TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE TIE LORD

see

&c.*

please God to move the queen to profit,* I hope I give me grace to perform, which is, that if any shall give cause for your lordship to obtain as idol may be offered to her majesty, since it is many thanks as you have endured chidings. mixed with my particular, to inform her majesty And so I commend your good lordship to God's truly, which I must do, as long as I have a tongue good preservation.

to speak, or a pen to write, or a friend to use. Your lordship’s most humbly

And farther I remember not of iny letter, except at your honourable commandment, it were that I writ, I hoped your lordship would

Fr. Bacon. do me no wrong, which hope I do still continue. From Gray's Inn, the 11th of June, 1595

For if it please your lordship but to call to mind from whom I am descended, and by whom, next to God, her majesty, and your own virtue, your

lordship is ascended; I know you will have a KEEPER, &c.t IT MAY PLEASE your LORDSHIP,

compunction of mind to do me any wrong. And, There hath nothing happened to me in the therefore, good my lord, when your lordship

favoureth others before me, do not lay the separacourse of my business more contrary to my expectation, than your lordship's failing me, and

tion of your love and favour upon myself. For I

will give no cause, neither can I acknowledge crossing me now in the conclusion, when friends are best tried. But now I desire no more favour any, where none is; but humbly pray your lordof your lordship, than I would do if I were a suitor ship to understand things as they are. Thus, in the Chancery; which is this only, that you which is to me unpleasant, though necessary, I

sorry to write to your lordship in an argument would do me right. And I, for my part, though I have much to allege, yet, nevertheless, if I

commend your lordship to God's good pre

servation. her majesty settle her choice upon an able man,

Your lordship’s, in all humble respect, such a one as Mr. Serjeant Fleming, I will make

FR. Bacon. no means to alter it. On the other side, if I per

From Twickenham Park, this 19th of August, 1595. ceive any insufficient, obscure,& idol man offered to her majesty, then I think myself double bound to use the best means I can for myself; which I TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE LORD KEEPER, humbly pray your lordship I may do with your favour, and that you will not disable me farther IT MAY PLEASE YOUR good Lordship, than is cause. Aud so I commend your lord- I am sorry the opportunity permitteth me not ship to God's preservation,

to attend your lordship as I minded. But I hope That beareth your lordship all humble respect, your lordship will not be the less sparing in using

Fr. Bacon. the argument of my being studied and prepared From Gray's Inn, the 28th of July, 1595.

in the queen's causes, for my furtherance upon Endorsed, in lord keeper's hand,

belief that I had imparted to your lordship my Mr. Bacon wronging me.

travels, which some time next week I mean to do. Neither have I been able to confer with Mr. Attorney, as I desired, because he was removing from one building to another. And, besides, he

alleged his note book was in the country, at KEEPER, &c. IT MAY PLEASE your LORDSHIP,

and so we respited it to some time next week. I I thought it became me to write to your lord-wise, except it be for the township your lordship

think he will rather do me good offices than othership, upon that which I have understood from my remembereth by the verse. Thus I commend Lord of Essex, who vouchsafed, as I perceive, to deal with your lordship of himself to join with your honourable lordship to God's good preserva

tion. him in the concluding of my business, and findeth

Your lordship's most humble your lordship hath conceived offence, as well upon

at your honourable commandment, my manner when I saw your lordship at Temple

Fr. Bacon. last, as upon a letter, which I did write to your

From Gray's Inn, this 25th of September, 1595. lordship some time before. Surely, my lord, for my behaviour, I am well assured, I omitted no point of duty or ceremony towards your lordship. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE MY GOOD LORD, But I know too much of the court to beg a countenance in public place, where I make account I ENGLAND. shall not receive it. And for my letter, the prin- IT MAY PLEASE YOUR GOOD Lordship, cipal point of it was, that which I hope God will

My not acquainting your lordship hath pro*f. Perfect. † Harl. MSS. vol. 6997, No. 37.

ceeded of my not knowing any thing, and of my | Ita. MSS. Harl. MSS. vol. 6997, No 44.

Harl. MSS. vol. 6997, No. 59.

