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hath some reliques of business, and the commissioners of treasure have appointed to meet; but to see his majesty, is to me above all.

I have set down de bene esse, Suffolk's cause, the third sitting next term; if the wind suffer the commission of Ireland to be sped. I ever more and more rest Your lordship's most obliged friend and faithful servant,

This 11th of May, 1619.

FR. VERULAM, Canc.

CCXV. To the Lord Chancellor.

My most honourable Lord,

I ACQUAINTED his majesty with your letter at the first opportunity after I received it, who was very well pleased with that account of your careful and speedy dispatch of businesses, etc.

Greenwich, 13th May, 1619.

Yours, etc.

G. BUCKINGHAM.

P. S. Your business had been done before this, but I knew not whether you would have the attorney or solicitor to draw it.

CCXVI. To the Lord Chancellor.

My noble Lord,

I SHEWED your letter of thanks to his majesty, who says there are too many in it for so small a favour, which he holdeth too little to encourage so well a deserving servant. For myself, I shall ever rejoice at the manifestation of his majesty's favour towards you, and will contribute all that is in me to the increasing his good opinion; ever resting

Your lordship's faithful friend and servant,

G. BUCKINGHAM.

Stephens's

second col lection,

p. 94.

Ibid.

Stephens's CCXVII. To my very loving friends Sir THOsecond col- MAS LEIGH and Sir THOMAS PUCKERING, knights and baronets.

lection, p. 94.

AFTER my hearty commendations, being informed by the petition of one Thomas Porten, a poor Yorkshireman, of a heavy accident by fire, whereby his house, his wife, and a child, together with all his goods, were utterly burnt and consumed; which misfortune, the petitioner suggests with much eagerness, was occasioned by the wicked practices and conjurations of one John Clarkson of Rowington in the county of Warwick, and his daughter, persons of a wandering condition, affirming, for instance, that one Mr. Hailes of Warwick did take from the said Clarkson certain books of conjuration and witchcraft: that the truth of the matter may be rightly known, and that Clarkson and his daughter, if there be ground for it, may answer the law according to the merit of so hainous a fact, I have thought good to wish and desire you to send for Clarkson, and his daughter, and as upon due examination you shall find cause, to take order for their forthcoming, and answering of the matter at the next assize for the county of York; and also to confer with Mr. Hailes, whether he took from the said Clarkson any such book of conjuration, as the petitioner pretends he did, and to see them in safe custody. Whereupon I desire to be certified how you find the matter; and your doing thereupon. So not doubting of your special care and diligence herein, I bid you heartily farewell, and rest

Your very loving friend,

York-house, 15 May, 1619.

FR. VERULAM, Canc.

Ibid. 95. CCXVIII. To the Marquis of BUCKINGHAM. My very good Lord,

I SEND his majesty a volume of my lord of Bangor's and my lord Sheffield, whereof I spake when I left his majesty at Theobalds. His majesty may be pleased,

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 tó 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
and faithful servant,
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 col-
lection,
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,
G. BUCKINGHAM.

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 resolu tion; 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.

If the king in his great wisdom should any ways incline 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.

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