Quis primus Rhetor Smithus Quis maximus Hermes Linguarum Smithus Geometres Smithus idem Summus Arithmeticus Smithus Legumque peritus Ante alios Smithus Physicus celeberrimus Ohe Smithus multiscius Morumque Vitaeque Magister Optimus Et Smithus Remaining in the University he became Chancellor to Goodric Bishop of Ely Who being himself a Learned Man and a favourer of the Gospel chose such Officers about him Such another was Dr. Cox who was his Chaplain the same that was the first Instructor to Prince Edward and after Dean of Christ's Church in Oxford and Chancellor of that University and at last Bishop of Ely under Queen Elizabeth Whilst Smith lived in the College he spent not his Time in Sloth and Ease nor indulged himself to a lazy unprofitable Life but made himself useful and serviceable to the University in many respects One was in breeding up Young Men in Literature and â—â—od Manners being his Pupils Many of whom were of the best Rank and Quality He was Tutor to Edward Earl of Oxford a Nobleman who afterwards proved of excellent Abilities and Learning but too much addicted to Prodigality Sir William Cecil Master of the Wards and liveries took this Young Nobleman being a Ward under his peculiar Care And in the Family with him was also another Earl namely of Rutland being also a Ward And when in the Year 1563. Dr. Smith then a Knight was the Queen's Ambassador in France the said Cecil wrote him how the former Earl whom he stiled His Scholar had learned to understand French very well and that he was desirous to have an honest Qualified French-man to attend upon him and the other Earl for the Exercise and Speech of the Tongue He directed Smith that he should be one honest in Religion civil in Manners learned in some Science and not unpersonable And if he were worthy L. or LX. Crowns by Year he would be ruled by him the said Smith And withal he prayed him to provide some good Rider for these Noble Wards which Riders in those days commonly were Italians and he would give him xx l. by Year if Smith should so judge him worthy And Sir Thomas was glad to be thus employed to contribute to the generous Education of all Noble Youth for the good of the Common-wealth as well as of the Earl that once had been his Pupil Under him also was bred Iohn Ponet that Learned Man who wrote many excellent Books Mathematical and other became Chaplain to Archbishop Cranmer and was preferred by King Edward VI. to be Bishop of Rochester and after of Winchester Smith was also during his Residence in Cambridge a great Refiner of the English Writing Which to these times was too rough and unpolished and little care taken thereof as may be seen by such as converse in the Writings of Men even of Learning in those Days He was noted to be one of the Three there that were the great Masters of the English Tongue And so one of the floridest Members of that University wrote to his Correspondent Iohn Sturmius at Strasburgh upon occasion of a Book he had wrote in English of the Education of Children called Praeceptor i. e. The Schoolmaster Which Argument he said was not so dry and barren Quin Anglic è etiam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 possit si in artificem aliquem qualis fuit Checus noster sunt adhuc apud nos Smithus Haddonus incidisset But it might have been written floridly in English had it happened upon some Artist such as Cheke was who now was gone or Smith or Haddon that still were with them at Cambridge Being a Language very capable of all the Ornaments both of Words and Sentences About or near this Time it was That Smith wrote a Tract concerning correct Writing of English and the true sounding of the Letters and Words That which he found fault with in our Language was that ill and improper writing of it As for instance in these Words Please Sonne Moone Hemme Cleane To Toe Meane In which Words he said those Sounds are not comprehended which we express And in some of them the Syllables are stuffed with needless Letters Which Letters by themselves have their certain Natures as he observed and that being joyned after that manner have not that Force which they ought to have And again in other Words he took notice we had no Letter which express that which we spake and therefore he thought it necessary to have more Letters So he framed Twenty nine Letters Whereof Nineteen were Roman Four Greek and Six English or Saxon. The Five Vowels he augmented into Ten distinguishing them into Long and Short making certain Accents over or on the side of them that were to be pronounced Long. It is worth seeing Smith's new Alphabet wherein might be observed that he allowed no Diphthongs nor double Consonants nor any E's at the end of Words being not sounded He had a good mind to throw out utterly and banish from the Alphabeth the Letter Q. as useless Ku expressing the full power of Qu for without the Vowel U the Letter Q is never written And the same uselesness he found to be in the Letter C. for it is ever expressed either by K or by S. But he retained it in his Alphabeth to serve instead of Ch. This Alphabeth may be found in the Appendix And as he promoted the refining of the use of the English Tongue so also of the Greek together with Cheke Professor also of that Language after him Who laboured to amend and rectifie the evil and false way of pronouncing divers Consonants Vowels and Diphthongs What this untoward way of reading Greek was we may in part guess at by one Word viz. Ku 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was commonly sounded Chiverno Wherein as Ascham shewed to Hubert a Learned Foreigner in a Dissertation with him upon this Argument there were no less than three erroneous Soundings in three Letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In short 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were not distinguished from the sound of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But all has one and same sound of I as was shewn before This proved a great Academic Controversy For tho' for four Years Smith's new way of reading Greek was quietly and gladly received yet afterwards by the means of some turbulent Men it received great Opposition And certain there were that began to make a great Hubbuh against it and against Cheke who was now by the King his Master appointed his Reader of Greek For to fetch the Matter a little backward about the Year 1539. near the Time of Smith's departure to travel the King's Greek Lecture was committed to Cheke He in the beginning of his Lecture the better to prepare the Minds of his Auditors to re-receive true benefit by his Readings declaimed for six Days
see him burie in his Astronomy Nay if we may believe his Poet and that he did not take too much Poetical Liberty Smith was arrived to the very Top of the Astronomical Skill and might be a companion for Ptolomy Alphonsus and Zacutus if they were alive Nec Polus aut Tillus mâ—gâ—â— ulli cognâ—ta cuiquam Quorsum â—go dâ—ssâ—mulâ—m Fuit unus unicus ille Fâ—lâ—us Uraniâ— Ptolomâ— major utroque Et centum Alphonsis plusquam mille Zacutis And perhaps the Love and Study of the Stars might be one Reason that he delighted so much in his high Seat at Mounthaut where he might have a more spacious Prospect of the Skies In State-Policy he was a great Master Which by long Experience in State matters at home in the Reigns of four Princes and Embassies abroad he had acquired Walsingham that most compleat and happy Secretary of State improved himself much by making his Observations of Smith how quick and sharp his Apprehension of things how grave and sound his Counsels and with what Dexterity and admirable Parts he managed publick Affairs and yet with clean and just hands So he sung that made his Funeral Verses Sâ—cius tâ—nâ—orum insignis Honorum Qui vigilanti oculo SMITHI observasset Acumen Sensissâ—tque acres sensus animumque virilem Consiliumque grave pectus moresque colendos Virtutes etiam raras Dotesque stupendas He was also an excellent Linguist and a Master in the knowledge of the Latin Greek French Italian and English Tongues A great Historian especially in the Roman History An Orator equal to the best and a perfect Ciceronian A Notable Specimen of whose Oratory and History as well as of his Polities appears in his Discursive Orations about Queen Elizabeth's Marriage He had also a very good Genius in Architecture which that Noble Pile of Building at Hilhal doth sufficiently demonstrate And in the Art of Gardening he was very curious and exact Employing his own Hands sometimes for his diversion in grafting and planting At which work I find him when he was making an Orchard for his new House about the latter end of 1572. having made an Escape from the Court tho' the Winds then were very unkind to him Of which complaining to the Lord Treasurer he said he should soon be weary of Mounthaut because he could not graft nor transplant any Trees the Winds that then brought over the Earl of Worcester from France who had been lately sent to Christen that Kings Child being as he said the worst Enemy to all Cutting Paring or breaking of Trees here in England that could be or for setting of Herbs And as he was an universal and thorow-paced Scholar so he had a most compleat Library and kept a Learned Correspondence and was of a very accurate Judgment in matters of Learning His Library consisted of a thousand Books of various Learning and Arts as we are told by the Learned man his Friend that made his Parentalia Which noble Treasure he bestowed upon his own College where at least the Remainders of them are to this day besides some Italian and French Books which he gave to the Queens Library Libros Monumentaque mille Graeca Latina omnis generis nova prisca profana Religiosa dedit Italicos praeter quosdam Francosque libellos Elizabeteae pius Heros Bibliothecae A Catalogue of the Books which he had at Hilhal in the Year 1566. may be seen in the Appendix And as he was Owner of many Books so he composed not a few himself Three whereof are Printed I. His Commonwealth of England both in Latin and English II. Of the right and correct Writing of the English Tongue This I suppose is the same Book with that which Fuller in his History of Cambridge mentions Of his more compendious way of Printing which would defalcate a fifth part of the Cost in Paper and Ink besides as much of the Pains in Composing and Printing only by discharging many superflous Letters and accommodating the Sounds of long and short Vowels with distinct Characters III. Of the right and correct Pronouncing of the Greek Language Both these last mentioned were published by himself in Latin when he was Ambassador in Paris There is a Fourth Book lately Printed viz. 1685. which some make him the Author of namely Of the Authority Form and Manner of holding Parliaments Other Tracts there be of his that have lain hitherto unpublished As his Orations about the Queens Marriage His discourse of Money and his Tables for the reducing the Roman Coins to the just English Standard I have also seen another large Writing which by the hand seems to be his shewing certain ways and means for the taking care of and for the maintaining the Poor of the Nation And many more whereof as yet neither the sight nor the particular Subjects have come unto me To which I add several excellent Letters of his when Ambassador in France to the Lord Burghley and being Secretary of State to Sr. Francis Walsingham Ambassador in the same Court which are Printed in the Compleat Ambassador And a Bundle of other Letters writ to the Court when he was Ambassador with the French King Ann. 1562. the Earl of Warwick going then in the famous Expedition to New-haven which are yet reserved in the Kings Paper House He was a great Judge of Learning and Applications were often made to him for his Judgment in Matters of that Nature So Dr. Haddon appealed once to him in a sharp Controversie between the French Ambassador and himself Whether Tully were a good Lawyer Which that Ambassador had denied And how learnedly this was decided by Sir Thomas Smith may be seen in this History And both Cecil and the said Haddon would not allow the Answer to Osorius to come abroad till it had past his accurate Perusal and Correction His Acquaintance was with the Learned men of his Age. As Ramus and other Professors in Paris while he was there and with Cheke Cecil Haddon Wilson Ascham men of the finest Wits and purest Learning Of this last in a Letter to Haddon from France he enquired diligently after and complained that for two years and Six Months he had heard nothing from him and then added merrily That his Cocks for he was a great Cock Master ita illum excantâ—sse i.e. had so enchanted him that he had quite forgotten his Friends And I find the Correspondence between him and Ascham continued after for in 1â—68 Ascham requested of Smith to borrow a Book of his own Writing To which Smith answered by a Letter that he had sent it to Walden to be Transcribed least the first Copy and the whole Invention should perish together And Haddon being lately dead Smith in the same Letter told Ascham that his Epistles were found but not all and that his own Epistles to Haddon were more uncertain For they reckoned it pity any thing of that most Humane and Learned
