resolved to keep straight against all men whatsoever I shall infame my self in the very beginning If his Majestie will have any special indulgence in this kind I expect intimation immediately from the King or your Lordship and no third Person Your Lordship will not expect from me any account of Councel businesse nor the setting at liberty of the late prisoners Mr. Secretary is secret enough for imparting any thing unto me so as I must remain in a necessary ignorance There is a Country man of mine one Griffith a suiter unto the Court for the reversion of an Auditors place recommended thereunto by his Master the Lord Treasurer The place is of great Consequence for the disposing of his Majesties revenewes The man is unfit for this as presumptuous and daring for any place Sir Robert Pye saith he hath already written to your Lordship and I doubt not of your care thereof Doctour Lamb the bearer is a very sufficient and for ought I ever heard of him an honest man The King hath imployed him in discovery of counterfeit Witchcrafts in reforming of no ounterfeit but hearty Puritanes and he hath done good service therein If his Majestie now in our pure ayr of Northhamptoushire do not shew him some favor or grace either by Knighting or by using him courteously The Brethren having gotten out their Yelverton again will neglect and molest him too unsufferably God from Heaven blesse you Remember your Deanerie and Dean of Westminster c. The Lord Keeper to the Duke concerning the Earl Marshals place 1. Septemb. 1621. My most Noble Lord I Beseech your Lordship to interpret this Letter well and fairly which no malice though never so provoked but my duty to his Majestie and love to your Lordship hath drawn from me both which respects as long as I keep inviolably I will not omit for the fear of any man or the losse of any thing in this world to do any act which my Conscience shall inform me to belong unto that place wherein the King by your favour hath intrusted me I received this morning two Commands from his Majestie the one about a Pension of 2000 l. yearly and the other concerning the office of the Earle Marshal both conferred on the Right Honourable the Earle of Arundel For the former although this is a very unseasonable time to receive such large Pensions from so bountiful a King and that the Parliament so soon approaching is very like to take notice thereof and that this pension might under the correction of your better judgment have been conveniently deferred until that Assembly had been over Yet who am I that should question the wisedom and bounty of my Master I have therefore sealed the same praying secretly unto God to make his Majestie as abounding in wealth as he is in goodnesse But the latter I dare not seale my good Lord until I heare your Lordships resolution to these few Questions Whether his Majestie by expressing himself in the delivery of the staffe to my Lord of Arundel that he was moved thereunto for the easing of the rest of the Comissioners who had before the execution of that office did not imply that his Majestie intended to impart unto my Lord no greater power then was formerly granted to the Lords Comissioners If it were so this Pattent should not have exceeded their Pattent whereas it doth inlarge it self beyond that by many dimensions Whether it is his Majesties meaning that the Pattent leaping over the powers of the three last Earles Essex Shrewsbery and Sommerset should refer onely to my Lords own Ancestors Howards and Mowbrayes Dukes of Norfolk who clamed this place by a way of inheritance The usual reference of Pattents being unto the last and immediate predecessour and not unto the remote whose powers in those unsettled and troublesome times are vage uncertain and unpossible to be limited Whether it is his Majesties meaning that this great Lord should bestow those offices settled of a long time in the Crown Sir Edward Zouch his in the Court Sir George Reinel's in the Kings Bench and divers others All which this new Pattent doth sweep away being places of great worth and dignity Whether that his Majesties meaning and your Lordships that my Lord Stewards place shall be for all his power of Judicature in the Verge either altogether extinguished or at leastwise subordinated unto this new Office A point considerable because of the greatnesse of that person and his neernesse in bloud to his Majestie and the Prince his Highnesse Lastly Whether it be intended that the offices of the Earl Marshal of England and the Marshal of the Kings house which seem in former times to have been distinct offices shall be now united in this great Lord A power limited by no Law or Record but to be searcht out from Chronicles Antiquaries Heralds and such obsolete Monuments and thereupon held these 60 years for my Lord of Essex his power was clearly bounded and limited unfit to be revived by the policy of this State These Questions if his Majestie intended onely the renewing of this Commission of the Earl Marshals in my Lord of Arundel are material and to the purpose But if his Majestie aymed withal at the reviving of this old office A la ventura whose face is unknown to the people of this age upon the least intimation from your Lordship I will seal the Patent And I beseech your Lordship to pardon my discretion in this doubt and irresolution It is my place to be wary what innovation passeth the Seal I may offend that great Lord in this small stay but your Lordship cannot but know how little I lose when I lose but him whom without the least cause in the world I have irreconcileably lost already All that I desire is that you may know what is done and I will ever do what your Lordship being once informed shall direct as becometh c. That there is a difference betwixt the Earl Marshal and the Marshall of the Kings house See Lamberts Archiron or of the High Courts of Justice in England Circa Medium The Marshal of England and the Constable are united in a Court which handleth onely Duels out of the Realm matters within the Realm as Combats Blazon Armorie c. but it may meddle with nothing tryable by the Lawes of the Land The Marshal of the Kings Houshold is united in a Court with the Seneschal or Steward which holds plea of Trespasses Contracts and Covenants made within the Verge and that according to the Lawes of the Land Vid. Artic. Super Cart. C. 3.4.5 We do all of us conceive the King intended the first place only for this great Lord and the second to remain in the Lord Stewards managing But this new Patent hath comprehended them both This was fit to be presented to your Lordship The Lord Keeper to the Duke 16. Decemb. 1621. Most Noble Lord I Have seen many expressions of your love in other mens Letters where
Cabala Mysteries of State IN LETTERS of the great MINISTERS of K. James and K. Charles WHEREIN Much of the publique Manage of Affaires is related Faithfully Collected by a Noble Hand LONDON Printed for M. M. G. Bedell and T. Collins and are to be sold at their Shop at the Middle-Temple Gate in Fleetstreet 1654 The Preface to the Reader HEre is published a Piece not to be matched in Antiquity a Collection not so much of Letters as of the mysteries of Government the wisdom and manage of Publick businesses in the late Reigns where the great Ministers of State are presented naked their Consultations Designs Policies the things done by them are exposed to every mans eye as they were brought forth by themselves The most famous of all Modern Historians glories in the helps and advantages he had above all men else to write He came so he tells us prepared and furnished from the Cabinets of Princes Strada be had seriously perused and sifted their Letters and Orders the Letters of the Illustrious Persons imployed by them the private Commands Dispatches and Instructions of Embassies Debates and Resolutions of Councels without which all History must be lame and imperfect This was the way to make the causes of actions as visible as their effects and without which all Diligence and Faithfulness else will do little Much of the History of the last years of King James and beginnings of King Charles may be here read Here the height of the mighty Favourite the Duke of Buckingham may be taken The Arts and Subtleties of Spain of the Conde Gondomar and the English-Spanish Party are discovered the Journey into Spain breach of the Spanish overtures for the French Match for the renuing Leagues with the enemies of the Spanish Pride and Vniversality the carriage of the Imperialists French Netherlanders and other Concurrents of those Reigns are exactly Related with the Practises of our home Roman Catholicks and growth of those who were here called Puritans then the Secrets of the Court and State without any false glosse to writhe or streighten to deprave or extenuate with more truth and sincerity then all the Annals can show where Passion and Interest sway oftentimes too much and the cleanest hand makes blots and stains carried away with Love or Hatred to the side or man Here are no snares set to catch or inveagle any mans judgment all things are left clearly to their own worth and Reputation A TABLE OF THE LETTERS Contained In this Collection EArl of Sommerset to King James Page 1. Lord Chancellour Bacon to the King 31. July 1617. p. 8 Lord Chancellour Bacon to the King 2. Januar. 1618. 5 Lord Chancellour Bacon to the Lords 5 Lord Chancellour Bacon to the Marquesse of Buckingham 25 March 1620. 10 Lord Chancellour Bacon to the King the 25. of March 1620. p. 10 Lord Chancellour Bacon to the Duke 122 Magdibeg to the King 11 A Letter by King James to the Lord Keeper Bishops of London Winton Rochester St. Davids and Exeter Sir Henry Hubbard and others 30. Octob. 1621. 12 The Archbishop of York to King James 13 A Letter from Spain concerning the Princes arrival there 30. Septemb. 1623. Madrid 17 The Earl of Bristol to the Prince touching the Proxies Madrid 24 The Earl of Bristol to Secretary Cottington April the 15th 1623. 28. The Earl of Bristol to the Bishop of Lincoln August the 20. 1623. p. 20. The Earl of Bristol to the Bishop of Lincoln 24. Septemb 1623. Madrid 22 The Earl of Bristol to the Prince September 24. 1623. Madrid page 26. The Earl of Bristol to the Duke the 6. of December 1623. Madrid 28 The Earl of Bristol to King James the 27. of July 1624. London 30 King Charles to the Earl of Bristol Jan. 21. 1625. 17 The Earl of Bristol to the Lord Conway the 4. of March 1625. Sherborn 19 The Lord Conway to the Earl of Bristol March 21. 1625. 19 Sir Walter Aston to the Duke 30 Sir Walter Aston to the Duke 15. Novemb. 1623. 34 The Duke of Buckingham to Sir Walter Aston 34 The Duke of Buckingham to Sir Walter Aston 36 Sir Walter Aston to the Duke of Buckingham December 22. 1623. 37 A Memorial pressing for the Palatinate c. given to the King of Spain by Sir Walter Aston 19. Jan. 1623. 38 Sir Walter Aston to the Duke 22. Jan. 1623. 40 Sir Walter Aston to Secretary Conway the 22. of January 1623. 40 Sir Walter Aston to the Lord Conway 44 Sir Walter Aston to the Lord Conway 5. June 1624. 46 Sir Walter Aston to the Lord Conway 17. July 1624. 58 Sir Walter Aston to the Duke 20. of Octob. 1624. 52 Sir Walter Aston to the Duke the 10. of December 1624. 165 Sir Walter Aston to the Duke 10. of Decemb. 1625. 53 Dr. Williams to the Duke 54 Williams Lord Keeper to the Duke 27. July 1621. 55 The Earl of South-hamptons Letter to the Bishop of Lincoln 57 The Lord Keeper to the Duke 22. July 1621. 61 The Lord Keeper his answer to the Earl of South-hampton 2. August 1621. 58 The Lord Keeper to the Duke concerning the same Earl of South-hampton 2. Aug. 1621. 59 The Lord Keeper to the Duke concerning the Lord of St. Albans Octob. 27. 1621. 60 The Lord Keeper to the Duke concerning the Earl Marshals place 1. September 1621. 62 The Lord Keeper to the Duke 16. Decemb. 1621. 65 The Lord Keeper to the Duke about Mr. Thomas Murrayes Dispensation c. 23. Febr. 1621. 66 The Lord Keeper to the Duke about the Liberties of Westminster the 6. May 1621. 68 The Lord Keeper to the Duke Aug. 23. 1622. 69 The Lord Keeper to the Duke about the Lord Treasurer September 9. 1622. 70 The Lord Keeper to the Duke of Buckingham the 14. of October 1621. 82 The Lord Keeper to the Duke 8. Aug. 1623. 83 The Lord Keeper to the Duke the 21. of September 1622. 93 The Lord Keeper to the Duke 12. Octob. 1622. 75 The Lord Keeper to the Duke 78 The Lord Keeper to the Duke 84 The Lord Keeper to the Duke 6. Jan. 1623. 86 Mr. John Packer to the Lord Keeper the 21 of January 1623. 86 The Lord Keeper to the Duke 2. Febr. 1623. 88 The Lord Keeper to the Duke 24. May 1624. 93 The Lord Keeper to the Duke 22. Aug. 1624. 95 The Lord Keeper to the Duke 11. Octob. 1624. 95 The Lord Keeper to the Duke concerning the Countesse of South-hampton 17. Novemb. 1624 96 The Lord Keeper to the Duke 24. Decemb. 1624. 99 The Lord Keeper to the Duke concerning Dr Scot the 4. of Jan. 1624 100 The Lord Keeper to the Duke 2. March 1624. 101 The Lord Keeper to the Duke about Sir Robert Howard 11. March 1624. 103 The Lord Keeper to the Duke 13. March 1624. 104 The Lord Keeper to the Duke 22. March 1624. 106 The Bishop of Lincoln to the Duke the 7. of January 1625. 107 The Bishop of Lincoln to his
Majestie 108 The Lord Keeper to the Viscount Annan the 17. of September 1622. 109 The Bishop of St. Davids to the Duke the 18. of November 1624. 113 The Bishop of St. Davids to the Duke 114 The Bishop of Chichester to the Duke 114 The Bishops of Rochester Oxford and St. Davids to the Duke concerning Mr. Mountague 2. Aug. 1625. 116 Dr. Field Bishop of Landaffe to the Duke 118 Bishop of Landaffe to the Duke 119 Dr. Corbet to the Duke 121 Earles of Worcester Arundel and Surrey and Montgomery to the King 121 The Earl of Suffolk to his Majestie 122 The Earl of Suffolk to the Duke 123 The Earl of Suffolk to his Majestie 124 The Lady Elizabeth Howard to the King 126 The Lady Elizabeth Norris to the Duke ibid. Sir Edward Cecyl to the Duke 128 Sir Edward Cecyl to the Duke 129 Sir Edward Cecyl to the Lord Conway Secretary 2. of June 1625. 130 Sir Edward Cecyl to the Duke 3. June 1625. 132 Sir Edward Cecyl to the Duke 19. July 1625. 134 The Lord Wimbledon to the Duke 28. April 1626. 135 The Lord Wimbledon to the Duke 137 Sir John Ogle to the Duke 3. June 1625. 138 Sir Robert Mansel to the Duke 9. June 1621. 140 Sir Robert Mansel to the Duke 10. July 1621. 143 Sir John Pennington to the Duke 27. July 1625. 144 Captain Pennington to the Duke 150 Mr. Trumbal to the Secretary 31. March 1619. 151 Mr. Trumbal to the Secretary 23. Octob. 1619. 156 Sir Thomas Roe to the Marquesse of Buckingham Lord Admiral 17. Decemb. 1621. 158 L. R. H. to the Duke of Buckingham 159 Sir George Carie to the Marquesse of Buckingham the 8. of Decem. 1619. 162 To King James ab ignoto 163 Archbishop Abbot to Secretary Nanton 12. of September 1619. 169 The Lord Brook to the Duke 11. Novemb. 1623. 170 Dr. Belcanquel to Secretary Nanton 26. March 173 Sir William Beecher to his Majestie 4. Febr. 176 To King James ab ignoto 178 Sir Isaac Wake to the Secretary the 27. of September 1619. 180 Sir Isaac Wake to the Secretary the 5th of October 1619. 184 Sir Isaac Wake to the Duke 13. Febr. 1621. 188 Sir Isaac Wake 's Proposition for the King of Denmark 190 Sir Henry Wotton to the Duke 25. Jan. 1619. 192 Sir Henry Wotton to the Duke 29. July 1622. 193 Sir Henry Wotton to the Duke the 2d. of December 1622. 194 Sir Henry Wotton to the Duke 196 Sir Henry Wotton to the Duke 197 Sir Richard Weston to the Duke 26. June 1622. 200 Sir Richard Weston to the Duke Bruxels 3. of September 1622. 201 Sir Richard Weston to the Duke 17. July 1623. 202 Sir Richard Weston to the Duke 20 May 1624. 203 Sir Richard Weston to the Duke Chelsey the 23 of July 1624. 204 Sir Richard Weston to the Duke Chelsey 12. of August 1624. 206 Sir Francis Cottington to the Duke Madrid 1. October 1616. 206 Viscount Rochfort to the Duke of Buckingham 209 King James to Pope Gregorie the 15. the 10. of September 1622. 211 Pope Gregory the 15. to the Prince of Wales Rome 20. of April 1623. 212 The Prince of Wales his Reply to the Popes Letter 214 The Pope to the Duke of Buckingham Rome the 19 of May 1623. 216 To King James ab ignoto 217 To King James ab ignoto 222 Mr. Ch. Th. to the Duke 228 To Count Gondomar 233 Conde de Gondomar to the Duke 13. Febr. 1625. 237 Padre Maestre at Rome to the Spanish Embassadour in England 12. June 1621. 238 Don Carlos to the Lord Conway 3. Septem 239 Marquesse Ynoiosa to the Lord Conway 5. of September 1623. 242 Collections of Passages and Discourses betwixt the Spanish Embassadours and Sir Arthur Chichester 18 Jan. 1623. 244 Sir Arthur Chichester to the Duke 25. Jan. 1623. 243 Passages betwixt the Lord Nithisdale and the Spanish Embassadours 22. May 1624. 247 The Lord Nithisdale to the Duke 22 June 1624. 249 Sir Tobie Mathew to the King of Spain 251 Sir Tobie Mathew to the Dutchesse of Buckingham From Bulloign 9. June 1625. 253 Dr. Sharp to King James 255 Dr. Sharp to the Duke of Buckingham 257 The Lord Cromwell to the Duke 8. Sept. 1625. 262 Sir Robert Philips to the Duke of Buckingham 21. of Aug. 1624. 264 The Earl of Middlesex to the Duke 266 The Earl of Middlesex to his Majestie the 26. April 1624. 267 The Earl of Carlile to his Majestie 14. Febr. 1623. 269 The Lord Kensington to the Duke 273 The Lord Kensington to the Prince the 26. of February 1624. 276 The Lord Kensington to the Duke 274 The Lord Kensington to the Prince 26 Febr. 1624. 276 The Lord Kensington to the Duke 278 The Lord Kensington to the Prince 280 The Lord Kensington to the Duke 4. March 1924. 282 The Lord Kensington to the Secretary Lord Conway 284 The Lord Kensington to the Duke 288 The Lord Kensington to the Duke 291 The Lord Kensington Earl of Holland to the Duke 292 The Earl of Holland to his Majestie Paris 13 March 1625. 294 The Earl of Holland to the Duke 296 Mr. Lorkin to the Duke 30. August 1625. 299 Mr. Lorkin to the Duke 17 Sept. 1625. 301 The Lord Herbert to his Majestie From Merton Castle 13 Octob. 1623. 304 Mr. Edward Clerk to the Duke Madrid 6. Sept. 1623. 306 Mr. Edward Clerk to the Duke Madrid the 1. of October 1623. 307 Sir Anthony Ashley to the Duke 12 May. 1621. 307 Sir Walter Rawleigh to the Duke 12. Aug. 308 Sir Henry Yelverton to the Duke the 15. of March 1623. 310 Sir John Eliot to the Duke 8. Novemb. 1623. 311 The Earl of Oxford to the Duke 311 The Lady Purbeck to the Duke 313 Dr. Donne to the Marquesse of Buckingham 13. September 1621. 314 Dr. Donne to the Duke 315 Sir John Hipsley to the Duke London the 1. of September 1623. 316 Sir Dudley Carleton to the Marquesse of Buckingham Hague 24. Febr. 1616. 317 Sir Dudley Carleton to the Duke of Buckingham Hague 10. June 1620. 322 Sir Dudley Carleton to the Duke Hague 31. of January 1622. 325 Sir Dudley Carleton to the Duke Hague 23. of August 1622. 327 Sir Dudley Carleton to the Duke Hague 9. of December 1623. 334 Sir Dudley Carleton to the Duke Hague 13. Decemb. 1623. 334 Sir Dudley Carleton to the Duke Hague 18 of December 1623. 337 Sir Dudley Carleton to the Duke Hague 24. of January 1625. 340 Sir Dudley Carleton to the Duke Hague 16 of February 1625. 342 Sir Dudley Carleton to the Duke Hague 16. of April 1624. 343 Sir Dudley Carleton to the Duke Hague the 20. of June 1625. 345 Sir Dudley Carleton to the Duke Hague 20. of August 1625. 346 Read the Letters according to the Order of this Table The Table of things most remarkable A. ADmiral of England his Office p. 102 of Castile takes place of the Imperial Embassadour 165 Aerseus 342 Algier Voyage 143 144 Allegiance Puritanes will not
Marriage where 106 107 Coke Sir Edward 104 122 Conde imprisoned 176 Conference betwixt Don Francisco and the Lord Keeper 86 87. betwixt Sir Arthur Chichester and the Spanish Embassadours 244. the Earl of Nithisdail and them 247 Confession of Don Pedro concerning the Armada of 88. 259 Conway Lord Secretary advises the Earl of Bristol 19 estranged from the Lord Keeper Lincoln 89 a Martial Secretary 198 enough the Dukes servant 316 Cordova Don Gonzales 328 329 Corona Regia See Libel Cottington Sir Francis 23 81 Councel Table of King James somewhat too much pressing upon the King 75 Courtenvant Marquesse 286 Coxe King Edward the sixt his Schoolmaster Master if Requests and Privie Councellour enters Orders 68 Cromwel Lord Counsels the Duke 263. D. DEnbigh Countesse 302 Denmark King his offers 190 191. Dispensation with a Lay man to hold care of soules cannot be 66 67 Dominican Fryer turns to the English Church 79 Don Francisco's Discourse to the Lord Keeper 86 87 90 91 92 93. His cunning to speak with King James 90. Accuses the Duke of Buckingham 90 91 Donato a Venetian Embassadour gives the lye to the Duke of Savoy an enemy to Paul the Father of Venice 187 banished once at Venice twice in England 192 Don Doctour 314. Presents the Duke with a book of devotions ibid. E. ELiot Sir John imprisoned 311 Elvis Sir Gervas his posterity restored in blood and estate 3 Most guilty of the death of Sir Thomas Overbury 3 Emperour Ferdinand the third deales unworthily with King James 166. and against his own Letter 234 changes the German Customes 171 his proceeding against the Palsgrave protested against 336 Elizabeth Queen of England her Speech to her Army at Tilbuty 260 Restrains the Papists and why 258 protects the Low-Countries and upon what termes 333 338 England alone happy in its Religion 112 inclined to popularity 228 229 not what it hath been 261 Episcopacy gone what will follow 117 Essex Earl commanded to fight the Spanish Ships le ts them escape 135 F. FEria Duke 168 Fiat Marquesse 293 302 288 Finch Lady created Viscountesse of Maidstone 79 Fleet of Spain 43 53 Plate-Fleet 48 49. part cast away 208 of Portugal 53. for Brasil 167 Of the Spaniards Venetians and Turks 186 207. of the Low-Countries for the West-Indies 341 346 Frenchman burnt in Spain for contempt to the host 51 Frenchmen use the English basely 149 their Contract for the English Ships 150 French King falls upon those of the Religion 164 177 France governed by the Queen Mother at the proposals of the Match with Madem which she is earnest for but will do nothing till the Treaty with Spain be broke 274 to 277. The French not much sollicitous for the English Recusants 275 284 285 Richnesse of their habits at a Masque in honour of the English 278 279 fear the Spanish greatnesse 281 desirous of the English alliance 282 283 287 articles of the Match disliked by the English 289 endeavour to break the Spanish Treaty 305 Give precedency to the English 254 G. GAbor Bethlem 335 Gage imployed about the Dispensation 233 238 Geere Sir Michael 135 Gerard Sir Thomas seized upon suspition of designes against the King 272 Gifford a Sea Captain his design upon a Gallion in the Gulph of Mexico 343 Gondomar his false relations of the Prince of Wales 15 Commanded again for England 54 Goodnesse ever most easily betrayed 270 Goring Sir George 96 200 330 316 339 Grandees of Spain severally present their King with summes of monies to relieve his wants 168 Grandmont French Mounsieur 285 Gregorie the 15. tempts the Prince of Wales to change Religion 212 213 tries to make the Duke of Buckingham 216 Greiham 316 Gresley ibid. Gelderland States have the leading voyce in the united Netherlands 323 Goring Sir George 200 Guicciardines Judgment of Venice 8 H. HAlberstat Christian Duke of Brunswick 240 Hamilton Marquesse 316 Hartford Earl's Petition 89 Harton Sir Christopher 226 Haughton Sir Gilbert complains of the Lord Keeper Williams his servants 74 Henderson Colonel slain at Bergen 328 Henderson Sir Francis 329 Henrietta Maria of France after Queen of England 253. beautiful discreet and full of respect to the Prince of Wales 270 277. See 278 290 sends privately for his picture 280 Herbert Lord of no faction his Informations to King James from France 304 305 Holland Earl Lord Kensington in France when the Treaty for the Match there was beginning for it 274 275 276 277 278 279. received by the French King 278. speaks to him concerning the Match 282. with the Queen Mother 289. with Madam 290. allowed at all times free entrance into the Louure 294 Howard Sir Robert 103 104. I. JAniville Prince for the Queen Mother 176. forwards the alliance with France 279 James King of England famous for wisedome mercy c. 7 Appoints Commissionere to inquire of the Archbishop of Canterburies Case 12. See Archbishop of Canterbury his promises to Williams Lord Keeper 56. Never breaks his word 77 Protectour of the Protestants 110 111 sought to to be declared Head and Protectour of that faith as the Spaniard would be taken to be of the Roman 305 Protectour of the Venetians owned so by them conservation of the publique tranquillity relyes upon him 179 180 Ayds the Savoyard joyns in the cause of Cleve 170 Promises not to draw his severity to Donato the Venetian Embassadour into example 192 sought to by the Spaniards to joyn against the Pyrates 207 writes to the Pope 211 aymes at the universal peace of Christendome 270 what a friend to the Low-Countries sleighted and ingratefully dealt with by them 331 The Germane Princes relye upon him 336 Infanta of Spain 15.16 21 22. her vertues and beauty she loved the Prince of Wales 26 her portion 27 Ingram 226 Inquisitor General presents a consulta to the Spanish King to procure a Jubile 51. See Jubile is the first who offere toward the Kings necessities 168 Joachim of Zealand 342 Irish raise aspersions in Spain of persecutions in England 15 practises of their Priests there 49 Isabella Clara Eugenia her Complement to the Bavarian 240. See 167 335 Jubilee from Rome to expiate for the Contempt done to the Host 51 Junto of Divines to consider of the Spanish Kings Oath by which he would undertake for the King of Englands performance of Articles 15 Jurisdiction Episcopal used in England without the Kings consent against Common Law 81 K. KEeper of the Seal where questionable 76 Killegrew 316 Kings Gods shadowes 12 yeelding to demands must deny nothing 227 L. LAken Nicholas his discoveries concerning Corona Regia 151 152 Lamb Dr. of Law favoured by the Bishop of Lincoln 56 62 Langrack Dutch Embassadour at Paris his advertisements of affaires 318 319 Landaffe Bishop sues for preferment troubled 119 120 Laud Bishop of St. Davids sues to be a Commissioner and why 113 Lawyers mischievous in Parliaments 226 Le grand professes service to the Prince of Wales 277 Laicester the Favourite
329 337 Queen Mother of France 176. for the Match with England 390 296 young Queen shewes great respect to the English Prince and is earnest for the Match with Madam 277 not Spanish though a sister of Spain 278 R. RAwleigh Sir Walter insolent 226 his Western Voyage had described those Countries makes the Duke of Buckingham his Intercessour 308 309 Records of the Order of the Garter 221 Reformation of Justice rules for it 617. Refuges Monsieur 319 Religious life entring into it after betrothing 24 Richlieu Cardinal when first of the Cabinet Councel 287 Richmond Duke Lord Steward 100 101. See 336. Richmond Dutchesse gives 1600 l. the year for a house to sleep in 106 Rochel so streightly blocked up in November 1625. no intelligence could be had from thence 272 Rochfort Viscount his generosity 209 sues for the Earl of Oxfords Liberty 210. See 310. Rochfoulcaut Cardinal 282 Ro Sir Thomas frees 13. English from the Spanish Gallies by the favour of Philibert of Savoy 159 Roman Catholicks favoured in England because of the Spanish Match and to comply with the Articles 80 81 Bishop of Lincoln his advice concerning it ibid. titular Bishop of Calcedon in England see tit Williams Complain of persecution in England 95 238 to the Spanish Embassadour turbulent 105 King James his Clemency to them disliked what that was 110 111 112. and why 233 236 242 Jesuites stir up the French King against the Calvinists because King James executes his Lawes against the Papists 111. their practises in Parliament against the King 225 229 Imprisoned in the time of the Queen and why 258 Contrive tumults disarmed by the King their insolency 271 272 S. ST George Madam 296 302 Saine-Leger Sir William 334 335 Sandys Sir Edwin 76 Santa Croce Marquesse 178 Sarmientos Don 318 Savil Sir Henry Provost of Eaton 69 Savoyard Embassadour 275 299 30â— 301 303. Savoy Duke 168 a friend to the Palsgrave distrusted by the Spaniards 185 defeats them 208 Say Viscount a Malecontent 225 307 Saxonia Duke a friend to King James and the Palatine Family 167 Scot Doctour deseribed by the Pishop of Lincoln 99 100 101 Scotch Masters confiscated in Spain and sentenced to the Gallies 50 Scultetua at the Synod of Dort 173 Serclaus a Dutch Gentlewoman tretting on both sides betwixt the Dutch and Spanish 332 Shipwrack of the Plate Fleet 48 49 Ships attempted to be fired 135 Sibâ—andus a furious Calvinist at the Synod of Dort 174 Soissons Count a Prince of the Blood of France would marry Madont of France 282 his incivility to the Earl of Holland 289 altered 286 Sommerset Earl sues to the King for his life and estate rise upon his Fathers Merits 1 2 3 4 South hampton Earl confined to his own house 57 hardly dealt with but without the Kings Order 61. See 316. Spanish King gives precedencie to the Prince of Wales 14 Much sought to by the English Papists 252 aymes at the universal Monarchie 274 281 Spaniards committed many errours in the Match 23 forward to give any security to the accomplishing it 24 25 Cautelous in their proceeding 243 247 arm the Grandces summoned and the Battalon 51. for the Sea 166 Sleight and wrong the English 54 â—eise the Venetian Vessels in the Ports of Naples arm in all their Dominions 178 179 182 their subleties they rob the Venetians 183. their plots upon the States united 333. Complain they cannot obtain free audience 246 Spanish Rodomontades 289 248 intended with their Armada to have rooted out the English Nation 259 by the Match to have formed a party here 305. See 338 339. Get more by their policies then Swords 261. no peace can be with them there would make peace with the Dutch 327 will not believe the English had either Faith Church or Liturgie 79. See Book of Common-Prayer burn the Princesse Palatines Joynture in sight of the English Embassadour 329 Spinola 328 333 Star-Chamber an ancient Court 58 â—eld Pleas of restitution of Ships and goods 75 State when the word came first over hither 226 Steward of the house 63 Office of Lord Steward what 101 102 Successe things not to be judged by it 304 Suffolk Earl his Staffe of Treasurer taken away 126 sentenced in the Star-Chamber 122 will not perswade his sons to leave the Court delivered from the Tower 123 124 125 Synod of England 117 of Dort passages of it 173 174 175 of no authority with us 117 T. TIlley Count besleges Heidelbergh 234 329 Tilliers Count 305 Toirax 286 287 Treasurer of England accuses the Lord Keeper of Lincoln 72 73 Treasure ill managed 122 Tresham of the Powder Treason preserved his estate 3 Trugot Madamoiselle 301 Trumbal an Agent at Brussels for King James his care to find out the Authour of Corona Regia 152 153 Turkish kindnesse to the Venetians 186 Tyrconnel Page to the Queen of Spain 49 V. VAlette Marquesse 285 Vandenbergh grave Henric 328 Vaux Lord committed to the Fleet for resisting the Kings Commands 271 Venetians in danger of the Spaniard seek to King James 178 179 sue to him to forbid exportation of Artillery c. 180 refuse Turkish ayds against Christians 186. incivil to the Duke of Savoy 187 Veiville Marquesse 274 284 286 287 289. Vere Sir Horatio sleighted unreasonably by Sir Edward Cecyl as inferior in birth and worth 134 323 Viceroy of Portugal 45 Ville-â—ux Cleres 293 300 Vorstius questioned for blasphemous propositions 175 Uprores in Naples Millain c. 188 W. VVAke Sir Isaac Imployed in Savoy his prudence 180 181 186. governs himself according to his instructions 184 not supplyed with monies 189 War the most prosperous hath misfortune enough in it to make the author unhappy 33 knowledge of it the highest of humane things 133 preparation of things shewes experiencewhat war is lawful 258 Weston Sir Richard Earl of Portland 198 199. a fit Minister 234 treats for the Palatinate at Brussels cannot prevail 201 234. accused to the Duke 202 Intercedes for the Earl of Middlesex 203 Wilford Sir Thomas sinks a Turkish man of war 141 Williams Dean of Westminster Lord Keeper and Bishop of Lincoln after sues for the Bishoprick of London 54 his Ecclesiastical promotions 55 advanced by the Duke of Buckingham 62 70. his opinion of the Archbishop of Canterburies mischance where his ambition is visible 56 Will serve the Earl of Southampton while he makes good his professions to the Duke 58 loves the Earl of Bristol at this rate 23 sits in the Common Pleas. 61 Will not seal the Lord St. Albans pardon and why 61 62 81. nor Sir Richard Westons Patent 93 nor an order for a Papist Priests liberty 62. nor the Earl of Arundels Patent for the Earl Marshals place 68 An enemy to the Lord Treasurer 62 To the Earl of Arundel 62 63 64. Will not discharge a prisouer for contempt of a Decree in Chancery 65 seems to advise King Iames to dissolve the Parliament of 1621. to find out other wayes to supply his wants
his fine he is protected from all his Creditors which I dare say was neither his Majesties nor your Lordships meaning I have presumed to send your Lordship a true Copy of that speech which I made at VVestminster Hall at my entrance upon this office because somewhat was to be spoken at so great a change and alteration in so high a Court And I was never so much troubled in my life not how but what to speak I humbly crave pardon if I have failed in points of diseretion which a wiser man in such a case might easily do With my heartiest prayers unto God to continue all his blessings upon your Lordship I rest deservedly c. Postscript MY Lord I find my Lord Treasurer affectionately touched with removing from the Court of Wards and do wish with all my heart he may have contentment in that or any thing else but orderly and in a right method Let him hold it but by your Lordships favour not his own power or wilfulnesse And this must be apparent and visible Let all our greatnesse depend as it ought upon yours the true original Let the King be Pharaoh your self Joseph and let us come after as your half-brethren God blesse you c. The Lord Keeper to the Duke concerning Sir John Michel 8. Aug. 1622. My most noble Lord IN the cause of Sir John Michel which hath so often wearied this Court vexed my Lady your Mother and now flieth as it seemeth unto your Lordship I have made an order the last day of the Tearm assisted by the Master of the Rolls and Mr. Baron Eromley in the presence and with the full consent of Sir John Michel who then objected nothing against the same but now in a dead vacation when both the adverse party and his Councel are out of Town and that I cannot possible hear otherwise then with one ear he clamours against me most uncivilly and would have me contrary to all conscience and honesty reverse the same The substance of the order is not so difficult and intricate but your Lordship will easily find out the equity or harshnesse thereof Sir Lawrence Hide makes a motion in behalf of one Strelley a party whose face I never saw that whereas Sir John Michel had put a bill into this Court against him and one Sayers five years ago for certain Lands and Woods determinable properly at the Common Law and having upon a certificate betwixt himself and Sayers without the knowledge of the said Strelley procured an injunction from the last Lord Chancellour for the possession of the same locks up the said Strelley with the said injunction and never proceeds to bring his cause to hearing within five years It was moved therefore that either Sir Johns bill might be dismissed to a tryal at the Common Law or else that he might be ordered to bring it to hearing in this Court with a direction to save all wastes of Timber trees in favour of either party that should prove the true owner until the cause should receive hearing Sir John being present in Court made choice of this last offer and so it was ordered accordingly And this is that order that this strange man hath so often of late complained of to your Mother and now as it seemeth to your Lordship God is my witnesse I have never denyed either justice or favour which was to be justified to this man or any other that had the least relation to your good and most noble Mother And I hope your Lordship is perswaded thereof If your Lordship will give me leave without your Lordships trouble to wait upon you at any time this day your Lordship shall appoint I would impart two or three words unto your Lordship concerning your Lordships own businesse Remaining ever c. The Lord Keeper to the Duke May it please your Grace NOw that I understand by Sir John Hipsley how things stand between your Grace and the Earl of Bristol I have done with that Lord and will never think of him otherwise then as your Grace shall direct Nor did I ever write one syllable to that effect but in contemplation of performing true service to your Grace I was much abused in the Lady Hennage her Vice-Counteship being made to believe it was your Grace's act or else I had stayed it finally until the Princes return as I did for a time If your Grace will give any directions in matters of that nature I can pursue them My Lord Treasurers sons Wardship is a thing of no moment at all and not worthy your Graces thinking of And in good faith as far as getting and Covetousnesse will give him leave I do not see but that Lord is since your absence very respective of your Grace especially in your own person and affairs I never received any answer from your Grace concerning the Provostship of Aeton nor was it good manners for me to presse for the same because in my Letters I did presume to name my self The place is mine to bestow for this time and not his Majesties nor the Colledges But I do very willingly reserve the Collation of the same to be disposed as your Grace shall please Yet this will be a sufficient answer to any former promise or any reasonable Competitor His Majestie as your Grace best knoweth promised me at the delivery of the Seal a better Bishoprick and intended it certainly if any such had fallen My Charge is exceeding great my Bribes are very little my Bishoprick Deanery and other Commendams do not clear unto me above one thousand pounds a year at the uppermost It hath pleased God that the casualties of my office which is all the benefit of the same and enriched my Lord Elsmor hath not been worth to me these two years past one shilling It may mend when it pleaseth God I leave all these and my self who am your Vassal at your Lordships feet and do rest c. Your Graces c. J. L. C. S. Postscript MAy it please your Grace I troubled his Highnesse with a long relation of the Consulto we had about his Majesties taking of the Oath Which I had written to your Grace and not to his Highnesse but that I was frighted by great men that I had done his Highnesse a displeasure in pressing his Majesties assent unto the same And I protest I was so poorly accompanied in my opinion that I was truly afraid I had not done well And therefore I took occasion to write my reasons at large unto the Prince Which I heard by Sir John Hipsley from your Grace was well taken I humbly thank your Grace who I know forwarded the same And so I perceive by a Letter from his Highnesse so full of sweetnesse as I am overwhelmed J. L. C. S. The Lord Keeper to the Duke 6. January 1623. May it please your Grace DOn Francisco being with me this night about a pardon for a poor Irish man whom I reprieved from execution at the suit of those
by the frequent proof he had of his great abilities in that kind Since the time of H. 6. these Parliamentary discoursings were never suffered as being the certain symptomes of subsequent rebellions civil Wars and the dethroning of our Kings But these last 20 years most of the Parliament men seek to improve the reputation of their wisdomes by these Declamations and no honest Patriot dare oppose them lest he incur the reputation of a Fool or a Coward in his Countries Cause 2. Covetous Landlords Inclosers Depopulators and Justices of the Peace who have got a habit of Omniregencie and an hope to extend the same against the King in Parliament as they do on his Subjects in the Countrey Hereby the King loseth 24000 l. in every whole Subsidie for Anno 1600. it was 80000 l. and now it is but 56000 l. which cometh by the decay of the yeomandry who were three and four pound men And these Gentlemen most of them of the Parliament do ease themselves to afflict those who are the true Commons and yet perswade them that the grievances are caused by the Duke and the ill government of the King 3. Recusants and Church Papists whose hatred is irreconcileable against the Duke for the breach of the Spanish Match The French Lady though as zealous a Catholique doth not please him for they were tyed to Spain by their hopes of a change of Religion that way All the Priests are sent from the Spanish Dominions and the sons and daughters of the Papists remain as hostages of their fidelities in the Colledges and Nunneries of the King of Spain And though the Papists have no place in the house of Commons yet privately they aggravate all scandals against the Duke to kindle a separation between the King and his people and avert them from enabling the King to resist or be avenged of our great enemy Remember the course held by these men in the Parliament of undertakers also Dr. Eglesham and all the Priests daily practice libelling against all great men about the King 4. Needy and indebted persons in both Houses who endeavour by these Parliamentary stirres not so much the Dukes overthrow as a rebellion which they hope will follow if it be not done This is much to be suspected as well by their Calumniations against his Majestie as for their own wants many of them being outlawed and not able to shew their heads but in Parliament time by priviledge thereof and they know that there are enough to follow them in the same mischief 5. Puritans and all other Sectaries who though scarce two of them agree in what they would have yet they all in general are haters of Government They begun in Parliament about Anno 23. Eliz. and spit their venom not only against the Bishops but also against the Lord Chancellour Hatton and others the Queens favourites and Councellours as they do now against the Clergie and the Duke But their main discontentment is against the Kings Government which they would have extinguished in matters Ecclesiastical and limited in Temporal This is a fearful and important Consideration because it pretends Conscience and Religion and they now more deadly hate the Duke because he sheweth himself to be no Puritan as they hoped he would at his return from Spain 6. Malecontents censured or decourted for their deserts as the kindred and dependants of the Earl of Suffolk and of Sir Henry Yelverton Coke Lake Middlesex though all of them the last excepted were dejected by King James without any Concurrencie of the Duke Others because they are not preferred as they do imagine that they deserve as the Lord Say Earl of Clare Sir John Eliot Selden and Glanvile Sir Dudley Diggs and the Bishops of Nerwich and Lincoln These and many others according to the nature of envy look upon every one with an evil eye especially upon the Duke who either hath or doth not prefer them to those places or retain them in them which their ambition expecteth 7. Lawyers in general for that as Sir Edward Cook could not but often expresse our Kings have upholden the power of their Prerogatives and the rights of the Clergie whereby their comings in have been abated And therefore the Lawyers are fit ever in Parliaments to second any Complaint against both Church and King and all his servants with their Cases Antiquities Records Statutes Presidents and Stories But they cannot or will not call to mind that never any Nobleman in favour with his Soveraign was questioned in Parliament except by the King himself in case of Treason or unlesse it were in the nonage and tumultuous times of Rich. 2. Hen. 6. or Edw. 6. which happened to the destruction both of the King and Kingdom And that not to exceed our own and Fathers memories in King Hen. 8. time Wolsies exorbitant power and pride and Cromwels contempt of the Nobility and the Lawes were not yet permitted to be discussed in Parliament though they were most odious and grievous to all the Kingdom And that Leicester's undeserved favour and faults Hatton's insufficiency and Rawleigh's insolence far exceeded what yet hath been though most falsly objected against the Duke yet no Lawyer durst abet nor any man else begin any Invectives against them in Parliament 8. The Merchants and Citizens of London convinced not by the Duke but by Cranfield and Ingram to have deceived the King of Imposts and Customs and deservedly fearing to be called to accompt for undoing all the other Cities and good Towns and the poor Colonie of Virginia as also for transporting of our silver into the East-Indies these vent their malice upon the Duke in the Exchange Pauls Westminster-Hall with their suggestions and therein they wound both to Subjects and strangers the honour of his Majestie and his proceedings 9. Innovators Plebicolae and King-haters At the latter end of Queen Elizabeth it was a phrase to speak yea to pray for the Queen and State This word State was learned by our neighbourhood and Commerce with the Low-Countries as if we were or affected to be governed by States This the Queen saw and hated And the old Earl of Oxford his Propositions at her death they awakened King James to prevent this humour and to oppose the conditions and limitations presented unto him by the Parliaments The Lawyers Citizens and Western men who are most hot infected with Puritanisme stood strong against him under a colour of Parliaments and Parliamentary priviledges His Majestie therefore strengthened himself ever with some Favourite as whom he might better trust then many of the Nobility tainted with this desire of Oligarchie It behoveth without doubt his Majestie to uphold the Duke against them who if he be but decourted it will be the Corner stone on which the demolishing of his Monarchie will be builded For if they prevail with this they have hatched a thousand other demands to pull the feathers of the Royalty they will appoint him Councellours Servants Alliances Limits of his expences
