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and relying wholly upon your goodness and me with wonderful tokens of kindness. We botli remembrance, and resting, in all true humbleness, wept, which I do not often. Your majesty's most devoted, and

faithful subject and servant,

FR. BACON.

Endorsed,

A letter to Sir George Villiers, touching a message brought to him by Mr. Shute, of a promise of the chancellor's place.

TO MR. MURRAY.*

GOOD MR. MURRAY,

ATTORNEY-GENERAL.

MAY IT PLEASE YOU, SIR,

The notice I have from my Lord Roos, Sir Henry Goodere, and other friends, of the extreme obligation wherein I continue towards you, together with the conscience I have of the knowledge how dearly and truly I honour and love you, and daily pray that you may rise to that height which the state wherein you live can give you, hath taken away the wings of fear, whereby was almost carried away from daring to importune you in this kind. But I know how good you have always been, and are still, towards me; or rather because I am not able to comprehend how much it is; I will presume there is enough for any use, whereupon an honest humble servant may employ it.

According to his majesty's pleasure by you MR. TOBIE MATTHEW* TO SIR FRANCIS BACON, signified to me, we have attended my lord chancellor, my lord treasurer,‡ and Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer,§ concerning Sir Gilbert Houghton's patent stayed at the seal; and we have acquainted them with the grounds and state of the suit, to justify them that it was just and beneficial to his majesty. And for any thing we could perceive by any objection or reply they made, we left them in good opinion of the same, with this, that because my lord chancellor (by the advice, as it seemeth, of the other two) had acquainted the council-table, for so many as were then present, with that suit amongst others, they thought fit to stay till his majesty's coming to town, being at hand, to understand his farther pleasure. We purpose, upon his majesty's coming, to attend his majesty, to give him a more particular account of this business, and some other. Meanwhile, finding his majesty to have care of the matter, we thought it our duty to return this answer to you in discharge of his majesty's direction. We remain

July 6, 1615.

Your assured friends,
FR. BACON,

HENRY YELVERTON.

TO SIR GEORGE VILLIERS.

SIR,—The message which I received from you by Mr. Shute hath bred in me such belief and confidence as I will now wholly rely upon your excellent and happy self. When persons of greatness and quality begin speech with me of the matter, and offer me their good offices, I can but answer them civilly. But those things are but toys: I am yours surer to you than to mine own life; for, as they speak of the turquois stone in a ring, I will break into twenty pieces before you have the least fall. God keep you ever. Your truest servant, FR. BACON.

February 15, 1615. My lord chancellor is prettily amended. I was with him yesterday almost half an hour. He used

* Harl. MSS, vol. 6986.

+ Ellesmere.

Thomas Howard, Earl of Suffolk.

Sir Fulk Grevile, advanced to that post October 1, 1614, in the room of Sir Julius Cæsar, made Master of the Rolls. VOL. III.-13

It imports the business of my poor estate, that I be restored to my country for some time; and I have divers friends in that court, who will further my desire thereof, and particularly Mr. Secretary Lake and my Lord Roos, whom I have desired to confer with you about it. But nothing can be done therein, unless my Lord of Canterburyt may be made propitious, or at least not averse ; nor do I know in the world how to charm him but by the music of your tongue. I beseech you, sir, lose some minutes upon me, which I shall be glad to pay by whole years of service; and call to mind, if it please you, the last speech you made me, that if I should continue as I then was, and neither prove ill-affected to the state, nor become otherwise than a mere secular man in my religion, you would be pleased to negotiate for my return. on my part the conditions are performed; and it remains, that you do the like: nor can I doubt but that the nobleness of your nature, which loves nothing in the world so well as to be doing of good, can descend from being the attorney-general

* Son of Dr. Tobie Matthew, Archbishop of York. He was born at Oxford in 1578, while his father was Dean of Christ Church, and educated there. During his travels abroad, he was seduced to the Romish religion by Father Parsons. This cccasioned his living out of his own country from the year 1607 to 1617, when he had leave to return to England. He was again ordered to leave it in October, 1618; but, în 1622, was recalled to assist in the match with Spain; and, on account of his endeavours to promote it, was knighted by King James I. at Royston, on the 10th of October, 1623. He trans lated into Italian Sir Francis Bacon's Essays, and died at Ghent in Flanders, October 13, 1655, N. S.

