my Intention to give your Grace a faithful account of Your Graces Commands as becomes May it please your Grace Your Graces most humble and most obedient Servant Iohn Rolleston THE LIFE OF THE MOST ILLUSTRIOUS PRINCE WILLIAM Duke of Newcastle The First Book SInce my chief intent in this present Work is to describe the Life and Actions of My Noble Lord and Husband William Duke of Newcastle I shall do it with as much Brevity Perspicuity and Truth as is required of an Impartial Historian The History of his Pedigree I shall refer to the Heralds and partly give you an account thereof at the latter end of this work onely thus much I shall now mention as will be requisite for the better understanding of the following discourse His Grandfather by his Fathers side was Sir William Cavendish Privy Counsellour and Treasurer of the Chamber to King Henry the Eighth Edward the Sixth and Queen Mary His Grandfather by his Mother was Cuthbert Lord Ogle an ancient Baron His Father Sir Charles Cavendish was the youngest son to Sir William and had no other Children but three Sons whereof My Lord was the Second but his elder Brother dying in his Infancy left both his Title and Birth-right to My Lord so that My Lord had then but one onely Brother left whose name was Charles after his Father whereas My Lord had the name of his Grandfather These two Brothers were partly bred with Gilbert Earl of Shrewsbury their Uncle in Law and their Aunt Mary Countess of Gilbert's Wife and Sister to their Father for there interceded an intire and constant Friendship between the said Gilbert Earl of Shrewsbury and My Lord's Father Sir Charles Cavendish caused not onely by the marriage of My Lord's Aunt his Fathers Sister to the aforesaid Gilbert Earl of Shrewsbury and by the marriage of George Earl of Gilbert's Father with My Lord's Grandmother by his Fathers side but Sir Charles Cavendish My Lord's Father and Gilbert Earl of Shrewsbury being brought up and bred together in one Family and grown up as parts of one body after they came to be beyond Children and travelled together into foreign Countries to observe the Fashions Laws and Customs of other Nations contracted such an intire Friendship which lasted to their death neither did they out live each other long for My Lord's Father Sir Charles Cavendish lived but one year after Gilbert Earl of Shrewsbury But both My Lords Parents and his Aunt and Uncle in Law shewed always a great and fond love to My Lord endeavouring when He was but a Child to please him with what he most delighted in When He was grown to the Age of fifteen or sixteen he was made Knight of the Bath an ancient and honourable Order at the time when Henry King Iames of blessed Memory His eldest Son was created Prince of Wales and soon after he went to travel with Sir Henry Wotton who was sent as Ambassador Extraordinary to the then Duke of Savoy which Duke made very much of My Lord and when he would be free in Feasting placed Him next to himself Before My Lord did return with the Ambassador into England the said Duke profer'd My Lord that if he would stay with him he would not onely confer upon him the best Titles of Honour he could but also give him an honourable Command in War although My Lord was but young for the Duke had then some designs of War But the Ambassador who had taken the care of My Lord would not leave Him behind without his Parents consent At last when My Lord took his leave of the Duke the Duke being a very generous person presented Him with a Spanish Horse a Saddle very richly embroidered and with a rich Jewel of Diamonds Some time after My Lord's return into England Gilbert Earl of Shrewsbury died and left My Lord though he was then but young and about Twenty two years of age his Executor a year after his Father Sir Charles Cavendish died also His Mother being then a Widow was desirous that My Lord should marry in obedience to whose Commands he chose a Wife both to his own good liking and his Mothers approving who was Daughter and Heir to William Basset of Blore Esq a very honourable and ancient Family in Stafford-Shire by whom was added a great part to His Estate as hereafter shall be mentioned After My Lord was married he lived for the most part in the Country and pleased Himself and his neighbours with Hospitality and such delights as the Country afforded onely now and then he would go up to London for some short time to wait on the King About this time King Iames of blessed memory having a purpose to confer some Honour upon My Lord made him Viscount Mansfield and Baron of Bolsover and after the decease of King Iames King Charles the First of blessed Memory constituted him Lord Warden of the Forrest of Sherewood and Lieutenant of Nottingham-Shire and restored his Mother Catharine the second Daughter of Cuthbert Lord Ogle to her Fathers Dignity after the death of her onely Sister Iane Countess of Shrewsbury publickly declaring that it was her Right which Title after the death of his Mother descended also upon My Lord and his Heirs General together with a large Inheritance of 3000 l. a year in Northumberland About the same time after the decease of William late Earl of Devonshire his Noble Cousin German My Lord was by his said Majesty made Lord Lieutenant of Derby-Shire which trust and honour after he had enjoyed for several years and managed it like as all other offices put to his Trust with all possible care faithfulness and dexterity during the time of the said Earls Son William the now Earl of Devonshire his Minority as soon as this same Earl was come to age and by Law made capable of that trust he willingly and freely resign'd it into his hands he having hitherto kept it onely for him that he and no body else might succeed his Father in that dignity In these and all other both publick and private imployments My Lord hath ever been careful to keep up the Kings Rights to the uttermost of his power to strengthen those mentioned Counties with Ammunition and to administer Justice to every one for he refused no mans Petition but sent all that came to him either for relief or justice away from him fully satisfied Not long after his being made Lieutenant of Nottingham-Shire there was found so great a defect of Armes and Ammunition in that County that the Lords of the Council being advertised thereof as the manner then was His Majesty commanded a levy to be made upon the whole County for the supply thereof whereupon the sum of 500 l. or thereabout was accordingly levied for that purpose and three Persons of Quality then Deputy Lieutenants were desired by My Lord to receive the money and see it disposed which being done accordingly and a certain account rendred to My Lord he voluntarily
