thee: remember what I have first sought, and what hath been principal in my intentions. I have loved thy assemblies: I have mourned for the division of the church: I have delighted in the brightness of thy sanctuary. This vine which thy right hand hath planted in this nation, I have ever prayed unto thee that it might stretch her branches to the seas and to the floods."

His publications are two: the one entitled, "An Advertisement, touching the Controversies of the Church of England;" the other "Certain Considerations touching the better Pacification and Edification of the Church of England." These tracts abound with thought; and, according to his usual mode, consist of an extensive survey of the whole of our religious establishment, and the most minute observations of all its parts, even to the surplice of the minister, that simple pastoral garment, which, with the crook to guide, and to draw back the erring flock, beautiful emblems of the good shepherd, are still retained by the established church.

His tract upon church controversies (a) contains an out- Church Controverline of all religious disputes, and abounds with observations sies. well worthy the consideration of ecclesiastical controversialists; who will, perchance, submit to be admonished. by Bacon that, as christians, they should contend, not as the briar with the thistle, which is most unprofitable, but as the vine with the olive, which bears best fruit.

of the

Church.

The considerations touching the pacification of the church Edification are dedicated to the King; and, after apologizing for his interposition as a layman with ecclesiastical matters, (b) and describing the nature of the various reformers, and the objections to the reform of the church, he examines with great accuracy the government of bishops,-the

(a) See this tract analyzed, vol. vii. p. xx. in preface, and see the tract in text, vol. vii. p. 28.

(b) Vol. v. p. 61.

Solicitor
General.

1607.

liturgy, the ceremonies, and subscription,-a preaching ministry, the abuse of excommunications,-the provision for sufficient maintenance in the church, and non-residents and pluralities, of which he says: "For non-residence, except it be in case of necessary absence, it seemeth an abuse, drawn out of covetousness and sloth; for that men should live of the flock that they do not feed, or of the altar at which they do not serve, is a thing that can hardly receive just defence; and to exercise the office of a pastor, in matter of the word and doctrine, by deputies, is a thing not warranted." (a) And he thus concludes: “Thus have I, in all humbleness and sincerity of heart, to the best of my understanding, given your majesty tribute of my cares and cogitations in this holy business, so highly tending to God's glory, your majesty's honour, and the peace and welfare of your states; insomuch as I am persuaded, that the papists themselves should not need so much the severity of penal laws, if the sword of the spirit were better edged, by strengthening the authority, and suppressing the abuses in the church."

Early in this year an event occurred of considerable importance to his worldly prospects and professional tranEt. 47. 'quillity, by the promotion of Sir Edward Coke from the office of Attorney General to the Chief Justiceship of the Common Pleas, occasioning a vacancy in the office of Solicitor General, which Bacon strenuously exerted himself to obtain, under the delusion, that, by increasing his practice, he should be enabled sooner to retire into contemplative life. He applied to Lord Salisbury, to the Lord Chancellor, (b) and to the King, by whom on the 25th

(a) The good shepherd knoweth his sheep, and is known of them; but the hireling fleeth because he is an hireling.

(b) His letter to the Chancellor concludes with saying, "I am much

day of June, 1607, he was appointed Solicitor, to the great satisfaction of his profession, (c) the prospect of worldly emolument, and the hope of professional tranquillity, by a removal from conflict with the coarse mind and acrid humour of Sir Edward Coke, rude to his equals and insolent to the unfortunate.

Who can forget his treatment of Bacon who, when reviled, reviled not again, (d) but in due season thus expostulated with him:

Mr. Attorney, I thought best once for all, to let you know in plainness what I find of you, and what you shall find of me. You take to yourself a liberty to disgrace and disable my law, my experience, my discretion. What it pleaseth you I pray think of me; I am one that knows both mine own wants and other men's: and it may be, perchance, that mine mend, others stand at a stay. And surely, I may not endure in public place to be wronged, without repelling the same to my best advantage to right myself. You are great, and therefore have the more enviers,

deceived if your lordship find not the King well inclined, and my Lord Salisbury forward and affectionate."

