4, in which he sat for the University of
Cambridge, he did his best to reconcile what were fast becoming
irreconcilable, the claims and prerogatives of an absolute king,
irritable, suspicious, exacting, prodigal, with the ancient rights and
liberties, growing stronger in their demands by being denied, resisted,
or outwitted, of the popular element in the State. In the trials, which
are so large and disagreeable a part of the history of these
years--trials arising out of violent words provoked by the violent acts
of power, one of which, Peacham's, became famous, because in the course
of it torture was resorted to, or trials which witnessed to the
corruption of the high society of the day, like the astounding series of
arraignments and condemnations following on the discoveries relating to
Overbury's murder, which had happened just before the Somerset
marriage--Bacon had to make the best that he could for the cruel and
often unequal policy of the Court; and Bacon must take his share in the
responsibility for it. An effort on James's part to stop duelling
brought from Bacon a worthier piece of service, in the shape of an
earnest and elaborate argument against it, full of good sense and good
feeling, but hopelessly in advance of the time. On the many questions
which touched the prerogative, James found in his Attorney a ready and
skilful advocate of his claims, who knew no limit to them but in the
consideration of what was safe and prudent to assert. He was a better
and more statesmanlike counsellor, in his unceasing endeavours to
reconcile James to the expediency of establishing solid and good
relations with his Parliament, and in his advice as to the wise and
hopeful ways of dealing with it. Bacon had no sympathy with popular
wants and claims; of popularity, of all that was called popular, he had
the deepest suspicion and dislike; the opinions and the judgment of
average men he despised, as a thinker, a politician, and a courtier; the
"malignity of the people" he thought great. "I do not love," he says,
"the word _people_." But he had a high idea of what was worthy of a
king, and was due to the public interests, and he saw the folly of the
petty acts and haughty words, the use of which James could not resist.
In his new office he once more urged on, and urged in vain, his
favourite project for revising, simplifying, and codifying the law. This
was a project which would find little favour with Coke, and the crowd of
lawyers