you may all noble thoughts forsake me Because I seldom am honoured with your Ear I thus make bold with your all-discerning eye which I pray God may be inabled with power and strength daily to see into them that desire your ruine Which if it once be I will never believe but so good a King will constantly inable you daily with power to confound them Many men would not be thus bold and saucie If I find you distaste me for my respect to you I will respect my poor self who ever hath honoured you so much as hereafter to be silent So I kisse the noble hands of your Grace Your Lordships servant during life Tho. Cromwell Sir Robert Philips to the Duke of Buckingham 21. August 1624. May it please your Grace BEfore the receipt of that Dispatch with which you were pleased to honour me from Apthorp dated the last of July I was fully determined at your return to Woodstock to have presented your Grace my most humble and faithful service and by that means to have obtained the knowledge in what state and condition of health you had passed this part of the progresse Your former weaknesse together with the dangerous temper of the season giving me cause both to doubt and pray against the worst But I found my self then to be more strictly obliged to the performance of this dutie when I received from your Grace so clear and abundant a testimonie as well of your good opinion as of the trust you reposed in me Obligations certainly of that nature and of so large an extent as do with reason deprive me of all degree of libertie and justly subject me to a perpetual state of servitude and obedience to all your Graces Commandements I have diligently perused my Lord of Bristols answer which it pleased your Grace to communicate unto me And although it become me not neither will I presume to give my opinion of the strength or weaknesse thereof yet will I take the liberty to say thus much That I find in his case that to be verified which I have observed at other times to wit That when able and prudent men come to act their own Parts they are then for the most part not of the clearest sight and do commonly commit such errours as are both discernable and avoidable even by men of mean abilities Being now fallen to speak of this Lord I humbly beseech your Lordship to give me leave plainly and briefly to set before you some Cogitations of mine own touching his present occasion First that it may be maturely considered Whether the tendring him any further charge unto which he may be able to frame a probable satisfactorie answer will not rather serve to declare his innocencie then to prepare his Condemnation and so instead of pressing him reflect back with disadvantage upon the proceeding against him Secondly That your Grace would be pleased to consult with your self whether you may not desist from having him further questioned without either blemish to your Honour or manifest prejudice to the service Considering that you have to your perpetual glory already dissolved and broken the Spanish partie and rendred them without either the means or the hope of ever conjoyning in such sort together again as may probably give the least disturbance or impediment to your Graces waies and designs And lastly Although his Lordship in sundry places of his answer especially in the latter part doth seem directly to violate the rule of the * Provident prudent Marriner who in foul weather and in a storm is accustomed to prevent shipwrack rather to pull down then to set up his sailes Neverthelesse as this case stands it deserves to be thorowly pondered which of the two waies will most conduce to your Graces purpose and is likely to receive the best interpretation and success either to have him dealt with after a quick and round manner or otherwise to proceed slowly and moderately with him permiting him for a time to remain where he is as a man laid aside and in the way to be forgotten A state of being if I mistake not his complexion which will be by him apprehended equivalent to the severest and sharpest censure that possibly can be inflicted on him Thus have I over-boldly adventured to present unto your Grace these few Queries and Proposals which they might be both inlarged and more forcibly urged yet to avoid the being too tedious I have chosen to omit the further insisting upon them till such time as I may have the honour and felicitie of being neer your person At this present it shall suffice humbly to beseech your Grace to be assuredly perswaded that what I have now delivered in this subject doth not proceed from any over indulgent respect I bear either to the person or fortune of my Lord of Bristol though I should not be sorry that like a prudent man he might by his discreet application to your Grace render himself capable to be again readmitted to your love and favour But the motive which hath induced me principally to use this plainnesse and libertie is the Consideration how importantly as I conceive the well ordering and disposing this particular doth concern your Graces service Unto the advancement and furtherance whereof if I may be able now or at any time to contribute the least proportion I shall esteem my self most happie and more then abundantly rewarded in case that my right humble endeavours in that kind may receive from your Grace a favourable and acceptable construction I will conclude this Letter with a twofold prayer first to you for my self that your Grace will be pleased to pardon this boldnesse Next to God for you that he will give you health and length of daies for his Majesties service and the good and honour of this Common-wealth I humbly crave leave to remain Your Graces Most obedient and devoted servant Rob. Philips The Earl of Middlesex to the Duke Right Noble and my most honoured Lord I Have received divers Letters from your Lordship since your going from Theobalds which though they concern several men and in sundry kinds yet they all conclude upon diminution of his Majesties estate contrary to your general ground when his Majestie delivered me the Staffe and contrary to your Lordships private directions given me at Theobalds with which I did your Lordship the right to acquaint the King I have of late had cause to take into consideration the miserable condition of my present estate who since I received the staffe have led such a life as my very enemies pity me which I foresaw the distraction of the Kings estate and burthen of that place would of necessitie throw upon me Yet my dutie love and thankfulnesse to his Majestie and my love and thankfulnesse to you contrary to my own judgment and advice of my friends made me undertake it little expecting these Crosse accidents which have lyen heavy upon me and more troubled me then the continual cares
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 the head directing and your people as the hands and feet obeying and co-operating for the honour safety and welfare of the bodie of the State This will revive and reunite your friends abroad and dismay and disappoint the hopes of your enemies secure your Majesties person assure your estate and make your memorie glorious to posterity Pardon I most humbly beseech your Majestie this licentious freedome which the zeal of your safetie and service hath extorted from a tongue-tyed man who putteth his heart into his Majesties hand and humbly prostrateth himself at your Royal feet as being Your Majesties Most humble most obedient obliged Creature Subject and Servant Carlile The Earl of Carlile to the Duke the 20. of November 1625. My most Noble dear Lord SInce my Last to your Lordship by Mr. Endimion Porter there hath not happened any matter of great moment or alteration here saving the resolution which his Majestie hath taken by the advice of his Councel for the disarming of all the Popish Lords In the execution whereof there fell out a brabble at the Lord Vaux his house in North-hamptonshire wherein there were some blowes exchanged between the said Lord and Mr. Knightly a Justice of the Peace who assisted the Deputie Lievtenant in that action Whereof complaint being made his Majestie was pleased himself in Councel to have the hearing of the businesse and upon examination to refer the judgement thereof to the Star-Chamber the next Term. But at the issuing out of the Councel Chamber the Lord Vanx taking occasion to speak to Sir William Spencer who with the rest had given information in favour of Mr. Knightly told him that though he neglectect his reputation before the Lords yet he doubted not but he would have more care of his oath when the businesse should come to Examination in the Star-Chamber Herewith Sir VVilliam Spencer finding his reputation challenged presently complained and thereupon the words being acknowledged the Lord Vaux was committed prisoner to the Fleet. In the disarming of the Lords-Recusants there was as much respect had of some who have relation to your Lordship as you your self would desire The Papists in general here do give some cause of jealousie by their Combinations and Murmurings wherein it is suspected that they are as fondly as busily encouraged by the pragmatical Mounsieurs But his Majesties temper and wisdom will be sufficient to prevent all inconveniencie which their follie or passion may contrive There is one Sir Thomas Gerrard a Recusant brought up hither out of Lancashire being accused of some treacherous design against his Majesties Person Rochel is so straightly blocked by Sea and Land as no Intelligence can be sent into the Town We have not as yet any clear Categorical answers touching the restitution of our ships As soon as any thing more worthy of your Lordships knowledge shall occur you shall not fail to be advertised from him that is eternally vowed Your Graces Most faithful friend and most humble servant Carlile The Earl of Carlile to the Duke My most Noble dear Lord I Must ever acknowledge my self infinitely obliged to your Lordship for many Noble favours but for none more then the freedome and true cordial friendship expressed in your last Letter touching my son And I shall humbly beseech your Lordship in all occasions to continue that free and friendly manner of proceeding which I shall ever justly esteem as the most real testimonie of your favour towards me Your Lordship will now be pleased to give me leave with the same freedom and sinceritie to give your Lordship an account that it is now 4. moneths since the Count of Mansfelt made the proposition to me to nominate my son to be one of his Colonels as he did likewise to my Lord of Holland for his Brother Sir Charles Rich which at the first I must deal plainly with your Lordship I took for a piece of art as if he knowing that next to the benefit and assistance he received from your Lordships favour and protection we were the most active instruments imployed in his businesse and therefore he sought to ingage us so much the farther by this interest But afterwards I found that under the shadow of this Complement put upon me he had a desire to gratifie Sir James Ramsey whom he designed to be my sons Lievtenant having regard to his former deserts and the courage and sufficiencie he hath found in him I professe unto your Lordship sincerely that he received no other encouragement or acceptance from me then a bare negative Insomuch as he afterwards sent a Gentleman to tell me That he perceived whatsoever he should expect from me in the furtherance of his businesse must be onely for the respect I bare to my Masters service and nothing for love of his person since I accepted not the proffer of his service My Lord of Holland can justifie the truth of this assertion who alone was acquainted with that which passed for I protest upon my salvation that I neither spake of it to any creature living not so much as to my son neither have I written one word thereof to the Count Mansfelt neither knew I any thing of his proceedings till by the last Currier Mr. Secretarie was pleased to acquaint me with the nomination of my son If I had seriously intended any such thing I want not so much judgment and discretion as not first to discover my desire to my gracious Master humbly craving his leave and allowance And I should not have failed to have recourse to your Lordships favourable assistance therein And thus my Noble Lord have I given you an account what entertainment I gave to the Count Mansfelts Complement And I will be bold also to give
his eyes many times with the sight and contemplation of it sith he could not have the happinesse to behold her person All which and other such like speeches she standing by took up without letting any one fall to the ground But I fear your Lordship will think I gather together too much to enlarge my Letter thus far but it is that by these Circumstances your Lordship may make a perfect judgment of the issue of our negotiation which I doubt not but will succeed to his Majesties his Highnesse and your Lordships contentment And so yeeld matter of triumph to you and infinite joy to me Your Lordships Most humble most obliged and most obedient servant Kensington The Lord Kensington to the Duke My most dear Lord THis Bearer your Cousen's going is in such haste as what you receive from me must be in very few words I was yesterday with the Marquesse de Vieville whom I find cordial to do good offices between ours and this Kingdome and he assures me by all the promises and protestations that may be he will ever use his credit and power to do so knowing these Kingdoms can as the King of Spain's power and ambition increases have no true safetie and ood unlesse we joyn in friendship and alliance He is very free to me telling me That to prevent this the King of Spain offers now the largest conditions of satisfaction and friendship that can be imagined but their thoughts here are wholly bent towards us And although as yet the King cannot with honour or wisdom say more then he hath done yet we may be assured when we are free to be satisfied in all we can desire This day I understand the Earl of Argile is like lightning passed by for Spain and by a special Command from the King it is to put us in more terrour That he will use his service in Scotland where I believe he hath little credit and power to offend us But howsoever they omit nothing that may dishearten us but we are of too noble and constant a temper either to fear their cunning or power My Lord give me leave to beseech you not to defer our businesse for never can this State be found so rightly and truly inclined in love and affection towards us And the rather hasten it because all the art that may be is daily used from Spain to prevent us and if we go not roundly and clearly with them here they may have jealousies and discouragements that may change them Take them therefore now when I dare promise they are free very free from those thoughts My Lord pardon the haste of this Letter that hath no more time given me but to tell you that you never can have any servant more devotedly yours then is Your Graces Most obliged and most humble servant Kensington The Earl of Holland to the Duke My dearest Lord VVEE have made a final conclusion of this great Treatie Upon what terms the dispatch at large will shew your Grace We have concluded honourably that which we could not do safely for to receive words that obliged not would have appeared an unwise and unperfect Treatie of our part and no way worthy of the greatnesse of our Master nor the passion of his Highnesse the which now hath a brave expression since his Mistresse is only considered and desired and the only object of our Treatie But I must tell you that since we have proceeded thus they say they will out-go us in the like braverie doing ten times more then we expect or they durst promise fearing the World would conceive all their doings conditionally the which would be dishonourable for Madam But that being safe they now say their interest is greater then ours for the recovering of the Palatinate and they will never abandon us in that action I hope we shall shortly have the honour and happinesse to see your Grace here where you will be as justly you deserve adored You must make haste for we are promised our sweet Princesse within six weeks I beseech you let me know your resolution that I may contrive which way I may best serve you against your coming I have carefully laboured according unto your Commands in that which the Marquesse de Fiat You may assure him of a speedie and good successe in it the which he will more fully understand when Mounsieur de la Ville-aux-Cleres shall be in England He begins his journey from hence within 3. daies He is worthy of the best reception that can be given him having throughout all this Treatie carried himself discreetly and affectionately I beseech you put the Prince in mind to send his Mistris a Letter And though I might as the first Instrument imployed in his amours expect the honour to deliver it yet will I not give my Colleague that cause of envie But if his Highnesse will write a private Letter unto Madam and in it expresse some particular trust of me And that my relations of her have increased his passion and affection unto her service I shall receive much honour and some right since I onely have expressed what concerned his passion and affection towards her If you think me worthy of this honour procure a Letter to this purpose and send it me to deliver unto her and likewise your Commands the which I will receive for my greatest comforts living in unhappinesse untill I may by my services expresse how infinitely and eternally I am Your Graces Most humble and most obliged and devoted servant Holland Postscript THe Presents that the Prince will send unto Madam I beseech you hasten The Earl of Holland to his Majestie May it please your most excellent Majestie VVE are in all the pain that may be to know what to answer to the malicious and continual complaints made by Blanvile of wrongs and violences done him even to the assaulting of him in his own lodging the which he hath represented with so much bitternesse as it took great impression here in the hearts of all especially of the Queen Mother whom yesterday I saw in the accustomed priviledge hath ever been given me to have at all times my entrance free into the Louure And I the rather went because I would not shrink at all their furies and clamours and it came to such a height as Petitions were given by Madam de Blanvile that she might for the injuries done to her husband his Embassadour have satisfaction upon our persons But she was as she deserved despised for so passionate a follie yet was it in confideration as I suspect by a word that the Queen Mother uttered in her passion to me who with tears before all the World being accompanied by all the Princesses and Ladies told me but softlie That if your Majestie continued to affront and suffer such indignities to be done to the Embassadour of the King her Son your Majestie must look that your Embassadours shall be used a la pareylie I confesse this stirred me so much as I
told her That if the intentions of your Majestie were no better considered by the King here your Majestie commanding us for the good and happinesse of his Kingdom to endeavour to bring and give him the which we have done the greatest blessing in this World Peace in his Countrie then to be ballanced with a person that in requital hath stirred up and dailie desires to do it disputes and jarres even between your Majestie and the Queen we had reason to believe your Majestie most unjustly and most unworthily requited And it might take away upon any such occasion the care that otherwise you would have had to do the like And for my part it took from me all desire ever to be imployed upon any occasion hither where our Actions that their acknowledgments have been acceptable but a few daies past are now of so little consideration as we are of no more weight then the unworthiest Minister that ever was imployed Upon that I found she was sorrie for having expressed so much But this day we had from her a more favourable audience and from the King the effects and circumstances of that which we have in our Dispatch presented unto my Lord Conway Sir the malice of this Blanvile is so great unto your worthie servant my Lord Duke as he hath written a private Letter unto the King the which I saw by the favour of a friend that he is in a condition of danger to be ruined by the furie and power of the Parliament And to confirm him in that opinion hath sent all the passages amongst them that concern my Lord Duke adding to that of great factions against him at the Councel Table and naming some Lords the which makes me see he hath intelligence with all those that he believes may contribute any thing towards the mischieving of him But those that know the magnanimitie and noblenesse of your Majesties heart know that so noble a vessel of honour and service as he is shall never be in danger for all the storms that can threaten him when it is in your Majesties hands not onely to calm all these tempests but to make the Sun and beams of your favour to shine more clearly upon his deservings then ever the which upon this occasion your courage and virtue will no doubt do to the encouragement of all deserving and excellent servants and to his honour and comfort that is the most worthie that ever Prince had And so affectionate that the world hath no greater admirations then the fortunes that the Master and servant have run together And certainly our good God will ever preserve that affection that in so many accidents and one may say afflictions hath preserved your Persons Sir this boldnesse that I take proceeds not from the least doubt these foolish rumours give me of changes but out of a passionate meditation of those accidents that your courage and fortune hath carried you through blessing God for your prosperitie the which will be by his grace most glorious and lasting according to the prayers of Your Majesties Most humble and most obedient Subject and servant Holland Paris 1 13. March 1625. The Earl of Holland to the Duke My dear Lord THis Messenger is so rigid and such an enemie to all Jantileise as by him I will not send any news in that kind but when the little Mercurie comes you shall know that which shall make you joy and grieve that you cannot injoy what your fate and merit hath so justly destined unto you We have such daily alarums here out of England from Blanvile of the beating of his servant and at the last the danger that of late he himself hath been in of being assassinated in his own house for the first word that his servant said unto the King and the whole Court was The Embassadour had run such a bazard of his life as no man that heard him believed he had escaped with lesse then 5. or 6. wounds Insomuch as your friend Bouteve asked Fait vn belle fine And this hath so animated this Court being as your Lordship knowes apt upon all occasions to be fired and ftirred up as the King hath been moved to forbid us our entries and liberties here And yesterday Madam de Blanvile did openly petition the King to imprison us for the wrongs and injuries done unto her husband and his Embassadour that she feared was by this time dead But that had no other effect but to be laught at I never I confesse saw the Queen Mother in so much distraction and passion for she never speaks of her Daughter but with tears and yesterday with some heat and bitternesse to me about it the Circumstances I have taken the boldnesse to present unto his Majestie That which distracts me infinitely is to hear that they do traduce you as the cause of all these misfortunes and that you stirre up the King to these displeasures And so much impression it hath made into the Queen Mother as this day at the audience she told me That you had made the marriage and were now as she imagined and was informed resolved to destroy your work I asked her what particularitie could make her say and believe so against the general and continual actions and endeavours that the whole world ought to be satisfied of your infinite care and affection to fasten and tye together a good and constant intelligence and friendship between these Crowns She told me that you intreated Madam de St. George to do some service for you to the Queen the which she did and instead of giving her thanks you threatned the sending of her away I told her Though I had as yet heard nothing of this particularitie yet I knew your nature to be so generous as you would never do any action unjust I told her that she must distinguish between what you say as Commanded by the King and what you say of your self for if it be his pleasure to make the instrument to convey his will upon any occasion of his displeasure you are not to dispute but to obey his Command in that and in all other things I told her farther that I saw the continual malice of the Embassadour that invents daily injuries and falshoods of your Lordship to unload himself from his insolencies and faults but I hoped that nothing should light upon your Lordship but what you deserved the which to my knowledge was more value and esteem then any man in the world could or can ever merit from this Kingdome And I desired her not to entertain the belief of these things too hastily until we had newes out of England that we knew would contradict all these malitious discourses And I must tell your Grace that by a friend whom I am tyed not to name I was shewed the private Lettter that Blanvile wrote to the King in the which he sent him the whole proceedings of the Parliament and concludes they will ruine you naming great factions against you
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 Souldiers followed him the one for spoil the other for place but if with safetie to your Grace though with peril to my self I may serve you let me die if I do it not rather then want any longer what my humble love ever led me to and I still affect the honour To be yours Henry Yelverton Sir John Eliot to the Dake 8. Novemb. 1623. Right Honourable VVIth what affection I have served your Grace I desire rather it should be read in my actions then my words which made me sparing in my last relation to touch those difficulties wherewith my Letters have been checkt that they might the more fully speak themselves I shall not seek to glosse them now but as they have been leave them to your Graces acceptance which I presume so noble that scandal or detraction cannot decline it It were an injurie of your worth which I dare not attempt to insinuate the opinion of any merit by false colours or pretences or with hard circumstances to endear my labours and might beget suspition sooner then assurance in your credit which I may not hazard My innocence I hope needs not these nor would I shadow the least errour under your protection But where my services have been faithful and not altogether vain directed truly to the honour and benefit of your place onely suffering upon the disadvantage of your absence I must importune your Grace to support my weaknesse that it may cause no prejudice of your rights and liberties which I have studied to preserve though with the losse of mine own My insistance therein hath exposed me to a long imprisonment and great charge which still increaseth and threatens the ruine of my poor fortunes if they be not speedily prevented For which as my endeavours have been wholly yours I most humbly ceave your Graces favour both to my self and them In which I am devoted Your Graces thrice-humble Servant J. Eliot The Earl of Oxford to the Duke My Lord I Cannot but believe that I have had some undeserved ill offices done me unto your Lordship otherwise I should not find this difficultie in being preferred if not afore at least equally in ballance with my Accusers It is common unto all mens understanding that it is not the guilt of the accused but the legal and just proceeding which cleares the Kings honour and this I do and ever will acknowledge to have been held towards me Neither was it ever known that the Kings Grace the more it came sweetned with his favour did lessen or diminish his honour but rather seemed as a lustre to make his goodnesse shine brighter and oblige the Receiver in a more strict Tye of gratitude My Lord it cannot wrong you to oblige me to your service nor add reputation to you throw me upon Rocks I appeal to the King and your own Conscience whether ever I have harboured any treasonable thoughts either against his Majestie or his issue that should make me uncapable of receiving his grace without imputation to those faithful and dutiful respects with which I have ever served his Majestie If it shall please him to line me out my path to death the period whither we must all travel to by imprisonment I shall be far from repining at the sentence but with all humblenesse will undergo it and employ my heartiest prayers for the long continuance of his honour and happinesse I beseech your Lordship receive my Character of what I am and have ever been towards you not from Conjectures and reports of others but from my own mouth and actions For yet I have reason to suspect your opinion of me else sure I should have found better fruits of your power I was alwaies as much as lay in me desirous to outstrip rather then come short of any in doing you service and the same affections still remain with me of the truth of which I pray you be confident To this onely I will add one request more which is That since your Lordship is pleased to mediate with his Majestie for my freedom you will procure it so free from rubs as that my obligation may be the greater which I will ever willingly and faithfully pay unto your Lordship in all respects like him who truly is Your Lordships c. H. O. The Lady Purbeck to the Duke My Lord THough you may judge what pleasure there is in the conversation of a man in the distemper you see your Brother in yet the dutie I owe to a husband and the affection I bear him which sicknesse shall not diminish makes me much desire to be with him to adde what comfort I can to his afflicted mind since his onely desire is my Companie Which if it please you to satisfie him in I shall with a very good will suffer with him and think all but my dutie though I think every wife would not do so But if you can so far dispense with the Lawes of God as to keep me from my Husband yet aggravate it not by restraining from me his means and all other contentments but which I think is rather the part of a Christian you especially ought much rather to studie comforts for me then to adde ills to ills since it is the marriage of your Brother makes me thus miserable For if you please but to consider not only the lamentable estate I am in deprived of all Comforts of a husband and having no means to live of besides falling from the hopes my fortune then did promise me for you know very well I came no beggar to you though I am like so to be turned off For your own honor and Conscience sake take some course to give me
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 beynously 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 desence of the honour of England 52. sues to return home 52 54. will not see the Arch-Duke in Spain and why 166 Austrian Vsurpation 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 274 296 297 302. 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 â—hidden 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 favour 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 21. 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 Confederacy 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 Carleton Sir Dudley Embassadour in the Low-Countries 317. writes to reconcile Sir Horatio Vere and Sir Edward Cecyl 323. his prudence to reunite England and the States 331 332 Carone Sir Noel Embassador in England from the Low-Dutch 321-325 Cavendish 97 Cecyl Sir Edward General 128 345. sues for Command will save the King in Expences 128. a loser by his service 129. see 345. See Vere Sir Horatio Viscount Wimbledon commands in chief at Sea neglected malitiously accused examined 135 137 138 Charles Prince of Wales King of England after how entertained and honoured in Spain 14 15 16. Not to be shaken in Religion contrary to Conde Gondomar's Information to his Master 15. got the love of all men in Spain 16 22 159 Will not proceed in the Match without restitution of the Palatinate and Electoral dignity 17 35 36 Displeased with the Earl of Bristol for raising an opinion among the Spaniards of his willingnesse to become Roman Catholique and his offers of seducing that way 17 will not be bargained with for future favours 18. will not be drawn to things but freely 18 His affability patience constancy 22 his civil and wise Reply to the Popes Letter 215 No lover of women 237 Defends the Duke of Buckinghams actions as done out of politick Compliance for the Palatinate cause 228 229 230 will favour as he pleases will grant the Lords and Commons all things sair and honest 230 Ill used by delayes in Spain his Voyage thither censured 288 289 304 Chevereux Duke a servant of the Prince of Wales 277 278 230. See 300 301. Chichester Sir Arthur distrusted by the Duke 243 his conserence with the Embassadours of Spain 244 245 Chidley a Sea Captain 141 Churchman an homicide 12 55 56 Church of England Reformed 116 Church differences Judges of them 117 Clerk Edward 306 307 Cleves and Juliers the succession of them pretended to 317 Coborn a Captain of the Duke of Brunswick 283 Contracts ever before
and acquaint the Kingdom with the undutifulnesse and obstinacy of the Commons 66 accused by the Lord Treasurer of making injust advantages of his place vindicates himself 71 72 74. forbidden the Court 78 Will not seal the Kings Patent of honour without knowledge of the Dukes good pleasure 79 against the Councel Table 75 Dislikes prohibiting execution of Statutes against the Papists 80 His advice to hang the titulary Bishop of Calcedon 81 Would have all honours and offices derived from the Duke 83 84 Is his vassal 85 100 101 103 Lives not but in the Dukes favour 107 Loves and hates as the Duke does 84 88 94 does equal Justice 83 Wants 85 Would not be over-topped 94 charged by the Duke to run Courses dangerous to his Countrey and to the cause of Religion betrayes the Duke esteemed by him a fire brand and not worthy of trust 87 88 his Reply 89 96. Writes unworthily of King James to the Duke 94 sues to the Duke for the Countesse of Southampton 96 Would have the Duke to be Lord Steward 101 102 Mercy with Sir Edward Coke 104 advises concerning the Proxies and Marriage with France 106 107 In disgrace the Seal taken away excuses himself to King Charles 108 suspected as a Malecontent and willing to imbroil 225 Wimbledon Viscount See Cecyl Sir Edward c. Wotton Sir Henry 193 194. sends rare Pictures to the Duke 195 Complains that after his long service his Embassage should be given another and himself left naked without any rewards or provision for his subsistance 196 197 too bashful 199 Wynwood Sir Ralph Embassadour in the Netherlands how contemned there 331. Y. YElverton Sir Henry 310 Ynoiosa Marquesse Embassadour in England his ill Offices here and false informations 40 41 50. endeavours to stain the Prince of Wales his honour 52. See Olivarez for the Duke of Bavaria 's pretences 167 Young Patrickl 94 Z. ZAnten Treatie 318 Zapara Cardinal Viceroy of Naples 188 Zutenstein of Utrecht 317 Books Printed for or to be sold by M. M. G. Bedell and T. Collins at their shop at the Middle Temple Gate in Fleetstreet EAdmeri Monachi Cantuariensis Historia Novorum Joannes Seldenis Notis in Folio Mare Clausum seu Dominio Mare Joannes Seldeni in solio The History of great Brittain from the first peopling of this Island to the Reign of King James by William Slayter with the Illustrations of John Selden Esq in Folio The History of Tythes in the payment of them the Lawes made for them and touching the Right of them by John Selden Esquire in Quarto Annales or a general Chronicle of England with an Appendix or Corrollary of the foundations of the Universities of England begun by John Stowe and continued to the year 1631. by Edm. Howe 's Gent. in folio A Chronicle of the Kings of England from the Romans Government unto the Raign of King Charles Containing all passages of Church and State with all other observations proper for a Historie The second Edition enlarged with Marginal notes and large Tables by Sir Richard Baker Knight in Folio The History and Lives of the Kings of England from Wil. the Conqueror to the end of the Reign of K. Henry the eighth by Wil. Martyn Esq to which is added the Historie of K. Edward the sixt Q. Mary and Queen Elizabeth in Folio The History of the Reign of K. Henry the seventh written by the right Honourable Francis Lord Verulam Viscount St. Alban with a very useful and necessary Table annexed to it in folio The Life and Reign of K. Henry the Eight written by the Right Honourable Edward Lord Herbert of Cherbury in folio Orlando Furioso in English Heroical verse by Sir John Harrington Knight now the third time revised and amended with the Addition of the Authors Epigrams in folio The Marrow of the French tongue containing rules for pronunciation an exact Grammer of the nine parts of speech and dialogues for Courtiers Citizens and Countrymen with varieties of Phrases Letters missive Proverbs c. So compiled that a mean capacity may in short time without help attain to the perfection of the Language by Mr. John Woodroephe in folio Pyrotechina or a discourse of artificial fire-works laying down the true grounds of that Art to which is annexed a treatise of Geometrie by John Babington student in the Mathematicks in folio A French-English Dictionary with another in English and French Compiled by Mr. Randal Cotgrave Whereunto are added the Animadversions and supplement of James Howel Esquire in Folio Annales veteris Testimenti à prima Mundi Origine deductis una cum Rerum Asiaticarium et Aegyptiacarum Chronico Jacobo Vsserio Armachana digestore in folio With the second Part now in presse in Latine in folio Devotionis Augustinianae Flammae or certain devout and learned Meditations upon several Festivals in the year written by the excellently accomplisht Gentleman VVilliam Austin of Lincolnes Inne Esquire in folio The Christian man or the Reparation of nature by grace written in French by John Francis Sennault and now Englished by H. Gresly Master of Arts and student of Christ Church in Oxford in quarto An Interpretation of the number 666 wherein not onely the manner how this number ought to be interpreted but it is also shewed that this number doth exactly describe that state of government to which all other Notes of Antichrist do agree by Francis Potter B.D. with Mr. Medes Judgment of this Treatise in quarto John Barclay his Argenis translated out of Latine into English the prose upon his Majesties command by Sir Robert le Gry's Knight and the verses by Thomas May Esquire with a Clavis annexed to it for the satisfaction of the Reader in Quarto The History of the Imperial state of the Grand Seigneurs their Habitations Lives Favourites Power Government and Tyranny to which is annexed the History of the Court of the King of China written in French and translated by Edward Grimston in quarto The state of France as it stood in the ninth year of this present Monarch Lewis the 14th written to a friend by J.E. in Duodecimo The Pourtract of the Politick Christian Favourite drawn from some of the Actions of the Lord Duke of St. Lucar by the Marquesse Virgillio Malvezzi to which is annexed Maximes of State and political observations on the same story of Count Olivarez D. of St. Lucar in Duodecimo The Prince written in French by Mounsiour Du Balzac now translated into English by Henry Gresly Master of Arts and Student of Christ Church in Oxford in Duodecimo The Life and Reign of King Edward the sixth with the beginning of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth both written by Sir John Hayward Knight Doctor of Law in Duodecimo Of Liberty and Servitude translated out of the French into the English tongue and dedicated to George Evelyn Esquire in duodecimo The new Planet no Planet or the earth no wandring Star Here out out of the principles of Divinity Philosophy c. the earths
faithfully and honestly served you and exactly pursued your ends to the best of my understanding and abilities And I do no way doubt but your Majestie will in the end protect so faithful a servant as I have been and shall appear to be to your Majestie And in the interim my most humble suit unto your Majestie is that since I am neither admitted my self nor any man else will speak any word in my defence or justification your Majestie according to your Justice will let nothing that may be said of me redound to my prejudice in your gracious opinion For it shall be found that I will in all things wholly conform my self unto your Majesties will and pleasure So wishing unto your Majestie a happy journey and a safe return with the increase of all hapinesse I humbly c. London Your Majesties c. Bristol Here next of all follow divers Dispatches and Letters from Sir Walter Aston to the Duke Sir Walter Aston to the Duke May it please your Grace I Have received so much comfort by the care which I see in your grace to take all occasions to honour and favour me that I should be glad if it were possible in my affection to your person and in my desire to serve you that your grace might see something in me above what you cold find in any other servant What an honest thankfulnesse can be I am and what an honest servant can yield you shall be ever vigilant in me to serve you Since the departure of the last post by whom I wrote lately unto your Grace my Lord of Bristol hath had audience with this King taking me along with him to whom his Lordship represented the King our Masters desire concerning the Palatinate in conformity to what his Majesty hath commanded by his late letters we are now soliciting to hasten this kings answer which we hope we shall shortly send unto his Majesty and there is no diligence omitted by my Lord of Bristol nor my self that we can think on to negotiate such an answer as may be to his majesties good liking The Dispatches from Rome are not yet come but by letters which they have lately received from the Duke of Pastrana it is advertized that all things are concluded and that he would send them away within a few dayes By my Lord of Bristols Letter to his Majesty your grace will understand the resolution which his Lordship hath taken concerning his proceedings upon the arival of of the dispaches from Rome his Lordships hath communicated with me his Majesties Letter and desired my opinion concerning the resolution which he had taken wherein I have concurred with his Lordship not understanding it any way to be differing in substance from his Majesties directions the altering of the day mentioned in his Majesties letters being onely the changing it from a time when the powers are of no force to a time when they may be of use the putting of any thing in execution in the one time or in the other depending upon his Majesties and his Highnesses further directions I have hitherto understood that his Majesty and his highnesse have really affected this match and have laboured faithfully to second their desires with my utmost endeavours There is none I am sure a better witnesse then my self of the affection which your Grace hath born unto it which I have seen remain constant through many tryals And therefore until I understand the contrary from your self I must believe that your desires are the same which I have seen them I must ever speak my heart freely unto your Grace and confess that upon the letter which I received from his Highnesse and upon the sight of his Majesties to my Lord of Bristol I have been jealous of his Majesties heart and his Highnesse that they are not that to the match which they have been but these are but distrusts of my own and not foundation sufficient to slacken or cool those diligences which I daily perform in conformity to his Majesties and his Highnesse Commands and to what remains apparent of their desires I shall therefore humbly desire your Lordship to open mine eyes and if I am out of the way to let me straight for I have no affections of mine own but what agrees with my Masters and will ever submit with all humility my self and my judgment unto his Majesties wisedome and faithfully labour to serve him accordingly to what I shall understand to be his will and pleasure But untill I know by your Graces favour by what Compasse to guide my Course I can onely follow his Majesties revealed will and will once take the boldnesse to represent unto your Grace in discharge of what I owe you these Considerations which my desire to serve you forceth from me I do look upon your Grace as a person infinitely provoked to be an enemy to this match and believe that you have had represented unto you many reasons shewing how much it concerns you to seek to break it with all the force you have But I can neither believe that the errour of one man can make you an enemy to that which brings along with it so much happinesse and content unto his Majestie and his Highnesse nor that your Graces judgment can be led by those arguments that under the colour of safety would bring you into a dangerous labyrinth Your Grace hath given noble testimonie how little you have valued your own safety in respect of his Majesties service and therefore I assure my self you would contemn all Considerations concerning your self that might hinder the advancement of his Majesties ends In the proceeding to this Match there is the same conveniency to his Majestie that ever hath been there is the same Lady the same portion the same friendship desired they professing here an exact complying with what is capitulated and a resolution to give his Majestie satisfaction in whatsoever is in their power From your Grace none can take away the honour of having been the principal means by which this great businesse hath been brought to a Conclusion And whatsoever others may suggest against your Grace the Infanta truly informed cannot but understand you the person to whom she owes most in this businesse Your Grace and the Conde Olivarez have fallen upon different waies that which concerns the honour of the King our Master being different to that which he understood concerned most his Master your ends were both one for the effecting of the Match and with the Conclusion of it he cannot but better understand you Would your Grace would commit it to my charge to inform the Infanta what you have merited and to accommodate all other mistakes here concerning the proceeding If your Grace would reconcile your heart I would not doubt but with the Conclusion of the Match to compose all things to your good satisfaction and to bring them to a truer understanding of you and of their obligation unto you In what a Sea of Confusions
