(Vol. iii., p. 82.)
The following additional particulars of this eminent lawyer and poet may be
deemed interesting. In a letter from Mr. Pary to the Rev. Josiah Mead, of
the 26th November, 1626, it is stated:
"Tomorrow, it is said Sergeant Richardson shall be Lord Chief Justice
of the Common Pleas, and Sir John Davis nominated to the King's Bench,
because he hath written a book in defence of the legality of this new
Loan."
In another letter of the 9th December, 1626, it is stated:
"I heard last night that Sergeant Davis, who it is said looked to be
Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench, in place of Sir Randal Crew,
was found dead in his bed."
And, again, in a letter from the Rev. Josiah Mead to Sir Martin Stuteville,
of the 16th Dec., 1626:
"This of the death of Sir John Davis, for aught I {337} can hear, holds
true. It is added, that he was at supper with my Lord Keeper that
evening before I was told by him that he should be Lord Chief Justice
of the King's Bench; but he lived not to see the morning. My Lord of
Huntingdon rode up, upon this news, for he is his heir."
Ferdinando Lord Hastings, eldest son of Henry, Earl of Huntingdon, married
Lucy, daughter and heiress of Sir John Davis, and in 1613 succeeded his
father as Earl of Huntingdon.
Sir John Davis married Lady Eleanor, only daughter of the Earl of
Castlehaven, and sister of the infamous Earl. She remarried Sir Archibald
Douglas, and died in 1652. She was the lady of the anagram celebrity,
"Reveal, oh, Daniel," and "Never so mad a lady." There is no doubt that she
and her brother were as mad as could well be.
In a letter from Mr. Edward Rossingham to Sir Thomas Puckering, dated 4th
January, 1636, it is stated:
"Sunday before Christmas the Bishop, Dean, and Chapter of Lichfield
sent up a complaint against the Lady Eleanor Davis. It seems the
cathedral church in Lichfield is lately very beautifully set out with
hangings of arras behind the altar, the Communion table handsomely
railed in, and the table itself set out in the best manner, and the
Bishop's seat fairly built. This Lady came one Communion day, in the
morning, with a kettle in one hand and a brush in the other, to
sprinkle some of her holy water (as she called that in the kettle) upon
these hangings and the Bishop's seat, which was only a composition of
tar, pitch, sink-puddle water, &c., and such kind of nasty ingredients,
which she did sprinkle upon the aforesaid things. This being the act of
a mad woman, the Lords, to prevent further mischief, have given out two
warrants, the one to bring the Lady to Bethlehem, the other to the
keeper of Bethlehem to receive her. There are messengers gone into
Staffordshire to bring her up."
It appeared afterwards she was so poor, that it became a question at the
Council who should maintain her. She seems to have been wholly neglected by
her second husband.
Sir John Davis and his lady are buried in the church of St. Martin's in the
Fields, and the following are their epitaphs, from Strype's _Stow_, book
vi. p. 72.:
"D. O. M. S. Johannes Davys, Equestris ordinis quondam Attornati Regis
Generalis amplissima Provincia in regno Hib. functus. Inde in Patriam
revocatus inter Servientes Domini Regis ad Legem primum locum
sustinuit. Ob. 1626."
"Acc[=u]bat dignissimo marito incomparabilis Uxor, &c., 1652."
"_Note._--She was the Lady Eleanora, the only daughter of the Earl of
Castlehaven, Baron Audley."