Of * SAM oiteo SIR ROBERT NAUNTON. Master of the Court of Wards. JL* ragmenta l\egalia. Probably written about 1630. REPRINTED FROM THE THIRD POSTHUMOUS EDITION OF 1653. Edited by EDWARD ARBER, F.S.A., etc., .LECTURER IN ENGLISH LITERATURE, ETC., UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, LONDON SOUTHGATE, LONDON, N. 15 January, 1870. No. 20. (All rights reserved.) CONTENTS. CONTENTS Notices of Sir ROBERT NAUNTON INTRODUCTION BIBLIOGRAPHY PAGE 2 5 . 7 10 FRAGMENTA REGALIA I. Queen Titles. Creations. Sir GEOFFREY BOLEYNE . . . . ... 14 Lord Mayor of London in 1458, in which year he was knighted. Sir WILLIAM BOLEYNE, K.B., d. 10 Oct. 1505 . . . .14 Sir THOMAS BOLEYNE, 18 June 1525 Viscount ROCHFORD . . 14 8 rw , c!t Earl f WILTSHIRE, in England. ! Dec. iS^-^^yoRMOND in Ireland 8 He had two daughters : ANNE BOLEYNE, created i Sept. 1532 Marchioness O/'PF.MBROKE 14,15 who became by marriage on 25 Jan. 1533, QUEEN CONSORT of England. [The mother of ELIZABETH.] MARY BOLEYNE, who married William Carey, Esq. . . [The mother of Sir HENRY CAREY, Lord HUNSDON.] 14 II. of fyer jetate anti / aoour. Noblemen of an earlier date alluded to are inserted between []. Title. Subsequent Creations as Peers. 1554. HENRY FITZ-ALLAN, i2th JSarZofARUXDBl.. d. 1580. . . 46 Sir FRANCIS BACON, . ii July 1618. Baron VERULAM, of Verulam. a8 Jan. 1621. Viscount ST. ALBANS. d. 1626. 38 TSir NICHOLAS BACON CONTENTS. 3 1563. THOMAS, 5th Baron BURGH or BOROUGH, d. 14 Oct. 1597 . 53 [iS35- CHARLES BLOUNT, sth Baron MOUNTJOY, of Thurveston. d. 14 Oct. 1544] .... ... 56 1544. JAMES BLOUNT, 6th Baron MOUNTJOY, of Thurveston. d. 1593 56 1593. WM. BLOUNT, 7th Baron MOUNTJOY, of Thurveston. d. 1594 . 57 M 1594. CHARLES BLOUNT, 21 July 1603. Earl of DEVONSHIRE Sth and last Baron MOUNT- d. 3 April 1606 19, 52, 57, 58, 61 JOY, of Thurveston Sir HENRY CAREY 13 Jan. 1559. Baron HUNDSON. d. 1596 17, 46, 47 T Sir WILLIAM CECIL 25 Feb. 1571. Baron of BURGHLEY. d. 1598 3. 31 Sir THOMAS CECIL 1598. Baron of BURGHLEY 4 May 1605. Earl of EXETER, d. 1622 . 59 T Sir ROBERT CECIL 13 May 1603. Baron CECIL of Essendon. 20 Aug. 1604. Viscount CRANDOURNE. 4 May 1605. Earl of SALISBURY, d. 1612. 59-62 1576. ROBERT DEVEREUX, 2nd Earl of ESSEX . . 51-55,56 [EDMONDE DUDLEY, Esqre. d. 17 Aug. 1510]. ... 26, 27 WALTER DEVEREUX. 2nd Viscount HEREFORD 4 May 1572 Earl of ESSEX, d. 1576. . . 29 [JOHN DUDLEY. 12 Mar. 1542. Viscount L'lSLH 17 Feb. 1547. Earl of WARWICK. 1551. Duke of NORTHUMBERLAND, d. 1553.] 27 Sir AMBROSE DUDLEY 25 Dec. 1561. Baron L'IsLE. 26 Dec. 1561. Earl of WARWICK, d. 1589. 28 Sir ROBERT DUDLEY. 28 Sept. 1563. Baron DENBIGH 28 Sept. 1565. Earl of LEICESTER, d. 1588. 17, 26-29, 30 Sir FRANCIS ENGLEFIELD . . . . . .25 1562. ARTHUR GREY, isth Baron GREY, of Wilton, d. 1593 . . 48 7"Sir FULKE GREVILLE 29 Jan. 1621. Baron BROOKE of Beau- champs Court, d. 1628. 5> S 2 T Sir CHRISTOPHER HATTON . . . . . -44 Sir WILLIAM HERBERT 10 Oct 1511. Baron HERBERT of Cardiff ii Oct. 1551. arl O/PRMBROKE. d. 1569. 13-14 AT 1561. Sir OWEN HOPTON . . . . 4 3 .3/1573. Lord CHARLES HOWARD, 22 Oct. 1596. Earl of NOTTINGHAM. 2nd Baron HOWARD of Effing- d. 1624 . . . .45 ham 1597. Sir THOMAS HOWARD. 21 July 1603. Earl <7/"SuFFOLK. DE WALDEN . d. 1624 . . . 4^ 7 Sir WILLIAM KNOI.LYS 13 May 1603. Baron KNOLLYS of Greys 7 Nov. 1616. Viscount WALLINGFORD. 18 Aug. 1626. EarlofBwRUKV. d. 1632. . . . . .39 CONTENTS. M Sir HENRY NORREYS 8 May 1572. Baron Norreys of Rycote. d. 1600 . . . . .39 M Sir FRANCIS NORREYS 1600. zd Baron Norreys Rycote 28 Jan. 1620. Viscount THAME. 20 Jan. 1620. Earl of BERKSHIRE, d. 1623. General Sir JOHN NORRIS . . . . . -39 Sir JOHN PACKINGTON . . . . . . 46 T Sir WILLIAM PAULET 9 Mar. 1539. Baron SAINT JOHN 19 Jan. 1550. Earl of WILTSHIRE. 