to be so long at quiet as might give them leave to recover their senses,) did, in a submissive way, (incouraged by the Hugonots successe,) mediate another colloque before the king, whom they indeavoured to draw to their party by the high esteeme pretended they had of his learning, though church -land was the most pious inducement in the eyes of those Scotish, and English, that did prompt them to it upon promise of their best assistance: But his majesty having found, by his former experience, that schismes are attended with a smaller traine of inconveniences, and easier buried, and with lesse clamour, in sufferance and contempt, then by opposition or disputation; did most stifly deny it, appearing highly displeased that, after so manifest a conviction, he should againe be tempted to hazzard his reason against such as had nothing but a brutish obstinacy to oppose: which answer was allowed of as farre more majesticall and politick, then his former concession in descending to a formall disputation: since

T

opinions rooted by descent are sooner chil-
led through want of preferment, then era-
dicated by power, which arraignes the ex-
posing of any religion to contest as danger-
ous, seeing all at this day in veneration, are
under persecution in some place or other,
wherefore, unable to silence the reason of
those formerly suborned through a contrary
education.

22. In the meane time this nation was
rooted up by those Caledonian bores, as
these homely verses do attest, which were
every where posted, and do containe as
many stories as lines, which I shall explaine,
though they may possibly fall out of order,
it not suting with the liberty of a spirit,
that walkes rather for its owne exercise,
then the instruction of an ignorant and in-
gratefull state, to be punctuall:

They beg our lands, our goods, our lives,

They switch our nobles, and lye with their wives;
They pinch our gentry, and send for our benchers,
They stab our sargeants, and pistoll our fencers.

That they were gracious with the English

7

ladies, none can doubt that hath had but the opportunity to peepe into a court, where the love of women is found a consequence of the favour of the prince.

23. Wherefore, I shall take my first rise from him that was then Philip Herbert, since Earle of Mongomery,' a man carres

Philip, Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery, had no qualities to recommend him as a royal favourite saving two; any one of which, however, would have rendered him acceptable to James I. These were comeliness of person, and indefatigable zeal in hunting. It can hardly be said, however, that he was promoted beyond his sphere, since he was made only Master of the Horse, and afterwards Chamberlain. His character was that of Squire Western, choleric, boisterous, illiterate, selfish, absurd, and cowardly. He was, besides, a profligate, a gambler, and, above all, an ungrateful rebel to the son of the prince who raised him, as he adhered with great vehemence to the cause of the parliament, and afterwards to that of Cromwell. It was, as in hatred and dishonour of learning, that this Vandal, holding the office of Chancellor of Oxford, was employed by the parliament, in 1647, to reform that university, from whence he expelled all who refused to take the covenant; "which was, upon the matter," says Clarendon, "the whole university:" scarce one master, or head of a college, and very few scholars or fellows, consenting to such resignation of their principles. The absurdities

sed by King James for his hansome face, which kept him not long company, leaving little behind it so acceptable as to render him fit society for any body but himselfe, and such bookes as posterity may find ordinarily dedicated to him, which might fet have prompted his understanding to a more candid proceeding then he used at Oxford, where he exercised greater passion against learning, that had by teaching books to. speak English indeavoured to make him wise, then he did towards Ramsy, who, by switching him on the face at Croydon, rendered him ridiculous: It was at a horserace, where many, both Scotch and English met; the latter of which did upon this accident draw together, with a resolution to make it a nationall quarrell, so farre as Mr John Pinchback, though a maimed man, having but the perfect use of twofingers, rode about with his dagger in his

of Pembroke laid him frequently under the lash of Butler and other satirists of the royal party. He died 26th January, 1649-50.

hand, crying, Let us breake our fast with them here, and dine with the rest at London. But Herbert not offering to strike againe, there was nothing spilt but the reputation of a gentleman; in lieu of which, if 1 am not mistaken, the king made him a knight, a baron, a viscount, and an earle, in one day; as he well deserved, having for his sake, or rather out of feare, transgressed against all the gradations of honour: For if he had not torne to raggs that coat of armes, so often in my hearing braged of, and so stanched the bloud then ready to be spilt, not only that day, but all after, must have proved fatall to the Scots, so long as any had stayd in England, the

2

• If Osborne be not indeed mistaken, this fortunate switching befell upon the 4th June, in the third year of James's reign; such at least was the date of Herbert's patent, as Lord Herbert of Shurland and Earl of Montgomery. He succecded to his other title of Pembroke, by the death of his brother, without issue, in 1630.

* Osborne was master of horse to this nobleman, which explains his having heard him oft brag of his coat-of

arms.