+ Ibid. No.ro

TO THE RIGIIT HONOURABLE THE LORD

THE LORD KEEPER OF THE GREAT SEAL OF

*

&c.*

&c.

not knowing of my absence at Byssam with my | acquaintance. And because I conceive the genLady Russel, upon some important cause of her tleman to be every way sortable with the service, son's. And as I have heard nothing, so I look I am bold to commend him to your lordship's for nothing, though my Lord of Essex sent me good favour. And even so, with remembrance word, he would not write till his lordship had of my most humble duty, I rest good news. But his lordship may go on in his Your lordship’s affectionate to do you affection, which, nevertheless, myself have desired

humble service, him to limit. But I do assure your lordship, I

FR. Bacon. can take no farther care for the matter. I am now Twickenham Park, July 3, 1595. at Twickenham Park, where I think to stay : for her majesty placing a solicitor, my travel shall

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE LORD KEEPER, not need in her causes, though, whensoever her majesty shall like to employ me in any particu- My Lord,-In my last conference with your lar, I shall be ready to do her willing service. lordship, I did entreat you both to forbear hurting This I write lest your lordship might think my of Mr. Fr. Bacon's cause, and to suspend your silence came of any conceit towards your lord- judgment of his mind towards your lordship, till ship, which, I do assure you, I have not. And I had spoken with him. I went since that time this needed I not to do, if I thought not so: for to Twickenham Park to confer with him, and had my course will not give me any ordinary occasion signified the effect of our conference by letter ere to use your favour, whereof, nevertheless, I shall this, if I had not hoped to have met with your ever be glad. So I commend your good lordship lordship, and so to have delivered it by speech. I to God's holy preservation.

told your lordship when I last saw you, that this Your lordship's humble, &c.

manner of his was only a natural freedom, and FR, Bacon.

plainness, which he had used with me, and in my This 11th of October, 1595.

knowledge with some other of his best friends, than any want of reverence towards your lord

ship; and therefore I was more curious to look TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE LORD KEEPER, into the moving cause of his style, than into the

form of it; which now I find to be only a diffiIT MAY PLEASE YOUR GOOD LORDSHIP,

dence of your lordship's favour and love towards I conceive the end already made, which will, I him, and no alienation of that dutiful mind which trust, be to me a beginning of good fortune, or at he hath borne towards your lordship. And thereleast of content. Her majesty, by God's grace, fore I am fully persuaded, that if your lordship shall live and reign long, she is not running would please to send for him, there would grow away, I may trust her.

Or whether she look so good satisfaction, as hereafter he should enjoy towards me or no, I remain the same, not altered your lordship’s honourable favour in as great a in my intention. If I had been an ambitious man, measure as ever, and your lordship have the use it would have overthrown me, but minded as I of his service, who, I assure your lordship, is as am, Revertet benedictio mea in sinum meum. If I strong in his kindness, as you find him in his had made any reckoning of any thing to be stirred, jealousy. I will use no argument to persuade I would have waited on your lordship, and will your lordship, that I should be glad of his being be at any time ready to wait on you to do you restored to your lordship's wonted favour; since service. So I commend your good lordship to your lordship both knoweth how much my credit God's holy preservation.

is engaged in his fortune, and may easily judge Your lordship's most humble,

how sorry I should be, that a gentleman whom I at your honourable commandment, love so much, should lack the favour of a person

FR. Bacon. whom I honour so much. And thus commending From Twickenham Park, this 14th of October.

your lordship to God's best protection, I rest Endorsed, 14th October, 95.

Your lordship's very assured,

Essex. Endorsed, 31 August, 95.

My Lord of Essex to have me send for Mr. Bacon, TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE LORD KEEPER, for he will satisfy me. In my lord keeper's own &c.

hand. MY VERY GOOD LORD,

I received a letter from a very friend of mine, requesting me to move your lordship to put into

KEEPER, &c. the commission for the subsidy, Mr. Richard My very good LORD, Kempe, a reader of Gray's Inn, and besides born The want of assistance from them which should 1.0 good estate, being also my friend and familiar be Mr. Fr. Bacon's friends, makes [me] the more

Ilarl. MSS. vol. 6997, No. 61. # Ibid. No. 29. * Harl. MSS. vol. 6997, No. 47. + Ibid. No. 106.

