Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 02.djvu/382

Bacon many poetical effusions. George Whetstone was the author of a long poem entitled 'A Remembrance of the woorthie and well imployed life of the Right Honourable Sir Nicholas Bacon, Knight... who deceased the 20th daye of Februarie 1578 [-9].' This interesting encomium was reprinted in 1816 in the 'Frondes Caducæ.' Another panegyric in verse, by L. Ramsey, was called 'A short discourse of Man's fatall end, with an unfeigned commendation of the worthiness of Sir Nicholas Bacon.' It was printed as a broadside in 1578, and was republished in Farr's 'Select Poetry' (Parker Society) in 1845.

Bacon's political opinions bore the stamp of honest conviction, and he could express, them with a fluency and directness which nearly made him a great orator. Puttenham in his 'Arte of Poesie,' 1589 (ed. Arber, p. 152), praises 'his grave and naturall eloquence,' and asserts that 'in deede he was a most eloquent man' (ibid.). Nash in 'Pierce Pennilesse,' 1592 (ed. J. P. Collier, p. 46), writes: 'What age will not prayse immortal Sir Philip Sidney... together with Sir Nicholas Bacon, lord keeper, and merry Sir Thomas More, for the chiefe pillers of our English speech?' His 'rare learning and wisedome' were also generally commended. 'I have come to the lord keeper, Sir Nicholas Bacon, says Puttenham, 'and found him sitting in his gallery alone with the works of Quintillian before him.' Naunton calls him 'an archpiece of wit and wisdom' (Fragmenta Regalia, ed. Arber, p. 38), and Parker attests his readiness to aid him in his antiquarian pursuits ( Parker, i. 622-3). His interest in education was far in advance of his age. We have seen that the subject interested him at the time of the dissolution of the monasteries. Later in life — in 1561 — he sent to Sir William Cecil an admirable memorandum on the desirability of reforming the court of wards, and of reorganising the education of the minors under its control. There he sketched out a very wise system for the training of young men and women, not only in literature and the arts, but in morals and athletic exercises ( in Archæologia, xxxvi. 339). In the same year he founded a free grammar school at Redgrave. Just before his death he gave 200l. towards the erection of a chapel for his old college of Corpus Christi, and by his will created six scholarships to enable poor scholars from his school at Redgrave to study at Cambridge. He made frequent contributions of books to the university library.

His knowledge of law was remarkably full and sound. The rights of the court of Chancery he justly upheld in his little pamphlet called 'Arguments exhibited in Parliament whereby it is proved that the Persons of Noblemen Avere attachable by Law for Contempts in the High Court of Chancery,' which was printed from his manuscript in 1641. He was anxious to simplify the arrangement of the statutes, and to print them so as to make them generally accessible (Harl. MS. 249, p. 117). The cursitor's office in Chancery Lane was erected by him. The advantage he derived from his legal training in his general administrative work is well indicated in an extant paper on the royal revenue addressed to Sir Walter Mildmay, the chancellor of the exchequer, about 1564. His patience, courtesy, and straightforwardness on the bench made him popular with suitors (cf., Chancellors, ii. 213). As to his general character. Hayward, a contemporary, describes him as 'a man of greate diligence and ability in his place, whose goodnesse preserved his greatnesse from suspicion, envye, and hate' (Annals (Camden Soc), p. 13 ; cf Annales, sub 1579). Lloyd in his 'State Worthies' (p. 471), attributes to him the maxim, 'Let us stay a little that we may have done the sooner,' and thus sums up his administrative capacity: 'His account of England and all affaires was punctual; his use of learned artists continual; his correspondence with his fellow-statesmen exact: his apprehension of our laws and government clear; his model of both methodical; his faithfulness to the church eminent; his industrious invention for the state indefatigable.' But his cheery humour was doubtless his most attractive characteristic. His goodnatured repartees were far famed, although most of their wit has now evaporated. Many of them are preserved in Francis Bacon's collections of 'Apophthegms.' On one occasion when the queen visited him at Gorhambury, she remarked, 'My lord, what a little house you have gotten!' and Bacon replied, 'Madam, my house is well, but it is you who have made me too great for my house' ( Apophthegms, in Spedding's edition of the Works, vii. 144). He conscientiously avoided the danger of jesting at his friends' expense. 'He had a very quaint saying, and he used it often to good purpose — that he loved the jest well, but not the losse of his friend' (, p. 38).

In person Bacon was (in Camden's phrase) 'exceeding gross-bodied.' As Elizabeth said of him, 'his soul lodged well' (, p. 38). The unwieldiness of his body is frequently the subject of amusing comment in his own letters. A portrait of Sir Nicholas by Zucchero has been often engraved, and a