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Harl. MSS.

Vol. 6997.
No. 47.

XXX. To the right honourable the Lord
Keeper, etc.

IN

My Lord,

my last conference with your lordship, I did intreat you both to forbear hurting of Mr. Fr. Bacon's cause, and to suspend your judgment of his mind towards your lordship, till I had spoken with him. I went since that time to Twicknam-park to confer with him, and had signified the effect of our conference by letter ere this, if I had not hoped to have met with your lordship, and so to have delivered it by speech. I told your lordship when I last saw you, that this manner of his was only a natural freedom, and plainness, which he had used with me, and in my knowledge with some other of his best friends, than any want of reverence towards your lordship; and therefore I was more curious to look into the moving cause of his stile, than into the form of it: which now I find to be only a diffidence of your lordship's favour and love towards him, and no alienation of that dutiful mind which he hath borne towards your lordship. And therefore I am fully persuaded, that if your lordship would please to send for him, there would grow so good satisfaction, as hereafter he should enjoy your lordship's honourable favour, in as great a measure as ever, and your lordship have the use of his service, who, I assure your lordship, is as strong in his kindness, as you find him in his jealousy. I will use no argument to persuade your lordship, that I should be glad of his being restored to your lordship's wonted favour; since your lordship both knoweth how much my credit is engaged in his fortune, and may easily judge how sorry I should be, that a gentleman whom I love so much, should lack the favour of a person whom I honour so much. And thus commending your lordship to God's best protection, I rest, Your Lordship's very assured,

Indorsed: 31 August, 95. My lord of Essex
to have me send for Mr. Bacon, for he will
satisfy me. In my Lord Keeper's own hand.

ESSEX.

XXXI. To the right honourable the Lord Harl. MSS. Keeper, etc.

My very good Lord,

THE want of assistance from them which should be Mr. Fr. Bacon's friends, makes [me] the more industrious myself, and the more earnest in soliciting mine own friends. Upon me the labour must lie of his establishment, and upon me the disgrace will light of his being refused. Therefore I pray your lordship, now account me not as a solicitor only of my friend's cause, but as a party interested in this: and employ all your lordship's favour to me, or strength for me, in procuring a short and speedy end. For though I know, it will never be carried any other way, yet I hold both my friend and myself disgraced by this protraction. More I would write, but that I know to so honourable and kind a friend, this which I have said is enough. And so I commend your lordship to God's best protection, resting,

[No date.]

At your Lordship's commandment,

ESSEX.

Vol. 6997.
No. 106.

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XXXII. To my Lord of ESSEX, from Mr. Rawley's BACON, October 4, 1596.

My singular good Lord,

I WILL no longer dissever part of that, which I meant to have said to your lordship at Barn-Elms, from the exordium which I then made; whereunto I will only add this, that I humbly desire your lordship, before you give access to my poor advice, to look about, even jealously a little if you will, and to consider; first, whether I have not reason to think, that your fortune comprehended mine? Next, whether I shift my counsel, and do not constare mihi? for I am persuaded, there are some would give you the same counsel now which I shall, but that they should derogate from that which they have said heretofore. Thirdly, whether you have taken hurt, at any time, by my careful and devoted counsel; for although I re

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member well your lordship once told me, that you having submitted upon my well-meant motion at Nonsuch, the place where you renewed a treaty with her majesty of obsequious kindness, she had taken advantage of it; yet I suppose, you do since believe, that it did much attemper a cold malignant humour then growing upon her majesty toward your lordship, and hath done you good in consequence. And for my being against it, now lately that you should not estrange yourself, although I give place to none in true gratulation; yet neither do I repent me of safe counsel: neither do I judge of the whole play by the first act. But whether I counsel you the best, or for the best, duty bindeth me to offer to you my wishes. I said to your lordship last time, Martha, Martha, attendis ad plurima, unum sufficit; win the queen: if this be not the beginning of any other course, I see no end. And I will not now speak of favour of affection, but of other correspondence and agreeableness; which, whensoever it shall be conjoined with the other of affection, I durst wager my life, let them make what prosopopeias they will of her majesty's nature, that in you she will come to the question of Quid fiet homini, quem rex vult honorare? But how is it now? A man of a nature not to be ruled, that hath the advantage of my affection, and knoweth it; of an estate not grounded to his greatness; of a popular reputation; of a military dependence. I demand, whether there can be a more dangerous image than this, represented to any monarch living, much more to a lady, and of her majesty's apprehension? And is it not more evident than demonstration itself, that whilst this impression continueth in her majesty's breath, you can find no other condition, than inventions to keep your estate bare and low; crossing and disgracing your actions; extenuating and blasting of your merit; carping with contempt at your nature and fashions; breeding, nourishing, and fortifying such instruments as are most factious against you; repulses and scorns of your friends, and dependents that are true and stedfast; winning and inveigling away from you such as are flex

