gave it him I am sorrie it is no better for thee No Sir said the Porter I must have your Gown which he gave him 19. The Lieutenant coming into his chamber to visit him professed himself obliged by former fâ—vours to entertain him nobly which since he could not do for fear of the Kings displeasure he prayed him to accept of his good will and such poor fare as he had Master Lieutenant quoth Sir Thomas I believe you are my friend I thank you for your good will and I assure you I do not mislike my cheer but whensoever I do then thrust me out of your doors 20. In the Tower he had begun a Divine Treatise of the Passion of Christ and when he came to these words of the Gospel And they laid hands on him and held him they took from him all his Books Ink and Paper so that he could go on no further Afterwards he applyed himself holly to Meditation keeping his Chamber windows fast shut and very dark the occasion whereof the Lieutenant asking It is time said he when all the wares are gone to shut up shop 21. After he had received the sentence of death he said to the Judges My Lords as wâ— read that Paul consented to the death of Stephen and yet be they now both Saints in Heaven and shall continue there friends for ever so I verily trust and shall therefore right heartily pray that though your Lordships have been now Judges on earth to my condemnation we may yet hereafter all meet together in Heaven merrily to our everlasting salvation And sâ— I pray God preserve my Soveraign Lord the King and send him faithful Councellors * See the rest if you please in this English Writer or in Stapleton's Latin book De tribus Thomis VII Sr HENRY WOTTON Out of his Life written by Mr Iz Walton D. Roberto Jones Rect. de Leckhampton SIR Henry Wotton was born An. 1568. in Bocton-Hall in the Parish of Bocton Malherb in the fruitful Country of Kent both House â—nd Church seated within a fair Park of the Wottons on the brow of such a hill as gives the advantage of a large prospect and of equal pleasure to all beholâ—ers But they are not remarkable foâ— any thing so much as for that the memorable Familie of the Wottons have so long inhabited the one and now lie buried in the other as appears by their many Monuments in that Church the Wottons being a Family that hath brought foâ—th divers Persons eminent for Wisdom and Valour whose Heroick Acts and Noble Employments both in England and in Forein parts have adorned themselves and this Nation 2. Thomas Wotton the Father of our Henrie was a Gent. excellently educated and studious in all the liberal Arts who although he had many invitations from Queen Elizabeth to change his Countrie recreations and retirement for a Court life offering him a Knighthood she was then with him at his Bocton-hall and to be but as an earnest of some more honorable and more profitable imployment under her yet he humbly refuseth both being a man of great modestie of a most plain and single heart of an antient freedom and integritie of mind A commendation which Sir Henrie took occasion ofâ—en to remember with great gladness and thankfully to boast himself the Son of such a Father from whom indeed he derived that noble Ingâ—nuitie that was alwaies practised by himself and which he ever commended and cherished in others 3. Of this Family was Nicholas Wotton Doctor of Law and sometime Dean of Canterburie a man whom God did not only blesse with a long life but with great abilities of mind and an inclination to employ them in the service of his Country as is testified by his several imployments having been sent nine times Embassador unto forein Princes a Privy Councellor to â— Henrie 8 Edward 6. Q. Marie and Q. Elizabeth who imployed him three several times for setling of peace between England Scotland and France who also offered him the Archbishoprick of Cant. but he refused it and dyed not rich though he had lived in the time of dissolution of Abbies He dyed saith learned Camden full of commendation for Wisdom and Pietie 4. The Father of Sir Henrie after the death of his first wife resolved if he should marry again to avoid three sorts of persons namely those that had children or had law suits or were of his kinred And yet following his own Lâ—wsuits he met in Westminster-hall with one Mrs Morton widoâ— daughter to Sir William Finch of Kent who â—as also ingaged in several suits in Law and observing her Comportment at the time of hearing one of her Causes before the Judges he could not but at the same time both compassionate her condition and so affect her person that although there was in her a concurrence of all those accidents against which he had resolved yet he sollicited her for a wife and obtained her By her he hâ—d our Henrie his youngest son 5. His Mother was Tutoresse to him during his childhood for â—hich care and pains he paid her every day with such visible signs of future perfection in learning as turned her imployment into a pleasing trouble After his Father took him into his particular caâ—e and disposed