NOTE G G G. 



[Sabbati, 17th March, 1620. 1st. From the Tract.] 



Sir Robert Phillips made report from the Committee of the abuses in the 

 Courts of Justice. 



We met on Thursday in the afternoon : the principal thing wherein I desired 

 to be satisfied was, whether at the time of giving those gifts to the Lord Chan 

 cellor, there was any suit depending before him. In Awbrey s case it appeared 

 plainly there was something accidentally fell out in this examination, and that 

 is a declaration of Sir George Hastings, who hath been struggling with himself 

 betwixt gratitude and honesty, but public and private goods meeting, he pre 

 ferred the public, he pitying Awbrey s case, did give in a box of 100/. to the 

 Lord Chancellor in those terms or the like, that it was to help Awbrey in his 

 cause, notwithstanding not long after a very prejudicial and murthering order 

 was made against Awbrey in his cause ; whereupon Sir George Hastings moved 

 my Lord Chancellor to rectify this order ; my lord promised to do it, but did it 

 not. The order was put into the hands of one Churchill, (one of the registers 

 of the Chancery) by a servant of the Lord Chancellor s. 



There are letters of Awbrey to the Lord Chancellor touching this business. 



Now for Mr. Egerton s case : as the matter was of more weight, so the sum 

 was of larger extent, for there was 400L given then, and a suit then depending 

 in the Star Chamber, about which time Sir Rowland Egerton did prefer a 

 petition to the King for a reference unto the Lord Chancellor ; whereupon my 

 lord caused him to enter into 10,000 marks bond to stand to his award. An 

 award was made, which was refused by Edward Egerton ; thereupon a suit by 

 the Lord Chancellor s direction was commenced against him, and the bond of 

 10,000 marks assigned over to Sir Rowland Egerton. About this time Edward 

 Egerton became acquainted with Doctor Field, relating his cause unto him, 

 who pitying him, sent him two worthy gentlemen, Mr. Damport and Sir John 

 Butler (who is now dead ;) he makes known his case to them, and desires them 

 to be a means to put off his cause from hearing, because his witnesses were not 

 here. Whereupon Damport rode to the Marquis of Buckingham to have had 

 his letter to the Lord Chancellor to stop it ; but the marquis said he would not 

 write, because the matter was already decreed, and he would not receive it. 

 Mr. Egerton was drawn into a bond of 10,000/. for 6,000/. and Mr. Damport 

 being asked what he and Doctor Field should have had of this money, he said 

 he did not remember what certain sum, but he said it was more than any cause 

 could deserve in any court of justice. 



In Awbrey s case this is to be added, that Sir George Hastings being at 

 Hackney, where he dwelt, was sent for by the Lord Chancellor, and came unto 

 him, and found him in bed, who bid him come near him, and willed the rest to 

 depart the room, and then said to him, Sir George, I am sure you love me, and 

 I know that you are not willing that any thing done by you shall reflect any 

 dishonour upon me. I hear that one Awbrey pretends to petition against me j 

 he is a man that you have some interest in, you may take him off if you please. 

 Sir George Hastings afterwards met with Awbrey, and asked whether he 

 intended any such thing, and desired to see it to show the Lord Chancellor, 

 which Sir George accordingly did, and desired my lord to do the poor man 

 justice. My lord promised to do it, and bad him bring his counsel ; they did 

 so, but could have no remedy; so the petition went on. Sir George Hastings 

 sometimes since had conference with my Lord Chancellor ; he told him, he 

 must lay it upon his lordship. If you do, George, said he, I must deny it upon 

 my honour. 



Thus you see the relation of what hath passed. Now for our proceedings 

 in it. 



It is a cause of great weight, it concerns every man here ; for if the fountains 

 be muddy, what will the streams be 1 If the great dispenser of the king s con* 

 science be corrupt, who can have any courage to plead before him 1 I will 

 present one thing to you, and then make a request. 



That which I move is, that we present this business singly to the Lords, and 

 deliver it without exasperation. One precedent is for it in the like case, for a 



