delaying and preserving the matter entire till a better constellation; which, as it is not hard, as I conceive, considering the French business and the instant progress, &c., so I commend in special to you the care, who in sort assured me thereof, and upon whom now, in my Lord of Essex's absence, I have only to rely; and, if it be needful, I humbly pray you to move my lord your father to lay his hand to the same delay. And so I wish you all increase of honour. Your honour's poor kinsman, From Gray's Inn, this 1st of May 1594. SIR ROBERT CECIL'S ANSWER.* COUSIN, I do think nothing cut the throat more of your present access than the earl's being some what troubled at this time. For the delaying I think it not hard, neither shall there want my best endeavour to make it easy, of which I hope you shall not need to doubt by the judgment, which I gather of divers circumstances confirming my opinion. I protest I suffer with you in mind, that you are thus gravelled; but time will founder all your competitors, and set you on your feet, or else I have little understanding. EARL OF ESSEX TO MR. FRANCIS BACON.† SIR,-I wrote not to you till I had had a second conference with the queen, because the first was spent only in compliments: she in the beginning excepted all business: this day she hath seen me again. After I had followed her humour in talking of those things, which she would entertain me with, I told her, in my absence I had written to Sir Robert Cecil, to solicit her to call you to that place, to which all the world had named you; and being now here, I must follow it myself; for I know what service I should do her in procuring you the place; and she knew not how great a comfort I should take in it. Her answer in playing just was, that she came not to me for that, I should talk of those things when I came to her, not when she came to me; the term was coming, and she would advise. I would have replied, but she stopped my mouth. To-morrow or the next day I will go to her, and then this excuse will be taken away. When I know more, you shall hear more; and so I end full of pain in my head, which makes me write thus confusedly. Your most affectionate friend. Among the papers of Antony Bacon, Esq., vol. iv. fol. 122, in the Lambeth Library. Ibid. fol. 122. EARL OF ESSEX TO MR, FRANCIS BACON.* SIR,-I went yesterday to the queen through the galleries in the morning, afternoon, and at night. I had long speech with her of you, wherein I urged both the point of your extraordinary sufficiency proved to me not only by your last argument, but by the opinion of all men I spake withal, and the point of mine own satisfaction, which, I protested, should be exceeding great, if, for all her unkindness and discomforts past, she should do this one thing for my sake. To the first she answered, that the greatness of your friends, as of my lord treasurer and myself, did make men give a more favourable testimony than else they would do, thinking thereby they pleased us. And that she did acknowledge you had a great wit, and an excellent gift of speech, and much other good learning. But in law she rather thought you could make show to the uttermost of your knowshe said, she showed her mislike to the suit, as ledge, than that you were deep. To the second well as I had done my affection in it; and that if there were a yielding, it was fitter to be of my side. I then added, that this was an answer, with which she might deny me all things, if she did not grant them at the first, which was not her manner to do. But her majesty had made me suffer and give way in many things else; which all I should bear, not only with patience, but with great contentment, if she would but grant my humble suit in this one. And for the pretence of the approbation given you upon partiality, that all the world, lawyers, judges, and all, could not be partial to you; for somewhat you were crossed for their own interest, and some for their friends; yet all did yield to your merit. She did in this as she useth in all, went from a denial to a delay, and said, when the council were all here, she would think of it; and there was no haste in determining of the place. To which I answered, that my sad heart had need of hasty comfort; and, therefore, her majesty must pardon me, if I were hasty and importunate in it. When they come we shall see what will be done; and I wish you all happiness, and rest but which may import the same, as I made my lord keeper acquainted before my going. So, leaving it to God to make a good end of a hard beginning, and most humbly craving your majesty's pardon for presuming to trouble you, I recommend your sacred majesty to God's tenderest preservation. Your sacred majesty's, in most humble obedience and devotion, FR. BACON. From Huntingdon, this 20th of July, 1594. MR. FRANCIS BACON TO HIS BROTHER ANTONY.