Kings and counselors: the politics of Francis Bacon's rhetorical theory

Late in March of 1603, just before and immediately after Elizabeth's death, Francis Bacon was scrambling to secure for himself a position in the service of the Queen's successor, James VI of Scotland.(1) Two days before her death, Bacon offered his services to Burghley and the Earl of Northumberland, who both had been corresponding confidentially with the King on the question of the succession. After the Queen's death, he wrote to three of James' courtiers, known to him through his brother Anthony, to one "Mr. Davys," who had set out to meet the new King upon his entrance into England, and to the King himself. In his letters to James' courtiers and Mr. Davys, Bacon's theme was the same: "furdering a good conceit and impression of [his] most humble duty and true zeal towards the King." In his letter to James, Bacon himself offers his service and makes "oblation of [himself] to your Majesty."(2) The reason for Bacon's scrambling can be deduced from the fact that since 1593, when he delivered a speech in Parliament that had offended the Queen, the path to his preferment had been effectively blocked.(3) In the meantime, several positions had been dangled before his nose, but they were all snatched away by a crotchety Queen.(4) However, now that the question of succession had been settled, his path seemed relatively open, and he therefore concentrated his energies to make his way along it. Receiving an encouraging reply from Northumberland, Bacon wrote to him again, but this time he included with his letter something that, if not handled properly, could do much damage to his suit. What he enclosed was a draft of a Proclamation "drawn for the King at his entrance." Bacon explains the purpose of the draft in the letter: I do hold it a thing formal and necessary for the King to forerun his coming (be it ever so speedy) with some gracious declaration, for the cherishing, entertaining, and preparing of men's affections. For which purpose I have conceived a draught, it being a thing in my Mistress' times to have my pen used in public writings of satisfaction.(5) The Proclamation, then, is ostensibly intended to anticipate the King's coming and ingratiate him into the hearts of the people. However, as the letter continues, Bacon's statements become more tendentious. He suggests to Northumberland that the draft can be used in two ways. First, it can be used "properly," if your Lordship think convenient to shew the King any such draught; because the veins and pulses of this state cannot be but best known here; which if your Lordship should do, then I would desire you to withdraw my name, and only signify that you gave some heads of direction of such a matter to one of whose style and pen you had some opinion. Second: though your Lordship make no other use of it, yet it is a kind of portraiture of that which I think worthy to be advised by your Lordship to the King ['to express himself according to those points which are therein conceived'].(6) These uses combined give two contradictory representations of Bacon. Still present is Bacon's desire to perform his "humble duty." He shows deference to Northumberland by presenting his uses as options, not as directives; he thus locates the power to choose whether to use the Proclamation or not with Northumberland. Also, Bacon's wish to have his name withdrawn is a self-effacing move (which could nevertheless lead to his possible identification: although he does not want to appear too presumptuous, there is perhaps the hope that being signified as the "pen" of "some opinion" will pique the interest of the King and thus prompt Northumberland to mention Bacon's name). Finally, if Northumberland should decide not to deliver the declaration to the King, he will at least have a useful model upon which to base his counsel to James. However, Bacon's claim that state matters "cannot be but best known here" presupposes a lack of knowledge on the part of James (and Northumberland), an inadequacy that Bacon aims to remedy. …