The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

A PROPOSAL FOR AMENDING THE LAWS OF ENGLAND. 229
greatness still remained according unto nature to the seas, and in the middle of the world, we
with the ancient seat. Nay, further on, the same see hath had three memorable revolutions of great
remained during the greatness of the Kings of monarchies. The first in the time of Cyrus; the
Parthia, as appeareth by the verse of Lucan, who second in the time of the new Artaxerxes, who
wrote in Nero's time. raised himself in the reign of Alexander Severus,
" Cumque superba staret Babylon spolianda trophaeis." Emperor of Rome; and now of late memory, in
And after that, again it obtained the seat of the Ismael the sophy, whose descendants continue
highest caliph or successors of Mahomet. And at in empire and competition with the Turks to
this day, that which they call Bagdat, which joins this day.
to the ruin of the other, containeth one of the So, again, Constantinople, being one of the most
greatest satrapies of the Levant. So againPersia, excellentest seats of the world, in the confines of
being a country imbarred with mountains, open Europe and Asia.
A PROPOSITION TO HIS MAJESTY,
BY SIR FRANCIS BACON, KNIGHT,
HIS MAJESTY'S ATTORNEY-GENERAL, AND ONE OF HIS PRIVY COUNCIL;
TOUCHING THE COMPILING AND AMENDMENT OF THE LAWS OF ENGLAND.
Your majesty, of your favour, having made me other learning, which may give form to matter;
privy-counsellor, and continuing me in the place and your majesty hath set me in an eminent place,
of your attorney-general, which is more than was whereby in a work, which must be the work of
these hundred years before, I do not understand many, I may the better have coadjutors. Therefore,
it to he, that by putting off the dealing in causes not to hold your majesty with any long preface,
between party and party, I should keep holyday in that which I conceive to be nothing less than
the more; but that I should dedicate my time to words, 1 will proceed to the matter: which matter
your service with less distraction. Wherefore, itself; nevertheless, requireth somewhat briefly to
in this plentiful accession of time, which I have be said, both of the dignity, and likewise of the
now gained, I take it to be my duty, not only to safety, and convenience of this work: and then
speed your commandments and the business of to go to the main: that is to say, to show how
my place, but to meditate and to excogitate of my- the work is to be done: which incidently also
self, wherein I may best, by my travels, derive will best demonstrate, that it is no vast nor speyour virtues to the good of your people, and return culative thing, but real and feasible. Callisthetheir thanks and increase of love to you again. nes, that followed Alexander's court, and was
And, after I had thought of many things, I could grown in some displeasure with him, because he
find, in my judgment, none more proper for your could not well brook the Persian adoration; at a
majesty as a master, nor for me as a workman, supper, which with the Grecians was ever a great
than the reducing and recompiling of the laws of part talk, was desired, because he was an eloquent
England. man, to speak of some theme; which he did, and
Your majesty is a king blessed with posterity; chose for his theme the praise of the Macedonian
and these kings sort best with acts of perpetuity, nation; which though it were but a filling thing
when they do not leave them,instead of children; to praise men to their faces, yet he did it with
but transmit both line and merit to future gene- such advantage of truth, and avoidance of flattery,
rations. You are a great master in justice and and with such life, as the hearers were so ravished
judicature, and it were pity that the fruit of that with it that they plucked the roses off from their
virtue should die with you. Your majesty also garlands, and threw them upon him; as the manreigneth in learned times: the more, in regard of ner of applauses then was. Alexander was not
your own perfections and patronage of learning; pleased with it, and by way of discountenance
and it hath been the mishap of works of this said, It was easy to be a good orator in a pleasing
nature, that the less learned time hath wrought theme:, But," saith he to Callisthenes, " turn
upon the more learned, which now will not be so. your style, and tell us now of our faults, that rwe
As for myself, the law is my profession, to which may have the profit, and not you only the praise;"
I am a debtor. Some little helps I may have of which he presently did with such a force, and so
IT