Gratulatio ad J. Leigh. Capitalem lustitiarium Angl. (Camden) 6 Feb. 1620 / Congratulations to James Ley, Lord Chief Justice of England (Camden) February 6, 1620/1621

Gratulatio ad J. Leigh. Capitalem lustitiarium Angl. (Camden)6 Feb. 1620

Honoratissime Domine.

Fama promotionis tuae gratissimè appulit ad nos omnes haud ita certe studijs chartisque obuolutos, quin aures nostrae tibi pateant. Imò prorsus censemus permultum interesse alacritatis publicae, vt bonorum praemia citissime promulgentur, quo suavius virtutibus, tuo exemplo compensatis, ad vnum omnes incumbamus. Quare tam verè quam libenter gratulamur tibi, nec minus etiam Reipublicae, quam nunc pleno gradu ingrediens beneficijs tuis percurres. Nos etiam haud minimam fauoris tui partem speramus, orantes vt immunitates nostrae a Serenissimis Regibus concessae ab Augustissimo Iacobo auctae tuâ operâ conserventur; eadem manus, et tuum tibi largita¹ est honorem, et priuilegia nostra confirmauit; in quâ dextrâ et fide coniuncti, in caeteris haud diuellamur. Quod si oppidani nostri (more suo) Musarum iura et diplomata arrodant; tuus amor et authoritas istos sorices nobis abigat. Demosthenes Atheniensis doluit se victum opificum antelucanâ industriâ, nostrae etiam Athenae, artesque obscuris opificum artibus superari dolebunt. Sed tua humanitas haec nobis expediet. Deus fortunet tibi hunc honorem, et faxit, vt tibi gloriae sit, omnibus saluti.

Congratulations to James Ley, Lord Chief Justice of England (Camden) February 6, 1620/1621

Most Honored Lord.

We all received the news of your promotion with the deepest joy; we were not so buried in our studies and books that we were not all ears for you. Far from it. We believe wholeheartedly that proclaiming as quickly as possible the rewards gained by good people’s advancements significantly affects the public’s engagement; we all apply ourselves more happily to virtues that are rewarded, as in your example. Therefore, in joyfully congratulating you we congratulate the Republic, too, which you are going to crisscross now at a brisk clip from one end to the other with your sacred offices and revenues. We also hope to receive not the least portion of your support, asking that you act to maintain our rights granted by the most Serene Kings, augmented by the most August James. The same hand that bestowed on you your position confirmed our privileges. And united by that right hand and trust, by no means let other concerns keep us apart. But if our townspeople¹ (following their customs) nibble away at the rights and charters of the Muses, with your love and authority drive all those vermin away from us. Demosthenes the Athenian lamented that he was defeated by workers diligently getting up before dawn.² Our own Athens and our arts will lament being overrun by the undistinguished arts of craftsmen. But your sophistication will rid us of all this. May God prosper you in this public office, and may it serve your glory and the well-being of us all.