Nicholas Vaux

, Son of Sir Will. Vaux of Harwedon in Northamptonshire by Catherine his Wife (*)(*) Inter cod. MS. in Coll. Armorum Lond G. 4. fol. 6. Daughter of Gregory Penystone of Curtesels in Piemont, a Province of Italy, was born in that County (Northamptonshire) and in his juvenile Years, was sent to Oxon, where by reading Humane and Romantick, rather than Philosophical, Authors, advanced his Genie very much in Poetry and History. In his riper Years he followed the Camp, did King Hen. 7. noted service in the Battel of Stoke (near Newark) in the second Year of his Reign, and thereupon he received the Honor of Knighthood. In the 17th Year of that Kings Reign, he appeared like a Star at the Marriage of Prince Arthur, for the Gown of Purple Velvet which he then wore, was valued at a Thousand pounds, besides a Collar of SS about his Neck, which weighed Eight hundred pounds in Nobles. In the 1. Hen. 8. he was made Lieutenant of the Castle of Guisnes in Picardy, and in the 5th of that Kings Reign, he was at the Seige of Turwyn. In the 10th, he was one of the Ambassadors then sent into France, for confirming the Articles of Peace, between King Hen. 8. and the French; and in the 11th, was one of the Commissioners appointed to make preparation for that famous interview near Guisnes, between King Hen. 8. and the King of France. After which he grew into such high esteem at Court, that in the 15. Hen. 8. he was advanced (n)(n) See the Baronage of England, Tom. 3. p. 304. b. to the dignity of a Baron of this Realm, by the Name and Title of Nicholas Lord Vaux of Harwedon. It is reported by a certain (o)(o) The Author of The art of English Poesie. See in Theatr. poetarum. pr. 1675. p. 230. Author, that his fancy laid chiefly in the facility of his meeter, and the aptness of his descriptions, such as he takes upon him to make; namely, in sundry of his Songs, wherein he sheweth the counterfeit action very lively and pleasantly. His Book, or Books of Poetry I have not yet seen, only many of his Copies of Verses, in a Book Intit. The Paradise of dainty devises, &c. Printed at Lond. 1578. in qu. Among them I find some, which have these Titles set to them, (1) A Copy made In his extream sickness, which is the eighth Copy in that Book (2) His desire to exchange life, numb. 17. (3) Of sufferance cometh ease. numb. 41. (4) No pleasure without some pain. fol. 36. b. (5) A lover disdained complaineth, fol. 51. a. (6) Of a contented mind. (7) Trie before you trust. (8) He renounceth all the effects of love. (9) Bethinking himself of his end, he writeth thus, &c. There goes a doleful dutty also under his Name beginning thus, I loath that I did love, &c. which was thought by some to be made upon his Death bed. At length after this learned and valiant Lord had enjoyed his Honor but a very little time; he gave way to fate in May or June, in Fiveteen hundred twenty and three; 1523 whereupon his Body was buried, as it seems, at Harwedon before-mention’d, (where he founded a Chantry for one Priest to sing Mass for his Soul, in the Parish Church there;) or else in the Church of the Black Friers at London.