Characters from the Histories & Memoirs of the Seventeenth Century Part 11

And these things made the new modelling of the Army to be resolved on. But all the Question was how to effect it, without stirring up the Forces against them which they intended to disband: And all this was notably dispatcht at once, by One Vote, which was called the _Self-denying Vote_, viz. That because Commands in the Army had much pay, and Parliament Men should keep to the Service of the House, therefore no Parliament Men should be Members of the Army....

When this was done, the next Question was, Who should be Lord General, and what new Officers should be put in, or old ones continued? And here the Policy of _Vane_ and _Cromwell_ did its best: For General they chose Sir _Thomas Fairfax_, Son of the Lord _Ferdinando Fairfax_, who had been in the Wars beyond Sea, and had fought valiantly in _Yorks.h.i.+re_ for the Parliament, though he was over-powered by the Earl of _Newcastle's_, Numbers. This Man was chosen because they supposed to find him a Man of no quickness of Parts, of no Elocution, of no suspicious plotting Wit, and therefore One that _Cromwell_ could make use of at his pleasure. And he was acceptable to sober Men, because he was Religious, Faithful, Valiant, and of a grave, sober, resolved Disposition; very fit for Execution, and neither too Great nor too Cunning to be Commanded by the Parliament.

41.

SIR HENRY VANE, THE YOUNGER.

_Born 1613. Beheaded 1662._

By CLARENDON.

The other, S'r H. Vane, was a man of greate naturall parts, and of very profounde dissimulation, of a quicke conception, and very ready sharpe and weighty exspression. He had an unusuall aspecte, which though it might naturally proceede both from his father and mother, nether of which were beautifull persons, yett made men thinke ther was somewhat in him of extraordinary, and his whole life made good that imagination. Within a very shorte tyme after he returned from his studyes in Magdalen Colledge in Oxforde, wher, though he was under the care of a very worthy Tutour, he lyved not with greate exactnesse, he spent some little tyme in France, and more in Geneva, and after his returne into Englande, contracted a full praejudice and bitternesse against the Church, both against the forme of the goverment and the lyturgy, which was generally in greate reverence, even with many of those, who were not frends to the other. In this giddinesse which then much displeased, or seemed to displease his father, who still appeared highly conformable, and exceedingly sharpe against those who were not, he transported himselfe into New Englande, a Colony within few yeeres before planted by a mixture of all religions, which disposed the professors to dislike the goverment of the church, who were qualifyed by the Kings Charter to chuse ther owne goverment and governors, under the obligation that every man should take the othes of Allegiance and Supremacy, which all the first planters did, when they receaved ther charter, before they transported themselves from hence, nor was ther in many yeeres after the least scruple amongst them of complyinge with those obligations, so farr men were in the infancy of ther schisme, from refusinge to take lawfull othes. He was no sooner landed ther, but his partes made him quickly taken notice of, and very probably his quality, beinge the eldest sunn of a Privy Councellour, might give him some advantage, insomuch that when the next season came for the election of ther Magistrates, he was chosen ther governour, in which place he had so ill fortune, his workinge and unquyett fancy raysinge and infusinge a thousande scruples of conscience which they had not brought over with them, nor hearde of before, that he unsatisfyed with them, and they with him, he retransported himselfe into Englande, havinge sowed such seede of dissention ther, as grew up to prosperously, and miserably devyded the poore Colony into severall factions and devisions and persequtions of each other, which still continue to the greate prejudice of that plantation, insomuch as some of them, upon the grounde of ther first exspedition, liberty of conscience, have withdrawne themselves from ther jurisdiction, and obtayned other Charters from the Kinge, by which in other formes of goverment they have inlarged ther plantations within new limitts, adjacent to the other. He was no sooner returned into Englande, then he seemed to be much reformed in those extravagancyes, and with his fathers approbation and direction marryed a Lady of a good family, and by his fathers creditt with the Earle of Northumberland, who was high Admirall of Englande, was joyned presently and joyntly with S'r William Russell in the office of Treasurer of the Navy, a place of greate trust, and profitt, which he aequally shared with the other, and seemed a man well satisfyed and composed to the goverment. When his father receaved the disobligation from the L'd Straforde, by his beinge created Baron of Raby, the house and lande of Vane, and which t.i.tle he had promised himselfe, which was unluckily cast upon him, purely out of contempt, they sucked in all the thoughts of revenge imaginable, and from thence he betooke himselfe to the frends.h.i.+pp of M'r Pimm and all other discontented or seditious persons, and contributed all that intelligence, which will be hereafter mentioned, as he himselfe will often be, that designed the ruine of the Earle, and which grafted him in the intire confidence of those, who promoted the same, so that nothinge was concealed from him, though it is believed that he communicated his owne thoughts to very few.

