Characters from the Histories & Memoirs of the Seventeenth Century Part 7

By CLARENDON.

This day fell the Earle of Carnarvon, who after he had charged and rowted a body of the enimyes horse, cominge carelesly backe by some of the scattered troopers, was by one of them who knew him runn through the body with a sworde, of which he dyed within an howre. He was a person with whose greate partes and virtue the world was not enough acquainted. Before the warr, though his education was adorned by travell, and an exacte observation of the manners of more nations then our common travellers use to visitt, for he had after the view of Spayne, France, and most partes of Italy, spent some tyme in Turkey and those Easterne Countryes, he seemed to be wholly delighted with those looser exercises of pleasure, huntinge, hawkinge, and the like, in which the n.o.bility of that tyme too much delighted to excell; After the troubles begann, havinge the commaunde of the first or secounde Regiment of Horse that was raysed for the Kinges service, he wholy gave himselfe up to the office and duty of a Souldyer, noe man more diligently obeyinge, or more dextrously commaundinge, for he was not only of a very keene courage in the exposinge his person, but an excellent discerner and pursuer of advantage upon his enimy, and had a minde and understandinge very present in the article of daunger, which is a rare benefitt in that profession. Those infirmityes and that licence which he had formerly indulged to himselfe, he putt off with severity, when others thought them excusable under the notion of a souldyer. He was a greate lover of justice, and practiced it then most deliberately, when he had power to do wronge, and so stricte in the observation of his worde and promise, as a Commander, that he could not be perswaded to stay in the west, when he founde it not in his power to performe the agreement he had made with Dorchester and Waymoth. If he had lived he would have proved a greate Ornament to that profession, and an excellent Souldyer, and by his death the Kinge founde a sensible weakenesse in his Army.

21.

LORD FALKLAND.

_Lucius Gary, second Viscount Falkland 1633._

_Born 1610. Fell at Newbury 1643._

By CLARENDON.

But I must heare take leave a little longer to discontinue this narration, and if the celebratinge the memory of eminent and extraordinary persons, and transmittinge ther greate virtues for the imitation of posterity, be one of the principle endes and dutyes of History, it will not be thought impertinent in this place to remember a losse, which noe tyme will suffer to be forgotten, and no successe or good fortune could repayre; In this unhappy battell was slayne the L'd Viscounte Falkelande, a person of such prodigious partes of learninge and knowledge, of that inimitable sweetenesse and delight in conversation, of so flowinge and obliginge a humanity and goodnesse to mankinde, and of that primitive simplicity, and integrity of life, that if ther were no other brande upon this odious and accursed Civill war, then that single losse, it must be most infamous and execrable to all posterity:

Turpe mori post te, solo non posse dolore.

Before this parliament his condition of life was so happy, that it was hardly capable of improovement; before he came to twenty yeeres of Age, he was master of a n.o.ble fortune, which descended to him by the gifte of a grandfather, without pa.s.singe through his father or mother, who were then both alive, and not well enough contented to finde themselves pa.s.sed by in the descent: His education for some yeeres had bene in Ireland, wher his father was Lord Deputy, so that when he returned into Englande, to the possessyon of his fortune, he was unintangled with any acquaintance or frends, which usually grow up by the custome of conversation, and therfore was to make a pure election of his company; which he chose by other rules then were prescribed to the younge n.o.bility of that tyme; And it cannot be denyed, though he admitted some few to his frendshipp for the agreablenesse of ther natures, and ther undoubted affection to him, that his familiarity and frendshipp for the most parte was with men of the most eminent and sublime partes, and of untouched reputations in pointe of integrity: and such men had a t.i.tle to his bosome.

He was a greate cherisher of witt, and fancy, and good partes in any man, and if he founde them clowded with poverty or wante, a most liberall and bountifull Patron towards them, even above his fortune, of which in those administrations he was such a dispenser, as if he had bene trusted with it to such uses, and if ther had bene the least of vice in his expence, he might have bene thought too prodigall: He was constant and pertinatious in whatsoever he resolved to doe, and not to be wearyed by any paynes that were necessary to that end, and therfore havinge once resolved not to see London (which he loved above all places) till he had perfectly learned the greeke tonge, he went to his owne house in the Country, and pursued it with that indefatigable industry, that it will not be believed, in how shorte a tyme he was master of it, and accurately reade all the Greeke Historyans. In this tyme, his house beinge within tenn myles of Oxford, he contracted familiarity and frendshipp with the most polite and accurate men of that University; who founde such an immensenesse of witt, and such a soliddity of judgement in him, so infinite a fancy bounde in by a most logicall ratiocination, such a vast knowledge, that he was not ignorant in any thinge, yet such an excessive humillity as if he had knowne nothinge, that they frequently resorted and dwelt with him, as in a Colledge scituated in a purer ayre, so that his house was a University bounde in a lesser volume, whither they came not so much for repose, as study: and to examyne and refyne those grosser propositions, which lazinesse and consent made currant in vulgar conversation.

