The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

MISCELLANEOUS LETTERS. 211
any dislike in her majesty; and in what points own dedication doth to learning itself. And,
she would have you reform yourself; and how therefore, you have no need to doubt, but I will
she would be served by you. Which done, you emulate, as much as in me is, towards you the
do assure her majesty, she shall be both at the merits of him that is gone, by how much the more
beginning and the ending of all that you do, of I take myself to have more propriety in the printhat regard, as you may presume to impart to her cipal motive thereof. And, for the equality you
majesty. write of, I shall, by the grace of God, as far as may
And so that, hoping that this may be an occa- concern me, hold the balance as equally between
sion of some farther serenity from her majesty the two universities, as I shall hold the balance
towards you, you refer the rest to your actions, of other justice between party and party. And
which may verify what you have written; as that yet in both cases I must meet with some inclinayou have written may interpret your actions, and tions of affection, which, nevertheless, shall not
the course you shall hereafter take. carry me aside, And so I commend you to God's
Endorsed by Mr. Francis Bacon, goodness.
lelter ~famedf~or my Lord of Essex to the queen. Your most loving and assured friend,
Gorhambury, April 12, 1617.
TO SIR JOHN DAVIS, HIS MAJESTY'S ATTORNEYGENERAL IN IRELAND.*
MR. ATTORNEY, -I thank you for your letter, LORD KEEPER BACON TO MR. MAXEY, FELLOW
and the discourse you sent of this new accident, OF TRINITY COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE.*
as things then appeared. I see manifestly the AFTER my hearty commendations, I having
beginning of better or worse: but mnethinketh it heard of you, as a man well deserving, and of
is first a tender of the better, and worse followeth able gifts to become profitable in the church, and
but upon refusal or default. I would have been there being fallen within my gift the rectory of
glad to see you here; but I hope occasion re- Frome St. Quintin, with the chapel of Evershot,
serveth our meeting for a vacation, when we in Dorsetshire, which seems to be a thing of good
may have more fruit of conference. To requite value, eighteen pounds in the king's books, and
your proclamation, which, in my judgment, is in a good country, I have thought good to make
wisely and seriously penned, I send you another offer of it to you; the rather for that you are of
with us, which happened to be in my hands when Trinity College, whereof myself was some time:
yours came. - I would be glad to hear often from and my purpose is to make choice of men rather
you, and to be advertised how things pass, where- by care and inquiry, than by their own suits and
by to have some occasion to think some good commendatory letters. So I bid you farewell.
thoughts; though I can do little. At the least it From your loving friend,
will be a continuance in exercise of our friendship, FR. BACON, C. S.
which on my part remaineth increased by that I From Dorset House, April 23, 1617.
hear of your service, and the good respects I find
towards myself. And so, in Tormour's haste, I
continue
Your very loving friend, TO THE LORD KEEPER BACON.J'FR. BACON. MY LOR, —If your man had been addressed
From Gray's Inn, this 23d of October, 1667. only to me, I should have been careful to have
procured him a more speedy despatch: but now
you have found another way of address, I am
excused; and since you are grown weary of employing me, I can be no otherwise in being emAMONGTST the gratulations I have received, none ployed. In this business of my brother's, tha6
are more welcome and agreeable to me than your you overtrouble yourself with, I understand from
letters, wherein, the less I acknowledge of those London, by some of my friends, that you have
attributes you give me, the more I must acknow- carried yourself with much scorn and neglect both
ledge of your affection, which bindeth me no less toward myself and friends; which, if it prove
to you, that are professors of learning, than my true, I blame not you, but myself, who was ever
Your lordship's assured friend,
* From the MS. collections of Robert Stephens, Esq., de- G. BiCKINGHAM.
ceased. [July, 1617.]
t From the collections of the late Robert Stephens, Esq.,
Historiographer Royal, and John Locker, Esq., now in pos- * From the collections of the late Robert Stephens, Esrq
session of the editor. t Ibid.