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
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
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
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
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
all things but the dispensation which came two moneths after And whereas it was expected to come absolute and full it came infringed with Cautions and limitations viz. That the Infanta should not be married till matters in England were in perfect execution that in case the King of England could not give sufficient security the King of Spain himself should swear and undertake the oath for him Hereupon a Junto of Divines was appointed to determine hereof Whether the King might do this with a safe Conscience or no. These Divines went gravely and tediously to work which put the Prince upon that impatiency that he was upon point of departure When at last the businesse came to a resolution and so the Match was publiquely declared The Prince had then often though publiquely accesse to the Infanta the King being still himself present and in hearing After this a Ratification was sent for from Rome but the Pope dying in the interim and the new Pope falling suddenly sick it could not be speedily procured For want of this Ratification there was no Contract made and the Prince himself seemed not to desire it A little before his departure the King and the Councel of State with the Patriarch of the Indies the Prince-Prelate after the Bishop of Toledo who is under age swore to all the Capitulations so that the Prince seemed to depart well satisfied The King brought him to the Escurial and a little before his departure the King and he went into a close Coach and had a large discourse together my Lord of Bristol being in another Coach hard by to interpret some hard words when he was called And so they parted with many tender demonstrations of love A Trophy of Marble is erected in the place where they parted Many rich Presents were given on both sides The Prince bestowed upon the Queen the biggest Crown Pearl in the world between two Diamonds He gave the Infanta a rope of Pearl and an anchor of great Diamonds with many other Jewels He hath been very bountiful to every one of the Kings house and all the Guard Never Prince parted with such an universal love of all He left every mouth filled with his Commendations every one reporting him to be a truly Noble discreet and well deserving Prince I write what I hear and know and that without passion for all he is the Prince of my Countrey My Lord of Buckingham at first was much esteemed but it lasted little his French garb with his stout hastinesse in negotiating and over-familiarity with the Prince was not liked Moreover the Councel of Spain took it ill that a green head should come with such a superintendent power to treat of an affair of such Consequence among so many grave Ministers of State to the prejudice of so able and well-deserving a Minister as my Lord of Bristol who laid the first stone of this building Hereupon his power was called in question and found imperfect in regard it was not confirmed by the Councel Thus the businesse began to gather ill bloud between Olivarez and him and grew so far out of square that unlesse there had been good heads to peece them together again all might have fallen quite off the hinges He did not take his leave of the Countesse of Olivarez and the farewel he took of the Conde himself was harsh for he told him he would be an everlasting servant to the King of Spain the Queen and the Infants and would endeavour to do the best offices he could for the concluding of this businesse and strengthening the amity between the two Kingdomes but for himself he had so far disobliged him that he could make no profession of friendship to him at all The Conde turned about and said he accepted of what he had spoken and so parted Since his Highnesse departure my Lord of Bristol negotiates closely he is daily at the Palace to attend the Infanta and he treats by means of the Countesse of Olivarez There is a new Junto appointed for the disposing of the Infanta's affairs and we hope here that all things will be ripe against the next Spring to bring her over And so I rest c. From Madrid 30. Septemb. 1623. His Majesties to the Earl of Bristol Jan. 21. 