and Intelligencers whereof he had both Scots and French Of these was De Rege whom in August he gratified with 6 l. 13 s. 4 d. and in October following with the like Sum. Of these French were also La Selle La Fere Le Meilleur Le Gras. To whom he gave Monthly to some 4 l. to some 3 l. and to some 40 s. In this Embassy Sir Thomas Smith's only Son was with him Whom he took along with him to learn Accomplishments in a foreign Court. In the Month of August he came to Secretary Cecil his Father having sent him over with a Message to the said Secretary Who let his Father know that he was very welcome to him and that he liked him well wishing that he were with him again For that he seemed to have well prositâ—d in Observation of many things there In October the said young Gentleman went back to France with Letters from the Secretary to his Father Sir Thomas seemed now to be near the accomplishment of his earnest Desires For the Queen in October determined the Secretary's Brother-in-Law Mr. Tho Hoby should go in Sir Thomas Smith's place Tho' he it seems had no great Stomach to it For when it was moved to him by the Secretary he took it unkindly at his Hands The Queen understanding it willed the Earl of Leicester to let him understand peremptorily her Majesty's Pleasure Of this the Secretary advised Sir Thomas adding that this tho' unwillingly he knew his Brother would not deny And that the Earl had promised him to send for his Brother but yet it was not done And that he the Secretary therefore meant to have my Lady Sir Thomas's Wife either to speak or send to his Lordship to press the Business After the Winter was past and gone on the 26th day of March Mr. Hoby took his leave of her Majesty in order to his Embassy promising to be at the Sea-side within Ten Days So that in the beginning of the Year 1566. Sir Thomas seems to have come home from his long Embassy in France To take up a few further Remarks of this Embassy at the French Court Smith was apprehensive of the Difficulty of performing this his Negotiation to the Approbation of others knowing the ticklish Station wherein he stood and that his Absence might give occasion to some to Slander or Misrepresent him On which account and being willing to know what Reports went of him he desired his Friend Dr. Haddon Master of the Requests to inform him what Opinions his Friends of Sway and Authority had of his Discharge of the Affairs committed to him and what he heard in his Doings that pleased or displeased And the Reason Smith gave was because it was a very difficult thing for one that was concerned in the Managery of publick Affairs so to perform his Actions in one and the same constant Tenor as to be always applauded Sir Thomas had the Opportunity in the Pursuit of his Embassy for the Service of his Mistress to travel through many Parts of France that King going in Progress in the Year 1564. and our Ambassador attending the Court He was at Avignion whither the Court seemed to remove chiefly for the Plague that raged very sore now in that Kingdom as it had done the last Year in Newhaven and in London In April he was at Bourdeaux as he had been at Tholouse before At Bourdeaux he was taken with a Fever or Ague Which creeping on him at first came at length to that Violence that he despaired of his Life And on a sudden it abated And then he let Blood Whereby in little more than a Day he felt himself to grow towards Recovery both in Body and Mind The next Day he hunted the Hare that he might enjoy a more free Air. Which Exercise he continued for some Days And from the 1st of March to the 12th he writ it to some of his Friends as his Diversion his Dogs caught nineteen Hares While he was in these Southern Parts of France his Friends wrote him word of the Queen's intended Progress into the North and that she would take a sight of Cambridge in her way to visit that University and to hear the Scholars Disputations When Smith heard it he heartily wisht to be among them Not to Feast or Hunt or to indulge his Genius on this splendid Occasion he was above those things but to see as he said his Royal Mistress a Spectator there in a Place so dearly by him affected and to partake of the Specimina of those Wits and to take notice what new Men of Learning and Ingenuity were sprung up in that University since he left it At Tholouse in his leisure Hours he wrote three Books of the English Common-wealth mentioned before which he Intitled De Republica Anglorum Wherein he described in effect the whole Form of it Especially in those Things wherein it differed from others And it differed almost in all Things So that the Work grew greater than he thought of He wrote it in our Language in a Stile between Historical and Philosophical after that Form as he conceived Aristotle wrote concerning divers of the Gracian Common-wealths Which Writings are now perishâ—d Of this he wrote to his Learned Friend Haddon in his Correspondence with him in the Year 1564. Adding that he had yielded a very copious Argument to such as would dispute in a Philosophical way of the single Questions and whether is better that which is held for Law in England or that which in France is so held and in other Provinces which are governed by the Roman Laws For almost all as he said were different And that he had in gross and in sum examined both This he drew up in the Year 1564. And as these Writings were as yâ—t but in rough Draught when written fair he promised Haddon he would send them to him And the value himself had of this his Labour may appear in those Words of his 〈◊〉 to the before-mentioned Lâ—â—â—ned 〈…〉 will see your self certainly as I 〈…〉 you have read it over that 〈…〉 â—â—â—lesly conversant in our Couâ—â—â—â— Common-wealth Some vacant spaces he had left in his Manuscript here and there because he had not with him one Book of the English Laws nor had he there Lawyers to consult with Therefore he wrote so much as the memory of things seen and read by him on the sudden suggested to him And what was imperfect he intended when he returned home at leisure to supply While the Learned Smith was in Paris he could not forbear to enquire for the Learned Men there to enjoy their Conversation at his spare Hours Here he met with Peter Ramus the Philosopher and â—udovicus Regius an Historian and other Professors of Science who were the King's Readers To Ramus's Acquaintance Haddon had particularly recommended him But the Wars proclaimed between Princes and the Times were such that Smith could not so frequently converse and hold
introducing a Slavery among that free People and very apprehensive he was of the growing Power of that Nation that so threatned their Neighbours France as well as England Especially seeing withal how tender both Realms were to send Succors to those Parts to enable them to Vindicate their own Liberty and Safety from those inhumane and insufferable Practices there prevailing In the mean time the French accused the Sluggishness of the English and the English did the like of the French The Queen had sent some Forces to Flushing But there was a Report that she upon Duke D'Alva's Motion did revoke them But that was not so but he was gently answered with a dilatory and doubtful Answer But indeed more that would have gone from England thither were stayed The English on the other hand had knowledge that the French did Tergiversari hang off and wrought but timorously and under hand with open and outward Edicts and made Excuses at Rome and Venice by the Ambassadors importing their not meddling in Flanders or excusing themselves if they had done any thing there On which Occasion Smith in a Letter to the Ambassador in France gave both Princes a Lash reflecting upon the pretended Activity and warlike Qualities of the French King yet that he should thus waver and be afraid to engage and upon the Slowness and Security of the Queen of England You have saith he a King void of Leisure and that loves Fatigue whose warlike House hath been used to the shedding as well of their own as of foreign Blood What shall we a slothful Nation and accustomed to Peace do Whose supream Governor is a Queen and she a great Lover of Peace and Quietness But to see a little more of his Service and Counsel in the Quality and Place he served under the Queen When in this Year 1572. the Earl of Desmond was in England a Prisoner but reconciled unto the Queen and had promised to do her good Service in Ireland and soon to drive out the Rebels out of the Country the Queen and Court thought he would prove an honest and faithful Subject and so resolved to dismiss him into his Country And she told Sir Thomas that she would give him at his Departure the more to oblige him a piece of Silk for his Apparel and a reward in Money Upon which Sir Thomas's Judgment was That seeing the Queen would tye the Earl to her Service with a Benefit it would be done Amplè liberaliter ac prolixè non malignè parcè i. e. Nobly liberally and largely not grudgingly and meanly Which as he added did so disgrace the Benefit that for Love many times it left a Grudge behind in the Heart of him that received it that marred the whole Benefit A Quarrel happened this Year between the Earl of Clanrichard and Sir Edward Fitton Governor of Connaught who was somewhat rigorous in his Office which had caused the Rebellion of the Earl's Son The Case came before the Deputy and Council in Ireland and at last to the Queen and her Council in England Our Secretary drew up the Loâ—ds of the Councils Order about it to be sent to the Lord Deputy and the Council there to hear and decide it between them and withal was sent the Earl's Book and Sir Edward Fitton 's Answers given into the Council in England The Earl seemed desirous to have Matters sifted to the full Trial. And then each Party might say and prove the most and worst they could But Sir Thomas thought it the best way for the Deputy to perswade them both to wrap up as he exprest it all things by-past and to be Friends as they had promised it seems to be at a Reconciliation formerly made before the Lord Deputy and to joyn faithfully for the Furtherance of the Queen's Majesty's Service and the Quietness and good Order of the Country hereafter And it was in his Judgment as he added The best way to tread all under foot that had gone heretofore with a perpetual 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to begin a new Line without grating upon old Sores Very wise and deliberate Council to avoid all ripping up former Grievances which is not the way to heal so much as to widen the old Differences There was this Year both Massing and Conjuring in great measure in the North especially and all to create Friends to the Scotch Queen and Enemies to Queen Elizabeth The one to keep the People in the Blindness of Popery and the other to hood-wink them to believe as it were by Prophesy the speedy approaching Death of the Queen The Earl of Shrewsbury was now Lord President of the Council in the North. He employed two sharp Persons to discover these Persons and their Doings Which they did so effectually that in the Month of February many of these Conjurers and Massmongers were seized and by the said Lord Presidents Order were brought up by them that seized them to Secretary Smith good store of their Books which Sir Thomas seeing called Pretty Books and Pamphlets of Conjuring They brought also to him an Account in Writing of their Travail and pains in this behalf There was apprehended danger in these Practices For the Papists earnestly longing for the Queen's Death had cast Figures and consulted with unlawful Arts which they mixt with their Masses to learn when she should die and who should succeed and probably to cause her Death if they could This piece of Service therefore the Queen and Counsel took very thankfully at the Earl of Shrewsbury's Hands Which together with the Course that was intended to be taken with these Criminals the Secretary signified to him in a Letter to this Tenor My very good Lord the Pain that the two to whom you gave Commission viz. Pain and Peg have taken to seek out the Conjurers and Mass-mongers is very well accepted of by my Lords of the Council and they willed me to give your Lordship therefore their most hearty thanks The Queen also not without great Contentation of her Highness hath heard of your careful ordering of those matters The matters be referred touching the Massing and such Disorders to the Archbishop of Canterbury and the rest of the great Commission Ecclesiastical That which shall appear by Examination to touch the State and the Prince to be referred again to my Lords of the Council c. This was dated from Greenwich Feb. 17. 1572. But it was thought highly needful that this dangerous Nest in the North should be searched more narrowly for and the Birds taken that they might no more Exercise these evil Practices or worse hereafter The care of which was therefore committed by the Council to the Justices of those parts out of some secret Favour as it seems in some of the Privy Counsellors to Papists For those Justices were known well enough to be generally Popishly affected Therefore it was the Judgment of the Secretary that these Justices would rather Cloak than Open
