, a strenuous champion for repub-lican government, who set up Marcus
, a strenuous champion for repub-lican government, who set up Marcus Brutus for his pattern, and died like him in the cause of liberty, was second
son of Robert, earl of Leicester, by Dorothy, eldest daughter of Henry Percy, earl of Northumberland; and was born
about 1617, or as some say, 1622. Of his education, and
how he spent the younger part of his life, we know little.
It appears that his father, when he went as ambassador to
Denmark in 1632, took him with him, when a mere boy,
and again in 1636, when he went as ambassador to France.
During the rebellion he adhered to the interest of the parliament, in whose army he was a colonel; and was nominated one of the king’s judges, and as some say, sat on the
bench, but was not present when sentence was passed, nor:
did he sign the warrant for his execution. His admirers,
however, assure us that he was far from disapproving of
that atrocious act. He was in truth such a zealous republican, that he became a violent enemy to Cromwell, after
“he had made himself protector. In June 1659 he was appointed, by the council of state, to go with sir Robert
Houeywood, and Bulstrode Whitelocke, esq. commissioners to the Sound, to mediate a peace between the kings of
Sweden and Denmark: but Whitelocke observes, that himself was unwilling to undertake that service,
” especially,“says he,
” to be joined with those that would expect precedency of me, who had been formerly ambassador extraordinary to Sweden alone; and I knew well the over-ruling
temper and height of colonel Sidney. I therefore endeavoured to excuse myself, by reason of my old age and infirmities; but the council pressed it upon me:" which at
last he evaded. While Sidney was at the court of Denmark, M. Terlon, the French ambassador there, had the 1
confidence to tear out of the university Album this verse;
which the colonel, when it was presented to him, had written in it