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
all sorts of rare musique chiefely the trumpet and drumme in limming and painting carving in all sorts of excellent and rare Pictures which hee had brought unto him from all Countries What should I say more of him over and above all these things hee had a certaine kind of extraordinary unspeakeable excellency my fraile penne and dull stile not being able to expresse the same gathered out of question by him long agoe from the plentifull Garden of the King his Fathers all admired Bazilicondorâ—n long since in his youth dedicated unto him I dare sweare none will thinke an ill thought much lesse speake an ill word of him unlesse it bee some Ianus-faced Machivillian or hollow hearted Gunpowderers who as they would have blowne up King Progeny and State cannot choose now but barke against him who was a terrour to all the Papists in Christendome As hee was a Man no question but hee had imperfectious as others otherwise hee could not have conversed with men which I professe I neither knew nor delighted to search after or if I had you know of all others I am rather boud to cover and conceale the same with Shem and Japhet then with Ham to shew his nakednesse If I were able yet certainely whatsoever they were such a number of noble vertues did cover and weigh downe the same eclipsing their light that they could not easily bee perceived unlesse it were perhaps by some maliciously bent who though they might have gathered great store of honey have rather chosen like droanes to open the gall whom I also leave to the gall of bitternesse untill it consume them Wherefore now since his Soule resteth in Heaven whereof I intreat you doubt not let us also leave him For his good life in generall his unfaigned love to Religion his love to good men his sound and saving knowledge and practice of the same his attentive and reverent hearing of the word his humble flexible heart easily cast downe and drawne by the same with many other good things which were in him are sure signes of the favour of God and consequently of his salvation To which if wee consider with what innumerable prayers and strong cries his soule was attended unto Heaven wee may rest fully satisfied of his felicity For although the extremity of paine from the beginning of his sicknesse did as it were stupifie and bereave him of sence that hee could not give those wished testimonies to the World at full the Lord choosing to try him in the furnace of affliction yet since wee shall bee judged not according to our death but according to our life although his death in such an extremity as is shewed was very good wee may certainely conclude that his Soule now praiseth God Wherefore when we misse him where we were wont to see him let us lift up our mindes to a higher Watch-tower remembring that his Soule now resteth in Heaven where all cares troubles soares sickenesses crosses and afflictions shall no more annoy him where the feares jarres jealousies discontentments mutenies uproares dissentions of State shall never vex him where he shall hunger no more thirst no more desire no more having all tears wiped from his eies in place of those fraile ones which could not here indure the sight of the Candle now beholding him whose eyes are tenne thousand times brighter then the Sunne following the Lambe whithersoever hee goeth and in the Heaven of Heavens injoying the blessed fruition of his God in the company of Millions of his Saints and Angels waiting for the full revelation and felicitie of the Sonnes of God and renovation of us all when God shal be All in All where let us leave him of whom we are not worthy untill we be gathered unto him admiring his incomprehensible Wisdome which did bereave us untill he let us know by experience how hee will bring light out of darkenesse For since he is goodnesse it selfe his will whatsoever it be must needs be good And I pray you what how many how great and how wonderfull things hath the Almighty done with this one blow in humbling of some curbing the pride of others casting some downe and againe in raising up of others letting all see as in a Mirrour the vaine inconstancie of Greatnesse making some others inexcusable if they receive no good from so sensible a Lesson with infinite moe knowne onely to the All-sufficient All-seeing Majestie Let us therefore admire the infinite and incomprehensible Wisdome of Almighty God which so soone translated him from this Vale of darknesse and misery into that marvellous joy and light althogh it seem strange unto our blind eies For what know we but that the boyling head-strong passions of youth evill company which corrupteth good manners the raines of Liberty the corruption of time with infinite other inticements whereunto flesh and blood are prone might have corrupted him when dying with a consumed body and a more corrupted Soule he might with an evil Conscience though ful of years have gone to the grave with farre more hatred loaden with innumerable more sinnes then now he did when by the contrary with the love prayers and teares of all hee was attended unto Heaven Thus have I beene bold to trouble you and out of my love for satisfying your curiosity to exceede the bounds of a short Letter which if you mildly Censure with an impartiall judgement pardoning and excusing what you finde amisse you shall encourage me ever to remaine as still I am Your assured Freind Charles Cornwallis His frequent swimming immediatly after supper was most pernitious to his health for it stopt his bleeding at Nose whereupon the bloud putrifying engendred that fatall Feber which followed Doctor â—â—yerne A Lunar Rainbow very rare and commonly fatall V. Arist. Metor * Iust over this Chamber wherein he dyed did the end of the fatall Rainebow aforementioned hang as Doctor Mayerne observed * Notwithstanding the Prince was seriously remembred to commend himselfe into the hands of God before this by Doctor Mayerne who found his resolution therein to bee most heavenly and Divive
