Part 16

I dare affirme him a Jew by descent, and of the tribe of Benjamin, lineally descended from the first King of the Jewes, even Saul, or at best he ownes him and his tribe, in most we reade of them. First, of our English tribes, I conceive his father's the lowest, and the meanest of that tribe, stocke, or generation, and the worst, how bad soever they be; melancholy he is, as appeares by his sullen and dogged wit; malicious as Saul to David, as is evident in his writings; he wants but Saul's javelin to cast at him; he as little spares the king's friends with his pen, as Saul did Jonathan his sonne in his reproach; and would be as free of his javelin as his pen, were his power sutable to his will, as Ziba did to Mephibosheth, so does he by the king, he belies him as much to the world, as he his master to David, and in the day of adversitie is as free of his tongue as Shimei was to his soveraigne, and would be as humble as he, and as forward to meet the king as he was David, should the king returne in peace. Abithaes there cannot want to cut off the dog's head, but David is more mercifull then Shimei can be wicked; may he first consult with the witch of Endor, but not worthy of so noble a death as his own sword, die the death of Achitophel for feare of David, then may he be hang'd up as the sonnes of Saul were against the sunne, or rather as the Amelekites who slew Isbosheth, and brought tidings and the tokens of the treason to David; may his hands and his feet be as sacrifices cut off, and so pay for the treasons of his pen and tongue; may all heads that plot treasons, all tongues that speake them, all pens that write them, be so punisht. If Sheba paid his head for his tongue's fault, what deserves Britannicus to pay for his pen and trumpet? Is there never a wise woman in London? we have Abishaes.

* * * * *

Francis Wortley, was the son of Sir Richard Wortley, of Wortley, in Yorkshire, knight. At the age of seventeen he became a commoner of Magdalen College, Oxford; in 1610 he was knighted, and on the 29th of June in the following year, was created a baronet; being then, as Wood says, esteemed an ingenious gentleman. During the civil wars he assisted the royal cause, by raising a troop of horse in the king's service; but at their conclusion he was taken prisoner, and confined in the tower of London, where it seems he composed the volume just noticed. In the _Catalogue of Compounders_ his name appears as "of Carleton, Yorkshire," and from thence we learn that he paid 500_l._ for his remaining property. In the _Athenae Oxonienses_ may be found a list of his works, but I have been unable to trace the date of his decease. Mr. Granger says that "Anne, his daughter, married the second son of the first Earl of Sandwich, who took the name of Wortley," and adds that the late Countess of Bute was descended from him. _Biographical History_, ii. 310.

FOOTNOTES:

[DQ] The Elegies, according to Wood, are upon the loyalists who lost their lives in the king's service, at the end of which are epitaphs.

xxiii. _The Times anatomiz'd, in severall Characters. By T. F_[ord, seruant to Mr. Sam. Man[DR].] _Difficile est Satyram non scribere. Juv. Sat. 1. London, Printed for W. L. Anno 1647._"

[12mo. in the British Museum.]

_The Contents of the severall Characters._

1. A good king. 2. Rebelion. 3. An honest subject. 4. An hypocritical convert of the times. 5. A souldier of fortune. 6. A discontented person. 7. An ambitious man. 8. The vulgar. 9. Errour. 10. Truth. 11. A selfe-seeker. 12. Pamphlets. 13. An envious man. 14. True valour. 15. Time. 16. A newter. 17. A turn-coat. 18. A moderate man. 19. A corrupt committee-man. 20. A sectary. 21. Warre. 22. Peace. 23. A drunkard. 24. A novice-preacher. 25. A scandalous preacher. 26. A grave divine. 27. A selfe-conceited man. 29. Religion. 30. Death.

"PAMPHLETS

Are the weekly almanacks, shewing what weather is in the state, which, like the doves of Aleppo, carry news to every part of the kingdom. They are the silent traytors that affront majesty, and abuse all authority, under the colour of an _Imprimatur_. Ubiquitary flies that have of late so blistered the eares of all men, that they cannot endure any solid truth. The ecchoes, whereby what is done in part of the kingdome, is heard all over. They are like the mushromes, sprung up in a night, and dead in a day; and such is the greedinesse of men's natures (in these Athenian dayes) of new, that they will rather feigne then want it."

