_Born 1594. Mortally wounded at Chalgrove Field_ 1643
By CLARENDON.
Many men observed (as upon signall turnes of greate affayres, as this
was, such observations are frequently made) that the Feild in which
the late skirmish was, and upon which Mr. Hambden receaved his
deaths-wounde, (Chalgrove Feilde) was the same place, in which he had
first executed the Ordinance of the Militia, and engaged that County,
in which his reputation was very greate, in this rebellion, and it was
confessed by the prysoners that were taken that day, and acknowledged
by all, that upon the Alarum that morninge, after ther quarters were
beaten up, he was exceedingly sollicitous to draw forces togither
to pursue the enimy, and beinge himselfe a Collonell of foote putt
himselfe amongst those horse as a volunteere who were first ready, and
that when the Prince made a stande, all the officers were of opinion
to stay till ther body came up, and he alone (beinge secounde to none
but the Generall himselfe in the observance and application of all
men) perswaded and prævayled with them to advance, so violently
did his fate carry him to pay the mulcte in the place, wher he had
committed the transgressyon, aboute a yeere before.
He was a gentleman of a good family in Buckinghamshyre, and borne to
a fayre fortune, and of a most civill and affable deportment. In his
entrance into the world, he indulged to himselfe all the licence in
sportes and exercises, and company, which was used by men of the
most jolly conversation; afterwards he retired to a more reserved
and melancholique society, yet prseservinge his owne naturall
cheerefulnesse and vivacity, and above all a flowinge courtesy to all
men; Though they who conversed neerely with him founde him growinge
into a dislike of the Ecclesiasticall goverment of the church, yet
most believed it rather a dislike of some Churchmen, and of some
introducements of thers which he apprehended might disquyett the
publique peace: He was rather of reputation in his owne Country, then
of publique discource or fame in the Kingdome, before the businesse
of Shippmony, but then he grew the argument of all tounges, every man
enquyringe who and what he was, that durst at his owne charge supporte
the liberty and property of the kingdome, and reskue his Country
from beinge made a prey to the Courte; his carriage throughout that
agitation was with that rare temper and modesty, that they who watched
him narrowly to finde some advantage against his person to make
him lesse resolute in his cause, were compelled to give him a just
testimony: and the judgement that was given against him infinitely
more advanced him, then the service for which it was given. When this
Parliament begann (beinge returned Knight of the Shyre for the County
wher he lived) the eyes of all men were fixed on him as their Patriæ
Pater, and the Pilott that must steere ther vessell through the
tempests and Rockes which threatned it: And I am perswaded his power
and interest at that tyme was greater, to doe good or hurte, then any
mans in the kingdome, or then any man of his ranke hath had in any
tyme: for his reputation of honesty was universall, and his affections
seemed so publiquely guyded, that no corrupte or pryvate ends could
byasse them.
He was of that rare affability and temper in debate, and of that
seeminge humillity and submissyon of judgement, as if he brought no
opinyons with him, but a desyre of information and instruction, yet he
had so subtle a way of interrogatinge, and under the notion of doubts,
insinuatinge his objections, that he left his opinions with those,
from whome he pretended to learne and receave them; and even with
them, who were able to præserve themselves from his infusions, and
decerned those opinions to be fixed in him, with which they could
not comply, he alwayes left the character of an ingenious and
conscientious person. He was indeede a very wise man, and of greate
partes, and possessed with the most absolute spiritt of popularity,
that is the most absolute facultyes to governe the people, of any man
I ever knew. For the first yeere of the parliament he seemed rather
to moderate and soften the violent and distempred humours, then
to inflame them, but wise and dispassioned men playnely decerned,
that that moderation proceeded from prudence, and observation that
the season was not rype, [rather] then that he approoved of the
moderation, and that he begatt many opinions and motions the education
wherof he committed to other men, so farr disguisinge his owne
designes that he seemed seldome to wish more then was concluded,
and in many grosse conclutions which would heareafter contribute
to designes not yet sett on foote, when he founde them sufficiently
backed by majority of voyces, he would withdraw himselfe before
the questyon, that he might seeme not to consent to so much visible
unreasonablenesse, which produced as greate a doubte in some, as it
did approbation in others of his integrity: What combination soever
had bene originaly with the Scotts for the invasion of England, and
what farther was enter'd into afterwards, in favour of them, and to
advance any alteration in Parliament, no man doubles was at least with
the privity of this gent[l]eman.
After he was amongst those members accused by the Kinge of High
treason, he was much altred, his nature and carriage seeminge much
feircer then it did before; and without question when he first drew
his sworde, he threw away the scabberd, for he passionately opposed
the overture made by the Kinge for a treaty from Nottingham, and as
eminently any expedients that might have produced an accommodation in
this that was at Oxforde, and was principally relyed on to prævent any
infusions which might be made into the Earle of Essex towards peace,
or to render them ineffectuall if they were made; and was indeede much
more relyed on by that party, then the Generall himselfe. In the first
entrance into the troubles he undertooke the commande of a Regiment
of foote, and performed the duty of a Collonell on all occasyons most
punctually: He was very temperate in dyett, and a supreme governour
over all his passyons and affections, and had therby a greate power
over other mens: He was of an industry and vigilance not to be tyred
out, or wearyed by the most laborious, and of partes not to be imposed
upon by the most subtle or sharpe, and of a personall courage æqual to
his best partes, so that he was an enimy not to be wished wherever he
might have bene made a frende, and as much to be apprehended wher he
was so, as any man could deserve to be, and therfore his death was
no lesse congratulated on the one party then it was condoled on the
other. In a worde, what was sayd of Cinna, might well be applyed
to him, Erat illi consilium ad facinus aptum, consilio autem neque
lingua neque manus deerat, he had a heade to contryve, and a tounge
to perswade, and a hande to exequte any mischieve; his death therfore
seemed to be a greate deliverance to the nation.
34.