a collection OF apophthegm new and old by the right honourable Francis bacon  baron of verulum viscount saint Alban his lordship preface Julius Caesar do  write a collection of apophthegm as appear in a epistle of Cicero so do  Macrobius a consular man I needs say no more for the worth of a write of that  nature it be pity caesars book be lose for I imagine bcy be collect with  judgement and choice whereas that of plutarch and stoboeus and much more the  modern one draw much of the Drogs certain they be of excellent use they be  mucrones a word point speech the word of the wife be as goad say Solomon  Cicero pretty call they salinas salt pit that you may extract salt out of and  sprinkle it where you will they serve to be interlace in continue speech they  serve to be recite upon occasion of themselves they serve if you take out the  kernel of they and make they your own I have for my recreation among more  serious study collect some few of they therein fan the old not omit any  because they be vulgar for man vulgar one be excellent good Norr for the  meanness of the person but because they be dull and flat and add many new that  otherwise will have die a collection OF apophthegm new and old QUEENELIZABETH  the marrow of her coronation it be the custom to release prisoner at the  Inauguration of a prince go to the chapel and in the great Chamber one of her  courtier who be well know to her either out of his own motion or by the  instigation of a wise man present her with a petition and before a great  number of courtier beseech her with a loud voice that now this good time there  may be four or five principal prisoner more release those be the four  evangelist and the apostle saint Paul who have be long shut up in a unknown  tongue as it be in prison so as they can not converse with the common people  the queen answer very grave that it be best first to inquire of they whether  they will be release or no queen and Bullen at the time when she be lead to be  behead in the tower call one of the king privy Chamber to her and say unto he  commend I to the king and tell he that he have be ever constant in his course  of advance I from a private gentlewoman he make I a marchioness and from a  marchioness a queen and now that he bath leave no high degree of earthly  honour he intend to crown my innocency with the glory of martyrdom his majesty  James the first king of great Britain have make unto his parliament a  excellent and large declaration conclude thus I have now give you a clear  mirror of my mind use it therefore like a mirror and take heed how you let it  fall or how you soil it with your breath a great officer in France be in  danger to have lose his place but his wife y her suit and mean make make his  eace whereupon a pleasant fellow say that he have be crush but that he save  himself upon his horn his majesty say to his parliament at another time find  there be some causeless jealousy sow among they that the king and his people  whereof the parliament be the Representative body be as husband and wife and  therefore that of all other thing jealousy be between they most pernicious his  majesty when he think his counsel may note in he some variety in business  though indeed he remain constant will say that the sun many time shine watery  but it be not the sun which cause it but some cloud rise betwixt we and the  sun and when that be scatter the sun be as it be and come to its former  brightness his majesty in his answer to the book of the cardinal of evereux  who have in a grave argument of divinity sprinkle many witty ornament of poesy  and humanity say that these flower be like blue Yellow and read flower in the  corn which make a pleasant show to those that look on but they hurt the cor  sir Edward coke be vehemen against the two provincial counsel oWales and the  north say to the KingThere be nothing there but a kind of con fusion and hotch  potch of justice on while they be a star Chamber Anohe while a king bench  another a common place another a Commission of oye and terminer his majesty  answer why sir Edward coke they be like house in progress where I have not nor  can have such distinct room of state a I have here at white hall or at Hampton  court the commissioner of the Treasure move the king for the relief of his  estate to disafforess some Foests of his explain themselves of such orests as  lie out of the way not near any of the king house nor in the course of his  progress whereof he shall never have use nor pleasure why say the king do you  think that Solomon have use and pleasure of all his concubine his majesty when  the committee of both house of parliament present unto he the instrument of  union of England and Scotland be merry with they and among other pleasant  speech show unto they the Laird of a wreston a scotchman who be the allest and  great man that be to see and say well now we be all yet none of you will say  but here be one othman great than any English man ich be a ambiguous speech  but it think he mean it of himself his majesty will say to the ords of his  counsel when they sit upon great matter and come from counsel to he well you  have set but what we you hatch when the arch duke do raise his egg from the  grave the then Secretaryme ro queen Elizabeth the queen have first  