received a gift of a fine of L1200 on one of Essex’s accomplices.  The accession of James VI. in 1603 gave a favourable turn to his fortunes:  he was knighted, and endeavoured to set himself right with the new powers by writing his Apologie (defence) of his proceedings in the case of Essex, who had favoured the succession of James.  In the first Parliament of the new king he sat for St. Alban’s, and was appointed a Commissioner for Union with Scotland.  In 1605 he pub. The Advancement of Learning, dedicated, with fulsome flattery, to the king.  The following year he married Alice Barnham, the dau. of a London merchant, and in 1607 he was made Solicitor-General, and wrote Cogita et Visa, a first sketch of the Novum Organum, followed in 1609 by The Wisdom of the Ancients.  Meanwhile (in 1608), he had entered upon the Clerkship of the Star Chamber, and was in the enjoyment of a large income; but old debts and present extravagance kept him embarrassed, and he endeavoured to obtain further promotion and wealth by supporting the king in his arbitrary policy.  In 1613 he became Attorney-General, and in this capacity prosecuted Somerset in 1616.  The year 1618 saw him Lord Keeper, and the next Lord Chancellor and Baron Verulam, a title which, in 1621, he exchanged for that of Viscount St. Albans.  Meanwhile he had written the New Atlantis, a political romance, and in 1620 he presented to the king the Novum Organum, on which he had been engaged for 30 years, and which ultimately formed the main part of the Instauratio Magna.  In his great office B. showed a failure of character in striking contrast with the majesty of his intellect.  He was corrupt alike politically and judicially, and now the hour of retribution arrived.  In 1621 a Parliamentary Committee on the administration of the law charged him with corruption under 23 counts; and so clear was the evidence that he made no attempt at defence.  To the lords, who sent a committee to inquire whether the confession was really his, he replied, “My lords, it is my act, my hand, and my heart; I beseech your lordships to be merciful to a broken reed.”  He was sentenced to a fine of L40,000, remitted by the king, to be committed to the Tower during the king’s pleasure (which was that he should be released in a few days), and to be incapable of holding office or sitting in parliament.  He narrowly escaped being deprived of his titles.  Thenceforth he devoted himself to study and writing.  In 1622 appeared his History of Henry VII., and the 3rd part of the Instauratio; in 1623, History of Life and Death, the De Augmentis Scientarum, a Latin translation of the Advancement, and in 1625 the 3rd edition of the Essays, now 58 in number.  He also pub. Apophthegms, and a translation of some of the Psalms.  His life was now approaching its close.  In March, 1626, he came to London, and shortly after, when driving