Volume 3, Part 1, Slice 1 Part 36 (1/2)

[7] See _Letters and Life_, iv. 177, vi. 38, vii. 116, 117.

[8] In October 1608 he became treasurer of Gray's Inn. The tercentenary was celebrated in 1908.

[9] _Letters and Life_, iv. 380.

[10] _Ibid._ iv. 365-373.

[11] _Ibid._ iv. 375-378.

[12] _Ibid._ v. 81-83.

[13] Not to be confounded with any of those of the same name who held the t.i.tle of Baron St John of Bletsho (see _Dict. of Nat. Biog._ vol. 1. p. 150 _ad fin._).

[14] _Circa_ 1554-1616; educated at Cambridge; ordained priest 1581; vicar of Ridge, Herts, 1581; rector of Hinton St George, Somerset, 1587; eventually condemned to death at the Taunton a.s.sizes (7th August 1615). The sentence was not carried out, and Peacham is said to have died in gaol (March 1616). See Gardiner's _Hist. of England_, ii. 272-283; _State Trials_, ii. 869; _Calendar of State Papers_ (1603-1606); Hallam's _Const.i.tutional Hist._ i. 343; T. P. Taswell-Langmead, _English Const.i.tutional History_ (5th ed., 1896), p. 425. Nearly all works on const.i.tutional law and history discuss the case.

[15] _Letters and Life_, v. 101

[16] Ibid. v. 121, _n_.

[17] _Ibid_. v. 124.

[18] Macaulay's _Essay_.

[19] Campbell, _Lives_, ii. 344.

[20] The mysterious crimes supposed to be concealed under the obscure details of this case have cast a shadow of vague suspicion on all who were concerned in it. The minute examination of the facts by Spedding (_Letters and Life_, v. 208-347) seems to show that these secret crimes exist nowhere but in the heated imaginations of romantic biographers and historians.

[21] A somewhat similar case is that of the writ _De Rege inconsulto_ brought forward by Bacon. See _Letters and Life_, v. 233-236.

[22] _Ibid_. vi. 6, 7, 13-26, 27-56.

[23] Ibid. vi. 33.

[24] A position which Bacon in some respects approved. See _Essays_, ”Of Ambition.” ”It is counted by some a weakness in princes to have favourites; but it is of all others the best remedy against ambitious great ones; for when the way of pleasuring and displeasuring lieth by the favourite, it is impossible any other should be over great.”

[25] _Letters and Life_, vi. 278, 294-296, 313.

[26] _Ibid_. vii. 579-588, a.n.a.lysis of the case by D. D. Heath, who expresses a strong opinion against Bacon's action in the matter.

[27] _Ibid_. vi. 444.

[28] For a full discussion of Bacon's connexion with the monopolies, see Gardiner, _Prince Charles_, &c. ii. 355-373. For his opinion of monopolies in general, see _Letters and Life_, vi. 49.

[29] _Letters and Life_, vii. 213: ”I know I have clean hands and a clean heart, and I hope a clean house for friends or servants. But Job himself, or whosoever was the justest judge, by such hunting for matters against him as hath been used against me, may for a time seem foul, specially in a time when greatness is the mark and accusation is the game.”

[30] _Ibid._ vii. 215-216.

[31] _Ibid._ vii. 225-226. From the letter to the king (March 25, 1621)--”When I enter into myself, I find not the materials of such a tempest as is comen upon me. I have been (as your majesty knoweth best) never author of any immoderate counsel, but always desired to have things carried _suavibus modis_. I have been no avaricious oppressor of the people. I have been no haughty or intolerable or hateful man in my conversation or carriage. I have inherited no hatred from my father, but am a good patriot born. Whence should this be? For these are the things that use to raise dislikes abroad.... And for the briberies and gifts wherewith I am charged, when the book of hearts shall be opened, I hope I shall not be found to have the troubled fountain of a corrupt heart in a depraved habit of taking rewards to pervert justice, howsoever I may be frail, and partake of the abuse of the times.”

[32] _Ibid._ vii. 227, and Gardiner, _Prince Charles_, &c. i. 450.