12 Oct. 1551. Marquis c. So that finding his favour de- clining, and falling into a receffe, he undertook a new peregrination, to leave that Terra infirma of the Court, for that of the Warres, and by declining himfelf, and by abfence, to expell his, and the paffion of his enemies, which in Court was a flrange device of re- covery, but that he knew there was fome ill office done him, that he durfl not attempt to mind any other wayes, than by going afide ; thereby to teach envy a new way of forgetfulneffe, and not fo much as to think of him ; howfoever, he had it alwayes in mind, never to forget himfelf; and his device took fo well, that at his return he came in (as Rammes doe, by going backward) with the greater flrength, and fo 50 Queen Elizabeth's continued to her laft, great in her grace, and Captain of the Guard, where I mufl leave him ; but with this obfervation, That though he gained much at the Court, yet he took it not out of the Exchequer, or meerly out of the Queens purfe, but by his wit, and the help of the Prerogative ; for the Queen was never profufe in the delivering out of her treafure, but payed many, and moft of her fervants part in money, and the reft with grace, which as the cafe flood, was taken for good payment, leaving the Arrear of recompence due to their merit, to her great Succeffor, who payed them all with advantage. Greml. [IR Foulk Grevil, fmce Lord Brook, had no mean place in her favour, neither did he hold it for any fhort term ; for if I be not deceived, he had the longeft leafe, and the fmootheft time without rub, of any of her Favourites. He came to the Court in his youth and prime, for that is the time, or never : He was a brave Gentleman, and honourably defcended, from William Lord Brook, and Admiral to Henry the feventh. Neither illiterate ; for he was, as he would often profeffe, a friend to Sir Philip Sidney, and there are of his now extant, fome fragments of his Poem, and of thofe times, which doe intereft him in the Mufes ; and which fhewes, the Queens election had ever a noble conduct, and its motions more of vertue and judgement, than of fancy. I find, that he neither fought for, or obtained any great place or preferment in Court during all the time of his attendance, neither did he need it ; for he came thither, backt with a plentifull Fortune, which as him- felf was wont to fay, was the better held together by a fingle life, wherein he lived and dyed a conftant Courtier of the Ladies. I Favourites. 51 EJjfex. Lord of Effex (as Sir Henry Wotton a Gentleman of great parts, and partly of his time and retinue, obferves) had his introduction by my Lord of Leicefter, who had married his Mother, a tie of affinity, which, befides a more urgent obligation, might have invited his care to advance him, his Fortune being then (and through his Fathers infelicity) grown low. But that the fon of a Lord Ferrers of Chartley, Vif- count Hartford, and Earle of Effex, who was of the ancient Nobility, and formerly in the Queens good grace, could not have room in her favour, without the affiflance of Leicejler, was beyond the rule of her nature, which as I have elfewhere taken into obferva- tion, was ever inclinable to favour the Nobility : Sure it is, That he no fooner appeared in Court, but he took with the Queen and Courtiers ; and I believe, they all could not choofe but look through the Sacrifice of the Father, on his living Sonne, whofe image, by the remembrance of former paffages, was afrefh (like the bleeding of men murdered) reprefented to the Court, and offered up as a fubject of compaflion to all the Kingdome. There was in this young Lord, together with a moft goodly Perfon, a kind of urbanity or in- nate courtefie, which both won the Queen, and too much took upon the people, to gaze upon the new adopted fon of her favour. And as I goe along, it were not amiffe to take into obfervation two notable quotations. The firfl was, a violent indulgencie of the Queen (which is incident to old age, where it encounters with a pleafing and fuit- able object) towards this Lord ; all which argued a non-perpetuity: The fecond was, a fault in the Object of her grace, my Lord himfelf, who drew in too faft, like a childe fucking on an over-uberous Nurfe ; and had there been a more decent decorum obferved in both, or either of thofe, without doubt the unity of their affections had been more permanent, and not fo 52 Queen Elizabeth's in and out as they were, like an Inflrument ill tuned, and lapfmg to difcord. The greater errour of the two (though unwillingly) I am conflrained to impofe on my Lord of Effex, or rather on his youth; and none of the leafl of his blame on thofe that flood Sentinels about him, who might have advifed him better, but that like men intoxicated with hopes, they