LETTERS FROM BIRCH. 355 



ship s power for the assessing of costs ; which, because I 

 am certainly informed Sir Rowland Cotton had just cause 

 of complaint, I hope your lordship will not give any against 

 him. And I do the rather move your lordship to respect 

 him in it, because it concerns him in his reputation, which 

 I know he tenders, and not the money, which might be 

 imposed upon him ; which can be but a trifle. Thus pre 

 suming of your lordship s favour herein, which I shall be 

 ready ever to account to your lordship for, I rest 



Your Lordship s most devoted to serve you, 



June 19, 1618. G. BUCKINGHAM. 



To the Lord Chancellor.* 

 My honourable Lord, 



Whereas it hath pleased his majesty to recommend unto 

 your consideration a petition exhibited by Mr. Fowle, 

 together with the grievances and request for the rectifying 

 of the work of gold and silver thread ; and now under- 

 standeth that your lordship hath called unto you the other 

 commissioners in that case, and spent some time to hear 

 what the opposers could object, and perceiveth by a relation 

 of a good entrance you have made into the business ; and 

 is now informed, that there remaineth great store of gold 

 and silver thread in the merchants hands, brought from 

 foreign parts, besides that which is brought in daily by 

 stealth, and wrought here by underhand workers; so that 

 the agents want vent, with which inconveniencies it seemeth 

 the ordinary course of law cannot so well meet; and yet 

 they are inforced, for freeing of clamour, to set great 

 numbers of people on work; so that the commodity lying 

 dead in their hands, will in a very short time grow to a 

 very great sum of money. To the end, therefore, that the 

 undertakers may not be disheartened by these wrongs and 

 losses, his majesty hath commanded me to write unto your 

 lordship, to the end you might bestow more time this 

 vacation in prosecuting the course you have so worthily 

 begun, that all differences being reconciled, the defects of 

 the commission may be also amended, for prevention of 

 farther abuses therein; so as the agents may receive en 

 couragement to go on quietly in the work without disturb 

 ance. And I rest 



Your Lordship s faithful Friend and Servant, 



From Bewly, the 20th day of Aug. 1618. G. BUCKINGHAM. 



* Harl. MSS. Vol. 7006. 



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