LIFE OF BACON. 



To be certain of the law, the King resolved to obtain 

 the opinions of the judges before the prosecution was com 

 menced. For this purpose, the Attorney General was 

 employed to confer with Sir Edward Coke, Mr. Serjeant 

 Montague to speak with Justice Crooke, Mr. Serjeant 



To the King. 



May it please your most excellent Majesty, I send 

 your majesty enclosed a copy of our last examination of 

 Peacham,* taken the 10th of this present; whereby your 

 majesty may perceive that this miscreant wretch goeth 

 back from all, and denieth his hand and all; no doubt 

 being fully of belief that he should go presently down to 

 his trial, he meant now to repeat his part which he pur 

 posed to play in the country, which was to deny all. But 

 your majesty in your wisdom perceiveth that this denial of 

 his hand, being not possible to be counterfeited, and to be 

 sworn by Adams, and so oft by himself formerly confessed 

 and admitted, could not mend his case before any jury in 

 the world, but rather aggravateth it by his notorious impu- 

 dency and falsehood, and will make him more odious. 

 He never deceived me ; for when others had hopes of dis 

 covery, and thought time well spent that way, I told your 

 majesty, pereuntibus mille Jigura ; and that he now did 

 but turn himself into divers shapes, to save or delay his 

 punishment. And therefore, submitting myself to your 

 majesty s high wisdom, I think myself bound in conscience 

 to put your majesty in remembrance, whether Sir John 

 Sydenham* shall be detained upon this man s impeach 

 ing, in whom there is no truth. Notwithstanding that 

 farther inquiry be made of this other Peacham, and that 



* He had been confronted, about the end of February or beginning of 

 March, 1614-15, with Mr. Peacham, about certain speeches which had 

 formerly passed between them. MS. letter of Mr. Chamberlain to Sir 

 Dudley Carleton, from London, March 2, 1614-15. 