likewife had fuckt in with the mofl, and of their Lords receipt, and fo like Cafars would have all or none ; A rule quite contrary to nature, and the mofl indulgent Parents, who though they may ex- preffe more affection to one in the abundance of be- quefls, yet cannot forget fome Legacies, juft diftribu- tives, and dividents to others of their begetting : And how hatefull partiality proves, every dayes experience tells us, out of which common confederation might have framed to their hands a maxime of more difcre- tion for the conduct and management of their now graced Lord and Matter. But to omit that of infufion, and to doe right to truth : My Lord of Effex (even of thofe that truly loved and honoured him) was noted for too bold an ingroffer both of fame and favour ; And of this (without offence to the living, or treading on the facred urne of the dead) I fhall prefent a truth, and a paffage yet in memory. My Lord Mountjoy, (who was another child of her favour) being newly come to Court, and then but Sir Charles Blunt, (for my Lord William his elder brother was then living) had the good fortune one day to run very well a Tilt ; and the Queen therewith was fo well pleafed, that me fent him in token of her favour, a Queen at Chejfe of gold richly enameled, which his fervants had the next day faftned on his Arme with a Crymfon ribband; which my Lord of Effex, as he paffed through the Privy Chamber efpying, with his cloak caft under his Arme, the better to commend it to the view, enquired what it was, and for what caufe there fixed ? Sir Foulk Grevil told him, that it was the Queens favour, which the day before, and after the Tilting (he had fent him ; whereat my Lord Favourites. 53 in a kind of emulation, and as though he would have limited her favour, faid, Now I perceive every fool muft have a favour. This bitter and publike affront came to Sir Charles Blunts eare, who fent him a challenge, which was ac- cepted by my Lord, and they met near Mary-bone- park, where my Lord was hurt in the thigh and dif- armed : the Queen miffing the men, was very curious to learn the truth ; and when at laft it was whifpered out, me fwore by Gods death, it was fit that fome one or other mould take him down, and teach him better manners, otherwife there would be no rule with him. And here I note the inition of my Lords friendfhip with Mount joy ) which the Queen her felf did then conjure. Now for fame, we need not goe farre ; for my Lord of Effex having borne a grudge to Generall Norris, who had (unwittingly) offered to undertake the action ot Britain with fewer men, than my Lord had before de- manded : on his return with victory, and a glorious report of his valour, he was then thought the onely man for the Irijli Warre ; wherein my Lord of Effex fo wrought, by defpifmg the number, and quality of Rebels, that Norris was fent over with a fcanted force, joyned with the reliques of the veterane Troops of Britain, of fet purpofe (as it fell out) to ruine Norris ; and the Lord Burrowes, by my Lords procurement, fent at his heels, and to command in chief; and to confine Norris onely to his Government at Munfler, which brake the great heart of the Generall, to fee himfelf undervalued and undermined by my Lord and Burrowes, which was as the Proverb fpeakes it, Im- berbes docere fenes. My Lord Burrowes, in the beginning of his profe- cution dyed ; whereupon the Queen was fully bent to have fent over Mountjoy, which my Lord of Effex utterly difliked, and oppofed with many reafons, and by arguments of contempt againfl Mountjoy, his then profeffed friend and familiar ; fo predominant were his words, to reap the honour of clofmg up that Warre, and all other. 