108 MISCELLANEOUS LETTERS. 



give us leave to impart them all; or as much as he shall 

 think fit, to the Lords of his Council, for the better strength 

 of his service, we conclude with our prayers for his ma 

 jesty s happy preservation, and always rest, &c. 



Indorsed The Lord Chancellor and the two Chief Jus 

 tices to the King concerning parliament 

 business. 



Sir Francis Bacon to King James.* 



It may please your excellent Majesty, 

 I perceive by the Bishop of Bath and Wells, that al 

 though it seemeth he hath dealt in an effectual manner with 

 Peacham, yet he prevaileth little hitherto; for he hath 

 gotten of him no new names, neither doth Peacham alter 

 in his tale touching Sir John Sydenham. 



Peacham standeth off in two material points de novo. 



The one, he will not yet discover into whose hands he did 

 put his papers touching the consistory villanies. They were 

 not found with the other bundles upon the search ; neither 

 did he ever say that he had burned or defaced them. 

 Therefore it is like they are in some person s hands ; and it 

 is like again, that that person that he hath trusted with 

 those papers, he likewise trusted with these others of the 

 treasons, I mean with the sight of them. 



The other, that he taketh time to answer, when he is 

 asked, whether he heard not from Mr. Paulet some such 

 words, as, he saith, he heard from Sir John Sydenham, or 

 in some lighter manner. 



I hold it fit, that myself, and my fellows, go to the Tower, 

 and so I purpose to examine him upon these points, and 

 some others ; at the least, that the world may take notice 

 that the business is followed as heretofore, and that the stay 

 of the trial is upon farther discovery, according to that we 

 give out. 



I think also it were not amiss to make a false fire, as if 

 all things were ready for his going down to his trial, and that 

 he were upon the very point of being carried down, to see 

 what that will work with him. 



Lastly, I do think it most necessary, and a point princi- 



* Sir David Dalrymple s Memorials and Letters, p. 29. 