College Hall or House of Learning after the End of that Sessions of Parliament should make any Lease for Life or Years of any of their Lands Tenements or other Hereditaments to which any Tithe Arable Lands Medow or Pasture did appertain Except that one Third Part at the least of the old Rent were reserved and paid in Corn that is to say in good Wheat after Six Shillings and Eight Pence the Quarter or under and good Malt after Five Shillings the Quarter or under To be delivered Yearly upon Days perfixed at the said Colleges c And for default thereof to pay the said Colleges in ready Mony at the Election of the said Leasees after the Rate as the best Wheat and Malt in the Market of Cambridge and in the Market of Oxford and of Winchester and Windsor for the Rents that were to be paid to the use of the Houses there were or should be sold the next Market day before the said Rent should be due without Fraud or Deceit And that all Leases otherwise hereafter to be made and all Collateral Bonds and Assurances to the Contrary by any of the said Corporations should be void in Law to all intents and purposes And the same Wheat Malt or Money coming of the same to be expended to the Use of the Relief of the Commons and Diet of the said Colleges And by no Fraud or Colour 〈◊〉 or fold away from the Profit of the said Colleges and the Fellows and Scholars of the same and the Use aforesaid upon pain of Deprivation to the Governors or chief Rulers of the said Colleges and all others thereto consenting And this was no more than Sir Thomas himself had practised long before when he was Provost of Eaton whensoever he made or renewed the Leases of that College The Benefit of which he had well experienced by the rising of the Prizes of Corn even in his Remembrance For this Eternal Benefit to the Houses of Learning he deserved an eternal Monument and so a member of one of them in a Poetical Flight wrote O! Statua dignum Inventum Phrygiaque Columna About the year 1576. Sir Thomas Smith began to be afflicted with that Sickness and the publick Cares of the Queen and State As it is a Thing that is wont to create a true Friendship I mean the Proportion and Likeness of Tempers so it is not without Remark that Sir Thomas and the Lord Treasurer Burghley their Distempers were the same And which was more remakable still they used to seize upon these two Persons at the same Time Their Distemper was a Rheum The Rheum as he wrote to the same Lord which is my natural Enemy is commonly wont to assault me most when your Lordship is also grievously troubled with yours For April 22d 1576. at which time the Lord Burghley was very ill of his Distemper Sir Thomas wrote him a Letter that he was then seized with his And which was an ill Sign whereas before it used to take him either in his Jaw or Teeth or in the Lower Body with Loosness and all over with Sweat now it fastned it self in his Throat and Tongue and would not by any Art be removed So that he was almost out of Hope of any Amendment but clearly without Hope of any speedy Help tho' he never took so much Advice as he wrote nor used so many Physicians nor observed so much their Rules which he styled their Preciseness But when all is done added he piously that man may or ought to do the Sequel and Event of Health and the End of Life is in Gods Will and Pleasure That which he shall appoint is best to me Surely all is one being as willing now to Die as to Live and I trust with Gods Mercy and Hope therein as ready For it grieveth me to Live unserviceable to my Prince and unprofitable to my Country Heavy and unpleasant to my self For what Pleasure can a man have of my years when he cannot speak as he would For his chief Grief was in Eating and Drinking and Speaking and in the last especially While his Legs he said his Hands his Memory and his Wit served as much as need be desired It was indeed a great Grief to him that it so affected his Tongue And he avowed That if it were at his own Choice he had rather his Disease had taken hold of any other Part of his Body So that that Piece only as he called it which is contained in an handful space were at quiet Which yet was without pain or grief but when he Eat or Drank or Spake The continual Defluxion and falling down of tough Flegm still vexing it and interrupting the most necessary uses of the Throat This envious Disease stopt that Eloquent Tongue of his And that Sweet and streaming Rhetoric which was wont to flow to the Delight and Admiration of all received now a Fatal Check and Sir Thomas must play the Orator no more no nor scarce utter a single Word For to that Extremity he was brought at last Which the Poet that wrote the Muses Tears for him thus expresses Nescio quis subito Morbus sic occupat artus 〈◊〉 quâ—â—lim mellita din jam verba solebat Fundâ—re vix aliquam possit transmittere vocem Gutturis ast imis latitans radicibus intus Haereret nullumque Sonum Lingua ederet illo Qâ—o solita esl Splendore decus laudemque merente He foresaw that he was like to continue a long while in this Condition And be so disablied from his common Function and to attend the Queen's Business But he could not be idle which he said was contrary to his Nature He was therefore minded to follow his Study and take a Review of what he had formerly done and in this â—eathful Leisure as he called it among other Occupations and Pastimes he would remember the Days of his Youth and look back again to his Doings then and now being Old Quasi repueraseâ—re i. e. hereby as it were to grow a Child again When he was Secretary in King Edwards Days he wrote a Book of the Value of the Roman Coins to our English Standard upon a Question Cecil his fellow Secretary had moved to him viz. What was the Ordinary Wages of a Soldier at Rome This Book as many others which he wrote in his Youth he had now lost Two of these he had sent he remembred one to Sir Robert Dudley now Earl of Leicester and the other to Sir Will. Cecil now Lord Treasurer Now he had lately desired Mr. Wolley to search in the said Earl's Study for it but it could not be found He desired therefore the Lord Treasurer to see for it who he thought had not laid it up so negligently And especially he desired the Tables which were exactly and plainly set forth For searching among his old Papers he could find the first Draught of the said Book and the Adversaria Whereby he was able to fill up all
the Chapters in manner as they were at the first But the Tables or any Draughts of them he could not find And he doubted that neither his Leisure nor Wit nor Memory of old Books and the Places of them which were formerly more ready and fresh â—o him than they were at present would serve him to make the Instructions again Wherefore he prayed that Lord to look out the Book but especially the Tables This he wrote from his House at Chanon Row April 22d This Book as it seems the Lord Treasurer found out among his Papers and sent it to the Secretary according to his Request which he had desired to see as he said to the said Lord anquam filium postliminio redeuntem perditum quasi iterum inventum This Book is mentioned and no more but mentioned in the History of Queen Elizabeth by Mr. Cambdâ—n only that he calls it an exact Commentary and worth the publishing After I had made great Enquiry after it without success at length I fortunately met with Sir Thomas his own rude Draught of it in several Tables of his own hand shewn and communicated to me by the obliging Favour and kindness of Sir Edward Smith A true Extract whereof I have made and presented to the Readers in the Appendix April 25th the Lord Burghley sent a Gentlemen to Sir Thomas to visit him in this his Valetudinary State Which he took kindly and gave him an account of his Sickness and of his Progress in Physic. Which was to this Tenor That he had put himself into the Physicians hands and they according to their Method first fell to Purging him to free his Body from peccant Humours as a Preparatory to other Physic. A Practice which he did not like of because it would make a great Disturbance of the whole Body and affect the Parts that were well and in a good State And so indeed it happened to him For this Physic put his whole Body and all the Parts of it into a Commotion and Indisposition When it was perfectly well before as appeared by his Urine and by his own Feeling and Apprehension of himself But after he had taken this Preparatory Physic there was no part of his Body which was not brought out of Frame His Urine so troubled so high coloured and so confused Which did bespeak a Seditious Rout of Humours raised in his Body as he spake This being a little setled they gave him a Pill which was as insuccesful as the other For it gave him scarcely a Stool and that with abundance of Wrack and Torment and left such an unpleasant and bitter Relish in the Stomach that he was forced to vomit it up again The next Course that was taken with him was Shaving his Head and wearing a Cap Which one Dr. Langton was the chief Prescriber of accounted of Excellent Use for those that were troubled with great Rheums And was himself present when it was laid on The Effect whereof was to be seen after Eight or Ten Days Sir Thomas was very unsatisfied with his Physicians who for two or three Months had been thus tampering with his Body and with no manner of success whereas he was for a speedier Work and declared himself of the Smiths mind his Namesake in Plato who willed the Physician to give him a thing that would speedily rid him of his Diseasâ— that he might again Sustain his Wife and Family with his Labour or else be rid quickly For he had no leisure to attend the long Prorogation of thin Diet and protracting Phisic That Mind said he which the Smith had of necessity I have of Will and Desire and ever had Not to live being unserviceable to my Prince and the Common Wealth In the beginning of May his Physic having greatly weakned his Body and all his good Humours dryed therewith and his Sickness so obstinate that it little cared for Medicine all his Physicians with one accord agreed advising him to forbear all further Medicaments and to apply himself to Kitchin Physic giving him leave to Eat and Drink what he would and what his Appeite desired And so he resolved to retire home to his House called Mounthaut in Essex a Mannor House of his where now stands Hill Hall the present Dwelling of Sir Edward Smith Baronet before mentioned And here he trusted to leave his Sickness or his Life Whether pleaseth God said he that is best But if it were in my Choice I would leave them both at once Yet must I keep life so long as I can and not leave the Station wherein God hath set me by my default and without his Calling And so mind I to do Trusting very shortly to have some plain signification from his Majesty to whither Haven I shall apply my Ship of Death or Health Blessed be his Holy Will God gave not our Knight his Desire that is a Speedy Death or speedy Recovery For he continued in a decaying consumptive Wasting Condition all this Year and onward the next till August putting a Conclusion to his generous and most useful Life at his beloved Retirement of Mounthal or Mounthaut as he delighted to call it on the 12th day of the said Month in the Year 1577. in the Sixty Fifth Year of his Age in an easie and quiet Departure And he never was afraid of Death He was attended to his Grave with a Decency and Splendor becoming the high Place and Figure he had made There assisted in Mourning at his Funerals George Smith his Brother and William the said Georges Son Wood Sir Thomas's Nephew Altham Nicols Recordor of Walden Wilford Goldweâ— Dr. Pern Dr. Levine and many more Of whom as some were his Relations others the Neighbouring Gentry and his Worshipful Friends so several were Learned men that came as it seems from the University to pay their last respects to that Grave Head Venerable for his profound and Universal Learning and that had so well merited of the Learned World He was Buried in the Chancel of the Parish Church of Theydon Mount where he dyed On the North side whereof at the upper end there still remains a fair Monument dedicated to his Memory Tho' the Church hath since been beat down by Lightning and rebuilt by his Nephew Sir William Smith He is represented by a Statue of Marble lying upon his right side in Armour a loose Robe about him with the Arms of the Knighthood of the Garter upon the left Arm of the said Robe denoting him Chancellor of the Garter Placed under an Arch or Semicircle on which is Engraven this English Stanza What Earth or Sea or Skies contain What Creatures in them be My Mind did seek to know My Soul the Heavens continuallie Upward on the highest part of the Monument was placed his Coat of Armes which was three Altars flaming supported with as many Lions Round which were these two Verses Written alluding to the Fire or Flame there Tabisicus quamvis
