272 LETTERS FROM STEPHENS. 



honour) what hath been already done ; as, to speak plainly, 



to do your lordship s honour in the second place; and 



besides, it is agreeable to the times. God ever prosper you. 



Your Lordship s obliged Friend and faithful Servant, 



October 18, 1620. FR. VfiRULAM, Cane. 



To the Marquis of Buckingham. 

 My very good Lord, 



Your lordship will pardon me if, partly in the freedom 

 of adversity, and partly of former friendship (the sparks 

 whereof cannot but continue), I open myself to your lord 

 ship and desire also your lordship to open yourself to me. 

 The two last acts which you did for me, in procuring the 

 releasement of my fine, and my quietus est, I acknowledge 

 were effects, real and material, of your love and favour, 

 which, as to my knowledge, it never failed me in my prospe 

 rity; so in these two things it seems not to have turned 

 with the wheel. But the extent of these two favours is not 

 much more than to keep me from persecution; for any 

 thing further which might tend to my comfort and assist 

 ance, as I cannot say to myself that your lordship hath 

 forsaken me, so I see not the effects of your undeserved 

 yea undesired professions and promises, which, being made 

 to a person in affliction, hath the nature after a sort of 

 vows. But that which most of all makes me doubt of a 

 change, or cooling in your lordship s affection towards me, 

 is, that being twice now at London, your lordship did not 

 vouchsafe to see me, though by messages you gave me hope 

 thereof, and the latter time I had begged it of your lordship. 



The cause of change may either be in myself or your 

 lordship. I ought first to examine myself, which I have 

 done ; and God is my witness, I find all well, and that I 



citizens and burgesses, and generally such as are interested and have portion in 

 the estate. 



Secondly, That they make choice of such as are well affected in religion, 

 without declining either on the one hand to blindness and superstition, or on the 

 other hand to schism or turbulent disposition. 



Thirdly and lastly, That they be truly sensible, not to disvalue or disparage 

 the house with bankrupts and necessitous persons, that may desire long parlia 

 ments only for protection ; lawyers of mean account and estimation ; young 

 men that are not ripe for grave consultations ; mean dependants upon great 

 persons, that may be thought to have their voices under command, and such like 

 obscure and inferior persons : so that to conclude, we may have the comfort to 

 see before us the very face of a sufficient and well composed house, such as may 

 be worthy to be a representative of the third estate of our kingdom, fit to nourish 

 a loving and comfortable meeting between us and our people, and fit to be a 

 noble instrument, under the blessing of Almighty God, and our princely care 

 and power, and with the loving conjunction of our prelates and peers, for the 

 settling of so great affairs, as are before expressed. 