1625. VVEE have read your Letter addressed to us by Buckingham and We cannot but wonder that you should through forgetfulnesse make such a request to us of favour as if you stood eavenly capable of it when you know what your behaviour in Spain deserved of Us which you are to examine by the observations We made and know you will remember how at our first coming into Spain taking upon you to be so wise as to foresee our intentions to change our Religion you were so far from disswading us that you offered your service and secresie to concur in it and in many other open Conferences pressing to shew how convenient it was for us to be a Roman Catholique it being impossible in your opinion to do any great action otherwise how much wrong disadvantage and disservice you did to the Treaty and to the right and interest of our dear Brother and Sister and their Children what disadvantage inconvenience and hazard you intangled us in by your artifices putting off and delaying our return home The great estimation you made of that State and the vile price you set this Kingdome at still maintaining that we under colour of friendship to Spain did what was in our power against them which you said they knew very well And last of all your approving of those Conditions that our Nephew should be brought up in the Emperours Court to which Sir Walter Aston then said he durst not give his Consent for fear of his head you replying to him that without some such great action neither marriage nor peace could be had c. Lord Conway to the Earl of Bristol March 21. 1625. My Lord I Received a Letter from your Lordship dated the 4th of this month written in answer to a former which I directed to your Lordship by his Majesties Commandment This last Letter according to my duty I have shewed unto his Majestie who hath perused it and hath commanded me to write back this unto you again That he finds himself nothing satisfied therewith the question propounded to your Lordship from his Majestie was plain and clear Whether you did rather choose to sit still without being question'd for any errours past in your negotiation in Spain and enjoy the benefit of the late gratious pardon granted in Parliament whereof you may have the benefit or whether for the clearing of your innocency whereof your self your friends and your followers are so confident you will be contented to wave the advantage of that pardon and put your self into a legal way of examination for the tryal thereof His Majesties purpose hereby is not to prevent you of any favours the Law hath given but if your assurance be such as your words and letter
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
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
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
better a great deal they should continue as they do I am very tedious in the manner and peradventure in the matter of this Letter I humbly crave pardon c. Passages between the Lord Keeper and Don Francisco HE was very inquisitive if I had already or intended to impart what he had told me the night before in secret to any man to the which he did adde a desire of secresie Because 1. The King had charged him and the Frier to be very secret 2. The Embassadours did not know that he had imparted these things unto me 3. The Popes were secret instructions which they gave to the Fryer to urge and presse the same points which himself had done to the King He confessed that the greatest part of the Friers instructions were to do all the worst offices he could against the Duke and to lay the breach of the marriage and disturbance of the peace upon him He excused the bringing the Copy of that paper unto me because the Marquesse had it yet in his custody but said he would procure it with all speed I desired him to do it the rather because besides my approbation of the form and manner of the writing I might be by it instructed how to apply my self to do his Majestie service therein as I found by that Conference his Majesties bent and inclination He having understood that there was though a close yet an indissoluble friendship betwixt the Duke and my self desired me to shew some way how the Duke might be won unto them and to continue the peace I answered I would pursue any fair course that should be proposed that way but for my self that I never meddled with matters of State or of this nature but was onely imployed before this journey of the Prince's in matters of mine own Court and in the Pulpit He desired to know if they might rely upon the King whom onely they found peaceably addicted otherwise they would cease all mediation and prepare for War I answered That he was a King that never broke his word and he knew what he had said unto them He commended much the courage and resolution of the Lord Treasurer which I told him we all did as a probable sign of his innocency He said that the Marquesse had dispatched three Curreos and expected large Propositions from Spain to be made unto his Majestie concerning the present restitution of the Palatinate And that if this failed they were at an end of Treaty and the Embassadours would forthwith return home 11th April 1622. The Lord Keeper to the Duke May it please your Grace I Received your Graces Letter by Mr. Killegrew so full of that sweetnesse as could never issue from any other Fountain then that one breast so fraught with all goodnesse and virtue Dick Winne may write freely as he talks but alas what can my wretched self perform that should deserve the least acknowledgment from him to whom I owe so infinitely much more then the sacrificing of my life amounts to onely my love makes me sometimes write and many times fear fondly and foolishly for