OFB III: Earlier Jacobean Writings

Oxford Francis Bacon III:
Earlier Jacobean Writings, 1603-1612

Edited by R. W. Serjeantson and Angus Vine

Volume III will contain the full range of Bacon’s non-philosophical writings between 1603 to 1613. It begins with the accession of King James VI of Scotland to the crowns of England and Ireland in March 1603, and it concludes with Bacon’s appointment as Attorney-General in October 1613. The Jacobean project for the Union of the Crowns shaped much of Bacon’s professional life during this period, and a good number of the works in the volume relate to this, including the Brief Discourse Touching the Happy Union of the Kingdoms of England and Scotland (1603); his opening speech on behalf of the crown in Calvin’s Case (1608); his political treatise on Of the True Greatness of Britain (by 1608); and the Certain Considerations Touching the Plantation in Ireland (1609). More generally, the volume documents Bacon’s involvement in the various Parliaments of the period, his work as Solicitor-General (1607–1613), and the enlargement of his Essays for the enlarged second edition that appeared in 1612. Volume III also includes the Commentarius solutus (1608), Bacon’s audit of his affairs following his appointment as clerk of Star Chamber, and his biography of Queen Elizabeth I, In felicem memoriam Elizabethae (1608/9).

Contents

1 [On the King’s prerogative] (from 1603) [OKP]
2 A proclamation drawn for his Majesty’s first coming in (Apr./May 1603) PrC
3 A brief discourse touching the happy union of the kingdoms (May/June 1603) DUK
4 Certain considerations touching … the Church of England (Aug.–Oct. 1603) CBP
5 Apology in certain imputations concerning the late earl of Essex (late 1603) ACI
6 Obiections against the change of the name of England (25 Apr. 1604) OCN1
7 Of the title of Great Britain (1604?) OTGB
8 Objections against the change of name or style of England and Scotland (27 Apr. 1604) OCN2
9 Speech touching purveyors (27 Apr. 1604) SpP
10 An acte for the better grounding of a further union (?May 1604) AFU
11 Certain articles touching the union (Summer 1604) CAU
12 A draught of a proclamation touching his Majesties style (by Oct. 1604) PrS
13 A kallender of the lawes … of hostillitie (Nov. 1604) KLH
14 The certificate or return of the Commissioners (by Dec. 1604) CRC
15 The examination of John Drake (6 Nov. 1605) ExD
16 Arguments against the bill of sheets (1606) ArBS
17 Speech concerning the article of naturalization (17 Feb. 1607) SpN
18 Speech concerning the union of laws (28 Mar. 1607) SpL
19 A preparation for the union of lawes (by 1608) PUL
20 A report … att a conference concerning the peticion of the marchantes (17 June 1607) RPM
21 A proclamation for jurors (by 5 Oct. 1607) PrJ
22 A proclamation touching the Marches (between 1607–8) PrM
23 Argument in maintaining the jurisdiction of the Council of the Marches (Apr. or Nov. 1608) ArCM
24 Reply to the arguments of the serjeants (1607?) RAS
25 Argument in the case of the post-nati (1608) ArPN
26 Letter to the King upon presenting papers concerning the post-nati (28 Nov. 1608) LKPN
27 Cases of the King’s prerogative (c.1608?) CKP
28 An answer to the questions … touching the office of constable (1608) OC
29 The certificate to his majesty touching the projects of Sir Stephen Proctor (summer 1608?) CPP
30 Of the true greatness of Britain (between 1603–8) TGB
31 Imago civilis Julii Cæsaris (by c.1608) IJC
32 Imago civilis Augustæ Cæsaris (by c.1608) IAC
33 Answers to the questions sent from Ireland (c.1608) AQI
34 Dispute between the King’s Bench and the Court of Wales (1606) DCW
35 Report on a speech in Parliament (25 Nov. 1606) RSp06
36 A view of the differences in question betwixt the king’s bench and the Council in the Marches (by June 1606) VDQ
37 Report of the conference with the Lords (2 Mar. 1607) RCL
38 Report of the first dayes conference (28 Feb. 1607) RFC
39 Collections out of the bookes receaved from the earle of Salisbury (by 1612) CBES
40 Inter Banc. Reg. et Cur. March. Wall. (c.1606–8?) IBR
41 Commentarius solutus sive pandecta, sive ancilla memoriæ (July 1608) CS
42 A proclamation for buildings (25 July 1608) PrB
43 In felicem memoriam Elizabethæ (by 1609) FME
44 A letter to the king, upon presenting the discourse, touching Ireland (Jan. 1609) LKI
45 Certaine considerations touching the plantation in Ireland (Jan. 1609) CPI
46 Laws concerninge the transportation of gold and silver (c.1609?) TGS
47 A speech unto the Lords for wards and tenures (8 Mar. 1610) SpWT
48 Speech on receiving the King’s messages (1610) SpKM
49 Argument proving the King’s right of impositions (June/July 1610) ArRI
50 Speech to the King presenting the Commons’ grievances (3 July 1610) SpCG
51 Speech persuading supply (23 Nov. 1610) SpPS
52 Letter to the King upon sending him a beginning of a history of his time (c.1610/11) LKH
53 History of Great Britain (c.1610) HGB
54 Advice to the King touching Sutton’s estate (c. Jan. 1612) AdKS
55 A certificate touching the scarcity of silver at the Mint (Feb. 1612) CSS
56 Charge upon the commission of oyer and determiner for the verge (1611/12) ChV
57 A frame of declaration for the Master of the Wards (June 1612) FMW
58 Speech at the arraignment of Lord Sanquer (27 June 1612) SpA
59 My Ladie Shrewsburies cause touching Arbella Stuart (1612) ChS
60 Letter to the King regarding the commissions concerning aid (Aug. 1612) LKC
61 Instructions to the commissions concerning aid (Aug. 1612) ICA
62 Reasons to remove Coke to be Chief Justice (1613) RRC
63 Account of the committees for repair of the King’s estate (Aug. 1612) ACRE
64 Proposition concerning the augmentation of the King’s revenue (Aug. 1612) PAR
65 The Lord Chancellor and Lord Privy Seal to the King (21 Oct. 1612) LCK
66 About the oath of allegiance (12 Oct. 1613) AOA
67 Letter Dedicatory to Prince Henry (Oct. 1612) E12(ded)
68 Letter to Prince Henry (1612) LPH
69 Letter to Prince Henry (1612) LPH
70 Essayes (Harleian MS) (1612) EsH
71 Essaies (1612) (c. Oct. 1612) EsH
72 Of seditions and troubles (by c. 1614) Sed
73 An essay of fame EsF(MS)
74 Of the true greatnes of kingdomes and states (between 1612–25) TGKS
75 [On the Sutton Hospital Case] (1612) [SHC]
76 In Henricem principem Walliæ elogium (1613) HPWE
77 Act in Council concerning Whitelocke and Mansel (12 June 1613) ACWM
78 The charge of Mr Whitlocke (June 1613) ChW
79 [Proclamation on Gold and Silver] (1612) PrGS
80 [Proclamation on Farthings] (1613) PrFa
81 [Proclamation on John Cotton] (1613) PrJC
82 [Proclamation on Felts] (1613) PrFe
83 [Proclamation on Cloth] (1613) PrCI
84 Two prayers TP
85 Breviate of Irish business (2 July 1613) BIB