66 any virtue for the shewing, had expressed and displayed in his letters at large, with all the particu"larities and religious punctos and ceremonies, that "were observed in the reception of that city and "kingdom: shewing, amongst other things, that "the king would not by any means in person enter "the city, until he had first aloof seen the cross set up upon the greater tower of Granada, whereby "it became Christian ground. That likewise, be"fore he would enter, he did homage to God above, "pronouncing by an herald from the height of that “tower, that he did acknowledge to have recovered "that kingdom by the help of God Almighty, and "the glorious Virgin, and the virtuous Apostle Saint James, and the holy father Innocent the Eighth, 66 66 together with the aids and services of his prelates, 66 nobles, and commons. That yet he stirred not "from his camp till he had seen a little army of "martyrs, to the number of seven hundred and 66 more Christians that had lived in bonds and ser"vitude, as slaves to the Moors, pass before his eyes, singing a psalm for their redemption." HISTORY OF HENRY VIII. Of this tract Archbishop Tenison says, "the "Second is, the fragment of the History of Henry "the Eighth, printed at the end of his lordship's 66 miscellany works, of which the best edition is that "in quarto, in the year 1629. This work he undertook, upon the motion of King Charles the "First, but (a greater king not lending him time) "he only began it; for that which we have of it, was 66 66 (it seems) but one morning's work." This tract is thus noticed in his letters. 66 To the Marquis of Buckingham. "Excellent Lord, Though your lordship's absence fall out in an "ill time for myself; yet because I hope in God this noble adventure will make your lordship a "rich return in honour, abroad and at home, and chiefly in the inestimable treasure of the love and "trust of that thrice-excellent prince; I confess "I am so glad of it, as I could not abstain from your lordship's trouble in seeing it expressed by "these few and hasty lines. 66 "I beseech your lordship, of your nobleness "vouchsafe to present my most humble duty to his highness, who, I hope, ere long will make me leave King Henry the Eighth, and set me on work in "relation of his highness's adventures. 86 66 "I very humbly kiss your lordship's hands, resting ever 66 Your lordship's most obliged friend and servant." "February 21, 1622." To the Prince. "It may please your excellent highness, "I send your highness, in all humbleness, my book "of Advancement of Learning, translated into Latin, "but soinlarged, as it may go for a new work. It is a "book, I think, will live, and be a citizen of the world, as English books are not. For Henry the "Eighth, to deal truly with your highness, I did so 66 despair of my health this summer, as I was glad "to choose some such work, as I might compass "within days; so far was I from entering into a "work of length. Your highness's return hath been my restorative. When I shall wait upon your highness, I shall give you a farther account. So "I most humbly kiss your highness's hands, resting "Your highness's most devoted servant. "I would (as I wrote to the duke in Spain) I "could do your highness's journey any honour with my pen. It began like a fable of the poets; but " it deserveth all in a piece a worthy narration." HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. The first letter upon this subject is "To the Lord Chancellor, touching the History of "Britain. It may please your good Lordship, "Some late act of his majesty, referred to some "former speech which I have heard from your lord 66 ship, bred in me a great desire, and the strength "of desire a boldness to make an humble proposi"tion to your lordship, such as in me can be no "better than a wish: but if your lordship should 66 apprehend it, it may take some good and worthy "effect. The act I speak of, is the order given by "his majesty for the erection of a tomb or monu VOL. 3. d "ment for our late sovereign Queen Elizabeth :* "wherein I may note much, but only this at this 66 66 66 time, that as her majesty did always right to his "majesty's hopes, so his highness doth in all things right to her memory; a very just and princely re"tribution. But from this occasion, by a very easy "ascent, I passed farther, being put in mind, by this representative of her person, of the more true and "more vive representation, which is of her life and government for as statues and pictures are dumb histories, so histories are speaking pictures; where"in if my affection be not too great, or my reading “too small, I am of this opinion, that if Plutarch "were alive to write lives by parallels, it would "trouble him both for virtue and fortune, to find 66 "for her a parallel amongst women. And though "she was of the passive sex, yet her government was so active, as, in my simple opinion, it made "more impression upon the several states of Europe, "than it received from thence. But I confess unto 66 your lordship I could not stay here, but went a "little farther into the consideration of the times "which have passed since King Henry VIII; "wherein I find the strangest variety, that in so "little number of successions of any hereditary monarchy hath ever been known. The reign of a "child; the offer of an usurpation, though it was "The monument here spoken of was erected in King "Henry VII's chapel at Westminster, in the year 1606." 66 "but as a diary ague; the reign of a lady married to "a foreigner; and the reign of a lady solitary and ❝ unmarried; so that as it cometh to pass in massy "bodies, that they have certain trepidations and 66 wavering before they fix and settle; so it seemeth that by the providence of God this monarchy, be"fore it was to settle in his majesty, and his gene“rations, in which I hope it is now established for 66 ever, hath had these prelusive changes in these "barren princes. Neither could I contain myself “here, as it is easier for a man to multiply than to 66 stay a wish, but calling to remembrance the un"worthiness of the history of England,* in the "main continuance thereof; and the partiality and "* The unworthiness of the history of England hath been "long complained of by ingenious men, both of this and other "nations, Sir Francis Bacon hath expressed himself much to the "same effect, though more at large in his secod book of the "Advancement of Learning: where he carries this period of re"markable events somewhat higher than in this letter, begin 66 66 66 ning with the union of the roses under Henry VII. and end"ing with the union of the kingdoms under King James. A 'portion of time filled with so great and variable accidents "both in church and state, and since so well discovered to the "view of the world, that had other parts the same performance, we should not longer lie under any reproach of this kind. "The reign of King Henry VII. was written by our author soon "after his retirement, with so great beauty of style, and wisdom "of observation, that nothing can be more entertaining; the "truth of history not being disguised with the false colours of "romance. It was so acceptable to the P. of Wales, that when " he became king, he commanded him to proceed with the reign "of King Henry VIII. But my Lord Bacon meditating the his |