The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

THE FELICITIES O? QUEEN ELIZABETH. 397
these good counsels of hers wanted the effect: in fell upon times of a singular learning and suffi
the former I verily believe for the universal good ciency; in which it was not possible to be emiof Europe, lest happily the ambition of Spain, be- nent, without admirable endowments of wit, and
ing unloosed from its fetters, should have poured a rare temper of virtue. Again, the reigns of
itself (as things then stood) upon the other king- women are for the most part obscured by their
doms and states of Christendom: and for the lat- husbands; upon whom all their praises and worter, the blood of so many innocents with their thy acts do reflect: as for those that continue lunwives and children slain within their own har- married, it is they that impropriate the whole
hours and nests by the scum of the people, (who glory and merit to themselves. And this was
like so many mastiffs were let loose, and hearten- the peculiar glory of this princess, that she had
ed, and even set upon them by the state,) would no props or supports of her government, but those
not suffer it; which did continually cry unto God that were of her own making. She had no brother,
for vengeance, that so blood-sucking a kingdom the son of her mother; no uncle, none other of
might have her fill thereof, in the intestine slaugh- the royal blood and lineage that might be partner
ters and consumption of a civil war. Howsoever in her cares, and an upholder of the regal dignity.
she persisted to perform the part of a wise and And as for those whom she raised to honour, she
loving confederate. carried such a discreet hand over them, and so
There is another cause also for which we may interchanged her favours as they still strived in
justly admire this peace so constantly pursued emulation and desire to please her best, and she
and maintained by the queen. And that is, that herself remained in all things an absolute princess.
it did not proceed from any bent or inclination of Childless she was, and left no issue behind her;
those times; but from the prudency of her govern- which was the case of many of the most fortument and discreet carriage of things. For where- nate princes, Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar,
as she herself was not without manifest danger Trajan, and others. And this is a case that hath
from an ill-affected party at home for the cause of been often controverted and argued on both sides,
religion, and that the strength and forces of this whilst some hold the want of children to be a
kingdom were in the place of a bulwark to all diminution of our happiness, as if it should be an
Europe against the then dreadful and overflowing estate more than human to be happy both in our
ambition and power of the King of Spain, she own persons, and in our descendants, but others
might have apprehended just cause of a war; but do account the want of children as an addition to
as she was still ready with her counsel, so she earthly happiness, inasmuch as that happiness
was not behindhand with her forces. And this may be said to complete, over which fortune hath
we are taught by an event the most memorable of no power, when we are gone: which if we leave
any in our time, if we look upon the felicity there- children cannot be.
of. For when as the Spanish navy (set forth She had also many outward gifts of nature. A
with such wonderful preparation in all kinds, the tall stature; a comely and straight making; an
terror and amazement of all Europe, carried on extraordinary majesty of aspect, joined with a
with almost assurance of victory) came braving sweetness; a most happy and constant healthfulupon our seas; it took not so much as one poor ness of body. Unto which I may add, that in
cock-boat of ours, nor fired any one village, nor the full possession both of her limbs and spirits
landed one man upon English ground; but was until her last sickness, having received no blow
utterly defeated, and after a shameful flight and from fortune, nor decay from old age; she obtainmany shipwrecks quite dispersed, so as the peace ed that which Augustus Caesar so importunately
of this kingdom was never more firm and solid. prayed for; an easy and undistempered passage
Neither was her felicity less in escaping treacher- out of this world. Which also is reported of Anous attempts at home, than in subduing and de- toninus Pius, thatexcellentemperor; whose death
feating foreign invasions. For not a few treasons had the resemblance of some soft and pleasing
plotted against her life were most fortunately slumber. So in Queen Elizabeth's disease, there
discovered and disappointed. And this was no was no ghastly or fearful accident; no idleness
cause to make her lead a more fearful or diffident of brain; nothing unaccustomed to man in genelife than before. No new increase of her guard, ral: she was not transported either with desire
no immuring herself within her own walls, or of life, or tediousness of sickness, or extremity
forbearing to be seen abroad; but as one assured of pain; she had no grievous or uncomely sympand confident, and that was more mindful of her toms, but all things were of that kind, as did rather
escape from danger, than of the danger itself, she show the frailty of nature, than a deordination or
was constant to her former customs and fashions. reproach of it. For some few days before her
Furthermore, it is worth our labour to consider death, being much pined with the extreme drought
the nature of the times in which she reigned. of her body, and those cares that accompany a
For there are some times so barbarous and igno- crown, anid not wonted to refresh herself with
rant that it is no greater matter to govern people wine, or any liberal diet, she war struck with a
than to govern a flock of sheep. But this queen torpor and frigidity in her nerves; notwithstand
2L