308 LETTERS FROM BIRCH. 



himself, no doubt, will crave time of advice to peruse his 

 own books, and to see whether the collections be true, and 

 that he be justly charged ; and then to produce his proofs, 

 that those things which he shall be charged with were not 

 conceits or singularities of his own, but the acts of court, 

 and other like things tending to excusation or extenuation ; 

 wherein we do not see how the time of divers days, if not 

 of weeks, can be denied him. 



Now, for time (if this last course of charging him be taken) 

 we may only inform your majesty thus much, that the 

 absence of a chief justice, though it should be for a whole 

 term, as it hath been often upon sickness, can be no hin- 

 derance to common justice. For the business of the King s 

 Bench may be dispatched by the rest of the judges; his 

 voice in the Star-chamber may be supplied by any other 

 judge that my Lord Chancellor shall call; and the trials 

 by nisi prius may be supplied by commission. 



But as for those great matters of discovery we can say 

 nothing more than this, that either they are old or new. If 

 old, he is to blame for having kept them so long ; if new, 

 or whatsoever, he may advertise your majesty of them by 

 letter, or deliver them by word to such counsellor as your 

 majesty will assign. 



Thus we hope your majesty will accept of our sincerity, 

 having dealt freely and openly with your majesty as be- 

 cometh us ; and when we shall receive your pleasure and 

 direction, we shall execute and obey the same in all things ; 

 ending with our prayers for your majesty, and resting 

 Your Majesty s most faithful and most bounden Servants, 



T. ELLESMERE, Cane. 



October 6, 1616. FRANCIS BACON. 



To Sir Francis Bacon, Attorney-General.* 

 Sir, 



I have kept your man here thus long because I thought 

 there would have been some occasion for me to write after 

 Mr. Solicitor General s being with the king. But he hath 

 received so full instruction from his majesty that there is 

 nothing left for me to add in the business. And so I rest 

 Royston, the 13th of Your faithful Servant, 



October, 1616. GEORGE VlLLIERS. 



Indorsed To the Right Honourable Sir Francis Bacon, 

 Knight, one of his Majesty s Privy Council, 

 and his Attorney-GeneraL 



* Harl. MSS. Vol. 7006. 



