his opinion thereof to his majesty, and hath understood what his majesty conceived of the same; wherewith he will acquaint your lordship, and with his own observation and judgment of the businesses of that country.

I give your lordship hearty thanks for your care to satisfy my Lady of Rutland's desire; and will be as careful, when I come to York, of recommending your suit to the bishopt. So I rest

Newark, the 5th

of April, 1617.

Your Lordship's ever at command,
G. BUCKINGHAM.

To the Lord Keeper.‡

My honourable Lord,

I spake at York with the Archbishop, || touching the house, which he hath wholly put into your hands to do with it what your lordship shall be pleased.

I have heretofore, since we were in this journey, moved his majesty for a dispatch of my Lord Brackley's§ business: but, because his majesty never having heard of any precedent in the like case, was of opinion, that this would be of ill consequence in making that dignity as easy as the pulling out of a sword to make a man a knight, and so make it of little esteem, he was desirous to be assured, first, that it was no new course, before he would do it in that fashion. But since he can receive no assurance from your lordship of any precedent in that kind, his majesty intendeth not so to precipitate the business, as to expose that dignity to censure and contempt, in omitting the solemnities required, and usually belonging unto it.

His majesty, though he were a while troubled with a little pain in his back, which hindered his hunting, is now, God be thanked, very well, and as merry as ever he and we have all held out well.

was;

customs in Ireland (not but there were laws for the same before); of which the first year's revenue amounted but to 500l.; but before his death, which was about twenty-two years after, they were let for 54,000l. per annum.— -Borlase's Reduction of Ireland to the Crown of England, p. 200. Edit. London, 1675.

* Frances, Countess of Rutland, first wife of Francis, Earl of Rutland, and daughter and coheir of Sir Henry Knevet, of Charleton, in Wiltshire, knight. She had by the earl an only daughter and heir, Catharine, first married to George, Marquis, and afterwards Duke, of Buckingham; and secondly, to Randolph Macdonald, Earl, and afterwards Marquis, of Antrim, in Ireland. + Relating to York House.

Harl. MSS. Vol. 7006.

|| Dr. Tobie Matthew.

Who desired to be created earl in an unusual manner, by letters patents, without the delivering of the patent by the king's own hand, or without the ordinary solemnities of creation. He was accordingly created Earl of Bridgewater, May 27, 1617.

I shewed his majesty your letter, who taketh very well your care and desire to hear of his health. So I commit you to God, and rest

Aukland, the 18th of April, 1617.

Your Lordship's most assured Friend
to do you service,

G. BUCKINGHAM,

Since the writing of this letter I have had some farther speech with his majesty, touching my Lord Brackley; and find, that if, in your lordship's information in the course, you write any thing that may tend to the furthering of the dispatch of it in that kind, he desireth it may be done.

To the Lord Keeper.*

My honourable Lord,

I send your lordship the warrant for the queen, † signed by his majesty, to whom I have likewise delivered your lordship's letter. And touching the matter of the pirates, his majesty cannot yet resolve; but within a day or two your lordship shall see a dispatch, which he purposeth to send to the lords of his council in general, what his opinion and pleasure is in that point.

I would not omit this opportunity to let your lordship know, that his majesty, God be thanked, is in very good health, and so well pleased with his journey, that I never

saw him better nor merrier. So I rest

From Newcastle, the 23d of April, 1617,

Your Lordship's ever at command,
G. BUCKINGHAM,

I understand that Sir Lewis Tresham hath a suit depending in the Chancery before your lordship; and therefore, out of my love and respect toward him, I have thought fit to recommend him unto your favour so far only as may stand with justice and equity, which is all he desireth, having to encounter a strong party. And because he is shortly to go into Spain about some other business of his own, I farther desire your lordship to give him what expedition you can, that he may receive no prejudice by his journey.

Indorsed.-May 6, 1616.

* Harl. MSS. Vol. 7006.

Your Lordship's ever at command,
G. BUCKINGHAM.

† Relating to her house. See the Lord Keeper's letter of April 7, 1617, printed in his works.

And

I have, by reports, heard that which doth much grieve and trouble me, that your lordship hath, through a pain in one of your legs, been forced to keep your chamber. being desirous to understand the true estate of your health, which reports do not always bring, I intreat your lordship to favour me with a word or two from yourself, which, I hope, will bring me the comfort I desire, who cannot but be very sensible of whatsoever happeneth to your lordship, as being

Your Lordship's most affectionate to do you service, From Edinburgh, the G. BUCKINGHAM.

3d of June, 1617.

His majesty, God be thanked, is very well, and safely returned from his hunting journey.

To the Earl of Buckingham.

