THE CHARGE OF SIR FRANCIS BACON, KNIGHT, 



THE KING S ATTORNEY-GENERAL, 

 AGAINST MR. LUMSDEN, SIR JOHN WENTWORTH, 

 AND SIR JOHN HOLLES, FOR SCANDAL AND 

 TRADUCING OF THE KING S JUSTICE IN THE 

 PROCEEDINGS AGAINST WESTON IN THE STAR- 

 CHAMBER. 



TENTH NOVEMBER, SIXTEEN HUNDRED AND FIFTEEN. 



THE offence wherewith I shall charge the three of 

 fenders at the bar, is a misdemeanour of a high na 

 ture, tending to the defacing and scandal of justice 

 in a great cause capital. The particular charge is 

 this: 



The king amongst many his princely virtues is 

 known to excel in that proper virtue of the imperial 

 throne, which is justice. It is a royal virtue, which 

 doth employ the other three cardinal virtues in her 

 service : wisdom to discover, and discern nocent or 

 innocent ; fortitude to prosecute and execute; tem 

 perance, so to carry justice as it be not passionate in 

 the pursuit, nor confused in involving persons upon 

 light suspicion, nor precipitate in time. For this 

 his Majesty s virtue of justice, God hath of late raised 

 an occasion, and erected as it were a stage or theatre, 

 much to his honour, for him to shew it, and act in 

 the pursuit of the untimely death of Sir Thomas 



