their particular for any thing whatsoever done till now either by the league in general or by whomsoever of the united in particular because that the league was made two years and more before his Majestie of great Brittain broke with Spain or that the King of Denmark had declared himself Since the time that these two Kings are come to the Dance your Highnesse hath not levied one man and the Forces which you do yet keep as they were not levied so are they not maintained in Contemplation of the two Kings but onely for the first reasons of the League The onely thing here sought for is to go with a common pace that those that are now too heavily laden may be supported by their friends either by way of diversion or by way of assistance And therefore your Highnesse and other Princes are now requested to help seeing there is small appearance of diversion And set the case that the Peace between Spain and France should be firm would it not turn against the Common Cause Italiae incendium ruina Germaniae extinguere To quench a little fire in Italy by the ruine of whole Germany In Chronical diseases Physitians do not so much respect the symptomes and accidents as they do the causes of the evil The Valtoline Palatinate Hussia Marchisat of Baden Dukedome of Brunswick and so many other Countries attempted and oppressed by the Spanish and Austrian usurpation are grievous and dangerous symptomes and accidents but the Cause and fewel of the evil remains yet in the ambitious bowels of the Spaniard who now with spread sailes goeth on towards the universal Monarchie unlesse there be applied betimes some fit remedies all topick remedies will do but little good The King of Denmark doth offer himself ready to apply such an issue whereby he may be brought back to terms of modestie and with the assistance he doth expect from your Highnesse and other interessed Princes he hopeth to bring his good intent to passe And being prodigal of his great Soul there is no doubt he will ever go back unlesse he be forsaken Thus there remains the Common liberty almost in your hands and if this most excellent Senate resolves to give ayd unto that King that libertie will be preserved If you do forsake him that will also be indangered yea lost I therefore beseech your Highnesse to ponder well this matter and to grant such an assistance as is requested by the King of Denmarks Embassadour Sir Henry Wootton to the Duk. My most Noble Lord I Will be bold by this opportunity to give his Majestie through your Lordships hands an accompt of a Command which I had from him at Theobalds about sounding how the Venetian Embassadour stood satisfied with the late determination touching his predecessour Donato I did visit the said Embassadour immediatly at my return from the King and saluted him as by expresse Commandment interjecting some words of mine own gladnesse that he had received contentment in this tender point which would signalize his beginnings This I said because in truth I had found him alwaies before the more passionate in it by some reflection upon himself His answer after due thanks for his Majesties gracious remembrance of him from abroad was That for his own part he was Contentissimo and had represented things home in the best manner He hoped likewise it would be well tasted there also though with some doubt because the State out of their own devotion towards his Majestie might form a confidence of expecting more I replyed that the King upon the matter if we consider disgrace had done more then themselves for he was but once banished at Venice and twice here viz. once from the Verge of the Court and secondly from London which was as much as could be done with preservation of National immunities and more then would have been done at the suit of any other Embassadour here resident or perhaps of any of their own hereafter if the like case shall occur For as I told him it was the Kings expresse will that his particular respect to the republique and to him in this businesse should not be drawn into examples With this point he was not a little pleased for his own glory and said that indeed Mr. Secretarie Nanton had told him so This was the summe of what passed between us omitting impertinencies Let me end my dear Lord as I am bound in all the use either of my pen or of my voice with an humble and hearty acknowledgment of my great obligations towards your Lordship which will make me resolve and in good faith unhappy till I can some way shew my self Your Lordships most thankful and faithful servant Henry Wootton 25th of January 1619. Sir Henry Wotton to the Duke My most honoured Lord and Patron THese poor lines will be presented unto your Lordship by my Nephew one of your obliged servants and withal some description as I have prayed him of my long infirmities which have cast me behind in many private and often interrupted even my publique Duties with which yet I do rather seek to excuse some other defects of service then my silence towards your Lordship For to importune your Lordship seldom with my pen is a choice in me and not a disease having resolved to live at what distance soever from your sight like one who had well studied before I came hither how secure they are whom you once vouchsafe any part of your love And indeed I am well confirmed therein by your own gracious lines for thereby I see that your Lordship had me in your meditation when I scant remembred my self In answer of which Letter after some respite from mine own evils I have deputed my said Nephew to redeliver my fortune into your Noble hands and to assure your Lordship that as it should be cheerfully spent at your Command if it were present and actual from whose mediation I have derived it so much more am I bound to yeeld up unto your Lordship an absolute disposition of my hopes But if it should please you therein to grant me any part of mine own humour then I would rather wish some other satisfaction then exchange of Office yet even in this point likewise shall depend on your will which your Lordship may indeed challenge from me not onely by an humble gratitude and reverence due to your most worthy person but even by that natural charity and discretion which I owe my self For what do I more therein then onely remit to your own arbitrement the valuation of your own goodnesse I have likewise committed to my foresaid Nephew some Memorials touching your Lordships familiar service as I may term it in matter of art and delight But though I have laid these Offices upon another yet I joy with mine own pen to give your Lordship an account of a Gentleman worthier of your love then I was of the honour to receive him from you We are now after his well spent travailes in the
man though I have said justly seeming guiltie yet in mine own knowledge innocent and free as I have delivered it will you then deny the King to savour whom he please which the King hath never denyed you that are his subjects will you controle me your Head and Governor in things wherein your selves have taken liberty uncontroled would you that I should require accompt of your liberalitie nay of all your failings which are liable to my authority well commend me to my Lords and tell them that if any thing had been formerly done amisse by others I have power and will to redresse it and to prevent the like I speak it in the word of a King neither Lords nor Commons can desire of me any thing that is honest which I am not ready to give them Let not therefore the world by these mistakings make Table-talk any longer of your King and his negotiations nay of his secrets and necessities for alas what great wrong or indignity can the Glorie of the State receive then that the private grudges of subjects accusing to the ignorant when in their consciences they could excuse should be the businesse of our Parliament and that the King himself should be forced to appear us a partie No doubt this is a Cocatrice egge that craftie heads of our enemies seek to hatch whilest the weightie affaires that in present concern the Honour and welfare of the King and State and the peace of all Christendome are by us utterly neglected I end hoping your Lordship now privy to these things will be tender of your Soveraigns honour and will so satisfie and treat with the rest that those particular janglings may be by some other course and in some other place and time discussed and determined that so our minds and time may be employed in the care of better things which earnestly invoke our ayd at this instant Thus much spoken or written or the like for I seek but to awaken your Lordships higher spirit and invention I conceive it may get this effect That these 6. Lords won by these reasons and by other the Kings invitations may deliver to the House that for their parts they have received unexpected satisfaction in those greatest points of the accusation against your Lordship and of such secret nature as are not fit to be published without further deliberation Wherefore since it pleased their Lordships to have made choyce of them to be trusted in this imployment they have faithfully served accordingly and do upon their Honours freely and without any ingagement or respect protest the same And therefore humbly desire their Lordships that they would intreat his Majestie to be President in advice with their Lordships What further were to be done in this private Contention betwixt your Lordship and the Lord Digbie which obtained something may then follow for your Lordships good by yeelding up that Cause into the Kings hands And his Majestie hath great reason to bend it that way because it is conceived that the Lords will be loath to admit the King to be supream Judge and Accuser which point will much touch his Majestie And his Majestie were better give some ease to the Lord Digbie then permit that dispute And now for my self I beseech your Lordship to pardon my strange boldnesse I know I am a mere stranger to you and if ever you have heard of me it must be as of a friend of such you then did not love I know it shewes me a medler in businesse or an insinuator which are suspitions that may distast you and make you suspect my pretences though they were not altogether witlesse I know this disadvantage and am in my own nature offended for putting my self thus into your notions But yet I resolved to undergo all this First because you made my Brother a Captain in Ireland who had otherwise perished Next for the favour you did to my Lord of Northumberland and the retiring of disfavour from my Lord of Sommerset And lastly for your firm hand that advanced the now Lord Treasurer To all which Lords I am familiarly known and bound But neerest to you your Lordship may hear of me from the Lord Treasurer I am confident of your Lordships noble interpretation since I seek no ends no acquaintance no other thanks being one that have no Court-suits to your Lordship but being one that loves not ruines which my friends have tasted nor that the publique should wrestle with a private Inturn of Spleen And I offer it but as a simplicity yet with good will enough for what can a man that is not privy to the Elements of State demonstrate any conclusion thereof yet I hear sometimes how the world goes as other men do I conceive I have said something to your Lordship and though perhaps short yet enough to occasion and stir up your deeper thoughts I also may have deeper but also I know that little pinnes of wood do sustain the whole building More I could have said touching the other points but these greatest elided the fall of the others may be easily directed What I have said against those objections I touched doth arise from grounds of truth and they must win and prevail and my conceit is fitted to the Kings part and to the occasions now on foot I humbly cease your Lordship further trouble and with you all good desiring your Lordship also to pardon my tedious and hasty scribled hand Your Lordships unknown servant Ch. Th. Postscript YOur Lordship shall be pleased to take off some part of my boldnesse and impute it to the obligation and service I owe this worthy Lady the Bearer To Count Gondomar My Lord I Thought my hands bound that I could no sooner have occasion to write unto you being forced against my will to delay my writing from day to day in expectation of the news of your arrival at that Court assuring my self that I should then receive from you some ground whereupon to write But after a long expence of time before that I could hear of your arrival and in the Pacquet that his Majesties Embassadour sent thereafter receiving no Letters nor word from you as I expected I do now by these break my long silence unto you As for news from hence I can in a word assure you that they are in all points as your heart could wish for here is a King a a Prince and a faithful friend and servant unto you besides a number of your other good friends that long so much for the happy accomplishment of this match as every day seems a year unto us and I can assure you in the word of your honest friend that we have a Prince here that is so sharp set upon the businesse as it would much comfort you to see it and her there to hear it Here are all things prepared upon our parts Priests and Recusants all at liberty all the Roman Catholiques well satisfied and which will seem a wonder unto you our Prisons are
might but ought to grant a dispensation to this marriage but now we are surcharged with a number of new Articles from Rome and in the mean time the Dispensation is as far off as ever it was His Majestie hopes that you are not ignorant that the treatie is between him and your Master He hath no treatie with Rome neither lyes it in his way to dispute with them upon this question yet that his readinesse to imbrace your Masters friendship may the better appear he is contented to yield to so many of their demands as either his Conscience Honour or safetie can permit if so the King your Master shall think it necessarie But on the other part we three remember that when as you first moved this match unto him and perswaded him to break off with France you then promised that he should be pressed to nothing in this businesse that should not be agreeable to his conscience and honour and stand with the love of his people As to the particular Articles new added at Rome I will not clogg this paper with them which I fear without them will be too troublesome unto you For what his Majesties opinion is of them his Majesties Embassadour there will particularly acquaint you But whereas the Pope desires in the end of his Articles that he may see what ponum publicum the King our Master will grant unto that may perswade to grant this dispensation I will remit it to your conscience and knowledge whether if the favours his Majestie daily grants to those of his religion and is resolved still to continue if not to increase them if they shall by their good behaviour deserve it be not a real bonum publicum considering that if the match should break off which God forbid his Majestie would be importunatly urged by his people to whose assistance he must have his recourse to give life and execution to all the penal Lawes now hanging upon their heads It only rests now that as we have put the ball to your foot you take a good and speedie resolution there to hasten a happy conclusion of this match The Prince is now two and twenty years of age and so a year more then full ripe for such a businesse the King our Master longeth to see an issue proceed from his Loins and I am sure you have reason to expect more friendship from the posterity that shall proceed from him and that little Angel your Infanta then from his Majesties Daughters Children Your friends here are all discomforted with this long delay your enemies are exasperated and irritated thereby and your neighbours that envie the felicity of both Kings have the more leisure to invent new Plots for the Crosse and hinderance of this happy businesse And for the part of your true friend and servant Buckingham I am become odious already and counted a betrayer both of King and Countrey To conclude all with I will use a similitude of hawking which you will easily understand being a great Faulkoner I told you already that the Prince is God be thanked extreamly sharp set upon this Match and you know that a Hawke when she is first dressed and made ready to flie having a great will upon her if the Faulkoner do not follow it at that time she is in danger to be dulled for ever after Take heed therefore lest in the fault of your delayes there Our Prince and Faulcon-gentle that you know was thought slow enough to begin to be eager after the Foeminine prey become not so dull upon these delayes as in short time hereafter he will not stoop to the Lure though it were thrown out to him And here I will end to you my sweet friend as I do in my prayers to God Onely in thee is my trust and say as it is written on the outside of the Pacquets Haste Haste Post-haste Conde de Gondomar to the Duke 13. Febr. 1625. Most Excellent Sir AT last Sir the Earl of Gondomar goes for England There will be many good discourses made in Holland about this voyage But the truth is that the intention of his journey is not to offend any one but only to desire and procure peace and the publique good And onely with this intent the King my Master Commands me to go thither and I go with a great deal of joy as well for this as for to kisse his Majesties and his Highnesse his hands and your Excellencies in particular And therefore I do appoint for the field of our Battail your Excellencies Gallerie over the Thames where I hope your Excellencie shall see that the Earl of Gondomar is an honest man and that he hath been is and ever will be a faithful and true servant and friend to Sir George Villiers Duke of Buckingham whom God preserve many happy years The Countesse my Wife and my self kisse my Lady the Countesse and my Lady Dutchesse their hands Your Excellencies Constant and faithful servant Gondomar Padre Maestre at Rome to the Spanish Embassadour in England 12. June 1621. My Lord I Have received two Letters from your Lordship the one of the 15th of March brought me by Mr. George Gage and the other of the 30. of April which came by the Ordinarie In both which Letters I have received a special favour from you and much comfort The coming of Mr. Gage hath given me infinite contentment then which there could nothing have happened more fitly and to the purpose for the matter which is in negotiation nor any man have come hither that could better advance the businesse then he as well in respect of his good affection as for his wisdom and dexterity in all things And if the King of Great Brittain will withal help now a little the businesse will be quickly done and in a good manner I beseech your Lordship preach to him a Christian Sermon as is most needful for there comes from thence divers wayes such reports thither that I am ashamed and out of countenance in the streets as I go and they do me a favour that they do not stone me knowing that I am treating and labouring this businesse at the same time when the poor Catholiques are so cruelly used in England Scotland and Ireland And when I excuse it that it is not by the Kings order but by the abuse and malice of some ill affected Ministers it will not be received neither do they want Replies Besides there is a rumour all over Rome that the King in a Speech which he made at the beginning of the Parliament affirmed publiquely That for all this marriage with Spain the Catholique party in England should not be in one jott better condition then they are But I cannot be yet discouraged My confidence is in the King and in the desire which I know he hath to procure a good Wife for his Son And now that the time is come let him play the part of a Couragious Wooer and frustrate the intentions and desires of all those
by that meanes we might not onely satisfie more often our desires in this point having his Majestie neerer but also our desire to bring these businesses to an end which are ordinarily more delayed and lesse well executed when they are to passe through the hands of Ministers though they be very zealous and well affected to it as these Lords are with whom we treat here who are desirous that the King should be known for just though unnecessarily when nothing is pretended contrarie to that which is agreed upon This knowledge whereupon I ground my reasons may perhaps make me Sin Embargo incurre the Censure of an impatient man But I am perswaded that if that which hath been done here had been setled there by your Honour and the Lord Count of Carleil whose good disposition and proceeding is as much to be esteemed as it is praysed by Don Carlos and my self we would have made an end and those things which I have seen and observed here had not happened unto us For in the conference in which my Lord Keeper did assist it was agreed as we thought that his Majestie should give order to the Judges and Justices of Peace Arch-bishops and Bishops signed with his royal hand under the little Seale within three months or at the Princesse her arival He hath persisted afterwards as also Sir George Calvert in that though it was plain that his Majestie would give the said warrant afterwards there being no tearm nor day appointed Neverthelesse at last we have condescended that it should be within six months or at her Highnesse arrival if she comes afore that time that we may shew how happie we think our selves in being Servants to his Majestie whom God save The dispatches that we are to have are contained in the relation here enclosed I pray you to take order that those that are to be sent back to that effect may be subscribed and Sealed for I have differred the dispatching of a Currier with an evident danger that he will now arrive too late and put in hazard a businesse of mine of consideration which obligeth me to dispatch him that he may not go without them And that it may not be an occasion to doubt of the assurance we have given of his Majesties good will and intention whose Royal hands I and Don Carlos do intreat your Honour to kisse in our name and to continue us in his Majesties good Favour and your Honour likewise in yours for we deserve it with a particular affection and equal desire to serve you God save your Honour as I desire Your Honours servant The Marquesse Ynoiosa Sir Arthur Chichester to the Duke the 25. January 1623. May it please your Grace WHen you went last from White-Hall I waited on the Prince and you into the Gallery where your Lordship spake something unto me which I understood not to wit Are you turned too As I knew not the ground of the Demand I could make no present answer nor now but by Conjecture When I turn from the Prince whom I know to be the worthiest of Princes or from you who by your favours have so bound me to serve you or from the truth as I conceive it God I know will turn from me until then I humbly pray your Lordship to believe that I am your honest servant The Sunday after your Lordships departure the Embassadours of the King of Spain came unto me under the pretext of a visit I have herewith sent your Grace a brief of what passed between us I judge some man hath done me an ill office by insinuating me into their good opinions of me sure I am I never spake of them nor of the affaires they have to manage but what I have said when the selected Councel were assembled I cannot be so dull but to know that they meant your Grace to be the Interposer of their desires and the Man whom they wished to be absent when they have their private audience They are exceeding Cautelous and I conceive the late Dispatch from Spain is like a gilded bayt to allure and deceive your Lordship perceiving their Malice will be warie to avoid their Venom I am Your Graces Humble and faithful Servant Arthur Chichester The Collections of the Passages and Discourses between the Embassadours of the King of Spain and Sir Arthur Chichester 18. Jannary 1623. These Passages were sent to the Duke inclosed in the last foregoing Letter ON Sunday the 18. of this present January the two Embassadors of Spain came to visit me at my House in Drury-Lane At their first entrance they took occasion to speak of the profession of Souldiers and of the Spanish Nation affirming them to be the bravest Friends and the bravest Enemies I approved it in the Souldier and contradicted it not in the Nation When they were come into an Inner Room looking upon the Company as if they desired to be private I caused them to withdraw but noting that they had brought an Interpreter with them I prayed Sir James Blount and Nathaniel Tomkins Clark of the Princes Councel who doth well understand the Spanish tongue to abide with me Being private they said they came to visit me because of the good intention and well-wishing they understood I had to the accommodation of businesses and because I stood named by his Majestie for the imployment into Germanie I acknowledged their coming to visit me as a particular Favour professing my self to be one of those who was able to do least but that I must and would in all things conform my self to the will and good pleasure of the King my Master They were pleased to remember and to take for argument of his Majesties good opinion of me to make me one of the Junta as they called it of the selected Councellours and his imployment given me the last year as his Extraordinary Embassadour into Germany I told them I had been bred a Souldier as their Excellencies had been but that I wanted the capacity and abilities which they had and that for want of Language not affecting to speak by an Interpreter I had for born to wait on their Excellencies as otherwise I would have done To that they returned the like Complement and then said Their Master had sent a good answer touching the Palatinate and they assured me that he would perform what he had promised with advantage I said if it were so I then hoped all things would sort to a good end They then asked me how his Majestie and the Lords were affected and whether therewith they were satisfied or no I answered That I conceived their Excellencies knew his Majesties mind as well as the Lords for that they had so lately audience of him They said It was true they had so but not a private audience nor could they obtain any though they had much desired the same but that others were still present I said merely that they were two and I believed that the King their Master had sent as
breach of that word which he hath given to the world and without prejudice to that obedience which he oweth to the least commandement of the King his Father his Highnesse may be inabled to comply with the incomparable affection which he beareth the Infanta your Majesties Sister And that by meanes hereof the two Crowns may be kindly in perfect union and the Catholique religion may be highly advantaged not only in the Dominions of my Lord the King but in many other parts of Christendom into which the Authority of these Dominions doth flow For my part I take the eternall God to witnesse whom I procure to serve and who hath given me a heart which disclaimeth from all other interesses then to serve God and my King that I conceive my self not to comply with a good conscience without laying this protestation under the Eye of your Majestie that if the Catholique subjects of the King my Lord shall grow liable to persecution or affliction by occasion of breaking this Match through the disgust of the King my Lord and his Councel or through the power which infallibly the Puritans assembled in Parliament will have with him upon this occasion that blood or miserie whatsoever it may partly be required at their hands who have advised your Majestie not to accept of those large conditions for Catholiques which my Lord the King and the Prince have condescended to and of that more then moral Securitie which they have offered for the performance thereof And on the other side I undertake to your Majestie under the pain of infamie in case that be not made good which here I affirm that if your Majestie will be pleased to give some such ground to the Prince as whereupon he may with Honour stay and perfect the Treatie of the Marriage by any such way or means as may occur to your Majesties royal wisdom the whole bodies of the Catholiques in England both religious and secular shall acknowledge it as a great blessing of God and shall oblige themselves to pray incessantly for your happie Estate c. Sir Tobie Mathew to the Dutchesse of Buckingham 9. June 1625. Madam THere was no cause till now why I should trouble your Ladyship with presenting my unprofitable service to you but now I shall venture to do it by reason of the good newes I shall send with it For our Queen arrived here yesterday and I was glad at the heart to see her such as she had seemed she is more grown then I had thought being higher by half the head then my Ladie Marquesse And whatsoever they say believe me she sits already upon the very skirts of womanhood Madam upon my faith she is a most sweet lovely Creature and hath a countenance which opens a window into her heart where a man may see all Noblenesse and Goodnesse and I dare venture my head upon the little skill I have in Physiognomie that she will be extraordinarily beloved by our Nation and deserve to be so and that the actions of her self which are to be her own will be excellent Me thought I discerned in her countenance a little remnant of sadnesse which the fresh wound of parting from the Queen Mother might have made yet perhaps I was deceived Her Aattyre was very plain for so Great a Queen can be thought to have nothing mean about her But I hope that amongst many other blessings which God will have provided for us by her means her example will be able to teach our Countrie wit in this kind I had the happinesse to see and hear her at a short distance by the Commandement which my Lady of Buckingham laid upon me to interpret for her and believe me she is full of wit and hath a lovely manner in expressing it But I confesse I was sorrie with all my heart to hear that her courage was so great as to carry her instantly after my Ladie of Buckingham had taken her leave for that time to Sea in a poore little boate in the company of her brother whom yet I have not had the honour to see I dare give my word for her that she is not afraid of her own shadow who could find in her heart to put her self at the first sight upon an element of that danger and disease for meer pastime Unlesse it were perhaps that she might carrie some Steel about her and that there is some Adamant at Dover which already might begin to draw her that way I am extreamly sorrie that we have lost the hope of seeing the two other Queens for if they had come we might have had beautie here as well in the preterperfect and in the present tense as now we have in the future But the Queen Mothers indisposition hath arrested her at Amiens in punishment of that malice wherewith she dissembled it too long at the first through the extream desire she had of coming hither Our Queen received my Lady of Buckingham with strange courtesie and favour and now there is no remedy but that the King will needs defray and treat her after a high manner And I have been told that Mounsieur will needs descend so much as to visit her in her lodging and the Dutchesse of Chevereux being that great Princesse as she is both by match and bloud will perforce give precedence not onely to my Ladie of Buckingham but to my Ladies her daughters also And I assure my self that a lesse puissant example then this will serve to convert our Great Ladies even to exceed in England towards the Ladies which are strangers and do but come and go But the while this Court doth so apply it self to do my Lady of Buckingham all imaginable honour I look on it so as that I am no way discouraged thereby from bearing devotion to the blessed Virgin when I see that men who are sick of love towards the Son are put even by a kind of Law of nature into pain till they revenge themselves upon the Mother I beseech Jesus c. From Bulloign â— Dr. Sharp to King James The Complaint of Europe our Mother aged and oppressed TO whom To the Kings and Princes of Europe Of whom Of the Pope of Rome For what matter For causing by his Catholique League so much bloud to be spilt within these few yeares in Europe To this effect as that excellent Poet speaks with a little change of his words Quis non Europaeo sanguine pinguior Campus sepulchris impia praelia Testatur auditumque Turcis Europaeae sonitum ruinae Qui gurges aut quae flumina lugubris Ignara belli quo Mare Civicae Non decoloravere caedes Quae Caret ora cruore nostro And what further danger is it like to breed Even to bring the Turk into Austria Italy Germany into Vienna and into Rome it self as it hath brought him into Pannonia and of late into Pollonia to the great danger of all Christendome Which danger she doth foresee and lament and telleth That no European King
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 Pore 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 Mansfelt 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 Berule's clamours and overtures and the suddain sending for Mounsieur Blanville back Your Grace will see day in all shortly But assuredly the latter advice comes from a heart that is affectionately devoted to your Graces service This Bearer will kisse your Graces hands from the Authour and thereby you will know his name which he stipulated might not come in writing The Lord Herbert to his Majestie My most Gracious Soveraign NOw that I thank God for it his Highnesse according to my continual prayers hath made a safe and happie return unto your Sacred Majesties presence I think my self bound by way of Compleat obedience to these Commandements I received from your Majestie both by Mr. Secretary Calvert and my Brother Henry to give your Majestie an account of that sense which the general sort of people doth entertain here concerning the whole frame and Context of his Highnesse voyage It is agreed on all parts that his Highnesse must have received much contentment in seeing two great Kingdomes and consequently in enjoyning that satisfaction which Princes but rarely and not without great peril obtain His Highnesse discretion diligence and Princely behaviour every where likewise is much praised Lastly since his Highnesse journey hath fallen out so well that his Highnesse is come back without any prejudice to his person or dignity they say the successe hath sufficiently commended the Councel This is the most common censure
my Lord Duke can be truly instanced in by any man I will be contented to incur his Majesties high displeasure and your Lordships Censure For the present Newes here it is that the ninth of this Moneth the Prince intendeth God willing to begin his journey for England And the day before I conceive the Contract will be The Infanta is to follow in the Spring and the Prince hath commanded my stay here I know not how things may be reconciled here before my Lord Dukes departure but at present they are in all extremity ill betwixt this King and his Ministers and the Duke and they stick not to professe that they will rather put the Infanta headlong into a Well then into his hands I write unto your Lordship you see with much freenesse and I intreat you let it remain with you And so in much haste I onely intreat your Lordship to believe that you have not living an honester nor a true hearteder a friend and servant then Your Lordships ever to be commanded Bristol The E of Bristol to the Lord Bishop of Lincoln 24. of Septemb. 1623. My singular Lord I Have dispatched this Bearer my servant Greislie with the draught of the temporal Articles which I hope will be to the King and Prince his satisfaction and he will let your Lordship have a sight of them Since the departure of the Prince there have every day passed Letters of extraordinary affection between the King and the Prince and the love that is here generally born unto the Prince is such as cannot be well believed by those that daily hear not what passeth both from the King and his chief Ministers And to say the truth his Highnesse hath well deserved it for in the whole time of his being here he hath carried himself with the greatest affability patience and constancie and at his departure with the greatest bountie and liberality that I think hath been known in any Prince in our times And I protest unto your Lordship as a Christian that I never heard in all the time of his being here nor since any one exception taken against him unlesse it were for being supposed to be too much guided by my Lord Duke of Buckingham who is indeed very little beholding to the Spaniards for their good opinion of him and departed from hence with so little satisfaction that the Spaniards are in doubt that he will endeavour all that shall be possible to crosse the Marriage Wherein certainly they are very much mistaken For my Lord cannot but be obliged a servant for any particular distastes of his own to crosse the advancement of his Majestie and the Prince's service especially in a businesse of so high Consequence as this It may be your Lordship will hear many Complaints and that the Match never was nor yet is intended I beseech your Lordship to give little belief in that kind and the effects will now speedily declare the truth if the fault be not on our side It is true that the Spaniards have committed many errours in their proceedings with the Prince but the businesse is now by the Prince overcome if we our selves draw not back For which I confesse I should be heartily sorry and so I conceive would most honest men for if this match and the alliance with Spain hath been so long desired by his Majestie and that for it he hath heen pleased to do so much and the Prince to take so hazardous a voyage if all the same reasons are yet on foot which have ever moved the King and Prince to wish the match if to this may be added that his Majestie hath overcome all the difficulties on his part and that both he and the Prince do stand ingaged for the performance of it as far as Princes can be God forbid that any particular distastes or misunderstandings which God knoweth have little relation to the businesse should be of power to disturb it especially now when the Match is past all danger of miscarrying the portion and all temporal Articles settled and I hope to the Kings Content and all other good effects that could be expected by this allyance in a very fair way I hope there will be no cause of doubt in this kind if there should be I am sure that your Lordship would put to a helping hand to keep the businesse from being overthrown since you have done so much for the overcoming of former difficulties and the bringing it to the passe 't is now in If there be no cause of writing this I beseech your Lordship to impute it to my zeal to the businesse and my freenesse with your Lordship upon whose true love and friendship I so much rely as I shall not forbear to tell you any of my fears I hope within 3. daies Sir Francis Cottington will be able to begin his journey towards your Lordship He will tell you many truths being on my knowledge as hearty a servant and friend as 't is possible for your Lordship to have He hath told me how much I am bound to your Lordship for your love and favour and truly I will deserve it the best I can and that I think will be onely by loving you for otherwise I conceive I am like to have little means of meriting at any bodies hands yet at your Lordships it may be I may by being a man of honesty and honour And such an one I will labour to be and your affectionate friend and servant And so I kisse your Lordships hands Madrid c. The E. of Bristols Letter to the Prince touching the delivery of his Proxie to the King of Spain May it please your Highnesse IN this Letter I shall onely speak unto your Highnesse concerning that particular whereof you were pleased to write unto me after your departure from St. Lorenzo and have presumed to set down exactly the case as it stands In what sort a woman betrothed and post Matrimonium ratum may before the Consummation of marriage betake her self unto a religious life I have likewise set down unto your Highnesse all sorts of security that may be taken before the betrothing for the preventing of any such course in the parties that are to be betrothed To this your Highnesse may adde any other you can think of for that the King and his Sister and all the Ministers professe so really the punctual and present performance of all that is capitulated with your Highnesse That they will refuse no kind of security that in reason can be demanded in this behalf so that your Highnesse may set down whatsoever you think this King and his Sister may do with decencie and honour and they will be ready to perform it I must now crave leave to speak unto your Highnesse like a faithful plain servant which is if your Highnesse pleasure be to have use made of the Powers you have left in my hands I no way doubt but in this particular such satisfaction will be given as will appear
