_Born 1610. Fell at Chagford 1643._
By CLARENDON.
Sydney Godolphin, was a younger brother of Godolphin, but by the
provision left by his father, and by the death of a younger brother,
liberally supplyed for a very good education, and for a cheerefull
subsistance in any cource of life he proposed to himselfe; Ther was
never so great a minde and spirit contayned in so little roome, so
large an understandinge and so unrestrayned a fancy in so very small a
body, so that the L'd Falkelande used to say merrily, that he thought
it was a greate ingredient into his frendshipp for M'r Godolphin, that
he was pleased to be founde in his company, wher he was the properer
man: and it may be the very remarkablenesse of his little person
made the sharpnesse of his witt and the composed quicknesse of his
judgement and understandinge, the more notable.[1] He had spent some
yeeres in France, and the low countryes, and accompanyed the Earle of
Leicester, in his Ambassage into Denmarke, before he resolved to be
quyett, and attende some promotion in the Courte, wher his excellent
disposition and manners, and extraordinary qualifications, made him
very aceptable: Though every body loved his company very well, yett
he loved very much to be alone, beinge in his constitution inclined
somewhat to melancholique, and to retyrement amongst his bookes, and
was so farr from beinge active, that he was contented to be reproched
by his frendes with lazynesse, and was of so nice and tender a
composition, that a little rayne or winde would disorder him, and
deverte him from any shorte journy he had most willingly proposed to
himselfe: insomuch as when he ridd abroade with those in whose company
he most delighted, if the winde chanced to be in his face, he would
(after a little pleasant murmuringe) suddaynely turne his horse, and
goe home: yett the civill warr no sooner begann, (the first approches
towards which he discovered as soone as any man, by the proceedings in
Parliament, wher he was a member, and opposed with greate indignation)
then he putt himselfe into the first troopes which were raysed in the
West, for the Kinge, and bore the uneasinesse and fatigue of winter
marches, with an exemplar courage and alacrity, untill by to brave a
pursuite of the enimy, into an obscure village in Devonshyre, he was
shutt with a musquett, with which (without sayinge any worde more,
the[n] oh god I am hurte) he fell deade from his horse, to the
excessive griefe of his frends, who were all that knew him, and the
irreparable damage of the publique.
[Footnote 1: 'notorious and' struck out in MS. before 'notable'.]
24.