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Stewart Books, The Autobiography and Correspondence of Sir Simonds D'Ewes 1st Baronet 1602-1650 Volume 1 1621, The Autobiography and Correspondence of Sir Simonds D'Ewes 1st Baronet 1602-1650 Volume 1 Chapter XI 1622
The Autobiography and Correspondence of Sir Simonds D'Ewes 1st Baronet 1602-1650 Volume 1 Chapter XI 1622 is in The Autobiography and Correspondence of Sir Simonds D'Ewes 1st Baronet 1602-1650 Volume 1 1621.
12 Feb 1622. The latter part of this January I spent reasonably well in the study of the common law, which had like to have been interrupted again the ensuing February with the renovation of my old cares, which had hindered it in my former wooing-time; for Mr. Waldegrave (age 56), of Lawford in Essex, between whose younger daughter (age 20) and coheir and myself there had been a treaty of marriage, as is before set down, deceasing on Tuesday, the 12th day of this February, and leaving the Lady Bingham (age 62), his second wife, a widow, on Monday the 18th day of the same month next ensuing my father (age 55) sent for me early in the morning, to give me notice of it, and told me that he should not only be willing that the treaty for myself might again be renewed with the daughter, but that he should be willing himself also to match with the mother. This new overture took up my thoughts and time for some few days, but it proving abortive soon afterj I had free liberty again to settle to my studies.
09 Mar 1622. After the dissolution of the Parliament the King, to supply his wants, required a loan or benevoleoce of many of the wealthier sort, both in the city and country, the payment whereof, about the beginning of March, was refused by divers. On Saturday, the 9th day of the same month, I departed with my father and the rest of his family, from London to Busbridge, in Surrey, to my brother and sister Elliot's, where I read my Lord Coke's Reports in the mornings pretty constantly whilst I staid there, and spent the afternoons in the study, especially, of controversial divinity, history, and the like, not omitting altogether some due recreation at seasonable times. Which course of study also I continued in April next following, so as I read through, during my stay here, part of the first and fourth books of my Lord Coke's Reports, and all the second and third books, except the pleadings. I had answered also a great part of a nuling Jesuitical pamphlet, published a little before, against Queen Elizabeth and the Protestant Religion, having a resolution at this time to have printed it; bUt that being altered upon other considerations, I gave over the further enlarging and perfecting what I had begun, and so it remains still by me altogether defective and undigested in loose papers.
23 Mar 1622. On Tuesday, the 23rd day of the same month, did Marcus Antonius de Dominis (age 62), the hypocritical Archbishop of Spolato, depart England with the Emperor's ambassador; his abmition in hope of a cardinal's hat with the new Pepo Gregory the Fifteenth, who had lately succeeded Paul the Fifth, so blinding the eyes of his judgment, as he was lured to Rome by fair promises, and, being there imprisoned, did finally end his life by a violent death on the 9th day of December, Anno Domini 1624, and two days after his body was burnt and the ashes cast into the river Tiber. He had come first into England in the year 1616; and having vented here some of his rotten divinity, not finding his covetous appetite so fiilly satisfied as he expected, nor his popish tenets to pass for current as he imagined they would, he, at this time, returned back to lick up his old vomit, though in the issue it choked him in the swallowing. His departure did not more content men in respect of the discovery of his hypocrisy, than the recalling back of the Count of Gondomar (age 94) by the Spanish king, his master, gave all men hope that his successor in his place of ambas- sador would not be able to work so much mischief as he had done.
01 May 1622. I returned from my brother Elliot's, out of Surrey, with my father and the rest of his family, to London, on Wednesday the 1st day of May, from whence Gondomar (age 94) departed very secretly towards Spain, on Saturday, the 11th of the same month. In his passage to Portsmouth, he lodged, for the most part, at the houses of papists, who gave him great entertainment, as he well deserved at their hands.
