justly reckoned one of the most finished gentlemen, as well as the
most distinguished patriot, general, and statesman of his age. He was
son of Sir Charles Cavendish, youngest son of Sir William Cavendish,
and younger brother of the first earl of Devonshire, by Katherine
daughter of Cuthbert lord Ogle[1].
He was born in the year 1592, and discovered in his infancy a
promptness of genius, and a love of literature. His father took care
to have him instructed by the best masters in every science. He no
sooner appeared at the court of King James I. than the reputation of
his abilities drew the attention of that monarch upon him, who made
him a knight of the Bath 1610, at the creation of Henry Prince of
Wales[2].
In 1617 his father died, who left him a great estate; and having
interest at court, he was by letters patent, dated Nov. 3, 1620,
raised to the dignity of a peer of the realm, by the stile and title
of baron Ogle, and viscount Mansfield; and having no less credit with
King Charles I. than he had with his father, in the third year of the
reign of that prince, he was advanced to the higher title of earl of
Newcastle upon Tyne, and at the same time he was created baron
Cavendish of Balsovor. Our author's attendance upon court, tho' it
procured him honour, yet introduced him very early into difficulties;
and it appears by Strafford's letters, that he did not stand well with
the favourite duke of Buckingham, who was jealous of his growing
interest, and was too penetrating not to discover, that the quickness
of his lordship's parts would soon suggest some methods of rising,
independent of the favourite, and perhaps shaking his influence. "But
these difficulties, says Clarendon, (for he was deeply plunged in
debt) tho' they put him on the thoughts of retirement, never in the
least prevented him from demonstrating his loyalty when the King's
cause demanded it."
Notwithstanding the earl's interest was not high with the ministers,
yet he found means so to gain and to preserve the affection of his
Majesty, that in the year 1638, when it was thought necessary to take
the Prince of Wales out of the hands of a woman, his Majesty appointed
the earl his governor, and by entrusting to his tuition the heir
apparent of his kingdoms, demonstrated the highest confidence in his
abilities and honour[3].
In the spring of the year 1639, the troubles of Scotland breaking out,
induced the King to assemble an army in the North, soon after which he
went to put himself at the head of it, and in his way was splendidly
entertained by the earl at his seat at Welbeck, as he had been some
years before when he went into Scotland to be crowned, which in
itself, tho' a trivial circumstance, yet such was the magnificence of
this noble peer, that both these entertainments found a place in
general histories, and are computed by the duchess of Newcastle, who
wrote the life of her lord, to have amounted to upwards of ten
thousand pounds. He invited all the neighbouring gentry to pay their
compliments to his Majesty, and partake of the feast, and Ben Johnson
was employed in fitting such scenes and speeches as he could best
devise; and Clarendon after mentioning the sumptuousness of those
entertainments, observes, that they had a tendency to corrupt the
people, and inspire a wantonness, which never fails to prove
detrimental to morals.
As such an expedition as the King's against the Scots required immense
sums, and the King's treasury being very empty, his lordship
contributed ten thousand pounds, and raised a troop of horse,
consisting of about 200 knights and gentlemen, who served at their own
charge, and was honoured with the title of the Prince's troop[4].
Tho' these instances of loyalty advanced him in the esteem of the
King, yet they rather heightened than diminished the resentment of the
ministers, of which the earl of Holland having given a stronger
instance, than his lordship's patience could bear, he took notice of
it in such a way, as contributed equally to sink his rival's
reputation, and raise his own; and as there is something curious in
the particular manner in which the earl of Holland's character
suffered in this quarrel, we shall upon the authority of the duchess
of Newcastle present it to the reader.
