Anthony Sherley

, second Son of Sir Tho. Sherley of Wistneston, commonly called Wiston in Sussex, Knight, by Anne his Wife, Daughter of Sir Tho. Kempe Knight, was born there, matriculated as a Member of Hart hall in the beginning of the year 1579. aged 14. admitted Bac. of Arts in the latter end of 1581. and about the beginning of Nov. following, he was elected Probat. Fellow of Allsouls coll. being of kin to the Founder thereof by his Mother’s side. But before he proceeded in Arts, he left the University, and retired to one of the Inns of Court, or went to travel beyond the Seas, or both successively. Soon after he became known to that popular Count Robert Earl of Essex, whose heroick spirit and vertues he so much admired, that he resolved for the future, that he should be a pattern to him in all the civil actions of his life. The first adventure that he made was his voyage into America, particularly to S. Jago, Dominica, Margarita, &c. an. 1596. From which voyage (wherein great valour was shewn against the Portuguese) he returned the year following. Afterwards, having received the honour of Knighthood from the said Earl of Essex in Ireland, (if I mistake not,) he went beyond the Seas again, made long voyages, and was employed as Embassador several times by Foreign Princes. In which voyages his Exploits were so great, that the K. of Spain taking an affection to, allowed, him an yearly pension, made him Admiral of the Levant Seas, and next in place to the Viceroy of Naples. So that his greatness making our King jealous of, he sent for, him to return; but he refused to come, and therefore was numbred among the English Fugitives. About that time he was known by the title of Earl of the Sacred Empire, as having been created so, I suppose, by the Emperour of Germany, and had from his Catholick Majesty a Pension of 200 Ducats yearly. Ever after, so long as he lived, he shew’d himself so zealous a Servant to that King, that he became a great plotter and projector in matters of state, and undertook by Sea-stratagems, if you’ll believe an author (a)(a) Jam. Wadsworth in his English Spanish Vilgrim, chap. 7. of no great credit, to invade and ruine his native Country; the whole story and passages of which, would make a just volume. He hath written,

Voyage to America,—See R. Hakeluyts third and last vol. of Voyages, Printed at Lond. 1600. p. 598, 599, &c.

Account of M. Hamets rising in the Kingdom of Morocco, Fez, &c. Lond. 1609. qu.

History of his travailes into Persia. Lond. 1613. qu. Which voyage was began 24. May 1599. and is epitomiz’d in the second vol. or part of Sam. Purchas his Pilgrims, printed 1625. fol. in the ninth book.

Voyage over the Caspian Sea, and thorough Russia.— Publish’d by W. Parry, an. 1601. involv’d in the Pilgrims of Purchas before-mention’d.

History of his Embassages.—See Purchas vol. 2. book 6. 9. and in Rich. Hakluyt before-mentioned. What other matters he wrote, or caused to be published of his composition, I know not, nor any thing else of him, only that he was living in the Court of Spain in sixteen hundred and thirty,Clar. 1630. and that he had taken to Wife, long before, Francis the Sister of Rob. Vernon of Hodnet Knight. He had an elder Brother named Thomas Sherley, who was entred into Hart hall at the same time with his Brother, an. 1579. aged 15. where continuing about two years or more, was called home, married, and in 1589. Knighted. But this person being asham’d to see the trophies and atchievements of his two younger Brothers, Anthony before-mentioned and Robert a great Hero, worn like flowers in the breasts and bosoms of Foreign Princes, whilst he himself wither’d upon the stalk he grew on, left his aged Father, and, as ’tis (b)(b) In England’s Worthies, in Sussex. said, a fair inheritance in Sussex, and forthwith undertook several voyages into Foreign parts, to the great honour of his Nation, but small enrichment of himself. A narration of which voyages he printed, or caused to be printed, but such I have not yet seen. As for the youngest Brother Rob. Sherley before-mentioned, whether he was of Hart hall I know not, for his name occurs not in the Matricula, only that of John Sherley a Sussex man, and the Son of a Gent. matriculated as a Member of that hall in 1582. aged 14. The said Robert (whom also I find to occur by the title of Knight) was a great man of his time, and so highly valued by the Emperour of Persia, that he not only sent him Embassadour to Sigismond the 3. King of Poland, as also to K. Jam. 1. of England, an. 1612. (for he arrived (c)(c) Camden in Annal. Jac. 1. sub an. 1612. MS. at London 26. June that year,) but was pleased to give him his Neice in Marriage, and to confer upon him honour and riches. As to the general performances of the aforesaid 3 Brothers, I know the affidavit of a Poet carrieth but a small credit in the Court of History, and the Comedy made of them, intit. The travailes of three English Brothers, Sir Thomas, Sir Anthony, and Rob. Sherley, printed at Lond. 1607. in qu. is but a friendly foe to their memory, as suspected more accommodated to please the present spectators, than inform posterity. The before-mentioned Sir Thomas, the elder Brother and Traveller, had a Son named Thomas, who was a Knight also, and suffer’d much in the time of the Rebellion for adhering to the Cause of K. Ch. 1. of ever Blessed Memory. And that Sir Thomas the Sufferer had to his eldest Son another Thomas, commonly called Dr. Tho. Sherley, born in the Parish of S. Margaret within the City of Westminster, and baptized there 15. Oct. 1638. lived, when a boy, with his Father in Magd. coll. during the time that Oxon was a Garrison for the King, and was bred up in Grammar learning in the Free-School joyning to the said College. Afterwards he went into France, studied Physick, and was graduated in that Faculty there. After his return he became noted for his practice therein, and at length was made Physician in Ordinary to his Maj. K. Ch. 2. and I think Doctor of his Faculty. He hath published, A Philosophical Essay, declaring the probable causes whence stones are produced in the greater World: From which, occasion is taken to search into the original of all bodies; being a prodromus to a medicinal truth concerning the causes and cure of the stone in the Kidneys and Bladder of Man. Lond. 1672. oct. An account of which book you may see in the Philosophical transactions, num. 81. p. 1030. He also translated from Lat. into English, (1) Cochlearia Curiosa: or, the Curiosities of Scurvy-grass. Lond. 1676. oct. written by Dr. Andr. Molimbrochius of Leipsig. An account of which book you may also see in the said Phil. Transact. nu. 125. p. 621. (2) Medicinal Councels, or Advices. written originally in French by Theod. Tarquet de Mayer [•] e, put into Latin by Theoph. Bonettus M. D.—Lond. 1676. and translated from French into Engl. A treatise of the Gout. Lond. 1676. written by the said Tarquet de Mayerne. He the said Dr. Tho. Sherley died of grief 5. Aug. 1678. and was buried in the S. W. Vault under part of St. Brides Church near to Fleet street in London. His grief arose upon a just suspicion that he should be totally defeated of an Estate in Sussex, worth about 3000 l. per an. descended to him from his Great-Grandfather Sir Tho. Sherley, mostly detained from him by Sir Joh. Pagge Baronet. Concerning which matter, the two Houses of Parliament were engaged in a quarrel a little before Dr. Sherley’s death.