06 Jun 1622. I had made some reasonable good progress in the study of the common law this month, both by my private reading and my conference with others, bad not some indisposition of health and the visitation of friends hindered me; and therefore, on Thursday, the 6th day June, I departed from the Middle Temple to my brother Elliot's into Surrey, to take the fresh air again, as I had done but a little before, and returned not to London till Taesday, the 25th day of the same month: from whence I took a second journey on Saturday following to Cambridge, to the commencement, my own tutor, Mr. Richard Houldsworth, now commencing Bachelor of Divinity; from whence I returned to London the ensuing Wednesday, the 3rd day of July, and afterwards settled reasonably well to my study, staying in town all this vacation, after my father's departure thence on Thursday the 25th day of the same month towards Stow Hall, with his family.
07 Aug 1622. I found this private retirement the best for gaining knowledge, none but students for the most part keeping in commons; to which I may add the benefit I gained by public exercises. Our reading in the house began on Wednesday, August the 7th, (being deferred to that day, it seems, because the Monday foregoing, on which of course it should have begun, was the anniversary for the deliverance from Gowrie's conspiracy,) and ended on the 15th day of the same month. During this time, likewise, we enjoyed divers lesser readings in the afternoons, and the mornings also on which our reader intermitted his task, at the several Inns of Chancery, where some ancient utter barrister being the reader, two gentlemen of each Inn of the Court, one being of the bar, and another under it, being eight in all, sat with him, and in order, beginning at the puisne first, argue his case. At one of which meetings, viz. at New Inn, on Thursday, August the 9th, in the afternoon, I made one; and by my antiquity of admittance, being now above eleven years' standing in the Middle Temple, although I had not studied the law thoroughly one half-year, I spoke last of the eight, and next before the reader himself; and being reasonably welt provided for that side I was to argue on, came off to mine own content, with good approbation of those who heard me, - this being the first public exercise of the law I ever performed. After this, many others succeeded, both before I was called to the bar, and whilst I continued of the bar; for this little success encouraged me much to a more serious and constant study of it.
25 Aug 1622. On Sunday, the 25th day of this month, preached one Mr. Claydon, (minister of Hackney, near London,) at St. Paul's Cross [Map]; and cited a story out of our Chronicles, of a Spanish sheep, brought into England in Edward the First's time, which infected most of the sheep of England with a murrain, and prayed God no more such sheep might be brought over from thence hither; at which many of his bearers cried out "Amen." So much generally did all men fear that Prince Charles should marry1 the King of Spain's (age 17) sister (age 16), as they ever hated that nation. He lay awhile in prison for his sermon, but was soon after set at liberty by the mediation of Sir John Ramsey (age 42), Knt., a Scotchman, Earl of Holderness, whose chaplain he was.
Note 1. In MS. Egerton 783, is a curious paper, entitled "A Private Consideration of the intended Marriage between Charles, Prince of Woles, and Mary of Austria, Daughter of the late Phillip the Third king of Spain."It commences as follows: - "The House of Parliament should once have been blown up, and now is supposed to be broken up for the averseness of the Commons to the Spanish match, for expressing their fears of danger and loss to the kingdom, both daily confirmed and increased by the acquires of the King of Spain, and prooeedings of the Spanish action; by our treative complements with Spain, and for protesting to preserve their rights and privileges." The proposed articles of marriage are given in the same volume.
17 Sep 1622. On Tuesday, the 17th day of September, was my sister Elliot brought to bed of a daughter, christened, on the 25th day of that month, Jane; which died afWwards in infancy, as did her first perish by an abortion in May, 1621.
17 Sep 1622. I found still the study of the law so difficult and unpleasant, and so much wanted the help of some other student to have read with me, as I lost some days, both of this month, and the ensuing October; and may justly account the two years last past amongst the unhappiest days of my life, having lost and misspent the greater part of them in idle dis- courses, visitations, and issueless cares; which time I would since have willingly redeemed at a great rate.
