The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

OBSERVATIONS ON A LIBEL. 261
Christendom, and hath written and described all had no other excellency; one that hath passed the
his plots in blood. degrees of honour with great travel and long time,
There follow the articles of a universal peace, which quencheth always envy, except it be joined
which the libeller, as a commissioner for the es- with extreme malice; then it appeareth manitate of England, hath propounded, and are these: festly to be but a brick wall at tennis, to make the
First, that the King of Spain should recall such defamation and hatred rebound from the counselforces, as, of great compassion to the natural lor upon the prince. And assuredly they be very
people of France, he hath sent thither to defend simple to think to abuse the world with those
them against a relapsed Huguenot. shifts; since every child can tell the fable, that
Secondly, that he suffer his rebels of Holland the wolf's malice was not to the shepherd, but to
an(d Zealand quietly to possess the places they his dog. It is true, that these men have altered
hold, and to take unto them all the rest of the their tune twice or thrice: when the match was
Iow Countries also; conditionally, that the Eng- in treating with the Duke of Anjou, they spake
lish may still keep the possession of such port honey as to her majesty; all the gall was uttered
towns as they have, and have some half a dozen against the Earl of Leicester: but when they had
more annexed unto them. gotten heart upon expectation of the invasion,
Thirdly, that the English rovers might peace- they changed style, and disclosed all the venom
ably go to his Indies, and there take away his in the world immediately against her majesty:
treasure and his Indies also. what new-hope hath made them return to their
And these articles being accorded, he saith, Sinon's note, in teaching Troy how to save itself,
might follow that peace which passeth all under- I cannot tell. But in the mean time they do his
standing, as he calleth it in a scurrile and pro- lordship much honour: for the more despitefully
fine mockery of the peace which Christians they inveigh against his lordship, the more reason
enjoy with God, by the atonement which is made hath her majesty to trust him, and the realm to
by the blood of Christ, whereof the apostle saith honour him. It was wont to be a token of scarce
that it passeth all understanding. But these his a good liegeman when the enemy spoiled the
articles are sure mistaken, and indeed corrected country, and left any particular men's houses or
are briefly these: fields unwasted.
1. That the King of France be not impeached
itn reducing his rebels to obedience. VI. Certain true general notes upon the actions
2. That the Netherlands be suffered to enjoy of the Lord Burleigh.
their ancient liberties and privileges, and so forces But above all the rest, it is a strange fancy in
of strangers to be withdrawn, both English and the libeller that he maketh his lordship to be
Spanish. the ",primum mobile" in every action without
3. That all nations may trade into the East and distinction; that to him her majesty is accountWest Indies; yea, discover and occupy such parts ant of her resolutions; that to him the Earl of
as the Spaniard doth not actually possess, and are Leicester and Mr. Secretary Walsingham, both
not under civil government, notwithstanding any men of great power, and of great wit and underdonation of the pope. standing, were but as instruments: whereas it is
well known, that as to her majesty, there was
V. Of the cunning of the libeller, in palliation never a counsellor of his lordship's long conof his malicious invectives against her ma- tinuance that was so appliable to her nmajesty's
jesty and the state, with pretence of taxing princely resolutions; endeavouring alwnays, after
only the actions of the Lord Burleigh. faithful propositions and remonstrances, and these
I cannot rightly call this point cunning in the in the best words, and the most grateful manner,
libeller, but rather good will to be cunning, to rest upon such conclusions, as her majesty in
without skill indeed of judgment: for finding that her own wisdom determineth, and them to execute
it hath been the usual and ready practice of sedi- to the best: so far hath he been from contestation,
tious subjects to plant and bend their invectives or drawing her majesty into any his own courses.
and clamours, not against the sovereigns them- And as for the forenamed counsellors and others,
selves, but against some such as had grace with with whom his lordship had consorted in her
them and authority under them, he put in ure his majesty's service, it is rather true that his lordlearning in awrong and unproper case. For this ship, out of the greatness of his experience and
hath some appearance to cover undutiful invec- wisdom, and out of the coldness of his nature,
tives, when it is used against favourites or new hath qualified generally all hard and extreme
upstarts, and sudden-risen counsellors; but when courses, as far as the service of her majesty, and
it shall be practised against one that bath been the safety of the state, and the making himself
counsellor before, her majesty's time, and hath compatible with those with whom he served,
continued longer counsellor than any other coun- would permit: so far hath his lordship been from
sellor in Europe; one that must needs have been inciting others, or running a full course with
great if it were but by surviving alone, though he them in that kind. But yet it is more strange