the breaking of this alliance would ingage his Majestie I will leave to your Lordships wisdom to consider of it being too large a discourse for a Letter I will therefore onely desire your Lordship to consider that even the most prosperous War hath misfortune enough in it to make the Authour of it unhappie of which how innocent soever your Lordship is the occasions that have been given you will ever make you liable to the aspersion of it This I write not unto your Grace as thinking to divert you from what you are falling into for I am confident your heart runs a more peaceable way but I am willing that you should see that howsoever others should be inclined to carrie you into this tempest it concerns you in your care of their happinesse and your own to divert them from it I humbly desire your Grace to pardon this errour of mine if it be one which I can excuse with the affection and infinite desire which I have to see you ever happie and flourish Concerning my self your Grace knowes my wants and I doubt not but your Care is what I could wish I should be glad when you have done with Peter Wych to see him dispatched away with some supplies unto me which I shall be in extream want of by Christmasse my debts besides in England being clamorous upon me for some satisfaction I leave all to your Graces care and favour Ever resting Your Graces humblest and most bound servant Wa Aston Postscript THe Condessa of Olivarez bids me tell you that she kisses your Graces hands and doth every day recommend you particularly by name in her prayers to God Sir Walter Aston to the Duke 15. Novemb. 1623. May it please your Grace MY Lord of Bristol intended to have dispatched away a Post unto his Majestie this night with the advice of the arrival of the dispensation which came to this Town the 12th of this moneth hoping that he should have been likewise able to have given to his Majestie and his Highnesse a clear account of all things concerning it But the deliverie of the Queen this morning who is brought to bed of a daughter hath stopped all negotiation and I believe it will be these two daies before he can be ready to send him away There is no noveltie as I yet understand that is come with the dispensation there will be something desired for better explanation of his Majesties and his Highnesse intentions and some omissions there are which as they understand was his Highnesse intention should have been in the Capitulation they being promised by his Highnesse But I do not find that these will be any stop to the businesse For they do presse my Lord of Bristol very much to proceed presently to the Deposories Your Grace shall understand all things more particularly by the next Post I do now make the more haste forbearing to trouble you with other occurrences lest my Letters come short of the departure of the Post as they did of his who was last dispatched from hence I do most humbly desire your Grace to continue the doing me those offices that may continue me in his Majesties and his Highnesse good opinion and I doubt not but I shall be ever able to let your Grace see that you have not a more faithful servant then he which your Grace hath most bound to be so and that shall ever remain Yours c. W. A. The Lord Duke of Buckingham to Sir Walter Aston IN your Letter of the 5th of December you desire me to give you my opinion my ancient acquaintance long custome of loving you with constancie of friendship invites me to do you this office of good will and to serve you according to your request And for your more intire satisfaction I will deliver the things in the past and present You in all the beginning of the treaty won to your self a good estimation while you were onely at large in the treaty and had communication of the passages from the Lord of Bristol as by courtesy and in his absence handled no farther in the treaty of marriage then by direction from him When the Prince was there your carriage gave his Highnesse and my self all satisfaction Now you must give me leave to put you in mind of the freedom used with you whilest we were at Madrid and of the explanation the Prince made of himself to you by his Letters from St. Anderas From which you might observe the resentment the Prince had of their proceedings with him And by his Highnesse declaration to you from thence you might see both his care and resolution not to ingage himself into the marriage without good conditions for the Pallatinate and Conservation of his honour every way My care and my intentions were to move increase of honour to you and to recompence by a good understanding to be layed in his Majestie towards you which I pursued so soon as I came to the Kings presence And the Princes confidence was so great in you as he joyned you in the Commission besides he declared himself to you by his Letters not leaving you thereby to guesse at his Majesties directions to the E. of Bristol which he was to communicate to you Now you may think how strange it was to the Prince and how much I was troubled not being able to make your excuse when your joynt Letters made known how you had concurred with the Earle of Bristol to ingage his Highnesse by prefixing a day for the Deposorios without making certain the restitution of the Palatinate and Electoral dignity the portion and temporal articles Which proceeding of yours with the Earl of Bristol was so understood by the Lords of the Committee as they took resolution once to advise his Majestie to revoke both the Lord of Bristol and you upon those grounds which you will understand by his Majesties own Letters and Secretarie Conwayes Letters written to you with this dispatch I was not able at first by any endeavour to oppose the resolution of your revocation so far had you cast your self into misconstruction and given stop to the progresse of your own advancement But with constant industry and time I have won this point of qualifying all ill opinion of you and sufferance of your continuing there So as it will be now in your power by your Carriage to come off without reproof And I shall hope to overcome the rest with time to to bring you again to the condition of honour and recompence Being confident that since you see your own errour and acknowledge it you will be careful by a stiff and judicious carriage to warrant all your present and succeding actions If you think at first sight I presse you a little hard upon this point you may be pleased to interpret it to be a faithful way of satisfying your request and expression of my affection to have you to do all things suitable to your wisdome virtue and honour and according to the
wishes of Yours c. G. Buckingham The Duke of Buckingham to Sir Wa. Aston I Had not leisure in my former dispatch being hastie to write the reason why I wondered at the errour you commited in the last dispatch of my Lord of Bristols and yours for the matter is that his Majestie having plainely written unto you both in his former dispatch that he desired to be assured of the restitution of the Palatinate before the Deposorium was made seeing he would be sorrie to welcome home one Daughter with a smiling cheer and leave his own onely Daughter at the same time weeping and disconsolate And the Prince having also written unto you that he never meant to match there and be frustrated of the restitution of the Palatinate so often promised that notwithstanding this clear Language you should have joyned with my Lord of Bristol in a resolution of so hastie a delivery of the Prince's Proxie before you had received his Majesties answer to your former dispatch wherein my Lord of Bristol urged of his Majestie a harsh answer and direction and his Majestie cannot but take it for a kind of Scorn that within 4. dayes after ye had urged his Majesties answer ye should in the mean time take resolutions of your own heads You may do well because there is no leisure in this hastie dispatch for his Majestie to answer my Lord of Bristols last Letter which wil be done by the next duplicate of this same dispatch to acquaint him in the mean time with this Letter which his Majestie himself hath dictated unto me And so in haste I bid you farewell Yours c. G. B. Sir Walter Aston to the Duke of Buckingham Decemb. 22. 1623. May it please your Grace I Have comitted to the trust and secresie of this bearer Mr. Clark whom I find your Graces faithful servant certain advertisements to be delivered by him unto you which as one that shall God willing in all things shew himself your passionate servant I could no way conceale from you And howsoever your Grace may have many advertisements from hence the relations that come from England giving occasion to many discourses censuring the Prince and your Grace yet I hope to be so vigilant that there shall hardly be any resolution taken by these Ministers which may have any reflexion on your Person that I shall not one way or other get notice of and advertize unto you I have in all things with so much affection desired to serve your Grace every way to your satisfaction that it hath infinitely afflicted me that I should have done any thing whereby I might lessen your favourable opinions towards me but I hope your Grace hath by this time set me straight both with his Majestie and his Highnesse and restored me to the same place in your affection which I have formerly had Which I am the rather confident of since I cannot accuse any action or thought of mine that hath not born towards your Grace all possible respect and love I found by experience here that the favour which by your Graces meanes I received from his Highnesse and that which you were pleased likewise to honour me withal had raised me many enemies And I have reason to feare upon this occasion there may be some that well be busie to do me ill offices with you but I trust so much upon my own sinceritie that as I never made any second meanes unto your Grace but have ever singly depended upon the constancie of your goodnesse to me finding my self the same that I have ever been I make no meanes to resist such injuries as others may offer to do me but continue depending wholly upon that goodnesse and justnesse which I know in your Grace and which I assure my self will never fail me I have not been so carelesse a Servant of your Graces as not to have debated over and over with my self how far the proceedings or breaking of the present treaty here might concern your Grace which I have discoursed largely to Mr. Clark thinking them of too large a body to be contained in a Letter but I shall in all things submit my self to your better wisedome And when you shall please to impart unto me wherein his Majestie and his Highnesse shall be best served your Grace shall find in all my actions that my affections with all obedience shal run the same way and that my proceedings shall have those respects in them towards your Grace as you may expect from your faithful Servant And so c. Your G. c. W. A. The Copy of a Memorial given to the King of Spain 19. Jan. 1623. Stil Vet. Translated SIR SIR Walter Aston Embassadour of the King of great Brittain saith That the King his Master hath commanded him to represent unto your Majestie that having received so many promises from hence to procure the intire restitution of the Palatinate and Electoral dignitie to the Prince his Son in Law He commanded his Embassadour to presse your Majestie with all diligence that the said promises might take effect not as a condition of the marriage but desiring infinitely to see settled together with the marriage the peace and quiet of his Son in Law his Daughter and Grandchildren and having understood that this his desire hath received an interpretation far differing from his intention hath commanded him anew for the greater demonstration of the desire which he hath to preserve the good Correspondence with your Majestie to declare unto you that he hath not propounded the said restitutions as a condition of the marriage but according to that which he understood was most Conformable with the intention of your Majestie declared by the Conde de Olivarez for the surest and most effectual means to make the amitie which is betwixt your Majesties firm and indissoluble and that there might not remain any doubt or matter hereafter that should cause dispute he hath required that every thing might be settled under your Majesties hand desiring it likewise for the greater comfort of his onely Daughter and for to make the coming of that most excellent Princesse of more esteem unto his Subjects bringing with her besides the glory of her own vertue and worth the securitie of a perpetual peace and amitie and an everlasting pawn to his Kingdomes of the constancie and real performance of your Majesties promises with such satisfaction to his hopes grounded the said promises not as a Condition but as the fruit and blessing of the alliance Moreover he saith That the King his Master hath commanded him to make this Declaration unto your Majestie that you may know the truth and the sound intentions of his proceedings with the good end to which it aimes having renewed the powers and deferred the delivery of them onely to give time for the accomplishing and settling that which hath been promised for the satisfying his expectations and assuring the amitie betwixt your Majesties Persons and Crowns the King his Master hoping
Vet. It consists of 22. Ships of War 4. Victuallers and two small Pinnaces of Advice There goeth in it neer upon 4000. Land Souldiers From Cadiz I have now fresh advice That Don Frederique is still in the Port with the Fleet which he Commands but himself and his men all embarqued That Armado consisteth of some 35. Ships of War and about 8000. Souldiers and both the Fleets are victualled for 8. moneths That of Fortugal had first order to expect Don Frederique at the Cape St. Vincent but hath since received command to proceed on the journey It being now 27. dayes since the Fleet departed and this remaining still in the Harbour doth give me much cause of jealousie especially understanding that they have here advice which they give credit to that the Troops lately delivered to Count Mansfelt are sent to succour Breda fearing if it be so that they laying hold of it as a breach of the Peace which interpretation I meet with in every discourse should presently fall with this Armado upon some part of Ireland I have no farther ground for this distrust then what I have here represented which your Grace weighing with the importancy of their enterprise in hand for the recovering the Baya and the occasions that will be given them from England do best know what rigid judgment to make Sithence I wrote my other Letter unto your Grace which accompanies this I understand the French Embassadour by order from the King his Master hath given account unto this King of the Conclusion of the Match betwixt the Prince his Highnesse and Madam Christiene his Masters Sister Whereupon this King and the whole Court put on Galas I conceive howsoever I have not heard any thing thereof by any Letter unto me that this is ground enough to Congratulate with your Grace this good beginning which I shall affectionately wish may in the successe in all times prove a happiness to his Highnes and a particular blessing to your Grace The Conde of Gondomar hath newly received a Command from the King his Master signified unto him by the Secretary Don Andreas de Prada to put himself presently upon the way for England which he hath answered he will obey howsoever I believe he will keep his Christmasse here Mr. Butler whom your Grace left here placed with this King meets often with such discourses in the Palace that as a faithful servant to your Grace he hath no patience to bear which he hath reason to believe will in a short time throw him out of this Court which he would be glad to prevent if he might have your Graces command to return being infinitely desirous that your Grace would dispose otherwise of him I will conclude with the same suit for my self there being none that hath more need of comfort from your Grace I best know that I have no way deserved any change or decay in your Graces favour towards me having not been slow in upbraiding this Nation with their obligations to your Grace and their shameful ungratefulnesse nor without a constant and passionate desire to serve your Grace every way to your content if your Graces Commands would but direct me what to do I do therefore rest confident of your care and goodnesse towards me And so with my prayers to God to continue his blessings upon you I rest Your Graces c. W. Aston Dr. Williams to the Duke My most noble Lord IT hath pleased God to call for the Bishop of London I am so conscious of mine own weaknesse and undeservings that as I never was so now I dare not be a suiter for so great a charge But if his Majestie by your Honours mediation shall resolve to call me to perform him the best service I can in that place I humbly beseech your Honour to admit me a suiter in these three circumstances First that whereas my Lord of London hath survived our Lady day and received all the profits that should maintain a Bishop until Michaelmasse I may by his Majesties favour retain all my own means until the next day after Michaelmas day this is a Petition which I shall be necessitated to make unto his Majestie if his Majestie by your favour shall advance me to this place and injureth no man else in the world Secondly that whereas the Commissioners challenge from the Bishops revenues a matter of 200. l. per annum this Bishoprick being already very meanly endowed in regard of the continual charge and exhaustments of the place it would please his Majestie to leave in my hands by way of Commendam one Benefice of mine which falls into his Majesties dispose upon my remove until it be determined by the said Commissioners whether any part of the Bishops means be due unto the Fabrique My humble suit is for Walgrave a Benefice with Cure in North-hamptonshire where I have laid out all my estate in temporal Lands Lastly that if it be found that the Bishop is to joyn with the Residentiaries of Pauls in the repair of the Church his Majestie would qualifie me by a commendam to hold one of my own Prebends when it shall fall to be a Residentiarie also that if I be charged with the burthen of Residentiarie I might enjoy the profits of a Residentiarie These three requests do I confesse adde unto me but do not prejudice any one else whatsoever I submit them and my self to your Honours wisdom c. The names of such Ecclesiastical promotions as I now retain and will fall to be disposed of by the King if I should be removed 1. Deanery of Westminster 2. Rectorie of Dinam 3. Rectorie of VValgrave 4. Rectorie of Grafton 5. Prebendary of Peterborough 6. Chaunter of Lincoln 7. Prebendary of Asgarbie 8. Prebendary of Nonnington 9. Residentiaries place of Lincoln Lord Keeper to the Duke 27. July 1621. My most noble Lord AN unfortunate occasion of my Lords Grace his killing of a man casually as it is here constantly reported is the cause of my seconding of my yesterdayes Letter unto your Lordship His Grace upon this accident is by the Common Law of England to forfeit all his estate unto his Majestie and by the Canon Law which is in force with us irregular ipso facto and so suspended from all Ecclesiastical function until he be again restored by his Superiour which I take it is the Kings Majestie in this rank and order of Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction If you send for Dr. Lamb he will acquaint your Lordship with the distinct penalties in this kind I wish with all my heart his Majestie would be as merciful as ever he was in all his life but yet I held it my duty to let his Majestie know by your Lordship that his Majestie is fallen upon a matter of great advice and deliberation To adde affliction to the afflicted as no doubt he is in mind is against the Kings nature to leave virum Sanguinum or a man of bloud Primate and Patriarch of all his Churches is
Parkhurst I recommend your Lordship c. The Lord Keeper to the Duke concerning the E. of South-hampton 2. Aug. 1621. My most noble Lord I Humbly crave your pardon for often troubling your Honour with my idle Lines and beseech you to remember that amongst many miseries my sudden greatnesse comes accompanied with this is not the least that I can no otherwaies enjoy the happinesse of your presence God is my witnesse the Lord Keeper hath often not without grief of heart envied the fortunes of a poor Scholar one Dr. VVilliams late Dean of VVestminster who was so much blessed in the free accesses in that kind as his Lordship without a great quantity of goodnesse in your self may scarse hope for This inclosed will let your Lordship understand that somewhat is to be finished in that excellent piece of meacy which his Majestie your hand guiding the Pencil is about to expresse in the E. of Southhampton It is full time his Attendant were revoked in my poor opinion and himself left to the Custody of his own good Angel There is no readier way to stop the mouthes of idle men nor to draw their eyes from this remainder of an object of Justice to behold nothing but goodnesse and mercy And the more breathing time you shall carve out between this total enlargement and the next accesse of the Parliament the better it will be for his Majesties service Onely remember this that now you are left to be your own Remembrancer Of all actions forget not those of mercy and Goodnesse wherein men draw nighest to God himself Nor of all Persons prisoners and afflicted Josephs Celerity doth redouble an act of mercy But why do I turn a Preacher of goodnesse unto him who in my own particular hath shewed himself to be composed of nothing else Remember your Noble Self and forget the aggravations of malice and envy and then forget if you can the E. of Southhampton God blesse you and your royal Guest and bring you both after many years yet most happily run over here upon earth to be his blessed guests in the Kingdom of Heaven The Lord Keeper to the Duke concerning the Lord of St. Albons October 27th 1621. My most noble Lord I Have received your Lordships expression concerning the Pause I made upon the two Patents The Proclamation of writing to the Kings hand and my Lord of St. Albons pardon The former I have sealed this morning in duty and obedience to your Lordships intimation The latter I have not yet sealed but do represent in all lowlinesse and humility these few Considerations by your Lordship to his sacred Majestie wherein let your Lordship make no question but I have advised with the best Lawyers in the Kingdom And after this representation I will perform whatsoever your Lordship shall direct His Majestie and your Lordship do conceive that my Lord of St. Albons pardon and grant of his fine came both together to my hands and so your Lordship directs me to passe the one and the other But his Lordship was too cunning for me He passed his fine whereby he hath deceived his Creditors ten dayes before he presented his pardon to the Seal So as now in his pardon I find his Parliament fine excepted which he hath before the sealing of the same obtained and procured And whether the house of Parliament will not hold themselves mocked and derided with such an exception I leave to your Lordships wisdom These two Grants are opposite and contradictory in this point the one to the other The King pardons in particular words All sums of money and rewards taken for false judgments or decrees And therefore the exception of the Parliamentary Censure being inflicted but for the same taking of moneys and rewards coming a good way after falleth too late in Law and is of no force to satisfie the Lords as I am informed and I believe this clause was never seen in any other pardon The King pardoneth in my Lord of St. Albon the stealing away altering raising and interlining of his Majesties Rowles Records Briefs c. which are more in a Lord Chancellors pardon then the imbezeling of his Majesties jewels in a Lord Chamberlains And yet the Lord Chancellour Elsmore could not indure that clause in my Lord of Sommersets Pardon unlesse he would name the jewels in particular I will not meddle or touch upon those mistakings which may fall between the Parliament and his Majestie or the mis interpretation that enemies may make hereof to your Lordships prejudice because I see in his Majesties great wisdom these are not regarded Onely I could have wished the Pardon had been referred to the Councel board and so passed I have now discharged my self of those poor scruples which in respect onely to his Majesties service and your Lordships honour have wrought this short stay of my Lord of St. Albons Pardon Whatsoever your Lordship shall now direct I will most readily craving pardon for this not undutiful boldnesse put in execution Because some speech may fall of this dayes speech which I had occasion to make in the Common Pleas where a Bishop was never seen sitting there these 70. years I have presumed to inclose a Copy thereof because it was a very short one Your Lordship shall not need to take that great pains which your Lordship to my unexpressible comfort hath so often done in writing What Command soever your Lordship shall impose upon me as touching this pardon your Lordships expression to Mr. Packer or the bearer shall deliver it sufficiently God from heaven continue the showring and heaping of his blessings upon your Lordship c. The Lord Keeper to the Duke 22. July 1621. My noble Lord VVIth my truest affections and thankfulnesse premised I do not doubt but his Majestie and your Lordship do now enjoy the general applause of your goodnesse to the Earl of South-hampton Saturday last he came and dined with me and I find him more cordially affected to the service of the King and your Lordships love and friendship then ever he was when he lay a prisoner in my house Yet the Sunshine of his Majesties favour though most bright upon others more open offenders is noted to be somewhat eclipsed towards him What directions soever his Majestie gave the order is somewhat tart upon the Earl The word of Confinement spread about the City though I observed not one syllable so quick to fall from his Majestie his Keeper much wondred at The act of the Councel published in our names who were neither present thereat or heard one word of the same yet upon my credit the Earl takes all things patiently and thankfully though others wonder at the same Mr. Secretary signed a Petition of one Rookwood a Papist and prisoner in the Fleet upon five several executions that I should grant him his liberty The Kings name is used and the mediation of the Spanish Embassadour If I breaking rules so fouly in favour of a Papist which I am
it doth most naturally and purely declare it self since I received any of mine own It is much your Lordship should spare me those thoughts which pour out themselves in my occasions But to have me and my assaires in a kind of affectionate remembrance when your Lordship is saluting of other Noble men is more then ever I shall be able otherwaies to requite then with true prayers and best wishes I received this afternoon by Sir John Brook a most loving Letter from your Lordship but dated the 26th of Novemb. imparting your care over me for the committing of one Beeston for breach of a Decree My Noble Lord Decrees once made must be put in execution or else I will confesse this Court to be the greatest imposture and Grievance in this Kingdom The damned in Hell do never cease repining at the Justice of God nor the prisoners in the Fleet at the Decrees in Chancery of the which hell of prisoners this one for antiquity and obstinacy may passe for a Lucifer I neither know him nor his cause but as long as he stands in Contempt he is not like to have any more liberty His Majesties last Letter though never so full of honey as I find by passages reported out of the same being as yet not so happy as to have a sight thereof hath notwithstanding afforded those Spiders which infest that noble House of Commons some poyson and ill constructions to feed upon and to induce a new diversion or plain Cessation of weightier businesses His Majestie infers and that most truly for where were the Commons before Henry the first gave them authority to meet in Parliaments that their priviledges are but Graces and favours of former Kings which they claim to be their inheritance and natural birthrights Both these assertions if men were peaceably disposed and affected the dispatch of the common bufinesses might be easily reconciled These priviledges were originally the favours of Princes and are now inherent in their persons Nor doth his Majestie go about to impair or diminish them If his Majestie will be pleased to qualifie that passage with some mild and noble exposition and require them strictly to prepare things for a Session and to leave this needlesse dispute his Majestie shall thereby make it appear to all wise and just men that these persons are opposite to those common ends whereof they vaunthemselves the onely Patâ—â—ns But do his Maiestie what he please I am afraid although herein the Lord Treasurer and others do differ from me they do not affect a Sessions nor intend to give at this time any Subsidie at all Will the King be pleased therefore to add in this Letter which must be here necessarily upon Munday morning that if they will not prepare bills for a Session his Majesty will break up this Parliament without any longer Prorogation and acquainting the Kingdom with their undutifulnesse and obstinacy supply the present wants by some other meanes Or will his Majesty upon their refusal presently rejourn the the Assembly until the appointed 8th of Feburary This course is fittest for further advice but the other to expresse a just indignation I dare advise nothing in so high a point but humbly beseech almighty God to illuminate his Majesties understanding to insist upon that course which shall be most behoveful for the advancement of his service In our house his Majesties servants are very strong and increase every day nor is there the least fear of any Malignant opposition God reward all your Lordships goodnesse and affection towards c. The Lord Keeper to the Duke about Mr. Thomas Murrayes Dispensation c. 23. Febr. 1621. My most Noble Lord. I Should fail very much of my duty to his Majestie if before the sealing of Mr. Thomas Murrayes Dispensation I should not acquaint his Majestie explicitely and freely with the nature of this act fâ—r differing from any dispensation in this kind ever granted by his Majestie since his happie coming to the Crown of England For to say nothing of the right of the election of this Provost which being originally not in the King but in the fellowes and now by their neglect devolved unto me shall be fully and absolutely at his Majesties command the place is a living with cure of souls and I am to institute and admit him to the cure of souls of the Parish of Eaten by the expresse Letter of the Statute without admission it is impossible he should receive any real or rightful possession of the same Now that his Majestie or any of his Predecessors did ever dispence with a Lay-man to hold cure of souls I think will be hard for any man to shew by any warrantable president or record whatsoever And I know his Majestie to he as much averse from giving any such president as any Prince in Christendome living this day This is altogether differing a Deanery or an Hospital which being livings without cure have been and may be justly conserred by his Majestie upon Lay-men with dispensations de non promovendo If Sir Henry Savil's example be objected I answer besides that the Queen made Clayme to the guift of the place by Iapse occasioned through the promotion of the Provost to the Bishoprick of Chichester whereas his Majestie hath no such Clayme thereunto at this time That Savil never durst take true possession of the place but was onely slipt in by the Bishop who for fear of the Earl of Essex made bold with the conscience Ad Curam et regimen Collegii that is to the care and government of the Colledge Whereas by the expresse words of the foundation he is to be admitted Ad Curam annimarum Parechianor 〈◊〉 Ecclesia Aetonianae to the Cure of the souls of all the people of the Parish of Eaton Secondly I hold it no Disparagement to Mr. Murray nor do find him all together averse from the same to enter into orders in the raign of a King so favourable to our Coat as Gods name be praised for it raigns now over us This will give satisfaction to all the Church bring him into this place according to statute and the foundation of that dead King prevent such a dangerous president for a Lay-man to possesse cure of souls in the Eye and Center of all the Realm and by an everlasting testimony of his Majesties Piety to the Church of England Thirdly what opinion this Gentleman hath of our Church government is better known to his Majestle then to me If he should be averse thereunto it were such a blow unto the Church the number of the Fellowes and Students there considered as the like were never given by publique authority these 50 Years Fourthly howsoever his Majestie and the Prince his Highnesse shall resolve thereof at whose feet I lie to be wholly disposed I hope it is neither of their royal intendments to transfer the Bishopprick of Lincolne upon the Fellowes of that house who have rashly usurped a Power of admitting their Provost by
any example seen before Whereas all Provosts as well the Churchmen who came in by Election as the Lay-man recommonded by the late Queen were as the foundation exactly requires it admitted by the Bishop of Lincolne their Diocaesand and Visitor I hope iâ— was Mr. Murraies inexperience rather then neglect never deserved by me that directed them to this strange course subscription and other conformities to be acted in the presence of the Visitor are essentially to be required before he can be adinitted Provost of Eaton Lastly Mr. Murraie hath hitherto mistaken all his course He must be first dispensed withal If his Majestie in his wisedom shall hold it fit and then Elected first Fellow and then Provost of the Colledg if he will come in regularly and safely whereas now contrary to Savils president he is first Elected and then goes on with his dispensation All this I most humbly intreat your Lordship to make known to the Prince his Highnesse and as much as your Lordship thinks fit thereof to his Majestie I will only adde one note and so end It will be no more disparagement for Mr. Murray his Highnesse Schoolmaster to enter into orders then it was for Coxe King Edwards Schoolmaster a Master of Requests and Privie Counsellour to do the like who afterwards became a worthy Prelate of this Church I have discharged my duty to the King 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 Duresmâ— 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 Tarm and I will of purpose put off all general seeling 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 Comforte 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 over 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 aftaid that Tobiâ— 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 VVâ—llingfâ—â—d 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 sees 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 randed 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 parses 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 the least the King and the Prince how unworthily I am used by this Lord who in my soul and conscience I believe it either invents these things out of his own head and ignorance of this Court or hath taken them up from base unworthy and most unexperienced people Lastly because no act of mine who am so much indebted for all my frugality could in the thoughts of a devil inearnate breed any suspition that I gained by this office excepting the purchase of my Grandfathers Lands whereunto my Lord Chamberlains noblenesse and your Lordships encouragement gave the invitation I do make your Lordship as your Lordship hath been often pleased to honour me my saithful Confessor in that businesse and do send your Lordship a note enclosed what money I paid what I borrowed and what is still owing for the purchase I beseech your Lordship to cast your eye upon the paper and say it aside that it be not lost And having now poured out my soul and forrow unto your Lordships breast I find my heart much eased and humbly beseech your Lordship to compassâ—onate the wrong of Your most humble and honest servant J. L. C. S. The Fair and Familiar Conference which the Lord Treasurer had with the Lord Keeper after some Expostulations of his own and the issue joyned thereupon at White-Hall Septemb. 7. 1622. THere is taken 40000 l. Object 1 for Petitions in your house this year Sol. Not much above the fortieth part of the money for all the dispatches of the Chancery Star-Chamber Councel-Table Parliament the great Diocesse of Lincoln the jurisdiction of VVestminster and St. Martius le Graund All which have resort to my house by Petitions You have your self a share in the money Ob. 2 Then let me have no share in Gods Kingdom Sol. it is such a basenesse as never came within the compasse of my thoughts Ob. 3 It is commonly reported you pay to my Lord Admiral 1000 l. per mensem As true as the other Sol. The means of my place will reach to no more then two moneths You never receive any Petitions with your own hands Ob. 4 but turn them to your Secretaries who take double Fees one for receiving and the other for delivering Let the Cloysters at Westminster answer for me Sol. I never to this day received any Petition from my Secretaries which I had formerly delivered unto them with my own hands This is a new fashion which my Lord hath found in some other Courts Ob. 5 You sell dayes of hearing at higher rates then ever they were at I never disposed of any since I came to this place Sol. but leave them wholly to the Six Clarks and Registers to be set down in their Antiquity Unlesse his Lordship means hearing of motions in the paper of Peremptories which I seldom deny upon any Petition and which are worth no money at all You usually reverse Decrees upon Petitions Ob. 6 I have never reversed Sol. altered explained or endured a motion or Petition that touched upon a decree once pronounced but have sometimes made orders in pursuance of the same You have 3. Ob. 7 Door-keepers and are so locked up that no man can have accesse unto you I have no such officer in all my house Sol. unlesse his Lordship meanes the Colledge Porters nor no locks at all but his Majesties businesse which I must respect above Ceremonies and Complements Object 8 You are cryed out against over all the Kingdom for an unsufferable oppression and grievance His Lordship if he have any friends may hear of such a Cry Sol. and yet be pleased to mistake the person cryed out against All the Lords of the Councel cry out upon you Ob. 9 and you are a wretched and a friendlesse man if no man acquaints you with it I am a wretched man indeed if it be so Sol. And your Lordship at the least a very bold man if it be otherwise I will produce particular witnesses Ob. 10 and make all these Charges good I know your Lordship cannot and I do call upon you to do it Sol. as suspecting all to be but your Lordships envie and malice to that service of the Kings and ease of his Subjects which God hath enabled me to accomplish and perform in this troublesome Office J. L. C. S. The Lord Keeper to the Duke 21. of September 1622. My most noble Lord MY Lord Brook diswarning me from his Majestie from coming to Theobalds this day I was enforced to trouble your Lordship with these few lines My most humble thanks for your Lordships most free and most loving Letter I do willingly confesse my errour yet still of the mind that your Lordship only who justly taxed it hath made it to be an errour If your love to me had not exceeded all reason and desert of mine my complaints were not effects of melancholy but of a real suffering and misery I do confesse and rest satisfied withal that his Majesties Justice and your Lordships love are anchors strong enough for a mind more tossed then mine is to ride at Yet pardon me my Noble Lord upon this Consideration if I exceeded a little in passion the natural effect of honesty and innocency A Church-man and a woman have no greater Idol under heaven then their good name And yet they cannot fight at all Nor with credit scold and least of all recriminate to protect and defend the same Their onely revenge left them is to grieve and complain My misery I took to be this I am one of those that labour in his Majesties Cole-mines under the earth and out of sight My pains
