330 LETTERS FROM BIRCH. 



and still do, for good service on your part. De bonis 

 operibus non lapidamus vos. But whereas you talk of the 

 riot and violence committed by him, we wonder you make 

 no mention of the riot and violence of them that stole away 

 his daughter, which was the first ground of all that noise 

 as we said before. For a man may be compelled by mani 

 fest wrong beyond his patience; and the first breach of that 

 quietness, which hath ever been kept since the beginning 

 of our journey was made by them that committed the theft. 

 And for your laying the burden of your opposition upon 

 the council, we meddle not with that question ; but the 

 opposition, which we justly find fault with you, was the 

 refusal to sign a warrant for the father to the recovery of 

 his child, clad with those circumstances (as is reported) of 

 your slight carriage to Buckingham s mother, when she 

 repaired to you upon so reasonable an errand. What far 

 ther opposition you made in that business, we leave it to 

 the due trial in the own time. But whereas you would 

 distinguish of times, pretending ignorance either of our 

 meaning or his, when you made your opposition; that 

 would have served for a reasonable excuse not to have fur 

 thered such a business, till you had been first employed in 

 it : but that can serve for no excuse of crossing any thing 

 that so nearly concerned one, whom you profess such 

 friendship unto. We will not speak of obligation; for 

 surely we think, even in good manners, you had reason not 

 to have crossed any thing wherein you had heard his name 

 used till you had heard from him. For if you had willingly 

 given your consent and hand to the recovery of the young 

 gentlewoman; and then written both to us and to him 

 what inconvenience appeared to you to be in such a match ; 

 that had been the part indeed of a true servant to us, and 

 a true friend to him. But first to make an opposition, and 

 then to give advice by way of friendship, is to make the 

 plough go before the horse. 



Thus leaving all the particulars of your carriage, in this 

 business to the own proper time, which is ever the disco 

 verer of truth, we commend you to God. Given under our 

 signet at Nantwich, in the fifteenth year of our reign of 

 Great Britain, &c. 



