in religion, without declining either on the one hand to blindness and superstition, or on the other hand to schism or turbulent disposition. Thirdly, and lastly, That they be truly sensible, not to disvalue or disparage the House with bankrupts and necessitous persons, that may desire long parliaments only for protection; lawyers of mean account and estimation; young men that are not ripe for grave consultations; mean dependents upon great persons, that may be thought to have their voices under command, and such like obscure and inferior persons: so that, to conclude, we may have the comfort to see before us the very face of a sufficient and well composed house, such as may be worthy to be a representative of the third estate of our kingdom, fit to nourish a loving and comfortable meeting between us and our people, and fit to be a noble instrument, under the blessing of Almighty God, and our princely care and power, and with the loving conjunction of our prelates and peers, for the settling of so great affairs as are before expressed. TO THE LORD CHANCELLOR. My honourable Lord, I have shewed your letter and the proclamation to his Majesty, who expecting only, according as his meaning was, directions therein for the well ordering of the elections of the burgesses, findeth a great deal more, containing matter of state and the reasons of calling the parliament. whereof neither the people are capable, nor is it fit for his Majesty to open now unto them, but to reserve to the time of their assembling, according to the course of his predecessors, which his Majesty intendeth to follow the declaring whereof in the proclamation would cut off the ground of his Majesty's and your Lordship's speech, at the proper time. His Majesty hath therefore extracted somewhat of the latter part of the draught you have sent, purposing to take a few days' space to set down himself what he thinketh fit, and to make it ready against his return hither, or to Theobalds at the furthest, and then to communicate it to your Lordship and the rest of the Lords. And so I rest Yours, etc., G. BUCKINGHAM. Royston, 19th Oct. 1620. 1 Harl. MS. 7000, f. 26. Original. Docketed by Meautys, "19th Oct. 1620. My Lo. Marqs Buck" to yo' Lp., with the King's directions upon the draught you sent him for a Proclamation for a Parliament." 1620. NATURAL AND EXPERIMENTAL HISTORY. 1.29 TO THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM. 1 My very good Lord, I send now only to give his Majesty thanks for the singular comfort which I received by his Majesty's letter of his own hand touching my book. And I must also give your Lordship of my best thanks, for your letter so kindly and affectionately written. I did even now receive your Lordship's letter touching the proclamation, and do approve his Majesty's judgment and foresight above mine own. Neither would I have thought of inserting matter of state for the vulgar, but that now-a-days there is no vulgar, but all statesmen. But, as his Majesty doth excellently consider, the time of it is not yet proper. I ever rest Your Lordship's most obliged friend, October 19th, 1620. 4. aud faithful servant, Bacon's answer to the King's letter in acknowledgment of the Novum Organum followed the next day; from which it will be seen that the dedication and presentation was not merely a compliment; he had reason to hope that the King might prove in one department a valuable fellow-labourer. Of the place which the collection of natural history held in his plan for the regeneration of philosophy I have spoken at large in my preface to the Parasceve ad historiam naturalem et experimentalem (Philosophical Works, vol. i. pp. 369390), and endeavoured to show that (however subordinate its place may be in a true estimate) in his own estimate it stood first in importance, as that part which (even without any of the rest) would be of much use, but without which all the rest would be of no use. "Itaque huc res redit, ut organum nostrum, etiamsi fuerit absolutum, absque historia naturali non multum, historia naturalis absque organo non parum, instaurationem scientiarum sit provectura." Now there can be no doubt that if the King had taken a fancy to that part of the business, his assistance in "setting men to work" upon it would have been of inestimable value. 1 Gibson Papers, vol. viii. f. 132. Docketed in Bacon's hand, "L. St. mation for Parliament." VOL. VII. Copy by Meautys. Corrected by Bacon. K TO THE KING. 1 May it please your Majesty, I cannot express how much comfort I received by your last letter of your own royal hand. I see your Majesty is a star, that hath benevolent aspect and gracious influence upon all things that tend to a general good. Daphni, quid antiquos signorum suspicis ortus? Astrum, quo segetes gauderent frugibus, et quo This work which is for the bettering of men's bread and wine, which are the characters of temporal blessings and sacraments of eternal, I hope by God's holy providence will be ripened by Cæsar's star. Your Majesty shall not only do to myself a singular favour, but to the business a material help, if you will be graciously