Page:The Works of Francis Bacon (1884) Volume 1.djvu/407

 EDITOR S PREFACE. 279 lhan in the examples of England and France, whereof England, though far inferior in territory and population, hath been nevertheless always an overmatch in arms ; in regard the middle-people of Eng land make good soldiers, which the peasants of France do not. And herein the device of Henry the Seventh King of England (whereof I have spoken largely in the history of his life) was profound and admirable, in making farms and houses of husbandry of a standard; that is maintained with such a proportion of land unto them, as may breed a subject to live in convenient plenty, and to keep the plough in the hands of the owners, or at least usufructuary, and not hirelings and merce naries ; and thus a country shall merit that character whereby Virgil expresses ancient Italy, &quot; Terra potena armis atque ubere gleba.&quot; His love of familiar illustration is to be found in various parts of the history; speaking of the com motion by the Cornish men in behalf of the impostor Perkin Warbeck, he says, &quot;The course he held towards the rebels, it was utterly differing from his former custom and practice : which was ever full of for ward ness and celerity to make head against them, or to set upon them as soon as ever they were in action. This he was wont to do. But now, besides that he was attempered by years, and less in love with dangers, by the continued fruition of a crown ; it was a time when the various ap pearance to his thoughts of perils of several natures and from divers parts, did make him judge it his best and surest way, to keep his strength together in the seat and centre of his kingdom : according to the ancient Indian emblem, in such a swelling season, to hold the hand upon the middle of the blad der, that no side might rise.&quot; And again, &quot; All this while the rebellion of Cornwall, whereof we have spoken seemed to have no relation to Perkin ; save that perhaps Perkin s proclamation had stricken upon the right vein, in promising to lay down exactions and payments, and so had made them now and then have a kind thought on Perkin. But now these bubbles by much stirring began to meet, as they use to do upon the top of water.&quot; And his kind nature and holy feeling appear in his account of the conquest of Granada. &quot; Somewhat about this time came letters from Ferdinando and Isabella, King and Queen of Spain ; signifying the final conquest of Granada, from the Moors; which action, in itself so worthy, King Ferdinando, whose manner was never to lose any virtue for the showing, had expressed and displayed in his letters at large, with all the par ticularities and religious punctos and ceremonies, that were observed in the reception of that city and kingdom : showing, amongst other things, that the king would not by any means in person enter the city, until he had first aloof seen the cross set up upon the greater tower of Granada, whereby it became Christian ground. That likewise before he would enter, he did homage to God above, pronouncing by a herald from the height of that tower, that he did acknowledge to have recovered that kingdom by the help of God Almighty, and the glorious Virgin, and the vir tuous apostle Saint James, and the holy father Innocent the Eighth, together with the aids and services of his prelates, nobles, and commons. That yet he stirred not from his camp till he had seen a little army of martyrs, to the number of seven hundred and more Christians that had lived in bonds and servitude, as slaves to the Moors, pass before his eyes, singing a psalm for their re demption.&quot; HISTORY OF HENRY VIII. Of this tract Archbishop Tenison says, &quot;the Second is, the fragment of the History of Henry the Eighth, printed at the end of his lordship s miscellany works, of which the best edition is that in quarto, in the year 1629. This work he undertook, upon the motion of King Charles the First, but (a greater king not lending him time) he only began it ; for that which we have of it, was (it seems) but one morning s work.&quot; This tract is thus noticed in his letters. To the Marquis of Buckingham. Excellent lord, &quot;Though your lordship s absence fall out in an ill time for myself; yet because I hope in God this noble adventure will make your lordship a rich return in honour, abroad and at home, and chiefly in the inestimable treasure of the love and trust of that thrice-excellent prince ; I confess I am so glad of it, as I could not abstain from your lordship s trouble in seeing it expressed by these few and hasty lines. &quot; I beseech your lordship, of your nobleness vouchsafe to present my most humble duty to his high ness, who, I hope, ere long will make me leave King Henry the Eighth, and set me on work in re lation of his highness s adventures. I very humbly kiss your lordship s hands, resting ever &quot; Your lordship s most obliged friend and servant. &quot; February 21, 1622.