should be weighed in those Scales with whom all men concur that know themselves And this was the first evidence of his parts and the occasion of his reputation Three Grasiers at a Faiâ— had left their money with their Hostess while they went to Market one of them calls for the money and runsaway the other two come upon the woman and sue her for delivering that which she had received from the three before the three came and demanded it The Cause went against the Woman and Judgement was ready to be pronounced when Mr. Noy being a stranger wisheth her to give him a Fee because he could not plead else and then moves in Arrest of Judgement that he was retained by the Defendant aâ—d that the case was this The Defendant had received the money of the three together and confesâ—eth was not to deliver it untill the same three demanded it and therefore the money is ready Let the three men come and it shall be paid a motion which altered the whole proceeding Of which when I hear some say it was obvious I remember that when Columbus had discovered America every one said it was easie And he one day told a company at Table where he was that he could do a stranger thing than that discovery he would make an Egge stand an end on a plain Table the speculatives were at a losse how it should be done he knocks the Egg upon the end and it stands Oh! was that all they cryed Yes saith he this is all and you see how hard a thing it is to conceive a thing in the Idea which it 's nothing to apprehend in the performance I need say no more of this Gentleman but that Sergeant Maynard will say to this hour he rose mainly at first by being looked upon as Mr. Noy's Favourite Observations on the Life of Sir John Savil. THe methods of this Gentleman's advancement exactly parallel those of his Countrey-man Sir Thomas Wentworth Both had the same foundation of wealth and honour to build on both had solid and strong parts to act by both began with Popularity in the Countrey proceeded with activity in Parliaments accomplished themselves with correspondence all over the Nation both eminent upon the Bench both hospitable at home both bountiful to Lecturers both well skilled in and stedfast to the great poynts of Prerogative and Liberty For the last whereof they were so bold as sure either by carrying the Cause to oblige the People to themselves or by suffering for it to enrage them against the Government that Sir R. Weston made it his business to take off the one and my Lord of Canterbury the other which they did with such successe that as my Lord Wentworth became a great Favourite so the Lord Savile was an eminent Counsellor onely finding that his young Neighbor had got the start of him he kept to one of his popular Principles always viz. a restless impetuosity towards Papists against whom he made himself famous 1. For a Disputation procured by him in Drury-Lane whither he brought Bishop Vsher under the notion of a Countrey-Parson when the Jesuites cryed There was more Learning in that Parson than in all the men in England 2. For a project offered by him in Parliament For when they taking advantage of King Charles his wants proffered to maintain five thousand men to serve his Majesty in Ireland and a proportion of Ships to secure him in England on condition of the free exercise of their Religion Sir John interposed That if the King were pleased but to call on the Recusants to pay Thirds legally due to the Crown it would prove a way more effectual and lesse offensive to raise a masse of money It being but just that they who were so rich and free to purchase new Priviledges should first pay their old Penalties When I read of a Lord Savile going privately to Scotland 16â—9 subscribing to a Petition with other moderate Lords as they called them containing the very sense of the faction insomuch that it is observed the City-Petition and theirs were couched in the same words yet going to Oxford and after all being so turbulent there that his Majesty was feign to send him beyond Sea where his Majesty writes with his own hand He doubts be will rather exchange his villany than end it I am almost of that wise mans minde that there were no lesse then 17 particular Designs set on foot by the promotion of the late Troubles whereof though most yet not all were carried on in Westminster or to enforce something more solid that a King should say as the Italian doth If my Subject deceives me once God forgive him If a second time God forgive me and the rather because it 's fatal for Majestie to erre twice Oservations on the Life of the Lord Bishop Williams A Strong constitution made his parts a strict education improved them unwearied was his industry unexpressible his capacity He never saw the book of worth he read not he never forgot what he read he never lost the use of what he remembred Every thing he heard or saw was his own and what was his own he knew how to use to the utmost His extraction being Gentile his Soul large and noble his presence and carriage comely and stately his learning copious his judgement stayed his apprehension clear and searching his expression lively and effectual his elocution flowing and majestick his Proctorship 1612. discovered him a person above his place and his Lectures to his Pupils above his preferment Bishop Vaughan first admitteth him to his Family and then to his bosome there his strong Sermons his exact government under my Lord his plentiful observation his numerous acquaintance made him my Lord Chancellor Egerton's friend rather than his servant his familiar rather then his Chaplain Never was there a more communicative Master to instruct than my Lord Elsemere never a more capable Scholar to learn than Doctor Williams who had instilled to him all necessary State-maximes while his old Master lived and had bequeathed to him four excellent Books when his Master was dead These four books he presented to King James the very same time that he offered himself to the Duke of Buckingham The Excellent Prince observed him as much for the first gift as the noble Duke did for the second the King and Duke made him their own who they saw had made that excellent Book his Willing was King James to advance Clergy-men and glad to meet with men capable of Advancement His two Sermons at Court made him Dean of Westminster his exact state of the Earl of Somerset's Case made him capable of and the KING'S inclination to trust his Conscience in a Divines hand fetled him in the Lord Keepers place actually onely for three yeares to please the people who were offended with his years now but 34. and his calling a Divine but designedly for ever to serve his Majesty The Lawyers despised him at first but the
doubted and won those that contradicted in King Henry's Cause But he served not King Henry more faithfully in Germany then he provided for him honourably in England where the Kings Cause waited for his Assistance and the See of Canterbury for his Acceptance He was willing to promote Religion he was unwilling for some Formalities he scrupled to advance himself but after seven Weeks delay it being as fatal to refuse King Henry's Favours as to offer him Injuries he is Archbishop in his own Defence in which capacity to serve the King and salve his own Conscience he used the Expedient of a Protestation to this purpose In nomine c. Non est nec erit meae voluntatis aut intentionis per hujusmodi Juramentum juramenta qualiter verba in ipsis posita sonare videbuntur me obligare ad aliquid ratione eorundem post hac dicendum faciendum aut attestandum quod erit aut esse videbitur contra legem Dei vel contra Regem aut Rempublicam legesve aut Praerogativa ejus quod non intendo per hujusmodi juramentum quovis modo me obligare quò minùs liberò loqui consulere consentire valeam in omnibus singulis Reformationem Ecclesiae prerogativam Coronae concernentibus ea exequi reformare quae in Ecclesia Anglicana reformanda videbuntur This Protestation he made three times once at the Charter-House another time at the Altar and a third time at the receiving of his Pall. In his place he was moderate between the Superstition of Rome and the Phrensies of Munster As he was chief Instrument in beginning the Reformation so he was in continuing it He withstood the Six Articles and though the King sent five prime Ministers of State to comfort him would not be satisfied until he saw them mitigated in King Henry's time and repealed in King Edward's Gardiner would have questioned him for entertaining forreign Hereticks and promoting Domestick Schisms the Northern Rebells accused him for subverting the Church but the King upheld him against both suppressing the One and checking the Other and advising the good Man whom he called Fool for his meek disposition to appeal to him Whereupon Russel cried The King will never suffer him to be imprisoned until you finde Him guilty of High Treason He is to be pitied for his intermediate failings but renowned for his final constancy The King having declared before all his Servants that Cranmer was his best Servant he employeth him in his best service the Reformation of Religion wherein all others failed but the King Cromwel and Brandon backed him so far that he had the Bible and the necessary Offices of the Church translated into English He had both Universities at his command He brought the Lords House and Convocation to his Lure and was invested with a Power 1. To grant Dispensations in all things not repugnant to Gods Law nor the Kings safety 2. To determine Ecclesiastical Causes He as charitably as politickly advised the King to accept of Bishop Fisher's partial Subscription considering his Learning and Reputation As he is King Henry's Instrument at Dunstable to divorce him from Queen Katharine so he is at Lambeth to divorce him from Anna Bullen He promoted in the Convocation all Primitive Doctrines and condemned all new-fangled Opinions He was so charitable that he interceded with the King for his Enemies so munificent that he made the Church and his own House a Refuge for Strangers particularly for P. Fagius P. Martyr Martin Bucer c. The King loved him for his Integrity the People for his Moderation He was called the Kings Father and was Queen Elizabeth's Godfather His Piety reduced the Church and his Policy the State He spake little to others he conferred much with himself Three words of His could do more then three hours discourse of Others He wousd say as Victorinus There is a time to say nothing there is a time to say something but there is never a time to say all things That King who awed all Others feared Him A Second to the Eternal Power is the Wise Man uncorrupt in his Life He was the Executor of God's Will in King Henry's Life-time and the first of His after his Death As He spurred King Henry to a Reformation so King Edward did Him whose Prudence was not so forward as the Others Zeal who looked at what was Lawful as He did at what was Convenient He maintained the Churches Power as resolutely against Bishop Hooper's Scruples notwithstanding potent Intercession as he reformed its Corruptions against the Popes Interest notwithstanding a general Opposition He allowed not the least Errour in not the least contempt of the Church He restored its primitive Doctrine and Discipline lest it should be an impure Church he upheld them lest it should be none He was one of fourteen that compiled the Common-Prayer He was One of Two that set out the Homilies and the onely man that published the Institution of a Christian man and other good Books With his Advice King Edward did much and designed more He was the chief Author of King Edward's Injunctions and the first Commissioner in them He was President of the Assembly at Windsor for Reformation and of the Council at London His Articles were strict and severe as much grounded on the Canon of Scripture as on the Canons of the Church He convinced more Papists with his Reason and Moderation then others by their Power His Heart never failed him in his Life and it was not burned at his Death He did so much for the Protestant Religion in King Henry's Days that he foresaw he should suffer for it in Queen Mary's He was unwilling to wrong Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth therefore he refused at first to sign King Edward's Testament but Duke Dudley's Will He was willing to continue the Protestant Religion therefore he signed it at last It was a Bishop that was one of the first that abolished Popery in England and one of the last that died for Protestantisme It was a Bishop that maintained the Protestant Cause with Arguments while he lived and with his Blood when he died Observations on Sir Thomas More Lord Chancellour of England HE rise up high because he stept out well Sir Thomas More was half way Chancellour when born to Sir John More Chief Justice The Father's Prudence Wit and Noblenesse flowed with his Blood to the Sons Veins Much Honour he received from his Family more he gave to it His Mother saw his Face shining in Dream on her Wedding Night and his Father saw his Life so really A quick City-Spirit made him capable of great State-Employments He was saved by a Miracle and was One For his Nurse riding with him over a Water and being in some danger threw him over a Hedge where she found him not hurt but sweetly smiling upon her A Free-school seasoned his forward Childhood and the grave wise and excellent Cardinal Mortons House his Youth The One
