ordered the then Clerk of the Peace of that County That the same account should be recorded amongst the Sessions Roles and be published in open Sessions to the end that the Country might take notice how their monies were disposed of for which act of Justice My Lord was highly commended Within some few years after King Charles the First of blessed Memory His Gracious Soveraign in regard of His true and faithful service to his King and Country was pleased to honour him with the Title of Earl of Newcastle and Baron of Bothal and Heple which Title he graced so much by His Noble Actions and Deportments that some seven years after which was in the Year 1638. His Majesty called him up to Court and thought Him the fittest Person whom He might intrust with the Government of His Son Charles then Prince of Wales now our most Gracious King and made him withal a Member of the Lords of His Majesties most honourable Privy Council which as it was a great Honour and Trust so He spared no care and industry to discharge His Duty accordingly and to that end left all the care of governing his own Family and Estate with all Fidelity attending His Master not without considerable Charges and vast Expences of his own In this present Employment He continued for the space of three Years during which time there happened an Insurrection and Rebellion of His Majesties discontented Subjects in Scotland which forced His Majesty to raise an Army to reduce them to their Obedience and His Treasury being at that time exhausted he was necessitated to desire some supply and assistance of the Noblest and Richest of his Loyal Subjects amongst the rest My Lord lent His Majesty 10000 l. and raised Himself a Voluntier-Troop of Horse which consisted of 120 Knights and Gentlemen of Quality who marched to Berwick by His Majesties Command where it pleased His Majesty to set this mark of Honour upon that Troop that it should be Independent and not commanded by any General Officer but onely by his Majesty Himself The reason thereof was upon this following occasion His Majesties whole body of Horse being commanded to march into Scotland against the Rebels a place was appointed for their Rendezvous Immediately upon their meeting My Lord sent a Gentleman of Quality of his Troop to His Majesties then General of the Horse to know where his Troop should march who returned this answer That it was to march next after the Troops of the General Officers of the Field My Lord conceiving that his Troop ought to march in the Van and not in the Rear sent the same Messenger back again to the General to inform him That he had the honour to march with the Princes Colours and therefore he thought it not fit to march under any of the Officers of the Field yet nevertheless the General ordered that Troop as he had formerly directed Whereupon My Lord thinking it unfit at that time to dispute the business immediately commanded his Cornet to take off the Princes Colours from his staff and so marched in the place appointed choosing rather to march without his Colours flying then to lessen his Masters dignity by the command of any subject Immediately after the return from that expedition to his Majesties Leaguer the General made a complaint thereof to his Majesty who being truly informed of the business commended my Lords discretion for it and from that time ordered that Troop to be commanded by none but himself Thus they remain'd upon duty without receiving any pay or allowance from His Majesty until His Majesty had reduced his Rebellious Subjects and then My Lord returned with honour to his Charge viz. The Government of the Prince At last when the whole Army was disbanded then and not before my Lord thought it a fit Time to exact an account from the said General for the affront he pass'd upon him and sent him a Challenge the place and hour being appointed by both their Consents where and when to meet My Lord appear'd there with his Second but found not his Opposite After some while his Opposite's Second came all alone by whom my Lord perceiv'd that their Design had been discover'd to the King by some of his Opposite's Friends who presently caused them both to be confined until he had made their Peace My Lord having hitherto attended the Prince his Master with all faithfulness and duty befitting so great an Employment for the space of three years in the beginning of that Rebellious and unhappy Parliament which was the cause of all the ruines and misfortunes that afterwards befell this Kingdom was privately advertised that the Parliaments Design was to take the Government of the Prince from him which he apprehending as a disgrace to Himself wisely prevented and obtained the Consent of His late Majesty with His Favour to deliver up the Charge of being Governor to the Prince and retire into the Countrey which he did in the beginning of the Year 1641 and setled himself with his Lady Children and Family to his great satisfaction with an intent to have continued there and rested under his own Vine and managed his own Estate but he had not enjoyed himself long but an Express came to him from His Majesty who was then unjustly and unmannerly treated by the said Parliament to repair with all possible speed and privacy to Kingston upon Hull where the greatest part of His Majesties Ammunition and Arms then remained in that Magazine it being the most considerable place for strength in the Northern parts of the Kingdom Immediately upon the receipt of these His Majesties Orders and Commands my Lord prepared for their execution and about Twelve of the Clock at night hastned from his own house when his Familie were all at their rest save two or three Servants which he appointed to attend him The next day early in the morning he arrived at Hull in the quality of a private Gentleman which place was distant from his house forty miles and none of his Family that were at home knew what was become of him till he sent an Express to his Lady to inform her where he was Thus being admitted into the Town he fell upon his intended Design and brought it to so hopeful an issue for His Majesties Service that he wanted nothing but His Majesties further Commission and Pleasure to have secured both the Town and Magazine for His Majesties use and to that end by a speedy Express gave His Majesty who was then at Windsor an account of all his Transactions therein together with his Opinion of them hoping His Majesty would have been pleased either to come thither in Person which He might have done with much security or at least have sent him a Commission and Orders how he should do His Majesty further Service But instead thereof he received Orders from His Majesty to observe such Directions as he should receive from the Parliament then sitting Whereupon he was
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
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
THE LIFE OF THE Thrice Noble High and Puissant PRINCE William Cavendishe Duke Marquess and Earl of Newcastle Earl of Ogle Viscount Mansfield and Baron of Bolsover of Ogle Bothal and Hepple Gentleman of His Majesties Bed-chamber one of His Majesties most Honourable Privy-Councel Knight of the most Noble Order of the Garter His Majesties Lieutenant of the County and Town of Nottingham and Justice in Ayre Trent-North who had the honour to be Governour to our most Glorious King and Gracious Soveraign in his Youth when He was Prince of Wales and soon after was made Captain General of all the Provinces beyond the River of Trent and other Parts of the Kingdom of England with Power by a special Commission to make Knights WRITTEN By the thrice Noble Illustrious and Excellent Princess MARGARET Duchess of Newcastle His Wife LONDON Printed by A. Maxwell in the Year 1667. To His most Sacred MAJESTY Charles the Second By the Grace of God of England Scotland France and Ireland King Defender of the Faith c. May it please Your Majesty I Have in confidence of your Gracious acceptance taken the boldness or rather the presumption to dedicate to Your Majesty this short History which is as full of Truths as words of the Actions and Sufferings of Your most Loyal Subject my Lord and Husband by Your Majesties late favour Duke of Newcastle who when Your Majesty was Prince of Wales was Your most careful Governour and honest Servant Give me therefore leave to relate here that I have heard him