_Lucius Gary, second Viscount Falkland 1633._
_Born 1610. Fell at Newbury 1643._
By CLARENDON.
But I must heare take leave a little longer to discontinue this
narration, and if the celebratinge the memory of eminent and
extraordinary persons, and transmittinge ther greate virtues for the
imitation of posterity, be one of the principle endes and dutyes of
History, it will not be thought impertinent in this place to remember
a losse, which noe tyme will suffer to be forgotten, and no successe
or good fortune could repayre; In this unhappy battell was slayne
the L'd Viscounte Falkelande, a person of such prodigious partes of
learninge and knowledge, of that inimitable sweetenesse and delight in
conversation, of so flowinge and obliginge a humanity and goodnesse
to mankinde, and of that primitive simplicity, and integrity of life,
that if ther were no other brande upon this odious and accursed Civill
war, then that single losse, it must be most infamous and execrable to
all posterity:
Turpe mori post te, solo non posse dolore.
Before this parliament his condition of life was so happy, that it
was hardly capable of improovement; before he came to twenty yeeres of
Age, he was master of a noble fortune, which descended to him by the
gifte of a grandfather, without passinge through his father or mother,
who were then both alive, and not well enough contented to finde
themselves passed by in the descent: His education for some yeeres
had bene in Ireland, wher his father was Lord Deputy, so that when
he returned into Englande, to the possessyon of his fortune, he was
unintangled with any acquaintance or frends, which usually grow up by
the custome of conversation, and therfore was to make a pure election
of his company; which he chose by other rules then were prescribed
to the younge nobility of that tyme; And it cannot be denyed, though
he admitted some few to his frendshipp for the agreablenesse of ther
natures, and ther undoubted affection to him, that his familiarity
and frendshipp for the most parte was with men of the most eminent and
sublime partes, and of untouched reputations in pointe of integrity:
and such men had a title to his bosome.
He was a greate cherisher of witt, and fancy, and good partes in
any man, and if he founde them clowded with poverty or wante, a most
liberall and bountifull Patron towards them, even above his fortune,
of which in those administrations he was such a dispenser, as if he
had bene trusted with it to such uses, and if ther had bene the least
of vice in his expence, he might have bene thought too prodigall: He
was constant and pertinatious in whatsoever he resolved to doe, and
not to be wearyed by any paynes that were necessary to that end, and
therfore havinge once resolved not to see London (which he loved above
all places) till he had perfectly learned the greeke tonge, he went to
his owne house in the Country, and pursued it with that indefatigable
industry, that it will not be believed, in how shorte a tyme he was
master of it, and accurately reade all the Greeke Historyans. In this
tyme, his house beinge within tenn myles of Oxford, he contracted
familiarity and frendshipp with the most polite and accurate men of
that University; who founde such an immensenesse of witt, and such
a soliddity of judgement in him, so infinite a fancy bounde in by a
most logicall ratiocination, such a vast knowledge, that he was not
ignorant in any thinge, yet such an excessive humillity as if he had
knowne nothinge, that they frequently resorted and dwelt with him,
as in a Colledge scituated in a purer ayre, so that his house was
a University bounde in a lesser volume, whither they came not so
much for repose, as study: and to examyne and refyne those grosser
propositions, which lazinesse and consent made currant in vulgar
conversation.
Many attempts were made upon him, by the instigation of his mother
(who was a Lady of another perswasion in religion, and of a most
maskulyne understandinge, allayed with the passyon and infirmityes of
her owne sex) to perverte him in his piety to the Church of Englande,
and to reconcile him to that of Rome, which they prosequted with the
more confidence, because he declined no opportunity or occasyon of
conference with those of that religion, whether Priests or Laiques,
havinge diligently studyed the controversyes, and exactly reade all or
the choycest of the Greeke and Latine fathers, and havinge a memory so
stupendious, that he remembred on all occasyons whatsoever he reade:
And he was so greate an enimy to that passyon and uncharitablenesse
which he saw produced by difference of opinion in matters of religion,
that in all those disputations with Priests and others of the Roman
Church, he affected to manifest all possible civillity to ther
persons, and estimation of ther partes, which made them retayne still
some hope of his reduction, even when they had given over offeringe
farther reasons to him to that purpose: But this charity towards them
was much lesned, and any correspondence with them quyte declined, when
by sinister Artes they had corrupted his two younger brothers, beinge
both children, and stolen them from his house, and transported them
beyonde seas, and perverted his sisters, upon which occasyon he writt
two large discources against the principle positions of that Religion,
with that sharpnesse of Style, and full waight of reason, that the
Church is deprived of greate jewells, in the concealment of them, and
that they are not published to the world.