ible and wavering; thrusting you into odious employments and offices to supplant your reputation; abusing you and feeding you with dalliances and demonstrations, to divert you from descending into the serious consideration of your own case; yea, and percase venturing you in perilous and desperate enterprises. Herein it may please your lordship to understand me; for I mean nothing less, than that these things should be plotted and intended as in her majesty's royal mind towards you: I know the excellency of her nature too well. But I say, wheresoever the formerly-described impression is taken in any king's breast towards a subject, these other recited inconveniences must, of necessity of politic consequence, follow; in respect of such instruments as are never failing about princes: which spy into their humours and conceits, and second them and not only second them, but in seconding increase them; yea, and many times, without their knowledge, pursue them farther than themselves would. Your lordship will ask the question, wherewith the Athenians were wont to interrupt their orators, when they exaggerated their dangers: Quid igitur agendum est?

I will tell your lordship quæ mihi nunc in mentem veniunt; supposing nevertheless, that yourself, out of your own wisdom upon the case, with this plainness and liberty represented to you, will find out better expedients and remedies. I wish a cure applied to every of the five former impressions, which I will take not in order, but as I think they are of weight.

For the removing the impression of your nature to be opiniastre and not rulable: first and above all things I wish, that all matters past, which cannot be revoked, your lordship would turn altogether upon insatisfaction, and not upon your nature or proper disposition. This string you cannot upon every apt occasion harp upon too much. Next, whereas I have noted you to fly and avoid, in some respect justly, the resemblance or imitation of my lord of Leicester, and my lord chancellor Hatton; yet I am persuaded, howsoever I wish your lordship as distant as you are from them in points of favour, integrity,

magnanimity, and merit, that it will do you much good between the queen and you, to allege them, as oft as you find occasion, for authors and patterns: for I do not know a readier mean to make her majesty think you are in your right way. Thirdly, when at any time your lordship upon occasion happen in speeches to do her majesty right, for there is no such matter as flattery amongst you all, I fear you handle it magis in speciem adornatis verbis, quam ut sentire videaris. So that a man may read formality in your countenance; whereas your lordship should do it familiarly, et oratione fida. Fourthly, your lordship should never be without some particulars afoot, which you should seem to pursue with earnestness and affection; and then let them fall, upon taking knowledge of her majesty's opposition and dislike. Of which, the weightiest sort may be, if your lordship offer to labour, in the behalf of some that you favour, for some of the places now void; choosing such a subject as you think her majesty is like to oppose unto: and if you will say that this is conjunctum cum aliena injuria, I will not answer, Hæc non aliter constabunt; but I say, commendation from so good a mouth doth not hurt a man, though you prevail not. A less weighty sort of particulars may be the pretence of some journeys, which at her majesty's request your lordship might relinquish: as if you would pretend a journey to see your living and estate towards Wales, or the like: for as for great foreign journeys of employment and service, it standeth not with your gravity to play or stratagem with them. And the lightest sort of particulars, which yet are not to be neglected, are in your habits, apparel, wearings, gestures, and the like.

The impression of greatest prejudice next, is that of a military dependence: wherein I cannot sufficiently wonder at your lordship's course, that you say, the wars are your occupation, and go on in that course : whereas, if I might have advised your lordship, you should have left that person at Plymouth, more than when in counsel, or in commending fit persons for service for wars, where it had been in season. And here,

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