Aubrey's Brief Lives

by John Aubrey

  Elizabeth Danvers, his mother, an Italian, prodigious parts for a Woman. I have heard my father’s mother say that she had Chaucer at her fingers’ ends. A great Politician; great Witt and spirit, but revengefull: knew how to manage her estate as well as any man; understood Jewels as well as any Jeweller. Very Beautifull, but only short-sighted.

  To obtain Pardons for her Sonnes she maryed Sir Edmund Carey, cosen-german to Queen Elizabeth, but kept him to hard meate.

  Sir Charles Danvers advised the Earle of Essex, either to treat with the Queen (but Sir Ferdinando Gorges did let the Hostages goe) or to make his way through the gate at Essex-house, and then to hast away to High-gate, and so to Northumberland (the Earl of Northumberland maried his mother’s sister) and from thence to the King of Scots, and there they might make their Peace; if not, the Queen was old and could not live long. But the Earle followed not his advice, and so they both lost their heads on Tower-hill, February the 6th, 1600.

  George Clifford, 3rd Earl of Cumberland

  From the painting by Nicholas Hilliard in the National Maritime Museum at Greenwich

  George Abbot, Archbishop of Canterbury

  From the portrait in the National Portrait Gallery

  Henry Percy, 9th Earl of Northumberland

  From the portrait by Sir Anthony van Dyck in the collection of Lord Leconfield at Petworth

  His familiar acquaintance were the Earl of Oxon; Sir Francis and Sir Horace Vere; Sir Walter Raleigh, etc.—the Heroes of those times.

  With all their faylings, Wilts cannot shew two such Brothers.

  SIR JOHN DANVERS

  * * *

  [Born 1588. Regicide. Brother of Sir Charles Danvers and the first Earl of Danby. Knighted by James I, he was Member of Parliament for Oxford University in 1625, 1626, 1628 and 1639. A colonel in the Parliamentary Army, he sat as M.P. for Malmesbury in 1645. He signed the death-warrant of Charles I in 1649, and from that date until 1653 he was a member of the Council of State. He died in 1655.]

  THE MANNOR OF Dantesey in Wilts was forfeited to the Crowne by Sir John Danvers his foolery.

  At Dantesey was a robbery committed at the Mannour howse, on the family of the Stradlings: Sir Edward, and all his servants, except one plowboy who hid himselfe, were murthered: by which meanes, this whole Estate came to Anne his sister, and heire. She married after to Sir John Danvers (the father) a handsome gentleman, who clapt up a match with her before she heard the newes, he, by good fortune lighting upon the Messenger first. She lived at that time in Paternoster-Rowe at London, and had but an ordinary portion.

  This Robbury was donne on a Satterday night; the next day the neighbors wondered none of the family came to Church; they went to see what was the matter, and the Parson of the parish very gravely went along with them, who, by the boy was proved to be one of the company, and was, I thinke, hanged for his paines.

  Sir John Danvers told me that when he was a young man, the principall reason of sending their sons to Travell, was to weane them from their acquaintance and familiarity with the Servingmen: for then Parents were so austere and grave, that the Sonnes must not be company for their father, and some company men must have: so they contracted a familiarity with the Serving men, who got a hank upon them they could hardly after clawe off. Nay, Parents would suffer their Servants to domineer over their Children: and some in what they found their child to take delight, in that would be sure to crosse them.

  This young Sir John’s first wife was the Lady Herbert, a widowe, mother of the Lord Edward Herbert of Cherbury and George Herbert, Orator. By her he had no issue; she was old enough to have been his Mother. He maried her for love of her Witt. The Earl of Danby was greatly displeased with him for this disagreable match.

  Sir John was a great friend of the King’s partie and a Patron to distressed and cashiered Cavaliers. But to revenge himselfe of his sister, the Lady Gargrave, and to ingratiate himself more with the Protector to null his brother, Earl of Danby’s, Will, he, contrary to his owne naturall inclination, did sitt in the High Court of Justice at the King’s Triall.