TO TIE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE LORD

industrious myself, and the more earnest in soli- and to tell you truly, my meaning was not that citing mine own friends. Upon me the labour the suit of this other gentleman, Mr. Temple, * must lie of his establishment, and upon me the should have been moved in my name. For 1 disgrace will light of his being refused. There should have been unwilling to have moved his fore I pray your lordship, now account me not as majesty for more than one at once, though many a solicitor only of my friend's cause, but as a times in his majesty's courts of justice, if we party interested in this; and employ all your move once for our friends, we are allowed to lordship's favour to me, or strength for me, in move again for our fee. procuring a short and speedy end. For though I But indeed my purpose was, that you might know, it will never be carried any other way, yet have been pleased to have moved it as for myself. I hold both my friend and myself disgraced by Nevertheless, since it is so far gone, and that this protraction. More I would write, but that I the gentleman's friends are in some expectation know to so honourable and kind a friend, this of success, I leave it to your kind regard what is which I have said is enough. And so I commend farther to be done, as willing to give satisfaction your lordship to God's best protection, resting, to those which have put me in trust, and loath on

At your lordship’s commandment, the other side to press above good manners. And [No date.]

so, with my loving commendations, I remain

Yours, &c.

Essex.

1603.

A LETTER TO DR. MORISON,* A SCOTTISH PIIY

TO MR. MATTHEW. SICIAN, UPON HIS MAJESTY'S COMING IN. Sin.-I perceive you have some time when you MR. Doctor Morison,

can be content to think of your friends; from I have thought good by this my letter to renew whom, since you have borrowed yourself, you do this my ancient acquaintance which hath passed well, not paying the principal, to send the interest between us, signifying my good mind to you, to at six months' day. The relation, which here perform to you any good office, for your particular I send you enclosed, carries the truth of that which and my expectation, and a firm assurance of the is public: and though my little leisure might have like on your part towards me : wherein I confess required a briefer, yet the matter would have enyou may have the start of me, because occasion hath dured and asked a larger. given you the precedency in investing you with I have now, at last, taught that child to go, at opportunity to use my name well, and by your the swaddling whereof you were.

My work Joving testimony to further a good opinion of me touching the Proficiency and Advancement of in his majesty, and the court.

Learning I have put into two books; whereof the But I hope my experience of matters here will, former, which you saw, I cannot but account as a with the light of his majesty's favour, enable me page of the latter. I have now published them speedily both to requite your kindness, and to both ; whereof I thought it a small adventure to acquit and make good your testimony and report. send you a copy, who have more right to it than So not doubting to see you here with his majesty, any man, except Bishop Andrews, who was my considering that it belongeth to your art to feel inquisitor. pulses, and I assure you Galen doth not set down The death of the late great judge concerned not greater variety of pulses than do vent here in me, because the other was not removed. I write men's hearts, I wish you all prosperity, and this in answer to your good wishes, which I reremain

Yours, &c. turn not as flowers of Florence, but as you mean From my Chamber at Gray's Inn, &c., 1603.

them; whom I conceive place cannot alter, no more than time shall me, except it be for the better.

1605.

A LETTER TO MR. MURRAY, OF THE KING'S BED-
CHAMBER.

TO MY LADY PACKINGTON, IN ANSWER TO A MR. MURRAY,

MESSAGE BY HER SENT. It is very true that his majesty most graciously, Madam, You shall with right good will be at my humble request, knighted the last Sunday made acquainted with any thing that concerneth my brother-in-law, a towardly young gentleman;f

* Probably Mr. William Temple, who had been educated for which favour I think myself more bound to in King's College, Cambridge, then master of the free school his majesty, than for the benefit of ten knights: at Lincoln, next successively secretary to Sir Philip Sidney,

Secretary Davison, and the Earl of Essex, made provost of * He had held a correspondence with Mr. Anthony Bacon, Dublin College in 1609, and at last knighted, and appointed and was employed to find intelligence from Scotland to the one of the masters in chancery in Ireland. H about Earl of Essex.-See Memoirs of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth, 1626, at the age of 72. from the year 1581 till her death, vol. i. p. 79. 109. 116.

di

errors.

