bation from lord Cowper. The general opposition, however, which he gave to the administration of the earl of Oxford, occasioned him to be attacked by dean Swift with
Soon after the new ministry came into office, Mr. Harley being at the head of the treasury, some inquiries were
set on foot in order to criminate the late administration;
and a vote of censure was passed relative to the management of the war in Spain. Lord Cowper took an active
part in the debates occasioned by these inquiries, joining
in several protests against the determinations of the house
of peers concerning the conduct of that war. When prince
Eugene was in England, he is said to have been consulted
about some dangerous schemes formed by that prince and
the duke of I\iarlborough. It may reasonably be questioned, whether any such schemes were ever really formed
by those great men; but it is allowed on all hands, that
they received no countenance or approbation from lord
Cowper. The general opposition, however, which he gave
to the administration of the earl of Oxford, occasioned
him to be attacked by dean Swift with much virulence in
the Examiner; and some reflections were thrown out
against him relative to his private character, which is said
to have been somewhat licentious with respect to women.
In reply to Swift, his lordship wrote “A Letter to Isaac
Bickerstaff, occasioned by a Letter to the Examiner,
”
gh-steward for the trial of the rebel lords; as he was also, the following year, at the trial of the earl of Oxford, to whom he behaved on that occasion with great politeness.
On the demise of queen Anne, lord Cowper was nominated one of the lords justices of the kingdom, till the arrival of king George I. from Hanover. On the 29th of
August, 1714, he was appointed lord chancellor of Great
Britain; and shortly after lord lieutenant and custos rotulorum of the county of Hertford. When a new parliament
was assembled, on the 27th of March, 1715, George I.
declared from the throne, “That he had ordered the lord
chancellor to declare the causes of calling this parliament
in his majesty’s name and words.
” He then delivered his
speech into lord Cowper’s hands, who read it to both
houses. On the 6th of February, 1716, his lordship was
appointed lord high-steward for the trial of the rebel lords;
as he was also, the following year, at the trial of the earl
of Oxford, to whom he behaved on that occasion with
great politeness. A change taking place in the ministry
in the beginning of March 1718, lord Cowper resolved to
resign the great seal; but, before his resignation, the king,
on account of his great merit and services, on the 18th of
that month, raised him to the dignity of a viscount and
earl, by the title of viscount Fordwich, in the county of
Kent, and earl Cowper. The preamble to his patent was
drawn up by Mr. Hughes the poet, whom he had patronized. He resigned the great seal in the month of April,
and was succeeded by lord Parker.
was twice married; in 1732, to lady Henrietta, youngest daughter and coheir of Henry D'Auverquerque earl of Grantham; and in 1750, to lady Georgina, daughter to earl
William, the second earl Cowper, was twice married; in 1732, to lady Henrietta, youngest daughter and coheir of Henry D'Auverquerque earl of Grantham; and in 1750, to lady Georgina, daughter to earl Granville, and widow of the hon. John Spencer, esq. by whom she was mother of John earl Spencer. By lady Georgina, lord Cowper had no issue; but by his first countess, who died in 1747, he was father of George Nassau, third earl Cowper, who died at Florence in 1789, and was succeeded by his son George Augustus, who also dying in 1799, was* succeeded by Leopold Louis Francis, his brother, the present and fifth earl Cowper.
hief authority, civil and military, as governor of the Cape, till succeeded in that situation by the earl of Macartney, in 1797, who, by a deputation from his majesty,
, a brave officer, was of a respectable Scottish family, the Craigs of Dalnairand Costarton; and born in 1748 at Gibraltar, where his father held the appointments of civil and military judge* He entered the army at the early age of fifteen; and in a season of peace he imbibed the elementary knowledge of his profession in the best military schools of the continent. In 1770, he was appointed aid-de-camp to general sir Robert Boyd, then governor of Gibraltar, and obtained a company in the 47th regiment, with which he went to America in 1774, and was present at the battles of Lexington and Bunker’s-hill, in which latter engagement he was severely wounded. In 1776, he accompanied his regiment to Canada, commanding his company in the action of Trois Rivieres, and he afterwards commanded the advanced guard of the army in the expulsion of the rebels from that province. In 1777 he was engaged in the actions at Ticonderago and Hnbertown, in the latter of which engagements he was again severely wounded. Ever in a position of honourable danger, he received a third wound in the action at Freeman’s Farm. He was engaged in the disastrous affair at Saratoga, and was then distinguished by general Burgoyne, and the brave Fraser, who fell in that action, as a young officer who promised to attain to the very height of the military career. On that occasion he was selected by general Burgoyne to carry home the dispatches, and was immediately thereafter promoted to a majority in the new 82d regimen^ which he accompanied to Nova Scotia in 1778, to Penobscot in 1779, and to North Carolina in 1781; being engaged in a continued scene of active service during the whole of those campaigns, and generally commanding the light troops, with orders to act from his own discretion, on which his superiors in command relied with implicit confidence. In a service of this kind, the accuracy of his intelligence, the fertility of his resources, and the clearness of his military judgment, were alike conspicuous, and drew on him the attention of his sovereign, who noted him as an officer of the highest promise. In 1781, he obtained the lieutenant-colonelcy of the 82d regiment, and in 1783 that of the 16th, which he commanded in Ireland till 1791, having been promoted to the rank of colonel in 1790. In 1782, he went to the continent for the purpose of instructing himself in the discipline of the Prussian army, at that time esteemed the most perfect in Europe; and in a correspondence with general sir D. Dundas, communicated the result of his knowledge to that most able tactician, from whose professional science his country has derived so much advantage in the first improvement of the disciplinary system; and it is believed that the first experiments of the new exercise were, by his majesty’s orders, reduced to the test of practice, under the eye of colonel Craig, in the 16th regiment. In 1793 he was appointed to the command of Jersey, and soon thereafter of Guernsey, as lieutenant-governor. In 1794 he was appointed adjutant-general to the army under his royal highness the duke of York, by whose side he served during the whole of that campaign on the continent, and whose favour and confidence he enjoyed to the latest moment of his life. In 1794 he obtained the rank of major-general, and in the beginning of the following year, he was sent on the expedition to the Cape of Good Hope, where, in the reduction and conquest of that most important settlement, with the co-operation of admiral sir G. K. Elphinstone, and major-gen. Clark, he attained to the highest pitch of his military reputation, and performed that signal service to his king and country, of which the memory will be as lasting as the national annals. Nor were his merits less conspicuous in the admirable plans of civil regulation, introduced by him in that hostile quarter, when invested with the chief authority, civil and military, as governor of the Cape, till succeeded in that situation by the earl of Macartney, in 1797, who, by a deputation from his majesty, invested general Craig with the red ribbon, as an honourable mark of his sovereign’s just sense of his distinguished services. Sir James Craig had scarcely returned to England, when it was his majesty’s pleasure to require his services on the staff in India. On his arrival at Madras, he was appointed to the command of an expedition against Manilla, which not taking place, he proceeded to Bengal, and took the field service. During a five years command in India, his attention and talents were unremittingly exerted to the improvement of the discipline of the Indian army, and to the promotion of that harmonious co-operation between its different constituent parts, on which not only the military strength, but the civil arrangement of that portion of the British empire so essentially depend. January 1801, sir James Craig was promoted to the rank of lieutenantgeneral, and returned to England in 1S02. He was appointed to the command of the eastern district, and remained in England till 1805, when, notwithstanding his constitution was much impaired by a long train of most active and fatiguing service, he was appointed by his sovereign to take the command of the British troops in the Mediterranean. He proceeded to Lisbon, Gibraltar, Malta, and from thence to Naples, to act in co-operation with the Russian army. But these plans being frustrated by the event of the battle of Austerlitz, sir James withdrew the troops from Naples to Messina, in Sicily. During the whole period of his command in the Mediterranean, he had suffered severely from that malady which terminated his life, a dropsy, proceeding from an organic affection of the liver; and feeling his disease sensibly gaining ground, he returned, with his sovereign’s permission, to England in 1805. A temporary abatement of his disorder flattering him with a prospect of recovery, and being unable to reconcile his mind to a situation of inactivity, he once more accepted of an active command from the choice of his sovereign; and in 1808, on the threatening appearance of hostilities with the United American States, was sent out to Quebec, as governor in chief of British America. The singular union of vigour and prudence, which distinguished his government in that most important official situation, are so recently impressed on the public mind, as to need no detail in this place. His merits were avowed and felt on both sides of the Atlantic: and as they proved the termination, so they will "ever be felt as throwing the highest lustre on the whole train of his public services. His constitution being now utterly enfeebled by a disease which precluded all hope of recovery, he returned to England in July 1811. Within three weeks of his death he was promoted to the rank of general. He looked forward with manly fortitude to his approaching dissolution, and in January 1812, ended a most honourable and useful career by an easy death, at the age of sixty-two.
offered him by Mr. Montgomery of Coilsfield; and another offered him by the amiable but unfortunate earl of Kilmarnock. At length he accepted of a presentation to a
It is not to be supposed that a preacher of such eminence, especially at a time when this mode of preaching was rare, should remain unknown or unnoticed. He soon received a presentation from Mr. Lockhart of Cambusnethan, to be minister of that parish and settled there in the year 1737. About this time great opposition was made by the people of Scotland, and particularly by those of Clydesdale, to the manner of appointing ministers by presentations from lay-patrons, and Mr. Craig encountered considerable opposition. Zealous, however, in the discharge of his duty, and hoping, in the conscious ardour of his endeavours, to reconcile his parishioners to that system of instruction which he thought best suited to their condition, and most consistent with Christianity, he refused a presentation to a church in Airshire, offered him by Mr. Montgomery of Coilsfield; and another offered him by the amiable but unfortunate earl of Kilmarnock. At length he accepted of a presentation to a church in Glasgow, the place of his nativity, where most of his relations resided, where he could have opportunities of conversing with his literary friends, and where the field for doing good was more extensive. He was first appointed minister of the Wyndchurch in that city: and, after the building of St. Andrew’s churrh, one of the most elegant places of public worship in Scotland, he was removed thither. His audience was at no time so numerous, but especially during the last fiveand-twenty years of his life, as those who valued good composition and liberality of sentiment apprehended that he deserved.
ct of the divorce, furnished with books for that purpose, and placed in the family of Thomas Boleyn, earl of Wiltshire and Ormond. When he had finished his book, he went
, the first Protestant archbishop
of Canterbury, was the son of Thomas Cranmer, esq. and
of Agnes, daughter of Laurence Hatfield, of Willoughby,
in Nottinghamshire. He was born at Aslacton, in that
county, July 2, 1489, and educated in grammar learning,
under a rude and severe parish-clerk, of whom he learned
little, and endured much. In 1503, at the age of fourteen, he was admitted into Jesus college, in Cambridge;
of which he became fellow, and where he studied such
learning as the times afforded, till the age of twenty-two,
For the next four or five years he applied himself to polite
literature; and for three years more, to the study of the
Scriptures. After he was M. A. he married a gentleman’s
daughter named Joan, living at the Dolphin, opposite
Jesus-lane, and having by this match lost his fellowship,
he took up his residence at the Dolphin, and became
reader of the common lecture in Buckingham, now Magdalen college; but his wife dying in child-bed within a
year, he was again admitted fellow of Jesus college. Upon
cardinal Wolsey’s foundation of his new college at Oxford,
Cranmer was nominated to be one of the fellows; but he
refused the offer, or, as some say, was on the road to Oxford, when he was persuaded to return to Cambridge. In
1523, he was made D. D. reader of the theological lecture
in his own college; and one of the examiners of those that
took the degrees in divinity. The most immediate cause
of his advancement to the greatest favour with king Henry
VIII. and, in consequence of that, to the highest dignity
in the church of England, was the opinion he gave in the
matter of that king’s divorce. Having, on account of the
plague at Cambridge, retired to Waltham-abbey, in Essex,
to the house of one Mr. Cressy, to whose wife he was related, and whose sons were his pupils at the university;
Edward Fox, the king’s almoner, and Stephen Gardiner,
the secretary, happened accidentally to come to that house,
and the conversation turning upon what then was a popular
topic, the king’s divorce, Cranmer, whose opinion was
asked, said, that “it would be much better to have this
question, e whether a man may marry his brother’s wife,
or no?' decided and discussed by the divines, and by the
authority of the word of God, than thus from year to year
prolong the time by having recourse to the pope; and that
this might be done as well in England in the universities
here, as at Rome, or elsewhere.
” This opinion being
communicate-d by Dr. Fox to the king, his majesty approved of it much; saying, in his coarse language, that
Cranmer “had the sow by the right ear.
” On this, Cranmer was sent for to court, made the king’s chaplain, ordered to write upon the subject of the divorce, furnished
with books for that purpose, and placed in the family of
Thomas Boleyn, earl of Wiltshire and Ormond. When he
had finished his book, he went to Cambridge to dispute upon
that point, and brought several over to his opinion, which
was, that, according to the Scriptures, general councils, and
ancient writers, the pope had no authority to dispense with
the word of God. About this time he was presented to a
living, and made archdeacon of Tauntpn. In 1530 he was
sent, with some others, into France, Italy, and Germany,
to discuss the affair of the king’s marriage. At Rome he
got his book presented to the pope, and offered to dispute
openly against the validity of king Henry’s marriage; but
no one chose to engage him. While he was at Rome, the
pope constituted him his pcenitentiary throughout England,
Ireland, and Wales. In Germany he was sole embassador
on the same affair; and in 1532 concluded a treaty of commerce between England and the Low Countries. He was
also employed on an embassy to the duke of Saxony, and
other Protestant princes. During his residence in Germany, he married at Nuremberg a second wife, named
Anne, niece of Osiander’s wife. Upon the death of
archbishop Warham, in August 1532, Cranmer was nominated for his successor; but, holding still to his opinion
on the supremacy, he refused to accept of that dignity,
unless he was to receive it immediately from the king,
without the pope’s intervention Before his consecration,
the king so far engaged him in the business of his divorce,
that he made him a party and an actor almost in every step
he took in that affair. He not only pronounced the sentence of divorce between king Henry and queen Catherine,
at Dunstable, May the 23d, 1533, but, according to Parker, married him to Anne Boleyn; although lord Herbert
says they were privately married by Rowland Lee, afterwards bishop of Litchfield and Coventry, in the presence
of lady Anne’s father, mother, and brother, Dr. Cranmer,
and the duke of Norfolk. However this may be, on March
30th, 1533, he was consecrated archbishop of Canterbury,
by the bishops of Lincoln, Exeter, and St. Asaph, when
he made an unusual protestation. His design was by this
expedient to save his liberty, to renounce every clause in
his oath which barred him doing his duty to God, the
king, and his country. Collier, who often argues as if he
were fee'd by the church of Rome, thinks there was something of human infirmity in this management, because it
was not made at Koine to the pope, nor by Cranmer’s
proxies there, before the obtaining of the bulls, not perceiving that Cranmer’s opposition to the power of the pope
was as uniform as it had been early, and the effect of
conviction. The temporalities of the archbishopric were
restored to Cranmer the 29th of April following. Soon
after, he forbad all preaching throughout his diocese, and
visited it this year in December. The pope threatening
him with excommunication, on account of his sentence
against queen Catherine, he appealed from his holiness to
a general council, and in the ensuing parliaments, strenuously disputed against the pope’s supremacy. All along
he showed himself a zealous promoter of the reformation;
and, as the first step towards it, procured the convocation
to petition the king that the Bible might be translated into
English. When that was obtained, he diligently encouraged the printing and publication of it, and caused it to
be recommended by royal authority, and to be dispersed
as much as he possibly could. Next, he forwarded the
dissolution of the monasteries, which were one of the
greatest obstacles to a reformation *. He endeavoured also
to restore the church of England to its original purity.
In 1535 he performed a provincial visitation, in order to
recommend the king’s supremacy, and preached upon that
subject in several parts of his diocese, urging that the
bishop of Rome was not God’s vicar upon earth, as supposed, and that that see so much boasted of, and by which
name popes affected to be styled, was but a holiness in
name, and that there was no such holiness at Rome, as he
easily proved from the vices of the court of Rome. In
art. by Elizabeth, the only daughter of sir Sidney Montagu, knt. and sister of Edward Montagu, first earl of Sandwich. She was born in 1642, and was married to John Creed
, a very amiable and ingenious
lady, nearly related to the poet Dryden, was the only
daughter of sir Gilbert Pickering, bart. by Elizabeth, the
only daughter of sir Sidney Montagu, knt. and sister of
Edward Montagu, first earl of Sandwich. She was born
in 1642, and was married to John Creed of Oundle, esq. a
wise, learned, and pious man (as his inscription, written by her, intimates), “who served his majesty Charles II. in
diverse honourable employments at home and abroad;
lived with honour, and died lamented, 1701.
” By this
gentleman she had a numerous family, one of whom, the
brave major Richard Creed, is commemorated by a monument in Westminster-abbey, as well as by one erected by
his mother in the church of Tichmarsh. During her
widowhood, Mrs. Creed resided many years in a mansionhouse at Barnwell, near Oundle in Northamptonshire, belonging to the Montagu family, where she amused and employed herself in painting, and gratuitously instructed
many young women in drawing, fine needle-work, and
other elegant arts. Many of the churches in the neighbourhood of Oundle are decorated with altar-pieces, monuments, and ornaments of different kinds, the works of
her hand; and her descendants are possessed of many
portraits, and some good pictures painted by her. Two
days in every week she constantly allotted to the public;
on one, she was visited by all the nobility and gentry who
resided near her; on the other, she received and relieved
all the afflicted and diseased of every rank, giving them
food, raiment, or medicine, according to their wants.
Her reputation in the administration of medicine was
considerable; and as she afforded it gratis, her practice was
of course extensive. Her piety was great and unaffected.
That it was truly sincere, was evinced by the magnanimity
with which she endured many trials more heavily afflictive
than what usually fall to the lot even of those whose life is
prolonged to so great an extent. In 1722, when in her
eightieth year, she erected a monument in the church of
Ticbmarsh to the memory of Dryden and his ancestors,
with a:; inscription by herself. She died at Ountlle in
May 1728, and her remains were removed to Tichmarsh,
where she was buried with her ancestors. Her funeral
sermon, which Mr. Malone doesnot appear to have seen,
was preached hy Henry Lee, D. D. rector of Tichmarsh in
May 1728, and therefore probably the date of her death,
in Malone’s Life of Dryden, viz. “the beginning of
1724-5,
” must be incorrect. This sermon, printed at
London the same year, 8vo, is dedicated to Mrs. Stuart,
executrix and sole surviving daughter of Mrs. Creed. An
extract from it, confirming the excellence of her character,
may be seen in a compilation less respected than it deserves, Wilford’s “Memorials.
”
ly accepted a proposal that was made him, of travelling with Charles Bertie, esq. afterwards created earl of Falmouth, a great favourite of king Charles II. who was unhappily
,
a celebrated popish writer, descended from an ancient and
honourable family, seated formerly in Nottinghamshire,
but before his time it had removed into Yorkshire, in which
county he was born, at Wakefield, in 1605. His father
was Hugh Cressey, esq. barrister of Lincoln’s-inn; his
mother’s name was Margery, the daughter of Dr. Thomas
Doylie, an eminent physician in London. He was educated at a grammar-school at Wakefield, and about the
age of fourteen, in Lent term 1619, he was removed to
Oxford, where he studied with great vigour and diligence,
and in the year 1626 was admitted fellow of Merton college, in that university. After taking the degrees of B. A.
and M. A. he entered into holy orders, and became chaplain
to Thomas lord Wentworth, then lord president of the north,
with whom he lived some years. About 1638, he went over
to Ireland with Lucius Carey, lord viscount Falkland, to
whom he was likewise chaplain; and by him, when he was
secretary of state, Cressey was, in 1642, promoted to a canonry in the collegiate church of Windsor, and to the dignity of dean of Laughlin, in the kingdom of Ireland, but
through the disturbances of the times, he never attained the
possession of either of these preferments. After the unfortunate death of his patron, who was killed in the battle of
Newbury, he found himself destitute of subsistence, and
therefore readily accepted a proposal that was made him, of
travelling with Charles Bertie, esq. afterwards created earl
of Falmouth, a great favourite of king Charles II. who was
unhappily killed in a battle at sea in the first Dutch war
after the restoration. Cressey quitted England in 1644,
and making the tour of Italy with his pupil, moved by the
declining state of the church of England, he began to
listen to the persuasion of the Romish divines, and in
1646 made a public profession at Rome of his being reconciled to that church. He went from thence to Paris,
where he thought fit to publish what he was pleased to
style the motives of his conversion, which work of his, as
might reasonably be expected, was highly applauded by
the Romanists, and was long considered by them as a very
extraordinary performance. It is entitled, “Exomologesis,
or a faithfal narration of the occasions and motives of his
conversion to Catholic Unity,
” Paris, 1647, and 1653, 8vo.
To the last edition is an appendix, “In which are cleared
certain misconstructions of his Exomologesis, published by
J. P. author of the preface to the lord Falkland’s discourse
of Infallibility.
” As soon as this was finished, he sent it
over to his friend Dr. Henry Hammond, as to one whose
sincerity he had experienced, and for whose judgment he
had a high esteem. That learned person wrote him a
kind letter of thanks for his book, but at the same time
told him there was a vein of fallacy ran through the whole
contexture of it; adding, “we are friends, and I do not
propose to be your antagonist.
” At the close of this
epistle, he invited him into England, assuring him that he
should be provided with a convenient place to dwell in,
and a sufficient subsistence to live comfortably, without
being molested by any about his religion and conscience.
This offer, though our author did not accept, yet he returned, as became him, an answer full of respect and gratitude to the kind friend who had made it.
d him the honour of a very illustrious antagonist, his old friend and acquaintance at Oxford, Edward earl of Clarendon. Being now grown far in years, and having no very
After the restoration, and the marriage of king Charles II.
queen Catharine appointed our author, who was then become one of the mission in England, her chaplain, and
from that time he resided in Somerset-house, in the Strand.
The great regularity of his life, his sincere and unaffected
piety, his modest and mild behaviour, his respectful deportment to persons of distinction, with whom he was formerly acquainted when a protestant, and the care he took
to avoid all concern in political affairs or intrigues of state,
preserved him in quiet and safety, even in the most troublesome times- He was, however, a very zealous champion in the cause of the church of Rome, and was continually writing in defence of her doctrines, or in answer
to the books of controversy written by protestants of distinguished learning or figure; and as this engaged him in
a variety of disputes, he had the good fortune to acquire
great reputation with both parties, the papists looking
upon him to be one of their ablest advocates, and the protestants allowing that he was a grave, a sensible, and a
candid writer. Among the works he published after his
return to England, were: 1. “A non est inventus returned to Mr. Edward Bagshaw’s enquiry and vainly boasted
discovery of weakness in the Grounds of the Church’s Infallibility,
” A Letter to an English gentleman, dated July 6th, 1662, wherein bishop Morley is
concerned, printed amongst some of the treatises of that
reverend prelate,
” 3. “Roman Catholic Doctrines no Novelties; or, an answer to Dr. Pierce’s court-sermon, miscalled The primitive rule of Reformation,
” The Church History of
Britanny,
” Roan, upon account of some nice controversies between the
see of Rome, and some of our English kings, which might
give offence.
” While engaged on this work, he found leisure to interfere in all the controversies of the times, as
will presently be noticed. His last dispute was in reference
to a book written by the learned Dr. Stillingfleet, afterwards bishop of Worcester, to which, though several answers were given by the ablest of the popish writers, there
was none that seemed to merit reply, excepting that
penned by father Cressey, and this procured him the honour of a very illustrious antagonist, his old friend and
acquaintance at Oxford, Edward earl of Clarendon. Being
now grown far in years, and having no very promising scene
before his eyes, from the warm spirit that appeared against
popery amongst all ranks of people, and the many excellent books written to confute it by the most learned of the
clergy, he was the more willing to seek for peace in the
silence of a country retirement; and accordingly withdrew
for some time to the house of Richard Caryll, esq. a gentleman of an ancient family and affluent fortune, at East
Grinstead, co. Sussex, and dying upon the 10th of August 1674, being then near the seventieth year of his age,
was buried in the parish church there. His loss was much
regretted by those of his communion, as being one of their
ablest champions, ready to draw his pen in their defence
on every occasion, and sure of having his pieces read with
singular favour and attention. His memory also was revered by the protestants, as well on account of the purity
of his manners, and his mild and humble deportment, as
for the plainness, candour, and decency with which he
had managed all the controversies that he had been engaged in, and which had procured him, in return, much
more of kindness and respect, than almost any other of
his party had met with, or indeed deserved. It is very remarkable, however, that he thought it necessary to apologize to his popish readers for the respectful mention he
made of the prelates of our church. Why this should require an apology, we shall not Inquire, but that his candour and politeness deserve the highest commendation will
appear from what he says of archbishop Usher: “As for
B. Usher, his admirable abilities in ‘chronological and historical erudition,’ as also his faithfulness and ingenuous
sincerity in delivering without any provoking reflection*,
what with great labour he has observed, ought certainly at
least to exempt him from being treated by any one rudely
and contemptuously, especially by me, who am moreover
always obliged to preserve a just remembrance of very
many kind effects of friendship, which I received from,
him.
”
We have already taken notice of his inclination to the
mystic divinity, which led him to take so much pains about
the works of father Baker, and from the same disposition
he also published “Sixteen revelations of divine love,
shewed to a devout servant of our Lord, called mother Juliana, an anchorete of Norwich, who lived in the days of
king Edward Hi.
” He left also in ms. “An Abridgment
of the book called The cloud of unknowing, and of the
counsel referring to the same.
” His next performance,
was in answer to a famous treatise, written by Dr. Stillingfleet, against the church of Rome, which made a very
great noise in those days, and put for some time a stop to
the encroachments their missionaries were daily making,
which highly provoked those of the Roman communion.
This was entitled “Answer to part of Dr. Stillingfleet’s
book, entitled Idolatry practised in the church of Rome,
”
Fanaticism fanatically
imputed to the Catholic Church by Dr. Stillingfleet, and
the imputation refuted and retorted,
” &c. Question, Why are you a Catholic? Question, Why
are you a Protestant?
” Animadversions
” upon our author’s answer; in which he very plainly
tells him and the world, that it was not devotion, but necessity and want of a subsistence, which drove him first
out of the church of England, and then into a monastery.
As this noble peer knew him well at Oxford, it may be
very easily imagined that what he said made a very strong
impression, and it was to efface this, that our author thought
tit to send abroad an answer under the title of “Epistle
apologetical to a person of honour, touching his vindication of Dr. Stillingfleet,' 1 1674, 8vo. In this work he
gives a large relation of the state and condition of his affairs, at the time of what he styles his conversion, in order
to remove the imputation of quitting his faith to obtain
bread. The last work that he published was entitled
” Remarks upon the Oath of Supremacy."
, earl of Essex, an eminent statesman in the sixteenth century, was
, earl of Essex, an eminent statesman in the sixteenth century, was the son of Walter Cromwell, a blacksmith, at Putney, near London, and in his latter days a brewer; after whose decease, his mother was married to a sheerman in London. What education he had, was In a private school: and all the learning he attained to, was (according to the standard of those times), only reading and writing, and a little Latin. When he grew up, having a very great inclination for travelling, he went into foreign countries, though at whose expence is not known; and by that means he had an opportunity of seeing the world, of gaining experience, and of learning several languages, which proved of great service to him afterwards. Coming to Antwerp, where was then a very considerable English factory, he was by them retained to be their clerk, or secretary. But that office being too great a confinement, he embraced an opportunity that offered in 1510, of taking a journey to Rome. Whilst he remained in Italy he served for some time as a soldier under the duke of Bourbon, and was at the sacking of Rome: and at Bologna he assisted John Russel, esq. afterwards earl of Bedford, in making his escape, when he had like to be betrayed into the hands of the French, being secretly in those parts about our king’s affairs. It is also much to his credit, as an early convert to the reformation, that, in his journey to and from Rome, he learned by heart Erasmus’s translation of the New Testament. After his return from his travels he was taken into the family and service of cardinal Wolsey, who is said to have first discovered him in France, and who made him his solicitor, and often employed him in business of great importance. Among other things, he had the chief hand in the foundation of the two colleges begun at Oxford and Ipswich by that magnificent prelate; and upon the cardinal’s disgrace in 1529, he used his utmost endeavours and interest to have him restored to the king’s favour: even when articles of high-treason against him were sent down to the house of commons, of which Cromwell was then a member, he defended his master with so much wit and eloquence, that no treason cauld be laid to his charge: which honest beginning procured Cromwell great reputation, and made his parts and abilities to be much taken notice of. After the cardinal’s household was dissolved, Cromwell was taken into the king’s service (upon the recommendation of sir Christopher Hales, afterwards master of the rolls, and sir John Russel, knt. above-mentioned) as the fittest person to manage the disputes the king then had with the pope; though some endeavoured to hinder his promotion, and to prejudice his majesty against him, on account of his defacing the small monasteries that were dissolved for endowing Wolsey’s colleges. But he discovering to the king some particulars that were very acceptable to him respecting the submission of the clergy to the pope, in derogation of his majesty’s authority, he took him into the highest degree of favour, and soon after he was sent to the convocation, then sitting, to acquaint the clergy, that they were all fallen into a praemunire on the above account, and the provinces of Canterbury and York were glad to compromise by a present to the king of above 100,000l. In 1531 he was knighted; made master of the king’s jewel-house, with a salary of 50l. per annum; and constituted a privy-counsellor. The next year he was made clerk of the Hanaper, an office of profit and repute in chancery; and, before the end of the same year, chancellor of the exchequer, and in 1534, principal secretary of state, and master of the rolls. About the same time he was chosen chancellor of the university of Cambridge; soon after which followed a general visitation of that university, when the several colleges delivered up their charters, and other instruments, to sir Thomas Cromwell. The year before, he assessed the fines laid upon those who having 40l. per annum estate, refused to take the order of knighthood. In 1535 he was appointed visitor-general of the monasteries throughout England, in order for their suppression; and in that office is accused of having acted with much violence, although in other cases promises and pensions were employed to obtain the compliance of the monks and nuns. But the mode, whatever it might be, gave satisfaction to the king and his courtiers, and Cromwell was, on July 2, 1536, constituted lord keeper of the privy seal, when he resigned his mastership of the rolls . On the 9th of the same month he was advanced to the dignity of a baron of this realm, by the title of lord Cromwell of Okeham in Rutlandshire; and, six days after, took his place in the house of lords. The pope’s supremacy being now abolished in England, lord Cromwell was made, on the 18th of July, vicar-general, and vicegerent, over all the spirituality, under the king, who was declared supreme head of the church. In that quality his lordship satin the convocation holden this year, above the archbishops, as the king’s representative. Being-invested with such extensive power, he employed it in discouraging popery, and promoting the reformation. For that purpose he caused certain articles to be enjoined by the king’s authority, differing in many essential points from the established system of the Roman-catholic religion; and in September, this same year, he published some injunctions to the clergy, in which they were ordered to preach up the king’s supremacy; not to lay out their rhetoric in extolling images, relics, miracle*, or pilgrimages, but rather to exhort their people to serve God, and make provision for their families: to put parents and other directors of youth in mind to teach their children the Lord’s-prayer, the Creed, and the Ten Commandments in their mother-tongue, and to provide a Bible in Latin and English, to be laid in the churches for every one to read at their pleasure. He likewise encouraged the translation of the Bible into English; and, when finished, enjoined that one of the largest volume should be provided for every parish church, at the joint charge of the parson and parishioners. These alterations, with the dissolution of the monasteries, and (notwithstanding the immense riches gotten from thence) his demanding at the same time for the king subsidies both from the clergy and laity, occasioned very great murmurs against him, and indeed with some reason. All this, however, rather served to establish him in the king’s esteem, who was as prodigal of money as he was rapacious and in 1537 his majesty constituted him chief justice itinerant of all the forests beyond Trent and on the 26th of August, the same year, he was elected knight of the garter, and dean of the cathedral church of Weils. The year following he obtained a grant of the castle and lordship of Okeham in the county of Rutland; and was also made constable of Carisbrook-castle in the Isle of Wight. In September he published new injunctions, directed to all bishops and curates, in which he ordered that a Bible, in English, should be set up in some convenient place in every church, where the parishioners might most commodiously resort to read the same: that the clergy should, every Sunday and holiday, openly and plainly recite to their parishioners, twice or thrice together, one article of the Lord’s Prayer, or Creed, in English, that they might learn the same by heart: that they should make, or cause to be made, in their churches, one sermon every quarter of a year at least, in which they should purely and sincerely declare the very gospel of Christ, and exhort their hearers to the works of charity, mercy, and faith not to pilgrimages, images, &c. that they should forthwith take clown all images to which pilgrimages or offerings were wont to be made: that in all such benefices upon which they were not themselves resident, they should appoint able curates: that they, and every parson, vicar, or curate, should for every church keep one book of register, wherein they should write the day and year of every wedding, christening, and burying, within their parish; and therein set every person’s name that shall be so wedded, christened, or buried, &c. Having been thus highly instrumental in promoting the reformation, and in dissolving the monasteries, he was amply rewarded by the king in 1539, with many noble manors and large estates that had belonged to those dissolved houses. On the 17th of April, the same year, he was advanced to the dignity of earl of Essex; and soon after constituted lord high chamberlain of England. The same day he was created earl of Essex he procured Gregory his son to be made baron Cromwell of Okeham. On the 12th of March 1540, he was put in commission, with others, to sell the abbey-lands, at twenty years’ purchase: which was a thing he had advised the king to do, in order to stop the clamours of the people, to attach them to his interest, and to reconcile them to the dissolution of the monasteries. But as, like his old master Wolsey, he had risen rapidly, he was now doomed, like him, to exhibit as striking an example of the instability of human grandeur; and au unhappy precaution to secure (as he imagined) his greatness, proved his ruin. Observing that some of his most inveterate enemies, particularly Gardiner, bishop of Winchester, began to be more in favour at court than himself, he used his utmost endeavours to procure a marriage between king Henry and Anne of Cleves, expecting great support from a queen of his own making; and as her friends were Lutherans, he imagined it would bring down the popish party at court, and again recover the ground he and Cranmer had now lost. But this led immodiaieiy to his destruction; for the king, not liking the queen, began to hate Cromwell, the great promoter of the marriage, and soon found an opportunity to sacrifice him; nor was this difficult. Cromwell was odious to all the nobility by reason of his low binh: hated particularly by Gardiner, and the Roman catholics, for having been so busy in the dissolution of the abbies: the reformers themselves found he could not protect them from persecution; and the nation in general was highly incensed against him for his having lately obtained a subsidy of four shillings in the pound from the clergy, and one tenth and one fifteenth from the laity; notwithstanding the immense sums that had flowed into the treasury out of the monasteries. Henry, with his usual caprice, and without ever considering that Cromwell’s faults were his own, and committed, if we may use the expression, for his own gratification, caused him to be arrested at the council table, by the duke of Norfolk, on the 10th of June, when he least suspected it. Being committed to the Tower, he wrote a letter to the king, to vindicate himself from the guilt of treason; and another concerning his majesty’s marriage with Anne of Cleves; but we do not find that any notice was taken of these: yet, as his enemies knew if he were brought to the bar he would justify himself by producing the king’s orders and warrants for what he had done, they resolved to prosecute him by attainder; and the bill being brought into the house of lords the 17th of June, and read the first time, on the 19th was read the second and third times, and sent down to the commons. Here, however, it stuck ten days, and at last a new bill of attainder was sent up to the lords, framed in the house of commons: and they sent back at the same time the bill the lords had sent to them. The grounds of his condemnation were chieHy treason and heresy; the former very confusedly expressed. Like other falling favourites, he was deserted by most of his friends, except archbishop Cranmer, who wrote to the king in his behalf with great boldness and spirit. But the duke of Norfolk, and the rest of the popish party, prevailed; and, accordingly, in pursuance of his attainder, the lord Cromwell was brought to a scaffold erected on Tower-hill, where, after having made a speech, and prayed, he was beheaded, July 28, 1540. His death is solely to be attributed to the ingratitude and caprice of Henry, whom he had served with great faithfulness, courage, and resolution, in the most hazardous, difficult, and important undertakings. As for the lord Cromwell’s character, he is represented by popish historians as a crafty, cruel, ambitious, and covetous man, and a heretic; but their opponents, on better grounds, assert that he was a person of great wit, and excellent parts, joined to extraordinary diligence and industry; that his apprehension was quick and clear; his judgment methodical and solid; his memory strong and rational; his tongue fluent and pertinent; his presence stately and obliging; his heart large and noble; his temper patient and cautious; his correspondence well laid and constant; his conversation insinuating and close: none more dextrous in finding out the designs of men and courts; and none more reserved in keeping a secret. Though he was raised from the meanest condition to a high pitch of honour, he carried his greatness with wonderful temper; being noted in the exercise of his places of judicature, to have used much moderation, and in his greatest pomp to have taken notice of, and been thankful to mean persons of his old acquaintance. In his whole behaviour he was courteous and affable to all; a favourer in particular of the poor in their suits; and ready to relieve such as were in danger of being oppressed by powerful adversaries; and so very hospitable and bountiful, that about two hundred persons were served at the gate of his house in Throgmorton-strcet, London, twice every day, with bread, meat, and drink sufficient. He must be regarded as one of the chief instruments in the reformation; and though he could not prevent the promulgation, he stopped the execution, as far as he could, of the bloody act of the six articles. But when the king’s command pressed him close, he was not firm enough to refuse his concurrence to the condemnation and burning of John Lambert. In his domestic concerns he was very regular; calling upon his servants yearly, to give him an account of what they had got under him, and what they desired of him; warning them to improve their opportunities, because, he said, he was too great to stand long; providing for them as carefully, as for his own son, by his purse and credit, that they might live as handsomely when he was dead, as they did when he was alive. In a word, we are assured, that for piety towards God, fidelity to his king, prudence in the management of affairs, gratitude to his benefactors, dutifulness, charity, and benevolence, there was not any one then superior to him in England.
ksmith at Putney, spoken of in the preceding article; and his grandmother sister to Thomas Cromwell, earl of Essex. Yet we are told that when Goodman, bishop of Gloucester,
, protector of the commonwealth of England, and one of the most remarkable characters in English history, was descended, both by his father and mother, from families of great antiquity. He
was the son of Mr. Robert Cromwell, who was the second
son of sir Henry Cromwell of Hinchinbrooke, in the
county of Huntingdon, knt. whose great grandfather is
conjectured to have been Walter Cromwell, the blacksmith
at Putney, spoken of in the preceding article; and his
grandmother sister to Thomas Cromwell, earl of Essex.
Yet we are told that when Goodman, bishop of Gloucester,
who turned papist, and was very desirous of making his
court to the protector, dedicated a book to him, and presented a printed paper to him, by which he pretended to
claim kindred with him, as being himself someway allied
to Thomas earl of Essex, the protector with some warmth
told him, “that lord was not related to his family in any
degree.
” For this story, however, told by Fuller, there
seems little foundation . Robert Cromwell, father of the
protector, was settled at Huntingdon, and had four sons
(including the protector) and seven daughters. Though
by the interest of his brother sir Oliver, he was put into
the commission of the peace for Huntingdonshire, he had
but a slender fortune; most of his support arising from a
brewhouse in Huntingdon, chiefly managed by his wife.
She was Elizabeth, daughter of a Stewart, of Rothseyth in
Fifeshire, and sister of sir Robert Stewart, of the isle of
Ely, knt. who has been reported, and not without some
foundation of truth, to have been descended from the
royal house of Stuart; as appears from a pedigree of her
family still in being. Out of the profits of this trade, and
her own jointure of 60l. per annum, Mrs. Cromwell
provided fortunes for her daughters, sufficient to marry them
into good families. The eldest, or second surviving, was
the wife of Mr. John Desborough, afterwards one of the
protector’s major-generals; another married, first, Roger
Whetstone, esq. and afterwards colonel John Jones, who
was executed for being one of the king’s judges; the third
espoused colonel Valentine Walton, who died in exile;
the fourth, Robina, married first Dr. Peter French, and
then Dr. John Wilkins, a man eminent in the republic of
letters, and after the restoration bishop of Chester. It
may be also added, that an aunt of the protector’s married
Francis Barrington, esq. from whom descended the Barringtons of Essex; another aunt, John Hampden, esq.
of Buckinghamshire, by whom she was mother of the famous John Hampden, who lost his life in Chalgrave field;
a third was the wife of Mr. Whaley, and the mother of
colonel Whaley, in whose custody the king was while he
remained at Hampton-court; the fourth aunt married Mr.
Dunch.
oclamation for restraining such embarkations. The next year he had less time upon his hands; for the earl of Bedford, and some other persons of high rank, who had large
Soon after, he returned to Huntingdon, where he led a very grave and sober life. Some have imputed this very sudden renunciation of his vices and follies, to his falling in with the puritans; but it is certain, that he remained then, and for some time after, a zealous member of the church of England, and entered into a close friendship with several eminent divines. He continued at Huntingdon till an estate of above 400l. a year, devolving to him by the death of his uncle sir Thomas Stewart, induced him to remove into the isle of Ely. It was about this time that he began to fall off from the church, and to converse with the puritans, whose notions he soon after embraced with his usual warmth, and with as much sincerity as could be expected from one who was so soon to convert these notions into the instruments of ambition. He was elected a member of the third parliament of Charles I. which met Jan. 20, 1628; and was of the committee for religion, where he distinguished himself by his zeal against popery, and by complaining of Neile bishop of Winchester’s licensing books which had a dangerous tendency. After the dissolution of that parliament, he returned into the country, where he continued to express much concern for religion, and to frequent silenced ministers, and to invite them often to lectures and sermons at his house. By this he brought his affairs again into a very indifferent situation, so that, by way of repairing his fortune, he took a farm at St. Ives, which he kept about five years, but which he mismanaged, and would have been ruined if he had not thrown it up. These disappointments revived in him a scheme, which his bad circumstances first suggested while at Lincoln’s-inn, of going over into New England. This was in 1637; and his design, it is thought, had certainly been executed, if he had not been hindered by the issuing out a proclamation for restraining such embarkations. The next year he had less time upon his hands; for the earl of Bedford, and some other persons of high rank, who had large estates in the fen country, were very desirous of seeing it better drained; and though one project of this sort had failed, they set on foot another, and got it countenanced by royal authority, and settled a share of the profits upon the crown. This, though really intended for a public benefit, was opposed as injurious to private property; and at the head of the opposition was Cromuell, who had a considerable interest in those parts. The activity and vigilance which he shewed upon this occasion, first rendered him conspicuous, and gave occasion to his friend and relation Hampden, to recommend him afterwards in parliament, as a person capable of contriving and conducting great things. Notwithstanding this, he was not very successful in his opposition, and, as his private affairs were still declining, he was in a very necessitous condition at the approach of the long parliament.
ir Thomas Coningsby sheriff of Hertfordshire, and had sent him a writ, requiring him to proclaim the earl of Essex and his adherents traitors, Cromwell marched with his
1642, Cromwell shewed his activity, by going immediately
to Cambridge; where he soon raised a troop of horse, of
which himself was appointed commander. He fixed his
head quarters there, where he acted with great severity;
towards the university especially, after he missed seizing
the plate which was contributed by the loyal colleges for the
king’s service, and sent down to the king when he set up
his standard at Nottingham. It was probably about the
same time that Cromwell had a very remarkable interview
with his uncle, of which sir Philip Warwick had an account
from the old gentleman himself. “Visiting old sir Oliver
Cromwell, his uncle and godfather, at his house at Ramsey, he told me this story of his successful nephew and
godson, that he visited him with a good strong party of
horse, and that he asked him his blessing; and that the
few hours he was there, he would not keep on his hat in
his presence; but at the same time that he not only disarmed, but plundered him, for he took away all his plate.
”
He was more successful in his next enterprise; for being
informed that the king had appointed sir Thomas Coningsby sheriff of Hertfordshire, and had sent him a writ, requiring him to proclaim the earl of Essex and his adherents
traitors, Cromwell marched with his troop directly to St.
Alban’s, where he seized sir Thomas Coningsby for that
action, and carried him prisoner to London. He received
the thanks of the parliament for this; and we find him soon
after at the head of 1000 horse, with the title of colonel.
Strange as it may be seem, it is confirmed by historians on
all sides, that, though he assumed the military character
in his 43d year, in the space of a few months he not only
gained the reputation of an officer, but really became a
good one; and still stranger, that by mere dint of discipline he made his new-raised men excellent soldiers, and
laid the foundation of that invincible strength, which he
afterwards exerted in behalf of the parliament.
hire, where he did great service by restraining the king’s garrison at Newark, giving a check to the earl of Newcastle’s troops at Horncastle, and performing many other
1643, having settled matters in the six associated counties of Essex, Hertford, Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridge, Huntingdon, he advanced into Lincolnshire, where he did great service by restraining the king’s garrison at Newark, giving a check to the earl of Newcastle’s troops at Horncastle, and performing many other services, which increased his credit with the parliament. The Scots having been invited to England by the parliament, it was judged highly requisite that the army under the earl of Manchester anil Cromwell, who was now declared lieutenant-general of the horse, should join them, the better to enabie them to reduce York, which they had closely besieged. This service was performed with great vigour and diligence, especially by Cromwell; for though the earl had the title, the power was chiefly in Cromwell; and things were so clextrously managed between him and his friends at Westminster, that, as they knew they might depend upon him, they took care to put as much in his hands as they could. Ih the battle of Marston-moor, fought July 3, 1644, it is unanimously agreed, that Cromwell’s cavalry, who were commonly styled Ironsides, changed the fortune of the day, as that battle did of the war; for the king’s affairs declined, and the parliament’s flourished ever after. Some, however, though they allow this readily to Cromwell’s forces, have yet represented him as acting in a pitiful cowardly manner, and so terrified, as even to run away: but allowance must be made for the relators. It is certain, that on the 19th of the same month he stormed the earl of 'Exeter’s fine house at Burleigh; and no man’s courage, conduct, and services, were more valued at London. He was also in the second battle at Newbury, Sept. 17, in the same year, and is said to have made so bold a charge with his horse upon the guards, that his majesty’s person had been in the utmost danger, if the old earl of Cleveland had not come in to his relief, and preserved his master’s liberty at the expence of his own. And in the winter, when the disputes in parliament ran higher than, ever, nothing but Cromwell’s merit and good fortune were taiked of by his party; some of whom even styled him the saviour of the nation.
whither these excessive praises tended. That the nation might be made as fully convinced of it, the earl of Manchester exhibited a charge against him in the house of
The wisest men and the best patriots saw very clearly
whither these excessive praises tended. That the nation
might be made as fully convinced of it, the earl of Manchester exhibited a charge against him in the house of
lords; and Cromwell, in return, brought another against
the noble peer in the house of commons. It is true, that
neither of these charges was prosecuted; but it is equally
true, that Cromwell and his friends absolutely carried their
point, by bringing in what was called the self-denying ordinance, which excluded the members of either house
from having any commands in the army; from which,
however, on account of his extraordinary merit, which
set him above all ordinances, Cromwell was at first occasionally, and at length altogether exempted. From being
lieutenant-general of the horse, he became lieutenant-general of the army; and he procured an address from his
regiment, declaring their satisfaction with the change. He
continued to distinguish himself by his military successes,
and to receive the thanks of both houses for the services
he did. He shone particularly at the battle of Naseby,
June 14, 1646, and had also his share in reducing the
west; till, upon the surrender of Exeter, April 13, 1645,
he found leisure to return to London. Upon taking his
seat in the house, thanks were returned him, in terms as
strong as words could express; and the prevailing party
there received from him such encouragement, as induced
them to believe he was wholly at their devotion. But in
this they were mistaken; for while they thought the lieutenant-general employed in their business, he was in
reality only attentive to his own. Thus, when the parliament inclined to disband a part of their forces, after the
king had delivered himself to the Scots and the Scots
had agreed to deliver him to the parliament, Cromwell opposed it vigorously, if not openly. For, in the first
place, he insinuated by his emissaries to the soldiers, that
this was not only the highest piece of ingratitude towards
those who had fought the parliament into a power of disbanding them, but also a crying act of injustice, as it was
done with no other view than to cheat them of their arrears. Secondly, he procured an exemption for sir Thomas Fairfax’s army, or, in other words, for his own, the
general only having that title and appointments, while
Cromwell had the power; and the weight of the reduction
fell upon Massey’s brigade in the west, together with the
troops which colonel Poyntz commanded in Yorkshire;
men of whom he had good reason to doubt, but upon whom
the parliament might have depended. Thus he dextrously
turned to his own advantage the means which, in truth,
were contrived for his destruction.
Nov. 12, 1646, the army marched triumphantly through
London; and in February following, the Scots having received the money agreed on, delivered up the king, who
was carried prisoner to Holmby. At this time Cromwell
had a most difficult part to play. What wore the legal
appearance of power was evidently in the hands of the parliament, in which the presbyterian party was still prevalent;
and as the general sir Thomas Fairfax was likewise in that
interest, the real power seemed also to be on their side.
At bottom, however, the army, now taught to know their
own strength, were in reality the masters; and they were
entirely directed by Cromwell, though they knew it not
themselves. He saw the necessity of having a strong place,
and getting the king’s person into their power and he
contrived to do both, without seeming to have a hand in
either. Oxford was at that time in a good condition, and
well supplied with artillery, upon which the army seized
it, with the magazines, and every thing else; and Cromwell, then at London, prevailed upon cornet Joyce to
seize the king’s person with a strong detachment of horse,
not only without the general’s orders, but without any
orders at all, except those verbal instructions from Cromwell. This was executed June 4, 1G47, notwithstanding
the parliament’s commissioners were then with the king;
who was conducted from Holmby to Childersly, in Cambridgeshire, then the army’s head quarters. Here, through
the management chiefly of Cromwell and his son-in-law commissary Ireton, the king was treated, not only with reverence,
but with kindness; and when sir Thomas Fairfax, who
knew nothing of the taking of the king away, and disliked
it, would have sent him back asrain with the commissioners,
under the guard of two regiments of horse, the king absolutely refused to move. Nay, to such a degree was that
monarch convinced of the sincerity of his new friends, that
he had the indiscretion to tell sir Thomas Fairfax, when
he made him a tender of his duty and respect, with promises of fair treatment, that “he thought he had as good
an interest in the army as himself.
”
ssed for their interests, gave him a power easier conceived than described. He tried to inveigle the earl of Manchester; but finding that impracticable, he fell upon
Very little of Cromwell’s private life is known; he being
near forty years of age when he first distinguished himself
in opposing the project for draining of the fens. Yet there
were some who knew and understood him thoroughly, before his extraordinary talents were made known to the
world; and in particular his cousin Hampden, of which
the following was a remarkable instance. When the debates ran high in the house of commons, and Hampden
and lord Digby were going down the parliament stairs,
with Cromwell just before them, who was known to the
latter only by sight: “Pray,
” said his lordship to Hampden, “who is that man, for I see that he is on our side,
by his speaking so warmly to-day?
” “That sloven,
” replied Hampden, “whom you see before us, who has no
ornament in his speech; that sloven, I say, if we should
ever come to a breach with the king, which God forbid!
in such a case, I say, that sloven will be the greatest man
in England.
” This prophecy, which was so fully accomplished, rose chiefly from the sense Hampden had of
Cromwell’s indefatigable diligence in pursuing whatever
he undertook. He had another quality, which was equally
useful to him; that of discerning the temper of those with
whom he had to deal, and dealing with them accordingly.
Before he became commander in chief, he kept up a very
high intimacy with the private men: taking great pains to
learn their names, by which he was sure to call them;
shaking them by the hand, clapping them on the shoulder;
or, which was peculiar to him, giving them a slight box on
the ear; which condescending familiarities, with the warm
concern he expressed for their interests, gave him a power
easier conceived than described. He tried to inveigle the
earl of Manchester; but finding that impracticable, he fell
upon him in the house of commons, and procured his removal. He carried himself with so much respect to Fairfax, that he knew not how to break with him, though he
knew that he had betrayed him. He not only deceived
Harrison, Bradshaw, and Ludlow, but outwitted Oliver St.
John, who had more parts than them all; and he foiled sir
Henry Vane with his own weapons. In short, he knew
men perfectly, worked them to his purposes as if they
had been cattle, and, which is still more wonderful, did
that often while they conceived that they were making a
tool of him. He had a reach of head, which enabled him
to impose even upon the greatest bodies of men. He fed
the resentment of the house of commons agai.ibi the army,
till the latter were in a flame, and very angry with him;
yet, when he came tothe army, it was upon a flea-bitten
nag, all in a foam, as if he had made his escape from that
house; in which trim he signed the engagement of Triploe heath, throwing himself from his horse upon the grass,
and writing his name as he lay upon his belly. He had
yet another faculty beyond these; and that was, the art of
concealing his arts. He dictated a paper once to Ireton,
which was imposed upon the agitators as if founded upon
their instructions; who sent it express by two of their number to Cromwell, then lieutenant-general, at his quarters
at Colchester. He was in bed when they came; but they
demanded and obtained admittance. When they told him
their commission, he asked them, with the greatest rage
and resentment in his look, how they durst bring him
papers from the army? They said, that paper contained
the sense of the army, and they were directed to do it.
“Are you sure of that?
” said he, with the same stern
countenance, “Let me see it.
” He spent a long time in
reading it; and, as it seemed to them, in reflecting upon
it: then, with a mild and devout look, he told them it was
a most just thing, and he hoped that God would prosper
it; adding, “I will stand by the army in these desires with
and fortune.
”
t. Frances, the protector’s youngest daughter, was married first to Mr. Robert Rich, grandson to the earl of Warwick, in 1657, who died Feb. 16th following; and, secondly,
Oliver’s second son, Henry, born Jan. 20, 1627, he
sent over into Ireland, where he raised him gradually to
the post of lord lieutenant. Though in this he seemed to
give him the preference to Richard, yet in reality he used
him more harshly; for though his abilities were good, his
manners irreproachable, and his submission exemplary,
yet he paid no great deference to his recommendations,
and allowed him as little power as could well be imagined.
This son died March 25, 1674, having married a daughter
of sir Francis Russel, of Chippenham, in Cambridgeshire.
He was buried in the church of Wicken, in the same county,
in which Spinney-abbey, his mansion-house, stood, and
has this simple epitaph in the chancel: “Henricus Cromwell de Spinney obiit 23 die Martii, anno Christi 1673,
unnoque ætatis 47.
” His lady died April 7, 1687, aged 52,
and was buried by him. Cromwell married all his daughters
well, and was kind to their husbands; but it is said that he
gave them no fortunes. Bridget, his eldest, first married
commissary-general Ireton, and after his decease, lieutenantgeneral Fleetwood. Cromwell is said never to have had
but one confidant, and that was Ireton, whom he placed
at the head of affairs in Ireland, where he died of the
plague in 1651. This daughter was a republican, as were
her two husbands, and consequently not quite agreeable
to her father; otherwise a woman of very good sense, and
regular in her behaviour. By Ireton she had one daughter
of her own name, married to Mr. Benclish. Elizabeth,
his second and favourite daughter, was born in 1630, and
married John Claypole, esq. a Northamptonshire gentleman, whom the protector made master of the horse,
created a baronet in 1657, and appointed him one of his
lords. Mary, his third daughter, born in 1636, was married with great solemnity to lord Fauconberg, Nov. 18,
1657; but the same day more privately by Dr. Hewett, according to the office in the common prayer-book. She
was a lady of great beauty, and of a very high spirit; and,
after her brother Richard was deposed, is thought to have
promoted very successfully the restoration of king Charles;
for it is remarkable, that all Cromwell’s daughters, except
the eldest, had a secret kindness for the royal family, of
which, however, he was not ignorant. Lord Fauconberg
was sent to the Tower by the committee of safety, and
was in very high favour with Charles II. He was raised
to the dignity of an earl by king William, and died Dec.
31, 1700. His lady survived him to March, 1712, and
distinguished herself to her death, by the quickness of her
wit and the solidity of her judgment. Frances, the protector’s youngest daughter, was married first to Mr. Robert Rich, grandson to the earl of Warwick, in 1657, who
died Feb. 16th following; and, secondly, to sir John
Russel, of Chippenham, in Cambridgeshire, by whom she
had several children, and lived to a great age.
s nominated by Charles II. to write “The Masque of Calisto.” This nomination was procured him by the earl of Rochester, who designed by that preference to mortify Dryden.
, an American, was the son of an
independent minister in Nova Scotia. Being a man of
some genius, and impatient of the strict education he received in that country, he resolved upon coming to England to try if he could not make his fortune by his wits.
When he first arrived here, his necessities were extremely
urgent; and he was obliged to become gentleman usher to
an old independent lady; but he soon grew as weary of
that office as he was of the discipline of Nova Scotia. He
set himself therefore to writing; and presently made himself so known to the court and the town, that he was nominated by Charles II. to write “The Masque of Calisto.
”
This nomination was procured him by the earl of Rochester, who designed by that preference to mortify Dryden.
Upon the breaking out of the two parties, after the pretended discovery of the popish plot, the favour Crowne
was in at court induced him to embrace the tory party;
about which time he wrote a comedy called the “City
Politics,
” in order to expose the whigs. The lord chamberlain, Bennet earl of Arlington, though secretly a papist, was unaccountably a friend to the whigs, from his
hatred to the treasurer lord Darnley. Upon various pretences the play was withheld from the stage; at last
Crowne had recourse to the king himself, and by his majesty’s absolute command the play was acted. Though
Crowne ever retained a most sincere affection to his royal
master, he was honest enough to despise the servilities of
a court. He solicited the payment of money promised
him, which as soon as he obtained he became remiss in his
attendance at St. James’s. The duchess of Portsmouth
observed this conduct, and acquainted the king with it.
The gay monarch only laughed at the accusation, and perhaps in his mind justified Crowne’s sincerity.
eign; and published “Two original cantos, in imitation of Spenser’s Fairy Queen,” as a satire on the earl of Oxford’s administration. In 17 15 he addressed a poem to
Croxall had not long quitted the university before he was
instituted to the vicarage of Hampton, in Middlesex; and
afterwards^ Feb. 1731, to the united parishes of St. Mars-Somerset and St. Mary Mounthaw, in London, both which
he held till his death. He was also chancellor, prebendary,
canon residentiary, and portionist of the church of Hereford; in 1732 was made archdeacon of Salop and chaplain
to the king; and in Feb. 1734 obtained the vicarage of
Selleck in Herefordshire. He died at an advanced age,
Feb. 13, 1752. Dr. Croxall, who principally governed the
church of Hereford during the old age of bishop Egerton,
pulled down the old stone chapel adjoining to the palace,
of which a fine plate was published by the society of
antiquaries in 1737, and with the materials built a house for
his brother, Mr. Rodney Croxall. Having early imbibed
a strong attachment to the whig-interest, he employed his
pen in favour of that party during the latter end of queen
Anne’s reign; and published “Two original cantos, in
imitation of Spenser’s Fairy Queen,
” as a satire on the
earl of Oxford’s administration. In 17 15 he addressed a
poem to the duke of Argyle, upon his obtaining a victory
over the rebels; and the same year published “The Vision,
” a poem, addressed to the earl of Halifax. In The Fair Circassian,
” in 4to in Fables of jÆsop and others, translated into
English,
” a work which continues to be popular, probably
from its homely and almost vulgar style. He wrote all the
dedications prefixed to the “Select Novels,
” printed for
Watts, Scripture Politics,
”
The Royal Manual;
” in the preface of which he endeavours to shew that it was composed
by the famous Andrew Marvel, found among his Mss. but
it was generally believed to be written by himself.
im for active pursuits. This disposition recommended him much to the favour of the celebrated Robert earl of Essex, who was himself equally fond of knowledge and business.
At what time he left Oxford, or upon what occasion,
does not appear; but there is some reason to believe, it
was for the sake of travelling in order to improve himself.
For he was always inclined rather to a busy, than to a retired life; and held, that learning was of little service to
any man, if it did not qualify him for active pursuits. This
disposition recommended him much to the favour of the celebrated Robert earl of Essex, who was himself equally fond
of knowledge and business. Cuff became his secretary in
1596, when the earl was made lord lieutenant of Ireland;
but it had been happier for him, if he could have contented himself with the easy and honourable situation,
which his own learning, and the assistance of his friends in
the university, had procured him. Even his outset was
unfortunate; he accompanied the earl in his expedition
against Cadiz, and after its successful conclusion, was
dispatched with his lordship’s letters to England, and,
when he had landed, endeavoured with the utmost speed,
to arrive with them at the court. Beinsr, however, unfortunately taken ill on the road, he was obliged to send up
the letters, inclosed in one of his own, to Mr. Reynoldes,
another of the earl’s secretaries. Mr. Cuff, agreeably to
Jarge instructions which he had received from his lordship,
had drawn up a discourse concerning the great action at
Cadiz, which the earl purposed to be published as soon as
possible, both to stop all vagrant rumours, and to inform
those that were well affected, of the truth of the whole.
It was at the same time to be so contrived, that neither his
lordship’s name, nor Cuff’s, nor any other person’s, connected with the earl, should either be openly mentioned,
used, or in such a manner insinuated, as that the most
slender guess could be made, who was the penman. The
publication was to have the appearance of a letter that
came from Cadiz, and the title of it was to be, “A true
relation of the action at Cadiz, the 21st of June, under the
earl of Essex and the lord admiral, sent to a gentleman in
court from one that served there in good place.
