time; with the realm so well beloved, so much honoured, as it is men's daily observation how nearly you approach to his Majesty's perfections; how every day you exceed yourself; how, compared with other Princes which God hath ordained to be young at this time, you shine amongst them; they rather setting off your religious, moral, and natural excellencies, than matching them, though you be but a second person. These and such like meditations I feed upon, since I can yield your Highness no other retribution. And for myself, I hope by the assistance of God above (of whose grace and favour I have had extraordinary signs and effects during my afflictions) to lead such a life in the last acts thereof, as whether his Majesty employ me, or whether I live to myself, I shall make the world say that I was not unworthy such a patron.

I am much beholding to your Highness's worthy servant Sir John Vaughan, the sweet air and loving usage of whose house hath already much revived my languishing spirits; I beseech your Highness, thank him for me. God ever preserve and prosper your Highness.

Your Highness's most humble,

and most bounden servant,

7 June, 1621.1

FR. ST. ALBAN.

3.

To live to serve the King in one way or another was Bacon's professed desire and hope: but the first service which the King proposed to him contrasted strangely with the position in which he now stood. The man who had only escaped being hunted down as the aider and abettor of the most grievous monopolies, by being convicted of a higher crime, namely corruption in one of the highest seats of judicature, was called upon for advice as to the reformation of the Courts of Justice and the relieving of the grievances of the people. His answer to the call, which he has himself preserved, is not dated, but must have been written during this interval, while he was still allowed as a special favour to linger within the forbidden precinct

1 In Stephens's copy the date is printed "1 June, 1621; an impossible date, Bacon being then in the Tower. But in Stephens's catalogue (Add. MSS. 4259)İ find the following entry which gives the true date-"7 June, 1621-(beginning) 'When I call to mind'-(subject) Thanks for his favours and a character of his person-(to whom addressed) The Prince."

1621.]

ADVICE. TOUCHING REFORMATION OF JUSTICE. 289

of the verge.

For we learn by the docket that it was "immediately after the breaking up of the first session of Parliament;" and the declaration which it recommends was to be made on 66 the morrow of this term"-that is, the day after the end of Trinity term, 1621; which was the 21st of June.

It will be observed that the reasons given at the conclusion for going no further into particulars, though pertinent and sufficient, are not those of a man eager to recover a political career; towards which the execution of such a task by the King's command for the King's service would undoubtedly have been a step.

TO THE KING.1

It may please your Majesty,

For that your Majesty is pleased to call for my opinion concerning the sacred intention you have to go on with the reformation of your courts of justice, and relieving the grievances of your people, which your Parliament hath entered into; I shall never be a recusant (though I be confined) to do your service.

Your Majesty's Star-chamber, next your court of Parliament, is your highest chair. You never came upon that mount but your garments did shine before you went off. It is the supreme court of judicature ordinary; it is an open council. Nothing I would think can be more seasonable (if your other appointments permit it) than if your Majesty will be pleased to come thither in person, the morrow of this term (which is the time anniversary before the circuits and the long vacation) and there make an open declaration: That you purpose to pursue the reformation, which the Parliament hath begun.

That all things go well in all affairs, when the Ordinary and the Extraordinary are well mingled and tempered together. That in matters of your treasure you did rely upon your Parliament for the Extraordinary; but you were ever desirous to do what you could by improvements retrenchments and the like, to set the Ordinary in good frame and establishment. That you

1 Gibson Papers, vol. viii. f. 251. Fair copy by Meautys. Docketed "Memor. for his Ma. service;" (this in Meautys's hand-then in Bacon's own) "immediately upon the breaking up of the first session of Parliament, about midsum

mer.

On the margin of the second page is written in Bacon's hand "Advice required by ye K. and returned touching the Reformation of Justice."

VOL. VII.

U

are of the same mind in matter of reformation of justice and grievance, to assist yourself with the advice and authority of Parliament at times, but meanwhile to go on with the same intentions by your own regal power and care. That it doth well in church-music when the greatest part of the hymn is sung by one voice, and then the quire at times falls in sweetly and solemnly, and that the same harmony sorteth well in monarchy between the King and his Parliament.

That all great reformations are best brought to perfection by a good correspondence between the King and his Parliament, and by well sorting the matters and the times; for in that which the King doth by his ordinary administration and proceedings, neither can the information be so universal, nor the complaint so well encouraged, nor the references many times so free from private affections, as when the King proceedeth by Parliament. On the other side, that the Parliament wanteth time to go through with many things; besides, some things are of that nature, as they are better discerned and resolved by a few than by many.

Again, some things are so merely regal, as it is not fit to transfer them; and many things, whereof it is fit for the King to have the principal honour and thanks.

