any purpose with the King; and no more hath almost any other English. For the speech his Majesty admitteth with some noblemen is rather matter of grace than of business. With the Attorney he spake, being urged by the Treasurer of Scotland, but yet no more than needs must. After I had received his Majesty's first welcome, I was promised private access; but yet, not knowing what matter of service your Lordship's letter might carrys (for I saw it not) and well knowing that primeness in advertisement is much, I chose rather to deliver it to Sir Thomas Erskins, than to cool it in my hands, upon expectation of access. Your Lordship shall find a prince the farthest from the appearance of vain-glory9 that may be, and rather like a prince of the ancient form than of the latter time. His speech is swift and cursory, and in the full dialect of his country; and in point1o of business, short; in point11 of discourse large. He affecteth popularity by gracing such as he hath heard to be popular, and not by any fashions of his own. He is thought somewhat general in his favours, and his virtue of access is rather because he is much abroad and in press, than that he giveth easy audience about serious things.12 He hasteneth to a mixture of both kingdoms and nations, faster perhaps than policy will conveniently13 bear. I told your Lordship once before, that (methought) his Majesty rather asked counsel of the time past than of the time to come. But it is early yet to ground any settled opinion. For the particularities I refer to conference, having in these generals gone further in so tender an argument than I would have done, were not both the reader and the bearer assured.14 JAMES's arrival in England brought no immediate prospect of improvement in Bacon's fortunes. Nor was it likely that it should. "Every new King," James thought, "ought at least to let a year and a day pass before he made any innovation;" and he naturally left the administration of affairs in the hands in which he found it. He made two or three new councillors; gave the Mastership of the Rolls, which was still vacant, to Edward Bruce, Abbot of Kinloss; removed Sir Walter Ralegh (probably not without what seemed the best advice) from the Captaincy of the Guard, putting in his place Sir Thomas Erskine (his own Captain of the Guard), but giving him at the same time a considerable pecuniary compensation; placed two or three of his Scotch friends immediately about his person; but made no more changes of importance. Bacon was for the present to "continue to be of the Learned Counsel in such manner as before he was to the Queen." But though this seemed like leaving his position unchanged, the practical effect was to give him a prospect of more leisure. For his place among the Learned Counsel being an irregular one without any ordinary duties belonging to it as of course, his employment depended upon the pleasure of those who had the laying out of the business. In this the Queen herself had been used to take a part, and by her direction he had in this irregular way been continually employed for many years. It would not be so now. James, to whom the business and the persons were alike new, would naturally leave such arrangements, at least for a while, to Coke, who was not at all likely to want Bacon's help; nor is there any reason to think that Cecil, who kept the lead in council, and soon left the Earl of 1 Sully. 2 Gardiner, i. 64. 3 Warrant to the Lord Keeper, 21 April, 1603.-Egerton Papers (Camd. Soc.), p. 368. Northumberland in the shadow, would go much out of his way to put him forward. What he had to do therefore was merely to hold himself in readiness in case he were wanted; to recommend himself to the King by such services or advices as he could offer without impropriety; to make the most of the interval of leisure for the great purpose to which all his leisure had long been dedicated; and before all, if not above all, to clear off all remains of debt and bring his living within his income. 2. The last-mentioned object was first in importance, and was (not perhaps unfortunately) first forced upon him by an accident of which the general character may be gathered from the next letter, though none of the particulars are otherwise known. We have seen that he had been occupied since his brother's death in endeavouring to settle some of his principal debts. It seems however that he had not proceeded fast enough. For in the summer of 1603 he had to apply to Cecil for help in some scrape, similar apparently to that of 1598, when he was arrested on his way from the Tower by Sympson, the goldsmith. Something had been done to him which he conceived to be an invasion of the privilege of his office, and therefore an affront to the King's service; and it had relation to some money transaction. And this is all we know about it. The letter itself, however, which reveals the fact (and which comes from the Hatfield collection, where it was found by Murdin, who sent