42.

By CLARENDON.

Ther hath bene scarce any thinge more wounderfull throughout the progresse of these distractions, then that this Covenant did with such extraordinary exspedition pa.s.se the two houses, when all the leadinge persons in those Councells were at the same tyme knowne to be as greate enimyes to Presbitery (the establishment wherof was the sole end of this Covenant) as they were to the Kinge or the Church, and he who contributed most to it, and who in truth was the Principle contriver of it, and the man by whome the Committee in Scotlande was intirely and stupidly governed, S'r Harry Vane, the younger, was not afterwards knowne to abhorr the Covenant and the Presbiterians [more]

then he was at that very tyme knowne to do, and laughed at them then, as much as ever he did afterwards.

He[1] was indeede a man of extraordinary parts, a pleasant witt, a greate understandinge, which pierced into and decerned the purposes of other men with wounderfull sagacity, whilst he had himselfe vultum clausum, that no man could make a guesse of what he intended; he was of a temper not to be mooved, and of rare dissimulation, and could comply when it was not seasonable to contradicte without loosinge grounde by the condescention, and if he were not superiour to M'r Hambden, he was inferiour to no other man in all misterious artifices.

Ther neede no more be sayd of his ability, then that he was chosen to cozen and deceave a whole nation, which excelled in craft and dissemblinge, which he did with notable pregnancy and dexterity, and praevayled with a people, which could not be otherwise praevayled upon, then by advancinge ther Idoll Presbitery, to sacrifice ther peace, ther interest, and ther fayth, to the erectinge a power and authority, that resolved to persequte presbitery to an extirpation, and very neere brought ther purpose to pa.s.se.

[Footnote 1: Before 'He was indeede' Clarendon had written 'S'r Harry Vane the yonger, was on of the Commissyoners, and therfore the other neede not be named, since he was All in any businesse wher others were joyned with him.' He cancelled this on adding the preceding paragraph.]

43.

COLONEL JOHN HUTCHINSON,

_Governor of Nottingham._

_Born 1615. Died 1664._

By LUCY HUTCHINSON, his widow.

He was of a middle stature, of a slender and exactly well-proportion'd shape in all parts, his complexion fair, his hayre of a light browne, very thick sett in his youth, softer then the finest silke, curling into loose greate rings att the ends, his eies of a lively grey, well-shaped and full of life and vigour, graced with many becoming motions, his visage thinne, his mouth well made, and his lipps very ruddy and gracefull, allthough the nether chap shut over the upper, yett it was in such a manner as was not unbecoming, his teeth were even and white as the purest ivory, his chin was something long, and the mold of his face, his forehead was not very high, his nose was rays'd and sharpe, but withall he had a most amiable countenance, which carried in it something of magnanimity and majesty mixt with sweetnesse, that at the same time bespoke love and awe in all that saw him; his skin was smooth and white, his legs and feete excellently well made, he was quick in his pace and turnes, nimble and active and gracefull in all his motions, he was apt for any bodily exercise, and any that he did became him, he could dance admirably well, but neither in youth nor riper yeares made any practise of it, he had skill in fencing such as became a gentleman, he had a greate love of musick, and often diverted himselfe with a violl, on which he play'd masterly, he had an exact eare and judgement in other musick, he shott excellently in bowes and gunns, and much us'd them for his exercise, he had greate judgment in paintings, graving, sculpture, and all liberal arts, and had many curiosities of vallue in all kinds, he took greate delight in perspective gla.s.ses, and for his other rarities was not so much affected with the antiquity as the merit of the worke--he took much pleasure in emproovement of grounds, in planting groves and walkes, and fruite-trees, in opening springs and making fish-ponds; of country recreations he lov'd none but hawking, and in that was very eager and much delighted for the time he us'd it, but soone left it off; he was wonderful neate, cleanly and gentile in his habitt, and had a very good fancy in it, but he left off very early the wearing of aniething that was costly, yett in his plainest negligent habitt appear'd very much a gentleman; he had more addresse than force of body, yet the courage of his soule so supplied his members that he never wanted strength when he found occasion to employ it; his conversation was very pleasant for he was naturally chearful, had a ready witt and apprehension; he was eager in every thing he did, earnest in dispute, but withall very rationall, so that he was seldome overcome, every thing that it was necessary for him to doe he did with delight, free and unconstrein'd, he hated cerimonious complement, but yett had a naturall civillity and complaisance to all people, he was of a tender const.i.tution, but through the vivacity of his spiritt could undergo labours, watchings and journeyes, as well as any of stronger compositions; he was rheumatick, and had a long sicknesse and distemper occasion'd thereby two or three yeares after the warre ended, but elce for the latter halfe of his life was healthy tho'

