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 THE FIRST EARL OF EXETER 95

unto you with no better a farewell than to assure you, that you shall never find friend next your father and your wife, that shall more truly love you than I will, and upon that pledge I hope I shall be assured of yours." l Similar expressions are frequent in his letters. " I perceive the kind care you have of my well-doing, which shall every day tie the knot of our love harder and harder. I wish in all your private and public designs a happy event, and your life long and happy to do her Majesty and your country service." Again, " I think you happy for your great and honourable fortune, and happier that the Lord has given you grace of judgment so to use it as to carry as much love and reputation, and as little envy as ever councillor had in any time." 3 Such phrases, coming from such a man as Sir Thomas, who despised the conventional language of flattery common at the time, do equal credit to both brothers, though here as in other cases the char- acter of Sir Robert is much less easy to understand. Sir Thomas seems to have felt no jealousy at the rapid promotion of his younger brother in the political world, but he occasionally grumbles that he receives no advancement himself. Thus on the death of Sir Thomas Heneage, in October, 1595, when a most indecent scramble took place for the many lucrative ofhces he held, 4 poor Sir Thomas

1 Hatfield MSS., V. 273.

2 September and, 1599 (ibid., IX. 345). 8 July aist, 1601 (Cal. S. P. Dom.).

4 Sir Robert was one of the chief offenders. In sending him the patent for the " Clerkship of Sarum," the Bishop of Salisbury mentions

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