their humble duty to their Lord General for they were some of his White-Coats that had escaped death and if my Lord had any service for them they were ready to assist him upon what Designs soever and to obey him in whatsoever he should be pleased to Command them This I mention for the Eternal Fame and Memory of those Valiant and Faithful Men. But to return to the Power my Lord had in the late Warrs As he was the Head of his own Army and had raised it most upon his own Interest for the Service of His Majesty so he was never Ordered by His Majesty's Privy Council except that some Forces of His were kept by His late Majesty which he sent to Him together with some Arms and Ammunition heretofore mentioned until His Highness Prince Rupert came from His Majesty to join with him at the Siege of York He had moreover the Power of Coyning Printing Knighting c. which never any Subject had before when His Soveraign Himself was in the Kingdom as also the Command of so many Counties as is mentioned in the First Book and the Power of placing and displacing what Governours and Commanders he pleased and of constituting what Garisons he thought fit of the chief whereof I shall give you this following list A Particular of the Principal Garisons and the Governors of them constituted by my Lord. In Northumberland NEwcastle upon Tyne Sir Iohn Marley Knight Tynmouth-Castle and Sheilds Sir Thomas Riddal Knight In the Bishoprick of Durham Hartlepool Lieutenant Colonel Henry Lambton Raby-Castle Sir William Savile Knight and Baronet In Yorkshire The City of York Sir Thomas Glenham Knight and Baronet and afterwards when he took the Field the Lord Io. Bellasyse Pomfret-Castle Colonel Mynn and after him Sir Io. Redman Sheffield-Castle Major Beamont Wortly-Hall Sir Francis Wortley Tickhill-Castle Major Mountney Doncaster Sir Francis Fane Knight of the Bath afterwards Governour of Lincoln Sandal-Castle Captain Bonivant Skipton-Castle Sir Iohn Mallary Baronet Bolton-Castle Mr. Scroope Hemsley-Castle Sir Iordan Crosland Scarborough-Castle and Town Sir Hugh Chomley Stamford-Bridg Colonel Galbreth Hallifax Sir Francis Mackworth Tadcaster Sir Gamaliel Dudley Eyrmouth Major Kaughton In Cumberland The City of Carlisle Sir Philip Musgrave Knight and Baronet Cockermouth Colonel Kirby In Nottinghamshire Newark upon Trent Sir Iohn Henderson Knight and afterwards Sir Richard Byron Knight now Lord Byron Wyrton-House Colonel Rowland Hacker Welbeck Colonel Van Peire and after Colonel Beeton Shelford-House Col. Philip Stanhop In Lincolnshire The City of Lincoln first Sir Francis Fane Knight of the Bath secondly Sir Peregrine Bartu Gainsborough Colonel St. George Bullingbrook-Castle Lieutenant Colonel Chester Beluoir-Castle Sir Gervas Lucas In Derbyshire Bolsover-Castle Colonel Muschamp Wingfield Mannor Colonel Roger Molyneux Staly-House the now Lord Fretchwile A LIST of the General OFFICERS of the ARMY 1. THe Lord General the now Duke of Newcastle the Noble Subject of this Book 2. The Lieutenant General of the Army first the Earl of Newport afterwards the Lord Eythin 3. The General of the Ordnance Charles Viscount Mansfield 4. The General of the Horse George Lord Goring 5. The Colonel General of the Army Sir Thomas Glenham 6. The Major General of the Army Sir Francis Mackworth 7. The Lieutenant General of the Horse First Mr. Charles Cavendish after him Sir Charles Lucas 8. Commissary General of Horse First Colonel Windham after him Sir William Throckmorton and after him Mr. George Porter 9. Lieutenant General of the Ordnance Sir William Davenant 10. Treasurer of the Army Sir William Carnaby 11. Advocate-General of the Army Dr. Liddal 12. Quarter-Master General of the Army Mr. Ralph Errington 13. Providore-General of the Army Mr. Gervas Nevil and after Mr. Smith 14. Scout-Master-General of the Army Mr. Hudson 15. Waggon-Master-General of the Army Baptist Iohnson William Lord Widdrington was President of the Council of War and Commander in chief of the three Counties of Lincoln Rutland and Nottingham and the forces there When my Lord marched with his Army to Newcastle against the Scots then the Lord Iohn Bellassis was constituted Governour of York and Commander in Chief or Lieutenant General of York-shire As for the rest of the Officers and Commanders of every particular Regiment and Company they being too numerous cannot well be remembred and therefore I shall give you no particular accompt of them 2. Of His Misfortunes and obstructions ALthough Nature had favour'd My Lord and endued him with the best Qualities and Perfections she could inspire into his soul yet Fortune hath ever been such an inveterate Enemy to him that she invented all the spight and malice against him that lay in her power and notwithstanding his prudent Counsels and Designs cast such obstructions in his way that he seldom proved successful but where he acted in Person And since I am not ignorant that this unjust and partial Age is apt to suppress the worth of meritorious persons and that many will endeavour to obscure my Lords noble Actions and Fame by casting unjust aspersions upon him and laying either out of ignorance or malice Fortunes envy to his charge I have purposed to represent these obstructions which conspired to render his good intentions and endeavours ineffectual and at last did work his ruine and destruction in these following particulars 1. At the time when the Kingdom became so infatuated as to oppose and pull down their Gracious King and Soveraign the Treasury was exhausted and no sufficient means to raise and maintain Armies to reduce his Majesties Rebellious Subjects so that My Lord had little to begin withal but what his own Estate would allow and his Interest procure him 2. When his late Majesty in the beginning of the unhappy Wars sent My Lord to Hull the strongest place in the Kingdom where the Magazine of Arms and Ammunition was kept and he by his prudence had gained it to his Majesties service My Lord was left to the mercy of the Parliament where he had surely suffered for it though he acted not without His Majesties Commission if some of the contrary party had not quitted him in hopes to gain him on their side 3. After His Majesty had sent My Lord to Newcastle upon Tyne to take upon him the Government of that place and he had raised there of Friends and Tenants a troup of Horse and Regiment of Foot which he ordered to conveigh some Arms and Ammunition to His Majesty sent by the Queen out of Holland His Majesty was pleased to keep the same Convoy with him to encrease his own Forces which although it was but of a small number yet at that present time it would have been very serviceable to my Lord he having then but begun to raise Forces 4. When Her Majesty the now Queen-Mother after her arrival out of Holland to York had a purpose to conveigh some Armes to His Majesty My Lord order'd a Party of 1500 to conduct the same which His Majesty was pleased to keep with him for his own