often say He loves Your Royal Person so dearly that He would most willingly upon all occasions sacrifice his Life and Posterity for Your Majesty whom that Heaven will everbless is the Prayer of Your most Obedient Loyal humble Subject and Servant Margaret Newcastle TO HIS GRACE THE Duke of Newcastle My Noble Lord It hath always been my hearty Prayer to God since I have been your Wife That first I might prove an honest and good Wife whereof your Grace must be the onely Iudg Next That God would be pleased to enable me to set forth and declare to after-ages the truth of your loyal actions and endeavours for the service of your King and Country For the accomplishing of which design I have followed the best and truest Observations of your Secretary John Rolleston and your Lordships own Relations and have accordingly writ the History of your Lordships Life which although I have endeavoured to render as perspicuous as ever I could yet one thing I find hath much darkned it which is that your Grace commanded me not to mention any thing or passage to the prejudice or disgrace of any Family or particular person although they might be of great truth and would illustrate much the actions of your Life which I have dutifully performed to satisfie your Lordship whose Nature is so Generous that you are as well pleased to obscure the faults of your Enemies as you are to divulge the vertues of your Friends And certainly My Lord you have had as many Enemies and as many Friends as ever any one particular person had and I pray God to forgive the one and prosper the other Nor do I so much wonder at it since I a Woman cannot be exempt from the malice and aspersions of spightful tongues which they cast upon my poor Writings some denying me to be the true Authoress of them for your Grace remembers well that those Books I put out first to the judgment of this censorious Age were accounted not to be written by a Woman but that some body else had writ and publish'd them in my Name by which your Lordship was moved to prefix an Epistle before one of them in my vindication wherein you assure the world upon your honour That what was written and printed in my name was my own and I have also made known that your Lordship was my onely Tutor in declaring to me what you had found and observed by your own experience for I being young when your Lordship married me could not have much knowledg of the world But it pleased God to command his Servant Nature to indue me with a Poetical and Philosophical Genius even from my Birth for I did write some Books in that kind before I was twelve years of Age which for want of good method and order I would never divulge But though the world would not believe that those Conceptions and Fancies which I writ were my own but transcended my capacity yet they found fault that they were defective for want of Learning and on the other side they said I had pluckt Feathers out of the Universities which was a very preposterous judgment Truly My Lord I confess that for want of Scholarship I could not express my self so well as otherwise I might have done in those Philosophical Writings I publish'd first but after I was returned with your Lordship into my Native Country and led a retired Country life I applied my self to the reading of Philosophical Authors of purpose to learn those names and words of Art that are used in Schools which at first were so hard to me that I could not understand them but was fain to guess at the sense of them by the whole context and so writ them down as I found them in those Authors at which my Readers did wonder and thought it impossible that a Woman could have so much Learning and Vnderstanding in Terms of Art and Scholastical Expressions so that I and my Books are like the old Apologue mention'd in AEsop of a Father and his Son who rid on an Ass through a Town when his Father went on Foot at which sight the People shouted and cried shame that a young Boy should ride and let his Father an old man go on Foot whereupon the old Man got upon the Ass and let his Son go by but when they came to the next Town the People exclaimed against the Father that he a lusty man should ride and have no more pity of his young and tender child but let him go on foot Then both the Father and his Son got upon the Ass and coming to the third Town the People blamed them both for being so unconscionable as to over-burden the poor Ass with their heavy weight After this both Father and Son went on foot and led the Ass and when they came to the fourth Town the People railed as much at them as ever the former had done and called them both Fools for going on foot when they had a Beast able to carry them The old Man seeing he could not please Mankind in any manner and having received so many blemishes and aspersions for the sake of his Ass was at last resolved to drown him when he came to the next bridg But I am not so passionate to burn by Writings for the various humours of Mankind and for their finding fault since there is nothing in this world be it the noblest and most commendable action whatsoever that
shall escape blameless As for my being the true and onely Authoress of them your Lordship knows best and my attending Servants are witness that I have had none but my own Thoughts Fancies and Speculations to assist me and as soon as I have set them down I send them to those that are to transcribe them and fit them for the Press whereof since there have been several and amongst them such as onely could write a good hand but neither understood Orthography nor had any Learning I being then in banishment with your Lordship and not able to maintain learned Secretaries which hath been a great disadvantage to my poor works and the cause that they have been printed so false and so full of Errors for besides that I want also the skill of Scholarship and true writing I did many times not peruse the Copies that were transcribed lest they should disturb my following Conceptions by which neglect as I said many Errors are slipt into my Works which yet I hope Learned and Impartial Readers will soon rectifie and look more upon the sense then carp at words I have been a Student even from my Childhood and since I have been your Lordships Wife I have lived for the most part a strict and retired Life as is best known to your Lordship and therefore my Censurers cannot know much of me since they have little or no acquaintance with me 'T is true I have been a Traveller both before and after I was married to your Lordship and sometimes shew my self at your Lordships Command in Publick places or Assemblies but yet I converse with few Indeed My Lord I matter not the Censures of this Age but am rather proud of them for it shews that my Actions are more then ordinary and according to the old Proverb It is better to be Envied then Pitied for I know well that it is meerly out of spight and malice whereof this present Age is so full that none can escape them and they 'l make no doubt to stain even Your Lordships Loyal Noble and Heroick Actions as well as they do mine though yours have been of War and Fighting mine of Contemplating and Writing Yours were performed publickly in the Field mine privately in my Closet Yours had many thousand Eye-witnesses mine none but my Waiting-maids But the Great God that hath hitherto bless'd both Your Grace and me will I question not preserve both our Fames to after Ages for which we shall be bound most humbly to acknowledg his great Mercy and I my self as long as I live be Your Graces Honest Wife and Humble Servant M. NEWCASTLE THE PREFACE VVHen I first Intended to write this History knowing my self to be no Scholar and as ignorant of the Rules of writing Histories as I have in my other Works acknowledg'd my self to be of the Names and Terms of Art I desired my Lord That he would be pleased to let me have some Elegant and Learned Historian to assist me which request his Grace would not grant me saying That having never had any Assistance in the writing of my former Books I should have no other in the writing of his life but the Informations from himself and his Secretary of the chief Transactions and Fortunes occurring in it to the time he married me I humbly answer'd That without a learned Assistant the History would be defective But he replied That Truth could not be defective I said again That Rhetorick did adorn Truth