LETTER OF ADVICE WRITTEN BY Sr. Francis Bacon To the Duke of Buckingham, When he became Favourite to King James, Never before Printed.  
London, Printed for R. H. and H. B. and are to be sold at Westminster and the Royal Exchange, 1661.   

A Letter of Advice, written by Sr. Francis Bacon, to the Duke of Buckingham, when he became Favourite to King james.  
My Noble Lord,  
BEing overruled by your Lordship's Command, first by word, and since by your letters, I have chosen rather to show my Obedience, then to dispute the danger of discovering my weakness in adventuring to give advice in a subject too high for me. But, I know, I commit it to the hands of a noble friend, and to any others, for the nature of the discourse, it is not communicable. e.  
My Lord, When the blessing of God, (to whom in the first place, I know, you ascribe your preferment) and the King's favour (purchased by your noble parts, promising as much as can be expected from a Gentleman) had brought you to this high pitch of Honour, to be in the eye, and ear, and even in the bosom of your gracious Master, and you had found by experience, the trouble of all men's confluence, and for all matters to yourself as a mediator between them and their Sovereign, you were pleased to lay this Command upon me.  
First in general, to give you my poor advice for your Carriage in so eminent a Place, and of so much danger, if not wisely discharged. Next in particular, by what means to give dispatches to Suitors of all sorts, for the King's best service, the Suitors satisfaction, and your own ease. I humbly return unto you mine opinion in both these, such as an Hermit, rather than a Courtier can render.  
You are now the King's Favourite, so voted, and so esteemed by all.  
In the first place, then give me leave to tell you, what this signifies; and next, what is the duty that lies upon you towards the King. That being done, in a few words, I shall then come to the particulars, which you must insist upon, to facilitate your dispatches. It is no new thing for Kings and Princes to have their Privadoes, their favourites, their Friends. They have done it sometimes out of their affection to the person of the man (for Kings have their affections as well as private men) sometimes in contemplation of their greatabilities (and that's a happy choice) and sometimes for their own ends, to make them whom they so style, and are contented should be so styled, to be interposed between the Prince and the People. Take it in either, or any of those significations, let it be a caution unto you. If the King have made choice of you out of his affection, or out of the opinion of your worth, to communicate his bosom thoughts with you, or perhaps to debate them, and so ripen his own Judgement; you are bound in gratitude to return so much as possibly you can to advance your Master's service and honour. But were it, (as I am confident it is not) to interpose you between himself and the envy of his people in general, or of some discontented party in particular, than you are bound for your own sake to watch over your Actions.  
Remember then what your true condition is, the King himself is above the reach of his people, but cannot be above their censures, and you are his shadow, if either he commit an error, and is loath to avow it, but excuses it upon his Ministers, of which you are the first in the eye: or you commit the fault, or have willingly Permitted it, and must suffer for it; so perhaps you may be offered as a sacrifice to appease the multitude. But admit you were in no such danger, as I hope you are not, and that you are answerable only to God and the King for your Actions, yet remember well the great trust you have undertaken, you are as a continual Centinel, always to stand upon your watch, to give him true Intelligence; If you flatter him, you betray him, If you conceal the truth of those things from him, which concern his Justice or his honour (although not the safety of his Person,) you are as dangerous a Traitor to his State, as he that riseth in Arms against him. A false friend is more dangerous than an open Enemy; Kings are styled Gods upon Earth, not absolute, but Dixi dii estis, and the next words are, sed moriemini sunt homines, they shall die like men, and then their thoughts perish; they cannot possibly see all things with their own eyes, nor hear all things with their own ears; they must commit many great trusts to their Ministers; Kings must be answerable to God Almighty (to whom they are but Vassals) for their actions, and for their negligent Omissions. But the Ministers to Kings, whose eyes, ears, and hands, they are, must be answerable to God and man, for the breach of their duties, in violation of their trusts, whereby they betray them. For the general, I say no more but apply myself to the particular wherein you desire satisfaction; in which my answer shall be plain, and as clear as I can. And Sir, know this I beseech you, that which I now write and recommend immediately to you, concerns also the King, and much more than you, and because he cannot intend all things, and ordinary Persons cannot have access unto him, or if they had, durst not speak with that freedom, you are bound to supply it, and to be his Monitor, not in a saucy male part way, which may not take with him, but at seasonable times, which you may, nay which you must watch for.  
