1623-4.]

LETTER OF ADVICE TO BUCKINGHAM.

449

are honest and religious men, (so as they be not of turbulent and factious spirits, nor adverse to the government of the Church), though they be sometimes traduced by that name. For of this

kind is the greatest part of the body of the subjects, and besides (which is not to be forgotten), it is safest for the King and his service, that such men have their dependence upon your Grace (who are intirely the King's) rather than upon any other subject.

For the Papists, it is not unknown to your Grace that you are not at this time much in their books. But be you still yourself; and far be it from you, under a King and Prince of that clemency, to be inclined to rigour or persecution. But three things must be looked unto: The one, that they be repressed in any insolency, which may tend either to disquiet the civil estate, or to scandalize our Church in fact, (for otherwise all their doctrine doth it in opinion); the second, that there be an end or limits of those graces which shall be thought fit for them; and that there be not every day new demands hearkened unto; the third, that for those eases and graces which they have received or shall receive of the state, the thanks go the right way; that is to the King and Prince and not to any foreigner. For this is certain, that if they acknowledge them from the state, they may perhaps sit down when they are well; but if they have a dependence upon a foreigner, there will be no end of their growing desires and hopes. And in this point also your Grace's wisdom and moderation may do much good.

For the match with Spain, it is too great and dark a business for me to judge of. But as it hath relation to concern yourself, I will (as in the rest) deal freely with your Grace. My Lord, you owe in this matter two debts to the King: The one, that if in your conscience and judgment you be persuaded it be dangerous and prejudicial to his M. and his kingdoms, you deliver your soul, and in the freedom of a faithful counsellor, joined with the humbleness of a dutiful servant, you declare yourself accordingly, and shew your reasons; The other, that if the King in his high judgment, or the Prince in his settled affection, be resolved to have it go on, that then you move in their orb, as far as they shall lay it upon you. But meanwhile let me tell your Grace, that I am not of the general opinion abroad, That the match must break, or else my Lord of Buckingham's fortune must break. I am of another opinion. And yet perhaps it will 2 G

VOL. VII.

450

LETTERS AND LIFE OF FRANCIS BACON. [CHAP. IX.

be hard to make you believe it; because both sides will persuade you to the contrary; for they that would not have it go on will work upon that conceit, to make you oppose it more strongly; they that would have it go on, will do the same, to make you take up betimes, and come about. But I having a good affiance in your Grace's judgment, will tell you my reason why I thus think, and so leave it. If the match should go on, and put case against your counsel and opinion; doth any man think, that so profound a King, and so well seen in the science of reigning, and so understanding a Prince, will ever suffer the whole sway of affairs and greatness to go that way? and if not, who should be fitter to keep the balance even, than your Grace, whom the King and the Prince know to be so intirely their own, and have found to be so nobly independent upon any other? Surely in my opinion, you are like to be greater by counterpese against the Spanish dependance than you could be by concurrence. And therefore in God's name, do your duty faithfully and wisely; for behaving yourself otherwise as I know you will, your fortune is like to do well either way.

For that excellent Lady, whose fortune is so distant from her merit and virtue, the Queen of Bohemia; your Grace being as it were the first born or prime man of the King's creatures, must in consequence owe the most to his children and generations. Whereof I know your noble heart hath far greater sense, than any man's words can infuse into you. And therefore whatsoever lieth within the compass of your duty, and possibility, will no doubt spring from you, out of that fountain. It is open to every man's discourse, that there are but two ways for the restitution of the Palatinate, Treaty and Arms. It is good therefore to consider of the Middle Acts, which may make either of these ways desperate, to the end they may be avoided, in the way which shall be chosen. If no match (either that with Spain, or perhaps some other with Austria), no restitution by treaty. If the Dutch either be ruined or grow of themselves to a peace with Spain, no restitution by war. But these things your Grace understandeth far better than myself; And, as I said before, the point of state I aim not at; furder than may concern your Grace, to whom while I live, and shall find it acceptable to you, I shall ever be ready to give the tribute of a true friend and servant, and shall always

1623-4.] SIR H. WOTTON MADE PROVOST OF ETON.

451

think my counsels given to you happy, if you shall pardon them when they are free, and follow them when they are good. God preserve and prosper your Grace.

3.

With regard to the Provostship of Eton, Buckingham's letter of the 27th of October seems to have been conclusive with Bacon; for though the place remained vacant for a long time and was the object of several suitors and much suing, we hear of no further application from him. The "means to give Sir W. Becher satisfaction " were found in the reversion of the mastership of the Rolls; which Sir Henry Wotton, who then held it, was willing in consideration of this appointment to place at Buckingham's disposal who so disposed of it as to vacate some other place with which Becher was satisfied. Bacon, having nothing left to give up, could not have competed on such conditions; and what he would have made of the office-which, placing him at the head of the principal place in England for the education of youth, would have supplied him with a fit field for work both legislative and administrative-must be left to conjecture.