reason I think it will appear how well grounded their complaints be Upon those two former Anchors I will therefore rest and that so far from Cowardlinesse that I will either challenge them before his Majestie to make good their suggestions or else which I hold the greater valour of all and which I confesse I wanted before this check of your Lordships go on in my Course and scorn all these base and unworthy scandals as your Lordship shall direct me I have sent a Copy of a Letter of mine to my Lord Anan which his Majestie hath seen and given his assent it should not be kept private yet I would humbly crave your Lordships opinion thereof by Mr. Packer before any Copy goeth from me I am ever c. The Lord Keeper to the Duke 12th Octob. 1622. My most Noble Lord I Will speak with the Jesuit to morrow and deliver him his admonition from the King but do send your Lordship here inclosed a Copie of the Conference which I procured from him without his privity onely to make his Majestie and your Lordship merrie I have also received a Letter concerning the French Embassador which I will be ready to put in execution as your Lordships servant and Deputy but not otherwise Yet your Lordship will give me out of that freedom which was wont to be well interpreted by your Lordship to let your Lordship understand that I find all businesses of restitution of ships and goods thus taken to have been handled before the Councel in Star-chamber all the reigns of Henry 7th and H. 8th without any contradiction of the Lord Admiral for the time being But this to your Lordship in secret I will be very careful of the Earl of Desmond that neither his cause nor your Lordships reputation shall suffer thereby And this is the account I can yet give of your Lordships Letter save that I humbly expect that answer which your Lordships own Luckie hand hath promised in the postscript of one of them I would ease your Lordship in this place but to prevent complaint that peradventure may be first invented and then presented Your Lordship shall heare of a long narrative of our Councel Table dispatches That passage of our letter which as it now goeth doth hope that his Majestie will spare to confer any suites of moment in Ireland until the return of the Irish Committee was a blunt request to the King to grant no suites there without our advice Against this concluded in my absence the first day of the Tearm I spake first to the Prince privately who allowed of my reasons then when the President would not mend it at the Table openly that I did utterly dislike we should tutour his Majesty how to grant suits especially in Letters that are to remain upon record My Lord of Cantuar and the Earle Marshal said they had many Presidents in that kind I answered I knew they had none but in the Kings time and that I wished them as I do all torn out of the book and cast into the fire I concealed my reasons which now I will reveal unto your Lordship because this is the third time I have expressed unto your Lordship under my hand my dislike of this kind of Limiting his Majestie otherwise then by word of mouth First if his Majestie which we see so often done shall dispose of these suites otherwise here are so many records remaining to malitious men to observe his Majesties aversenesse from following the advice of the Councel board Secondly if your Lordship shall procure any suit in this kind here are records also in time to come that you crosse and thwart the government of the Kingdom And I pray God this be but mine own jealousie The passage in the Letter with my Prating and his Highnesse help was altered and for fear of misreporting I make bold to relate the truth hereof to your Lordship My Lords proceeded very resolutely in those reformations which concerned other men The Commission of fees enables the Committees to call before them all the Judges as well as their under Officers which was more then the King exprest at Hampton Court amongst whom the Lord Keeper is one who from the Conquest to this day was never subjected to the call of any power in the Kingdom but the King and the Parliament And although I have not one Pennie of Fee which hath not continued above one hundred years yet for the honour of the Prime place in the state though now disgraced by the contemptiblenesse of the Officer I am an humble suiter unto your Lordship that my Person may be exempted from the command of Sr. Edwin Sandys or indeed any man els besides the King my Master Otherwise I shall very patiently endure it but the King hereafter may dislike it The Justices of the Peace are also appointed but if the Judges and my self be not utterly deceived to no purpose in the world nor service to his Majestie But when their Lordships came to surrender the under Leivtenantships to his Majesties hands whom the Lord President and I held fit to be created henceforward by several Commissions under the Great Seal it was stiffly opposed and stood upon that the King should name them in their Lordships Commissions onely according to a President in the late Queens time that is the King shall have the naming but they still the appointing of them And now it was pressed that his Majestie intended not to disgrace his Lords c and your Lordship is to have a Letter from Mr. Secretarie to know his Majesties mind herein If his Majestie shall not ordain them to be created by several Pattents it were 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
pocket until I shall have the honour to wait upon your Grace when you have made use of the same 2. If your Grace shall hear him complain of the Judges in their charges and of their receiving of Indictments your Grace may answer That those charges are but orations of Course opening all the penal Lawes and the Indictments being presented by the Country cannot be refused by the Judges But the Judges are ordered to execute nothing actually against the Recusants nor will they do it during the negotiation 3. Your Grace may put him in mind that my Lord Keeper doth every day when his the Lord Embassadours Secretary calls upon him grant forth Writs to remove all the persons indicted in the Country into the Kings Bench out of the power and reaches of the Justices of the Peace And that being there the King may and doth release them at his pleasure 4. That the Spanish Embassadour never had nor desired more then these favours 5. That you are informed that Copies of Letters written from the King to both the Archbishops are spread abroad in Staffordshire to his Majesties disadvantage for so it is and that thereby my Lord Embassadour may perceive the bent of the English Catholiques which is not to procure ease and quietnesse to themselves but Scandals to their neighbouring Protestants and discontentments against the King and State I humbly crave your Graces pardon for this boldnesse and tediousnesse and with my hearty prayers for your health do rest yours c. The Lord Keeper to the Duke 22. March 1624. May it please your Grace I Send your Grace here inclosed the Kings Commission and the Prince's Proxie not fairly written which the Embassadours upon the place may procure in a frech hand but yet legibly and passably The Prince's Proxie refers the manner unto the articles and particularly to the second third and fourth Section of those Articles which gives me occasion to begg of your Grace pardon to desire your Grace to think seriously upon the third Section to advise with the Prince and to give Mr. Packer charge to inform your Grace punctually what he knoweth and may inform himself concerning those particulars That is How the Queen Margaret of France was married to Henry the fourth and how Madam his sister was married to the Prince of Lorrain For although they are both made alike in the article yet surely they were not married after the same fashion For the Dutchesse of Barr was married in a closet without a Masse by words onely of the Present tense as I believe I have read in the Historie of Thuanus A favour which will hardly be granted to your Grace And how Queen Margaret was married my Lords the Embassadours will soon learn if your Grace will be pleased to write unto them I hold it in a manner necessary that your Grace do carrie over with you in your company one Civilian to put your Grace in mind of the formalities required and if your Grace be of that mind your own Doctor Dr. Reeves is as fit as any man else who is a good Scholar and speaks that language Your Grace hath revived my Lord of Clare sithence I spake with your Grace And I beseech your Grace to follow that resolution and to let Mr. Packer draw up a warrant of 3. or 4. lines signed by the King to me to place him with the rest of the Councel of War It will be an occasion to take up more of that time which he now spends with the Lady Hatton For now I am resolved that I was of the right in my conjecture to your Grace that his Lordship had utterly refused my Lady Purbecks cause of the which the very common peopple begin to be ashamed but is deeply ingaged against my Lady of Richmond Dutchesse of Richmond in the businesse of that famous or rather notorious foeminine Contract and bargain of sixteen hundred pounds by the year for a house to sleep in When your Grace shall draw up your Instructions you will be pleased to use the words To Contract Espouse and marrie Our Welbeloved Son c. because they do in those parts contract alwaies before marriage And your Grace will be pleased to expresse his Majesties pleasure that this is to be done by your self and no other Because although the two Earls upon the place have some such general words in their Commission yet your Grace only is named in the Prince's Proxie and now solely imployed by the King to that purpose Although I conceived this restraint to be fitter a great deal for the instructions then the Commission I am extream sorry to hear what a grievous fit his Majestie had this last night But I hope it is a farewel of the Agues and I pray God it be the last fit And now am an humble suitor again that I may come and look upon his Majestie resolved to say nothing but that which I will never cease to say God blesse him If your Grace holds it inconvenient I beseech your Grace to excuse me and to account me as I will ever be found Yours c. The Bishop of Lincoln to the Duke 7th of January 1625. Most Gratious Lord BEing come hither according unto the dutie of my place to do my best service for the preparation to the Coronation and to wait upon his Majestie for his Royal pleasure and direction therein I do most humbly beseech your Grace to crown so many of your Grace's former favours and to revive a Creature of your own struck dead onely with your displeasure but no other discontentment in the universal world by bringing of me to kisse his Majesties hand with whom I took leave in no disfavour at all I was never hitherto brought into the presence of a King by any Saint besides your self Turn me not over most noble Lord to offer my prayers at new Altars If I were guiltie of any unworthy unfaithfulnesse for the time past or not guiltie of a resolution to do your Grace all service for the time to come all considerations under Heaven could not force me to beg it so earnestly or to professe my self as I do before God and you Your Grace's most humble affectionate and devoted servant Jo. Lincoln The Bishop of Lincoln to his Majestie Most Mighty and dread Soveraign I Have now these four moneths by the strength of those gracious speeches your Majestie used when I took my leave of your Majestie at Salisbury and the conscience of mine own innocencie from having ever wilfully or malitiously offended your Majestie comforted my self in these great afflictions to be thus injoyned from your Majesties presence the onely heaven wherein my soul delighted having submitted my self I hope dutifully and patiently to the discharge from that great Office for the execution whereof I was altogether unworthy My required absence from the Councel Table my sequestration from attending your Majesties Coronation And your Majesties favourable pleasure for so I do esteem that to spare my
to put all those statutes in execution against the Protestants in those parts which are here enacted and as they falsely informed severally executed upon the Papists I would therefore see the most subtile State-monger in the world chalk out a way for his Majestie to mediate for Grace and favour for the Protestants by executing at this time the severity of the Lawes upon the Papists And that this favour should mount to a Toleration is a most dull and yet a most divelish misconstruction A Toleration looks forward to the time to come This favour backward onely to the offences past If any Papist now set at liberty shall offend the lawes again the Justices may nay must recommit him and leave favour and mercy to the King to whom onely it properly belongeth Nay let those 2. writs directed to the Judges be as diligently perused by those rash Censures as they were by those grave and learned to whom his Majestie referred the penning of the same and they shall find that these Papists are no other-otherwise out of prison then with their shackles about their heels sufficient sureties and good recognisances to present themselves again at the next assises As therefore that Lacedemonian posed the Oracle of Apollo by asking his opinion of the bird which he grasped in his hand whether he were alive or dead so it is a matter yet controversed and undecided whether those Papists closed up and grasped in the hands of the law be still in prison or at libertie Their own demeanours and the successe of his Majesties negotiations are Oracles that must deside the same If the Lay-papists do wax insolent with this mercy insulting upon the Protestants and translating this favour from the person to the cause I am verily of opinion his Majestie will reman d them to their former state and condition and renew his writ no more But if they shall use these graces modestly by admitting Conference with learned Preachers demeaning themselves neighbourly and peaceably praying for his Majestie and the prosperous successe of his pious endeavours and relieving him bountifully which they are as well able to do as any of his Subjects if he shall be forced and constrained to take his sword in hand then it cannot be denied but our Master is a Prince that hath as one said plus humanitatis penè quam hominis and will at that time leave to be merciful when he leaves to be himself In the mean while this argument fetcht from the Devils topicks which concludes a Concreto ad abstractum from a favour done to the English Papists that the King favoureth the Romish Religion is such a composition of follie and malice as is little deserved by that gracious Prince who by word writing exercise of Religion acts of Parliament late directions for catechizing and preaching and all professions and endeavours in the world hath demonstrated himself so resolved a Protestant God by his holy Spirit open the eyes of the people that these aierie representations of ungrounded fancies set aside they may clearly discern and see how by the goodnesse of God and the wisdom of their King this Island of all the Countries in Europe is the sole nest of peace and true Religion and the inhabitants thereof unhappie onely in this one thing that they never look up to heaven to give God thanks for so great a happinesse Lastly for mine own Letter to the Judges which did onely declare not operate the favour it was either much mis-penned or much misconstrued It recited four kinds of recusancies onely capable of his Majesties clemencie not so much to include these as to exclude many other crimes bearing amongst the Papists the name of Recusancies as using the function of a Romish Priest seducing the Kings liege people from the Religion established scandalizing and aspersing our King Church State or present Government All which offences being outward practises and no secret motions of the conscience are adjudged by the Lawes of England to be merely civil and political and excluded by my Letter from the benefit of those Writs which the bearer was imployed to deliver unto the Judges And thus I have given your Lordship a plain account of the carriage of this businesse and that the more suddenly that your Lordship might perceive it is not Aurea Fabula or prepared tale but a bare Narration which I have sent unto your Lordship I beseech your Lordship to let his Majestie know that the Letters to the Justices of Peace concerning those four heads recommended by his Majestie shall be sent away as fast as they can be exscribed I will trouble your Lordship no more at this time but shall rest ever Your Lordships servant and true friend Jo. Lincoln C. S. The Bishop of Menevensis to the Duke Dr. Laud. My most Gratious Lord I May not be absent and not write And since your Grace is pleased with the trouble I must professe my self much content with the performance of the dutie I am not unmindful of the last businesse your Grace committed to me but I have as yet done the lesse in it because I fell into a relaps of my infirmitie but I thank God I am once more free if I can look better to my self as I hope I shall My Lord I must become an humble suitor to your Grace I hear by good hand that my Lord of Canterbury intends shortly to renew the High Commission Now I am to acquaint your Grace that there is never a Bishop that lives about London left out of the Commission but my self and many that live quite absent are in and many inferiours to Bishops The Commission is a place of great experience for any man that is a Governour in the Church And since by his Majesties gratious goodnesse and your Grace's sole procurement I am made a Governour I would be loath to be excluded from that which might give me experience and so enable me to perform my dutie I am sure my Lord of Canterbury will leave me out as hitherto he hath done if his Majestie be not pleased to Command that I shall be in This I submit to your Grace but humbly desire even against my own ease and quiet that I may not be deprived of that experience which is necessary for my place I most humbly beseech your Grace to pardon this boldnesse and to know that in my daily prayers for your Grace's happinesse I shall ever rest Your Grace's most devoted and affectionate servant Guil. Menevensis Novemb. 18. 1624. The Bishop of Menevensis to the Duke Dr. Laud. My most Gracious Lord I Am heartily glad to hear your Lordship is so well returned and so happily as to meet so great joy God hath among many others his great blessings and I know your Grace so esteems them sent you now this extraordinarie one a son to inherit his fathers honours and the rest of Gods blessings upon both So soon as I came to any end of my journey I met the happie
come that opinion doth so govern as strangers get the Command and new Souldiers imployed which was never heard of before amongst men of our occupation It is high time for me to retire and wish I had been of any other profession then this For if long service can get no honour nor reward not imployment but the contrary it would touch a mans discretion to be more and more unfortunate All my comfort is that I shall have the honour and good fortune in my retreat to draw neerer to your Excellencies service if not in my profession which I desire above all yet in something whereof your Excellencie may make use of me For I am ambitious of nothing more then to prove my self by action and not by recommendation Your Excellencies most faithful devoted and humble servant Ed. Cecyl From our Army at Wallike the 4th of Decemb. Sir Edward Cecil to Mr. Secretary Conway My very good Lord IT hath pleased your Lordship to write me three Letters lately the one a particular list of officers that should be sent from hence the second for Mr. Hapton the third an acknowledgement onely of the receipt of my Letter to your Lordship The first I have put in execution and have written to your son Sir Edward Conway to give them all notice of your Lordships Care of them And to let them know how welcome any one shall be to me that you think fit to be imployed For one of them called Ensign Rainesford I had set him down because I received your Lordships direction from himself For Mr. Hopton I have written unto him according to your desire with your Letter inclosed concerning the last I give your Lordship many humble thanks for having expressed the acceptance by your answer Touching your businesse here the State hath ben as contrary to us as the wind For though they see a great action likely to be performed to their own good with little cost to themselves yet they desire to be so wise as to make benefit both wayes and not to balk any advantage which makes them stand so stiff upon the denying of us Officers and Soulders by election and will yield to send none but whole companies onely to abate so much upon the repartitions But Sir William St. Leiger and I have utterly refused their offer as a proposition against his Majesties service for by this ignorant winter war our Companies are grown half new men having lost most of our old and of those new men the half are sick besides So that his Majestie should be beholden to them rather for names then men And again for the Officers and Soulders it is like they should be most of them the worst in the regiment from whence they are to come Whereas if we might have had those Officers we made choice of which were but ten Captaines and other inferiour Officers to the number of thirty they might have been fit for imployment upon a double enemy And I could wish that whensoever his Majestie shall be once furnished with Good Officers it would please him to make account of them as these men do who have had long experience and known their Value It pleased my Lord the Duke to write to me a Letter and to let me know he had chosen me his Officer to attend and obey him this journy an honour too great for me because I did never expect it but nothing shall excuse my faults saving my life And among many other directions he commanded me to provide for the Army such necessary things as cannot be had in England Whereof I have thought of many which I fear I shall not have the time to get In my care belonging to these provisions I have considered the use of our small pieces of Ordinance here which they call Drakes that shoot 70. Musket bullets They will be of great use in this service both in regard of the quick landing and of the passing of such mountainous places as perhaps we may meet withal and likewise in respect of the little hope we have to get any good musquetiers or at least any great store of them But they are in such favour here as we can obtain none from hence and so are forced by a general consent to buy ten of them here that were provided for the King of France And the reputation they carrie is such as they are readie mony every where They cost not much more then 400. sterling and I hope they will prove the profitablest pieces that were ever used in the quarrel of his Maiesties Friends We have likewise considered of what service a company of Firelocks would be to the action but the time is so short we cannot raise them Howsoever we are promised of the States to have leave for a companie of Harquebussiers which are of such use upon all occasions that we cannot misse them And we have chose a brave and worthie Gentleman his Majesties Servant and Subject who is willing to leave any service for this being the service of the King If they should have been raised in England his Majestie must have payed for the horses armes saddles and pistols and yet not find any able to have served in that kind The wind as yet holds contrary which hath made me send this by Sir Henry Vane who goes a way that I dare not passe But I hope if the wind serve not to be many dayes behind him to receive your Lordships command more particularly which I will obey as Your Lordships most humble Servant Ed Cecyl Hagh 2. June 1625. Postscript MY Lord now in this time of necessity for the getting of good Musquetiers there are many hundred to be found in England that have served in this Land which by proclamation and promise of mony in hand or more pay will easily discover themselves whom some of the new men to be released will be glad to satisfy without charge to his Majestie Sir Edward Cecyl to the Duke My most excellent Lord THere are some Letters of mine that had come to your Lorships hands a good many dayes since had not the wind been contrary and withstood their passage The substance whereof was onely to shew you how thankful I hold my self to your excellencie for so great and infinite a favour as it hath pleased your excellencie to think me worthie of But as is it a favour that will set me on work all the dayes of my life so is it greater then I can ever deserve Howsoever my resolution is to do my best And I humbly beseech your Excellencie to believe that with my diligence and the best understanding I have I will seek nothing but to please you and to honour you and if God say Amen to make the world speak of your design as much I hope as ever our Nation hath given cause And for the faults of my self and those I shall bring with me they shall not be excused but with our lives and bloods for I hope I shall bring none
I know not how my Lord of Essex can take any thing ill from your Excellencie unlesse it be to have you do injustice or against all reason He may rather give your Excellencie many thanks that his Lordship is not called into question for letting passe the King of Spain's ships that offered him fight which would have been the chief service having instructions not to let any flie or break out without fighting with them Now my Lord I humbly beseech your Excellencie to consider my Case that hath been so severely examined and no body else and that after my Examination I have lingred so long in my wrongs and disgraces and by the ill offices your Grace doth see are done me to his Majestie which will rather increase then diminish so long as I shall be kept from the presence of his Majestie that is I know of himself the justest Prince in the world and yet to be in your Excellencies favour And I hold my self clear of all imputations in despight of all malice and practice that hath been against me to obscure all my endeavours which my adversaries in their consciences can best witnesse that when they slept I waked when they made good chear I fasted and when they rested I toyled And besides when they went about to hinder the journey at Plimouth by railing on the beggerlinesse of it and discrediting of it I was content to take it upon me though against my judgment as I did secretly deliver both to his Majestie and your Grace before I departed from the Coast Nominating in my Letter to his Majestie all the inconveniencies that did after happen unto the Fleet for had it not been in my obedience to his Majestie and my good affection to your Excellencie that I did see so much affect it and was so far ingaged I would have been rather torn in pieces then to have gone with so many ignorant and malicious people that did shew so little affection or courage to his Majesties service or any affection at all to your Excellencie Yet for all this all hath been laid upon me having had rather hard courses taken against me then any way maintained in my Commission which was given me which no State that I have ever heard of did before I pray God his Majesties future service do not suffer for it for where his Majesties Officers are not obeyed he can never be served Wherefore my suit is that if I have any ill offices done me to his Majestie that I may clear my self before him by your favour which I have so long attended after or by way of Petition which the meanest Subject is not to be hindred in for as I continue now I have not onely wrong done to me but I suffer as much punishment without any fault as if I had been condemned And that your Excellencie will do me the favour to deal plainly with me to let me know why I am deferred from his Majesties presence which is not denied to any having received so much wrong If my suffering be to adde any service to your affaires in these troublesome times let but this honest friend of mine know so much and I will suffer any inconvenience as I have misery danger and decay of my fortunes for your Excellencies sake And so I rest Your Excellencies most devoted and faithful and thankful servant and Creature Wimbledon 28th Apr. 1626. My Lord Wimbledon to the Duke My Gracious Lord I Understand that it pleased the Lords to grant the Colonels leave to accuse me a new and they have taken to them the most discontented Seamen they could get to help their malice forward I had thought that before my coming they should have had time and advantage sufficiently to have shewen all their envie And I was perswaded that they could not have desired more then to have been present when I should be examined and my journal read At the reading whereof they took all the exceptions that might be and I did answer them all in your Excellencies presence as I thought fully whereupon they seemed to be so content as they had no more to say neither did they at that time desire to make a journal or to say any more Then the Lords resolutions were only to hear the Seamen speak upon whom all the businesse did lie If they may be suffered upon new Combinations to bring new slanders upon me I cannot tell what to think of it But this I can say that if this course be taken his Majestie will never be without a mutinous Armie which all States in policy do shun For when the Common Souldiers shall see their Chiefs give them such examples they will soon follow being that all Armies are subject to it especially a new Armie I had thought that one Trial had been sufficient being it was before such an Assembly But if I should be accused I should desire to have new accusers and not the same that have already accused me for so there would be no end that upon their Petition I might have been heard what I could justly say why they should not have leave to make a journal and not to give them leave before I were heard I am afraid there was never any such president before and what inconveniencies may come of it time will shew I have sought to none of the Lords as I fear my enemies have done I know not whether I shall suffer for it or no but my trust hath only been in your Excellencie and the justnesse of my Cause I have been your Excellencies Officer in as difficult and as miserable an action as ever any one hath undertaken and with as little assistance as ever any one had For many of those that should have assisted me were more careful in betraying me then in forwarding his Majesties service And if this course be held to encourage them there is no man shall suffer more then his Majesties service will For it will be folly for any man to look to his Majesties service or to take any pains to prevent or hinder that which may be committed against it But to let every man do what he will so all will be pleased and he that Commands shall have no man to slander him which is the way to live in quiet Thus much I thought was fit for me to let your Excellencie understand and withal that I held it a great unhappinesse for me that have taken such toyl and pains and suffered so many slanders to be kept back by my enemies from that honour that never any one of my rank and place was hindered in which is from kissing the hand of my Soveraign Lord the King All Power is in your Lordships hands whether you will uphold me in my just cause or no or let me be ruinated for want of it So that I can say no more but that if I suffer I shall be your Excellencies Martyr if not I shall all my life rest Your Excellencies most humble and most thankful
From aboard the Vantguard the 10. of July 1621. Captain John Pennington to the Duke May it please your Grace MY last to your Lordship was of the 18. of this present from Stokes Bay since which time I have received two from your Grace at Deep one by your Secretarie Mr. Nicholas whereby your Grace commands me to deliver up his Majesties Ship and the rest under my Command to the hands of such Frenchmen as his Christian Majestie shall appoint according to his Majesties pleasure signified by my Lord Conway And that I and the rest of the Masters take securitie of them for our ships severally according to the true valuation And to see this put in execution you sent your Secretarie Mr. Nicholas And the other by Mr. Ingham in answer of mine written from Stokes Bay The former part whereof being only a command to put your former in practice and the latter a denial of my humble suit for my being called home from this Service Which said part confirms absolutely that it was not your Graces pleasure that I should yield up the ships into their hands and disposesse my self and companie of them for I trust your Grace had no such unjust thought as to continue me here alone after The French had possession of her to be their slave as I am sure they would have made me if they had their wills To give your Grace an account of what I have done since I came to Deep which was the 21th at this instant about nine of the clock at night would be too tedious for this time The 22th in the morning Earlie I sent my boat ashoare with my Lievetenant to find out your Graces Secretarie to receive my Letters whereby I might know your Graces pleasure and to kisse my Lord Embassadours hands from me and to let him know I was come with his Majesties ship to do him service but could not command the rest to come along with me their Masters not being there and all their companies in a mutiny But his jelousie was such that he would not suffer your Graces Secretary to come aboard or to send me your Letters or that my Lievtenant should speak to him but in his presence but presently sent a Gentleman aboard to me commanding me to come ashoar to him which I confesse I was very loath to do in regard my people were much discontented and readie daily to mutiny being all wonderous unwilling to go against Rochel or those of their religion And besides I never having been a shoare since I came into my command neither on our own Coast or else where It being not my use yet notwithstanding these particulars knowing his Greatnesse and your Graces pleasure for the giving him all due respect I presently went to him where he taking me into a roome apart with your Graces Secretary he first delivered me my Lord Conwaies Letter or rather a warrant for so he tearms it himself for the delivery of the ship into their hands as they interpreted it and then your Graces Letter commanding me to see his Majesties pleasure signifyed by my Lord Conwaie put in execution And lastly a letter from the King of France thereby willing me to receive his Souldiers aboard that he had provided and his Cousin the D. de Mommorencie and to go presently and to joyn with his Great Fleet against his rebellious subjects This is the effect of that Letter Having read all these letters he would presently have possession of the ship that night for that he could not stay longer I told him that I did not understand it so but that I was torender all service to his most Christian Majestie but nothing would serve him save the present possession which because I would not yield unto he grew into a strange furie telling me that your Grace had sent your Secretary to see her delivered and security to be taken for her My answer was that I was ready to obey according as I understood the warrant which was to do his Christian Majestie service and to receive a convenient number of Souldiers aboard me But to dispossesse my self of my command I had no such order but still nothing wold satsfie him but the shipe telling me he would not entertain at the most if they were willing above 60. or 80. of our people My answer was I had no order to discharge a man of them neither could I but if they were discharged what they should do or how they should get home having neither meat mony nor clothes I know not To the first of these he told me that Mr. Nicholas had order by word of mouth from your Grace to discharge us which Mr. Nicholas confirmed as also to see the ship delivered which he commanded me to do But with your Graces pardon I durst not do it upon words it being a businesse of too high consequence neither if I had been willing would my companie ever have condescended to it To the second for our passage he promised to have provided barques for us but to conclude this and not to insist upon the rest of the particulars they being too tedious his rage and fury was such that I must of necessity give a little way thereto or else I think he would have kept me ashoare so as I told him I was content if my company would yield thereunto and therefore desired to go aboard to speak with them and to give order for the drawing up of the inventorie And upon this he suffered me to depart but not without promises of a large summe of mony which should be given me at the surrender besides a royal pension during my life he sending his Secretarie and many others aboard with me to see all things put in execution and your Graces Secretary to perswade me to do it But when I had them aboard I told them it was a thing not presently done neither was my companie willing to deliver over the ship without a more ample warrant yet I would do my best to bring both to passe so soon as I could So using them with the best respect I could and fair promises that I would use all diligence for the accomplishing of their desires though I must confesse I never meant it till I should hear further from your Grace and have an especial Warrant from his Majestie or your Grace for it it being a businesse of so high a nature Vpon these hopes they departed and went a shoare where they had not been long till some of them returned back with a strange allarum from his Lordship that he would presently have possession of her or my resolution to the contrary And althoug I alleadged that the inventory and other businesse would not be dispatched in two dayes it would not suffice except I would receive 400. Souldiers aboard in the mean time till things were perfected Thus seeing I could not delay him till I heard farther from your Grace I was forced to give him this resolute answer That upon
