspected but since ill disposed persons will raise ill rumours without any ground the cleernesse of my heart is sufficient content unto me and as my heart hath been alwaies most faithful and watchful to do you service so good my Lord let me intreat you that for my sake my Lord of Oxford may receive some testimonies of your great favour for his speedy enlargement and that it may
and Subscriptions when they descended into that vile and base means of defacing the Government of the Church by ridiculous Pasquils when they began to make many Subjects in doubt to take an Oath which is one of the fundamental points of Justice in this Land and in all places when they began both to vaunt of their strength and number of their partizans and followers and to use the communications that their Cause would prevail though with uprore and violence then it appeared to be no more zeal no more conscience but meer faction and division And therefore though the State were compelled to hold somwhat a harder hand to restrain them then before yet it was with as great moderation as the peace of the Church and State could permit And therefore to conclude consider uprightly of these matters and you shall see her Majesty is no Temporizer in Religion It is not the success abroad nor the change of servants here at home can alter her only as the things themselves alter so she applied her religious wisdom to correspond unto them still retaining the two rules before mentioned in dealing tenderly with consciences and yet in discovering Faction from Conscience Farewell Your loving Friend Francis Walsingham Sir Francis Bacon to the Earl of Essex when Sir Robert Cecil was in France My singular good Lord I Do write because I have not yet had time fully to express my conceit nor now to attend you touching Irish matters considering them as they may concern the State that it is one of the aptest particulars that hath come or can come upon the stage for your Lordship to purchase honour upon I am moved to think for three reasons Because it is ingenerate in your House in respect of my Lord your Fathers noble attempts because of all the accidents of State at this time the labour resteth most upon that and because the world will make a kind of comparison between those that set it out of frame and those that shall bring it into frame which kind of honour giveth the quickest kind of reflection The transferring this honour upon your self consisteth in two points The one if the principal persons imployed come in by you and depend upon you the other if your Lordship declare your self to undertake a care of that matter For the persons it falleth out well that your Lordship hath had no interest in the persons of imputation For neither Sir William Fitz-Williams nor Sir John Norris was yours Sir William Russel was conceived yours but was curbed Sir Coniers Clifford as I conceive it dependeth upon you who is said to do well and if my Lord of Ormond in this interim do accommodate well I take it he hath always had good understanding with your Lordship So as all things are not only whole and entire but of favourable aspect towards your Lordship if you now chuse well wherein in your wisdom you will remember there is a great difference in choice of the persons as you shall think the affairs to incline to composition or to war For your care-taking popular conceit hath been that Irish causes have been much neglected whereby the very reputation of better care will be a strength And I am sure her Majesty and my Lords of the Councel do not think their care dissolved when they have chosen whom to imploy but that they will proceed in a spirit of State and not leave the main point to discretion Then if a Resolution be taken a Consultation must proceed and the Consultation must be governed upon Information to be had from such as know the place and matters in fact And in taking of information I have always noted there is a skill and a wisdom For I cannot tell what accompt or inquiry hath been taken of Sir William Russel of Sir Ralph Bingham of the Earl of Tomond of Mr. Wilbraham but I am of opinion much more would be had of them if your Lordship shall be pleased severally to confer not obiter but expresly upon some Caveat given them to think of it before for bene docet qui prudenter interrogat For the points of opposing them I am too much a stranger to the business to deduce them but in a Topique methinks the pertinent interrogations must be either of the possibility and means of Accord or of the nature of the War or of the reformation of the particular abuses or of the joyning of practice with force in the disunion of the Rebels If your Lordship doubt to put your sickle in others mens harvests yet consider you have these advantages First Time being fit to you in Mr. Secretaries absence Next Vis unita fortior Thirdly â—he business being mixt with matters of war it is fittest for you Lastly I know your Lordship will carry it with that modesty and respect towards aged Dignity and that good correspondencie towards my dear Ally and your