Therefore that according to these differences and distributions, your Majesty meaneth to go on where the Parliament hath left, and to call for the memorials and inchoations of those things which have passed in both Houses, and to have them pass the file of your Council, and such other assistants as shall be thought fit to be called respectively according to the nature of the business, and to have your learned counsel search precedents what the King hath done for matter of reformation, as the Parliament hath informed themselves by precedents what the Parliament hath done: and thereupon that the clock be set, and resolutions taken; what is to be holpen by commission, what by act of council, what by proclamation, what to be prepared for Parliament, what to be left wholly to Parliament.

That if your Majesty had done this before a Parliament, it might have been thought to be done to prevent a Parliament; whereas now it is to pursue a Parliament; and that by this means many grievances shall be answered by deed and not by word; and your Majesty's care shall be better than any standing committee in this interim between the meetings of Parliament.

1621.]

EXCLUSION FROM THE VERGE OF THE COURT.

291

For the particulars, your Majesty in your grace and wisdom will consider, how unproper and how unwarranted a thing it is for me, as I now stand, to send for entries of Parliament, or for searches for precedents, whereupon to ground an advice. And besides what I should now say may be thought by your Majesty (how good an opinion soever you have of me) much more by others, to be busy or officious, or relating to my present fortunes.

A declaration was made in the Star-chamber on the day in question, but not by the King in person. The Lord Treasurer was deputed to say what was to be said; and no mention is made of this subject in the only notice of his speech that I have met with.

But though Bacon did not think it becoming, in his present condition, to assume the office of a Privy Councillor, he would have been very glad to be relieved from that clause in his sentence (otherwise altogether trivial, though very inconvenient to himself) which excluded him from the verge of the Court, and therefore from London and its neighbourhood, and for this, or at least for a longer respite, he petitioned the King. The King would have had no objection, I presume, on his own account to remit it altogether; but Dean Williams who had been selected for the new Lord Keeper, and whose advice was now in high esteem both with him and Buckingham, had a lively apprehension of the danger of offending Parliament, and it was not thought safe to grant any further indulgence so soon; and on the 23rd of June1 Bacon retired to Gorhambury. The three letters which follow represent as much as we know of that negotiation, and of the state of his mind in preparing to meet his new fortune, and try what uses "leisure without honour might be turned to; for I think Chamberlain's report that he seemed to have "no manner of feeling of his fall" must be rejected, as incompatible with the tone of his correspondence from beginning to end.

To THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM.2

My very good Lord,

Your Lordship I know, and the King both, mought think me very unworthy of that I have been, or that I am, if I should

1 Chamberlain to Carleton, June 23. S. P.

2 Stephens's second collection, p. 150. From the Register.

not by all means desire to be freed from the restraint which debarreth me from approach to his Majesty's person, which I ever so much loved and admired; and severeth me likewise from all conference with your Lordship, which is my second comfort. Nevertheless, if it be conceived that it may be matter of inconvenience or envy, my particular respects must give place; only in regard of my present urgent occasions, to take some present order for the debts that press me most, I have petitioned his Majesty to give me leave to stay at London till the last of July, and then I will dispose of my abode according to the sentence. I have sent to the Prince to join with you in it, for though the matter seem small, yet it importeth me much. God prosper

I humbly thank your Lordship for the grace and favour you did both to the message and messenger, in bringing Mr. Meautys to kiss his Majesty's hands, and to receive his pleasure. from himself. My riches in my adversity have been, that I have had a good master, a good friend, and a good servant.

I perceive by Mr. Meautys his Majesty's inclination that I should go first to Gorhambury; and his Majesty's inclinations have ever been with me instead of directions. Wherefore I purpose, God willing, to go thither forthwith, humbly thanking his Majesty, nevertheless, that he meant to have put my desire

1 Stephens's second collection, p. 151. From the Register.

2 Meautys appears to have been sent to Buckingham the day before with a letter. For there is an entry of one in Stephens's catalogue, which is thus described. Date, 21 June, 1621. Beginning "I find by Mr. Mewtis." Subject, ' about his going to settle at Gorhambury.' ~Or it may have been another draft of this.

3 The rough draft of this letter which will be found in the Gibson Papers, vol. viii. f. 267-a draft in Bacon's own hand, indorsed "To Buck. upon bringing Mr. Meautys to kiss the King's hand "-differs little from this so far, but ends as follows:-"That he was graciously pleased to have acquainted my Lords with my desire, if it had stood me so much upon. But his Majesty knoweth best the times and seasons, and to his grace I commit and submit myself, desiring his Majesty and your Lordship to take my letters from the Tower as written de profundis and those I continue to write to be ex aquis salsis." From which it would seem that the King was willing to refer the petition to the Council, but not to grant it without their sanction.