252 SIR FRANCIS BACON S APOLOGY 



meant to enthral myself to my lord of Essex, nor 

 any other man, more than stood with the public 

 good, did, though I could little prevail, divert him 

 by all means possible from courses of the wars and 

 popularity : for I saw plainly the queen must either 

 live or die ; if she lived, then the times would be as 

 in the declination of an old prince ; if she died, the 

 times would be as in the beginning of a new ; and 

 that if his lordship did rise too fast in these courses, 

 the times might be dangerous for him, and he for 

 them. Nay, I remember, I was thus plain with him 

 upon his voyage to the islands, when I saw every 

 spring put forth such actions of charge and provo 

 cation, that I said to him, &quot; My lord, when I came 

 &quot; first unto you, I took you for a physician that de- 

 &quot; sired to cure the diseases of the state ; but now I 

 &quot; doubt you will be like those physicians which can 

 &quot; be content to keep their patients low, because they 

 &quot; would always be in request.&quot; Which plainness he 

 nevertheless took very well, as he had an excellent 

 ear, and was &quot; patientissimus veri,&quot; and assured me 

 the case of the realm required it : and I think this 

 speech of mine, and the like renewed afterwards, 

 pricked him to write that Apology which is in many 

 men s hands. 



But this difference in two points so main and 

 material, bred in process of time a discontinuance of 

 privateness, as it is the manner of men seldom to 

 communicate where they think their courses not ap 

 proved, between his lordship and myself: so as I was 

 not called nor advised with for some year and a half 



