Sir Francis Vere was of that ancient, and of the most noble extract of
the earls of Oxford; and it may be a question whether the nobility of his
house, or the honour of his achievements, might most commend him, but
that we have an authentic rule:
“Nam genus et proavos et quæ nos non fecimus ipsi,
Vix ea nostra voco.”
For though he was an honourable slip of that ancient tree of nobility,
which was no disadvantage to his virtue, yet he brought more glory to the
name of Vere than he took of blood from the family.
He was, amongst all the Queen’s swordsmen, inferior to none, but superior
to many; of whom it may be said, to speak much of him were the way to
leave out somewhat that might add to his praise, and to forget more than
would make to his honour.
I find not that he came much to the court, for he lived almost
perpetually in the camp; but, when he died, no man had more of the
Queen’s favour, and none less envied, for he seldom troubled it with the
noise and alarms of supplications; his way was another sort of
undermining.
They report that the Queen, as she loved martial men, would court this
gentleman, as soon as he appeared in her presence; and surely he was a
soldier of great worth and command, thirty years in the service of the
States, and twenty years over the English in chief, as the Queen’s
general: and he, that had seen the battle of Newport, might there best
have taken him and his noble brother, {189a} the Lord of Tilbury, to the
life.