He was superiour to all those passyons and affections which attende
vulgar mindes, and was guilty of no other ambition, then of knowledge,
and to be reputed a lover of all good men, and that made him to much a
contemner of those Artes which must be indulged to in the transaction
of humane affayrs. In the last shorte Parliament he was a Burgesse
in the house of Commons, and from the debates which were then managed
with all imaginable gravity and sobriety, he contracted such a
reverence to Parliaments that he thought it really impossible, that
they could ever produce mischieve or inconvenience to the kingdome,
or that the kingdome could be tolerably happy in the intermissyon
of them; and from the unhappy, and unseasonable dissolution of that
convention, he harboured it may be some jealousy and præjudice of
the Courte, towards which he was not before immoderately inclined,
his father havinge wasted a full fortune ther, in those offices and
imployments, by which other men use to obtayne a greater. He was
chosen agayne this Parliament to serve in the same place, and in the
beginninge of it, declared himselfe very sharply and sevearely against
those exorbitances which had bene most grievous to the State; for
he was so rigidd an observer of established Lawes and rules, that he
could not indure the least breach or deviation from them, and thought
no mischieve so intollerable, as the præsumption of ministers of
State, to breake positive rules for reason of State, or judges to
transgresse knowne Lawes, upon the title of conveniency or necessity,
which made him so seveare against the Earle of Straforde, and the L'd
Finch, contrary to his naturall gentlenesse and temper; insomuch as
they who did not know his composition to be as free from revenge as
it was from pryde, thought that the sharpnesse to the former might
proceede from the memory of some unkindnesses, not without a mixture
of injustice from him towards his father; but without doubte he was
free from those temptations, and was only misledd by the authority
of those, who he believed understoode the Lawes perfectly, of which
himselfe was utterly ignorant, and if the assumption, which was
scarce controverted, had bene true, that an endeavour to overthrow
the fundamentall Lawes of the kingdome had beene treason, a stricte
understandinge might make reasonable conclusions to satisfy his owne
judgement, from the exorbitant partes of ther severall charges.
The greate opinion he had of the uprightnesse and integrity of those
persons, who appeared most active, especially of Mr. Hambden, kept him
longer from suspectinge any designe against the peace of the kingdome,
and though he differed commonly from them in conclusyons, he believed
longe ther purposes were honest; When he grew better informed what was
Law, and discerned a desyre to controle that Law, by a vote of one, or
both houses, no man more opposed those attempts, and gave the adverse
party more trouble, by reason and argumentation, insomuch as he was
by degrees looked upon as an Advocate for the Courte, to which he
contributed so little, that he declined those addresses, and even
those invitations, which he was oblieged almost by civillity to
entertayne: And he was so jealous of the least imagination that he
should inclyne to præferment, that he affected even a morosity to the
Courte, and to the Courtyers, and left nothinge undone which might
prevent and deverte the Kings or Queenes favour towards him, but
the deservinge it: for when the Kinge sent for him once or twice, to
speake with him, and to give him thankes for his excellent comportment
in those Councells, which his Majesty gratiously tearmed doinge him
service, his answers were more negligent and lesse satisfactory than
might be exspected, as if he cared only that his Actions should be
just, not that they should be acceptable, and that his Majesty should
thinke that they proceeded only from the impulsyon of conscience,
without any sympathy in his affections, which from a Stoicall and
sullen nature might not have bene misinterpreted, yet from a person
of so perfecte a habitt of generous and obsequious complyance with
all good men, might very well have bene interpreted by the Kinge as
more then an ordinary aversenesse to his service, so that he tooke
more paynes, and more forced his nature to actions unagreable and
unpleasant to it, that he might not be thought to inclyne to the
Courte, then any man hath done to procure an office ther; and if any
thinge but not doinge his duty could have kept him from receavinge a
testimony of the Kings grace and trust at that tyme, he had not bene
called to his Councell: not that he was in truth averse to the Courte,
or from receavinge publique imployment: for he had a greate devotion
to the Kings person, and had before used some small endeavour to be
recommended to him for a forrainge negotiation, and had once a desyre
to be sent Ambassadour into France, but he abhorred an imagination
or doubte should sinke into the thoughts of any man, that in the
discharge of his trust and duty in Parliament he had any byas to the
Court, or that the Kinge himselfe should apprehende that he looked for
a rewarde for beinge honest.