who also came to take their leaves of My Lord being much troubled at his departure and speaking very honourably of him as surely they had no reason to the contrary The Second Book HAving hitherto faithfully related the life of My Noble Lord and Husband and the chief Actions which He performed during the time of his being employed in His Majesties Service for the Good and Interest of his King and Country until the time of his going out of England I shall now give you a just account of all that passed during the time of his banishment till the return into his native Country My Lord being a Wise Man and foreseeing well what the loss of that fatal Battle upon Hessom-moor near York would produce by which not onely those of His Majesties Party in the Northern parts of the Kingdom but in all other parts of His Majesties Dominions both in England Scotland and Ireland were lost and undone and that there was no other way but either to quit the Kingdom or submit to the Enemy or die he resolved upon the former and preparing for his journey asked his Steward How Much Money he had left Who answer'd That he had but 90 l. My Lord not being at all startled at so small a Summ although his present design required much more was resolved too seek his Fortune even with that litle and thereupon having taken leave of His Highness Prince Rupert and the rest that were present went to Scarborough as before is mentioned where two Ships were prepared for Hamborough to set sail within 24 hours in which he embarqued with his Company and arrived in four days time to the said City which was on the 8th of Iuly 1644. In one of these Ships was my Lord with his two Sons Charles Viscount Mansfield and Lord Henry Cavendish now Earl of Ogle as also Sir Charles Cavendish My Lord's Brother the then Lord Bishop of London-derry Dr. Bramhall the Lord Falconbridg the Lord Widdrington Sir William Carnaby who after died at Paris and his Brother Mr. Francis Carnaby who went presently in the same Ship back again for England and soon after was slain by the Enemy near Sherborne in York-shire besides many of my Lord's and their servants In the other Ship was the Earl of Ethyne Lieutenant General of My Lord's Army and the Lord Cornworth But before My Lord landed at Hamborough his eldest Son Charles Lord Mansfield fell sick of the Small-Pox and not long after his younger Son Henry now Earl of Ogle fell likewise dangerously ill of the Measels but it pleased God that they both happily recovered My Lord finding his Company and Charge very great although he sent several of his Servants back again into England and having no means left to maintain him was forced to seek for Credit where at last he got so much as would in part relieve his necessities and whereas heretofore he had been contented for want of a Coach to make use of a Waggon when his occasions drew him abroad he was now able with the credit he had got to buy a Coach and nine Horses of an Holsatian breed for which Horses he paid 160 l. and was afterwards offer'd for one of them an hundred Pistols at Paris but he refused the money and presented seven of them to Her Majesty the Queen-Mother of England and kept two for his own use After my Lord had stay'd in Hamborough from Iuly 1644 till February 1645 4 he being resolved to go into France went by Sea from Hamborough to Amsterdam and from thence to Rotterdam where he sent one of his Servants with a Complement and tender of his humble Service to Her Highness the then Princess Royal the Queen of Bohemia the Princess Dowager of Orange and the Prince of Orange which was received with much kindness and civility From Rotterdam he directed his Journey to Antwerp and from thence with one Coach one Chariot and two Waggons he went to Mechlin and Brussels where he received a Visit from the Governour the Marquess of Castel Rodrigo the Duke of Lorrain and Count Piccolomini From thence he set forth for Valenchin and Cambray where the Governour of the Town used my Lord with great respect and civility and desired him to give the word that night Thence he went to Peroon a Frontier Town in France where the Vice-Governour in absence of the Governour of that place did likewise entertain my Lord with all respect and desired him to give the Word that night and so to Paris without any further stay My Lord being arrived at Paris which was in April 1645 immediately went to tender his humble duty to Her Majesty the Queen-Mother of England where it was my Fortune to see him the first time I being then one of the Maids of Honour to Her Majesty and after he had stay'd there some time he was pleased to take some particular notice of me and express more then an ordinary affection for me insomuch that he resolved to chuse me for his Second Wife for he having but two Sons purposed to marry me a young Woman that might prove fruitful to him and encrease his Posterity by a Masculine Off-spring Nay He was so desirous of Male-Issue that I have heard him say He cared not so God would be pleased to give him many Sons although they came to be Persons of the meanest Fortunes but God it seems had ordered it otherwise and frustrated his Designs by making me barren which yet did never lessen his Love and Affection for me After My Lord was married having no Estate or Means left him to maintain himself and his Family he was necessitated to seek for Credit and live upon the Courtesie of those that were pleased to Trust him which although they did for some while and shew'd themselves very civil to My Lord yet they grew weary at length insomuch that his Steward was forced one time to tell him That he was not able to provide a Dinner for him for his Creditors were resolved to trust him no longer My Lord being always a great master of his Passions was at least shew'd himself not in any manner troubled at it but in a pleasant humour told me that I must of necessity pawn my Cloaths to make so much Money as would procure a Dinner I answer'd That my Cloaths would be but of small value and therefore desired my Waiting-Maid to pawn some small toys which I had formerly given her which she willingly did The same day in the afternoon My Lord spake himself to his Creditors and both by his civil Deportment and perswasive Arguments obtained so much that they did not onely trust him for more necessaries but lent him Mony besides to redeem those Toys that were pawned Hereupon I sent my Waiting-Maid into England to my Brother the Lord Lucas for that small Portion which was left me and my Lord also immediately after dispatched one of his Servants who was then Governour to his Sons to some of
being both Valiant and Heroick Persons good Soldiers and most Loyal Subjects to His Majesty the one an excellent Commander of Horse the other of Foot My Lord having now lived in Rotterdam almost six months at a great charge keeping an open and noble Table for all comers and being pleased especially to entertain such as were excellent Soldiers and noted Commanders of War whose kindness he took as a great Obligation still hoping that some occasion would happen to invite those worthy Persons into England to serve His Majesty but seeing no probability of either returning into England or doing His Majesty any service in that kind he resolved to retire to some place where he might live privately and having chosen the City of Antwerp for that purpose went to the Hague to take his leave of His Highness the Prince our now gracious Soveraign My Lord had then but a small stock of money left for though the then Marquess of Hereford after Duke of S omerset and his Cousin-German once removed the now Earl of Devonshire had lent him 2000 l. between them yet all that was spent and above 1000 l. more which my Lord borrowed during the time he lived in Rotterdam his Expence being the more by reason as I mentioned he lived freely and nobly However my Lord notwithstanding that little provision of Money he had set forth from Rotterdam to Antwerp where for some time he lay in a publick Inne until one of his Friends that had a great love and respect for my Lord Mr. Endymion Porter who was Groom of the Bed-chamber to His Majesty King Charles the First a place