The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

76 LETTERS FROM STEPHENS.
TO THE EARL OF BUCKINGHAM. nious in nature, and therefore you may think, (if
MIY EVER BEST LORD, NOW BETTER THAN YOURSELF, it please you,) I do it in judgment. God ever
Your lordship's pen or rather pencil hath por- preserve you.
trayed towards me such magnanimity and noble- Your lordship's most faithful
and devoted friend and servant,
ness and true kindness, as methinketh I see the
image of some ancient virtue, and not any thingR. BACON, C. S.
Gorhambury, April 13, 1617.
Of these times. It is the line of my life, and not
the lines of my letter, that must express my I purpose to send the precedents themselves by
thankfulness: wherein, if I fail, then God fail my Lord of Brackley, but I thought fit to give
me, and make me as miserable as I think myself you some taste of my opinion before.
at this time happy, by this reviver, through his
majesty's singular clemency, and your incomparable love and favour. God preserve you,
prosper you, and reward you, for your kindness to TO THE KING.
Your raised and infinitely obliged friend
and servantIT MAY PLEASE YOUR MOST EXCELLENT MIAJESTY,
and servant, Fr. BACON, C.. Mr. Vicechamberlain, hath acquainted myself
September22, 1617. and the rest of the commissioners, for the marriage with Spain, which are here, with your
majesty's instructions, signed by your royal
TO TIHE EARL OF BUCKINGIIAMI. hands, touching that point of the suppression of
pirates, as it hath relation to his negotiation;
MY SI:NULAR GOOD Loan, whereupon, we met yesterday at my Lord
I am now for five or six days retired to my Admiral's at Chelsea, because we were loath to
house in the country,: for I think all my lords are draw my lord into the air, being but newly upon
willing to do as scholars do, who, though they his recovery.
call them holy-days, yet they mean them play- We conceive the parts of the business are
days. four: the charge; the confederations, and who
We purpose to meet again on Easter Monday, shall be solicited or retained to come in; the
and go all to the Spittall sermon for that day, forces and the distributions of them; and the
and therein to revive the ancient religious manner, enterprise. We had only at this time conference
when all the counsel used to attend those amongst ourselves, and shall appoint, (after the
sermons; which some neglected in Queen holidays,) times for the calling before us such as
Elizabeth's time, and hismajesty's great devo- are fit, and thereupon, perform all the parts of
tion in the due hearing of sermons himself with your royal commandments.
his counsel at the court, brought into desuetude. In this conference, I met wvith somewhat,
But now, our attendance upon his majesty by which I must confess was altogether new to me,
reason of his absence, cannot be, it is not amiss and opened but darkly neither; whereof I think
to revive it. Mr. Vicechamberlain will give your majesty
I perceive by a letter your lordship did write some light, for so we wished. By occasion
some days since to my Lord Blackley, that your whereof I hold it my duty in respect of the great
lordship would have the king satisfied by prece- place wherein your majesty hath set me, (being
dents, that letters patents might be of the dignity only made worthy by your grace,) which malketh
of an earldom, without delivery of the patent it decent for me to counsel you ad summas rerum,
by the king's own hand, or without the ordinary to intimate or represent to your majesty thus
solemnities of a creation. I find precedents much.
somewhat tending to the same purpose, yet not I do foresee, in my simple judgment, much
matching fully. But, howsoever, let me, accord- inconvenience to ensue, if your majesty proceed
ing to my faithful and free manner of dealing to this treaty with Spain, and that your counsel
with your lordship, say to you, that since the draw not all one way. I saw the bitter fruits of
king means it, I would not have your lordship, a divided counsel the last parliament; I saw no
for the satisfying a little trembling or panting of very pleasant fruits thereof in the matter of the
the heart in my Lord or Lady Blackley, to expose cloth. This will be of equal, if not of more
your lordship's self, or myself, (whose opinion inconvenience; for, wheresoever the opinion of
would be thought to be relied upon,) or the king, your people is material, (as in many cases it is
our master, to envy with the nobility of this not,) there, if your counsel be united, they shall
realm; as to have these ceremonies of honour be able, almost, to give law to opinion and
dispensed with, which, in conferring honour, rumour; but if they be divided, the infusion
have used to be observed, like a kind of Doctor will not be according to the strength and virtue
Bullatus, without the ceremony of a commence- of the votes of your counsel, but according to
ment: the king and you know I am not ceremo- the aptness and inclination of the popular. This