therein. For every wrong must be judged by the first violent and wrongous ground whereupon it proceeds, and was not the thefteous stealing away of the daughter from her own father the first ground whereupon all this great noise hath since proceeded? For the ground of her getting again came upon a lawful and ordinary warrant subscribed by one of our Council for redress of the former violence, and except the father of a child might be proved to be either lunatic or idiot, we never read in any law that either it could be lawful for any creature to steal his child from him or that it was matter of noise and streperous carriage for him to hunt for the recovery of his child again.

Our next observation is, That whereas you protest of your affection to Buckingham, and thereafter confess that it is in some sort parent-like, yet after that you have praised his natural parts, we will not say that you throw all down by a direct imputation upon him, but we are sure you do not deny to have had a greater jealousy of his discretion than (so far as we conceive) he ever deserved at your or any man's hands; for you say that you were afraid that the height of his fortune might make him too secure, and so as a looker-on you might sometime see more than a gamester. Now we know not how to interpret this in plain English otherwise than that you were afraid that the height of his fortune might make him misknow himself. And surely if that be your parent-like affection toward him he hath no obligation to you for it. And for our part, besides our own proof that we find him furthest from that vice of any courtier that ever we had so near about us, so do we fear that you shall prove the only phoenix in that jealousy of all the kingdom; for we would be very sorry that the world should apprehend that conceit of him; but we cannot conceal that we think it was least your part of any to enter into that jealousy of him, whom of we have heard you oft speak in a contrary style. And as for that error of yours which he lately palliated whereof you seem to pretend ignorance, the time is so short since you commended to him one' to be of the Barons of our Exchequer in Ireland, as we cannot think you to be so short of memory as to have forgotten how far you undertook in that business before acquainting us with it, what a long journey you made the poor man undertake, together with the slight recommendation you sent of him, which drave us to those straits that both the poor man had been undone and your credit a little blasted if Buckingham had not by his importunity made us both grant your more than suit (for you had already acted a part of it), and likewise run a hazard of the hindrance of our own service, by preferring a person to so important a place whom you so slightly recommended.

Our third observation is upon the point of your opposition to this business, wherein you either do or at least would seem to mistake us a little. For first, whereas you excuse yourself of the oppositions you made against Sir Edward Coke at the council table both for that and other causes, we never took upon us such a patrociny of Sir Edward Coke, as if he were a

1 Mr. Lowder. See above, p. 207.

man not to be meddled withal in any case, for whatsoever you did against him by our employment and commandment, we ever allowed it and still do for good service on your part; de bonis operibus non lapidamus vos; but whereas you talk of the riot and violence committed by him, we wonder you make no mention of the riot and violence of them that stale away his daughter, which was the first ground of all that noise, as we said before; for a man may be compelled by manifest wrong beyond his patience, and the first breach of that quietness which hath ever been kept since the beginning of our journey was made by them that committed the theft. And for your laying the burden of your opposition upon the whole council, we meddle not with that question; but the opposition which we justly find fault with you, was the refusal to sign a warrant for the father to the recovery of his child, clad with those circumstances (as is reported) of your slight carriage to Buckingham's mother when she repaired to you upon so reasonable an errand. What further opposition you made in that business, we leave it to the due trial in the own time. But whereas you would distinguish of times, pretending ignorance either of our meaning or his when you made your opposition, That would have served for a reasonable excuse not to have furthered such a business till you had been first employed in it, but that can serve for no excuse of crossing anything that so nearly concerned one whom you profess such friendship unto. We will not speak of obligation, for surely we think even in good manners you had reason not to have crossed anything wherein you had heard his name used, till you had heard from him; for if you had willingly given your consent and hand to the recovery of the young gentlewoman, and then written both to us and to him what inconvenience appeared to you to be in such a match, that had been the part indeed of a true servant to us and a true friend to him, but first to make an opposition and then to give advice by way of friendship, is to make the plough to go before the horse.

Thus leaving all the particulars of your carriage in this business to the own proper time, which is ever the discoverer of truth, We commend you to God. Given under our signet at Nantwich, in the fifteenth year of our reign of Great Britain, &c.

TO THE KING.1

It may please your most ext Ma.,

I dare not presume any more to reply upon your Majesty, but reserve my defence till I attend your Majesty at your happy return; when I hope verily to approve myself not only a true servant to your Majesty, but a true friend to my Lord of Buckingham. And for the times also, I hope to give your Majesty a good account, though distance of place may obscure them.

1 Lansd. MSS. vol. xc. f. 42. Either the original or a fair copy in Bacon's own hand.

But there is one part of your Majesty's letter that I would be sorry to take time to answer; which is, that your Majesty conceiveth that, whereas I wrate That the height of my Lord's fortune mought make him secure, I meant that he was turned proud or unknowing of himself. Surely the opinion which I have ever had of my Lord (whereof your Majesty is best witness) is far from that. But my meaning was plain and simple. That his Lordship mought through his great fortune be the less apt to cast and foresee the unfaithfulness of friends and malignity of enviers and accidents of times: which is a judgment (as your Majesty knoweth better than I) that the best authors make of the best and best tempered spirits, ut sunt res humanæ ; insomuch as Guicciardine maketh the same judgment (not of a particular person) but of the wisest state of Europe, the senate of Venice, at one time; when he saith, their prosperity had made them secure and underweighers of perils. Therefore I beseech your Majesty to deliver me in this from any the least imputation upon my dear and noble Lord and friend.

