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conveyed by old Hansbye to young Hansbye by deed, were to be liable to the legacies which he gave by will; and that now I am credibly informed, that it will appear upon their report, and by the depositions of witnesses, without all exception, that the said leases are no way liable to those legacies: these shall be earnestly to intreat your lordship, that upon consideration of the report of the masters, and depositions of the witnesses, you will; for my sake, shew as much favour and expedition to young Mr. Hansbye in this cause as the justness thereof will permit. And I shall receive it at your lordship's hands as a particular favour. So I take my leave of your lordship, and rest

Your Lordship's faithful Friend and Servant, Greenwich, the 12th of June, 1618. G. BUCKINGHAM.

To the Lord Chancellor.*

My honourable Lord,

Understanding that the cause depending in the Chancery between the Lady Vernon and the officers of his majesty's household is now ready for a decree, though I doubt not but as his majesty hath been satisfied of the equity of the cause on his officers' behalf, who have undergone the business by his majesty's command, your lordship will also find their cause worthy of your favour, yet I have thought fit once again to recommend it to your lordship, desiring you to give them a speedy end of it, that both his majesty may be freed from farther importunity, and they from the charge and trouble of following it; which I will be ever ready to acknowledge as a favour done unto myself, and always rest Your Lordship's faithful Friend and Servant, Greenwich, the 15th day of June, 1618. G. BUCKINGHAM.

To the Lord Chancellor.†

My honourable Lord,

I wrote unto your lordship lately in the behalf of Sir Rowland Cotton, that then had a suit in dependance before your lordship and the rest of my lords in the Star-chamber. The cause, I understand, hath gone contrary to his expectation; yet he acknowledges himself much bound to your lordship for the noble and patient hearing he did then receive; and he rests satisfied, and I much beholden to your lordship, for any favour it pleased your lordship to afford him for my cause. It now rests only in your lord

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ship's power for the assessing of costs; which, because I am certainly informed Sir Rowland Cotton had just cause of complaint, I hope your lordship will not give any against him. And I do the rather move your lordship to respect him in it, because it concerns him in his reputation, which I know he tenders, and not the money, which might be imposed upon him; which can be but a trifle. Thus presuming of your lordship's favour herein, which I shall be ready ever to account to your lordship for, I rest

Your Lordship's most devoted to serve you,
G. BUCKINGHAM.

June 19, 1618,

To the Lord Chancellor.*

My honourable Lord,

Whereas it hath pleased his majesty to recommend unto your consideration a petition exhibited by Mr. Fowle, together with the grievances and request for the rectifying of the work of gold and silver thread; and now understandeth that your lordship hath called unto you the other commissioners in that case, and spent some time to hear what the opposers could object, and perceiveth by a relation of a good entrance you have made into the business; and is now informed, that there remaineth great store of gold and silver thread in the merchants' hands, brought from foreign parts, besides that which is brought in daily by stealth, and wrought here by underhand workers; so that the agents want vent, with which inconveniencies it seemeth the ordinary course of law cannot so well meet; and yet they are inforced, for freeing of clamour, to set great numbers of people on work; so that the commodity lying dead in their hands, will in a very short time grow to a very great sum of money. To the end, therefore, that the undertakers may not be disheartened by these wrongs and losses, his majesty hath commanded me to write unto your lordship, to the end you might bestow more time this vacation in prosecuting the course you have so worthily begun, that all differences being reconciled, the defects of the commission may be also amended, for prevention of farther abuses therein; so as the agents may receive encouragement to go on quietly in the work without disturbAnd I rest

ance.

Your Lordship's faithful Friend and Servant, From Bewly, the 20th day of Aug. 1618, G. BUCKINGHAM.

Harl. MSS. Vol. 7006.

To the Lord Chancellor.

Most honourable Lord,

Herewithal I presumed to send a note inclosed, both of my business in Chancery, and with my Lord Roos, which it pleased your lordship to demand of me, that so you might better do me good in utroque genere. It may please your lordship, after having perused it, to commend it over to the care of Mr. Meautys for better custody.

At my parting last from your lordship, the grief I had to leave your lordship's presence, though but for a little time, was such, as that being accompanied with some small corporal indisposition that I was in, made me forgetful to say that, which now for his majesty's service I thought myself bound not to silence. I was credibly informed and assured, when the Spanish ambassador went away, that howsoever Ralegh and the prentices* should fall out to be proceeded withal, no more instances would be made hereafter on the part of Spain for justice to be done ever in these particulars: but that if slackness were used here, they would be laid up in the deck, and would serve for materials (this was the very word) of future and final discontentments. Now as the humour and design of some may carry them towards troubling of the waters, so I know your lordship's both nature and great place require an appeasing them at your hands. And I have not presumed to say this little out of any mind at all, that I may have, to meddle with matters so far above me, but out of a thought I had, that I was tied in duty to lay thus much under your lordship's eye; because I know and consider of whom I heard that speech, and with how grave circumstances it was delivered.