tender, in his youth and childhood he was sickly, much troubled with weaknesse and tooth akes, but then his spiritts carried him through them; he was very patient under sicknesse or payne or any common accidints, but yet upon occasions, though never without just ones, he would be very angrie, and had even in that such a grace as made him to be fear'd, yet he was never outragious in pa.s.sion; he had a very good facultie in perswading, and would speake very well pertinently and effectually without premeditation upon the greatest occasions that could be offer'd, for indeed his judgment was so nice, that he could never frame any speech beforehand to please himselfe, but his invention was so ready and wisdome so habituall in all his speeches, that he never had reason to repent himselfe of speaking at any time without ranking the words beforehand, he was not talkative yett free of discourse, of a very spare diett, not much given to sleepe, an early riser when in health, he never was at any time idle, and hated to see any one elce soe, in all his naturall and ordinary inclinations and composure, there was somthing extraordinary and tending to vertue, beyond what I can describe, or can be gather'd from a bare dead description; there was a life of spiritt and power in him that is not to be found in any copie drawne from him: to summe up therefore all that can be sayd of his outward frame and disposition wee must truly conclude, that it was a very handsome and well furnisht lodging prepar'd for the reception of that prince, who in the administration of all excellent vertues reign'd there awhile, till he was called back to the pallace of the universall emperor.

44.

THE EARL OF ESs.e.x.

_Robert Devereux, third Earl of Ess.e.x._

_Born 1591. Died 1646._

By CLARENDON.

The Earle of Ess.e.x hath bene enough mentioned before, his nature and his understandinge have bene described, his former disobligations from the Courte, and then his introduction into it, and afterwards his beinge displaced from the office he held in it, have bene sett forth, and ther will be occasion heareaffter to renew the discource of him, and therfore it shall suffice in this place to say, that a weake judgement, and a little vanity, and as much of pryde, will hurry a man into as unwarrantable and as violent attempts, as the greatest and most unlimited and insaciable ambition will doe. He had no ambition of t.i.tle, or office, or praeferment, but only to be kindly looked upon, and kindly spoken to, and quyetly to injoy his owne fortune, and without doubte, no man in his nature more abhorred rebellion then he did, nor could he have bene ledd into it by any open or transparent temptation, but by a thousand disguises and cozinages. His pryde supplyed his want of ambition, and he was angry to see any other man more respected then himselfe, because he thought he deserved it more, and did better requite it, for he was in his frends.h.i.+pps just and constante, and would not have practiced fouly against those he tooke to be enimyes: no man had creditt enough with him to corrupt him in pointe of loyalty to the Kinge, whilst he thought himselfe wise enough to know what treason was. But the new doctrine and distinction of Allegiance, and of the Kings power in and out of Parliament, and the new notions of Ordinances, were to hard for him and did really intoxicate his understandinge, and made him quitt his owne, to follow thers, who he thought wish'd as well, and judged better then himselfe; His vanity disposed him to be his Excellence, and his weaknesse to believe that he should be the Generall in the Houses, as well as in the Feild, and be able to governe ther councells, and restrayne ther pa.s.syons, as well as to fight ther battles, and that by this meanes he should become the praeserver and not the destroyer of the Kinge and Kingdome; and with this ill grounded confidence, he launched out into that Sea, wher he mett with nothinge but rockes, and shelves, and from whence he could never discover any safe Porte to harbour in.

