The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

100 LETTERS FROM BIRCH.
by the notice they gave me of some intentions foreign princes. My king is wise, and I hopie
and advices of your honour, which you have been that he hath this just mercy in store for me. God
pleased to impart to others of my friends, with a Almighty make and keep your honour ever hapmeaning, that they should acquaint me with them; py, and keep me so in his favour, as I will be
whereof they have entirely failed. And, there- sure to continue
fore, if still it should import me to understand Your honour's ever most obliged
what they were, I must be enforced to beg the and devoted servant,
knowledge of them from yourself. Your honour TOBIE MATTHEW.
hath by this short letter delivered me otherwise Antwerp, this first of Sept., stylo novo, 1616.
from a great deal of laborious suspense; for, be- P. S., MAY IT PLEASE YOUR HONOUR,
sides the great hope you give me of being so I have written to Sir John Digby; and I think
shortly able to do you reverence, I am come to he would do me all favour, if he were handsomeknow, that by the diligence of your favour towards ly put upon it. My lady of Pembroke hath writme, my Lord of Canterbury hath been drawn to ten, and that very earnestly, to my lord chambergive way, and the master of the horse hath been lain in my behalf.
induced to move. That motion, I trust, will be This letter goes by Mr. Robert Garret, to
granted, howsoever; but I should be out of fear whom I am many ways beholden, for making me
thereof, if, when he moves the king, your honour the best present that ever I received, by deliverwould cast to be present; that if his majesty ing me your honour's last letter.
should make any difficulty, some such reply as is
wont to come from you in such cases may have
power to discharge it.
I have been told rather confidently than credi- SIR FRANCIS BACON TO THE KING.
bly, (for in truth I am hardly drawn to believe it,) MAY IT PLEASE YOUR EXCELLENT MAJESTY,
that Sir Henry Goodere should underhand (upon Because I have ever found, that in business
the reason of certain accounts that run between the consideration of persons, who are instrumenta
him and me, wherein I might justly lose my right, aninata, is no less weighty than of matters, I
if I had so little wit as to trouble your honour's humbly pray your majesty to peruse this enclosed
infinite business by a particular relation thereof) paper, containing a diligence which I have used
oppose himself to my return, and perform ill in omnem eventum. If Towerson,* as a passionoffices, in conformity of that unkind affection ate man, have overcome himself in his opinion,
which he is said to bear me; but, as I said, I can- so it is. But if his company make this good,
not absolutely believe it, though yet I could not then I am very glad to see in the case wherein
so far despise the information, as not to acquaint we now stand, there is this hope left, and your
your honour with what I heard. I offer it not as majesty's honour preserved in the entier. God
a ruled case, but only as a query, as I have also have your majesty in his divine protection.
done to Mr. Secretary Lake, in this letter, which Your majesty's most devoted
I humbly pray your honour may be given him, and most bounden servant, &c.
together with your best advice, how my business
is to be carried in this conjuncture of his ma- This is a secret to all men but my lord chanjesty's drawing near to London, at which time I cellor; and we go on this day with the new comshall receive my sentence. I have learned from pany without discouraging them at all.
your honour to be confident, that it will be pro- September 18, 1616.
nounced in my favour: but, if the will of God Endorsed,
should be otherwise, I shall yet frame for myself To the king, upon Towerson's propositions about
the cloth business.
a good proportion of contentment; since, howsoever, I was so unfortunate, as that I might not
enjoy my country, yet, withal, I was so happy, as
that my return thither was desired and negotiated RICHARD MARTIN, ESQ.f TO SIR FRANCIS BACON.
by the affection, which such a person as yourself RIGHT HONOURABLE,
vouchsafed to bear me. When his majesty shall By attendance at court two days (in vain, conbe moved, if he chance to make difficulty about sidering the end of my journey,) was no loss
my return, and offer to impose any condition,
which it is known I cannot draw myself to di- * Whose brother, Captain Gabriel Towerson, was one of the
English merchants executed by the Dutch at Amboyna, in 1623.
gest, I desire it may be remembered, that my t Born about 1570, entered a commoner of Broad-gate's
case is common with many of his subjects, who Hall, now Pembroke College, Oxford, in 1585, whence he rebreathe in the air of their country, and that my moved to the Middle Temple. In the Parliament of 1601, he
served for the borough of Barnstable in Devon; and in the
case is not common with many, since I have first Parliament of King James I. he served for Cirencester in
lived so long abroad with disgrace at home; and Gloucestershire. Ile was chosen recorder of London in Sepyet have ever been free, not only from suspicion tember, 1618; but died in the last day of the following month.
He was much esteemed by the men of learning and
of practice, but from the least dependence upon genius of that age.