It is true that the whole Kingdom hath cast their eye upon you, as the new rising Star, and no man thinks his business can prosper at Court, unless he hath you for his good Angel, or at least that you be not a Malus Genius against him, this you cannot now avoid unless you will adventure a precipice, to fall down faster than you rose. Opinion is a Master wheel in these cases. That Courtier who obtained a boon of the Emperor, that he might every morning at his coming into his Presence humbly whisper him in the ear, and say nothing, asked no unprofitable suit for himself: but such a fancy raised only by an opinion cannot be long lived, unless the man have solid worth to uphold it, otherwise when once discovered, it vanisheth suddenly. But when a favourite in court shall be raised upon the foundation of merits, and together with the care of doing good service to the King, shall give good dispatches to the Suitors, then can he not choose but prosper: Thus Sir I find is your voble ambition, and it is worthy the honour you possess: And that this may succeed according to your desire, I shall humbly propound unto you these rules to be observed, and I beseech you, if you approve of them, constantly to pursue them ...  
1. If the suit be either of Importance for value, or of difficulty, direct that it be set down in writing, then appoint it to be left with you in writing, and appoint the Suitor to attend for his answer so many days after, as may be competent, of which time let a note be taken by your Secretary. So shall you be eased of the Suitor in the mean time, and he rest quiet till the day appointed in expectation of his dispatch.  
2. To prepare yourself for these answers in their times, set a part an hour in a day or two to sort your Petitions, which will be easily done, if your Secretary draw lines under the matter, which always lies in a narrow room.  
3. Think not yourself nor any one or two private friends or servants to be able to comprehend the true reason of all things, there is no such omnisciency to be looked for. But deviding the Petitions as they come to your hands into several sorts, according to the nature of the matter, first, cause two or three several Copies to be made of the Petition, or the substance of it.  
4. Then make choice of several men well versed in these several professions or qualities, whom you think you may trust, and to them severally send Copies, desiring them within twenty days after to retun unto you in writing their opinions of the Petition, and their reasons for it, or against it; and let not one of them know what the other doth.  
5. Then set a part an hour or two twice in a week, to peruse these Petitions again, and the Answers of the Referrees, out of which compared together, as out of Responsa prudentium, you may collect such a judgement, as, within a short time, you shall be able to judge of the fidelities and abilities of those you trust, and return Answers to Petitions of all natures as an Oracle. And be assured of this, that next to the granting of the Request, a reasonable and a fair denial, (if the matter will not bear it to be otherwise) is most acceptable.  
That you may dispose of all these sorts of business, in a fit and a dexterous way, I conceive that all matters of difficulty, which will be presented to you, will be one of these eight sorts, either Concerning, 

1. Religion and Churchmen, or Church-matters.  
2. The Laws and the Professors thereof.  
3. The Council Board, and matters of State:  
4. Negotiation with foreign Princes or States.  
5. War by Sea or Land.  
6. Foreign Plantations and Colonies.  
7. Matter of Trade.  
8. The Court or Curialitie.    
What cannot be kauked under one of these heads, will not be worthy of your thoughts, and you will find enough of these to take up your time.  
But that you may not study your ease only, but chiefly your honour, and the honour of your Master: I beseech you to take these materials, thus divided into these eight Sections, into your more serious thoughts, and propound to yourself some Rules as Landmarks to guide your judgement in the examination of every one of them, as shall come to your hand, wherein I shall adventure to make an essay; please you to perfect it.  