of things then I have yet little reason to change my opinion And if your Lordship please to know the state of things now I have sent this Gentleman the Bearer hereof especially to do your Lordship reverence in my name and to give you full information For my return or stay I humbly submit it to his Majesties pleasure Though this Negotiation be like to spin it self out into much length I weigh not my own interest I shall willingly be there where I shall be thought most able to do his Majestie service And so intreating that I may be continued in that good opinion and grace wherein your Lordships own affection not any merit of mine hath placed me I humbly kisse your hands And remain Your Lordships Faithful and devoted servant Rich. Weston Bruxels 26. June 1622. Sir Richard Weston to the Duke My very good Lord I Have understood by my Lord Treasurer the way you have made with his Majestie for my calliing home for which this present doth give your Lordship most humble thanks though I have forborn to presse or sollicit it because I would approve my obedience to his Majestie and take away from them all occasion who otherwise might have accused my departure and imputed the want of successe here to my want of patience to expect an answer I have almost in all my Dispatches since we entred into this Treaty signified what opinion I had of their proceedings here and my chief comfort was that whatsoever the successe were that the clearnesse of his Majesties intentions would appear to the whole world and that the failing is not of his side which I think is manifest enough for notwithstanding that his Majestie hath followed them in all their desires and the Prince Electour hath conformed himself to what was demanded that the Count Mansfelt and Duke of Brunswick the pretended obstacles of the Treatie are now with all their Forces removed No face of an enemy in the Palatinate but his Majesties power in the Garrisons All other places repossessed which Mansfelt had taken No cause of continuing any War now nor any cause of jealousie or fear for the future considering his Majesties fair and honourable offers yet are they so far from a cessation that they are fallen upon Heidelbergh and either want the will or power to remove the siege And all I can get is two Letters of intreatie from her Highnesse to the chiefs of the Emperour to proceed no further and after some 18. daies since I made my proposition for the Cessation I have yet no answer so that being able to raise no more doubts they make use of delayes I have said and done and used all diligences within my power to bring forth better effects and can go no farther and therefore I humbly beseech your Lordship that I may have leave to return when I shall hear that they will not remove the siege at Heidelbergh For their pretending to restore all when all is taken is a poor comfort to me and as little honour to his Majestie and how far they are to be believed in that is to be examined more exactly then by writing by weighing how the weak hopes given me here agree with the strong assurances given by my Lord Digbie out of Spain I hope therefore his Majestie will be pleased to think it reasonable to speak with me and as your Lordship hath ever been a happie and gentle star to me so have I now more need of your favourable aspect then ever that his Majestie may receive my obedience as a sacrifice and interpret well of all my endeavours what successe so ever I bring home with me Wherein humbly intreating your Lordships wonted grace and favour I humbly kisse your hands and vow unto you the faithful observance of Your Lordships Most humble and devoted Servant Richard Weston Bruxels 3d. of Septemb. 1622. Sir Richard Weston to the Duke May it please your Grace YOur Grace shall adde much to the infinite favours I have received from you to read a few lines from me much more to vouchsafe them an answer which I am the more bold to begg and the more hopeful to obtain because I understand by Sir George Goring that howsoever I have had many ill offices done me your Grace will not easily depart from that opinion you have hitherto conceived of me for which I humbly thank your Grace and intreat the continuance of it no longer then I shall be able to make good the integritie of my heart unto you But that which with all humilitie and importunitie I sue for at your Graces hands is to let me know my Accuser and if your Grace think it unseasonable now that I may have a promise to know him at your return Whatsoever or how great soever he be though respect and reverence of those eyes which shall read these lines make me forbear ill language now I shall dare to tell him whatsoever becomes a wronged innocence to say In the mean time I despise him if there be any such that hath accused me since your Graces departure to have done or said or given way to the hearing of any thing that may be wrested to the impeachment of my faith and sincere professions towards your Grace and yet till it come to the tryal I relie as I wrote to Sir George Goring no lesse upon your Graces wisdome and goodnesse then my own innocencie that such Calumnies shall not lessen the estimation I had with you wherein being most confident praying for the continuance and increase of your Graces honour and happinesse I remain Your Graces Most humble and devoted servant Richard Weston 17. July 1623. Sir Richard Weston to the Duke May it please your Grace I Humbly thank your Grace for the Message I received from you yesterday by Mr. Packer And withal I humbly beseech your Grace to believe that no man shall condemn me more then I would my self if I had omitted any possible diligence either to interest or acquaint your Grace with the Commission of the Treasurie Wherein I appeal to Mr. Secretarie Conway who first declared his Majesties pleasure unto me which I could not ascribe more to any Cause then your Graces favour and good opinion of me And at my last being with your Grace I began to speak with you of it but finding your Grace to grow into some indisposition I forbore thinking it not only incivilitie but a violence to have spoken any thing of my self to your Grace at that time This I intreated Sir George Goring to relate unto your Grace and withal to renew the professions of my love and reverence to your Graces person which I had rather make good by real performances then by words and therefore I will trouble your Grace no longer upon this subject I am now extreamly importuned by the Earl of Middlesex to sollicite his Majestie for the first testimonie of his gracious disposition towards him And your Grace remembers that in the beginning of his Lordships
I am Your Lordships Most devoted and most humble servant Kensington Postscript IF the French Embassadour or my Lord of Carlile wonders I have not written unto them I beseech your Lordship let them know this Messenger is not of my sending and in such haste as he cannot be stayed The Lord Kensington to the Prince May it please your Highnesse I Cannot but make you continual repetitions of the value you have here to be as justly we know you the most Compleat young Prince and person in the world This reputation hath begotten in the sweet Princesse Madam so infinite an affection to your fame as she could not contain her self from a passionate desiring to see your Picture the shadow of that person so honoured and knowing not by what means to compasse it it being worn about my neck for though others as the Queen and Princesses would open it and consider it the which ever brought forth admiration from them yet durst not this poor young Ladie look any otherwise on it then afar off whose heart was nearer it then any of the others that did most gaze upon it But at the last rather then want that sight the which she was so impatient of she desired the Gentlewoman of the house where I am lodged that had been her servant to borrow of me the picture in all the secresie that may be and to bring it unto her saying She could not want that Curiositie as well as others towards a person of his infinite reputation As soon as she saw the party that brought it she retired into her Cabinet calling onely her in where she opened the picture in such haste as shewed a true picture of her passion blushing in the instant at her own guiltinesse She kept it an hour in her hands and when she returned it she gave with it many praises of your person Sir this is a businesse so fit for your secresie as I know it shall never go farther then unto the King your Father my Lord Duke of Buckingham and my Lord of Carliles knowledge A tendernesse in this is honourable for I would rather die a thousand times then it should be published since I am by this young Lady trusted that is for beautie and goodnesse an Angel I have received from my Lord of Buckingham an advertisement that your Highnesse opinion is to treat of the General league first that will prepare the other Sir whatsoever shall be propounded will have a noble acceptation though this give me leave to tell you when you are free as by the next newes we shall know you to be they will expect that upon those declarations they have here already made towards that particularitie of the Alliance that your Highnesse will go that readier and nearer way to unite and fasten by that knot the affection of these Kingdomes Sir for the general they all here speak just that language that I should and do unto them of the power and usurpation of the Spaniards of the approaches they make to this Kingdom the danger of the Low-Countries the direct Conquest of Germany and the Valtoline By which means we have cause to joyn in opposition of the Ambitions and mightinesse of this King The which they all here say cannot be so certainly done as by an Alliance with us This they speak perpetuallie and urge it unto my consideration Sir unlesse we proceed very roundly though they be never so well affected we may have interruptions by the arts of Spain that make offers infinite to the advantage of this State at this time But they hearken to none of them untill they see our intentions towards them The which if they find to be real indeed they will give us brave satisfaction But Sir your Fathers and your will not my opinion must be followed and what Commandments your Highnesse shall give me shall be most strictly obeyed by the most devoted Your Highnesse Most dutiful and humblest servant Kensington The Lord Kensington to the Duke the 14. of March 1624. My Lord I Have already acquainted your Grace how generally our desires are met with here much more cannot be said then I have already for that purpose There was never known in this Kingdome so intire an agreement for any thing as for an Alliance with England the Count of Soysons onely excepted who hath had some pretensions unto Madam but those are now much discouraged upon a free discourse the Cardinal of Rochfalcout made unto the Countesse his Mother telling her That if she or her son believed or could expect the King would give him his sister in marriage they would as he conceived deceive themselves for he imagined upon good grounds that the King would bestow his Sister that way that might be most for her honour and advancement and likewise for the advantage of his Crown and Kingdom and he professed for his part although he much honoured the Count as a great Prince of the bloud yet was he so faithful unto his Master as he would advise him to that purpose The Queen Mother and Mounsieur Le Grand have advised me to say something unto the King concerning my businesse I told them I could say nothing very directly unto him and yet would I not so much as deliver my opinion of the King my Masters inclinations to wish an alliance with him unlesse I were assured his answers might make me see his value and respect unto him They then spake unto him and assured me I should in that be satisfied Having that promise from them I told the King that I had made this journey of purpose to declare unto him my humble service and thankfulnesse for all his Honours and favours the which I thought I could not better expresse then by informing his Majestie that our Prince whom he had ever so much valued would be as I conceived free and dis-ingaged from our Spanish Treatie by reason that the King could not find them answer his expectation in those things that made him principally desire their Conjunction the which your Lordship seeing you have exercised your interest and credit with the King your Master and the Prince to convert those thoughts towards his Majestie from whom you were perswaded nothing but truth and honour would be returned the which at this time more then ever would be an infinite advantage to both these Kingdoms and that I believed if his Majestie would shew a disposition as affectionate to receive Propositions to this purpose as the King my Master had to make them a long time would not passe before the effects of this might appear the which would shew the report raised here of the ends of my coming to be false and me to be free of all other designs then those which I had expressed unto him He told me that he had not heard that the Spanish Match was yet broken the which justly might give him cause to be reserved yet thus far he would assure me in the general That whatsoever should be
you as a good ground for you to work on that our Son did write us out of Spain That that King would give us a Blank in which we might form our own Conditions concerning the Palatinate and the same our Son confirms to us now What observation and performance that King will make we require you to express and give us a speedy account c. Given c. Earl of Bristol in answer to King James Octob. 29. 1623. MAy it please your most excellent Majesty I have received your Majesties Letters of the 8. of October on the 21. of the same moneth some houres within night and have thought fit to dispatch back unto your Majesty with all possible speed referring the answer to what your Majesty hath by these Letters commanded me to a Post that I shall purposely dispatch when I shall have negotiated the particulars with this King and his Ministers wherein God willing all possible diligence shall be used But forasmuch as I find both by your Majesties Letter as likewise by Letters which I have received from the Prince his Highness that you continue your desires of having the Match proceeded in I held it my duty that your Majesty should be informed that although I am set free in as much as concerneth the doubt of the Infanta's entring into Religion for the delivering of the powers left with me by his Highness yet by this new direction I now received from your Majesty that the Deposories should be deferr'd till Christmas the said powers are made altogether useless and invalid it being a clause in the bodies of the said powers that they shall onely remain in force till Christmas and no longer as your Majesty may see by the copie I send herewith inclosed Your Majesty I conceive will be of opinion that the suspending of the execution of the powers untill the force and validity of them be expired is a direct and effectuall revoking of them which not to do how far his Highness is in his Honor ingaged your Majesty will be best able to judge by viewing the powers themselves Further if the date of these powers do expire besides the breach of the Capitulations although the match it self jealousies and mistrusts be hazarded yet the Princes coming at the Spring will be almost impossible For by that time new Commissions and Powers shall be after Christmas granted by the Prince which must be to the satisfaction of both parties I conceive so much of the year will be spent that it will be impossible for the Fleets and other preparations to be in a readiness against the Spring for it is not to be imagined that they will here proceed effectually with their preparations untill they shall be sure of the Desposorios especially when they shall have seen them severall times deferred on the Prince his part and that upon pretexts that are not new or grown since the granting of the Powers but were before in being and often under debate and yet were never insisted upon to make stay of the business so that it will seem that they might better have hindered the granting of them then the execution of them Now if there were not staggering in former resolutions the which although really there is not yet can it not but be suspected and the clearing of it between Spain and England will cost much time I most humbly crave your Majesties pardon if I write unto you with the plainness of a true-hearted and faithfull servant who ever hath cooperated honestly unto your Majesties ends I knew them I know your Majesty hath been long time of opinion that the greatest assurance you could get that the King of Spain would effectually labour the intire restitution of the Palatinate was that he really proceeded to the effecting of the match and my instructions under your Majesties hands were to insist upon the restoring the Prince Palatine but not to annex it to the treaty of the match as that therby the match should be hazarded for that your Majesty seemed confident that here it would never grow to a perfect conclusion without a setled resolution to give your Majesty satisfaction in the business of the Palatinate The same course I observed in the carriage of the business by his Highness and my Lord Duke at their being here who though they insisted on the business of the Palatinate yet they held it fit to treat of them distinctly and that the marriage should proceed as a good pawn for the other Since their departure my Lord Ambassador Sir Walter Ashton and my self have been pressed to have this Kings resolution in writing concerning the Palatinate and the dispatches which your Majesty will receive herewith concerning that business were writ before the receit of your Majesties Letters and doubtless it is now a great part of their care that that business may be well entred before the Infanta's coming into England And his Highness will well often remember that the Conde dé Olivarez often protested a necessity of having this business compounded and setled before the marriage saying otherwise they might give a Daughter and a War within three moneths after if this ground and subject of quarrell should still be left on foot The same language he hath ever held with Sir Walter Ashton and my self and that it was a firm peace and amity as much as an allyance which they sought with his Majesty So that it is not to be doubted but that this King concluding the match resolveth to imploy his uttermost power for your satisfaction in the restitution of the Prince Palatine The question now will be whether the business of the Prince Palatine having relation to many great Princes that are interessed therein living at distance and being indeed for the condition and nature of the business it self impossible to be ended but by a formall treaty which of necessity will require great length whether the conclusion of the match shall any way depend upon the issue of this business which I conceive to be far from your Majesties intention for so the Prince might be long kept unbestowed by any aversness of those which might have particular interest in the Princes remaining unmarried or dislike with his matching with Spain But that which I understand to be your Majesties aim is onely to have the conclusion of this match accompanied with a strong engagement as can be procured from this King for the joyning with your Majesty not onely in all good Offices for the entire restitution of the Palatinate but otherwise if need require of his Majesties assistance herein These days past I have laboured with all earnestness and procured this Kings publique answer which I am told is resolved of and I shall within these few days have it to send to your Majesty as also a private Proposition which will be put into your hands and shall not fail further to pursue your Majesties present directions of procuring this Kings Declaration in what sort your Maiesty may rely
Catechism wherewith the people yea very children may be timely seasoned and instructed in all the heads of Christian Religion The which kind of exposition to our amendment be it spoken is more diligently observed in all the Reformed Churches of Europe then of late it hath been here in England I find his Majesty much moved with this neglect and resolved if we that are Bishops do not see a reformation thereof which I trust we shall to recommend to the care of the Civil Magistrate so far is his Highness from giving the least discouragement to solid preaching or discreet and religious Preachers To all these I am to add That it is his Majesties Princely pleasure that both the former Directions and those reasons of the same be fairly written in every Registers Office to the end that every Preacher of what denomination soever may if he be so pleased take out Copies of either of them with his own hand gratis passing nothing in the name of fee or expedition But if he do use the pains of the Register or the Clerk then to pay some moderate Fee to be pronounced in open Court by the Chancellor and Commissaries of the place taking the direction and approbation of my Lords the Bishops Lastly That from henceforward a course may be taken that every Parson Vicar Curate or Lecturer do make and exhibit an account for the performance of these his Majesties directions and the reasons for the same at the ensuing Visitation of the Bishops and Archdeacons paying to the Register 6 d. for the exhibiting And so wishing but withall in his Majesties name requiring your Lordship to have a special and extraordinary care of the premisses I leave you to the Almighty Your very loving friend J. Lincoln C.S. Septemb. 3. 1622. Instructions for the Ministers and Church-Wardens of London Jan. 28. 1622. 1. THat his Majesties declaration published Anno Dom. 1628. before the Articles of Religion for settling all questions in difference be strictly observed 2. That speciall care be had concerning Lectures in every Parish 3. That the Minister and Church wardens in every parish or one of them do by writing under his or their owne hands certifie unto the Arch-Deacon of London or his official at or before the 28 of this present January and afterwards at or before every visitation the Christian and Sirnames of every Lecturer in their parishes and the place where he preacheth whether exempt or not exempt together with his quality or degree 4. That they doe in like manner certifie the names of such men as being not qualified by Law do keep Chaplains in their houses 5. That they do further certifie the names of all such as absent themselves from or are negligent in coming to divine service as wel Prayers as Catechising and Sermons 6. That the Minister and Church-Wardens of every Parish successively doe keep a severall Copy of those Instructions by them whereby they may be the better informed of their duty and that the said Copies be shewed at every visitation when they shall present all such persons as have disobeyed these instructions that according to his Majesties pleasure such as do conforme may be encouraged and such as are refractory may be punished Subscribed Tho. Paske Arch-Deacon of London Monsieur Bevayr Chancellour of France discharged to the French King LO Sir I willingly resign into your hands the charge with which you were pleased to honour me and with the same Countenance that I received it without seeking for it I leave it without grieving for it the Law had sufficiently taught me to obey your Majesty so that I needed not to have been sent for by a Captain of the Guard and twenty Archers violence should only be used against those that resist and not against me that know how to obey and that have ever esteemed this honour a heavy burden rather then a dignity which yet I had accepted for the good of your service because every able man owes his cares and his years to the publick good and because it had been a shame for me to refuse to die with the stern in my hand being able to binder or at the least delay the shipwrack that threatens us God grant Sir that I be the greatest loser in this disfavour and that you and your state be the least touched in it This accident hath not taken me on the suddaine having ever well foreseen that as I followed as much as I could the integrity and vertues of Monsieur de Villeroy and the President Janin so I ought to expect the like fortune to theirs your commandment in this agrees with the choice my self had made if I had been at full liberty for I love a great deal better to be companion in their disgraces if I ought so to stile the being disburthened of affaires then to be imployed in the managing the State with them that there remaine since I might in time have taken an ill day by the Company of such people to whom I no whit envy the increase of authority which is given them at my cost for I have not used to give accompt of my actions every morning by stealth neither will I be prescribed what I ought to doe if the States good and reason doe not counsell me unto it This is much more honourable for me then to have betrayed your Majesty in sealing a discharge to an accomptant of 80000 pound in the great poverty of the Treasury and that to further the good of a man that blushes not besides this to demand the Dutchy of Alanson by way of mortgage which is the portion of the Kings Sons and to pretend to the office of Constable which the late Kings will expresly was should be suppressed after the death of the late Lord Monmorency Think not Sir that in not giving my consent to this I desired to oppose my self against your Authority I know well that that hath no bounds but those of your wil but yet are you bound to rule your self according to reason and to follow the Counsel of those which have entred into the managing of the State by the choice which the late King had made of them as being more able to give it you then certain new comers drawn out of the dregs of businesse and of the people This exchange which is made of us for them is the trick of the Wolves to the Sheepe when they tooke their dogs from them doth not your Majesty perceive it or dare you not redresse it for fear of disobedience Sir you owe obedience by nature to those that preach it to you but they themselves owe it you both by divine and humane right and though you should yeild them lesse they have given you but too many examples so to doe Remember if it please you that you are past fifteen years old and Kings are of age at fourteen Isaac followed Abraham his Father to be sacrificed because he was not old enough to fear any thing I believe
Dunne in his Sermon that the goodnesse of God is not so much acknowledged by us in being our Creator as in being our Redeemer nor in that he hath chosen us as that nothing can take us out of his hands which in your Majesties remembrance let me challenge and hope for For the first accesses of favour they may be ascribed to ones own pleasing themselves but that appears to be for our sakes and for our good when the same forsakes not our civil deserts This redemption I crave not as to my own person but with your benefits once given nor do I assume them very deep for I have voluntarily departed from the hopes of pension place office I only cleave to that which is so little as that it will suffer no pairing or diminution And as in my former Letters so by this I humbly crave of your Majestie not to let the practises of Court work upon your Son the Prince not fearing your sufferance of my losse in that particular so much for I cannot lose it but willingly all with it as for to take off the Stage that which in the attempt may prove inconvenient And consider I pray your Majestie that my hope in desiring to passe these bad times was to be restored to my fortunes others are made unhappy by me if otherwise and then I lose my end I speak of impairing of changing or supplying as of any other way all such alterations and ruine are alike without I be worthy of your gift and that I can be worthy of all that Law can permit you to give or cast upon your Majestie by a more neerer title as it doth by this I shall account them equal evils that leave nothing or a patched and proportioned one changed or translated from one thing to another But if your Majestie have any respects to move you to suspend your good towards me let that which is mine rest in your own hands till that you find all opposite humours conformed to your purpose I have done wrong to my self thus to entertain such a doubt of your Majesty but the unrelenting of adversaries which when you will have them will sooner alter and that all this while I have received nothing of present notice for direction or to comfort me from your Majesty hath made me to expostulate with my self thus hardly For God is my judge Sir I can never be worthy to be if I have these markes put upon me of a Traytor as that tumbling and disordering of that estate would declare the divorce from your presence laies too much upon me and this would upon both I will say no farther neither in that which your Majesty doubted my aptnesse to fall into for my Cause nor my Confidence is not in that distresse as for to use that mean of intercession nor of any thing besides but to remember your Majestie that I am the Workmanship of your hands and bear your stamp deeply imprinted in all the characters of favour that I was the first plant ingrafted by your Majesties hand in this place therefore not to be unrooted by the same hand lest it should taint all the same kind with the touch of that fatalnesse And that I was even the Son of a Father whose services are registred in the first honours and impressions I took of your Majesties favour and laid there as a foundation stone of that building These and your Majesties goodnesse for to receive them is that I rely upon So praying for your Majesties prosperity I am in all humblenesse Your Majesties loyal servant and Creature R. Sommersett The Lo. Chancelour Bacon to the Lords If it may please your Lordships I shall humbly crave at your Lordships hands a benigne interpretation of that which I shall now write for words that come from wasted spirits and an oppressed mind are more safe in being deposited in a noble Construction then in being Circled with any reserved Caution Having made this as a protection to all which I shall say I will go on but with a very strange entrance as may seem to your Lordships at the first for in the midst of a state of as great affliction as I think a mortal man can endure honour being above life I shall begin with the professing gladnesse in some things The first is that hereafter the greatnesse of a Judge or Magistrates shall be no Sanctuary or protection to him against guiltinesse which in few words is the beginning of a golden world The next that after this example it is like that Judges will flie from any thing in the likenesse of Corruption though it were at a great distance as from a Serpent which tendeth to the purging of the Courts of Justice and reducing them to their true honour and splendour And in these two points God is my witnesse though it be my fortune to be the anvile upon which these good effects are beaten and wrought I take no small comfort But to passe from the motions of my heart whereof God is onely Judge to the merits of my Cause whereof your Lordships are onely Judges under God and his Lievtenant I do understand there hath been expected from me heretofore some justification and therefore I have chosen one onely justification instead of all others out of the justification of Job for after the clear submission and Confession which I shall now make unto your Lordships I hope I may say and justifie with Job in these words I have not hid my sin as did Adam nor concealed my faults in my bosome This is the only justification I will use It resteth therefore that without fig-leaves I do ingenuously confesse and acknowledge that having understood the particulars of the charge not formally from the house but enough to inform my Conscience and memory I find matter both sufficient and full to move me to desert the defence and to move your Lordships to condemn and censure me Neither will I trouble your Lordships by singling out particulars which I think may fall off Quid te exempta juvat spinis de millibus una Neither will I prompt your Lordships to observe upon the proofes where they come not home or the scruples touching the Credit of the Witnesses Neither will I present unto your Lordships how far a defence might in divers things extenuate the offence in respect of the time or manner of the gift or the like circumstances but onely leave these things to spring out of your own noble thoughts and observations of the evidence and examinations themselves and charitably to wind about the particulars of the charge here and there as God shall put in your minds and so submit my self wholly to your piety and grace And now that I have spoken to your Lordships as Judges I shall say a few words unto you as Peers and Prelates humbly commending my Cause to your noble Minds and magnanimous affections Your Lordships are not onely Judges but Parliamentary Judges you have a farther extent of arbitrary
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 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 Deposoriâ—s Your Grace shall understand all things more particularly by the next Post I do now make the more haste forbearing to trouble you with other occurrences lest my Letters come short of the departure of the Post as they did of his who was last dispatched from hence I do most humbly desire your Grace to continue the doing me those offices that may continue me in his Majesties and his Highnesse good opinion and I doubt not but I shall be ever able to let your Grace see that you have not a more faithful servant then he which your Grace hath most bound to be so and that shall ever remain Yours c. W.A. The Lord Duke of Buckingham to Sir Walter Aston IN your Letter of the 5th of December you desire me to give you my opinion my ancient acquaintance long custome of loving you with constancie of friendship invites me to do you this office of good will and to serve you according to your request And for your more intire satisfaction I will deliver the things in the past and present You in all the beginning of the treaty won to your self a good estimation while you were onely at large in the treaty and had communication of the passages from the Lord of Bristol as by courtesy and in his absence handled no farther in the treaty of marriage then by direction from him When the Prince was there your carriage gave his Highnesse and my self all satisfaction Now you must give me leave to put you in mind of the freedom used with you whilest we were at Madrid and of the explanation the Prince made of himself to you by his Letters from St. Anderas From which you might observe the resentment the Prince had of their proceedings with him And by his Highnesse declaration to you from thence you might see both his care and resolution not to ingage himself into the marriage without good conditions for the Pallatinate and Conservation of his honour every way My care and my intentions were to move increase of honour to you and to recompence by a good understanding to be layed in his Majestie towards you which I pursued so soon as I came to the Kings presence And the Princes confidence was so great in you as he joyned you in the Commission besides he declared himself to you by his Letters not leaving you thereby to guesse at his Majesties directions to the E. of Bristol which he was to communicate to you Now you may think how strange it was to the Prince and how much I was troubled not being able to make your excuse when your joynt Letters made known how you had concurred with the Earle of Bristol to ingage his Highnesse by prefixing a day for the Deposorios without making certain the restitution of the Palatinate and Electoral dignity the portion and temporal articles Which proceeding of yours with the Earl of Bristol was so understood by the Lords of the Committee as they took resolution once to advise his Majestie to revoke both the Lord of Bristol and you upon those grounds which you will understand by his Majesties own Letters and Secretarie Conwayes Letters written to you with this dispatch I was not able at first by any endeavour to oppose the resolution of your revocation so far had you cast your self into misconstruction and given stop to the progresse of your own advancement But with constant industry and time I have won this point of qualifying all ill opinion of you and sufferance of your continuing there So as it will be now in your power by your Carriage to come off without reproof And I shall hope to overcome the rest with time to to bring you again to the condition of honour and recompence Being confident that since you see your own errour and acknowledge it you will be careful by a stiff and judicious carriage to warrant all your present and succeding actions If you think at first sight I presse you a little hard upon this point you may be pleased to interpret it to be a faithful way of satisfying your request and expression of my affection to have you to do all things suitable to your wisdome virtue and honour and according to the wishes of Yours c. G. Buckingham The Duke of Buckingham to Sir Wa. Aston I Had not leisure in my former dispatch being hastie to write the reason why I wondered at the errour you commited in the last dispatch of my Lord of Bristols and yours for the matter is that his Majestie having plainely written unto you both in his former dispatch that he desired to be assured of the restitution of the Palatinate before the Deposorium was made seeing he would be sorrie to welcome home one Daughter with a smiling cheer and leave his own onely Daughter at the same time weeping and disconsolate And the Prince having also written unto you that he never meant to match there and be frustrated of the restitution of the Palatinate so often promised that notwithstanding this clear Language you should have joyned with my Lord of Bristol in a resolution of so hastie a delivery of the Prince's Proxie before you had received his Majesties answer to your former dispatch wherein my Lord of Bristol urged of his Majestie a harsh answer and direction and his Majestie cannot but take it for a kind of Scorn that within 4. dayes after ye had urged his Majesties answer ye should in the mean time take resolutions of your own heads You may do well because there is no leisure in this hastie dispatch for his Majestie to answer my