good friend now abroad as no inconveniencie may grow that way Thus have I plaid the ignorant Statesman which I do to no body but your Lordship except I do it to the Queen sometimes when she trains me on But your Lordship will accept my duty and good meaning and secure me touching the privateness of that I write Your Lordships to be commanded FR. BACON Sir Francis Bacon to the Earl of Essex concerning the Earl of Tyrone THose advertisements which your Lordship imparted to me and the like I hold to be no more certain to make judgment upon then a Patients water to a Physitian Therefore for me upon one water to make a judgment were indeed like a foolish bold Mountebank or Doctor Birket Yet for willing duties sake I will set down to your Lordship what opinion sprung in my mind upon that I read The Letter from the Councel there leaning to distrust I do not much rely upon for three causes First because it is always both the grace and the safety from blame of such a Councel to erre in caution whereunto add that it may be they or some of them are not without envy towards the person who is used in treating the Accord Next because the time of this Treaty hath no shew of dissimulation for that Tyrone is now in no straits but like a Gamester that will give over because he is a winner not because he hath no more mony in his purse Lastly I do not see but those Articles whereupon they ground their suspition may as well proceed out of fear as out of falshood for the reteining of the dependance of the protracting the admission of a Sheriffe the refusing to give his son for hostage the holding from present repair to Dublin the refusing to go presently to accord without including O Donell and others his associates may very well come of a guilty reservation in case he should receive hard measure and not out of treachery so as if the great person be faithfull and that you have not here some present intelligence of present succours from Spain
Prince and the Church of England It remains now that I should as I will religiously obey whatsoever I shall be directed in the sequel of this businesse And so I rest c. Postscript MY Lord Mr. Murray since came unto me to whom I shewed this Letter and told him I would send it unto you to be shewed unto the King and the Prince I find him willing to run all courses Priesthood onely excepted If the King will dispence with him my Letter notwithstanding I humbly beseech his Majestie to write a Letter unto me as a warrant to admit him only Ad Curam et Regimen Collegii instead of the other words Ad Curam animarum I schooled him soundly against Puritanisme which he disavowes though somewhat faintly I hope his Highnesse and the King will second it The Lord Keeper to the Duke about the Liberties of Westminster 6. May. 1621. My most Noble Lord I Humbly beseech your Lordship to be a little sensible of those injurious affronts offered without any shew of equity unto this poor Liberty of VVestminster And for Gods sake let me not want that protection which not your Lordship only but the two Cicils and the Earl of Sommerset who neither regarded the Church Learning nor Honour in any measure as you do have ever afforded every Dean of this Church When I had to my thinking given the Knight Marshal full and too much satisfaction this day a Letter was offered to the Table in my presence violently pursued by the Lord Steward and the Earl Marshal to command this liberty which had stood unquestioned these 700 years to shew reason to Mr. Attourney and Mr. Solliciter why they prescribe against the Knight Marshal A Course as my Lord President said openly not to be offered to any subject of England It is our Charter and freehold of inheritance to be shewed only in a Court of Justice and at the Kings Bench which we are very ready to do And we may as well be questioned by a Letter from the Councel for all the Land we have as for this My Lord the jurisdiction of this place brings not a penny to my purse but it hath brought much sorrow to my heart and now teares to my eyes that I should be that unfortunate Contemptible man who for all the King and your Lordships favour and the true pains I take in answer thereunto must be trampled down above all the Deans that lived in this place Nor would it ever grieve me if I had deserved it from these Lords by the least disrespect in all the world I beseech you for the Churches sake and your Honours sake to be sensible hereof and to know of the Bishop of Winchester London Duresme Mr. Packer or Sir Robert Pye whether ever any question hath been made to this liberty in this kind If a Letter had been recorded to question the same when the Lord Admiral was Steward and the Lord Keeper Dean thereof judge you in your Wisdom what would become thereof in future posterity c. The Lord Keeper to the Duke Aug. 23. 