ILLUST HENRICUS PRINCEPS WALLIAE W. M. Sculp THE LIFE AND DEATH OF OVR Late most Incomparable and Heroique Prince HENRY Prince of WALES A Prince for Valour and Vertue fit to be Imitated in Succeeding Times Written by Sir CHARLES CORNVVALLISKnight Treasurer of his Highnesse Houshold LONDON Printed by Iohn Dawson for Nathanael Butter 1641. TO THE HIGH AND MIGHTY PRINCE CHARLES Prince of WALES c. SIR FInding this Manuscript amongst others I could not passe by it as I did the rest The subiect thereof being so rare a Prince as it may seeme worthy Your Highnes perusall In reading Him You may read Your self His Titles of Honour were the same with Yours Your titles of Vertues the same with His He was as You are the Mirror of the Age which that You may still continue shall ever be the prayer of Your Highnes most humble servant N. B. THE LIFE AND DEATH OF HENRY Prince of WALES SIR YOur imposed taske when with the eyes of my mind I considered I found such a multitude of letts and rubs therein that it seemed unto me a thing impossible to dare to looke after much more to adventure to write any thing touching the Life and Death of our late most noble and ever renowned Prince whose high soaring thoughts because the world was not able to containe the heaven of heavens vouchsafed to entertaine for both his farre every where renowned Fame thorowout this Isle and the whole world being too great that who should adventure to say any more should but in vaine adde water to the Sea As also the numbers of others neerer unto him of most assured knowledge and better judgement all which knew him a great deale better then I being able to give the world and you more full and absolute satisfaction together with the multitude and divers sorts of Religious wise grave juditious learned Critticke and curious censurers all who if it should happen but once to peepe into the world for the welbeloved subject therof would gredily entertane and welcome the same with their divers humors and piercing judgements These and many more with the conscience of my unworthines insufficiencie to performe so high a task which rather would become some Homer Virgil Demosthenes Cicero or rather some one in whom all their excellencies are combined to performe aright like mountaines appeared at first in my way yet because as one saith In magnis voluisse sat est rather then it should not be done at all and with the losse the remembrance also perish how and in what manner we lost so brave a Prince Sometime the expectation of the world and that it might for ever be knowne unto it and you both how exceeding great this last duty is which I owe to the dead as also how absolutely you may command him whom your love long since hath strictly bound to be perpetually yours in place of a better I haue adventured upon these ensuing conditions to lanch out my fraile barke into that great Ocean of sorrow even from the cradle to the grave whence storme-beaten as you see I have with much adoe recovered my desired haven First that whatsoever distaste you finde therein of any thing you would not impute it to any presumption of mine but rather to my frailty and ignorance which rather then to offend you I have herein bewrayed Next that whatsoever is here written of his late Highnesse not content herewith you would only use the same as a Ladder to mount up your thoughts to a far more excellent meditation of his vertues further also that you would not be too busie upon this report to censure any of your Phisitians or any other al whom I protest I have endeavoured to please without partiality so farre as in my judgement the truth would suffer me rather imputing the blame unto my relation then any of their actions As also that with your accustomed patience you would delay to censure me for this letter untill with mature judgement you have throughly perused the same considering how much more easie it is to censure others then to doe well our selves Again that since the way by which I must passe is through a long darke silent solitary untroden path leading even to the chambers of death fraught altogether with sorrow ending in teares wherein I cannot chuse but by the excesse thereof many times fall stumble and misse of my way you would with your gentle excuses reach out your hand of love to helpe me up againe rather expecting what is entended then done Lastly that you with my other discreet Reader who hereafter shall see the same would onely use it as a Hunters baite to stay your stomacks a little until some others of better knowledge and sounder judgement doe feed you with a better dinner KNow