of him to a Tutor in his own house and when time and diligent instruction had fitted him which was very early he was sent to Winch ster School a place of stâ—ict Disâ—ipline and Order that so he might in his youth be molded into a method of living by rule And that he might be confirmed in this Regularitie he was at a fit age removed from that â—â—hool to New Coll in Oxford 6. There he â—ontinued till about the 18th year of his age and was then transplanted into Queens Coll. where within that year he wrote a Play for their private use the Tragedie of Tancredo so â—ell that the gravest of that Society declared he had in a slight exercise given an early and a solid teâ—â—imony of future abilities About the 19th year of his age he proceeded Master of Arts and at that time read in Latin three Lectures De oculo wherein having described the foâ—m motion curious composure of the eye c. in the conclusion he took a fair occasion to beautifie his discourse with a commendation of the blessing and benefit of seeing so exactly and Rhetorically as among other admirers caused that learned Italian Albericus Gentilis then professor of the Civil Law in Oxford to call him Henrice mi ocelle which dear expression of his was used by many other persons of note during his stay in the Vniversitie 7. After his Optick Lectare he was taken into such a bosom friendship with Gentilis that if it had been possible he would have breathed all his excellent knowledge both of the Mathematicks and Law into the breast of his dear Henrie for so he used to call him and though he was not able to do that yet there was
MEMORIALS EXAMPLES Of MEMORABLE MEN To awaken this Age to greater care of GOOD LEARNING And TRUE RELIGION Memoria Justorum Benedicta LONDON For John Barksdale Newstreet Five Bells 1675. TO Mr THOMAS SAVAGE Eldest Son of THOMAS SAVAGE of Elmeley Esq AND TO Mr THOMAS WILLIAMS Eldest Son of DAVID WILLIAMS of Corndon Esq GENTLEMEN HAving in the late evil Times never to be forgotten been comforted and relieved by the real Favours and pious Munificence of your Noble Parents I do gladly make this grateful Remembrance thereof in the Dedication of this part of my Memorials of Worthy Persons to your Worthy Names In these Papers though it were my principal design to honour the memory of the Lights of our own Church yet have I now and then taken in one of the Roman or Genevian Perswasion thinking They might not be unsociable here whose holy Souls I believe now that the Certamina are ended by death pulveris exigui jactu test in peace Some Hypâ—rcriticks who are pleas'd with nothing but what they do themselves if yet they do any thing at all will despise me and say I do actum agere and write what is written already Truly as a Historian does not make but frame and compose his matter so an Historical Collector performs his Undertaking when with diligence and judgment he selecteth and compileth dispersed pieces for the ease and benefit of his Readers If in this Collection I have done any service to Young Gentlemen and other ingenuous Persons to incline them more to love piety and learning to converse with good Men and good Books to become loving friends and Patrons or obedient servants and Ministers to the Church of England This is my Delight and Joy This is to me instead of Praise or any other Reward of my well-meant Endeavours That I have inscribed upon the particulars the names of other friends is upon the most friendly Plinies reason Ingenuum est fateri per quos profeceris Your obliged Servant CL. BARKSDALE The Persons I. Dr Colet II. Mr Langley III. Bishop Morton IV. Bishop Hall V. Mr G. Herbert VI. Sr Tho More VII Sr Henry Wotton VIII Bishop Bedel IX M. Ant. de Dom. X. Mr Wheelock MEMORIALS I. Dr JOHN COLET Dean of S. Pauls Out of his Life Collected by Mr Tho Smith of Ch Coll from Erasmus D. Anthonio Stratford LL. Bac. 1. JOhn * Coheleth in the Heb. signifies Ec clesiastes the Preacher Colet is that part of the ring wherein the precious stone or signet is set Thomas in voce pala Colet was born in London the Son of Henry Colet Knight and twice Lord Major of that City and Christian his Wife a Matron of very rare Piety and Christian Fortitude She had 11 Sons and as many Daughters of the same Husband all which she saw buried except John her first born Yet when she was fourscore and ten years of Age her countenance was so comely and entire her behaviour so cheerful and pleasant as if she had never had any sorrow or any childbearing in her life So much strength of mind was shewen in a woman caused not by Philosophy or human learning but by sincere piety to God and trust in Christ 2. Nature was as indulgent to him as fortune for he had a very proper tall handsom and comely body In his younger daies he much addicted himself to the study of Scholastical Philosophy exquisitely learned in the liberal Arts All Tullies works were as familiar to him as his Epistles so â—ell read in Plato and Plotinus that when I heard him speak methought I heard