54 Queen Elizabeth's Now the way being opened and plained by his own workmanfhip, and fo handled that none durfl appear to Hand for the place, at lafl with much adoe he ob- tained his own ends, and withall his fatall deflruclion, leaving the Queen and the Court (where he flood firm and impregnable in her grace) to men that long had fought and watcht their times to give him the trip, and could never find any opportunity but this of his ab- fence, and of his own creation. And thefe are the true obfervations of his appetite and inclinations, which were not of any true proportion, but carried and tranfported with an over-defire and thirftineffe after fame, and that deceitfull fame of popularity. And to help on his Cataftrophe, I obferve likewife two forts of people that had a hand in his fall ; the firft was the Souldiery, which all flockt unto him, as foretelling a mortality ; and are commonly of blunt and too rough counfels, and many times diffonant from the time of the Court and the State. The other fort were of his family, his fervants, and his own creatures, fuch as were bound by the rules of fafety, and obligations of fidelity, to have looked better to the fleering of that Boat, wherein they themfelves were carried, and not have fuffered it to float and run on ground, with thofe empty Sailes of Fame and Rumour of popular applaufe. Me thinks one honefl man or other, that had but the office of brufhing his clothes, might have whifpered in his ear, My Lord, look to it, this multitude that fol- lows you, will either devour you, or undoe you ; ftrive not to rule, and over-rule all, for it will cofl hot water, and it will procure envy ; and if needs your Genius muft have it fo, let the Court, and the Queens prefence be your flation. But as I have faid, they had fuckt too much of their Lords milk, and inftead of with- drawing, they blew the coales of his ambition, and infufed into him too much of the fpirit of glory ; yea, and mixed the goodneffe of his nature with a touch of revenge, which is ever accompanied with a deftiny of the fame fate. And of this number there were fome infufferable Natures about him, that towards his lafl Favourites. 55 gave defperate advice, fuch as his integrity abhorred, and his fidelity forbade ; Amongft whom, Sir Henry Wotton notes (without injury) his Secretary Ciiffe a vile man, and of a perverfe nature : I could alfo name others, that when he was in the right courfe of re- covery, and fetling to moderation, would not fuffer a receffe in him, but ftirred up the dregs of thofe rude humours, which by time, and his affliction, out of his own judgement he fought to repofe ; or to give them all a vomit. And thus I conclude this Noble Lord, as a mixture between profperity and adverfity ; once the Childe of his great Miflreffe favour, but the fon of Bellona. Buckhnrft. JY Lord of Buckhurft was of the Noble Houfe of the Sackvils, and of the Queens confanguinity; his Father was Sir Richard Sackvil, or as the people then called him, Fill-fack, by reafon of his great wealth, and the vaft patrimony which he left to this his Son ; whereof he fpent in his youth the beft part, untill the Queen by her frequent admonitions diverted the tor- rent of his profufion. He was a very fine Gentleman of perfon and endowments both of art and nature ; but without meafure magnificent, till on the turn of his humour, and the allay that his yeares and good counfels had wrought upon thofe immoderate courfes of his youth, and that height of fpirit inherent to his Houfe. And then did the Queen, as a moft judicious and indulgent Prince, when me faw the man grow flayed and fetled, give him her affiftance, and advanced him to the Treafurerfhip, where he made amends to his Houfe for his mif-fpent time, both in the increafe- ment of Eftate and Honour, which the Queen conferred on him, together with the opportunity to remake himfelf, and thereby to mew that this was a Childe, that mould have a fhare in her grace, and a tafte of her bounty. They much commend his Elocution, but more the excellency of his Pen, for he was a Schollar, and a 56 Queen Elizabeth's perfon of a quick difpatch, (Faculties that yet run in the bloud) And they fay of him, that his Secretaries did little for him by the way of Inditement, wherein they could feldome pleafe him, he was fo facete and choice in his phrafe and ftile : And for his Difpatches, and the content he gave to Suiters, he had a decorum feldome fmce put in practife ; for he had of his At- tendants that took into Roll the names of all Suiters, with the Date of their firft Addrelfes ; and thefe in their Order had hearing ; fo that a frefh man could not leap over his head, that was of a more ancient edition, except in the urgent affaires of State. I find not, that he was any wayes infnared in the factions of the Court, which were all his times