_(For the Mirror.)_
An event in the life of this nobleman gave Otway the plot for his
celebrated tragedy of "The Orphan," though he laid the scene of his play
in Bohemia. It is recorded in the "English Adventures," a very scarce
pamphlet, published in 1667, only two or three copies of which are
extant. The father of Charles Brandon retired, on the death of his lady,
to the borders of Hampshire. His family consisted of two sons, and a
young lady, the daughter of a friend, lately deceased, whom he adopted
as his own child.
This lady being singularly beautiful, as well as amiable in her manners,
attracted the affections of both the brothers. The elder, however, was
the favourite, and he privately married her; which the younger not
knowing, and overhearing an appointment of the lovers to meet the next
night in her bed-chamber, he contrived to get his brother otherwise
employed, and made the signal of admission himself, (thinking it a mere
intrigue.) Unfortunately he succeeded.
On discovery, the lady lost her reason, and soon after died. The two
brothers fought, and the elder fell. The father broke his heart a few
months afterwards. The younger brother, Charles Brandon, the
unintentional author of all this family misery, quitted England in
despair, with a fixed determination of never returning.
Being abroad for several years, his nearest relations supposed him dead,
and began to take the necessary steps for obtaining his estates; when,
roused by this intelligence, he returned privately to England, and for a
time took obscure lodgings in the vicinity of his family mansion.
While he was in this retreat, the young king, (Henry VIII.), who had
just buried his father, was one day hunting on the borders of Hampshire,
when he heard the cries of a female in distress in an adjoining wood.
His gallantry immediately summoned him to the place, though he then
happened to be detached from all his courtiers, where he saw two
ruffians attempting to violate the honour of a young lady. The king
instantly drew on them; and a scuffle ensued, which roused the _reverie_
of Charles Brandon, who was taking his morning walk in an adjoining
thicket. He immediately ranged himself on the side of the king, whom he
then did not know; and by his dexterity, soon disarmed one of the
ruffians, while the other fled.
The king, charmed with this act of gallantry, so congenial to his own
mind, inquired the name and family of the stranger; and not only
repossessed him of his patrimonial estates, but took him under his
immediate protection.
It was this same Charles Brandon who afterwards privately married
Henry's sister, Margaret, queen-dowager of France; which marriage the
king not only forgave, but created him Duke of Suffolk, and continued
his favour towards him to the last hour of the duke's life.
He died before Henry; and the latter showed, in his attachment to this
nobleman, that notwithstanding his fits of capriciousness and cruelty,
he was capable of a cordial and steady friendship. He was sitting in
council when the news of Suffolk's death reached him; and he publicly
took that occasion, both to express his own sorrow, and to celebrate the
merits of the deceased. He declared, that during the whole course of
their acquaintance, his brother-in-law had not made a single attempt to
injure an adversary, and had never whispered a word to the disadvantage
of any one; "and are there _any of you_, my lords, who can say as much?"
When the king subjoined these words, (says the historian,) he looked
round in all their faces, and saw that confusion which the consciousness
of secret guilt naturally threw upon them.
Otway took his plot from the fact related in this pamphlet; but to
avoid, perhaps, interfering in a circumstance which might affect many
noble families at that time living, he laid the scene of his tragedy in
Bohemia.
There is a large painting of the above incident now at Woburn, the seat
of his Grace the Duke of Bedford; and the old duchess-dowager, in
showing this picture a few years before her death to a nobleman, related
the particulars of the story.