your daughters, if you bear a mind of love and finely, somewhat after the manner of my late lord concord, otherwise you must be content to be a privy seal;* not all out so sharply, but as elestranger unto us; for I may not be so unwise as gantly. Sir Thomas Lake, who is also new in to suffer you to be an author or occasion of dis- that court, did very well, familiarly and counselsension between your daughters and their hus- lor-like. My lord of Pembroke, who is likebands, having seen so much misery of that kind wise a stranger there, did extraordinary well, in yourself.

and became himself well, and had an evident And above all things I will turn back your applause.f I meant well also; and because my kindness, in which you say, you will receive my information was the ground; having spoken out wife if she be cast off; for it is much more likely of a few heads which I had gathered, for I seldom we have occasion to receive you being cast off, if do more, I set down, as soon as I came home, you remember what is passed. But it is time to cursorily, a frame of that I had said; though I make an end of those follies, and you shall at this persuade myself I spake it with more life. I time pardon me this one fault of writing to you; have sent it to Mr. Murray sealed; if your mafor I mean to do it no more till you use me and jesty have so much idle time to look upon it, it respect me as you ought. So, wishing you better may give some light of the day's work: but I than it seemeth you will draw upon yourself, I most humbly pray your majesty to pardon the rest, Yours,

God preserve you ever.
Fr. Bacon. Your majesty's most humble subject,

and devoted servant,

FR. Bacon.

April 29, 1615.
TO SIR TIIOMAS BODELEY, AFTER HE HAD IM-
PARTED TO HIM A WRITING, ENTITLED, COGI-
TATA ET VIS.A.

SIR FRANCIS BACON TO KING JAMES.
Sir,--In respect of my going down to my house
in the country, I shall have miss of my papers,

IT MAY PLEASE YOUR MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY, which I pray you therefore to return unto me.

It pleased your majesty to commit to my care

and trust for Westminster Hall three particulars; You are, I bear you witness, slothful, and you help me nothing: so as I am half in conceit that that of the rege inconsulto, which concerneth you affect not the argument, for myself, I know Murray; that of the commendams, which conwell, you love and affect. I can say no more to

to Queen Elizabeth, counsellor to King James, and friend to you, but non canimus surdis, respondent omnia sir Philip Sidney." Nor is he less remembered by the monu. sylvæ. If you be not of the lodgings chalked up, ment he has left in his writings and poems, chiefly composed whereof I speak in my preface, I am but to pass

in liis youth, and in familiar exercises with the gentleman I

have before mentioned.--Stephens. by your door.

But if I had you a fortnight at * Late Earl of Northampton. Gorhambury, I would make you tell me another + Sir Thomas Lake was about this time made one of the tale; or else I would add a cogitation against principal secretaries of state, as he had been formerly Latin

secretary to Queen Elizabeth, and, before that time, bred libraries, and be revenged on you that way. I under sir Francis Walsingham. But, in the year 1619, fallpray you send me some good news of Sir Thomas ing into the king's displeasure, and being engaged in the Smith, and commend me very kindly to him. quarrels with his wife and daughter, the Lady Roos, with

the Countess of Exeter, he was at first suspended from the So I rest.

execution of his place, and afterwards removed, and deeply 1607.

censured and fined in the Star Chamber; although it is said the king then gave him, in open court, this public eulogy, that he was a minister of state fit to serve the greatest prince in

Europe. Whilst this storm was hanging over his head, he TO THE KING.

writ many letters to the king and the Marquis of Bucking. IT MAY PLEASE YOUR EXCELLENT MAJESTY,

ham, which I have seen, complaining of his misfortune, that

his ruin was likely to proceed from the assistance he gave to Mr. St. John his day is past, and well past. his nearest relations.-Stephens. I hold it to be Janus Bifrons; it hath a good I William, Earl of Pembroke, son to Henry IIerbert, Earl aspect to that which is past, and to the future; of Pembroke, Lord President of the Council in the marches

of Wales, by Niary his wife, a lady in whom the muses and and doth both satisfy and prepare. All did well; graces seemed to meet; whose very letters, in the judgment my lord chief justice delivered the law for the of one who saw many of them, declared her to be mistress benevolence strongly; I would he had done it of a pen not inferior to that of her brother, the admirable Sir