1. For Religion, if any thing be offered to you, touching it or touching the Church or Churchmen, or Church-government, rely not only upon yourself, but take the opinion of some grave & eminent Divines; especially such as are sad and discreet men, and exemplary for their Lives.  
2. If any Question be moved concerning the Doctrine of the Church of England, expressed in the 39 Articles, give not the least ear to the movers thereof, that is so sound, and so Orthodoxally settled as cannot be questioned, without extreme danger to the honour and stability of our Religion, which hath been sealed with the blood of so many Martyrs and Confessors, as are famous through the Christian World. The Enemies and underminers thereof are the Romish Catholics (so styling themselves) on the one hand, whose Tenants are inconsistent with the truth of Religion, professed and protested by the Church of England (whence we are called Protestants) and the Anabaptists and Separatists, and Sectaries on the other hand, whose Tenants are full of Schism, and inconsistent with Monarchy: For the regulating of either, there needs no other Cohertion than the due execution of the Laws already established by Parliament.  
3. If any attempt be made to alter the discipline of our Church, although it be not an essential part of our Religion, yet it is so necessary, not to be rashly altered, as the very substance of Religion will be interessed in it: Therefore I desire you before any attempt be made of an Innovation by your means, or by any Intercession to your Master, that you will first read over, and his Majesty call to mind that wise and weighty Proclamation, which himself penned, and caused to be published in the first Year of his Reign, and is prefixed in Print before the Book of Common Prayer (of that Impression) in which you will find so prudent, so weighty Reasons, not to hearken to Innovations, as will fully satisfy you, that it is dangerous to give the least ear to such Innovators, but it is desperate to be misled by them: But to settle your judgement, mark but the admonition of the wisest of men King Solomon, Prov. 27. v. 21. My son fear God and the King, and meddle not with those, who are given to change.  
II. Next, touching the Laws (wherein I mean the Common Laws of England) I shall be the more sparing to speak, because it is my profession, but thus much I shall say with confidence, that if they be righty administered, they are the best, the equalest in the world between the Prince and People; by which the King hath the justest Prerogative, and the People the best Liberty, and if at any time, there be an unjust deviation, Hominis est vitium non professionis. But that it may in all things have a fairer proceeding; Let the King take a care, and as much as in you lies, do you take care for him, that the Judges of the Law may be always chosen of the Learnedest of the Profession (for an ignorant man cannot be a good Judge) & of the prudentest and discreetest, because so great a part of the Civil Government lies upon their Charge; and indeed little should be done in legal Consultations without them, and very much may be done by their prudent advices, especially in their Circuits, if right use were made of them: Believe me Sir, much assistance would be had from them, besides the delivering of the Gaols, and trying of Causes between party and party; if the King by himself (which were the best) or by his Chancellor, did give them the Charge according to occurrences, at their going forth, and receive a particular account from them at their return home: They would then be the best Intelligencers of the true state of the Kingdom, and the surest means to prevent, or remove all growing mischiefs within the body of the Realm. Next to the Judges let care be taken that the Sergeants at Law be such as are most probable to be made Judges in the next turn, and never to be advanced to that state and degree. (For it is so styled) for favour or for reward, but only with an eye upon the public good. For the King's Council at Law, the King's particular interest will easily persuade him, and those who love his service, to make choice of the most eminent, and most active; their experience in these places will make them able for any employment in that profession afterwards. In the Laws we have a native Interest, it is our Birthright, and our Inheritance, and I think the whole Kingdom will always continue that mind, which once the two Houses of Parliament publicly professed, Nolimus Legem Angliae mutare: under a Law we must live, and under a known Law, and not under an arbitrary Law is our happiness that we do live; and the Justices of Peace, if a good choice be made of them, are excellent Instruments to this State.  
