To the king, king Murcher. Of king Dermod read to me : "This story endith abruptly at the winning of Limerick, which was not full three yeres after Robert Fitz Stephen his first arrival in Ireland." Sir George Carew proceeds to give an analysis of this old French metrical history in thirty-seven pages, with occasional extracts, forming an article of singular interest and curiosity to antiquaries: to this succeeds "The Story of King Richard the second: his last being in Ireland. Translated from the French by Geo. Earl of Totness;" which is comprised in ten pages. Mr. Harris infers from a MS. he had seen of the noble family of the Fitzmaurices, since earls of Kelly, that our author compiled "The Genealogy of the Fitz-geralds 5." Bishop Nicolson informs us that this great and learned nobleman wrote forty-two volumes relating to the affairs of Ireland, which are in the archbishop of Canterbury's library at Lambeth; and four more of collections from the originals in the Cotton library. Mr. Harris adds, that four large volumes, containing chronologies, charters, letters, muniments, and other materials belonging to Ireland, were collected by the 5 Hist. of Irish Writers, ubi sup. Irish Hist. Lib. p. 53. earl of Totness, and are deposited in the Bodleian library. The earl likewise made collections for writing the history of Henry the fifth, which were incorporated into Speed's History of Great Britain; in which history, says Wood, were also remitted most, if not all, of viscount St. Albans History of Henry the Seventh. Dr. Birch, in his Historical View of Negoti ations between England, France, &c. has printed "A Relation of the State of France; with the Characters of Henry IV. and the principal Persons of that Court. Drawn up by Sir George Carew, upon his Return from his Embassy there, in 1609, and addressed to King James I." The learned editor pronounces it a model for works of that kind 8. The following lines occur under an engraved portrait of lord Totness, prefixed to Pacata Hibernia, and seem to announce him as the author, though in contradiction to the preface of the book 9: Talis erat vultu, sed linguâ, mente, manuque, This information appears to be derived from Athen. Oxon, vol. i. col. 530. * See his Introduction, p. xvi. and Life of Prince Henry, p. 104. 9 Which expressly says, that the work was composed "by the direction and appoyntment of the earle of Totnes, when lord president of Mounster." 247 ANTHONY BROWNE, VISCOUNT MONTAGUE, [GRANDSON and successor to Anthony, first lord viscount Montague, from whose good example, says Camden, he no ways degenerated 3. In 1591 he took to wife Jane, daughter of Thomas Sackville, lord Buckhurst and earl of Dorset; and the year after succeeded both his father and grandfather in their estates and honour, being then in the twentieth year of his age. His lordship died on the 23d of October 16294;. leaving issue one son and six daughters. "A Book of Orders and Rules, established for the better Direction and Government of his Household and Family; together with the several Duties and Charges appertaining to his Officers and other Servants, 1595," by this peer, is said to be still extant in manuscript. Lord Orford appears to have seen it; for he represents "a collection of forms and ceremonies, and a ridiculous piece of mimicry of royal grandeur 5." His lordship, however, must have known that such salutary codes of domestic regulation were by no means unusual in the mansions of our nobility, and that they extended even to the dwellings of country gentlemen. it as Vid. p. 40, supra. 3 Hist. of Eliz. p. 468. See Works, vol. i. p. 462. Hence, in the Nugæ Antiquæ, we meet with "Orders for household Servantes," first devised by John Harrington, esq. in 1566, and renewed by his son in 1592, that son being then high sheriff of the county of Somerset.] 6 Vol. i. p. 105. |