View source for Copy of speeches made by Sir Nicholas Bacon before Parliament, the Star Chamber and elsewhere, ca. 1600, V.a.143

This article features a transcription of a [[Folger Shakespeare Library]] [[Manuscripts (disambiguation)|manuscript]], Copy of speeches made by Sir Nicholas Bacon before Parliament, the Star Chamber and elsewhere, [http://hamnet.folger.edu/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=233052 V.a.143], (ca.1600) featured in the ''[[Age of Lawyers]]''  Exhibition, September 12, 2015-January 3, 2016.

Sir Nicholas Bacon was Queen Elizabeth's Lord Keeper of the Great Seal, the title given to a commoner who was granted the office of Lord Chancellor. In this speech in 1565, he speaks harshly to the justices of the peace—in town for a parliamentary session—for failing to have those convicted of lesser offenses whipped. Whipping a man for vagrancy is merciful, he argues, if it turns him away from worse crimes for which he would be hanged.

== Transcription ==
Below is a semi-diplomatic transcription of page 66 of Folger manuscript V.a.143. The transcription below was created by the [[Early Modern Manuscripts Online (EMMO)]] project. To access an image of the original leaf, click on each transcription's heading.

=== [http://luna.folger.edu/luna/servlet/s/6lp1c3 V.a.143, page 66] ===
Maiestie most gratiously hath taken order for ''the'' reforming 

of this in her owne housholde, and amounge such as attend 

vppon her owne person. The nobles and councellors hath 

promysed to see it kepte in their famylies, now yf you shold 

suffer this lawe to be broken by any within your chardge,

then might it be saide, that neyther example nor lawe can 

make you doe your dutye, and that were not sufferable. / 

And thus much towchinge the statute of apparrell. / And 

as to the statute concerninge vacabondes.Who is soe blinde 

that seeth not how by the not executing of the Lawes, Idlenes 

the mother of all mischief is bredd, brought foorth, nourished & 

maynteyned. Of this Roote springeth all manner of vice & disorder. 

Of this foundacon bee the doinge of all ill men for the most p''ar''te 

founded. But here some perchance will saye that it is a 

pittifull thinge to see (whipping the honor of this p''re''sence saved) 

meete for dogges by the appointment of this lawe imposed 

vppon men. I for my part am very sorye to see a man whipped 

but yet more sorye to see a man hanged, yea if by whipping 

hanging might be taken awaie, then were it a great cruelty 

not to whipp. Were it not much better trow you to see a 

man whipped and therby vnhanged, then hanged because he 

was vnwhipped. I am sorye to use theise termes but that the

matter requireth them. Butt to retorne yf you sawe as 

I doe every haulf yeare the number of men that bee within 

this Realme putt to death for Robberyes and other fellonyes 

wherof in my Iudgm''ent'' the one haulf should bee saved alyve, 

if theise true lawes of apparrell & vacabond''es'' weare well 

executed Then I am sure you would not saye that it were 

pittye by suche paynes to execute them, but greate Crueltye 

not to execute them. And besides this many a mans lif 

shoulde be saved by this, you should also by this meane bee 

better provided of all sort''es'' of laborers then you now are. And 

those that you allready have sholde be better ordered w''hi''ch is noe 

small matter. And thus much for the statute of vacabond''es''./ 

Then followes next the statute against all false rumors & tales, 

A matter at the firste sight seeminge of small momentt, but indeed 

to them

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