FOOTNOTES:

[DR] (MS. interlineation in a copy among the King's pamphlets.)

xxiv. _Character of a London Diurnal_, 4to. 1647. [This was written by Cleveland, and has been printed in the various editions of his poems.]

xxv. _Character of an Agitator. Printed in the Yeare 1647. 4to. pp. 7._

This concludes with the following epitome--"Hee was begotten of Lilburne (with Overton's helpe) in Newgate, nursed up by Cromwell, at first by the army, tutored by Mr. Peters, counselled by Mr. Walwin and Musgarve, patronised by Mr. Martin, (who sometimes sits in counsell with them, though a member) and is like to dye no where but at Tyburne, and that speedily, if hee repent not and reforme his erronious judgement, and his seditious treasonable practises against king, parliament, and martiall discipline itselfe. Finis."

xxvi. In Mr. Brand's Sale Catalogue, No. 1754, we have _The Surfeit to A.B.C._ 8vo. Lond. 1656, which is there represented to consist of _Characters_.

xxvii. _Characters of a Temporizer and an Antiquary._ [In "_Naps upon Parnassus_," 8vo. 1658. See the Censura Literaria, vol. vi. p. 225; vol. vii. p. 341.]

xxviii. _Satyrical Characters, and handsom Descriptions, in Letters_, 8vo. 1658. [Catalogue of Thomas Britton the Small Coal Man, 4to, p. 19. No. 102.]

xxix. _A Character of England, as it was lately presented in a Letter to a Noble-man of France. With Reflections upon Gallus Castratus. The third Edition. London. Printed for John Crooke, and are to be sold at the Ship in St. Paul's Church-Yard, 1659._

(12mo. pp. 66, title and preface 20 more.)

This very severe satire upon the English nation was replied to in the following publication.

xxx. _A Character of France, to which is added Gallus Castratus, or an Answer to a late slanderous Pamphlet, called the Character of England. Si talia nefanda et facinora quis non Democritus? London, Printed for Nath. Brooke, at the Angel in Cornhill, 1659._

xxxi. _A perfect Description of the People and Country of Scotland. London. Printed for J. S. 1659._

(12mo. pp. 21. besides the title.)

xxxii. _A brief Character of the Low Countries under the States, being Three Weeks Observation of the Vices and Vertues of the Inhabitants. Non seria semper. London, printed for H. S. and are to be sold by H. Lowndes, at the White Lion in St. Paul's Church Yard, neer the little North Door, 1659._

(12mo. pp. 500. title, &c. 6 more.)

Written by Owen Feltham, and appended to the several folio editions of his _Resolves_.

xxxiii. _The Character of Italy: Or, The Italian Anatomiz'd by an English Chirurgion. Difficile est Satyram non scribere. London: Printed for Nath. Brooke, at the Angel in Cornhil. 1660._

[12mo. pp. 93, title and preface 12 more.]

xxxiv. _The Character of Spain: Or, An Epitome of Their Virtues and Vices._

---- _Adeo sunt multa, loquacem Ut lassare queant Fabium._

_London: Printed for Nath. Brooke, at the Angel in Cornhil. 1660._

[12mo. pp. 93, title, &c. 12 more.]

xxxv. _Essayes and Characters, by L. G._ 8vo. 1661.

[See Brand's _Sale Catalogue_, No. 1754.]

xxxvi. _The Assembly-man. Written in the Year 1647. London: Printed for Richard Marriot, and are to be sold at his shop under St. Dunstan's Church, in Fleet-street, 1662-3[DS]._

[4to. pp. 22.]

Sir John Birkenhead was the author of this character, which was printed again in 1681, and in 1704 with the following title, "_The Assembly-man. Written in the Year 1647; but proves the true character of (Cerberus) the observator_, MDCCIV." It was also reprinted in the _Harleian Miscellany_, v. 93. For an account of the author, see the _Biographia Britannica_, edit. Kippis, ii. 324.

