Your Lordship will be pleased to have a little care of the bestowing of this letter. Lest Mr. Secretary should be come away before the delivery of this packet, I have thought fit to direct it to your Lordship, with this letter to your Lordship about the court of Wards, and another to the Lords from his Majesty. Which is all I have now to write, but that I ever rest, Your Lordship's faithful friend and servant, Newmarket, the 7 of December, 1617. G. BUCKINGHAM. My honourable Lord, TO THE LORD KEEPER.2 I have acquainted his Majesty with your Lordship's letter, who hath followed your directions therein, and hath written to the Lords accordingly. Which is all I have now to write to your Lordship, but that I shall ever rest Your Lordship's faithful friend and servant, Newmarket, the 9th day of December, 1617. G. BUCKINGHAM. The next letter relates to a matter in which Bacon's private interests were concerned. He held a patent from the Crown of some value-the farm of the Petty Writs: paying a fixed rent to the King for the privilege of receiving the proceeds to his own use. It seems that about this time Sir George Chaworth had offered to give a higher rent for it, whether upon discovery of a way to increase the value, or only as thinking that the actual proceeds were worth more, I do not know. But being a project for the King's benefit it obliged Bacon to make a new arrangement: the nature of which may be partly gathered from the next letter. He offered the King a better bargain, and contrived at the same time to make it worth Sir George's while to drop his suit. If a letter from Bacon to Buckingham of the 10th of December 1617, the opening words and the 1 Harl. MSS. 7006. f. 54. Orig. Docketed by Meautys, "Dec. 7. 1617. The Earl of Buck to your Lp. enclosing a letter under the King's signature touching the Court of Wards, and another to the Lords touching the sub-commission." 2 Harl. MSS. 7006. f. 56. Orig. Docketed by Meautys, "My lo. of Buckm to your Lop shewing the king's liking of your opinion and choice of names for sub-commission." subject of which are entered in Stephens's catalogue, should be found, it would probably tell something more. In the meantime this is enough to make the following letter intelligible. TO THE EARL OF BUCKINGHAM.2 My very good Lord, Sir George Chaworth and I am agreed, so that now I shall retain the grace of my place, and yet he rewarded. The King hath no ill bargain; for he hath four times as much as was offered by Sir George of increase, and yet I take upon me to content my servants, and to content him. Nevertheless I shall think myself pleasured by his Majesty, and do acknowledge that your Lordship hath dealt very honourably and nobly with me. I send inclosed a letter whereby your Lordship signifieth his Majesty's pleasure to me, and I shall make the warrant to Mr. Attorney; I desire it may be carried in privateness. I ever The new year brought some changes, but chiefly in titles and dignities. A rumour that Buckingham "meant to resign the mastership of the Horse to the Marquis of Hamilton, and was to compound with the Lord Admiral for his place," had been current a month or two before; and it may be true that the King had some project of the kind. It seems however that Buckingham himself was not a party to it. For we learn from another of Carleton's correspondents, writing on the 7th of January, that it was then said "he had absolutely refused to be Admiral, in respect of the King's service, not being experienced in that office."4 Upon which the King “in requital” made him a Marquis. The patent was a New-Year's gift, and bestowed apparently without any ceremony. Beginning, "I find Sir Geo. Chaworth." Contents, "Touching the farming of the small writs." 2 Gibson Papers, vol. viii. f. 87. Copy. Docketed "The last of December, 1617. Y Lp. to the Earl of Buckingham touching Sir George Chaworth's suit." 3 Chamberlain to Carleton. 15 Nov. 1617. 4 Sir Edward Harwood to Sir D. Carleton, 7 Jan. 1617-8. S. P. Dom. vol. xcv. no. 8. On the Sunday after New-Year's day, the new Marquis made a great feast; at which among other things the Lord Keeper was made Lord Chancellor: "wherein," says Chamberlain, "besides the title he hath this advantage, that it is for life, with £600 a year increase." Nor was this the only favour bestowed upon him at this time. The speech goes," adds the same authority, "that he shall be made a Baron, and hath the making of another given him to discharge his debts; which in courtesy he hath offered to his eldest brother for £1000 less than another should give which he will not accept mindful perhaps of his father's motto or posy, mediocria firma. His Lordship hath of late much insinuated into the King's and Lord Marquis's favour; and takes a new course of thriving; having at one clap cashiered sixteen of his gallants." : This last circumstance will be found hereafter to be of some importance in connexion with the date of the offences for which he was impeached. It seems to indicate a serious effort to set his house in better order, at a time when his fortune was otherwise very prosperous and nothing seemed to threaten a reverse. Nor was it made altogether in vain, if it be true, as I believe it is, that none of the acts laid to his charge were then of recent date. But this belongs to a future chapter. Perhaps it was only his present occupation in the retrenchment of expenses in the King's household that reminded him of the expediency of doing the same in his own, which wanted it almost as much. Such New-Year's gifts as a pair of golden candlesticks for the Prince, or the cup of essay for the Marquis (see the next letters), were not extravagant. But if forty pounds' worth of plate as a new year's gift to the Archbishop of Spalato was not an exceptional case,-if it was a fair sample of the style in which he did these things, the disappearance of an ample income without clearing his estate from debt needs no curious explanation. These things premised, the correspondence may go on as before. TO THE EARL OF BUCKINGHAM.3 My very good Lord, Your Lordship's letters patents are ready. I would be glad to be one of the witnesses at the delivery. And therefore, if the 1 Chamberlain to Carleton, 10 Jan. 1618-9. S. P. Dom. vol. xcv. no. 11. 