xxxviii PREFACE. 



with new value. He confesses that it is a fragment, and yet 

 not written in haste, for he has been about it near thirty 

 years. But he feels that his own life is hastening to its close, 

 and he wishes that a portion of his work at least should be 

 saved. The end was now very near. On the ayth ot 

 January, 1620-1, he became Viscount St. Alban. His for 

 tune, which for nearly four years had borne him smoothly 

 on, now raised him to his greatest height, as if to make 

 the final catastrophe more dramatic and appalling. Parlia 

 ment met on the 3oth. The Chancellor, in addressing 

 the new Speaker, gave expression to a sentiment which, 

 read in the light ot subsequent events, seems prophetic, 

 It is certain that the best governments, yea, and the 

 best of men, are like the best precious stones, wherein every 

 flaw or icicle or grain are seen and noted more than in 

 those that are generally foul and corrupted. Coke, who had 

 not been in the House for many years, was returned as 

 member for Liskeard. On the 5th of February he moved for a 

 Committee to inquire into public grievances. A Committee 

 was appointed to report concerning the Courts of Justice. 

 Bacon, unsuspecting any malice, acted like a man who was 

 certainly not conscious of any great delinquency. On the 

 1 7th of February Sir E. Sackville reported to the House that 

 the Chancellor willingly consented that any man might speak 

 anything freely concerning his Court. On the i5th of March 

 Sir Robert Phillips laid before the Lower House the report 

 of the Committee on Courts of Justice. It came like a 

 thunderclap. The Lord Chancellor was accused of corrup 

 tion in the exercise of his functions, and two instances were 

 given as proofs. On the ipth the Lords received a message 

 from the Commons requesting a conference concerning abuses 

 in certain eminent persons. Bacon was absent through ill 

 ness. He sat in the House of Lords for the last time on 

 Saturday, the iyth of March. Next day, Sir James Ley, 

 Lord Chief Justice, was empowered by the King s commis 

 sion to act as his substitute. On the Monday the con 

 ference for which the Lower House applied was granted, 