But an unexpected windfall which came into the Treasury about this time supplied the King with an opportunity of making him a present which had not been bespoken by any more forward suitor. Some of the officers of the Exchequer had discovered an old arrear due to the Crown from Sir Nicholas Bacon, his half-brother. Upon hearing of which he wrote the following letter to Buckingham.

TO THE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM.1

Excellent Lord,

There is a suit whereunto I may as it were claim kindred, and may be of credit and profit unto me. And it is an old arrear, which is called upon, from Sir Ni. Bacon, my eldest brother. It may be worth to me perhaps two thousand pounds, and yet I may deal kindly with my brother, and also reward liberally (as I mean to do) the officers of the Exchequer which have brought it to light. Good my Lord, obtain it of the King, It will acquit the King somewhat

and be earnest in it for me.

1 Gibson Papers, vol. viii. f. 193. Fair Copy in Bacon's hand. No fly-leaf. Indorsed "To Buck"."

of his promise that he would have care of my wants. For hitherto since my misfortunes I have tasted of his Majesty's mercy, but not of his bounty. But your Lordship may be pleased in this to clear the coast with my Lord Treasurer; else there it will have a stop. I am almost at last cast for means, and yet it grieveth me most, that at such a time as this I should not be rather serviceable to your Grace than troublesome

God preserve and prosper your Grace,

Your Grace's most obliged

I have moved his Majesty in your suit, and find him very graciously inclined to grant it; but he desireth first to know from my Lord Treasurer his opinion and the value of it: to whom I have written to that purpose this inclosed letter, and would wish your Lordship to speak with him your. self for his favour and furtherance therein: and for my part I will omit nothing that appertaineth to

Newmarket,

Your Lordship's faithful friend and servant,

the 28 of January, 1623.

G. BUCKINGHAM.

The reference of such a matter to the Lord Treasurer could hardly have been avoided, though the condition was an unfavourable one for Bacon, who had reason to expect hindrance rather than help from Cranfield in all cases, and could hardly hope in this case to persuade him that the money could not be put to more profitable uses. The suit, I think, was ultimately granted: for I gather from a letter of Sir Thomas Coventry's, dated 29th October, 1625, which will be given in the next chapter, that Bacon bad still an interest in the arrear: the recovery of which (having been delayed first by the death of Sir Nicholas, and afterwards by the death of the King and the adjournment of the term) was still pending in the form of an action against Sir Edmund Bacon at the suit of the Crown; the result of which I do not know.

1 Harl. MSS. 7000. f. 74. Original. Docketed by Bacon "D. Bu. 28 Jan. 1623." And at the other end, apparently by Meautys, "Late letters written from my Lo. of Buck" to my Lord.”

1623-4.]

SUIT FOR LEAVE TO SIT IN PARLIAMENT AGAIN. 453

4.

The petition which Bacon had prepared for the House of Lords towards the end of the year 1621 for help in obtaining leave to come within the verge of the Court, was prevented by the dissolution of Parliament: and the desired liberty was granted a few months after. He now felt a strong desire to be relieved from that other clause in the sentence which forbade him to sit in Parliament,—and to be so relieved with the good liking of the Lords themselves; which had always been the condition on which he asked for any favour in his troubles; and without which indeed this particular favour would have been of no value. Desiring that the motion should come from themselves, and if possible from those who were most independent, he did not proceed by formal petition but addressed himself privately to two of the most prominent members of the popular party in the Upper House--who had taken an active part in the proceedings against himself, and were most opposed to Buckingham and the Court party-the Earl of Southampton and the Earl of Oxford.

Not having been degraded from his rank as a Peer, he would, I suppose, be summoned to attend each Parliament in the usual form (for the Clerk of the Crown was not officially informed of his disqualification); but having been forbidden ever to sit in Parliament, he could not obey the summons without an express warrant releasing him from that part of the sentence. I do not know exactly what authority the House of Lords had in the matter, or whether they had any power to remit a punishment awarded in a former Parliament by themselves. Probably not. But an intimation to the King that they wished to readmit Bacon into their company would no doubt have procured the necessary warrant. And it must have been this, I think, in which he now desired the favour and furtherance of these two noblemen. For though he speaks of "wishing to have his writ," it appears from a later letter that it was not the writ itself, but the liberty to use it, which he wanted. Sir Humphrey May at new year's tide, 1625 (that is, says "my writ for Parliament I have now had twice before the time, and that without any express restraint not to use it." And yet it is evident that he regarded himself as still excluded and unable to sit without a pardon. Whence we may also infer that these two letters which follow had been without effect.

Writing to 1625-6), he

That would be for James's last Parliament (Feb. 1623-4) and Charles's first (June, 1625),