the which I hope your Grace will pardon me I have been frighted more about three weeks since about quarrels and jarres which now Dick Greyhams hath related in part unto the King then at this present I am For Gods sake be not offended with me if I exhort you to do that which I know you do to observe his Highnesse with all lowlinesse humility and dutiful obedience and to piece up any the least seam-rent that heat and earnestnesse might peradventure seem to produce I know by looking into my self these are the symptomes of good natures And for Gods sake I beg it as you regard the prayers of a poor friend if the great negotiation be well concluded let all private disagreements be wrapped up in the same and never accompany your Lordships into England to the joy and exultation of your enemies if any such ingrateful Divels are here to be found I am in good earnest and your Lordship would believe it if your Grace saw but the tears that accompany these lines I beseech you in your Letter to the Marquesse Hamilton intimate unto him your confidence and reliance upon his watchfulnesse and fidelity in all turns which may concern your Grace I have often lied unto his Lordship that your Grace hath in many of my Letters expressed as much and so have pacified him for the time If we did know but upon whom to keep a watchful eye for disaffected reports concerning your service it is all the intelligence he and I do expect His Majestie as we conceive is resolved to take certain oaths which you have sent hither and I pray God afterward no farther difficulties be objected I have had an hours discourse with his Majestie yesterday morning and do find him so disposed towards your Lordship as my heart desireth yet hath been informed of the discontentments both with the Conde de Olivarez and the Earl of Bristol Here is a strange Creation passed of late of a Vice-Counteship of Maidenhead passed to the Heires Males who must be called hereafter Vice-Countesse Fynch But my Lady Dutchesse hath the Land and as they say hath already sold it to my Lord Treasurer or shared it with him I stayed the Patent until I was assured your Lordship gave way thereunto My good Lord because I have heard that they have in those parts a conceipt of our church as that they will not believe we have any Liturgie or Book of common prayer at all I have at mine own cost caused the Liturgy to be translated into Spanish and fairely Printed and do send you by this bearer a Couple of the Books one for his Highnesse the other for your Grace Not sending any more unlesse your Grace will give directions His Majestie was acquainted therewith and alloweth of the businesse exceedingly The Translator is a Dominican a zealous Protestant and a good Scholer and I have secured him to our Church with a Benefice and a good Prebend Because we expect every day the dispatching of Sr. Francis Cottington thitherward I will not trouble your Grace farther at this time but do earnestly pray unto God to blesse your Grace both now and ever hereafter with all his favours and blessings spiritual and temporal And rest c. The Lord Keeper to the Duke 30. Aug. 1623. My it please your Grace I Have no businesse of the least Consideration to trouble your Grace withal at this time but that I would not suffer Mr. Greyham to return without an expression of my respect and obligation I would advertize your Grace at large of the course held with our Recusants but that I know Mr. Secretary is injoyned to do so who best can His Majestie at Salisbury having referred the suit of these Embassadors to the Earl of Carlile and Mr. Secretary Conway sent by their resolutions some articles unto us the Lord Treasurer Secretary Calvert Sir Richard VVeston
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
considerable 2. It keeps you in all changes and alterations of years neer the King and gives unto you all the opportunities and accesses without the envie of a favorite I beseech your Grace pause well upon this and call to mind if the Duke of Richmond was not in this case 3. It Gives you opportunities to gratifie all the Court great and small Virtute Officii in right of your place Which is a thing better accepted of and interpreted then a courtesie from a favorite Because in this you are a dispenser of your own but in the other say many envious men of the Kings goodnesse which would flow fast enough of it self but that it is restrained to this Pipe and channel onely 4. There must be one day an end of this attendance as a Bed-chamber man but I hope never of being next unto the King as a great Counceller and officer and above all others which you cannot be but by this office The Master of the horse is but a Knights place at the most and the Admirals in time of action either to be imployed abroad Personallie or to live at home in that ignominie and shame as your Grace will never endure to do so I will trouble your Grace with a tale of Dante the first Italian Poet of note Who being a great and wealthie man in Florence and his opinion demanded