1593. Oct. 3. me most. Sir John Fortescue is not yet in Court; both to III. 9. him and otherwise I will be mindful of Mr. Downing's cause and liberty with the first opportunity. Mr. Nevill, my cousin, though I be further distant than I expected, yet I shall have an apt occasion to remember. To my cousin Kemp I am sending. But that would rest between your ladyship and myself, as you said. Thus I commend your ladyship to God's good providence. Your Ladyship's most obedient, FR. BACON. MADAM, FRANCIS BACON TO LADY BACON. Twickenham Park, Nov. 2, 1593. I most humbly thank your ladyship for your letter and sending your man Bashawe to visit me, who purposeth with God's help so soon as possibly I can to do my duty to your ladyship, but the soonest I doubt will be to-morrow or next Monday come sennight. My brother, I think, will go to Saint Albans sooner, with my Lord Keeper, who hath kindly offered him room in his obscure lodgings there, as he hath already resigned unto him the use of his chamber in the Court. God forbid that your ladyship should trouble yourself with any extraordinary care in respect of our presence, which if we thought should be the least cause of your discontentment, we would rather absent ourselves than occasion any way your ladyship disquietness. As for Sotheram, I have been and shall be always ready to hear dutifully your ladyship's motherly admonitions touching him or any other man or matter, and to respect them as I ought. And so, with remembrance of my humble duties, I beseech God to bless and preserve your ladyship. F. B. Nov. 2. III. 9. 1594. Mar. Essex is poor. Dress, dinners, horses, courtesans exhaust his coffers. If he cannot pay in coin he will pay in place. His servant Francis Bacon shall be the Queen's Solicitor. Essex swears it. 10. Until he swears it all goes well. Burghley supports his nephew. Egerton and Fortescue urge his suit with admiring friendship on the Queen. Cecil is warm in his behalf; not alone begging in his own name, but stirring up friends and making a party at the Court. Every one at the bar, save only Coke, admits his claim to place. Essex spoils all. At first the Queen is gracious; extols his eloquence and his wit, while doubting if he be deep in law. It only needs that his nomination shall be made in the proper way; because it is the best, not because this or that lord of her Court may wish it made. This does not please the Earl. Pledged to make Bacon's fortune, he will not stoop to see his debts paid by another hand. The work must be his own: "Upon me," he says, " must lie the labour of his establishment; upon me the disgrace will light of his refusal." The Queen gets angry at this selfish pride. When he talks of Bacon she shuts her ears; but night and day he hammers at the name; doing his full of mischief; fretting and sulking till he drives her mad. Never were good intentions worse bestowed. A brief note from the Earl to Bacon brings the impatient Queen and her importunate suitor on the scene : SIR, THE EARL OF ESSEX TO FRANCIS BACON. 24 March, 1594. The Queen did yesternight fly the gift, and I do wish, if it be no impediment to the cause you do handle 10. Lambeth MSS. 649, fol. 37, 60, 197; 650, fol. 109. 1594. Mar. 24. to-morrow, you did attend again this afternoon. I will be III. 10. at the Court in the evening, and go with Mr. Vice-Chamberlain, so as, if you fail before we come, yet afterwards I doubt not but he or I shall bring you together. This I write in haste because I would have no opportunity omitted in this point of access. I wish to you as to myself, and rest Your most affectionate friend, ESSEX. The Queen will not see him. She will not have her freedom of selection curbed. His hopes for the May 1. 11. Bacon is surprised and hurt. moment dashed, he perceives no chance of succeeding even at a better time, unless the Queen can be induced to leave the Solicitorship for the present void. To this end he applies to his cousin Cecil. Here is his note :— FRANCIS BACON TO SIR ROBERT CECIL. Gray's Inn, May 1, 1594. MY MOST HONORABLE GOOD COUSIN, Your honour in your wisdom doth well perceive that my access at this time is grown desperate in regard of the hard termes that as well the Earl of Essex as Mr. ViceChamberlain, who were to have been the means thereof, stand in with her in acceding to their occasions. And therefore I am now only to fall upon that point of delaying and preserving the matter entire till a better constellation, which, as it is not hard, as I conceive, considering the proving business and the instant Progress, &c., so I commend in special to your honour's care, who in sort assured me thereof, and upon [whom] now in my lord of Essex' 11. Lambeth MSS. 650, fol. 125. III. 11. absence I have only to rely. And if it be needful, I humbly pray you to move my Lord your father to lay his sure hand to the same delay. And so I wish you all increase of honour. 1594. May 1. Your poor kinsman in faithful prayers and duty, Cecil, who knows that the Earl, and none but the Earl, stands in the way of his cousin's rise, writes back, on the same sheet of paper, in the left corner, these words :- COUSIN, SIR ROBERT CECIL TO FRANCIS BACON. I do think nothing cuts the throat more of your present access than the Earl's being somewhat troubled at this time. For the delaying, I think it not hard; neither shall there want my best endeavours to make it easy, of which I hope you shall not need to doubt. By the judgment which I gather of divers circumstances confirming my opinion, I protest I suffer with you in mind that you are thus yet gravelled; but time will founder all your competitors and set you on your feet, or else I have little understanding. 12. For the first time in his life Bacon is now a stranger at the court. Lady Ann lies sick at Gorhambury; so sick, that the "good Christian and Saint of God," as her son affectionately calls her, makes up her soul for death. Two of her household have been snatched away from her side by plague or fever. She is down with ague. Bacon wrestles with her resignation, praying her to use all helps and comforts that are good for her health, to the end 12. Lambeth MSS. 649, fol. 232; 650, fol. 140. that she may be spared to her children and her friends, III. 12. and to that church of God which has so much need of her. Here is the letter from which these particulars are drawn: 1594. June 9. FRANCIS BACON TO LADY BACON. June 9, 1594. My humble duty remembered, I was sorry to understand by Goodman Sotheram that your ladyship did find any weakness, which I hope was but caused by the season and weather, which waxeth more hot and faint. I was not sorry, I assure your ladyship, that you came not up, in regard that the stirring at this time of year, and the place where you should lie not being very open nor fresh, might rather hurt your ladyship than otherwise. And for anything to be passed to Mr. Trot, such is his kindness, as he demandeth it not; and therefore, as I am to thank your ladyship for your willingness, so it shall not be needful but upon such an occasion as may be without your trouble, which the rather may be because I purpose, God willing, to come down, and it be but for a day, to visit your ladyship, and to do my duty to you. In the mean time I pray your health, as you have done the part of a good Christian and Saint of God in the comfortable preparing for your duty. So nevertheless, I pray, deny not your body the due, nor your children and friends, and the church of God, which hath use of you, but that you enter not into further conceit than is cause; and withal use all comforts and helps that are good for your health and strength. In truth I have heard Sir Thomas Scudamore often complain, after his quartain had ceased, that he found such a heaviness and swelling under his ribs that he thought he was buried under earth all from the |