by John Aubrey
To make you merry, I’le tell you a story that Dr. Henry Birket told us t’other day at his cosen Mariet’s, scilicet that about 1638 or 1640, when he was of Trinity College, Dr. Kettel, preaching as he was wont to doe on Trinity Sunday, told ’em that they should keepe their Bodies chast and holy; but, said he, you Fellows of the College here eate good Commons, and drinke good double Beer, and breede Seed, and that will gett-out. How would the good old Dr. have raunted and beate-up his Kettle-Drum, if he should have seen such Luxury in the College as there is now! Tempora mutantur.
RICHARD KNOLLES
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[Born 1550. Historian. Headmaster of the Grammar School at Sandwich in Kent, where he was engaged for twelve years on his Generall Historie of the Turkes from the first beginning of that Nation, which was published in 1603 and ran through many editions. Dr. Johnson said that the book showed all the excellencies that narration can admit, explaining Knolles’ limited reputation by the fact that he wrote of a subject of which none desires to be informed. Byron said of the book: I believe it had much influence on my future wishes to visit the Levant, and gave perhaps the oriental colouring which is observed in my poetry. Southey and Coleridge also greatly admired the work, which is a fine example of the English of its time. Knolles died in 1610.]
THE LORD BURLEIGH, when he read Knolls Turkish history was particularly extremely pleased at the discription of the Battail of Lepanto; sent for Knolles, who told him an ingeniose young man came to him, hearing what he was about, and desired that he might write that, having been in that Action.
My Lord hunted after him, and traced him from place to place, and at last to Newgate; he was reduced to such necessity. He was hanged but a 14 night before. He unluckily lost a good opportunity of being preferred.
SIR HENRY LEE
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[Born 1530. Courtier. He was educated by his uncle, Sir Thomas Wyatt, and entered the service of Henry VIII in 1545. Clerk of the Armoury 1549. Knighted 1553. M.P. for Buckinghamshire 1558 and 1572. Personal Champion to Queen Elizabeth from 1559 to 1590. Master of the Ordnance 1590. He was visited by Queen Elizabeth at his country house in 1592. Knight of the Garter 1597. He was a great builder and sheep farmer and died in 1610.]
OLD SIR HENRY Lee, of Ditchley, in Oxon, Knight of the Garter, was a Gentleman of a good estate, and a strong and valiant person; and was supposed brother of Queen Elizabeth. He ordered that all his Family should be christned Harry’s.
He was a raunger of Woodstocke Parke, and (I have heard my old cosen Whitney say) would many times in his younger yeares walke at nights in the Parke with his Keepers.
This Sir Henry Lee’s Nephew and Heire (whom I remember very well: he often came to Sir John Danvers) was called Whip and Away. The occasion of it was this: The old Hero declining in his strength by age, and so not being able to be a Righter of his owne Wronges as heretofore, some person of quality had affronted him. So he spake to Sir Henry Lee, his heire, to lie in wayte for him about the Bell Inne, in the Strande, with halfe a dozen or more lustie fellowes at his back, and as the partie came along to give him a good Blow with his Cane and Whip and away; the tall fellowes should finish the revenge. Whether ’twere nicety of conscience, or Cowardice, but Sir Henry the younger absolutely refused it. For which he was disinherited and the whole estate settled on a keeper’s sonne of Whitchwood forest of his owne name, a one-eied young man, no kinne to him, from whom the Earle of Lichfield now is descended, as also the Lady Norris and Lady Wharton.
He was never maried, but kept woemen to reade to him when he was a-bed. One of his Readers was parson Jones, his wife, of Wotton. I have heard her daughter (who had no more Witt) glory what a brave reader her mother was, and how Sir Harry’s Worship much delighted to heare her. But his dearest deare was Mris. Anne Vavasour. He erected a noble altar monument of marble wheron his effigies in armour lay; at the feet was the Effigies of his mistresse, Mris. Anne Vavasour. Which occasioned these verses:
Here lies the good old Knight Sir Harry,
Who loved well, but would not marry;
While he lived, and had his feeling,
She did lye, and he was kneeling,
Now he’s dead and cannot feele
He doeth lye and shee doeth kneele.
