DRAUGHT OF A LETTER TO THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM, NOT SENT.* MY LORD:-I say to myself, that your lordship hath forsaken me; and I think I am one of the last, that findeth it, and in nothing more, than that, twice at London, your lordship would not vouchsafe to see me, though the latter time I begged if of you. If your lordship lack any justification about York House, good my lord, think of it better; for I assure your lordship, that motion to me was to me as a second sentence; for I conceived it sentenced me to the loss of that, which I thought was saved from the former sentence, which is your love and favour. But sure it could not be that pelting matter, but the being out of sight, out of use, and the ill offices done me, perhaps, by such as have your ear. Thus I think, and thus I speak; for I am far enough from any baseness or detracting, but shall ever love and honour you, howsoever I be Your forsaken friend and freed servant, TO THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM. MY VERY GOOD LORD, I I thought it my duty to take knowledge to his majesty from your lordship, by the enclosed, that, much to my comfort, I understand his majesty doth not forget me nor forsake me, but hath a gracious inclination to me, and taketh care of me; and to thank his majesty for the same. perceive, by some speech, that passed between your lordship and Mr. Meautys, that some wretched detractor hath told you, that it were strange I should be in debt; for that I could not but have received a hundred thousand pounds gifts since I had the seal; which is an abominable falsehood. Such tales as these made St. James say, that the tongue is a fire, and itself fired from hell, whither when these tongues shall return they will beg a drop of water to cool them. I praise God for it, I never took penny for any benefice or ecclesiastical living; I never took penny for releasing any thing I stopped at the seal; I never took penny for any commission, or things of that nature; I never shared with any servant for any second or inferior profit. My offences I have myself recorded, wherein I studied, as a good confessant, guiltiness, and not excuse; and, therefore, I hope it leaves me fair to the king's grace, and will turn many men's hearts to me. As for my debts, I showed them your lordship, when you saw the little house and the farm, besides a little wood or desert, which you saw not. If these things were not true, although the joys of the penitent be sometimes more than the joys of the innocent, I could not be as I am. God bless you and reward you for your constant love to me I rest, &c. TO THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM. MY VERY GOOD Lord, It is vain to cure the accidents of a disease, except the cause be found and removed. I know adversity is apprehensive; but I fear it is too true, that now I have lost honour, power, profit, and liberty, I have, in the end, lost that which to me was more dear than all the rest, which is my friend. A change there is apparent and great; and nothing is more sure, than that nothing hath proceeded from and since my troubles, either towards your lordship or towards the world, which hath made me unworthy of your undeserved favours or undesired promises. Good my lord, deal so nobly with me, as to let me know whether I stand upright in your favour, that either I may enjoy my wonted comfort, or see my griefs together, that I may the better order them; though, if your lordship should never think more of me, yet your former favours should bind me to be ous than felt, as whereby I am not likely to be able to wait upon your lordship, as I desired, your lordship being the person, of whom I promise myself more almost than of any other; and, again, to whom, in all loving affection, I desire no less to approve myself a true friend and servant. My desire to your lordship, is to admit this gentleman, my kinsman and approved friend, to explain to you my business, whereby to save further length of letter, or the trouble of your lordship's writing back. TO MR. TOBIE MATTHEW. GOOD MR. MATTHEW, The event of the business, whereof you write, is, it may be, for the best: for seeing my lord, of himself, beginneth to come about, quorsum as yet? I could not in my heart, suffer my Lord Digby to go hence, without my thanks and acknowledgments. I send my letter open, which I pray seal and deliver. Particulars I would not touch. Your most affectionate and assured friend, FR. ST. ALBAN. TO MR. TOBIE MATTHEW. GOOD MR. MATTHEW, When you write by pieces, it showeth your continual care; for a flush of memory is not so much; and I shall be always, on my part, ready to watch for you, as you for me. I will not fail, when I write to the lord marquis, to thank his lordship for the message, and to name the nuntius. And, to tell you plainly, this care they speak of, concerning my estate, was more than I looked for at this time; and it is that which pleaseth me best. For my desires reach but to a fat otium. That is truth; and so would I have all men think, except the greatest; for I know patents, absque aliquid inde reddendo, are not so easily granted. I pray my service to the Spanish ambassador, and present him my humble thanks for his favour. I am much his servant; and ashes may be good for somewhat. I ever rest Your most affectionate and assured friend, FR. ST. ALBAN. I have sought for your little book, and cannot find it. I had it one day with me in my coach. But sure it is safe; for I seldom lose books or papers. TO THE LORD VISCOUNT ST. ALBAN. MOST HONOURED Lord, I have received your great and noble token and favour of the 9th of April, and can but return the humblest of my thanks for your lordship's vouch safing so to visit this poorest and unworthiest of your servants. It doth me good at heart, that, although I be not where I was in place, yet I am in the fortune of your lordship's favour, if I may call that fortune, which I observe to be so unchangeable. I pray hard that it may once come in my power to serve you for it; and who can tell but that, as fortis imaginatio generat casum, so strange desires may do as much? Sure I am, that mine are ever waiting on your lordship; and wishing as much happiness as is due to your incomparable virtue, I humbly do your lordship reverence. Your lordship's most obliged and humble servant, TOBIE MATTHEW, TO THE LORD ARCHBISHOP OF YORK.