1622. My most noble Lord YEsterday upon the receipt of your Lordships Letters of the 19th of this instant concerning the hastning of the businesse of the original Writs I sent presently for Mr. Attourney and Mr. Solliciter who were altogether unprovided for their parts of the dispatch and are casually forced so to be because three several Officers in whose records they are to search are now out of Town and do not return yet these 7. daies But your Lordship shall not fail to have all things concluded 3. weeks before the Term and I will of purpose put off all general sealing until it be effected In the mean time your Lordships Letter notwithstanding it will be nothing for your Lordships case to have Sir George Chaworth any way interested in this office of the originals but I hold it fitter to leave it as it is in Law and Equity forfeited for non-payment of rent in his Majesties hands for upon that issue I do not doubt but my Lord of St. Albons and Sir George will be content to hear reason I have received extraordinary respects and expressions from my Noble Lord the Lord Marquesse Hamilton which doth exceedingly comfort and encourage me to go on with some more alacrity through the difficulties of this restlesse place I beseech your Lordship who is Causa Causarum the first Cause that sets all these other Causes of my Comforts in Going to take notice of the same and to undertake this favour to be placed upon a poor honest hearted man who would if he were any way able requite it Gods blessings and the prayers of a poor Bishop ever attend your Lordship c. Postscript THe Spanish Embassadour took the alarum very speedily of the titulary Romish Bishop and before my departure from his house at Islington whither I went privately to him did write both to Rome and Spain to prevent it Sir Tobie Mathewes But I am afraid that Tobie will prove but an Apocryphal and no Canonical intelligencer acquainting the State with this project for the Jesuites rather then for Jesus sake The Lord Keeper to the Duke about the Lord Treasurer Septemb. 9th 1622. My most Noble Lord THat I neither wrote unto your Lordship nor waited upon your Lordship sithence my intolerable scandalizing by the Lord Treasurer this is the true and only cause I was so moved to have all my diligent service pains and unspotted justice thus rewarded by a Lord who is reputed wise that I have neither slept read written or eaten any thing since that time until the last night that the Ladies sent for me I believe of purpose to VVallingford house and put me out of my humour I have lost the love and affection of my men by seizing upon their Papers perusing all their answers to Petitions casting up their moneys received by way of fees even to half Crowns and two shillings and finding them all to be poor honest Gentlemen that have maintained themselves in my service by the greatnesse of my pains and not the greatnesse of their fees They are most of them landed men that do not serve me for gain but for experience and reputation And desire to be brought to the Test to shew their several books and to be confronted by any one man with whom they contracted or from whom they demanded any Fee at all The greatest summe in their books is five pounds and those very few and sent unto them from Earls and Barons All the rest are some 20 s. 10 s. 5 s. 2 s. 6 d. and 2 s. And this is the oppression in my house that the Kingdom of the Common Lawyers peradventure who have lost I confesse hereby 20000 l. at the least saved in the purses of the Subjects doth now groan under Now I humbly beseech your Lordship to peruse this paper here inclosed and the issue I do joyn with the Lord Treasurer and to acquaint at
upon this subject in hope that this I have written shall serve once for all In that matter concerning the Countesse of Argile which it pleased your Honour to recommend unto my Care I have done as much already as I can for the present We must of necessitie with a little patience expect the successe whereof your Honour shall in due time be punctually advertized In the mean while I do with all reverence desire your Honour to excuse the tediousnesse of this Letter And so take my leave Your Honours very humble and ready to be commanded W. Trumball Bruxels 21 31. of March 1618 1619. Mr. Trumball to the Secretarie Right Honourable THose that are employed in such place as I am must admit all manner of men into their company And the Oath I have taken to his Majestie will not permit me to conceal any thing from his knowledge that cometh to mine and may in any sort have relation to his Royal service For these Considerations I assume the boldnesse so soon to renew your Honours trouble after the dispatch of those Volumes of Letters which I sent you yesterday by one of my servants This Bearer de la Forrest is better known to your Honour then to my self although I remember many years ago to have seen him in England During his stay in this Town he brought unto me a certain French Gentleman calling himself the Viscount of L'orme and Sir De la Pommeraye who hath by his own relation been a great Navigator and been authorized by 18. of the chief Pyrats in the Levant to search for their pardon and retreat into some Christian Countrey being sorry for the ill they have done and desirous to spend the rest