The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

LETTERS FROM THE CABALA. 3
suitor to her majesty, that this benefit also may be I and inscrutable centre of the court, which is her
affixed unto the other,; which is, that if there majesty's mind, do not only toll the bell, but even
appear in me no such towardness of service, as it ring out peals, as if your fortune were dead and
may be her majesty doth benignlyvalue and assess buried, and as if there were no possibility of reme at, by reason of my sundry wants, and the covering her majesty's favour; and as if the best
disadvantage of my nature, being unapt to lay of your condition were to live a private and retired
forth the simple store of those inferior gifts which life, out of want, out of peril, and out of manifest
God hath allotted unto me, most to view: yet that disgrace. And so, in this persuasion to your lordit would please her excellent majesty, not to ac- ship-wards, to frame and accommodate your account my thankfulness the less, for that my disa- tions and mind to that end; I fear, I say, that this
bility is great to show it; but to sustain me in her untimely despair may in time bring forth a just
majesty's gracious opinion, whereupon I only despair, by causing your lordship to slacken and
rest, and not upon any expectation of desert to break off your wise, loyal, and seasonable endea)roceed from myself towards the contentment vour and industry for redintegration to her mathereof. But if it shall please God to send forth jesty's favour, in comparison whereof, all other
an occasion whereby my faithful affection may be circumstances are but as atomi, or rather as a
tried, I trust it shall save me labour for ever vacuum, without any substance at all.
making more protestation of it hereafter. In the Against this opinion, it may please your lordmean time, howsoever it be not made known to ship to consider of these reasons, which I have
her majesty, yet God knoweth it, through the collected; and to make judgment of them, neither
daily solicitations wherewith I address myself out of the melancholy of your present fortune
unto him, in unfeigned prayer, for the multiplying nor out of the infusion of that which cometh to
of her majesty's prosperities. To your lordship, you by others' relation, which is subject to much
also, whose recommendation, I know right well, tincture, but "' ex rebus ab ipsis," out of the nature
hath been material to advance her majesty's good of the persons and actions themselves, as the
opinion of me, I can be but a bounden servant. So truest and less deceiving ground of opinion. For,
much may I safely promise, and purpose to be, see- though I am so unfortunate as to be a stranger to
ing public and private bonds vary not, but that my her majesty's eye, much more to her nature and
service to her majesty and your lordship draw in manners, yet by that which is extant I do maniline. I wish, therefore, to show it with as good festly discern, that she hath that character of the
proof, as I can say it in good faith, etc. divine nature and goodness, as 1"quos amavit,
Your lordship's, etc. amavit usque ad finem;" and where she hath a
creature, she doth not deface nor defeat it: insomuch as, if I observe rightly, in those persons
whom heretofore she hath honoured with her speTWO LETTERS FRAMED, ONE AS FROM MR. AN- cial favour, she hath covered and remitted, not
TIIONY BACON TO THE EARL OF ESSEX, THE only defections and ingratitudes in affection, but
OTHER, AS THE EARL'S ANSWER.
OTHER, AS TH-IE EARL'S ANSWER. errors in state and service.
MY SINGULAR GOOD LOBD, 2. If I can, scholar-like, spell and put together
This standing at a stay doth make me, in my the parts of her majesty's proceedings now tolove towards your lordship, jealous, lest you do wards your lordship, I cannot but make this consomewhat, or omit somewhat, that amounteth to a struction: that her majesty, in her royal intention,
new error; for I suppose, that of all former mat- never purposed to call your doings into public
ters there is a full expiation; wherein, for any question, but only to have used a cloud without
thing which your lordship doth, I, for my part, a shower, and censuring them by some restraint
(who am remote,) cannot cast or devise wherein of liberty, and debarring from her presence. For
my error should be, except in one point, which I both the handling the cause in the Star Chamber
dare not censure nor dissuade; which is, that as was enforced by the violence of libelling and ruthe prophet saith, in this affliction you look up mours, wherein the queen thought to have satisfied
"cad manum percutientem," and so make your the world, and yet spared your appearance. And
peace with God. And yet I have heard it noted, then after, when that means, which was intended
that my Lord of Leicester, who could never get for the quenching of malicious bruits, turned to
to be taken for a saint, yet in the queen's disfa- kindle them, because it was said your lordship
your waxed seeming religious. Which may be was condemned unheard, and your lordship's sisthought by some, and used by others, as a case ter wrote that private letter, then her majesty saw
resembling yours, if men do not see, or will not plainly, that these winds of rumours could not be
see, the difference between your two dispositions. commanded down, without a handling of the
But, to be plain with your lordship, my fear rather cause, by making you party, and admitting your
is, because I hear how some of your good and defence. And to this purpose, I do assure your
wise friends, not unpractised in the court, and sup- lordship, that my brother, Francis Bacon, who is
posing themselves not to be unseen in that deep too wise to be abused, though he be both reserved