of Nottingham which although it is quite ruined and demolisht yet it being a seat which had pleased his Father very much he would not leave it since it was offer'd to be sold. His two Houses Welbeck and Bolsover he found much out of repair and this later half pull'd down no furniture or any necessary Goods were left in them but some few Hangings and Pictures which had been saved by the care and industry of his Eldest Daughter the Lady Cheiny and were bought over again after the death of his eldest Son Charles Lord Mansfield for they being given to him and he leaving some debts to be paid after his death My Lord sent to his other Son Henry now Earl of Ogle to endeavour for so much Credit that the said Hangings and Pictures which my Lord esteemed very much the Pictures being drawn by Van Dyke might be saved which he also did and My Lord hath paid the debt since his return Of eight Parks which my Lord had before the Wars there was but one left that was not quite destroyed Welbeck-Park of about four miles compass for my Lord's Brother Sir Charles Cavendish who bought out the life of my Lord in that Lordship saved most part of it from being cut down and in Blore-Park there were some few Deer left The rest of the Parks were totally defaced and destroyed both Wood Pales and Deer amongst which was also Clipston-Park of seven miles compass wherein my Lord had taken much delight formerly it being rich of Wood and containing the greatest and tallest Timber-trees of all the Woods he had in so much that onely the Pale-row was valued at 2000 l. It was water'd by a pleasant River that runs through it full of Fish and Otters was well stock'd with Deer full of Hares and had great store of Partriges Poots Pheasants c besides all sorts of Water-fowl so that this Park afforded all manner of sports for Hunting Hawking Coursing Fishing c. for which my Lord esteemed it very much And although his Patience and Wisdom is such that I never perceived him sad or discontented for his own Losses and Misfortunes yet when he beheld the ruines of that Park I observed him troubled though he did little express it onely saying he had been in hopes it would not have been so much defaced as he found it there being not one Timber-tree in it left for shelter However he patiently bore what could not be helped and gave present order for the cutting down of some Wood that was left him in a place near adjoining to repale it and got from several Friends Deer to stock it Thus though his Law-suits and other unavoidable expences were very chargeable to him yet he order'd his affairs so prudently that by degrees he stock'd and manur'd those Lands he keeps for his own use and in part repaired his Mannor-houses Welbeck and Bolsover to which later he made some additional building and though he has not yet built the Seat at Nottingham yet he hath stock'd and paled a little Park belonging to it Nor is it possible for him to repair all the ruines of the Estate that is left him in so short a time they being so great and his losses so considerable that I cannot without grief and trouble remember them for before the Wars my Lord had as great an Estate as any subject in the Kingdom descended upon him most by Women viz. by his Grandmother of his Father's side his own Mother and his first Wife What Estate his Grandfather left to his Father Sir Charles Cavendish I know not nor can I exactly tell what he had from his Grandmother but she was very rich for her third Husband Sir Will. Saint Loo gave her a good Estate in the West which afterwards descended upon my Lord my Lord's Mother being the younger daughter of the Lord Ogle and sole Heir after the death of her eldest Sister Iane Countess of Shrewsbury whom King Charles the First restored to her Fathers Dignity viz. Baroness of Ogle This Title descended upon my Lord and his Heirs General together with 3000 l. a year in Northumberland and besides the Estate left to my Lord she gave him 20000 l. in Money and kept him and his Family at her own charge for several years My Lord's first Wife who was Daughter and Heir to William Basset of Blore Esq Widow to Henry Howard younger Son to Thomas Earl of Suffolk brought my Lord 2400 l. a Year Inheritance between six and seven thousand Pounds in Money and a jointure for her life of 800 l. a Year Besides my Lord increased his own Estate before the Wars to the value of 100000 l. and had increased it more had not the unhappy Wars prevented him for though he had some disadvantages in his Estate even before the Wars yet they are not considerable to those he suffered afterwards for the service of his King and Country For example His Father Sir Charles Cavendish had lent his Brother in Law Gilbert Earl of Shrewsbury 16000 l. for which although afterward before his death he setled 2000 l. a year upon him yet he having injoyed the said Money for many years without paying any use for it it might have been improved to my Lord 's better advantage had it been in his Fathers own hands he being a Person of great