300 LETTERS FROM BIRCH. 



honour that I expressed thereby an act rather of obedience 

 than prudence, as not holding his lordship a fit man, whom 

 by presenting that letter, the king might peradventure dis 

 cover to be my favourer in this business. In regard whereof 

 I besought him, that howsoever I had complied with his 

 command in writing, yet he would forbear the delivery : 

 and I gave him divers reasons for it. And both in con 

 templation of those reasons, as also of the hazard of mis 

 carriage that letters do run into between these parts and 

 those, I have now thought fit to send your honour this in 

 closed, accompanied with a most humble intreaty, that you 

 will be pleased to put it into the Master of the Horse s 

 hands, with such a recommendation as you can give. 

 Haying read it, your honour may be pleased to seal it ; and 

 if his honour have received the former by other hands, this 

 may serve in the nature of a duplicate or copy : if not, it 

 may be the original ; and indeed, though it should be but 

 the copy, if it may be touched by your honour, it would 

 have both greater grace and greater life than the principal 

 itself; and therefore, howsoever, I humbly pray, that this 

 may be delivered. 



If my business should be remitted to the council-table 

 (which yet I hope will not be) I am most a stranger to my 

 Lord Chancellor and my Lord Chamberlain,^ of whom yet 

 I trust, by means of your honour s good word in my behalf, 

 that I shall receive no impediment. 



The bearer, Mr. Becher,f can say what my carriage hath 

 been in France, under the eye of several ambassadors; 

 which makes me the more glad to use him in the delivery 

 of this letter to your honour : and if your honour may be 

 pleased to command me any thing, he will convey it to my 

 knowledge. 



I hear to my unspeakable joy of heart, how much power 

 you have with the Master of the Horse ; and how much 

 immediate favour you have also with his most excellent 

 majesty: so that I cannot but hope for all good success, 

 when I consider withal the protection whereinto you have 

 been pleased to take me, the 



Most humble and most obliged of 



Spa, this last of y Our Honour s many Servants. 



TOBIE M/TTHEW. 



* William, Earl of Pembroke. 



t William, afterwards knighted. He had been secretary to Sir George Cal- 

 vert, ambassador to the court of France, and was afterwards agent at that court ; 

 and at last made clerk of the council. 