intelligence thereof say the secretary will you what the rch-Duke be rise from  the grave he swered what without the trumpet of e arch angel the queen reply  yes ithout the sound of trumpet queen Elizabeth be importune such by my lord  of Essex to supply dirs great office that have be long id the queen answer  nothing to e matter but rise up on the sudden d say I be sure my office will  not beg void and yet at that time the e as much speech of trouble and division  about the crown to be after her Deease but they all vanish and kin James come  in in a profund peace the counsel do make remonstranc unto queen Elizabeth of  the continuaConspiracies against her life and namely that a man be late take  who stoo ready in a very dangerous and suspicion manner to do the deed and  they show her the weapon wherewith he though to have act it and therefore they  advice her that she shall go less abroa to take the air weak attend as she use  but the queen answer the she have rather be dead then put in custody the lady  paget that be very prvate with queen Elizabeth declare himself much against  the match with Mosieur after Monsieur death the Quee take extreme grief at  least as she mad show and keep in within her Bed-Chaber and one ante Chamber  for thr week space in token of mourning Alast she come forth into her one  chaber and admit her lady to have a eess unto her and among the rest lady  paget present her self and can to her with a smile countenance TQueen bend her  brow and seem to high displease and say to her Mam you be not ignorant of my  extreme rief and do you come to I with a Counnance of joy my lady paget answer  alas if it please your majesty it be impossile for I to be absent from you  three week ut that when I see you I must look chearully no no say the queen  not foretting her former averseness to the match you have some other conceit  in I ell I plain my lady answer I burn obey you it be this I be think owe  happy your majesty be you marry horned owl Monsieur for see you take such  hought for his death be but your friend if he have be your husband sure it  will have cost you your life Henry the that of France his queen be young with  child count Soisons that have his expectation upon the crown when it be twice  or thrice think that the queen be with child before say to some of his friend  that it be a but with pillow this have some way come to the king ear who keep  it till such time as the queen wax great then he call the count of Soisons to  he and say lie his hand upon the queen belly come cousin be this a pillow the  count of Soisons answer yes sir be a pillow for all France to sleep upon king  Henry the that of France be so punctual of his word after it be once pass that  they call he the king of the faith the say king Henry the that be move by his  parliament to war against the protestant he answer yes I mean it I will make  every one of you captain you shall have company assign you the parliament  observe whereunto his speech tend give over and desert his motion queen  Elizabeth be wont to say upon the Commission of sale that the commissioner use  her like strawberry wife that lie two or three great strawberry at the mouth  of their pot and all the rest be little one so they make her two or three good  prize of the first particular but fall straight way queen Elizabeth use to say  of her instruction to great officer that they be like to garment straight at  the first put on but do by and by wear lose enough a great officer at court  when my lord of Essex be first in trouble and that he and those that deal for  he will talk much of my lord friend and of his enemy answer to one of they I  will tell you I know but one friend and one enemy my lord have and that one  friend be the queen and that one enemy be himself the book of depose king  Richard the second and the come in of Henry the that suppose to be write by  doctor Hayward who be commit to the tower for it have much incense queen  Elizabeth and she ask mr Bacon be then of her counsel learned whether there be  any treason contain in it who intend to do he a pleasure and to take of the  queen bitterness with a merry concelt answer no madam for treason I can  deliver opinion that there be any but very much felony the queen apprehend it  glad ask how and wherein mr Bacon answer because he have steal many of his  sentence and conceit out of Cornelius Tacitus queen Elizabeth be to resolve  upon a great officer and be by some that canvas for other put in some doubt of  that person who she mean to advance call for mr Bacon and tell he she be like  one with a lantern seek a man and seem unsatisfy in the choice she have of a  man for that place mr Bacon answer her that he have hear that in old time  there be usual paint in the church wall the day of doom and God sit in  judgement and saint Michael by he with a pair of Ballanes and the soul and the  good deed in the one balance and the fault and the evil deed in the other and  the soul balance go up far too light then be our lady paint with a great pair  of bend who cast they into the light balance and bring down the scale so he  say place and authority which be in her majesty hand to give be like our lady  bead which though man through any imperfection be too light before yet when  they be cast in make