prudence in managing his Estate and though the said Earl of Shrewsbury made my Lord his Executor yet my Lord was so far from making any advantage by that Trust even in what the Law allowed him that he lost 17000 l. by it and afterwards delivered up his Trust to William Earl of Pembrook and Thomas Earl of Arundel who both married two Daughters of the said Earl of Shrewsbury And since his return into England upon the desire of Henry Howard Second Son to the late Earl of Arundel and Heir apparent by reason of his Eldest Brother's Distemper he resigned his Trust and Interest to him which certainly is a very difficult business and yet questionable whether it may lawfully be done or not But such was my Lord's Love to the Family of the Shrewsburies that he would rather wrong himself then it To mention some lawful advantages which my Lord might have made by the said Trust it may be noted in the first place That the Earl of Shrewsbury's Estate was Let in long Leases which by the Law fell to the Executor Next that after some Debts and Legacies were paid out of those Lands which were set out for that purpose they were setled so that they fell to my Lord. Thirdly Seven hundred pounds a year was left as a Gift to my Lord's Brother Sir Charles Cavendish in case the Countess of Kent Second Daughter to the said Earl of Shrewsbury had no Children But my Lord never made any advantage for himself of all these neither was he inquisitive whether the said Countess of Kent cut off the Entail of that Land although she never had a Child for my Lord's
married Christian Daughter of Edward Lord Bruce a Scots-man by whom he had two Sons and one Daughter the Eldest Son William now Earl of Devonshire married Elizabeth the second Daughter of William Earl of Salisbury by whom he has three children viz. Two Sons and one Daughter whereof the Eldest Son William is married to the second Daughter of Iames now Duke of Ormond the second Son Charles is yet a youth The Daughter Anne married the Lord Rich the onely Son and Child to Charles now Earl of Warwick but he dyed without Issue The second Son of William Earl of Devonshire and Brother to the now Earl of Devonshire was unfortunately slain in the late Civil Warrs as is before mentioned The Daughter of the said William Earl of D evonshire Sister to the now Earl of D evonshire married Robert Lord Rich Eldest Son to Robert Earl of Warwick by whom she had but one Son who married but dyed without Issue The third and youngest Son of Sir William Cavendish Charles Cavendish my Lord's Father had two Wives the first was Daughter and Coheir to Sir Thomas Kidson who dyed a year after her Marriage without issue The second was the younger Daughter of Cuthbert Lord Ogle and after her Elder and onely Sister Iane Wife to Edward Earl of Shrewsbury who dyed without Issue became Heir to her Father's Estate and Title by whom he had three Sons whereof the eldest dyed in his Infancy the second was William my dear Lord and Husband the third Charles who dyed a Batchelour about the age of Sixty three My Lord hath had two Wives the first was Elizabeth Daughter and Heir to William Basset of Bloore in the County of Stafford Esq and Widow to Henry Howard younger Son to Thomas Earl of Suffolk by whom he had ten Children viz. Five Sons and five Daughters whereof five viz. three Sons and two Daughters dyed young the rest viz. Two Sons and three Daughters came to be married His Elder Son Charles Viscount of Mansfield married the Eldest Daughter and Heir of Mr. Richard Rogers by whom he had but one Daughter who dyed soon after her birth and he dyed also without any other Issue His second Son Henry now Earl of Ogle married Francis the eldest Daughter of Mr. William Pierrepont by whom he hath had three Sons and four Daughters two Sons were born before their narural time the third Henry Lord Mansfield is alive The four Daughters are the Lady Elizabeth Lady Frances Lady Margaret and Lady Catharine My Lords three Daughters were thus married The eldest Lady Iane married Charles Cheiney Esq descended of a very noble and ancient Family by whom she hath one Son and two Daughters The second Lady Elizabeth married Iohn now Earl of Bridgwater then Lord Brackly and eldest Son to Iohn then Earl of Bridgwater who died in Childbed and left five Sons and one Daughter whereof the eldest Son Iohn Lord Brackly married the Lady Elizabeth onely Daughter and Child to Iames then Earl of Middlesex My Lords third Daughter the Lady Frances married Oliver Earl of Bullingbrook and hath had no Child yet After the death of my Lords first Wife who died the 17 th of April in the Year 1643 he married me Margaret Daughter to Thomas Lucas of St. Iohns near Colchester in Essex Esquire but hath no Issue by me And this is the Posterity of the three Sons of Sir William Cavendish my Lords Grandfather by his Fathers side The three Daughters were disposed of as followeth The eldest Frances Cavendish married Sir Henry Pierrepont of Holm Pierrepont in the County of Nottingham by whom she had two Sons whereof the first died young The second Robert after Earl of Kingston upon Hull married Gertrude the eldest Daughter and Co-heir to Henry Talbot fourth Son to George Earl of Shrewsbury by whom he had five Sons and three Daughters whereof the eldest Son Henry now Marquess of Dorchester hath had two Wives the first Cecilia Eldest Daughter to the Lord Viscount Bayning by whom he had several Children of which there are living onely two Daughters the eldest Anne who married Iohn Rosse onely Son to Iohn now Earl of Rutland the second Grace who is unmarried His second Wife was Catharine second Daughter to Iames Earl of Derby by whom he has no Issue living The second Son of the Earl of Kingston William married the sole Daughter and Heir of Sir Thomas Harries by whom he had Issue five Sons and five Daughters whereof two Sons and two