OFB II: Late Elizabethan Writings

Oxford Francis Bacon II:
Late Elizabethan Writings, 1597–1602

Ed. by Alan Stewart

Volume II completes Bacon’s Elizabethan writings, covering the period 1596 to 1602. In common with Volume I, it contains a number of anonymous writings, and a majority that circulated only in manuscript during Bacon’s lifetime. In this volume, however, we also encounter Bacon’s first printed writings: the 1597 edition of his Essaies, and government publications on the Edward Squire affair (published anonymously, 1598), and the fall of Robert Devereux, second earl of Essex (1601). Many of this volume’s items are related to Bacon’s vexed relationship with Essex, whom he advised, wrote for, and later prosecuted.

Contents

1 The humble motion and allegacions … concerninge certaine fees (c.1597) HMA
2 Maxims of the law (1597) ML
3 Short notes on civil conversation (n.d.) CC
4 Essaies (n.d.) E97
5 Meditationes sacræ (1597) MedS
6 De spe terrestri (by 1597) DST
7 Colours of good and evil (1597) CGE
8 Speech to the Commons on a motion of subsidy (1597) SpS
9 Advice to the earl of Essex (1597) AdE2
10 Third letter of advice to the earl of Essex (1598) AdE3
11 A letter written out of England (8 Dec. 1598) LWE
12 Helps to the intellectual powers … to Sir Henry Saville (1598) HIP
13 Advice to Essex before his going into Ireland (1599) AdE4
14 The proceedings of the Earl of Essex (1599) Pro
15 Reading on the statute of uses (Lent 1600) RSU
16 Two letters, as by Anthony Bacon and Essex (1600) TL
17 A declaration of the practises & treasons … of Essex (1601) DPT
18 Elegancies miscellany (22 Apr. 1601) EM
19 A direccion for the readeinge of histories with profitt (c.1601–2) DRH
20 The history of K. Henry 8, Edward, Mary and … Elizabeth (c.1602) KH8
21 Considerations touching the Queen’s service in Ireland (1602) CQS
22 Considerations touching the Queen’s service in Ireland (1602) CQS
23 A confession of faith (c.1602-3) ConF