who should be sent Embassador to the Pope made this answer that he knew not who Si jo vo chista Si jo sto chi va If I go I know not who shall stay at home if I stay I know not who can perform this imployment Yet your Grace staying at home in favour and greatnesse with his Majestie may by your designs and directions so dispose of the Admiral as to injoy the glory without running the hazard of his personal imployment My Gracious Lord if any man shall put you in hope that the Admiralty will fill your Coffers and make you rich call upon them to name one Admiral that ever was so As in time of hostility there is some getting so are there hungry and insatiable people presently to devoure the same God made man to live upon the land and necessity onely drives him to Sea Yet is not my advice absolutely for your relinquishing of this but in any case for the retaining of the other place though with the losse of the Admiraltie 5. I beseech your Grace observe the Earl of Leicester who being the onely favorite in Queen Elizabeths time that was of any continuance made choice of this place onely and refused the Admiralty two several times as being an occasion either to withdraw him from the Court or to leave him there laden with ignominie And yet being Lord Steward wise and in favour he wholly commanded the Admiralty and made it ministerial and subordinary to his directions 6. Remember that this office is fit for a young a middle and an old man to injoy and so is not any other that I know about his Majesty Now God almighty having given you favour at the first and since a great quantity I never flattered your Grace nor do now of wit and wise experience I would humbly recommend unto your Grace this opportunity to be neerest unto the King in your young your middle and your decreasing age that is to be on earth as your piety will one day make you in heaven an everlasting favorite There are many objections which your Grace may make but if I find any inclination in your Grace to lay hold upon this proposition I dare undertake to answer them all Your Grace may leave any office you please if your Grace be more in love with the Admiraltie then I think you have cause to avoid envie But my final conclusion is this to desire your Grace most humbly to put no other Lord into this office without just and mature deliberation And to pardon this boldnesse and haste which makes me to write so weakly in a theame that I perswade my self I could maintaine very valiantly I have no other copie of this Letter and I pray God your Grace be able to read this I send your Grace a Letter delivered unto me from Conde Gondomar and dated either at Madrid or as I observe it was written first at London There is no great matter at whither of the places it was invented I humbly beseech your Grace to send by this bearer the resolution for the Parliament And do rest Yours c. The Lord Keeper to the Duke about Sr. Robert Howard 11 March 1624. May it please your Grace SIr Robert Howard appeared yesterdy and continues obstinate in his refusal to swear When we came to examin the commission for our power to fine him for this obstinacie we found that Sir Edward Cook foreseeing out of a prophetical how near it might concern a Grandchild of his own day hath expunged this clause by the help of the Earle of Salisburie out of the commission and left us nothing but the rustie sword of the church excommunication to vindicate the authority of this Court. We have given him day until Saturdy next either to conform or to be excommunicated She hath answered wittilie and cunningly but yet sufficient for the Conisance of the Court. Confesseth a fame of incontinencie against her and Howard but sayeth it was raised by her Husbands kindred I do not doubt but the businesse will go on well but peradventure more slowly if Howard continue refractory for want of this power to fine and amerce him I beseech your Grace either to procure me the favour to come or to excuse my not seeing his Majestie in this time of his indisposition which I hear still continueth I beseech Almighty God as in eternal duty I am bound presently to ease him and restore him to his perfect health Mr. Packers being away makes me unmannerly I am humbly to desire your Grace to be pleased to move his Majestie at your first opportunity to sign this Commission for the proroguing of the Parliament and to read unto his Majestie this paper of names here inclosed which his Majestie is not to sign knowing his pleasure whether he alloweth of them for Commissioners for the last subside of the Lords I have added to the former the Earl of Montgomerie according to your Graces direction whom God almighty ever preserve It is the prayer of c. The Lord Keeper to the Duke 13. March 1624. May it please your Grace FOr your Brothers businesse this is all I have to acquaint your Grace with Sir Robert Howard appeared yesterday at Lambeth pretended want of Councel the Doctors being out of town desired respite until to morrow and had it granted by my Lords Grace Most men think he will not take his oath at all I do incline to the contrary opinion because to my knowledge he hath sent far and near for the most able Doctors in the Kingdom to be feed for him which were great follie if he intended not to
