Henry Wotton

“ Mason, whom he laid in a pallet near him, for natural ventilation of his thoughts, he would, in the absence of all other ears and eyes, break out into bitter and passionate eruptions, protesting, That never his dispatches to divers princes, nor the great business of a fleet, of an army, of a siege, of a treaty, of war, of peace, both on foot together, and all of them in his head at a time, did not so much break his repose, as a conceit, that some at home, under his majesty, of whom he had well deserved, were now content to forget him ”

“ It was said, that the prince himself, without any imaginable stain of his religion, had, by the sight of foreign courts, and observations of the different natures of people, and rules of government, much excited and awaked his spirit, and corroborated his judgment. And, as for the marquis, there was notice taken of two great additions which he had gained: First, he was returned with increase of title, having there been made Duke, by patent sent him, which was the highest degree whereof an English subject could be capable. ”

“ These two nobles, after a dangerous passage from Harwich, wherein three of their ships were foundered, arrived the fifth day at the Hague in Holland; here they were to enter a treaty, both with the states themselves, and with the ministers of divers allied and confederate princes, about a common diversion, for the recovery of the Palatinate, where the king's only sister's dowry had been ravished by the German eagle, mixed with Spanish feathers; a princess resplendent in darkness, and whose virtues were borne within the chance, but without the power of fortune. ”

“ The Conde d'Olivers tells the marquis of a certain flying noise, that the prince did plot to be secretly gone. To which the marquis gave a well-tempered answer: That, though love had made his highness steal out of his own country, yet fear would never make him run out of Spain, in other manner than should become a prince of his royal and generous virtues. In Spain they staid near eight intire months; during all which time, who but Buckingham lay at home under millions of maledictions? ”

“ I DETERMINE to write the life, and the end, the nature, and the fortunes of George Villiers, late Duke of Buckingham, which yet I have not undertaken out of any wanton pleasure in mine own pen; nor, truly, without often pondering with myself before-hand what censures I might incur; for I would not be ignorant, by long observation, both; abroad and at home, that every where all greatnessof power and favour is circumvested with much prejudice. ”

“ There was a younger brother, of mean fortunes, born in the county of Suffolk, by name John Felton, by nature of a deep melancholy, silent, and gloomy constitution, but bred in the active way of a soldier, and, thereby, raised to the place of lieutenant to a foot company in the regiment of Sir James Ramsey; this was the man that, closely within himself, had conceived the duke's death. ”

“ There was another imagination, that, between a knight of the same county, whom the duke had lately taken into some good degree of favour, and the said Felton, there had been ancient quarrels not yet well healed, which might, perhaps, lie festering in his breast, and, by a certain inflammation, produce this effect; but it carries small probability that Felton would so deface his own act, as to make the duke no more than an oblique sacrifice, to the fumes of his private revenge upon a third person ”

“ But it should seem the very horror of the fact had stupified all curiosity, and so dispersed the multitude, that it is thought even the murderer himself might have escaped, for who gave the blow none could affirm, if he had not lingered about the house below, not by any confused arrest of conscience, as hath been seen in like examples, but by very pride in his own deed, as if, in effect, there were little difference between being remembered by a virtuous fame, or an illustrious infamy. ”

“ And that it is not easy for writers to research with due distinction, as they ought, in the actions of eminent personages, both how much many have been blemished by the envy of others, and what was corrupted by their own felicity, unless, after the period of their splendor, which must needs dazzle their beholders, and, perhaps, oftentimes themselves, we could, as in some scenes of the fabulous age, excite them again, and confer a while with their naked ghosts. ”

“ But the other was far greater, though closer; for, by so long, and so private, and so various consociation with a prince of such excellent nature, he had now gotten, as it were, two lives in his own fortune and greatness, whereas, otherwise, the state of a favourite is at the best but a tenant at will, and rarely transmitted. But, concerning the Spanish commission, which in publick conceit was the main scope of the journey, that was left in great suspense, and, after some time, utterly laid aside; which threw the Duke amongst free wits (whereof we have a rank soil) under divers censures. ”

“ Now the men fell a rubbing of armour, which a great while had lain oiled; the magazines of ammunition are viewed; the officers of remains called to account, frequent councils of war, as many private conferences with expert seamen, a fleet in preparation for some attempt upon Spain.
The duke himself personally employed to the states-general: And with him joined in full commission the Earl of Holland, a peer both of singular grace and solidity, and of all sweet and serviceable vertue for publick use. ”

“ As his return to the court, he found no change in fates, but smothered murmurings for the loss of so many gallant gentlemen; against which his friends did oppose, in their discourses, the chance of war, together with a gentle expectation for want of supply in time. ”

“ When they passed the river against Gravesend, for lack of silver they were fain to give the ferry-man a piece of two and twenty shillings, which struck the poor fellow into such a melting tenderness, that so good gentlemen should be going, for so he suspected, about some quarrel beyond sea, as he could not forbear to acquaint the officers of the town, with what had befallen him, who sent presently post for their stay at Rochester, through which they were passed before any intelligence could arrive. ”

“ He took to wife, eight years and two months before his death, the Lady Catharine Manners, heir-general to the noble house of Rutland, who, besides a solid addition to his estate, brought him three sons, and a daughter, called the Lady Mary, his first-born. His eldest son died at nurse before his journey to Knee, and his third, the Lord Francis, was born after his father's death; so that neither his first, nor his last, were participant of any sense of his misfortunes, or felicities. His second son, now Duke of Buckingham, was born to chearhim after his return from that unlucky voyage. ”

“ And lastly, having had such experience of his fidelity and observance abroad, where he was chief in trust, and in the participation of all hazards, found himself engaged in honour, and in the sense of his own natural goodness, to support him at home, from any further inquietude, and too dear buy his highest testimony of divers important imputations, whereof the truth is best known to his majesty while he was prince. ”

“ One year, six months, and two days after the joyful recep* tion of the prince his son from Spain, King James, of immortal memory among all the lovers and admirers of divine and human sapience, accomplished at Theobalds his own days upon earth; under whom the duke had run a long course of calm and smooth prosperity; I mean long for the ordinary life of favour, and the more notable, because it had been without any risible eclipse or wane in himself, amidst divers variations in others. ”

“ For these sweet pledges, and no less for the unquestionable virtues of her person and mind, he loved her dearly, and well expressed his love in an act and time of no simulation, towards his end, bequeathing herall his mansion-houses during her natural life, and a power to dispose of his whole personal estate, together with a fourth part of his lands in jointure. He left his elder brother of the same womb a viscount, and his younger an earl. ”

“ And, altho' at first they give only upon choice and love of the person, yet, within a while, themselves likewise begin to love their givings, and to foment their deeds, no less than parents do their children ”

“ To Dover, through bad horses, and those pretty impediments, they came not before six at night; where they found Sir Francis Cottington, then secretary to the prince, now Baron of Hanwart, aad Mr. Endimion Porter, who had been sent before, to provide a vessel for their transportation. The foresaid Knight was enjoined, for the nearness of his place, on the prince's affairs, and for his long residence in the court of Spain, where he had gotten singular credit, even with that cautious nation, by the temper of his carriage. Mr. ”