special place. And were it not to satisfy my wife's friends, and to get myself out of being a common gaze, and a speech, (I protest before God,) I would never speak word for it. But to conclude, as my honourable lady was some mean to make me to change the name of another; so, if it please you to help me, as you said, to change mine own name, I cannot be but more and more bounden to you; and I am much deceived, if your lordship find not the king well inclined: as for my Lord of Salisbury, he is forward and affectionate. SIR FRANCIS BACON TO THE KING.* IT MAY PLEASE YOUR MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY, How honestly ready I have been, most gracious sovereign, to do your majesty humble service to the best of my power, and in a manner beyond my power, as I now stand, I am not so unfortunate but your majesty knows; both in the commission of union, the labour whereof, for men of my profession, rested most upon my hands; and this last parliament, for the bill of subsidy, both body and preamble: in the bill of attainders of Tresham, and the rest; in the matter of purveyance, in the ecclesiastical petitions, in the grievances, and the like; as I was ever careful, not without good success, sometimes to put forward that which was good, sometimes to keep back that which was worse; so your majesty was pleased kindly to accept of my services, and to say to me, such conflicts were the wars of peace, and such victories the victories of peace; and therefore such servants as obtained them were, by kings that reign in peace, no less to be esteemed than conquerors in the wars. In all which, nevertheless, I can challenge to myself no sufficiency, that I was This is merely a copy of a letter, which will be found in page 32, but there are some variations, which have induced me to insert both of them: In the latter letter he refers to his father. diligent, and reasonably happy to execute those directions which I have received, either immediately from your royal mouth, or from my Lord of Salisbury. At that time it pleased your majesty also to assure me, that upon the remove of the then attorney, I should not be forgotten, but be brought into ordinary place; and this was confirmed unto me by many of my lords. And towards the end of the last term, the manner also in particular spoken of, that is, that Mr. Solicitor should be made your majesty's serjeant, and I solicitor; for so it was thought best to sort with both our gifts and faculties for the good of our service, and of this resolution both court and country took notice. Neither was this any invention or project of mine own, but moved from my lords, I think first from my lord chancellor; whereupon resting, your majesty well knoweth, I never opened my mouth for the greater place, although, I am sure, I had two circumstances that Mr. Attorney that now is could not allege; the one nine years' service of the crown; the other, the being cousin-german to my Lord of Salisbury; for of my father's service I will not speak. But for the less place, I conceive, it was never meant me: but after that Mr. Attorney Hubbard was placed, I heard no more of any preferment, but it seemed to be at a stop, to my great disgrace and discontentment. For, gracious sovereign, if still, when the waters be stirred, another shall be put in before me, your majesty hath need work a miracle, or else I shall be a lame man to do your services. And therefore my most humble suit unto your majesty is, that this, which seemed to me intended, may speedily be performed; and I hope my former services shall be but as beginnings to better, when I am better strengthened: for sure I am no man's heart is fuller, I say not, but many may have greater hearts, but I say not fuller of love and duty towards your majesty and your children, as I hope time will manifest against envy and detraction, if any be. To conclude, I humbly crave pardon for my boldness, Yours, etc. etc. FR. BACON. LETTERS FROM THE RESUSCITATIO. A LETTER TO QUEEN ELIZABETH, UPON SENDING | ipsos." Your profession of affection, and offer OF A NEW YEAR'S GIFT. IT MAY PLEASE YOUR MAJESTY, According to the ceremony of the time, I would not forget, in all humbleness, to present your majesty with a small New Year's gift: nothing to my mind. And therefore to supply it, I can but pray to God to give your majesty his New Year's Gift; that is, a new year that shall be as no year to your body, and as a year with two harvests to your coffers; and every other way prosperous and gladsome. And so I remain. of good offices, are welcome to me: For answer to them, I will say but this; that you have believed I have been kind to you; and you may believe that I cannot be other, either upon humour or mine own election. I am a stranger to all poetical conceits, or else I should say somewhat of your poetical example. But this I must say ; that I never flew with other wings than desire to merit; and confidence in my sovereign's favour; and when one of these wings failed me, I would light no where but at my sovereign's feet, though she suffered me to be bruised, with my fall. And till her majesty, that knows I was never bird of prey, finds it to agree with her will and her service, that my wings should be imped again, I have com A LETTER TO QUEEN ELIZABETH, UPON THE mitted myself to the mue. No power, but my SENDING OF A NEW YEAR'S GIFT. MOST EXCELLent sovereign Mistress: The only New Year's Gift which I can give your majesty, is that which God hath given to me: which is, a mind, in all humbleness, to wait upon your commandments and business: wherein I would to God that I were hooded, that I saw less; or that I could perform