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I THANK your lordship very much for your kind and comfortable letter, which I hope will be followed at hand with another of more assurance. And I must confess this very delay hath gone so near me, as it hath almost overthrown my health; for when I revolved the good memory of my father, the near degree of alliance I stand in to my lord treasurer, your lordship's so signalled and declared favour, the honourable testimony of so many counsellors, the commendations unlaboured, and in sort offered by my lords the judges and the master of the rolls elect; that I was voiced with great expectation, and, though I say it myself, with the wishes of most men, to the higher place; that I am a man, that the queen hath already done for; and that princes, especially her Majesty, love to make an end where they begin; and then add hereunto the obscureness and many exceptions to my competitors: when, I say, I revolve all this, I cannot but conclude with myself, that no man ever read a more exquisite disgrace; and therefore truly, my lord, I was determined, if her Majesty reject me, this to do. My nature can take no evil ply; but I will, by God's assistance, with this disgrace of my fortune, and yet with that comfort of the good opinion of so many honourable and worthy persons, retire myself with a couple of men to Cambridge, and there spend my life in my studies and contemplations without looking back. I humbly pray your lordship to pardon me for troubling you with my melancholy. For the matter itself, I commend it to your love; only I pray you communicate afresh this day with my lord treasurer and Sir Robert Cecil; and if you esteem my fortune, remember the point of precedency. The objections to my competitors your lordship knoweth partly. I pray spare them not, not over the queen, but to the great ones, to show your confidence, and to work their distrust. Thus longing exceedingly to exchange troubling your lordship with serving you, I rest

Your lordship's, in most entire and faithful service,

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MR. FRANCIS BACON TO SIR ROBERT
CECIL.S

MY MOST HONOURABLE GOOD COUSIN,

YOUR honour in your wisdom doth well perceive, that my access at this time is grown desperate in regard of the hard terms, that as well the earl of Essex as Mr. Vice-chamberlain, who were to have been the means thereof, stand in with her Majesty, according to their occasions. And therefore I am only to stay upon that point of delaying and preserving the matter entire till a better constellation; which, as it is not hard, as I conceive, considering the French business and the instant progress, &c. so I commend in special to you the care, who in sort assured me thereof, and upon whom now, in my lord of Essex's absence, I have only to rely; and, if it be needful, I humbly pray you to move my lord your father to lay his hand to the same delay. And so I wish you all increase of honour.

Your honour's poor kinsman in faithful service and duty,

FRANCIS BACON.

From Gray's-Inn, this 1st of May, 1594.

SIR ROBERT CECIL'S ANSWER.||
COUSIN,

I Do think nothing cut the throat more of your present access than the earl's being somewhat troubled at this time. For the delaying I think it not hard, neither shall there want my best endeavour to make it easy, of which I hope you shall not need to doubt by the judgment which I gather of divers circumstances confirming my opinion. I protest I suffer with you in mind, that you are thus gravelled; but time will founder all your competitors, and set you on your feet, or else I have little understanding.

EARL OF ESSEX TO MR. FRANCIS BACON.¶ SIR,

I WROTE not to you till I had a second conference with the queen, because the first was spent only in compliments; she in the beginning excepted all business: this day she hath seen me again. After I had followed her humour in talking of those things, which she would entertain me with, I told her, in my absence I had written to Sir Robert Cecil, to solicit her to call you to that place, to which all the world had named you; and being now here, I must follow it myself; for I know what service I should do her in procuring you the place; and she knew not how great a comfort I should take in it. Her answer in playing just was, that she came not to me for that, I should talk of those things when I

Among the Papers of Antony Bacon, Esq. vol. iv. fol. 122, in the Lambeth library. || Ibid. Ibid.