For this reason when he heard it first whispered that the Kinge had
a purpose to make him a Counsellour, for which in the beginninge
ther was no other grounde, but because he was knowne sufficient, haud
semper errat fama, aliquando et elegit, he resolved to declyne it,
and at last suffred himselfe only to be overruled by the advice, and
persuasions of his frends to submitt to it; afterwards when he founde
that the Kinge intended to make him his Secretary of State, he was
positive to refuse it, declaringe to his frends that he was most
unfitt for it, and that he must ether doe that which would be greate
disquyet to his owne nature, or leave that undone which was most
necessary to be done by one that was honored with that place, for that
the most just and honest men did every day that, which he could not
give himselfe leave to doe. And indeede he was so exacte and stricte
an observer of justice and truth _ad amussim_, that he believed
those necessary condescensions and applications to the weaknesse of
other men, and those artes and insinuations which are necessary for
discoveryes and prevention of ill, would be in him a declension from
the rule which he acknowledged fitt and absolutely necessary to be
practiced in those imploiments, and was so precise in the practique
principles he prescribed to himselfe (to all others he was as
indulgent) as if he had lived in republica Platonis non in fæce
Romuli.
Two reasons prævayled with him to receave the seales, and but for
those he had resolutely avoyded them, the first, the consideration
that it might bringe some blemish upon the Kings affayres, and that
men would have believed that he had refused so greate an honour and
trust, because he must have beene with it oblieged to doe somewhat
elce, not justifiable; and this he made matter of conscience, since he
knew the Kinge made choyce of him before other men, especially because
he thought him more honest then other men; the other was, least he
might be thought to avoyde it, out of feare to doe an ungratious
thinge to the house of Commons, who were sorely troubled at the
displacinge S'r Harry Vane, whome they looked upon as remooved for
havinge done them those offices they stoode in neede of, and the
disdayne of so popular an incumbrance wrought upon him next to the
other, for as he had a full appetite of fame by just and generous
Actions, so he had an æquall contempt of it by any servile expedients,
and he so much the more consented to and approved the justice upon S'r
H. Vane, in his owne private judgement, by how much he surpassed most
men in the religious observation of a trust, the violation wherof he
would not admitt of any excuse for.
For these reasons he submitted to the Kings commaunde, and became
his Secretary, with as humble and devoute an acknowledgement of the
greatenesse of the obligation, as could be expressed, and as true
a sense of it in his hearte; yet two thinges he could never bringe
himselfe to whilst he continued in that office, (that was to his
death) for which he was contented to be reproched, as for omissyons
in a most necessary parte of his place; the one imployinge of Spyes,
or givinge any countenance or entertaynement to them, I doe not meane
such emissaryes as with daunger will venture to view the enimyes
Campe, and bringe intelligence of ther number or quartringe, or
such generalls as such an observation can comprehende, but those
who by communication of guilte, or dissimulation of manners, wounde
themselves into such trust and secretts, as inabled them to make
discoveryes for the benefitt of the State; the other, the liberty of
openinge letters, upon a suspicion that they might contayne matter of
daungerous consequence; for the first, he would say, such instruments
must be voyd of all ingenuity and common honesty, before they could
be of use, and afterwards they could never be fitt to be credited, and
that no single preservation could be worth so generall a wounde and
corruption of humane society, as the cherishinge such persons would
carry with it: The last he thought such a violation of the Law of
nature, that no qualification by office, could justify a single person
in the trespasse, and though he was convinced by the necessity and
iniquity of the tyme, that those advantages of information were not to
be declined, and were necessarily to be practiced, he founde meanes to
shifte it from himselfe, when he confessed he needed excuse and pardon
for the omissyon, so unwillinge he was to resigne any thinge in his
nature, to an obligation in his office. In all other particulars, he
filled his place plentifully, beinge sufficiently versed in languages,
to understande any that is used in businesse, and to make himselfe
agayne understoode: To speake of his integrity, and his high disdayne
of any bayte that might seeme to looke towards corruption, in tanto
viro, injuria virtutum fuerit.
