BACON, FRANCIS.-The Translation of certaine Psalmes into English Verse: By the Right Honourable Francis Lo. Verulam, Viscount St. Alban. London, Printed for Hanna Barret and Richard Whitaker &c. 1625. 4to. 11 leaves.

The dedication is "to his very good friend Mr. George Herbert," author of "The Temple," printed in 1633, and hence it appears that these translations had been "the exercise" of Lord Bacon's "sickness." He also thanks Herbert for the pains it pleased you to take about some of my writings," referring to the translation by Herbert of part of the Advancement of Learning into Latin.

The Psalms versified are the 1st, the 12th, the 90th, the 104th, the 126th, the 137th, and the 149th, in various measures.

Among the Bridgewater M.SS. are several letters from Lord Bacon to Lord Ellesmere, among them the celebrated epistle upon the want of a history of Great Britain, a work which Samuel Daniel afterwards undertook, but did not live to complete. [Vide DANIEL in this Catalogue]. This letter has been printed in both editions of the "Cabala," but most imperfectly in all respects, and with the total omission of two very important passages. It is, therefore, here subjoined from the original, which is carefully and clearly penned, and is entirely in the hand-writing of Lord Bacon. It is addressed "To the R. Hon. his very good L. the L. Ellesmere, L. Chancellor of England," and it is indorsed by Lord Ellesmere as follows:- "Sir Francis Bacon touching the story of England."

"Yt may pleas yor. good L.

Some late Act of his M. referred to some former speach which I have heard from yor L. bredd in me a great desire, and by strength of desire a bouldnesse to make an humble proposition to yor L. such as in me can be no better then a wysh, but if yor L. should apprehend it, may take some good and woorthy effect. The Act I speake of is the order giuen by his M. as I vnderstand, for the erection of a tomb or monument for or late Soueraine Lady Q. Elizabeth; whearin I may note much, but this at this tyme That as her M. did alwaies right to his Highness hopes; so his M. doth in all things right to her memory - a very just and princely retribution. But from this occasion, by a very easy ascent, I passed furder; being put in mynd, by this Representative of her person, of the more true and more firm Representative which is of her life and gouvernmt. For as Statuaes and Pictures are dumbe histories, so histories are speaking Pictures. Whearin if my affection be not to great, or my reading to small, I am of this opynion, that if Plutarque were aliue to write

D

lyues by Paralleles, it would trouble him, for vertue and fortune both, to find for her a Parallele amongst wemen. And though she was of the passive sex, yet her gouvernmt was so actiue, as in my simple opynion it made more impression vpon the seuerall states of Europe, then it received from thence. But I confess vnto yor L. I could not stay hear; but went a littell furder, into the consideration of the tymes which have passed since K. Henry the 8th., whearin I find the strangest variety that in like number of Successions, of any hereditary Monarchy, hath euer been knowne: The Raign of a child, the offer of an vsurpation (though it were but as a Diary Ague) the Raign of a Lady maried to a forein Prince, and the Raign of a Lady solitary and vnmaried. So that as it cometh to pass in massive bodies, that they have certen trepidations and wauerings before they fix and settle, so it seameth that by the prouidence of God, this Monarchy, before it was to settle in his M. and his generations (in wch I hope it is now established for euer) it had these prælusive chaunges in these barren Princes. Neyther could I contein myself hear (as it is easier to produce then to stay a wysh) but calling to remembrance the vnwoorthiness of the History of England (in the maine continuance thearof) and the partiality and obliquity of that of Scotland in the latest and largest Author that I have seen, I conceived it would be honor for his M. and a woorke very memorable, if this Iland of great Brittaine, as it is now joyned in Monarchy for the ages to come, so were Joyned in History for the tymes passed, and that one just and complete History were compiled of both Nations. And if any man thinke it may refresh the memory of former discords, he may satisfie himself with the verse Olim meminisse juuabit ; for the case being now altered, it is matter of comfort and gratulation to remember former troubles.

Thus much if it may pleas yor Lp, was in the optatiue moode. It is trew that I did looke a littell into the potentiall, whearin the hope wch I conceived was grounded vpon three obseruations: The first of the tymes, which doe flourysh in learnyng both of art and language, wch giueth hope not onely that it may be doon, but that it may be well doon. For when good things are vndertaken in yll tymes it turneth but to losse; as in this very particular, we have a fresh example of Polydore Virgile, who being designed to write the English History by K. Henry the 8th, (a straung choise to chuze a stranger) and for his better instruction hauing obteyned into his hands many registers and memorialls owt of the Monasteries, did indeed deface and suppresse better things then those he did collect and reduce. Secondly, I doe see that which all the world seeth in his M. both a wonderfull judgment in learnyng, and a singular affection towards learnyng and the workes of true honor, which are of the mynd and not of the hand. For thear cannot be the like honor sowght in the building of galleries, or the planting of elmes a long high waies, and the like manufactures, things rather of magnificence then of magnanimity, as there is in the vniting of States, pacifying of controversies, nourishing and augmenting of learnyng and arts, and the particular actions apperteinyng vnto these; of which