III. For matter of state and affairs proper for Council board, I dare not take upon me to say much, they are Secrets & arcana, and are not fit to descend to too low, to too petty matters, or private interests. Let the King be precedent of this Council himself, not so much by personal presence, (but only in great and weighty affairs) that may oversaw the board too much, where in Counsels there should be a freedom of discourse and of determination, but in pursuing the acts of his Council table. And I do heartily wish, that the Councillors themselves would be so advised in their resolutions, that they should never be sudden, but that all things there propounded and debated one day, should be revised the next, and then confirmed, or altered upon second thoughts, such gravity in their proceedings would much become the honour of that Board; and what is thus settled, should not be altered again but upon great necessity.  
In the choice of Privy Councillors, thus much only in the general, that there may be some of the number, who are severally versed in all knowledges, for their better assistance upon Counsels of that nature; And although to some persons of great Birth, the place of Prince's Councillors may be bestowed as an honour unto them; yet generally the motive should be the Parts of the man and not his Person.  
IV. The Negotiations of Ambassadors, and Treaties with Foreign Princes and Estates, the subject matter of the Treaty must guide the Choice of the Persons to be employed. But give me leave, I pray to remember unto you the constant practice of that famous and wise Lady Q. Elizabeth (who was very happy, not so much in a numerous as a wise Council to advise Her.) If it were an Embassy of Gratulation of Triumph, she ever made choice of a person of Honour and Eminency in his degree, who taking the employment as a work of favour was willing to undertake it at an easy rate for the expense of the Crown (which hath not often been so of later times:) But if it were upon some matter of importance from the State, there were always employed (at least joined in the Commission some persons of great judgement and known experience, and in such Cases men over-green in years were never the principal Agents; yet some younger men were joined with the elder, to train them up in State Affaires.  
V. For matter of War, either by Land or Sea, Your gracious Master so settled in his judgement for Peace, as he hath chosen for his Motto, that part of our Saviour's beatitudes, Beati pacifici; It is a happiness to this Nation to be in this blessed condition, God send we surfeit not with it; yet I must tell you, the best way to continue a secure peace, is to be prepared for a War. Security is an ill guard for a Kingdom. But this Bul-Kingdome, where the Seas are our Walls, and the Ships our works, where safety and plenty (by trade) are concomitant, it were both a sin and a shame, to neglect the means to attain into these ends; Let brave spirits that have fitted themselves for Command, either by Sea or by Land, not to be laid by, as persons unnecessary for the time; let Arms and Ammunition of all sorts be provided and stored up, as against a day of Battle; let the Ports and Forts be fitted so, as if by the next wind we should hear of an Alarm; such a known Providence is the surest protection. But of all wars, let both Prince and people pray against a War in our own bowels: The King by his Wisdom, Justice and Moderation must foresee and stop such a storm, and if it fall must allay it, and the people by their obedience must decline it. And for a Foreign War intended by an Invasion to inlarg the bounds of your Empire, which are large enough, and are naturally bounded with the Ocian, I have no opinion either of the justness or fitness of it, and it were a very hard matter to attempt it with help of success, seeing the subjects of this Kingdom believe it is not legal for them to be enforced to go beyond the Seas, without their own consent, upon hope of an unwarranted Conquest; But to resist an Invading Enemy, or to suppress Rebels, the Subject may and must be commanded out of the Counties where they inhabit. The whole Kingdom is but one entire body, else it will necessarily be verified, which elsewhere was asserted. Dum singuli pugnamus, omnes vincimur.  
VI But in the next place for Foreign Plantations and Colonies abroad, that's both honourable and profitable to disburden the Land of such Inhabitants as may well be spared, and to employ their labours in the Conquest of some Foreign parts without injury to the Natives. Yet these cautions are to be observed in these undertake.  
1. That no man be compelled to such an employment, for that were a banishment, not a service fit for a freeman.  
2. That if any transplant themselves into plantations abroad, who are known Schismatics, outlaws, or criminal persons, that they be sent for back upon the first notice, such persons are not fit to lay the foundation of a new Colony.  
3. To make no extirpation of the Natives under pretence of planting Religion, God surely will no way be pleased with such sacrifices.  
4. That the people sent thither be Governed according to the Laws of this Realm, whereof they are, and still must be Subjects.  