05 Oct 1622. Upon Saturday, the 5th day of the said October, came my father with his family to London; and on Tuesday, the 15th day of the same month, I was admitted into the best part of my chamber, to which belonged a very fair and pleasant study; and I had a new chamber-fellow admitted into that which had formerly been my part. This gave me much content, and was a special furtherance to my studies for the time to come; beginning also myself, this term, to go to the Court of Star Chamber on Wednesdays and Fridays, in the forenoon, and to take notes of such cases as I heard there adjudged. On Monday, at night, November the 18th, after supper, our reader of New Inn, as be was accustomed in term-time, went thither to argue a case, or moot-point, with two students only of the same Temple, and I making one, performed the exercise with good success, this being the second public law-case I argued. The third being more difficult than either of the former, soon after followed, on Thursday, the 12th day of December, when I argued a like moot-point in our Middle Temple Hall, in law-French, after supper to my good content.
14 Dec 1622. The first part of the holidays, and some part of the same month foregoing, (my father, with the rest of his family, taking his journey into Surrey, to my brother Elliot's, on Saturday, the 14th day of the same month,) I was out of commons, into which I came not again, till the beginning of the next month; intending, before I enter into the discourse thereof, to set down a short abstract of the further prevailing of the bloody Emperor, the second Ferdinand, and of the Popish armies in Germany, this summer past until the end of December. Here Count Mansfield (age 42) and Christian Duke of Brunswick (age 23) were severally profligated and quite overthrown by Tilly and Corduba: whilst, in the mean season, the city itself of Heidelburg and the castle came into the power of the enemy; the city being first taken by assault on the 6th (16th) day of September, which brought with it innumerable rapes, murders, and cruelties; and the castle, by composition, the 10th (20th) of the same month following. Here was a world of wealth gotten by the bloody soldier, besides that inestimable library of ancient manuscripts aod other rarities, which was most of it carried away to Rome; the loss of it to the Protestant party being irreparable. From Heidelborg, Tilly removed with his army to that inexpugnable [invicible] fort of Manheim, being part also of the Prince Palatine's dominions; and, after some six weeks' siege, took it by composition. Sir Horace Vere (age 57), Knt., a great and ancient soldier and very nobly extracted, giving it up by reason he and the garrison were by that time reduced to great extremity, without all hope of relief from England or Germany.
14 Dec 1622. Thus, by the failing of seasonable assistance, were the Prince Elector's whole dominions invested by his bloody enemies, and the intercessions of his greatest friends (after the fatal breach and abortive dissolution of the late Parliament here,) scorned and neglected. The house of Austria began now, by reason of its many victories, to grow so formidable, as I believe it drew the French King, abont the end of this summer, to make peace with his Protestants at home. Certainly, had not the Prince Elector exauctorated [deprived of office] and discharged the Duke of Brunswick and Earl of Mansfield, who were strong in Alsatia, with their conjoined troops, notwithstanding their late defeats, Tilly could never so soon have been Master of Heidelburg and Manheim. But after the King of Great Britain, abased by the Spaniards' faithless promises, had induced the said Prince, his son-in-law, to discbarge and cashier those considerable forces which yet stood for him, the Imperial army, most safely and ignobly, took advantage upon it to finish the conquest of his moat ancient and undoubted inheritance.
01 Jan 1623. The 1st day of January, at night, I came into commons at the Temple, where there was a lieutenant chosen, and all manner of gaming and vanity practised, as if the Church had not at all groaned under those heavy desolations which it did.1 Wherefore I was very glad, when on the Tuesday following, being the 7th day of the same month, the House broke up their Christmas, and added an end to those excesses. On Monday, January the 13th, I took a new law-case to come in and moot upon in our open hall, tn law-French, on Thursday night after supper, next ensuing. I studied close to finish it against the time, being very short, and then performed it with good success. The next day being Friday, January the 17th, about twelve of the clock in the forenoon, I set out from London and came to Busbridge, to my brother Elliot's, towards the shutting in of the evening, where my father with his family had remained during the late festival days; where having solaced myself a few days, on Monday, January the 20th, we all departed with my father towards London. The sharpness of the weather and the snow lying on the ground, made him take up his inn at Kingston on the Thames [Map], from whence we came early the next day to London, and I settled moderately well to my study. There happened about this time little less than a prodigy in the river Thames; for on Sunday, January the 19th, towards the evening, it flowed three several times in five hours: and during the same time in divers places not far distant from each other, it ebbed one way and flowed anotber; and the next day flowed twice and ebbed thrice in three hours. I spake with some of the ancient watermen about it, and they affirmed the like had never happened in their memories, but a little before the rising of Robert D'Evereux, Earl of Essex, towards the latter end of Queen Elizabeth's reign. On Monday, February the 10th, at night after supper I performed another law exercise, by arguing some moot-points at an inn of Chancery called New Inn; and on Saturday, the 16th day of the same month, having finished the fifth part of my Lord Coke's Reports, I began Keilway's Reports, which I read afterwards with more satisfaction and delight than I had done formerly any other piece of our common law.
