From this date James passed from government by a minister, who, whatever may have been his faults, was laborious, public-spirited, and a statesman, into his own keeping and into the hands of favourites, who cared only for themselves.
With Cecil ceased the traditions of the days of Elizabeth and Burghley, in many ways evil and cruel traditions, but not ignoble and sordid ones; and James was left without the stay, and also without the check, which Cecil's power had been to him.

The field was open for new men and new ways; the fashions and ideas of the time had altered during the last ten years, and those of the Queen's days had gone out of date.

Would the new turn out for the better or the worse?
Bacon, at any rate, saw the significance of the change and the critical eventfulness of the moment.
It was his habit of old to send memorials of advice to the heads of the Government, apparently without such suggestions seeming more intrusive or officious than a leading article seems now, and perhaps with much the same effect.

It was now a time to do so, if ever; and he was in an official relation to the King which entitled him to proffer advice.

He at once prepared to lay his thoughts before the King, and to suggest that he could do far better service than Cecil, and was ready to take his place.