The troop which the earl of Newcastle raised was stiled the Prince's,
but his lordship commanded it as captain. When the army drew near
Berwick, he sent Sir William Carnaby to the earl of Holland, then
general of the horse, to know where his troop should march; his answer
was, next after the troops of the general officers. The earl of
Newcastle sent again to represent, that having the honour to march
with the Prince's colours, he thought it not fit to march under any of
the officers of the field; upon which the general of the horse
repeated his orders, and the earl of Newcastle ordered the Prince's
colours to be taken off the staff, and marched without any. When the
service was over, his lordship sent Mr. Francis Palmer, with a
challenge to the earl of Holland, who consented to a place, and hour
of meeting; but when the earl of Newcastle came thither, he found not
his antagonist, but his second. The business had been disclosed to the
King, by whose authority (says Clarendon) the matter was composed; but
before that time, the earl of Holland was never suspected to want
courage; and indeed he was rather a cunning, penetrating, than a brave
honest man, and was remarkably selfish in his temper.
The earl of Newcastle however found himself hard pressed by the
ministerial faction, and being unwilling to give his Majesty any
trouble about himself, he was generous enough to resign his place as
governor to the Prince, and the marquis of Hertford was appointed in
his room.
His lordship having no more business at court, and being unwilling to
expose himself further to the machinations of his enemies, thought
proper to retire to the country, where he remained quiet till he
received his Majesty's orders to revisit Hull: Tho' this order came at
twelve o'clock at night, yet such was his unshaken loyalty and
affection, that he went directly, and tho' forty miles distant, he
entered the place with only three or four servants early the next
morning. He offered to his Majesty, says Clarendon, to have secured
for him that important fortress, and all the magazines that were in
it; but instead of receiving such a command, he had instructions sent
him to obey the orders of the Parliament, who suspecting his
principles not to be favourable to the schemes of opposition then
engaged in, called him to attend the service of the house; and some
disaffected members formed a design to have attacked him, but his
character being unexceptionable, their scheme proved abortive, and he
had leave to retire again into the country. This he willingly did, as
he saw the affairs of state hastening to confusion and his country
ready to be steeped in blood, and sacrificed to the fury of party. But
when the opposition rose high, and it would have been cowardice to
have remained unactive, he embraced the royal cause, accepted a
commission for raising men, to take care of the town of Newcastle, and
the four adjoining counties, in which he was so expeditious and
successful, that his Majesty constituted him general of all the forces
raised North of Trent; and likewise general and commander in chief of
such as might be raised in the counties of Lincoln, Nottingham,
Chester, Leicester, Rutland, Cambridge, Huntingdon, Norfolk, Suffolk,
and Essex, with power to confer the honour of knighthood, coin money,
print, and set forth such declarations as should seem to him
expedient: of all which extensive powers, tho freely conferred, and
without reserve, his lordship made a very sparing use; but with
respect to the more material point of raising men, his lordship
prosecuted it with such diligence, that in three months he had an army
of eight thousand horse, foot, and dragoons, with which he marched
directly into Yorkshire; and his forces having defeated the enemy at
Pierce Bridge, his lordship advanced to York, where Sir Thomas
Glenham, the governor, presented him with the keys, and the earl of
Cumberland and many of the nobility resorted thither to compliment,
and assist his lordship[5].
In the course of this civil war, we find the earl of Newcastle very
successful in his master's service; he more than once defeated Sir
Thomas Fairfax the general of the Parliament, and won several
important forts and battles; for which his Majesty in gratitude for
his services, by letters patent, dated the 27th of Oct. 1643, advanced
him to the dignity of marquiss of Newcastle; and in the preamble of
his patent, all his services (says Dugdale) are mentioned with
suitable encomiums.
