The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

THE
LORD BACON'S QUESTIONS
ABOUT THE
LAWFULNESS OF A WAR FOR THE PROPAGATING OF RELIGION.
Qtuestions wherein I desire opinion joined with Whether a war be lawful for the restoring
arguments and authorities. and purging of the Holy Land, the sepulchre,
WHETHER a war be lawful against infidels, and other principal places of adoration and devoonly for the propagation of the Christian faith, tion
without other cause of hostility 1 Whether, in the cases aforesaid, it be not obliWhether a war be lawful to recover to the gatory to Christian princes to make such a war, and
church countries which formerly have been Chris- not permissive only.
tian, though now alienate, and Christians utterly Whether the making of a war against the
extirpated. infidels be not first in order of dignity, and to be
Whether a war be lawful, to free and deliver preferred before extirpations of heresies, reconcileChristians that yet remain in servitude and sub- ments of schisms, reformation of manners, purjection to infidels!. suits of just temporal quarrels, and the like ac-'W\hether a war be lawful in revenge, or vindi- tions for the public good; except there be either
cation, of blasphemy, and reproaches against the a more urgent necessity, or a more evident facility
Deity and our Saviour 1 Or for the ancient effusion in those inferior actions, or except they may both
of Christian blood, and cruelties upon Christians J go on together in some degree l
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