The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

LETTERS FROM STEPHENS. 173
satisfy your desert and expectation, yet, take the
TO THE LORD ST. ALBAN.
word of a friend, who will never fail you, hath a
MY NOBLE LORD, tender care of you, full of a fresh memory of
The hearty affection I have borne to your per- your by-past service. His majesty is but for the
son and service, hath made me ambitious to be a present, he says, able to yield unto the three
messenger of good news to you, and an eschewer years' advance, which, if you please to accept,
of ill; this hath been the true reason why I have you are not hereafter the farther off from obtainbeen thus long in answering you, not any negli- ing some better testimony of his favour, worthier
gence in your discreet, modest servant you sent both of him and you, though it can never be anwith your letter, nor his who now returns you swerable to what my heart wishes you, as
this answer, ofttimes given me by your master Your lordship's humble servant,
and mine; who, though by this may seem not to G. BUCKINGHAM.
LETTERS FROM STEPHENS.
TO THE KING. of that business before the end of the term. And
IT MAY PLEASE YOUR MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY, SO I rest
According to your commandment, I send en- Your faithful friend at command,
closed the Preface to the Patent of Creation of GEORGE VILLIERS.
Sir George Villiers. I have not used any glaring Newmarket, Nov. 19, 1616.
terms, but drawn according to your majesty's
instructions, and the note which, thereupon, I
framed, and your majesty allowed, with some adTO THE EARL OF BUCKINGHAM.
ditions, which I have inserted. But I hope your
majesty will be pleased to correct and perfect MY SINGULAR GOOD LORD,
it. Your majesty will also be pleased to When I heard your lordship was dead, I
remember, that if the creation shall be at though I had lived too long. That was (to tell
Roughford, your pleasure and this draught be your lordship truly) the state of my mind upon
speedily returned; for it will ask a sending that report. Since, I hear it was an idle misof the bill for your majesty's signature, and taking of my Lord Evers, for my Lord Villiers:
a sending back of the same to pass the seals, God's name be blessed, that you are alive to do
and a sending thereupon of the patent itself: so infinite good, and not so much as sick or ill disit must be twice sent up and down before the day. posed for any thing I now hear.
God evermore preserve your majesty. I have resigned the prince's seal, and my
Your majesty's most devoted, Lord Hobart is placed. I made the prince laugh,
and most bounden servant, when I told him I resigned it with more comfort
FR. BACON. than I received it; he understanding me that I
July 28, 1616. had changed for a better: but after I had given
him that thought, I turned it upon this, that I left
his state and business in good case, whereof I
gave him a particular account.
TO SIR FRANCIS BACON, HIS MAJESTY'S ATTOR- The queen called upon me for the matter of he
NEY-GENERAL. house, wherein your lordship and my Lord
SIu,- I have acquainted his majesty with your Chamberlain and I dealt, and received his maletter, and the other papers enclosed, who liketh jesty's direction, so that I shall prepare a warvery well of the course you purpose, touching rant, first to my lord treasurer and Mr. Chancelthe manifest to be published of Bertram's fact, lor, (for that is the right way) to advise how to
and will have you, according to your own motion, settle it by assignment, in case she survive his
advise with my lord chancellor of the manner of it. majesty, which I hope in God she shall not.
His majesty's pleasure likewise is, that, according Her desire was expressly and of herself, that
to the declaration he made before the lords of his when I had prepared a warrant to be sent to his
council, at Whitehall, touching the review of my majesty, I should send it by your lordship's
Lord Coke's reports, you draw a warrant ready hand's.
for his signature, directed to those judges whom We sit in council, that is all I can yet say
he then named to that effect, and send it speedily Sir John Denham is not come, upon whose tomto him to be signed, that there may be a despatch ing the king shall have account of our consultaP 2