5. To establish there the same purity of Religion, and the same discipline for Church-Government without any mixture of Popery or Anabaptism, lest they should be drawn into Factions and Schisms, and that place receive them there bad, and send them back worse.  
6. To employ them in profitable trades and manufactures, such as the Clime will best fit, and such as may be useful to this Kingdom, and return to them an exchange of things necessary.  
7. That they be furnished and instructed for the military part, as they may defend themselves, least on a sudden, they be exposed as a prey to some other Nation, when they have fitted the Colony for them.  
8. To order a Trade thither, and thence, in such a manner as some few Merchants and Tradesmen, under colour of furnishing the Colony with necessaries, may not grind them, so as shall always keep them in poverty.  
9 To place over them such Governors as may be qualified in such manner as may Govern the place, and lay the foundation of a new Kingdom.  
10. That care be taken that when the industry of one man hath settled the work, a new man by insinuation or misinformation, may not supplant him without a just Cause, which is the discouragement of all faithful endeavours.  
11. That the King will appoint Commissioners in the nature of a Council, who may superintend the works of this nature, and regulate what concerns the Colonies, and give an account thereof to the King or to his Council of State.  
VII. For matter of Trade, I confess, it is out of my profession, yet in that I shall make a Conjecture also, and propound some things to you, whereby (if I am not much mistaken) you may advance the good of your Country and profit of your Master.  
1. Let the foundation of a profitable Trade be thus laid, that the exportation of home Commodities be more in value, than the importation of Foreign, so we shall be sure that the stocks of the Kingdom shall yearly increase, for then the balance of Trade must be returned in money or bullion.  
2. In the importation of Foreign Commodities, Let not the Merchant return Toys and Vanities (as sometimes it was elsewhere Apes and Peacocks) but solid Merchandise, first for necessity, next or pleasure, but not for Luxury.  
3. Let the vanity of the times be restrained, which the neighbourhood of other Nations have induced, and we strive a pace to exceed our pattern; Let vanity in apparel, and which is more vain, that of the fashion, be avoided. I have heard, that in pain (a grave Nation, whom in this I wish we might imitate) they do allow the●● layers and Courtesans the vanity of rich and costly clothes, but to sober men, and Matrons, they permit it not, upon pain of infamy (a severer punishment upon ingenious natures than a pecuniary Mulct.)  
4. The excess of diet in costly meats and drinks set from beyond the Seas would be avoided, wise men will do it without a Law, I would there might be a Law to restrain fools. The excess of wine costs the Kingdom much, and returns nothing but surfeits and disseases, were we as wise as easily we might be, within a year or two at the most, if we would needs be druns with wines, we might be drunk with half the cost.  
5 If we must be vain and superfluous in laces and embroideries which are more costly than either warm or comely, let the Curiosity be the Manifacture of the Natives, than it should not be verified of us Nateriam superabat opus.  
6. But instead of crying up all things, which are either brought from beyond sea, or wrought here by the hands of strangers, let us advance the native commodities of our own Kingdom, and employ our Countrymen before strangers, let us turn the wools of the Land into clothes and Stuffs of our own groweth, and the Hemp and flax growing here into Linen cloth, and Cordage, it would set many thousand hands on work, and thereby one shilling worth of the materials, would by industry be multiplied to five, ten, and many times to twenty times more in the value being wrought.  
7. And of all sorts of Thrift for the Public good, I would above all others Commend to your care the encouragement to be given to Husbandry, and the improving of Lands for Tillage, there is no such Usury as this. The King cannot enlarge the bounds of these Islands, which make up his Empire, the Ocian being the unremovable Wall, which encloseth them, but he may enlarge and multiply the revenue thereof by this honest and harmless way of good Husbandry.  
8. A very great help unto Trade are Navigable Rivers, they are so many indrafts to attain Wealth, whereby Art and Industry let them be made, but let them not be turned to private profit.  