Some Bishop did threaten to have this Monument defaced; at least, to remove Mris. A. Vavasour’s effigies.
WILLIAM LEE
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[Inventor. Educated at Christ’s and St. John’s Colleges, Cambridge. He acquired an aversion to hand-knitting, because a young woman to whom he was paying his addresses seemed, when he visited her, to be always more mindful of her knitting than of his presence. He therefore invented the Stocking Frame, which Queen Elizabeth came to see in action. But she was disappointed by the coarseness of the work, having hoped it would make silk stockings, and refused to grant the monopoly he asked for. Lee altered the machine and produced a pair of silk stockings in 1598, which he presented to the Queen, but Elizabeth now feared that the invention would prejudice hand-knitters and it was consequently discouraged. As King James took up a similar attitude, Lee went to France, where he had been promised great rewards by King Henry IV, but the latter’s assassination disappointed these hopes, and Lee died of grief at Paris in 1610.]
HE WAS THE first Inventor of the Weaving of Stockings by an Engine of his contrivance. He was a Sussex man borne, or els lived there. He was a poor Curate, and, observing how much paines his Wife tooke in knitting a payre of Stockings, he bought a Stocking and a halfe, and observed the contrivance of the Stitch, which he designed in his Loome, which (though some of the appendent Instruments of the Engine be altered) keepes the same to this day. He went into France, and dyed there before his Loome was made there. So the Art was, not long since, in no part of the world but England. Oliver Protector made an Act that it should be Felonie to transport this Engine. This Information I tooke from a Weaver (by this Engine) in Pear-poole lane, 1656. Sir John Hoskyns, Mr. Stafford Tyndale, and I, went purposely to see it.
It ought never to be forgott, what our ingenious Countrey-Man Sir Christopher Wrenn proposed to the Silke-Stocking-Weavers of London, viz. a way to weave seven pair or nine paire of stockings at once (it must be an odd Number). He demanded four hundred pounds for his Invention: but the weavers refused it, because they were poor: and besides, they sayd, it would spoile their Trade; perhaps they did not consider the Proverb, That Light Gaines, with quick returnes, make heavy Purses. Sir Christopher was so noble, seeing they would not adventure so much money, He breakes the Modell of the Engine all to pieces, before their faces.
RICHARD LOVELACE
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[Born 1618. Cavalier and poet. He was the heir to great estates in Kent and was educated at Oxford, where he was described by Anthony Wood as the most amiable and beautiful person that eye ever beheld. Leaving Oxford, he repaired in great splendour to the Court and served in the Scottish expeditions of 1639. For presenting the Kentish Petition in favour of the King in 1642, he was thrown into the Gatehouse Prison, where he wrote the poem Stone walls do not a prison make, nor iron bars a cage. He rejoined Charles I in 1645 and served with the French King in 1646. It being reported that he was killed, his betrothed Lucy Sacheverell (Lucasta) married another man. Lovelace was again imprisoned in 1648, and while in prison he prepared his poems for the press. He had by now spent his whole fortune in support of the Royalist cause, whereupon he grew, says Wood, very melancholy (which brought him at length into a consumption) became very poor in body and person, was the object of charity, went in ragged cloaths (whereas when he was in his glory he wore cloth of gold and silver) and mostly lodged in obscure and dirty places, more befitting the worst of beggars and poorest of servants. He died in 1658.]
RICHARD LOVELACE, ESQ.; he was a most beautifull Gentleman.
Obiit in a Cellar in Long Acre, a little before the Restauration of his Majestie. Mr. Edmund Wyld, etc., have made collections for him, and given him money. George Petty, Haberdasher, in Fle
et Street, carried xxs. to him every Monday morning from Sir John Many and Charles Cotton, Esq., for many moneths, but was never repayd.
One of the handsomest men in England. He was an extraordinary handsome Man, but prowd. He wrote a Poem called Lucasta.
