7. It might be thought that a work of this order, being the fruit of a single long vacation, would have been held to justify the writer in asking for means to pursue that calling in comfort: so much comfort, at least, as was necessary to enable him to pursue it with effect and advantage. But his evil fate had not yet done with him. He had just lost a good friend at the Treasury and got a bad one in exchange. On the 28th of September Mandeville gave up the Lord Treasurer's staff and was made President of the Council. "I cannot learn any cause of his displacing," says Chamberlain, 13th October, "though some talk of corruption, others of unfitness; but the likeliest is to make room for the Lord Cranfield now in place, whom the King in his piercing judgment finds best able to do him service." Whatever service he might do the King, ill-service was the best that Bacon could expect from him. What was the cause, I do not know, probably some collisions of opinion when they were on the Treasury Commission together, but Cranfield had long shown an unfriendly feeling and acted an unfriendly part towards Bacon, and being a man of great ability in his way, and now in so great a place, was sure to do him mischief. The choice of his own successor also was no very fortunate one for him. But the worst was, that he had the misfortune about this time to give a personal offence, without the least intending or even knowing of it, to Buckingham himself: whom, though the matter was a very small one, it put into a humour which must have reminded Bacon in a lively but unpleasant way of the summer of 1617, when he fell out with him for thinking that the proposed marriage between his brother and Coke's daughter would be impolitic and inconvenient. In this case as in that, it was a private and domestic difference,—and it must be said for Buckingham that he never (so far as I know) made a personal quarrel of any disagreement between them upon questions of public policy or administration, though such disagreements did once or twice occur,—but it was a trial which his temper would not bear. He had a fancy to buy York-house; and it is not unlikely, considering Bacon's present condition and prospects, that in offering to treat for it he thought he was doing him a kindness and a courtesy. Bacon unfortunately saw it in a different light. Having received hopes from Buckingham himself of a provision which would enable him to live like a gentleman, and knowing how destructive of respect among men all outward signs of poverty are in those who have been better off, he had not thought that he would be willing to see him turned out of his house; and it may be suspected (for we have no 1621.] BUCKINGHAM DISPLEASED. 305 record of the first interchange of communications) that his answer expressed something more than unwillingness. The effect will be seen in the next letter, where a peculiar kind of sullen politeness, into which Buckingham (whose manners were always good) was apt to fall when suffering under a sense of injury,--the " enforced ceremony" which marks" a hot friend cooling "-gives the first token of a long and most childish and unreasonable displeasure, of which we shall see a great deal more as we go on, and which was never quite cured. My honourable Lord, TO THE LORD ST. ALBAN.1 I have delivered your Lordship's letter of thanks to his Majesty, who accepted it very graciously, and will be glad to see your book, which you promise to send very shortly, as soon as it cometh. I send your Lordship his Majesty's warrant for your pardon, as you desired it; but am sorry that in the current of my service to your Lordship there should be the least stop of any thing; yet having moved his Majesty, upon your servant's intimation, for your stay in London till Christmas, I found his Majesty, who hath in all other occasions, and even in that particular already, to the dislike of many of your own friends, shewed with great forwardness his gracious favour towards you, very unwilling to grant you any longer liberty to abide there; which being but a small advantage to you, would be a great and general distaste, as you cannot but easily conceive, to the whole state. And I am the more sorry for this refusal of his Majesty's falling in a time when I was a suitor to your Lordship in a particular concerning myself, wherein though your servant insisted farther than I am sure would ever enter into your thought, I cannot but take it as a part of a faithful servant in him. But if your Lordship or your Lady find it inconvenient for you to part with the house, I would rather provide myself otherwise than any way incommodate you, but will never slack any thing of my affection to do you service: whereof if I have not given you good proof, I will desire nothing more than the fittest occasion to shew how much I am Your Lordship's faithful servant, G. BUCKINGHAM. This letter is not dated, but being written in answer to Bacon's of the 8th of October, it is not likely to have been later than the 12th, on which day the King signed at Royston a second warrant for a pardon, with an alteration. And this I suppose was "the pardon as Bacon desired it," the warrant for which was enclosed in the letter. On the 20th of September, the Attorney had been 1 Harl. MSS. 7000, f. 69. Orig. Docketed by Bacon, "Buc. of his own hand." VOL. VII. X required to prepare for the King's signature two "books,"-one for the assignment of the fine and the other for a coronation pardon. The first had been signed and passed the seal. But the second had been suspended, I suppose by Bacon's own desire, that the form might be altered. The following document, which I find among Robert Stephens's collections in Locker's hand, (Additional MSS. 4259, f. 109,) appears to be this new warrant enclosed in Buckingham's last letter. A WARRANT TO MR. ATTORNEY FOR THE DRAWING UP A PARDON FOR THE L. VISCT. ST. ALBAN. Trusty and well-beloved, we greet you well. Our will and pleasure is that you draw up a book containing a pardon to the Viscount of St. Alban, either after the form of a coronation pardon, or of the pardon we lately granted to Sir Robert Cotton, Knt., at the choice of the said Viscount; with an exception nevertheless of the sentence given in our High Court of Parliament; and prepare the same for our signature.1 Given at our Court at Royston, 12 Oct., 1621. To our trusty and well-beloved, Sir Thos. Coventry, Knt., our Attorney-General. This was a piece