_Lord Keeper 1617. Lord Chancellor 1618. Baron Verulam 1618, and
Viscount St. Albans 1621._
_Born 1561. Died 1626._
By BEN JONSON.
[Sidenote: _Dominis Verulanus._]
_One_, though hee be excellent, and the chiefe, is not to bee imitated
alone. For never no Imitator, ever grew up to his _Author_; likenesse
is alwayes on this side Truth: Yet there hapn'd, in my time, one noble
_Speaker_, who was full of gravity in his speaking. His language,
(where hee could spare, or passe by a jest) was nobly _censorious_. No
man ever spake more neatly, more presly, more weightily, or suffer'd
lesse emptinesse, lesse idlenesse, in what hee utter'd. No member of
his speech, but consisted of the owne graces: His hearers could not
cough, or looke aside from him, without losse. Hee commanded where hee
spoke; and had his Judges angry, and pleased at his devotion. No man
had their affections more in his power. The feare of every man that
heard him, was, lest hee should make an end.
9.
By ARTHUR WILSON.
Not long after comes the great _Lord Chancellor Bacon_ to a _Censure_,
for the most _simple_, and _ridiculous follies_, that ever entred
into the _heart_ of a _Wise man_. He was the true _Emblem_ of _humane
frailty_, being _more_ than _a man_ in some things, and less than a
_woman_ in others. His _crime_ was _Briberie_, and _Extortion_ (which
the King hinted at in his Speech, when he _facetiously_ sayd, _He
thought the Lords had bribed the Prince to speak well of them_) and
these he had often condemned others for as a _Judge_, which now
he comes to suffer for as a _Delinquent_: And they were proved, &
aggravated against him with so many _circumstances_, that they fell
very _fouly_ on him, both in _relation_ to his _Reception_ of them,
and his expending of them: For that which he raked in, and scrued
for one way, he scattered and threw abroad another; for his Servants,
being young, prodigall and expensive Youths, which he kept about him,
his Treasure was their common Store, which they took without stint,
having free accesse to his most retired Privacies; and his indulgence
to them, and familiarity with them, opened a _gap_ to infamous
_Reports_, which left an unsavoury _Tincture_ on him; for where such
_Leeches_ are, there must be _putrid bloud_ to fill their _craving
Appetites_. His _gettings_ were like a _Prince_, with a strong hand;
his _expences_ like a _Prodigall_, with a weak head; and 'tis a wonder
a man of his Noble, and Gallant Parts, that could fly so high above
_Reason_, should fall so far below it; unlesse that _Spirit_ that
_acted_ the first, were too proud to stoop, to see the _deformities_
of the last. And as he affected his men, so his Wife affected hers:
Seldome doth the Husband deviate one way, but the Wife goeth another.
These things came into the _publique mouth_, and the _Genius_ of the
_Times_ (where _malice_ is not _corrivall_) is the great _Dictator_
of all _Actions_: For _innocency_ it self is a _crime_, when _calumny_
sets her mark upon it. How prudent therefore ought men to be, that not
so much as their _garments_ be defiled with the _sour breath_ of the
_Times_!
This poor _Gentleman_, mounted above _pity_, fell down below it: His
_Tongue_, that was the glory of his time for _Eloquence_, (that tuned
so many sweet _Harrangues_) was like a forsaken _Harp_, hung upon the
_Willows_, whilst the _waters_ of _affliction_ overflowed the _banks_.
And now his high-flying _Orations_ are humbled to _Supplications_,...
* * * * *
He was of a _middling stature_, his countenance had in-dented with
_Age_ before he was old; his _Presence_ grave and comely; of a
high-flying and lively _Wit_, striving in some things to be rather
admired than understood, yet so quick and easie where he would express
himself, and his _Memory_ so strong and active, that he appeared the
_Master_ of a large and plenteous _store-house_ of _Knowledge_, being
(as it were) _Natures Midwife_, stripping her _Callou-brood_, and
clothing them in new _Attire_. His _Wit_ was quick to the last; for
_Gondemar_ meeting him the _Lent_ before his _Censure_, and hearing
of his _Miscarriages_, thought to pay him with his _Spanish Sarcasms_
and _Scoffs_, saying, _My Lord, I wish you a good Easter_; _And you
my Lord_, replyed the _Chancellor_, _a good Passeover_: For he could
neither close with his _English Buffonerie_, nor his _Spanish Treaty_
(which _Gondemar_ knew) though he was so wise as publiquely to oppose
neither. _In fine, he was a fit Jewel to have beautified, and adorned
a flourishing Kingdom, if his flaws had not disgraced the lustre that
should have set him off._
10.
By THOMAS FULLER.
[Sidenote: An essay at his character.]