† Dr. George Abbot.

I

to a great king, to be solicitor for one of the | MR. TOBIE MATTHEW TO SIR FRANCIS BACON, meanest subjects that he hath.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL.

MAY IT PLEASE YOUR HONOUr,

Such as know your honour may congratulate with you the favour which you have lately received from his majesty, of being made a counsellor of state:* but as for me, I must have leave to congratulate with the council-table, in being so happy as to have you for an assessor. I hope these are but beginnings, and that the marriage, which now I perceive that fortune is about to make with virtue, will be consummate in your person. I can

I send my letter to my lord's grace open, that before you seal it (if you shall think fit to seal it, and rather not to deliver it open) you may see the reasons that I have; which, if I be not partial, are very pregnant. Although I confess, that till it was now very lately motioned to me by some honourable friends, who have already procured to lisimpression his majesty of some hard conceit he had me in, I did not greatly think thereof; and now I am full of hope that I shall prevail. | For supposing that my Lord of Canterbury's mind not dissemble, though I am ashamed to mention, is but made of iron, the adamant of your persuasion will have power to draw it. It may please you either to send a present answer hereunto, or, since I am not worthy of so much favour, to tell either of those honourable persons aforenamed what the answer is, that accordingly they may co-operate. This letter goes by Sir Edward Parham, a gentleman whom I have been much beholden to. I know him to be a perfect honest man; and since, I protest, I had rather die than deceive you, I will humbly pray, that he may rather receive favour from you than otherwise, when he shall come in your way, which at one time or other all the world there must do. And I shall acknowledge myself much bound to you, as being enabled by this means to pay many of my debts to him.

the excessive honour which you have vouchsafed to do unto my picture. But shame ought not to be so hateful as sin; and without sin I know not how to conceal the extreme obligation, into which I am entered thereby, which is incomparably more than I can express, and no less than as much as I am able to conceive. And as the copy is more fortunate than the original, because it hath the honour to be under your eye, so the original, being much more truly yours than the copy can be, aspires, by having the happiness to see you, to put the picture out of countenance.

I understand by Sir George Petre,† who is arrived here at the Spa, and is so wise as to honour you extremely, though he have not the fortune to be known to your honour, that he had heard how I presume to send you the copy of a piece of a my Lord of Canterbury had been moved in my letter, which Galileo, of whom I am sure you behalf, and that he gave way unto my return. have heard, wrote to a monk of my acquaintance This, if it be true, cannot have happened without in Italy, about the answering of that place in some endeavour of your honour; and, therefore, Joshua, which concerns the sun's standing still, howsoever I have not been particularly advertised and approving thereby the pretended falsehood of that your honour had delivered my letter to his Copernicus's opinion. The letter was written by grace; yet now methinks I do as good as know it, occasion of the opposition, which some few in│and dare adventure to present you with my humItaly did make against Galileo, as if he went | blest thanks for the favour. But the main point about to establish that by experiments which appears to be contrary to Holy Scripture. But he makes it appear the while by this piece of a letter which I send you, that if that passage of Scripture doth expressly favour either side, it is for the affirmative of Copernicus's opinion, and for the negative of Aristotle's. To an attorneygeneral in the midst of a town, and such a one as is employed in the weightiest affairs of the kingdom, it might seem unseasonable for me to interrupt you with matter of this nature. But I know well enough in how high account you have the truth of things: and that no day can pass, wherein you give not liberty to your wise thoughts of looking upon the works of nature. It may please you to pardon the so much trouble which I give you in this kind; though yet, I confess, I do not deserve a pardon, because I find not in myself a purpose of forbearing to do the like hereafter. I most humbly kiss your hand.

Your most faithful and affectionate servant,
TOBIE MATTHEW.

Brussels, this 21st of April, 1616.

is, how his majesty should be moved; wherein my friends are straining courtesy; and unless I have your honour for a master of the ceremonies to take order, who shall begin, all the benefit, that I can reap by this negotiation, will be to have the reputation of little judgment in attempting that which I was not able to obtain; and that howsoever I have shot fair, I know not how to hit the mark. I have been directed by my Lord Roos, who was the first mover of this stone, to write a letter, which himself would deliver to the Master of the Horse, who doth me the honour to wish me very well: and I have obeyed his lordship, and beseech your honour, that you will be pleased to prevent, or to accompany, or second it with your commendation, lest otherwise the many words that I have used have but the virtue of a single 0, or cipher. But, indeed, if I had not been overweighed by the

* Sir Francis Bacon was sworn at Greenwich of the privycouncil, June 9, 1616.

