The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

xliv LIFE OF BACON.
ment, Bacon must have become fully aware of those enemies, and pointed them out as particu
tl. i facts which would condemn Essex in the eyes larly as was possible; which letters I know
of all good men, and render him amenable to Mr. Secretary Cecil hath seen, and by them it
the heaviest penalty of the law. Awakened, will appear what conceit Mr. Bacon held of me,
as from a dream, with the startling truth that so different from what he here coloureth and
Essex was guilty as well as imprudent, he saw pleadeth against me."
that all which he and others had deemed rashness To this charge, urged in violation of the most
was the result of a long concocted treason. In sacred confidence, which Essex well knew would
whatever light it could be viewed, the course render Bacon obnoxious to the queen, and suswhich Essex had pursued was ruinous to Bacon. pected by all parties, he instantly and indignantly
He had been bondsman again and again to the replied, ", My lord, I spent more hours to make
queen for the love and duty of Essex; and now you a good subject, than upon any man in the
he had the mortification of discovering that, in- world besides; but since you have stirred up this
stead of being open and entire witht him, Essex point, I dare warrant you this letter will not blush
had abused his friendship, and had assumed the to see the light, for I did but perform the part of
dissembling attitude of humility and penitence, an honest man, and ever laboured to have done
that he might more securely aim a blow at the you good if it might have been, and to no other
very life of his royal benefactress. This dou- end; for what I intended for your good was
ble treachery entirely alienated the affections of wished from the heart, without touch of any
Bacon. He saw no longer the high-souled, chi- man's honour." After this unjustifiable disciovalric Essex, open as the day, lucid as truth, sure, which severed the last link between them,
giving both faults and virtues to the light, re- Bacon only spoke once, and with a bitterness
deeming in the eyes of all men the bounty of that showed how deeply he was wounded.
the crown; he saw only an ungrateful man, Through the whole trial Essex conducted himwhom the fiend ambition had possessed, and self with courage and firmness worthy of a better
knew that the name of that fiend was "' Legion." cause. Though assailed by the lawyers with
On the 19th of February, 1601, Essex and South- much rancour, and harassed by the deepest search
ampton were arraigned, and, upon the trial, one into his offences; though harshly questioned by
of the conspirators, allured by the hope of life, his adversaries, and betrayed by his confederates,
made a full disclosure of all their treasons. he stood at bay, like some noble animal, who
Unable to deny facts clearly proved against fears not his pursuers, nor the death that awaits
him, Essex could insist only upon his mnotives, him; and when, at last, the deliberate voices of
which lie urged with the utmost confidence, He his fellows peers proclaimed him guilty, he heard
repeated his former assertion, that there was a the sentence with manly composure, and, witlloul
plot against his life, and that Cecil, Cobham, and one thought of himself, sought only to save thy
Raleigh had driven him to desperate measures. life of his friend.
Bacon, who appeared as one of the counsel for Bacon having obtained a remission of the senthe crown, resisted these imputations, and said, tence in favour of six persons who were impli", It is evident, my lord of Essex, that you had cated, made one more effort to serve this unhappy
planted in your heart a pretence against the go- nobleman. He says,,, Forthe time which passed,
vernment of your country; and, as Pisistratus, I mean between the arraignment and my lord's
calculating upon the affections of the people, suffering, I was but once with the queen, at what
showed himself wounded in the streets of Athens, time though I durst not deal directly for my lord
so you entered the city with the vain hope that as things then stood: yet generally I did both
the citizens would join in your rebellion. Indeed, commend her majesty's mercy, terming it to her
my lord, all that'you have said, or can say in these as an excellent balm that did continually distil
matters are but shadows, and therefore methinks from her sovereign hands, and made an excellent
it were your best course to confess, and not to odour in the senses of her people: and not only
justify." so, but I took hardness to extenuate, not the fact,
Essex here interrupted him, and said, ",The for that I durst not, but the danger, telling her
speech of Mr. Bacon calls upon me to defend that if some base or cruel-minded person had enmyself; and be it known, my lords, I call upon tered into such an action, it might have caused
him to be a witness for me, for he being a daily much blood and combustion; but it appeared well
courtier, and having free access to her majesty, they were such as knew not how to play the
undertook to go to the queen in my behalf, and malefactors, and some other words which I now
did write a letter most artificially, which was sub- omit."
scribed with my name, also another letter was All exertions, however, proved fruitless; for,
drawn by him to occasion that letter, with others after much fluctuation on the queen's part, arising
that should come from his brother, Mr. Anthony from causes variously stated by historians, Essex,
Bacon, both which he showed the queen, and in on the 25th of February, 1601, was executed in
my letter he did plead for me feelingly against the Tower.