not onely honourable but very profitable being not willing that a Person of such Quality as my Lord should lie in a publick House profer'd him Lodgings at the House where he was and would not let my Lord be at quiet until he had accepted of them My Lord after he had stay'd some while there endeavouring to find out a House for himself which might fit him and his small Family for at that time he had put off most of his Train and also be for his own content lighted on one that belonged to the Widow of a famous Picture-drawer Van Ruben which he took About this time my Lord was much necessitated for Money which forced him to try several ways for to obtain so much as would relieve his present wants At last Mr. Alesbury the onely Son to Sir Th. Alesbury Knight and Baronet and Brother to the now Countess of Clarendon a very worthy Gentleman and great Friend to my Lord having some Moneys that belonged to the now Duke of Buckingham and seeing my Lord in so great distress did him the favour to lend him 200 l. which money my Lord since his return hath honestly and justly repai'd This relief came so seasonably that it got my Lord Credit in the City of Antwerp whereas otherwise he would have lost himself to his great disadvantage for my Lord having hired the house aforementioned and wanting Furniture for it was credited by the Citizens for as many Goods as he was pleased to have as also for Meat and Drink and all kind of necessaries and provisions which certainly was a special Blessing of God he being not onely a stranger in that Nation but to all appearance a Ruined man After my Lord had been in Antwerp sometime where he lived as retiredly as it was possible for him to do he gained much love and respect of all that knew or had any business with him At the beginning of our coming thither we found but few English except those that were Merchants but afterwards their number increased much especially of Persons of Quality and whereas at first there were no more but four Coaches that went the Tour viz. the Governors of the Castle my Lords and two more they amounted to the number of above a hundred before we went from thence for all those that had sufficient means and could go to the price kept Coaches and went the Tour for their own pleasure And certainly I cannot in duty and conscience but give this Publick Testimony to that place That whereas I have observ'd that most commonly such Towns or Cities where the Prince of that Country doth not reside himself or where there is no great resort of the chief Nobility and Gentry are but little civilised Certainly the Inhabitants of the said City of Antwerp are the civilest and best behaved People that ever I saw so that my Lord lived there with as much content as a man of his condition could do and his chief pastime and divertisement consisted in the Mannage of the two afore mentioned Horses which he had not enjoyed long but the Barbary-horse for which he paid 200 Pistols in Paris died and soon after the Horse which he had from the Lord Crofts and though he wanted present means to repair these his losses yet he endeavoured and obtained so much Credit at last that he was able to buy two others and by degrees so many as amounted in all to the number of 8. In which he took so much delight and pleasure that though he was then in distress for Money yet he would sooner have tried all other ways then parted with any of them for I have hear'd him say that good Horses are so rare as not to be valued for Mony and that He who would buy him out of his Pleasure meaning his Horses must pay dear for it For instance I shall mention some passages which happen'd when My Lord was in Antwerp First A stranger coming thither and seeing my Lords Horses had a great mind to buy one of them which my Lord loved above the rest and called him his Favourite a fine Spanish Horse intreating my Lords Escuyer to acquaint him with his desire and ask the price of the said Horse My Lord when he heard of it commanded his Servant that if the Chapman returned he should be brought before him which being done accordingly my Lord asked him whether he was resolved to buy his Spanish Horse Yes answered he my Lord and I 'le give your Lordship a good price for him I make no doubt of it replied My Lord or else you shall not have him But you must know said he that the price of that Horse is 1000 l. today tomorrow it will be 2000 l. next day 3000 l. and so forth By which the Chapman perceiving that my Lord was unwilling to part with the said Horse for any Money took his leave and so went his ways The next was That the Duke de Guise who was also a great lover of good Horses hearing much Commendation of a gray leaping Horse which my Lord then had told the Gentleman that praised and commended him That if my Lord was willing to sell the said Horse he would give 600 Pistols for him The Gentleman knowing my Lords humour answered again That he was confident my Lord would never part with him for any mony and to that
words or actions shall never be trusted again by wise and honest men But said he A wise man is not bound to take notice of all Dissemblers and their cheating Actions if they do not concern him nay even of those he would not always take notice but chuse his time for the chief part of a wise man is to time business well and to do it without Partiality and Passion But said he The folly of the world is so great that one honest and wise man may be overpowred by many Knaves and Fools and if so then the onely benefit of a wise man consists in the satisfaction he finds by his honest and wise actions and that he has done what in Conscience Honour and Duty he ought to do and all successors of such worthy Persons ought to be more satisfied in the worth and merit of their Predecessours then in their Title and Riches IV. I have heard that some noble Gentleman who was servant to His Highness then Prince of Wales our now Gracious Soveraign when my Lord was Governour should relate that whensoever my Lord by his prudent inspection and foresight did foretell what would come to pass hereafter it seemed so improbable to him that both himself and some others believed my Lotd spoke extravagantly But some few years after his predictions proved true and the event did confirm what his Prudence had observed V. I have heard That in our late Civil Warres there were many petty Skirmishes and Fortifications of weak and inconsiderable Houses where some small Parties would be shooting and pottering at each other an action more proper for Bandites or Thieves then stout and valiant Soldiers for I have heard my Lord say That such small Parties divide the Body of an Army and by that means weaken it whereas the business might be much easier decided in one or two Battels with less ruine both to the Country and Army For I have heard my Lord say That as it is dangerous to divide a Limb from the Body so it is also dangerous to divide Armies or Navies in time of Warr and there are often more men lost in such petty Skirmishes then in set-Battels by reason those happen almost every day nay every hour in several places VI. Many in our late Civil-Warres had more Title then Power for though they were Generals or chief Commanders yet their Forces were more like a Brigade then a well-formed Army and their actions were accordingly not set-battels but petty Skirmishes between small Parties for there were no great Battels fought but by my Lord's Army his being the greatest and best-formed Army which His Majesty had VII Although I have observed That it is a usual Custom of the World