from five a clock in the morning to 10. or 12. at night are restlesse and endlesse but under earth and out of his Majesties sight What other men do or but seem to do it is ever before the Kings face and if his Majestie will not look on it if he hath eares about him he shall be told of it so often by the parties themselves that he must hear of it whether he will or no. And as my service by this remotenesse is hidden from the King so is it liable to be traduced to the King and my relief as in dispatching the motions of poor men by Petitions allowable to my orders made to be a Grievance to the Common Wealth But in all these fourteen dayes wherein by the voice of the City I have remained a prisoner in my house where is that one party grieved that hath troubled his Majestie with Complaints against me Onely my Lord Marshal hath dealt with my noble Lord Marquesse Hamilton my Lord of Carlile my Lord Treasurer as your Lordship may soon know by asking the question to make a faction to disgrace the poor Lord Keeper who never dreamt thereof Sir Gilbert Haughton hath complained to my Lord Treasurer of my men for taking Hugh Holland was by and heard him If your Lordship do but ask him his reason I think it will appear how well grounded their complaints be Upon those two former Anchors I will therefore rest and that so far from Cowardlinesse that I will either challenge them before his Majestie to make good their suggestions or else which I hold the greater valour of all and which I confesse I wanted before this check of your Lordships go on in my Course and scorn all these base and unworthy scandals as your Lordship shall direct me I have sent a Copy of a Letter of mine to my Lord Anan which his Majestie hath seen and given his assent it should not be kept private yet I would humbly crave your Lordships opinion thereof by Mr. Packer before any Copy goeth from me I am ever c. The Lord Keeper to the Duke 12th Octob. 1622. My most Noble Lord I Will speak with the Jesuit to morrow and deliver him his admonition from the King but do send your Lordship here inclosed a Copie of the Conference which I procured from him without his privity onely to make his Majestie and your Lordship merrie I have also received a Letter concerning the French Embassador which I will be ready to put in execution as your Lordships servant and Deputy but not otherwise Yet your Lordship will give me out of that freedom which was wont to be well interpreted by your Lordship to let your Lordship understand that I find all businesses of restitution of ships and goods thus taken to have been handled before the Councel in Star-chamâ—â—â— all the reigns of Henry 7th and H. 8th without any contradiction of the Lord Admiral for the time being But this to your Lordship in secret I will be very careful of the Earl of Desmond that neither his cause nor your Lordships reputation shall suffer thereby And this is the account I can yet give of your Lordships Letter save that I humbly expect that answer which your Lordships own Luckie hand hath promised in the postscript of one of them I would ease your Lordship in this place but to prevent complaint that peradventure may be first invented and then presented Your Lordship shall heare of a long narrative of our Councel Table dispatches That passage of our letter which as it now goeth doth hope that his Majestie will spare to confer any suites of moment in Ireland until the return of the Irish Committee was a blunt request to the King to grant no suites there without our advice Against this concluded in my absence the first day of the Tearm I spake first to the Prince privately who allowed of my reasons then when the President would not mend it at the Table openly that I did utterly dislike we should tutour his Majesty how to grant suits especially in Letters that are to remain upon record My Lord of Cantuar and the Earle Marshal said they had many Presidents in that kind I answered I knew they had none but in the Kings time and that I wished them as I do all torn out of the book and cast into the fire I concealed my reasons which now I will reveal unto your Lordship because this is the third time I have expressed unto your Lordship under my hand my dislike of this kind of Limiting his Majestie otherwise then by word of mouth First if his Majestie which we see so often done shall dispose of these suites otherwise here are so many records remaining to malitious litious men to observe his Majesties aversenesse from following the advice of the Councel board Secondly if your Lordship shall procure any suit in this kind here are records also in time to come that you crosse and thwart the government of the Kingdom And I pray God this be but mine own jealousie The passage in the Letter with my Prating and his Highnesse help was altered and for fear of misreporting I make bold to relate the truth hereof to your Lordship My Lords proceeded very resolutely in those reformations which concerned other men The Commission of fees enables the Committees to call before them all the Judges as well as their under Officers which was more then the King exprest at Hampton Court amongst whom the Lord Keeper is one who from the Conquest to this day was never subjected to 〈◊〉 call of any power in the Kingdom but the King and the Parliament And although I have not one Pennie of Fee which hath not continued above one hundred years yet for the honour of the Prime place in the state though now disgraced by the contemptiblenesse of the Officer I am an humble suiter unto your Lordship that my Person may be exempted from the command of Sr. Edwin Sandys or indeed any man els besides the King my Master Otherwise I shall very patiently endure it but the King hereafter may dislike it The Justices of the Peace are also appointed but if the Judges and my-self be not utterly deceived to no purpose in the world nor service to his Majestie But when their Lordships came to surrender the under Leivtenantships to his Majesties hands whom the Lord President and I held fit to be created henceforward by several Commissions under the Great Seal it was stiffly opposed and stood upon that the King should name them in their Lordships Commissions onely according to a President in the late Queens time that is the King shall have the naming but they still the appointing of them And now it was pressed that his Majestie intended not to disgrace his Lords c and your Lordship is to have a Letter from Mr. Secretarie to know his Majesties mind herein If his Majestie shall not ordain them to be created by several Pattents it were
and my self to this effect 1. To grant a pardon of all offences past with a dispensation for those to come to all the Roman Catholiques obnoxious to any laws made against the Recusants 2. And then to issue forth two general Commands under the Great Seal the first to all the Judges and Justices of the Peace and the other to all Bishops Chancellours and Commissaries not to execute any Statute made against them Their general pardon we have passed and sent unto his Majestie from whence it is not returned in as full and ample manner as they could desire and pen it The other general and vast prohibition I prevailed with the rest of the Lords to stop as yet and gave in three dayes conference such reasons to the 2. Embassadors that although it is no easie matter to satifie the Caprichiousnesse of the Latter of them yet they were both content it should rest until the Infanta had been six Months in England My reason if it may please your Grace was this Although this general favour and connivence whereof there are 20. of the Prime Councel know nothing as yet must at last be known to all the Land yet is there a great difference between the publishing thereof A Golpe at one push as it were and that instilling of it into their knowledg by little and little by reason of favours done to particular Catholiques The former course might breed a general impression if not a mutinie This Letter will but loosen the tongues but of some few particulars who understand of their neighbours pardon and having vented their dislikes when they have not many to Sympathise with them they grow coole again so as his majestie afterwards may enlarge these favours without any danger at all Secondly to forbid Iudges against their oaths and Justices of the Peace sworn likewise to execute the law of the Land is a thing unpresidented in this Kingdom et Durus Sermo a very harsh and bitter pill to be digested upon a suddain and without some preparation But to grant a pardon even for a thing that is Malum in se and a dispensation with Penal Lawes in the profit whereof the King onely is interested is usual and full of presidents and examples And yet is this Letter onely tending to the safety the former but to the glory and insolencie of the Papists and the magnifying the service of the Embassadors ends too dearly purchased with the indangering of a tumult in three Kingdomes Thirdly and Lastly his Maiestie useth to speak to his Bishops Judges and Justices of the peace by his Chancelour or Keeper as your Grace well knoweth and by his Great Seal and I can signify his Majesties pleasure unto them with lesse noise and danger which I mean to do hereafter if the Embassadors shall presse it to this effect unlesse your Grace shall from his Highnesse or your own judgment direct otherwise That whereas his Majestie being at this time to mediate for favour to many Protestants in forraign parts with Princes of another religion and to sweeten the entertainment of the Princess into this Kingdom who is as yet a Roman Catholique doth hold a mitigation of the rigour of those lawes made against Râ—…nts to be a necessary inducement to both those purposes and hath therefore issued forth some pardons of Grace and favour to such Roman Catholiques of whose faithfulnesse and fidelity to the state he rests assured That therefore you the Lords Bishops Judges and Justices each of those to be written unto by themselves do take notice of this his Majesties pardon and dispensation with all such penal Lawes and demean your selves accordingly c. Thus have I been too tedious and troublesome unto your Grace and Crave your pardon therefore and some directions which you may cause Sir Francis Cottington or some other to write without your Graces trouble if there shall apeare any cause of alteration Doctor Bishop the new Bishop of Calcedon is come to London privately and I am much troubled thereabouts not knowing what to advise his Majestie in this posture as things stand at this present If you were shipped with the Infanta the onely Councel were to let the Judges proceed with them presently hang him out of the way and the King to Blame my Lord of Cantuar or my self for it But before you be shipped in such form and manner I dare not assent or Connive at such a course It is my gracious Lord a most insolent Part and an offence as I take it Against our common Law and not the statutes onely which are dispensed withall for an English man to take such a consecration without the Kings consent and especially to use any Episcopal Jurisdiction in this Kingdom without the royal assent and Bishops have been in this State put to their fine and ransom for doing so three hundred years ago I will cease to to be further troublesome and pray to Almighty God to blesse your Grace and in all humblenesse take my leave and rest c. The Lord Keeper to the Duke 14th of October 1621. My most Noble Lord I Humbly thank your Lordship for your most sweet and loving Letter which as Sir George Goring could not but observe hath much revived me drooâ—ing under the unusual weight of so many businesses Let God suffer me no longer to be then I shall be true plain faithful and affectionately respectful of your Lordship as being most bound unto your Lordship for these so many fruits but far more for the tree that bore them your love and affection If your Lordship shall not think it inconvenient I do beseech your Lordship to present this Petition inclosed either by word or writing unto his Majestie and to procure a speedy dispatch thereof because we are to meet on Thursday next Also to acquaint his Majestie that I stumble at the Proclamation now coming to the Seal against any that shall draw or present any bill for his Majesties signature besides those Clarks which usually draw them up by virtue of their places It is most prejudicial to my place the Lord Treasurer and the Judges itinerant who are often occasioned to draw up and present to his Majestie divers matters and especially pardons of Course It is also too strong a tie upon your Lordships hands being intended by his Majestie against Projectors and Scriveners only If it shall please his Majestie therefore to make an exception of the Lords of his Councel and Judges of Assize it may passe to the contentment of all men Mr. Attourney saith he meant this exception but I find it not sufficiently expressed in the Proclamation Also I humbly beseech your Lordship to meddle with no pardon for the Lord of St. Albons until I shall have the happinesse to confer with your Lordship the pardoning of his fine is much spoken against not for the matter for no man objects to that but for the manner which is full of knavery and a wicked president For by this assignation of
especial favour as long as he liveth he will pay to whom you shall assign 5000 l. and account it a real obligation of service to your Grace for ever if you shall remit him the other thousand pound 2. That for the time with humble thanks for your noble favour which becometh not him to take in appointing the time he returns it to your Grace to nominate two daies of payment as your Steward or the person assigned shall think meet and fit for your Graces occasions desiring some small respite for the former but as little as the party please afterwards for the second payment for his Lordship will send in for his moneys forthwith And he will give his bonds or which I hold superfluous from so sure a Card his Morgage in present for both payments 3. If your Grace shall make him your servant with this favour so nobly condition'd he hopes your Grace may proceed on with his Patent thus forward without any stay for any other Corrival which notwithstanding he humbly refers 4. But desires if his presentment be accepted he may have leave by me to render his thanks unto your Grace personally sometime to morrow And so I leave your Grace for this time in Gods protection And rest The Lord Keeper to the Duke 24. December 1624. My most Gratious Lord I Most humbly beseech your Grace for Gods sake and his Churches to consider of this motion which I do make unto your Grace concerning the Deanerie of York now vacant the Dean being struck dead suddenly by a Letter which one Dr. Scot procured from his Majestie to be his Coadjutour It is not for any man in particular but against Doctor Scot that he may not by the importunity of any one upon your Grace be promoted to this place being the sixth or seventh place of preferment Ecclesiastical within this Kingdom but that your Grace would be pleased to remove Doctor White or Doctor Hall or whom your Grace shall please unto this great Deanery and bestow the lesser Deanerie far above his merit upon him For these Reasons 1. I know that he hath sold away all his Livings which he hath had in this Church and hath at this day never an one 2. I am credibly informed he oweth 5000 l. at the least A vast summe for a poor Scholar and too much to be got up in a poor Church And most of this money in York 3. I know he is a great Gamester and of no fitting conversation for a Church-man but of very mean parts either of Learning or government 4. I am certified at this time that he is a man often overseen in drink but this I do not know If therefore your Grace shall be pleased upon my Lord Mordant's importunity to procure him any Deanerie I do not doubt but his Lordship will be satisfied and that Church eternally obliged unto you for that Commutation And I beseech your Grace to believe him that is no way interested herein that it concerns your Grace very much in credit and reputation that so mean a man amongst such a choice as the Church of England doth afford be not by your favour preferred to so high a dignity God be merciful to my sins as I have no end herein but your Honour and the good of that Church and therefore I recommend no particular man unto your Grace but do rest Yours c. The Lord Keeper to the Duke concerning Dr. Scott 4. January 1624. May it please your Grace I Humbly beseech you to interpret favourably what I said unto his Majestie or his Highnesse as intending to put off Dr. Scott from this place And no way God be my witnesse to crosse your Grace nor to hurt Scot who might have been otherwaies sufficiently provided for But I should have written or spoken unto your Grace so I did in this Letter enclosed upon Christmasse Eve But I confesse I durst not send it for fear of offending your Grace which I do take all possible diligence to avoid But I spake unto the King and Prince I did so but with this caution which I know they do remember that if your Grace would not upon the motion exchange Scot to some other preferment I did not hold it fit to presse these charges against him but would do my endeavour to still and quiet those of the Church of York who I confesse unto your Grace are the men that have written against him But I recommended Dr. VVhite and another to the Prince and Dr. VVarner to your Grace I confesse it but must distinguish the times and the manner I commended Dr. VVarner when I was informed Dr. White had his answer and denial and that your Grace was off from Dr. Scot and did desire to hear from me what Doctor Warner was whom I recommended onely in general terms upon the suit of another What I said of him I believe and know to be true but he is so far from being any creature of mine that I protest before the Almighty God I never spake one word with the man to this very hour in all my life I did conceive so meanly of Doctor Scot that no worthy man in the Kingdom should have failed of my recommendations in this particular Now I know your Grace's resolution I do alter my opinion and humbly crave your Grace's pardon for my meddling therein although I know his Highnesse will bear me witnesse it was with all dutiful respect unto your Grace I shall be very careful of giving your Grace the least cause of jealousie in this kind again And whereas I had put a poor suit in your Grace's hands about the helping of mypoor fortunes I will let that and all others fall and desire onely to be accounted Yours c. The Lord Keeper to the Duke 2. March 1624. May it please your Grace THis heavy and unexpected accident of my Lord Stewards death makes me to be troublesome unto your Grace at this time In safety and discretion I might very easily spare this labour but my obligation to your Grace is such as if that I conceal any thing which but my self apprehends fit to be represented to your Grace whilest I affect the title of a reserved close and wise I may lose the other of an honest man which I more esteem Thus much by way of preface I represent this office of a Lord Steward as a place to be either accepted of by your self or else to be discontinued as for many years towards the latter end of Queen Elizabeth and the beginning of our Masters raign it was and in any case not to be placed upon another without the deliberation of some few years at the least Being an office that none but the Kings Kinsmen or Favorites or Counter-favourites raised up of purpose to ballance the great one have anciently possessed I could desire your Grace had it in your own person for these Reasons 1. It is an office of fair and very competent gettings but that is scarce
answer He is extreamly commended for his closenesse and secresie by the major part of our auditors the Hee and Shee good fellowes of the town and though he refuseth to be a Confessor yet is sure to die a Martyr and most of the Ladies in town will offer at his shryne The Lady Hatton some nine dayes since was at Stoke with the good Knight her Husband for some counsel in this particular But he refused to meddle therewithal and dismist her Ladiship when she had stayed with him very lovingly half a quarter of an hour The cause of my troubling your Grace is this The French Embassador is fired with some complaints of our Recusants who I verily believe work upon him purposely finding him to be of a combustible disposition To morrow he is resolved to come upon you and our Master with Complaints for lack of performances to the Papists And because I would furnish your Grace with as much answer as I am acquainted with nothing doubting but your Grace is otherwaies better provided I make bold to present your Grace with these particulars 1. With a Letter from my Lord Archbishop of York in answer to another of mine which shews how really his Majesties promise hath been in that kind performed I beseech your Grace to keep it safe in your pocket until I shall have the honour to wait upon your Grace when you have made use of the same 2. If your Grace shall hear him complain of the Judges in their charges and of their receiving of Indictments your Grace may answer That those charges are but orations of Course opening all the penal Lawes and the Indictments being presented by the Country cannot be refused by the Judges But the Judges are ordered to execute nothing actually against the Recusants nor will they do it during the negotiation 3. Your Grace may put him in mind that my Lord Keeper doth every day when his the Lord Embassadours Secretary calls upon him grant forth Writs to remove all the persons indicted in the Country into the Kings Bench out of the power and reaches of the Justices of the Peace And that being there the King may and doth release them at his pleasure 4. That the Spanish Embassadour never had nor desired more then these favours 5. That you are informed that Copies of Letters written from the King to both the Archbishops are spread abroad in Staffordshire to his Majesties disadvantage for so it is and that thereby my Lord Embassadour may perceive the bent of the English Catholiques which is not to procure ease and quietnesse to themselves but Scandals to their neighbouring Protestants and discontentments against the King and State I humbly crave your Graces pardon for this boldnesse and tediousnesse and with my hearty prayers for your health do rest yours c. The Lord Keeper to the Duke 22. March 1624. May it please your Grace I Send your Grace here inclosed the Kings Commission and the Prince's Proxie not fairly written which the Embassadours upon the place may procure in a frech hand but yet legibly and passably The Prince's Proxie refers the manner unto the articles and particularly to the second third and fourth Section of those Articles which gives me occasion to begg of your Grace pardon to desire your Grace to think seriously upon the third Section to advise with the Prince and to give Mr. Packer charge to inform your Grace punctually what he knoweth and may inform himself concerning those particulars That is How the Queen Margaret of France was married to Henry the fourth and how Madam his sister was married to the Prince of Lorrain For although they are both made alike in the article yet surely they were not married after the same fashion For the Dutchesse of Barr was married in a closet without a Masse by words onely of the Present tense as I believe I have read in the Historie of Thuanus A favour which will hardly be granted to your Grace And how Queen Margaret was married my Lords the Embassadours will soon learn if your Grace will be pleased to write unto them I hold it in a manner necessary that your Grace do carrie over with you in your company one Civilian to put your Grace in mind of the formalities required and if your Grace be of that mind your own Doctor Dr. Reeves is as fit as any man else who is a good Scholar and speaks that language Your Grace hath revived my Lord of Clare sithence I spake with your Grace And I beseech your Grace to follow that resolution and to let Mr. Packer draw up a warrant of 3. or 4. lines signed by the King to me to place him with the rest of the Councel of War It will be an occasion to take up more of that time which he now spends with the Lady Hatton For now I am resolved that I was of the right in my conjecture to your Grace that his Lordship had utterly refused my Lady Purbecks cause of the which the very common people begin to be ashamed but is deeply ingaged against my Lady of Richmond Dutchesse of Richmond in the businesse of that famous or rather notorious foeminine Contract and bargain of sixteen hundred pounds by the year for a house to sleep in When your Grace shall draw up your Instructions you will be pleased to use the words To Contract Espouse and marrie Our Welbeloved Son c. because they do in those parts contract alwaies before marriage And your Grace will be pleased to expresse his Majesties pleasure that this is to be done by your self and no other Because although the two Earls upon the place have some such general words in their Commission yet your Grace only is named in the Prince's Proxie and now solely imployed by the King to that purpose Although I conceived this restraint to be fitter a great deal for the instructions then the Commission I am extream sorry to hear what a grievous fit his Majestie had this last night But I hope it is a farewel of the Agues and I pray God it be the last fit And now am an humble suitor again that I may come and look upon his Majestie resolved to say nothing but that which I will never cease to say God blesse him If your Grace holds it inconvenient I beseech your Grace to excuse me and to account me as I will ever be found Yours c. The Bishop of Lincoln to the Duke 7th of January 1625. Most Gratious Lord BEing come hither according unto the dutie of my place to do my best service for the preparation to the Coronation and to wait upon his Majestie for his Royal pleasure and direction therein I do most humbly beseech your Grace to crown so many of your Grace's former favours and to revive a Creature of your own struck dead onely with your displeasure but no other discontentment in the universal world by bringing of me to kisse his Majesties hand with whom I took leave
had been asked my opinion I should have advised it without the least haesitation His Majestie was so Popishly addicted at this time that to the incredible exhaustments of this Treasurie he was a most zealous interceder for some ease and refreshment to all the Protestants in Europe his own Dominions and Denmarks onely excepted Those of Swithland having lately provoked the Pole had no other hope of peace those of France of the exercise of their Religion those of the Palatinate and adjoyning Countries of the least connivencie to say their prayers then by the earnest mediation of our gracious Master And advised by the late Assembly of Parliament to insist a while longer in this milkie way of intercession and Treatie What a preposterous argument would this have been to desire those mighty Princes armed and victorious to grant some liberty and clemencie to the Protestants because himself did now imprison and execute the rigour of his lawes against the Roman Catholiques I must deal plainely with your Lordship Our viperous countrymen the English Jesuits in France to frustrate these Pious endeavours of his Majesties had many months before this favour granted retorted that argument upon us by writing a most malitious book which I have seen and read over to the French King inciting him and the three Estates to put all those statutes in execution against the Protestants in those parts which are here enacted and as they falsely informed severally executed upon the Papists I would therefore see the most subtile State-monger in the world chalk out a way for his Majestie to mediate for Grace and favour for the Protestants by executing at this time the severity of the Lawes upon the Papists And that this favour should mount to a Toleration is a most dull and yet a most divelish misconstruction A Toleration looks forward to the time to come This favour backward onely to the offences past If any Papist now set at liberty shall offend the lawes again the Justices may nay must recommit him and leave favour and mercy to the King to whom onely it properly belongeth Nay let those 2. writs directed to the Judges be as diligently perused by those rash Censures as they were by those grave and learned to whom his Majestie referred the penning of the same and they shall find that these Papists are no other-otherwise out of prison then with their shackles about their heels sufficient sureties and good recognisances to present themselves again at the next assises As therefore that Lacedemonian posed the Oracle of Apollo by asking his opinion of the bird which he grasped in his hand whether he were alive or dead so it is a matter yet controversed and undecided whether those Papists closed up and grasped in the hands of the law be still in prison or at libertie Their own demeanours and the successe of his Majesties negotiations are Oracles that must deside the same If the Lay-papists do wax insolent with this mercy insulting upon the Protestants and translating this favour from the person to the cause I am verily of opinion his Majestie will remand them to their former state and condition and renew his writ no more But if they shall use these graces modestly by admitting Conference with learned Preachers demeaning themselves neighbourly and peaceably praying for his Majestie and the prosperous successe of his pious endeavours and relieving him bountifully which they are as well able to do as any of his Subjects if he shall be forced and constrained to take his sword in hand then it cannot be denied but our Master is a Prince that hath as one said plus humanitatis penè quam hominis and will at that time leave to be merciful when he leaves to be himself In the mean while this argument fetcht from the Devils topicks which concludes a Concreto ad abstractum from a favour done to the English Papists that the King favoureth the Romish Religion is such a composition of follie and malice as is little deserved by that gracious Prince who by word writing exercise of Religion acts of Parliament late directions for catechizing and preaching and all professions and endeavours in the world hath demonstrated himself so resolved a Protestant God by his holy Spirit open the eyes of the people that these aierie representations of ungrounded fancies set aside they may clearly discern and see how by the goodnesse of God and the wisdom of their King this Island of all the Countries in Europe is the sole nest of peace and true Religion and the inhabitants thereof unhappie onely in this one thing that they never look up to heaven to give God thanks for so great a happinesse Lastly for mine own Letter to the Judges which did onely declare not operate the favour it was either much mis-penned or much misconstrued It recited four kinds of recusancies onely capable of his Majesties clemencie not so much to include these as to exclude many other crimes bearing amongst the Papists the name of Recusancies as using the function of a Romish Priest seducing the Kings liege people from the Religion established scandalizing and aspersing our King Church State or present Government All which offences being outward practises and no secret motions of the conscience are adjudged by the Lawes of England to be merely civil and political and excluded by my Letter from the benefit of those Writs which the bearer was imployed to deliver unto the Judges And thus I have given your Lordship a plain account of the carriage of this businesse and that the more suddenly that your Lordship might perceive it is not Aurea Fabula or prepared tale but a bare Narration which I have sent unto your Lordship I beseech your Lordship to let his Majestie know that the Letters to the Justices of Peace concerning those four heads recommended by his Majestie shall be sent away as fast as they can be exscribed I will trouble your Lordship no more at this time but shall rest ever Your Lordships servant and true friend Jo. Lincoln C. S. The Bishop of Menevensis to the Duke Dr. Laud. My most Gratious Lord I May not be absent and not write And since your Grace is pleased with the trouble I must professe my self much content with the performance of the dutie I am not unmindful of the last businesse your Grace committed to me but I have as yet done the lesse in it because I fell into a relaps of my infirmitie but I thank God I am once more free if I can look better to my self as I hope I shall My Lord I must become an humble suitor to your Grace I hear by good hand that my Lord of Canterbury intends shortly to renew the High Commission Now I am to acquaint your Grace that there is never a Bishop that lives about London left out of the Commission but my self and many that live quite absent are in and many inferiours to Bishops The Commission is a place of great experience for
any man that is a Governour in the Church And since by his Majesties gratious goodnesse and your Grace's sole procurement I am made a Governour I would be loath to be excluded from that which might give me experience and so enable me to perform my dutie I am sure my Lord of Canterbury will leave me out as hitherto he hath done if his Majestie be not pleased to Command that I shall be in This I submit to your Grace but humbly desire even against my own ease and quiet that I may not be deprived of that experience which is necessary for my place I most humbly beseech your Grace to pardon this boldnesse and to know that in my daily prayers for your Grace's happinesse I shall ever rest Novemb. 18. 1624. Your Grace's most devoted and affectionate servant Guil. Menevensis The Bishop of Menevensis to the Duke Dr. Laud. My most Gracious Lord I Am heartily glad to hear your Lordship is so well returned and so happily as to meet so great joy God hath among many others his great blessings and I know your Grace so esteems them sent you now this extraordinarie one a son to inherit his fathers honours and the rest of Gods blessings upon both So soon as I came to any end of my journey I met the happie news of Gods blessing upon your Grace and it seasoned all the hard journey I have had out of Wales through the Snow When I had rested my self a little at my friend's house in the Forrest Mr. Windebank a servant of your Grace's whom I made bold to make known to your Honour I came to Windsor in hope to have been so happie as to meet your Grace at the great solemnitie but when I came I found that which I suspected that your Grace's greater joy would carrie you farther Which journey and the cause and the end of it I heartily wish and pray may be full of joy and all contentment to your Grace I made bold to trouble your Grace with a Letter or two out of VVales which I hope Mr. VVindebank took the best care he could to see delivered I have no means to do your Grace any service but by my prayers and they do daily attend and shall ever while I breathe to utter them I hope though I have missed this opportunitie yet I shall be so happie as to see and wait upon your Grace at London In the mean time and ever I leave your Grace and all your home-blessings to the protection of the Almightie and shall ever be found VVindsor 13. Decemb 1625. Your Graces most devoted and affectionate servant Guil. Meneven Doctor Mountague Bishop of Chichester to the Duke May it please your Grace YOur Highnesse vouchsafed at VVindsor to let me understand that his Majestie my gracious Master and Soveraign had taken me off from that trouble and vexation which by some mens procurement I was put unto in the House of Commons They as I understand think not so but intend to proceed against me so far as they can as having returned his Majestie no other answer but that I was freed from imprisonment It is true that besides 20 l. which the Scrieant had of me by exaction for fees they bound me unto him in a bond of 2000 l. to appear before them the first day of the next Sessions I beseech your Grace that as you have been pleased to tie me unto your excellent not onely self but also most honourable Sister in that bond of obligation as never was poor Scholar to such Worthies so you would be pleased to let his Majestie understand the case that by your means I may be absolutely discharged with the redeliverie of my bond from them whom I never offended who under correction have nothing to do with me and as his Majesties servant be left unto himself especially for that which was authorised by himself and commanded by his Father my late Master of ever blessed memorie If his Majestie will be pleased to call for their accusations against me if I do not really and thoroughly answer whatsoever is or can be imputed to me out of my books I will no further desire favour and protection of his Majestie and your Gracious self but be willingly left unto my enemies I must crave pardon for presuming thus to trouble your Grace the rather because through a grievous affliction of the Collick and Stone I am not able personally to attend your Grace whom according unto my most bounden dutie I daily recommend unto the Almightie being more obliged unto your noble self then ever to any one So remaining Petwerth 29. July Most humbly at your Graces service ever Ri. Mountague 1. IF any or all the Papists living can prove that the Roman Church as it now stands in opposition to the Church of England is either the Catholique Church of Christ or a sound member of the Catholique Church I will subscribe 2. If any or all the Papists living can prove unto me that the Church of England as it standeth at this day is not a true member of the Catholique Church I will subscribe 3. If any or all the Papists living can prove unto me that any one point at this day maintained by the Church of Rome against the Church of England was the received Doctrine of the Catholique Church or concluded by any general Councel or particular approved Councel or resolved of by any one Father of Credit to be such for 500. years at least after Christ I will subscribe Ri. Mountague The Bishops of Rochester Oxford and St. Davids to the Duke concerning Mr. Mountague May it please your Grace VVEE are bold to be suitors to you in the behalf of the Church of England and a poor member of it Mr. Mountague at this time not a little distressed We are not strangers to his person but it is the Cause which we are bound to be tender of The cause we conceive under correction of better judgment concerns the Church of England merely for that Church when it was reformed from the superstitious opinions broached or maintained by the Church of Rome refused the apparant and dangerous errours and would not be too busie with every particular School point The cause why she held this moderation was because she could not be able to preserve any unitie amongst Christians if men were forced to subscribe to curious particulars disputed in Schooles Now may it please your Grace the opinions which at this time trouble many men in the late Book of Mr. Mountague are some of them such as are expresly the resolved doctrine of the Church of England and those he is bound to maintain Some of them such as are fit onely for Schooles and to be left at more liberty for learned men to abound in their own sense so they keep themselves peaceable and distract not the Church And therefore to make any man subscribe to Schoole opinions may justly seeme hard in the Church of Christ and was one great
fault of the Councel of Trent And to affright them from those opinions in which they have as they are bound subscribed to the Church as it is worse in it self so it may be the Mother of greater danger May it please your Grace farther to consider that when the Clergie submited themselves in the time of Henry the 8th the submission was so that if any difference doctrinal or other fell in the Church the King and the Bishops were to be Judges of it in a national Synode or Convocation The King first giving leave under his broad Seale to handle the points in difference But the Church never submitted to any other Judge neither indeed can Shee though Shee would And we humbly desire your Grace to consider and then to move his most Gracious Majestie if you shall think fit what dangerous Consequences may follow upon it For first if any other Judge be allowed in matter of Doctrine we shall depart from the ordinance of Christ and the continual course and practise of the Church 2. Secondly if the Church be once brought down beneath her self we cannot but fear what may be next Strook at 3. Thirdly it will some way touch the honour of his majesties dear Father and our most dread Soveraign of Glorious and ever blessed memorie King James who saw and approved all the opinions in this Book and he in his rare wisdom and judgment would never have allowed them if they had Crossed with truth and the Church of England 4. Fourthly we must be bold to say that we cannot conceive what use there can be of Civil Government in the common Wealth or of preaching and external ministrie in the Church if such fatall opinions as some which are opposite and contrarie to these delivered by Mr. Mountague are shall be Publiquely taught and maintained 5. Fiftly we are certain that all or most of the contrarie opinions were treated of at Lambeth and ready to be published but then Queen Elizabeth of famous memorie upon notice given how little they agreed with the Practice of pietie and obedience to all Government caused them to be suppressed and so they have continued ever since till of late some of them have received countenance at the Synod of Dort Now this was a Synod of that nation and can be of no authority in any other National Church till it be received there by Publique authority And our hope is that the Church of England will be well advised and more then once over before Shee admit a forraign Synod especiallie of such a Church as condemneth her discipline and manner of Government to say no more And further we are bold to commend to your Graces wisdom this one particular His Majestie as we have been informed hath already taken this businesse into his own care and most worthily referred it in a right course to Church-consideration And we well hoped that without further trouble to the state or breach of unity in the Church it might so have been well and orderly composed as we still pray it may These things considered we have little to say for Mr. Mountagues person onely thus much we know He is a very good Scholler and a right honest man A man every way able to do God his Majestie and the Church of England great service We fear he may receive great discouragement and which is far worse we have some cause to doubt this may bred a great backwardnesse in able men to write in the defence of the Church of England against either home or forraign adversaries if they shall see him sink in fortunes reputation or health upon his book occasion And this we most humbly submit to your Graces judgment and care of the Churches peace and welfare So recommending your Grace to the protection of Almighty God We shall ever rest At your Graces service Jo. Roffens Jo. Oxon. Guil Meneven 2. August 1625. Doctor Field Bishop of Landaffe to the Duke My Gracious Good Lord IN the great Library of men that I have studied these many yeares your Grace is the best Book and most Classick authour that I have read in whom I find so much goodnesse sweetnesse and noblenesse of nature such an Heroick spirit for boundlesse bounty as I never did in any I could instance in many some of whom you have made Deanes some Bishops some Lords and Privy Councellours None that ever looked toward your Grace did ever go empty away I need go no farther then my self a gum of the Earth whom some 8. years ago you raised out of the dust for raysing but a thought so high as to serve your Highnesse Since that I have not played the Truant but more diligently studied you then ever before And yet Dunce that I am I stand at a stay and am a Non-proficient the book being the same that ever it was as may appear by the great proficiencie of others This wonderfully poseth me and sure there is some guile some wile in some of my fellow Students who hide my book from me or some part of it All the fault is not in mine own blockishnesse that I thrive no better I once feared this before that some did me ill offices Your Grace was pleased to protest no man had and to assure me no man could My heart tels me it hath been alwaies upright and is still most faithful unto you I have examined my actions my words and my very thoughts and found all of them ever since most sound unto your Grace Give me leave after so long Patience for which vertue you were once pleased to commend me to my old Master King James and I have not yet lost it now that for these 12 Months almost I have been not onely upon the Stage but upon the rack of expectations even distracted between hope and fear to comfort my self with recordation of your Loving kindnesses of old when on that great feast day of your being inaugured our Chancellour my look was your booke wherein you read sadnesse to which I was bold to answer I trusted your Grace would give me no cause You replyed with losse of blood rather that was your noble expression But God forbid so precious an effusion I would emptie all my veins rather then you should bleed one drop when as one blast of your breath is able to bring me to the haven where I would be My Lord I am grown an old man and am like old Househouldstuffe apt to be broke upon often removing I desire it therefore but once for all be it Eli or Bathe and Wells and I will spend the remainder of my dayes in writing an History of your good deeds to me and others whereby I may vindicate you from the envie and obloquy of this present wicked age wherein we live and whilest I live in praying for your Grace Whose I am totallie and finallie Theophilus Landaven The Bishop of Landaffe to the Duke My most honourable good Lord IT is meet before I beg a new that I
