Isaac Wake

, Son of Arthur Wake Rector of Billyng in Northamptonshire, Master of the Hospital of St. John in Northampton, and Canon of Ch. Ch. in Oxon, third Son of John Wake Esq of the ancient and honourable Family of his name living at Sawcy Forest, was born in the said County of Northampton, (at Billyng as it seems,) became a Member of this University in the beginning of the year 1593. aged 18. or thereabouts, elected Probationer-Fellow of Merton coll. 1598. Orator of the University 1604. being then Regent ad placitum, publickly known to the K. and Court at Oxon in the year following, by his Orations of a Ciceronian stile delivered before them when entertained there, travelled into France and Italy, 1609. and after his return was entertained in the quality of a Secretary to Sir Dudley Carleton one of the Secretaries of State, and from his, was advanced to the King’s, service, by being imployed Embassador to Venice, Savoy, and elsewhere. The time when he went to Savoy was in the (c)(c) Camden in Annal. Reg. Jac. 1. MS. sub. an. 1. 19. middle of Apr. 1619. being in few days before made a Knight, whose Escocheon then, or soon after, which was hung up in all publick places where he came, had this inscription written under it. Sir Isaac Wake Knight Embassador Extraordinary in Savoy and Piemont, Ordinary for Italy, Helvetia, and Rhetia, select for France. In 1623. he was elected Burgess by the Members of this University to serve in that Parliament which began the 19. Feb. the same year, in which he was much admired for his excellent elocution. I have been informed by some of the Ancients of Merton coll. that this our author Wake had his Pen more at command in the Latin, English, and French tongue, than any of his time in the University. Also that his speaking was Majestick, that he was better for Orations than disputing, and that he employed his time more in reading political and civil matters, than Philosophy or the great Faculties. Further also that he was a gentile man in behaviour, well spoken, and therefore put upon Speeches at all Receptions and Funerals. There is no doubt but that he was a man of exquisite learning, strong parts of nature, and of a most refined wit. He hath written,

Rex Platonicus; sive de potentiss. Principis Jacobi Regis ad Academ. Oxon. adventu, an. 1605. Oxon. 1607. qu. afterwards printed in oct.

Oratio funebris habita in templo B. Mariae Oxon, quum maesti Oxinienses, piis manibus Johannis Rainoldi parentarent. Oxon. 1608. in tw. &c. Translated into English by Thom. Fuller in his Abel redivivus.—Lond. 1651. qu.

Oratio funebris habita in Schola Theologica in obitum Clariss. Equitis Tho. Bodley. Oxon. 1613. qu. Wake’s name is not set to it, only said in the title to be made by the publick Orator of the University, which office Wake then injoyed. ’Tis reprinted in a book published by Will. Bates D. D. a Nonconformist-Minister, intit. Vitae selectiorum aliquot virorum, qui doctrina, dignitate aut pietate inclaruere. Lond. 1681. in a large qu.

Discourse of the 13 Cantons of the Helvetical League. Lond. 1655. oct.

Discourse of the state of Italy as it stood about the year 1625.—Printed with the former discourse.

Discourse upon the proceedings of the Kings of Sweden. —Printed also with the former. These three last discourses were printed at Lond. in oct. with this title put before them, A threefold help to political observations. I find another book going under his name that bears this title,

Disquisitions upon the Nativity of our Saviour Jesus Christ.—When printed I know not, for I have not yet seen it. And another called,

A relation of what hapned in the Dutchies of Mantoua and Montferrat from the beginning of the year 1628. unto the end of the year 1629.—MS. among those given by the learned Selden’s Executors to the publick Libr. at Oxon. The beginning of it is, In the year of our Lord 1627. was closed with the death of Vincenzo Gonzaga, &c. He hath also Several Letters of State in the book called, Cabala, or Mysteries of State, &c. Lond. 1654. qu. and Several Letters in that intit. Cabala, or Scrinia Sacra. Lond. 1663. fol. He took his last farewel of this World at Paris, during his being there in the service of his Majesty: Whereupon his body being embalmed, was brought over into England, and inter’d on the south side of the Chancel belonging to the Chappel in Dover Castle, in the month of July in sixteen hundred thirty and two.1632. At which time Mr. John Reading Minister of S. Maries Church in Dover preached his Funeral Sermon, wherein he took occasion to speak very honourably of the person that laid dead before him, whom he knew and well remembred in the University of Oxon.