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I WENT yesterday to the queen through the galleries in the morning, afternoon, and at night. I had long speech with her of you, wherein I urged both the point of your extraordinary sufficiency, proved to me not only by your last argument, but by the opinion of all men I spake withal, and the point of mine own satisfaction, which, I protested, should be exceeding great, if, for all her unkindness and discomforts past, she should do this one thing | for my sake. To the first she answered, that the greatness of your friends, as of my lord treasurer and myself, did make men give a more favourable testimony than else they would do, thinking thereby they pleased us. And that she did acknowledge you had a great wit, and an excellent gift of speech, and much other good learning. But in law she rather thought you could make show to the uttermost of your knowledge, than that you were deep. To the second she said, she showed her mislike to the suit, as well as I had done my affection in it; and that if there were a yielding, it was fitter to be of my side. I then added, that this was an answer, with which she might deny me all things, if she did not grant them at the first, which was not her manner to do. But her Majesty had made me suffer and give way in many things else; which all I should bear, not only with patience, but with great contentment, if she would but grant my humble suit in this one. And for the pretence of the approbation given you upon partiality, that all the world, lawyers, judges, and all, could not be partial to you; for somewhat you were crossed for their own interest, and some for their friends; but yet all did yield to your merit. She did in this as she useth in all, went from a denial to a delay, and said, when the council were all here, she would think of it; and there was no haste in determining of the place. To which I answered, that my sad heart had need of hasty comfort: and therefore her Majesty must pardon me, if I were hasty and importunate in it. When they come we shall see what will be done; and I wish you all happiness, and rest Your most affectionate friend,

Indorsed, 18th of May, 1594.

FOULKE GREVILL, ESQ. TO MR. FRANCIS BACON.+

MR. FRANCIS BACON,

SATURDAY was my first coming to the court, from whence I departed again as soon as I had kissed her Majesty's hands, because I had no lodging nearer than my uncle's, which is four miles off. This day I came thither to dinner, and waiting for to speak with the queen, took occasion to tell how I met you, as I passed through London; and among other speeches, how you lamented your misfortune to me, that remained as a withered branch of her roots, which she had cherished and made to flourish in her service. I added what I thought of your worth, and the expectation for all this, that the world had of her princely goodness towards you: which it pleased her Majesty to confess, that indeed you began to frame very well, insomuch as she saw an amends in those little supposed errors, avowing the respect she carried to the dead, with very exceeding gracious inclination towards you. Some comparisons there fell out besides, which I leave till we meet, which I hope shall be this week. It pleased her withal to tell of the jewel you offered her by Mr. Vice-chamberlain, which she had refused, yet with exceeding praise. I marvel, that as a prince she should refuse those havings of her poor subjects, because it did include a small sentence of despair; but either I deceive myself, or she was resolved to take it; and the conclusion was very kind and gracious. Sure as I will 100%. to 50%. that you shall be her solicitor, and my friend: in which mind and for which mind I commend you to God. From the court this Monday in haste,

Your true friend to be commanded by you,
FOULKE GREVILL.

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MR. FRANCIS BACON TO THE QUEEN.

MOST GRACIOUS AND ADMIRABLE SOVEREIGN, As I do acknowledge a providence of God towards me, that findeth it expedient for me tolerare jugum in juventute mea so this present arrest of mine by his Divine Majesty from your Majesty's service is not the least affliction, that I have proved; and I hope your Majesty doth conceive, that nothing under mere impossibility could have detained me from earning so gracious a vail, as it pleased your MaESSEX. jesty to give me. But your Majesty's service by the grace of God shall take no lack thereby; and thanks to God, it hath lighted upon him, that may be best spared. Only the discomfort is mine, who nevertheless have the private comfort, that in the time I + Ibid. folio 132. Ibid. fol. 141 and 156.

Among the papers of Antony Bacon, Esq. vol. iv. fol. 123, in the Lambeth library.

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Your sacred Majesty's in most humble obedience and devotion,

From Huntingdon, this 20th of July, 1594.

FR. BACON.

