chastisements, and by thy most visible providence. As thy favours
have increased upon me, so have thy corrections; so as thou hast
been alway near me, O Lord; and ever as my worldly blessings were
exalted, so secret darts from thee have pierced me; and when I have
ascended before men, I have descended in humiliation before thee.

"And now when I thought most of peace and honour, thy hand is heavy
upon me, and hath humbled me, according to thy former
loving-kindness, keeping me still in thy fatherly school, not as a
bastard, but as a child. Just are thy judgements upon me for my
sins, which are more in number than the sands of the sea, but have
no proportion to thy mercies; for what are the sands of the sea to
the sea, earth, heavens? and all these are nothing to thy mercies.

"Besides my innumerable sins, I confess before thee that I am
debtor to thee for the gracious talent of thy gifts and graces,
which I have misspent in things for which I was least fit; so as I
may truly say, my soul hath been a stranger in the course of my
pilgrimage. Be merciful unto me (O Lord) for my Saviour's sake,
and receive me into thy bosom, or guide me in thy ways."

Bacon up to this time strangely, if the Committees were "open Courts,"
was entirely ignorant of the particulars of the charge which was
accumulating against him. He had an interview with the King, which was
duly reported to the House, and he placed his case before James,
distinguishing between the "three cases of bribery supposed in a
judge--a corrupt bargain; carelessness in receiving a gift while the
cause is going on; and, what is innocent, receiving a gift after it is
ended." And he meant in such words as these to place himself at the
King's disposal, and ask his direction:

"For my fortune, _summa summarum_ with me is, that I may not be
made altogether unprofitable to do your Majesty service or honour.
If your Majesty continue me as I am, I hope I shall be a new man,
and shall reform things out of feeling, more than another can do
out of example. If I cast part of my burden, I shall be more strong
and _delivre_ to bear the rest. And, to tell your Majesty what my
thoughts run upon, I think of writing a story of England, and of
recompiling of your laws into a better digest."

The King referred him to the House; and the House now (April 19th)
pr