NOTE GGG. 



These letters and orders were also read, viz. 



One letter, dated the 14th March, 1618, written by the Lord Chancellor to 

 the company of Vintners. 



An order made by the Lord Chancellor to relieve the English merchants of 

 Vintners, dated 20th April. 



Order of reference by the Lord Chancellor to Sir Thomas Love, dated 9th 

 May, 1619. 



Another letter of the Lord Chancellor to the Vintners, dated 9th June, 

 1619. 



These examinations being read, the Earl of Southampton signified, that Sir 

 Thomas Smith, lent, being to be examined in this business of the vintners, is 

 sick of the gout. His lordship also declared, that his lordship, and the lords 

 committees joined with him, have heard a public fame and report, how that the 

 Lord Chancellor, having ordered matters in open court, did afterwards alter and 

 reverse the same orders upon petitions ; that their lordships, in the time of this 

 cessation, being desirous to know the truth thereof, sent for the registers of the 

 Chancery (who then were in the country) ; and now, upon their return, they 

 have, upon search, found out some such orders, altered and reversed upon 

 petitions, and required a longer time to search for more ; and then the said 

 registers will give their lordships more full satisfaction therein. The which was 

 generally approved of by the house. 



The clerk read the examinations taken here in open court : 



In causa Domini Cancellarii, viz. of 

 John Hunt. James Rolph. 



Edward Shereborne. Robert Barker. 



Sir George Renell. Thomas Mewtas. 



William Peacock. 



It was agreed, that, forasmuch as these examinations were taken by three 

 several committees, and some were taken here in the house, and the examinations 

 of the one spake of some of the same things taken by the other ; that the three 

 committees do meet together (attended by the King s counsel) to make one 

 brief of all these examinations. 



Agreed also, that the three committees, in causa Domini Cancellarii, do con 

 tinue to receive complaints, and take examinations in the same cause ; and that 

 their lordships meet this afternoon, in the Little Committee Chamber, after the 

 conference with the Commons. 



Dominus Capitalis Justiciarius, locum tenens Domini Cancellarii, declaravit 

 praesens Pai liamentum continuandum esse usque in diem Martis, videlicet, 24 m 

 mstantis Aprilis, Dominis sic decernentibus. 



April 20. 



To the King. 



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 recom 

 mend myself. It is not possible, nor it were not safe, for me to answer parti 

 culars till I have my charge ; which when I shall receive, I shall, without fig 

 leaves or disguise, excuse what I can excuse, extenuate what I can extenuate, 

 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. 

 April 20, 1621. 