Many attempts were made upon him, by the instigation of his mother (who was a Lady of another perswasion in religion, and of a most maskulyne understandinge, allayed with the pa.s.syon and infirmityes of her owne s.e.x) to perverte him in his piety to the Church of Englande, and to reconcile him to that of Rome, which they prosequted with the more confidence, because he declined no opportunity or occasyon of conference with those of that religion, whether Priests or Laiques, havinge diligently studyed the controversyes, and exactly reade all or the choycest of the Greeke and Latine fathers, and havinge a memory so stupendious, that he remembred on all occasyons whatsoever he reade: And he was so greate an enimy to that pa.s.syon and uncharitablenesse which he saw produced by difference of opinion in matters of religion, that in all those disputations with Priests and others of the Roman Church, he affected to manifest all possible civillity to ther persons, and estimation of ther partes, which made them retayne still some hope of his reduction, even when they had given over offeringe farther reasons to him to that purpose: But this charity towards them was much lesned, and any correspondence with them quyte declined, when by sinister Artes they had corrupted his two younger brothers, beinge both children, and stolen them from his house, and transported them beyonde seas, and perverted his sisters, upon which occasyon he writt two large discources against the principle positions of that Religion, with that sharpnesse of Style, and full waight of reason, that the Church is deprived of greate jewells, in the concealment of them, and that they are not published to the world.

He was superiour to all those pa.s.syons and affections which attende vulgar mindes, and was guilty of no other ambition, then of knowledge, and to be reputed a lover of all good men, and that made him to much a contemner of those Artes which must be indulged to in the transaction of humane affayrs. In the last shorte Parliament he was a Burgesse in the house of Commons, and from the debates which were then managed with all imaginable gravity and sobriety, he contracted such a reverence to Parliaments that he thought it really impossible, that they could ever produce mischieve or inconvenience to the kingdome, or that the kingdome could be tolerably happy in the intermissyon of them; and from the unhappy, and unseasonable dissolution of that convention, he harboured it may be some jealousy and praejudice of the Courte, towards which he was not before immoderately inclined, his father havinge wasted a full fortune ther, in those offices and imployments, by which other men use to obtayne a greater. He was chosen agayne this Parliament to serve in the same place, and in the beginninge of it, declared himselfe very sharply and sevearely against those exorbitances which had bene most grievous to the State; for he was so rigidd an observer of established Lawes and rules, that he could not indure the least breach or deviation from them, and thought no mischieve so intollerable, as the praesumption of ministers of State, to breake positive rules for reason of State, or judges to transgresse knowne Lawes, upon the t.i.tle of conveniency or necessity, which made him so seveare against the Earle of Straforde, and the L'd Finch, contrary to his naturall gentlenesse and temper; insomuch as they who did not know his composition to be as free from revenge as it was from pryde, thought that the sharpnesse to the former might proceede from the memory of some unkindnesses, not without a mixture of injustice from him towards his father; but without doubte he was free from those temptations, and was only misledd by the authority of those, who he believed understoode the Lawes perfectly, of which himselfe was utterly ignorant, and if the a.s.sumption, which was scarce controverted, had bene true, that an endeavour to overthrow the fundamentall Lawes of the kingdome had beene treason, a stricte understandinge might make reasonable conclusions to satisfy his owne judgement, from the exorbitant partes of ther severall charges.

The greate opinion he had of the uprightnesse and integrity of those persons, who appeared most active, especially of Mr. Hambden, kept him longer from suspectinge any designe against the peace of the kingdome, and though he differed commonly from them in conclusyons, he believed longe ther purposes were honest; When he grew better informed what was Law, and discerned a desyre to controle that Law, by a vote of one, or both houses, no man more opposed those attempts, and gave the adverse party more trouble, by reason and argumentation, insomuch as he was by degrees looked upon as an Advocate for the Courte, to which he contributed so little, that he declined those addresses, and even those invitations, which he was oblieged almost by civillity to entertayne: And he was so jealous of the least imagination that he should inclyne to praeferment, that he affected even a morosity to the Courte, and to the Courtyers, and left nothinge undone which might prevent and deverte the Kings or Queenes favour towards him, but the deservinge it: for when the Kinge sent for him once or twice, to speake with him, and to give him thankes for his excellent comportment in those Councells, which his Majesty gratiously tearmed doinge him service, his answers were more negligent and lesse satisfactory than might be exspected, as if he cared only that his Actions should be just, not that they should be acceptable, and that his Majesty should thinke that they proceeded only from the impulsyon of conscience, without any sympathy in his affections, which from a Stoicall and sullen nature might not have bene misinterpreted, yet from a person of so perfecte a habitt of generous and obsequious complyance with all good men, might very well have bene interpreted by the Kinge as more then an ordinary aversenesse to his service, so that he tooke more paynes, and more forced his nature to actions unagreable and unpleasant to it, that he might not be thought to inclyne to the Courte, then any man hath done to procure an office ther; and if any thinge but not doinge his duty could have kept him from receavinge a testimony of the Kings grace and trust at that tyme, he had not bene called to his Councell: not that he was in truth averse to the Courte, or from receavinge publique imployment: for he had a greate devotion to the Kings person, and had before used some small endeavour to be recommended to him for a forrainge negotiation, and had once a desyre to be sent Amba.s.sadour into France, but he abhorred an imagination or doubte should sinke into the thoughts of any man, that in the discharge of his trust and duty in Parliament he had any byas to the Court, or that the Kinge himselfe should apprehende that he looked for a rewarde for beinge honest.