to glorifie the present Power and good Fortune and vilifie ill Fortune and low conditions yet I never heard that my Noble Lord was ever neglected by the generality but was on the contrary alwayes esteemed and praised by all for he is truly an Honest and Honourable man and one that may be relied upon both for Trust and Truth VIII I have observed That many instead of great Actions make onely a great Noise and like shallow Fords or empty Bladders sound most when there is least in them which expresses a flattering Partiality rather then Honesty and Truth for Truth and Honesty lye at the bottom and have more Action then Shew IX I have observed That good Fortune adds Fame to mean Actions when as ill Fortune darkens the splendor of the most meritorious for mean Persons plyed with good Fortune are more famous then Noble Persons that are shadowed or darkned with ill Fortune so that Fortune for the most part is Fame's Champion X. I observe That as it would be a grief to covetous and miserable persons to be rewarded with Honour rather then with Wealth because they love Wealth before Honour and Fame so on the other side Noble Heroick and Meritorious Persons prefer Honour and Fame before Wealth well knowing That as Infamy is the greatest Punishment of unworthiness so Fame and Honour is the best Reward of worth and merit XII I observe that spleen and malice especially in this age is grown to that height that none will endure the praise of any body besides themselves nay they 'l rather praise the wicked then the good the Coward rather then the Valiant the Miserable then the Generous the Traytor then the Loyal which makes Wise men meddle as little with the Affairs of the world as ever they can XIII I have observed as well as former Ages have done That Meritorious persons for their noble actions most commonly get Envy and Reproach instead of Praise and Reward unless their Fortunes be above Envy as Caesars and Elexanders were But had these two Worthies been as Unfortunate as they were Fortunate they would have been as much vilified as they are glorified XIV I have observed that it is more easie to talk then to act to forget then to remember to punish then to reward and more common to prefer Flattery before Truth Interest before Justice and present service before past XV. I have observed that many old Proverbs are very true and amongst the rest this It is better to be at the latter end of a Feast then at the beginning of a Fray for most commonly those that are in the beginning of a Fray get but little of the Feast and those that have undergone the greatest dangers have least of the spoils XVI I have oberved That Favours of Great Princes make men often thought Meritorious whereas without them they would be esteemed but as ordinary Persons XVII I observe That in other Kingdoms or Countries to be the chief Governour of a Province is not onely a place of Honour but much Profit for they have a great Revenue to themselves whereas in England the Lieutenancy of a County is barely a Title of Honour without Profit except it be the Lieutenancy or Government of the Kingdom of Ireland especially since the late Earl of Stafford enjoyed that dignity who setled that Kingdom very wisely both for Militia and Trade XVIII I have observed That those that meddle least in Wars whether Civil or Foreign are not onely most safe and free from danger but most secure from Losses and though Heroick Persons esteem Fame before Life yet many there are that think the wisest way is to be a Spectator rather then an Actor unless they be necessitated to it for it is better say they to sit on the Stool of Quiet then in the Chair of Troublesome Business FINIS * Sir William Carnaby Kt. * Mr. Gray Brother to the Lord Gray of the North. * Francis Palmes * Capt. Mazine * Sir Iohn Marlay Kt. * Dr. Coosens * Sir Thomas Fairfax * The Lord Goring and Sir Francis Mackworth Knight * Sir Will. Savil Kt. and Bar. * The Lord Ethyn * The Lord Widdrington * The Lord Loughborrough * The Lord Bellasis * The Lord Langdale * Selby in Yorkshire * Mrs. Chaplain now Mrs. Top. * Mr. Benoist * Sir Henry Wood. * Sir Foster * Sir William Throckmorton Knight
of My Lords together with some Notes and Remarques of mine own which I thought most convenient to place by themselves at the end of this Work rather then to intermingle them with the Body of the History It might be some prejudice to my Lord's Glory and the credit of this History not to take notice of a very considerable thing I have heard which is That when his Lordship's Army had got so much Strength and Reputation that the Rebellious Parliament finding themselves overpower'd with it rather then to be utterly ruin'd as was unavoidable did call the Scots to their Assistance with a promise to reward so great a Service with the Four Northern Counties of Northumberland Cumberland Westmerland and the Bishoprick of Durham which I have not mention'd in the Book And it is most certain That the Parliaments Forces were never Powerful nor their Commanders or Officers Famous until such time as my Lord was overpower'd neither could Loyalty have been over-power'd by Rebellion had not Treachery had better Fortune then Prudence When I speak of my Lord's Pedigree where Thomas Earl of Arundel Grandfather to the now Duke of Norfolk is mention'd they have left out William Viscount Stafford one of his Sons who did marry the Heir of the last Baron Stafford descended from the Dukes of Buckingham which was set down in my Original Manuscript Some of those Omissions and very probably others are happened partly for want of timely Information and chiefly by the death of my Secretary who did copy my Writings for the Press and dy'd in London attending that Service afore the Printing of the Book was quite finish'd And as I hope of your Favour to be excus'd for omitting those things in the Book so I expect of your Justice to be approv'd in putting them here though somewhat unseasonably Before I end this Preface I do beseech my Readers not to mistake me when I speak of my Lord's Banishment as if I would conceal that he went voluntarily out of his Native Country for it is most true that his Lordship prudently perceiving all the King's Party lost not onely in England but also in Scotland and Ireland and that it was impossible to withstand the Rebels after the fatal overthrow of his Army his Lordship in a poor and mean condition quitted his own Countrey and went beyond Sea soon after which the Rebels having got an Absolute Power and granted a general Pardon to all those that would come in to them upon composition at the Rates they had set down his Lordship with but few others was excepted from it both for Life and Estate and did remain thus banish'd till His Majesties happy Restauration I must also acknowledg That I have committed great Errors in taking no notice of Times as I should have done in many places of this History I mention in one place the Queen Mothers being in France when my Lord went thither but do not say in what year that was Nor do I express when His Majesty our now Gracious Soveraign came in and went out again several times from that Kingdom which has happen'd for want of Memory and I desire my Readers to excuse me for it No body can certainly be more ready to find faults in this Work then I am to confess them being very conscious that I have as I told my Lord I should committed many for want of Learning and chiefly of skill in writing Histories But having according to his Lordships Commands written his Actions and Fortunes truly and plainly I have reason to