LETTERS FROM BIRCH. 329 



not deny to have had a greater jealousy of his discretion, 

 than so far as we conceive, he ever deserved at your or any 

 man s hands. For you say, that you were afraid that the 

 height of his fortune might make him too secure ; and 

 so, as a looker-on, you might sometime see more than a 

 gamester. Now we know not how to interpret this in plain 

 English, otherwise than that you were afraid that the height 

 of his fortune might make him misknow himself. And 

 surely, if that be your parent-like affection toward him, he 

 hath no obligation to you for it. And for our part, besides 

 our own proof that we find him farthest from that vice of 

 any courtier, that ever we had so near about us ; so do we 

 fear, that you shall prove the only phoenix in that jealousy 

 of all the kingdom. For we would be very sorry that the 

 world should apprehend that conceit of him. But we 

 cannot conceal, that we think it was least your part of any 

 to enter into that jealousy of him, of whom we have heard 

 you oft speak in a contrary style. And as for that error of 

 yours, which he lately palliated, whereof you seem to pre 

 tend ignorance ; the time is so short since you commended 

 to him one^ to be of the barons of our exchequer in Ireland, 

 as we cannot think you to be so short of memory, as to 

 have forgotten how far you undertook in that business, 

 before acquainting us with it; what a long journey you 

 made the poor man undertake, together with the slight 

 recommendation you sent of him ; which drove us to those 

 straits, that both the poor man had been undone, and your 

 credit a little blasted, if Buckingham had not, by his im 

 portunity made us both grant you more than suit (for you 

 had already acted a part of it,) and likewise run a hazard 

 of the hindrance of our own service, by preferring a person 

 to so important a place, whom you so slightly recom 

 mended. 



Our third observation is upon the point of your opposi 

 tion to this business wherein you either do, or at least 

 would seem to mistake us a little. For first, whereas you 

 excuse yourself of the oppositions you made against Sir 

 Edward Coke at the council-table, both for that, and other 

 causes ; we never took upon us such a patrociny of Sir 

 Edward Coke, as if he were a man not to be meddled 

 withal in any case. For whatsoever you did against him, 

 by our employment and commendation, we ever allowed it, 



* Mr. Lovvder. See the letter of the Earl of Buckingham of the 5th of July. 



