XXX11 PREFACE. 



the King and the Commons, on the subject of the King s 

 debts. Bacon spoke in favour of supply, and in defence of the 

 King s right of imposition. Towards the end of August this 

 year his mother died, and to the summer vacation Mr. Sped- 

 ding refers The beginning of the History of Great Britain. 

 What were his occupations in 161 1 we have no certain inform 

 ation. Perhaps he amused himself with elaborating his 

 Essays, of which he published a much enlarged edition in the 

 following year. His letter to the King touching Button s 

 Estate, a report on the scarcity of silver at the Mint, and a 

 charge on opening the Court of the Verge, show that his pro 

 fessional duties were not neglected. Salisbury s death in 1612 

 left an opening for the appointment of a Secretary of State, 

 and Bacon offered his services to the King. The office was 

 not filled up immediately, and soon after the Mastership of 

 the Wards, vacant from the same cause, was given to Sir 

 George Carey, though popular rumour assigned it to Bacon, who 

 had drawn up a frame of declaration and instructions for the 

 new Master. In the trial of Lord Sanquhar for murder (June 

 27, 1612), Bacon appeared in his capacity of Solicitor General 

 as counsel for the prosecution. Three days later he made 

 a speech before the Council and Judges, on the refusal of the 

 Countess of Shrewsbury to be examined for aiding the Lady 

 Arabella Stewart in her attempt to escape. 



The proposed marriage of the Princess Elizabeth to the 

 Elector Palatine in 1612, gave Bacon additional employment 

 in drawing up Instructions to the Commissioners for collect 

 ing the Aid which was levied on the occasion. Probably 

 towards the end of November he published the second edition 

 of his Essays. It was his intention to have dedicated them to 

 Prince Henry ; but the Prince s unexpected death on the 6th 

 of November prevented him from carrying this intention into 

 effect, and the Essays were addressed to Sir John Constable, 

 who had married Lady Bacon s sister. They must have ap 

 peared in the interval between the death of the Prince and 

 the i yth of December, when they are referred to in one of 

 Chamberlain s letters. 



