Sir Nicholas Bacon,
Statesman,
The second son of Robert Bacon, of Drinkstone, Suffolk, was born at Chislehurst in 1509. Though a Kentish man by birth, therefore, he did not belong to a Kentish family, both his father and mother being of Suffolk. Neither does he seem to have lived long in the county, for he was educated at the school at Bury, subsequently at Cambridge, and finally at Gray's Inn. It is something, however, to say that a man so illustrious in himself, and so much more so in the reflected glory of his greater son, the famous Lord Chancellor and philosopher, should have seen the light and spent his nursery days in the county. Whilst at the University he became acquainted with William Cecil, Lord Burghley, and Matthew Parker, afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury. Later he became known to Cranmer, who recommended him to Cromwell. In 1537 he received his first appointment as solicitor to the Court of Augmentation, and his first employment was in connection with the distribution of the property of the dissolved monasteries. In 1550 he became a bencher of Gray's Inn. Under Mary he retained his offices, and on the accession of Elizabeth his promotion was rapid. In 1558 he became keeper of the Great Seal, was knighted and admitted to the Privy Council. In 1559 he was authorised to hear causes in Chancery, and to exercise the full jurisdiction of Lord Chancellor. From this time on he took a leading part in all public affairs, particulars of which may be found in the histories of his time. In 1563 be built his famous house at Gorhambury, where he entertained Queen Elizabeth. He died at his residence, York Souse, in London, 20th February, 1578-9, and was buried in St. Paul's. He was twice married, and the celebrated Francis Bacon, afterwards Viscount St. Albans, was his second son by his second wife, Ann, daughter of Sir Anthony Cooke.
[Full particulars of Sir Nicholas's career may be found in most biographical collections. See "Froude's History" "Foss's Judges of England" "Dictionary of National Biography" and, for his connection with Kent, see "Archæologia Cantiana" vol. 13.]
There is a portrait of Nicholas Bacon by Zucchero in the collection of the Duke of Bedford, at Woburn Abbey, copied in "Lodge's Portraits," vol. 2.