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
to Coupe up all false-hearted Subjects that are known and provision to meet with the secret and open practises of such forraign Enemies as are like to abet them The good policies of the former reign in such times is the best president for this at this time The heads were then committed liberali Custodiae divided from their inferiour parts the Papists disarmed their clawes pared that they might not hurt us the lawes executed upon the Jesuites and Priests fire-brands of sedition and rebellion withal Or if not blood drawn of them yet close imprisonment or banishment enjoyned them Large subsidies granted to prepare the Navie and pay the armies And a great while no war proclaimed but brave Adventurers sent forth as to Portugal the Groine to the West-Indies c. And before Letters of reprisal granted to the Marchants to make up their losses a Rowland for an Oliver because they had granted Letters of Mart against us By this meanes Carricks were brought in the treasure of their West-Indian mines laid for at their return so to make war upon them with their own mony till they had made the enemie bankerout Ausbrug and to break with their banquers of Auspurg and Genua that he was not able to pay his Souldiers and garrisons and still the Low-countries strongly assisted and war made upon the enemie there or at home at his own doores which was more Noble gainful and safe for us for we still had peace and plenty at home though war abroad I know not how the case stands now between us and the Spaniards but me thinks it should not be very well when nothing will satisfie him but the head of him that spake the truth for the good of the King and kingdom Certainly if we break with him as they which sit at the Helm know what is best to do he is readie to strike and will peradventure strike quickly before we be fully prepared therefore our preparations had need to be more speedie thorough lest we fall into the snare While they were treating of peace in 88. they did even then invade us I pray God they have not used this treatie of marriage to as bad a purpose for it seemes they never did intend it but for delayes and to make it serve their turn they have plainly abused us in the Palatinate therereby But I can say nothing for the present yet what is to be done it is proper to an higher judgment onely I tell what was then when we were enemies I remember in 88. waiting upon the Earl of Leicester at Tilbury Camp and in 89. going into Portugal with my Noble Master the Earl of Essex I learned somewhat fit to be imparted to your Grace The Queen lying in the Campe one night guarded with her armie the old Lord Treasurer Burleigh came thither and delivered to the Earl the examination of Don Pedro who was taken and brought in by Sir Francis Drake which examination the Earl of Leicester delivered unto me to publish to the armie in my next sermon The sum of it was this Don Pedro being asked what was the intent of their coming Don Pedro's Confession stoutly answered the Lords What But to subdue your Nation and root it out Good said the Lords and what meant you then to do with the Catholiques He answered We meant to send them good men directly unto Heaven as all you that are Heretiques to hell Yea but said the Lords what meant you to do with your whips of cord and wyer whereof they had great store in their ships What said he We meant to whip you Heretiques to death that have assisted my Masters Rebels and done such dishonours to our Catholique King and people Yea but what would you have done said they with their young Children They said he which were above seven yeares old should have gone the way their fathers went the rest should have lived branded in the forehead with the Letter L. for Lutheran to perpetual bondage This I take God to witnesse I received of those great Lords upon examination taken by the Councel and by commandement delivered it to the armie The Queen the next morning rode through all the Squadrons of her armie as Armed Pallas attended by Noble Footmen Leicester Essex and Norris then Lord Marshal and divers other great Lords Where she made an excellent Oration to her armie which the next day after her departure I was commanded to redeliver to all the Armie together to keep a Publique Fast Her words were these MY loving people we have been perswaded by some that are careful of our safety to take heed how we commit our self to armed multitudes for fear of treachery but I assure you I do not desire to live to distrust my faithful and loving people Let Tyrants fear I have alwayes so behaved my self that under God I have placed my chiefest strength and safeguard in the loyal hearts and good will of my subiects And therefore I am come amongst you as you see at this time not