_William Herbert, third Earl of Pembroke._
_Born 1580. Died 1630._
By CLARENDON.
Willyam Earle of Pembroke was next, a man of another molde and
makinge, and of another fame and reputation with all men, beinge
the most universally loved and esteemed, of any man of that age, and
havinge a greate office in the courte, made the courte itselfe better
esteemed and more reverenced in the country; and as he had a greate
number of frends of the best men, so no man had ever wickednesse to
avow himselfe to be his enimy. He was a man very well bredd, and of
excellent partes, and a gracefull speaker upon any subjecte, havinge
a good proportion of learninge, and a ready witt to apply it, and
inlarge upon it, of a pleasant and facetious humour and a disposition
affable, generous, and magnificent; he was master of a greate fortune
from his auncestors, and had a greate addition by his wife (another
daughter and heyre of the Earle of Shrewsbury) which he injoyed
duringe his life, shee outlivinge him, but all served not his
exspence, which was only limited by his greate minde, and occasions
to use it nobly; he lyved many yeeres aboute the courte, before in it,
and never by it, beinge rather regarded and esteemed by Kinge James
then loved and favored, and after the fowle fall of the Earle of
Somersett, he was made L'd Chamberlyne of the Kings house more for
the Courtes sake, then his owne, and the Courte appeared with the more
lustre, because he had the goverment of that Province. As he spente
and lived upon his owne fortune, so he stoode upon his owne feete,
without any other supporte then of his proper virtue and meritt, and
lyved towards the favorites with that decency, as would not suffer
them to censure or reproch his Masters judgement and election, but as
with men of his owne ranke. He was exceedingly beloved in the Courte,
because he never desyred to gett that for himselfe, which others
labored for, but was still ready to promote the prætences of worthy
men, and he was equally celebrated in the country, for havinge
receaved no obligations from the courte, which might corrupt or sway
his affections and judgement; so that all who were displeased and
unsatisfyed in the courte or with the Courte, were alwayes inclined
to putt themselves under his banner, if he would have admitted them,
and yett he did not so rejecte them, as to make them choose another
shelter, but so farr to depende on him, that he could restrayn them
from breakinge out beyounde private resentments, and murmurs. He was a
greate lover of his country, and of the religion and justice which he
believed could only supporte it, and his frendshipps were only with
men of those principles; and as his conversation was most with men of
the most pregnant parts and understandinge, so towards any who needed
supporte or encouragement, though unknowne, if fayrely recommended to
him, he was very liberall; and sure never man was planted in a courte,
that was fitter for that soyle, or brought better qualityes with him
to purify that heyre.
Yett his memory must not be so flattered, that his virtues and good
inclinations may be believed without some allay of vice, and without
beinge clowded with greate infirmityes, which he had in to exorbitant
a proportion: He indulged to himselfe the pleasures of all kindes,
almost in all excesses; whether out of his naturall constitution,
or for wante of his domestique content and delight (in which he was
most unhappy, for he payed much to deere for his wife's fortune,
by takinge her person into the bargayne) he was immoderately given
up to women,[1] but therin he likewise retayned such a pouer and
jurisdiction over his very appetite, that he was not so much
transported with beauty and outwarde allurements, as with those
advantages of the minde, as manifested an extraordinary witt,
and spirit, and knowledge, and administred greate pleasure in the
conversation; to these he sacrificed himselfe, his pretious tyme,
and much of his fortune, and some who were neerest his trust and
frendshipp, were not without apprehension that his naturall vivacity,
and vigour of minde, begann to lessen and decline, by those excessive
indulgences. Aboute the tyme of the death of Kinge James or presently
after, he was made L'd Steward of his Majestys house, that the Staffe
of Chamberlyne might be putt into the hands of his brother, the Earle
of Mountgomery, upon a new contracte of frendshipp with the Duke of
Buckingham, after whose death he had likewise such offices of his, as
he most affected, of honour and commaunde, none of profitt, which he
cared not for; and within two yeeres after he dyed himselfe, of an
Apoplexy, after a full and cheerefull supper.
[Footnote 1: The words 'to women' occur twice in the MS., before
'whether out' and after 'given up'.]
8.