And he answer'd That Rhetorick was fitter for Falshoods then Truths Thus I was forced by his Graces Commands to write this History in my own plain Style without elegant Flourishings or exquisit Method relying intirely upon Truth in the expressing whereof I have been very circumspect as knowing well that his Graces Actions have so much Glory of their own that they need borrow none from any bodies Industry Many Learned Men I know have published Rules and Directions concerning the Method and Style of Histories and do with great noise to little purpose make loud exclamations against those Historians that keeping close to the Truth of their Narrations cannot think it necessary to follow flavishly such Instructions and there is some Men of good Understandings as I have heard that applaud very much several Histories meerly for their Elegant Style and well-observ'd Method setting a high value upon feigned Orations mystical Designs and fancied Policies which are at the best but pleasant Romances Others approve in the Relations of Wars and of Military Actions such tedious Descriptions that the Reader tired with them will imagine that there was more time spent in Assaulting Defending and taking of a Fort or a petty Garison then Alexander did employ in conquering the greatest part of the World which proves That such Historians regard more their own Eloquence Wit and Industry and the knowledg they believe to have of the Actions of War and of all manner of Governments than of the truth of the History which is the main thing and wherein consists the hardest task very few Historians knowing the Transactions they write of and much less the Counsels and secret Designs of many different Parties which they confidently mention Although there be many sorts of Histories yet these three are the chiefest 1. a General History 2. A National History 3. A Particular History Which three sorts may not unfitly be compared to the three sorts of Governments Democracy Aristocracy and Monarchy The first is the History of the known parts and people of the World The second is the History of a particular Nation Kingdom or Commonwealth The third is the History of the life and actions of some particular Person The first is profitable for Travellers Navigators and Merchants the second is pernicious by reason it teaches subtil Policies begets Factions not onely between particular Families and Persons but also between whole Nations and great Princes rubbing old sores and renewing old Quarrels that would otherwise have been forgotten The last is the most secure because it goes not out of its own Circle but turns on its own Axis and for the most part keeps within the Circumference of Truth The first is Mechanical the second Political and the third Heroical The first should onely be written by Travellers and Navigators The second by Statesmen The third by the Prime Actors or the Spectators of those Affairs and Actions of which they write as Caesars Commentaries are which no Pen but of such an Author who was also Actor in the particular Occurrences private Intrigues secret Counsels close Designs and rare Exploits of War he relates could ever have brought to so high Perfection This History is of the Third sort as that is and being of the Life and Actions of my Noble Lord and Husband who hath informed me of all the particular passages I have recorded I cannot though neither Actor nor Spectator be thought ignorant of the Truth of what I write Nor is it inconsistent with my being a Woman to write of
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
his Friends to try what means he could procure for his subsistance but though he used all the industry and endeavour he could yet he effected but little by reason every body was so affraid of the Parliament that they durst not relieve Him who was counted a Traitor for his Honest and Loyal service to his King and Country Not long after My Lord had profers made him of some Rich Matches in England for his two Sons whom therefore he sent thither with one Mr. Loving hoping by that means to provide both for them and himself but they being arrived there out of some reasons best known to them declared their unwillingness to Marry as yet continuing nevertheless in England and living as well as they could Some two years after my Lord's Marriage when he had prevailed so far with his Creditors that they began to trust him anew the first thing he did was that he removed out of those Lodgings in Paris where he had been necessitated to live hitherto to a House which he hired for himself and his Family and furnished it as well as his new gotten Credit would permit and withal resolving for his own recreation and divertisement in his banished condition to exercise the Art of Mannage which he is a great lover and Master of bought a Barbary-horse for that purpose which cost him 200 Pistols and soon after another Barbary-horse from the Lord Crofts for which he was to pay him 100 l. when he returned into England About this time there was a Council call'd at St. Germain in which were present besides My Lord Her Majesty the now Queen Mother of England His Highness the Prince our now gracious King His Cousin Prince Rupert the Marquess of Worcester the then Marquess now Duke of Ormond the Lord Iermyn now Earl of St. Albans and several others where after several debates concerning the then present condition of His Majesty King Charles the First my Lord delivered his sentiment that he could perceive no other probability of procuring Forces for His Majesty but an assistance of the Scots But Her Majesty was pleased to answer my Lord That he was too quick Not long after When my Lord had begun to settle himsef in his mentioned new house His gracious Master the Prince having taken a resolution to go into Holland upon some designs Her Majesty the Queen Mother desired my Lord to follow him promising to engage for his debts which hitherto he had contracted at Paris and commanding Her Controller and Treasurer to be bound for them in Her behalf which they did although the Creditors would not content themselves until my Lord had joined his word to theirs So great and generous was the bounty and favour of Her Majesty to my Lord considering she had already given him heretofore near upon 2000 l. Sterling even at that time when Her Majesty stood most in need of it My Lord after his Highness the Prince was gone being ready to execute Her Majesties Commands in following Him and preparing for his Journey wanted the chief thing which was Money and having much endeavoured for it at last had the good Fortune to obtain upon Credit three or four hundred pounds sterl With which Sum he set out of Paris in the same Equipage he entred viz. One Coach which he had newly caused to be made wherein were the Lord Widdrington my Lord's Brother Sir Charles Cavendish Mr. Loving my Waiting-Maid and some others whereof the two later were then returned out of England one little Chariot that would onely hold my Lord and my self and three Waggons besides an indifferent number of Servants on Horse-back That day when we left Paris the Creditors coming to take their Farwell of my Lord expressed so great a love and kindness for him accompanied vvith so many hearty Prayers and Wishes that he could not but prosper on his Journey Being come into the King of Spain's Dominions my Lord found a very Noble Reception At Cambray the Governour vvas so civil that my Lord coming to that place somevvhat late and vvhen it vvas dark he commanded some Lights and Torches to meet my Lord and conduct him to his Lodgings He offer'd my Lord the Keys of the City and desir'd him to give the Word that night and moreover invited him to an Entertainment which he had made for him of purpose but it being late my Lord tyred with his Journey excused himself as civilly as he could the Governour notwithstanding being pleased to send all manner of Provisions to my Lords Lodgings and charging our Landlord to take no pay for any thing we had Which extraordinary Civilities shewed that he was a Right Noble Spaniard The next morning early my Lord went on his Journey and was very civilly used in every place of His Majesty of Spain's Dominions where he arrived At last coming to Antwerp He took water to Rotterdam which Town he chose for his residing place during the time of his stay in Holland and sent thither to a Friend of his a