expect that whatsoever else shall be found amiss will be favourably pardoned by the candid Readers to whom I wish all manner of happiness AN EPISTLE TO HER GRACE THE Duchess of Newcastle May it please your Grace I Have been taught and do believe That Obedience is better then Sacrifice and know that both are due from me to your Grace and since I have been so long in obeying your Commands I shall not presume to use any Arguments for my excuse but rather chuse ingeniously to confess my fault and beg your Graces Pardon And because forgiveness is a Glory to the supreamest Powers I will hope that your Grace by that great example will make it yours And now I humbly take leave to represent to your Grace as faithfully and truly as my memory will serve me all my Observations of the most memorable Actions and honourable Deportments of His Grace my most Noble Lord and Master William Duke of Newcastle in the execution and Performance of the Trusts and high Employments committed and commended to his care and charge by three Kings of England that is to say King James King Charles the First of ever blessed Memory and our Gracious King Charles the Second under whom he hath had the happiness to live and the honour to serve them in several capacities And because I humbly conceive that it is not within the intention of your Graces Commands that I should give you a particular Relation of His Graces High Birth his Noble and Princely Education and Breeding both at home and abroad his Natural Faculties and Personal Vertues his Iustice Bounty Charity Friendship his Right Approved Courage and True Valour not grounded upon or govern'd by Passion but Reason his Magnificent manner of living and supporting his Dignity testified by his great Entertainments of their Majesties and his private Friends upon all fit occasions besides his ordinary and constant House-keeping and Attendants some for Honour and some for business wherein he exceeded most of his Quality and that he was and is an incomparable Master to his Servants is sufficiently testified by all or most of the chiefest of them living and dying in His Graces Service which is an Argument that they thought themselves as happy therein as the World could make them nor of his well-chosen Pleasures which were principally Horses of all sorts but more particularly Horses of Mannage His Study and Art of the true use of the Sword His Magnificent Buidings These are his chiefest Delights wherein his Grace spared for no cost nor charge which are sufficiently manifested to the World for other Delights as those of running Horses Hawking Hunting c. His Grace used them meerly for societies sake and out of a generous and obliging Nature to please others though his knowledg in them excelled as well as in the other And yet notwithstanding these his large and vast expences before his Grace was called to the Court he encreased his Revenue by way of Purchase to a great value and when he was called to the Court he was then free from Debts and as I have heard some Thousands of Pounds in his Purse These Particulars and as many more of this kind as would swell a Volume I could enumerate to your Grace but that they are so well known to your Grace it would be a Presumption in me rather then a Service to give your Grace that trouble and therefore I humbly forbear and proceed according to
my Intention to give your Grace a faithful account of Your Graces Commands as becomes May it please your Grace Your Graces most humble and most obedient Servant Iohn Rolleston THE LIFE OF THE MOST ILLUSTRIOUS PRINCE WILLIAM Duke of Newcastle The First Book SInce my chief intent in this present Work is to describe the Life and Actions of My Noble Lord and Husband William Duke of Newcastle I shall do it with as much Brevity Perspicuity and Truth as is required of an Impartial Historian The History of his Pedigree I shall refer to the Heralds and partly give you an account thereof at the latter end of this work onely thus much I shall now mention as will be requisite for the better understanding of the following discourse His Grandfather by his Fathers side was Sir William Cavendish Privy Counsellour and Treasurer of the Chamber to King Henry the Eighth Edward the Sixth and Queen Mary His Grandfather by his Mother was Cuthbert Lord Ogle an ancient Baron His Father Sir Charles Cavendish was the youngest son to Sir William and had no other Children but three Sons whereof My Lord was the Second but his elder Brother dying in his Infancy left both his Title and Birth-right to My Lord so that My Lord had then but one onely Brother left whose name was Charles after his Father whereas My Lord had the name of his Grandfather These two Brothers were partly bred with Gilbert Earl of Shrewsbury their Uncle in Law and their Aunt Mary Countess of Gilbert's Wife and Sister to their Father for there interceded an intire and constant Friendship between the said Gilbert Earl of Shrewsbury and My Lord's Father Sir Charles Cavendish caused not onely by the marriage of My Lord's Aunt his Fathers Sister to the aforesaid Gilbert Earl of Shrewsbury and by the marriage of George Earl of Gilbert's Father with My Lord's Grandmother by his Fathers side but Sir Charles Cavendish My Lord's Father and Gilbert Earl of Shrewsbury being brought up and bred together in one Family and grown up as parts of one body after they came to be beyond Children and travelled together into foreign Countries to observe the Fashions Laws and Customs of other Nations contracted such an intire Friendship which lasted to their death neither did they out live each other long for My Lord's Father Sir Charles Cavendish lived but one year after Gilbert Earl of Shrewsbury But both My Lords Parents and his Aunt and Uncle in Law shewed always a great and fond love to My Lord endeavouring when He was but a Child to please him with what he most delighted in When He was grown to the Age of fifteen or sixteen he was made Knight of the Bath an ancient and honourable Order at the time when Henry King Iames of blessed Memory His eldest Son was created Prince of Wales and soon after he went to travel with Sir Henry Wotton who was sent as Ambassador Extraordinary to the then Duke of Savoy which Duke made very much of My Lord and when he would be free in Feasting placed Him next to himself Before My Lord did return with the Ambassador into England the said Duke profer'd My Lord that if he would stay with him he would not onely confer upon him the best Titles of Honour he could but also give him an honourable Command in War although My Lord was but young for the Duke had then some designs of War But the Ambassador who had taken the care of My Lord would not leave Him behind without his Parents consent At last when My Lord took his leave of the Duke the Duke being a very generous person presented Him with a Spanish Horse a Saddle very richly embroidered and with a rich Jewel of Diamonds Some time after My Lord's return into England Gilbert Earl of Shrewsbury died and left My Lord though he was then but young and about Twenty two years of age his Executor a year after his Father Sir Charles Cavendish died also His Mother being then a Widow was desirous that My Lord should marry in obedience to whose Commands he chose a Wife both to his own good liking and his Mothers approving who was Daughter and Heir to William Basset of Blore Esq a very honourable and ancient Family in Stafford-Shire by whom was added a great part to His Estate as hereafter shall be mentioned After My Lord was married he lived for the