* MY GOOD BROTHer, miles off. This day I came thither to dinner, and waiting for to speak with the queen, took occasion to tell how I met you, as I passed through London; and among other speeches, how you lamented your misfortune to me, that remained as a withered branch of her roots, which she had cherished and made to flourish in her service. I added what I thought of your worth, and the expectation for all this, that the world had of her princely goodness towards you: which it pleased her majesty to confess, that indeed you began to frame very well, insomuch as she saw an amends in those little supposed errors, avowing the respect she carried to the dead, with very exceeding gracious inclination towards you. Some comparisons there fell out besides, which I leave till we meet, which I One day draweth on another; and I am well hope shall be this week. It pleased her withal pleased in my being here; for methinks solitarito tell of the jewel you offered her by Mr. Vice-ness collecteth the mind, as shutting the eye doth Chamberlain, which she had refused, yet with the sight. I pray you, therefore, advertise me exceeding praise. I marvel, that as a prince she what you find, by my Lord of Essex, (who, I am should refuse those havings of her poor subjects, sure, hath been with you,) was done last Sunday; because it did include a small sentence of despair; and what he conceiveth of the matter. I hold in but either I deceive myself, or she was resolved one secret, and therefore you may trust your serto take it; and the conclusion was very kind and vant. I would be glad to receive my parsonage gracious. Sure as I will one hundred pounds to rent as soon as it cometh. So leave I you to fifty pounds that you shall be her solicitor, and God's good preservation. my friend; in which mind and for which mind I commend you to God. From the court, this Monday in haste, Your true friend to be commanded by you, FOULKE GREVILL. We cannot tell whether she comes to or stay here. I am much absent for want of lodging; wherein my own man hath only been to blame. Endorsed, 17th of June, 1591. MR. FRANCIS BACON TO THE QUEEN.* MOST GRACIOUS AND ADMIRABLE Sovereign, As I do acknowledge a providence of God towards me, that findeth it expedient for me tolerare jugum in juventute meâ; so this present arrest of mine by his divine majesty from your majesty's service is not the least affliction, that I have proved; and I hope your majesty doth conceive, that nothing under mere impossibility could have detained me from earning so gracious a veil, as it pleased your majesty to give me. But your majesty's service by the grace of God shall take no lack thereby; and, thanks to God, it hath lighted upon him that may be the best spared. Only the discomfort is mine, who nevertheless have the private comfort, that in the time I have been made acquainted with this service, it hath been my hap to stumble upon somewhat unseen, Among the papers of Antony Bacon, Esq., vol. iv. fol. 141, and 156, in the Lambeth Library. Your ever loving brother, FR. BACON. From Twickenham Park, this Tuesday morning, 1594. Endorsed, 16 Oct. 1594. EARL OF ESSEX TO MR. FRANCIS BACON.† SIR-I will be to-morrow night at London. I purpose to hear your argument the next day. I pray you send me word by this bearer of the hour and place where it is. Of your own cause I shall give better account when I see you, than I can do now; for that which will be done, will be this afternoon or to-morrow. I am fast unto you, as you can be to yourself, Endorsed, 23 Oct. 1594. MR. FRANCIS BACON TO HIS BROTHER ANTONY.‡ Since I saw you this hath passed. Tuesday, though sent for, I saw not the queen. Her majesty alleged she was then to resolve with the council upon her places of law. But this resolution was ut supra; and note the rest of the counsellors were persuaded she came rather forwards than otherwise; for against me she is never pe Among the papers of Antony Bacon, Esq., vol. iv. fol. 197 in the Lambeth Library. Ibid. fol. 195. Ibid. fol. 28. S remptory but to my lord of Essex. I missed a line of my Lord Keeper's; but thus much I hear otherwise. The queen seemeth to apprehend my travel. Whereupon I was sent for by Sir Robert Cecil in sort as from her majesty; himself having of purpose immediately gone to London to speak with me; and not finding me there, he wrote to me. Whereupon I came to the court, and upon his relation to me of her majesty's speeches, I desired leave to answer it in writing; not, I said, that I mistrusted his report, but mine own wit; the copy of which answer I send. We parted in kindness, secundum exterius. This copy you must needs return, for I have no other; and I wrote this by memory after the original was sent away. The queen's speech is after this sort. Why? I have made no solicitor. Hath any body carried a solicitor with him in his pocket? But he must have it in his own time, (as if it were but yesterday's nomination,) or else I must be thought to cast him away. Then her majesty sweareth thus: "If I continue this manner, she will seek all England for a solicitor rather than take me. Yea, she will send for Heuston and Coventry* to-morrow next," as if she would swear them both. Again she entereth into it, that "she never deals so with any as with me (in hoc erratum non est) she hath pulled me over the bar (note the words, for they cannot be her then, as to the proper opportunity; so now that I see such delay in mine own placing, I wish ex animo it should not expect. I pray you let me know what mine uncle Killigrew will do ;* for I must be more careful of my credit than ever, since I receive so little thence where I deserved best. And, to be plain with you, I mean even to make the best of those small things I have with as much expedition, as may be without loss; and so sing a mass of requiem, I hope, abroad. For I know her majesty's nature, that she neither careth though the whole surname of Bacons travelled, nor of the Cecils neither. I have here an idle pen or two, specially one, that was cozened, thinking to have got some money this term. I pray send me somewhat else for them to write out besides your Irish collection, which is almost done. There is a collection of King James, of foreign states, largeliest of Flanders; which, though it be no great matter, yet I would be glad to have it. Thus I commend you to God's good protection. Your entire loving brother, From my lodging, at Twickenham Park, FR. BACON. CECIL; A COPY OF WHICH WAS SENT WITH own) she hath used me in her greatest causes. LETTER OF MR. FRANCIS BACON to Sir Robert But this is Essex, and she is more angry with him than with me." And such like speeches, so strange, as I should lose myself in it, but that I have cast off the care of it. My conceit is, that I am the least part of mine own matter. But her majesty would have a delay, and yet would not bear it herself. Therefore she giveth no way to me, and she perceiveth her council giveth no way to others; and so it sticketh as she would have it. But what the secret of it is, oculus aquilæ non penctravit. My lord continueth on kindly and wisely a course worthy to obtain a better effect than a delay, which to me is the most unwelcome condition. Now, to return to you the part of a brother, and to render you the like kindness, advise you, whether it were not a good time to set in strongly with the queen to draw her to honour your travels. For in the course I am like to take, it will be a great and necessary stay to me, besides the natural comfort I shall receive. And if you will have me deal with my Lord of Essex, or otherwise break it by mean to the queen, as that, which shall give me full contentment, I will do it as effectually, and with as much good discretion as I can. Wherein if you aid me with your direction, I shall observe it. This, as I did ever account it sure and certain to be accomplished, in case myself had been placed, and therefore deferred it till Thomas Coventry, afterwards one of the justices of the Common P'eas, and father of the Lord Keeper Coventry. + Essex SIR-Your honour may remember, that upon relation of her majesty's speech concerning my travel, I asked leave to make answer in writing; not but I knew then what was true, but because I was careful to express it without doing myself wrong. And it is true, I had then opinion to have written to her majesty: but, since weighing with myself, that her majesty gave no ear to the motion made by yourself, that I might answer by mine own attendance, I began to doubt the second degree, whether it might not be taken for presumption in me to write to her majesty; and so resolved, that it was best for me to follow her majesty's own way in committing it to your report. It may please your honour to deliver to her majesty, first, that it is an exceeding grief to me, that any not motion (for it was not a motion) but mention, that should come from me, should offend her majesty, whom for these one-and-twenty years (for so long it is, that I kissed her majesty's hands upon my journey into France) I have used the best of my wits to please. Next, mine answer standing upon two points, the one, that this mention of travel to my lord of Essex was no present motion, suit, or request; Mr. Antony Bacon had written to Sir Henry Killigrew on the 14th of January, 1594-5, to desire the loan of two hundred pounds for six months. Vol. iv. fol. 4. Among the papers of Antony Bacon, Esq., vol. iv. fol. 31. And now, my lord, I pray you right humbly, that you will vouchsafe your honourable license and patience, that I may express to you, what in a doubtful liberty I have thought fit, partly by way of praying your help, and partly by way of offering my good will; partly again by way of preoccupating your conceit, lest you may in some things mistake. but casting the worst of my fortune with an ho- | lordship best knows. Which your two honouranourable friend, that had long used me privately, ble friendships I esteem so much [in so great I told his lordship of this purpose of mine to tra- sort] as your countenance and favour in my pracvel, accompanying it with these very words, that tice, which are somewhat to my poverty; yet I upon her majesty's rejecting me with such cir- count them not the best [greatest] part of