for my recreation and disport but being resolved in the midst and heat of the battaile to live or die amongst you all to lay down for my God and for my kingdom and for my people my Honour and my blood even in the dust I know I have the bodie but of a weak and feeble woman but I have the heart and Stomach of a King and of a King of England too and think foul scorn that Parma or Spain or any Prince of Europe should dare to invade the borders of my Realm to which rather then any dishonour shall grow by me I my self will take up arms I my self will be your General Judge and Rewarder of everie one of your virtues in the field I know alreadie for your forwardnesse you have deserved rewards and crownes and we do assure you in the word of a Prince they shall be duly paid you In the mean time my Lievetenant General shall be in my stead then whom never Prince commanded a more Noble or worthie subject not doubting but by your obedience to my General by your Concord in the Camp and your valour in the field we shall shortly have a famous victorie over those enemies of my God of my Kingdomes and of my People This I thought would delight your Grace and no man hath it but my self and such as I have given it to and therefore I made bold to send it unto you if you have it not already I would I could perswade your Grace either to read your self or to command your Secretarie to gather out of the Historie of Spain translated into English towards the end five or six leaves which hath matter of great importance fit for the Parliament especiallie for two points the one concerning the setled intention of the State of Spain against England whensoever they can get an opportunity the other concerning the main reasons of state which moved the Queen and Councel then to take upon her the
protection of the Low-countries They were of two sorts the first inherent in the Person of the Prince then being which died with her as some think the Quarrel being then between the Queen and King of Spain Philip the second which are said to be buried in their graves the other inherent in their estates which live with them and remain in the heart of the State of Spain against us whosoever is their King And this appeareth by a large Disputation of State had before the King of Spain and blab'd out by their Chronicler in many words wherein pro et contra two do argue The one who proves that the Netherlands their Rebels are first to be conquered that it may serve them as a rise to the Conquest of England and the reasons for that project The other who proves that the English are first to be conquered the supporters of those their Rebels and for a rise to the Empire of Christendome and the reasons for the project and specially for that it is more easie now for the disuse of armes in England for that England is not now that England which it hath been c. And the mean how they may win themselves into us by a Treatie of Marriage as Mariana blabs it out in general that which the Prince hath tryed and your Grace hath uttered in Parliament in special that Colloquia de Contractibus are with them Mera ludibria parata tantum Regum animis Ne noceant distinendis dum ea quae ipsi intendunt perficiantur Which Guicciardine also doth in general affirm That the Spaniards bring more things to passe by Treaties and subtilties then by force of Armes And that you may truly understand the full intention of the Spaniard to the state of this Kingdom and Church I would your Grace would read a notable Discourse of the late most Noble Earl of Essex made by the Commandment of Queen Elizabeth and debated before her Majestie and her Councel concerning this point Whether Peace or War was to be treated with Spain The Lord Buckhurst speaking for a Treatie of Peace to the which the Noble Queen and her old Lord Treasurer inclined The Earl speaking for War because no safe peace could be made with that State for 3. special Reasons which are in that Treatise set down at large which is not fit for me yet to deliver by writing but there you shall find them Your Grace may have the book of divers Noblemen your friends If you have it not if I may understand your pleasure I will get it for you It was of that effect that it brought the Queen and Treasurer contrary to their purpose to his side for the very necessity of the common safetie Your Lordship having angred them and endeared your self to us you had need to look to your self you are as odious to them as ever the Earl of Essex was The Jesuite Walpool set on one of the stable Squire one well affected to my Lord to poyson the rests of his Chair And seeing they strike at the Ministers which deal effectually for his Church witnesse worthy Doctor White what will they do to such Pillars of State as you are The Lord preserve your Grace and watch over you And thus I rest Your Grace his most humble at Commandment Leonel Sharp The Lord Cromwell to the Duke 8. Septemb. 