LETTERS FROM THE RESUSCITAT1O. 185 



municate freely with her majesty, by way of inducing her to 

 grant that it will be this benefit to you. Lastly, to be plain 

 with your lordship, for the gentlemen are such as I am be 

 holding to, nothing can make the queen or the world think 

 so much that you are come to a provident care of your 

 estate as the altering of some of your officers ; who though 

 they be as true to you as one hand to the other, yet &quot;opinio 

 veritate major.&quot; But if, in respect of the bonds, they may 

 be entered into for your lordship, you cannot so well dismiss 

 yourself of them, this cannot be done but with time. 



For the fifth and last, which is of the advantage of a 

 favourite, as severed from the rest it cannot hurt ; so joined 

 with them it maketh her majesty more fearful and shadowy, 

 as not knowing her own strength. The only remedy to this 

 is, to give way to some other favorite as in particular you 

 shall find her majesty inclined, so as the subject hath no ill, 

 nor dangerous aspect towards yourself; for otherwise, 

 whosoever shall tell me that you may not have singular use 

 of a favourite at your devotion, I will say he understandeth 

 not the queen s affection, nor your lordship s condition. 

 And so I rest. 



October 4, 1596. 



To Sir Robert Cecil. 



Sir, 



I forbear not to put in paper as much as I thought to 

 have spoken to your honour to-day, if I could have stayed, 

 knowing that if your honour should make other use of it 

 than is due to good meaning, and then I am persuaded you 

 will ; yet to persons of judgment, and that know me other 

 wise, it will rather appear (as it is) a precise honesty, and 

 this same, &quot; suum cuique tribuere,&quot; than any hollowness to 

 any. It is my luck still to be akin to such things as I neither 

 like in nature, nor would willingly meet with in my course, 



