Page:The Works of Francis Bacon (1884) Volume 1.djvu/511

 HISTORY OF KIM. IIKM^ II. diil write ever to their superiors in high terms, concerning his isil&amp;lt;, in IIIK! art of rule; nay, when they were returned, they did commonly maintain intelligence ith him. Such ;i ile- terity he trad to impropriato to himself all f&amp;gt;n I ^ii instruments. He was careful and liberal to obtain good in telligence I nuii all parts abro-.id : wherein he did not only use his interest in the liegers here, and his pensioner, which he had both in the court of Rome, and other the courts of Christendom ; but the industry and vigilancy of his own ambassa dors in foreign parts. For which purpose his instructions were ever extreme, curious, and articulate: and in them more articles touching inquisition, than touching negotiation : requiring likewise from his ambassadors an answer, in particular distinct articles respectively to his questions. As for his secret spials, which he did employ both at home and abroad, by them to discover what practices and conspiracies were against him, surely his case required it: he had such moles perpetually working and casting, to under mine him. Neither can it be reprehended : for if spials be lawful against lawful enemies, much more against conspirators and traitors. But in deed to give them credence by oaths or curses, that cannot be well maintained : for those are too holy vestments for a disguise. Yet surely there was this further good in his employing of these flies and familiars ; that as the use of them was cause that many conspiracies were revealed, so the fame and suspicion of them kept, no doubt, many conspiracies from being attempted. Towards his queen he was nothing uxorious, nor scarce indulgent: but companionable and respective, and without jealousy. Towards his children he was full of paternal affection, careful of their education, aspiring to their high advance ment, regular to see that they should not want of any due honour and respect, but not greatly will ing to cast any popular lustre upon them. To his council he did refer much, and sat oft in person : knowing it to be the way to assist his power, and inform his judgment. In which re spect also he was fairly patient of liberty, both of advice, and of vote, till himself were declared. He kept a strait hand on his nobility, and chose rather to advance clergymen and lawyers, which were more obsequious to him, but had less interest in the people; which made for his abso luteness, but not for his safety. Insomuch as, I am persuaded, it was one of the causes of his troublesome reign; for that his nobles, though fney were loyal and obedient, yet did not co operate with him, but let every man go his own way. Ho was not afraid of an able man, as Lewis the Eleventh was; but contrariwise, he was served by the ablest men that were to be fDiind ; without which his affairs could not have ! as they did. For war. Ile lf,, rd. Ox ford, Surn-y, D Anhigny, Br&amp;lt;&amp;gt;&quot;ke, 1 nyniiiga: for ether affairs, Morion, Fox, IJray, tin- I ru.r r,f Lantlinny, arham. I rswi.-k, Hussey, Frwirk, and others. Neither did he earo how runiiiiiw tiny were that he did employ: for he thought himself to have the master-reach. And as he chose well, so he held them up well ; for it i&amp;gt; a strange thing, that though he were a dark prince, and infinitely suspicious, and his times full of secret conspiracies and troubles : yet in twenty- four years 1 reign, he never put down, or discom posed counsellor, or near servant, save only Stan ley, the lord chamberlain. As for the disposition of his subjects in general towards him, it stood thus with him; that of the three affections, which naturally tie the hearts of the subjects to their sovereigns, love, fear, and reverence; he had the last in height, the second in good measure, and so little of the first, as he was beholden to the other two. He was a prince, sad, serious, and full of thoughts, and secret observations, and full of notes and memorials of his own hand, especially touching persons. As, whom to employ, whom to reward, whom to inquire of, whom to beware of, what were the dependencies, what were the factions, and the like; keeping, as it were, a journal of his thoughts. There is to this day a merry tale; that his monkey, set on as it is thought by one of his chamber, tore his principal note-book all to pieces, when by chance it lay forth : whereat the court, which liked not those pensive accounts, was almost tickled with sport. He was indeed full of apprehensions and sus picions; but as he did easily take them, so he did easily check them and master them ; w hereby they were not dangerous, but troubled himself more than others. It is true, his thoughts were so many, as they could not well always stand together; but that which did good one way, did hurt another. Neither did he at sometimes weign them aright in thoir proportions. Certainly, that rumour which did him so much mischief, that the Duke of York should be saved and alive, was, at the first, of his own nourishing; because he would have more reason not to reign in the right of his wife. He was affable, and both well and fair-spoken; and would use strange sweetness and blandishments of words, where he desired to effect or persuade any thing that he took to heart. [ He was rather studious than learned ; reading i most books that were of any worth, in the French 1 tongue, yet he understood the Latin, as appeareth in that Cardinal Hadrian and others, who could ! very well have written French, did use to write to him in Latin. For his pleasures, thrre is no news of them ; and yet by his instructions to Marsin and Stile, touching the Queen of Naples, it seemeth ho could interrogate well touching beauty. He did by