Philip Sidney, and to whom he addressed his Arcadia. Nor timely. Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequerf spake did this gentleman degenerate from their wit and spirit, as cerneth the Bishop of Lincoln; and that of the of fourteen several patents, part in Queen Elizahabeas corpus, which concerneth the Chancery. beth's time, some in your majesty's time, which

These causes, although I gave them private depend upon the like question; but chiefly beadditions, yet, they are merely, or at least chiefly, cause this writ is a mean provided by the ancient yours; and the die runneth upon your royal prero- law of England, to bring any case that may congative's diminution, or entire conservation. Of cern your majesty, in profit or power, from the these it is my duty to give your majesty a short ordinary benches, to be tried and judged before account.

your Chancellor of England, by the ordinary and For that of the rege inconsulto, I argued the legal part of his power : and your majesty same in the king's Bench on Thursday last. knoweth your chancellor is ever a principal counThere argued on the other part Mr. George Crook, sellor, and instrument of monarchy, of immediate the judge's brother, an able bookman, and one dependence upon the king: and, therefore, like that was manned forth with all the furniture that to be a safe and tender guardian of the roya) the bar could give him, I will not say the bench, rights. and with the study of a long vacation. I was to For the case of the commendams, a matter answer, which hath a mixture of the sudden; and likewise of great consequence, though nothing of myself I will not, nor cannot say any thing, near the first, this day I was prepared to have but that my voice served me well for two hours argued it before all the judges; but, by reason and a half; and that those that understood nothing of the sickness of the sergeant which was procould tell me that I lost not one auditor that was vided to argue on the other side, although I present in the beginning, but stayed till the later pressed to have had some other day appointed end. If I should say more, there were too many this term; yet it pleased divers of the judges to witnesses, for I never saw the court more full, do me the honour, as to say it was not fit any that might disprove me.

should argue against me, upon so small time My Lord Coke was pleased to say, that it was of warning, it is adjourned to the first Saturday a famous argument; but withal, he asked me a next term. politic and tempting question: for, taking occa- For the matter of the habeas corpus, I perceive sion by a notable precedent I had cited, where, this common employment of my lord chancellor, upon the like writ brought, all the judges in and my lord chief justice, in these examinations, England assembled, and that privately, lest they is such a vinculum, as they will not square while should seem to dispute the king's commandment, these matters are in hand, so that there is altum and, upon conference, with one mind agreed, that silentium of that matter.

God ever preserve the writ must be obeyed. Upon this hold, my your majesty. lord asked me, whether I would have all the rest Your majesty's most humble of the judges called to it. I was not caught; but

and bounden subject and servant, knowing well that the judges of the Common

Fr. Bacon. Pleas were most of all others interested in respect January 27, 1615. of the prothonotaries, I answered, civilly, that I could advise of it; but that I did not distrust the court; and, besides, I thought the case so clear, To sir GEORGE VILLIERS, ON SENDING HIS BILL, as it needed not.

Sir, I do perceive, that I have not only stopped, Sır :- I send you the bill for his majesty's sigbut almost turned the stream; and I see how nature, reformed according to his majesty's things cool by this, that the judges that were amendments, both in the two places, which, I wont to call so hotly upon the business, when assure you, were both altered with great judgthey had heard, of themselves, took a fortnight ment, and in the third place, which his majesty day to advise what they will do, by which time termed a question only. But he is an idle body the term will be near at an end; and I know they that thinks his majesty asks an idle question; little expected to have the matter so beaten down and therefore his majesty's questions are to be with book-law, upon which my argument wholly answered by taking away the cause of the queswent; so that every mean student was satisfied. tion, and not by replying. Yet, because the times are as they are, I could

For the name, his majesty's will is law wish, in all humbleness, that your majesty would in those things; and to speak truth, it is a remember and renew your former commandment well sounding and noble name, both here and which you gave my lord chief justice in Michael- abroad; and being your proper name, I will take mas term, which was, that after he had heard it for a good sign that you shall give honour to your attorney, which is now done, he should for- your dignity, and not your dignity to you. Therebear further proceeding till he had spoke with fore I have made it Viscount Villiers: and for your majesty.

your barony, I will keep it for an earldom; for, It concerneth your majesty threefold. First, in this particular of Murray; next, in consequence * Stephens's second Collection, p. 10.

FOR VISCOUNT.*