9 In the last place, I beseech you take into your serious consideration, that Indian wealth, which this Island and the Seas thereof excel in, the hidden and rich treasure of Fishing: Do we want an example to follow, I may truly say to the English go to the Pismire thou sluggard. I need not expound the text half a days sail with a good wind, will show the Mineriall, and the Miners.  
10. To regulate all these it will be worthy the care of a subordinate Council, to whom the ordering of these things may be committed, and they give an account thereof to the State.  
VIII. Lastly for the affairs of Court, you are much better able to instruct yourself then any man else can, muchless than myself, who have scarce steps within the Court gates but as by chance and at the most as a stranger, yet in this also I shall be bold to tell you my thoughts.  
In the disposing of the Offices and Affairs of Court, the King hath a Latitude for his Affection, which in matters touching the Public, He must deny to himself; Here he is more properly Paterfamilias, in the other he is 〈◊〉 Patriae. There are many places in Court, which a mere formal m●n may perform, because they are but as the Services of a private Family, and in which the Public hath little interest. And yet in these, the Choice had need be of honest and faithful Servants, as well as of comely outsides, who can bow the knee and kiss the hand, and perform other services of small importance compared to this of Public employment. King David, Psalm 121. propounded a Rule to himself for the Choice of his Courtiers; he was a wise and a good King, and a wise and a good King shall do well to follow such a good example, and if he find any to be faulty (which perhaps cannot suddenly be 〈◊〉;) Let him take on his, this resolution as King David did, There shall ●o deceitful person dwell in my house. But for such as shall bear Office in the King's house, and manage the expenses thereof, it is much more requisite to make a good Choice of such Servants both for his thrift, and for his Honour.  
For your part, I shall wish that you would not interpose yourself much in these things, which are properly for the Officers of the Household, that may draw too much envy upon you, and this would be too low for your thoughts (who will find enough to busy you about of a higher nature) Yet this will very well become you, and your general trust not to suffer the King to be too much abused, where your vigilance can prevent it. But then the way of doing it would be thus, to advertise the King of the defects, and then himself to find them out, rather as if it were by accident, then as prompted unto it.  
In Court there are also some other Requisites, which in their seasons may be thought upon; Besides the serious Affairs pertaining to Government, which are many: Matter of Pastime and disport are fit in their seasons, but if they shall be too common, they will lose their repute, and become Arguments of Lightness rather than of Recreation. When there is a Queen and Lady of Honour attending her Person, sometimes to entertain them with Revels and Masks, are ornaments fit for a Court. Otherwise for a King of a young Prince, who are active (and to be so, commends them) sport's abroad, and of more manly and useful deportment, as riding the great Horse, the T●●, the Barriers, the Tennis, etc. are more commendable. But neither in jest or earnest must that be countenance or care given to Flatterers or Sycophants, the bane of all Courts. They are Flies who will not only buzz about in every ear, but will blo● and corrupt every plate where they light.  
Sir, I cannot flatter, I have dealt plainly and clearly with you, according to the freedom you have been pleased to afford me. I have but a word or two more to trouble you with.  
You serve a gracious Master and a good, and there is a Noble and a hopeful Prince, whom you must not disserve; Adore not him as the rising Sun in such a measure, as that you put a jealousy into the Father, who raised you; Nor out of the Confidence you have in the Father's affections, make not yourself suspected of the Son; keep an equal and a fit distance, so may you be serviceable to both, and deservedly be in the favour of both.  
If you find in these, or in any other your Observations (which doubtless are much better than these loose Collections) any thing which you would have either the Father or the Son to take to heart, an Admonition from a dead Author, or a Caveat from an impartial Pen, whose aim neither was, nor can be taken to be at any particular by design, will prevail more, and take better impression, than a down right advice, which may perhaps be mistaken, as if it were spoken magisterially.  
Thus may you long live a happy Instrument, for your King and Country, you shall not be a Meteor, or a blazing Star, but stella fixa, happy here, and more happy hereafter. Deus m●●● sua te ducat, that's the hearty prayer of,  
Your most obliged Servant,