in Paris. Having returned to England and entered Gray's Inn, he
was called to the bar in 1533, and four years later began his public life
as solicitor of the court of augmentations. Quickly becoming a person of
importance he obtained a number of estates, principally in the eastern
counties, after the dissolution of the monasteries, and in 1545 became
member of parliament for Dartmouth. In 1546 he was made attorney of the
court of wards and liveries, an office of both honour and profit; in 1550
became a bencher and in 1552 treasurer of Gray's Inn. Although his
sympathies were with the Protestants, he retained his office in the court
of wards during Mary's reign, but an order was issued to prevent him from
leaving England. The important period in Bacon's life began with the
accession of Elizabeth in 1558. Owing largely to his long and close
friendship with Sir William Cecil, afterwards Lord Burghley, his
brother-in-law, he was appointed lord keeper of the great seal in December
of this year, and was soon afterwards made a privy councillor and a knight.
He was instrumental in securing the archbishopric of Canterbury for his
friend Matthew Parker, and in his official capacity presided over the House
of Lords when Elizabeth opened her first parliament. In opposition to
Cecil, he objected to the policy of making war on France in the interests
of the enemies of Mary queen of Scots, on the ground of the poverty of
England; but afterwards favoured a closer union with foreign Protestants,
and seemed quite alive to the danger to his country from the allied and
aggressive religious policy of France and Scotland. In 1559 he was
authorized to exercise the full jurisdiction of lord chancellor. In 1564 he
fell temporarily into the royal disfavour and was dismissed from court,
because Elizabeth suspected he was concerned in the publication of a
pamphlet, "A Declaration of the Succession of the Crowne Imperiall of
Ingland," written by John Hales (_q.v._), and favouring the claim of Lady
Catherine Grey to the English throne. Bacon's innocence having been
admitted he was restored to favour, and replied to a writing by Sir Anthony
Browne, who had again asserted the rights of the house of Suffolk to which
Lady Catherine belonged. He thoroughly distrusted Mary queen of Scots;
objected to the proposal to marry her to the duke of Norfolk; and warned
Elizabeth that serious consequences for England would follow her
restoration. He seems to have disl