Francis Bacon Biography

Francis Bacon was a legendary English statesman and philosopher. Go through this biography to know
more about his childhood and life.

Quick Facts
Famous as Philosopher
Nationality British
Born on 22 January 1561 AD
Zodiac Sign Aquarius
Born in Strand, London, England
Died on 09 April 1626 AD
Place of death Highgate, London, England
Father Sir Nicholas Bacon
Mother Anne (Cooke) Bacon
Siblings Anthony Bacon
Spouse Alice Barnham (m. 1606–1625)
Education Trinity College, Cambridge, University of Poitiers,
University of Cambridge
Works & Achievements Certain Considerations Touching the Better
Pacification and Edification of the Church of
England (1604), Valerius Terminus of the
Interpretation of Nature (wr.1604), The
Proficience and Advancement of Learning (1605),
The Charge of Sir Francis Bacon, Knight, the
King's Attorney-General, Touching Duels (1614),
Novum Organum (1620), The Translation of
Certain Psalms (1625), The New Atlantis
(wr.1624,pub. 1626), Sylva Sylvarum (1627) and
Scripta in naturali et universali philosophia (pub.
1653)

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Francis Bacon was a legendary English philosopher, scientist, lawyer, author, statesman, jurist and
father of the scientific methods. He was one of the most influential personalities in natural philosophy
and was also a key thinker to develop new scientific methodologies. He served both as Attorney General
as well as Lord Chancellor of England. Leaving apart the disgraceful ending of his political career,
throughout his life, Bacon continued to be quite an influential politician because of his work, specifically
as philosophical advocate and practitioner of the scientific method and pioneer in the scientific
revolution. He has been known as the “Father of Empiricism”. Francis Bacon’s work led and
popularized inductive methodologies for scientific inquiry. These methodologies are also often denoted
as Baconian method. The rhetorical and theoretical composition for science faced a new turn as a result
of the Bacon’s appeal for a planned procedure of investigating all things natural, most of which still
encircle ideas of proper methodology even today.

Early Life

Francis Bacon was born on January 22, 1561 at York House near the Strand in London. He was born to
Sir Nicholas Bacon and his second wife Anne (Cooke) Bacon. His mother was the daughter of great
humanist Anthony Cooke. It is believed that junior Bacon received education at home only, in the
starting years of his life due to bad health. He received tuitions from John Walsall who was a graduate of
Oxford with a strong bending towards Puritanism. On April 5, 1573, Bacon gained admission in Trinity
College, Cambridge at the age of 12. He lived there for three years with his older brother, Anthony
under the personal guardianship of Dr John Whitgift, future Archbishop of Canterbury.

Young Bacon was taught mainly in Latin followed by the medieval curriculum. He went on to get
education from the University of Poitiers. At the Cambridge, he met Queen Elizabeth, who was
influenced by his exceptionally smart intellect called him "the young Lord Keeper". Bacon’s studies
guarded him to the belief that the methods and results of science as practiced then were completely

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wrong. His high opinion for Aristotle conflicted with his strong disliking of Aristotelian philosophy. He
took the Aristotelian philosophy as unprofitable, argumentative and incorrect in its objective. He and his
brother, Anthony entered de societate magistrorum at Gray's Inn on 27th June, 1576. After some months,
Bacon went abroad with Sir Amias Paulet, the English ambassador at Paris. His brother continued
studying at home only.

In France, the state of government and society under Henry III gave Bacon valuable political
instructions. Following three years, Bacon visited Blois, Poitiers, Tours, Italy and Spain. He studied
languages, statecraft, and civil law while accomplishing routine diplomatic tasks. He also delivered
diplomatic letters to England for Walsingham, Burghley, and Leicester and for the queen as well. In
1579, Bacon’s father died suddenly inducing him to return to England. Sir Nicholas arranged a nice
amount of money to buy an estate for his youngest son but died before the same. Francis got only a fifth
of that sum of money thereafter. As Bacon had taken loan, he went bankrupt. He, then, in 1579,
accommodated his residence in law at Gray’s Inn.

Parliamentarian

The three chief goals of Bacon were to uncover truth, to serve his country, and to serve his church.
Bacon looked further to these by attempting to get a prestigious post. He also applied for a post in the
court through his uncle; Lord Burghley in 1580 which he believed would allow him to pursue a life of
learning but his application was rejected. Following two years, he worked at Gray’s Inn, only to be
admitted as an outer barrister in 1582. He took his seat in the parliament for Melcombe in Dorset in
1584 and afterwards for Taunton in 1586. This was the time when Bacon started writing on the
condition of church parties and also on the topic of philosophical reform in the lost tract, Temporis
Partus Maximus.

Even after working for long, Bacon did not succeed in acquiring the position he desired for that would
lead him great success. He exhibited signs of sympathy to Puritanism by attending the sermons of the
Puritan chaplain of Gray's Inn. He also accompanied his mother to the chapel to hear Walter Travers. As
a result, his earliest surviving track got published which criticized the English church's suppression of
the Puritan clergy. In the year 1586, Bacon openly disapproved the execution of queen of Scots, Mary.
Due to his increasing progress at the bar, Bacon contacted his uncle for help. The same year, he became
Bencher and was chosen as a reader in 1587. He delivered his first lecture in Lent the very next year.
Bacon accepted the valuable appointment of reversion to the Clerkship of the Star Chamber in 1589,
though he took to office formally only in 1608.

