LETTERS FROM BIRCH. 405 



may increase the king s reputation with foreigners, who 

 may make a far other judgment than we mean, of a begin 

 ning to question great counsellors and officers of the crown, 

 by courts or assemblies of estates. But the reflection upon 

 my particular in this makes me more sparing than perhaps, 

 as a counsellor, I ought to be. 



God ever preserve and prosper you. 



Your Lordship s true Servant all and ever, 

 March 7, the day I received FR. ^T. ALB AN, Cane. 



the seal, 1620. 



To the King.* 

 It may please your Majesty, 



I received your majesty s letter about midnight ; and 

 because it was stronger than the ancient summons of the 

 exchequer, which is, sicut leipsum et omnia tua diligis ; 

 whereas this was sicut me diligis ; I used all possible care 

 to effect your majesty s good will and pleasure. 



I sent early to the prince, and to my Lord Treasurer ; 

 and we attended his highness soon after seven of the clock, 

 at Whitehall, to avoid farther note. We agreed, that if the 

 message came, we would put the lords into this way, that 

 the answer should be, that we understood they came pre 

 pared both with examination and precedent ; and we like 

 wise desired to be alike prepared, that the conference might 

 be with more fruit. 



I did farther speak with my Lord of Canterbury, when 

 I came to the house, not letting him know any part of the 

 business, that he would go on with a motion which he had 

 told me of the day before, that the Lords House might not 

 sit Wednesday and Friday, because they were convocation- 

 days ; and so was the former custom of parliament. 



* The date of this letter is determined to be the 8th of March, 1620- 1 , from the 

 circumstance of its being mentioned to have been written on that Thursday, on 

 which the house of lords adjourned to the Saturday following. It appears from 

 the journal of that house, that on the 8th of March, 1620, the said house, at 

 which were present the Prince of Wales and Marquis of Buckingham, was ad 

 journed to Saturday the 10th, on which day a conference of both houses was 

 held relating to the complaint of that of the commons against Sir Giles Mom- 

 pesson. Of this conference the Lord Chancellor made report on Monday, 

 March 12, to the house of lords, remarking, that &quot; the inducement to this con 

 ference was to clear the king s honour, touching grants to Sir Giles, and the 

 passages in procuring the same.&quot; After this report of the conference, the Lord 

 Chamberlain, William, Earl of Pembroke, complained to the house, that two 

 great lords, meaning the Lord Chancellor and the Lord Treasurer, the Lord 

 Viscount Mandeville, had, in that conference, spake in their own defence, not 

 being allowed to do so when the committees were named. Upon which both the 

 lords acknowledged their error, and begged pardon of the house. 