Gentleman of Quality to provide him some Lodgings which he did and procured them at the house of one Mrs. Banaum Widow to an English Merchant who had always been very Loyal to His Majesty the King of England and serviceable to His Majesties faithful Subjects in whatsoever lay in his Power My Lord being come to Rotterdam was informed that His Highness the Prince now our Gracious King was gone to Sea Wherefore he resolved to follow him and for that purpose hired a Boat and victual'd it but since no body knew whither His Highness was gone and I being unwilling that my Lord should venture upon so uncertain a Voyage and as the Proverb is Seek a Needle in a Bottle of Hay he desisted from that design The Lord Widdrington nevertheless and Sir Will. Throckmorton being resolved to find out the Prince but having by a storm been driven towards the Coast of Scotland and endangered their lives they returned without obtaining their aim After some little time my Lord having notice that the Prince was arrived at the Hague he went to wait on His Highness which he also did afterwards at several times so long as His Highness continued there expecting some opportunity where he might be able to shew his readiness to serve His King and Countrey as certainly there was no little hopes for it for first it was believed that the English Fleet would come and render it self into the obedience of the Prince next it was reported that the Duke of Hamilton was going out of Scotland with a great Army into England to the assistance of His Majesty and that His Majesty had then some party at Colchester but it pleased God that none of these proved effectual For the Fleet did not come in the Duke of Hamilton's Army was destroyed and Colchester was taken by the Enemy where my dear Brother Sir Charles Lucas and his dear Friend Sir George Lile were most inhumanly murther'd and shot to death they
the Duke of Oldenburg and the Prince of East-Friesland did my Lord the Honour and presented him with Horses of their own breed One time it happen'd that His Highness Dom Iohn d' Austria who was then Governour of those Provinces came to Antwerp and stayed there some few days and then almost all his Court waited on my Lord so that one day I reckoned about seventeen Coaches in which were all Persons of Quality who came in the morning of purpose to see my Lord's Mannage My Lord receiving so great an honour thought it sit to shew his respect and civility to them and to ride some of his Horses himself which otherwise he never did but for his own excercise and delight Amongst the rest of those great and noble Persons there were two of our Nation viz. the then Marquess now Duke of Ormond and the Earl of Bristol but Dom Iohn was not there in Person excusing himself afterwards to my Lord when my Lord waited on him that the multiplicity of his weighty affairs had hindred his coming thither which my Lord accounted as a very high honour and favour from so great a Prince and conceiving it his duty to wait on his Highness but being unknown to him the Earl of Bristol who had acquaintance with him did my Lord the favour and upon his request presented him to his Highness which favour of the said Earl my Lord highly resented Dom ` Iohn received my Lord with all kindness and respect for although there were many great and noble Persons that waited on him in an out room yet so soon as his Highness heard of my Lord's and the Earl of Bristol's being there he was pleased to admit them before all the rest My Lord after he had passed his Complements told His Highness That he found himself bound in all duty to make his humble acknowledgments for the Favour he received from His Catholick Majesty for permitting and suffering him a banished man to live in His Dominions and under the Government of His Highness whereupon Dom Iohn ask'd my Lord whether he wanted any thing and whether he liv'd peaceably without any molestation or disturbance My Lord answer'd That he lived as much to his own content as a banish'd man could do and received more respect and civility from that City then he could have expected for which he returned his most humble thanks to his Catholick Majesty and His Highness After some short Discourse my Lord took his leave of Dom Iohn Several of the Spaniards advising him to go into Spain and assuring him of His Catholick Majesties Kindness and Favour but my Lord being engaged in the City of Antwerp and besides in years and wanting means for so long and chargeable a voyage was not able to embrace their motions and surely he was so well pleased with the great Civilities he received from that City that then he was resolved to chuse no other residing place all the time of his banishment but that he being not onely credited there for all manner of Provisions and Necessaries for his subsistance but also free both from ordinary and extraordinary Taxes and from paying Excise which was a great favour and obligation to my Lord. After His Highness Dom Iohn had left the Government of those Provinces the Marquess of Caracena succeeded in his place who having a great desire to see my Lord ride in the Mannage entreated a Gentleman of the City that was acquainted with my Lord to beg that favour of him My Lord having not been at that Exercise six weeks or two months by reason of some sickness that made him unfit for it civilly begg'd his excuse but he was so much importuned by the said Gentleman that at last he granted his Request and rid one or two Horses in presence of the said Marquess of Caracena and the then Marquess now Duke of Ormond who often used to honour my Lord with his Company The said Marquess of Caracena seem'd to take much pleasure and satisfaction in it and highly complemented my Lord and certainly I have observed That Noble and Meritorious persons take great delight in honouring each other But not onely strangers but His Majesty Himself our now Gracious Soveraign was pleased to see my Lord ride and one time did ride Himself He being an Excellent Master of that Art and instructed by my Lord who had the Honour to set Him first on a Horse of Mannage when he was His Governour where His Majesties Capacity was such that being but Ten years of Age he would ride leaping Horses and such as would overthrow others and mannage them with the greatest Skill and Dexterity to the admiration of all that beheld Him Nor was this the onely Honour my Lord received from His Majesty but His Majesty and all the Royal Race that is to say Her Highness the then Princess Royal His Highness the Duke of York with His Brother the Duke of Glocester except the Princesse Henrietta now Duchess of Orleans being met one time in Antwerp were pleased to honour my Lord with their Presence and accept of a small Entertainment at his House such as his present Condition was able to afford them And some other time His Majesty passing through the City was pleased to accept of a private Dinner at my Lord's House after which I receiving that gracious Favour from His Majesty that he was pleased to see me he did merrily and in jest tell me That he perceived my Lord's Credit could procure better Meat then His own Again some other time upon a merry Challenge playing a Game at Butts with my Lord when my Lord had the better of Him What said He my Lord have you invited me to play the Rook with me Although their Stakes were not at all considerable but onely for Pastime These passages I mention onely to declare my Lord's happiness in his miseries which he received by the honour and kindness not onely of foreign Princes but of his own Master and Gracious Soveraign I will not speak now of the good esteem and repute he had by his late Majesty King Charles the First and Her Majesty the now Queen-Mother who always held and found him a very loyal and faithful Subject although Fortune was pleased to oppose him in the height of his endeavours for his onely and chief intention was to hinder His Majesties Enemies from executing that cruel design which they had upon their gracious and merciful King In which he tried his uttermost power in so much that I have heard him say out of a passionate Zeal and Loyalty That he would willingly sacrifice himself and all his Posterity for the sake of his Majesty and the Royal Race Nor did he ever repine either at his losses or sufferings but rejoyced rather that he was able to suffer for His King and Countrey His Army was the onely Army that was able to uphold His Majesties Power which so long as it was Victorious it preserved both His Majesties Person and
