Page:The Works of Francis Bacon (1884) Volume 1.djvu/526

 398 THE FELICITIES OF QUEEN ELIZABETH. ing, which is rare in such diseases, she retained both her speech, and memory, and motion, though but slow and weak, even to the end. And in this case she continued but a few days ; so as it cannot be called the last act of her life, but the first step to her death. For as it is a miserable condition to see the faculties of our body buried before us ; and to survive long after them; so it is a fair and natural conclusion of our life, when the senses are by little and little laid asleep, that the dissolu tion of the whole should immediately follow. I will add one thing more to make up the full measure of her felicity: which is, that she was not only most happy in her own person, but in the abilities and virtues of her servants and ministers, for she was served by such persons as I suppose this island never brought forth the like before her times. Now when God beareth a love to kings, no doubt he raiseth up the spirits of wise servants as a concurrent blessing. There are two fair issues of her happiness, born to her since her death, I conceive not less glorious and eminent than those she enjoyed alive. The one of her successor, the other of her memory. For she had gotten such a suc cessor, who although, for his masculine virtues, and blessing of posterity, and addition of terri tories, he may be said to exceed her greatness and somewhat to obscure it; notwithstanding, he is most zealous of her name and glory ; and doth even give a perpetuity to her acts, consider ing both in the choice of the persons, and in the orders, and institutions of the kingdom, he hath departed so little from her, so as a son could hardly succeed a father with less noise of inno vation. As for her memory, it hath gotten such life in the mouths and hearts of men, as that envy being put out by her death, and her fame lighted, I cannot say whether the felicity of her life, or the felicity of her memory be the greater. For if, perhaps, there fly abroad any factious fames of her, raised either by discontented per sons, or such as are averse in religion; which notwithstanding, dare now scarce show their faces, and are everywhere cried down ; the same are neither true, neither can they be long-lived. And for this cause, especially, have I made this collection, such as it is, touching her felicity, and the marks of God s favour towards her; that no malicious person should dare to interpose a curse, where God hath given a blessing. Now if any man shall allege th at against me, was once said to Caesar; &quot; we see what we may admire, but we would fain see what we can commend ;&quot; certainly, for my part, I hold true admiration to be the highest degree of commendation. And besides such felicities as we have recounted could not befall any princess, but such a one as was ex traordinarily supported and cherished by God s favour; and had much in her own person, and re virtues, to create and work out unto herself such a fortune. Notwithstanding, I have thought good to insert something now concerning her moral part, yet only in those things which have ministered occasion to some malicious to traduce her. This queen, as touching her religion, was pious, moderate, constant, and an enemy to novelty. First, for her piety, though the same were most conspicuous in her acts and the form of her government; yet it was portrayed also in the common course of her life, and her daily comportment. Seldom would she be absent from hearing divine service, and other duties of religion, either in her chapel, or in her privy closet. In the reading of the Scriptures, and the writings of the fathers, especially of Saint Augustine, she was very frequent ; she composed certain prayers herself on emergent occasions. Whensoever she named God, though it were in common discourse, she would for the most part add the title of Maker, saying, God my Maker: and compose both her eyes and countenance to a submissness aud reve rence. This I have often, myself, observed, being in her presence ; now whereas some have divulged her unrnindfulness of mortality, in that she would never endure any mention either of her age, or death, is most false : for she would often, and that many years before her death, with a great deal of meekness profess that she found herself grown an old woman, and she would sometimes open herself Avhat she liked best for an inscription upon her tomb, saying, that she loved no pompous or vainglorious titles, but would only have a line or two for her memory, wherein her name and her virginity, and the years of her reign, and her establishing of religion, and her maintaining of peace, should be in the fewest words comprehended. It is true, that whilst she was in her vigorous years, and able to bear child ren, if at any time she were -moved to declare her successor, she would make answer, that she would never endure to see her winding-sheet before her eyes. And yet, notwithstanding, some few years before her death, one day when she was in a deep meditation, and, as it may be guessed, in that of her mortality, one that might be bold said unto her, &quot; Madam, there are. divera offices, and great places in the state, which you keep long void.&quot; She arose up in some displea sure, and said, &quot;I am sure my office will not be long void.&quot; As for her moderateness in religion, I shall seem to be at a stand, in regard of the severe laws made against her subjects of the Romish religion: notwithstanding, that which I shall say is no more than what I know for certain, and diligently observed. .Most certain it is, that it was the firm resolution of this princess not to offer any violence to consciences ; but then, on the other side, not to suffer the state of her king dom to be ruined under pretence of conscience