hand quickened and nourished from me. And truly, my lord, I would not be thought to supplant any man for great gain; and I humbly pray your lordship to continue your commendation and countenance to me in the course of the queen's service that I am entered into: which when it shall please God to move the queen to profit,' I hope I shall give cause for your lordship to obtain as many thanks as you have endured chidings. And so I commend your good lordship to God's good preservation. Your Lordship's most humbly at your hon[ourable] commandment, From Gray's Inn, the 11th of June, 1595. FR. BACON. XXIV. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE LORD KEEPER, ETC.2 IT MAY PLEASE YOUR LORDSHIP, THERE hath nothing happened to me in the course of my business more contrary to my expectation, than your lordship's failing me, and crossing me now in the conclusion, when friends are best tried. But now I desire no more favour of your lordship, than I would do if I were a suitor in the chancery; which is this only, that you would do me right. And I for my part, though I have much to alledge, yet nevertheless, if I see her majesty settle her choice upon an able man, such a one as Mr. Serjeant Fleming, I will make no means to alter it. On the other side, if I perceive any insufficient obscure idole man offered to her majesty, then I think myself double bound to use the best means I can for myself; which I humbly pray your lordship I may do with your favour, and that you will not disable me farther than is And so I commend your lordship to God's pre cause. servation, That beareth your lordship all humble respect, From Gray's-Inn, the 28th of July, 1595. Endorsed, in Lord Keeper's hand, FR. BACON. 'f. perfect. 2 Harl. MSS. Vol. 6997. No. 37. 3 Ita MSS. XXV. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE LORD 2 KEEPER, ETC.1 MAY IT PLEASE YOUR LORDSHIP, I THOUGHT it became me to write to your lordship, upon that which I have understood from my lord of Essex, who vouchsafed, as I perceive, to deal with your lordship of himself to join with him in the concluding of my business, and findeth your lordship hath conceived offence, as well upon my manner when I saw your lordship at Temple last, as upon a letter, which I did write to your lordship some time before. Surely, my lord, for my behaviour, I am well assured, I omitted no point of duty or ceremony towards your lordship. But I know too much of the court to beg a countenance in public place, where I make account I shall not receive it. And for my letter, the principal point of it was, that which I hope God will give me grace to perform, which is, that if any idole may be offered to her majesty, since it is mixt with my particular, to inform her majesty truly, which I must do, as long as I have a tongue to speak, or a pen to write, or a friend to use. And farther I remember not of my letter, except it were that I writ, I hoped your lordship would do me no wrong, which hope I do still continue. For if it please your lordship but to call to mind from whom I am descended, and by whom, next to God, her majesty, and your own virtue, your lordship is ascended; I know you will have a compunction of mind to do me any wrong. And therefore, good my lord, when your lordship favoureth others before me, do not lay the separation of your love and favour upon myself. For I will give no cause, neither can I acknowledge any, where none is; but humbly pray your lordship to understand things as they are. Thus sorry to write to your lordship in an argument which is to me unpleasant, though necessary, I commend your lordship to God's good preservation. From Twick nam-Park this 19th of August, 1595. Your Lordship's in all humble respect, 1 Harl. MSS. Vol, 6997. No. 44. FR. BACON. XXVI. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE LORD KEEPER, ETC.1 IT MAY PLEASE YOUR GOOD LORDSHIP, I AM Sorry the opportunity permitteth me not to attend your lordship as I minded. But I hope your lordship will not be the less sparing in using the argument of my being studied and prepared in the queen's causes, for my furtherance, upon belief that I had imparted to your lordship my travels, which some time next week I mean to do. Neither have I been able to confer with Mr. Attorney, as I desired, because he was removing from one building to another. And besides, he alledged his note-book was in the country at and so we respited it to some time next week. I think he will rather do me good offices than otherwise, except it be for the township your lordship remembreth by the verse. Thus I commend your honourable lordship to God's good preservation. Your Lordship's most humble at your honourable] commandinent, From Gray's-Inn this 25th of September, 1595. FR. BACON. XXVII. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE MY GOOD LORD, THE LORD KEEPER OF THE GREAT SEAL OF ENGLAND.2 IT MAY PLEASE YOUR GOOD LORDSHIP, My not acquainting your lordship hath proceeded of my not knowing any thing, and of my not knowing of my absence at Byssam with my lady Russel, upon some important cause of her son's. And as I have heard nothing, so I look for nothing, though my lord of Essex sent me word, he would not write till his lordship had good news. But his lordship may go on in his affection, which nevertheless myself have desired him to limit. But I do assure your lordship, I can take no farther care for the matter. I am now at Twicknam-park, where I think 1 Harl. MSS. Vol. 6997. No. 59. 2 Ibid. No. 60. to stay for her majesty placing a solicitor, my travel shall not need in her causes, though whensoever her majesty shall like to employ me in any particular, I shall be ready to do her willing service. This I write lest your lordship might think my silence came of any conceit towards your lordship, which, I do assure you, I have not. And this needed I not to do, if I thought not so: for my course will not give me any ordinary occasion to use your favour, whereof nevertheless I shall ever be glad. So I commend your good lordship to God's holy preser vation. This eleventh of October, 1595. Your Lordship's humble, etc. XXVIII. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE LORD KEEPER, ETC1. IT MAY PLEASE YOUR GOOD LORDSHIP, I CONCEIVE the end already made, which will, I trust, be to me a beginning of good fortune, or at least of content. Her majesty by God's grace shall live and reign long, she is not running away, I may trust her. Or whether she look towards me or no, I remain the same, not altered in my intention. If I had been an ambitious man, it would have overthrown me, but minded as I am, "Revertet benedictio mea in sinum meum." I had made any reckoning of any thing to be stirred, I would have waited on your lordship, and will be at any time ready to wait on you to do you service. So I commend your good lordship to God's holy preservation. Your Lordship's most humble at your hon[ourable] commandment, From Twicknam-Park this 14th of October. Endorsed: 14th October 95. Harl. MSS. Vol. 6997. No 61. FR. BACON. If XXIX. ΤΟ THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE LORD KEEPER, ETC.1 MY VERY GOOD LORD, I RECEIVED a letter from a very friend of mine requesting me to move your lordship, to put into the commission for the subsidy, Mr. Richard Kempe, a reader of Gray's-Inn, and besides born to good estate, being also my friend and familiar acquaintance. And because I conceive the gentleman to be every way sortable with the service, I am bold to commend him to your lordship's good favour. And even so, with remembrance of my most humble duty, I rest, Your Lordship's affectionate to do you humble service, your IN my last conference with your lordship, I did intreat you both to forbear hurting of Mr. Fr. Bacon's cause, and to suspend your judgment of his mind towards your lordship, till I had spoken with him. I went since that time to Twicknam-park to confer with him, and had signified the effect of our conference by letter ere this, if I had not hoped to have met with your lordship, and so to have delivered it by speech. I told lordship when I last saw you, that this manner of his was only a natural freedom, and plainness, which he had used with me, and in my knowledge with some other of his best friends, than any want of reverence towards your lordship; and therefore I was more curious to look into the moving cause of his stile, than into the form of it: which now I find to be only a diffidence of your lordship's favour and love towards him, and no alienation of that dutiful mind which he hath borne towards your lordship. And therefore I am fully persuaded, that if your lordship would please to send for him, there would Harl. MSS. Vol. 6997. No. 29. 2 Ibid. No. 47. |