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to the king, and his majesty recommending thission, and told him, that the Lords do conceive business unto me as a business that concerns it to be an ingenuous and full Confession; and bis customs and the navy, I dealt more ear- demanded of him, whether it be his own band nestly and peremptorily in it, and as I think, that is subscribed to the same, and whether he restrained in the messenger's hand for a day or will stand to it or not. Unto which the said two some that were the most stiff; and after- Lord Chancellor answered, My lords, it is my wards the merchants presented me with 1000/. act, my hand, my heart; I beseech your lordout of their common purse; and acknowledg-ships to be merciful to a broken reed.' The ing themselves, that I had kept them from a which Answer being reported to the house, it kind of ruin, and still maintaining to me that was agreed by the house to move his majesty to the Vintners, if they were not insatiably minded, sequester the Seal: and the Lords intreated the had a very competent gain. These are the prince's highness that he would be pleased to merits of the cause, as it then appeared to me. imove the king; whereunto his highness condeTo the twenty eighth Article of the Charge, scended. And the same Lords which went to viz. The Lord Chancellor hath given way to take the acknowledgment of the Lord Changreat Exactions by his servants, both in re- cellor's hand, were appointed to attend the spect of private seals, and otherwise for seal- prince to the king, with some other lords added. ing of injunctions :'-I confess it was a great And his majesty did not only sequester the Seal, fault of neglect in me, that I looked no better but awarded a new Commission unto the Lord to my servants. Chief Justice, to execute the place of the Chancellor, or Lord Keeper.

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"This Declaration I have made to your lordships with a sincere mind, humbly craving, that if there should be any mistake, your lordships would impute it to want of memory, and not to any desire of mine to obscure truth, or palliate any thing; for I do now again confess, that in the points charged upon me, though they should be taken as myself have declared them, there is a great deal of corruption and neglect, for which I am heartily sorry, and submit myself to the judgment, grace and mercy of the Court.-For extenuation, I will use none concerning the matters themselves; only it may please your lordships, out of your nobleness, to cast your eyes of compassion upon my person and estate: I was never noted for an avaricious man, and the apostle saith, That covetousness is the root of all evil. I hope also that your lordships do rather find me in the state of grace, for that in all these particulars there are few or none that are not almost two years old; whereas those, that have an habit of Corruption, do commonly wax worse. So that it hath pleased God to prepare me by precedent degrees of amendment to my present penitency: and for my estate, is so mean and poor, as my care is now chiefly to satisfy my debts.-And so fearing I have troubled your lordships too long, I shall conclude with an humble suit unto you, That if your lordships proceed to Sentence, your Sentence may not be heavy to my ruin, but gracious and mixed with mercy: and not only so, but that would be noble intercessors for me to you his majesty likewise, for his grace and favour. Your lordships' most humble servant and suppliant,

FRANC. ST. ALBANS, Canc."

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This was on the 1st of May: and on Wednesread, their lordships agreed to proceed to senday, the 2d of May, the said Commission being

tence the Lord Chancellor to-morrow morning. Wherefore the Gentleman Usher, and Serjeant at Arms, attendants on the upper house, were commanded to go and summon him, the said Lord Chancellor, to appear in person before their lordships to-morrow morning by nine of the clock. And the said Serjeant at Arms was commanded to take his mace with him, and to but they found him sick in bed; and being sumshew it unto his lordship at the said summons: moned, he answered, that he was sick, and protested that he feigned not this for any excuse, for if he had been well he would willingly have

come.

JUDGMENT

given against the Lord Chancellor.

And

ing against the said Lord Chancellor.
The Lords resolved to proceed notwithstand-
therefore, on Thursday, the 3d of May, their
this purpose, viz." That the Lords are ready
lordships sent their Message to the commons to
to give Judgment against the lord viscount St.
Albans, Lord Chancellor, if they, with their
Commons being come, the Speaker came to the
Speaker, will come to demand it." And the
bar; and, making three low obeisances, said:

The knights, citizens, and burgesses of the commons house of parliament, having made 'complaints unto your lordships of many exor'bitant offences of Bribery and Corruption com'mitted by the Lord Chancellor, understand that your lordships are ready to give Judg ment upon him for the same; Wherefore I, their Speaker, in their name do humbly demand, and pray Judgment against him the 'said Lord Chancellor, as the nature of his offence and demerits do require.'