Some sharpe expressions he used against the Arch-Bishopp of
Canterbury, and his concurringe in the first Bill to take away the
Votes of Bishopps in the house of Peeres, gave occasyon to some to
believe, and opportunity to others to conclude and publish that he
was no frende to the Church, and the established goverment of it,
and troubled his very frends much, who were more confident of the
contrary, then præpared to answer the allegations. The truth is,
he had unhappily contracted some præjudice to the Arch-Bishopp, and
havinge only knowne him enough, to observe his passyon, when it may
be multiplicity of businesse or other indisposition had possessed
him, did wish him lesse intangled and ingaged in the businesse
of the Courte or State, though, I speake it knowingly, he had a
singular estimation and reverence of his greate learninge and
confessed integrity, and really thought his lettinge himselfe to
those expressyons which implyed a disesteeme of him, or at least an
acknowledgement of his infirmityes, would inable him to shelter him
from parte of the storme he saw raysed for his destruction, which he
abominated with his soule. The givinge his consent to the first Bill
for the displacinge the Bishopps, did proceede from two groundes, the
first, his not understandinge the originall of ther right and suffrage
ther, the other, an opinion that the combination against the whole
goverment of the Church by Bishopps, was so violent and furious, that
a lesse composition then the dispencinge with ther intermedlinge in
sæcular affayres would not præserve the Order, and he was perswaded to
this, by the profession of many persons of Honour, who declared they
did desyre the one, and would then not presse the other, which in that
particular misledd many men; but when his observation and experience
made him discerne more of ther intencions then he before suspected,
with greate frankenesse he opposed the secound Bill that was præferred
for that purpose; and had without scruple the order it selfe in
perfecte reverence, and thought too greate encouragement could not
possibly be given to learninge, nor too greate rewardes to learned
men, and was never in the least degree swayed or moved by the
objections which were made against that goverment, holdinge them
most ridiculous, or affected to the other which those men fancyed to
themselves.
He had a courage of the most cleere and keene temper, and soe farr
from feare, that he was not without appetite of daunger, and therfore
upon any occasyon of action he alwayes engaged his person in those
troopes which he thought by the forwardnesse of the Commanders to be
most like to be farthest engaged, and in all such encounters he had
aboute him a strange cheerefulnesse and companiablenesse, without at
all affectinge the execution that was then principally to be attended,
in which he tooke no delight, but tooke paynes to prevent it, wher
it was not by resistance necessary, insomuch that at Edgehill, when
the Enimy was rowted, he was like to have incurred greate perill
by interposinge to save those who had throwne away ther armes, and
against whome it may be others were more fierce for ther havinge
throwne them away, insomuch as a man might thinke, he came into the
Feild only out of curiosity to see the face of daunger, and charity
to prævent the sheddinge of bloode; yet in his naturall inclination
he acknowledged he was addicted to the professyon of a Souldyer, and
shortly after he came to his fortune, and before he came to Age, he
went into the Low Countryes with a resolution of procuringe commaunde,
and to give himselfe up to it, from which he was converted by the
compleate inactivity of that Summer; and so he returned into Englande,
and shortly after entred upon that vehement course of study we
mencioned before, till the first Alarum from the North, and then
agayne he made ready for the feild, and though he receaved some
repulse in the commande of a troope of Horse, of which he had a
promise, he went a volunteere with the Earle of Essex.