Note 1. "The lieutenant of the Middle Temple played a gome this Chriitmas time, whereat his Majesty was highly displeased. He made choice of some thirty of the civillest and best-fashioned gentlemen of the house to sup with him; and being at supper, took a cup of wine in one hand, and held his sword drawn in the other, and so began a health to the distressed Lady Elizabeth; and having drunk, kissed his sword, and laying his hand upon it, took an oath to live and die in her service; then delivered the cup and sword to the next, and so the health and ceremony went round." - Harlian MSS.
17 Feb 1623. There happened on Monday, the 17th day of the month, so strange an accident as after ages will scarce believe it. For Charles Prince of Wales (age 22) began his journey from London into Spain on Monday, the 17th day of February, with the beloved Marquis of Buckingham (age 30), Sir Francis Cottington (age 44), and Mr. Endimion Porter (age 36), only in his campaign; who only, besides the King himself, were the alone men aquainted with the Prince's resolution. Their going was so secretly carried as none, I believe, knew of it in England till they were landed in France, through which kingdom they passed by posthorse into Spain.1 The journey was thought so dangerous, being above 1100 English miles by land, besides the crossing of the seas between Dover and Calais, as all men were generally ensaddened at the ad- venture, often wishing it had been better advised upon; although they knew the Spaniards durst do the Prince no harm, so long as his royal sister and her illustrious oflspring survived. Soon after followed the Lord Hays (age 43), Earl of Carlisle, and passed into France to excuse to that King the Prince's sudden and secret passing through his kingdom without giving him a visit. All men now took it for granted, that the Prince's marriage with the Infanta Maria, the King of Spain's sister, was concluded on, and that he went over only to consummate it; no man imagining that he would take up such a resolution upon uncertainties, especially occasioning so vast and unnecessary expense at a time when the King's wants pressed him much. But God, whose decree binds princes as well as peasants, had otherwise disposed, so as our royal suitor, arriving at Madrid in Spain on Friday the 7th (or 17th) of March, about three weeks later his departure from London, and taking ship for his return to England on the 18th (or 28th) of September, then next ensuing, stayed in Spain about seven months; in all which time he seldom saw or spoke with the Spanish Princess, nor could ever receive a fair or sincere denial from her brother, although her marriage had been absolutely disposed of by her father's last will and testament; he bequeathing her to Ferdinand, son and heir of Ferdinand the Second, Emperor of Germany, who afterwards did accordingly espouse her.
Note 1. "And now behold a, strange adventure and enterprise! The Prince and the Marquis of Buckingham, accompanied with Cottington and Endimion Porter, post in disgiuse to Spain to accelerate the marriage. The 17th of February they went privately from Court, and the next day came to Dover, where they embarked for Boulogne, and from thence rode post to Paris, where they made some atop. The Prince, shadowed under a bushy peruque, beheld the splendour of that court, and had a full view of the Princess Henrietta Maria (age 13), who was afterwards his royal consort. For, besides the great privacy of the journey, they had so laid the English ports, that none should follow or give the least advertisement, until they had got the start of intelligencers, and passed the bounds of France. Howbeit they escaped narrowly, and a swift intelligence sent to the King of Spain from Don Carlos Coloma was even at their heels before they arrived at Madrid. The Prince and Buckingham being in the territories of Spain, to make but little noise, rode post before their company. The 7th of March they arrived at Madrid, the royal residence, and were conveyed with much secrecy into the Earl of Bristol's (age 43) house-Rushworth, i. p. 76. A fuller account of this extraordinary adventure will be found elsewhere.
