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, I cannot too oft acknowledge your highness's favour in my troubles; but acknowledgment now is but begging of new favour. Yet, even that is not inconvenient; for thanksgiving and petition go well together, even to God himself. My humble suit to your highness, that I may be thought on for means to subsist; and to that purpose, 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 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. great. I have served your majesty now seventeen God preserve and prosper your majesty. September 5, 1621. The poor servant and beadsman, FR. ST. ALBAN. 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 your 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 imjesty 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, helps 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 acquiescence, if there be cause. So I rest 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 VISCOUNT ST. ALBAN. MY VERY GOOD LORD, 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 would be had of your lordship's present estate, and especially to my judgment and fidelity. I have ever affectionately loved your lordship's many and most excelling good parts and endowments; nor had ever cause to disaffect your lordship's person: so as no respect in the world, beside the former considerations, could have drawn me to add the least affliction or discontentment unto your lordship's present fortune. 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. October 18, 1621. PETITION OF THE LORD VISCOUNT ST. alban, INTENDED FOR THE HOUSE OF LORDS. MY RIGHT HONOURABLE VERY GOOD LORDS, In all humbleness, acknowledging your lordships' justice, I do now, in like manner, crave and implore your grace and compassion. I am old, weak, ruined, in want, a very subject of pity. My only suit to your lordships is to show me your noble favour towards the release of my confinement, (so every confinement is,) and to me, I protest, worse than the Tower.* There I could have had company, physicians, conference with my creditors and friends about my debts, and the 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 good, 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. • This passage has a line drawn over it. 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 discharged after two days' confinement there, according to 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 81021-2 VOL. III-18 charge that day. M 3 shall do my creditors good; and, it may be, you shall do posterity good, if out of the carcass of dead and rotten greatness, as out of Samson's lion, there may be honey gathered for the use of future times. God bless your persons and counsels. Endorsed, indeed to save you the trouble of writing: I mean the reason in the second place; for the chief was to see your lordship. But since you are pleased to give me the liberty to send to your lordship one to whom you will deliver your mind, I take that in so good part, as I think myself tied the more to use that liberty modestly. Wherefore, if your lordship will vouchsafe to send to me one of your own, (except I might have leave to come Copy of the petition intended for the House of Par- to London,) either Mr. Packer, my ancient friend, liament. TO JOHN, LORD DIGBY.* MY VERY GOOD Lord, Receiving, by Mr. Johnson, your loving salutations, it made me call to mind many of your lordship's tokens, yea, and pledges, of good and hearty affection in both my fortunes; for which I shall be ever yours. I pray, my lord, if occasion serve, give me your good word to the king, for the release of my confinement, which is to me a very strait kind of imprisonment. I am no Jesuit, nor no leper; but one that served his majesty these sixteen years, even from the commission of the union till this last Parliament, and ever had many thanks of his majesty, and was never chidden. This his majesty, I know, will remember at one time or other; for I am his man still. God keep your lordship. Your lordship's most affectionate FR. ST. ALBAN. Gorhambury, this last of December, 1621. TO THE LORD VISCOUNT ST. ALBAN.† MY HONOURAble Lord, I have received your lordship's letter, and have been long thinking upon it, and the longer, the less able to make answer unto it. Therefore, if your lordship will be pleased to send any understanding man unto me, to whom I may in discourse open myself, I will, by that means, so discover my heart, with all freedom, which were too long to do by letter, especially in this time of Parliament business, that your lordship shall receive satisfaction. In the mean time I rest Your lordship's faithful servant, G. BUCKINGHAM. Royston, December 16, 1621. TO THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM. MY VERY GOOD LORD, The reason why I was so desirous to have had conference with your lordship at London, was Created so in November, loi8, and in September, 1622, Earl of Bristol. f Harl. MSS. vol. 7000. or Mr. Aylesbury,* of whose good affection towards me I have heard report; to me it shall be indifferent. But if your lordship will have one of my nomination, if I might presume so far, I would name, before all others, my Lord of Falkland. But because perhaps it may cost him a journey, which I may not in good manners desire, I have thought of Sir Edward Sackville, Sir Robert Mansell, my brother, Mr. Solicitor General,† (who, though he be almost a stranger to me, yet, as my case now is, I had rather employ a man of good nature than a friend,) and Sir Arthur Ingram, notwithstanding he be great with my Lord Treasurer. Of these, if your lordship shall be pleased to prick one, I hope well I shall entreat him to attend your lordship, and to be sorry never a whit of the employment. Your lordship may take your own time to signify your will in regard of the present business of Parliament. But my time was confined by due respect to write a present answer to a letter, which I construed to be a kind letter, and such as giveth me yet hope to show myself to your lordship. Your lordship's most obliged friend and faithful