CCclxvili LIFE OF BACOX. 



rates than they were vendible : I do confess and declare, 

 that Sir Thomas Smith did deal with me in the behalf of 

 the French company; informing me, that the vintners, 

 by combination, would not take off their wines at any 

 reasonable prices. That it would destroy their trade, and 

 stay their voyage for that year ; and that it was a fair 

 business, and concerned the state; and he doubted not 

 but I should receive thanks from the King, and honour by 

 it; and that they would gratify me with a thousand 

 pounds for my travel in it ; whereupon I treated between 

 them, by way of persuasion, and (to prevent any com 

 pulsory suit) propounding such a price as the vintners 

 might be gainers six pounds a ton, as it was then main 

 tained to me ; and after, the merchants petitioning to the 

 King, and his majesty recommending the business unto 

 me, as a business that concerned his customs and the 

 navy, I dealt more earnestly and peremptorily in it ; and, 

 as I think, restrained in the messengers hands for a day 

 or two some that were the more stiff; and afterwards the 

 merchants presented me with a thousand pounds out of 

 their common purse ; acknowledging themselves that I 

 had kept them from a kind of ruin, and still maintaining 

 to me that the vintners, if they were not insatiably minded, 

 had a very competent gain. This is the merits of the 

 cause, as it then appeared unto me. 



Servants. &quot; 28. To the eight and twentieth article of the charge, 

 viz. the Lord Chancellor hath given way to great exactions 

 by his servants, both in respect of private seals, and 

 otherwise for sealing of injunctions : I confess, it was a 

 great fault of neglect in me, that I looked no better to my 

 servants. 



&quot; This declaration I have made to your lordships with a 

 sincere mind ; humbly craving, that if there should be any 

 mistaking, your lordships would impute it to want of 

 memory, and not to any desire of mine to obscure truth, 



