248 SIR FRANCIS BACON S APOLOGY 



that is truth, for any enemy that I have, to add ; 

 and on the other side, I must reserve much which 

 makes for me, in many respects of duty, which I 

 esteem above my credit : and what I have here set 

 down to your lordship, I protest, as I hope to have 

 any part in God s favour, is true. 



It is well known, how I did many years since 

 dedicate my travels and studies to the use, and, as I 

 may term it, service of my lord of Essex, which, I 

 protest before God, I did not, making election of 

 him as the likeliest mean of mine own advancement, 

 but out of the humour of a man, that ever from the 

 time I had any use of reason, whether it were read 

 ing upon good books, or upon the example of a 

 good father, or by nature, I loved my country more 

 than was answerable to my fortune ; and I held at 

 that time my lord to be the fittest instrument to do 

 good to the state, and therefore I applied myself to 

 him in a manner which I think happeneth rarely 

 among men : for I did not only labour carefully and 

 industriously in that he set me about, whether it 

 were matter of advice or otherwise, but, neglecting 

 the queen s service, mine own fortune, and in a sort 

 my vocation, I did nothing but advise and ruminate 

 with myself, to the best of my understanding, pro 

 positions and memorials of any thing that might 

 concern his lordship s honour, fortune, or service. 

 And when, not long after I entered into this course, 

 my brother, Mr. Anthony Bacon came from beyond 

 the seas, being a gentleman whose ability the world 

 taketh knowledge of for matters of state, especially 