should first acknowledge those benefits and more specially give thanks for the last noble favour your Lordship did me in standing up the last day of Parliament and pleading my cause Never was poor man more bound to a gracious Lord for protecting his innocencie and it came seasonable like a showr of rain in the time of drouth My very heart was parched with grief till it came and it had ere this been broken had not your Lordships speech then dropt comfort in strength whereof it yet lives For an abortive thought which never came into act some 2. or 3. years ago conceived and that tending to a work of mercy and charitie a deed of justice and due thankfulnesse how far how foulie have I been traduced your Honour cannot imagine how deeply I have been wounded in my good name as if I had deserved deprivation degradation yea to be hanged drawn and quartered This can none cure but God or the King Deus in monte God hath done his part in providing an occasion Besides London which is too high for me to look after and the removes which may be thereby Hereford the next Seat to mine whither my Predecessors have oft been removed is said to be now void Now good my Lord speak once more seasonably It is a doubled and redoubled an infinitely multiplied benefit which is so given Never had I more need of the Cordial his Majestie gave me at my going into Wales which was that I should not stay long there It would be a restorative too not onely of my Credit so cruelly crackt with the sharp teeth of the wide mouth of vulgar lying fame but of my estate also alwaies poor but lately much more impoverished and made crazie by occasions of the Church which drew me to London a place of great expences as the busie times were to little purpose And the Parliament overtaking me which have held me long and longer yet are like to hold me here even to the undoing of my self my wife and six children from whom I have now lived 6. or 7. moneths And what shall I carry home with me but disgrace and infamie Yet my good Lord at least procure me of my Lord the King a Nunc dimittis leave to depart I shall be further out of the reach of pursuing malice there in the Countrie do his Majestie better service in gathering up his Subsidies praying and teaching my children whilest I read a Lecture to them my self was never yet able to get by heart of parcimony which must be to them instead of a patrimonie to pray for his Majesties long life health and happinesse In which prayer shall your Lordship ever be duly remembred by Your Lordships daily devote Beadsman Theophilus Landavensis Dr. Corbet to the Duke May it please your Grace TO consider my two great losses this week one in respect of his Majestie to whom I was to preach the other in respect of my Patron whom I was to visit If this be not the way to repair the latter of my losses I fear I am in danger to be utterly undone To presse too near a great man is a means to be put by and to stand too far off is the way to be forgotten so Ecclesiasticus In which mediocrity could I hit it would I live and die My Lord I would neither presse near nor stand far off choosing rather the name of an ill Courtier then a saucie Scholar From your Graces most humble servant Rich. Corbet Postscript HEre is news my noble Lord about us that in the point of Allegiance now in hand all the Papists are exceeding Orthodox the onely Recusants are the Puritanes The E. of Worcester Arundel and Surrey Montgomery to the King May it please your most excellent Majestie ACcording to the Orders and Constitutions made and established by your Majestie and all the Companions of the Order at the last general Chapter held at White-Hall the 21. of May last past we are bold to inform your Majestie that we having diligently viewed divers of the Records of the said Order do in the black book find that the keeping of the little Park at VVindsor next adjoyning unto the Castle is in direct words annexed for ever to the Office of the Usher for the said Order So humbly kissing your Royal hands We rest Your Majesties most humble and faithful Subjects and servants E. Worcester Arundel and Surrey Montgomery White-Hall 1. July 1622. The Lord Chancellour Bacon to the Duke My very good Lord MY Lord of Suffolk's cause is this day sentenced My Lord and his Lady fined at 30000 l. with imprisonment in the Tower at their own charges Bingley at 2000 l. and committed to the Fleet. Sir Edward Cook did his part I have not heard him do better and began with a fine of an 100000 l. But the Judges first and most of the rest reduced it as before I do not dislike that things passe moderately and all things considered it is not amisse and might easily have been worse There was much speaking of interceding for the Kings mercie which in my opinion was not so proper for a sentence I said in conclusion that mercy was to come ex mero motu and so left it I took some other occasion pertinent to do the King honour by shewing how happy he was in all other parts of his Government save only in the manage of his treasure by these Officers I have sent the King a new Bill for Sussex for my Lord of Nottingham's Certificate was true and I told the Judges of it before but they neglected it I conceive the first man which is newly set down is the fittest God ever preserve and keep you c. The Earl of Suffolk to his Majestie Gratious Soveraign IN this grievous time of my being barred from your presence which to me is the greatest affliction that can lie upon me and knowing by my former service to you the sweet and Princely disposition that is in you naturally together with that unmatchable judgement which the world knoweth you have is the occasion that I presume at this time to lay before your Majestie my most humble suit which is that you would be pleased to look upon the Case of your poor servant who after so many faithful desires of mine to do you service I do not say that successe hath fallen out as I wished should now not only have suffered for my weaknesse and errours but must be further questioned to my disgrace I would to God your Majestie did truly understand the thoughts of my heart and if there you could find one the least of ill affections to you I wish it pulled out of my body Now to adde to my miseries give me leave to let your Majestie know the hard estate I am in for I do owe at this present I dare avow upon my fidelitie to you little lesse then 40000 l. which I well know will make me and mine poor and miserable for ever All this I do
not lay down to your Majesties best judging eyes that I mean this by way of complaint For I do acknowledge the reason that your Majestie had to do what you did neither do I go about to excuse errours to have escaped me but will now and ever acknowledge your Gracious favourable dealing with me if you will be pleased now to receive me again to your favour after this just correction without which I desire not to enjoy fortune of Goods or life in this world which in the humblest manner that I can I beg at your Princely feet as Your c. T. Suffolk The E. of Suffolk to the Duke My Honourable good Lord AT the first minute of mine and my wives delivery out of the Tower I had returned such acknowledgment due for so great a favour but that Sir George Goring only desired to be the Messenger as well as he was of the other Let not my Lord my late misfortunes make me or mine more unable to serve and thank you then any hee that thus takes advantage thereby to wrong me in your belief for what I have both received in abatement of my fine and speedy libertie I must confesse to come from your Noble mediation to his Majestie whose displeasure hath been more grievous to my soul then all the rest this world can inflict upon me As your Lordships kindnesse hath begun to ease me so now let the same hand cure and preserve me from a worse relapse wherein I am like to fall if your power prevent it not The motion of his Majesties for my perswading my sons out of their places was the grievousest sound that ever entred me for thereby I still breathed under the heavy weight of all my afflictions not despairing but their Care charged upon them with my blessing might somewhat redeem my errours and assure his Majestie that my will was never tainted with offending him I know my Lord there is little benefit in serving against Masters minds but they are unworthy servants that will leave such Masters upon any conditions Such as make suit to chop or change for their own advantage are better lost then kept But as for mine my curse should follow them if ever I could think they followed his Majestie with such indifferencie My obedience to his Majestie was ever of more force with me then mine own ends any way layed nor ever joyed I more then in running to his Commands But this my Lord rends my heart to think that unfortunate I should bury my sons alive and pronounce that sentence which would make me and them Scorns to posteritie Whilest I have knee to bend eye to lift up or tongue to begg I must implore his Majesties pardon and mercy in this kind As for that more drossie part of my estate it still lies at his Majesties feet and if he now please to recal what he remitted without further condition I must obey and let his Majestie see no change of time or place can change me my love my dutie or my zeal to him My Lord here you may read me in my greatest griefs that ever did fall to me weigh them well and think that one day you may be a father and be as neerly touched as now I am The favour you shall do me herein shall prove no hidden talent for the increase shall not onely be the happinesse of a good work well done but the hearty acknowledgment of a whole family and all theirs that shall as faithfully serve and honour you as the best of those that would succeed them which I hope your Lordship will believe from me who will ever be Yours c. T. Suffolk The Earl of Suffolk to his Majestie Most Gracious Soveraign Your Princely favour in dilivering me and my wife out of the tower must and shall ever be acknowledged of us with all humble thanks And now be pleased to give me leave to be an humble surtor to your Majestie that out of the tender compassion of your Princely heart you will be pleased to cast your eye upon the miserable estate of your distressed afflicted and old Servant now brought into fear of never recovering of your Majesties favour and so wretced my case is as the little hope that remained in me to live in your memorie was by my two sons service to your Gracious self and the Prince It is now required of me to impose upon them the resignation of their places which with all humility I beseech you to give me leave to say I would sooner use my power over them to will them to burie themselves quick then by any other way then enforcement to give up their places of service which onely remaines to me to be either my dying comfort or my living torment Besides they are now past my government being both married and have children onely I have a Paternal Care of them which I humbly beseech your best judging Majestie to weigh respectively how unhappie I must of necessity think my self if I should be the perswader of that misfortune to my children that their children within a few years would curse me for either living or dead Upon all these just considerations most Gracious Master give me leave to turn my cruel unnatural part of perswading them to yield to that for which I should detest my self to my humblest desire upon the Knees of my heart to beg humbly of your Majestie that whatsoever favour you have ever had to me for any service done that your Majestie will be pleased to spare the ruine of these two young men whom I find so honestlie disposed in their desire of spending their fortunes and lives in your Majesties and your Princely son's service as if your displeasure be not fullie satisfyed with what I have suffered already that you lay more upon me and spare them I have written to my Lord of Buckingham to be my mediator to your Majestie in this behalf which I assure my self he will noblie perform as well as he hath formerly done in being my means to your Majestie in obtaining this great begun favour To conclude with my prayer to God that your Majestie may ever find the same zeal and Love to your person in whomsoever you shall imploy that my hearts Sole-affection did and ever shall carrie unto you which God knowes was and is more to your Majestie then to my wife and children and all other worldy things which God measure unto me according to the truth as Yours c. T. Suffolk The Lady Elizabeth Howard to the King VVHen I waited upon you at Theobalds to beseech your Majesty that my Lord of Suffolk might not come into the Star-chamber you protested that you loved the man but that you must shew cause to the world why you took the Staffe from him but for his fortune that your Majestie would not meddle with it the same my Lord of Buckingham told me with this assurance of your promise I went away secure in that poynt Sithence his
cause was heard he moved all that heard it with much compassion to him and the people did think that when you sent him to the Tower you would have sent for him to have kissed your hand But your Majestie is abused for they do not let you know what is thought of the proceeding against this good man knowing how truely he loveth you with the truth of his cause that you would not follow him and his children with crueltie Which might have been better spent My Lord hath spent in running a Tylt in Masques and following the Court above 20000. And Sir shall his reward now be to be turned out of his place without any offence committed Sir I am the child of your old Servant and am now great with child I know it will kill me and I shall willingly die rather then desire life to see my unfortunate self and mine thus miserably undone Sir I beseech your Majestie remember my Father that is dead and me his distressed child for if he could know any worldly thing he would wonder to see me and those that shall come of me thus strangly used But my hope is still in your Majesties goodnesse and that you will not be carried away with the malice of other men In this confidence I rest with my daily prayers for your health and happinesse as Yours c. E. H. The Lady Elizabeth Norris to the Duke My Lord EVer since your Lordships first recommendation of my husband to me I have thought my self much ingaged to your Lordship for I must confesse after he had taken his leave of me I did love him never the lesse for immediately after my fathers death when in my Conscience he least expected to hear from me I did both send and write to him which he might interpret an incouragement or rather an invitation I did it the rather because I did not believe those which did him ill offices for those which were most for him on a sudden were most against him I must confesse that pitie did confirm my affection and I trust your Lordship will commiserate his estate as you do the fall of all mankind for I was the Eva and he was the Adam and I pray God the King and your Lordship may forgive us as I am confident God will pardon us Your Lordship may imagine my Mother was of the plot but I take God to witnesse that she was not only against it but contrarily I did believe she was wholly for your Brother And for your Brother my Mother recommended him to me whom I used like a Gentleman of high worth and qualitie But I did by no means abuse him by promise or taking guifts which I falsely suffer for in the opinion of the world I only took a ring by my mothers appointment which came as a token from my Lady your mother which was of very small value My husband and I am resolved rather to suffer in the opinion of the world then contradict any thing which shall be aggravated against us We must both honour you and think our selves much ingaged to your Lordship After God I protest you are the onely authour of it for by your means I first settled my affection I know there are those which do my husband and me ill offices I have reason to be jealous of the Lord Montgomery for he would have put tricks upon me in making me deny the Contract and when he failed in that he went about to make me believe Mr. Wray had denied his And to tell your Lordship true his violence and over-earnestnesse made me the more averse If my husband had not fetched me I would have come to him and so I sent him word Thus humbly beseeching your Lordship as you are happie in your wife that you would be pleased to make our peace with the King and seeing it is Gods act that you would honour us with your favour We shall be both bound to joyn in prayer that you may be ever happie in your Wife and in your Childrens Children And so with my humble respect to your Lordship I rest Your Lordships humble servant Elizabeth Norris Sir Edward Cecyl to the Duke My very good Lord HOw much my affection and ambition hath been to serve your Lordship before other men I hope I shall not need now to expresse considering it hath been clear and manifest to your own trial whereof I do bear still the testimonie and the continuance in mine own heart But in your noblenesse it will not appear impertinent to your Lordship that I put you in mind how much I suffered in the disgrace my enemies cast upon me about the imployment for the Palatinate when I was under your protection whether I suffered for mine own sake or for your Lordship I know not howsoever of this I am assured the greatest cause I gave them that had least reason was because I sought not them but your Lordship only And for the successe you may see by the miracles the imployment hath brought forth that it was carried another way rather for private malice then for any great zeal to the advancement of the publique Cause Now my Lord for your own honour and for the upholding of your servant make me so happie if there be any imployment for men of my profession as there is opinion that I may be the man by your Lordships means wherein you shall make me your obliged as I am now your affectionate servant For which you shall be assured of as thankful heart as any breathes in the whole world In the enjoying of which kind of service though you are accounted the most happie among great men yet you cannot have too much of it I could remember your Lordship of his Majesties gracious promise for my imployment before any other in the presence of the Prince and your Lordship and that I am the first General his Majestie ever made and that I had no ill successe in the perfecting of that service yet for all this I will onely trust in your Noblenesse if you resolve to make me your Creature And if it shall please his Majestie to hold me worthy of this honour I will undertake to save his Coffers as I have heretofore done the sixth part of the imployments charge and cost that any other man shall require who makes not a computation for the managing of it by a sufficient expence of his own I will not write more at this time but to wish your Lordship as much happinesse as your heart can desire and that you will give me an occasion to shew how much I am and will be Your Lordships most faithful and affectionate servant Ed. Cecil From our Army this 20. of Novemb. Sir Edward Cecil to the Duke May it please your Excellency THis Gentleman Sir George Blundel hath now cleerly quitted the service of the States for this especial reason as he assures me to be the more absolutely imployed in your Excellencies service This I know his friends
that have served in this Land which by proclamation and promise of mony in hand or more pay will easily discover themselves whom some of the new men to be released will be glad to satisfy without charge to his Majestie Sir Edward Cecyl to the Duke My most excellent Lord THere are some Letters of mine that had come to your Lorships hands a good many dayes since had not the wind been contrary and withstood their passage The substance whereof was onely to shew you how thankful I hold my self to your excellencie for so great and infinite a favour as it hath pleased your excellencie to think me worthie of But as is it a favour that will set me on work all the dayes of my life so is it greater then I can ever deserve Howsoever my resolution is to do my best And I humbly beseech your Excellencie to believe that with my diligence and the best understanding I have I will seek nothing but to please you and to honour you and if God say Amen to make the world speak of your design as much I hope as ever our Nation hath given cause And for the faults of my self and those I shall bring with me they shall not be excused but with our lives and bloods for I hope I shall bring none but such as know what to do and when they come to it will bite fooner then bark I do promise my self your Excellencie will have no cause to doubt or repent you of your favours for I know what men have done and what they can do in my occupation But God is God and men are but men All my discouragement is that the States answer not his Majesties expectation being fearful especially since the losse of Breda to part with any of their old Officers or old Souldiers but my hope is now better for we have put them to another resolution by answering all their objections By this disposition of the States to the keeping all their old Souldiers I wish your Excellencie will be pleased to be as careful in your choice as you are desirous of great designs For otherwise the honour and the charge will both be cast away as your Excellencie may perceive in some of our latter expeditions seeing that although there are many called Souldiers in the world yet but a few there be that are so for so long a man must live in the profession to inable him sufficiently that many grow unable to perform what they know before they have attained to the knowledge of what to perform The knowledge of war being the highest of humane things that God suffereth mans understanding to reach unto I have according to your Excellencies command made as many provisions as I can for the shortnesse of the time of such things as cannot be gotten in England And I could have wished I had known of this imployment but some months sooner for then I could have saved his Majesty somewhat and have added many things that would very much have advanced the service For in our profession the preparing of things belonging to the war doth more shew a mans experience and judgment then any thing else by reason the first errours are the begetting of many more that afterwards cannot be avoided Your Exellencie may be pleased to inform your self of all the exployts and undertakings of our nation that none of them hath suffered for the most part more then through the negligence of provisions as in victual munition boats for Landing and for the receiving of sick men to keep the rest from infection In this point of provision it is not good to trust upon a particular man for gain is a corrupter where the care is not publique And in so great an expedition one must do with living men as they do with the dead there must be overseers and executors to have a true intent well performed I have presumed to write thus much to shew my thankfulnesse to your Excellencie and my great affection to his Majesties service whereof I am infinitely possessed I hear your Excellencie is in France but my prayers to God are to send you safe and happie home for the World holds you the soule of advancing his Majesties affairs wherein his Honour is ingaged as it is especially in this action being the first and a Great One. And as for my self who am now a creature you have made I know not what I shall do when I come to England being your Excellencies shadow only I have here attended the wind and since I cannot force it I am glad of the opportunitie to send the Letters by Sir Henry Vane who goes over Land a Passage I am not capable of having been so long their enemie But I hope God will send me soon after leaving Sir William St. Leiger here for the dispatch of that which remains I have written more particularly to my Lord Conway which I dare not set down here for fear of being tedious and knowing his Lordship will give your Excellencie an account of it And so in all humblenesse and dutie I pray God send your Excellency honour and length of life for his Majestie 's affairs and for the happinesse of Your Lordships most humble faithful and obedient servant Ed. Cecill Hagh the 3d. of June 1625. Sir Edward Cecil to the Duke My most Excellent Lord THe occasion of my boldnesse in presenting your Excellency with these lines is for that contrary to my expectation I hear that there is a Commission a drawing to make Sir Horace Vere a Baron of England It is strange to me at this time to hear it for that I know not what worth there is more in him then in those that are equal in profession and before him in birth If your Excellencie have made choice of me to be your second in this journey of so much charge and expectation and to make me lesse then I was what courage shall I have to do you service or what honour will redound to your Excellencie But although I write it yet I cannot believe it for that I know you of that judgment and noblenesse that you will rather adde to your faithful servants although they beg it not then to disgrace them and make them lesse Therefore I will continue my belief and rest Your Excellencies most humble and devoted servant Ed. Cecill 19. of July 1625. My Lord Wimbledon to the Duke My Gratious Lord IT hath not a little troubled your faithful servant at my last being with your Excellencie in White-Hall Garden to understand after I had attended so long that I had ill offices done me to his Majestie and yet the World is of opinion that I have your Excellencies favor I presently went home and ever since I have mused and considered and can find no reason or policie for my being kept from his Majesties presence which maketh me and my neer friends astonished For hitherto I have received no favour but rather the most strictest proceeding that ever was
used and without example to any man that had such a charge And whereas there is no Commission of any force or validitie without the assistance of the State and Prince he serveth for he that Commandeth is but one man and the rest are many thousands which are great oddes yet I have been publiquely heard before the whole body of the Councel my adversaries standing by so curiously as no inquisition could have done more For first I was examined upon mine instructions then upon my acts of Councel then upon my journal then upon a journal compounded of by ten sundry persons which were under my Command both Landmen and Seamen which was never heard of before and I did not only answer in particular to all points that were demanded but by writing which is extant yet cannot I get any judgment or report made to his Majestie but rather time is given to my enemies as I hear to make an ill report of me and my actions to the King But when I was to be accused there was no time delayed nordeferred and such men as I have proved guilty and failed in the principal point of the service to have fired and destroyed the Shipping are neither examined or any thing said against them which is strange especially Sir Michael Geere So that I know not how my Lord of Essex can take any thing ill from your Excellencie unlesse it be to have you do injustice or against all reason He may rather give your Excellencie many thanks that his Lordship is not called into question for letting passe the King of Spain's ships that offered him fight which would have been the chief service having instructions not to let any flie or break out without fighting with them Now my Lord I humbly beseech your Excellencie to consider my Case that hath been so severely examined and no body else and that after my Examination I have lingred so long in my wrongs and disgraces and by the ill offices your Grace doth see are done me to his Majestie which will rather increase then diminish so long as I shall be kept from the presence of his Majestie that is I know of himself the justest Prince in the world and yet to be in your Excellencies favour And I hold my self clear of all imputations in despight of all malice and practice that hath been against me to obscure all my endeavours which my adversaries in their consciences can best witnesse that when they slept I waked when they made good chear I fasted and when they rested I toyled And besides when they went about to hinder the journey at Plimouth by railing on the beggerlinesse of it and discrediting of it I was content to take it upon me though against my judgment as I did secretly deliver both to his Majestie and your Grace before I departed from the Coast Nominating in my Letter to his Majestie all the inconveniencies that did after happen unto the Fleet for had it not been in my obedience to his Majestie and my good affection to your Excellencie that I did see so much affect it and was so far ingaged I would have been rather torn in pieces then to have gone with so many ignorant and malicious people that did shew so little affection or courage to his Majesties service or any affection at all to your Excellencie Yet for all this all hath been laid upon me having had rather hard courses taken against me then any way maintained in my Commission which was given me which no State that I have ever heard of did before I pray God his Majesties future service do not suffer for it for where his Majesties Officers are not obeyed he can never be served Wherefore my suit is that if I have any ill offices done me to his Majestie that I may clear my self before him by your favour which I have so long attended after or by way of Petition which the meanest Subject is not to be hindred in for as I continue now I have not onely wrong done to me but I suffer as much punishment without any fault as if I had been condemned And that your Excellencie will do me the favour to deal plainly with me to let me know why I am deferred from his Majesties presence which is not denied to any having received so much wrong If my suffering be to adde any service to your affaires in these troublesome times let but this honest friend of mine know so much and I will suffer any inconvenience as I have misery danger and decay of my fortunes for your Excellencies sake And so I rest Your Excellencies most devoted and faithful and thankful servant and Creature Wimbledon 28th Apr. 1626. My Lord Wimbledon to the Duke My Gracious Lord I Understand that it pleased the Lords to grant the Colonels leave to accuse me anew and they have taken to them the most discontented Seamen they could get to help their malice forward I had thought that before my coming they should have had time and advantage sufficiently to have shewen all their envie And I was perswaded that they could not have desired more then to have been present when I should be examined and my journal read At the reading whereof they took all the exceptions that might be and I did answer them all in your Excellencies presence as I thought fully whereupon they seemed to be so content as they had no more to say neither did they at that time desire to make a journal or to say any more Then the Lords resolutions were only to hear the Seamen speak upon whom all the businesse did lie If they may be suffered upon new Combinations to bring new slanders upon me I cannot tell what to think of it But this I can say that if this course be taken his Majestie will never be without a mutinous Armie which all States in policy do shun For when the Common Souldiers shall see their Chiefs give them such examples they will soon follow being that all Armies are subject to it especially a new Armie I had thought that one Trial had been sufficient being it was before such an Assembly But if I should be accused I should desire to have new accusers and not the same that have already accused me for so there would be no end that upon their Petition I might have been heard what I could justly say why they should not have leave to make a journal and not to give them leave before I were heard I am afraid there was never any such president before and what inconveniencies may come of it time will shew I have sought to none of the Lords as I fear my enemies have done I know not whether I shall suffer for it or no but my trust hath only been in your Excellencie and the justnesse of my Cause I have been your Excellencies Officer in as difficult and as miserable an action as ever any one hath undertaken and with as little assistance as ever any one had
For many of those that should have assisted me were more careful in betraying me then in forwarding his Majesties service And if this course be held to encourage them there is no man shall suffer more then his Majesties service will For it will be folly for any man to look to his Majesties service or to take any pains to prevent or hinder that which may be committed against it But to let every man do what he will so all will be pleased and he that Commands shall have no man to slander him which is the way to live in quiet Thus much I thought was fit for me to let your Excellencie understand and withal that I held it a great unhappinesse for me that have taken such toyl and pains and suffered so many slanders to be kept back by my enemies from that honour that never any one of my rank and place was hindered in which is from kissing the hand of my Soveraign Lord the King All Power is in your Lordships hands whether you will uphold me in my just cause or no or let me be ruinated for want of it So that I can say no more but that if I suffer I shall be your Excellencies Martyr if not I shall all my life rest Your Excellencies most humble and most thankful servant and Creature Wimbledon Sir John Ogle to the Duke Right Excellent and most Gratious Lord ANd because you are so why should not I put my soul in your hand that I have not done it sooner was not through want of will in me but it hath been the will of God that mine acknowledgment should be the fuller your goodnesse the greater Your Grace cannot be ignorant of the many motions I have had thereto but my judgment hath been made irresolute by several distractions I lay now my self and the fortunes of me and mine at your Graces feet Take me up then noblest Lord as becometh the fame which you have and the confidence which I have of you with a hand of goodnesse If I had wilfully sinned against you when I was wickedly insnared and beguiled by that wretch at Vtrecht to whom I gave some Extract out of your Letters as also out of the Lord Embassadours or did yet with obstinacie maintain such indiscreet proceeding your Grace might in justice reject me as unworthy But since you have long discerned in me a propension to crave your pardon though still unhappily diverted till this time I trust your true Noblenesse generousnesse and goodnesse to be such as you will not only not turn this heartie submission to any disadvantage on my part but looking upon mine ingenuitie with a right eye of gracious inclination both pardon my fault and follie towards your self and also to bind my prayers to be offered in the greater zeal for you for I shall not be able to do you better service then in prayer be a strong mediator to his gracious Majestie that my errours of weaknesse and want of discretion committed then towards his late Majestie of ever blessed memorie and his Embassadour with what other oversights may have been gathered up since may be freely and fully forgiven and remitted that so my soul being discharged of all fear of displeasure against me I may with a cheerful heart and quiet conscience go on in such a vocation as the Lord shall have appointed for me My Lord this wound hath long festered neer my heart and though false skins have been drawn over it sometimes by unskilful hands yet have I ever judged it the surest â—â—re to rip it up by Confession and heal it by Contrition And sure I judge that it savours more of a right generous spirit to confesse a fault then to conceal it especially when the party offending is free from malice and the party offended of a nature so noble and full of goodnesse as nothing can be wished to be added unto it and which is yet more and this have you graciously done to me my Lord signed himself with his own hand a true and faithful friend unto him the more to invite him to trust him And trust you I do my Lord and in you next my Gracious Soveraign as much as may be in any arm of flesh The God of Heaven I hope will speak peace to my soul if the King and your Grace will send peace to my heart I trust you will and will pray to God you may that I may in all cheerfulnesse and thankfulnesse ever remain Your Grace's most humble and faithful and obliged servant Jo. Ogle Exester 3. June 1625. Postscript I Beseech your Grace to send some other man to take this Charge which I too weakly for fear of offending by denial have thus far undergone but upon hope of being withdrawn Yet still submit my self to your Graces good pleasure Sir Robert Mansel to the Duke Right Honourable and my singular good Lord HAving used all the possible speed I could to repair to Algier where I should have been by the 15. of March last I held it my dutie humbly to present unto your Lordship the particular account of my proceedings Before my arrival I furnished the two Prizes three Brigandines and a fourth Boat with Eirelocks and combustible materials for the burning of the Pyrats ships within the Moal and had trained my men in the execution of their several duties and likewise appointed a squadron of boats with small shot to rescue the vessels of execution in their advancement and retreat The first night of my arrival being the 21. of May last the vessels of execution were all advanced but by reason of contrary winds they were commanded to retire The second and third nights they were also in a readinesse but were withheld with calmes The fourth night it pleased God to blesse us with a fair Gale and they being advanced again and the two ships with the fire-works having almost recovered the mouth of the Moal the wind to our great grief turned to the opposite point of the Compasse The boats performed their directions in towing of the ships but considering that by the continuance of the course they should expose their principallest men to hazard by reason of the great store of Ordnance and small shot which plyed upon them they debated amongst themselves what to do Capt. Hughes who commanded one of the Brigandines replyed Go on and give the attempt with the boats which they cheerfully pursued crying out without cessation King James King James God blesse King James and fearlesse of danger even in the mouth of the Canon and small shot which showred like haile upon them they fired the ships in many places and maintained the same to the great comfort of us that were spectatours so long as they had any powder left in their bandileers striving in the end who should have the honour to come off last the which at length as a due to his former resolution and courage they left to captain Hughes and so retired all the ships continuing still
their cheerfull cry King James with the loss of 20. that were slain and hurt and leaving the fire flaming up in 7. several places which continued in some of them long after their retreat and being aboard his Majesties ships The cowardly Turks who before durst not shew themselves to so weak a force but from the walls or the tops of their houses so soon as they perceived all the boats retyred opened their ports and Sallied out in 1000. and by the help of so great multitudes and a suddain shower of rain â— seconded with a calme which then happened the fire was after extinguished without doing any more hurt then making two of their ships unserviceable During that Stay there there came out of the Moal only one Frigot which we forced to run on shoare Other service by us there performed was the sinking of one of their best men of war by Sir Thomas Wilford and Captain Chidleigh she was mann'd with a 130. Turks and 12. Christians whereof 12. onely escaped the rest were either slain or drowned which appeared both by the relation of divers Christians which nightly escaped aboard us and by divers of the dead bodies that floted upon the water by our ships We took likewise before their faces in the Bay a Fly-boat which the Pyrats had formerly taken from the Christians and sold to Ligorn In her Merchandize to be exchanged for Pyrats goods and some mony amounting to 2000. and odd pounds the exact account whereof I shall not fayl to addresse to your Lordship as soon as the same is perfected by the councel of War The Turks hereupon presently manned out three Gallyes to reskue here but Captaine Giles and Captain Herbert with the help of three Brigandines which I sent out to second them soon fetcht her up and brought ther unto me and the Gallies were put to flight by Sir Thomas Wilford Captain Pennington and Captain Childlegh During the time of my aboad there after the attempt made by the boates I attended ten dayes for an opportunity to send in the ships with the fire workes to finish the service begun by the boats but in all that time there happened not a breath of wind fit for their attempt notwithstanding the ships were allwayes ready at the instant that they should receive my directions to advance But at last understanding by the Christians that escaped by swimming aboard me how the Pyrats had boomed up the Moales with Masts and Rafts set a double guard upon their ships planted more ordnance upon the Moale and the walls and manned out twenty Boats to guard the Boome and perceiving likewise that they had sent out their Gallies and boates both to the Eastward and Westward to give advce to all the ships upon the Coast that they should not come in during my aboad there and so finding no hope remaining either by stratagem to do service upon them in the Moale or to meet with any more of them in the regard of the daily complaints brought unto me both from some of the Kings ships and most of the Marchants of their want of victuals I resolved by the advice of the Councel of war to set sail whence I made my repair to this place where I met my Brother Roper with your Lordships dirrections which I have received and at the instant obeyed by signifying his Majesties pleasure declared by your Lordships Letter unto the worthie Commanders of those four ships whom his Majestie hath pleased to call home But my Lord in the duty I owe your Lordship and my zeal to his Majesties honour and service I humbly beg your Lordships pardon to advertize your Lordship that seeing we have now made this attempt upon the Pyrates and that they perceive that our intent is to work their utter ruine and confusion the recalling of these his Majesties Forces before the arrival of others in their stead and the bereaving us of so many worthy and experienced Commanders I fear may prove more prejudicial to the service then upon one daies consideration I dare presume to set down in writing by encouraging the Pyrats to put in execution such stratagems upon us as to my knowledge they have already taken into their consideration My reasons for the same I shall be bold upon more mature deliberation to offer in all humblenesse unto your Lordships judicious view either by the Commanders that are to return unto your Lordship or by a messenger which divers of the Councel of War advise to be addressed over land on purpose with the same And so being ready so soon as we have received in our water and dispatched divers other businesses which of necessity must be ordered in this place to set sail for Malega there to receive in our remainder of Victuals and to take my leave of these 4. Ships and such other of the Merchants as cannot be made serviceable in these parts With my endlesse prayers for your Lordships increase of all honour I cease your Lordships farther trouble for the present And rest From aboard the Lion in Alegant Rode 9th June 1621. Your Lordships most humble most faithful and sad servant Robert Mansel Sir Robert Mansel to the Duke Right Honourable and my singular good Lord IT is not unknown unto your Lordship that Sir Thomas Button before his coming out thought himself much wronged in that he did not hold the place of Vice Admiral in this Fleet whereof I must acknowledge him very worthy and that for my part I had ingaged Sir Richard Hawkins a very Grave Religious and experienced Gentleman before I was assured whether Sir Thomas Button would leave his imployment in Ireland or no and that afterwards Sir Thomas Button by your Lordships mediation was contented to undertake the charge he now holdeth which God knowes I laboured for no other end then for the securitie and advancement of his Majesties service by reason of the experience I have had of his sufficiency and ability Since that time I have doubled that injury A wrong was done unto him which cannot be denied he patiently appealed to me for justice which I must confesse I denied him But the name of the person that offered the wrong and the reasons why I denied him Justice I must leave unto Sir Richard Hawkins and Sir Henry Palmer to relate unto your Lordship and if that will not give your Lordship satisfaction I must humbly submit my self to your Lordships Censure Notwithstanding the impression that these injuries took with him yet thus much I must truly confesse in his behalf That there was no man more zealous to advance his Majesties service nor more forward to undergo any danger or hazard then himself whereof he hath given assured testimonie to the World in these three particulars First in the service performed by him on a Christmasse day at night whereof I have formerly advertized your Lordship at large Secondly Then in going over to Algier cheerfully without complaining when his Ship was so grievously infected