flrong, and in every mans note ; The Howards and the Cecils on the one part, My Lord of Effex, etc. on the other part. For he held the ftaffe of the Treafury faft in his hand, which once in the year made them all beholding to him, And the truth is, (as he was a wife man, and a flout) he had no reafon to be a partaker ; for he flood fure in bloud, and in grace, and was wholly in- tentive to the Queens fervice ; and fuch were his abilities, that me received affiduous proofes of his fuffi- ciency ; and it hath been thought, that me might have had more cunning inftruments, but none of a more flrong judgement and confidence in his wayes, which are fymptomes of magnanimity and fidelity ; where- unto me thinkes this Motto hath fome kind of refer- ence, Aut nunquam tentes, aut perfice. As though he would have charactered in a word the Genius of his Houfe, or exprefl fomewhat of an higher inclination, than lay within his compafle. That he was a Courtier, is apparent, for he flood alwayes in her eye and favour. Lord Mountjoy. |Y Lord Mountjoy was of the ancient No- bility, but utterly deceived in the fapport thereof, Patrimony; through his Grand- fathers excefs in the action of Bullen, his Fathers vanity in the fearch of the Favourites. 5 7 Philosophers ftone, and his Brothers untimely prodi- galities ; all which feemed by a joynt confpiracy to mine the Houfe, and altogether to annihilate it. As he came from Oxford, he took the Inner-Temple in his way to Court ; whither he no fooner came, but (without asking) he had a pretty ilrange kind of ad- miffion, which I have heard from a difcreet man of his own, and much more of the fecrets of thofe times. He was then much about twenty yeares of age, of a Brown hair, a fweet face, a moft neat Compofure, and tall in his perfon. The Queen was then at White- Hall, and at dinner, whither he came to fee the fa- fhion of the Court : the Queen had foon found him out, and with a kind of an afFec"led frown, asked the Lady Carver what he was ? me anfwered, She knew him not ; Infomuch as enquiry was made from one to another, who he might be ; till at length it was told the Queen, he was Brother to the Lord William Mountjoy. This inquifition, with the eye of Majefty fixed upon him, (as me was wont to doe, and to daunt men me knew not) ftirred the bloud of this young Gentleman, infomuch as his colour came and went ; which the Queen obferving, called him unto her, and gave him her hand to kiffe, encouraging him with gracious words, and new lookes ; and fo diverting her fpeech to the Lords and Ladies, me faid, That fhe no fooner obferved him, but that me knew there was in him fome Noble bloud, with fome other expreffions of pity towards his houfe : And then again demanding his name, me faid, Fail you not to come to the Court, and I will bethink my felf how to doe you good. And this was his inlet, and the beginnings of his grace. Where it falls into confideration, That though he wanted not wit and courage, (for he had very fine At- tractions, and being a good piece of a Schollar) yet were they accompanied with the retradlivenefle of bafhfulneffe, and a naturall modefly, which (as the tone of his houfe, and the ebbe of his fortune then flood) might have hindred his progreflion, had they not been re-inforced by the infufion of Soveraign favour, and the Queens gracious invitation. And that 58 Queen Elizabeth's it may appear how low he was, and how much that heretique Neceflity will work in the dejection of good fpirits, I can deliver it with affurance, that his exhibi- tion was very fcant untill his Brother dyed, which was fhortly after his admiflion to the Court, and then was it no more than 1000 Marks per anmtm, wherewith he lived plentifully in a fine way and garb, and without any great fuftenation, during all her times. And as there was in his nature a kind of backwardnefle, which did not befriend him, nor fuit with the motion of the Court, fo there was in him an inclination to Armes, and a humour of travelling : which had not fome wife men about him laboured to. remove, and the Queen her felf laid in her commands, he would (out of his naturall propenfion) have marred his own market : For as he was grown by reading (whereunto he was much addicted) to the Theory of a Souldier, fo