one of his Note-books under his own Hand for a Sickness in the Years 1558. and 1559. among the People Watercresses Scabious Pileworth Egremony Boyl these with Early of each a good handful saving Egrimony but a little Two Sticks of Liquorish bruised with an Hammer in running Water two Gallons till the one half be consumed Drink warm Morning and Evening half a Pint or thereabouts at a Draught and at other times of the Day cold If they sweat after it it is the better This purifieth the Bloud and taketh away that kind of Plague or Sickness But there is the Name of Mr. Gale set under this Recipe from whence perhaps therefore he had it Once more I find him playing the Physician with the Countess of Oxon the Lord Treasurers beloved Daughter when in the Month of December 157â— she lay under Sickness and far gone in it her Stomach gone and not able to digest any thing which made her refuse all Physic. Sir Thomas sent her a Water to take in a Spoon at once and so to use it from time to time Of his sending this Water to her he gave her Noble and disconsolate Father to understand and withall let him know the Properties of it and that if she took no other sustâ—â—â—nce in three days it would nourish hâ—r sufficiently And within 2â— hours he doubted not but his Lordship would see great Effects and pâ—radventure some Apâ— pitite to Meat to begin to come to her within that space Adding that there was never any one yet but felt good by it He was very conâ—ersant in the Commentâ—ries of Matthiolus upon Dâ—scorides and had interspersed his own Book of Matthâ—olus with many Notes and obsâ—rvâ—tions of his own It was a Book that was never wont to go from him But some Body it seems once had stollen it which grieved him not a little complaining to his Friends that he had rather have lost a far better thing Nor could another be bought any where in Londâ—n Therefore in the year 1572. Walsingham being Ambassador in France he prayed him to procure him the said Book there translated into French and to let it be bound with two or three sheets of Paper before and in the End to serve him for inserting his Notes This Book Walsingham accordingly bought and sent him over And Smith liked it well but yet as he told him if he could have recovered his own noted through with his own Hand he should have liked that far better By his conversing in these Books we may judge of his Learning that Way And as Câ—ymistry is but an Handmaid of Physic and usually accompanieth it so he was as well Skilled in that Art also And had Apartments in his House for his Stills and Laboratories Which were going to his great Cost But especially in Labouring to tranâ—mâ—te coarser Mâ—ttals into those of more Fineness and greater Value He was an excellent Mathematician and for his Recreation therein made a large Globe by his own Hand It was his Love and Practice of the Mathematicks that made him desire of Wâ—lsingham at the same time he sent to him to bâ—y him Matthiolus to procure him also a Case of Mathematical Instruments dirâ—cting him to the Place where they were sold that is at the Palace in Paris He meant that it should contain two Compasses or three a Square a Pâ—n of Metal and other things He had two already But he was minded to have another of the biggest size with the Case a foot long Walsingham accordingly in Ian. 1572. sent him a Case of Tools But such it seems as were extraordinary for Smith himself understood not them all nor lookt for so many nor of that sort But this was proper Employment for him and at his leisure he intended to find out the Property and Use of them What an Arithmetician he was appears by his Money Tables Nor was he a Smatterer in Astronomy The new Star which in the Year 1572. appeared in Cassiopeia exercised much his thoughts as it did the rest of the Learned men of the World And he could almost have been willing to believe it to be the Soul of that brave Admiral of France that had been a little before that time so basely murthered in the Parisiâ—n Massacre Smith was mighty desirous to know what foreign Learned Men judged of this new Star Therefore Decemb. 11 1572. he wrote to Walsingham thus of it That he was sure he had heard of it and he thought had seen the new fair Star or Comet but without Beard or Tayl which appeared in England these three Weeks on the backside of the Chair Cassiopeia and on the Edge of Via laâ—tâ—a The bigness was betwixt the bigness of Iupiter and Venus and kept there to his Appearance who hâ—d no Instrument then to observe it and because oâ— that cold weather also dared not observe the precise Order of the fixed Stars Such aâ— one he had never observed nor read of He therefore praâ—ed Walsingham to let him know what their Wise men of Paris did judg upon it He knew they would not think it that Admirals Soul as the Romans did of the Comet next appearing after the Murder of Iulius Caesar that it was his Soul It might be Astraea said he now peaking out afar in the North to see what Revenge shall be done upon so much innocent Bloud shed in France at a marriage Banquet and reer Suppers after it Yet that it would be acceptable to him to understand what their Astronomers and Heaven-gazers there did judge of it He added that if he were not so much occupied as he was he would turn over all his old Books but he would say something of it himself and guess by chance even as wisely as they tho' he would not publish it but to his Friends Walsingham in Answer to this of the Secretary sent him certain Notes and a new Book from France of this new Comet For which he thanked him but withal he observed to him that in the placing of it their Astronomers and these in England differed exceedingly Theirs placing it in the 29 of Pisces and ours in the 7th degr of aurus So they varied one whole Sign and Eight Degrees He observed moreover that the printed Book went upon it Suspensâ— pede and prayed the Ambassador that if any had writ upon it more boldly he might see it He added further that our Men did not deny that it arose in that Degree of Pisces or the first of aurus but that it was one thing to rise with the Degree of the Zodiack and to stand in a place after Section of the Zodiack and that our Men did find him far above the Moon and above the height of the Sphere of Venus And then it could not be a Temporary Comet Concluding Now things above the Moon do rise and die which was never believed afore but either a new Star madâ— or an old Star new seen Thus we
THE LIFE Of the Learned Sir Thomas SMITH K t. Doctor of the CIVIL LAW Principal SECRETARY of STATE to King EDWARD the Sixth and Queen ELIZABETH WHEREIN Are discovered many Singular Matters relating to the State of Learning the Reformation of Religion and the Transactions of the Kingdom during his Time In all which he had a great and happy Influence With an Appendix wherein are contained some Works of his never before published LONDON Printed for A. Roper at the Black Boy over against St. Dunstan's Church in Fleet-street and R. Basset at the Mitre within Temple-Bar Mâ—â—Xâ—VIII S r. THOMAS SMITH K t. Born March 28. 1512. Deceased â—uâ— 12. 1577. in y â— 65 â— year of his 〈◊〉 TO Sir EDWARD SMITH OF HILHAL IN ESSEX Baronet SIR THE Regard I have ever born in my Mind towards Men of Eminency in Times past born and bred among us especially when with their Qualities and Places they have been adorned with Learning Wisdom or Integrity led me at my leisure-Hours to make cursory Collections out of my Books and Papers of their Lives and Actions And many such men there were in the Last Age when Learning and Religion after a long Eclipse began again to enlighten our Horizon Whereof some however useful they were in their Times and made a fair Figure to the World are now in effect quite forgotten and tho' the Names of others of that sort are better known yet but slight and imperfect Characters remain of them Whenas they were perhaps the great Pillars of the State or Church and whose Counsils and Assistances the Prince made much use of in the weighty Transactions of his Kingdom Of these I confess I cannot read or hear but I am drawn with an Inquisitive Humour to know more of them as whence they sprang their Country their Parentage their Education their Tempers and Inclinations and remarkable Actions and what Events fell out to them over and above what is commonly known or vulgarly told of them And when by searching a little out of the ordinary Way as it were I mean in the By-corners of old rejected Papers or Letters and other Journals Records Registers c. I gain further Notice of these ancient Patriots there is wont to arise thence a great Complacency to my mind And the Thoughts that it may be as delightful to others as to my self to revive the Memory of such and represent as much of them as can be retrieved hath moved me to make publick some of my Collections of this nature And moreover I reckon it a Matter of Equity and Gratitude due from Posterity to preserved the Names and Remembrances of all worthy men that have served God their Prince or Country by their Learning or other Abilities And God himself seems to take care of this when he saith that the Memory of the Iust shall be Blessed as their due Reward These Sir are some of the Reasons why I have now brought that to pass which I formerly made you privy to namely the Publishing what I could retrieve of the Life of your most Laudable and Accomplished Ancestor Sir THOMAS SMITH He was a Person that lived in very Critical Times occasioned by Court-Factions and the frequent Alterations of Religion and the various Dispositions and Interests of the Princes whom he served So that he could hardly keep himself always upâ—n his Legs but by his great Wisdom and Moderation tho' he sometimes fell he fell softly and fell to rise again with more Glory This may make his History the more pleasant and useful Especially being mixed with many Occurrences in his Time wherein he bore a great Part both in the University in the Church and in the Commonwealth Where such things may be read which perhaps are not to be met with elsewhere Your said Ancestor Sir was the best Scholar in his Time a most admirable Philosopher Orator Linguist and Moralist And from thence it came to pass that he was also a very wise Statesman and a Person withal of most unalterable Integrity and Justice which he made his Politicks to comport with and lastly a con stant Embracer of the Reformed Religion and therein made a Holy and good End And therefore the English Soil which he so adorned would be ingrateful if she should let the Memory of such a man born in her pass away and lie for ever in obscurity But as he was all this to the Publick so Sir let me add he is and ever will be an Ornament to your ancient House and Family to your â—â—den Mount where the Noble Seat erected by him will be his lasting Monument and finally to the County of ESSEX where he was Born and Educated whither he gladly retired as often as publick Business permitted him and where he quietly resigned his last Breath to God This Great man is the Subject of this Book which therefore deserves to have been writ by an abler Pen. I am conscious to my self that I have omitted many remarkable Passages of his Life which could they have been retrieved would have shewn him still more resplendent to the World But it is impossible to recover all What I have collected together in these Papers from various and sundry Books and Original Writings are sufficient to give a fair tho' not a full Account of him And that which I value my present Undertaking for is that I have done it impartially For it is not of the nature of a Rheâ—orical Panegyric wherein more Care is taken to Praise than to speak Truth To which last I have had a very tender Regard being born out in every thing I have writ by the Authority of indubitable Monuments that is either of Smith's own Letters Books and Papers or of others his Friends and Contemporaries One thing more Sir seems requisite to have been done to render this Work more perfect namely together with this to have published his Manuscript Exercitations and Discourses which being the Fruits and Products of his Learned Brain no question would have been very acceptable to all such as have a Value for him Two of these that is His Dialogues concâ—rning Queen Elizabeth's Maâ—riage and his Tables of the Valuation of Coins I have now brought to Light But alas what Pity is it that all the rest of his brave Philosophical Astronomical Moral Political and Divine Thoughts digested by him into divers Tracts are now t is to be feared except his Common-wealth and his Books of Pronuntiation utterly lost together with all his other Papers except some Letters of State that lie in the Kings Paper-hâ—use and those rough Writings Sir in your Hands and a few others elsewhere But where are now his University Exercises his Learned Readings his Eloquent Orations exhortatory of Vertue Morality and found Knowledge his Correspondences with the best Wits of his Age and many Elucubrations upon ingenious Subjâ—â—â—s which his busie Head was always employed in I am affraid I must say they are perisht irrecoverably So that this poor Book
