quirements and abilities, and I dare say really thought him unfit for the place. Nor must it be forgotten among Bacon's disadvantages that, being still denied access to the Queen, he had no means of speaking for himself. Under such conditions the suit commenced. How it proceeded the following letters, which need no further elucidation, will show. Sir, THE EARL OF ESSEX TO FRANCIS BACON.1 I have received your letter, and since I have had opportunity to deal freely with the Queen. I have dealt confidently with her, as of a matter wherein I did more labour to overcome her delays than that I did fear her denial. I told her how much you were thrown down with the correction she had already given you; that she might in that point hold herself already satisfied. And because I found that Tanfield had been most propounded to her, I did most disable him. I find the Queen very reserved, staying herself from giving any kind of hope, yet not passionate against you till I grew passionate for you. Then she said that none thought you fit for the place but my lord Treasurer and myself; marry the others must some of them say [so] before us for fear or for flattery. I told her the most and wisest of her Council had delivered their opinions, and preferred you before all men for that place. And if it would please her Majesty to think that whatsoever they said contrary to their own words when they spake without witness, might be as factiously spoken as the other way flatteringly, she should not be deceived. Yet if they had been never for you, but contrarily against you, I thought my credit, joined with the approbation and mediation of her greatest counsellors, might prevail in a greater matter than this; and urged her that though she could not signify her mind to others, I might have a secret promise; wherein I should receive great comfort, as in the contrary great unkindness. She said she neither was persuaded nor would hear of it till Easter, when she might advise with her Council, who were now all absent; and therefore in passion bade me go to bed, if I would talk of nothing else. Wherefore in passion I went away, saying while I was with her I could not but solicit for the cause and the man I so much affected, and therefore I would retire myself till I might be more graciously heard. And so we parted. To-morrow I will go hence of purpose, and on Thursday I will write an expostulating letter to her. That night or upon Friday morning I will be here again, and follow on the same course, stirring a discontentment in her, etc. And so wish you all happiness, and rest Your most assured friend, ESSEX. 1 Lambeth MSS. 650. 90. Copy: docketed," Copie de la Ire. de mons' le Compte d'Essex a mons Francois Bacon, le 28 de Mars, 1594." But as the 28th was a Thursday and this cannot have been written later in the week than Tuesday (see the last sentence but one), the true date is probably the 26th. VOL. I. U Sir, THE EARL OF ESSEX TO FRANCIS BACON.1 I have now spoken with the Queen, and I [see] no stay from obtaining a full resolution of that we desire. But the passion she is in by reason of the tales that have been told her against Nicholas Clifford, with whom she is in such rage for a matter which I think you have heard of,2 it doth put her infinitely out of quiet; and her passionate humour is nourished by some foolish women; else I find nothing to distaste us; for she doth not contradict confidently, which they that know the minds of women say is a sign of yielding. I will tomorrow take more time to deal with her, and will sweeten her with all the art I have to make benevolum auditorem. I have already spoken with Mr. Vice-Chamberlain,3 and will tomorrow speak with the rest. Of Mr. Vice-Chamberlain you may assure yourself; for so much he hath faithfully promised. The exceptions against the competitors I will use tomorrow; for then I do resolve to have a full and large discourse; having prepared the Queen to-night to assign me a time under colour of some such business as I have pretended. In the meantime I must tell you that I do not respect either my absence or my showing a discontentment in going away; for I was received at my return, and I think I shall not be the worse. And for that I am oppressed with multitude of letters that are come, of which I must give the Queen some account tomorrow morning, and therefore desire to be excused for writing no more to-night, to-morrow you shall hear from me again. I wish you what you wish yourself in this and all things else, and rest This Friday at night. Your most affectionate friend, FRANCIS BACON TO THE EARL OF ESSEX.4 My Lord, ESSEX. I thank your Lordship very much for your kind and comfortable letter, which I hope will be followed at hand with another of more assurance. And I must confess this very delay hath gone so near me, as it hath almost overthrown my health. For when I revolved the good memory of my father, the near degree of alliance I stand in to my Lord Treasurer, your Lordship's so signalled and declared favour, the honourable testimony of so many coun 1 Lambeth MSS. 650. 89. Copy: docketed, "le 29me de Mars." Addressed, "To my assured good friend, Mr. Francis Bacon, Esquier." 2 Some love-affair, probably. On the 5th of April, Anthony Standen tells Anthony Bacon, among other news, that "Sir Nic. Clifford is in the Tower, and his dear darling Drury in the Fleet."—Birch, i. 169. 3 Sir Thomas Heneage. Lambeth MSS. 650. 