” Sir
Anthony Ashley, who was entrusted with the design, acted
a treacherous part on this occasion. He betrayed the secret to the queen, and the lords of her council; the consequence of which was, that Mr. Fulke Grevill was charged
by her majesty to command Mr. Cuff, upon pain of death,
not to set forth any discourse concerning the expedition
without her consent.
ring parishes two companies of 100 men each for the regiment then enrolling under the command of the earl of Halifax, and marched them in person to Northampton. The earl,
, a late dramatic and miscellaneous writer, was the great grandson of the preceding. His father, Denison, so named from his mother, was educated at Westminster school, and from that admitted fellow-commoner of Trinity college, Cambridge. He married, at the age of twenty-two, Joanna, the younger daughter of Dr. Richard Bentley (the Phoebe of Byron’s Pastoral); by whom he had a daughter, Joanna, and Richard, the subject of this article. Though in possession of an independent fortune, he was readily prevailed upon by his father-in-law to take the rectory of Stanwick, in. Northamptonshire, given to him by lord chancellor King, as soon as he was of age to hold it. From this period he fixed his constant residence in that retired spot, and sedulously devoted himself to the duties of his function, never holding any other preferment for thirty years, except a small prebend in the church of Lincoln, given him by his uncle bishop Reynolds, He was in the commission of the peace, and a very active magistrate in the reconcilement of parties rather than in the conviction of persons. When the rebels were on the march, and had advanced to Derby, he raised among the neighbouring parishes two companies of 100 men each for the regiment then enrolling under the command of the earl of Halifax, and marched them in person to Northampton. The earl, as a mark of his consideration, insisted upon bestowing one of the companies upon his son, who being too young to take the command, an officer was named to act in his place. Some time after, on the approach of the general election for the county of Northampton, a contest took place with the rival parties of Knightly and Hanbury, or, in other words, between the tories and the whigs. His politics accorded with the latter, and he gave a very active and effectual support to his party. His exertions, though unsuccessful, were not overlooked by the earl of Halifax, who was then high in office, and lord lieutenant of the county. Offers were pressed upon him; yet, though he was resolute in declining all personal favours, he was persuaded to lend an ear to flattering situations pointed out for his son, who was shortly afterwards employed by lord Halifax as his confidential secretary. In 1757 he exchanged the living of Stanwick for Fulham, in order to be nearer his son, whose attendance on the earl of Halifax required his residence in town. On the earl being appointed lord-lieutenant of Ireland, he was made one of his chaplains; and in 1763, at the close of his lordship’s administration, was promoted to the bishopric of Clonfert. In this situation he much ingratiated himself with all classes of people by his benevolence and generosity. He introduced many improvements and comforts among the Irish peasantry. He encouraged the English mode of agriculture by judicious rewards; and, as one of the members of the linen trade, introduced a number of spinning-wheels, and much good linen was made in consequence. This improving manufacture formed an interesting occupation also to his lady, and flourished under her care. The city of Dublin presented him with his freedom in a gold box, an honour never before (except in the remarkable instance of dean Swift) conferred on any person below the rank of a chief governor; and the deed which accompanied it assigned as the motive, the great respectability of his character, and his disinterested protection of the Irish clergy. In 1772 he was translated to the see of Kilmore. Some alarming symptoms soon after indicated the breaking up of his constitution, which was increased by the anxiety he experienced, through the debility and loss of health of his, amiable lady. When his son took leave of him at the end of his summer visit, the bishop expressed an intention of attempting a journey to England; but died in the winter of the same year; and this sad event was speedily succeeded by the death of his lady, whose weak and exhausted frame sunk under the blow, May 27, 1775.
d afterwards obtained only the clerkship of reports in the office of trade and plantations under the earl of Hillsborough.
Having obtained, through the patronage of lord Halifax, a small establishment as crown agent for Nova Scotia, Mr. Cumberland tendered his addresses to Elizabeth, the only daughter of George Ridge, esq. of Kilmiston, Hants, to whom he was married, Feb. 19, 1759. On the king’s accession to the throne, Mr. Cumberland composed and published without his name, a poem in blank verse addressed to the young sovereign; and on the appointment of lord Halifax to be lord lieutenant of Ireland, he accompanied that nobleman as Ulster secretary, and his father was made one of the chaplains. William Gerard Hamilton was at this time chief secretary, but not by the choice of lord Halifax, to whom he was little known, and in the first instance not altogether acceptable, and Cumberland’s situation appears to have been unpleasant. However, towards the close of the session his lordship expressed his satisfaction in Cumberland’s services, and offered him a baronetcy, an honour which after due consideration he declined, though he says he had afterwards reason to think that it contributed to weaken his interest with lord Halifax. Why such an honour should have been offered to a youngman totally unprovided for, we know not. Even when his patron was made secretary of state, he applied, in vain, for the situation of under-secretary, and afterwards obtained only the clerkship of reports in the office of trade and plantations under the earl of Hillsborough.
him employed, at different times, in the character of a travelling companion or tutor; first to the earl of Hyndford and his brother Mr. William Carmichael, solicitor-general
, an historian, was born in Scotland, in the time of Cromwell’s usurpation, in 1654; his father was minister at Ettrick, in the shire and presbytery of Selkirk. He was educated, according to the custom of the Scotch gentlemen of those times who. were of the presbyterian sect, in Holland, where we may suppose he imbibed his principles of government, and was much with the Scotch and English refugees at the Hague before the revolution, particularly with the earls of Argyle and Sunderland. He came over to England with the prince of Orange; and was honoured with the confidence and intimacy of many leading men among the friends of king William and the revolution. We find him employed, at different times, in the character of a travelling companion or tutor; first to the earl of Hyndford and his brother Mr. William Carmichael, solicitor-general in the reign of queen Anne for Scotland; secondly, with the lord Lome, afterwards so well known under the name of John duke of Argyle; and thirdly, with the lord viscount Lonsdale. In 1703 we find him at Hanover with the celebrated Atldison, and graciously received by the elector and princess Sophia.
time he was under the tuition of Mr. Cunningham, was colonel of a regiment, which the father of the earl of Argyle had raised for his majesty’s service in Flanders.
Lord Lome, at the time he was under the tuition of Mr. Cunningham, was colonel of a regiment, which the father of the earl of Argyle had raised for his majesty’s service in Flanders. Mr. Cunningham’s connection with the duke of Argyle, with whom he had the honour of maintaining an intimacy as long as he lived, together with the opportunities he enjoyed of learning in his travels what may be called military geography, naturally tended to qualify him for writing intelligibly on military affairs. On this subject Achilles, it is probable, communicated information to his preceptor Chiron. When we reflect on these circumstances, we shall the less wonder that his accounts of battles and sieges, and in general of all the operations of war, should be so copious, and at the same time so conceivable and satisfactory. It is not unnatural on this occasion to call to mind, that the historian Poly bins, so justly renowned for his knowledge of both civil and military affairs, was tutor to Scipio Africanus.
ichester, some of whose relations had been connected with the author. He communicated it to the late earl of Hardwicke, and to Dr. Douglas, the late bishop of Salisbury,
His History of Great Britain, from the revolution in
1688 to the accession of George I. was published in
two vols. 4to, in 1787. It was written by Mr. Cunningham in Latin, but was translated into English by the rev.
Dr. William Thomson. The original manuscript came
into the possession of the rev, Dr. Hollingberry,
archdeacon of Chichester, some of whose relations had been connected with the author. He communicated it to the late
earl of Hardwicke, and to Dr. Douglas, the late bishop of
Salisbury, both of whom recommended the publication.
In a short preface to the work, the archdeacon says: “My
first design was to have produced it in the original; but,
knowing how few are sufficiently learned to understand,
and how many are indisposed to read two quarto volumes in
Latin, however interesting and entertaining the subject
may be, I altered my purpose, and intended to have sent
it into the world in a translation. A nervous fever depriving me of the power, defeated the scheme.
” Accordingly, he afterwards transferred the undertaking to Dr.
Thomson; and, we are told by Dr. Hollingberry that this
gentleman “has expressed the sense of the author with
fidelity.
” The work was undoubtedly well deserving of
publication. It contains the history of a very interesting
period, written by a man who had a considerable degree
of authentic information, and his book contains many curious particulars not to be found in other histories. His
characters are often drawn with judgment and impartiality:
at other times they are somewhat tinctured with prejudice.
This is particularly the case with respect to general Stanhope and bishop Burnet, against whom he appears to have
conceived a strong personal dislike. He sometimes also
indulges himself in severe sarcasms on the clergy, and on
the female sex. But he was manifestly a very attentive
observer of the transactions of his own time; his works
abound in just political remarks; and the facts which he
relates are exhibited with great perspicuity, and often
with much animation. Throughout his book he frequently
intersperses some account of the literature and of the most
eminent persons of the age concerning which he writes;
and he has also adorned his work with many allusions to
the classics and to ancient history.
d by the inquisition, consisting of sixty-one pages. After his return he became secretary to Francis earl of Rutland, then one of the privy chamber to prince Charles,
, as Fuller informs us,
was born at Geddington, in the county of Northampton,
and bred a bible-clerk in Corpus Christi college, Cambridge: but Wood has made him a Greek scholar in Pembroke-hall. As a confirmation, however, of the former,
he published “A Book of Epitaphs, made upon the death
of the right worshipful sir William Buttes, knt.
” in Survey of the Great Duke’s State of
Tuscany in the year 1596,
” which was inscribed to him by
the publisher, Edward Blount, in 1605, 4to; and in the
same year appeared his “Method of Travel, shewed bjjj
taking a view of France as it stood in 1598,
” 4to. In
the preface he says that he was at the last jubilee at Rome,
and that “this discourse was written long since, when the
now lord secretary was then lord ambassador, and intended
for the private use of an hon. gent.
” The second edition,
published in 162y, contains the clause of Guicciardini defaced by the inquisition, consisting of sixty-one pages.
After his return he became secretary to Francis earl of
Rutland, then one of the privy chamber to prince Charles,
and master of the Charter-house, where he introduced i:ito
the school the custom of versifying on passages of the holy
scripture; about which time he had also the honour of
knighthood conferred upon him. He was incorporated
A.M. at Oxford in 1601, and published “Aphorismes,
Civil and Military; amplified with authorities, and exemplified with history out of the first quaterne of Fr. Guicciardini/' Lond. 1615, fol. in which he is said to have
” shown both wit and judgment." He died in the latter
end of the year 1637, upwards of seventy-six years old,
and was buried in the Charter-house chapel.
eat of his fattier sir James Dalrymple, bait, of Hailes. His mother, lady Christian, daughter of the earl of Haddington, a very amiable and accomplished woman, bore sixteen
, an eminent hydrographer, F. R. S. and F. S. A. was born July 24, 1737, at New Hailes, near Edinburgh, the seat of his fattier sir James Dalrymple, bait, of Hailes. His mother, lady Christian, daughter of the earl of Haddington, a very amiable and accomplished woman, bore sixteen children, all of whom Alexander, who was the seventh son, survived. He was educated at the school of Haddington, under Mr. David Young; but as he left school before he was fourteen years of age, and never was at the university, his scholastic endowments were very limited. At school he had the credit of being a good scholar; and, after he left school, his eldest hrother was wont to make him translate, off hand, some of the odes of Horace; so that he was, for his years, a tolerable proficient in Latin: but going abroad, entirely his own master, before he was sixteen years of age, he neglected his Latin; and, as he says, never found so much use for it as to induce him to take any pains to recover it.
204, Thursday, Nov. 25, 1756. 7. “A discourse of the unnatural and vile Conspiracy attempted by John earl of Go wry, and his brother, against his majesty’s person, at
The works of lord Hailes, arranged in the order of their
publication, are as follow: 1. “Sacred poems, by various
authors,
” Edinb. The wisdom of Solomon, wisdom of Jesus the son of Sirach, or Ecclesiasticus.
” Edinb. Select discourses, nine
in number, by John Smith, late fellow of Queen’s college, Cambridge,
” Ediub. 17 06, 12mo. 4. “World,
”
No. A discourse of
the unnatural and vile Conspiracy attempted by John earl
of Go wry, and his brother, against his majesty’s person,
at St. Johnstoun, upon the 5th of Aug. 1600,
” A sermon which might have been preached in East
Lothian, upon the 25th day of Oct. 1761, from Acts xxvii.
1, 2.
” The barbarous people sbewed us no little kindness,“Edinb. 1761, 12mo; occasioned by the country
people pillaging the wreck of two vessels, viz. the Betsy,
Cunningham, and the Leith packet, Pitcairn, from London to Leith, cast away on the shore between D unbar and
North Berwick. All the passengers on board the former,
in number seventeen, perished; five on-board the latter,
Oct. 16, 1761. An affecting discourse, which is said to
have produced the restitution of some part of the pillage.
9.
” Memorials and Letters relating to the history of Britain in the reign of James I. published from the originals,“Glasgow, 1762. 10.
” The works of the ever-memorable
Mr. John Hailes of Eton, now first collected together,“Glasgow, 1765, 3 vols. The fine-paper copies of this
work are truly elegant. 11. A specimen of a book entitled: Ane compendious booke of godlie and spiritual
sangs, collectit out of sundrie parts of the Scripture, with
sundrie other ballates, changed out of prophaine sangs, for
avoyding of sin and harlotrie, with augmentation of sundrie
gucle and godlie ballates, not contained in the first edition.
Printed by Andro Hart,
” Edinb. Memorials and Letters relating to the history of Britain in the
reign of Charles’ I. published from the originals,
” Glasgow,
An Account of the Preservation of Charles II.
after the battle of Worcester, drawn up by himself; to
which are added, his letters to several persons,
” Glasgow,
1766. 14. “The secret correspondence between sir Robert Cecil and James VI.
” 1766, 12mo. 15. “A catalogue of the lords of session, from the institution of the
college of justice, in 1532, with historical notes,
” Edinb.
The private correspondence of doctor
Francis Atterbury, bishop of Rochester, and his friends,
in 1725, never before published,
” An
examination of some of the arguments for the high antiquity of regiam majestatem; and an inquiry into the authenticity of the leges Malcolrni,
” Edinb. Historical Memoirs concerning the Provincial Councils of
the Scottish Clergy, from the earliest accounts of the,; aera
of the reformation,
” Edinb. Canons of
the church of Scotland, drawn up in the provincial councils
held at Perth, anno 1242 and 1269,
” Edinb. Ancient Scottish poems, published from the manuscript of George Bannatyne, 1568,
” Edinb. The additional case of Elizabeth, claiming the title
and dignity of countess of Sutherland,
” 4to. 22. “Remarks on the History of Scotland,
” Edinb. Hubert! Langueti Epistolae ad Philippum Syclm-ium
eqtritem Anglum, ace ura rite D. Dalrymple de Hailes eq.
”
Edinb. Annals of Scotland, from the
accession of Malcolm III. suriiamed Canmore, to the accession of Robert!.
” Edinb. 1776. 25. “Tables of the
succession of the kings of Scotland, from Malcolm 111. to
Robert 1.
” 26. Chronological abridgment of the volume.“The appendix contains eight dissertations. 27.
” Annah
of Scotland, from the accession of Robert I. surnamed
Bruce, to the accession of the house of Stewart,“177:,
4to, with an appendix containing nine dissertations. 28.
” Account of the Martyrs of Smyrna and Lyons, in the 2d
century, with explanatory notes,“Edinb. 1776. 29,
” Remains of Christian Antiquity,“Edinb. 1778, 3 vols.
30.
” Octavius, a dialogue by Marcus Minucius Felix,“Edinb. 1781. 31.
” Of the manner in which the persecutors died, by Lactantius,“Edinb. 17S2. 32.
” Luciani
Coelii Firmiani Lactantii divinarum institutionum liber
quintus, sen de justitia,“1777. 33.
” Disquisitions concerning the Antiquities of the Christian Church,“Glasgow,
1783. 34.
” Sketch of the life of John Barclay,“1786,
4to. 35.
” Sketch of the life of John Hamilton, a secular
priest, who lived about 1600,“4to. 36.
” Sketch of the
life of sir James Ramsay, a general officer in the armies of
Gustavus Adolphus, king of Sweden.“37.
” Life of
George Leslie,“4 to. 38.
” Sketch of the life of Mark
Alex. Boyd,“4to. 39.
” The opinions of Sarah duchess
dowager of Marlborough, published from her originalMSS.“1788, 12mo. 40.
” The address of Q. Septini. Tertullian
to Scapula Tertullus, proconsul of Africa," Edinb. 1790,
12mo. This address contains many particulars relating to
the church after the 3d century. The translator has rejected all words and phrases of French origin, and writes
entirely in the Anglo-Saxon dialect. In the course of the
notes, many obscurities of the original, not adverted to by
other commentators, are explained. Some strange inaccuracies of Mr. Gibbon are also detected, not included in
the misrepresentations of his two famous chapters. He
was long engaged in pursuits to examine the authenticity
of the books of the New Testament. The result is said to
have been, that he discovered every verse contained in it,
with the exception of two or three, in the writings of the
three first centuries. Indeed this seems to have been an
object in all his works; for, at the end of each of his
translations and editions of the primitive Christian writers,
a table is given of passages quoted or mentioned by them.
rebellion in the reign of Charles I. he accepted a captain’s commission from the parliament, in the earl of Glencain.'s regiment, but was soon called off to a more suitable
, the seventh baron and first
viscount Stair, was born in 1609, studied at the college
of Glasgow, and passed all the regular degrees of learning
in that university. On the commencement of the rebellion in the reign of Charles I. he accepted a captain’s commission from the parliament, in the earl of Glencain.'s regiment, but was soon called off to a more suitable province,
that of filling a philosophy chair in the university of Glasgow. Having applied himself particularly to the study of
the laws, he entered as an advocate in 1648, and became
eminent for his judgment and skill, if not for his integrity.
When the estates of the nation sent commissioners to
Breda to invite Charles II. to Scotland, he was appointed
secretary to the embassy, and acquitted himself entirely to
his majesty’s satisfaction. He then resumed his practice
at the bar, but could not be prevailed upon to take any
oaths to the government during the usurpation. When
Charles II. was restored to the throne, he conferred on
Mr. Dalryrnple the honour of knighthood, appointed him
a senator of the college of justice, and in 1671, lord president of the session, in which office his conduct was very
unpopular; and in 1682, being dismissed from all his offices, he retired to Holland, where he became such a
favourite with William prince of Orange, that when advanced to the throne of these kingdoms, his majesty restored him to his place of lord president, and raised him
to the dignity of viscount Stair, lord Glenluce and Stranrawer. His lordship continued to enjoy his high legal
office, and the favour of his prince, till his death, Nov. 25,
1695 4 His character as a politician has not been favourably drawn by some historians, particularly Mr. Laing, in.
his lately -published “History of Scotland.
” His personal
character seems liable to less objection, and of his learning
no doubt can be justly entertained. He wrote: 1. “The
Institutions of the Law of Scotland,
” second edit. fol. Decisions of the Court of Session from 1661 to 1681,'
”
2 vols. fol. 3. “Philosophia nova experimentalis,
” published in Holland during his exile, and much commended
by Bayle in his Journal. 4. “A Vindication of the Divine
Perfections, &c. by a Person of Honour,
” An Apology for his own Conduct,
” 4to, the only copy
of which extant is said to be in the advocates’ library at
Edinburgh. Had lord Orford read much of his history, he
needed not have added that “it is not known on what occasion-he published it.
”
first degrees, he was employed as tutor or governor to lord Beauchamp, only son of Algernon Seymour, earl of Hertford, late duke of Somerset. During his attendance on
was born in 1709, at Deane,
in Cumberland, where his father was then rector. He had
his school education at Lowther, in Westmoreland, and
thence was removed, at the age of sixteen, to Queen’seollege, in Oxford. When he had taken his first degrees,
he was employed as tutor or governor to lord Beauchamp,
only son of Algernon Seymour, earl of Hertford, late duke
of Somerset. During his attendance on that noble youth,
he employed some of his leisure hours in adapting Milton’s
“Masque at Ludlow Castle
” to the stage, by a judicious
insertion of several songs and passages selected from other
of Milton’s works, as well as of several songs and other
elegant additions of his own, suited to the characters and
to the manner of the original author. This was received
as a very acceptable present to the public; and it still
continues one of the most favourite dramatic entertainments, under the title of “Comus, a masque,
” being set
to music by Dr. Arne. We cannot omit mentioning to
Dalton’s honour, that, during the run of this piece, he industriously sought out a grand-daughter of Milton’s, oppressed both by age and penury; and procured her a
benefit from this play, the profits of which to her amounted,
it is said, to upwards of 120l. Dr. Johnson wrote the Prologue spoken on this occasion. A bad state of health prevented Dr. Dalton from attending his pupil abroad, and
saved him the mortification of being an eye-witness of his
death, which was occasioned by the small-pox, at Bologna,
in Italy. Soon after, succeeding to a fellowship in his
college, he entered into orders, according to the rules of
that society.
nded with circumstances which gave rise to sir Robert Strange’s memorable letter of complaint to the earl of Bute, in which he says, indignantly, although not altogether
, brother to the preceding, keeper
of the pictures, medals, &c. and antiquary to his majesty,
was originally apprenticed to a coach-painter in Clerkenwell, and after quitting his master, went to Rome to pursue the study of painting, where, about the year 1749, an
invitation was given him by Roger Kynaston, esq. of
Shrewsbury, in company with Mr. (afterwards sir John)
Frederick, to accompany them to Naples. From that city
they proceeded in a felucca, along the coast of Calabria,
crossed over to Messina, and thence to Catania, where
they met with lord Charlemont, Mr. Burton, afterwards
lord Cunningham, Mr. Scott, and Mr. Murphy. They
then sailed together in a ship, hired by lord Charlemont
and his party, from Leghorn, with the intention of making
that voyage; the felucca followed first to Syracuse, then
to the isle of Malta, and afterwards separated; but Mr.
Dalton, accompanying the party in the ship, made the
voyage to Constantinople, several parts of Greece, and
Egypt. This voyage led to his publication, which appeared in 1781, called, “Explanation of the set of prints
relative to the manners, customs, &c. of the present inhabitants of Egypt, from discoveries made on the spot, 1749,
etched and engraved by Richard Daiton, esq.
” On his
return to England, he was, by the interest of his noble
patron lord Charlemont, introduced to the notice of his
present majesty, then prince of Wales, who, after his accession to the throne, appointed him his librarian, an office
for which it would appear he was but indifferently qualified, if Dr. Morell’s report be true. Soon after, it being
determined to form a noble collection of drawings, medals,
&c. Mr. Daltou was sent to Italy in 1763, to collect the
various articles suited to the intention. The accomplishment of that object, however, was unfortunately attended
with circumstances which gave rise to sir Robert Strange’s
memorable letter of complaint to the earl of Bute, in which
he says, indignantly, although not altogether unjustly, that
“persecution haunted him, even beyond the Alps, in the
form of Mr. Dalton.
” On this subject it may here be
necessary only to refer to sir Robert’s letter, and to the
authorities in the note.
e parish school, but principally at Edinburgh, where his learning and moral conduct induced the late earl of Lautierdale to appoint him tutor to his eldest son, lord
, M. A. F. R. S. Edin. Greek
professor in the university of Edinburgh, keeper of the
university library, &c. was born in 1750, in the parish of
Rathos near Edinburgh, and was educated partly at the
parish school, but principally at Edinburgh, where his
learning and moral conduct induced the late earl of
Lautierdale to appoint him tutor to his eldest son, lord
Maitland, the present earl. With this young nobleman, he
attended a course of the lectures of the celebrated professor
Millar at Glasgow, and afterwards accompanied his lordship to Paris. On his return from the continent, Mr. Dalzcll, at the recommendation of the late earl of Landerdale,
was appointed to the professorship of Greek at Edinburgh,
an office which he rilled for many years with the highest
reputation and advantage to the university. He has thfe
credit indeed of reviving a taste for that language, which
from various causes, had been disused at Edinburgh, or
studied very superficially. To enable his pupils to prosecute this accomplishment with the more effect, and imbibe
a taste for what was elegant in the language, he compiled
and printed, at a great expence, a series of collections out
of the Greek authors, including all those passages which
he wished to explain in the course of his teaching. These
were printed in several 8vo volumes, under the titles of
“Collectanea Minora,
” and “Collectanea Majora.
” He
added to each volume short notes in Latin, explanatory of
the difficult places, and the text was printed with great
accuracy. The notes, which are in elegant Latin, are admirable for brevity, perspicuity, and judgment. He at
the same time composed and read to the students a series
of lectures on the language and antiquities, the philosophy
and history, the literature, eloquence, poetry, and fine arts
of the Greeks. By these means he became eminently successful in disseminating a taste for classical literature in the
university, nor was he less happy in the art of engaging
the affections and fixing the attention of his pupils on the
objects which he considered as the fundamentals of all
genuine scholarship.
ver, without taking a degree, and pursued the study of history and poetry under the patronage of the earl of Pembroke’s family. This he thankfully acknowledges in his
, an English poet and historian, the
son of a music-master, was born near Taunton, in Somersetshire, in 1562. In 1579 he was admitted a commoner
of Magdalen-hall, Oxford, where he continued about three
years, and by the help of an excellent tutor, made
considerable improvement in academical studies. He left the
university, however, without taking a degree, and pursued
the study of history and poetry under the patronage of the
earl of Pembroke’s family. This he thankfully acknowledges in his “Defence of Rhime,
” which is printed in
the late edition of his works, as a necessary document to
illustrate the ideas of poetry entertained in his time. To
the same family he was probably indebted for an university
education, as no notice occurs of his father, who, if a
music-master, could not well have escaped the researches
of Dr. Burney. The first of his product ions, at the age
of twenty-three, was a translation of Paulns Jovius’s ' Discourse of Rare Inventions, both military and amorous,
called Imprese,“London, 1585, 8vo, to which he prefixed an ingenious preface. He afterwards became tutor
to the lady Anne Clifford, sole daughter and heiress to
George, earl of Cumberland, a lady of very high accomplishments, spirit, and intrepidity. To her, when at the
age of thirteen, he addressed a delicate admonitory epistle.
She was married, first to Richard, earl of Dorset, and afterwards to the earl of Pembroke,
” that memorable simpleton,“says lord Orford,
” with whom Butler has so
much diverted himself." The pillar which she erected in
the county of Westmoreland, on the road-side between
Penrith and Appleby, the spot where she took her last
leave of her mother,
een’s Arcadia,” a pastoral tragicomedy, 1605, 1623, Lond. 4to. 15. “Funeral poem on the Death of the earl of Devon,” Lond. 1623, 4to. In the same year his poetical works
His works consist of: 1. “The Complaint of Rosamond,
” Lond. Sonnets
” to Delia. 3. “Tragedy of Cleopatra,
”
Lond. Of the
” Civil Wars between
the houses of Lancaster and York,“Lond. 1604, 1609,
8vo, and 1623, 4to. 5.
” The Vision of the Twelve Goddesses, presented in a Mask,“&c. London, 1604, 8vo,
and 1623, 4to. 6.
” Panegyric congratulatory,“delivered
to king James at Burleigh Harrington, in Rutlandshire,
Lond. 1604 and 1623, 4to. 7.
” Epistles“to various
great personages, in verse, Lond. 1601 and 1623, 4to. 8.
” Musophilus, containing a general Defence of Learning,“printed with the former. 9.
” Tragedy of “Philotas,
”
Lond. Hymen’s Triumph; a pastoral
tragi-comedy,
” at the nuptials of lord Roxborough, Lond.
Musa,
” or a Defence of Rhyme,
Lond. Epistle of Octavia to M. Antoiiius,
” Lond. History
of England,
” in three books, Lond. The Queen’s Arcadia,
” a pastoral tragicomedy, Funeral poem
on the Death of the earl of Devon,
” Lond.
, a brave warrior in the end of the sixteenth and beginning of the seventeenth century, and created earl of Dariby by king Charles I. was the second son of sir John
, a brave warrior in the end of the sixteenth and beginning of the seventeenth century, and created earl of Dariby by king Charles I. was the second son of sir John Danvers, knight, by Elizabeth his wife, daughter and coheir to John Nevil the last lord Latimer. He was born at Dantesey in Wiltshire, on the 28th of June, 1573. After an education suitable to his birth, he went and served in the Low Country wars, under Maurice count of Nassau, afterwards prince of Orange; and was engaged in many military actions of those times, both by sea and land. He was made a captain in the wars of France, occasioned in that kingdom by the League; and there knighted for his good service under Henry IV. king of France. He was next employed in Ireland, as lieutenantgeneral of the horse, and serjeant-major of the whole army, under Robert earl of Essex, and Charles Baron of Montjoy, in the reign of queen Elizabeth. Upon the accession of king James I. he was, on account of his family’s deserts and sufferings, advanced, July 21, 1603, to the dignity of a peer of this realm, by the title of Baron of Dantesey: and in J 605, by a special act of parliament, restored in blood as heir to his father, notwithstanding the attainder of his elder brother, sir Charles Danvers, knight. He was also appointed lord president of Munster in Ireland; and in 1620 made governor of the Isle of Guernsey for life. By king Charles I. he was created earl of Danby, February 5, 1625-6; and made of his privy council; and knight of the order of the garter. Being himself a man of learning, as well as a great encourager of it, and observing that opportunities were wanting in the university of Oxford for the useful study of botany, he purchased for the sum of two hundred and fifty pounds, five acres of ground, opposite Magdalen college, which had formerly served for a burying-place to the Jews (residing in great numbers at Oxford, till they were expelled England by king Edward I. in 1290), and conveyed his right and title to that piece of land to the university, on the 27th of March, 1622. The ground being first considerably raised, to prevent its being overflowed by the river Cherwell, the heads of the university laid the first stones of the walls, on the 25th of July following. They were finished in 1633, being fourteen feet high: and cost the noble benefactor about five thousand pounds. The entrance into the garden is on the north side under a stately gate, the charge of building which amounted to between rive and fix hundred pounds. Upon the front of that gateway, is this Latin inscription: Gloriie Dji Opt. Max. Honori Caroli Regis, in usum Acad. et Keipub. Henricus Comes Danby, D.D. MDCXXXII. For the maintenance of it, and of a gardener, the noble founder left, by will, the impropriate rectory of Kirkdale in Yorkshire: which was afterwards settled for the same purpose, by his brother and heir sir John Danvers, knt. The earl of Danby’s will bore date the 14th of December, 1640.
Accordingly, when the queen sent over a considerable quantity of military stores for the use of the earl of Newcastle’s army, Davenant resolutely ventured to return
This play had success enough to procure him the recommendation, if nothing more substantial, of many persons
of distinction, and of the wits of the times; and with such
encouragement he renewed his attendance at court, adding
to its pleasures by his dramatic efforts, and not sparingly
to the mirth of his brethren the satirists, by the unfortunate issue of some of his licentious gallantries. For
several years his plays and masks were acted with the
greatest applause, and his character as a poet was raised
very high by all who pretended to be judges. On the
death of Ben Jonson, in 1638, the queen procured for him.
the vacant laurel, which is said to have given such offence
to Thomas May, his rival, as to induce him to join the
disaffected party, and to become the advocate and historian of the republican parliament. In 1639, Davenaut was
appointed “Governor of the king and queen’s company
acting at the Cockpit in Drurv-lane, during the lease which
Mrs. Elizabeth Beeston, alias Hutcheson, hath or doth
hold in the said house.
” When the civil commotions had
for some time subsisted, the peculiar nature of them required that public; amusements should be the decided objects of popular resentment, and Davenant, who had
administered so copiously to the pleasures of the court,
was very soon brought under suspicions of a more serious
kind. In May 16M, he was accused before the parliament, of being a partner with many of the king’s friends,
in the design of bringing the army to London for his majesty’s protection. His accomplices effected their escape,
but Davenant was apprehended at Feversham, and sent up
to London. In July following he was bailed, but on a second attempt to withdraw to France, was taken in Kent.
At last, however, he contrived to make his escape
without farther impediment, and remained abroad for some
time. The motive of his flight appears not to have been
cowardice, but an unwillingness to sacrifice his life to popular fury, while there was any prospect of his being able
to devote it to the service of his royal master. Accordingly,
when the queen sent over a considerable quantity of military
stores for the use of the earl of Newcastle’s army, Davenant
resolutely ventured to return to England, and volunteered
his services under that nobleman, who had been one of his
patrons. The earl ma.le him lieutenant-general of his
ordnance, a post for which, if he was not previously prepared, he qualified himself with so much skill and success,
that in September 1643, he was rewarded with the honour
of knighthood for the service he rendered to the royal
cause at the siege of Gloucester. Of his military prowess,
however, we have no farther account, nor at what time he
found it necessary, on the decline of the king’s affairs, to
retire again into France. Here he was received into the
confidence of the queen, who in 1646 employed him in
one of her importunate and ill-advised negociations with
the king, who was then at Newcastle. About the same
time Davenant had embraced the popish religion, a step
which probably recommended him to the queen, but which,
when known, could only tend to increase the animosity of
the republicans against the court, which was already too
closely suspected of an attachment to that persuasion. The
object of his negociation was to persuade the king to save
his crown by sacrificing the church; a proposition which
his majesty rejected with becoming dignity; and this, as
lord Clarendon observes, “evinced an honest and conscientious principle in his majesty’s mind, which elevated
him above all his advisers.
” The queen’s advisers in the
measure were, his majesty knew, men of no religious
principle, and he seems to have resented their sending an
ambassador of no more consequence than the manager of
a play-house.
not printed till two years after it was acted; upon which occasion Dryden wrote a prologue, and the earl of Rochester an epilogue. In the former, there was an apology
, the eldest son of sir William
Davenant, was born in 1656, and was initiated in grammar-learning at Cheame in Surrey. Though he had the
misfortune to lose his father when scarce twelve years of
age, yet care was taken to send him to Oxford to finish
his education, where he became a commoner of Baliol college in 1671. He took no degree, but went to London,
where, at the age of nineteen, he distinguished himself
by a dramatic performance, the only one he published,
entitled, “Circe, a tragedy, acted at his royal highness
the duke of York’s theatre with great applause.
” This
play was not printed till two years after it was acted; upon
which occasion Dryden wrote a prologue, and the earl of
Rochester an epilogue. In the former, there was an apology for the author’s youth and inexperience. He had a
considerable share in the theatre in right of his father,
which probably induced him to turn his thoughts so early
to the stage; however, he was not long detained there
either by that, or the success of his play, but applied himself to the civil law, in which, it is said, he had the degree
of doctor conferred upon him by the university of Cambridge. He was elected to represent the borough of St.
Ives in Cornwall, in the first parliament of James II. which
was summoned to meet in May 1685; and, about the same
time, jointly empowered, with the master of the revels, to
inspect all plays, and to preserve the decorum of the stage.
He was also appointed a commissioner of the excise, and
continued in that employment for near six years, that is,
from 1683 to 1689: however, he does not seem to have
been advanced to this rank before he had gone through
some lesser employments. In 1698 he was elected for the
borough of Great Bedwin, as he was again in 1700. He
was afterwards appointed inspector-general of the exports
and imports; and this employment he held to the time of
his death, which happened Nov. 6, 1714. Dr. Davenant’s
thorough acquaintance with the laws and constitution of
the kingdom, joined to his great skill in figures, and his
happiness in applying that skill according to the principles
advanced by sir William Petty in his Political Arithmetic,
enabled him to enter deeply into the management of affairs, and procured him great success as a writer in politics; and it is remarkable, that though he was advanced
and preferred under the reigns of Charles II. and James II.
yet in all his pieces he reasons entirely upon revolution
principles, and compliments in the highest manner the virtues and abilities of the prince then upon the throne.
February 1607. His biographer attributes these promotions to the patronage of lord Ellesmere and the earl of Salisbury, with whom he corresponded, and to whom he sent
In 1603 he was sent as solicitor-general to Ireland, and
immediately rose to be attorney-general. Being afterwards appointed one of the judges of assize, he conducted
himself with so much prudence and humanity on the
circuits as greatly to contribute to allay the ferments which
existed in that country, and received the praises of his
superiors, “as a painful and well-deserving servant of his
majesty.
” In Trinity term 1606 he was called to the degree of serjeant-at-law, and received the honour of knighthood on the llth of February 1607. His biographer attributes these promotions to the patronage of lord Ellesmere and the earl of Salisbury, with whom he corresponded, and to whom he sent a very interesting account of
a circuit he performed with the lord-deputy in July 1607.
Such was Ireland then, that a guard of “six or seven score
foot and fifty or three score horse
” was thought a necessary protection against a peasantry recovering from their
wildness.
idiot and died young, and a daughter, Lucy, who was married to Ferdinando lord Hastings, afterwards earl of Huntingdon. Sir John’s lady appears to have been an enthusiast;
He married, while in Ireland, Eleanor, the third daughter
of lord Audley, by whom he had one son, who was an
idiot and died young, and a daughter, Lucy, who was
married to Ferdinando lord Hastings, afterwards earl of
Huntingdon. Sir John’s lady appears to have been an
enthusiast; a volume of her prophecies was published in
1649, 4to. Anthony Wood informs us that she foretold
the death of her husband, who turned the matter off with
a jest. She was harshly treated during the republic for
her officious prophecies, and is said to have been confined
several years in Bethlem hospital, and in the Tower of
London, where she suffered all the rigour that could be
inflicted by those who would tolerate no impostures but
their own. She died in 1652, and was interred near her
husband in St. Martin’s church. The late earl of Huntingdon informed lord Mountmorres the historian of the Irish
parliament, that sir John Davies did not appear to have
acquired any landed property in Ireland from his great
employments. The character of sir John Davies as a lawyer, is that of great ability and learning. As a politician
he stands unimpeached of corruption or servility, and his
“Tracts
” are valued as the result of profound knowledge
and investigation. They were republished with some originals in 1786 by Mr. George Chalmers, who prefixed a Life of
the Author, to which the present sketch is greatly indebted.
w but one volume, the first, nor Baker but three, which were sent to him as a great curiosity by the earl of Oxford, and are now deposited in St. John’s college, Cambridge.
, a Welsh clergyman, was born in
Tre'r-Abbot, in Whiteford parish, Flintshire. Of his personal history little is known, except that he was a good
scholar, very conversant in the literary history of his country, and very unfortunate in attempting to turn his knowlege to advantage. He was a vehement foe to Popery,
Arianism, and Socinianism, and of the most fervent loyalty.
to George I. and the Hanoverian succession. Owing to
some disgust, he quitted his native place, and probably his
profession when he came to London, as he subscribes himself “counsellor-at-law;
” and in one of his volumes has a
long digression on law and law-writers. Here he commenced author in the humblest form, not content with
dedicating to the great, but hawking his books in person
from door to door, where he was often repulsed with rudeness, and seldom appears to have been treated with kindness or liberality. How long he carried on this unprosperous business, or when he died, we have not been able
to discover. Mr. D'Israeli, who has taken much pains to
rescue his name from oblivion, suspects that his mind became disordered from poverty and disappointment. He
appears to have courted the Muses, who certainly were
not very favourable to his addresses. The most curious of
his works consist of some volumes under the general title
of “Athenæ Britannicæ,
” 8vo, the greatest
part (says Baker, the antiquary) borrowed from modern
historians, but containing some things more uncommon,
and not easily to be met with.
” The first of these volumes, printed in In
this he styles himself
” a gentleman of the inns of, court.“The others are entitled
” Athenæ Britannicæ, or a Critical
History of the Oxford and Cambridge Writers and Writings, &c. by M. D.“London, 1716, 8vo. They are all of
so great rarity, that Dr. Farmer never saw but one volume,
the first, nor Baker but three, which were sent to him as a
great curiosity by the earl of Oxford, and are now deposited in St. John’s college, Cambridge. In the British
Museum there are seven. From the
” Icon Libellorum,"
the only volume we have had an opportunity of perusing
attentively, the author appears to have been well acquainted
with English authors, their works and editions, and to have
occasionally looked into the works of foreign bibliographers.
beyond it, he anchored, July 23, at the bottom of that gulf, among many islands, which he named “The Earl of Cumberland’s Isles” He quitted that place again the same
, an eminent navigator, of the sixteenth
century, was born at Sandridge, in the parish of StokeGabriel, near Dartmouth in Devonshire. His birth near
that eminent sea-port, having given him a fair opportunity,
to which probably was added a strong natural disposition,
he put himself early to sea; where, by the help of a good
master, and his subsequent industry, knowledge, and experience, he became the most expert pilot, and one of the
ablest navigators of his time. The first public employment he had was in 1585, when he undertook to discover
a new passage, by the north-west parts of America, to the
East-Indies. For that purpose, he sailed from Dartmouth,
on the seventh of June, with two barks, one of fifty and
the other of thirty-five tons, which were fitted out at the
charge of some noblemen and gentlemen; and met, July 19,
many islands of ice floating, in 60 degrees northern latitude. They were soon encompassed with them; and going
upon some, perceived, that the roaring noise they heard,
at which they were greatly astonished, was caused only by
the rolling of the ice together. The next day, they discovered the southern coast of Greenland, five hundred
leagues distant from the Durseys, or Missenhead, in Ireland; and observed it to be extremely rocky and mountainous, and covered with snow, without any signs of wood,
grass, or earth to be seen. The shore, likewise, was so
full of ice, that no ship could come near it by two leagues:
and so shocking was the appearance of it, and the cracking
of the ice so hideous, that they imagined it to be a quite
desolate country, without a living creature, or even any
vegetable substance; for which reason captain Davis named
it, “The Land of Desolation.
” Perceiving that they were
run into a very deep bay, wherein they were almost surrounded with ice, they kept coasting along the edge of it,
south-south-west, till the 25th of July; when, after having gone fifty or sixty leagues, they found that the shore
lay directly north. This made them alter their course to
the north-west, in hopes of finding their desired passage:
but on the 29th they discovered land to the north-east, in
64 degr. 15 min. latitude. Making towards it, they perceived that they were passed the ice, and were among
many green, temperate, and pleasant islands, bordering
upon the shore; though the hills of the continent were still
covered with great quantities of snow. Among these
islands were many fine bays, and good roads for shipping:
they landed in some, and the people of the country came
down and conversed with them by signs, making Mr. Davis
understand, that there was a great sea towards the north
west. He staid in this place till the first of August,
and then proceeded in his discovery. The sixth of that
month, they found land in 66 degr. 40 min. latitude, quite
free from ice; and anchored in a safe road, under a great
mountain, the cliffs whereof glistered like gold. This
mountain he named, Mount Raleigh: the road where their
ships lay at anchor, Totness Road: the bay which encompassed the mountain, Exeter Sound: the foreland towards
the north, Dier’s Cape: and the foreland towards the
south, Cape Walsingham. He departed from hence the
eighth of August, coasting along the shore, which lay
south-south-west, and east-north-east; and on the eleventh
came to the most southerly cape of that land, which he
named, “The Cape of God’s Mercy,
” as being the place
of their first entrance for the discovery. Going forward,
they came into a very fine straight, or passage, in some
places twenty leagues broad, in others thirty, quite free
from ice, the weather in it very tolerable, and the water of
the same colour and nature as the main ocean. This passage still retains the name of its first discoverer, being
called to this day Fretum Davis, or Davis’s Straights.
Having sailed, north-west, sixty leagues in this passage,
they discovered several islands in the midst of it; on some
of which they landed. The coast was very barren, without wood or grass; and the rocks were like fine marble,
full of veins of divers colours. Some days after they continued searching for the north-west passage, but found
only a great number of islands. And, on the 2oth, the
wind coming contrary, they altered their course and design, and returning for England, arrived at Dartmouth the
29th of September. The next year Mr. Davis undertook
a second voyage, for the farther discovery of the north-west
passage, being supported and encouraged again by secretary Walsingham, and other adventurers. With' a view
therefore of searching the bottom of the Straights he had
been in the year before, he sailed from Dartmouth, May
the 7th, 1586, with four ships, and the 15th of June discovered land in 60 degrees latitude, and 47 degrees longitude west from London. The ice along the coast reached
in some places ten, in some twenty, and in others fifty
leagues into the sea; so that, to avoid it, they were forced
to bear into 57 degrees latitude. After many tempestuous
storms, they made the land again, June the 29th, in 64
degrees of latitude, and 58 of longitude; and ran among
the temperate islands they had been at the year before.
But the water was so deep, they could not easily come to
an anchor; yet they found means to go ashore, on some
of the islands, where they were much caressed and welcomed by the natives, who knew them again. Having
finished a pinnace, which was to serve them for a front in
their discoveries, they landed, not only in that, but also
in their boats, in several places: and, upon the strictest
search, found the land not to be a continent, as they imagined, but a collection of huge, waste, and desert isles,
with great sounds and inlets passing between sea and sea.
They pursued their voyage the 11th of July, and on the
17th, in 63 degrees 8 minutes latitude, met with a prodigious mass of ice, which they coasted till the 30th. This
was a great obstacle and discouragement to them, not
having the like there the year before; and, besides, the
men beginning to grow sickly, the crew of one of the
ships, on which he chiefly depended, forsook him, and resolved to proceed no farther. However, not to disappoint
Mr. W. Sanderson, who was the chief adventurer in this
voyage, and for fear of losing the favour of secretary Walsingham, who had this discovery much at heart, Mr. Davis
undertook to proceed alone in his small bark of thirty tons.
Having therefore fitted, and well-victualled it, in a harbour lying in 66 degrees 33 minutes latitude, and 70 degrees longitude, which he found to be a very hot place,
and full of muscatoes, he set sail the 12th of August, and
coming into a straight followed the course of it for eighty
leagues, till he came among many islands, where the water
ebbed and flowed six fathom deep. He had hopes of finding a passage there, but upon searching farther in his
boat, he perceived there was none. He then returned
again into the open sea, and kept coasting southward as
far as 54 degrees and a half of latitude: in which time he
found another great inlet near forty leagues broad, between
two lands, west, where the water ran in with great violence.
This, he imagined, was the passage so long sought for;
but the wind being then contrary, and two furious storms
happening soon after, he neither thought it safe nor wise
to proceed farther, especially in one small bark, and when
the season was so far advanced. He, therefore, sailed for
England the 11th of September; and arrived there in the
beginning of October. By the observations which he
made, he concluded, that the north parts of America are
all islands. He made a third voyage to these parts again
the year following, 1587. All the western merchants, and
most of those of London, refused to be engaged farther in
the undertaking; but it was encouraged by the lord treasurer Burleigh and secretary Walsinghain. Mr. Davis
having, in his last voyage, discovered prodigious quantities of excellent cud-tish, in 56 degrees of latitude, two
ships were sent along with him for fishing, and one only
for the discovery of the North west passage. They sailed
from Dartmouth the 19tii of May, and discovered land the
14th of June, at sixteen leagues distance, but very mountainous, and covered with snow. On the 21st of June the
two barks left him, and went upon the fishing, after having
promised him, not to depart till his return to them about
the end of August, yet having finished their voyage in
about sixteen days after, they set sail for England without
any regard to their promise. Captain Davis, in the mean
time, pursued his intended discovery, in the sea between
America and Greenland, from 64 to 73 degrees of latitude.
Having entered the Straights which bear his name, he
went on northward, from the 21st to the 30th of June;
naming one part Merchants Coast; another, the London
Coast; another, Hope Sanderson in 73 degrees latitude,
being the farthest he went that day. The wind coming
northerly, he altered his course, and ran forty leagues
west, without seeing any laud. On the 2d of July, he fell
in with a great bank of ice, which he coasted southward
till the 1 9th of July, when he came within sight of Mount
Raleigh on the American coast, in about 67 degrees of
latitude. Having sailed sixty leagues north-west into the
gulf that lies beyond it, he anchored, July 23, at the bottom of that gulf, among many islands, which he named
“The Earl of Cumberland’s Isles
” He quitted that place
again the same day, and sailed back south-east, in order
to recover the sea; which he did the 29th in 62 degrees of
latitude. The 30th he passed by a great bank, or inlet, to
which he gave the name of Lumley’s Inlet; and the next
day by a head land, which he called “The Earl of Warwick’s Foreland.
” On the first of August he fell in with
the southermost cape, named by him Chudley’s Cape:
and, the 12th, passed by an island which he named Darcy’s
Island. When he came in 52 degrees of latitude, not
finding the two ships that had promised to stay for him, he
was in great distress, having but little wood, and only half
a hogshead of water left; yet, taking courage, he made
the best of his way home, and arrived at Dartmouth September the 15th, very sanguine, that the north-west passage was most probable, and the execution easy; but secretary Walsinghaw dying not long after, all farther search
was laid aside. Mr. Davis, notwithstanding, did not remain idle. For, August 26, 1591, he was captain of the
Desire, rear admiral to Mr. Thomas Cavendish, in his second unfortunate expedition to the South -Sea; and is
highly blamed by Mr. Cavendish, for having deserted him,
and thereby being the cause of his overthrow. After many
disasters, Mr. Davis arrived again at Bear-haven in Ireland, June 11, 1593. He performed afterwards no less
than five voyages to the East-Indies, in the station of a
pilot. One was in a Dutch ship, in which he set out,
March 15, 1597-8, from Flushing, and returned to Middleburgh, July 23, 1600. Of the rest we have no account,
except of that which he performed with sir Edward Michelbourne, in which were spent nineteen months, from December 5, 1604, to July 9, 1606. During this voyage
Mr. Davis was killed, on the 27th of December, 1605, in
a desperate fight with some Japonese near the coast of
Malacca. He married Faith, daughter of sir John Fulford,
of Fulford in Devonshire, knight, by Dorothy his wife,
daughter of John lord Bouchier, earl of Bath, by whom
probably he had issue: for some of his posterity are said to
have been living about the middle of the last century, at
or near Deptford.
s well founded. Mr. Davison had attached himself, during the progress of his fortunes, to the potent earl of Leicester; and it was chiefly to his favour and interest
, a very eminent statesman, and
secretary of state in the reign of queen Elizabeth, was, if not
a native of Scotland, at least descended from those who were,
as himself professed to sir James Mel vile. At what time he
came into the court of queen Elizabeth, or in what state, is
uncertain. It is most probable, that his parts and learning, together with that extraordinary diligence and wonderful address for which he was always distinguished, recommended
him to Mr. Killigrew, afterwards sir Henry Kiiligrew, with
whom he went in quality of secretary, at the time he was sent
into Scotland, to compliment queen Mary upon the birth of
her son. This was in 1566, and there is a good reason to believe that he remained from that time about the court, and was
employed in several affairs of great consequence. In 1575,
when the states of Brabant and Flanders assumed to themselves the administration of all affairs till his catholic majesty should appoint a new governor of the Low Countries,
Mr. Davison was sent over with a public character from
the queen to those states, under the plausible pretence of
exhorting them to continue in their obedience to his catholic majesty; but, in reality, to see how things actually
stood in that part of the world, that her majesty might be
the better able to know how to proceed in respect to the
several applications made to her from the prince of Orange,
and the people of Holland. He executed this commission
very successfully, and therefore the queen sent him over
as her minister, to pacify the troubles that had arisen at
Ghent; and when his presence was no longer necessary
there, he was commissioned on her behalf to the States of
Holland, in 1579. His conduct there gave equal satisfaction to the queen his mistress, and to those with whom he
negotiated. He gave them great hopes of the queen’s assistance and support, and when a sum of money was desired, as absolutely necessary towards providing for their
defence, he very readily undertook to procure it upon
reasonable security; in consequence of which, a very considerable sum was sent from England, for which all the
valuable jewels and fine plate that had been pledged by
Matthias of Austria to the States of Holland, and which
were the remains of the magnificence of the house of Burgundy, were transported to England. These journies,
and the success attending them, gave Mr. Davison great
reputation at court, insomuch, that in all matters of a nice
and difficult nature, Davison was some way or other continually employed. Thus in 1583, when matters wore a
serious aspect in Scotland, he was sent thither as the
queen’s ambassador, in order to counteract the French
ministers, and to engage the king of Scots and the people,
both to slight the offers made them from that country, and
to depend wholly upon assistance from England. Affairs
in the Low Countries coming at last to a crisis, and the
states resolving to depend upon queen Elizabeth, in the
bold design they had formed of defending their freedom
by force of arms, and rendering themselves independent,
Mr. Davison, at this time clerk of the privy council, was
chosen to manage this delicate business, and to conclude
with them that alliance which was to be the basis of their
future undertakings. In this, which, without question,
was one of the most perplexed transactions in that whole
reign, he conducted things with such a happy dexterity,
as to merit the strongest acknowledgments on the part of
the States, at the same time that he rendered the highest
service to the queen his mistress, and obtained ample security for those expences which that princess thought
necessary in order to keep danger at a distance, and to encourage the flames of war in the dominions of her enemy,
whom at that juncture she knew to be meditating how he
might transfer them into her own. Upon the return of
Mr. Davison into England, after the conclusion of this
treaty, he was declared of the privy-council, and appointed
one of her majesty’s principal secretaries of state, in conjunction with sir Francis Walsingham; so that, at this
time, these offices may be affirmed to have been as well
filled as in any period that can be assigned in our history,
and yet by persons of very different, or rather opposite
dispositions; for Walsingham was a man of great art and
intrigue, one who was not displeased that he was thought
such a person, and whose capacity was still deeper than
'those who understood it best apprehended it to be. Davison, on the other hand, had a just reputation for wisdom
and probity; and, though he had been concerned in many
intricate affairs, yet he preserved a character so unspotted,
that, to the time he came into this office, he had done nothing that could draw upon him the least imputation. It
is an opinion countenanced by Camden, and which has
met with general acceptance, that he was raised in order
to be ruined, and that, when he was made secretary of
state, there was a view of obliging him to go out of his
depth in that matter, which brought upon him all his misfortunes. This conjecture is very plausible, and yet there
is good reason to doubt whether it is well founded. Mr.
Davison had attached himself, during the progress of his fortunes, to the potent earl of Leicester; and it was chiefly to
his favour and interest that he stood indebted for this high
employment, in which, if he was deceived by another great
statesman, it could not be said that he was raised and
ruined by the same hands. But there is nothing more probable than that the bringing about such an event by an
instrument which his rival had raised, and then removing
him, and rendering his parts useless to those who had
raised him, gave a double satisfaction to him who managed
this design. It is an object of great curiosity to trace the
principal steps of this transaction, which was, without
doubt, one of the finest strokes of political management in
that whole reign. When the resolution was taken, in the
beginning of October 1586, to bring the queen of Scots?
to a trial, and a commission was issued for that purpose,
secretary Davison’s name was inserted in that commission;
but it does not appear that he was present when that commission was opened at Fotheringay castle, on the llth of
October, or that he ever assisted there at all. Indeed,
the management of that transaction was very wisely left in
the hands of those who with so much address had conducted the antecedent business for the conviction of Anthony Babington, and his accomplices, upon the truth and
justice of which, the proceedings against the queen of
Scots entirely depended. On the 25th of October the
sentence was declared in the star-chamber, things proceeding still in the same channel, and nothing particularly
done by secretary Davison. On the 29th of the same
month the parliament met, in which Serjeant Puckering
was speaker of the house of commons; and, upon an application from both houses, queen Elizabeth caused the
sentence to be published, which, soon after, was notified
to the queen of Scots; yet hitherto all was transacted by
the other secretary, who was considered by the nation in
general as the person who had led this prosecution from
beginning to end. The true meaning of this long and solemn proceeding was certainly to remove, as far as possible, any reflection upon queen Elizabeth; and, that it
might appear in the most conspicuous manner to the world,
that she was urged, and even constrained to take the life
of the queen of Scots, instead of seeking or desiring it.
This assertion is not founded upon conjecture, but is a
direct matter of fact; for, in her first answer to the parliament, given at Richmond the 12th of November, she
complained that the late act had brought her into a great
strait, by obliging her to give directions for that queen’s
death; and upon the second application, on the 24th of
the same month, the queen enters largely into the consequences that must naturally follow upon her taking that
step, and on the consideration of them, grounds her returning no definitive resolution, even to this second application. The delay which followed after the publication
of the sentence, gave an opportunity for the French king,
and several other princes, to interpose, but more especially
to king James, whose ambassadors, and particularly sir
Robert Melvile, pressed the queen very hard. Camden
says, that his ambassadors unseasonably mixing threatenings with intreaties, they were not very welcome; so that
after a few days the ambassadors were dismissed, with
small hopes of succeeding. But we are elsewhere told,
that, when Melvile requested a respite of execution for
eight days, she answered, “Not an hour.
” This seemed
to be a plain declaration of her majesty’s final
determination, and such in all probability it was, so that her death
being resolved, the only point that remained under debate
was, how she should die, that is, whether by the hand of
an executioner, or otherwise. In respect to this, the two
secretaries seem to have been of different sentiments. Mr.
Davison thought the forms of justice should go on, and
the end of this melancholy transaction correspond with the
rest of the proceedings. Upon this, sir Francis Walsingham pretended sickness, and did not come to court, and
by this means the whole business of drawing and bringing
the warrant to the queen to sign, fell upon Davison, who,
pursuant to the queen’s directions, went through it in the
manner that Camden has related. But it is very remarkable, that, while these judicial steps were taking, the other
method, to which the queen herself seemed to incline,
proceeded also, and secretary Walsingham, notwithstanding
his sickness, wrote the very day the warrant was signed,
which was Wednesday, February 1st, 1586-7, to sir Amiss
Pawlet and sir Drew Drury, to put them in mind of the
association, as a thing that might countenance, at least,
if not justify, this other way of removing the queen of
Scots. It is true, that Mr. Davison subscribed this letter,
and wrote another to the same persons two days after; but
it appears plainly from the anssver, that the keepers of
the queen of Scots considered the motion as coming from
Walsingharn. The warrant being delivered to the lords
of the council, they sent it down by Mr. Beale, their clerk,
a man of sour and stubborn temper, and who had always
shewn a great bitterness against the queen of Scots. The
day of his departure does not appear; but queen Mary
had notice given her on the Monday, to prepare for death
on the Wednesday, which she accordingly suffered. As
soon as queen Elizabeth was informed of it, she expressed
great resentment against her council, forbad them her presence and the court; and caused some of them to be
examined, as if she intended to call them to an account
for the share they had in this transaction. We are not
told particularly who these counsellors were, excepting the
lord treasurer Burleigh, who fell into a temporary disgrace about it, and was actually a witness against Mr. Davison. As for the earl of Leicester and secretary Walsingharn, they had prudently withdrawn themselves at the last
act of the tragedy, and took care to publish so much, by
their letters into Scotland; but secretary Davison, upon whom
it was resolved the whole weight of this business should fall,
v.-deprived of his office, and sent prisoner to the Tower, at
which nobody seerus to have been so much alarmed as the lord
treasurer, who, though himself at that time in disgrace, wrote
to the queen in strong terms, and once intended to have
written in much stronger. This application bad no effect,
for the queen having sent her kinsman Mr. Cary, son to the
lord Hunsdon, into Scotland, to excuse the matter to king
James, charged with a letter to him under her own hand, in
which she in the strongest terms possible asserted her own
innocence, there was a necessity of doing something that
Davison[?] carry an air of evidence, in support of the turn she
had now given to the death of that princess. On the 28th
of March following, Davison, after having undergone various examinations, was brought to his trial in the star
chamber, for the contempt of which he had been guilty,
in revealing the queen’s counsels to her privy counsellors,
and performing what he understood to be the duty of his
office in quality of her secretary. We have several accounts of this trial, which, in a variety of circumstances,
differ from each other. In this, however, they all agree,
that the judges, who fined him ten thousand marks, and
imprisonment during the queen’s pleasure, gave him a very
high character, and declared him to be, in their opinions,
both an able ana an honest man. One thing is very remarkable, that, in the conclusion of this business, sir Christopher Wray, chief justice of the queen’s bench, told the
court, that though the queen had been offended with her
council, and had left them to examination, yet now she
forgave them, being satisfied that they were misled b? this
man’s suggestions. Sir James Melvile, who wrote at that
time, and who seems to have had some prejudice against
Davison, said very candidly and fairly upon this occasion,
that he was deceived by the council. As soon as the proceeding was over, the queen, to put it out of doubt with
the king of Scots, that his mother was put to death without her privity or intention, sent him the judgment given
against Davison, subscribed by those who had given it, and
exemplified under the great seal, together with another
instrument, under the hands of all the judges of England,
that the sentence against his mother could not in the least
prejudice his title to the succession. As for Mr. Davison,
now left to a strange reward for his past services, a long
imprisonment, which reduced him to indigence, he comforted himself with the thoughts of his innocence; and, to
secure his memory from being blasted by that judgment
which had withered his fortune, he had long before written
an apology for his own conduct, which he addressed to
secretary Walsingham, as the man most interested in it,
and who could best testify whether what he affirmed was
truth or not. In this he gave a very clear and natural detail of the transaction which cost him all his sufferings. It
is allowed by all who have written on this subject, and
especially by Camden, that he was a very unhappy, though
at the same time a very capable and honest man. As
such we have seen him recommended to queen Elizabeth
by the treasurer Burleigh, and as such he was strongly
recommended by the earl of Essex to king James I. It
seems, that noble person stuck fast by him under his misfortunes, which plainly shews the party to which he had
always adhered. That lord lost no opportunity of soliciting
the queen in his favour, and never let slip any occasion of
testifying for him the warmest and thesincerest affection. At
length, it seems he was not altogether unsuccessful; for
though, upon the death of secretary Walsingham, the
queen absolutely rejected his motion, that Mr. Davison
should come into his place, yet, afterwards, it seems that
she yielded in some degree, as plainly appears by the earl’s
letter to king James. That we are under an incapacity of
tracing him farther, is owing to the profound silence of the
writers of those times.
