1622-3.] OFFER OF GORHAMBURY TO BUCKINGHAM.

403

employments and graces, for which I most humbly kiss your hands, leaving the times to your good Lordship; which, considering my age and wants, I assure myself your Lordship will the sooner take into your care. And for my house at Gorhambury, I do infinitely desire your Lordship should have it, and howsoever I may treat, I will conclude with none, till I know your Lordship's further pleasure; ever resting

Your Lordship's most obliged

and faithful servant, FR. ST. ALBAN.

Bed. house, this 5th of Feb., 1622.

It will be seen from this that Lord Macaulay's explanation of the cause of Bacon's poverty after his fall requires correction. "He was not easily persuaded," says he, "to give up any part of the magnificence to which he had been accustomed in the time of his power and prosperity. No pressure of distress could induce him to part with the woods of Gorhambury. I will not,' he said, 'be stripped of my feathers.'" Aubrey does no doubt tell us that "when his Lordship was in disfavour, his neighbours, hearing how much he was indebted, came to him with a motion to buy Oakwood of him :" upon which his "Lordship told them 'he would not sell his feathers." "1 But he tells it not in illustration of his extravagance, but as a good saying; and it may be quite true, without implying any unreasonable reluctance on Bacon's part to conform to his fortune and seem to be as poor as he was. A gentleman may be in great distress and yet very properly decline to sell his coat and hat. Gorhambury was a beautiful place, fit for a nobleman's dwelling, and had a fancy value. To strip it of its woods would probably have reduced that value by much more than any one would have offered for the timber. We see from the concluding paragraph of this letter that he was now intending to sell the place altogether, and though he never succeeded in finding a purchaser, we have no reason to suppose that he ever refused fair terms. And we have a further proof that he could part with magnificence to relieve himself from distress, in the fact that at this time he removed from Bedford House, where he had been living lately, and retired to his old lodgings in Gray's Inn,-" for quiet, and the better to hold out." 2

'Lives, ii. p. 225.

2 See below, p. 406.

The first paragraph of the letter from the Lord Keeper which follows relates to a matter of which we shall hear more further on. The privy seal in question was one for a patent which had been stayed by Bacon when he was Chancellor, and was now sent for by the Duke of Lenox, who was interested in it. Bacon did not think it right to give it up to him, but sent it to the Lord Keeper, with an explanation of the circumstances.1

The second paragraph was supposed by Birch to refer to the case mentioned in Bacon's letter to the Lord Keeper of the 30th of May, Mr. Cotton being his surety for the debt.

The "book" mentioned in the concluding paragraph was probably the Historia Vita et Mortis.

TO THE LORD VISCOUNT ST. ALBAN.2

My very good Lord,

I have received by this bearer the privy seal for the survey of coals, which I will lay aside until I shall hear further from my Lord Steward,3 and the rest of the Lords.

I am ready to do as much as your Lordship desireth in keeping Mr. Cotton off from the violence of those creditors: only himself is as yet wanting in some particular directions.

I heartily thank your Lordship for your book, and all other symbols of love and affection, which I will endeavour upon all opportunities to deserve and in the mean time do rest

your

:

Though your Lordship's absence fall out in an ill time for myself, yet because I hope in God this noble adventure will make your Lordship a rich return in honour abroad and at home, and chiefly in the inestimable treasure of the love and trust of that thrice-excellent Prince; I confess I am so glad of it, as I could not abstain from your Lordship's trouble in seeing it expressed by these few and hasty lines.

1 See ch. 10, sec. 9.

2 Gibson Papers, vol. viii. f. 174. lre."

Gibson Papers, vol. viii. f. 175. leaf. Indorsed "To the Duke into draught of the letter which follows.

Original. Docketed by Bacon" L. Keep. 3 Duke of Lenox.

Original draught in Bacon's hand. No flySpain, 21 Feb. 1622." Probably the first 5 In Spain.

1622-3.]

TO BUCKINGHAM IN SPAIN.

405

I beseech your Lordship of your nobleness vouchsafe to present my most humble duty to his Highness, who I hope ere long will make me leave King Henry the Eighth' and set me on work in relation of his Highness's heroical adventures.

I very humbly kiss your Lordship's hands, resting ever

Your Lordship's most obliged friend and servant.

21 February, 1622.

TO THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM.2

Excellent Lord,

Upon the repair of my Lord of Rochford unto your Lordship, whom I have ever known so fast and true a friend and servant unto you and who knows likewise so much of my mind and affection towards your Lordship, I could not but kiss your Lordship's hands, by the duty of these few lines.

My Lord, I hope in God that this your noble adventure will make you a rich return, especially in the inestimable treasure of the love and trust of that thrice-excellent Prince. And although to a man that loves your Lordship so dearly as I do, and knows, somewhat of the world, it cannot be but that in my thoughts there should arise many fears or shadows of fears concerning so rare an accident, yet nevertheless I believe well that this your Lordship's absence will rather be a glass unto you to shew you many things whereof you may make use of hereafter, than otherwise any hurt or hazard to your fortunes; which God grant. For myself am but a man desolate till your return, and have taken a course accordingly. Vouchsafe of your nobleness to remember my most humble duty to his Highness, And so God, and his holy angels, guard you both going and coming.

