unto the whole Court that it was his last Feast of Feasts one for all And indeed when we looke backe unto the same therein beholding his Highnesse cheerefull carriage the Time Order State Magnificence and Greatnes thereof we may behold somewhat Ominous therein The Monday after the Court removeing from thence his Highnesse after leave obtained hasted home againe to Richmond because of the Newes of the Palsegraves approach whom he intended to grace with all possible honour Being returned he began to give order for every thing and to dispatch all affaires both of his owne and concerning the following intended Triumphes for his Highnes the Palsgraves better welcome He now also of himselfe I know not by what motion considering the great paines deserts and small meanes of a number of his Followers who had spent much and gotten nothing in his Service did give order for a number of severall pensions according to his discretion to some of them promising also after a while that none should be discouraged to remember the rest But now whether the continuall violences of his Exercises or his too frequent eating of abundance of Grapes and other fruits or some setled Melancholly engendred by some unknowne causes I cannot determine yet did hee looke still more pale and thinne from day to day complaining now and then of a cold lasie drowsinesse in his head which as I thinke moved him many times to aske questions of divers about him concerning the quality cure and nature of the Feaver called for the strange diversitie The new Disease belike fearing some such like thing by his indisposition He also used before this now and then and in his Sicknesse to sigh often whereof being sometimes demanded the cause by his Phisitians Doctor Hamond and others neere him hee would sometimes reply that he knew not sometimes that they came unawares and sometimes also that they were not without cause At the beginning of October his continuall Head-ach Lazinesse and indisposition increasing which notwithstanding because of the time he strove mightily to conceale whereas oft before he used to rise earely in the morning to walke the fields he did lye a bed almost every morning untill nine of the clocke complayning of his lazinesse and that hee knew not the cause during which time belike jealous of himselfe hee would many mornings before his rising aske of the Groomes of his Bed-chamber How doe I looke this morning and at other times the same question againe which they fearing no danger to make his Highnesse laugh would put off with one jest or other But he still continuing ill the tenth of the foresaid Moneth hee had two small fits of an Ague forcing him to keepe his Chamber which his Highnesse finding had some speech with Doctor Hamond his Physitian willing belike to have taken some strong Phisicke the sooner to have removed the cause But he not daring to bee too bold with his Highnesse body without a further consent did onely give unto his Highnesse a softning Glister which had its owne good effects stirring the humors On the Morning being Tuesday the thirteene of October he having as was thought taken cold had a great loosenesse his belly opening 25. times avoiding a great deale of Choller Flegme and putrified Matter toward the ende yet for all this on the morrow he finding himselfe as he said reasonable well because of the Palsgraves comming hee hasted from thence to Saint James wherupon he gave order and would needes remove on Thursday the thirteenth of the same moneth notwithstanding any perswasions whatsoever to the contrary neither was it without great danger as they all shewed him to hazard himselfe abroad so soone his Body being yet open but he affirming himselfe to be very well would needes goe on with his former determination At last to Saint James he came seeming well but that he looked pale and ill so that sundry did speake suspitiously of his lookes fearing some distemper in his Body yet so strong was his minde that complaining of nothing he did beare out the matter very bravely in shew being so well that he gave his Physitian who had waited a long time leave to goe home to his house meane while his indisposition still continuing and increasing there might have beene perceived in him a sudden great change for he began to be displeased almost with every thing and to be exceeding curious in all things yet not regarding but looking as it were with the eyes of a stranger upon them for sundry things shewed him◠which before he had wonted to talke of aske questions and view curiously he now scarce vouchsafed to looke upon turning them away with the backe of his hand and departing as who would say I take pleasure in nothing yet was he wonderfully busie in providing and giving order for every thing belonging to his care for his Sisters Marriage advancing the same by all meanes possible keeping also his Highnes the Palsgrave company so much as conveniently he could together with Count Henry his Excellencie Grave Maurice his Brother whom he also much honoured and esteemed belike because of a Noble and Heroicke disposition which he saw in him