Covents by the allurement of Liberty and then forced them out by Power and Authority As the Abbeys improved his Estate so his Master advanced his Honour he had one Privy Seal always to act by and was Keeper of another He had no sooner attained an Earldom for himself but foreseeing the alteration of Affairs he secured a Barony for his Son not forfeitable by the Attainder of the Father Within five years he was Master of the Jewel-house Secretary of State Baron Vicar-General Master of the Rolls Knight of the Garter Keeper of the Privy-Seal Lord High Chamberlain and Earl of Essex within five months he quitted place and in five minutes lost all He must needs be envied whose Birth was so much beneath all others and his Preferment above them especially when the King in preferring him injured others as the Citizens in managing the Jewels the Courtiers in undertaking State-affairs the Lawyers in the Rolls the Nobly Descended at Windsor the Clergy in the Convocation the Earl of Oxford and the Family of the Bourchiers in the great Chamberlainship and Earldom of Essex But he cares not whom he displeaseth if he can oblige his Master whose power he advanceth in the Parliament and Synod as he improveth his Revenue in the Office of first-Fruits and the Court of Augmentation His Greatness was allayed with his Goodness and the Envy of the One mitigated by the Liberality of the Other He had not more Suiters at his door then Alms two hundred at a time Sir Thomas was a Name of Awe and Reverence to the Rich and blessed by the Poor That Name levelled the proudest Citizens House for his conveniency and bowed the poorest mans Knee to his Honour He could at pleasure work upon the Lords by the Commons and on the Commons by the Lords as Cardinal Wolsey perswaded the Commons to four shillings in the pound upon the Lords president and the Lords to as much upon the Commons and he kept up the Cardinals way of Anticipation that the people should be always one Subsidy before-hand He set up the old Taxation of Knighthood at Queen Anne's Coronation and levied it He confirms the Kings Supremacy by a Law and establisheth his Daughter Elizabeth's Succession by an Oath first taken by the Parliament and then by the Kingdom for whose support he contrives the lesser Monasteries should be first escheated and then the greater He was so honest that he acquits Queen Anne in his Letter to the Queen yet so much a Statesman that he condemn'd her upon the Bench. But to secure the Interest of England he improved its Religion that as some few late Acts had disobliged the Pope a new frame of Christianity might exclude him The differences between Us and Rome were to be widened lest they should close and he judged it prudence to engage the conscience and the estate in one bottom that he might hold the One out of the tenderness of the Other The Kings Supremacy cut off the Papists and the Six Articles the Protestants Reformation must be managed leasurely and alteration of Religion by just degrees Instruction preceding execution and the peoples capacity growing up with their Governours Regulation The times are troublesome but Cromwel calm and quiet and watchful over Occurrences Insurrection giving him an advantage of a new Settlement He takes down the Occasions and Ornaments of Idolatry Images Shrines Pilgrimages c. and then the Thing it self Take off the paint of Rome and you undo her As the Laws and Injunctions so the Alliance of England must secure its Interest A Protestant Queen must be married to the Reformed King the Duke of Cleve's Sister must woo the King that Essex might have that whispered in the Kings Bosom abed where he was best disposed which he insinuated into his Ear at the Council-Table where he was worst But the King was not so well pleased with her Beauty as Cromwel was with her Religion which Stephen Gardiner who hated her for her Religion and Cromwel for his Greatness observing shewed the Kings loose Affections at once how to be rid of his Match and which he was as weary of his Match-Maker The Queen is divorced being never known by Henry who disliked her at first view and kept her rather in Policy to oblige the German Princes then of pleasure to fill his own Bed Cromwel is arrested for presuming to act in some matters of State without the Kings privity or Commission and attainted by a procedure he had invented dying as cunningly as he had lived for some ambiguous words which Power interpreted to his Ruine His last words were so wary that they might become Bellarmine and Luther at once that the Protestants call them his Confession of Faith and the Papists his old Religion for confessing his Offences against God and the King in his many Employments he said he died in the Catholique Faith Some will say the Protestants think no great gain to have him and the Papists no loss to part with him yet we must needs confess that he was a Wise Man because he always consulted the Learned in the Laws a out all his proceedings He was a Good man witness Frescobald whose mean Person he took notice of whose small Kindeness he acknowledged whose Services he condescended to whose Wants he relieved and whose Debts he recovered He was a Noble man because he refused another mans Coat of Arms who was of his Name saying What shall I do with it for he may pull it off my back at pleasure In a word He was so Mean before he rise so Worthy afterwards that no Times had Raised but those more troublesome none Ruined him but those most loose of Henry the VIII Observations on the Life of Sir Thomas Audley SIr Audley's Birth was Generous his Education more Essex bred him to that Honour which his Ancestors lost His Soul ennobled his Body and his Body graced his Soul The one quick solid apprehensive and judicious the other tall and majestick King Henry loved a Man and here was one whose Austerity was allayed with Debonairness whose Gravity was sweetened with Pleasantness whose Knowledge was as large as his Authority whose Wit was equal with his Wisdom whose Memory was strong and Judgment solid His fair Estate brought him to the Temple his proficiency in the Law to the Court His reading upon the Statute of Priviledges commended him to the Kings Service his speaking for the Prerogative in Parliament brought him to the Kings Favour Although the Liberties of the People can never be secured without the Prerogative of the Soveraign who cannot do the good they would if he wants a power to do the evil they fear yet his first Preferment was to withdraw him from Popularity and the second onely to confirm him to Soveraignty Noble Service is the way to a Royal One His Stewardship to the Dutchy of Suffolk raised him to the Attorneyship of that of Lancaster But in troublesome and designing times
the oldest that heard him for his Discourse and Policy The one preferred him to the ample Provo 〈…〉 ship of Kings the other to the great Trust of Secretary of State Prince Edward studied not his Book more sedulouslously then he studied him that his Rules might comply with his Inclination and his Lectures with his temper Lectures that were rather Discourses instilled to him Majestically as a Prince then Lessons beaten into him pedantiquely as a School-boy The wise man would not be debasing his Royal Pupils minde with the nauseated and low crumbs of a Pedant but ennobling it with the free and high Maximes of a States-man sugaring the more austere parts of Learning with the pleasures of Poetry Discourse Apologues and so deceiving the Royal Youth to an improvement before his own years and others comprehension His very Recreations were useful and his Series of lighter exercises for he observed a method in them too a constant study his Table his School his Meat his Discipline the industrious Tutour filling up each space of his time with its suitable instruction it being his Maxime That time and Observation were the best Masters and Exercise the best Tutor While others doated over their Rules his Pupils practised them no day passing without his Letters to the King as that Literae meae unum semper babet Argumentum Rex Nobilissime Pater Illustrissime hoc est in omnibus Epistolis ago tibi gratias c. or to the Queen as that Quod non ad se jamdiu scriberem in causa fuit non negligentia sed studium non enim hoc feci ut nunquam omnino scriberem sed accuratius scriberem c. I have two Tutors said King Edward to Cardan Diligence and Moderation Sir Jo. Cheeke and Doctor Coxe So exact an account he gave Prince Edward of his Fathers Kingdome and its Interest that King Henry designed him for Secretary and King Edward made him one Three years he had that place and in that three years did England more service so great his Parts Learning and Religion more kindness such his eminency in both and gave the people more satisfaction such his Integrity and Dexterity then all that went before him and most that came after him He was the first that brought in the use of a Diary and his Pupil the next that practised it His Aphorism it was That a dark and imperfect reflexion upon Affairs floating in the memory was like words dispersed and insignificant whereas a compleat view of them in a Book was like the same words pointed in a period and made significant Much did the Kingdome value him but more the King for being once desperately sick the King carefully enquired of him every day at last his Physitian told him there was no hope for his life being given over by him for a dead man No said the King he will not die at this time for this morning I begged his life from God in my Prayers and obtained it Which accordingly came to pass and he soon after against all expectation wonderfully recovered This saith Doctor Fuller was attested by the old Earl of Huntington bred up in his child-hood with King Edward to Sir Tho. Cheeke who anno 1654. was alive and 80 years of Age. But though his Prayers saved his Tutors life none could save his who died with the Protestant Religion in his heart and arms and Sir John had died with him but that being outed of all his preserments he outed himself from the Kingdome loving to all the English Exiles at Strasburgh and well beloved all over Germany until trusting to the Stars too much would he had either not gone so high or gone a little higher for advice and his friends too little he went to meet his dear Wife in Brabant where neither my Lord Paget's promise nor Sir Mason's pledges nor Abbot Fecknam's intercession could excuse him from being unhorsed and carted imprisoned and tortured vexed with all the arts of power and perplexed until his hard usage meeting with some fair promises brought him to a Recantation that broke his heart and after much melancholick sighing and silence brought him to his Grave The great example of Parts and Ingenuity of frailty and infirmity of repentance and piety Forced he was to sit with Bonner in his Courts but forced he would not be to joyn with him in his Judgement look on he did but weep and groan too A good Christian he was witness his pious Epistles an excellent States-man as appears by his True Subject to the Rebel a Book as seasonably republished by Doctor Langbaine of Queens Colledge in Oxford in the excellent King Charles his troubles as it was at first written in the good King Edward's commotions Vespasian said of Apollonius That his gate was open to all Philosophers but his Heart to Him And Sir John Cheeke would say to Father Latimer I haâ—e an Ear for other Divines but I have an Heart for You. A Country-man in Spain coming to an Image enshrined the extruction and first making whereof he could well remember and not finding from the same that respectful usage which he expected You need not quoth he be so proud for we have knâ—wn you from a Plum-tree Sir John Cheeke one day discoursing of the Popes Threats said He need not be so high for we have known him a Chaplain He took much delight in that saying of Herod the Sophist when he was pained with the Gout in his hands and feet When I would eat said he I have no hands when I would go I have no feet but when I must be pained I have both hands and feet Applying it thus When we would serve God we have no soul when we would serve our Neighbours we have no body but when we suffer for neglecting both we shall finde we have both a body and a soul Gustavus Adolphus some three days before his death said Our affairs answer our desires but I doubt God will punish me for the folly of my people who attribute too much to me and esteem me as it were their God and therefore he will make them shortly know and see I am but a man I submit to his will and I know he will not leave this great Enterprise of mine imperfect Three things Sir John Cheeke observed of Edward the sixth 1. That the peoples esteem of him would loose him 2. That his Reformation should be overthrown 3. That yet it should recover and be finished As to Publick Counsels 1. Sir John was against the War with Scotland which he said was rather to be united to England then separated from it 2. He was against King Edwards Will saying He would never distrust God so far in the preservation of his true Religion as to disinherit Orphans to keep up Protestantism 3. He laid a Platform of a War with Spain 4. He kept Neuter in the Court-factions 5. Bishop Ridley Doctor Coxe seconded and Sir John Cheeke contrived all King Edward's Acts of
