it his glory to tell will do more hurt than many that know it their duty to conceal. It is true there be some affairs which require extreme secrecy, which will hardly go beyond one or two persons besides the King: neither are those counsels unprosperous; for, besides the secrecy, they commonly go on constantly in one spirit of direction without distraction. But then it must be a prudent King, such as is able to grind with a hand-mill; and those inward2 counsellors had need also be wise men, and especially true and trusty to the King's ends; as it was with King Henry the Seventh of England, who in his greatest business imparted himself to none, except it were to Morton and Fox.3 For weakening of authority: the fable showeth the remedy. Nay, the majesty of Kings is rather exalted than diminished when they are in the chair of Council; neither was there ever prince bereaved of his dependences by his Council, except where there hath been either an over-greatness in one counsellor, or an over-strict combination in divers; which are things soon found and holpen. For the last inconvenience, that men will counsel with an eye to themselves: certainly, non inveniet fidem super terram,5 Able to grind with a hand-mill] Lat. Proprio Marte validus: able in his own strength or endeavours. 2 Inward] Intimate. See p. 44, note 2. 3 Morton and Fox] John Morton was, in 1486, made Archbishop of Canterbury; in 1487, Lord Chancellor; and, in 1493, a cardinal. He died in 1500. Richard Fox, Bishop of Winchester and Secretary of State, finding, shortly after the accession of Henry VIII., that Wolsey engrossed that monarch's confidence, retired in disgust to his diocese, and spent the rest of his life in works of munificence and piety. He died in 1528. Morton was Bishop of Ely and Fox Bishop, of Exeter when they were first chosen privy councillors by Henry VII. Bereaved of his dependences] Lat. Auctoritate suâ imminutum: impaired in his authority. 5 Non inveniet, &c.] allusion to Luke xviii. 8. He will not find faith on the earth. An is meant of the nature of times, and not of all particular persons. There be that are in nature faithful and sincere, and plain and direct; not crafty and involved: let Princes, above all, draw to themselves such natures. Besides, counsellors are not commonly so united, but that one counsellor keepeth sentinel over another; so that if any do counsel out of faction or private ends, it commonly comes to the King's ear. But the best remedy is, if Princes know their counsellors, as well as their counsellors know them: Principis est virtus maxima nosse suos. And on the other side, counsellors should not be too speculative3 into their Sovereign's person. The true composition of a counsellor is rather to be skilful in his master's business than in his nature; for then he is like to advise him, and not to feed his humour. It is of singular use to Princes if they take the opinions of their Council both separately and together; for private opinion is more free, but opinion before others is more reverend. In private, men are more bold in their own humours; and in consort men are more obnoxious to others' humours; therefore it is good to take both and of the inferior sort rather in private, to preserve freedom; of the greater rather in consort, to preserve respect. It is in vain for Princes to take counsel concerning matters, if they take no counsel likewise concerning persons; for all matters are as dead images; and the life of the execution of affairs resteth in the good choice of persons. Neither is it enough to consult concerning persons secundum genera, as in an idea or mathematical description, what the kind and character of the person should be; for the greatest 1 Nature] General characteristic. 2 Principis est, &c.] Martial, viii. 15. It is the greatest virtue in a prince to know those about him. Speculative] Prying; inquisitive. 4 Obnoxious] Submissive. 5 Secundum genera] According to kinds. errors are committed, and the most judgment is shown, in the choice of individuals. It was truly said, optimi consiliarii mortui :1 books will speak plain when counsellors blanch.2 Therefore it is good to be conversant in them, specially the books of such as themselves have been actors upon the stage. It The Councils at this day in most places are but familiar meetings; where matters are rather talked on than debated: and they run too swift to the order or act of Council. were better that in causes of weight the matter were propounded one day and not spoken to3 till the next day; in nocte consilium.4 So was it done in the Commission of Union between England and Scotland; which was a grave and orderly assembly. I commend set days for petitions for both it gives the suitors more certainty for their attendance; and it frees the meetings for matters of Estate, that they may hoc agere.6 In choice of committees for ripening This was a 1 Optimi, &c.] The dead are the best counsellors. saying of Alphonso of Arragon, who used to call himself a necromance because he was so much in the habit of consulting the dead, that is, books. 