IMPRUDENCE OF ESSEX. IxXV 



speak of blossoms without giving tastes of fruits were idle 

 ness ; but if you will give credit to my words, it is not long 

 since I gave testimony of my good affection in the ear of 

 one that neither wants desire nor means to do for you. 

 Thus wishing to your credit that allowance of respect and 

 reverence which your wise and honest letter doth deserve, 

 and resting ever ready to relieve all minds (so far as my 

 ability and means will stretch) that groan under the bur 

 then of undeserved wrong, I commend you to God s protec 

 tion and myself to the best use you will make of me. In 

 haste from my lodging,&quot; &c. 



The partizans of Essex again interfered, to raise the 

 flames which Bacon had so judiciously suppressed, and 

 again were the Queen s ministers compelled to check their 

 imprudence. 



On the 12th of June, the lord keeper, in his usual June 12, 

 speech in the Star Chamber to the country gentlemen, 

 mentioned the late proceeding against the Earl of Essex, 

 who, he observed, had acknowledged his errors, and ex 

 pressed his sorrow for them ; but that some wicked persons 

 had intermeddled by libelling what her majesty had done 

 in that point, which occasioned a proclamation to be pub 

 lished against such seditious practices, (a) 



Notwithstanding this ill-advised conduct, the Queen was 

 desirous to remove from Essex the restraint of a keeper, 

 when her indignation was again excited by a rumour, 

 that Essex had been duly authorized by her to create 

 knights, though his having conferred that honour had been 

 made a charge against him before the commissioners. In 

 the first moment of her displeasure she determined to 

 rescind the honours he had bestowed. Bacon advised her 

 against this step, and recommended that a letter written 



(a) Sydney Papers, vol. ii. 201. 



