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Rawley's LXXXVIII. To the Lord Chancellor, concerning the solicitor's place.

Resuscitatio.

It may please your good Lordship,

As I conceived it to be a resolution, both with his majesty, and among your lordships of his council, that I should be placed solicitor, and the solicitor to be removed to be the king's serjeant: so I most thankfully acknowledge your lordship's furtherance and forwardness therein; your lordship being the man that first devised the mean: wherefore my humble request to your lordship is, that you would set in with some strength to finish this your work; which, I assure your lordship, I desire the rather, because being placed, I hope for many favours at last to be able to do you some better service. For as I am, your lordship cannot use me; nor scarcely indeed know me. Not that I vainly think, I shall be able to do any great matters, but certainly it will frame me to use a more industrious observance and application to such, as I honour so much as I do your lordship; and not, I hope, without some good offices, which may now and then deserve your thanks. And herewithal, good my lord, I humbly pray your lordship to consider, that time groweth precious with me, and that a married man is seven years elder in his thoughts the first day: and therefore what a discomfortable thing is it for me to be unsettled still? Certainly, were it not that I think myself born to do my sovereign service, and therefore in that station I will live and die; otherwise for mine own private comfort, it were better for me that the king should blot me out of his book; or that I should turn my course to endeavour to serve in some other kind, than for me to stand thus at a stop; and to have that little reputation, which by my industry I gather, to be scattered and taken away by continual disgraces, every new man coming above me. Sure I am, I shall never have fairer promises and words from all your lordships. For I know not what my services are, saving that your lordships told me they were good, and I would believe you

in a much greater matter. Were it nothing else, I hope the modesty of my suit deserveth somewhat; for I know well the solicitor's place is not as your lordship left it; time working alteration, somewhat in the profession, much more in that special place. And were it not to satisfy my wife's friends, and to get myself out of being a common gaze and a speech, I'protest before God I would never speak word for it. But to conclude, as my honourable lady your wife was some mean to make me to change the name of another; so if it please you to help me to change mine own name, I can be but more and more bounden to you: and I am much deceived, if your lordship find not the king well inclined, and my lord of Salisbury forward and affectionate. 1606.

LXXXIX.

To my Lady PACKINGTON, in From an answer to a message by her sent.

Madam,

You shall with right good will be made acquainted with any thing that concerneth your daughters, if you bear a mind of love and concord: otherwise you must be content to be a stranger unto us: for I may not be so unwise as to suffer you to be an author or occasion of dissension between your daughters and their husbands, having seen so much misery of that kind in yourself.

And above all things I will turn back your kindness, in which you say, you will receive my wife if she be cast off: for it is much more likely we have occasion to receive you being cast off, if you remember what is passed. But it is time to make an end of those follies: and you shall at this time pardon me this one fault of writing to you; for I mean to do it no more till you use me and respect me as you ought. So wishing you better than it seemeth you will draw upon yourself, I rest,

Yours,
FR. BACON.

old copy of Sir Francis Bacon's

letters.

Rawley's XC. To the KING, touching the solicitor's

Resuscita

tio.

place.

How honestly ready I have been, most gracious sovereign, to do your majesty humble service, to the best of my power, and in a manner beyond my power, as I now stand, I am not so unfortunate but your majesty knoweth. For both in the commission of union, the labour whereof, for men of my profession, rested most upon my hand, and this last parliament, in the bill of the subsidy, both body and preamble; in the bill of attainders, both Tresham and the rest; in the matter of purveyance; in the ecclesiastical petitions; in the grievances; and the like; as I was ever careful, and not without good success, sometimes to put forward that which was good, sometimes to keep back that which was not so good; so your majesty was pleased kindly to accept of my services, and to say to me, such conflicts were the wars of peace, and such victories the victories of peace; and therefore such servants that obtained them were by kings, that reign in peace, no less to be esteemed, than services of commanders in the wars. In all which nevertheless I can challenge to myself no sufficiency, but that I was diligent and reasonably happy to execute those directions, which I received either immediately from your royal mouth, or from my lord of Salisbury: at which time it pleased your majesty also to promise and assure me, that upon the remove of the then attorney I should not be forgotten, but brought into ordinary place. And this was after confirmed to me, by many of my lords, and towards the end of the last term, the manner also in particular was spoken of; that is, that Mr. Solicitor should be made your majesty's serjeant, and I solicitor; for so it was thought best to sort with both our gifts and faculties for the good of your service; and of this resolution both court and country took knowledge. Neither was this any invention or project of mine own; but moved from my lords, and I think first from my lord Chancellor; whereupon resting, your majesty well knoweth