fit Ecclesiarum Scabies Nomen alià s quâ—re 7. Going yearly to Bocton for the connaturalness of that Ayr and to Winchester or Oxford for Recreation he would say to his friends How useful was that advice of a holy Monk who perswaded his friend to perform his customary devotion in a constant place where his former thoughts might meet him for said he at my being at that School seeing the place where I sate when I was a boy occasioned me to remember my youthful thoughts sweet thoughts indeed that promised my growing years numerous pleasures without mixture of cares and those to be enjoyed when time which I thought slow-paced changed my youth to man-hood and now there are a succession of Boys using the same recreation and questionless possessed with the same thoughts Thus one generation succeeds another both in their Lives Recreations Hopes Fears and Deaths 8. There are four things that recommend Sir Henry Wotton to posterity 1. That King Charles took great pleasure in corresponding with him in Letters 2. That my Lord Racon took great pains in collecting his Apophthegmeâ— 3. That Sir Richard Baker who submitted most of his Writings to his Censure said of him That the Kingdome yielded not a fitter man to match the Capriciousnesse of the Italian wits And 4. That his work of Architecture is translated into Latine printed with Vitruvius and this Elogy prefixed Henricns Wottonus Anglo-Cantianus Tho optimi viri Filius Natu minimus a serenissimo Jacobo I. Magnae Britanniae c. Rege in Equestrem titulum ascitus ejusdemque ter ad Remp Venetam Legatus Ordinarius semel ad Confaederatarum Provinciarum Ordines in Juliensi Negotio bis ad Carolum Emanuelem Subaudiae ducem Semel ad unitos superioris Germaniae Principes in Conventu Heilbronnensi Postremo ad Archducem Leopoldum Ducem Wirtenbergensem Civitates Imperiales Argentinam Ulmamque ipsum Romanorum Imperatorem Ferdinandum II. Legatus Extraordinarius Tandem hoc Dedicit Animas sapientiores fieri quiescendo Observations on the Lives of the Lord Wilmot and Sir Tho. Roe THese honourable persons are united not so much in their own relation or character as in my unhappinesse who was promised Observations on the life of the first but never had them and had some on the life of the second but lost them 1. My Lord Wilmot I finde acting like a States-man when Commissary in the expedition against the Scots and speaking like a Soldier when a Member of the Parliament that was for them in the first capacity speaking with my Lord Conway he saw the King would be overcome by the English at home if he overcame not the Scots abroad In the second whispering with some Army-Officers he said If the Scots Army were paid in the North the King's Army would be paid in the South A wise and brave speech that had almost rallied all the Army against the Parliament as soon as that Parliament had rallied their multitude against the King but that treachery got easily into the bosome of that brave Prince that had nothing but honesty in his heart Yet since he could not awe the counsels of the faction in the City he went to suppresse their Rebellion in the Field being voted a Traytor by the Rebels because he endeavoured they should not be so What he performed in the Wars all the Kingdome knows what he did at Oxford the King's Letters intimate what he negotiated in Germany acted in Scotland endeavoured at Wâ—rcester and other places for the King's Majesties escape and restauration posterity shall celebrate while he lives as renownedly in History as he doth nobly in his son the most hopeful Earl of Rochester 2. Sir Thomas Roe understood the dispositions of men so exactly could suit their humours so fitly observe opportunities and seasons of actions so punctually keep correspondence so warily wade through difficulties so handsomely wave the pinch of a businesse so dexterously contrive Interests so suitably that he was advised with concerning the most important Affairs of the Kingdoms he resided in abroad and admitted of the Privy-Councel while he lived at home Where his speech against the debasing of the Coyn at the Council-Table will last as long as there is reason of State in the world His settlement of Trade as long as this is an Island and his Eastern MSS. as long as there are Books to furnish Libraries or Libraries to preserve Books Three of the noblest English actions beyond Sea are these 1. That Sir Thomas Roe pardoned the Dutch Merchants thrice in Persia and Turkey at his mercy 2. That my Lord Wilmot when Embassador in Germany refused the assistance of the Popes Nuncio or Turkish Aga judging his great Master when at lowest above those suspected Auxiliaries 3. That my Lord Culpeper having offered him in Muscovy all the English goods there refused them declaring his Royal Master a Father of his Country though kept out of it by Traytors and a merciful Prince to his People when cast off by the Rebels Observations on the Life of Arch-Bishop Juxon WIlliam Juxon born at Chichester in Sussex was bred Fellow in St. John's Colledge in Oxford where he proceeded Batchelor of Law very young but very able for that Degree afterwards becoming Doctor in the same Faculty and President of the Colledge was one in whom Nature had not omitted but Grace had ordered the Tetrarch of humours being admirably Master of his Pen and Passion For his Abilities he was successively preferred by King Charles the first Bishop of Hereford and London and for some years Lord Treasurer of England wherein he had Religion to be honest and no self-interest to be corrupt A troublesome place in those times being expected he should make much Brick though not altogether without yet with very little straw allowed unto him Large then the Expences low the Revenues of the Exchequer Yet those Coffers he found empty he left filling and had left full had Peace been preserved in the Land and he continued in his Place Such the mildenesse of his temper that Petitioners for money when it was not to be had departed well pleased with his Denials they were so civilly languaged It may justly seem a wonder that whereas few spake well of Bishops at that time and Lord Treasurers at all Times are liable to the complaints of discontented people though both Offices met in this man yet with Demetrius he was well reported of all men and of the truth it self He lived to see much shame and contempt undeservedly poured on his Function and all the while possessed his own soul in patience Nor was it the least part of this Prelat's honour that amongst the many worthy Bishops of our Land King Charles the first selected him for his Confessor at his Martyrdome when he honoured him with this testimony That good man He formerly had had experience in the case of the Earl of Strafford that this Bishop's Conscience was bottom'd on piety not policy the reason that
us to treat with the World about either discreetly to our happiness or weakly to our ruine It hath repented men that they have spoken at all times it repented none to have been silent in King Henry's when there was no security but to the Reserved and the Pliable Observations on the Life of Sir Anthony Brown HE was always one of the Council to King Henry at home and of his Commissioners abroad no Treaty passing without his presence no Negotiation without his advice the first carrying as much Majesty with it as the second did Authority the Court having bred the one to a noble Mein as Experience had done the other to an Oracle Experience I say whereby he saw more as Alexander boasted with his eye then others comprehended in their thoughts that being knowledge in him that was but conjecture in others He was the best Compound in the World a learned an honest and a travelled man a good Nature a large Soul and a settled Minde made up of Notes and Observations upon the most material points of State he could learn at Courts of Religion among the Clergy of Discipline among Souldiers of Trade among Merchants or of the situation interest avenues and strong holds by his own eyes It 's a pleasure to stand upon the shore and to see ships tost upon the sea it 's pleasure to stand in the window of a Castle and to see a Battel with the adventures thereof below but no pleasure is comparable to the standing upon the Vantground of Truth An Hi 〈…〉 saith my Noble Author not to be commanded and where the air is always clear and serene and to see the Errors and Wandrings the Mists and Tempests in the Vale below That content is better felt then expressed that this Noble Person took in his own clear thoughts when it was Mist all round about him and King Henry cried What say Cromwel and Brown Vespasian asked Apollonius What was Nero's overthrow and he answered him Nero could tune the Hâ—rp well but in Government sometimes he wound the pins too high and sometimes he let them down too low Sir Anthony told Henry the Eighth That his Government had been more easie if he had either set it not so loose at first or not so strict at last as there was indeed no King so various as his Master no State so changeable as his Government An even temper begets aw and reverence whilst the wide extreams create either on the one hand contempt and insolence or on the other discontent and murmuring Haughty and violent Courts never bless the Owners with a settled Peace This deep man was Leiger in Rome six years and Agent in France ten A Person of great dispatch because of an orderly method and procedure which he observed to a superstition saying Time and Method are my Masters There are saith my Oracle three parts of business Preparation Debate and Perfection The middle King Henry communicated to the whole Council the first and last to few viz. to my Lord Cromwel and Sir Anthony Brown The highest matters were his care as the Interview in France 1533. the most eminent Statesmen his fellows as the Duke of Norfolke the Lord Rochfort and the Lord Paulet those Noble Persons bearing the state and he managing the business of the Embassies The wise man of Florence took care that Ferdinando of Naples Medices of Florence Sforza of Millain should gain nothing of one another to the great security of Italy Sir Anthony watched our Neighbours Conquests Trade Approaches c. so closely that none of those Potentates Charles the Fifth or King Francis could win a spot of Ground but his Master would balance it and so secure Europe The Interviews between Princes he disallowed yet to satisfie his Master he provided for that in France so sumptuously as one that understood the formality of a Pageant was a real advantage to a Government whose Interest is as much to gain a reputation by pomp and shew as support a welfare by prudence and strength others apprehension of our greatness contributing as much to our welfare as our welfare it self Opinion governs the World Princes with their Majesty may be oft envied and hated without it they are always scorned and contemned Circumstances are often more then the main and shadows are not always shadows Outward Esteem to a great Person is as skin to Fruit which though a thin cover preserveth it King Henry's Person and State did England more Right in a Year then his Predecessors Arms in an Age while they onely impressed a resolution in the Neighbours he a reverence As Princes govern the People so Reason of State the Princes Spain at that time would command the Sea to keep us from the Indies and our Religion to keep us from a Settlement France suspected our Neighbourhood and engaged Scotland the Pope undermined our Designs and obliged the French Sir Anthony at Rome in respectful terms and under Protestation that his Majesty intended no contempt of the See Apostolick or Holy Church intimated his Masters Appeal to the next General Council lawfully assembled exhibiting also the Authentick Instruments of the same and the Archbishop of Canterbury's at the Consistory where though the Pope made forty French Cardinals yet our Agent and his money made twelve English and taught Francis to assume the power of disposing Monasteries and Benefices as King Henry had done advising him to inform his Subjects clearly of his proceedings and unite with the Princes of the Reformation taking his Parliament and People along with him and by their advice cutting off the Appeals to and Revenues of Rome by visitations c. with a Praemunire together with the Oath of Supremacy and the publication of the prohibited Degrees of Marriage He added in his Expresses That his Majesty should by disguised Envoys divide between the Princes and the Empire The next sight we have of him is in Scotland the French Kings passage to England as he calls it Where in joynt Commission with the Earl of Southampton and the Bishop of Durham he with his variety of Instructions gained time until the French King was embroyled at home the season of Action was over there and the Duke of Norfolk ready to force that with a War which could not be gained by Treaty Fortune is like the Market where many times if you can stay a little the Price will fall The ripeness and unripeness of the Occasion must be well weighed Watch the beginning of an Action and then speed Two things make a compleat Polititian Secresie in Counsel and Celerity in Execution But our Knights Prudence was not a heavy Wariness or a dull caution as appears by his preferment at Court where he is Master of the Horse and his service in the North where he and the Comptroller Sir Anthony Gage are in the head of 10000 men In both these places his excellence was more in chusing his Officers and Followers then in acting himself His servants were modest
fittest to season a man withal in the beginning both for settling of his Judgement and retaining them in memory yet as he goeth on out of the old fieldâ— must spring and grow the new Corn. Our Lawyers course was slow and leisurely his reading digested and deliberate His considerations wary and distrust his way to knowledge He that begins with certainties ends in doubts and he that begins with doubts ends in certainties and looketh into the bottom of things Upon serious and solid Books he bestowed a double reading the one cursorily by way of preparation and the other exact by way of digestion Three things made him a Pleader 1. Reading 2. Observation 3. Exercise And indeed in ancient times the Sergeants and Apprentices of Law did draw their own pleadings which made them good Pleaders He observed the affections the intent the analogy the validity of the Law putting all his reading to writing having the places he was most to handle in all the variety that could be with his Rules and Maximes as far as reading hearing meditation conference and memory could help him Thus his first thoughts were upon his Profession until that advanced him to the highest Eminence and his last upon his Interest until that was improved to as much fortune as lieth in a well-laid Estate and Alliance The End of the Observations upon the Lives of the Statesmen and Favourites of England in the Reign of King Edward the Sixth THE STATES-MEN and FAVOURITES OF ENGLAND IN The Reign of Queen MARY Observations on the Life of Sir William Cordel SIr William Cordel where-ever he was born had a fair Estate at Long-Melford in Suffolk and lieth buried in that fair Church under a decent Monument We will translate his Epitaph which will perfectly acquaint us with the great Offices he had and good Offices he did to Posterity Hic Gulielmus babet requiem Cordelliae avito Stemmate qui clarius clarior ingenio Hic Studiis primos consumpsit fortiter annos Mox causarum strenuus actor erat Tanta illi doctrina inerat facundia tanta Vt Parlamenta publica lingua foret Postea factus Eques Reginae arcana Mariae Consilia Fatriae grande subibat opus Factus est Custos Rotulorum urgente senecta In Christo moriens caepit ad astra viam Pauperibus largus victum vestemque ministrans In super Hospitii condidit ille domum He was made Master of the Rolls November the fifth in the fifth of Queen Mary continuing therein till the day of his death the 23 of Queen Elizabeth Eight weeks and upwards passed between the Proclaiming of Queen Mary and the first Parliament by her assembled during which time two Religions were together set on foot Protestantism and Popery the former hoping to be continued the latter labouring to be restored And as the Jews Children after the