FOOTNOTES:

[DS] With a very curious and rare frontispiece.

xxxvii. _Fifty-five[DT] Enigmatical Characters, all very exactly drawn to the Life, from several Persons, Humours, Dispositions. Pleasant and full of Delight. By R. F. Esq.; London: Printed for William Crook, at the sign of the Three Bibles on Fleet-bridge. 1665[DU]._"

[8vo. pp. 135, title, index, &c. not numbered, 11 more.]

Richard Flecknoe, the author of these characters, is more known from having his name affixed to one of the severest satires ever written by Dryden, than from any excellence of his own as a poet or dramatic writer. Mr. Reed conceives him to have been a Jesuit, and Pope terms him an Irish priest. Langbaine says, that "his acquaintance with the nobility was more than with the muses, and he had a greater propensity to rhyming, than a genius to poetry." As a proof of the former assertion the Duke of Newcastle prefixed two copies of verses to his characters, in which he calls Flecknoe "his worthy friend," and says:

"Flecknoe, thy characters are so full of wit And fancy, as each word is throng'd with it. Each line's a volume, and who reads would swear Whole libraries were in each character. Nor arrows in a quiver stuck, nor yet Lights in the starry skies are thicker set, Nor quills upon the armed porcupine, Than wit and fancy in this work of thine.

W. Newcastle."

To confirm the latter, requires only the perusal of his verses, which were published in 1653, under the title of _Miscellania_. Besides these, he wrote five[DV] dramatic pieces, the titles of which may be found in the _Biographia Dramatica_; a collection of _Epigrams_, 8vo. 1670; _Ten Years Travels in Europe.--A short Discourse of the English Stage_, affixed to _Love's Dominion_, 8vo. 1654; _The Idea of his Highness Oliver, late Lord Protector, &c._ 8vo. 1659. &c. &c.[DW]

"CHARACTER OF A VALIANT MAN."--(page 61.)

"He is onely a man; your coward and rash being but tame and savage beasts. His courage is still the same, and drink cannot make him more valiant, nor danger lesse. His valour is enough to leaven whole armies, he is an army himself worth an army of other men. His sword is not alwayes out like children's daggers, but he is alwayes last in beginning quarrels, though first in ending them. He holds honour (though delicate as chrystall) yet not so slight and brittle to be broak and crackt with every touch; therefore (though most wary of it,) is not querilous nor punctilious. He is never troubled with passion, as knowing no degree beyond clear courage, and is alwayes valiant, but never furious. He is the more gentle i' th' chamber, more fierce he's in the field, holding boast (the coward's valour,) and cruelty (the beast's,) unworthy a valiant man. He is only coward in this, that he dares not do an unhandsome action. In fine, he can onely be evercome by discourtesie, and has but one deffect--he cannot talk much--to recompence which he dos the more."

FOOTNOTES:

[DT] I omit to particularize these characters, as many of the titles are extremely long--"of a lady of excellent conversation. Of one that is the foyle of good conversation." &c. &c.

[DU] Mr. Reed possessed a copy, dated in 1658. See his _Catalogue_, No. 2098.

[DV] Langbaine notices a prologue intended for a play, called _The Physician against his Will_, which he thinks was never published. A MS. note in my copy of the _Dramatic Poets_, says it was printed in 1712.

[DW] The Bodleian library contains "_The Affections of a pious Soule, unto our Saviour-Christ. Expressed in a mixed treatise of verse and prose. By Richard Flecknoe._" 8vo. 1640. This I can scarcely consent to give to _Mac_ Flecknoe, as in the address "To the Town Reader," the author informs us that, "ashamed of the many idle hours he has spent, and to avoid the expence of more, he has retired from the town"--and we are certain that _Mac_ resided there long after.

xxxviii. _The Character of a Coffee-house, with the symptoms of a Town-witt. With Allowance. April 11, 1673. London, Printed for Jonathan Edwin, at the Three Roses in Ludgate-street, 1673._

[Folio, reprinted in the _Harleian Miscellany_, with an answer to it, vol. vi. 429-433.]