The Lords having heard this Confession and Submission read, these Lords under-named, viz. the earl of Pembroke lord chamberlain, the earl of Arundel, the earl of Southampton, the bishop of Durham, the bishop of Winchester, the bishop of Coventry and Litchfield; the lord The Lord Chief Justice answered: Mr. Wentworth, the lord Cromwell, the lord Shef-Speaker, Upon complaint of the Commons field, the lord North, the lord Chandois, the lord Hunsdon, were sent to him the said Lord Chancellor, and shewed him the said Confes

6

against the visc. St. Albans, Lord Chancellor, this high Court hath thereby, and by his own 'Confession, found him Guilty of the Crimes

⚫ and Corruptions complained of by the Commons, and of sundry other Crimes and Corruptions of like nature. And therefore this high Court having first summoned him to attend, and having his excuse of not attending, by reason of infirmity and sickness, which he protested was not feigned, or else he would most willingly have attended, doth neverthetheless think fit to proceed to Judgment: and therefore this high Court doth adjudge;

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"That the lord viscount St. Albans, Lord "Chancellor of England, shall undergo a fine "and ransom of 40,000/.—That he shall be im"prisoned in the Tower during the king's plea"sure. That he shall for ever be uncapable of "any office, place, or employment, in the state "or commonwealth.-That he shall never sit "in parliament, nor come within the verge of "the Court."This is the Judgment and Re⚫ solution of this High Court."*

About three years afterwards, he wrote to king James the following letter:

To the KING.

Most gracious and dread Sovereign; Before I make my petition to your majesty, I make my prayers to God above, pectore ab imo, that if I have held any thing so dear as your majesty's service, nay, your heart's ease, and your honour's, I may be repulsed with a denial: but, if that hath been the principal with 'me, that God, who knoweth my heart, would move your majesty's royal heart to take com* passion of me, and to grant my desire.

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I prostrate myself at your majesty's feet, I, 'your ancient servant, now 64 years old in age, and three years five months old in misery. I desire not from your majesty means, nor place nor employment, but only, after so long a time of expiation, a complete and total ⚫ remission of the sentence of the upper-house, to the end that blot of ignominy may be re'moved from me, and from my memory with posterity; that I die not a condemned man, but may be to your majesty, as I am to God, nova creatura. Your majesty hath pardoned the like to sir John Bennet, between whose case and mine, not being partial with myself, but speaking out of the general opinion, there was as much difference, I will not say as between black and white, but as between black and grey, or ash-coloured: look therefore down, dear sovereign, upon me also in pity. I know your majesty's heart is inscrutable for goodness; and my lord of Buckingham was 'wont to tell me, you were the best natured man in the world; and it is God's property, that those he hath loved, he loveth to the end. Let your majesty's grace, in this my desire, stream down upon me, and let it be out of the fountain and spring-head, and ex mero motu, that, living or dying, the print of the goodness of king James may be in my heart, and his praises in my mouth. This my most humble request granted, may make me live a ' year or two happily; and denied, will kill me

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Thus he lost the privilege of his Peerage, and his Seal; and it was for some time doubtful, whether he should be allowed to retain his Titles of Honour, which was all he did, having only a poor empty being left, which lasted not long with him, his honour dying before him. Though he was afterwards set at liberty, and had a Pension from the king, he was in great want to the very last, living obscurely in his chambers at Grays-inn, where his lonely and desolate condition so wrought upon his melancholy temper, that he pined away; and after all his height of abundance was reduced to so low an ebb, as to be denied beer to quench his thirst: for having a sickly stomach, and not liking the beer of the house, he sent now and then to sir Fulk Grevile lord Brook, who lived in the neighbourhood, for a bottle of his beer; and, after some grumbling, the butler had or ders to deny him. So sordid, says Wilson, was the one, that advanced himself to be called sir Philip Sidney's friend, and so friendless was the other, after he had dejected himself from what he was.