In the year 1644, after Prince Rupert had been successful in raising
the siege of York, and flushed with the prosperity of his arms,
against the consent of the marquis, he risked the battle of Marston
Moor, in which the marquis's infantry were cut to pieces. Seeing the
King's affairs in these counties totally undone, he made the best of
his way to Scarborough, and from thence with a few of the principal
officers of his army took shipping for Hamburgh, and left his estates,
which were valued at upwards of twenty thousand pounds per ann. to be
plundered by the Parliament's forces. After staying six months at
Hamburgh, he went by sea to Amsterdam, and from thence made a journey
to Paris, where he continued for some time, and where, notwithstanding
the vast estate he had when the civil war broke out, his circumstances
were now so bad, that himself and his young wife, were reduced to pawn
their cloaths for sustenance[6]. He removed afterwards to Antwerp,
that he might be nearer his own country; and there, tho' under very
great difficulties, he resided for several years, while the Parliament
in the mean time levied vast sums upon his estate, insomuch that the
computation of what he lost by the disorders of those times, tho' none
of the particulars can be disproved, amount to an incredible sum; but
notwithstanding all these severities of fortune, he never lost his
spirit, and was often heard to say, that if he was not much mistaken,
the clouds of adversity which then hung over his country, would be
dispersed at last by the King's restoration; that rebellion would
entangle itself in its own toils, and after an interval of havock and
confusion, order would return once more by the restoration of an
exiled Prince. Notwithstanding the hardships of an eighteen years
banishment, in which he experienced variety of wretchedness, he
retained his vigour to the last. He was honoured by persons of the
highest distinction abroad, and Don John of Austria and several
princes of Germany visited him[7]. But what comforted him most, was
the company frequently of his young King, who in the midst of his
sufferings bestowed upon him the most noble Order of the Garter. The
gloomy period at last came to an end, and the marquis returned to his
country with his sovereign; and by letters patent dated the 16th of
March 1664, he was advanced to the dignity of earl of Ogle, and duke
of Newcastle. He spent the evening of his days in a country
retirement, and indulged himself in those studies, with which he was
most affected.
This noble person from his earliest youth was celebrated for his love
of the muses, and was the great patron of the poets, in the reign of
King Charles I. This propension has drawn on him, tho' very unjustly,
the censure of some grave men. Lord Clarendon mentions it, with
decency; but Sir Philip Warwick, in his history of the rebellion,
loses all patience, and thinks it sufficient to ruin this great
general's character, that he appointed Sir William Davenant, a poet,
his lieutenant general of the ordnance, insinuating that it was
impossible a man could have a turn for poetry, and a capacity for any
thing else at the same time; in which observation, Sir Philip has
given a convincing proof of his ignorance of poetry, and want of
taste. The example of the glorious Sidney is sufficient to confute
this historian; and did not Mr. Chillingworth combat with great
success, though in other branches of literature, against the Papal
church, by the dint of reason and argument, and at the same time
served as engineer in the royal army with great ability[8]? The truth
is, this worthy nobleman having himself a taste for the liberal arts,
was always pleased to have men of genius about him, and had the
pleasure to rescue necessitous merit from obscurity. Ben Johnson was
one of his favourites, and he addressed to him some of his verses,
which may be seen in his works.
In the busy scenes of life it does not appear that this nobleman
suffered his thoughts to stray so far from his employment, as to turn
author; but in his exile, resuming his old taste of breaking and
managing horses, (than which there cannot be a more manly exercise) he
thought fit to publish his sentiments upon a subject of which he was
perfectly master. The title is, The New Method for managing Horses,
with cuts, Antwerp 1658. This book was first written in English, and
afterwards translated into French, by his lordship's directions.
This great man died in the possession of the highest honours and
fairest reputation the 25th of December 1676, in the 84th year of his
age. His grace was twice married, but had issue only by his first
lady. His titles descended to his son, Henry earl of Ogle, who was the
last heir male of his family, and died 1691, with whom the title of
Newcastle in the line of Cavendish became extinct.
In his exile he wrote two comedies, viz.
The Country Captain, a Comedy, printed at Antwerp 1649, afterwards
presented by his Majesty's servants at Black-Fryars, and very much
commended by Mr. Leigh.
Variety, a Comedy, presented by his Majesty's Servants at
Black-Fryars, and first printed in 1649, and generally bound with the
Country Captain; it was also highly commended in a copy of verses by
Mr. Alexander Brome.
