John Davies

, the third person of both his names that I have hitherto mention’d among these writers, was born at Chisgrove in the parish of Tysbury in Wiltshire, being the Son of wealthy Tanner of that place, became a Commoner of Queens coll. about the beginning of Mich. Term in the fifteenth year of his age, an. 1585. wherein, having laid a considerable foundation of Academical literature, partly by his own natural parts (which were excellent) and partly by the help of a good Tutor, he was removed (having taken a degree in Arts, as it seems) to the Middle Temple, wherein applying himself to the study of the Common Law, tho he had no great genie to it, was in fine made a Barrester. But so it was that he being a high spirited young man, did, upon some little provocation or punctilio, bastinado Rich. Martin (afterwards Recorder of London) in the common Hall of the Middle Temple, while he was at Dinner. For which act being forthwith expell’d, he retired for a time in private, lived in Oxon in the condition of a Sojourner, and follow’d his studies, tho he wore a cloak. However among his serious thoughts, making reflections upon his own condition, which sometimes was an affliction to him, he composed that excellent Philosophical and Divine Poem called Nosce teipsum. Afterwards by the favour of Thomas Lord Ellesmore Lord Keeper of the Great Seal of England, he was again restored to his Chamber, was afterwards a Concellour, and a Burgess for that Parliament which was held at Westminster in 1601. Upon the death of Q. Elizabeth, he, with the Lord Hunsdon, went into Scotland to congratulate K. James as her Lawful Successor; and being introduced into his presence, the King enquired the names of those Gentlemen who were in the company of the said Lord, and naming Joh. Davies among, who stood behind, them, the King straightway asked, whether he was Nosce Teipsum? and being answered that he was the same, he graciously embraced him, and thenceforth had so great favour for, that soon after he made, him his Attorney-general in Ireland. While he held that place, he was made Serjeant at Law, (having never been Reader,) an. 1606. the Poesie of whose Rings that were then given, being Lex publica lux est. Notwithstanding the said degree, he returned into Ireland by his Majesty’s leave and dispensation, kept his office of Attorney, and received the honour of Knighthood from his Majesty at Whitehall, 11. Feb. 1607. Afterwards he came into England for altogether, was made one of his Maj. Serjeants at Law here, in 1612. and sundry times appointed one of the Justices of the Assize in divers Circuits. At length being constituted Lord Ch. Justice of the Kings Bench, had his robes made in order to be setled in that high office, as his Daughter (a)(a) Lucy Countess of Huntingd [•] n. hath several times reported, but died suddenly before the ceremony of settlement or installation could be performed. He was held in great esteem by the noted Scholars of his time, among whom were Will. Camden, Sir Jo. Harrington the Poet, Ben. Johnson, Jo. Selden, Facete Hoskyns, R. Corbet of Ch. Ch. and others, who esteemed him to be a person of a bold Spirit, of a sharp and ready wit, and compleatly learned, but in truth more a Scholar than a Lawyer. His works are,

Nosce Teipsum. This Oracle expounded in two Elegies, 1. Of Humane Nature. 2. Of the Soul of Man. Lond. 1599. qu. dedicated to Q. Elizabeth. There again 1622. in oct.

Hymus of Astrea, in Acrostick verse.—Printed with the former.

Orchestra. Or a Poem expressing the antiquity and excellency of dancing, in a dialogue between Penelope and one of her Woers, containing 131 Stanzaes, unfinished.—This being also printed with Nosce Teipsum, they were all three, especially the first, much extoll’d by Scholars of all sorts. Among them I find one, who hath dealt poetically with him by an ingenious copy of verses, which begins thus, Si tua legisset, redivivus, &c.

If Plato liv’d and saw these Heaven bred lines,

Where thou the Essence of the Soul confines,

Or merry Martial, &c.—Sir Jo. Harrington also before-mentioned would not let his memory escape his Pen without an (b)(b) In his second book of Epigrams, numb. 67. Epigram, especially for his Orchestra, besides other Poets of those times, which for brevity-sake I shall now pass by.

Discover of the true causes why Ireland was never entirely subdued, nor brought under obedience of the Crown of England, until the beginning of his Maj. happy Reign. Lond. 1612. qu. Dedic. to the King with this Latin verse only. “Principis est virtus maxima nosse suos.”

Declaration of our Sovereign Lord the King, &c. concerning the title of his Maj. Son Charles, the Prince, and Duke of Cornwal, &c. Lond. 1614. in 14 sh. in fol. Printed in columns, one in French and the other in English.

Le primer Reports des cases & matters on ley resolves, &c. adjudges in les Courts del Roy en Ireland. Dubl. 1615. Lond. 1628. fol. In the sec. edit. was added a Table, which was not in the former. From this book it was, that Sir Joh. Pettus Knight, did chiefly select matter for another, intit. Englands independency upon the Papal Power, historically and judiciously stated by Sir Jo, Davies Attorn. Gen. in Ireland, and by Sir Edw. Coke L. Ch. Just. of England in two reports, selected from their great volumes, with a Pref. written by Sir Joh. Pettus. Lond. 1674. qu.