xxxix. _Essays of Love and Marriage: Being Letters written by two Gentlemen, one dissuading from Love, the other an Answer thereunto. With some Characters, and other Passages of Wit._

---- _Si quando gravabere curis, Haec lege, pro moestae medicamine mentis habeto._

_London, Printed for H. Brome, at the Gun in St. Paul's Church-yard, 1673._

[12mo. pp. 103, title, &c. 4 more.]

xl. _The Character of a Fanatick. By a Person of Quality. London. 1675._

[4to. pp. 8. Reprinted in the _Harleian Miscellany_, vii. 596.]

xli. _Character of a Towne Gallant } of a Towne Miss } of an honest drunken Curr } of a pilfering Taylor } of an Exchange Wench } of a Sollicitor } 1675. of a Scold } of an ill Husband } of a Dutchman } of a Pawnbroker } of a Tally Man_ }

[4to. See _Sale Catalogue_ of George Steevens, Esq. 8vo. London, 1800, page 66, No. 1110.]

xlii. _A Whip for a Jockey: or, a Character of an Horse-courser. 1677. London, Printed for R. H. 1677._

[8vo. pp. 29.]

xliii. _Four for a Penny, or Poor Robin's Character of an unconscionable Pawnbroker, and Ear-mark of an oppressing Tally-man; with a friendly Description of a Bum-bailey, and his merciless setting cur, or follower. With Allowance. London, Printed for L. C. 1678._

[4to. reprinted in the _Harleian Miscellany_, vol. iv. p. 141.]

xliv. _Character of an ugly Woman: or, a Hue and Cry after Beauty_, in prose, written (by the Duke of Buckingham) in 1678. See Lord Orford's _Royal and Noble Authors_, by Park, iii. 309.

xlv. _Character of a disbanded Courtier. Ingenium Galbae male habitat. 1681._

[Folio, pp. 2. Reprinted in the _Harleian Miscellany_, i. 356.]

xlvi. _Character of a certain ugly old P----. London, Printed in the Year 1684._

[In Oldham's _Works_, 8vo. London, 1684.]

xlvii. _Twelve ingenious Characters: or pleasant Descriptions of the Properties of sundry Persons and Things, viz._

_An importunate dunn; a serjeant or bailiff; a paunbroker; a prison; a tavern; a scold; a bad husband; a town-fop; a bawd; a fair and happy milk-maid; the quack's directory; a young enamourist._

_Licensed, June the 2d, 1681. R. P. London, printed for S. Norris, and are to be sold by most booksellers, 1686._

[12mo. pp. 48.]

xlviii. _Character of a Trimmer. By Sir William Coventry. 1689._

[4to. See _Bibliotheca Harleiana_, v. 4278.]

This was written long before publication, as is proved by the following.

xlix. _Character of a Tory in 1659, in answer to that of a Trimmer (never published) both written in King Charles's reign._

[Reprinted in the _Works of George Villiers, second Duke of Buckingham_. 4to. Lond. 1721.]

l. _Characters addressed to Ladies of Age._ 8vo. _Lond._ 1689.

[Brand's _Sale Catalogue_, p. 66, No. 1747.]

li. _The Ceremony-monger, his Character, in six Chapters, &c. &c. By E. Hickeringill, Rector of the Rectory of All-Saints, in Colchester. London, Printed and are to be sold by George Larkin, at the Two Swans, without Bishopsgate. 1689._

[4to. pp. 66.]

lii. _Character of a Jacobite. 1690._

[4to. See _Bibl. Harl._ v. No. 4279.]

* * * * *

The following are without date, but were probably printed before 1700[DX].

FOOTNOTES:

[DX] In Butler's _Remains_, published by Thyer, 2 vols. 8vo. 1759, are several _Characters_ by the author of _Hudibras_, and consequently written previously to this date, but as they do not appear to have been printed so early, they cannot, with propriety, be included in this list.

liii. _Character of an Ill-court-favourite, translated from the French._

[4to. reprinted in the _Harleian Miscellany_, ii. 50.]

liv. _Character of an honest and worthy Parliament-Man._

[Folio, reprinted in the _Harleian Miscellany_, ii. 336.]

lv. _Characterism, or the Modern Age displayed._

[Brand's _Sale Catalogue_, No. 1757.]