servant, Endorsed, FR. ST. ALBAN. To the Lord of Buckingham, in answer to his of the 16th of December. THOMAS MEAUTYS, ESQ. TO THE LORD VIS COUNT ST. ALBAN. MAY It please your Lordship, As soon as I came to London I repaired to Sir Edward Sackville, whom I find very zealous, as I told your lordship. I left him to do your * Thomas Aylesbury, Esq., secretary to the Marquis of Buckingham, as lord high admiral. He was created a baronet in 1627. Lord Chancellor Clarendon married his daughter Frances. + Sir Robert Heath, made solicitor in January 14, 1620-1. He had been secretary to the Lord Viscount St. Alban, while his lordship had the great seal, and was afterwards clerk of the council, and knighted. He succeeded his patron in the manor of Gorhambury, which, after the death of Sir Thomas, came to his cousin and heir, Sir Thomas Meautys who married Anne, daughter of Sir Nathaniel Bacon, of Culford Hall, in Suffolk, knight; which lady married a second husband, Sir Harbottle Grimstone, baronet, and master of the rolls, who purchased the reversion of Gorhambury from Sir Hercules Meautys, nephew of the second Sir Thomas. Afterwards Earl of Dorset, well known for his duel, in 1613, with the Lord Kinloss, in which the latter was killed. service, in any particular you shall command TO THE LORD VISCOUNT ST. ALBAN. him, 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 lord what advice he had given to my lady this after-marquis, procured for her by my Lord of Montnoon, upon his visiting of her at York House, gomery* and Sir Edward Sackville, who see:ned 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 purposeth 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, 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 member 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. of debonnaire, etc. Only that of persons attainted, enabled to serve in Parliament by a bare reversal of their attainder, the king by all means will have left out. I met with my Lord Brooke, and told him, that Mr. Murray had directed me to wait upon him for the book, when he had done with it. He desired to be spared this week, as being to him a week of much business, and the next week I should have it; and he ended in a compliment, that care should be taken, by all means, for good ink and paper to print it in, for that the book deserveth it. I beg leave to kiss your lordship's hands. Your lordship's in all humbleness January 7, 1621-2. to honour and serve, T. MEAUTYS. This proclamation is not yet sealed; and, there fore, your lordship may please as yet to keep it in your own hands. TO THE LORD VISCOUNT ST. ALBAN. MY MOST HONOured Lord, I met, even now, with a piece of news so unexpected, and yet so certainly true, as that, howsoever, I had much ado, at first, to desire the relater to speak probably; yet, now I dare send it your lordship upon my credit. It is my Lord of Somerset's and his lady's coming out of the Tower, on Saturday last, fetched forth by my Lord of Falkland, and without the usual degrees of confinement, at first to some one place, but absolute and free, to go where they please. I know not how peradventure this might occasion you to cast your thoughts, touching yourself, into some new mould, though not in the main, yet in something on the by. I beg leave to kiss your lordship's hands. Your lordship's, in all humbleness, forever to honour and serve you, T. MEAUTYS. LODOWIC STUART, DUKE of Lenox, TO THE LORD VISCOUNT ST. ALBAN. MY LORD, It is not unknown to your lordship, that, in respect I am now a married man, I have more reason than before to think of providing me some house in London, whereof I am yet destitute; and for that purpose I have resolved to entreat your lordship, that I may deal with you for York House; wherein I will not offer any conditions to your loss. And, in respect I have understood, that the consideration of your lady's wanting a house hath bred some difficulty in your lordship to part with it, I will for that make offer unto your lordship, and your lady, to use the house in Canon Row, late the Earl of Hertford's, being a very commodious and capable house, wherein I and my wife have absolute power; and whereof your lordship shall have as long time as you can challenge or desire of York House. In this I do freelier deal with your lordship, in respect I know you are well assured of my well wishes to you in general; and that in this particular, though I have not been without thoughts of this house before your lordship had it, yet, I was willing to give way to your lordship's more pressing use thereof then. And as I do not doubt of your shall esteem it as an extraordinary courtesy, which lordship's endeavour to gratify me in this, so I I will study to requite by all means. So, with my best wishes to your lordship, I rest Your lordship's most loving friend, LENOX. In respect my Lord of Buckingham was once desirous to have had this house, I would not deal for it till now, that he is otherwise provided. Whitehall, the 29th of January, 1621. To the Right Honourable my very good lord, my Lord Viscount St. Alban. ANSWER OF THE lord viscoUNT OF ST. ALBAN. MY VERY GOOD Lord, I am sorry to deny your grace any thing; but in this you will pardon me. York House is the house wherein my father died, and wherein I first breathed; and there will I yield my last breath, if so please God, and the king will give me leave; though I be now by fortune (as the old proverb is) like a bear in a monk's hood. At least no money, no value, shall make me part with it. Besides, as I never denied it to my lord marquis, so yet the difficulty I made was so like a denial, as I owe unto my great love and respect to his lordship a denial to all my other friends; among whom, in a very near place next his lordship, I ever accounted of your grace. So, not doubting that you will continue me in your former love and good affection, I rest Your grace's, to do you humble TO THE MArquis of BUCKINGHAM. MY VERY GOOD LORD, As my hopes, since my misfortunes, have proceeded of your lordship's mere motion, without any petition of mine, so I leave the times and the |