Rhyne (well known to the world by their misfortunes) Henry, [4 G] a prince of a moft amiable "of the crown further than James, and few princes "have contributed fo much to villify it. This prince "found it easier to fuffer injuries than to revenge them; "to dispense with the public esteem, than to merit it; "and to facrifice the rights of his crown, than to "trouble his repofe by maintaining them. He lived on "the throne like a private man in his family; he re"tained of the royalty only the gift of healing the evil, "which is attributed to the kings of England. One "would have faid he was only a paffenger in the vessel "of which he ought to have been the pilot. This in"action made his days pafs in obfcurity, and prepared a (i) See the tragical reign for his fucceffor." (i). -Thus has the view for the name of James been treated by the moft difinterested the and unbiaffed; whether the judgment of his courtiers P 448. 8vo. who had been greatly favoured by him, is to be fet in the balance with the opinion of these writers is left to the reader. monthly re year 1751, [4G] Prince Henry was of a moft amiable difpofition, and excellent genius.] This I take to be literally true; otherwise I would not have been at the trouble of saying any thing about him. He was born at Striveling, Feb. 19, 1594, and committed to the care of the earl of Mar (the family of Erfkin, earl of Mar, was always governor of the king's children, from the time the Stuarts mounted the throne); by the following letter writ by his majesty's own hand. ઃઃ 66 My lord of Marre, BEC Ecause in the furety of my fon, confifteth my furety, and I have concredited unto you the charge "of his keeping, upon the truft I have of your honefty; this I command you out of my own mouth, being in the amiable disposition and excellent genius; the darling "the company of those I like; otherwise for any charge "or neceffity that can come from me, you shall not de"liver him; and in cafe God call me at any time, fee that neither for the queen nor eftates their pleasure, you deliver him till he be 18 years of age, and that he ❝ command you himself. "Striveling, 24th of In obedience to this command, lord Mar kept the prince, and refused to deliver him to the queen his mother, in the year 1603, till the duke of Lennox was fent with a warrant to receive him, and delivered him to the queen. Mr. (afterwards Sir) Adam Newton, was his tutor, by whofe inftructions he is faid to have profited greatly. "He was, fays Sir Charles Cornwallis, of a comely, tall, middle ftature, about five foot and "eight inches high, of a strong, ftreight well-made "body, with fomewhat broad fhoulders, and a small “waste, of an amiable majestic countenance, his hair "of an aborne collour, long faced, and broad fore"head, a piercing grave eye, a moft gracious fmile, "with a terrible frown, courteous, loving and affable; "his favour like the fun, indifferently feeming to fhine 66 upon all; naturally fhamefaced, and modeft, most patient, which he fhewed both in life and death."Diffimulation he esteemed moft bafe, chiefly in a "prince, not willing, nor by nature being able to flat"ter, fawne, or use thofe kindly who deferved not his << love. Quick he was to conceive any thing, not rash but mature in deliberation, yet moft conftant, having "refolved. True of his promife, most secret even from his youth; fo that he might have been trufted in any "thing that did not force a difcovery; being of a clofe difpofition not eafy to be known, or pried into: of a fearless, (4) Spotfwood, P. 410. (b) The darling of the people whilft living, and greatly lamented fearlefs, noble, heroic, and undaunted courage, "thinking nothing unpoffible, that ever was done by any. He was ardent in his love to religion, which "love, and all the good caufes thereof, his heart was "bent by fome means or other (if he had lived) to have "fhewed, and fome way to have compounded the un"kind jarrs thereof. "He made confcience of an oath, and was never "heard to take God's name in vain. He hated popery, "tho' he was not unkind to the perfons of papifts.-He "loved and did mightily ftrive to do fomewhat of every r thing, and to excel in the most excellent. He greatly delighted in all kind of rare inventions and arts, and in all kind of engines belonging to the wars, "both by fea and land: In the bravery and number of "great horfes; in fhooting and levelling of great pieces "of ordnance; in the ordering and marfhalling of "armes; in building and gardening, and in all forts of "rare mufique, chiefly the trumpet and drum; in "limning and painting, carving in all forts of excellent "and rare pictures, which he had brought unto him, "from all countries." (b) Thus fpeaks, of prince fhort life Henry, Sir Charles Cornwallis, treasurer of his houfhold. and much But without other authorities, I fhould lay very little lamented death of ftrefs on his book, which looks more like a panegyric Henry than a history :————And we find it obferved by a fine prince of Wales, by writer, "that princes in their infancy, childhood and Sir Charles youth, are faid to difcover prodigious parts and wit, Cornwallis, to fpeak things that furprize and aftonish: ftrange, adds he, fo many hopeful princes, and fo many fhameful kings! if they happen to die young they "would have been prodigies of wisdom and virtue: if "they live, they are often prodigies indeed, but of 307. 