СХСІІ.

MY LORD,

TO THE EARL OF BUCKINGHAM 1.

How well I wish to Sir Gilbert Haughton, himself I dare say doth not doubt, partly out of mine own affection, and chiefly for your lordship's affection towards hím, which is to me more than mine own. That the king should make bargains of hope, when his treasure sufficeth not for his own charge, I may not advise for my dearest friends; for I am nailed to the king's estate. But two things I shall assent unto; the one, that if the king can redeem his works without charge of officers, I shall be glad of it, both for the gentleman's sake, and because I perceive the uniting of the allum-works in the king's hand is best; the other, that if his majesty be pleased to signify his pleasure to my lord treasurer and me, that there be no forfeiture taken by Banister till the king shall advise of this bargain, we will hold him to it. God preserve and prosper your lordship. Your lordship, I think, perceiveth both by scribbling and cursory inditing, that I write in straits of business.

Your lordship's true friend and devoted servant,

York-house, this 24th of Nov. 1617.

FR. BACON, C. S.

CXCIII.

TO THE EARL OF BUCKINGHAM 2.

MY VERY GOOD LORD,

I SEND your lordship a draught of a letter touching the sub-commission, written in wide lines, because it may be the better amended by his majesty. I think it is so penned as none can except to it, no nor imagine any thing of it. For the houshold business there was given a fortnight's day: for the pensions, the course which I first propounded, of abating a third throughout, and some wholly, seemeth well entered into. These be no ill beginnings. But this course of the sub-commission

threads all the king's business. God ever preserve and

In this first and greatest branch of our charge concerning our house, we do find what difficulties are made, and what time is lost, in disputing of and devising upon the manner of doing it: whereof the matter must be, and is so fully resolved. Neither can we but see in this, as in a glass, the like event to follow in the rest upon like reason. For the inferior officers in every kind, who are best able for skill to propound the retrenchments, will out of interest or fearfulness make dainty to do service; and that which is done with an ill-will will never be well done. Again, to make it the act of the whole table, for the particular propositions and reckon- . ings, will be too tedious for you, and will draw the business itself into length; and to make any particular committees of yourselves, were to impose that upon a few, which requireth to be carried indifferently as the act of you all. For since the great officers themselves think it too heavy for them, as our state now is, to deal in it, without bringing it to the table; with much more reason may any particular persons of you be loth to meddle in it, but at the board. In all which respects we have thought fit, neither do we see any other way, that you send unto us the names of the officers of our exchequer, and our custom-house, and auditors, out of which we will make choice of some few, best qualified to be sub-committees, for the better case, and the speeding of the business by their continual travels and meetings; whose part and employment we incline to be to attend the principal officers in their several charges, and join themselves to some of the inferior officers, and so take upon them the mechanic and laborious part of every

business, thereby to facilitate and prepare it for your consultations, according to the directions and instructions they shall receive from you from time to time.

BEING yesterday assembled in council to proceed in the course we had begun for retrenchment of your majesty's expences; we received your princely letters, whereby we are directed to send to your majesty the names of the officers of the exchequer, custom-house, and auditors, out of which you purpose to make choice of some to be sub-committed to handle the mechanic and laborious part of that which your majesty had appointed to our care; we have, according to our duty, sent unto your majesty the names of the several officers of your majesty in those places, to be ordered as your wisdom shall think best to direct. But withal, we thought it appertenant to our duties to inform your majesty how far we have proceeded in the several heads of retrenchments by your majesty at your departure committed unto us, that when you know in what estate our labours are, your judgment may the better direct any further course as shall be meet.

The matter of the household was by us, some days since, committed peremptorily to the officers of the house, as matter of commandment from your majesty, and of duty in them, to reduce the expense of your house to a limited charge of fifty thousand pounds by the year, besides the benefit of the compositions: and they have ever since painfully, as we are informed, travailed in it, and will be ready on Sunday next, which was the day given them, to present some models of retrenchments of divers kinds, all aiming at your majesty's service.

In the point of pensions we have made a beginning, by suspending some wholly for a time, and of others of a third part; in which course we are still going on, until we make it fit to be presented to your majesty; in like

1 Stephens's Second Collection, p. 69.

manner the lord chamberlain and the lord Hay did yesterday report unto us, what their travail had ordered in the wardrobe; and although some doubt did arise unto us, whether your majesty's letters intended a stay of our labours, until you had made choice of the sub-committee intended by you; yet presuming that such a course by sub-committee was purposed rather for a furtherance, than lett to that work, we did resolve to go on still till your majesty's further directions shall come unto us; and then according to our duty we will proceed, as we shall be by your majesty commanded. In the mean time we thought it our duty to inform your majesty of what we have done, that neither your majesty may conceive that we have been negligent in those things which were committed unto us, nor your directions by your late letters hinder or cast back that which is already so far proceeded in. And so humbly kissing your royal hands, and praying to the Almighty for your long and happy reign over us, we rest

Your majesty's most humble and obedient subjects and servants,

I WRITE now only, rather in a kind of continuance and fresh suit, upon the king's business, than that the same is yet ripe, either for advertisement, or advice.

The sub-commissioners meet forenoon and afternoon, with great diligence, and without distraction or running several ways: which if it be no more than necessary, what would less have done? that is, if there had been no sub-commissioners, or they not well chosen.

I speak with Sir Lionel Cranfield, as cause requireth

Stephens's Second Collection, p,71.

either for account or direction, and as far as I can, by the taste I have from him, discern, probably their service will attain, and may exceed his majesty's expectation.

I do well like the course they take, which is, in every kind to set down, as in beer, in wine, in beef, in muttons, in corn, etc. what cometh to the king's use, and then what is spent, and lastly what may be saved. This way, though it be not so accusative, yet it is demonstrative. "Nam rectum est index sui et obliqui," and the false manner of accounting, and where the gain cleaveth, will appear after by consequence. after by consequence. I humbly pray his majesty to pardon me for troubling him with these imperfect glances, which I do, both because I know his majesty thinketh long to understand somewhat, and lest his majesty should conceive, that he multiplying honours and favours upon me, I should not also increase and redouble my endeavours and cares for his service. God ever bless, preserve, and prosper his majesty and lordship, to whom I ever remain

16 Jan. 1617.

CXCVI.

Your true and most devoted servant,

your

FR. BACON, C. S.

TO MR. MATTHEW, ABOUT READING AND GIVING JUDGMENT UPON HIS WRITINGS1.

SIR,

2

BECAUSE you shall not lose your labour this afternoon, which now I must needs spend with my lord chancellor, I send my desire to you in this letter, that you will take care not to leave the writing, which I left with you last, with any man, so long, as that he may be able to take a copy of it; because, first, it must be censured by you, and then considered again by me. thing which I expect most from you is, that you would read it carefully over by yourself, and to make some little note in writing, where you think, to speak like a

1 Sir Tobie Matthew's Second Collection of Letters, p. 22.

The

2 This seems to be spoken pleasantly of himself, and to refer to Jan. 15, 16 1⁄2, on which day the lord Verulam was by special warrant made lord chancellor. Rymer XVII, p. 55, and at which time probably some affairs, that required privacy and retirement might occur.