1625. May it please your Grace I Am now returned from mine own home and am here at Fulham neer Mr. Burlemachi making my self ready to attend your Command in the best manner my poor fortunes will give me leave and with what speed I may Some things I have sent to Plymouth and some Gentlemen so as when I come there I hope to find that your Lordship hath appointed me a good sailing ship and one that shall be able to play her part with the best and proudest enemy that dare look danger in the face Though your Grace hath placed a Noble Gentleman in the Regiment was intended to my Lord of Essex yet I will not despair of your favour or that you will not give me some taste of it as well as to any other I will study to be a deserving Creature and whether you will please to look on me with an affectionate eye or no I will love honour and serve you with no lesse truth and faith then those you have most obliged What concerns me I will not here speak of for fear I offend My prayers shall ever attend you and my curses those that wish you worse then their own soules Divers I do meet that say your Grace hath parted with your place of the Mastership of the Horse which makes the world suspect that some disfavour your Lordship is growing into And that this prime feather of yours being lost or parted with be it as it will it will not be long ere the rest follow They offer to lay wagers the Fleet goes not this year and that of necessitie shortly a Parliament must be which when it comes sure it will much discontent you It is wondered at that since the King did give such great gifts to the Dutchesse of Chevereux and those that then went how now a small summe in the Parliament should be called for at such an unseasonable time And let the Parliament sit when it will begin they will where they ended They say the best Lords of the Councel knew nothing of Count Mansfelts journey or this Fleet which discontents even the best sort if not all They say it is a very great burthen your Grace takes upon you since none knowes any thing but you It is conceived that not letting others bears part of the burthen you now bear it may ruine you which heaven forbid Much discourse there is of your Lordship here and there as I passed home and back and nothing is more wondered at then that one Grave man is not known to have your Ear except my good and Noble Lord Conway All men say if you go not with the Fleet you will suffer in it because if it prosper it will be thought no act of yours and if it succeed ill they say it might have been better had not you guided the King They say your undertakings in the Kingdom and your Engagements for the Kingdome will much prejudice your Grace And if God blesse you not with goodnesse as to accept kindly what in dutie and love I here offer questionlesse my freedom in letting you know the discourse of the world may much prejudice me But if I must lose your favour I had rather lose it for striving to do you good in letting you know the talk of the wicked world then for any thing else so much I heartily desire your prosperitie and to see you trample the ignorant multitude under foot All I have said is the discourse of the world and when I am able to judge of your actions I will freely tell your Lordship my mind Which when it shall not be alwaies really inclined to serve
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
not subject to many eyes Even now the Savoyard Embassadour sends an expresse Messenger unto me to hasten to Fountain Bleau Perhaps it may be to facilitate the Treatie with Rochel by either some Letter or Journey of mine thither But upon the conference I have had with the Duke de Chevereux I shall temporise till I hear his Majesties pleasure or see good evidences of generous effects like to ensue Being desirous to shape my course so as may be most acceptable to his Majestie and pleasing to your Grace whose virtues I adore in qualitie of Your Graces Most humble most faithful and most obedient servant Tho. Lorkin Postscript THe Duke de Chevereux expects the Cypher from your Grace if I be not deceived Mr. Lorkin to the Duke 17. September 1625. May it please your Grace TO read and consider two contrary advertisements the one given me on Munday evening by des Porches who repeating what he had told me before D'avoir destrompé la Royne mere en mil et mil choses assured me that her thoughts were now so far changed from what they were as she remitted every thing to his Majesties pleasure to do what he list provided that he attempted not upon the conscience of the Queen her Daughter which was the only point she was tender in and scrupulous that she had written a very sharp Letter full of good lessons and instructions to her that she had as clear a heart to your Grace as was possible had sent for Blanvil expressely to alter his instructions and that howsoever he like a hollow-hearted man had uttered in confidence to a friend of his That he would perswade the Queen of England to put on a reconciled countenance for a time till the way should be better prepared to give your Grace a dead lift yet the Queen Mothers intentions were assuredly sincere and