parte and parcell thereof, sufficient warrant and dischardge. And these our letters shall be your sufficient warrant and dischardge in this behalf. Gyven under our Privy Seale, at our mannour of Richmond, the seaventh day of October, in the nyne and thirtieth yeare of our raigne. WILL. PARKER. LORD BACON'S FIRST PROMOTION. [Lord Ellesmere, as is well known, was one of Lord Bacon's early patrons, and when the former was made Master of the Rolls, and the latter had some chance of obtaining the situation of Solicitor General, wrote for him observations on the discharge of its duties. (Birch's "Memoirs," i. 165.) Bacon, however, did not obtain the place, and some time afterwards was obliged to content himself with the reversion of the Clerkship of the Star-Chamber, which he did not enjoy until many years had elapsed. The following letter refers indistinctly either to that or to some other appointment: had a previous letter of Lord Bacon to Lord Ellesmere, referred to below, been recovered, it would perhaps have explained some of the not very intelligible parts of what follows.] Indorsed by Lord Ellesmere, "Mr. Bacon." To the R. hon. his very good L. the L. Keeper of the great Yr may please your hon. good L. As I beganne by letter so I have thought good to goe on, signifieing to your L., with reference had to my former letter, that I am the same man, and beare the same mynd, and am ready to perfourm and make goode what I have wrytten, desyring your L. not onely to discern of this my intention, howsoever in other circumstances, concernyng the quicke and not the impostume of the office, I may seam to stand; but also to thinke that I had consydered and digested with my self how I mowght putt in execution my purpose of good will to be carried withowt all note, as first to a deputation in some apt person your L. mowght chuze, and so to a passing over to such depute, and then a name in the next degree is soone chaunged. All which I doe now wryte, both lest your L. mowght conceyve any alteration or inconstancy in me, and also than you mowght thinke that I had suffycient regard to all by matters of discretion before I would expound any thinke to a person of such honour. I am assured the matter is bonum in se, and therefore accidents may be accomodate. So in most humble maner I take my leave, comending your L. to Goddes preservation. From Graies Inne, this xijth of Nov., 1597. Humbly at your L. honble commandement, FR. BACON. LORD HOWARD DE WALDEN. [The following are curious family relics, and testimonies of the interest Queen Elizabeth took regarding the Howards. Lord Thomas Howard, who had accompanied Lord Essex in his second voyage against Spain, according to Sir Robert Cecill was lying "in great extremity" and not expected to live till morning: the Queen wished to shew him a mark of her favour by making him by writ Baron Howard de Walden, in order that his son, under age, might succeed to the title. Camden tells us that Lord Thomas Howard being "indisposed," and therefore not able to attend in Parliament, "the Lord Scroop was conducted in his stead to the upper House." He is unusually minute in his description, and probably assisted at the ceremony, having been appointed Clarencieux on the 23rd October preceding: he says-"When the Lord Keeper of the Great Seale had publicly read the writ, he was placed below all the rest of the Barons, though elsewhere the younger sons of Dukes take place of Viscounts. For it appeared by the records of Parliament that, in the sixth year of Henry VIII. when Thomas Howard, Earl of Surrey, being called to the Parliament, claimed precedency of Earls, whether in sitting or walking, because he was the eldest son of a Duke, it was then adjudged that he should sit in Parliament according to the order of his creation, and in other places enjoy the dignity and prerogative due to a Duke's eldest son." ("Annals" in Kennett, ii. 602.) The Parliament, as Stowe informs us, was prorogued fifteen days afterwards. The Warrant under the sign manual was found with the letter of Sir Robert Cecill, which is without date or address, but it no doubt immediately preceded the Warrant.] Indorsed by Lord Ellesmere, "My L. Thomas Howarde de Walden." My good L. The Q. is minded to leave a testimony in my L. Tho. Howards child of her favour. My L. is in great extremity, and if he be dead, then can not his soon be capable of this grace, who is an infant. If it please your Lo. to send hyther a warrant for the Q. to sign to you, she will sign it instantly, for prevention of Gods calling him to his mercy, which I feare wilbe before morning. In the meane time I beseech your Lo. to send for the record when his ancestor was created, and to have a writt ready against your Lo. receave the Q.'s warrant: he is now to be called to [by?] writt and not created. My L. you shall do a noble