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
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

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.

    238/264 (page 232)
    After the Restoration Sidney continued abroad till 1677; and he then returned, having obtained from the King a particular pardon, upon repeated promises of constant and quiet obedience for the future. In 1683 he was accused of the Rye-house plot, and by the corrupt judge Jefferies and a packed jury, condemned without legal evidence; but Hume has well remarked, that he “ had ever been a most inflexible and most inveterate enemy to the Royal family.” After a reprieve of three weeks he was beheaded on Tower-hill, Dec. 7, 1683, aged 66. Burnet has characterised him as “ a man of most extraordinary courage; a steady man, even to obstinacy ; sincere, but of a rough and boisterous temper, that could not bear contradiction. He had studied the history of government in all its branches, beyond any man I ever knew.” The result, it may be added, as developed in his Discourses on Government, first printed in 1698, was more suited for the Utopian districts of his great-uncle Sir Philip than for those of an earthly nation. [Numerous Portraits by Picart, Basire, ^c.] From the same volume as the former, art. 53, we have the following Letter, written on an important event of his life : “ For the Riht Honble Sr Thomas Fairefax, Gen. of the Parliament’s army. “ Sr, I thought my self obliged to give you notice that the parliament hath appointed me governor of Chichester, and that I am obliged to goe downe thither presently to enter upon my charg there; after which I shall not faile to wait upon you, and to deliver up my regi¬ ment to whome you shall commande me. I have not left the army without extreame unwillingnesse, and could not persuade myself to it by any other reason then that, by reason of my lamenesse, I am not able to doe the Parian* and you the service that would be expected from Your most humble servant, Al. Sidney. “ London, May 14.’’ 4. Prince Rupert, Count Palatine of the Rhine, Duke of Cumberland, and K. G. nephew to King Charles the First, was born in 1619, the third son of Frederic King of Bohemia, by the Princess Elizabeth Stuart. Having been educated, like most German Princes, to the military profession, he offered, with his bro¬ ther Prince Maurice, his services to his uncle in 1642, at the commencement of the Rebellion in England, and was made General of the King’s horse. Throughout the war he behaved with great intrepidity ; and obtained several important victories ; but the impetuosity of his temper was more suited to execute than to direct, and his imprudence probably lost moi’e than his courage achieved. In January 1644 he was honoured with the Garter, and elevated to an English Dukedom. In September 1645 his hasty surrender of Bristol to Sir Tho¬ mas Fairfax so offended and incensed the King, that his Majesty immediately deprived him of his commission, and desired him “ to seek his subsistence somewhere beyond seas.” The affecting letter in which this com¬ mand was conveyed, and several other documents connected with the transaction, are printed in Ellis’s Letters, 1st Series, III. 311, et seq. On the same occasion the King attached the following postscript to a letter to Sir Edward Nicholas: “ Tell my Sone that I shall lesse greve to heere that he is knoked on the heade, than that he should doe so meane an act as is the rendring of Bristoll Castell and Fort upon the termes it was.” But Rupert would not leave England until he had seen the King, for which he first forced his way to an interview at Newark, and afterwards kissed the hands of his Royal uncle at a more formal reconciliation at Oxford. He departed some months afterwards, having received a pass from the Parliament, to obtain which he wrote the letter printed below. Having returned to England after the Restoration, Prince Rupert continued an inha¬ bitant of this country until his death. In 1666 and 1672 he deservedly acquired great honour from his emi¬ nent services as Admiral against the Dutch. He seemed to retain all the activity and fire of his youth ; and his excessive bravery was exercised on its proper element. His concluding years were delightfully occupied in the investigations of science; and, if not the inventor, he was one of the first patrons of mezzotinto engraving. Prince Rupert died at his house in Spring-gardens, Nov. 29, 1682; and was buried in Henry the Seventh’s chapel. [Numerous Portraits; one in Lodged] The Prince’s Signature is from a letter, the superscription of which is not preserved, in the same volume, art. 69: “ Sr, Pray see if you can find Sr Tho. Fairefax will think me worthy to receave an obligation from him, by setting his thought upon the means of prevading for some place of liberty and softy for me. I can not but doubt that the conveing of my request without the harti- nesse of a particular furtherance from him, may faile to have that effect I wish; for I shall be very reddy to acknowlege an obligation that I am desiros to receave. Pray lett me heare as sone as you can from you, I rest yor very loving frend, Rupert. “ Oxf. 2 of May, 1646.”