Copy 1, Volume 1

Memoirs of the reign of Queen Elizabeth, from the year 1581 till her death. In which the secret intrigues of her court, and the conduct of her favourite, Robert Earl of Essex, both at home and abroad, are particularly illustrated. From the original papers of ... Anthony Bacon, esquire, and other manuscripts never before published / By Thomas Birch.

Thomas Birch

Date:: 1754

Credit: Memoirs of the reign of Queen Elizabeth, from the year 1581 till her death. In which the secret intrigues of her court, and the conduct of her favourite, Robert Earl of Essex, both at home and abroad, are particularly illustrated. From the original papers of ... Anthony Bacon, esquire, and other manuscripts never before published / By Thomas Birch. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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44 claufes ; which is like, if the execution be accordingly, to bring forth fome 44 good effects. It is written hither of great credit from a gentleman of Florence, 44 a great perfonage there, and well affected to our nation, that thro5 our fugitives 44 means, there is great rigour like to be ufed to any of our country, that ill a If 44 be found in thole parts, being true fubjects- to her majefty. The lord chief 44 juftice of the common pleas Dyer k is lately deceafed, but none yet in his 44 place. We have yet no new fecretary, nor any nominated of late. And my 44 lord embaffador is like to flay yet there thefe ten months, as fome think. My C( lord treafurer fince mine arrival hath been very much pained widi his old 44 difeafe [the gout] but is now recovered.” His next letter was dated from fecretary Walsingham’s houfe in London on the the 8th of May 1582 J, inclofing one from Mr. Francis Bacon to his Brother, and another from the fame Gentleman to Beza. 44 For public matters, fays Mr. 44 Faunt, all is here as before, without any change or flirring more than accuftom- 44 ed. The prince [of Orange] in Flanders doth well. From monfieur here is 44 lately arrived Bacqueville j but wherefore, you fhall hear by the next what i 44 fhall learn.” He writes a much fuller letter on the firft of Auguffc following ra, excufing his not having written for above a month before, on account of his abfence all that time both from the city and court, and acknowledging the lafl letters, which he had receiv’d from Mr. Bacon, dated at Lyons, March 25, who fince that time had remov’d to Montpellier, and to whom a licenfe from her majefty for travelling abroad three years longer had been fent about May. But Mr. Faunt informs him, that his return was wifh’d for by all his friends, efpecially as he was now pre¬ vented from going into Italy. He excufes himfelf likewife for the infrequency and flightnefs of his letters, 44 fince the time, fays he, ferveth not now almoit to write 44 any thing from hence into thofe parts, fuch fearch is made of ordinary letters 44 upon any the leaft fufpicion. And how much fuch a mifhap might prejudice 44 me in the place, that I am in, I leave to your good diferetion to j udge. Other- 4C wife, or if I were affured of your certain being and nearer hand, 1 may and 44 would better gratify you, than I could ever hitherto. Whereof when I fome- 44 times think, I am not a little grieved, that 1 cannot make you partaker of fuch 44 things, as I would not impart to any other, and I know would Hand you in 44 head againft your return and after, becaufe you would life him well, as few can 44 do. For I muff needs fay, that this is home, when all is done ^ I mean, the place, 44 where I live, and have lived before, yieldeth me more experience, than all my 44 travel hath done. You will fay, now that you are returned, you perceive it 44 more. Truth, I do fo *, but yet where abroad I enjoyed all outward fights and 44 obfervations, here I fee into the inward courfe of things, and very cabinets of 44 fecrecies, indeed not common to many : but withal I will conclude, that when- k Sir James Dyer, born in Somerfetfhire, of that court in the beginning of queen Elizas educated at Oxford, Serjeant at Law, and Speaker beth’s reign. He died at Stowton in Hunting- of the Houfe of Commons in the reign of Ed w a r d donfhire, on the 24th of March 1585;. VI. made one of the judges of the Common Pleas 1 Vol. i. fol. 60, by queen Mary, and advanced to be Chief Juftice m Foh 62* the:

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