Fifth edition, 1612, pirated. Sixth edition, 1613, pirated. Seventh
edition, 1624, pirated. Eighth edition, 1624, pirated. Ninth edition,
entitled, “The Essayes or Covnsels, Civill and Morall, of Francis Lo.
Vervlam, Viscovnt St. Alban. Newly enlarged. London, Printed by Iohn
Haviland for Hanna Barret and Richard Whitaker, and are to be sold at
the Signe of the King’s Head in Paul’s Churchyard.” 1625, genuine.
This edition is a small quarto of 340 pages; it clearly was published
by Lord Bacon; and in the next year, 1626, Lord Bacon died. The
Dedication is as follows, to the Duke of Buckingham:—
_To the Right Honorable my very good Lo. the Duke of Buckingham
his Grace, Lo. High Admirall of England._
EXCELLENT LO.:—Salomon saies, A good Name is as a precious
Oyntment; and I assure myselfe, such wil your Grace’s Name bee,
with Posteritie. For your Fortune and Merit both, haue beene
eminent. And you haue planted things that are like to last. I
doe now publish my Essayes; which, of all my other Workes, have
beene most currant: for that, as it seemes, they come home to
Mens Businesse and Bosomes. I haue enlarged them both in number
and weight, so that they are indeed a new Work. I thought it
therefore agreeable to my Affection, and Obligation to your
Grace, to prefix your Name before them, both in English and in
Latine. For I doe conceiue, that the Latine Volume of them (being
in the vniuersal language) may last as long as Bookes last. My
Instauration I dedicated to the King: my Historie of Henry the
Seventh (which I haue now also translated into Latine), and my
Portions of Naturall History, to the Prince: and these I dedicate
to your Grace: being of the best Fruits, that by the good
encrease which God gives to my pen and labours, I could yeeld.
God leade your Grace by the Hand. Your Graces most obliged and
faithfull Seruant.