Perfect abridgment of the eleven books of Reports of Sir Edw. Coke. Lond. 1651. in tw. written in French by Sir Joh. Davies, translated into English by another hand.

Jus imponendi vectigalia. Or, the learning touching Customs, Tonnage, Poundage, and Impositions on Merchandizes, &c. asserted, &c. Lond. 1656. 59. &c. oct. I find one Sir J. D. Knight, to have published, Reasons Academy. Or, a new post with Sovereign Salve to cure the worlds madness; expressing himself in several essays and witty discourses. Lond. 1620. oct. Written in prose, and at the end of it is Reasons moan, written in verse in eleven Stanzaes. Whether the said Sir J. D. be the same with Sir Joh. Davies, I cannot justly tell. Besides the before-mentioned things (as also Epigrams, as ’tis said) which were published by, and under the name of, Sir Joh. Davies, are several MSS. of his writing and composing, which go from hand to hand, as, (1) Metaphrase of several of K. Davids Psalms. (2) A large Epistle to Rob. E. of Salisbury of the state of the Counties of Monaghan, Fennanagh, and Downe, and of Justices of the Peace, and other Officers of Ireland, written 1607. (3) Speech when he was Speaker of the H. of Commons in Ireland, before Arthur L. Chichester, Visc. Belfast, L. Lievtenant of Ireland, 21. May 1613. These two last, were in the Library of Sir Jam. Ware of Ireland, and are now, if I mistake not, in that of the Earl of Clarendon. (4) An argument upon the question of impositions, digested and divided in sundry chapters. This was in the Library once of Rich. Smith, Secondary of the Poultry-Compter, and with it was bound up an Answer thereunto.—Fol. But the question is, whether this argument be not part of, or involved in, Sir John’s Jus imponendi vectigalia before-mentioned. At length he died suddenly in his house in the Strand near to London, in the 57 year of his age, for being well at night, when he went to rest, he was on Thursday morning, 1626 the seventh of December, in sixteen hundred twenty and six, found dead in his bed, by an Apoplexy, as ’twas said. It was then commonly rumour’d that his Prophetical Lady had foretold his death in some manner, on the Sunday going before. For while she sate at Dinner by him, she suddenly burst out with tears: Whereupon he asking her what the matter was, she answered, Husband these are your Funeral tears; to which he made reply, Pray therefore spare your tears now, and I will be content that you shall laugh when I am dead. Her name was Elianor Touchet, youngest Daughter to George Lord Audley Earl of Castlehaven, and what she usually predicted, she folded up for the most part in dark expressions, received from a voice, which she frequently heard, as she used to tell her Daughter Lucy, and she others. By this Elianor, Sir Joh. Davies had Issue a Son, who was a natural Idiot, and dying young, the Father made an Epitaph of 4 verses on him, beginning, Hic in visceribus terrae, &c. So that the said Lucy being sole Heiress to her Father, Ferdinando Lord Hastings (afterwards Earl of Huntingdon) became a Suitor to her for Marriage; whereupon the Father made this Epigram.

Lucida vis oculos teneri perstrinxit amantis

Nec tamen erravit, nam via dulcis erat.

After the body of Sir John had laid in state for some time, it was conveyed to the Church of St. Martin in the Fields near to Whitehall, where it was solemnly inter’d in the South Isle. Soon after was a monument fastned to the Pillar near his grave, with a large inscription on it, part of which runs thus, Vir ingenio compto, rarâ facundiâ, oratione cum solutâ tum numeris astrictâ, faelicissimus; juridicam severitatem morum elegantiâ, & amaeniore eruditione mitigavit: Patronus fidus, judex incorruptus, ingenuae pietatis amore, & anxiae superstitionis contemptu, juxta insignis, &c. Obiit 8. Id. Dec. 1626. His Widdow afterwards lived mostly at Parton in Hertfordshire, had her Strange and wonderful Prophesies.—Printed in qu. an. 1649. and dying in St. Brides Parish in London, 5. Jul. 1652. was buried near to the relicks of her Husband, and soon after had a large Epitaph of commendations put over her grave. You may see more of her and her Prophecies in the History of the life and death of Dr. Will. Laud Archb. of Cant. Part. 2. lib. 4. an. 1634. See also in the Diary, or Breviat of the life of the said Archb.—Printed 1644. p. 18. One Joh. Davies, a Bencher of the Inner Temple, was buried against the Communion Table, in the Temple Church, 20. Aug. 1631. What relation he had to the former, or whether he collected or published Reports, I know not.