counterfeit with him; and they that can let me because, of all the accidents of state at this time, from coming near to her, cannot let me from drawing nearer to him, as I hope I do daily. For your brother, I hold him an honest gentleman, and wish him all good, much rather for your sake; yourself, I know, hath suffered more for me, and with me, than any friend that I have: but I can but lament freely, as you see I do, and advise you not to do that I do, which is, to despair. You know letters what hurt they have done me, and therefore make sure of this; and yet I could not, as having no other pledge of my love, but communicate openly with you for the ease of my heart and yours. Your loving friend, R. ESSEX. the labour resteth upon that most; and because the world will make a kind of comparison between those that set it out of frame, and those that shall bring it into frame: which kind of honour giveth the quickest kind of reflection. The transferring this honour upon yourself consisteth in two points: the one, if the principal persons employed come in by you, and depend upon you; the other if your lordship declare yourself to undertake a care of that matter. For the persons, it falleth out well that your lordship hath had no interest in the persons of imputation: For neither Sir William Fitz-Williams, nor Sir John Norris was yours: Sir William Russel was conceived yours, but was curbed: Sir Coniers Clifford, as I conceive it, dependeth upon you, who is said to do well; and if my Lord of Ormond in this interim SIR FRANCIS BACON TO THE EARL OF SALISBURY, do accommodate well, I take it he hath always CONCERNING THE SOLICITOR'S PLACE. MAY IT PLEASE YOUR LORDSHIP, I am not privy to myself of any such ill deserving towards your lordship, as that I should think it an imprudent thing to be a suitor for your favour in a reasonable matter, your lordship being to me as (with your good favour) you cannot cease to be: but rather it were a simple and arrogant part in me to forbear it. It is thought Mr. Attorney shall be chief justice of the Common-place; in case Mr. Solicitor rise, I would be glad now at last to be solicitor: chiefly because I think it will increase my practice, wherein God blessing me a few years, I may mend my state, and so after fall to my studies and ease; whereof one is requisite for my body, and the other serveth for my mind; wherein if I shall find your lordship's favour, I shall be more happy than I have been, which may make me also more wise, I have small store of means about the king, and to sue myself is not fit; and therefore I shall leave it to God, his majesty, and your lordship: for I must still be next the door. I thank God, in these transitory things I am well resolved. So, beseeching your lordship not to think this letter the less humble, because it is plain, I rest, etc. FR. BACON. had good understanding with your lordship. So as all things are not only whole and entire, but of favourable aspect towards your lordship, if you now choose well: wherein, in your wisdom, you will remember there is a great difference in choice of the persons, as you shall think the affairs to incline to composition, or to war. For your caretaking, popular conceit hath been, that Irish causes have been much neglected, whereby the very reputation of better care will be a strength: and I am sure, her majesty and my lords of the council do not think their care dissolved, when they have chosen whom to employ; but that they will proceed in a spirit of state, and not leave the main point to discretion. Then, if a resolution be taken; a consultation must proceed; and the consultation must be governed upon information to be had from such as know the place, and matters in fact; and in taking of information I have always noted there is a skill and a wisdom. For I can not tell what account or inquiry hath been taken of Sir William Russel, of Sir Ralph Bingham, of the Earl of Thomond, of Mr. Wilbraham: but I am of opinion, much more would be had of them, if your lordship shall be pleased severally to confer, not obiter, but expressly, upon some caveat given them to think of it before, for, "bene docet qui prudenter interrogat." For the points of opposing them, I am too much a stranger to the business to deduce them: but in a topic methinks the SIR FRANCIS BACON TO THE EARL OF ESSEX, pertinent interrogations must be either of the that good correspondence towards my dear ally, weaken by division and disunion of the heads; to a service of great merit and great peril; and as the greatness of the peril must needs include no small consequence of peril, if it be not temperately governed; so all immoderate success extinguisheth merit, and stirreth up distaste and envy, the assured forerunner of whole changes of peril. But I am at the last point first, some good spirit leading my pen to presage your lordship's success; wherein it is true, I am not without my oracle and divinations, none of them superstitious, and yet not all natural: for, first, looking into the course of God's providence in things now depending, and calling into consideration how great things God hath done by her majesty, and for her collect he hath disposed of this great