LETTER TO THE KING. CCCxlix 



him, his lordship is as ready to censure him as he was 

 Mompesson.&quot; 



It was then moved by the Earl of Arundel, that the 

 three several committees do make their report to-rnorrow 

 morning of the examinations by them taken touching the 

 Lord Chancellor. 



On the 20th the Chancellor wrote to the King, to thank April 20. 

 him for the goodness manifested in his access on the 16th, 

 and expressing an assured hope, that as the King imitated 

 Christ by not breaking the broken reed, or quenching the 

 smoking flax, so would the lords of the upper house in 

 grace and mercy imitate their royal master: (a) and on the 

 22nd of April he addressed a letter to the House of Lords, 

 which had, of course, been submitted to Buckingham and 

 the King, and was in due time communicated to their 

 lordships by the Prince of Wales. 



In that letter, which can be understood only by those 

 who are in possession of the facts now stated, he consented 

 to desert his defence ; and that word used by a man so 



() The following is the letter : 



&quot; To the King. 



&quot; 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 possible, 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, 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.&quot; 