He died on the 9th of April, 1626, being Easter-day, early in the morning, in the 66th year of his age, at the earl of Arundel's house in Highgate, near London, to which place he had casually repaired about a week before. The distemper of which he died was a gentle fever, accidentally accompanied with a violent cold; whereby the defluxion of rheum was so great upon his breast, that he was quite suffocated. He was buried in St. Michael's church at St. Alban's, being the place directed for his burial by his last Will, both because his mother had been buried there before, and because it was the only church then remaining within the precincts of old Verulam; where he hath a monument erected for him of white marble, by sir Thomas Meautys, formerly his lordship's secretary, afterwards clerk of the king's privycouncil, with an inscription composed by the famous sir Henry Wotton.

Howell thus writes of Bacon: 86 My lord chancellor Bacon is lately dead of a long languishing weakness; he died so poor that he scarce left money to bury him, which, though he had a great wit, did argue no great wisdom; it being one of the essential properties of a wise man to provide for the main chance. I have read that it had been the fortunes of all poets commonly to die beggars, but for an orator, a lawyer, and philosopher, as he was, to die so, is rare. It seems the same fate befel

quickly. But yet the last thing that will dię ' in me, will be the heart and affection of your majesty's most humble, and true devoted servant, FR. ST. ALBAN. July 30, 1624.'

King James readily granted him a full and entire pardon of his whole sentence. Notwithstanding this pardon, he was never again summoned to parliament in this reign, but he was summoned to the first parliament called by Charles 1. See 2 Cobb. Parl, Hist. p. 38.

him that attended Demosthenes, Seneca, and Cicero (all great men), of whom the two first fell by Corruption. The fairest diamond may have a flaw in it, but I believe he died poor out of a contempt of the pelf of fortune, as also out of an excess of generosity, which appeared as in divers other passages, so once when the king had sent him a stag, he sent up for the under-keeper, and having drank the king's health to him in a great silver gilt bowl, he gave it him for his fee. He wrote a pitiful Letter to king James not long before his death, and concludes Help me dear sovereign lord and master, and pity me so far that I who have 'been worn to a bag, be not now in my age ⚫ forced to bear a wallet, nor that I who desire to live to study may be driven to study to live;' which words, in my opinion, argued a little abjection of spirit as his former Letter to the prince did of profaneness, wherein he hoped that as the Father was his Creator the Son will be his Redeemer.' I write not this to derogate from the noble worth of the lord viscount Verulam, who was a rare man, a man recondite, scientio et ad salutem literarum natus, and I think the eloquentest that was born in this isle." James Howell to Dr. Pritchard, Jan. 6, 1625 (1626, N. S.) Letters, B. 1. § 4, Let

ter 8.

It will be observed that this Letter, unless the date be misprinted, falsifies the account given above of the time of Bacon's death. The dates to Howell's Letters are not to be depended on. Dr. Birch's account of the time of Bacon's death, agrees with that given in the text: but Birch has not given very great accuracy to his dates. He says that Bacon was born Jan. 22d, 1561, and entered of Trinity College, Cambridge, June 16th 1573, in his twelfth year. Now in June 1573, Bacon was in his thirteenth year, if he were born Jan. 22d, 1561, N. S.; and in his fourteenth year if born on Jan. 22d, 1561, O. S. Dr. Birch in the life of Bacon, prefixed to the Doctor's edition of Bacon's Works, expresses an opinion that the representations of his poverty are exaggerated. Bacon's Will certainly indicates a condition far removed from indigence. It is printed at the end of the third volume of Birch's edition.

