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Stephens's
second col.
lection,
p. 87.

Vavasor, or Sir John Britain, may have a bountiful and gracious reward for their discovery; but not the prime, or without stint.

In sum, I would wish his majesty to refer the whole business, and carriage of the same for his honour and profit, to the commissioners of treasury; or because it is a legal forfeiture, to myself, Mr. Chancellor, Sir Edward Coke, and my lord chief justice of England: and by us his majesty shall be assured to know the best course for his justice, honour, and profit, and that he may dispose what bounty he will. God ever preserve and prosper you.

Your lordship's most obliged friend re and faithful servant,atus FR. VERULAM, Canc.

York-house, Octob. 19, 1618.

CCIX. To the Lord Chancellor,

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I HAVE acquainted his majesty with your letter, who giveth you thanks for your advice to communicate the business of the Dutchmen to the commissioners of the treasury, which his majesty was before purposed to refer to them, as it concerns his treasure, for the carriage of it: and to your lordship and the rest named in your letter, for the relation it hath to the law. For the proposers of the suit, his majesty intendeth only to reward their pains as may stand with his service and his princely disposition, but to preserve the main benefit himself: all that his majesty would have your lordship to do for the present, is to take order about the writ of Ne eveant regnum; to advise with his learned counsel what course is to be taken, and if by a warrant from his majesty, that your lordship send him a warrant to be signed, which shall be returned with all speed. Of other things his majesty thinketh it will be time enough to speak at his return to LonIn the mean time I rest Your lordship's faithful friend and servant, G. BUCKINGHAM.

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Hinchenbroke, 21 Octob. 16180011001

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on CCX. To the Marquis of BUCKINGHAM. Stephens's My very good Lord,

I HAVE this morning received the petty roll for the sheriffs. I received also the papers exhibited by Sir Miles Fleetwood, which I will use to his majesty's best service, and thereupon give account to his majesty when time serveth.

My care, which is not dormant touching his majesty's service, especially that of treasure, which is now summa summarum, maketh me propound to his majesty a matter, which, God is my witness, I do without contemplation of friend or end, but animo recto.

If Sir Edward Coke continue sick, or keep in, I fear his majesty's service will languish too, in those things which touch upon law; as the calling in debts, recusants, alienations, defalcations, etc. And this is most certain, that in these new diligences, if the first beginning cool, all will go back to the old bias., Therefore it may please his majesty to think of it, whether there will not be a kind of necessity to add my lord chief justice of England to the commissioners of treasure. This I move only to the king and your lordship, otherwise it is a thing er non entibus. God preserve and prosper you.

Your lordship's most faithful servant,
FR. VERULAM, Canc.

From the Star-Chamber,

1659 25 Nov. 1618.

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P.S. I forget not Tufton's cause. All things stay, and precedents are in search.

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CCXI. To the Marquis of BUCKINGHAM.

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My very good Lord,***** THIS long book, w book, which which I send for his majesty's sig nature, was upon a conference and consult yesternight (at which time I was assisted by the two chief justices, and attended by the surveyor, attorney, and receiver of the court of wards, Fleetwood) framed and allowed.

second collection,

p. 88.

Ibid. p. 89.

It is long, because we all thought fit not to piece new instructions with old instructions, but to reduce both old and new into one body of instructions. I do not see that of the articles, which are many, any could have been spared. They are plain, but they have a good property, that they will take fast hold. I may not trouble his majesty with choosing some of them in particular, when all are good: only I think fit to let his majesty know of one, which is, that according to his own directions, the oath of making no private unlawful profit is now as well translated to the master and officers, that may take, as to the parties and suitors that may give.

It little becometh me to possess his majesty that this will be to his majesty's benefit ten thousands yearly, or fifteen thousands, or twenty thousands: for these rattles are fitter for mountebanks of service, than gravė counsellors. But my advices, as far as I am able to discern, tend or extend but to thus much: this is his majesty's surest and easiest way for his most good.