Upon the accession of queen Elizabeth, at the desire of lord Robert Dudley, afterwards earl of Leicester, he delivered somewhat upon the principles of the
Upon the accession of queen Elizabeth, at the desire of
lord Robert Dudley, afterwards earl of Leicester, he delivered somewhat upon the principles of the ancient astrologers, about the choice of a fit day for the coronation of
the queen, from whom he received many promises; nevertheless, his credit at court was not sufficient to overcome
the public odium against him, on the score of magical incantations, which was the true cause of his missing several
preferments. He was by this time become an author; but,
as we are told, a little unluckily; for his books were such
as scarce any pretended to understand, written upon mysterious subjects in a very mysterious manner. In the
spring of 1564 he went abroad again, to present the book
which he dedicated to the then emperor Maximilian, and
returned to England the same summer. In 1563, he engaged the earl of Pembroke to present the queen with his
“Propaedurnata Aphoristica
” and two years after, sir
Henry Billingsley’s translation of Euclid appeared, with
Dee’s preface and notes; which did him more honour than,
all his performances, as furnishing incontestable proofs of a
more than ordinary skill in the mathematics. In 1571, we
find him in Lorrain; where falling dangerously sick, the
queen was pleased to send him two physicians. After his
return to England, he settled himself in his house at Mortlake; where he prosecuted his studies with great diligence,
and collected a noble library, consisting of 4000 volumes,
of which above a fourth part were Mss. a great number of
mechanical and mathematical instruments, a collection of
seals, and many other curiosities. His books only were
valued at 2000l. It was upon his leaving the kingdom in
1583, that the populace, who always believed him to be
one who dealt with the devil, broke into his house at
Mortlake; where they tore and destroyed many things,
and dispersed the rest in such a manner, that the greatest
part of them were irrecoverable.
large fortune too, or he would not have answered their purpose. This nobleman was introduced by the earl of Leicester to Dee, and became his constant visitant. Having:
We come now to that period of his life, by which he has been most known, though for reasons which have justly rendered him least regarded. He was certainly a man of uncommon parts, learning, and application; and might have distinguished himself in the scientific world if he had been possessed of solid judgment; but he was very credulous, superstitious, extremely vain, and, we suspect, a little roguish; but we are told that it was his ambition to surpass all men in knowledge, which carried him at length to a desire of knowing beyond the bounds of human faculties. In short, he suffered himself to be deluded into an opinion, that by certain invocations an intercourse or communication with spirits might be obtained; from whence he promised himself an insight into the occult sciences. He found a young man, one Edward Kelly, a native of Worcestershire, who was already either rogue or fool enough for his purpose, and readily undertook to assist him, for which he was to pay him 50l. per annum. Dec. 2, 1581, they began their incantations; in consequence of which, Kelly was, by the inspection of a certain table, consecrated for that purpose with many superstitious ceremonies, enabled to acquaint Dee with what the spirits thought fit to shew and discover. These conferences were continued for about two years, and the subjects of them were committed to writing, but never published, though still preserved in Ashmole’s museum. In the mean time, there came over hither a Polish lord, one Albert Laski, palatine of Siradia, a man of great parts and learning; and, as a late writer observes, of large fortune too, or he would not have answered their purpose. This nobleman was introduced by the earl of Leicester to Dee, and became his constant visitant. Having: himself a bias to those superstitious arts, he was, after much intreaty, received by Dee into their company, and into a participation of their secrets. Within a short time, the palatine of Siradia, returning to his own country, prevailed with Dee and Kelly to accompany him, upon the assurance of an ample provision there; and accordingly they went all privately from Mortlake, in order to embark for Holland; from whence they travelled by land through Germany into Poland, where, Feb. 3, 1584, they arrived at the principal castle belonging to Albert Laski. When Laski had been sufficiently amused with their fanatical pretences to a conversation with spirits, and was probably satisfied that they were impostors, he contrived to send them to the emperor Rodolph II. who, being quickly disgusted with their impertinence, declined all farther interviews. Upon this Dee applied himself to Laski, to introduce him to Stephen king of Poland; which accordingly he did at Cracow, April 1585. But that prince soon detecting his delusions, and treating him with contempt, he returned to the emperor’s court at Prague; from whose dominions he was soon banished at the instigation of the pope’s nuncio, who gave the emperor to understand, how scandalous it appeared to the Christian world, that he should entertain two such magicians as Dee and Kelly. At this time, and while these confederates were reduced to the greatest distress, a young nobleman of great power and fortune in Bohemia, and one of their pupils, gave them shelter in the castle of Trebona; where they not only remained in safety, but lived in splendour, Kelly having in his possession, as is reported, that philosophical powder of projection, by which they were furnished with money very profusely. Some jealousies and heart-burnings afterwards happened between Dee and Kelly, that brought on at length an absolute rupture. Kelly, however, who was a younger man than Dee, seems to have acted a much wiser part; since it appears, from an entry in Dee’s diary, that he was so far intimidated as to deliver up to Kelly, Jan. 1589, the powder, about which it is said he had learned from the German chemists many secrets which he had not communicated to Dee.
’s choice. A regiment of volunteers, composed of the chief citizens, and commanded by the celebrated earl of Peterborough, attended the king and queen from Whitehall
As he had endeavoured to promote the revolution by his pen and his sword, he had the satisfaction of participating in the pleasures and advantages of that great event. During the hilarity of the moment, the lord-mayor of London asked king William to partake of the city feast on the 29th of October, 1689. Every honour was paid to the sovereign of the people’s choice. A regiment of volunteers, composed of the chief citizens, and commanded by the celebrated earl of Peterborough, attended the king and queen from Whitehall to the Mansion-house. Among these troopers, gallantly mounted, and richly accoutred, was Daniel De Foe.
a verbal message was brought him from sir Robert Harley, speaker of the house of commons, afterwards earl of Oxford, desiring to know what he could do for him. Harley
While he lay friendless in Newgate, his family ruined,
and he himself without hopes of deliverance, a verbal message was brought him from sir Robert Harley, speaker of
the house of commons, afterwards earl of Oxford, desiring
to know what he could do for him. Harley approved, probably, of the principles and conduct of De Foe, and might
foresee, that, during a factious age, such a genius could
be converted to many uses. Our author was content to
intimate a wish only for his release; and when Harley became secretary of state, in April 1704, and had frequent
opportunities of representing the unmerited sufferings of
De Foe to the queen and to the treasurer, lord Godolphin;
yet our author continued four months longer in prison.
The queen, however, inquired into his circumstances;
and lord Godolphin sent a considerable sum to his wife,
and to him money to pay his fine and the expence of his
discharge. Here is the foundation, he says, on which be
built his first sense of duty to the queen, and the indelible
bond of gratitude to his first benefactor, as he calls Harley.
“Let any one say, then,
” he asks, “what I could have
done, less or more than I have done for such a queen and
such a benefactor?
” All this he manfully avowed to the
world, when queen Anne lay lifeless as king William, his
first patron; pnd when the earl of Oxford, in the vicissitude of party, had been persecuted by faction, and overpowered, though not conquered, by violence. Being released from Newgate, in August 1704, De Foe, in order
to avoid the town-talk, retired to St. Edmund’s Bury; but
his retreat did not prevent persecution. Dyer, the newswriter, propagated that De Foe had Hed from justice;
Fox, the bookseller, published, that he had deserted his
security; andStephen, a state -messenger, every where
said, that he had a warrant to apprehend him all which
arose from petty malice, for when De Foe informed the
secretary of state where he was, and when he would appear, he was told not to fear, as he had not transgressed.
Newgate in Easter term 1713. He was, however, soon released, on making a proper submission, and the earl of Oxford being still in power, that nobleman procured him the
De Foe now lived at Newington, in comfortable circumstances, and was principally employed in writing the
“Review,
” which at last he relinquished after nine years
continuance, and began to write “A General History of
Trade,
” which he proposed to publish in monthly numbers; but this history, which exhibits the ingenuity and
strength of De Foe, extended only to two numbers. He
appears, at last, to have been silenced by noise, obloquy,
and insult, and finding himself treated in this manner, he
declined writing at all, and secreted himself, for a time,
at Halifax, or on the borders of Lancashire, where, observing the insolence of the Jacobite party, he wrote the
following tracts, “A Seasonable Caution;
” “What, if the
Pretender should come?
” “Reasons against the Succession
of the House of Hanover;
” and “What if the Queen
should die:
” those pamphlets, whose titles were ironical,
were so much approved by the zealous friends of the protestant succcbbiun, that they were diligent to disperse them
through the most distant counties; ana 1 yet the reader
will learn, with indignation, that for these De Foe wen arrested, obliged to give Soo/. bail, contrary to the bill of
rights, and prosecuted by information, in Trinity term,
1713. This prosecution was instituted by the absurd zeal
of Mr. auditor Benson. Our author attributes it to the
malice of his enemies, who were numerous and powerful.
No inconsiderable people were heard to say, that they
knew the books were against the pretender, but that De
Foe had disobliged them in other things, and they resolved
to take this advantage to punish him. He was prompted
by consciousness of innocence to defend himself in the
“Review
” during the prosecution, which offended the
judges, who, being infected with the violent spirit of the
times, committed him to Newgate in Easter term 1713.
He was, however, soon released, on making a proper submission, and the earl of Oxford being still in power, that
nobleman procured him the queen’s pardon, in November
1713.
things are called by my name, and I bear the answei'ers insults. 1 have not seen or spoken with the earl of Oxford, since the king’s landing, but once; yet he bears
“No sooner was the queen dead,
” says De Foe, “but
the rage of men increased upon me to that degree, that
their threats were such as I am unable to express. Though
I have written nothing since the queen’s death; yet a
great many things are called by my name, and I bear the
answei'ers insults. 1 have not seen or spoken with the earl
of Oxford, since the king’s landing, but once; yet he
bears the reproach of my writing for him, and I the rage
of men for doing it.
” — De Foe appears, indeed, to have
been stunned by factious clamour, and overborne, though
not silenced, by unmerited obloquy. He probably lost his
original appointment when the earl of Oxford was finally
expelled. Instead of meeting with reward for his zealous
services in support of the protestant succession, he was,
on the accession of George I, discountenanced even by
those who had derived a benefit from his active exertions.
Thus cruelly circumstanced, he published in 1715, his
“Appeal to Honour and Justice, being a true account of
his conduct in public affairs.
” As a motive for this intrepid measure, he affectingly says, “By the hints of mortality, and the infirmities of a life of sorrow and fatigue, I
have reason to think, that I am very near to the great
ocean of eternity; and the time may not be long ere I
embark on the last voyage: wherefore, I think I should
make even accounts with this world before I go, that no
slanders may lie against my heirs, to disturb them in the
peaceable possession of their father’s inheritance, his character.
” Before he could finish his appeal, he was struck
with an apoplexy. After languishing more than six weeks,
neither able to go on, nor likely to recover, his friends
would delay the publication no longer. “It is the opinion
of most who know him,
” says Baker, the publisher, “that
the treatment which he here complains of, and others of
which he would have spoken, have been the cause of this
disaster.
” When the ardent mind of De Foe reflected on
what he had done, and what he had suffered, his heart
melted in despair, and the year 1715 may be regarded as
the period of our author’s political life. The death of
Anne, and the accession of George the first, seem to have
convinced him of the vanity of party-writing. And from
this eventful epoch, he appears to have studied how to
meliorate the heart, and how to regulate the practice of
life.
reflections, as to inform the ignorant, and entertain the wise. It was a favourite book of the great earl of Chatham, who, before he discovered it to be a fiction, used
The success of Crusoe induced De Foe to publish, in
1720, “The Life and Piracies of captain Singleton,
”
though not with similar success. In A
New Voyage round the World, by a course never sailed
before.
” In the life of Crusoe we are gratified by continually imagining that the fiction is a fact; in the “Voyage
round the World
” we are pleased, by constantly perceiving
that the fact is a fiction, which, by uncommon skill, is
made more interesting than a genuine voyage. In 1720
he published the “History of Duncan Campbell,
” who
was born deaf and dumb, but who himself taught the deaf
and dumb to understand. The author has here contrived
that the merriest passages shall end with some edifying
moral. The “Fortunes and Misfortunes of Moll Flanders
”
followed in Life of colonel Jaque,
” who was born a
gentleman, but bred a pick-pocket. In 1724, appeared
the “Fortunate Mistress, or the Adventures of Roxana.
”
The world, however, has not been made much wiser or
better by the perusal of these lives, which may have diverted the lower orders, but are too gross for improvement, and exhibit few scenes which are welcome to cultivated minds. Of a very different quality are the “Memoirs of a Cavalier during the Civil Wars in England.
”
This is a romance the most like to truth that ever was
written; a narrative of great events, drawn with such
simplicity, and enlivened with such reflections, as to inform the ignorant, and entertain the wise. It was a favourite book of the great earl of Chatham, who, before he
discovered it to be a fiction, used to speak of it as the best
account of the Civil Wars extant.
fter an interval of six years, Dr. Delany again appeared in the world as an author, in answer to the earl of Orrery’s “Remarks on the Life and Writings of Dr. Swift.”
Dr. Delany, on the 9tti of June 1743, married a second
time. The lady with whom he formed this connexion was
Mrs. Pendarves, the relict of Alexander Pen Janes, esq a
very ingenious and excellent woman; of whom some account will be given in the next article. The doctor had
lost his first wife December 6, 1741. March 13, 1744,
our author preached a sermon before the society for promoting protestant working schools in Ireland. In May
1744, he was raised to the highest preferment which he
ever attained, the deanry of Down, in the room of Dr.
Thomas Fletcher, appointed to be bishop of Dro no re. In
the same year, previously to this promotion, our author
published a volume of sermons upon social duties, fifteen
in number, to which in a second edition, 1747, were added
five more, on the opposite vices. This is the most useful
of Dr. Delany’s performances; the objects to which rt relates being of very important and general concern. Dr.
Delany’s next publication was not till 174-8, and that was
only a sixpenny pamphlet. It was entitled “An Essay
towards evidencing the divine original of Tythes,
” and had
at first been drawn up, and probably preached as a sermon. The text, rather a singular one, was the tenth commandment, which forbids us to covet any thing that is our
neighbour’s; and it required some ingenuity to deduce
the divine original of tithes from that particular prohibition. After an interval of six years, Dr. Delany again
appeared in the world as an author, in answer to the earl
of Orrery’s “Remarks on the Life and Writings of Dr.
Swift.
” Many of Su ill’s zealous admirers were not a little
displeased with the representations which the noble lord
had given of him in various respects. Of this number was
Dr. Delany, who determined therefore to do justice to the
memory of his old friend; for which few were better qualified, having been in the habits of intimacy with the dean
of St. Patrick’s, from his first coming over to Ireland, and
long before lord Orrery could have known any thing concerning him. On the whole, it was thought that this production of the doctor’s enabled the public to form a far
more clear estimation of the real character of the dean of
St. Patrick’s, than any account of him which had hitherto
been given to the world; yet perhaps the fairest estimate
must be made by a comparison of both. However zealous Dr. Delany might be for the honour of his friend, he
did not satisfy Deane Swift, esq. who, in his Essay upon
the life, writings, and character of his relation, treated our
author with extreme ill manners and gross abuse; to
which he thought proper to give an answer, in a letter to
Mr. Swift, published in 1755. In this letter the doctor
justified himself; and he did it with so much temper and
ingenuity, so much candour, and yet with so much spirit,
that the polite gentleman, and the worthy divine, were
apparent in every page of his little pamphlet. The year
1754 also produced another volume of sermons; the larger
part of them are practical, and these are entitled to great
commendation, particularly two discourses on the folly,
iniquity, ad absurdity of duelling.
During this part of Dr. Delany’s life, he was involved
in a law-suit of great consequence, and which, from its
commencement to its final termination, lasted more than
nine years. It related to the personal estate of his first
lady; and although a shade was cast on his character by
the decision of the Irish court of chancery, his conduct
was completely vindicated by that decree being reversed
in the house of lords in England. But he was not so
deeply engaged in the prosecution of his law-suit as entirely to forget his disposition to be often appearing in.
the world as an author. In 1757 he began a periodical
paper called “The Humanist,
” whicli was carried on
through 15 numbers, and then dropped. In 1761 Dr.
Delany published a tract, entitled “An humble apology
for Christian Orthodoxy,
” and several sermons. It was in
Revelation examined with candour.
” In the preface the doctor has indulged himself in some peevish remarks upon Reviewers of
works of literature; but from complaints of this kind few
writers have ever derived any material advantage. With
regard to the volume itself, it has been thought to exhibit
more numerous instances of the prevalence of imagination,
over judgment than had occurred in the former part of the
undertaking. In 1766 Dr. Delany published a sermon
against transubstantiation; which was succeeded in the
same year by his last publication, which was a volume
containing 18 discourses. Dr. Delany departed this life
at Bath, in May 1763, in the 83d year of his age. Though
in general he was an inhabitant of Ireland, it appears from
several circumstances, and especially from his writings,
almost all of which were published in London, that he
frequently came over to England, and occasionally resided
there for a considerable time. Of his literary character an
estimate may be formed from what has been already said.
With regard to two of his principal works, the “Revelation examined with candour,
” and the “Life of David,
”
they contain so many fanciful ^ul doubtful positions, that
all the ability and learning i.,i., played in them will scarcely
suffice to hand them down, with any eminent degree of
reputation, to future ages. It is on his sermons, and particularly on those which relate to social duties, that will
principally depend the perpetuity of his fame. With
respect to his personal character, he appears to have been a
gentleman of unquestionable piety and goodness, and of
an uncommon warmth of heart. This warmth of heart
was, however, accompanied with some inequality, impetuosity, and irritability of temper. Few excelled him in
charity, generosity, and hospitality. His income, which
for the last twenty years of his life was 3006J. per annum,
sunk under the exercise of these virtues, and he left little
behind him besides books, plate, and furniture. Of a
literary diligence, protracted to above fourscore years,
Dr. Delany has afforded a striking example; though it
may possibly be thought, that if, wben his body and mind
grew enfeebled, he had remembered the solve senescentem
equum, it would hate been of no disadvantage to his reputation.
pperplates, in two volumes, folio, in 1723 and 1724, under the care of Thomas Coke, esq. (afterwards earl of Leicester,) at the expence of Cosmo III. and John Gasto,
He also published in his own life-time the following
pieces: “Strena Kal. Januar. 1616. ad iilustriss. virum Jacobum Hayum, Dominum ac Baronem de Saley,
” &c. Lond.
Menologium Scotorum, in quo nullus nisi
Scotus gente aut conversatione, quod ex omnium gentium
monimentis, pio studio Dei gloriae. Sanctorum honori.
Patrias ornamento,
” &c. Bonon. Scotia illustrior, seu, Mendicabula repressa,
” Lugd.
Thomae Dempster! a Muresk Scoti Pandectarum in Pisano
Lyceo professoris ordinarii de Etruria regali libri Septem,
opus postumum, in duas partes divisum.
” We are told
in the preface, that when Dempster, in 1619, was about
to remove to Bologna, he left this work in the hands of
the grand duke, by whose order it had been composed,
although he had not quite finished it. It is divided into
seven books, treating of the ancient inhabitants of Etruria,
their kings, their inventions, geography, ancient and modern, &c. with a short history of the house of Medici. The
ancient monuments which are given on ninety-three engravings, are illustrated by some explanations and conjectures by M. Bonarota. Upon the whole, this splendid
publication appears to be the best of Dempster’s productions, and affords a very high idea of his abilities as a
classical antiquary. One of his dissertations on the Roman Kalendar is inserted in Groevius’s Roman Antiquities,
vol. VIII. Passeri published a Supplement to his History of
Etruria, in 1767, fol. and an edition of his Roman Antitiquities, much enlarged.
it, and learning, particularly the earls of Pembroke and Mulgrave, Charles Montague, esq. afterwards earl of Halifax, Walter Moyle, esq. Mr. Wycherley, and the celebrated
Not satisfied with obtaining the best education his own
country could afford, Mr. Dennis determined to improve
his understanding, and increase the extent of his knowledge abroad, and made the tour of France and Italy; in the
course of which it is said that his observations on the evil
effects arising from, despotic government, greatly contributed to strengthen in him those principles of whiggism,
and that zeal for liberty which he had early imbibed, and
which he invariably maintained to the close of his life. On
fris return to England, such was the opinion entertained of
his accomplishments, that he found an easy admission int
the company of several of the most distinguished men of
the age for genius, wit, and learning, particularly the earls
of Pembroke and Mulgrave, Charles Montague, esq. afterwards earl of Halifax, Walter Moyle, esq. Mr. Wycherley,
and the celebrated poets Dryden, Congreve, Southern, and
Garth. All these thought highly of his talents; but
certainly had not the same reason to think well of his discretion; his pride and passion hurrying him into actions
which were injurious to his reputation. It is related, that
on his first introduction to Charles Montague, esq. he got
intoxicated with some very fine wines, to which he had not
been accustomed, and becoming impatient of contradiction, suddenly rose, rushed out of the room, and overturned the sideboard of plate and glasses as he went. Next
morning, seeing Mr. Moyle, he told him, that he had forgotten every thing which had happened, and desired to
know in what manner he went away. “Why,
” said Moyle,
“You went away like the devil, and took one corner of
the house with you.
”
that, in order to discharge some pressing demands, he was obliged to dispose of his waitership. The earl of Halifax, having heard of his design, sent for him, and, in
Mr. Dennis’s next dramatic attempt was in a comedy,
entitled “Gibraltar, or the Spanish Adventure;
” and
which was performed in Orpheus and Eurydice,
” a masque, which was produced by our author in
Muse’s Mercury,
” for the month of February in that
year. In Appius and Virginia,
” a tragedy, which
was not very successful; but is remarkable for a circumstance little connected with its literary merit. Dennis,
expressly for the use of this play, had invented a new
species of thunder, which was approved of by the actors, and
is the sort at present used in the theatre. Some nights
after his tragedy had been laid aside, Dennis being in the
pit at the representation of Macbeth, heard his own thunder made use of; upon which he rose in a violent passion,
and exclaimed, with an oath, that it was, his thunder.
“See,
” said he, “how these rascals use me They will not
let my play run and yet they steal my thunder
” Our
author’s last dramatic production was “Coriolanus, the
Invader of his country; or, The Fatal Resentment;
” a
tragedy, altered from Shakspeare’s Coriolanus. After it
had been represented three nights, the managers Wilks,
Cibber, and Booth, who were not satisfied with the profits
derived from it, to the astonishment and indignation of
Mr. Dennis, gave out another play for the next evening.
Upon this he published his tragedy, with a dedication to
the duke of Newcastle, at that time lord chamberlain of
his majesty’s household, in which he has given full scope
to his resentment against the patentees, and especially
against Mr. Cibber. The last gentleman, instead of the
author’s epilogue, had substituted one of his own, which
was spoken by Mrs. Oldfield, an additional cause of offence
to our poet, who, in an advertisement, has represented it
as a wretched medley of impudence and nonsense; and,
indeed, it does not appear to be entitled to commendation.
Dennis, as already noticed, derived some fortune from
an uncle; but that was probably spent in a little time. As
he wrote for government when the whigs were in power,
and was patronised by lord Halifax, there can be no doubt
but that he occasionally received pecuniary gratifications,
either from the bounty or through the interest of that nobleman. For his poem on the battle of Blenheim the duke
of Marlborough rewarded him with a present of a hundred
guineas. But, previously to the writing of that poem, he
had experienced his grace’s patronage in a much more
important instance; for the duke had procured for him the
place of a waiter at the Custom-house, worth a hundred
and twenty pounds a year. This office he held for six
years; during which he managed his affairs with so little
discretion, that, in order to discharge some pressing demands, he was obliged to dispose of his waitership. The
earl of Halifax, having heard of his design, sent for him,
and, in the most friendly manner, expostulated with him
wpon the folly and rashness of disposing of his place, by
which his lordship told him that he would soon become i
beggar. In reply, our author represented the exigencies?
to which he was reduced, and the importunate nature of
the demands that were made upon him. The ear), however, insisted, that, if he must sell his place, he should
reserve to himst-If an annuity out of it for a considerable
term of years; such a term as his lordship thought Mr.
Dennis was not likely to survive; yet this he did survive,
and was exposed in his old age to great poverty. With
such a disposition as Mr. Dennis possessed, it is not surprizing that he was often liable to arrests from his creditors. An instance of sir Richard Steele’s friendship to
him in this respect he is said to have ill-repaid. Sir
Richard, if the story be true, once became bail for him,
and afterwards was arrested on his account; but, when
he heard of it, he only exclaimed, “'Sdeath! why did he
not keep out of the way, as I did?
” In the latter part of
our poet’s life, he resided within the verge of the court,
for the security of his person, but one Saturday night, he
happened to saunter to a public-house, which, in a short
time, he discovered to be out of the verge. As he was
sitting in an open drinking-room, a man of a suspicious
appearance entered, about whom Mr. Dennis imagined
there was something that denoted him to be a bailiff. Being
seized with a panic, he was afraid that his liberty was now
at an end, and sat in the utmost solicitude, but durst not
offer to stir, lest he should be seized upon. After an hour
or two had passed in this painful anxiety, at last the clock
struck twelve; when Mr. Dennis, addressing himself to
the suspected person, cried out in an extacy, “Now, sir,
bailiff or no bailiff, I don't care a farthing for you you
have no power now.
” The man was astonished at his behaviour; and, when it was explained to him, was so much
affronted with the suspicion, that, had not our author been
protected by his age, he would probably have taken personal revenge.
. in particular, afterwards lord Lansdowne, behaved to him with distinguished generosity, as did the earl of Pembroke, bishop Atterbury, and sir Robert Walpole.
The character of Mr. Dennis must in general be sufficiently apparent from what has already been said. Illnature has been ascribed to him with too much shew of reason; though perhaps it belonged to him more as a writer than as a man. In a letter to a friend he has endeavoured to vindicate himself from the charge; but not, we think, with entire success. This at least is certain, from several transactions, that he was very irritable in his temper. Till he was five and forty, he was intimately conversant with the first men of the age, both with respect to rank and abilities; and when he retired from the world, he continued to preserve some honourable connections. Such was the estimation in which he was held, that he experienced the patronage of gentlemen whose political principles were extremely different from his own. George Granville, esq. in particular, afterwards lord Lansdowne, behaved to him with distinguished generosity, as did the earl of Pembroke, bishop Atterbury, and sir Robert Walpole.
nny, knighted in 1589, summoned to parliament in 1605, and advanced Oct. 24, 1626, to the dignity of earl of Norwich. Of sir Anthony Denny’s personal character, one of
, knt. one of the gentlemen of the privy chamber to king Henry VIII., was the second son of Thomas Denny, of Cheshunt, in the county of Hertford, esq. by Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Mannock. He had his education in St. Paul’s school, London, under the celebrated grammarian Lilly; and afterwards in St. John’s college, Cambridge; in both which places he so improved himself, that he became an excellent scholar, as well as a person of great worth. His merit having made him known at court, he was constituted by Henry VIII. one of the gentlemen of the bed-chamber, groom of the stole, and a privy counsellor; and likewise received the honour of knighthood from that prince; with whom being in great favour, he raised a considerable estate on the ruins of the dissolved monasteries. In 1537, Henry gave him the priory of Hertford, together with divers other lands and manors; and in 1539, Dec. 15, the office of steward of the manor of Bedwell and Little Berkhamstead, in Herts; besides which sir Anthony also obtained the manor of Buttenvick, in the parish of St. Peter in St. Alban’s, the manors of the rectory and of the nunnery, in the parish of Cheshunt; and of Great Amwell, all in the county of Hertford. In 1541, there was a large grant made to him by act of parliament, of several lands that had belonged to the abbey of St. Alban’s, lately dissolved; and not content with all this, he found means to procure a thirty-one years’ lease of the many large and rich demesnes that had been possessed by Waltham-abbey, in Essex; of which his lady purchased aftenvards the reversion. In 1544 the king gave him the advantageous wardship of Margaret, the only daughter and heir of Thomas lord Audley, deceased. On the 31st of August, 1546, he was commissioned, with John Gate and William Clerk, esquires, to sign all warrants in the king’s name. Though somewhat rapacious, he was liberal; in this reign he did eminent service to the great school of Sedberg in Yorkshire, belonging to the college wherein he had received his education; the building being fallen to decay, and the lands appropriated thereto sold and embezzled, he caused the school to be repaired, and not only recovered, but also settled the estate so firmly, as to prevent all future alienations. He was also a more faithful servant than his brother courtiers, for when Henry VIII. was on his death-bed, he had the courage to put him in mind of his approaching end, and desired him to raise his thoughts to heaven, to think of his past life, and to call on God for mercy through Jesus Christ. So great an opinion had that capricious monarch of him, that he appointed him one of the executors of his will, and one of the counsellors to his son and successor Edward VI. and hequeathed him a legacy of 300l. He did not live long after this; for he died in 1.550. By his wife Joan, daughter of sir Philip Champeruon, of Modbury, in Devonshire, a lady of great beauty and parts, he had six children; of whom, Henry, the eldest, was father of Edward Denny, knighted in 1589, summoned to parliament in 1605, and advanced Oct. 24, 1626, to the dignity of earl of Norwich. Of sir Anthony Denny’s personal character, one of his contemporaries informs us, that his whole time and cares were employed about religion, learning, and the care of the public, and has highly commended him for his prudence and humanity. He was the early friend and patron of Matthew Parker, afterwards archbishop of Canterbury. The learned Henry Howard, earl of Surrey, wrote an excellent epitaph for him some years before his decease; tfnd sir John Cheke, who had a great esteem for him, honoured his memory with an elegant heroic poem.
wn to him by undoubted authority. The one he sent to lord chief justice Mansfield, the second to the earl of Bute, the third to earl Temple, and the fourth to Mr Pitt.
In 1755 he was employed under the chevalier Douglas, in transacting a negociation of the most delicate and important nature at the court of Petersburg!), by which, after many years suspension of all intercourse, a reconciliation was effected between the courts of France and Russia. After some years residence at Petersburg!], D‘Eon joined his regiment, then serving under marshal Broglio on the Rhine, and during the campaign of 1762, acted as aid-ducamp to that celebrated olKcer. When the duke de Nivernois came over to England, as ambassador, to negociate the peace of 1763, D’Eon appeared as his secretary; and so far procured the sanction of the government of England, that he was requested to carry over the ratiticat.on of the treaty between the British court and that of Versailles, in consequence of which the French king invested him with the order of St. Louis. He had also behaved, in the character of secretary, so much to the satisfaction of the duke, that that nobleman, upon his departure for France, in May 1763, procured D‘Eon to be appointed minister-pleriiputeutiary in his room. In October following, however, the count de Guerchy having arrived here as ambassador from the court of Versailles, the chevalier received orders, or rather was requested, to act as secretary or assistant to the new ambassador. This, we are told, mortified him to such a degree, that, asserting that the letter of recall, which accompanied it, was a forgery, he refused to deliver it; and by this step drew on himself the censure of his court. On this, either with a view of exculpating himself, or from a motive of revenge, he published a succinct account of all the negociations in which he had been engaged, exposed some secrets of the French court, and rather than spare. his enemies, revealed some things greatly to the prejudice of his best friends. Among other persons very freely treated in this publication was the count de Guerchy, for which D’Eon was prosecuted and convicted in the court of King’s Bench, in July 1764. It was but natural that this conduct should draw down the resentment of the court of France, and the chevalier either feared or affected to fear the greatest danger to his person. Reports were spread, very probahly by himself, that persons were sent over here to apprehend him secretly, and carry him to France. On this occasion he wrote four letters, complaining of these designs, as known to him by undoubted authority. The one he sent to lord chief justice Mansfield, the second to the earl of Bute, the third to earl Temple, and the fourth to Mr Pitt. Of these personages he requested to know, whether, as he had contracted no debt, and behaved himself in all things as a dutiful subject, he might not kill the first man who should attempt to arrest him, &c. In March 1764 he took a wiser step to provide for his safety, if there had been any cause for his fears, by indicting the count de Guerchy for a conspiracy against his life, but this came to nothing; and the chevalier, not having surrendered himself to the court of King’s-bench to receive judgment for the libel on the count de Guerchy, was, in June 1765, declared outlawed. The chevalier, however, still continued in England until the death of Louis XV.
ndoned by every person of character, he entered as a private in the 108th regiment, commanded by the earl of Granard, and behaving with some decency under the check of
, a young man who acquired a short-lived reputation as a poet, was born in the south of Ireland, January 1775. His father, who was a schoolmaster at Ennis for some years, is said to have employed his son, when only in his ninth year, in the situation of Greek and Latin assistant at his own school, and to increase the wonder, we are told time he had written as much genuine poetry at ten, as either Cowley, Milton, or Pope had produced at nearly double that age. At ten, too, he. ran away to Dublin, where he acquired the patronage of a Dr. Houlton, in whose house he resided about ten weeks, giving astonishing proofs of his acquaintance with the Greek and Roman classics, and producing poetical translations ad aperturam libri. This gentleman, when obliged himself to leave Dublin, gave him some money, which he soon spent, and wandered through the streets without a settled home, until he found an asylum with a scene-painter belonging to the theatre. The scene-painter introduced him to the players, and some attempts were laudably made by them to place him in a situation where he might prosecute his studies; but the depravity of his disposition appears to have been as early wonderful as his poetical talents. The latter, however, procured him one patron after another, all of whom he disgusted by his ingratitude and licentious conduct. At length, abandoned by every person of character, he entered as a private in the 108th regiment, commanded by the earl of Granard, and behaving with some decency under the check of military discipline, he was progressively advanced to the ranks of corporal and serjeant; and in September 1794, in the nineteenth year of his age, embarked with the regiment for England. He accompanied it afterwards abroad in the expedition under the earl of Moira, and appears to have behaved so well, that his lordship promoted him to a second-lieutenancy in the waggon corps, but on the reduction of this army, Dermody was put on the half-pay list.
ble living of MuchMunden, in Hertfordshire; but that benefice was obtained for another person by the earl of Sunderlancl, who prevailed with a friend to present him with
The merit of our experimental philosopher had now attracted the notice of the duke of Chandos, who. had before taken Dr. Keill under his patronage, and who became also a patron to Mr. Desaguliers, making him his chaplain, and presenting him, about 1714, to the living of Stanmore parva, or Whitchurch. In 1717 he went through a course of his lectures on experimental philosophy, before king George I. at Hampton Court; with which his majesty was so well pleased, that he intended to have conferred upon him the valuable living of MuchMunden, in Hertfordshire; but that benefice was obtained for another person by the earl of Sunderlancl, who prevailed with a friend to present him with a living in Norfolk, the revenue of which, however, amounted only to 70l. per annum. On the 16th of March 1718, he accumulated the degrees of bachelor and doctor of laws at Oxford. On the 30th of June 1720, he made an experiment before the royal society, to prove that bodies of the same bulk do not contain equal quantities of matter; and, therefore, that there is an interspersed vacuum. He likewise made some experiments before the society on the 30th of March 1721, relating to the resistance of fluids, an account of which was published in the Philosophical Transactions, No. 367. In 1728 he shewed before the royal society a machine for measuring any depth in the sea, with great expedition and certainty, which was invented by the rev. Mr. Stephen Hales (afterwards Dr. Hales) and himself; and of which an account was published in the Philosophical Transactions, No. 405. He continued, from time to time, to exhibit various philosophical experiments before the royal society, and for which he received a salary.
t Des Cartes. In England, however, he was more successful, and sir Charles Cavendish, brother to the earl of Newcastle, gave him an invitation to settle in England. Charles
Having employed a short time in these studies, Des
Cartes spent about two years in Italy, conversing with
eminent mathematicians and philosophers, and attending
to various objects of inquiry in natural history. He then,
returned into France; but his mind remaining in an un
settled and sceptical state, he found it impossible to pursue
any regular plan of life, till in 1629 he determined to
withdraw from his numerous connexions and engagements
in Paris, and retire into some foreign country, where he
might remain unknown, and have full leisure to complete
his great design of framing a new system of philosophy.
The country he chose for this purpose was Holland; and
he went thither with so much secrecy, that the place of
his retirement was for some time known only to his intimate friend, Marsenne, at Paris. He at first resided near
Amsterdam, but afterwards went into the more northern
provinces, and visited Deventer and Lewarden; he at lasc
fixed upon Egmond, in the province of Friesland, as the
place of his more stated residence.
In this retirement, Des Cartes employed himself in investigating a proof from reason, independent of revelation,
of those fundamental points in religion, the existence of
God, and the immortality of the soul. This he brought
forward in his “Meditationes philosophies de pnma philosophia.
” At the same time he pursued the study of
optics, cultivated medicine, anatomy, and chemistry, and
wrote an astronomical treatise on the system of the world;
but hearing of the fate of Galileo, he did not publish it.
His philosophical tenets were first introduced into the
schools at Deventer in 1633, by Henry Rener, professor
of philosophy, and an intimate friend of Gassendi. Not
long afterwards, when he published a specimen of his
philosophy in four treatises, the number of his admirers
soon increased at Leyden, Utrecht, and Amsterdam: but
some divines opposed his doctrines, from the dread of innovation, and even attempted to excite the civil magistrate
against Des Cartes. In England, however, he was more
successful, and sir Charles Cavendish, brother to the earl
of Newcastle, gave him an invitation to settle in England.
Charles I. also gave him reason to expect a liberal appointment; but the rebellion frustrated this design, and Des
Cartes remained in Holland. In his native country, his
doctrine was at first well received, but a strong party soon
rose against it among the Jesuits. Bourden, one of the
fraternity, attacked his dioptrics in the public schools,
and a violent contest was long kept up between the Jesuits
and Cartesians. In the course of the disputes which the
Cartesian philosophy occasioned, Des Cartes himself appeared earnestly desirous to become the father of a sect,
and discovered more jealousy and ambition than became a
philosopher.
, the first earl of Essex of this name and family, a general equally distinguished
, the first earl of Essex of this
name and family, a general equally distinguished for his
courage and conduct, and a nobleman not more illustrious
by his titles than by his birth, was descended from a most
ancient and noble farrr!“, being the son of sir Richard Devereux, knight, by Do 'thy, daughter of George earl of
Huntingdon, and gra.idson of Walter viscount of Hereford,
so created by king Edward the Sixth. He was born about
1540, at his grandfather’s castle in Carmarthenshire, and
during his education applied himself to his studies with
great diligence and success. He succeeded to the titles of
viscount Hereford and lord Ferrers of Chartley, in the
nineteenth year of his age, and being early distinguished
for his modesty, learning, and loyalty, stood in higii favour
with his sovereign, queen Elizabeth. In 1569, upon the
breaking out of the rebellion in the north, under the earls
of Northumberland and Westmoreland, he raised a considerable body of forces, which joining those belonging to
the lord admiral and the earl of Lincoln, he was declared
marshal of the army, and obliged the rebels to disperse.
This so highly recommended him to the queen, that in
1572 she honoured him with the garter, and on the 4th of
May, the same year, created him earl of Essex, as being
descended by his great grandmother from the noble
family of Bourchier, long before honoured with the same
title. In the month of January following, he was one of
the peers that sat in judgment upon the duke of Norfolk.
At this time he was such a favourite with the queen, that
some, who were for confining her good graces to themselves, endeavoured to remove him by encouraging an inclination he shewed to adventure both his person and fortune for her majesty’s service in Ireland. Accordingly, on
the 16th of August, 1573, he embarked at Liverpool, accompanied by lord Darcy, lord Rich, and many other persons of
distinction, together with a multitude of volunteers, who
were incited by the hopes of preferment, and his lordship’s
known reputation. His reception in Ireland was not very
auspicious landing at Knockfergus on the 16th of September, he found the chiefs of the rebels inclined apparently to submit; but having gained time, they broke out
again into open rebellion. Lord Rich was called away by
his own affairs, and by degrees, most of those who went
abroad with the earl, came home again upon a variety of
pretences. In this situation Essex desired the queen to
carry on the service in her own name, and by her own
command, though he should be at one half of the expence.
Afterwards he applied to the earls of Sussex and Leicester,
and the lord Burleigh, to induce the queen to pay one
hundred horse and six hundred foot; which, however, did
not take effect; but the queen, perceiving the slight
put upon him, and that the lord deputy had delayed sending him his commission, was inclined to recal him out of
Ulster, if Leicester and others, who had promoted his removal, had not dissuaded her. The lord deputy, at last,
in 1574, sent him his patent, but with positive orders to
pursue the earl of Desmond one way, while himself pressed
him another. The earl of Essex reluctantly obeyed, and
either forced or persuaded the earl of Desmond to submission; and it is highly probable, would have performed
more essential service, if he had not been thwarted. The
same misfortune attended his subsequent attempts; and,
excepting the zeal of his attendants, the affection of the
English soldiers, and the esteem of the native Irish, he
gained nothing by all his pains. Worn out at length
with these fruitless fatigues, he, the next year, desired
leave to conclude upon honourable terms an accommodation with Turlough Oneile, which was refused him. He
then surrendered the government of Ulster into the lord
deputy’s hands, believing the forces allowed him altogether insufficient for its defence; but the lord deputy
obliged him to resume it, and to majrch against Turlough,
Oneile, which he accordingly did; and his enterprize
” being in a fair way of succeeding, he was surprized to receive instructions, which peremptorily required him to
make peace. This likewise he concluded, without loss of
honour, and then turned his arms against the Scots from
the western islands, who had invaded and taken possession,
of his country. These he quickly drove out, and, by the
help of Norris, followed them into one of their islands;
and was preparing to dispossess them of other posts, when
he was required to give up his command, and afterwards
to serve at the head of a small body of three hundred men,
with no other title than their captain. All this he owed to
Leicester; but, notwithstanding his chagrin, he continued
to perform his duty, without any shew of resentment, out
of respect to the queen’s service. In the spring of the
succeeding year he came over to England, and did not hesitate to express his indignation against the all-powerful
favourite, for the usage he had met xvith. But as it was
the custom of that great man to debase his enemies by
exalting them, so he procured an order for the earl of Essex’s return into Ireland, with the sounding title of earl -marshal of that kingdom, and with promises that he should be left
more at liberty than in times past; but, upon his arrival
at Ireland, he found his situation so little altered for the
better, that he pined away with grief and sorrow, which at
length proved fatal to him, and brought him to his
end. There is nothing more certain, either from the
public histories, or private memoirs and letters of that age,
than the excellent character of this noble earl, as a
brave soldier, a loyal subject, and a disinterested patriot;
and in private life he was of a chearful temper, kind, affectionate, and beneficent to all who were about him. He
was taken ill of a flux on the 21st of August, and in great
pain and misery languished to the 22d of September,
1576, when he departed this life at Dublin, being scarcely
thirty-five years old. There was a very strong report at
the time, of his being poisoned; but for this there seems
little foundation, yet it must have been suspected, as an
inquiry was immediately made by authority, and sir Henry
Sidney, then lord deputy of Ireland, wrote very fully upon
this subject to the privy-council in England, and to one
of the members of that council in particular. The corpse
of the earl was speedily brought over to England, carried
to the place of his nativity, Carmarthen, and buried there
with great solemnity, and with most extraordinary i<
monies of the unfeigned sorrow of all the country round
about. A funeral sermon was preached on this occasion,
Nov. 26, 1576, and printed at London 1577, 4to. He
married Lettice, daughter to sir Frances Knolles, knight
of the garter, who survived him many years, and whose
speedy marriage after his death to the earl of Leicester,
upon whom common fame threw the charge of hastening
his death, perhaps might encourage that report. By this
lady he had two sons, Robert and Walter, and two daughters, Penelope, first married to Robert lord Rich, and
then to Charles Blount, earl of Devonshire; and Dorothy,
who becoming the widow of sir Thomas Perrot, knight,
espoused for her second husband Henry Percy earl of
Northumberland.
One important objection only has been brought forward against the character of the first earl of Essex, which is mentioned by Dr. Leland, in his History of
One important objection only has been brought forward
against the character of the first earl of Essex, which is
mentioned by Dr. Leland, in his History of Ireland. The
story, as literally translated by Mr. O'Connor, from the
Irish manuscript annals of queen Elizabeth’s reign, is as follows: “Anno 1574. A solemn peace and concord was
made between the earl of Essex and Felim O‘Nial. However, at a feast wherein the earl entertained that chieftain,
and at the end of their good cheer, O’Nial with his wife
were seized, their friends who attended were put to the
sword before their faces. Felim, together with his wife
and brother, were conveyed to Dublin, where they were
cut up in quarters. This execution gave universal discontent and horrour.
” Considering the general character of
the earl of Essex, we cannot avoid greatly doubting of the
authenticity of this fact; and indeed, if it was founded
on truth, it must appear very extraordinary that it should
not have occurred in any other narrative of the times.
, earl of Essex, memorable for having been a great favourite, and an
, earl of Essex, memorable for having been a great favourite, and an unhappy victim to the arts of his enemies and his own ambition, m the reign of queen Elizabeth, was son of the preceding, and born Nov. 10, 1567, at Netherwood, his father’s seat in Herefordshire. His father dying when he was only in his 10th year, recommended him to the protection of William Cecil lord Burleigh, whom he appointed his guardian. Two years after, he was sent to the university of Cambridge by this lord, who placed him in Trinity college, under the care of Dr. Whitgift, then master of it, and afterwards archbishop of Canterbury. But Mr. Cole, for many reasons, is inclined to think that he was placed at Queen’s, under Dr. Chaderton. He was, however, educated with much strictness, and applied himself to learning with great diligence; though it is said that, in his tender years, there did not appear aoy pregnant signs of that extraordinary genius which shone forth in him afterwards. In 1583, he took the decree of M. A. and kept his public act, and soon after left Cambridge, and retired to his own house at Lampsie in South Wales, where he spent some time, and became so enamoured of his rural retreut, that he was with difficulty prevailed on to quit it. His first appearance at court, at least as a candidate for royal favour, was in his seventeenth year; and he brought thither a fine person, an agreeable behaviour, and an affability which procured him many friends. By degrees he so far overcame the reluctance he first shewed against the earl of Leicester, his father’s enemy, and now very strangely his father-in-law, that in 1585 he accompanied him to Holland, where we find him next year in the field, with the title of general of the horse. In this quality he gave the highest proofs of personal courage in the battle of Zutphen, fought in 1586; and, on his return to England, was made, the year after, master of the horse in the room of lord Leicester promoted. In 1588, he continued to rise, and indeed almost reached the summit of his fortune; for, when her majesty thought fit to assemble an army at Tilbury, for the defence of the kingdom against the Spanish invasion, she gave the command of it, under herself, to the earl of Leicester, and created the earl of Essex general of the horse. From this time he was considered as the favourite declared; and if there was any mark yet wanting to rix the people’s opinion in that respect, it was shewn by the queen’s conferring on him the honour of the garter.
n, and to so great an height, unfortunately excited an impetuosity of spirit that was natural to the earl of Essex, who, among other instances of uncontrouled temper,
So quick an elevation, and to so great an height, unfortunately excited an impetuosity of spirit that was natural to the
earl of Essex, who, among other instances of uncontrouled
temper, often behaved petulantly to the queen herself t
who did not admit, while she sometimes provoked, freedoms of that kind from her subjects. His eagerness about
this time to dispute her favour with sir Charles Blunt, afterwards lord Montjoy and earl of Devonshire, ended in a
duel, in which sir Charles wounded him in the knee. The
queen, so far from being displeased with it, is said to have
sworn a good round oath, that it was fit somebody should
take him down, otherwise there would be no ruling him,
yet she assisted in reconciling the rivals; who, to their
honour, continued good friends as long as they lived. la
1589, sir John Norris and sir Francis Drake having undertaken an expedition for restoring don Antonio to the crown
of Portugal, the earl of Essex, willing to share the glory,
followed the fleet and army to Spain; which displeasing
the queen very bighty, as it was done without her consent
or knowledge, she sent him the following letter: “Essex,
your sudden and undutifnl departure from our presence
and your place of attendance, you may easily conceive
how offensive it is and ought to be unto us. Our great favours, bestowed upon you without deserts, have drawn you.
thus to neglect and forget your duty; for other construction we cannot make of these your strange actions. Not
meaning, therefore, to tolerate this your disordered part,
we gave directions to some of our privy-council, to let you
know our express pleasure for your immediate repair
hither, which you have not performed as your duty doth
bind you, increasing thereby greatly your former offence
and undutiful behaviour in departing in such sort without
our privity, having so special office of attendance and
charge near our person. We do therefore charge and
command you forthwith, upon the receipt of these our
letters, all excuses and delays set apart, to make your present and immediate repair nnto us, to understand our farther pleasure. Whereof see you fail not, as you will be
loth to incur our indignation, and will answer for the contrary at your uttermost peril. The 15th of April, 1589.
”
1598, a warm dispute arose in the council, between the old and wise lord-treasurer Burleigh and the earl of Essex, about continuing the war with Spain. The earl was
But whatever disadvantages the earl might labour under
from* intrigues at court, the queen had commonly recourse
to his assistance in all dangers and difficulties, and placed
him at the head of her fleets and armies, preferably to any
other person. His enemies, on the other hand, were contriving and exerting all they could against him, by insinuating to the queen, that, considering his popularity, it
would not be at all expedient for her service to receive
such as he recommended to civil employments; and they
carried this so far, as even to make his approbation a sufficient objection to men whom they had encouraged and
recommended themselves. In 1598, a warm dispute arose
in the council, between the old and wise lord-treasurer
Burleigh and the earl of Essex, about continuing the war
with Spain. The earl was for it, the treasurer against it;
who at length grew into a great heat, and told the earl that
he seemed intent upon nothing but blood and slaughter.
The earl explained himself, and said, that the blood and
slaughter of the queen’s enemies might be very lawfully
his intention; that he was not against a solid, but a specious and precarious peace; that the Spaniards were a
subtle and ambitious people, who had contrived to do England more mischief in the time of peace, than of war, &c.
The treasurer at last drew out a Prayer-book, in which he
shewed Essex this expression: “Men of blood shall not
live out half their days.
” As the earl knew that methods
would be used to prejudice him with the people of England, especially the trading part, who would easily be persuaded to think themselves oppressed by taxes levied for
the support of the war, he resolved to vindicate his proceedings, and for that purpose drew up in writing his own
arguments, which he addressed to his dear friend Anthony
Bacon. This apology stole into the world not long after it
was written; and the queen, it is said, was exceedingly
offended at it. The title of it runs thus: “To Mr. Anthony Bacon, an Apologie of the Earle of Essexe, against
those which falselie and maliciouslie take him to be the
only hindrance of the peace and quiet of his countrie.
”
This was reprinted in The Earl
of Essex’s vindication of the war with Spain,
” in 8vo.
About this time died the treasurer Burleigh, which was a great misfortune to the earl of Essex; for that lord having shewn a tenderness for the earl’s
About this time died the treasurer Burleigh, which was
a great misfortune to the earl of Essex; for that lord having shewn a tenderness for the earl’s person, and a concern
for his fortunes, had many a time stood between him and
his enemies. But now, this guardian being gone, they
acted without any restraint, crossed whatever he proposed,
stopped the rise of every man he loved, and treated all his
projects with an air of contempt. He succeeded lord
Burleigh as chancellor of the university of Cambridge;
and, going down, was there entertained with great magnificence*. This is reckoned one of the last instances of
this great man’s felicity, who was now advanced too high
to sit at ease; and those who longed for his honours and
employments, very closely applied themselves to bring
about his fall. The first great shock he received came
from the queen herself, and arose from a warm dispute
with her majesty about the choice of some fit and able person to superintend the affairs of Ireland. Camden tells
us, that there were only present on this remarkable occasion, the lord admiral, sir Robert Cecil, secretary; and
“Windebanke, clerk of the seal. The queen considered
sir William Knolls, uncle to Essex, as the most proper
person for that charge: Essex contended, that sir George
Carew was a much fitter man for it. When the queen
could not be persuaded to approve his choice, he so far
forgot himself and his duty, as to turn his back upon her in
a contemptuous manner; which insolence her majesty not
being able to bear, gave him a box on the ear, and, somewhat in her father’s language, bid him
” go and be hanged.“He immediately clapped his hand on his sword, and the
lord admiral stepping in between, he swore a great oath,
declaring that he neither could nor would put up an affront
of that nature; that he would not have taken it at the
hands of Henry VIII. and in a great passion immediately
withdrew from court. The lord keeper advised him to
apply himself to the queen for pardon. He sent the lord
keeper his answer in a long and passionate letter, which
his friends afterwards unadvisedly communicated; in
which he appealed from the queen to God Almighty, in
expressions to this purpose:
” That there was no tempest
so boisterous as the resentment of an angry prince; that
by the Heath of the earl of Leicester, the death of sir Christopher Hatton.
by the Heath of the earl of Leicester, the death of sir Christopher Hatton.
ppointments, in the midst of which, an army was suddenly raised in England, under the command of the earl of Nottingham; nobody well knowing why, but in reality from
The ear) met with nothing in Ireland but disappointments, in the midst of which, an army was suddenly raised
in England, under the command of the earl of Nottingham;
nobody well knowing why, but in reality from the suggestions of the earl’s enemies to the queen, that he rather meditated an invasion on his native country, than the reduction of the Irish rebels. This and other considerations
made him resolve to quit his post, and come over to
England; which he accordingly did, and presented himself
before the queen. He met with a tolerable reception;
but was soon after confined, examined, and dismissed from
all his offices, except that of master of the horse. In the
summer of“1600, he recovered his liberty; and in the
autumn following, he received Mr. Cuffe, who had been
his secretary in Ireland (See Cuffe), into his councils.
Cuffe, who was a man of his own disposition, laboured to
persuade him, that submission would never do him any
good; that the queen was in the hands of a faction, who
were his enemies; and that the only way to restore his
fortune was to obtain an audience, by whatever means he
could, in order to represent his case. The earl did not
consent at first to this dangerous advice; but afterwards,
giving a loose to his passion, began to declare himself
openly, and among other fatal expressions let fall this,
that
” the queen grew old and cankered; and that her
mind was become as crooked as her carcase.“His enemies, who had exact intelligence of all that he proposed,
and had provided effectually against the execution of his
designs, hurried him upon his fate by a message, sent on
the evening of Feb. 7, requiring him to attend the council,
which he declined. This appears to have unmanned him,
and in his distraction of mind, he gave out, that they sought
his life kept a watch in Essex-house all night; and summoned his friends for his defence the next morning. Many
disputes ensued, and some blood was spilt; but the earl
at last surrendered, and was carried that night to the archbishop’s palace at Lambeth, and the next day to the
Tower. On the 19th, he was arraigned before his peers,
and after a long trial was sentenced to lose his head: upon
which melancholy occasion he said nothing more than this,
viz.
” If her majesty had pleased, this body of mine might
have done her better service; however, I shall be glad if it
may prove serviceable to her any way.“He was executed
upon the 25th, in his thirty-fourth year, leaving behind
him one only son and two daughters. As to his person, he
is reported to have been tall, but not very well made; his
countenance reserved; his air rather martial than courtly;
very careless in dress, and a little addicted to trifling diversions, He was learned, and a lover of learned men,
whom he always encouraged and rewarded. He was sincere in his friendships, but not so careful as he ought to
have been in making a right choice; sound in his morals,
except in point of gallantry, and thoroughly well affected
to the protestant religion. Historians inform us, that as
to his execution, the queen remained irresolute to the very
last, and sent sir Edward Carey to countermand it but,
as Camden says, considering afterwards his obstinacy in
refusing to ask her pardon, she countermanded those orders, and directed that he should die. There is an odd
story current in the world about a ring, which the chevalier Louis Aubrey de Mourier, many years the French
minister in Holland, and a man of great parts and unsuspected credit, delivers as an undoubted truth; and that
upon the authority of an English minister, who might be
well presumed to know what he said. As the incident is
remarkable, and has made much noise, we will report it
in the words of that historian:
” It will not, I believe, be
thought either impertinent or disagreeable to add here,
what prince Maurice had from the mouth of Mr. Carleton,
ambassador of England in Holland, who died secretary of
state so well known under the name of lord Dorchester,
and who was a man of great merit. He said, that queen
Elizabeth gave the earl of Essex a ring, in the height of
her passion for him, ordering him to keep it; and that
whatever he should commit, she would pardon him when
he should return that pledge. Since that time the earl’s
enemies having prevailed with the queen, who, besides,
was exasperated against him for the contempt he had
shewed her beauty, now through age upon the decay, she
caused him to be impeached. When he was condemned,
she expected to receive from him the ring, and would have
granted him his pardon according to her promise. The
earl, finding himself in the last extremity, applied to admiral Howard’s lady, who was his relation; and desired
her, by a person she could trust, to deliver the ring into
the queen’s own hands. But her husband, who was one of
the earl’s greatest enemies, and to whom she told this imprudently, would not suffer her to acquit herself of the
commission; so that the queen consented to the earl’s
death, being full of indignation against so proud and
haughty a spirit, who chose rather to die than implore her
mercy. Some time after, the admiral’s lady fell sick;
and, being given over by her physicians, she sent word to
the queen that she had something of great consequence to
tell her before she died. The queen came to her bedBide i and having ordered all her attendants to withdraw,
the admiral’s lady returned her, but too late, that ring
from the earl of Essex, desiring to be excused for not
having returned it sooner, since her husband had prevented her. The queen retired immediately, overwhelmed
with the utmost grief; she sighed continually for a fortnight, without taking any nourishment, lying in bed entirely dressed, and getting up an hundred times a night.
At last she died with hunger and with grief, because she
had consented to the death of a lover who had applied to
her for mercy." Histoire de Hollancle, p. 215, 216.
Lord Orford has entered into a long disquisition on the proofs of queen Elizabeth’s love for the earl of Essex, and certainly proves that she had a more than ordinary
Lord Orford has entered into a long disquisition on the
proofs of queen Elizabeth’s love for the earl of Essex, and
certainly proves that she had a more than ordinary attachment to him, although in some of the circumstances it ap
pears to savour more of the fondness of a capricious mother, than of a mistress. His lordship has done wiser in
having placed the earl of Essex among the noble authors of
England. The various pieces enumerated by lord Orford
justly entitle him to that distinction; and he has a farther
claim to it from the numerous letters of his which occur in
the different collections of state papers, and especially in
Birch’s “Memoirs of the Reign of queen Elizabeth.
” “But
of all his compositions,
” says Mr. Walpole, “the most excellent, and in many respects equal to the performances
of the greatest geniuses, is a long letter to the queen
from Ireland, stating the situation of that country in a
most masterly manner, both as a general and statesman,
and concluding with strains of the tenderest eloquence, on
finding himself so unhappily exposed to the artifice of his
enemies during his absence. It cannot fail to excite admiration, that a man ravished from all improvement and
reflection at the age of seventeen, to be nursed, perverted,
fondled, dazzled in a court, should, notwithstanding, have
snatched such opportunities of cultivating his mind and
understanding:
” In another letter from Ireland, he says
movingly, “I provided for this service a breast-plate, but
not a cuirass; that is, I am armed on the breast, but not
On the back.
”
It has been surmised that the earl of Essex used the pen, first, of Francis Bacon, and afterwards
It has been surmised that the earl of Essex used the pen,
first, of Francis Bacon, and afterwards of Cuffe. Speaking of Bacon, Dr. Birch observes, that it is certain that
Essex did not want any such assistance, and could not
have had it upon many and most important occasions,
which required him to write' some of the most finished of
his epistolary performances, the style of which is not only
very different from, but likewise much more natural, easy,
and perspicuous than that of his friend, who acknowledges
it to be “far better than his own.
” With regard to Cuffe,
Mr. Walpole remarks, that he might have some hand in
collecting the materials relative to business, but that there
runs through all the earl’s letters a peculiarity of style, so
adapted to his situation and feelings, as could not have
been felt for him or dictated by any body else.
It was as a prose-writer that the earl of Essex excelled, and not as a poet. He is said to have translated
It was as a prose-writer that the earl of Essex excelled,
and not as a poet. He is said to have translated one of Ovid’s
Epistles; and a few of his sonnets are preserved in the
Ashmolean museum. They display, however, no marks
of poetic genius. “But if Essex,
” says Mr. Warton, “was
no poet, few noblemen of his age were more courted by
poets. From Spenser to the lowest rhymer he was the subject of numerous sonnets, or popular ballads. I will not
except Sydney. I could produce evidence to prove, that
he scarcely ever went out of England, or even left London,
on the most frivolous enterprize, without a pastoral in his
praise, or a panegyric in metre, which were sold and sung
in the streets. Having interested himself in the fashionable
poetry of the times, he was placed high in the ideal Arcadia now just established; and, among other instances
which might be brought, on his return from Portugal in
1589 he was complimented with a poem called
” An Egloge
gratulatorie entituled to the right honorable and renowned
shepherd of Albion’s Arcadia, Robert earl of Essex, and
for his returne lately into England.“This is a light in
which lord Essex is seldom viewed. I know not if the
queen’s fatal partiality, or his own inherent attractions,
his love of literature, his heroism, integrity, and generosity, qualities which abundantly overbalance his presumption, his vanity, and impetuosity, had the greater share
in dictating these praises. If adulation were any where
justifiable, it must be when paid to the man who endeavoured to save Spenser from starving in the streets of
Dublin, and who buried him in Westminster-abbey with
becoming solemnity. Spenser was persecuted by Burleigh
because he was patronised by Essex.
”
No small degree of popularity has always adhered to the character and memory of the earl of Essex. A strong proof of this is his having been the subject
No small degree of popularity has always adhered to the
character and memory of the earl of Essex. A strong
proof of this is his having been the subject of four different
tragedies. We refer to the “Unhappy favourite,
” by
John Banks the “Fall of the Earl of Essex,
” by James
Ralph the “Earl of Essex,
” by Henry Jones and the
“Earl of Essex,
” by Henry Brooke.
, son to the former, and third earl of Essex, was born in 1592, at Essex-house, in the Strand; and
, son to the former, and third earl of Essex, was born in 1592, at Essex-house, in the Strand; and at the time of his father’s unhappy death, was under the care of his grandmother, by whom he was sent to Eton school, where he was first educated. In the month of January 1602, he was entered a gentleman-commoner of Merton- college, Oxford, where he had an apartment in the warden’s lodgings, then Mr. Savile, afterwards the celebrated sir Henry Savile, his father’s dear friend, and who, for his sake, was exceedingly careful in seeing that he was learnedly and religiously educated. The year following, he was restored to his hereditary honours; and in 1605, when king James visited the university of Oxford, our young earl of Essex was created M. A. on the 30th of August, for the first tirne, which very probably he had forgotten, or he would not have received the same honour above thirty years afterwards. He was already in possession of his father’s high spirit, of which he gave a sufficient indication in a quarrel which he had with prince Henry. Some dispute arose between them at a game at tennis; the prince called his companion the son of a traitor; who retaliated by giving him a severe blow with his racket; and the king was obliged to interfere to restore peace. At the age of fourteen, he was betrothed to lady Frances Howard, who was still younger than himself; but he immediately set out on his travels, and during his absence the affections of his young wife were estranged from him, and fixed upon the king’s favourite, Carr, afterwards earl of Somerset. The consequence was a suit instituted against the husband for impotency, in which, to the disgrace of the age, the king interfered, and which ended in a divorce. The earl of Essex, feeling himself disgraced by the sentence, retired to his country seat, and spent some years in rural sports and amusements. In 120, being wearied of a state of inaction, he joined the earl of Oxford in a military expedition to the Palatinate, where they served with companies of their own raising, under sir Horatio Vere, and in the following year they served in Holland, under prince Maurice, In the course of the winter they returned to England, and lord Essex appeared in the ranks of the opposition in parliament. On this account he was not favourably received at court, which was the mean of attaching him the more closely to foreign service. He commanded a regiment raised in England for the United States in 1624, and though nothing very important was atchieved by the English auxiliaries, yet he acquired experience, and distinguished himself among the nobility of the time. On the accession of Charles I. he was employed as vice-admiral in an expedition against Spain, which proved unsuccessful. In 1626, he made another campaign in the Low Countries, and shortly after he formed another unhappy match, by marrying the daughter of sir William Paulet, from whom, owing to her misconduct, he was divorced within two years. He now resolved to give himself up entirely to public life; he courted popularity, and made friends among the officers of the army and the puritan ministers. He was, however, employed by the king in various important services; but when the king and court left the metropolis, lord Essex pleaded in excuse his obligation to attend in his place as a peer of the realm, and was accordingly deprived of all his employments; a step which alone seemed wanting to fix him in opposition to the king; and in July 1642 he accepted the post of general of the parliamentary army. He opposed the king in person at Edge-hill, where the victory was so indecisive, that each party claimed it as his own. After this he was successful in some few instances, but in other important trusts he did little to recommend him to the persons in whose interests he was employed. He was, however, treated with external respect, until the self-denying ordinance threw him entirely out of the command: he resigned his commission, but not without visible marks of discontent. Unwilling to lose him altogether, the parliament voted that he should be raised to a dukedom, and be allowed 10,000l. per annum, to support his new dignity; but these were vented by a sudden death, which, as in the case of his grandfather, was by some attributed to unfair means. He died September 14, 1646. Parliament directed a public funeral for him, which was performed with great solemnity in the following month, at Westminster abbey. In his conduct, the particulars of which may be seen in the history of the times, a want of steadiness is to be discovered, which candour would refer to the extraordinary circumstances in which public men were then placed. Personal affronts at court, whether provoked or not, led him to go a certain length with those who, he did not perceive, wanted to go much farther, and although he appeared in arms against his sovereign, no party was pleased with his efforts to preserve a balance; yet, with all his er/ors, Hume and other historians, not friendly to the republican cause, have considered his death as a public misfortune. Hume says, that fully sensible of the excesses to which affairs had been carried, and of the worse consequences which were still to be apprehended, he had resolved to conciliate a peace, and to remedy as far as possible all those ills to which, from mistake rather than any bad intention, he had himself so much contributed. The presbyterian, or the moderate party among the commons, found themselves considerably weakened by his death; and the small remains of authority which still adhered to the house of peers, were in a manner wholly extinguished.
y he left behind him, now in the hands of one of the greatest geniuses of the age:” meaning the late earl of Oxford. Some curious extracts from the ms journal of his
Another thing which hurt his character with some particular writers, was a very foolish speech he made in the
long parliament, Jan. 2, 1640, in support of the antiquity
of the university of Cambridge. This was afterwards published under the title of “A Speech delivered in parliament by Symonds D'Ewes, touching the antiquity of Cambridge, 1642,
” 4to, and exposed him to very severe usage
from Wood, Hearne, &c. as it still must to the contempt of
every accurate antiquary. Other writers, however, and
such as cannot be at all suspected of partiality to him, have
spoken much to his honour. Echard, in his History of
England, savs, “We shall next mention sir Symonds
D'Ewes, a gentleman educated at the university of Cambridge, celebrated for a most curious antiquary, highly esteemed by the great Selden, and particularly remarkable
for his Journals of all the parliaments in queen Elizabeth’s
reign, and for his admirable ms library he left behind him,
now in the hands of one of the greatest geniuses of the
age:
” meaning the late earl of Oxford. Some curious
extracts from the ms journal of his own life (preserved among the Harieian Mss.) are printed in the “Bibliotheca
Topographica Britannica, 1783.