For this reason when he heard it first whispered that the Kinge had a purpose to make him a Counsellour, for which in the beginninge ther was no other grounde, but because he was knowne sufficient, haud semper errat fama, aliquando et elegit, he resolved to declyne it, and at last suffred himselfe only to be overruled by the advice, and persuasions of his frends to submitt to it; afterwards when he founde that the Kinge intended to make him his Secretary of State, he was positive to refuse it, declaringe to his frends that he was most unfitt for it, and that he must ether doe that which would be greate disquyet to his owne nature, or leave that undone which was most necessary to be done by one that was honored with that place, for that the most just and honest men did every day that, which he could not give himselfe leave to doe. And indeede he was so exacte and stricte an observer of justice and truth _ad amussim_, that he believed those necessary condescensions and applications to the weaknesse of other men, and those artes and insinuations which are necessary for discoveryes and prevention of ill, would be in him a declension from the rule which he acknowledged fitt and absolutely necessary to be practiced in those imploiments, and was so precise in the practique principles he prescribed to himselfe (to all others he was as indulgent) as if he had lived in republica Platonis non in faece Romuli.

Two reasons praevayled with him to receave the seales, and but for those he had resolutely avoyded them, the first, the consideration that it might bringe some blemish upon the Kings affayres, and that men would have believed that he had refused so greate an honour and trust, because he must have beene with it oblieged to doe somewhat elce, not justifiable; and this he made matter of conscience, since he knew the Kinge made choyce of him before other men, especially because he thought him more honest then other men; the other was, least he might be thought to avoyde it, out of feare to doe an ungratious thinge to the house of Commons, who were sorely troubled at the displacinge S'r Harry Vane, whome they looked upon as remooved for havinge done them those offices they stoode in neede of, and the disdayne of so popular an inc.u.mbrance wrought upon him next to the other, for as he had a full appet.i.te of fame by just and generous Actions, so he had an aequall contempt of it by any servile expedients, and he so much the more consented to and approved the justice upon S'r H. Vane, in his owne private judgement, by how much he surpa.s.sed most men in the religious observation of a trust, the violation wherof he would not admitt of any excuse for.

For these reasons he submitted to the Kings commaunde, and became his Secretary, with as humble and devoute an acknowledgement of the greatenesse of the obligation, as could be expressed, and as true a sense of it in his hearte; yet two thinges he could never bringe himselfe to whilst he continued in that office, (that was to his death) for which he was contented to be reproched, as for omissyons in a most necessary parte of his place; the one imployinge of Spyes, or givinge any countenance or entertaynement to them, I doe not meane such emissaryes as with daunger will venture to view the enimyes Campe, and bringe intelligence of ther number or quartringe, or such generalls as such an observation can comprehende, but those who by communication of guilte, or dissimulation of manners, wounde themselves into such trust and secretts, as inabled them to make discoveryes for the benefitt of the State; the other, the liberty of openinge letters, upon a suspicion that they might contayne matter of daungerous consequence; for the first, he would say, such instruments must be voyd of all ingenuity and common honesty, before they could be of use, and afterwards they could never be fitt to be credited, and that no single preservation could be worth so generall a wounde and corruption of humane society, as the cherishinge such persons would carry with it: The last he thought such a violation of the Law of nature, that no qualification by office, could justify a single person in the trespa.s.se, and though he was convinced by the necessity and iniquity of the tyme, that those advantages of information were not to be declined, and were necessarily to be practiced, he founde meanes to shifte it from himselfe, when he confessed he needed excuse and pardon for the omissyon, so unwillinge he was to resigne any thinge in his nature, to an obligation in his office. In all other particulars, he filled his place plentifully, beinge sufficiently versed in languages, to understande any that is used in businesse, and to make himselfe agayne understoode: To speake of his integrity, and his high disdayne of any bayte that might seeme to looke towards corruption, in tanto viro, injuria virtutum fuerit.