most part in the Country and pleased Himself and his neighbours with Hospitality and such delights as the Country afforded onely now and then he would go up to London for some short time to wait on the King About this time King Iames of blessed memory having a purpose to confer some Honour upon My Lord made him Viscount Mansfield and Baron of Bolsover and after the decease of King Iames King Charles the First of blessed Memory constituted him Lord Warden of the Forrest of Sherewood and Lieutenant of Nottingham-Shire and restored his Mother Catharine the second Daughter of Cuthbert Lord Ogle to her Fathers Dignity after the death of her onely Sister Iane Countess of Shrewsbury publickly declaring that it was her Right which Title after the death of his Mother descended also upon My Lord and his Heirs General together with a large Inheritance of 3000 l. a year in Northumberland About the same time after the decease of William late Earl of Devonshire his Noble Cousin German My Lord was by his said Majesty made Lord Lieutenant of Derby-Shire which trust and honour after he had enjoyed for several years and managed it like as all other offices put to his Trust with all possible care faithfulness and dexterity during the time of the said Earls Son William the now Earl of Devonshire his Minority as soon as this same Earl was come to age and by Law made capable of that trust he willingly and freely resign'd it into his hands he having hitherto kept it onely for him that he and no body else might succeed his Father in that dignity In these and all other both publick and private imployments My Lord hath ever been careful to keep up the Kings Rights to the uttermost of his power to strengthen those mentioned Counties with Ammunition and to administer Justice to every one for he refused no mans Petition but sent all that came to him either for relief or justice away from him fully satisfied Not long after his being made Lieutenant of Nottingham-Shire there was found so great a defect of Armes and Ammunition in that County that the Lords of the Council being advertised thereof as the manner then was His Majesty commanded a levy to be made upon the whole County for the supply thereof whereupon the sum of 500 l. or thereabout was accordingly levied for that purpose and three Persons of Quality then Deputy Lieutenants were desired by My Lord to receive the money and see it disposed which being done accordingly and a certain account rendred to My Lord he voluntarily
obstructions and hinderances yet as he undertook it chearfully and out of pure Loyalty and Obedience to His Majesty so he ordered it so wisely that so long as he acted by his own Counsels and was personally present at the execution of his Designs he was always prosperous in his Success And although he had so great an Army as aforementioned yet by his wise and prudent Conduct there appear'd no visible sign of devastation in any of the Countreys where he marched for first he setled a constant Rule for the Regular levy of money for the convenient Maintenance of the Soldiery Next he constituted such Officers of his Army that most of them were known to be Gentlemen of large and fair Estates which drew a good part of their private Revenues to serve and support them in their publick Employments wherein my Lord did lead them the way by his own good Example To which may be added his wisdom in ordering the Government of the Church for the advancement of the Orthodox Religion and suppression of Factions as also in Coyning Printing Knighting and the like which he used with great discretion and prudence onely for the Interest of His Majesty and the benefit of the Kingdom as formerly has been mentioned The Prudent mannage of his private and domestick affairs appears sufficiently 1. In his Marriage 2. In the ordering and increasing his Estate before the Wars which notwithstanding his Noble House-keeping and Hospitality and his Generous Bounty and Charity he increased to the value of 100000 l. 3. In the ordering his Affairs in the time of Banishment where although he received not the least of his own estate during all the time of his exile until his return yet maintained himself handsomely and nobly according to his Quality as much as his Condition at that time would permit 4. In reducing his torn and ruined Estate after his return which beyond all probability himself hath setled and order'd so that his Posterity will have reason gratefully to remember it In short Although my Lord naturally loves not business especially those of State though he understands them as well as any body yet what business or affairs he cannot avoid none will do them better then himself His private affairs he orders without any noise or trouble not over-hastily but wisely Neither is he passionate in acting of business but hears patiently and orders soberly and pierces into the heart or bottom of a business at the first encounter but before all things he considers well before he undertakes a business whether he be able to go through it or no for he never ventures upon either publick or private business beyond his strength And here I cannot forbear to mention that my Noble Lord when he was in banishment presumed out of his Duty and Love to his Gracious Master our now Soveraign King Charles the Second to write and send him a little Book or rather a Letter wherein he delivered his Opinion concerning the Government of his Dominions whensoever God should be pleased to restore him to his Throne together with some other Notes and Observations of Foreign States and Kingdoms but it being a private offer to His sacred Majesty I dare not presume to publish it 5. Of His Blessings ALthough my Lord hath been one of the most Unfortunate Persons of his Rank and Quality which this later age did produce yet Heaven hath been so propitious to him that it bestowed some blessings upon him even in the midst of his Misfortunes and supported him against Fortunes Malice which otherwise as it seems had designed his total ruine and destruction Of these Blessings I may name in the first place 1. The Royal Favours of His Gracious Soveraign's and the good esteem they had of his Fidelity and Loyalty which as it was the chief of his endeavours so he esteemed it above all the rest To repeat them particularly would be too tedious and they are sufficiently apparent out of the precedent History onely this I may add that King Charles the First out of a singular Favour to my Lord was pleased upon his most humble request to create several Noble-men the Names of them left I commit an offence I shall not mention by reason most men usually pretend such claimes upon the Ground of their own Merit 2. That God was pleased to bless him with Wealth and Power to enable him the better for the service of his King and Country 3. That he made him happy in his Marriage for his first Wife was a very kind loving and Virtuous Lady and bless'd him with Dutiful and Obedient Children free from Vices Noble and Generous both in ther Natures and Actions who did all that lay in their power to support and relieve my Lord their Father in his Banishment as before is mentioned 4. The Kindness and Civility which my Lord received from Strangers and the Inhabitants of those places where he lived during the time of his Banishment for had it not been for them he would have perished in his extream wants but it pleased God so to provide for him that although he wanted an Estate yet he wanted not Credit and although he was banished and forsaken by his own Friends and Country-men yet he