Daugters died unmarried The other six are Robert the Eldest who married Elizabeth Daughter and Co-heir to Sir Iohn Evelyne by whom he has three Sons and one Daughter The second Son George and the third Gervas are yet unmarried The eldest Daughter of William Pierrepont Frances is married to my Lords now onely Son and Heir Henry Earl of Ogle as before is mentioned The second Grace is married to Gilbert now Earl of Clare by whom he hath Issue Two sons and three daughters The third Gertrude is unmarried The third son of the Earl of Kingston Francis Pierrepont married Elizabeth the eldest daughter of Mr. Bray by whom he had Issue one son and one daughter the son Robert married Anne the daughter of Henry Murray The daughter Frances married William Pagatt eldest son to William Lord Pagatt The fourth son of the Earl of Kingston Gervase is unmarried The fifth son George Pierrepont married the daughter of Mr. Ionas by whom he had two sons unmarried Henry and Samuel The three daughters of the said Earl of Kingston are Frances the eldest who was married to Philip Rowleston the second Mary dyed young the third Elizabeth is unmarried The second daughter of Sir William Cavendish Elizabeth married the Earl of Lennox Unkle to King Iames by whom she had onely one daughter the Lady Arabella who against King Iame's Commands she being after Him and His Children the next Heir to the Crown married William the second son to the Earl of Hereford for which she was put into the Tower where not long after she dyed The youngest daughter Mary Cavendish married Glbert Talbot second son to George Earl of Shrewsbury who after the decease of his Father and his elder Brother Francis who dyed without Issue became Earl of Shrewsbury by whom she had Issue four sons and three daughters the sons all dyed in their Infancy but the daughters were married The eldest Mary Talbot married William Herbert Earl of Pembroke by whom some eighteen years after her Marriage she had one son who dyed young The second daughter Elizabeth married Sir H enry G ray after Earl of Kent the fourth Earl of England by whom she had no Issue The third and youngest daughter Aletheia married Thomas Howard Earl of Arundel the first Earl and Earl-Marshal of England by whom she left two sons Iames who died beyond the seas without Issue and H enry who married Elizabeth daughter of Esme Stuart Duke of Lennox by whom he had Issue several sons
Wars that was neither between Medes and Persians Greeks and Trojans Christians and Turks but among my own Countreymen whose Customs and Inclinations and most of the Persons that held any considerable Place in the Armies was well known to me and besides all that which is above all my Noble and Loyal Lord did act a chief Part in that fatal Tragedy to have defended if humane power could have done it his most Gracious Soveraign from the fury of his Rebellious Subjects This History being as I have said of a particular Person his Actions and Fortunes it cannot be expected that I should here Preach of the beginning of the World nor seem to express understanding in the Politicks by tedious moral Discourses with long Observations upon the several sorts of Government that have been in Greece Rome and upon others more modern I will neither endeavour to make show of Eloquence making Speeches that never was spoken nor pretend to great skill in War by making Mountains of Mole-hills and telling Romansical Falshoods for Historical Truths and much less will I write to amuse my Readers in a mystical and allegorical Style of the disloyal Actions of the opposite Party of the Treacherous Cowardise Envy and Malice of some Persons my Lords Enemies and of the ingratitude of some of his seeming Friends wherein I cannot better obey his Lordships Commands to conceal those things then in leaving them quite out as I do with submission to his Lordships desire from whom I have learn'd Patience to overcome my Passions and Discretion to yield to his Prudence Thus am I resolved to write in a natural plain style without Latin Sentences moral Instructions politick Designs feigned Orations or envious and malicious Exclamations this short History of the Loyal Heroick and Prudent Actions of my Noble Lord as also of his Sufferings Losses and ill-Fortunes which in honour and Conscience I could not suffer to be buried in silence nor could I have undertaken so hard a task had not my love to his Person and to Truth been my Encourager and Supporter I might have made this Book larger in transcribing as is ordinary in Histories the several Letters full of Affection and kind promises he received from His Gracious Soveraign Charles the First and from his Royal Consort in the time he was in the Actions of War as also since the War from his dear Soveraign and Master Charles the Second But many of the former Letters having been lost when all was lost I thought it best seeing I had not them all to print none As for Orations which is another way of swelling the bulk of Histories it is certain that My Lord made not many chusing rather to fight then to talk and his Declarations having been printed already it had been superfluous to insert them in these Narrations This Book would however have been a great Volume if his Grace would have given me leave to publish his Enemies Actions But being to write of his own onely I do it briefly and truly and not as many have done who have written of the late Civil War with but few sprinklings of Truth like as Heat-drops upon a dry barren Ground knowing no more of the Transactions of those Times then what they learned in the Gazets which for the most part out of Policy to amuse and deceive the People contain nothing but Falshoods and Chimeraes and were such Parasites that after the Kings Party was over-powred the Government among the Rebels changing from one Faction to another they never miss'd to exalt highly