a favourer of presbytery". Under this sent, and sat by the king in state; at which monsieur Beaumont quarrels so extremely, that he saith the whole court is Spanish. . But, by his favour, he should fall out with none but himself; for they were all indifferently invited to come as private men to a private sport; which he refusing, the Spanish ambassador willingly accepted, and being there, seeing no cause to the contrary, he put off Don Taxis, and took upon him El Senor Embaxador, wherein he outstrips our little Monsieur. He was privately at the first mask, and sat amongst his men disguised: at this he was taken out to dance, and footed it like a lusty old gallant with his countrywoman. He took out the queen, and forgot not to kiss her hand, though there was danger it would have left a mark on his lips. The night's work was concluded with a banquet in the great chamber, which was so furiously assaulted, that down went table and tresses before one bit was touched". The reader perhaps is disposed to smile at the indecorum mentioned by Sir Dudley, and to censure the light and curtezanlike attire of the ladies; but the present age has little room to exult over them with respect to propriety or decency, as those who are acquainted with public places and public entertainments well know. 3 Thomas Murray, a favourer of presbytery.] This is a fact not to be disputed. There is a letter in the Cabala from Dr. Williams, bishop of Lincoln, and lordkeeper to the duke of Buckingham, dated Feb. 23, 1621, concerning the promotion of this gentleman to the provostship of Eton. In this letter, Williams * Perinchief's Life of King Charles, p. 2. ⚫ Winwood's Memorials of Affairs of State, vol. II. p. 43. folio. Lond. 1725. tutor he was so diligent and studious, that complains of the dispensation given him, who was a meer layman, to hold a place which was a living with cure of souls; intimates his suspicion of his being averse to our church-government; and declares, that he thinks it will be no disparagement to him, though he had been his highness's schoolmaster, to take orders.' And in his postscript he says, he has since seen Mr. Murray; finds him averse to the priesthood. If the king will dispense with him, my letter notwithstanding, adds he, I humbly beseech his Majesty to write a letter unto me, as a warrant to admit him only ad curam & regimen collegii, instead of the other word ad curam animarum. I schooled him soundly against puritanism, which he disavows, though somewhat faintJy. I hope his highness and the king will second it".' However, Mr. Murray had the provostship; in which, on his death, he was succeeded by the learned Sir Henry Wooton, who, notwithstanding his having been on many embassies, entered into holy orders, agreeably to the statutes of the college -It is very remarkable, I think, that some of the greatest foes of the puritans were educated among them! James was instructed by Buchanan; Charles by Mr. Murray. The late earl of Oxford was trained up amongst the dissenters, as well a Cabala, p. 289. fol. Lond. 1663. Reliquiæ Wottonianæ. b See his Life prefixed to The puritanical education of Charles gave great concern to Dr. Andrews, bishop of Ely, who, on the king's being sick in 1618, bewailed the 'sad condition of the church, if God should at that time determine the days of the king; the prince being then only conversant with Scotchmen, which made up the greatest part of his family, and were ill-affected to the government and worship of the church of England.'-Perinchief's Life of Charles, p. 3. See also Burnet, vol. I. p. 24. Dutch edit. in 12mo. But his fears, we shall find, were without foundation. he far advanced in learning; insomuch that his brother prince Henry taking notice of it, by way of jest, put the cap of archbishop Abbot (who was then with the prince and the duke, and other of the nobility, waiting in the privy-chamber for the king's coming out) on his head; adding if he was a good boy and minded his book, he would make him one day archbishop of Canterbury. On the death of his brother, Nov. 9, 1612, as his and their antagonist Bolingbroke: for though the writer of his life strenuously endeavours to show that he never was educated in dissenting principles, yet, I think, the contrary may unanswerably be proved from his own words. Lord Wharton, in his speech on the schism-bill, Anno 1714, observed, "That he could not but wonder, that the persons that had been educated in dissenting academies, which he could point at, and whose tutors he could name, should appear the most forward in suppressing them. That this would be but an indifferent return for the benefits the public had received from those schools which had bred those great men, who had made so glorious a peace, and treaties that execute themselves; who had obtained so 2 Memoirs of the Life and Ministerial Conduct of Lord Bolingbroke, p. 22. 8vo. Lond. 1752. Б In lord Bolingbroke's letter to Mr. Pope, at the end of his letter to Sir William Wyndham, speaking of Chrysostom's homilies, he adds, which puts me in mind of a puritanical parson, (Dr. Manton) who, if I mistake not, for I have never looked into the folio since I was a boy, and condemned sometimes to read in it, made one hundred and nineteen sermons on the hundred and nineteenth psalm.' See Letter to Wyndham, p. 526. 8vo. Lond. 1753. he succeeded him in the dukedom of Cornwall; and at the age of sixteen he was created prince of Wales, and had a court formed for him. Though he had had a great aversion towards Villiers, duke of Buckingham, whose insolence was great, yet a friendship inviolable succeeded, contrary to the expectations of many. At his instigation, and in his company, this prince went into Spain, in order great advantages for our commerce, and who had paid the public debts without farther charge to the nation: so that he could see no reason there was to suppress those academies, unless it were an apprehension that they might still produce greater geniuses, that should drown the merits and abilities of those great men ?— But, however, in justice to many great men educated among the puritans, it must be said that they were not ingrateful, though they continued not with them. Whichcot, Wilkins, and Tillotson, among the clergy; the earl of Wharton, the lord-chancellor King, among the laity, with several others, who from time to time have had seats in both houses, have shewed their esteem and friendship for them, by defending them against their adversaries, and bearing testimony to their innocency, loyalty, and learning.—Which behaviour, as it manifests more gratitude, so likewise does it proceed from truer patriotism than its opposite. For the puritans have been hated, reviled, and oppressed, chiefly on account of their firm attachment to civil liberty, a Torbuck's Parliamentary Debates, vol. VI. p. 216. 8vo. Lond. 1741. · to conclude the match that had been so long negotiating with the Infanta *; where he behaved with great politeness, and was re and the constitution of their country. By the bills for preventing occasional conformity and the growth of schism, it was hoped that their [the dissenters] sting would be taken away,' says Bolingbroke. And again, says he, These bills were thought necessary for our party-interest". What that party-interest was, is but too well known; as likewise what he and his coadjutors aimed at and therefore it cannot but be esteemed an honour to any body of men to be ill treated by such as were ready to sacrifice their country to their own ambition and lust of power. * At Buckingham's instigation, and in his company, he went into Spain, &c.] The negotiations for a match with the Infanta of Spain began about the year 1616. The Spaniards at first intended only to amuse king James, and hinder him from interfering in the affairs of Germany. At length they seem to have been sincere, and determined to conclude it. The duke of Buckingham then, out of 'envy to the earl of Bristol, (who had the sole management of the affair) one day insinuated to the prince the common misfortune of princes, that in so substantial a part of their happiness in this world as depended upon their marriage, themselves had never any part; but must receive only an account from others of the nature and humour, and beauty of the ladies they were to marry and those reports seldom proceeded from persons totally uninterested, by reason of the parts they had acted towards such preparations. From hence he discoursed, how gallant and how brave a thing it would be for his high Letter to Wyndham, p. 22. |