Some sharpe expressions he used against the Arch-Bishopp of Canterbury, and his concurringe in the first Bill to take away the Votes of Bishopps in the house of Peeres, gave occasyon to some to believe, and opportunity to others to conclude and publish that he was no frende to the Church, and the established goverment of it, and troubled his very frends much, who were more confident of the contrary, then praepared to answer the allegations. The truth is, he had unhappily contracted some praejudice to the Arch-Bishopp, and havinge only knowne him enough, to observe his pa.s.syon, when it may be multiplicity of businesse or other indisposition had possessed him, did wish him lesse intangled and ingaged in the businesse of the Courte or State, though, I speake it knowingly, he had a singular estimation and reverence of his greate learninge and confessed integrity, and really thought his lettinge himselfe to those expressyons which implyed a disesteeme of him, or at least an acknowledgement of his infirmityes, would inable him to shelter him from parte of the storme he saw raysed for his destruction, which he abominated with his soule. The givinge his consent to the first Bill for the displacinge the Bishopps, did proceede from two groundes, the first, his not understandinge the originall of ther right and suffrage ther, the other, an opinion that the combination against the whole goverment of the Church by Bishopps, was so violent and furious, that a lesse composition then the dispencinge with ther intermedlinge in saecular affayres would not praeserve the Order, and he was perswaded to this, by the profession of many persons of Honour, who declared they did desyre the one, and would then not presse the other, which in that particular misledd many men; but when his observation and experience made him discerne more of ther intencions then he before suspected, with greate frankenesse he opposed the secound Bill that was praeferred for that purpose; and had without scruple the order it selfe in perfecte reverence, and thought too greate encouragement could not possibly be given to learninge, nor too greate rewardes to learned men, and was never in the least degree swayed or moved by the objections which were made against that goverment, holdinge them most ridiculous, or affected to the other which those men fancyed to themselves.

He had a courage of the most cleere and keene temper, and soe farr from feare, that he was not without appet.i.te of daunger, and therfore upon any occasyon of action he alwayes engaged his person in those troopes which he thought by the forwardnesse of the Commanders to be most like to be farthest engaged, and in all such encounters he had aboute him a strange cheerefulnesse and companiablenesse, without at all affectinge the execution that was then princ.i.p.ally to be attended, in which he tooke no delight, but tooke paynes to prevent it, wher it was not by resistance necessary, insomuch that at Edgehill, when the Enimy was rowted, he was like to have incurred greate perill by interposinge to save those who had throwne away ther armes, and against whome it may be others were more fierce for ther havinge throwne them away, insomuch as a man might thinke, he came into the Feild only out of curiosity to see the face of daunger, and charity to praevent the sheddinge of bloode; yet in his naturall inclination he acknowledged he was addicted to the professyon of a Souldyer, and shortly after he came to his fortune, and before he came to Age, he went into the Low Countryes with a resolution of procuringe commaunde, and to give himselfe up to it, from which he was converted by the compleate inactivity of that Summer; and so he returned into Englande, and shortly after entred upon that vehement course of study we mencioned before, till the first Alarum from the North, and then agayne he made ready for the feild, and though he receaved some repulse in the commande of a troope of Horse, of which he had a promise, he went a volunteere with the Earle of Ess.e.x.

From the entrance into this unnaturall warr, his naturall cheerefulnesse and vivacity grew clowded, and a kinde of sadnesse and dejection of spiritt stole upon him, which he had never bene used to, yet, beinge one of those who believed that one battell would end all differences, and that ther would be so greate a victory on one syde, that the other would be compelled to submitt to any conditions from the victor (which supposition and conclusion generally sunke into the mindes of most men, praevented the lookinge after many advantages which might then have bene layd hold of) he resisted those indispositions, et in luctu bellum inter remedia erat: but after the Kings returne from Brayneforde, and the furious resolution of the two houses, not to admitt any treaty for peace, those indispositions which had before touched him, grew into a perfecte habitt of uncheerefulnesse, and he who had bene so exactly unreserved and affable to all men, that his face and countenance was alwayes present and vacant to his company, and held any clowdinesse, and lesse pleasantnesse of the visage, a kinde of rudenesse or incivillity, became on a suddayne lesse communicable, and thence very sadd, pale, and exceedingly affected with the spleene. In his clothes and habitt, which he had intended before alwayes with more neatenesse, and industry, and exspence, then is usuall to so greate a minde, he was not now only incurious, but too negligent, and in his reception of suitors and the necessary or casuall addresses to his place so quicke, and sharpe, and seveare, that ther wanted not some men (who were strangers to his nature and disposition) who believed him prowde and imperious, from which no mortall man was ever more free. The truth is, as he was of a most incomparable gentlenesse, application, and even a demisnesse and submissyon to good, and worthy, and intire men, so he was naturally (which could not but be more evident in his place which objected him to another conversation, and intermixture, then his owne election had done) adversus males injucundus, and was so ill a dissembler of his dislike, and disinclination to ill men, that it was not possible for such not to discerne it; ther was once in the house of Commons such a declared acceptation of the good service an eminent member had done to them, and as they sayd, to the whole kingdome, that it was mooved, he beinge present, that the Speaker might in the name of the whole house give him thankes, and then that every member might as a testimony of his particular acknowledgement stirr or moove his Hatt towards him, the which (though not ordred) when very many did, the L'd of Falkelande (who believed the service itselfe not to be of that moment, and that an Honourable and generous person could not have stooped to it, for any recompence) insteede of moovinge his Hatt, stretched both his Armes out, and clasped his hands togither upon the Crowne of his Hatt, and held it close downe to his heade, that all men might see how odious that flattery was to him, and the very approbation of the person, though at that tyme most popular.