Crown but so soon as it fell that fell too and my Lord was then in a manner forced to seek his own preservation in foreign Countries where God was pleased to make strangers his Friends who received and protected him when he was banished his native Country and relieved him when his own Country-men sought to starve him by withholding from him what was justly his own onely for his Honesty and Loyalty which relief he received more from the Commons of those parts where he lived then from Princes he being unwilling to trouble any foreign Prince with his wants and miseries well knowing that Gifts of Great Princes come slowly and not without much difficulty neither loves he to petition any one but His own Soveraign But though my Lord by the civility of Strangers and the assistance of some few Friends of his native Country lived in an indifferent Condition yet as it hath been declared heretofore he was put to great plunges and difficulties in so much that his dear Brother Sir Charles Cavendish would often say That though he could not truly complain of want yet his meat never did him good by reason my Lord his Brother was always so near wanting that he was never sure after one meal to have another And though I was not afraid of starving or begging yet my chief fear was that my Lord for his debts would suffer Imprisonment where sadness of Mind and want of Exercise and Air would have wrought his destruction which yet by the Mercy of God he happily avoided Some time before the Restauration of His Majesty to his Royal Throne my Lord partly with the remainder of his Brothers Estate which was but little it being wasted by selling of Land for compounding with the Parliament paying of several debts and buying out the two Houses aforementioned viz. Welbeck and Bolsover and the Credit which his Sons had got which amounted in all to 2400 l. a year sprinkled something amongst his Creditors and borrowed so much of Mr. Top and Mr. Smith though without assurance that he could pay such scores as were most presssing contracted from the poorer sort of Trades-men and send ready mony to Market to avoid cozenage for small scores run up most unreasonably especially if no strict accounts be kept and the rate be left to the Creditors pleasure by which means there was in a short time so much saved as it could not have been imagined About this time a report came of a great number of Sectaries and of several disturbances in England which heightned my Lord's former hopes into a firm belief of a sudden Change in that Kingdom and a happy Restauration of His Majesty which it also pleased God to send according to his expectation for His Majesty was invited by his Subjects who were not able longer to endure those great confusions and encumbrances they had sustained hitherto to take possession of His Hereditary Rights aud the power of all his Dominions And being then at the Hague in Holland to take shipping in those parts for England my Lord went thither to wait on his Majesty who used my Lord very Graciously and his Highness the Duke of York was pleased to offer him one of those Ships that were ordered to transport His Majesty for which he returned his most humble thanks to his Highness and begg'd leave of His Highness that he might hire a Vessel for himself and his Company In the mean time whilst my Lord was at the Hague His Majesty was pleased to tell him That General Monk now Duke of Albemarle had desired the Place of being Master of the Horse To which my Lord answer'd That that gallant Person was worthy of any Favour that His Majesty could confer upon him And having taken his leave of His Majesty and His Highness the Duke of York went towards the Ship that was to transport him for England I might better call it a Boat then a Ship for those that were intrusted by my Lord to hire a Ship for that purpose had hired an old rotten Fregat that was lost the next Voyage after insomuch that when some of the Company that had promised to go over with my Lord saw it they turn'd back and would not endanger their lives in it except the Lord Widdrington who was resolved not to forsake my Lord. My Lord who was so transported with the joy of returning into his Native Countrey that he regarded not the Vessel having set Sail from Rotterdam was so becalmed that he was six dayes and six nights upon the Water during which time he pleased himself with mirth and pass'd his time away as well as he could Provisions he wanted not having them in great store and plenty At last being come so far that he was able to discern the smoak of London which he had not seen in a long time he merrily was pleased to desire one that was near him to jogg and awake him out of his dream for surely said he I have been sixteen years asleep and am not throughly awake yet My Lord lay that night at Greenwich where his Supper seem'd more savoury to him then any meat he had hitherto tasted and the noise of some scraping Fidlers he thought the pleasantest harmony that ever he had heard In the mean time my Lords Son Henry Lord Mansfield now Earl of Ogle was gone to Dover with intention to wait on His Majesty and receive my Lord his Father with all joy and duty thinking he had been with His Majesty but when he miss'd of his design he was very much troubled and more when His Majesty was pleas'd to tell him That my Lord had set to Sea before His Majesty Himself was gone out of Holland fearing my Lord had met with some Misfortune in his Journey because he had not heard of his Landing Wherefore he immediately parted from Dover to seek my Lord whom at last he found at Greenwich with what joy they embraced and saluted each other my Pen is too weak to express But all this while and after my Lord was gone from Antwerp I was left alone there with some of my servants for my Lord being in Holland with His Majesty declared in a Letter to me his intention of going for England withal commanding me to stay in that City as a Pawn for his debts until he could compass money to discharge them and to excuse him to the Magistrates of the said City for not taking his leave of them and paying his due thanks for their great civilities which he desired me to do in his behalf And certainly my Lords affection to me was such that it made him very industrious in providing those means for it being uncertain what or whether he should have any thing of his Estate made it a difficult business for him to borrow Mony At last he received some of one Mr. Ash now Sir Ioseph Ash a Merchant of Antwerp which he returned to me but what with the expence I had made in the mean while and
and one daughter whereof the eldest son Thomas since the Restauration of King Charles the Second was restored to the Dignity of his Ancestors viz. Duke of Norfolk next to the Royal Family the first Duke of England And this is briefly the Pedigree of my dear Lord and Husband from his Grandfather by his Fathers side concerning his Kindred and alliances by his Mother who was Katherine Daughter to Cuthbert Lord Ogle they are so many that it is impossible for me to enumerate them all My Lord being by his Mother related to the chief of the most ancient Families of Northumberland and other the Northern parts onely this I may mention that My Lord is a Peer of the Realm from the first year of King Edward the Fourth his Reign THE FOURTH BOOK Containing several Essays and Discourses Gather'd from the Mouth of MY NOBLE LORD and HVSBAND With some few Notes of mine own I have heard My Lord say I. THat those which command the Wealth of a Kingdom command the hearts and hands of the People II. That He is a great Monarch who hath a Soveraign Command over Church Laws and Armes and He a wise Monarch that imploys his subjects for their own profit for their profit is his encourages Tradesmen and assists and defends Merchants III. That it is a part of Prudence in a Commonwealth or Kingdom to encourage drayners for drowned Lands are onely fit to maintain and encrease some wild Ducks whereas being drained they are able to afford nourishment and food to Cattel besides the producing of several sorts of Fruit and Corn. IV. That without a well order'd force a Prince doth but reign upon the courtesie of others V. That great Princes should not suffer their