OBSERVATIONS ON A LIBEL. 461 



time. All which is a mere fiction at pleasure ; for 

 queen Mary bare that respect unto him, in regard 

 of his constant standing for her title, as she desired 

 to continue his service ; the refusal thereof growing 

 from his own part : he enjoyed nevertheless all other 

 liberties and favours of the time ; save only that it 

 was put into the queen s head that it was dangerous 

 to permit him to go beyond the sea, because he had 

 a great wit of action, and had served in so principal 

 a place ; which nevertheless after, with cardinal 

 Pool, he was suffered to do. 



Page &quot; eadeirThe saith, Sir Nicholas Bacon, that 

 was lord keeper, was a man of exceeding crafty wit; 

 which sheweth that this fellow in his slanders is no 

 good marksman, but throweth out his words of 

 defaming without all level. For all the world noted 

 Sir Nicholas Bacon to be a man plain, direct, and 

 constant, without all finesse and doubleness ; and 

 one that was of the mind that a man in his private 

 proceedings and estate, and in the proceedings of 

 state, should rest upon the soundness and strength 

 of his own courses, and not upon practice to circum 

 vent others ; according to the sentence of Solomon, 

 &quot; Vir prudens advertit ad gressus suos, stultus 

 &quot; autem divertit ad dolos :&quot; insomuch that the bishop 

 of Ross, a subtle and observing man, said of him, 

 that he could fasten no words upon him, and that it 

 was impossible to come within him, because he 

 offered no play : and the queen-mother of France, a 

 very politic princess, said of him, that he should 

 have been of the council of Spain, because he 



