manum. Mr. Chancellor, if you will be only pleased to grace me upon this occasion, by showing tenderness of my name, and commiseration of my fortune, there is no man in that assembly from whose mouth I had rather it should come. I hope it will be no dishonour to you. It will oblige me much, and be a worthy fruit of our last reintegration of friendship. I rest

for friends or servants. But Job himself, or saith, satis est lapsos non erigere; urgere verɔ whosoever was the justest judge, by such hunt- jacentes, aut præcipitantis impellere, certe est innuing for matters against him, as hath been used against me, may for a time seem foul, especially in a time when greatness is the mark, and accusation is the game. And if this be to be a chancellor, I think, if the great seal iay upon Hounslow Heath, nobody would take it up. But the king and your lordship will I hope put an end to these my straits one way or other. And, in troth, that which I fear most, is, lest continual attendance and business, together with these cares, and want of time to do my weak body right this spring by diet and physic, will cast me down; and that it will be thought feigning, or fainting. God But I hope in God I shall hold out. prosper you.

Your faithful friend to do you service.

TO THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM.*

MY VERY GOOD Lord,

and I humbly thank your lordship for the grace favour which you did both to the message and messenger, in bringing Mr. Meautys to kiss his

TO THE LORD CHANCELLOR OF THE DUCHY, SIR majesty's hands, and to receive his pleasure. My

HUMPHREY MAY.

GOOD MR. CHANCELLOR,

ously pleased to have acquainted my lords with my desire, if it had stood me so much upon. But his majesty knoweth best the times and seasons; and to his grace I submit myself, desiring his majesty and your lordship to take my letters from the Tower as written de profundis, and those I continue to write to be ex aquis salsis.

riches in my adversity have been, that I have had a good master, a good friend, and a good servant. There will come, upon Friday, before you a Perceiving, by Mr. Meautys, his majesty's ina patent* of his majesty's for the separation of clination, it shall be, as it hath ever used to be to the company of apothecaries from the of company ine, instead of a direction; and, therefore, I purgrocers, and their survey, and the erecting them pose to go forthwith to Gorhambury, humbly thankinto a corporation of themselves under the surveying his majesty, nevertheless, that he was graciof the physicians. It is, as I conceive, a fair business both for law and conveniency, and a work which the king made his own, and did, and as I hear doth take much to heart. It is in favorem vita, where the other part is in favorem lucri. You may perhaps think me partial to apothecaries, that have been ever puddering in physic all my life. But there is a circumstance that touches upon me but post diem, for it is comprehended in the charge and sentence passed upon me. It is true, that after I had put the seal to the patent, the apothecariest presented me with a hundred pounds. It was no judicial affair. But, howsoever, as it may not be defended, so I would be glad it were not raked up more than needs. I doubt only the chair, because I hear he useth names sharply; and, besides, it may be, he hath a tooth at me yet, which is not fallen out with age. But the best is, as one

The patent for incorporating the apothecaries by themselves, by the appellation of "The Masters, Wardens, and Society of the Art and Mystery of Apothecaries of London," was dated December 6, 1617. They had been incorporated

with the company of grocers, April 9, 1606.

+ His lordship being charged by the House of Commons, that he had received one hundred pounds of the new company of apothecaries, that stood against the grocers, as, likewise, a taster of gold worth between four and five hundred pounds, with a present of ambergrise, from the apothecaries that stood with the grocers; and two hundred pounds of the

grocers; he admits the several sums to have been re

ceived of the three parties, but alleges, "that he considered those presents as no judicial business, but a concord of composition between the parties: and, as he thought they had all three received good, and they were all common purses, he thought it the less matter to receive what they voluntarily presented; for if had taken it in the nature of a bribe, he knew it could not be concealed, because it must be put to 'he account of the three several companies."

June 22, 1621.

Endorsed,

To Lord Buckingham, upon bringing Mr. Meautys to kiss the king's hands.

TO THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM.
MY VERY GOOD LORD,

I have written, as I thought it decent in me to do, to his majesty the letter I send enclosed. I have great faith that your lordship, now nobly and like yourself, will effect with his majesty. In this the king is of himself, and it hath no relation to Parliament. I have written also, as your lordship advised me, only touching that point of

means.