* MY VERY GOOD LORD, I must use a better style than mine own in saying, Amor tuus undequaque se ostendit ex literis tuis proximis, for which I give your grace many thanks, and so, with more confidence, continue my suit to your lordship for a lease absolute for twenty-one years of the house, being the number of years which my father and my predecessors fulfilled in it. A good fine requires certainty of term; and I am well assured, that the charge I have expended in reparations, amounting to one thousand marks at least already, is more than hath been laid out by the tenants that have been in it since my remembrance, answerable to my particular circumstance, that I was born there, and am like to end my days there. Neither can I hold my hand, but, upon this encouragement, am like to be doing still, which tendeth to the improvement, in great measure, of the inheritance of your see by superlapidations, if I may so call it, instead of dilapidations, where with otherwise it might be charged.. And whereas a state for life is a certainty, and not so well seen how it wears, a term of years makes me more depending upon you and your succession. For the providing of your lordship and your successors a house, it is part of the former covenant, wherein I desired not to be released. So, assuring myself of your grant and perfecting of this my suit, and assuring your grace of my earnest desire and continual readiness to deserve well of you, and yours chiefly, and likewise of the see in any the causes or preeminences thereof, I commend your grace to God's goodness, resting, &c. Dr. Tobie Matthew. MINUTE OF A LETTER TO THE COUNT PALATINE MONSEIGNEUR, Je me tiens à grand honneur, qu'il plaise à vostre altesse de me cognoistre pour tel, que je suis, ou pour le moins voudrois estre, envers vous et vostre service: et m'estimeray heureux, si par mes conseils auprès du roy, ou autre devoir, je pourroy contribuer à vostre grandeur, dont il semble que Dieu vous a basti de belles occasions, ayant en contemplation vostre très-illustre personne, non seulement comme très-cher allié de mon maistre, mais aussi, comme le meilleur appui, après les roys de Grande Bretagne, de la plus saine partie de la chrestieneté. Je ne puis aussi passer sous silence la grande raison, que vostre altesse fait à vostre propre honneur en choississant tels conseilleurs et ministres d'estat, comme se montre très-bien estre Monsieur le Baron de Dhona et Monsieur de Plessen, estants personages si graves, discrètes et habiles; en quoy vostre jugement reluict assez. Vostre altesse de vostre grâce excusera la faulte de mon langage François, ayant esté tant versé es vielles loix de Normandie: mais le coeur supplera la plume, en priant Dieu de vous tenir en sa digne et saincte garde, Monseigneur, de vostre Altesse le plus humble et plus affectionné serviteur. Endorsed, May 13, 1619. LETTERS FROM THE BRITISH MUSEUM. NEVER BEFORE PRINTED. TO LADY BURGHLEY, TO SPEAK FOR HIM TO HER TO LORD BURGHLEY, TO RECOMMEND HIM TO LORD.* MY SINGULAR GOOD LADY, THE QUEEN.* My humble duty remembered, and my humble thanks presented for your lordship's favour and countenance, which it pleased your lordship, at my being with you, to vouchsafe me, above my I was as ready to show myself mindful of my duty, by waiting on your ladyship, at your being in town, as now by writing, had I not feared lest your ladyship's short stay, and quick return might My letter hath no further well spare me, that came of no earnest errand. I degree and desert. am not yet greatly perfect in ceremonies of court, errand but to commend unto your lordship the whereof, I know, your ladyship knoweth both the remembrance of my suit, which then I moved right use, and true value. My thankful and ser- unto you; whereof it also pleased your lordship viceable mind shall be always like itself, howso- to give me good hearing, so far forth as to promise Your to tender it unto her majesty, and withal to add, ever it vary from the common disguising. ladyship is wise, and of good nature to discern in the behalf of it, that which I may better deliver from what mind every action proceedeth, and to by letter than by speech; which is, that although it must be confessed that the request is rare and esteem of it accordingly. This is all the message which my letter hath at this time to deliver, unaccustomed, yet if it be observed how few there unless it please your ladyship further to give me be which fall in with the study of the common leave to make this request unto you, that it would laws, either being well left or friended, or at their please your good ladyship, in your letters, where- own free election, or forsaking likely success in with you visit my good lord, to vouchsafe the other studies of more delight, and no less prefermention and recommendation of my suit; where- ment, or setting hand thereunto early, without waste of years; upon such survey made, it may in your ladyship shall bind me more unto you be than I can look ever to be able sufficiently to acknowledge. Thus, in humble manner, I take my leave of your ladyship, committing you, as daily in my prayers, so, likewise, at this present, to the merciful providence of the Almighty. Your ladyship's most dutiful and bounden nephew, B. FRA. From Grey's Inn, this 16th September, 1580. * Lansd. MS. xxxi., art. 14. VOL. 1II.