  The Pleasure and Use of Gardens were unknown to our great Grandfathers: They were contented with Pot-herbs: and did mind chiefly their Stables. But in the time of King Charles IId Gardening was much improved, and became common. ‘Twas Sir John Danvers of Chelsey (Brother and Heir to Henry Danvers Earle of Danby) who first taught us the way of Italian Gardens: He had well travelled France & Italy, and made good Observations: He had in a faire Body an harmonicall Mind: In his Youth his Complexion was so exceedingly beautifull and fine that Thomas Bond Esqr. (who was his Companion in his Travells) did say, that the People would come after him in the Street to admire Him. He had a very fine Fancy, which lay (chiefly) for Gardens, and Architecture. The Garden at Chelsey in Middlesex (as likewise the House there) doe remaine Monuments of his Ingenuity. He was a great acquaintance and Favorite of the Lord Chancellour Bacon, who took much delight in that elegant Garden.

  Sir John, being my Relation and faithfull Friend, was wont in fair mornings in the Summer to brush his Beaver-hatt on the Hysop and Thyme, which did perfume it with its naturall Spirit; and would last a morning or longer.

  EDWARD DAVENANT

  * * *

  EDWARD DAVENANT, S. Theol. Dr., was the eldest son of Edward Davenant, Merchant of London, who was the elder brother to the Right Reverend Father in God, the learned John Davenant Bishop of Sarum.

  I will first speake of the father, for he was an incomparable man in his time, and deserves to be remembred. He was of a healthy complexion (except the gout) rose at 4 or 5 in the morning, so that he followed his Studies till 6 or 7, the time that other merchants goe about their Businesse; so that, stealing so much and so quiet time in the morning, he studied as much as most men. He understood Greeke and Latin perfectly, and was a better Grecian than the Bishop: he writt a rare Greeke character as ever I sawe. He was a great Mathematician, and understood as much of it as was knowen in his time. He understood Trade very well, was a sober and good menager, but the winds and seas cross’d him. He had so great losses that he broke, but his Creditors knowing it was no fault of his, and also that he was a person of great Vertue and justice, used not extremity towards him; but I thinke gave him more Credit, so that he went into Ireland, and did sett up a Fishery for Pilchards at Wythy Island, in Ireland, where in 20 yeares he gott 10,000 pounds; satisfied and payd his Creditors; and over and above left a good estate to his son. His picture bespeakes him to be a man of judgement, and parts, and gravity extraordinary. He slipt comeing down the stone stayres at the Palace at Sarum, which bruise caused his death.

  His brother, the Bishop, hung the Choire of Sarum with purple velvet, which was plundered in the Sacrilegious Times.

  Dr. Edward Davenant was borne at his Father’s howse at Croydon in Surrey (the farthest handsome great howse on the left hand as you ride to Bansted Downes). I have heard him say, he thankt God his father did not knowe the houre of his birth; for that it would have tempted him to have studyed Astrologie, for which he had no esteeme at all.

  He went to school at Merchant Taylors’ school, from thence to Queen’s Colledge in Cambridge, of which house his uncle John Davenant (afterwards Bishop of Sarum) was head, where he was Fellowe. ’Twas no small advantage to him to have such a learned Father to imbue arithmeticall knowledge into him when a boy, night times when he came from schoole.

  I remember when I was a young Oxford Scholar, that he could not endure to heare of the New (Cartesian) Philosophy: For, sayd he, if a new Philosophy is brought-in, a new Divinity will shortly follow; and he was right.

  When his uncle was preferred to the church of Sarum, he made his nephew Treasurer of the Church, which is the best Dignity, and gave him the Vicaridge of Gillingham in com. Dorset, and then Paulsholt parsonage, neer the Devises, which last in the late troubles he resigned to his wive’s brother William Grove.

  He was to his dyeing day of great diligence in study, well versed in all kinds of Learning, but his Ge
nius did most strongly encline him to the Mathematiques, wherin he has written (in a hand as legible as print) MSS. in 4to a foot high at least. I have often heard him say (jestingly) that he would have a man knockt in the head that should write anything in Mathematiques that had been written of before. I have heard Sir Christopher Wren say that he does beleeve he was the best Mathematician in the world about 30 or 35 + yeares agoe. But being a Divine he was unwilling to print, because the world should not know how he had spent the greatest part of his time.

  I have writt to his Executor, that we may have the honour and favour to conserve his MSS. in the Library of the Royal Societie, and to print what is fitt. I hope I shall obtaine my desire. He had a noble Library, which was the aggregate of his Father’s, the Bishop’s, and his owne.

