you, assuring myself that nothing is more firm than his trust, tried to your majesty's commandments; Your Majesty's most humble and most bounden subject and servant. April 28, 1616. Sir Francis Bacon, the King's Attorney General, to the Master of the Horse, upon the sending of his Bill for Viscount, sc. Sir, I send you the bill for his majesty's signature, reformed according to his majesty's amendments, both in the two places (which I assure you, were altered with great judgment) and in the third place, which his majesty termed a question only. But he is an idle body, that thinketh his majesty asketh an idle question; and therefore his majesty's questions are to be answered, by taking away the cause of the question, and not by replying. For the name, his majesty's will is a law in those things; and to speak the truth, it is a well-sounding, and noble name, both here and abroad: and being your proper name, I will take it for a good sign, that you shall give honour to your dignity, and not your dignity to you. Therefore I have made it Viscount Villiers, and for your barony, I will keep it for an earldom: for though the other had been more orderly, yet that is as usual, and both alike good in law. For Roper's place, I would have it by all means dispatched; and therefore I marvel it lingereth. It were no good manners, to take the business out of my lord treasurer's hands, and therefore I purpose to write to his lordship, if I hear not from him first, by Mr. Deckome; but if I hear of any delay, you will give me leave (especially since the king named me) to deal with Sir Joseph Roper myself; for neither I, nor my lord treasurers can deserve any great thanks in this business of yours considering the king hath spoken to Sir Joseph Roper, and he hath promised; and besides, the thing itself is so reasonable, as it ought to be as soon done as said, I am now gotten into the country to my house, where I have some little liberty, to think of that I would think of, and not of that which other men hourly break their head withal, as it was at London. Upon this you may conclude, that most of my thoughts are to his majesty, and then you cannot be far off. God ever keep you, and prosper you: I rest always, Your true and most dutiful Servant. Sir Francis Bacon to Sir George Villiers, upon the sending his patent for Viscount Villiers to be signed. Sir, I have sent you now your patent, creation of Lord Bletchly of Bletchly, and of Viscount Villiers. Bletchly is your own, and I liked the sound of the name better than Whaddon; but the name will be hid, for you will be called Viscount Villiers. I have put them in a patent, after the manner of the patent for earls, where baronies are joined ; but the chief reason was, because I would avoid double prefaces, which had not been fit; nevertheless the ceremony of robing, and otherwise, must be double. And now because I am in the country, I will send you some of my country fruits, which with me are good meditations; which, when I am in the city, are choked with business. After that the king shall have watered your new dignities, with the bounty of the lands which he intends you, and that some other things concerning your means, which are now likewise in intention, shall be settled upon you, I do not see, but you may think your private fortunes established; and therefore it is now time, that you should refer your actions to the good of your sovereign, and your country. It is the life of an ox, or beast, always to eat, and never exercise; but men are born (and specially Christian men) not to cram in their fortunes but to exercise their virtues; and yet the other hath been unworthy, and (thanks be to God) sometimes the unlucky humour of great persons in our times. Neither will your future fortune be the farther off; for assure yourself, that fortune is of a woman's nature, and will sooner follow by slighting, than by too much wooing. And in this dedication of yourself to the public, I recommend unto you principally, that which I think, was never done since I was born; and which, because it is not done, hath bred almost a wilderness and solitude in the king's service; which is, that you countenance and encourage, and advance able men, in all kinds, degrees, and professions. For in the time of the Cecils, the father and the son, able men were by design and of purpose suppressed: and though of late, choice goeth better, both in church and commonwealth, yet money and turn-serving, and cunning canvasses and importunity, prevaileth too much. And in places of moment, rather make able and honest men yours, than advance those that are otherwise, because they are yours. As for cunning and corrupt men, you must (I know) sometimes use them, but keep them at a distance; and let it appear rather, that you make use of them, than that they lead you. Above all depend wholly (next unto God) upon the king, and be ruled (as hitherto you have been) by his instructions, for that is best for yourself. For the king's care and thoughts for you are according to the thoughts of a great king; whereas your thoughts concerning yourself, are, and ought to be, according to the thoughts of a modest man. But let me not weary you, the sum is, that you think goodness the best part of greatness, and that you remember whence your rising comes, and make return accordingly. God keep you. Aug. 12. 1616. Sir Francis Bacon to the King about a Certificate of my Lord Coke's. It may please your excellent Majesty. I send your majesty enclosed, my Lord Coke's answers, I will not call them rescripts, much less oracles. They are of his own hand, and offered to me (as they are) in writing, not required by me to have them set down in writing, though I am glad of it, for my own discharge. I thought it my duty, as soon as I received them, instantly to send them to your majesty, and forbear, for the present, to speak farther of them. I, for my part, (though this Moscovia weather be a little too hard for my constitution,) was ready to have waited upon your majesty this day, all respects set aside; but my lord treasurer, in respect of the season, and much other business, was willing to save me. I will only conclude, touching these papers, with a text divided; I cannot say "Oportuit hæc fieri," but I may say, "Finis autem nondum." God preserve your majesty. Your Majesty's most humble, and Feb. 14. at 12 o'clock. devoted subject and servant. I humbly pray your Majesty, to keep the papers safe. Sir Francis Bacon to Mr. Toby Matthews. Mr Matthews, Do not think me forgetful, or altered towards you: but if I should say, I could do you any good, I should make my power more than it is. I do fear that which I am right sorry for, that you grow more impatient and busy than at first, which makes me exceedingly fear the issue of that which seemeth not to stand at a stay. I myself am out of doubt, that you have been miserably abused, when you were first seduced; and that which I take in compassion, others may take in severity. I pray God, that understands us all better than we understand one another, continue you, as I hope he will, at least, within the bounds of loyalty to his majesty, and natural piety to your country. And I intreat you much, to meditate sometimes upon the effect of superstition in this last powder-treason, fit to be tabled and pictured in the chambers of meditation, as another hell above the ground; and well justifying the censure of the heathen, that "Superstition is far worse than Atheism," by how much it is less evil to have no good opinion of God at all, than such as are impious towards his divine majesty and goodness. Good Mr. Matthews, receive yourself back from these courses of perdition. Willing to have written a great deal more, I continue Your etc. FR. BACON. Sir Francis Bacon to the Earl of Salisbury. It may please your good Lordship, I am not ignorant how mean a thing I stand for, in desiring to come into the Solicitor's place: for I know well, it is not the thing it hath been, time having wrought an alteration, both in the profession, and in that special place. Yet because I think it will increase my practice, and that it may satisfy my friends, and because I have been voiced to it, I would be glad it were done. Wherein I may say to your lordship, in the confidence of your poor kinsman, and a man by you advanced, “in idem fer opem qui spem dedisti:" for I am sure, it was not possible for a man living to have received from another more significant and comfortable words of hope: your lordship being pleased to |