was sent out of England to supply that place), hee is of neere alliance vnto mee. So as, where there is concurrence of meritt & kinred, y2 L3 may conjecture that I deale wth him like a gentleman & a friend, & not like a marchent. Albeit I will leave a good place there, wthout any præsent following details drawn up for me by Mr. B. H. Beedham, from information communicated by Mr. J. N. C. Davis, as before: George Touchet, Earl of Castle Lucy, d. of Sir James Mervyn, haven. 3 Sir John Davies * No. 245. For a notice of the collection from which the above Letter is for the first time printed, see Preface to "The Fortescue Papers..... Edited... by Samuel R. Gardiner, for the Camden Society (1871). My friend Mr. Gardiner must have overlooked Davies's important letter. præferment heer (whereof none of my profession have failed at their return out of Ireland) I might, perhaps wth some reason expect some Retribution, to recompence the charge of Transporting my famely from thence, & of setling it heer in this Kingdome, where I am become almost an Alien by reason of my long absence. For this particular favour of transferring my place to so well deserving a successor, I doo wholly depend vppon y LP as I shall euer doo vpon all other occasions, while I live, as one that have separated my self from all other dependancies, beeing entirely devoted to doo y' L' all humble & faythful service 21 Junij 1619. Jo: Dauys. if my long service may induce favour, yo Lè may bee pleased to looke vppon the noate enclosed. To the right honorable my very good lord my lord the Marques of Buckingham, &c. It is to be regretted that the "noate" of the postscript has not been preserved. It probably enumerated his public services. Sir William Ryves succeeded as Attorney-General for Ireland by Patent dated 30th October, 1619.4 From 1619 onward, Sir John Davies is found in the House of Commons (still for Newcastle-under-Lyne) 4 By inadvertence the Patent describes Sir John Davies as "deceased." Unless used as = departed (from Ireland), or = having ceased to fill the office, it is a singular oversight. 66 and on circuit " as a Judge. His "Charges "—to be given in his Prose Works—as "one of the Justices of Assize for the Northerne Circute "—are very characteristic, being full of legal 'precedents,' and noticeable in their tracing up the verdict sought to abiding principles. He took part in the memorable "case" of Frances, Countess of Somerset, for the poison-murder of Sir Thomas Overbury. In the House of Commons he spoke seldom; but when anything that concerned Irish interests came up he never failed to contend in behalf of Ireland.5 Lightening his legal employments were a large correspondence and fellowship' with his most eminent contemporaries, and the collection of his Poetical Works, in so far as he wished them to go down to posterity. Of the former I select one undated letter to the illustrious Sir Robert Cotton, with whom he had been early acquainted, and associated in 1614, in re-establishing the Society of Antiquaries, originally founded in 1590. One of these is a sprightly and pleasant letter, and all the more welcome that most of his correspondence that remains is official and grave. The lighter letter is as follows, from MSS. Cotton: Julius C. III., p. 14: now paged 133, British Museum: 5 In the Life, as before, his appearances in Parliament will be noted and illustrated. Sweet Robin, for a few sweet words, a client of mine hath presented me wth sweet meates, to what end I know not except it be, as Chaucer speakes, To make mine English sweet uppon my tongue, that I may pleade the better for him to morrow at the Seale. Not wth standing, the best vse that I can make of it, is to preesent you wth it, especially at this time when you ar in Physick, that you may sweeten your tast after the Rhewbarb. I have been a little distracted wth vnexpected busines these two or three last dayes, that I cold not performe my officious promise to visit you in this voluntary sicknes of yours; but [erased] now I am faine to make my hands to excuse my feet from travayling vnto you, because being the servant of the multitude I am not mine owne man. Make much of your self, & make y' self speedily well, that I may have your company towards Cambridge, from whence I will go wth you to see the ancient Seat of Robt. le Bruis; so wishing you a prosperous operation of your Phisick, at least that you may Imagine so, for it is the Imagination that doth good, & not the Physick, wch I ever thought a meere imposture; I cease to troble you least the intention of to much Reading hinder the working of those vertuous drugs. Yrs all & ever (Endorsed) To my worthy friend Rob: Cotton esquier. J. Dauis. A second letter runs thus, from MSS. Cotton: Julius C. III., p. 32:— Noble S Robert: the ordinary subject of letters is, newes, whereof this kingdome since the warres, hath been very barren; therefore I must write vnto you that wch is no newes, that is, that I love you, & hold a kind & dear memory of you. according to my promise to y' self & Mr. Solliciter of England who is now, I hear, a Judge, I have caused this bearer to draw some Mapps of or principall Cittyes of Ireland; & he having occasion to go for England, I have thought fitt to direct him vnto you. he is an honest ingenuous yong ma & of y' owne Name. Antiquities out of Cumberland; if they be brought hither I will take care to transmitt the to London, & so in speciall hast, being ready to go my circuit ov* all Munster I leave you to ye divine p'servation. I hear not yet of ye Ys to do you Service, Io: Dauys. Dublin 4 Martij 1607. I desire to be affectionately remembred to Mr. Justice Doddridge & Mr. Clarencieux. His Poems, as finally collected by him, appeared in a thin octavo in 1622. His Prose Works he never collected, but allowed them to be re-published separately. His "True Cause" passed through several editions during his own life-time. One of his most important prose-books after the "True Cause" brings us to the closing event of his busy and various-coloured life. d |