Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A28011
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Sir Francis Bacon his apologie in certaine imputations concerning the late Earle of Essex written to the Right Honourable his very good lord, the Earle of Devon-shire, lord livetenant [sic] of Ireland.; Apologie in certaine imputations concerning the late Earl of Essex
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Bacon, Francis, 1561-1626.
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1642
(1642)
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Wing B267; ESTC R11758
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17,898
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22
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both the Christmasse Lent and Easter term following though I came diverse times to her upon Law businesses yet me thought her face and manner was not so cleare and open to me as it was at the first And she did directly charge me that I was absent that day at the Star-Chamber which was very true but I alleadged some indisposition of body to excuse it and during all the time foresaid there was altum silentium from her to mee touching my Lord of Essex causes But towards the end of Easter tearme her Majestie brake with me and told me that she had found my words true for that the proceeding in the Star-Chamber had done no good but rather kindled factious bruits as she tearmed them then quenched them and therefore that shee was determined now for the satisfaction of the world to proceed against my Lord in the Star-Chamber by an information ore tenus and to have my Lord brought to his answer howbeit she said she would assure me that whatsoever she did shold be towards my Lord ad castigationem non ad destructionem as indeed she had often repeated the same phrase before whereunto I said to the end utterly to divert her Madam if you will have me to speake to you as Frier Bacons head spake that said first Time is and then Time was and time would never be for certainly said I it is now far to late the matter is cold and hath taken too much winde whereat she seemed againe offended and rose from me and that resolution for a while continued and after in the beginning of Midsomer tearme I attending her and finding her setled in that resolution which I heard of also otherwise thee falling upon the like speech it is true that seeing no other remedy I said to her slightly Why Madam if you will needs have a proceeding you were best have it in some such sort as Ovid spake of his Mistris Est aliquid luce patente minus to make a councel table matter of it and there an end which speech she seem'd to take in ill part but yet I think it did good at that time and hope to divert that course of proceeding by information in the Star-Chamber Neverthelesse it pleased her to make a more solemne matter of the proceeding and some few dayes after when order was given that the matter should bee heard at Yorke house before an assembly of Councellors Peerns and Judges and some audience of men of qualitie to be admitted and then did some principall Counsellors send for us of the Learned Counsell and notifie her Majesties pleasure unto us save that it was said to mee openly by one of them that her Majesty was not yet resolved whether she would have me forborne into businesse or no. And hereupon might arise that other sinister and untrue speech that I heare is raised of me how I was a futer to be used against my Lord of Essex at that time for it is very true that I that knew well what hath passed betweene the Queene and mee and what occasion I had given her both of distast and distrust in crossing her disposition by standing stedfastly for my Lord of Essex and suspecting it also to be a stratagem arising from some particular emulation I write to her two or three words of complement signifying to her Majestie that if she would be pleased to spare me in my Lord of Essex cause out of the consideration she took of my obligation towards him I should reckon it for owne of her highest favours but otherwise desiring her Majestie to thinke that I knew the degrees of duties and that no particular obligation whatsoever to any subject could supplant or weaken that entirenesse of duty that I did owe and beare to her and her services and this was the goodly sute I made being a respect no man that had his wits could have omitted but neverthelesse I had a further reach in it for I judged that dayes worke would be a full period of any bitternesse or harshnesse betweene the Queene and my Lord and therefore if I declared my selfe fully according to her mind at that time which could not doe my Lord any manner of prejudice I should keep my credit with her ever after whereby to do my Lord service Hereupon the next newes that I heard was that we were all sent for againe and that her Majesties pleasure was we al should have parts in the businesse and the Lords falling into distribution of our parts it was allotted to me that I should set forth some undutifull carriage of my Lord in giving occasion and countenance to a seditious Pamphet as it was tearmed which was dedicated unto him which was the booke before mentioned of King Henry the fourth Whereupon I replyed to that allotment and said to their Lordships that it was an old matter and had no manner of coherence with the rest of the charge being matters of Ireland and therefore that I having beene wronged by bruits before this would expose me to them more and it would be said I gave in evidence mine owne tales It was answered againe with good shew that because it was considered how I stood tyed to my Lord of Essex therefore that part was thought fittest for me which did him least hurt for that whereas all the rest was matter of charge and accusation this only was but matter of caveat and admonition Wherewith though I was in mine one mind little satisfied because I knew well a man were better to bee charged with some faults then admonished of some others yet the conclusion binding upon the Queenes pleasure directly volens nolens I could not avoyd that part that was laid upon me which part if in the delivery I did handle not tenderly though no man before me did in so cleare tearms free my Lord from all disloyalty as I did that your Lordship knoweth must be ascribed to the superior duty I did owe to the Queenes fame and honour in a publike proceeding and partly to the intention I had to uphold my selfe in credit and strength with the Queene the better to be able to doe my Lord good offices afterwards for as soone as this day was past I lost no time but the very next day following as I remember I attended her Majesty fully resolved to try and put in ure my utmost indevour so far as in my weaknes could give furtherance to bring my Lord againe speedily into Court and into favour and knowing as I supposed at least how the Queen was to be used I thought that to make her conceive that the matter went well then was the way to make her leave off there and I remember well I said to her you have now Madam obtained victory over two things which the greatest Princes in the world cannot at their wills subdue the one is over Fame the other is over a great minde for surely the world is now I hope reasonably well satisfied and for my Lord
