_Thomas Howard, fourteenth Earl of Arundel._
_Born 1586. Died 1646._
By CLARENDON.
The Earle of Arrundell was the next to the officers of State, who in
his owne right and quality, præceded the rest of the councell. He was
a man supercilious and prowde, who lyved alwayes within himselfe,
and to himselfe, conversinge little with any, who were in common
conversation, so that he seemed to lyve as it were in another nation,
his house beinge a place, to which all men resorted, who resorted
to no other place, strangers, or such who affected to looke like
strangers, and dressed themselves accordingly. He resorted sometimes
to the Courte, because ther only was a greater man then himselfe,
and went thither the seldomer, because ther was a greater man then
himselfe. He lived toward all Favorites and greate officers without
any kinde of condescention, and rather suffred himselfe to be ill
treated by ther power and authority (for he was alwayes in disgrace,
and once or twice prysoner in the tower) then to descende in makinge
any application to them; and upon these occasyons, he spent a greate
intervall of his tyme, in severall journyes into forrainge partes, and
with his wife and family had lyved some yeeres in Italy, the humour
and manners of which nation he seemed most to like and approve, and
affected to imitate. He had a good fortune by descent, and a much
greater from his wife, who was the sole daughter upon the matter
(for nether of the two Sisters left any issue) of the greate house of
Shrewsbury, but his exspences were without any measure, and alwayes
exceeded very much his revennue. He was willinge to be thought a
scholar, and to understande the most misterious partes of Antiquity,
because he made a wounderfull and costly purchase of excellent statues
whilst he was in Italy and in Rome (some wherof he could never obtayne
permission to remoove from Rome, though he had payd for them) and had
a rare collection of the most curious Medalls; wheras in truth he was
only able to buy them, never to understande ihem, and as to all partes
of learninge he was almost illiterate, and thought no other parte of
history considerable, but what related to his owne family, in which no
doubt ther had bene some very memorable persons.
It cannot be denyed, that he had in his person, in his aspecte and
countenance, the appearance of a greate man, which he preserved in
his gate and motion. He wore and affected a habitt very different
from that of the tyme, such as men had only beheld in the pictures of
the most considerable men, all which drew the eyes of most and the
reverence of many towards him, as the image and representative of the
primitive nobility, and natife gravity of the nobles, when they had
bene most venerable. But this was only his outsyde, his nature and
true humour beinge so much disposed to levity, and vulgar delights,
which indeede were very despicable and childish: He was never
suspected to love anybody, nor to have the least propensity to
justice, charity, or compassion, so that, though he gott all he
could, and by all the wayes he could, and spent much more then he
gott or had, he was never knowne to give any thinge, nor in all his
imployments (for he had imployments of greate profitt as well as
honour, beinge sent Ambassadour extraordinary into Germany, for the
treaty of that Generall peace, for which he had greate appointments,
and in which he did nothinge of the least importance, and which is
more wounderfull, he was afterwards made Generall of the Army raysed
for Scotlande, and receaved full pay as such, and in his owne office
of Earle Marshall, more money was drawne from the people by his
authority and prætence of jurisdiction, then had ever bene extorted
by all the officers præcedent) yett I say in all his offices and
imployments, never man used, or imployed by him, ever gott any fortune
under him, nor did ever any man acknowledge any obligation to him. He
was rather thought to be without religion, then to inclyne to this
or that party of any. He would have bene a proper instrument for any
tyranny, if he could have a man tyrant enough to have bene advized by
him, and had no other affection for the nation or the kingdome, then
as he had a greate share in it, in which like the greate Leviathan he
might sporte himselfe, from which he withdrew himselfe, as soone as
he decerned the repose therof was like to be disturbed, and dyed in
Italy, under the same doubtfull character of religion, in which he
lyved.
7.