Page images
PDF
EPUB

it. His other children were Sophia, and

[ocr errors]

Mary,

you therewith. The French perceived very early the "forwardness of this young prince, and thought pro66 per to try to fecure him to their intereft; for fecre"tary Villeroy wrote to Monfieur de la Boderie, the "French ambaffador in England, from Fontainbleau, "the 18th of July, 1608, N. S. that king Henry the "fourth had told him, that he had more defire than 86 ever to seek the friendship of the prince of Wales, "and, for that purpose, to gratify thofe about him, as "that ambaffador fhould judge fit; fince that king "forefaw, that the prince would foon hold a rank worthy of him in England, on account of the little ef"teem, which was had of the queen and king." (1) (1) Birch's And there is a letter of prince Henry's to Sir Thomas negotiaEdmondes, dated September 10, 1612, urging him in a tions, ftrong and masterly manner to profecute the fcheme of P. 327. uniting the princes of the blood, and the heads of the proteftant party in France, against the ministers of that court. (m)-From these authorities I prefume, we may (m) Id. p with great truth affirm that this young prince was poffef- 361. fed of a moft amiable difpofition and excellent genius. In short he was the very reverse of his father, and therefore not much efteemed by him. "The vivacity,

view of the

fpirit, and activity of the prince foon gave umbrage "to his father's court, which grew extreamly jealous of him and Sir Thomas Edmondes, though at a distance, seems to have been fenfible of this, and to "have been more cautious on that account of corre"fponding with his royal highnefs." (n) And the () Birch's prince was fo fenfible of his want of influence in his fa- view, p ther's court, that in a letter of his to Sir Thomas, dated September 10, 1612, he excuses himself from interpofing in Sir Thomas's favour, with regard to afking preferment for him; " because as matters go now here,

326.

fays he, I will deal in no bufineffes of importance for "fome refpects." (0) Ofborn therefore feems to have (6) Id. p. been well informed in faying "that the king though he 361.

"would

(p) Of

torn, p. 531.

Mary, who both died young, and were buried

"would not deny any thing the prince plainly defired, "( yet it appeared rather the refult of fear and outward "compliance, than love or natural affection; being hard"er drawn to confer an honor or pardon, in cases of de"fert, upon a retainer of the prince, than a stranger."(p) However, he was the darling of the English nation, his court was well filled, and his attendants were numerous; in life he was highly beloved, after death equally lamented, by all but his father, and his favourite, Rochefter. November the 6th 1612, proved fatal to "him, who died at the age of eighteen, at St. James's, "of a disease, with which he had been feized in the "preceding month: but the prevailing opinion of that (9) See Bur❝ time (q) and fince adopted by fome of our hiftorians, "though contradicted by the unanimous report of his phyficians, was, that his end was haftened by poison. And this notion received fome countenance, from "the little concern, which was fhewn at his death by "the court, though the nation confidered it as an irreparable lofs. For it made fo little impreffion upon the Welwood's king and his favourite, that Rochester, on the 9th of November, three days after that melancholy event, "wrote from Whiteball to Sir Thomas Edmondes, to "begin a negotiation for a marriage between prince "Charles and the fecond daughter of France." (r)

nett, Vol.

I. p. 1o.
Winwood,
Vol. III. p.

410.

Aulicus Co

quinariæ, p.

151.

note on

Wilfon, in compleat history,

Vol. II. p. 689.

(*) Birch's

view, p. 371.

66

'

Sir Thomas indeed had more fenfe of decency, and therefore delayed it. This the king approved of on confideration. For, fays his majefty," it would have "been a very blunt thing in us, that you, our minister, "fhould fo foone after fuch an irreparable loffe received "by us, have begun to talk of marriage, the most 66 contrary thing that could be, to death and funeralls." (s) Ibid. p. (s)-This conduct is quite amazing! what must the world judge of a father who was thus unaffected with the death of a worthy virtuous fon? If to be without natural affection, fhews the utmost depravity of the heart

373

of

[ocr errors]

buried with great folemnity at Westminster.

of man, we may, without breach of charity, fay that James's heart was utterly depraved. His paffion for his favourite, extinguished his affection for his child; and his weakness and worthleffness made him look on him as an object of terror, whom all mankind viewed with efteem and approbation. But the neglect of a father deprived not prince Henry of that reputation which he fo well deserved. Pofterity have founded forth his praises, and held him up to view as one worthy the imitation of all young princes; and wherever his cha racter is known, his memory will be highly honoured.

APPENDIX.

[ocr errors]

APPENDIX.

Additions to the life of king James the First, communicated by the reverend Dr. Birch, Secretary to the Royal Society.

THE

HE following books were published on occafion of king James I. Triplici nodo Triplex Cuneus, printed at first without his name. Cardinal Bellarmin published in 1608, under the name of Mattheus Tortus, a book in quarto intitled, Refponfio ad librum, cui titulus, triplici nodo triplex cuneus, five apologia pro juramento fidelitatis, adverfus duo brevia Papae Pauli V, et recentes literas cardinalis Bellarmini ad Georgium Blackvellum, anglice archi-prefbyterum: reprinted at Rome, 1609, in quarto.

The king upon this anfwer republished his own book with his name, with a monitory preface.

In 1609, Dr. Lancelot Andrews, then bishop of Chichester, published at London, in quarto, Tortura Tort; five ad Matthæi Torti librum refponfio, qui nuper editus contra apologiam

fere

fereniffimi potentiffimique principis Jacobi, Dei gratia, Magnæ Britanniæ, Franciæ et Hiberniæ Regis, pro juramento fidelitatis.

Cardinal Bellarmin publifhed in 1610, in quarto, Pro refponfione fua ad librum Jacobi, Magnæ Britanniæ regis, cui titulus eft, triplici nodo triplex cuneus, apologia.

To this Dr. Andrews, now bishop of Ely, publifhed at London, 1610, in quarto, Refponfio ad apologiam cardinalis Bellarmini, quam nuper edidit contra præfationem monitoriam fereniffimi ac potentiffimi principis, Jacobi, Dei gratia, Magnæ Britanniæ, Franciæ et Hiberniæ regis, fidei defenforis, omnibus Chriftianis monarchis, principibus atque ordinibus infcriptam.

Nicolas Coeffetau, afterwards Bishop of Marfeilles, published against the king's preface at Paris, in 1610, in octavo, Refponfe a l'avertiffement, adreffe par le fereniffime Roy de la Grande Bretagne Jacques I. a tous les princes et potentates de la chretiente.

This was answered by Peter du Moulin, minifter of Charenton, whofe vindication of the king, was printed in French at Paris, in 1610 in octavo, and in Latin at London. The French title is, Defence de la foy catholique, continue au livre de Jacques I. Roy d'Angleterre contre la refponse de N. Coeffetau.

Coeffetau replied to Peter du Moulin's book in his apologie pour la refponfe a l'avertiffement du fereniffime Roy de la Grande Bretagne, contre les accufations du Pierre du Moulin, miniftre de Charenton, printed at Paris 1614, in octavo.

Mr. John Donne, afterwards doctor of divinity and dean of St. Paul's, wrote and published, before his entrance into orders, a quarto volume,

[blocks in formation]
« PreviousContinue »