1623.] BACON DESIRES TO BE MADE PROVOST. SECRETARY CONWAY, TO THE LORD VISCOUNT ST. ALBAN.1 Right Honourable, 409 I do so well remember the motives, why I presented you so with my humble service, and particular application of it to your particular use, as I neither forget nor repent the offer. And I must confess a greater quickning could not have been added to my resolution to serve you, than the challenge you lay to my duty, to follow (in his absence) the affection of your most noble and hearty friend the Marquis. I lost no time to deliver your letter, and to contribute the most advantageous arguments I could. It seems your motion had been more than enough, if a former engagement to Sir William Becher upon the Marquis his score had not opposed it. I will give you his Majesty's answer, which was; That he could not value you so little, or conceive you would have humbled your desires and your worth so low: That it had been a great deal of ease to him to have had such a scantling of your mind; to which he could never have laid so unequal a measure. His Majesty adding further, that since your intentions moved that way, he would study your accommodation. And it is not out of hope, but that he may give some other contentment to Sir William Becher in due time, to accommodate your Lordship, of whom (to your comfort) it is my duty to tell you, his Majesty declared a good opinion, and princely care and respect. I will not fail to use time and opportunity to your advantage: and if you can think of any thing to instruct my affection and industry, your Lordship may have the more quick and handsome proof of my sure and real intentions to serve you, being indeed Your Lordship's affectionate servant, Royston, March 27, 1623. Conway wrote to Buckingham in the same sense and spirit.2 But nothing could be done. To MR. SECRETARY CONWAY.3 Good Mr. Secretary, I am much comforted by your last letter, wherein I find that his Majesty of his great goodness vouchsafeth to have a care of me, a man out of sight and out of use, but yet his; (as the Scripture sayeth, God knows those that are his). In particular, I am very much bounden to his Majesty (and I pray (Sir) thank his Majesty most humbly for it,) that notwithstanding the former 1 Fortescue Papers. Original. S. P. Spanish correspondence, 29 March, 1623. 3 S. P. Dom. James I. vol. cxl. no. 59. Original: own hand. designment of Sir W. Becher, his Majesty (as you write) is not out of hope in due time to accommodate me of this cell, and to satisfy that gentleman otherwise. Many conditions (no doubt) may be as good for him, and his years may expect them. But there will hardly fall (specially in the spent hourglass of such a life as mine,) any thing so fit for me, being a retreat to a place of study so near London, and where (if I sell my house at Gorhambury, as I purpose to do, to put myself into some convenient plenty) I may be accommodate of a dwelling for the summer time. And therefore, good Mr. Secretary, furder this his Majesty's good intention, by all means, if the place fall. For yourself, you have obliged me much; I will endeavour to deserve it. At least nobleness is never lost, but rewarded in itself. My Lord Marquis I know will thank you. I was looking over some short papers of mine touching usury, how to grind the teeth of it, and yet to make it grind to his Majesty's mill, in good sort, without discontent or perturbation. If you think good, I will perfite it and send it to his Majesty, as some fruits of my leisure. But yet I would not have it come as from me: not for any tenderness in the thing, but because I know well in the courts of Princes it is usual, non res, sed displicet author. God keep you. I rest Your very affectionate friend much obliged, Graies Inne, 29 of When Gondomar proposed to Bacon, (a few weeks after the Lords had passed judgment upon him at the demand of the Commons,) to engage the King of Spain to become an intercessor for him with the King of England, the proposal was so unfit and unseasonable that he could only thank him and put it by. But when upon their confidence in Gondomar's advice and invitation the Prince and Buckingham had taken so bold and hazardous a step, it could not be doubted that he had influence with them, and Bacon (presuming that he would be disposed to use it in his favour as he had been before) wrote to remind him of his condition and explain how matters now stood. 1623.1 Ill. Com., LETTER TO GONDOMAR. To COUNT GONDOMAR, THEN IN SPAIN.1 411 Multa sunt quæ mihi animos addunt et quandam alacritatem conciliant, ut Dom. tuam illustrissm hoc tempore de meis fortunis compellem et deprecer. Primum, idque vel maximum, quod cum tam arcta regum nostrorum conjunctio jam habeatur pro transactâ, inde et tu factus sis intercessor tanto potentior, et mihi nullus jam subsit scrupulus universas fortunas meas viro tanto, licet extero, debendi et acceptas referendi. Secundum, quod cum ea quæ Dom. tua ill. de me promisso tenus præsens impetraveras neque ullam repulsam passa sint neque tamen ad exitum perducta; videatur hoc innuere providentia divina, ut hoc opus me à calamitate erigendi planè tuum sit initio et fine. Tertium, quod stellæ duæ quæ mihi semper fuerunt propitiæ, major et minor, jam splendent in orbe vestro, unde per radios auxiliares et benignos amoris erga me tui eum possint nancisci influxum, qui me in aliquo non indigno priore fortunâ gradu collocet. Quartum, quod perspexi ex literis quas ad amicum meum intimum Dom. Tob. Matthæum nuper scripsisti, memoriam mei apud te vivere et vigere, neque tantâ negotiorum arduorum et sublimium mole, quanta Dom. tuæ ill. incumbit, obrutam esse aut extinctam. Postremum accedit et illud, quod postquam ex favore excellent. Dom. Marchionis ad Regis mei conspectum et colloquium admissus fuerim, videar mihi in statu gratiæ collocatus. Non me allocutus est sua Majestas ut criminosum, sed ut hominem tempestate dejectum; et simul constantem meum et perpetuum in servitio suo industriæ et integritatis tenorem prolixè agnovit, cum insigni ut videbatur affectu : unde major mihi oboritur spes, manente ejus erga me gratiâ, et extinctâ omni ex diuturnitate invidiâ, labores ill. Dom. tuæ pro me non incassum iri. Ipse interim nec otio me dedi