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Rawley's CXV. To the KING, touching my Lord Chan

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cellor's amendment, etc.

It may please your excellent Majesty,

My lord chancellor sent for me to speak with me this morning, about eight of the clock. I perceive he hath now that signum sanitatis, as to feel better his former weakness: for it is true, I did a little mistrust that it was but a boutade of desire and good spirit, when he promised himself strength for Friday, though I was won and carried with it. But now I find him well inclined to use, should I say, your liberty, or rather your interdict, signified by Mr. Secretary from your majesty. His lordship shewed me also your own letter, whereof he had told me before, but had not shewed it me. What shall I say? I do much admire your goodness for writing such a letter at such a time.

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He had sent also to my lord treasurer, to desire him to come to him about that time. His lordship came; and, not to trouble your majesty with circumstances, both their lordships concluded, myself present and concurring, That it could be no prejudice to your majesty's service to put off the day for 5 Mr. St. John till the next term: the rather, because there are seven of

your

lawful things are to be kept, but unlawful vows not; your own divines will tell you so. For your examples, they are some erroneous traditions. Mylord of Pembroke spake somewhat that he was unlettered, and it was but when he was examined by one private counsellor, to whom he took exception: that of my lord Lumley is a fiction; the preeminences of nobility I would hold with to the last grain; but every day's experience is to the contrary: nay, you may learn duty of lady Arabella herself, a lady of the blood, of an higher rank than yourself, who declining, and yet that but by request neither, to declare of your fact, yieldeth ingenuously to be examined of her own. I do not doubt but by this time you see both your own error, and the King's grace in proceeding with you in this manner.

Note. See the proclamation for apprehending the lady Arabella, and William Seymour, second son of the lord Beauchamp, dated June 4, 1611, who had made their escape the day before. Rymer, XVI. p. 710. Stephens.

5 In 1614, a benevolence was set on foot. Mr. Oliver St. John gave his opinion publicly, that it was against law, reason, and religion; for which he was condemned in a fine of five thousand pounds, and to be imprisoned during the King's pleasure.

privy-council, which are at least numerus and part of the court, which are by infirmity like to be absent; that is, my lord chancellor, my lord admiral, my lord of Shrewsbury, my lord of Exeter, my lord Zouch, my lord Stanhope, and Mr. Chancellor of the duchy; wherefore they agreed to hold a council to-morrow in the afternoon for that purpose.

It is true, that I was always of opinion that it was no time lost; and I do think so the rather, because I could be content, that the matter of Peacham were first settled and put to a point. For there be perchance, that would make the example upon Mr. St. John to stand for all. For Peacham, I expect some account from my fellows this day; if it should fall out otherwise, then I hope it may not be left so. Your majesty, in your last letter, very wisely put in a disjunctive, that the judges should deliver an opinion privately, either to my lord chancellor, or to ourselves distributed: his sickness made the latter way to be taken; but the other may be reserved with some accommodating, when we see the success of the former.!

I am appointed this day to attend my lord treasurer for a proposition of raising profit and revenue by infranchising copy-holders. I am right glad to see the patrimonial part of your revenue well looked into, as well as the fiscal: and I hope it will so be in other parts as well as this. God preserve your majesty. Your majesty's most humble

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* Feb. 7, 1614.

and devoted subject and servant,
FR. BACON.

CXVI. To the KING, concerning Owen's Rawley's

cause, etc.

It may please your excellent Majesty,

*

MYSELF, with the rest of your counsel learned, conferred with my lord Coke, and the rest of the judges of the king's bench only, being met at my lord's chamber, concerning the business of Owen. For although it be true, that your majesty in your letter did mention that the same course might be held

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in the taking of opinions apart in this, which was prescribed and used in Peacham's cause; yet both my lords of the council, and we amongst ourselves, holding it, in a case so clear, not needful; but rather that it would import a diffidence in us, and deprive us of the means to debate it with the judges, if cause were, more strongly, which is somewhat, we thought best rather to use this form.

