Зображення сторінки
PDF
ePub

urge at this time his descent by the father's side from one of the noblest families in England. An high extraction to some persons is like the dropsie, the greatnesse of the man is his disease, and renders him unwieldie; but here is a person of great extract free from the swelling of greatnesse, as brisk and active as the lightest horseman that fought under him. In some parts of India, they tell us, that a nobleman accounts himselfe polluted if a plebeian touch him; but here is a person of that rank who used the same familiaritie* and frankness amongst the meanest of his souldiers, the poorest miner, and amongst his equalls; and by stooping so low, he rose the higher in the common account, and was valued accordingly as a prince, and a great one; thus Abner and Cavendish run parallell in their titles and appellations.

"Consider Abner in the manner of his fall, that was by a treacherous hand, and so fell Cavendish. And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab tooke him aside in the gate to speake

[ocr errors]

* S Roh. Harley (son), an ingeniose gent. and expert soldier, has often sayd, that (generally) the comanders of the King's army would never be acquainted with their soldiers, wch was an extraordinary prejudice to the king's cause. A captaines good looke, or good word (some times) does infi nitely winne them, and oblige them; and he would say 'twas an admiration how souldiers will venture their lives for an obligeing officer.

with him quietly, and smote him there under the fifth rib, that he died, for the bloud of Asahel his brother.' Thus fell Abner; and thus Cavendish,— the Colonells horse being mired in a bog at the fight before Gainsborough, 1643. the rebels surround him, and take him prisoner, and after he was so, a base raskall comes behind him, and runs him through; thus fell two great men by treacherous hands.

"Thirdly and lastly, the place of his fall, that was in Israel. Here Abner fell in his, and Cavendish fell in our Israel-the Church of England. "In this Church brave Cavendish fell, and what is more then that, in his Churches quarrel.

"Thus I have compared Colonel Cavendish with Abner, a fighting and a famous man in Israel, you see how he does equal, how he does exceed him."

[ocr errors][merged small]

Memorand. The true name is Sitsilt, an ancient Monmouthshire family, but now come to be about the degree of yeomanry. In the church at Monmouth, I remember in a South windowe an ancient scutcheon of the family, the same that this family beares. 'Tis strange that they should be so vaine to leave off an old British name for

a Roman one, which I beleeve Mr. Verstegan did putt into their heads, telling his Lo? in his booke, that they were derived from the ancient Roman Cecilij. The first La Burleigh (who was secretary of estate) was at first but a country-schoolemaster, and (I thinke Dr. Tho. Fuller sayes, v. "Holy State") borne in Wales. I remember (when I was a schoolboy at Blandford) Mr. Basket, a reverend divine, who was wont to beg us playdayes, would alwayes be uncovered, and sayd, that 'twas the Ld. Burleigh's custome, for said he, "Here is my Lord Chanceller, my Lord Treasurer, my Lord Ch. Justice, &c. predestinated."

He made Cicero's Epistles his glasse, his rule, his oracle, and ordinarie pocket-booke.*

THOMAS CHALONER, ESQ.

Was the son of Dr Chaloner, who was tutor (i. e. informator) to Prince Henry, or Prince Charles. He was a well-bred gentleman, and of very good naturall parts, and of an agreeable humour. He had the accomplishments of studies at home, and travells in France, Italie, and

* Dr. J. Web in preface of his translation of Cicero's Familiar Epistles.

+ V. Bp. Hall's Letters de hoc.

Bred up in Oxon. [In Anthony à Wood's hand-writing, EDIT.]

[merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors]

in Yorkshire (where the allum workes now are) on a common, he tooke notice of the soyle and herbage, and tasted the water, and found it to be like that where he had seen the allum workes in Germanie. Wherupon he gott a patent of the king (Cha. I.) for an allum worke (which was the first that ever was in England), which was worth to him two thousand pounds per annum, or better: but tempore Car. In some courtiers did think the profitt too much for him, and prevailed so with the king, that notwithstanding the patent aforesayd, he graunted a moietie, or more, to another (a courtier), which was the reason that made Mr. Chaloner so interest himselfe for the Parliament cause, and, in revenge, to be one of the king's judges. He was as far from a puritan as the East from the West. He was of the naturall religion, and of Hen. Martyn's gang, and one who loved to enjoy the pleasures of this life. He was (they say) a good scholar, but he wrote nothing that I heare of, onely an anonymous pamphlett 8: An Account of the Discovery of Moyses's Tombe; which was written very wittily. It was about 1652. It did sett the witts of all the Rabbis of the assembly then to worke, and 'twas a pretty while before the shamme was detected, which was by

He had a trick sometimes to goe into Westminster hall in a morn. in terme time, and tell

some strange, false story (sham), and would come thither again about 11 or 12 to have the pleasure to heare how it spred; and sometimes it would be [so] altered, with additions, he could scarce knowe it to be his owne. He was neither proud nor covetous, nor a hypocrite: not apt to doe injustice, but apt to revenge.

After the restauration of King Charles the Second, he kept the castle at the Isle of Man,* where he had a prettie wench that was his concubine. When the newes was brought him that there were some come to the castle to demaund it for his majestie, he spake to his girle to make him a posset, into which he putt, out of a paper he had, some poyson, which did, in a very short time, make him fall a vomiting exceedingly; and after some time vomited nothing but bloud. His retchings were so violent that the standers by were much grieved to behold it. Within three hours he dyed. The demandants of the castle came and sawe him dead; he was swollen so extremely that they could not see any eie he had, and no more of his nose then the tip of it, which

* This is a mistake. E. W. Esq. assures me that twas JAMES CHALONER that dyed in the Isle of Man and that THO. CHALONER dyed or went beyond the sea; but which of them was the eldest brother he knowes not, but he ghesses JAMES to be the elder, because he had 1500lib. per an (circiter), which THOMAS had not.

« НазадПродовжити »