The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

DECLARATION OF THE TREASON OF ROBERT, EARL OF ESSEX. 349t he sought to discountenance any one that might thirst he did affect and compass the government be a competitor to him in any part of that great- of Ireland, which he did obtain. For although ness, that with great violence and bitterness he he made some formal shows to put it from him; sought to suppress and keep down all the yet in this, as in most things else, his desires worthiest martial men, which did not appropriate being too strong for his dissimulations, he did so their respects and acknowledgments only to- far pass the bounds of decorum, as he did in effect wards himself. All which did manifestly detect name himself to the queen by such description and distinguish, that it was not the reputation of and such particularities as could not be applied a famous leader in the wars which he sought, as to any other but himself; neither did he so only, it was construed a great while, but only power but, farther, he was still at hand to offer and urge and greatness to serve his own ends, considering vehemently and peremptorily exceptions to any he never loved virtue nor valour in another, but other that was named. where he thought he should be proprietary and Then, after he once found that there was no man commander of it, as referred to himself. but himself, who had other matters in his head, So likewise those points of popularity which so far-in love with that charge, as to make any every man took notice and note of, as his affable competition or opposition to his pursuit, whereby gestures, open doors, making his table and his bed he saw it would fall upon him, and especially so popularly places of audience to suitors, deny- after himself was resolved upon; he began to ing nothing when he did nothing, feeding many make propositions to her majesty by way of taxamen in their discontentments against the queen tion of the former course held in managing the and the state, and the like; as they were ever actions of Ireland, especially upon three points; since Absalom's time the forerunners of treasons the first, that the proportions of forces which had following, so in him were they either the qualities been there maintained and continued by supplies, of a nature disposed to disloyalty, or the be- were not sufficient to bring the prosecutions there ginnings and conceptions of that which after- to period. The second, that the axe had not wards grew to shape and form. been put to the root of the tree, in regard there But as it were a vain thing to think to search had not been made a main prosecution upon the the roots and first motions of treasons, which are arch-traitor, Tyrone, in his own strength, within known to none but God that discerns the heart, the province of Ulster. The third, that the proseand the devil that gives the instigation; so it is cutions before time had been intermixed and intermore than to be presumed, being made apparent rupted with too many temporizing treaties, whereby the evidence of all the events following, that by the rebel did ever gather strength and reputahe carried into Ireland a heart corrupted in his tion to renew the war with advantage. All which allegiance, and pregnant of those or the like trea- goodly and well-sounding discourses, together sons which afterwards came to light. with the great vaunts, that he would make the For being a man by nature of a high imagina- earth tremble before him, tended but to this, that tion, and a great promiser to himself as well as to the queen should increase the list of her army, others, he was confident that if he were once the and all proportions of treasure and other furniture, first person in a kingdom, and a sea between the to the end his commandment might be the greater. queen's seat and his, and Wales the nearest land For that he never intended any such prosecution, from Ireland, and that he had got the flower of may appear by this, that even at the time before the English forces into his hands, which he his going into Ireland, he did open himself so far thought so to intermix with his own followers, in speech to Blunt, his inwardest counsellor, as the whole body should move by his spirit, and, That he did assure himself that many of the if he might have also absolutely into his own rebels in Ireland would be advised by him:" so hands 1"potestatem vita et necis, et arbitrium far was he from intending any prosecution towards belli et pacis," over the rebels of Ireland, where- those in whom he took himself to have interest. by he might entice and make them his own, first But his ends were two; the one, to get great by pardons and conditions, and after by hopes to forces into his hands; the other, to oblige the bring them in place where they should serve for heads of the rebellion unto him, and to make hope of better booties than cows, he should be them of his party. These two ends had in themable to make that place of lieutenancy of Ireland selves a repugnancy; for the one imported proseas a rise or step to ascend to his desired greatness cution, and the other treaty: but he that meant in England. to be too strong to be called to account for any And although many of these conceits were thing, and meant besides, when he was once in windy, yet neither were they the less like to his; Ireland, to engage himself in other journeys that neither are they now only probable conjectures or should hinder the prosecution in the north, took comments upon these his last treasons, but the things in order as they made for him; and so first very preludes of actions almost immediately sub- did nothing, as was said, but trumpet a final and sequent, as shall be touched in due place. utter prosecution against Tyrone in the north, te But, first, it was strange with what appetite and the end, to have his forces augmented. 2 G

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Title
The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.
Author
Bacon, Francis, 1561-1626.
Canvas
Page 349
Publication
Philadelphia,: A. Hart,
1852.
Subject terms
Bacon, Francis, -- 1561-1626.

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"The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England." In the digital collection Making of America Books. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/aje6090.0002.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed June 16, 2025.
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