was he (Irongly invited by his Genius to the acquaintance of the practique of the Warre ; which were the caufes of his excurfions; for he had a company in the Low- Countries, from whence he came over with a Noble acceptance of the Queen ; but fomewhat reftlefle in honourable thoughts, he expofed himfelf again and again, and would prefle the Queen with the pretences of vifiting his Company fo often, that at length he had a flat deniall; and yet he dole over with Sir lohn Norris into the action of Britain, (which was then a hot and active Warre) whom he would alwayes call his Father, honouring him above all men, and ever bewailing his end : fo contrary he was in his efteem and valuation of this great Commander, to that of his friend, my Lord of Effex. Till at laft, the Queen be- gan to take his deceffions for contempts, and confined his refidence to the Court, and her own prefence : And upon my Lord Effex fall, (fo confident me was in her own Princely judgement, and opinion me had con- ceived of his worth and conduct) that me would have this noble Gentleman, and none other, to finifh and bring the Irifh Warre to a propitious end : For it was propheticall fpeech of her own, That it would be his fortune, and his honour, to cut the Favourites. 59 tl.red of that fatall Rebellion, and to bring her in peace to the grave. Where (he was not deceived; for he atchieved it, but with much paines and carefulneffe, and not without the feares and many jealoufies of the Court and times, wherewith the Queens age, and the malignity of her fetting times were replete. And fo I come to his dear Friend in Court, Mafter Secretary Cecil, whom in his long abfence from Court he adored as his Saint, and courted for his onely Mcecenas, both before and after his departure from Court, and during all the time of his Command in Ireland, well knowing that it lay in his power, and by a word of his mouth, to make or marre him. Cecil IR Robert Cecil, fmce Earle of Salisbury, was the fon of the Lord Burleigh, and the inheritor of his wifedome, and by degrees, Succeffor of his places and favours, though not of his Lands; for he had Thomas Cecil his elder brother, fmce created Earle of Exeter. He was firft Secretary of State, then Mafter of the Wards, and in the laft of her raign came to be Lord Treafurer ; all which were the fteps of his Fathers greatneffe, and of the honour he left to his Houfe. For his perfon, he was not much beholding to nature, though fomewhat for his face, which was the beft part of his outfide : but for his infide, it may be faid, and without folo3cifme, that he was his Fathers own fon, and a pregnant proficient in all difcipline of State : He was a Courtier from his Cradle, (which might have made him betimes) yet at the age of twenty and up- wards, he was much fhort of his after-proof; but ex- pofed, and by change of climate, he foon made mew what he was, and would be : He lived in thofe times wherein the Queen had moft need, and ufe of men of weight ; and amongfl able ones, this was a chief, as having his fufficiency from his inftruclions that begat him, the Tutorfhip of the times, and Court, which were 60 Queen Elizabeth's then the Academies of Art and Cunning; for fuch was the Queens condition from the tenth or twelfth of her Raign, that me had the happineffe to ftand up (where- of there is a former intimation) though invironed with more enemies, and aflaulted with more dangerous practifes, than any Prince of her times, and of many ages before. Neither muft we in this her prefervation attribute too much to humane policies : for that God in his omnipotent providence had not onely ordained thofe fecundary meanes, as inftruments of the work, but by an evident manifeftation, that the fame work which fhe acted, was a well-pleafing fervice of his own, out of a peculiar care had decreed the protection of the work-Miftreffe, and thereunto added his abundant bleffing upon all, and whatfoever fhe undertook; which is an obfervation of fatisfaction to my felf, that fhe was in the right ; though to others now breathing under the fame form, and frame of her Government, it may not feem an animadverfion of any worth : but I leave them to the perill of their own folly. And fo again to this great Mafter of State, and the StafFe