to a service of great merit and great peril; and | defaults of so many former governors, and the as the greatness of the peril must needs include clearing the glory of so many happy years' reign, no small consequence of peril, if it be not tem- only in this part excepted. Nay, farther, how far perately governed; so all immoderate success forth the peril of that state is interlaced with the extinguisheth merit, and stirreth up distaste and peril of England; and, therefore, how great the envy, the assured forerunner of whole changes of honour is to keep and defend the approaches of peril. But I am at the last point first, some good this kingdom, I hear many discourse; and indeed spirit leading my pen to presage your lordship's there is a great difference, whether the tortoise success; wherein it is true, I am not without my gather herself into her shell hurt or unhurt; and oracle and divinations, none of them superstitious, if any man be of opinion, that the nature of an and yet not all natural: for, first, looking into the enemy doth extenuate the honour of a service, course of God's providence in things now depend- being but a rebel and a savage, I differ from him; ing, and calling into consideration how great for I see the justest triumphs that the Romans in things God hath done by her majesty, and for her their greatest greatness did obtain, and that collect he hath disposed of this great dissection whereof the emperors in their styles took addiin Ireland, whereby to give an urgent occasion to tions and denominations, were of such an enemy; the reduction of that whole kingdom, as upon the that is, people barbarous, and not reduced to rebellion of Desmond there ensued the reduction civility, magnifying a kind of lawless liberty, of that province. Next, your lordship goeth prodigal of life, hardened in body, fortified in against three of the unluckiest vices of all other, woods and bogs, placing both justice and fecility disloyalty, ingratitude, and insolence; which in the sharpness of their swords. Such were the three offences in all examples have seldom their Germans and ancient Britons, and divers others. doom adjourned to the world to come. Lastly, he | Upon which kind of people, whether the victory that shall have had the honour to know your lord-be a conquest, or a reconquest upon a rebellion or ship inwardly, as I have had, shall find "bona revolt, it made no difference that ever I could find, exta," whereby he may better ground a divination of good, than upon the dissection of a sacrifice. But that part I leave, for it is fit for others to be confident upon you, and you to be confident upon the cause, the goodness and justice whereof is such as can hardly be matched in any example, it being no ambitious war of foreigners, but a recovery of subjects, and that after lenity of conditions often tried; and a recovery of them not only to obedience, but to humanity and policy, from more than Indian barbarism. There is yet another kind of divination familiar in matters of state, being that which Demosthenes so often relieth upon in his time, where he saith, that which for the time past is worst of all, is for the time to come the best, which is, that things go ill not by accident but by error; wherein though your lordship hath been a waking censor, yet, you must look for no other now, but "medice, cura teipsum;" and although your lordship shall not be the blessed physician that cometh to the declination of the disease, yet, you embrace that condition which many noble spirits have accepted for advantage, which is, that you go upon the greater peril of your fortune, and the less of your reputation; and so the honour countervaileth the adventure; of which honour your lordship is in no small possession, when that her majesty, known to be one of the most judicious princes in discerning of spirits that ever governed, hath made choice of you merely out of her royal judgment, (her affection inclining rather to continue your attendance,) into whose hands and trust to put the commandment and conduct of so great forces, the gathering in the fruit of so great charge, the execution of so many councils, the redeeming of the in honour. And, therefore, it is not the enriching same war. Now, although it be true, that these things which I have writ (being but representations unto your lordship of the honour and appearance of success and enterprise) be not much to the purpose of my direction, yet, it is that which is best to me, being no man of war, and ignorant in the particulars of state: for a man may by the eye set up the white right in the midst of the butt, though he be no archer. Therefore I will only add this wish, according to the English phrase, which termeth a well-wishing advice a wish, that your lordship in this whole action, looking forward, set down this position; that merit is worthier than fame; and looking back hither, would remember this text, that "obedience is better than sacrifice." For designing to fame and glory may make your lordship, in the adven HIS SERVICE TO THE EARL OF NORTHUMBER- MAY IT PLEASE YOUR good Lordship. ture of your person, to be valiant as a private | SIR FRANCIS BACON IN RECOMMENDATION OF soldier, rather than as a general; it may make you in your commandments rather to be gracious than disciplinary; it may make you press action, in the respect of the great expectation conceived, rather hastily than seasonably and safely; it may As the time of sowing of seed is known, but make you seek rather to achieve the war by force, the time of coming up and disclosing is casual, than by mixture of practice; it may make you or according to the season; so I am a witness to (if God shall send you prosperous beginnings) myself, that there hath been covered in my mind rather seek the fruition of the honour, than the a long time a seed of affection and zeal towards perfection of the work in hand. And for your your lordship, sown by the estimation of your proceeding like a good Protestant, (upon warrant, virtues, and your particular honours and favours, and not upon good intention,) your lordship to my brother deceased, and to myself; which knoweth, in your wisdom, that as it is most fit seed still springing, now bursteth forth into this for you to desire convenient liberty of instruction, profession. And, to be plain with your lordship, so it is no less fit for you to observe the due it is very true, and no winds or noises of civil limits of them, remembering that the exceeding matters can blow this out of my head or heart, of them may not only procure (in case of adverse that your great capacity and love towards studies accident) a dangerous disavow, but also (in case and contemplations, of a higher and worthier of prosperous success) be subject to interpreta- nature than popular, a nature rare in the world, tion, as if all was not referred to the right end. and in a person of your lordship's quality almost Thus I have presumed to write these few lines singular, is to me a great and chief motive to to your lordship, "in methodo ignorantiæ," which draw my affection and admiration towards you: is, when a man speaketh of any subject not and, therefore, good my lord, if I may be of any according to the parts of the matter, but accord-use to your lordship by my head, tongue, pen, ing to the model of his own knowledge and most humbly desire your lordship, that the weakness thereof may be supplied in your lordship, by a benign acceptation, as it is in me by my best wishing. FR. BACON. SIR FRANCIS BACON, TO THE EARL OF ESSEX MY LORD, means, or friends, I humbly pray you to hold me your own: and herewithal, not to do so much disadvantage to my good mind, nor partly, to your own worth, as to conceive, that this commendation of my humble service produceth out of any straits of my occasions, but merely out of an election, and indeed, the fulness of my heart. And so, wishing your lordship all prosperity, I continue. SIR FRANCIS BACON TO MR. ROBERT KEMPE, No man can expound my doings better than your lordship, which makes me need to say the MR. KEMPE, this alteration is so great, as you less; only I humbly pray you to believe that I might justly conceive some coldness of my affecaspire to the conscience and commendation of tion towards you, if you should hear nothing from “bonus civis” and "bonus vir;" and that though me, I living in this place. It is in vain to tell I love some things better, I confess, that I love your you, with what a wonderful still and calm this lordship; yet, I love few persons better, both for wheel is turned round, which, whether it be a gratitude's sake, and for virtues, which cannot remnant of her felicity that is gone, or a fruit of hurt, but by accident. Of which my good affec- his reputation that is coming, I will not detertion it may please your lordship to assure your-mine; for, I cannot but divide myself, between self, of all the true effects and offices that I can her memory and his name. Yet, we account it yield: for as I was ever sorry your lordship but as a fair morn before sunrising, before his should fly with waxen wings, doubting Icarus's majesty's presence; though, for my part, fortune; so, for the growing up of your own not whence any weather should arise. The feathers, be they ostriches or other kind, no man Papists are contained with fear enough, and hope shall be more glad; and this is the axle-tree, too much. The French is thought to turn his whereupon I have turned, and shall turn. Which practice upon procuring some disturbance in having already signified unto you by some near Scotland, where crowns may do wonders. But means, having so fit a messenger for mine own this day is so welcome to the nation, and the time letter, I thought good to redouble also by writing. so short, as I do not fear the effect. My Lord of And so I commend you to God's protection. Southampton expecteth release by the next deFrom Gray's Inn, etc. spatch, and is already much visited, and much well wished. There is continual posting, by men of good quality towards the king, the rather, July 19, 1600. FR. BACON. I see I think, because this springtime it is but a kind | portunity can possibly minister or offer. And of sport. It is hoped, that as the state here hath that is, the causes of Ireland, if they be taken by performed the part of good attorneys, to deliver the right handle: for if the wound be not ripped the king quiet possession of his kingdom; so the up again, and come to a festered sense, by new king will redeliver them quiet possession of their foreign succours, I think that no physician will go places, rather filling places void, than removing on much with letting blood in declinatione men placed. morbi," but will intend to purge and corroborate. To which purpose I send you mine opinion, without labour of words in the enclosed, and sure I am, that if you shall enter into the matter accord So, etc. SIR FRANCIS BACON TO MR. DAVID FOULES IN ing to the vivacity of your own spirit, nothing SCOTLAND, UPON THE ENTRANCE OF HIS MA- can make unto you a more gainful return; for you shall make the queen's felicity complete, which now (as it is) is incomparable; and for SIR, the occasion awaketh in me the remembrance of the constant and mutual good offices yourself, you shall make yourself as good a pawhich passed between my good brother and triot as you