more: for now I am like a hawk, that bates, when I see occasion of service, but cannot fly, because I am tied to another's fist. But, meanwhile, I continue my presumption of making to your majesty my poor oblation of a garment, as unworthy the wearing as his service that sends it: but the approach to your excellent person may give worth to both: which is all the happiness I aspire unto. AN ANSWER OF MY LORD OF ESSEX, TO A LETTER OF MR. BACON'S. (See p. 8.) MR. BACON, I can neither expound, nor censure your late actions; being ignorant of all of them, save one; and having directed my sight inward only, to examine myself. You do pray me to believe, that you only aspire to the conscience and commendation, of "Bonus Civis," and "Bonus Vir;" and I do faithfully assure you, that while that is your ambition, (though your course be active and mind contemplative,) yet we shall, both, "Convenire in eodem Tertio;" and "Convenire inter nos God's, and my sovereign's can alter this resolution of Your retired friend, ESSEX. A LETTER COMMENDING HIS LOVE AND OCCASIONS TO SIR THOMAS CHALLONER, THEN IN SCOTLAND, UPON HIS MAJESTY'S ENTRANCE. SIR, For our money matters, I am assured you received no insatisfaction: for you know my mind; and you know my means; which now the openness of the time, caused by this blessed consent and peace, will increase; and so our agreement according to your time be observed. For the present, according to the Roman adage, (that one cluster of grapes ripeneth best beside another;) I know you hold me not unworthy, whose mutual friendship you should cherish and I, for my part, conceive good hope that you are likely to become an acceptable servant to the king our master. Not so much for any way made heretofore, (which in my judgment will make no great difference,) as for the stuff and sufficiency, which I know to be in you; and whereof I know his majesty may reap great service. And, therefore, my general request is, that according to that industrious vivacity, which you use towards your friends, you will further his majesty's good conceit and inclination towards me; to whom words cannot make me known; neither mine own nor others; but time will, to no disadvantage of any that shall forerun his majesty's experience, by your testimony and commendation. And though occasion give you the precedence of doing me this special good office; yet, I hope no long time will intercede, before I shall have some means to requite your favour and acquit your report. More particularly, having thought good to make oblation of my most humble service to his majesty by a few lines, I do desire your loving care and help by yourself, or such means as I refer to your discretion, to deliver and present the same to his majesty's hands. Of which letter I send you a copy, that you may know what you carry; and may take of Mr. Matthew the letter itself; if you pleased to undertake the delivery. Lastly, I do commend to yourself, and such your courtesies as occasion may require, this gentleman, Mr. Matthew, eldest son to my Lord Bishop of Durham, and my very good friend; assuring you that any courtesy, you shall use towards him, you shall use to a very worthy young gentleman, and one, I know, whose acquaintance you will much esteem. And so, I ever continue. A LETTER TO MR. DAVIS, THEN GONE TO THE MASTER DAVIS, hope to have some means not to be barren in friendship towards you. We all thirst after the king's coming, accounting all this but as the dawning of the day, before the rising of the sun, till we have his presence. And though now his majesty must be Janus Bifrons, to have a face to Scotland as well as to England, yet, "Quod nunc instat agendum :" The expectation is here, that he will come in state and not in strength. So, for this time I commend you to God's goodness. A LETTER TO THE EARL OF SOUTHAMPTON, UPON THE KING'S COMING IN. IT MAY PLEASE YOUR LORDSHIP, I would have been very glad, to have presented my humble service to your lordship by my attendance, if I could have foreseen that it should not have been unpleasing unto you. And, therefore, because I would commit no error, I chose to write; assuring your lordship, how credible soever it may seem to you at first, yet, it is as true as a thing that God knoweth; that this great change hath wrought in me no other change towards your lordship than this; that I may safely be now that which I was truly before. And so, craving no other pardon, than for troubling you with my letter, I do not now begin to be, but continue to be, Your lordship's humble and much devoted. AFTER HE HAD BEEN WITH THE KING. IT MAY PLEASE YOUR GOOD LORDSHIP, Though you went on the sudden, yet you could not go before you had spoken with yourself to the purpose, which I will now write. And, therefore, I know it shall be altogether needless, save that I meant to show you that I was not asleep. Briefly, I commend myself to your love and the well using my name; as well in repressing and answering A LETTER TO THE EARL OF NORTHUMBERLAND, for me, if there be any biting or nibbling at it in that place; as by imprinting a good conceit and opinion of me, chiefly in the king, (of whose favour I make myself comfortable assurance;) as otherwise in that court. And, not only so, but generally to perform to me all the good offices, which the vivacity of your wit can suggest to your mind, to be performed to one, with whose affection you have so great sympathy; and in whose fortune you have so great interest. So, desiring you to be good to concealed poets, I continue. A LETTER TO MR. FAULES, 28 MARTII, 1603. MR. FAULES, I did write unto you yesterday, by Mr. Lake, (who was despatched hence