the Merits of the chief Commanders of the then prevailing side comparing some of them to Moses and some others to all the great and most famous Heroes both Greeks and Romans wherein unawares they exceedingly commended my Noble Lord for if those Ring-leaders of Factions were so great men as they are reported to be by those Time-servers How much greater must his Lordship be who beat most of them except the Earl of Essex whose employment was never in the Northern parts where all the rest of the greatest strength of the Parliament was sent to oppose my Lord's Forces which was the greatest the Kings Party had any where Good Fortune is such an Idol of the World and is so like the golden Calf worshipped by the Israelites that those Arch-Rebels never wanted Astrologers to foretel them good success in all their Enterprises nor Poets to sing their Praises nor Orators for Panegyricks nay which is worse nor Historians neither to record their Valour in fighting and Wisdom in Governing But being so much as I am above base Profit or any Preferment whatsoever I cannot fear to be suspected of Flattery in declaring to the World the Merits Wealth Power Loyalty and Fortunes of My Noble Lord who hath done great Actions suffered great Losses endured a long Banishment for his Loyalty to his King and Countrey and leads now like another Scipio a quiet Countrey-life If notwithstanding all this any should say That those who write Histories of themselves and their own actions or of their own Party or instruct and inform those that write them are partial to themselves I answer That it is very improbable Worthy Persons who having done Great Noble and Heroick Exploits deserving to be recorded should be so vain as to write false Histories but if they do it proves but their Folly for Truth can never be concealed and so it will be more for their disgrace then for their Honour or Fame I fear not any such blemishes in this present History for I am conscious of any such Crime as Patiality or Falshood but write it whilest My Noble Lord is yet alive and at such a time where Truth may be declared and Falshood contradicted and I challenge any one although I be a Woman to contradict any thing that I have set down or prove it to be otherwise then Truth for be there never so many Contradictions Truth will conquer all at last Concerning My Lords Actions in War which are comprehended in the first Book the relation of them I have chiefly from my Lords Secretary Mr. Rolleston a Person that has been an Eye-witness thereof and accompanied My Lord as Secretary in his Army and gave out all his Commissions his honesty and worth is unquestionable by all that know him And as for the Second Book which contains My Lords Actions and Sufferings during the time of his Exile I have set down so much as I could possibly call to mind without any particular Expression of time onely from the time of his Banishment or rather what I can remember from the time of my Marriage till our return into England To the end of which I have joined a Computation of My Lord's Losses which he hath suffered by those unfortunate Warres In the third Book I have set down some particular Chapters concerning the Description of his Person his Natural Faculties and Personal Vertues c. And in the last some Essayes and Discourses
his Friends to try what means he could procure for his subsistance but though he used all the industry and endeavour he could yet he effected but little by reason every body was so affraid of the Parliament that they durst not relieve Him who was counted a Traitor for his Honest and Loyal service to his King and Country Not long after My Lord had profers made him of some Rich Matches in England for his two Sons whom therefore he sent thither with one Mr. Loving hoping by that means to provide both for them and himself but they being arrived there out of some reasons best known to them declared their unwillingness to Marry as yet continuing nevertheless in England and living as well as they could Some two years after my Lord's Marriage when he had prevailed so far with his Creditors that they began to trust him anew the first thing he did was that he removed out of those Lodgings in Paris where he had been necessitated to live hitherto to a House which he hired for himself and his Family and furnished it as well as his new gotten Credit would permit and withal resolving for his own recreation and divertisement in his banished condition to exercise the Art of Mannage which he is a great lover and Master of bought a Barbary-horse for that purpose which cost him 200 Pistols and soon after another Barbary-horse from the Lord Crofts for which he was to pay him 100 l. when he returned into England About this time there was a Council call'd at St. Germain in which were present besides My Lord Her Majesty the now Queen Mother of England His Highness the Prince our now gracious King His Cousin Prince Rupert the Marquess of Worcester the then Marquess now Duke of Ormond the Lord Iermyn now Earl of St. Albans and several others where after several debates concerning the then present condition of His Majesty King Charles the First my Lord delivered his sentiment that he could perceive no other probability of procuring Forces for His Majesty but an assistance of the Scots But Her Majesty was pleased to answer my Lord That he was too quick Not long after When my Lord had begun to settle himsef in his mentioned new house His gracious Master the Prince having taken a resolution to go into Holland upon some designs Her Majesty the Queen Mother desired my Lord to follow him promising to engage for his debts which hitherto he had contracted at Paris and commanding Her Controller and Treasurer to be bound for them in Her behalf which they did although the Creditors would not content themselves until my Lord had joined his word to theirs