” In this he has given a
minute account of his courtship and marriage. The only
love-letter he had occasion to send, and which was accompanied with a present of a diamond carcanet, was as follows:
as can well be imagined, will be evident from the following passage, taken from his account of Carr earl of Somerset, and his wife. " This discontent gave many satyrical
moved to London, and took his house in St. Martin’s- lane where, soon after recovering Henry Bennet, earl of Arlington, lord chamberlain to Charles II. when all hopes
On the death of Dr. Willis, which happened in 1684,
Dickinson removed to London, and took his house in St.
Martin’s- lane where, soon after recovering Henry Bennet, earl of Arlington, lord chamberlain to Charles II.
when all hopes of recovery were past, that nobleman
introcluced him to the king, who made him one of his physicians
in ordinary, and physician to his household. As that
prince was a lover of chemistry, and a considerable proficient, Dickinson grew into great favour at court; which
favour lasted to the end of Charles’s reign, and that of his
successor James, who continued him in both his places.
In 1636 he published in Latin his epistle to Theodore
Mundanus, and also his answer, translated from the French
into Latin: for, in 1679, this chemist had paid him a
second visit, and renewed his acquaintance. The title of
it in English is, “An Epistle of E. D. to T. M. an adept,
concerning the quintessence of the philosophers, and the
true system of physics, together with certain queries concerning the materials of alchemy. To which are annexed
the answers of Mundanus,
” 8vo. After the abdication of
his unfortunate master, he retired from practice, being old,
and much afflicted with the stone, but continued his studies.
He had long meditated a system of philosophy, not founded
on hypothesis, or even experiment, but, chiefly deduced
from principles collected from the Mosaic history. Part of
this laborious work, when he had almost finished it, was
burnt; but, not discouraged by this accident, he began it
a second time, and did not discontinue it, till he had completed the whole. It came out in 1702 under the title of
“Physica vetus et vera sive tractatus de naturali veritate
hexoemeri Mosaici, &c.
” In this he attempts, from the
scriptural account of the creation, to explain the manner
in which the world was formed. Assuming, as the ground
of his theory, the atomic doctrine, and the existence
of an immaterial cause of the concourse of indivisible
atoms, he supposes the particles of matter agitated by a
double motion; one gentle and transverse, of the particles
among themselves, whence elementary corpuscles are
formed; the other circular, by which the whole mass is
revolved, and the regions of heaven and earth are produced. By the motion of the elementary corpuscles of
different magnitude and form, he supposes the different
bodies of nature to have been produced, and attempts,
upon this plan, to describe the process of creation through
each of the six days. He explains at large the formation
of human nature, shewing in what manner, by means of a
plastic seminal virtue, man became an animated being.
This theory, though founded upon conjecture, and loaded
with unphilosophical fictions, the author not only pretends
to derive from the Mosaic narrative, but maintains to have
been consonant to the most ancient Hebrew traditions.
The use which this theorist makes of the doctrine of atoms,
shews him to have been wholly unacquainted with the true
notion of the ancients on this subject; and indeed the
whole work seems to have ben the offspring of a confused imagination, rather than of a sound judgment. Burnet, who attempted the same design afterwards, discovered far more learning and ability. This work, however,
was in such demand as to be printed again at Rotterdam
in 1703, in 4to, and at Leoburg, 1705, 12mo.
Orford, who has a portrait of him, thinks he was not much encouraged in England, except by Granville earl of Bath, for whom he drew several views and ruins in the West
, another artist, known in this country, was born at the Hague, in 1655; but spent the greatest part of his life in England, to which he came in his seventeenth year, and where he gradually rose into considerable credit, having been well instructed by his father, who was a skilful painter of sea-pieces. His taste of landscape was formed almost entirely (as he often declared) by designing the lovely views in the western parts of England, and along the coasts. Some of his pictures have great clearness and transparence in the colouring, and a peculiar tenderness in the distances; they are truly fine in the skies, have an uncommon freedom in the clouds, and an agreeable harmony through the whole. But, as he was often obliged to paint for low prices, there is a great disproportion in his works. The narrowness of his circumstances depressed his talent, and rendered him inattentive to fame, being solely anxious to provide for his family. Had he been so happy as to receive a proper degree of encouragement, it is not improbable that he might have approached near to those of the first rank in his profession. The figures in his landscapes were frequently inserted by the younger Adrian Coloni, his brother-in-law. He began to engrave a set of prints, after views from his own designs, but the gout put an end to his life in 170-1, in the forty- ninth year of his age. Lord Orford, who has a portrait of him, thinks he was not much encouraged in England, except by Granville earl of Bath, for whom he drew several views and ruins in the West of England.
, earl of Bristol, and father of lord George Digby, was by no means
, earl of Bristol, and father of lord George Digby, was by no means an inconsiderable man, though checked by the circumstances of his times from making so great a figure as his son. He was descended from an ancient family at Coleshill, in Warwickshire, and born in 1580. He was entered a commoner of Magdalen-college, Oxford, in 1595; and the year following distinguished himself as a poet by a copy of verses made upon the death of sir Henry Union of Wadley, in Berks. Afterwards he travelled into France and Italy, and returned from thence perfectly accomplished; so that soon falling under the notice of king James, he was admitted gentleman of the privy-chamber, and one of his majesty’s carvers, in 1605. February following he received the honour of knighthood; and in April 1611, was sent ambassador into Spain, as he was afterwards again in 1614. April 1616 he was admitted one of the king’s privy-council, and vicechamberlain of his majesty’s household; and in 1618 was advanced to the dignity of a baron, by the title of the lord Digby of Sherbourne, in Dorsetshire. In 1620 he was sent ambassador to the archduke Albert, and the year following to Ferdinand the emperor; as also to the duke of Bavaria. In 1622 he was sent ambassador extraordinary to Spain, concerning the marriage between prince Charles and Maria daughter of Philip III. and the same year was created earl of Bristol. Being censured by the duke of Buckingham, on his return from the Spanish court in 1624, he was for a short time sent to the Tower but after an examination by a committee of lords, we do not find that any thing important resulted from this inquiry. After the accession of Charles I. the tide of resentment ran strong against the earl, who observing that the king was entirely governed by Buckingham, resolved no longer to keep any measures with the court. In consequence of this, the king, by a stretch of prerogative, gave orders that the customary writ for his parliamentary attendance should not; be sent to him, and on May 1, 1626, he was charged with high treason and other offences. Lord Bristol recriminated, by preparing articles of impeachment against the duke; but the king, resolving to protect Buckingham, dissolved the parliament. The earl now sided with the leaders of opposition in the long parliament. But the violences of that assembly soon disgusting him, he left them, and became a zealous adherent to the king and his cause; for which at length he suffered exile, and the loss of his estate. He died at Paris, Jan. 21, 1653.
he was disaffected to the court, and appointed one of the committee to prepare a charge against the earl of Strafford, in 1640 but afterwards would not consent to the
, an English nobleman of great
parts, was son of the preceding, and born at Madrid, in
October, 1612. In 1626 he was entered of Magdalencollege, in Oxford, where he lived in great familiarity
with the well-known Peter Heylin, and gave manifest
proofs of those great endowments for which he was afterwards so distinguished. In 1636 he was created M. A.
there, just after Charles 1. had left Oxford; where he had
been spendidly entertained by the university, and particularly at St. John’s college, by Dr. Laud, afterwards
archbishop of Canterbury. In the beginning of the long
parliament he was disaffected to the court, and appointed
one of the committee to prepare a charge against the earl
of Strafford, in 1640 but afterwards would not consent to
the bill, “not only,
” as he said, “because he was unsatisfied in the matter of law, but for that he was more unsatisfied in the matter of fact.
” From that time he
became a declared enemy to the parliament, and shewed his
dislike of their proceedings in a warm speech against them,
which he made at the passing' of the bill of attainder against
the said earl, in April 1641. This speech was condemned
to be burnt, and himself in June following, expelled the
house of commons. In Jan. 1642, he went on a message
from his majesty to Kingston-upon-Thames, to certain
gentlemen there, with a coach and six horses. This they
improved into a warlike appearance; and accordingly he
was accused of high treason in parliament, upon pretence
of his levying war at Kingston-upon-Thames. Clarendon
mentions “this severe prosecution of a young nobleman of
admirable parts and eminent hopes, in so implacable a
manner, as a most pertinent instance of the tyranny and
injustice of those times.
” Finding what umbrage he had
given to the parliament, and how odious they had made
him to the people, he obtained leave, and a licence from
his majesty, to transport himself into Holland; whence he
wrote several letters to his friends, and one to the queen,
which was carried by a perfidious confidant to the parliament, and opened. In a secret expedition afterwards to
the king, he was taken by one of the parliament’s ships,
and carried to Hull; but being in such a disguise that not
his nearest relation could have known him, he brought
himself off very dextrously by his artful management of
the governor, sir John Hotham. In 1643 he was made
one of the secretaries of state to the king, and high steward
of the university of Oxford, in the room of William lord
Say. In the latter end of 1645 he went into Ireland, and
exposed himself to great hazards of his life, for the service of the king; from thence he passed over to Jersey,
where the prince of Wales was, and after that into France,
in order to transact some important matters with the queen
and cardinal Mazarin. Upon the death of the king, he was
exempted from pardon by the parliament, and obliged to
live in exile till the restoration of Charles II. when he was
restored to all he had lost, and made knight of the garter.
He became very active in public affairs, spoke frequently in
parliament, and distinguished himself by his enmity to
Clarendon while chancellor. He died at Chelsea, March
20, 1676, after succeeding his father as earl of Bristol.
Many of his speeches and letters are still extant, to he
found in our historical collections and he wrote “Elvira,
”
a comedy, &c. There are also letters of his cousin
sir Kenelm Digby, against popery, mentioned in our account of sir Kenelm yet afterwards he became a papist
himself; which inconsistencies in his character have been
neatly depicted by lord Orford. “He was,
” says he, “a
singular person, whose life was one contradiction. He
wrote against popery, and embraced it; he was a zealous
opposer of the court, and a sacrifice for it; was conscientiously converted in the midst of his prosecution of lord
Strafford, and was most unconscientiously a prosecutor of
lord Clarendon. With great parts he always hurt himself
and his friends; with romantic bravery, he was always an
unsuccessful commander. He spoke for the test act,
though a Roman catholic, and addicted himself to astrology on the birth-day of true philosophy.
”
glish poet, was born in Ireland about 1633, while the government of that kingdom was under the first earl of Strafford, to whom he was nephew; his father, sir James Dillon,
, an English poet, was born in Ireland about 1633, while the government of that kingdom was under the first earl of Strafford, to whom he was nephew; his father, sir James Dillon, third earl of Roscommon, having married Elizabeth the youngest daughter of sir William Wentworth, of Wentworth-Woodhouse, in the county of York, sister to the earl of Stratford. Hence lord Roscommon was christened Wentworth. He was educated in the protestant religion, his father (who died at Limerick in 1619) having been converted by archbishop Usher from the communion of the church of Rome; and passed the years of his infancy in Ireland. He was brought over to England by his uncle, on his return from the government of Ireland*, and placed at that nobleman’s seat in Yorkshire, under the tuition of Dr. Hall, erroneously* said to have been afterwards bishop of Norwich. The celebrated Hall was at this time a bishop, and far advanced in years. By this Dr. Hall, whoever he was, he was instructed in Latin; and, without learning the common rules of grammar, which he could never remember, attained to write that language with classical elegance and propriety. When the cloud began to gather over England, and the earl of Strafford was singled out for an impeachment, he was, by the advice of Usher, sent to finish his education at Caen in Normandy, where the protestants had then an university, and studied under the direction of the learned Bochart; but at this time he could not have been more than nine years old. After some years he travelled to Rome, where he grew familiar with the most valuable remains of antiquity, applying himself particularly to the knowledge of medals, which he gained to perfection; and he spoke Italian with so much grace and fluency, that he was frequently mistaken there for a native.
ade master of the horse to the duchess of York; and married the lady Frances, eldest daughter of the earl of Burlington, and widow of colonel Courtney. He began now to
The pleasures of the English court, and the friendships
he had there contracted, were powerful motives for his return to London. Soon after he came, he was made master of the horse to the duchess of York; and married the
lady Frances, eldest daughter of the earl of Burlington,
and widow of colonel Courtney. He began now to distinguish himself by his poetry; and about this time projected
a design, in conjunction with his friend Dryden, for refining and fixing the standard of our language. But this
was entirely defeated by the religious commotions that
were then increasing daily; at which time the earl took a
resolution to pass the remainder of his life at Rome, telling
his friends, “it would be best to sit next to the chimney
when the chamber smoked,
” a sentence of which, Dr.
Johnson says, the application seems not very clear.
Amidst these reflections, being seized with the gout, he
was so impatient either of hindrance or of pain, that he
submitted himself to a French empiric, who is said to have
repelled the disease into his bowels. At the moment in
which he expired he uttered, with an energy of voice that
expressed the most fervent devotion, two lines of his own
version of “Dies Iræ:
”
introduced him to Dr. Morton, bishop of Durham. From Morrice’s “State Letters of the right hon. the earl of Orrery,” we learn that when invited to preach at Venice,
, a very eminent divine, descended
of a noble family of Lucca, was born June 6, 1576; but
of his early years we have no information. When, however, he was only nineteen years of age, we find him appointed professor of Hebrew at Geneva. In 1619 the
church of Geneva sent him to the synod of Dort, with his
colleague Theodore Tronchin. Diodati gained so much
reputation in this synod, that he was chosen, with five
other divines, to prepare the Belgic confession of faith.
He was esteemed an excellent divine, and a good preacher.
His death happened at Geneva, Oct. 3, 1649, in his seventy-third year, and was considered as a public loss. He
has rendered himself noticed by some works which he
published, but particularly by his translation of the whole
Bible into Italian, the first edition of which he published,
with notes, in 1607, at Geneva, and reprinted in 16 n.
The New Testament was printed separately at Geneva in
1608, and at Amsterdam and Haerlem in 1665. M. Simon
observes, that his method is rather that of a divine and a
preacher, than of a critic, by which he means only, that
his work is more of a practical than a critical kind. He
translated the Bible also into French, but not being so intimate with that language, he is not thought to have succeeded so well as in the Italian. This translation was
printed in folio, at Geneva, in 1664. He was also the
first who translated into French father Paul’s “History of
the Council of Trent,
” and many have esteemed this a
more faithful translation than de la Houssaye’s, although
less elegant in language. He also is said to have translated sir Edwin Sandys’ book on the “State of Religion in
the West.
” But the work by which he is best known in
this country is his Annotations on the Bible, translated into
English, of which the third and best edition was published
in 1651, fol. He is said to have begun writing these annotations in 1606, at which time it was expected that
Venice would have shaken off the popish yoke, a measure to which he was favourable; and he went on improving them in his editions of the Italian and French
translations. This work was at one time time very popular
in England, and many of the notes of the Bible, called the
“Assembly of Divines’ Annotations,
” were taken from Diodati literally. Diodati was at onetime in England, as we
learn from the life of bishop Bedell, whom he was desirous
to become acquainted with, and introduced him to Dr. Morton, bishop of Durham. From Morrice’s “State Letters
of the right hon. the earl of Orrery,
” we learn that when
invited to preach at Venice, he was obliged to equip himself in a trooper’s habit, a scarlet cloak with a sword, and
in that garb he mounted the pulpit; but was obliged to
escape again to Geneva, from the wrath of a Venetian
nobleman, whose mistress, affected by one of Diqdati'a
sermons, had refused to continue her connection with her
keeper. The celebrated Milton, also, contracted a friendship for Diodati, when on his travels; and some of his
Latin elegies are addressed to Charles Diodati, the nepheiv
of the divine. This diaries was one of Milton’s most intimate friends, and was the son of Theodore Diodati, who,
although originally of Lucca, as well as his brother, married an English lady, and his son in every respect became
an Englishman. He was also an excellent scholar, and
being educated to his father’s profession, practised physic
in Cheshire. He was at St. Paul’s school, with Milton,
and afterwards, in 1621, entered of Trinity-college, Oxford. He died in 1638.
r; and there are in the collections of the dukes of Marlborough, Devonshire, Northumberland, and the earl of Pembroke, several of his pictures of both kinds.
, an English painter, was born in
London, in 1610. His father was master of the Alienation
office; but “spending his estate upon women, necessity
forced his son to be the most excellent painter that England
hath yet bred.
” He was put out early an apprentice to
one Mr. Peake, a stationer and trader in pictures, with
whom he served his time. Nature inclined him very
powerfully to the practice of painting after the life, in
which he had some instructions from Francis Cleyne; and,
by his master’s procurement, he had the advantage of
copying many excellent pictures, especially some of Titian and Van Dyck. How much he was beholden to the
latter, may easily be seen in all his works; no painter
having ever so happily imitated that excellent master, who
was so much pleased with his performances, that he presented him to Charles I. This monarch took him into
his immediate protection, kept him in Oxford all the
while his majesty continued in that city, sat several
times to him for his picture, and obliged the prince of
Wales, prince Rupert, and most of the lords of his court,
to do the like. Dobson \\as a fair, middle-sized man,
of a ready wit and pleasing conversation; but somewhat loose and irregular in his way of living; and, notwithstanding the opportunities he had of making his fortune, died poor at his house in St. Martin’s-lane, in 1647.
Although it was his misfortune to want suitable helps in
beginning to apply himself to painting, and he was much
disturbed by the commotions of the unhappy times tie nourished in, yet he shone out through all disadvantages;
and it is universally agreed, that, had his education and
encouragement been answerable to his genius, England
might justly have been as proud of her Dobson, as Venice of her Titian, or Flanders of her Van Dyck. He
was both a history and portrait painter; and there are in
the collections of the dukes of Marlborough, Devonshire,
Northumberland, and the earl of Pembroke, several of his
pictures of both kinds.
to Young Men,” 3 vols. 12mo. These he dedicated to his pupils Charles Ernst and Philip Stanhope, now earl of Chesterfield, he having become tutor to the latter, by the
Still, however, he preserved theological appearances;
and he now meditated a design of publishing a large commentary on the Bible. In order to give the greater éclat
to this undertaking, and draw the public attention upon it,
it was, announced, that lord Masham presented him with
Mss. of Mr. Locke, found in his lordship’s library at
Oates; and that he had helps also from Mss. of lord
Clarendon, Dr. Watcrland, Gilbert West, and other celebrated men. He began to publish this commentary,
1765, in weekly and monthly numbers; and continued to
publish it regularly till it was completed in 3 vols. folio.
It was dedicated to his patron bishop Squire, who died in
May the year following, 1766; and was lamented (we believe very sincerely) by our commentator, in a funeral sermon dedicated to his widow. This year he took the degree of LL. D. at Cambridge, having been made a chaplain to the king some time before. His next publication
was a volume of his poems, in 8vo. In 1769 he published
a translation from the French, of “Sermons preached before Lewis XV. during his minority, by Massillon, bishop
of Clermont.
” They were called “Sermons on the duties
of the great,
” and inscribed to the prince of Wales. In
Sermons to Young Men,
” 3 vols.
12mo. These he dedicated to his pupils Charles Ernst
and Philip Stanhope, now earl of Chesterfield, he having
become tutor to the latter, by the recommendation of
bishop Squire.
said manuscript was discovered. In a letter from an English Gentleman, now residing in China, to the earl of *****.” Whether from modesty, fear, or merely a trick of
In 1748 our author published a work of yet greater popularity and acknowledged value in the instruction of youth,
feis “Preceptor,
” to which some of the parties just mentioned contributed. Dr. Johnson furnished the Preface,
and “The Vision of Theodore the Hermit.
” In the be
ginning of the following year, Dodsley purchased Johnson’s “Vanity of Human Wishes,
” for the small sum of
fifteen guineas, but Johnson reserved the right of printing
one edition. It is a better proof of Dodsley’s enterprising
Spirit that he was the first who suggested the scheme of
the English Dictionary, upon which Dr. Johnson was at
this time employed; and is supposed to have procured
some hints from Pope, among whose friends a scheme of
this kind had been long entertained. Pope, however, did
not live to see the excellent Prospectus which Johnson
published in 1747. In 1748, Dodsley collected together
in one volume his dramatic pieces, under the modest title
of “Trifles.
” On the peace of Aix-la-Chapelle, he wrote
the “Triumph of Peace,
” a masque, which was set to
music by Dr. Arne, and performed at Drury-lane in
1748-9. In 1750 he published a small volume, unlike
any of his former attempts, entitled “The Œconomy of
Human Life, translated from an Indian manuscript, written by an ancient Bramin; to which is prefixed, an account of the manner in which the said manuscript was
discovered. In a letter from an English Gentleman, now
residing in China, to the earl of *****.
” Whether from
modesty, fear, or merely a trick of trade, Dodsley affected
to be only the publisher of this work, and persisted in his disguise for some time. Conjecture gave it to the earl of
Chesterfield, and not quite so absurdly as Mrs. Teresa
Constantia Phillips complimented that nobleman on being
author of the “Whole Duty of Man.
” Chesterfield had
a friendship for Dodsley, and would not contradict a report
which rendered the sale of the “Œconomy
” both rapid.
and extensive. The critics, however, in the Monthly
Keview, and Gentleman’s Magazine, were not to be deceived.
he was made a canon of Osma. After five years he accompanied the bishop of Osma on an embassy to the earl of La Marche, and in his journey was grievously afflicted to
, a Saint of the Romish calendar, founder of the order of the Dominicans, and as some say, of that horrible engine of tyranny, the Inquisition, was born in 1170, at Calarogo, in old Castille, in the diocese of Osma. He was of the family of the Guzmans, and educated at first under a priest, his uncle; but at fourteen years, was sent to the public schools of Palentia, where he became a great proficient in rhetoric, philosophy, and divinity, and was also distinguished by austere mortifications and charity to the poor. When he had finished his studies and taken his degrees, he explained the Holy Scriptures in the schools, and preached at Palentia. In 1198 he was made a canon of Osma. After five years he accompanied the bishop of Osma on an embassy to the earl of La Marche, and in his journey was grievously afflicted to behold the spread of what he called heresy among the Albigenses, and conceived the design of converting them, and at first appears to have used only argument, accompanied with the deception of pretended miracles; but finding these unsuccessful, joined the secular power in a bloody crusade against the Albigenses, which he encouraged by prayers and miracles. During these labours, he instituted the devotion of the Rosary, consisting of fifteen Pater Hosiers, and an hundred and fifty Ave Marias, in honour of the fifteen principal mysteries of the life and sufferings of Christ, and of the virgin Mary, which our saint thought the people might be made to honour by this foolish expedient. In 1206 he founded the nunnery of our lady of Prouille, near Faujaux, which he put under* the rule of St. Austin, and afterwards established an institute called his third order, some of the members of which live in monasteries, and are properly nuns; others live in their own houses, adding religious to civil duties, and serving the poor in hospitals and prisons.
, as we hear no more of him, until he began his travels in his twenty-first year. He accompanied the earl of Essex in his expedition in 1596, when Cadiz was taken, and
This inquiry, which terminated probably to the grief of his surviving parent and his friends of the Romish persuasion, appears to have occupied a considerable space of time, as we hear no more of him, until he began his travels in his twenty-first year. He accompanied the earl of Essex in his expedition in 1596, when Cadiz was taken, and again in 1597, but did not return to England until he had travelled for some time in Italy, from which he meant to have penetrated into the Holy Land, and visited Jerusalem and the holy sepulchre. But the inconveniences and dangers of the road in those parts appeared so insuperable that he gave up this design, although with a reluctance to which he often used to advert. The time, however, which he had dedicated to visit the Holy Land, he passed in Spain, and both there and in Italy, studied the language, manners, and government of the country, allusions to which are scattered throughout his poems and prose works.
This unwelcome news, when it could be no longer concealed, was imparted to sir George Moor, by Henry earl of Northumberland, a nobleman, who, notwithstanding this friendly
In this honourable employment, he passed five years, probably the most agreeable of his life. But a young man of a disposition inclined to gaiety, and in the enjoyment of the most elegant pleasures of society, could not be long a stranger to love. Donne’s favourite object was the daughter of sir George Moor, or More, of Loxley farm in the county of Surrey, and niece to lady Ellesmere. This young lady resided in the house of the chancellor, and the lovers had consequently many opportunities to indulge the tenderness of an attachment which appears to have been mutual. Before the family, they were probably not very cautious, for in one of his elegies he speaks of spies and rivals, and her father either suspected, or from them had some intimation, of a connexion which he chose to consider as degrading, and therefore removed his daughter to his own house at Loxley. But this measure was adopted too late, as the parties, perhaps dreading the event, had been for some time privately married. This unwelcome news, when it could be no longer concealed, was imparted to sir George Moor, by Henry earl of Northumberland, a nobleman, who, notwithstanding this friendly interference, was afterwards guilty of that rigour towards his own youngest daughter, which he now wished to soften in the breast of sir George Moor. Sir George’s rage, however, transported him beyond the bounds of reason. He not only insisted on Donne’s being dismissed from the lord chancellor’s service, but caused him to be imprisoned; and, at the same time, Samuel Brook, afterwards master of Trinity college, and iiis brother Christopher Brook, who were present at the marriage, the one acting as father to the lady, the other as witness.
d every application to exert the royal favour towards him in any other direction. When the favourite earl of Somerset requested that Mr. Donne might have the place of
At this period of our history, it was deemed expedient
to select such men for high offices in the church, as
promised by their abilities and zeal to vindicate the reformed
religion. King James, who was no incompetent judge of
such merit, though perhaps too apt to measure the talents
of others by his own standard, conceived from a perusal
of the “Pseudo-Martyr,
” that Donne would prove an ornament and bulwark to the church, and therefore not only
endeavoured to persuade him to take orders, but resisted
every application to exert the royal favour towards him in
any other direction. When the favourite earl of Somerset
requested that Mr. Donne might have the place of one of
the clerks of the council, then vacant, the king replied,
*' I know Mr. Donne is a learned man, has the abilities of
a learned divine, and will prove a powerful preacher, and
my desire is to prefer him that way, and in that way I
will deny you nothing for him." Such an intimation must
have made a powerful impression, yet there is no reascn
to conclude from any part of Mr. Donne’s character, that
he won I'd have been induced to enter the church merely
by the persuasion of his sovereign, however flattering.
To him, however, at this time, the transition was not difficult. He had relinquished the follies of youth, and had
nearly outlived the remembrance of them. His studies
had long inclined to theology, and his frame of mind was
adapted to support the character expected from him. His
oldfriend Dr, Morton probably embraced this opportunity to second the king’s wishes, and remove Mr. Donne’s
personal scruples; and Dr. King, bishop of London, who
had been chaplain to the chancellor when Donne was his
secretary, and consequently knew his character, heard of
his intention with much satisfaction. By this prelate he
was ordained deacon and afterwards priest; and the king,
although not uniformly punctual in his promises of patronage, immediately made him his chaplain in ordinary, and
gave him hopes of higher preferment.
d by Walton. These according to his letters (p. 318) he owed to the friendship of Richard Sackville, earl of Dorset, and of the earl of Kent. From all this he derived
To his deanery was now added the vicarage of St. DunStan in the West, and another ecclesiastical endowment not specified by Walton. These according to his letters (p. 318) he owed to the friendship of Richard Sackville, earl of Dorset, and of the earl of Kent. From all this he derived the pleasing prospect of making a decent provision for his children, as well as of indulging to a greater extent his liberal and humane disposition. In 1624, he was chosen prolocutor to the convocation, on which occasion he delivered a Latin oration, which is printed in the London edition of his poems, 1719.
d by his son. There are several of Donne’s letters, and others to him from the queen of Bohemia, the earl of Carlisle, archbishop Abbot, and Ben Jonson; printed in a
His prose works are numerous, but except the “PseudoMartyr,
” and a small volume of devotions, none of them,
were published during his life. The others are, 1. “Paradoxes, problems, essays, characters,
” &c. Sermons,
” in folio the first
printed in one of the most witty and
most eloquent of our modern divines.
” 3. “Essays in
divinity,
” &c. Letters to several persons of honour,
” A collection of Letters made by sir Tobie Matthews, knt. 1660,
” 8vo. 5. “The ancient History of the
Septuagint; translated from the Greek of Aristeas,
”
r four months, the proctors being removed by the king; but about that time he became chaplain to the earl of Northumberland, and his college bestowed on him the rectory
, an English divine, was born about
1598 at Martley near Worcester, and educated at Worcester, whence at the age of sixteen he became a student
at Oxford. After he had taken his bachelor’s degree, he
was one of those excellent scholars who were candidates
for a fellowship in Merton college, and after a severe
examination by the then warden, sir Henry Savile, Mr.
Doughty gained the election. He there completed his
degree of M. A. and entering into orders, became a very
popular and edifying preacher. In 1631 he served the
office of proctor only for four months, the proctors being
removed by the king; but about that time he became
chaplain to the earl of Northumberland, and his college
bestowed on him the rectory of Lapworth in Warwickshire.
On the commencement of the rebellion, he left Lapworth,
to avoid sequestration and imprisonment, and joined the
king at Oxford. Soon after Dr. Duppa, bishop of Salisbury, gave him the lectureship of St. Edmund’s in that
city, where he continued about two years; but, on the defeat of the royal army in the West, he went to London,
and found an asylum in the house of sir Nathaniel Brent,
in Little Britain. After the restoration, his loyalty and
public services were rewarded with a prebend in Westminster, and the rectory of Cheam in Surrey, and about
the same time he was created doctor of divinity. He died
at Westminster, after he had lived, says Wood, “to be
twice a child,
” December 25, 1672, and was buried in the
abbey.
inent for his poetical talents, was descended from a noble family, being the third son of Archibald, earl of Angus, and was born in Scotland at the close of the year
, bishop of Dunkeld, eminent for
his poetical talents, was descended from a noble family,
being the third son of Archibald, earl of Angus, and was
born in Scotland at the close of the year 1474, or the Beginning of 1475. His father was very careful of his education, and caused him to be early instructed in literature
and the sciences. He was intended by him for the church;
and after having passed through a course of liberal education in Scotland, is supposed to have travelled into foreign
countries, for his farther improvement in literature, particularly to Paris, where he finished his education. Alter
his return to Scotland, he obtained the office of provost of
the collegiate church of St. Giles in Edinburgh, a post of
considerable dignity and revenue; and was also made
rector of Heriot church. He was likewise appointed abbot
of the opulent convent of Aberbrothick; and the queenmother, who was then regent of Scotland, and about this
time married his nephew the earl of Angus, nominated
him to the archbishopric of St. Andrew’s. But he was prevented from obtaining this dignity by a violent opposition
made to him at home, and by the refusal of the pope to
confirm his appointment. The queen-mother afterwards
promoted him to the bishopric of Dunkeld; and for this
preferment obtained a bull in his favour from pope Leo X.
by the interest of her brother, Henry VIII. king of England. But so strong an opposition was again made to him,
that he could not, for a considerable time, obtain peaceable possession of this new preferment; and was even imprisoned for more than a year, under pretence of having
acted illegally, in procuring a bull from the pope. He
was afterwards set at liberty, and consecrated bishop of
Dunkeld, by James Beaton, chancellor of Scotland, and
archbishop of Glasgow. After his consecration he went to
St. Andrew’s, and thence to his own church at Dunkeld;
where the first day, we are told, “he was most kindly received by his clergy and people, all of them blessing God
for so worthy and learned a bishop.
” He still, however,
met with many obstructions; and, for some time, was forcibly kept out of the palace belonging to his diocese; but
he at length obtained peaceable possession. He soon after
accompanied the duke of Albany, regent of Scotland, to
Paris, when that nobleman was sent to renew the ancient
league between Scotland and France. After his return to
Scotland, he made a short stay at Edinburgh, and then
repaired to his diocese, where he applied himself diligently
to the duties of his episcopal office. He was also a promoter of public-spirited works, and particularly finished
the stone bridge over the river Tay, opposite to his own
palace, which had been begun by his predecessor. We
meet with no farther particulars concerning him till some
years after, when he was at Edinburgh, during the disputes between the earls of Arran and Angus. On that occasion bishop Douglas reproved archbishop Beaton for
wearing armour, as inconsistent with the clerical character,
but was afterwards instrumental in saving his life. During
all these disorders in Scotland, it is said, that bishop
Douglas behaved “with that moderation and peaceableness, which became a wise man and a religious prelate;
”
but the violence and animosity which then prevailed among
the different parties in Scotland, induced him to retire to
England. After his departure, a prosecution was commenced against him in Scotland; but he was well received
in England, where he was treated with particular respect,
on account of the excellency of his character, and his
great abilities and learning. King Henry VII I. allowed
him a liberal pension; and he became particularly intimate
with Polydore Vergil. He died of the plague, at London,
in 1521, or 1522, and was interred in the Savoy church, on
the left side of the tomb-stone of Thomas Halsay, bishop
of Laghlin, in Ireland; on whose tomb-stone a short epitaph for bishop Douglas is inscribed. Hume, of Godscroft, in his “History of the Douglases,
” says, “Gawin
Douglas, bishop of Dunkeld, left behind him great approbation of his virtues and love of his person in the hearts of
all good men; for besides the nobility of his birth, the
dignity and comeliness of his personage, he was learned,
temperate, and of singular moderation of mind; and in
these turbulent times had always carried himself among
the factions of the nobility equally, and with a mind to
make peace, and not to stir up parties; which qualities
were very rare in a clergyman of those days.
”
to Scottish heroics, with the additional thirteenth book by Mapheus Vegius, at the request of Henry, earl of Sinclair, to whom he was related. It was printed at London,
Bishop Douglas is styled by Mr. Warton, one “of the
distinguished luminaries that marked the restoration of
letters in Scotland, at the commencement of the sixteenth
century, not only by a general eminence in elegant erudition, but by a cultivation of the vernacular poetry of his
country.
” He translated the Æneid of Virgil into Scottish
heroics, with the additional thirteenth book by Mapheus
Vegius, at the request of Henry, earl of Sinclair, to whom
he was related. It was printed at London, in 1553, 4to,
under the following title: “The XIII Bukes of Eneados of
the fainose poete Virgill, translatet out of Latyne verses into
Scottish metir, bi the reverend father in God, Mayster
Gawin Douglas, bishop of Dunkel, and unkil to the erle
of Angus every Buke having his perticular prologe.
”
“This translation,
” says Mr. Warton, “is executed with
equal spirit and fidelity and is a proof that the lowland
Scotch and English languages were now nearly the same.
I mean the style of composition; more especially in the
glaring affectation of anglicising Latin words.
” It certainly has great merit, though it was executed in the space
of about sixteen months. It appears, that he had projected this translation so early as the year 1501, but did
not complete it till about eleven years after. Besides this
work, bishop Douglas also wrote an original poem, called
*' The Palice of Honour,“which was printed at London,
1553, 4to, and Edinburgh, 1579, 4to. Mr. Warton observes of this poem, that
” it is a moral vision written in
1501, planned on the design of the Tablet of Cebes, and
imitated in the elegant Latin dialogue * De Tranquillitate
Anitni' of his countryman Florence Wilson, or Florentius
Volusenus. The object of this allegory is to show the instability and insufficiency of worldly pomp; and to prove,
that a constant and undeviating habit of virtue is the only
way to true honour and happiness. The allegory is illustrated by a variety of examples of illustrious personages;
not only of those who by a regular perseverance in honourable deeds gained admittance into this splendid habitation,
but of those who were excluded from it, by debasing the
dignity of their eminent stations with a vicious and unmanly behaviour. It is addressed, as an apologue for the
conduct of a king, to James the Fourth, is adorned with
many pleasing incidents and adventures, and abounds
with genius and learning." Both the editions which have
been printed of this poem are extremely scarce.
ndicated from the Charge of Plagiarism,” &c. which appeared in the form of a letter addressed to the earl of Bath. Having justified the poet, he proceeded to charge the
When a detachment of the army was ordered home to
suppress the rebellion in Scotland, he returned to England
in Sept. 1745, and having no longer any connexion with
the guards, went back to Baliol college, where he was
elected one of the exhibitioners on the more lucrative
foundation of Mr. Snell. In 1747 he was ordained priest,
and became curate of Tilehurst, near Reading; and afterwards of Dunstevv, in Oxfordshire, where he was residing,
when, at the recommendation of Dr. Charles Stuart, and
lady Allen, a particular friend of his mother, he was selected by lord Bath as a tutor to accompany his son, lord
Pulteney, on his travels. Of the tour which he then made,
there exists a manuscript in Mr. Douglas’s hand-writing.
It relates principally, if not exclusively, to the governments and political relations of the several countries through
which he passed. In October 1749, he returned to England, and took possession of the free chapel of Eaton
Constantine, and the donative of Uppington, in Shropshire,
on the presentation of lord Bath. Here he commenced
his literary career, by his able defence of Milton. Early in
1747, William Lander, a Scotch schoolmaster, made a most
flagitious attempt to subvert the reputation of Milton, by
shewing that he was a mere copier or translator of the
works of others, and that he was indebted to some modern Latin poets for the plan, arrangement, &c. of his
Paradise Lost. Many persons of considerable literary
talents gave credit to the tale of Lander, among whom was
the celebrated Dr. Johnson. Mr. Douglas, however, examined the merits of the case, considered most accurately the
evidence adduced by Lander, and soon found that the whole
was a most gross fabrication. He published in 1750 a defence of Milton against Lander, entitled, “Milton vindicated from the Charge of Plagiarism,
” &c. which appeared
in the form of a letter addressed to the earl of Bath.
Having justified the poet, he proceeded to charge the accuser with the most gross and manifest forgery, which he
substantiated to the entire satisfaction of the public. The
detection was indeed so clear and manifest, that the criminal acknowledged his guilt, in a letter dictated by Dr.
Johnson, who abhorred the imposition he had practised.
In 1763 he superintended the publication of “Henry Earl of Clarendon’s Diary and Letters,” and wrote the preface which
In 1763 he superintended the publication of “Henry
Earl of Clarendon’s Diary and Letters,
” and wrote the
preface which is prefixed to these papers. In June of this
year, he accompanied lord Bath to Spa, where he became
acquainted with the hereditary prince of Brunswick (the late duke), from whom he received marked and particular
attention, and with whom he was afterwards in correspondence. It is known that within a few years there existed
a series of letters written by him during his stay at Spa,
and also a book containing copies of all the letters which
he had written to, and received from, the prince of Brunswick, on the state of parties, and the characters of their
leaders in this country, and on the policy and effect of its
continental connexions; but as these have not been found
among his papers, there is reason to apprehend, that they
may have been destroyed, in consideration of some of the
persons being still alive, whose characters, conduct, and
principles, were the topics of that correspondence.
s consecrated Oct. 6, of the same year. During the government of the lord chancellor Loftus, and the earl of Cork, he obtained a commission, by an immediate warrant from
, bishop of Derry in Ireland,
the son of William Downham, bishop of Chester, was born
there. He was educated at Cambridge, was elected a fellow of Christ college in 1585, and was afterwards professor
of logic. Fuller says that no man was better skilled in
Aristotle and Ramus, and terms him “the top-twig of that
branch.
” He was esteemed a man of learning, and was
chaplain to James I. by whom he was advanced to the see
of Derry, by letters dated Sept. 6, 1616, and was consecrated Oct. 6, of the same year. During the government
of the lord chancellor Loftus, and the earl of Cork, he obtained a commission, by an immediate warrant from himself to arrest, apprehend, and attach the bodies of all people within his jurisdiction, who should decline the same,
or should refuse to appear upon lawful citation, or appearing should refuse to obey the sentence given against
them, and authority to bind them in recognizances, with
sureties or without, to appear at the council-table to answer
such contempts. The like commission was renewed to
him by the lord deputy Wentworth, Oct. 3, 1633. Both
were obtained upon his information, that his diocese
abounded with all manner of delinquents, who refused obedience to all spiritual processes. He died at Londonderry
April 17, 1634, and was buried there in the cathedral. He
had a brother named John, who was an eminent divine and
a writer. His own works are very numerous, and evince
his theological abilities and piety. 1. “A treatise concerning Antichrist, in two books,
” Lond. The Christian’s Sanctuary,
” ibid. Lectures upon the Fifteenth Psalm,
” ibid. Sermon at the consecration of the Bishop of Bath and
Wells, upon Apocalypse i. 20,
” ibid. 160S, 4to. 5. “Defence of the same Sermon against a nameless author,
” ibid.
Two Sermons, the one commending the
ministry in general, the other, the office of bishops in particular,
” ibid. Papa
Antichristus, sen Diatriba de Antichristo,
” ibid. The Covenant of Grace, or an Exposition upon Luke i.
73, 74, 75,
” Dublin, A treatise on Justification,
” Lond. The Christian’s Freedom, or the doctrine of Christian Liberty,
” Oxford, An Abstract of the Duties commanded, and
sins forbidden in the Law of God,
” Lond. A godly and learned Treatise of Prayer,
” Lond. The Christian Warfare.
” He died in
lbert Sheldon for the wardenship of All -soul’s; and losing that, was a suitor to be chaplain to the earl of Strafford, lord lieutenant of Ireland, thinking that road
, an English divine, the eldest
son of Calybute Downing of Shennington, in Gloucestershire, gent, was born in 1606, and in 1623 became a commoner of Oriel college, Oxford, where he took one degree
in arts. His master’s degree, according to Wood, he took
at Cambridge, or abroad; after which, entering into orders,
he held the vicarage of Hackney, near London, with the
parsonage of Hickford, in Buckinghamshire. But these not
being sufficient for his ambition, he stood in competition
with Dr. Gilbert Sheldon for the wardenship of All -soul’s;
and losing that, was a suitor to be chaplain to the earl of
Strafford, lord lieutenant of Ireland, thinking that road
might lead to a bishopric. But failing there also, he joined
the parliament party, and became a great promoter of
their designs; and in a sermon preached before the artillery-company, Sept. 1, 1640, delivered this doctrine:
“That for the defence of religion, and reformation of the
church, it was lawful to take up arms against the king
”
but fearing to be called in question for this assertion, he
retired to the house of Robert earl of Warwick, at Little
Lees, in Essex. After this he became chaplain to the
lord Robert’s regiment, and in 1643 was one of the assembly of divines; but died in the midst of his career, in
1644. He has some political discourses and sermons in
print, enumerated by Wood. He was father of sir George
Downing, made by king Charles II. secretary to the treasury, and one of the commissioners for the customs.
g out three stout frigates at his own expence, he sailed with them into Ireland, where, under Walter earl of Essex, the father of the famous unfortunate earl, he served
His success in this expedition, joined to his honourable
behaviour towards his owners, gained him high reputation,
which was increased by the use he made of his riches. For,
fitting out three stout frigates at his own expence, he sailed
with them into Ireland, where, under Walter earl of Essex,
the father of the famous unfortunate earl, he served as a
volunteer, and performed many gallant exploits. After
the death of his noble patron, he returned into England;
where sir Christopher Hatton, vice-chamberlain to queen
Elizabeth, and privy-counsellor, introduced him to her
majesty, and procured him countenance and protection at
court. By this means he acquired a capacity of undertaking that grand expedition, which will render his name
immortal. The first thing he proposed was a voyage into
the South-seas, through the Straits of Magellan, which
hitherto no Englishman had ever attempted. The project
was well received at court; the queen furnished him with
means; and his own fame quickly drew together a force
sufficient. The fleet with which he sailed on this extraordinary undertaking, consisted only of five small vessels,
compared with modern ships, and no more than 164 able
men. He sailed from England, Dec. 13, 1577; on the
25th fell in with the coast of Barbary, and on the 29th
with Cape Verd. March 13, he passed the equinoctial,
made the coast of Brazil April 5, 1578, and entered the
river de la Plata, where he lost the company of two of his
ships; but meeting them again, and taking out their provisions, he turned them adrift. May 29, he entered the
port of St. Julian, where he continued two months, for the
sake of laying in provisions; Aug. 20> he entered the
Straits of Magellan; and Sept. 25 passed them, having
then only his own ship. Nov. 25, he came to Machao,
which he had appointed for a place of rendezvous, in case
his ships separated: but captain Winter, his vice-admiral,
having repassed the Straits, was returned to England.
Thence he continued his voyage along the coasts of Chili
and Peru, taking all opportunities of seizing Spanish ships,
and attacking them on shore, till his crew were sated with
plunder; and then coasting North-America to the height
of 48 degrees, he endeavoured, but in vain, to find a passage back into our seas on that side. He landed, however,
and called the country New Albion, taking possession of
it in the name and for the use of queen Elizabeth; and,
having careened his ship, set sail from thence Sept. 29,
1579, for the Moluccas. He is supposed to have chosen
this passage round, partly to avoid being attacked by the
Spaniards at a disadvantage, and partly from the lateness
of the season, when dangerous storms and hurricanes were
to be apprehended. Oct. 13, he fell in with certain
islands, inhabited by the most barbarous people he had
met with in all his voyage; and, Nov. 4, he had sight of
the Moluccas, and, coming to Ternate, was extremely
well received by the king thereof, who appears, from the
most authentic relations of this voyage, to have been a
wise and polite prince. Dec. 10, he made Celebes, where
his ship unfortunately ran upon a rock Jan. 9th following;
from which, beyond all expectation, and in a manner miraculously, they got off, and continued their course.
March 16, he arrived at Java Major, and from thence intended to have directed his course to Malacca; but founrf
himself obliged to alter his purpose, and to think of returning home. March 25, 1580, he put this design in
execution; and June 15, doubled the cape of Good Hope,
having then on board 57 men, and but three casks of
water. July 12, he passed the Line, reached the coast of
Guinea the 16th, and there watered. Sept. 11, he made
the island of Tercera; and Nov. 3, entered the harbour
of Plymouth. This voyage round the globe was performed
in two years and about ten months.
His success in this voyage, and the immense mass of
wealth he brought home, raised much discourse throughout the kingdom; some highly commending-, and some as
loudly decrying him. The former alleged, that his exploit
>vas not only honourable to himself, but to his country
that it would establish our reputation for maritime skill in
foreign nations, and raise an useful spirit of emulation at
home; and that, as to the money, our merchants having
suffered much from the faithless practices of the Spaniards,
there was nothing more just, than that the nation should
receive the benefit of Drake’s reprisals. The other party
alleged, that in fact he was no better than a pirate; that,
of all others, it least became a trading nation to encourage
such practices; that it was not only a direct breach of all
our late treaties with Spain, but likewise of our old leagues
with the house of Burgundy; and that the consequences
would be much more fatal than the benefits reaped from it
could be advantageous. This difference of opinion continued during the remainder of 1580, and the spring of
the succeeding year; but at length justice was done to
Drake’s services; for, April 4, 1581, her majesty, going
to Deptford, went on board his ship; where, after dinner,
she conferred on him the honour of knighthood, and declared her absolute approbation of all he had done. She
likewise gave directions for the preservation of his ship,
that it might remain a monument of his own and his country’s glory. Camden, in his Britannia, has taken notice
of an extraordinary circumstance relating to this ship of
Drake’s, where, speaking of the shire of Buchan, in Scotland, he says, “It is hardly worth while to mention the
clayks, a sort of geese, which are believed by some with
great admiration, to grow upon trees on this coast, and in
other places, and when they are ripe, they fall down into
the sea, because neither their nests nor eggs can any where
be found. But they who saw the ship in which sir Francis
Drake sailed round the world, when it was laid up in the
river Thames, could testify that little birds breed in the
old rotten keels of ships, since a great number of such,
without life and feathers, stuck close to the outside of the
keel of that ship.
” This celebrated ship, which had been
contemplated many years at Deptford, at length decaying,
it was broke p; and a chair made out of the planks was
presented to the* university of Oxford.
In 1585 he sailed with a fleet to the West Indies, and
took the cities of St. Jago, St. Domingo, Carthagena, and
St. Augustin. In 1587 he went to Lisbon with a fleet of
30 sail; and, having intelligence of a great fleet assembled
in the bay of Cadiz, which was to have made part of the
armada, he with great courage entered that port, and burnt
there upwards of 10,000 tons of shipping: which he afterwards merrily called, “burning the king of Spain’s beard.
”
In 1558, when the armada from Spain was approaching
our coasts, he was appointed vice-admiral under Charles
lord Howard of Efringham, high-admiral of England,
where fortune favoured him as remarkably as ever: for he
made prize of a very large galleon, commanded by don
Pedro de Valdez, who was reputed the projector of this
invasion. This affair happened in the following manner
July 22, sir Francis, observing a great Spanish ship floating at a distance from both fleets, sent his pinnace to summon the commander to yield. Valdez replied, with much
Spanish solemnity, that they were 450 strong, that he
himself was don Pedro, and stood much upon his honour,
and propounded several conditions, upon which he was
willing to yield: but the vice-admiral replied, that he had
no leisure to parley, but if he thought fit instantly to yield
he might; if not, he should soon find that Drake was no
coward. Pedro, hearing the name of Drake, immediately
yielded, and with 46 of his attendants came aboard Drake’s
ship. This don Pedro remained above two years his prisoner in England; and, when he was released, paid him.
for his own and his captain’s liberties, a ransom of 3500l.
Drake’s soldiers were well recompensed with the plunder
of this ship: for they found in it 55,000 ducats of gold,
which was divided among them.
condescended to practise literary imposition. He reprinted father Parsons’s famous libel against the earl of Leicester in queen Elizabeth’s reign, under the title of
Mr. D'Israeli, who has introduced Dr. Drake in his interesting work, “The Calamities of Authors,
” informs us
that Drake, in one instance at least, condescended to practise literary imposition. He reprinted father Parsons’s
famous libel against the earl of Leicester in queen Elizabeth’s reign, under the title of “Secret Memoirs of Robert Dudley, earl of Leicester,
” Leycester’s Commonwealth.
”
r made. The arguments of the Spanish court were clearly refuted by colonel Draper in a letter to the earl of Halifax, then premier. Succeeding administrations declined
, lieutenant-general and K. B.
was educated at Eton, and at King’s college, Cambridge;
and, preferring the military profession, went to the EastIndies in the company’s service; where, in 1760, he received the privilege of ranking as a colonel in the army,
with Lawrence and Clive, and returned home that year.
In 1761 he was promoted to the rank of brigadier in the
expedition to Belleisle. In 1763, he, with admiral Cornish, conducted the expedition against Manila. They
sailed from Madras Aug. 1, and anchored Sept. 27, in
Manila bay, where the inhabitants had no expectation of
the enemy. The fort surrendered Oct. 6, and was preserved from plunder by a ransom of four millions of dollars;
half to be paid immediately, and the other half in a time
agreed on. The Spanish governor drew on his court for
the first half, but payment was never made. The arguments of the Spanish court were clearly refuted by colonel
Draper in a letter to the earl of Halifax, then premier.
Succeeding administrations declined the prosecution of
this claim from reasons of state which were never divulged;
and the commander in chief lost for his share of the ransom 25,000l. The colours taken at this conquest were
presented to King’s college, Cambridge, and hung up in
their beautiful chapel, and the conqueror was rewarded
with a red ribband. Upon the reduction of the 79th regiment, which had served so gloriously in the East-Indies,
his majesty, unsolicited by him, gave him the 16th regiment of foot as an equivalent. This he resigned to colonel
Gisborne, for his half pay, 1200l. Irish annuity. In 1769
the colonel appeared, and with much credit, in a literacy
character, drawing his pen against that of Junius, in defence of his friend the marquis of Granby, which drew a
retort on himself, answered by him in a second letter to
Junius, on the refutations of the former charge against
him. On a republication of Junius’s first letter, sir William renewed his vindication of himself; and was answered
with great keenness by his famous antagonist. Here the
controversy dropped for the present, but he is supposed to
have entered the lists once more, under the signature of
Modestus, with that extraordinary and still concealed
writer, in defence of general Gansel, who had been arrested for debt, and was rescued by a party of soldiers. In
Oct. 1769 he retired to South Carolina, for the recovery
of his health, and took the opportunity to make the tour
of North America. That year he married miss de Lancy,
daughter of the chief justice of New York, who died in
July 1778, and by whom he had a daughter born Aug. 18,
1773. May 29, 1779, sir William, being then in rank a
lieutenant-general, was appointed lieutenant-governor of
Minorca, on the unfortunate surrender of which important
place he exhibited 29 charges against the late governor,
general Murray, Nov. 11, 1782. Of these 27 were deemed
frivolous and groundless and for the other two the governor was reprimanded. Sir William was then ordered to
make an apology to general Murray, for having instituted
the trial against him; in which he acquiesced. From this
time he appears to have lived in retirement at Bath till his
decease, which happened the 8th of January 1787. Many
particulars respecting his controversy with Junius, as well
as the controversy itself, may be seen in the splendid edition
of “Junius’s Letters,
” published by Mr. Woodfall in
ends of liberty every where. In 1715, he gave the first notice to the ministry of the arrival of the earl of Mar, was honoured with the command of a company of volunteers
, an eminently patriotic and public-spirited magistrate of Edinburgh, was born June 27, 1687, and educated in that city, principally with a view to active life, in which he very soon maue a distinguished figure. On the accession of queen Anne, when he was of course very young, he assisted the committee appointed by the parliament of Scotland to settle the public accounts of the kingdom. Tn 1707 he was appointed accountant-general of the excise, and assisted, with indefatigable diligence, in putting the accounts of that important branch of the revenue into the same form and method with those in England. In 1710, the then total change of the ministry alarmed the friends of the house of Hanover, and these alarms increasing, in 1713, at a meeting of gentlemen who had formed a society for guarding the country against the designs of the pretender, Mr. Drummond proposed a plan, which was unanimously approved and carried into execution, by which a correspondence was established with every county in the kingdom, and arms imported from Holland, and put into the hands of the friends of liberty every where. In 1715, he gave the first notice to the ministry of the arrival of the earl of Mar, was honoured with the command of a company of volunteers that was raised by the friends of government on that occasion, and was attendant on the duke of Argyle, during his residence in Scotland till the rebellion was extinguished. He assisted at the battle of Sheriffmuir, and dispatched to the magistrates of Edinburgh the earliest notice of Argyle’s victory, in a letter which he dated from the field on horseback. In 1717 he was elected a member of the corporation of Edinburgh, and discharged all the intermediate offices of magistracy until 1725, when he was elected lord provost, an office which he filled with the highest reputation and true dignity. To his indefatigable industry and perseverance it was chiefly owing, that the several professorships in the university were filled with men of the first abilities, and several new ones were founded, as that of chemistry, the theory and practice of physic, midwifery, the belles lettres, and rhetoric, by which means Edinburgh arrived at the rank of one of the first schools in the kingdom, particularly for medicine.
, an English prelate, was the second son of George Henry, seventh earl of Kinnoul, and Abigail, youngest daughter of Robert Harley,
, an English prelate, was the second son of George Henry, seventh earl of Kinnoul, and Abigail, youngest daughter of Robert Harley, earl of Oxford and Mortimer, lord high treasurer of Great Britain. He was born in London, Nov. 10, 1711, and after being educated at Westminster school, was admitted student of Christ church, Oxford, where he prosecuted his studies with great diligence and credit. When he had taken his first degree in arts, he accompanied his cousingerman, Thomas duke of Leeds, on a tour to the continent. From that he returned in 1735 to college, to pursue the study of divinity; the same year, June 13, he was admitted M. A. and soon after entered into holy orders, and was presented by the Oxford family to the rectory of Bothall in Northumberland; and in 1737, by the recommendation of queen Caroline, was appointed chaplain in ordinary to his majesty. In 1739 he assumed the name and arms of Drummond, as heir in entail of his great grandfather William, first viscount of Strathallan. In 1743, he attended the king abroad, and on his return was installed prebendary of Westminster, and in 1745 was admitted B. D. and D. D. In 1748 he was promoted to the see of St. Asaph; a diocese where his name will ever be revered, and which he constantly mentioned with peculiar affection and delight, as having enjoyed there for thirteen years, a situation most congenial to his feelings, and an extent of patronage most gratifying to his benevolent heart.
n the political character of his two intimate friends Mr. Stone and Mr. Murray, afterwards the great earl of Mansfield, the bishop vindicated his old school-fellows before
In 1753 when a severe attack was made on the political
character of his two intimate friends Mr. Stone and Mr.
Murray, afterwards the great earl of Mansfield, the bishop
vindicated his old school-fellows before a committee of the
privy council, directed to inquire into the charge, with
that persuasive energy of truth, which made the king exclaim on reading the examination, “That is indeed a man
to make a friend of.
” In May that
he was sorry to say that the very reason which would induce himself to assist them, prevented his considering them
as objects of his majesty’s charity their near relationship
to his lordship.
” His conduct in the metropolitan see of
York is described with great spirit and truth by Mr. llastal,
the topographer of Southwell, who styles him “peculiarly
virtuous as a statesman, attentive to his duties as a churchman, magnificent as an archbishop, and amiable as a man.
”
This character appears to be confirmed by all who knew
him. As a statesman he acted upon manly and independent principles, retiring from parliament in 1762, when
new men and measures were promoted, averse, in his opinion, to that system of government under which the country
had so long flourished. When, however, any question was
introduced, in which the interference of a churchman was
proper, he was sedulous in his attendance, and prompt in
delivering his sentiments. His munificence in his see deserves to be recorded. When he was translated to York,
he found the archiepiscopal palace, small, mean, and incommodious; and the parish church in a state of absolute
decay. To the former he made many splendid additions,
particularly in the private chapel. The latter he rebuilt
from its foundation, with the assistance of a small contribution from the clergyman of the parish, and two or three
neighbouring gentlemen. He died at his palace at Bishopsthorpe, Dec. 10, 1776, in the 66th year of his age, and
was buried by his own desire, in a very private manner,
under the altar of the church. Although his literary attainments were very considerable, he published only six
occasional sermons, which were much admired, and of
which his son, rev. George Hay Drummond, M. A. prebendary of York, published a correct edition in 1803: to
this edition are prefixed “Memoirs of the Archbishop’s
Life,
” and it also contains “A Letter on Theological
Study,
” addressed to the son of an intimate friend, then a
candidate for holy orders, which evinces an intimate acquaintance with many of the best writers on theological
subjects. His own principles appear to have been rather
more remote from those contained in the articles and homilies than could have been wished, because they are
thereby not so consistent with some of the writers whom
he recommends; and he speaks with unusual freedom of
certain doctrines which have been held sacred by some of
the wisest and best divines of the established church. Of
the “Memoirs
” prefixed to this new edition of his Sermons, we have availed ourselves in this brief record of a
prelate whose memory certainly deserves to be rescued
from oblivion. His Sermons are composed in an elegant
and classical style, and contain many admirable passages,
and much excellent advice on points of moral and religious
practice.
ong his intimate friends and learned contemporaries, he seems to have been mostly connected with the earl of Stirling, and the celebrated English poets Drayton and Ben
His character has descended to us without blemish. Unambitious of riches or honours, he appears to have projected the life of a retired scholar, from which he was diverted only by the commotions that robbed his country of its tranquillity. He was highly accomplished in ancient and modern languages, and in the amusements which became a man of his rank. Among his intimate friends and learned contemporaries, he seems to have been mostly connected with the earl of Stirling, and the celebrated English poets Drayton and Ben Jonson. The latter paid him a visit at Hawthornden, and communicated to him without reserve, many particulars of his life and opinions, which Drummond committed to writing, with a sketch of Jonson’s character and habits, which has not been thought very liberal. This charge of illiberality, however, is considerably lessened when we reflect that Drummond appears to have had no intention of publishing what he had collected from Jonson, and that the manuscript did not appear until many years after Jonson was beyond all censure or praise. An edition of Drummond’s poems was printed at London, 1656, 8vo, with a preface by Philips. The Edinburgh edition in folio, 1711, includes the whole of his works, both in verse and prose, his political papers, familiar letters, and the history of the James’s; with an account of his life, which, however unsatisfactory, is all that can now be relied on . A recent edition of his poems was printed at London in 1791, but somewhat differently arranged from that of 1656. A more correct arrangement is still wanting, if his numerous admirers shall succeed in procuring that attention of which he has been hitherto deprived.
wo offices was 200l. a year. In 1667 he published “An Essay on Dramatic Poesy,” dedicated to Charles earl of Dorset and Middlesex. In the preface we are told that the
In 1661 he produced his first play, “The Duke of
Guise,
” which was followed the next year by the “Wild
Gallant.