Mar 1623. Though the talk of this princely intended match filled the thoughts and discourses of most men;1 yet did the expectation of another marriage which nearly concerned me, take up a great part of my time in the latter end of the forgoing February, and the beginning of the ensuing March. For my most dear and blessed mother having deceased above four years and eight months now past, and my father (age 56), since his being a widower, falling into treaty with several persons about his second marriage, some of them being in the prime of their youth, I was almost continually agitated and troubled lest he should at last pitch upon some young person altogether unfit for his age; by which means I should not only reap much discomfort in my present life, but it was possible also he might thereby be drawn to gire away the greatest part of his estate to the issue of a second wife, of which I saw daily experience of like cases, to the utter ruin of many ancient and nobly extracted families. Having therefore no thought or hope to get any estate settled on myself by my own matching, by reason of my late miscarriage in my first treaty, which gave me abundant experience of his inconstancy, my next votes and wishes were to see him well and happily mariied to some good and ancient widow, every way fit for him; and accordingly he fell in treaty this February with Dame Elizabeth Denton (age 44), the widow and relict of Sir Anthony Denton, Knt., late of Tunbridge, in the county of Kent. She was the eldest daughter of Thomas Isham, Esq., of Langport in Northamptonshire, deceased, and sister of Sir John Isham (age 40), Knt., living. Her age was about forty-five, and her estate, both in ready money and jointure, so considerable and fair, as my father had just grounds even in that respect, she requiring but a reasonable jointure, to desire the match. But she was, besides, very discreet, frugal, and religious, which added to her estate and extraction, being both without exception, occasioned a gentleman, my father's very good friend, to make the motion to him, knowing it to be very seasonable for the good of himself and his children, there being little likelihood that she should add to bis number he already enjoyed, because shte never had any issue by her former husband, although she continued his wife divers years.
Note 1. The anxiety of the public in regard to this matter appears to have exhibited itself very strongly. In the Harl. MSS. occurs the following note: - "Far the Spanish business things seem still far off. On Saturday, at ten in the forenoon, as our fleet passed by Dover towards Portsmouth, there to levictual, arrived there a gentleman of the Prince's Privy Chamber from Spain, who said, either in truth or in jest to content the people, that the Prince would be here before the fleet could be in Spain; and wagers are laid here of hin return hither thia month." This was written in the following July.
18 Feb 1623. I was first acquainted with this overture on Tuesday, the 18th day of February, by my father himself, who being naturally marvellously inconstant, and inclining, as I also gathered, to some younger woman for his wife, had broken off this treaty before the Tuesday following, being the 25th day of the same month; whereupon I went the same day to his office, and remonstrated to him the convenience and fitness of this match in all respects, and how much it was desired by myself and sisters. Whereupon he gave me liberty to repair to the lady, and to bring on the former treaty again which had been abortively dissolved, which I did accordingly the same afternoon; and so having set it on foot again the second time, I followed it close with my utmost care and diligence, and by my persuasion with either party, cleared many doubts and obstacles, amounting well near to a new breach.
03 Mar 1623. Yet my father (age 56) still interposing new matters, did so weary me with the daily experience of his irresolation, and despairing of any farther good issne, although the marriage conveyance were well near drawn, and our Lent reading beginning on Monday, the 3rd day of March, I engaged myself in the performance of a moot, at New Inn, that day in the afternoon, where I argued the case with good success. The next morning I argued another law case at another Inn of Chancery with like success, though upon very little study; both which exercises I the rather undertook to free myself from further journeys and troubles in my father's wooing. But it pleased God to give such a blessing to my former endeavours, that all things being agreed on and the deed of jointure ensealed, on Wednesday morning, the 5th day of March, to my great joy and comfort, the marriage was solemnized in St. Faith's Church [Map], under St. Paul's; and then we dined and spent the residue of the day at the place where the lady had lodged, near Smithfield, all the time my father had been a suitor to her.