the bitterest storms threatening betwixt these Crowns that have been these many ages I have therefore no hope to save my self without I be guided by his Highnesse and your Graces trusts and care of me The Marquesse of Ynoisa hath lately advertised hither That he hath several times desired to have private audience with his Majestie and hath not been able to procure any but what your Grace assists at It is likewise advertised unto this King and his Ministers that your Grace hath many meetings with the Sea Captains and that your Counsels are how the War is to be made against Spain For the avoiding of unnecessarie repetitions I do here inclosed send your Grace a Copie of my Letter to Mr. Secretarie Conway wherein you will find a relation of all things that are come to my hands at this present that may any way have reflection unto his Majesties service And this is the course which I intend and conceive most convenient to hold hereafter with your Grace without you command me the contrary In the said Copie your Grace will find a discourse of what hath lately passed betwixt my Lord of Bristol and the Conde of Olivarez in the Pardo Now that I may more fully discharge my dutie I have thought fit here to acquaint your Grace that since the putting off of the Deposorios at a meeting that my Lord and my self had with the Conde he did make a solemn protestation that if the Treatie of the Match did ever come on again with effect it should onely be by his Lordships hands and no other I then understood it and still do but for a frothy protestation yet have held it my dutie to advertize it having passed in my hearing the truth is that my Lords answer was in Conformitie to his last in the Pardo every way rejecting it saying That he had rather be confined to any Town in Afrique then that his person should be any hinderance to the Match Thus forbearing to trouble your Grace any farther with my hearty prayers unto God for the continuance of his blessings unto you I rest Your Graces c. W. A. Sir Walter Aston to Secretary Conway 22. Jan. 1623. Right Honourable BY the return of this Bearer Mr. Greisley you will understand of the safe coming to my hands of your dispatch of the 30th of the last moneth with his Majesties Letters therein inclosed I do now herewithal send an account unto his Majestie of my proceedings upon his Commands which I do intreat your Honour to be pleased to present unto him as also farther to acquaint his Majestie that I have already spoken with divers of these Ministers and given them such a declaration of his Majesties good intentions in the pressing at this season for the restitutions of the Palatinate and Electoral dignity unto the Prince his Son in Law as I have order to do by the said Letter but do find they are here so possessed with the ill relations they receive out of England that I with much difficultie can scarce give them any kind of satisfaction I have acquainted the Conde Olivarez with the answer which your honour and Mr. Secretarie Calvert had received from their Embassadours touching their audiences the Conde himself having formerly acquainted me with their Complaint His answer now was That he understood they had acknowledged unto your Honours to have received from his Majestie in that point all kind of satisfaction but that after you were gone the Marquesse of Ynoisa wrote a Letter to Secretarie Calvert telling him that he did not well remember himself of what had passed at his being there but had since called to mind that he had procured some audiences with the Prince with much difficultie To which I answered the Conde That it seemed the Marquesse was very light of his advertisements to give such informations as might breed ill understandings betwixt Princes and esteem them of no more Consequence then to forget what he had advertised with so much ease Concerning that malitious report here raised of the Prince's treating a marriage in France I desire your Honour to let his Majestie know that it is advertised hither out of England as a thing so certain that there is not a Minister of State excepting the Conde of Gondomar that hath not given some credit unto it I have therefore according to his Majesties directions given such declarations touching the author and believers of it as your Honour in his Majesties name hath commanded me I have likewise received by Mr. Greisly your Letter of the 31. of the last In answer of which all that I shall need to say here unto your Honour is that my Lord of Bristol hath received your former Letter acquainting him with his Majesties pleasure concerning the same businesse from whom his Majestie will receive an account thereof This is all that I have to say to your Honour at this present touching those particulars mentioned in your Letter I shall now here further acquaint you with such advertisements as I conceive may any waies have reference unto his Majesties service My Lord of Bristol and my self repairing some few daies since unto the Pardo having conference with the Conde of Olivarez his Lordship acquainted the Conde with the Letters of revocation which he had received from his Majestie and withal desired that he would procure him licence to take his leave of the King The Conde answered his Lordship That he had much to say unto him by order from his Majestie the substance of his speech was That they had received large advertisements out of England by which they understood the hard measure that he was there likely to suffer by the power of his enemies and that the onely crime which they could impute unto him was for labouring to effect the marriage which his Master could not but take much to heart and held himself obliged to publish to the world the good service that my Lord had done unto the King of great Brittain and therefore for the better encouragement likewise of his own and all other Ministers that should truly serve their Masters he was to offer him a blank paper signed by the King wherein his Lordship might set down his own Conditions and demands which he said he did not propound to corrupt any servant of his Majesties but for a publique declaration of what was due unto his Lordships proceedings He said further that in that offer he laid before him the Lands and Dignities that were in his Masters power to dispose of out of which he left it at his pleasure to choose what estate or honour he should think good adding thereunto some other extravagant and disproportionable offers My Lords answer was That he was very sorry to hear this language used unto him telling the Conde that his Catholique Majestie did owe him nothing but that what he had done was upon the King his Masters Commands and without any intention to serve Spain And that howsoever he might have
will be for his Majesties service Onely remember this that now you are left to be your own Remembrancer Of all actions forget not those of mercy and Goodnesse wherein men draw nighest to God himself Nor of all Persons prisoners and afflicted Josephs Celerity doth redouble an act of mercy But why do I turn a Preacher of goodnesse unto him who in my own particular hath shewed himself to be composed of nothing else Remember your Noble Self and forget the aggravations of malice and envy and then forget if you can the E. of Southhampton God blesse you and your royal Guest and bring you both after many years yet most happily run over here upon earth to be his blessed guests in the Kingdom of Heaven The Lord Keeper to the Duke concerning the Lord of St. Albons October 27th 1621. My most noble Lord I Have received your Lorships expression concerning the Pause I made upon the two Patents The Proclamation of writing to the Kings hand and my Lord of St. Albons pardon The former I have sealed this morning in duty and obedience to your Lordships intimation The latter I have not yet sealed but do represent in all lowlinesse and humility these few Considerations by your Lordship to his sacred Majestie wherein let your Lordship make no question but I have advised with the best Lawyers in the Kingdom And after this representation I will perform whatsoever your Lordship shall direct His Majestie and your Lordship do conceive that my Lord of St. Albons pardon and grant of his fine came both together to my hands and so your Lordship directs me to passe the one and the other But his Lordship was too cunning for me He passed his fine whereby he hath deceived his Creditors ten dayes before he presented his pardon to the Seal So as now in his pardon I find his Parliament fine excepted which he hath before the sealing of the same obtained and procured And whether the house of Parliament will not hold themselves mocked and derided with such an exception I leave to your Lordships wisdom These two Grants are opposite and contradictory in this point the one to the other The King pardons in particular words All sums of money and rewards taken for false judgments or decrees And therefore the exception of the Parliamentary Censure being inflicted but for the same taking of moneys and rewards coming a good way after falleth too late in Law and is of no force to satisfie the Lords as I am informed and I believe this clause was never seen in any other pardon The King pardoneth in my Lord of St. Albon the stealing away altering rasing and interlining of his Majesties Rowles Records Briefs c. which are more in a Lord Chancellors pardon then the imbezeling of his Majesties jewels in a Lord Chamberlains And yet the Lord Chancellour Elsmore could not indure that clause in my Lord of Sommersets Pardon unlesse he would name the jewels in particular I will not meddle or touch upon those mistakings which may fall between the Parliament and his Majestie or the mis-interpretation that enemies may make hereof to your Lordships prejudice because I see in his Majesties great wisdom these are not regarded Onely I could have wished the Pardon had been referred to the Councel board and so passed I have now discharged my self of those poor scruples which in respect onely to his Majesties service and your Lordships honour have wrought this short stay of my Lord of St. Albons Pardon Whatsoever your Lordship shall now direct I will most readily craving pardon for this not undutiful boldnesse put in execution Because some speech may fall of this dayes speech which I had occasion to make in the Common Pleas where a Bishop was never seen sitting there these 70. years I have presumed to inclose a Copy thereof because it was a very short one Your Lordship shall not need to take that great pains which your Lordship to my unexpressible comfort hath so often done in writing What Command soever your Lordship shall impose upon me as touching this pardon your Lordships expression to Mr. Packer or the bearer shall deliver it sufficiently God from heaven continue the showring and heaping of his blessings upon your Lordship c. The Lord Keeper to the Duke 22. July 1621. My noble Lord VVIth my truest affections and thankfulnesse premised I do not doubt but his Majestie and your Lordship do now enjoy the general applause of your goodnesse to the Earl of South-hampton Saturday last he came and dined with me and I find him more cordially affected to the service of the King and your Lordships love and friendship then ever he was when he lay a prisoner in my house Yet the Sunshine of his Majesties favour though most bright upon others more open offenders is noted to be somewhat eclipsed towards him What directions soever his Majestie gave the order is somewhat tart upon the Earl The word of Confinement spread about the City though I observed not one syllable so quick to fall from his Majestie his Keeper much wondred at The act of the Councel published in our names who were neither present thereat or heard one word of the same yet upon my credit the Earl takes all things patiently and thankfully though others wonder at the same Mr. Secretary signed a Petition of one Rookwood a Papist and prisoner in the Fleet upon five several executions that I should grant him his liberty The Kings name is used and the mediation of the Spanish Embassadour If I breaking rules so fouly in favour of a Papist which I am 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 Northhamptonshire 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
Prince and the Church of England It remains now that I should as I will religiously obey whatsoever I shall be directed in the sequel of this businesse And so I rest c. Postscript MY Lord Mr. Murray since came unto me to whom I shewed this Letter and told him I would send it unto you to be shewed unto the King and the Prince I find him willing to run all courses Priesthood onely excepted If the King will dispence with him my Letter notwithstanding I humbly beseech his Majestie to write a Letter unto me as a warrant to admit him only Ad Curam et Regimen Collegii instead of the other words Ad Curam animarum I schooled him soundly against Puritanisme which he disavowes though somewhat faintly I hope his Highnesse and the King will second it The Lord Keeper to the Duke about the Liberties of Westminster 6. May. 1621. My most Noble Lord I Humbly beseech your Lordship to be a little sensible of those injurious affronts offered without any shew of equity unto this poor Liberty of VVestminster And for Gods sake let me not want that protection which not your Lordship only but the two Cicils and the Earl of Sommerset who neither regarded the Church Learning nor Honour in any measure as you do have ever afforded every Dean of this Church When I had to my thinking given the Knight Marshal full and too much satisfaction this day a Letter was offered to the Table in my presence violently pursued by the Lord Steward and the Earl Marshal to command this liberty which had stood unquestioned these 700 years to shew reason to Mr. Attourney and Mr. Solliciter why they prescribe against the Knight Marshal A Course as my Lord President said openly not to be offered to any subject of England It is our Charter and freehold of inheritance to be shewed only in a Court of Justice and at the Kings Bench which we are very ready to do And we may as well be questioned by a Letter from the Councel for all the Land we have as for this My Lord the jurisdiction of this place brings not a penny to my purse but it hath brought much sorrow to my heart and now teares to my eyes that I should be that unfortunate Contemptible man who for all the King and your Lordships favour and the true pains I take in answer thereunto must be trampled down above all the Deans that lived in this place Nor would it ever grieve me if I had deserved it from these Lords by the least disrespect in all the world I beseech you for the Churches sake and your Honours sake to be sensible hereof and to know of the Bishop of Winchester London Duresme Mr. Packer or Sir Robert Pye whether ever any question hath been made to this liberty in this kind If a Letter had been recorded to question the same when the Lord Admiral was Steward and the Lord Keeper Dean thereof judge you in your Wisdom what would become thereof in future posterity c. The Lord Keeper to the Duke Aug. 23. 1622. My most noble Lord YEsterday upon the receipt of your Lordships Letters of the 19th of this instant concerning the hastning of the businesse of the original Writs I sent presently for Mr. Attourney and Mr. Solliciter who were altogether unprovided for their parts of the dispatch and are casually forced so to be because three several Officers in whose records they are to search are now out of Town and do not return yet these 7. daies But your Lordship shall not fail to have all things concluded 3. weeks before the Term and I will of purpose put off all general sealing until it be effected In the mean time your Lordships Letter notwithstanding it will be nothing for your Lordships case to have Sir George Chaworth any way interested in this office of the originals but I hold it fitter to leave it as it is in Law and Equity forfeited for non-payment of rent in his Majesties hands for upon that issue I do not doubt but my Lord of St. Albons and Sir George will be content to hear reason I have received extraordinary respects and expressions from my Noble Lord the Lord Marquesse Hamilton which doth exceedingly comfort and encourage me to go on with some more alacrity through the difficulties of this restlesse place I beseech your Lordship who is Causa Causarum the first Cause that sets all these other Causes of my Comforts in Going to take notice of the same and to undertake this favour to be placed upon a poor honest hearted man who would if he were any way able requite it Gods blessings and the prayers of a poor Bishop ever attend your Lordship c. Postscript THe Spanish Embassadour took the alarum very speedily of the titulary Romish Bishop and before my departure from his house at Islington whither I went privately to him did write both to Rome and Spain to prevent it Sir Tobie Mathewes But I am afraid that Tobie will prove but an Apocryphal and no Canonical intelligencer acquainting the State with this project for the Jesuites rather then for Jesus sake The Lord Keeper to the Duke about the Lord Treasurer Septemb. 9th 1622. My most Noble Lord THat I neither wrote unto your Lordship nor waited upon your Lordship sithence my intolerable scandalizing by the Lord Treasurer this is the true and only cause I was so moved to have all my diligent service pains and unspotted justice thus rewarded by a Lord who is reputed wise that I have neither slept read written or eaten any thing since that time until the last night that the Ladies sent for me I believe of purpose to VVallingford house and put me out of my humour I have lost the love and affection of my men by seizing upon their Papers perusing all their answers to Petitions casting up their moneys received by way of fees even to half Crowns and two shillings and finding them all to be poor honest Gentlemen that have maintained themselves in my service by the greatnesse of my pains and not the greatnesse of their fees They are most of them landed men that do not serve me for gain but for experience and reputation And desire to be brought to the Test to shew their several books and to be confronted by any one man with whom they contracted or from whom they demanded any Fee at all The greatest summe in their books is five pounds and those very few and sent unto them from Earls and Barons All the rest are some 20 s. 10 s. 5 s. 2 s. 6 d. and 2 s. And this is the oppression in my house that the Kingdom of the Common Lawyers peradventure who have lost I confesse hereby 20000 l. at the least saved in the purses of the Subjects doth now groan under Now I humbly beseech your Lordship to peruse this paper here inclosed and the issue I do joyn with the Lord Treasurer and to acquaint at
the least the King and the Prince how unworthily I am used by this Lord who in my soul and conscience I believe it either invents these things out of his own head and ignorance of this Court or hath taken them up from base unworthy and most unexperienced people Lastly because no act of mine who am so much indebted for all my frugality could in the thoughts of a devil incarnate breed any suspition that I gained by this office excepting the purchase of my Grandfathers Lands whereunto my Lord Chamberlains noblenesse and your Lordships encouragement gave the invitation I do make your Lordship as your Lordship hath been often pleased to honour me my faithful Confessor in that businesse and do send your Lordship a note enclosed what money I paid what I borrowed and what is still owing for the purchase I beseech your Lordship to cast your eye upon the paper and lay it aside that it be not lost And having now poured out my soul and sorrow unto your Lordships breast I find my heart much eased and humbly beseech your Lordship to compassionate the wrongs of Your most humble and honest servant J. L. C. S. The Fair and Familiar Conference which the Lord Treasurer had with the Lord Keeper after some Expostulations of his own and the issue joyned thereupon at White-Hall Septemb. 7. 1622. Object 1 THere is taken 40000 l. for Petitions in your house this year Sol. Not much above the fortieth part of the money for all the dispatches of the Chancery Star-Chamber Councel-Table Parliament the great Diocesse of Lincoln the jurisdiction of VVestminster and St. Martins le Graund All which have resort to my house by Petitions Object 2 You have your self a share in the money Sol. Then let me have no share in Gods Kingdom it is such a basenesse as never came within the compasse of my thoughts Object 3 It is commonly reported you pay to my Lord Admiral 1000 l. per mensem Sol. As true as the other The means of my place will reach to no more then two moneths Object 4 You never receive any Petitions with your own hands but turn them to your Secretaries who take double Fees one for receiving and the other for delivering Sol. Let the Cloysters at Westminster answer for me I never to this day received any Petition from my Secretaries which I had formerly delivered unto them with my own hands This is a new fashion which my Lord hath found in some other Courts Object 5 You sell dayes of hearing at higher rates then ever they were at Sol. I never disposed of any since I came to this place but leave them wholly to the Six Clarks and Registers to be set down in their Antiquity Unlesse his Lordship means hearing of motions in the paper of Peremptories which I seldom deny upon any Petition and which are worth no money at all Object 6 You usually reverse Decrees upon Petitions Sol. I have never reversed altered explained or endured a motion or Petition that touched upon a decree once pronounced but have sometimes made orders in pursuance of the same Object 7 You have 3. Door-keepers and are so locked up that no man can have accesse unto you Sol. I have no such officer in all my house unlesse his Lordship meanes the Colledge Porters nor no locks at all but his Majesties businesse which I must respect above Ceremonies and Complements You are cryed out against over all the Kingdom for an unsufferable Object 8 oppression and grievance His Lordship if he have any friends may hear of such a Cry Sol. and yet be pleased to mistake the person cryed out against All the Lords of the Councel cry out upon you and you are a Object 9 wretched and a friendlesse man if no man acquaints you with it I am a wretched man indeed if it be so Sol. And your Lordship at the least a very bold man if it be otherwise I will produce particular witnesses and make all these Charges Object 10 good I know your Lordship cannot and I do call upon you to do it Sol. as suspecting all to be but your Lordships envie and malice to that service of the Kings and ease of his Subjects which God hath enabled me to accomplish and perform in this troublesome Office J. L. C. S. The Lord Keeper to the Duke 21. of September 1622. My most noble Lord MY Lord Brook diswarning me from his Majestie from coming to Theobalds this day I was enforced to trouble your Lordship with these few lines My most humble thanks for your Lordships most free and most loving Letter I do willingly confesse my errour yet still of the mind that your Lordship only who justly taxed it hath made it to be an errour If your love to me had not exceeded all reason and desert of mine my complaints were not effects of melancholy but of a real suffering and misery I do confesse and rest satisfied withal that his Majesties Justice and your Lordships love are anchors strong enough for a mind more tossed then mine is to ride at Yet pardon me my Noble Lord upon this Consideration if I exceeded a little in passion the natural effect of honesty and innocency A Church-man and a woman have no greater Idol under heaven then their good name And yet they cannot fight at all Nor with credit scold and least of all recriminate to protect and defend the same Their onely revenge left them is to grieve and complain My misery I took to be this I am one of those that labour in his Majesties Cole-mines under the earth and out of sight My pains from five a clock in the morning to 10. or 12. at night are restlesse and endlesse but under earth and out of his Majesties sight What other men do or but seem to do it is ever before the Kings face and if his Majestie will not look on it if he hath eares about him he shall be told of it so often by the parties themselves that he must hear of it whether he will or no. And as my service by this remotenesse is hidden from the King so is it liable to be traduced to the King and my relief as in dispatching the motions of poor men by Petitions allowable to my orders made to be a Grievance to the Common Wealth But in all these fourteen dayes wherein by the voice of the City I have remained a prisoner in my house where is that one party grieved that hath troubled his Majestie with Complaints against me Onely my Lord Marshal hath dealt with my noble Lord Marquesse Hamilton my Lord of Carlile my Lord Treasurer as your Lordship may soon know by asking the question to make a faction to disgrace the poor Lord Keeper who never dreamt thereof Sir Gilbert Haughton hath complained to my Lord Treasurer of my men for taking Hugh Holland was by and heard him If your Lordship do but ask him his
little and little by reason of favours done to particular Catholiques The former course might breed a general impression if not a mutinie This Letter will but loosen the tongues but of some few particulars who understand of their neighbours pardon and having vented their dislikes when they have not many to Sympathise with them they grow coole again so as his majestie afterwards may enlarge these favours without any danger at all Secondly to forbid Iudges against their oaths and Justices of the Peace sworn likewise to execute the law of the Land is a thing unpresidented in this Kingdom et Durus Sermo a very harsh and bitter pill to be digested upon a suddain and without some preparation But to grant a pardon even for a thing that is Malum in se and a dispensation with Penal Lawes in the profit whereof the King onely is interested is usual and full of presidents and examples And yet is this Letter onely tending to the safety the former but to the glory and insolencie of the Papists and the magnifying the service of the Embassadors ends too dearly purchased with the indangering of a tumult in three Kingdomes Thirdly and Lastly his Maiestie useth to speak to his Bishops Judges and Justices of the peace by his Chancelour or Keeper as your Grace well knoweth and by his Great Seal and I can signify his Majesties pleasure unto them with lesse noise and danger which I mean to do hereafter if the Embassadors shall presse it to this effect unlesse your Grace shall from his Highnesse or your own judgment direct otherwise That whereas his Majestie being at this time to mediate for favour to many Protestants in forraign parts with Princes of another religion and to sweeten the entertainment of the Princess into this Kingdom who is as yet a Roman Catholique doth hold a mitigation of the rigour of those lawes made against Recusants to be a necessary inducement to both those purposes and hath therefore issued forth some pardons of Grace and favour to such Roman Catholiques of whose faithfulnesse and fidelity to the state he rests assured That therefore you the Lords Bishops Judges and Justices each of those to be written unto by themselves do take notice of this his Majesties pardon and dispensation with all such penal Lawes and demean your selves accordingly c. Thus have I been too tedious and troublesome unto your Grace and Crave your pardon therefore and some directions which you may cause Sir Francis Cottington or some other to write without your Graces trouble if there shall apeare any cause of alteration Doctor Bishop the new Bishop of Calcedon is come to London privately and I am much troubled thereabouts not knowing what to advise his Majestie in this posture as things stand at this present If you were shipped with the Infanta the onely Councel were to let the Judges proceed with them presently hang him out of the way and the King to Blame my Lord of Cantuar or my self for it But before you be shipped in such form and manner I dare not assent or Connive at such a course It is my gracious Lord a most insolent Part and an offence as I take it Against our common Law and not the statutes onely which are dispensed withall for an English man to take such a consecration without the Kings consent and especially to use any Episcopal Jurisdiction in this Kingdom without the royal assent and Bishops have been in this State put to their fine and ransom for doing so three hundred years ago I will cease to to be further troublesome and pray to Almighty God to blesse your Grace and in all humblenesse take my leave and rest c. The Lord Keeper to the Duke 14th of October 1621. My most Noble Lord I Humbly thank your Lordship for your most sweet and loving Letter which as Sir George Goring could not but observe hath much revived me drooping under the unusual weight of so many businesses Let God suffer me no longer to be then I shall be true plain faithful and affectionately respectful of your Lordship as being most bound unto your Lordship for these so many fruits but far more for the tree that bore them your love and affection If your Lordship shall not think it inconvenient I do beseech your Lordship to present this Petition inclosed either by word or writing unto his Majestie and to procure a speedy dispatch thereof because we are to meet on Thursday next Also to acquaint his Majestie that I stumble at the Proclamation now coming to the Seal against any that shall draw or present any bill for his Majesties signature besides those Clarks which usually draw them up by virtue of their places It is most prejudicial to my place the Lord Treasurer and the Judges itinerant who are often occasioned to draw up and present to his Majestie divers matters and especially pardons of Course It is also too strong a tie upon your Lordships hands being intended by his Majestie against Projectors and Scriveners only If it shall please his Majestie therefore to make an exception of the Lords of his Councel and Judges of Assize it may passe to the contentment of all men Mr. Attourney saith he meant this exception but I find it not sufficiently expressed in the Proclamation Also I humbly beseech your Lordship to meddle with no pardon for the Lord of St. Albons until I shall have the happinesse to confer with your Lordship the pardoning of his fine is much spoken against not for the matter for no man objects to that but for the manner which is full of knavery and a wicked president For by this assignation of 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 discretion 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
Gratious Lord I Most humbly beseech your Grace for Gods sake and his Churches to consider of this motion which I do make unto your Grace concerning the Deanerie of York now vacant the Dean being struck dead suddenly by a Letter which one Dr. Scot procured from his Majestie to be his Coadjutour It is not for any man in particular but against Doctor Scot that he may not by the importunity of any one upon your Grace be promoted to this place being the sixth or seventh place of preferment Ecclesiastical within this Kingdom but that your Grace would be pleased to remove Doctor White or Doctor Hall or whom your Grace shall please unto this great Deanery and bestow the lesser Deanerie far above his merit upon him For these Reasons 1. I know that he hath sold away all his Livings which he hath had in this Church and hath at this day never an one 2. I am credibly informed he oweth 5000 l. at the least A vast summe for a poor Scholar and too much to be got up in a poor Church And most of this money in York 3. I know he is a great Gamester and of no fitting conversation for a Church-man but of very mean parts either of Learning or government 4. I am certified at this time that he is a man often overseen in drink but this I do not know If therefore your Grace shall be pleased upon my Lord Mordant's importunity to procure him any Deanerie I do not doubt but his Lordship will be satisfied and that Church eternally obliged unto you for that Commutation And I beseech your Grace to believe him that is no way interested herein that it concerns your Grace very much in credit and reputation that so mean a man amongst such a choice as the Church of England doth afford be not by your favour preferred to so high a dignity God be merciful to my sins as I have no end herein but your Honour and the good of that Church and therefore I recommend no particular man unto your Grace but do rest Yours c. The Lord Keeper to the Duke concerning Dr. Scott 4. January 1624. May it please your Grace I Humbly beseech you to interpret favourably what I said unto his Majestie or his Highnesse as intending to put off Dr. Scott from this place And no way God be my witnesse to crosse your Grace nor to hurt Scot who might have been otherwaies sufficiently provided for But I should have written or spoken unto your Grace so I did in this Letter enclosed upon Christmasse Eve But I confesse I durst not send it for fear of offending your Grace which I do take all possible diligence to avoid But I spake unto the King and Prince I did so but with this caution which I know they do remember that if your Grace would not upon the motion exchange Scot to some other preferment I did not hold it fit to presse these charges against him but would do my endeavour to still and quiet those of the Church of York who I confesse unto your Grace are the men that have written against him But I recommended Dr. VVhite and another to the Prince and Dr. VVarner to your Grace I confesse it but must distinguish the times and the manner I commended Dr. VVarner when I was informed Dr. White had his answer and denial and that your Grace was off from Dr. Scot and did desire to hear from me what Doctor Warner was whom I recommended onely in general terms upon the suit of another What I said of him I believe and know to be true but he is so far from being any creature of mine that I protest before the Almighty God I never spake one word with the man to this very hour in all my life I did conceive so meanly of Doctor Scot that no worthy man in the Kingdom should have failed of my recommendations in this particular Now I know your Grace's resolution I do alter my opinion and humbly crave your Grace's pardon for my meddling therein although I know his Highnesse will bear me witnesse it was with all dutiful respect unto your Grace I shall be very careful of giving your Grace the least cause of jealousie in this kind again And whereas I had put a poor suit in your Grace's hands about the helping of my poor fortunes I will let that and all others fall and desire onely to be accounted Yours c. The Lord Keeper to the Duke 2. March 1624. May it please your Grace THis heavy and unexpected accident of my Lord Stewards death makes me to be troublesome unto your Grace at this time In safety and discretion I might very easily spare this labour but my obligation to your Grace is such as if that I conceal any thing which but my self apprehends fit to be represented to your Grace whilest I affect the title of a reserved close and wise I may lose the other of an honest man which I more esteem Thus much by way of preface I represent this office of a Lord Steward as a place to be either accepted of by your self or else to be discontinued as for many years towards the latter end of Queen Elizabeth and the beginning of our Masters raign it was and in any case not to be placed upon another without the deliberation of some few years at the least Being an office that none but the Kings Kinsmen or Favorites or Counter-favourites raised up of purpose to ballance the great one have anciently possessed I could desire your Grace had it in your own person for these Reasons 1. It is an office of fair and very competent gettings but that is scarce 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
presence at this next Parliament And I trust in God I shall most readily obey any other Command that bears the image and superscription of your Majestie without any desire of searching after the hand that helps to presse and ingrave it Yet because I suffer in some more particulars then peradventure is explicitely known to your Majestie And that I have no friend left about your Majestie that dares for fear of displeasure relate unto your Majestie my griefs and necessities I humbly crave your gratious Pardon to make some two representations and some few Petitions unto your most excellent Maiestie First I humbly shew unto your Majestie that besides my former Calamities I am not paid that part of my Pension which should pay the Creditors who lent me money to buy the same notwithstanding your Majestie hath been gratiously pleased to order otherwise Secondly I have not yet received my Writ of Summons unto the Parliament denied to no Prisoners or condemned Peers in the late raign of your blessed Father that I might accordingly make my Proxie the which I cannot do the Writ not received nor can I my self go into the Countrie as I had done long ere this had not the expectation of this Writ together with the special service of my Lord Duke and no other occasion whatsoever detained me These two particulars I present with all submission unto your Majestie and shall rest satisfied with what royal resolution your Majestie shall make therein These petitions that follow I must earnestly beg at your Majesties hands and for Gods sake and your blessed Fathers sake whose Creature and most painful servant I was First that your Majestie would be pleased to mitigate and allay the causelesse displeasure of my Lord Duke against me who is so little satisfied with any thing I can do or suffer that I have no means left to appease his anger but my prayers to God and your Sacred Majestie Secondly I beseech your Majestie for Christ Jesus sake not to believe newes or accusations against me concerning my carriage past present or to come whilest I stand thus injoyned from your Royal presence before you shall have heard my answer and defence unto the particulars Those that inform your Majestie may God he knoweth be oftentimes mis-informed My last supplication unto your Majestie is That in my absence this Parliament no use may be made of your sacred name to wound the reputation of a poor Bishop who besides his Religion and Dutie to that Divine Character you now bear hath ever affectionately honoured your very Person above all the objects in this world as he desires the salvation of the world to come But I crave no protection against any other accuser or accusation whatsoever So shall I never cease to pray to the Almighty God to make your Majestie the Happiest and Greatest King that ever was Crowned and Anointed which shall be the continual orisons of Your Majesties most dutiful and most humble Vassal Jo. Lincoln The Lord Keeper to the Lord Viscount Anan 17. Septemb. 16. Right Honourable I Owe more service to that true love and former acquaintance which your Lordship hath been pleased to afford me now these full ten yeares then to be sparing or reserved in satisfying your Lordship about any doubt whatsoever the resolution whereof shall lie in my power Concerning that offence taken by many people both on this side the borders and in Scotland from that Clemencie which his Majestie was pleased to extend to the imprisoned Lay-Recusants of this Kingdom and my Letter written unto the Justices for the reigling of the same which your Lordship did intimate unto me yesterday at Mr. Henry Gibbs his house out of some newes received from a Peer of Scotland This is the plainest return I can make unto your Lordship In the general as the Sun in the firmament appears unto us no bigger then a Platter and the Stars but as so many nails in the pummel of a saddle because of the Elongement and disproportion between our eyes and the object so is there such an unmeasurable distance betwixt the deep resolution of a Prince and the shallow apprehension of common and ordinary people that as they will be ever judging and censuring so must they be obnoxious to errour and mistaking Particularly for as much as concerns my self I must leave my former life my profession my continuall preaching my writing which is instant in the hands of many my private indeavours about some great persons and the whole bent of my actions which in the place I live in cannot be concealed to testifie unto the world what favour I am likely to importune for the Papists in their religion For the King my Master I will tell you a storie out of Velleius Paterculus A Surveyor bragging to M. Livius Drusus that he would so contrive his house Vt Libera à conspectu immunis ab omnibus arbitris esset that it should stand removed out of sight and be past all danger of peeping or Eves-dropping was answered again by Drusus Tu vero si quid in te artis est ita compone domum mean ut quicquid agam ab omnibus Conspici possit Nay my good friend if you have any devices in your head contrive my house after such a manner that all the world may see what I do therein So if I should indeavour to flourish up some artificial Vault to hide and conceal the intentions of his Majestie I know I should receive the same thanks that the Surveyor did from Drusus I was not called to Councel by his royal Majestie when the resolution of this Clemencie to the Lay-Recusants was first concluded But if I had been asked my opinion I should have advised it without the least haesitation His Majestie was so Popishly addicted at this time that to the incredible exhaustments of this Treasurie he was a most zealous interceder for some ease and refreshment to all the Protestants in Europe his own Dominions and Denmarks onely excepted Those of Swithland having lately provoked the Pole had no other hope of peace those of France of the exercise of their Religion those of the Palatinate and adjoyning Countries of the least connivencie to say their prayers then by the earnest mediation of our gracious Master And advised by the late Assembly of Parliament to insist a while longer in this milkie way of intercession and Treatie What a preposterous argument would this have been to desire those mighty Princes armed and victorious to grant some liberty and clemencie to the Protestants because himself did now imprison and execute the rigour of his lawes against the Roman Catholiques I must deal plainely with your Lordship Our viperous countrymen the English Jesuits in France to frustrate these Pious endeavours of his Majesties had many months before this favour granted retorted that argument upon us by writing a most malitious book which I have seen and read over to the French King inciting him and the three Estates
