I know I am come in with as strong an envy of some particulars, as with the love of the general. For my opposition to this business which it seemeth hath been informed to your Majesty, I think it was meant (if it be not a thing merely feigned and without truth or ground) of one of these two things; (for I will dissemble nothing with your Majesty). It is true that in those matters which by your Majesty's commandment and reference came before the table concerning Sir Edward Coke, I was sometimes sharp (it may be too much;) But it was with end to have your Majesty's will performed, or else when methought he was more peremptory than became him in respect of the honour of the table. It is true also, that I disliked the riot or violence whereof we of your Majesty's Council gave your Majesty advertisement by our joint letter, and I disliked it the more because he justified it by law; which was his old song. But in that act of council which was made thereupon, I did not see but all my Lords were as forward as myself, as a thing most necessary for preservation of your peace, which had been so carefully and happily kept in your absence. And all this had a fair end in a reconcilement made by Mr. Attorney, whereby both husband and wife and child should have kept together: which if it had continued, I am persuaded the match had been in better and fairer forwardness than now it is.1 Now for the times of things, I beseech your Majesty to understand that which my Lord of Buckingham will witness with mc, that I never had any word of letter from his Lordship of the business till I wrate my letter of advice; nor again after my letter of advice till five weeks after, which was now within this sennight. So that although I did in truth presume "Soon after my last to you... order was taken that his daughter should be delivered him and disposed of as he should think fit. Whereupon he sent her to Kingston, to his son's, Sir Robert Coke's, where she yet remains, and her mother having permission to resort unto her (but not to lie in the house) she hired a lodging in the town and kept her such company all day that nobody else could have access. Whereupon her coming is moderated, and divers of her instru ments in conveying her away are called in question and committed. Whereupon finding herself forsaken of her friends, who dare not show themselves too far in the business, and seeing she struggles in vain, she begins to come about: and upon a letter to her from my L. of Buckingham, hath returned answer, as I hear, that if this course had been taken with her at the first, things might have proceeded better; and upon some conditions can be content to double the portion her hus band hath offered, and so make up the match and give it her blessing." Cham. berlait. to Carleton 9 Aug. 1617. 25 weeks after 12 July would be 16 Aug. In which case he must have been writing about the 23rd. It should probably be 3 weeks: see next note. 1617.] REPLY TO THE KING'S FIRST LETTER OF REBUKE, 241 that the Earl would do nothing without your Majesty's privity, yet I was in some doubt by this his silence of his own mind, that he was not earnest in it, but only was content to embrace the officious offers and endeavours of others. But to conclude this point, after I had received by a former letter of his Lordship' knowledge of his mind, I think Sir Edward Coke himself the last time he was before the Lords mought plainly perceive an alteration in my carriage. And now that your Majesty hath been pleased to open yourself to me, I shall be willing to further the match by any thing that shall be desired of me, or that is in my power. And whereas your Majesty conceiveth some dregs of spleen in me by the word "Mr. Bacon;" truly it was but to express in thankfulness the comparative of my fortune unto your Ma jesty the author of it, as the better to show how little I needed to fear, while I had your favour; for I thank God I was never vindicative nor implacable. As for my opinion of prejudice to your Majesty's service, (as I touched it before) I have done with it. Your Majesty being satisfied, I do humbly acquiesce and anchor upon your Majesty's judgment, who unto judgment have also power so to mingle the elements as may conserve the fabric. For the interest which I have in the mother, I do not doubt but it was increased by this, that I in judgment (as I then stood) affected that which she did in passion. But I think the chief obligation was, that I stood so firmly to her in the matter of her assurance, wherein I supposed I did your Majesty service, and mentioned it in a memorial of council-business (as half craving thanks for it). And sure I am now, that and the like hath made Sir Edward Coke a convert, as I did write to your Majesty in my last. For the collation of the two spirits, I shall casily subscribe to your Majesty's censure; for Solomon were no truc man, if in matter of malice the woman should not be the superior.' ' In Stephens's catalogue there is entered among the letters to the D. of Buck. ingham one dated 6 Aug. 1617, beginning "I have at last received," and d scribed as "shewing his acquiescence in the match." If this was Bacon's answer to the "former letter" here mentioned, he has miscounted his weeks, or more probably we should read 3 instead of 5. In which case the present letter would be dated about the 12th of August. ? See letter of the 25th July, p. 232–“ when I was but Mr. Bacon." The beginning of a sentence which followed in the MS.—" And I like her the worse for some late insinuations as if Sir Jh. Villiers"—has a line drawn through it. VOL. VI. R To conclude, I have gone through, with the plainness of truth, the parts of your Majesty's letter, very humbly craving pardon for troubling your Majesty so long; and most humbly praying your Majesty to maintain me in your grace and favour, which is the fruit of my life upon the root of a good conscience. And although time in this business have cast me upon a particular which I confess may have probable shew of passion or interest; yet God is my witness that the thing that most moved me was an anxious and sollicitous care of your Majesty's state and service, out of consideration of the time past and present. God ever preserve and bless your Majesty, and send you a joyful return after your prosperous journey.' TO THE EARL OF BUCKINGHAM.2 My very good Lord, Since my last to your Lordship I did first send for Mr. Attorney General, and made him know that since I heard from court I was resolved to further the match and the conditions