03 Mar 1623. I received immediately much happiness by this intermarriage; my greatest private fear I had of my father's unequal match with some young woman being cleared, and the Lady Denton expressing daily to me much respect and affection, so as I now began to consider God's mercy to me in dissolving abortively that former treaty I had with Mr. Waldegrave's daughter and co-heir, in Essex, in the year 1621; of which she being the elder, of the two, I should too soon have found the inconvenience; yet, as some diminution to my present content, being thinly clothed on the nuptial day, and the weather cold and sharp, I got an extreme cold, which hung upon me divers days after, so that I had much ado on Saturday morning, March the 8th, to go and visit my father (age 56) and his new-married wife (age 44), being then to depart together out of town to her jointure-house in Kent, situated in the town of Tunbridge [Map].
14 Mar 1623. On Friday, March the 14th, our Middle Temple reader, Mr. Brampton, ended his reading, and myself, as my health permitted, settled reasonably well to my study. On Tuesday, the 26th day of March, my father (age 56) returned with the Lady Denton (age 44) from Tunbridge [Map] in Kent, to pass by London into Surrey, to my brother Elliot's, and having lain in London one night, took their journey thither the following day. On the 27th, 28th, and 29th days of the same month, I was for the most part present at an anatomy lecture, read by Doctor Harvey (age 44)1, at the Physicians' College, near Paternoster Row, by which I gained much profitable knowledge, as I did also by the converse of very able students who were my ordinary companions in the Middle Temple.
Note 1. The eminent discoverer of the circulation of the human blood.
21 Apr 1623. The month of April was for the most part reasonably well spent in my law study and conference with others. On Monday, the 21st day thereof, haviog formerly gone through a great part of Keilway's Reports, in ihe afternoon I began the sixth part of my Lord Coke's Reports. On the Monday folloving, came my father with his late-married wife and the rest of his family to town out of Surrey, and my brother and sister Elliot with them at whose house they had been most part of the Lent past; by the enjoyment of whose sereral societies I was often refreshed this Easter Term.
May 1623. I spent the month of May also reasonably well in my private study, and in the frequent arguing of cases after each dinner on the week days, which myself and the rest of our company, each man in his turn or course, brought in.
02 Jun 1623. On Monday, the second day of June, my father, the Lady Denton, and the residue of his family, departed into Essex, to New Place, in Upminster, to keep his Whitsuntide, with my Aunt Lathum, a widow, his only sister; from which journey I excused myself, for my love to the study of the law began now to increase very much, being reasonably well able to command what I read, and finding daily use of it, I exceedingly desired knowledge.
10 Jun 1623. On Tuesday, June the 10th, my father, with the residue of his family, returned out of Essex to the Six Clerks' Office in Chancery Lane [Map]; and on Saturday, the 14th day of the same month, I added an end to my Lord Coke's Sixth Report, which I had began on the 21st day of April foregoing. On Friday, the 27th day of June, I was at night with divers other gentlemen, very good students, called to the bar, or made an utter barrister, by the benchers of of Middle Temple, - a preferment which gave me mnch content, being meet of my daily companions who were then called, and whose loving society, by which I reaped much good, I might else have missed. It pleased God also, in mercy, after this to ease me of that continual want, or short stipend, I had for about five years last past groaned under; for my father, immediately upon my said call to the bar, enlarged my former allowance with forty pounds more yearly: so as, after this plentiful annuity of one hundred pounds was duly and quarterly paid me by him, I found myself eased of so many cares and discontents as I may well account that the 27th day of June foregoing the first day of my outward happiness since the decease of my dearest mother. For by this means, I even began already to gather for a library (which I have since enlarged to a fair proportion), spending upon books what I could spare from my more urgent and necessary expenses.
10 Jul 1623. On Thursday, the 10th day of July, after our supper in the Middle Temple Hall ended, with another utter barrister, I argued a moot at the bench to the good satisfaction of such as heard me. Two gentlemen under the bar arguing it first in Law-French, bareheaded, as I did myself before I was called to the bar at the cupboard. This was the first legal exercise I performed after I was called to the bar, after which many others followed. My father, the Lady Denton, and the rest of his family, with my brother and sister Elliot, departed from London towards Stow Hall, in Suffolk, on Tuesday, the 15th of the same month. About half an hour after six that evening, so terrible a tempest of thunder and lightning began, and continued with little intermission till nine of the clock, as I never remembered the like.
