KNIGHTHOOD. Cl 



Soon after the arrival of James, which was on the 7th of 

 May, Bacon, having had an audience, and a promise of 

 private access, thus describes the King to the Earl of 

 Northumberland : &quot; Your lordship shall find a prince the 

 farthest from vain glory that may be, and rather like a 

 prince of the ancient form than of the latter time. His 

 speech is swift and cursory, and in the full dialect of his 

 country ; in speech of business, short ; in speech of dis 

 course, large. He afFecteth popularity by gracing such as 

 he hath heard to be popular, and not by any fashions of 

 his own. He is thought somewhat general in his favours ; 

 and his virtue of access is rather, because he is much 

 abroad and in press, than that he giveth easy audience. 

 He hasteneth to a mixture of both kingdoms and occasions, 

 faster perhaps than policy will well bear. I told your 

 lordship once before, that methought his majesty rather 

 asked counsel of the time past, than of the time to come : 

 but it is yet early to ground any settled opinion.&quot; (m) 



The title of knighthood had hitherto been considered an 

 especial mark of royal favour; but the King, who perceived 

 that the English gentry were willing to barter their gold 

 for an empty honour, was no less ready to barter his 

 honours for their gold. A general summons was, there 

 fore, issued for all persons possessing 40 a year in land(w) 

 either to accept this title, or to compound with the King s 

 commissioners; and on the 23rd, the day of his corona 

 tion, not less than three hundred gentlemen received the 

 honour of knighthood, amongst whom was Sir Francis 

 Bacon, who thought that the title might gratify the 



(rn) See vol. xii. p. 48. 



n) Hume, who has shown great tenderness to the character of James 

 upon many occasions, is quite silent as to this extraordinary expedient to 

 raise money. See Progresses of James, 203. 



