wrileth to me, that his lordship cometh to London, TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE LORD I thought good to remember your lordship, and

KEEPER, &c.* to request you, as I touched in my last, that if IT MAY PLEASE YOUR GOOD LORDSHIP my lord treasurer be absent, your lordship would

As your lordship hath at divers times helped forbear to fall into my business with her majesty, me to pass over contrary times, so I humbly pray lest it might receive some foil before the time you not to omit this favourable time. I cannot when it should be resolutely dealt in. And so bear myself as I should till I be settled. And commending myself to your good favour, 1 most thus, desiring pardon, I leave your lordship to humbly take my leave.

God's preservation.
Your lordship's in all

Your lordship's most humbly
humble duty and service,

at commandment, FR. BACON.

Fr. Bacon. From Gray's Inn, this Sth

From Gray's Inn, this 25th of April, 1594.

of August, 1594.

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE HIS VERY GOOD EARL OF ESSEX TO LORD KEEPER PUCKERING.

LORD, THE LORD KEEPER, &c.f My LORD,–My short stay at the court made me IT MAY PLEASE YOUR GOOD LORDSHIP, fail of speaking with your lordship; therefore, I I was minded, according to the place of em. inust write that which myself had told you ; that ployment, though not of office, wherein I serve, is, that your lordship will be pleased to forbear for my better direction and the advancement of pressing for a solicitor, since there is no cause the service, to have acquainted your lordship, now towards the end of a term to call for it; and, be- before the term, with such her majesty's causes cause the absence of Mr. Bacon's friends may be as are in my hands. Which course, intended out much to his disadvantage. I wish your lordship of duty, I do now find, by that I hear from my all happiness, and rest

Lord of Essex, your lordship of your favour is Your lordship's very assured willing to use for my good, upon that satisfaction to be commanded, you may find in my travels. And I now send to

Essex.

your lordship, together with my humble thanks, Wanstead, this 4th of May, 1594.

to understand of your lordship's being at leisure, what part of to-morrow, to the end I may attend your lordship, which, this afternoon, I cannot, in regard of some conference I have appointed with

Mr. Attorney-General. And so I commend your TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE LORD KEEPER, &c.

honourable lordship to God's good preservation

Your good lordship’s humbly at IT MAY PLEASE YOUR GOOD LORDSHIP,

your honourable commandments, I understand of some business like enough to

Fr. Bacon detain the queen to-morrow, which maketh me

From Gray's Inn, the 25th earnestly to pray your good lordship, as one that of September, Friday. I have found to take my fortune to heart, to take some time to remember her majesty of a solicitor this present day.

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE LORD Our Tower employment stayeth, and hath done these three days, because one of the principal

KEEPER, &c. I offenders being brought to confess, and the other IT MAY PLEASE your LORDSHIP, persisting in denial, her majesty, in her wisdom, I thought good to step aside for nine days. thought best some time were given to him that is which is the durance of a wonder, and not for obstinate, to bethink himself; which, indeed, is any dislike in the world; for I think her majesty singular good in such cases. Thus, desiring your hath done me as great a favour in making an end lordship's pardon, in haste I commend my fortune of this matter, as if she had enlarged me from and duty to your favour.

some restraint. And, I humbly pray your lon/Your lordship's most humbly

ship, if it so please you, to deliver to her majesty to receive your commandments, from me, that I would have been glad to have done

FR. Bacon. her majesty service, now in the best of my years, From Gray's Inn, this 13th

and the same mind remains in me still; and that of August, 1591.

Harl. MSS. vol. 6996, No. 103. # Ibid. No. 109 * Harl. MSS. vol. 6996, No. 72.

Ibid. vol. 6607, No. 14. Vol. III.-25

R

TO SIR GEORGE VILLIERS.

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE TIIE LORD

it may be, when her majesty hath tried others, ! I do well like the course they take, which is, she will think of himn that she hath cast aside. in every kind to set down, as in beer, in wine, in l'or, I will take it upon that which her majesty beef, in muttons, in corn, &c., what cometh to the hath often said, that she doth reserve me, and not king's use, and then what is spent, and lastly reject me. And so I leave your good lordship to what may be saved. This way, though it be not God's good preservation.

so accusative, yet it is demonstrative. Nam recYour lordship's much bounden tum est index sui et obliqui, and the false manner

FR. Bacon. of accounting, and where the gain cleaveth will From Twickenham Park, this..

appear after by consequence. I humbly pray his 20th of May, 1595.

majesty to pardon me for troubling him with these Endorsed, Mr. Fr. Bacon, his contentation to leave the solicitor- know his majesty thinketh long to understand

imperfect glances, which I do, both because I ship.

somewhat, and lest his majesty should conceive, that he multiplying honours and favours upon me, I should not also increase and redouble my endea

vours and cares for his service. God ever bless, SIR,—I think I cannot do better service towards preserve, and prosper his majesty and your lordthe good estate of the kingdom of Ireland, than ship, to whom I ever remain

