2. Meeting of Parliament (9 Feb. 1609-10). Conference between

the Houses

Page

153

REPORT OF PART OF THE SPEECH MADE BY THE EARL OF

SALISBURY AT THE CONFERENCE OF THE TWO HOUSES, 18TH

FEBRUARY 1609-10

Contribution and Retribution. What the King demanded, and
what he offered in exchange

3. Proceedings of the Commons against Dr. Cowell for unconstitu-
tional doctrines published in a law dictionary. Suppression of
the book by Proclamation

.

4. Further conferences concerning the Great Contract. Whether
Wards and Tenures were to be part of the retribution

A SPEECH OF THE KING'S SOLICITOR USED UNTO THE LORDS

AT A CONFERENCE BY COMMISSION FROM THE COMMONS;

MOVING AND PERSUADING THE LORDS TO JOIN WITH THE

COMMONS IN PETITION TO THE KING TO OBTAIN LIBERTY

TO TREAT OF A COMPOSITION WITH HIS MAJESTY FOR WARDS

AND TENURES

Liberty to treat granted (March 12).

Offer made by the Commons (March 26)

5. Dilatory proceeding of the Government. Apparent impolicy and

probable motive of it

6. Pretended misunderstandings. Salisbury's new version of the

Government proposal (April 26). Rejected (May 3). Negotia-

tion broken off.

7. Collection of Grievances. Impositions. Message from the King

to the Commons received through the Council

-

155

159

161

. 162

163

€7

167

169

. 175

.. 177

A SPEECH OF THE KING'S SOLICITOR, PERSUADING THE HOUSE

OF COMMONS TO DESIST FROM FURTHER QUESTION OF RE-

CEIVING THE KING'S MESSAGES BY THEIR SPEAKER AND

FROM THE BODY OF THE COUNCIL AS WELL AS FROM THE

KING'S PERSON

Resolved not to receive messages from the Council as messages
from the King, but the resolution not recorded

8. The King warns the Commons not to dispute his power to lay

impositions upon merchandises; though willing to put a limit

upon the exercise of it.

NOTES OF BACON'S SPEECH IN COMMITTEE, ADVISING THEM

NOT TO RAISE THE QUESTION

Petition of Right presented, graciously received, and granted (May

24) .

9. Assassination of Henry IV. Negotiation of the Great Contract

resumed. Salisbury urges expedition (June 8). Tries to get

a grant of subsidies at once (June 11), but without success

ze

3

Page

10. Debate on Impositions (June 23-July 2)

AN ARGUMENT OF THE KING'S SOLICITOR IN THE LOWER

HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT, PROVING THE KING'S RIGHT OF

11. Conference concerning the Contract. Better offer from the King

(June 26). Petition of Grievances presented (July 7)

. 189

191

201

A SPEECH USED TO THE KING BY HIS MAJESTY'S SOLICI-

TOR, BEING CHOSEN BY THE COMMONS AS THEIR MOUTH

AND MESSENGER, FOR THE PRESENTING TO HIS MAJESTY

THE INSTRUMENT OR WRITING OF THEIR GRIEVANCES . 202

The King offers (July 10) to consent to an Act suspending his

power to impose for the future without consent of Parliament.

Dissatisfaction of the Commons. Grant of one subsidy and

one fifteen (July 11).

. 203

12. Great Contract resumed, terms agreed upon (July 17), and me-

morials exchanged (July 21). Answer given to the remaining

Grievances (July 23), and Parliament prorogued till October. 206

Terms of the Contract, as affecting the people, considered

1. Clauses inserted by Bacon in a manuscript copy of Camden's
Annals of Elizabeth.

TO SIR ROBERT COTTON (April 7, 1610)

2. Petition for the new founding of St. John's Hospital in Bedford.
Bacon's report.

209

211

TO THE RIGHT HONBLE SIR JULIUS CESAR, KNIGHT, CHAN-

CELLOR OF HIS MAJESTY'S EXCHEQUER (Aug. 23, 1610). 215

3. Death of Bacon's mother. Probable condition of her latter years 216

TO SIR MICHAEL HICKES (Aug. 27, 1610).

. 217

4. A LETTER TO THE KING, UPON THE SENDING UNTO HIM A

BEGINNING OF THE HISTORY OF HIS MAJESTY'S TIME

5. Conference with the Judges concerning certain Proclamations
complained of in the petition of Grievances. Upon their opinion
given, the Proclamations withdrawn (Sept. 24, 1610)

6. Effect of discussion of the Great Contract during the recess.

Loss and gain variously estimated; and both parties afraid of

the result

Parliament meets again (Oct. 16). Conference between the

Houses, by invitation of the Lords (Oct. 25). True copy of

the King's answer to the Petition of Grievances sent for by the

Commons. A resolute and speedy answer whether they would

221

proceed with the Contract, required of the Commons by the
King (Oct. 31).
Debate in the House upon the answer to be sent. Provisions
without which the Contract would not be safe for the people
(Nov. 3). Terms demanded by the King (Nov. 5). Refusal
of the Commons to proceed upon those terms (Nov. 9). Ne-
gotiations broken off (Nov. 14)

7. New device for obtaining supplies. The Commons invited to a

conference (Nov. 14).

- NOTES OF SALISBURY'S SPEECH, as reported by Bacon

The King speaks with certain members of the Lower House.

His letter to the Speaker (Nov. 21). Debate on Supply (Nov.