good The Savoyards Embassadours voyage was not then resolved but his Secretarie prepared to make it in his room Of whom Pocheres by the way gave this touch That there was a great correspondence between Madamoiselle de Truges and him contracted upon occasions of frequent visits that had passed betwixt her Mother and the Embassadour and that therefore a careful eye was to be had of him Another who must be namelesse sent for me yesterday in the forenoone to tell me that Pere Berule's errand hither was only to make out-cries against the decree or proclamation against the Catholiques and to accuse your Grace as the Principal if not the only author who was now of a seeming friend become a deadly foe That the Earl of Arundel had out of his respect unto this State purposely absented himself that he might not be guilty of so pernicious a Councel That your Grace and my Lord of Holland had both but very slippery hold in his Majesties affections that if this King would imploy his credit as he might it would be no hard matter to root you both out thence that there were good preparatives for it alreadie and that my Lords Arundel and Pembroke would joyn hands and heads together to accomplish the effect Whereupon Blainville was sent for back to be more particularly instructed in the waies how to compasse it and would speedily post away in diligence The same party added that the propositions which the Marquesse de Fiatt had made bout the League and Fleet were before Brule's arrival somewhat well tasted but since slighted as those that became cheap by their offer to divers others as well as them that the said Marquesse should have visited Blainville at Paris and sounded him about his errand after this manner First whether he had order to disnestle Madam de St. George Whereto the answer was No and that it was against all reason of State so to do and when the other replyed that the world was come to a bad passe if reason of State descended as low as her Blainville remained silent Secondly whether he had commission to introduce the Dutchesse of Buckingham and the Countesse of Denbigh into the Queenes bed-chamber Answer was made that it was a nice and tender point and if that were once condescended to they would be continually whispering in the Queenes ear how dear she would be to the King her Husband how plausible and powerful among the people how beloved of all if she would change her religion against which they were in conscience here bound to provide and therefore conclude with a refusal of that likewise Thirdly whether he carried any good instructions about an offensive or defensive league whereunto the negative was still repeated but that he carried brave offers for the entertainment of Mausfelt And when the Marquesse replied that if that were all the contentment he carried he feared she would find but a very cold welcome the other added that perhaps he might be an Instrument to make the Queen and Duke friends This were good quoth the Marquesse if the Queen had not as much need of the Dukes friendship as the Duke of hers and upon these terms they parted The same lips that utterred all this gave caution likewise against the Savoyard Embassadour as a cunning deep hollow-hearted man And being felt by me how his pulse beat towards Porcheres told me he was a mercenarie man and no wayes to be trusted In the issue of all this his Councel was That your Grace would consider well your own strength and what ground you have in his Majesties favour If it be solid and good then a Bravado will not do amisse may be powerful here to make them to see their own errour and to walk upright so it end with a good close but if your station be not sure then he Counsels to prevent the storm for to break with all Spain France Puritanes Papists were not wisdom And desires that by any meanes you instantly dispatch a Currier to me to represent the true state of things at home and how you desire matters should be ordered for your service here abroad so that there may be fabriqued a more solid contentment to your Grace whose hands I most humbly kisse in quality of Your Graces Most humble most faithful most obeent and most obliged Servant Tho. Lorkin Postscript IF my stay be intended long it will be necessary that I use a Cypher which I humbly beseech your Grace to send me or to give me leave to frame one as I can As I was closing up my Letter Mr. Gerbier arrived who hath been somewhat indisposed in his health by the way but now is reasonably well God be thanked His coming is very seasonable and I assure my self will be useful By the discourse I have had with Mr. Gerbier I see a little clearer into the state of things here and think Porcheres his advertisement may be truer as being perhaps grounded upon knowledge the other springing only upon conjecture built upon Berult's clamours and overtures and the suddain sending for Mounsieur Blanville back Your Grace will see day
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
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