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ble friendships I esteem so much [in so great sort] as your countenance and favour in my practice, which are somewhat to my poverty; yet I count them not the best [greatest] part of the obligation wherein I stand bound to you.

And now, my lord, I pray you right humbly, that you will vouchsafe your honourable license and patience, that I may express to you, what in a doubtful liberty I have thought fit, partly by way of praying your help, and partly by way of offering my good will; partly again by way of preoccupating your conceit, lest you may in some things mistake.

but casting the worst of my fortune with an ho- | lordship best knows. Which your two honouranourable friend, that had long used me privately, I told his lordship of this purpose of mine to travel, accompanying it with these very words, that upon her majesty's rejecting me with such circumstance, though my heart might be good, yet mine eyes would be sore, that I should take no pleasure to look upon my friends; for that I was not an impudent man, that could face out à disgrace; and that I hoped her majesty would not be offended, that, not able to endure the sun, I fled into the shade. The other, that it was more than this; for I did expressly and particularly, (for so much wit God then lent me,) by way of caveat, restrain my lord's good affection, that he should in no wise utter or mention this matter till her majesty had made a solicitor; wherewith (now since my looking upon your letter) I did in a dutiful manner challenge my lord, who very honourably acknowledged it, seeing he did it for the best; and therefore I leave his lordship to answer for himself. All this my Lord of Essex can testify to be true: and I report me to yourself, whether at the first, when I desired deliberation to answer, yet nevertheless said, I would to you privately declare what had passed, I said not in effect so much. The conclusion shall be, that wheresoever God and her majesty shall appoint me to live, I shall truly pray for her majesty's preservation and felicity. And so I humbly commend me to you. Your poor kinsman to do you service,

Endorsed, January, 1594.

FR. BACON.

TO SIR THOMAS EGERTON, LORD KEEPER OF THE
GREAT SEAL.*

I

MAY IT PLEASE YOUR HONOURABLE GOOD LORDSHIP, Of your lordship's honourable disposition, both generally and to me, I have that belief, as what think, I am not afraid to speak; and what I would speak, I am not afraid to write. And therefore I have thought to commit to letter some matter, whereunto [which] I have been [conceived] led [into the same] by two motives: the one, the consideration of my own estate; the other, the appetite which I have to give your lordship some evidence of the thoughtful and voluntary desire, which is in me, to merit well of your most honourable lordship: which desire in me hath been bred chiefly by the consent I have to your great virtue come in good time to do this state pleasure; and next by your loving courses held towards me, especially in your nomination and enablement of me long since to the solicitor's place, as your

My estate, to confess a truth to your lordship, is weak and indebted, and needeth comfort; for both my father, though I think I had greatest part in his love to all his children, yet in his wisdom served me in as a last comer; and myself, in mine own industry, have rather referred and aspired to virtue than to gain: whereof, I am not yet wise enough to repent me. But the while, whereas, Solomon speaketh that "want cometh first like a wayfaring man," and after like "an armed man,” I must acknowledge to your lordship myself to [be] in primo gradu; for it stealeth upon me. But, for the second, that it should not be able to be resisted, I hope in God I am not in that case; for the preventing whereof, as I do depend upon God's providence all in all, so in the same his providence I see opened unto me three not unlikely expectations of help: the one my practice, the other some proceeding in the queen's service, the third [the] place I have in reversion; which, as it standeth now unto me, is but like another man's ground reaching upon my house, which may mend my prospect, but it doth not fill my barn.

For my practice, it presupposeth my health, which, if I should judge of as a man that judgeth of a fair morrow by a fair evening, I might have reason to value well. But, myself having this error of mind, that I am apter to conclude in every thing of change from the present tense than of a continuance, do make no such appointment. Besides, I am not so far deceived in myself but that I know very well, and I think your lordship is major corde, and in your wisdom you note it more deeply than I can in myself, that in practising the law, I play not all my best game, which maketh me accept it with a nisi quod potius, as the best of my fortune, and a thing agreeable to better gifts than mine, but not to mine.

For my placing, your lordship best knows, that when I was much dejected with her majesty's strange dealing towards me, it pleased you, of your singular favour, so far to comfort and * From the original draught in the library of Queen's Col- encourage me, as to hold me worthy to be excited lege, Oxford, Arch. D. 2, the copy of which was communi- to think of succeeding your lordship in your cated to me by Thomas Tyrwhitt, Esq., clerk of the honoura- | second place ;* signifying in your plainness, that ble House of Commons. Sir William Dugdale, in his Baronage of England, vol. ii. p. 438, has given two short passages of this letter, transcribed by him from the unpublished original.