Your true and most devoted servant, to procure the king to be well served in the emi

FR. BACON, C. S. nent places of law and justice; I shall, therefore,

Jan. 16, 1617. name unto you for the attorney's place there, or for the solicitor's place, if the new solicitor shall go up, a gentleman of mine own breeding and traming, Mr. Edward Wyrthington, of Gray's

KEEPER, &c. Inn; he is born to eight hundred pounds a year; IT MAY PLEASE YOUR GOOD LORDSHIP, he is the eldest son of a most severe justicer amongst the recusants of Lancashire, and a man

Not able to attend your lordship myself before most able for law and speech, and by me trained your going to the court, by reason of an ague,

which offered me a fit on Wednesday morning, in the king's causes. My lord deputy, by my description, is much in love with the man. I hear but since, by abstinence, I thank God, I have my Lord of Canterbury and Sir Thomas Laque

starved it, so as now he hath turned his back, I should name one Sir John Beare, and some other am chasing him away with a little physic, I mean men. This man I commend upon my credit, thought good to write these few words to your for the good of his majesty's service. God ever

lordship; partly to signify my excuse, if need

be, that I assisted not Mr. Attorney on Thursday preserve and prosper you. I rest Your most devoted and

last in the Star Chamber, at which time, it is most bounden servant,

some comfort to me, that I hear by relation someFr. Bacon.

what was generally taken hold of by the court July 2, 1616.

which I formerly had opened and moved; and partly lo express a little my conceit touching the news which your lordship last told me from the

queen, concerning a condition in law knit to an TO THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM.

interest, which your lordship remembereth, and My verY GOOD LORD,

is supposed to be broken by misseyance. Wherein I write now only, rather in a kind of continu- surely my mind, as far as it appertaineth to me, ance and fresh suit, upon the king's business, is this, that as I never liked not so much as the than that the same is yet ripe either for advertise- coming in upon a lease by way of forfeiture, so I ment or advice.

am so much enemy to myself as I take no conThe subcommissioners meet forenoon and after- tentment in any such hope of advantage. For noon with great diligence, and without distraction as your lordship can give me best testimony, that or running several ways; which if it be no more I never in my life propounded any such like mothan necessary, what would less have done? that tion, though I have been incited thereto; so the is, if there had been no subcommissioners, or they world will hardly believe, but that it is underhand jot well clicsen.

quickened and nourished from me. And, truly, I speak with Sir Lionel Cranfield as cause re- my lord, I would not be thought to supplant any quireth either for account or direction, and as far man for great gain; and I humbly pray your lordas I can, by the taste I have from him, discern, ship to continue your commendations and counprobably their service will attain, and may exceed tenance to me in the course of the queen's service his majesty's expectation.

&c.*

please God to move the qneen to profit, * I hope I give me grace to perform, which is, that if any shall give cause for your lordship to obtain as idol may be offered to her majesty, since it is many thanks as you have endured chidings. mixed with my particular, to inform her majesty And so I commend your good lordship to God's truly, which I must do, as long as I have a tongue good preservation.

to speak, or a pen to write, or a friend to use. Your lordship's most humbly

And farther I remember not of my letter, except at your honourable commandment, it were that I writ, I hoped your lordship would

FR. Bacon. do me no wrong, which hope I do still continue. From Gray's Inn, the Ilth of June, 1595

For if it please your lordship but to call to mind from whom I am descended, and by whom, next

to God, her majesty, and your own virtue, your TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE LORD

lordship is ascended ; I know you will have a KEEPER, &c.t IT MAY PLEASE YOUR LORDSHIP,

compunction of mind to do me any wrong. And, There hath nothing happened to me in the

therefore, good my lord, when your lordship

favoureth others before me, do not lay the separacourse of my business more contrary to my ex: tion of your love and favour upon myself. For I pectation, than your lordship's failing me, and crossing me now in the conclusion, when friends

will give no cause, neither can I acknowledge are best tried. But now I desire no more favour any, where none is; but humbly pray your lordof your lordship, than I would do if I were a suitor ship to understand things as they are. Thus, in the Chancery; which is this only, that you which is to me unpleasant, though necessary, I

sorry to write to your lordship in an argument would do me right. And I, for my part, though I have much to allege, yet, nevertheless, if I see

commend your lordship to God's good pre

servation. her majesty settle her choice upon an able man,

Your lordship's, in all humble respect, such a one as Mr. Serjeant Fleming, I will make

Fr. Bacon. no means to alter it. On the other side, if I per

From Twickenham Park, this 19th of August, 1595. ceive any insufficient, obscure, & idol man offered lo her majesty, then I think myself double bound to use the best means I can for myself; which I TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE LORD KEEPER, humbly pray your lordship I may do with your favour, and that you will not disable me farther IT MAY PLEASE YOUR GOOD LORDSHIP, than is cause. And so I commend your lord- I am sorry the opportunity permitteth me not ship to God's preservation,

to attend your lordship as I minded.

