1593 Sept. ❤ Among the papers of Antony me, that touch no money, to have a statute hurrying upon my estate of that greatness, were a thing utterly unreasonable, and not to be moved, specially since your assurance is as good without. There is much land bought and sold in England, and more intailed than fee-simple. But for a remainder man to join in seal, I think was never put in practice. For a time, till your assurance pass, so it pass with convenient speed, because of the uncertainty of life, I am content to enter into one; looking, nevertheless, for some present of gratification for my very joining in conveyance, and much more having yielded to this. For any warranty or charter, I had had neither law nor wit, if I should have meant it; and the reforming of the covenant, and the deed of feoffment, doth sufficiently witness my intention. Thus bid I heartily farewell. Twickenham Park, this 26th of August, 1593. Your very loving friend, FR. BACON. THE EARL OF ESSEX TO MR. FRANCIS BACON.* Mr. Bacon, Bacon, Esq. YOUR letter met me here yesterday. When I came, vol. III. fol. 197, in I found the queen so wayward, as I thought it no fit the Lam beth library. time to deal with her in any sort, especially since her Your assured friend, ESSEX. LORD TREASURER BURGHLEY TO MR. FRANCIS Among the papers Nephew, of Antony Bacon, Esq. vol. III. fol. 197, in ing. I HAVE no leisure to write much; but for answer I have attempted to place you: but her majesty hath the Lan required the lord keeper† to give to her the names beth liof divers lawyers to be preferred, wherewith he made + Puckerme acquainted, and I did name you as a meet man, whom his lordship allowed in way of friendship, for your father's sake: but he made scruple to equal you with certain, whom he named, as Brograve (a) and Branthwayt, whom he specially commendeth. But I will continue the remembrance of you to her majesty, and implore my lord of Essex's help. Your loving uncle, 27 Sept. 1593. N. BURGHLEY. SIR ROBERT CECIL TO MR. FRANCIS BACON.‡ Among the papers of Antony Bacon, Esq. fol. 197 library. § ASSURE yourself, that the solicitor's coming gave vol. III. no cause of speech; for it was concerning a book to verso, in the be drawn concerning the bargain of wines. If there Lambeth had been, you should have known, or when there Mr. Edshall. To satisfy your request of making my lord ward Coke. know, how recommended your desires are to me, I have spoken with his lordship, who answereth, he hath done and will do his best. I think your absence longer than for my good aunt's comfort will do you no good: for, as I ever told you, it is not likely to find the queen apt to give an office, when the scruple is (a) John Brograve, attorney of the duchy of Lancaster, and afterwards knighted. He is mentioned by Mr. Francis Bacon, in his letter to the lord treasurer, of 7th June, 1595, from Gray's-Inn, as having discharged his post of attorney of the duchy with great sufficiency. There is extant of his, in print, a reading upon the statute of 27 Henry VIII. concerning Jointures. 1593. Among not removed of her forbearance to speak with you. This being not yet perfected may stop good, when the hour comes of conclusion, though it be but a trifle, and questionless would be straight dispatched, if it were luckily handled. But herein do I, out of my desire to satisfy you, use this my opinion, leaving you to your own better knowledge what hath been done for you, or in what terms that matter standeth. And thus, desirous to be recommended to my good aunt, to whom my wife heartily commends her, I leave you to the protection of Almighty God. From the court at Windsor, this 27th of September, 1593. Your loving cousin and friend, MR. FRANCIS BACON TO THE QUEEN.* Madam, Bacon, Esq. REMEMBERING, that your majesty had been gracious vol. III. the Lam beth library. fol. 315, in to me both in countenancing me, and conferring upon me the reversion of a good place, and perceiving, that your majesty had taken some displeasure towards me, both these were arguments to move me to offer unto your majesty my service, to the end to have means to deserve your favour, and to repair my érror. Upon this ground, I affected myself to no great matter, but only a place of my profession, such as I do see divers younger in proceeding to myself, and men of no great note, do without blame aspire unto. But if any of my friends do press this matter, I do assure your majesty my spirit is not with them. It sufficeth me, that I have let your majesty know, that I am ready to do that for the service, which I never would do for mine own again. And if your majesty like others better, I shall, with the Lacedemonian, be glad, that there is such choice of abler men than myself. Your majesty's favour, indeed, and ac the papers of Antony ROBERT CECIL. I have heard in these causes, Facies hominis est tanquam leonis. cess to your royal person, I did ever, encouraged by your own speeches, seek and desire; and I would be very glad to be reintegrate in that. But I will not wrong mine own good mind so much, as to stand upon that now, when your majesty may conceive, I do it but to make my profit of it. But my mind turneth upon other wheels than those of profit. The conclusion shall be, that I wish your majesty served answerable to yourself. Principis est virtus maxima nosse suos. Thus I most humbly crave pardon of my boldness and plainness. God preserve your majesty. MR. FRANCIS BACON TO ROBERT KEMP, OF 1593. Nov. 4. * Among the papers of Antony Good Robin, in beth library. THERE is no news you can write to me, which I Bacon, Esq take more pleasure to hear, than of your health, and vol. III. of your loving remembrance of me; the former the Lamwhereof, though you mention not in your letter, yet I straight presumed well of it, because your mention was so fresh to make such a flourish. And it was afterward accordingly confirmed by your man Roger, who made me a particular relation of the former negociation between your ague and you. Of the latter, though you profess largely, yet I make more doubt, because your coming is turned into a sending; which, when I thought would have been repaired by some promise or intention of yourself, your man Roger entered into a very subtle distinction to this purpose, that you could not come, except you heard I was attorney; but I ascribe that to your man's invention, who had his reward in laughing; for I hope you are not so stately, but that I shall be one to you stylo vetere or stylo novo. For my fortune (to speak court) it is very slow, if any thing can be slow to him that is secure of the event. In short, nothing is done in it; but I propose to remain here at Twickenham till Michaelmas term, then to St. Alban's, and after the term to court. Advise you, whether you will play the honest man or no. In the mean time I think long to see you, and pray to be remembered to your father and mother. 1593. Nov. 10. • Among the papers of Antony Bacon, Esq. vol. III. fol. 283, in the Lambeth library. From Twickenham-park, Your's in loving affection, FR. BACON. MR. FRANCIS BACON TO THE EARL OF ESSEX. My Lord, I THOUGHT it not amiss to inform your lordship of that, which I gather partly by conjecture, and partly by advertisement, of the late recovered man, that is so much at your devotion, of whom I have some cause to think that he (a) worketh for the Huddler (b) underhand. And though it may seem strange, considering how much it importeth him to join straight with your lordship, in regard both of his enemies and of his ends; yet I do the less rest secure upon the conceit, because he is a man likely to trust so much to his art and finesse (as he, that is an excellent wherryman, who, you know, looketh towards the bridge, when he pulleth towards Westminster), that he will hope to serve his turn, and yet to pre-. serve your lordship's good opinion. This I write to the end, that if your lordship do see nothing to the contrary, you may assure him more, or trust him less; and chiefly, that your lordship be pleased to sound again, whether they have not, amongst them, drawn out the nail, which your lordship had driven in for the negative of the Huddler; which if they have, it will be necessary for your lordship to iterate more forcibly your former reasons, whereof there is such. copia, as I think you may use all the places of logic against his placing. Thus, with my humble thanks for your lordship's honourable usage of Mr. Standen, I wish you all honour. Your Lordship's in most faithful duty, (a) Probably Lord Keeper Puckering, FR. BACON. (b) Mr. Edward Coke. |