redoubled an infinitely multiplied benefit which is so given Never had I more need of the Cordial his Majestie gave me at my going into Wales which was that I should not stay long there It would be a restorative too not onely of my Credit so cruelly crackt with the sharp teeth of the wide mouth of vulgar lying fame but of my estate also alwaies poor but lately much more impoverished and made crazie by occasions of the Church which drew me to London a place of great expences as the busie times were to little purpose And the Parliament overtaking me which have held me long and longer yet are like to hold me here even to the undoing of my self my wife and six children from whom I have now lived 6. or 7. moneths And what shall I carry home with me but disgrace and infamie Yet my good Lord at least procure me of my Lord the King a Nunc dimittis leave to depart I shall be further out of the reach of pursuing malice there in the Countrie do his Majestie better service in gathering up his Subsidies praying and teaching my children whilest I read a Lecture to them my self was never yet able to get by heart of parcimony which must be to them instead of a patrimonie to pray for his Majesties long life health and happinesse In which prayer shall your Lordship ever be duly remembred by Your Lordships daily devote Beadsman Theophilus Landavensis Dr. Corbet to the Duke May it please your Grace TO consider my two great losses this week one in respect of his Majestie to whom I was to preach the other in respect of my Patron whom I was to visit If this be not the way to repair the latter of my losses I fear I am in danger to be utterly undone To presse too near a great man is a means to be put by and to stand too far off is the way to be forgotten so Ecclesiasticus In which mediocrity could I hit it would I live and die My Lord I would neither presse near nor stand far off choosing rather the name of an ill Courtier then a saucie Scholar From your Graces most humble servant Rich. Corbet Postscript HEre is news my noble Lord about us that in the point of Allegiance now in hand all the Papists are exceeding Orthodox the onely Recusants are the Puritanes The E. of Worcester Arundel and Surrey Montgomery to the King May it please your most excellent Majestie ACcording to the Orders and Constitutions made and established by your Majestie and all the Companions of the Order at the last general Chapter held at White-Hall the 21. of May last past we are bold to inform your Majestie that we having diligently viewed divers of the Records of the said Order do in the black book find that the keeping of the little Park at VVindsor next adjoyning unto the Castle is in direct words annexed for ever to the Office of the Usher for the said Order So humbly kissing your Royal hands We rest Your Majesties most humble and faithful Subjects and servants E. Worcester Arundel and Surrey Montgomery White-Hall 1. July 1622. The Lord Chancellour Bacon to the Duke My very good Lord MY Lord of Suffolk's cause is this day sentenced My Lord and his Lady fined at 30000 l. with imprisonment in the Tower at their own charges Bingley at 2000 l. and committed to the Fleet. Sir Edward Cook did his part I have not heard him do better and began with a sine of an 100000 l. But the Judges first and most of the rest reduced it as before I do not dislike that things passe moderately and all things considered it is not amisse and might easily have been worse There was much speaking of interceding for the Kings mercie which in my opinion was not so proper for a sentence I said in conclusion that mercy was to come ex mero motu and so left it I took some other occasion pertinent to do the King honour by shewing how happy he was in all other parts of his Government save only in the manage of his treasure by these Officers I have sent the King a new Bill for Sussex for my Lord of Nottingham's Certificate was true and I told the Judges of it before but they neglected it I conceive the first man which is newly set down is the fittest God ever preserve and keep you c. The Earl of Suffolk to his Majestie Gratious Soveraign IN this grievous time of my being barred from your presence which to me is the greatest affliction that can lie upon me and knowing by my former service to you the sweet and Princely disposition that is in you naturally together with that unmatchable judgement which the world knoweth you have is the occasion that I presume at this time to lay before your Majestie my most humble suit which is that you would be pleased to look upon the Case of your poor servant who after so many faithful desires of mine to do you service I do not say that successe hath fallen out as I wished should now not only have suffered for my weaknesse and errours but must be further questioned to my disgrace I would to God your Majestie did truly understand the thoughts of my heart and if there you could find one the least of ill affections to you I wish it pulled out of my body Now to adde to my miseries give me leave to let your Majestie know the hard estate I am in for I do owe at this present I dare avow upon my fidelitie to you little lesse then 40000 l. which I well know will make me and mine poor and miserable for ever All this I do not lay down to your Majesties best judging eyes that I mean this by way of complaint For I do acknowledge the reason that your Majestie had to do what you did neither do I go about to excuse errours to have escaped me but will now and ever acknowledge your Gracious favourable dealing with me if you will be pleased now to receive me again to your favour after this just correction without which I desire not to enjoy fortune of Goods or life in this world which in the humblest manner that I can I beg at your Princely feet as Your c. T. Suffolk The E. of Suffolk to the Duke My Honourable good Lord AT the first minute of mine and my wives delivery out of the Tower I had returned such acknowledgment due for so great a favour but that Sir George Coring only desired to be the Messenger as well as he was of the other Let not my Lord my late misfortunes make me or mine more unable to serve and thank you then any hee that thus takes advantage thereby to wrong me in your belief for what I have both received in abatement of my fine and speedy libertie I must confesse to come from your Noble mediation to his Majestie whose displeasure hath been more grievous to my soul then all the
servant and Creature Wimbledon Sir John Ogle to the Duke Right Excellent and most Gratious Lord ANd because you are so why should not I put my soul in your hand that I have not done it sooner was not through want of will in me but it hath been the will of God that mine acknowledgment should be the fuller your goodnesse the greater Your Grace cannot be ignorant of the many motions I have had thereto but my judgment hath been made irresolute by several distractions I lay now my self and the fortunes of me and mine at your Graces feet Take me up then noblest Lord as becometh the fame which you have and the confidence which I have of you with a hand of goodnesse If I had wilfully sinned against you when I was wickedly insnared and beguiled by that wretch at Vtrecht to whom I gave some Extract out of your Letters as also out of the Lord Embassadours or did yet with obstinacie maintain such indiscreet proceeding your Grace might in justice reject me as unworthy But since you have long discerned in me a propension to crave your pardon though still unhappily diverted till this time I trust your true Noblenesse generousnesse and goodnesse to be such as you will not only not turn this heartie submission to any disadvantage on my part but looking upon mine ingenuitie with a right eye of gracious inclination both pardon my fault and follie towards your self and also to bind my prayers to be offered in the greater zeal for you for I shall not be able to do you better service then in prayer be a strong mediator to his gracious Majestie that my errours of weaknesse and want of discretion committed then towards his late Majestie of ever blessed memorie and his Embassadour with what other oversights may have been gathered up since may be freely and fully forgiven and remitted that so my soul being discharged of all fear of displeasure against me I may with a cheerful heart and quiet conscience go on in such a vocation as the Lord shall have appointed for me My Lord this wound hath long festered neer my heart and though false skins have been drawn over it sometimes by unskilful hands yet have I ever judged it the surest cure to rip it up by Confession and heal it by Contrition And sure I judge that it favours more of a right generous spirit to confesse a fault then to conceal it especially when the party offending is free from malice and the party offended of a nature so noble and full of goodnesse as nothing can be wished to be added unto it and which is yet more and this have you graciously done to me my Lord signed himself with his own hand a true and faithful friend unto him the more to invite him to trust him And trust you I do my Lord and in you next my Gracious Soveraign as much as may be in any arm of flesh The God of Heaven I hope will speak peace to my soul if the King and your Grace will send peace to my heart I trust you will and will pray to God you may that I may in all cheerfulnesse and thankfulnesse ever remain Your Grace's most humble and faithful and obliged servant Jo. Ogle Exester 3. June 1625. Postscript I Beseech your Grace to send some other man to take this Charge which I too weakly for fear of offending by denial have thus far undergone but upon hope of being withdrawn Yet still submit my self to your Graces good pleasure Sir Robert Mansel to the Duke Right Honourable and my singular good Lord HAving used all the possible speed I could to repair to Algier where I should have been by the 15. of March last I held it my dutie humbly to present unto your Lordship the particular account of my proceedings Before my arrival I furnished the two Prizes three Brigandines and a fourth Boat with Firelocks and combustible materials for the burning of the Pyrats ships within the Moal and had trained my men in the execution of their several duties and likewise appointed a squadron of boats with small shot to rescue the vessels of execution in their advancement and retreat The first night of my arrival being the 21. of May last the vessels of execution were all advanced but by reason of contrary winds they were commanded to retire The second and third nights they were also in a readinesse but were withheld with calmes The fourth night it pleased God to blesse us with a fair Gale and they being advanced again and the two ships with the fire-works having almost recovered the mouth of the Moal the wind to our great grief turned to the opposite point of the Compasse The boats performed their directions in towing of the ships but considering that by the continuance of the course they should expose their principallest men to hazard by reason of the great store of Ordnance and small shot which plyed upon them they debated amongst themselves what to do Capt. Hughes who commanded one of the Brigandines replyed Go on and give the attempt with the boats which they cheerfully pursued crying out without cessation King James King James God blesse King James and fearlesse of danger even in the mouth of the Canon and small shot which showred like haile upon them they fired the ships in many places and maintained the same to the great comfort of us that were spectatours so long as they had any powder left in their bandileers striving in the end who should have the honour to come off last the which at length as a due to his former resolution and courage they left to captain Hughes and so retired all the ships continuing still their cheerfull cry King James with the loss of 20. that were slain and hurt and leaving the fire flaming up in 7. several places which continued in some of them long after their retreat and being aboard his Majesties ships The cowardly Turks who before durst not shew themselves to so weak a force but from the walls or the tops of their houses so soon as they perceived all the boats retyred opened their ports and Sallied out in 1000. and by the help of so great multitudes and a suddain shower of rain seconded with a calme which then happened the fire was after extinguished without doing any more hurt then making two of their ships unserviceable During that Stay there there came out of the Moal only one Frigot which we forced to run on shoare Other service by us there performed was the sinking of one of their best men of war by Sir Thomas Wilford and Captain Chidleigh she was mann'd with a 130. Turks and 12. Christians whereof 12. onely escaped the rest were either slain or drowned which appeared both by the relation of divers Christians which nightly escaped aboard us and by divers of the dead bodies that floted upon the water by our ships We took likewise before their faces in the Bay a Fly-boat which the Pyrats
overtures to lay asleep the jealousies of the house of Austria and offering huge summes towards the charge of the War which if he should attempt and prevail therein it would prove of far greater prejudice for many reasons that may be given in the interest of Estate to your Majestie though not in the interest of your affection then the losse of the Palatinate What may in France be resolved upon these motives is uncertain But I do conceive hereupon that it may be useful for your Majesties service effectually to propound in France a Confederacie for the Conservation of the Palatinate to which if they do hearken your Majestie shall proceed in that design with greater strength and reputation and occasion the King of Spain to proceed with greater remissenesse or else absolutely to relinquish the Palatinate by a Treaty But if in France it be not hearkened to your Majestie may take it for an assured argument that they mean to proceed against those of the Religion in which case your Majestie may make use of the same Embassage to revive again some of their factions in the Court whereby those of the Religion may be strengthened in their defence and it will not be hard to effect if it be well proceeded in And herein doth properly offer it self the person of the Duke of Bovillon who for his great experience and wit and intelligence in that Court is best able to guide and further your Majesties intentions and for his interest in the person of the Palatine and in the conversation of those of the Religion doth precisely square with your Majesties ends whose advice you may first suddenly and secretly enquire c. Sir Walter Aston to the Duke 10. December 1624. May it please your Grace THe Arch-Duke Don Carlos brother to the Emperour made his entrie into this Town on the 15th of the last moneth Stil Vet. He was met by the Almirante of Castile two daies journey from this place who went from hence well accompanied and attended by many Liveries richly set forth Some 400. paces without a Gate of this Town called Alcala the Arch-Duke was received by the two Infants Don Carlos and the Cardinal and about 200 paces without the said Gate by the King himself who came attended with the greatest part of this Court and in his Coach accompanied with the Duke of Newbergh and the Conde of Olivarez The King lighted out of his Coach to receive the Arch-Duke and some complements being past between them returned into his Coach and set the Arch-Duke by him on his left hand in the other end of the Coach set the two Infants in one boot the Duke of Newbergh and the Conde of Olivarez and in the other the Emperours Embassadour and the Almirante the Almirante taking place of the Embassadour Being come to the Palace the King accompanied the Arch-Duke to the Queens Quarter where his Majestie left him to be conveyed from thence to his own Quarter which is the same was given to the Prince his Highnesse at his being in this Court by the Infants his Brothers as he was having finished his complements with the Queen and the Infanta Dona Maria There were preparations here making for the honouring his reception with several feasts and entertainments after their manner here But these have been stopped by the Arch-Dukes sicknesse who felt himself indisposed the day after his arrival and applying some Physical remedies by the advice of a Physitian which he brought along with him his distemper increased and as it is pretended by these Physitians by a wrong course held with him What hath been the true cause of his infirmity I leave to be disputed by them He hath been held divers dayes with a terrible Calenture which proved at last a Tabardillo whereupon there was little hope conceived of his life but he hath since received some ease and is now in a good way of amendment In respect of the Emperours unworthy proceedings with the King our Master I have not dared to visit him untill I shall have notice of his Majesties pleasure therein which I shall be glad to understand from your Grace Since the expiring of the Truce betwixt this Crown and the Hollanders this King hath given License to divers Port Towns on the Coasts of Biscay to arm out what ships they shall think good and to make prize to their own particular benefit of what they shall light upon belonging to the enemies of this Crown by which meanes it is here hoped That these Coasts will be much the better secured from the daily pillages of the Holland men of War and the Turkish Pyrates For the advancing whereof upon request made of those of Sevil there is License given unto them to arm what men of War they can find means The Duke of Maqueda likewise with leave hath lately set forth six ships which are abroad in Pyracie There is advice given hither that the Duke of Brandenbergh hath given his consent to the conferring of the Electoral dignitie upon the Duke of Bavaria which I can hardly believe though I find it assured from very good hands The Duke of Newborgh remains still in this Court and presses to carry a cleer resolution in his businesses from hence but for any thing I can yet learn his negotiation remains in the same estate as I advertised in my last to Mr. Secretarie Conway The Armada prepared in Portugal for the recovering of Brasil is gon to Sea and whereas they were to have stayed at the Cape St. Vincent for the Armado of Castile upon advice that is given hither that the Hollanders in Brasil are not able to make any resistance of consideration they have order to proceed in their journey Twenty ships of war and 4000. land Souldiers which is the force of that Fleet being here held sufficient for that enterprize The Armado in Cadiz is not yet departed but hath her men aboard and there is daily expectation of newes that it is gone to Sea The Duke of Saxonie having received letters from the King our Master and the King of Denmark sent presently coppies of them unto the Emperour with his answers unto their Majesties and accompanied them with a letter of his own unto the Emperour All which the Emperour sent unto the King The carriage of the Duke is much esteemed here for having given as I am informed by his Letters unto the King our Master and the King of Denmark such an answer as they are here much satisfied withal Nothwithstanding in this Letter to the Emperour with many reasons and much instance he advises him to apply himself to the setling of the peace in Germany and expressing much affection to the composing of the affaires of the Prince Palatine doth earnestly intreat his Majestie not to destroy that ancient house In the mean time the Duke of Bavaria uses all diligence to combine himself with this Crown and now doth offer to cast off all other thoughts of leagues and to depend
all their poysons For the better effecting whereof the world doth attend with great devotion to see a good correspondencie renewed betwixt your Majestie and the French King and for the disposing your Majesties heart thereunto the State of Venice doth joyn her humble prayers unto the earnest intreaty of many others In the mean time I am to request your Majestie that you will be pleased to forbid the exportation of Artillerie ships and Marriners out of our Kingdomes for the service of the Spaniards it being neither just nor agreeable to your Majesties Piety that your Arms should be stayned with the blood of a State and Prince that hath no equal in love to your Royal Crown and that will ever testifie to all the world by effects of their observance the pure and sincere devotion that they have to your Glorious name For my own particular I humbly crave leave to kisse your royal hands Sir Isaac Wake to the Secretarie Right Honourable I Have safely received the Letter wherewith your Honour hath been pleased to favour me dated at Theobalds the 19th of July Stil Vet. and have to my singular comfort understood that you have been pleased not onely to give favourable acceptance unto such weak dispatches as I have made bold to addresse unto you but done me the honour likewise to acquaint his Majestie with the contents of them and to direct my proceedings in in this intricate businesse which instructions dictated by his Majesties wisedom this light will be sufficient to direct my steps in the middest of an Egyptian darknesse which doth not only obscure the Horizon of this Province where I reside but almost the whole face of Europe by reason of the great mists which are cast artificially in all mens eyes to cover the designs of those who do presume that they have in all places arbitrium Belli et Pacis I most humbly crave pardon of your Honour if you do not receive my answer so soon as perhaps you might expect For yours having stayed upon the way a month and a day did not come to my hands until the 20th of August Stil Vet. At which time it was brought unto me by Mr. Rowlandson whom I had dispatched into Germany to advertize those Princes of the motion made to the Duke of Savoy for the passage of Spanish forces through his State My Lord of Doncaster under whose Cover I received that Letter did not think fit to send it to me by an expresse messenger for fear of increasing the suspition of some in those parts who are jealous that his Majesty doth favour the Duke of Savoy more then they could wish And I must confesse that the same reason induced me likewise to send that Gentleman of the Duke of Savoy's into Germany rather then any servant of mine own for fear least allees and vennes of messagers betwixt my Lord of Doncaster and me in these doubtful times might so far injealous the contrary party as might prejudice the service of his Majestie in that Negotiation The instructions that your Honour hath been pleased to give me from his Majestie concerning my treating with 52. 52. c. the Duke of Savoy 93. a. the Bohemians 95 a. the Emperour Ferdinand 51. a. the King of England 97. a. Germany 99. a. the King of the Romans 71. c. the Agent of England 51. b. the Prince Palatine 52. b. the Marquesse Brandenbergh 54. b. the Marquesse Auspach 50. b. the Princes of the Union 56 b. Count Ernest Mansfelt c. in favour of 93. a. having reference unto the inclination of 95. a. to peace or the probability of defence to be made by 93. a. I held it more safe for me to govern my self by such informations of the state of those affairs as I have received from the favour of the 1. 32. 7. 5. 47. 48. 2. 10. 40. 45. of 51. a. in 97. a. And for the better justification of my proceedings I send your Honour here inclosed the Copie of his Letter unto me wherein you will see that I have no reason as yet to spend the name of 51. a. in favour of 93. a. nor to imbargue 52. c. in a businesse which may draw a great charge and envie upon himself and not much advantage the 93. a. I must confesse that the 50. b. in general and particularly the 54. b. and the 41. 45. 23. 34. 9. 12. of 5. 35. 22. 4. 30. 50. have represented the state of those affairs at this present unto 52. b. in a manner not onely different from the advertisements sent me but almost contrary and they do seem not only to be confident of the prevailing of 93. c. but likewise they continue to give hope that the 10. 51. 29. 15. of 48. 3. 59. 15. will concur with 51. b. and 52. b. in the 12. 30. 13. 9. 50. 27. 40. 35. of 99. a. But because I have reason to suspect that they make relation of those affairs rather as they wish they were then as they be indeed and that their intention to draw somewhat from 52. c. towards the succours of 93. a. I will forbear to joyn with them therein until I can have some better ground then their advertisements which may be thought to savour of partiality and I have reason to be backward therein because I know that 5â— c. would presently take me eu mot and put to the account of 51. a. that which he is most willing to do of himself I do not affirm this out of conjecture but upon good ground for besides that he did signifie so much unto me at my return out of England I do know that within this fortnight he hath sent unto 56. b. 3000. 41. 24. 48. 49. 40. 30. 47. in part of 42. 2. 60. 32. 15. 35. 50. and in the conveyance of this 33. 39. 34. 35. 61. there was extraordinary diligence used to conceal it from the knowledge of the 71. c. whereof no other construction can be made but that 52. c. would fain be intreated by 71. c. to do that which he hath already a mind to do If upon more fresh Letters which I expect from my Lord of Doncaster I shall find that the affairs there have changed face since the writing of his last unto me I will govern my self accordingly as I shall receive warrant from him We are here at a stand expecting with devotion the issue of the affairs of Germanie The Army in the Kingdom of Naples is still retained and no order given either for the dismissing of those Troops or the employing them in any service Prince Philibert is at Messina with the Gallies and hath with him 10. or 12000 men The Ships and Gallions remain at Naples and the Walloons Lombardes and Neapolitanes which should have come to Vado are since their dis-imbarquing again quartered round the City of Naples It is impossible to guesse what they mean to do but the most probable conjecture is that under the colour of suspecting the Duke of Ossuna the
and that is it which many do prophesie They knew in Spain that very same day that he had received Letters from the most illustrious Prince Palatine that he caused the procuration to be revoked and in a few dayes after when the comming of the foresaid Princes Secretarie and the confirmation of his hope of having his Daughter married to her Highnesse son all things were utterly dashed in pieces Let your Majestie have a care of your self and the Prince and foresee the hurts and damages which a man of such a turbulent humour may stir up whose headie spirit your Majestie saith you have noted and have desired to mittigate A man I say that is ambitious of popular ayr as plainly appeared in Parliament when the casting of all odious matter upon your Majestie he did arrogate the thanks of all things that were acceptable to himself being stiled the redeemer of his countrie I say again a man that hath envied so great a good to the Christian world and principally to the kingdomes of England and Spain having used some certain meanes which do argue that he aymed at such an end as many already do fear and to prophesie in it the worst event that can be if the Puritans desire a kingdome which they do against their wills they wish it not to the most illustirous Prince the best and true Heir of your Majestie but to the Prince Palatine whose spie and Scout Mansfelt is what shew soever he makes He that makes these things known to your Majestie dischargeth the part of a good man as well towards God as your Majestie and the illustrious Prince whom it now standeth in hand to foresee the vengeance of God provided by the Dukes plots and the furie of the Parliament there having been so many and so great testimonies published against Spain contrarie to truth so many and so frequent infamous Libels begotten and brought forth and many such other things so full of bitternesse and ignominie that they cannot be read even of our enemies without some taint upon the English Nation It is most apparent and stories will testifie that here Leagues have been broken by the will and pleasure of them whom it especiallie concerneth to provide for your peace and quiet and to with from the bottom of their hearts that after many and these most happie yeares that Motto of yours blessed be the Peace-makers might be verified in Letter of the person of your Majestie and to propound the same Counsel to the most illustrious Prince to be imitated which your Majestie hath done to the whole world to be commended and admired A happie Prince will he be if he comes and succceeds peaceably into the haereditarie possession of his kingdom and which will be of no lesse advantage to him having his peace established with those Princes whose friendship and amitie your Majestie hath procured and deserved He would certainly love and commend those that had given him those Counsels of peace Peace and tranquillitie are by haereditarie right devolved to the most illustrious Prince in as much as he is born of the Father who hath with so much industrie procured them not onely to this Island but to the continent also esteeming them at a higher value then his kingdomes themselves Which since it is thus and that the blood of his Father which is in him and the love wherewith he is carried towards your Majestie and the experience of this your most happie Government and that great example wherewith your Majestie hath drawn and won the Christian world to an admiration and love of you did all direct the most illustrious Prince with a kind of connatural motion to the same Counsel and purpose of peace as might have heretofore been likewise hoped Certainly this Machination is very strong violent and mighty which doth suddainely labour to turn him into a clean contrarie course And questionlesse if the very entrance into a war the war it self if it want justice it will want also happie successe It cannot be unknown to your Majestie that the Duke of Buckingham carrieth himself so lofty that he would have all men perswaded that he hath and doth exercise a kind of dominion over the will of your Majestie and of his Highnesse All things shall be made manifest to your Majestie if you will have them so for there are not meanes wanting whereby you may free your vassal from fear and diffidence who will otherwise dare nothing nor say nothing which certainely appeares so far to be true that when all things standing as they do it is an easie matter to find who will speak against your Majestie yet there is none that dare speak against the Duke Let your Majestie call some certain men unto you and sift out of them the opinion of the more moderate Parliament and enquire of those that come out of Spain who did first give the first cause of falling out whether the Complaints against the King of Spain be true or no whether that foresaid King were not desirous to satisfie the desire of the Prince his Highnesse Whether he did not faithfully endeavour to effect the marriage Whether the Duke of Buckingham did not many things against the authoritie and reverence due to the most illustrious Prince Whether he was not wont to be sitting whilest the Prince stood and was in presence and also having his feet resting upon another seat after an undecent manner Whether when the Prince was uncovered whilest the Queen and Infanta looked out at the Windowes he uncovered his head or no Whether sitting at the Table with the Prince he did not behave himself unreverently Whether he were not wont to come in to the Princes Chamber with his cloathes half on so that the doors could not be opened to them that came to visit the Prince from the King of Spain the Door-keepers refusing to go in for modesties sake Whether he did not call the Prince by ridiculous names Whether he did not dishonour and prophane the Kings Palace with base and contemptible women Whether he did not divers obscene things and used not immodest gesticulations and wanton Tricks with Players in the presence of the Prince Whether he did not violate his faith given to the Conde Olivares Whether he did not presently communicate his discontents offences and complaints to the Embassadours of other Princes Whether in doing of his businesse he did not use frequent threatenings unto the Catholique Kings Ministers and to Apostolical Nuns Whether he did not affect to sit at Playes presented in the Kings Palace after the manner and example of the King and Prince being not contented with the honour that is ordinarily given to the High Steward or Major domo of the Kings house Besides all these things which have heretofore been told your Majestie there is yet this more that is new That the Duke of Buckingham with what intention let others judge hath divulged in Parliament some secret Treatie negotiated betwixt your Majestie and the
King of Spain touching the affaires of Holland the secresie whereof neverthelesse your Majestie had so recommended that besides the King and the Conde of Olivares no man in Spain knew of it If the Duke do not appear guilty of all these things let him be still your Majesties most faithful servant and let your Majestie yet confer upon him greater Honours if you can For I would have these things conceived to be spoken for the securitie of your Majestie not for the hurt of him to whom I wish prosperitie if by him the Christian world might be in prosperitie It onely remaineth that your Majestie will be pleased to take in good part this my service and obedience shewed to your Commandements To the King ab ignoto Best and most excellent King YOu will wonder that he who at first protesteth to be neither Papist nor Puritan Spaniard nor Hollander or yet in any delirium fit should presume in this Libel-like way to lay down to your Majestie the strong zeal he beareth to the safetie of your Majestie and his Countrie by shewing in this dark Tablet drawn by the worst Painter the common opinion of all those which are not possessed as above They say the businesse of greatest consequence that ever your Majestie handled is now at point to go well or ill The marriage or none and as it is carried a present War or a continued Peace The match of your son they wish you may perfect in your own time and think that for the quiet of your self and Kingdomes the shortest time the best And that this already traced will far sooner piece then any new one have beginning and accomplishment They fear this suspension carried by Killegrew was brought by Buckingham not for what he pretends and plainly say It was not onely to prevent his Highnesse marriage there but any where Whereby 1. His particular greatnesse may still stand absolute 2. His Wife and Tribe still present the Princesse person 3. And your Majestie be and remain their Pupil The Parliament so much urged they say is to be a marrying his Mightinesse unto the Common Weal that as your Majestie is his good Father It may be his Mother and so he stand not only by the King but by the People and popular humour that he hath lately so earnestly courted and especially from those who are noted to be of the most troubled humour How your Majestie should gain upon a Parliament they cannot imagine seeing all are resolved to sell your Courtesies at the dearest rate both by ill words and for double as much again the humour of it being so inconstant that twenty to one but those very tongues which in the last did cry War War War will now curse him that urgeth for one poor Subsidie to raise a War And miserable is he that is to make a War or to defend against it with money that is to be given and gathered from them They say our Great Duke hath certainly a brave desire to War but in that also he hath some great end of enriching himself which he too well loveth being carried away with that sweet sound how Nottingham gained yearly during that sicknesse 40000 l. by his Admirals place but what his Majestie gained they find not in the Exchequer or Kingdome Somewhat also they fear this his Graces precipitate humour and change of humour hath of pride to shew his power as great here as is Olivares his there as also of revenge against him in particular For were it love to his now much beloved Countrie they say there was as much reason for breach both of the Match and Peace when the Parliament urged it as there is now They say There is a rumour of his Graces a match for his Mary with the young Palatine It is no Gorgon and will concern his Highnesse if they that are now our best friends the Hollanders should change their Copie In this his Highnesse coming off from Spain they say He hath advised him to no worse then he did himself for how many did he deflour abuse and cousen with marriage by his grace in Court and power with your Majestie In short your Subjects that have sence of your estate do most earnestly beseech your Majestie to have more especial care of your own preservation then ordinarily you have both in respect of the desperate staggering which their Priests now stand in and of your own Phaeton himself who in truth wanteth nothing of man enough but a good nature and being in custome to carry all with a high hand must be desperate if he fail in any Punto of his violent will We know your Majestie according to the sweetnesse and virtue of your Nature agreeing with Gods blessed Will hath long preserved your people in all peace and plentie And all good and sensible people pray you even for Gods sake not to be cousened of your own life and liberty Oh be not mislead to trouble your own Kingdoms quiet but that after many and many a happie year you may die happily in peace To his Sacred Majestie ab ignoto May it please his most excellent Majestie to consider THat this great opposition against the Duke of Buckingham is stirred up and maintained by such who either malitiously or ignorantly and concurrently seek the debasing of this free Monarchie which because they find not yet ripe to attempt against the King himself they endeavour it through the Dukes side These men though agreeing in one mischief yet are of divers sorts and humours viz. 1. Medling and busie persons who took their first hint at the beginning of King James when the union was treated of in Parliament That learned King gave too much way to those popular speeches 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
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 Vaux 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 neglected 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 your Lordship this further assurance that no particular interest or consideration of mine own shall have power to alter my constant course of serving my gracious Master faithfully and industriously And so humbly submitting all to his Majesties good pleasure and your Lordships wisdom I remain eternally Your Graces most faithful friend and humble servant Carlile Postscript I Most humbly beseech your Lordship that this unfortunate Complement put upon my son may be no prejudice to the deserts of Sir James Ramsey The Lord Kensington to the Duke My Noblest Lord I Find the Queen Mother hath the onely power of governing in this State and I am glad to find it so since she promises and professes to use it to do careful and good offices in the way of increasing the friendship that is between us and this State and likewise to relieve and assist the united provinces the which they are preparing to do fullie and bravely for she hath now a clear sight of the pretentions of the King of Spain unto the Monarchie of Christendom during the absence of the King who went out of this town earlie the next day after I arrived here before I was prepared to attend him I have been often at the Louure where I had the