From the entrance into this unnaturall warr, his naturall
cheerefulnesse and vivacity grew clowded, and a kinde of sadnesse and
dejection of spiritt stole upon him, which he had never bene used to,
yet, beinge one of those who believed that one battell would end all
differences, and that ther would be so greate a victory on one syde,
that the other would be compelled to submitt to any conditions from
the victor (which supposition and conclusion generally sunke into the
mindes of most men, prævented the lookinge after many advantages which
might then have bene layd hold of) he resisted those indispositions,
et in luctu bellum inter remedia erat: but after the Kings returne
from Brayneforde, and the furious resolution of the two houses, not
to admitt any treaty for peace, those indispositions which had before
touched him, grew into a perfecte habitt of uncheerefulnesse, and he
who had bene so exactly unreserved and affable to all men, that his
face and countenance was alwayes present and vacant to his company,
and held any clowdinesse, and lesse pleasantnesse of the visage,
a kinde of rudenesse or incivillity, became on a suddayne lesse
communicable, and thence very sadd, pale, and exceedingly affected
with the spleene. In his clothes and habitt, which he had intended
before alwayes with more neatenesse, and industry, and exspence, then
is usuall to so greate a minde, he was not now only incurious, but
too negligent, and in his reception of suitors and the necessary or
casuall addresses to his place so quicke, and sharpe, and seveare,
that ther wanted not some men (who were strangers to his nature and
disposition) who believed him prowde and imperious, from which no
mortall man was ever more free. The truth is, as he was of a most
incomparable gentlenesse, application, and even a demisnesse and
submissyon to good, and worthy, and intire men, so he was naturally
(which could not but be more evident in his place which objected him
to another conversation, and intermixture, then his owne election had
done) adversus males injucundus, and was so ill a dissembler of his
dislike, and disinclination to ill men, that it was not possible for
such not to discerne it; ther was once in the house of Commons such a
declared acceptation of the good service an eminent member had done to
them, and as they sayd, to the whole kingdome, that it was mooved, he
beinge present, that the Speaker might in the name of the whole house
give him thankes, and then that every member might as a testimony
of his particular acknowledgement stirr or moove his Hatt towards
him, the which (though not ordred) when very many did, the L'd of
Falkelande (who believed the service itselfe not to be of that moment,
and that an Honourable and generous person could not have stooped to
it, for any recompence) insteede of moovinge his Hatt, stretched both
his Armes out, and clasped his hands togither upon the Crowne of his
Hatt, and held it close downe to his heade, that all men might see
how odious that flattery was to him, and the very approbation of the
person, though at that tyme most popular.
When ther was any overture or hope of peace, he would be more erecte,
and vigorous, and exceedingly sollicitous to presse any thinge which
he thought might promote it, and sittinge amongst his frends often
after a deepe silence, and frequent sighes, would with a shrill and
sadd Accent ingeminate the word, Peace, Peace, and would passyonately
professe that the very Agony of the Warr, and the view of the
calamityes, and desolation the kingdome did and must indure, tooke his
sleepe from him, and would shortly breake his hearte; This made some
thinke, or prætende to thinke, that he was so much enamour'd on peace,
that he would have bene gladd the Kinge should have bought it at any
pryce, which was a most unreasonable calumny, as if a man, that was
himselfe the most punctuall and præcise, in every circumstance that
might reflecte upon conscience or Honour, could have wished the Kinge
to have committed a trespasse against ether; and yet this senselesse
skandall made some impression upon him, or at least he used it for an
excuse of the daringnesse of his spiritt; for at the leaguer before
Gloster, when his frends passionately reprehended him for exposinge
his person, unnecessarily to daunger, (as he delighted to visitt the
trenches, and neerest approches, and to discover what the enimy did)
as beinge so much besyde the duty of his place, that it might be
understoode against it, he would say, merrily, that his office could
not take away the priviledges of his Age, and that a Secretary in
warr might be present at the greatest secrett of daunger, but withall
alleadged seriously that it concerned him to be more active in
enterpryzes of hazarde, then other men, that all might see that his
impatiency for peace, proceeded not from pusillanimity, or feare to
adventure his owne person. In the morninge before the battell, as
alwayes upon Action, he was very cheerefull, and putt himselfe into
the first ranke of the L'd Byrons Regiment, who was then advancinge
upon the enimy, who had lyned the Hedges on both sydes with
Musqueteers, from whence he was shott with a Musquett on the lower
parte of the belly, and in the instant fallinge from his horse, his
body was not founde till the next morninge: till when ther was some
hope he might have bene a prysoner, though his neerest frends who knew
his temper, receaved small comforte from that imagination; thus fell,
that incomparable younge man, in the fowre and thirteeth yeere of his
Age, havinge so much dispatched the businesse of life, that the oldest
rarely attayne to that immense knowledge, and the youngest enter not
into the world with more innocence, and whosoever leads such a life,
neede not care upon how shorte warninge it be taken from him.