from their lordships,) a letter of revivor, of those sparks of former acquaintance between us in my brother's time: and now upon the same confidence, finding so fit a messenger, I would not fail to salute you; hoping it will fall out so happily, as that you shall be one of the king's servants, which his majesty will first employ here with us: where I I would not have lost this journey, and yet I have not that I went for. For I have had no private conference to purpose with the king. No more hath almost any other English: for the speech, his majesty admitteth with some noblemen, is rather matter of grace than matter of business; with the attorney he spake, urged by the Treasurer of Scotland, but no more than needs must. After I had received his majesty's first welcome, and was promised private access: yet, not knowing what matter of service your lordship's letter carried, (for I saw it not,) and well knowing that primeness in advertisement is much, I chose rather to deliver it to Sir Thomas Heskins than to cool it in mine own hands upon expectation of access. Your lordship shall find a prince the furthest from vainglory that may be; and rather, like a prince of the ancient form than of the latter time: his speech is swift and cursory, and in the full dialect of his country, and in speech of business short, in speech of discourse large: he affecteth popularity, by gracing such as he hath heard to be popular, and not by any fashions of his own. He is thought somewhat general in his favours; and his virtue of access late pieces, I forbear to say to your lordship what I find and conceive; but to any other I would think to make myself believed. But not to be tedious in that which may have the show of a compliment, I can but wish your lordship many happy years; many more than your father had; even so many more as we may need you more. So I remain. is rather because he is much abroad and in press than that he giveth easy audience. He hasteneth to a mixture of both kingdoms and occasions, faster perhaps than policy will well bear. I told your lordship once before, that (methought) his majesty rather asked counsel of the time past than of the time to come. But it is yet early to ground any settled opinion. For the particulars I refer to conference, having in these generals gone further, in so tender an argument, than I would have done, were not the bearer hereof so assured. A LETTER OF THANKS TO THE KING, UPON MR. So, I continue, etc. ATTORNEY'S SICKNESS. IT MAY PLEASE YOUR MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY, A LETTER TO MR. PIERCE, SECRETARY TO THE mind your majesty's royal promise (which to me DEPUTY OF IRELAND. MASTER PIERCE, I am glad to hear of you as I do; and for my part, you shall find me ready to take any occasion to further your credit and preferment: and I dare assure you (though I am no undertaker) to prepare your way with my Lord of Salisbury, for any good fortune which may befall you. You teach me to complain of business, whereby I write the more briefly; and yet I am so unjust, as that which I allege for mine own excuse, I eannot admit for yours. For I must by expecting, exact your letters with this fruit of your sufficiency, as to understand how things pass in that kingdom. And, therefore, having begun, I pray you continue. This is not merely curiosity, for I have ever (I know not by what instinct) wished well to that impolished part of this crown. And, so with my very loving commendations, I remain. A LETTER TO THE EARL OF SALISBURY OF COUR- IT MAY PLEASE YOUR GOOD Lordship, Having no gift to present you with, in any degree proportionable to my mind, I desire nevertheless to take the advantage of a ceremony to express myself to your lordship; it being the first time I could make the like acknowledgment when I stood out of the person of a suitor; wherefore I must humbly pray your lordship to think of me, that now it hath pleased you, by many effectual and great benefits, to add the assurance and comfort of your love and favour to that precedent disposition which was in me to admire your virtue and merit; I do esteem whatsoever I have or may have in this world but as trash in comparison of having the honour and happiness to be a near and well accepted kinsman to so rare and worthy a counsellor, governor, and patriot. For having been a studious, if not a curious observer of antiquities of virtue, as of is "anchora spei") touching the attorney's place. I hope Mr. Attorney shall do well. I thank God I wish no man's death, nor much mine own life, more than to do your majesty service. For I account my life the accident, and my duty the substance. But this I will be bold to say: if it please God that ever I serve your majesty in the attorney's place, I have known an Attorney Cooke, and an Attorney Hobert; both worthy men, and far above myself; but if I should not find a middle way between their two dispositions and carriages, I should not satisfy myself. But these things are far or near, as it shall please God. Meanwhile, I most humbly pray your majesty to accept my sacrifice of thanksgiving for your gracious favour. God preserve your majesty. I ever remain. A LETTER TO MY LORD MAYOR, UPON A PRO- MY VERY GOOD LORD, I did little expect when I left your lordship last, that there would have been a proceeding against Mr. Barnard to his overthrow. Wherein I must confess myself to be in a sort accessary : because he relying upon me for counsel, I advised that course which he followed. Wherein now I begin to question myself, whether, in preserving my respects to your lordship and the rest, I have not failed in the duty of my profession towards my