The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

210 MISCELLANEOUS LETTERS.
the gazette likewise; which the queen caused to her majesty but increase of virtue, but rather to
Mr. John Stanhope* to read all over unto her; your own misfortune or errors. Wherein, neverand her majesty conceiveth they be not vulgar. theless, if it were only question of your own enThe advertisements her majesty made estimation durances, though any strength never so good may
of as concurring with other advertisements, and be oppressed, yet you think you should have sufalike concurring also with her opinion of the focated them, as you had often done, to the imaffairs. So he willed me to return you the queen's pairing of your health, and weighing down of
thanks. Other particular of any speech from her your mind. But that which, indeed, toucheth the
majesty of yourself he did not relate to me. For quick is, that whereas you accounted it the choice
my Lord of Essex's and your letters, he said, he fruit of yourself to be a contentment and entertainwas ready and desirous to do his best. But I ment to her majesty's mind, you found many
seemed to make it but a love-wish, and passed times to the contrary, that you were rather a dispresently from it, the rather, because it was late quiet to her, and a distaste.
in the night, and I mean to deal with him at some Again, whereas, in the course of her service,
better leisure after another manner, as you shall though you confess the weakness of your own judgo
hereafter understand from me. I do find in the ment, yet true zeal, not misled with any mercespeech of some ladies and the very face of the narynorgloriousrespect, madeyou light sometimes
court some addition of reputation, as methinks to upon the best and soundest counsels; you had
us both; and I doubt not but God hath an opera- reason to fear, that the distaste particular against
tion in it, that will not suffer good endeavours to yourself made her majesty farther off from acceptperish. ing any of them from such a hand. So as you
The queen saluted me to-day as she went to seemed, to your deep discomfort, to trouble her
chapel. I had long speech with Sir Robert Cecil majesty's mind, and to foil her business; inconthis morning, who seemed apt to discourse with veniences, which, if you be minded as you ought,
me; yet of yourself, ne verbum quidem, not so thankfulness should teach you to redeem, with
much as a quomnodo valet? stepping down, nay, throwing yourself down,
This I write to you in haste, aliucd ex alio, I from your own fortune. In which intricate case,
pray set in a course of acquainting my lord keeper finding no end of this former course, and, therewhat passeth, at first by me, and after from your- fore, desirous to find the beginning of a new, you
self. I am more and more bound to him. have not whither to resort. but unto the oracle of
Thus, wishing you good health, I recommend her majesty's direction. For though the true inyou to God's happy preservation. troduction ad tentpora meliora, be by an amnestia
Your entire loving brother, of that which is past, except it be in the sense,
FR. BACON. that the verse speaketh, Olim hwe merninisse juvaFrom the court, this 30th of May, [1506.] bit, when tempests past are remembered in the
calm; and that you do not doubt of her majesty's
goodness in pardoning and obliterating any of
your errors and mistakings heretofore; refreshing
THE SUBSTANCE OF A LETTER II NOW WISH the memory and contemplations of your poor
YouR LORDSHIPt SHOULD WRITE TO HER MA- services, or any thing that hath been grateful to
JESTY'. her majesty from you; yea, and somewhat of
THAT you desire her majesty to believe id, quod your sufferings, so, though that be, yet you may
res ipsa loquitur, that it is not conscience to your- be to seek for the time to come. For as you have
self of any advantage her majesty hath towards determined your hope in a good hour not willingly
you, otherwise than the general and infinite ad- to offend her majesty, either in matter of court or
vantage of a queen and a mistress; nor any drift state, but to depend absolutely upon her will and
or device to win her majesty to any point or parti- pleasure, so you do more doubt and mistrust your
cular, that moveth you to send her these lines of wit and insight in finding her majesty's mind,
your own mind: but first, and principally, grati- than your conformities and submission in obeying
tude; next a natural desire of, you will not say, it; the rather because you cannot but nourish a
the tedious remembrance, for you can hold nothing doubt in your breast, that her majesty, as princes'
tedious that hath been derived from her majesty, hearts are inscrutable, hath many times toward
out the troubled and pensive remembrance of that you aliud in ore, et aliucd in corde. So that you,
which is past, of enjoying better times with her that take her secundum literam, go many times
majesty. such as others have had, and that you farther out of your way.
have wanted. You cannot impute the difference Therefore, your most humble suit to her mato the continuance of time, which addeth nothing jesty is, that she will vouchsafe you that approach to her heart and bosom, et ad scrinium
* Made treasurer of the chamber in July, 1596; and, in pectoris, plainly, for as much as concerneth yourMay, 1605, created Lord Stanhope of Harrington, in North- self, to open and expound her mind towards you,
amptonshire.
f Francis Bacon.: Robert, Earl of Essex. suffering you to see clear what may have bred