But I hope That beareth your lordship all humble respect, your lordship will not be the less sparing in using

FR. Bacon. the argument of my being studied and prepared Fram Gray's Inn, the 28th of July, 1595.

in the queen's causes, for my furtherance upon Endorsed, in lord keeper's hand,

belief that I had imparted to your lordship my Mr. Bucon wronging me.

travels, which some time next week I mean to do. Neither have I been able to confer with Mr. Attorney, as I desired, because he was removing

from one building to another. And, besides, he TO THE RIGHT IIONOURABLE THE LORD

alleged his note book was in the country, at KEEPER, &c.

and so we respited it to some time next week. I IT MAY PLEASE your LORDSHIP,

think he will rather do me good offices than otherI thought it became me to write to your lord-wise, except it be for the township your lordship ship, upon that which I have understood from my remembereth by the verse. Thus I commend Lord of Essex, who vouchsafed, as I perceive, to deal with your lordship of himself to join with your honourable lordship to God's good preserva

tion. him in the concluding of my business, and findeth

Your lordship's most humble your lordship hath conceived offence, as well upon

at your honourable commandment, my manner when I saw your lordship at Temple

FR. BACON last, as upon a letter, which I did write to your

From Gray's Inn, this 25th of September, 1595. lordship some time before. Surely, my lord, for my behaviour, I am well assured, I omitted no point of duty or ceremony towards your lordship. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE MY GOOD LORD, But I know too much of the court to beg a countenance in public place, where I make account I ENGLAND. shall not receive it. And for my letter, the prin- IT MAY PLEASE YOUR GOOD LORDSHIP, cipal point of it was, that which I hope God will My not acquainting your lordship hath pro* f. Perfect. + Harl. MSS. vol. 6997, No. 37.

&c.*

&c.*

not knowing of my absence at Byssam with my acquaintance. And because I conceive the genLady Russel, upon some important cause of her tleman to be every way sortable with the service, son's. And as I have heard nothing, so I look I am bold to commend him to your lordship's for nothing, though my Lord of Essex sent me good favour. And even so, with remembrance word, he would not write till his lordship had of my most humble duty, I rest good news. But his lordship may go on in his Your lordship's affectionate to do you affection, which, nevertheless, myself have desired

humble service, him to limit. But I do assure your lordship, I

Fr. Bacon. can take no farther care for the matter. I am now Twickenham Park, July 3, 1595. at Twickenham Park, where I think to stay : for her majesty placing a solicitor, my travel shall not need in her causes, though, whensoever her TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE LORD KEEPER, majesty shall like to employ me in any particu- MY LORD,-In my last conference with your lar, I shall be ready to do her willing service. lordship, I did entreat you both to forbear hurting This I write lest your lordship might think my of Mr. Fr. Bacon's cause, and to suspend your silence came of any conceit towards your lord- judgment of his mind towards your lordship, till ship, which, I do assure you, I have not. And I had spoken with him. I went since that time this needed I not to do, if I thought not so: for to Twickenham Park to confer with him, and had my course will not give me any ordinary occasion signified the effect of our conference by letter ere to use your favour, whereof, nevertheless, I shall this, if I had not hoped to have met with your ever be glad. So I commend your good lordship lordship, and so to have delivered it by speech. I to God's holy preservation.

told your lordship when I last saw you, that this Your lordship’s humble, &c.

manner of his was only a natural freedom, and

Fr. Bacon. plainness, which he had used with me, and in my This 11th of October, 1595.

knowledge with some other of his best friends, than any want of reverence towards your lord

ship; and therefore I was more curious to look TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE LORD KEEPER, into the moving cause of his style, than into the

form of it; which now I find to be only a diffiIT MAY PLEASE YOUR GOOD LORDSHIP,

dence of your lordship's favour and love towards I conceive the end already made, which will, I hin, and no alienation of that dutiful mind which trust, be to me a beginning of good fortune, or at he hath borne towards your lordship. And thereJeast of content. Her majesty, by God's grace, fore I am fully persuaded, that if your lordship shall live and reign long, she is not running would please to send for him, there would grow away, I may trust her. Or whether she look so good satisfaction, as hereafter he should enjoy towards me or no, I remain the same, not altered your lordship’s honourable favour in as great a in my intention. If I had been an ambitious man, measure as ever, and your lordship have the use it would have overthrown me, but minded as I of his service, who, I assure your lordship, is as am, Revertet benedictio mea in sinum meum. If I strong in his kindness, as you find him in his had made any reckoning of any thing to be stirred, jealousy. I will use no argument to persuade I would have waited on your lordship, and will your lordship, that I should be glad of his being be at any time ready to wait on you to do you restored to your lordship’s wonted favour; since service. So I commend your good lordship to your lordship both knoweth how much my credit God's holy preservation.

is engaged in his fortune, and may easily judge Your lordship's most humble,

how sorry I should be, that a gentleman whom I at your honourable commandment, love so much, should lack the favour of a person

Fr. Bacon. whom I honour so much. And thus commending From Twickenham Park, this 14th of October.

your lordship to God's best protection, I rest Endorsed, 14th October, 95.