of their daies in peace With this Commission he came into France and there travelled so far with the King and his Ministers as he obtained a general abolition for the said Pyrates a safe Conduct to bring them into his Dominions and a procuration which I have seen under the great Seal of France to treat and conclude with them upon certain conditions But he being envied by some Grandees of that Kingdom and by misfortune happening to kill a man he was forced as he pretendeth for the safety of his life to flie into these Countries before he could bring that work to perfection And being now disinabled to return thither again he desireth to make a tryal whether his Majestie will vouchsafe to lend his ear to that Treatie and grant unto the said Pyrates a general Pardon To which effect he sendeth over La Forrest and hath intreated me to accompany him with my Letters to my Lord Admiral your Honor and Mr. Secretarie Calvert For retribution of this grace the said Pyrates offer to give 45000 l sterling to be shared amongst you three or to be disposed of as his Majestie shall appoint But your Honour may see the Conditions proposed to the French King were more advantagious For they were to give him their Ships Artillerie and Munition and to furnish means to set out some men of War for his service And I see no reason in case his Majestie should encline to such capital offenders and common enemies why he should not have as much or more benefit then another Prince the greatest part of them being his Vassals Your Honour if you please may peruse these adjoyned Papers and impart the contents of them to my Lord Admiral They agree with their Originals and if his Majestie do not taste this overture there is no more harm done for any thing I can perceive then the losse of my labour to peruse and subscribe them There remaineth onely two points wherein I should speak to your Honour the one is that this matter may be concealed from the French Embassadour Mounsieur le Count de Tilliers for fear of ruining de L'Orme The other with gratifying La Forrest with the pay of a Pacquet if your Honour shall think it meet for the carrying of these Letters who saith your Honour is his great Patron and hath promised him a good turn Mounsieur de L'Orme hath given him power to sollicite this businesse and procure him an answer wherein I joyn my humble prayer that the poor man may not here languish in hopes and spend his money to no purpose When I shall know whether his Majestie will rellish this overture or not I will write thereof more largely if there be cause otherwise let it remain as it was before In the mean while I humbly take my leave And rest Your Honours In all humblenesse to be commanded W. Trumball Bruxels 23. of Octob. 1619. Sir Thomas Roe to the Marquesse of Buckingham Lord Admiral My Lord I Can give your Lordship no great account of any thing that hath occurred since my departure I was bold to write to Mr. Secretarie Calvert from Maliga of the great increase of the Pyrates in those Seas and of the danger of the Merchants with my own thoughts if his Majestie have any farther purpose to attempt their destruction which is both honourable and necessarie if these Trades or the other of Spain to the South of the North-Cape be of any consequence to his Majesties Kingdomes if they be suffered to increase they will brave the Armies of Kings at Sea in a few years and attempt even the Coasts and Shoares with peril And because they carry the name only of Thieves they are yet contemned or neglected but they will become a dangerous enemie when they shall rob with Fleets and therefore would be in time considered The Spaniards now make great offers to continue the Contract though their performance be slow and their own Estates chiefly interessed yet besides the danger and ruine of the Merchant it is considerable that this Army increasing is at the obedience of the Grand Seignior the common Enemy who hath no strength but Gallies I know your Lordship will collect enough out of this without further pressure The Armado's of Spain Naples and Sicily have been in the Archipelago the Turks Forces absent in the black Sea Yet they have done nothing of consequence taken a few Carmisales and slaves and are returned to the Port where Don Philibert of Savoy Generalissimo is present who is made Viceroy of Sicily with absolute power to dispose of all offices without attendance from Spain which is more then Vice-Re He hath used me for his Majesties honour with very great respect as I have in particular advised Mr. Secretarie Among many courtesies finding 13. English Captives in the Gallies I thought it my duty to succour them His Highnesse at the first instance to expresse his good affection to my Master gave them to me all free which I think is a good work and not ordinary I beseech your Lordship that his Majestie may be pleased to take knowledge of it into Spain for the Princes honour that he may in the like occasion not think himself neglected The advice from Constantinople is seconded of the overthrow of the