2 "I hear the King gave him a new-year's gift of plate to the value of £100, and the Lord Chancellor gave him one of £40." Chamberlain to Carleton, 17 Jan. 1617-18. 3 Gibson Papers, vol. viii. f. 86. Copy by Meautys. Docketed by Meautys, "New-Year's Eve, 1617. A letter to my Lo. of Buck" upon the sending of a New-Year's gift." King and your Lordship will give me leave, I will bring it tomorrow at any hour shall be appointed. Your Lordship's ever, New-Years eve, 1617. FR. BACON. I am bold to send your Lordship for your New-Year's gift a plain cup of essay, in token that if your Lordship in any thing shall make me your sayman, I will be hurt before your Lordship shall be hurt. I present therewith to you my best service, which shall be my All-Year's gift. To SIR JAMES FULLERTON.1 I presume to send his Highness a pair of small candlesticks of gold, in token that I hope and pray that his light and the light of his posterity upon church and commonwealth may never fail. I pray do me the favour to present it to his Highness, with my best and humblest service. Your most affectionate and assured friend, New-Year's Eve, 1617. FR. BACON, C. S. TO THE LORD CHANCELLOR.2 My honourable Lord, I have heretofore recommended unto your Lordship the determination of the cause between Sir Rowland Egerton and Edward Egerton, who I understand did both agree, being before your Lordship, upon the values of the whole lands. And as your Lordship hath already made so good an entrance into the business, I doubt not but you will be as noble in furthering the full agreement between the parties, whereunto I am informed Sir Rowland Egerton is very forward, offering on his part that which to me seemeth very reasonable, either to divide the lands and his adverse party to choose, or the other to divide and he to choose. Where. upon my desire to your Lordship is that you would accordingly make a final end between them in making a division and setting forth the lands according to the values agreed upon by the parties themselves. Wherein 1 Gibson Papers, vol. viii. f. 88. Copy by Meautys. No fly-leaf. Docketed in the usual hand, "To Sir James Fullerton upon the presenting of a New-Year's gift to the Prince." 2 He had been Surveyor of the Lands to Prince Charles, when Duke of York; and was Groom of the Stole to him when King. He died in January, 163f. (Note by Birch.) 2 Harl. MSS. 7006. f. 58. Orig. Docketed by Meautys, "9 Jan. 1617. The Marquis of Buck. to yr. Lp. touching Egerton's cause." besides the charitable work your Lordship shall do in making end of a controversy between those whom name and blood should tie together and keep in unity, I will acknowledge your favour as unto myself, and will ever rest Your Lordship's faithful servant, G. BUCKINGHAM. Theobalds, the 9th of TO THE LORD CHANCELLOR.1 My honourable Lord, His Majesty having given order to Mr. Solicitor to acquaint your Lordship with a business touching alehouses, that upon consideration thereof you might certify your opinion unto his Majesty, whether it be fit to be granted or not, I have thought fit to desire your Lordship to give it what favour and furtherance you may, (if you find it reasonable and not prejudicial to his Majesty's service,) because it concerneth Mr. Patrick Maule and my brother Christopher Villiers, whose benefit I have reason to wish and advance by any just course. And so I rest Royston, Jan. 11th, 1617. Your Lordship's faithful servant, SIR LIONEL CRANFIELD TO BUCKINGHAM, 14 JAN. 1617. "I was yesternight with my Lo. Chancellor, with whom I spent some time in acquainting him with the manner of our proceedings, who was pleased to approve thereof, and is as full of hope and desire it may succeed to his Majesty's satisfaction as we that are the labourers in it." TO THE RIGHT HON. HIS VERY GOOD L. THE L. MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM, OF HIS MS MOST HON. PR. COUNSEL. My very good Lord, I write now only rather in a kind of continuance and fresh suit upon the King's business, than that the same is yet ripe either for advertisement or advice. The sub-commissioners meet forenoon and afternoon with great diligence, and without distraction, or running several ways: which if it be no more than necessary, what would less have done? that is if there had been no sub-commissioners, or they not well chosen. I speak with Sir Lionel Cranfield as cause requireth either 1 Harl. MSS. 7006. f. 60. Orig. Docketed "1617, 11 January. The L. Marquis Buck. to my Lo. concerning the suit of Mr. Patrick Maule and Mr. Christopher Villiers touching alehouses." 3 On the great business of the Household. Fortescue Papers. VOL. VI. U |