Captivity spake a middle Language betwixt Hebrew and Ashdod so during the foresaid Interim the Churches and Chappels in England had a mixt celebration of their Divine Service between Reformation and Superstition The same day there was a Mass sung for Edward the Sixth's soul in the Tower and the English Service for his Burial in Westminster No small justling was there between the zealous Promoters of these contrary Perswasions The Protestants had the Law on their side and the Papists the Prerogative These the Queens Opinion the other her Promise Besides seeing by the Fidelity of the Suffolk and Norfolk Protestant Gentry the Queen was much advantaged for the Recovery of her Right they conceived it but reason that as she by them regained the Crown so they under her should enjoy their Consciences Thus it is in the Evening Twilight wherein Light and Darkness at first may seem very equally matched but the later in a little time doth wholly prevail The Catholick canvass for the next Parliament upon the Queens credit and authority the Reformed upon the Nations Inclination The Body of the Kingdom meets and chuseth our Knight for Speaker whose temper was a Representative of the Parliament as that is of the Kingdom A temper made up of an equal mixture of Loyalty and Piety that could at once stand to their Religion and submit to their Soveraign Render to Caesar what was Caesars and to God what was Gods Long did he expect that the Queen would comply with the Parliament and as long did she stay for their compliance with her Unite they could not unanimously among themselves dissolved they are therefore peaceably by her But Cordel was too Popular to be neglected and too honest to be corrupted Useful Parts will finde Preferment even when the Dissenting Judgement findes not Favour The Speaker of the unhappily healing Parliament was made Master of the Rolls in Queen Maries days and of a more happily healing one was made so in Charles the Second's Reign The one was of that Primitive Faith that was before the Modern names of Papists and Protestants the other of a Moderation that was elder then the new Heatâ— of Disciplinarians and Anti-Disciplinarians The miscarriages of Authority are chiefly six 1. Delâ—y 2. Faction 3. Roughness 4. Corruption 5. Ambition And 6. Private Designs No delay hindered where set times of hearing were observed access was easie the order and method of business uninterrupted No corruption where there durst be no suspition of it insomuch as that it was as 〈…〉 einous to offer a Bribe to him as to 〈◊〉 it in another Here was severity that awed men to a discontent but no austerity that sowred them to discontent all was smooth and grave pleasing and becoming yet nothing easie or soft it being worse to yeild to importunities that are dayly then to be bought with money which comes but seldom Vertue in Ambition is violent but in Authority is here it was calm and settled He sided with no Faction in his rise but balanced himself by all He had no design when he lived but to be spent in the â—ublique Service and none when he died but to spend himself in publick charity a charity that is at once the continued blessing and grace of that worshipful Family Cato Major would say That wise men learn more of fâ—â—ls then fools do of wise men And King Charles the first would say That it was wisdome in fools to jest with wise men but madness for wise men to jest with fools â—nd Sir William Cordel bequeathed us this Observation There is no man that talks but I may gain by him and none that holds his tongue but I may loose by him Observations on the Life of Sir Anthony Cooke SIr Anthony Cooke great Grandchilde to Sir Thomas Cooke Lord Mayor of London was born at Giddy-Hall in Essex where he finished a fair House begun by his great Grandfather as appeareth by this Inscription on the Frontispice thereof Aedibus his frontem Proavus Thomas dedit olim Addidit Antoni caetera sera manus He was one of the Governours to King
Study and a very great Experience qualities separated in others but united in him Nature will out Education is rude Education without Resolution is loose Resolution without Experience is heady Experience grounded upon particular Events is uncertain without the study of General and Immoveable Principles Knowledge of things in their sources and original causes without Nature is a Burden All these without Exercise are a Notion This Nobleman thus furnished derived much Honor from his Ancestors more to them ennobling that Blood to a Glory which some had debased to a Blush That great Name after four hundred years shining in that Honour with various lustre setting in him as the Sun he bore with a full splendour The last effort of Nature is a Master-piece the last blaze of the Candle a shine Other Noblemen were made King Edward's Overseers for their Integrity he one of his Assistants for his Ability When an Enemy was to be awed to a submission he was General such his Fame When the Countrey was to be obliged to a loan he was Agent such his Popularity The first advanced him to the Comptrollership under Henry the Eighth the second to the Chamberlainship under Edward the Sixth Nature hath provided that ravenous Beasts should not associate leâ—t they should be too hard for it and Government that prime Counsellours should not agree leâ—t they overthrow it Warwick envied the Protectors Greatness and Arundel would limit his Power both with the rest of the Council declare against him But leâ—t he should urge the same things against Warwick that he did against Somerset they who love the Treason bu 〈…〉 hate the Traytor turn him first out of Favour and then out of Council until Queen Maries time when he as an antient Nobleman of England tha 〈…〉 owned no upstart-designs against the old way of succession stood for her Right and as a stiff Catholique promoted her Religion So that July 21 1553. he came from the Queen to Cambridge where the Duke of Northumberland was and entering his Chamber the Duke fell at his feet desiring him for Gods sake to consider his case who had done nothing but by Warrant from the Council My Lord said the Earl I am sent hither by the Queen to arrest you And I said the Duke obey your Arrest beseeching your mercy for what I did by Commission You should have thought of that sooner said the Earl Here you might have seen at once the vicissitude of Fortune the frailty of Man the dejectedness of Guilt the bravery of Innocence who would neither be trampled on by Greatness nor trample on Misery of an equal temper between pity and resolution As long as his Youth bore it we finde him for Action but when years came upon him we finde him in Council as with Wotton 〈◊〉 the great Treaty at Cambray Yet not so unactive but that as Sir William Pickering for his sweet Demeaner so he for his Estate was voiced an Husband to Queen Elizabeth When the rest of the Council were for dealing with the Queen of Scots underhand and at distance he was for treating with her plainly and said in the Queens presence The wisdom of the former Age was so provident that it needed not and so plain that it endured not shifts Leicester would perswade the Duke of Norfolk to court the Queen of Scots but Arundel would not hear of it without the Queen of England's consent Experience is always wary yet hath its weaknesses wherein it may be surprized For this Noblemans Kindness to his Friend balancing his Duty to his Mistriss brought him the Earl of Southampton the Lords Lumley Coâ—ham Piercy c. to a Praemunire whereupon he said He is never wise that is not distrustful Fear that betrayeth the succours of Reason when predominant guardeth them when moderate and is more safe though not so Noble as that valiant confidence that bequeaths a dilated Freedom to all faculties and senses But of all his Actions this is most remarkable Treating with the Scots he writ to his Majesty King Henry the Eighth what he had gained already requiring to know his further pleasure The King takes advice with his Council who all agree that the Peace should be concluded Whereupon the King caused his Secretary the Lord Paget to write to him to that purpose but withal he called Mr. Cecil secretly to him bidding him tell my Lord That whatsoever he had written in his Letter yet with all speed possible he should break the Treaty Mr. Cecil replying That a message by word of mouth being contrary to his Letter would never be believed Well said the King do you tell him as I bid you and leave the doing of it to his choice Upon Mr. Cecil's arrival the Earl of Arundel shewed the other Commissioners as well the Message as the Letter they are all for the Letter he said nothing but ordered that the Message should be written before and signed by his fellow-Commissioners and thereupon immediately broke up the Treaty sending Cecil with the advertisement of it to the King Who as soon as he saw him asked aloud What will he do it or no Cecil replied That his Majesty might understand that by the inclosed But then the King half angry urged Nay tell me Will be do it or no Being then told it was done he turned to the Lords and said Now You will hear news The fine Treatie is broken Whereto one presently answered That he who had broke it deserved to lose his Head to which the King straightly replied That He would lose a dozen such heads as his was that so judged rather than one such Servant as had done it and therewith commanded the Earl of Arundel's Pardon should be presently drawn up the which he sent with Letters of Thanks and assurance of Favour Five things must a Statesman comprehend 1. The Law 2. The Government 3. The Time 4. The People And 5. The Prince Under an active Prince you must regard the Prerogative under an easie one the Law under a compleat one made up of a just measure of Greatness and Goodness those two things are distinguished onely in the nice discourses of some Speculative being but one great Rule in the solid actions of that Prince Observations on the Life of Sir John Dudley Duke of Northumberland HIs favour was first purchased by his Fathers blood and improved by his own cunning King Henry sacrificed Sir Edmund Dudly to allay the Peoples rage and raised his Son to appease his Ghost He that disobligeth a multitude must fall himself but he that in so doing serveth his King may advance his Posterity Something high he was in the Kings favour because standing on his fathers Grave but higher as he stood on his own Merit He knew his Fathers service made his way to favour his own Education therefore must prepare him for employment Favour without Parts is a reproach Parts without favour are a burden The King restored him to his Fathers blood and his own
place with the awe of his presence and the influence of his Authority that he was at once its support and its glory Indeed Courts being those Epitomes wherethrough strangers look into Kingdomes should be Royally set off as with Utensils so with attendance that might possess all Comers with reverence there and fear elsewhere His Person graced his Imployment and therefore his Majesty honoured his Person with the Order of the Garter and the Title of Lord Russel and that his Preferment might keep pace with his Honour he is made Lord Privy Seal and his Nephew Sir John Gage Controller His Honour slacked not his Activity but improved it neither was his Vertue onely violent in Ambition and dull in Authority Power to do good is the true and lawful end of aspiring therefore my Lord to his Staff added his Sword and to his Court-honour his Field-service as Lieutenant-General before Muttrel and Marshal before Buâ—oign to the relief of the first whereof he drew Mounsieur Bies that his Majejesty might take the second In the Camp he drew up the Designes in the Field he managed the Treasure and in Action to him was intrusted the Conduct and manage In the Kings last Will and Testament he was the fifth person and in his Sons Council the fifth to whom he discovered a French Plot the first year of his Raign and for whom he broke the Devonshire Rebels what with delays what with stratagems to divide them according to their several Inclinations the second for which service he was made Earl of Bedford The third in the Faction at home between the Seymours and the Dudleys he was Neuter in the Treaties abroad between the French King and his Majesty of England he was Principal where he observed three Rules 1. That there should be a general Muster at home while this Treaty went on abroad 2. That there should be a blow given the Scots before there was a Peace made with the French 3. That we should first know the French Overtures before we made our own But while he was here he discovered a Plot that the Emperour had to transport the Lady Mary over to his Dominions and thereby bring her Brother to his terms whereupon he with 200 men watcheth one Port the Duke of Somerset with 200 more a second and Master St. Leiger with 400 men a third while the Lady was fetched by my Lord Chancellor to the King But while he was serving his Master the King abroad his Friend the Protector wanted his advice and assistance at home 〈…〉 he being of purpose sent out of the way while thaâ— unfortunate Duke is first betrayed by his own folly and then ruined by his Enemies Power I finde his hand among the rest of the Counsellors in a Letter to Queen Mary but not in Arms against her He was concluded by the major Vote to a Commission for Peace but not to Action for conscience sake Faithful he is therefore to her in Council and serviceable in Spain and France from the first of which places he brought her a Husband and from the second a Treasure He understood her Right and disputed not her Religion regarding not so much her Opinion as his own Duty not what she was but what he should be And thus he behaved himself until his dear Mistress Elizabeth took him for one of her Protestant Counsellours to balance her Popish ones and not onely of her Council but of her Cabinet for as every man must have his Friend to ease his heart so Princes have their Favourites to partake of their cares and the Marquess of Northampton the Earl of Bedford and Sir William Cecil were the onely Persons to whom the Queen communicated her designe of Reformation and correcting the Common-prayer and they ordered affairs so that the Protestants should be in hope and yet the Papists should not be