The judges desired us to leave the examinations and papers with them for some little time, to consider, which is a thing they use, but I conceive, there will be no manner of question made of it. My lord chief justice, to shew forwardness, as I interpret it, shewed us passages of Suarez and others, thereby to prove, that though your majesty stood not excommunicate by particular sentence, yet by the general bulls of Cana Domini, and others, you were upon the matter excommunicate; and therefore, that the treason was as de præsenti. But I (that foresee that if that course should be held, when it cometh to a public day, to disseminate to the vulgar an opinion, that your majesty's case is all one, as if you were de facto particularly and expressly excommunicate; it would but increase the danger of your person with those that are desperate papists; and that it is needless) commended my lord's diligence, but withal put it by; and fell upon the other course, which is the true way, that is, that whosoever shall affirm, in diem, or sub conditione, that your majesty may be destroyed, is a traytor de præsenti; for that he maketh you but tenant for life, at the will of another. And I put the duke of Buckingham's case, who said, that if the king caused him to be arrested of treason, he would stab him; and the case of the impostress Elizabeth Barton, that said, that if king Henry the eighth took not his wife again, Catherine dowager, he should be no longer king; and the like.

It may be these particulars are not worth the relating; but because I find nothing in the world so important to your service, as to have you throughly informed, the ability of your direction considered, it maketh me

thus to do; most humbly praying your majesty to admonish me, if I be over troublesome.

For Peacham, the rest of my fellows are ready to make their report to your majesty, at such time, and in such manner, as your majesty, shall require it. Myself yesterday took my lord Coke aside, after the rest were gone, and told him all the rest were ready, and I was now to require his lordship's opinion, according to my commission. He said, I should have it; and repeated that twice or thrice, as thinking he had gone too far in that kind of negative, to deliver any opinion apart, before; and said, he would tell it me within a very short time, though he were not that instant ready. I have tossed this business in omnes partes, whereof I will give your majesty knowledge when time serveth. God preserve your majesty.

Feb. 11, 1614.

Your majesty's most humble

and devoted subject and servant,
FR. BACON.

CXVII. To the KING, about a certificate of Rawley's lord chief justice COKE.

It may please your excellent Majesty,

I SEND your majesty inclosed my lord Coke's answers; I will not call them rescripts, much less oracles. They are of his own hand, and offered to me as they are in writing; though I am glad of it for mine own discharge. I thought it my duty, as soon as I received them, instantly to send them to your majesty ; and forbear, for the present, to speak farther of them. I, for my part, though this Muscovia weather be a little too hard for my constitution, was ready to have waited upon your majesty this day, all respects set aside but my lord treasurer, in respect of the season and much other business, was willing to save me. I will only conclude touching these papers with a text, divided I cannot say, Oportet isthac fieri; but I may say, Finis autem nondum. God preserve your majesty. Your majesty's most humble and devoted subject and servant,

14 Feb. 1614.

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FR. BACON.

Resuscitatio.

Sir David CXVIII. Sir FRANCIS BACON to King JAMES.

Dalrymple's Memorials

and Letters, p. 29.

It may please your excellent Majesty,

I PERCEIVE by the bishop of Bath and Wells, that although it seemeth he hath dealt in an effectual manner with Peacham, yet he prevaileth little hitherto; for he hath gotten of him no new names, neither doth Peacham alter in his tale touching Sir John Sydenham.

Peacham standeth off in two material points de novo.. The one, he will not yet discover into whose hands he did put his papers touching the consistory villanies. They were not found with the other bundles upon the 'search; neither did he ever say that he had burned or defaced them. Therefore it is like they are in some person's hands; and it is like again, that that person that he hath trusted with those papers, he likewise trusted with these others of the treasons, I mean with the sight of them.

The other, that he taketh time to answer, when he is asked, whether he heard not from Mr. Paulet some such words, as, he saith he heard from Sir John Sydenham, or in some lighter manner.

I hold it fit, that myself, and my fellows, go to the Tower, and so I purpose to examine him upon these points, and some others; at the least, that the world may take notice that the business is followed as heretofore, and that the stay of the trial is upon farther discovery, according to that we give out.

I think also it were not amiss to make a false fire, as if all things were ready for his going down to his trial, and that he were upon the very point of being carrieď down, to see what that will work with him.

Lastly, I do think it most necessary, and a point principally to be regarded, that because we live in an age wherein no counsel is kept, and that it is true there is some bruit abroad, that the judges of the king's bench do doubt of the case, that it should not be treason: that it be given out constantly, and yet as it were a secret, and so a fame to slide, that the doubt was only upon the publication, in that it was never

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