dealing grew to this that the Queen by some slacknesse of my Lords as I imagine liked him worse and worse and grew more incensed towards him Then she remembring belike the continuall and incessant and confident speeches and courses that I had held on my Lords side becam utterly alienated from me and for the space of at least three monthe which was betweene Michaelmasse and New-yeares tide following would not as much as look on me but turned away from mee with expresse and purpose-like discountenance wheresoever she saw me and at such time as I desired to speake with her about Law businesse over sent me forth very slight refusals insomuch as it is most true that immediately after New-yeares tide I desired to speak with her and being admitted to her I dealt with her plainely and said Madam I see you withdraw your favour from me and now I have lost many friends for your sake I shall leese you too you have put me like one of those that the Frenchmen call Enfans perdus that serve on foot before horsmen so have you put mee into matters of envie without place or without strength and I know at Chesse a pawne before the King is ever much plaid upon a great many love me not because they thinke I have been against my Lord of Essex and you love mee not because you know I have been for him yet will I never repent me that I have dealt in simplicitie of heart towards you both without respect of cautions to my selfe and therefore vivus vidensque pereo If I doe breake my necke I shall doe it in a manner as Mr. Dorrington did it which walked on the battlements of the Church many dayes and tooke a view and survey where he should fall and so Madam said I I am not simple but that I take a prospect of mine overthrow only I thought I would tell you so much that you may know that it was faith and not folly that brought me into it and so I will pray for you Vpon which speeches of mine uttered with some passion it is true her Majestie was exceedingly moved and accumulated a number of kinde and gratious words upon me and willed mee to rest upon this Gratia mea sufficit and a number of other sensible and tender words and demonstrations such as more could not be but as touching my Lord of Essex ne verbum quidem Whereupon I departed resting then determined to meddle no more in the matter that that I saw would overthrow mee and not be able to doe him any good And thus I made mine own peace with mine own confidence at that time and this was the last time I saw her Majesty before the 8. of February which was the day of my Lord of Essex his misfortune after which time for that I performed at the barre in my publike service your Lordship knoweth by the rules of duty that I was to doe it honestly and without any prevarication but for any putting my selfe into it I protest before God I never moved neither the Queen nor any person living concerning my being used in the service either of evidence or examination but it was meerly laid upon me with the rest of my fellowes And for the time which passed I meane between the arraignement and my Lords suffering I will remember I was but once with the Queen at what time though I durst not deale directly formy LORD as things then stood yet generally I did both commend her Majesties mercie tearming it to her as an excellent balme that did continually distill from her Soveraigne hands and made an excellent odour in the senses of her people and not only so but I took hardinesse to extenuate not the fact for that I durst not but the danger telling her that if some base or cruell minded persons had entred into such an action it might have caused much bloud and combustion but it appeared well they were such as knew not how to play the malefactors and some other words which I now omit And for the rest of the carriage of my selfe in that service I have many honourable witnesses that can tell that the next day after my Lords arraignment by my diligence and information touching the quality and nature of the offendors 6. of 9. were stayed which otherwise had bin attainted I bringing their Lordships letter for their stay after the Jury was sworn to passe upon them so neare it went and how carefull I was and made it my part that whosoever was in trouble about that matter assoone as ever his case was sufficiently knowne and defined of might not continue in restraint but bee set at liberty and many other parts which I am well assured stood with the duty of an honest man But indeed I will not deny for the case of S. Thomas Smith of London the Queene demanding my opinion of it I told her I thought it was as hard as many of the rest but what was the reason because at that time I had seene only his accusation had never bin present at any examination of his and the matter so standing I had bin very untrue to my service if I had not delivered that opinion But afterwards upon a reexamination of some that charged him who weakned their own testimony and especially hearing himselfe viva voce I went instantly to the Queen out of the soundnesse of my conscience and not not regarding what opinion I had formerly delivered told her Majesty I was satified and resolved in my conscience that for the reputation of the action the plot was to countenance the action further by him in respect of his place then they had indeed any interest or intelligence with him It is very true also about that time her Majesty taking a liking of my pen upon that which I had done before concerning the proceeding at Yorke-house and likewise upon some other declarations which in former time by her appointment I put in writing commanded me to penne that book which was published for the better satisfaction of the world which I did but so as never Secretary had more particular and expresse directions and instructions in every point how to guide my hand in it and not only so but after that I had made a first draught thereof and propounded it to certaine principall Councellers by her Majesties appointment it was perused weighed censured altered and made almost anew writing according to their Lordships better consideration wherein their Lordships and my selfe both were as religious and curious of truth as desirous of satisfaction and my selfe indeed gave only words and form of stile in pursuing their direction And after it had passed their allowance it was again exactly perused by the Queen her selfe and some alteratioons made again by her appointment nay and after it was set to print the Queen who as your Lordship knoweth as she was excellent in great maters so she was exquisite in small and noted that I could not forget my ancient respect to my Lord of Essex in terming him ever My Lord of Essex my Lord of Essex in almost every page of the booke which shee thought not fit but would have it made Essex or the late Earle of Essex whereupon of force it was printed de novo and the first copies suppressed by her peremptory commandement And this my good Lord to my furthest remembrance is all that passed wherein I had part which I have set downe as neare as I could in the very words and speeches that were used not because they are worthy the repetition I meane those of mine own but to the end your Lordship may lively and plainly discerne between the face of truth and a smooth tale And the rather also because in things that passed a good while since the very words and phrases did sometimes bring to my remembrance the matters wherein I report me to your Honourable judgments whether you do not see the traces of an honest man and had I bin as well believed either by the Queene or by my Lord as I was well heard by them both my Lord had bin fortunate and so lead my selfe in his fortune To conclude therefore I humbly pray your Lordship to pardon me for troubling you with this long Narration and that you will vouchsafe to hold me in your good opinion till you know I have deserved or finde that I shall deserve the contrary and even so I continue At Your Lordships honourable commandements very humbly FINIS