chief Cities to be stronger then themselves VI. That great Princes are half-armed when their subjects are unarmed unless it be in time of Foreign Wars VII That that Prince is richest who is Master of the Purse and he strongest that is Master of the Armes and he wisest that can tell how to save the one and use the other VIII That Great Princes should be the onely Pay-Masters of their Soldiers and pay them out of their own Treasuries for all men follow the Purse and so they 'l have both the Civil and Martial Power in their hands IX That Great Monarchs should rather study men then Books for all affairs or business are amongst Men. X. That a Prince should advance Foreign Trade or Traffick to the utmost of his Power because no State or Kingdom can be Rich without it and where Subjects are poor the Soveraign can have but little XI That Trade and Traffick brings Honey to the Hive that is to say Riches to the Commonwealth whereas other Professions are so far from that that they rather rob the Commonwealth instead of enriching it XII That it is not so much unseasonable Weather that makes the Countrey complain of Scarcity but want of Commerce for whensoever Commodities are cheap it is a sign that Commerce is decayed because the cheapness of them shews a scarcity of money for example put the case five men came to Market to buy a Horse and each of them had no more but ten pounds the Seller can receive no more then what the Buyer has but must content himself with those ten pounds if he be necessitated to sell his Horse But if each one of the Buyers had an hundred pounds to lay out for a Horse the Seller might receive as much Thus Commodities are cheap or dear according to the plenty or scarcity of money and though we had Mynes of Gold and Silver at home and no Traffick into Foreign parts yet we should want necessaries from other Nations which proves that no Nation can live or subsist well without Foreign Trade and Commerce for God and Nature have order'd it so That no particular Nation is provided with all things XIII That Merchants by carrying out more Commodities then they bring in that is to say by selling more then they buy do enrich a State or Kingdom with money that hath none in its own bowels but what Kingdom or State soever hath Mynes of Gold and Silver there Merchants buy more then they sell to furnish and accommodate it with necessary provisions XIV That debasing and setting a higher value upon money is but a present shift of poor and needy Princes and doth more hurt for the future then good for the present XV. That Foraign Commerce causes frequent Voyages and frequent Voyages make skilful and experienced Sea-men and Skilful Seamen are a Brazen Wall to an Island XVI That he is the Powerfullest Monarch that hath the best shipping and that a Prince should hinder his Neighbours as much as he can from being strong at Sea XVII That wise States-men ought to understand the Laws Customes and Trade of the Commonwealth and have good intelligence both of Foraign Transactions and Designs and of Domestick Factions also they ought to have a Treasury and well-furnished Magazine XVIII That it is a great matter in a State or Kingdom to take care of the Education of Youth to breed them so that they may know first how to obey and then how to command and order affairs wisely XIX That it is great Wisdom in a State to breed and train up good States men As first To let them be some time at the Universities Next To put them to the Innes of Court that they may have some knowledg of the Laws of the Land then to send them to travel with some Ambassador in the quality of Secretary and let them be Agents or Residents in Foraign Countreys Fourthly To make them Clerks of the Signet or Council And lastly To make them Secretaries of State or give them some other Employment in State-Affairs XX. That there should be more Praying and less Preaching for much Preaching breeds Faction but much Praying causes Devotion XXI That young people should be frequently Catechised and that Wise Men rather then Learned should be chosen heads of Schools and Colledges XXII That the more divisions there are in Church and State the more trouble and confusion is apt to ensue Wherefore too many Controversies and Disputes in the one and too many Law-Cases and Pleadings in the other ought to be avoided and suppressed XXIII That Disputes and Factions amongst States-men are fore-runners of future disorders if not total ruines XXIV That all Books of Controversies should be writ in Latin that none but the Learned may read them and that there should be no Disputations but in Schools lest it breed Factions amongst the Vulgar for Disputations and Controversies are a kind of Civil War maintained by the Pen and often draw out the sword soon after Also that all Prayer-Books should be writ in the native Language that Excommunications should not be too frequent for every little and petty trespass that every Clergy-man should be kind and loving to his Parishioners not proud and quarrelsome XXV That Ceremony is nothing in
it self and yet doth every thing for without Ceremony there would be no distinction neither in Church nor State XXVI That Orders and Professions ought not to entrench upon each other lest in time they make a confusion amongst themselves XXVII That in a Well-ordered State or Government care should be taken lest any degree or profession whatsoever swell too big or grow too numerous it being not onely a hinderance to those of the same profession but a burden to the Commonwealth which cannot be well if it exceeds in extreams XXVIII That the Taxes should not be above the riches of the Commonwealth for that must upon necessity breed Factions and Civil Wars by reason a general poverty united is far more dangerous then a private Purse for though their Wealth be small yet their Unity and Combination makes them strong so that being armed with necessity they become outragious with despair XXIX That Heavy Taxes upon Farmes ruine the Nobility and Gentry for if the Tenant be poor the Landlord cannot be rich he having nothing but his Rents to live on XXX That it is not so much Laws and Religion nor Rhetorick that keeps a State or Kingdom in order but Armes which if they be not imploy'd to an evil use keep up the right and priviledges both of Crown Church and State XXXI That no equivocations should be used either in Church or Law for the one causes several Opinions to the disturbance of mens Consciences the other long and tedious Suits to the disturbance of mens private Affairs and both do oftentimes ruine and impoverish the State XXXII That in Cases of Robberies and Murthers it is better to be severe then merciful for the hanging of a few will save the lives and Purses of many XXXIII That many Laws do rather entrap then help the subject XXXIV That no Martial Law should be executed but in an Army XXXV That the Sheriffs in this Kingdom of England have been so expensive in Liveries and Entertainments in the time of their Sherifalty as it hath ruined many Families that had but indifferent Estates XXXVI That the cutting down of Timber in the time of Rebellion has been an inestimable loss to this Kingdom by reason of Shipping for though Timber might be had out of Foreign Countries that would serve for the building of Ships yet there is none of such a temper as our English Oak it being not onely strong and large but not apt to splint which renders the Ships of other Nations much inferior to ours and that therefore it would be very beneficial for the Kingdom to set out some Lands for the bearing of such Oaks by sowing of Acorns and then transplanting them which would be like a Store-house for shipping and bring an incomparable benefit to the Kingdom since in Shipping consists our greatest strength they being the onely Walls that defend an Island XXXVII That the Nobility and Gentry in this Kingdom have done themselves a great injury by giving away out of a petty pride to the Commonalty the power of being Juries and Justices of Peace for certainly they cannot but understand that that must of necessity be an act of great Consequence and Power which concerns mens Lives Lands and Estates XXXVIII That it is no act of Prudence to make poor and mean persons Governours or Commanders either by Land or Sea by reason their poverty causes them to take Bribes and so betray their Trust at best they are apt to