68 LETTERS FROM THE CABALA. 



pardon for this long mourning letter ; that which I thirst 

 after, as the hart after the streams, is, that I may know, 

 by my matchless friend that presenteth to you this letter, 

 your majesty s heart (which is an abyssus of goodness, as 

 I am an abyssus of misery) towards me. I have been 

 ever your man, and counted myself but an usufructuary of 

 myself, the property being yours. And now making myself 

 an oblation, to do with me as may best conduce to the 

 honour of your justice, the honour of your mercy, and the 

 use of your service, resting as 



clay in your majesty s gracious hands, 

 Mar. 25. 1620. Fn. St. ALBAN. CAN. 



Sir Francis Bacon to the King, upon the sending 

 unto him a beginning of a History of His Majesty s 

 Time. 



It may please your Majesty, 



Hearing that you are at leisure to peruse story, a desire 

 took me to make an experiment what I could do in your 

 majesty s times which, being but a leaf or two, I pray 

 your pardon, if I send it for your recreation, considering, 

 that love must creep where it cannot go. But to this I 

 add these petitions : first, that if your majesty do dislike 

 any thing, you would conceive I can amend it upon your 

 least beck. Next, that if I have not spoken of your 

 majesty encomiastically, your majesty will be pleased only 

 to ascribe it to the law of an history, which doth not clutter 

 together praises upon the first mention of a name, but 

 rather disperseth them, and weaveth them throughout the 

 whole narration. And as for the proper place of com 

 memoration, (which is in the period of life,) I pray God 

 I may never live to write it. Thirdly, that the reason why 

 I presumed to think of this oblation, was, because whatso 

 ever my disability be, yet I shall have that advantage which 