Your lordship’s very assured,

Essex. Endorsed, 31 August, 95.

My Lord of Essex to have me send for Mr. Bacon, TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE LORD KEEPER, for he will satisfy me. In my lord keeper's own &c.

hand. MY VERY GOOD LORD,

I received a letter from a very friend of mine, TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE LORD questing me to move your lordship to put into

KEEPER, &c. the commission for the subsidy, Mr. Richard MY VERY GOOD LORD, Kempe, a reader of Gray's Inn, and besides born The want of assistance from them which should to good estate, being also my friend and familiar be Mr. Fr. Bacon's friends, makes (me) the more

Harl. MSS. vol. 1997, No. 61. # Ibid. No. 29. * Harl. MSS. vol. 6997, No. 47. + Ibid. No. 106.

industrious myself, and the more earnest in soli- and to tell you truly, my meaning was not that citing mine own friends. Upon me the labour the suit of this other gentleman, Mr. Temple, must lie of his establishment, and upon me the should have been moved in my name. For J disgrace will light of his being refused. There should have been unwilling to have moved his fore I pray your lordship, now account me not as majesty for more than one at once, though many a solicitor only of my friend's cause, but as a times in his majesty's courts of justice, if we party interested in this; and employ all your move once for our friends, we are allowed to lordship's favour to me, or strength for me, in move again for our fee. procuring a short and speedy end. For though I But indeed my purpose was,

that you might know, it will never be carried any other way, yet have been pleased to have moved it as for myself. I hold both my friend and myself disgraced by Nevertheless, since it is so far gone, and that this protraction. More I would write, but that I the gentleman's friends are in some expectation know to so honourable and kind a friend, this of success, I leave it to your kind regard what is which I have said is enough. And so I commend farther to be done, as willing to give satisfaction your lordship to God's best protection, resting, to those which have put me in trust, and loath on

At your lordship's commandment, the other side to press above good manners. And (No date.] Essex. so, with my loving commendations, I remain

Yours, &c.

1003.

A LETTER TO DR. MORISON,* A SCOTTISH PUY

TO MR. MATTHEW.7 SICIAN, UPON HIS MAJESTY'S COMING IN. SIR,—I perceive you have some time when you MR. Doctor MORISON,

can be content to think of your friends; from I have thought good by this my letter to renew whom, since you have borrowed yourself, you do this my ancient acquaintance which hath passed well, not paying the principal, to send the interest between us, signifying my good mind to you, to at six months' day. The relation, which here perform to you any good office, for your particular I send you enclosed, carries the truth of that which and my expectation, and firm assurance of the is public: and though my little leisure might have like on your part towards me: wherein I confess required a briefer, yet the matter would have enyou may have the start of me, because occasion hath dured and asked a larger. given you the precedency in investing you with I have now, at last, taught that child to go, at opportunity to use my name well, and by your the swaddling whereof you were.

My work loving testimony to further a good opinion of me touching the Proficiency and Advancement of in his majesty, and the court.

Learning I have put into two books; whereof the But I hope my experience of matters here will, former, which you saw, I cannot but account as a with the light of his majesty's favour, enable me page of the latter. I have now published them speedily both to requite your kindness, and to both; whereof I thought it a small adventure to acquit and make good your testimony and report. send you a copy, who have more right to it than So not doubting to see you here with his majesty, any man, except Bishop Andrews, who was my considering that it belongeth to your art to feel inquisitor. pulses, and I assure you Galen doth not set down The death of the late great judge concerned not greater variety of pulses than do vent here in me, because the other was not removed. I write men's hearts, I wish you all prosperity, and this in answer to your good wishes, which I reremain

Yours, &c. turn not as flowers of Florence, but as you mean From my Chamber at Gray's Inn, &c., 1603.

them; whom I conceive place cannot alter, no more than time shall me, except it be for the better.

1605.

A LETTER TO MR. MURRAY, OF THE KING'S BED-
CHAMBER.

TO MY LADY PACKINGTON, IN ANSWER TO A MR. MURRAY,

MESSAGE BY HER SENT.2 It is very true that his majesty most graciously, MADAM,—You shall with right good will be at my humble request, knighted the last Sunday made acquainted with any thing that concerneth my brother-in-law, a towardly young gentleman;t