then that the Kings Majestie and the Queene lying at the Castle of Striveling a place famous for Antiquitie faire for Building pleasant for Scituation on Tuesday the 19. of February 1594. about 3. a clocke in the morning his Highnesse was born to the great joy of all the whole Isle and all forraigne true hearted Princes and people his Majesties well-willers and Confederats but chiefly the Phaenix of her age great matchlesse Elizabeth to shew the exceeding love to his Majestie did not onely â—end the Right Honourable the Earle of Sussex with rich presents to the Christing but also by him and for Her did give unto his Highnesse the Name of HENRY most renowned and Victorious after which by speciall appointment from his Majestie he was resigned to the custody and keeping of the Earle of Marre assisted also by the continuall and vigilant care of the venerable and noble Matron his Mother unto whom the chief charge of his Highnesse person by his Majestie was given Shee also for many yeares before being his owne great happy Nurse with whom he no lesse prospered in all things then his Royall Father before him did in the selfe same place and keeping Thus continued the strength of his Father and the glory of his Mother a great while in the hands of women giving in this his tender age by his wonderfull courage infallible tokens of a Noble and Heroick Spirit no musick being so pleasant in his eares as the sounding of the Trumpet the beating of the Drumme the roaring of the Canon no sight so acceptable as that of Pieces Pistols or any sort of Armour all which evidently shew that if hee had lived Mars himselfe would not one day have dared to looke him in the face Thus he remained untill the 5. or 6. yeares of his Age at which time his Majestie thought it expedient he should no longer want a Tutor Whereupon Master Newton afterwards his Secretary was by his Majesty thought fittest for the said place who presently with all care possible did begin to teach his Highnesse the grounds of Learning with the Introductions leading to the same A little after the Women being put from about his Highnesse divers
thus prepared him to heare hee went further putting him in mind of the Exceeding great danger hee was in and that although hee might recover as hee hoped hee should yet hee might also die and that since it was an inevitable and irrevocable necessity that All must once die late or soone Death being the reward of sinne hee asked if it should so fall out whether or no hee was well pleased to submit himselfe to the Will of God to which hee answered yea withall his heart Then the Archbishop went on demanding questions of his faith First of the Religion and Church wherein hee lived which his Highnesse acknowledged to bee the onely true Church wherein onely and without which there was no salvation Then of his faith in Christ onely by him and in him without any merits of his owne being assured of the Remission of all his sinnes which hee professed hee did hoping and trusting onely therein Then of the Resurrection of the body life everlasting and the joyes of Heaven All which hee confessed and beleeved hoping withall Saints to enjoy the same This conference with a great deals more the Archbishop had with him to this purpose which may also give unto you absolute satisfaction of his Soules health if thereunto his life bee considered After which fearing hee should too much disquiet him with many good exhortations hee tooke leave for that time This day being the fifth of November a day of everlasting remembrance and thanksgiving for our deliverance from the Powder Treason was order given every where unto all Churches to pray for his Highnesse untill when the great danger was unknowne to the Commons which was effectually as ever untill his death performed This day and at sundry other times since his confusion of speech hee would many times call upon Sir David Murray Knight the onely man in whom hee had put choise trust by his name David David David who when hee came unto his Highnesse demanding his pleasure in extremity of paine and stupefaction of senses confounding his speech sighing hee did reply I would say somewhat but I cannot utter it which forme hee still used so long as hee had any perfect sence or memory This done also but too late to assist the rest came Doctor Palmer and Doctor Gifford famous Phisitians for their honesty learning and Phisick who with the former foure went all six to a consultation what now remained finally to bee done wherein by some as they say was againe propounded the necessity of bleeding the oportunity whereof by the evacuation of his belly was now over passed In the end the Doctors long before this despairing of his recovery did at last agree upon Diascordium as the onely meanes under God now remaining which tempered with cooler Cordials was given him in the presence of many honourable Gentlemen about tenne a Clock at night the operation whereof was small or none neither all this while did nature of it selfe incline towards sweating and to force the same they thought it to no purpose This night was unquiet as the rest his accidents remaining in the same sort but now and then speaking but so confusedly that hee could not bee understood Among the rest this night about midnight Master Nasmith his Majesties