LETTERS FROM THE BRITISH MUSEUM. 473 



proof thereof; for I cannot account your lordship s service 

 distinct from that which I to God and my prince ; the 

 performance whereof to best proof and purpose is the meet 

 ing point and rendezvous of all my thoughts. Thus I take 

 my leave of your lordship, in humble manner, committing 

 you, as daily in my prayers, so, likewise, at this present, 

 to the merciful pr6tection of the Almighty. 



Your most dutiful and bounden Nephew, 



From Grey s Inn, B. FRA. 



this 16th of September, 1580. 



To the Right Honourable the Lord Treasurer.* 

 My very good Lord, 



I take it as an undoubted sign of your lordship s favour 

 unto me that, being hardly informed of me, you took occa 

 sion rather of good advice than of evil opinion thereby. 

 And if your lordship had grounded only upon the said 

 information of theirs, I might and would truly have up- 

 holden that few of the matters were justly objected ; as the 

 very circumstances do induce, in that they were delivered 

 by men that did misaffect me, and, besides, were to give 

 colour to their own doings. But .because your lordship 

 did mingle therewith both a late motion of mine own, and 

 somewhat which you had otherwise heard, I know it to be 

 my duty (and so do I stand affected) rather to prove your 

 lordship s admonition effectual in my doings hereafter, than 

 causeless by excusing what is past. And yet (with your 

 lordship s pardon humbly asked) it may please you to re 

 member, that I did endeavour to set forth that said motion 

 in such sort as it might breed no harder effect than a 

 denial. And I protest simply before God, that I sought 

 therein an ease in coming within bars, and not any extraor 

 dinary or singular note of favour. And for that your lord 

 ship may otherwise have heard of me, it shall make me 

 more wary and circumspect in carriage of myself; indeed 

 I find in my simple observation, that they which live as it 

 were in umbra and not in public or frequent action, how 

 moderately and modestly soever they behave themselves, 

 yet laborant invidia ; I find also that such persons as are of 

 nature bashful (as myself is), whereby they want that plaus 

 ible familiarity which others have, are often mistaken for 

 proud. But once I know well, and I most humbly beseech 

 your lordship to believe, that arrogancy and overweening 



* Lansd. MS. li. art. 5. Grig. 



