The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

LETTERS RELATING TO LEGAL PROCEEDINGS. 511
them. But, nevertheless, the proofs seem to us To MR. MURRAY.
to amount to this, that it was possible he should MR. MURRAY,
be the man; and that it was probable, likewise, My lord chancellor, yesterday in my presence,
lie was the man: but no convicting proofs, that had before him the judges of the common pleas,
may satisfy a jury of life and death, or that may and hath performed his majesty's royal command
make us take it upon our conscience, or to think in a very worthy fashion, such as was fit for our
it agreeable to your majesty's honour, which next master's greatness; and because the king may
our conscience to God, is the dearest thing to us know it, I send you the enclosed. This seemeth to
on earth, to bring it upon the stage: which, not- havewroghtthe effectdesired; forpresently I sent
withstanding, we, in all humbleness, submit to for Sir Richard Cox,* and willed him to present
your majesty's better judgment. For his liberty, himself to my Lord Hobart, and signify his readiand the manner of his delivery, he having so many ness to attend. He came back to me, and told
notes of a dangerous man, we leave it to your me, all things went on. I know not what afterprincely wisdom. And so, commending your wards may be; but I think this long chase is at
majesty to God's precious custody, we rest an end. I ever rest
Your majesty's most humble and bounden Yours assured,
servants, FR. BACON, FR. BACON.
HI. M'ONTAGU, January 25, 1614.
HI. YELVERTON.
22 Jan. 1613.
TO MR. MURRAY.
TO JOHN MURRAY5 OF THE BED-CHEAMBER TO MR. MURRAY,
THE KING.t I pray deliver the enclosed to his majesty, and
Ma. MURRAY, have care of the letter afterwards. I have written
1 keep the same measure in a proportion with also to his majesty about your reference to this
my master and with my friend; which is, that I purpose, that if you can get power over the whole
will never deceive them in any thing, which is in title, it may be safe for his majesty to assent, that
my power; and when my power faileth my will, you may try the right upon the deed. This is the
I am sorry. farthest I can go. I ever rest
Monday is the day appointed for performing Yours assured,
his majesty's commandment. Till then I cannot FR. BACON.
tell what to advise you farther, except it should February 28, 1614.
be this, that in case the judges should refuse to
take order in it themselves, then you must think
of some warrant to Mr. Secretary, who is your
friend, and constant in the businesses, that he see
forthwith his majesty's commandment executed, MAY IT PLEASE YOUR MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY,
touching the double lock; and, if need be, repair I send your majesty enclosed, a copy of our last
to the place, and see by view the manner of keep- examination of Peacham,t taken the 10th of this
ing the seal; and take order, that there be no stay
for working of the seal of justice, nor no prejudice * He was one of the masters of the green cloth, and had
to Killegrow's farm, nor to the duty of money had a quarrel at court during the Christmas holy-days of the
paid to the chief justice. Whether this may re- year 1614, with Sir Thomas Erskine; which quarrel was made
up by the lords of the marshal's court, Sir Richard being obliged
qutire your presence, as you write, that yourself to put up with very foul words. MS. letter of Mr. Chamberlain
can best judge. But of this more, when we have to Sir Dudley Carleton, January 12, 1614-5.
received the judges' answer. It is my duty, as f Edmund Peacham, a minister in Somersetshire. [MS. letmuch. as in me is, to procure my mastertob ter of Mr. Chamberlain, dated January 5, 1614-5.] I find one
much as in me is, to procure my master to be of both his names, who was instituted into the vicarage of
obeyed. I ever rest Ridge, in Hertfordshire, July 22, 1581, and resigned it in 1587.
Your friend and assured, [Newcourt, Repo?rte?, vol. i. p. 864.] Mr. Peaclam was comrn
FR. BACON. mitted to the Tower for inserting several treasonable passages
in a sermon never preached, nor, as Mr. Justice Coke remarks
January 21, 1614. in his Reports during the reign of King Charles I., p. 125, ever
T pray deliver the enclosed letter to his majesty. intended to be preached. Mr. Chamberlain, in a letter of the 9th
of February, 1614-5, to Sir Dudley Carleton, mentions Mr.
T'o his uvery good friend Alr. John M Burray, of Peacham's having been " stretched already, though he be an
ihis mnaj~esty's beod-ch~amber. old man, and, they say, much above threescore: but they
could wring nothing out of him more than they had at first in
his papers. Yet the king is extremely incensed against him,
a lIe was created Viscount of Annan in Scotland in August and will have him prosecuted to the utmost." In another
1622. NJegrotiationzs of Sir Thomas Roe, in his embassy to the letter, dated February 23, we are informed, that the king,
Ottoman Porte, p. 93. In April, 1624, the Lord Annan was since his coming to London on the 15th, had had " the opinion
created Earl of Annandale in Scotland. Ibid. p. 256. of the judges severally in Peachamr's case; and it is said, that
i This and the following letters, are printed from Earl. most of them concur to find it treason: yet my Lord Chief
MSS. vol. 9b8 5 Justice [Coke] is for the contrary; and if the Lord Iobarl,'hat