and Kinsman Middlesex The Earl of Middlesex to his Majestie 26. April 1624. Sacred Majestie and my most gracious Master YOur goodnesse is such to me your oppressed servant in this my time of persecution as I know not how to expresse my thankfulnesse otherwise then by pouring forth my humble and heartie prayers to the great God of heaven and earth to grant your Majestie all happinesse here and everlasting happinesse hereafter Between 5. and 6. of the clock upon Saturday in the evening I received my Charge from the Lords assembled in Parliament with an Order by which I am commanded to make my appearance at the Bar upon Thursday next by 9. of the clock in the morning with my answer And in the mean time to examine my witnesses This Charge of mine hath been in preparing by examining of witnesses upon oath and otherwise 23. daies And hath been weighed by the Wisdom of both Houses and doth concern me so neerly in point of honour and faith to your Majestie to answer well as I value my life at nothing in comparison of it I may grieve though I will not complain of any thing my Lords shall be pleased to Command but do hope that upon a second consideration they will not think three daies a fitting time for me to make my Answer and to examine witnesses in a cause of such importance and so neerly concerning me when twenty three daies hath been spent almost from morning until night in preparing my Charge I know the House whose Judgment I shall never desire to wave is the proper place for me to move to be resolved herein and therefore shall upon Wednesday morning make my humble motion there to have 7. daies longer time as well to make my answer and apparance as to examine my witnesses which are many and upon several heads But because the Prince his Highnesse and many of the Principal Lords are now with your Majestie at VVindsor my most humble suit to your Majestie is That you would be pleased to move them on my behalf to yield me so much further time that my Cause may not suffer prejudice for want of time to make my just defence that which I have propounded being as moderate as is possible With my most humble and heartie prayer to Almightie God for continuance of your health with all happinesse I humbly kisse your Royal hands and will ever rest Your Majesties most humble c. Middelsex The Earl of Carlile to his Majestie 14. February 1623. My it please your most Excellent Majestie THough my present indisposition deprives me of the Honour to attend your Majestie with the rest of the Commissioners with whom your Majesty was pleased to associate me yet I most humbly beseech your Majestie to give me leave in all humility to represent unto your Majestie what my heart conceiveth to be most for your Majesties service in the present conjuncture of your affaires During this time of my distemper I have been visited by divers Gentlemen of quality who are Parliament-men none of those popular and plausible Oratours but solid and judicious good patriots who fear God and honour the King Out of their discourses I collect That there are three things which do chiefly trouble your people The first that for the subsidies granted the two last Parliaments they have received no retribution by any bills of Grace The second that some of their Burgesses were proceeded against after the Parliament were dissolved And the third that they misdoubt that when they shall have satisfied your Majesties demands and desires you will neverthelesse proceed to the conclusion of the Spanish match It would be too much importunity to trouble your Majestie with the several answers which I made to their objections and would be too great presumption in mee to advise your Majesties incomparable wisdome what should be fittest to be done for your Majesties honour and the contentment of the people yet if it would please my Lord the King to give his humblest Creature leave to give vent to the loyal fervour of his heart restlesse and indefatigable in continual meditation of his Gracious Masters honour and service I would thus with all humble submission explain my self That there is nothing which either the enemies of this State or the perverse industry of false-hearted servants could invent more mischievous then the misunderstandings which have grown between your Majestie and your people nothing that will more dishearten the envious Maligners of your Majesties felicity and incourage your true hearted friends and Servants then the removing of those false feares and jealousies which are meer imaginarie Phantasmes and bodies of ayr easily dissipated whensoever it shall please the sun of your Majestie to shew it self clearly in its native brightnesse lustre and goodnesse God and the World do know the scope and the end of all your Majesties pious affections and endeavours to have been no other then the setling of an universal peace in Christendom a felicity only proper for your Majesties time and only possible to be procured by your incomparable goodnesse and wisdom but since the malice of the Divel and deceitful men have crossed those fair