Grandson of John, the first Lord Petre, and son of William, second baron of that name.

Sir George Villiers, who was appointed to that office, January 4, 1615-6.

authority of my Lord Roos's commandment, I should rather have reserved the master of the horse's favour to some other use afterward. In conformity whereof I have also written to his lordship, and perhaps he will thereupon forbear to deliver my letter to the master of the horse: whereas I should be the less sorry if your honour's self would not think it inconvenient to make the suit of my return to his majesty; in which case I should, to my extreme contentment, have all my obligations to your honour only.

His majesty's being now in progress, will give some impediment to my suit, unless either it be my good fortune that your honour do attend his person, or else that you will be pleased to command some one of the many servants your honour hath in court, to procure the expedition of my cause; wherein I can foresee no difficulty, when I consider the interest which your honour alloweth me in your favour, and my innocent carriage abroad for so many years; whereunto all his majesty's ministers, who have known me, I am sure, will give an attestation, according to the contents of my letter, to his Grace of Canterbury. If I durst, I would most humbly entreat your honour to be pleased, that some servant of yours may speedily advertise me, whether or no his Grace of Canterbury hath received my letter; what his answer was; and what I may hope in this my suit. I remember, that the last words which I had the honour to hear from your mouth, were, that if I continued any time free both from disloyalty and priesthood, your honour would be pleased to make yourself the intercessor for my return. Any letter sent to Mr. Trumball for me will come safely and speedily to my hands.

The term doth now last with your honour all the year long, and therefore the sooner I make an end, the better service I shall do you. I presume to kiss your hands, and continue

Your honour's most entirely, and
humbly ever at commandment,
TOBIE MATTHEWS.

your honour that I expressed thereby an act rather of obedience than prudence, as not holding his lordship a fit man, whom by presenting that letter the king might peradventure discover to be my favourer in this business. In regard whereof I besought him, that howsoever I had complied with his command in writing, yet he would forbear the delivery: and 1 gave him divers reasons for it. And, both in contemplation of those reasons, as also of the hazard of miscarriage that letters do run into between these parts and those, I have now thought fit to send your honour this enclosed, accompanied with a most humble entreaty that you will be pleased to put it into the master of the horse's hands, with such a recommendation as you can give. Having read it, your honour may be pleased to seal it; and if his honour have received the former by other hands, this may serve in the nature of a duplicate or copy: if not, it may be the original; and, indeed, though it should be but the copy, if it may be touched by your honour, it would have both greater grace and greater life than the principal itself; and, therefore, howsoever, I humbly pray, that this may be delivered.

If my business should be remitted to the council-table (which yet I hope will not be) I am most a stranger to my lord chancellor and my lord chamberlain,* of whom yet I trust, by means of your honour's good word in my behalf, that I shall receive no impediment.

The bearer, Mr. Becher,† can say what my carriage hath been in France, under the eye of several ambassadors; which makes me the more glad to use him in the delivery of this letter to your honour: and if your honour may be pleased to command me any thing, he will convey it to my knowledge.

I hear to my unspeakable joy of heart, how much power you have with the master of the horse; and how much immediate favour you have also with his most excellent majesty: so that I cannot but hope for all good success, when I consider withal the protection whereinto you have been pleased to take me, the

Most humble and most obliged of
your honour's many servants,
TOBIE MATTHEW.

Spa, this 16th of July, stylo novo, 1616. P. S. It is no small penance, that I am forced to apparel my mind in my man's hand, when it speaks to your honour. But God Almighty will have it so, through the shaking I have in my right hand; and I do little less than want the use Spa, this last of July, stylo novo, 1616. of my forefinger.

TO SIR FRANCIS BACON, ATTORNEY-GENERAL. IT MAY PLEASE your Honour,

I presumed to importune your honour with a letter of the 16th of this month, whereby I signified

how I had written to the master of the horse, that he would be pleased to move his majesty for my return into England; and how that I had done it upon the direction of my Lord Roos, who offered to be the deliverer thereof. Withal I told

TO SIR FRANCIS BACON, ATTORNEY-GENERAL. MAY IT PLEASE YOUR HONour,

I have been made happy by your honour's noble and dear lines of the 22d of July: and the joy that I took therein was only kept from excess

*William, Earl of Pembroke.