the cumstance, though my heart might be good, yet obligation wherein I stand bound to you. mine eyes would be sore, that I should take no pleasure to look upon my friends; for that I was not an impudent man, that could face out a disgrace; and that I hoped her majesty would not be offended, that, not able to endure the sun, I fled into the shade. The other, that it was more than this; for I did expressly and particularly, (for so much wit God then lent me,) by way of caveat, restrain my lord's good affection, that he should in no wise utter or mention this matter till her majesty had made a solicitor; wherewith (now since my looking upon your letter) I did in a dutiful manner challenge my lord, who very honourably acknowledged it, seeing he did it for the best; and therefore I leave his lordship to answer for himself. All this my Lord of Essex can testify to be true: and I report me to yourself, whether at the first, when I desired deliberation to answer, yet nevertheless said, I would to you privately declare what had passed, I said not in effect so much. The conclusion shall be, that wheresoever God and her majesty shall appoint me to live, I shall truly pray for her majesty's preservation and felicity. And so I humbly commend me to you. Your poor kinsman to do you service, FR. BACON. I MAY IT PLEASE YOUR HONOURABLE GOOD LORDSHIP, Of your lordship's honourable disposition, both generally and to me, I have that belief, as what think, I am not afraid to speak; and what I would speak, I am not afraid to write. And therefore I have thought to commit to letter some matter, whereunto [which] I have been [conceived] led [into the same] by two motives: the one, the consideration of my own estate; the other, the appetite which I have to give your lordship some evidence of the thoughtful and voluntary desire, which is in me, to merit well of your most honourable lordship: which desire in me hath been bred chiefly by the consent I have to your great virtue come in good time to do this state pleasure; and next by your loving courses held towards me, especially in your nomination and enablement of me long since to the solicitor's place, as your * From the original draught in the library of Queen's College, Oxford, Arch. D. 2, the copy of which was communicated to me by Thomas Tyrwhitt, Esq., clerk of the honoura ble House of Commons. Sir William Dugdale, in his Baronage of England, vol. ii. p. 438, has given two short passages of this letter, transcribed by him from the unpublished original. My estate, to confess a truth to your lordship, is weak and indebted, and needeth comfort; for both my father, though I think I had greatest part in his love to all his children, yet in his wisdom served me in as a last comer; and myself, in mine own industry, have rather referred and aspired to virtue than to gain: whereof, I am not yet wise enough to repent me. But the while, whereas, Solomon speaketh that "want cometh first like a wayfaring man," and after like "an armed man," I must acknowledge to your lordship myself to [be] in primo gradu; for it stealeth upon me. But, for the second, that it should not be able to be resisted, I hope in God I am not in that case; for the preventing whereof, as I do depend upon God's providence all in all, so in the same his providence I see opened unto me three not unlikely expectations of help: the one my practice, the other some proceeding in the queen's service, the third [the] place I have in reversion; which, as it standeth now unto me, is but like another man's ground reaching upon my house, which may mend my prospect, but it doth not fill my barn. For my practice, it presupposeth my health, which, if I should judge of as a man that judgeth of a fair morrow by a fair evening, I might have reason to value well. But, myself having this error of mind, that I am apter to conclude in every thing of change from the present tense than of a continuance, do make no such appointment. Besides, I am not so far deceived in myself but that I know very well, and I think your lordship is major corde, and in your wisdom you note it more deeply than I can in myself, that in practising the law, I play not all my best game, which maketh me accept it with a nisi quod potius, as the best of my fortune, and a thing agreeable to better gifts than mine, but not to mine. For my placing, your lordship best knows, that when I was much dejected with her majesty's strange dealing towards me, it pleased you, of your singular favour, so far to comfort and encourage me, as to hold me worthy to be excited to think of succeeding your lordship in your second place ;* signifying in your plainness, that * no man should better content yourself: which Attorney of the Wards, for the one's remove to your exceeding favour you have not since varied the rolls, and the other to be drawn to his place. from, both in pleading the like signification into Which, to be plain with your lordship, I do the hands of some of my best friends, and also in apprehend much. For, first, I know