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 96 THE CECILS

writes : " The hope of that whereof you write unto me promiseth little assurance ; for my friends are barred to speak for me, my enemies strong to dissuade, her Majesty not -apt to give, nor I to receive so small advancement as perhaps she would allow me : so as, to conclude, there will be no such office void by his death, which her Majesty will think me worthy of, that I would take in place of this contentment, I sue for of my travail." l Next year he asks for the office of President of the North, or for the Governorship of Berwick, and writes : " If my friends in this opportunity speak not for me, I must not look that strangers will, who think my Lord's greatness a sufficient fortune for me to look for somewhat, and as for my own letter to her Majesty, it hath no reply. If I be forsaken by a father and a brother, who are in that place, I must take it as an unkind fortune. Her Majesty cannot think that my friends have been much importunate, or partial unto me, having not all this time moved her in anything for me." 2

Sir Thomas succeeded his father as Lord Burgh- ley in 1598, being then fifty-six years old. He inherited large estates in Northamptonshire, Lin- colnshire, and Rutland, including of course Burgh-

that he had asked for it before Sir Thomas Heneage was dead, but had requested the Bishop to conceal his request, which put him in an awkward position when several other people (including the Earl of Essex) also asked for it before the death of Sir Thomas. However, he told them the office was not in his disposition. Sir Robert also made efforts to obtain the Stewardship of Cambridge and the Recordership of Colchester and Hull (Hatfield MSS., V. 417, 433, 439).

1 October 8th, 1595 (ibid., V. 401).

2 July 2ist, 1596 (ibid., VI. 275).

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