nec rebus me importunè immiscui, sed in iis vivo et ea tracto quæ nec priores quos gessi honores dedeceant, et posteris memoriam nominis mei haud ingratam fortasse relinquent. Itaque spero me non indignam fore materiam, in quâ et potentiæ et amicitiæ tuæ vis elucescat et celebretur; ut non minus in privatâ 1 Gibson Papers, vol. viii. f. 282. Draught in Bacon's hand. No fly-leaf. Indorsed, "The Lord of St. Alban's first letter to Gondomar into Spain, 28 March, 1623." hominis fortunâ potuisse videaris, quam in negotiis publicis. Deus illustriss. Dominationem tuam incolumem servet et felicitate cumulet.1 TO THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM.2 Excellent Lord, Finding so trusty a messenger as Sir John Epsley, I thought it my duty to put these few lines into his hands. I thank God that those shadows which either mine own melancholy or my extreme love to your Lordship did put into my mind concerning this voyage of the Prince and your Lordship, rather vanish and diminish than otherwise. The gross fear is past of the passage of France. I think you had the ring which they write of, that when the seal was turned to the palm of the hand made men go invisible. Neither do I hear of any novelty here worth the esteeming. 1 "There are many things which encourage and incite me at this time to address your illustrious Lordship about my fortunes, and to entreat your help. The first and the chief is, that the strait alliance between our kings which is now understood to be concluded, at once makes you a more powerful intercessor, and relieves me from any scruple I might have felt in being beholden to so great a man, though a foreigner, for my whole fortunes, and accepting them as his gift. The second is, that seeing those favours which your Lordship when you were here had obtained for me so far as promise went, have not as yet been either refused or carried into effect, it seems to be the intention of Providence that this work of raising me out of calamity should be altogether yours both first and last. The third is, that the two stars which have always been propitious to me-the greater and the lesserare now shining in your world; and may thereby, being reinforced by the auxiliary and benignant rays of your love towards me, gain influence enough to put me in some position not unbefitting my former fortune. Fourthly, I learn from your late letters to my intimate friend Mr. Toby Matthew that your remembrance of me is still lively and fresh, and has not been overlaid or extinguished by that great mass of arduous and high business which your Lordship has to sustain. To which add last, that since by the favour of the excellent Marquis I have been admitted to see and speak with my King, I seem to myself in the state of grace. His Majesty addressed me not as a criminal but as a man overthrown by a tempest; acknowledging at the same time largely, and as it seemed with much feeling, the constant and unfailing course of industry and integrity which I had held in his service; whence I have the better hope that, his favour remaining with me and all envy being extinguished by length of time, the pains your Lordship may take in my behalf will not be in vain. Meanwhile on my own part I have neither given myself up to sloth nor meddled unseasonably with business, but live in such pursuits and handle such matters as may neither misbecome the former honours which I have borne and will perhaps leave to posterity no ungrateful memory of my name. And therefore I hope that I shall be no unworthy material for you to exhibit and make known to the world the force both of your power and your friendship,-proving that you have no less a stroke in the fortunes of a private man than in your public employments. God preserve and prosper your Lordship." Gibson Papers, vol. viii. f. 182. Copy, with corrections in Bacon's hand. No fly-leaf. Indorsed "To Duke into Spain. March 30, 1623.” 1623.] BACON'S VIEWS ON USURY. 413 There is a general opinion here that your Lordship is like enough to return and go again, before the Prince come: which opinion whether the business lead you to do so or no, doth no hurt; for it keeps men in awe. I find, I thank God, some glimmering of the King's favour, which your Lordship's noble work of my access no doubt did chiefly cherish. I am much bound to Mr. Secretary Conway. It is wholly for your Lordship's sake, for I had no acquaintance with him in the world. By that I see of him, he is a man fit to serve a great King, and fit to be a friend and servant to your Lordship. Good my Lord, write two or three words to him, both of thanks and a general recommendation of me unto him. Vouchsafe of your nobleness to present my most humble duty to his Highness. We hear he is fresh in his person, and becomes this brave journey in all things. God provide all things for the best. I ever rest, etc. 14. The paper on Usury, which Bacon proposed to send to Conway to be shown to the King, came into the Record Office along with the rest of the Conway papers, and turns out to be the same (for the most part) which he afterwards printed among his Essays. But the concluding observations, (as having, I suppose, a more special reference to the particular occasion) were omitted; and though Bacon's opinion concerning usury and the regulation of trade have lost their value since the days of Adam Smith and Jeremy Bentham, it is still of importance to know what they were, if we would understand truly what he was himself; and we cannot have better evidence of what they really were than a paper of this kind, for the production of which on such an occcasion no motive can be imagined except a belief that the measure recommended would do good. It will be seen that, censurable as many of his doctrines are according to modern ideas, it is but a short step from one to the other. In answer to the religious objection which lay at the bottom of all the legislation on the subject,-namely, that (in the words of the Act of Edward VI.) "usury is by the word of God utterly prohibited, as a vice most odious and detestable, as in divers places of the Holy Scripture it is evident to be seen "2-he is content to oppose the 1 This sentence is inserted in the margin. 25 & 6 Ed. VI. c. 20. |