The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

46 LETTERS FROM THE RESUSCITATIO.
justice upon the commission for the indicting of ble to truth and your majesty's service. If this
the great person, one of the judges asked himn New Company break, it must either be put upon
whether Roper were dead? He saith, he for his the patent or upon the order made by themselves.
part knew not; another of the judges answered, For the patent, I satisfied the board that there was
It should concern you, my lord, to know it. no title in it which was not either verbatim in the
Whereupon he turned his speech to me, and said, patent of the Old Company, or by special warNo, Mr. Attorney, I will not wrestle now in my rant from the table, inserted. My Lord Coke,
latter times. My lord, (said I,) you speak like a with much respect to me, acknowledged, but
wise man. Well, (saith he,) they have had no disliked the old patent itself, and disclaimed his
luck with it that have had it. I said again, being at the table when the additions were
"'Those days be past." Here you have the dia- allowed. But in my opinion, (howsoever my
logue to make you merry, but in sadness I was Lord Coke, to magnify his science in law,
glad to perceive he meant not to contest. I can draweth every thing, though sometimes unprobut honour and love you, and rest perly and unseasonably, to that kind of question,)
Your assured fiiend and servant. it is not convenient to break the business upon
these points. For, considering they were but
clauses that were in the former patents, and in
many other patents of companies, and that the
A LETTER TO THE KING, ADVISING HOW TO additions likewise passed the allowance of the
BREAK OFF WITHI THE NEW COMPANY. FEB- table, it will be but clamoured, and perhaps conRUARY 3, 1615. ceived, that to quarrel them now is but an occasion taken, and that the times are changed rather
IT MAY PLEASE YOUR EXCELLENT MAJESTY, than the matter. But that which preserveth
I spake yesternight long with my Lord Coke; entire your majesty's honour, and the constancy
and for the " Rege Inconsulto," I conceive by of your proceedings, is to put the breach upon
him it will be "an ampliiis deliberandum their orders.
censeo," (as I thought at first,) so as for the For this light I gave in my report, which the
present your majesty shall not need to renew your table readily apprehended and much approved;
commandment of stay. I spake with him also that if the table reject their orders as unlawful
about some propositions concerning your majes- and unjust, it doth free you from their contract;
ty's casual revenue, wherein I found him to con- for whosoever contracteth, or undertaketh any
sent with me fully; assuming, nevertheless, that thing, is always understood to perform it by
he had thought of them before; but it is one lawful means; so, as they have plainly abused
thing to have the vapour of a thought; another to the state if that which they have undertaken be
digest business aright. He, on his part, imparted either impossible or unjust.
to me divers things of great weight concerning I am bold to present this consideration to that
the reparation of your majesty's means and excellent faculty of your majesty's judgment,
finances, which I heard gladly; insomuch as he because I think it importeth that future good
perceiving the same, I think, was the readier to which may grow to your majesty in the close of
open himself to me in one circumstance, which this business; that the falling off be without all
he did much inculcate. I concur freely with exception. God have you in his precious
him that they are to be held secret; for I never custody.
saw but that business is like a child which is Your majesty's most humble and
framed invisibly in the womb, and if it come bounden subject and servant.
forth too soon it will be abortive. I know in
most of them the prosecution must rest much
upon myself. But I, that had the power to prevail in the farmer's case of the French wines, A LETTER TO THE KING TOI'CIHING THE LORD
without the help of my Lord Coke, shall be CHANCELLOR'S SICKNESS. FEBRUARY 9, 1615.
better able to go through these with his help, the IT MAY PLEASE YOUR MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY,
ground being no less just. And this I shall ever I am glad to understand by Mr. Murray that
add of mine own, that I shall ever respect your your majesty accepteth well of mny poor endeamajesty's honour no less than your profit; and yours in opening unto you the passages of your
shall also take care, according to my pensive service; that business may come the less crude,
manner, that that which is good for the present and the more prepared to your royal judgment,
have not in it hidden seeds of future inconve- the perfection whereof, as I cannot expect they
niences. should satisfy in every particular, so I hope,
The matter of the New Company was referred through my assiduity, there will result a g:od
to me by the lords of the privy council; wherein, total.
after some private speech with Sir Lionel Cran- My lord chancellor's sickness falleth out ", dure
field, I made that report which I held most agree- tempore." I have always known him a wise