d all things
considered, it is not amiss, and might easily have been worse."

In all this, which would have been perfectly natural from an
Attorney-General of the time, Bacon saw but his duty, even as a judge
between the Crown and the subject. It was what was expected of those
whom the King chose to employ, and whom Buckingham chose to favour. But
a worse and more cruel case, illustrating the system which a man like
Bacon could think reasonable and honourable, was the disgrace and
punishment of Yelverton, the Attorney-General, the man who had stood by
Bacon, and in his defence had faced Buckingham, knowing well
Buckingham's dislike of himself, when all the Court turned against Bacon
in his quarrel with Coke and Lady Compton. Towards the end of the year
1620, on the eve of a probable meeting of Parliament, there was great
questioning about what was to be done about certain patents and
monopolies--monopolies for making gold and silk thread, and for
licensing inns and ale-houses--which were in the hands of Buckingham's
brothers and their agents. The monopolies were very unpopular; there was
always doubt as to their legality; they were enforced oppressively and
vexatiously by men like Michell and Mompesson, who acted for the
Villiers; and the profits of them went, for the most part, not into the
Exchequer, but into the pockets of the hangers-on of Buckingham. Bacon
defended them both in law and policy, and his defence is thought by Mr.
Gardiner to be not without grounds; but he saw the danger of obstinacy
in maintaining what had become so hateful in the country, and strongly
recommended that the more indefensible and unpopular patents should be
spontaneously given up, the more so as they were of "no great fruit."
But Buckingham's insolent perversity "refused to be convinced." The
Council, when the question was before them, decided to maintain them.
Bacon, who had rightly voted in the minority, thus explains his own vote
to Buckingham: "The King did wisely put it upon and consult, whether the
patents were at this time to be removed by Act of Council before
Parliament. _I opined (but yet somewhat like Ovid's mistress, that
strove, but yet as one that would be overcome), that yes!_" But in the
various disputes which had arisen about them, Yelverton had shown that
he very much disliked the business of defending monopolies, and sending
London citizens to jail for infringing them. He did it, but he did it
grudgingly. It was a gre