HENRY MARTIN
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[Born 1602. Regicide. Member of the Short and Long Parliaments, where he was the leader of anti-Royalist feeling, saying that he did not think one man wise enough to govern all. Charles I demanded that Martin should be tried for High Treason and excepted him from pardon. When the Civil War broke out, Martin subscribed £1200 to the Parliamentary cause and undertook to raise a regiment of horse. He was made Parliamentary Governor of Reading, but he was committed to the Tower in 1643 for saying that it were better one family should be destroyed than many. He was readmitted to Parliament in 1646, however, and became the leader of the extreme party. He was one of the King’s judges and, when it came to Cromwell’s turn to affix his name to the warrant of King Charles’ execution, he wrote his signature hurriedly and then, in a burst of mirth, he smeared the ink of his pen across the face of Henry Martin, the secretary. On Charles II’s return, Martin gave himself up, but was excepted from pardon and imprisoned until his death in 1680.]
HENRY MARTIN, ESQ., son and heir of Sir Henry Martin, Knight, Judge of the Arches, was of the University of Oxford, travelled France, but never Italie. His stature was but middling; his habit moderate; his face not good. Sir Edward Baynton was wont to say that his company was incomparable, but that he would be drunke too soone.
His father found out a rich Wife for him, whom he married something unwillingly. He was a great lover of pretty girles, to whom he was so liberall that he spent the greatest part of his estate. When he had found out a maried woman that he liked (and he had his Emissaries, male and female, to looke out) he would contrive such or such a good bargain, 20 or 30 pounds per annum under rent, to have her neer him. He lived from his wife a long time. If I am not mistaken, shee was sometime distempered by his unkindnesse to her.
King Charles I had a complaint against him for his Wenching. It happened that Henry was in Hyde parke one time when his Majestie was there, goeing to see a Race. The King espied him, and sayd aloud, Let that ugly Rascall be gonne out of the Parke, that whore-master, or els I will not see the sport. So Henry went away patiently, sed manebat alta mente repostum [but it lay stored up deep in his heart]. That Sarcasme raysed the whole Countie of Berks against him. He was as far from a Puritane as light from darknesse. Shortly after (1641) he was chosen Knight of the Shire of that Countie, nemine contradicente, and proved a deadly Enemy to the King.
He was a great and faithfull lover of his Countrey, and never gott a farthing by the Parliament. He was of an incomparable Witt for Repartes; not at all covetous; humble, not at all Arrogant, as most of them were; a great cultor of Justice, and did always in the House take the part of the oppressed.
His speeches in the House were not long, but wondrous poynant, pertinent, and witty. He was exceedingly happy in apt instances. He alone haz sometimes turned the whole House. Makeing an invective speech one time against old Sir Henry Vane; when he had don with him, he said, But for young Sir Harry Vane; and so sate him downe. Severall cryed out, What have you to say to young Sir Harry? He rises up: Why! if young Sir Harry lives to be old, he will be old Sir Harry! and so sate downe, and set the House a-laughing, as he oftentimes did. Oliver Cromwell once in the House called him, jestingly or scoffingly, Sir Harry Martin. H. M. rises and bowes; I thanke your Majestie. I always thought when you were a King I should be Knighted. A godly member made a Motion to have all profane and unsanctified persons expelled the Houses. H. M. stood up and moved that all Fooles might be putt out likewise, and then there would be a thin House. He was wont to sleepe much in the House (at least dog-sleepe) Alderman Atkins made a Motion that such scandalous members as slept, and minded not the businesse of the House, should be putt out. H. M. starts up: Mr. Speaker, a motion has been to turne out the Nodders, I desire the Noddees may also be turnd out.
His short lettre to his cosen Stonehouse of Radley by Abingdon that if his Majestie should take advice of his Gunsmiths and powder-men, He would never have peace—from Sir John Lenthall: as also of his draweing the Remonstrance of the Parliament when ’twas formed a Commonwealth—within five or six lines of the beginning he sayes restored to it’s auncient Goverment of a Commonwealth. When ’twas read Sir Henry Vane stood up and repremanded and wondred at his impudence to affirme such a notorious Lye. H. M., standing up, meekely replied that there was a Text had much troubled his spirit for severall dayes and nights of the man that was blind from his mother’s womb whose sight was restored at last, i.e. was restored to the sight which he should have had.