It must, however, be observed, that though in his Will he named six executors, none of them would undertake the office; for on July 23d, 1627, administration juxta tenorem et effectum testamenti,' was granted to two of his creditors.-Rushworth thus speaks of Bacon: "This learned peer, eminent over the Christian world for his many writings extant in print, was known to be no admirer of money, yet had the unhappiness to be defiled therewith: He treasured up nothing, either for himself or his family; for he both lived and died in debt; he was over indulgent to his servants, and connived at their takings, and their ways betrayed him to that error; they were profuse and expensive, and had at command whatever he was master of. The gifts taken were, for the most part, for interlocutory Orders; his

Decrees were generally made with so much equity, that though gifts rendered him suspected for injustice, yet never any Decree made by him was reversed as unjust, as it hath been observed by some knowing in our laws.”

As to bishop Field, on May 16th a message was sent from the commons to remind the lords of the Complaint against the bishop of Landaff for an offence proved to the house of commons by the testimony of Randolph, Davenport, and divers other witnesses, wherefore the commons demand Judgment against him for the same answer. The lords have been busied with many matters of great importance, but they shall hear from them shortly touching the said complaint.

May 30.

The first thing of moment the Lords went upon this day, was to hear the Report of the earl of Huntingdon, one of the committee appointed to take Examinations concerning Dr. Field, now bishop of Landaff. A collection was made thereof, which, with divers letters, sent up by the Commons, concerning that cause, were delivered by his lordship into court. The bishop having withdrawn, the king's serjeant, Crewe, came to the clerk's table and read the said collection in hæc verba —“ Edw. Egerton having a suit in chancery with sir Rowland Egerton, for lands of good value; and supposing he had some hard measure therein, was commended to Dr. Field, now lord bishop of Landaff, for the procuring of some great friends to assist him in this cause. Upon conference between Edw. Egerton and the lord bishop about this matter, and to the end to procure such assistance and friendship, he acknowledged a recognizance of 10,000l. to the bishop, and one Randolph Davenport a gentleman belonging to the late lord chancellor ; which was dated March 13th, in the 16th year of this reign. Whereupon there was a draught of a defeasance conceived, but not perfected, as it seems; by which it was agreed between them, That if, by means or mediation of the said commissees, or either of them, the said Egerton should prevail, either by decree in chancery, or at common law, to recover so much of the ancient inheritance of the said Edward, as is mentioned in the defeasance, then to pay the lord bishop or Davenport, or either of them, 6000l. within two years after.-On the 15th of March 1618, Dr. Field writes a letter to Edw. Egerton, in the nature of a defeasance of that recognizance, which containeth, that the sum of 60007. is for gratuities to such honourable friends as shall be made in his business, if he recover, by the power of those friends, his ancient inheritance; or, otherwise, a third part of whatsoever shall be added to that which had been formerly awarded to the said Edward in chancery. And, if nothing was done, then he promised, is verbo sacerdotis, to return the recognizance.-After this the lord bi-hop writes another letter without date, to Mr. Egerton, letting him know thereby, that

capt. Field his brother, and Butler should have shared the money amongst them; but how, he knoweth not."

Then the king's serjeant read also the Proofs, which consisted of all the letters and examinations before mentioned. After which the bishop of Durham* stood up, and, in a speech, repeated the manner how this matter was first complained of by the commons to this house, with the several proofs thereof; but added, "That since there was nothing proved but an intent, at the most, he moved that the consideration thereof be referred to the archbishop of Canterbury, and he to give the bishop an admonition for the same in the convocation house." The archbishop (George Abbot) then rose up and said, "That Dr. Field, the now bishop of Landaff, could not be excused from Brokage in Bribery; for which he was to blame: but hoped that he might bear his fault as Dr. Field, and not as bishop of Landaff; and that, if it was referred to him, he would do that which belongs unto him."

