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. Indorsed by Mr. Francis Bacon-A Letter framed for my Lord of Essex to the Queen. To Sir John Davis, his Majesty's Attorney General in Ireland.* Mr. Attorney, I thank you for your letter, and the discourse you sent of this new accident, as things then appeared. I see manifestly the beginning of better or worse: but me thinketh 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 From Gray's Inn, this 23d of October, 1607. Your very loving Friend, FR. BACON. 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 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 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. much the more I take myself to have more propriety in the principal motive thereof. And for the equality you write of, I shall, by the grace of God, 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. FR. BACON. Lord Keeper Bacon to Mr. Maxey, Fellow 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, FR. BACON, C. S. From Dorset House, 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 dispatch: 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, [July, 1617.] From the collections of the late Robert Stephens, Esq. + Ibid. The Earl of Buckingham to the Lord Keeper, My Lord, I have made his majesty acquainted with your note concerning that wicked fellow's speeches, which his majesty contemneth, as is usual to his great spirit in these cases. But, notwithstanding, his majesty is pleased, that it shall be exactly tried, whether this foul-mouthed fellow was taken either with drunkenness or madness, when he spake it. And as for your lordship's advice for setting up again the commissioners for suits, his majesty saith, there will be time enough for thinking upon that, at his coming to Hampton Court. But his majesty's direction, in answer of your letter, hath given me occasion to join hereunto a discovery upon the discourse you had with me this day.+ For I do freely confess, that your offer of submission unto me, and in writing, if so I would have it, battered so the unkindness that I had conceived in my heart for your behaviour towards me in my absence, as out of the sparks of my old affection towards you, I went to sound his majesty's intention towards you, specially in any public meeting; where I found, on the one part, his majesty so little satisfied with your late answer unto him, which he counted (for I protest I use his own terms) confused and childish, and his rigorous resolution, on the other part, so fixed, that he would put some public exemplary mark upon you; as I protest the sight of his deep-conceived indignation quenched my passion, making me upon the instant change from the person of a party into a peace-maker; so as I was forced upon my knees to beg of his majesty, that he would put no public act of disgrace upon you. And as, I dare say, no other person would have been patiently heard in this suit by his majesty but myself; so did I, though not without difficulty, obtain thus much, that he would not so far disable you from the merit of your future service, as to put any particular mark of disgrace upon your person. Only thus far his majesty protesteth, that upon the conscience of his office he cannot omit, though laying aside all passion, to give a kindly reprimand, at his first sitting in council, to so many of his counsellors as This seems to be the letter to which the Lord Keeper returned an answer, September 22, 1617, printed in his works. At Windsor, according to Sir Antony Weldon, who may perhaps be believed in such a circumstance as this. See Court and Character of King James 1. p. 122. were then here behind, and were actors in this business, for their ill behaviour in it. Some of the particular errors committed in this business he will name, but without accusing any particular persons by name. Thus your lordship seeth the fruits of my natural inclination. I protest, all this time past it was no small grief unto me to hear the mouth of so many, upon this occasion, open to load you with innumerable malicious and detracting speeches, as if no music were more pleasing to my ear than to rail of you; which made me rather regret the ill nature of mankind, that, like dogs, love to set upon them that they see snatched at. And, to conclude, my lord, you have hereby a fair occasion so to make good hereafter your reputation, by your sincere service to his majesty, as also by your firm and constant kindness to your friends, as I may, your lordship's old friend, participate of the comfort and honour that will thereby come to you. Thus I rest at last see. Your Lordship's faithful Friend and Servant, G. B. The force of your old kindness hath made me set down this in writing unto you, which some, that have deserved ill of me in this action, would be glad to obtain by word of mouth, though they be far enough from it, for ought I yet But I beseech your lordship to reserve this secretly to yourself only, till our meeting at Hampton Court, lest his majesty should be highly offended, for a cause that I know. Indorsed-A Letter of reconciliation from Lord Buckingham, after his majesty's return from Scotland. To Henry Cary, Lord Viscount Falkland.* 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 affec tion 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. Appointed Lord Deputy of Ireland, September 8, 1622. 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. Indorsed, March 11-Copy of my answer to Lord Falkland Secretary Conway to the Lord Viscount St. Alban.* 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 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 Royston, March 27, 1623. Your Lordship's affectionate Servant, * From the collections of Robert Stephens, Esq. deceased. |