William Herbert

, Son and Heir of Hen. Earl of Pembroke was born at Wilton in Wilts, 8. Apr. 1580. became a Nobleman of New coll. in Lent-term 1592. aged 13. continued there about two years, succeeded his Father in his honours 1601. made Knight of the Garter 1. Jac. 1. and Governour of Portsmouth six years after. In 1626. he was unanimously elected Chancellour of this University, being a great Patron of learning, and about that time was made Lord Chamberlain of the Kings Household. He was not only a great favourer of learned and ingenious men, but was himself learned, and endowed to admiration with a poetical genie, as by those amorous and not inelegant Aires and Poems of his composition doth evidently appear; some of which had musical Notes set to them, by Hen. Lawes and Nich. Laneare. All that he hath extant, were published with this title.

Poems written by William Earl of Pembroke, &c. many of which are answered by way of repartee, by Sir Benj. Rudyard, with other Poems written by them occasionally and apart. Lond. 1660. oct. He died suddenly in his house called Baynards Castle in London, on the tenth of Apr. in sixteen hundred and thirty, 1630 (according to the calculation of his nativity made several years before by Mr. Tho. Allen of Glouc. hall) whereupon his body was buried in the Cath. Ch. at Salisbury near to that of his Father. See more of him in the Fasti, among the Creations, an. 1605. He had a younger brother named Philip, who was also a Nobleman of New coll. at the same time with his brother, was afterwards created Earl of Montgomery, and upon the death of his brother William, succeeded in the title of Pembroke. But this Philip was quite different in temper from his brother, for he was esteemed by all that knew, or had to do with, him, a very cholerick man, a frequent Sweater, and so illiterate, that if the report be true, he could scarce write his name. He also turn’d Rebel when the Civil Wars began in 1642. was one of the Council of State by Olivers appointment after K. Ch. 1. was beheaded, and a most passionate enemy to learning, which notoriously appeared when he deeply engag’d himself in the undoing of this University (of which he was Chancellour) in 1648. I have seen several rambling and confus’d Speeches that he, with great confidence, uttered in Parliament and Committees, which were afterwards printed under his name; and others, very witty and Satyrical, that were father’d upon him. The Reader is to know that besides the former Will. Herbert, hath been others of both his names that have been writers, as one, who was a Knight, in the time of Qu. Elizab. an. 1586. and another of Pointington in 1646. who dedicates his book called Herberts belief, &c. to his Son Benjamin, and one William Har [•] ert who published The Prophecy of Cadwallader, &c.