out of hope King Philip had a quarrel with the Queen for rejecting his suit the King of Sweden for slighting his Son the King of France in his Wives Right the Queen of Scots in her Own and the Pope for excluding his Supremacie her Subjects were as unsettled in their Loyalty as in their Religion What remained but that my Lord of Bedford and Sir William Cecil should make up a well-tempered House of Commons by their Interest who should carry along an indifferent House of Lords by their Resolution When he had served the Queen in Parliament for the settlement of her Kingdom at home he served the Kingdom in an Embassie to Scotland to set up its correspondence abroad The Earl of Leicester aimed at the Queen of England and the Earl of Bedford to divert him and secure Scotland design'd him for the Queen of Scots whom he watched for two things 1. That she should either match with an English Subject or 2. With a soft and weak Forreigner that either the Scots might be in league with us or have no peace at home His last service I finde is a complement when he was sent by the Queen as her Deputy with a font of massie Gold worth 1043 l. to hold King James at his Baptism with express command not to acknowledge my Lord Darley as King This his service was as lasting as his life which ended in old Age and Renown He conveyed his Vertue and Honour to the Excellent Francis as he did to the Right Honourable William Earl of Bedford now living Observations on the Life of Stephen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester THe tuition of the Earl of Dorset's Children raised Wolsey travelling with the Duke of Norfolk's raised Gardiner Fox his service in the quality of Secretary made the first and his in the same quality made Gardiner There are three kindes of Understanding The one that is advised by its self the second that understandeth when it is informed by another the third that neither is advised by its self nor by the assistance of another If this Doctor failed in the first and his own invention he exceeded in the second of making use of others for he was one of them that never heard or read what was not his own His Profession was the Civil Law that guideth forreign Negotiations His Inclination was that general Policy that manageth them His Eminencies were three 1. His Reservedness Whereby he never did what he aimed at never aimed at what he intended never intended what he said and never said what he thought whereby he carried it so that others should do his business when they opposed it and he should undermine theirs when he seemed to promote it A man that was to be traced like the Fox and read like Hebrew backward If you would know what he did you must observe what he did not 2. His Boldness Authority sometimes meets with those impediments which neither power can overcome nor good fortune divert if Courage and Fortitude break not through and surmount them and the motions of the irascible faculties such as Hope Boldness and Choler being well ordered and
but his spirit greater He taught England the Majesty of Honest Dealing the Interest of being Religious He looked deep into men and Counsels and found no Wisdom without Courage no Courage without Religion and Honesty with which solid and active reaches of his I am perswaded saith my Lord Brooks he would have found or made a way through all the Traverses even of the most weak and irregular times Although a private Gentleman he was a publick Good of a large yet uniform disposition so good that the great Monarch might trust so great that a little one must fear him something he did for Fame most for Conscience His publick spirit which might have enjealoused the cautious wisdome of other Princes promoted the concerns of his own He was sent to complement Rodalph but he dealt really with the Protestant Princes and raised a Ceremony to a piece of Interest He shewed that long-breathed and cautious people that imminent danger from Romes Superstition joyned with Spains Power their private confederacies and practices their cruelty and designe which awaked their drowzie wariness into an association for Conscience and Religion more solid as he demonstrated then a Combination out of Policy He went against the stream and current about the French Match which he disswaded from the consequent inconveniencies of Engagements and charge to England and the little advantage from France backing his Argument with a late experience and so staying Queen Elizabeths Match by some reflexions on Queen Mary's which was A five years Designe or Tax rather then a Mrriage adding withal That in a Forreign Match besides the unequalness and danger of it when a strange Prince hath such an influence on our Constitution the different Religion would make the Queen either quit the reputation of a good Protestant or the honour of an obedient Wife Ten ways he laid down a Forreign Prince might endanger our Religion by 1. Opposing and weakning the reverend Fathers of our Church 2. By disgracing her most zealous Ministers 3. By Latitude and Connivance 4. By a loose and too free a behaviour steering mens Consciences which way he pleased and setting up indifferency 5. By decrying Customes and Statutes and enhansing Proclamations to the Authority of Laws 6. By provoking the English with French Oppressions 7. By entrenching on the British Liberties with Gallicane Prerogatives 8. By breaking our League and Correspondence with other Protestant States 9. Frighting our Queen to a Complyance 10. And at last attempting the Protestant cause He would say to his â—â—end the Lord Brooke That if the Netherlands joyn with France they are terrible to Spain if with Spain they are dreadful to France if with us they support the Reformation if they stand on their own legs they are too strong to be forced to Pyracy He though a private person opposed her Majesty Queen Elizabeth in that Affair with that sincerity with that ingenuity that freedome that duty and peaceableness that angered and pleased her His Opinion was not more against her humour then his Manage of it was to her minde in which Affair when most were hood-winked with ignorance and many captived with fear he enjoyed the freedome of his own thoughts with dayly access to her Majesty hourly converse with the French and constant respect from the people None more dutiful to his Soveraign then Sir Philip none more resolute against Eucroachers upon Gentlemen and Freemen none more dear to the whole State which when he had designed Sir Francis Drake's second Voyage and stollen to him at Windsor commanded his stay by an Earl and for his sake the whole Fleets although his stay disturbed and his death destroyed his most exact Model for the Conquest of America the exactest Europe ever saw A Conquest not to be enterprized but by Sir Philips reaching spirit that grasped all circumstances and commanded all interests on this side the Line When his great Soul could not improve Europe he considered it and made that the Field of his mediation that could not be the stage of his Actions England he saw so humoursome and populous that it was to be refined with War and corrupted with Peace Her interest was he said to balance Neighbor-Princes France he observed weak and effeminate the Empire enslaved and secure the Hanses too big Rome subtle and undermining Spain crept to the Power and Councils of Europe the Protestant Princes enjealoused and distrustful Poland divided Denmark strong Sweden invironed or imprisoned the Muscovite distressed and ignorant the Switz enemies yet servants to Monarchs a dangerous body for the soul of any aspiring Monarch to infuse defignes into the Princes of Italy awed by their Superiours and cautious against their equals Turkie asleep in the Seraglio but Spain all this while Master of Rome and the wisest Council or Conclave in the Word Lord of the Mines of America and the Sword of Europe Concluding that while the Spaniard had Peace Pope Money or Credit and the World Men Necessity or Humours the War could hardly be determined upon this Low-Country-stage And that there were but two ways to conquer Spain the one That which diverted Hannibal and by setting fire on his own House made him draw his spirits to comfort his heart The other that of Jason by fetching away his Golden Fleece and not suffering any one quietly to enjoy that which every man so much affected The assistance of Portugal the surprize of Cales her key and Seviâ— her treasure the drawing in of other Well-willers the command of the Sea an exact Intelligence the Protection of Rochel Brest Bourdeaux or some other distressed Protestant to balance the over-mytred Countries the encouragement of religious or ambitious Roytolets to advance and secure themselves the engaging of the French and Spaniards a League with Venice and the Maritime States some temptations to Italy to remove their French and Spanish Garisons an opportunity to recover Sicily some insinuations to the Pope of the Austrian Greatness the setting up of the World in an Aequilibrium the invasion of America removing the diffidence overpoyzing the Neutrality and working upon the Complexions of Kings and Kingdomes was this young but great mans designe An Expedition to the Indies he would perswade with these motives 1. That Honour was cheaper abroad then at home at Sea then at Land 2. That the Spanish Conquests like the Jesuites Miracles made more noise at distance then nearer hand 3. That the Indians would joyn with the first Undertaker against their cruel Masters 4. That Spain was too far for supply 5. That the Spaniard was Undisciplined and trusted more to the Greatness of his Name then to Order Policy or Strength 6. That England was populous 7. That it was an Action complyant with the present Humour and not subject to Emulations 8. That it would either cut off the Spanish treasure or make it chargeable 9. And at last set up a Free Trade by Sea open a great Door to Valour or Ambition for new Conquests and
many must fight with many Our Deputy found that great Honour hath its great Difficulties yet was he so constant and resolute that with Marcellus he would say That as there are many things a good Governour ought not to attempt so ought be not to desist or give over an Enterprize once begun and taken in band Therefore his Character is One daring in his person close to his purpose firm to his dependencies of a deep and large soul who looked upon the chargeable War in Ireland as an equal remedy against a worse in England to the letting of blood in one part against the effusion of it in another and advised the bestowing of Church-lands among the Nobility of both Perswasions in Ireland as in England who would then hold their Religion with their Land in Capite and stick to the Queen as the great support of both against all pretenders whom then most would vigorously oppose and all would fairly leave Observations on the Life of Sir Thomas Roper SIr Thomas Roper Servant to Queen Elizabeth was born in Friday-street in London whose Grandfather was a younger son of the house of Heanour in Derbyshire He going over into the Low-Countries became Page to Sir John Norrice and was Captain of a Foot-company at sixteen years of Age. What afterwards his Martial Performances were will appear by the following Lines transcribed out of the Originall of his Patent Whereas Thomas Roper Knight one of our Privy-Councellours of the Kingdome of Ireland long since bath been known unto us famous with the splendour of his warlike Vertue as who by the many Atchievments valiantly performed by him in the late War of this Kingdome hath gained the eminent Repute both of a stout Souldier and a discreet Commander whose Valour chiefly appeared in his Retreat near le Boyle in our Province of Connaught where with very few horse he undauntedly charged great troops of the horse of the Enemy who in a hostile manner forraged the very bowels of the Kingdome and by his wisdome made such a singular retreat that he not onely saved himself and his men but also delivered the whole Army from great danger and slew very many of his Enemies Who also when our Province of Ulster was all on fire with war being one out of many was for the tried Resolutios of his Mind chosen by the Right honourable the Earl of Essex then General of the Army to undertake a Duel with Makal and declined not to expose himself to the appointed Duel And also when the aforesaid Thomas Roper in the late war in the Kingdome of France at Brest by exposing himself to the greatest perils and shedding of his own blood demonstrated his Courage to be unconquerable Who also in the Voyage to Portugal behaved himself valiantly and honourably as also at Bergen in the Netherlands when it was besieged by the Spaniards approved himself a young man of invincible Valour in the defence thereof Who also in the day wherein Kinsale was assaulted was placed in the first Rank nearest of all unto the Town and with no less Success then Valour to the great safety of the whole Army beat back and put to flight the Spaniards who in the same day made several Sallies out of the Town Know therefore that We in intuition of the Premises have appointed the aforesaid Thomas Roper Knight c. Then followeth his Patent wherein King Charles the first in the third of his Reign created him Baron of Bauntree and Viscount Bâ—ltinglass in Ireland He was a principal means to break the hearts of the Irish Rebels for whereas formerly the English were loaded with their own Cloaths so that their slipping into Bogs did make them and the clopping of their breeches did keep them prisoners therein he first being then a Commander put himself into Irish Troâ—zes and was imitated first by all his Officers then Souldiers so that thus habited they made the more effectual execution on their enemies He died at Ropers Rest anno Dom. 164. and was buried with Anne his Wife Daughter to Sir Henry Harrington in St. Johns Church in Dublin Observations on the Life of Sir Henry Umpton SIr Henry Vmpton was born at Wadley in Barkshire He was son to Sir Edward Vmpton by Anne the Relict of John Dudley Earl of Warwick and the eldest Daughter of Edward Seymour Duke of Somerset He was employed by Queen Elizabeth Embassador into France where he so behaved himself right stoutly in her behalf as may appear by this particular In the moneth of March anno 1592 being sensible