He likewise has written
The Humourous Lovers, a Comedy, acted by his royal highness's
servants, Lond. 1677, 4to. This was received with great applause, and
esteemed one of the best plays of that time.
The Triumphant Widow; or, the Medley of Humours, a Comedy, acted by
his royal highness's servants, Lond. 1677, 4to. which pleased Mr.
Shadwell so well, that he transcribed a part of it into his Bury Fair,
one of the most taking plays of that poet.
Shadwell says of his grace, that he was the greatest master of wit,
the most exact observer of mankind, and the most accurate judge of
humour, that ever he knew.
Footnotes:
1. Dugdale's Baron. vol. 2.
2. Dugdale vol. 2. p. 421.
3. Dugdale, ubi supra.
4. Rushworth's collection, vol. 1. p. 929.
5. Clarendon, p. 283.
6. Life of the D. of Newcastle, p. 56.
7. Ashmole's order of the garter.
8. See his life by Mr. des Maizeaux.
* * * * *
Sir JOHN BIRKENHEAD.
Winstanley, in his short account of this gentleman, says, that they
who are ignorant of his works, must plead ignorance of all wit and
learning; but the truth is, though he made some figure in his time,
yet it was not so considerable as to transmit his name with any lustre
to posterity, and Winstanley has been too peremptory, in secluding
those from wit, who should be ignorant of the fame of Birkenhead. This
observation, however, excited us to a search after some particulars
concerning him; for Winstanley himself has given very few, and closes
his life in his usual way, with only informing the readers that he
lived in such a reign. The best account we could find of him, is in
the Athenæ Oxon. of Wood. Our author was son of Randal Birkenhead of
Northwich in Cheshire, Sadler, and was born there; he became a
servitor of Oriel College, under the tuition of Humphrey Lloyd,
afterwards lord bishop of Bangor. He continued in the college till he
was made bachelor of arts, and then becoming Amanuensis to Dr. Laud,
afterwards archbishop of Canterbury, who, taking a liking to him for
his ingenuity, did, by his diploma make him master of arts, An. 1639,
and by his letters commendatory thereupon, he was elected probationer
fellow of All-Souls College, in the year following. After the
rebellion broke out, and the King set up his court at Oxford, our
author was appointed to write the Mercurii Aulici, which being very
pleasing to the loyal party, his Majesty recommended him to the
electors, that they would chuse him moral philosophy reader; which
being accordingly done, he continued in that office, with little
profit from it, till 1648, at which time he was not only turned out
thence, but from his fellowship, by the Presbyterian visitors.
Afterwards, in this destitute situation, Wood observes, that he
retired to London, and made shift to live upon his wits; having some
reputation in poetry, he was often applied to by young people in love,
to write epistles for them, and songs, and sonnets on their
mistresses: he was also employed in translating and writing other
little things, so as to procure a tolerable livelihood.
Having, in this manner, supported the gloomy period of confusion, he
was, at his Majesty's restoration, by virtue of his letters, sent to
the university, created doctor of the civil law, and in 1661 he was
elected a Burgess for Wilton, to serve in that Parliament which began
at Westminster the 8th of May, the same year. In 1662, November 14, he
received the honour of knighthood, and January 1663 he was constituted
one of the masters of requests, in the room of Sir Richard Fanshaw,
when he went ambassador into Spain, he being then also master of the
faculties, and a member of the Royal Society. An anonymous writer
tells us, that Sir John Berkenhead was a poor alehouse-keeper's son,
and that he rose by lying, or buffooning at court, to be one of the
masters of requests, and faculty office, and also got by gifts at
court 3000 l. This is a poor reflexion upon him, and indeed rather
raises, than detracts from his reputation, for a man certainly must
have merit, who can rise without the advantage of fortune or birth,
whereas these often procure a fool preferment, and make him eminent,
who might otherwise have lived and died in obscurity. It is said of
Birkenhead, that when an unmannerly Member of Parliament, in opposing
him, took occasion to say, that he was surprized to hear an
alehouse-keeper's son talk so confidently in the House, he coolly
replied, I am an alehouse-keeper's son, I own it, and am not ashamed
of it, but had the gentleman, who upbraided me with my birth, been
thus descended, in all probability he would have been of the same
profession himself; a reply at once, sensible and witty. Mr. Wood,
however, seems to be of opinion, that he was too much given to
bantering, and that if he had thrown less of the buffoon or mimic into
his conversation, his wit would have been very agreeable. He is
charged by Wood with a higher failing, which ought indeed rather to be
construed one of the blackest crimes, that is, ingratitude to those
who assisted him in distress, whom, says he, he afterwards slighted.