So great and generous was the bounty and favour of Her Majesty to my Lord considering she had already given him heretofore near upon 2000 l. Sterling even at that time when Her Majesty stood most in need of it My Lord after his Highness the Prince was gone being ready to execute Her Majesties Commands in following Him and preparing for his Journey wanted the chief thing which was Money and having much endeavoured for it at last had the good Fortune to obtain upon Credit three or four hundred pounds sterl With which Sum he set out of Paris in the same Equipage he entred viz. One Coach which he had newly caused to be made wherein were the Lord Widdrington my Lord's Brother Sir Charles Cavendish Mr. Loving my Waiting-Maid and some others whereof the two later were then returned out of England one little Chariot that would onely hold my Lord and my self and three Waggons besides an indifferent number of Servants on Horse-back That day when we left Paris the Creditors coming to take their Farwell of my Lord expressed so great a love and kindness for him accompanied vvith so many hearty Prayers and Wishes that he could not but prosper on his Journey Being come into the King of Spain's Dominions my Lord found a very Noble Reception At Cambray the Governour vvas so civil that my Lord coming to that place somevvhat late and vvhen it vvas dark he commanded some Lights and Torches to meet my Lord and conduct him to his Lodgings He offer'd my Lord the Keys of the City and desir'd him to give the Word that night and moreover invited him to an Entertainment which he had made for him of purpose but it being late my Lord tyred with his Journey excused himself as civilly as he could the Governour notwithstanding being pleased to send all manner of Provisions to my Lords Lodgings and charging our Landlord to take no pay for any thing we had Which extraordinary Civilities shewed that he was a Right Noble Spaniard The next morning early my Lord went on his Journey and was very civilly used in every place of His Majesty of Spain's Dominions where he arrived At last coming to Antwerp He took water to Rotterdam which Town he chose for his residing place during the time of his stay in Holland and sent thither to a Friend of his a Gentleman of Quality to provide him some Lodgings which he did and procured them at the house of one Mrs. Banaum Widow to an English Merchant who had always been very Loyal to His Majesty the King of England and serviceable to His Majesties faithful Subjects in whatsoever lay in his Power My Lord being come to Rotterdam was informed that His Highness the Prince now our Gracious King was gone to Sea Wherefore he resolved to follow him and for that purpose hired a Boat and victual'd it but since no body knew whither His Highness was gone and I being unwilling that my Lord should venture upon so uncertain a Voyage and as the Proverb is Seek a Needle in a Bottle of Hay he desisted from that design The Lord Widdrington nevertheless and Sir Will. Throckmorton being resolved to find out the Prince but having by a storm been driven towards the Coast of Scotland and endangered their lives they returned without obtaining their aim After some little time my Lord having notice that the Prince was arrived at the Hague he went to wait on His Highness which he also did afterwards at several times so long as His Highness continued there expecting some opportunity where he might be able to shew his readiness to serve His King and Countrey as certainly there was no little hopes for it for first it was believed that the English Fleet would come and render it self into the obedience of the Prince next it was reported that the Duke of Hamilton was going out of Scotland with a great Army into England to the assistance of His Majesty and that His Majesty had then some party at Colchester but it pleased God that none of these proved effectual For the Fleet did not come in the Duke of Hamilton's Army was destroyed and Colchester was taken by the Enemy where my dear Brother Sir Charles Lucas and his dear Friend Sir George Lile were most inhumanly murther'd and shot to death they
Majesty King CHARLEs the Second was pleased when my Lord was in banishment to make him Knight of the most Noble Order of the Garter And 12. After his Return into England Chief Justice in Eyre Trent-North 13. He created him Duke of Newcastle and Earl of Ogle 7. Of the Entertainments He made for King CHARLES the First THough my Lord hath alwayes been free and noble in his Entertainments and Feastings yet he was pleased to shew his great Affection and Duty to his Gracious King Charles the First and Her Majesty the Queen in some particular Entertainments which he made of purpose for them before the late Warrs When His Majesty was going into Scotland to be Crowned he took His way through Nottinghamshire and lying at Worksop-Mannor hardly two miles distant from Welbeck where my Lord then was my Lord invited His Majesty thither to a Dinner which he was graciously pleased to accept of This Entertainment cost my Lord between Four and Five thousand pounds which His Majesty liked so well that a year after His Return out of Scotland He was pleased to send my Lord word That Her Majesty the Queen was resolved to make a Progress into the Northern parts desiring him to prepare the like Entertainment for Her as he had formerly done for Him Which My Lord did and endeavour'd for it with all possible Care and Indudustry sparing nothing that might add splendor to that Feast which both Their Majesties were pleased to honour with their Presence Ben Iohnson he employed in fitting such Scenes and Speeches as he could best devise and sent for all the Gentry of the Country to come and wait on their Majesties and in short did all that ever he could imagine to render it Great and worthy Their Royal Acceptance This Entertainment