DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.53269#0010
bounty of his nephew Lord Arundel, he was enabled to fpend fome years
in travel, during which he vifited Italy; but on his return to his native
country, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth, his family connexions did
not allow him even to afpire to any promotion at court. Being however
of a very intriguing difpofltion, and one of the grofleft flatterers that ever
■ exiffed, fawning, mean, and infincere, he attached himfelf to the fortunes
of fuch perfons as he thought mod likely to enjoy the royal favour; and
there was no degree of fervility to which he was not ready to fubmit, for
the promotion of fuch projects as he had conceived.
A few extracts from Dr. Birch’s Memoirs of Queen Elizabeth.,
may throw more light upon his character than a long eflay ■ and while
they exhibit proofs of the opinion then entertained of him by his contem-
poraries, and of his falfhood, meannefs, and fervility, they will at the fame
time furnifli us with a fpecimen of his enigmatical, affected, and pedantick
ftyle.—In one of his letters to Lord Eflex, of whom in the time of his
profperity he was a molt fulfome adulator, he thus addrefles that noble-
man on his lady having mifcarried in 1596:—“ This is an accident to
“ make your country know that God means in this manner to correct and
“ punifh it, when fuch fweet bloflbfns fall from fruitful trees., before they
“ knit, or fweet breaths favour them-The teftimony of a friend, what he
“ would willingly have endured to prevent this untimely flroke, comes out
of feafon, when the brunt is paft; but God fo deal with me in die illo,
“ as I would lofe of my own blood to lave yours; and hold all thofe ut-
“ terly given over in fenfum reprobijjlmum, whofe malice can diftinguilh
s‘ at this day between the fafeguard of your worthy perfon and the life of
“ your country. For my own part, I confefs mine ignorance, and there-
“ fore with one reafon will pray ardently for health under one form,
“ as for the twins of Hippocrates, that muff ever weep and laugh, live
*< and die together. I will wait upon your lordihip, when I fliall not be
“ troublefome to a heavy fpirit, if I may know your pleafure; and in the
(e mean time wifli that your effects may be as profperous, as their caufes
6< are extraordinary. Your lordfliip’s molt affectionately, humbly, and
in travel, during which he vifited Italy; but on his return to his native
country, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth, his family connexions did
not allow him even to afpire to any promotion at court. Being however
of a very intriguing difpofltion, and one of the grofleft flatterers that ever
■ exiffed, fawning, mean, and infincere, he attached himfelf to the fortunes
of fuch perfons as he thought mod likely to enjoy the royal favour; and
there was no degree of fervility to which he was not ready to fubmit, for
the promotion of fuch projects as he had conceived.
A few extracts from Dr. Birch’s Memoirs of Queen Elizabeth.,
may throw more light upon his character than a long eflay ■ and while
they exhibit proofs of the opinion then entertained of him by his contem-
poraries, and of his falfhood, meannefs, and fervility, they will at the fame
time furnifli us with a fpecimen of his enigmatical, affected, and pedantick
ftyle.—In one of his letters to Lord Eflex, of whom in the time of his
profperity he was a molt fulfome adulator, he thus addrefles that noble-
man on his lady having mifcarried in 1596:—“ This is an accident to
“ make your country know that God means in this manner to correct and
“ punifh it, when fuch fweet bloflbfns fall from fruitful trees., before they
“ knit, or fweet breaths favour them-The teftimony of a friend, what he
“ would willingly have endured to prevent this untimely flroke, comes out
of feafon, when the brunt is paft; but God fo deal with me in die illo,
“ as I would lofe of my own blood to lave yours; and hold all thofe ut-
“ terly given over in fenfum reprobijjlmum, whofe malice can diftinguilh
s‘ at this day between the fafeguard of your worthy perfon and the life of
“ your country. For my own part, I confefs mine ignorance, and there-
“ fore with one reafon will pray ardently for health under one form,
“ as for the twins of Hippocrates, that muff ever weep and laugh, live
*< and die together. I will wait upon your lordihip, when I fliall not be
“ troublefome to a heavy fpirit, if I may know your pleafure; and in the
(e mean time wifli that your effects may be as profperous, as their caufes
6< are extraordinary. Your lordfliip’s molt affectionately, humbly, and