Roman Coins The Physicians tamper with him They leave him to Kitchin Physick Goes into the Country Dies Persons attending his Funerals Buried His Monument His Lady dies His Person described CHAP. XVI His last Will. Makes his Will For the finishing his House and Monument To his Lady For preserving good Housekeeping To his Brother His Library to Queen's College or Peter-House Books to his Friends A Cup to the Queen In case of Doubt arising in the Will His Executors The Date of his Will CHAP. XVII Observations upon Sir Thomas Smith His Learning A Platonick A Physician His Recipe for the Plague His Chymical Water sent to the Countess of Oxford His Matthiolus A Chymist A Mathematician An Arithmetician An Astronomer His Iudgment of the Star in Cassiopaeia A Politician A Linguist An Historian An Orator An Architect His Library Books by him written A great Iudge in Learning His Acquaintance The Vogue of his Learning Beneficial to Learning His Places His houses in Chanon-Row In London At Ankerwick Mounthaut His heir Sir William Smith CHAP. XVIII Sir Thomas Smith 's Vertuous Accomplishments His Religion His Principles by which he governed himself His Vertues Vices falsely charged on him His Spirit His Apparel Not oppressive Of an universal Charity His Apophthegms Leland's Copy of Verses to Smith Dr. Byng's Epitaph on him THE LIFE Of the Learned Sir THOMAS SMITH Kt. CHAP. I. Sir THOMAS SMITH's Birth Parentage and Education THE Learned Sir THOMAS SMITH sometimes Secretary of State to K. Edward VI. and afterward to Q. Elizabeth was born at Walden in the County of Essex distinguish'd by the Name of SAFFRON Walden the Lands of that Parish and the Parts adjacent being famous for the Growth of the useful Medicinal Plant whether first brought thither by this Knight's Industry being a great Planter I know not for it was first brought into England as we are told in the Reign of K. Edward III. According to Cambden who writes that Sir Thomas Smith died Anno 1577. in his Climacteric he must have been born in the Year 1514. According to Fox who in his Relation of an Evidence given by the said Knight in February Anno 1551 against Bishop Gardiner assigned his Age then to be Three and Thirty he must have been born in the Year 1518. But himself putteth his Age out of doubt in his Book of the English Commonwealth where he saith that March the 28th 1565 he was in the One and Fiftieth Year of his Age. By which Computation he must have come into the World in the Year 1512. a Year famous to England for building of a Ship the biggest that ever the Sea bore And by the Inscription on his Monument it appears he departed this Life in the 65th Year of his Age. So that Cambden made him Two Years younger than he was and Fox Five unless we should say the Figure 33 is mis-printed for 39 a Fault too common in his Books Our Knight's Father was Iohn Smith of Walden Gentleman a Person of good Rank Quality and Wealth Of which we may take some Measure from two Purchases he made of K. Edward in one Year viz. the Third of his Reign that is to say a Chauntry in the Church of Long Ashton in Somersetshire with other Lands Tenements and Hereditaments in the Counties of Somerset and Glocester which cost him 293 l. 16. s. 8 d. His other Purchase was all the Guild or Fraternity in Great Walden lately dissolved with divers other Lands and Tenements in Essex and London For which he with another Joint-Purchaser paid 531 l. 14 s. 11 d. Of which Fraternity of Walden this by the way must be remembered for the Honour of it that in a Grant made to it by K. Henry VIII as he willed there That he might evermore be remembred in their perpetual Prayers so he charitably desired that he might be admitted a Brother thereof and his dear Wife Q. Katherine to be a Sister And divers others are expressed there to be desirous to be admitted to the same as the Right Worshipful Dr. Wolsey Almoner to the King Richard Nix Bishop of Norwich Henry Earl of Essex and his Lady Lord Brook Chief Justice of England Sir Iohn Cutts Sir Tho. Semer and divers other Gentlemen and Ladies This Iohn Smith if we look further back was in the 30th of King Henry VIII High Sheriff of the Counties of Essex and Hertford For in those Times one Sheriff served both Counties In the year 1545. and the 35th of K. Henry aforesaid his Coat of Arms was granted him by the principal King of Arms or rather confirmed For the said King's Parent specifies That he was descended of honest Lineage and his Ancestors had long continued in Nobility and bearing of Arms and that it was Mr. Smith's Desire that the King of Arms would ratifie unto him his former Coat and Register it in the Records of his Office The Coat therefore granted annexed and attributed unto him was Sables a Fesse Dauncy between three Lionceux regardant Argent Languid Gules pawing with their Left Paws upon as many Altars flaming and burning thereon for that these were Anvils as some have thought alluding to the Name of Smith is a Fancy Upon the Fesse Nine Billets of his Field The Crest an Eagle rising Sable holding in his Right Claw a Pen Argent Flames of Fire issuing thereout This Crest Sir Thomas changed upon a notable Reason as we shall relate in due place Of this Coat of Arms I have laid a Copy of the Original Patent in the Appendix which is in Parchment very well adorned round about with Pictures of Rosâ—â— and Flowers de Lys and the Lively Efsigies of Garter arrayed in his rich Coat standing with a white Wand in his Hand and a Crown on his Head and the Coat of Smith blazonâ—d on the right side of him and pointâ—d to by the said white Wand I have but one thing more to say of this Gentleman and that is That he was an old Favourer of the Religion Reformed in which he brought up his Son Thomas from his Youth He lies buried in the Church of Walden where his Monument is yet remaining that is so much of it as contains his Coat of Arms but the Brass that bore the inscription torn off This for Sir Thomas's Father His Parentagâ— on his Mother's side was also Genule being derived from the ancient Name of the Châ—â—â—ecks of Lancashire his Mother Agnes being a Daughter and Co-heir of that Family By this Gentlewoman Iohn Smith had Issue divers Children of both Sexes viz. Four Daughters Agnes and Margery Alice and Iane which two last were married and three Sons Thomas Iohn and George The Posterity of which last flourish to this Day in Wealth and Honour and possess the Seat and Inheritance of Thomas the Subject of our ensuing History with great Improvements of the Estate Tho' no more Sons are express'd in the Roll
him divers Books which where not to be had at home Thus once he conveyed over Onuphrius and Polydore and certain French Books of Genealogy and Chronology for the Secretary There had been a dangerous Book wrote in Latin and lately printed abroad against the present State of Religion in England An Answer to which in the same Language the Secretary had procured and wanted nothing but to have it printed abroad as the other was In a Letter wrote to the Ambassador dated November 28th he wished he had a sight of it and that he would give his allowance thereof by some Commendatory Epistle to be added and if he could by some good means procure it to be well printed in France without peril of the Book he would send him the Copy Or if he could get it Printed at Strasburgh or Basil by some means from thence he would also send it him but if he could not he would send by some of his Men to Christopher Mount the Queen's Agent in Strasburgh for him to take care for the Publishing of it But to relate a few particulars of this Book which made no small stir in these Days Hieronymus Osorius a Portugal then a private Man afterwards Bishop of Arcoburge or Sylvane wrote an Epistle to Queen Elizabeth in an elegant Latin Stile being nothing in effect but an Admonition to Her to wheel about to Popery In this Epistle he imagined many monstrous Errors to be nurselled in our Church and with much reproachful Language depraved the Professors of the Gospel This Libel was soon after printed in France both in Latin and French as it was also printed in English at Antwerp Ann. 1565. Translated by one Richard Shacklock M. A. and Student of the Civil Law in Lovain and Intituled A Pearl for a Prince This the State thought necessary to have an Answer to because it reflected much upon the Justice and Wisdom of the Nation Dr. Walter Haddon one of the finest Learning and of the most Ciceronian stile in England was imployed to answer this Foreigners Book which he finished in this Year 1563. Beginning Legi Hieronyme tuam Epistolam c. It is extant in the said Haddon's Lucubrations Published by Hatcher of Cambridge In the Beginning Haddon shewed the Cause of his answering of Osorius and of his publishing the same namely that Osorius had indeed writ his Epistle separately to the Queen yet it seemed to be intended for all because it was published in Print and was open to the Eyes of all Men. He added that this Author had taken much upon him that he being a private Man and at a great distance both by Sea and Land unacquaintâ—d also with English Affairs should so considently take upon him to speak to the Queens Majesty that he diminished the Dignity of the Laws of England and that in general he madâ— the Nation guilty of a wicked and malicious kind of Novelty Haddon in his Answer studied Brevity and they were only some particular Points whereunto he thought good to Answer although not to the full neither Because he supposed as he wrote in his Apology that Osorius might be deluded by some malicious Reports of our Adversaries Haddon's Book being thus prepared the care was to get it published And because Osorius was printed in France both in Latin and French Cecil thought it convenient that Haddon's said Answer should be printed in the same Place and in both the same Languages Hereupon the said Cecil in Ianuary sent the Treatise to our Ambassador desiring him to procure the Printing of it and that with all Expedition And that he would add to it something by his own hand where and as he thought good and that he would procure it to speak French and to be published in that Language also And accordingly this Epistle Responsory of Dr. Haddon was so well considered over and weighed by Smith and had his Castigations that it might be reckoned to be Smith's Work as well as Haddon's For Haddon also had entreated him to ponder diligently his Answer that nothing might be in it but what was sit to be seen and read for the Vindication of the Queen and Realm Smith also spake to Robert Stephens the French King's Printer that he would take it in hand He desiring the Copy to see whether there were any thing in it which touched the State of that Kingdom as also to consider the Bulk of the Book and on Condition he had leave of the Queen undertook to do it But it received some stop by this means which probably enough might have been a thing plotted by Osorius's Friends or Queen Elizabeth's and the Nations Enemies One de Valla came to the English Ambassador and desired he might have the sight of this Epistle of Haddon's and whether he had the Ambassador's leave or no went to Stephens as from the Ambassador and took the Book from him to peruse it for a time But while it was in de Valla's Possession the Provost Marshal arrested the said de Valla upon pretence of some Crime and withal took this Book out of his hand and so it was brought to the Court and remained in the possession of the said Provost This created work for the Ambassador So he wrote to the Chancellor of France acquainting him with the whole matter relating to him how Osorius had in the Book traduced the Manners Lives and Religion of England not according to the truth of the thing as indeed it was but according to his Apprehension and as ignorant Men had out of Envy represented matters to him And that if he had kept his Book within its own Bounds and in the Shadow of his own Closet no matter would have been made of it But when he had made that publick Vaunt of his performance by setting it forth in Print and making a Boast of himself to the World in this new and unusual Argument what did he do but display to all not only how ignorant he was of the Institution Manners and Customs which we said he use at present in England but how little he knew of those Controversies and Questions which now exercised the whole Christian World and to the understanding whereof the minds of all were so intent Thus the Ambassador discoursed in his Letter Two things therefore in Conclusion he requested of the Chancellor one was that after he had read this Epistle of Dr. Haddon he would procure that the Copy might be restored to Stephens to Print it Cum Privilegio or if that were not allowed yet that he might not be hindred from printing it in Latin and French Or if yet that would not be granted at least to restore the Copy that it might be printed elsewhere This was written by Smith March 6th from Melum a place about twenty Miles from Paris To which the Chancellor gave this Answer That the French Queen was much offended with those Folks that presumed to print Osorius his Book in