” In the same year, Annus Mirabilis,
”
the year of wonders, An Essay on Dramatic Poesy,
” dedicated to Charles earl of
Dorset and Middlesex. In the preface we are told that
the purpose of this discourse was to vindicate the honour
of our English writers from the censure of those who unjustly prefer the French. The essay is drawn up in the
form of a dialogue. It was animadverted upon by sir Robert Howard, in the preface to his “Great Favourite, or
Duke of Lerma,
” to which Dryden replied in a piece prefixed to the second edition of his “Indian Emperor.
”
Although his first plays had not been very successful, he
went on, and in the space of twenty-five years produced twenty-seven plays, besides his other numerous
poetical writings. Of the stage, says Dr. Johnson, when
he had once invaded it, he kept possession; not indeed,
without the competition of rivals, who sometimes prevailed, or the censure of critics, which was often poignant,
and often just; but with such a degree of reputation, as
made him at least secure of being heard, whatever might
be the final determination of the public. These plays were
collected, and published in 6 vols. 12mo, in 1725; to
which is prefixed the essay on dramatic poetry, and a dedication to the duke of Newcastle by Congreve, in which
the author is placed in a very equivocal light.
dramatic poetry of the last age. In 1679 was published an “Essay on Satire,” written jointly by the earl of Mulgrave and Dryden. This piece, which was handed about in
In 1673, his tragi-comedies, entitled the “Conquest of
Granada
” by the Spaniards, in two parts, were attacked
by Richard Leigh, a player belonging to the duke of York’s
theatre, in a pamphlet called “A Censure of the Rota,
”
&c. which occasioned several other pamphlets to be written. Elkanah Settle likewise criticised these plays; and
it is remarkable that Settle, though in reality a mean and
inconsiderable poet, was the mighty rival of Dryden, and for
many years bore his reputation above him. To the first
part of the “Conquest of Granada,
” Dryden prefixed an
essay on Heroic Plays, and subjoined to the second a Defence of the Epilogue; or, an essay on the dramatic poetry
of the last age. In 1679 was published an “Essay on Satire,
” written jointly by the earl of Mulgrave and Dryden.
This piece, which was handed about in ms. contained
severe reflections on the duchess of Portsmouth and the
earl of Rochester; and they, suspecting Dryden to be the
author of it, hired three men to cudgel him; who, as Wood
relates, effected their business as he was returning from
Will’s coffee-house through Rose-street, Covent-gardeu,
to his own house in Gerrard-street, Soho, at eight o'clock
at night, on the 16th of December, 1679. In 1680 came
out an English translation in verse of Ovid’s epistles by
several hands two of which, viz. Canace to Macareus,
and Dido to Æneas, were translated by Dryden, who also
wrote the general preface and the epistle of Helen to
Paris by Dryden and the earl of Mulgrave.
er the characters of Absalom, Achitophel, David and Zimri, are represented the duke of Monmouth, the earl of Shaftesbury, king Charles, and the duke of Buckingham. There
In 16S1 he published his Absalom and Achitophel. This
celebrated poem, which was at first printed without the
author’s name, is a severe satire on the contrivers and
abettors of the rebellion against Charles II. under the duke
of Monmouth; and, under the characters of Absalom,
Achitophel, David and Zimri, are represented the duke
of Monmouth, the earl of Shaftesbury, king Charles, and
the duke of Buckingham. There are two translations of
this poem into Latin; one by Dr. Coward, a physician of
Merton college in Oxford; another by Mr. Atterbury,
afterwards bishop of Rochester, both published in 1682,
4to. Dryden left the story unfinished; and the reason
he gives for so doing was, because he could not prevail
with himself to shew Absalom unfortunate. “Were I the
inventor,
” says he, “who am only the historian, I should
certainly conclude the piece with the reconcilement of
Absalom to David. And who knows, but this may come
to pass? Things were not brought to extremity, where I
left the story: there seems yet to be room left for a composure: hereafter, there may be only for pity. I have
not so much as an uncharitable wish against Achitophel;
but am content to be accused of a good-natured error, and
to hope with Origen, that the devil himself may at last be
saved. For which reason, in this poem, he is neither
brought to set his house in order, nor to dispose of his
person afterwards.
” A second part of Absalom and Achitophel was undertaken and written by Tate, at the request
and under the direction of Dryden, who wrote near 200
lines of it himself.
ition. This poem was occasioned by the striking of a medal, on account of the indictment against the earl of Shaftesbury for high-treason being found ignoramus by the
The same year, 1681, he published his Medal, a satire
against sedition. This poem was occasioned by the
striking of a medal, on account of the indictment against
the earl of Shaftesbury for high-treason being found ignoramus by the grand jury at the Old Bailey, November
1611, for which the whig-party made great rejoicings by
ringing of bells, bonfires, &c. in all parts of London. The
whole poem is a severe invective against the earl of
Shaftesbury and the whigs to whom the author addresses
himself, ina satirical epistle prefixed to it, thus “I have
one favour to desire of you at parting, that, when you
think of answering this poem, you would employ the same
pens against it, who have combated with so much success
against Absalom and Achitophel; for then you may assure
yourselves of a clear victory without the least reply. Rail
at me abundantly; and, not to break a custom, do it without wit. If God has not blessed you with the talent of
rhyming, make use of my poor stock and welcome: let
your verses run upon my feet; and for the utmost refuge
of notorious blockheads, reduced to the last extremity of
sense, turn my own lines upon me, and, in utter despair
of your own satire, make me satirize myself.
” Settle
wrote an answer to this poem, entitled “The Medal reversed;
” and is erroneously said to have written a poem
called “Azariah and Hushal,
” against “Absalom and
Achitophel.
” This last was the production of one Pordage,
a dramatic writer. In 1682, Dryden published a poem,
called “Religio Laici; or, the Layman’s Faith.
” This
piece is intended as a defence of revealed religion, and of
the excellency and authority of the scriptures, as the only
rule of faith and manners, against deists, papists, and presbyterians. The author tells us in the preface, that it was
written for an ingenious young gentleman, his friend, upon
his translation of father Simon’s “Critical History of the
Old Testament.
” In October of this year, he also published his Mac Flecnoe, an exquisite satire against the poet
Shad well.
e of Guise,” much altered, with the assistance of Lee, appeared again in 168S, dedicated to Lawrence earl of Rochester, and gave great offence to the whigs. It was attacked
His tragedy of the “Duke of Guise,
” much altered,
with the assistance of Lee, appeared again in 168S, dedicated to Lawrence earl of Rochester, and gave great offence
to the whigs. It was attacked in a pamphlet, entitled “A
Defence of the charter and municipal rights of the city of
London, and the rights of other municipal cities and towns
of England. Directed to the citizens of London. By
Thomas Hunt.
” In this piece, Dryden is charged with
condemning the charter of the city of London, and executing its magistrates in effigy, in his “Duke of Guise;
”
frequently acted and applauded, says Hunt, and intended
most certainly to provoke the rahhle into tumults and disorders. Hunt then makes several remarks upon the design of the play, and asserts, that our poet’s purpose was
to corrupt the manners of the nation, and lay waste their
morals; to extinguish the little remains of virtue among us
by bold impieties, to confound virtue and vice, good and
evil, and to leave us without consciences. About the same
time were printed also “Some Reflections upon the pretended Parallel in the play called The Duke of Guise
”
the author of which pamphlet tells us, that he was wearied
with the dulness of this play, and extremely incensed at
the wicked and barbarous design it was intended for; that
the fiercest tories were ashamed of it; and, in short, that
he never saw any thing that could be called a play, more
deficient in wit, good character, and entertainment, than
this. In answer to this and Hunt’s pamphlet, Dryden
published “The Vindication: or, The Parallel of the
French holy league and the English league and covenant,
turned into a seditious libel against the king and his royal
highness, by Thomas Hunt and the author of the Reflections, &c.
” In this Vindication, which is printed at the
end of the play, he tells us that in the year of the restoration, the first play he undertook was the “Duke of Guise,
”
as the fairest way which the act of indemnity had then left
of setting forth the rise of the late rebellion; that at first
it was thrown aside by the advice of some friends, who
thought it not perfect enough to be published; but that,
at the earnest request of Mr. Lee, it was afterwards produced between them; and that only the first scene, the
whole fourth act, and somewhat more than half the fifth,
belonged to him, all the rest being Mr. Lee’s. He acquaints us also occasionally, that Mr. Thomas Shadwell,
the poet, made the rough draught of this pamphlet against
him, and that Mr. Hunt finished it.
writing of it.” This poem was immediately attacked by the wits, particularly by Montague (afterwards earl of Halifax,) and Prior; who joined in writing ' The Hind and
In 1684 he published a translation of “Maimbonrg’s
History of the League
” in which he was employed by
Charles II. on account of the pla'ui parallel between the
troubles of France and those of Great Britain. Upon the
death of this monarch, he wrote his “Threnodia Augustalis:
” a poem sacred to the happy memory of that prince.
Soon after the accession of James II. he turned Roman
catholic upon which occasion, Mr. Thomas Browne wrote
“The reasons of Mr. Bayes’s changing his religion considered, in a dialogue between Crites Eugenius and Mr.
Bayes, 1688,
” 4to; and also, “The late converts exposed:
or, the reasons of Mr. Bayes’s changing his religion considered, in a dialogue; part the second 1690,
” 4to. In
A defence of the papers written by the
late king of blessed memory, and found in his strong box.
”
This was written in opposition to Stillingfleet’s “Answer
to some papers lately printed, concerning the authority of
the catholic church in matters of faith, and the reformation
of the church of England, 1686,
” 4to. He vindicates the
authority of the catholic church, in decreeing matters of
faith upon this principle, that “The church is more visible
than the scripture, because the scripture is seen by the
church;
” and, to abuse the reformation in England, he
affirms, that “it was erected on the foundation of lust,
sacrilege, and usurpation, and that no paint is capable of
making lively the hideous face of it.
” He affirms likewise,
that “the pillars of the church established by law, are to
be found but broken staffs by their own concessions: for,
after all their undertakings to heal a wounded conscience,
they leave their proselytes finally to the scripture; as our
physicians, when they have emptied the pockets of their
patients, without curing them, send them at last to Tunbridge waters, or the air of Montpelier; that we are reformed from the virtues of good living, from the devotions,
mortifications, austerities, humility and charity, which are
practised in catholic countries, by the example and precept of that lean, mortified, apostle, St. Martin Luther,
&c.
” Stillingrleet hereupon published “A vindication of
the Answer to some late papers,
” in If I thought,
”
says he, “there was no such thing as true religion in the
world, and that the priests of all religions are alike, I might
have been as nimble a convert, and as early a defender of
the royal papers, as any one of these champions. For why
should not one, who believes no religion, declare for any?
”
In Hind and Panther; a poem.
”
It is divided into three parts, and is a direct defence of
the Romish church, chiefly by way of dialogue between a
hind, who represents the church of Rome, and a panther,
who sustains the character of the church of England.
These two beasts very learnedly discuss the several points
controverted between the two churches; as transubstantiation, church-authority, infallibility, &c. In the preface he tells us, that this poem “was neither imposed on
him, nor so much as the subject given han by any man.
It was written,
” says he, “durin;- the last winter and the
beginning of this spring, though with long interruptions of
ill health and other hindrances. About a fortnight before
I had finished it, his majesty’s declaration for liberty of
conscience came abroad which it 1 had so soon expected,
I might have spared myself the labour of writing many
things, which are contained in the third part of it. But
1 was always in some hope the church of England might
have been persuaded to have taken off the penal laws and
the test, which was one design of the poem when I proposed to myself the writing of it.
” This poem was immediately attacked by the wits, particularly by Montague
(afterwards earl of Halifax,) and Prior; who joined in
writing ' The Hind and Panther transversed to the story
of the Country Mouse and the City Mouse.“In 1688 he
published
” Britannia Rediviva;" a poem on the birth of
the prince.
rom the offices of poetlaureat and historiographer, which were given to his antagonist Shadwell. The earl of Dorset, however, though obliged, as lord-chamberlain, to
At the revolution in 1688, being disqualified by having
turned papist, he was dismissed from the offices of poetlaureat and historiographer, which were given to his antagonist Shadwell. The earl of Dorset, however, though
obliged, as lord-chamberlain, to withdraw his pension, was
so generous a friend and patron to him, that he allowed
him an equivalent out of his own estate. This Prior tells
us, in the dedication of his poems to lord Dorset, his
descendant. In 1688 also he published the “Life of St.
Francis Xavier,
” translated from the French of father Dominic Bouhours. In 1690 he produced his play of “Don
Sebastian.
” In Juvenal and Persius,
” in which the first, third, sixth,
tenth, and sixteenth satires of Juvenal, and Persius entire,
were done by Dryden, who prefixed a long and beautiful
discourse, by way of dedication to the earl of Dorset.
d edition of which, corrected and enlarged, was afterwards published in 1716. It is dedicated to the earl of Burlington by Richard Graham, esq. who observes in the dedication,
In 1695, while employed on his translation of Virgil,
begun in 1694, he published a translation, in prose, of
Dr. Fresnoy’s “Art of Painting;
” the second edition of
which, corrected and enlarged, was afterwards published
in 1716. It is dedicated to the earl of Burlington by
Richard Graham, esq. who observes in the dedication, that
some liberties have been taken with this excellent translation, of which he gives the following account: “The misfortune that attended Mr. Dryden in that undertaking was,
that, for want of a competent knowledge in painting, he suffered himself to be misled by an unskilful guide. Monsieur de Piles told him, that his French version was made
at the request of the author himself; and altered by him,
till it was wholly to his mind. This Mr. Dryden taking
upon content, thought there was nothing more incumbent
upon him than to put it into the best English he could, and
accordingly performed his part here, as in every thing
else, with accuracy. But it being manifest that the French
translator has frequently mistaken the sense of his author,
and very often also not set it in the most advantageous
light; to do justice to M. du Fresnoy, Mr. Jervas, a very
good critic in the language, as well as in the subject of the
poem, has been prevailed upon to correct what he found
amiss; and his amendments are every-where distinguished
uith proper marks.
” Dryden tells us, in the preface to
the “Art of Painting,
” that, when he undertook this work,
he was already engaged in the translation of Virgil, “from
whom,
” says he, “I only borrowed two months.
” This
translation was published in what he now offers him, is the wretched remainder
of a sickly age, worn out with study, and oppressed with
fortune, without other support than the constancy and patience of a Christian;
” and he adds, “that he began this
work in his great climacteric.
” The Life of Virgil, which
follows this dedication, the two prefaces to the Pastorals
and Georgics, and all the arguments in prose to the whole
translation, were given him by friends; the preface to the
Georgics, in particular, by Addison. The translation of
the Georgics is dedicated to the earl of Chesterfield; and
that of the ^neis to the earl of Mulgrave. This latter
dedication contains the author’s thoughts on epic poetry,
particularly that of Virgil. It is generally allowed that
his translation of Virgil is excellent. Pope, speaking of
Dryden’s translation of some parts of Homer, says, “Had
he translated the whole work, I would no more have attempted Homer after him, than Virgil; his version of whom,
notwithstanding some human errors, is the most noble and
spirited translation I know in any language.
” In the same
year he published his celebrated ode of “Alexander’s
Feast,
” which is commonly said to have been finished in
one night; but, according to Mr. Malone, occupied him
for some weeks.
He married the lady Elizabeth Howard, daughter of the earl of Berkshire, who died in June or July 1714, after having been
He married the lady Elizabeth Howard, daughter of the earl of Berkshire, who died in June or July 1714, after having been for some years insane. By her he had three sons, Charles, John, and Erasmus—Henry, of all whom we shall take some notice hereafter. There are some circumstances, relating to Dryden’s funeral, recorded in Wilson’s memoirs of the life of Mr. Congreve, which have been generally credited. It is said that the day after his death. Sprat, bishop of Rochester and dean of Westminster, sent word to lady Elizabeth Howard, his widow, that he would make a present of the ground, and all the other abbey fees. Lord Halifax likewise sent to lady Elizabeth, and to Mr. Charles Dryden her son, offering to defray the expences of our poet’s funeral, and afterwards to bestow 500l. on a monument in the abbey; which generous offer from both was accepted. Accordingly, on the Sunday following, the company being assembled, the corpse was put into a velvet hearse, attended by 18 mourning coaches, When they were just ready to move, lord Jefferu-s, son of the chancellor Jefferies, with some of his rakish companions, coining by, asked whose funeral it was; and, being told it was Mr. Dry den’s, he protested, that ho should not be buried in that private manner; that he would himself, with lady Elizabeth’s leave, have the honour of his interment, and would bestow 1000l. on a monument in the abbey for him. This put a stop to the procession; and Jefferies, with several of the gentlemen who had alighted from the coaches, went up stairs to the lady Elizabeth, who was sick in bed. Jefferies repeated the purport of what he had said below; but lady Elizabeth absolutely refusing her consent, he fell on his knees, vowii.g never to rise till his request was granted. The lady, under a sudden surprise, fainted away and lord Jefferies, pretending to have gained her consent, ordered the body to be carried to Mr. RussePs, an undertaker in Cheapside, and to be left there till further orders. In the mean time, the abbey was lighted up, the ground opened, the choir attending, and the bishop waiting some hours to no purpose for the corpse. The next day, Mr. Charles Dryden waited upon lord Halifax and the bishop, and endeavoured to excuse his mother, by relating the truth; but they would not hear of any excuse. Three days after, the undertaker, receiving no orders, waited on lord Jetieries, who turned it off in a jest, pretending, that those who paid any regard to a drunken frolic deserved no better; that he remembered nothing at all of the matter; and that they might do what they pleased with the corpse. Upon this, the undertaker waited on the lady Elizabeth, who desired a day to consider what must be done. Mr. Charles Dryden immediately wrote to lord Jefferies, who returned for answer, that he knew nothing of the matter, and would be troubled no more about it. Mr. Dryden applied again to lord Halifax and the bishop of Rochester, who absolutely refused to do any thing in the affair. In this distress, Dr. Garth sent for the corpse to the college of physicians, and proposed a funeral by subscription which succeeding, about three weeks after Dryden’s decease, Garth pronounced a Latin oration over his body, which was conveyed from the college, attended by a numerous train of coaches, to Westminster-abbey. After the funeral, Mr. Charles Dryden sent lord Jefteries a challenge, which was not accepted; and, Mr. Dryden publicly declaring he would watch every opportunity to fight him, his lordship thought fit to leave the town upon it, and Mr. Dryden never could meet him after. Mr. Malone, however, has very clearly proved that the greater part of all this was a fiction by Mrs. Thomas. The fact is, that, on May 1, a magnificent funeral was projected by several persons of quality, and the body was in consequence conveyed to the College of Physicians, whence, after Dr. Garth had pronounced a Latin oration in his praise, it was, on the 13th of May, conveyed to Westminster-abbey, attended by above one hundred coaches.
rage himself, where he thought he had not excelled. Thus, in his dedication of his Aurengzebe to the earl of Mulgrave, speaking of his writing for the stage, “I never
Pope had a high opinion of Dryden. His verses upon
his Ode on St. Caecilia’s Day are too well known to need
transcribing. In a letter to Wycherley, he says, “It was
certainly a great satisfaction to me, to see and converse
with a man, whom in his writings I had so long known
with pleasure; but it was a very high addition to it, to hear
you at our very first meeting doing justice to your dead
friend Mr. Dryden. I was not so happy as to know him:
Frrgtlium tantum vidi. Had I been born early enough,
I must have known and loved him; for I have been assured, not only by yourself, but by Mr. Congreve and
sir William Trumball, that his personal qualities were as
amiable as his poetical, notwithstanding the many libellous misrepresentations of them; against which, the former of these gentlemen has told me he will one day vindicate him.
” But what Congreve and Pope have said of
Dryden, is rather in the way of panegyric, than an exact
character of him. Others have spoken of him more moderately, and yet have probably done him no injustice.
Thus Felton observes, th^.t “he at once gave the best
rules, and broke them in spite of his own knowledge, and
the Rehearsal. His prefaces are many of them admirable
upon dramatic writings: he had some peculiar notions, which
he maintains with great address; but his judgment in disputed points is of less weight and value, because the inconstancy of his temper did run into his thoughts, and mixed
with the conduct of his writings, as well as his life.
” Voltaire
styles him “a writer whose genius was too exuberant, and
not accompanied with judgment enough; and tells us, that
if he had writ only a tenth part of the works he left behind him, his character would have been conspicuous in
every part; but his groat fault is, his having endeavoured
to be universal.
” Dryden has made no scruple to disparage himself, where he thought he had not excelled.
Thus, in his dedication of his Aurengzebe to the earl of
Mulgrave, speaking of his writing for the stage, “I never
thought myself,
” says he, “very fit for an employment
where many of my predecessors have excelled me in all
kinds; and some of my contemporaries, even in my own
partial judgment, have outdone me in comedy. Some
little hopes I have yet remaining (and those too, considering my abilities, may be vain), that I may make the world
some part of amends for many ill plays, by an heroic
poem,
” of which, however, he did not execute any part.
Upon the whole, Mr. Malone appears to have examined
and delineated his character as a man, with most truth and
precision; and as a poet it is impossible to refer to any
thing equal to that masterly criticism given by Dr. Johnson
in his life of our poet.
, son of the preceding, baron of Maipas, viscount L‘Isle, earl of Warwick, and duke of Northumberland, was born in 1502, and
, son of the preceding, baron of Maipas, viscount L‘Isle, earl of Warwick, and duke of Northumberland, was born in 1502, and afterwards became one of the most powerful subjects this kingdom ever saw. At the time his father was beheaded, he was about eight years old; and it being known that the severity exercised in that act was rather to satisfy popular clamour than justice, his friends found no great difficulty in obtaining from the parliament, that his father’s attainder might be reversed, and himself restored in blood; for which purpose a special act was passed in 1511. After an education suitable to his quality, he was introduced at court in 15-23, where, having a line person, and great accomplishments, he soon became admired. He attended the king’s favourite, Charles Brandon, duke of Suffolk, in his expedition to France; and distinguished himself so much by his gallant behaviour, that he obtained the honour of knighthood. He attached himself to cardinal Wolsey, whom he accompanied in his embassy to France; and he was also in great confidence with the next prime minister, lord Cromwell. The fall of these eminent statesmen one after another, did not at all affect the favour or fortune of sir John Dudley, who had great dexterity in preserving their good graces, without embarking too far in their designs; preserving always a proper regard for the sentiments of his sovereign, which kept him in full credit at court, in the midst of many changes, as well of men as measures. In 1542, he was raised to the dignity of viscount L’Isle, and at the next festival of St. George, was elected knight of the garter. This was soon after followed by a much higher instance both of kindness and trust; for the king, considering his uncommon abilities and courage, and the occasion he had then for them, made him lord high admiral of England for life; and in this important post he did many singular services. He owed all his honours and fortune to Henry VII L and received from him, towards the close of his reign, very large grants of church lands, which, however, created him many enemies. He was also named by king Henry in his will, to be one of his sixteen executors; and received from him a legacy of 500l. which was the highest he bestowed on any of them.
After the death of Henry, which happened January 31, 1547, the earl of Hertford, afterwards duke of Somerset, who was the young
After the death of Henry, which happened January 31,
1547, the earl of Hertford, afterwards duke of Somerset,
who was the young king’s uncle, without having any regard to Henry’s will, procured himself to be declared protector of the kingdom, and set on foot many projects.
Among the first, one was to get his brother, sir Thomas
Seymour, made high-admiral, in whose favour the lord
viscount L'Isle was obliged to resign; but in lieu thereof,
was created earl of Warwick, and made great chamberlain
of England; favours which he undoubtedly did not think
a recompense for the loss he sustained; and his aversion to
the protector probably may be dated from this period.
Afterwards troubles came on, and insurrections broke out in
several parts of the kingdom. In Devonshire the insurgents
were so strong that they besieged the city of Exeter; and
before they could be reduced by the lord Russel, a new rebellion broke out in Norfolk, under the command of one
Robert Ket, a tanner, who was very soon at the head of
ten thousand men. The earl of Warwick, whose reputation was very high in military matters, was ordered to march
against the latter. He defeated them, and killed about a
thousand of them: but they, collecting their scattered parties, offered him battle a second time. The earl marched
directly towards them; but when he was on the point of
engaging, he sent them a message, that “he was sorry to
see so much courage expressed in so bad a cause; but that,
notwithstanding what was past, they might depend on the
king-'s pardon, on delivering up their leaders.
” To which
they answered, that “he was a nobleman of so much worth
and generosity, that if they might have this assurance from
his own mouth, they were willing to submit.
” The earl
accordingly went among them; upon which they threw
down their arms, delivered up Robert Ket, and his brother
William, with the rest of their chiefs, who were hanged,
and the other rebels were dispersed.
en attainted and executed for practices against his brother, and the protector now in the Tower, the earl of Warwick was again made lord high admiral, with very extensive
At the end of 1549, sir Thomas Seymour having been attainted and executed for practices against his brother, and the protector now in the Tower, the earl of Warwick was again made lord high admiral, with very extensive powers. He stood at this time so high in the king’s favour, and had so firm a friendship with the rest of the lords of the council, that nothing was done but by his advice anil consent; to which therefore we most attribute the release of the duke of Somerset out of the Tower, and the restoring of him to some share of power and favour at court. The king was much pleased with this; and, in order to establish a realj and lasting friendship between these two great men, had a marriage proposed between the earl of Warwick’s eldest son, and the duke of Somerset’s daughter; which at length was brought to bear, and the 3d of June, 1550, solemnized in the king’s presence. In April 1551, the earl of Warwick was constituted earl marshal of England; soon after lord warden of the northern marches; and in October, advanced to the dignity of duke of Northumberland. A few days after, the conspiracy of the duke of Somerset breaking out, the duke, his duchess, and-several other persons, were sent prisoners to the Tower; and the king being persuaded that he had really formed a design to murder the duke of Northumberland, resolved to leave him to the law. He was tried, condemned, and, February 22, 1552, executed; the duke of Northumberland succeeding him as chancellor of Cambridge.
nt before him to the grave; others survived, and lived to see a great change in their fortunes. John earl of Warwick was condemned with his father, but reprieved and
Such was the end of this potent nobleman, who, with the title of a duke, exercised for some time a power little inferior to that of a king; of whom it may be said, that though he had many great and good qualities, yet they were much overbalanced by his vices. He had a numerousissue, eight sons and five daughters; of whom some went before him to the grave; others survived, and lived to see a great change in their fortunes. John earl of Warwick was condemned with his father, but reprieved and released out of the Tower; and, going to his brother’s house at Penshurst, in Kent, died there two days after. Ambrose and Robert were both very remarkable men, of whom we shall give some account; Guiklford, who married lady Jane Grey in May, 1553, lost his life, as well as his unfortunate lady, upon the scaffold, the 12th of Feb. following. (See Grey). The others, Henry and Charles, died unmarried, as did the daughters Margaret, Temperance, and Cathesine but Mary was married to sir Henry Sidney, K. G. and another Catherine to Henry Hastings, earl of Huntingdon. The duke’s widow, after being turned out of doors, and encountering many hardships, obtained some relief from the court, on which she subsisted until her death, at Chelsea, Jan. 22, 1555.
, son of John duke of Northumberland, afterwards baron L‘Isle, and earl of Warwick, was born about 1530, and carefully educated in his
, son of John duke of Northumberland, afterwards baron L‘Isle, and earl of Warwick, was
born about 1530, and carefully educated in his father’s
family. He attended his father into Norfolk against the
rebels in 1549, and, for his distinguished courage, obtained, as is probable, the honour of knighthood. He was
always very high in king Edward’s favour: afterwards,
being concerned in the cause of lady Jane, he was attainted, received sentence of death, and remained a prisoner till Oct. the 18th, 1554; when he was discharged,
and pardoned for life. In 1557, in company with both his
brothers, Robert and Henry, he engaged in an expedition
to the Low Countries, and joined the Spanish army that
lay then before St. Q.uintin’s. He had his share in the
famous victory over the French, who came to the relief of
that place; but had the misfortune to lose there his
youngest brother Henry, who was a person of great hopes,
and had been a singular favourite with king Edward. This
matter was so represented to queen Mary, that, in consideration oftheir faithful services, she restored the whole
family in blood and accordingly an act passed this year
for that purpose. On the accession of queen Elizabeth,
he became immediately one of the most distinguished persons at her court; and was called, as in the days of her
brother, lord Ambrose Dudley. He was afterwards created
first baron L’Isle, and then earl of Warwick. He was
advanced to several high places, and distinguished by numerous honours; and we find him in all the great and
public services during this active and busy reign; but,
what is greatly to his credit, never in any of the intrigues
with which it was blemished: for he was a man of great
sweetness of temper, and of an unexceptionable character;
so that he was beloved by all parties, and hated by none.
In the last years of his life he endured great pain and
misery from a wound received in his leg, when he defended
New Haven against the French in 1562; and this bringing
him very low, he at last submitted to an amputation, of
which he died in Feb. 1589. He was thrice married, but
had no issue. He was generally called “The good earl
of Warwick.
”
, baron of Denbigh, and earl of Leicester, son to John duke of Northumberland, and brother
, baron of Denbigh, and earl of
Leicester, son to John duke of Northumberland, and brother to Ambrose earl of Warwick, before mentioned, was
born about 1532, and coming early into the service and
favour of king Edward, was knighted in his youth. June
1550 he espoused Amy, daughter of sir John Robsart, at
Sheen in Surrey, the king honouring their nuptials with
his presence; and was immediately advanced to considerable offices at court. In the first year of Mary he fell into
the same misfortunes with the rest of his family; was imprisoned, tried, and condemned; but pardoned for life,
and set at liberty in October 1554. He was afterwards
restored in blood, as we have observed in the former article. On the accession of Elizabeth, he was immediately
entertained at court as a principal favourite: he was made
master of the horse, installed knight of the garter, and
sworn of the privy-council in a very short time. He obtained moreover prodigious grants, one after another,
from the crown: and all things gave way to his ambition,
influence, and policy. In his attendance upon the queen
to Cambridge, the highest reverence was paid him: he
was lodged in Trinity college, consulted in all things, requests made to the queen through him; and, on August 10,
1564, he on his knees entreated the queen to speak to the
iruversity in Latin, which she accordingly did, and was probably prepared to grant the request. At court, however,
Thomas earl of Sussex shewed himself averse to his
counsels, and strongly promoted the overture of a marriage
between the queen and the archduke Charles of Austria;
as much more worthy of such a princess than any subject
of her own, let his qualities be what they would. This
was resented by Dudley, who insinuated that foreign alliances were always fatal; that her sister Mary never knew
an easy minute after her marriage with Philip; that her
majesty ought to consider, she was herself descended of
such a marriage as by those lofty notions was decried: so
that she could not contemn an alliance with the nobility of
England, but must at the same time reflect on her father’s
choice, and her mother’s family. This dispute occasioned
a violent rupture between the two lords, which the queen
took into her hands, and composed; but without the least
diminution of Dudley’s ascendancy, who still continued to
solicit and obtain new grants and offices for himself and his
dependants, who were so numerous, and made so great a
figure, that he was styled by the common people “The
Heart of the Court.
”
of a lamentable tragedy . In Sept. 1564, the queen created him baron of Denbigh,and, the day after, earl of Leicester, with great pomp and ceremony; and, before the
To give some colour to these marks of royal indulgence,
the queen proposed him as a suitor to Mary queen of
Scots; promising to that princess all the advantages she
could expect or desire, either for herself or her subjects,
in case she consented to the match. The sincerity of this
was suspected at the time, when the deepest politicians
believed that, if the queen of Scotland had complied, it
would have served only to countenance the preferring him
to his sovereign’s bed. The queen of Scots rejected the
proposal in a manner that, some have thought, proved as
fatal to her as it had done to his own lady, who was supposed to be sacrificed to his ambition of marrying a queen.
The death of this unfortunate person happened September
8, 1560, at a very unlucky juncture for his reputation;
because the world at that time conceived it might be much
for his conveniency to be without a wife, this island having
then two queens, young, and without husbands. The
manner too of this poor lady’s death, which, Camden says,
was by a fall from a high place, filled the world with the
rumour of a lamentable tragedy .
In Sept. 1564, the queen created him baron of Denbigh,and, the day after, earl of Leicester, with great pomp and
ceremony; and, before the close of the year, he was made
chancellor of Oxford, as he had been some time before
high-steward of Cambridge. His great influence in the
court of England was not only known at home, but abroad,
which induced the French king, Charles IX. to send him
the order of St. Michael, then the most honourable in
France; and he was installed with great solemnity in 1565.
About 1572 it is supposed that the earl married Douglas,
baroness dowager of Sheffield: which, however, was managed with such privacy, that it did not come to the queen’s
ears, though a great deal of secret history was published,
even in those days, concerning the adventures of this unfortunate lady, whom, though the earl had actually married her, and there were legal proofs of it, yet he never
would own as his wife. The earl, in order to stifle this
affair, proposed every thing he could think of to lady
Douglas Sheffield, to make her desist from her
pretensions but, finding her obstinate, and resolved not to comply with his proposals, he attempted to take her off by
poison “For it is certain,
” says Dugdale, “that she had
some ill potions given her, so that, with the loss of her
hair and nails, she hardly escaped death.
” It is, however,
beyond all doubt, that the earl had by her a son (sir Robert Dudley, of whom we shall speak hereafter, and to whom, by the name of his Base Son, he left the bulk of his fortune), and also a daughter.
In 1576 happened the death of Walter, earl of Essex, which drew upon lord Leicester many suspicions, after
In 1576 happened the death of Walter, earl of Essex,
which drew upon lord Leicester many suspicions, after his
marriage with the countess of Essex took place, which,
however, was not until two years after. In 1578, when
the duke of Anjou pressed the match that had been proposed between himself and the queen, his agent, believing
lord Leicester to be the greatest bar to the duke’s pretensions, informed the queen of his marriage with lady Essex;
upon which her majesty was so enraged, that, as Camden
relates, she commanded him not to stir from the castle of
Greenwich, and would have committed him to the Tower,
if she had not been dissuaded from it by the earl of Sussex.
Lord Leicester being now in the very height of power and
influence, many attempts were made upon his character,
in order to take him down: and in 1584 came out a most
virulent book against him, commonly called “Leicester’s
Commonwealth,
” the purpose of which was to shew, that
the English constitution was subverted, and a new form
imperceptibly introduced, to which no name could be so
properly given, as that of a “Leicestrian Commonwealth.
”
In proof of this, the earl was represented as an atheist in
point of religion, a secret traitor to the queen, an oppressor of her people 1 an inveterate enemy to the nobility, a
complete monster with regard to ambition, cruelty, and
Just; and not only so, but as having thrown all offices of
trust into the hands of his creatures, and usurped all the
power of the kingdom. The queen, however, did not fail
to countenance and protect her favourite; and to remove
as much as possible the impression this performance made
upon the vulgar, caused letters to be issued from the privycouncil, in which all the facts contained therein were declared to he absolutely false, not only to the knowledge of
those who signed them, but also of the queen herself.
Nevertheless, this book was universally read, and the contents of it generally received for true: and the great
secrecy with which it was written, printed, and published,
induced a suspicion, that some very able heads were concerned either in drawing it up, or at least in furnishing the
materials. It is not well known what the original title of
it was, but supposed to be “A Dialogue between a scholar, a gentleman, and a lawyer;
” though it was afterwards
called “Leicester’s Commonwealth.
” It has been several
times reprinted, particularly in 1600, 8vo; in 1631, 8vo,
the running-title being “A letter of state to a scholar of
Cambridge;
” in Leicester’s Ghost;
” and again in Secret Memoirs of Robert Dudley earl of Leicester,
” with a preface by Dr. Drake, (see Drake) who
pretended it to be printed from an old manuscript. The
design of reprinting it in 1641, was, to give a bad impression of the government of Charles I.; and the same was
supposed to be the design of Dr. Drake in his publication.
In Dec. 1585, lord Leicester embarked for the protestant Low Countries, whither he arrived in quality of governor. At this time the affairs of those countries were in
a perplexed situation; and the States thought that nothing
could contribute so much to their recovery, as prevailing
upon queen Elizabeth to send over some person of great
distinction, whom they might set at the head of their concerns civil and military: which proposition, says Camden,
so much flattered the ambition of this potent earl, that he
willingly consented to pass the seas upon this occasion, as
being well assured of most ample powers. Before his departure, the queen admonished him to have a special regard to her honour, and to attempt nothing inconsistent
with the great employment to which he was advanced:
yet, she was so displeased with some proceedings of his
and the States, that the year after she sent over very severe
letters to them, which drew explanations from the former,
and deep submissions from the latter. The purport of the
queen’s letter was, to reprimand the States “for having
conferred the absolute government of the confederate provinces upon Leicester, her subject, though she had refused
it herself;
” and Leicester, for having presumed to take it
upon him. He returned to England Nov. 1585; and,
notwithstanding what was past, was well received by the
queen. What contributed to make her majesty forget his
offence in the Low Countries, was the pleasure of having
him near her, at a time when she very much wanted his
counsel: for now the affair of Mary queen of Scots was
upon the carpet, and the point was, how to have her taken
off with the least discredit to the queen. The earl according to report, which we could wish to be able to contradict, thought it best to have her poisoned; but that scheme
was not found practicable, so that they were obliged to
have recourse to violence. The earl set out for the Low
Countries in June 1587; but, great discontents arising on
all sides, he was recalled in November. Camden relates,
that on his return, finding an accusation preparing against
him for mal-administration there, and that he w^as summoned to appear before the council, he privately implored
the queen’s protection, and besought her “not to receive
him with disgrace upon his return, whom at his first departure she had sent out with honour; nor bring down
alive to the grave, whom her former goodness had raised
from the dust.
” Which expressions of humility and sorrow wrought so far upon her, that he was admitted into
her former grace and favour.
was son of Robert earl of Leicester by the lady Douglas Sheffield, and born at Sheen
was son of Robert earl of Leicester by the lady Douglas Sheffield, and born at Sheen in Surrey, in 1573. His birth, it is said, was carefully concealed, as well to prevent the queen’s knowledge of the earl’s engagements with his mother, as to hide it from the countess of Essex, to whom he was then contracted, if not married; but this latter assertion is surely doubtful, as the countess of Essex was not a widow until 1576 (See Devereux, Walter.) Sir Robert, however, was considered and treated as his lawful son till the earl’s marriage with the lady Essex, which was about 1578: and then he was declared to be only his natural issue by lady Douglas. Out of her hands the earl was very desirous to get him, in order to put him under the care of sir Edward Horsey, governor of the Isle of Wight; which some have imagined to have been, not with any view to the child’s disadvantage, for he always loved him tenderly, but with a thought of bringing him upon the stage at some proper time, as his natural son by another lady. He was not able to get him for some time: but at last effecting it, he sent him to school at Offingham in Sussex, in 1583, and four years after to Christ Church in Oxford. In 1588 his father died, and left him, after the decease of his uncle Ambrose, his castle of Kenilworth, the lordships of Denbigh and Chirk, and the bulk of his estate, which before he was of age he in a great measure enjoyed, notwithstanding the enmity borne him by the countess dowager of Leicester. He was now reckoned one of the finest gentlemen in England, in his person tall, well-shaped, having a fresh and fine complexion, but red-haired; learned beyond his age, more especially in the mathematics; and of parts equal if not superior to any of his family. Add to all this, that he was very expert in his exercises, and particularly in riding the great horse, in which he was allowed to excel any man of his time.
d not been long abroad, before he was commanded back, for assuming in foreign countries the title of earl of Warwick; but refusing to obey that summons, his estate was
His genius prompting him to great exploits, and having a particular turn to navigation and discoveries, he projected a voyage into the South-seas, in hopes of acquiring the same fame thereby, as his friend the famous Thomas Cavendish of Trimley, esq. whose sister he had married: but, after much pains taken, and money spent, the government thought it not safe for him to proceed. Afterwards, however, he performed a voyage, setting out Nov. 1594, and returning May 1595; an account of which, written by himseh, is published in Hackluyt’s collection of voyages. At the end of Elizabeth’s reign, having buried his wife, he married Alice, the daughter of sir Thomas Leigh. He then began to entertain hopes of reviving the honours of his family; and in 1605 commenced a suit, with a view of proving the legitimacy of his birth. But no sooner had the countess dowager notice of this, than she procured au information to be filed against him and some others for a conspiracy; which was such a blow to all his hopes, that, obtaining a licence to travel for three years, which was easily granted him, he quitted the kingdom: leaving behind him lady Alice Dudley his wife, and four daughters. He had not been long abroad, before he was commanded back, for assuming in foreign countries the title of earl of Warwick; but refusing to obey that summons, his estate was seized, and vested in the crown, during his natural life, upon the statute of fugitives. The place which sir Robert Dudley chose for his retreat abroad, was Florence; where he was very kindly received by Cosmo II. great duke of Tuscany; and, in process of time, made great chamberlain to his serene highness’s consort, the archduchess Magdalen of Austria, sister to the emperor Ferdinand II. with whom he was a great favourite. He discovered in that court those great abilities for which he had been so much admired in England: he contrived several methods of improving shipping, introduced new manufactures, excited the merchants to extend their foreign commerce; and, by other services of still greater importance, obtained so high a reputation, that, at the desire of the archduchess, the emperor, by letters-patent dated at Vienna March 9, 1620, created him a duke of the holy Roman empire. Upon this, he assumed his grandfather’s title of Northumberland; and, ten years after, got himself enrolled by pope Urban VIII. among the Roman nobility. Under the reign of the grand duke Ferdinand II. he became still more famous, on account of that great project which he formed, of draining a vast tract of morass between Pisa and the sea: for by this he raised Leghorn, from a mean and pitiful place into a large and beautiful town; and having engaged his serene highness to declare it a free port, he, by his influence, drew many English merchants to settle and set up houses there. In consideration of his services, and for the support of his dignity, the grand duke bestowed upon him a handsome pension; which, however, went but a little way in his expences: for he affected magnificence in all things, built a noble palace for himself and his family at Florence, and much adorned the castle of Carbello, three miles from that capital, which the grand duke gave him for a country retreat, and where he died Sept. 1639.
projects. Lastly, he was the author of a famous powder, called “Pulvis comitis Warwicensis,” or the earl of Warwick’s powder, which is thus made: “Take of scammony,
Sir Robert Dudley was not only admired by princes,
but also by the learned; among whom he held a very
high rank, as well on account of his skill in philosophy,
chemistry, and physic, as his perfect acquaintance with
all the branches of the mathematics, and the means of
applying them for the service and benefit of mankind. He
wrote several things. We have mentioned the account of
his voyage. His principal work is, “Del arcano del mare,
”
&c. Fiorenze, Catholicon,
” which was well
esteemed by the faculty. There is still another piece,
the title of which, as it stands in Rushworth’s Collections,
runs thus: “A proposition for his majesty’s service, to
bridle the impertinency of parliaments. Afterwards questioned in the Star-chamber.
” After he had lived some
time in exile, he still cherished hopes of returning to England: to facilitate which, and to ingratiate himself with
king James, he drew up “a proposition, as he calls it, in
two parts: the one to secure the state, and to bridle the
impertinency of parliaments; the other, to increase his
majesty’s revenue much more than it is.
” This scheme,
falling into the hands of some persons of great distinction,
and being some years after by them made public, was considered as of so pernicious a nature, as to occasion their
imprisonment: but they were released upon the discovery
of the true author. (See Cotton, Sir Robert). It was
written about 1613, and sent to king James, to teach him
how most effectually to enslave his subjects: for, in that
light, it is certainly as singular and as dangerous a paper
as ever fell from the pen of man. It was turned to the
prejudice of James I. and Charles I.; for though neither
they, nor their ministers, made use of it, or intended to
make use of it, yet occasion was taken from thence to excite the people to a hatred of statesmen who were capable
of contriving such destructive projects. Lastly, he was
the author of a famous powder, called “Pulvis comitis
Warwicensis,
” or the earl of Warwick’s powder, which is
thus made: “Take of scammony, prepared with the fumes
of sulphur, two ounces; of diaphoretic antimony, an ounce;
of the crystals of tartar, half an ounce; mix them all together into a powder.
”
ere her body lies buried, and he by her. He had by this lady a son Charles, who assumed the title of earl of Warwick, and four daughters, all honourably married in that
When he went abroad, he left his wife and four daughters at home, and prevailed upon a young lady, at that time esteemed one of the finest women in England, to bear him company in the habit of a page. This lady was Mrs. Elizabeth Southwell, the daughter of sir Robert Southwell, of Woodrising in Norfolk whom he afterwards married bv virtue of a dispensation from the pope. In excuse for this gross immorality, we are told that the lady’s conduct was afterwards without exception; that she lived in honour and esteem, and had all the respect paid her that her title of a duchess could demand, and that sir Robert loved her most tenderly to the last, and caused a noble monument to be erected to her memory in the church of St. Pancrace at Florence, where her body lies buried, and he by her. He had by this lady a son Charles, who assumed the title of earl of Warwick, and four daughters, all honourably married in that country. It is very probable, that this marriage might prove a great bar to his return to England; and might be also a motive to the passing so extraordinary a law as that was, by which lady Alice Dudley was enabled to dispose of her jointure during his life.
mes. June 1642 he was ordered by the king to repair to York; and in July was commanded to attend the earl of Northampton, who was marching into Worcestershire, and the
, an eminent English antiquary and historian, was the only son of John Dngdale, of
Shustoke, near Coleshill, in Warwickshire, gent, and
born there Sept. 12, 1605. He was placed at the freeschool in Coventry, where he continued till he was fifteen;
and then returning home to his father, who had been edueatrd in St. John’s college, Oxford, and had applied himself
particularly to civil law and history, was instructed by him
in those branches of literature. At the desire of his father,
he married, March 1623, a daughter of Mr. Huntbach, of
Seawall, in Staffordshire, and boarded with his wife’s father till the death of his own, which happened July 1624
but soon after went and kept house at Fillongley, in Warwickshire, where he had an estate formerly purchased by
his father. In 1625 he bought the manor of Blythe, in
Shvstoke, above-mentioned; and the year following, selling his estate at Fillongley, he came and resided at Blythehall. His natimil inclination leading him to the study of
antiquities, he soon became acquainted with all the noted
antiquaries with Burton particularly, whose “Description of Leicestershire
” he had read, and who lived but
eight miles from him, at Lindley, in that county.
In 1638 he went to London, and was introduced to sir
Christopher Hatton, and to sir Henry Spelman by whose
interest he was created a pursuivant at arms extraordinary,
by the name of Blanch Lyon, having obtained the king’s
warrant for that purpose. Afterwards he was made RougeCroix-pursuivant in ordinary, by virtue of the king’s
letters patent, dated March 18, 1640; by which means
having a lodging in the Heralds’ office, and convenient opportunities, he spent that and part of the year following,
in augmenting his collections out of the records in the
Tower and other places. In 1641, through sir Christopher Hatton’s encouragement, he employed himself in
raking exact draughts of all the monuments in
Westminster-abbey, St. Paul’s cathedral, and in many other cathedral and parochial churches of England particularly
those at Peterborough, Ely, Norwich, Lincoln, Newarkupon-Trent, Beverley, Southwell, York, Chester, Lichfield, Tamworth, Warwick, &c. The draughts were taken
by Mr. Sedgwick, a skilful arms-painter, then servant to
sir Christopher Hatton; but the inscriptions were probably copied by Dugdale. They were deposited in sir
Christopher’s library, to the end that the memory of them
might be preserved from the destruction that then appeared
imminent, for future and better times. June 1642 he was
ordered by the king to repair to York; and in July was
commanded to attend the earl of Northampton, who was
marching into Worcestershire, and the places adjacent, in
order to oppose the forces raised by lord Brook for the
service of the parliament He waited upon the king at
the battle of Edge-hill, and afterwards at Oxford, where
he continued with his majesty till the surrender of that
garrison to the parliament June 22, 1646. He was created M. A. October 25, 1642, and April 16, 1644, Chester-heraid. During his long residence at Oxford, he applied himself to the search of such antiquities, in the
Bodleian and other libraries, as he thought might conduce
towards the furtherance of the “Monp.sticon,
” then designed by Roger Dodsworth and himself; as also whatever
might relate to the history of the ancient nobility of this
realm, of which he made much use in his Baronage.
rned with the heads of sir John Clench, sir Edward Coke, sir Randolph Crew, bir Robert Heath, Edward earl of Clarendon-, to whom it is dedicated, sir Orlando Bridgman,
In 1666, he published in folio, “Origines Juridiciales;
or, historical memoirs of the English laws, courts of justice,
forms of trial, punishment in cases criminal, law-writers,
law-books, grants and settlements of estates, degree of
serjeants, inns of court and chancery, &c.
” This book is
adorned with the heads of sir John Clench, sir Edward
Coke, sir Randolph Crew, bir Robert Heath, Edward earl
of Clarendon-, to whom it is dedicated, sir Orlando Bridgman, sir John Vaughan, and Mr. Selden. There are also
plates of the arms in the windows of the Temple-hall, and
other inns of court. A second edition was published in
1671, and a third in 1680. Nicolson recommends this
book as a proper introduction to the history of the laws of
this kingdom. His next work was, “The Baronage of
England,
” of which the first volume appeared in
was created M. A. at Oxford, in 1661, and was at that time chief gentleman of the chamber to Edward earl of Clarendon, lord chancellor of England. In Oct. 1675, he was
His wife died Dec. 18, 1681, aged seventy-five, after
they had been married fifty-nine years. He had several
children by her, sons and daughters. One of his
daughters was married to Elias Ashmole, esq. All his sons died
young, except John, who was created M. A. at Oxford, in
1661, and was at that time chief gentleman of the chamber
to Edward earl of Clarendon, lord chancellor of England.
In Oct. 1675, he was appointed Windsor-herald, upon the
resignation of his brother-in-law, Elias Ashmole, esq and
Norroy king of arms in March 1686, about which time he
was also knighted by James II. He published “A Catalogue of the Nobility of England, &c.
” printed at London, a large broadside, in
1753, he commenced an acquaintance, which soon ripened into a friendship, with John earl of Orrery (soon after earl of Corke): this connexion was productive
1753, he commenced an acquaintance, which soon ripened
into a friendship, with John earl of Orrery (soon after earl of Corke): this connexion was productive of much pleasure and emolument to them both, and in some degree
also to the public, his lordship’s “Letters to Mr. Duncombe from Italy
” having since appeared in print. In
here have been two editions; the last in 3 vols. 2. “Letters from Italy; by the late right-hon. John earl of Corke and Orrery, with notes,” 1773. These have gone through
As he had many leisure hours, he passed much time in
literary employments, though many were very cheeriully
given to society. Among his published productions maybe mentioned, the “Feminead,
” The Prophecy of
Neptune;
” “On the Death of the Prince of Wales;
”
“*Ode presented to the Duke of Newcastle
” and one
“*To the hon. James Yorke,
” first bishop of St. David’s,
and afterwards bishop of Ely. Between 1753 and 1756
came out separatelv, “*An Evening Contemplation in a
College,
” being a parody on Gray’s Elegy“reprinted in
” The Repository.“Other detached poems of Mr. Duncombe’s are,
” *Verses to the Author of Clarissa,“published in that work;
” *Verses on the Campaign, 1759,“(addressed to Sylvanus Urban, and originally printed in the volume for that year);
” *To Colonel Clive, on his
arrival in England;“” *On the Loss of the Ramilies,
Captain Taylor, 1760;“” Surrey Triumphant, or the
Kentish Men’s Defeat, 1773,“4to; a parody on Chevy Chace; which, for its genuine strokes of humour, elegant
poetry, and happy imitation, acquired the author much
applause. This has been translated into
” Nichols’s Select
Collection of Poems, 1782,“where may be found, also,
a poem of his on Stocks House; a translation of an elegant epitaph, by bishop Lowth; and an elegiac *' Epitaph
at the Grave of Mr. Highmore.
” Those pieces marked
with a starare in the Poetical Calendar, vol. VII. together
with a Prologue spoken at the Charter-house, 1752 a
Poem on Mr. Garrick and translations from Voltaire.
And in vol. X. “The Middlesex Garden
” “Kensington
Gardens
” “Farevvel to Hope
” “On a Lady’s sending
the Author a Ribbon for his Watch
” “On Captain Cornwallis’s Monument
” “Prologue to Amalasont
” “Epigrams.
” He published three Sermons; one “On the
Thanksgiving, Nov. 29, 1759,
” preached at St. Anne’s,
Westminster, and published at the request of the pa- 4
rishioners another, “preached at the Consecration of the
parish-church of St. Andrew, Canterbury,
” July 4, 1774;
and one, “On a General Fast, Feb. 27, 1778,
” also
preached at St. Andrew’s, Canterbury; and so well approved, that by the particular desire of the parish, it appeared in print under the title of “The Civil War between
the Israelites and Benjamites illustrated and applied.
”
He published with his father, in Huetiana,
” in the Gentleman’s Magazine for
Antiquitates Rutupinte.
” He wrote “The Historical Account of Dr. Dodd’s
Life,
” Sherlock’s
Letters of an English Traveller,
” 1st edition, 4to. The
2d edition, 8vo, was translated by Mr. Sherlock himself.
In 1778 he published *' An Elegy written in Canterbury
Cathedral;“and in 1784,
” Select Works of the Emperor
Julian,“2 vols. 8vo. In 1784 he was principally the author of
” The History and Antiquities of Keculver and
Heme,“which forms the eighteenth number of the Bibliotheca Topographica Britannica to which work he also
contributed in 1785, the thirtieth number, containing,
” The History and Antiquities of the Three Archiepiscopal Hospitals in and near Canterbury,“which he dedicated to archbishop Moore. He was the editor of several other works; all of which were elucidated by his
critical knowledge and explanatory notes; viz. 1.
” Letters from several eminent persons, deceased, including
the correspondence of John Hughes, esq. and several of
his friends; published from the originals, with notes.
Of these there have been two editions; the last in 3 vols.
2. “Letters from Italy; by the late right-hon. John earl
of Corke and Orrery, with notes,
” Letters from the late
archbishop Herring, to William Buncombe, esq. deceased;
from 1728 to 1757, with notes, and an appendix,
” Rusncus,
” in
“The World,
” vol. I. No. 36 of several Letters in “The
Connoisseur,
” being the “Gentleman of Cambridge,
A. B.
” mentioned in the last number. And in the Gentleman’s Magazine, his communications in biography, poetry,
and criticism, during the last twenty years of his life, were
frequent and valuable. Many of them are without a name;
but his miscellaneous contributions were usually distinguished by the signature of Crito.
s gentleman was in 1728, tried before the court of justiciary in Scotland, for the murder of Charles earl of Strathmore. At a meeting in the country, where the company
While a barrister, he shone equally as a powerful pleader and an ingenious reasoner. To the quickest apprehension he joined an uncommon solidity of judgment; and embracing in his mind all the possible arguments which were applicable to his cause, he could even in his unpremeditated pleadings discover at once and instantly attach himself to some strong principle of law on which he built the whole of his reasoning. His eloquence, though as various as the nature of the case required, was constantly subservient to his judgment; and though master of all the powers of expression, he rarely indulged himself in what is properly termed declamation. A fine specimen of his argumentative powers is to be found in his defence of Carnegie of Finhaven. This gentleman was in 1728, tried before the court of justiciary in Scotland, for the murder of Charles earl of Strathmore. At a meeting in the country, where the company had drank to intoxication, Carnegie, having received the most abusive language from Lyon of Bridgeton, drew his sword, and staggering forward to make a pass at this Lyon, killed the earl of Strathmore, a person for whom he had the highest regard and esteem, and who unfortunately came between him and his antagonist, apparently in the view of separating them. In this memorable trial, Mr. Dundas had not only the merit of saving the life of the prisoner, but of establishing a point of the utmost consequence to the security of life and liberty, the power of a jury, which at that time was questioned in Scotland, of returning a general verdict on the guilt or innocence of the person accused.
ord Melville) and three daughters; and secondly, in 1793, he married lady Jane Hope, sister to James earl of Hopetown, by whom he had no issue.
Lord Melville was afterwards restored to his seat in the privy council, but did not return to office. Sometimes he spoke in the house of lords, but passed the greatest part of his time in Scotland, where he died suddenly, at the house of his nephew, the right honourable Robert Dundas, lord chief baron of the exchequer in Scotland, May 27, 1811. His lordship married first, Elizabeth, daughter of David Rennie, esq. of Melville Castle by whom he had a son (the present lord Melville) and three daughters; and secondly, in 1793, he married lady Jane Hope, sister to James earl of Hopetown, by whom he had no issue.
cannot exactly say; but it was probably in 1672, and owing to the patronage of Anthony the eleventh earl of Kent. In 167G, he preached three different sermons upon public
, D. D. a learned Greek scholar,
was born in 1606, in Jesus college, Cambridge, of which
college his father was master from 1590 to 1617; and, after
a classical education at Westminster, was admitted in
1622, of Trinity college in that university, under the tuition of Dr. Robert Hitch, afterwards dean of York, to whom
he gratefully addressed a Latin poem in his “Sylvse,
”
where he calls him “tutorem suurn colendissimum.
” He
regularly became a fellow of his college; and his knowledge of Greek was so extensive, that he was appointed
regius professor of that language at Cambridge in 1632-.'
He was collated to the prebend of Langford Ecclesia, in
the cathedral of Lincoln, Aug. 14, 1641; and to the archdeaconry of Stow in that diocese, Sept. 13 of that year,
being then B. D.; and on the 13th of November in the
same year exchanged his prebend for that of Leighton
Buzzard in the same cathedral; but in 1656 he was ejected
from his professorship at Cambridge, for refusing the engagement. On the 20th of May, 1660, on the eve of the
restoration, he preached a sermon at St. Paul’s cathedral;
and his loyalty on that occasion was rewarded by an appointment to the office of chaplain in ordinary to Charles II.
He was also restored to the professorship; which he resigned the same year in favour of Dr. Barrow; and on the
5th of September following he was, by royal mandate, with
many other learned divines, created D. D. He was installed dean of Peterborough July 27, 1664, by Mr. William Towers, prebendary; and elected master of Magdalen college, Cambridge, 1668. When he obtained the
rectories of Aston Flamvile and Burbach, we cannot exactly
say; but it was probably in 1672, and owing to the patronage
of Anthony the eleventh earl of Kent. In 167G, he preached
three different sermons upon public occasions, all which
were printed, Jan. 30, May 29, and Nov. 5. He died
July 17, 1679, and was buried in Peterborough cathedral,
to which, and to the school there, he had been a considerable benefactor. Against a pillar on the north side of the
choir, behind the pulpit, is a handsome white marble tablet,
with his arms and a Latin inscription commemorating his
learning and virtues.
In July 1625 he took the degree of doctor in divinity; and by the interest and recommendation of the earl of Dorset, to whom he afterwards became chaplain, was appointed
, a learned English bishop, was born
at Lewisham in Kent, of which place his father was then
vicar. He was baptized there March 18, 1588-9, was
educated at Westminster school, and thence elected student of Christ church, Oxford, in 1605. In 1612 he was
chosen fellow of All Souls’ college; then went into orders,
and travelled abroad; particularly into France and Spain.
In July 1625 he took the degree of doctor in divinity; and
by the interest and recommendation of the earl of Dorset,
to whom he afterwards became chaplain, was appointed
dean of Christ church, Oxford, in June 1629. In 1634
he was constituted chancellor of the church of Sarum, and
soon after made chaplain to Charles I. He was appointed,
in 1638, tutor to Charles prince of Wales, and afterwards
to his brother the duke of York; and about the same time
nominated to the bishopric of Chichester. In 1641 he was
translated to the see of Salisbury, but received no benefit
from it, on account of the suppression of episcopacy. On
this event he repaired to the king at Oxford; and, after
that city was surrendered, attended him in other places,
particularly during his imprisonment in the Isle of Wight.
He was a great favourite with his majesty; and is said by
some to have assisted him in composing the “Eikon Basilike.
”
y’s shoulder more than once, and humming over a song with him. He used frequently to reside with the earl of Dorset at Knole; where a picture of him, painted by stealth,
D‘Urfey (Thomas), an author, more generally spoken of by the familiar name of Tom, was descended from an ancient family in France. His parents, being protestants, fled from Rochelle before it was besieged by Lewis XIII. in 1628, and settled at Exeter, where this their son was born, but in what year is uncertain. He was originally bred to the law; but soon finding that profession too saturnine for his volatile and lively genius, he quitted it, to become a devotee of the muses; in which he met with no small success. His dramatic pieces, which are very numerous, were in general well received: yet, within thirty years after his death, there was not one of them on the muster-roll of acting plays; that licentiousness of intrigue, looseness of sentiment, and indelicacy of wit, which were their strongest recommendations to the audiences for whom they were written, having very justly banished them from the stage in the periods of purer taste. Yet are they very far from being totally devoid of merit. The plots are in general busy, intricate, and entertaining; the characters are not ill drawn, although rather too farcical, and the language, if not perfectly correct, yet easy and well adapted for the dialogue of comedy. But what obtained Mr. D’Urfey his greatest reputation, was a peculiarly happy knack he possessed in the writing of satires and irregular odes. Many of these were upon temporary occasions, and were of no little service to the party in whose cause he wrote; which, together with his natural vivacity and good humour, obtained him the favour of great numbers of all ranks and conditions, monarchs themselves not excluded. He was strongly attached to the tory interest, and in the latter part of queen Anne’s reign had frequently the honour of diverting that princess with witty catches and songs of humour, suited to the spirit of the times, written by himself, and which he sung in a lively and entertaining manner. And the author of the Guardian, who, in No. 67, has given a very humorous account of Mr. D‘Urfey, with a view to recommend him to the public notice for a benefitplay, tells us, that he remembered king Charles II. leaning on Tom D’Urfey’s shoulder more than once, and humming over a song with him. He used frequently to reside with the earl of Dorset at Knole; where a picture of him, painted by stealth, is still to be seen.
letter of his to sir Christopher Hatton, dated Oct. 9, 1512, in the Harleian Mss. and another to the earl of Leicester, dated May 22, 1586, in the Cottonian collection,
He wrote pastoral odes and madrigals, some of which
are in “England’s Helicon,
” first published at the close of
queen Elizabeth’s reign, and lately republished in the
“Bibliographer.