* The mastership of the rolls; which office the lord keeper held till the Lord Bruce was advanced to it, May 18, 1603

no man should better content yourself: which your exceeding favour you have not since varied from, both in pleading the like signification into the hands of some of my best friends, and also in an honourable and answerable nomination and commendation of me to her majesty. Wherein I hope your lordship, if it please you to call to mind, did find me neither overweening in presuming too much upon it, nor much deceived in my opinion of the event for the continuing it still in yourself, nor sleepy in doing some good offices to the same purpose.

Now upon this matter I am to make your lordship three humble requests, which had need be | very reasonable, coming so many together. First, that your lordship will hold and make good your wishes towards me in your own time, for no other I mean it, and in thankfulness thereof, I will present your lordship with the fairest flower of my estate, though it yet bear no fruit, and that is the poor reversion, which of her majesty's gift I hold; in the which I shall be no less willing Mr. John Egerton,* if it seem good to you, should succeed me in that, than I would be willing to succeed your lordship in the other place.

My next humble request is, that your lordship would believe a protestation, which is, that if there be now against the next term, or hereafter, for a little bought knowledge of the court teacheth me to foresee these things, any heaving or palting at that place upon my honesty and troth, my spirit is not in, nor with it; I for my part, being resolutely resolved not to proceed one pace or degree in this matter but with your lordship's foreknowledge and approbation. The truth of which protestation will best appear, if by any accident, which I look not for, I shall receive any further strength. For, as I now am, your lordship may impute it only to policy alone in me, that being without present hope myself, I would be content the matter sleep.

My third humble petition to your lordship is, that you would believe an intelligence, and not take it for a fiction in court; of which manner I like Cicero's speech well, who, writing to Appius Claudius, saith; Sin autem quæ tibi ipsi in mentem veniant, ea aliis tribuere soles, inducis genus sermonis in amicitiam minime liberale. But I do assure your lordship, it is both true and fresh, and from a person of that sort, as having some glimpse of it before, I now rest fully confirmed in it; and it is this, that there should be a plot laid of some strength between Mr. Attorney-General,† and Mr.

* Second son of the lord keeper, whose eldest son, Sir Thomas, knighted at Cadiz upon the taking it in 1596 by the Earl of Essex, died in Ireland, whither he attended that earl in 1599,

as Mr. John Egerton likewise did, and was knighted by his

lordship, and at the coronation of King James, was made

knight of the bath. He succeeded his father in the titles of Baron of Ellesmere and Viscount Brackley, and, on the 17th of May, was created Earl of Bridgewater.

+ Coke.

Attorney of the Wards,* for the one's remove to the rolls, and the other to be drawn to his place. Which, to be plain with your lordship, I do apprehend much. For, first, I know Mr. AttorneyGeneral, whatsoever he pretendeth or protesteth to your lordship, or any other, doth seek it; and I perceive well by his dealing towards his best friends, to whom he oweth most, how perfectly he hath conned the adage of proximus egomet mihi; and then I see no man ripened for the place of the rolls in competition with Mr. AttorneyGeneral. And lastly, Mr. Attorney of the Wards being noted for a pregnant and stirring man, the objection of any hurt her majesty's business may receive in her causes by the drawing up of Mr. Attorney-General will wax cold. And yet, nevertheless, if it may please your lordship to pardon me so to say, of the second of those placings I think with some scorn; only I commend the knowledge hereof to your lordship's wisdom, as a matter not to be neglected.

