448 ADVICE TO SIR GEORGE VILLIERS. 



should rather advise, meddle little, but leave the 

 ordering of those household affairs to the white- 

 staffs, which are those honourable persons, to whom it 

 properly belongeth to be answerable to the king for it ; 

 and to those other officers of the green-cloth, who are 

 subordinate to them, as a kind of council, and a court 

 of justice also. 



6. Yet for the green-cloth law, take it in the 

 largest sense, I have no opinion of it, farther than it 

 is regulated by the just rules of the common laws of 

 England. 



7. Towards the support of his majesty s own 

 table, and of the prince s, and of his necessary officers, 

 his majesty hath a good help by purveyance, which 

 justly is due unto him ; and, if justly used, is no great 

 burden to the subject ; but by the purveyors and 

 other under-officers is many times abused. In many 

 parts of the kingdom, I think, it is already reduced 

 to a certainty in money ; and if it be indifferently 

 and discreetly managed, it would be no hard matter 

 to settle it so throughout the whole kingdom ; 

 yet to be renewed from time to time : for that will 

 be the best and safest, both for the king and 

 people. 



8. The king must be put in mind to preserve the 

 revenues of his crown, both certain and casual, with 

 out diminution, and to lay up treasure in store against 

 a time of extremity ; empty coffers give an ill sound, 

 and make the people many times forget their duty, 

 thinking that the king must be beholden to them for 

 his supplies. 