+ William, afterwards knighted. He had been secretary to

Sir George Calvert, ambassador to the court of France, and was afterwards agent at that court; and at last made clerk of the council.

that he hath this just mercy in store for me. God
Almighty make and keep your honour ever hap-
py, and keep me so in his favour, as I will be
sure to continue

Your honour's ever most obliged
and devoted servant,
TOBIE MATTHEW.

Antwerp, this first of Sept., stylo novo, 1616.
P. S., MAY IT PLEASE YOUR HONour,

by the notice they gave me of some intentions | foreign princes. My king is wise, and I hope and advices of your honour, which you have been pleased to impart to others of my friends, with a meaning, that they should acquaint me with them; whereof they have entirely failed. And, therefore, if still it should import me to understand what they were, I must be enforced to beg the knowledge of them from yourself. Your honour hath by this short letter delivered me otherwise from a great deal of laborious suspense; for, besides the great hope you give me of being so shortly able to do you reverence, I am come to know, that by the diligence of your favour towards me, my Lord of Canterbury hath been drawn to give way, and the master of the horse hath been induced to move. That motion, I trust, will be granted, howsoever; but I should be out of fear thereof, if, when he moves the king, your honour would cast to be present; that if his majesty should make any difficulty, some such reply as is wont to come from you in such cases may have power to discharge it.

I have written to Sir John Digby; and I think he would do me all favour, if he were handsomely put upon it. My lady of Pembroke hath written, and that very earnestly, to my lord chamberlain in my behalf.

This letter goes by Mr. Robert Garret, to whom I am many ways beholden, for making me the best present that ever I received, by delivering me your honour's last letter.

SIR FRANCIS BACON TO THE KING.

MAY IT PLEASE YOUR EXCELLENT MAJESTY, Because I have ever found, that in business the consideration of persons, who are instrumenta animata, is no less weighty than of matters, I humbly pray your majesty to peruse this enclosed paper, containing a diligence which I have used in omnem eventum. If Towerson,* as a passion

so it is. But if his company make this good, then I am very glad to see in the case wherein we now stand, there is this hope left, and your majesty's honour preserved in the entier. God have your majesty in his divine protection.

Your majesty's most devoted

and most bounden servant, &c.

This is a secret to all men but my lord chancellor; and we go on this day with the new company without discouraging them at all. September 18, 1616.

I have been told rather confidently than credibly, (for in truth I am hardly drawn to believe it,) that Sir Henry Goodere should underhand (upon the reason of certain accounts that run between him and me, wherein I might justly lose my right, if I had so little wit as to trouble your honour's infinite business by a particular relation thereof) oppose himself to my return, and perform ill offices, in conformity of that unkind affectionate man, have overcome himself in his opinion, which he is said to bear me; but, as I said, I cannot absolutely believe it, though yet I could not so far despise the information, as not to acquaint your honour with what I heard. I offer it not as a ruled case, but only as a query, as I have also done to Mr. Secretary Lake, in this letter, which I humbly pray your honour may be given him, together with your best advice, how my business is to be carried in this conjuncture of his majesty's drawing near to London, at which time I shall receive my sentence. I have learned from your honour to be confident, that it will be pronounced in my favour: but, if the will of God should be otherwise, I shall yet frame for myself a good proportion of contentment; since, howsoever, I was so unfortunate, as that I might not enjoy my country, yet, withal, I was so happy, as that my return thither was desired and negotiated by the affection, which such a person as yourself When his majesty shall be moved, if he chance to make difficulty about my return, and offer to impose any condition, which it is known I cannot draw myself to digest, I desire it may be remembered, that my case is common with many of his subjects, who breathe in the air of their country, and that my case is not common with many, since I have lived so long abroad with disgrace at home; and yet have ever been free, not only from suspicion of practice, but from the least dependence upon

vouchsafed to bear me.

Endorsed,

To the king, upon Towerson's propositions about

the cloth business.