22.
By CLARENDON.
With S'r Lucius Cary he had a most intire frendshipp without reserve
from his age of twenty yeeres to the howre of his death, neere 20.
yeeres after, upon which ther will be occasion to inlarge, when wee
come to speake of that tyme, and often before, and therfore wee shall
say no more of him in this place, then to shew his condition and
qualifications, which were the first ingredients into that frendshipp,
which was afterwards cultivated and improoved by a constant
conversation and familiarity, and by many accidents which contributed
therunto. He had the advantage of a noble extraction, and of beinge
borne his fathers eldest Sunn, when ther was a greater fortune in
prospecte to be inherited (besydes what he might reasonably exspecte
by his Mother) then came afterwards to his possessyon: His education
was æquall to his birth, at least in the care, if not in the Climate,
for his father beinge Deputy of Irelande, before he was of Age fitt
to be sent abroade, his breedinge was in the Courte and in the
University of Dublin, but under the care, vigilance and derection of
such governours and Tutors, that he learned all those exercizes and
languages better then most men do in more celebrated places, insomuch
as when he came into Englande, which was when he was aboute the age of
18 yeeres, he was not only master of the Latine tounge, and had reade
all the Poetts and other of the best Authors with notable judgement
for that age, but he understoode, and spake, and writt French, as if
he had spente many yeeres in France. He had another advantage, which
was a greate ornament to the rest, that was a good a plentifull
estate, of which he had the early possession: His Mother was the sole
daughter an[d] Heyre of the L'd Chief Barron Tanfeilde, who havinge
given a fayre portion with his daughter in marriage, had kept himselfe
free to dispose of his lande and his other estate, in such manner
as he should thinke fitt: and he setled it in such manner upon his
grandsunn S'r Lucius Cary, without takinge notice of his father or
mother, that upon his Grandmothers death, which fell out aboute the
tyme that he was 19. yeeres of age, all the lande with his very good
houses, very well furnished (worth above 2000_l._ per annum) in a most
pleasant country, and the two most pleasant places in that country,
with a very plentifull personall estate, fell into his hands and
possession, and to his intire disposall.
With these advantages, he had one greate disadvantage, which in the
first entrance into the worlde, is attended with to much præjudice:
in his person and presence which was in no degree attractive, or
promisinge; his stature was low and smaller then most mens, his motion
not gracefull, and his aspecte, so farr from invitinge, that it had
somewhat in it of simplicity, and his voyce the worst of the three,
and so untuned, that insteede of reconcilinge, it offended the eare,
that no body would have exspected musique from that tounge, and sure
no man was lesse behol[den] to nature, for its recommendation into the
world. But then no man sooner or more disappointed this generall and
customary præjudice; that little person and small stature was quickly
founde to contayne a greate hearte, a courage so keene, and a nature
so fearelesse, that no composition of the strongest limbes and most
harmonious and proportioned presence and strenght, ever more disposed
any man to the greatest enterpryze, it beinge his greatest weakenesse
to be to solicitous for such adventures: and that untuned tounge and
voyce easily discover'd itselfe to be supplyed and governed by a minde
and understandinge so excellent, that the witt and waight of all he
sayde, carryed another kinde of lustre and admiration in it, and
even another kinde of acceptation from the persons present, then any
ornament of delivery could reasonably promise itselfe, or is usually
attended with: And his disposition and nature was so gentle and
oblieginge, so much delighted in courtesy, kindnesse, and generosity,
that all mankinde could not but admire and love him. In a shorte tyme
after he had possession of the estate his grandfather had left him,
and before he was of age, he committed a faulte against his father,
in marryinge a younge Lady whome he passionately loved, without any