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 Turk God grant it be true and yet the pride of the Grand Seignior is not asswaged but he threatens a new attempt in the spring I hope I have hitherto done his Majestie no dishonour nor can I boast of services but being under your Lordships protection I will hope for a good interpretation beseeching you to present my name to his Majestie that I be not forgotten in these great distances wherein my humble fortune hath kept me and as I have observed your Lordship to be the Amparo of those that pretend to virtue and honour and not to desert them till they have forsaken themselves So I beseech you take me upon those conditions which cannot shame you and leave me when I am other then Your Lordships faithful and honest servant Tho. Roe Messina 7 17. Decemb 1621. L. R. H. to the Duke of Buckingham My dear Lord I Have since my departure from you used all diligence in the Princes service and punctually observed all his Commands Onely with the King I have dealt so freely in my relation of the Prince his carriage and your extraordinary care of working his content in all points that I did move him to shed tears in expressing his happinesse for such a son and likewise his good fortune in having a Favourite who is framed according to his own heart in all points Neither have I pressed any thing to injure any farther then my dutie bound me and my faithful love to your service which shall alwaies have a prime place in my heart My Lord there are contrary opinions in Court and City by the one you are much admired for your noble expressions of true honor and love to your King Prince and Country with many observations of your special care and zeal to Religion and your immovable resolution to Contest with all oppositions to the contrary By the other you are maligned and they give it out That you have with your wilfulnesse occasioned these delayes by diverting and changing their waies wherein they had begun to treat but the falsenesse hereof hath been shewen and it appears malice without ground the which though heretofore I have told you not out of any other end then to do you service yet have you so slightly regarded me for it and so much respected those ill-deserving Great ones as if you had intended to receive your enemies into your bosome and to cast off your faithfullest friends yet shall not any usage discourage me from discharging the office of a most loving and zealous affected friend and servant yea insomuch that I will rather displease you in doing you that faithful service that both my honour and love obligeth me to then be silent and they let you run into apparent danger My Lord amongst the protestants your are divulged as much as ill disposed ones dare a Papist Among the Papists it is avowed you are the greatest enemy they have For which reports I am not troubled for they have made you the much more pittyed and as highly esteemd and honoured amongst the most juditious and best deserving subjects as any thing could do And I dare assure you that since your being at Madrid you are much better beloved of all people who have not ends then you were before Noble Lord I find the King both resolute and couragious but wise and secret to my own hearts joy and not to be won upon by the subtil and false policie of any I made it my humble suit upon my knees that he would consent to no proposition of this Spanish Embassadour concerning peace or war till the Princes return Which suite he tooke well at my hands and granted I have told him freely what I observed in Spain both of their manners usage and honestie and left it to his wisedom to make what use he pleased His Majestie longs to see the Prince and you and so do all the subjects and will not be satisfyed with any thing but your speedy return Except you have jelousies put into the Spaniards heads and prevent the danger which will be by hasting the marriage with all possible speed for there are some whose buttons break with venom that you have got so much honour and so well deserved of the King and Prince But you believe me not but think I speak of Spleen when God knowes I never bore any to any man but for your sake Your most vertuous lady mourns for your absence and will not be comforted Your fair Daughter deserves your staying withall and your faithful friends and the good of the Kingdom want you most of all And for your greater comfort the King is so reserved in the Princes affaires as that he neither imparts the businesses of Spain nor his intents therein to any of hit privie Councel Since your pattent the Earl Marshal is become a great stranger at the Court But all men find you so fast revited into the Kings heart that they see it is an impossibility to work you any way displeasure in your absence and therefore forbear to expresse what willingly they would effect but find it in vain to go about it But let not the Kings love to you or their small ability to do you harm make you too carelesse or too credulous of those your enemies last it give too great incouragement to them and too great dishartning to your faithful friends I am sorrie at my being with you at Madrid that you durst not impart those secrets wherein I am sure my faithfulnesse and love unto you would have done you all service as the thing I most desire but I see the zeale of my heart to you is not rightly considered yet am I confident that time will
Prince in the whole world upon whom the Conservation of the publique tranquillity doth more rely then upon your Majestie For there being none that doth equal your Majestie in wisdom and experience possessing your Kingdomes in perfect peace quietnesse and plenty to the infinite praise of your name and being free from the molestation of all stormes and tempests it seemeth that the eyes of all men are turned towards your Majestie as towards a Sun that ought to clear the Skie and that they expect deliverance onely from your hand These resolutions oh most wise King will be the strongest walls upon which your eternity can be reared These will be the Jewels and the crown which will adorn you in earth and in Heaven These will be the immortal Glorie of your powerful name The resolutions in cases of such weight and danger ought to be magnanimous quick and powerful The very noise of your putting in order your royal Navie the sending a person of quality to the place from whence the danger is feared and the declaring your self in favour of those whom you shall find to have the right on their side may perhaps prove sufficient to procure a peace If words will not prevail deeds must follow and such a resolution will prove the true Antidote to all their poysons For the better effecting whereof the world doth attend with great devotion to see a good correspondencie renewed betwixt your Majestie and the French King and for the disposing your Majesties heart thereunto the State of Venice doth joyn her humble prayers unto the earnest intreaty of many others In the mean time I am to request your Majestie that you will be pleased to forbid the exportation of Artillerie ships and Marriners out of our Kingdomes for the service of the Spaniards it being neither just nor agreeable to your Majesties Piety that your Arms should be stayned with the blood of a State and Prince that hath no equal in love to your Royal Crown and that will ever testifie to all the world by effects of their observance the pure and sincere devotion that they have to your Glorious name For my own particular I humbly crave leave to kisse your royal hands Sir Isaac Wake to the Secretarie Right Honourable I Have safely received the Letter wherewith your Honour hath been pleased to favour me dated at Theobalds the 19th of July Stil Vet. and have to my singular comfort understood that you have been pleased not onely to give favourable acceptance unto such weak dispatches as I have made bold to addresse unto you but done me the honour likewise to acquaint his Majestie with the contents of them and to direct my proceedings in in this intricate businesse which instructions dictated by his Majesties wisedom this light will be sufficient to direct my steps in the middest of an Egyptian darknesse which doth not only obscure the Horizon of this Province where I reside but almost the whole face of Europe by reason of the great mists which are cast artificially in all mens eyes to cover the designs of those who do presume that they have in all places arbitrium Belliet Pacis I most humbly crave pardon of your Honour if you do not receive my answer so soon as perhaps you might expect For yours having stayed upon the way a month and a day did not come to my hands until the 20th of August Stil Vet. At which time it was brought unto me by Mr. Rowlandson whom I had dispatched into Germany to advertize those Princes of the motion made to the Duke of Savoy for the passage of Spanish forces through his State My Lord of Doncaster under whose Cover I received that Letter did not think fit to send it to me by an expresse messenger for fear of increasing the suspition of some in those parts who are jealous that his Majesty doth favour the Duke of Savoy more then they could wish And I must confesse that the same reason induced me likewise to send that Gentleman of the Duke of Savoy's into Germany rather then any servant of mine own for fear least allees and vennes of messagers betwixt my Lord of Doucaster and me in these doubtful times might so far injealous the contrary party as might prejudice the service of his Majestie in that Negotiation The instructions that your Honour hath been pleased to give me from his Majestie 52. c. the Duke of Sav. y. 93. a. the Bohemians 95 a. the Emperour Ferdinand 51. a. the King of England 97. a. Germany 99. a. the King of the Romans 71. c. the Agent of England 51. b. the Prince Palatine 52. b. the Marquesse Brandenbergh 54. b. the Marquesse Auspach 50. b. the Princes of the Union 56 b. Count Ernest Mansfelt concerning my treating with 52. c. in favour of 93. a. having reference unto the inclination of 95. a. to peace or the probability of defence to be made by 93. a. I held it more safe for me to govern my self by such informations of the state of those affairs as I have received from the favour of the 1. 32. 7. 5. 47. 48. 2. 10. 40. 45. of 51. a. in 97. a. And for the better justification of my proceedings I send your Honour here inclosed the Copie of his Letter unto me wherein you will see that I have no reason as yet to spend the name of 51. a. in favour of 93. a. nor to imbargue 52. c. in a businesse which may draw a great charge and envie upon himself and not much advantage the 93. a. I must confesse that the 50. b. in general and particularly the 54. b. and the 41. 45. 23. 34. 9. 12. of 5. 35. 22. 4. 30. 50. have represented the state of those affairs at this present unto 52. b. in a manner not onely different from the advertisements sent me but almost contrary and they do seem not only to be confident of the prevailing of 93. c. but likewise they continue to give hope that the 10. 51. 29. 15. of 48. 3. 59. 15. will concur with 51. b. and 52. b. in the 12. 30. 13. 9. 50. 27. 40. 35. of 99. a. But because I have reason to suspect that they make relation of those affairs rather as they wish they were then as they be indeed and that their intention to draw somewhat from 52. c. towards the succours of 93. a. I will forbear to joyn with them therein until I can have some better ground then their advertisements which may be thought to savour of partiality and I have reason to be backward therein because I know that 52. c. would presently take me eu mot and put to the account of 51. a. that which he is most willing to do of himself I do not affirm this out of conjecture but upon good ground for besides that he did signifie so much unto me at my return out of England I do know that within this fortnight he hath sent unto 56. b. 3000. 41. 24. 48. 49.
his Correspondence with the Popes Ministers as long as he doth live under the protection of his Majestie but when I understood that the Duke had lodged him in a prison with an intent to send him to Venice I was glad that I had so little to do with him and the Nuntio so much The Duke of Savoy doth assure himself that when his Majestie shall have perused this Letter of Signiour Donato's he will withdraw his countenance and protection from him and account him unworthy of any favour for having wronged in so high a degree a Prince that is so much a servant of his Majestie I may not likewise conceal from his Majesties knowledge that Signiour Donato hath not been wanting to ruine as far as he could Padre Paolo and Fulgentio in Venice two persons that have done his Majestie very long and faithful service as by an inclosed Paper your Honour may see which is an abstract of a Letter written from Fulgentio The Prince of Piedmont having made a posting voyage hither to receive his Fathers blessing before he bring his Lady in the Country I did present unto him his Majesties Letters of Congratulation whereunto he hath returned an answer which I send here inclosed So with my hearty prayers unto Almighty God for the preservation of his Majesties Person in all happinesse and prosperity in all humility I take leave And rest Your Honours Most faithfully to command Isaac Wake Turin 3 15 of Octob. 1619. Sir Isaac Wake to the Duke Right Honourable and my very singular good Lord IN these parts we have nothing of moment worthy the relating the storms which do vex our neighbours round about us keeping us here in calme and quiet as it were per antiperistasin Howsoever I am of opinion that we shall enter into the Dance either actively or passively before the next summer passe over All over Italy there doth raign a great dearth which did lately cause in Naples a dangerous Cullevation of the people against the Cardinal Zappata Vice-Roy who had somewhat to do to save himself from the fury of the Popolarzo In the State of Millan likewise some insurrections were beginning to be made in Novarra Allessandria and Cremona both for want of bread and for the insolencie of the Garrison Souldiers who having had no pay for many moneths did commit many violent excesses upon the people which did drive them into despair but those Commotions were appeased betimes and no great matter of Consideration hath ensued although there are some neighbour Princes who did stand aux Escoutes and would be ready to have acted a troublesome part if the scene had been ready The Duke of Parma hath imprisoned his natural son Don Octavie the mysterie whereof is not well known but it must needs be for some great matter because he did make shew to love him passionately The Infanta Isabella of Modena hath been in danger of her life by being surprized with a violent feaver neer the time of her child-birth from hence the Duke of Savoy sent his Physitians to help her and we hear now that she hath escaped that danger and is safely delivered of a daughter Count Mansfelt is grown formidable and doth daily increase in strength and reputation Although he hath hitherto intitled his armes unto the service of the King of Bohemia yet I believe he will neither disarm nor suspend his arms when he shall be commanded so to do by that King For being now intertained by the State of Venice with an honourable provision of 12000. Crowns per annum in peace during his life and the pay of 10000 Foot and 2000 horse in the time of War he will try what he can do for the infranchising of the Grisons when the affairs of the Palatinate shall be accommodated And if the Austriaci do not bend all their forces against him very speedily and break his Armie before it grow more strong he is like to give them a greater blow then they have had these many yeares That which he hath gotten already in Alsatia is much more worth then the lower Palatinate and although he hath hitherto made those people to swear Allegiance unto the King of Bohemia yet when the said King shall make his peace with the Emperour it may be doubted whether Count Mansfelt will resign up what he hath conquered and it is thought that he will either keep it for himself or intitle some other Prince thereunto The Austriaci were never so matched as with Count Mansfelt for he is a perpetual motion and doth not stand upon the defensive as others have done hitherto and lost by the bargain but he is alwaies setting upon them and doth make War at their cost let them take heed how they proceed with him for he who hath nothing to lose is ready to hazard the Paquet upon all occasions And if he do chance to overthrow them once in battel they will run danger or lose all that they have in Germany Let me in all humility beseech your Lordship to continue me in the honor of your good opinion and to favour me with your honourable protection especially with a good word to my Lord Treasurer for the sending me some relief without which I cannot possibly subsist having for want of my pay consumed all that I had in the world God Almighty increase upon your Lordship all happinesse and prosperity as is unfainedly wished unto you by him that is Your Lordships most humble obliged Creature and Servant Isaac Wake Turin 13 23. of Febr. 1621. Sir Isaac VVakes Proposition for the King of Denmark IT seemeth that the Glorie of this State which at all times was great doth shine brighter now adayes since that besides so many Neighbouring Kings and Princes whereof some are in a made league with us and some do keep a good correspondence and all a good intelligence with us Now the friendship of your Highnesse is sought by the mighty King of Denmark a monarch of those nations that in time past have left their remembrance of their prowesse in Italie France Spain and in whole Europe behind them This Great King of the Nâ—â—th who like a Second Atlas holds up the Artick-pole rich in treasure numerous in men dreadful for his invincible generosity and Courage doth here offer himself unto your Highnesse And acquainting you of his actions doth confidently promise you to stand firm and stout in the defence of the common cause if so be that he receive that assistance as he hath reason to expect from those that are interested in the same cause His Majestie of Denmark hath had from the King my Master as much as can be given and it is no small matter that his Majestie of great Brittain doth still continue the same assistance having withall still those great expences that are required for the surety of his Realmes and for the offence of the common enemie His Majestie of France hath also contributed to this good work somewhat and there is great
hope that he will bring forth in a short time some fit remedie against this evill The Lords States do as much as they are able And the Princes of Low Saxonie do not want in their duties There remaineth now that your Highnesse put also your powerful hand to this work and with a vigorous succour worthie of your great heart do incourage all the rest to continue their Emprese The two Kings are not ignorant of the great sincerity wherewith this most Excellent State doth observe the capitulations made with Allies of the league and that rather then to be wanting in things agreed upon you have surpassed in necessarie provisions for the advancement of the designs and that you have not been partakers nor agreers of the treaty made at Moncon But that you do continue to keep some forces in your Dominions and likewise some troops in the Valtoline for the effecting as much as is in you of what was first thought fit and of the agreement of the League And as that generous resolution and constancie of this State is never enough praised so there is great hope that you will not bring this same in the reckoning of the two Kings who never will misse to praise the wisdome and generositie of this State though not obliged for their particular for any thing whatsoever done till now either by the league in general or by whomsoever of the united in particular because that the league was made two years and more before his Majestie of great Brittain broke with Spain or that the King of Denmark had declared himself Since the time that these two Kings are come to the Dance your Highnesse hath not levied one man and the Forces which you do yet keep as they were not levied so are they not maintained in Contemplation of the two Kings but onely for the first reasons of the League The onely thing here sought for is to go with a common pace that those that are now too heavily laden may be supported by their friends either by way of diversion or by way of assistance And therefore your Highnesse and other Princes are now requested to help seeing there is small appearance of diversion And set the case that the Peace between Spain and France should be firm would it not turn against the Common Cause Italiae incendium ruina Germaniae extinguere To quench a little fire in Italy by the ruine of whole Germany In Chronical diseases Physitians do not so much respect the symptomes and accidents as they do the causes of the evil The Valtoline Palatinate Hussia Marchisat of Baden Dukedome of Brunswick and so many other Countries attempted and oppressed by the Spanish and Austrian usurpation are grievous and dangerous symptomes and accidents but the Cause and fewel of the evil remains yet in the ambitious bowels of the Spaniard who now with spread sailes goeth on towards the universal Monarchie unlesse there be applied betimes some fit remedies all topick remedies will do but little good The King of Denmark doth offer himself ready to apply such an issue whereby he may be brought back to terms of modestie and with the assistance he doth expect from your Highnesse and other interessed Princes he hopeth to bring his good intent to passe And being prodigal of his great Soul there is no doubt he will ever go back unlesse he be forsaken Thus there remains the Common liberty almost in your hands and if this most excellent Senate resolves to give ayd unto that King that libertie will be preserved If you do forsake him that will also be indangered yea lost I therefore beseech your Highnesse to ponder well this matter and to grant such an assistance as is requested by the King of Denmarks Embassadour Sir Henry Wootton to the Duk. My most Noble Lord I Will be bold by this opportunity to give his Majestie through your Lordships hands an accompt of a Command which I had from him at Theobalds about sounding how the Venetian Embassadour stood satisfied with the late determination touching his predecessour Donato I did visit the said Embassadour immediatly at my return from the King and saluted him as by expresse Commandment interjecting some words of mine own gladnesse that he had received contentment in this tender point which would signalize his beginnings This I said because in truth I had found him alwaies before the more passionate in it by some reflection upon himself His answer after due thanks for his Majesties gracious remembrance of him from abroad was That for his own part he was Contentissimo and had represented things home in the best manner He hoped likewise it would be well tasted there also though with some doubt because the State out of their own devotion towards his Majestie might form a confidence of expecting more I replyed that the King upon the matter if we consider disgrace had done more then themselves for he was but once banished at Venice and twice here viz. once from the Verge of the Court and secondly from London which was as much as could be done with preservation of National immunities and more then would have been done at the suit of any other Embassadour here resident or perhaps of any of their own hereafter if the like case shall occur For as I told him it was the Kings expresse will that his particular respect to the republique and to him in this businesse should not be drawn into examples With this point he was not a little pleased for his own glory and said that indeed Mr. Secretarie Nanton had told him so This was the summe of what passed between us omitting impertinencies Let me end my dear Lord as I am bound in all the use either of my pen or of my voice with an humble and hearty acknowledgment of my great obligations towards your Lordship which will make me resolve and in good faith unhappy till I can some way shew my self Your Lordships most thankful and faithful servant Henry Wootton 25th of January 1619. Sir Henry Wotton to the Duke My most honoured Lord and Patron THese poor lines will be presented unto your Lordship by my Nephew one of your obliged servants and withal some description as I have prayed him of my long infirmities which have cast me behind in many private and often interrupted even my publique Duties with which yet I do rather seek to excuse some other defects of service then my silence towards your Lordship For to importune your Lordship seldom with my pen is a choice in me and not a disease having resolved to live at what distance soever from your sight like one who had well studied before I came hither how secure they are whom you once vouchsafe any part of your love And indeed I am well confirmed therein by your own gracious lines for thereby I see that your Lordship had me in your meditation when I scant remembred my self In answer of which Letter after some respite from mine own evils I have
deputed my said Nephew to redeliver my fortune into your Noble hands and to assure your Lordship that as it should be cheerfully spent at your Command if it were present and actual from whose mediation I have derived it so much more am I bound to yeeld up unto your Lordship an absolute disposition of my hopes But if it should please you therein to grant me any part of mine own humour then I would rather wish some other satisfaction then exchange of Office yet even in this point likewise shall depend on your will which your Lordship may indeed challenge from me not onely by an humble gratitude and reverence due to your most worthy person but even by that natural charity and discretion which I owe my self For what do I more therein then onely remit to your own arbitrement the valuation of your own goodnesse I have likewise committed to my foresaid Nephew some Memorials touching your Lordships familiar service as I may term it in matter of art and delight But though I have laid these Offices upon another yet I joy with mine own pen to give your Lordship an account of a Gentleman worthier of your love then I was of the honour to receive him from you We are now after his well-spent travailes in the Townes of purer language married again till a second Divorce for which I shall be sorry whensoever it shall happen For in truth my good Lord his conversation is both delightful and fruitful and I dare pronounce that he will return to his friends as well fraught with the best observations as any that hath ever sifted this Countrie which indeed doth need sisting for there is both flower and bran in it He hath divided his abode between Sienna and Rome The rest of his time was for the most part spent in motion I think his purpose be to take the French tongue in his way homewards but I am perswading with him to make Bruxels his Seat both because the French and Spanish Languages are familliar there whereof the one will be after Italian a sport unto him so as he may make the other a labour And for that the said Town is now the scene of an important Treatie which I fear will last till he come thither but far be from me all ominous conceit I will end with cheerful thoughts and wishes beseeching the Almighty God to preserve your Lordship in health and to cure the publique diseases And so I ever remain Your Lordships Most devoted obliged servant Henry Wotton Venice 29. of July 1622. Sir Henry Wotton to the Duke My most honoured and dear Lord TO give your Lordship occasion to exrecise your Noble nature is withal one of the best exercises of mine own duty and therefore I am consident to passe a very charitable motion through your Lordships hands and mediation to his Majestie There hath long lay in the prison of Inquisition a constant worthy Gentleman viz. Mr. Mole In whom his Majestie hath not only a right as his subject but likewise a particular interest in the cause of his first imprisonment For having communicated his Majesties immortal work touching the alleagiance due unto Soveraign Princes with a Florentine of his familiar acquaintance this man took such impression at some passages as troubling his conscience he took occasion at next shrift to confer certain doubts with his Confessor who out of malitious curiosity enquiring all circumstances gave afterwards notice thereof to Rome whither the said Mole was gone with my Lord Rosse who in this storie is not without blame but I will not disquiet his Grave Now having lately heard that his Majestie at the suite of I know not what Embassadours but the Florentine amongst them is voiced for one was pleased to yield some releasement to certain restrained persons of the Roman faith I have taken a conceit upon it that in exchange of his clemencie therein the Great Duke would be easily moved by the Kings Gracious request to intercede with the Pope for Mr. Moles delivery To which purpose if it shall please his Majestie to grant his Royal Letters I will see the businesse duely pursued And so needing no arguments to commend this proposition to his Majesties goodnesse but his goodnesse it self I leave it as I began in your Noble hand Now touching your Lordships familiar service as I may term it I have sent the complement of your bargain upon the best provided and best manned ship that hath been here in long time called the Phoenix and indeed the cause of their long stay hath been for some such sure vessel as I might trust About which since I wrote last to your Lordship I resolved to fall back to my first choice So as now the one peece is the work of Titian wherein the least figure viz the child in the Virgins lap playing with a bird is alone worth the price of your expence for all four being so round that I know not whether I shall call it a piece of sculpture or picture and so lively that a man would be tempted to doubt whether nature or art had made it The other is of Palma and this I call the speaking piece as your Lordship will say it may well be tearmed for except the Damosel brought to David whom a silent modesty did best become all the other figures are in discourse and action They come both distended in their frames for I durst not hazard them in rowles the youngest being 25. yeares old and therefore no longer supple and pliant With them I have been bold to send a dish of Grapes to your Noble Sister the Countesse of Denbigh presenting them first to your Lordships view that you may be pleased to passe your censure whether Italians can make fruits as well as Flemmings which is the common Glorie of their pencils By this Gentleman I have sent the choicest Melon seeds of all kinds which his Majestie doth expect as I had order both from my Lord of Holdernesse and from Mr. Secretary Calvert And although in my Letter to his Majestie which I hope by your Lordships favour himself shall have the honour to deliver together with the said seeds I have done him right in his due attributes yet let me say of him farther as Architects use to speake of a well chosen foundation that your Lordship nay boldly builde what fortune you please upon him for surely he will bear it virtuously I have committed to him for the last place a private memorial touching my self wherein I shall humbly beg your Lordships intercession upon a necessarie motive And so with my heartiest prayers to heaven for your continuall health and happinesse I most humbly rest Your Lordships Ever obliged devoted Servant Henry Wotton Venice 2 12. Decemb. 1622. Postscript MY Noble Lord it is one of my duties to tell your Lordship that I have sent a servant of mine by profession a Painter to to make a search in the best townes through Italie for some principal pieces
which I hope may produce somewhat for your Lordships contentment and service Sir Henry Wotton to the Duke May it please your Grace HAving some daies by sicknesse been deprived of the comfort of your sight who did me so much honour at my last Accesse I am bold to make these poor lines happier then my self And withal to represent unto your Grace whose noble Patronage is my refuge when I find any occasion to bewail mine own fortune a thing which seemeth strange unto me I am told I know not how truly that his Majestie hath already disposed the Venetian Embassage to Sir Isaac Wake from whose sufficiency if I should detract it would be but an argument of my own weaknesse But that which herein doth touch me I am loath to say in point of reputation surely much in my livelihood as Lawyers speak is that thereby after 17. years of forraign in continual imployment either ordinary or extraordinary I am left utterly destitute of all possibility to subsist at home much like those Seale Fishes which sometimes as they say oversleeping themselves in an ebbing water feel nothing about them but a dry shoare when they awake Which comparison I am fain to seek among those Creatures not knowing among men that have so long served so gracious a Master any one to whom I may resemble my unfortunate barenesse Good my Lord as your Grace hath vouchsafed me some part of your Love so make me worthy in this of some part of your Compassion So I humbly rest Your Graces c. Henry Wotton Sir Henry Wotton to the Duke My most Noble Lord VVHen like that impotent man in the Gospel I had lyen long by the Pooles side while many were healed and none would throw me in it pleased your Lordship first of all to pity my infirmities and to put me into some hope of subsisting hereafter Therefore I most humbly and justly acknowledge all my ability and reputation from your favour You have given me encouragement you have valued my poor endeavours with the King you have redeemed me from ridiculousnesse who had served so long without any mark of favour By which arguments being already and ever bound to be yours till either life or honestie shall leave me I am the bolder to beseech your Lordship to perfect your own work and to draw his Majestie to some settling of those things that depend between Sir Julius Caesar and me in that reasonable form which I humbly present unto your Lordship by this my Nephew likewise your obliged servant being my self by a late indisposition confined to my Chamber but in all estates such as I am Your Lordships Henry Wotton Sir Henry VVotton to the Earl of Portland Lord Treasurer My most honoured Lord I Most humbly present though by some infirmities a little too late a straying new years guift unto your Lordship which I will presume to term the cheapest of all that you have received and yet of the richest Materials In short it is only an image of your self drawn by memorie from such discourse as I have taken up here and there of your Lordship among the most intelligent and unmalignant men Which to portraict before you I thought no servile office but ingenious and real And I could wish that it had come at that day that so your Lordship might have begun the new year somewhat like Platos definition of felicity with the contemplation of your own Idea They say that in your forraign imployments under King James your Lordship wan the the opinion of a very able and searching judgment having been the first discoverer of the intentions against the Palatinate which were then in brewing and masqued with much art and that Sir Edward Conway got the Start of you both in title and imployment because the late Duke of Buckingham wanted then for his own ends a Martial Secretarie They say that under our present Soveraign you were chosen to the highest charge at the lowest of the State when some instrument was requisite of indubitable integrity and provident moderation which atributes I have heard none deny you They discourse thus of your actions since that though great exhaustations cannot be cured without suddain remedies no more in a Kingdom then in a natural body yet your Lordship hath well allayed those blustring clamours wherewith at your beginning your house was in a manner daily besieged They note that there hath been made changes but that none hath brought to the place a judgment so cultivated and illuminated with various erudition as your Lordship since the Lord Burleigh under Queen Elizabeth whom they make your paralel in the ornament of knowledg They observe in your Lordships divers remarkable combinations of virtues and abilityes rarely sociable In the character of your aspect a mixture of Authority and Modestie In the faculties of your mind quick apprehension and solidity together in the stile of your Porte and Trayn as much dignity and as great dependencie as was ever in any of your place and with little noise and outward form That your Table is very abundant free and noble without Luxurie That you are by nature no flatterer and yet of greatest power in Court That you love magnificence and frugality both together That you entertain your Guests and Visitours with noble Courtesie and voyd of Complement Lastly that you maintain a due regard to your person and place and yet no enemy to froath-formalities Now in the discharge of your function they speak of two things that have done you much honour viz. that you had alwaies a special care to the supply of the Navie And likewise a more worthy and tender respect towards the Kings only sister for the continual support from hence then she hath found before They observe your Greatnesse as firmly established as ever was any of the love and which is more in the estimation of a King who hath so signalized his Constancie besides your additions of strength or at least of lustre by the noblest alliances of the Land Amongst these notes it is no wonder if some observe that between a good willingnesse in your affections to satisfie all and impossibility in the matter and yet an importunity in the persons there doth now and then I know not how arise a little impatience which must needs fall on your Lordship unlesse you had been cut out of a Rock of Diamonds especially having been long before so conversant with liberal studies and with the freedom of your own mind Now after this short Collection touching your most honoured Person I beseech you give me leave to adde likewise a little what men say of the Writer They say I want not your gracious good will towards me according to the degrees of my poor talent and Travailes but they say I am wanting to my self And in good faith my Lord in saying so they say the truth For I am condemned I know not how by nature to a kind of unfortunate bashfulnesse in mine own businesse
and it is now too late to put me in a new Furnace Therefore It must be your Lordships proper work and not onely your Noble but even your charitable goodnesse that must in some blessed hour remember me God give your Lordship many healthful and joyful years and the blessing of that Text Beatus qui attendit ad attenuatum And so I remain with all humble and willing heart At your Lordships command Henry Wotton Sir Richard Weston to the Duke May it please your Lordship I Fear I have taken too much of that liberty of not writing you were pleased to allow me by Sir George Goring but I hope your Lordship will measure my devotion to serve you by no other rule then your own interest and desert For as I understand by Sir George Goring how often I come in your thoughts and how great a part I have in your Cares so is there no man to whom I would more willingly give daily account of my self then to your Lordship to whose grace and favour I owe so much I forbear to trouble your Lordship with any relation of businesse because I presume your Lordship is acquainted with all my dispatch and it is not long since I intreated my Lord Treasurer to tell your Lordship what I thought of things then I have yet little reason to change my opinion And if your Lordship please to know the state of things now I have sent this Gentleman the Bearer hereof especially to do your Lordship reverence in my name and to give you full information For my return or stay I humbly submit it to his Majesties pleasure Though this Negotiation be like to spin it self out into much length I weigh not my own interest I shall willingly be there where I shall be thought most able to do his Majestie service And so intreating that I may be continued in that good opinion and grace wherein your Lordships own affection not any merit of mine hath placed me I humbly kisse your hands And remain Your Lordships Faithful and devoted servant Rich. Weston Bruxels 26. June 1622. Sir Richard Weston to the Duke My very good Lord I Have understood by my Lord Treasurer the way you have made with his Majestie for my calling home for which this present doth give your Lordship most humble thanks though I have forborn to presse or sollicit it because I would approve my obedience to his Majestie and take away from them all occasion who otherwise might have accused my departure and imputed the want of successe here to my want of patience to expect an answer I have almost in all my Dispatches since we entred into this Treaty signified what opinion I had of their proceedings here and my chief comfort was that whatsoever the successe were that the clearnesse of his Majesties intentions would appear to the whole world and that the failing is not of his side which I think is manifest enough for notwithstanding that his Majestie hath followed them in all their desires and the Prince Electour hath conformed himself to what was demanded that the Count Mansfelt and Duke of Brunswick the pretended obstacles of the Treatie are now with all their Forces removed No face of an enemy in the Palatinate but his Majesties power in the Garrisons All other places repossessed which Mansfelt had taken No cause of continuing any War now nor any cause of jealousie or fear for the future considering his Majesties fair and honourable offers yet are they so far from a cessation that they are fallen upon Heidelbergh and either want the will or power to remove the siege And all I can get is two Letters of intreatie from her Highnesse to the chiefs of the Emperour to proceed no further and after some 18. daies since I made my proposition for the Cessation I have yet no answer so that being able to raise no more doubts they make use of delayes I have said and done and used all diligences within my power to bring forth better effects and can go no farther and therefore I humbly beseech your Lordship that I may have leave to return when I shall hear that they will not remove the siege at Heidelbergh For their pretending to restore all when all is taken is a poor comfort to me and as little honour to his Majestie and how far they are to be believed in that is to be examined more exactly then by writing by weighing how the weak hopes given me here agree with the strong assurances given by my Lord Digbie out of Spain I hope therefore his Majestie will be pleased to think it reasonable to speak with me and as your Lordship hath ever been a happie and gentle star to me so have I now more need of your favourable aspect then ever that his Majestie may receive my obedience as a sacrifice and interpret well of all my endeavours what successe so ever I bring home with me Wherein humbly intreating your Lordships wonted grace and favour I humbly kisse your hands and vow unto you the faithful observance of Your Lordships Most humble and devoted Servant Richard Weston Bruxels 3d. of Septemb. 1622. Sir Richard Weston to the Duke May it please your Grace YOur Grace shall adde much to the infinite favours I have received from you to read a few lines from me much more to vouchsafe them an answer which I am the more bold to begg and the more hopeful to obtain because I understand by Sir George Goring that howsoever I have had many ill offices done me your Grace will not easily depart from that opinion you have hithertâ— conceived of me for which I humbly thank your Grace and intreat the continuance of it no longer then I shall be able to make good the integritie of my heart unto you But that which with all humilitie and importunitie I sue for at your Graces hands is to let me know my Accuser and if your Grace think it unseasonable now that I may have a promise to know him at your return Whatsoever or how great soever he be though respect and reverence of those eyes which shall read these lines make me forbear ill language now I shall dare to tell him whatsoever becomes a wronged innocence to say In the mean time I despise him if there be any such that hath accused me since your Graces departure to have done or said or given way to the hearing of any thing that may be wrested to the impeachment of my faith and sincere professions towards your Grace and yet till it come to the tryal I relie as I wrote to Sir George Goring no lesse upon your Graces wisdome and goodnesse then my own innocencie that such Calumnies shall not lessen the estimation I had with you wherein being most confident praying for the continuance and increase of your Graces honour and happinesse I remain Your Graces Most humble and devoted servant Richard Weston 17. July 1623. Sir Richard Weston to the Duke May it please your