he made at Bolsover-Castle in Derbyshire some five miles distant from Welbeck and resigned Welbeck for Their Majesties Lodging it cost him in all between Fourteen and Fifteen thousand pounds Besides these two there was another small Entertainment which my Lord prepared for His late Majesty in his own Park at Welbeck when His Majesty came down with his two Nephews the now Prince Elector Palatine and His Brother Prince Rupert into the Forrest of Sherwood which cost him Fifteen hundred pounds And this I mention not out of a vain-glory but to declare the great love and Duty my Lord had for His Gracious King and Queen and to correct the mistakes committed by some Historians who not being rightly informed of those Entertainments make the World believe Falshood for Truth But as I said they were made before the Warrs when my Lord had the possessiou of a great Estate and wanted nothing to express his Love and Duty to his Soveraign in that manner whereas now he should be much to seek to do the like his Estate being so much ruined by the late Civil Wars that neither himself nor his Posterity will be able so soon to recover it 8. His Education HIs Education was according to his Birth for as he was born a Gentleman so he was bred like a Gentleman To School-Learning he never shew'd a great inclination for though he was sent to the University and was a Student of St. Iohn's Colledg in Cambridg and had his Tutors to instruct him yet they could not perswade him to read or study much he taking more delight in sports then in learning so that his Father being a wise man and seeing that his Son had a good natural Wit and was of a very good Disposition suffer'd him to follow his own Genius whereas his other Son Charles in whom he found a greater love and inclination to Learning he encouraged as much that way as possibly he could One time it hapned that a young Gentleman one of my Lord's Relations had bought some Land at the same time when my Lord had bought a Singing-Boy for 50 l. a Horse for 50 l. and a Dog for 2 l. which humour his Father Sir Charles liked so well that he was pleased to say That if he should find his Son to be so covetous that he would buy Land before he was 20 years of Age he would disinherit him But above all the rest my Lord had a great inclination to the Art of Horsemanship and Weapons in which later his Father Sir Charles being a most ingenuous and unparallell'd Master of that Age was his onely Tutor and kept him also several Masters in the Art of Horsemanship and sent him to the Mewse to Mons. Antoine who was then accounted the best Master in that Art But my Lord's delight in those Heroick Exercises was such that he soon became Master thereof Himself which encreased much his Father's hopes of his future perfections who being himself a person of a Noble and Heroick nature was extreamly well pleased to observe his Son take delight in such Arts and Exercises as were proper and fit for a person of Quality 9. His Natural Wit and Vnderstanding ALthough my Lord has not so much of Scholarship and Learning as his Brother Sir Charles Cavendish had yet he hath an excellent Natural Wit and Judgment and dives into the bottom of every thing as it is evidently apparent in the forementioned Art of Horsemanship and Weapons which by his own ingenuity he has reformed and brought to such perfection as never any one has done heretofore And though he is no Mathematician by Art yet he hath a very good Mathematical brain to demonstrate Truth by natural reason and is both a good Natural and Moral Philosopher not by reading Philosophical Books but by his own Natural Understanding and Observation by which he hath found out many Truths To pass by several other instances I 'le but mention that when my Lord was at Paris in his Exile it happen'd one time that he discoursing with some of his Friends amongst whom was also that Learned Philosopher Hobbes they began amongst the rest to argue upon this subject namely Whether it mere possible to make Man by Art fly as Birds do and when some of the Company had delivered their Opinion viz. That they thought it probable to be done by the help of Artificial Wings My Lord declared that he deemed it altogether impossible and demonstrared it by this following Reason Man's Armes said he are not set on his shoulders in the same manner as Bird's wings are for that part of the Arm which joins to the Shoulder is in Man placed inward as towards the breast but in Birds outward as toward the back which difference and contrary position or shape hinders that man cannot have the same flying-action with his Armes as Birds have with their Wings Which Argument Mr. Hobbes liked so well that he was pleased to make use of it in one of his Books called Leviathan if I remember well Some other time they falling into a Discourse concerning Witches Mr. Hobbes said That though he could not rationally believe there were Witches yet he could not be fully satisfied
obstructions and hinderances yet as he undertook it chearfully and out of pure Loyalty and Obedience to His Majesty so he ordered it so wisely that so long as he acted by his own Counsels and was personally present at the execution of his Designs he was always prosperous in his Success And although he had so great an Army as aforementioned yet by his wise and prudent Conduct there appear'd no visible sign of devastation in any of the Countreys where he marched for first he setled a constant Rule for the Regular levy of money for the convenient Maintenance of the Soldiery Next he constituted such Officers of his Army that most of them were known to be Gentlemen of large and fair Estates which drew a good part of their private Revenues to serve and support them in their publick Employments wherein my Lord did lead them the way by his own good Example To which may be added his wisdom in ordering the Government