_Character of the Presbyterian Pastors and People of Scotland._

[_Bibl. Harleiana_, v. No. 4280.]

vii. _Character of a compleat Physician or Naturalist[DY]._

[_Bibl. Harleiana_, v. No. 4304.]

FOOTNOTES:

[DY] In the extracts made from the foregoing series of _Characters_, the original orthography has been most scrupulously attended to, in order to assist in shewing the progress and variation of the English language.

ADDITIONAL NOTES AND CORRECTIONS.

Page 2, line 18, for _ports_ read _sports_.

4, line 9, "_table-book._" The custom of writing in table-books, or, as it was then expressed, "in tables," is noticed, and instances given in Reed's _Shakspeare_, vi, 13. xii, 170. xviii, 88. Dr. Farmer adduces a passage very applicable to the text, from Hall's character of the _hypocrite_. "He will ever sit where he may be seene best, and in the midst of the sermon pulles out his _tables_ in haste, as if he feared to loose that note," &c. Decker, in his _Guls Hornebooke_, page 8, speaking to his readers, says, "out with your _tables_," &c.

6, note 6.--This is also mentioned in _Whimzies_, 8vo. 1631, p. 57. "Hee must now betake himself to prayer and devotion; _remember the founder, benefactors, head, and members of that famous foundation_: all which he performes with as much zeale as an actor after the end of a play, when hee prayes for his majestie, the lords of his most honourable privie councell, and all that love the king."

13, note 10.--From a subsequent edition, obligingly pointed out to me by the rev. Mr. arch-deacon Nares, I find that this also is a translation: _Regimen Sanitatis Salerni. This booke teachyng all people to gouerne the in health, is translated out of the Latine tongue into Englishe, by Thomas Paynell, whiche booke is amended, augmented, and diligently imprinted. 1575._ Colophon. [P] _Jmprynted at London, by Wyllyam How, for Abraham Ueale._ The preface says, that it was compiled for the use "of the moste noble and victorious kynge of England, and of Fraunce, by all the doctours in Phisicke of the Uniuersitie of Salerne."

17, line 17, "_door-posts_."--It was usual for public officers to have painted or gilded posts at their doors, on which proclamations, and other documents of that description, were placed, in order to be read by the populace. See various allusions to this custom, in Reed's _Shakspeare_, v. 267. _Old Plays_, iii. 303. The _reformation_ means that they were, in the language of our modern churchwardens, "repaired and beautified," during the reign of our alderman.

45, line 11, for _Gollobelgicus_ read _Gallobelgicus_.

47, line 15. "_post and pair_" was a game at cards, of which I can give no description. The author of the _Compleat Gamester_ notices it as "very much played in the West of England." See Dodsley's _Old Plays_, 1780. vii. 296.

48, line 12--"_guarded with more gold lace_." The word _guarded_ is continually used by the writers of the sixteenth century for _fringed_ or _adorned_. See Reed's _Shakspeare_, vii. 272. _Old Plays_, iv. 36.

59, line 15, "_clout_." Shakspeare (Cymbeline, act iv. scene 2.) uses the expression of _clouted brogues_, which Mr. Steevens explains to be "shoes strengthened with _clout_ or _hob-nails_."

63, line 9, "_dragon that pursued the woman._" Evidently an allusion to _Revelations_, xii. 15.

91, note 8, line 15, for _Styla_ read _Hyla_ in both instances.

92, note 10, line 5, for _Leiden_ read _Leyden_.

117, line 3, "Their humanity is a _leg to the residencer_." A _leg_ here signifies a _bow_. Decker says, "a jewe neuer weares his cap threedbare with putting it off; neuer bends i' th' hammes with _casting away a leg_, &c." _Guls Hornebooke._ p. 11.

182, note 1, for _spunge_ read _sponge_.

208, line 4, for _spera_ read _spero_.

ib. line 30, for _conjesta_ read _congesta_.

ib. line 31, for _susuperavit_ read _superavit_.

