Sir Francis Bacon Sir Francis Bacon was born January 22, 1561. He died April 9, 1626. He was an English essayist, lawyer, statesman, and philosopher . He had a major influence on the philosophy of science. When he was 12 years old, he began studies at Trinity College, Cambridge. In 1576 he entered Gray's Inn to pursue a career in law. He was first elected in 1584. Bacon's opposition to royal tax measures would probably have brought an end to his political advancement, but he had the support of the Earl of Essex, whose prosecution for treason he later managed. He was knighted in 1603 after the