MISCELLANEOUS LETTERS. 89 



in mentem veniant, ea aliis tribuere soles, inducis genus ser- 

 monis in amicitiam minime liberale. But I do assure your 

 lordship, it is both true and fresh, and from a person of that 

 sort, as having some glimpse of it before, I now rest fully 

 confirmed in it ; and it is this, that there should be a plot 

 laid of some strength between Mr. Attorney General,* and 

 Mr. Attorney of the Wards,f for the one s remove to the 

 rolls, and the other to be drawn to his place. Which, to 

 be plain with your lordship, I do apprehend much. For 

 first, I know Mr. Attorney General, whatsoever he pretend- 

 eth or protesteth to your lordship, or any other, doth seek 

 it; and I perceive well by his dealing towards his best 

 friends, to whom he oweth most, how perfectly he hath 

 conned the adage of proximus egomet mihi ; and then I see 

 no man ripened for the place of the rolls in competition 

 with Mr. Attorney General. And lastly, Mr. Attorney of 

 the Wards being noted for a pregnant and stirring man, the 

 objection of any hurt her majesty s business may receive 

 in her causes by the drawing up of Mr. Attorney General 

 will wax cold. And yet, nevertheless, if it may please your 

 lordship to pardon me so to say, of the second of those 

 placings I think with some scorn; only I commend the 

 knowledge hereof to your lordship s wisdom, as a matter 

 not to be neglected. 



And now lastly, my honourable good lord, for my third 

 poor help, I account [it] will do me small good, except 

 there be a heave ; and that is this place of the Star Cham 

 ber. I do confess ingenuously to your lordship, out of my 

 love to the public, besides my particular, that I am of opi 

 nion, that rules without examples will do little good, at 

 least not to continue ; but that there is such a concordance 

 between the time to come and the time passed, as there 

 will be no reforming the one without informing of the other. 

 And I will not, as the proverb is, spit against the wind, but 

 yield so far to a general opinion, as there was never a more 

 * * or particular example. But I submit it wholly to your 

 honourable grave consideration ; only I humbly pray you 

 to conceive that it is not any money that I have borrowed 

 of Mr. Mills, nor any gratification I receive for my aid, that 

 makes me show myself any ways in it, but simply a desire 

 to preserve the rights of the office, as far as it is meet and 

 incorrupt; and secondly his importunity, who, neverthe- 



* Coke. 



t Probably Sir Thomas Heskett, who died 15th of October, 1605, and has a 

 monument erected to his memory in Westminster Abbey. 



