LORD SUFFOLK. CCXXV11 



excellently, (a) but pursued his own constant course, activity 

 in detecting the offence, and moderation in punishing the 

 offender. After a short confinement they were released 

 at the intercession of Buckingham, and the fine reduced 

 to 7000. 



The motives by which Buckingham was influenced in 

 this and similar remissions may possibly be collected from 

 his conduct in the advancement of Lord Chief Justice 

 Montagu, who, for a sum of 20,000, was appointed to 

 the Treasurership, vacated by the removal of Lord Suffolk, 

 and was created a peer; for which offence this dispenser 

 of the King s favours was, in the reign of Charles the First, 

 impeached by the Commons, but he, after the death of 

 Bacon and of the King, solemnly denied the accusation, by 

 protesting &quot; that the sum was a voluntary loan to the King 

 by the Lord Treasurer after his promotion, and not an 

 advance to obtain the appointment.&quot; (b) 



(a) See letter of 13th November, 1619, vol. xii. p. 77. 



(6) Let the letters upon this transaction, of which the originals are in 

 the Tanners MSS. in Oxford, speak for themselves : they have not hitherto 

 been printed. 



&quot; My good Lord, If rumour carry me into error, yet I beseech you 

 lett secresy cover my error, non living knowes what I write, nor I hope 

 shall, yf that I write shall not please you. What ground it hath I know 

 not, nor whence the opinion ryseth, but bothe in court and abroade it is 

 strongly conceyted, talked, and told me, as yf the King hadde purpose to 

 make me L. Treasorer. Your lordship best knowes the King s purposes. 

 Yf my service should be thought of use to make him a ritche king, as in 

 all things els he is a happy king, I would be content to sacrifice my lyfe, 

 my labour, and all my fortunes to do him that office. And for my obliga 

 tion to you I would leave the earnest of ten thousand pounds, to bestow 

 where and when you shall appoint. 



&quot; This proceedes not of baseness to buy that which otherwise I were not 

 worthy of, nor of pryde to be made better then I am, but sincerely to shew 

 how mutch I zeale my master s good ; and God assistinge, I would not 

 feare to effect what it seemes the world thinks I could and might perforrne. 

 My second ends ar to shew how mutch and how truly I am yours, and 

 would be while I live. 