considerable portion, which exceedingly offended him, and disappointed
all his reasonable hopes and exspectation, of redeeminge and
repayringe his owne broken fortune and desperate hopes in courte, by
some advantagious marriage of his Sunn, aboute which he had then some
probable treaty: S'r Lucius Cary was very conscious to himselfe of his
offence and transgression, and the consequence of it, which though he
could not repent, havinge marryed a lady of a most extraordinary witt
and judgement, and of the most signall virtue and exemplary life, that
the age produced, and who brought him many hopefull children, in which
he tooke greate delight, yett he confessed it with the most sinceare
and dutifull applications to his Father for his pardon, that could be
made, and in order to the præjudice he had brought upon his fortune by
bringinge no portion to him, he offred to repayre it by resigninge his
whole estate to his disposall, and to rely wholy upon his kindnesse
for his owne maintenance and supporte, and to that purpose he had
caused convayances to be drawne by councell, which he brought ready
ingrossed to his father, and was willinge to seale and execute them,
that they might be valid: But his fathers passyon and indignation so
farr transported him (though he was a gentleman of excellent parts)
that he refused any reconciliation and rejected all the offers which
were made of the estate, so that his Sunn remayned still in the
possession of his estate against his will, of which he founde greate
reason afterwards to rejoyce, but he was for the present so much
afflicted with his fathers displeasure, that he transported himselfe
and his wife into Hollande, resolvinge to buy some military commaunde,
and to spende the remainder of his life in that profession, but beinge
disappointed in the treaty he exspected, and findinge no opportunity
to accommodate himselfe with such a commaunde, he returned agayne into
Englande, resolvinge to retyre to a country life, and to his bookes,
that since he was not like to improove himselfe in armes, he might
advance in letters.
In this resolution he was so seveare (as he was alwayes naturally very
intent upon what he was inclined to) that he declared he would not see
London in many yeeres (which was the place he loved of all the world)
and that in his studyes, he would first apply himselfe to the Greeke,
and pursue it without intermission, till he should attayne to the full
understandinge of that tounge, and it is hardly to be credited, what
industry he used, and what successe attended that industry, for though
his fathers death, by an unhappy accident, made his repayre to London
absolutely necessary, in fewer yeeres then he had proposed for his
absence, yett he had first made himselfe master of the Greeke tounge
(in the Latine he was very well versed before) and had reade not only
all the Greeke Historians, but Homer likewise and such of the Poetts,
as were worthy to be perused: Though his fathers death brought no
other convenience to him, but a title to redeeme an estate, morgaged
for as much as it was worth, and for which he was compelled to sell
a fyner seate of his owne, yett it imposed a burthen upon him of the
title of a Viscount, and an increase of exspence, in which he was not
in his nature to provident or restrayn'd, havinge naturally such a
generosity and bounty in him, that he seemed to have his estate in
trust, for all worthy persons who stoode in wante of supplyes and
encouragement, as Ben. Johnson and[1] many others of that tyme, whose
fortunes requyred, and whose spiritts made them superiour to ordinary
obligations; which yett they were contented to receave from him,
because his bountyes were so generously distributed, and so much
without vanity and ostentation, that except from those few persons
from whome he sometimes receaved the characters of fitt objectes for
his benefitts, or whome he intrusted for the more secrett derivinge it
to them, he did all he could that the persons themselves who receaved
them, should not know from what fountayne they flow'd; and when that
could not be concealed, he sustayned any acknowledgement from the
persons oblieged, with so much trouble and bashfulnesse, that they
might well perceave that he was even ashamed of the little he had
given, and to receave so large a recompence for it.