was civilly received and relieved by strangers until God bless'd him Lastly With a happy return to his Native Country his dear Children and his own Estate which although he found much ruined and broke yet by his Prudence and Wisdom hath order'd as well as he could and I hope and pray God to add this blessing to all the rest That he may live long to encrease it for the benefit of his Posterity 6. Of his Honours and Dignities THe Honours Titles and Dignities which were conferr'd upon my Lord by King Iames King Charles the First and King Charles the Second partly as an encouragement for future Service and a Reward for past are following 1. He was made Knight of the Bath when he was but 15 or 16 years of Age at the Creation of Henry Prince of Wales King Iames's Eldest Son 2. King Iames Created him Viscount Mansfield and Baron of Bolsover 3. King Charles the First constituted him Lord Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire and 4. Lord Warden of the Forrest of Sherwood as also 5. Lord Lieutenant of Derby-shire 6. He chose him Governour to His Son Charles our now gracious King and 7. Made him one of his Honourable Privy Council 8. He constituted him Governour of the Town and County of Newcastle and General of all His Majesties Forces raised and to be raised in the Northern parts of England as also of the several Counties of Nottingham Lincoln Rutland Derby Stafford Leicester Warwick Northampton Huntington Cambridg Norfolk Sussex Essex and Hereford together with all the Appurtenances belonging to so great a Power as is formerly declared 9. He conferr'd upon him the Honour and Title of Earl of Newcastle and Baron of Bothal and Hepple 10. He created him Marquess of Newcastle 11. His
Majesty King CHARLEs the Second was pleased when my Lord was in banishment to make him Knight of the most Noble Order of the Garter And 12. After his Return into England Chief Justice in Eyre Trent-North 13. He created him Duke of Newcastle and Earl of Ogle 7. Of the Entertainments He made for King CHARLES the First THough my Lord hath alwayes been free and noble in his Entertainments and Feastings yet he was pleased to shew his great Affection and Duty to his Gracious King Charles the First and Her Majesty the Queen in some particular Entertainments which he made of purpose for them before the late Warrs When His Majesty was going into Scotland to be Crowned he took His way through Nottinghamshire and lying at Worksop-Mannor hardly two miles distant from Welbeck where my Lord then was my Lord invited His Majesty thither to a Dinner which he was graciously pleased to accept of This Entertainment cost my Lord between Four and Five thousand pounds which His Majesty liked so well that a year after His Return out of Scotland He was pleased to send my Lord word That Her Majesty the Queen was resolved to make a Progress into the Northern parts desiring him to prepare the like Entertainment for Her as he had formerly done for Him Which My Lord did and endeavour'd for it with all possible Care and Indudustry sparing nothing that might add splendor to that Feast which both Their Majesties were pleased to honour with their Presence Ben Iohnson he employed in fitting such Scenes and Speeches as he could best devise and sent for all the Gentry of the Country to come and wait on their Majesties and in short did all that ever he could imagine to render it Great and worthy Their Royal Acceptance This Entertainment he made at Bolsover-Castle in Derbyshire some five miles distant from Welbeck and resigned Welbeck for Their Majesties Lodging it cost him in all between Fourteen and Fifteen thousand pounds Besides these two there was another small Entertainment which my Lord prepared for His late Majesty in his own Park at Welbeck when His Majesty came down with his two Nephews the now Prince Elector Palatine and His Brother Prince Rupert into the Forrest of Sherwood which cost him Fifteen hundred pounds And this I mention not out of a vain-glory but to declare the great love and Duty my Lord had for His Gracious King and Queen and to correct the mistakes committed by some Historians who not being rightly informed of those Entertainments make the World believe Falshood for Truth But as I said they were made before the Warrs when my Lord had the possessiou of a great Estate and wanted nothing to express his Love and Duty to his Soveraign in that manner whereas now he should be much to seek to do the like his Estate being so much ruined by the late Civil Wars that neither himself nor his Posterity will be able so soon to recover it 8. His Education HIs Education was according to his Birth for as he was born a Gentleman so he was bred like a Gentleman To School-Learning he never shew'd a great inclination for though he was sent to the University and was a Student of St. Iohn's Colledg in Cambridg and had his Tutors to instruct him yet they could not perswade him to read or study much he taking more delight in sports then in learning so that his Father being a wise man and seeing that his Son had a good natural Wit and was of a very good Disposition suffer'd him to follow his own Genius whereas his other Son Charles in whom he found a greater love and inclination to Learning he encouraged as much that way as possibly he could One time it hapned that a young Gentleman one of my Lord's Relations had bought some Land at the same time when my Lord had bought a Singing-Boy for 50 l. a Horse for 50 l. and a Dog for 2 l. which humour his Father Sir Charles liked so well that he was pleased to say That if he should find his Son to be so covetous that he would buy Land before he was 20 years of Age he would disinherit him But above all the rest my Lord had a great inclination to the Art of Horsemanship and Weapons in which later his Father Sir Charles being a most ingenuous and unparallell'd Master of that Age was his onely Tutor and kept him also several Masters in the Art of Horsemanship and sent him to the Mewse to Mons. Antoine who was then accounted the best Master in that Art But my Lord's delight in those Heroick Exercises was such that he soon became Master thereof Himself which encreased much his Father's hopes of his future perfections who being himself a person of a Noble and Heroick nature was extreamly well pleased to observe his Son take delight in such Arts and Exercises as were proper and fit for a person of Quality 9. His Natural Wit and Vnderstanding ALthough my Lord has not so much of Scholarship and Learning as his Brother Sir Charles Cavendish had yet he hath an excellent Natural Wit and Judgment and dives into the bottom of every thing as it is evidently apparent in the forementioned Art of Horsemanship and Weapons which by his own ingenuity he has reformed and brought to such perfection as never any one has done heretofore And though he is no Mathematician by Art yet he hath a very good Mathematical brain to demonstrate Truth by natural reason and is both a good Natural and Moral Philosopher not by reading Philosophical Books but by his own Natural Understanding and Observation by which he hath found out many Truths To pass by several other instances I 'le but mention that when my Lord was at Paris in his Exile it happen'd one time that he discoursing with some of his Friends amongst whom was also that Learned Philosopher Hobbes they began amongst the rest to argue upon this subject namely Whether it mere possible to make Man by Art fly as Birds do and when some of the Company had delivered their Opinion viz. That they thought it probable to be done by the help of Artificial Wings My Lord declared that he deemed it altogether impossible and demonstrared it by this following Reason Man's Armes said he are not set on his shoulders in the same manner as Bird's wings are for that part of the Arm which joins to the Shoulder is in Man placed inward as towards the breast but in Birds outward as toward the back which difference and contrary position or shape hinders that man cannot have the same flying-action with his Armes as Birds have with their Wings Which Argument Mr. Hobbes liked so well that he was pleased to make use of it in one of his Books called Leviathan if I remember well Some other time they falling into a Discourse concerning Witches Mr. Hobbes said That though he could not rationally believe there were Witches yet he could not be fully satisfied