France without the King's Licence and commanded him the Chancellor to enquire after those that dared to Publish it and to see them punished He prayed Smith or his Messenger to procure him one of Osorius's Books that he might peruse it in order to the taking of Punishment on the Printers That the Queen as he said might know that good Kings even in War have a care of the Honour of crown'd Heads But disapproving the doing it as they did they could not he said permit of Haddon's Answer to be printed and so the French Queen ordered the Copy of the said Book to be sent back Smith followed this Business and sent the Chancellor a Copy of Osorius in French which he had gotten at Paris for all the Latin ones were disperst and sold as the Bookseller had plainly reported and that he had printed about 500 for he had no need to deny it For in express Words it appeared that the Book was Printed Cum Privilegio So that as he wrote to the Chancellor it was not poâ—â—ible to suppress the Book being printed with Authority nor puniâ—h the Printer who had such Licence and now to prohibit tâ—â—m to be sold was as he expressed it to him to shut the Cage when the Birds were flown Smith therefore further pressed the Chancellor in this manner That this only remained viz. that both Parties should be heard as well he that made the Answer as he that put in the Caution And whereas the Chancellor thought it inconvenient to allow Haddon's Book to be printed because it would be nothing but a contending in Reproaches and ill Words Smith said that there would be no such rude Contention between them but that whereas Osorius in an Oratorical way shook our Forms of Religion and taxed the Manners of certain Men Haddon shewed that Osorius indeed knew neither the one nor the other and that such was the state of the thing that in his Judgment it were better that both their Orations should be Read than either be supprest For that both of them were wrote Eloquently and in Latin and that which they wrote did not at all touch the State of France Boldly adding That when Osorius had a Liberty Cum Privilegio of accusing our Forms we seemed to demand that which was but equal of him the Chancellor of France namely to be heard with the like Privilege and that it must seem hard that a liberty of Haranguing should be granted to one Party only The effect of this was that our Ambassador got the Book Printed not long after as shall be related in due place But though Smith was not concerned any further in this Affair after he had brought the Book to the Press with his own Corrections and Additions yet it may not be amiss to relate the Progress of this Controversy which I shall do briefly There past over a year or two and Dr. Haddon was appointed the Queen's Agent in Flanders and was Leiger at Bruges At what time one Emanuel Dalmada a Portuguese Born Bishop of Angrence suddenly sprung up in Brussels and undertook the Defence of his Friend Osorius Stuffing a great Volume full of Slanders and Brabbles And in the end of the Book he had caused certain ugly Pictures to be pourtrayed thereby to deface Haddon's Personage as much as he might This Apology for so it was called when Haddon perused he professed he never saw so foolish and unsavory a Writing full of Scoffs and Absurdities The Author therefore he despised as one altogether unlettered and so dull by Nature that he was oftentimes a jesting Stock among the wiser sort of his own Fraternity But after some more time Dr. Tho. Wylson the Queen's Ambassador in Portugal coming home at Osorius's Request brought certain Volumes of the said Osorius's composing against Haddon's Answer digested into three Books Whereof he delivered one to Haddon Who received it gladly and perused it once or twice Having hoped that he being then installed a Bishop would have been much more modest than before But the Matter fell out quite contrary For instead of a civil and sober Person he found him a most frivolous Sophister I use Haddon's own Words for a grave Divine a childish Counterfeit And in the Book of Vanity and Haughtiness good store To this Book Haddon soon after began the writing of an Answer Apologetical against the said Osorius's slanderous Invectives as he stiled them for the necessary Defence of the Evangelical Doctrine and Verity And dedicated it to Sebastian King of Portugal as Osorius had done his Letter before to the Queen Which as she had gently entertained and perused so he perswaded himself to obtain the like Favour of that King's Magnificence and heroical Clemency In this Apology Haddon made some Progress but died before he finished it And the rest of it which was the greater part was done very Learnedly by Iohn Fox and printed about the Year 1573. And after by Iames Bell put into English and printed 1581. But turn we now again to our Ambassador Resident in France He and Sir Nic. Throgmorton joint-Ambassador with him there did not well accord Which was well enough known at Court This gave the Secretary a great Concern for fear of some miscarriage in publick Business by means thereof And in December in one of his Letters to Smith taking notice of it he told him that he hoped nevertheless That Both for their Wisdoms would have regard of the Queen's Affairs and one of them bear with the other For so should both of them deserve Commendation And in another Letter he tells Smith that he was sorry to see things between them no better temporized Wisdom said he must rule you both And surely otherwise ye shall both take the Blame alike Tho' ye be not both percase alike to blame This Throgmorton to give here some Character of him was a busy-headed Man full of Intrigue a Favourite of the Earl of Leicester and an Emulator of Cecil For his over-business in the French Court he was made a Prisoner tho' then the Queen's Ambassador And in that Condition he remained some time namely so long till the Peace was concluded tho' he still acted as the Queen's Ambassador He was somewhat impatient to remain so long under Restraint and thought that Cecil was not sufficiently diligent to get him his Liberty But Cecil understanding it wrote to his Fellow-Ambassador to this Import That as he had promised Smith his Friendship so he had done the like to Throgmorton tho' some Clouds he said let the Influence of his good Will to be felt of him Protesting that for his own part God be his Judge and Avenger for all his evil meaning to him in all those Times And as he was angry at Cecil whom he did not much love before so he was easily inclined to blame him upon any suspicion As in the next Year 1564. remaining under Confinement still he was very wroth with the
FrenchAmbassador Resident in England to whom he bore a great Malice And yet such was his Fineness and Dissimulation that at the latter end of that Year being at Liberty and here at home he grew very great with the same French Gentleman Cecil took notice of it and wrote to Smith that he thought it strange to see what great Amity now was between the French-Ambassador and Mr. Throgmorton considering the Hate he had before born him It was strange to Cecil a plain-dealing Man and of no Turnings and Windings tho' a great and wise Politician But Throgmorton could play the Courtier and pretend Friendship in colour for some private ends of his own when the same distempered Spirit lurked still within him that did before And happy was Smith in the Friendship of the foresaid Cecil who as he was a wise and good Man so most sincere and cordial in his Nature And yet once had our Ambassador taken something ill at his Hands according to an ill Office that some had done between them representing him as guilty of some Unkindness towards Sir Thomas Whereat he very plainly and freely in his next Letters dated in December told him of it This Freedom the Secretary took in good part and valued in Truth his Friendship the more for it telling him that He had much Cause to thank him for his Friendly Dealing with him and as much more cause to praise him for his open and plain Dealing Which I assure you on my Faith as he said I do allow more in you than any other part of your Friendship And hence he took occasion to give this good piece of Advice to him viz. wishing him to use all Integrity in his Transactions that he might have the Testimony of a good Conscience Notwithstanding which Counsel he reckoned that he needed not to give it him For added he piously and gravely when all the Glory and Wit when all the Wealth and Delight of this World is past we must come before the Judge that will exact this Rule of us to discern us from the Goats CHAP. X. Peace with France Smith continues Ambassador there His Book of the Common-wealth of England Returns A Review of his Embassy IN the Beginning of the Year 1564. by the Means and Labour of Sir Tho. Smith and Sir Nic. Throgmorton his Collegue Peace was concluded with France Which was to take place on the 23d of April It was proclaimed in London the 22d and on the 23d a notable good Sermon was made at St. Paul's with e Deum sung and all incident Solemnitiâ—s The same Day it was published at Windsor in the Queen's presence going to Church and having with her the French-Ambassador So as nothing wanted to shew Contentation The Queen also now sent over the Garter to be presented to that King by the Lord Hunsdon Sir Tho. Smith and Sir Gilb. Dethic King of Arms. After the Peace was concluded Sir Tho. Smith still resided in France And now one of his great Businesses was to get some good Answer for the Money due by the Prince of Conde to the Queen In September Sir Thomas desirous of returning solicited by the Secretary his sending for home But the Secretary could not attain of the Queen a Determination about it perceiving in her a Disposition rather to have him continue till that King should return back from those South Parts where he then was But this Care however she took for him that for avoiding of the Plague which then reigned in France she would have him forbear to follow the Court in dangerous Places Considering as she said the French Ambassador did forbear to follow her Court all her last Progress into the North taking his Ease at London altho' he was by some means moved to the contrary Wherewith her Majesty was somewhat offended Wherefore she admonished Smith in like manner according to his Convenience to forbear so diligent a â—aâ—lowing of that Court as hitherto he haâ— used In this Month of September the Rhinegrave being in France dealt with our Ambassador concerning a Match between the Archduke the Emperor's Son and Queen Elizabeth With which he acquainted the Secretary To which the Secretary replyed That it would be very seasonable if it were honourably propounded Sir Thomas afterwards wrote him that he should hear more of this another way In March the beginning of the Year 1565. did Sir Thomas finish his known Tract of the Common-wealth of England and the Manner of the Government thereof Consisting of three Books The first whereof was concerning the Diversities of Common-wealths or Governments And therein he treated of the Gentlemen of England Which he divided into the Great and Less Nobility and of the other Ranks of Men in this Country The Second Book was taken up in shewing particularly the Laws of the Realm The Third was concerning Appeals of the Courts of Star-Chamber Wards and Liveries c. This excellent Book he wrote at his leisure Hours while he was abroad in this his Embassy in France Occasioned as it seemeth by certain Discourses he had with some Learned Men there concerning the variety of Common-wealths Wherein some did endeavour to under-value the English Government in comparison with that in other Countries where the Civil Law took place His drift herein was as he tells us himself in the Conclusio◠〈◊〉 his Book to set before us the principal Points wherein the English Policy at that Time differed from that used in France Italy Spain Germany and all other Countries which followed the Civil Law of the Râ—mans compiled by Iustinian in his Pandects and Code And this Tract of his being as a Project or Table of a Common-wealth laid before the Reader he recommended to be compared with the Common-wealths which at that Day were in Eâ—â—e or with others which did remain described in true Histories Especially in such Points wherein the one differed from the other To see which had taken the more right truer and more commodious way to Govern the People as well in War as in Peace This he said would be no illiberal Occupation for him that was a Philosopher and had a delight in Disputing nor unprofitable for him that had to do with or had good will to serve the Prince and Common-wealth in giving Counsel for the better Administration thereof This was written in Latin as well as in English and many were the Copies taken of it till at last it was Printed tho' I think not before the Year 1621. when it came forth in English in the old Black Letter From the 5th of August to the 30th of October Smith's extraordinary Charges which he brought in to the Queen amounted to 103 l. 6 s. 8 d. And as a good part of which was for his Servants some sent into England and others to the French Court the King being then in his Progress and Smith not always following the Court so the greatest part was spent in gratifying Spies