of the Church for the advancement of the Orthodox Religion and suppression of Factions as also in Coyning Printing Knighting and the like which he used with great discretion and prudence onely for the Interest of His Majesty and the benefit of the Kingdom as formerly has been mentioned The Prudent mannage of his private and domestick affairs appears sufficiently 1. In his Marriage 2. In the ordering and increasing his Estate before the Wars which notwithstanding his Noble House-keeping and Hospitality and his Generous Bounty and Charity he increased to the value of 100000 l. 3. In the ordering his Affairs in the time of Banishment where although he received not the least of his own estate during all the time of his exile until his return yet maintained himself handsomely and nobly according to his Quality as much as his Condition at that time would permit 4. In reducing his torn and ruined Estate after his return which beyond all probability himself hath setled and order'd so that his Posterity will have reason gratefully to remember it In short Although my Lord naturally loves not business especially those of State though he understands them as well as any body yet what business or affairs he cannot avoid none will do them better then himself His private affairs he orders without any noise or trouble not over-hastily but wisely Neither is he passionate in acting of business but hears patiently and orders soberly and pierces into the heart or bottom of a business at the first encounter but before all things he considers well before he undertakes a business whether he be able to go through it or no for he never ventures upon either publick or private business beyond his strength And here I cannot forbear to mention that my Noble Lord when he was in banishment presumed out of his Duty and Love to his Gracious Master our now Soveraign King Charles the Second to write and send him a little Book or rather a Letter wherein he delivered his Opinion concerning the Government of his Dominions whensoever God should be pleased to restore him to his Throne together with some other Notes and Observations of Foreign States and Kingdoms but it being a private offer to His sacred Majesty I dare not presume to publish it 5. Of His Blessings ALthough my Lord hath been one of the most Unfortunate Persons of his Rank and Quality which this later age did produce yet Heaven hath been so propitious to him that it bestowed some blessings upon him even in the midst of his Misfortunes and supported him against Fortunes Malice which otherwise as it seems had designed his total ruine and destruction Of these Blessings I may name in the first place 1. The Royal Favours of His Gracious Soveraign's and the good esteem they had of his Fidelity and Loyalty which as it was the chief of his endeavours so he esteemed it above all the rest To repeat them particularly would be too tedious and they are sufficiently apparent out of the precedent History onely this I may add that King Charles the First out of a singular Favour to my Lord was pleased upon his most humble request to create several Noble-men the Names of them left I commit an offence I shall not mention by reason most men usually pretend such claimes upon the Ground of their own Merit 2. That God was pleased to bless him with Wealth and Power to enable him the better for the service of his King and Country 3. That he made him happy in his Marriage for his first Wife was a very kind loving and Virtuous Lady and bless'd him with Dutiful and Obedient Children free from Vices Noble and Generous both in ther Natures and Actions who did all that lay in their power to support and relieve my Lord their Father in his Banishment as before is mentioned 4. The Kindness and Civility which my Lord received from Strangers and the Inhabitants of those places where he lived during the time of his Banishment for had it not been for them he would have perished in his extream wants but it pleased God so to provide for him that although he wanted an Estate yet he wanted not Credit and although he was banished and forsaken by his own Friends and Country-men yet he was civilly received and relieved by strangers until God bless'd him Lastly With a happy return to his Native Country his dear Children and his own Estate which although he found much ruined and broke yet by his Prudence and Wisdom hath order'd as well as he could and I hope and pray God to add this blessing to all the rest That he may live long to encrease it for the benefit of his Posterity 6. Of his Honours and Dignities THe Honours Titles and Dignities which were conferr'd upon my Lord by King Iames King Charles the First and King Charles the Second partly as an encouragement for future Service and a Reward for past are following 1. He was made Knight of the Bath when he was but 15 or 16 years of Age at the Creation of Henry Prince of Wales King Iames's Eldest Son 2. King Iames Created him Viscount Mansfield and Baron of Bolsover 3. King Charles the First constituted him Lord Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire and 4. Lord Warden of the Forrest of Sherwood as also 5. Lord Lieutenant of Derby-shire 6. He chose him Governour to His Son Charles our now gracious King and 7. Made him one of his Honourable Privy Council 8. He constituted him Governour of the Town and County of Newcastle and General of all His Majesties Forces raised and to be raised in the Northern parts of England as also of the several Counties of Nottingham Lincoln Rutland Derby Stafford Leicester Warwick Northampton Huntington Cambridg Norfolk Sussex Essex and Hereford together with all the Appurtenances belonging to so great a Power as is formerly declared 9. He conferr'd upon him the Honour and Title of Earl of Newcastle and Baron of Bothal and Hepple 10. He created him Marquess of Newcastle 11. His