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 eleernesse 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 appear you are the more willing to do it for my earnest intreatie My Lord you shall not onely hereby oblige all my Lord of Oxford's friends but likewise the Lady Diana's who doth lose a great deal of precious time by my Lords imprisonment and therefore let all be arguments to excite your noble heart to procure his freedome And so I kisse your hands and rest More yours then his own H. R. Postscript PRay make all haste from Spain for neither are your pleasures and contents so great there as you may find them here neither have you so faithful friends there as you deserve but sure I am your have many false ones For I have work enough both in Court and Citie to falsifie their reports of you yea some of them about women very base ones and much tending to your great dishonour And it goes currant among very great ones that the Prince hath been somewhat displeased with you of late I have sent you another Letter of larger contents and I should be glad to hear from you King James to Pope Gregorie 15th 30. September 1622. James by the Grace of God King of great Brittain France and Ireland Defender of the faith c. To the most Holy Father Pope Gregorie the 15th greeting and all manner of Felicitie Most Holy Father YOur Holinesse will perhaps marvel that we differing from you in point of Religion should now first salute you with our Letters Howbeit such is the trouble of our mind for these calamitous discords and bloudsheds which for these late years by past have so miserably rent the Christian World and so great is our care and daily sollicitude to stop the course of these growing evils betimes so much as in us lies as we could no longer abstain considering that we all worship the same most blessed Trinitie nor hope for salvation by any other means then by the bloud and merits of our Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus but breaking this silence to move your Holinesse by these our Letters friendly and seriously that you would be pleased together with us to put your hand to so pious a work and so worthy of a Christian Prince It is truly to be wished and by all means to be endeavoured that this mischief creep on no farther but that these storms at the last ceasing and the rancor being removed by which they were at the first raised the hearts of these Princes whom it any way concerns may be re-united in a firm and unchangeable friendship and as much as may be knit together in stricter obligations then before one unto another This we have alwaies had in our desires and to bring it to passe have not hitherto spared any labour or pains not doubting but your Holinesse out of your singular pietie and for the credit and authoritie that you have with the parties both may and will further this work in an extraordinary manner No way can any man better merit of the state of Christendome which if it shall take the desired effect in your daies and by your assistance your Holinesse shall worthily reap the glorie and the reward due to so excellent a work That which remains for us further to say concerning this matter this Gentleman our Subject George Gage will deliver unto you more at large Praying your Holinesse that you will give him in all things full credence and belief beseeching Almightie God from our heart to preserve you in safetie and to grant you all other happinesse From our Palace at Hampton Court the last of Septemb. 1622. Pope Gregorie the 15th to the Prince of Wales Most Noble Prince Health and light of Divine Grace c. GReat Brittain abounding with worthy men and fertile virtues so that the whole earth is full of the glorie of her renown induceth many times the thoughts of the great Shepherd to the consideration of her praises In regard that presently in the infancie of his Church the King of kings vouchsafed to choose her with so great affection for his inheritance that almost it seems there entred into her at the same time the Eagles of the Roman Standard and the Ensigns of the Crosse And not few of her Kings indoctrinated in the true knowledge of Salvation gave example of Christian pietie to other Nations and after-ages preferring the Crosse to the Scepter and the defence of Religion to the desire of Command So that meriting heaven thereby the Crown of eternal blisse they obtained likewise upon earth the lustre and glorious ornaments of sanctitie But in this time of the Brittanicks Church how much is the case altered yet we see that to this day the English Court is fenced and guarded with moral virtues which were sufficient motives to induce us to love this Nation it being some ornament to the Christian name if it were likewise a defence and sanctuarie of Catholique virtues Wherefore the more the glorie of your most Serene Father and the property of your naturall disposition delighteth us the more ardently we desire that the gates of Heaven should be opened unto you and that you should purchase the universal love of the Church For whereas that the Bishop Gregorie the Great of most pious memorie introduced amongst the English people and taught their Kings the Gospel and a reverence to the Apostolical Authority we much inferiour to him in virtue and sanctity as equal in name and height of dignity it is reason we should follow his most holy steps and procure the salvation of those Kingdomes especiallie most Serene Prince there being great hopes offered to us at this time of some successeful issue of your determination Wherefore you having come to Spain and the Court of the Catholique King with
Accompts of his Revenue chiefly if they can as they mainly desire they will now dazle him in the beginning of his reign 10. King James and King Charles lastly are the Dukes Accusers my meaning is with all humble reverence to their Honours and Memories and to speak in the sence of the House of Commons both their Majesties are Conjuncta Persona in all the aspersions that are laid upon the Duke For instance The Parliaments money destined for the Wars spent in the Treaties Messages Embassadours and Entertainments of the Kings marriage and the burial of his Father and the War in the name of the Count Palatine the Breach of both the Treaties which then Canonized the Duke but now is made evidence against him the Honours and Offices conferred upon him by King James That his Majestie might with his own Councels direct their managing the setting forth of the Navy though to the Duke 's great charge by both their Commandments the Match with France and generally whatsoever hath not been successeful to mens expectations All these though the Acts of the Kings are imputed to the Duke who if he suffer for obeying his Soveraigns the next attempt will be to call the King to accompt for any thing he undertakes which doth not prosperously succeed as all men would desire it If it please his Majestie to remove and set aside all these disadvantages He shall find the Charge laid against the Duke will prove very empty and of small moment And for them if his Majestie and the Duke's Grace think it no impeachment to their Honors all that the Parliament hath objected against the Duke is pardoned at the Kings Coronation which benefit every poor Subject enjoyeth Three things onely excepted which may most easily be answered Mr. Ch. Th. to the Duke of Buckingham My Lord IT is intimated to your Lordship first that you would procure his Majestie to desire the Lords to choose six or so many as you shall think fit of whom they have most confidence to attend him to morrow morning to whom his Majestie may be pleased to declare That he hath endeavoured to divert the charges against your Lordship because his Majestie hath had sound knowledge and experience of the service and fidelity though in outward shew the contrarie might justly appear and because also he saw it was urged with a great deal of private spleen and perhaps not without some Papisticall device of troubling his Majesties businesse in Parliament but seeing no suite or perswasion could prevail to appease the distempered course his Majestie is now forced and so pleased to reveal some secrets and Arcana of State which otherwise in the wisedom of Kings were unfit to be opened Here his Majestie may let them know that the King his Father finding the Palatinate more then in danger to be lost and after his Majestie being in Spain and there deluded and his abode and return both unsafe It was a necessity of State to sweeten and content the Spaniards with a hope of any thing that might satisife and redeem those ingagements and therefore willed your Lordship to yield discreetlie to what you should find they most desired and this was chiefly the point of religion so as in this and all of the like kind your Lordship upon his Majesties knowledge was commanded and but the instrument trusted by your Master in this exigent or if you will extremitie And this with other more Potent overtures such as your Lordship best understands may Cancel all those objections of that nature Upon this same ground though not in so high a degree the sending of the ships to Rochel may be excused and this is not the least fault objected in the opinion of the wisest Touching the vast creation of Nobility his Majestie may ask those six Lords whereof perchance some of them may be concerned in this article whether they conceive any reason of King James his doing herein to which I suppose they will stand mute Then his Majestie may say I will tell you and therein discover a truth and a secret of State My Father who was born a King and had long experience of that Regiment especiallie more traversed in this point then perhaps ever any King found that this State inclined much to Popularitie a thing apparent universallie in all the Courts viz. in that of Star-chamber which was at first erected to restrain the insolence of Great men in great outrages but now for every pettie offence the meanest Tennant may be bold to call thither his Lord. A thing also appearing in the sawcie approaches of the Puritans upon the Bishops and plainely in the boldnesse of the house of Commons against the Kings pattents and edicts which in all good times out of their necessity have been powerful And especiallie this humour hath been comforted by the sturdie example of the Neighbour States of the Low-countries as in their insolencies in the East-Indies c. From this place an inticing voice hath sounded in our eares of libertie and freedom though indeed a feigned voyce and but in sound unsound I say when the king my Father had well beheld these things he could not foresee a remedie more proper or easier as being unserviceable and in his own gripe then to inlarge the number of his Nobles that these being dispersed into several Counties might as lambs of Soveraigntie in protection of their own degrees and at their own charge inure the people with respect and obedience to greatnesse and yet not to amate and discourage them he thought good to raise some neer or of their own rank whereby they might see themselves in possibility of the like honour if either by virtue wealth or honestie they make themselves worthie This I protest was a child of my Fathers best judgment in this poynt and the Duke but the instrument thereof And if you say that there was mony many times given for these Honours nay if you say that mony hath been given for places of Clergie and Judicature I pray take this of me that this is so in all other Countries as in France and Spain And those Councels seem a little to smile at our dulnesse that we have so lately apprehended their soundnesse herein for say they when men pay well for such places it is the best kind of security for their honesties especially when sayling in their dutie they shall be sure to be as much punished as they were advanced Howbeit I am not satisfied in this opinion And if it be said that the King should have had the mony which the Duke took to his own use I believe this last is more then any can prove neither will I deliver what I know therein Howsoever it matters not much being no popular disbursment Only this I will say that I know the Dukes particular service and affection to me and that he and his will lay down themselves and all they have at my Feet Neither is this bare opinion since the Duke alone
wished conjunction How much greater need then hath it of a hastie and happie dispatch And what comfort can the Prince have in her when her friends shall have utterly ruined his Sister and all her babes you remember how your self praysed his Majesties wisdom in the election of so fit a Minister as Sir Richard Weston in this businesse but you saw what desperate Letters he writes from time to time of their cold and unjust treating with him in this businesse you could not but wonder at any spark of Patience could be left us here and to conclude this point in a word we ever received comfortable words from Spain but find such contrary effects from Bruxelles together with our intelligences from all other parts of the world as all our hopes are not only cold but quite extinguished here Thus far for the By and yet such a By as may put by the main if it be not well and speedily prevented As to the Main which is the match his Majestie and we all here thought we had done our part and put the ball at your foot when wee agreed upon the twentie and five Atticles more whereupon as your self often answered and assured us the best Divines in Spain concluded that the Pope not only might but ought to grant a dispensation to this marriage but now we are surcharged with a number of new Articles from Rome and in the mean time the Dispensation is as far off as ever it was His Majestie hopes that you are not ignorant that the treatie is between him and your Master He hath no treatie with Rome neither lyes it in his way to dispute with them upon this question yet that his readinesse to imbrace your Masters friendship may the better appear he is contented to yield to so many of their demands as either his Conscience Honour or safetie can permit if so the King your Master shall think it necessarie But on the other part we three remember that when as you first moved this match unto him and perswaded him to break off with France you then promised that he should be pressed to nothing in this businesse that should not be agreeable to his conscience and honour and stand with the love of his people As to the particular Articles new added at Rome I will not clogg this paper with them which I fear without them will be too troublesome unto you For what his Majesties opinion is of them his Majesties Embassadour there will particularly acquaint you But whereas the Pope desires in the end of his Articles that he may see what ponum publicum the King our Master will grant unto that may perswade to grant this dispensation I will remit it to your conscience and knowledge whether if the favours his Majestie daily grants to those of his religion and is resolved still to continue if not to increase them if they shall by their good behaviour deserve it be not a real bonum publicum considering that if the match should break off which God forbid his Majestie would be importunatly urged by his people to whose assistance he must have his recourse to give life and execution to all the penal Lawes now hanging upon their heads It only rests now that as we have put the ball to your foot you take a good and speedie resolution there to hasten a happy conclusion of this match The Prince is now two and twenty years of age and so a year more then full ripe for such a businesse the King our Master longeth to see an issue proceed from his Loins and I am sure you have reason to expect more friendship from the posterity that shall proceed from him and that little Angel your Infanta then from his Majesties Daughters Children Your friends here are all discomforted with this long delay your enemies are exasperated and irritated thereby and your neighbours that envie the felicity of both Kings have the more leisure to invent new Plots for the Crosse and hinderance of this happy businesse And for the part of your true friend and servant Buckingham I am become odious already and counted a betrayer both of King and Countrey To conclude all with I will use a similitude of hawking which you will easily understand being a great Faulkoner I told you already that the Prince is God be thanked extreamly sharp set upon this Match and you know that a Hawke when she is first dressed and made ready to flie having a great will upon her if the Faulkoner do not follow it at that time she is in danger to be dulled for ever after Take heed therefore lest in the fault of your delayes there Our Prince and Faulcon gentle that you know was thought slow enough to begin to be eager after the Foeminine prey become not so dull upon these delayes as in short time hereafter he will not stoop to the Lure though it were thrown out to him And here I will end to you my sweet friend as I do in my prayers to God Onely in thee is my trust and say as it is written on the outside of the Pacquets Haste Haste Post-haste Conde de Condomar to the Duke 13. Febr. 1625. Most Excellent Sir AT last Sir the Earl of Gondomar goes for England There will be many good discourses made in Holland about this voyage But the truth is that the intention of his journey is not to offend any one but only to desire and procure peace and the publique good And onely with this intent the King my Master Commands me to go thither and I go with a great deal of joy as well for this as for to kisse his Majesties and his Highnesse his hands and your Excellencies in particular And therefore I do appoint for the field of our Battail your Excellencies Gallerie over the Thames where I hope your Excellencie shall see that the Earl of Gondomar is an honest man and that he hath been is and ever will be a faithful and true servant and friend to Sir George Villiers Duke of Buckingham whom God preserve many happy years The Countesse my Wife and my self kisse my Lady the Countesse and my Lady Dutchesse their hands Your Excellencies Constant and faithful servant Gondomar Padre Maestre at Rome to the Spanish Embassadour in England 12. June 1621. My Lord I Have received two Letters from your Lordship the one of the 15th of March brought me by Mr. George Gage and the other of the 30. of April which came by the Ordinarie In both which Letters I have received a special favour from you and much comfort The coming of Mr. Gage hath given me infinite contentment then which there could nothing have happened more fitly and to the purpose for the matter which is in negotiation nor any man have come hither that could better advance the businesse then he as well in respect of his good affection as for his wisdom and dexterity in all things And if the King of Great Brittain will withal help
the speech they did demand of me whether I was come of my self or by Commission for they professed to account me their friend I answered that I came meerly of my self and was sorrie that by their own deserving they had procured such alterations and I thought strange of such demands as they had made at Hampton Court which did both expresse much spleen and lack of good intelligence They did avow their demands were reasonable but from that time they would make visits to the Duke and love him better then before because they were in doubt before but now they know him to be an Enemie I did answer that I was sorrie for their proceeding and was their friend so long as they were friends to my Master After a few haughty words such as it was a wrong waie to deal with their Master by threatnings who gave pay daily to 300000. Souldiers that they had followed the wars a long time and had seen men killed by the Cannon Musket Pike and sword but never saw men killed with words they desired me to speak to his Majestie that they might either be dismissed or have freedome to go about their businesse with security They did desire me likewise to speak to his Majestie that the treatie for the Palatinate might continue I did demand of them how these two things did agree both to threaten and intreat whereupon they passed upon me with odd complaints I went once more of late to give them a farwel I said they proved themselves good Servants to their Master in pressing to raise jealousies in this State but they were now too well known to do harm The Marquesse swore that by this time the Infanta had been here the Palatinate restored if the blame had not been on our Part. I did intreat I might be excused not to believe that I did ask whether they did not condemn their own judgments in accusing the Duke of Buckingham of that whereof he was cleared both by the King and State Their answer was He was cleared by those who were his confiderates all as guiltie as himself I demanded why they should still expresse their malice against the Duke of Buckingham Did they not think but our Prince was a man sensible of what injuries he had received their answer was if the Duke were out of the way the Prince would be well disposed They said farther his Highnesse was an obedient son before the Duke guided him but since he was not So that when we speak of his Majestie they speak with much respect but for the Prince did not use them kindly they did make the lesse accompt of him So after I took my leave and parted Nithisdail MUch I have omitted for brevitie wherein they did expresse much respect to his Majestie much of their threatning to the Duke of Buckingham The Lord Nithisdail to the Duke 22 June 1624. My most Noble Lord FInding matters at great uncertainty when I came hither I resolved to make farther tryal before I should part from hence What thanks is due to the Embassadours for their paineful and discreet Carriage can hardly be expressed Matters now being drawn to such a conformity which I confesse I thought impossibilities though withall I found much respect alwayes to the Prince with a sensible desire of the Match expressed both by the King and those I spake withal our Embassadours seem still to be discontent that all things are not remitted to our Masters verbal promise which though it may be assurance sufficient to all Catholiques who have the sence to consider that it must be our Masters and the Princes gracious disposition must be our safety more then either word or writ yet the writ being desired privately as they pretend merely to draw the Popes consent without the which nothing is to be finished the difference is not so great their Princely promise being given already What cause of jealousie the refusing hereof should procure you may consider besides my judgment failes me if a more easie way shall be assented unto upon this side If the Embassadours have bestirred themselves to get this out of the publique Articles I can bear witnesse Thus much I dare avow that neither time nor place have been omitted by them to do good though I must confesse what intelligence I had in the proceeding hath rather been from the French then from them Their Reasons as I conceive was their doubts that did bring me hither having neither Letters from the King the Prince nor your Grace Whereupon to remove these conceits I shewed them that I did onely take this in my way intending to go see the Jubilees wherewith though his Majestie nor the Prince neither yet your Grace were acquainted with at my parting you will be pleased to make my excuse I am infinitely beholding to the Embassadours noble Courtesie which I know hath proceeded from that relation which they know I have to you My Lord let the happinesse which shall come to the Prince by matching with such a Lady as I protest before God hath those perfections to my thinking can hardly be equalled be a means to hasten a happy Conclusion And let not matter of Ceremonie draw delayes where the substance is agreed upon So shall all that belong to our Master be made happy in general and you in particular for that love which they expresse here to your self Once more I humbly begg you will consider particularly upon each one of the Articles and I hope you shall not find such unreconcileable difference as an affected Puritan may pretend Whereupon if I have looked more with eyes of a Papist then was fitting it is my lack of judgment and not of zeal to my Masters Honour which of all carthly things shall be preferred Beseeching God to give a happy successe hereunto with a sound recovery of your own health I humbly take my leave Your Graces Faithful servant Nithisdail Dated at Compion Sir Tobie Mathew to the King of Spain DOn Tobea Mathei Cavallero Ynglesy Catholico Romano beseecheth your Catholique Majestie with all humility and reverence to give him leave to speak these few words unto you He understandeth that the Theologos have persisted precisely upon the Voto which they gave before and he findeth clearly that the Prince conceiveth that he can by no means submit himself thereunto with his Honour And besides my Lord the King hath expresly required him to return with all possible speed in case that Voto should not be qualified And it is certain that he will depart for England within very few daies And whosoever shall inform your Majestie that the Treatie of this marriage may be really kept on foot after the departure of the Prince upon these terms doth deceive your Majestie through the ignorance wherein he is of the State of England So that the Prince departing thus the Catholique Subjects of all my Lord the Kings Dominions are to be in lamentable case For although the Prince did yesterday vouchsafe to have
your Lordship this further assurance that no particular interest or consideration of mine own shall have power to alter my constant course of serving my gracious Master faithfully and industriously And so humbly submitting all to his Majesties good pleasure and your Lordships wisdom I remain eternally Your Graces most faithful friend and humble servant Carlile Postscript I Most humbly beseech your Lordship that this unfortunate Complement put upon my son may be no prejudice to the deserts of Sir James Ramsey The Lord Kensington to the Duke My Noblest Lord I Find the Queen Mother hath the onely power of governing in this State and I am glad to find it so since she promises and professes to use it to do careful and good offices in the way of increasing the friendship that is between us and this State and likewise to relieve and assist the united provinces the which they are preparing to do fullie and bravely for she hath now a clear sight of the pretentions of the King of Spain unto the Monarchie of Christendom during the absence of the King who went out of this town earlie the next day after I arrived here before I was prepared to attend him I have been often at the Lonure where I had the honour to entertain the Queen Mother She was willing to know upon what terms stood our Spanish alliance I told her that their delayes had been so tedious that they had somewhat discouraged the King and had so wearied the Prince and State which the dilatorie proceedings in it as that Treatie I thought would soon have an end She streight said of marriage taking it that way I told her I believed the contrarie and I did so the rather because the Spanish Embassad our hath given it out since my comming that the Alliance is fully concluded and that my journey had no other end then to hasten his Master unto it only to give them Jealousies of me because he at this time feares their dispositions stand too well prepared to desire and affect a conjunction with us And truly his report and instruments have given some jealousies to the persons of power in this State especially since they find I can say nothing directly unto them yet thus much I have directly from them Mounsieur de Vievielle and others but he is the chief guider of all affaires here That never was the affection of any State so prepared to accept all offers of amitie and alliance so we will cleerly and as disingaged persons seek it as is this but as a wise minister he saies that until we have whollie and truly abandoned the treatie with Spaiu they may lose the friendship of a brother in law that is alreadie so in hope of gaining another that they may fail of But when we shall see it reallie by a publique Commission that may declare all dissolved that touches upon the way of Spain we shall then understand their hearts not to be capable of more joy then that will bring them And the Queen Mother told me she had not lost those inclinations that she hath heretofore expressed to desire her Daughter may be given to the Prince with many words of value unto the King and person of the Prince and more then this she could not she thought well say it being most natural for the woman to be demanded and sought It is most certain that under-hand Spain hath done all that is possible to procure this State to listen to a crosse-marriage but here they are now so well understood as this baite will not be swallowed by them This I have from a grave and honest man that would not be brought to justifie it therefore he must not hear of it It is the Savoy Embassadour that is resident here a wise and a Gallant Gentleman who vowes this to be most true So general a desire was never expressed as is here for alliance with us and if the King and Prince have as many reasons of State at this time besides their infinite affection here to have it so continued let it be roundly and clearly pursued and then I dare promise as respective and satisfactorie a reception as can be imagined or desired And if it were not too much saucinesse for me to advise I could wish that the propositions of a league and marriage may not come together but may be treated apart For I doubt whether it may not be thought a little dishonourable for this King to give his sister conditionallie that if he will make war upon the King of Spain his brother we will make the alliance with him on the other part if the league should be propounded here with all those reasons of State that are now pressing for them to make it they have causes to doubt and so have we too that we may both be interrupted in that for certainly the King of Spain will if he can possibly please one side the which they think here may be us with the restitution of the Palatinate and we may likewise fear may be them with the rendring of the Valtoline these being the only open quarrels we must ground upon Now as long as these doubts may possesse us both this will prove a tedious and jealous work of both sides But if we fall speedily upon a treatie and conclusion of a marriage the which will find I am perswaded no long delayes here neither will they strain us to any unreasonablenesse in conditions for our Catholiques as far as I can find then will it be a fit time for to conclude a league the which they will then for certain do when all doubts and feares of fallings off are by this conjunction taken away and the necessity of their own affaires and safety will then make them more desire it then we and so would they now if they could think it so sure and so honourable for them For the King of Spain hath so imbraced them of all sides as they fear and justly that he will one day crush them to their destruction My Lord I do not presume to say any thing immediately to the King thorough your hands this I know will passe unto him and if he should find any weaknesse in this that I have presumed to say let the strength of your favour exercise those accustomed Noblenesses that you have alwayes expressed unto Your Graces most humble and obliged Servant Kensington Postscript VVIthin these few dayes your Grace shall hear again from me for as yet I have not seen the King no otherwise then the first night I arrived here This night he is come unto the Town again The Lord Kensington to the Prince 26. February 1624. May it please your Highnesse I Find here so infinite a value of your Person and virtue as what Instrument so ever my self the very weakest having some commands as they imagine from you shall receive excesse of honours from them They will not conceive me scarce receive me but as a publique Instrument for the service
of an Alliance that above all the things in this world they do so earnestly desire The Queen Mother hath expressed as far as she thinks is fit for the honour of her Daughter great favour and good will in it I took the boldnesse to tell her the which she took extreamly well that if such a proposition should be made your Highnesse could not believe that she had lost her former inclinations and desires in it She said your trust of her should find great respect there is no preparation I find towards this businesse but by her and all perswasions of amitie made light that look not towards this end And Sir if your intentions proceed this way as by many reasons of State and wisdom there is cause now rather to presse it then slacken it you will find a Ladie of as much Lovelinesse and Sweetnesse to deserve your affection as any creature under Heaven can do And Sir by all her fashions since my being here and by what I hear from the Ladies it is most visible to me her infinite value and respect unto you Sir I say not this to betray your belief but from a true observation and knowledge of this to be so I tell you this and must somewhat more in way of admiration of the person of Madam for the impressions I had of her were but ordinary but the amazement extraordinary to find her as I protest to God I did the sweetest Creature in France Her growth is very little short of her age and her wisdom infinitely beyond it I heard her discourse with her Mother and the Ladies about her with extraordinary discretion and quicknesse She dances the which I am a witnesse of as well as ever I saw any Creature They say she sings most sweetly I am sure she looks so Sir you have thousands of servants here that desire to be commanded by you but most particularly the D. of Chevereux and Mounsieur Le Grand who seek all opportunities to do you service and have Credit and power to do so Sir if these that are strangers are thus ambitious of your Commands with what infinite passion have I cause to beg them that am your Vassal and have no other glory but to serve you as your Highnesse c. Kensington Postscript SIr The obligations you have unto this young Queen are strange for with that same affection that the Queen your sister would do she asks of you with all the expressions that are possible of joy for your safe return out of Spain and told me that she durst say you were wearie with being there and so should she though she be a Spaniard yet I find she gives over all thought of your Alliance with her sister Sir you have the fortune to have respects put upon you unlookt for for as in Spain the Queen there did you good offices so I find will this sweet Qeeen do Who said She was sorry when you saw them practise their Masques that Madam her sister whom she dearly loves was seen at so much disadvantage by you to be seen afar off and in a dark room whose person and face hath most lovelinesse to be considered neerly She made me shew her your Picture the which she let the Ladies see with infinite Commendations of your Person saying She hoped some good occasion might bring you hither that they might see you like your self The Lord Kensington to the Duke My Lord YEsternight being Sunday I arrived safe here at Paris I was informed as soon as I came that the King was resolved after sight of the Queens Masque that was to be performed that same night that he would go a private journey for 5. or 6. daies to Shautâ—lie a house of Mounsieur de Memorancies Being desirous therefore to kisse his hands before his going and to see the Court in that glory and lustre as must for certain be found upon such an extraordinary occasion I went to the Louure to the D. of Chevereux Chamber where I found him and his Ladie apparrelling themselves for the Masque and in such infinite riches of Jewels as I shall never be a beholder of the like worn by Subjects I had not been there above an hour but the Queen and Madam came thither where they staid a great while And it was observed that Madam hath seldom put on a more cheerful then that night There were some that told me I might guesse at the cause of it My Lord I protest to God she is a lovely sweet young Creature Her growth is not great yet but her shape is perfect and they all swear that her sister the Princesse of Piemount who is now grown a tall and a goodly Ladie was not taller then she is at her age I thought the Queen would have put a fashion of reservation upon me as not pleased with the breach and disorder of the Spanish Treatie but I found it far otherwise She is so truly French as it is imagined she rather wishes this alliance then with her own sister The King that was so early to go out of the Town took his rest while the Ladies were making themselves ready but as soon as he waked he sent for me and purposed to have received me as an Embassadour But I intreated the D. of Chevereux before I went to let him understand that I came as an humble and thankful servant onely to kisse his Majesties hands and had no other end then to do him service He then received me with much freedom and cheerfulnesse with many questions how the King is satisfied with his Present by Mounsieur de Bonevan who when I related the Kings liking and value of it he was infinitely pleased He commanded me to attend him to the Masque which was danced by 16. of the greatest Princesses of France St. Luke only being by the Queen received amongst them to put a singular honour and value upon her The King with his Brother had danced a Masque the last Tuesday with the same number of persons of the best quality who this night were to cast Lots who should dance with the sixteen Ladies they onely being allowed to dance with them And all those were so infinitely rich in Jewels embroiderie of gold and silver being here forbidden as they had almost all imbroidered their cloathes as thick with Diamonds as usually with purle I cannot give your Lordship any particular account of my service in any thing yesternight being an unproper time for any such thing But I am advised by the Prince Jenvile to stay here till the Kings return and I shall understand how all things stand and that no mans affection is so straight and true for the service of the King and Prince as his is who of himself falls into passionate wishes for an Alliance but tells me in much libertie they have been informed the cause and plot of my journey was to set an edge upon Spain rather to cut off their delaies then to cut the throat of the
businesse But I gave him great satisfaction in that point My Lord these are passages of my first nights being here matters of ceremonie and yet I omit much of that I thought these too slight to trouble his Majestie or the Prince with yet I thought it fit since this Messenger goes to let you see this outward show and face of this Court to have as much sweetnesse smoothnesse and clearnesse towards our designs as is possible My next Letters shall inform you of a further search made by me the which I am confident will be of the same nature And I conceive it the rather because I find them in a great alarum at the newes that they have received from Leige that the King of Spain makes a Fort upon the ruine there to command both that and the Town This they say hath made them more clearly see his vast ambition to inlarge his Monarchie and do all speak the careful and honest language of our Lower house men how it may be prevented I have said enough the Messenger I dare say thinks too much yet this I will add That I will study to make it appear to the world and your self by a thankful heart and to God himself in my prayers for your Lordship that I am Your Lordships Most devoted and most humble servant Kensington Postscript IF the French Embassadour or my Lord of Carlile wonders I have not written unto them I beseech your Lordship let them know this Messenger is not of my sending and in such haste as he cannot be stayed The Lord Kensington to the Prince May it please your Highnesse I Cannot but make you continual repetitions of the value you have here to be as justly we know you the most Compleat young Prince and person in the world This reputation hath begotten in the sweet Princesse Madam so infinite an affection to your fame as she could not contain her self from a passionate desiring to see your Picture the shadow of that person so honoured and knowing not by what means to compasse it it being worn about my neck for though others as the Queen and Princesses would open it and consider it the which ever brought forth admiration from them yet durst not this poor young Ladie look any otherwise on it then afar off whose heart was nearer it then any of the others that did most gaze upon it But at the last rather then want that sight the which she was so impatient of she desired the Gentlewoman of the house where I am lodged that had been her servant to borrow of me the picture in all the secresie that may be and to bring it unto her saying She could not want that Curiositie as well as others towards a person of his infinite reputation As soon as she saw the party that brought it she retired into her Cabinet calling onely her in where she opened the picture in such haste as shewed a true picture of her passion blushing in the instant at her own guiltinesse She kept it an hour in her hands and when she returned it she gave with it many praises of your person Sir this is a businesse so fit for your secresie as I know it shall never go farther then unto the King your Father my Lord Duke of Buckingham and my Lord of Carliles knowledge A tendernesse in this is honourable for I would rather die a thousand times then it should be published since I am by this young Lady trusted that is for beautie and goodnesse an Angel I have received from my Lord of Buckingham an advertisement that your Highnesse opinion is to treat of the General league first that will prepare the other Sir whatsoever shall be propounded will have a noble acceptation though this give me leave to tell you when you are free as by the next newes we shall know you to be they will expect that upon those declarations they have here already made towards that particularitie of the Alliance that your Highnesse will go that readier and nearer way to unite and fasten by that knot the affection of these Kingdomes Sir for the general they all here speak just that language that I should and do unto them of the power and usurpation of the Spaniards of the approaches they make to this Kingdom the danger of the Low-Countries the direct Conquest of Germany and the Valtoline By which means we have cause to joyn in opposition of the Ambitions and mightinesse of this King The which they all here say cannot be so certainly done as by an Alliance with us This they speak perpetuallie and urge it unto my consideration Sir unlesse we proceed very roundly though they be never so well affected we may have interruptions by the arts of Spain that make offers infinite to the advantage of this State at this time But they hearken to none of them untill they see our intentions towards them The which if they find to be real indeed they will give us brave satisfaction But Sir your Fathers and your will not my opinion must be followed and what Commandments your Highnesse shall give me shall be most strictly obeyed by the most devoted Your Highnesse Most dutiful and humblest servant Kensington The Lord Kensington to the Duke the 14. of March 1624. My Lord I Have already acquainted your Grace how generally our desires are met with here much more cannot be said then I have already for that purpose There was never known in this Kingdome so intire an agreement for any thing as for an Alliance with England the Count of Soysons onely excepted who hath had some pretensions unto Madam but those are now much discouraged upon a free discourse the Cardinal of Rochfalcout made unto the Countesse his Mother telling her That if she or her son believed or could expect the King would give him his sister in marriage they would as he conceived deceive themselves for he imagined upon good grounds that the King would bestow his Sister that way that might be most for her honour and advancement and likewise for the advantage of his Crown and Kingdom and he professed for his part although he much honoured the Count as a great Prince of the bloud yet was he so faithful unto his Master as he would advise him to that purpose The Queen Mother and Mounsieur Le Grand have advised me to say something unto the King concerning my businesse I told them I could say nothing very directly unto him and yet would I not so much as deliver my opinion of the King my Masters inclinations to wish an alliance with him unlesse I were assured his answers might make me see his value and respect unto him They then spake unto him and assured me I should in that be satisfied Having that promise from them I told the King that I had made this journey of purpose to declare unto him my humble service and thankfulnesse for all his Honours and favours the which I thought I could not better expresse
