Bulstrode Whitlock

son of Sir James Whitlock Knight, by Elizab. his wife, daugh. of Edw. Bulstrode of Hugeley or Hedgley-Bulstrode in Bucks, Esq, was born in Fleetstreet in London, in the house of Sir George Croke (Serjeant at Law) his Mothers Uncle, on the 6 of Aug. 1605, educated in Grammar learning in Merchant Taylors School, became a Gent. Com. of S. Johns Coll. in Mich. term, an. 1620; at which time he was principally recommended to the care and oversight of his fathers contemporary and intimate friend Dr. Laud, then President of that House, who shewing to him several fatherly kindnesses, our author Whitlock did many years after make some returns when the said Doctor, then Archb. of Cant, was to be brought to a trial for his life, especially in this respect when he refused to be one of the Commissioners, or number of the Committee appointed by Parl, to draw up a charge against him. But before our author had taken a degree, he went to the Middle Temple, where, by the help of his father, he became a noted proficient in the Common Law, well read also in other studies, and in time made for himself a large provision from them and a retired contemplation. At length when the Long Parliament was to sit, he being then a Counsellour at Law, he was chose a Burgess for Marlow in Bucks, to serve therein, and shewing himself very active in baiting the most noble Thomas Earl of Strafford, became noted in the House for a man of parts. In 1642 he, for his activeness for the cause then driving on, was made one of the Deputy-Lieutenants of Buckinghamshire, at which time a new Lieutenant was constituted by the Parliament; and soon after was named one of the Commissioners to treat for peace with the King at Oxon in the name of the Parliament, and one of the Lay-Gentlemen to sit among the Ass. of Divines. In 1644 he became Attorney of the Dutchy of Lancaster, Commissioner again for peace, and in the same year when Rob. E. of Essex was about to prove Ol. Cromwell an Incendiary, he gave him the said Oliver timely notice of the design, (he being privy to it) and thenceforth he became very gratious with that most active person, who, with his party were very willing to engage him as far as they could to them. In 1645 he was appointed one of the Commissioners for the Admiralty, and being then suspected to hold intelligence with the Kings party, was in danger to have lost all, had he not freed himself from that suspicion, especially by his urging his losses that he had sufferd by the said party for his adhering to the Parliament: in consideration of which he had afterwards given to him 2000 l. In 1646 he was sent for to the Leaguer before Oxon by Sir Tho. Fairfax the General of the Parl. forces, who being admitted one of his Council of War, he did oftentimes, being a friend to the Univ. of Oxon, express his unwillingness that any thing of damage should be done to it, and pressed for honorable t [••] ms to be offer’d to the Garrison there. In 1647 O. Cromwell used his advice in many things, and therefore by his power it was that in the beginning of March in the said year he was made one of the four Commissioners of the Great Seal. In 1648 Ph. E. of Pembrok, who was then lately made Constable of Windsore Castle, and keeper of the Forest adjoyning, constituted him his Lieutenant of those places in the month of July: and in the same year, he was not only named one of the Kings Serjeants, (which he refused to accept) but was made one of the 3 Commissioners of the new Great Seal of the Commonwealth of England, 8. Febr; at which time the King Great Seal was publickly broken in the H. of Commons. And farther also on the 14. of the said month he was elected one of the 30 persons for the Council of State, wherein he sate and acted according to his ability. In the month of June 1649 he was made High Steward of the City of Oxon by the Mayor and Citizens thereof, in the room of the Earl of Berks: Whom, they, for his Loyalty, displaced, and about the same time they made him their Recorder. In July following he was constituted keeper of the Kings Meddals and Library, which in 1647 he had hindred from being sold: And that employment he the rather took, because he was put upon it by Selden and other learned men, and that he himself, being accounted learned, took great delight in such matters. However being not alwaies at leisure to attend those places he had a Deputy allowed him, and one John Dury a Traveller did the drudgery of the place. On the 24. of Nov. 1651 he was continued one of the Council of State, and likewise on the same day in the year following. In the beginning of Nov. 1653 he set forth with a gallant retinew in the quality of an Embassador into Sweedland, being impowred thereto by Oliver and the Little Parliament, and had a thousand pounds per ann. for his Salary. In which Embassie and Country behaving himself with great prudence to the liking, and with the approbation, of all, Christina Queen of that Country made him a Knight of the honorable Order of Amaranta, of which Order the Queen herself is Soveraign, and wears the badg thereof (which is a rich Jewel tied to a crimson riband) under her left breast. You may be pleased to see more of this Order in Elias Ashmole’s book intit. The institutions, lawes and ceremonies of the Order of the Garter. Lond. 1672. fol. chap. 3. p. 123. and the copy or draught of the badge between pag. 94. and 95. After his return thence, which was in July 1654. he was in Aug. following made one of the Commissioners of the Exchequer or Treasury; for in his absence alteration, or pretended reformation being made in the Chancery, he stood off at his return from being any longer Commissioner of the Seal. In January 1656, he being then Serjeant at Law, was chose Speaker of the H. of Commons pro tempore, upon the indisposition of him lately chosen, and in the year following he was summoned by Oliver the Protector to sit in the other House by the name of Bulstrode Lord Whitlock: which summons he obeying, had thereupon a negative voice in that House over the people, tho he had helped to put it down when it consisted of King and Lords. In Aug. 1659 he was made President of the Council of State; in Octob, one of the Committee of Safety; on the first of Nov, keeper of the great seal pro tempore by the appointment of the said Committee, and on the 30 of Jan. following he retired into the country for fear of being sent prisoner to the Tower by some prevalent Members in the in the Rump Parl. then newly restored, for his being a member of the Committee of Safety. At which time he leaving the Seal with his wife, lock’d up in a desk, she forthwith delivered it to Lenthal the Speaker. From which time, to that of his death, we heard but little of him, only that he lived retiredly, mostly at Chilton in Wilts. near Hungerford in Berks, that he had been an observing person thro all changes, guided more by policy than conscience, and that he had advantaged himself much in Civil affairs by his relation to the publick, and his eminent station. To which I add that he was an excellent Com. Lawyer, was as well read in books as in men, and well vers’d in the Oriental Tongues, and therefore belov’d of Selden (who would have made him one of his Executors) and the Virtuosi of his time. The things that he hath extant are these,

