at his own good time and pleasure, to cast his eye upon it. I purpose at my coming to London to confer with the chief justice as his majesty appointed; and to put the business of the pursevants in a way, which I think will be best by a commission of Oyer and Terminer; for the star-chamber, without confession, is long seas. I should advise that this point of the pursevants were not single, but that it be coupled in the commission with the offences of keepers of prisons hereabouts; it hatha great affinity: for pursevants are but ambulatory keepers, and it works upon the same party, of the papists, and it is that wherein many of his majesty's and the council's severe charges have been hitherto unfruitful; and it doth a great deal of mischief. I have some other reasons for it. But of this it will be fittest to advertise more particularly, what I have resolved of on advice, upon conference with the chief justice. I am wonderful glad to hear of the king's good health. God preserve his majesty and your lordship. I ever rest Your lordship's most obliged friend FR. VERULAM, Canc. Gorhambury, this last of July, 1619. CCXIX. To the Lord Chancellor. My honourable Lord, YOUR lordship hath sent so good news to his majesty, that I could have wished you had been the reporter of it yourself; but seeing you came not, I cannot but give you thanks for employing me in the delivering of that which pleased his majesty so well, whereof he will put your lordship in mind, when he seeth you. I am glad we are come so near together, and hoping to see you at Windsor, I rest Your lordship's faithful friend and servant, 29 Aug. 1619. 5 G BUCKINGHAM. Stephens's second col lection, P. 96. Stephens's second collection, P. 96. CCXX. To the Lord Chancellor. My honourable Lord, As I was reading your lordship's letter, his majesty came, and took it of my hands, when he knew from whom it came, before I could read the paper inclosed and told me that you had done like a wise counsellor : first setting down the state of the question, and then propounding the difficulties, the rest being to be done in its own time. I am glad of this occasion of writing to your lordship, that I may now let your lordship understand his majesty's good conceit and acceptation of your service, upon your discourse with him at Windsor, which though I heard not myself, yet I heard his majesty much commend it both for the method and the affection you shewed therein to his affairs, in such earnest manner, as if you made it your only study and care to advance his majesty's service. And so I rest Your Lordship's faithful friend and servant, Wanstead, 9 Sept. 1619. Ibid. p.97. CCXXI. To the Marquis of BUCKINGHAM. My very good Lord, I THINK it my duty to let his majesty know what I find in this cause of the ore tenus. For as his majesty hath good experience, that when his business comes upon the stage, I carry it with strength and resolution; so in the proceedings I love to be wary and considerate. I wrote to your lordship by my last, that I hoped by the care I had taken, the business would go well, but without that care I was sure it would not go well. This I meant because I had had conference with the two chief justices, Sir Edward Coke being present, and handled the matter so that not without much ado I left both the chief justices firm to the cause and satisfied. But calling to mind that in the main business, notwithstanding I and the chief justices went one way, yet the day was not good, and I should be loth to see more of such days, I am not without some apprehension. For though we have Sir Edward Coke earnest and forward, insomuch as he advised the ore tenus, before I knew it at Wanstead, and now bound the Dutchmen over to the star-chamber, before I was made privy; unto both which proceedings I did nevertheless give approbation: yet if there should be either the major part of the votes the other way, or any main distraction, though we bear it through, I should think it a matter full of inconvenience. But that which gives me most to think, is the carriage of Mr. Attorney, which sorteth neither with the business, nor with himself: for, as I hear from divers, and partly perceive, he is fallen from earnest, to be cool and faint: which weakness, if it should make the like alteration at the bar, it might overthrow the cause. All the remedy which is in my power, is by the advice of the judges to draw some other of the learned counsel to his help; which he, I know, is unwilling with, but that is all one. This I thought it necessary to write, lest the king should think me asleep, and because I know that his majesty's judgment is far better than mine. But I, for my part, mean to go on roundly; and so I ever rest Your lordship's most obliged friend and faithful servant, FR. VERULAM, Canc. Octob. 9, 1619. in If the king in his great wisdom should any ways cline to have the ore tenus put off, then the way were, to command that the matter of the ore tenus should be given in evidence, by way of aggravation in the main cause. And it is true, that if this precursory matter goeth well, it giveth great entrance into the main cause; if ill, contrariwise, it will do hurt and disadvantage to the main. Stephens's second collection, p. 99. Ibid. • Of LeDOX. CCXXII. To the Lord Chancellor. My honourable Lord, THE news of this victory hath so well pleased his majesty, that he giveth thanks to all; and I among the rest, who had no other part but the delivering of your letter, had my part of his good acceptation, which he would have rewarded after the Roman fashion with every man a garland, if it had been now in use; but after the fashion of his gracious goodness, he giveth your lordship thanks: and would have you deliver the like in his majesty's name to Sir Edward Coke, and the judges. Your news which came the first, gave his majesty a very good breakfast, and I hope his health will be the better after it. Your Lordship's faithful friend and servant, 14 Oct. 1619. G. BUCKINGHAM. This letter was indorsed, Thanks on the success of the ore tenus against the Dutch. CCXXIII. To the Marquis of BUCKINGHAM. My very good Lord, THESE things which I write now and heretofore in this cause, I do not write so as any can take knowledge that I write; but I dispatch things er officio here, and yet think it fit inwardly to advertise the king what doth occur. And I do assure your lordship, that if I did serve any king whom I did not think far away wiser than myself, I would not write in the midst of business, but go on of myself. * This morning, notwithstanding my speech yesterday with the duke, he delivered this letter inclosed, and I having cleared the room of all save the court and learned counsel, whom I required to stay, the letter was read a little before our hour of sitting. When it was read, Mr. Attorney began to move, that my lord should not acknowledge his offences as he conceived he had committed them, but as they were charged; and some of the lords speaking to that point, I thought fit to interrupt and divert that kind of question; and said, before we considered of the extent of my lord's submission, we were first to consider of the extent of our own duty and power; for that I conceived it was neither fit for us to stay proceeding, nor to move his majesty in that which was before us in course of justice: unto which, being once propounded by me, all the lords and the rest una voce assented. I would not so much as ask the question, whether, though we proceeded, I should send the letter to his Majesty, because I would not straiten his majesty in any thing. The evidence went well, I will not say I sometime Your lordship's most obliged friend FR. VERULAM, Canc. This 22 October, Friday at 4 of the clock, 1619. CCXXIV. To the Lord Chancellor. My honourable Lord, I HAVE received your letters by both your servants, and have acquainted his majesty with them, who is exceedingly pleased with the course you have held in the earl of Suffolk's business, and holdeth himself so much the more beholden to you, because you sent the letter of your own motion, without order or consent of the lords, whereby his majesty is not tied to an answer. His majesty hath understood by many, how worthily your lordship hath carried yourself both in Stephens's second collection, p. 101. |