kynd Cicero judged trewly when he said to Cæsar, Quantum operibus tuis detrahet vetustas, tantum addet laudibus. And lastlie I called to mynd that yor L. at sometymes hath been pleased to express vnto me a great desire that some thing of this nature should be perfourmed, awnswerably indeed to yor other noble and woorthy courses and actions, whearin yor L. sheweth yor self not onely an excellent Chauncellor and Counsellor, but also an exceeding fauorer and fosterer of all good learnyng and vertue, both in men and matters, persons and actions, joyning and adding vnto the great services towards his M. wch have in small compass of tyme been accumulated vpon yor Lp. many other deseruings both of the Church and Commonwealth and particulars; so as the opynion of so great and wise a man doth seem vnto me a good warrant both of the possibility and woorth of this matter. But all this while I assure my self I cannot be mistaken by yor L. as if I sowght an office or imployment for myself; for no man knoweth better then your L. that (yf there were in me any faculty therevnto, as I am most vnable) yet neither my fortune nor profession would permytt it. But bycause thear be so many good paynters, both for hand and colors, needeth but incouragement and instructions to giue life and light vnto it.

So in all humbleness I conclude my presenting to yor good L. of this wysh, wch if it perish, it is but a losse of that which is not. And thus crauing pardon, that I haue taken so much tyme from yor L. I allwaies remayn,

It is very possible that Daniel was encouraged to write his history by Lord Ellesmere, in consequence of the preceding letter. The same task was subsequently assigned to Sir Henry Wotton, and a Privy Seal is extant in the Chapter House, Westminster, raising his annuity from £200 to £400 for the express purpose. This fact is not mentioned by the biographers of Wotton.

BACON, FRIAR.-The famous Historie of Fryer Bacon. Containing the wonderfull things that he did in his Life: Also the manner of his Death; with the Lives and Deaths of the two Conjurors Bungye and Vandermast. Very pleasant and delightfull to be read. Bliidschap doet, het leven yer Langhen. Printed at London by E. A. for Francis Grove &c. 1629. B. L. 4to. 26 leaves.

There is another edition of this production without a date, but probably posterior to the present, which itself can scarcely have been the first, inasmuch as Robert Greene made ample use of the story, in his play of Friar Bacon and Friar Bongay, originally printed in 1594, and written some years earlier: according to Henslowe's Diary, it was performed on the 19th of February, 1591. The tract was doubtless popular before 1590; and there is reason for supposing it to be of German invention. The motto on the title-page above inserted was omitted in the edition without date, and in subsequent reprints; but the wood cut, representing the two Friars, Miles, and the Brazen Head, was continued, and it was transferred to the title-page of Greene's play when it was republished in 1630. Miles, Friar Bacon's man, is a humorous personage, and in the wood cut he is exhibited playing on the pipe and tabor, as Tarlton and the theatrical Clowns of that day were wont to do: no doubt, this circumstance was adopted from the mode in which Greene's drama was got up and represented. Poetry and songs of a light humorous kind are interspersed with the prose, and the subsequent is no unfavourable specimen. It is sung by Miles, "to the tune of a rich Merchant man," when the Brazen Head, which he addresses, pronounces "Time was."

"Time was when thou a kettle

Wert fill'd with better matter;
But Fryer Bacon did the spoyle,
When he thy sides did batter.

"Time was when conscience dwelled

With men of occupation:

Time was when Lawyers did not thrive

So well by mens vexation.

"Time was when Kings and Beggers
Of one poore stuffe had being:
Time was when office kept no knaves:
That time was worth the seeing.

"Time was a bowle of water

Did give the face reflection:

Time was when women knew no paint,

Which now they call complexion."

The tract begins with the birth of Friar Bacon, and ends with his burning his books of magic, his turning hermit, and his death. "Thus (says the Author) was the Life and Death of this famous Fryer, who lived most part of his life a Magician, and dyed a true penitent Sinner, and an Anchorite." In his Pseudodoxia Epidemica, Sir Thomas Brown contends that the brazen head of Bacon was 66 a mystical fable concerning the philosopher's great work,” (p. 461, Edit. 4to. 1658.)

BARNFIELD, RICHARD.- Lady Pecunia, or the praise of Money. Also a Combat betwixt Conscience and Covetousnesse. Togither with the complaint of Poetry for the death of Liberality. Newly corrected and inlarged by Richard Barnfield, Graduate in Oxford. Printed by W. I. and are to bee sold by John Hodgets &c. 1605. 4to. 26 leaves.

It is no small tribute to Barnfield that a poem written by him in 1598 was long attributed to Shakespeare, and not thought unworthy of our great dramatist. It is "The Shepherd's Ode," beginning " As it fell upon a day,” which was printed in Barnfield's Cynthia, in 1595, and in "The Passionate Pilgrim," in 1599.

The work before us was first published in 1598; but neither Ritson nor any other bibliographer was acquainted with the fact that it was reprinted, as the title expresses it, "newly corrected and inlarged," in 1605. This statement was not, as frequently happens, a mere bookseller's artifice; for, in the edition of 1605, the main poem is considerably altered, to suit the altered circumstances of the times. In 1598, it was made to apply to the reign of Queen Elizabeth ; but, in 1605, the whole of that portion is omitted and other stanzas substituted, and various changes, rendered necessary by changes in the State, are also intro