As we pity the Difficulties your Grace is cast into, so shall we be earnest supplicants to God Almighty, to bless and preserve your Grace in this and all other Services, wherewith God and his Majesty hath trusted you.
Your Graces most humble and bounden Servants, John Rossen. Wal. Brechinen.
POSTSCRIPT.—What goes from my Lord of St Andrews directed to me, I beseech your Grace to open and read for your own use.
89. _Letter from the King to Hamilton._[114]
This is rather to give the reason of My Answer than the Answer it self, (you being to receive it at large by My Lord of Canterbury.) The truth is, that the same reason which made me blot out the whole Sentence before, hath made me desire to alter a word now; to wit, that I should not be thought to desire the abolishing of that in Scotland, which I approve and maintain in England, namely, the Five Articles of Perth: now the word content expresses enough my consent to have them surcease for the present; but the word pleased, methinks, imports as much as if I desired them to take them away, or, at least, were well pleased that they should doe so. But I leave it to your ordering, so that you make it be clearly understood, that though I permit, yet I would be better pleased if they would let them alone; and so I rest,
90, 91. _Letters from the King to Hamilton._[115]
This is rather to shew you, that I do not forget you nor your pains, than for any Answer that your last Leter needs, it being more of Accounts than Demands. Onely I shall tell you, that you needed not to have made an Excuse for asking the Ten Thousand pounds Sterling; for I know that there is but too much use for it, and the more I consider it, I find you have the more reason: therefore I assure you that what may be done shall be done in this, and with what speed is possible; and so I rest
I have heard this day that the Dean of Durham is dead, for the disposing of which Place, though I may have many Suiters, and (which is more) though heretofore I have had divers Intentions upon the disposing of that Place, for the better accommodating of my Service, the reason of which is now as forcible as ever; yet I have thought fit not to dispose of it till I might (if your stay be not longer than I expect) speak with you: and to shew you that I am not unmindful of the daily pains that at this time Balcanqual takes in my Service, I would let you see the case before I dispose of it, and have your Opinion, if he might not stay a little longer for another nearer my eye, and yet not dishearten him, when it may accommodate my Service another way; and so I rest