that Familiarity with them that he wisht Tâ—â—s ' with thâ—se in Paris his Converse was so much that he called them his Convictores But he added that he had his Convictrices too i. e. his She Companions and daily Guests which created him as much Sorrow and Anxiety as the others did pleasure And these were as he explained himself Solicitudes Cares Damage to his Domestick Concerns in England greater Charges than he could well bear doubtful Disputations various Emulations and Opinions While Smith was here he procured the Printing of the Answer to Osorius for the Vindication of the Queen and the Proceedings of the Realm in the Reformation of Religion as was mentioned before when the Reader was told of the Difficulty that Smith met with while he required that State 's Allowance for the publishing thereof But at last he got it into the Press at his own Charge Which made Dr. Haddon the Author after the publishing of the Book write to him Mulâ—um tibi Responsum debet Osorianum i. â— That the Answer to Osorius owed much to him And as for Smith's Judgment of this Answer it was this as he wrote to the said Haddon That he conflicted with an Adversary too unequal for him For Osorius brought nothing beside the bare Imitation of Cicâ—ro and the Ignorance of that he undertook to treat of Which Haddon pointed him to as it were with his Finger Yet with much Modesty and without sharpness of Words By April 1564. Smith had so compleated the printing of the Book that he sent over some Copies to the Secretary The aforesaid Dr. Haddâ—n Master of the Requests was the Queen's Ambassador at Bruges at the same time that our Smith was in the like Quality in France Between whom a friendly and learned Correspondâ—nce was maintained They both were Ambassadors abroad in the Years 1562 1564 1565 1566. Divers of the Letters written between them are printed in Haddon's Posthumous Pieces published by Hatcher of Cambridge An. 1567. Smith was a great Lover and Reader of Plato as Haddon was of Tully In relation to which thus did Haddon from Burges write to Smith in France Your Plato will not suffer you nor my Tully me to be our own who would have us serve our Country and as we at first received all that we have from it so to return all back to it again This he said to comfort Smith and himself under their present Distances from their Country their Pains and Expences in their Embassies for the Service of their Queen and Country The troubles whereof they were apt sometimes to lay to heart At another Time viz. in the Year 1562. Haddon appealed to Smith as a Judge in a Dispute between him and the French Ambassador at Bruges upon Cicero's Skill both in Law and Philosophy For Haddon happening to Sup once with that Ambassador upon some occasion Cicero was cited when the Ambassador did admit him to be the best Orator but he would not allow him at all to be skilled in Law and that he was but a mean Philosopher Haddon stood up for the Honour of his Master and affirmed that he was a very good Lawyer and a most excellent Philosopher Whereupon they fell into a very hot Argument that they could hardly make an end Concerning this he took occasion in his next Letter to write unto Smith telling him that he wished this Controversy might have had his Judgment Cui non minus uni tribuo quam Platoni Poeta nescio quis à reliquis destitutus i. e. To whom alone he attributed as much as a certain Poet did to Plato when he had none else of his side Smith on the next occasion in his to Haddon thus communicated his Judgment That if any doubted whether Cicero was a Lawyer it was not to be wondered at because Men for the most part are ignorant of Age and Times That Cicero was not of those in that Time that professed the Civil Law but yet he was Iureconsultissimus Admirably skilled in it Which not only many of his Pleadings and Orations demonstrate but his Topics to Trebatius And he esteemed himself so to have prosited herein that he openly declared one Day If they vexed him he would the third Day after profess the Civil Law But he never saw indeed Accursius nor Bartholus nor Baldus nor Iason nor the Digests nor Code of Iustinian A good Reason why because they were not in being in his Time But so thorowly had he learned the Laws of that Time that unless he had been an Orator he had been esteemed the Learnedest Civilian If he that is a Lawyer deny him to be a Philosopher that Answer will easily be given to him that Apelles gave the Shooe-maker Let him not give his Iudgment beyond his Slipper But for his Philosophy he betook them that denied it to his Book De Deo De Divinatione or what he treated of in his other Philosophical Dissertations In April 1564. Secretary Cecil writ our Ambassador the News of the Disturbance at Court occasioned by Iohn Hales's Book wrote in the last Parliament Which was the cause of his being cast into Prison and several others of the Court committed or banished the Court. Of this Haddon who was now at home had also acquainted him and called it Tempestas Halisiana i. e. The Storm raised by Hales This Hales was a passing good Scholar an hearty Protestant thorowly acquainted with the State of this Kingdom and a great Antipapist he had been a Courtier to King Edward and an Exile under Queen Mary and now under this Queen Clerk of the Hanaper And fearing the Succession of the Scotch Queen a Papist to the Crown if Queen Elizabeth should die unmarried and childless he by private Consultation with others resolved to take upon him to write a Discourse to discuss the Title to this Crown after the Queen And having in a Book confuted and rejected the Line of the Scotch Queen made the Line of the Lady Frances that had been Married to Grey Duke of Suffolk who was Daughter to the Younger Sister of King Henry VIII to be only next and lawful Heir She was Mother to the Lady Katharine Grey who had been privately Married to Edward Seimour Earl of Hertford And were now both in the Tower for that Marriage and under the Queen's Displeasure In April Hales was committed to the Fleet for this bold and presumptuous Act and afterwards to the Tower where he continued a great while Especially because he communicated these his Conceits to sundry Persons The Lord Iohn Grey Uncle to the Lady Katharine was in trouble about it and so was the Lord-Keeper Bacon And besides all this Hales had procured Sentences and Counsels of Lawyers from beyond Seas to be written in maintenance of the Earl of Hertford's Marriage which seemed to have been by their Consents only For which the Marriage had been declared invalid and null by the Archbishop of Canterbury But hereat
the Queen was much offended In May Hales's Business came to be examined by the Secretary After Examination he was found to have procured Books in Defence of the Earl of Hertford's Marriage and likewise in Approbation of the Title of Succession for the Lady Katharine Upon this Occasion thus did Smith the Ambassador write As I am a Man I would not have any Man vexed I could wish Quietness to all the Race of Mankind and that whosoever would might Philosophize freely But every Man should mind his own Business He declared that he for his part was for a Liberty of Philosophizing But whereas it was urged that they Philosophized too much he said he thought what was done was done more out of Curiosity than Malice And whereas he saw so much Danger and Vexation Banishment from Court and Imprisonment of great Men happening upon the Occasion of the said Book some for Writing it and some for Reading it he made this Moral and wise Reflection I plainly perceive how dangerous a thing it is to be too forward in prying into the secret Affairs of King's and Kingdoms CHAP. XI Smith goes over Ambassador again to demand Calais His Employment at home Concerned in turning Iron into Copper SMITH being come home from his Embassy the Sight of his old Friends and the Enjoyment of his native Country was a great Joy to him Haddon still remained Ambassador at Bruges Who in the Kalends of Iune Anno 1566. wrote to him that he did almost envy him this his present Happiness You said he have now recovered your Country your Prince your Consort your Friends your Ease and with the rest the high Commendation of your Embassy Whereas it is my unhappiness alone to be deprived of all those Comforts of my Life And no doubt Smith returned with the same Praise for the management of his Negotiation in France as his Friends in England gave him while he was in the Execution of it as the same Haddon signified to him not long after his first going into France viz. That the most intelligent Men of the Court attributed much to his Wisdom and Moderation but above the rest their common Friend Cecil the Queen's Secretary Who ever made honourable and friendly mention of him Sir Thomas Smith spent this Year in England among his Friends He had not been above Twelve Months at home but he was sent again into France in Quality of the Queen's Ambassador Extraordinary to make a formal Demand of Calais from the French according to a Treaty at the Castle of Cambray Eight Years before and when the last Peace was made at Triers Calais being then excepted in express Words and to be restored to England the second Day of April now next ensuing Sir Henry Norris was at present the Ambassador in Ordinary there who went over in February 1566. Sir Thomas followed the next Month viz. in March Repairing privately to Calais to be there the third Day of April to demand the Town Not as tho' they thought the Governour would deliver it but to avoid all Cavillations which the French might invent for by Law it was to be demanded at the very Place and being not delivered the sum of 500000 l. was forfeited to the Queen Mr. Winter a great Sea-Officer past secretly with him to take Possession thereof if they deceived the Expectation of the English and there were not passing three of the Council knew of Winter's going Sir Thomas took his Son Mr. Smith along with him bringing him up in all generous and gentile Accomplishments that he might be fit to do Service afterward to his Queen and Country And often he sent him over with Letters and Messages as he did in the Month of May this Year 1567. with Letters from himself and Sir Henry his fellow Ambassador containing the Contents of this their troublesome Negotiation But to return to Smith his Managery of this his charge which he did in this Formality He demanded Calais first at the Gates of the Town next the Sea in a loud Voice in French by the sound of a Trumpet of which an Act was presently made by a publick Notary to which were Witnesses certain outlandish Merchants and others there happily present And next coming to the French King he demanded Calais again together with Sir Henry Norris the other Ambassador That King remitted the matter to his Council where Hospital his Chancellor and our Smith argued the Point largely and learnedly on both sides which may be read in the History of Queen Elizabeth This being done Smith comes over again and was at Court about the 12 th of May and thus did he continue employedby the Queen in her service both at home anâ—abroad And for his pains he justly waited for some Preferment as a gracious token of thâ— Queen's acceptance of his Services And when in the Year 1568. Sir Ambrose Cave aâ— old Friend of his deceased who had been Chancellor of the Dutchy and one of the Queenâ—punc Privy Council he solicited and laboured with Cecil to be admitted into his Room He told the said Cecil that if any thing came â—r whatsoever came he should and must thinâ— that it came by him and promised that hewould not be unthankful and that if the Queen were disposed to bestow this Place uponhim he should reckon himself not utterly abjâ—ct of her Majesty Which Words point to â—ome Discontent in Smith's Mind as tho' he had taken it somewhat to heart that no preferment had been conferred upon him during the ten years the Queen had Reigned Dr. Haddon the Master of Requests wrote also upon this occasion to the Secretary in Smith's behalf that he might succeed in his Suit But withal he wrote in that manner astho ' he conjectured his Suit was in effect desperate which he exprest with some trouble concluding that it was destined That as he Haddon was to grow old among Beggars for his Office was to present begging Requests and Suits to the Queen so Smith to spend his life among Turfs meaning the Country Life which he Lived in Essex But withal he wished the Queen â—o worse Counsellors than he And so it fel out Smith missed his Suit and Sir RalphSadleir became Chancellor of the Dutchy So that in the Years 1567 1568 1569 1570. Sir Tho Smith was much in the Country Living aretired Life During which time he servâ—d his Country in distributing Justice and aking care of the Peace and Quiet of the Queen's Subjects and Execution of her Laws in the Quality of Justice of Peace in that Division of Essex especially aâ—punc bout the Part of Ongar and Epping where he dwelt Among other Causes that came before him there happened certain Matters of supposed Witchcraft Which occasioned much Disturbance among â—is Neighbours Arising especially from tâ—o Women viz. One Malter's Wife of Theyron at Mount the Parish where Sir Thomas himself dwelt and
