The Matric. Reg. does not bear out the statement as to his age: he
appears there as matriculating Nov. 20, 1580, aged 18. He _may_ have
previously been chorister. He was elected Student of Ch. Ch. in 1579;
took B.D. in 1592; and was Aubrey's schoolmaster at Blandford St.
Mary's, Dorsetshire, where he was rector from 1592 till his death.
=Sir Philip Sydney= (1554-1586).
[1035]Sir[1036] Philip Sydney, natus 29 November, 1554, 19ʰ 50´ P.M.,
Cantiae, polo 51° 52´; ex MSS. Eliae Ashmole[1037], armigeri.
[1038]Sir Philip Sydney[BX], knight, was the most accomplished cavalier
of his time. He was the eldest son of the right honourable Sir Henry
Sydney, knight of the noble order of the Garter, Lord President of
Wales, and Lord Deputie of Ireland, 1570. I suppose he was borne at
Penshurst in Kent (neer Tunbridge); vide.
He had the best tutors provided for him by his father that could then
be had, as ... Vide my Grammar[BY] notes.
He travelled France, Italie, Germany; he was in the Poland warres,
and at that time he had to his page[LXXXVIII.] (and as an excellent
accomplishment) Henry Danvers (afterwards earle of Danby), then second
son of Sir John Danvers of Dantesey in Wilts, who accounted himselfe
happy that his son was so bestowed. He makes mention, in his Art of
Poesie, of his being in Hungarie (I remember).
[LXXXVIII.] This my cosen Elizabeth Danvers, now viscountesse Purbec,
his niece, has told.
He was not only of an excellent witt, but extremely beautifull; he
much resembled his sister, but his haire was not red, but a little
inclining, viz. a darke amber colour. If I were to find a fault in it,
methinkes 'tis not masculine enough; yett he was a person of great
courage. He was much at Wilton with his sister, and at Ivy-church[1039]
(which adjoyns to the parke pale of Clarindon Parke), situated on a
hill that overlookes all the country westwards, and north over Sarum
and the plaines, and into that delicious parke (which was accounted
the best of England) eastwards. It was heretofore a monastery (the
cloysters remayne still); 'twas called coenobium Edrosium. My great
uncle, Mr. Thomas Browne, remembred him; and sayd that he was often
wont, as he was hunting on our pleasant plaines, to take his table
booke out of his pocket, and write downe his notions as they came into
his head, when he was writing his Arcadia, (which was never finished by
him).
He was the reviver of poetry in those darke times, which was then at a
very low ebbe,--e.g. 'The Pleasant Comoedie of Jacob and Esau,' acted
before King Henry VIII's grace (where, I remember, is this expression,
that _the pottage was so good, that God Almighty might have putt his
finger in't_); 'Grammar Gurton's Needle'; and in these playes there is
not 3 lines but there is 'by God,' or 'by God's wounds.'
He was of a very munificent spirit, and liberall to all lovers of
learning, and to those that pretended to any acquaintance with
Parnassus; in so much that he was cloyd and surfeited with the
poetasters of those dayes. Among others[1040] Mr. Edmund Spencer[1041]
made his addresse to him, and brought his _Faery Queen_. Sir Philip was
busy at his study, and his servant delivered[1042] Mr. Spencer's booke
to his master, who layd it by, thinking it might be such kind of stuffe
as he was frequently troubled with. Mr. Spencer stayd so long that his
patience was wearied, and went his way discontented, and never intended
to come again. When Sir Philip perused it, he was so exceedingly
delighted with it, that he was extremely sorry he was gonne, and
where to send for him he knew not. After much enquiry he learned his
lodgeing, and sent for him, mightily caressed <him>, and ordered his
servant to give him ... pounds in gold. His servant sayd that that was
too much; 'No,' said Sir Philip, 'he is ...,' and ordered an addition.
From this time there was a great friendship between them, to his dying
day.
I have heard Dr. Pell say, that he haz been told by ancient gentlemen
of those dayes of Sir Philip, so famous for men at armes, that 'twas
then held as great a disgrace for a young gentleman[1043] to be seen
riding in the street in a coach, as it would now for such a one to be
seen in the streetes in a petticoate and wastcoate; so much is the
fashion of the times nowe altered.
He maried the daughter of Sir Francis Walsingham, Principall Secretary
of Estate (I thinke his only child--quaere), whom he loved very well....
Having recieved some shott or wound in the warres in the
Lowe-countreys, where he had command of ... (the Ramikins, I
thinke), he <acted> contrary to the injunction of his physitians and
chirurgions, which cost him his life: upon which occasion there were
some roguish verses made.
His body was putt in a leaden coffin (which, after the firing of
Paule's, I myselfe sawe), and with wonderfull greate state was carried
from ... to St. Paule's church, where he was buried in our Ladie's
Chapell: vide Sir William Dugdale's _Paul's_, and epitaph. There
solempnized this funerall all the nobility and great officers of Court;
all the Judges and Serjeants at Lawe; all the soldiers, and commanders,
and gentry that were in London; the Lord Mayer, and Aldermen, and
Livery-men. His body was borne on men's shoulders (perhaps 'twas a
false coffin).
When I was a boy 9 yeares old, I was with my father at one Mr.
Singleton's, an alderman and wollen-draper in Glocester, who had in
his parlour, over the chimney, the whole description of the funerall,
engraved and printed on papers pasted[1044] together, which, at length,
was, I beleeve, the length of the room at least; but he had contrived
it to be turned upon two pinnes, that turning one of them made the
figures march all in order. It did make such a strong impression on my
young[1045] phantasy, that I remember it as if it were but yesterday.
I could never see it elswhere. The house is in the great long street,
over against[1046] the high steeple; and 'tis likely it remaines there
still. 'Tis pitty it is not re-donne.
In St. Mary's church at Warwick is a sumptuose monument of the lord
Brooke, round a great altar of black marble is only this inscription:--
'Here lies the body of Sir Fulke Grevill, knight, servant to Q.
Elizabeth, counsellor to K. James, and friend to Sir Philip Sydney.'