Nicholas Monke

or Le Moyne, third Son of Sir Tho. Monke of Potheridge in Devonshire Knight, Son of Tho. Monke of the said place Gent, by Frances his Wife (Widow of Joh. Basset of Umbersley in the said County Esq.) Daughter of Arthur Plantagenet, natural Son of K. Edw. 4, by Elizabeth Lucy, as is suppos’d, his Concubine, was born in Devonshire, either at Potheridge, or at Marton; at the last of which places his Father lived when this Nich. Monke came first to Wadham Coll, an. 1626 aged 17 years or thereabouts. After he had spent several years in that house in the condition of a Commoner, he proceeded in Arts in 1634, entred into holy Orders, was beneficed in his own Country, and suffered in the time of the rebellion as other Loyallists did. Afterwards he was permitted to keep some little cure by the endeavours of his Brother George while he was chief Commander under Oliver Cromwell in Scotland, was persecuted, as ’tis said, by the Triers appointed by Oliver, but at length had the Rectory of Kilkhampton in Cornwall worth 300 l. per an. bestowed on him by his kinsman Sir John Greenvill, (afterwards Earl of Bathe) which he freely gave him without symony, purposely to oblige him to serve the publick when ever he had occasion to make use of him, he having then an eye upon his Brother George in Scotland, whom his family had obliged likewise. I say that this good benefice being bestowed on him, he was by his Brothers interest fix’d therein and ready to perform what laid in his power to serve the interest of the Royal Family. In 1659 he agitated with his said Brother by Letters to, and soon after in Person in, Scotland in order to influence him for the restauration of K. Ch. 2. to his Kingdoms, being put upon it chiefly by the said Sir Jo Greenvill and some of the Gentry in the West who were of kin to Monke: So happy it was for his Maj. to employ the said Sir John, and so lucky for him to send his Clerk Mr. Monke thither, where he omitted nothing of his instructions, but prudently managed them, as may reasonably be inferred from the good effect they had. Thus did the sense of allegiance and the love of his Country prevail with his Brother against all hazards: And, if I should speak right the revenge of slights was some part ((d))((d)) Mystery and method of his Majesties happy restauration. Lond. 1680. oct. p. 20. Written by John Price D. D. of grain in the Scales. In the year following (1660) his endeavours and desires being effected, he was by the interest of the said Sir John, (minded thereunto by Gen. Monke) made Provost of Eaton Coll, in the month of June, then, or lately, enjoyed by Nich. Lockyer sometimes Chaplain to Oliver Cromwell lately Protect. In the beginning of Aug. following, he was actually created Doctor of Divinity, by vertue of the Kings Letters sent to the University for that purpose, and soon after being nominated by his Majesty to the See of Hereford, which had laid void for 14 years by the death of George Cook, he was consecrated thereunto on the sixth day of January (Epiphany day) in the Abbey Church of S. Peter at Westminster, by the Archb. of York, Bishops of Durham, Chichester, Lincolne and Peterborough: But before he had enjoyed that See a full year, he concluded his last day in his Lodgings in the Old Pallace-yard in Westminster, on the seventeenth of December in sixteen hundred sixty and one;1661. whereupon his body was buried on the twentieth of the said month in S. Edmunds Chappel within the Precincts of the said Church of S. Peter. In the See of Hereford succeeded Dr. Herbert Croft, of whom may future mention be made, and of his works, as to learning.