PREFACE. XXV11 



been passed upon him, and because there were three new 

 knights in his mess at Gray s Inn. The most important 

 reason for seeking this honour he keeps to the last because 

 I have found out an alderman s daughter, an handsome 

 maiden, to my liking. But he desired especially that the 

 honour should be conferred as a real distinction, and that he 

 might not be merely gregarious in a troop. On the 23rd 

 of July he gained his wish, but in the company of three 

 hundred others. His ambition for professional advancement 

 was quenched under the new sovereign. In the letter to Cecil 

 which has already been referred to, he says, My ambition 

 now I shall only put upon my pen, whereby I shall be able 

 to maintain memory and merit of the times succeeding. 

 James, if not wise, was undoubtedly learned, and in his 

 advent to the throne Bacon saw hopes of at last realizing 

 his magnificent dreams of the regeneration of learning and 

 the extension of the kingdom of man. And it may be that 

 during this year (1603) he wrote the first book of The 

 Proficiencc and Advancement of Learning. His other literary 

 productions of this period are A Brief Discourse touching the 

 Happy Union of the Kingdoms of England and Scotland, and 

 Certain Considerations touching the better Pacification and Edific 

 ation of the Church of England. The latter of these may be 

 regarded as the sequel to a tract on the same subject which 

 he had written in 1589. It was partly printed in 1604, but 

 not published, and was evidently composed with direct refer 

 ence to the subjects discussed at the Hampton Court con 

 ference. His Apology for his conduct in the Essex trial, 

 which was addressed to Montjoy, now Earl of Devonshire, 

 belongs to the same year. 



The first Parliament of the new reign met on the i9th of 

 March, 1603-4, and Bacon was again returned both by 

 Ipswich and St. Alban s, still taking the same prominent part 

 in the proceedings of the House. His office as one of the 

 learned counsel was confirmed to him by patent on the i8th 

 of August, coupled with the grant of a pension of 6o/. a year 

 for life. His vacation was employed in drawing up Certain 



