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 OF IRELAND London Printed 1642. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE His Very good Lord the Earle of Devonshire Lord Lievtenant of Ireland IT may please Your good Lordship I cannot be ignorant and ought to bee sensible of the wrong which I sustaine in common speech as if I had beene false or unthankfull to that Noble but unfortunate Earle the Earle of Essex and for satisfying the vulgar sort I doe not so much regard it though I love a good name but yet as an hand maid and attendant of honesty and vertue For I am of his opinion that said pleasantly That it was a shame to him that was a suter to the Mistresse to make love to the waiting woman and therefore to woo or Court common fame otherwise than it followeth upon honest courses I for my part finde not my selfe fit nor disposed But on the otherside there is no worldly thing that concerneth my selfe which I hold more deare then the good opinion of certaine persons amongst which there is none I would more willingly give satisfaction unto then to your Lordship First because you loved my Lord of Essex and therefore will not bee partiall towards mee which is part of that I desire next because it hath ever pleased you to shew your selfe to me an honourable friend and so no basenesse in me to seeke to satifie you and lastly because I know your Lordship is excellently grounded in the true rules and habits of duties and moralities which must be they which shall decide this matter wherein my Lord my defence needeth to be but simple and briefe namely that whatsoever I did concerning that action and proceeding was done in my duty and service to the Queene and the State in which I would not shew my selfe false-hearted nor faint hearted for any mans sake living For every honest man that hath his heart well planted will forsake his King rather than forsake God and forsake his friend rather than forsake his King and yet will forsake any earthly commodity yea and his owne life in some cases rather than forsake his friend I hope the world hath not forgotten these degrees else the heathen saying Amicus usque adaras shall judge them And if any man shall say that I did officiously intrude my selfe in that businesse because I had no ordinary place the like may be said of all the businesse in effects that passed the hand of the learned counsel either of State or Revenues these many Yeares wherein I was continually used For as your Lordship may remember the Queene knew her strength so well as she looked her word should be a warrant and after the manner of the choisest Princes before her did not alwayes tye her trust to place but did sometime devide private favour from office And I for my part though I was not so unseene in the world but I knew the condition was subject to envie and perill yet because I knew againe shee was constant in her favours and made an end where she began and specially because she upheld mee with extraordinary accesse and other demonstrations of confidence and grace I resolved to endure it in expectation of better But my scope and desire is that Your Lordship would bee pleased to have the Honourable patience to know the truth in some particularity of all that passed in this cause wherein I had any part that you may perceive how honest a heart I ever bare to my Soveraigne and to my Country and to that Nobleman who had so well deserved of me and so well accepted of my deservings whose fortune I cannot remember without much griefe But for any action of mine towards him there is nothing that passed me in my life time that commeth to my remembrance with more clearenesse and lesse checke of Conscience for it will appeare to your Lordship that I was not onely not opposite to my Lord of Essex but that I did occupy the utmost of my wit and adventure my fortune with the Queene to have reintegrated his and so continued faithfully and industriously till his last fatall impatience for so I will call it after which day there was not time to worke for him though the same my assection when it could not worke upon the subject proper went to the next with no ill effect towards some others who I thinke doe rather not know it then not acknowledge it And this I will assure your Lordship I will leave nothing untold that is truth for any enemy that I have to adde and on the other side I must reserve much which makes for mee upon many respects of duty which I esteeme above my credit and what I have here set downe to your Lordship I protest as I hope to have any part in Gods favour is true It is well knowne how I did many yeares since dedicate my travels and studies to the use and as I may terme it service of my Lord of Essex which I protest before God I did not making election of him as the likeliest meane of mine owne advancement but out of the humor of a man that ever from the time I had any use of reason whether it were reading upon good bookes or upon the example of a good father or by nature I loved my Countrie more than was answerable to my fortune and I held at that time my Lord to be the fitter instrument to doe good to the State and therefore I applied my selfe to him in a manner which I think happeneth rarely amongst men for I did not onely labour carefully and industriously in that he set me about whether it were matter of advice or otherwise but neglecting the Queenes service mine owne fortune and in a sort my vocation I did nothing but advise and ruminate with my selfe to the best of my understanding propositions and memorials of any thing that might concerne his Lordships honour fortune or service And when not long after I entred into this course my brother Master Anthony Bacon came from beyond the Seas being a Gentleman whose abilitie the world taketh knowledge of for matters of State specially forreigne I did likewise knit his service to be at my Lords disposing And on the other side I must and will ever acknowledge my Lords love trust and favour towards me last of all his liberality having infeoffed me of Land which I sold for 18. hundred pounds to Master Reynold Nicholas and I think was more worth and that at such a time and with so kinde and noble circumstances as the manner was as much as the matter which though it be but an idle digression yet because I am not willing to bee short in commemoration of his benefits I will presume to trouble your Lordship with the relating to you the manner of it after the Queene had denied mee the Sollicitors place for
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
