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Francis Bacon and his secret society - Grand Lodge of Colorado

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AND HIS SECRET SOCIETY. 153<br />

" I like well that Allen playeth the last act <strong>of</strong> <strong>his</strong> life so well<br />

but if <strong>his</strong> Majesty give way thus to amortize <strong>his</strong> tenures, <strong>his</strong><br />

courts <strong>of</strong> wards shall decay, which I had well hoped should<br />

improve.<br />

" But that which moveth me chiefly is, that <strong>his</strong> Majesty did<br />

now lately absolutely deny Sir Henry Savile for £200, <strong>and</strong> Sir<br />

Edwin S<strong>and</strong>ys for £100 to the perpetuating <strong>of</strong> two lectures, the<br />

one in Oxford, the other in Cambridge, foundations <strong>of</strong> singular<br />

honour to <strong>his</strong> Majesty (the best <strong>of</strong> learned kings), <strong>and</strong> <strong>of</strong> which<br />

there is a great want ; whereas hospitals abound, <strong>and</strong> beggars<br />

abound never a whit the less.<br />

" If <strong>his</strong> Majesty do like to pass the book at all yet if he would<br />

be pleased to abridge the<br />

;<br />

£800 to £500, <strong>and</strong> then give way to<br />

the other two books for the university, it were a princely work.<br />

And I make an humble suit to the King, <strong>and</strong> desire your lordship<br />

to join in it, that it mought be so. God ever preserve <strong>and</strong> prosper<br />

you.<br />

" Your lordship's most obliged friend<br />

" <strong>and</strong> faithful servant,<br />

" Fr. Verulam, Cane.<br />

" York House, t<strong>his</strong> 18th <strong>of</strong> August, 1616.<br />

Whether or no the money for the lectures at the university<br />

was granted by the King, deponents say not, but on June 21st,<br />

1619, <strong>Bacon</strong> affixed the great seal <strong>of</strong> Engl<strong>and</strong> to letters patent<br />

from James I. giving license to Edward Alleyn " to found <strong>and</strong><br />

establish a college in Dulwich, to endure <strong>and</strong> remain forever,<br />

<strong>and</strong> to be called The College <strong>of</strong> GocVs Gift in Dulwich, in the<br />

County <strong>of</strong> Surrey."<br />

On September 13th <strong>of</strong> the same year the college was completed,<br />

" <strong>and</strong> so, in the quaint words <strong>of</strong> Fuller " * — words which<br />

strangely echo those in <strong>Bacon</strong>'s letter to the Duke <strong>of</strong> Buckingham—<br />

" he -who out- acted others in <strong>his</strong> life, outdid himself before<br />

<strong>his</strong> death.<br />

Amongst the distinguished guests at the opening <strong>of</strong> the college<br />

<strong>Bacon</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>his</strong> friends are conspicuous.<br />

Alleyn gives a list<br />

<strong>of</strong> them, beginning with " The Lord Chancellor (<strong>Bacon</strong>), the<br />

Lord <strong>of</strong> Arondell, Lord Ciecill (Cecil), Sir John Howl<strong>and</strong>, High<br />

Shreve, <strong>and</strong> Inigo Jones, the King's Surveyor.<br />

Perhaps the latest, as it is the greatest tribute openly paid by<br />

1 Old <strong>and</strong> New London, vi. 298.

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