-21 my case may not seem ordinary, no more than my suit, and so more beseeming unto it. As I force myself to say this in excuse of my motion, lest it should appear unto your lordship altogether indiscreet and unadvised, so my hope to obtain it resteth only upon your lordship's good affection toward me, and grace with her majesty, who, methinks, needeth never to call for the experience of the thing, where she hath so great and so good *Lansd. MS. xxxi art. 14. 02 1 such persons as are of nature bashful (as myself of the person which recommendeth it. According themselves, yet laborant invidia; I find, also, that Your lordship's most bounden nephew, Grey's Inn, this 6th of May, 1586. TO SIR ROBERT CECIL, KNIGHT.* is in case of difficulty, but again, for that without I take it as an undoubted sign of your lord-hension to deal more effectually for me than ship's favour unto me, that, being hardly informed otherwise, not only because the trial of friends of me, you took occasion rather of good advice than of evil opinion thereby. And if your lordship had grounded only upon the said information of theirs, I might, and would truly have upholden that few of the matters were justly objected; as the very circumstances do induce, in that they were delivered by men that did misaffect me, and, besides, were to give colour to their own doings. But because your lordship did mingle therewith both a late motion of mine own, and somewhat which you had otherwise heard, I know it to be my duty, (and so do I stand affected,) rather to prove your lordship's admonition effectual in my doings hereafter, than causeless by excusing what is past. And yet, (with your From Grey's Inn, this 16th of April, 1593 lordship's pardon humbly asked,) it may please you to remember, that I did endeavour to set forth that said motion in such sort, as it might Your honour's in faithful affection FR. BACON. LORD HIGH TREASURER.+ breed no harder effect than a denial. And I pro- TO MR. MICHAEL HICKES, SECRETARY TO THE Lansd. MS. li. art. 5, Orig. Lansd. MS. lxxv. art. 36, Orig. +Lansd. MS. Ixxv. art. 56, Orig. with more ease, practise the law, which, percase, Your lordship's most humbly bounden, HICKES. TO THE LORD HIGH TREASURER.* AFTER the remembrance of my humble and bounden duty, it may please your good lordship, the last term I drew myself to my house in the country, expecting that the queen would have placed another solicitor, and so I confess a little TO MR. HENRY MAYNARD, AND MR. MICHAEL to help digestion, and to be out of eye, I absented myself, for I understood her majesty not only to continue in her delay, but, (as I was advertised chiefly by my Lord of Essex,) to be retrograde, (to use the term applied to the highest powers;) since which time, I have, as in mine own conceit, given over the suit, though I leave it to her majesty's tenderness, and the constancy of my honourable friends, so it be without pressing. MR. MAYNARD and Mr. Hickes, I build somewhat, upon the conceit I have of your good wills, which maketh me direct my request to you in so pressing an occasion as is fallen unto me, by the strange slipping, and uncertain over-cunning dealing of a man in the city, who, having concluded a bargain with me for certain marsh lands, now in mortgage for a thousand pounds, and standing to And now my writing to your lordship is chiefly be redeemed the 24th of this present, which is to give you thanks. For, surely, if a man con- but twelve days hence, and being to give me sixsider the travail and not the event, a man is often teen hundred and odd pounds for the sale, doth more bounden to his honourable friends for a suit now upon a point, as clear as any case in Littledenied than for a suit succeeding. Herewithal, ton, and wherein Mr. Attorney-General, Mr. I am bold to make unto your lordship three re- Brograve, Mr. Heskett, Mr. Gerard, Mr. Altham, quests, which ought to be very reasonable, and all that I can speak with, make no manner because they come so many at once. But I of doubt, quarrel upon the assurance, and so in cannot call that reasonable, which is only this time of difficulty for money pensions, and in grounded upon favour. The first is, that your so instant a quantity of time as twelve days, lordship would yet tueri opus tuum, and give as plunge me to seek my redemption money, or to much life unto this present suit for the solicitor's forfeit my land to seven hundred pounds less and place, as may be without offending the queen, more. This maketh me desire the help of two (for that were not good for me.) The next is, so good friends as I esteem yourselves to be, the that, if I did show myself too credulous to idle | rather because the collateral pawn which I would hearsays, in regard of my right honourable kins- offer, which is the assurance of my lease of man and good friend, Sir Robert Cecil, (whose good nature did well answer my honest liberty,) your lordship will impute it to the complexion of a suitor, and of a tired sea-sick suitor, and not to mine own inclination; lastly, that howsoever this matter go, yet I may enjoy your lordship's good favour and help, as I have done in regard of my private estate, which, as I have not altogether neglected, so I have but negligently attended, and which hath been bettered only by yourself, (the queen except,) and not by any other in matter of importance. This last request, I find it more necessary for rie to make, because, (though I am glad of her majesty's favour, that I may, * Lansd. MS. Ixxviii. art. 31, Orig. Twickenham, being a thing which will pass with Your friend, loving and assured, |