sake might not have been levied upon the poorer sort, though otherwise I wished it as rising as I think this will prove, or more. This was my mind, I confess it: and therefore I most humbly pray your lordship, first, to continue me in your own good opinion, and then, to perform the part of an honourable good friend, towards your poor servant and ally, in drawing her majesty to accept of the sincerity and simplicity of my zeal, and to hold me in her majesty's favour, which is to me dearer than my life, and so, etc. Your Lordship's most humble in all duty, FR. BACON. Sir Francis Bacon to the Earl of Northampton. [This letter is a transcript of the one to the Earl of Nor thumberland at page 24, except that in this the words "by my head, tongue, pen, means, or friends," are omitted.] A Letter to Mr. Matthew, upon sending his book De Sapientia Veterum. Mr. Matthew, I do very heartily thank you for your letter of the 24th of August, from Salamanca; and in recompence thereof, I send you a little work of mine, that hath begun to pass the world. They tell me my Latin is turn'd into silver, and become current. Had you been here you had been my inquisitor, before it came forth. But I think the greatest inquisitor in Spain will allow it. But one thing you must pardon me, if I make no haste to believe, that the world should be grown to such an extasy, as to reject truth in philosophy, because the author dissenteth in religion; no more than they do by Aristotle, or Averrois. My great work goeth forward, and after my manner, I alter even when I add so that nothing is finished till all be finished. This I have written in the midst of a term and parliament, thinking no time so precious, but that I should talk of these matters with so good and dear a friend. And so, with my wonted wishes, I leave you to God's goodness. From Gray's Inn, Febr. 17, 1610. A Letter to the King, touching matter of Revenue and Profit. It may please your Majesty, I may remember what Tacitus saith, by occasion that Tiberius was often and long absent from Rome, “in Urbe, et parva et magna negotia imperatorem simul premunt." But saith he, "in Recessu, dimissis rebus minoris momenti, summæ rerum magnarum magis agitantur." This maketh me think, it shall be no incivility to trouble your majesty with business, during your abode from London, knowing your majesty's meditations are the principal wheel of your estate, and being warranted by a former commandment, which I received from you. I do now only send your majesty these papers inclosed because I greatly desire so far forth to preserve my credit with you, as thus: that whereas lately (perhaps out of too much desire, which induceth too much belief,) I was bold to say, that I thought it as easy for your majesty to come out of want, as to go forth of your gallery, your majesty would not take me for a dreamer, or a projector. I send your majesty therefore some grounds of my hopes. And for that paper which I have gathered of increasements "sperate:" I beseech you to give me leave to think, that if any of the particulars do fail, it will be rather for want of workmanship in those that shall deal in them, than want of materials in the things themselves. The other paper hath many discarding cards; and I send it chiefly, that your majesty may be the less surprised by projectors, who pre tend sometimes great discoveries and inventions, in things that have been propounded and perhaps after a better fashion, long since. God Almighty preserve your majesty. Your Majesty's most humble and April 25, 1610. devoted servant and subject. A Letter to the King, touching the Lord Chancellor's place. It may please your most excellent Majesty, Your worthy chancellor, I fear, goeth his last day. God hath hitherto used to weed out such servants as grew not fit for your majesty, but now he hath gathered to himself a true sage or salvia out of your garden; but your majesty's service must not be mortal. Upon this heavy accident, I pray your majesty, in all humbleness and sincerity, to give me leave to use a few words. I must never forget, when I moved your majesty for the attorney's place, it was your own sole act; more than that Somerset when he knew your majesty had resolved it, thrust himself into the business, for a fee. And therefore I have no reason to pray to saints. I shall now again make obligation to your majesty, first, of my heart, then, of my service, thirdly, of my place of attorney, which I think is honestly worth £6000 per annum, and fourthly, of my place of the Star-chamber, which is worth £1600 per annum; and with the favour and countenance of a chancellor, much more. I hope I may be acquitted of presumption, if I think of it, both because my father had the place, which is some civil inducements to my desire: and I pray God your majesty may have twenty no worse years in your greatness, than Queen Elizabeth had in her model, (after my father's placing,) and chiefly, because, if the chancellor's place went to the law, it was ever conferred upon some of the learned counsel and never upon a judge. For Audley was raised from king's serjeant, my father from attorney of the wars, Bromley from solicitor, Puckering from serjeant, Egerton from master of the rolls, having newly left the attorney's place. Now I beseech your majesty, let me put you the present case, truly. If you take my Lord Coke, this will follow; first, your majesty, shall put an over-ruling nature into an over-ruling place, which may breed an extreme: next, you shall blunt his industries in matter of finances, which seemeth to aim at another place. And lastly, popular men are no sure mounters for your majesty's saddle. If you take my Lord Hubbard, you shall have a judge at the upper end of your council-board, and another at the lower end: whereby your majesty will find your prerogative pent. For though there should be emulation between them, yet as legists they will agree, in magnifying that wherein they are best, he is no statesman, but an economist, wholly for himself. So as your majesty, (more than an outward form) will find little help in him, for the business. If you take my lord of Canterbury, I will say no more, but the chancellor's place requires a whole man. And to have both jurisdictions, spiritual and temporal, in that height, is fit but for a king. For myself, I can only present your majesty with "gloria in obsequio:" yet I dare promise, that if I sit in that place, your business shall not make such short turns upon you, as it doth; but when a direction is once given, it shall be pursued and performed; and your majesty shall only be troubled with the true care of a king, which is to think what you would have done in chief, and not how, for the passages. I do presume also, in respect of my father's memory, and that I have been always gracious in the lower house, I have interest in the gentlemen of England, and shall be able to do some good effect, in rectifying that body of parliament men, which is "Cardo rerum." For let me tell your majesty, that that part of the chancellor's place which is to judge in equity, between party and party, that same "Regnum judiciale" (which since my father's time is but too much enlarged) concerneth your majesty least, more than the acquitting your conscience for justice. But it is the other parts of a moderator, amongst your council, of an overseer over your judges, of a planter of fit justices, and governors in the country, that importeth your affairs in these times most. I will add also, that I hope by my care, the inventive part of your council will be strengthened, who now commonly, do exercise rather their judgments, than their inventions and the inventive part cometh from projectors, and private men, which cannot be so well; in which kind, my lord of Salisbury had a good method, if his ends had been upright. To conclude, if I were the man I would be, I should hope, that as your majesty hath of late won hearts by depressing; you should in this leese no hearts by advancing. For I see your people can better skill of "Concretum" than "Abstractum," and that the waves of their affections flow rather after persons than things. So that acts of this nature. (if this were one) do more good than twenty bills of grace. If God call my lord, the warrants and commissions which are requisite for the taking the seal, and for the working with it, and for the reviving of warrants under his hand, which die with him, and the like, shall be in readiness. And in this time presseth more, because it is the end of a term, and almost the beginning of the circuits: so that the seal cannot stand still. But this may be done, as heretofore, by commission, till your majesty hath resolved of an officer. God ever preserve your majesty. Febr. 12. VOL. XI. Your Majesty's most humble subject, D |