Henry Martin made a Motion in the House to call the Addressers to account (viz. those that addressed to Richard Cromwell, Protector, to stand by him with their lives and fortunes) and that all the addressers that were of it (of the House) might be turned out as enemies to the Commonwealth of England and betrayers of their Trust to bring in Government by a single person. Had not Dick Cromwell sneak’t away then, it is certain that the Rump would have cutt off his Head, as I am well assured from a deare friend of mine.
H. M. sayd that he had seen the Scripture fulfilled: Thou hast exalted the humble and meeke; thou hast filled the emptie, and the rich hast thou sent emptie away.
Anno 1660 he was obnoxious for having been one of the late King’s Judges, and he was in very great danger to have suffred as the others did (he pleaded only the King’s Act of Proclamation at Breda which he shewd in his hand) but (as he was a Witte himselfe) so the Lord Falkland saved his life by Witt, saying, Gentlemen, yee talke here of makeing a Sacrifice; it was the old Lawe, all Sacrifices were to be without spott or blemish; and now you are going to make an old Rotten Rascall a Sacrifice. This Witt tooke in the House, and saved his life.
He was first a prisoner at the Tower; then at Windsore (removed from thence because he was an eie-sore to his Majestie) from thence to Chepstowe, where he is now (1680). During his imprisonment, his wife relieved him out of her joincture, but she dyed.
When his study was searcht they found letters to his Concubine, which was printed 4to. But ’tis not to his disgrace; there is Witt and good nature in them.
ANDREW MARVELL
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[Born 1621. Poet and satirist. He travelled on the Continent for four years. In 1653 he became tutor to Cromwell’s ward, William Dutton, and in 1657 was made Milton’s assistant in the Latin secretaryship to the Council. After the Restoration he entered Parliament and became a violent politician with strong Republican leanings and wrote satires and pamphlets, attacking first the ministers, but afterwards Charles II himself. Despite this he remained a favourite with the King, who offered him a place at Court and a present of £1000, which were both declined. From 1660 to 1678 he wrote a series of newsletters to his constituents at Hull, chronicling the debates in the House of Commons. But his fame rests upon his poems written in praise of gardens and country life. He died in 1678.]
HE WAS OF middling stature, pretty strong sett, roundish faced, cherry cheek’t, hazell eie, browne haire. He was in his conversation very modest, and of very few words: and though he loved wine he would never drinke hard in company, and was wont to say that, he would not play the good-fellow in any man’s company in whose hands he would not trust his life. He had not a generall acquaintance.
In the time of Oliver the Protector he was Latin Secretarie. He was a great master of the Latin tongue; an excellent poet in Latin or English: for Latin verses there was no man could come into competition with him.
I remember I have heard him say that the Earle of Rochester was the only man in England that had the true veine of Satyre.
His native towne of Hull loved him so well that they elected him for their representative in Parliament, and gave him an honourable pension to maintaine him.
He kept bottles of wine at his lodgeing, and
many times he would drinke liberally by himselfe to refresh his spirits, and exalt his Muse. (I remember I have been told that the learned Goclenius (an High-German) was wont to keep bottells of good Rhenish-wine in his studie, and, when his spirits wasted, he would drinke a good Rummer of it.)
Obiit Londini, Aug. 18. 1678; and is buried in St. Giles church in-the-fields about the middle of the south aisle. Some suspect that he was poysoned by the Jesuites, but I cannot be positive.
THOMAS MAY
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[Born 1595. Poet and historian. The son of Sir Thomas May, he went to Cambridge and thence to Gray’s Inn, but soon discarded law for literature. In 1622 he produced his first comedy, The Heir, and also a translation of Virgil’s Georgies. Six years later appeared his translation of Lucan, which gained him the favour of Charles I, at whose command he wrote two poems, each in seven books, The Reigne of King Henry II and The Victorious Reigne of King Edward III. But when the Civil War broke out, May took the side of the Parliament and was made Secretary to the Long Parliament, the historian of which he became. The History of the Parliament of England, which began Nov. 3, 1640, was published in 1647: the narrative closes with the Battle of Newbury (1643) and is prefaced with a short review of the preceding reigns from that of Elizabeth. May was also the author of several tragedies, which exhibit either featureless mediocrity or pretentious extravagance. He died in 1650.]