My very good Lord,

This day I have made even with the business of the kingdom for common justice; not one cause unheard; the lawyers drawn dry of all the motions they were to make; not one petition unanswered. And this, I think, could not be said in our age before. This I speak, not out of ostentation, but out of gladness, when I have done my duty. I know men think I cannot continue if I should thus oppress myself with business: but that account is made. The duties of life are more than life; and if I die now, I shall die before the world be weary of me, which in our times is somewhat rare. And all this while I have been a little unperfect in my foot. But I have taken pains more like the beast with four legs than like a man with scarce two legs. But if it be a gout, which I do neither acknowledge, nor much disclaim, it is a good-natured gout; for I have no rage of it, and it goeth away quickly. I have hope it is but an accident of changing from a field air† to a Thames air; or rather, I think, it is the distance of the king and your lordship from me, that doth congeal my humours and spirits.

When I had written this letter I received your lordship's letter of the third of this present, wherein your lordship sheweth your solicitous care of my health, which did wonderfully comfort me. And it is true, that at this

*Harl, MSS. Vol. 7006.

+ Gray's Inn. Dorset House, originally belonging to the Bishops of Salisbury, afterwards the house of Sir Richard Sackville, and then of his son, Sir Thomas, Earl of Dorset, and Lord Treasurer.

present I am very well, and my supposed gout quite vanished.

I humbly pray you to commend my service, infinite in desire, howsoever limited in ability, to his majesty, to hear of whose health and good disposition is to me the greatest beatitude which I can receive in this world. And I humbly beseech his majesty to pardon me, that I do not now send him my account of council business, and other his royal commands, till within these four days; because the flood of business of justice did hitherto wholly possess me; which, I know, worketh this effect, as it contenteth his subjects, and knitteth their hearts more and more to his majesty, though, I must confess, my mind is upon other matters, as his majesty shall know, by the grace of God, at his return. God ever bless and prosper you. Your Lordship's true and most

Whitehall, this 8th

of June, 1617.

devoted Friend and Servant, FR. BACON.

To the Lord Keeper.

My honourable Lord,

Your lordship will understand, by Sir Thomas Lake's letter, his majesty's directions touching the surveyor's deputy of the Court of Wards. And though I assure myself of your lordship's care of the business, which his majesty maketh his own, yet my respect to Sir Robert Naunton maketh me add my recommendation thereof to your lordship, whom I desire to give all the furtherance. and assistance you can to the business, that no prejudice or imputation may light upon Sir Robert Naunton, through his zealous affection to attend his majesty in this journey. I will not omit to let you know, that his majesty is very well, and receiveth much contentment in his journey. And with this conclusion I rest

Your Lordship's most affectionate to do you service, Edinburgh, the 11th of June, 1617. G. BUCKINGHAM.

To the Lord Viscount Fenton. †

My very good Lord,

I thank your lordship for your courteous letter; and, if I were asked the question, I would always choose rather to have a letter of no news than a letter of news;

* Surveyor of the Court of Wards.

for news

+ Sir Thomas Erskine, who, for his service to the king, in the attempt of the Earl of Gowry, was, upon his majesty's accession to the throne of England, made Captain of his Guard in the room of Sir Walter Ralegh. He was afterwards created Earl of Kelly.

imports alteration; but letters of kindness and respect bring that which, though it be no news amongst friends, is more welcome.

I am exceedingly glad to hear, that this journey of his majesty, which I never esteemed more than a long progress, save that it had reason of state joined with pleasure, doth sort to be so joyful and so comfortable.

For your parliament, God speed it well: and for ours, you know the sea would be calm, if it were not for the winds: and I hope the king, whensoever that shall be, will find those winds reasonably well laid. Now that the sun is got up a little higher, God ordains all things to the happiness of his majesty and his monarchy.

My health, I thank God, is good; and I hope this supposed gout was but an incomer. I ever rest Your Lordship's affectionate and assured Friend, FR. BACON.

Whitehall, June 18, 1617.

To the Lord Keeper, written from Scotland,

June 28, 1618.*

I will begin to speak of the business of this day; opus hujus diei in die suo, which is of the parliament. It began on the 7th of this month, and ended this day, being the 28th of June. His majesty, as I perceived by relation, rode thither in great state the first day. These eyes are witnesses that he rode in an honourable fashion, as I have seen him in England, this day. All the lords rode in English robes; not an English Íord on horseback, though all the parliament-house at his majesty's elbow, but my Lord of Buckingham, who waited upon the king's stirrup in his collar, but not in his robes. His majesty the first day, by way of preparation to the subject of the parliament, made declaratory speech, wherein he expressed himself what he would not do, but what he would do. The relation is too prolix for a sheet of paper; and I am promised a copy of it, which I will bring myself unto your lordship with all the speed I may. But I may not be so reserved as not to tell your lordship, that in that speech his majesty was pleased to do England and Englishmen much honour and grace; and that he studied nothing so much, sleeping and waking, as to reduce the barbarity (I have warrant to use the king's own word) of this country unto the sweet civility of ours; adding farther, that if the Scottish nation would

*From a copy in the Paper-office.

a