propounded unto him from the King of Great Brittain he would most heartily and affectionately receive it but this was with such a fashion of Courtesie as shewed that he desired cause to have said more and I am fully satisfied not onely from him but the Queens and most of all of Madam her self who shewes all the sweetnesse and contentment that may be and likewise from all the Officers of the Crown and State that they can desire nothing equal with this alliance A better and more large preparation then this my instructions cannot make and I wonder to see it thus fair considering the hinderances and defacings the Spanish Embassadour desires to cast upon it who besides the Rodomontado's and threatenings of the preparations of his Master doth here take a contrary but cunning way letting them know that the Prince cannot have two Wives for their Infanta is surely his onely to create a jealousie and shienesse in them towards me that he suspects labours to do offices that are not to his liking You will therefore I hope speedily put this State out of these doubts and clearly and freely proceed with them Upon my credit and reputation they are all of that disposition that we can wish them to be and it appears by their tender care of the States and their resolution to ayd them And likewise in sending Captain Coborn that came from the Duke of Brunswick to demand a supplie of men who is returned with answer unto him that he shall have double what he required and great satisfaction to the Count Mansfelt that sent a Gentleman hither to let the King know he was not yet in such disorder but that he could assemble his Troops to such a number as might do his Majestie good service if he would be pleased to take him into his protection and favour And the King hath sent a Gentleman of the Religion a Sedanois to Leige to give information to this State of the proceedings of the Spaniards there and to be ready to receive if the Town shall seek it the protection of them But these passages I am sure you continually understand from our Embassadour the which makes me omit many particularities in this kind that I could inform you of I have sent this Bearer of purpose the which I beseech your Grace return with some speed and with him the resolutions of our dear and Sacred Master whom God ever blesse and keep to our glorie and comfort My Lord I am The humblest and most obliged of all your Graces servants Kensington The Lord Kensington to the Secretary the Lord Conway Right Honourable ACcording to his Majesties order which your last of April the 14. derived unto me I have represented such reasons to the King and his ministers of State here against the sending of any person in what quality soever to the Duke of Baviers as they acquiesce in them speciallie for that they come commanded under his Majesties desire which they professe to be very willing to comply with not only in this but in any other occasion wherein his Majestie may directly or indirectly be any way interessed I took the same opportunity of preparing the way a little farther to a formal treaty of alliance by feeling once again their pulse in matters of religion and find that it beats so temperately as promises a very good Crisis of any thing that may concern that particular I dealt plainely with the Marquesse de la Veiville touching the course that his Majestie may be driven to hold against Jesuites and Priests of banishing them the Kingdom and of quickning the lawes against the other Catholiques as well out of necessity of reducing them within the bounds of sobriety and obedience as of keeping good intelligence with his Parliament without which he could not possibly go thorough with such a weighty work as he is now to undertake He approved of the course for the ends sake under hope notwithstanding that his Majestie would not tie his own hands from some moderate favour hereafter which is all they pretend unto and desire it may flow from the mediation of this State upon an alliance here for the saving of their honour who otherwise will be hardly reputed Catholiques In representing a facility in these things I leave no other difficulties to be imagined Their good inclination to the match in general they are willing to demonstrate as by many other evidences so by the care they are now under of lodging and defraying my Lord of Carlile and my self in a more splendid and Magnifique manner then ever yet they did any Embassadour whatsoever for such is the language that Ville-aux Cleres holds to me upon that subject The Count of Soissons sees it and stormes and manifests his discontent towards me who am the instrument more fellie then discreetly I encountred him the other day and gave him the due that belonged to his rank but instead of returning me my salute he disdainfullie turned back his head I was somewhat sensible thereof and I told Mounsieur de Grandmont of it and as he and I were discoursing of it the day following Soissons offered himself full butt upon us a second time I again repeated my courtesie and he is childish in civility Grandmont found it strange and intimated to the Marquesse de la Valette a familiar and confident of the Counts both my observation and his own distaste of such an uncivil kind of proceeding Valette conveyes the same to Soissons himself who answered that he could not afford me a better countenance not for any ill will he bore unto my person but to my errand and negotiation which were it not in the behalf of so great a Prince went so near his heart as he professed he would cut my throat if he could Nay were any Prince of Savoy Mantova or Germany here in person to sollicit for themselves in the like nature he would hazard his life in the cause Such is the language that despaire brings forth which put me into an expectation of no lesse then a challenge to decide the quarrel And I once verily believed it sent for the Count de Lude came very soberly to me and told me he had a message to deliver me from a great Personage which he intreated he might do without offence I desired him to speak freely what it was and from whom He told me he was sent by the Count of Soissons and I presently replyed that nothing should come amisse from him In conclusion the errand was to signifie an extream liking that the Count took to one of my Horses which he was desirous to buy of me upon any rate I answered that if the Count would expresse to me his desire himself and receive him of guift he should be at his service otherwise he should remain still as he was Since that I have met him been prevented with a very courteous salute from him I have been thus ample in these particular passages betwixt the Count and
John hath changed his purpose of going and his excuse will be made at his intreatie by his Excellencie who hath since let me know Though he would not deny me his leave yet he is better content in regard he is so slenderly accompanied with Colonels in a time when the State hath need of their service with his stay So as Sir John hath the obligation to your Lordship of a favourable recommendation and for his not prevailing himself of his leave when it was granted I must leave to himself to render a reason For my part having accomplished what I find by your Lordships Letter to be agreeable both to his Majesties pleasure your Lordships I thought it my dutie to advertize That there is an ancient difference between Sir Horacio Vere and Sir Edward Cecyl about the extent of their Commands whereupon followeth a great inconveniencie to the dishonor of our Nation which as it appears when they were last in the field before Reez are divided hereby and march and lodge in several bodies and quarters Much endeavour hath been formerly used in these parts to reconcile them but all in vain by reason of some ill Instruments who wrought upon both their discontents to set them farther asunder Now they are both in England and are both written for to come over It were a work worthy of your Lordship to make them understand one another better and what they will not yeeld to of themselves to over-rule by his Majesties authoritie I may not conceal from your Lordship that I am intreated by the Prince of Orange himself to do this office both with his Majestie and your Lordship wherein he would not be seen himself because having dealt between them fruitlesly heretofore he doubteth of the like successe now But when their agreement shall be made he will acknowledge his obligation to your Lordship and for the better proceeding therein I sent your Lordship a Copie of an order formerly set down betwixt them with the translate of Sir Horacio Vere's Commission both which I had of his Excellencie and likewise the beginning and proceeding of their difference as I have collected the same in brief out of other mens reports The projects I sent your Lordship with my last of a West-Indian Companie having been proposed to the States of Guelderland for their ratification who have the leading voice in the Assemblie of the States general end were ever least forward in that businesse hath thus far their allowance that they will concur therein with the rest of the Provinces But withal I do understand they have given their Deputies secret charge not to give way thereunto in case they find it prejudicial to the Truce Which makes the matter evident that the project of the Company though it be never so advanced will stand or fall according to the proceeding of the Truce The expiration whereof approaching so neer and here being advertisements from Paris that a French Gentleman one Belleavium who was lately imployed hither to the Prince of Orange about the difference betwixt him and the Prince of Conde had secret instructions to sound the States how they stood affected to the renewing thereof I have used all diligence to know how far he went and am well informed he hath done nothing therein of Consideration onely this past between him and his Excellencie He telling his Excellencie from Mounsieur Desdiguieres and some of the French Kings Councel how acceptable the extraordinarie Embassage intended from hence will be in that Court and thereupon perswading a speedie imbracing the opportunitie From whence said his Excellencie after his round manner cometh this alteration To speak plainly said he they fear in France you will renew the Truce without them and therefore by your Embassadours they would interpose themselves Here are good advertisements both from Bruxels and Paris that the Spaniards intent is not to renew the Truce but to have a Peace proposed with these plausible conditions That the King of Spain will pretend nothing in the Regiment of these United Provinces nor require any thing of them in the point of Religion but leave all in terms as it now stands with recognition onely of some titular Soveraigntie which he cannot in honour relinquish This is already proposed to France as a glorious work to establish a settled Peace in these parts of the world but with this condition That if it be not imbraced here then France shall refuse to give this State any further support or countenance of which it is here believed that Spain hath already obtained a firm promise in that Court. And that either the like overture is already made or will be within few daies to his Majestie Under which doth lie hidden many mysteries much to the advantage of the Spaniard and prejudice of this State for the very proposition of a new Treatie will distract them here very much in regard of their unsettlednesse and aptnesse upon any dispute to relapse into faction besides many Considerations of importance belonging properly to the Constitution of their Government but the acceptation of the old by renewing of the Truce upon the former terms for so many years more or lesse as shall be thought sitting will in my poor opinion which notwithstanding is not slenderly grounded take place without much difficultie The importance of this businesse hath made me give your Lordship this trouble and your Lordship may be pleased to let his Majestie understand as well that little as is done by Mounsieur Belleavium as what they here conceive to be further intended by the Spaniard So I most humbly take leave ever resting Your Lordships Most faithful servant Dudley Carleton Hague this 10th of June 1620. Sir Dudley Carleton to the Duke Most Honourable NOt to give your Lordship the trouble of often Letters I render an account of his Majesties Commandments by the same hand I usually receive them One I had lately by an expresse Letter from his Majestie accompanied with another from your Lordship touching my Lord of Buckleugh to demand full satisfaction of the States for all his Lordships pretentions and to that effect to procure Instructions and Commission to be sent to Sir Noel Carone to end this businesse To which effect I have moved both his Excellencie and the States and whilest they were treating thereof Colonel Brogue arrived here out of Scotland with whom they are now handling to put him to Pension and to give my Lord the Command of his Regiment in lieu of his Pretensions Which when they come to calculate my Lord will find a short reckoning of them and to send accounts out of their accountants hands and refer them to others they will never be moved Wherefore if the course they now take can be gone thorough with which Colonel Brogue doth most unwillingly hear of it will be then in my Lords choice whether he will remain satisfied or not And within few daies I hope to return my Lords Secretarie with advertisement of what is
Precincts after the manner of some French Edicts seemeth to me to be a matter warrantable by Religion and in Policie of absolute necessity and the hesitation of this I think hath been a great casting back of the affairs there Neither if any English Papist or Recusant shall for liberty of his conscience transfer his person family and fortunes thither do I hold it a matter of danger but expedient to draw on undertaking and to further population Neither if Rome will cozen it self by conceiving it may be some degree to the like Toleration in England do I hold it a matter of any moment but rather a good mean to take off the fierceness and eagerness of the humour of Rome and to stay further Excommunications and Interdictions of Ireland But there would go hand in hand with this some course of advantage Religion indeed where the people is capable of it is the sending over of some good Preachers especially of that sort which are vehement and zealous perswaders and not Scholastical to be resident in the principal Towns endowing them with some stipend out of her Majesties revenues as her Majesty hath most religiously and graciously done in Lancashire and the recontinuing and replenishing the Colledge begun at Dublin the placing of good men Bishops in the Sea there the taking care of the versions of Bibles Catechisms and other books of Instruction into the Irish language and the like religious courses both for the honour of God and for the avoiding of scandal and insatisfaction here by a toleration of Religion there For instance the Barbarism and desolation of the Country considered it is not possible they should find any sweetness at all of it which hath been the error of times past formal and fetched far off from the State because it will require running up and down for process of polling and exactions by fees and many other delays and charges And therefore there must be an interim in which the Justice must be only summary the rather because it is fit and safe for a time the Country do partioipate of Martial government And therefore I do wish in every principal Town or place of habitation there were a Captain or a Governour and a Judge such as Recorders and learned Stewards are here in Corporations who may have a Prerogative-Commission to hear and determine secundum sanam discretionem and as neer as may be to the Laws and Customs of England and that by Bill or Plaint without Original Writ reserving from their sentence matter of Freehold and Inheritance to be determined before a superior Judge itinerant to be reversed if cause be before the Councel of the Province to be established with fit Informations For obligation and reward it is true no doubt which was anciently said That a State is contained in two words Praemium Poena And I am perswaded if a penny in the pound which hath been spent in poena a chastisement of Rebels without other fruit or emolument of this State had been spent in praemio that in rewarding things had never grown to this extremity But to speak forwards The keeping of the principal Irish persons in term of contentment and without particular complaint as generally the carrying of an eaven course between the English and the Irish whether it be in competition or whether it be in controversie as if they were one Nation without the same partial course which hath been held by the Governours and Councellors that some have favoured the Irish and some contrary is one of the best medicines for that State And as for other points of governing their Nobility as well in this Court as there of Knighthood of Education of their Children and the like points of comfort and allurement they are things which fall into every mans consideration For the extirpating of the seeds of troubles I suppose the main roots are but three The first the ambition and absoluteness of the chief of the Families and Sects the second the licentious idleness of their Kerns and Souldiers that lie upon their Country by sesses and such oppressions the third the barbarous customs in habits of apparel in these Poets or Heralds that inchant them in savage manners and sundry other such dregs of Barbarism and Rebellion which by a number of politique Statutes of Ireland meet to be put in execution are already forbidden unto which such additions may be made as the present time requireth But the reducing of this branch requireth a more particular notice of the state and manners there then falls within my compass For Plantations and buildings I do find it strange that in the last plot for the population of Munster there were limitations how much in Demesnes and how much in Farm and Tenantry how many buildings should be erected how many Irish in mixture should be admitted but there was no restraint that they might not build sparsim at their pleasure much less any condition that they should make places fortified and defensible the which was too much secureness to my understanding So as for this last point of plantaâ—ions and buildings there be two considerations which I hold most material th' one of quickning th' other for assuring The first is that choyce be made of such persons for the government of Towns and places and such undertakers be procured as be men gracious and wel-beloved and are like to be well followed wherein for Munster it may be because it is not Res integra but that the former undertakers stand interessed there will be some difficulty but surely in mine opinion either with agreeing with them or by over-ruling them by a Parliament in Ireland which in this course of a politique proceeding infinite occasions will require speedily to be held it will be fit to supply fit qualified persons for underakers The other that it be not left as heretofore to the pleasure of the undertakers and adventurers where and how to build and plant but that they do it according to a prescript or formality For first the places both Maritine and Inland which are fittest for Colonies or Garrison as well for doubt of Foreigners as for keeping the Countrey in bridle would be found surveighed and resolved upon and then that the Patentees be tied to build those places onely and to fortifie as shall be thought convenient And lastly it followeth of course in Countries of new populations to invite and provoke inhabitants by ample liberties and Charters FR. BACON Sir Francis Bacon to the Lord Treasurer touching his speech in Parliament It may please your good Lordship I Was sorry to find by your Lordships speech yesterday that my last speech in Parliament delivered in discharge of my conscience my duty to God her Majesty and my Countrey was offensive if it were misreported I would be glad to attend your Lordship to disavow any thing I said not if it were misconstrued I would be glad to expound my words to exclude any sense I meant not if my
be humbled by knowing her self and her own ignorance Not only knowledge but also every other gift which we call the gifts of fortune have power to pull up earthly Afflictions only level these Mole-hils of pride plough the heart and make it fit for Wisdom to sow her seed and for Grace to bring forth her increase Happy is that man therefore both in regard of heavenly and earthly wisdom that is thus wounded to be cured thus broken to be made straight thus made acquainted with his own imperfections that he may be perfected Supposing this to be the time of your affliction that which I have propounded to my self is by taking this seasonable advantage like a true friend though far unworthy to be counted so to shew you your true shape in a glass and that not in a false one to flatter you nor yet in one that should make you seem worse then you are and so offend you but in one made by the reflexion of your own words and actions from whose light proceeds the voice of the people which is often not unfitly called the voice of God but therein since I purposed a truth I must intreat liberty to be plain a liberty that at this time I know not whether or no I may use safely I am sure at other times I could not yet of this resolve your self it proceedeth from love and a true desire to do you good that you knowing the generall opinion may not altogether neglect or contemn it but mend what you find amiss in yourself and tain what your judgment shall approve for to this end shall truth be delivered as naked as if your self were to be anatomized by the hand of opinion All men can see their own profit that part of the wallet hangs before A true friend whose worthy office I would perform since I fear both your self and all great men want such being themselves true friends to few or none is first to shew the other and which is from your eyes First therefore behold your errors In discourse you delight to speak too much not to hear other men this some say becomes a pleader not a Judge for by this sometimes your affections are intangled with a love of your own arguments though they be the weaker and rejecting of those which when your affections were setled your own judgment would allow for strongest Thus while you speak in your own Element the Law no man ordinarily equals you but when you wander as you often delight to do you then wander indeed and give never such satisfaction as the curious time requires This is not caused by any naturall defect but first for want of election when you having a large and fruitfull mind should not so much labour what to speak as to find what to leave unspoken rich soils are often to be weeded Secondly you cloy your auditory when you would be observed speech must either be sweet or short Thirdly you converse with Books not men and Books specially humane and have no excellent choyce with men who are the best Books for a man of action and imployment you seldome converse with and then but with your underlings not freely but as a Schoolmaster with his Scholars ever to teach never to learn But if somtimes you would in your familiar discourse hear others and make election of such as know what they speak you should know many of these tales you tell to be but ordinary and many other things which you delight to repeat and serve in for novelties to be but stale As in your pleadings you were wont to insult over misery and to inveigh bitterly at the persons which bred you many enemies whose poyson yet swelleth and the effects now appear so are you still wont to be a little careless in this point to praise or disgrace upon slight grounds and that sometimes untruly so that your reproofs or commendations are for the most part neglected and contemned when the censure of a Judge coming slow but sure should be a brand to the guilty and a crown to the vertuous You will jest at any man in publique without respect of the persons dignity or your own This disgraceth your gravity more then it can advance the opinion of your wit and so do all actions which we see you do directly with a touch of vain-glory having no respect to the true end You make the Law to lean too much to your opinion whereby you shew your self to be a legall Tyrant striking with that weapon where you please since you are able to turn the edge any way For thus the wise Master of the Law gives warning to young Students that they should be wary lest while they hope to be instructed by your integrity and knowledge they should be deceived with your skill armed with authority Your too much love of the world is too much seen when having the living of 10000 l. you relieve few or none The hand that hath taken so much can it give so little Herein you shew no bowels of compassion as if you thought all too little for your self or that God had given you all that you have if you think wealth to be his gift I mean that you get well for I know sure the rest is not only to that end you should still gather more and never be satisfied but try how much you could gather to accompt for all at the great and generall Audit-day We desire you to amend this and let your poor Tenants in Norfolk find some comfort where nothing of your estate is spent towards their relief but all brought up hither to the impoverishing of your Country In your last which might have been your best peece of service to the State affectioned to follow that old rule which giveth Justice leaden heels and iron hands you used too many delayes till the Delinquents hands were loosed and yours bound In that work you seemed another Fabius here the humour of Marcellus would have done better What needed you have sought more evidences then enough While you pretended the finding out of more missing your aim you discredited what you had found This best Judgments think though you never used such speeches as are fathered upon you yet you might well have done it and but rightly For this crime was second to none but the Powder-plot That would have blown up all at one blow a mercifull cruelty this would have done the same by degrees a lingring but a sure way one might by one be called out till all opposers had been removed Besides that other Plot was scandalous to Rome making Popery odious in the sight of the whole world This hath been scandalous to the truth of the whole Gospel and since the first nullity to this instant when Justice hath her hands bound the Devil could not have invented a more mischievous practice to our State and Church then this hath been is and is like to be God avert the evil But herein you committed another
fault that you were too open in your proceedings and so taught them whereby to defend themselves so you gave them time to undermine Justice and to work upon all advantages both of affections and honor and opportunity and breach of friendship which they have so wel followed sparing neither pains nor cost that it almost seemeth an offence in you to have done so much indeed then that you have done no more you stopt the confessions accusations of some who perhaps had they been suffered would have spoken enough to have removed some stumbling-blocks out of your way and that you did not this in the favour of any one but of I know not what present unadvised humours supposing enough behind to discover all which fel not out so Howsoever as the Apostle saith in another case you went not rightly to the truth and therefore though you were to be commended for what you did yet you were to be reprehended for many circumstances in the doing and doubtless God hath an eye in this cross to your negligence and the briers are left to be pricks in your sides and thorns in your eyes But that which we commend you for are those excellent parts of Nature and knowledge in the Law which you are indued withall but these are only good in their good use wherefore we thank you heartily for standing stoutly in the Commonwealths behalfe hoping it proceedeth not from a disposition to oppose Greatness as your enemies say but to do justice and deliver truth indifferently without respect of persons and in this we pray for your prosperity and are sorry that your good actions should not always succeed happily But in the carriage of this you were faulty for you took it in hand in an evill time both in respect of the present business which it interrupted and in regard of his present sickness whom it concerned whereby you disunited your strength and made a gap for the enemies to pass out at and to return and assault you But now since the case so standeth we desire you to give way to power and so to fight that you be not utterly broken but reserved intirely to serve the Commonwealth again and do what good you can since you cannot do all the good you would and since you are fallen upon this work cast out the goods to save the bottom stop the leaks and make towards land learn of the Steward to make friends of the unrighteous Mammon Those Spaniards in Mexico who were chased of the Indians tell us what to do with our goods in our extremities they being to passe over a râ—ver in their flight as many as cast away their gold swam over safe but some more covetous keeping their gold were either drowned with it or overtaken and slain by the Savages you have received now learn to give The Beaver learns us this lesson who being hunted for his stones bites them off You cannot but have much of your estate pardon my plainnesse ill got think how much of that you never spake for how much by speaking unjustly or in unjust causes Account it then a blessing of God if thus it may be laid out for your good and not left for your heir to hasten the wasting of much of the rest perhaps of all for so we see God oftentimes proceeds in judgement with many hasty gatherers you have enough to spare being well laid to turn the Tide and fetch all things again But if you escape I suppose it worthy of an if since you know the old use that none called in question must go away uncensured yet consider that accusations make wounds and leave scarres and though you see your tale behind your back your self free and the Covert before yet remember there are stands trust not reconciled enemies but think the peace is but to secure you for further advantage expect a second and a third encounter the main battell the wings are yet unbroken they may charge you at an instant or death before them walk therefore circumspectly and if at length by means of our good endeavours and yours you recover the favour that you have lost give God the glory in action not in words onely and remember us with sense of your past misfortune whose estate hath doth and may hereafter lye in the power of your breath There is a great mercy in dispatch delays are tortures wherewith we are by degrees rent out of our estates do not you if you be restored as some others do fly from the service of vertue to serve the time as if they repented their goodness or meant not to make a second hazard in Gods House but rather let this cross make you zealous in Gods cause sensible in ours and more sensible in all which express thus You have been a great enemy to Papists if you love God be so still but more indeed then heretofore for much of your zeal was heretofore wasted in words call to remembrance that they were the persons that prophesied of that cross of yours long before it hapned they saw the storm coming being the principall contrivers and furtherers of the plot the men that blew the coals heat the Iron and made all things ready they owe you a good turn and will if they can pay it you you see their hearts by their deeds prove then your faith so too The best good work you can do is to do the best you can against them that is to see the Law severely justly and diligently executed And now we beseech you my Lord be sensible both of the stroak and hand that striketh learn of David to leave Shimei and call upon God he hath some great work to do and he prepareth you for it he would neither have you faint nor yet bear this cross with a Stoical resolution There is a Christian mediocrity worthy of your greatness I must be plain perhaps rash Had some notes which you have taken at Sermons been written in your heart to practise this work had been done long ago without the envy of your enemies But when we will not mind our selves God if we belong to him takes us in hand and because he seeth that we have unbridled stomacks therefore he sends outward crosses which while they cause us to mourn do comfort us being assured testimonies of his love that sends them to humble our selves therefore before God is the part of a Christian but for the world and our enemies the counsell of the Poet is apt Tune cede malis sed contra andentior ito The last part of this counsell you forget yet none need be asham'd to make use of it that so being armed against casualties you may stand firm against the assaults on the right hand and on the left For this is certain the mind that is most prone to be puft up with prosperity is most weak and apt to be dejected with the least puff of adversity Indeed she is strong enough to make an able man stagger striking
said States his superiors touching the rendition and yeilding up of the said Town of Vlushing with the Castle of Ramakins in Zealand and of the said town of Brill in Holland with the Forts and Sconces thereunto belonging and of the Artillery or Munition formerly delivered by the said States with the same Towns and Castles and Forts and which are now remaining in them or any of them and have not been spent or consumed And for the delivery of the said Towns Castle Forts Artillery and Munition into the hands of the said States upon such terms as by the said Lords and other of our Privy Councell or the more part of them shall be thought fit for our most honor and profit and for the manner thereof to give instructions to our several Governors of our said Garrisons according to such their conclusion which conclusion according to our said Commission is already made and perfected We do therefore hereby give power and authority unto and do charge and command you the said Lord Lisle for us and in our name to render and yield up into the hands of the said States of the United Provinces or to such persons as shall be lawfully deputed by them the aforesaid Town of Vlushing and Castle of Ramakins whereof now you have charge by vertue of our Letters-Patents aforesaid together with the Artillery and Munition now remaining in them or any of them heretofore delivered by the said States with the said Town and Castle and as yet not spent or consumed observing and performing in all points such instructions as you shall receive under the hands of the said Lords and others of our Privy-Councel or the more part of them concerning the rendring up and delivery of the said Town And we do further give you full power and authority and by these presents do charge and command you for us and in our name to discharge and set free all the subordinate Officers Captains and souldiers under your charge of that oath and trust which heretofore they have taken for the keeping and preserving of that Town and Castle to our use and service and for that purpose to make such Declaration Proclamation and other signification of our Royal pleasure commandment and ordinance in that behalf as in your wisdom you shall think fit and these our Letters-Patents or the inrollment or exemplification thereof shall be your sufficient warrant and discharge in that behalf In witness c. Witness our self at Westminster the 22 day of May in the 14 year of our reign of England France and Ireland and of Scotland the 49. Countess of Nottingham to the Danish Ambassador SIR I Am very sorry this occasion should have been offered me by the King your Master which makes me troublesom to you for the present It is reported to me by men of honour the great wrong the King of the Danes hath done me when I was not by to answer for my self For if I had been present I would have letten him know how much I scorn to receive that wrong at his hands I need not to urge the particular of it for the King himself knows it best I protest to you Sir I did think as honorably of the King your Master as I did of my own Prince but now I perswade my self there is as much baseness in him as can be in any man For although he be a Prince by birth it seems not to me that there harbours any Princely thought in his breast for either in Prince or Subject it is the basest that can be to wrong any woman of honour I deserve as little that name he gave me as either the mother of himself or of his children and if ever I come to know what man hath informed your Master so wrongfully of me I should do my best for putting him from doing the like to any other but if it hath come by the tongue of any woman I dare say she would be glad to have companions So leaving to trouble you any further I rest Your friend M. NOTTINGHAM Sir Charls Cornwallis Lieger in Spain to the Spanish King Iuly 23. 1608. YOur Majesty hath shewed the sincerity of your Royal heart in applying remedy to many inconveniences and injustice offered by your Ministers to the King my masters subjects in their goods and bodies and therein have performed not only what belongeth to your Kingly dignity but also what might be expected from a Prince so zealous of justice and of so good intention It resteth that now I beseech you to cast your Royal eyes upon another extreme injustice offered not only to their bodies and goods but to their very souls who being by your Majesties agreement confirmed with your oath to live within these your Kingdoms free from molestation for matter of opinion and conscience except in matters of scandal to others are here laid hold on and imprisoned by your Majesties Officers of Inquisition continually upon every light occasion of private information of some particular persons of their own Country who being fugitives out of their own houses and having according to the nature of our people removed not only their bodies but their hearts from the soil that bred them and from their brethren that were nourished with them do here seek to grace themselves by professing and teaching the observations of the Romish Church and that not out of any zeal but as plainly appeareth by many of their actions out of malice and envy By the Commissioners authorized by both your Majesties for the agreeing of the Peace it was clearly discerned that if upon private or particular informations his Majesties vassals here should be questioned for matter of Religion it was not possible that they should exercise any commerce in these kingdoms where they should be no one moment assured either of their goods or liberties It was therefore provided that they should in no sort be impeached but in case of scandal and that scandal with your Majesties favour must be understood to grow out of some publike action not out of private opinion or single conscience for if otherwise very vain and inutile had been that provision How the word scandal is in the most usual and common sense to be understood is in no books more evident then in the Divine Scriptures themselves Our Saviour in regard of his publique teaching of the Gospel and the abolishing of the Law-Ceremonial was said to be to both houses of Israel a stone of scandal The sin of David if it had lain covered in his own heart or been committed in private should not have been either published or punished as a scandal to the enemies of God St. Paul himself declareth that his own eating of flesh offered to Idols could not be an offence but only his eating before others of weak conscience whereby to give the scandal Besides I humbly beseech your Majesty consider how fitly that of the Apostle Quis es qui judicas alienum servum may be applied to
