Imagens das páginas
PDF
ePub

1621.]

NEGOTIATION TO APPEASE BUCKINGHAM.

323

and was never chidden. This his Majesty, I know, will remember at one time or other; for I am his man still.

God keep your Lordship.

[blocks in formation]

With regard to the negotiations with Buckingham which followed, in which the childishness of many of the circumstances contrasts so strangely with the seriousness of the question at issue-being no less than whether the author of the Advancement of Learning,' the 'Novum Organum,' and the 'History of Henry VII. 'should be enabled to pursue in peace a life of study-I do not think I can do better than present the correspondence in its original shape. For I have no means of completing the story, or filling up the gaps; and a clearer idea of the transaction will be given by the unabridged reports of the several actors than any abstract would convey. Nor are the letters themselves without interest, however contemptible the argument. Thomas Meautys,-one of the noblest of the noble order of loyal servants,-loyal to the full extent of his means and abilities,—in adversity as in prosperity, in disgrace as in honour,— loyal through life and beyond it,―superstitis cultor, defuncti admirator, the creditor who never ceased to be a friend,-well deserves to be introduced in person to those who take any interest in Bacon. And the others who have a part in the business are all people of note, and shown in unaccustomed lights :-Lenox, Falkland, Sackville, Gondomar, Matthew, Buckingham himself; and (not the least interesting) the Lady St. Alban, of whom we see and hear so very little elsewhere; but whom, in the enforced absence of her husband, the domestic question of a house to live in brings for a moment upon the stage.

THOMAS MEAUTYS, ESQ., TO THE LORD VISCOUNT ST. ALBAN.1 May it please your Lordship,

As soon as I came to London, I repaired to Sir Edward Sackville, whom I find very zealous (as I told your Lordship I left him) to do you service, in any particular you shall command him, to my Lord Marquis

1 Gibson Papers, vol. viii. f. 156. Orig.

(though it were with some adventure ;) and withal he imparted to me what advice he had given to my Lady this afternoon upon his visiting of her at York-house, when Mr. Packer also, (as it fell out) was come at the same time to see my Lady, and seemed to concur with Sir Edward Sackville in the same ways: which were, for my Lady to become a suitor to my Lady Buckingham and my Lady Marquis to work my Lord Marquis for obtaining of the King some bounty towards your Lordship; and in particular, that of the 10007. a year for the small writs. If I may speak my opinion to your Lordship, it is not amiss to begin any way or with any particular though but small game at first, only to set a rusty clock agoing, and then happily it may go right for a time, enough to bring on the rest of your Lordship's requests. Yet because your Lordship directed me to wish my Lady from you by no means to act any thing, (but only to open her mind in discourse unto friends) until she should receive your farther direction; it became not me to be too forward in putting it on too fast with Sir Edward; and my Lady was pleased to tell me since that she hath written to your Lordship at large.

I inquired even now of Benbow, whether the proclamation for dissolving the Parliament were coming forth. He tells me, he knows no more certainty of it than that Mr. Secretary commanded him yesterday to be ready (for dispatching of the writs) when he should be called for; but since then he hears it sticks, and endures some qualms; but they speak it still aloud at court that the King is resolved of it.

Benbow tells me likewise that he hath attended these two days upon a Committee of the Lords, with the book of the Commission of the peace; and that their work is to empty the commission, in some counties by the score, and many of them Parliament-men: which course sure helps to ring the passing-bell to the Parliament.

Mr. Burrows' tells me, he is at this present fain to attend some service for the King; but about Saturday he hopes to be at liberty to wait upon your Lordship. I humbly rest,

Your Lordship's for ever to honour and serve,

January 3, 1621.

T. MEAUTYS.

THE SAME TO THE SAME. 2

May it please your Lordship,

This afternoon my Lady found access to my Lord Marquis, procured for her by my Lord of Montgomery3 and Sir Edward Sackville, who

1 John Borough, educated in common law at Gray's Inn, Keeper of the Records in the Tower of London, Secretary to the Earl Marshal, in 1623 made Norroy; in July the year following knighted, and on the 23rd of December the same year, made Garter King at Arms in the place of Sir William Segar. He died October 21, 1643. (Note by Birch.)

2 Gibson Papers, vol. viii. f. 157. Orig. 3 Philip, afterwards Earl of Pembroke.

1621.1

REPORT FROM MEAUTYS.

325

seemed to contend which of them should show most patience in waiting (which they did a whole afternoon) the opportunity to bring my Lord to his chamber, where my Lady attended him. But when he was come she found time enough to speak at large: and though my Lord spake so loud as that what passed was no secret to me and some others that were within hearing; yet, because my Lady told me she purposeth to write to your Lordship the whole passage, it becomes not me to anticipate by these any part of her ladyship's relation.

I send your Lordship herewith the proclamation for dissolving the Parliament; wherein there is nothing forgotten that we have done amiss; but for most of those things that we have well done, we must be fain, I see, to commend ourselves.

I delivered your Lordship's to my Lord of Montgomery and Mr. Matthew, who was even then come to York-house to visit my Lady when I received the letter; and as soon as he had read it he said that he had rather your Lordship had sent him a challenge, and that it had been easier to answer than so noble and kind a letter. He intends to see your Lordship some time this week; and so doth Sir Edward Sackville, who is forward to make my Lady a way by the Prince, if your Lordship advise

it.

There are packets newly come out of Spain; and the King, they say, seems well pleased with the contents; wherein there is an absolute promise and undertaking for restitution of the Palatinate; the dispensation returned already from the Pope, and the match hastened on their parts. My Lord Digby goes shortly; and Mr. Matthew told me he means before his going to write by him to your Lordship.