dissection in Ireland, whereby to give an urgent occasion to the reduction of that whole kingdom, as upon the rebellion of Desmond there ensued the reduction of that province. Next, your lordship goeth against three of the unluckiest vices of all other, disloyalty, ingratitude, and insolence; which three offences in all examples have seldom their doom adjourned to the world to come. Lastly, he WHEN SIR ROBERT CECIL WAS IN FRANCE. MY SINGULAR GOOD LORD, I do write, because I have not yet had time fully to express my conceit, nor now, to attend you touching Irish matters, considering them as they may concern the state; that it is one of the aptest particulars that hath come, or can come upon the stage, for your lordship to purchase honour upon, I am moved to think for three reasons; because it is ingenerate in your house in respect of my lord your father's noble attempts; possibility and means of accord, or of the nature of the war, or of the reformation of the particular abuses, or of the joining of practice with force in the disunion of the rebels. If your lordship doubt to put your sickle in other men's harvests, yet consider you have these advantages. First, time being fit to you in Mr. Secretary's absence: next, "vis unita fortior:" thirdly, the business being mixed with matters of war, it is fittest for you: lastly, I know your lordship will carry it with that modesty and respect towards aged dignity, and and your good friend, now abroad, as no inconvenience may grow that way. Thus have I played the ignorant statesman, which I do to nobody but your lordship, except I do it to the queen sometimes, when she trains me on. But your lordship will accept my duty and good meaning, and secure me touching the privateness of that I write. Your lordship's to be commanded, FR. BACON. SIR FRANCIS BACON TO THE EARL OF ESSEX, CONCERNING THE EARL OF TYRONE. THOSE advertisements which your lordship imparted to me, and the like, I hold to be no more certain to make judgment upon than a patient's water to a physician: therefore for me upon one water to make a judgment, were indeed like a foolish bold mountebank, or Dr. Birket, yet, for willing duty's sake, I will set down to your lordship what opinion sprung in my mind upon that I read. The letter from the council there, leaning to distrust, I do not much rely upon, for three causes. First, because it is always both the grace and the safety from blame of such a council to err in caution: whereunto add, that it may be they, or some of them, are not without envy towards the person who is used in treating the accord. Next, because the time of this treaty hath no show of dissimulation, for that Tyrone is now in no streights, but like a gamester that will give over because he is a winner, not because he hath no more money in his purse. Lastly, I do not see but those articles whereon they ground their suspicion, may as well proceed out of fear as out of falsehood, for the retaining of the dependence of the protracting the admission of a sheriff, the refusing to give his son for hostage, the holding from present repair to Dublin, the refusing to go presently to accord, without including O'Donnell, and others his associates, may very well come of a guilty reservation, in case he should receive hard measure, and not out of treachery; so as if the great person be faithful, and that you have not here some present intelligence of present succours from Spain, for the expectation whereof Tyrone would win time, I see no deep cause of distrusting the cause if it be good. And for the question, her inajesty seemeth to me a winner three ways: first, her purse shall have rest: next, it will divert the foreign designs unon that place: thirdly, though her majesty is iike for a time to govern precario in the north, and oe not in true command in better state there than before, yet, besides the two respects of ease of charge, and advantage of opinion abroad, before mentioned, she shali have a time to use her princely policy in two points: in the one, to The the other, by recovering and winning the people by justice, which of all other causes is the best. Now for the Athenian question, you discourse well, "Quid igitur agendum est?" I will shoot my fool's bolt, since you will have it so. Earl of Ormond to be encouraged and comforted above all things, the garrisons to be instantly provided for; for opportunity makes a thief: and if he should mean never so well now, yet such an advantage as the breaking of her majesty's garrisons, might tempt a true man. And because he may as well waver upon his own inconstancy, as upon occasion, and want of variableness is never restrained but with fear, I hold it necessary to be menaced with a strong war; not by words, but by musters and preparations of forces here, in case the accord proceed not; but none to be sent over, lest it disturb the treaty, and make him look to be overrun as soon as he hath laid down arms. And, but that your lordship is too easy to pass, in such cases, from dissimulation to verity, I think, if your lordship lent your reputation in this case, it is to pretend, that if not a defensive war, as in times past, but a full reconquest of those parts of the country be resolved on, you would accept the charge, I think it would help to settle him, and win you a great deal of honour gratis. And that which most properly concerneth this action, if it prove a peace, I think her majesty shall do well to cure the root of the disease, and to profess by a commission of peaceable men chiefly of respect and countenance, the reformation of abuses, extortions and injustices there, and to plant a stronger and surer government than heretofore, for the ease and protection of the subject; for the removing of the sword, or government in arms, from the Earl of Ormond, or the sending of a deputy, which will eclipse it, if peace follow, I think unseasonable. Lastly, I hold still my opinion, both for your better information, and your fuller declaration of your care, and evermore meriting service, that your lordship have a set conference with the persons I named in my former writing. I rest, At your lordship's service, defaults of so many former governors, and the clearing the glory of so many happy years' reign, only in this part excepted. Nay, farther, how far forth the peril of that state is interlaced with the peril of England; and, therefore, how great the honour is to keep and defend the approaches of this kingdom, I hear many discourse; and indeed there is a great difference, whether the tortoise gather herself into her shell hurt or unhurt; and if any man be of opinion, that the nature of an enemy doth extenuate the honour of a service, being but a rebel and a savage, I differ from him; for I see the justest triumphs that the Romans in their greatest greatness did obtain, and that whereof the emperors in their styles took additions and denominations, were of such an enemy; that is, people barbarous, and not reduced to civility, magnifying a kind of lawless liberty, prodigal of life, hardened in body, fortified in woods and bogs, placing both justice and fecility in the sharpness of their swords. Such were the Germans and ancient Britons, and divers others. Upon which kind of people, whether the victory that shall have had the honour to know your lord- be a conquest, or a reconquest upon a rebellion or ship inwardly, as I have had, shall find "bona revolt, it made no difference that ever I could find, exta," whereby he may better ground a divination in honour. And, therefore, it is not the enriching the predatory war that hath the pre-eminence in honour; else should it be more honour to bring in a carrack of rich burden, than one of the twelve Spanish apostles. But then this nature of people doth yield a higher point of honour (considering in truth and substance) than any war can yield which should be achieved against a civil enemy, if the end may be " pacique imponere morem," to replant and refound the policy of that nation. to which nothing is wanting but a just and civil government. Which design, as it doth descend to you from your noble father, (who lost his life in that action, though he paid tribute to nature, and not to fortune,) so I hope your lordship shall be as fatal a captain to this war, as Africanus was to the war of Carthage, after that both his uncle and his father had lost their lives in Spain in the same war. of good, than upon the dissection of a sacrifice. But that part I leave, for it is fit for others to be confident upon you, and you to be confident upon the cause, the goodness and justice whereof is such as can hardly be matched in any example, it being no ambitious war of foreigners, but a recovery of subjects, and that after lenity of conditions often tried; and a recovery of them not only to obedience, but to humanity and policy, from more than Indian barbarism. There is yet another kind of divination familiar in matters of state, being that which Demosthenes so often relieth upon in his time, where he saith, that which for the time past is worst of all, is for the time to come the best, which is, that things go ill not by accident but by error; wherein though your lordship hath been a waking censor, yet, you must look for no other now, but "medice, cura teipsum;" and although your lordship shall not be the blessed physician that cometh to the declination of the disease, yet, you embrace that condition which many noble spirits have accepted for advantage, which is, that you go upon the greater peril of your fortune, and the less of your reputation; and so the honour countervaileth the adventure; of which honour your lordship is in no small possession, when that her majesty, known to be one of the most judicious princes in discerning of spirits that ever governed, hath made choice of you merely out of her royal judgment, (her affection inclining rather to continue your attendance,) into whose hands and trust to put the commandment and conduct of so great forces, the gathering in the fruit of so great charge, the exeention of so many councils, the redeeming of the Now, although it be true, that these things which I have writ (being but representations unto your lordship of the honour and appearance of success and enterprise) be not much to the purpose of my direction, yet, it is that which is best to me, being no man of war, and ignorant in the particulars of state: for a man may by the eye set up the white right in the midst of the butt, though he be no archer. Therefore I will only add this wish, according to the English phrase, which termeth a well-wishing advice a wish, that your lordship in this whole action, looking forward, set down this position; that merit is worthier than fame; and looking back hither, would remember this text, that "obedience is better than sacrifice." For designing to fame and glory may make your lordship, in the adventure of your person, to be valiant as a private SIR FRANCIS BACON IN RECOMMENDATION OF soldier, rather than as a general; it may make you in your commandments rather to be gracious than disciplinary; it may make you press action, in the respect of the great expectation conceived, rather hastily than seasonably and safely; it may make you seek rather to achieve the war by force, than by mixture of practice; it may make you (if God shall send you prosperous beginnings) HIS SERVICE TO THE EARL OF NORTHUMBERLAND, A FEW DAYS BEFORE QUEEN ELIZABETH'S DEATH. MAY IT PLEASE YOUR GOOD LORDSHIP. rather seek the fruition of the honour, than the perfection of the work in hand. And for your proceeding like a good Protestant, (upon warrant, and not upon good intention,) your lordship knoweth, in your wisdom, that as it is most fit As the time of sowing of seed is known, but the time of coming up and disclosing is casual, or according to the season; so I am a witness to myself, that there hath been covered in my mind a long time a seed of affection and zeal towards your lordship, sown by the estimation of your virtues, and your particular honours and favours, to my brother deceased, and to myself; which seed still springing, now bursteth forth into this for you to desire convenient liberty of instruction, profession. And, to be plain with your lordship, so it is no less fit for you to observe the due limits of them, remembering that the exceeding of them may not only procure (in case of adverse accident) a dangerous disavow, but also (in case of prosperous success) be subject to interpretation, as if all was not referred to the right end. Thus I have presumed to write these few lines to your lordship, "in methodo ignorantiæ," which is, when a man speaketh of any subject not according to the parts of the matter, but according to the model of his own knowledge: and most humbly desire your lordship, that the weakness thereof may be supplied in your lordship, by benign acceptation, it is in me by my best wishing. a as FR. BACON. SIR FRANCIS BACON, TO THE EARL OF ESSEX AFTER HIS ENLARGEMENT. MY LORD, No man can expound my doings better than your lordship, which makes me need to say the less; only I humbly pray you to believe that I aspire to the conscience and commendation of " bonus civis" and "bonus vir;" and that though I love some things better, I confess, that I love your lordship; yet, I love few persons better, both for gratitude's sake, and for virtues, which cannot hurt, but by accident. Of which my good affection it may please your lordship to assure yourself, of all the true effects and offices that I can yield: for as I was ever sorry your lordship should fly with waxen wings, doubting Icarus's fortune; so, for the growing up of your own feathers, be they ostriches or other kind, no man shall be more glad, and this is the axle-tree, whereupon I have turned, and shall turn. Which having already signified unto you by some near means, having so fit a messenger for mine own letter, I thought good to redouble also by writing. And so I commend you to God's protection. From Gray's Inn, etc. July 19, 1600. FR. BACON. it is very true, and no winds or noises of civil matters can blow this out of my head or heart, that your great capacity and love towards studies and contemplations, of a higher and worthier nature than popular, a nature rare in the world, and in a person of your lordship's quality almost singular, is to me a great and chief motive to draw my affection and admiration towards you: and, therefore, good my lord, if I may be of any use to your lordship by my head, tongue, pen, means, or friends, I humbly pray you to hold me your own: and herewithal, not to do so much disadvantage to my good mind, nor partly, to your own worth, as to conceive, that this commendation of my humble service produceth out of any straits of my occasions, but merely out of an election, and indeed, the fulness of my heart. And so, wishing your lordship all prosperity, I continue. SIR FRANCIS BACON TO MR. ROBERT KEMPE, UPON THE DEATH OF QUEEN ELIZABETH. MR. KEMPE, this alteration is so great, as you might justly conceive some coldness of my affection towards you, if you should hear nothing from me, I living in this place. It is in vain to tell you, with what a wonderful still and calm this wheel is turned round, which, whether it be a remnant of her felicity that is gone, or a fruit of his reputation that is coming, I will not determine; for, I cannot but divide myself, between her memory and his name. Yet, we account it but as a fair morn before sunrising, before his majesty's presence; though, for my part, I see not whence any weather should arise. The Papists are contained with fear enough, and hope too much. The French is thought to turn his practice upon procuring some disturbance in Scotland, where crowns may do wonders. But this day is so welcome to the nation, and the time so short, as I do not fear the effect. My Lord of Southampton expecteth release by the next despatch, and is already much visited, and much well wished. There is continual posting, by I men of good quality towards the king, the rather, SIR FRANCIS BACON TO MR. DAVID FOULES IN SCOTLAND, UPON THE ENTRANCE OF HIS MAJESTY'S REIGN. SIR, the occasion awaketh in me the remembrance of the constant and mutual good offices which passed between my good brother and yourself; whereunto, as you know, I was not altogether a stranger, though the time and design (as between brethren) made me more reserved. But well do I bear in mind the great opinion which my brother (whose judgment I much reverence) would often express to me of the extraordinary sufficiency, dexterity, and temper, which he had found in you, in the business and service of the king our sovereign lord. This latter bred in me an election, as the former gave an inducement, for me to address myself to you, and to make this signification of my desire, towards a mutual entertainment of good affection and correspondence between us, hoping that some good effect may result of it, towards the king's service, and that for our particulars, though occasion give you the precedence, of furthering my being known by good note unto the king; so, no long time will intercede, before I, on my part, shall have some means given to requite your favours, and verify vour commendation. And so, with my loving commendations, (good Mr. Foules,) I leave you to God's goodness. From Gray's Inn, this 25th of March. SIR FRANCIS BACON TO SIR ROBERT CECIL, AFTER DEFEAT OF THE SPANIARDS IN IRELAND, FOR REDUCING THAT KINGDOM TO CIVILITY, WITH SOME REASONS ENCLOSED. İT MAY PLEASE YOUR HONOUR, As one that wisheth you all increase of honour, and as one that cannot leave to love the state, what interest soever I have, or may come to have in it, and as one that now this dead vacation time have some leisure "ad aliud agendum," I will presume to propound unto you that which, though you cannot but see, yet I know not whether you apprehend and esteem it in so high a degree that is, for the best action of importation to yourself, of sound honour and merit to her majesty, and this crown, without ventosity or popularity, that the riches of any occasion, or the tide of any opVOL. III. 2 portunity can possibly minister or offer. And that is, the causes of Ireland, if they be taken by the right handle: for if the wound be not ripped up again, and come to a festered sense, by new foreign succours, I think that no physician will go on much with letting blood "in declinatione morbi," but will intend to purge and corroborate. To which purpose I send you mine opinion, without labour of words in the enclosed, and sure I am, that if you shall enter into the matter according to the vivacity of your own spirit, nothing can make unto you a more gainful return; for you shall make the queen's felicity complete, which now (as it is) is incomparable; and for yourself, you shall make yourself as good a patriot as you are thought a politic, and to have no less generous ends than dexterous delivery of yourself towards your ends; and as well to have true arts and grounds of government, as the facility and felicity of practice and negotiation; and to be as well seen in the periods and tides of estates, as in your own circle and way; than the which I suppose nothing can be a better addition and accumulation of honour unto you. This, I hope, I may in privateness write, either as a kinsman, that may be bold, or as a scholar, that hath liberty of discourse, without committing of any absurdity. If not, I pray your honour to believe, I ever loved her majesty and the state, and now love yourself; and there is never any vehement love without some absurdity, as the Spaniard well saith, "desuario con la calentura." So, desiring your honour's pardon, I ever continue, etc. FR. BACON. SIR FRANCIS BACON TO THE LORD TREASURER, TOUCHING HIS SPEECH IN PARLIAMENT. IT MAY PLEASE YOUR GOOD LORDSHIP, I was sorry to find by your lordship's speech yesterday, that my last speech in Parliament. delivered in discharge of my conscience, my duty to God, her majesty, and my country, was offensive: if it were misreported, I would be glad to attend your lordship, to disavow any thing I said not; if it were misconstrued, I would be glad to expound my words, to exclude any sense I meant not; if my heart be misjudged by imputation of popularity, or opposition, I have great wrong, and the greater, because the manner of my speech did most evidently show that I spake most simply, and only to satisfy my conscience, and not with any advantage or policy to sway the case, and my terms carried all signification of duty and zeal towards her majesty and her service. It is very true, that from the beginning, whatsoever was a double subsidy I did wish might for precedent's sake appear to be extraordinary, and for discontent's sake might not have been levied upon the poorer |