PREFACE. XXV 



them was overwhelming. Bacon took his place among the 

 counsel. The office he had to perform was none of his 

 seeking: it was laid upon him with the rest of his fellows. 

 The time had come when he was obliged to choose between 

 his Queen and one to whom he had tried his utmost to be 

 a friend. Essex s defence was, as before, that his life was in 

 danger, that he took up arms for his own protection, and 

 that the kingdom was betrayed to Spain. Bacon spoke twice, 

 on both occasions recalling the attention of the Court to the 

 true nature of the case, and showing that the private quarrel 

 which had been alleged was a mere pretext. The defence 

 broke down on all points, and the two Earls were condemned. 

 Even those who blame Bacon for taking any part in the trial 

 have nothing to urge against the manner in which he acquit 

 ted himself. Birch (Memoirs of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth, 

 ii. 499) says, Mr. Francis Bacon s behaviour towards the Earl 

 at his trial was perhaps less exceptionable than his submitting 

 to any share in it. Essex himself uttered no word of re 

 proach. He was too conscious that Bacon had stood by him 

 in evil report and in good report, and how wise all his counsels 

 had been. After a careful review of this strange eventful 

 history, the whole course of which must have been inexpress 

 ibly painful to Bacon, it is difficult to see how, as a good 

 citizen, whose first duty was to his country, he could have 

 acted otherwise. His contemporaries passed no censure upon 

 him. Essex, who laid the blame of his own treason upon 

 his personal enemies, did not reckon Bacon among them. 

 And these things being so, we may confidently expect at the 

 hands of posterity a verdict not only of not proven, but of 

 not guilty. 



So much misapprehension has existed as to the real nature 

 of the offence of Essex, and of Bacon s share in his trial and 

 condemnation, that it has been necessary to discuss it some 

 what in detail. With the Earl s execution, however, Bacon s 

 part in the transaction did not terminate. Though the evid 

 ence was crushing and irresistible, the conduct of the trial had 

 been slovenly, and the impression left by it confused. It was 