The King goes not till Wednesday, and the Prince certainly goes with him. My Lord Marquis in person christens my Lord of Falkland's child to-morrow, at his house by Watford.

4

Mr. Murray2 tells me, the King hath given your book3 to my Lord Brooke, and injoined him to read it, commending it much to him: and then my Lord Brooke is to return it to your Lordship; and so it may go to the press when your Lordship please, with such amendments as the King hath made, which I have seen, and are very few, and those rather words, as epidemic, and mild instead of debonnaire, etc. Only that, of persons attainted, enabled to serve in Parliament by a bare reversal of their attainder without issuing any new writs, the King by all means will have left out. I met with my Lord Brooke, and told him that Mr. Murray had directed me to wait upon him for the book when he had done with it. He desired to be spared this week, as being to him a week of much business, and the next week I should have it: and he ended in a compliment that care

1 Meautys was member in this Parliament for the town of Cambridge.

2 Thomas Murray, tutor and secretary to the Prince, made Provost of Eton College, in the room of Sir Henry Savile, who died February 19th, 1621-2. Mr. Murray died likewise, April 1st, 1623. (Note by Birch.)

3 The History of the Reign of King Henry the Seventh.

• Fulk Grevile.

should be taken by all means for good ink and paper to print it in; for that the book deserved it.

I beg leave to kiss your Lordship's hands.

Your Lordship's in all humbleness
to honour and serve,

January 7th, 1621.

T. MEAUTYS.

This proclamation is not yet sealed, and therefore your Lordship may please, as yet, to keep it in your own hands.

THE SAME TO THE SAME.1

My most honoured Lord,

I met, even now, with a piece of news so unexpected, and yet so earnestly true, as that howsoever I had much ado at first to refrain from desiring the relater to speak probably, yet now I dare send it your Lordship upon my credit. It is my Lord of Somerset's and his lady's coming out of the Tower on Saturday last, fetched forth by my Lord of Falkland, and without the usual degrees of confinement, at first to some one place, but absolute and free to go where they please.2 I know not how peradventure this might give your Lordship some light that might occasion you to cast your thoughts touching yourself into some new mould, though not in the main, yet in something on the bye. I beg leave to kiss your Lordship's hands.

Your Lordship's in all humbleness,

for ever to honour and serve you,

T. MEAUTYS.

THE DUKE OF LENOX TO THE LORD VISCOUNT ST. ALBAN.3

My Lord,

It is not unknown to your Lordship that, in respect I am now a married man, I have more reason than before to think of providing me some house in London, whereof I am yet destitute; and for that purpose I have resolved to intreat your Lordship that I may deal with you for York-house; wherein I will not offer any conditions to your loss. And in respect I have understood that the consideration of your Lady's wanting

[ocr errors]

1 Gibson Papers, vol. viii. f. 213. Original. 2 This appears to have been a mistake. 'Somersettus comes ex diutinâ in arce Lond, incarceratione liberatur, et jubetur ut se contineat apud Vicecomitem Wallingfordiæ, et in circumviciniâ." Camden, 6 Jan. 1622.

"I hear," says Chamberlain, writing on the 19th of January, 1621-2, "they came out severally on Thursday in the evening, and lay that night at Northampton House; then they are to go to Gray's, a house of Lord Wallingford's in Oxfordshire, where they are to continue."

3 Gibson Papers, vol. viii. f. 158. Original. Docketed by Bacon, "The D. of Lenox, 29 Jan. 1621."

REFUSAL OF YORK HOUSE TO THE D. OF LENOX. 327

1621.] a house hath bred some difficulty in your Lordship to part with it, I will for that make offer unto your Lordship and your Lady to use the house at Channon-row, late the Earl of Hertford's, being a very commodious and capable house, wherein I and my wife have absolute power; and whereof your Lordship shall have as long time as you can challenge or desire of York-house. In this I do freelier deal with your Lordship, in respect I know you are well assured of my well-wishes to you in general; and that in this particular, though I have not been without thoughts of this house before your Lordship had it, yet I was willing to give way to your Lordship's more pressing use thereof then. And as I do not doubt that your Lordship [will] endeavour to gratify me in this; so I shall esteem it as an extraordinary courtesy, which I will study to requite by all

means.

So, with

my best wishes to your Lordship, I rest

Your Lordship's most loving friend,

LENOX.

In respect my Lord of Buckingham was once desirous to have had this house, I would not deal for it till now that he is otherwise provided.'

Whitehall, the 29th

of January, 1621.

TO THE DUKE OF LENOX.2

My very good Lord,

I am sorry to deny your Grace anything; but in this you will pardon me. York-house is the house where my father died, and where I first breathed, and there will I yield my last breath, if it so please God, and the King will give me leave; though I be now [in the house3] (as the old proverb is) like a bear in a monk's hood. At least no money nor value shall make me part with it. Besides, as I never denied it to my Lord Marquis, so yet the difficulty I made was so like a denial, as I owe unto my great love and respect to his Lordship a denial to all my other friends; among which in a very near place next his Lordship I ever accounted of your Grace. So, not doubting that you will continue me in your former love and good affection, I rest

Your Grace's, to do you humble service,

affectionate, etc.

1 "The Marquis of Buckingham" says Chamberlain, writing on the 19th of January, "hath contracted with the Lord and Lady Wallingford for their house near Whitehall, for some money and the making of Sir Thomas Howard Baron of Charlton and Viscount Andover; and some think that the delivery of the Lord of Somerset and his Lady was part of the bargain."

2 Gibson Papers, vol. viii. f. 159. Rough draught in Bacon's hand. No fly-leaf. Indorsed "Yo Lop. answer to the D. of Lenox letter, Jan. 30, 21."

3 These words are interlined and difficult to read. Birch read them into "by fortune," which I think is wrong.

« AnteriorContinuar »