the which his Lordship had been a long and earnest sutor on my behalfe it pleased him to come to mee from Richmond to Twicknam Parke and brake with me and said Master Bacon the Queene hath denied me you place for you and hath placed another I know you are the least part of your owne matter but you fare ill because you have chosen me for your meane and dependance you have spent your time thoughts in my matters I die these were his very words if I doe not somewhat towards your fortune you shall not deny to accept a peece of Land which I will bestow upon you My answer I remember was that for my fortune it was no great matter but that his Lordships offer made me call to minde what was wont to bee said when I was in France of the Duke of Guise that he was the greatest Vsurer in France because he had turned all his estate into Obligations meaning that he had left himselfe nothing but only had bound numbers of persons to him Now my Lord said I I would not have you immitate his course nor turne your state thus by great gifts into obligations for you will finde many bad debters He bad me take no care for that and pressed it whereupon I said My Lord I see I must be your homager and hold land of your gift but doe you know the manner of doing homage in Law alwayes it is with a saving of his faith to the King and his other Lords and therefore my Lord said I I can bee no more yours then I was and it may be with the ancient savings and if I grow to be a rich man you will give me leave to give it backe to some of your unâ—ewarded followers But to returne sure I am though I can arrogate nothing to my selfe but that I was a faithfull remembrance to his Lordship that while I had most credit with him his fortune went on best And yet in two maine points wee alwayes directly and contradictorily differed which I will mention to your Lordship because it giveth light to all that followed The one was I ever set this down that the only course to be held with the Queene was by obsequiousnesse and observance and I remember I would usually gage confidently that if he would take that course constantly and with choise of good particulars to expresse it the Queen would be brought in time to Assuerus question to aske What should be done to the man that the King would honour meaning that her goodnesse was without limit where there was a true concurrence which I knew in her nature to bee true My Lord on the other side had a setled opinion that the Queene could be brought to nothing but by a kinde of necessitie and authority and I will remember when by violent courses at any time he had got his will he would aske me Now Sir whose principles be true and I would againe say to him My Lord these courses be like to hot waters they will help at a pang but if you use them you shal spoile the stomack you shal be faine stil to make them stronger and stronger and in the end they will lesse their operation with much other variety wherewith I used to touch that string Another point was I alwayes vehemently disswaded him from seeking greatnes by a military dependance or by a popular dependance as that which would breed in the Queen jealousie in himselfe presumption and in the State perturbation And I did usually compare them to Iearus two wings which were joyned on with wax and would make him venture to soare too high and then faile him at the height And I would further say unto him My Lord stand upon two feet and flie not upon two wings The two feet are the two kinds of Justice Commutative and Distributive use your greatnesse for advancing of merit and vertue and relieving wrongs and burdens you shall need no other art or finenesse but hee would tell mee that opinion came not from my minde but from my robe But it is very true that I that never meant to in-thrall my selfe to my Lord of Essex nor any other man more than stood with the publike good did though I could little prevaile divert him by all meanes possible from courses of the Warres and popularitie for I saw plainely the Queene must either live or die if she lived then the times would bee as in the declination of an old Prince if shee died the times would bee as in the beginning of a new and that if his Lordship did rise too fast in these courses the times might be dangerous for him and he for them Nay I remember I was thus plaine with him upon his voyage to the Ilands when I saw every spring put forth such actions of Charge and provocation that I said to him My Lord when I came first unto you I tooke you for a Physitian that desired to cure the diseases of the State but now I doubt you will bee like those Physitians which can bee content to keepe their patients low because they would alwayes be in request which plainesse he neverthelesse took very well as he had an excellent care and was patientissimus veri and assured mee the case of the Realme required it and I thinke this speech of mine and the like renewed afterwards pricked him to write that Apologie which is in many mens hands But this difference in two points so maine and materiall bred in processe of time a discontinuance of privatenes as it is the manner of men seldome to communicate where they thinke their courses not approved betweene his Lordship and my selfe so as I was not called nor advised with for some yeere and a halfe before his Lordships going into Ireland as in former time yet neverthelesse touching his going into Ireland it pleased him expresly and in a set manner to desire mine opinion and counsell At which time I did not onely disswade but protest against his going telling him with as much vehemency and asseveration as I could that absence in that kind would exulcerate the Queens mind whereby it would not be possible for him to carry himselfe so as to give her sufficient contentment nor for her to carry her selfe so as to give him sufficient countenance which would be ill for her ill for him and ill for the State And because I would omit no argument I remember I stood also upon the difficulty of the action setting before him out of Histories that the Irish was such an enemy as the ancient Gaules or Britons or Germaines were and that wee saw how the Romans who had such discipline to governe their Souldiers and such donatives to encourage them and the whole world in a manner to leavie them yet when they came to deale with enemies which placed their felicity only in liberty and the sharpnesse of their sword and had the naturall and elementall advantages of woods and bogges and hardnesse of