ship's time. Here is a handsome dore, which opens into Oake-wood; over this dore in golden letters on blew are six verses. The oakes of this wood are very great and shadie. His Lordship much delighted himselfe here: under every tree he planted some fine flower, or flowers, some whereof are there still, (1656) viz. Pæonies, tulips. From this wood a dore opens into

a place as big as an ordinary parke, the west part wherof is coppice wood, where are walks cutt out as straight as a line, and broade enough for a coach, a quarter of a mile long or better. Here his Lordship much meditated, his servant Mr. Bushell attending him with his pen and inke-horne to sett downe his present notions. Mr. Tho. Hobbes told me, that his Lordship would employ him often in this service whilst he was there, and was better pleased with his minutes, or notes, sett downe by him, than by others who did not well understand his Lordship. He told me that he was employed in translating part of the Essayes, viz. three of them, one whereof was that of the Greatnesse of Cities, the other two I have now forgott. The east of this parquet, (which extends to Verulam-howse) was heretofore, in his Lordship's prosperitie, a paradise, now is a large ploughed field. This eastern division consisted of severall parts; some thicketts of plumme-trees with delicate walkes; some

:

of rasberies. Here was all manner of fruittrees, that would grow in England; and a great number of choice forest trees; as the whitti-tree, sorbe, cervice, &c. The walkes both in the coppices and other boscages were most ingeniosely designed at several good (Belvidere) viewes, were erected elegant summer-howses well built of Roman architecture, well wainscotted and ceiled, yet standing, but defaced, so that one would have thought the Barbarians had made a conquest here. This place in his Lordship's time was a sanctuary for phesants, partridges, &c. birds of several kinds and countries, as white, speckled, &c. partridges. In April, and the Spring time, his Lordship would, when it rayned, take his coach (open) to receive the benefit of irrigation, which he was wont to say was very wholsome, because of the nitre in the aire, and the universal spirit of the world. His Lordship was wont to say, I will lay my mannor of Gorambery on't, to which Judge a spightfull reply, saying he would not hold a wager against that, but against any other mannor of his Lordship's he would. Now this illustrious Lord Chancellor had only this Mannor of Gorambery.

made

JOANNES BARCLAIUS, SCOTO-BRITANNUS,

(From Sam. Butler.)

Was in England some time tempore R. Jacobi. He was then an old man, white beard, and wore a hatt and a feather, which gave some severe people offence. Dr. J. Pett tells me, that his last employment was Library-Keeper of the Va tican, and that he was there poysoned.

Mem. This Jo. Barclay has a sonne, now (1688) an old man, and a learned quaker, who wrote a Systeme of the Quakers' Doctrine in Latine, dedicated to K. James II. now translated by him into English in The Quakers mightily value him. The book is common.

MR. FRANCIS BEAUMONT

Was the son of Judge Beaumont. There was a wonderfull consimility of phansy between him and Mr. Jo. Fletcher, which caused that dearnesse of frendship between them. I thinke they were both of Queene's coll. in Cambridge. I

*

utrumque vestrum incredibili modo Consentit astrum.

HORAT. Lib. 2, Od. 7.

have heard Dr. Jo. Earle, (since Bp. of Sarum)* say, who knew them, that his maine businesse was to correct the overflowings of Mr. Fletcher's witt. They lived together on the Banke side, not far from the Play-house, both batchelors lay together,† had one wench in the house between them, which they did so admire; the same cloaths and cloake, &c. between them. He writt (amongst many other) an admirable Elegie on the Countesse of Rutland, which is printed with verses before Sir Thomas Overburie's characters. Jo. Earle, in his verses on him, speaking of them,

"A monument that will then lasting bee, When all her marble is more dust than shee."

He was buryed at the entrance of St. Benedict's chapell, in Westminster Abbey, March 9, 1615-6. I searched severall yeares since in the Register Booke of St. Mary Overies, for the obijt of Mr. John Fletcher, which I sent to Mr. Anthony à Wood.

He hath a very good prefaratory letter before

* [See vol. i. page 141. EDIT.]

+ From St James Hales.

Mem. Isaac Casaubon was buryed at the entrance of the same chapell. He dyed July 8, 1614.

before Mr. Speght's edition of Sir Geofrey Chaucer's Works, printed by Adam Islip, 1602, London, where he hath judicious observations of his writings.

SR. JOHN BIRKENHEAD, KT.

....

Was borne at Nantwych,* in Cheshire. His father was a sadler there, and he had a brother a sadler, a trooper in S: Tho. Ashton's regiment, who was quartered at my father's, who told me So. He went to Oxford university at old, and was first a servitor of Oriall colledge. Mr. Gwin, minister of Wilton, was his contemporary there, who told me he wrote an excellent hand, and, in 1631 or 8, when Wm. Laud, A. B. C.† was last there, he had occasion to have some things well transcribed, and this Birkenhead was recommended to him, who performed his businesse so well, that the A. B recommended him to All Soule's coll. to be a fellow, and he was accordingly elected. He was scholar enough, and a poet. After Edgehill fight, when King

* Northwich. [In the hand-writing of Anthony à Wood. EDIT.]

↑ [A[rch] B[ishop of] C[anterbury. EDIT]