SOMERSET. clxXXV 



Overbury, describing the various practices against his life; 

 but though he fully and fairly executed his duty as Attorney 

 General, it was without malice or harshness, availing him 

 self of an opportunity, of which he never lost sight, to 

 recommend mercy; (6) and though the friends of the new 

 favourite were supposed to have been deeply interested in 

 the downfall of Somerset, and accused of secretly working 

 his ruin, Bacon gained great honour in the opinions of all 

 men, by his impartial, and yet merciful treatment of a 

 man(c) whom in his prosperity he had shunned and des 

 pised. 



Early in this year a dispute which occasioned consider- 1615. 

 able agitation, arose between the Court of Chancery and ^ 55&amp;lt; 



(6) &quot; My lords, this is now the second time within the space of thirteen 

 years reign of our happy sovereign, that this high tribunal-seat of justice, 

 ordained for the trial by peers, hath been opened and erected ; and that, 

 with a rare event, supplied and exercised by one and the same person, 

 which is a great honour to you, my Lord Steward. 



&quot; In all this meantime the King hath reigned in his white robe, not 

 sprinkled with any drop of blood of any of his nobles of this kingdom. 

 Nay, such have been the depths of his mercy, as even those noblemen s 

 bloods, against whom the proceeding was at Winchester, Cobham and 

 Grey, were attainted and corrupted, but not spilt or taken away ; but that 

 they remained rather spectacles of justice in their continual imprisonment, 

 than monuments of justice in the memory of their suffering. 



&quot; I am very glad to hear this unfortunate lady doth take this course, to 

 confess fully and freely, and thereby to give glory to God and to justice. 

 It is, as I may term it, the nobleness of an offender to confess : and there 

 fore those meaner persons, upon whom justice passed before, confessed 

 not ; she doth. I know your lordships cannot behold her without com 

 passion ; many things may move you, her youth, her person, her sex, her 

 noble family ; yea, her provocations, if I should enter into the cause itself, 

 and furies about her; but chiefly her penitency and confession. But jus 

 tice is the work of this day ; the rnercy-seat was in the inner part of the 

 temple ; the throne is public. But since this lady hath by her confession 

 prevented my evidence, and your verdict, and that this day s labour is 

 eased : there resteth, in the legal proceeding, but for me to pray that her 

 confession may be recorded, and judgment thereupon.&quot; 



(c) Biographia Brit. 469, art. Bacon. 



