44 LETTERS FROM THE CABALA. 



to cover base desires, which T account them to be, when 

 men refer too much to themselves, especially serving such a 

 king-, I am afraid of nothing, but that the master of the 

 horse, your excellent servant, and myself, shall fall out 

 about this, who shall hold your stirrup best; but were your 

 majesty mounted, and seated without difficulties and distaste 

 in your business, as I desire and hope to see you, I should 

 &quot; ex animo&quot; desire to spend the decline of my years in my 

 studios, wherein also I should not forget to do him honour, 

 who besides his active and politic virtues, is the best pen 

 of kings, and much more the best subject of a pen. God 

 ever preserve your majesty. 



Your Majesty s most humble subject, 



and more and more obliged servant. 

 April 1, 1616. 



Sir Francis Bacon to Sir George Villiers, of Advice 

 concerning Ireland, from Gorhambury to Windsor. 



Sir, 



Because I am uncertain whether his majesty will put to 

 a point some resolutions touching Ireland, now at Windsor: 

 I thought it my duty to attend his majesty by my letter, 

 and thereby to supply my absence, for the renewing of 

 some former commissions for Ireland, and the framing of a 

 new commission for the wards, and the alienations, which 

 appertain properly to me, as his majesty s attorney, and 

 have been accordingly referred by the lords, I will under 

 take that they are prepared with a greater care, and better 

 application to his majesty s service, in that kingdom, than 

 heretofore they have been ; and therefore of that I say no 

 more. And for the instructions of the new deputy, they 

 have been set down by the two secretaries, and read to the 

 board, and being things of an ordinary nature, I do not see 

 but they may pass. But there have been three propositions 

 and councils which have been stirred, which seem to me of 