extort which is a great grievance to the people besides it breeds envy in the Nobility and Gentry who by that means rise into Factions and cause disturbances in a State or Commonwealth Wherefore the best way is to chuse Rich and Honourable Persons or at least Gentlemen for such Employments who esteem Fame and Honourable Actions above their Lives and if they want skill they must get such under-Officers as have more then themselves to instruct them XXXIX That great Princes should consider before they make War against Foreign Nations whether they be able to maintain it for if they be not able then it is better to submit to an honourable Peace then to make Warr to their great disadvantage but if they be able to maintain Warr then they 'l force in time their Enemies to submit and yeild to what Tearms and Conditions they please XL. That when a State or Government is ensnarled and troubled it is more easie to raise the common people to a Factious Mutiny then to draw them to a Loyal Duty XLI That in a Kingdom where Subjects are apt to rebel no Offices or Commands should be sold for those that buy will not onely use extortion and practise unjust wayes to make out their purchase but be ablest to rebel by reason they are more for private gain then the publick good for it is probable their Principles are like their Purchases But that all Magistrates Officers Commanders Heads and Rulers in what Profession soever both in Church and State should be chosen according to their Abilities Wisdom Courage Piety Justice Honesty and Loyalty and then they 'l mind the publick Good more then their particular Interest XLII That those which have Politick Designs are for the most part dishonest by reason their Designs tend more to Interest then Justice XLIII That Great Princes should onely have Great Noble and Rich Persons to attend them whose Purses and Power may alwayes be ready to assist them XLIV That a Poor Nobility is apt to be Factious and a Numerous Nobility is a burden to a Common-wealth XLV That in a Monarchical Government to be for the King is to be for the Commonwealth for when Head and Body are divided the Life of Happiness dies and the Soul of Peace is departed XLVI That as it is a great Error in a State to have all Affairs put into Gazettes for it over-heats the peoples brains and makes them neglect their private Affairs by over-busying themselves with State-business so it is great Wisdom for a Council of State to have good Intelligences although they be bought with great Cost and Charges as well of Domestick as Foreign Affairs and Transactions and to keep them in private for the benefit of the Commonwealth XLVII That there is no better Policy for a Prince to please his People then to have many Holy-dayes for their ease and order several Sports and Pastimes for their Recreation and to be himself sometime Spectator thereof by which means he 'l not onely gain love and respect from the people but busie their minds in harmless actions sweeten their Natures and hinder them from Factious Designs XLVIII That it is more difficult and dangerous for a Prince or Commander to raise an Army in such a time when the Countrey is embroiled in a Civil Warr then to lead out an Army to fight a Battel for when an Army is raised he hath strength but in raising it he hath none XLIX That good Commanders and experienced Soldiers are like skilfull Fencers who defend with
Prudence and assault with Courage and kill their Enemies by Art not trusting their Lives to Chance or Fortune for as a little man with skill may easily kill an ignorant Giant so a small Army that hath experienced Commanders may easily overcome a great Army that hath none L. That Gallant men having no employment for Heroick Actions become lazy as hating any other business whereas Cowards and base persons are onely active and stirring in times of Peace working ill designs to breed Factions and cause disturbances in a Common-wealth LI. That there have been many Questions and Disputes concerning the Governments of Princes as Whether they ought to govern by Love or Fear But the best way of Government is and has alwayes been by just Rewards and Punishments for that State which cannot tell how and when to punish and reward does not know how to govern by reason all the World is governed that way LII That if the ancienr Britains had had skill according to their Courage they might have conquer'd all the World as the Romans did LIII That it would be very beneficial for great Princes to be sometimes present in Courts of Judicature to examine the Causes of their poor Subjects and find out the Extortions and Corruptions of Magistrates and Officers by which glorious Act they would gain much Love and Fame from the People LIV. That it would be very advantagious for Subjects and not in the least prejudicial to the Soveraign to have a general Register in every County for the Entry of all manner of Deeds and Conveyance of Land between party and party and Offices of Record for by this means whosoever buyes would see clearly what Interest and Title there is in any Land he intends to purchase whereby he shall be assur'd that the Sale made to him is good and firm and prevent many Law-suits touching the Title of his Purchase LV. That there should be a Limitation for Law-Suits and that the longest Suit should not last above two Tearms at length not above a Year which would certainly be a great benefit to the Subjects in general though not to Lawyers and though some Polititians object That the more the people is busie about their private Affairs the less time have they to make disturbanee in the publick yet this is but a weak Argument since Law-suits are as apt to breed Factions as any thing else for they bring people into poverty that they know not how to live which must of necessity breed discontent and put them upon ill designs LVI That Power for the most part does more then Wisdom for Fools with Power seem wise whereas wise men without Power seem Fools and this is the reason that the World takes Power for Wisdom and the want of Power for Foolishness LVII That a valiant man will not refuse an honourable Duel nor a wise man fight upon a Fools Quarrel LVIII That men are apt to find fault with each other's actions believing they prove themselves wise in finding fault with their Neighbours LIX That a wise man will draw several occasions to the point of his design as a Burning-Glass doth the several beams of the Sun LX. That although actions may be prudently designed and valiantly performed yet none can warrant the issue for Fortune is more powerful then Prudence and had Caesar not been fortunate his Valour and Prudence would never have gained him so much applause LXI That ill Fortune makes wise and honest men seem Fools and Kanves but good Fortune makes Fools and Knaves seem wise and honest men LXII That ill Fortune doth oftner succeed good then good Fortune succeeds ill for those that have ill Fortune do not so easily recover it as those that have good Fortune are apt to lose it LXIII That he had observed That seldom any person did laugh but it was at the follies or misfortunes of other men by which we may judg of their good natures LXIV I have heard my Lord say That when he was in Banishment He had nothing left him but a clear Conscience by which he had and did still conquer all the Armies of misfortunes that ever seized upon him LXV Also I have heard him say That he was never beholding to Lady Fortune for he had suffered on both sides although he never was but on one side LXVI I have heard him say That his Father one time upon some discourse of expences should tell him It was but just that every man should have his time LXVII I have heard my Lord say That bold soliciting and intruding men shall gain more by their importunate Petitions then modest honest men shall get by silence as being loath to offend or be too troublesome both in the manner and matter of their requests The reason is said he That Great Princes will rather grant sometimes an unreasonable suit then be tired with frequent Petitions and hindered from their ordinary Pleasures And when I asked my Lord whether the Grants of such importunate suits were fitly and properly placed He answered Not so well as those that are placed upon due consideration and upon trial and proof LXVIII I have heard my Lord say That it is a great Error and weak Policy in a State