LETTERS FROM STEPHENS. 29 



your lordships know my manner is) declare what I know 

 or remember. 



Thirdly, That according to the course of justice, I may 

 be allowed to except to the witnesses brought against me ; 

 and to move questions to your lordships for their cross- 

 examinations ; and likewise to produce my own witnesses 

 for the discovery of the truth. 



And lastly, that if there be any more petitions of like 

 nature, that your lordships would be pleased not to take 

 any prejudice or apprehension of any number or muster of 

 them, especially against a judge, that makes two thousand 

 orders and decrees in a year (not to speak of the courses 

 that have been taken for hunting out complaints against 

 me) but that I may answer them according to the rules of 

 justice, severally and respectively. 



These requests I hope appear to your lordships no other 

 than just. And so thinking myself happy to have so noble 

 peers, and reverend prelates to discern of my cause ; and 

 desiring no privilege of greatness for subterfuge of guilti 

 ness; but meaning, as I said, to deal fairly and plainly 

 with your lordships, and to put myself upon your honours 

 and favours ; I pray God to bless your counsels and per 

 sons. And rest 



Your Lordships humble Servant, 



March 19th, 1620. FR. St. ALBAN, CailC. 



To the King. 



It may please your most excellent Majesty, 

 I think myself infinitely bounden to your majesty, for 

 vouchsafing me access to your royal person, and to touch 

 the hem of your garment. I see your majesty imitateth 

 him that would not break the broken reed, nor quench 

 the smoking flax ; and as your majesty imitateth Christ, 

 so I hope assuredly my lords of the upper-house will 

 imitate you, and unto your majesty s grace and mercy, 

 and next to my lords, I recommend myself. It is not pos 

 sible, nor it were not safe, for me to answer particulars till I 

 have my charge; which, when I shall receive, I shall, 

 without fig-leaves or disguise, excuse what I can excuse, 

 extenuate what I can extenuate, and ingenuously confess 

 what I can neither clear nor extenuate. And if there be 

 any thing which I might conceive to be no offence, and yet 

 is, I desire to be informed, that I may be twice penitent, 

 once for my fault, and the second time for my error, and so 

 submitting all that I am to your majesty s grace, I rest 



April 20, 1621. 



