Thus your lordship may perceive how assured a persuasion I have of your love towards me, and care of me; which hath made me so freely to communicate of my poor state with your lordship, as I could have done to my honourable father, if he had lived: which I most humbly pray your lordship may be private to yourself, to whom I commit it to be used to such purpose as, in your wisdom and honourable love and favour, should seem good. And so, humbly craving your pardon, I commend your lordship to the divine preservation. At your lordship's honourable commandment humbly and particularly. between his lordship and me, he may have received both of your lordship's high love and good opinion towards his lordship, verified in many and singular offices, whereof now the realm, rather than himself, is like to reap the fruit; and also of your singular affection towards me, as a man chosen by you to set forth the excellency of your nature and mind, though with some error of your judgment. Hereof if it may please your lordship to take knowledge to my lord, according to the style of your wonted kindness, your lordship shall do me great contentment. My lord told me he had written to your lordship, and wished with great affection he had been so lucky as to have had two hours' talk with you upon those occasions, which have since fallen out. So, wishing that God may conduct you by the hand pace by pace, I commend you and your actions to his divine providence. Your lordship's ever deepliest bounden, FR. BACON. May 10, 1596. THE EARL OF ESSEX TO MR. FRANCIS BACON.* MR. FRANCIS BACON TO THE EARL OF ESSEX,* AGAINST CADIZ. MY SINGULAR GOOD LORD, I see where the number is great, compounded of I have no other argument to write on to your good lordship, but upon demonstration of my deepest and most bounden duty, in fulness whereof I mourn for your lordship's absence, though I mitigate it as much as I can with the hope of your happy success, the greatest part whereof, be it never so great, will be the safety of your most honourable person; for the which in the first place, and then for the prosperity of your enterprise, I frequently pray. And as in so great discomfort it hath pleased God someways to regard my desolateness, by raising me so great and so worthy a friend in your absence, as the new placed lord keeper, in whose placing as it hath pleased God to establish mightily one of the chief pillars of this estate, that is, the justice of the land, which began to shake and sink, and for that purpose no doubt gave her majesty strength of heart of herself to do that in six days, which the deepest judgment thought would be the work of many months; so, for my particular, I do find in an extraordinary manner, that his lordship doth succeed my father almost in his fatherly care of me, and love towards me, as much as he pro- MR. FRANCIS BACON TO HIS BROTHER ANTONY.+ fesseth to follow him in his honourable and sound courses of justice and estate; of which so GOOD BROTHER,-Yesternight Sir John Forspecial favour, the open and apparent reason I tescut told me he had not many hours before can ascribe to nothing more than the impression, imparted to the queen your advertisements, and which, upon many conferences of long time used Your true friend, Plymouth, this 17th of May, 1596. ESSEX. * Among the papers of Antony Bacon, Esq., vol. xi. fol. 139, in the Lambeth Library. Ibid. fol. 29. Chancellor of the Exchequer. $ 2 the gazette likewise; which the queen caused Mr. John Stanhope* to read all over unto her; and her majesty conceiveth they be not vulgar. The advertisements her majesty made estimation of as concurring with other advertisements, and alike concurring also with her opinion of the affairs. So he willed me to return you the queen's thanks. Other particular of any speech from her majesty of yourself he did not relate to me. For my Lord of Essex's and your letters, he said, he was ready and desirous to do his best. But I seemed to make it but a love-wish, and passed presently from it, the rather, because it was late in the night, and I mean to deal with him at some better leisure after another manner, as you shall hereafter understand from me. I do find in the speech of some ladies and the very face of the court some addition of reputation, as methinks to us both; and I doubt not but God hath an operation in it, that will not suffer good endeavours to perish. The queen saluted me to-day as she went to chapel. I had long speech with Sir Robert Cecil this morning, who seemed apt to discourse with me; yet of yourself, ne verbum quidem, not so much as a quomodo valet? This I write to you in haste, aliud ex alio, I pray set in a course of acquainting my lord keeper what passeth, at first by me, and after from yourself. I am more and more bound to him. Thus, wishing you good health, I recommend you to God's happy preservation. Your entire loving brother, From the court, this 30th of May, [1596.] to her majesty but increase of virtue, but rather to your own misfortune or errors. Wherein, nevertheless, if it were only question of your own endurances, though any strength never so good may be oppressed, yet you think you should have suffocated them, as you had often done, to the impairing of your health, and weighing down of your mind. But that which, indeed, toucheth the quick is, that whereas you accounted it the choice fruit of yourself to be a contentment and entertainment to her majesty's mind, you found many times to the contrary, that you were