Autographs of royal, noble, learned, and remarkable personages conspicuous in English history, from the reign of Richard the Second to that of Charles the Second; with some illustrious foreigners; containing many passages from important letters. Engraved under the direction of Charles John Smith. Accompanied by concise biographical memoirs, and interesting extracts from the original documents / by John Gough Nichols.

John Gough Nichols

Date:: 1829

Credit: Autographs of royal, noble, learned, and remarkable personages conspicuous in English history, from the reign of Richard the Second to that of Charles the Second; with some illustrious foreigners; containing many passages from important letters. Engraved under the direction of Charles John Smith. Accompanied by concise biographical memoirs, and interesting extracts from the original documents / by John Gough Nichols. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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$STATESMEN and ILLUSTRIOUS PERSONS temp. JAMES I. and CHARLES I. 1. Lady Arabella Stuart, one of those unfortunate victims of consanguinity to the throne, several of whom claim pity from the reader of English history, was the only child of Charles fifth Earl of Lennox, younger brother to Henry Lord Dernley. Her mother was an Englishwoman, Elizabeth Cavendish, sister to the first Earl of Devonshire, and daughter of the Countess of Shrewsbury elsewhere noticed. Lady Arabella was born and lived entirely in England; her education was carefully superintended under the old Countess of Lennox her grandmother, and her letters evince both her natural and acquired talents to have been more than ordinary. It was the policy both of Queen Elizabeth and King James to keep her single; but, after the honour of her hand had been courted by a long succession both of foreign and domestic suitors, she at length in 1609-10 contracted a secret marriage with William Seymour, afterwards Duke of Somerset. As soon as this was known she was placed in confinement, and having been unsuccessful in an attempt to escape to the continent, died a lunatic in the Tower, September 27, 1615. [Portraits, in Lodge from Vansomer7\ The passage engraved of her Writing is from a letter to Queen Anne of Denmark : “ May it please your most Excellent Maty, since I am debarred the happinesse of attending your Maty or so much as to kisse your Royall hands, to pardon my presumption in presenting your Maty jn this rude forme my most humble thanckes for your Mat’s gratious favour and mediation to his Maty for me. Which your Mat’s goodnesse (my greatest comfort and hope in this affliction) I most humbly beseech your Maty to continue. So, pray- in<r to the Almighty to reward your wt all honour and felicity, both in your Royall selfe and yours, in all humility I cease. From Lambeth, the 23 of July 1610. Your Mat’s most humble and dutifull subiect and servant, Arbella Seymaure. “ To the Queene’s most excellent Maiesty.” This is the rough draft of a letter, which has rejoined the fair copy sent to the Queen, in the Landsdowne MSS. 1236, fol. 58 ; the Signature in the plate has been traced from the latter.—The Signature as “ Arbella Stuart” is from the following letter to Prince Henry in Harl MSS. 6986, fol. 42: “ Sir, my intention to attend your Highnesse to morrow (God willing) cannot stay me from acknowledging by these few lines how infinitely I am bound to your Highnesse for that your gratious disposition towards me, which faileth not to show itselfe upon every occasion whither accidentall or begged by me, as this high favour and grace it hath pleased your Highnesse to do my kinsman at my humble suite. I trust to let your Highnesse understand such motives of that my presumption as shall make it excusable. For your Highnesse shall perceive I both understand with what extraordinary respectes suites are to be presented to your Highnesse, and withall that your goodnesse doth so temper your greatnesse, as it encourageth both me and many others to hope that we may taste the fruites of the one by meanes of the other. The Almighty make your Highnesse every way such as I Mr. Newton, and Sr David Murray (the only intercessours I have used in my suites or will in any I shall present to your High¬ nesse) wish you, and then shall you be even such as you are, and your growth in vertu and grace with God and men shall be the onely alteration we will pray for. And so in all humility I cease. From London the 18 of October 1605. Your Highnesse most humble and dutifull, Arbella Stuart.-To the Prince,” who was at that time nine years of age. The elegance with which this letter is expressed, and particularly the correctness of the orthography, will not fail to be remarked. 2 Sir Thomas Wentworth, first Earl of Strafford, K. G. was born in 1593, of an ancient Yorkshiie family, and succeeded his father as a Baronet in 1613. At the Parliament in 1621, in which he was a Knight for Yorkshire, he came forward as a very distinguished opponent of the Court, and he so continued until the King had granted the Petition of Right. He then declared his opinion that the country ought to be satisfied, was received with open arms into the King’s favour, created Lord Wentworth in July 1628, and Viscount in the following December, and appointed Lord President of the North. Censure was of course most vehement; but “ it is an historical fact,” says Mr. Lodge, “ that Strafford quitted the popular party at the precise moment when the power of the Crown had been reduced to a wholesome standard, and all the just claims of the people conceded.” The King, on losing Buckingham, admitted Wentworth into unlimited confidence. He was appointed Lord Deputy of Ireland in 1632, and for seven years administered the affairs of that kingdom more wisely and beneficently than they had ever been. He was created Earl of Strafford in 1639, and soon after became prime minister at Court. In 1640, for want of other leaders, he took the head of the army sent against the Scots ; and, after meeting the King at York, there recommended the assembling of that Long- Parliament, which commenced its devastations on the establishments of the country by the destruction of the Earl himself. This greatest statesman and noblest spirit of his age was beheaded on Tower-hill, May 12, 1641. [Numerous Portraits, from Vandyck, by Hollar, Houbraken, Vertne, in Lodge, 8$c.~] The passage of this great man’s writing in the plate occurs in a long letter to the Earl of Newcastle in 1632, printed m Mr. Ellis s Letters, 2d Series, vol. III. pp. 281—286: “ ’Tis very true indeed it is reported, and very loudly, that I was the death of ike late E. oj$

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