306 LETTERS FROM BIRCH. 



turned out of his place or no, if the case should so require. 

 Thirdly, for that my Lord Coke hath sought means to kiss 

 his majesty s hands, and withal, to acquaint him with some 

 things of great importance to his service ; he holdeth it not 

 fit to admit him to his presence before these points be deter 

 mined, because that would be a grant of his pardon before 

 he had his trial. And if those things wherewith he is to 

 acquaint his majesty be of such consequence, it would be 

 dangerous and prejudicial to his majesty to delay him too 

 long. Notwithstanding, if you shall advise of any other 

 reasons to the contrary, his majesty would have you, with 

 all the speed you can, to send them unto him ; and in the 

 mean time to keep back his majesty s letter, which is herein 

 sent unto you, from my Lord Coke s knowledge, until you 

 receive his majesty s further direction for your proceeding 

 in his business. And so I rest 



Your ever assured Friend at command, 



Theobald s, the 3d of GEORGE VlLLIERS. 



October, 1616. 



Indorsed To the Right Honourable Sir Francis Bacon, 

 Knight, his Majesty s Attorney General, and 

 of his most honourable Privy Council. 



To the King. 

 It may please your most excellent Majesty, 



We have considered of the letters which we received from 

 your majesty, as well that written to us both as that other 

 written by my Lord Villiers to me, the attorney, which I 

 thought good to acquaint my Lord Chancellor withal, the 

 better to give your majesty satisfaction. And we most 

 humbly desire your majesty to think that we are, and ever 

 shall be, ready to perform and obey your majesty s direc 

 tions ; towards which the first degree is to understand them 

 well. 



In answer, therefore, to both the said letters, as well 

 concerning matter as concerning time, we shall, in all hum 

 bleness, offer to your majesty s high wisdom the considera 

 tions following : 



First, we did conceive that after my Lord Coke was 

 sequestered from the table and his circuits,* when your 

 majesty laid upon him your commandment for the expurging 

 of his Reports, and commanded also our service to look into 

 them, and into other novelties introduced into the govern 

 ment, your majesty had in this your doing two principal 

 ends : 



* On the 30th of June, 1616. Camdeni Annales Regis Jacobi I. p. 19 ; and 

 Peck, Desiderata Curiosa, vol. i. lib. vi. p. 18. 