Chirurgeon sitting on his bed side his Highnesse pulled him unto him by the hand speaking unto him somewhat but so confusedly by reason of the ratling of his Throat that hee could not bee understood which his Highnesse perceiving giving a most grievous sigh as it were in anger turned him from him thereafter unlesse hee were urged never speaking unto him or any In this extremity Sir David Murray who in this one death suffered many came unto him intreating him asking him that if hee had any thing to say which troubled him that hee would betimes make knowne his mind but his Spirits being overcome and nature weake hee was not able to say any thing save that of all other businesse hee gave order for the burning of a number of Letters in a certaine cabinet in his closet which presently after his death was done Not long after as I thinke on Friday morning about three a clock his backbove shoulders armes and tongue by reason of the horrible violence of the convulsions dis-joyntingly deviding themselves the effect shewing that the retentive power was gone the Spirits subdued the seat of reason overcome and nature spent in which extremity fainting and sounding hee seemed twice or thrice to bee quite gone at which time there arose wonderfull great shouting weeping and crying in the Chamber Court and adjoyning streets which was so great together with somewhat else which they used that they brought him againe This crie was so great that all those in the streets thought hee had beene dead whereupon it went for the most part currant in the City and Countrey that hee was gone I am not able to expresse the unspeakeable sorrow which every where was for this wofull newes chiefely in that dolefull house you may imagine no thought can thinke the greatnesse thereof nor understanding conceive the same this little which I have said overlading my weakenesse Thus given over of all into the hands of God did his Highnesse lie in extreame paine during which still now and then till two or three houres before his death looking up and speaking or endeavouring to speake which for confusion and extremity of paine being so neere gone could not bee understood all the World were ready in this despaire to bring cordiall waters Diaphoretick and Quintissentiall Spirits to be given unto him amongst which one in the afternoone was ministred which set that little nature remaining on worke forcing a small sweat which too late was the first hee had Sir Walter Raleigh also did send another from the Tower which whether or no to give him they did a while deliberate After the operation of the first his Highnesse rested quietly a little while presently after falling into his former extremities whereupon as the last desperate remedy with the leave and advise of the Lords of the Counsell there present the cordiall sent by Sir Walter Raleigh after it had beene tasted and proved was given unto him but in vaine save that forcing that sparke of life that remained it brought him againe into a sweat after which as before hee had some rest for a little while But no remedy death would needs bee Conquerour in vaine did they strive against the streame for hee shortly after became wonderfull ill againe sight and sence failing as also all the infallible signes of death approaching In which extremity the Archbishop of Canterbury being there present who seeing it was now the time of times before the last gaspe to minister some comfort unto his Highnesse if as yet there were any sence remaining came unto him first speaking aloud putting him in mind of all those things which hee had spokn unto him the day before in his perfect sense calling aloud in his eare to remember
Christ Jesus to beleeve hope and trust onely in him with assured confidence of mercy to lift up his heart and prepare him to meete the Lord Iesus with many other divine exhortations Thereafter calling more loud then ever thrice together in his eare Sir heare you mee heare you mee heare you mee If you heare mee in certaine signe of your faith and hope of the blessed resurrection give us for our comfort a signe by lifting up of your hands which hee did lifting up both his hands together Againe hee desired him yet to give him another signe by lifting up his eyes which having done they let him alone For the Archbishop had with streames of teares powred out at his bed side a most exceeding powerfull passionate prayer All this while also from three a clock in the morning untill night there was continuall prayer in the house and in every place where the danger was knowne by which his time growing neerer and neerer and hee weaker and weaker Thus did hee lie patiently striving betwixt death and life unavoidable necessity and Gods will forcing patience and againe invincible courage and magnanimity loath to bee overcome shewing some indignation and contempt of death yea death it selfe for all his cruelty stood a long while hovering in doubt what to doe so did his Highnesse young yeares his Triumphes at hand the teares and exceeding sorrow of Father Mother Brother Sister the howling cries of his Servants and of the whole Land who said her losse above all was most unspeakeable move his hard heart to pitty But a greater crie before this having outcried those cries even the crie of our sinnes there was no remedy for death