458 LETTERS FROM BIRCH. 



To the Duke of Buckingham. 

 Excellent Lord, 



I understand by Sir John Suckling, that he attended 

 yesterday at Greenwich, hoping, according to your grace s 

 appointment, to have found you there, and to have received 

 your grace s pleasure touching my suit, but missed of you : 

 and this day he sitteth upon the subsidy at Brentford, and 

 shall not be at court this week : which causeth me to use 

 these few lines to hear from your grace, I hope, to my com 

 fort ; humbly praying pardon, if I number thus the days, 

 and that misery should exceed modesty. I ever rest 

 Your Grace s most faithful 



and obliged Servant, 



June 30, 1624. FR. ST. ALBAN. 



To Sir Richard Weston, Chancellor of the Exchequer. 



Mr. Chancellor, 



This way, by Mr. Myn, besides a number of little diffi 

 culties it hath, amounteth to this, that I shall pay interest 

 for mine own money. Besides, I must confess, I cannot 

 bow my mind to be a suitor, much less a shifter, for that 

 means, which I enjoy by his majesty s grace and bounty. 

 And therefore I am rather ashamed of that I have done, 

 than minded to go forward. So that I leave it to yourself 

 what you think fit to be done in your honour and my case, 

 resting 



London, Your very loving Friend, 



this 7th of July, 1624. FR. ST. ALBAN. 



To the Duke of Buckingham. 

 Excellent Lord, 



Now that your grace hath the king private, and at better 

 leisure, the noise of soldiers, ambassadors, parliaments, a 

 little ceasing, I hope you will remember your servant ; for 

 at so good a time, * and after so long a time, to forget him, 

 were almost to forsake him. But, howsoever, I shall still 

 remain 



Your Grace s most obliged and faithful Servant, 



FR. ST. ALBAN. 



I am bold to put into my good friend, Sir Tobie Mat 

 thew s hand, a copy of my petition, which your grace had 

 sent to Sir John Suckling. 



Indorsed August, 1624. 



* This seems to refer to the anniversary thanksgiving-day for the king s de 

 livery from the Gowry conspiracy, on the 5th of August, 1600. 