of the Queens declining age ; who though his little crooked perfon could not promife any great fup- portation, yet it carried thereon a head, and a head- piece of a vaft content, and therein it feemes nature was fo diligent to compleat one, and the beft part about him, as that to the perfection of his memory, and intellectuals, fhe took care alfo of his fences, and to put him into Linceos Oculos, or to pleafure him the more, borrowed of Argus, fo to give unto him a pro- fpective fight ; and for the reft of his fenfitive vertues, his predeceffor Walfingham had left him a receit, to fmell out what was done in the Conclave ; and his good old Father was fo well feen in the Mathematicks, as that he could tell you through all Spain, every part, every Ship, with the burthens, whither bound with preparation, what impediments for diverfion of enter- prifes, counfels, and refolutions. And that we may fee (as in a little Map) how docible this little man was : I will prefent a tafte of his abilities. Favourites. 61 My Lord of DevonJJiire, (upon the certainty the Spaniard would invade Ireland with a flrong Army) had written very earneflly to the Queen and the Coun- cell, for fuch fupplies to be fent over, that might en- able him to march up to the Spaniard, if he did land, and follow on his profecution againft the Rebels. Sir Robert Cecil, (befides the generall difpatch of the Councell, as he often did) wrote this in private ; for thefe two began then to love dearly. My Lord, Out of the abundunce of my affeftion, and the care I have of your -well-doing; I mufl in private put you out of doubt, (for of fear I know you cannot be otherwife fenfible, than in the way of Honour) that the Spaniard will not come unto you this year ; for I have it from my own, what preparations are in all his parts, and what he can doe : for be confident, he beareth up a reputation by feeming to embrace more than he can gripe; but the next year, be afsured, he will cajl over unto you fome forlorn hopes, which how they may be re-inforced beyond his prefent ability, and his firjliritention, I cannot as yet make any certain judgement, but I believe out of my intelligence, that you may expect their landing in Munfter, and the more to diftraEl you, in feverall places, as at Kings-Saile, Beer-haven, Baltimore, where you may be fure (coming from Sea) they will firft for tifie and learn the Jlrength of the Rebels, before they dare take the field; howfoever (as I know you will not] leffen not your care, neither your defences ; and whatfoever lies within my power to doe you and the publike fervice, reft thereof affured. And to this I would adde much more, but it may (as it is) fuffice to prefent much as to his abilities in the Pen, that he was his Crafts-mailer in forraign in- telligence : And for domeftique affaires, as he was one of thofe that fate at the Stern to the laft of the Queen, fo he was none of the leaft in skill, and in the true ufe of the Compafle. And fo I mail onely vindicate the fcandall of his death, and conclude him : For he departed at S. Mar- 62 Queen Elizabeth's garets neer Maryborough, in his return from the Bath ; as my Lord Vifcount Cranborne, my Lord Clifford his Son, and Son-in-law, my felf, and many more can witnefle. But that the day before he fwounded in the way, was taken out of the Litter, and laid into his Coach, was a truth, out of which that falfhood, con- cerning the manner of his death, had its derivation, though nothing to the purpofe, or to the prejudice of his worth. Vere. 1'IR Francis Vere was of the ancient and of the mofl Noble extract of the Earles of Oxford : And it may be a queflion, whe- ther the Nobility of his Houfe, or the Honour of his Atchievements might mofl commend him ; but that we have an authentique Rule to decide the doubt : Nam genus et proauos, et qua non fecimus ipjl, Vix ea nq/lra voco. For though he were an Honorable Slip of that ancient Tree of Nobility, (which was no difadvantage to his vertue) yet he brought more glory to the Name of Vere than he took of Bloud from the Family. He was amongfl the Queens Sword-men inferior to none, but fuperior to many : Of whom it may be faid, To fpeak much of him, were the way to leave out fome- thing that might adde to his praife, and to forget more that could adde to his Honour. I find not that he came much to the Court, for he lived almofl perpetually in the Camp : but when he did, no man had more of the Queens favour, and none lefle envied ; for he feldome troubled it with the jeal- oufie and allarums of fupplantations ; his way was another fort of undermining. They report, that the Queen (as me loved Martiall men) would Court this Gentleman as foon as he appeared in her prefence. And furely he was a Souldier of great worth, and com- manded thirty yeares in the fervice of the States, and Favourites. 