woork, for which God will reward you. Yours to com., Ro. CECYLL. He must be called Tho. Howard de Walden, Cheavalier. ELIZABETH R. ELIZABETH, by the grace of God, Quene of England, Fraunce, and Irelande, Defender of the Faith, &c. To our righte trustie and righte welbeloved Counsellor, Sir Thomas Egerton, knighte, Lorde keeper of our great Seale of Englande, greetinge. We will and commaunde you that fourthwith, upon the receipte hereof, ye directe fourthe under our said greate Seale our writte to sommon Thomas Howarde of Walden, Chivelor, to geve his attendance at this instante Parliamente begunne at our Cittie of Westm1., the fore and twentith daye of October laste paste. And theis presentes shalbe your warraunte and discharge for the same. Yeoven at our pallace of Westm1. the fifte daye of December, in the fortythe yeare of our raigne. PATENT FOR THE EARL OF ESSEX. [Bishop Goodman attributes the earliest advancement of Bacon to Sir Robert Cecill; "his first rising, as I take it, was by Salisbury," (" Court of King James," by Brewer, i. 284,) which agrees with the letter of thanks from Cecill to Lord Ellesmere (printed in Biogr. Britan. Art. Egerton) for his advice to "my cousin Bacon." There is some reason to think that Bacon at one time acted as private secretary to Sir Robert Cecill, and the ensuing letter is addressed in the hand-writing of Bacon. We are without any copy of the Patent to which it relates, and which was to be prepared so suddenly and secretly. Possibly it arose out of some false alarm of an intended descent by the Spaniards. On the 19th February following the date of the subsequent letter, the writer of it, Sir George Carew, and Herbert, Master of the Requests, proceeded on an embassy to France, and did not return until May 1598.] To the R. honorable my very good Lorde, the L. Keper of the great Seale of Englande. My good L. There is a Patent drawen for the Erl of Essex, but not signed yet, and to thintent it mowght be vyed with all expedition (because it may happily not be signed long before it shalbe delivered), I have thoght in private to let your Lo. know only thus much, and not without my Lords owne request, that it mowght be gon in hand with to night (so as if it be but signed to morrow at x of clock, yet it may have the great Seale put to at xij of clock), my Lord will think him kindly delt with, both by your Lo. and my self. I dare not now send the Bill owt of my chamber, but if your Lp. will please to send some Chancery man hyther that is secret and honest, he shall have a very convenient place to do it in, and yet be ready at hand if her My to night shold call to sign that which I have. And thus, with my best wishes of all health and happines, I take my leave. From the Court, this 25th of December (97). Your Lps. ass. poor fr. at com., Ro. CECYLL. GOVERNOR OF THE BRILL. [According to the following document Camden ("Annals" in Kennett, ii. 594) must be in error when he says, under date of 1596, that Sir Francis Vere was made Governor of the Brill "upon the Lord Sheffield's voluntary resignation of that post." Lord Sheffield was not appointed until 13th January, 1597-8, and it is expressly stated in the instrument that Lord Sheffield followed the Lord Burghe. The Privy Seal nominating the Lord Burghe as Governor of the Brill on 6th February, 1587, is printed in Rymer's Fœdera, xvi. 4.] it Indorsed by Lord Ellesmere, "Re. 9 die Februarij, 1597." Mdum qd istud bre delibat. fuit Dño Custodi magni sig. Angt. nono die Februarij, A. infr. apud Westm. exequend. ELIZABETH, by the grace of God, Quene of England, France, and Irland, Defendor of the Faithe, &c. To our right trusty and welbeloved counsellor Sr. Thomas Egerton, knight, Keeper of our great Seale of England, greeting. We will and commaunde you that under our said great Seale, being in your keeping, ye cause our letters patentes to be made furth in forme following. Elizabeth, by the grace of God, &c. To all to whom these presents shall come, greeting. Whereas the towne of Brill, in the Lowe Countryes, is now withoute a Governor by the deathe of the Lorde Burghe, late Governor there. For as moche as we thinke very meete and necessary for the advauncement of our service in those partes, to have the said place supplied agayne with as great expedition as may be, by some parsonage of quallitie and guiftes fytt for a charge of that importance; knowe ye, that for the speciall truste we have reposed in the fidelitie and sufficiency of our right trusty and welbeloved Edmunde Lorde Sheffeild,<← Knight of our Order of the Garter, we have made choice of him to supply the place of our Governor and Captayne of the said towne of Bryll, and of all other the Fortes thereunto belonging, and of all the garryson and soldiors that now are, and hereafter shalbe there placed for our service and garde of the same towne |