Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 18.pdf/539

 S04

THE GREEN BAG

of climate reestablished the lad's health, but when his father's death called him home in 1579, he found himself very narrowly provided for, as Sir Nicholas had died with out a will, so that he was dependent on his older brother Antony, who, however, treated him with uniform kindness. His uncle, Lord Burleigh, and his cousin, Robert Cecil, afterward Earl of Salisbury, were not specially kind or helpful to Francis Bacon in his younger days, and the Queen, al though personally kind and pleasant to him as the son of an old friend, showed little disposition to advance him. He had at tached himself, however, to Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex, then the Queen's great favorite, so that he was reckoned among the Earl's friends and followers. When Francis Bacon was about thirty and an almost briefless barrister, the Queen having re fused a petition Essex had strongly urged on Bacon's behalf for the position of Solic itor General, Essex determined that if his influence, as he wrote his friend, could not give him a start in life, his own generosity should, and in 1592 he enfeoffed Francis Bacon with a valuable freehold estate on the Thames, near Twickenham Ferry. Whether it was or not the estate afterwards celebrated as Twickenham is uncertain, but it was a very valuable gift and gave Bacon a standing and position in the country as a landed proprietor which he had pre viously lacked. He subsequently sold this estate for £1800, a very considerable sum in those days and which may be fairly re garded as equivalent to between $30,000 and $40,000 at this day. After this start in life Bacon began to prosper. He was made Queen's Counsel, not a mere name in those days, but a position bringing with it a varying share of Crown business. Essex was "selected in 1598 to reestablish Royal authority in Ireland. He undertook this, against the advice of Bacon, was unsuc cessful and was summoned home and coldly received by the Queen. Discouraged and irritated by the Queen's neglect and her

adherence to Cecil's views, Essex then un dertook with the aid of his close friend, the Earl of Southampton, the insensate march through London at the head of a body of armed followers, with the alleged purpose of delivering the Queen from the influence of Cecil. This enterprise was a complete fail ure, and pitiably collapsed. The Earls re turned to Essex's house having accomplished nothing, and their followers dispersed or surrendered. The Earls after some delay were sent to the Tower and proceedings for treason commenced against them. Bacon, of course, had nothing to do with Essex's foolish demonstration, and it may be granted to his friends, that his conduct up to this time had been entirely consistent with friendship; but from this point the ques tion arises as to Bacon's conduct toward Essex, which has given rise to so much controversy and which seems still unsettled. As above mentioned Francis Bacon was at this time Queen's Counsel, but not yet Sol icitor or Attorney General, although he earnestly aspired toward those offices, both of which he in turn filled in the succeeding reign. As Queen's Counsel he was in structed, probably through his cousin Cecil's influence, to take an active part, in the preparation of the case against the Earls of Essex and Southampton and their followers, and in conducting their ultimate trial for high treason. Counsel's duty in those days seems to have included the investiga tion of the facts, and examination of wit nesses before trial; the examination and study of documents, and various matters now belonging to a French juge d'instrnction and in England to attorneys or police authorities. Bacon undertook this duty, perhaps with reluctance and hesitation, but still he undertook it, and once entered fairly upon it conducted the prosecution with such skill and vigor that he obtained the conviction of his friend Essex by the House of Lords, of high treason, and ultimately brought him to the scaffold. Southamp ton, more fortunate, although likewise con