Several Speeches viz. (1) Speech at a conference of both Houses, 17. Feb. 1641. Lond. 1642. qu. (2) Sp. to the Qu. of Sweden, an. 1653. The beginning of which is, Madam, by command of my Superiors, the Parliament of the Commonwealth of England &c. (3) Speech in Lat. to the said Qu. in May or Jun. 1654. The beginning of which is, Multo equidem cum taedio ferrem, &c. (4) A learned and godly speech, spoken when Serjeant Willam Steel Recorder of the City of London, was made L. Chief Baron in the Court of Exchecquer at Westm. 28. May 1655. (5) Sp. to the Mayor, Aldermen and Common-Council of London 9. Aug. 1659. (6) Another Sp. to them, 8. Nov. the same year:—which two Sp. are published in one sh. in qu.

Several discourses in the trial of Tho. E. of Strafford—See in Jo. Rushworths Trial of Tho. E. of Straff.

Monarchy asserted to be the best, most ancient and legal form of government, in a conference had at Whitehall with Oliver Lord Protector and a Committee of Parliament in Apr. 1657. Lond. 1660. oct. Made good by way arguments in at least five Speeches then by him spoken.

Memorialls of the English affaires: or, an historicall account of what passed from the beginning of K. Ch. 1. to the restauration of K. Ch. 2. Lond. 1682. fol. This is no more than a Diary which he began and continued for his private use. In this book you’ll find divers of his discourses made on various occasions. It was published by Arth. Earl of Anglesie, but with a very bad index to it, which is a disadvantage to the book in many respects. He also left behind him several manuscript volumes of his own writing, which are not determin’d by the heir whether they may, or shall, be published. Several things in his life time were fathered upon him, among which was a little thing published in Jan. 1659. entit. My Lord Whitlocks Reports on Machiavil, &c. wherein the author tells us that when Whitlock was chose a member of the Long Parl. he had then no interest, but contented himself with seeing the fashions of the Parl. house. At length Pyms discerning eyes, spying that curiosity, presently attacqued his unconcerned, undetermined mind, and with the proffers of greatness and popularity brought him over to his design, and became his Second, &c. Also that when he, with other Commissioners, attended the King at Oxon with propositions from both houses in order to peace, the K. shewed to the Commissioners during their stay there great respect, but of Commissioner Whitlock he took small notice, &c. which implanted in him ever after an implacable malice to him and his posterity, &c. That he was sent to make speeches against the young King at Guild hall when he was at Worcester, which he did with so much vigour and confidence, that Tichbourne the next day durst throw the Kings declaration into the fire made at the Exchange, &c. with other passages which for brevity sake I now omit. At length he dying of the stone in his house at Chilton Park on the 28. of July in sixteen hundred seventy and five,1675. was buried in an isle joyning to the Church of Falley or Fawley near Marlow in Bucks, which he had built for a burying place for his family. Among the sons that he had by Rebecca his wife, daughter of Thom. Benet Alderman of London, was James Whitlock, first a Captain, afterwards Fellow of Alls. Coll, then a Colonel in the parliament Army, one of the Knights for Oxfordshire to serve in that Parliament which began at Westminster 3. of Sept. 1654, knighted by Oliver 6. Jan. 1656, Burgess for Aylesbury in Bucks, to serve in the Parl. which began at West. 27 Jan. 1658, &c.