enjoy now only the name and now since hath so much quickned and enlightned me by his gracious countenance and assured me by his daily favours to make me to depend upon him and that I should deliberately and determinately take any flowers from his Crown to place them on the heads of others or to betray his Majesties interest into the hands of others I hope his Majesty will vouchsafe me so much favour not to value me at so low a rate as to think these things came in de industria For if I had felt any such Eccho arise in my breast I protest I would have laid hands on my self and judged my self unworthy of any society My Lords the corruption of my hands are far inferior to the corruption of the heart and the hand that runs wilfully into error works meerly from the corruption of the heart and that makes it the more inexcusable as the bleeding of a wound inwardly ever becomes mortal and were I conscious to my self I would not have any color of excuse I thank his Majesties Councel that howsoever these hands were at first mistrusted yet since they are not at all misdoubted nor the least corruption laid to my charge But this doth most grieve me that my faithfulness to his Majesty should be suspected And I humbly desire upon my knees that his Clemencie in this case may stop the issue of his Justice that though a long time his face hath been hid yet now at length his mercy will break through the clouds to support me that am now fallen I lay my self at his Majesties feet to do with me as it pleaseth him and humbly desire his Majesty would take me to his own sentence I never thought of my self otherwise then clay in his Majesties hands to mould me to honour or dishonour When I look and behold this solemnity and spectacle about me I make no other account of it then Pompa mortis and such a Prince as he is knows that Life and Reputation are equall if the last be not the greatest I know your Lordships have such power and his Majesty takes such pleasure in you you are so dear in his eyes that he can deny you nothing and therefore I would desire you that you would be suiters in my behalf that his favour might once again shine upon me I know his grace and clemency sleepeth if I be not unworthy to partake and the rather because the River that did run another way is now turned into the Sea again and the Charter given up surrendred and cancelled I know much life might be added to the sinewes of my happinesse by your Lordships intercessions for me in vouchsafing whereof I shall pledge a perpetuall assurance of better service for the time to come and shall be bound and engaged to every one of your Lordships so that my desire is that his Majesty might first be acquainted with this submission before you proceed into the merits of the cause remaining still a prisoner to his Justice knowing his Majesty may if he please turn me to vanity Ferdinand the second Emperour to the Catholique King Most gracious King my most loving Nephew FAther Jacinthus comes over to your Court to negotiate with your Majesty in the Popes name about a business much concerning the conservation of our holy Faith and consequently the support of our Family as your Majesty shall understand of the said Father to whom I refer my self as also to Don Balthazar de Zuniga to whom I have written more distinctly fearing to be over-tedious to your Majesty and being well assured how well your Majesty stands inclined to either of these points Ferdinand the Emperour to Don Balthazar de Zuniga October 15. 1621. To the Honorable and sincerely beloved Don Balthazar de Zuniga Cousin and Councellour of State to the most excellent and Catholique King of Spain Honorable and sincerely beloved WHat my mind and purpose is touching the translating of the Electorship to the Duke of Bavaria according to the promise I made him and wherefore I think that business so necessary and profitable as for Germany in generall so particularly for securing our House from all attempts of Heretiques as his Holiness exhorts me not to be further delayed You shall understand as well by conference with Father Jacinthus whom his Holiness hath for that purpose addressed unto me his Majesty of Spain my Nephew and other Catholiqne Princes of Germany as by these ensuing reasons whereof the principall are That when I repeat from the beginning the whole course of my Reign and the difficulties through which I have attained my Kingdoms and Provinces I behold with reverence the admirable providence of God over me which makes me the more bound to repose my trust in him and not to omit any occasion which may tend to the advancement of his glory and the honor of so admirable tried providence and therfore that I should use that most notable victory to the honor of God and extirpation of all seditious factions which are nourished chiefly among the Galvinists and that I should withdraw my self from that judgement that the Prophet threatens to the King of Israel Because thou hast dismissed a man worthy of death thy Son shall be for his soule The Palatine keeps now in Holland exiled not onely from the Kingdom which he rashly attempted but despoiled almost of all his own Territories expecting as it were the last cast of Fortune whom if by an impious kind of commiseration and subtile Petitions I be perswaded to restore to his Electorall dignity and nourish in my bosome as a troden half living snake what can I expect less then a deadly stinging For it is in vain for me to think that he should be able to discern the greatness of such a benefit For the Polititians saying is true Vltionem quaesivi gratiam oneri habere especially since the injuries he did me are so heynous his projects so subtile that although I should overcome him with Christian charity yet I should never be able to take him from the guilt of his offences and make him soundly faithfull unto me but he will always gape at all occasions whereby he may free himself from fear of his ill deservings and cover his own prostituted honor with new attempt Add hereunto the Calvinists institution of whose Sect the proper genius is to hold nothing either fraud or wickedness which is undertaken for the Religion no sanctity of oath nor fear of dishonour hinders them From such an one what caution can either the house of Austria or other Catholique Princes with whom he is no less in enmity because for Religion as because they are interessed in the war receive The King of England will be engaged but of the same Religion nor is there any thing mere easie then when there is occasion of perpetrating any wickedness to palliate it with a pretext of a breach of the League Histories are fraughted with examples in some there are no
which our selves pretended unless the difficulty of the Conditions should make it desperate But if those things should be expected by Spain which in the Treaty for the late Princess were demanded it were better by much not to renew the business then by impossible or unfitting propositions on either side to give distaste or lessen the friendship which now was betwixt your Majesties And therefore except that in Spain they would be contented with such conditions as your Majesty most fittingly and conveniently might yield unto and all other Catholique Princes were willing to content themselves with I neither saw cause to hope for good success or reason to set the treaty on foot But in case I might know that the conditions in point of Religion might be such as I should see a possibility of your Majesties condescending unto them I should be far from despairing of some good effect for that I knew that divers not of the meanest nor least power with your Majesty were hereunto well inclined and would give their helping hands Hereupon the Spanish Ambassador dispatcht his Secretary into Spain and received answer from the Duke that he should give me all assurance that there was a great desire and inclination to the making of the Match and that at my return into Spain they no way doubted but that I should receive such satisfaction as should make it appear on their part there should be nothing wanting for the effecting of it It now remaineth what hath passed herein since my last coming to this Court. I arrived here in Madrid only a day or two before Christmass and having some six dayes after my audience appointed by the King whilst I was in a with drawing chamber expecting the Kings coming forth the Duke of Lerma came thither to bear me company and after many respectfull demands of your Majesty and the Queens and the Princes health and some few complements unto my self concerning my welcom again unto this Court he fell to speak of the false Alarms we had in England concerning a Spanish Armado seeming much to be displeased that any credit should be given to any thing to his Majesties dishonour and want of fidelity as he termed it But your Majesty he said did never believe it And it seems he heard of some pleasant answer your Majesty should make to some one of your Ministers that in great haste came unto your Majesty when you were a hunting and told you that the Spanish Fleet was in the Channel From this he entred into great protestations of the sincerity of this Kings affection and intention towards your Majesty telling me that I should now see how much they desired to work a greater neerness and uniting between your Majesties And that of the principal business of which we had in former time spoken meaning the Marriage he desired to speak with me but it must be at more leisure I answered that I would not fail shortly to wait upon him and that he should find me answerable to the professions I had made which was that being induced thereunto by such sufficient and good grounds as might satisfie my Master both for the conveniencie and fittingness of having such a Treaty set on foot and likewise might take away all objections of their intents of entertaining and diverting your Majesty hereby I would be as ready to do all good offices and give furtherance to the business as any Minister the King of Spain had And this was all that at our first meeting passed in this business About some eight days after I having not in all this time stirred out of my house under colour of being ill disposed though the truth was indeed to inform my self of some particulars which concerned your Majesties service before I would speak with the Duke He being as I have since understood something troubled that in all this time I made no means to come unto him one morning by nine of the clock very privately came to my house without advertising of his coming as the custom is here untill the Coach stayed at my gate and then he sent in a Gentleman to me telling me that the Duke was there to speak with me When I had conducted the Duke into a room where we were private he fell into th' aforesaid matter and in the manner as I shall here set down unto your Majesty without making any other pretence or intent of his coming or without using in the space of an houre any speech touching any other business After some few questions of your Majesty and the Queen he began to ask many things of the Prince as of his age his stature his health his inclination to what sports he was chiefly given And then suddenly as it were with a passionate expression of affection he desired God to bless him and to make him the means by which your Majesties might be conjoyned in a neerer alliance and your Kingdoms in a perpetual amity saying unto me that he was out of doubt of my good inclination to this business both by what had formerly passed between our selves as likewise by my proceedings in England whereof he had been fully informed by the Spanish Ambassador And therefore he would in few words deal with me with much cleerness and freeness assuring himself he should receive the like measure from me and thereupon entred into a solemn protestation how much this King desired the Match and for himself he solemnly swore there was no one thing in the world he more desired to see before he dyed then the effecting thereof But my Lord Ambassador said he you must deal as justly with me to let me understand whether you conceive the like desire to be in the King of England and his Ministers and then I shall proceed to speak further unto you I answered the Duke That I ever esteemed more the reputation of a man of truth and integrity then of skill and subtilty which I did hope he did well perceive by what I was to say for that I was much more desirous fairly to go off from this business then easily to go into it And therefore if he would have me speak my conscience I neither conceived that either in your Majesty or any of your Ministers there was any kind of inclination thereunto for that they having formerly given so resolute and distastefull an answer your Majesty had just cause never again to cast so much as your thoughts this way And though it might be alleadged that the fitness of the Prince his years and other civil regards might cause new resolutions yet the difference of Religion were still the same and the same were the truths and opinions of Divines in matter of conscience and therefore it would not but be a thing of great difficulty to perswade your Majesty and your Ministers that a Match should be hearkened unto much less desired from hence but upon the same terms the very thought and remembrance whereof is yet unpleasing in England So that to
with France The second for entertaining your Majesty with fair hopes and promises thereby to keep you from declaring your self opposite unto them in the present business of Juliers and Cleves which remaineth still uncompounded But this being so your Majesty may be pleased to understand that they serve themselves with this occasion not that there could be any such thing primarily in their intention for that the expression of their desire to the match was the last year long before these differences happened Further the Duke of Lerma should be the most fals and dishonorable man living without Christianity or soul if he should voluntarily damn himself with oathes and protestations of a thing that he sincerely meant not and truly he should deal contrarily to the wisdom of his other proceedings wherein he layeth all occasions of distaste or discourtesie upon other inferior Ministers labouring still to clear himself of the imputation of them if in this he should make himself the author and instrument of so unjust and indirect proceeding between Princes But the course of most security and caution is that your Majesty suffer none of your other resolutions to be interrupted by this overture onely if your Majesty be pleased for a while to entertain and suspend the conclusion of the match with France I conceive it can be little to your Majesties disadvantage It lastly now remaineth that I become an humble suiter unto your Majesty for your clear and full directions in this business desiring if your Majesty will have it further entertained that I may have ample instructions from your Majesty both that I may intimate what may be expected in point of Dowry and in all other things to be required by your Majesty as likewise how far I may proceed in satisfying in point of Religion For it is not to be supposed that they wil proceed with that freeness and directness which is to be wished unless in a fitting measure they shall see me likewise able and willing to declare my self in such points wherein they may expect satisfaction I intend not hereby to move for a formall Commission to treat but onely a private instruction for my direction and warrant how to behave my self as may be most advantagious to the cause and your Majesties ends So humbly desiring your Majesty to command this Bearer to be dispatched back with all convenient speed I commend your Majesty to the holy protection of God Your Majesties faithfull subject and servant BRISTOL Abignoto to Conde Gondomar concerning the death of Philip the third VPon the last day of February being Sunday 1620. his Catholique Majesty after he had heard Mass and the Sermon in the Chappel was taken with a Feaver which continued with him eight dayes with a ruddiness and pimples which appeared plainly in his face which afterwards began to diminish but he was suddenly taken with a vomiting and a great feaver which continued with him till the 21. day and the Physitians were of opinion to have him rise out of his bed which was accordingly done both that day and the next but about dinner-time happened unto him a great swouning which much astonisht him and the 23. day in the night his feaver did redouble upon him with a vomiting and a flux in the belly and a great melancholy and an opinion that he should die which feaver continued with divers reduplications the Physitians having an ill opinion of him till on Saturday night the 27. when his reduplications were more violent his water bad and the King persevered in saying how he saw well that he should die he commanded that the Image of our Lady of Antiochia should be carried about which was performed on Sunday the 28. in a solemn Procession wherein the Councellors of Spain assisted In the evening commandment was given to the Churches that the blessed Sacrament should be set upon the Altar and the body of S. Isidore should be placed in the Court. On Munday the 29. about four of the clock in the evening his disease then grew violent and some ulcers appeared on his belly on his reins and on his thighs and the King still assuring himself that he should die the Physitians then feeling his pulse affirmed that undoubtedly they assented unto the King in the opinion he conceived of his infirmity At the same time the President of Castile was sent for and the Confessor who having had some speech with the King and the Duke of Ossuna they went and fetcht the Councellors before whom and the Grandees of Spain who were present the King sealed his Testament which John de Serita Secretary of State had set down in writing in his presence Afterwards they caused him to eat somewhat and being advised how it would be good for him to sleep he made this answer in Spanish En jornada tan longa y tiempe tan bréve ne conviéue reposar Upon so long a journey and so short a time to perform it I must not rest Then he sent for the Prince and the young Child Don Carlo to whom having spoken for a good while at length in particular to the Prince he said aloud how he recommended unto him the Child and that he grieved that he should have been unprovided but he hoped he left him in the hands of a good loving brother Then said he to the Prince that he requested him that he would not do as he did at his coming to the Crown in removing his Fathers old Officers and Servants but that he would imploy those who were experienced in affairs of the Commonwealth he then commended unto him particularly John de Luenza Secretary of the Memorials and his Confessor and afterwards the Duke of Ossuna Then was presently brought in the Infanta Maria and the Infante-Cardinal He cryed out when he saw the Infanta and said Maria I am full sorry that I must die before I have married thee but this thy brother shall have care of He then turned towards her brother and said unto him Prince do not forsake her till you have made her an Empress Then he spake unto the Cardinal Infant whom he appointed to be a Priest so soon as he should come to be of fit age and said that he should be much grieved if he thought he would not undertake this profession He had sent for Madam the Princess but she swouned upon her entry at the chamber-door which was the cause that she was conducted back again unto her own chamber fearing lest it might be prejudicial unto her being great with child Which being reported to the King he shewed great compassion thereat and said that he ever constantly believed that Madam the Princess loved him as well as any of his own children After that he began to speak of the Queen saying how she should lose a good Husband and that he had always loved her dearly Afterwards he distributed between the Prince and the Infanta the Reliques and other memorials he had except one Crucifix which hung at the
not what to hope but the same effect of fraud and deceit which my forenamed predecessor found with a sorrowful repentance of the evil when it was past remedy And the Emperor wanteth but two or three years of leisure which he shall easily gain by a treaty of a marriage to establish in Germany the translation of my Electoral dignity and Patrimonial estate without any hope ever hereafter to recover the like opportunity as at this time that my pretensions are not prejudiced by a long interposition of time and that the memory of undue proceeding in the publication of the Ban against my person and the said translation of my Electoral dignity and seisure of my patrimonial inheritance are yet fresh in the affections and minds of the Princes of Germany who are by the consideration of their own interests moved with the greater compassion to see the wounds of my miseries yet fresh and bleeding and with passion and earnest desire to see them remedied And in this place I will say something in answer to the last point of your Majesties Letter wherein you commanded me to consider the means probable and feasible whereby my condition may be reduced to the former state and to weigh your Majesties forces with those of your Allies and others whereof your Majesty may hope and be assured If your Majesty hopeth for my restitution in Germany as an effect of the marriage with Spain nothing else is to be done but attend the event with patience And if you continue to distinguish between the Spaniards and the Imperialists there is no more to be said on this subject but as they have with joint consent conspired my ruine with the same forces the same councels and the same designs your Majesty will find if you please to unmask the fair seeming and hidden malice of the Spaniard the same effect as in the end you found the open and declared violence and hostility of the Imperialists who besieged your Majesties garrisons in my Towns taken into your protection I will use the liberty you have given me to discourse of your Majesties forces and those of your Allies and what may further with good probability be hoped from other friends and well-willers In the last rank I place what may be hoped from the Princes of Germany who to wit the two Electors of Saxony and Brandenburgh and in effect all the rest except those of the Catholique league have sufficiently declared the disavowing of the Emperors proceeding against me and their opinions that the peace of Germany dependeth upon my restitution besides the Levies which they made in the beginning of the last summer though by the unlucky accident of the Duke Christian of Brunswick they were soon after dismissed And certainly no want of any other thing to be converted to my aid but the countenance of a great Prince to support them against the power of the house of Austria the same affections remaining still in them and the same resolution to imbrace the first good occasion that shall be presented for the liberty of Germany Will there want hands for the accomplishing of such a work when it shall be undertaken openly and earnestly seeing that the number of those that have their interest conjoyned with mine is great and mighty For the greater part of the people both horse and foot which marched under the Catholique banner were of a contrary Religion to the Catholique and of affection as it is notorious to all the world more inclined to the ruine of those Leagues then to their preservation But the conduct of some powerfull Prince is necessary as well to the men of war as we have seen by experience the last year The King of Denmark is he upon whom all have set their eyes but he being a Prince full of circumspection and unwilling to enter into play alone answereth unto all instances which are made unto him to that end That as the other Princes have their eyes upon him so hath he his upon your Majesty It is not for me to judge but since you have commanded me I will weigh them by the ballance of common judgment That the felicity wherewith God hath blessed the person of your Majesty having conjoyned the three Crowns of England Scotland and Ireland upon one head the power of the one of the three alone having done great matters in the affairs of Europe on this side the sea yea when it was counterballanced by the other gives demonstration what your Majesty may do with the joynt forces of the three together when you shall be pleased to take a resolution therein chiefly the question being for the interest of your own Children and by the voluntary contribution which we have already had in our support from your Majesty we may easily comprehend what may be promised of them when the publike authority of your Majesty shall be conjoyned with their particular affections there being no Prince in the world more loved and reverenced of his subjects nor more soveraign over their affections and means for the service of your person and Royal house Touching the Allies it is to my great grief that the unhappiness of this time hath separated a great part of them the united Provinces of Germany who make profession of the same Religion whereof they acknowledge your Majesty for Defendor and Protector But the same affection remaineth still in them entire and firm though they have been constrained to yield to the present necessity of their affairs and the occasion presenting it self your Majesty may accompt of them The rest the Estates of the united Provinces to whom we have recourse in our afflictions who support themselves by the help of God and the situation of their Country and Forces of their people alone untill this time against the puissance of Spain seconded by the Imperialists And in stead of fainting under such a burthen or of giving ear unto the overtures and submissions which from day to day are presented unto them they now put themselves to the offensive by a good Fleet prepared and ready to set sail to the West-Indies to the end they may at least interrupt the peaceable and annual return of the gold and silver of those parts by which the house of Austria doth continually advance their greatness This is commended by all good men and lovers of the publike liberty as the sole and only means to cast to the ground the fearfull power of Spain even as a great tree of large exten◠〈◊〉 up by the root but is held too great for such a little extent of Country as this is and yet practically and to be done by forces answerable to the importance of such an enterprize And if your Majesty would be pleased to use the Forces of this estate by sea and land to the opposition of their enemies and by consequence of mine their profession of a loyall and sincere affection with the hazard of their lives and goods for the service of your Majesty grounded
some gracious answer to my Petition For though your Majesties thoughts cannot discern so low as to conceive how much it importeth a poor distressed Suppliant to be reviled neglected yet you may be pleased to believe that we are as highly affected and as much anguished with the extremities that press our little fortunes as Princes are with theirs Which I speak not out of any pride I take in comparing small things with great but only to dispose your Maiesty to a favourable construction of my words if they seem to be overcharged with zeal and affection or to express more earnestness then perhaps your Majesty may think the business merits as my self values it The suit I am to make to your Majesty is no sleight one it may be easily granted without references For I dare assure your Majesty upon my life it is neither against the Laws of the Kingdom nor will diminish any of your treasure either that of your coffers or that of your peoples hearts it being an act of clemencie or rather a word for even that will satisfie to create in your poor dejected Suppliant a new heart and send him away as full of content as he is now of grief and despair Nor is it for my self I thus implore your Majesties grace but for one that is far more worthy and in whom all that I am consists my dear Brother who I know not by what misfortune hath fallen or rather been pushed into your Majesties displeasure not in dark and crooked ways as corrupt and ill-affected subjects use to walk and near to break their necks in but even in the great road which both himself all good Englishmen that know not the paths of the Court would have sworn would have led most safely and most directly to your Majesties service from your Majesties displeasure there needs no other invention to crucifie a generous and honest-minded suppliant upon whom hath issued and been derived a whole torrent of exemplary punishment wherin his reputation his person and his estate grievously suffered For having upon the last process of Parliament retired himself to his poor house in the Countrey with hope a while to breathe after these troublesome affairs and still breathing nothing but your Majesties service he was sent for ere he had finished his Christmas by a Sergeant at Arms who arrested him in his own house with as much terror as belongs to the apprehending of treason it self But thanks be to God his conscience never started and for his obedience herein shewed it was not in the power of any authority to surprize it For at the instant without asking one minutes time of resolution he rendered himself to the officers discretion who according to his directions brought him up captive and presented him at the Councell Table as a Delinquent from whence he was as soon committed to the Tower where he ever since hath been kept close prisoner and that with so strict a hand as his own beloved wife and my self having sometime since urgent and unfaigned occasion to speak with him about some private business of his Family and hereupon making humble petition to the Lords of your Majesties most honorable Privy Councell for the favour of accesse we were to our great discomforts denied it by reason as their Lordships were pleased to declare unto us that he had not satisfied your Majesty fully in some points which being so far from being his fault as I dare say it is the greatest part of his affliction that he sees himself debarred from means of doing it The Lords Commissioners that were appointed by your Majesty to examine his offence since the first week of his imprisonment have not done him the honor to be with him by which means not onely his body but the most part of his mind his humble intentions to your Majesty are kept in restraint May it please therefore your most excellent Majesty now at length after five moneths imprisonment and extream durance to ordain such expedition in this cause as may stand with your justice and yet not avert your mercy either of them will serve our turns but that which is most agreeable to your Royall and gracious inclination will best accomplish our desire To live still in close prison is all one to be buried alive and for a man that hath any hope of salvation it were better to pray for the day of judgment then to lie languishing in such waking misery yet not ours but your Majesties wil be done For if in your princely wisdom you shall not think it a fit season to restore him to his former condition or to accept the fruit of his correction an humble and penitent submission for his unhappiness in offending your Majesty which I assure my self is long since ripe and grown to full perfection in so forward affection and so proper for all duties as his hath ever been If I say it be not yet time to have mercy but that he must still remain within the walls of bondage to expiate that which he did in these priviledged ones my hope is that he will die at any time for your Majesties service and will find patience to live any where for your Majesties pleasure only thus much let me beseech your Majesties grace again and again not to deny your humble and most obedient suppliant that you will at least be pleased to mitigate the rigor of his sufferings so far as to grant him the liberty of the Tower that he may no longer groan under the burthen of those incomodities which daily prejudice his health fortune in a higher degree I believe then either your Majesty knows or intends I am the more bold to importune your Majesty in the point of favour because it concerns my own good preservation For your Maj. shall deign to understand that I your suppliant have no means to live but what proceeds from his brotherly love and bounty so as if I may not be suffered to go to him and receive order for my maintenance I know none but Our Father which art in heaven to beg my daily bread on he that was my father on earth is long since departed if I have not been misinformed who was then beyond sea your Majesties anger was to him little better then the messenger of death though I perswade my self it was rather sent in your Majesties Name then in your Warrant For what use could your Majesty have of his not being who neither was nor could be ever but your faithful and affectionate servant who in his soul adored your Royal Majesty as much as ever mortal man did any mortal God lastly whose heart was so bent to please your Majesty as the very sound of your displeasure was enough to break it And more perfect obedience then this can no subject shew to make his Soveraigns savour equal to life and death Pardon me dread Soveraign if in this occasion I cannot hinder my Fathers ghost from appearing For how can it
and communicated to every Parson Vicar and Curate Lecturer and Minister in every Cathedrall and Parish Church within their several Diocesses and that you earnestly require them to imploy their uttermost indeavour in the performance of this so important a business letting them know that we have a speciall eye to their proceedings and expect a strict account thereof both of you and them and every of them And these our Letters shall be your sufficient Warrant and Discharge in that hehalf Given under our Signet at our Castle of Windsor the fourteenth day of August in the twentieth year of our reign of England France and Ireland and of Scotland the fifty sixt Directions concerning Preachers THat no Preacher under the degree of a Bishop or a Dean of a Cathedrall or Collegiat Church and that upon the Kings days and set Festivals do take occasion by the expounding of any Text of Scripture whatsoever to fall to any set Discourse or Common-place otherwise then by opening the coherence and division of his Text which be not comprehended and warranted in essence substance effect or naturall inference within some one of the Articles of Religion set forth by authority in the Church of England and the two Books of Homilies set forth by the same authority in the year 1562. or in some of the Homilies set forth by authority of the Church of England not onely for the help of non-preaching but withall for a Patern or a Boundary as it were for the preaching Ministers and for their further instruction for the performance hereof that they forthwith read over and peruse diligently the said Book of Articles and the two Books of Homilies 2. That no Parson Vicar Curat or Lecturer shall preach any Sermon or Collation hereafter upon Sundays or Holidays in the afternoon in any Cathedral or Parish-Church throughout the Kingdom but upon some part of the Catechism or some Text taken out of the Creed the ten Commandments or the Lords prayer Funeral-sermons only excepted And that those Preachers be most encouraged and approved of who spend their afternoons exercises in the examination of Children in their Catechism which is the most antient and laudable custom of teaching in the Church of England 3. That no Preacher of what title or denomination soever under the degree of a Bishop or Dean at the least do from henceforth presume to preach in any popular Auditory the deep points of Predestination Election Reprobation or the universality efficacie resistibility or irresistibility of Gods grace but leave these Theams to be handled by learned men and that moderately and modestly by way of use and application rather then by way of positive doctrine as being fitter for Schools and Universities then for simple Auditories 4. That no Preacher of what title or denomination soever shal presume from henceforth in any Auditory within this Kingdom to declare limit or bound out by way of positive doctrine in any Sermon or Lecture the power prerogative jurisdiction authority right or duty of soveraign Princes or otherwise meddle with these matters of State and the differences betwixt Princes and people then as they are instructed and presidented in the Homilies of Obedience and in the rest of the Homilies and Articles of Religion set forth as before is mentioned by publique Authority but rather confine themselves wholly to these two heads Faith and good life which are all the subject of ancient Homilies and Sermons 5. That no Preacher of what title or denomination soever shall causelesly or without invitation of the Text fall into bitter invectives or undecent railing speeches against the persons of either Papists or Puritans but modestly and gravely when they are occasioned thereunto by the text of Scripture cleer both the doctrine and discipline of the Church of England from the aspersions of either adversary especially when the Auditory is suspected with the one or the other infection 6. Lastly That the Archbishop and Bishops of this Kingdom whom his Majesty hath good cause to blame for their former remisness be more wary and choise in the licensing of Preachers and revoke all grants made to any Chancellor Official or Commissary to pass Licences in this kind And that all the Lecturers throughout the Kingdom a new body and severed from the antient Clergie of England as being neither Parsons Vicars nor Curates be licensed henceforward in the Court of Faculties only upon recommendations of the party from the Bishop of the Diocess under his hand and seal with a Fiat from the Archbishop of Canterbury and a confirmation under the great seal of England and that such as transgress any of these Directions be suspended by the Lord Bishop of that Diocess or in his default by the Lord Archbishop of that Province ab officio beneficio for a year and a day untill his Majesty by the advice of the next Convocation shall prescribe some further punishment By this you see his Majesties Princely care that men should preach Christ crucified obedience to the higher powers and honest and Christian conversation of life but in a regular form and not that every young man should take unto himself an exorbitant liberty to teach what he listeth to the offence of his Majesty and to the disturbance and disquiet of the Church and Commonwealth I can give unto your Lordship no better directions for the performance hereof then are prescribed to you in his Majesties Letter and the Schedule hereunto annexed Wherefore I pray you be very carefull since it is the Princely pleasure of his Majesty to require an exact account both of you and of me for the same Thus not doubting but by your Register or otherwise you will cause these Instructions to be communicated to your Clergy I leave you to the Almighty and remain your Lordships loving brother Croydon Aug. 15. 1622. George Cant. King James Instructions to the Archbishop of Canterbury concerning Orders to be observed by Bishops in their Diocesses 1622. 1. THat the Lords the Bishops be commanded to their severall Sees excepting those that are in necessary attendance at Court 2. That none of them reside upon his land or lease that he hath purchased nor on his Commendum if he hold any but in one of his Episcopall Houses if he have any and that he waste not the woods where any are left 3. That they give their charge in their Trienniall Visitations and at other convenient times both by themselves and the Archdeacons and that the Declaration for setling all questions in difference be strictly observed by all parties 4. That there be a speciall care taken by them all that the Ordinations be solemn and not of unworthy persons 5. That they take great care concerning the Lecturers in their severall Diocess for whom we give these special Directions following First That in all Parishes the after-noon Sermons may be turned into Catechising by Question and Answer when and wheresoever there is no great cause apparent to break this ancient and