fitting his humour with whom he used to play often at Cardes and Tenis delighting much in his company and above all the rest one great Match they had at Tenis on Saturday the 24. of October the day before his last Sicknesse where his undaunted courage negligently carelesly and wilfully neither considering the former weake estate of his body danger nor coldnesse of the season as though his body had been of brasse did play in his shirt as if it had been in the heate of Summer during which time he looked so wonderfull ill and pale that all the beholders tooke notice thereof muttering to one another what they feared But hee the match being ended carried himselfe so well as if there were no such matter having all this while a reasonable good stomack to meat yet this night at his going to bed complaining more then usuall of his lazinesse and head-ache But oh whether goe I now must I againe launch out into a Sea of sorrowes adding more griefes unto our yet bleeding wounds Oh death was there no remedy when wilt thou make an end shall the grave devoure alwayes was thy charge so strait that thou could'st shoote neither at great nor small but at the Prince of our Israel doe sweete smelling flowers so much delight thy grisly ghastly senses appetite that thou wouldst gather none but our fairest well beloved scarce blowne rose why didst thou so soone robbe us I know but that thou who scornest to reason with thy captives disdainest to answer thy slaves thou couldst give us many reasons Wherefore I leave to reason with thee and turning againe to my dolefull Relation will begin c. Quanquam animus meminisse horret luctusque refugit For Quis talia fando Temperet à lacrimis c. On Sunday morning the five and twenty of
when hee was many times most offended he would overcomming himselfe say nothing mercifull he was after he had a little punished the offendors neither did hee judge rashly but after due examination of both parties Dissimulation he esteemed most base chiefly in a Prince not willing nor by nature being able to flatter fawne or use those kindly who deserved not his love Quicke hee was to conceive any thing not rash but mature in deliberation yet most constant having resolved true of his promise most secret even from his youth so that hee might have beene trusted in any thing that did not force a discovery being of a close disposition not easie to be known or pried into of a fearelesse noble Heroicke and undanted courage thinking nothing unpossible that ever was done by any a few faire words prevailed more with him then all the threats of the world very pittifull and tender-hearted unto any in misery whom upon Petition he ever some way releeved Most ardent in his love to Religion which love and all the good causes thereof of his heart was bent by some meanes or other if he had lived to have shewed and some way to have compounded the unkind Iarres thereof He well shewed his love to good men and hatred of the evill in discerning a good Preacher from a vaine-glorious in whom above al things he abhorred flattery loving and countenancing the good of the idle and loytering never speaking but with disdaine in which he shewed he had a heart flexible to good and al kind of goodnes which as I thinke was the cause one day he uttered this speech of the Deane of Rochester his Chaplaine That he thought whereas hee and others like him at their first entry into the Pulpit did looke him in the face their countenance did as it were say unto him Sir you must heare me diligently you must have a care to observe what I say As also in his constancie in observing the Prayer time duely before Dinner and Supper which untill his death hee never willingly omitted whatsoever haste hee had or were it never so late What should I yet adde his conscience of an Oath that hee was never heard I now appeale to Envy it selfe to take Gods Name in vaine with an addition of any other seeming light much lesse horrible Oathes with full swinge of passion witnesse the testimony of the Most Reverend the Archbishop of Canterbury in his Funerall Sermon wherein was remembred by him amongst many other things that ever memorable reply of his Highnesse who being asked one day by one that greatly rejoyced his Highnesse was no swearer why he did not sweare in play aswell as others to his eternall praise made this reply That he knew no Game worthy of an Oath To live long he never desired nor aspired many times saying That it was to small purpose for a brave gallant man when the prime of his dayes were past to live so long untill he were full of aches soares c. uttering contemptible speeches of Death affirming many times that hee neither desired nor aspired or hoped to live long and that when hee should be sicke three or foure daies together then God have mercy on me would he say Popery with all the adjuncts and adherents thereof hee hated to the death yet he would now and then use particular Papists very kindly shewing that hee hated not their persons but their opinions I must not forget his love to Learning to the Muses to all the Learned who any way did excell to the two