♣ never opened my mouth for the greater place;
though I am sure I had two circumstances, that Mr.
Attorney, that now is, could not alledge: the one,
nine years service of the crown; the other the being
cousin germain to the lord of Salisbury, whom your
majesty esteemeth and trusteth so much. But for
the less place, I conceived it was meant me. But
after that Mr. Attorney Hobart was placed, I heard
no more of my preferment; but it seemed to be at a
stop, to my great disgrace and discouragement. For,
gracious sovereign, if still, when the waters are stirred,
another shall be put in before me, your majesty
had need work a miracle, or else I shall be still a
lame man to do your majesty service. And therefore
my most humble suit to your majesty is; that this,
which seemed to me intended, may speedily be per-
formed: and I hope, my former service shall be but
as beginnings to better, when I am better strength-
ened: for, sure I am, no man's heart is fuller, I say not
but many may have greater hearts, but I say, not
fuller of love and duty towards your majesty and your
children; as, I hope, time will manifest against envy
and detraction, if any be. To conclude, I most hum-
bly crave pardon for my boldness, and rest-
1606.

XCI. To the Earl of SALISBURY, upon a Rawley's new-year's tide.

It may please your good Lordship,

HAVING no gift to present you with in any degree proportionable to my mind, I desire nevertheless to take the advantage of a ceremony to express myself to your lordship; it being the first time I could make the like acknowledgment, when I stood out of the person of a suitor: wherefore I most humbly pray your lordship to think of me, that, now it hath pleased you, by many effectual and great benefits, to add the assurance and comfort of your love and favour to that pre cedent disposition, which was in me, to admire your virtue and merit; I do esteem whatsoever I have or

Resuscita tio.

may have in this world, but as trash, in comparison of
having the honour and happiness to be a near and well
accepted kinsman to so rare and worthy a counsellor,
governor, and patriot: for having been a studious, if
not a curious observer of antiquities of virtue, as of
late pieces, I forbear to say to your lordship what I
find and conceive; but to any other I would think to
make myself believed. But not to be tedious in that
which may have the shew of a compliment, I can but
wish your lordship many happy years, many more than
your father had; even so many more, as we may need
you more.
So I remain

Rawley's XCII. To Mr. MATTHEW, imprisoned for religion.

Resuscita

tio.

Mr. Matthew,

Do not think me forgetful or altered towards you:" but if I should say, I could do you any good, I should make my power more than it is. I do hear that which I am right sorry for; that you grow more impatient and busy than at first; which maketh me exceedingly fear the issue of that which seemeth not to stand at a stay. I myself am out of doubt, that you have been miserably abused, when you were first seduced; but that which I take in compassion, others may take in severity. I pray God, that understandeth us all better than we understand one another, contain you, even as I hope he will, at the least, within the bounds of loyalty to his majesty, and natural piety towards your country. And I intreat you much, sometimes to meditate upon the extreme effects of superstition in this last powder treason; fit to be tabled and pictured in the chambers of meditation, as another hell above the ground: and well justifying the censure of the heathen, that superstition is far worse than atheism; by how much it is less evil to have no opinion of God at all, than such as is impious towards his divine majesty and goodness. Good Mr. Matthew, receive yourself back from these courses of perdition. Willing to have written a great deal more, I continue, etc.

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