NOTE Z Z. 



In the twenty -fourth, twenty-fifth, and twenty-sixth charges, which were in a 

 cause between the companies of Grocers and Apothecaries, presents were made 

 by both parties, and after the cause was terminated j and in this case it is clear 

 it was considered a public act. He admits the several sums to have been 

 received of the three parties, but alleges, &quot; that he considered those presents as 

 no judicial business, but a concord of composition between the parties : and as 

 he thought they had all three received good, and they were all common purses, 

 he thought it the less matter to receive what they voluntarily presented ; for if 

 he had taken it in the nature of a bribe, he knew it could not be concealed, be 

 cause it must be put to the account of the three several companies.&quot; 



Des Cartes. 



Hence Des Cartes, in his History of England, says : &quot; Coke was not yet 

 ashamed to accuse Bacon of corruption for what had been done by all his pre 

 decessors without reproach. It had been a practice, perhaps from the time 

 that our kings had ceased to take money for the purchase of writs, to sue in 

 their courts, for suitors to make presents to the judges who sat in them, either 

 in New Year s tide, or when their causes were on the point of coming to an 

 hearing : it was a thing of course, not considered in the nature of a bribe, being 

 universally known, and deemed an usual or honorary perquisite. Mr. Alford, 

 one of the most eminent members in the House of Commons observed, &quot; That 

 in the leiger books of his family there were entries of 30s. paid to a secretary, 

 and 10. to a Lord Chancellor for his pains in hearing a cause, and that this 

 passed from Chancellor to Chancellor : it seems indeed generally allowed that 

 former Chancellors had received the like gratuities as were given to Bacon. A 

 blot is none till it is hit, but it was now made use of to ruin the present Chan 

 cellor, who had been charged in vain by Coke as one of the referees of Mom- 

 pressin s patents whilst he was attorney ; but he, not appearing to have been of 

 the number, got clear of that accusation, either for this reason, or because it was 

 not thought proper to prosecute the others. 



Proof that it was the custom of the times for similar presents to be made to other 



statesman. 



To Sir Robert Cecil. 



Sir, Your honour knoweth my manner is, though it be not the wisest way, 

 yet taking it for the honestest, to do as Alexander did by his physician in 

 drinking the medicine and delivering the advertisement of suspicion ; so I trust 

 on, and yet do not smother what I hear. I do assure you, sir, that by a wise 

 friend of mine, and not factious toward your honour, I was told with assevera 

 tion, that your honour was bought by Mr. Coventry for 2000 angels ; and that 

 you wrought in a contrary spirit to my lord your father. And he said further, 

 that from your servants, from your lady, from some counsellors that have 

 observed you in my business, he knew you wrought under hand against me. 

 The truth of which tale 1 do not believe ; you know the event will show, and 

 God will right. But as I reject this report, (though the strangeness of my case 

 might make me credulous,) so I admit a conceit that the last messenger my 

 lord and yourelf used, dealt ill with your honours ; and that word (speculation) 

 which was in the Queen s mouth rebounded from him as a commendation, for I 

 am not ignorant of those little arts. Therefore, I pray, trust not him again in 

 my matter. This was much to write, but I think my fortune will set me at 

 liberty, who am weary of asserviling myself to every man s charity. Thus, 

 I, &c. 



By the following letters it appears that similar presents were made to other 

 statesmen : 



Foulke Grevill, Esq. to Mr. Francis Bacon. 



Mr. Francis Bacon, Saturday was my first coming to the court, from whence 

 I departed again as soon as I had kissed her majesty s hands, because I had a 

 lodging nearer than my uncle s, which is four miles off. This day I came 