23). Views of the Opposition

Page

223

225

228

. 230

A BRIEF SPEECH IN THE END OF THE SESSION OF PARLIA-

MENT 7 JAC. PERSUADING SOME SUPPLY TO BE GIVEN TO

HIS MAJESTY

8. Message of thanks and explanations resolved on, but no supply

voted. Dissolution of the Parliament

234

235

LETTER TO THE KING, DESIRING TO SUCCEED IN THE AT-

TORNEY'S PLACE

241

LETTER OF THANKS TO THE KING UPON MR. ATTORNEY'S

LETTER TO THE SAME UPON A NEW-YEAR'S TIDE

. 246

LETTER TO SIR MICHAEL HICKES, 8th Jan. 1611

LETTER TO MR. JOHN MURRAY OF HIS M. BEDCHAMBER

(27th Jan. 1611)

246

247

4. Death of Thomas Sutton, founder of the Charterhouse. Will
contested

ADVICE TO THE KING TOUCHING SUTTON'S ESTATE

5. A CERTIFICATE TO THE LORDS OF THE COUNCIL upon infor-

mation given touching the scarcity of silver at the Mint, and

reference to the two Chancellors and the King's Solicitor

Page

le

223

6. LETTER TO THE LORD MAYOR UPON A PROCEEDING IN A

PRIVATE CAUSE

Page

260

7. A LETTER TO THE MASTERS OF THE COURT OF REQUESTS. 261

8. Disputes as to jurisdiction of the Marshalsea Court. New Court

erected, to be called the Court of the Verge. Bacon one of the

Judges

262

225

THE JUDICIAL CHARGE OF SIR FRANCIS BACON, KNIGHT,

THE KING'S SOLICITOR GENERAL, UPON THE COMMISSION

OF OYER AND DETERMINER FOR THE VERGE

. 265

228

30

CHAPTER VIII.

A.D. 1612. ÆTAT. 52.

1. Death of Salisbury. Result of his financial administration.

Critical character of the occasion. Bacon's thoughts and as-

pirations

THE BEGINNING OF A LETTER TO THE KING IMMEDIATELY

AFTER MY LORD TREASURER'S DECEASE, 29th of May, 1612. 279

LETTER TO THE KING IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE LORD

TREASURER'S DEATH, 31st of May

Difficulty of filling up the place of principal Secretary of State.

Bacon's offer.

Secretaryship left vacant. Treasurership put in commission.

Bacon a subcommissioner

. 283

2. Mastership of the Wards. Contemplated reform in the adminis-

tration. Bacon expected to be appointed to the place

A FRAME OF DECLARATION FOR THE MASTER OF THE WARDS

AT HIS FIRST SITTING

DIRECTIONS FOR THE MASTER OF THE WARDS TO OBSERVE

FOR HIS MAJESTY'S BETTER SERVICE AND THE GENERAL

GOOD

The place given to Sir George Carey

. 286

. 289

3. Trial and execution of Lord Sanquhar for procuring the murder

of an English fencing-master

. 289

BACON'S SPEECH AT THE TRIAL.

. 291

4. Lady Arabella Stuart and William Seymour. Their attempt to

escape together to the Gontinent.

The Countess of Shrews-

bury interrogated by the Council and committed on refusing to

answer. Brought before a select Council, and charged

CHARGE AGAINST THE COUNTESS OF SHREWSBURY

Opinion of the Judges upon the legality of the proceeding

Page

CHAPTER IX.

ÆTAT. 52-3.

A.D. 1612, AUGUST-JUNE.

1. Marriage arranged between the Princess Elizabeth and the Elector

Palatine of the Rhine. "Aid" to be levied. The lawyer's

work entrusted to Bacon

INSTRUCTIONS TO THE COMMISSIONERS FOR COLLECTING THE

.

AID ON THE MARRIAGE OF THE PRINCESS ELIZABETH

2. LETTER TO THE KING TOUCHING HIS ESTATE IN GENERAL,

18th September, 1612

3. ACCOUNT OF THE COMMITTEES FOR REPAIR OF THE KING'S

ESTATE AND RAISING OF MONEYS

303

305

310

314

4. REPORT UPON A PROPOSITION CONCERNING THE AUGMENTA-

TION OF THE KING'S YEARLY REVENUE BY CONVERTING OF

HIS LANDS INTO A YEARLY FEE-FARM RENT, MULTIPLIED

IN PROPORTION TO THAT WHICH HE NOW RECEIVETH . 327

5. Enquiry into deceits practised by the Farmers of the Customs
and of French and Rhenish wines

REPORT FROM LORD CHANCELLOR ELLESMERE AND LORD

NORTHAMPTON (drawn up apparently by Bacon), 11 Oct. 1612 337

6. New volume of Essays published. Intended dedication to the

Prince.

. 336

TO THE MOST HIGH AND EXCELLENT PRINCE HENRY, PRINCE

OF WALES, DUKE OF CORNWALL AND EARL OF CHESTER. 340

Death of the Prince. Remembrance of his character written in

Latin by Bacon .

7. Death of Sir George Carey. Mastership of the Wards again

341

vacant.

LETTER TO VISCOUNT ROCHESTER

342

The place granted to Sir Walter Cope

342

8. Marriage of the Princess Elizabeth. Triumphs and rejoicings.

Joint Masque of Gray's Inn and the Inner Temple

9. Doctrine and practice of the beginning of the 17th century with
regard to liberty of speech. Consequences of uttering opinions
derogatory to the privileges of the House of Commons. The
same with regard to the prerogatives of the Crown
Proceeding before the Lords of the Council, assisted by the
Judges, against Whitelocke and Mansel for slandering the
King's Commission and censuring his prerogative.

ACT OF COUNCIL GIVING THE SUBSTANCE OF THE CHARGE,

SENTENCE, AND ORDER OF THE COURT (12 June, 1613)

345