1622-8.] OFFER OF A DIGEST OF THE LAWS. 363 supper (which with the Grecians was a great part talk), he was desired (the King being present) because he was an eloquent man, to speak of some theme; which he did; and chose for his theme the praise of the Macedonian nation: Which though it were but a filling thing to praise men to their faces, yet he performed it with such advantage of truth and avoidance of flattery, and with such life, as was much applauded by the hearers. The King was the less pleased with it, not loving the man, and by way of discountenance said: It was easy to be a good orator in a pleasing theme. But, saith he to him, turn your stile, and tell us now of our faults, that we may have the profit, and not you the praise only; Which he presently did, with such quickness, that Alexander said, That malice made him eloquent then, as the theme had done before. I shall not fall into either of these extremes in this subject of the laws of England. I have commended them before for the matter, but surely they ask much amendment for the form; Which to reduce and perfect, I hold to be one of the greatest dowries that can be conferred upon this kingdom. Which work, for the excellency, as it is worthy your Majesty's act and times, so it hath some circumstance of propriety agreeable to your person. God hath blessed your Majesty with posterity; and I am not of opinion that Kings that are barren are fittest to supply perpetuity of generations by perpetuity of noble acts; but contrariwise, that they that leave posterity are the more interessed in the care of future times; that as well their progeny as their people may participate of their merit. Your Majesty is a great master in justice and judicature; and it were pity the fruit of that your virtue should not be transmitted to the ages to come. Your Majesty also reigneth in learned times, the more (no doubt) in regard of your own perfection in learning, and your patronage thereof. And it hath been the mishap of works of this nature, that the less learned time hath (sometimes) wrought upon the more learned; which now will not be so. As for myself, the law was my profession, to which I am a debtor. Some little helps I have of other arts, which may give form to matter and I have now (by God's merciful chastisement, and by his special providence) time and leisure to put my talent, or half-talent, or what it is, to such exchanges as may perhaps exceed the interest of an active life. Therefore, as in the beginning of my troubles I made offer to your Majesty to take pains in the Story of England, and in compiling a Method and Digest of your Laws; so have I performed the first (which rested but upon myself) in some part: and I do in all humbleness renew the offer of this latter (which will require help and assistance) to your Majesty, if it shall stand with your good pleasure to employ my service therein. TO MR. TOBIE MATTHEW.1 Good Mr. Matthew, I do make account, God willing, to be at Chiswick Saturday, or because this weather is terrible to one that hath kept much in, Monday. In my letter of thanks to my Lord Marquis which is not yet delivered, but to be forthwith delivered, I have not forgotten to mention that I have received signification of his noble favour and affection amongst other ways from yourself by name. If upon your repair to the court (whereof I am right glad) you have any speech with the Marquis of me, I pray place the alphabet (as you can do it right well) in a frame to express my love faithful and ardent towards him. And for York-house, that whether in a straight line or a compass line, I meant it his Lordship, in the way which I thought might please him best. I ever rest Your most affectionate and assured friend 27 March, 1621 [1622.]2 FR. ST. ALBAN. Though your journey to court be before your receipt of this letter, yet it may serve for another time. TO THE QUEEN OF BOHEMIA.3 It may please your Majesty, I find in books (and books I dare alledge to your Majesty, in regard of your singular ability to read and judge of them even above your sex) that it is accounted a great bliss for a man 1 Gibson Papers, vol. viii. f. 165. Original draught in Bacon's hand. No fly. leaf, nor indorsement. 2 The letter had been dated 21 originally. But the 1 has been turned into 7 afterwards, and with a paler ink. The 1621, therefore, should also have been changed into 1622. It is probable that the letter, all but the P.S. was written on the 21st but not sent till the 27th. 3 Gibson Papers, vol. viii. f. 166. Fair copy in Bacon's hand. No fly-leaf, nor indorsement. 1622.] LETTER TO ELIZABETH OF BOHEMIA. 365 to have Leisure with Honour. That was never my fortune; nor is. For time was, I had Honour without Leisure; and now I have Leisure without Honour. And I cannot say so neither altogether; considering there remain with me the marks and stamp of the King's, your father's, grace: though I go not for so much in value as I have done. But my desire is now to have Leisure without Loitering, and not to become an abbey-lubber, as the old proverb was, but to yield some fruit of my private life. Having therefore written the reign of your Majesty's famous ancestor, King Henry the Seventh, and it having passed the file of his Majesty's judgment, and been graciously also accepted of the Prince, your brother, to whom it is dedicate, I could not forget my duty so far to your excellent Majesty (to whom, for that I know and have heard, I have been at all times so much bounden as you are ever present with me both in affection and admiration) as not to make unto you in all humbleness a present thereof, as now being not able to give you tribute of any service. If King Henry the Seventh were alive again, I hope verily he could not