LETTERS FROM STEPHENS. 247 



men in giving your majesty faithful counsel, while things 

 are in passing ; and more bound than other men in doing 

 your commandments, when your resolution is settled and 

 made known to me. 



I shall therefore most humbly crave pardon from your 

 majesty, if in plainness and no less humbleness I deliver 

 to your majesty my honest and disinterested opinion in 

 the business of the match of Sir John Villiers, which I 

 take to be magnum in parvo : preserving always the laws 

 and duties of a firm friendship to my Lord of Buckingham, 

 whom I will never cease to love, and to whom I have 

 written already, but have not heard yet from his lordship. 



But first, I have three suits to make to your majesty, 

 hoping well you will grant them all. 



The first is, That if there be any merit in drawing on 

 that match, your majesty would bestow the thanks not 

 upon the zeal of Sir Edward Coke to please your majesty, 

 nor upon the eloquent persuasions or pragmaticals of Mr. 

 Secretary Winwood, but upon them, that carrying your 

 commandments and directions with strength and justice, 

 in the matter of the Governor of Diepe, in the matter of 

 Sir Robert Rich, and in the matter of protecting the 

 lady, according to your majesty s commandment, have so 

 humbled Sir Edward Coke, as he seeketh now that with 

 submission which (as your majesty knoweth) before he 

 rejected with scorn: for this is the true orator that hath 

 persuaded this business, as I doubt not but your majesty 

 in your excellent wisdom doth easily discern. 



My second suit is, That your majesty would not think 

 me so pusillanimous, as that I, that when I was but Mr. 

 Bacon, had ever (through your majesty s favour) good 

 reason at Sir Edward Coke s hands, when he was at the 

 greatest, should now that your majesty of your great 

 goodness hath placed me so near your chair, (being as I 

 hope by God s grace, and your instructions, made a servant 

 according to your heart and hand) fear him or take umbrage 

 of him, in respect of mine own particular. 



My third suit is, That if your majesty be resolved the 

 match shall go on, after you have heard my reasons to 

 the contrary, I may receive therein your particular will and 

 commandments from yourself, that I may conform myself 

 thereunto, imagining with myself (though I will not wager 

 on women s minds) that I can prevail more with the mother 

 than any other man. For if I should be requested in it 

 from my Lord of Buckingham, the answers of a true friend 

 ought to be, That I had rather go against his mind than 