Mr. Attorneyan honourable and answerable nomination and General, whatsoever he pretendeth or protesteth commendation of me to her majesty. Wherein to your lordship, or any other, doth seek it; and I hope your lordship, if it please you to call to I perceive well by his dealing towards his best mind, did find me neither overweening in presum- friends, to whom he oweth most, how perfectly ing too much upon it, nor much deceived in my he hath conned the adage of proximus egomet opinion of the event for the continuing it still in mihi; and then I see no man ripened for the place yourself, nor sleepy in doing some good offices to of the rolls in competition with Mr. Attorneythe same purpose. General. And lastly, Mr. Attorney of the Wards being noted for a pregnant and stirring man, the objection of any hurt her majesty's business may receive in her causes by the drawing up of Mr. Attorney-General will wax cold. And yet, nevertheless, if it may please your lordship to pardon me so to say, of the second of those placings I think with some scorn; only I commend the knowledge hereof to your lordship's wisdom, as a matter not to be neglected. Now upon this matter I am to make your lordship three humble requests, which had need be very reasonable, coming so many together. First, that your lordship will hold and make good your wishes towards me in your own time, for no other I mean it, and in thankfulness thereof, I will present your lordship with the fairest flower of my estate, though it yet bear no fruit, and that is the poor reversion, which of her majesty's gift I hold; in the which I shall be no less willing Mr. John Egerton,* if it seem good to you, should succeed me in that, than I would be willing to succeed your lordship in the other place. My next humble request is, that your lordship would believe a protestation, which is, that if there be now against the next term, or hereafter, for a little bought knowledge of the court teacheth me to foresee these things, any heaving or palting at that place upon my honesty and troth, my spirit is not in, nor with it; I for my part, being resolutely resolved not to proceed one pace or degree in this matter but with your lordship's foreknowledge and approbation. The truth of which protestation will best appear, if by any accident, which I look not for, I shall receive any further strength. For, as I now am, your lordship may impute it only to policy alone in me, that being without present hope myself, I would be content the matter sleep. My third humble petition to your lordship is, that you would believe an intelligence, and not take it for a fiction in court; of which manner I like Cicero's speech well, who, writing to Appius Claudius, saith; Sin autem quæ tibi ipsi in mentem veniant, ea aliis tribuere soles, inducis genus sermonis in amicitiam minime liberale. But I do assure your lordship, it is both true and fresh, and from a person of that sort, as having some glimpse of it before, I now rest fully confirmed in it; and it is this, that there should be a plot laid of some strength between Mr. Attorney-General,† and Mr. And now, lastly, my honourable good lord, for my third poor help, I account [it] will do me small good, except there be a heave; and that is this place of the Star Chamber. I do confess ingenuously to your lordship, out of my love to the public, besides my particular, that I am of opinion, that rules without examples will do little good, at least not to coutinue; but that there is such a concordance between the time to come and the time passed, as there will be no reforming the one without informing of the other. And I will not, as the proverb is, spit against the wind, but yield so far to a general opinion, as there was never a more * * or particular example. But I submit it wholly to your honourable grave consideration; only I humbly pray you to conceive that it is not any money that I have borrowed of Mr. Mills, nor any gratification I receive for my aid, that makes me show myself any ways in it, but simply a desire to preserve the rights of the office, as far as is meet and incorrupt; and secondly his importunity, who, nevertheless, as far as I see, taketh a course to bring this matter in question to his farther disadvantage, and to be principal in his own harm. But if it be true that I have heard of more than one or two, that besides this forerunning in taking of fees, there are other deep corruptions, which in an ordinary course are intended to be proved against him; surely, for my part, I am not superstitious, as I will not take any shadow of it, nor labour to stop it, since it is a thing medicinable for the office of the realm. And then, if the place by such an occasion or otherwise should come in possession, the better to testify my affection to your lordship, I shall be glad, as I offered it to your lordship by way of [surrender], so in this case to offer it by way of *Probably Sir Thomas Heskett, who died 15th of October, 1605, and has a monument erected to his memory in Westminister Abbey. |