MISCELLANEOUS LETTERS. 77 



pared the Queen to-night to assign me a time under colour 

 of some such business, as I have pretended. In the mean 

 time I must tell you, that I do not respect either my ab 

 sence, or my showing a discontentment in going away, for 

 I was received at my return, and I think I shall not be the 

 worse. And for that I am oppressed with multitude of 

 letters that are come, of which I must give the Queen some 

 account to-morrow morning, I therefore desire to be excused 

 for writing no more to-night: to-morrow you shall hear 

 from me again. I wish you what you wish yourself in this 

 and all things else, and rest 



Your most affectionate Friend, 



This Friday at night ESSEX. 



Indorsed, March 29, 1594. 



Mr. Francis Bacon to the Earl of Essex.* 

 My Lord, 



I thank your lordship very much for your kind and com 

 fortable letter, which I hope will be followed at hand with 

 another of more assurance. And I must confess this very 

 delay hath gone so near me, as it hath almost overthrown 

 my health ; for when I revolved the good memory of my 

 father, the near degree of alliance I stand in to my Lord 

 Treasurer, your lordship s so signalled and declared favour 

 the honourable testimony of so many counsellors, the com 

 mendations unlaboured, and in sort offered by my lords the 

 Judges and the Master of the Rolls elect ;f that I was 

 voiced with great expectation, and, though I say it myself, 

 with the wishes of most men, to the higher place ; J that I 

 am a man, that the Queen hath already done for ; and that 

 princes, especially her majesty, love to make an end where 

 they begin ; and then add hereunto the obscureness and 

 many exceptions to my competitors : when I say I revolve 

 all this, I cannot but conclude with myself, that no man 

 ever read a more exquisite disgrace ; and therefore truly, 

 my lord, I was determined, if her majesty reject me, this 

 to do. My nature can take no evil ply ; but I will, by God s 

 assistance, with this disgrace of my fortune, and yet with 

 that comfort of the good opinion of so many honourable 

 and worthy persons, retire myself with a couple of men to 

 Cambridge, and there spend my life in my studies and con- 



* Among the papers of Antony Bacon, Esq. vol. iii. fol. 62, in the Lambeth 

 Library. 



t Sir Thomas Egerton. 



t That of Attorney-General. 