I beseech Jesus to give continuance and increase to your lordship's happiness; and that, if it may stand with his will, myself may one day have the honour of casting some small mite into that rich treasury. So I humbly do your lordship reverence, and continue

The most obliged of your Lordship's
many faithful Servants,
TOBIE MATTHEW.

Nottingham, this 21st

of August, 1618.

* Who on the 12th of July, 1618, had insulted Gondomar, the Spanish ambassador, on account of a boy's being hurt by him as he was riding. [Camdeni Annales Regis Jacobi I. p. 33.] They were proceeded against by commissioners at Guildhall on Wednesday the 12th of August following; seven being found guilty, and adjudged to six months' imprisonment, and to pay five hundred pounds apiece. Two others were acquitted. MS. letter of Mr. Chamberlain to Sir Dudley Carleton, London, August 15, 1618.

To Mr. (afterwards Sir) Isaac Wake, his Majesty's Agent at the Court of Savoy.

Mr. Wake,

I have received some letters from you; and hearing from my Lord Cavendish how well he affects you, and taking notice also of your good abilities and services in his majesty's affairs, and not forgetting the knowledge I had, when young, of your good father,+ I thought myself in some measure tied not to keep from you my good opinion of you, and my desire to give you any furtherance in your fortunes and occasions, whereof you may take knowledge and liberty to use me for your good. Fare you well.

York House, this 1st of Sept. 1618.

Your very loving Friend,
FR. VERULAM, Canc.

To the Lord Chancellor. §

My honourable Lord,

His majesty is desirous to be satisfied of the fitness and conveniency of the gold and silver thread business; as also of the profit that shall any way accrue unto him thereby. Wherefore his pleasure is, that you shall, with all convenient speed, call unto you the Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench, the attorney-general, ¶ and the solicitor, ** and consider with them of every of the said particulars, and return them to his majesty, that thereupon he may resolve what present course to take for the advancement of the execution thereof. And so I rest

Your Lordship's faithful Servant,

Theobalds, the 4th of Octob. 1618.

G. BUCKINGHAM.

To the Lord Chancellor.††

My honourable Lord,

I have been desired by some friends of mine, in the behalf of Sir Francis Englefyld, to recommend his cause so far unto your lordship, that a peremptory day being given by your lordship's order for the perfecting of his account, and for the assignment of the trust, your lordship

William Cavendish, son and heir of William, created Baron Cavendish Hardwicke in Derbyshire, in May, 1605, and Earl of Devonshire, July 12, 1618. + Arthur Wake, rector of Billing in Northamptonshire, master of the Hospital of St. John in Northampton, and canon of Christ Church, Oxford. He had been created Lord Verulam on the 12th of July, 1618.

Harl. MSS. Vol. 7006. Sir Henry Yelverton. †† Harl. MSS. Vol. 7006.

|| Sir Henry Montagu.
Sir Thomas Coventry.

would take such course therein, that the gentleman's estate may be redeemed from farther trouble, and secured from all danger, by engaging those, to whom the trust is now transferred by your lordship's order, to the performance of that whereunto he was tied. And so not doubting but your lordship will do him what lawful favour you may herein, I rest

Your Lordship's faithful Friend and Servant,
G. BUCKINGHAM.

Indorsed Received October, 14, 1618.

To the King, concerning the form and manner of proceeding against Sir Walter Ralegh.*

May it please your most excellent Majesty,

According to your commandment given unto us, we have, upon divers meetings and conferences, considered what form and manner of proceeding against Sir Walter Ralegh might best stand with your majesty's justice and honour, if you shall be pleased, that the law shall pass upon him.

And, first, we are of opinion, that Sir Walter Ralegh being attainted of high-treason (which is the highest and last work of law,) he cannot be drawn in question judicially for any crime or offence since committed. And therefore we humbly present two forms of proceeding to your majesty: the one, that together with the warrant to the lieutenant of the Tower (if your majesty shall so please) for his execution, to publish a narrative in print of his late crimes and offences; which, albeit your majesty is not bound to give an account of your actions in these cases to any but only to God alone, we humbly offer to your majesty's consideration, as well in respect of the great effluxion of time since his attainder, and of his employment by your majesty's commission, as for that his late crimes and offences are not yet publicly known. The other form (whereunto, if your majesty so please, we rather incline) is, that where your majesty is so renowned for your justice, it may have such a proceeding, as is nearest to legal proceeding; which is, that he be called before the whole body of your council of state, and your principal judges, in your council-chamber; and that some of the nobility and gentlemen of quality be admitted to be present to hear the whole proceeding, as in like cases

He was beheaded October 29, 1618, the day of the inauguration of the Lord Mayor of London.

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