From these curious relics the following politic admonitions to his son have been excerpted:

"The first conjecture one usually will give of a great man and of his understanding, is, upon sight of his followers and servants, whether they be able and faithful for then is he reputed wise, as having knowledge to discern. I know many great families of England ruined; that, when I have asked the reason? usually the answer was, 'In good fayth, it is great pitty-he is well born-hath had many gallant gentlemen of his owne name-he is himself an honest gentleman-very kind natured and very liberall-but hath ill servants.' He might as well have said in short his lordship is a very fool, and his men be 'knaves.'

"A master whose servants prosper under him is commended: but when they thrive unknown to him, 'and he thrives not alsoe with them; the wisdom of one, and the honestic of the other, will be suspected.

"The duke of Buckingham was used to reward his worst servants first: and being asked the reason, he said, Thereby he was sooner rid of them, and the ' others would abide in hope.' How good a rule this 'is, I know not; but certainly when you give to a good man because he is good, it is like to keep him good, and it may make others good.

"At my first arrival in this country, I observed much the countenance of them who bidd me welcome: and the eyes are often glass-windows through which we may see the heart. And though I will not presently censure by the look,

I

will not neither neg

lect some judgement thereof. Soe it is, that your eyes

must be ever open to see others eyes, their countenances and actions. Your eares must listen to all is sayd, even what is whispered: for to this end God gave you two eyes and two eares. So alsoe you have but one tongue; to the end you speak not much. Alsoe you will be troublesome to your companions; and I never knew a pratler without repentance.

"It is fitt to have charitie to thinke all men honest; but it is wisdom to suspect the most: and, being it is certain, that the greatest number of men are bad, I may feare that few be good.

"Remember this benefitt by councell; that all good success will be your glory; all evill, your excuse; having followed the advice of others. Your counsellors are not likely to be better than yourselfe: but if they were, know this, that to aske councell is to honour him of whom it is required, and libertie is not taken away, to doe what pleaseth you best.

"Though a friend at court be said to be better than a penny in the purse; yett keepe youre owne estate and a penny to spare, and you will create friends in court or country at any time.

"It is good in all business, especially when you must appeare in publick, where you are (as indeed seldom is a great man other than) like a candle on a mountain, to prepare your selfe to appeare such as may gett you prayse: soe must you fitt you right unto the eyes you know will look upon you. But thinke all times all eyes, or rather Him who is all eye, beholds you. shall be sure to please God, the world, and yourself: which certainly is the greatest

Then you

craft."]

ELIZABETH,

COUNTESS OF KENT,

[SECOND daughter and coheir of Gilbert Talbot, earl of Shrewsbury, sister to Alathea, countess of Arundel, and wife to Henry Grey, earl of Kent. She was a lady of uncommon virtue and piety, says Granger, and her being an author was the least valuable part of her character. She died at her house in Whitefriars, Dec. 7, 1651, without issue 3.

Her ladyship's portrait is prefixed to a small book, entitled,

"A choice Manuall of rare and select Secrets in Physick and Chirurgery, by the Right Honorable the Countess of Kent, late deceased." Twelfth edit. 1659.

The sixteenth edition of the book, in 1670, informs us in the title-page, that these rare secrets in physic were only collected and practised by the countess of Kent. This information, if it were given on any authority, would reduce her ladyship to be considered in the present work as a mere transcriber of receipts for making confections and cordials, unguents and distillations; though it would still leave her the more exalted character, of having contributed with Christian condescension to administer to the comforts or the necessities of others.]

Biog. Hist. vol. ii. p. 374.

Dugdale's Baronage, vol. i. p. 718.

EDWARD SACKVILLE,

EARL OF DORSET,

[ANOTHER Ornament of this noble family, omitted by lord Orford in his proper place, was a younger son of Robert, earl of Dorset, and born in London 1590. In 1605 he entered as a nobleman of Christchurch, Oxon, where he spent three years or more, says Wood3, and afterwards travelled, or went to one of the inns of court. In 1616 he was made a knight of the bath at the creation of Charles prince of Wales; was a commander in the Low Countries under sir Horatio Vere, anno 1620; succeeded his brother Richard in the earldom of Dorset, 1624; and was made lord-chamberlain to the consort of Charles the first. When the rebellion broke out, he adhered to the royal cause, and had the offices conferred on him of lord-chamberlain of the king's household, lord privy-seal, and president of the council. After the king was made a prisoner, he attended him at Hampton-court, till his attendance was prohibited by parliament. His estate suffered much from his loyalty and attachment to his prince; and he died, according to Athen. Oxon. on Saturday, the 17th of July 16524.

• See note in art. of Charles Sackville, earl of Dorset. Athenæ, vol. ii. col. 154.

♦ Wood is very circumstantial and precise in recording the day of his decease, from which Dugdale differs, but with indecision. His words are, "This Edward, earl of Dorset, died

He is described by Wood as "a person of acute parts, who had a great command of his pen, and was of able elocution." Lord Clarendon has depicted his character at greater length, and with his accustomed force. "The earl of Dorset's person was beautiful, and graceful, and vigorous; his wit pleasant, sparkling, and sublime; and his other parts of learning and language, of that lustre, that he could not miscarry in the world. The vices he had, were of the age, which he was not stubborn enough to contemn or resist. He was a younger brother, grandchild to the great treasurer Buckhurst. As his person and parts were such as are before mentioned, so he gave them full scope, without restraint; and indulged to his appetite all the pleasures that season of his life (the fullest of jollity and riot of any that preceded or succeeded) could tempt, or suggest to him. He entered into a fatal quarrel, upon a subject very unwarrantable, with a young nobleman of Scotland, the lord Bruce; upon which they both transported themselves into Flanders, and attended only by two chirurgeons placed at a distance, and under an obligation not to stir, but upon the fall

upon the day of May, an. 1652, and was buried with his ancestors at Withiham." Baronage, tom. iii. p. 401.

Howell, the epistolarian, wrote an elegy "upon the most accomplished and heroick lord, Edward, earl of Dorset;" which is printed in his Familiar Letters, and concludes with the following blunt epitaph:

"Here lies a grandee by birth, parts, and mind,

Who hardly left his parallel behind.

Here lies the man of men, who should have been

An emperor, had fate or fortune seen."