The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

52 LETTERS FROM THE RESUSCITATIO.
(lone which I hope by this time is done, and that find you conceive of me for the ob'aining of a
other matter shall be done which we wish may good place which some of my honourable friends
oe done, I hope to my poor matter, the one of have wished unto me, " nec opinanti." I will
these great matters may clear the way and the use no reason to persuade your lordship's mediaother give the occasion. And though my lord tion but this, that your lordship and my othei
treasurer be absent, whose health, nevertheless, friends shall in this beg my life of the queen;
will enable him to be sooner at court than is ex- for I see well the bar will be my bier, as I must
pected; especially if this hard weather (too hard and will use it rather than my poor estate oi
to continue) shall relent; yet we abroad say, his reputation shall decay; but I stand indifferent
lordship's spirit may be there though his person whether God call me or her majesty. Had I
be away. Once I take for a good ground that that in possession which by your lordship's only
her majesty's business ought to keep neither va- means against the greatest opposition her majesty
cation nor holiday, either in the execution or in granted me, I would never trouble her majesty,
the care and preparation of those whom her ma- but serve her still voluntarily without pay.
jesty calleth and useth; and, therefore, I would Neither do I in this more than obey my friends'
think no time barred from remembering that with conceits as one that would not be wholly wanting
such discretion and respect as appertaineth. The to myself. Your lordship's good opinion doth
conclusion shall be to put you in mind to main- somewhat confirm me, as that I take comfort in
tain that which you have kindly begun, according above all others; assuring your lordship that I
to the reliance I have upon the sincerity of your never thought so well of myself for any one thing
affection and the soundness of your judgment. as that I have found a fitness to my thinking in
And so I commend you to God's preservation. myself to observe and revere your virtues; for
the continuance whereof in the prolonging of
your days I will still be your beadsman; accordingly, at this time, commend your lordship to
TO WMY LORD OF ESSEX. the divine protection.
IT MAY PLEASE YOUR LORDSHIP,
I am very sorry her majesty should take my
motion to travail in offence; but surely, under
her majesty's royal correction, it is such an TO FOULK GREVIL.
offence as it should be an offence to the sun, when SIR,-I understand of your pains to have visited
a man to avoid the scorching heat thereof flieth me, for which I thank you. My matter is an endinto the shade. And your lordship may easily less question. I assure you, I had said, ",requiesce
think, that having now these twenty years (for anima mea;" but now I am otherwise put to my
so long it is, and more, since I went with Sir psalter, ", nolite confidere," I dare go no farther.
Amyas Paulett into France, from her majesty's Her majesty had by set speech more than once
royal hand) I made her majesty's service the assured me of her intention to call me to her serscope of mly life: I shall never find a greater vice; which I could not understand but of the
grief than this, " relinquere amorem primrnum." place I had been named to. And now, whether
But since ",principia actionum sunt tantum in i "invidus homo hoc fecit," or whether my matter
nostra potestate;" I hope her majesty of her must be an appendix to my Lord of Essex's suit,
clemency, yea, and justice, will pardon me, and or whether her majesty, pretending to prove my
not force me to pine here with melancholy. For ability, meaneth but to take advantage of some
though mine heart be good, yet mine eyes will errors, which, like enough, at one time or other I
be sore, so as I shall have no pleasure to look may commit, or what it is, but her majesty is not
abroad, and if I should otherwise be affected, her ready to despatch it. And what though the master
mlajesty in her wisdom will think me an impu- of the rolls and my Lord of Essex, and yourself
dent man that would face out a disgrace; there- and others think my case without doubt, yet, in
fore, as I have ever found you my good lord and the mean time I have a hard condition to stand so,
true friend, so I pray open the matter so to her that whatsoever service I do to her majesty, it
majesty, as she may discern the necessity of it, shall be thought to be but " servitium viscatum,"
without adding hard conceit to her rejection; of lime-twigs and fetches to place myself; and so I
which I am sure the latter I never deserved. shall have envy, not thanks. This is a course to
Thus, etc. quench all good spirits, and to corrupt every man's
nature; which will, I fear, much hurt her majesty's service in the end. I have been like a piece
TO THIE LORD TREASURER. of stuff bespoken in the shop: and if her majesty
will not take me, it may be the selling by parcels
1T MAY PLEASE YOUR GOOD LORDSHIP, will be more gainful. For to be, as I told you,
I am to give you humble thanks for your favour- like a child following a bird, which, when he is
able opinion, which by Mr. Secretary's report I nearest, flieth away and lighteth a little before,