wayes wherein your Majestie was proceeding abusing your trust and goodnesse as Innocencie and goodnesse are alwayes more easily betrayed then wilinesse and malice you must now cast about again and sail by another point of the compasse and I am confident your Majestie will more securely and easily attain your Noble and pious end though the way be different The meanes are briefly these three First let your Majesties enemies see that the Lion hath teeth and clawes 2. Next imbrace and invite a strict and sincere friendship and association with those whom neighbourhood and alliance and common interest of state and religion have joyned unto you 3. And last of all cast off and remove jealousies which are between your Majestie and your people Your Majestie must begin with the last for upon that foundation you may afterwards set what frame of building you please And when should you begin Sir but at this overture of your Parliament by a gracious clear and confident discovery of your intentions to your People Fear them not Sir never was there a better King that had better subjects if your Majestie would trust them Let them but see that you love them and constantly rely upon their humble advice and readie assistance and your Majestie will see how they will tear open their breasts to give you their hearts and having them your Majestie is sure of their hands and purses Cast but away some crums of your Crown amongst them and your Majestie will see those crums will make a miracle they will satisfie many thousands Give them assurance that your heart was alwayes at home though your eyes were abroad invite them to looke forward and not backward and constantly maintain that with confidence you undertake and your majestie will find admirable effects of this harmonious concord Your Majestie as
can my return since I know no other then to be Your Graces faithful servant Edw. Clark Madrid 6. Sept. 1623. Sir Anthony Ashley to the Duke May it please your good Lordship IF any thing had happened worth your knowledge I had either come or sent to Theobalds in your absence being ascertained that your Lordship had been already particularly informed of what passed in the Higher House betwixt the Earl of A. and the L. S. which is the onely thing of note and is thought will beget some noveltie Your Lordship may be most assured that your Adversaries continue their meetings and conferences here in Holborn how to give his Majestie some foul distaste of you as making you the onely authour of all grievances and oppressions whatsoever for your private ends And I hope to be able within few daies if promise be kept to give you good overture of a mutual oath taken to this purpose amongst them The rumour lately spread touching his Majesties untimely pardon of the late Lord Chancellours Fine and Imprisonment with some other favours intended towards him said to be procured by your Lordships only intimation hath exceedingly exasperated the rancor of the ill affected which albeit it be false and unlikely because very unseasonably It doth yet serve the present turn for the increase of malice against you I can but inform your Lordship of what I understand you may please to make use thereof as your self thinketh best I most humbly intreat your good Lordship to keep Letters of this nature either in your own Cabinet or to make Hereticks of them for I am well acquainted with the disposition of some Pen-men in Court. Upon Message even now received of my poor Daughters suddain dangerous sicknesse I am constrained unmannerly to post unto her being the onely comfort I have in this world and do purpose God willing a speedie return In the mean time and even with my heartie prayer I commend your good Lordship to Gods merciful and safe keeping This 12th of May 1621. Your honourable good Lordships faithfully devoted A. A. Sir Wa. Rawleigh to the Duke 12. Aug. IF I presume too much I humbly beseech your Lordship to pardon me especially in presuming to write to so great and worthie a person who hath been told that I have done him wrong I heard it but of late but most happie had I been if I might have disproved that villanie against me when there had been no suspition that the desire to save my life had presented my excuse But my worthie Lord it is not to excuse my self that I now write I cannot for I have now offended my Soveraign Lord for all past even all the world and my very enemies have lamented my losse whom now if his Majesties mercie alone do not lament I am lost Howsoever that which doth comfort my soul in this offence is that even in the offence it self I had no other intent then his Majesties service and to make his Majestie know That my late enterprise was grounded upon a truth and which with one Ship speedily set out I meant to have assured or to have died being resolved as it is well known to have done it from Plymouth had I not been restrained Hereby I hoped not onely to recover his Majesties gracious opinion but to have destroyed all those malignant reports which had been spread of me That this is true that