professed he would cut my throat if he could Nay were any Prince of Savoy Mantova or Germany here in person to sollicit for themselves in the like nature he would hazard his life in the cause Such is the language that despaire brings forth which put me into an expectation of no lesse then a challenge to decide the quarrel And I once verily believed it sent for the Count de Lude came very so berly to me and told me he had a message to deliver me from a great Personage which he intreated he might do without offence I desired him to speak freely what it was and from whom He told me he was sent by the Count of Soissons and I presently replyed that nothing should come amisse from him In conclusion the errand was to signifie an extream liking that the Count took to one of my Horses which he was desirous to buy of me upon any rate I answered that if the Count would expresse to me his desire himself and receive him of guift he should be at his service otherwise he should remain still as he was Since that I have met him been prevented with a very courteous salute from him I have been thus ample in these particular passages betwixt the Count and my self that by the trouble you find in his disconsolate breast you may judge of the constancie of Madams heart towards our Prince upon whom assuredly it is most strongly set as she continually expresses upon all occasions Yesterday I had the honour to entertain her two hours together and received so many testimonies of respect as witnessed very warm affections towards the Personage I did represent Amongst other discourse She fell to speak of Ladies riding on horseback which she said was rare here but frequent in England and then expressed her delight in that exercise There is lately arrived here a French Genleman Duport by name with commission from the King of Bohemia to sollicit this Kings favour in consequence of his Majesties generous and Gracious declaration in his behalf for the recovering of his rightful inheritance to intreat that Baviers may no wayes be countenanced in his unjust pretensions and to crave in this his extreamity a reimbursement of the remainder of that sum which his father lent to Henry the fourth in the times of his necessities which may arise to the sum of 30000 Crownes the facilitating of this negotiation is recommended unto me who contribute what I can to the good successe thereof There hath happened here this last Munday a dispute between the Marquis de Courtenvant one of the first Gentlemen of the Kings Chamber and the Colonel de Ornano Mounseiurs Governour about a lodging which this pretended unto as most convenient for him in regard that it adjoyned to that of Mounseiurs but the other claimed a right unto it by a former assignation and possession Ornano at the first prevailed till the other complained to the King who commanded the Colonel to quit the lodging to him which his people refusing out of a presumption perhaps that the commandement was rather formal then real the King sent 3. or 4. of his guard to reiterate the commandement and in case of refusal to obey to cast out all the stuff and to kill all such as should oppose Thus Courtenvant got the day perhaps by Vievilles recommendation in opposition of Toirax between whom there hath been lately a little contestation upon this occasion Vieville being desirous to strengthen himself and to stand upon the surest bottom he could endeavoured to joyn a confident of his in equal commission with the Garde des Seaux that so he might in time work it out and prevail himself of that office at his devotion The Garde des Seaux finding feeble resistance in himself addressed his course to Toirax to seek under his Covert shelter from that disgrace and injurie Toirax undertakes his defence Vieville expostulates the matter with him and alleadges many reasons to justifie his intentions which the other gainesaying with some little warmnesse hath occasioned by that heat a coldnesse of affection between them ever since and that so far forth as it hath grown to be notorious To the same original I reduce the Cardinal de Richlieus introduction into the Councel of the Cabinet by the favour of Vieville being made also an Instrument thereunto by the Queen that by making his own partie strong in Councel he may the more easily crush any adversarie that shall grapple with him Yesterday he was admitted so that now that Councel is composed of the Queen Mother the Cardinal de la Rouch-foulcant Richlieu the Constable Vieville and the Garde des Seaux Before I had finished this Letter I had occasion to visit the Constable to whom I used the same language that formerly I had done to la Vieville and with the like approbation And when I touched upon the point of dispensation how it might be passed over he assured me in general that such was the disposition of this King and State to give the Prince content as he might be in a manner his own Carver how he pleased This is the account I can give you of the publique but how shall I expresse the deep sense I have of my obligations to your favour in particular shall I multiply in thanks It is too ordinary a payment for so many Noble expressions of your love I will rather endeavour by my deeds constantly and continually to witnesse unto you that I intirely rest Your most faithful and most Humble Servant Kensington The Lord Kensington to the Duke My most dear and Noble Lord BEsides that joynt Letter to your Lordship from my Colleague and my self I think fit to add this particular account of what passed yesterday at Ruel betwixt Queen Mother and me whither going to give her double thanks as for the libertie she had given me of accesse at all times to Madam to entertain her henceforth with a more free and amorous kind of language from the Prince so for having so readily condescended to an humble suit of mine in the behalf of my Lord of Carlile for a favourable Letter for him to your Lordship she was pleased to oblige me farther in relling me she did it meerly for my sake I redoubled my thanks and added that I knew your Lordship would esteeme it one of the greatest happinesses that could befal you to have an occasion offered whereby you might witnesse how much you adored her Majesties royal virtues and how infinitely you were her Servant readie to receive law from her whensoever by the least syllable of her blessed Lips or Penn she should please to impose it And this I did as on the one side to gratifie my Colleague who would be infinitely sensible of the disgrace he apprehends in the misse of the Ribbon being thus brought upon the Stage for it as also to help to mesnage that your Gratious favour which Mounsieur de Fiatts to my Lord represents unto him by
and as it were a necessitie to destroy you But I hope he and the whole world here will fall before any misfortunes should fall upon so generous and so noble a deserver of his Master and so excellent a friend and Patron unto Your Graces Most humble and most obedient servant Holland Postscript THough the Embassadour deserves nothing but contempt and disgrace as Blanvile yet I hope as Embassadour he shall receive for publique Honours and accustomed respect to Embassadours all possible satisfaction and it will be conceived a generous action My dearest Lord ALL the joy I have hath such a flatnesse set upon it by your absence from hence as I protest to God I cannot rellish it as I ought for though beautie and love I find in all perfection and fulnesse yet I vex and languish to find impediments in our designs and services for you first in the businesse for I find our mediation must have no place with this King concerning a Peace We must only use our power with those of the Religion to humble them to reasonable Conditions and that done they would as far as I can guesse have us gone not being willing that we should be so much as in the Kingdom when the Peace is made for fear the Protestants may imagine we have had a hand in it For our Confederation made by you at the Hague they speak so of it as they will do something in it but not so really or friendly as we could wish But for these things you allow me I trust to refer you to the general Dispatch I come now to other particulars I have been a careful Spie how to observe intentions and affections towards you I find many things to be feared and none to be assured of a safe and real welcome For the king continues in his suspects making as they say very often discourses of it and is willing to hear Villanes say That the heart hath infinite affections you imagine which way They say there is whispered amongst the foolish young Bravado's of the Court That he is not a good Frenchman that suffers anchor to return out of France considering the reports that are raised many such bruits flie up and down I have since my coming given Queen Mother by way of discourse occasion to say somewhat concerning your coming as the other night when she complained to me That things were carried harshly in England towards France I then said That the greatest unkindnesse and harshnesse came from hence even to forbid your coming hither a thing so strange and so unjust as our Master had cause and was infinitely sensible of it She fell into discourse of you desiring you would respect and love her daughter and likewise that she had and would ever command her to respect you above all men and follow all your Councels the matter of her Religion excepted with many professions of value and respect unto your Person but would never either excuse what I complained of or invite you to come upon that occasion But though neither the businesse gives me cause to perswade your coming nor my reason for the matter of your safetie yet know you are the most happie unhappie man alive for the heart is beyond imagination right and would do things to destroy her fortune rather then want satisfaction in her mind I dare not speak as I would I have ventured I fear too much considering what practises accompany the malice of the people here I tremble to think whether this will find a safe conveyance unto you Do what you will I dare not advise you to come is dangerous not to come is unfortunate As I have lived with you and only in that enjoy my happinesse so I will die with you and I protest to God for you to do you the least service c. Postscript HAve no doubt of the partie that accompanied me for he is yours with his soul and dares not now as things go advise your coming Mr. Lorkin to the Duke the 30. of August 1625. May it please your Grace FRom an honest and truly devoted heart to receive the sacrifice of most humble thanks which come here offered for that excesse of favour which I behold in those gracious lines that you are so nobly pleased to honour me withal and which derive unto me farther the height of all contentment his Majesties gracious acceptance of my poor endeavours which howsoever they cannot shoot up to any high matter from so low an earth yet in their greatest force are eternally vowed with the price of my dearest blood as to his Masters faithful service in the first place so to your Graces in the next who have received I doubt not ere this what my former promised in the Savoyard Embassadours behalf and that as well from his own pen as mine But this State is very Euripus that flowes and reflowes 7. times a day and in whose waies is neither constancie nor truth The changes your Grace will find in my Letters to my Lord Conway whereunto I therefore make reference because I suppose there will be but one Lecture thereof to his Majestie and your self There in likewise your Grace will see a suddain comandement laid upon Mounsieur de Blanvile premire Gentilhome de la chambre du Roy speedily to provide himself to go extraordinary Embassadour into England The cause thereof I rove at in my dispatch taking my aime from two darke speeches to Queen Mother and the Cardinal I have since learned the interpretation of the riddle not from the Cardinals lips who yet being sounded by me pretended a further end then Ville-aux-cleres had done viz to entertain good intelligence betwixt the Queen of England and your Grace and to do you all the best offices and services that are possible but from the Duke de Chevereux who whatsoever pretexts may be taken makes the true ends of that Voyage to be first to try whether this man can mend what they conceive here the Duke hath marred in shewing himself more a servant to the King of England then to his own King and Master Secondly to spie and discover what he can and according as he shall find cause to frame Cabals and factions whereunto he is esteemed very proper being charactarized with the marks of a most subtile prying penetrating and dangerous man And therefore as an Antidote against the poison he brings the Duke gives this Caveat aforehand That every one keep close and covert towards him and avoid familiaritie with him though otherwise he wishes a kind and honourable entertainment Thus much I received from the Dukes own lips yesternight Bonocil being witnesse perhaps Counsellour of all that passed he promised a memorial in writing this day which I have attended till this evening and even now receive it I have not touched the least syllable hereof to my Lord Conway because I think both your Graces and the Duke de Chevereux's will may concur in this that these things be
my hands amongst other Letters that same day I found him exceedinglie troubled in reading it nor did he forbear to tell me it must for a time be concealed for he feared if they should come to the knowledge of it they would give order to stay the Prince Upon these motives and in this manner I parted with it wherein I humbly submitting my self to his Highnesse Construction I remain Your Graces humblest servant to command Ed. Clark Madrid 1. Octob. 1623. Mr. Edward Clark to the Duke My Lord THe Infanta's preparation for the Disposorio was great but greater sorrow good Ladie to see it deferred It hath bred in them all some distraction The multitude know not what to conjecture what to say but cry Piden el Palatinato They confesse the demand just but unseasonable and do publish that the Disposorio past the Infanta on her knees should have been a suitor to the King to restore it making it thereby her act and drawing the obligation wholly to her I must confesse I want faith to believe it and the rather because I see it reflect secretly and malitiously upon your Lordship who are made the authour of all the impediments that happen not by your enemies onely but by those that should suppresse it Which troubles me so much that I hasten all I 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
satisfaction to tye my tongue from crying to God and the world for vengeance for the unworthy dealing I have received And think not to send me again to my Mothers where I have stayed this quarter of a year hoping for that my Mother said you promised order should be taken for me but I never received pennie from you Her confidence of your Noblenesse made me so long silent but now believe me I will sooner begg my bread in the streets to all your dishonours then any more trouble my friends and especially my Mother who was not onely content to afford us part of the little means she hath left her but whilest I was with her was continually distempered with devised Tales which came from your Familie and withal lost your good opinion which before she either had or you made shew of it but had it been real I cannot think her words would have been so translated nor in the power of discontented servants Tales to have ended it My Lord if the great honour you are in can suffer you to have so mean a thought as of so miserable a creature as I am so made by too much Credulitie of your fair promises which I have waited for performance of almost these five years And now it were time to despair but that I hope you will one day be your self and be governed by your own noble thoughts and then I am assured to obtain what I desire since my desires be so reasonable and but for mine own Which whether you grant or no the affliction my poor husband is in if it continue will keep my mind in a continual purgatorie for him and will suffer me to sign my self no other but Your unfortunate Sister F. Purbeck Dr. Donne to the Marquesse of Buckingham 13th Septemb. 1621. My most honoured Lord I Most humbly beseech your Lordship to afford this ragg of paper a room amongst your evidences It is your evidence not for a Mannour but for a man As I am a Priest it is my sacrifice of prayer to God for your Lordship and as I am a Priest made able to subsist and appear in Gods service by your Lordship it is a sacrifice of my self to you I deliver this paper as my Image and I assist the power of any Conjurer with this imprecation upon my self that as he shall tear this paper this picture of mine so I may be torn in my fortune and in my same if ever I have any corner in my heart dispossessed of a zeal to your Lordships service His Majestie hath given me a royal Key into your Chamber leave to stand in your presence and your Lordship hath already such a fortune as that you shall not need to be afraid of a suitor when I appear there So that I protest to your Lordship I know not what I want since I cannot suspect nor fear my self for ever doing or leaving undone any thing by which I might forfeit that title of being alwaies Your Lordships c. J. D. Dr. Donne to the Duke My Honoured Lord ONce I adventured to say to the Prince his Highnesse That I was sure he would receive a book from me the more gratiously because it was dedicated to your Grace I proceed justlie upon the same confidence that your Grace will accept this because it is his by the same title If I had not overcome that reluctation which I had in my self of representing devotions and mortifications to a young and active Prince I should not have put them into your presence who have done so much and have so much to do in this world as that it might seem enough to think seriously of that No man in the bodie of storie is a full president to you nor may any future man promise himself and adaequation to his precedent if he make you his Kings have discerned the seeds of high virtues in many men and upon that Gold they have put their stamp their favours upon those persons But then those persons have laboured under the jealousie of the future Heire And some few have had the love of Prince and King but not of the Kingdom and some of that too and not of the Church God hath united your Grace so to them all that as you have received obligations from the King and Prince so you have laid obligations upon the Church and state They above love you out of their judgement because they have loved you and we below love you out of our thankfulnesse because you have loved us Gods privie Seal is the testimonie of a good conscience and his broad-Seal is the outward bessings of this life But since his Pillar of fire was seconded with a Pillar of Cloud and that all his temporal blessings have some partial Eclipses and the purest consciences some remorses so though he have made your way to Glorie Glorie and brought you in the armes and bosome of his Vicegerent into his own arms and bosome yet there must come a minute of twilight in a natural death And as the reading of the actions of great men may assist you for great actions so for this one necessarie descent of dying which I hope shall be the onely step of Lownes that ever you shall passe by and by that late you may receive some Remembrances from the Meditations and Devotions of Your Graces Devoutest Servant J. Donne Sir John Hipsley to the Duke My Noble Lord I Find that all my Lord of Bristols actions are so much extolled that what you command me to say is hardly believed I will say no more in it but leave the rest to Mr Greihams only this that you have written much to the King in some mans behalf and Mr. Gresley hath a 100. a year given him during his life all which I think is without your knowledge And Mr. Killegrew hath the like that came for your sake after the other was granted Mr. Greihams can tell you how that came My Lord of Southampton hath offered his son to marrie with my Lord Treasurers Daughter and tells him this reason that now is the time he may have need of friends but it is refused as yet the event I know not what that will be I have spoken to the King of all that you gave me in command and he doth protest that what he hath done was meerly for your sake and indeed he is very careful of all your businesse as if you were here your self but yet for Gods-sake make what haste you may home for fear of the worst For the carriage of Captain Hall I will not trouble you till you come home only this by the way that my Lord Treasurer hath it but upon what tearms I know not nor indeed desire you should be troubled with it Sir George Goring came home but this last night and is gone to the Court and desires to be excused for writing to you My Ladie Hatton and my Ladie Purbeck came home with him from the Hague My Lord of Arundel hath not been
his Majesties wisdom in case he judge this office necessarie whether it be fit to be done by Letter or Message the former of which will be of greater vertue but the latter lesse subject to crosse construction of the Arminian faction which your Honour knowes how potent it is here amongst those who have chief rule in this State Thus I humbly take leave ever resting Your Lordships most faithfully to be commanded Dudley Carleton Hague this 24. Febr. 1616. Stil Vet. Sir Dudley Carleton to the Duke of Buckingham My most honourable Lord IMmediately upon receipt of your Lordships Letter concerning Sir John Ogle I moved the Prince of Orange not onely for his leave for Sir John to go into England but likewise for his Letters of recommendation whereby to give your Lordship subject upon some such testimonies of his Excellencies good satisfaction to set him upright in his Majesties favour both which he granted unto me though against the first he alledged the absence of all the English Colonels and touching the latter he called to mind old matters which notwithstanding upon what I undertook for Sir John's future intentions he was content to forget I did once again upon Sir John's instance put his Excellencie in mind of his dispatch wherein I found no difficultie Since I find Sir John hath changed his purpose of going and his excuse will be made at his intreatie by his Excellencie who hath since let me know Though he would not deny me his leave yet he is better content in regard he is so slenderly accompanied with Colonels in a time when the State hath need of their service with his stay So as Sir John hath the obligation to your Lordship of a favourable recommendation and for his not prevailing himself of his leave when it was granted I must leave to himself to render a reason For my part having accomplished what I find by your Lordships Letter to be agreeable both to his Majesties pleasure your Lordships I thought it my dutie to advertize That there is an ancient difference between Sir Horacio Vere and Sir Edward Cecyl about the extent of their Commands whereupon followeth a great inconveniencie to the dishonor of our Nation which as it appears when they were last in the field before Reez are divided hereby and march and lodge in several bodies and quarters Much endeavour hath been formerly used in these parts to reconcile them but all in vain by reason of some ill Instruments who wrought upon both their discontents to set them farther asunder Now they are both in England and are both written for to come over It were a work worthy of your Lordship to make them understand one another better and what they will not yeeld to of themselves to over-rule by his Majesties authoritie I may not conceal from your Lordship that I am intreated by the Prince of Orange himself to do this office both with his Majestie and your Lordship wherein he would not be seen himself because having dealt between them fruitlesly heretofore he doubteth of the like successe now But when their agreement shall be made he will acknowledge his obligation to your Lordship and for the better proceeding therein I sent your Lordship a Copie of an order formerly set down betwixt them with the translate of Sir Horacio Vere's Commission both which I had of his Excellencie and likewise the beginning and proceeding of their difference as I have collected the same in brief out of other mens reports The projects I sent your Lordship with my last of a West-Indian Companie having been proposed to the States of Guelderland for their ratification who have the leading voice in the Assemblie of the States general end were ever least forward in that businesse hath thus far their allowance that they will concur therein with the rest of the Provinces But withal I do understand they have given their Deputies secret charge not to give way thereunto in case they find it prejudicial to the Truce Which makes the matter evident that the project of the Company though it be never so advanced will stand or fall according to the proceeding of the Truce The expiration whereof approaching so neer and here being advertisements from Paris that a French Gentleman one Belleavium who was lately imployed hither to the Prince of Orange about the difference betwixt him and the Prince of Conde had secret instructions to sound the States how they stood affected to the renewing thereof I have used all diligence to know how far he went and am well informed he hath done nothing therein of Consideration onely this past between him and his Excellencie He telling his Excellencie from Mounsieur Desdiguieres and some of the French Kings Councel how acceptable the extraordinarie Embassage intended from hence will be in that Court and thereupon perswading a speedie imbracing the opportunitie From whence said his Excellencie after his round manner cometh this alteration To speak plainly said he they fear in France you will renew the Truce without them and therefore by your Embassadours they would interpose themselves Here are good advertisements both from Bruxels and Paris that the Spaniards intent is not to renew the Truce but to have a Peace proposed with these plausible conditions That the King of Spain will pretend nothing in the Regiment of these United Provinces nor require any thing of them in the point of Religion but leave all in terms as it now stands with recognition onely of some titular Soveraigntie which he cannot in honour relinquish This is already proposed to France as a glorious work to establish a settled Peace in these parts of the world but with this condition That if it be not imbraced here then France shall refuse to give this State any further support or countenance of which it is here believed that Spain hath already obtained a firm promise in that Court. And that either the like overture is already made or will be within few daies to his Majestie Under which doth lie hidden many mysteries much to the advantage of the Spaniard and prejudice of this State for the very proposition of a new Treatie will distract them here very much in regard of their unsettlednesse and aptnesse upon any dispute to relapse into faction besides many Considerations of importance belonging properly to the Constitution of their Government but the acceptation of the old by renewing of the Truce upon the former terms for so many years more or lesse as shall be thought fitting will in my poor opinion which notwithstanding is not slenderly grounded take place without much difficultie The importance of this businesse hath made me give your Lordship this trouble and your Lordship may be pleased to let his Majestie understand as well that little as is done by Mounsieur Belleavium as what they here conceive to be further intended by the Spaniard So I most humbly take leave ever resting Your Lordships Most faithful servant Dudley Carleton Hague this 10th
of June 1620. Sir Dudley Carleton to the Duke Most Honourable NOt to give your Lordship the trouble of often Letters I render an account of his Majesties Commandments by the same hand I usually receive them One I had lately by an expresse Letter from his Majestie accompanied with another from your Lordship touching my Lord of Buckleugh to demand full satisfaction of the States for all his Lordships pretentions and to that effect to procure Instructions and Commission to be sent to Sir Noel Carone to end this businesse To which effect I have moved both his Excellencie and the States and whilest they were treating thereof Colonel Brogue arrived here out of Scotland with whom they are now handling to put him to Pension and to give my Lord the Command of his Regiment in lieu of his Pretensions Which when they come to calculate my Lord will find a short reckoning of them and to send accounts out of their accountants hands and refer them to others they will never be moved Wherefore if the course they now take can be gone thorough with which Colonel Brogue doth most unwillingly hear of it will be then in my Lords choice whether he will remain satisfied or not And within few daies I hope to return my Lords Secretarie with advertisement of what is done Mean time I assure your Lordship nothing is omitted in my endeavours to procure him that which may be most to his contentment In the present condition of publique affaires your Lordship knoweth well how at this instant we have all buone Parolle out of Spain and Cattivi-fatti of all the rest of the House of Austria In so much as these Low-Countrie Troops under the governance of the Infanta assist in the blocking up of a poor town all which remaines of his Majesties only Daughters Jointure in the Palatinate And the Emperour not content with having chased her Husband out of the Empire in the Proposition of the Diett of Ratisbone makes this one Article to make war upon these Provinces because amongst other quarrels they give refuge to the Prince Palatine Where will this persecution cease And what place in the world to which they are driven from hence and is easily guessed in all their extreamitie whither they will be forced to flie is not subject to the same quarrel within this week that I now write betwixt Sunday and Sunday we were here in that state if God had not prevented it this Countrie had been too hot for them to remain in and it had been a happinesse for them if they could have got a poore skeveling boat to have transported them else-where This Bearer my Nephew will inform your Lordship more particularly thereof Now de agendis there rests no more then question of maintaining the Army of Mansfelt and Brunswick which is lodged at the present in a place out of which it can hardly match and more hardly be removed If it have pay and countenance it may do good service in Germany if not I will tell your Lordship what I conceive may be the consequence It will be hedged into East-Friseland by Tillie whose Troops alreadie draw that way Cordova and Anholt against which keeping it self within that Countrie it will be able to make resistance as the poore Peasants thereof did heretofore against the Spanish Armie by reason of the difficultie of accesse From this State it will have all assistance and though it be kept in by land it will have the Sea open betwixt Griett and Norden both which places are in Mans-felts possession a Haven fit for a Fleet of Gallions If by that meanes they with correspondencie with this State may support themselves it will be very ill for many important consequences If they and this State which will be forced to run a fortune together be overcome much worse for what can keep the rest of Europe from subjection to the Austriaci Wee see how in Terra firma the Walloons joyned to Spaniards both make and maintain their Conquests Joyn the Hollanders to them by Sea they will reap the like service by them The fruit we have reaped heretofore of the shiping of these Provinces both for defence in the year 88. and offence in the Cadiz journey sheweth what a strong addition this is to a greater power My most honourable Lord I am so full of such like speculations that these have broken out ex Plentitudine Cordis surcharged with grief to see in Plenitudine temporis that to come to effect in the publique affaires which was discovered long since by the Emperours in tercepted letters sent by the Capuchin into Spain and to hear the judgment made every where that the publique opposition of the Spanish Embassadour D'Ognates words to the Emperours proceeding de facto is but a patelinage with secret understanding to abuse his Majesties goodnesse Of which it lyeth yet in his Majesties power to vindicate himself but there is no time to spare I humbly crave pardon for this libertie of discourse I use with your Lordship who am Hague 31. Jan. 1622. Your Lordships most humble and most faithful Servant Dudley Carleton Sir Dudley Carleton to the Duke Most Honourable I Observe in such Letters from the Prince Electour to her Highnesse with the sight of which she is pleased sometimes to favour me a mis-understanding betwixt him and his Uncle the Duke of Bovillon who groweth wearie of his Guest doubting least in his Consideration some danger may be drawn upon his Town of Sedan And the jealousie the Prince conceiveth what may be done with him in case of a Siege against which that is no place to make long resistance besides the discomforts of living in another mans house and being ill looked on makes him wish himself any where else but chiefly here where he is as much desired as missed by her Highnesse his children and Familie And where the Prince of Orange and the States apprehending very well his present danger and incommoditie will give him very willingly his wonted welcome Your Lordship may be pleased to make thus much known to his Majestie And if your Lordship can so dispose of the matter that with his Majesties good liking he may return hither again I know nothing your Lordship can do more agreeable to her Highnesse though she doth whollie submit her affections and desires to his Majesties pleasure The wars were never warmer then they are alreadie and now likely more and more to kindle in these parts The Siege of Ostend by those which were present there and are now in Berghem being esteemed sport in comparison of the furie is used in disputing the out-works of that Town Where on Munday last in the night an assault was given and maintained six hours by the Spaniards upon a half Moon kept by the Dutch on the North side out of which they were three several times repulsed with the losse of betwixt 3. and 400 men of their best and on this side under 40. All that they gained being
this time we did not think he could live till May or the enemy break into the borders of this State as this last Summer if the Imperialists had joyned with the Spaniards they had undoubtedly done and unlesse some Change or Alteration happen as is feared will do this next year the best link we have for a bond of friendship would fail and as much difference be betwixt this State as it now is and what it is like to be upon any such ill accident as was now feared and still hangs over them as betwixt a strong Staffe and a broken Reed So I cease to give your Grace any further trouble Hague 9. Decemb. 1623. Your Graces Most humble and most faithful servant Dudley Carleton Sir Dudley Carleton to the Duke May it please your Grace VVHat Comfort and Contentment the Queen of Bohemia receives in your Graces Message and Letter by my Nephew I leave to her own expression which never failes her when her heart goeth with her hand as I can assure your Grace it doth in this subject And this I will say more who can say nothing but truth I never knew your Grace ill with this good and gracious Princesse but now you are so well settled in her good opinion and favour that I know none hath more interest therein And this use your Grace may make thereof to his Majesties service that now this King and Queen are both of them no lesse confident of your affection then they are of your sinceritie what you advise them in their affairs will be of much weight to sway them in the ballance of their judgment Which now a Proposition is made unto them on which their whole estate doth depend as well for themselves as their posteritie full of doubtful circumstances on both sides the choice not being as they conceive betwixt one thing certain and another uncertain but betwixt two unequal uncertainties it is hard to say which way they incline but if they be left to themselves I perceive they will rather stand to the hazard of the latter with preservation of their honour and lawful pretensions then submit themselves to the former with shame and disgrace and no assurance of better dealing then was used to the deported House of Saxe by a better Emperour then this accounted of which we have the Heir one of the worthiest Princes in Germanie here in hard Conditions amongst us And he serves as a spectacle to these Princes of their fortunes by the same way as his Predecessors took of submission Yet other things being before agreed of and settled in that sort as his Majestie hath alwaies assured these Princes to be his full intention of restitution to their Patrimonial Honours and estate This King I find will conform himself to what his Majestie shall think fit touching a due submission But this being a matter of ceremony the other of substance he judgeth that if this precede that is the Submission the other of restitution will never follow Neither can it be well seen how in possibility it may be effected considering that whilest things have been held sometimes in terms alwaies in talk of accommodation the Electoral is given to Bavier by the Emperour and avowed by a Congratulatory Embassage from Bruxels the upper Palatinate setled in his possession with some portion to Newburgh for his Contentation and ingagement A principal part of the lower Palatinate the Bergstrate given to the Elector of Mentz with the consent of those of Bruxels where he was lately in person to obtain it though they grossely dissemble it and promises of parts of the rest made to other Princes So as what is now pretended I must deal plainly with your Grace is no otherwaies interpreted then as experience doth teach of these three former years proceedings Ever new Overtures in Winter and new Ruptures in the Summer And as of two former Treaties with this Prince which passed my hands one a Consent to a Submission sent to Vienna the other a Ratification of a Suspension oftentimes sent to Bruxels no other use was made but with the first to accelerate Bethlem Gabor in his Treatie of Peace with the Emperour as then on foot and with the second to intimidate both the Electours Saxe and Brandenburgh with the Princes of the Nethes Saxe and Creyes from entring into Armes to which they were well disposed upon the discontentment they received of the preposterous courses that were taken in the Diet at Ratisbone and to this effect Copies of the very projects of the said Treaties were dispersed by the Imperialists before the Instruments themselves were perfected so it is here believed that now Gabor is again in armes and other Princes ready to imbrace any good occasion of redresse of affaires time is onely sought to be gained by this new Overture and the King of Bohemia's Credit with his friends and well wishers in Germanie to be weakned if not lost for if once he submit himself allowing the translation of the Electoral he shall thereby avow the Emperours undue procedings in that cause which have been protested against by Saxe and Brandenbergh and all the other Germane Princes excepting those onely of the Catholique league and by whom afterwards upon any ill dealing can he expect to be befriended who forsakes himself and his own cause This is the discourse of these Princes upon this occasion but when they are asked What then can you trust unto their recourse is to his Majestie who they hope knoweth the meanes to effect in their behalf what he hath so long and so constantly undertaken for them And though for these three or four years past affaires on this side have gone in a continual decadence and now threaten a final ruine unlesse it be withstood by some Princelie Resolution not of pettie but of great Princes yet here is no such discouragement but that it is thought there is yet strength and vigour enough left in the good Party not onely to subsist but to rise and flourish again as well as ever And in this cogitation the King and Queen remain not prescribing any thing to his Majestie nor willing to submit themselves anew to the same rod with which they have been so often scourged Your Grace was lately invited with my Lord of Richmond to christen their young Son which being excused by my Lord of Richmond in both your names And the King of France undertaking that office it was performed by that King and the King of Swede yesterday was seven-night represented by the French Embassadour here resident and the Prince of Orange in the same manner and the same Church as the Princesse Louise bearing the same name was christned the last year when the Duke Christien of Brunswick being invited to be Godfather though absent and for some respects of precedence could not have a Deputie was understood notwithstanding to be one of the Parrins and so do the King and Queen hold both your Grace and my Lord of Richmond I
hath dibursed and stands engaged more for my affaires and the States then any Number of Noblemen of England whatsoever and therefore there is reason that from a King he would receive his own and more And now my Lords since I have thus far opened a Kings Cabinet unto you at least by the measure of this foot of answer you may discover what may be said concerning that great bodie and bulk of accusations of the Highest kind made against the Duke I desire you would take it to heart remembring that it is your King that speaketh this who therefore expects your service and love herein and who will requite the same assuredly hoping you will believe me indeed and do accordingly indeed and that you will also rest assured that my spirit is not so young though a young King as that I would bring this testimony in mine own wrong were not that I say true in my own knowledge And being so you also will grant that it is not for a King to use his Servant and Instrument as he doth his Horses which being by hard riding in his service foundred and lamed to turn them off to grasse or to the Cart. I must therefore in right of the King my Fathers Honour and my own protect a man though I have said justly seeming guiltie yet in mine own knowledge innocent and free as I have delivered it will you then deny the King to favour whom he please which the King hath never denyed you that are his subjects will you controle me your Head and Governor in things wherein your selves have taken liberty uncontroled would you that I should require accompt of your liberalitie nay of all your failings which are liable to my authority well commend me to my Lords and tell them that if any thing had been formerly done amisse by others I have power and will to redresse it and to prevent the like I speak it in the word of a King neither Lords nor Commons can desire of me any thing that is honest which I am not ready to give them Let not therefore the world by these mistakings make Table-talk any longer of your King and his negotiations nay of his secrets and necessities for alas what great wrong or indignity can the Glorie of the State receive then that the private grudges of subjects accusing to the ignorant when in their consciences they could excuse should be the businesse of our Parliament and that the King himself should be forced to appear as a partie No doubt this is a Cocatrice egge that craftie heads of our enemies seek to hatch whilest the weightie affaires that in present concern the Honour and welfare of the King and State and the peace of all Christendome are by us utterly neglected I end hoping your Lordship now privy to these things will be tender of your Soveraigns honour and will so satisfie and treat with the rest that those particular janglings may be by some other course and in some other place and time discussed and determined that so our minds and time may be employed in the care of better things which earnestly invoke our ayd at this instant Thus much spoken or written or the like for I seek but to awaken your Lordships higher spirit and invention I conceive it may get this effect That these 6. Lords won by these reasons and by other the Kings invitations may deliver to the House that for their parts they have received unexpected satisfaction in those greatest points of the accusation against your Lordship and of such secret nature as are not fit to be published without further deliberation Wherefore since it pleased their Lordships to have made choyce of them to be trusted in this imployment they have faithfully served accordingly and do upon their Honours freely and without any ingagement or respect protest the fame And therefore humbly desire their Lordships that they would intreat his Majestie to be President in advice with their Lordships What further were to be done in this private Contention betwixt your Lordship and the Lord Digbie which obtained something may then follow for your Lordships good by yeelding up that Cause into the Kings hands And his Majestie hath great reason to bend it that way because it is conceived that the Lords will be loath to admit the King to be supream Judge and Accuser which point will much touch his Majestie And his Majestie were better give some ease to the Lord Digbie then permit that dispute And now for my self I beseech your Lordship to pardon my strange boldnesse I know I am a mere stranger to you and if ever you have heard of me it must be as of a friend of such you then did not love I know it shewes me a medler in businesse or an insinuator which are suspitions that may distast you and make you suspect my pretences though they were not altogether witlesse I know this disadvantage and am in my own nature offended for putting my self thus into your notions But yet I resolved to undergo all this First because you made my Brother a Captain in Ireland who had otherwise perished Next for the favour you did to my Lord of Northumberland and the retiring of disfavour from my Lord of Sommerset And lastly for your firm hand that advanced the now Lord Treasurer To all which Lords I am familiarly known and bound But neerest to you your Lordship may hear of me from the Lord Treasurer I am confident of your Lordships noble interpretation since I seek no ends no acquaintance no other thanks being one that have no Court-suits to your Lordship but being one that loves not ruines which my friends have tasted nor that the publique should wrestle with a private Inturn of Spleen And I offer it but as a simplicity yet with good will enough for what can a man that is not privy to the Elements of State demonstrate any conclusion thereof yet I hear sometimes how the world goes as other men do I conceive I have said something to your Lordship and though perhaps short yet enough to occasion and stir up your deeper thoughts I also may have deeper but also I know that little pinnes of wood do sustain the whole building More I could have said touching the other points but these greatest elided the fall of the others may be easily directed What I have said against those objections I touched doth arise from grounds of truth and they must win and prevail and my conceit is fitted to the Kings part and to the occasions now on foot I humbly cease your Lordship further trouble and wish you all good desiring your Lordship also to pardon my tedious and hasty scribled hand Your Lordships unknown servant Ch. Th. Postscript YOur Lordship shall be pleased to take off some part of my boldnesse and impute it to the obligation and service I owe this worthy Lady the Bearer To Count Gondomar My Lord I Thought my hands bound that I could no sooner have