COMMENDAMS. 3 1 7 



oath is to counsel the^king when they shall be called ; 

 and if when the king calleth them to counsel, they 

 will do the deed first, and give him counsel after, 

 this is more than a simple refusal. 



Lastly, it is no new thing upon divers particular 

 occasions, of a far higher nature than the consulting 

 with their sovereign about a cause of great moment, 

 to put off days, and yet no breach of oath. And 

 there was another fair passage well known to my 

 lord Coke, that he might have used if it had pleased 

 him ; for that very day was appointed for the king s 

 great cause in the chancery, both for my lord Hobart 

 and him ; which cause ought to have had prece 

 dence afore any private cause, as they would have 

 this seem to be. 



To this letter his majesty made a most princely 

 and prudent answer, which I leave to itself. 



Upon this declaration his majesty will be pleased 

 to have the judges letter and his own letter read. 



Then his majesty, for his part as I conceive, will 

 be pleased to ask the advice of his council as well for 

 the stay of the new day, which is Saturday next, as 

 for the censure and reproof of the contempt passed : 

 for though the judges are a reverend body, yet they 

 are, as all subjects are, corrigible. 



TO SIR GEORGE VILLIERS. 



SIR, 



1 SEND his majesty a draught of the act of council 

 concerning the judges letter, penned as near as I 

 could to his majesty s instructions received in your 



