1621.] LETTER OF THANKS TO GONDOMAR. 319 proprium et perpetuum mores tuil tam generosi, et erga omnia officia humanitatis et honoris propensi. Neque erit fortasse inter opera tua hoc minimum, quod me, qui et aliquis fui apud vivos, neque omnino intermoriar apud posteros, ope et gratiâ tuâ erexeris, confirmaris. Ego quid possum? Ero tamen tuus (si minus usu, fructu), at saltem affectu, voto. Sub cineribus fortunæ vivi erunt semper ignes amoris. Te igitur humillimè saluto, tibi valedico, omnia prospera exopto, gratitudinem testor, observantiam polliceor.2 Bacon's last appeal to Buckingham was so far successful that he consented to explain himself; as will be seen by his answer. TO THE LORD VISCOUNT ST. ALBAN.3 My honourable Lord, I have received your Lordship's letter, and have been long thinking upon it, and the longer the less able to make answer unto it. Therefore if your Lordship will be pleased to send any understanding man unto me, to whom I may in discourse open myself, I will by that means so discover my heart with all freedom (which were too long to do by letter, especially in this time of parliament business), that your Lordship shall receive satisfaction. In the mean time I rest Your Lordship's faithful servant, Royston, Dec. 16. This was an opening for reconciliation which Bacon lost no time in using and improving. 1 Quodque amplissimum virtutis præmium sit ipsa virtus, quemadmodum et ultimum vitii supplicium sit vitium ipsum: sicut egregie poeta, "Quæ vobis, quae digna, viri, pro laudibus istis Præmia posse rear solvi? Pulcherrima primum Et e contra non minus vere ille de sceleratis, Atque eum ulsciscentur mores sui." 2 "I perceive and acknowledge the work of divine Providence in sending me in my solitude, as it were from above, such a friend; who amid such pressure of business and in such straits of time, has had care of me and effected for me that which my other friends either have not ventured to try or have not been able to obtain. For recompense, your own conduct so generous and prone to all offices of humanity and honour will always bear its own fruit. Nor perhaps will this count for least among your works, that by your help and favour I, who have been somewhat in the living generation and in the next shall not be altogether dead, have been raised up and strengthened. For me, what can I do? I will at least be yours, if not in use and fruit yet in desire and wish. Beneath the ashes of my fortune the sparks of love shall ever remain alive. To you therefore I most humbly offer my salutations, my valedictions, my wishes for all good, my testimonies of gratitude, my promises of observance." 3 Harl. MSS. 7000, f. 79. Original: own hand. L. Bu. last lre." Docketed by Bacon, "My TO THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM.1 My very good Lord, The reason why I was so desirous to have had conference with your Lordship at London, was indeed to save you the trouble of writing. I mean, the reason in the second place. For the chief was to see your Lordship. But since you are pleased to give me the liberty to send to your Lordship one to whom you will deliver your mind, I take that in so good part, as I think myself tied the more to use that liberty modestly. Wherefore, if your Lordship will vouchsafe to send to me one of your own (except I might have leave to come to London) either Mr. Packer, my ancient friend, or Mr. Alesbury, of whose good affection towards me I have heard report, to me it shall be indifferent. But if your Lordship will have one of my nomination, if I might presume so far, I would name before all others, my Lord of Falkland. But because perhaps it may cost him a journey, which I may not in good manners desire, I have thought of Sir Edward Sackville, Sir Robert Mansell, my brother, Mr. Sollicitor General, (who though he be almost a stranger to me, yet, as my case now is, I had rather employ a man of a good nature than a friend,) and Sir Arthur Ingram, notwithstanding he be great with my Lord Treasurer. Of these if your Lordship shall be pleased to prick one, I hope well I shall intreat him to attend your Lordship and to be sorry never a whit of the employment. Your Lordship may take your own time to signify your will, in regard of the present business of Parliament. But my time was confined by due respect, to write a present answer to a letter which I construed to be a kind letter, and such as giveth me yet hope to shew myself to your Lordship Your Lordship's most obliged friend, and faithful servant, 8. FR. ST. ALBAN. While arrangements were in progress for restoring to good humour this great spoiled child of fortune, whom we shall presently see sur 1 Gibson Papers, vol. viii. f. 199. Copy. No fly-leaf. Indorsed, "To the Lord of Buckingham, an answer to his of the 16th of December." 2 Buckingham's secretaries. 