The subcommissioners meet forenoon and afternoon with great diligence, and without distraction or running several ways; which if it be no more than necessary, what would less have done? that is, if there had been no subcommissioners, or they not well chosen. I speak with Sir Lionel Cranfield as cause requireth either for account or direction, and as far as I can, by the taste I have from him, discern, probably their service will attain, and may exceed his majesty's expectation. I do well like the course they take, which is, in every kind to set down, as in beer, in wine, in beef, in muttons, in corn, &c. what cometh to the King's use, and then what is spent, and lastly what may be saved. This way, though it be not so accusative, yet it is demonstrative. Nam rectum est index sui et obliqui, and the false manner of accounting, and where the gain cleaveth will appear after by consequence. I humbly pray his majesty to pardon me for troubling him with these imperfect glances, which I do, both because I know his majesty thinketh long to understand somewhat, and lest his majesty should conceive, that he multiplying honours and favours upon me, I should not also increase and redouble my endeavours and cares for his service. God ever bless, preserve, and prosper his majesty and your lordship, to whom I ever remain Your true and most devoted Servant, FR. BACON, C. S. Jan. 16, 1617. To the Right Honourable the Lord Keeper, &c.* It may please your good Lordship, Not able to attend your lordship myself before your going to the court, by reason of an ague, which offered me a fit on Wednesday morning, but since, by abstinence, I thank God, I have starved it, so as now he hath turned his back, I am chasing him away with a little physic, I thought good to write these few words to your lordship; partly to signify my excuse, if need be, that I assisted not Mr. Attorney on Thursday last in the Star Chamber, at which time, it is some comfort to me, that I hear by relation somewhat was generally taken hold of by the court which I formerly had opened and moved; and partly to express a little my con Harl. MSS. vol. 6997. No. 18. ceit touching the news which your lordship last told me from the queen, concerning a condition in law knit to an interest, which your lordship remembereth, and is supposed to be broken by misfeyance. Wherein surely my mind, as far as it appertaineth to me, is this, that as I never liked not so much as the coming in upon a lease by way of forfeiture, so I am so much enemy to myself as I take no contentment in any such hope of advantage. For as your lordship can give me best testimony, that I never in my life propounded any such like motion, though I have been incited thereto; so the world will hardly believe, but that it is underhand quickened and nourished from me. truly, my lord, I would not be thought to supplant any man for great gain; and I humbly pray your lordship to continue your commendations and countenance to me in the course of the Queen's service that I am entered into: which when it shall please God to move the Queen to profit*, I hope I shall give cause for your lordship to obtain as many thanks as you have endured chidings. And so I commend your good lordship to God's good preservation. Your Lordship's, Most humbly at your honourable commandment, From Gray's Inn, the 11th of June, 1595. And FR. BACON. To the Right Honourable the Lord Keeper, &c.t It may please your Lordship, There hath nothing happened to me in the course of my business more contrary to my expectation, than your lordship's failing me, and crossing me now in the conclusion, when friends are best tried. But now I desire no more favour of your lordship, than I would do if I were a suitor in the Chancery; which is this only, that you would do me right. And I for my part, though I have much to allege, yet, nevertheless, if I see her majesty settle her choice upon an able man, such a one as Mr. Serjeant Fleming, I will make no means to alter it. On the other side, if I perceive any insufficient, obscure,+ idol man offered to her majesty, then I think myself double bound to use the best means I can for myself; which I humbly pray your lordship I may do with your favour, and that you will not disable me far * f. Perfect. + Harl MSS. vol. 6997, No. 37. + Ita. MSS. ther than is cause. And so I commend your lordship to God's preservation, That beareth your Lordship all humble respect, From Gray's Inn, the 28th of July, 1595. FR. BACON. Indorsed, in Lord Keeper's hand-Mr. Bacon wronging me. To the Right Honourable the Lord Keeper, &c.