I have lived hitherto upon the scraps of my former fortunes; and I shall not be able to hold out longer. Therefore, I hope your lordship will now, according to the loving promises and hopes given, settle my poor fortunes, or rather my being. I am much fallen in love with a private life; but

*This letter is reprinted here, because it differs in some respects from that published in Letters, Memoirs, Parliamentary Affairs, State Papers, &c. by Robert Stephens Esq., p 151, Edit. London, 1736, 4to.

yet I shall so spend my time, as shall not decay acceptation, which hath been always favourably iny abilities for use.

God preserve and prosper your lordship.
September 5, 1621.

TO THE PRINCE.

MAY IT PLEASE your Highness,

great. I have served your majesty-now seventeen years; and since my first service, (which was in the commission of the union,) I received from your majesty never chiding or rebuke, but always sweetness and thanks. Neither was I in these seventeen years ever chargeable to your majesty, but got my means in an honourable sweat of my labour, save that of late your majesty was graciI cannot too oft acknowledge your highness's ously pleased to bestow upon me the pension ot favour in my troubles; but acknowledgment now twelve hundred pounds for a few years. For in is but begging of new favour. Yet, even that is that other poor prop of my estate, which is the not inconvenient; for thanksgiving and petition farming of the petty writs, I improved your mago well together, even to God himself. My jesty's revenue by four hundred pounds the year. humble suit to your highness, that I may be And, likewise, when I received the seal, Í left thought on for means to subsist; and to that pur-both the attorney's place, which was a gainful pose, that your highness will join with my noble friend to the king. That done, I shall ever be ready either at God's call or his majesty's, and as happy to my thinking as a man can be, that must leave to serve such a king.

God preserve and prosper your highness.

On the back of the draughts of the three preceding
letters were written the following memoranda.
Bishops Winchester,* Durham,† London.‡
Lord Duke, Lord Hunsdon.

Lord Chamberlain,|| to thank him for his kind remembrance by you; and though in this private fortune I shall have use of few friends, yet, I cannot but acknowledge the moderation and affection his lordship showed in my business, and desire, that of those few his lordship will still be one for my comfort, in whatsoever may cross his way, for the furtherance of my private life and fortune.

Mr. John Murray. If there be any thing that may concern me, that is fit for him to speak, and me to know, that I may receive it by you.

Mr. Maxwell. That I am sorry, that so soon as I came to know him, and to be beholding to him, I wanted power to be of use for him.

Lord of Kelly; and to acquaint him with that part touching the confinement.

The

place, and the clerkship of the Star Chamber,
which was Queen Elizabeth's favour, and was
worth twelve hundred pounds by the year, which
would have been a good commendam.
honours which your majesty hath done me have
put me above the means to get my living; and
the misery I am fallen into hath put me below
shall be such, for this little end of my thread
the means to subsist as I am. I hope my courses
which remaineth, as your majesty in doing me
good may do good to many, both that live now,
and shall be born hereafter. I have been the
keeper of your seal, and now am your beadsman.
Let your own royal heart, and my noble friend,
speak the rest.

God preserve and prosper your majesty.
Your majesty's faithful

poor servant and beadsman,
FR. ST. ALBAN.

September 5, 1621. Cardinal Wolsey said, that if he had pleased God as he pleased the king, he had not been ruined. My conscience saith no such thing; for I know not but in serving you, I have served God in one. But it may be, if I had pleased God, as I had pleased you, it would have been better with me.

TO THE KING.

MAY IT PLEASE YOUR MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY, I do very humbly thank your majesty for your gracious remission of my fine. I can now, I thank God and you, die, and make a will.

I desire to do, for the little time God shall send me life, like the merchants of London, which, when they give over trade, lay out their money upon land. So, being freed from civil business, lay forth my poor talent upon those things which. may be perpetual, still having relation to do you honour with those powers I have left.

I

I have, therefore, chosen to write the reign of King Henry the VIIth, who was in a sort you) forerunner, and whose spirit, as well as his blood is doubled upon your majesty.

[*God knoweth whether ever I shall see you again; but I will pray for you to the last gasp, resting]

I durst not have presumed to entreat your ma- | The message I received by Mr. Meautys aid im. jesty to look over the book, and correct it, or at port inconvenience, in the form of the pardon; least to signify what you would have amended. your lordship's last letter, in the time: for, as for But since you are pleased to send for the book, I the matter, it lay so fair for his majesty's and my will hope for it. Lord of Buckingham's own knowledge, as I conceive your lordship doth not aim at that. My affliction hath made me understand myself better, and not worse; yet loving advice, I know, Felps well. Therefore, I send Mr. Meautys to your lordship, that I might reap so much your fruit of your lordship's professed good affection, as to know in some more particular fashion, what it is that your lordship doubteth, or disliketh, that I may the better endeavour your satisfaction or acSo I rest quiescence, if there be cause. Your lordship's to do you service, FR. ST. ALBAN.