  He was of middling stature, something spare; and weake, feeble leggs; he had sometimes the Goute; was of great temperance, he always dranke his beer at meales with a Toast, winter and summer, and sayd it made the beer the better.

  He was very ready to teach and instruct. He did me the favour to informe me first in Algebra. His daughters were Algebrists.

  He had an excellent way of improving his children’s memories, which was thus: he would make one of them read a chapter or &c., and then they were (sur le champ) to repeate what they remembred, which did exceedingly profitt them; and so for Sermons, he did not let them write notes (which jaded their memorie) but gave an account vivâ voce. When his eldest son, John, came to Winton-schoole (where the Boyes were enjoyned to write Sermon-notes) he had not wrote; the Master askt him for his Notes—he had none, but sayd, If I doe not give you as good an account of it as they doe, I am much mistaken.

  He was heire to his uncle, John Davenant, Bishop of Sarum. When Bishop Coldwell came to this Bishoprick, he did lett long Leases, which were but newly expired when Bishop Davenant came to this sea; so that there tumbled into his coffers vast summes. His predecessor, Dr. Tounson, maried John Davenant’s sister, continued in the see but a little while, and left severall children unprovided for, so the King or rather Duke of Bucks gave Bishop Davenant the Bishoprick out of pure charity: ’twas the only Bishoprick that he disposed of without symony, all others being made merchandise of for the advancement of his kindred. Bishop Davenant being invested, maried all his nieces to Clergie-men, so he was at no expence for their preferment. He granted to his nephew (this Dr.) the lease of the great Mannour of Poterne, worth about 1000 pounds per annum; made him Threasurer of the church of Sarum, of which the corps is the parsonage of Calne, which was esteemed to be of the like value. He made severall purchases, all of which he left him; insomuch as the churchmen of Sarum say, that he gained more by this Church then ever any man did by the Church since the Reformation, and take it very unkindly that, at his death, he left nothing (or but 50 pounds) to that Church which was the source of his Estate. How it happened I know not, or how he might be workt-on in his old age, but I have heard severall yeares since, he hadd sett downe 500 pounds in will for the Cathedral Church of Sarum.

  He was not only a man of vast learning, but of great goodnes and charity; the parish and all his friends will have a great losse in him. He took no use for money upon bond. He was my singular good friend, and to whom I have been more beholding then to any one beside; for I borrowed five hundred pounds of him for a yeare and a halfe, and I could not fasten any interest on him.

  SIR WILLIAM DAVENANT

  * * *

  [Born 1606. Dramatist. One of the founders of the Classical school of English poetry. He wrote twenty-five plays. Poet Laureate 1637. Knighted 1643. A Royalist in the Civil War, he was three times imprisoned by the Parliamentarians in the Tower, from which he was once released at the intercession of Milton. He had the satisfaction of repaying in kind these good offices when Milton, in his turn, was in danger in 1660. He owned the theatre where movable scenery and female actors were first habitually used. Died 1668.]

  SIR WILLIAM DAVENANT, Knight, Poet Laureate, was borne in the City of Oxford, at the Crowne Taverne. He went to schoole at Oxon to Mr. Sylvester, but I feare he was drawne from schoole before he was ripe enough.

  His father was John Davenant, a Vintner there, a very grave and discreet Citizen; his mother was a very beautifull woman and of a very good witt, and of conversation extremely agreable.

  Mr. William Shakespeare was wont to goe into Warwickshire once a yeare, and did commonly in his journey lye at this house in Oxon, where he was exceedingly respected. (I have heard Parson Robert say that Mr. William Shakespeare haz given him a hundred kisses.) Now Sir William would sometimes, when he was pleasant over a glasse of wine with his most intimate friends—e.g. Sam Butler, author of Hudibras, etc., say, that it seemed to him that he writt with the very spirit that did Shakespeare, and seemed contented enough to be thought his Son. He would tell them the story as above, in which way his mother had a very light report, whereby she was called a Whore.

  He was preferred to the first Dutches of Richmond to wayte on Her as a Page. I remember he told me, she sent him to a famous Apothecary for some Unicornes-horne, which he resolved to try with a Spider which he incircled in it, but without the expected successe; the Spider would goe over, and thorough and thorough, unconcerned.

