The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

204 MISCELLANEOUS LETTERS.
delaying and preserving the matter entire till a EARL OF ESSEX TO MR. FRANCIS BACON.;
better constellation; which, as it is not hard, as I SIR, —I went yesterday to the queen through
conceive, considering the French business and the galleries in the morning, afternoon, and at
the instant progress, &c., so I commend in special night. I had long speech with her of you, wherein
to you the care, who in sort assured me thereof, I urged both the point of your extraordinary suffiand upon whom now, in my Lord of Essex's ab- ciency proved to me not only by your last argusence, I have only to rely; and, if it be needful, ment, but by the opinion of all men I spake withal,
I humbly pray you to move my lord your father and the point of mine own satisfaction, which, I
to lay his hand to the same delay. And so I wish protested, should be exceeding great, if, for all
you all increase of honour. her unkindness and discomforts past, she should
Your honour's poor kinsman, do this one thing for my sake. To the first she
in faithful service and duty, answered, that the greatness of your friends, as of
FRANCIS BACON. my lord treasurer and myself, did make men give
From Gray's Inn, this 1st of May 1554. a more favourable testimony than else they would
do, thinking thereby they pleased us. And that
she did acknowledge you had a great wit, and an
excellent gift of speech, and much other good
SIR ROBERT CECIL'S ANSWER.* learning. But in law she rather thought you
could make show to the uttermost of your knowCousIN,-I do think nothing cut the throat more could make aow t o the utterm ost of your knowof your present access than the earl's being some- thn that you were deep. To the second
what troubled at this time. For the delaying I she said, she showed her mislike to the suit, as
thin~ik it not Ihard, neither shall there want my well as I had done my affection in it; and that if
best endeavour to make it easy, of which I hope e were a yielding, it was fitter to be of my
you shall not need to doubt by the judgment, side. I then added, that this was an answer, with
which I gather of divers circumstances confirming she might deny me all things, if she did
my opinion. I protest I suffer with you in mind, not grant them at the first, which was not her
that you are thus gravelled; but time will founder manner to do. But her majesty had made me
all your competitors, and set you on your feet, or suffer and give way in many things else; which
else I haave little understanding. all I should bear, not only with patience, but with
great contentment, if she would but grant my
humble suit in this one. And for the pretence of
the approbation given you upon partiality, that all
the world, lawyers, judges, and all, could not be
EARL OF ESSEX TO MR. FRANCIS BACON.+ partial to you; for somewhat you were crossed
SIn,-I wrote not to you till I had had a second for their own interest, and some for their friends;
conference with the queen, because the first was but yet all did yield to your merit. She did in
spent only in compliments: she in the beginning this as she useth in all, went from a denial to a
excepted all business: this day she hath seen delay, and said, when the council were all here,
me again. After I had followed her humour in she would think of it; and there was no haste in
talking of those things, which she would entertain determining of the place. To which I answered,
me with, I told her, in my absence I had written that my sad heart had need of hasty comfort; and,
to Sir Robert Cecil, to solicit her to call you to therefore, her majesty must pardon me, if I were
that place, to which all the world had named you; hasty and importunate in it. When theycome
and being now here, I must follow it myself; we sdone; andwishyou
for I know what service I should do her in pro- a11 happiness, and rest
curing you the place; and she knew not how great Tour most affectionate friend
a comfort I should take in it. Her answer in Essex.
Endorsed, 18th of M{ay, 1594.
playing just was, that she came not to me for that,
I should talk of those things when I came to her,
not when she came to me; the term was coming,
and she would advise. I would have replied, but
she stopped my mouth. To-morrow or the next FOULKE GREVILL, ESQ. TO MR. FRANCIS BACON.t
day I will go to her, and then this excuse will be MR. FRANCIS BACON,
taken away. When I know more, you shall hear Saturday was my first coming to the court,
more; and so I end full of pain in my head, which from whence I departed again as soon as I had
makes me write thus confusedly. kissed her majesty's hands, because I had no
- Your most affectionate friend. lodging nearer than my uncle's, which is four
* Among the papers of Antony Bacon, Esq., vol. iv. fol. * Among the papers of Antony Bacon, EDq., vol. iv. fol. 123,
122, in the Lambeth Library. in the Lambeth Library.
f Ibid. fol. 122. i Ibid. fol. 132.