When ther was any overture or hope of peace, he would be more erecte, and vigorous, and exceedingly sollicitous to presse any thinge which he thought might promote it, and sittinge amongst his frends often after a deepe silence, and frequent sighes, would with a shrill and sadd Accent ingeminate the word, Peace, Peace, and would pa.s.syonately professe that the very Agony of the Warr, and the view of the calamityes, and desolation the kingdome did and must indure, tooke his sleepe from him, and would shortly breake his hearte; This made some thinke, or praetende to thinke, that he was so much enamour'd on peace, that he would have bene gladd the Kinge should have bought it at any pryce, which was a most unreasonable calumny, as if a man, that was himselfe the most punctuall and praecise, in every circ.u.mstance that might reflecte upon conscience or Honour, could have wished the Kinge to have committed a trespa.s.se against ether; and yet this senselesse skandall made some impression upon him, or at least he used it for an excuse of the daringnesse of his spiritt; for at the leaguer before Gloster, when his frends pa.s.sionately reprehended him for exposinge his person, unnecessarily to daunger, (as he delighted to visitt the trenches, and neerest approches, and to discover what the enimy did) as beinge so much besyde the duty of his place, that it might be understoode against it, he would say, merrily, that his office could not take away the priviledges of his Age, and that a Secretary in warr might be present at the greatest secrett of daunger, but withall alleadged seriously that it concerned him to be more active in enterpryzes of hazarde, then other men, that all might see that his impatiency for peace, proceeded not from pusillanimity, or feare to adventure his owne person. In the morninge before the battell, as alwayes upon Action, he was very cheerefull, and putt himselfe into the first ranke of the L'd Byrons Regiment, who was then advancinge upon the enimy, who had lyned the Hedges on both sydes with Musqueteers, from whence he was shott with a Musquett on the lower parte of the belly, and in the instant fallinge from his horse, his body was not founde till the next morninge: till when ther was some hope he might have bene a prysoner, though his neerest frends who knew his temper, receaved small comforte from that imagination; thus fell, that incomparable younge man, in the fowre and thirteeth yeere of his Age, havinge so much dispatched the businesse of life, that the oldest rarely attayne to that immense knowledge, and the youngest enter not into the world with more innocence, and whosoever leads such a life, neede not care upon how shorte warninge it be taken from him.

22.

By CLARENDON.

With S'r Lucius Cary he had a most intire frendshipp without reserve from his age of twenty yeeres to the howre of his death, neere 20.

yeeres after, upon which ther will be occasion to inlarge, when wee come to speake of that tyme, and often before, and therfore wee shall say no more of him in this place, then to shew his condition and qualifications, which were the first ingredients into that frendshipp, which was afterwards cultivated and improoved by a constant conversation and familiarity, and by many accidents which contributed therunto. He had the advantage of a n.o.ble extraction, and of beinge borne his fathers eldest Sunn, when ther was a greater fortune in prospecte to be inherited (besydes what he might reasonably exspecte by his Mother) then came afterwards to his possessyon: His education was aequall to his birth, at least in the care, if not in the Climate, for his father beinge Deputy of Irelande, before he was of Age fitt to be sent abroade, his breedinge was in the Courte and in the University of Dublin, but under the care, vigilance and derection of such governours and Tutors, that he learned all those exercizes and languages better then most men do in more celebrated places, insomuch as when he came into Englande, which was when he was aboute the age of 18 yeeres, he was not only master of the Latine tounge, and had reade all the Poetts and other of the best Authors with notable judgement for that age, but he understoode, and spake, and writt French, as if he had spente many yeeres in France. He had another advantage, which was a greate ornament to the rest, that was a good a plentifull estate, of which he had the early possession: His Mother was the sole daughter an[d] Heyre of the L'd Chief Barron Tanfeilde, who havinge given a fayre portion with his daughter in marriage, had kept himselfe free to dispose of his lande and his other estate, in such manner as he should thinke fitt: and he setled it in such manner upon his grandsunn S'r Lucius Cary, without takinge notice of his father or mother, that upon his Grandmothers death, which fell out aboute the tyme that he was 19. yeeres of age, all the lande with his very good houses, very well furnished (worth above 2000_l._ per annum) in a most pleasant country, and the two most pleasant places in that country, with a very plentifull personall estate, fell into his hands and possession, and to his intire disposall.