Gentleman whom I so much trusted my Keeper and to whom I opened my heart cannot but testifie and wherein if I cannot be believed living my death shall witnesse Yea that Gentleman cannot but avow it that when we came back towards London I desired to save no other Treasure then the exact description of those places in the Indies That I meant to go hence as a discontented man God I trust and mine own Actions will disswade his Majestie Whom neither the losse of my estate thirteen years imprisonment and the denial of my pardon could beat from his service nor the opinion of being accounted a fool or rather distract by returning as I did ballanced with my love to his Majesties person and estate had no place at all in my heart It was that last severe Letter from my Lords for the speedie bringing of me up and the impatience of dishonour that first put me in fear of my life or enjoying it in a perpetual imprisonment never to recover my reputation lost which strengthened me in my late and too late lamented resolution if his Majesties mercie do not abound if his Majestie do not pitie my age and scorn to take the extreamest and utmost advantage of my errours if his Majestie in his great charitie do not make a difference between offences proceeding from a life-saving-natural impulsion without all ill intent and those of an ill heart and that your Lordship remarkable in the world for the Noblenesse of your disposition do not vouchsafe to become my Intercessour whereby your Lordship shall bind an hundred Gentlemen of my kindred to honour your memorie and bind me for all the time of that life which your Lordship shall beg for me to pray to God that you may ever prosper and over-bind me to remain Your most humble servant W. Rawleigh Sir Henry Yelverton to the Duke 15. March 1623. May it please your Grace MY humble heart and affection hath wrote many lines and presented many Petitions to your Grace before this time though none legible but one sent by my Lord Rochford within five daies after your most welcomed arrival from Spain I have learned the plain phrase of honest speech My Lord I have honoured your name long and your own virtue much I never found misfortune greater then this that still sailing after you in all humble desires of dutie I was still cast behind you I excuse nothing wherein your Grace may judge me faultie but will be glad to expiate my errours at any price Your noble heart I hope harbours no memorie of what did then distaste you Your own merits which have so much ennobled you will be the more compleat if I may but merit your forgetfulnesse of wrongs past If I seek your Grace before I deserve it enable me I beseech you to Deserve that I may seek If any on whom you have cast your eye most endear himself more to your service then I shall let me not follow the vintage at all Till this day I feared the rellish of sowr Grapes though I have sought you with many broken sleeps But this Noble Earl whose honour for this work shall ever with me be second to yours hath revived me with the assurance of your gracious pardon and libertie to hope I may be deemed your servant I protest to God it is not the affluence of your honour makes me joy in it nor the power of your Grace that trains me on to seek it but let the trial of all your fortunes speak thus much for me that I will follow you not as Cyrus his Captains and
Warden of our Cinque-Ports William Lord Knowls Treasurer of our houshold John Lord Stanhop and Tho. Lord Bannings and to our right trusty and welbeloved Councellors Sir John Digby Knight our Vice-Chamberlain Sir John Herbert Knight one of our principal Secretaries of State Sir Fulk Grevil Knight Chancellor and Under-Treasurer of our Exchequer Sir Tho. Parry Knight Chancellor of our Dutchy of Lancaster Sir Edward Coke Knight Chief Justice of our Bench and Sir Julius Cesar Knight Master of our Rolls greeting Whereas the States-Generall of the United Provinces of the Low-Countries have divers times sollicited us by their resident Ambassador Sir Noel Caron Knight that we would be pleased to render into their hands the Towns of Flushing in Zeland with the Castle of Ramakins and of Bril in Holland with the Forts and sconces thereunto belonging which we hold by way of caution untill such sums of money as tney owe unto us be reimbursed upon such reasonable conditions as should be agreed on between us and them for the reimbursing and repayments of the said monies And whereas we have recommended the consideration of this so mighty and important an affair to the judgment and discretion of you the Lords of our Privy-Councel and have received from you after long and mature deliberation and examination of the circumstances an advice That as the present condition of our State now standeth and as the nature of those Towns is meer cautionary wherein we can challenge no interest of propriety it would be much better for our service upon fair and advantagious conditions to render them then longer to hold them at so heavy a charge Now forasmuch as in our Princely wisdom we have resolved to