2 Blanch] Shrink. Blench is the proper form. Thus, in Shakspeare's Hamlet, ii. 2, 'If he but blench, I know my course;' Troil. and Cress. i. I, 'Patience herself doth lesser blench at sufferance than I do ;' and ii. 1, 'There can be no evasion to blench from this, and to stand firm by honour.' The Latin translator, misled by the word blanch, writes forte in adulationem lapsuri sint. 3 Spoken to] Lat. Tractaretur: treated; discussed. • In nocte consilium] Hence the proverb, 'Night is the mother of thought.' 5 In the Commission, &c.] Lat. In Tractatu Unionis inter Delegatos Angliæ et Scotia: in the Treaty of Union between the Commissioners of England and Scotland. This was on the accession of James the Sixth of Scotland to the throne of England in 1603. 6 Hoc agere] Hoc agere and aliud agere were phrases familiarly used by the Romans to denote, respectively, attending to matters in hand and attending to things irrelevant. business for the Council, it is better to choose indifferent persons than to make an indifferency by putting in those that are strong on both sides. I commend also standing Commissions; as for trade, for treasure, for war, for suits, for some provinces; for where there be divers particular councils, and but one Council of Estate (as it is in Spain), they are, in effect, no more than standing Commissions; save that they have greater authority. Let such as are to inform Councils out of their particular professions (as lawyers, seamen, mint-men, and the like), be first heard before committees; and then, as occasion serves, before the Council. And let them not come in multitudes,3 or in a tribunitious manner; for that is to clamour Councils, not to inform them. A long table and a square table, or seats about the walls, seem things of form, but are things of substance : for at a long table a few at the upper end, in effect, sway all the business; but in the other form there is more use of the counsellors' opinions that sit lower. A King, when he presides in Council, let him beware how he opens his own inclination too much in that which he propoundeth for else counsellors will but take the wind of him, and instead of giving free counsel, sing him a song of placebo." 1 Endifferent persons] Persons having no bias towards either side. 2 Standing Commissions] Lat. Delegationes, non tantum temporaneas aut e re natâ, sed etiam continuatas et perpetuas. 3 In multitudes] He means multitudes of the same profession. In a tribunitious manner] In a contentious or violent manner. The Roman Tribuni Plebis were elected by the common people for the defence of their rights. 5 To clamour] To harass with clamour. 6 Will but take, &c.] Will just shape their course according to his bent. Lat. Se ad nutum ejus applicabunt. "Placebo] I will be obsequious. The song of Placebo is the vesper hymn for the dead-Placebo Domino in regione vivorum, I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living,' Psalm cxvi. 9. Chaucer, in XXI. OF DELAYS. Fortune is like the market, where many times, if you can stay a little, the price will fall. And again, it is sometimes like Sibylla's offer, which at first offereth the commodity at full, then consumeth part and part, and still holdeth up the price. For Occasion (as it is in the common verse) turneth a bald noddle after she hath presented her locks in front, and no hold taken ; or, at least, turneth the handle of the bottle first to be received, and after the belly which is hard the Parson's Tale (De Irâ), says, 'Flatterers be the devil's chaplains, that sing aye placebo.' One 1 Sibylla's offer] The Sibyls were certain women who professed to be endowed with a prophetic spirit. The most celebrated of them was the Cumaan Sibyl, so called from residing at Cuma in Italy. She was said to live 1,000 years, by a grant of longevity from Apollo. of the Sibyls came to Tarquin the Proud with nine volumes, for which she demanded a large sum of money. The king declined the offer, and she having gone away and burned three of the books, returned and offered him six for the same amount; but he still refused; whereupon she burnt three more, and then asked the same for the remaining three. Tarquin was now so astonished at the woman's behaviour that he bought the books. They were preserved with great care, and consulted with great solemnity, as by means of them the priests were thought able to foretell the fate of the Roman empire. The number of the Sibyls is uncertain. Shakspeare, in 1 Hen. VI. i. 2, speaks of 'the nine Sibyls of old Rome,' but probably the nine Sibylline books are meant. 2 For Occasion, &c.] It was fabled of Time that he had hair on the front part of his head, but that the back part was bald, signifying that we may lay hold of time as it approaches, but cannot catch it when fleeing from us. The verse to which Bacon refers is 'Fronte capillata est, post hæc Occasio calva;' the author of which seems to be unknown. Hence the proverbial saying 'Take time by the forelock.' In Spenser's F. Q. II. iv. 4, 10, Occasion is the name of a hag, the mother of Furor; and of her the poet says― |