With these advantages, he had one greate disadvantage, which in the first entrance into the worlde, is attended with to much praejudice: in his person and presence which was in no degree attractive, or promisinge; his stature was low and smaller then most mens, his motion not gracefull, and his aspecte, so farr from invitinge, that it had somewhat in it of simplicity, and his voyce the worst of the three, and so untuned, that insteede of reconcilinge, it offended the eare, that no body would have exspected musique from that tounge, and sure no man was lesse behol[den] to nature, for its recommendation into the world. But then no man sooner or more disappointed this generall and customary praejudice; that little person and small stature was quickly founde to contayne a greate hearte, a courage so keene, and a nature so fearelesse, that no composition of the strongest limbes and most harmonious and proportioned presence and strenght, ever more disposed any man to the greatest enterpryze, it beinge his greatest weakenesse to be to solicitous for such adventures: and that untuned tounge and voyce easily discover'd itselfe to be supplyed and governed by a minde and understandinge so excellent, that the witt and waight of all he sayde, carryed another kinde of l.u.s.tre and admiration in it, and even another kinde of acceptation from the persons present, then any ornament of delivery could reasonably promise itselfe, or is usually attended with: And his disposition and nature was so gentle and oblieginge, so much delighted in courtesy, kindnesse, and generosity, that all mankinde could not but admire and love him. In a shorte tyme after he had possession of the estate his grandfather had left him, and before he was of age, he committed a faulte against his father, in marryinge a younge Lady whome he pa.s.sionately loved, without any considerable portion, which exceedingly offended him, and disappointed all his reasonable hopes and exspectation, of redeeminge and repayringe his owne broken fortune and desperate hopes in courte, by some advantagious marriage of his Sunn, aboute which he had then some probable treaty: S'r Lucius Cary was very conscious to himselfe of his offence and transgression, and the consequence of it, which though he could not repent, havinge marryed a lady of a most extraordinary witt and judgement, and of the most signall virtue and exemplary life, that the age produced, and who brought him many hopefull children, in which he tooke greate delight, yett he confessed it with the most sinceare and dutifull applications to his Father for his pardon, that could be made, and in order to the praejudice he had brought upon his fortune by bringinge no portion to him, he offred to repayre it by resigninge his whole estate to his disposall, and to rely wholy upon his kindnesse for his owne maintenance and supporte, and to that purpose he had caused convayances to be drawne by councell, which he brought ready ingrossed to his father, and was willinge to seale and execute them, that they might be valid: But his fathers pa.s.syon and indignation so farr transported him (though he was a gentleman of excellent parts) that he refused any reconciliation and rejected all the offers which were made of the estate, so that his Sunn remayned still in the possession of his estate against his will, of which he founde greate reason afterwards to rejoyce, but he was for the present so much afflicted with his fathers displeasure, that he transported himselfe and his wife into Hollande, resolvinge to buy some military commaunde, and to spende the remainder of his life in that profession, but beinge disappointed in the treaty he exspected, and findinge no opportunity to accommodate himselfe with such a commaunde, he returned agayne into Englande, resolvinge to retyre to a country life, and to his bookes, that since he was not like to improove himselfe in armes, he might advance in letters.