1621.] PETITION TO THE LORDS TO RECOMMEND HIS SUIT. 321 rounded by a bevy of great people all trying to coax, to humour, and to console him, Bacon bethought himself of a more direct way to what he wanted. The thing which was especially vexatious and inconvenient to him was his exclusion from London-an exclusion in which there could be no possible object except vexation: and the only pretence for continuing it on the King's part (who had no desire to inflict any vexation whatever upon him for his own pleasure) was the fear of offending Parliament by remitting too many of the penalties which they had awarded, and letting "the world think that their sentence was in vain." It occurred to Bacon therefore to petition the Lords themselves1 to recommend his suit to the King. And if it had not been for the prorogation on the 19th of December, with intent to dissolve, I suppose the following petition would have been laid before them. PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF LORDS.2 My right honourable good Lords, In all humbleness acknowledging your Lordships' justice, I do now in like humble manner crave and implore your grace and compassion. I am old, weak, ruined, in want, a very subject of pity. My only suit to your Lordships is to shew me your noble favour towards the release of my imprisonment, (for so every confinement is), and to me, I protest, worse than the Tower. There I could have company, physicians, conference with my creditors and friends about my debts and the necessities of my estate, helps for my studies and the writings I have in hand. Here I live upon the sword-point of a sharp air,3 endangered if I go abroad, dulled if I stay within, solitary and comfortless without company, banished from all opportunities to treat with any to do myself good, and to help out my wrecks; and that which is one of my greatest griefs, my wife that hath been no 1 In Stephens's catalogue there is an entry of a letter which probably related to this. "3 Dec. 1621. 'I do discern by your last,'-about petitioning the Parliament. To Sir Ed. Sackville." 2 Gibson Papers, vol. viii. f. 261. Copy in Bacon's hand. No fly-leaf. Indorsed, "Copy of the petition intended for the houses of Parliament." Another paper described as "a petition to the Parliament for a release from his confinement," and beginning, 'I cannot direct,' is entered in Stephens's cata logue. "I do not remember" (says Chamberlain, 15 December, 1621) "a more sharp week than this hath been; and the extremity at the very first made us think it could not last; but it holds out still in such sort that the Thames is not passable, nor I can scant set pen to paper." VOL. VII. Y partaker of my offending, must be partaker of this misery of my restraint. May it please your Lordships therefore, since there is a time for justice and a time for mercy, to think with compassion upon that which I have already suffered, which is not little, and to recommend this my humble and (as I hope) modest suit to his most excellent Majesty, the fountain of grace, of whose mercy, for so much as concerneth himself merely, I have already tasted, and likewise of his favour in this very kind, by some small temporary dispensations. Herein your Lordships shall do a work of charity and nobility, you shall do me good, you shall do my creditors good, and it may be you shall do posterity good, if out of the carcase of dead and rotten greatness (as out of Samson's lion) there may be honey gathered for the use of future times. God bless your persons and counsels. Your Lordship's suppliant and servant, FR. ST. ALBAN. He applied also to Digby, for his good offices with the King for the same purpose. TO JOHN LORD DIGBY.1 My very good Lord, Receiving, by Mr. Johnson, your loving salutations, it made me call to mind many of your Lordship's tokens, yea and pledges, of good and hearty affection in both my fortunes, for which I shall be ever yours. I pray my Lord, (if occasion serve) give me your good word to the King for the release of my confinement, which is to me a very strait kind of imprisonment. I am no Jesuit nor no leper; but one that served his Majesty these sixteen years, even from the commission of the Union till this last Parliament, and ever had many thanks of his Majesty, 1 Gibson Papers, vol. viii. f. 154,. Draught in Bacon's hand. No fly-leaf. Indorsed, "To La Digby." 1621.] NEGOTIATION TO APPEASE BUCKINGHAM. 323 and was never chidden. This his Majesty, I know, will remember at one time or other; for I am his man still. With regard to the negotiations with Buckingham which followed, in which the childishness of many of the circumstances contrasts so strangely with the seriousness of the question at issue-being no less than whether the author of the 'Advancement of Learning,' the 'Novum Organum,' and the 'History of Henry VII. 'should be enabled to pursue in peace a life of study-I do not think I can do better than present the correspondence in its original shape. For I have no means of completing the story, or filling up the gaps; and a clearer idea of the transaction will be given by the unabridged reports of the several actors than any abstract would convey. Nor are the letters themselves without interest, however contemptible the argument. Thomas Meautys,-one of the noblest of the noble order of loyal servants,-loyal to the full extent of his means and abilities,-in adversity as in prosperity, in disgrace as in honour,loyal through life and beyond it,-superstitis cultor, defuncti admirator, the creditor who never ceased to be a friend,-well deserves to be introduced in person to those who take any interest in Bacon. And the others who have a part in the business are all people of note, and shown in unaccustomed lights :-Lenox, Falkland, Sackville, Gondomar, Matthew, Buckingham himself; and (not the least interesting) the Lady St. Alban, of whom we see and hear so very little elsewhere; but whom, in the enforced absence of her husband, the domestic question of a house to live in brings for a moment upon the stage. THOMAS MEAUTYS, ESQ., TO THE LORD VISCOUNT ST. ALBAN.1 May it please your Lordship, As soon as I came to London, I repaired to Sir Edward Sackville, whom I find very zealous (as I told your Lordship I left him) to do you service, in any particular you shall command him, to my Lord Marquis 1 Gibson Papers, vol. viii. f. 156. Orig. |