20 Jul 1623. Notwithstanding the Spaniards never intended Prince Charles should marry the Infanta Maria, their King's sister, yet did they not only abuse his Highness, thereby feeding his expectations with fair promises, but the King his father at home also, by sending articles of the conclusion of it, to which his Majesty took a solemn oath in the chapel at Whitehall, on Sunday, the 20th day of July, in the presence of the Marquis of Mendoza, the extraordinary ambassador of Spain, lately come to London, and Coloma, the ordinary ambassador of the same state, who succeeding in the place of the Count Gondomar (age 95), in May, 1622, had continued in England ever since. This act confirned all men's fears and doubts that the match would now succeed1; which was further confirmed also, not only by the innumerable false rumours the Papists or Pseudo-Catholics daily spread of the time and manner of the celebration of it, but also from the King's own credulity, who took daily care for the royal entertainment and welcome of his daughter-in-law, for whose conveyance into England he had sent a royal fleet.
Note 1. "The grandees of Spain, Willl load Charles's wain, With the richest rubies that be; And God knows what pearl Will be given the girl By the ladies of highest degree. "And some men do say The Dutchmen must pay A great sum to make matters even; So shall we have gold, More than London will hold, Were the walls built as high as the heaven." Satirical Ballad, Harl. MS.
30 Jul 1623. On Wednesday, the 30th day of the same month, happened a foolish difference amongst our utter barristers of the Middle Temple, which occasioned me much trouble, and was a seasonable humiliation after my late call to the bar and increase of stipend. There were now divers sargeants-at-law to be made, who were to receive their full investitures next Michaelmas Term. Our late Lent reader, Sergeant Brampton, was the puisne of the three chosen of our Middle Temple, and on Monday, the fourth day of August, he read or argued a case in our Middle Temple Hall in the morning, at which I could not attend long, being in the afternoon to go out mih our reader of New Inn, and to argue his case; which I did accordingly. On Wednesday, August the 6th, Sergeant Brampton read the second time, and so ended his task. On the Friday ensuing, being the 8th day of the same month, began Mr. Davers, our other reader, (whose course it was to read this summer,) and ended it on the next Friday, being the 15th day of August. The residue of this long vacation I spent for the most part in the study of the law and in profitable conference, by which I gained every day more knowledge and found more content in my time studiously spent than in idleness. On Wednesday, the 13th day of August, in the morning about three of the dock, was my sister Elliot bronght to bed of a daughter, at Stow Hall; she was baptized Cecilia. It afterwards died on Thursday, the 4th day of October, in the year 1627, being then near upon four years and two months old.
04 Sep 1623. On Thursday, the 4th day of September, in the afternoon, I first began studying records at the Tower of London [Map], happening at first upon the charter by which Edward the Confessor confirmed Earl Harold's foundation of Waltham Abbey [Map]. From this day forward, I never wholly gave over the study of records; but spent many days and months about it, to my great content and satisfaction; and at last grew so perfect in it, that when I had sent for a copy or transcript of a record, I could, without the view of the original, discover many errors which had slipped from the pen of the clerk. I at first read records only to find out the matter of law contained in them; but afterwards perceiving other excellences might be observed from them, both historical and national, I always continued the study of them after I had left the Middle Temple and given over the study of the common law itself. I especially searched the records of the Exchequer; intending, if God shall permit, and that I be not swallowed up of evil times, to restore to Great Britain its true history, - the exactest that ever was yet penned of any nation in the Christian world. To which pupoae, and for the finishing of divers other lesser works, I have already made many collections, and joined some imperfect pieces of them together.
After 04 Sep 1623. Being the first utter barrister of the last call to our bar in the end of Midsununer Term foregoing, it came to my course to come in with an assignment or four moots, in the beginning of next Michaelmas Term, with another utter barrister of the same call. I spent most of the said month of September about the study of them; yet continuing all that time, for the most part, my search of records at the Tower twice each week.