Fulke Grevil

, descended from an ancient and knightly fam. of his name living at Milcot in Warwickshire, was born in that County, an. 1554, being the same year wherein Sir Philip Sidney received his first breath, did spend some time in the condition of a Gent. Commoner in this University, either before he went to Trin. coll. in Cambridge, or at his return thence, but in what house, unless in Ch. Ch. or Broadgates, I cannot well tell, nor doth it matter much, seeing that he was more properly a Cambridge man (to which University he was a Benefactor) than an Oxonian. After he had left the University he travelled, and at his return, being well accomplished, was introduced into the Court by his Uncle Rob. Grevil a Servant to Q. Elizabeth, where he was esteemed a most ingenious person, and had in favour by all such that were lovers of Arts and Sciences. At length obtaining an honourable Office under the Queen, he became one of her favourites, which he held for no short term, but had the longest lease of any, and the smoothest time without rub. In the beginning of 1588. he, among other persons of honour and quality, was actually created Master of Arts, which, I think, was the highest degree that was conferred upon him in this University. In 1603. he was made Knight of the Bath at the Coronation of K. Jam. 1. and soon after obtained the grant of the ruinous Castle of W [•] rwick. In the 12. year of the said Kings reign, he being constituted under Treasurer and Chancellour of the Exchequer, he was made choice of for one of Kings Privy Council. And meriting much for his faithful services in those employments, was, by Letters Patents, bearing date 9. Jan. 18. Jac. 1. advanced (a)(a) Baronage of England, To [•] . 2. p. 442. b. to the dignity of a Baron of this Realm, by the title of Lord Brook of Beauchamps court. In Sept. 1621. he was made one of the Gentlemen of the Kings Bedchamber; whereupon (b)(b) Camd. in Annal. [〈…〉] . MS. an. 16 [••] giving up his Chancellourship of the Exchequer, Rich. Weston (afterwards Earl of Portland) succeeded him. He was always esteemed a brave Gentleman and honourably descended, as being sprung from the family of Willoughby Lord Brook, was favoured by Qu. Elizabeth, and such that knew he had interest in the Muses. His life was always single, and tho he lived and died a constant Courtier of the Ladies, yet he prosecuted his studies in History and Poetry: In which, consider him as a Gentleman of noble birth and great Estate, he was most excellent in his time, as these things following shew, composed in his youth, and familiar exercise with Sir Ph. Sidney.

Letter of Travels—Written to his Cousin GrevilVerney residing in France, &c. Some of the said things having been singly published, were all remitted into a little thin Folio, printed at Lond. 1633. and had this general title put to them, Certain learned and elegant works of the Right Honorable Fulke Lord Brooke, &c.

The first five years of King James, or the condition of the State of England, and the relation it had to other Provinces. Lond. 1643. qu.

The life of the renowned Sir Philip Sidney, with the true interest of England, as it then stood in relation to all foreign Princes, &c. Lond. 1652. oct. Published by P. B.

Short account of the Maxims and Policies used by Qu. Elizab. in her Government.—Printed with the former book.

Remains, containing Poems of Monarchy and Religion. Lond. 1670. oct. never before printed; with other things, (among which is his Trag. of Marc. Tull. Cicero) which I have not yet seen. At length our author, (who was Counsellour of State to Ch. 1.) neglecting to reward one Haywood, who had spent the greatest and chiefest part of his time in his personal service, for which he expostulated the matter with his Master, but was sharply rebuked for it; the said Haywood thereupon gave him a mortal stab on his Back (they two being then only together) in his Bedchamber in Brook house in Holbourne near London, of which wound he died 30. Sept. in sixteen hundred twenty and eight, aged 74. 1628 Which being done, the Assassianate discerning his own condition desperate, went into another room, and there having lock’d the dore, murdered himself with his own Sword. On the 27 of Oct. following he the said Lord Brook was buried in a Vault, situate on the north side of the collegiat Church at Warwick, which formerly had been a chapter house belonging thereunto: wherein he had, in his life time, erected a fair Tomb, with this Epitaph thereon. Fulke Grevil Servant to Queen Elizabeth, Counsellour to King James, and friend to Sir Philip Sidney.