are thought a politic, and to have no less generous ends than dexterous delivery of yourself; whereunto, as you know, I was not altogether a stranger, though the time and design yourself towards your ends; and as well to have (as between brethren) made me more reserved. true arts and grounds of government, as the faBut well do I bear in mind the great opinion cility and felicity of practice and negotiation; which my brother (whose judgment I much and to be as well seen in the periods and tides of reverence) would often express to me of the extra-estates, as in your own circle and way; than the ordinary sufficiency, dexterity, and temper, which which I suppose nothing can be a better addition he had found in you, in the business and service and accumulation of honour unto you. of the king our sovereign lord. This latter bred in me an election, as the former gave an inducement, for me to address myself to you, and to make this signification of my desire, towards a mutual entertainment of good affection and correspondence between us, hoping that some good effect may result of it, towards the king's service, and that for our particulars, though occasion give you the precedence, of furthering my being known by good note unto the king; so, no long time will intercede, before I, on my part, shall have some means given to requite your favours, and verify vour commendation. And so, with my loving commendations, (good Mr. Foules,) I leave you SIR FRANCIS BACON TO THE LORD TREASURER, to God's goodness. From Gray's Inn, this 25th of March. SIR FRANCIS BACON TO SIR ROBERT CECIL, AF- WITH SOME REASONS ENCLOSED. IT MAY PLEASE YOUR HONOUr, As one that wisheth you all increase of honour, and as one that cannot leave to love the state, what interest soever I have, or may come to have in it, and as one that now this dead vacation time have some leisure "ad aliud agendum," I will presume to propound unto you that which, though you cannot but see, yet I know not whether you apprehend and esteem it in so high a degree that is, for the best action of importation to yourself, of sound honour and merit to her majesty, and this crown, without ventosity or popularity, that the riches of any occasion, or the tide of any opVOL. III.-2 This, I hope, I may in privateness write, either as a kinsman, that may be bold, or as a scholar, that hath liberty of discourse, without committing of any absurdity. If not, I pray your honour to believe, I ever loved her majesty and the state, and now love yourself; and there is never any vehement love without some absurdity, as the Spaniard well saith, "desuario con la calentura." So, desiring your honour's pardon, I ever continue, etc. FR. BACON. TOUCHING HIS SPEECH IN PARLIAMENT. IT MAY PLEASE YOUR GOOD LORDSHIP, I was sorry to find by your lordship's speech yesterday, that my last speech in Parliament. delivered in discharge of my conscience, my duty to God, her majesty, and my country, was offensive: if it were misreported, I would be glad to attend your lordship, to disavow any thing I said not; if it were misconstrued, I would be glad to expound my words, to exclude any sense I meant not; if my heart be misjudged by imputation of popularity, or opposition, I have great wrong, and the greater, because the manner of my speech did most evidently show that I spake most simply, and only to satisfy my conscience, and not with any advantage or policy to sway the case, and my terms carried all signification of duty and zeal towards her majesty and her service. It is very true, that from the beginning, whatsoever was a double subsidy I did wish might for precedent's sake appear to be extraordinary, and for discontent's sake might not have been levied upon the poorer sort, though otherwise I wished it as rising as I Your lordship's most humble in all duty. enclosed, because I greatly desire so far forth to preserve my credit with you, as thus: that whereas lately (perhaps out of too much desire, which induceth too much belief) I was bold to say, that I thought it as easy for your majesty to come out of want, as to go forth of your gallery, your majesty would not take me for a dreamer, or a projector. I send your majesty therefore some grounds of my hopes. And for that paper which I have gathered of increasements "sperate:" I beseech you to give me leave to think, that if any of the particulars do fail, it will be rather for want of workmanship in those that shall deal in them, than want of materials in the things themselves. The other paper hath many discarding cards; and A LETTER TO MR. MATTHEW, UPON SENDING HIS I send it chiefly, that your majesty may be the BOOK DE SAPIENTIA VETERUM. MR. MATTHEW, less surprised by projectors, who pretend some- Your majesty's most humble and A LETTER TO THE KING, TOUCHING THE LORD I do very heartily thank you for your letter of the 24th of August, from Salamanca; and in recompense thereof, I send you a little work of mine, that hath begun to pass the world. They tell me my Latin is turned into silver, and become | April 25, 1610. current. Had you been here you had been my inquisitor, before it came forth. But I think the greatest inquisitor in Spain will allow it. But one thing you must pardon me, if I make no haste to believe, that the world should be grown to such an ecstasy, as to reject truth in philosophy, because the author dissenteth in religion; no more than they do by Aristotle, or Averrois. My great work goeth forward, and after my manner, I alter even when I add: so that nothing is finished till all be finished. This I have written in the midst of a term and parliament, thinking no time so precious, but that I should talk of these matters