have taken up their Seat in him And thus we see Smith re-enstated again in that Place which four and twenty Years ago he enjoyed under King Edward Smith now being Secretary and Walsingham Resident in the French Court and the matter of the Match for Duke D'Alenson and the Queen transacted earnestly this Year the main of this Matter went through Smith's Hands And thus it stood The French King and Queen-Mother and the Duke and that Court were extreamly eager for it and so was the English Nation too supposing it the best way for the Security of her Majesty and her Crown But the Queen her self was but cold in the Matter And when an Interview was moved between her and the Duke she refused to yield to it upon some Scruples Whereat Secretary Smith to set it forward that it might not be suspended on such a Point devised that the Duke should come over hither without the Ceremony of an Invitation For as he wrote to Walsingham in August he was sorry so good a Matter should upon so nice a Point be deferred Adding That one might say that the Lover would do little if he would not take pains once to see his Love but she must first say Yea before he saw her or she him Twenty Ways said he might be devised why he might come over and be welcome and possibly do more in an Hour than he might in two Years otherwise Cupido ille qui vincit omnia in oculos insidet ex oculis ejaculatur in oculos utriusque videndo non solum ut ait Poeta Faemina virum sed Vir faeminam What Force I pray you can Hear-say and I think and I trust do in comparison of that cum Praesens praesentem tuctur alloquitur furore forsitan amoris ductus amplectitur And saith to himself and openly that she may hear Tenâ—ne te mea an etiamnum somno volunt Faeminae videri cogi ad id quod maximè cupiunt If we be cold it is our Part Besides the Person the Sex requires it Why are you cold Is it not a Young Man's part to be Bold Couragious and to adventure If he should have a Repulse he should have but Honorificam Repulsam The worst that can be said of him is but a Phaeton Quam si non tenuit magnis tamen excidit Ausis Adding that so far as he could perceive this was the only Anchor this the Dye to be cast for us Or else nothing was to be lookt for but still and continual Dalliance and Doubtfulness so far as he could see Thus in his Royal Mistresses and the Nations Behalf he could talk and direct like a Master of Love This Device and Counsel I suppose was hinted to the French Court And it was not long but Duke D'Alenson accordingly came over to make his Address to the Queen The Parisian Massacre happening in August so treacherous and so inhumane that all the World stood amazed at it Secretary Smith abhorred and wrote his Thoughts of it in this following Letter to Walsingham then Ambassador there Sir this Accident in France seemeth to us so strange and beyond all Expectation that we cannot tell what to say to it And the Excuse tam Exilis so slender or fraudulent namely That the Hugonots had intended to have made some dangerous Disturbances in the Kingdom and therefore the King was forced to do this for his own safety that we wot not what to think of it The Matter appears all manner of ways so lamentable the King so suddenly and in one Day to have dispoiled himself and his Realm of so many notable Captains so many brave Soldiers so wise and so valiant Men as if they were unguilty of that which is laid unto them it is most pitiful If they were guilty Cur Mandati Causa damnati sunt ac caesi In such sudden and extream Dealings Cito sed sera Poenitentia solet sequi If it were sudden and not of long Time premeditated before And if so the worse and more infamous Thus you see what privately any Man may think of this Fact I am glad yet that in these Tumults and bloody Proscriptions you did Escape and the young Gentlemen that be there with you and that the King had so great Care and Pity of our Nation so lately with strait Amity Confederate with him Yet we hear say that he that was sent by my Lord Chamberlain to be School-master to young Wharton bâ—ing come the Day before was then slain Alas he was acquainted with no body nor could be partaker of any evil Dâ—â—ling How fearful and careful the Mothers and Parents be here of such young Gentlemen as be there you may easily guess by my Lady Lane who prayeth very earnestly that her Son may be sâ—nt home with as much speed as may be And if my Lady your Wife with your Daughter and the rest with such as may be spared were sent away home until this Rage and Tempest were somewhat appeased you shall be the quieter and disburthened of much of your Care You would not think how much we are desirous to hear what End these Troubles will have whether it rangeth further into all France or die and will cease here at Paris Our Merchants be afraid now to go into France And who can blame them Who would where such Liberty is given to Soldiers and where Nec Pietas nec Iustitia doth refrain and keep back the unruly Malice and Sword of the raging Popular Monsieur La Mote is somewhat spoken to in this Matter And now the Vintage as you know is at hand but our Traffick into Roan and other Places in France is almost laid down with this new Fear It grieveth no Man in England so much as me And indeed I have in some respect the greatest Cause I suppose because he was the great maker of the League between that King and the Queen and did so assure the Qâ—een of the Ingrity Truth and Honour of the said King Fare you well From Woodstock the 12th of September 1572. Your always assured Tho. Smith POSTSCRIPT I Most heartily thank you for the Book of the past Troubles in France But alas who shall now write worthily of the Treasons and Cruelties more barbarous than over the Scythians used And in the same Month when upon some Treachery feared to be acted upon Walsingham he was sent for home for some Time and Tidings being brought of the Massacres upon the Protestants at Roan and other Places as well as at Paris thus did this good Man express his Detestation of these Practices The cruel Murthers of Roan are now long ago written unto us when we thought all had been done And by the same Letters was written unto us that Diep was kept close and the same Executions of the true Christians lookt for there but as then not executed Howbeit Sigoigne did warrant all our English Men to be out of danger and not to be afraid But what
Eliz. Smith employed in the Reformation And in one of the Committees for the State An. 1559 And in Swearing the Officers of Walden Sir Thomas This Service in the Commission of the Peace Subscription of the Iustices Ann. 1560. Smith's Dialogue concerning the Queen's Marriage 〈◊〉 III Aâ— 1562. Q. Eliz. 〈…〉 D. 〈◊〉 to France Stops at Calais and why Directions to him from the Council Smith 〈…〉 〈◊〉 with the Pope's Legate The Secretaries Aâ—viâ—e to the 〈…〉 The Queen's Orders to him Three Evils in France Smith's Behaviour in his Embassy Entertains a Subtil Spy His Complaint An. 1563. The Ambassadors Instructions concerning the Prince of Câ—nde The Ambassador sends News to the Council Ordered to speak only in Latin in his Negotiation Contention between Smith and Throgmorton Smith's Plainness pleaseth the Lord Robert Instruâ—â—â—ons â—â— Smith's â—â—inâ—ng with the Proâ—â—stanâ—â— Smith reateth for Peace Dr. Haddons Advice to Smith The Ambassador sâ—nds over Books to Cecil Smith o procure a Book to be Printed in France Osorius's Episâ—le to the Queen Answered by Haddon This Answer recommendâ—d to Smith o revise And Publâ—sh A Licence for which he labours to obtain from the Chancâ—â—lor Which he will not grant Smith presseâ—h it Argues with the Chancellor of France about it The Progress of this Controversy Difference between the two Ambassadors Some Character of Throgmorton Cecil's and Smith's Friendship An. 1564. Smith effects a Peace Solicits the Queen's Debt The Queen continues him Ambassador A Match for the Queen propounded to him An. 1565. Q. Eliz. Smith finisheth his Book of the Common-wealth His extraordinary Expenâ—es Smith 's Son with his Father He laâ—â—urâ— to come home He returns He is inquisitive how his Negotiation is accepted He follows the Court in France His Reflâ—ction upon his hearing of the Queen's going to Cambridge Hâ— composeth his Book of thâ— Common-wealth at Tholouse 〈…〉 〈…〉 He procures the printing of the Answer to Osorius His 〈…〉 Haddon 〈…〉 Plato e non siâ—it esse tuus nâ—â— meus me Cicero qui Patriae nos servire volunt illi read omnia unde universa pâ—ius accâ—pimus Smith's Opinion of Tullies Philosophy and Law His Reflection on the Troubles occasioned by Hales 's Book Ita homo sum vexari nolim quemquam quietus esse cuperem omnes mortales liberè Philosophari qui velint caeteros suam quemque rem agere Video periculosum esse in Rebus arcanis Principum Regnorum nimis velle sapere An. 1566. Smith now at home Tu patriam principem conjugem amicos otium praeclarissimam legationis laudem paeriter recuperavisti Mea singularis Infelicitas haec omnia mea â—itae solatia detraxit An. 1567. Sent again to demand Calais Cecil 's Letters to Sir Henry Norris Cabal p. 137. Takes his Son with him The manner of his demanding Calais Cam. Eliz. p. 98. c. An. 1568. Q. Eliz. Sues for the place of Chancellor of the Dutchy Ut inter glebas ille Ego inter mendicos consenescam An. 1570. Sir Thomas in the Country administring Iustice. Witches by him examined Malter 's Wife ' Anne Vicars ' Sir Thomas comitted into the Council An. 1571. Labours about transmuting Iron into Copper Hâ—s Progress thereâ—n Some Lords come into the Project The Projectâ—rs formed into a Society The Patent for it Signâ—d The Business finds Delays The Chymist a Bâ—ggar Smith examinâ—th the Duke of Norfolk's Secretary Goes Ambassador again to France To make a firm Amity against Spain An Article debated by Smith His Argument with the French Queen Smith perswades thâ— Queen She consents to the League He loved not many Words His Hardship in France Communication between the Queen-Mother and Smith concerning the Queen's Marriage Further Discourse on the same Argument His Thoughts of the Queen's Marrying His Concern for the Queen's Sickness And the Irresolutions of the Court. The Queen of Navarre sends to Sir Thomas The Queen gives him the Chancellorship of the Order Comes home Made Secretary Famed in the Court for his Learning Smith's Device for a View between Mounsieur and the Queen Hit Thoughts the Massâ—cre at Pâ—ris His Detestation of it His Reaâ—on of the manner of Anwering the Prench Ambassador His Observation of the Prejudice the French did themselve in Scotland The Secretary at Windsor 〈◊〉 Aâ—â—nts and Irish Matters His â—â—â—passion for Flanders Regem expertem otii laboris amantem cujus gens bellicosa jampridem assueta est caedibus tam exterioris quam vestri Sanguinis Quid faciemus Gens otiosa Pacis assueta quibus imperat Regina ipsa Pacis atque Quietis amantissima His Advice about the Earl of Desmond And the Quarrel between Clanrichard and Fitton Mass-mongers and Conjurers sent up to the Secretary His Letter to the Earl of Shrewsbury hereupon Ex Offic. Armorum Perswades the Queen to send aid into Scotland Which upon his Motion she condescends to Two Scotch men by him examined Thomas sends a Colony into Ardes Sir Thomas's son leads the Colony His Rules and Orders for it Mr. Smiths care in the Colony Draws up Iâ—structins for his Son Families of English found in the Ardes Mr. Smiths good service this Winter Mr. Smith slain â— The Arde neglected upon Sir Thomas's Death How lost from the Family N. W. An. 1574. Q. Eliz. The Secretary uneasie At the Queens Delays The Queen deliberates about supplies for the Earl of Essex The Queens backwardness thereunto troubles the Secretary An. 1575. Conference between the Queon and her Secretary about Ulster And tho Earl of Essex His Advice vice to the Queen concerning him The Secretary with the Queen in Progress The Queen speaks to the Secretary about dangerous beggars He precures an Act for Schools of Learning Hist of Cambr. p. 144. The Act. An. 1576. Q. Eliz. that the next Year ended his Life Overprest with continual Watchings Sir Thomas 's fatal Dâ—stemper seizes him It affected 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 and Throat The Orator now scaâ—â—â— can speak To divert 〈◊〉 sickness he looks over his former Writings His book of Roman Câ—â—ns 〈…〉 The Physicians tamper with him Hi Physicâ—â—â—s leave 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 Physick 〈◊〉 into th Country An. 1577. Q. Eliz. Dyes Persons attending his Funerals Buried His Monument His Lady diet His Person described Makes his Will For the finishing of his House and Monument To his Lady For preserving good housekeeping To his Brother His Library to Queens College Or Peter House Books to his Friends A Cup to the Queen In case of Doubt arising in the Will His Executors The Date of his Will His Learning A Platonick A Physician Hâ—â— Recipe for the Plaguâ— His Câ—â—mâ—cal Water sâ—â—t to tâ—â— Câ—mâ—ss of Oxford â—â— Mâ—thiolus A Chymist A Mathematician An Arithmeticâ—an An Astronomer His judâ—â—ment of the Star â—n Cassiopâ—ia A Polâ—cian A Linguist An Historian An Orator An Architect His Library N. VI. Books by him written Pa. 81. A great Iudge in Learning His Acquaintance The Vogue of his Learning Beneficial to Learning Hâ—s Places His Wealth His House In Chanon Row In London Ankerwicâ— Mounthaut 〈…〉 〈◊〉 William Smith His Pâ—â— gâ—on His Principles by which he governed himself His Vertues Vices falsely charged on him His Spirit great His Apparel Not Opressive Of an Universal Charity His Apophthegms Lelaud's Copy of verses to Smith Dr. Byng's Epitaphon him Ex Original Pat. penes D. Ed. Smith E. Mâ—S D. Richar. Gibbs Eque Aurat Et Rev. D. Johan Laughton a This Budaeus maketh the Roman Standard adding to it half an Oun. b This I take to be the Roman Stand. c The Standard 1568. Reg. Eliz. 9. a This is next to the Roman Supputation