Sir Miles Fleetwood, who both now and heretofore hath done very good service in this, meriteth to be particularly from your lordship encouraged; which I beseech your lordship not to forget. God ever prosper

you.

Your lordship's most faithful bounden friend

and servant,

FR. VERULAM, Canc.

Dec. 4, 1618.

Stephens's second collection, P. 90.

CCXII. To the KING.

May it please your most excellent Majesty, ACCORDING to your majesty's pleasure, signified to us by the lord marquis Buckingham, we have considered of the fitness and conveniency of the gold and silver thread business, as also the profit that may accrue unto your majesty.

We are all of opinion that it is convenient that the same should be settled, having been brought hither at the great charge of your majesty's now agents, and

being a means to set many of your poor subjects on work; and to this purpose there was a former certificate to your majesty from some of us with others.

And for the profit that will arise, we see no cause to doubt: but do conceive apparent likelihood, that it will redound much to your majesty's profit, which we esteem may be at the least 10,000l. by the year; and therefore in a business of such benefit to your majesty, it were good it were settled with all convenient speed, by all lawful means that may be thought of, which, notwithstanding, we most humbly leave to your majesty's highest wisdom.01

Your majesty's most humble and faithful servants, stoder FR. VERULAM, Canc.

H. MONTAGU. HENRY YELVERTON.

4Oct. 1618: The marquis of Buckingham writes from Theobalds to the lord chancellor, that the king being desirous to be satisfied of the gold, and silver thread business, would have his lordship consult the lord chief justice, and the attorney and solicitor-general therein.

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It may please your most excellent Majesty, Do many times with gladness, and for a remedy of my other labours, revolve in my mind the great happiness which God, of his singular goodness, hath accumulated upon your majesty every way; and how complete the same would be if the state of your means were once rectified, and well ordered: Your people military and obedient, fit for war, used to peace: your church illightened with good preachers as an heaven of stars ;

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learned, and
and learning from you, just, and fu

ple; your nobility in a right distance

between crown and people, no oppressors of the people, no over-shadowers of the crown your council full of tributes of care, faith and freedom; your gentlemen and justices of peace willing to apply your royal mandates to the nature of their several counties, but ready to obey your servants in awe of your wisdom, in hope of your goodness; the fields growing every day by the im provement and recovery of grounds from the desert to

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VOL. V.

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Stephens's
second col-
lection,
p. 93.

the garden; the city grown from wood to brick; your sea-walls or pomarium of your island surveyed, and in edifying; your merchants embracing the whole compass of the world, east, west, north, and south; the times gives you peace, and yet offer you opportunities of action abroad and lastly, your excellent royal issue entaileth these blessings and favours of God to descend to all posterity. It resteth, therefore, that God having done so great things for your majesty, and you for others, you would do so much for yourself, as to go through, according to your good beginnings, with the rectifying and settling of your estate and means, which only is wanting; hoc rebus defuit unum. I therefore, whom only love and duty to your majesty, and your royal line, hath made a financier, do intend to present unto your majesty a perfect book of your estate, like a perspective glass, to draw your estate nearer to your sight; beseeching your majesty to conceive, that if I have not attained to do that that I would do, in this which is not proper for me, in my element, I shall make your majesty amends in some other thing, in which I am better bred. God ever preserve, etc.

Jan. 2, 1618.

CCXIV. To the Marquis of BUCKINGHAM.

My very good Lord,

IF I should use the count de Gondomar's action, I should first lay your last letter to my mouth in token of thanks, and then to my heart in token of contentment, and then to my forehead in token of a perpetual remembrance.

I send now to know how his majesty doth after his remove, and to give you account, that yesterday was a day of motions in the chancery. This day was a day of motions in the star-chamber, and it was my hap to clear the bar, that no man was left to move any thing, which my lords were pleased to note they never saw before. To-morrow is a sealing day; Thursday is the funeral day; so that I pray your lordship to direct me whether I shall attend his majesty Friday or Saturday. Friday

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