63 twenty yeares over the Englifh in chief, as the Queens Generall : and he that had feen the Battail of Newport, might there beft have taken him, and his Noble Brother my Lord of Tilbury, to the life. IVorcefter. [Y Lord of Worcefter I have here put laft, but not leaft in the Queens favour. He was of the ancient and noble Bloud of the Bewfords, and of her Grandfathers line by the Mother; which the Queen could never forget, efpecially where there was a con- currencie of old bloud with fidelity, a mixture which ever forted with the Queens nature. And though there might appear fomething in this Houfe which might avert her grace, (though not to fpeak of my Lord himfelf, but with due reverence and honour) I mean contrariety or fufpition in Religion; yet the Queen ever refpecled this Houfe, and principally this Noble Lord, whom me firft made Matter of the Horfe, and then admitted of her Councell of State. In his youth (part whereof he fpent before he came to refide at Court) he was a very fine Gentleman, and the bed Horfeman and Tilter of the times, which were then the manlike and noble recreations of the Court, and fuch as took up the applaufe of men, as well as the praife and commendation of Ladies. And when yeares had abated thefe Exercifes of Honour, he grew then to be a faithfull and profound Counceller. And as I have placed him laft, fo was he the laft liver of all the Servants of her favour, and had the honour to fee his renowned Miftreffe, and all of them laid in the places of their reft : And for himfelf, after a life of a very noble and remarkable reputation, he dyed rich, and in a peaceable old age. A fate (that I make the laft, and none of the flighteft obfervations) which be- fell not many of the reft ; for they expired like unto lights blown out, with the fnuffe {linking, not commend- ably extinguifhed, and with offence to the ftanders by. 64 Queen Elizabeth's Favourites. And thus I have delivered up this my poor Eflay; A little Draught of this great Princefs, and her Times, with the Servants of her State and favour. I cannot fay, I have finifhed it ; for I know how defective and imperfect it is, as limbed onely in the originall nature, not without the active blemifhes ; and fo left it as a task fitter for remote times, and the fallies of fome bolder Penfil to correct that which is amifle, and draw the reft up to life. As for me to have endeavoured it, I took it to confideration, how eafily I might have dafht in too much of the drain of pollution, and thereby have defaced that little which is done : For I profefle, I have taken care fo to matter my Pen, that I might not (ex animo, or of fet purpofe) difcolour truth, or any of the parts thereof, otherwife than in concealment. Happily there are fome which will not approve of this modefty, but will cenfure me for pufill- animity, and with great cunning Artifts attempt to dra.w their Line further out at large, and upon this of mine; which may with fomewhat more eafe be effected, for that the frame is ready made to their hands ; and then happily I could draw one in the midfl of theirs. But that modefly in me forbids the defacements of Men departed, whofe Poflerity yet remaining, enjoyes the merit of their vertues, and doe ftill live in their Honour. And I had rather incurre the cenfure of abruption, than to be confcious, and taken in the manner of eruption, and of trampling upon the graves of Perfons at reft ; which living, we durft not look in the face, nor make our addreffes to them, otherwife than with due regard to their Honours, and renown to their Vertues. FINIS. Muir &* Paterson, Printers, Edinburgh. 38687 UC SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY A 000675518 5