LETTERS FROM STEPHENS. 241 



speaketh wisely and weightily, and yet easily and clearly 

 as a great nobleman should do. 



There hath been a proceeding in the King s Bench against 

 Bertram s keeper, for misdemeanour, and I have put a little 

 pamphlet (prettily penned by one Mr. Trotte, that I set on 

 work touching the whole business) to the press by my 

 Lord Chancellor s advice. 



I pray God direct his majesty in the cloth business, that 

 that thorn may be once out of our sides. His majesty 

 knoweth my opinion ab antiquo. Thanks be to God of your 

 health, and long may you live to do us all good. I rest 

 Your true and most devoted Servant, 



FR. BACON. 



This Letter was written to the Earl of Buckingham, 



on the same day Sir Francis Bacon was made 



Lord Keeper of the Great Seal. 

 My dearest Lord, 



It is both in cares and kindness, that small ones float up 

 to the tongue, and great ones sink down into the heart in 

 silence. Therefore I could speak little to your Lordship to 

 day, neither had I fit time. But I must profess thus much, 

 that in this day s work you are the truest and perfectest 

 mirror and example of firm and generous friendship that 

 ever was in court. And I shall count every day lost, 

 wherein I shall not either study your welldoing in thought, 

 or do your name honour in speech, or perform you service 

 in deed. Good my Lord, account and accept me 

 , Your most bounden and devoted 

 March 7, Friend and Servant of all men living, 



1616 - FR. BACON. C. S 



To the Earl of Buckingham. 

 My ever best Lord, now better than yourself, 



Your lordship s pen or rather pencil hath portrayed 

 towards me such magnanimity and nobleness and true 

 kindness, as me thinketh I see the image of some ancient 

 virtue, and not any thing of these times. It is the line of 

 my life, and not the lines of my letter, that must express 

 my thankfulness : wherein if I fail, then God fail me, and 

 make me as miserable as I think myself at this time happy, 

 by this reviver, through his majesty s singular clemency, 

 and your incomparable love and favour. God preserve you, 

 prosper you, and reward you, for your kindness to 



Your raised and infinitely obliged Friend and Servant, 



Sept. 22, 1617. FR. BACON, C. S. 



VOL. XII. R 