This is a heavy charge, and, if true, not a little diminishes his
reputation, but methinks some apology may even be made for his
slighting those who assisted him in distress; we find they were such
persons as could never challenge esteem, young men in love, for whom
he wrote sonnets, and for whom he might have no friendship; it often
happens, that men of parts are so unhappy as to be obliged to such
people, with whom, were their situation otherwise, it would be beneath
them to associate; and it is no wonder when prosperity returns, that
they, in some measure, forget obligations they owed to those of a rank
so much inferior: and something must be allowed to that pride, which a
superior understanding naturally inspires.
Our author's works are
Mercurius Aulicus. Communicating the Intelligence, and the Affairs of
the Court at Oxford to the rest of the Kingdom, the first of these was
published on the 1st of January, 1642, and were carried on till about
the end of 1645, after which time they were published but now and
then. They were printed weekly in one sheet, and sometimes in more, in
4to, and contain, says Wood, a great deal of wit and buffoonery.
News from Pembroke and Montgomery, or Oxford Manchestered, &c. printed
in 1648 in one sheet 4to. It is a feigned speech, as spoken by Philip,
earl of Pembroke, in the Convocation House at Oxford, April 12, 1648,
when he came to visit, and undo the University, as Edward, Earl of
Manchester had done that of Cambridge, while he was Chancellor
thereof. It is exceeding waggish, and much imitating his Lordship's
way of speaking.
Paul's Church-yard; Libri Theologici, Politici, Historici, mundinis
Paulinis (una cum Templo) prostant venales, &c. printed in three
several sheets in 4to. Anno 1649. These Pamphlets contain feigned
Titles of Books, and Acts of Parliaments, and several Questions, all
reflecting on the Reformers, and Men in those times.
The Four Legg'd Quaker, a Ballad, to the Tune of the Dog and Elders
Maid, London 1659, in three columns in one side of a sheet of paper.
A New Ballad of a famous German Prince, without date.
The Assembly Man, written 1647, London 1663, in three sheets in 4to.
The copy of it was taken from the author by those that said they could
not rob, because all was theirs; at length after it had slept several
years, the author published it to avoid false copies; it is also
printed in a Book entitled Wit and Loyalty Revived, in a Collection of
some smart Satires in Verse and Prose, on the late times, London 1682,
said to be written by Cowley, our Author, and the famous Butler; he
hath also scattered Copies of Verses and Translations extant, to which
are vocal Compositions, set by Henry Lawes, such as Anacreon's Ode,
called The Lute.
An Anniversary on the Nuptial of John, Earl of Bridgwater. He has also
wrote a Poem on his staying in London, after the Act of Banishment for
Cavaliers, and another called the Jolt, made upon Cromwel's being
thrown off the Coach-box of his own Coach, which he would drive
through Hyde Park, drawn by six German Horses, sent him as a present
by the Count of Oldenburgh, while his Secretary John Thurloe sat in
the Coach, July 1654. Our author died within the Precincts of
Whitehall, in the year 1679, and was buried in the Church-yard of St.
Martin's in the Fields, leaving behind him a collection of Pamphlets,
which came into the hands of his executors, Sir Richard Mason, and Sir
Muddeford Bramston.
* * * * *
ROGER BOYLE, Earl of ORRERY,