rather a disquiet to her, and a distaste. Again, whereas, in the course of her service, though you confess the weakness of your own judgment, yet true zeal, not misled with any mercenary nor glorious respect, made you light sometimes upon the best and soundest counsels; you had reason to fear, that the distaste particular against yourself made her majesty farther off from accepting any of them from such a hand. So as you seemed, to your deep discomfort, to trouble her majesty's mind, and to foil her business; inconveniences, which, if you be minded as you ought, thankfulness should teach you to redeem, with stepping down, nay, throwing yourself down, from your own fortune. In which intricate case, finding no end of this former course, and, therefore, desirous to find the beginning of a new, you have not whither to resort, but unto the oracle of her majesty's direction. For though the true introduction ad tempora meliora, be by an amnestia of that which is past, except it be in the sense, that the verse speaketh, Olim hæc meminisse juvabit, when tempests past are remembered in the calm; and that you do not doubt of her majesty's goodness in pardoning and obliterating any of your errors and mistakings heretofore; refreshing the memory and contemplations of your poor services, or any thing that hath been grateful to her majesty from you; yea, and somewhat of your sufferings, so, though that be, yet you may THAT you desire her majesty to believe id, quod res ipsa loquitur, that it is not conscience to your-be to seek for the time to come. For as you have self of any advantage her majesty hath towards you, otherwise than the general and infinite advantage of a queen and a mistress; nor any drift or device to win her majesty to any point or particular, that moveth you to send her these lines of your own mind: but first, and principally, gratitude; next a natural desire of, you will not say, the tedious remembrance, for you can hold nothing tedious that hath been derived from her majesty, but the troubled and pensive remembrance of that which is past, of enjoying better times with her majesty, such as others have had, and that you have wanted. You cannot impute the difference to the continuance of time, which addeth nothing determined your hope in a good hour not willingly to offend her majesty, either in matter of court or state, but to depend absolutely upon her will and pleasure, so you do more doubt and mistrust your wit and insight in finding her majesty's mind, than your conformities and submission in obeying it; the rather because you cannot but nourish a doubt in your breast, that her majesty, as princes' hearts are inscrutable, hath many times towards you aliud in ore, et aliud in corde. So that you, that take her secundum literam, go many times farther out of your way. Therefore, your most humble suit to her majesty is, that she will vouchsafe you that approach to her heart and bosom, et ad scrinium pectoris, plainly, for as much as concerneth yourself, to open and expound her mind towards you, suffering you to see clear what may have bred any dislike in her majesty; and in what points | own dedication doth to learning itself. And, she would have you reform yourself; and how therefore, you have no need to doubt, but I will she would be served by you. Which done, you do assure her majesty, she shall be both at the beginning and the ending of all that you do, of that regard, as you may presume to impart to her majesty. And so that, hoping that this may be an occasion of some farther serenity from her majesty towards you, you refer the rest to your actions, which may verify what you have written; as that you have written may interpret your actions, and the course you shall hereafter take. Endorsed by Mr. Francis Bacon, A letter framed for my Lord of Essex to the queen. emulate, as much as in me is, towards you the Your most loving and assured friend, TO SIR JOHN DAVIS, HIS MAJESTY'S ATTORNEY- OF TRINITY COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE.* AFTER my hearty commendations, I having heard of you, as a man well deserving, and of able gifts to become profitable in the church, and there being fallen within my gift the rectory of Frome St. Quintin, with the chapel of Evershot, in Dorsetshire, which seems to be a thing of good value, eighteen pounds in the king's books, and in a good country, I have thought good to make offer of it to you; the rather for that you are of Trinity College, whereof myself was some time: and my purpose is to make choice of men rather by care and inquiry, than by their own suits and commendatory letters. So I bid you farewell. From your loving friend, MR. ATTORNEY,-I thank you for your letter, LORD KEEPER BACON TO MR. MAXEY, FELLOW and the discourse you sent of this new accident, as things then appeared. I see manifestly the beginning of better or worse: but methinketh it is first a tender of the better, and worse followeth but upon refusal or default. I would have been glad to see you here; but I hope occasion reserveth our meeting for a vacation, when we may have more fruit of conference. To requite your proclamation, which, in my judgment, is wisely and seriously penned, I send you another with us, which happened to be in my hands when yours came. I would be glad to hear often from you, and to be advertised how things pass, whereby to have some occasion to think some good thoughts; though I can do little. At the least it will be a continuance in exercise of our friendship, which on my part remaineth increased by that I hear of your service, and the good respects I find towards myself. And so, in Tormour's haste, I continue Your very loving friend, From Gray's Inn, this 23d of October, 1607. TO THE REVEREND UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD.