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Stephens's
first collec-
tion, p. 28.

written to Mr. Attorney; I have none of those humours; but that I have written is to a good end, that is, to the more decent carriage of my master's service, and to our particular better understanding one of another. This letter, if it shall be answered by you in deed, and not in word, I suppose it will not be worse for us both; else it is but a few lines lost, which for a much smaller matter I would have adventured. So this being to yourself, I for my part rest―――

[Before June, 1606.]

LXXXVI. To the Earl of SALISBURY, Concerning the solicitor

place. all May it please your Lordship,

I AM not privy to myself of any such ill deserving towards your lordship, as that I should think it an impudent thing to be a suitor for your favour in a reasonable matter; your lordship being to me as, with your good favour, you cannot cease to be; but rather it were a simple and arrogant part in me to forbear it.

It is thought Mr. Attorney shall be chief justice of the common pleas; in case Mr. Solicitor rise, I would be glad now at last to be solicitor; chiefly because I think it will increase my practice, wherein God blessing me a few years, I may mend my state, and so after fall to my studies and ease; whereof one is requisite for my body, and the other serveth for my mind; wherein if I shall find your lordship's favour, I shall be more happy than I have been, which may make me also more wise. I have small store of means about the king, and to sue myself is not fit: and therefore I shall leave it to God, his majesty, and your lordship, for I must still be next the door. I thank God, in these transitory things I am well resolved. So beseeching your lordship not to think this letter the less humble, because it is plain, I rest, etc.. alle 1606.

FR. BACON.

LXXXVII. Another letter to the earl of SALIS- Rawley's BURY, touching the solicitor's place.

It

may please your good Lordship, toilet

Resuscitas

tio.

I AM not ignorant how mean a thing I stand for, in desiring to come into the solicitor's place: for I know well, it is not the thing it hath been; time having wrought alteration both in the profession, and in that special place. Yet because, I think, it will increase my practice, and that it may satisfy my friends: and because I have been voiced to it, I would be glad it were done. Wherein I may say to your lordship, in the confidence of your poor kinsman, and of a man by you advanced, Tu idem fer opem, qui spem dedisti: for, I am sure, it was not possible for a man living to have received from another more significant and comfortable words of hope; your lordship being pleased to tell me, during the course of my last service, that you would raise me; and that when you had resolved to raise a man, you were more careful of him than himself; and that what you had done for me in my marriage, was a benefit to me, but of no use to your lordship; and therefore I might assure myself, you would not leave me there; with many like speeches, which I know my duty too well, to take any other hold of than the hold of a thankful remembrance. And I acknowledge; and all the world knoweth, that your lordship is no dealer of holy water, but noble and real; and, on my part, I am of a sure ground, that I have committed nothing that may deserve alteration. And therefore my hope is, your lordship will finish a good work, and consider, that time groweth precious with me, that I am now in vergentibus annis. And although I know that your fortune is not to need an hundred such as I am, yet I shall be ever ready to give you my first and best fruits; and to supply, as much as in me lieth, worthiness by thankfulness.

Rawley's LXXXVIII. To the Lord Chancellor, concern

Resuscitatio, us:

only ing the solicitor's place. O

It may please your good Lordship,

As I conceived it to be a resolution, both with his majesty, and among your lordships of his council, that I should be placed solicitor, and the solicitor to be remoyed to be the king's serjeant: so I most thankfully acknowledge your lordship's furtherance and forwardness therein; your lordship being the man that first devised the mean: wherefore my humble request to your lordship is, that you would set in with some strength to finish this your work; which, I assure your lordship, I desire the rather, because being placed, I hope for many favours at last to be able to do you some better service. For as I am, your lordship cannot use me; nor scarcely indeed know me. Not that I vainly think, I shall be able to do any great matters, but certainly it will frame me to use a more industrious observance and application to such, as I honour so much as I do your lordship; and not, I hope, without some good offices, which may now and then deserve your thanks. And herewithal, good my lord, I humbly pray your lordship to consider, that time groweth precious with me, and that a married man is seven years elder in his thoughts the first day and therefore what a discomfortable thing is it for me to be unsettled still? Certainly, were it not that I think myself born to do my sovereign service, and therefore in that station I will live and die; otherwise for mine own private comfort, it were better for me that the king should blot me out of his book; or that I should turn my course to endeavour to serve in some other kind, than for me to stand thus at a stop; and to have that little reputation, which by my industry I gather, to be scattered and taken away by continual disgraces, every new man coming above me. Sure I am, I shall never have fairer promises and words from all your lordships. For I know not what my services are, saving that your lordships told me they were good, and I would believe you

in a much greater matter. Were it nothing else, I
hope the modesty of my suit deserveth somewhat; for
I know well the solicitor's place is not as your lordship
'left it; time working alteration, somewhat in the pro-
fession, much more in that special place. And were it
not to satisfy my wife's friends, and to get myself out
of being gaze and a speech, I protest before
a common
God I would never speak word for it. But to conclude,

some mean to

as my honourable lady your wife was
make me to change the name of another; so if it please
you to help me to change mine own name, I can be
but more and more bounden to you: and I am much
deceived, if your lordship find not the king well inclin-
éd, and my lord of Salisbury forward and affectionate.
1971606.

my

in

From an

LXXXIX. To my Lady PACKINGTON, il old copy of answer to a message by her sent.

Madam,

You shall with right good will be made acquainted with any thing that concerneth your daughters, if you bear a mind of love and concord: otherwise you must be content to be a stranger unto us: for I may not be so unwise as to suffer you to be an author or occasion of dissension between your daughters and their husbands, having seen so much misery of that 'kind in yourself.

Sir Francis

Bacon's

letters.

And above all things I will turn back your kindness, in which you say, you will receive my wife if she be cast off: for it is much more likely we have occasion to receive you being cast off, if you remember what is passed. But it is time to make an end of those follies and you shall at this time pardon me this one fault of writing to you; for I mean to do it no more till you use me and respect me as you ought. So wishing you better than it seemeth you will draw upon yourself, I rest,

Yours,

FR. BACON.

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Rawley's XC. To the KING, touching the solicitor's

Resuscita tio.

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place.

How honestly ready I have been, most gracious sovereign, to do your majesty humble service, to the best of my power, and in a manner beyond my power, as I now stand, I am not so unfortunate but your majesty knoweth. For both in the commission of union, the labour whereof, for men of my profession, rested most upon my hand, and this last parliament, in the bill of the subsidy, both body and preamble; in the bill of attainders, both Tresham and the rest; in the matter of purveyance; in the ecclesiastical peti, tions; in the grievances; and the like; as I was ever careful, and not without good success, sometimes to put forward that which was good, sometimes to keep back that which was not so good; so your majesty was pleased kindly to accept of my services, and to say to me, such conflicts were the wars of peace, and such victories the victories of peace; and therefore such servants that obtained them were by kings, that reign in peace, no less to be esteemed, than services of commanders in the wars. In all which nevertheless I can challenge to myself no sufficiency, but that I was diligent and reasonably happy to execute those directions, which I received either immediately from your royal mouth, or from my lord of Salisbury: at which time it pleased your majesty also to promise and assure me, that upon the remove of the then attorney I should not be forgotten, but brought into ordinary place. And this was after confirmed to me, by many of my lords, and towards the end of the last term, the manner also in particular was spoken of; that is, that Mr. Solicitor should be made your majesty's serjeant, and I solicitor; for so it was thought best to sort with both our gifts and faculties for the good of your service; and of this resolution both court and country took knowledge. Neither was this any invention or project of mine own; but moved from my lords, and I think first from my lord Chancellor; whereupon resting, your majesty well knoweth

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