In this resolution he was so seveare (as he was alwayes naturally very intent upon what he was inclined to) that he declared he would not see London in many yeeres (which was the place he loved of all the world) and that in his studyes, he would first apply himselfe to the Greeke, and pursue it without intermission, till he should attayne to the full understandinge of that tounge, and it is hardly to be credited, what industry he used, and what successe attended that industry, for though his fathers death, by an unhappy accident, made his repayre to London absolutely necessary, in fewer yeeres then he had proposed for his absence, yett he had first made himselfe master of the Greeke tounge (in the Latine he was very well versed before) and had reade not only all the Greeke Historians, but Homer likewise and such of the Poetts, as were worthy to be perused: Though his fathers death brought no other convenience to him, but a t.i.tle to redeeme an estate, morgaged for as much as it was worth, and for which he was compelled to sell a fyner seate of his owne, yett it imposed a burthen upon him of the t.i.tle of a Viscount, and an increase of exspence, in which he was not in his nature to provident or restrayn'd, havinge naturally such a generosity and bounty in him, that he seemed to have his estate in trust, for all worthy persons who stoode in wante of supplyes and encouragement, as Ben. Johnson and[1] many others of that tyme, whose fortunes requyred, and whose spiritts made them superiour to ordinary obligations; which yett they were contented to receave from him, because his bountyes were so generously distributed, and so much without vanity and ostentation, that except from those few persons from whome he sometimes receaved the characters of fitt objectes for his benefitts, or whome he intrusted for the more secrett derivinge it to them, he did all he could that the persons themselves who receaved them, should not know from what fountayne they flow'd; and when that could not be concealed, he sustayned any acknowledgement from the persons oblieged, with so much trouble and bashfulnesse, that they might well perceave that he was even ashamed of the little he had given, and to receave so large a recompence for it.

As soone as he had finished all those transactions, which the death of his father had made necessary to be done, he retyred agayne to his country life, and to his seveare cource of study, which was very delightfull to him, as soone as he was ingaged in it, but he was wont to say, that he never founde reluctancy in any thinge he resolved to do, but in his quittinge London, and departinge from the conversation of those he injoyed ther, which was in some degree praeserved and continued by frequent letters, and often visitts, which were made by his frends from thence, whilst he continued wedded to the country, and which were so gratefull to him, that duringe ther stay with him, he looked upon no booke, except ther very conversation made an appeale to some booke, and truly his whole conversation was one continued convivium philosophic.u.m or convivium theologic.u.m, inlivened and refreshed with all the facetiousnesse of witt and good humour, and pleasantnesse of discource, which made the gravity of the argument itselfe (whatever it was) very delectable. His house wher he usually resyded (Tew or Burforde in Oxfordshyre) beinge within tenn or 12 myles of the University, looked like the University itselfe, by the company that was alwayes founde there. Ther were D'r Sheldon, D'r Morly, D'r Hammon, D'r Earles, M'r Chillingworth, and indeede all men of eminent partes and facultyes in Oxforde, besydes those who resorted thither from London, who all founde ther lodgings ther as ready as in ther Colledges, nor did the L'd of the house know of ther comminge or goinge, nor who were in his house, till he came to dinner or supper, wher all still mett, otherwise ther was no troublesome ceremony or constrainte to forbidd men to come to the house, or to make them weary of stayinge ther; so that many came thither to study in a better ayre, findinge all the bookes they could desyre in his library, and all the persons togither, whose company they could wish, and not finde in any other society. Heare M'r Chillingworth wrote and formed and modelled his excellent booke against the learned Jesuitt, M'r Nott, after frequent debates, upon the most important particulars, in many of which he suffred himselfe to be overruled by the judgement of his frends, though in others he still adhered, to his owne fancy, which was scepticall enough even in the highest pointes. In this happy and delightfull conversation and restrainte he remayned in the country many yeeres, and untill he had made so prodigious a progresse in learninge, that ther were very few cla.s.sique authors in the greeke or Latine tounge, that he had not reade with great exactnesse; He had reade all the greeke and Latine fathers, all the most allowed and authentique Ecclesiasticall writers, and all the Councells, with wounderfull care and observation, for in religion he thought to carefull and to curious an enquiry could not be made, amongst those whose purity was not questioned, and whose authority was constantly and confidently urged, by men who were furthest from beinge of on minde amongst themselves, and for the mutuall supporte of ther severall opinions, in which they most contradicted each other; and in all those contraversyes, he had so dispa.s.sioned a consideration, such a candor in his nature, and so profounde a charity in his conscience, that in those pointes in which he was in his owne judgement most cleere, he never thought the worse, or in any degree declined the familiarity of those who were of another minde, which without question is an excellent temper for the propagation and advancement of Christianity: With these greate advantages of industry, he had a memory retentive of all that he had ever reade, and an understandinge and judgement to apply it, seasonably and appositely, with the most dexterity and addresse, and the least pedantry and affectation, that ever man who knew so much, was possessed with, of what quality soever; it is not a triviall evidence, of his learninge, his witt, and his candour, that may be found in that discource of his, against the Infallabi[li]ty of the Church of Rome, published since his death, and from a copy under his owne hande, though not praepared and digested by him for the presse, and to which he would have given some castigations.