† AMONGST the gratulations I have received, none are more welcome and agreeable to me than your letters, wherein, the less I acknowledge of those attributes you give me, the more I must acknowledge of your affection, which bindeth me no less to you, that are professors of learning, than my From the MS. collections of Robert Stephens, Esq., deceased. + From the collections of the late Robert Stephens, Esq., Historiographer Royal, and John Locker, Esq., now in possession of the editor. From Dorset House, April 23, 1617. FR. BACON, C. S. TO THE LORD KEEPER BACON.† MY LORD,-If your man had been addressed only to me, I should have been careful to have procured him a more speedy despatch: but now you have found another way of address, I am excused; and since you are grown weary of employing me, I can be no otherwise in being employed. In this business of my brother's, that you overtrouble yourself with, I understand from London, by some of my friends, that you have carried yourself with much scorn and neglect both toward myself and friends; which, if it prove true, I blame not you, but myself, who was ever Your lordship's assured friend, G. BUCKINGHAM. [July, 1617.] From the collections of the late Robert Stephens, Esq. + Ibid. TO HENRY CARY, LORD VISCOUNT FALKLAND * MY VERY GOOD LORD, Your lordship's letter was the best letter I received this good while, except the last kind letter from my lord of Buckingham, which this confirmeth. It is the best accident, one of them, amongst men, when they hap to be obliged to those whom naturally and personally they love, as I ever did your lordship; in troth not many between my lord marquis and yourself; so that the sparks of my affection shall ever rest quick, under the ashes of my fortune, to do you service: and wishing to your fortune and family all good. Your lordship's most affectionate, and much obliged, &c. I pray your lordship to present my humble service and thanks to my lord marquis, to whom, when I have a little paused, I purpose to write; as likewise to his majesty, for whose health and happiness, as his true beadsman, I most frequently pray. Endorsed, your advantage; and if you can think of any thing to instruct my affection and industry, your lordship may have the more quick and handsome proof of my sure and real intentions to serve you, being indeed your lordship's affectionate servant, ED. CONWAY. Royston, March 27, 1623. The five following letters, wanting both date and circumstances to determine such dates, are placed here together. TO THE LORD TREASURER.* IT MAY PLEASE YOUR HONOURABLE LORDSHIP, I account myself much bound to your lordship for your favour shown to Mr. Higgins upon my commendations about Pawlet's wardship; the effect of which your lordship's favour, though it hath been intercepted by my lord deputy's suit, yet the signification remains: and I must in all March 11-Copy of my answer to Lord Falkland. reason consent and acknowledge, that your lord ship had as just and good cause to satisfy my lord deputy's request, as I did think it unlikely, that my lord would have been suitor for so mean a SECRETARY CONWAY TO THE LORD VISCOUNT matter. RIGHT HONOURable, I do so well remember the motives, why I presented you so with my humble service, and particular application of it to your particular use, as I neither forget nor repent the offer. And I must confess a greater quickening could not have been added to my resolution to serve you, than the challenge you lay to my duty, to follow, in his absence, the affection of your most noble and hearty friend the marquis. I lost no time to deliver your letter, and to contribute the most advantageous arguments I could. It seems your motion had been more than enough, if a former engagement to Sir William Becher upon the marquis his score had not opposed it. I will give you his majesty's answer, which was, That he could not value you so little, or conceive you would have humbled your desires and your worth so low. That it had been a great deal of ease to him to have had such a scantling of your mind, to which he could never have laid so unequal a measure. His majesty adding further, that since your intentions moved that way, he would study your accommodation. And it is not out of hope, but that he may give some other contentment to Sir William Becher in due time, to accommodate your lordship, of whom, to your comfort, it is my duty to tell you, his majesty declared a good opinion, and princely care and respect. I will not fail to use time and opportunity to * Appointed Lord Deputy of Ireland, September 8, 1622. † From the collections of Robert Stephens, Esq., deceased. So this being to none other end but to give your lordship humble thanks for your intended favour, I commend your lordship to the preservation of the divine majesty. From Gray's Inn. TO SIR FRANCIS VERE.