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.

  • Nichols, John Gough, 1806-1873.
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.

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    his Earldom. In 1642 he was appointed General of the Scottish army raised to suppress the rebellion in Ire¬ land ; and in 1643 of that destined for England, which in the next year shared in the victory of Marston-moor. In 1648 he declined the command of the army destined for the King’s rescue ; but in 1650 served as a volunteer at the battle of Dundee, and in 1651 was taken prisoner. He was committed with the other Scottish Lords to the Tower of London, but was released in 1654 at the intercession of his old mistress Christina of Sweden ; and after he had visited that country to return her thanks, lived in peace until his death at his seat of Balgony, April 4, 1661, when he was succeeded by his grandson. [Several Portraits ; one from Vandyke.] The Earl, who is particularly mentioned as having been no scholar, probably seldom wrote more than his mere Signature, which has been copied from a letter in another hand, being addressed from Nottingham, June 27, 1645, to Sir Thomas Fairfax, to congratulate him on the taking of Leicester, in the volume of the Sloane MSS. so often cited, art. 42. 15. William Lenthall, the Speaker of the Oliverian House of Commons, was born at Henley-upon- Thames in 1591, and was son of Sir John Lenthall, Marshal of the King’s Bench. Having studied the law at Lincoln’s Inn, he became Recorder of Woodstock, M. P. for that borough, and in 1639 was elected to the chair of the House of Commons. He showed himself a fit leader for that body, and when the King came into the House to claim the five accused members, he told his Majesty, that “ he had neither eyes to see, nor tongue to speak, any thing but what the House commanded.” The Parliament rewarded his services with the posts of Master of the Rolls in 1643, a Commissioner of the Great Seal in 1646, Chief Justice of Chester and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster in 1647. He prudently refused to sit as one of the King’s judges ; but, notwithstanding, retained his presidency over the House of Commons till after the dissolution of the Long Parliament, and was again Speaker in that of 1654. In 1657 Cromwell created him one of his Peers. The great wealth he had acquired led him to many dishonourable expedients at the time of the Restoration: and he sent the King ^3000 as a bribe for his continuance in the Mastership of the Rolls. It was, however, refused; and he was included in the Bill of Pains and Penalties, which, though it did not extend to the taking of his life, yet is supposed to have hastened his dissolution, Sept. 1,1661. [Portraits by Paul, Thornthwait, Miss Gulston, <§fe.] His Signature as “ Guliel. Lenthall, prolucut' parliamu repulla Anglice, is attached to a letter of the Parliament of England to the Viceroy of Sardinia, desiring protection to the fleet under the command of Sir Edward Popham for the suppression of piracy, April 26, 1650. Lansdowne MSS. 1236, art. 96. 16. Sir Marmaduke Langdale, first Lord Langdale, descended from an ancient Yorkshire family, was knighted at Whitehall in 1627. He was esteemed a serious and wise man, and an accomplished scholar. In the early part of his life he maintained the liberties of the subject; but afterwards was zealous in the Royal service, and distinguished himself by his valour, conduct, and enterprise. In 1648 he was taken prisoner at Preston; but having effected his escape, he attended King Charles in his exile, and by patent, dated Feb. 4, 1658-9, was created a Baron. Having taken his seat in the House of Peers in 1660, he retired to his estates in Yorkshire, without any other recompense for his efforts and the loss of ^16,000, than the consciousness of having suffered in a good cause, and acquitted himself bravely. He died in 1661 ; and his title lineally descended from father to son to four other Marmadukes, until it expired in 1777. [Portrait in mezzotinto by tV. Humphrey, 1774.] The Signature of Lord Langdale is from the Sloane MSS. 1519, art. 31. 17. The history of David Leslie, afterwards first Lord Newark, is so similar in many points with that of the Earl of Leven above recounted, that they have been frequently confounded. He served like his kinsman in the armies of Gustavus of Sweden, but attained the rank of Colonel only. In 1644 he was appointed Major-General in the Scottish army; and he was present with it at Marston-moor. He also distinguished himself on several subsequent occasions ; and in 1647 completely suppressed the civil war in Scotland. In 1650 his military reputation was greatly increased by the skill with which his cool and vigilant sagacity baffled the impetuosity of Cromwell, and so hemmed him up at Dunbar, that the ruin of the English appeared ine¬ vitable. But the Committee of Church and State controlled his operations, and by their crooked policy turned the balance against him and themselves. He was present at the battle of Worcester; and escaped; but was intercepted in Yorkshire, and sent to the Tower of London, where he remained until 1660. In 1661 he was created Lord Newark, and rewarded with a pension of ^500 a-year. He died in 1682. [Portraits in Cla¬ rendon and Smollett^ His Autograph is from the same volume, art. 31.