His confidential advice to the King about calling a parliament was marked by his keen perception of the facts of the situation; it was marked too by his confident reliance on skilful indirect methods and trust in the look of things; it bears traces also of his bitter feeling against Salisbury, whom he charges with treacherously fomenting the opposition of the last Parliament.

There was no want of worldly wisdom in it; certainly it was more adapted to James's ideas of state-craft than the simpler plan of Sir Henry Nevill, that the King should throw himself frankly on the loyalty and good-will of Parliament.

And thus he came to be on easy terms with James, who was quite capable of understanding Bacon's resource and nimbleness of wit.

In the autumn of 1613 the Chief-Justiceship of the King's Bench became vacant.

Bacon at once gave the King reasons for sending Coke from the Common Pleas--where he was a check on the prerogative--to the King's Bench, where he could do less harm; while Hobart went to the Common Pleas.