to advance their Enemies and endeavour to make them friends by bribing them with Honours and Offices saying They are shrewd men and may do the State much hurt And on the otherside to neglect their Friends and those that have done them great service saying they are Honest men and mean the State no harm For this kind of Policy comes from the Heathen who pray'd to the Devil and not to God by reason they supposed God was Good and would hurt no Creature but the Devil they flatter'd and worshipp'd out of fear lest he should hurt them But by this foolish Policy said he they most commonly encrease their Enemies and lose their Friends for first it teaches men to observe that the onely way to Preferment is to be against the State or Government Next Since all that are Factious cannot be rewarded or preferr'd by reason a State hath more Subjects then Rewards or Preferments there must of necessity be numerous Enemies for when their hopes of Reward fail them they grow more Factious and Inveterate then ever they were at first Wherefore the best Policy in a State or Government said my Lord is to reward Friends and punish Enemies and prefer the Honest before the Factious and then all will be real Friends and profer their honest service either out of pure Love and Loyalty or in hopes of Advancement seeing there is none but by serving the State LXIX I have heard him say several times That his love to his gracious Master King Charles the Second was above the love he bore to his Wife Children and all his Posterity nay to his own life And when since His Return into England I answer'd him That I observed His Gracious Master did not love him so well as he lov'd Him
he replied That he cared not whether His Majesty lov'd him again or not for he was resolved to love him LXX I asking my Lord one time What kind of Fate it was that restored our Gracious King Charles the Second to His Throne He answer'd It was a blessed kind of Fate I replied That I had observed a perfect contrariety between the Fortunes of His Royal Father of blessed memory and Him for as there was a division amongst the generality of the people in the Reign of King Charles the First tending to His Destruction so there was a general Combination and Agreement between them in King Charles the Second His Restauration and as there was a general malice amongst the people against the Father to Depose Him so there was a general Love for the Son to Enthrone Him My Lord answer'd I had observed something but not all for said he there was a Necessity for the people to desire and Restore King Charles the Second but there was no Necessity to Murder King Charles the First For the Kingdom being through so many Alterations and Changes of Government divided into several Factions and Parties was at last hurried into such a Confusion that it was impossible in that manner to subsist or hold out any longer Which Confusion having opened the Peoples Eyes the generality being tyred with the evil effects and consequences of their unsetled Governments under unjust Usurpers and frightned with the apprehension of future dangers began to call to mind the happy Times when in an uninterrupted Peace they enjoyed their own under the happy Reign of their Lawful Soveraigns and hereupon with an unanimous consent Recall'd and Restor'd our now gracious King which although it was opposed by some Factious Parties yet the generality of the people outweigh'd the rest neither was the Royal Party wanting in their endeavours LXXI Asking my Lord one time Whether it was easie or difficult to govern a State or Kingdom He answer'd me That most States were govern'd by secret Policy and so with difficulty for those that govern are at least should be wiser then the State or Commonwealth they govern I replied That in my opinion a State was easily govern'd if their Government was like unto God's that is to say If Governours did Reward and Punish according to the desert My Lord answer'd I said well but he added the Follies of the People are many times too hard for the Prudence of the Governour like as the sins of men work more evil effects in them then the Grace of God works good for if this were not there would be more good then bad which alas Experience proves otherwise LXXII Some Gentlemen making a complaint to my Lord That some he employed in His Majesty's Affairs were too hasty and over-busie My Lord told them That he would rather chuse such persons for His Majesties service as were over-active then such that would be fuller of Questions then Actions The same he would do for his own particular affairs LXXIII Some condemning My Lord for having Roman Catholicks and Scots in his Army He answered them that he did not examine their Opinions in Religion but look'd more upon their Honesty and Duty for certainly there were honest men and loyal Subjects amongst Roman Catholicks as well as Protestants and amongst Scots as well as English Nevertheless my Lord as he was for the King so he was also for the Orthodox Church of England as sufficiently appears by the care he took in ordering the Church-Government mentioned in the History To which purpose when my Lord was walking one time with some of His Officers in the Church at Durham and wonder'd at the greatness and strength of the Pillars that supported that structure My Brother Sir Charles Lucas who was then with him told my Lord that he must confess those Pillars were very great and of a vast strength But said he Your Lordship is a far greater Pillar of the Chureh then all these Which certainly was also a real truth and would have more evidently appear'd had Fortune favour'd my Lord more then she did LXXIV My Lord being in Banishment I told him that he was happy in his misfortunes for he was not subject to any State or Prince To which he jestingly answer'd That as he was subject to no Prince so he was a Prince of no Subjects LXXV In some Discourse which I had with my Lord concerning Princes and their Subjects I declared that I had observed Great Princes were not like the Sun which sends forth out of it self Rays of Light and Beams of Heat effects that did both glorifie the Sun and nourish and comfort sublunary Creatures but their glory and splendor proceeded rather from the Ceremony which they received from their subjects To which my Lord answer'd That Subjects were so far from giving splendor to their Princes that all the Honours and Titles in which consists the chief splendor of a subject were principally derived from them for said he were there no Princes there would be none to confer Honours and Titles upon them LXXVI My Lord entertaining one time some Gentlemen with a merry Discourse told them that he would not keep them Company except they had done and sufferd as much for their King and Country as he had They answer'd That they had not a power answerable to my Lords My Lord replied They should do their endeavour according to their Abilities No said they if we did we should be like your Self lose all and get but little for our pains LXXVII I being much grieved that my Lord for his loyalty and honest Service had so many Enemies used sometimes to speak somewhat sharply of them but he gently reproving me said I should do like experienced Sea-men and as they either turn their Sails with the wind or take them down so should I either comply with Time or abate my Passion LXXVIII A Soldiers Wife whose Husband had been slain in my Lord's Army came one time to beg some relief of my Lord who told her That he was not able to relieve all that had been loyal to His Majesty for said he My losses are so many that if I should give away the remainder of my Estate my Wife and Children would have nothing to live on She answer'd That His Majesty's Enemies were preferr'd to great Honours and had much Wealth Then it is a sign replied my Lord that your Husband and I were Honest Men. LXXIX A Friend of my Lord's complaining that he had done the State much Service but received little Reward for it my Lord answer'd him That States did not usually reward past Services but if he could do some present Service he might perhaps get something but said he those men are wisest that will be paid before-hand LXXX I observing that in the late Civil Warrs many were desirous to be employed in States Affairs and at the noise of Warr endeavoured to be Commanders though but of small Parties asked my Lord the reason thereof