” He wrote also a “Description of
Friendship,
” a poem in the Ashmolean Museum, where
also, from Aubrey’s ms. we learn that he almost entirely
spent an estate of 4000l. a year. There is a letter of his
to sir Christopher Hatton, dated Oct. 9, 1512, in the Harleian Mss. and another to the earl of Leicester, dated
May 22, 1586, in the Cottonian collection, and some of
his unpublished verses are in a ms collection, formerly
belonging to Dr. Uawlinson, now in the Bodleian library.
Sir Edward died some years after James came to the throne,
and was succeeded in his chancellorship of the garter by
sir John Herbert, knt. principal secretary of state.
became M. A. in 1624, was senior proctor in 1631, and about that time was created chaplain to Philip earl of Pembroke, who presented him with the living of Bishopston,
, successively bishop of
Worcester and Salisbury, was born at York in the year 1601,
and entered of Merton-college, Oxford, in 1620, where
hebecame M. A. in 1624, was senior proctor in 1631,
and about that time was created chaplain to Philip
earl of Pembroke, who presented him with the living of
Bishopston, in Wiltshire. He was afterwards appointed
chaplain and tutor to prince Charles, and chancellor of the
cathedral of Salisbury. For his steady adherence to the
royal cause, he was deprived of every thing he possessed,
and at length was compelled to fly into exile with Charles
II. who made him his chaplain, and clerk of the closet.
He was intimate with Dr. Morley, afterwards bishop of
Winchester, and lived with him a year at Antwerp, in sir
Charles Cotterel’s house, who was master of the ceremonies; thence he went into France, and attended James,
duke of York. On the restoration he was made dean of
Westminster, and on Nov. 30, 1662, was consecrated bishop of Worcester, and in Sept of the following year, was
removed to the see of Salisbury, on the translation of Dr.
Henchman to London. In 1665 he attended the king and
queen to Oxford, who had left London on account of the
plague. Here he lodged in University-college, and died
Nov. 17, of the same year. He was buried in Mertoncollege chapel, near the high altar, where, on a monument of black and white marble, is a Latin inscription to
his memory. Walton sums up his character by saying
that since the death of the celebrated Hooker, none have
lived “whom God hath blest with more innocent wisdom,
more sanctified learning, or a more pious, peaceable, primitive temper.
” When the nonconformist clergy stepped
forward to administer to the relief of the dying in the great
plague, what is called the Five-mile Act was passed, forbidding them, unless they took an oath against taking up
arms on any pretence whatever, &c. to come within five
miles of any city or town. Our prelate before his death
declared himself much against this act. Burnet, who informs us of this, adds, that “he was the man of all the
clergy for whom the king had the greatest esteem.
”
declined, and scarcely a hope was entertained of his recovery. His physicians were dismissed by the earl of Northumberland’s advice, and the young king was entrusted
king of England, deserves notice here as a young prince of great promise and high accomplishments, rather than as a sovereign, although in the latter character he afforded every presage of excellence, had his life been spared. He was the only son of Henry VIII. by queen Jane Seymour, and was born in 1538. From his maternal uncle, the duke of Somerset, he imbibed a zeal for the progress of the reformation. The ambitious policy of his courtiers, however, rendered his reign upon the whole turbulent, although his own disposition was peculiarly mild and benevolent, and amidst all these confusions, the reformation of religion made very great progress. He was at last, when in his sixteenth year, seized with the measles, and afterwards. with the small-pox, the effects of which he probably never quite recovered; and as he was making a progress through some parts of the kingdom, he was afflicted with a cough, which proved obstinate, and which gave way neither to regimen nor mexlicines. Several fatal symptoms of a consumption appeared, and though it was hoped, that as the season advanced, his youth and temperance might get the better of the malady, his subjects saw, with great concern, his bloom and vigour sensibly decay. After the settlement of the crown, which had been effected with the greatest difficulty, his health rapidly declined, and scarcely a hope was entertained of his recovery. His physicians were dismissed by the earl of Northumberland’s advice, and the young king was entrusted to the hands of an ignorant woman, who undertook to restore him to health in a very short time but the medicines prescribed were found useless violent symptoms were greatly aggravated and on the 6th of July, 1553, he expired at Greenwich, in the sixteenth year of his age, and the seventh of his reign. The excellent disposition of this young prince, and his piety and zeal in the prolestant cause, have rendered his memory dear to the nation. He possessed mildness of disposition, application to study and business, a capacity to learn and judge, and an attachment to equity and justice. He is to this day commemorated as the founder of some of the most splendid charities in the metropolis.
e as a natural historian, and as an artist. In 1760, a second volume appeared, dedicated to the late earl of Bute, whose studious attachment to natural history, particularly
But with this work it soon appeared that he did not
mean to discontinue his labours; his mind was too active,
and his love of knowledge too ardent, for him to rest satisfied with what he had already done. Accordingly, in 1758,
he published his first volume of “Gleanings of Natural
History,
” exhibiting seventy different birds, fishes, insects,
and plants, most of which were before non-descripts, coloured from nature, on fifty copper-plates. This work
much increased his fame as a natural historian, and as an
artist. In 1760, a second volume appeared, dedicated to
the late earl of Bute, whose studious attachment to natural
history, particularly to botany, was then well known.
The third part of the “Gleanings,
” which constituted the
7th and last volume of Mr. Edwards’s works, was published
in 1763, and was dedicated to earl Ferrers, who, when
captain Shirley, had taken in a French prize, a great number of birds, intended for madame Pompadour, mistress
of Louis XV. These he communicated to our naturalist,
who was hence enabled more completely to add to the
value of his labours. Thus, after a long series of years,
the most studious application, and a very extensive correspondence with every quarter of the world, Mr. Edwards
concluded a work, which in 7 vo!s. 4to, contains engravings
and descriptions of more than an hundred subjects in natural history, not before described or delineated, and all
the productions of his own hand. We have already mentioned his scrupulous exactness, and may now confirm it
in his own words. In the third volume of his “Gleanings
”
he says, “It often happens that my figures on the copper-plates differ from my original drawings for sometimes
the originals have not altogetherpleased me as to their
attitudes or actions. In such cases I have made three or
four, sometimes six sketches, or outlines, and have deliberately considered them all, and then fixed upon that
which I judged most free and natural, to be engraven on
my plate.
” He added to the whole a general index in
English and French, which is now perfectly completed,
with the Linna-an names, by Li mums himself, who frequently honoured him with his friendship and correspondence. Upon Mr. Edwards’ completing his great work, we
find him making the following singular declaration, or rather petition, in which he seems afraid that his passion for
his favourite subject of natural history, should get the
better of a nobler pursuit, viz. the contemplation of his
Maker.
. His collection of drawings, amounting to upwards of nine hundred, had before been purchased by the earl of Bute. The conversation of a few select friends, and the perusal
After the last publication of his “Gleanings,
” being
arrived at his seventieth year, he found that his sight
began to fail him, and that his hand lost its steadiness. He
continued, however, some years afterward in his office of
librarian; but finding his infirmities to increase, he retired
in 1769 from public employment, to a small house which
be had purchased at Plaistow: previously to which he disposed of all the copies, as well as plates, of his works to
the late Mr. Robson, bookseller in New Bond-street, who
published the Linnaean Index, his papers from the Philosophical Transactions, with the plates relative to these
subjects all new engraved, in 1776, in a proper size to
bind with his other vorks, the whole of which he assigned
to Mr. Robson solely, and addressed a letter to the public
upon the occasion, dated May 1, 1709. His collection of
drawings, amounting to upwards of nine hundred, had
before been purchased by the earl of Bute. The conversation of a few select friends, and the perusal of a few
choice books, w,ere his amusement in the evening of his
life, and he occasionally made excursions to some of the
principal cities in England. During his residence at Plaistow, however, he delineated some scarce animals, which
were afterwards engraved. His latter years were much
embittered by a cancerous complaint which deprived him
of the sight of one of his eyes, and by the stone, to which
he had been subject at different periods of his life. It
was nevertheless remarked, that in the severest paroxysms
of misery, he was scarcely known to utter a single complaint. Having completed his eightieth ye?.r, and become
emaciated with age and sickness, he died on the 23d of
July, 1773, and was Interred in the church-yard of WestHam, his native parish, where his executors erected a
stone with a plain inscription, to perpetuate his talents as
an artist and zoologist. Dying a bachelor, he left his fortune to two sisters, who did not long survive him.
t he was acquainted with Richard Owen Cambridge, esq. the honourable Philip Yorke (afterwards second earl of Hardwicke), Daniel Wray, esq. the honourable Charles Yorke,
The early part of Mr. Edwards’s life was chiefly spent in town, and at Pitzhanger in Middlesex. But in 1739 he purchased an estate at Turrick, in the parish of Ellesborough, in Buckinghamshire, where he resided till his decease. This, however, did not prevent his frequent mixture with his literary friends, who were numerous and, respectable, both in rank and character. It appears that he was acquainted with Richard Owen Cambridge, esq. the honourable Philip Yorke (afterwards second earl of Hardwicke), Daniel Wray, esq. the honourable Charles Yorke, Isaac Hawkins Browne, esq. the lord chancellor Hardwicke, archbishop Herring, lord Willoughby of Parham, Mr. Samuel Richardson, George Onslow, esq. (now lord Onslow), Dr. Heberden, the right honourable Arthur Onslow, Mr. Highmore the painter, and other accomplished gentlemen. Dr. Akenside’s regard for him has already been displayed. Three of his letters to Dr. Birch may be perused in the fifty-third volume of the Gentleman’s Magazine;" and Mrs. Chapone, -when Miss Mulso, addressed an elegant ode to him, which he answered by a sonnet.
ave obtained through the interest of the corporation of Coventry, and some private friends, with the earl of Hertford, lord lieutenant of the county. Our author, in 1773,.
In 1770, he was presented by the crown to the valuable
vicarage of Nuneaton in Warwickshire; which preferment
he is understood to have obtained through the interest of
the corporation of Coventry, and some private friends,
with the earl of Hertford, lord lieutenant of the county.
Our author, in 1773,. published a sermon, entitled “The
indispensable Duty of contending for the Faith which was
once delivered to the Saints,
” preached before the
university of Cambridge, on the 29th of June, 1766, being commencement Sunday. In 1779, he resigned the mastership
of the free grammar-school of Coventry, and the rectory
of St. John’s, and retired to Nuneaton, where he resided
during the remainder of his life. His last publication was
given to the world in the same year. The title of it is
“Selecta quaedam Theocrki Idyllia. Recensuit, variorum
notas adjecit, suasque animadversiones, partim Latine,
partim Anglice, scriptas immiscuit, Thomas Edwards,
S. T. P.
” 8vo. This work reflects honour on the accuracy
and extent of our author’s classical literature. Though,
the original text of what is selected from Theocritus consists only of about three hundred and fifty lines, the notes
are extended through upwards of two hundred and fifty
pages, besides more than twenty pages, consisting of addenda, corrigenda, collationes, &c. Dr. Ed wards’ s reason
for his being so minute and particular in many of his animadversions, was, that he might- give every possible kind
of assistance to young persons, for whom the book was
principally intended. Having written the notes sometimes
in Latin, and sometimes in English, as chance or inclination directed, he thought proper to publish them in that
promiscuous form. It would, however, undoubtedly have
been preferable uniformly to have composed them in the
Latin language. There are two appendiculae at the end of
the volume; one containing the editor’s reasons for not
prefixing the accentual marks to his own and Mr. Warton’s
notes; and the other affording hints of a new method which
he had discovered, of scanning Greek and Latin hexameters, the usual mode of doing it being, as he thought,
erroneous. A fuller explanation of his system was intended to be given by him in avork which he had in contemplation, designed to be entitled “Miscellanea Critica,
”
but which was not carried into execution. He had also
made collections for an edition of Quintus Curtius.
1 In May 1784, Dr. Edwards lost his wife, a lady of distinguished good sense, and of the most engaging manners;
and he, who had passed his life in his study, and was totally unacquainted with domestic concerns, and indeed
with worldly affairs of every kind, never enjoyed himself
after this event. What aggravated his distress was, that,
previously to Mrs. Edwards’s death, he had been afflicted
with a stroke of the palsy, from which, however, he so far
recovered as to be capable of discharging part of his
parochial duties. But, within a few months after her decease",
he had a second stroke, for which he was advised to go to
Bath, but received no benefit from his journey. He departed this life at Nuneaton, on the 30th of June, 1785,
in the fifty -sixth year of his age; and on the 7th of July,
was interred in the church-yard belonging to the parish of
Foleshill, in the same grave with his wife. An inscription
on a mural marble, contains nothing of moment excepting
the dates already specified.
al charge of 120,000l. In 1600, he was again in commission with the lord treasurer Buckhurst and the earl of Jlsscx, for negotiating affairs with the senate of Denmark.
The integrity and abilities of the lord keeper so conciliated the favour and confidence of the queen, that she.
employed him in her most weighty emergencies. In 1598^
tye was in corpmission for treating with the Putch, and,
jointly with the lord Buckhurst, Cecil, and others, signed
a new treaty with their ambassadors in London, hy which
the queen was eased of an annual charge of 120,000l. In
1600, he was again in commission with the lord treasurer
Buckhurst and the earl of Jlsscx, for negotiating affairs
with the senate of Denmark. His conduct in regard to the
unfortunate earl of Essex, whose name will for ever distinguish yet disgrace the annals of Elizabeth, exhibits
his character both as a wise and loyal subject, and a siacere and honest friend. These illustrious men filled two
of ttie highest and most important offices of state at the
same time, and with the most perfect harmony, although
their characters were very different. Sensible, however,
of Essex’s great merit as a soldier, and of his constitutional infirmity as a man, the lord keeper took every opportunity tq soften the violence and asperity of his disposition, and to reclaim him to the -dictates of reason and
duty. An instance of his friendly interference, in the year
1598, is given by Mr. Camden by which the high and
fesentful spirit of Essex, which disdained to brook an insult from a queen, who, our readers will remember, struck
him, was at length softened into a due submission to his
royal benefactress; in consequence of which he was pardoned, and again received into her favour. (See Devereux). From this unfortunate affair, however, his friends
took an omen of his future ruin, under the conviction that
princes, once offended, are seldom thoroughly reconciled.
When on his hasty and unexpected return from the Irish
expedition, he was summoned before the privy council,
suspended from his offices, and committed to the custody
of the lord keeper, the latter rendered him every kind and
friendly office and, in all his future condu?t to this unfortunate man, tempered justice with compassion preserving a proper medium between the duty of the magistrate, and the generosity of the friend. By the most popular and well-timed measures, he appeased the minds of
a, prejudiced people, who then became tumultuous from,
the injuries and indignities 'which they supposed were
done to the person of their favourite general; asserting
the queen’s authority, and justifying the conduct of the
public counsels, without heightening or exaggerating the
misconduct of the unfortunate earl. Still as the minds of
the people remained dissatisfied, under a persuasion of his
innocence, to remove the grounds of these suspicions, the
queen resolved that his cause should have an open hearing,
not in the star-chamber, but in the lord keeper Egerton’s
house, before the council, four earls, two barons, and four
judges, in order that a censure might be formally passed
upon him, but without charge of perfidy. On this occasion, when he began to excuse and justify his conduct,
the lord keeper interrupted him in the most friendly manner, and advised him to throw himself upon the mercy and
goodness of the queen, and not, by an attempt to alleviate
his offences, to extenuate her clemency. The issue of
this trial it is unnecessary here to relate, as it may be
found in our account of this unfortunate nobleman. As
far as the subject of the present article is concerned, it
may be sufficient to add, that after the execution of Essex,
with Cuffe, Jvlerrick, Danvers, and Blunt, principal confederates, the lord keeper was in a special commission,
with others of the first dignity, to summon all their accomplices, in order to treat and compound with them for the
redemption of their estates; and, on security being given
for the payment of the fines assessed, their pardon and redemption were obtained. The next year, 1602, he was
again commissioned with others of the privy council, to
reprieve all such persons/convicted of felony as they should
think convenient, and to send them, for a certain time, to
some of the queen’s galleys. And again, in the forty-fifth
year of Elizabeth, for putting the laws in execution
against the Jesuits and seminary priests, ordained according to the rites of the church of Rome. In March 1603,
after the queen, oppressed with the infirmities of age, had
retired from Westminster to Richmond, the lord keeper
and the lord admiral, accompanied by the secretary, were
deputed by the rest of the privy council to wait upon her
there, in order to remind her majesty of her intentions, in
regard to her successor to the crown, whom she appointed
to be her nearest kinsman, James of Scotland. After the
queen’s death, the care and administration of the kingdom
devolved upon the lord keeper and the other ministers of
state, till the arrival of king James, her successor, from
Scotland, who, by his sign manual, dated at Holy-rood
house, Sth of April, 1603, signified to the privy council,
that it was his royal pleasure that sir Thomas Egerton
should exercise the office of lord keeper till farther orders.
On the 3d of May he waited upon the king at Broxbourne
in Hertfordshire, and resigned the great seal to his majesty, who delivered it back again, confirming his office,
and commanding him to use it as he had done before. On
the 19th of July, king James caused the great seal to be
broken, and put a new one into his hands, accompanied with
a paper of his own writing, by which he created him “Baron,
of Kllesmere for his good and faithful services, not only in.
the administration of justice, but also in council, both to the
late queen and himself;
” the patent for which title he caused
to be dispatched the 2 1st of the same month. On the
24th, the day before his coronation, he constituted him lord
high chancellor of England, which high and important
office of state he supported for more than twelve years,
with equal dignity, learning, and impartiality. On the
25th and 26th of November, Henry lord Cobham, and
Thomas lord Grey de Wilton, were tried by their peers,
the lord chancellor sitting as lord high steward. In 1604,
he was, with certain other commissioners, authorized by
act of parliament, to bring about an union between England and Scotland, it being the king’s desire, that, as the
two crowns were united in one person, an union of the
nations might be effected by naturalization. But, differences arising between the house of lords and house of commons upon this point of the naturalization of the Scotch,
he was one of the lords appointed of the committee of
conference between the two houses. The whole of this
transaction, and the causes of its failure, are stated at large
in the fifth volume of the Parliamentary History. In 1605,
he was appointed high steward of the city of Oxford, and
in 1609, he was in commission to compound with all those,
who, holding lands by knight’s service, &c. were to pay
the aid for making the king’s son a knight.
s indisposition, was, on the 12th of May 1616, constituted lord high steward for the trial of Robert earl of Somerset and Frances his wife, for poisoning sir Thomas Overbury,
The lord chancellor, having repelled, with credit and
success, this extraordinary attack, and being recovered
from his indisposition, was, on the 12th of May 1616,
constituted lord high steward for the trial of Robert earl
of Somerset and Frances his wife, for poisoning sir Thomas
Overbury, who were both convicted. After their conviction the chancellor resolutely and consistently refused to
affix the great seal to the very extraordinary pardon
granted, and already signed by the too indulgent lenity of
the king, which was copied from one granted by the pope
to cardinal Wolsey, and which ran in these words: “That
the king, of his mere motion and special favour, did pardon all and all manner of treasons, misprisions of treasons,
murders, felonies, and outrages whatsoever, by the said
Robert Carre, earl of Somerset, committed, or hereafter
to be committed.
”
ame reasons, resigned the office of chancellor of the university of Oxford, and was succeeded by the earl of Pembroke.
The lord chancellor was now more than seventy-six
years of age, and feeling both the powers of his mind and
body shrink under the pressure of old age and infirmity,
by the most earnest solicitations he entreated the king to
give him an honourable discharge from his high office;
partly from a scrupulous apprehension and conscientious
diffidence of being competent to bear the fatigues, and to
discharge the duties of it as he ought; but principally
from an ardent desire to retreat from the busy scenes of
office, in order to devote the evening of a life, spent in
the honest and faithful discharge of a high profession, to
religious meditation. These sentiments he conveyed to
the king in two pathetic letters, who at last consented,
though he, as well as the prince of Wales, had endeavoured to induce him, as much as possible, to remain in,
office. King James parted with an old and faithful servant
with all imaginable tenderness, and, as a mark of his royal
favour and approbation, advanced him to the dignity of
viscount Brackley on the 7th of November, 1616. Though
he then resigned the duties of that high and important
office of state, the king let him, however, keep the seal in
possession till the beginning of Hilary term following,
when, according to Camden, on the 3d of March, 1617,
his majesty went to visit the chancellor, and received it
from his hands with tears of gratitude and respect. On
the seventh it was committed to the custody of sir Francis
Bacon, the person whom his lordship desired might succeed him. Another author says, that the king sent secretary Winwood for the seal w.ith this gracious message,
“That himself would be his underkeeper, and not dispose
of it while he lived to bear the title of chancellor,
” and
that no one received it out of the king’s sight till lord
chancellor Egerton’s death, which followed soon after:
these accounts are very reconcileable, as the king might
both receive it in form from the chancellor’s hands and
send his secretary for it afterwards. On the 24th of January he had, for the same reasons, resigned the office of
chancellor of the university of Oxford, and was succeeded
by the earl of Pembroke.
hip’s illness increasing, the king, as a farther testimony of his affection and good- will, sent the earl of Buckingham and sir Francis Bacon on the 15th of March to
His lordship’s illness increasing, the king, as a farther
testimony of his affection and good- will, sent the earl of
Buckingham and sir Francis Bacon on the 15th of March
to signify his intention of honouring him with an earldom,
accompanied with an annual pension. These honours he
did not live to receive, but the king conferred the former
upon his son, John Egerton, afterwards created earl of
Bridgewater. The age in which he lived was a particular
aera of the British annals, distinguished by many great and
extraordinary public characters: but, whilst the misconduct or misfortune of a Devereux, a Raleigh, a Bacon,
and a Coke, exposed them to public disgrace, or to an
ignominious death; the prudence, discretion, and integrity of lord Ellesmere, secured him a safe and honourable
retreat from this life; for, he died at York-house, in the
Strand, on the 15th of March, 1617, in his seventy-seventh
year, “in a good old age, and full of virtuous fame,
” and
in the words of Camden, “Forte quanto propius reipublicse mala viderat, ut integer honestum finem voluit.
” To
sum up his character, says bishop Hacket, the biographer
of archbishop Williams, he was one “Qui nihil in vita
nisi laudandum aut fecit, aut dixit, aut sensit.
” He was
buried at Doddleston, in Cheshire, on the 6th of April.
scendant of the preceding, was the son of Henry Egerton, bishop of Hereford (fifth son of John third earl of Bridgewater, by lady Jane Powlett, first daughter of Charles
, late bishop of Durham, a descendant of the preceding, was the son of Henry Egerton, bishop of Hereford (fifth son of John third earl of Bridgewater, by lady Jane Powlett, first daughter of Charles duke of Bolton), who marrying lady Elizabeth Ariana Bentinck, daughter of William earl of Portland, had by her one daughter and five sons, of whom John was the eldest. He was born in London, on the 30th of November, 1721, was educated at Eton school, and admitted a gentleman commoner in Oriel college, Oxford, upon the 20th of May 1740, under the tuition of the rev. Dr. Bentham, afterwards regius professor of divinity in that university, where he prosecuted his studies extensively and successfully for six or seven years. He was ordained deacon privately by Dr. Benjamin Hoadly, bishop of Worcester, in Grosvenor chapel, Westminster, on the 21st of Dec. 1745, and the following day he was ordained priest, at a general ordination holden by the same bishop in the same place. On the 23d he was collated by his father to the living of Ross in Herefordshire, and on the 28th was inducted by Robert Breton archdeacon of Hereford. On the 3d of January 1746 (a short time before his father’s death, which happened on the 1st of April following), he was collated to the canonry or prebend of Cublington, in the church of Hereford. Upon the 30th of May 1746, he took the degree of bachelor of civil law, for which he went out grand compounder. On the 21st of November 1748 he married Indy Anne Sophia, daughter of Henry de Grey, duke of Kent, by Sophia, daughter of William Bentinck, earl of Portland. He was appointed chaplain in ordinary to the king upon the lyth of March 1749; and was promoted to the deanery of Hereford on the 24th of July 1750. He was consecrated bishop of Bangor on the 4th of July 1756, at Lambeth; and had the temporalities restored to him upon the 22d, previously to which, on the 21st of May, the university of Oxford conferred upon him the degree of LL. D. by diploma, and he was empowered to hold the living of Ross, and the prebend of Cublington, with that bishopric, in commendam, dated the 1st of July. On the 12th of November 1768, he was translated to the see of Lichfield and Coventry, with which he held the prebend of Weldland, and residentiary ship of St. Paul’s, and also the two preferments before mentioned. He was inducted, installed, and enthroned at Lichfield by proxy, upon the 22d of November, and had the temporalities restored upon, the 26th. On the death of Dr. Richard Trevor, he was elected to the see of Durham, upon the 8th of July 1771, and was confirmed on the 20th in St. James’s church, Westminster. Upon the 2d of August following he was enthroned and installed at Durham by proxy. The temporalities of the see were restored to his lordship on the 15th of August, and on the 3d of September he made his public entry into his palatinate. On his taking possession of the bishopric, he found the county divided by former contested elections, which had destroyed the general peace: no endeavours were wanting on his part to promote and secure a thorough reconciliation of contending interests, on terms honourable and advantageous to all; and when the affability, politeness, and condescension, for which he was distinguished, uniting in a person of his high character and station, had won the affections of ll parties to himself, he found less difficulty in reconciling them to each other, and had soon the high satisfaction to see men of the first distinction in the county conciliated by his means, and meeting in good neighbourhood at his princely table. The harmony he had so happily restored, he was equally studious to preserve, which he effectually did, by treating the nobility and gentry of the county at all times with a proper regard, by paying an entire and impartial attention to their native interests, by forbearing to improve any opportunities of influencing their parliamentary choice in favour of his own family or particular friends, and by consulting on all occasions the honour of the palatinate. The same conciliating interposition he had used in the county, he employed in the city of Durham with the same success. At the approach of the general election in 1780 he postponed granting the Mew charter, which would considerably enlarge the number of voters, till some months after the election, that he might maintain the strictest neutrality between the candidates, and avoid even the imputation of partiality; and when he confirmed it, and freely restored to the city all its ancient rights, privileges, and immunities, in the most ample and advantageous form, he selected the members of the new corporation, with great care, out of the most moderate and respectable of the citizens, regardless of every consideration but its peace and due regulation; objects which he steadily held in view, and in the attainment of which he succeeded to his utmost wish, and far beyond his expectation. A conduct equally calculated to promote order and good government, he displayed, if possible, still more conspicuously in the spiritual than in the temporal department of his double office. Towards the chapter, and towards the body of the clergy at large, he exercised every good office, making them all look up to him as their common friend and father: and to those who had enjoyed the special favour of his predecessor, he was particularly kind and attentive, both from a sense of their merit, and that he might mitigate in some degree their loss of so excellent a friend and patron. In the discharge of all his episcopal functions, he was diligent and conscientious. He was extremely scrupulous whom he admitted into orders, in respect of their learning, character, and religious tenets. In his visitations, he urged and enforced the regularity, the decorum, and the well-being of the church, by a particular inquiry into the conduct of its ministers, encouraging them to reside upon their several henetices, and manifesting upon all opportunities, a sincere and active concern for the interests and accommodation of the inferior clergy. His charges were the exact transcripts of his mind. Objections have been made to some compositions of this kind, that they bear the resemblance of being as specious as sincere, and are calculated sometimes, perhaps, rather a little more to raise the reputation of their author as a fine writer, than to edify the ministry and advance religion. Of the charges his lordship delivered, it may truly be said, that, upon such occasions, he recommended nothing to his clergy which he did not practise in his life, and approve of in his closet.
who on the death of Francis, third duke of Bridgwater, succeeded to the earldom, and is now seventh earl of Bridgewater; and the hon. and rev. Francis Egerton, prebendary
His health had been declining for many years, and though
he was neither so old nor so infirm as to look upon death
as a release, he lived as it he hourly expected it. He
died at his house in Grosvenor-square, London, on the
18th of January, 1787, and by his own express desire was
privately interred in St. James’s church, under the communion-table, near his father. By his wife, lady Sophia,
he had a daughter (the lady of sir Abraham Hume, bart.)
and two sons, John-William, who on the death of Francis,
third duke of Bridgwater, succeeded to the earldom, and
is now seventh earl of Bridgewater; and the hon. and rev.
Francis Egerton, prebendary of Durham, and rector of
Whitchurch, in Shropshire, to whom the last and present
articles are much indebted for his work entitled “A compilation of various authentic evidences and historical authorities, tending to illustrate the life and character of
Thomas Egerton, lord Ellesmere, viscount Brackley, lord
chancellor of England, Jfcc. and the nature of the times in
wjiich he was lord keeper and lord chancellor; also a sketch
of the lives of John Egerton, bishop of Durham, and of
Francis Egerton, third duke of Bridgewater,
” fol.
Levison Gower: the first son will inherit the marquis of Stafford’s estates. To general Egerton, now earl of Bridgewater, he bequeathed the estate of Ashridge, in He
His grace died at his house in Cleveland-row, in the morning of March 8, 1803, after a cold which brought on the complaints accompanying the influenza. He was never married; and his celibacy is asserted to have been occasioned (though we do not vouch for the fact) by a circumstance which is said to have occurred in early life. We understand it to be in substance as follows: the duke being on a visit at a friend’s, who was on the eve of marriage, the lady to whom he was betrothed took a fancy to his grace; and, forgetting her own dignity and her sacred engagement to another, made an easy sacrifice of her virtue to him. This occurrence is said to have wrought so strongly on his grace’s mind, as to have indelibly impressed on it an idea of general infidelity in the sex, and to have determined him against ever entering the pale of matrimony. If this statement be true, it affords a striking instance of what is not very uncommon among men; namely, of a great and enlightened mind being led, by a peculiar incident, into a general conclusion; and, in this case, a conclusion which, for the honour of the fair part of our species, we trust and believe, is equally unfounded in. nature and experience, and no less libellous than unwarranted. By his active spirit, and his unshaken perseverance, he amassed immense wealth. But the public grew rich with him; and his labours were not more profitable to himself than they were to his country. His return to the income-tax was 110,000l. a-year the greater part acquired by his own exertions, and derived from circumstances of the highest benefit to the nation. To the loyally loan he subscribed 100,000l. all in ready money, at one time. By his will he left most of his houses, his plate, his pictures, valued at 150,000l. and his estate lately purchased at Woolmers, in Hertfordshire, to earl Gower, together with his canal property in Lancashire, which brings in from 50 to 80,000l. per annum. All this property is entailed on earl Gower’s second son, lord Francis Levison Gower: the first son will inherit the marquis of Stafford’s estates. To general Egerton, now earl of Bridgewater, he bequeathed the estate of Ashridge, in Hertfordshire, and other estates in Bucks, Salop, and Yorkshire, to the amount of 30,000l. per annum. About 600,000l. in the funds he left chiefly to general Egerton, and partly among the countess of Carlisle, lady Anne Vernon, and lady Louisa Macdonald, the chief baron’s lady all of whom were his relations.
land, which had been forfeited to the king’s father Ldward II. on the attainder of Andrew de Harcla, earl of Carlisle, in 1323. This manor is now the property of the
, the founder of Queen’s college, Oxford, rector of Burgh or Brough in Westmoreland, and confessor to Philippa, Edward lll.'s queen, deserves a more ample notice than at this distance of time can be procured; nor have we arty particulars to add to the account given in another place. His descent appears to have been honourable, and more than once the county of Cumberland was represented in parliament by a member of the house. They had considerable estates in different parts of that county; and we find that either the founder of the college, or one of the family of the same name, received of Edward III. in exchange for the manor of La I e ham in Middlesex, the manor of Uavenwick or Renwick, in Cumberland, which had been forfeited to the king’s father Ldward II. on the attainder of Andrew de Harcla, earl of Carlisle, in 1323. This manor is now the property of the college.
ight who were known to be attached to the pwtestant interest, namely the marquis of Northampton, the earl of Bedford, sir Thomas Parry, sir Edward Rogers, sir Ambrose
Elizabeth was at Hatfield, when she heard of her sister’s death, Nov. 17, 1558, and hastening up to London, was received by the multitude with universal acclamations. Even the catholics, it is said, were not sorry at an event which promised greater security to the civil liberties of the nation. On her entrance into the Tower, then a royal palace, she could not refrain from remarking on the difference of her present and her former visit when a prisoner. Not to alarm the partizans of the catholic religion too much, before her power should be completely established, she retained eleven of her sister’s counsellors, but in order to balance their authority, she added eight who were known to be attached to the pwtestant interest, namely the marquis of Northampton, the earl of Bedford, sir Thomas Parry, sir Edward Rogers, sir Ambrose Cave, sir Francis Knolles, sir Nicholas Bacon, whom she created lord keeper, and sir William Cecil, secretary of state. With these counsellors, particularly Cecil, she frequently deliberated concerning the means of restoring the protestant religion, and by his advice, her first measure was to recall all the exiles who had fled from her sister’s tyranny, and give liberty to all prisoners who were confined on account of religion. She next published a proclamation by which she forbade all preaching without a special licence. She also suspended the laws so far as to have a great part of the service read in English, and forbade the host to be any more elevated in her presence. A parliament soon after, in 1539, sanctioned these acts of the prerogative; and in one session the form of religion was established as it has ever since remained; and to show what a deep root the principles of the reformation had taken, even in her bloody sister’s reign, it is upon record, that out of 9400 beneficed clergymen, which was the number of those in the kingdom, only fourteen bishops, twelve archdeacons, fifteen heads ef colleges, and about eighty of the parochial clergy, a number not exceeding 121, chose to quit their preferments rather than give up their religion.
e queen, raised the reputation of England to an extraordinary height. At this period Robert Devereux earl of Essex, the queen’s favourite, highly distinguished himself;
The armada had now reached Calais, and cast anchor before that place; in expectation that the duke of Parma, who had gotten intelligence of their approach, would put to sea and join his forces to them. The English admiral practised here a successful stratagem upon the Spaniards. He took eight of his smaller ships, and filling them with all combustible materials, sent them one after another into the midst of the enemy. The Spaniards fancied that they were fireships of the same contrivance with a famous vessel which had lately done so much execution in the Scheld near Antwerp; and they immediately cut their cables, and took to flight with the greatest disorder and precipitation. The English fell upon them next morning while in confusion; and besides doing great damage to other ships, they took oV destroyed about twelve of the enemy. By this time it was become apparent, that the intention for which these preparations were made by the Spaniards, was entirely frustrated. The vessels provided by the duke of Parma were made for transporting soldiers, not for fighting; and that general, when urged to leave the harbour, positively refused to expose his flourishing army to such apparent hazard; while the English were not only able to keep the sea, but seemed even to triumph over their enemy. The Spanish admiral found, in many rencounters, that while he lost so considerable a part of his own navy, he had destroyed only one small vessel of the English and he foresaw that by continuing so unequal a combat, he must draw inevitable destruction on all the remainder. He prepared therefore to return homewards; but as the wind was contrary to his passage through the channel, he resolved to sail northwards, and making the tour of the island, reach the Spanish harbours by the ocean. The English feet followed him during some time; and had not their ammuniiion fallen short, by the negligence of the offices in supplying them, they had obliged the whole armada to surrender at discretion. The duke of Medina had once taken that resolution; but was diverted from it by the advice of his confessor. This conclusion of the enterprize would have been more glorious to the English; but the event proved almost equally fatal to the Spaniards. A violent tempest overtook the armada after it passed the Orkneys; the ships had already lost their anchors, and were obliged to keep to sea; the mariners, unaccustomed to such hardships, and not able to govern such unwieldy vessels, yielded to the fury of the storm, and allowed their ships to drive either on the western isles of Scotland, or on the coast of Ireland, where they were miserably wrecked^ Not a half of the navy returned to Spain; and the seamen as well as soldiers who remained, were so overcome with hardships and fatigue, and so dispirited by their discomfiture, that they filled all Spain with accounts of the desperate valour of the English, and of the tempestuous violence of that ocean which surrounds them. Such was the miserable and dishonourable conduct of an enterprize which had been preparing for three years, which had exhausted the revenue and force of Spain, and which had long filled all Europe with anxiety or expectation, and which was intended to have destroyed the civil liberties, as well as the reformed religion, in England. Soon after this, which was one of the most important events in the history of Elizabeth, or any other sovereign of England, Elizabeth became the ally of Henry IV. in order to vindicate his title, and establish him firmly on the throne of France, and for some years the Englisii auxiliaries served in France, while several naval expeditions, undertaken by individuals, or by the queen, raised the reputation of England to an extraordinary height. At this period Robert Devereux earl of Essex, the queen’s favourite, highly distinguished himself; but the events of his unfortunate life have been already given. (See Devereux.)
olished a number of monopolies, and became extremely popular. But the execution o her favourite, the earl of Essex, gave a fatal blow to her happiness. When she learnt
In 1601, Elizabeth held a conference with the marquis
de Rosni, who is better known in history as s the celebrated
Sully, for the purpose of establishing, in concurrence with
England, a new system of European power, with a view of
controlling the vast influence of the house of Austria, and
producing a lasting peace. The queen coincided with his
projects, and the French minister departed in admiration
of the solidity and enlargement of her political views. The
queen, having suppressed an insurrection in Ireland, and
obliged all the Spanish troops sent to its assistance to quit
the island, she turned her thoughts towards relieving the
burdens of her subjects; she abolished a number of monopolies, and became extremely popular. But the execution
o her favourite, the earl of Essex, gave a fatal blow to her
happiness. When she learnt from the countess of Nottingham, that he had solicited her pardon, which had been
concealed from her, she at first became furious with rage,
and when the violence of anger subsided, she fell into
the deepest and most incurable melancholy, rejecting all
consolation, and refusing food and sustenance of every
kind. She remained for days sullen and immoveable,
“feeding,
” says the historian, “her thoughts on her afflictions, and declaring life and existence an insufferable
burden to her.
” Few words she uttered, and they were
all expressive of some inward grief, which she cared not to
reveal: but sighs and groans were the chief vent which she
gave to her despondency, and which, though they discovered her sorrows, were never able to ease or assuage them.
Ten days and nights she lay upon the carpet, leaning on
cushions which her maids brought her, and her physicians
could not persuade her to allow herself to be put to bed,
much less to make trial of any remedies which they
prescribed to her. Her anxious mind at last had so long
preyed on her frail body, that her end was visibly approaching; and the council being assembled, sent the
keeper, admiral, and secretary, to know her will with regard
to her successor. She answered with a faint voice, that,
as she had held a regal sceptre, she desired no other than
a royal successor. Cecil requesting her to explain herself
more particularly, she subjoined, that she would have a
king to succeed her, and who should that be, but her
nearest kinsman, the king of Scots Being then advised
by the archbishop of Canterbury to fix her thoughts upon
God, she replied, that she did so, nor did her mind in the
least wander from him. Her voice soon after left her
her senses failed she fell into a lethargic slumber, which
continued some hours, and she expired gently, without
farther struggle or convulsion, in the 70th year of her age,
and forty-fifth of her reign.
being known to the immortal Newton, drew Mr. Eller to England, where he arrived in company with the earl of Peterborough, and remained five months. Leaving London in
, a physician of Prussia, was born at Pletzaw, in the principality
of Anhalt-Bernburgh, in 1689. He received the first rudiments of education at home under a private tutor, and
was then sent to the university of Quedlinburgh, and
thence to Jena, in 1709. His father intended him for the
law; but a passion which he expressed for mathematical
and physical researches, soon altered that design, and determined young Eller to follow the profession of physic.
As Jena afforded no opportunity for the study of anatomy,
he was removed to Halle, and soon after to Ley den, to
finish his education under the celebrated Albinus, and the
learned Sengerd and Boerhaave. Thence he passed to
Amsterdam for the advantage of hearing the lectures of
Rau, and examining the preparations of iluysch, and he
followed Rau to Leyden, on the latter being appointed to
succeed professor Bidloe. Having quitted Leyden, he
spent some time in the mines of Saxony and Hartz, where
he completed his chemical studies, and made astonishing
progress in metallurgy and other parts of natural knowledge. On his visiting Paris, he attended several new
courses in chemistry, under Lemery and Homberg, while
he was pursuing his anatomical studies under the direction
of Pecquet, du Verney, Winslow, and acquiring physiological and practical knowledge by the assistance of Astruc,
Helvetius, Jussieu, &c. Though every branch of medical
knowledge, and particularly surgery, was successfully
practised in Paris, the reputation of Cheselden’s operation
for the stone, and the ambition of being known to the immortal Newton, drew Mr. Eller to England, where he arrived in company with the earl of Peterborough, and
remained five months. Leaving London in 1721, he
returned to his own country, and was immediately honoured with the place of first physician to his sovereign
the prince of Anhalt-Bernburgh; but he afterwards removed to Magdeburgh, where he soon attracted the notice
of the king of Prussia, Frederick I. by whom he was made
physician in ordinary, counsellor of the court, professor of
the royal college of physic and surgery at Berlin, physician to the army, and perpetual dean of the superior
college of medicine; employments equally honourable and
lucrative. On the accession of Frederick II. he was farther promoted, and in 1755 was created a privy counsellor,
the greatest honour to which he could possibly arrive, in
his career as a scholar; and the same year he was appointed director of the academy called “Curieux de la
nature,
” where, according to the custom of the society, he
was introduced by the name of Euphorbio. These employments and dignities he retained to his death in 1759.
After his death was published a work by him, entitled
“Observationes de cognoscendis et curandis morbis, praescrtim acutis, 1762, 8vo, which was translated into French
by Le Roy, 1774, 12mo. This work is chiefly founded on
the results of his long practice. He wrote also various
papers in the Transactions of the Academy of Berlin, for
the years 1748, 1749, and 1752, which with other pieces
by him were collected and published, in German, under
the title of
” Physical, chemical, and medical treatises,"
Berlin, 1764, 2 vols. 8vo.
called Corallina,” in a letter to Linnæus, and another “on the Actinia Sociata,” in a letter to the earl of Hillsborough, both printed in the 57ih vol. of the Transactions,
In botany Ellis distinguished himself by an account of
two new genera, the Halesia and Gardenia, both American
shrubs, the former named after his learned friend the Rev.
Dr. Hales, the latter named after Dr. Garden, long resident in Carolina. He published also a pamphlet on the
Venus’s Fly-trap; and was the author of a fourth new genus, Gordonia, named after Mr. Gordon of Mile-end, which
was described in the 60th vol. of the Philosophical Transactions, along with a new species of Illicium, or Starry Anise,
from West Florida. In the 57th vol. of the Trans. Mr.
Ellis describes some Confervae, hitherto unknown. One
of his most favourite botanical objects was to ascertain the
true Varnish-tree of Japan, which he contends, in opposition to Miller (See Philos. Trans, vols. XLIX. and L.), to be
distinct from the American Toxicodendron, and the point
seems not yet well determined. Our author published
separately an historical account of Coffee, with remarks oa
its culture and use, and a plate of the shrub; also a description of theMangostan and Bread-fruit, with four plates.
These are quarto pamphlets, and the latter contains many
useful “directions to voyagers, for bringing over these
and other vegetable productions.
” This last subject frequently engaged Mr. Ellis’s attention, and makes a separate quarto pamphlet, published in 1770. In the 51st
and 58th volumes of the Phil. Trans, are papers of his on
the preservation of seeds. Nor were these all the scientific
pursuits of his indefatigable mind. He wrote also in the
Trans, various other papers on Corals, Sea Pens, and other
animals of the same tribe, as well as on the Cochineal
insect; on the Coluber cerastes, or horned viper of Egypt;
on that singular animal, found by his friend Garden in
Carolina, the Siren lacertina of Linnæus, now esteemed a
Muracna; on the structure of the windpipes in several
birds and in the land tortoise; and even on the method
of making sal ammoniac in Egypt. It appears, moreover,
by many specimens of his collecting, that he was an assiduous observer of the internal structure or anatomy of
vegetables. In Nov. 1768, sir Godfrey Copley’s medal
was delivered to him by sir John Pringle, then president;
and it being usual to single out some one or two papers in
particular for such a compliment, one “on the animal nature of the genus of Zoophytes called Corallina,
” in a
letter to Linnæus, and another “on the Actinia Sociata,
”
in a letter to the earl of Hillsborough, both printed in the
57ih vol. of the Transactions, were selected for this purpose.
lys, on the Hobarts and Trevors, and his seat at Nocton in Lincolnshire is now the chief seat of the earl of Buckinghamshire. Sir Richard had two sisters married to Edward
, or as sometimes improperly spelt Ellis (Sir Richard, Bart.),
a gentleman of extensive learning, particularly in biblical criticism and antiquities, descended
from an ancient family originally of Wales, but who afterwards obtained possessions in Lincolnshire, was the son of
sir William Ellys of Wyham, in that county, by Isabella,
grand-daughter of the celebrated Hampden. Of his early
history we have little information. His father had been a
member of Lincoln college, Oxford, where he proceeded
M. A. and his son might probably have been sent to the
same university, and left it without taking a degree. From,
his extensive acquaintance with the literati of Holland, it
is not improbable, as the practice was then common, that
he studied at some of the Dutch universities. We are
told that he served in two parliaments for Grantham, and
in three for Boston in Lincolnshire; but, according to
Beatson’s Register, he sat only for Boston in the fifth,
sixth, and seventh parliament of Great Britain, namely,
from 1715 to 1734; but his father sir William sat for three
parliaments for Grantham. Although sir Richard communicated some particulars of his family to Collins, when,
publishing his “Baronetage,
” the latter has either omitted,
or was not furnished with the dates that might have assisted
us in ascertaining these facts with certainty. Sir Richard
married, first, a daughter and coheiress of sir Thomas
Hussey, bart. and, secondly, a daughter and coheiress of
Thomas Gould, esq. who survived him, and afterwards
married sir Francis Dashwood, bart. (who died lord le Despencer in 1781), and died Jan. 19, 1769. Sir Richard had
no issue by either of his wives, and the title of course became extinct on his death, which happened February 21,
1741-2, when he was deeply lamented, not only as a man
of great learning and piety, but on account of his many
and extensive charities. He entailed his estates, after the
death of lady Ellys, on the Hobarts and Trevors, and his
seat at Nocton in Lincolnshire is now the chief seat of the
earl of Buckinghamshire. Sir Richard had two sisters
married to Edward Cheek and Richard Hampden, esqs.
d by James III. on an embassy to France, in conjunction with Livingstone, bishop of Dunkeld, and the earl of fiuchan. It is said that he managed so dextrously, that the
, an eminent Scotch prelate, descended from a noble family in Germany, the counts of Helphinstein, was the son of John, or as some say, William Elphinston and Margaret Douglas, daughter of Douglas of Drumlanrig, and was horn at Glasgow in 1431, or, according to another account, in 1437. He was educated in the newly-erected university of Glasgow, and in the twentieth year of his age became M. A. He then applied himself to the study of divinity, and was made rector of Kirkmichael. After continuing four years in this situation, he went to Paris, where he acquired such reputation in the study of the civil and canon law, as to attract the attention of the university; and he was advanced to the professorship of civil and canon law, first at Park, and afterwards at Orleans, where his lectures were attended by a great concourse of students. The improvement of his own mind, however, being the particular object of his solicitude, he canvassed the most abstruse and difficult parts of his profession with the most eminent and learned doctors of the age. After nine years’ intense study in France, he returned home at the earnest solicitations of his friends, particularly bishop Muirhead, who made him parson of Glasgow, and official of his diocese; and as a mark of respect he was chosen rector of that university in which he had been educated. After the death of his friend and patron, Ivluirbead, he was made official of Lolhian, by archbishop Schevez, of St. Andrew’s; and at the same time was called to parliament, and to a seat in the privycouncil. As his talents were of the most acute and discerning kind, he embraced subjects remote from his religious studies, and became conspicuous as an able politician and skilful negociator. In this capacity he was employed by James III. on an embassy to France, in conjunction with Livingstone, bishop of Dunkeld, and the earl of fiuchan. It is said that he managed so dextrously, that the old league and amity were renewed, and all cause of discord between the two kingdoms removed. The French monarch was so charmed with his conduct and conversation, that he loaded him with valuable presents. When he returned home, he was made archdeacon of Argyle, in 1479, and soon after bishop of Ross; and in 1484, he was translated to the see of Aberdeen. His address in negociation induced the king to send him as one of the commissioners from Scotland to treat of a truce with England, and a marriage between his son and the lady Anne, the niece of Richard III.
When the earl of Richmond came to the crown of England as Henry VII. bishop
When the earl of Richmond came to the crown of England as Henry VII. bishop Elphinston was sent to his court, with other ambassadors, to arrange the terms of a truce, which was accordingly settled for three years on July 3, 1486. The discontent of the nobles threatening to involve the country in a civil war, Elphinston mediated between them and the king; but, finding it impossible to reconcile their jarring interests, he went to England about the latter end of 1487, to solicit the friendly interposition of Henry, as the ally of the Scotish king; and although he did not succeed as he wished and expected, king James was so sensible of the value of his services, that he advanced him in February 1488, to the office of lord high chancellor of Scotland, which he enjoyed until the king’s death, when he retired to his diocese. During the time he remained at Aberdeen, he was occupied in correcting the abuses that had prevailed in the diocese, and in composing a book of canon law. But he was not long permitted to enjoy the calm of retirement, and was again called to the parliament that assembled at Edinburgh, Oct. 6, 1488, to assist at the coronation of James IV. The earl of Bothwell, who then ruled as prime minister, suspecting that bishop Elphinston would not concur in an act of indemnity in favour of those who were concerned in the rebellion of the last reign, contrived to send him on an embassy to the court of Maximilian of Germany, with a proposal for a marriage between the king, and Margaret, the emperor’s daughter; but the mission was ineffectual, as that lady had been previously promised to the prince of Spain, and was married accordingly, before Elphinston arrived at Vienna. Yet although the bishop did not succeed in this embassy, he performed a lasting service to the country in his way home, by settling a treaty of peace and amity between the states of Holland and the Scotch. In 1492, when the bishop returned, he was made lord privy-seal, and the same year appointed one of the commissioners on the part of Scotland, for the prolongation of the truce with England. But the truce was not strictly observed by the Scotch, and a new commission was found to be necessary for the more effectual settlement of all differences. Bishop Elphinston was included in this commission, and the Scotch deputies meeting with the English at Edinburgh, June 2l, they agreed to prolong the truce till fhe last day of April, 1501.
he collection of the grand duke of Tuscany. The richest collection of them in this country is at the earl of Egremont’s, at Petworth, in Sussex. There are ten pictures
From the extreme care and excellence with which his
works are finished, they were not, of course, in his short
life, very numerous; and are rarely to be met with.
While he was alive, his pictures bore an excessive high
price, which was amazingly enhanced after his death: and
Houbraken mentions one of them, representing Pomona,
which was sold for eight hundred German florins. Sandrart describes a great number of his capital performances;
among which are, Tobit and the angel, now at lord Egremont’s Latona and her sons, with the Peasants turned
into Frogs the death of Procris and his most capital
picture of the flight into Egypt, which needs no description, as there is a print of it extant, engraved by Gaud,
the friend and benefactor of Elsheimer. Some of his
works were in the collection of the grand duke of Tuscany.
The richest collection of them in this country is at the earl
of Egremont’s, at Petworth, in Sussex. There are ten
pictures by him, eight of which are of one size, viz. about
four inches high, by two and a half wide, or perhaps a
little more. The subjects are, a St. Peter, St. Paul, St.
John Baptist, Tobit and the angel with a fish, an old
woman and a girl, an old man with a boy, and a capuchin
friar, with a model of a convent in his hand. The figures
in all these are about three inches high, yet their characters and expressions are just and excellent; and the drawing of their figures, and the draperies, in the best style of
art. Another picture represents the interior of a brothel
by fire and candle light, in which there are ten or more
figures gaming, and indulging in the licentiousness of such
a place, all exquisitely wrought; with some expressions
that have never been surpassed, although the figures are
not more than two inches and a half high. The last is
“Nicodemus’s visit to Christ;
” but it is not of so good a
quality as the others.
rammar, the types for which had been cut at the expence of the lord chief justice Parker, afterwards earl of Macclesfield. Mrs. Elstob had other literary designs in view,
, sister of Mr. William Elstob,
and engaged in the same learned pursuits, was born at
Newcastle, Sept. 29, 1683. It is said, that she owed the
rudiments of her extraordinary education to her mother;
of which advantage, however, she was soon deprived; for
at the age of eight years she had the misfortune of losing
this intelligent parent. Her guardians, who entertained
different sentiments, discouraged as much as they were
able her progress in literature, as improper for her sex;
but she had contracted too great a fondness for literary
studies to be diverted from the prosecution of them.
During her brother’s continuance at Oxford, she appears to
have resided in that city, where she was esteemed and
respected by Dr. Hudson and other Oxonians. Upon her
brother’s removal to London, she probably removed with
him; and, it is certain, that she assisted him in his antiquarian undertakings. The first public proof which she
gave of it was in 1709, when, upon Mr. Elstob’s printing
the homily on St. Gregory’s day, she accompanied it with
an English translation. The preface, too, was written by
her, in which she answers the objections made to female
learning, by producing that glory of her sex, as she calls
her, Mrs. Anna Maria Schurman. Mrs. Elstob’s next publication was a translation of madame Seudery’s “t-ssay on
Glory.
” She assisted, also, her brother in an edition of
Gregory’s pastoral, which was probably intended to have
included both the original and Saxon version; and she had
transcribed all the hymns, from an ancient manuscript in
Salisbury cathedral. By the encouragement of Dr. Hickes,
she undertook a Saxon Homilarium, with an English translation, notes, and various readings. To promote this design, Mr. Bowyer printed for her, in 1713, “Some testimonies of learned men, in favour of the intended edition
of the Saxon Homilies, concerning the learning of the
author of those homilies, and the advantages to be hoped
for from an edition of them. In a letter from the publisher to a doctor in divinity.
” About the same time she
wrote three letters to the lord treasurer, from which it
appears, that he solicited and obtained for her queen
Anne’s bounty towards printing the homilies in question.
Her majesty’s decease soon deprived Mrs. Elstob of this
benefit; and she was not otherwise sufficiently patronized,
so as to be able to complete the work. A lew only of the
homilies were actually printed at Oxford, in folio. Mrs.
Elstob’s portrait was given in the initial letter G of
“The English. Saxon Homily on the Birth-day of St,
George.
” In
mon of the Mortality of Man,“Lond. 1534, in 8vo. 2.” The Rule of a Christian Life," written by Picus earl of Mirandola, Lond. 1534, in 8vo.
The works of sir Thomas Elyot were, 1. “The Castle
of Health,
” Lond. 1580, 1595, &c. in 8vo.
2.
” The Governor,“in three books, Lond. 1531, 154.4,
1547, 1557, 1580, &c. in 8vo. 3.
” Of the Education of
Children,“Load, irt 4to. 4.
” The Banquet of Sapience,“Lond. in 8vo. 5.
” De Rebus Memorabilibus Angliee,“for
the completing of which he had perused many old English
monuments. 6.
” A Defence or Apology for good Women.“7.
” Bibliotheca Eliotae: Elyot’s Library, or Dictionary,“Lond. 1541, &c. fol. which woik Cooper augmented and enriched with thirty-three thousand words and
phrases, besides a fuller account of the true signification
qf word*. Sir Thomas translated likewise, from Greek
into English,
” The Image of Governance, compiled of
the Acts and Sentences by the Emperor Alexander Severus,“Lond. 1556, 1594, &c. in 8vo. Bayle accuses him
of having pretended to translate this from a Greek ms.
whereas he says he borrowed his materials from Lampridius and Herodian. Selden, however, thought that he
translated a Greek ms. composed by a modern writer. It
is not on Bayle’s authority that we should chuse to rank
such a man as sir T. Elyot among impostors. He also
translated from Latin into English, 1.
” St. Cyprian’s
Sermon of the Mortality of Man,“Lond. 1534, in 8vo.
2.
” The Rule of a Christian Life," written by Picus earl
of Mirandola, Lond. 1534, in 8vo.
still proceeded in his endeavours to promote the reformation. In December 1557, he, along v?ith the earl of Argyle, the earl of Glencairn, and other noble and distinguished
But while Mr. Erskine was attending to the affairs of religion, he did not neglect the duties which he owed to the public as a magistrate and a military knight. In the war with England, which began in September 1547, the English ships infested the east coast of Scotland, and some of them having landed about eighty men for the purposes of pillage, he collected a force trom the inhabitants, and repelled them with such bravery, that not a third of the eighty were able to regain their ships. In 1555 he had an interview with the celebrated John Knox, who had just arrived from Geneva, and was invited by him to the family-seat at Dun, where he preached and was resorted to by the principal men in that part of the country; and though this atVorded a public avowal of Mr. Erskine’s principles, the popish bishops thought him a man too powerful to be molested; and he still proceeded in his endeavours to promote the reformation. In December 1557, he, along v?ith the earl of Argyle, the earl of Glencairn, and other noble and distinguished characters, subscribed a covenant in which they bound themselves to advance the protestant religion, and to maintain in safety its ministers and professors, (who were now for the first time called the congregation) t by all means in their power, even to the hazard of their lives.
n the mouth of the Forth. There he continued near three years till, through the interest of the then earl of Marr, his kinsman, he was set at liberty but such was the
, a Scotch divine, was one of the younger of the thirty- three children of Ralph Erskine, of Shieltield, a family of considerable antiquity in the county of Merse, and descended from the noble family of Marr. He was born at Dryburgh, still the family-seat of the Buchan family, in 1624, where he received the rudiments of his education, and in 1650 took the degree of M. A. in the university of Edinburgh. He was ordained to the ministry by the presbyterians in England, to the Jiving of Cornhill, in Durham, but soon after was ejected by the act of uniformity, on which he returned to his own country; but the persecution carried on at that time in Scotland against the presbyterians, obliged Mr. Erskine to take refuge in Holland, whence the want of the common necessaries of life induced him again to return to his native country, where he was apprehended and committed prisoner to the Bass, a strong fort in the mouth of the Forth. There he continued near three years till, through the interest of the then earl of Marr, his kinsman, he was set at liberty but such was the violence of the times, that he was again driven from Scotland. In 1687, when king James’s toleration, was proclaimed, Mr. Erskine embraced it; and on the re-establishment of presbytery in 1690, he was appointed minister of Churnside in the county of Berwick. He died August 10, 1696, aged sixty-eight, much respected by all who knew him, and left behind him several manuscripts, elucidating difficult passages in scripture; but these having been written in Latin, none of them were ever published.
or, Love in a tub,” which brought him acquainted, as he himself informs us, with Charles afterwards earl of Dorset, to whom it is dedicated. Its fame also, with his
, a celebrated wit and comic
writer in the reigns of king Charles II. and king James II.
is said to have been descended of an ancient family in Oxfordshire, or allied to it He was born about 1636, not
very distant from London, it is believed, as some of his
nearest relations appear to have been settled not far from
this metropolis. It is thought he was partly educated at
the university of Cambridge, but travelled into France,
and perhaps Flanders also, in his younger years. At his
retu,rn, he studied for a while the municipal laws at one of
the inns of court in London; but the polite company he
kept, and his own natural talents, inclining him rather to
court the favour of the muses and cultivate the belles lettres, he produced his first dramatic performance in 1664,
entitled “The Comical Revenge; or, Love in a tub,
” which
brought him acquainted, as he himself informs us, with
Charles afterwards earl of Dorset, to whom it is dedicated.
Its fame also, with his lively humour, engaging conversation, and refined taste in the fashionable gallantries of
the town, soon established him in the societies, and rendered him the delight of those leading wits among the
quality and gentry of chief rank and distinction, who made
pleasure the chief business of their lives, and rendered
that reign the most dissolute of any in our history; such as
George Villiers duke of Bucks, John Wilmot earl of Rochester, sir Car Scroop, sir Charles Sedley, Henry Savile,
&c. Encouraged by his first success, he brought another
comedy upon the stage, in 1668, entitled “She would if
she could,
” which gained him no less applause, and it was
supposed he would now make the stage his principal pursuit, but whether from indolence, or his pleasurable engagements, there was an interval of above seven years before the appearance of his next and last dramatic production, entitled “The Man of Mode; or, Sir Fopling Flutter.
”
It is dedicated by him to the duchess of York, who then
was Mary, the daughter of the duke of Modena; in the
service of which duchess our author, as he says in his said
dedication, then was. This play still exalted his reputation, even above what both the former had done; he having therein, as perhaps he had also partly set himself some
example in the others before, shadowed forth (but somewhat disguisedly) some of his noted acquaintance and contemporaries, who were known, or thought to be so, by his
said draughts of them, to many of the audience; and this
rendered the play very popular. In the famous poem written by the lord Rochester, after the example of sir John,
Suckling’s upon the like subject, Apollo finds some plausible pretence of exception to the claim of every poetical
candidate for the laurel crown; therefore our poet, by the
scheme or drift of it, could escape no less disappointment
than the rest: yet his lordship, to do him ample justice,
has sufficiently shewed his merits to it, in every thing but
his perseverance to exert them; which, after having first
of all discarded Mr. Dryden, he next expresses thus:
s kingdom, if not later and this appears also from his own letters which he wrote thence some to the earl of Middleton, inverse to one of which his lordship engaged Mr.
Rehearsal
” had been
hatching, by the duke of Buckingham, before it appeared:
but we meet with nothing more of our author’s writing for
the stage. There are extant some other letters of his in
prose, which were written also from Ratisbon; two of
which he sent to the duke of Buckingham when he was in
his recess. As for his other compositions, such as have
been printed, they consist, for the greatest part, of little
airy sonnets, lampoons, and panegyrics, of no great
poetical merit, although suited to the gay and careless taste
of the times. All that we have met with, of his prose, is a
short piece, entitled “An Account of the rejoycing at the
diet of Ratisbonne, performed by sir George Etherege,
knight, residing therefrom his majesty of Great Britain;
upon occasion of the birth of the prince of Wales. In a
letter from himself.