pleased to open yourself to me in those things, wherein you may be unsatisfied. For though this work, as by position and principle, doth disclaim to be tried by any thing but by experience, and the resultats of experience in a true way; yet the sharpness and profoundness of your Majesty's judgment ought to be an exception to this general rule; aud your questions, observations, and admonishments, may do infinite good. This comfortable beginning makes me hope further, that your Majesty will be aiding to me, in setting men on work for the collecting of a natural and experimental history; which is basis totius negotii; a thing which I assure myself will be from time to time an excellent recreation unto you; I say, to that admirable spirit of yours, that delighteth in light and I hope well that even in your times many noble inventions may be discovered for man's use. For who can tell, now this Mine of Truth is once opened, how the veins go, and what lieth higher and what lieth lower? But let me trouble your Majesty no further at this time. God ever preserve and prosper your Majesty. 1 Gibson Papers, vol. viii. f. 130. Copy, with corrections by Meautys. Docketed, 20 Octob. 1620. Y Lp. to his M., of thanks for his gracious acceptance of your book,' 1620.1 CONTRIBUTION FOR THE PALATINATE. 131 The next letter accompanied three copies of the Novum Organum which had been sent to Sir Henry Wotton; now on an embassy in Germany, one who affected the acquaintance of men of learning and science, and would help to make the book known. To SIR HENRY WOTTON. 1 My very good Cousin, The letter which I received from your Lordship upon your going to sea, was more than a compensation for any former omission; and I shall ever be very glad to entertain a correspondence with you in both kinds which you write of. For the latter, I am now ready for you, having sent you some ore of that mine. I thank you for your favours to Mr. Meautys, and I pray continue the same. So wishing you out of your honourable exile, and placed in a better orb, I rest Your Lordship's affectionate kinsman, 2 York-house, 20 Oct., 1620. 5. and assured friend, FR. VERULAM, Canc. The voluntary contribution for the defence of the Palatinate had been taken up with alacrity by the nobility about the Court and in London, but the returns from the country were so slow in coming in as to suggest a doubt whether the nation was as eager in the cause as it had been supposed to be. When three weeks had passed without any considerable return, letters were sent round from the Council to all Peers, Bishops, Deans, etc., to explain what had been done, and why, and what was wanted, and what expected. appears from the Calendar of State Papers that 109 of these circulars were despatched on the 25th of October; and since the slowness of the country in coming forward has been attributed to the darkness in which the people were kept as to the policy of the government, it may be well to show how the case was represented to them at this time. 1 Stephens's first collection. p. 253. Not stated whence. Reliquis' p. 374. It CIRCULAR FROM THE COUNCIL TO THE NOBILITY.1 After our very hearty commendations to your Lordship. You may formerly have heard how the Palatinate, being the ancient heritage of the Count Palatine, his Majesty's son-inlaw, and to descend to his Majesty's grand-children, is now invaded by a foreign enemy, many principal towns surprised, a great part of the country in the possession of strangers, and the inhabitants forced to take an oath against their natural Prince; whereupon his Majesty, out of considerations of nature, honour, and state, hath declared himself in the course of an auxiliary war for the defence and recovery of the same. The occasion being so weighty and pressing hath moved his Majesty, by the general advice of us of his Council, to think of some course for the provision of treasure, of that nature as may serve as well to the maintenance and preserving of the present succors already sent, as the reinforcing them with new companies as the occasion of the wars shall require. And for that the swiftness of the occasion would not permit a supply by other means for the present so readily as was needful, we have all concurred to begin with ourselves in offering a voluntary gift unto his Majesty for the advancement of the present occasion; assuring ourselves that your Lordship being a Peer of the kingdom will cheerfully and readily follow the example of us begun. And if there were much alacrity and readiness found in the nobility and others to contribute at the motion of his Majesty's son's ambassador, at what time the Palatinate was not invaded, neither had his Majesty declared himself, you will much more and in a better proportion do it, now these two so weighty motives do concur. And so, nothing doubting of your Lordship's readiness herein, we bid you heartily farewell. From Whitehall, the 25th of October, 1620. T. EDMONDES. Your Lordship's very loving friends G. CANT., FR. VERULAM CANC., E. WORCESTER, La. WINTON, G. CAREW, J. DIGBYE, ROBERT NAUNTON, GEO. CALVERT. 1 S P. Dom. vol. 117, no. 30. |