Plato himself not ignorant in any part of the Mathematicks 3. Being thus well principled at home Master of Arts he began to look abroad and improve his stock in forein parts In France he added to his Humanity what he thought necessary for the study of Divinity which then he effectually prosecuted in Italy He studied the Fathers and Schoolmen was well versed in both Laws singularly read in History both Civil and Ecclesiastical Modern Writers also he both read and diligently imitated accommodating thereby his stile to the Pulpit and preaching of the Gospel 4. After his return from Italy he staid not long in London where his Parents lived but chose to live in Oxford where he publickly yet freely and without stipend expounded S. Paul's Epistles being not full thirty years of age yonger than was by two or three months There and then I had the happiness to come first acquainted with him Though at that time he had neither took nor desired any degree in Divinity yet there was no Doctor whatsoever either of Theology or Law no Abbot nor dignified Person in the whole University that did not frequent and which is more take notes of his Lectures Which was to be imputed either to Colet's authority or their studiousness and modesty choose you whether 5. But before he left Oxford they honour'd him with the Degree of Doctor which he accepted rather to please the Givers than himself From that University and these sacred Employments he was called back to London by the favour of K. Henry VII who bestowed upon him the Deanry of S. Paul's that he might be President of his Colledge whose Epistles and learning he loved so well He was made both Doctor and Dean An. 1504. Of all the Deanries in England the highest in esteem but not of greatest value which Colet embraced rather as a burthensom charge than honour And therefore as soon as he had regulated his Colledge of Prebends and raised up the antient Discipline that was fallen down he resolved which was not usual in those times to preach every Holy day in his Cathedral over and above his Sermons at Court and many other Churches At S. Paul's he ran over sometimes a whole Epistle sometime a whole Gospel the Creed or the Lords prayer Wheresoever he preached he was exceedingly followed both by the chief Citizens and Courtiers particularly by Sr Thomas More afterwards Lord Chanc of England as appears by this following passage of his Letter What can be more troublesom to me than to be deprived of your sweet company having been so long used to enjoy your most prudent counsel to be refresht with your most pleasant societie to be rouzed with your most grave Sermons and bettered by your excellent example and life in a word in whose very countenance and gesture I was wont to be unspeakablie delighted 6. The Dean's Table which in former times had under pretence of good house keeping been too much prostitute to excesse he reduced to frugality For he kept himself to one meal a day many years together both before and after his preferment which at once cut off all his supper-guests late Dinners not a few and the more because his entertainment though neat was neither costly nor excessive his sitting short and his whole discourse such as pleased none but those that were either learned or pious For soon after he had said
whose sake principally Father Paulo compiled that eminent Historie of the Council of Trent Which History was as faâ—t as it was written sent in several sheets in Letters by Sir H. Wotton Mr Bedel and others unto K. James and the then B. of Cant in England and there first made publick both in â—nglish and in the Universal Language 14. For eight years after Sir Henrie Wotton's going into Italie he stood fair and highly valued but at last became much clouded by this accident Being merry with his friends at Augusta men of the best note for learning and ingenuousness the Virtuosâ— of that Nation he was requested by Christopher Flecamore to write some Sentence in his Albo a book of white paper which for that purpose many of the German Gentry usually carry about them and consenting to the motion took an occasion from some accidental discourse of the present company to write a pleasant definition of an Embassador in these very words Legatus est Vir boâ—us peregrè missus ad mentiendum Reipub. causa which Sir Henrie could have been content should have been thus Englished An Ambassador is an honest man sent to lie abroad for the good of his Countrie But the word for lie being the hinge upon which the conceit was to turn was not so expresse in Latin as would admit in the hands of an enemy especially so fair a construction as Sir Henrie thought in English This coming to the knowledge of K. James by the malicious pen of Caspar Scioppius much offended his Majestie and this caused Sir Henrie Wotton to write two Apologies one in Latin to Velserus and another to K. James which were so ingenuous so clear and so choicely eloquent that his Majestie who was a pure Judge of it could not forbear to