And now, lastly, my honourable good lord, for my third poor help, I account [it] will do me small good, except there be a heave; and that is this place of the Star Chamber. I do confess ingenuously to your lordship, out of my love to the public, besides my particular, that I am of opinion, that rules without examples will do little good, at least not to coutinue; but that there is such a concordance between the time to come and the time passed, as there will be no reforming the one without informing of the other. And I will not, as the proverb is, spit against the wind, but yield so far to a general opinion, as there was never a more ** or particular example. But I submit it wholly to your honourable grave consideration; only I humbly pray you to conceive that it is not any money that I have borrowed of Mr. Mills, nor any gratification I receive for my aid, that makes me show myself any ways in it, but simply a desire to preserve the rights of the office, as far as is meet and incorrupt; and secondly his importunity, who, nevertheless, as far as I see, taketh a course to bring this matter in question to his farther disadvantage, and to be principal in his own harm. But if it be true that I have heard of more than one or two, that besides this forerunning in taking of fees, there are other deep corruptions, which in an ordinary course are intended to be proved against him; surely, for my part, I am not superstitious, as I will not take any shadow of it, nor labour to stop it, since it is a thing medicinable for the office of the realm. And then, if the place by such an occasion or otherwise should come in possession, the better to testify my affection to your lordship, I shall be glad, as I offered it to your lordship by way of [surrender], so in this case to offer it by way of

* Probably Sir Thomas Heskett, who died 15th of October, 1605, and has a monument erected to his memory in Westminister Abbey.

joint-patency, in nature of a reversion, which, as | between his lordship and me, he may have re

it is now, there wanteth no good will in me to offer, but that both, in that condition it is not worth the offering; and, besides, I know not whether my necessity may enforce me to sell it away; which, if it were locked in by any reversion or joint-patency, I were disabled to do for my relief.

ceived both of your lordship's high love and good opinion towards his lordship, verified in many and singular offices, whereof now the realm, rather than himself, is like to reap the fruit; and also of your singular affection towards me, as a man chosen by you to set forth the excellency of your nature and mind, though with some error of your judgment. Hereof if it may please your lordship to take knowledge to my lord, according to the style of your wonted kindness, your lordship shall do me great contentment. My lord told me he had written to your lordship, and wished with great affection he had been so lucky as to have had two hours' talk with you upon those occasions, which have since fallen out. So, wishing that God may conduct you by the hand pace by pace, I commend you and your actions to

Thus your lordship may perceive how assured a persuasion I have of your love towards me, and care of me; which hath made me so freely to communicate of my poor state with your lordship, as I could have done to my honourable father, if he had lived: which I most humbly pray your lordship may be private to yourself, to whom I commit it to be used to such purpose as, in your wisdom and honourable love and favour, should seem good. And so, humbly craving your pardon, I commend your lordship to the divine pre- | his divine providence.

servation.

At your lordship's honourable

commandment humbly and particularly.

Your lordship's ever deepliest bounden, FR. BACON. May 10, 1596.

THE EARL OF ESSEX TO MR. FRANCIS BACON.*

MR. FRANCIS BACON TO THE EARL OF ESSEX,*
ON HIS LORDSHIP'S GOING ON THE EXPEDITION art military harder than the execution.

SIR,-I have thought the contemplation of the
But now

AGAINST CADIZ.

MY SINGULAR good Lord,

I have no other argument to write on to your good lordship, but upon demonstration of my deepest and most bounden duty, in fulness whereof I mourn for your lordship's absence, though I mitigate it as much as I can with the hope of your happy success, the greatest part whereof, be it never so great, will be the safety of your most honourable person; for the which in the first place, and then for the prosperity of your enterprise, I frequently pray. And as in so great discomfort it hath pleased God someways to regard my desolateness, by raising me so great and so worthy a friend in your absence, as the new placed lord keeper,† in whose placing as it hath pleased God to establish mightily one of the chief pillars of this estate, that is, the justice of the land, which began to shake and sink, and for that purpose no doubt gave her majesty strength of heart of herself to do that in six days, which the deepest judgment thought would be the work of many months; so, for my particular, I do find in an extraordinary manner, that his lordship doth succeed my father almost in his fatherly care of me, and love towards me, as much as he professeth to follow him in his honourable and sound courses of justice and estate; of which so special favour, the open and apparent reason I can ascribe to nothing more than the impression, which, upon many conferences of long time used

Among the papers of Antony Bacon, Esq., vol. xi. fol. 69, in the Lambeth Library.

+ Egerton.

VOL. III.-27

I see where the number is great, compounded of sea and land forces, the most tyrones, and almost all voluntaries, the officers equal almost in age, quality, and standing in the wars, it is hard for any man to approve himself a good commander. So great is my zeal to omit nothing, and so short my sufficiency to perform all, as, besides my charge, myself doth afflict myself. For I cannot follow the precedents of our dissolute armies, and my helpers are a little amazed with me, when they are come from governing a little troop to a great; and from to all the great spirits of our state. And sometimes I am as much troubled with them, as with all the troops. But though these be warrants for my seldom writing, yet they shall be no excuse for my fainting indus try. I have written to my lord keeper and some other friends to have care of you in my absence, And so, commending you to God's happy and heavenly protection, I rest

Your true friend,

Plymouth, this 17th of May, 1596.