(c) In his letter to Lord Salisbury, he says, "I have been voiced to this office."

(d) "A true Remembrance of the Abuse I received of Mr. Attorney General publicly in the Exchequer the first day of term; for the truth whereof I refer myself to all that were present.

"I moved to have a reseizure of the lands of George More, a relapsed recusant, a fugitive, and a practising traitor; and shewed better matter for the Queen against the discharge by plea, which is ever with a 'salvo jure.' And this I did in as gentle and reasonable terms as might be.

"Mr. Attorney kindled at it, and said, 'Mr. Bacon, if you have any tooth against me, pluck it out; for it will do you more hurt than all the teeth in your head will do you good.' I answered coldly in these very words; Mr. Attorney, I respect you: I fear you not; and the less you speak of your own greatness, the more I will think of it.'

"He replied, "I think scorn to stand upon terms of greatness towards

which would be glad to have you paid at another's cost. Since the time I missed the Solicitor's place, the rather, I think, by your means, I cannot expect that you and I shall ever serve as Attorney and Solicitor together, but either to serve with another, upon your remove, or to step into some other course; so as I am more free than ever I was from any occasion of unworthy conforming myself to you more than general good manners, or your particular good usage shall provoke: and, if you had not been shortsighted in your own fortune, as I think, you might have had more use of me; but that tide is passed. I write not this, to show my friends what a brave letter I have written to Mr. Attorney; I have none of those humours, but that I have written is to a good end: that is, to the more decent carriage of my master's service, and to our particular better understanding one of another. This letter, if it shall be answered by you in deed and not in word, I suppose it will not be worse for us both; else it is but a few lines lost, which, for a much smaller matter I would have adventured. So this being to yourself, I for my part rest, &c.

you, who are less than little; less than the least:' and other such strange light terms he gave me, with that insulting, which cannot be expressed.

"Herewith stirred, yet I said no more but this: 'Mr. Attorney, do not depress me so far; for I have been your better, and may be again, when it please the Queen.'

"With this he spake, neither I nor himself could tell what, as if he had been born attorney general; and in the end bade me not meddle with the Queen's business, but with mine own, and that I was unsworn, &c. I told him, sworn or unsworn was all one to an honest man; and that I ever set my service first, and myself second; and wished to God, that he would do the like.

"Then he said, it were good to clap a 'cap. utlegatum' upon my back! To which I only said he could not; and that he was at fault; for he hunted upon an old scent.

"He gave me a number of disgraceful words besides; which I answered with silence, and shewing that I was not moved with them."

Of Coke's bitter spirit there are so many painful instances, that, unless Bacon had to complain of unfairness in other matters, the acrimony which overflowed upon all, could not be considered altogether the effect of personal rivalry. It would have been well had his morbid feelings been confined to his professional opponents; but, unmindful of the old maxim, "let him take heed how he strikes, who strikes with a dead hand," his rancorous abuse extended to prisoners on trials for their lives, (a) for which he was severely censured by Bacon, who told him that in his pleadings he was ever wont to insult over misery. (b)

Who can forget Coke's treatment of Raleigh, entitled as he was by station and attainments to the civil observances of a gentleman, and, by long imprisonment and subsequent misfortunes, to the commiseration of all men. It is true that there were some persons present at this trial, who remembered that Raleigh and Cobham had stood only a few years before, with an open satisfaction, to witness the death of Essex, against whom they had secretly conspired; but even the sense of retributive justice, though it might deaden their pity, could not lessen their disgust at the cruel and vulgar invectives of Coke, whose knowledge neither expanded his intellect, or civilized his manners. Fierce with dark keeping, his mind resembled some of those gloomy structures where records and muniments are piled to the exclusion of all higher or nobler matters. For genius he had no love: with philosophy he had no sympathy.

Upon the trial of Raleigh, Coke, after denouncing him

(a) Coke, upon the trial of Mrs. Turner, told her that she was " guilty of the seven deadly sins;" that she was "a whore, a bawd, a sorcerer, a witch, a papist, a felon, and a murderer."

(b) Letter of expostulation, vol. vii. p. 297.