Elizabeth by Philippa Jones Page B

against the Cecils, that:
    … from your servants, from your Lady, from some counsellors that hath served you in my business, he knew you wrought underhand against me … as I reject this report, though the strangeness of my case might make me credulous, so I admit a conceit that the last messenger my Lord and yourself used dealt ill with your Honours … for I am not ignorant of those little arts. Therefore I pray, trust not him again in my matter. 12
    Francis’s letter managed to accuse Cecil of working against him, while insisting he gave such rumours no credence. In terms of his Court ambitions, he told Fulke Greville that he felt like ‘… a child following a bird, who when he is nearest flieth away and lighteth a little before, and then the child after it again, and so on ad infinitum …’ 13
    In October 1595, the new Solicitor General was appointed – not Francis but Sergeant-at-Law Fleming, soon to be Sir Thomas Fleming. An experienced and much admired lawyer, Fleming already had some influence at Court since his wife’s father, DrMark James, was the Queen’s personal physician. Fleming was later confirmed in his post in 1603 by Elizabeth’s successor, James I, and was knighted a year later. He would go on to become Lord Chief Justice of England in 1607.
    At the time, Francis must have been devastated. Devereux, on the other hand, was furious. Years later when Francis wrote his recollection of the events, he recalled Devereux’s response: ‘Master Bacon, the Queen hath denied me yon place for you … you fare ill because you have chosen me for your mean and dependence; you have spent your time and thoughts in my matters; I die (these were his very words) if I do not somewhat towards your fortune; you shall not deny to accept a piece of land which I will bestow upon you.’ 14
    After some persuasion, Francis agreed to accept the gift, telling Devereux that he would be faithful to him all his life in acknowledgement of what he owed him, and, should he ever become rich, he would give the equal value of this gift to one of Devereux’s supporters who was likewise in need. He would be his ‘homager’, his liegeman, in return for the £1,000 that he was able to sell the land for.
    In the same year, Anthony Bacon left his brother’s lodgings in Gray’s Inn and moved into Essex House, the home and base of Devereux, who by this time was building up a powerful group of nobles and was starting to disobey the Queen. Anthony acted as Devereux’s secretary and ran his personal intelligence service, using his European experience and contacts to help him. He translated foreign communications, surveyed maps and invented and broke codes. Essex House also became a centre for Devereux’s literary friends, who included Francis Bacon. Under Devereux’s patronage, many talented poets, scholars, writers and artists of the time were given a place to meet, work and exchange ideas.
    As the century came to a close, Devereux was heading slowlyand inexorably towards disaster, though. In 1596, intelligence reported a Spanish fleet, a second Armada, massing at Cadiz. Sir Francis Drake had died at Porto Bello in the Caribbean and the fleet was now led by Lord Howard of Effingham (Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Nottingham). Devereux, Sir Thomas Howard and Sir Walter Raleigh served under him. The force succeeded beyond even its own wildest dreams, successfully taking Cadiz in the process. The Queen’s orders had been that they should destroy the fleet and return home since she had no need of a conquered Spanish city to garrison, provision and defend. While her officers agreed with her orders, Devereux protested, to no avail, and as they headed back to England, his suggestion that they remain at sea and try to intercept the treasure fleet due in from the West Indies was also ignored.
    When the fleet arrived back, Devereux found himself held up as a hero to the people, but he received a different response from the Queen, who was angry with