ESSEX.

MR. FRANCIS BACON TO HIS BROTHER ANTONY.‡

GOOD BROTHER,-Yesternight Sir John Fortescu‡ told me he had not many hours before imparted to the queen your advertisements, and

* Among the papers of Antony Bacon, Esq., vol. xi. fol 139, in the Lambeth Library.

Ibid. fol. 29.

Chancellor of the Exchequer.

your own misfortune or errors. Wherein, nevertheless, if it were only question of your own endurances, though any strength never so good may be oppressed, yet you think you should have suffocated them, as you had often done, to the impairing of your health, and weighing down of your mind. But that which, indeed, toucheth the quick is, that whereas you accounted it the choice fruit of yourself to be a contentment and entertainment to her majesty's mind, you found many times to the contrary, that you were rather a disquiet to her, and a distaste.

the gazette likewise; which the queen caused | to her majesty but increase of virtue, but rather to Mr. John Stanhope* to read all over unto her; and her majesty conceiveth they be not vulgar. The advertisements her majesty made estimation of as concurring with other advertisements, and alike concurring also with her opinion of the affairs. So he willed me to return you the queen's thanks. Other particular of any speech from her majesty of yourself he did not relate to me. For my Lord of Essex's and your letters, he said, he But I was ready and desirous to do his best. seemed to make it but a love-wish, and passed presently from it, the rather, because it was late in the night, and I mean to deal with him at some better leisure after another manner, as you shall hereafter understand from me. I do find in the speech of some ladies and the very face of the court some addition of reputation, as methinks to us both; and I doubt not but God hath an operation in it, that will not suffer good endeavours to perish.

The queen saluted me to-day as she went to chapel. I had long speech with Sir Robert Cecil this morning, who seemed apt to discourse with me; yet of yourself, ne verbum quidem, not so much as a quomodo valet?

This I write to you in haste, aliud ex alio, I pray set in a course of acquainting my lord keeper what passeth, at first by me, and after from yourself. I am more and more bound to him.

Thus, wishing you good health, I recommend you to God's happy preservation.

Your entire loving brother,

From the court, this 30th of May, [1596.]

FR. BACON.

Again, whereas, in the course of her service, though you confess the weakness of your own judg ment, yet true zeal, not misled with any mercenary nor glorious respect, made you light sometimes upon the best and soundest counsels; you had reason to fear, that the distaste particular against yourself made her majesty farther off from accepting any of them from such a hand. So as you seemed, to your deep discomfort, to trouble her majesty's mind, and to foil her business; inconveniences, which, if you be minded as you ought, thankfulness should teach you to redeem, with stepping down, nay, throwing yourself down, from your own fortune. In which intricate case, finding no end of this former course, and, therefore, desirous to find the beginning of a new, you have not whither to resort, but unto the oracle of her majesty's direction. For though the true introduction ad tempora meliora, be by an amnestia of that which is past, except it be in the sense, that the verse speaketh, Olim hæc meminisse juvabit, when tempests past are remembered in the calm; and that you do not doubt of her majesty's goodness in pardoning and obliterating any of your errors and mistakings heretofore; refreshing the memory and contemplations of your poor services, or any thing that hath been grateful to her majesty from you; yea, and somewhat of THAT you desire her majesty to believe id, quod your sufferings, so, though that be, yet you may For as you have res ipsa loquitur, that it is not conscience to your- be to seek for the time to come. self of any advantage her majesty hath towards determined your hope in a good hour not willingly you, otherwise than the general and infinite ad- to offend her majesty, either in matter of court or vantage of a queen and a mistress; nor any drift state, but to depend absolutely upon her will and or device to win her majesty to any point or parti- pleasure, so you do more doubt and mistrust your cular, that moveth you to send her these lines of wit and insight in finding her majesty's mind, your own mind: but first, and principally, grati- | than your conformities and submission in obeying tude; next a natural desire of, you will not say, it; the rather because you cannot but nourish a the tedious remembrance, for you can hold nothing | doubt in your breast, that her majesty, as princes' tedious that hath been derived from her majesty, out the troubled and pensive remembrance of that which is past, of enjoying better times with her majesty, such as others have had, and that you have wanted. You cannot impute the difference to the continuance of time, which addeth nothing

THE SUBSTANCE OF A LETTER I NOW WISH
YOUR LORDSHIP‡ SHOULD WRITE TO HER MA-

JESTY.