be so angry with me for not flattering him as well-pleased in seeing himself so truly described in colours that will last and be believed. I most humbly pray your Majesty graciously to accept of my good will, and so with all reverence kiss your hands, praying to God above, by his divine and most benign providence to conduct your affairs to happy issue, and resting Your Majesty's most humble and most devoted servant, 20 April, 1622. For the answer to this letter we are indebted to a correspondent of the Athenæum,' who met not long ago at Amsterdam with a translation of Bacon's Essays which had not been heard of before by any of his editors. It was a translation into Dutch by Peter Boëner, an apothecary at Nymeguen, who had been in Bacon's service, and employed both as an apothecary and an amanuensis. Among the introductory matter there was a letter from Elizabeth of Bohemia to Bacon, which Boëner had translated at Bacon's own desire, and of which the writer sends a copy in English. Whether it is the original or a retranslation, I do not clearly gather from his state 1 4to. 195 pages. 1646. ment. But it reads as if it might be her own English, and is evidently her answer to Bacon's last. Boëner's account of it is thus given. "Having found this letter on his table, the author1 desired me to make a translation of it, and to keep that; saying C Because it comes from your country.' 912 My Lord, TO THE LORD ST. ALBAN. I thank you very much for your letter and your book, which is the best I ever read of the kind; and though my wit does not deserve the honour which you give me, yet with the little wit I have I consider that worthy Prince fortunate in having found so faithful a biographer as you are; and I am very sorry that I cannot show otherwise but by my letters my gratitude for this and other benefits for which I am beholden to you: and though your fortunes are changed (for which I grieve) believe that I shall not change to be what I am, Your very affectionate friend ELIZABETH. The Hague, the 11th of June, 1622. The next letter relates to one of the lesser troubles which pursue the unfortunate. TO THE LORD KEEPER, DR. WILLIAMS, BISHOP OF My very good Lord, LINCOLN.S I understand there is an extent prayed against me and a surety of mine by the executors of one Harrys, a goldsmith. The statute is twelve years old, and fallen to an executor, or an executor of an executor, I know not whether. And it was sure a statute collected out of a shop-debt, and much of it paid. I humbly pray your Lordship according to justice and equity to stay the extent, being likewise upon a double penalty, till I may better inform myself touching a matter so long past, and if it 1 Meaning Bacon. 2 See a letter to the Editor of the 'Athenæum.' dated Dort, and signed A. C. Loffelt, in the number for June 10, 1871. 3 Gibson Papers, vol. viii. f. 167. Original draught in Bacon's hand. No flyleaf. Indorsed "A copy of letter to my Lo. Keep. about the extent." "Extend . . . signifieth in our common law to value the lands or tenements of one bound by statute, etc., that hath forfeited his bond, to such an indifferent rate as by the yearly rent the obligour may in time be paid his debt." Cowell's Interpreter. 1622-3.] DIALOGUE OF A HOLY WAR. 367 be requisite put in a bill, that the truth of the account appearing such satisfaction may be made as shall be fit. So I rest Your Lordship's affectionate to do you faithful service, 30 May, 1622. 3. FR. ST. ALBAN. Among the papers sent to Tenison in 1682, there appears to have been a letter from Bacon to the King of the same date as his letter to the Queen of Bohemia, and upon the same subject. For I find one thus described in Stephens's catalogue: (date) "20 April, 1622." (Beginning) "I could not forget." (Subject) "Concerning his History of Henry VII." It may have been only an answer to some gracious communication, such as he probably received in acknowledgment of the presentation copy. But whatever it was, it would be well worth recovering, if possible: and as we know nothing of the fate of these missing letters except that some of them have found their way into other collections, it is quite possible that the others are still in existence and may yet be brought out. It might perhaps throw some light upon the history of another work which he appears to have begun about this time, and to have designed for a work of considerable extent and importance, though he did not carry it much beyond the opening. His object at this time was to to be furnished with "peace and leisure" for a life of literary industry. The conditions necessary for the enjoyment of such a life were the payment of his debts and relief from anxieties about means to live. The condition necessary to entitle him to such relief was the offer of useful and acceptable service in that line of life. He had already shown what service he could do as the historian of his country. He had indicated the use that might still be made of his legal experience and cultivation. He had yet to show what use might be made of him as a politician,-though of the study only and not of the council. We have seen that in his "memorial of access"—that is, the notes of what he meant to say to the King at the interview which he expected to have with him in March,―he sets down among the subjects for his pen,-"if contemplative,"—" the Holy War." And it may be asked what Holy War he alluded to. It was a political speculation closely connected with the great problem of English politics at that time,-how to avert the danger with which the constitution was threatened from the dependence of the Crown upon the Commons for supplies which the affairs of the country needed,-from the fact that the Commons had, and knew that |