MR. FRANCIS BACON TO HIS BROTHER
ANTONY.*

MY GOOD BROTHER,

|

have been made acquainted with this service, it hath | alleged she was then to resolve with the council been my hap to stumble upon somewhat unseen, upon her places of law. But this resolution was which may import the same, as I made my lord ut supra; and note, the rest of the counsellors were keeper acquainted before my going. So leaving it persuaded she came rather forwards than otherwise; to God to make a good end of a hard beginning, and for against me she is never peremptory but to my most humbly craving your Majesty's pardon for pre- lord of Essex. I missed a line of my lord keeper's; suming to trouble you, I recommend your sacred but thus much I hear otherwise. The queen seemMajesty to God's tenderest preservation. eth to apprehend my travel. Whereupon I was sent for by Sir Robert Cecil in sort as from her Majesty; himself having of purpose immediately gone to London to speak with me; and not finding me there, he wrote to me. Whereupon I came to the court, and upon his relation to me of her Majesty's speeches, I desired leave to answer it in writing; not, I said, that I mistrusted his report, but mine own wit; the copy of which answer I send. We parted in kindness secundum exterius. This copy you must needs return; for I have no other; and I wrote this by memory after the original was sent away. The queen's speech is after this sort. Why? I have made no solicitor. Hath any body carried a solicitor with him in his pocket? But he must have it in his own time, (as if it were but yesterday's nomination,) or else I must be thought to cast him away. Then her Majesty sweareth thus ; If I continue this manner, she will seek all England for a solicitor rather than take me. Yea, she will send for Heuston and Coventry § to-morrow next," as if she would swear them both. Again she entereth into it, that "she never deals so with any as with me, (in hoc erratum non est,) she hath pulled me over the bar, (note the words, for they cannot be her own,) she hath used me in her greatest causes. But this is Essex; and she is more angry with him than with me." And such like speeches so strange as I should lose myself in it, but that I have cast off the care of it. My conceit is, that I am the least part of mine own matter. But her Majesty would have a delay, and yet would not bear it herTherefore she giveth no way to me, and she perceiveth her council giveth no way to others; and so it sticketh as she would have it. But what the secret of it is, oculus aquilæ non penetravit. My lord || continueth on kindly and wisely a course worthy to obtain a better effect than a delay, which to me is the most unwelcome condition.

ONE day draweth on another; and I am well pleased in my being here; for methinks solitariness collecteth the mind, as shutting the eyes doth the sight. I pray you therefore advertise me what you find, by my lord of Essex, (who, I am sure, hath been with you,) was done last Sunday; and what he conceiveth of the matter. I hold in one secret, and therefore you may trust your servant. I would be glad to receive my parsonage rent as soon as it cometh. So I leave you to God's good preservation. Your ever loving brother,

From Twickenham-Park, this
Tuesday morning, 1594.
Indorsed, 16 Oct. 1594.

FR. BACON.

EARL OF ESSEX TO MR. FRANCIS BACON.† self.
SIR,

I WILL be to-morrow night at London.
I pur-
pose to hear your argument the next day. I pray
you send me word by this bearer of the hour, and
place, where it is.
Of your own cause I shall give
better account when I see you, than I can do now;
for that which will be done, will be this afternoon,

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66

Now to return to you the part of a brother, and to render you the like kindness, advise you, whether it were not a good time to set in strongly with the queen to draw her to honour your travels. For in the course I am like to take, it will be a great and necessary stay to me, besides the natural comfort I shall receive. And if you will have me deal with my lord of Essex, or otherwise break it by mean to the queen, as that, which shall give me full contentment, I will do it as effectually, and with as much good discretion, as I can. Wherein if you

aid me with your direction, I shall observe it. This as I did ever account it sure and certain to be accomplished, in case myself had been placed, and therefore deferred it till then, as to the proper op

§ Thomas Coventry, afterwards one of the justices of the common pleas, and father of the lord keeper Coventry.

Essex.

portunity; so now that I see such delay in mine own placing, I wish ex animo it should not expect. I pray you let me know what mine uncle Killigrew will do ; for I must be more careful of my credit than ever, since I receive so little thence where I deserved best. And to be plain with you, I mean even to make the best of those small things I have with as much expedition, as may be without loss; and so sing a mass of requiem, I hope, abroad. For I know her Majesty's nature, that she neither careth though the whole surname of Bacons travelled, nor of the Cecils neither.

I have here an idle pen or two, specially one, that was cozened, thinking to have got some money this term. I pray send me somewhat else for them to write out besides your Irish collection, which is almost done. There is a collection of king James, of foreign states, largeliest of Flanders; which, though it be no great matter, yet I would be glad to have it. Thus I commend you to God's good protection.

Your entire loving brother,

FR. BACON.

From my lodging at Twickenham-Park, this 25th of January, 1594.

