may possibly have thought that Bacon gave no proof of his
fitness for affairs in thus bringing before him a squabble in which both
parties lost their tempers.

Bacon was not behind the rest of the world in "the posting of men of
good quality towards the King," in the rash which followed the Queen's
death, of those who were eager to proffer their services to James, for
whose peaceful accession Cecil had so skilfully prepared the way. He
wrote to every one who, he thought, could help him: to Cecil, and to
Cecil's man--"I pray you, as you find time let him know that he is the
personage in the State which I love most;" to Northumberland, "If I may
be of any use to your Lordship, by my head, tongue, pen, means, or
friends, I humbly pray you to hold me your own;" to the King's Scotch
friends and servants, even to Southampton, the friend of Essex, who had
been shut up in the Tower since his condemnation with Essex, and who was
now released. "This great change," Bacon assured him, "hath wrought in
me no other change towards your Lordship than this, that I may safely be
now that which I truly was before." Bacon found in after years that
Southampton was not so easily conciliated. But at present Bacon was
hopeful: "In mine own particular," he writes, "I have many comforts and
assurances; but in mine own opinion the chief is, that the _canvassing
world is gone, and the deserving world is come_." He asks to be
recommended to the King--"I commend myself to your love and to the
well-using of my name, as well in repressing and answering for me, if
there be any biting or nibbling at it in that place, as in impressing a
good conceit and opinion of me, chiefly in the King, as otherwise in
that Court." His pen had been used under the government of the Queen,
and he had offered a draft of a proclamation to the King's advisers. But
though he obtained an interview with the King, James's arrival in
England brought no immediate prospect of improvement in Bacon's
fortunes. Indeed, his name was at first inadvertently passed over in the
list of Queen's servants who were to retain their places. The first
thing we hear of is his arrest a second time for debt; and his letters
of thanks to Cecil, who had rendered him assistance, are written in deep
depression.

"For my purpose or course I desire to meddle as little as I can in
the King's causes, his Majesty now abounding in counsel, and to
follow my private thrift and practice, and to