thereof for your brother's advancement the best I could. I did send also to my Lady Hatton and some of her special friends, to let them know I would in any thing declare for the match; which I did to the end that if they had any apprehension of my assistance they might be discouraged in it. I sent also to Sir John Butler, and after by letter to my Lady your mother, to tender my performance of any good office towards the match or the advancement from the mother; This was all I could think of for the present. I did ever fear that this alliance would go near to lecse me your Lordship that I hold so dear, and that was the only respect particular to myself that moved me to be as I was, till I heard from you. But I will rely upon your constancy and nature, and my own deserving, and the firm tie we have in respect of the King's service. In the mean time I must a little complain to your Lordship, that I do hear my Lady your mother and your brother Sir John do speak of me with some bitterness and neglect. I must bear with the one as a lady and the other as a lover, and with both In Stephens's catalogue there is this entry: "A copy of a letter about Sir John Villiers' match, imperfect, no date. "I do very humbly." 2 Gibson Papers, vol. viii. f. 73. Fair copy. 1617.] THE KING'S REJOINDER. 243 for your Lordship's sake, whom I will make judge of any thing they shall have against me. But I hope, though I be true servant to your Lordship, you will not have me vassal to their passions, especially as long as they [are] governed by Sir Edward Coke and Secretary Winwood; the latter of which I take to be the worst; for Sir Edward Coke, I think, is more modest and discreet. Therefore your Lordship shall do me right, and yet I shall take it for a favour, if you signify to them that you have received satisfaction from me, and would have them use me friendly and in good manner. God keep us from these long journeys and absence, which makes misunderstandings and gives advantage to untruth, and God ever prosper and preserve your Lordship. Your Lordship's true and devoted friend and servant, I have received your Lordship's letter by your man; but having so lately imparted my mind to you in my former letters, I refer your Lordship to those letters, without making a needless repetition, and rest Your Lordship's at command, Ashton, the 12th of Aug. 1617. G. BUCKINGHAM. James R. THE KING TO THE LORD KEEPER. Right trusty and well-beloved Counsellor, we greet you well. Although our approach doth now begin to be near London, and that there doth not appear any great necessity of answering your last letter since we are so shortly to be at home: Yet we have thought good to make some observations to you upon the same, that you may not err by mis. taking our meaning. The first observation we are to make is, That whereas you would invert the second sense wherein we took your mag. num in parvo, in accounting it to be made magnum by their streperous carriage that were for the match, we cannot but show you your mistaking 1 Gibson Papers, vol. viii. f. 72. Orig. Docketed in Bacon's hand, "Bu. 2." Gibson Papers, vol. viii. f. 69, b. Original. The signature in the King's hand. Being dated from Nantwich, in the fifteenth year of the reign, it follows that it was written on the 25th or 26th of August, 1617. See Nichols's Progresses, iii. 411-13. therein. For every wrong must be judged by the first violent and wrongous ground whereupon it proceeds, and was not the thefteous stealing away of the daughter from her own father the first ground whereupon all this great noise hath since proceeded? For the ground of her getting again came upon a lawful and ordinary warrant subscribed by one of our Council for redress of the former violence, and except the father of a child might be proved to be either lunatic or idiot, we never read in any law that either it could be lawful for any creature to steal his child from him or that it was matter of noise and streperous carriage for him to hunt for the recovery of his child again. Our next observation is, That whereas you protest of your affection to Buckingham, and thereafter confess that it is in some sort parent-like, yet after that you have praised his natural parts, we will not say that you throw all down by a direct imputation upon him, but we are sure you do not deny to have had a greater jealousy of his discretion than (so far as we conceive) he ever deserved at your or any man's hands; for you say that you were afraid that the height of his fortune might make him too secure, and so as a looker-on you might sometime see more than a gamester. Now we know not how to interpret this in plain English otherwise than that you were afraid that the height of his fortune might make him misknow himself. And surely if that be your parent-like affection toward him he hath no obligation to you for it. And for our part, besides our own proof that we find him furthest from that vice of any courtier that ever we had so near about us, so do we fear that you shall prove the only phoenix in that jealousy of all the kingdom; for we would be very sorry that the world should apprehend that conceit of him; but we cannot con ceal that we think it was least your part of any to enter into that jealousy of him, whom of we have heard you oft speak in a contrary style. And as for that error of yours which he lately palliated whereof you seem to pretend ignorance, the time is so short since you commended to him one' to be of the Barons of our Exchequer in Ireland, as we cannot think you to be so short of memory as to have forgotten how far you undertook in that business before acquainting us with it, what a long journey you made the poor man undertake, together with the slight recommendation you sent of him, which drave us to those straits that both the poor man had been undone and your credit a little blasted if Buckingham had not by his importunity made us both grant your more than suit (for you had already acted a part of it), and likewise run a hazard of the hindrance of our own service, by preferring a person to so important a place whom you so slightly recommended. Our third observation is upon the point of your opposition to this busi ness, wherein you either do or at least would seem to mistake us a little. For first, whereas you excuse yourself of the oppositions you made against Sir Edward Coke at the council table both for that and other causes, we never took upon us such a patrociny of Sir Edward Coke, as if he were a Mr. Lowder. See above, p. 207. |