LETTER OF MR. FRANCIS BACON TO SIR ROBERT CECIL,† A COPY OF WHICH WAS SENT WITH THE PRECEDING TO MR. ANTONY BACON.

SIR,

YOUR honour may remember, that upon relation of her Majesty's speech concerning my travel, I asked leave to make answer in writing; not but I knew then what was true, but because I was careful to express it without doing myself wrong. And it is true, I had then opinion to have written to her Majesty but since weighing with myself, that her Majesty gave no ear to the motion made by yourself, that I might answer by mine own attendance,

I began to doubt the second degree, whether it might not be taken for presumption in me to write to her Majesty; and so resolved, that it was best for me to follow her Majesty's own way in committing it to your report.

It may please your honour to deliver to her Majesty, first, that it is an exceeding grief to me, that any not motion (for it was not a motion) but mention,

Mr. Antony Bacon had written to Sir Henry Killigrew on the 14th of January, 1594-5, to desire the loan of two hundred pounds for six months. Vol. iv. fol. 4.

Among the Papers of Antony Bacon, Esq. vol. iv. fol. 31.
Bishop Gibson's papers, vol. v. No. 118.

An account of this device, which was much applauded, is given by Mr. Rowland Whyte to Sir Robert Sydney, in a letter dated at London, Saturday the 22nd of November, 1595, and printed in the Letters and Memorials of State of the Sydney family, vol. i. p. 362. According to this letter, the earl of Essex, some considerable time before he came himself into the tilt-yard, sent his page with some speech to the queen, who returned with her Majesty's glove; and when his lordship came himself, he was met by an old hermit, a secretary of state, a brave soldier, and an esquire. The first presented him with a book of meditations; the second with political discourses; the third with orations of bravely fought battles; the

that should come from me, should offend her Majesty, whom for these one and twenty years (for so | long it is, that I kissed her Majesty's hands upon my journey into France) I have used the best of my wits to please.

Next, mine answer standing upon two points, the one, that this mention of travel to my lord of Essex was no present motion, suit, or request; but casting the worst of my fortune with an honourable 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 a 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,

Indorsed, January, 1594.

FR. BACON.

The Speeches ‡ drawn up by Mr. FRANCIS BACON for the Earl of ESSEX in a device § exhibited by his lordship before Queen ELIZABETH, on the anniversary of her accession to the throne November 17, 1595.

THE SQUIRE'S SPEECH. Most excellent and most glorious queen, give me fourth was his own follower to whom the other three imparted much of their purpose before the earl came in. "Another," adds Mr. Whyte, "devised with him, persuading him to this and that course of life, according to their inclinations. Comes into the tilt-yard, unthought upon, the ordinary post-boy of London, a ragged villain, all bemired, upon a poor lean jade galloping and blowing for life, and delivered the secretary a packet of letters, which he presently offered my lord of Essex. And with this dumb show our eyes were fed for that time. In the after-supper, before the queen; they first delivered a wellpenned speech to move this worthy knight to leave his following of love, and to betake him to heavenly meditation; the secretary's all tending to have him follow matters of state; the soldier's persuading him to the war: but the squire answered them all, and concluded with an excellent, but too plain, English, that this knight would never forsake his mistress's love, whose virtue made all his thoughts divine; whose wisdom

1

So

leave, I beseech your Majesty, to offer my master's | the muses is above tempests, always clear and calm complaint and petition; complaint, that coming a hill of the goodliest discovery that man can have hither to your Majesty's most happy day, he is tor- being a prospect upon all the errors and wanderings mented with the importunity of a melancholy of the present and former times. Yea, in some cliff dreaming hermit, a mutinous brain-sick soldier, and it leadeth the eye beyond the horizon of time, and a busy tedious secretary. His petition is, that he may giveth no obscure divinations of times to come. be as free as the rest; and, at least, whilst he is that if he will indeed lead vitam vitalem, a life here, troubled with nothing but with care how to that unites safety and dignity, pleasure and merit ; please and honour you. if he will win admiration without envy; if he will be in the feast, and not in the throng; in the light, and not in the heat; let him embrace the life of study and contemplation. And if he will accept of no other reason, yet because the gift of the muses will enworthy him in love, and where he now looks on his mistress's outside with the eyes of sense, which are dazzled and amazed, he shall then behold her high perfections and heavenly mind with the eyes of judgment, which grow stronger by more nearly and more directly viewing such an object.

