104 LETTERS FROM THE CABALA, 



Sir Francis Bacon to Sir Vincent Skinner, Ex- 

 postal atory. 



Sir Vincent Skinner, 



I see that by your needless delays, this matter is grown 

 to a new question, wherein for the matter itself, it had been 

 stayed at the beginning by my Treasurer, and my Lord 

 Chancellor, I should not so much have stood upon it ; for 

 the great and daily travails which I take in his majesty s 

 service, either are rewarded in themselves, in that they are 

 but my duty, or else may deserve a much greater matter. 

 Neither can I think amiss of any man, that in furtherance 

 of the king s benefit, moved the doubt, that I knew not 

 what warrant you had, but my wrong is, that you having 

 had my Lord Treasurer s, and Mr. Chancellor s warrant for 

 payment, above a month since, you (I say) making your 

 payments, belike, upon such differences as are better known 

 to yourself, than agreeable to due respect of his majesty s 

 service, have delayed all this time, otherwise than I might 

 have expected either from our ancient acquaintance, or 

 from that regard that one in your place may owe to one in 

 mine. By occasion whereof there ensuelh to me a greater 

 inconvenience that now my name, in sort, must be in ques 

 tion among you, as if 1 were a man likely to demand that 

 that were unreasonable, or to be denied that that is reason 

 able ; and this must be, because you can pleasure men at 

 pleasure. But this I leave with this, that it is the first 

 matter wherein I had occasion to discern of your friendship, 

 which I see to fall to this, that whereas Mr. Chancellor the 

 last time in my man s hearing, very honourably said, that 

 he would not discontent any man in my place, it seems you 

 have no such caution. But my writing to you now, is to 

 know of you, where now the stay is, without being any more 

 beholden to you, to whom indeed no man ought to be be- 