* It may please your Lordship, I thought it became me to write to your lordship, upon that which I have understood from my Lord of Essex, who vouchsafed, as I perceive, to deal with your lordship of himself to join with him in the concluding of my business, and findeth your lordship hath conceived offence, as well upon my manner when I saw your lordship at Temple last, as upon a letter, which I did write to your lordship some time before. Surely, my lord, for my behaviour, I am well assured, I omitted no point of duty or ceremony towards your lordship. But I know too much of the court to beg a countenance in public place, where I make account I shall not receive it. And for my letter, the principal point of it was, that which I hope God will give me grace to perform, which is, that if any idol may be offered to her majesty, since it is mixed with my particular, to inform her majesty truly, which I must do, as long as I have a tongue to speak, or a pen to write, or a friend to use. And farther I remember not of my letter, except it were that I writ, I hoped your lordship would do me no wrong, which hope I do still continue. For if it please your lordship but to call to mind from whom I am descended, and by whom, next to God, her majesty, and your own virtue, your lordship is ascended; I know you will have a compunction of mind to do me any wrong. And therefore, good my lord, when your lordship favoureth others before me, do not lay the separation of your love and favour upon myself. For I will give no cause, neither can I acknowledge any, where none is; but humbly pray your lordship to understand things as they are. Thus sorry to write to your lordship in an argument which is to me unpleasant, though necessary, I commend your Lordship to God's good preservation. Your Lordship's, in all humble respect, From Twickenham Park, this 19th of August, 1595. Harl. MSS. vol. 6997, No. 44. To the Right Honourable the Lord Keeper, &c.* It may please your good Lordship, I am sorry the opportunity permitteth me not to attend your lordship as I minded. But I hope your lordship will not be the less sparing in using the argument of my being studied and prepared in the Queen's causes, for my furtherance upon belief that I had imparted to your lordship my travels, which some time next week I mean to do. Neither have I been able to confer with Mr. Attorney, as I desired, because he was removing from one building to another. And besides, he alleged his note-book was in the country, at, and so we respited it to some time next week. I think he will rather do me good offices than otherwise, except it be for the township your lordship remembereth by the verse. Thus I commend your honourable lordship to God's good preservation. Your Lordship's most humble at your honourable commandment, From Gray's Inn, this 25th of September, 1595. To the Right Honourable my good Lord, the Lord Keeper of the Great Seal of England.† It may please your good Lordship, My not acquainting your lordship hath proceeded of my not knowing any thing, and of my not knowing of my absence at Byssam with my Lady Russel, upon some important cause of her son's. And as I have heard nothing, so I look for nothing, though my Lord of Essex sent me word, he would not write till his lordship had good news. But his lordship may go on in his affection, which nevertheless myself have desired him to limit. But I do assure your lordship, I can take no farther care for the matter. I am now at Twickenham Park, where I think to stay for her majesty placing a solicitor, my travel shall not need in her causes, though whensoever her majesty shall like to employ me in any particular, I shall be ready to do her willing service. This I write lest your lordship might think my silence came of any conceit towards your lordship, which I do assure you, I have not. And this needed I not to do, if I thought not so: for my course will not give me any ordinary occasion to use your favour, whereof nevertheless I shall ever be glad. So I commend your good lordship to God's holy preservation. This 11th of October, 1595. Your Lordship's humble, &c. FR. BACON. To the Right Honourable the Lord Keeper, &c.* It may please your good Lordship, I conceive the end already made, which will, I trust, be to me a beginning of good fortune, or at least of content. Her majesty, by God's grace, shall live and reign long, she is not running away, I may trust her. Or whether she look towards me or no, I remain the same, not altered in my intention. If I had been an ambitious man, it would' have overthrown me, but minded as I am, Revertet benedictio mea in sinum meum. If I had made any reckoning of any thing to be stirred, I would have waited on your lordship, and will be at any time ready to wait on you to do you service. So I commend your good lordship to God's holy preservation. Your Lordship's most humble, From Twickenham Park, this 14th of October. Indorsed.-14 October, 95. FR. BACON. To the Right Honourable the Lord Keeper, &c.† My very good Lord, I received a letter from a very friend of mine, requesting me to move your lordship, to put into the commission for the subsidy, Mr. Richard Kempe, a reader of Gray's Inn, and besides born to good estate, being also my friend and familiar acquaintance. And because I conceive the gentleman to be every way sortable with the service, I am bold to commend him to your lordship's good favour. And even so, with remembrance of my most humble duty, I rest, Your Lordship's affectionate to do you humble service, Twickenham Park, FR. BACON. July 3, 1595, |