LEGAL SUBJECTS. 437 



TO THE LORD CHANCELLOR *. 



MY HONOURABLE GOOD LORD, 



WHEREAS in Mr, Hansbye s cause f , which formerly, 

 by my means, both his majesty and myself recom 

 mended to your lordship s favour, your lordship 

 thought good, upon a hearing thereof, to decree some 

 part for the young gentleman, and to refer to some 

 masters of the chancery, for your farther satisfaction, 

 the examination of witnesses to this point ; which 

 seemed to your lordship to be the main thing your 

 lordship doubted of, whether or no the leases, con 

 veyed by old Hans bye to young Hansbye by deed, 

 were to be liable to the legacies, which he gave by 

 will ; and that now I am credibly informed, that it 

 will appear upon their report, and by the depositions 

 of witnesses, without all exception, that the said 

 leases are no way liable to those legacies ; these 

 shall be earnestly to intreat your lordship, that upon 

 consideration of the report of the masters, and depo 

 sitions of the witnesses, you will, for my sake, shew 



* Harl. MSS. Vol. 7006. 



f This seems to be one of the causes, on account of which 

 lord Bacon was afterwards accused by the House of Commons ; 

 in answer to whose charge he admits, that in the cause of Sir 

 Ralph Hansbye there being two decrees, one for the inheritance, 

 and the other for goods and chattels ; some time after the first 

 decree, and before the second, there was 500Z. delivered to him 

 by Mr. Tobie Matthew; nor could his lordship deny, that this 

 was upon the matter &quot; pendente lite.&quot; 



