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SIR NICHOLAS BACON,

LORD KEEPER OF THE GREAT SEAL.

"I HAVE Come to the Lord Keeper," fays Puttenham," and found him fitting in his gallery

alone, with the Works of Quintilian before " him. Indeed, he was a moft eloquent man, of "rare wisdom and learning, as ever I knew Eng" land to breed, and one that joyed as much in "learned men and good witts; from whofe lippes "I have seen to proceed more grave and natural "eloquence, than from all the Orators of Oxford "or Cambridge."

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Queen Elizabeth came, in one of her progreffes, to vifit Sir Nicholas Bacon, at his house "at Redgrave, and faid to him, My Lord, how "fmall a house you have! He replied, Madam,

my house is small; but you have made me too great for it."

EARL OF ESSEX.

Ar the age of fixteen, Lord Effex took the degree of Master of Arts at Cambridge, and kept his public act. "His Father," fays Sir Henry Wotton, "died with a very cold conceit of him; " fome

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"some fay, through his affection to his second "fon Walter Devereux, who was indeed a dia"mond of his time, and both of a kindly and "delicate temper and mixture. But it feems, "the Earl, like certain vegetables, did bud and open flowly; Nature fometimes delighting to "play an after-game, as well as Fortune, which "had both their turns and tides in course."

This amiable and accomplished Nobleman is thus described by Sir Henry Wotton:

"As he grew more and more attentive to bufi"nefs, he became lefs curious of his dress, so that those about him had a conceit, that fometimes " when he went up to the Queen, he scarce knew "what he had on. For his manner of dreffing

was this: his chamber being commonly filled "with friends or fuitors of one kind or other, "when he was up he gave his legs, his arms, and "breast to his ordinary fervants, to button and "drefs him with little heed, his head and face "to his barber, his eyes to his letters, his ears to "petitioners, and many times all at once. Then "the Gentleman of his robes throwing his cloke "over his fhoulders, he would make a step into "his clofet, and after a fhort prayer he was gone. "Only in his baths he was fomewhat delicate.”

Lord Effex was a fcholar, and an extremely elegant writer in profe and in verfe. His advice

to the Earl of Rutland on his travels is admirable,

and, from the excellent obfervations which it contains, may be ftill perufed with advantage and inftruction.

Effex's liberal behaviour to Lord Bacon will ever endear his memory to all lovers of the writings of that great man: on Queen Elizabeth's refufing the place of Solicitor General to him, though Lord Effex had importuned her very much to give it to him, he fent for Mr. Bacon, and told him," I know that you are the least part "of your own matter, but you fare ill because "you have chofen me for your mean and dependance. You have spent your time and thoughts in my matters. I die, if I do not "fomewhat towards your fortune. You shall "not deny to accept a piece of land, which I "will bestow upon you." Mr. Bacon answered "that for his fortune it was no great matter, "but that his Lordship's offer made him call to "mind what used to be faid when he was in "France of the Duke of Guife, that he was the greatest usurer in that kingdom; because he had turned all his eftates into obligations, having left himself nothing, and to have only "bound numbers of perfons to himself. Now,

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my Lord," faid he, "I would not have you "imitate this course, nor turn your eftate thus,

by greatest gifts to obligations; for you will find many bad debtors." The Earl bade him take

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no care for that, and preffed his offer; upon which Mr. Bacon faid, "I fee, my Lord, that I must be

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your homager, and hold land of your gift. But " do you know the manner of doing homage in "this land? It is always with a saving of his faith "to the King and the other Lords; and therefore,

my Lord, I can be no more yours than I was, and it must be with the ancient favings; and if "I grow to be a rich man, you will give me leave "to give it back again to fome of your unrewarded "followers."

"This land," fays Dr. Birch, in his entertaining Memoirs of Queen Elizabeth," was Twickenham park and garden, which was fold afterwards for "one thousand eight hundred pounds, and was thought to be worth more."

The hatred between Lord Effex and Sir Walter Raleigh is well known: Sir Walter had landed at Fayal in the Island of Madeira, in direct contradiction to the precife commands of Lord Effex, who commanded in that expedition; and who, being preffed by fome perfons to bring him to a Court Martial, nobly replied, I would do it immediately, if he were my friend."

Queen Elizabeth was very irrefolute respecting the execution of Lord Effex. Her pride was hurt at his not imploring her to pardon him.

When Effex was told by Dr. Barlow, that his popularity had fpurred him on to his fate, and

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that

that the people had deceived him; he said, “ True,

Sir, a man's friends will fail him; all popularity "and truft in man is vain, whereof myself have "had late experience."

Secretary Cecil acknowledged, that his Lordfhip fuffered with great patience and humility; only (notwithstanding his refolution that he must die) the conflict between the flesh and the fpirit did appear thus far, that he was fain to be helped, otherwise no man living could pray more chriftianly than he did.

MATTHEW PARKER,

ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY.

THIS learned Man, the second Proteftant Archbishop of Canterbury, was diftinguished by his hatred to the Puritans, and by his extreme defire to effect an uniformity of habits and of ceremonies in the Church.

The two following Letters difplay the Archbishop's character to advantage: the first fhews his abhorrence of impofture; and the other exhibits a fpecimen of the spirit and refolution with which he oppofed innovation.