” Printed in the Savoy, Comical Revenge
” succeeded very
well upon the stage, and met with general approbation for
a considerable time, it is now justly laid aside on account
of its immorality. This is the case, likewise, with regard
to sir George’s other plays. Of the “She would if she
could,
” the critic Dennis says, that though it was esteemed by men of sense for the trueness of some of its characters, and the purity, freeness, and easy grace of its dialogue, yet, on its first appearance, it was barbarously treated by the audience. If the auditors were offended with
the licentiousness of the comedy, their barbarity did them
honour; but it is probable that, at that period, they were
influenced by some other consideration. Exclusively of
its loose tendency, the play is pronounced to be undoubtedly a very good one; and it was esteemed as one of the
first rank at the time in which it was written. However,
ShadwelPs encomium upon it will be judged to be too extravagant.
s father was Eugene Maurice, general of the Swiss and Grisons, governor of Champaigne in France, and earl of Soissons; his mother donna Olympia Mancini, neice to cardinal
, prince of Savoy, an illustrious general, was born in 1663, and descended from Carignan, one of the three branches of the house of Savoy. His father was Eugene Maurice, general of the Swiss and Grisons, governor of Champaigne in France, and earl of Soissons; his mother donna Olympia Mancini, neice to cardinal Mazarin. In 1670 he was committed to the tuition of a doctor of the Sorbonne; but his father dying before he was ten years of age, after the French king had given him the grant of an abbey as a step to a cardinal’s hat, and the government of Champaigne being given out of his family, occasioned an alteration in his intended profession; which was indeed by no means suitable to his genius, although he gave great and early hopes of proficiency in the belles lettres, and is said to have been particularly fond of Curtius and Cæsar. He was a youth of great spirit, and so jealous of the honour of his family, that when his mother was banished by the king’s order from the French court to the Low Countries, soon after her husband’s decease, he protested against the injustice of her banishment, and vowed eternal enmity to the authors and contrivers of it. After being for a time trained to the service of the church, for which he had no relish, he desired the king, who maintained him according to his quality, to give him some military employment. This, however, was denied him, sometimes on account of the weakness of his constitution, sometimes for want of a vacancy, or a war to employ the troops in. Apprehending from hence that he was not likely to be considered so much as he thought he deserved in France, and perceiving that he was involved in the disgrace of his mother, he resolved to retire to Vienna with one of his brothers, prince Philip, to whom the emperor’s ambassador had, in his master’s name, promised a regiment of horse. They were kindly received by the emperor; and Eugene presently became a very great favourite with his imperial majesty. He had in the mean time many flattering promises and invitations to return to France; but his fidelity to the emperor was unshaken, and he resolved to think no more of France, but to look on himself as a German, and to spend his life in the service of the house of Austria.
ss some time abroad, and accordingly he set out for Holland, after having witnessed the trial of the earl of Stratford. Having viewed what was most remarkable in the
In December 1640, he entered the Middle Temple,
and at this time his father died of the dropsyin his fiftythird year. The ominous appearance of public affairs in
1641 inclined him to pass some time abroad, and accordingly he set out for Holland, after having witnessed the
trial of the earl of Stratford. Having viewed what was
most remarkable in the principal towns of Holland, with
Brussels, Bruges, &c. and paid a visit to the prince of
Orange’s camp before Genap, he returned to Dover by
the way of Dunkirk in October. In 1642 he went to Brentford to offer his services to his majesty Charles I. and was
assigned to ride volunteer in prince Rupert’s troop; but the
king marching to Gloucester, and by that step leaving
Surrey and Sussex, where Mr. Evelyn’s estate lay, exposed to the rebels, he was advised to travel, and having obtained his majesty’s leave, went in July 1643 to France, and
thence to Italy, in which he spe^t above a year. A thirst
of knowledge of every kind was his ruling passion; his
mind too at this early period of life, was not unfurnished
with science, and he could now contemplate, with consequent improvement, the antiquities, arts, religion, laws,
and learning and customs of the countries through which
he passed. He has, accordingly, left a large and minute
account of what he thought worthy of observation, and
nothing seems to have escaped him. At Padua he purchased the rare tables of veins and nerves of Dr. John
Athelsteinus Leonaenas; and caused him to prepare a third
of the lungs, liver, and nervi sextipar with the gastric veins,
which he sent into England, being the first that had been
seen here, and which he afterwards presented to the royal
society. Another instance of his diligence and curiosity
Mr. Boyle has recorded in his works (vol. II. p. 206), who
received from Mr. Evelyn, whom he consulted on the occasion, a valuable and minute account of the method by
which magazines of snow are preserved in Italy, for the
use of the tables of the luxurious. During his stay at
Rome, Mr. Evelyn informs us of his having an opportunity
of learning the true sentiments of the popish party, on the
execution of archbishop Laud, so frequently accused in
this country of an inclination towards popery. “I was at
Rome,
” says he, “in the company of divers of the English fathers, when the news of archbishop Laud’s sufferings,
and a copy of his sermon, came thither. They read the
sermon, and commented upon it, with no small satisfaction and contempt; and looked on him, as one that was a
great enemy to them, and stood in their way, whilst one
of the blackest crimes imputed to him was, his being
popishly affected.
”
e) to Venice, where he spent the remaining part of the year, and sometimes going to Padua, where the earl of Arundel was, the great collector of pictures, statues, &c.
Mr. Evelyn’s tour is thus chronicled by himself: “July
26, 1643, he went to France, and having passed the remainder of the year, with the winter and next spring, at
Paris, ia which time he made an excursion into Normandy,
and saw Rouen, April 25, 1644, he set out for Orleans,
and after visiting Blois, Tours, Anjou, and all the fine
places on the Loire, together with the town and palace
built by the great cardinal Richelieu, and called by his
name, he arrived Sept. 2 at Lyons, and went from thence
by Avignon to Marseilles, and so along the coast to a little
town called Canes, where (in Oct.) he embarked and arrived at Genoa, the curiosities of which having viewed, he
proceeded to Pisa, Leghorn, Florence, Sienna, and so came
(Nov. 4) to Rome, where he spent the winter in seeing all
the antiquities and curiosities of that famous city, making
an excursion (Jan. 27, 1644-5) to Naples, and returning
Feb. 7. May 18 he left Rome, and passing through Bologna
and Ferrara, came (in June) to Venice, where he spent the
remaining part of the year, and sometimes going to Padua,
where the earl of Arundel was, the great collector of pictures, statues, &c. whom he was acquainted with, and who,
at his taking leave of him, gave him directions written
with his own hand, what curiosities to inquire after in his
travels. March 20, 1646, he left Venice in company with
Mr. Waller the poet, and went to Milan, taking Vincenza
and Verona in his way; from hence he passed the Alps,
and came to Geneva. In July he departed from Geneva,
and in October got to Paris again by the way of Orleans.
”
law; at the same time this honour was conferred on the duke of Ormond, their chancellor, and on the earl of Chesterfield. After king Charles II. had tried, with very
and cultivated minds to cherish an affectionate remembrance of the academies where they first pursued their studies, Mr. Evelyn gave a noble testimony of his high respect for his alma mater, Oxford, by using his utmost interest with the lord Henry Howard, in order to prevail upon him to bestow the Arundeliao marbles, then in the garden of Arundel-house in the Strand, upon the university, in which he happily succeeded, and obtained the thanks of that learned body, delivered by Dr. Barlow, and other delegates specially appointed for the purpose. Nor was this the last favour conferred by lord Arundel, at the request of Mr. Evelyn, whom he honoured with his closest friendship, after he arrived at the title of Duke of Norfolk. Of this interest Mr. Evtlyn made no other advantage than giving a right direction to the natural generosity of that excellent person, whence flowed some particular marks of kindness to the royal society, which were very gratefully accepted; and something farther would have been procured, if the duke’s sudden and unexpected death had not frustrated the schemes formed by our author for the service of that learned society, to which, from its very foundation, he was attached with unabated zeal. Mr. Evelyn spent his time, at this juncture, in a manner as pleasing as he could wish. He had great credit at court, and great reputation in the world; was one of the commissioners for rebuilding St. Paul’s, attended the meetings of the royal society with great regularity, undertook readily whatever tasks were assigned him to support that reputation, which, from their first institution, they had acquired, and which, by degrees, triumphed over that envy which it raised. He was punctual in the discharge of his office as a commissioner of the sick and wounded; and when he had leisure retired to his seat at Sayes-court, where the improvement of his garden was his favourite ambition. Yet in the midst of his employments, both public and private, and notwithstanding the continual pains that he bestowed in augmenting and improving the books he hud already published, he found leisure sufficient to undertake fresli labours oi the same kind, without any diminution of the high character he had obtained by his former writings. He made a journey to Oxford in the summer of 1669, where, on the 15th of July, at the opening of the theatre, he was honoured with the degree of doctor of the civil law; at the same time this honour was conferred on the duke of Ormond, their chancellor, and on the earl of Chesterfield. After king Charles II. had tried, with very little effect, to promote trade, according to the advice of persons engaged in it, he thought proper to constitute a particular board for that purpo.se, in Sept. 1672, and named several persons of great rank to be members of that council, and amongst them Mr. Evelyn, who had previously (Feb. 1671) been nominated one of the council of foreign plantations. These preferments were so welcome to a person of his disinterested temper and true public spirit, that he thought he could not express his gratitude better than by digesting, in a short and plain discourse, the chief heads of the history of trade and navigation, dedicated to the king, which was very graciously received, and is allowed to contain as much matter in as small a compass as any that was ever written uprm the topic. Notwithstanding these late auditions to his employments, when the royal society found it requisite to demand the assistance of some of its principal members, and to exact from them the tribute of certain dissertations upon weighty and philosophical subjects, he produced his share with his usual vigour and promptitude, as appears by their TVmisactions. We have now named all the preferments ronferred on him in that reign; and though they were none of them very considerable in respect of profit, yet he was jo easy in his own circumstances, so good an oeconomist, and so true a patriot, that while he daily saw fresh improvements made in every county throughout the kingdom, and the commerce of the nation continually extended, he thought himself amply recompensed, and never failed to express his sentiments in that respect with great cordiality. The severe winter of 1683 gave some interruption to his domestic enjoyments, the frost committing dreadful depredations in his fine gardens at Sayes-court, of which he sent a full and very curious account to the royal society in the beginning of the succeeding spring. After the accession of king James, we find him, in December 1685, appointed with the lord viscount Tiviot of the kingdom of Scotland, and colonel Robert Philips, one of the commissioners for executing the great office of lord privy-seal, in the absence of Henry earl of Clarendon, lord lieutenant of Ireland, which he held till March 11, 1686, when the king was pleased to make Henry baron Arundel of Wardour lord privy seal. While in this office he refused to put the seal to Dr. Obadiah Walker’s licence to print popish books. On May 5, 1695, he was appointed treasurer of Greenwich hospital, and although now much advanced in years, continued his literary labours, with his accustomed zeal, at his leisure hours.
so seen a plate etched by the present French king, and other great persons; the right honourable the earl of Sandwich, sometimes, as we are told, diverting himself with
As considerable light is thrown on the history and merits
of Mr. Evelyn from the account given of his works, little
apology need be made for the length of the article, taken
principally from the Biographia Britannica. These were,
1. His treatise “Of Liberty and Servitude,
” A Character of England, as it
was lately presented in a letter to a nobleman of France,
with reflections upon Callus Castratus,
” The State of France,
” London, An Essay on the First Book of Titus Lucretius
Carus, de renim natura, interpreted, and made into English verse, by J. Evelyn, esq.
” London, Never
was book so abominably misused by printer; never copy
so negligently surveied by one who undertooke to looke
over the proofe-sheetes with all exactnesse and care, naqely
Dr. Triplet, well knowne for his abiilitie, and who pretended,
to oblige me in Hiv absence, and so readily offer'd himselfe. This good yet I received by it, that publishing it
vaiiu-ly, its ill succese at the printer’s discouraged me with
troubling the world with the rest.
” 5. “The French Gardener, instructing how to cultivate all sorts of fruit-trees
and herbs for the garden, together with directions to dry
and conserve them in their natural,
” &c. Lond. The English Vineyard vindicated, by John Rose,
gardener to his majesty king Charles II. with a' tract of the
making and ordering of wines in France.
” The third edition
of this French Gardener, which came out in 1676, was illustrated with sculptures. 6. “The golden book of St.
Oh ry sos torn, concerning the Education of Children.
” Lond.
An Apology for the Royal Party, c.
” The late News or Message from
Brussels unmasked,
” Instructions concerning the erecting of a Library, written by Gabriel Naude
”, published in
English, with some improvements,“Lond. 1661, 8vo. ll.
” Fumifugium or the inconveniences of the air and the
smoke of London dissipated together with some remedies
humbly proposed,“London, 1661, 4to, in five sheets, addressed to the king and parliament, and published by hisma
jesty’s express command. Of this there was a late edition
in 1772. 12.
” Tyrannies or the Mode in a discourse of
sumptuary laws“Lond. 1661, 8vo. 13.
” Sculptnra; or
the history a-id art of Chalcography and Engraving in Copper, with an ample enumeration of the most renowned
masters and their works; to which is annexed, a new manner of engraving, or mezzo-tinto,. communicated by his
highness prince Rupert to the author of this treatise,“Lond. 1662, 8vo. In the dedication to Mr. Robert Boyle,
dated: at Sayes-court, April 5th, 1662, he observes, that
he wrote this treatise at the reiterated instance of that
gentleman. The first chapter treats of sculpture, howderived and distinguished, with the styles and instruments
belonging to it. The second, of the original of sculpture
in general. la this chapter our author observes, that
letters, and consequently sculpture, were lon.g before the
flood, Suidas ascribing both letters and all the rest of
the sciences to Adam. After the flood, as he supposes,
there were but few who make any considerable question,
that it might not be propagated by Noah to his posterity, though some admit of none before Moses. The
third chapter treats of the reputation and progress of
sculpture among the Greeks and Romans down to the
middle ages, with a discussion of some pretensions to
the invention of copper cuts and their impressions. The
fourth, of the invention and progress of chalcography in particular, together with an ample enumeration of the most renowned masters and their works. The fifth, of drawing and
design previous to the art of chalcography, and of the use
of pictures in order to theeducation of children. In this
chapter, our author, in honour of the art upon which he
writes, discourses thus:
” It was in the former chapter
that we made rehearsal of the most renowned gravers and
their works, not that we had no more to add to that number, but because we would not mingle these illustrious
names and qualities there, which we purposely reserved for
the crown of this discourse. We did, therefore, forbear
to mention what his highness prince Rupert’s own hands
have contributed to the dignity of that art, performing
things in graving, of which some enrich our collection,
comparable to the greatest masters; such a spirit and address there appears in all that he touches, and especially
in that of the mezzotinto, of which we shall speak hereafter more at large, having first enumerated those incomparable gravings of that his new and inimitable style, in
both the great and little decollations of St. John the Baptist, the soldier holding a spear and leaning his hand on a
shield, the two Mary Magdalens, the old man’s head, that
of Titian, &c. after the same Titian, Georgion, and others.
We have also seen a plate etched by the present French
king, and other great persons; the right honourable the
earl of Sandwich, sometimes, as we are told, diverting
himself with the burine, and herein imitating those ancient
and renowned heroes, whose names are loud in the trumpet
of fame for their skill and particular affection to these arts.
For such of old were Lucius Manilius, and Fabius, noble
Romans, Pacuvius, the tragic poet, nephew to Ennius.
Socrates, the wisest of men, and Plato himself, Metrodorus and Pyrrhus the philosopher, did both desigii and
paint and so did Valentinian, Adrian, and Severus, emperors so as the great Paulus ^milius esteemed it of
such high importance, that he would needs have his son to
be instructed in it, as in one of the most worthy and excellent accomplishments belonging to a prince. For the
art of graving, Quintilian likewise celebrates Euphranor,
a polite and rarely endowed person; and Pliny, in that
chapter where he treats of the same art, observes that there
was never any one famous in it, but who was by birth or education a gentleman. Therefore he and Galen in their recension of the liberal arts, mention that of graving in particular,
amongst the most permanent; and in the same catalogue,
number it with rhetoric, geometry, logic, astronomy, yea, r
grammar itself, because there is in these arts, say they,
more of fancy and invention, than strength of hand, more
of the spirit than of the body. Hence Aristotle informs
us, that the Grecians did universally institute their children
in the art of painting and drawing, for an oeconomique
reason there signified, as well as to produce proportions in
the mind. Varro makes it part of the ladies 1 education,
that they might have the better skill in the works of
embroidery, &c. and for this cause is his daughter Martia
celebrated among those of her fair sex. We have already
mentioned the learned Anna Schurman; but the princess
Louisa has done wonders of this kind, and is famous
throughout Europe for the many pieces which enrich our
cabinets, examples sufficient to vindicate its dignity, and
the value that has been set upon it, since both emperors,
kings, and philosophers, the great and the wise, have not
disdained to cultivate and cherish this honourable quality
of old, so nobly reputed, that amongst the Greeks a slave
might not be taught it. How passionately does Pereskius,
that admirable and universal genius, deplore his want of
dexterity in this art Baptista Alberti, Aldus Pomponius,
Guaricus Durer, and Rubens, were politely learned and
knowing men, and it is hardly to be imagined of how great
use and conducible a competent address in this art of
drawing and designing is to the several advantages which
occur, and especially to the more noble mathematical
sciences, as we have already instanced in the lunary works
of Hevelius, and are no less obliged to celebrate some of
ur own countrymen famous for their dexterity in this incomparable art. Such was that Blagrave, who himself cut
those diagrams in his Mathematical Jewel; and such at
present is that rare and early prodigy of universal science,
Dr. Chr. Wren, our worthy and accomplished friend.
For, if the study of eloquence and rhetoric were cultivated
by the greatest geniuses and heroic persons which the
world has produced, and that, by the suffrage of the most
knowing, to be a perfect orator a man ought to be universally instructed, a quality so becoming and useful should
never be neglected.“In the sixth chapter he discourses
of the new way of engraving or mezzotinto, invented and
communicated by prince Rupert and he therein observes,
” that his highness did indulge him the liberty of publishing the whole manner and address of this new way of
engraving; but when I had well considered it, says he (so much having been already expressed, which may suffice to give the hint to all ingenious persons how it is to be performed), I did not think it necessary that an art so curious, and as yet so little vulgar, and which indeed does
not succeed where the workman is not an accomplished
designer, and has a competent talent in painting likewise,
was to be prostituted at so cheap a rate as the more naked
describing of it here would too soon have exposed it to.
Upon these considerations then, it is, that vvg leave it thus
enigmatical; and yet that this may appear no disingenuous
rhodomontade in me, or invidious excuse, I profess myself to be always most ready sub sigillo, and by his highness’s permission, to gratify any curious and worthy person with as full and perfect a demonstration of the entire
art as my talent and address will reach to, if what I am
now preparing to be reserved in the archives of the royal
society concerning it be not sufficiently instructive.“There
came, however, into the hands of the communicative and
learned Richard Micldleton Massey, M. D. and F. 11. S. the
original manuscript, written by Mr. Evelyn, and designed
for the royal society, entitled
” Prince Rupert’s new way
of engraving, communicated by his highness to Mr. Evelyn;“in the margin of which is this note:
” This I prepared to be registered in the royal society, but I have not
yet given it in, so as it still continues a secret.“In this
manuscript he first describes the two instruments employed
in this new manner of engraving, viz. the hatcher and the
style, and then proceeds to explain the method of using
them. He concludes with the following words:
” This
invention, or new manner of chalcography, was the result
of chance, and improved by a German soldier, who,
espying some scrape on the barrel of his musket, and being
of an ingenious spirit, refined upon it, till it produced the
effects you have seen, and which indeed is, for the delicacy thereof, much superior to anyinvention extant of
this art, for the imitation of those masterly drawings, and,
as the Italians call it, that morhidezza expressed in the best
of their designs. I have had the honour to be the first of
the English to whom it has been yet communicated, and
by a special indulgence of his highness, who with his own
hands was pleased to direct me with permission to publish
it to the world; but I have esteemed it a thing so curious,
that I thought it would be to profane it, before I had first
offered it to this illustrious society. There is another way
of engraving, by rowelling a plate with an instrument
made like that which our scriveners and clerks use to direct
their rulers by on parchment, only the points are thicker
set into the rowel. And when the plate is sufficiently
freckled with the frequent reciprocation of it, upon the
polished surface, so as to render the ground dark enough,
it is to be abated with the style, and treated as we have already described. Of this sort I have seen a head of the
queen Christina, graved, if I mistake not, as big as the
life, but not comparable to the mezzotinto of prince Rupert, so deservedly celebrated by J. Evelyn."
d exile, of the Jews out of the empire of Persia,” Lond. 1668, 8vo. This piece is dedicated to Henry earl of Arlington, and the dedication is subscribed J. E. and, if
Mr. Evelyn’s next publication was the most important
of all his works: 15. “Sylva; or, a dicourse of Foresttrees, and the propagation of timber in his majesty’s dominions 5 as it was delivered in the royal society the 15th
of October, 1662, Upon occasion of certain queries propounded to that illustrious assembly by the honourable the
principal officers and commissioners of the navy.
” To
which is annexed, “Pomona, or, an appendix concerning
fruit-trees, in relation to cider, the making and several
ways of ordering it: published by express order of the
royal society,
” Lond. 1664, fol. This was the first work
written by the command, and published in virtue of an
order, of the royal society, signed by the lord viscount
Brouncker, their president, and dedicated to the king.
The second edition of it was published in 1669, with a
new dedication to king Charles II. dated from Sayes-court,
Aug. 24; the first paragraph of which deserves the reader’s
notice. “Sir, This second edition of Sylva, after more
than a thousand copies had been bought up and dispersed
of the first impression, in much less than two years space
(which booksellers assure us is a very extraordinary thing in volumes of this bulk), conies now again to pay its homage
to your serene majesty, to whose auspices alone it owes the
favourable acceptance which it has received in the world.
But it is not that alone which it presumes to tell your majesty, but to acquaint you that it has been the sole occasion for furnishing your almost exhausted dominions with
more, I dare say, than two millions of timber-trees, besides infinite others, which have been propagated within
the three nations at the instigation and by the direction
of this work; and that the author of it is able, if need require, to make it out by a competent volume of letters
and acknowledgments, which are come to his hands, from
several persons of the most eminent quality, many of
them illustrious, and divers of them unknoun to him, in
justification of what he asserts; which he the rather preserves with the more care, because they are testimonials
from so many honourable persons ‘of the benefit they have
received from the endeavours of the royal society, which
now-a-days passes through so many censures; but she has
yet your majesty for her founder and patron, and is therefore
the’ less concerned, since no man of worth can lightly speak
ill of an assembly v.hich your majesty has thought fit to dignify by so signal a relation to it.
” The third edition, with
great additions and improvements, was published in 1G79;
the fourth in 1705, and the fifth in 1729, both very incorrect. In 1776 a new edition of the “Sylva
” was published in
4to, by Dr. Andrew Hunter, of York, a gentleman eminently qualified for the undertaking. Under the care of
this gentleman the work appeared with every possible advantage; and was enriched by the judicious editor with
ample and copious notes, and adorned with a set of fine
engravings. A head of Mr. Evelyn is prefixed, drawn and
engraved by Battolozzi. Dr. Hunter’s edition of the Sylva
has been four times reprinted. The edition of 1812 contains the deceased editor’s last corrections . 16. “A
parallel of the antient architecture with the modern, in a
collection of ten principal authors who have written upon
the five orders, viz. Palladio and Scammozzi, Serlio and
Vignola D. Barbaro and Cataneo L. B. Alberti and
Viola, Bullant and De Lorme compared with one another.
The three Greek orders, Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian,
comprise the first part of this treatise, and the two Latin,
Tuscan and Composite, the latter written in French by
Roland Freart, sieur de Chambray made English for the
benefit, of builders to which is added, an account of architects and architecture^ in an historical and etymological
explanation of certain terms, particularly affected by architects; with Leon Baptista Alberti’s treatise of statues,
”
London, I know none, indeed,
to whom I could more aptly inscribe a discourse of building, than to so royal a builder, whose august attempts
have already given so great a splendour to our imperial
city, and so illustrious an example to the nation It is
from this contemplation, sir, that after I had, by the commands of the royal society, endeavoured the improvement
of timber and the planting of trees, I have advanced to that
of building, as its proper and mutual consequent, not
with a presumption to incite or instruct your majesty, which
were a vanity unpardonable, but, by it, to take occasion
of celebrating your majesty’s great example, who use your
empire and authority so worthily, as fortune seems to have
consulted her reason, when she poured her favours upon
you; so as I never cast my eyes on that generous designation in the epigram, Ut donem pastor K tedificem, without
immediate reflection on your majesty, who seem only to
value those royal advantages you have above others, that
you may oblige, and that you may build. And certainly,
sir, your majesty has consulted the noblest way of establishing your greatness, and of perpetuating your memory,
since, while stones can preserve inscriptions, your name
will be famous to posterity; and, when those materials
fail, the benefits that are engraven in our hearts will outlast those of marble. It will be no paradox, but a truth,
to affirm, that your majesty has already built and repaired
more in three or four years, notwithstanding the difficulties
and the necessity of an extraordinary ceconomy for the
public concernment, than all your enemies have destroyed
in twenty, nay than all your majesty’s predecessors have
advanced in an hundred, as I could easily make out, not
only by what your majesty has so magnificently designed
and carried on at that your ancient honour of Greenwich,
under the conduct of your most industrious and worthy
surveyor, but in those splendid apartments and other useful reformations for security and delight about your majesty’s palace at Whitehall the chargeable covering first,
then paving and reformation of Westminster-hall care and
preparation for rebuilding St. Paul’s, by the impiety and
iniquity of the late confusions almost dilapidated; what her
majesty the queen-mother has added to her palace at Somerset-house, in a structure becoming her royal grandeur,
and the due veneration of all your majesty’s subjects, for
the lioirnir she has done both this your native city, and the
whole nation. Nor may I here omit, what I so much desire to transmit to posterity, those noble and profitable
amoenities of your majesty’s plantations, wherein you most
resemble the divine architect, because your majesty has
proposed in it such a pattern to your subjects, as merit
their imitation and protoundest acknowledgments, in one
of the most worthy and kingly improvements tbat nature is
capable of. 1 know not what they talk of former ages, and
of the now contemporary princes with your majesty these
things are visible and should I here descend to more particulars, which yet were not foreign to the subject of this
discourse, I would provoke the whole world to produce me
an example parallel with your majesty, for your exact
judgment and marvellous ability in all that belongs to the
naval architecture, both as to its proper terms and more
solid use, in which your majesty is master of one of the
most noble and profitable arts that can be wished, in a
prince to whom God has designed the dominion of the
ocean, which renders your majesty’s empire universal;
where, by exercising your royal talent and knowledge that
way, you can bring even the antipodes to meet, and the
poles to kiss each other; for so likewise, not in a metaphorical but natural sense, your equal and prudent government of this nation has made it good, whilst your majesty
has so prosperously guided this giddy bark, through such
a storm, as no hand, save your majesty’s, could touch the
helm, but at the price of their temerity.
” There is also
another dedication to sir John Denham, knight of the bath,
superintendent and surveyor of all his majesty’s buildings
and works, in which there are several matters of fact worth
knowing, as indeed there are in all Mr. Evelyn’s dedications; for, though no man was naturally more civil, or
more capable of making a compliment handsomely, yet his
merit was always conspicuous in his good manners; and he
never thought that the swelling sound of a well-turned
period could atone for want of sense. It appears from the
dedication of the second edition of the Sylva to king
Charles II. that there was a second edition of this work
also in the same year, viz. 1669, as there was a third in
1697, which was the last in the author’s life-time. In this
third edition, which is very much improved, “the account
of Architects and Architecture,
” which is an original work
of Mr. Evelyn’s, and a most excellent one of its kind, is
dedicated to sir Christopher Wren, surveyor to his majesty’s buildings and works; and there is in it another of
those incidental passages that concern the personal history
of our author. Having said in the first paragraph, that, if
the whole art of building were lost, it might be found
again in the noble works of that great architect, which,
though a very high, is no unjust compliment, more especially, continues our author, St. Paul’s church and the
Monument; he then adds, “I have named St. Paul’s,
and truly not without admiration, as oft as I recall to mind,
as frequently I do, the sad and deplorable condition it was
in, when, after it had been made a stable of horses and a
den of thieves, you, with other gentlemen and myself,
were, by the late king Charles, named commissioners to
survey the dilapidations, and to make report to his majesty,
in order to a speedy reparation. You will not, I am sure,
forget the struggle we had with some who were for patching it up any how, so the steeple might stand, instead of
new-building, which it altogether needed: when, to put
an end to the contest, five days after (August 27, Sept. 1666), that dreadful conflagration happened, out of whose
this phoenix is risen, and was by providence designed
for you. The circumstance is too remarkable, that I could
not pass it over without notice. I will now add no more,
but beg your pardon for this confidence of mine, after I
have acquainted you that the parallel to which this was annexed being out of print, I was importuned by the bookseller to add something to a new impression, but to which
I was no way inclined; till, not long since, going to St.
Paul’s, to contemplate that august pile, and the progress
you have made, some of your chief workmen gratefully acknowledging the assistance it had afforded them, I took
this opportunity of doing myself this honour.
” The fourth
edition of this work, printed long after our author’s death,
viz. in 1733, was in folio, as well as the rest; to which is
added “The Elements of Architecture,
” by sir Henry
Wotton, and some other things, of which, however, hints
were met with in our author’s pieces. 17. “Mwrtyj/ov Tjjj
AvaiMos; that is, another part of the mystery of Jesuitism,
or the new heresy of the Jesuits, publicly maintained at
Paris, in the college of Clermont, the twelfth of December,
1661, declared to all the bishops of France, according to
the copy printed at Paris. Together with the imaginary
heresy, in three letters; with divers other particulars relating to this abominable mystery never before published in
English;
” Lond. 1664, 8vo. This, indeed, has not our
author’s name to it; but that it is really his, and that he
had reasons for not owning it more publicly, appears from
a letter from him to Mr. Boyle. 18. “Kalendarium Hortense, or the gardener’s almanac, directing what he is to
do monthly throughout the year, and what fruits and flowers
are in prime,
” Lond. The Garden.
” This passed through at least nine editions.
The author made many additions as long as he lived and
the best was that printed by way of appendix to the fourth
and last edition of the Sylva in his life-time. 19. “The
history of the three late famous impostors, viz. Padre Ottotnano, pretended son and heir to the late grand signior;
Mahomet Bei, a pretended prince of the Ottoman family,
but, in truth, a Wallachian counterfeit: and Sabbatai Sevi,
the supposed Messiah of the Jews, in the year 1666; with
a brief account of the ground and occasion of tjie present
war between the Turk and the Venetian: together with the
cause of the final extirpation, destruction, and exile, of the
Jews out of the empire of Persia,
” Lond. 1668, 8vo. This
piece is dedicated to Henry earl of Arlington, and the dedication is subscribed J. E. and, if Mr. Wood had seen it,
he would not have said, “I know nothing yet to the contrary but this may be a translation.
” The nature and value
of this little piece were much better known abroad: one of
the best literary journals, “Act. Eruditorum Lipsiensiutn,
”
A. D. Public employment and an active life
preferred to solitude, in a reply to a late ingenious essay
of a contrary title,
” Lond. Sylva,
” Philosoph.
Trans. No. 53; and the reader will find some ingenious
strictures on “Public employment, &c.
” in vol. 1. of the
Censura Literaria, by one who knows well how to improve
solitude. 21. “An idea of the perfection of painting,
demonstrated from the principles of art, and by examples
conformable to the observations which Pliny and Quintilian have made upon the most celebrated pieces of the ancient painters, paralleled with some works of the most famous modern painters, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Julio
Romano, and N. Poussin. Written in French by Roland
Freart, Sieur de Cambray, and rendered English by J. E.
esquire, fellow of the royal society;
” Lond. 1668, 8vo,
This translation is dedicated to Henry Howard, of Norfolk,
heir apparent to that dukedom and the dedication is dated
from Say es-court, June the 24th, 1668, 8vo. This piece,
like most of Mr. Evelyn’s works, is now become exceeding
scarce. In the preface he observes, that the reader will
find in this discourse divers useful, remarks, especially
where the author “treats of costume, which we, continues
he, have interpreted decorum, as the nearest expression
our language would bear to it. And I was glad our author
had reproved it in so many instances, because it not only
grows daily more licentious, but even ridiculous and intolerable. But it is hoped this may universally be reformed! when our modern workmen shall consider, that
neither the exactness of their design, nor skilfulness in
colouring, ha.s been able to defend their greatest predecessors from just reproaches, who have been faulty in this
particular. I could exemplify in many others, whom our
author has omitted; and there is none but takes notice
what injury it has done the fame of some of our best reputed painters, and how indecorous it is to introduce circumstances, wholly improper to the usages and genius of
the places where our histories are supposed to. have beeq
acted.
” Mr. Evelyn then remarks, that this was not only
the fault of Bassano, who would be ever bringing in his
wife, children, and servants, his dog and his cat, and very
kitchen-stuff, after the Paduan mode; but of the great
Titian himself, Georgipn, Tintoret, and the rest; as Paulo
Veronese is observed also to have done, in his story of
Pharaoh’s daughter drawing Moses out of the river, attended with a guard of Swisses. Malvogius likewise, in a
picture then in the king’s gallery at Whitehall, not only
represents our first parents with navels upon their bellies,
but has placed an artificial stone fountain, carved with
imagery, in the midst of his paradise. Nor does that excellent and learned painter, Rubens, escape without censure, not only for making most of his figures of the shapes
of brawny Flemings, but for other sphalmata and circumstances of the like nature, though in some he has acquitted
himself to admiration, in the due observation of costume,
particularly in his crucifixes, &c. Raphael Urbino was,
doubtless, one of the first who reformed these inadvertencies; but it was more conspicuous in his latter than in his
former pieces. “As for Michael Angelo,
” continues Mr.
Evelyn, “though I heartily consent with our critic in reproving that almost idolatrous veneration of his works, who
hath certainly prodigiously abused the art, not only in the
table this discourse arraigns him for, but several more
which I have seen; yet I conceive he might have omitted
some of those embittered reproaches he has reviled him
with, who doubtless was one of the greatest masters of his
time, and however he might succeed as to the decorum,
was hardly exceeded for what he performed in sculpture
and the statuary art by many even of the ancients themselves, and haply by none of the moderns: witness his
Moses, Christus in Gremio, and several other figures at
Rome to say nothing of his talent in architecture, and
the obligation the world has to his memory, for recovering
many of its most useful ornaments and members out of the
neglected fragments, which lay so long buried, and for
vindicating that antique and magnificent manner of building from the trifling of Goths and barbarians.
” He observes next, that the usual reproach of painting has been
the want of judgment in perspective, and bringing more
into history than is justifiable upon one aspect, without
turning the eye to each figure in particular, and multiplying the points of sight, which is a point even monsieur
Freart, for all the pains he has taken to magnify that celebrated Decision of Paris, has failed in. For the knowing
in that art easily perceive, that even Raphael himself has
not so exactly observed it, since, instead of one, as monsieur Freart takes it to be, and as indeed it ought to have
been, there are no less than four or five; as du Bosse hath
well observed in his treatise of “The converted painter,
”
where, by the way also, he judiciously numbers amongst
the faults against costume, those landscapes, grotesque
figures, &c. which we frequently find abroad especially
for, in our country, we have few or none of those graceful
supplements of steeples painted, horizontally and vertically
on the vaults and ceilings of cupolas, since we have no
examples for it from the ancients, who allowed no more
than a frett to the most magnificent and costly of those
which they erected. But, would you know whence this
universal caution in most of their works proceeded, and
that the best of our modern painters and architects have
succeeded better than others of that profession, it must be
considered, that they were learned men, good historians,
and generally skilled in the best antiquities; such were
Raphael, and doubtless his scholar Julio; and, if Polydore
arrived not to the glory of letters, he yet attained to a rare
habit of the ancient gusto, as may be interpreted from most
of his designs and paintings. Leon Baptist Alberti was
skilled in all the politer parts of learning to a prodigy, and
has written several curious things in the Latin tongue. We
know that, of later times, Rubens was a person universally
learned, as may be seen in several Latin epistles of his to
the greatest scholars of his age. And Nicholas Poussin, the
Frenchman, who is so much celebrated and so deservedly,
did, it seems, arrive to this by his indefatigable industry
“as the present famous statuary, Bernini, now living,
”
says Mr. Evelyn, “has also done so universal a mastery,
that, not many years since, he is reported to have built a
theatre at Rome, for the adornment whereof he not only
cut the figures and painted the scenes, but wrote the play,
and composed the music, which was all in recitative. And
I am persuaded, that all this is not yet by far so much as
that miracle and ornament of our age and country, Dr.
Christopher Wren, were able to perform, if he were so
disposed, and so encouraged, because he is master of so
many admirable advantages beyond them. I alledge these
examples partly to incite, and partly to shew the dignity
and vast comprehension of this rare art, and that for a man
to arrive to its utmost perfection, he should be almost as
universal as the orator in Cicero, and the architect in Vitruvius. But, certainly, some tincture in history, the optics and anatomy, are absolutely requisite, and more, iri
the opinion of our author, than to be a steady designer,
and skilled in the tempering and applying of colours,
which, amongst most of our modern workmen, go now for
the only accomplishments of a painter.
”
remainder of his days in Holland but, in 1670, sir William Temple delivered to him letters from the earl of Arlington, by which he was informed, that king Charles -II.
St. Evremond now thought of passing the remainder of
his days in Holland but, in 1670, sir William Temple
delivered to him letters from the earl of Arlington, by
which he was informed, that king Charles -II. desired his
return to England. This induced him to change his intentions; and, on his arrival in England, the king conferred
on him a pension o:' three hundred pounds a-year. In
1675, the duchess of Mazarin arrived in England; and we
are told, that “her house was the usual rendezvous of the
politest persons in England; and in these assemblies the
people of fashion found an agreeable amusement, and the
learned an excellent pattern of politeness.
” It is added,
that, in her house, “all manner of subjects were discoursed
upon, as philosophy, religion, history, pieces of wit and
gallantry, plays, and authors ancient and modern.
” St.
Evremond spent much of his time at the house of the duchess of Mazarin, and appears to have had a great friendship for her. He was also on very friendly terms with the
celebrated Ninon de PEnclos, with whom he often corresponded. He sometimes passed the summer season with
the court at Windsor, where he conversed much with Isaac
Vossius, who had been made one of the prebendaries of
Windsor by king Charles II. By the death of that prince,
St. Evremond lost his pension; but, in 1686, the earl of
Sunderland proposed to king James II. to create for him
an office of secretary of the cabinet, whose province should
be to write the king’s private letters to foreign princes.
The king agreed to the proposal, but St. Evremond declined accepting the office. He made his acknowledgments to lord Sunderland, and to the king; and said, “he
should account himself very happy to be able to serve his
majesty; but that a man of his age ought to think of nothing,
but how to husband the little time he had to live, and to
spend it in ease and tranquillity.
” After the Revolution,
he was so well treated in England by king William, that
he declined returning again to his own country, though
the French king now gave him permission, and even promised him a favourable reception. Yet king William’s
characteristic address to him, when first introduced at
court, could not be very acceptable to a man who valued
himself on his literary reputation “I think you was a
major-general in the French service
” About Ovid,
” said he, “was the
most witty and the most unfortunate man of his time. I
am not like him, either as to wit or misfortunes. He was
exiled among barbarians, where he made fine verses; but
so doleful and melancholy, that they excite as much
contempt for his weakness as compassion for his disgrace.
Where I am, I daily see the duchess of Mazarin. I lire
among sociable people, who have a great deal of merit and
a great deal of wit. I make very indifferent verses; but
so gay, that they make my humour to be envied, while
they make my poetry to be laughed at. I have too little
money but I love to be in a country where there is
enough besides, the nse of it ends with our lives and
the consideration of a greater evil is a sort of remedy
against a lesser. Thus you see I have several advantages
over Ovid. It is true, that he was more fortunate at Rome
with Julia than I have been at London with Hortensia: but
the favours of Julia were the occasion of his misfortune;
and the rigours of Hortensia do not make a man of my age
uneasy.
”
“the poor Roman catholics, or of any other religion.” His manuscripts he left to Dr. Sylvestre. The earl of Galway was his executor.
By his wiil, St. Evremond, who died worth about 800l.
left 20l. to the poor French refugees; and the same sura
to “the poor Roman catholics, or of any other religion.
”
His manuscripts he left to Dr. Sylvestre. The earl of Galway was his executor.
least dignity of character, or evident action or intention. It is the very bathos of the art. At the earl of Pembroke’s, at Wilton house, is a small picture which does
The fame of this discovery soon spread over Flanders
and into Italy; and when he grew old, but not till then,
he imparted his secret to several painters, both Flemish
and Italian. And it must be confessed the art of painting
is very highly indebted to him for this foundation of the
wonderful success with which succeeding ages have profited by this very useful discovery. As a painter he possessed very good talents, considering the early period of
the art. He copied his heads generally from rtature; his
figures are seldom well composed or drawn. But his power
of producing richness of positive colours is surprising, and
their durability no less so. He paid great attention evidently to nature, but saw her in an inferior style. He la->
boured his pictures very highly, particularly in the ornaments, which he bestowed with a lavish hand, but with alf
the Gothic taste of the time and country in which he lived.
In the gallery of the Louvre is a picture of the “Divine
Being,
” as he chose to call it, represented by an aged
man with a long beard, crowned with the pope’s tiara,
seated in a chair with golden circles of Latin inscriptions
round his head, but without the least dignity of character,
or evident action or intention. It is the very bathos of the
art. At the earl of Pembroke’s, at Wilton house, is a
small picture which does him more credit. -It represents
the nativity of our Saviour, with the adoration of the shepherds, and the composition consists of four figures, besides
the Saviour and four angels, and has in the back ground
the anomaly of the angels at the sa.me time appearing to
the shepherds. It is in oil, and the colours are most of
them very pure, except those of the flesh. The garment
of Joseph is very rich, being glazed thick with red lake,
which is as fresh as if it were new. Almost all the draperies are Sg glazed with different colours, and are still
very clear, except the virgin’s, which, instead of maintaining its blue colour, is become a blackish green. There is
a want of harmony in the work, but it is more the effect
of bad arrangement of the colours than the tones of them.
The glory surrounding the heads of the virgin and child
is of gold. We have been the more particular in stating
these circumstances of this picture, because our readers
will naturally be curious to know how far the original inventor of oil painting succeeded in his process, and they
will see by this account that he went very far indeed, in
what relates to the perfection of the vehicle he used,
which, if he had happily been able to employ as well as
he understood, the world would not have seen many better
painters. He lived to practise his discovery for thirty-one
years, dying in 1441, at the advanced age of seventy-one.
Although in the preceding sketch we have principally
followed the first authority in our references^ it must not
remain unnoticed that the learned antiquary, Mr. Raspe,
has proved, in the opinion of sir Joshua Reynolds beyond
all contradiction, that the art of painting in oil was invented
and practised many ages betbre Van Eyck was born.
mies, was the eldest son of Ferdinando, lord Fairfax, by Mary his wife, daughter of Edmund Sheffield earl of Mulgrave. He was born at Denton within the parish of Otley,
, a very active man in the
parliaments service during the civil wars, and at length
general of their armies, was the eldest son of Ferdinando,
lord Fairfax, by Mary his wife, daughter of Edmund Sheffield earl of Mulgrave. He was born at Denton within the
parish of Otley, in Yorkshire, in January, 1611. After a
proper school education, he studied sometime in St. John’s
college, in Cambridge, to. which, in his latter days, he
became a benefactor. He appears to have been a lover of
learning, though he did not excel in any branch, except
it was in the history and antiquities of Britain, as will appear in the sequel. Being of a martial disposition even in
his younger years, but finding no employment at home,
he went and served in Holland as a volunteer under the
command of Horatio lord Vere, in order to learn the art of
war. After some stay there (but how long we cannot learn)
he came back to England; and, retiring to his father’s
house, married Anne, fourth daughter of lord Vere. Here
he contracted a strong aversion for the court; either by
the instigation of his wife, who was a zealous presbyterian,
or eLe by the persuasions and example of his father, who,
as Clarendon says, grew “actively and factiously disaffected to the king.
” When the king first endeavoured to
raise a guard at York for his own person, he was entrusted
by his party to prefer a petition to the king, beseeching
him to hearken to his parliament, and not to take that
course of raising forces, and when his majesty seemed to
shun receiving it, Fairfax followed him with it, on Heyworth-moor, in the presence of near 100,000 people, and
presented it upon the pommel of his saddle. Shortly after,
upon the actual breaking out of the civil wars, in 1642, his
father having received a commission from the parliament
to be general of the forces in the North, he had a commission under him to be general of the horse. His first exploit was at Bradford in Yorkshire, which he obliged a
body of royalists to quit, and to retire to Leeds. A few
days after, he and captain Hotham, with some horse and
dragoons marching thither, the royalists* fled in haste to
York. And the former having advanced to Tadcaster, resolved to keep the pass at Wetherby, for securing the
West Riding of Yorkshire, whence their chief supplies
came. Sir Thomas Glemham attempted to dislodge them
thence; but, after a short and sharp encounter, retired.
On this, Will, am Cavendish earl of Newcastle, and Henry
Clifford earl of Cumberland, united their forces at York,
amounting to 9000 men, and resolved to fall upon Tadcaster: which being judged untenable, the lord Fairfax,
and his son sir Thomas, drew out to an advantageous piece
of ground near the town: but, alter a six hours fight, were
beaten, and withdrew in the night to Selby. Three days
after, sir Thomas marched in the night by several towns
Inch the royalists lay, and came to Bradford, where
he entrenched himself. But having too many soldiers to
lie idle, and too few to be upon constant duty, he resolved
to attack his enemies in their garrisons. Accordingly,
coming before Leeds, he carried that town (Jan. 23, 1642-3)
after a hot dispute, and found a good store of ammunition, of which he stood in great want. He next defeated
a party of 700 horse and foot at Gisborough, under the
command of colonel Slingsby; and then Wakefield and
Doncaster yielded themselves to the parliament. But, For
these overt acts, William earl of Newcastle, the king’s
general, proclaimed sir Thomas and his father traitors, and
the parliament did the like for the earl. In the mean time,
the lord Fairfax, being denied succour from Hull and the
East Riding, was forced to forsake Selby, and retire to
Leeds: of which the earl of Newcastle having intelligence,
lay with his army on Clifford-moor, to intercept him in
his way to Leeds. On this sir Thomas was ordered, by
his father, to bring what men he could to join with him at
Sherburne, on purpose to secure his retreat. To amuse
the earl, sir Thomas made a diversion at Tadcaster, which
'the garrison immediately quitted, but lord Goring marching to its relief, with twenty troops of horse and dragoons,
defeated sir Thomas upon Bramham-moor: who also received a second defeat upon Seacroft-moor, where some
of his men were slain, and many taken prisoners, and himself made his retreat with much difficulty to Leeds, about
an hour after his father was safely come thither. Leeds
and Bradford being all the garrisons the parliament had in
the North, sir Thomas thought it necessary to possess some
other place: therefore with about 1100 horse and foot, he
drove, on the 21st of May, the royalists out of Wakefield,
which they had seized again; and took 1400 prisoners, 80
officers, and great store of ammunition. But, shortly
after, the earl of Newcastle coming to besiege Bradford,
and sir Thomas and his father having the boldness, with
about 3000 men, to go and attack his whole army, which
consisted of 10,000, on Adderton-moor; they were entirely routed by the earl r on the 30th of June, with a considerable loss. Upon that, Halifax and Beverly being
abandoned by the parliamentarians, and the lord Fairfax
having neither a place of strength to defend himself in, nor
a garrison in Yorkshire to retire to, withdrew the same
night to Leeds, to secure that town. By his order, sir
Thomas stayed in Bradford with 800 foot, and 60 horse,
but being surrounded, he was obliged to force his way
through: in which desperate attempt, hjs lady, and many
Bothers, were taken prisoners. At his coming to Leeds, he
found things in great distraction; the council of war having resolved to quit the town, and retreat to Hull, which
was sixty miles off; with many of the "king’s garrison in the
way, but he got safely to Selby, where there was a ferry,
and hard by one of the parliament’s garrisons at Cawood.
Immediately after his coming to Selby, being attacked by
a party of horse which pursued him, he received a shot in
the wrist of his left arm, which made the bridle fall out of
liis hand, and occasioned such an effusion of blood, that
he was ready to fall from his horse. But, taking the reins
in the other hand in which he had his sword, he withdrew
himself out of the crowd; and after a very troublesome and
dangerous passage, he came to Hull. Upon these repeated disasters, the Scots were hastily solicited to send
20,000 men to the assistance of the parliamentarians, who
were thus likely to be overpowered. Lord Fairfax, after
his coming to Hull, made it his first business to raise new
forces, and, in a short time, had about 1500 foot, and 700
horse. The town being little, sir Thomas was sent to Beverly, with the horse and 600 foot: for, the marquis of
Newcastle looking upon them as inconsiderable, and leaving only a few garrisons, was marched with his whole army
into Lincolnshire; having orders to go into Essex, and
t>lock up London on that side. But he was hastily recalled
northward, upon lord Fairfax’s sending out a large party
to make an attempt upon Stanford-bridge near York. The
marquis, at his return into Yorkshire, first dislodged, from
Beverly, sir Thomas, who retreated into Hull, to which
the marquis laid siege, but could not carry the place.
During the siege, the horse being useless, and many dying
every day, sir Thomas was sent with them over into Lincolnshire, to join the earl of Manchester’s forces, then
commanded by major-general Cromwell. At Horncastle,
or Winsby, they routed a party of 5000 men, commanded
by sir John Henderson: and, at the same time, the besieged in Hull making a sally upon the besiegers, obliged
them to retire. These two defeats together, the one falling heavy upon the horse, the other upon the foot, kept
the royalists all that winter from attempting any thing;
and the parliamentarians, after the taking of Lincoln, settled themselves in winter quarters. But sir Thomas had
not long the benefit of them; for, in the coldest season of
the year, he was commanded by the parliament to go and
raise the siege of Nantwich in Cheshire, which lord Byron,
with an army from Ireland, had reduced to great extremity. He set forward from Lincolnshire, December 29,
and, being joined by sir William Brereton, entirely routed,
911 the 21st of January, lord Byron, who was drawn out to
meet them. After that, they took in several garrisons in
Cheshire, particularly Crew-house, &c. Sir Thomas, having stayed in those parts till the middle of March, was ordered back by his father into Yorkshire, that by the conjunction of their forces he might be abler to take the field.
They met about Ferry-bridge; and colonel Bellasis, governor of York, having advanced to Selby to hinder their
junction, they found means, notwithstanding, to join, and
entirely defeated him, on the llth of April, 1644. This
good success rendered sir Thomas master of the field in
Yorkshire, and nothing then hindered him from marching
into Northumberland, as he had been ordered by the parliament, to join the Scots, which were kept from advancing
southward by the superior forces of the marquis of Newcastle, quartered at Durham. But that stroke having
thrown York into the utmost distraction, the inhabitants
speedily sent to the marquis to haste back thither; by which
means a way was left open for the Scots, who, with cold,
and frequent alarms, were reduced to great extremity.
They joined the lord Fairfax at Wetherby, on the 20th of
April, and, marching on to York, laid siege to that city *,
wherein the marquis of Newcastle had shut himself up,
being closely pursued, on the way thither, by sir Thomas,
and major-general Desley. And, when prince Rupert was
advancing out of Lancashire to the relief of that place,
they marched with 6000 horse and dragoons, and 5000
foot, to stop his progress: but he, eluding their vigilance,
and bringing round his army, which consisted of above
20,000 men, got into York. Whereupon the parliamentarians raised the siege, and retired to Hessey-moor. The
English were for fighting, and the Scots for retreating;
which last opinion prevailing, they both marched away to
Tadcaster, there being great differences and jealousies between the two nations. But the rash and haughty prince,
instead of harassing and wearing them out by prudent delays, resolved, without consulting the marquis of New* fa our account cf Dodsworth (vol. XII. p. 181), will be found some circumstances favourable to sir Thomas Fairfax’s character in the conduct of this.
castle, or any of his officers, to engage them, on Marstonmoor, eight miles from York, on the 2d of July: where
that bloody battle was fought which entirely ruined the
king’s affairs in the north. In this battle, sir Thomas Fairfax commanded the right wing of the horse. The prince,
after his defeat, retiring towards Lancashire, and the marquis, in discontent, sailing away to Hamburgh, the three
parliament-generals came and sat down again before York,
which surrendered the 15th of July: and the North was
now wholly reduced by the parliament’s forces, except
some garrisons. In September following, sir Thomas was
sent to take Helmesley-castle, where he received a dangerous shot in one of his shoulders, and was brought back
to York, all being doubtful of his recovery for some time.
Some time after, he was more nearly killed by a cannonshot before Pomfret-castle.
f the rebellion. When the parliamentarians thought fit to new-model their army, and to lay aside the earl of Essex, they unanimously voted sir Thomas Fairfax to be their
Hitherto he had acquitted himself with undaunted bravery, and with great and deserved applause from his party. Had he stopped here, or at such times at least as the king’s concessions were in reason and equity a just ground for peace (which was more than once), he might have been honourably ranked among the rest of those patriots, who took up arms only for the redress of grievances. But his boundless ambition, and his great desire to rule, made him weakly engage, with the utmost zeal, in the worst and most exceptionable parts of the rebellion. When the parliamentarians thought fit to new-model their army, and to lay aside the earl of Essex, they unanimously voted sir Thomas Fairfax to be their general in his room, he being ready to undertake or execute any thing that he was ordered. To him Oliver Cromwell was joined with the title of lieutenant-general, but with intention of being his governor, exercising the superiority of deep art over a comparatively weak mind. Sir Thomas, being thus voted commander-in-chief of the parliament’s army on the 21st of January, 1644-5, received orders from the parliament speedily to come up from the north to London, where he arrived privatcsly, Feb. 18, and, the next day, was brought by four of the members into the house of commons, where he was highly complimented by the speaker, and received his commission of general. The 15th of the same month, an ordinance was made, for raising and maintaining of forces under his command: it having been voted, a few days before, that he should nominate all the commanders in his army, to be taken out of any of the other armies, with the approbation of both houses. March 25, the parliament ordered him 1500l. The 3d of April, he went from London to Windsor, where he appointed the general rendezvous and continued there till the last day of that month, new-framing and modelling the army or rather Cromwell doing it in his name. April 16, he was appointed, by both houses, governor of Hull. In the mean time, Taupton, in Somersetshire, one of the parliament’s garrisons, being closely besieged by the royalists, sir Thomas Fairfax received orders to hasten to its relief, with 8000 horse and foot. He began his march May 1, and by the 7th had reached Blandford in Dorsetshire: but, the king taking the field from Oxford, with strong reinforcements brought by the princes Rupert and Maurice, sir Thomas was ordered by the parliament to send 3000 foot and 1500 horse to relieve Taunton, and himself to return, with the rest of Juis forces, to join Oliver Cromwell and major-general Browne, and attend the king’s motions. The 14th of May he was come back as far as Newbury; where having rested three nights, he went and faced Dennington-castle, and took a few prisoners. Thence he proceeded to lay siege to Oxford, as he was directed by the committee of both kingdoms, and sat down before it the 22d. But, before he had made any progress in this siege, he received orders to draw near the king, who had taken Leicester by storm, May 31, and was threatening the eastern associated counties. Sir Thomas therefore rising from before Oxford, June 5, arrived the same day at Marsh-Gibbon, in Buckinghamshire on the llth he was at Wootton, and the next day at Gilsborough, in Northamptonshire where he kept his head-quarters till the 14th, when he engaged the king’s forces, at the fatal and decisive battle of Naseby, and obtained a complete victory. The king, after that, retiring into Wales, sir Thomas went and laid siege on the 16th to Leicester, which surrendered on the 18th. He proceeded, on the 22d, to Warwick; and thence (with 'a disposition either to go over the Severn towards the king, or to move westward as he should be ordered) he marched on through Gloucestershire towards Marlborough, where he arrived the 28th. Here he received orders from the parliament, to hasten to the relief of Taunton, which was besieged again by the royalists; letters being sent at the same time into the associated comities for recruits, and tfce arrears of pay for his army; but on his arrival at Bland ford, he was informed, that lord Goring had drawn off his horse from before Taunton, and left his foot in the passage to block up that place, marching himself with the horse towards Langport. Sir Thomas Fairfax, therefore, advancing against him, defeated him there on the 10th of July; and the next day^ went and summoned Bridgewater, which was taken by storm on the 22d. He became also master of Bath the 30th of the same month; and then laid close siege to Sherborne-castle, which was likewise taken by storm August 15. And, having besieged the city of Bristol from the 22d of August to the 10th of September, it was surrendered to him by prince Rupert. After this laborious expedition, the general rested some days at Bath, having sent out parties to reduce the castles of the Devises and Berkley, and other garrisons between the west and London; and on the 23d moved from Bath to the Devises, and thence to Warminster on the 27th, where he stayed till October 8, when he went to Lyme in Dorsetshire. From this place he came to Tiverton, of which he became master on the 19th; and then, as he could not undertake a formal siege in the winter season, he blocked up the strong city of Exeter, which did not surrender till the 13th of April following: in the mean time, he took Dartmouth by storm, January 18, 1645-6; and several forts and garrisons at different times. Feb. 16, he defeated thelord Hopton near Torrington. This nobleman retreating with his broken forces into Cornwall, sir Thomas followed him: in pursuit of whom he came to Launceston Feb. 25, and to Bodmin March 2. On the 4th, Mount Edgecornbe was surrendered to him; and Fowey about the same time. At last the parliament army approaching Truro, where lord Hopton had his head-quarters, and he being so hemmed in as to remain without a possibility of escaping, sir Thomas, on the 5th of March, sent and offered him honourable terms of capitulation, which after some delays, lord Hoptoit accepted, and a treaty was signed by commissioners on both sides, March 14 in pursuance of which, the royalists, consisting of above 5000 horse, were disbanded and took an oath never to bear arms against the parliament. But, before the treaty was signed, lord Hopton, and Arthur lord Capel, retired to Scilly, whence they passed into Jersey, April 17, with Charles prince of Wales, sir Kdtvard Hyde, and other persons of distinction. Thus the king’s army in the west being entirely dispersed by the vigilance and wonderful success of general Fairfax, he returned, March 31, to the siege of Exeter, which surrendered to him upon articles, the 13th of April, as already observed: and with the taking of this city ended his western expedition. He then marched, with wonderful speed, towards Oxford, the most considerable garrison remaining in the king’s hands, and arriving on the 1st of May, with his army, began to lay siege to it. The king, who was there, afraid of being enclosed, privately, and in disguise, departed thence on the 27th of April; and Oxford surrendered upon articles, June 24, as did Wallingford, July 22. After the reduction of these places, sir Thomas went and besieged Ragland-castle, in Monmouthshire, the property of Henry Somerset, marquis of Worcester, which yielded Aug. 19. His next employment was to disband major-general Massey’s brigade, which he did at the Devises. About that time he was seized with a violent fit of the ston, unjder which he laboured many days. As soon as he was recovered, he took a journey to London; where he arrived November 12, being met some miles off by great crowds of people, and the city militia. The next day, both houses of parliament agreed to congratulate his coming to town, and to give him thanks for his faithful services and wise conduct: which they did the day following, waiting upon him at his house in Queen-street*. Hardly had he had time to rest, when he was called upon to convoy the two hundred thousand pounds that had been granted to the Scotish army; the price of their delivering up their sovereign king Charles. For that purpose he set out from London, December 18, with a sufficient force, carrying at the same time 50,000l. for his own army. The king being delivered by the Scots to the parliament’s commissioners at Newcastle, Jan. 30, 1646-7, sir Thomas went and met him, Feb. 15, beyond Nottingham, in his way to Holmby; and his majesty stopping his horse, sir Thomas alighted, and kissed his hand; and afterwards mounted, and discoursed with him as they rode along. The 5th of March following, after long debate in parliament, he was toted general of the forces that were to be continued. He came to Cambridge the 12th of the same month, where he was highly caressed and complimented, and created master of arts.
at way the 20th. But he was soon recalled to quell an insurrection in Kent, headed by George Goring, earl of Norwich, and sir William Waller. Advancing therefore against
Hitherto, the crafty and ambitious Cromwell had permitted him to enjoy in all respects the supreme command,
at least to outward appearance. And, under his conduct,
the army’s rapid success, after their new model, had much
surpassed the expectation of the most sanguine of their
masters, the parliament* The question now was, to disband the majority of them after their work was done, and
to employ a part of the rest in the reduction of Ireland.
But either of the two appeared to all of them intolerable.
For, many having, from the dregs of the people, risen to
the highest commands, and by plunderings and violence
amassing daily great treasures, they could not bear the
thoughts of losing such great advantages. To maintain
themselves therefore in the possession of them, Cromwell,
and his son-in-law Ireton, as good a contriver as himself,
but a much better writer and speaker, devised how to raise
a mutiny in the army against the parliament. To this end
they spread a whisper among the soldiery, “that the parliament, now they had the king, intended to disband
them; to cheat them of their arrears; and to send them,
into Ireland, to be destroyed by the Irish.
” The army,
enraged at this, were taught by Ireton to erect a council
among themselves, of two soldiers out of every troop and
every company, to consult for the good of the army, and
to assist at the council of war, and advise for the peace and
safety of the kingdom. These, who were called adjutators,
or agitators, were wholly under Cromwell’s influence and
direction, the most active of them being his avowed creatures. Sir Thomas saw with uneasiness his power on the
army usurped by these agitators, the forerunners of confusion and anarchy, whose design (as he observes) was to
raise their own fortunes upon the public ruin; and that
made him resolve to lay down his commission. But he
was over-persuaded by the heads of the Independent faction to hold it till he had accomplished their desperate
projects, of rendering themselves masters not only of the
parliament, but of the whole kingdom; for, he joined in
the several petitions and proceedings of the army that
tended to destroy the parliament’s power. About the beginning of June, he advanced towards London, to awe the
parliament, though both houses desired his army might not
come within fifteen miles of the same; June 15, he was a
party in the charge against eleven of the members of the
house of commons; in August, he espoused the speakers
of both houses, and the sixty -six members that had fled to
the army, and betrayed the privileges of parliament: and,
entering London, August 6, restored them in a kind of
triumph; for which he received the thanks of both
houses, and was appointed constable of the Tower. On
the other hand it is said that he was no way concerned in,
the violent removal of the king from Holmby, by cornet
Joyce, on the 3d of June; and waited with great respect
upon his majesty at sir John Cutts’s house near Cambridge.
Being ordered, on the 15th of the same month, by the
parliament, to deliver the person of the king to such persons as both houses should appoint; that he might be brought
to Richmond, where propositions were to be presented to
him for a safe and well-grounded peace; instead of complying (though he seemed to do so) he carried his majesty
from place to place, according to the several motions of
the army, outwardly expressing, upon most occasions, a
due respect for him, but, not having the will or resolution
to oppose what he had not power enough to prevent, he
resigned himself entirely to Cromwell. It was this undoubtedly that made him concur, Jan. 9, 1647-8, in that
infamous declaration of the army, of “No further addresses or application to the king; and resolved to stand by
the parliament, in what should be further necessary for
settling and securing the parliament and kingdom, without
the king and against him.