THE HERMIT'S SPEECH IN THE PRESENCE. THOUGH Our ends be diverse, and therefore may be one more just than another; yet the complaint of this Squire is general, and therefore alike unjust against us all. Albeit he is angry, that we offer ourselves to his master uncalled, and forgets we come not of ourselves, but as the messengers of selflove, from whom all that comes should be well taken. He saith, when we come, we are importunate. If he mean, that we err in form, we have that of his master, who being a lover, useth no other form of soliciting. If he will charge us to err in matter, I for my part will presently prove, that I persuade him to nothing but for his own good. For I wish him to leave turning over the book of fortune, which is but a play for children; when there be so many books of truth and knowledge, better worthy the revolving; and not fix his view only upon a picture in a little table, when there be so many tables of histories, yea to life, excellent to behold and admire. Whether he believe me or no, there is no prison to the prison of the thoughts, which are free under the greatest tyrants. Shall any man make his conceit, as an anchorite, mured up with the compass of one beauty or person, that may have the liberty of all contemplation? Shall he exchange the sweet travelling through the universal variety, for one wearisome and endless round or labyrinth? Let thy master, Squire, offer his service to the muses. It is long since they received any into their court. They give alms continually at their gate, that many come to live upon; but few they have ever admitted into their palace. There shall he find secrets not dangerous to know; sides and parties not factious to hold; precepts and commandments not penal to disobey. The gardens of love, wherein he now placeth himself, are fresh to-day, and fading to-morrow, as the sun comforts them, or is turned from them. But the gardens of the muses keep the privilege of the golden age; they ever flourish, and are in league with time. The monuments of wit survive the monuments of power. The verses of a poet endure without a syllable lost, while states and empires pass many periods. Let him not think he shall descend; for he is now upon a hill, as a ship is mounted upon the ridge of a wave: but that hill of taught him all true policy; whose beauty and worth were at all times able to make him fit to command armies. He showed all the defects and imperfections of all their times; and therefore thought his course of life to be best in serving his mistress." Mr. Whyte then mentions, that the part of the old hermit was performed by him, who at Cambridge played that of Giraldi; that Morley acted the secretary, and that the soldier was represented by him, who acted the pe

THE SOLDIER'S SPEECH.

SQUIRE, the good old man hath said well to you; but I dare say, thou wouldst be sorry to leave to carry thy master's shield, and to carry his books: and I am sure thy master had rather be a falcon, a bird of prey, than a singing bird in a cage. The muses are to serve martial men, to sing their famous actions; and not to be served by them. Then hearken to me.

It is the war that giveth all spirits of valour, not only honour, but contentment. For mark, whether ever you did see a man grown to any honourable commandment in the wars, but whensoever he gave it over, he was ready to die with melancholy? Such a sweet felicity is that noble exercise, that he, that hath tasted it thoroughly, is distasted for all other. And no marvel; for if the hunter takes such solace in his chace; if the matches and wagers of sport pass away with such satisfaction and delight; if the looker on be affected with pleasure in the representation of a feigned tragedy; think what contentment a man receiveth, when they, that are equal to him in nature, from the height of insolency and fury are brought to the condition of a chased prey; when a victory is obtained, whereof the victories of games are but counterfeits and shadows; and, when in a lively tragedy, a man's enemies are sacrificed before his eyes to his fortune.

Then for the dignity of military profession, is it not the truest and perfectest practice of all virtues? of wisdoms in disposing those things, which are most subject to confusion and accident: of justice, in continual distributing rewards: of temperance, in exercising of the straitest discipline: of fortitude, in toleration of all labours, and abstinence from effeminate delights of constancy, in bearing and dant, and that Mr. Tobie Matthew was the squire." The world," says Mr. Whyte, " makes many untrue constructions of these speeches, comparing the hermit and the secretary to two of the lords; and the soldier to Sir Roger Williams. But the queen said, that if she had thought there had been so much said of her, she would not have been there that night; and so went to bed."

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