The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

74 LETTERS FROM STEPHENS.
other means (whereof I purpose to advise with kept as a secret in the deck, (and was not only of
my lord chancellor) to have both his majesty's Hartington, but also of most of the other particuroyal care, and the truth of the fact, with the lars in your book,) I caused to be thoroughly
circumstances manifested and published. looked into and provided for; without which
For the taking a tie of my lord chief justice your assurance had been nothing worth; and yet
before he was placed, it was done before your I handled it so, and made the matter so well
letter came, and on Tuesday Heath and Shute understood, as you were not put to be a suitor to
shall be admitted and all perfected. the prince, for his good will in it, as others
My lord chancellor purposeth to be at the hall ignorantly thought you must have done.
to-morrow, to give my lord chief justice his oath; Fifthly, The annexation,X (which nobody
I pray God it hurt him not this cold weather. dreamt of, and which some idle, bold lawyer
God ever prosper you. would perhaps have said had been needless, and
Your true and most devoted servant, yet is of that weight, that there was never yet
Fa. BACON. any man that would purchase any such land
Sunday night, the 17th of November, 1616. from the king, except he had a declaration to
discharge it;) I was provident to have it discharged by declaration.
Sixthly, Lest it should be said, that your lordTO THE LORD VISCOUNT VILLIERtS. ship was the first, (except the queen and the
MY VERY GOOD Loan, prince) that brake the annexation, upon a mere
I am glad to find your lordship mindful of your gift; for that others had it discharged only upon
own business, and if any man put you in mind sale, which was for the king's profit and necesof it, I do not dislike that neither; but your lord- sity; I found a remedy for that also; because I
ship may assure yourself in whatsoever you com- have carved it in the declaration, as that this
mit to me, your lordship's further care shall be was not gift to your lordship, but rather a purneedless. For I desire to take nothing from my chase and exchange (as indeed it was) for Shermaster and my friend, but care, and therein I am bourn.
so covetous, as I will leave them as little as Seventhly and lastly, I have taken order (as
may be. much as in me was) that your lordship in these
Now, therefore, things are grown to a conclu- things which you have passed be not abused, if
sion, touching your land and office, I will give you part with them; for I have taken notes in a
your lordship an account of that which is passed; book of their values and former offers.
and acquaint your judgment (which I know to be Now for your office.
great and capable of any thing) with your own First, Whereas my Lord Teynham at the first
business; that you may discern the difference would have had your lordship have had but one
between doing things substantially, and between life in it, and he another; my lord treasurer, and
shuffling and talking: and first for your patent. the solicitor and Deccombe were about to give
First, It was my counsel and care that your way to it; I turned utterly that course, telling
book should be fee-farm and not fee-simple; them that you were to have two lives in it, as
whereby the rent of the crown in succession is well as Somerset had.
not diminished, and yet the quantity of the land Secondly, I have accordingly, in the assurance
which you have upon your value is enlarged; from your deputies, made them acknowledge the
whereby you have both honour and profit. trust and give security not only for your lordship's
Secondly, By the help of Sir Lyonel Cranfield time, but after: so as you may dispose (if you
I advanced the value of Sherbourn from 26,0001. should die, which I would be sorry to live to) the
(which was thought and admitted by my lord profits of the office by your will or otherwise to
treasurer and Sir John Deccomb as a value of any of your friends, for their comfort and advancegreat favour to your lordship, because it was a ment.
thousand pounds more than it was valued at to Thirdly, I dealt so with Whitlocke as well as
Somerset) to thirty-two thousand pounds, where- Heath as there was no difficulty made of the surby there was six thousand pounds gotten and yet render.
justly. Lastly, I did cast with myself, that if your
Thirdly, I advised the course of rating Harting- lordship's deputies had come in by Sir Edward
ton at a hundred years' purchase, and the rest at Coke, who was tied to Somerset, it would have
thirty-five years' purchase fee-farm, to be set been subject to some clamour from Somerset,
down and expressed in the warrant; that it may and some question what was forfeited by Somerappear, and remain of record, that your lordship set's attainder (being but of felony) to the king:
had no other rates made to you in favour than but now they coming in from a new chief justice,
such as purchasers upon sale are seldom drawn all is without question or scruple.
unto; whereby you have honour.
* The annexation by which lands, &c. were united or anFourthly, That lease to the feoffees, which was nexed to the Duchies of' Cornwall and Lancaster.