declare publiâ—kly That Sir H. Woâ—ton had commuted sufficiently for a greater offence And now as broken bones well set become stronger so Sir Henrie Wotton did not only recover but was much more confirmed in his Majesties favour 15. And his Interest stil increased with the Duke Leonardo Donato after whose death as though it had been an entaild love it was still found living in the succeding Dukes during all the time of his employment to that State which was almost 20 years All whiâ—h time he studyed the Dispositions of those Dukes the Consultors of State wel knowing that he who negotiates a continual business and neglects the studie of dispositions usually fails in his proposed ends But this Sir H. Wotton did not For by a fine sorting of fit Presents curious and not costly entertainments alwaies sweetned by various and pleasant discourse by his choice application of stories and his so elegant delivery of all these even in their Italian Language he first got and still preserved such interest in the State of Venice that it was observed such was either his merit or his modestie they never denyed him any request 16. When he had attended the Emperour and German Princes eight months to incline them to equitable conditions for the Restoration of the Queen of Bohemia and her Descendants to their Patrimonial Inheritance of the Palatinate and had brought the businesse to a probability of successe but after a victory gotten by the Imperial Army saw the face of peace altered at his departure from the Emperour he was so bold as humbly to advise him to use his Victorie soberly and still put on thoughts of peace Which advice though it seemed to be spoke with some passion yet was taken in good part by the Emperour who was ever much pleased with his cariage all the time that he resided in his Court and said That though the King his Master was lookt on as an Abetter of his enemie the Palsgrave yet he took him to be a Person of much honour and merit and did therefore desire him to accept of that Jewel as a testimonie of his good opinion of him which was a Jewel of Diamonds of more value than a thousand pounds This was received with all circumstances and terms of honour by Sir H. Wotton but the next morning at his departing from Vienna at his taking leave of the Countess of Salvina an Italian Lady in whose house the Emperour had appointed him to be lodged and honourably entertained He acknowledged her merits and besought her to accept of that Jewel as a testimonie of his gratitude presenting her with the same that was given him by the Emperour Which being suddenly discovered by the Emperour was by him taken for a high affront and Sir H. Wotton told so To which in the nobleness of his mind he repli'd That though he received it with thankfulness yet he found in himself an indisposition to be the better for any gift that came from an Enemie to his Royal Mistresse for so the Queen of Bohemia was pleas'd he should call her 17. Many other of his Services to his Prince and this Nation might be insisted on as his procuration of Privileges and courtesies with the German Princes and the â—epublick of Venice for the English Merchants his releasing and relieving many hundred captivated English soldiers and sending them back in a comfortable condition to thank God for their lives and libertie in their own Nation but I must haâ—â— to bring Sir H. Wotton in an instant from Venice to London whither he returned that year in which K. James dyed 18. The King had for the reward of his forrein service promised him the reversion of an Office which was fit to be turned into present money and also granted him the Reversion of the Master of the Rolls place if he outlived charitable Sir Julius Caesar who then possessed it and then grown so old that he was said to be kept alive beyond natures course by the prayers of those many poor which he dayly relieved Mean while his condition requir'd present support For in the beginning of these imployments he sold to his elder brother the Lord Wotton the Rent-charge left by his good Father and which is worse was now at his return indebted to several persons whom he was not able to satisfie but by the Kings payment of his Arrears He had brought into England many servants of whom some were German and Italian Artists This was part of his condition who had many times hardly sufficient to supply the occasions of the day For it may by no means be said of his providence as himself said of Sir Philip Sidney's wit That it was the very measure of congruitie he being alwaies so careless of mony as though our Saviours words Care not for to morrow were to be literally understood 19. But it pleased God that in this juncture of time the Provostship of his Majesties College of Eaton became void by the death of Murray for which there were as the place deserv'd many earnest and powerful Suitors to the King Sir Henrie who had for many years rolled the restlesse stone of a State employment and knowing experimentally that the