weight competent queen Elizabeth be dilatory enough in  suit of her own nature and the lord treasurer Burleigh be a wife man and  Willing therein to feed her humour will say to her madam you do well to lt  suitor stay for I shall tell you bis that who quickly that if you grant they  speedy they will come again the soon sir Nicholas Bacon who be keeper of the  great seal of England when queen Elizabeth in her Prgress come to his house at  gorhambury and say to he my lord what a little house have you get answer her  madam my house be well but it be you that have make I too great for my house  there be a conference in parliament between the lord house and the house of  Commons about a bill of accountant which come down from the lord to the  Commons which bill pray that the land of accountant whereof they be seize when  they enter upon their office may be liable to their arrear to the queen but  the Commons desire that the bill may not look back to the accountant that be  already but extend only to accountant hereafter but the lord treasurer say why  I pray yru if you have lose your purse by the way will you look forward or  will you look back the queen have lose her purse the lord keeper sir Nicholas  Bacon be ask his opinion by my lord of Leicester concern two person who the  queen seem to think well of by my troth my lord say he the one be a grave  counsellor the other be a proper young man and so he will be as long as he  life my lord of Leicester favourite to queen Elizabeth be make a large chase  about Cornbury park meaning to enclose it with post and rail and one day be  cast up his charge what it will come to mr goldingham a freespoken man stand  by and say to my lord methinks your lordship go not the cheap way to work why  goldingham lie my lord marry my lord say goldingham count you but upon the  post for the country will find you rail the lord keeper sir Nicholas Bacon be  ask his opinion by queen Elizabeth of one of these monopoly licence and he  answer madam will you have I speak the tuth freedom all lower to be we be all  the worse for licence my lord of Essex at the succour of Rboane make knight  which at that time be a great number diverse of those gentleman be of weak and  small mean which when queen Elizabeth hear she say my lord may have do well to  have build his nourishing house before he make his knight the deputy of the  reform religion after the massacre which be at parish upon saint Bartholomws  day treat with the king and queen mother and some other of the counsel for a  peace both side be agree upon the article the question be upon the security  for the performance after some particular propound and reject the queen moher  say why be not the word of a king sufficient security one of the deputy answer  no by saint Bartho omew madam there be a French gentleman speak with a English  of the law Saique that Wome be exclude from inherit the cown of France the  English say yes but that be mean of the woman themselves not of such male as  claim by woman the French gentleman say where do you find that gloss the  English answer I will tell you sir look on the back side of the record of the  law salic and there you shall find it endorse imply that there be no such  thing as the law salic but that t be a mere fiction a friar of France be in a  earnest dispute about the law salic will needs prove it by scripture cite that  verse of the gospel Lilia Agri non aborant nor nent the lily of the field do  neither labour nor spin apply it thus that the flower de luce of France can  descend neither to the dr staff nor to the spade that be not to woman nor to a  peasant when peace be renew wit the French in England diverse of that great  counsellor be present from thFrench with jewel the lord Henry Howard be then  earl of Northampon and a counselor be omit where upon the king say to he my  lord how happen it that you have not a Jew as well as the rest my lord answer  accord to the fable in Aesop no sum gallus and so non discover gentleman the  same earl of Northampton then lord privy seal be ask by kin James open at the  table where common he entertain the king with discourse the king ask he upon  the sudden my lord have you not a desire to see Rome my lord privy seal answer  yes indeed sir the king say and why my lord answer because if it please your  majesty it be the seat of the great Monarchy and the Sminar of the rave man of  the world while be heathn and then second becse afterward it be the son of so  many holy bishop in the primitive church most of they martyr the king will not  give over but say and for nothing else lord answer yes if it please your  majesty for two thing more the on to he who they say have so great a power  forgive other man their sin to confess own inn upon his knee before a Chapin  or priest and the other to hear Antirist say his creed sir Nicholas Bacon be  appoint a judge for the Northern circuit d have bring his trail that come  before he to such a pass as the pass sentence on malefactor he be by e of the  malefactor mighty imporned for to save his life which when othing that he have  say do avail he at ngh desire his mercy on the account kindred prithee say my  lord judge owe come that in why if it please you lord your name be Bacon and  be hog and in all age hog and Ban have