LETTERS FROM BIRCH. 441 



To Count Gondomar, then in Spain. 

 Illustrissime Comes, 



Multa sunt, quse mihi animos addunt, et quandam alacri- 

 tatem conciliant, ut dominationem tuam illustrissimam hoc 

 tempore de meis fortunis compellam et deprecer. Primum, 

 idque vel maximum, quod cum tarn arcta regum nostrorum 

 conjunctio jam habeatur pro transacta, inde et tu factus sis 

 intercessor tanto potentior ; et mihi nullus jam subsit scru- 

 pulus universas fortunas meas viro tanto, licet extero, de- 

 bendi et acceptas referendi. Secundum, quod cum ea, quse 

 dominatio tua illustrissima de me promisso tenus prsesens 

 impetraveras, neque ullam repulsam passa sint, neque tamen 

 ad exitum perducta ; videatur hoc innuere providentia 

 divina, ut hoc opus me a calamitate eximendi plane tuum 

 sit initio et fine. Tertium, quod stellse duse, quse mihi 

 semper fuerunt propitise, major et minor, jam splendent in 

 urbe vestra, unde per radios auxiliares et benignos amoris 

 crga me tui eum possint nancisci influxum, qui me in aliquo 

 non indigno priore fortuna gradu collocet. Quartum, quod 

 perspexi ex literis, quas ad amicum meum intimum Domi- 

 num Tobium Matthseum nuper scripsisti, memoriam mei 

 apud te vivere et vigere, neque tanta ne^otiorum arduorum 

 et sublimium mole, quanta dom. tuee incumbit, obrutam 

 esse aut extinctam. Postremum accidit et illud, quod 

 postquam ex favore excellent, domini marchionis ad regis 

 mei conspectum et colloquium admissus fuerim, videar mihi 

 in statu gratise collocatus. Non me allocutus est rex ut 

 criminosum, sed ut hominem tempestate dejectum; et simul 

 constantem meum et perpetuum in sermone suo industrise 

 et integritatis tenorem prolixe agnovit, cum insigni, ut 

 videbatur, affectu : unde major mihi oboritur spes, manente 

 ejus erga me gratia, et extincta omni ex diuturnitate invidia, 

 labores illustr. domin. tuse pro me non incassum fore. Ipse 

 interim nee otio me dedi, nee rebus me importune immiscui, 

 sed in iis vivo, et ea tracto, quse nee priores, quos gessi, 

 honores dedeceant, et posteris memoriam nominis mei haud 

 ingratam fortasse relinquent. Itaque spero me non indig- 

 nain fore materiam, in qua et potentise et amicidee tuse vis 



been gratified had not the king been engaged, by the Marquis of Buckingham, 

 for Sir William Becher, his agent in France. See Account of the Life of the 

 Lord Bacon, p. 26, prefixed to the edition of his letters, Memoirs, &c. by Robert 

 Stephens, Esq. The Duke of Buckingham himself, likewise, after his return 

 from Spain, in a letter to the Lord Viscount St. Alban, dated at Hinchinbrook, 

 October 27, 1623, expresses his concern that he could do his lordship no service 

 in that affair, &quot; having engaged myself, .sot/.s he, to Sir William Becher, before 

 my going into Spain ; so that I cannot free myself, unless theie were means to 

 give him satisfaction.&quot; 



