I purpose to send the precedents themselves by my lord of Brackley; but I thought fit to give you some taste of my opinion before. Gorhambury, Apr. 13, 1617. CLXXIII. TO THE EARL OF BUCKINGHAM 1. MY SINGULAR GOOD LORD, I PRAY your good lordship to deliver to his majesty the inclosed. 2 I send your lordship also the warrant to my lord treasurer and Mr. Chancellor of the exchequer for the queen's house: it is to come again to the king, when the bill is drawn for the letters patents; for this is only the warrant to be signed by his majesty. I asked the queen, whether she would write to your lordship about it; her answer was very modest and discreet, that because it proceeded wholly from his majesty's kindness and goodness, who had referred it, it was not so fit for her to write to your lordship for the dispatch of it, but she desired me to thank your lordship for your former care of it, and to desire you to continue it: and withal she desireth your lordship not to press his majesty in it, but to take his best times. This answer, because I like it so well, I write to you at large; for other matters I will write by the next. God ever prosper you and preserve you. Your lordship's most faithful and devoted friend and servant, London, 19 Apr. 1617. FR. BACON, C. s. CLXXIV. TO MR. MATTHEW, IN REFLECTION UPON SOME ASTRONOMERS IN ITALY 3. SIR, I WRITE to you chiefly now, to the end, that by the continuance of my acquaintance with you by letters, you may perceive how much I desire, and how much I do not despair of the recontinuance of our acquaintance by conversation. In the mean time I wish you would 1 Stephens's Second Collection, p. 37. 2 Somerset-House. 3 Sir Tobie Matthew's Collection of Letters, p. 25. desire the astronomers of Italy to amuse us less than they do with their fabulous and foolish traditions, and come nearer to the experiments of sense; and tell us, that when all the planets, except the moon, are beyond the line in the other hemisphere for six months together, we must needs have a cold winter, as we saw it was the last year. For understanding that this was general over all these parts of the world; and finding that it was cold weather with all winds, and namely west-wind, I imagined there was some higher cause of this effect; though yet I confess I thought not that ever I should have found that cause so palpable a one as it proved; which yet, when I came quickly afterwards to observe, I found also very clearly, that the summer must needs be cold too; though yet it were generally thought, that the year would make a shift to pay itself, and that we should be sure to have heats for our cold. You see,. that though I be full of business, yet I can be glad rather to lay it all aside, than to say nothing to you. But I long much more to be speaking often with you, and I hope I shall not long want my wish. 1 CLXXV. TO THE KING, ABOUT THE SPANISH IT MAY PLEASE YOUR MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY, MR. Vice-Chamberlain hath acquainted myself and the rest of the commissioners for the marriage with Spain, which are here, with your majesty's instructions, signed by your royal hands, touching that point of the suppressing of pirates, as it hath relation to his negociation; whereupon we met yesterday at my lord admiral's at Chelsea, because we were loth to draw my lord into the air, being but newly upon his recovery 2. 2 Charles lord Howard of Effingham and earl of Nottingham, was, as Sir Robert Naunton observes, as goodly a gentleman for person as the times had any; which is confirmed by Mr. Osbourn, although his eyes met not with him, till he was turned towards the point of eighty. He being also brave, faithful, and diligent, commanded the fleet as lord high admiral upon several occasions, particularly against the Spanish Armada, 1588. But in the latter end of the year 1618, he surrendered this honourable place to the king, who conferred it upon the marquis of Buckingham, and died in the year 1624, and of his age the 88th. Stephens, We conceive the parts of the business are four: the charge; the confederations, and who shall be solicited or retained to come in; the forces and the distributions of them; and the enterprise. We had only at this time conference amongst ourselves, and shall appoint, after the holy-days, times for the calling before us such as are fit, and thereupon perform all the parts of your royal commandments. In this conference I met with somewhat which I must confess was altogether new to me, and opened but darkly neither; whereof I think Mr. Vice-Chamberlain will give your majesty some light, for so we wished. By occasion whereof I hold it my duty, in respect of the great place wherein your majesty hath set me, being only made worthy by your