of good service as far as it went; but the licence to remain in London had only a fortnight to run, and the unlucky affront in the matter of York House, was not the only thing which now stood in Bacon's way. Williams, having taught Buckingham how to escape the hunt after the monopolists by joining the hunters, and having been rewarded for the service by the woolsack, was now in possession of his ear, and continued to work upon the one idea which had served him so well. Parliament was to meet again in November, and the one thing to be cared for was that nothing should be done which Parliament could take amiss. In an undated letter, printed in the Cabala, which must have been written about this time, he writes to him : "I humbly beseech your Lordship to meddle with no pardon for the Lord St. Alban until I shall have the happiness to confer with your Lordship. The pardoning of his fine is much spoken against, not for the 1 According to the Calendar of State Papers' there is in the Docquet book Oct. 16, 1621,"Grant to Visct. St. Alban of a pardon to be drawn after form of the pardon lately granted to Sir R. Cotton," etc. 2 Not before the 9th of October, when he took his seat in Chancery (see Camden): not many days after, because it enclosed a copy of his speech. 1621.] GRANT OF GENERAL PARDON, SENTENCE EXCEPTED. 307 matter (for no man objects to that), but for the manner, which is full of knavery, and a wicked precedent. For by this assignation of his fine he is protected from all his creditors, which (I dare say) was neither his Majesty's nor your Lordship's meaning.” 1 This I fancy was a mistake; for the King knew the object of the assignation well enough, and meant no doubt to help Bacon, not to cheat his creditors, but to prevent them from coming upon him all at once and selling him up. He had contracted debts which he could not pay as he intended, because the greater part of his means and all his credit had been suddenly taken away; but if they did not seize all the rest all at once, he might pay them in time. However, the assignation was passed; and the pardon having been drawn up by the Attorney-General according to the warrant, and signed by the King on the 17th, was presented to the seal. A copy of the docket is preserved among the Cotton MSS. and runs thus: 2 A special pardon granted unto Francis, Viscount St. Alban, for all felonies done and committed against the common laws and statutes of this realm; and for all offences of præmunire; and for all misprisions, riots, routs, conspiracies, extortions, counterfeiting of deeds or writings, perjuries, subornations of perjuries, receiving of moneys or rewards, embracing, champerties, and maintenances; and for all offences of taking away, detaining, or looking into any of the King's letters or any others; and for all rasing, embezzling, or interlining of any records, writings, or warrants, and for all suits and causes ecclesiastical, and for all usury and corrupt bargains, and also all contempts, concealments, deceits, and other like offences, and for all utlawries, and all fines and amerciaments for any of the premisses, with a restitution of all his lands and goods forfeited by reason of any of the premisses; Except out of the same pardon all treasons, murders, rapes, and incest; and except also all fines, imprisonments, penalties, and forfeitures, adjudged against the said Viscount St. Alban, by a sentence lately made in the Parliament. Teste Rege apud Westm. 17 die Octob. anno Regni sui 19. Per lettre de privato sigillo. 3 The preamble of this patent 3 (for a copy of which I am indebted to Mr. Gardiner) I should suppose to be Bacon's own composition. Cum prædilecto consanguineo nostro Francisco Vicecomite St. Alban propositum sit deinceps vitam degere quietam et tranquillam in studiis et contemplatione rerum, atque hoc modo etiam posteritati inservire, cujus rei per scripta sua jampridem 16 'Cabala,' p. 287. 2 Cotton MSS. Tit. B. vii. f. 444. edita specimen de se præbuit non vulgare, nos pietate moti et plenam pacem nostram et securitatem prædicto Francisco præstare et concedere volentes, etc. The next day Bacon received the following letter from the Lord Keeper; which sufficiently explains those which come after. My very good Lord, Having perused a privy seal containing a pardon for your Lordship, and thought seriously thereupon, I find that the passing of the same (the assembly in parliament so near approaching) cannot but be much prejudicial to the service of the King, to the honour of my Lord of Buckingham, to that commiseration which otherwise would be had of your Lordship's present estate, and especially to my judgment and fidelity. I have ever affectionately loved your Lordship's many and most excelling good parts and endowments, nor had ever cause to disaffect your Lordship's person, so as no respect in the world beside the former considerations could have drawn me to add the least affliction or discontentment unto your Lordship's present fortune. May it therefore please your Lordship to suspend the passing of this pardon until the next assembly be over and dissolved, and I will be then as ready to seal it as your Lordship to accept of it, and in the mean time undertake that the King and my Lord Admiral shall interpret this short delay as a service and respect issuing wholly from your Lordship; and rest in all other offices whatsoever, Your Lordship's faithful servant, Westminster College, 18 October, 1621. Jo. LINCOLN, elect. Custos Sigilli. TO THE LORD KEEPER.2 My very good Lord, I know the reasons must appear to your Lordship many and weighty which should move you to stop the King's grace, or to dissuade it; and somewhat the more in respect of my person, being I hope no unfit subject for noble dealing. The message I received by Mr. Meautys did import inconvenience in the form of the pardon; your Lordship's letter, in the time: for as for the matter, it lay so fair for his Majesty's and my Lord of Buckingham's own knowledge, as I conceive your Lordship doth not aim at that. My affliction hath made me understand myself better and not worse; yet loving advice I know helps well. Therefore I send Mr. Meautys to your Lordship that I may reap so much riper fruit of your Lordship's professed 1 Gibson Papers, vol. viii. f. 153. Original. Docketed by Bacon, "L. Keepers lre." 2 Gibson Papers, vol. viii. f. 152. Draught in Bacon's hand. No fly-leaf. Indorsed "My answer to Lo. Keeper's letter." |