231, line 11, for _Jude_ read _Inde_: for _ferucat_ read _ferueat_.

245, line 7, for _whosc_ read _whose_.

Several errors and inaccuracies of less consequence than those here pointed out, will probably be discovered. These were occasioned by the editor's distance from the press, and he requests the gentle reader to pardon and correct them.

[Transcriber's note: Despite a valiant effort to the contrary some additional transcription errors may have slipped through during the preparation of this e-text. We can't blame the distance between the editor and the press. Please forward any corrections to Project Gutenberg errata.]

The _Inscription_, No. x. of the _Appendix_, should have been entirely omitted. The following extract from Guillim's _Heraldry_, shews that Bishop Earle could not have been connected with the Streglethorp family, since, if he had, there would have been no occasion for a new grant of armorial bearings.

"He beareth _ermine_, on a chief indented sable, three eastern crowns or, by the name of _Earles_. This coat was granted by _Sir Edward Walker_, garter, the 1st of August, 1660, to the Reverend Dr. _John Earles_, son of _Thomas Earles_, gent, sometime Register of the Archbishop's Court at York. He was Dean of _Westminster_, and Clerk of the Closet to his Majesty King _Charles_ the Second; and in the year 1663, made Bishop of _Salisbury_."

Guillim's _Heraldry_, folio. Lond. 1724. p. 282.

It is almost unnecessary to add that I was not aware of this grant, when I compiled the short account of Earle, at page 186, and spoke of my inability to give any information relative to his parents.

INDEX.

Abishaes, 266.

Abithaes, 266.

Abraham-man, 221.

Achitophel, 266.

Acquaintance, Character of, 144.

Aeneas, 147.

Affected man, character of, 169.

_Affections of a pious Soule_, by Richard Flecknoe, 273.

Alderman, character of, 16.

Aleppo, 268.

Alexis of Piedmont, 12.

Alfred, king, 4.

Allmayne, 262.

_All's well that ends well_, by Shakspeare, 262.

Allot, Robert, li.

Almanack in the bones, 37.

Alresford, Hampshire, 211.

Ames, Mr. lx, 220, 228.

Amsterdam, 90.

_Anatomy of Melancholly_, by Burton, 46, 73, 228.

Angglear, 221.

Antem-morte, 222.

Antiquary, character of, 20.

Aristophanes, 205.

Aristotle, 9, 30.

Arminian, 30.

Arminius, 114.

Ashmole's Museum, Oxford, 198, 264.

Atkinson, Mr. 211.

Atkyns, Sir Robert, 40.

_Athenae Oxonienses_, by Wood, l, 212, 257, 267.

Attorney, character of, 93.

Austin, 113.

Awdeley, John, 228.

Baal, priests of, 87.

Babel, tower of, 21, 104.

Bagster, Richard, 213.

Baker, character of a, 111.

Bales, Peter, 5.

Bardolph, 105.

Barnes, John, 74.

Barnes, Juliana, 50.

Barrington, Daines, 32.

Barton, Elizabeth, 109.

Barwick, Dr. 191. _Life of_, 191.

Bawdy-basket, 222.

Bayle, 91.

Beaumont, Francis, 197, 203, 204, 205.

_Beau's Duel_, by Mrs. Centlivre, 82.

Bedford, Earl of, 12.

Bellarmine, Cardinal, 6, 90.

_Belman of London_, by Decker, 221. Copy, with Burton's MS. notes, 228.

Benar, 227.

Bene, 225.

Benjamin, 265.

Benjamin's mess, 109.

Bessus, 205.

Bethlem, 249.

_Bible_, printed at Geneva, 3.

_Bibliographia Poetica_, by Ritson, 237.

_Bibliotheca Harleiana_, 276, 277, 278.

_Biographia Britannica_, 271.

_Biographia Dramatica_, 272.

Birkenhead, Sir John, 271.

Bishopstone, 188, 190.

Blackfriar's, play at, 259.

Blomefield's _History of Norfolk_, 217.

Blount, Edward, xlix, l, li, lx.