grace, which maketh it decent for me to counsel you ad summas rerum, to intimate or represent to your majesty thus much. I do foresee, in my simple judgment, much inconvenience to insue, if your majesty proceed to this treaty with Spain, and that your council draw not all one way. I saw the bitter fruits of a divided council the last parliament; I saw no very pleasant fruits thereof in the matter of the cloth. This will be of equal, if not more inconvenience; for wheresoever the opinion of your people is material, as in many cases it is not, there, if your council be united, they shall be able almost to give law to opinion and rumour; but if they be divided, the infusion will not be according to the strength and virtue of the votes of your council, but according to the aptness and inclination of the popular. This I leave to your majesty in your high wisdom to remedy: only I could wish that when Sir John Digby's instructions are perfected, and that he is ready to go, your majesty would be pleased to write some formal letter to the body of your council, if it shall be in your absence, signifying to them your resolution in general, to the end, that when deliberation shall be turned into resolution, no man, howsoever he may retain the inwardness of his opinion, may be active in contrarium. The letters of my lords of the council with your majesty, touching the affairs of Ireland, written largely and articulately, and by your majesty's direction, will much facilitate our labours here; though there will not want matter of consultation thereupon. God ever preserve your majesty safe and happy. London, April 19, 1617. Your Majesty's most devoted and obliged servant, FR. BACON, C. S. CLXXVI. TO THE EARL OF BUCKINGHAM.' MY SINGULAR GOOD LORD, I SEND your lordship, according to the direction of your letter, a note of the precedents that I find in my lord Brackley's business; which do rather come near the case than match it. Your lordship knoweth already my opinion, that I would rather have you constant in the matter, than instant for the time. I send also inclosed an account of council business: by way of remembrance to his majesty, which it may please you to deliver to him. The queen returneth her thanks to your lordship for the dispatch of the warrant touching her house: I have not yet acquainted the lord treasurer, and chancellor of the exchequer with it; but I purpose to-morrow to deliver them the warrant, and to advise with them for the executing of the same. I have received the king's letter with another from your lordship, touching the cause of the officers, and Sir Arthur Ingram, whereof I will be very careful to do them justice. Yesterday I took my place in chancery, which I hold only for the king's grace and favour, and your constant friendship. There was much ado, and a great deal of world; but this matter of pomp, which is heaven to some men, is hell to me, or purgatory at least. It is true, I was glad to see that the king's choice was so generally approved ; and that I had so much interest in mens good will and good opinions, because it maketh me the fitter instrument to do my master service and my friend also. After I was set in chancery, I published his majesty's charge which he gave me when he gave me the seal; and what rules and resolutions I had taken for the fulfilling his commandments. I send your lordship a copy of that I said. My lord Hay coming to take his leave of me two days before, I told him what I was meditating, and he desired me to send him some remembrance of it; and so I could not but send him another copy thereof. Men tell me it hath done the king a great deal of honour; insomuch that some of my friends that are wise men and no vain ones, did not stick to say to me, that there was not these seven years such a preparation for a parliament; which was a commendation, I confess, pleased me well. I pray take some fit time to shew it his majesty, because if I misunderstood him in any thing, I may amend it, because I know his judgment is higher and deeper than mine. I take infinite contentment to hear his majesty is in great good health and vigor; I pray God preserve and continue it. Thus wishing you well above all men living, next my master and his: I rest CLXXVII. AN ACCOUNT OF COUNCIL BUSINESS, AND OTHER MATTERS COMMITTED TO ME BY HIS MAJESTY 1. FIRST, for May-day; at which time there was great apprehension of tumult by prentices and loose people; there was never such a still. The remedies that did the effect were three: First, the putting in muster of the trained bands and military bands in a brave fashion that way. Next the laying a strait charge upon the mayor and aldermen for the city, and justices of the peace for the suburbs, that 'Stephen's First Collection, p. 202. |