12mo. another fort." (c) However, 'tis certain, prince See alfo Of Henry had very great merit. "The government of born, F.527. his houfe was with much difcretion, modefty, fo7 "briety, 8vo. 1644 P. 93-101. Pope's mif- Vol. I. p. Lond. 1731. Tamented after his death; which (though his phyficians declared to the contrary) was fuppofed "briety, and in an high reverence to piety, not fwear"ing himself, or keeping any that did. He was not દ only plaufible in his carriage, but juft in payments, so far as his credit outreached the kings both in the exchange and the church. (d) He was an enemy to op- (d) Id. p. ἐσ preffion and injuftice; for hearing the king had given Sherburn-Caftle to Sir Robert Car, he came with "fome anger to his father, defiring he would be pleaf"ed to bestow Sherburn upon him, alledging that it "was a place of great ftrength and beauty, which he "much liked, but indeed with an intention of giving "it back to Sir Walter Raleigh, whom he much efteem 528. Alice, lady ed." (e) The fame noble difpofition he fhewed to (c) Ra wards Sir Robert Dudley, who was deprived of his ho- leigh's nors and eftate by the injuftice of James. He made works, Vol. 1. P. 117. "overtures to Sir Robert, fays king Charles, to obtain "his title in Kenilworth castle, &c. and bought it of him "for fourteen thousand five hundred pounds, and pro"mised to restore him in honors and fortunes." (ƒ) (ƒ) Patent This prince was the patron of the ftudies of Sir Walter for creating Raleigh, for whose abilities he had an high esteem, and Dudley, a who drew up for his use, a difcourfe touching a match duchess of between the lady Elizabeth and the prince of Piedmont ; England. obfervations concerning the royal navy and fea-fervice; and a letter touching the model of a fhip. And in the year 1611," that worthy feaman, Sir Thomas Button, "fervant to prince Henry, pursued the north weft dif❝coveries at the inftigation of that glorious young "prince." (g)-And very certain 'tis that he endea- () Account voured well to understand state affairs, and applied him- of feveral felf to get a thorough knowledge of them; the duke of late voyages, Sully affures us, "that as foon as he had obtained his fa- in the in"ther's promife that he would, at leaft, not obftruct his troduction, "proceedings, he prevented Henry's(the fourth's) wishes; P. 15. "being animated with a thirft of glory, and a defire ແ to edit. 1711. (b) Memoirs of Sully, Vol. P. 97. supposed to be by poison: but however that be, certain 'tis, James was little affected with 66 it. "to render himself worthy the esteem and alliance of "Henry: for he was to marry the eldest daughter of "France. He wrote me several letters hereupon, and "therein expreffed himself in the manner I have men"tioned." (b) Agreeably hereunto, Dr. Welwood fays, "the duke of Sully, being in England-laid the "foundation of a strict friendship betwixt his master " and prince Henry; which was afterwards carried on "by letters and meffages till the death of that king. "Tho' it's a fecret to this day what was the real defign "of all thofe vaft preparations that were made by Henry "the fourth before his death: yet I have seen fome pa"pers which make it more than probable, that prince "Henry was not only acquainted with the fecret, but (i) Welwas engaged in the defign." (i)- Sir Charles wood's me- Cornwallis having written to him from Spain, where 'he was ambaffador, prince Henry in a letter to him, replies, "that he muft particularly thank him for impart"ing to him his obfervations of that ftate, whereof, " fays he, I will make the best ufe I may; and fince "that is a study very well befitting me, and wherein I "delight, I will defire you to acquaint me further in "that kind as occafions fhall be offered; that thereby the "more ye may deserve my readiness to acknowledge it." (*)-Before Sir Thomas Edmondes's departure to France, prince Henry engaged him to communicate to him the courfe of things there; and on the second of September, Mr. Adam (afterwards Sir Adam) Newton, wrote from Richmond to Sir Thomas, to remind him of his promise to his royal highness. This opportunity offering itself so "fitly, maketh me call unto your remembrance a pro"mife, which his highness allegeth you made unto him "at your departure, of imparting to him fuch occur"rences, as that country yieldeth. I find his highness "doth expect it; and therefore I prefume to acquaint (k) WinWood, Vol. III. p. 45. |