of some injury offered by the Duke of Guise to the Queen of England he sent him this ensuing Challenge For as much as lately in the Lodging of my Lord Du Mayne and in publick elsewhere impudently indiscreetly and over-boldly you spoke badly of my Soveraign whose sacred Person here in this Country I represent To maintain both by word and weapon her Honour which never was called in question among people of Honesty and Vertue I say you have wickedly lyed in speaking so basely of my Soveraign and you shall do nothing else but lye whensoever you shall dare to tax her Honour Moreover that her sacred Person being one of the most compleat and vertuous Princess that lives in this world ought not to be evil spoken of the tongue of such a perfidiour Traytor to her Law and Country as you are And hereupon I do defie you and challenge your person to mine with such manner of Arms as you shall like or chuse be it either on horse-back or on foot Nor would I have you to think any inequality of Person between us I being issued of as great a Race and Noble House every way as your self So assigning me an indifferent place I will there maintain my words and the lye which I gave you and which you should not endure if you have any courage at all is you If you consent not to meet me hereupon I wil hold you and cause you to be generally held one of the arrantest Cowards and most slanderous Slave that lives in all France I expect your answer I finde not what Answer was returned This Sir Henry dying in the French Kings Camp before Lofear had his Corpse brought over to London and carried in a Coach to Wadley thence to Farington where he was buried in the Church on Tuesday the eighth of July 1596. He had allowed him a Barons Hearse because he died Ambassadour Leiger Observations on the Life of the Earl of Essex IT is observed that the Earl of Essex had his Introduction to favour by the Lord of Leicester who had married his Mother a tye of Affinity This young Lord was a most goodly person in whom was a kind of Urbanity or innate Courtesie which both won the Queen and too much took upon the People to gaze upon the new-adopted Son of her favour He was noted even of those that truly loved and honoured him for too bold an Ingrosser both of Fame
all of them with a number of Courtiers ascended into the same Room the blood yet remaining where the King related the Story which was confirmed by them And afterwards kneeling down with tears of Contrition for his Sins to God and thankfulnesse for this Mercy using many pious Ejaculations embraced all these Actors in the former Tragedy when the poor fellow also kist the King's hand These circumstances gave occasion then that this whole story was freshly revived to the common Satisfaction of the whole Countrey and our Engglish Courtiers And in especial unto the very reverend Bishop and nobly born James Mountague then present to whom the King addressed himself in this Relation and from whose Mouth I received these particulars at his return into England And thus much we have by word of mouth somewhat I shall add out of writings for more satisfaction This Treason was attempted the fourth of August 1600. And though there followed sundry Suspitions and Examinations of several other Persons supposed Abbettors and Contrivers yet it lay undiscovered tanquam è postliminio until eight years after by the circumspection principally of the Earl of Dunbar a man of as great wisdome as those times and that Kingdome could boast of upon the person of one George Sprot Notary-publick of Ayemouth in Scotland from some words which at first he sparingly or unawares expressed and also by some papers which were found in his house whereof being examin'd with a little ado he confessed and was condemned and executed at Edenburgh the 12th of Aug. 1608. A Relation I conceive not common but in my hands to be produced and written by that learned Gentleman William Hart then Lord Justice of Scotland and Principal in all the Acts of Judicature herein Neither of these Lords professed any skill in Politicks yet neither wanted a strong judgement which they could make good use of in time and place convenient giving testimonies in those Employments they had of a strict secrecy a great moderation and a happy compliance with opportunity Qualities exceedingly well lodged in men of Interest and Command especially in these two who neither too easily closed with others resolutions nor too obstinately adhered to their own Observations on the Fall of Sir Tho. Lake A Great Estate this Gentleman had honestly got and a greater esteem being King James his right hand and the Scots both hands that with which they begged and that with which they bestowed the instrument of the meaner sorts relief and the greaters bounty untill that Malice and Revenge two violent passions over-ruling the Weaker Sex concerning his Wife and daughter involved him in their quarrell the chief and onely cause of his ruine He had by his Wife sons and daughters His eldest married unto the Lord Baron Rosse in right of a Grandmother the son of Thomas Earl of Exeter by a former venter And upon the credit of Sir Thomas Lake he was sent Embassador Extraordinary into Spain in a very gallant Equipage with some hopes of his own to continue Lieger to save charges of transmitting any other In his absence there fell out an extream deadlyâ—ewd â—ewd 't is no matter for what between the Lady Lake and the Countess of Exeter A youthful Widow she had been and vertuous and so became Bedfellow to this aged gowty diseased but noble Earl And that preferment had made her subject to Envy and Malice Home comes the Lord Rosse from his Embassie when being fallen into some neglect of his Wife and his kindred I conceive upon refusal of an increase of allowance to her settlement of Joynture which was promised to be compleated at his return not long he stayes in England but away he gets into Italy turns a professed Roman Catholick being cozened into that Religion by his publick Confident Gondamore In this his last absence never to return the Mother and Daughter accuse the Countess of former Incontinency with the Lord Rosse whilest he was here and that therefore upon his Wives discovery he was fled from hence and from her Marriage-Bed with other devised Calumnies by several designes and contrivements to have poysoned the Mother and Daughter This quarrel was soon blazon'd at Court to the King 's â—are who as privately as could be singly examines each party The Countess with tears and imprecations professeth her Innocency which to oppose the Mother Lake and her Daughter counterfeit her hand to a whole sheet of Paper wherein they make the Countess with much contrition to acknowledge her self guilty crave pardon for attempting to poyson them and desire friendship with them all The King gets sight of this as in favour to them and demands the time place and occasion when this should be writ They tell him that all the parties met in a visit at Wimbleton the house of the Lord of Exeter where in dispute of their differences she confesses her guilt of attempting their poison And being desirous of absolution and friendship being required thereto consents to set down all Circumstances therein under her own hand which presently she writ at the Window in the upper end of the great Chamber at Wimbleton in presence of the Mother and Daughter the Lord Rosse and one Diego a Spaniard his confiding Servant But now they being gone and at Rome the King forthwith sends Mr. Dendy one of his Serjeants at Armes sometimes a Domestick of the Earl of Exeters an honest and worthy Gentleman post to Rome who speedily returns with Râ—sse and Diego's hand and other testimonials confirming That all the said Accusation and Confession Suspitions and Papers concerning the Countesse were notorious false and scandalous and confirms it by receiving the Hoast in assurance of her Honour and his Innocency The King well satisfied sends to the Countesses Friends and Trustees for her Joynture and Estate who comparing many of her letters with this Writing do confesse it counterfeit Then he tells the Mother and Daughter That this writing being denied by her and their testimonies being parties would not prevail with any belief but any other Additional witnesse would give it sufficient credit To which they assure him That one Sarah Swarton their Chamberesse stood behind the Hanging at the entrance of the Room and heard the Countess read over what she had writ and her also they procure to swear unto this before the King To make further tryal the King in a hunting journey at New-part near Wimbleton gallops thither views the Room observing the great distance of the Window from the lower end of the Room and placing himself behind the Hanging and so other Lords in turn they could not hear one speak loud from the window Then the Housekeeper was call'd who protested those Hangings had constantly furnisht that Room for thirty years which the King observed to be two foot short of the ground and might discover the woman if hidden behind them I may present also the King saying Oaths cannot confound my sight Besides all this the Mother and Daughter counterfeit
Hampden and Lawrence 1639. to settle the League with their dear Brethren in Scotland while he formed the grand Design in England with so much successe that when there were some Overtures made for saving the Earl of Strafford and securing the Kingdome by the Party upon condition of preferment as that Master Hampden should be Tutor to the Prince the Earl of Essex his Governour Mr. Pym Chancellor of the Exchequer the Earl of Warwick Vice-Admiral he was to be Master of the Court of Wards which he compassed when the rest mist of their expectation No more of him but that the King going to Scotland he refusing a Protestation against the Scots had these questions proposed to him 1. Whether he would go with the King at his own charge 2. Whether Rebellion was a just cause of War 3. Whether the taking of Castles Crowns Magazines c. was not Rebellion To the first he answered That though as a Peeâ— and Subject he could not be forced out of his Countrey but upon extraordinary occasion yet out of affection to his Majesty he would attend him referring the matter of charge to himself To the two last he said he understood not the Law of Scotland but that those proceedings were Treason in England Observations on the Life of the Earl of Lindsey HE and that whole Family I know not whether more pious or more valiant whether more renowned abroad as Confessors for their Religion or as Champions for their Country have been in this last Age an ornament and a defence to this Crown equally reverenced by the Subjects of it and honoured by the Soveraigns This Noble-man and the Earl of Essex did as Jugurtha and Manus learn in one School what they practised in two The one as a faithful Subject for that government that had obliged his Family the other as a discontented Rebel against that that had disobliged his Both Commanders for the Palatinate against the Emperor and for Rochel against the French When the Duke of Buckingham returned from the Isle of Rhee his Majestie told him The neglect of his relief must lodge on his Friend and Confident Holland To which he acknowledged That indeed he had very affectionately intrusted him in ordinary Affairs but never in such an esteem as to second him in Arms that place being more proper for my Lord of Lindsey whose judgement of that Expedition was That it was friendship in earnest and War in jest He it was that pursued twelve French Vessels in his own single one to their Haven heated at once with anger and shame He it was who when all men were amazed at the Duke's fall was assigned his successor Certainly saith one them present He was a person of no likely presence but of considerable experience by his former Expeditions and one that to the last of his life made good his Faith with Gallantry and Courage notwithstanding his ill successe the times fate rather than his fault 1. In scouring the narrow Sea 〈…〉 where he was Admiral and the Earl of Essex Vice-Admiral 2. In presiding in several great Cou 〈…〉 on many solemn occasions the Earl of Strafford's unparallel'd Tryal c. And 3. In leading the King's Army at Edge-Hill with a Pike in his hand Where what is observed of Cataline and his followers was true of this noble Earl and his Country-men the Loyal Gentry of Lincoln-shire that they covered the same place with their Corps when dead where they stood in the fight whilest living Observations on the Life of Judge Richardson JUdge Richardson was born at Mulbarton in Norfâ— his Father being Minister thereof and he a friend to Ministers though a foe of the Church He was bred in the study of our Municipal Law and became the King's Sergeant therein Afterwards on the 28 of November 1626. he was sworn Chief-Justice of the Common-Pleas that Place having been void ten months before wherein he was humorsome but honest onely unhappy in that he raised the Sabbatarian Controversie by his orders against Wakes in Somerset-shire His Brasse Monument on the South-side of Westminsterâ—bby thus entertaineth the Reader Deo om Thomae Richardsoni Icaeni Equitis Aurati Humanum Depositum Ille Juris Municip omnes gradus exantlavit â—enventus tertii ordinis ann Jacobi Regis 21 22. Prolocutor extitit Fori civilis communium Placitorum vocant Supremum Magistratum quinquennium gessit Ad summum tandem primarii per Angliam Judicis Tribunal A Rege Carolo evectus expiravit Anno Aetatis 66. Salutis MDCXXXIIII Tho. Richardson fil unicus Eques Aâ—â— Baro Scotiae designatus Patri incomparabili posuit As one reason of his advancement you must know this Judge married for his second Wife the Lady Eliz. Beaumont the Sister as I take it of Mary Countess of Buckingham and the Relict of ..... Ashburnham Knight She was by K. Charles 〈…〉 eated Baronesse of Croumont in Scotland and though Issuless by the Judge the Honour discented to his Grand-child He died an enemy to Bishop Williams over-ruling all his Pleas in his Cham 〈…〉 r in a quarter of an hour and yet which was strange at that time no friend to Arch-Bishop Laud for he said The Lawn-sleeves had choaked him Observations on the Life of Sir Tho. Coventry A Competent Estate he had for his education and excellent Abilities for advancement his fortune was not wanting to his parts nor his parts to his fortune the one being as ready to support as the other was to raise him His staid soul was well prepared for general learning in the Schools and University for his particular learning at the Innes of Court his skill in the study of Law called him no sooner to the Bar than his prudence to Court Take we his character from his Honour Why was he created Lord Coventry of Alisbury and Keeper of the great Seal Why saith the Patent for his eminent fidelity for his 〈◊〉 worthy service for his exact circumspection for his deep prudence for his constant resolution for his skill and dexterity for his integrity and industry for his immoveablenesse and fidelity No man morâ— apprehensive of the interest of England none more faithful to it His kindness to the Church and Clergy argued his piety his safe Counsels to his Majesty argued his moderation his dignity rather enjoyed him than he it A man he was that filled uâ— his great capacities having digested a body 〈◊〉 the most honest Law and a scheme of the most innocent policy that ever fillled the head of an ablâ— States-man or the heart of an upright Judge Whaâ— belonged to him he knew and what he knew hâ— practised He was as constant to his rule as he knew his rule was to him Reserved he was as the King's Councellor honest as his conscience We measure Pyramides by their shadows and this great Lord by his followers every one whereof was eminent in his way and all advanced Each Action of his though never so little yet great as himself
