THE APOLOGY OF SIR FRANCIS BACON, 



IN CERTAIN IMPUTATIONS 

 CONCERNING THE LATE EARL OF ESSEX, 



TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE HIS 



VERY GOOD LORD THE EARL OF DEVONSHIRE, 



LORD LIEUTENANT OF IRELAND. 



IT may please your good lordship, I cannot be igno 

 rant, and ought to be sensible of the wrong which I 

 sustain in common speech, as if I had been false or 

 unthankful to that noble, but unfortunate earl, the 

 earl of Essex : and for satisfying the vulgar sort, I 

 do not so much regard it ; though I love a good 

 name, but yet as an handmaid and attendant of ho 

 nesty and virtue. For I am of his opinion that said 

 pleasantly, &quot; That it was a shame to him that was 

 a suitor to the mistress, to make love to the wait 

 ing-woman ;&quot; and therefore to woo or court com 

 mon fame, otherwise than it followeth on honest 

 courses, I, for my part, find not myself fit or dis 

 posed. But, on the other side, there is no worldly 

 thing that concerneth myself, which I hold more 

 dear than the good opinion of certain persons ; 

 among which there is none I would more willingly 

 give satisfaction unto, than to your lordship. First, 

 because you loved my lord of Essex, and therefore 

 will not be partial towards me, which is part of that 