” His father dying at York,
March 13, he became possessed of his title and estate
and was appointed keeper of Pontefract-castle, custos
rotulorum of Yorkshire, &c. in his room. But his father’s
death made no alteration in his conduct, he remaining
the same servile or deluded tool to Cromwell’s ambition.
He not only sent extraordinary supplies, and took all
pains imaginable for reducing colonel Poyer in Wales, but
also quelled, with the utmost zeal and industry, an insurrection of apprentices and others in London, April 9, who
had declared for God and king Charles. The 1st of the
same month he removed his head-quarters to St. EdmundV
bury; and, upon the royalists seizing Berwick and Carlisle,
and the apprehension of the Scots entering England, he
was desired, May 9, by the parliament, to advance in person into the North, to reduce those places, and to prevent
any danger from the threatened invasion. Accordingly
he began to march that way the 20th. But he was soon
recalled to quell an insurrection in Kent, headed by George
Goring, earl of Norwich, and sir William Waller. Advancing therefore against them from London in the latter
end of May, he defeated a considerable party of them at
Maidstone, June 2, with his usual valour. But the earl
and about 500 of the royalists, getting over the Thames at
Greenwich into Essex, June 3, they were joined by several
parties brought by sir Charles Lucas, and Arthur lord
Capel, which made up their numbers about 400; and went
and shut themselves up in Colchester on the 12th of June.
Lord Fairfax, informed of their motions, passed over with
his forces at Gravesend with so much expedition, that he
arrived before Colchester June 13. Immediately he summons the royalists to surrender; which they refusing, he
attacks them the same afternoon with the utmost fury,
but, being repulsed, he resolved, June 14, to block up
the place in order to starve the royalists into a compliance.
These endured a severe and tedious siege of eleven weeks,
not surrendering till August 28, and feeding for about five
weeks chiefly on horse-flesh; all their endeavours for obtaining peace on honourable terms being ineffectual. This
affair is the most exceptionable part in lord Fairfax’s
conduct, if it admits of degrees, for he granted worse
terms to that poor town than to any other in the whole
course of the war he endeavoured to destroy it as much
as possible he laid an exorbitant fine, or ransom, of
J2,000l. upon the inhabitants, to excuse them from being
plundered; and he vented his revenge and fury upon sir
Charles Lucas and sir George Lisle, who had behaved in
the most inoffensive manner during the siege, sparing that
buffoon the earl of Norwich, whose behaviour had been
quite different: so that his name and memory there ought
to be for ever detestable. After these mighty exploits
against a poor and unfortified town, he made a kind of
triumphant progress to Ipswich, Yarmouth, Norwich, St.
Edmund’s-bui y, Harwich, Mersey, and Maldon. About
the beginning of December he came to London, to awe
thatcity and the parliament, and to forward the proceedings against the king quartering himself in the royal
palace of Whitehall: and it was by especial order from
him and the council of the army, that several members of
the house of commons were secluded and imprisoned, the
6th and 7th of that month; he being, as Wood expresses
it, lulled in a kind of stupidity. Yet, although his name
stood foremost in the list of the king’s judges, he refused
to act, probably by his lady’s persuasion. Feb. 14, 1648-9,
he was voted to be one of the new council of state, but
on the 19th he refused to subscribe the test, appointed
by parliament, for approving all that was done concerning
the king and kingship. March 31 he was voted general
of all the forces in England and Ireland; and in May he
inarched against the levellers, who were grown very numerous, and began to be troublesome and formidable in
Oxfordshire, and utterly routed them atBurford. Thence,
on the 22d of the same month, he repaired to Oxford with
Oliver Cromwell, and other officers, where he was highly
feasted, and created LL.D. Next, upon apprehension of
the like risings in other places, he went and viewed the
castles and fortifications in the Isle of Wight, and at Southampton, and Portsmouth; and near Guildford had a rendezvous of the army, which he exhorted to obedience.
June 4, he was entertained, with other officers, &c. by the
city of London, and presented with a large and weighty
bason and ewer of beaten gold. In June 1650, upon the
Scots declaring for king Charles II. the juncto of the
council of state having taken a resolution to be beforehand,
and not to stay to be invaded from Scotland, but to carry
first the war into that kingdom; general Fairfax, being
consulted, seemed to approve of the design: but afterwards,
by the persuasions of his lady, and of the presbyterian
ministers, he declared himself unsatisfied that there was a
just ground for the parliament of England to send their
army to invade Scotland and resolved to lay down his
commission rather than engage in that affair and on the
26th that high trust was immediately committed to Oliver
Cromwell, who was glad to see him removed, as being no
longer necessary, but rather an obstacle to his farther ambitious designs. Being thus released from all public employment, he went and lived quietly at his own house in
Nun-Appleton in Yorkshire; always earnestly wishing and
praying (as we are assured) for the restitution of the royal
family, and fully resolved to lay hold on the first opportunity to contribute his part towards it, which made him
always looked upon with a jealous eye by the usurpers of
that time. As soon as he was invited by general Monk to
assist him against Lambert’s army, he cheerfully embraced
the occasion, and appeared, on the 3d of December 1659,
at the head of a body of gentlemen of Yorkshire and,
upon the reputation and authority of his name, the Irish
brigade of 1200 horse forsook Lambert’s army, and joined
him. The consequence was, the immediate breaking of
all Lambert’s forces, which gave general Monk an easy
inarch into England. The 1st of January 1659-60, his
lordship made himself master of York; and, on the 2d of
the same month, was chosen by the rump parliament one
of the council of state, as he was again on the 23d of February ensuing. March '29 he was elected one of the
knights for the county of York, in the healing parliament;
and was at the head of the committee appointed May 3,
by the house of commons, to go and attend king Charles
II. at the Hague, to desire him to make a speedy return
to his parliament, and to the exercise of his kingly office.
May 16 he waited upon his majesty with the rest, and
endeavoured to atone in some measure for all past offences,
by readily concurring and assisting in his restoration. After
the dissolution of the short healing parliament, he retired
again to his seat in the country, where he lived in a private
manner till his death, which happened November 12, 1671,
in the sixtieth year of his age. Several letters,
remonstrances, and other papers, subscribed with his name, are
preserved in Rushworth and other collections, being published during the time he was general; but he disowned
most of them. After his decease, some “short memorials,
written by himself,
” were published in 1699, 8vo, by
Brian Fairfax, esq. but do his lordship no great honour,
either as to principle, style, or accuracy. Lord Fairfax,
as to his person, was tall, but not above the just proportion,
and of a gloomy and melancholy disposition. He stammered a little, and was a bad orator ou the most plausible
occasions. As to the qualities of his mind, he was of a
good natural disposition; a great lover of learning, having
contributed to the edition of the Polygiott, and other large
works; and a particular admirer of the History and Antiquities of Great Britain, as appears by the encouragement
he gave to Mr. Dodsvrorth. In religion he professed Presbyterianismn, but where he first learned that, unless ia
the army, does not appear. He was of a meek and humble
carriage, and but of few words in discourse and council;
yet, when his judgment and reason were satisfied, he was
unalterable; and often ordered things expressly contrary
to the judgment of all his council. His valour was unquestionable. He was daring, and regardless of self-interest, and, we are told, in the field he appeared so highly
transported, that scarcely any durst speak a word to him,
and he would seem like a man distracted and furious. Had
not the more successful ambition and progress of Cromwell
eclipsed lord Fairfax’s exploits, he would have been considered as the greatest of the parliamentary commanders;
and one of the greatest heroes of the rebellion, had not
the extreme narrowness of his genius, in every thing but
war, obstructed his shining as a statesman. We have already noticed that he had some taste for literature, and
that both at York and at Oxford he endeavoured to
preserve the libraries from being pillaged. He also presented
twenty-nine ancient Mss. to the Bodleian library, one of
which is a beautiful ms. of -Cower' s “Confessio Amantis.
”
When at Oxford we do not find that he countenanced any
of the outrages committed there, but on the contrary,
exerted his utmost diligence in preserving the Bodleian
from pillage; and, in fact, as Mr. Warton observes, that
valuable repository suffered less than when the city was in'
the possession of the royalists. Lord Orford has introduced lord Fairfax among his “Royal and Noble Authors,
”
“not only as an historian, but a poet. In Mr. Thoresby’s museum were preserved in manuscript the following
pieces:
” The Psalms of David;“”The Song of Solomon“” The Canticles;“and
” Songs of Moses, Exod.
15. and Deut. 32.“and other parts of scripture versified.
” Poem on Solitude.“Besides which, in the same collection were preserved
” Notes of Sermons by his lordship, by his lady, and by their daughter Mary,“the wife
of the second duke of Buckingham; and
” A Treatise on
the Shortness of Life.“But, of all lord Fairfax’s works,
by far the most remarkable were some verses which he
wrote on the horse on which Charles the Second rode to
liis coronation, and which had been bred and presented to
the king by his lordship. How must that merry monarch,
not apt to keep his countenance on more serious occasions,
have smiled at this awkward homage from the old victorious
hero of republicanism and the covenant
” Besides these,
several of his Mss. are preserved in the library at Denton,
of which Mr. Park has given a list in his new edition of the
“Royal and Noble Authors.
”
residence there. In February 1659 (under pretence of travelling abroad with the eldestson of Philip earl of Pembroke), he obtained his bail to be returned, and repaired
Being in England at the breaking-out of the civil war,
he declared early for the crown, and was employed in
several important matters of state. In 1644, attending the
court at Oxford, he had the degree of D. C. L. conferred
upon him, and was appointed secretary at war to the prince
of Wales, whom he attended into the western parts of
England, and thence into the islands of Scilly and Jersey.
In 1648 he was appointed treasurer to the navy under
prince Rupert, which office he held till 1650, when he was
created a baronet, and sent to Madrid to represent the
necessitous situation of his master, and to beg a temporary
assistance from Philip IV. He was then sent for to Scotland, and served there in the capacity of secretary of state
to the great satisfaction of all parties, although he took
neither covenant nor engagement . About this time he was
recommended by the king to the York party, who received
him with great kindness, and entrusted him with the broad
seal and signet. In 1651 he was taken prisoner at the
battle of Worcester, and committed to close custody in
London; but, having contracted a dangerous sickness, he
had liberty allowed him, upon giving bail, to go for the
recovery of his health to any place he should chtise, provided he stirred not five miles thence without leave from
the parliament. In 1654 he was at Tankersley park in
Yorkshire, which place he hired of his friend lord Sirafford, to whom he dedicated his translation of the “Lusiad
of Camoens,
” written during his residence there. In February
writers. Another encouragement, which suffered him to exercise his genius at leisure, he owed to the earl of Orrery, a patron as well as a master of letters, who conferred
Soon after this, having now no inducement to remain at
Dublin, he went to London, where, in 1696, the
celebrated actor Wilks prevailed upon him to write a play, and,
knowing his humour and abilities, assured him, that he
was considered by all as fitter to furnish compositions for
the stage, than to act those of other writers. Another encouragement, which suffered him to exercise his genius at
leisure, he owed to the earl of Orrery, a patron as well as
a master of letters, who conferred a lieutenant’s commission upon him in his own regiment in Ireland, which Farquhar held several years, and gave several proofs both of
courage and conduct. In 1698, his first comedy, called
“Love in a Bottle,
” appeared on the stage; and for its
sprightly dialogue and busy scenes, was well received
by the audience. In 1700 he produced his “Constant
Couple, or, Trip to the Jubilee,
” it being then the jubilee
year at Rome, when persons of all countries flocked
thither, for pardons or amusements. In the character of
sir Harry Wildair, our author drew so gay and airy a character, so suited to Wilks’s talents, and so animated by his
gesture and vivacity of spirit, that the player gained almost
as much reputation as the poet. Towards the end of this
year, Farquhar was in Holland, probably upon his military
duty: and he has given a very facetious description of
those places and people, in two of his letters, dated from
the Brill and from Leyden: in a third, dated from the
Hague, he very humourously relates how merry he was
there, at a treat made by the earl of Westmoreland; while
not only himself, but king William, and others of his subjects, were detained there by a violent storm. There is
also among his poems, an ingenious copy of verses to his
mistress upon the same subject. This mistress is supposed
to have been Mrs. Oldfield, whom he first recommended
to the stage. In 1701 he was a spectator, if not a mourner,
at Dryden’s, funeral; for the description he has given of it
in one of his letters, affords little indication of sorrow.
considerable port in that duchy, Fastolff was constituted lieutenant thereof, with 1500 men, by the earl of Derby, as Basset in his ms history informs us; but, as we
, knight, and knight-banneret, a
valiant and renowned general, governor, and nobleman in
France, during our conquests in that kingdom, under king
Henry IV. V. and VI. of England, and knight-companion
of the most noble order of the garter, has been supposed,
from the title of his French barony, and from his name
being so often corruptly mentioned in the French histories^
owing to his long residence, and many engagements in
the wars there, to have been born in France, at least of
French extraction. Others, allowing him to have been
a native of England, have no less erroneously fixed hist
birth-place in Bedfordshire; but it is well known that he
was descended of an ancient and famous English family in
the county of Norfolk, which had flourished there and in
other parts of the kingdom, in very honourable distinction,
before the conquest: and from a train of illustrious ancestors, many of them dignified with the honour of knighthood, invested with very eminent employments, and possessed of extensive patrimonies. But one of the principal
branches being seated at Castre in Fleg near Great Yarmouth in that county, which estate descending to these
ancestors, he afterwards adorned with a noble family seat,
it is presumed he was born therej or in Yarmouth. His
father was John Fastolff, esq. of that town, a man of considerable account, especially for his public benefactions,
pious foundations, &c. His mother was Mary, daughter
of Nicholas Park, esq. and married to sir Richard Mortimer,
of Attleburgh; and this their son was born in the latter
end of king Edward the Illd’s reign. As he died at the
age of eighty, in 1459, his birth could not happen later
than 1378. It may fairly be presumed he was grounded
as well in that learning and other accomplishments which
afterwards, improved by his experience and sagacity, rendered him so famous in war and peace, as in those virtuous
and religious principles which governed his actions to the
last. His father dying before he was of age, the care of
his person and estate were committed to John duke of
Bedford, who was afterwards the most wise and able regent
of France we ever had there; and he was the last ward
which that duke had: others, indeed, say that he was
trained up in the Norfolk family, which will not appear
improbable when we consider that it was not unusual in
those times for young noblemen whilst under wardship to
be trained under others, especially ministers of state, in
their houses and families, as in academies of behaviour, and
to qualify them for the service of their country at home
pr abroad. But if he was under Thomas Mowbray duke
pf Norfolk, while he enjoyed that title, it could be but
one year, that duke being banished the kingdom by king
Richard II. in 1398, though his younger son, who was
restored to that title many years after, might be one of sir
John FastoltFs feoffees. And it is pretty evident that he
was, but a few years after the banishment of that duke, in
some considerable post under Thomas of Lancaster, after^
wards duke of Clarence, and second son of the succeeding
king Henry IV. This Thomas was sent by his father so
early, according to some writers, as the second year of his
reign, which was in 1401, lord lieutenant of Ireland. And
it is not improbable that Fastolff was then with him; for
we are informed by William of Wyrcestre, that in the sixth,
and seventh years of the said king Henry, that is, in 1405
and 1406, this John Fastolff, esq. was continually with,
him. And the same lord lieutenant of Ireland was again
there in 1408, 10 Henry IV. and almost to the beginning
of the next year, when it is no less probable that Fastolff
was still with him; for, in the year last mentioned, we
find that he was married in that kingdom to a rich
young widow of quality, named Milicent, lady Castlecomb,
daughter of Robert lord Tibetot, and relict of sir Stephen
Scrope, knight; the same, perhaps, who is mentioned,
though not with the title of knighthood, by sir P. Leycester, to have been the said lord lieutenant’s deputy of
Ireland, during most of the intervals of his return to England; which deputy-lieutenant died in his office the same
year. This marriage was solemnized in Ireland on the
feast of St. Hilary, 1408, and Fastolff bound himself in
the sum of 1000l. to pay her 100l. a year, for pin-money
during life; and she received the same to the 24th year of
king Henry VI. The lands in Wiltshire and Yorkshire
which came to Fastolff by this marriage with the said lady,
descended to Stephen Le Scrope, her son and heir. We
may reasonably believe that this marriage in Ireland engaged his settlement in that kingdom, or upon his estate
in Norfolk, till his appointment to the command of some
forces, or to some post of trust under the English regency
in France, soon after required his residence in that kingdom. For, according to the strictest calculation we can
make from the accounts of his early engagements in
France, the many years he was there, and the time of his
final return, it must be not long after his marriage that he
left either England or Ireland for that foreign service;
being employed abroad by Henry IV. V. and VI. in the
wars in France, Normandy, Anjou, Mayne, and Guyenne,
upwards of forty years; which agrees very well with what
Caxton has published, in his concise, yet comprehensive
character of him, little more than twenty years after his
death, where he speaks of his “exercisyng the warrys in
the royame of Fraunce and other countrees, &c. by fourty
yeres enduryng.
” So that, we cannot see any room, either
in the time or the temper, in the fortunes or employments
of this knight, for him to have been a companion with, or
follower and corrupter of prince Henry, in his juvenile
and dissolute courses; nor, that Shakspeare had any view
of drawing his sir John Falstaff from any part of this sir
John Fastolff’s character; or so much as pointing at any
indifferent circumstance in it that can reflect upon his
memory, with readers conversant in the true history of
him. The one is an old, humourous, vapouring, and
cowardly, lewd, lying, and drunken debauchee, about the
prince’s court when the other was a young and grave,
discreet and valiant, chaste and sober, commander abroad
continually advanced to honours and places of profit, for
his brave and politic atchievements, military and civil;
continually preferred to the trust of one government or
other of countries, cities, towns, &c. or as a genera^
and commander of armies in martial expeditions while
abroad; made knight-banneret in the field of battle; baron,
in France, and knight of the garter in England and, particularly, when finally settled at home, constantly exercised
in acts of hospitality, munificence, and chanty; a founder
of religious buildings, and other stately edifices ornamental
to his country, as their remains still testify; a generous
patron of worthy and learned men, and a public benefactor
to the pious and the poor. In short, the more we
compare the circumstances in this historical character, with
those in that poetical one, we can find nothing discreditable in the latter, that has any relation to the former, or
that would mislead an ignorant reader to mistake or confound them, but a little quibble, which makes some conformity in their names, and a short degree in the time
wherein the one did really, and the other is feigned to live.
And, in regard to the prince of Wales, or our knight’s
being engaged in any wild or riotous practices of his youth,
the improbabilities may also appear from the comparison of
their age, and a view of this prince’s commendable engagements till that space of time in which he indulged his
interval of irregularities, when the distance of our knight
will clear him from being a promoter of, or partaker in
them. For it is apparent, that he had been intrusted with
a command in France some time before the death of king
Henry IV. because, in 1413, the rery first year of his son,
who was now grown the reformed, and soon after proved
the renowned, Henry V. it appears that Fastolff had the
castle and dominion of Veires in Gascoigne committed to
his custody and defence: whence it is very reasonably inferred, that he then resided in the said duchy, which at
that time was possessed by the English. In June 1415,
Fastolff, then only an esquire, was returned, by indenture,
with ten men of arms, and thirty archers, to serve the king
at his arrival in France. Soon after king Henry was arrived in Normandy, in August following, with above 30,000
men, the English army having made themselves masters of
Harfleur, the most considerable port in that duchy, Fastolff
was constituted lieutenant thereof, with 1500 men, by the
earl of Derby, as Basset in his ms history informs us;
but, as we find it in others, the king, upon this conquest,
constituted his said uncle Thomas Beaufort, earl of Dorset
and duke of Exeter, governor of Harfleur, in conjunction
sir John Fastolff; and, having repaired the fortificaplaced therein a garrison of two thousand select
men, as Titus Livius numbers them; or of fifteen hundred
ien at arms, and thirty-five knights, according to Hall’s
account; to which number Monstrelet also adds a thousand
archers. Towards the latter end of October, in the year
last mentioned, he was dangerously engaged in the evermemorable battle of Agincourt, where it is said that Fastolff, among others, signalized himself most gallantly by
taking the duke of Alengon prisoner; though other
historians say that duke was slain after a desperate encounter
with king Henry himself, in which he cut off the crowned
crest of the king’s helmet. The fact is, that, in a succeeding battle, Fastolff did take this duke’s son and successor prisoner. In the same year, 1415, he, with the
duke and 3000 English, invaded Normandy, and penetrated almost to Rouen; but on their return, loaded with
booty, they were surprised, and forced to retreat towards
Harfleur, whither the enemy pursuing them, were totally
defeated. The constable of France, to recover his credit,
laid siege to Harfleur, which made a vigorous defence
under sir John Fastolff and others till relieved by the fleet
under the duke of Bedford. He was at the taking of the
castle of Tonque, the city of Caen, the castle of Courcy,
the city of Sees, and town of Falaise, and at the great
siege at Rouen, 1417. For his services at the latter he
was made governor of Conde Noreau; and for his eminent
services in those victories, he received, before the 29th of
January following, the honour of knighthood, and had the
manor and demesne of Fritense near Harfleur bestowed
upon him during life. In 1418 he was ordered to seize
upon the castle and dominion of Bee Crispin, and other
manors, which were held by James D'Auricher, and several
other knights; and had the said castle, with those lands,
granted him in special tail, to the yearly value of 2000
scutes. In 1420 he was at the siege of Monsterau, as Peter
Basset has recorded; and, in the next year, at that of
Meaulx-en-Brie. About five months after the decease of
king Henry V. the town of Meulent having been surprized
in January 1422, John duke of Bedford, regent of France,
and sir John Fastolff, then grand master of his household,
and seneschal of Normandy, laid siege to the same, and
re-took it. In 1423, after the castle of Craven t was relieved, our knight was constituted lieutenant for the king
and regent in Normandy, in the jurisdictions of Rouen,
Evreux, Alengon, and the countries beyond the river
Seine: also governor of the countries of Anjou and Maine,
and before the battle of Verneuil was created banneret,
About three months after, being then captain of Alengon,
and governor of the marches thereof, he laid siege to the
castle of Tenuye in Maine, as a French historian informs
us, which was surrendered to him; and, in 1424, he was
sent to oppose the delivery of Alenon to the French, upon
a discovery made that a Gascoigner had secretly contracted
to betray the same. In September 1425, he laid siege to
Beaumont le Vicompt, which surrendered to him. Then
also he took the castle of Sillie-Je-Guillem, from which he
was dignified with the title of baron: but this, revolting
afterwards again to the French, was assaulted by the earl
of Arundel, and retaken about seven years after. In the
year last mentioned, our active warrior took also St. Ouen
D'Estrais, near Laval, as likewise the castle of Gravelle,
with other places of strength, from the enemy; for which
dangerous and indefatigable service in France he was about
the same time elected in England, with extraordinary
deference to his merits, knight companion of the order of
the garter. In 1426 John lord Talbot was appointed
governor of Anjou and Maine, and sir John Fastolff was
removed to another place of command, which, in all probability, might be the foundation of that jealousy, emulation, or competition, between them, which never was cordially reconciled. In October 1428, he had a protection
granted him, being then going into France; and there he
performed an enterprise of such bravery and conduct as is
scarcely thought to have been paralleled in ancient or
modern history. The English army, at the siege of Orleans, being in great want of provisions, artillery, and
other necessaries, sir John Fastolff, with some other approved commanders, was dispatched for supplies by William de la Pole duke of Suffolk, to the regent at Paris;
who not only provided him plentifully therewith, but allowed him a strong guard at his return, that he might convey the same safely to the siege. The French, knowing
the importance of this succour, united two armies of very
superior numbers and force to meet him; but, either in
different encounters, or in a pitched battle, as the French
thetnselv es allow, he totally overthrew them; slew greater
numbers than he had under his command, not to mention
the wounded and the prisoners; and conducted his convoy
safe to the English camp. And because it was in the time
of Lent, and he had, among his other provision, several
of his carriages laden with many barrels of herrings, which
he applied to form a fortification, the French have ever
since called this victory “The battle of herrings.
” But
as the fortune of war is precarious, the English army was
soon after obliged to raise the siege of Orleans, and though
they received recruits from the duke of Bedford, they were
in no degree strong enough to encounter the French army
at Patay. At the battle which happened there in June
1429, many of the English, who were of most experienced
and approved valour, seeing themselves so unequal, and
the onset of the French so unexpected, made the best
retreat they could and, among them who saved themselves, as it is said, was sir John Fastolff vfho, with such
as could escape, retired to Corbeil thus avoiding being
killed, or, with the great lord Talbot, lord Hungerford,
and sir Thomas Ramps ton, taken prisoner of war. Here
the French tales, which some English historians have inconsiderately credited, contradict or invalidate themselves;
for, after having made the regent most improbably, and
without any examination, or defence, divest Fastolff of his
honours, they no less suddenly restore him to them, for,
as they phrase it, “apparent causes of good excuse;
though against the mind of the lord Talbot;
” between
whom there had been, it seems, some emulous contests,
and therefore it is no wonder that Fastolff found him upon
this occasion an adversary. It is not likely that the regent
ever conceived any displeasure at this conduct, because
Fastolff was not only continued in military and civil employments of the greatest concern, but appears more in
favour with the regent after the battle of Patay than before. So that, rather than any dishonour here can be
allowed, the retreat itself, as it is told, must be doubted.
It was but in 1430 that he preferred him to the lieutenancy
of Caen in Normandy. In 1432 he accompanied him into
France, and was soon after sent ambassador to the council
of Basil, and chosen, in the like capacity, to negociate
a final or temporary peace with France. And that year,
Fastolff, with the lord Willoughby, commanded the army
which assisted the duke of Bretagne against the duke of
Alen^on. Soon after this he was for a short space in England; for, in 1433, going abroad again, he constituted
John Fastolff, of Olton, probably a near relation, his general attorney. In 1434, or the beginning of the year
after, sir John was again with the regent of France;'and,
in 1435, he was again one of the ambassadors to conclude
a peace with France. Towards the latter end of this year
the regent died at Rouen, and, as the greatest proof he
could give of his confidence in the honour and integrity of
sir John Fastolff, he made him one of the executors of his.
last will. Richard, duke of York, who succeeded in the
regency of France, made Fastolff a grant of an annuity of
twenty pounds a year of his own estate, “pro notabili et
landdbili servicio, ac bono consilio;
” which is sufficient to
shew this duke’s sentiments also of his merits. In 1436,
and for about four years longer, he seems to have been
well settled at his government in Normandy; after which,
in 1440, he made his final return home, and, loaclen
with the laurels he had gathered in France, became as illustrious in his domestic as he had been in his foreign
character. The late Mr. Gough, by whom this article was
much enlarged, had an inventory of all the rich jewels,
plate, furniture, &c. that he either had, or left in France,
at his return to England. In 1450 he conveyed to John
Kemp, cardinal archbishop of York, and others, his manor
of Castre in Fleg, and several other lands specified in the
deed of conveyance. The same year, Nov. 8, the king
by writ directed Richard Waller, esq. David John William
Needham, and John Ingoldsby, to cause Thomas Danyell,
esq. to pay to sir John FastolfF, knight, the lOOl. that he
was indebted to him for provisions, and for his ship called
the George of Prussia, alias Danyell’s Hulk, which ship
the said Danyell took on the sea as a prize, and never had
it condemned; so that the king seized it, ordered it to be
sold, and sir John to be paid out of it. At length being
arrived, in 1459, beyond the age of fourscore years, he
says of himself, that he was “in good remembrance, albeit
I am gretly vexed with sickenesse, and thurgh age infebelyd.
” He lingered under an hectic fever and asthma
for an hundred and forty-eight days; but before he departed he made his will on the fifth of November in that
year, and died at his seat at Castre the next day after,
being the festival of St. Leonard, or the eve before, as
appears in the escheats, in the 39th or last year of king
Henry the Vlth’s reign, and no less than thirty-six years
beyond the extravagant period assigned by Fuller. He
was buried with great solemnity under an arch, in a chapel
of our lady of his own building, on the south side of the
choir at the abbey-church of St. Bennet in the Holm, in
Norfolk, which was ruined at the dissolution; and so much
was he respected after his decease, that John Beauchamp,
lord of Powyke, in his last will dated the 15th of Edward
IV. appointed a chantry, more especially for the soul of
sir John Fastolff.
land. He was the confidential printer of dean Swift; and enjoyed the friendship and patronage of the earl of Chesterfield, whose ironical letters to Faulkner, comparing
, a worthy printer of no mean
celebrity, is rather recorded in this work for the goodness
of his heart, than from his excellence as an author. It is,
however, no small degree of praise to say of him, that he
was the first man who carried his profession to a high degree of credit in Ireland. He was the confidential printer
of dean Swift; and enjoyed the friendship and patronage
of the earl of Chesterfield, whose ironical letters to Faulkner, comparing him to Atticus, are perhaps the finest parts
of his writings. He settled at Dublin as a printer and
bookseller, soon after 1726 (in which year we find him in London under the tuition of the celebrated Bowyer), &nd
raised there a very comfortable fortune by his well-known
44 Journal,“and other laudable undertakings. In 1735, he
was ordered into custody by the house of commons in Ireland, for having published
” A proposal for the better regulation and improvement of quadrille;“an ingenious treatise
by bishop Hort; which produced from Swift
” The 4egion
club.“Having had the misfortune to break his leg, he was
satirically introduced by Foote, who spared nobody, in the
character of
” Peter Paragraph,“in
” The Orators, 1762.“He commenced a suit against the mimic; and had the honour of lord Townshend’s interference to arbitrate the difference. He died an alderman of Dublin, Aug. 28, 1775.
His style and manner were finely ridiculed in
” An Epistle
to Gorges Edmund Howard, esq. with notes, explanatory,
critical, and historical, by George Faulkner, esq. and alderman,“reprinted in Dilly’s
” Reppsitory,“vol. IV. p. 175.
But a fairer specimen of his real talents at epistle-writing
may be seen in the
” Anecdotes of Mr. Bowyer,“or in the
second volume of the
” Supplement to Swift;" whence it
appears that, if vanity was a prominent feature in his character, his gratitude was no less conspicuous.
ions for the Prussian cavalry,” which was also published in 1757, and dedicated to major-general the earl of Albemarle, colonel of the king’s own regiment of dragoons.
, a brave English officer, the descendant of a very ancient family, was born
in 1728 at Shipdenhall, near Halifax, in Yorkshire, which,
for many centuries, had been in the possession of his ancestors, and is now the property and residence of their
lineal descendant. His father dying when he was very
young, his education was superintended by an uncle, a very
worthy clergyman. He was brought up at a free school in
Lancashire, where he was well grounded in classical learning, and became also a remarkable proficient in mathematics. He has very frequently been heard to declare,
that, from his earliest youth, he always felt the strongest
predilection for the army, which his mother and nearest
relations constantly^ endeavoured to dissuade him from;
but, finding all their arguments ineffectual, they either
bought, or he had an ensigncy given him, in general Oglethorpe’s regiment, then in Georgia; but the war being then
going on in Flanders, he gave up his ensigncy, and went
there as a volunteer, furnished with letters from the late
marquis of Rockingham and Mr. Lascelles (afterwards lord Harewood) to the commander and several others of the
officers. This step was at the time frequently taken
by young men of spirit of the first rank and fortune, fte
entered as a volunteer, but messed with the officers, and
was very soon presented with a pair of colours. Some
time after, he married a lady of good fortune and family,
and, at the pressing entreaties df her friends, he most reluctantly resigned his commission; which he had no sooner
done, than he felt himself miserable, and his new relations
finding that his propensity to a military life was invincible,
agreed to his purchasing an ensigncy in the third regiment
of guards. Having now obtained the object of his most
anxious wishes, he determined to lose no opportunity of
qualifying himself for the highest situations in his favourite
profession. With this view he paid the most unremitting
attention to his duty, and every hour he could command
was given up to the study of the French and German languages, in which (by the assistance of his classical learning) he soon became such a proficient as not only to understand and write both, grammatically and elegantly, but
to speak them fluently. When he was a lieutenant in the
guards, he translated from the French, “The Reveries;
Memoirs upon the Art of War, by field-marshal count
Saxe,
” which was published in To the general officers.
” He also translated from the
German, “Regulations for the Prussian cavalry,
” which
was also published in llegulations for the Prussian Infantry,
” to which
was gelded “The Prussian Tactics,
” which was published
in
case of Perrin v. Blake, before the court of king’s bench, 1769, addressed to the right hon. William earl of Mansfield.” This appeared about 1780, and is said to have
While thus employed, an occasion presented itself, which
called forth his talents in a new way. Lord Mansfield,
when solicitor-general in 1747, having given an opinion in.
the state of a case on the will of William Williams (afterwards the subject of the celebrated case of Perrin v. Blake),
which Mr. Fearne, on the authority of his friend the late
James Booth, esq. of Lincoln’s-inn, quoted in the first
edition of his “Essay on the Learning of Contingent Remainders, &c.
” his lordship afterwards disavowed that opinion on the bench, insinuating at the same time that Mr,
Fearne was under some mistake in reporting it. Fearne,
all alive to the delicacy of his character, and knowing the
strong ground he proceeded upon (which was a copy of that opinion given him by Mr. Booth, from a manuscript collection of cases, taken from the originals), took this
opportunity to publish a letter, entitled “Copies of Opinions ascribed to eminent counsel on the will which was
the subject of the case of Perrin v. Blake, before the court
of king’s bench, 1769, addressed to the right hon. William
earl of Mansfield.
” This appeared about
ed in doing good offices to the afflicted protestants from the highest to the lowest. Francis Russel earl of Bedford, Ambrose and Robert Dudley, afterwards earls of Warwick
He was afterwards remanded to the Tower, where he continued till queen Mary’s accession to the crown in 1553; but was then released, and made chaplain to the queen. He became also again chaplain to Bonner, prebendary of St. Paul’s, dean of St. Paul’s, rector of Finchley in Middlesex, which he held only a few months; and then rector of Greenford in the same county. In 1554, he was one of the disputants at Oxford against Cranmer, Ridley, and Latimer, before they suffered martyrdom, but said very little against them; and during Mary’s reign, he was constantly employed in doing good offices to the afflicted protestants from the highest to the lowest. Francis Russel earl of Bedford, Ambrose and Robert Dudley, afterwards earls of Warwick and-Leicester, were benefited by his kindness; as was also sir John Cheke, whose life he and sir Thomas Pope, the founder of Trinity college, Oxford, are said to have saved, by a joint application to queen Mary. Feckenham was very intimate with sir Thomas, and often visited him at Tyttenhanger-house. Feckenham also interceded with queen Mary for the lady Elizabeth’s enlargement out of prison, and that so earnestly, that the queen was actually displeased with him for some time. In May 1556, he was complimented by the university of Oxford with the degree of doctor in divinity; being then in universal esteem for his learning, piety, charity, moderation, humility, and other virtues. The September following, he was made abbot of Westminster, which was then restored by queen Mary; and fourteen Benedictine monks placed there under his government, with episcopal power.
theu for some time appears to have officiated from place to place, without any promotion, until the earl of Warwick, who was his great friend and patron, presented him
, an eminent puritan divine, was born in 1660, and educated at Pembroke-hall, Cambridge, where he took his degree of M. A. and in 1622 was admitted to the same at Oxford. He afterwards took his degree of B. D. and became a preacher at Sedgeley, in Staffordshire. Here he continued for four years, and theu for some time appears to have officiated from place to place, without any promotion, until the earl of Warwick, who was his great friend and patron, presented him to the rectory of Rochford, in Essex, in 1629, which he held until his death, about 1640. Besides his popularity as a preacher, and as a casuist, which was very great, he derived no small posthumous reputation from the sermons and pious tracts which he wrote, none of which appear to have been published in his life-time. They were collected in 1658, in 1 vol. fol.
03. A monument was erected to his memory in the parish church of Deptford, at the expence of Richard earl of Cork, who had married his niece. According to Fuller, he
, an English navigator in the reign
of Elizabeth, was descended from an ancient family in
Nottinghamshire, where he had some property. This he
sold, as did also his brother Geoffrey, being, it is said,
more inclined to trust to their abilities, than the slender
patrimony descended to them from their ancestors; and
they were among the very few of those who take such
daring resolutions in their youth, without living to repent
of them in their old age. The inclination of Edward leading him to the choice of a military life, he served some
time with reputation in Ireland; but upon sir Martin Frobisher’s report of the probability of discovering a northwest passage into the South seas, he resolved to embark
with him in his second voyage, and was accordingly appointed captain of the Gabriel, a bark of twenty-five tons,
in which he accompanied sir Martin in the summer of
1577, to the straits that now bear his name, but in their
return he was separated from him in a storm, and arrived safely at Bristol, in a third expedition, which proved
unsuccessful, he commanded the Judith, one of fifteen
sail, and had the title of rear-admiral. The miscarriage of
this voyage had not convinced Fenton of the impracticability of the project; he solicited another trial, and it was,
after much application, granted him, though the particular object of this voyage is not easily discovered; his
instructions from the privy-council, which are still preserved, say, that he should endeavour the discovery of a
north-west passage, and yet he is told to go by the Cape
of Good Hope to the East Indies, thence to the South seas,
and to attempt his return by the supposed north-west passage, and not by any means to think of passing the Straits
of Magellan, except in case of absolute necessity. The
truth appears to be, he had interest enough to be allowed
to try his fortune in the South-seas. He sailed in the
spring 1582, with four vessels, and was making to Africa;
thence he intended to sail to Brazil, in his course to the
straits of Magellan, but having learnt that there was already
a strong Spanish fleet there, he put into a Portuguese
settlement, where he met with three of the Spanish squadron, gave them battle, and after a severe engagement,
sunk their vice-admiral, and returned home in May 1583.
Here he was well received, and appointed to the command
of a ship sent out against the famous armada in 1588. In
some accounts of this action he is said to have commanded
the Antelope, in others, the Mary Rose; but his talents
and bravery in the action are universally acknowledged,
and it is certain he had a very distinguished share in those
actions, the fame of which can never be forgotten. Little
more is recorded of him, than that he spent the remainder
of his days at or near Deptford, where he died in 1603.
A monument was erected to his memory in the parish
church of Deptford, at the expence of Richard earl of
Cork, who had married his niece. According to Fuller,
he died within a few days oi' his mistress, queen Elizabeth,
and he remarks, “Observe how God set up a generation
of military men both by sea and land, which began and
expired with the reign of queen Elizabeth, like a suit of
clothes made for her, and worn out with her; for providence designing a peaceable prince to succeed her, in
whose time martial men would be rendered useless, so ordered the matter, that they all, almost, attended their
mistress, before or after, within some short distance, unto
her grave.
” This, however, was not strictly true, for the
celebrated earl of Nottingham, sir Charles Blount, sir
George Carew, sir Walter Raleigh, sir William Monson,
sir Robert Mansel, and other great officers by sea and
land, survived queen Elizabeth.
eland, and dean of the arches in England, a man of great parts, and who had no small credit with the earl of Leicester, and other statesmen in the court of Elizabeth;
"What the inducements were, which engaged him to leave his own country, in order to serve the queen in Irelaud, cannot easily be discovered; it is, however, certain that he went thither well recommended, and that being in particular favour with Arthur lord Grey, then lord deputy in that kingdom, he was sworn of the privy-council about 1581. It is more than probable that his interest might be considerably strengthened by his marriage with Alice, the daughter of Dr. Robert Weston, some time lord chancellor of Ireland, and dean of the arches in England, a man of great parts, and who had no small credit with the earl of Leicester, and other statesmen in the court of Elizabeth; and when he was once fixed in the office of secretary, his own great abilities and superior understanding made him so useful to succeeding governors, that none of the changes to which that government was too much subject in those days, wrought any alteration in his fortune. One thing, indeed, might greatly contribute to this, which was the stron<r interest he found means to raise, and never was at a loss to maintain, in England; so that whoever was lord lieutenant in Ireland, sir Geoffrey Fenton continued the queen’s counsellor there, as a man upon whom she depended, from whom she took her notions of state affairs in that island, and whose credit with her was not to be shaken by the artifices of any faction whatever. He took every opportunity of persuading the queen that the Irish were to be governed only by the rules of strict justice, and that the safety and glory of her government in that island depended on her subjects enjoying equal laws and protection of their property. The queen frequently sent for her secretary Fenton, to consult with him on her Irish affairs, which shews the high opinion she entertained of his understanding, though it often happened that when he was returned to his duty, the advisers of Elizabeth persuaded her to adopt measures the reverse of what Fenton had recommended. He was the means of extinguishing more than one rebellion, and of totally reducing the kingdom to submit to English government.
In 1603, sir Geoffrey married his only daughter Katherine to Mr. Boyle, afterwards the great earl of Corke; and died at his house in Dublin, Oct. 19, 1608. He
In 1603, sir Geoffrey married his only daughter Katherine to Mr. Boyle, afterwards the great earl of Corke; and died at his house in Dublin, Oct. 19, 1608. He was interred with much funeral solemnity at the cathedral church of St. Patrick, in the same tomb with his wife’s father, the lord chancellor Weston; leaving behind him the character of a polite writer, an accomplished courtier, an able statesman, and a true friend to the English nation, and protestant interest in Ireland. His translation of Guicciardini, and his Guevara’s Epistles, have lately risen in price, since the language of the Elizabethan period has been more studied; and the style of Fenton, like that of most of his contemporaries, is far superior to that of the authors of the succeeding reign, if we except Raleigh and Knowlles.
im with honour, in every period of his life. His first employ he owed to a recommendation to Charles earl of Orrery, whom he accompanied to Flanders, in quality of secretary,
He was now induced to trust to his abilities for a subsistence, but whatever his difficulties or discouragements, he kept his name unsullied, and never descended to any mean or dishonourable shifts. Indeed, whoever mentioned him, mentioned him with honour, in every period of his life. His first employ he owed to a recommendation to Charles earl of Orrery, whom he accompanied to Flanders, in quality of secretary, and returned with his lordship to England in 1705. Being then out of employment, he became assistant in the school of Mr. Bonwicke, (see Bo?7Wicki:), at Headley, near Leatherhead, in Surrey; after which he was invited to the mastership of the free grammar school at Sevenoaks, in Kent, and in a few years brought that seminary into much reputation, while he enjoyed the advantage of making easy and frequent excursions to visit his friends in London. In 1710 he was prevailed upon by Mr. St. John (lord Bolingbrokt ) to give up what was called the drudgery of a school, for the worse drudgery of dependence on a political patron, from whom, after all, he derived no advantage. When Steele resigned his place of commissioner in the stamp-office, Fenton applied to his patron, who told him that it was beneath his merit, and promised him a superior appointment; but this, the subsequent change of administration prevented him from fulfilling, and left Fenton disappointed, and in debt. Not long after, however, his old friend the earl of Orrery appointed him tutor to his son, lord Broghill, a boy of seven years old, whom he taught English and Latin until he was thirteen. About the time this engagement was about to expire, Craggs, secretary of state, feeling his own want of literature, desired Pope to procure him an instructor, by whose help he might supply the deficiencies of his education. Pope recommended Fenton, but Craggs’s sudden death disappointed the pleasing expectations formed from this connection.
ding to Johnson and Warton, Fenton translated the first, fourth, nineteenth and twentieth. But John, earl of Orrery, in a letter to Mr. Duncombe, asserts that Fenton
His next engagement was with Pope himself, who after
the great success of his translation of the Iliad, undertook
that of the Odyssey, and determined to engage auxiliaries.
Twelve books he took to himself, and twelve he distributed
between Broome and Fenton. According to Johnson and
Warton, Fenton translated the first, fourth, nineteenth
and twentieth. But John, earl of Orrery, in a letter to
Mr. Duncombe, asserts that Fenton translated double the
number of books in the Odyssey that Pope has owned.
“His reward,
” adds the noble writer, “was a trifle, an
arrant trifle. He has even told me, that he thought Pope
feared him more than he loved him. He had no opinion
of Pope’s heart, and declared him, in the words of bishop
Atterbury, Mens curia in corpore curvo.
” It is, however,
no small praise to both Fen tun and Broome, that the readers
of poetry have never been able to distinguish their books
from those of Pope. In 1723, Fenton’s tragedy of “Mariamne
” was brought on the stage in Lincoln’s-inn-fields,
and was performed with such success, that the profits of
the author are said to have amounted to nearly a thousand
pounds, with which he very honourably discharged the
debts contracted by his fruitless attendance on Mr. St.
John. The poetical merit of this tragedy is confessedly
great, but the diction is too figurative and ornamental.
Colley Cibber has been termed insolent for advising Fenton to relinquish poetry, by which we presume he meant
dramatic poetry; but Cibber, if insolent, was not injudicious, for Mariamne has not held its place on the stage,
In 1 1727, Fenton revised a new edition of Milton’s Poems,
and prefixed to it a short but elegant and impartial life of
the author. In 1729 he published a very splendid edition
of Waller, with notes, which is still a book of considerable
value.
dness, as a man in the highest degree amiable and excellent. Such was the character given him by the earl of Orrery, his pupil such is the testimony of Pope; and such
The latter part of Mr. Fenton' s life was passed in a manner agreeable to his wishes. By the recommendation of
Pope to the widow of sir William Trumbull, that lady invited him to be tutor to her son, first at home, and afterwards at Cambridge; and when disengaged from this attendance on her son, lady Trumbull retained Fenton in
her family, as auditor of her accounts, an office which was
probably easy, as he had leisure to make frequent excursions to visit his literary friends in London. He died July
13, 1730, at East-Hampstead, in Berkshire, lady Trumbull’s seat, and was interred in the parish-church, and his
tomb was honoured with an epitaph by Pope. In person,
Fenton was tall and bulky, inclined to corpulence, which
he did not lessen by much exercise, as he was sluggish
and sedentary, rose late, and when he had risen, sat down
to his book or papers. By a woman who once waited on
him in a lodging, he was told, that he would “lie a-bed,
and be fed with a spoon.
” Pope says in one of his letters,
that he died of indolence and inactivity; others attribute
his death to the gout; to which lord Orrery adds, “a great
chair, and two bottles of port in a day.
” Dr. Johnson
observes, that “Of his morals and his conversation, the
account is uniform. He was never named but with praise
and fondness, as a man in the highest degree amiable and
excellent. Such was the character given him by the earl
of Orrery, his pupil such is the testimony of Pope; and
such were the suffrages of all who could boast of his acquaintance.
” There is a story relating to him, which reflects too much honour upon his memory to be omitted.
It was his custom in the latter part of his life, to pay a
yearly visit to his relations in the country. An entertainment being made for the family by Jiis elder brother, he
observed that one of his sisters, who had been unfortunate
in her marriage, was absent; and, upon inquiry, he found
that distress had made her thought unworthy of an invitation; but he refused to sit at the table until she was sent
for and, when she had taken her place, he was careful to
shew her particular attention.
y and presbytery, and was not answered by the parliamentary commissioners, although one of them, the earl of London, lord chancellor of Scotland, declared that he should.
, D. D. bishop of Chester, the youngest
son of the preceding sir John Feme, was born at York in
1603, and educated at the free-school of Uppingham in
Rutlandshire, to which he was sent by sir Thomas Nevill
of Holt in Lancashire, who had married his mother. He
was afterwards, in 1618, admitted commoner of St. Maryhall, Oxford, but after two years 1 residence there, was removed to Trinity college, Cambridge, of which he became
fellow; apd when he had taken his degree of bachelor of
divinity, was domestic chaplain to Dr. Morton, bishop of
Durham. The year after he was presented to the college
living of Masham in Yorkshire, and his brother-in-law Mr.
Nevill gave him that of Medborn in Leicestershire. The?bishop of Lincoln afterwards preferred him to the archdeaconry of Leicester. In 1642 he took his doctor’s degree, and kept the act at the commencement. Thence
he went into Leicestershire, where he had an opportunity
of waiting on the king, and preaching before him as ho
was going to Nottingham to setup his standard. The king
made him his chaplain extraordinary, and he preached
before his majesty again at Nottingham. In 1642 he published his “Case of Conscience touching rebellion,
” and
is said to have been the first that wrote openly in his majesty’s cause, but this probably obliged him to leave Medborn, and take shelter in Oxford, where he preached,
without any emolument, at St. Aldate’s church. Here he
was incorporated doctor in divinity, and was made chaplain in ordinary to the king, who at the same time sent him
a message, that he was sorry he could confer nothing else
with it. He was afterwards appointed chaplain to one of
the lords commissioners at the treaty of Uxbridge, where
at the request of some of them, he stated the case between
piscopary and presbytery, and was not answered by the
parliamentary commissioners, although one of them, the
earl of London, lord chancellor of Scotland, declared that
he should. Dr. Feme attended the king at Oxford until
he had taken Leicester, and was present at the unfortunate
battle of Naseby, after which he went to Newark, and continued preaching until the king ordered the garrison to surrender. His next retreat was to Yorkshire, where he remained with his relations, until his majesty sent for him to
the treaty of the Isle of Wight. His majesty had so much
respect for him, as to desire a copy of the last sermon he
preached there.
eing exceedingly taken with his great abilities, took the first opportunity to make him known to the earl of Southampton, anxi the other principal members of the Virginia
He was now almost of seven years’ standing in the university, and was to take his master’s degree at the ensuing Midsummer, 1613, and he had already performed with credit all his previous exercises. It being made known to the heads of the university that he was to travel, and to have the opportunity of going with that noble company which then went with the lady Elizabeth to conduct her to the Palatinate with the Palsgrave her husband, his degree was immediately granted; and having set out in the retinue of the lady Elizabeth, he accompanied her to Holland. 'But inclining to pursue a different route, he took leave of her royal highness there, and visited most of the German universities, at some of which he studied a considerable time, and at them and other parts of Europe, he spent five years, returning home in 1618, being then twenty-six years of age, and highly improved and accomplished by his travels. During this long residence abroad he had purchased many rare articles of curiosity, scarce and valuable books, and learned treatises in the language of those different countries; in collecting which he certainly had a principal eye to those which treated the subjects of a spiritual life, devotion, and religious retirement. He bought also a great number of prints, engraved by the best masters of that time, relative to historical pasr sages of the Old and New Testament; all which, upon his return home, he had the satisfaction to find were safely arrived there before him, but very little of this treasure is now remaining. The Ferrar family being firm in their loyalty to the king, their house at Giclding was plundered in the civil wars; and, in a wanton devastation, all these things perished, except some of the prints, not of great value, which were in the possession of the editor of Mr. Ferrar’s life, the late Dr, Packard. Soon after Mr. Ferrar’s return, sir Edwyn Sandys, who had heard a high character of him from many who had known him in Italy, sought his acquaintance; and, being exceedingly taken with his great abilities, took the first opportunity to make him known to the earl of Southampton, anxi the other principal members of the Virginia company. In a very little time he was made one of a particular committee in some business of great importance; whereby the company having sufficient proof of his extraordinary abilities, at the next general court it was proposed and agreed that he should be king’s counsel for the Virginia plantation ki the room of his brother John, who was then made the deputy governor. And when his name, according to custom, was entered in the lord chamberlain’s book, sir Edwyn Sandys took care to acquaint that lord with his uncommon worth which, indeed, daily more and more appeared in every thing he undertook and as he wanted no ability, so he spared no diligence in ordering all their affairs of consequence, and thus became deeply engaged in cares of a public nature. Yet his own inclinations at his. return led him rather to think of settling himself again at Cambridge, to which he was the more induced as he still held the physic fellowship in Clare-hall. But this he now saw could not be done; and besides, his parents, now grown old, requested their beloved son to remain with them. Therefore all he could obtain in this respect from them, and from his business, was the liberty now and then to pass a few days with his old acquaintance and friends still remaining in Cambridge.
for his wit and good-breeding. His first rise in his profession, and at court, was owing to Cromwell earl of Essex, who was himself a man of great parts, and took a pleasure
, a learned lawyer, a good historian, a celebrated poet, and a most accomplished courtier,
in the reigns of Henry VIII. Edward VI. Mary, and Elizabeth, was descended from an ancient family in Hertfordshire, and born in a village near St. Alban’s, about
1512. He was bred at Oxford, and removed thence to
Lincoln’s-inn, where he applied himself with so much success to the study of the law, that he was soon taken notice of in Westminster-hall as an advocate, at the same
time that he was much admired at court for his wit and
good-breeding. His first rise in his profession, and at
court, was owing to Cromwell earl of Essex, who was
himself a man of great parts, and took a pleasure in countenancing and advancing others who had talents. Upon
the fall of this patron, he quitted the public exercise of his
profession as a lawyer; not, however, before he had given
evident testimonies of his knowledge and learning, as appears from, 1. “The double translation of Magna Charta
from French into Latin and English.
” 2. “Other laws enacted in the time of Henry III. and Edw. I. translated into
English.
”
For this purpose, he went to London in 1712; and, by the favour of dean Swift, was introduced to the earl of Oxford, who received him kindly, and made him one of his
, an English divine, and laborious
writer, was born of reputable parents, at Hunmanby near
Scarborough in Yorkshire in 1671. In his education he
was much encouraged by his uncle the rev. Mr. Fiddes of
Brightwell in Oxfordshire, who was as a father to him.
After being instructed at a private school at Wickham in
that neighbourhood, he was admitted of Corpus Christi,
and then of University college, in Oxford; where by his
parts and address he gained many friends. He did not,
however, continue there; but, after taking a bachelor of
arts degree in 1693, returned to his relations, and married,
in the same year, Mrs. Jane Anderson, a lady of good
family and fortune. In 1694, he was ordained priest by
Dr. Sharp, archbishop of York; and not long after, presented to the rectory of Halsham in that county, of about
90l. per annum. Halsham, being situated in a marsh,
proved the occasion of much ill health to Fiddes and his
family; and he had the misfortune, while there, to be suddenly so deprived of his speech, as never after to be able
to utter words very articulately, unless his organs were
strengthened with two or three glasses of wine, which, as
he was a mun of great temperance, was to him an excess.
His diocesan, however, dispensed with his residence upon
his benefice for the future; on which he removed to Wickham, and continued there some months. Being no longer
able to display his talents in preaching, which before were
confessedly great, and having a numerous family, he resolved to devote himself entirely to writing. For this purpose, he went to London in 1712; and, by the favour of
dean Swift, was introduced to the earl of Oxford, who received him kindly, and made him one of his chaplains.
The dean had a great esteem for Fiddes, and recommended
his cause with the warmth and sincerity of a friend. The
queen soon after appointed him chaplain to the garrison at
Hull, and would probably have provided handsomely for
him, had not death prevented her. Losing his patrons
upon the change of the ministry in 1714, he lost the above
mentioned chaplainship; and the expences of his family
i icreasing, as his ability to supply them lessened, he was
obliged to apply himself to writing with greater assiduity
than ever. Yet he continued in high esteem with contemporary writers, especially those of his own party; and was
encouraged by some of the most eminent men of those
times. By the generosity of his friend and relation Dr.
Radcliffe, the degree of bachelor of divinity was conferred
upon him by diploma, Feb. 1, 1713, and in 1718 he was
honoured by the university of Oxford with that of doctor,
in consideration of his abilities as a writer. He died at the
house of his friend Anstis at Putney, in 1725, aged fifty four years, leaving behind him a' family consisting of a wife
and six children. His eldest daughter was married to the
rev. Mr. Barcroft, curate of St. George’s, Hanover-square,
who abridged Taylor’s “Ductor Dubitantium.
” Dr. Fiddes
was buried in Fulham churchyard, "near the remains of
bishop Compton, to whom he had been much obliged.
Bees, and some incidental remarks upon an Inquiry concerning Virtue, by the right honourable Anthony earl of Shaftesbury,” 1724, 8vo. In his preface, he defends some,
The great encouragement which the life of Wolsey obtained, prompted Fiddes to undertake the lives of sir Thomas More and bishop Fisher: but when he had gone through
a great part of this work, he lost his manuscript. He
published, 6. “A general treatise of Morality, formed upon
the principles of Natural Reason only; with a preface in
answer to two essays lately published in the Fable of the
Bees, and some incidental remarks upon an Inquiry concerning Virtue, by the right honourable Anthony earl of
Shaftesbury,
” Search
into the Nature of Society;
” and afterwards vindicates Dr.
Kadcliffe from the aspersions of the same author, on account of his benefactions to the university of Oxford. 7.
“A Preparative to the Lord’s Supper.
” 8. “A Letter in
answer to one from a Freethinker, occasioned by the late
duke of Buckingham’s epitaph: wherein certain passages
in it that have been thought exceptionable are vindicated,
and the doctrine of the soul’s immortality asserted. To
which is prefixed, a version of the epitaph, agreeably to the
explication given of it in the Answer;
” in
cise all spiritual jurisdiction in the said diocese, with Whitgift archbishop of Canterbury, Charles earl of Nottingham, Thomas bishop of Winchester, and others, by James
In 1594 he was chosen divinity reader to the honourable
society of Lincoln’s-inn, and soon after presented by Mr.
Richard Kingsmill, one of the benchers and surveyor of
the court of wards, to the valuable rectory of Burghclear
in Hampshire, where Mr. Kingsmill lived, and refused the
living of St. Andrew, Holborn, which was afterwards offered to him, preferring a retired life, and passing the
greater part of his time at Burghclear to his death. On
April 9, 1594, he married Elizabeth, daughter of Mr. Richard Harris, sometime fellow of New college, Oxford,
and rector of Hardwicke in Buckinghamshire, with which
lady, who had received a very liberal education, he lived
happily upwards of twenty years. On Sept. 27, 1598, he
was made chaplain in ordinary to queen Elizabeth, after
having, on the 23d preceding, preached a kind of probationary sermon before her majesty; and he was soon after
made prebendary of Windsor. He was also joined in the
special commission with William marquis of Winchester,
and Thomas Bilson bishop of Winchester, &c. for ecclesiastical causes within the diocese of Winchester; and in
another to exercise all spiritual jurisdiction in the said diocese, with Whitgift archbishop of Canterbury, Charles
earl of Nottingham, Thomas bishop of Winchester, and
others, by James I. 1603, to whom he was also chaplain in
ordinary, and sent to the conference at Hampton court
concerning ecclesiastical causes, held Jan. 14, 1603. In
1605, when the king was to be entertained at Oxford with
all manner of scholastic exercises, he was sent for out of
the country to bear a part in the divinity act. Sir Nathaniel Brent, afterwards warden of Merton, used to say that
the disputation between Dr. Field and Dr. Aglionby, before
king James, was the best he ever heard in his life, and that
it was listened to with great attention and delight by all
present. The question was, “An sancti et angeli cognoscant cogitationes cordium
”
, esq. was the third son of John Fielding, D. D. canon of Salisbury, who was the fifth son of George earl of Desmond, and brother to William third earl of Denbigh, nephew
, beyond all comparison the first
novel-writer of this country, was born at Sharpham Park
in Somersetshire, April 22, 1707. His father, Edmund
Fielding, esq. was the third son of John Fielding, D. D.
canon of Salisbury, who was the fifth son of George earl
of Desmond, and brother to William third earl of Denbigh, nephew to Basil the second earl, and grandson to
William, who was first raised to the peerage. Edmund
Fielding served under the duke of Maryborough, and towards the close of king George the First’s reign, or the
accession of George II. was promoted to the rank of a
lieutenant-general. His mother was daughter to the first
judge Gould, and aunt to sir Henry Gould, lately one of
the judges of the common pleas. This lady, besides Henry,
who seems to have been the eldest, had four daughters,
and another son named Edmund, who was an officer in the
sea-service. Afterwards, in consequence of his father’s
second marriage, Fielding had six half-brothers, George,
James, Charles, John, William, and Basil. Of these nothing memorable is recorded, except of John, who will be
the subject of a subsequent article as will also Sarah, the
sister of Henry Fielding. His father died in 1740.
Henry Fielding received the first rudiments of his education at home, under the care of the rev. Mr. Oliver, for
whom he seems to have had no great regard, as he is said
to have designed a portrait of him in the very humorous
yet unfavourable character of parson Tralliber, in his “Joseph Andrews.
” From this situation he was removed to
Eton school, where he had an opportunity of cultivating a
very early intimacy and friendship with several young men
who afterwards became conspicuous personages in the
kingdom, such as lord Lyttelton, Mr. Fox, Mr. Pitt, sir
Charles Hanbury Williams, &c. who ever through life retained a warm regard for him. But these were not the
only advantages he reaped at that great seminary of education; for, by an assiduous application to study, and the
possession of strong and peculiar talents, he became, before he left that school, uncommonly versed in Greek
authors, and a master of the Latin classics. Thus accomplished, at about eighteen years of age he left Eton, and
went to Leyden, where he studied under the most celebrated civilians for about two years, when, the remittances
from England not coming so regularly as at first, he was
obliged to return to London.
ote affords one of those happy turns of wit which do not often occur. Being once in company with the earl of Denbigh, and it being noticed that Fielding was of the Denbigh
There are not so many anecdotes preserved concerning
Fielding as might perhaps have been expected, considering
the eccentricity of his disposition, and his talents for conversation. But when he died, the passion for collecting
the memorabilia of literary men was little felt. In the
Gent. Mag. for 1786, however, we have an anecdote which
is too characteristic to be omitted. Some parochial taxes
for Fielding’s house in Beaufort Buildings being unpaid,
and for which demands had been made again and again,
he was at length told by the collector, who had an esteem
for him, that no longer procrastination could be admitted.
In this dilemma he had recourse to Jacob Tonson, the
bookseller, and mortgaging the future sheets of some work
he had in hand, received the sum he wanted, about ten or
twelve guineas. When he was near his own house, he
met with an old college chum, whom he had not seen for
many years, and Fielding finding that he had been unfortunate in life, immediately gave him up the whole money
that he had obtained from Mr. Tonson. Returning home
in the full enjoyment of his benevolent disposition and
conduct, he was told that the collector had called twice
for the taxes. Fielding’s reply was laconic, but memorable: “Friendship has called for the money, and had it;
let the collector call again.
” The reader will be glad to
hear that a second application to Jacob Tonson enabled
him to satisfy the parish demands. Another anecdote affords one of those happy turns of wit which do not often
occur. Being once in company with the earl of Denbigh,
and it being noticed that Fielding was of the Denbigh family, the earl asked the reason why they spelt their name?
differently; the earl’s family spelling it with the e first,
(Feilding), and Mr. Henry Fielding with the i first,
(Fielding) “I cannot tell, my lord,
” said our author, “except
it be that my branch of the family were the first that knew
how to spell
”