LETTERS FROM BIRCH. 287 



your majesty will not think of any other but your poor 

 servants, your attorney* and your solicitor, f one of them 

 for that place. Else we shall be like Noah s dove, not 

 knowing where to rest our feet. For the places of rest, 

 after the extreme painful places wherein we serve, have 

 used to be either the Lord Chancellor s place, or the master 

 ship of the rolls, or the places of the chief j ustices : whereof, 

 for the first, I could be almost loath to live to see this worthy 

 counsellor fail. The mastership of the rolls is blocked with 

 a reversion. J My Lord Coke is like to outlive us both : 

 so as, if this turn fail, I, for my part, know not whither to 

 look. I have served your majesty above a prenticehood, 

 full seven years and more, as your solicitor, which is, I 

 think, one of the painfullest places in your kingdom, spe 

 cially as my employments have been ; and God hath brought 

 mine own years to fifty-two, which I think is older than 

 ever any solicitor continued unpreferred. My suit is prin 

 cipally that you would remove Mr. Attorney to the place. 

 If he refuse, then I hope your majesty will seek no farther 

 than myself, that I may at last, out of your majesty s grace 

 and favour, step forwards to a place either of more comfort 

 or more ease, besides, how necessary it is for your majesty 

 to strengthen your service amongst the judges by a chief 

 justice which is sure to your prerogative your majesty 

 knoweth. Therefore I cease farther to trouble your majesty, 

 humbly craving pardon, and relying wholly upon your 

 goodness and remembrance, and resting, in all true humble 

 ness, your Majesty s most devoted, 



and faithful Subject and Servant, 



FR. BACON. 



To Mr. John Murray, of the Bed-chamber to the 



Mr. Murray, 



I keep the same measure in a proportion with my master 

 and with my friend; which is, that I will never deceive 

 them in any thing which is in my power; and when my 

 power faileth my will, I am sorry. 



* Sir Henry Hobart, who was made Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, 

 November 26, 1613, in the room of Sir Edward Coke, removed to the post of 

 Lord Chief Justice of the King s Bench, October 25. 



t Sir Francis Bacon himself, who was appointed attorney general, Oct.27, 1613. 



| To Sir Julius Caesar. 



$ He was created Viscount of Annan in Scotland, in August, 1622. Nego 

 tiations of Sir Thomas Roe, in his Embassy to the Ottoman Porte, p. 93. In 

 April, 1624, the Lord Annan was created Earl of Annandale in Scotland. 

 Ibid. p. 250. 



|| This, and the three following letters are printed from Had. MSS. vol. 6986. 