TO SIR FRANCIS COTTINGTON.3

Good Mr. Secretary,

Though I wrate so lately unto you by my Lord Rochford, yet upon the going of my Lord Vaughan, the Prince's worthy and trusty servant and my approved friend and your so near

1 Sir T. Wilson had been directed by the King on the 10th of February to supply him with any papers relating to Henry viii. which he might require. S. P. vol. 137, no. 13.

3 Gibson Papers, vol. viii. f. 176. Copy. No fly-leaf. 10 March, 1622."

3 Gibson Papers, vol. viii. f. 178. Copy. No fly-leaf. tary Sir Francis Cottington, 22 March, 1622."

Indorsed "To Buck.

Indorsed "To Secre

ally, I could not but put this letter into his hand, commending myself and my fortunes unto you. You know the difference of obliging men in prosperity and men in adversity, as much as the sowing upon a pavement and upon a furrow new made. Myself for quiet and the better to hold out am retired to Gray's Inn: for when my chief friends were gone so far off, it was time for me to go to a cell. God send us a good return of you all.

I ever rest, etc.

My humble service to my Lord Marquis; to whom I having written twice I would not cloy him; my service also to the Count Gondomar, and Lord of Bristow.

13.

At this time an unexpected chance presented itself of obtaining the sort of provision which he stood so much in need of, under conditions peculiarly suitable and becoming, and free from all objection. It

may be remembered that on the 26th of July, 1608, when he was meditating on the measures to be taken for the publication and furtherance of the new philosophy, and more particularly for procuring histories of nature as well in her errors and wanderings as under the pressure of the mechanical arts, one of the measures which occurred to him (being then only Solicitor-General, with no prospect of speedy advancement) was the procuring for himself some situation fit for carrying on such a work.

"Laying for a place to command wits and pens. Westminster, Eton, Winchester, . . . Trinity College in Cambridge, St. John's in Cambridge, Maudlin College in Oxford: and bespeaking this betimes with the King, my Lord Archbishop, my Lord Treasurer."1

His course of rapid advancement, which began a few years after, and his growing importance as a law officer and councillor, had set this speculation aside. But now that office and income and importance in council were gone, such a situation became again for the same reason a thing to be desired. And strange to say it offered itself just at the right time, and gave the King an opportunity of doing a good thing which (if he had done it) would have been one of the best remembered acts of his life, and best deserving to be remembered with honour.

1 Vol. IV. p. 66.

1623.]

66

THE PROVOST OF ETON DYING.

407

"The Provost of Eton," says Chamberlain, writing on the 5th of April, was cut of the stone this day sennight, and being so weak before, it is doubted he will hardly hold out. Sir William Becher hath a promise to be his successor : which seems strange at first sight that he should be preferred before so many and great pretendants, as (among divers others) the Lord St. Alban's, Sir Robert Naunton, Sir James Fullerton, etc. So that some conclude it was but first come and first served, to avoid the importunity of so many competitors. But withal it shows that the world grows hard here, or that the place is risen in reputation, when it hath such wooers."

And again on the 19th,

"The Provost of Eton outlived nine days, which is counted the fatal time for those that be cut of the stone, but died two days after; when the canvass began afresh, and Sir Robert Naunton laid in hard for it, offering to quit all pensions, promises, and pretensions whatsoever. But the King reserves that and all matters of grace till the Lord of Buckingham's return yet he hath renewed his promise to Sir William Becher and sent letters to the College not to proceed to any election till they know his further pleasure. But I hear underhand he is like to have a hard condition annexed, to marry the widow or provide for her and her children."

seems

He adds at the end of his letter that the appointment not to be so assured to Sir William Becher but that there is still some nibbling at it: and Sir Robert Eaton, a Scot, is in as fair possibility as any of the rest, as I have learned very lately."1

This was the news of the day, and it suggests a fairer explanation of what follows than the correspondence would have suggested without it. It was a place so well suited to Bacon's qualities and occupation as well as to his needs, that if the King and Buckingham were sincere in their professed desire to furnish him with a suitable provision for a life of study, it is difficult at first to see why they did not make use of this. But it was so new a thing to find a man who had been Lord Chancellor aspiring to be Provost of Eton, that I can easily believe that they never thought of him till he made the application, and that before that time (being a prize so many were in pursuit of) a more forward applicant had obtained a promise. It is well known that those who have good things to give away to whom they please are not always able to please themselves.

TO MR. SECRETARY CONWAY. 2

Good Mr. Secretary,

When you did me the honour and favour to visit me, you did not only in general terms express your love unto me, but as

1 S. P. vol. cxlii. no. 38. Vol. cxliii, no. 22.

2 S. P. Dom. James I. vol. cxl. no. 33. Original: own hand.