LETTERS FROM STEPHENS. 11 



giving notice unto those that were present, that you had 

 received such instructions from his majesty ; whose honour 

 will be so much the greater, in that all men will acknow 

 ledge the sufficiency and worthiness of his majesty s choice, 

 in preferring a man of such abilities to that place, which, 

 besides, cannot but be a great advancement and furtherance 

 to his service. And I can assure your lordship, that his 

 majesty was never so well pleased as he is with this 

 account you have given him of this passage. Thus, with 

 the remembrance of my service, I rest 



Your Lordship s ever at command, 



Edinburgh, May 18, 1617. G. BUCKINGHAM. 



To the Lord Keeper. 

 My honourable Lord, 



His majesty commandeth me to write to your lordship, 

 that he wonders your hand being at that letter of the lords 

 of the council, which he saith is a very blunt one : you have 

 not besides sent him some advice of your own, his majesty 

 having only intrusted you to speak with Sir Lionel Cran- 

 field about his estate. 



Your Lordship s faithful Friend and Servant, 



Newmarket, Nov. 19, 1617. G. BUCKINGHAM. 



To the Earl of Buckingham. 

 My Lord, 



How well I wish to Sir Gilbert Haughton, himself I dare 

 say doth not doubt, partly out of mine own affection, and 

 chiefly for your lordship s affection towards him, which to 

 me is more than mine own. That the King should make 

 bargains of hope, when his treasure sufficeth not for his 

 own charge, I may not advise for my dearest friends ; for 

 I am nailed to the King s estate. But two things I shall 

 assent unto ; the one, that if the King can redeem his works 

 without charge of officers, I shall be glad of it, both for the 

 gentleman s sake, and because I perceive the uniting of the 

 alum works in the King s hand is best ; the other, that if 

 his majesty be pleased to signify his pleasure to my Lord 

 Treasurer and me, that there be no forfeiture taken by 

 Banister till the King shall advise of this bargain, we will 

 hold him to it. God preserve and prosper your lordship. 

 Your lordship, I think, perceiveth both by scribbling and 

 cursory inditing, that I write in straits of business. 

 Your Lordship s true Friend and devoted Servant, 



York House, this 24th of Nov. 1617- FR. BACON, C. S. 