None can character him to the life, save himself. He was _in parts_,
more than a Man, who in any Liberal profession, might be, whatsoever
he would himself. A great Honourer of _antient Authors_, yet a great
Deviser and Practiser of new waies in Learning. Privy Counsellor,
as to King JAMES, so to _Nature_ it self, diving into many of her
abstruse Mysteries. New conclusions he would _dig out_ with _mattocks_
of _gold & silver_, not caring what his experience cost him, expending
on the _Trials of Nature_, all and more than he got by the _Trials at
the Barre_, Posterity being the better for his, though he the worse
for his own, dear experiments. He and his Servants had _all in
common_, the _Men_ never wanting what their _Master_ had, and thus
what came _flowing_ in unto him, was sent _flying_ away from him, who,
in giving of rewards knew no _bounds_, but the _bottome_ of his own
purse. Wherefore when King James heard that he had given _Ten pounds_
to an _under-keeper_, by whom He had sent him a _Buck_, the King said
merrily, _I and He shall both die Beggars_, which was condemnable
Prodigality in a _Subject_. He lived many years after, and in his
Books will ever survive, in the reading whereof, modest Men commend
him, in what they doe, condemn themselves, in what they doe not
understand, as believing the fault in their own eyes, and not in the
object.
11.
By WILLIAM RAWLEY.
He was no _Plodder_ upon _Books_; Though he read much; And that, with
great Judgement, and Rejection of Impertinences, incident to many
_Authours_: For he would ever interlace a _Moderate Relaxation_ of
His _Minde_, with his _Studies_; As _Walking_; Or _Taking_ the _Aire
abroad_ in his _Coach_; or some other befitting _Recreation_: And
yet he would _loose_ no _Time_, In as much as upon his _First_ and
_Immediate Return_, he would fall to _Reading_ again: And so suffer
no _Moment_ of _Time_ to Slip from him, without some present
_Improvement_.
His _Meales_ were _Refections_, of the _Eare_, as well as of the
_Stomack_: Like the _Noctes Atticæ_; or _Convivia Deipno-Sophistarum_;
Wherein a Man might be refreshed, in his _Minde_, and _understanding_,
no lesse then in his _Body_. And I have known some, of no mean Parts,
that have professed to make use of their _Note-Books_, when they have
risen from his _Table_. In which _Conversations_, and otherwise, he
was no Dashing Man; As some Men are; But ever, a _Countenancer_, and
_Fosterer_, of another Mans _Parts_. Neither was he one, that would
_appropriate_ the _Speech_, wholy to Himself; or delight to out-vie
others; But leave a Liberty, to the _Co-Assessours_, to take their
_Turns_, to Wherein he would draw a _Man_ on, and allure him, to
speak upon such a Subject, as wherein he was peculiarly _Skilfull_,
and would delight to speak. And, for Himself, he condemned no Mans
_Observations_; But would light his _Torch_ at every Mans _Candle_.
His _Opinions_, and _Assertions_, were, for the most part, _Binding_;
And not contradicted, by any; Rather like _Oracles_, then _Discourses_.
Which may be imputed, either to the well weighing of his _Sentence_, by
the Skales of _Truth_, and _Reason_; Or else, to the _Reverence_, and
_Estimation_, wherein he was, commonly, had, that no _Man_ would
_contest_ with him. So that, there was no _Argumentation_, or _Pro_ and
_Con_, (as they term it,) at his _Table_: Or if there chanced to be
any, it was Carried with much _Submission_, and _Moderation_.
I have often observed; And so have other Men, of great Account; That
if he had occasion to repeat another Mans _Words_, after him; he
had an use, and Faculty, to dresse them in better _Vestments_, and
_Apparell_, then they had before: So that, the _Authour_ should finde
his own _Speech_ much amended; And yet the _Substance_ of it still
_retained_. As if it had been _Naturall_ to him, to use good _Forms_;
As _Ovid_ spake, of his _Faculty_ of _Versifying_;
_Et quod tentabam Scribere, Versus erat._
When his _Office_ called him, as he was of the _Kings Counsell
Learned_, to charge any _Offenders_, either in _Criminals_, or
_Capitals_; He was never of an _Insulting_, or _Domineering Nature_,
over them; But alwayes tender Hearted, and carrying himself decently
towards the _Parties_; (Though it was his Duty, to charge them home:)
But yet, as one, that looked upon the _Example_, with the Eye of
_Severity_; But upon the _Person_, with the Eye of _Pitty_, and
Compassion. And in _Civill Businesse_, as he was _Counseller_
of _Estate_, he had the best way of _Advising_; Not engaging his
_Master_, in any _Precipitate_, or _grievous_, Courses; But in
_Moderate_, and _Fair_, Proceedings: The _King_, whom he served,
giving him this _Testimony_; That he ever dealt, in Businesse,
Suavibus Modis; _Which was the way, that was most according to his own
Heart_.
Neither was He, in his time, lesse Gracious with the _Subject_,
then with his _Soveraign_: He was ever Acceptable to the _House of
Commons_, when He was a _Member_ thereof. Being the _Kings Atturney_,
& chosen to a place, in _Parliament_, He was allowed, and dispensed
with, to sit in the _House_; which was not permitted to other
_Atturneys_.
And as he was a good _Servant_, to his _Master_; Being never, in 19.
years Service, (as himself averred,) rebuked by the _King_, for any
Thing, relating to his _Majesty_; So he was a good _Master_, to his
_Servants_; And rewarded their long _Attendance_, with good _Places_,
freely, when they fell into his Power. Which was the Cause, that so
many young _Gentlemen_, of _Bloud_, and _Quality_, sought to list
themselves, in his _Retinew_. And if he were abused, by any of them,
in their _Places_; It was onely the _Errour_ of the _Goodnesse_ of
his _Nature_; But the Badges of their _Indiscretions_, and
_Intemperances_.
12.