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Later Life

Francis Bacon acquainted with Robert Devereux who was 2nd Earl of Essex and favorite of Queen
Elizabeth and by 1591, became the earl's confidential adviser. The following year, Bacon was authorized
to write a tract in response to the Jesuit Robert Parson's anti-government polemic, which he gave the
headline as “Certain Observations Made Upon A Libel”, recognizing England with the ideals of
democratic Athens opposite of the belligerence of Spain. In February 1593, Queen Elizabeth called
parliament to investigate a Roman Catholic plot against her. His opposition to a bill that would impose
triple allowance in half of the normal time was repelled by a lot of people. He was blamed as a
popularity seeker by the opponents and was expelled by the royal court for some time.

Year 1594 and 1595 did not bring much of good news for Bacon as he meted with failure. First, in 1594,
he failed to bag the Attorney-Generalship seat that had gone vacant. Next in 1595, he failed to save the
lesser office of Solicitor-General. Even Lord Essex also could not use much of his power and influence
on both the occasions. In 1596, Bacon was appointed as the Queen's Counsel. During this phase,
Bacon’s financial position remained dubious. The effort of his friends to find him a public office also
seemed to go in vain as they couldn’t find any. Also, his strategy for recovering his lost position by
marrying a rich and young widow Lady Elizabeth Hatton failed, when she broke off with him and
married a wealthier man. As such, in 1598, Bacon was arrested for debt.

However, slowly but steadily, his image in the eyes of Queen improved, as he grabbed himself a place in
the standing of the learned counsels, though without any salary, commission or warranty. He further
raised his image in the Queen’s eye by making a clever move by detaching ties with Robert Devereux,
2nd Earl of Essex as he was executed in 1601 for treason. Also, Bacon with the team was asked to
investigate all the charges against Essex. Bacon was a member of the legal team at Essex's treason trial
led by Attorney General, Sir Edward Coke. Post execution, Bacon was appointed to write the official
government account of the trial by the Queen. These accounts were published as ‘A Declaration of the
Practices and Treasons’. However, the first draft presented by the Bacon was edited by the Queen and
her ministers up to a great extent.

Meeting James I

When James I came to the power, he brought great favors for Bacon, for the latter was knighted in 1603.

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Bacon also did another clever move by writing an apology in consideration of his proceedings in Essex
case. This was mainly because Essex played a major role in letting James come to power. At last, Bacon
was given an office of Solicitor-General in June 1607. The next year, he started working as the
Clerkship of the Star Chamber and had a good income. But still because of his old debts, he remained
indebted. Bacon continued to support King James and his absolute policies to grab promotion and
wealth. The forth session of James’s firstparliament took place in 1610. Not heeding Bacon’s advice,
James and the Commons discovered themselves at odds over royal prerogatives.

The parliament dissolved in February 1611. All through this time, Bacon remained in the favor of the
King and also retained the confidence of the Commons. Bacon was appointed as Attorney General, after
he gave advice to the King on the shuffling of judicial appointments in 1613. In the April of 1614, the
“Prince's Parliament" raised questions on Bacon’s presence in the Cambridge seat and all the royal plans
supported by him. Therefore a law came into being that prohibited Attorney General to sit in parliament.
In 1616, after becoming the Attorney General, he prosecuted Somerset. Most of his peers were jealous
and angry of him seeing his closeness with the King. But King remained in the influence of Bacon and
in March 1617, he was appointed as the temporary Regent of England and subsequently as Lord
Chancellor in 1618.

As A Lord Chancellor

The image of Bacon among public ended disgracefully in 1621. He again fell into debts and a
parliamentary committee on the administration of the law charged Bacon with twenty-three separate
counts of corruption. Later, Bacon was sentenced with a fine of £40,000. The punishment was remitted
by King and Tower of London committee. Bacon was imprisoned just for few days only. Thereafter, the
parliament declared him inadequate for holding future office. Bacon escaped from the eyes of people
and indulged in study and writing.

Personal Life

Bacon was courting a young widow Elizabeth Hatton but she broke up with him and accepted marriage
to a wealthier man- Edward Coke. Later at 45, Bacon married Alice Barnham. She was the daughter of a
London MP. Bacon also wrote two poems expressing his love towards Alice, first during his courtship
and second on their wedding anniversary on May 10, 1606. But their relationship turned dicey when
Bacon fell into debts. Later, Bacon decided to stay away from her, as she was in a secret relationship
with John Underhill. Also, Bacon rewrote his will and took back all his wealth from her. Many people

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also speculated that despite his marriage, he was attracted towards the same sex. Examples were also set
of the King-Bacon relationship.

Death

On April 9 1629, Francis Bacon died at Arundel mansion at Highgate outside London due to severe
pneumonia. John Aubrey gave a brief description on the account of his death. It is said they were
experimenting some scientific method by using snow for preserving meat. Bacon went to poor lady’s
home at the Highgate hill. He brought fowl from there after asking woman to clean the same. Then he
stuffed fowl with lots of snow but developed dangerous disease, pneumonia. During the process, he felt
so ill that he was unable to get well again. Rather he went to the Earle of Arundel's house at Highgate
where he was put into a damp cloth. Due to the cold, he died of suffocation. At Bacon’s funeral, 30
great minds praised him a lot, which were later published as a collection in Latin.

Quotes By Francis Bacon

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