62. Copy: docketed, "Lre. de Mons' Francois Bacon a Mons le Compte d'Essex, le 30me de Mars, 1593." sellors, the commendation unlaboured and in sort offered by my Lords the Judges and the Master of the Rolls elect; that I was voiced with great expectation, and (though I say it myself) with the wishes of most men, to the higher place; that I am a man that the Queen hath already done for; and princes, especially her Majesty, loveth to make an end where they begin; and then add hereunto the obscureness and many exceptions to my competitors; when (I say) I revolve all this, I cannot but conclude with myself that no man ever received a more exquisite disgrace. And therefore truly, my Lord, I was determined, and am determined, if her Majesty reject me, this to do. My nature can take no evil ply; but I will by God's assistance, with this disgrace of my fortune, and yet with that comfort of the good opinion of so many honourable and worthy persons, retire myself with a couple of men to Cambridge, and there spend my life in my studies and contemplations, without looking back. I humbly pray your Lordship to pardon me for troubling you with my melancholy. For the matter itself, I commend it to your love. Only I pray you communicate afresh this day with my Lord Treasurer and Sir Robert Cecil; and if you esteem my fortune, remember the point of precedency. The objections to my competitors your Lordship knoweth partly. I pray spare them not, not over the Queen, but to the great ones, to show your confidence and to work their distaste. Thus longing exceedingly to exchange troubling your Lordship with serving you, I rest Your Lordship's, In most entire and faithful duty, F. B. I humbly pray your Lordship I may hear from you sometime this day. The next day was Easter Sunday. On the following Wednesday Bacon had a long conversation with the Earl at Essex House, where they met after supper. "Yet" (says the reporter, who was present) "I see no conclusion; though the other two" (meaning Egerton and Coke) "have their warrants signed; a thing as much bringing this great man's credit in question as any other he hath managed all this time." The next letter, which has no date, but appears to have been writ1 A. Standen, 5th April. Lambeth MSS. 650. 111. ten on the 7th of April, introduces the Lord Keeper (who had formerly stood rather in the way-see Burghley's letter of the 27th of September, p. 257) as a supporter of Bacon's claims; at the request, it would seem, of Sir Thomas Egerton. FRANCIS BACON TO THE LORD KEEPER PUCKERING.1 My very good Lord, Sir Thomas Egerton failing of your Lordship being newly gone, sent his letter to me to see conveyed unto you, which I send enclosed; desiring your Lordship, according to your kind affection, to make the best use thereof for my furtherance. And I pray your Lordship to call to remembrance my Lord Treasurer's kind course, who affirmed directly all the rest to be unfit. And because vis unita fortior, I pray your Lordship to take a time with the Queen when my Lord Treasurer is present. Thus in hope to-morrow will bring forth some good effect, I rest, Your Lordship's in all humble duty and service, FR. BACON. That nothing should be done without Burghley's presence was a point upon which Bacon laid particular stress. Unfortunately Burghley was just about this time seized with an illness2 which confined him to his room. It was necessary therefore to suspend all further proceedings in Bacon's behalf till he were well enough to come to Court again. The day on which the next letter was written was probably the to-morrow' of the last. FRANCIS BACON TO LORD KEEPER PUCKERING.3 My very good Lord, Because I understand your Lordship remaineth at Court all this day, and that my Lord of Essex writeth to me that his Lordship cometh to London, I thought good to remember your good Lordship, and to request you, as I touched it in my last, that if my Lord Treasurer be absent, your Lordship would forbear to fall into my business with her Majesty, lest it mought receive some foil before the time when it should be resolutely dealt in. And so commending myself to your good favour, I most humbly take my leave. From Gray's Inn, this 8th of April, 1594. Your Lordship's in all humble duty and service, FR. BACON. Burghley's illness confined him for several days; during which Egerton and Coke had their patents for their respective offices made out and delivered (10th April): no resolution being taken as to the Solicitorship. All this time, the Queen had been so far from holding out any definite hope to Bacon, except such as he might derive from the hopes entertained for him by his more sanguine friends, that she had not even consented to admit him to an interview. The privilege of access" seems still to have been as far off as the Solicitorship. And it was probably in the hope of overcoming at length this preliminary obstacle, that he was recommended on the 19th of April to go down to Greenwich, where the Queen had been keeping her Easter; which he did, as we learn from the following letter. FRANCIS BACON TO LORD KEEPER PUCKERING. My very good Lord, I was wished to be here ready in expectation of some good effect; and therefore I commend my fortune to your Lordship's kind and honourable furtherance. My affection inclineth me to be much [your] Lordship's; and my course and way, in all reason and policy for myself, leadeth me to the same dependence; hereunto if there shall be joined your Lordship's obligation in dealing strongly for me as you have begun, no man can be more yours. A timorous man is everybody's, and a covetous man is his own. But if your Lordship consider my nature, my course, my friends, my opinion with her Majesty (if this eclipse of her favour were past), I hope you will think I am no unlikely piece of wood to shape you a true servant of. My present thankfulness shall be as much as I have said. I humbly take my leave. From Greenwich, this 19th of April, 1594. Your Lordship's true humble servant, FR. BACON. Whatever the "good effect" may have been, in expectation of which he went, he seems to have come back without success. 1 Harl. MSS. 6996. 99. Original: own hand. Term |