a copy to Birch) is unusually interesting, as showing how his private affairs stood at the time, and what he was now doing to set them straight: and also as throwing further light on his relations with Cecil; who, on this occasion at least, was giving something more substantial than words;-preferring possibly a way of obliging him which deserved his gratitude without risking his rivalry. It TO ROBERT, LORD CECIL.2 may please your good Lordship, But the reason was, I thought to have seen your Lordship ere this. Howsoever I shall never forget this your last favour amongst others; and it grieveth me not a little, that I find myself of no use to such an honourable and kind friend. For that matter, I think I shall desire your assistance for the 2 Letters, Speeches, etc., p. 23. 1 Vol. II. p. 106. punishment of the contempt; not that I would use the privilege in future time, but because I would not have the dignity of the King's service prejudiced in my instance. But herein I will be ruled by your Lordship. It is fit likewise, though much against my mind, that I let your Lordship know that I shall not be able to pay the money within the time by your Lordship undertaken, which was a fortnight. Nay money I find so hard to come by at this time, as I thought to have become an humble suitor to your Honour to have sustained me with your credit for the present from urgent debts, with taking up 3007. till I can put away some land. But I am so forward with some sales, as this request I hope I may forbear. For my estate (because your Honour hath care of it), it is thus: I shall be able with selling the skirts of my living in Hertfordshire to preserve the body; and to leave myself, being clearly out of debt, and having some money in my pocket, 3007. land per annum, with a fair house, and the ground well timbered. This is now my labour. For my purpose or course, I desire to meddle as little as I can in the King's causes, his Majesty now abounding in counsel; and to follow my private thrift and practice, and to marry with some convenient advancement. For as for any ambition, I do assure your Honour mine is quenched. In the Queen's, my excellent Mistress's, time the quorum was small: her service was a kind of freehold, and it was a more solemn time. All those points agreed with my nature and judgment. My ambition now I shall only put upon my pen, whereby I shall be able to maintain memory and merit of the times succeeding. Lastly, for this divulged and almost prostituted title of knighthood, I could without charge, by your Honour's mean, be content to have it, both because of this late disgrace, and because I have three new knights in my mess in Gray's-Inn commons; and because I have found out an alderman's daughter, an handsome maiden, to my liking. So as if your Honour will find the time, I will come to the court from Gorhambury upon any warning. How my sales go forward, your Lordship shall in a few days hear. Mean while, if you will not be pleased to take further day with this lewd fellow, I hope your Lordship will not suffer him to take any part of the penalty, but principal, interest, and costs. 3 July, 1603. So I remain your Lordship's most bounden, FR. BACON. Cecil's answer to this letter has not been preserved. But it may be inferred from Bacon's reply (which comes from the same collection) that it was not only friendly as regarded the particular case, but contained also some general intimation that his professional services would be wanted. TO THE SAME.1 It may please your good Lordship, In answer of your last letter, your money shall be ready before your day; principal, interest, and costs of suit. So the sheriff promised, when I released errors; and a Jew takes no more. The rest cannot be forgotten; for I cannot forget your Lordship's dum memor ipse mei: and if there have been aliquid nimis, it shall be amended. And, to be plain with your Lordship, that will quicken me now, which slackened me before. Then I thought you might have had more use of me, than now I suppose you are like to have. Not but I think the impediment will be rather in my mind than in the matter or times. But to do you service, I will come out of my religion at any time. For my knighthood, I wish the manner might be such as might grace me, since the matter will not; I mean, that I might not be merely gregarious in a troop. The coronation is at hand. It may please your Lordship to let me hear from you speedily. So I continue Your Lordship's ever much bounden, From Gorhambury, this 16th of July, 1603. FR. BACON. It is probably to this time that a memorandum belongs, which I found in the State Paper Office, entitled "a Note of my debts." It has no signature, or address, or date; but is written and docketed in Bacon's hand and may very well have been addressed to Cecil on the occasion which led to this correspondence. Before the 16th of May, when he was created Baron Cecil of Essenden, 'Your Ho : Letters, Speeches, etc., p. 25. VOL. ill. G |