But all his parts, abilityes, and facultyes, by arte an[d] industry, were not to be valewed or mentioned in comparison of his most accomplished minde and manners; his gentlenesse and affability was so transcendant and oblieginge, that it drew reverence and some kinde of complyance from the roughest, and most unpolish'd and stubborne const.i.tutions, and made them of another temper in debate in his presence, then they were in other places. He was in his nature so seueare a lover of justice, and so praecise a lover of truth, that he was superiour to all possible temptations for the violation of ether, indeede so rigid an exacter of perfection in all those things which seemed but to border upon ether of them, and by the common practice of men, were not thought to border upon ether, that many who knew him very well, and loved and admired his virtue (as all who did know him must love and admire it) did believe that he was of a temper and composition fitter to lyve in Republica Platonis then in faece Romuli: but this rigidnesse was only exercised towards himselfe, towards his frends infirmityes no man was more indulgent: In his conversation, which was the most cheerefull and pleasant, that can be imagined, though he was younge (for all I have yett spoken of him, doth not exceede his age of 25. or 26. yeeres, what progresse he made afterwards will be mentioned in its proper season in this discource) and of greate gayty in his humour, with a flowinge delightfulnesse of language, he had so chast a tounge and eare, that ther was never knowne a prophane and loose worde to fall from him, nor in truth in his company, the integrity and cleanelinesse of the witt of that tyme, not exercisinge itselfe in that licence, before persons for whome they had any esteeme.

[Footnote 1: 'as,' MS.]

23.

SIDNEY G.o.dOLPHIN.

_Born 1610. Fell at Chagford 1643._

By CLARENDON.

Sydney G.o.dolphin, was a younger brother of G.o.dolphin, but by the provision left by his father, and by the death of a younger brother, liberally supplyed for a very good education, and for a cheerefull subsistance in any cource of life he proposed to himselfe; Ther was never so great a minde and spirit contayned in so little roome, so large an understandinge and so unrestrayned a fancy in so very small a body, so that the L'd Falkelande used to say merrily, that he thought it was a greate ingredient into his frendshipp for M'r G.o.dolphin, that he was pleased to be founde in his company, wher he was the properer man: and it may be the very remarkablenesse of his little person made the sharpnesse of his witt and the composed quicknesse of his judgement and understandinge, the more notable.[1] He had spent some yeeres in France, and the low countryes, and accompanyed the Earle of Leicester, in his Amba.s.sage into Denmarke, before he resolved to be quyett, and attende some promotion in the Courte, wher his excellent disposition and manners, and extraordinary qualifications, made him very aceptable: Though every body loved his company very well, yett he loved very much to be alone, beinge in his const.i.tution inclined somewhat to melancholique, and to retyrement amongst his bookes, and was so farr from beinge active, that he was contented to be reproched by his frendes with lazynesse, and was of so nice and tender a composition, that a little rayne or winde would disorder him, and deverte him from any shorte journy he had most willingly proposed to himselfe: insomuch as when he ridd abroade with those in whose company he most delighted, if the winde chanced to be in his face, he would (after a little pleasant murmuringe) suddaynely turne his horse, and goe home: yett the civill warr no sooner begann, (the first approches towards which he discovered as soone as any man, by the proceedings in Parliament, wher he was a member, and opposed with greate indignation) then he putt himselfe into the first troopes which were raysed in the West, for the Kinge, and bore the uneasinesse and fatigue of winter marches, with an exemplar courage and alacrity, untill by to brave a pursuite of the enimy, into an obscure village in Devonshyre, he was shutt with a musquett, with which (without sayinge any worde more, the[n] oh G.o.d I am hurte) he fell deade from his horse, to the excessive griefe of his frends, who were all that knew him, and the irreparable damage of the publique.

[Footnote 1: 'notorious and' struck out in MS. before 'notable'.]

24.

WILLIAM LAUD.

_Born 1573. President of St. John's College Oxford 1611. Bishop of St.

David's 1621, of Bath and Wells 1626, and of London 1628. Chancellor of the University of Oxford 1629. Archbishop of Canterbury 1633.

Beheaded 1645._

By CLARENDON.

It was within one weeke after the Kings returne from Scotlande that Abbott dyed at his house at Lambeth, and the Kinge tooke very little tyme to consider who should be his successour, but the very next tyme the Bishopp of London (who was longer upon his way home, then the Kinge had bene) came to him, his Majesty entertayned him very cheerefully, with this compellation, My L'ds Grace of Canterbury you are very wellcome, and gave order the same day for the dispatch of all the necessary formes for the translation, so that within a moneth, or therabouts, after the death of the other Arch-Bishopp, he was compleately invested in that high dignity, and setled in his Pallace at Lambeth: This Greate Prelate had bene before in greate favour with the Duke of Buckingham, whose greate confident he was, and by him recommended to the Kinge, as fittest to be trusted in the conferringe all Ecclesiasticall praeferments, when he was but Bishopp of S't Davids, or newly praeferred to Bath and Wells, and from that tyme he intirely governed that Province without a ryvall, so that his promotion to Canterbury was longe foreseene and exspected, nor was it attended with any encrease of envy, or dislike.