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hearts are inscrutable, hath many times toward you aliud in ore, et aliud in corde. So that you, that take her secundum literam, go many times farther out of your way.

Therefore, your most humble suit to her majesty is, that she will vouchsafe you that approach to her heart and bosom, et ad scrinium pectoris, plainly, for as much as concerneth yourself, to open and expound her mind towards you, suffering you to see clear what may have bred

any dislike in her majesty; and in what points | own dedication doth to learning itself. And, she would have you reform yourself; and how therefore, you have no need to doubt, but I will she would be served by you. Which done, you emulate, as much as in me is, towards you the do assure her majesty, she shall be both at the merits of him that is gone, by how much the more beginning and the ending of all that you do, of I take myself to have more propriety in the printhat regard, as you may presume to impart to her|cipal motive thereof. And, for the equality you majesty.

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write of, I shall, by the grace of God, as far as may
concern me, hold the balance as equally between
the two universities, as I shall hold the balance
of other justice between party and party. And
yet in both cases I must meet with some inclina-
tions of affection, which, nevertheless, shall not
carry me aside. And so I commend you to God's
goodness.
Your most loving and assured friend,
FR. BACON.
Gorhambury, April 12, 1617.

TO SIR JOHN DAVIS, HIS MAJESTY'S ATTORNEY

GENERAL IN IRELAND.*

OF TRINITY COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE.* AFTER my hearty commendations, I having heard of you, as a man well deserving, and of able gifts to become profitable in the church, and there being fallen within my gift the rectory of Frome St. Quintin, with the chapel of Evershot, in Dorsetshire, which seems to be a thing of good value, eighteen pounds in the king's books, and in a good country, I have thought good to make offer of it to you; the rather for that you are of Trinity College, whereof myself was some time: and my purpose is to make choice of men rather by care and inquiry, than by their own suits and commendatory letters. So I bid you farewell. From your loving friend,

Mr. ATTORNEY,-I thank you for your letter, LORD KEEPER BACON TO MR. MAXEY, FELLOW and the discourse you sent of this new accident, as things then appeared. I see manifestly the beginning of better or worse: but methinketh it is first a tender of the better, and worse followeth but upon refusal or default. I would have been glad to see you here; but I hope occasion reserveth our meeting for a vacation, when we may have more fruit of conference. To requite your proclamation, which, in my judgment, is wisely and seriously penned, I send you another with us, which happened to be in my hands when yours came. I would be glad to hear often from you, and to be advertised how things pass, whereby to have some occasion to think some good thoughts; though I can do little. At the least it will be a continuance in exercise of our friendship, which on my part remaineth increased by that I hear of your service, and the good respects I find towards myself. And so, in Tormour's haste, I continue

Your very loving friend,
FR. BACON.

From Gray's Inn, this 23d of October, 1607.

TO THE REVEREND UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD.†

AMONGST the gratulations I have received, none are more welcome and agreeable to me than your letters, wherein, the less I acknowledge of those attributes you give me, the more I must acknowledge of your affection, which bindeth me no less to you, that are professors of learning, than my

*From the MS. collections of Robert Stephens, Esq., deceased.

From the collections of the late Robert Stephens, Esq., Historiographer Royal, and John Locker, Esq., now in possession of the editor.

From Dorset House, April 23, 1617.

FR. BACON, C. S.

TO THE LORD KEEPER BACON.† MY LORD,-If your man had been addressed only to me, I should have been careful to have procured him a more speedy despatch: but now you have found another way of address, I am excused; and since you are grown weary of employing me, I can be no otherwise in being employed. In this business of my brother's, thai you overtrouble yourself with, I understand from London, by some of my friends, that you have carried yourself with much scorn and neglect both toward myself and friends; which, if it prove true, I blame not you, but myself, who was ever Your lordship's assured friend, G. BUCKINGHAM.

[July, 1617.]

* From the collections of the late Robert Stephens, Esq. † Ibid.

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