246 SIR FRANCIS BACON S APOLOGY 



I desire : next, because it hath ever pleased you to 

 shew yourself to me an honourable friend, and so no 

 baseness in me to seek to satisfy you : and lastly, 

 because I know your lordship is excellently grounded 

 in the true rules and habits of duties and moralities, 

 which must be they which shall decide this matter ; 

 wherein, my lord, my defence needeth to be but sim 

 ple and brief; namely, that whatsoever I did con 

 cerning that action and proceeding, was done in my 

 duty and service to the queen and the state ; in which 

 I would not shew myself false-hearted, nor faint 

 hearted, for any man s sake living. For every honest 

 man that hath his heart well planted, will forsake his 

 king rather than forsake God, and forsake his friend 

 rather than forsake his king ; and yet will forsake 

 any earthly commodity, yea, and his own life in some 

 cases, rather than forsake his friend. I hope the 

 world hath not forgotten these degrees, else the 

 heathen saying, &quot; Amicus usque ad aras,&quot; shall judge 

 them. 



And if any man shall say, I did officiously intrude 

 myself into that business, because I had no ordinary 

 place ; the like may be said of all the business in 

 effect that passed the hands of the learned counsel, 

 either of state or revenues, these many years, wherein 

 I was continually used. For, as your lordship may 

 remember, the queen knew her strength so well, as 

 she looked her word should be a warrant ; and, after 

 the manner of the choicest princes before her, did 

 not always tie her trust to place, but did sometime 

 divide private favour from office. And I for my part, 



