The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

LETTERS RELATING TO LORD COKE. 503
will not say, that you throw all down by a direct wrong beyond his patience; and the first breach
imputation upon him; but we are sure you do not of that quietness, which hath ever been kept since
deny to havehad agreaterjealousy of hisdiscretion, the beginning of our journey, was made by them
than, so far as we conceive, he ever deserved at that committed the theft. And for your laying
your or any man's hands. For you say, that you the burden of your opposition upon the council,
were afraid, that the height of his fortune might we meddle not with that question; but the oppomake him too secure; and so, as a looker-on, you sitlon, which we justly find fault with you, was
might sometime see more than a gamester. Now, the refusal to sign a warrant for the father to tilhe
we know not how to interpret this in plain Eng- recovery of his child, clad with those circumlish otherwise, than that you were afraid, that the stances, as is reported, of your slight carriage to
height of his fortune might make him misknowr Buckingham's mother, when she repaired to you
himself. And, surely, if that be your 6" parent- upon so reasonable an errand. What farther oplike affection" toward him, he hath no obligation position you made in that business, we leave it to
to you for it. And, for our part, besides our own the due trial in the own time. But whereas you
proof, that we find him farthest from that vice of would distinguish of times, pretending ignorance
any courtier, that ever we had so near about us; either of our meaningr or his, when you made your
so do we fear, that you shall prove the only phenix opposition; that would have served for a reasonin that jealousy of all the kingdom. For we would able excuse not to have furthered such a business,
be very sorry, that the world should apprehend till you had been first employed in it: but that
that conceit of him. But we cannot conceal, that can serve for no excuse of crossing any thing, that
we think it was least your part of any to enter into so nearly concerned one, whom you profess such
that jealousy of him of whom we have heard you oft friendship unto. We will not speak of obligation;
speak in a contrary style. And as for that error for surely we think, even in good manners, you
of yours, which he lately palliated, whereof you had reason not to have crossed any thing, wherein
seem to pretend ignorance; the time is so short you had heard his name used, till you had heard
since you commended to him one* to be of the from him. For if you had willingly given your
barons of our exchequer in Ireland, as we cannot consent and hand to the recovery of the young
think you to be so short of memory, as to have gentlewoman; and then written both to us and
forgotten how far you undertook in that business, to him what inconvenience appeared to you to be
before acquainting us with it; what a long jour- in such a match; that had been the part indeed
ney you made the poor man undertake, together of a true servant to us, and a true friend to him.
kvith the slight recommendation you sent of him; But first to make an opposition; and then to give
which drave us to those straits, that both the poor advice by way of friendship, is to make the plough
man had been undone, and your credit a little go before the horse.
blasted, if Buckingham had not, by his impor- Thus leaving all the particulars of your carriage
tunity, made us both grant you more than suit, for in this business, to the own proper time, which is
you had already acted a part of it, and likewise ever the discoverer of truth, we commend you to
run a hazard of the hindrance of your own service, God. Given under our signet at Nantwich, in
by preferring a person to so important a place, the fifteenth year of our reign of Great Britain, etc.
whom you so slightly recommended.
Our third observation is upon the point of your
opposition to this business, wherein you either do,
or at least would seem to, mistake us a little.
For, first, whereas you excuse yourself of the op- SIR HENRY YELVERTON, ATTORNEY-GENEpositions you made against Sir Edward Coke at RAL, TO THE LORD KEEPER BACON.
the council-table, both for that, and other causes;
we never took upon us such a patrociny of Sir MY MOST WORTHY AND HONOURABLE LORD.
Edward Coke, as if he were a man not to be I dare not think my journey lost, because I
meddled withal in any case. For whatsoeveryou have with joy seen the face of my master, the
did against him, by our employment and com- king, though more clouded towards me than I
mendation, we ever allowed it, and still do, for looked for.
good service on your part. s" De bonis operibus Sir Edward Coke hath not forborne, by any
non lapidamusvos." But whereas you talk ofthe engine, to heave at your honour, and at myself;
riot and violence committed by him, we wonder and he works by the weightiest instrument, the
you make no mention of the riot and violence of Earl of Buckingham, who, as I see, sets him as
them that stole away his daughter, which was close to him as his shirt, the earl speaking in Sir
the first ground of all that noise, as we said be- Edward's praise, and, as it were, menacing in his
fore For a man may be compelled by manifest Spirit.
My lord, I emboldened myself to assay the
* Mr. Lowder. See the letter of the Earl of Brickingham temper of my Lord of Buckingham to myself, and
of the 5th of July. found it very fervent, misled by information,