45.

THE EARL OF SALISBURY.

_William Cecil, second Earl of Salisbury._

_Born 1591. Died 1668._

By CLARENDON.

The Earle of Salisbury had bene borne and bredd in Courte and had the Advantage of a descent from a Father and a Grandfather, who had bene very wise men, and greate Ministers of State in the eyes of Christendome, whose wisdome and virtues dyed with them, and ther children only inherited ther t.i.tles. He had bene admitted of the Councell to Kinge James, from which tyme he continued so obsequious to the Courte, that he never fayled in overactinge all that he was requyred to do; no acte of power was ever proposed, which he did not advance, and execute his parte, with the utmost rigour, no man so greate a tyrant in his country, or was lesse swayed by any motives of justice or honour; he was a man of no words, except in huntinge and hawkinge in which he only knew how to behave himselfe, in matters of State and councell he alwayes concurred in what was proposed for the Kinge, and cancelled and repayred all those transgressions by concurringe in all that was proposed against him as soone as any such propositions were made; yett when the Kinge went to Yorke, he likewise attended upon his Majesty and at that distance seemed to have recover'd some courage, and concurred in all councells which were taken to undeceave the people, and to make the proceedings of the Parliament odious to all the world; but on a suddayne he caused his horses to attend him out of the towne, and havinge placed fresh ons at a distance, he fledd backe to London, with the exspedition such men use when they are most afrayde, and never after denyed to do any thinge that was requyred of him, and when the warr was ended, and Crumwell had putt downe the house of Peeres, he gott himselfe to be chosen a member of the house of Commons, and sate with them as of ther owne body, and was esteemed accordingly; in a worde he became so despicable to all men, that he will hardly ever in joy the ease which Seneca bequeathed to him: Hic egregiis majoribus ortus est, qualiscunque est, sub umbra suorum lateat; Ut loca sordida repercussu solis ill.u.s.trantur, ita inertes majorum suorum luce resplendeant.

46.

THE EARL OF WARWICK.

_Robert Rich, second Earl of Warwick._

_Born 1587. Died 1658._

By CLARENDON.

The Earle of Warwicke was of the Kings counsell to, but was not woundred at for leavinge the Kinge, whome he had never served, nor did he looke upon himselfe as oblieged by that honour, which he knew was conferred upon him in the crowde of those, whom his Majesty had no esteeme of, or ever purposed to trust, so his businesse was to joyne with those, to whome he owed his promotion; he was a man of a pleasant and companionable witt and conversation, of an universall jollity, and such a licence in his wordes and in his actions, that a man of lesse virtue could not be founde out, so that a man might reasonably have believed, that a man so qualifyed would not have bene able to have contributed much to the overthrow of a nation, and kingdome; but with all these faults, he had greate authority and creditt with that people who in the beginninge of the troubles did all the mischieve; and by openinge his doores, and makinge his house the Randevooze of all the silenced Ministers, in the tyme when ther was authority to silence them, and spendinge a good parte of his estate, of which he was very prodigall, upon them, and by beinge present with them at ther devotions, and makinge himselfe merry with them and at them, which they dispenced with, he became the heade of that party, and gott the style of a G.o.dly man. When the Kinge revoked the Earle of Northumberlands Commission of Admirall, he presently accepted the office from the Parliament and never quitted ther service; and when Crumwell disbanded that Parliament, he betooke himselfe to the Protection of the Protectour, marryed his Heyre to his daughter, and lived in so intire a confidence and frends.h.i.+pp with him, that when he dyed he had the honour to be exceedingly lamented by him: and left his estate, which before was subject to a vast debt, more improved and repayred, then any man, who traffiqued in that desperate commodity of rebellion.