October 8, 1621.

The same, your true beadsman,
FR. ST. ALBAN.

DR. WILLIAMS, bishop of lincoln Elect, and
LORD KEEPER OF THE GREAT SEAL, TO THE

VISCOUNT ST. ALBAN.

MY VERY GOOD LORD,

October 18, 1621.

PETITION OF THE LORD VISCOUNT ST. ALBAN,

INTENDED FOR THE HOUSE OF LORDS.

My Right HONOURABLE VERY GOOD Lords,

Having perused a privy seal, containing a pardon for your Lordship, and thought seriously thereupon, I find, that the passing of the same (the assembly in Parliament so near approaching†) cannot but be much prejudicial to the service of the king, to the honour of my Lord of Buckingham, to that commiseration, which otherwise In all humbleness, acknowledging your lordwould be had of your lordship's present estate, ships' justice, I do now, in like manner, crave and especially to my judgment and fidelity. I and implore your grace and compassion. I am have ever affectionately loved your lordship's old, weak, ruined, in want, a very subject of pity. many and most excelling good parts and endow- My only suit to your lordships is to show me ments; nor had ever cause to disaffect your lord-your noble favour towards the release of my conship's person so as no respect in the world, finement, (so every confinement is,) and to me, beside the former considerations, could have protest, worse than the Tower.* There I could drawn me to add the least affliction or discon- have had company, physicians, conference with tentment unto your lordship's present fortune. my creditors and friends about my debts, and the May it, therefore, please your lordship to suspend the passing of this pardon, until the next assembly be over and dissolved; and I will be then as ready to seal it as your lordship to accept of it: and, in the mean time, undertake that the king and my lord admiral shall interpret this short delay as a service and respect issuing wholly from your lordship; and rest, in all other offices what

soever,

Your lordship's faithful servant,

Jo. LINCOLN, elect. Custos Sigilli. Westminster College, October 18, 1621.

I

necessities of my estate, helps for my studies, anc the writings I have in hand. Here, I live upon the sword point of a sharp air, endangered if I go abroad, dulled if I stay within, solitary and comfortless without company, banished from all opportunities to treat with any to do myself goo!, and to help out any wrecks; and that, which is one of my greatest griefs, my wife, that hath been no partaker of my offending, must be partaker of this misery of my restraint.

May it please your lordships, therefore, since there is a time for justice, and a time for misery,

To the right honourable, his very good lord, the to think with compassion upon that which I have

Lord Viscount St. Alban.

TO THE LORD KEEPER.

MY VERY GOOD LORD,

I know the reasons must appear to your lordship many and weighty which should move you to stop the king's grace, or to dissuade it; and somewhat the more in respect of my person, being, I hope, no unfit subject for noble dealing

already suffered, which is not little, and to recommend this my humble, and, as I hope, modest suit to his most excellent majesty, the fountain of grace, of whose mercy, for so much as concerns himself merely, I have already tasted, and likewise of his favour of this very kind, by some small temporary dispensations.

Herein your lordships shall do a work of charity and nobility; you shall do me good; you

He had been committed to the Tower in May, 1621, and Camden.--Annales Regis Jacobi I., p. 71. There is a letter of his lordship to the Marquis of Buckingham, dated from the It met November 24, 1621, and was dissolved February Tower, May 31, 1621, desiring his lordship to procure his dis

discharged after two days' confinement there, according to

This passage has a line drawn over it.

8, 1621-2
VOL. III.-18

charge that day.