with so good and dear a friend. And so, with my wonted wishes, I leave you to God's goodness. From Gray's Inn, Febr. 17, 1610. A LETTER TO THE KING, TOUCHING MATTER OF IT MAY PLEASE YOUR MAJESTY, I may remember what Tacitus saith, by occasion that Tiberius was often and long absent from Rome, "in Urbe, et parva et magna negotia imperatorem simul premunt. But saith he, "in Recessu, dimissis rebus minoris momenti, summæ rerum magnarum magis agitantur." This maketh me think, it shall be no incivility to trouble your majesty with business, during your abode from London, knowing your majesty's meditations are the principal wheel of your estate, and being warranted by a former commandment, which I received from you. IT MAY PLEASE YOUR MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY. Your worthy chancellor, I fear, goeth his last day. God hath hitherto used to weed out such servants as grew not fit for your majesty, but now he hath gathered to himself a true sage or salvia out of your garden; but your majesty's service must not be mortal. Upon this heavy accident, I pray your majesty, in all humbleness and sincerity, to give me leave to use a few words. I must never forget, when I moved your majesty for the attorney's place, it was your own sole act; more than that, Somerset, when he knew your majesty had resolved it, thrust himself into the business for a fee. And therefore I have no reason to pray to saints. I shall now again make obligation to your majesty, first, of my heart, then, of my service, thirdly, of my place of attorney, which I think is honestly worth £6000 per annum, and, fourthly, of my place of the Star Chamber, which is worth £1600 per annum; and with the favour and countenance of a chancellor, much more. I hope I may be acquitted of presumption, if I think of it, both because my father had the place, which is some civil inducements to my desire; and I pray God your majesty may have twenty no worse years in your greatness, than Queen Elizabeth had in her model, (after my father's placing,) and chiefly, because, if the chancellor's place went to the law, it was ever conferred upon some of the learned counsel, and never upon a judge. I do now only send your majesty these papers For Audley was raised from king's sergeant, my hearts by advancing. For I see your people can better skill of "concretum" than "abstractum,' and that the waves of their affections flow rather after persons than things. So that acts of this nature (if this were one) do more good than twenty bills of grace. father from attorney of the wars, Bromley from solicitor, Puckering from sergeant, Egerton from master of the rolls, having newly left the attorney's place. Now I beseech your majesty, let me put you the present case truly. If you take my Lord Coke, this will follow: first, your majesty shall put an overruling nature into an overruling place, which may breed an extreme; next, you shall blunt his industries in matter of finances, which seemeth to aim at another place. And, lastly, popular men are no sure mounters for your majesty's saddle. If you take my Lord Hubbard, you shall have a judge at the upper end of your council-board, and another at the lower end; whereby your majesty will find your prerogative pent. For, though there should be emulation between them, yet as legists they will agree, in magnifying that wherein they are best, he is no statesman, but an economist, wholly for himself. So as your majesty (more than an outward form) will find little help in him, for the business. you take my Lord of Canterbury, I will say no more, but the chancellor's place requires a whole A LETTER TO THE KING, OF MY LORD CHANCEL man. If And to have both jurisdictions, spiritual and temporal, in that height, is fit but for a king. For myself, I can only present your majesty with “gloria in obsequio;" yet I dare promise, that if I sit in that place, your business shall not make such short terms upon you, as it doth; but when a direction is once given, it shall be pursued and performed; and your majesty shall only be troubled with the true care of a king, which is to think what you would have done in chief, and not how, for the passages. men, I do presume, also, in respect of my father's memory, and that I have been always gracious in the Lower House, I have interest in the gentlemen of England, and shall be able to do some good effect, in rectifying that body of Parliament 99 which is "cardo rerum. For, let me tell your majesty, that that part of the chancellor's place, which is to judge in equity, between party and party, that same "regnum judiciale," (which, since my father's time, is but too much enlarged,) concerneth your majesty least, more than the acquitting your conscience for justice. But it is the other parts of a moderator, amongst your council, of an overseers over your judges, of a planter of fit justices, and governors in the country, that importeth your affairs in these times most. I will add also, that I hope, by my care, the inventive part of your council will be strengthened, who now, commonly, do exercise rather their judgments than their inventions: and the inventive part cometh from projectors, and private men, which cannot be so well; in which kind my Lord of Salisbury had a good method, if his ends had been upright. To conclude, if I were the man I would be, I should hope, that as your majesty hath of late won hearts by depressing, you should in this leese no If God call my lord, the warrants and commis- Your majesty's most humble subject, Feb. 12, 1615. LOR'S AMENDMENT, AND THE DIFFERENCE IT MAY PLEASE YOUR MOST EXCELLENT Majesty, And, as I am glad to advertise your majesty of |