there was a stay made of decreeing the lordment of 6000l. when this examinant should chancellor's award till next term, by the means have such an order from the court as he deof one of my lord chancellor's gentlemen, who sired. The recognizance was entered accordwould have conferred with Mr. Egerton, but ingly; after which, this examinant finding no that his leisure permitted him not then to do good thereby, demanded back his recogniit; he therefore required some further warrant zance; when, after many delays, and a year's and direction to proceed in his behalf. Un- distance of time, he had the same delivered. derneath this letter one Woodward, brother-Lastly, that Woodward told him Dr. Field, in-law to Mr. Egerton, writes this postscript, That he thinks his cause will do well, and that he hath assured this gentleman he shall find Mr. Egerton faithful in his promise, and wisheth he would write back to Woodward to that purpose.-Woodward writes another letter to Mr. Egerton without date, letting him know, that Dr. Field is sorry my lord hath not sent an answer as he expected, but that my lord chancellor shall be moved this night for a stay of the decree; which he hopes to get by such means as he shall use; and that he hath assured him Mr. Egerton would perform his promise.-Davenport being examined in this high court, touching the sharing the 6000l. betwixt him, Butler, the bishop, and others, saith, He himself should have had nothing; Butler was to have 2000l. and 1000l. was thought fit to be given to the lord chancellor; but his lordship knew not of it, and Butler dared not to move it. Davenport and Butler meant to have shared that 1000l. For the other 3000l. he knew not how it should be shared. The matter promised was a letter from the lord admiral, and a reference from the king to the Jord chancellor.-Francis Joyner being examined in this cause, confesseth, he was the means to make Mr. Egerton and Dr. Field acquainted; and that the doctor had conference with Butler and Davenport about Mr. Egerton's business; and that the doctor drew in the lord Haddington to be a furtherer of it. He spoke to the recognizance; and that the doctor confessed he was trusted from the lord Haddington, and that his lordship was to dispose of the money at his pleasure. Tristram Woodward being likewise examined, confessed, Joyner told him Dr. Field had friends at court; and how Mr. Egerton was drawn to the doctor's house. The recognizance was taken for Butler and the lord Haddington, as he thinks; but out of it the doctor expected recompence, as he heard amongst them: and confessed he wrote the postscript to Dr. Field's letter sent to Mr. Egerton.-Edw. Egerton saith, "That he agreed with Dr. Field for the recognizance, that he should have his land decreed to him: that 6000l. was to be paid on the event of the suit. He was to pay the money to Dr. Field and Davenport; but how much each should have he knoweth not. He further said, That Woodward, his brother-in-law, and Dr. Field, procured him to acknowledge the recognizance; but he did not pay the charge of it: that Dr. Field told him he would bring him to one Butler, who would procure an order from my lord chancellor for his relief in the cause as he would desire: thereupon the doctor demanded a recognizance of 10,000l. for pay

Whereupon it was ordered, That the affair of the lord bishop of Landaff should be referred to the archbishop of Canterbury, and he to be admonished by his grace in the Convocation House, before the bishops and clergy there. The Lords also taking into consideration the complaint of the Commons, touching this matter, agreed upon a message to be sent to that house, to this purpose: viz. "Whereas the house of commons informed this house of a great misdemeanor committed by Dr. Field, now bishop of Landaff, and bath also sent since to demand judgment in that cause; the Lords having taken full examination thereof upon oath, do not find it proved in the same manner as, it seems, they were informed by exami nations taken in their house. And, for further satisfaction of the commons therein, their lordships have sent them the examination of Randolph Davenport."-" Ans. The commons returned great thanks for their lordships honourable and just proceedings in the cause of the lord bishop of Landaff, and for sending the examination of Davenport; by which it doth appear, that his examination, taken by them, doth differ much from that taken upon his oath before their lordships."-Then the question was put, Whether the said bishop should take his place in the house before he received his admonition from the archbishop or not?

Richard Neile, who had himself been complained of by the Commons, when bishop of Lincoln, for some expressions in the house of lords, tending to advance the prerogative royal. See No. 98, p. 885.

