sacred Maty and his royall offspring may raigne over these great kyngdomes in all prosperous felicyty, untyll the do time may resume all septers in his owne hande. And so, with my moost hartie commendations to your self, I will ever rest your very assured, loving and honest frende, THO. E. C. S. LORD ELLESMERE TO LORD HENRY HOWARD. [The King reached Berwick on the 6th April, and there was greeted, among others, by Lord Henry Howard, who, it seems from the following (the autograph draught of Lord Ellesmere's letter,) had quitted London very hastily. It was dated 13th April, and, from the contents, we may conclude that Mr. John Egerton (not long afterwards knighted) was the bearer of it, though suffering from ill health at the time.] Indorsed by Lord Ellesmere," 13° Apilis, 1603. The Draught of my letter to the L. Henry Howard." My verie good L. Your departure hence was so sodayne that I coulde not bidde you farewell, but yet you coulde not overgoe my love and affection which doeth stylle attende you, and by these fewe lynes I present unto you. I cundoled with you in the sickenes and deceasse of our late gracious Quene and Soveraigne, and wyll ever rejoyce with you in the greatest and most blessed happines that ever any people enjoyed, in that it hath pleased God to place in the royall throne over us, sine cæde et sanguine, our liege Lorde and Soveraigne the Kinges Matie, according to his true, lawfull and undoubted right and lineall descent; and that so spedilye, so peaceablye, with such generall acclamation and applause as precedent tymes can not exemplifye, and in all future ages will be admirable. I have readde of Halcyonis dies, and Lætus Introitus, and Sol occubuit, nox nulla secuta: we see and feele the effectes of that CAMD. SOC. 12. 3 A which they fayned and imagined. Wee had heavynes in the night, but joy in the mornyng. Yt is the great work of God: to hym onlye is due the glorye and prayse for it, and wee are all bounden to yelde to hym our contynuall prayers, prayse and thankes. When I toke penne in hande I meant onlye to scribble a fewe commendatorye lynes unto you, but I am now transported I wott not whyther: beare with me I praye you, for, after attending serious services, I make these meditations my soliloquia, and place my recreation and comfort in them, and the fulnes therof maketh me thus familiarlye trouble you, if you accompte that trouble that commes from a true and honest frende. My sonne cometh now, lympinge with lame Mephiboseth, not to salute (yt becomes hym not), but to see David, and to joye in the sight which rejoyceth all true eyes and hartes. In tyme he is slow, stayed by infermitye (to well known to many, but felte by hym), but in true and loyall zeale and duetye seconde to none. Your favour maye much relieve and support hym: affourde it hym, I praye you, in what measure you thinke good, for by merite I can challenge nothing for you. So drye and barren have my fortunes bene of any meanes to stande you in steade, all I can promise you is my selfe, which is little worth, for you know sexagenarius de ponte, and so in substance I promise you nothing. But yf I can performe any thing, it shall be at your commaunde, and I wyll ever be desirous and redye to make demonstration how much I love and honor your vertues. So, commending you to the grace of God, I rest your verie affectionate and assured loving frende, THO. E. C. S. SIR T. CHALONER TO LORD ELLESMERE. [The following is the reply of Sir Thomas Chaloner to the letter of Lord Ellesmere (p. 359), dated 12th April, 1603. The former speaks of his "alliance in blood" to the latter. The expressions respecting the supposed haughtiness of the Lord Keeper are somewhat remarkable, and were called for by a passage in the letter of Lord Ellesmere.] Indorsed by Lord Ellesmere," Rec. 23 Aprilis, 1603. Sr Tho. Chaloner." To the Right Honorable my very good Lord, the Lord Right Honorabl my very good Lorde. LET it not seeme straunge to your Lp. if I held it my duty to performe the best offices which my poor deserte could merite at his Majesties handes in recommendation of that worthe, wherby all honest Englishmen have just cause to acknowlege ther private peace and publike happines to have flowed, as from the heade of the founteyne of wisdome, due forsight and justice. For albeit that many discontented humors have fedde themselves fatt with the hoope of an alteration of governors