348 LETTERS FROM BIRCH. 



To the Marquis of Buckingham. 

 My very good Lord, 



I do not easily fail towards gentlemen of quality to dis 

 grace them. For I take myself to have some interest in the 

 good wills of the gentlemen of England, which I keep and 

 cherish for his majesty s special service. And for this gen 

 tleman, of whom you write, Sir John Cotton, I know no 

 cause in the world why I should have displaced him, but 

 that it was certified unto me, that it was his own desire to 

 resign : wherein if I was abused, I will restore him. But 

 if he did consent, and, now it is done, changeth his mind, 

 then I would be loth to disgrace the other, that is come in. 

 Therefore I prav your lordship, that I may know and be 

 informed from himself what passed touching his consent ; 

 and I will do him reason. 



Thus, with my thanks to your lordship, I will ever rest 

 Your Lordship s true Friend and most devoted Servant, 



January 20, 1617. FR. BACON, Cane. 



Indorsed To the Marquis of Buckingham, concerning Sir 

 John Cotton s resigning the place of Gustos 

 Rotulorum of Cambridgeshire. 



To the Lord Chancellor.* 



My honourable Lord, 



I thank your lordship for your favour to Sir George 

 Tipping, in giving liberty unto him to make his appearance 

 before you after the holidays, at my request; who, as I 

 understand by some friends of mine, who moved me to re 

 commend him to your lordship s favour, is willing to con 

 form himself in performance of the decree made in the 

 Chancery by your lordship s predecessor; but that he is per 

 suaded, that presently, upon the performance thereof, his 

 son will make away the land, that shall be conveyed unto 

 him : which being come to Sir George from his ancestors, 

 he desireth to preserve to his posterity. I desire your lord 

 ship s farther favour therefore unto him, that you will find 

 out some course, how he may be exempted from that fear of 

 the sale of his lands, whereof he is ready to acknowledge a 

 fine to his son, and to his heirs by Anne Pigot ; and, they 

 failing, to his son s heirs males, and, for want thereof, to 

 any of his son s or brethren s heirs males, and so to the 

 heirs general of his father and himself by lineal descent, 

 and the remainder to the crown. This offer, which seemeth 



* Harl. MSS. Vol. 7006. 



