MISCELLANEOUS LETTERS. 103 



the balance as equally between the two Universities, as I 

 shall hold the balance of other justice between party and 

 party. And yet in both cases I must meet with some in- 

 inclinations of affection, which nevertheless shall not carry 

 me aside. And so I commend you to God s goodness. 

 Your most loving and assured Friend, 



Gorhambury, FR. BACON. 



April 12, 1617. 



To the Lord Keeper Bacon. 



My Lord, 



If your man had been addressed only to me, I should 

 have been careful to have procured him a more speedy dis 

 patch ; but now you have found another way of address, T 

 am excused ; and since you are grown weary of employing 

 me, I can be no otherwise in being employed, In this busi 

 ness of my brother s, that you overtrouble yourself with, I 

 understand from London, by some of my friends, that you 

 have carried yourself with much scorn and neglect both to 

 ward myself and friends ; which, if it prove true, I blame 

 not you, but myself, who was ever 



Your Lordship s assured Friend, 



[July, 1617.] G. BUCKINGHAM. 



Sir Francis Bacon to Lord Norris, in answer to him. 1 * 



My Lord, 



I am sorry of your misfortune, and for any thing that is 

 within mine own command, your lordship may expect no 

 other than the respects of him, that forgetteth not your 

 lordship is to him a near ally, and an ancient acquaintance, 

 client, and friend. For that, which may concern my place, 

 which governeth me, and not I it ; if any thing be de 

 manded at my hands or directed, or that I am ex officio to 

 do any thing ; if, I say, it come to any of these three ; for 

 as yet I am a stranger to the business ; yet saving my du 

 ties, which I will never live to violate, your lordship shall 

 find, that I will observe those degrees and limitations of pro 

 ceeding, which belongeth to him, that knoweth well he 

 serveth a clement and merciful master, and that in his own 

 nature shall ever incline to the more benign part ; and that 

 knoweth also what belongeth to nobility, and to a house of 

 such merit and reputation as the Lord Norris is come from. 

 And even so I remain, 



Your Lordship s very loving Friend. 



Sept. 20, 1615. 



* From the collections of the late Robert Stephens, Esq. 