although unwilling not being able to resist the fore-passed decree must needs strike the cruell stroke Many times did hee from that morning untill night offer to shoote and thrust in his dart a little yet pulling it presently back againe as it were of purpose delaying the time expecting some mercifull Message from Heaven untill at last the cloudy night bewraying the irrevocable doome by natures decay the excesse of paine having taken away the sense thereof of meere pitty that thereby hee might open unto him the doore of Heaven for his passage into glory being loath that the Angell who had long attended to convey his Soule unto Heaven should make any longer stay he thrust his Dart quite thorow After which his Highnesse quietly gently and patiently halfe a quarter or thereabouts before eight a clocke at night yeelded up his Spirit unto his Immortall Maker Saviour and Restorer being attended unto Heaven with as many Prayers Teares and strong Cries as ever Soule was on Fryday the sixth of November 1612. The Corps shortly after as the Custome is was laide along upon a Table on the floore being the fairest clearest and best proportioned without any kinde of spot or blemish as ever was seene On the Morrow after came the Lords of the Councell by appointment from his Majestie to give order for the opening of his Body c. which was the same night effected about five a clocke in the Evening in presence of the Physitians and Chirurgions who assisted the Cure together with the Phisitian of the Prince Palatine with many other Knights and Gentlemen in the Chamber where he dyed by the Chyrurgeons of his Majestie and his late Highnesse under all their hands as followeth The skinne like that of a dead man blacke but no way spotted with blacknesse or pale markes much lesse marked with purples like flea-bites which could shew any contagious or pestilentiall Venome About the place of his kidnyes hips and behind the thighes full of rednesse and by reason that with great paine he had a long while lien upon his backe his belly somewhat swollen and stretched out by reason of the windinesse which issued out of the smallest opening made in the Navill somewhat high naturally incontinently the belly falling The stomacke whole and wholesome within and without having never all his sickenesse time beene troubled with vomitings loathings or yealpings or any other accident which could particularly shew that it was attainted The Liver without in his highest parts marked with small spots and in the lower with small blackish lines paller and blacker then was fitting The Gall Bladder void of of any humour full of wind The Spleen on the top and in the lower end blackish filled with a blacke heavy blood The Kidneies faire and without any blemish The Midriffe under the Filme or Membrane containing the heart which contained a little moisture spotted with blacke as it were a Leadish colour by reason of the bruising The lungs almost for the greatest part blacke the rest all spotted with blacke all imbrewed and full of a dust blood with a corrupt and thicke serocitie which by a vent made in the body of the Lungs came forth foaming in great abundance in which doing and in cutting the small skinne which invironeth the heart to shew the same the Surgeon by chance having cut the Trunck of the great veine the most part of the bloud issued out into the Chest leaving the lower veines empty upon sight whereof the Company did draw consequents of an extreame heat and fulnesse the which appeared yet more evident in this that the windepipe with the throat and tongue were couvered with a thicke blackenesse and amongst other accidents the tongue cleft and dry in many places The heart sound and dry in all appearance good in all his quallities The hinder veines which are in the inmost filme of the braine called Piamater swolne and stuft with aboundance of blood a great deale more then naturall the substance of the braine faire and cleare but the ventricles thereof full of a cleare water which after the incision ranne foorth in great aboundance One part of which accidents as they thought was ingendred onely by reason of the Fever maligne by reason of the putrifaction of divers humors gathered together of a long time before his Highnesse not being subject to any dangerous sickenesse by birth the other part by reason of the convulsions resoundings and benummings which by reason of the fulnesse choaking the naturall heat and destroying the Vitals by their malignitie have conveyed his Highnesse to the grave without any token or accident of poyson Thus or very neere thus lost wee the delight of mankind the expectation of Nations the strength of his Father and glory of his Mother Religions second hope Foolish people immagine that they have done enough when they have railed upon the Physitians as though they could have altered Providence by prolonging his life never truly beholding the Omnipotent power bereaving him which although in his sicknesse untill the blow was given could not be seene yet now even of the blind may be easily discerned And I pray you if we narrowly looke upon the practise of the meanes what omission of duty shall we find therein Some neere his Highnesse together with Doctor Mayern at first called and
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