Page:The Works of Francis Bacon (1884) Volume 1.djvu/515

 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. And in special, Parsons the Jesuit, under a dis guised name, had not long before published an ex press treatise, wherein, whether his malice made him believe his own fancies, or whether he thought it the fittest way to move sedition, like evil spirits, which seem to foretell the tempest they mean to move, he laboured to display and give colour to all the vain pretences and dreams of succession whirh he could imagine ; and thereby had possess ed many abroad that knew not the affairs here with those his vanities. Neither wanted there here within this real in, divers persons both wise and well affected, who, though they doubted 1 not of the un doubted right, yet setting before themselves the waves of people s hearts, guided no less by sudden and temporary winds, than by the natural course and motion of the waters, were not withoutfear what might be the event. For Queen Elizabeth being a princess of extreme caution, and yet one that oved admiration above safety ; and knowing the declaration of a successor might in point of safety be disputable, but in point of admiration and re spect assuredly to her disadvantage; had, from the beginning, set it down for a maxim of estate, to impose a silence touching succession. Neither was it only reserved as a secret of estate, but re strained by severe laws, that no man should pre sume to give opinion, or maintain argument touch ing the same : so, though the evidence of right drew all the subjects of the land to think one thing; yet the fear of danger of law made no man privy to other s thought. And therefore it rejoiced all men to see so fair a morning of a kingdom, and to be thoroughly secured of former apprehen sions ; as a man that awaketh out of a fearful dream. But so it was, that not only the consent, but the applause and joy was infinite, and not to be expressed, throughout the realm of England upon this succession : whereof the consent, no doubt, may be truly ascribed to the clearness of the right ; but the general joy, alacrity, and gratu- lation, were the effects of differing causes. For Queen Elizabeth, although she had the use of many both virtues and demonstrations, that might draw and knit unto her the hearts of her people : yet nevertheless carryingahand restrained in gift, and strained in points of prerogative, could not answer the votes either of servants or subjects to a full contentment; especially in her latter days, when the continuance of her reign, which extend ed to live-and-forty years, might discover in peo ple their natural desire and inclination towards change so that a new court and a new reign were not to many unwelcome. Many were glad, and especially those of settled estate and fortune, that the fears and uncertainties were overblown, and that the die was cast. Others, that had made their way with the king, or offered their service in the time of the former queen, thought now the time was come for which they had prepared : and generally all such as had any dependence upon the late Earl of Essex, who had mingled the ser vice of his own ends with the popular pretence of advancing the king s title, made account their cause was amended. Again, such as might mis doubt they had given the king any occasion of distaste, did contend by their forwardness and confidence, to show it was but their fastness to the former government, and that those affections ended with the time. The papists nourfshed their hopes, by collating the case of the papists in Eng land, and under Queen Elizabeth, and the case of the papists in Scotland under the king: interpret ing that the condition of them in Scotland was the less grievous, and divining of the king s government here accordingly : besides the com fort they ministered to themselves from the memo ry of the queen his mother. The ministers, and those which stood for the presbyter}*, thought their cause had more sympathy with the discipline of Scotland than the hierarchy of England, and so took themselves to be a degree nearer their desires. Thus had every condition of persons some con templation of benefit, which they promised them selves; over-reaching, perhaps, according to the nature of hope, but yet notwithout some probable ground of conjecture. At which time also there came forth in print the king s book, intituled, Banned!/ Awpov : containing matter of instruction to the prince his son touching the office of a king; which book falling into every man s hand, filled the whole realm, as with a good perfume or in cense, before the king s coming in; for being ex cellently written, and having nothing of affecta tion, it did not only satisfy better than particular reports touching the king s disposition, but far exceeded any formal or curious edict or declara tion, which could have been devised of that nature, wherewith the princes in the beginning of their reigns do use to grace themselves, or at least ex- press themselves gracious in the eyes of theii people. And this was for the general the state and constitution of men s minds upon this change. ; the actions themselves passed in this manner. The rest is wanting.