Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-02-24
FALLEN GREATNESS.
Lord Bacon's Touching Picture of His Own
Despair and Wretchedness.

In June, 1921, the disgraced lord
| chancellor retired to the stately house,
now in ruin, in Gorhambury park, of
which he was the owner. He had plead
cd guilty to twenty-three charges of
bribery. In one case he had received
from a suitor gold buttons worth ESQ;
in third, diamond ring worth t5O0
or f600; in fourth. suit OF hanglngs
worth EGO. From some London apoth-
ecaries he accepted ambergris and
cold faster, and he took from certain
French merchants fl,000. The defense
set ND was that it was the custom at
that time to make such presents to
Judges. In nearly every case the pres
ents were made after the suits were de-
cided, and in many the presents were
received by Bacon's servants without
his knowledge. The chancellor him
self always adhered to this line OF de-
fense. He wrote, on his fall, TO his roy
al master:
This is my last suit shall make to
your majesty in this business, prostrat-
ing myself upon the mercy seat after 10
years service, wherein | have served
your majesty in my poor endeavors
with an entire heart, and, as l presume
to say to your majesty, am still viz
gin in matters that concern your per-
son or crown, and now craving that,
after eight steps of honor, be not pre-
cipitated altogether"
And Bacon says again in another let
ter:
For the briberies and gifts, where
with | am charged, when the lock of
hearts shall be opened, hope | shall
not be found to have the troubled foun-
tain of corrupt heart in a depraved
habit of taking rewards to pervert JUS
tice, however may be frail and par
take of the abuses of the time"
And he wrote to Buckingham, with
all the boldness of innocence:
However, | have acknowledged that
the sentence is just, and for reforma-
ton sake fit. | have been trusty and
honest and Christ-loving friend of your
lordship, and the justest chancellor that
hath been in the five changes since my
fathers time"
Fined f40,000. sent to the tower,
though for short time, and deprived
of the great seal, Bacon, exiled at Cor
hamburg, has left record of his own
feelings in that $ litude He calls HIM
self, touchingly, .'Old, weak, ruined, in
want, and very subject of pity" He
longs for York house in the Strand, or
Gray's inn, where he might have COM
pany, physicians, conference with his
creditors and friends about his debts,
and the necessities of his estate, and
helps for his studies and writings. At
st. Albans he said he lived upon the
sword point OF sharp air, endangered
if | go abroad, dull if l stay within,
solitary and comfortless, without COM
pany. banished from all opportunities
to treat with any to do myself good and
to help out my wrecks, and that which
is one of my greatest griefs, my wife,
that hath been no partaker of my of
Tending, must be partaker of the mis-
cry of my restraint" But time grad
ually made Gorhambury less of pris-
on. Bacon expressed the resolve to
study. mot to become an abbey lubber.
as the old proverb was, but to yield
some fruit of my private life" In the
green shades he studied and meditated
with his chaplain, DIR. Romley, his
faithful secretary Meantys, his wise
amanuensis Hobbs, and his loving
friend George Herbert. In October,
1925. the autumn before he died, he
wrote to friend:
Good Mr.. Palmer, thank God, by
means of the sweet air of the country,
have obtained some degree of health,
and | would be glad in the solitary
time to hear a little more from you of
how the world goes.
In his will he desired to be buried in
st. Michael's church, near St. Adams,
for, says the great philosopher: There
was my mother buried, it is the parish
church of my mansion house in Cor
hamburg and it is the only Christian
church within the walls of old Verul-
am" In niche formed by bricked-
up window on the north side of the
church, which is built of Roman tiles,
is marble statue of Lord Bacon, which
was erected by his faithful secretary,
Sir Thomas Meantys, who himself lies
beneath an almost plain stone at the
feet of his great Gamaliel. The statue,
which represents Bacon seated in
.deep, yet tranquil thought, was the
work of an Italian artist, and beneath
it is an inscription from the pen of Sir
Henry Wotton, the diplomatist, wit,
and poet. '.Sic sedebat" Csc he sat-
saith the epitaph. Bacon is leaning
back in square-backed elbow chair.
his head resting on his hand. He
wears a long. stately, furred robe and
voluminous trunk hose; laced ruff,
sash garter, and shoes adorned with
large ribbon roses. His capacious
brow is partly hidden by low-crown-
ed. broad-brimmed hat. So sat the
mighty Verulam. m.-HotlSehold Words.