COMMENDAMS. 307 



commonwealth; whose faithful servant whilst you 

 remain, 



I remain a faithful servant to you, 



FR. BACON. 



To THE KlNG, ABOUT THE COMMENDAMS. 



MAY IT PLEASE YOUR MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY, 



I AM not swift to deliver any thing to your majesty 

 before it be well weighed. But now that I have 

 informed myself of as much as is necessary touching 

 this proceeding of the judges to the argument of the 

 Commendams, notwithstanding your majesty s plea 

 sure signified by me, upon your majesty s command 

 ment in presence of my lord chancellor and the bishop 

 of Winchester, to the contrary, I do think it fit to ad 

 vertise your majesty what hath passed ; the rather, 

 because I suppose the judges, since they performed 

 not your commandment, have at least given your 

 majesty their reasons of failing therein ; I being to 

 answer for the doing your majesty s commandments, 

 and they for the not doing. 



I did conceive, that in a cause that concerned your 

 majesty and your royal power, the judges having 

 heard your attorney-general argue the Saturday 

 before, would of themselves have taken farther time 

 to be advised. 



And, if I fail not in memory, my lord Coke re 

 ceived from your majesty s self, as I take it, a prece 

 dent commandment in Hiliary term, that both in the 

 &amp;lt;e rege inconsulto,&quot; and in the Commendams, your 