  He was next a servant (as I remember, a Page also) to Sir Fulke Grevil, Lord Brookes, with whom he lived to his death, which was that a servant of his (that had long wayted on him, and his Lordship had often told him that he would doe something for him, but did not, but still putt him off with delayes) as he was trussing up his Lord’s pointes comeing from Stoole (for then their breeches were fastned to the doubletts with points; then came in hookes and eies; which not to have fastened was in my boy-hood a great crime) stabbed him. This was at the same time that the Duke of Buckingham was stabbed by Felton, and the great noise and report of the Duke’s, Sir William told me, quite drowned this of his Lord’s, that ’twas scarce taken notice of. This Sir Fulke G. was a good witt, and had been a good Poet in his youth. He wrote a Poeme in folio which he printed not till he was old, and then (as Sir W. said) with too much judgement and refining, spoyled it, which was at first a delicate thing.

  He writt a Play or Playes, and verses, which he did with so much sweetnesse and grace, that by it he got the love and friendship of his two Mecaenasses, Mr. Endymion Porter and Mr. Henry Jermyn (since Earl of St. Albans) to whom he has dedicated his Poeme called Madegascar. Sir John Suckling was also his great and intimate friend.

  After the death of Ben Johnson he was made in his place Poet Laureat.

  He gott a terrible clap of a Black handsome wench that lay in Axe-yard, Westminster, whom he thought on when he speakes of Dalga in Gondibert, which cost him his Nose, with which unlucky mischance many witts were too cruelly bold: e.g. Sir John Menis, Sir John Denham, etc.

  In the Civill Warres in England he was in the Army of William, Marquess of Newcastle (since Duke) where he was Generall of the Ordinance. I have heard his brother Robert say, for that service there was owing to him by King Charles the First 10,000 pounds. During that warre, ’twas his Hap to have two Alderman of Yorke his Prisoners, who were something stubborne, and would not give the Ransome ordered by the Councell of Warr. Sir William used them civilly and treated them in his Tent, and sate them at the upper end of his Table à la mode de France, and having donne so a good while to his chardge, told them (privately and friendly) that he was not able to keepe so chargeable Guests, and bad them take an opportunity to escape, which they did: but having been gon a little way they considered with themselves that in gratitude they ought to goe back and give Sir William their Thankes; which they did, but it was like to have been to their great danger of being taken by the Soldiers, but they happened to gett safe to Yorke.

  After the King was beaten out of the field, Sir William Davenant (who received the honour of Knighthood from the Duke of Newcastle by Commission) went into France; resided chiefly in Paris, where the Prince of Wales then was. He then began to write his Romance in Verse called Gondibert, an
d had not writt above the first booke, but being very fond of it, prints it (before a quarter finished) with an Epistle of his to Mr. Thomas Hobbes, and Mr. Hobbes excellent Epistle to him printed before it. The Courtiers with the Prince of Wales could never be at quiet about this piece, which was the occasion of a very witty but satericall little booke of Verses writt by George Duke of Bucks, Sir John Denham, etc.:

  That thou forsak’st thy sleepe, thy Diet,

  And which is more then that, our quiet.

  This last word Mr. Hobs told me was the occasion of their writing.

  Here he layd an ingeniose Designe to carry a considerable number of Artificers (chiefly Weavers) from hence to Virginia; and by Mary the queen-mother’s meanes, he got favour from the King of France to goe into the Prisons and pick and choose. So when the poor dammed wretches understood what the designe was, they cryed uno ore [with one voice] Tout tisseran, i.e. We are all weavers. Will picked 36, as I remember, if not more, shipped them, and as he was in his voyage towards Virginia, he and his Tisseran were all taken by the Shippes then belonging to the Parliament of England. The Slaves, I suppose, they sold, but Sir William was brought Prisoner to England. Whether he was first a Prisoner at Caresbroke Castle in the Isle of Wight or at the Tower of London, I have forgott; he was a Prisoner at Both. His Gondibert was finished at Caresbroke Castle. He expected no mercy from the Parliament, and had no hopes of escaping his life. It pleased God that the two Aldermen of Yorke aforesayd, hearing that he was taken and brought to London to be tryed for his life, which they understood was in extreme danger, they were touched with so much Generosity and goodness, as, upon their owne accounts and meer motion, to try what they could to save Sir William’s life, who had been so civill to them and a meanes to save theirs, to come to London: and acquainting the Parliament with it, upon their petition, etc., Sir William’s life was saved.