Universities chiefly Oxenford because mourning Cambridge did never injoy his presence whose unspeakeale sorrow for his death will shew the great portion of his love they injoyed I should but increase sorrow to tel you how exceeding kindly their Vice-chancellour Doctors Graduates and Students were used when they came to see him at Woodstock What care he had to give them contentment how carefull he was and what speciall commands were generally given throughout the whole house that they should not want the same of his mild and grave carriage towards them and his loving speeches in their absence No lesse carefull hee was to obey the King his Father in every thing being also very diligent to observe and honour the Queene his Mother so much as in him lay or as possible hee might wise hee was to know and not know see and not see almost every thing which was done or said Wonderfull was his care and wisedome in governing of his house and revenewes giving order and seeing every thing done almost himselfe so that scarce were there any of his Houshold Servants whom hee did not know by name amongst whom there was not one knowne or suspected Papist his care being so great that all Communicantes names should bee written up that hee might know if there were any that would not receive So that I may most truly affirme that since the beginning of Princes no house did ever exceede him in all things His Revenewes hee left increased by thousands a yeare Sparing hee was yet liberall where either honesty desert or poverty did move him neither whatsoever the World thinke was hee ever knowne to give away any thing or promise any thing but upon mature deliberation As for those pensious which hee gave a little before his death they were either given to such as had very well deserved them or who having spent their meanes in his service hee could not out of his Noble disposition but relieve thinking it better to doe so then bestow upon them other unknowne suites and leases which otherwise hee must needs have done Hee was loving and kind to Strangers whose hearts upon small acquaintance hee did easily gaine In state matters and petitions not pertaining unto him hee was ever sparing and not willing to meddle In his owne affaires touching coppy-holds leases or any thing of like nature whatsoever abuses were hee ever redressed or minded to helpe upon petition of the party aggreeved Friday being the day wherein hee died I know not by what naturall inclination or motion hee did not of a long time before his death love misliking it above all the dayes of the weeke upon which hee would not willingly use any kind of exercise or ride any journey sometimes not so much as play at cards thereon alleaging that hee continually found some indisposition upon that day and that hee never had good luck upon a Friday such an ominous conceit of the dismalnesse of this day having possessed him which at length proved to bee the period of his dayes He loved and did mightily strive to doe somewhat of every thing and to excell in the most excellent Hee greatly delighted in all kind of rare inventions and arts and in all kind of Engines belonging to the Warres both by Sea and Land In the bravery and number of great horses in shooting and levelling of great peeces of Ordnance in the ordering and marshalling of Armes in building and gardening and in
which together with the ulceration of his throat made him loth to speake but when hee must needs and then not without great paine the extremity as it were of the evill overcomming and stupifying the vitals and senses striving to subdue naturall heat and oppressing the heart notwithstanding the doubling and trebling of the Cordials to withstand the same This day also Nature as the day before though not in quantity did as was said shew the necessity of bleeding for which cause it was with more instance againe propounded and urged then ever as th' onely meanes under God to save his Highnesse at length after much adoe pro contra Doctor Mayerne urging and Master Butler chiefely withstanding the same mistaking the first beginning of his Highnesse sicknesse in the end the three Doctors Mayerne Hamond and Butler did agree that on the morrow being Sunday the eight broken and the seventh whole day of his last sicknesse a vaine should bee opened all this while untill his bleeding was past they conceived good hope of his recovery yet hee remained dangerously ill you must imagine that all this while of his sicknesse the whole World did almost every houre send unto Saint Jameses for newes the better sort who were admitted to visit him or acquainted with those neere unto him knowing the danger the rest fearing nothing imagining it onely to have beene some Common Tertian for which cause in many places neere unto the City hee was thought dead and gone before they knew that hee was dangerously sick This night was more cruell and unquiet unto him then any other The eight Day On Sunday the first of November and the eight day of his sicknesse according to their former agreement after much adoe Master Butler resisting to consent that hee should bee let