The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

56 LETTERS FROM THE RESUSCITATIO.
TO THE QUEEN. entrance into some ears. For your lordship's
IT MAY PLEASE YOUR EXCELLENT MAJESTY, love, rooted upon good opinion, I esteem it highly,
I presume, according to the ceremony and good because I have tasted the fruits of it; and we both
manner of the time, and my accustomed duty, in have tasted of the best waters, in my account, to
all humbleness to present your majesty with a knit minds together. There is shaped a tale in
simple gift; alnost as far from answering my London's forge that beateth apace at this time;
mind as sorting with your greatness; and there- that I should deliver opinion to the queen in my
with wish that we may continue to reckon on, Lord of Essex's cause; first, that it was preand ever your majesty's happy years of reign: munire, and now last, that it was high treason;
and they that reckon upon any other hopes, I would and this opinion to be in opposition and encounter
they might reckon short, and to their cost. And of the lord chief justice's opinion, and the atso, craving pardon most humbly, I commend your torney-general's. My lord, (I thank God,) my
majesty to the preservation of the Divine goodness. wit serveth me not to deliver any opinion to the
queen which my stomach serveth me not to maintain: one and the same conscience of duty guiding
TO THE QUEEN. me, and fortifying me. But the untruth of this
T MAY PLEASE YOUR MIOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY, fable God and my sovereign can witness, and
I most humbly entreat your majesty,ot to there I leave it: knowing no more remedy against
impute my absence to any weakness of mind or lies than others do against libels. The root, no
unworthiness. But I assure your majesty I do question of it, is, partly, some light-headed envy
find envy beating so strongly upon me, standingr at my accesses to her majesty, which being begun
as I do, (if this be to stand,) as it were not strength continued since my childhood, as long as her
of mind, but stupidity, if I Should not decline the majesty shall think me worthy of them, I scorn
occasions, except I could do your majesty more those that shall think the contrary. And another
service than I can any ways discern that I am reason is, the aspersion of this tale, and the envy
able to do. My course towards your majesty thereof, upon some greater man, in regard of ny
(God is my witness) hath been pure and unlea- nearness. And, therefore, (my lord,) I pray you
vened; and never poor gentleman (as I am per- answer for me to any person that you think worthy
suaded) had a deeper and truer desire and care of your own reply, and my defence. For my Lord
you r glory, your safety, your repos e of mind, of Essex, I am not servile to him, having regard
your glory, your safety, your repose of mind,
your service; wherein if I have exceeded my out- to my superior's duty. I have been much bound
ward vocation, I most humbly crave your ma- unto him; and, on the other side, I have spent
jesty's pardon for my presumption. On the other more time and more thoughts about his wellside, if I have come short of my inward vocation, doing than ever I did about mine own. I pray
I'most humbly crave God's pardon for quenchin God you his friends amongst you be in the right.
I most humbly crave God's pardon for quenching
the spirit. But in this mind I find such solitude, " Nulla remedia, tam faciunt dolorem, quam quie
and want of comfort, which I judge to be because sunt salutaria." For my part, I have deserved
I take duty too exactly, and not according to the better than to have my name objected to envy, or
dregs of this age, wherein the old anthem might my life to a ruffian's violence; but I have the
never be more truly sung; "Totus mundus in privy coat of a good conscience. Iam sure these
maligno positus est." My life bath been threat- courses and bruits hurt my lord more than all.
teed, and my name libelled, which I count an So having written to your lordship, I desire exerted, and my name libelled, which I count an. t v. i
honour; but these are the practices of those whose ceedingly to be preferred in your good opinion
despairs are dangerous, but yet not so dangerous and love, and so leave you to God's goodness.
as their hopes; or else the devices of some that
would put out all your majesty's lights, and fall
on reckoning how many years you have reigned,
which I beseech our blessed Saviour may be THE EARL OF ESSEX'S LETTER TO TIIE COUNCIL,
doubled: and that I may never live to see any AT HIS EMBARKING FOR SPAIN. JUNE, 1596.
eclipse of your glory, interruption of safety, or MY VERY GOOD LORDS,
indisposition of your person, which I commend to Having taken order for all things that belong
the Divine Majesty, who keep you and fortify you. to our land forces, and staying only till the ships
be ready to take in our soldiers, I am come aboard,
as well to draw other men by my example to leave
TO MY LORD HEN. HOWARD. the shore, as to have time and leisure to ask account of myself what other duty I have to do,
My LoRD,-There be very few besides yourself besides the governing of those troops, and the
to whom I would perform this respect; for I con- using of them to good purpose. In which meditemn "inendacia fame," as it walks among in- tation, as I first study to please my most graciou.s
teriors; though I neglect it not, as it may have I sovereign, as well as to serve her; so my next