side or party but all so far as he saw they agreed with the Reformed Church of England either in Fundamentals or innocent and decent Superstructures Yet I believe he was so far a Protestant and of the Reformed Religion as he saw the Church of England did protest against the Errors Corruptions Usurpations and Superstitions of the Church of Rome or against the novel opinions and practices of any party whatsoever And certainly he did with as much honour as justice so far own the Authentick Authority Liberty and Majesty of the Church of England in it's reforming and setling of it's Religion that he did not think fit any private new Masters whatsoever should obtrude any Foreign or Domestick Dictates to her or force her to take her copy of Religion from so petty a place as Geneva was or Frankefort or Amsterdam or Wittenbergh or Edenborough no nor from Augsburg or Arnheim nor any foreign City or Town any more than from Trent or Rome none of which had any Dictatorian Authority over this great and famous Nation or Church of England further than they offered sober Counsels or suggested good Reasons or cleared true Religion by Scripture and confirmed it by good Antiquity as the best interpreter and decider of obscure places and dubious cases Which high value it is probable as to his Mother the Church of England and her Constitutions was so potent in the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury that as he thought it not fit to subject her to the insolency of the Church of Rome so nor to the impertinencies of any other Church or Doctor of far lesse repute in the Christian world No doubt his Lordship thought it not handsome in Mr. Calvin to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rather then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so censorious of the Church of England as to brand it's Devotion or Liturgy with his tolerabiles ineptiae who knew not the temper of the Nation requiring then not what was absolutely best but most conveniently good and such not onely the Liturgy was but those things which he calls tolerable toys I having occasion to speak with him he upon a time was pleased to grant me access some freedom of speech with him and withal asked me the opinion of the people of him I told him they reported his Lordship endeavoured to betray the Church of England to the Roman correspondency and communion He at length very calmly and gravely thus reylyed protesting with a serious attestation of his integrity before God's Omniscience that however he might mistake in the mean and method yet he never had other design than the glory of God the service of his Majesty the good order peace and decency of the Church of England that he was so far from complying with Papists in order to confirm them in their Errors that he rather chose such Methods to advance the honour of the reformed Religion in England as he believed might soon silence the cavils of fiercer Papists induce the more moderate Recusants to come in to us as having lesse visible occasion given them by needlesse Distances and Disputes to separate from us which he thought arose much from that popular Variety Inconstancy Easinesse Irreverence and Uncomeliness which might easily grow among us in the outward profession of Religion for want of observing such uniformity and decency in Religion as were required by the Laws and Canons of this Church and State He added that he had further a desire as much as he could to relieve the poor and depressed condition of many Ministers which he had to his grief observed in Wales and England where their Discouragements were very great by reason of the tenuity and incompetency of their Livings that in his Visitations he had sometime seen it with grief among twenty Ministers not one man had so much as a decent Garment to put on nor did he believe their other treatment of Life was better that he found the sordid and shameful Aspect of Religion and the Clergy gave great Advantages to those that were Popishly inclined who would hardly ever think it best for them to joyn with that Church which did not maintain either it's own Honour or it's Clergy to some competency and comeliness Much more discourses his Lordship was pleased to use at several times to this purpose which commands my charity to clear him as far as I can judge of any tincture of Popery truly so called or of any superstition which placeth a Religion in the nature and use of that thing which God hath not either particularly commanded or in general permitted I suppose he thought that where God hath allowed to his Church and to every private Christian so far as may consist with the Churches Order and Peace a liberty of ceremonious and circumstantial decency as to God's worship there neither himself was to be blamed nor did he blame other men if they kept within those discreet and inoffensive bounds which either the Churches publick peace required or its indulgence to promote Christians permitted That Uniformity he pressed was not more advantageous to Religion which must of necessity have been propagated when Controversies had been turned to devotion than it was necessary for the State which cannot be secure as long as there is a marke of distinction under which all Male-contents may shrowd themselves a note of separation whereby the Factions may reckon their parties and aestimate their strength and a way open to popularity to the ambition of any whose interest or desperatenesse shall adventure to make himself head of so great a party He was a person of so great abilities which are the designations of nature to dignity and command that they raised him from low beginnings to the highest Office the Protestant profession acknowledgeth in the Church and he was equal to it His learning appeared eminent in his Book against Fisher and his piety illustrious in his Diary He was of so publick a spirit that both the Church and State have lasting Monuments of the virtuous use he made of his Princes favour at his admittance into which he dededicated all the future Emolumeuts of it to the glory of God and the good of men by a projection of many noble Works most of which he accomplished and had finished the rest had not the fate of the Nation checked the current of his Design and cut off the course of his Life He was not contented by himself onely to serve his Generation for so he might appear more greedy of fame than desirous of the universal benefit but he endeavoured to render all others as heroick if they aimed at a capacity for his friendship For I have heard it from his Enemies no great man was admitted to a confidence and respect with him unlesse he made Addresse by some act that was for the common good or for the ornament and glory of the Protestant Faith Learned men had not a better Friend nor Learning it self a greater Advance◠He searched all the Libraries of
to raise other mens He neglected the minute and little circumstances of compliance with vulgar humors aiming at what was more solid and more weighty Moderate men are applauded but the Heroick are never understood Constant he was in all that was good this was his heroick expression when solicited by his Wives Father to desist from his engagement with the King Leave me to my Honour and Allegiance No security to him worth a breach of Trust no interest worth being unworthy His conduct was as eminent in War as his carriage in Peace many did he oblige by the generosity of his minde more did he awe with the hardinesse of his body which was no more softned to sloath by the dalliances of a Court than the other was debauched to a carelesnesse by the greatnesse of his Fortune His prudence was equal to his valour and he could entertain dangers as well as despise them for he not onely undeceived his enemies surmises but exceeded his own friends opinion in the conduct of his soldiers of whom he had two cares the one to discipline the other to preserve them Therefore they were as compleatly armed without as they were well appointed within that surviving their first dangers they might attain that experience resolution which is in vain expected from young and raw soldiers To this conduct of a General he added the industry of a Soldier doing much by his performances more by his example that went as an active soul to enliven each part and the whole of his brave Squadron But there is no doubt but personal and private sins may oft-times over-balance the justice of publick engagements Nor doth God account every Gallant a fit instrument to assert in the way of war a righteous cause the event can never state the justice of any cause nor the peace of mens consciences nor the eternal fate of their souls They were no doubt Martyrs who neglected their lives and all that was dear to them in this world having no advantageous designe by any innovation but were religiously sensible of those ties to God the Church their King their Countrey which lay upon their souls both for obedience and just assistance God could and I doubt not but he did through his mercy crown many of them with eterlife whose lives were lost in so good a cause the destruction of their bodies being sanctified as a means to save their souls Observations on the Life of the Lord Herbert of Cherbury Edward Herbert son of Richard Herbert Esq and Susan Newport his Wife was born at Montgomery-Castle and brought to Court by the Earl of Pembrook where he was Knighted by K. James who sent him over Embassador into France Afterwards K. Charles the first created him Baron of Castle-Island in Ireland and some years after Baron of Cherbury in Montgomery-shire He was a most excellent Artist and rare Linguist studied both in Books and Men and himself the Author of two Works most remarkable viz. A Treatise of Truth written in French so highly prized beyond the Seas and they say it is extant at this day with great Honour in the Popes Vatican and an History of King Henry the Eighth wherein his Collections are full and authentick his observation judicious his connexion strong and â—ohaerent and the whole exact He married the Daughter and sole Heir of Sir William Herbert of St. Julians in Monmouth-shire with whom he had a large Inheritance in England and Ireland and died in August Anno Dom. 1648. having designed a fair Monument of his own invention to be set up for him in the Church of Montgomery according to the model following Upon the ground a Hath-pace of fourteen foot square on the middest of which is placed a Dorick Column with its right of Pedestal Basis and Capitols fifteen foot in height on the Capitol of the Column is mounted an Urn with a Heart Flamboul supported by two Angels The foot of this Column is attended with four Angels placed on Pedestals at each corner of the said Hath-pace two having Torches reverst extinguishing the Motto of Mortality the other two holding up Palms the Emblemes of Victory When this noble person was in France he had private Instructions from England to mediate a Peace for them of the Religion and in case of refusal to use certain menaces Accordingly being referred to Luynes the Constable and Favourite of France he delivereth him the Message reserving his threatnings till he saw how the matter was relished Luynes had hid behind the Curtain a Gentleman of the Religion who being an Ear-witnesse of what passed might relate to his friends what little expectations they ought to entertain from the King of England's intercession Luynes was very haughty and would needs know what our KING had to do with their affairs Sir Edward replyed It 's not you to whom the King my Master oweth an account of his actions and for me it 's enough that I obey him In the mean time I must maintain That my Master hath more reason to do what he doth than you to aske why he doth it Nevertheless If you desire me in a gentle fashion I shall acquaint you further Whereupon Luynes bowing a little said Very well The Embassador answered ' That it was not on this occasion onely that the King of Great Britain had desired the Peace and prosperity of France but upon all other occasions when ever any War was raised in that Countrey and this he said was his first reason The second was That when a Peace was setled there his Majesty of France might be better disposed to assist the Palatinate in the affairs of Germany Luynes said We will have none of your advices The Ambassador replyed That he took that for an Answer and was sorry onely that the affection and the good will of the King his Master was not sufficiently understood and that since it was rejected in that manner he could do no lesse then say That the King his Master knew well enough what he had to do Luynes answered We are not afraid of you The Embassador smiling a little replyed If you had said you had not loved us I should have believed you and made another answer In the mean time all that I will tell you more is That we know very well what we have to do Luynes hereupon rising from his Chair with a fashion and countenance a little discomposed said By God if you were not Monsieur the Embassador I know very well how I would use you Sir Edw Herbert rising also from his Chair said That as he was his Majesty of Great-Britain ' s Embassador so he was also a Gentleman and that his Sword whereon be laid his band should do him reason if he had taken any offence After which Luynes replying nothing the Embassador went on his way toward the door and Luynes seeming to accompany him he told him there was no occasion to use such Ceremony after such Language and so departed expecting to hear
