The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

346 THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE EARL OF ESSEX.
the advantage of her majesty's royal ends, hath unite soundness of judgment to the zeal you have
these words: to do us service, as with all speed to pass thither
66 You have in this despatch given us small in such sort, as the axe might be put to the root
light, either when or in what order you intend of that tree, which hath been the treasonable
particularly to proceed to the northern action; stock from whom so many poisoned plants and
wherein if you compare the time that is run on, grafts have been derived; by which proceedings
and the excessive charges that are spent, with the of yours, we may neither have cause to repent of
effects of any thing wrought by this voyage, our employment of yourself for omitting those
howsoever we remain satisfied with your own opportunities to shorten the wars, nor receive in,particular cases and travails of body and mind, the eye of the world imputation of so much weakyet you must needs think that we, that have the ness in ourself, to begin a worlk without better
eyes of foreign princes upon our actions, and have foresight what would be the end of our excessive
the hearts of people to comfort and cherish, who charge, the adventure of our people's lives, and
groan under the burden of continual levies and the holding up of our own greatness against a
impositions, which are occasioned by these late wretch, whom we have raised from the dust, and
actions, can little please ourself hitherto with any who could never prosper, if the charges we have
thing that hath been effected." been put to were orderly employed."
In another branch of the same letter, reflecting I-Ier majesty in her particular letter, written to
her royal regard upon her own honour interested my lord the 30th of July, bindeth, still expressly
in this delay, hath these words: upon the northern prosecution, iry lord,"ad
" Whereunto we will add this one thing that principalia rerum," in these words:
doth more displease us than any charge or offence "First, you know right well, when we yielded
that happens, which is, that it must be the Queen to this excessive charge, it was upon no other
of England's fortune, who hath held down the foundation than to which yourself did ever adgreatest enemy she had, to make a base bush-kern vise us as much as any, which was, to assail the
to be accounted so famous a rebel, as to be a per- northern traitor, and to plant garrisons in his
son against whom so many thousands of foot and country; it being ever your firm opinion, amongst
horse, besides the force of all the nobility of that other our council, to conclude that all that was
kingdom, niust be thought too little to be em- done in other kind in Ireland, was but waste and
ployed." consumption."
In another branch, discovering, as upon the I-er majesty, in her letter of the 9th of August
vantrge ground of her princely wisdom, what to rny Lord of Essex and the council of Ireland,
would be the issue of the courses then held, hath when, after Munster journey, they began in a
these words: new time to dissufde the northern journey in her
",And, therefore, although by your letter we excellent ear, quickly finding a discord of men
found your purpose to go northwards, on which from themselves, chargeth them in these words:
depends the main good of our service, and which, Observe well what we have already written,
we expected long since should have been per- and apply your counsels to that which may
formed; yet, because we do hear it bruited, be- shorten, and not prolong the war; seeing never
sides the words of your letter written with your any of you was of other opinion, than that all
own hand, which carries some such sense, that other courses were but consumptions, except we
you, who allege such sickness in your army by went on with the northern prosecution."
being travelled with you, and find so great and The lords of her majesty's council, in their
important affairs to digest at Dublin, will yet en- letter of the 10th of August to my Lord of Essex
gage yourself personally into Ophalie, being our and the council of Ireland, do in plain terms lay
lieutenant, when you have there so many inferiors before them the first plot, in these words:
able, might victual a fort, or seek revenge against, We cannot deny but we did ground our counthose who have lately prospered against our sels upon this foundation, That there should have
forces. Anld when we call to mind how far the been a prosecution of the capital rebels in the
sun hath run his course, and what dependeth north, whereby the war might have been shortupon the timely plantation of garrisons in the ened; which resolution, as it was advised by
north, and how great scandal it would be to our yourself before your going, and assented to by
honour to leave that proud rebel unassayed, when most part of the council of war that were called
we have with so great an expectation of our ene- to the question, so must we confess to your lordmies engaged ourselves so far in the action; so ship, that we have all this while concurred
that, without that be done, all those former courses with her majesty in the same desire and expectwill prove like 6 via navis in mari;' besides that ation."
our power, which hitherto hath been dreaded by My Lord of Essex, and the council of Ireland,
potent enemies, will now even be held contempt- in their letter of the 5th of May to the lords of the
ible amongst our rebels: we must plainly charge council before the Munster journey, write,6 in hae
vou, according to the duty you owe to us, so to verbao"