Church-yards others in the streets some in their houses some on the floore others in their beds besides them that died without the Gates under hedges and in ditches round about the Towne which I saw my selfe when I was there halfe devoured with Ravens and other beasts and fowls of the aire In fine the like misery hath not been seene nor heard of The King on All-Saints day which was the day of his entry with a wax Candle in his hand together with the Cardinall and all the Nobility in like manner went all over the Town in procession with the B. Sacrament The chiefe Temple of the Hugonots shall be converted into a Church Cathedral and Rochel to be a Bishoprick All the fortifications and walls to Landwards to be razed and the Fosses filled so that a plough may passe as in arable Land The Maior with some of the chiefest are banish'd for ever others for a certaine time limited though quietly to possesse their goods moveable and immoveable and a general remission of all crimes past and all others that were in the Towne before the descent of the English into Rhee and when the Town was rendred shall likewise enjoy the same priviledge though no child or heir absent is or shall be capable to inherit the goods or lands of his parents or friends deceased but all is at the Kings disposing The King hath granted them free liberty of their Religion in the Town of Rochel which in short time will all be rooted out for no Forrainer though naturalized shall be admitted to repair and inhabit in Rochel nor French but Roman Catholicks The King hath added to the revenues of his Crown 20000 Franks per annum which was a rent belonging to the Town-house for the maintenance of the fortifications and State of Rochel The Town-house is to be razed and a pillar or pyramids with an ample inscription of the particulars of the siege and rebellion there to be erected The forts of the Isle of Rhee and Oleron to be razed as it is said most of all the chief forts of France except on the frontiers Four Regiments are yet in Rochel the rest of the Army at least the most part are gon to winter in those parts of France towards the coasts of Italy to be ready on all occasions to succor the Duke of Mantua as it is thought The Fathers of the society have very faire buildings given them for their establishing there and 1000 Franks to begin to build to which is added a revenue which I know not the place is said to be where the Hereticks kept their schools of Divinity and Councel of warre or rebellion And where the English had their Church the Oratorians are likewise established with large augmentations The Capuchins are where was the chiefest Fort called Le Bastion de Levangile The Minors are where the Dike was and divers other elsewhere There are at least 8000 houses in Rochel which are faine to fall to the King to dispose of for want of heirs The Parisians are preparing a most sumptuous and magnificent receipt for the King which is the cause he hath not been at Paris since his return from Rochel but is at St. Germins and thereabouts till all things are ready for his entry which is thought will exceede in bravery and magnificence all the presidents of many years The Jesuits are by the body of Paris imployed to make the speeches and inscriptions for that purpose which the body of the Sorbon take ill The Prince of Conde doth daily get ground of Rohan and hath lately taken prisoners as it is said thirty Captaines and eight hundred souldiers Those of Montauban boast as it is said that they have provision for three or four years and will stand out til the last though some of the best esteeme think it is only to draw the King to the best composition they can The Protestants of France to Charles King of Great Britain SIR the knowledg and resentment which it hath pleased your Majesty to take of the misery of the afflicted Churches of France hath given us the boldnesse to awaken your Compassion in such measure as our calamities are aggravated by the unmercifull rigour of our persecutors and as the present storme doth threaten neer at hand the total ruine and lamentable destruction of that which the mercy of God had yet kept intire unto us since the desolation of Rochel and as we have adored with humility the judgment of God in this bad successe which we impute only to his wrath justly kindled against us for our sins so our silence could be thought no lesse then ingratitude if we had not at the beginning of our Assembly resolved the most humble and most affectionate acknowledgment which wee now render to your Majesty for the great succour which you have sent us interessing your self so far in the grief of our oppression and in the means of our deliverance The most humble supplication which we do offer to your Majesty next after this our thansgiving is that your Majesty according to the sweet inclination of your goodnesse would permit us stil to present our complaints and discover our wounds before the eyes of your royall charity protesting unto your Majesty that we see none other hand under heaven by which we may be healed but your Majesties in case your Majesty will still vouchsafe to lift it up on the behalfe of oppressed innocents and of the Church of our Lord outragiously persecuted by the most invenom'd passion that our age or any age preceedent hath seen we most humbly beseech your Majesty to read this letter which is written with our tears and with our blood and according to your exquisite judgement your incomparable wisdome and the devotion of your zeale to the glory of God to consider our estate which is such that our persecutors upon the losse of Rochel supposing we had been put to utter discomfiture and into a weaknesse without recovery or resistance and boasting themselves that now there remained no more any eyes unto us but to bewaile our selves nor any sense but to feel the smart thereof without further imploying our hands or our arms for our defence have made use of this advantage with so much fiercenesse insultation and cruelty that they have not only sacked the houses and with an unheard of rudenesse and barbarisme rifled the goods of our poore brethren of this Province of Languedock relying themselves upon publick faith and the benefits of the edicts of pacification especially of the last which your Majesty had favourably procured and confirmed unto us dissipating whole families and exiling them with perfidious inhumanity but also they have laid wast and destroyed almost all the Churches of the sâ—me whâ—ch are at their command and discretion under the liberty of edicts imploying Monkes the Pâ—pes Emâ—ssaries assisted with force of souldiers and of the tyrannicall Authâ—rity of Governours to ravish mens souls and to draw the most constant with violence to
Masse and to the feete of the Idol interdicting assembles and all exercise of tâ—ue Religion â—n the same places beating imprisoning ransoming assasinating the faithful and their pastors with an inraged fury which hath exceeded all the inhumanities of the Inquisition profaning and demolishing of Temples their violence having proceeded so farre as publickly to burn in pomp and triumph the sacred books of Gods Covenant in presence of the Governor of the Province with damnable sacriledge which cryeth vengeance before God and doth elevate its voice to the eares Sir of a most puissant Monarch professing the purity of the Gospel zealous of his glory and capable to revenge so outragious an injury But your Majesty shal understand that all this hath produced an effect much contrary to the intention of our persecutors for so farre it is from us that their objects of pity and griefe whereof the very thought doth make us repine should render us faint-hearted and cause us to yeild our selves in prey to their rage that on the contrary seeing the Mask taken off and the pretext which they had alledged of the Army of rebellion whereof they accused us quite removed and that without any more dissimulation their design goes on to the ruinating of our Religion and the extirpation of our Church and that there remained no more hope of safety and liberty but generall resolution to die in the Arms of our just and vigorous defence and that our persecutors possessing the spirit of our King and hindring the effects of his bounty have obtained a declaration of the fifteenth of December last which alluring us to implore his grace and mercy yet leaveth us not any hope of enjoying the benefits of any edict nor by consequence of any tolerable peace and soliciting us to disarm our selves and to put our selves into the condition of sacrafices destined by one and by one to the slaughter to be all at one stroak offered up to the fury of Antichrist by one general Massacre throughout the whole Kingdome whereof we doe not only heare the vaunts but doe almost see great armies upon our backs for execution This makes us Sir have recourse to your Royal and redoubtable puissance as to a place of refuge which God hath yet left open to us in your Ardent charity to finde within your assistance assured and effectual means to avoid ruine which is ready inevitably to fal upon our heads And to attaine thereunto Sir we have religiously renewed in this assembly the oath of union which binds us with a sacred bond unto the Armes of your Majesty of the violating whereof your Majesty may be assured that we will never make our selves guilty being encouraged to this resolution by the reiterate confirmations which my Lord the Duke of Rohan hath lately given us that your Majesty continues to take to heart the assistance and deliverance of our Churches according to your Royal promises being debtors to his sage and valorous conduct and to his pious magnanimity for all that strength and liberty which we yet enjoy and we will leave unto posterity memorable examples of our Constancie which prefers death before reproachfull cowardize and shameful servitude hoping that out of our ashes God will draw matter for his glory and the propagation of his Church being perswaded Sir that you are the instrument of his election to give us comfort and deliverance from our evils in time convenient Be you assured also that he wil uphold us in that extraordinary valour wherewith he hath inspired us to endure all extremities with a patience invincible expecting the succour of his hands through yours Of all Sir which a great Monarch could ever doe in the world nothing can be more just then this interprize nor more glorious then this deliverance the Lord having exalted you to the most eminent degree of dignity and power to be the nursing father of his Church she hath right being thus mangled and bloody to stretch forth her arms unto you even shee that Spouse of Jesus Christ the common mother of Christians and and your mother also by the respect of her bruised members and of the searing of her innocent brest covered with wounds she will move your pity She assures her selfe Sir that the glorious title which you beare of the Defender of the faith shall interceede for your accepting of her humble request if you doe extend unto us your cares your affections and your formidable Armes you shall nourish in our hearts affections of honour and obedience which shall never die you shall daunt all powers that would raise themselves against your Crown you shall raise your glory to such a height that all the earth shall admire it all Christendome shall celebrate it and your name shall be of sweet odour unto Angels and men and in perpetual benediction unto all posterity of Saints and your reward shall be great and eternal in heaven May it please your Majesty to pardon us if our necessities pressing us we all do presse your Majesty by our instant supplications accompanied with a most humble respect to strengthen our selves so soon as may be with the honour of your commandments and the declaration of your favour the wholesome effects of your assistance according to the sweetnesse of your compassion and Charity and we will redouble our prayers to the divine clemency for the length and safety of your life and the prosperity of your estate being ready with a most holy and ardent affection to expose our goods and lives to render us worthy of the quality which we dare take of your most humble most obedient and most faithful servants the Deputies of the reformed Churches of France in their general Assembly held at Nismes and for all Jaques de Maresey adjunct la Reque The Duke of Rohan to his Majesty of great Brittain the 12 of March 1628. SIR the deplorable accâ—dent of the losse of Rochel which God hath suffered to humble us under his hand hath redoubled in the hearts of our enemies their passionate fiercenesse to our utter ruine with an assured hope to attain thereunto But it hath not taken away from the Churches of those Provinces either the heart or the affection to oppose their unjust plots by a just and lively defence This is it hath made them take resolution to assemble themselves to cojoyn in the midst of these commotions to assist me with their good counsels and with me to provide the means of their deliverance And for as much as the greatest support which God hath raised unto them upon earth is the succour our Churches have and do look to receive from your Majesty the general Assembly hath desired that my Letters which alone hitherto have represented unto your Majesty the interest of the publick cause might be joyned to their most humble supplications put up to your Majesty I do it Sir with so much the more affection because I am a witnesse that these poor people who with sighes and groanes
said Deputy to him or offence taken by him at any particular done to him unless he were offended that your Deputy refused his mony offered to blanch your Majesties title to the Lands in Ranlagh now granted to undertakers discovered and prosecuted at first by his brother Redmond and his Councel Peter de la Hoyd We do also herein in all humility testifie and declare that he acquainted several Privy Councellors here and others of Judgment with the same And also in every Act and passage thereof used the labour and presence either of your Majesties Privy Concellours Judges or learned Councel alwaies professing publickly and privately which we also in our consciences do believe that he had no particular envy or displeasure to Phelims's person or any of his neither had any end in what might fall out upon that discovery or pains or any act done concerning that Country other then the reducement thereof to the conformity of other civil parts the common peace of your Majesties good Subjects adjacent and the legal and plenary effecting of that which by so many good governours in times of disturbance could not be done there being no power in him to make any particular benefit of the Escheate either in lands or goods and before any thing was to be done for the tryal of him and the rest for their lives he made a speedy and immediate address to your Majesty dated 27. August 1628 upon the indictment found to inform you of the then present estate of that businesse which we have seen not doing it before as he affirms for that he had formerly received gracious approbations of his proceedings in the like discoveries We also in all humblenesse and duty do declare and protest that if upon their evil demerits and the due proceedings of Law those now questioned may be taken away and the Territory settled in legal Government and English order towards which a strong Fort is already almost built in the midst of it by your Majesties Undertakers lately planted there It will be a service of the greatest importment to bridle the Irish assure the inhabitants of other Parts and strengthen the generall peace of the Kingdom next to the great Plantation of Vlster that hath been done in this age If otherwise they shall by fair tryall acquit the course of your Majesties free and indifferent justice it will make them wary in point of duty and loyalty hereafter And we do further in all submission declare That in these discoveries the persons and Causes considered it was of necessity that the personal pains of your Highness Deputy should be bestowed the rather for that the Evidences being to be given for the most part by persons involved in the same confederacyes and who were to become actors they would not be drawn to confess truths to any inferior Ministers being of stubborn and malign spirits besides the disswasions of Priests and of the Dependants and manifold Allies of the said Phelim if they had not been warily look'd after Lastly We in all humblenesse of heart and freedom of faithful servants do beseech your most sacred Majesty to consider how much the sufferings of your zealous servants may prove to your disservice especially in this place where discouragement of your most dextrous service is most aimed at by multitudes of several qualities and cannot but soon perplex the present happy state of your affairs Wee beseech the eternall God to guide and prosper your Majesties advices and designes 28. April 1629. Your most humble and obedient Subjects and Servants Signed by L. Primate V. Valentia V. Kilmallock V. Ranelagh L. Dillon L. Cauffeild L. Aungier L. Pr. of Munster L. Chief Justice Sr Adam Loftus Mr of the Wards L. Chief Baron Sr. Charles Coote Ab Ignoto Of the Affairs of Spain France and Italy 5 Jan. 1629. SIR THough it be now full three months since I received any line from you yet I dare not nor will I for that respect discontinue my writing to you and because no private businesse occurreth I will be bold to advise a line or two concerning the publick affairs of Italy Cassal is still made good against the Spanyard not by the Duke of Mantua for he poor Prince was long since bankrupt but by the succours of France and this Seignory the former contributing monthly 40000 Dollers the latter 20000 not only to maintaine the Cassaleschi but also to enable the Duke to stand fast against all other the Spanyards attempts mean while we hear say boldly that a league offensive and defensive against the Spanyards in Italy is concluded betweene the French and the Venetians and that the French King hath already sent out two Armies one under the Duke of Guise by sea who they say is landed at Nizza the other under the Marquess de Coeure who is marching hitherward through the Valtoline and though I doubt something these proceedings of the French yet I am sure the Seignior doth daily give out new Commissions for the levying of Souldiers in that number that now every one demands what strange enterprize this State hath in hand and all jump in this that it is against the Spanyard The Pope is still adverse to the Spanyard and inclines strongly to the good of Italy animating this State to meete the French with a declaration and the French to conclude a peace on any honorable terms with us that they may the more safely follow their present designs which is to suppresse the Spanyards in Italy his Catholick Majesty hath lost a great deale of credit in these parts by the losse of his Silver Fleete and that he is in extreme want of mony is collected here from the present state of some of his publick Ministers Ognat his ordinary Embassadour at Rome being lately recalled in stead of going home into Spaine hath retyred himselfe privately to Monte Pincio being in such premunire that he is not able to accommodate himselfe with necessaries for his journy And Mounterei who is to succeed him is arrived as far Sienna but being foundred in his purse is able to get no farther meane while living there in an Inne Moreover the Merchants in Rome are advised by their correspodents in Spaine to be wary in letting either of them have monies this is from a good hand in Rome Sir Kenelm Digby hath lately been at Delos where he hath laden great store of Marble he is said to be in very good plight and Condition I trouble you no more Your faithful servant C. H. Venice 5. January 1629. Stilo novo The Lords of the Councel of England to the Lords of the Councel in Ireland 31 Jan. 1629. BY your Letter dated the ninth of January we understand how the seditious riot moved by the Friars and their adherents at Dublin hath by your good order and resolution been happly supprest and we doubt not but by this occasion you will consider how much it concerneth the good Government of that Kingdome to present in time the first
growing of such evils for where such people be permitted to swarm they wil soon grow licentious and endure no government but their own which cannot otherwise be restored then by a due and seasonable execution of the Law and of such directions as from time to time have been sent from his Majesty and this Board Now it redoundeth much to the honour of his Majesty that the world shall take notice of the ability and good service of his Ministers there which in person he hath been pleased openly in Councel and in most gracious manner to approve and commend whereby you may be sufficiently encouraged to go on with like resolution and moderation til the work be solely done as well in City as in other places of your Kingdome the carriage whereof we must leave to your good discretions whose particular knowledge of the present state of things can guide you better when and where to carry a soft or harder hand only this we hold necessary to put you in mind that you continue in that good agreement amongst your selves for this and other services which your Letrers do expresse and for which we commend you much that the good servants of the King and state may find encouragement equally from you all and the ill affected may find no support or countenance from any nor any other connivances used but by general advice for avoiding of further evils shall be allowed and such Magistrates and Officers if any shal be discovered that openly or underhand favour such disorders or do not their duties in suppressing them and committing the offenders you shall doe well to take all fit and safe advantages by the punishment or displacing of a few to make the rest more cautious This we write not as misliking the faire course you have taken but to expresse the concurrency of our Judgments with yours and to assure you of our assistance in all such occasions wherein for your further proceedings we have advised And his Majesty requireth you accordingly to take order first that the house wherein Seminary Friars appeared in their habits and wherein the Reverend Arch-Bishop and the Maior of Dublin received the first affront be spedily demolished and be the mark of terror to the resisters of Authority and that the rest of the houses erected or imployed there or elsewhere to the use of suspicious societies be converted to houses of correction and to set the people on work or to other publick uses for the advancement of Justice good Arts or Trades and further that you use all fit meanes to discover the Founders Benefactors and Maintainers of such Societies and Colledges and certifie their names and that you find out the Lands Leases or Revenues applyed to their uses and dispose thereof according to the Law and that you certifie also the places and institutions of all such Monasteries Priories Nunneries and other Religious houses and the names of all such persons as have put themselves to be brothers and sisters therein especially such as are of note to the end such evil plants be not permitted to take root any where in that Kingdome which we require you take care of For the supply of Munition which you have reason to desire we have taken effectuall order that you shall receive it with all convenient speed And so c. Lord Keeper Lord Treasurer Lord President Lord Privy Seale L. high Chamberlain Earl of Suffolk Earl of Dorset Earl of Salisbury Earl of Kelly Lord Viscount Dorchester Lord Newbergh Mr. Vice Chamberlaine Mr. Secretary Cooke Sir William Alexander The Lord Faulkland's Petition to the King MOst humbly shewing that I had a Sonne until I lost him in your Highnesse displeasure where I cannot seeke him because I have not will to find him there Men say there is a wilde young man now prisoner in the Fleete for measuring his actions by his own private sense But now that for the same your Majesties hand hath appeared in his punishment he bowes and humbles himselfe before and to it whether he be mine or not I can discern by no light but that of your Royal Clemency for only in your forgivenesse can I owne him for mine Forgivennesse is the glory of the supremest powers and this the operation that when it is extended in the greatest measure it converts the greatest offenders into the greatest lovers and so makes purchase of the heart an especial priviledg peculiar and due to Soveraigne Princes If now your Majesty will vouchsafe out of your owne benignity to become a second nature and restore that unto me which the first gave me and vanity deprived me of I shall keep my reckoning of the full number of my sons with comfort and render the tribute of my most humble thankfulnesse else my weake old memory must forget one The Duke of Modena to the Duke of Savoy July 30. 1629. WHen I was deprived of my Mistriss the Infanta Izabella so intimately beloved of me I was suddenly possessed with a most ardent desire of finding the meanes how to follow her into Paradise and distrusting in regard of my weaknesse and life past that I was not able to stand in those dangers wherein that holy soule knew how to finde security and tranquillity I resolved to retire my selfe out of the tempestuous sea of Government and to shelter my selfe in the harbour of Religion rejoycing to sacrifice that unto God which useth to be so highly esteemed in the world and knowing that truely to raigne is to serve his Divine Majesty hitherto I deferred the execution of my purpose because being bound in this to depend upon the Counsel of him that governed my soule it seemed not expedient to him that I should retire my selfe while there was need of my assistance both in respect of the age of the Duke my father which was Caesar d'Este who dyed 1628 and of the nonage of the Prince my son which is Don Francisco who now governeth Now that these impediments are removed I goe most contentedly whither the Lord doth call me namely to take upon me the Capuchin Religion out of Italy and I doe promise to find for my self in one little Cel that repose which all the greatnesse of the world cannot give me True it is if I should look back upon my life past I should find motives rather of terrour then of comfort But the mercy of God doth make me confident and my having for his love and to performe his wil renounced all that I could or had I departed also most comforted because I leave the Prince my son so well qualified that I may confidently expect an excellent issue of his Government especially if your Highness shall vouchsafe to direct him with your most prudent Counsels and to shrowd him under your benigne protection whereunto with reverent affection I doe recommend him together with the rest of my sonnes especially Carlo Alexandro who is now living in your Highnesse his Court since that as a man may say they
that are adverse to it It is a comfort unto me that I do not find here an impossibility but that though there be difficulties yet I find many here that desire to overcome them And above all I hope that God will assist this businesse as his own Cause I am going to prepare my self for the Congregation of the Cardinals and a Consultation of Divines to whom I understand we shall be remitted this next week I shall give your Lordship an account punctually of all things that happen in those Conferences Ous Lord c. Your Lordships c. Padre Maestre Don Carlos to the Lord Conway 3. September SIR I Have understood by Mr. Strada with particular contentment the newes of your good health which God continue for many years I see by yours received by Strada what his Majestie hath been pleased to order concerning the ships of the Indies which is as much in effect as could be hoped for from so great a King so zealous of Justice and Equitie In the Conduct of this businesse we will observe the order given by his Majestie in confidence that the Subjects of the King my Master shall obtain their ends and his Catholique Majestie receive the contentment to know that the excesses of those that shall be convinced have been punished By the last Currier of Flanders we received neither from the Infanta nor any other person any other newes then what Mr. Trumbal sent by his Letters I confesse freely that the Marquesse and my self have been much troubled both of us being exceedingly desirous that his Majestie should receive in every thing even in words and formalities the same satisfaction which we hope he shall receive in the effects Neverthelesse in discharge of her Highnesse I will say that which is fit for me as I am her servant and which I pray you from me to deliver unto his Majestie but thus understood that it is onely my own particular discourse By the displeasure his Majestie hath been pleased to testifie unto me upon many occasions of the Prince Palatines refusal to sign and ratifie the Treatie of suspension of Armes He may be also pleased to judge how it may have been taken by the King my Master in Spain and the Infanta in Flanders and the rather because of the continual reports that at the same time went up and down and increased as ordinraily it falls out of the descent of Alberstat with a mighty Army of 20000 foot and 6000 horse not any more to make war in Germany but to joyn with the Prince of Orange and fall upon those Provinces in obedience to his Catholique Majestie which was no other but directly to aym at the vital parts of the Spanish Monarchie If for these just fears which cannot certainly be held vain being considered with those of the year past proceeding from one and the same Cause both of which have been scattered by the Almighty hand of God in his secret Judgments it hath not onely been lawful but also necessary to conserve the ancient alliances and procure new I leave it to the judgment of every man of understanding not doubting but for this respect you will be of the same opinion with me And much more his Majestie whom God hath endowed with so great knowledge and royal qualities as are known to all the world Morover let us see if in the Law of gratitude the Infanta could do lesse then acknowledge towards the Duke of Bavaria the valour wherewith his Army had resisted the pernitious designs of Alberstat having hazarded his own estate to hinder the imminent danger of the King my Masters Again let us consider if the Infanta sending to visit and give him thanks could excuse her self from giving him all those titles which the Duke of Bavaria gives himself and desires should be given him And if he might not if she had done otherwise have thought the ingratitude the greater then the acknowledgement And therefore things being in this state the Infanta could not excuse her self from sending to visite him seeing he had succoured her in a time of need and in visiting him to give him that which he desired should be given him And the like is to be said for the King my Master in case he hath done the like as Mr. Trumbal writes the Infanta should tell him and with a great deal more reason because the Countries are his own And therefore since his Majestie of Great Brittain is so great a King and hath so great a reputation of the exact performing of his royal obligations I doubt not but he will judge that in this formality the King my Master and the Infanta his Aunt have but acquitted themselves of their obligations For the rest if at the conferrence of Cullen which his said Majestie and her Highnesse have desired and do yet desire his Majestie of great Brittain shall see that they are wanting on their part to proceed with that sincerity and truth which they have so often offered and which the Marquesse of Ynoiosa doth still offer on the behalf of the King my Master so that only the Prince Palatine make the submissions due to the Emperour as his natural Lord and resolvie to follow the Paternal counsels of his Majestie of great Brittain his Majestie shall then have reason to complain And in the mean time the Prince Palatine should do but well not to entertain those Amities he endeavours to conserve nor to sollicit those Leagues which he labours to procure not only with the declared rebells of the King my Master and of the House of Austria but also with the enemies of all Christendom I will ingage my head if following this way his Majestie and his son in law find themselves deceived You know Sir that I treat in truth and freedom and do therefore hope you will impute my excuses to that and will not call this libertie of my discourse rashnesse but an immortal desire in me in all things to procure the service of our Kings laying aside all occasions of misunderstandings now we treat of nothing els but uniting our selves more by the strickt bonds of love over and above those of our Alliance I do humbly beseech you to say thus much to his Majestie and to assure him from me that when he shall be pleased to imploy me in this matter as in all other he shall ever find me faithful and real as I have offered my self and alwayes continue being well assured that even in that I shall serve my Master And I pray you to believe in your particular that I am and will be eternallie Yours c. The Marquesse Ynoiosa to the Lord Conway 5. September 1623. I Answered not long since to both your Letters and now I will add this that only the sport and pleasure that Don Carlos and I consider his Majestie hath in his progresse may make tollerable the deferring by reason of that and not hearing the newes we expect to hear of his Majesties good health For
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 fame 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 at Court since the death of his son I fear the newes that Charles Gleman did shew you was true For I can assure you Marquesse Hamilton was much troubled till I had spoken with him There be some have done no good offices betwixt you Pray have a care of the Letter I mean the man Mr. Gleman did shew you and keep as many friends as you may I have spoken with no man but my Lord Keeper who is yours or not his own as he sweares And Mr. secretarie Conway is yours bodie and soul I never heard of the like of him for he flies at all men that be not yours Here is much admiration that they hear not from you but I thank God the King is not troubled at it for I do assure him that it is the better that he heares not from you for now he may be confident that you keep your day in comming away which doth much please him I will write nothing of my own businesse though there be nothing done in it but do hope that you will not see your Servant perish If I be too tedious I pray pardon mee it is my love that makes me so and yet I have an humble suite unto you which is to begg at your hands for patience for now is the time to shew it or
never for all the eyes of the world are upon you and this is the time to win Honour and fame and for Gods-sake carrie the businesse with patience betwixt my Lord of Bristol and you for here be those that do laugh in their sleeves at you both I beseech you let me hear from you what you will command me for I will do nothing as near as I can but what will give content For you have that power in me that you need but say and it is done if it lie in my power so shall you ever command Your faithful and obedient Servant till death Jo. Hipsley London 1. Septemb. 1623. Sir Dudley Carleton to the Marquesse of Buckingham Right Honourable BY the dispatch of the fourteenth of this present which I sent by Jonson the Post I advertised your Honour at large in the two several Letters of the occurrents of these parts and therewith sent a copie of my second proposition which I made the day before in the Assemblie of the States General touching the businesse of Cleves and Juliers in conformitie to your Honours Letters of the 30th of the last The answer thereunto was deferred until yesterday and then brought me only by word of mouth from the States by Mounsieur Magnus of Zealand and Mounsieur Zulestein of Vtrecht and was to this effect That the States having sent my former proposition of the third of December to their several provinces from which this latter did differ in substance save onely in respect of the time for the restitution of the Townes which was prolonged for the space of a month all they could do according to the constitution of their government was to send this my second proposition likewise unto their provinces which they had done the day after I made the same and until they receive more expresse order from their principals they were to rest upon their former answer Wherein they declared their good intentions to accommodate this businesse so it might be with safetie to themselves and satisfaction of their neighbours And herein they were to expect the resolution of the Elector of Brandenbergh from whom the time did not yet serve to know his mind Mean while they humbly beseech his Majestie to make a gracious construction of their proceedings I was the day before with Mounsieur Barnevelt who is President this week to sollicite their answer who excused himself upon the smalnesse of their number many of the States being absent and of two Provinces all the Deputies So as to give a determinate resolution according as was required they could not And to make answer in general terms since his Majestie rested not satisfied with the former he doubted another of the same kind would not please him So as it seems this Message in place of an answer in writing proceeded of his Councel By discourse both with him and those which came unto me upon this subject I find their diffidence of the purpose of the Spaniard rather increased then otherwise upon the news of Leavies intended on the Arch-Dukes side to the number of 9000 foot and 1000 or 1200 horse and their delay in taking a determinate resolution no way disswaded but rather counselled by all other Princes who have interest in this businesse Their Embassadour at Paris having advertised them by reiterated Letters That Don Pedro di Sarmientos his offer to his Majestie touching the execution of the Treatie of Zanten is absolutely disavowed by both the Kings of France and Spain And this French Embassadour Mounsieur du Maurier having made it appear unto them that at Brussels they have the same conceit of it as a thing done without authoritie Besides the Princes of the Union have written lately expresse Letters to the States wherein they perswade them to extraordinarie vigilance upon the Spaniards and particularly in this businesse of Cleves and Juliers the translated Copies of which Letters I send your Honour herewith And the Prince of Brandenbergh being young himself and having his Councel divided in opinion doth nothing absolutely without reference to this State and he when I put them in mind how they themselves were the authors and framers of the Treatie of Zanten they stick not to say plainly Tempora mutantur et nos so as I am daily more and more confirmed in my former opinion That there is no way left to accommodate this businesse but by a private agreement between the Princes Pretendents But Strickius the Agent of Brandenbergh being absent at Cleves I do not hear how this Negotiation proceeds Amongst the particularities which passed in discourse between Mounsieur Magnus and my self I insisting upon restitution of the Townes as the meanes to prevent an imminent war upon the quarrel He asked to whom they should restore them unlesse the Princes were agreed and that they might know which of the Princes should receive him and whom they should have for their neighbour Whereby it appeares this course will on this side remove all difficulties It is advertised hither by Mounsieur Langrack the States Embassadour at Paris that the apprehension they had in the Court to have this businesse ended without the French Kings intervention caused Mounsieur de Refuges to be summoned to make an other journey expressely hither in regard he had formerly the managing thereof Notwithstanding thta Mounsieur de la Nove was already named for this extraordinarie Embassage But Refuges excusing himself upon his indisposition sent all his memorial of what passed when he was here in the treatie of Zanten with his private opinion upon the whole matter to serve as an instruction to la Nove. By the other Letters of the 28. of this present Stil No. Mounsieur Langrack hath given this State many important advertisements as first that he hath obtained of the French Kng a continuance of the succours of the 3. Regiments of foot and 2. Troops of horse of that Nation for one year longer notwithstanding the opposition of the Spanish and Arch-Dukes Embassadours who advised the recalling of them upon occasion of the present troubles in France That there is order given and assignation for 120000 Crownes towards the arrearages of their pay That a resolution is taken in that Court by the advice of the new Councellours contrarie to the opinion of the old to prosecute the Princes by war and maintain the Kings authority henceforward by force That to this effect the King desires the State should perform their promises of sending towards the river of Burdeaux 5. men of war That he likewise requires of them in conformitie of the last treaties betwixt the Crown and this Star an assistance of men to the number of the French which are here in service under some good Commander But the French themselves the King will not have for fear when they shall come into France of their revolting to the Princes That he demands free passage through these Countries down the Mause and the Rhene of 3000. Souldiers with their armes which are