married Christian Daughter of Edward Lord Bruce a Scots-man by whom he had two Sons and one Daughter the Eldest Son William now Earl of Devonshire married Elizabeth the second Daughter of William Earl of Salisbury by whom he has three children viz. Two Sons and one Daughter whereof the Eldest Son William is married to the second Daughter of Iames now Duke of Ormond the second Son Charles is yet a youth The Daughter Anne married the Lord Rich the onely Son and Child to Charles now Earl of Warwick but he dyed without Issue The second Son of William Earl of Devonshire and Brother to the now Earl of Devonshire was unfortunately slain in the late Civil Warrs as is before mentioned The Daughter of the said William Earl of D evonshire Sister to the now Earl of D evonshire married Robert Lord Rich Eldest Son to Robert Earl of Warwick by whom she had but one Son who married but dyed without Issue The third and youngest Son of Sir William Cavendish Charles Cavendish my Lord's Father had two Wives the first was Daughter and Coheir to Sir Thomas Kidson who dyed a year after her Marriage without issue The second was the younger Daughter of Cuthbert Lord Ogle and after her Elder and onely Sister Iane Wife to Edward Earl of Shrewsbury who dyed without Issue became Heir to her Father's Estate and Title by whom he had three Sons whereof the eldest dyed in his Infancy the second was William my dear Lord and Husband the third Charles who dyed a Batchelour about the age of Sixty three My Lord hath had two Wives the first was Elizabeth Daughter and Heir to William Basset of Bloore in the County of Stafford Esq and Widow to Henry Howard younger Son to Thomas Earl of Suffolk by whom he had ten Children viz. Five Sons and five Daughters whereof five viz. three Sons and two Daughters dyed young the rest viz. Two Sons and three Daughters came to be married His Elder Son Charles Viscount of Mansfield married the Eldest Daughter and Heir of Mr. Richard Rogers by whom he had but one Daughter who dyed soon after her birth and he dyed also without any other Issue His second Son Henry now Earl of Ogle married Francis the eldest Daughter of Mr. William Pierrepont by whom he hath had three Sons and four Daughters two Sons were born before their narural time the third Henry Lord Mansfield is alive The four Daughters are the Lady Elizabeth Lady Frances Lady Margaret and Lady Catharine My Lords three Daughters were thus married The eldest Lady Iane married Charles Cheiney Esq descended of a very noble and ancient Family by whom she hath one Son and two Daughters The second Lady Elizabeth married Iohn now Earl of Bridgwater then Lord Brackly and eldest Son to Iohn then Earl of Bridgwater who died in Childbed and left five Sons and one Daughter whereof the eldest Son Iohn Lord Brackly married the Lady Elizabeth onely Daughter and Child to Iames then Earl of Middlesex My Lords third Daughter the Lady Frances married Oliver Earl of Bullingbrook and hath had no Child yet After the death of my Lords first Wife who died the 17 th of April in the Year 1643 he married me Margaret Daughter to Thomas Lucas of St. Iohns near Colchester in Essex Esquire but hath no Issue by me And this is the Posterity of the three Sons of Sir William Cavendish my Lords Grandfather by his Fathers side The three Daughters were disposed of as followeth The eldest Frances Cavendish married Sir Henry Pierrepont of Holm Pierrepont in the County of Nottingham by whom she had two Sons whereof the first died young The second Robert after Earl of Kingston upon Hull married Gertrude the eldest Daughter and Co-heir to Henry Talbot fourth Son to George Earl of Shrewsbury by whom he had five Sons and three Daughters whereof the eldest Son Henry now Marquess of Dorchester hath had two Wives the first Cecilia Eldest Daughter to the Lord Viscount Bayning by whom he had several Children of which there are living onely two Daughters the eldest Anne who married Iohn Rosse onely Son to Iohn now Earl of Rutland the second Grace who is unmarried His second Wife was Catharine second Daughter to Iames Earl of Derby by whom he has no Issue living The second Son of the Earl of Kingston William married the sole Daughter and Heir of Sir Thomas Harries by whom he had Issue five Sons and five Daughters whereof two Sons and two Daugters died unmarried The other six are Robert the Eldest who married Elizabeth Daughter and Co-heir to Sir Iohn Evelyne by whom he has three Sons and one Daughter The second Son George and the third Gervas are yet unmarried The eldest Daughter of William Pierrepont Frances is married to my Lords now onely Son and Heir Henry Earl of Ogle as before is mentioned The second Grace is married to Gilbert now Earl of Clare by whom he hath Issue Two sons and three daughters The third Gertrude is unmarried The third son of the Earl of Kingston Francis Pierrepont married Elizabeth the eldest daughter of Mr. Bray by whom he had Issue one son and one daughter the son Robert married Anne the daughter of Henry Murray The daughter Frances married William Pagatt eldest son to William Lord Pagatt The fourth son of the Earl of Kingston Gervase is unmarried The fifth son George Pierrepont married the daughter of Mr. Ionas by whom he had two sons unmarried Henry and Samuel The three daughters of the said Earl of Kingston are Frances the eldest who was married to Philip Rowleston the second Mary dyed young the third Elizabeth is unmarried The second daughter of Sir William Cavendish Elizabeth married the Earl of Lennox Unkle to King Iames by whom she had onely one daughter the Lady Arabella who against King Iame's Commands she being after Him and His Children the next Heir to the Crown married William the second son to the Earl of Hereford for which she was put into the Tower where not long after she dyed The youngest daughter Mary Cavendish married Glbert Talbot second son to George Earl of Shrewsbury who after the decease of his Father and his elder Brother Francis who dyed without Issue became Earl of Shrewsbury by whom she had Issue four sons and three daughters the sons all dyed in their Infancy but the daughters were married The eldest Mary Talbot married William Herbert Earl of Pembroke by whom some eighteen years after her Marriage she had one son who dyed young The second daughter Elizabeth married Sir H enry G ray after Earl of Kent the fourth Earl of England by whom she had no Issue The third and youngest daughter Aletheia married Thomas Howard Earl of Arundel the first Earl and Earl-Marshal of England by whom she left two sons Iames who died beyond the seas without Issue and H enry who married Elizabeth daughter of Esme Stuart Duke of Lennox by whom he had Issue several sons