yield up our said Town with the said Castle and Sconces belonging unto them upon such conditions as shall be most for our advantage as well in point of honour as of profit Know ye therefore that we have assigned and appointed you the said Archbishop L. Treasurer L. Privy-Seal L. Steward L. Admiral L. Chamberlain E. of Exeter E. of Mar E. of Dunfermlin Vicount Fintons L. Bishop of Winton L. Zouch L. Knowls L. Stanhop L. Banning Sir John Digby Sir John Herbert Sir Ralph Winwood Sir Tho. Lake Sir Fulk Grevil Sir Tho. Parry Sir Edw. Coke Sir Julius Cesar our Commissioners and do by these presents give full power authority unto you or the more part of you for us and in our name to treat and conclude with the said Sir Noel Caron Knight Ambassador from the States of the United Provinces being likewise for that purpose sufficiently authorized from the said States his superiors touching the rendition and yielding up of the said Town of Flushing with the Castle of Ramakins in Zeland and of the Town of Bril in Holland with the Forts and Sconces thereto belonging and of the Artillery and Munition formerly delivered by the States with the same which are now remaining in them or any of them and have not been spent and consumed And for the delivery of them into the hands of the said States on such terms as by you shall be thought fit for our most honour and profit and for the manner thereof to give instructions to our said several Governours of the said Garrisons according to such your conclusion And this our Commission or the enrollment or exemplification thereof shall be unto you and every of you a sufficient warrant and discharge in that behalf In witness c. Witness our self at Westminster the 31 day of May in the 14 year of our Reign c. and of Scotland the 49. A Commission to Viscount Lisle Governour to deliver them up 22 May 14. Jac. IAMES by the grace of God c. To our right trusty and welbebeloved Cozen Robert Lord Viscount Lisle Lord Chamberlain to our dear Consort the Queen and our Governour of our Town of Vlushing and of the Castle of Ramakins greeting Whereas we by Our Letters Patents sealed with Our great Seal of England bearing date at Westminster the 22. day of April in the fifth year of Out reign of England France and Ireland of Scotland the 36. for the consideration therein expressed did make ordain and constitute you the said Viscount Lisle by the name of Sir Robert Sydney Knight for Us to be the Governour and Captain of the said Town of Vlushing and of the Castle of Ramakins in the Low-Countries and of all the Garrisons and Souldiers that then were or hereafter should be there placed for Our service and guard of the said Town and Castle to have hold exercise and occupy the Office of the said Governor and Captain of the said Town and Castle by your self or your sufficient Deputie or Deputies to be allowed by Us during Our pleasure giving unto you full power and authority by your said Letters Patents to take the Oath and Oaths of all Captains Souldiers then serving or that hereafter should serve in the same Town and Castle as in like causes was requisite with divers other powers therein mentioned as by Our said Letters Patents at large appeareth And whereas the States generall of the United Provinces of the Low-Countries have divers and sundry times for many years together sollicited Us by their Resident Ambassador Sir Noel Caron Knight that We would be pleased to render into their hands the said Town of Vlushing in Zealand with the said Castle of Ramakins and the Town of Brill in Holland with the Forts Sconces thereunto belonging which We hold by way of Caution until such sums of mony as they owe unto Us be reimbursed upon such reasonable conditions as should be agreed upon between Us them for the reimbursing and repaiment of the said monies And whereas thereupon We recommended the consideration of this so weighty and important an affair to the judgement and discretion of the Lords of the Privy Councell and have received from them after long and mature deliberation and examination of Circumstances an advice that as the present condition of Our State now standeth and as the nature of those towns is lying onely Cautionary wherein we can challenge no interest of propriety it should be much better for our service upon fair and advantangious conditions to render them then longer to hold them at so heavy a charge Now forasmuch as in Our Princely Wisdom We have resolved to yeild up Our said Towns with the said Castle and Sconces belonging unto them upon such conditions as shall be most sit for Our advantage as well in point of honor as of profit And to that end by Our Commission under Our great Seal of England have assigned and appointed the Lords and others of Our Privy Councell Our Commissioners and thereby give full power and authority unto them or the more part of them for Us and in Our name to treat and conclude with the said Sir Noell Caron Knight Ambassador from the States of the United Provinces being likewise for that purpose sufficiently authorized from the