And so expecting that that sun which when it went from us left us cold weather, and now it is returned towards us hath brought with it a blessed harvest, will when it cometh to us disperse all mists and mistakings, I ever rest

Your M's most humble

bounden and faithful
servant,

FR. BACON, C. S.

Gorhambury, this 31 of Aug. 1617.

4.

The King was by this time as far as Coventry on his way back from Scotland, and both Coke and Yelverton had gone to meet him. Coke had arrived first and been well received,2 and on the 3rd of September Yelverton sent Bacon a full and confidential report of the state of things, every particular of which was of so much im

1 Dated in the Cabala, from which Stephens took it, "July 31"; an error due, I think, to the tail of the y in Gorhambury striking through the u in Aug. and making it look very like July. Mr. Gardiner has anticipated this correction by conjecture, founded on the impossibility of the other date.

Lake to Winwood, 28 Aug. S. P. vol. xciii. no. 69.

portance to him in the way of warning, that in order to understand his position it will be worth while to read the whole.

My most worthy and honourable Lord,'

I dare not think my journey lost, because I have with much joy seen the face of my master, the King, though more clouded towards me than I looked for.

Sir Edward Coke hath not forborne by any engine to heave both at your Honour and at myself; and he works by the weightiest instrument, the Earl of Buckingham, who as I see sets him as close to him as his shirt, the Earl speaking in Sir Edward's phrase, and as it were menacing in his spirit.

My Lord, I emboldened myself to assay the temper of my Lord of Buckingham to myself, and found it very fervent, misled by misinformation which yet I find he embraced as truth, and did nobly and plainly tell me he would not secretly bite, but whosoever had had any interest or tasted of the opposition to his brother's marriage he would as openly oppose them to their faces, and they should discern what favour he had by the power he would use.

In the passage between him and me, I stood with much confidence upon these grounds:

First, that neither your Lordship nor myself had any way opposed but many ways had furthered the fair passage to the marriage.

Secondly, that we only wished the manner of Sir Edward's proceedings to have been more temperate, and more nearly resembling the Earl's sweet disposition.

Thirdly, that the chiefest check in the business was Sir Edward himself, who listened to no advice, who was so transported with passion, as he purposely declined the even way which your Lordship and the rest of the Lords left both him his lady and his daughter in.

Fourthly, I was bold to stand upon my ground, and so I said I knew your Lordship would, that these were slanders which were brought him of us both; and that it stood not with his honour to give credit to them.

After I had passed these straits with the Earl, leaving him leaning still to the first relation of envious and odious adversaries, I adventured to approach his Majesty, who graciously gave me his hand to kiss, but intermixed withal that I deserved not that favour, if three or four things were true which he had to object against me. I was bold to crave his princely justice, first to hear, then to judge, which he graciously granted, and said he wished I could clear myself. I answered, I would not appeal to his mercy in any of the points, but would endure the severest censure if any of them were true; whereupon he said he would reserve his judgment till he heard me, which could not be then, his other occupations pressed him so much. All this was in the hearing of the Earl; and I protest I think the confidence in my innocency made me depart half

1 Gibson Papers, vol. viii. f. 74. Orig. own hand.

justified, for I likewise kissed his Majesty's hand at his departure, and though out of his grace he commanded my attendance to Warwick, yet upon my suit he easily inclined to give me the choice to wait on him at Windsor or at London.

Now, my Lord, give me leave out of all my affections that shall ever serve you, to intimate touching yourself:

1st. That every courtier is acquainted that the Earl professeth openly against you as forgetful of his kindness, and unfaithful to him in your love and in your actions.

2nd. That he returneth the shame upon himself, in not listening to counsel that dissuaded his affection from you, and not to mount you so high, not forbearing in open speech (as divers have told me, and this bearer, your gentleman, hath heard also) to tax you, as if it were an inveterate custom with you, to be unfaithful to him as you were to the Earls of Essex' and Somerset.

3rd. That it is too common in every man's mouth in court, that your greatness shall be abated, and as your tongue hath been as a razor to some, so shall theirs be to you.

4th. That there is laid up for you, to make your burden the more grievous, many petitions to his Majesty against you.

My Lord, Sir Edward Coke, as if he were already upon his wings, triumphs exceedingly; hath much private conference with his Majesty ; and in public doth offer himself and thrust upon the King with as great boldness of speech as heretofore.

It is thought and much feared that at Woodstock he will again be recalled to the council table; for neither are the Earl's eyes nor his thoughts ever off him.

Sir Edward Coke with much audacity affirmeth his daughter to be most deeply in love with Sir John Villiers, that the contract pretended with the Earl is counterfeit, and the letter also, that is pretended to come from the Earl.

My noble Lord, if I were worthy being the meanest of all to interpose my weakness, I would humbly desire,

1. That your Lordship fail not to be with his Majesty at Woodstock; The sight of you will fright some.

2. That you single not yourself from the other Lords, but justify all the proceedings as all your joint acts; and I little fear but you pass conqueror.

3. That you retort the clamour and noise in this business upon Sir Edward Coke, by the violence of his carriage.

4. That you seem not dismayed, but open yourself bravely and confidently, wherein you can excell all subjects; by which means I know you shall amaze some and daunt others.

I have abused your Lordship's patience long, but my duty and affec

It is a singular thing that this is the only allusion to the old charge of ingratitude to Essex-made by a contemporary, during Bacon's life, and after the publication of his "Apology"-that I have yet met with.