bloud because as hee said it was the eight day profering to have left them untill hee was forced to stay and give his consent Doctor Hamond and others proving unto him that it was not the eight day his Highnesse being ill of a long time before howsoever hee strangly with a wonderfull courage and patience concealed the same his Highnesse being still after one in the presence of the foresaid Doctors and divers others of very good worth in the morning was drawne out of the Median of his right Arme seven or eight ounces of bloud during which time hee fainted not bleeding well and aboundantly desiring and calling to them to take more as they were about to stoppe the same finding some ease as it were upon the instant The bloud being cold was seene of all to bee thinne corrupt and putred with a cholerick and blewish water above without any Fibres or small strings therein scarce congealed This day after his bleeding hee found great ease insomuch as since the beginning of his sicknesse hee had not found himselfe so well his pulse inclining towards a more Gentle motion missing his former wonted cruell doublings and his former accidents being lesse and more mild This afternoone hee was visited by his Royall Father Mother Brother Sister the Palsgrave with divers others of the Court all which conceiving good hopes departed from thence reasonably cheerefull Yet that night though better then others hee passed unquietly The ninth Day On Monday the second of November and ninth of his sicknesse hee became worse then ever the great redoubling comming upon him accompanied with rednesse of face shortnesse of breath increase of drought blacknesse of his tongue with excessive heat somewhat lesse then it was the seventh day and benumbings which now with the encrease of all the former accidents tormented him briefely so many evill signes appeared that some of the Doctors then plainely affirmed that by violence of the disease the bloud and humours were retired in aboundance with great violence towards the braine filling the vaines aboundantly as afterwards in the opening did appeare by reason whereof the paine of his head was extreame great his Spirits being as it were overcome This morning Doctor Atknis a Phisitian of London famous for his practice honesty and learning was sent by his Majesty to assist the rest in the cure whose opinion as they said was that his Highnesse disease was a corrupt putred Fever the seat whereof was under the liver in the first passages the malignity whereof he thought by reason of the putrifaction in almost the highest degree was venemous This day and the next he was visited by the King his Father and others of the Court whose exceeding sorrow I cannot expresse yet were they still fed with some good small hopes of his recovery All this while although hee grew every day worse and worse yet none discouraged him with any speech of death so loath they were to thinke of his departure hee himselfe being so tormented with this and the next dayes sicknesse that he could not thinke thereof or if hee had yet the Physitians courage and hope of life which good opinion his unspeakable patience not any way complaining so that he could not have beene knowne to be sicke but by his lookes moved them to conceive telling him there was no danger dashed the same This night came upon him greater alieanation of braine ravings and idle speeches out of purpose calling for his Cloathes and his Rapier c. saying he must bee gone hee would not stay and I know not what else to the great griefe of all that heard him whose hopes now began to vanish The tenth day On Tewsday the third of the Moneth and the tenth of his Sicknesse he became worse then before all his former accidents encreasing exceedingly his boundings being turned into Convulsions his raving and benumming becomming greater the Feaver more violent wherupon bleeding was againe proposed by Doctor Mayern and the Favorers thereof who still affirmed that he did mislike the too sparing proceeding with his Highnesse aleaging that in this case of extremity they must if they meane to save his life proceed in the Cure as though it were to some meane person forgetting him to bee a Prince whom they had now in hand otherwise he said for ought he saw because hee was a Prince he must die but if he were a meane person he might bee saved But this his opinion being disallowed of most they continued and increased their Cordials giving unto him a Glister which brought away abundance of corrupt and putred matter together with some Raysons which as was thought hee had eaten twelve daies before This day also for easing of the extreame paine of his head the haire was shaven away and Pigeons and cupping Glasses applyed to lessen and draw away the humour and that superfluous blood from the Head which hee endured with wonderfull and admirable patience as though he had beene insensible of paine yet all without any good save perhaps some small seeming hope of comfort for the present Now began the Pilots who guided this fraile Barque of his highnesse body almost to despaire to escape the ensuing Tempests