seals, and a sending thereupon the patent itself: so it must twice be sent up and down before the day. God evermore preserve your majesty. 28 July, 1616. Your majesty's most devoted Stephens's CLV. To Sir GEORGE VILLIERS, on sending his bill for Viscount. second collection, P. 10. SIR, I SEND you the bill for his majesty's signature, reformed according to his majesty's amendments, both in the two places, which, I assure you, were both altered with great judgment, and in the third place, which his majesty termed a question only. But he is an idle body that thinks his majesty asks an idle question; and therefore his majesty's questions are to be answered, by taking away the cause of the question, and not by replying. For the name, his majesty's will is law in those things; and to speak truth, it is a well-sounding and noble name, both here and abroad; and being your proper name, I will take it for a good sign that you shall give honour to your dignity, and not your dignity to you. Therefore I have made it viscount Villiers: and for your barony, I will keep it for an earldom; for though the other had been more orderly, yet that is as usual, and both alike good in law. For Roper's place, I would have it by all means 6 Sir John Roper, who had for many years enjoyed the place of the chief clerk for inrolling of pleas in the court of king's bench, esteemed to be worth about 40001. per annum, being grown old, was prevailed with to surrender it upon being created lord Teynham, with a reservation of the profits thereof to himself during life. Upon which surrender Sir George Villiers was to have the office granted to two of his trustees for their lives, as Carr earl of Somerset was to have had before. But the lord chief justice Coke not being very forward to accept of the surrender, or make a new grant of it upon those terms, he was upon the 3d of October, 1616, commanded to desist from the service of his place, and at last removed from it upon the 15th of November following. His successor Sir Henry Montagu, thrid son of Sir Edward Montagu, of Boughton in Northamptonshire, recorder of London, dispatched and therefore I marvel it lingereth. It were no good manners to take the business out of my lord treasurer's hands; and therefore I purpose to write to his lordship, if I hear not from him first by Mr. Deccomb. But if I hear of any delay, you will give me leave, especially since the king named me, to deal with Sir John Roper myself; for neither I nor my lord treasurer, can deserve any great thanks of you in this business; considering the king hath spoken to Sir John Roper, and he hath promised: and, besides, the thing itself is so reasonable, as it ought to be as soon done as said. I am now gotten into the country to my house, where I have some little liberty to think of that I would think of, and not of that which other men hourly break my head withal, as it was at London, Upon this you may conclude, that most of my thoughts are of his majesty; and then you cannot be far off. God ever keep you, and prosper you. I rest always Your true and most devoted servant, FR. BACON. Aug. 5, one of the happiest days, 1616. CLVI. To Sir GEORGE VILLIERS, on sending Rawley's SIR, his patent. I HAVE sent you now your patent of creation of lord Blechly of Blechly, and of viscount Villiers. Blechly is your own; and I liked the sound of the name better than Whaddon; but the name will be hid, for you will be called viscount Villiers. I have put them both in a patent, after the manner of the patent of arms where baronies are joined: but the chief reason was, because I would avoid double prefaces, which had not been fit: nevertheless the ceremony of robing, and otherwise, must be double. And now, and king's serjeant, being more complaisant, Sir John Roper resigned towards the latter end of the same month; and Mr. Shute, and Mr. Heath, who was afterwards the king's solicitor-general, being the deputies and trustees of Sir George Villiers, were admitted. Stephens's Introduct. p. 37. Resuscitatio. because I am in the country, I will send you some of my country fruits, which with me are good meditations; which, when I am in the city, are choked with business. After that the king shall have watered your new dignities with his bounty of the lands which he intends you, and that some other things concerning your means, which are now likewise in intention, shall be settled upon you: I do not see but you may think your private fortunes established; and therefore it is now time, that you should refer your actions chiefly to the good of your sovereign and your country. It is the life of an ox or a beast always to eat, and never to exercise ; but men are born, especially Christian men, not to cram in their fortunes, but to exercise their virtues; and yet the other have been the unworthy, and sometimes the unlucky humour of great persons in our times; neither will your farther fortune be the farther off: for assure yourself, that fortune is of a woman's nature, that will sooner follow you by slighting than by too much wooing. And in this dedication of yourself to the public, I recommend unto you principally that which I think was never done since I was born; and which not done, hath bred almost a wilderness and solitude in the king's service; which is, that you countenance, and encourage, and advance able and virtuous men in all kinds, degrees, and professions. For in the time of some late great counsellors, when they bare the sway, able men were by design and of purpose suppressed; and though now since choice goeth better both in church and commonwealth, yet money, and turn-serving, and cunning canvasses, and importunity prevail too much. And in places of moment, rather make able and honest men yours, than advance those that are otherwise because they are yours. As for cunning and corrupt men, you must, I know, sometimes use them, but keep them at a distance; and let it appear, that you make use of them, rather than that they lead you. Above all, depend wholly, next to God, upon the king; and be ruled, as hitherto you have been, by his instructions; for that's best for yourself. For the king's care and thoughts concerning you are according to the thoughts of a great king; whereas your thoughts concerning yourself are, and ought to be, according to the thoughts of a modest man. But let me not weary you: the sum is, that you think goodness the best part of greatness; and that you remember whence your rising comes, and make return accordingly. God ever keep you. Your true and most devoted servant, Gorhambury, Aug. 12, 1616. FR. BACON. CLVII. To the KING, of Sir GEORGE VIL- Rawley's LIERS's patent. It may please your most excellent Majesty, I HAVE sent Sir George Villiers' patent, drawn again, containing also a barony; the name Blechly, which is his own, and to my thinking soundeth better than Whaddon. I have included both in one patent, to avoid a double preface, and as hath been used in the patents of earls of the like nature: nevertheless the ceremony of robing and otherwise is to be double, as is also used in the like case of earls. It resteth, that I express unto your majesty my great joy, in your honouring and advancing this gentleman; whom to describe, not with colours, but with true lines, I may say this; your majesty certainly hath found out and chosen a safe nature, a capable man, an honest will, generous and noble affections, and a courage well lodged, and one that I know loveth your majesty unfeignedly, and admireth you as much as is in a man to admire his sovereign upon earth. Only your majesty's school, wherein he hath already so well profited, as in this entrance upon the stage, being the time of the greatest danger, he hath not committed any manifest error, will add perfection to your majesty's comfort and the great contentment of your people. Resuscita tio. God ever preserve your majesty. I rest in all humbleness, Your majesty's most bounden and devoted subject and servant, Gorhambury, FR. BACON. Rawley's CLVIII. To Sir GEORGE VILLIERS, on sending his patent sealed. Resuscita tio, with corrections from the original. SIR, I TOOK much contentment in that I perceived by your letter, that you took in so good part the freedom of my advice, and that yourself in your own nature. and judgment consented therewith. There is no service comparable to good counsel; and the reason is, because no man can do so much for another, as a man may do for himself: now good counsel helpeth a man to help himself; but you have so happy a master as supplieth all. My service and good will shall not be wanting. It was graciously and kindly done also of his majesty towards me, to tell you that you were beholden to me; but it must be then for thinking of you as I do; for otherwise, for speaking as I think, it is but the part of an honest man. I send you your patent, whereof God give you joy; and I send you here inclosed a little note of remembrance for that part of the ceremony which concerneth the patent; for as for other ceremonies, I leave to others. My lord chancellor dispatched your patent presently upon the receipt; and writ to me, how glad he was of it, and how well he wished you. If you write to him a few words of thanks, I think, you shall do well. God keep you and prosper you. I ever rest Your true and most devoted servant, Gorhambury, Aug. 19, 1616. |