Diary of John Manningham Part 41

[Footnote 174: The way in which the exuberance of Lord Beauchamp's loyalty occasioned this report will appear in a subsequent entry.

This Lord Beauchamp was the father, as our readers will be aware, of the Marquess of Hertford, who was the faithful servant of Charles I., faithful even to death, and after the Restoration was created Duke of Somerset.]

"He is up," said one. "He is risen," said an other. "True, I thinke,"

said I, "he rose in the morning, and meanes to goe to bed at night."

Ch. Davers said he could tell the King what he were best to doe; not to chaunge his officers. "Nay then, it were best to choose you first for a counsellor," said I.

I sawe this afternoone a Scottishe Lady at Mr. Fleetes in Loathebury; shee was sister to Earl Gowre, a gallant tale gent, somewhat long visage, a lisping fumbling language. Peter Saltingstone came to visit hir.

[Sidenote: 29.]

I askt Mr. Leydall whether he argued a case according to his opinion. He said, noe! but he sett a good colour upon it. I told him, he might well doe soe, for he never wants a good colour; he is Rufus.

Mr. Rudyerd tels that to muster men in these tymes is as good a colour for sedicion, as a maske to robbe a house, which is excellent for that purpose.

[Sidenote: fo. 117^b.

29 Mar. 1603.]

Mr. Rous said that the Queene began hir raigne in the fall, and ended in the spring of the leafe. "Soe shee did but turne over a leafe," said B.

Rudyerd.

[Sidenote: 30.]

Was reported that the King had sent for some 5,000_l._ to bring him into England; it is said the Queenes jewes [jewels] shee left were worth 4 millions [?], _i. e._ 400,000_l._; in treasury present 50,000_l._, noe soe much this long tyme.

The Kings booke Basi[li]con Doron came forth with an Epistle to the reader apologeticell.

A man may do another a good turne though he cannot performe it for himselfe, as the barber cannot trimme himselfe though he can others.

(_Pim._)

It was sayd our King is proclaymed nowe Duke of Gelderland.

[Sidenote: 29.]

Jo. Grant told me that the King useth in walking amongst his n.o.bles often tymes to leane upon their shoulders in a speciall favour, and in disgrace to neglect some in that kindenes.

[Sidenote: 30.]

It is sayd Sir Robert Cary, that went against the Counsells directions in post toward the King to bring the first newes of the Queenes death, made more haste then speede, he was soe hurt with a fall from his horse that an other prevented his purpose, and was with the King before him; this Cary had an office in the Jewell house.[175]

[Footnote 175: The particulars of Cary's wonderful ride are related by himself in his Memoirs. "He took horse," apparently at the lodging of the Knight Marshal at Charing Cross (probably at the old Mews), "between nine and ten o'clock," on the morning of Thursday the 24th of March, "and that night rode to Doncaster," about 160 miles. On Friday night he came to his own house at Widdrington, about another 135 miles. "Very early on Sat.u.r.day he was again on horseback and reached Norham on the Tweed about noon." This was about 50 more miles, and left only about another 50 miles, "so that," he says, "I might well have been with the King at supper time: but I got a great fall by the way, and my horse, with one of his heels, gave me a great blow on the head, that made me shed much blood. It made me so weak that I was forced to ride a soft pace after, so that the King was newly gone to bed by the time that I knocked at the gate" [of Holyrood House.] (Memoirs of Robert Cary, Earl of Monmouth, ed. Edinb. 1808. pp. 126-128.)]

[Sidenote: 31.]

This night there came a messenger from the Kinges Majestie with letters directed to the n.o.bles and Counsellors of his late sister the deceased Queen, all to continue their places and keepe house and order matters according to their discretion till he came. (_Isam._)

A puritane is such a one as loves G.o.d with all his soule, but hates his neighbour with all his heart. (_Mr. Wa. Curle._)

[Sidenote: fo. 118.

31 Mar. 1603.]

_Of a beggar that lay on the ground drunk._

He cannot goe, nor sitt, nor stand, the beggar cryes; Then, though he speake the truth, yet still he lyes.

I was in Mr. Nich. Hares companie at the Kings Head. A gallant young gentleman, like to be heir to much land: he is of a sweet behaviour, a good spirit, and a pleasing witty discourse.

It was soe darke a storme, that a man could never looke for day, unles G.o.d would have said againe _Fiat lux_.

A gentlemans nose fell a bleeding verry late in a night, and soe causing his boy to light him downe to a pumpe to washe the bloud away, he spied written upon the pump, that it was built at the proper cost and charges of a physician which lay nere the place, whom he presently sent for, to come to a lady that was dangerously sicke; but when he came he shewed that his nose was bloudy, that he went downe to have washt at the pompe, but espying it to be built at his proper costs and charges, he thought good manners to aske leave of him, before he would washe it. (_Mr. N.

Hare._)

[Sidenote: fo. 118^b.

1 Aprill, 1603.]

Dr. Some,[176] upon a tyme speaking of the Popes in a sermon, said that Pius V. sent out his bulles against the Queene like a calfe as he was.

(_Mr. Isam._)

[Footnote 176: Dr. Ralph Some, Master of Peter House, Cambridge, elected 1589. (Hardy's Le Neve, iii. 668.)]

I heard that one Griffin, Queene Marys Attorney, purchased some 24 mannors togither; his sonne hath sold 10 of them, and yet is in debt; _male parta male dilabuntur_.

One Mr. Marrow, late Sherife of [Warwickshire], useth his wife verry hardly, would not allow hir mony nor clothes fit for hir, nor trust hir with any thing, but made hir daughter sole factres. (_Mr. Wagstaffe._)