The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

APOLOGY CONCERNING THE EARL OF ESSEX. 335
with choice of good particulars to express it, pricked him to write that apology, which is in
the queen would be brought in time to Aha- many men's hands.
suerus's question, to ask, " What should be done But this difference in two points so main and
to the man that the king would honour." Mean- material, bred in process of time a discontinuance
ing, that her goodness was without limit, where of privateness, as it is the manner of men seldom
there was a true concurrence: which I knew, in to communicate where they think their courses
her nature, to be true. My lord, on the other side, not approved, between his lordship and myself:
had a settled opinion, that the queen could be so as I was not called nor advised with for some
brought to nothing, but by a kind of necessity year and a half before his lordship's going into
and authority; and, I well remember, when, by Ireland, as in former time; yet, nevertheless,
violent courses at any time, he had got his will, touching his going into Ireland, it pleased him
he would ask me, 1"Now, sir, whose principles expressly, and in a set manner, to desire mine
be true." And I would again say to him;,6 My opinion and counsel. At which time I did not only
lord, these courses be like to hot waters, they dissuade, but protest against his going; telling
will help at a pang; but if you use them, you him, with as much vehemency and asseveration
shall spoil the stomach, and you shall be fain as I could, that absence in that kind would
still to make them stronger, and stronger, and yet exulcerate the queen's mind, whereby it would
in the end, they will lessen their operation;" not be possible for him to carry himself so as to
with much other variety, wherewith I used to give her sufficient contentment; nor for her to carry
touch that string. Another point was, that I herself so as to give him sufficient countenance:
always vehemently dissuaded him from seeking which would be ill for her, ill for him, and ill for the
greatness by a military dependence, or by a state. And, because I would omit no argument, I
popular dependence, as that which would breed remember, I stood also upon the difficulty of the
in the queen jealousy, in himself presumption, action; setting before him, out of histories, that the
and, in the state, perturbation: and I did usually Irish was such an enemy as the ancient Gauls, or
compare them to Icarus's two wings, which were Britons, or Germans were; and that we saw how
joined on with wax, and would make him venture the Romans, who had such discipline to govern
to soar too high, and then fail him at the height. their soldiers, and such donatives to encourage
And I would farther say unto him; "My lord, them, and the whole world in a manner to levy
stand upon two feet, and fly not upon two wings: them; yet when they came to deal with enemies,
the two feet are the two kinds of justice, commu- which placed their felicity only in liberty, and
taltive, and distributive: use your greatness for the sharpness of their sword, and had the natural
advancing of merit and virtue, and relieving elemental advantages of woods, and bogs, and
wrongs and burdens; you shall need no other art hardness of bodies, they ever found they had
or finesse:" but he would tell me, that opinion their hands full of them; and therefore concluded,
came not from my mind, but from my robe. But that going over with such expectation as he did,
it is very true, that I, that never meant to enthral and through the churlishness of the enterprise,
myself to my Lord of Essex, nor any other man, not like to answer it, would mightily diminish his
more than stood with the public good, did, though reputation: and many other reasons I used, so as,
I could little prevail, divert him by all means I am sure, I never in any thing in my lifetime,
possible from courses of the wars and popularity: dealt with him in like earnestness by speech, by
for I saw plainly, the queen must either live or writing, and by all the means I could devise.
die; if she lived, then the times would be as in For I did as plainly see his overthrow chained,
the declination of an old prince; if she died, the as it were by destiny, to that journey, as it is
times would be as in the beginning of a new; possible for any man to ground a judgment upon
and that, if his lordship did rise too fast in these future contingents. But, my lord, howsoever his
courses, the times might be dangerous for him, ear was open, yet his heart and resolution was
and hle for them. Nay, I remember, I was thus shut against that advice, whereby his ruin might
plain with him upon his voyage to the islands, have been prevented. After my lord's going, I
when I saw every spring put forth such actions saw then how true a prophet I was, in regard of
of charge and provocation, that I said to him, the evident alteration which naturally succeeded
"' My lord, when I came first unto you, I took you in the queen's mind; and thereupon I was still in
ft)r a physician that desired to cure the diseases watch to find the best occasion, that, in the weakof the state; but now I doubt you will be like ness of my power, I could either take or minister,
thiose physicians which can be content to keep to pull him out of the fire, if it had been possible:
their patients low, because they would always be and not long after, methought I saw some overin request." Which plainness, he, nevertheless, ture thereof, which I apprehended readily; a
took very well, as he had an excellent ear, and particularity which I think to be known to very
was 1"patientissimus veri," and assured me the few, and the which I do the rather relate unto
case of the ealmn required it: and I think this your lordship, because I hear it should be talked,
speech of mine, and the like renewed afterwards, that while my lord was in Ireland, I reveale(d