PREFACE. xliii 



Lord Chancellor had obtained leave to go to his own home, 

 and is talked of as President of the Council. On the 23rd, he 

 reports that the Chancellor has removed from Fulham to his 

 house at Gorhambury. Here he remained till the end of the 

 year. From his retirement he writes to Buckingham (Sep 

 tember 5), I am much fallen in love with a private life ; but 

 yet I shall so spend my time as shall not decay my abilities 

 for use. The occupation of his enforced leisure was the 

 History of Henry VII, which was completed in manuscript 

 by October. The fine inflicted by the sentence in Parliament 

 was released by the King s warrant on the 2ist of September, 

 but was assigned to trustees, that Bacon might be protected 

 from the importunity of his creditors. He had nothing now 

 but the pension of i2oo/. a year which the King had recently 

 given him, and his own private fortune. On being made Lord 

 Keeper he had resigned not only the lucrative post of At- 

 tornoy General, but the clerkship of the Star-Chamber. By 

 his fall he had lost 6ooo/. a year. A pardon was issued under 

 the Privy Seal on the iyth of October, but it appears to have 

 been stayed by the new Lord-Keeper. The prohibition which 

 prevented him from coming within twelve miles of the Court 

 was relaxed in the following March, and he was allowed to 

 approach as near as Highgate. Buckingham was annoyed at 

 his refusal to give up York House, and opposed his return to 

 London. In the course of the year, however, the restriction 

 was removed, and he took up his residence at Bedford House, 

 his own mansion meanwhile having been surrendered. The 

 publication of the History of Henry the Seventh in the 

 spring, and the translation into Latin of the Advancement 

 of Learning, kept him fully employed. In the latter work he 

 is said to have been assisted by George Herbert. Writing to 

 Bishop Andrewes the dedication to his Dialogue touching a 

 Holy War, which was also the work of this year, he says : 

 1 And again, for that my book of Advancement of Learning 

 may be some preparation, or key, for the better opening of 

 the Installation; because it exhibits a mixture of new con 

 ceits and old; whereas the Instauration gives the new un- 