As soone as he had finished all those transactions, which the death
of his father had made necessary to be done, he retyred agayne to
his country life, and to his seveare cource of study, which was very
delightfull to him, as soone as he was ingaged in it, but he was wont
to say, that he never founde reluctancy in any thinge he resolved to
do, but in his quittinge London, and departinge from the conversation
of those he injoyed ther, which was in some degree præserved and
continued by frequent letters, and often visitts, which were made by
his frends from thence, whilst he continued wedded to the country, and
which were so gratefull to him, that duringe ther stay with him, he
looked upon no booke, except ther very conversation made an appeale
to some booke, and truly his whole conversation was one continued
convivium philosophicum or convivium theologicum, inlivened and
refreshed with all the facetiousnesse of witt and good humour, and
pleasantnesse of discource, which made the gravity of the argument
itselfe (whatever it was) very delectable. His house wher he usually
resyded (Tew or Burforde in Oxfordshyre) beinge within tenn or 12
myles of the University, looked like the University itselfe, by the
company that was alwayes founde there. Ther were D'r Sheldon, D'r Morly,
D'r Hammon, D'r Earles, M'r Chillingworth, and indeede all men of eminent
partes and facultyes in Oxforde, besydes those who resorted thither
from London, who all founde ther lodgings ther as ready as in ther
Colledges, nor did the L'd of the house know of ther comminge or
goinge, nor who were in his house, till he came to dinner or supper,
wher all still mett, otherwise ther was no troublesome ceremony or
constrainte to forbidd men to come to the house, or to make them weary
of stayinge ther; so that many came thither to study in a better ayre,
findinge all the bookes they could desyre in his library, and all the
persons togither, whose company they could wish, and not finde in any
other society. Heare M'r Chillingworth wrote and formed and modelled
his excellent booke against the learned Jesuitt, M'r Nott, after
frequent debates, upon the most important particulars, in many of
which he suffred himselfe to be overruled by the judgement of his
frends, though in others he still adhered, to his owne fancy, which
was scepticall enough even in the highest pointes. In this happy and
delightfull conversation and restrainte he remayned in the country
many yeeres, and untill he had made so prodigious a progresse in
learninge, that ther were very few classique authors in the greeke
or Latine tounge, that he had not reade with great exactnesse; He
had reade all the greeke and Latine fathers, all the most allowed
and authentique Ecclesiasticall writers, and all the Councells,
with wounderfull care and observation, for in religion he thought to
carefull and to curious an enquiry could not be made, amongst those
whose purity was not questioned, and whose authority was constantly
and confidently urged, by men who were furthest from beinge of
on minde amongst themselves, and for the mutuall supporte of ther
severall opinions, in which they most contradicted each other; and in
all those contraversyes, he had so dispassioned a consideration, such
a candor in his nature, and so profounde a charity in his conscience,
that in those pointes in which he was in his owne judgement most
cleere, he never thought the worse, or in any degree declined the
familiarity of those who were of another minde, which without
question is an excellent temper for the propagation and advancement
of Christianity: With these greate advantages of industry, he had a
memory retentive of all that he had ever reade, and an understandinge
and judgement to apply it, seasonably and appositely, with the most
dexterity and addresse, and the least pedantry and affectation, that
ever man who knew so much, was possessed with, of what quality soever;
it is not a triviall evidence, of his learninge, his witt, and his
candour, that may be found in that discource of his, against the
Infallabi[li]ty of the Church of Rome, published since his death, and
from a copy under his owne hande, though not præpared and digested
by him for the presse, and to which he would have given some
castigations.
But all his parts, abilityes, and facultyes, by arte an[d] industry,
were not to be valewed or mentioned in comparison of his most
accomplished minde and manners; his gentlenesse and affability was so
transcendant and oblieginge, that it drew reverence and some kinde
of complyance from the roughest, and most unpolish'd and stubborne
constitutions, and made them of another temper in debate in his
presence, then they were in other places. He was in his nature so
seueare a lover of justice, and so præcise a lover of truth, that he
was superiour to all possible temptations for the violation of ether,
indeede so rigid an exacter of perfection in all those things which
seemed but to border upon ether of them, and by the common practice
of men, were not thought to border upon ether, that many who knew him
very well, and loved and admired his virtue (as all who did know
him must love and admire it) did believe that he was of a temper and
composition fitter to lyve in Republica Platonis then in fæce Romuli:
but this rigidnesse was only exercised towards himselfe, towards his
frends infirmityes no man was more indulgent: In his conversation,
which was the most cheerefull and pleasant, that can be imagined,
though he was younge (for all I have yett spoken of him, doth
not exceede his age of 25. or 26. yeeres, what progresse he made
afterwards will be mentioned in its proper season in this discource)
and of greate gayty in his humour, with a flowinge delightfulnesse
of language, he had so chast a tounge and eare, that ther was never
knowne a prophane and loose worde to fall from him, nor in truth in
his company, the integrity and cleanelinesse of the witt of that tyme,
not exercisinge itselfe in that licence, before persons for whome they
had any esteeme.
[Footnote 1: 'as,' MS.]
23.