client; for certainly, if the words had been heinous and spoken in a malicious fashion, and in some public place and well proved, and not a prattle in a tavern, caught hold of by one, who (as I hear) is a detected sycophant, (Standish I mean,) yet I know not what could have been done more than to impose upon him a grievous fine; and to require the levying of the same; and to take away his means of life by his disfranchisement; and to commit him to a defamed prison during Christmas; in honour whereof the prisoners in other courts do commonly of grace obtain some enlargement. This rigour of proceeding (to tell your lordship and the rest, as my good friends, my opinion plainly) tendeth not to strengthen authority, which is best supported by love and fear intermixed; but rather to make people discontented and servile; especially, when such punishment is inflicted for words, not by rule of law, but by a jurisdiction of discretion, which would evermore be moderately used. And I pray God, whereas, Mr. Recorder, when I was with you, did well and wisely put you in mind of the admonitions you often received from my lords that you should bridle unruly tongues; that those kind of speeches and rumours whereunto those admonitions do refer, which are concerning the state and honour thereof, do not pass too licentiously in the city unpunished; while these words which concern your particular are so straightly inquired into, and punished with such extremity. But these things, your own wisdom (first or last) will best represent unto you. My writing unto you at this time is, to the end, that howsoever I do take it somewhat unkindly, that my mediation prevailed no more; yet I might preserve that further respect that I am willing to use unto such a state, in delivering my opinion unto you freely, before I would be of counsel, or move any thing that should cross your proceedings; which, notwithstanding, (in case my client can receive no relief at your hands,) I must and will do. Continuing, nevertheless, in other things, my wonted good affection to yourselves, and your occasions. A LETTER TO MY LORD TREASURER SALISBURY, UPON A NEW YEAR'S TIDE. IT MAY PLEASE YOUR GOOD Lordship, I would entreat the new year to answer for the old, in my humble thanks to your lordship; both for many your favours, and chiefly that, upon the occasion of Mr. Attorney's infirmity, I found your lordship even as I could wish. This doth increase a desire in me to express my thankful mind to your lordship; hoping that though I find age, and decays grow upon me, yet I may have a flash or two of spirit left to do you service. And I do protest before God, without compliment or any light vanity of mind, that if I knew in what course of life to do you best service, I would take it, and make my thoughts, which now fly to many pieces, to be reduced to that centre. But all this, is no more than I am, which is not much; but yet the entire of him, that is, etc. A LETTER TO HIS MAJESTY, CONCERNING PEACHAM'S CAUSE, JANUARY, 21, 1614. IT MAY PLEASE your excellent Majesty, It grieveth me exceedingly, that your majesty should be so much troubled with this matter of Peacham's, whose raging devil seemeth to be turned into a dumb devil. But although we are driven to make our way through questions, (which I wish were otherwise,) yet I hope well the end will be good. But then every man must put to his helping hand; for else I must say to your majesty, in this and the like cases, as St. Paul said to the centurion, when some of the mariners had an eye to the cock-boat, "except these stay in the ship, ye cannot be safe.” I find in my lords great and worthy care of the business. And, for my part, I hold my opinion and am strengthened in it, by some records that I have found. God preserve your majesty. Your majesty's most humble, and devoted subject and servant. A LETTER TO THE KING, TOUCHING PEACHAM'S CAUSE, JANUARY 27, 1014. IT MAY PLEASE Your excellent MAJESTY, This day, in the afternoon, was read, your majesty's letters of direction touching Peacham; which, because it concerneth properly the duty of my place, I thought it fit for me to give your majesty both a speedy and private account thereof; that your majesty, knowing things clearly how they pass, may have the true fruit of your own wisdom and clear-seeing judgment in governing the business. First, for the regularity which your majesty (as a master in business of estate) doth prudently prescribe in examining, and taking examinations, I subscribe to it; only I will say for myself, that I was not at this time the principal examiner. commandeth, for the feeling of the judges of the For the course your majesty directeth and King's Bench, their several opinions by distributing ourselves and enjoining secrecy, we did first find an encounter in the opinion of my Lord Coke; who seemed to affirm, that such particular and (as he called it) auricular taking of opinions, was not according to the custom of this realm; and seemed to divine that his brethren was our duty to pursue your majesty's directions; would never do it. But when I replied, that it and it were not amiss for his lordship to leave his brethren to their own answers, it was so concluded; and his lordship did desire, that I might confer with himself; and Mr. Serjeant Montague was named to speak with Justice Crooke; Mr. Serjeant Crew with Justice Houghton; and Mr. Solicitor with Justice Dodderidge. This done, I took my fellows aside, and advised that they should presently speak with the three judges, before I could speak with my Lord Coke for doubt of infusion; and that they should not in any case make any doubt to the judges, as if they |