RICHARD MARTIN, ESQ.† TO SIR FRANCIS BACON.
RIGHt Honourable,

By attendance at court two days (in vain, considering the end of my journey,) was no loss

* Whose brother, Captain Gabriel Towerson, was one of the English merchants executed by the Dutch at Amboyna, in 1623.

Born about 1570, entered a commoner of Broad-gate's Hall, now Pembroke College, Oxford, in 1585, whence he reserved for the borough of Barnstable in Devon; and in the moved to the Middle Temple. In the Parliament of 1601, he first Parliament of King James I. he served for Cirencester in Gloucestershire. He was chosen recorder of London in September, 1618; but died in the last day of the following month. He was much esteemed by the men of learning and genius of that age.

Your faithful servant,

Endorsed,

GEORGE VILLIERS.

To the Right Honourable Sir Francis Bacon, knight, one of his majesty's privy council, and his attorney-general.

SIR EDMUND BACON* TO SIR FRANCIS BACON,
ATTORNEY-GENERAL.

unto me, seeing thereby I made the gain of the | so full instruction from his majesty, that there is overture and assurance of your honour's affection. nothing left for me to add in the business. And These comforts have given new life and strength to so I rest my hopes, which before began to faint. I know what your honour promiseth you will undertake, and what you undertake, you seldom fail to com- Royston, the 13th of October, 1616. pass; for such proof of your prudence and industry your honour hath of late times given to the swaying world. There is, to my understanding, no great Intricacy in my affair, in which I plainly descry the course to the shore I would land at; to which neither I nor any other can attain without the direction of our great master pilot, who will not stir much without the beloved mate sound the way. Both these, none can so well set awork as yourself, who have not only their ear, but their affection, MY LORD,-I am bold to present unto your and that with good right, as I hope in time, to hands, by this bearer, whom the law calls up, good and public porpose. It is fit likewise that some salt of wormwood, being uncertain whether your honour know all my advantages. The pre- the regard of your health makes you still continue sent incumbent is tied to me by firm promise, the use of that medicine. I could wish it otherwhich gives an impediment to the competitors, wise; for I am persuaded that all diuretics, which whereof one already, according to the heaviness carry with them that punctuous nature and caustic of his name and nature, petit deorsum. And quality by calcination, are hurtful to the kidneys, though I be a bad courtier, yet I know the style if not enemies to the other principal parts of the of gratitude, and shall learn as I am instructed; body. Wherein, if it shall please you, for your whatsoever your honour shall undertake for me, better satisfaction, to call the advice of your I will make good; therefore I humbly and earn- learned physicians, and that they shall resolve of estly entreat your best endeavour, to assure to any medicine for your health, wherein my poor yourself and your master a servant, who both can labour may avail you, you know where your faithand will, though as yet mistaken, advance his ful apothecary dwells, who will be ready at your honour and service with advantage. Your love commandment; as I am bound both by your and wisdom is my last address; and on the real favours to myself, as also by those to my nephew, nobleness of your nature (whereof there is so whom you have brought out of darkness into light, good proof) stands my last hope. If I now find and, by what I hear, have already made him, by a stop, I will resolve it is fatum Carthaginis, and your bounty, a subject of emulation to his elder sit down in perpetual peace. In this business I brother. We are all partakers of this your kinddesire all convenient silence; for though I can ness towards him; and, for myself, I shall be ever endure to be refused, yet it would trouble me to ready to deserve it by any service that shall lie in have my name blasted. If your honour return the power of not, and you think it requisite, I will attend at court. Meantime, with all humble and hearty wishes for increase of all happiness, I kiss your Redgrave, this 19th of October, 1616. honour's hands.

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Your lordship's poor nephew,

Endorsed,

EDM. BACON.

For the Right Honourable Sir Francis Bacon, knight, his majesty's attorney-general, and one of his most honourable privy counsellors, be these delivered at London.

TO THE KING.†

MAY IT PLEASE YOUR EXCELLENT MAJESTY,

My continual meditations upon your majesty s service and greatness, have, amongst other things,

* Nephew of Sir Francis Bacon, being eldest son of Sir Nicholas Bacon, eldest son of Sir Nicholas Bacon, Lord Keeper of the Great Seal. Sir Edmund died without issue, April 10, 1649. There are several letters to him from Sir Henry Wotton, printed among the works of the latter.

His majesty had begun his journey towards Scotland, on the 14th of March, 1616-7.

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