PREFACE, ; XXV 
them was overwhelming. Bacon took his place among the 
counsel, The office he had to perform was none of his 
seeking: it was laid upon him with the rest of his fellows. 
The time had come when he was obliged to choose between 
his Queen and one to whom he had tried his utmost to be 
a friend. Essex’s defence was, as before, that his life was in 
danger, that he took up arms for his own protection, and 
that the kingdom was betrayed to Spain. Bacon spoke twice, 
on both occasions recalling the attention of the Court to the 
true nature of the case, and showing that the private quarrel 
which had been alleged was a mere pretext. The defence 
broke down on all points, and the two Earls were condemned. 
Even those who blame Bacon for taking any part in the trial 
have nothing to urge against the manner in which he acquit- 
ted himself. Birch (Memoirs of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth, 
ii. 499) says, ‘Mr. Francis Bacon’s behaviour towards the Earl 
at his trial was perhaps less exceptionable than his submitting 
to any share in it.’ Essex himself uttered no word of re- 
proach. He was too conscious that Bacon had stood by him 
in evil report and in good report, and how wise all his counsels 
had been. After a careful review of this strange eventful 
history, the whole course of which must have been inexpress- 
ibly painful to Bacon, it is difficult to see how, as a good 
citizen, whose first duty was to his country, he could have 
acted otherwise. His contemporaries passed no censure upon 
him. Essex, who laid the blame of his own treasort upon 
his personal enemies, did not reckon Bacon among them, 
And these things being so, we may confidently expect at the 
hands of posterity a verdict not only of ‘not proven,’ but of 
‘not guilty.’ 
So much misapprehension has existed as to the real nature 
of the offence of Essex, and of Bacon’s share in his trial and 
condemnation, that it has been necessary to discuss it some- 
what in detail. With the Earl’s execution, however, Bacon’s 
part in the transaction did not terminate. Though the evid- 
’ ence was crushing and irresistible, the conduct of the trial had 
been slovenly, and the impression left by it confused, It was 