In his honour and dignity, succeeded his kinsman Robert Grevil, being then (1628.) one and twenty years of age, educated in Academical learning, not in this, but in the other University of Cambridge, (as I have been informed) where being well tutor’d, became learned, considering his quality. But being afterwards unhappily attainted with fanatick and antimonarchical principles, by the influence of one of his near relations and some Schismatical preachers, (tho in his own nature a very civil and well humour’d person) was, without much difficulty, drawn in by those fiery spirits of the Long Parliament, which began 1640. By whom being back’d on, he became an active man in the House against the Prerogative, Bishops. and the establish’d discipline of the Church, insomuch that no less than the abolishing of all decent order in the service of God would satisfie him. So that the members of the said Parliament looking upon him as a faithful person for the cause, that they then drove on, appointed him a Commander in their Army, as I shall anon tell you. As for the things which he wrote and published are, (1) The nature of truth, &c. Lond. 1643. oct. Animadverted upon by John Wallis a Minister in London, (afterward Geom. Professor of Oxon) Printed at Lond. 1643. (2) A discourse opening the nature of Episcopacy, which is exercised in England. Lond. 1641. 42. qu. Assisted therein by some puritanical Minister, and printed when the Press was open to receive all books against the Prerogative and Bishops. (3) Two speeches spoken in the Guild-hall in London, concerning his Majesties resusal of a Treaty of peace. Lond. 1642. qu. (4) Answer to the speech of Philip Earl of Pembroke, concerning accommodation. Which answer was spoken in the House of Lords 19 Dec. 1642. Pr. in one sh. in qu. by order of the House. (5) Speech at the election of his Captains and Commanders at Warwick Castle. Lond. 1643. qu. In the beginning of the Civil War, an. 1642. he became Commander in chief of those Forces, which were sent to assault the Church-Close at Lichfield, then defended by a small Garrison, placed there by his Majesty out of a pious intent for the preservation of the stately Cathedral, which the Lord Brooke intended presently to destroy, when taken by his Forces. But so it fell out, that he having planted his great Guns against the South-east- gate of the Close, he was, tho harnessed with plate-armour cap-a-pe, shot from the Church in the Eye by one Diot a Clergy-mans Son (who could neither hear or speak) as he stood in a dore, (whether he came to see the occasion of a sudden shout made by the Soldiers) of which he instantly died. This memorable accident hapned on the second day of March, an. 1642. which is the festival of that sometimes famous Bishop, S. Cedd or Chad, to whose memory Offa King of the Mercians did erect the said Cathedral, and devoutly dedicate it. Archbishop Laud being then a prisoner in the Tower of London, did make this memoire of it in his Diary, under the year 1642. Thursday March. 2. S. Ceddes day, the Lord Brook shot in the left Eye, and killed in the place at Lichfield, going to give onset upon the Close of the Church, he ever having been fierce against Bishops and Cathedrals. His bever up and armed to the knee, so that a Musket at that distance, could have done him but little harm. Thus was his Eye put out, who about two years since said, he hoped to live to see at S. Pauls not one stone left upon another, &c. This Lord Brook who did often bragg that he should live to see the millinary fools paradice begin in his life time, did give occasion, by words that he uttered, to certain observing persons to think, that his death was near, viz. that at his going out of Coventry, when he went towards Lichfield, he give order to his Chaplain, that he should preach upon this Text, If I perish, I perish, being the words of Ester in a different, but a far better, cause, Est. 4. 16. Also that in a prayer of above an hour long, which he conceived before his setting on the Close, he was heard to wish that if the cause he was in were not right and just, he might be presently cut off, using the like expressions to his Souldiers also.