CHARLES SACKVILLE,

EARL OF DORSET.

Rochester's Saying respecting the Earl of Dorset - His Character— Becomes a great Favourite with Charles II.-His wild FrolicsTakes Nell Gwynn under his Protection-His famous Song, "To all ye Ladies now on Land"-His two Marriages-His Patronage of Literature-Assists the Princess Anne in her Flight-Is in great Favour with William III.-His narrow Escape at Sea-His Death-Congreve's Opinion of his Wit.

"I KNOW not how it is," said Lord Rochester; "but my Lord Dorset can do anything, and yet is never to blame.” There is certainly no memoir of this nobleman which is not a panegyric; neither do the encomiums seem to have been exaggerated. Indeed, if it approaches excellence to have fostered genius, and to have been the friend of the unfortunate; to have been charitable to an excess, and tender-hearted to a fault; to have been a man of letters without envy, and a courtier without malice; to have been a friend of all parties, yet the consistent supporter of his own; to have been possessed of a classical taste and romantic courage, of the most engaging manners and the sprightliest fancy, the meed must be awarded to the accomplished Dorset, the poet, the philanthropist, and the wit.

Charles Lord Buckhurst, which was the title he bore for many years, was born on the 24th January, 1637. He was educated by a private tutor, and in early youth made the tour of Europe. At the Restoration he was elected member for East Grinstead in Sussex, and in the House of Commons gave sufficient promise of future

excellence. Inheriting, however, but little taste for business, he unfortunately preferred the society of men of wit and the charms of literature, to the fatigue of public employments, and the temptation of popular applause. With Charles, who made him a gentleman of his bedchamber, he was ever an especial favourite. He was a chosen guest at all the social suppers of the "merry monarch," and in that brilliant circle of merry courtiers and witty statesmen, whom Charles assembled around him, there was no one whose society was more courted, or whose conversation was more admired. His spirits, however, were not always the highest, and required adventitious excitement. According to Burnet, it was only when the bottle had passed freely, that his conviviality flowed on a level with that of others.

In our admiration of one so accomplished, we must not forget the errors of his early career. The fact is not without interest, that a life, afterwards so circumspect, and conduct so unimpeachable, should have been preceded by a youth of frolic, debauchery, and excess. Certain it is, that the future Mæcenas of his day-"the best good man," as he is styled by Rochester,-condescended to riot with the most unblushing profligates of the Court, and became the boon companion of such men as Sedley and Killegrew, who, however gifted and witty, were totally without principle, religion, or even honour.

Anthony Wood, in his life of himself, incidentally mentions a party at Sir Henry Saville's, the English Ambassador at Paris, at which Lord Buckhurst and other libertines are described as "enjoying themselves, talking blasphemy and atheism." Not long afterwards, a wild scrape in which he was engaged very nearly cost him his life. This incident occurred in 1662, when, with his brother Edward Sackville, and some other friends, he

was committed to Newgate, on a charge of highway robbery and murder. According to the most favourable construction which has been put upon the story, these reckless libertines happened to be in pursuit of some thieves near Waltham-cross, when, in endeavouring to secure one Hoppy, a tanner, whom they believed to be an accomplice, they deprived this unfortunate and innocent person of life. This was their own account of the affair. The worst part of the transaction was the undeniable fact that the man was not only killed but plundered. Moreover, the story is in other respects involved in mystery. Pepys, who was in a situation to hear all the gossip of the day, expresses his doubt, notwithstanding the published explanatory statement of the offenders, whether the affair would not terminate more seriously than they flattered themselves would be the result. The grand jury, however, brought in a bill of manslaughter only, and of this offence they were afterwards acquitted at their trial.*

The following year, 1663, we find Lord Buckhurst engaged in a frolic with Sir Charles Sedley and Sir Thomas Ogle, in which, although the consequences were less serious, the transaction was even more disreputable. This affair, the particulars of which are wholly unfit for

* "A very unfortunate accident happened. The Lord Buckhurst ; his brother, