OF

THE LIFE AND TIMES

OF

FRANCIS BACON.

EXTRACTED FROM THE EDITION OF HIS OCCASIONAL WRITINGS BY JAMES SPEDDING.

IN TWO VOLUMES.

VOL. II.

LONDON:

TRÜBNER AND COMPANY.

1878.

Copyright. All rights reserved.

232098

CONTENTS

OF THE SECOND VOLUME.

BOOK V.

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Preparations for the new Parliament. The King and the Under-

takers.- Letter to the King. - Propositions for the coming Par-

liament, referred to the Chief Justices and Law Officers. Char-

acter of Bills to be offered to Parliament. -Policy and Intentions

of the Government. - Difficulties in the Way. - General Election.

-Sir Ralph Winwood appointed Secretary of State.-Bacon's

Idea of the Style in which the King ought to meet his Parliament.

-Bacon returned for Cambridge University.- Question raised in

the House whether an Attorney General could serve. -Resolution

to allow it this time, but not hereafter. - The King's second Speech

announcing the Bills of Grace, reported to the House by the Solici-

tor General. Motion for Supply made by Winwood. Supported

by Bacon. — Question postponed. — Committee appointed to consider

of Message to the King about Undertakers. Bill against Imposi-

tions on Merchandise read a second time, passed without a Divi-

sion, and ordered to be committed on the 3d of May.—Question of

Supply not to be meddled with till the 5th.. Adjournment for

Easter. Four Bills of Grace brought in by Bacon. Report of

Committee on Undertakers. — Motion to enlarge the Powers of the

Committée opposed by Bacon. - Motion carried. — Result of it. —

Question of Impositions. — Speech of the King. — Unanimity of the

House. The Lords to be invited to confer. - Unsuccessful At-

tempt to force the Question of Supply. Unlawful Interference in

Election. Preparation for the Conference with the Lords concern-

ing Imposition. -Distribution of the Argument. - Part assigned to

Bacon. Refusal of the Lords to confer.- Rumor that Words had

been uttered by a Bishop in Derogation of the Lower House. - Pro-

ceedings of the Commons with regard to the Bishop's Speech. - Ex-

planations and Apologies offered in vain. Disorderly Debates and

abrupt Dissolution. — Supposed Conspiracy to upset the Parliament.

- How Bacon's Silence during the late Debates is to be accounted

for

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1-40

CHAPTER II.

A. D. 1614-1615.

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ETAT. 54-55.

Impolicy of the Dissolution. — Importance of the Matter in Dispute ;

Intemperance on both Sides. - ·Condition in which the Breach left

the Government and the Country. - Voluntary Subscription for

the Relief of the Exchequer begun at Court; the Country to be in-

vited to follow the Example. - Bacon's Advice. Prosecution of

Edmond Peacham for Treason, contained in a Sermon prepared for

Preaching. Examination by the Council.. Warrant to use the

Manacles, if necessary. - Bacon's Part in the Examination. -Res-

olution to indict Peacham for Treason. - The Judges to be con-

sulted. Bacon's Apprehensions.- Consultation with the Judges

in Peacham's Case. - The King's Device. Nature and Object of

the proposed Innovation. Coke's written Opinion on Peacham's

Case.-Resolution that the Case should be proceeded with. - New

Statement made by Peacham. - Further Examination of him by the

Bishop of Bath and Wells. Arraignment and Conviction for Trea-

son. Sentence not executed. Further Examination. - Death in

Jail. Prosecution of Oliver St. John in the Star Chamber, for a

seditious Libel contained in a Letter to the Mayor of Marlborough,

concerning the Benevolence. General Result of the Benevolence.

Question of calling another Parliament formally referred to the

Council. Bacon's Idea of the Policy to be pursued. — Difficulties

in the way. The Spanish Match and the rival Factions at Court.

- Preparations for another Parliament commenced

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CHAPTER III.

A. D. 1615-1616. ETAT. 55-56.

Discovery of the Murder of Sir Thomas Overbury.

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41-70

Proceedings of

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the Trial of Weston.-Committal of the Earl and Countess of Som-
erset. Execution of Weston. - Scene at the Scaffold. - Proceed-
ing in the Star Chamber. - Commencement of Bacon's Acquaint-
ance with George Villiers. Indictment of the Earl and Countess
of Somerset, as Accessories before the Fact to the Murder of Over-
bury. - State of the Case against them.-Postponement of the
Prosecution. The Lord Chancellor dangerously ill. First and
second Copy of Bacon's Letter to the King on the Subject. — Ques-
tion whom to choose for Chancellor in case Ellesmere should die.
Bacon's Recommendation of himself. A Letter to Sir George
Villiers. Recovery of Ellesmere. - Indictment of Præmunire pre-
ferred against his Court in the King's Bench, with the approbation
of Coke. Bacon desires to be made a Privy Councillor. A letter
to Sir George Villiers touching a Motion to swear him Councillor.
-Esteem in which his Services were held at this time. - Inquiring

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into the Earl of Somerset's Dealings with Spain. - Reëxamination
of Lady Somerset. - Result of Enquiry into Somerset's Relations
with Spain. - Conditions of the Case of Somerset as it came out of
Coke's Hands into Bacon's. - Expediency of inducing Somerset, if
guilty, to make a Confession. - Hope of Pardon to be suggested to
him as the probable Consequence of a voluntary Confession. —
Bacon's Conference with the Judges concerning the Evidence
against Somerset.-Object of such Consultations.
Threat to bring some Charge against the King. Trial of the
Somerset's
Countess, who pleads guilty. Her Behavior at the Trial. Her
Sentence. Weldon's Story of the midnight Visit. — Somerset's
Fit. The King's Direction to Sir George More. - Trial of Somer-
set. - Abstract of Evidence adduced in Support of the Charge
made by Bacon.Somerset's Answer. The weak Points in it.
Impression of the Court. Verdict and Sentence. -Impressions of
the By-standers.Question as to the Justice of the Verdict. —
Origin of the popular Belief that there was some Secret behind,
which had been hushed up.- No Reason for thinking so. - Differ-
ences between the Courts of Law. - Bacon's Suit to be made a
Privy Councillor. Two Letters to Sir George Villiers on the Sub-
ject.Council held at Whitehall, all the Judges attending, to hear
and decide the Question raised in the Judges' Letter on the Com-
mendam Case.- Behavior of the Judges. — Coke's evasive Answer.
-The Question practically settled. — Pardon of the Countess of
Somerset. Bacon's Part in it. Case of the Præmunire against
the Chancery. The King's Position. — Jurisdiction of the several
Courts.The Prohibition acquiesced in by Coke and the Judges of
the King's Bench, and entered as an Order of the Conrt. - Coke's
subsequent Censure of the Decree in the third Part of his "Insti-
tutes."- Vindication of it printed in the "Collectanea Juridica.” -
He is heard before the Council in Answer to certain Charges, sus-
pended from his Office, and enjoined to review and correct his Re-
ports

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71-148

BOOK VI.

CHAPTER I.

A. D. 1616. JULY-NOVEMBER. ÆTAT. 56.

Villiers raised to the Peerage. Established as Favorite.

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-Asks Ba-
con for Advice. A Letter of Advice written by Sir Francis Bacon
to the Duke of Buckingham when he became Favorite to King
James. Amendment of the Laws. Bacon's Views. - Beginning
of a Letter to the King, of uncertain Date. -Appointment of Com-
missioners. A Proposition to the King touching the Compiling
and Amendment of the Laws of England. - Sir Edward Coke

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