and government, I cal myne innocency to witness that my minde alwais abhorred to harbor any such thought, as being better instructed by the rule of reason to honor al the moast honorabl counseylors of my late Sovereigne, whoose vigilante providence, by God's assistance, hath cleared the kingedome of thoase feares which have appeared unto us as a dumbe glimse of a lightninge, without any horror of a thundercracke. I confess that it is necessary in a Common wealth to cherrishe spies and informers, of which number, notwithstandinge, I nether would wish myself or any of my frends to bee partys. For if it shal please the Kinge, my moast gratious master, to lende his care unto mee, I will nether flatter him with untruths, deprave the vertues of the meanest, much less of the publike magistrate, nor adventure to make an ungodly marte of my princes graces. In general, I am bounde to shew myself in effect what I profess myself to bee in woorde, but in particular I am bounde to present my service to your Lp, both in respect of alliance in bloode, and for the honor (which without insinuation I speake freely) I owe unto your vertues, which have full autority to commaunde mee and to make mee proude, if any thinge that is in mee may bee acceptabl to your Lp., wher I desir to be best esteemed. As for the objection of haughtines, which, by mistakinge of the relator, hath bene imputed unto your Lp. I must clear the Kinges Majesty of any such suspition in your honor. For the woords hee used weer only bare questions, as being rather desirous to bee informed of the quality and affections of his subjects and principal counseylors, then any note or prejudicate opinion against your Lp. or any others. I doubt not but tyme will discover my advise unto our nobl kinge, 8 dayes befor the Queenes decease, to establishe the present forme of govermente with al expedition possibl after certayne advertissmente receaved of her departure. The effecting of whiche counseyle hath reysed mee many ennemis, whoose malice I feare not, nor frendship I fawne not after. It sufficeth mee to have discharged my conscience; and for others I wish them to attend the fishinge in the trubled waters of other cuntries, which in this kingdome of Englande can never bee a profitabl occupation. And heer I conclude thees overhasty lines with a solemne tender of my affectionate duty, wherin none shal exceede Your Lp.'s Yorke, Apr. 18. moast devoted servante, THO. CHALONER. LORD HENRY HOWARD TO LORD ELLESMERE. [The date of the receipt of the subsequent letter is ascertained from its indorsement. It was in answer to Lord Ellesmere (p. 361), who wrote after Lord Henry Howard had suddenly quitted London for Berwick. It is not surprising that the Lord Keeper's letter should have pleased King James. The answer to it is characteristic of the writer.] Indorsed by Lord Ellesmere, "L. Henry Howardes Letter, Rec. 20 Aprilis 1603." To the R. honorable Sr Tho. Egerton, Lo. Keeper of the great Seale, my special good Lord. THOUGH my sodain occasions, most honorable and worthy Lord, did speed me so fast toward the pole as I could not use that observance toward your Lo. which I did infinitely desiringe [desire?], beinge most deepelie bownde to you when my poore fortune gasped in contempte, then to any man alive exceptinge one of your qualitie, I knowe not howe it can ever fall within the compasse of my poore credite to cleere anie parte of so juste a dette; but herof your Lo. may assure yourself, that no man can be more desirouse to embrase all meanes that may testify my thankfulnesse. Your Lo. Letter was so judiciously and sweetely written, as, although on two sondrie tymes befor in private discourse I had performed the parte of an honest man, yet I could not forbear to present it to the sacred hand of his Majesty, who not onely redde it over twice with exceding delight, witnessed by his owne mouth to all in his chambers, but besid commaunded me to give you verie great thankes for the stronge conceit you holde of him, and to let you knowe that he did hope that longer acquaintance would not make you like him worse, for he was pleased with persones of your partes and quality. Poor Mr. Egerton hath to demonstratively witnessed the weakenesse of his state, wherof your Lo. wrote, by the kepinge of his bedde, which makes me sorie that so great a mynd should be lodged in so weake a body. He hath not wanted the kinde |