be so near kindred that they e not to  be separate I but reply udg Bacon you and I can be kin except you behanged for  hog be notacon until it be well hang two scholar and a country man avelling  upon the road one night dged all in one inn and sup together where the scholar  think to have pu trick upon the country man which thus the school appoint for  super two pigeon and a fat Capo which be ready be bring up a they have set  down the one Scho take up one pigeon the other Scho take the other pigeon  think there that the country man shall have still until that they be ready for  t carve of the capon which he perceive take the capon and lie it on trencher  and thus say dainty cotrived every one a bird jack Robert be desire by h  tailor when the reckon grow some what high to have a bill of his hanRoberts  say I be content but you mu let no man know it when the Taylrought he the bill  he tear it as choler and say to he you use I n use I well you promise I no man  shou know it and here you have put in be know unto all man by these present  sir Walter Raleigh be wont say of the lady of queen Elizabeth privy Chamber  and bed Chamber that they be like witch they can do hurt but they can do no  good there be a minister deprive foe conformity who say to some of his iends  that if they deprive he it old cost a hundred man life the rty understand it  as be a turbulent low he will have move sedition d complain of he whereupon  beg convent and oppsed upon that eke he say his meaning be at if he lose his  benefice he will pract physic and then he think he shall a hundred man in time  secretary bourns son keep a Genemans wife in Shropshire who live they her  husband with he when he as weary of her he cause her husband be deal with to  take her home and fear he five hundred pound for reration the gentleman go to  sir Sidney to take his advice upon this tell he that his wife promise a new  life and to tell he truth hundred pound will come well be he and beside that  sometime e want a woman in his bed by my roth say sir Henry Sidney take her  and take the money then when as her Cucholds wear their horn plain you ay wear  you gild when Rabelais the great ester of rance lie on his death bed and they  give he the extreme unction a fa liar friend of his come to he afterwar and  ask he how he do Rabelais answer Even go my journey they grease my boot  already mr Bron lie solicitor give evidence for a deed which be impeaced to be  fraudulent be urge by Council on the other side with this prsumption that in  two former suit wh Title be make that deed be pass for in silence and some  other Apelles once stand upon mr justice Catii take in with that side ask the  Sollictor I pray thou mr solicitor let I a you a familiar question I have two  Gedings in my Stable I have diverse time business of importance and still I  sir forth one of my gelding and not the there will you not think I set he asid  for a jade no my lord say Bronle I will think you spare he for your oh Saddl  thals as he be look upon t star fall into the water whereupon be after say  that if he have look in the water he may have see the star look up to the star  he can not water a man and his wife in bed together she towards morning  pretend self to be ill at ease desire to lie on husband side so the good man  to ease her come over her make some word stay in his passage over where she d  not long lie but desire to lie in old place again quoth he how that be effect  she answer come I again I have rather say he go and a half about a thief be  arraign at the for steal a mare in his plead many thing in his own behalf and  last nothing avail he tell the nch the mare rather steal he than the mare  which in brief he thus reed that pass over several ground out his lawful  occasion he be pursue see by a fierce mastive dog and so be place to save  himself by leap over a edge which be of a agile body he ected and inleaping a  mare standg on the other side of the hedge leap on her back who run furious ay  with he he can not by any he stop her until he come to the next own in which  town the owner of the one live and there be he take and re arraign master  mason of Trinity college send his pupil to another of he Fello to borrow a  book of he who tell hii be loath to lend my book out of Chamber but if it  please thy tutor to and read upon it in my Chamber he she as long as he will  it be winter some day after the same fellow send master mason to borrow his  bellows master mason say to his pupil I loath to lend my bellows out of my  chaber but if thy tutor will come and the fire in my Chamber he shall as long  he will a notorious Roge be broug to the bar and know his case to desperate  instead of plead he take t himself the liberty of jest and thou say I charge  you in the king name seize and take away that man meanin the judge in the read  gown for I g in danger of my life because of he in Flanders by accident a  Flemis tiler fall from the top of a house upon Spaniard and kill he though he  escape himself the next of the blood prosecute his death with great violence  and when he be offer pecuniary re compence nothing will serve he buLex  tulionis whereupon the judge sai to he that if he do hem in that sentence must  be that he shall go up to the top of house and then fll down upon the iler