from him he received the Sacrament good comfort and counsell just before he was murthered I say just before the Royal Martyr was murthered a Fact so foul that it alone may confute the Errour of the Pelagians maintaining that all sin cometh by imitation the Universe not formerly affording such a Precedent as if chose Regicides had purposely designed to disprove the observation of Solomon that there is no new thing under the Sun King Charles the second preferred him Arch-Bishop of Canterbury 1660. He died in the year of our Lord 1663. and with great solemnity was buried in St. John's Colledge in Oxford to which he was a great Benefactor though a greater to Pauls and Lambeth and greatest of all to the Church which his eminence adorned and his temper secured in those times wherein roughnesse enraged that humour which delay and moderation broke a discreet yielding to the multitude is the securest way of Conquest They that hold together by opposition languish and moulder away by indulgence In his duty this good man went along with Conscience in Government with Time and Law He had the happinesse that K. James admired in a States-man of his time to do all things suavibus modis He referred his Master in the Earl of Strafford's case as he did himself in all cases to his own Conscience for matter of fact and to the Judges for matter of Law who according to their Oath ought to carry themselves indifferently between the King and his Subjects The King was not more happy in this faithful servant than he was in his followers among whom there was no uncivil Austerity to disoblige the Subjects nor base Corruption to incense them They need not keep state they had so much real power nor extort they had so much allowed advantage His care was his servants and their care his businesse His preferments were his burthen rather than his honour advanced by him rather than advancing him and therefore he was more ready to lay them down than others to take them up Witnesse his Treasurers Place which when he parted with like those that scatter their Jewels in the way that they may debar the violence of greedy pursuers no lesse than four durst undertake when his single self sufficed for the two greatest troubles of this Nation the Treasurer-ship of England and the Bishoprick of London Religion was the inclination and composure as well as care of his soul which he used not as the artifice of pretence or power but as the ornament and comfort of a private breast never affecting a pompous piety nor a magnificent vertue but approving himself in secret to that God who would reward him openly His devotion was as much above other mens as his Calling his meditations equall with his cares and his thoughts even and free between his Affairs and his Contemplations which were his pleasures as well as his duty the uniform temper and pulse of his Christian soul Neither was his Religion that of a man onely but that of a Bishop too that made his Piety as universal as his Province by such assistances of power as brought carnal men if not to an obedience yet to such a degree of reverence that if they did not honour they might not despise it His justice was as his Religion clear and uniform First the ornament of his heart then the honour of his action Neither was Justice leavened with rigour or severity but sweetned with clemency and goodnesse that was never angry but for the publick and not then so much at the person as the offence So ambitious of that great glory of Moderation that he kept it up in spight of the times malignity wherein he saw all change without himself while he remained the self-same still within the Idea of sobriety and temperance vertues that he put off onely with his life Neither was this a defect of spirit but the temper of it that though it never provoked troubles yet it never feared them His minde was always great though his fortune not so Great to suffer though not always able to act so good his temper and so admirable his humility that none ever went discontented from him Never â—ourting but always winning people having a passage to their hearts through their brain and making them first admire and then love him He was slow not of speech as a defect but to speak oâ— of discretion because when speaking he plentifully paid the Principal and Interest of his Auditoâ—â— expectation In a word his government as a Bishop was gentle benigne and paternal His management of the Treasury was such that he served his Prince faithfully satisfied all his friends and silenced all his enemies of which he had enough as a Bishop Greatnesse is so invidious and suspected though none as a man goodnesse is so meek and inoffensive The most thought the worse of Dr. Juxon for the Bishops sake the best thought the better of the Bishop for Dr. Juxon's sake Observations on the Life of John Lord Culpeper I Finde nothing promoting him to his first preferment of Chancellor of the Exchequer but his pure merit nor any thing advancing him to his after-honours but his steady Loyalty which when others stuck to London in compliance with that Maxime In all Divisions keep your self to the Metropolis the chief City being for the most part preserved who-ever prevaileth in a Civil Commotion abounding in Money and Friends the readiest Commodities to purchase Quiet carryed him after a persecuted Soveraign for twenty years together by the strong obligation of a well-principled Conscience and the well-weighed observation of the natural Affection of all Englishmen to their lawful Soveraign from whom though the Arts and Impulses of seditious Demagogues may a while estrange and divorce their mindes yet their Genius will irresistibly at last force them to their first love It was the resolution of a great States-man That if the Crown of England were placed but on an Hedge-stake he would be on that side the Crown was His first service was to discover his Soveraign to his deluded People worthy not onely of their obedience but their lives and fortunes His next was to lay open his Enemies in all their Intrigues and Reserves being most happy in all the Treaties he was engaged in in discerning the bottome of his own Parties Interest and their Adversaries pretensions discoveries that prevailed on all that was either noble or but ingenuous in the Nation especially whither my Lord came with his indefatigable Industry his obliging Converse and potent Eloquence excepting London it's self whither he was sent from Nottingham with the Earls of Southampton and Dorset and Sir William Wedale Knight the very day the King set up his Standard there The Principle he went upon was That the Faction at Westminster was no Parliament A Principle most safe on all hands For which and the rest of his judicious Sentiments he hath the honour to be enrolled among those that Traytors durst not pardon
the Committee 1535 in the one cutting off the head in the other weakening the members of that Church He made provident yet moderate use of his Masters favours thereby obliging others and securing himself being above Mercenary inclinations as much in his thoughts as in his fortune he was neither too near the King lest he were weary of him nor too far off lest he forgot him or thought himself neglected by him His intermissions of attendance gave others no advantage but rendred him more gracious he neither engrossed nor confined his Masters affection It was easie for him to rise being descended of Noble Blood which is never envied for its advancement and as easie to keep high being well studied in his Princes disposition whose inclination when found is half fitted ever pleasing his Masters Natural humour never his Vicious Having attained a competent heighth he chose rather to grow stronger by relation then higher by advancements Some Favourites whose heels have been tripped up by their adversaries have with their hands held on their Allies till they could recover their feet again His familiarity and the easie access to him made him popular his pliant temper kept him a Favourite until he died in the full favour of his Prince though as Cardinal Pool observed They who were highest in this Kings favour had their heads nearest danger He had a becoming Bluntness not unlike his Masters which we call Free-heartedness in Courtiers Conscience and Christian simplicity in Clergie-men Valour in Souldiers He died anno 1544. much beloved and lamented of all for his Bounty Humility Valour and all Noble Vertues since the heat of his Youth was tamed by his reduced Age whose two sons Henry and Charles died within twelve hours one of the other 155â— 1. A Calm Greatness is next the happiness of Heaven Give me the man that by a fair and calm course is still rising to an higher state yet content with his present fortune 2. Integrity out-lasts Power and Plainness survives Policy An honest heart keeps the head on the shoulders a Noble and clear Vertue is lasting 3. It 's likeness that makes the True-love-knot of friendship When a Prince finds another of his own disposition what is it but the same soul in a divided body what findes he but himself intermutually transposed And Nature that makes us love our selves makes us with the same reason love those that are like us for this is a Friend a more sacred Name then a Brother 4. He that hath a minde contentedly good enjoyeth in it boundless possessions He is great indeed that is great in a brave soul Vitam quae faciunt beatiorem Jucundissime Martialis haec sunt Res non porta Labore sed relicta Non ingratus Ager focus perennis Lis nunquam toga rara mens quieta Viris Ingenuae salubre Corpus Prudens simplicitas pares amici Convictus facilis sine arte Mensa Nox non ebria sed soluta curis Non tristis torus attamen pudicus Somnus qui faciat breves tenebras Quod sis esse vetis nihilque malis Summum ne metuos diem nec optes Observations on Thomas Cranmer Lord Archbishop of Canterbury CRanmer had a Noble Blood quickning and raising his spirit as he had an indefatigable industry to improve it He was a Gentleman born in Arselecton in Nottinghamshire and a Noble-man bred in Jesus-Colledge in Cambridge His Ancestors were no less eminent at Cranmers-hall in Lincolnshire then he was at Lambeth in Surrey They came in with the Conquest as one Cranmer a French Ambassadour in Henry the eighth's time at the Archbishops Table made it evident and he with the Reformation His Education was as Gentile as his Birth onely his mild spirit meeting with a severe Master his memory was weakened and his spritefulness allayed but the austerity of the School was sweetned with the exercises of the Country which his Father indulged him when young and he indulged himself when aged handling his great Horse as nimbly his Bow and Net as dexterously as any man in his family His Marriage withdrew him from the Colledge and consequent Church-preferment as the Kings did him from the Church it self He whose marriage forbid him a Fellowship in Jesus-Colledge had a Lecture in Buckingham-house for his Parts and Reputation where at once he prepared others for publick Employments and himself also He lived as soberly at the Dolphine-tavern with his wife whatever the Papists have surmized as he did studiously at Buckingham-house with his Scholars His Name was so famous that Wolsey was not more sollicitous to transplant him as an Ornament to Oxford then Fisher was to retain him in Cambridge where he was eminent for the Arts more for Divinity which when as one of the three Cenfors he examined Candidates he said he expected not in the difficult trifles of Lumbard but in the sacred sense of Scriptures the ancient Doctrine of Fathers the grave Canons of Councils the solid Politeness of the Greek and Hebrew Learning and which he lived as well as he taught in his sober temperance his mild meekness so placable so courteous that to offend him was the way to ingratiate with him his discreet moderation his grave resolution equally above the frowns and smiles of fortune Thus qualified he was by a Providence commended to his Majesty for there being a Plague in Cambridge as there was all over England Dr. Cranmer retired to Waltham with two of his Pupils the sons of one Mr. Cressy where upon the Kings Progress thither he met with his Chaplain and Almoner Dr. Foxe afterwards Bishop of Hereford who lodging with him at Mr. Cressy's discoursed the Kings Divorce Cranmer conceived that the speediest course were to prove the unlawfulness of the Match by Scripture whence it would follow that the Pope at first had no power to dispense therewith and that the Universities of Christendome would sooner and truer decide the case then the Court of Rome This passage Foxe reports to the King who well-pleased thereat professeth that this man had the Sow by the right Ear Glad was the King to see him indeed he had a comely Person and a pleasing Countenance more to hear him inlarge himself on the former Subject That it was above the Popes power to dispence with Gods Word in the Kings Case What he said to the King he was sent to make it good to the Pope whither invested with the Arch-Deaconry of Taunton he went with Thomas Bullen Earl of Wilâ—shire whose first Address to the Pope was to present a Book of Cranmers proving Gods Law indispensible with by the Pope the Author is preferred to the great Title of Supreme Poenitentiary and the Treatise is promised a Consideration and Debate But the Pope delaying and according to Cranmer's Advice ten Universities declaring against him the Embassador returns to England and the Disputant goes to Vienna where in Osianders House whose Kinswoman he had married he confirmed those that wavered satisfied those that