† SIR-I am to recommend to your favour one Mr. John Ashe, as to serve under you, as agent of your company whose desire how much I do affect, you may perceive if it be but in this, that myself being no further interested in you, by acquaintance or deserving, yet have intruded myself into this commendation: which, if it shall take place, I shall by so much the more find cause to take it kindly, by how much I find less cause in myself to take upon me the part of a mover or commender towards you, whom, nevertheless, I will not so far estrange myself from, but that in a general or mutual respect, incident to persons of our qualities and service, and not without particular inducements of friendship, I might, without breaking decorum, offer to you a request of this nature, the rather honouring you so much for your virtues, I would gladly take occasion to be beholden to you; yet no more gladly than to have occasion to do you any good office. And so, this being to no other end, I commend you to God's goodness. From my chamber at the * From the original draught in the library of Queen's College, Oxford. Arch. D. 2. + Id. ib. TO MR. CAWFEILDE.* SIR,-I made full account to have seen you here this reading, but your neither coming nor sending the interr., as you undertook, I may perceivet of a wonder. And you know super mirari caperunt philosophari. The redemption of both these consisteth in the vouchsafing of your coming up now, as soon as you conveniently can; for now is the time of conference and counsel. Besides, if the course of the court be held super interrogat. judicis, then must the interr. be ready ere the commission be sealed; and if the commission proceed not forthwith, then will it be caught hold of for further delay. I will not, by way of admittance, desire you to send, with all speed, the interr., because I presume much of your coming, which I hold necessary; and, accordingly, pro more amicitiæ, I desire you earnestly to have regard both of the matter itself, and my so conceiving. And so, &c. Your friend particularly. TO MR. TOBIE MATTHEW. GOOD MR. MATTHEW, The event of the business whereof you write, is, it may be, for the best: for seeing my lord, of himself, beginneth to come about, quorsum as yet? I could not in my heart suffer my Lord Digby to go hence without my thanks and acknowledgments. I send my letter open, which I pray seal and deliver. Particulars I would not touch. Your most affectionate and assured friend, FR. ST. ALBAN. TO MY LORD MONTJOYE.‡ MY VERY GOOD Lord, Finding, by my last going to my lodge at Twickenham, and tossing over my papers, somewhat that I thought might like you, I had neither leisure to perfect them, nor the patience to expect leisure; so desirous I was to make demonstration of my honour and love towards you, and to increase your good love towards me. And I would not have your lordship conceive, though it be my manner and rule to keep state in contemplative matters, si quis venerit nomine suo, eum recipielis, that I think so well of the collection as I seem to do: and yet I dare not take too much from it, because I have chosen to dedicate it to you. To be short, it is the honour I can do to you at this time. And so I commend me to your love and honourable friendship. * From the original draught in the library of Queen's Col lege, Oxford. Arch. D. 2. + Query whether perceive. TO THE LORD CHANCELLOR, AND THE LORD MANDEVILLE, LORD TREASURER OF ENGLAND.* MY HONOURABLE Lords, His majesty is pleased, according to your lordships' certificate, to rely upon your judgments, and hath made choice of Sir Robert Lloyd, knight, to be patentee and master of the office of engrossing the transcripts of all wills and inventories in the prerogative courts, during his highness's pleasure, and to be accountable unto his majesty for such profits as shall arise out of the same office. And his majesty's farther pleasure is, that your lordship forthwith proportion and set down, as well a reasonable rate of fees for the subject to pay for engrossing the said transcripts, as also such fees as your lordship shall conceive fit to be allowed to the said patentee for the charge of clerks and ministers for execution of the said office. And to this effect his majesty hath commanded me to signify his pleasure to his solicitorgeneral, to prepare a book for his majesty's signature. And so, I bid your lordship heartily well to fare, and remain Your lordships' very loving friend, Royston, December 17, 1620. TO THE REV. UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD.‡ AMONGST the gratulations I have received, none are more welcome and agreeable to me than your letters, wherein, the less I acknowledge of those attributes you give me, the more I must acknowledge of your affection, which bindeth me no less to you, that are professors of learning, than mine own dedication doth to learning itself. And, therefore, you have no need to doubt, but I will emulate (as much as in me is) towards you the merits of him that is gone, by how much the more I take myself to have more propriety in the And, for the equality principal motive thereof. you write of, I shall, by the grace of God, (as far as may concern me,) hold the balance as equally between the two universities, as I shall hold the balance of other justice between party and party. And yet, in both cases, I must meet with some inclinations of affection, which, nevertheless, shall not carry me aside. And so, I commend you to God's goodness. Your most loving and assured friend, Gorhambury, April 12, 1617. *Harl. MSS. vol. 7000. † Sir Thomas Coventry. This and the following letter are from the collections of the late Robert Stephens, Esq., historiographer royal, and From the original draught in the library of Queen's Col- John Locker, Esq., deceased, now in possession of the lege, Oxford. Arch. D. 2. editor. |