Agreed, per plures, that he should: whereupon his lordship was called in by the gentleman usher, and went to his place. Thus ended this affair.

my own blockishness, that I thrive no better; I once feared this before, that some did me ill offices. Your grace was pleased to protest no man bad; and to assure me no man could. My heart tells me it hath been always upright, and is still most faithful unto you. I have examin

The following characteristic Letter from this bishop Field to Buckingham is printed ined my actions, my words, and my very thoughts, the Cabala, p. 117.

and found all of them, ever since, most sound unto your grace. Give me leave, to comfort myself with recordation of your loving kindnesses of old, when on that great feast day of your being inaugured our chancellor [of Cambridge] my look was your book, wherein you read sadness, to which I was bold to answer, I trusted your grace would give me no cause. You replied (with loss of blood rather.) But God forbid so precious an effusion. (I would rather empty all my veins than you should bleed one drop,) when as one blast of your breath is able to bring me to the haven where I would be. My lord, I am grown an old man, and an like old household stuff, apt to be broke upon often re

"My gracious good lord; In the great library of men, that I have studied these many years, your grace is the best book, and most classick author, that I have read, in whom I find so much goodness, sweetness and nobleness of nature, such an heroick spirit, for boundless bounty, as I never did in any. I could instance | in many, some of whom you have made deans, some bishops, some lords, and privy-counsellors; none that ever looked towards your grace did ever go away empty. I need go no further than myself, a gum of the earth, whom you raised out of the dust, for raising but a thought | so high as to serve your highness. Since that, I have not played the truant, but more diligent-moving. I desire it therefore but once for all, ly studied you than ever before: and yet, dunce that I am, I stand at a stay, and am a non proficient, the book being the same that ever it was, as may appear by the great proficiency of others. This wonderfully poseth me, and sure there is some guile, some wile, in some of my fellow students, who hide my book from me, or some part of it; all the fault is not in

be it Ely, or Bath and Wells; and I will spend the remainder of my days in writing an history of your good deeds to me and others, whereby I may vindicate you from the envy, and obloquy of this present wicked age wherein we live, and whilst I live in praying for your grace, whose I am, totally and finally.

"THEOPHILUS LANDAVEN."

116. Proceedings in Parliament against Sir GILES MOMPESSON, a Monopolist and Patentee: 18 JAMES I. A. D. 1620. [Journals of both Houses. 1 Cobb, Parl. Hist. 1198.]

WE shall now present the reader with a selves, in treaty and advise, the principal offenNarrative of the Proceedings against sir Giles der, sir Giles Mompesson, was escaped. ThereMompesson, a member of parliament, a Projec-fore, the Commons did desire strict scrutiny tor, and a great Dealer and Patentee. This man the Commons convened before them, and ordered him into custody of the serjeant at arms; but he, being conscious of his guilt, found means to make his escape, and fled beyond sea. The particulars of this affair will best appear from the Journals of the Lords, to whom the Commons carried their Complaint against the said sir Giles, and others concerned with him in the execution of his projects all the judicial proceedings both against this man, and others of much higher rank, in the sequel, being transacted before this supreme Court of Judicature.

:

March 3, 1620. A Message from the Lower House was delivered to the Lords by sir Edw. Coke, attended by several knights, citizens and burgesses, to this effect:

"That the House of Commons had entered into a due consideration of divers heavy Grievances, and do desire a Conference about them; leaving the time, number and place to their lordships appointment. He further added, as part of what they had enjoined him to say, that whilst their house was thus, amongst them

On

should be made for finding him out within the
realm." The messengers being withdrawn. the
Lords agreed to the Conference: the number,
the whole house: the time and place, March
5th at two in the afternoon, in the Painted
Chamber. Sir Edw. Coke and the rest were
again called, and the Lord Chancellor ac-
quainted them, That the house had agreed to
meet with the Commons, as above; and that
their lordships would give their best aid and
assistance for finding out the offender.
which Answer, sir Edw. desired to explain his
Message a little further; and declared that the
Commons were not fully provided for a Con-
ference so soon: but that his meaning was,
That if their lordships would be pleased to
yield to one, then the other house would pre-
pare the business so as it might give least in-
terruption to their lordships greater affairs:
and, when they were ready, would return and
acquaint their lordships with it. The Chan-
cellor answered, That the lords would suspend
the time, till the Commons were ready for
the Conference.

Several proposals were then made for the

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