M 2

Copy of the petition intended for the House of Par- to London,) either Mr. Packer, my ancient friend,

service, in any particular you shall command! TO THE LORD VISCOUNT ST. ALBAN. in, to my lord marquis, (though it were with MAY IT PLEASE YOur Lordship, some adventure;) and withal he imparted to me This afternoon my lady found access to my lora what advice he had given to my lady this after-marquis, procured for her by my Lord of Montnoon, upen his visiting of her at York House, gomery* and Sir Edward Sackville, who seemed to when Mr. Packer also, as it fell out, was come, contend which of them should show most patience at the same time, to see my lady, and seemed to in waiting (which they did a whole afternoon! concur with Sir Edward Sackville in the same the opportunity to bring my lord to his chamber, ways; which were for my lady to become a suitor where my lady attended him. But when he was to my Lady Buckingham,* and my lady marchio- come, she found time enough to speak at large: ness to work my lord marquis for obtaining of and though my lord spake so loud as that what the king some bounty towards your lordship; and passed was no secret to me and some others that in particular that of the thousand pounds for the were within hearing, yet, because my lady told small writs. If I may speak my opinion to your me she purpose th to write to your lordship the lordship, it is not amiss to begin any way, or whole passage, it becometh not me to anticipate, with any particular, though but small game at by these, any part of her ladyship's relation. first, only to set a rusty clock agoing, and then haply it may go right for a time, enough to bring on the rest of your lordship's requests. Yet, because your lordship directed me to wish my lady, from you, by no means to act any thing, but only to open her mind in discourse unto friends, until she should receive your farther direction, it became not me to be too forward in putting it on too fast with Sir Edward; and my lady was pleased to tell me since that she hath written to your lordship at large.

I inquired, even now, of Benbow, whether the proclamation for dissolving the Parliament was coming forth. He tells me he knows no more certainty of it, than that Mr. Secretary commanded him yesterday to be ready for despatching of the writs, when he should be called for; but since then he hears it sticks, and endures some qualms; but they speak it still aloud at court that the king is resolved of it.

Benbow tells me likewise, that he hath attended these two days upon a committee of the lords, with the book of the commission of peace; and that their work is to empty the commission in some counties by the score, and many of them Parliament men; which course sure helps to ring the passing bell to the Parliament.

Mr. Borough tells me, he is at this present fain to attend some service for the king, but about Saturday he hopes to be at liberty to wait upon your lordship. I humbly rest

Your lordship's forever to honour and serve,
T. MEAUTYS.
January 3, 1621.

I send your lordship herewith the proclamation for dissolving the Parliament, wherein there is nothing forgotten that we have done amiss; but for most of those things that we have well done, we must be fain, I see, to commend ourselves.

I delivered your lordship's to my Lord of Montgomery and Mr. Matthew, who was even then come to York House to visit my lady, when I received the letter; and, as soon as he had read it, he said, that he had rather your lordship had sent him a challenge; and that it had been easier to answer than so noble and kind a letter. He intends to see your lordship some time this week, and so doth Sir Edward Sackville, who is forward to make my lady a way by the prince, if your lordship advise it.

There are packets newly come out of Spain; and the king, they say, seems well pleased with the contents; wherein there is an absolute promise and undertaking for the restitution of the palatinate; the dispensation returned already from the pope, and the match hastened on their parts. My Lord Digby goes shortly; and Mr. Matthew tells me he means, before his going, to write by him to your lordship.

The king goes not till Wednesday, and the prince certainly goes with him. My lord marquis, in person, christens my Lord of Falkland's child to-morrow, at his house by Watford.

Mr. Murray tells me the king hath given your books to my Lord Brooke, and enjoined him to read it, recommending it much to him; and then my Lord Brooke is to return it to your lordship; and so it may go to the press when your lordship pleases, with such amendments as the king hath

To the Right Honourable my most honoured lord, made, which I have seen, and are very few, and

the Lord Viscount St. Alban.

Mary, Countess of Buckingham, mother of the marquis. + Catharine, Marchioness of Buckingham, wife of the marquis, and only daughter and heir of Francis, Earl of Rutland,

John Borough, educated in common law at Gray's Inn, Keeper of the Records in the Tower of London, Secretary to the Earl Marshal, in 1623 made Norroy; in July, the year following, knighted, and on the 23d of December, the same year, made Garter King at Arms, in the place of Sir William Segar. He died October 21, 1643.

those rather words, as epidemic, and mild, instead

Philip, afterwards Earl of Pembroke.

Mr. Meautys was meniber in this Parliament for the town of Cambridge.

Thomas Murray, tutor and secretary to the prince, made provost of Eton College, in the room of Sir Henry Savile, who died February 19, 1621–2. Mr. Murray died, likewise April 1, 1623.

The History of the Reign of King Henry the Seventh || Fulk Grevile.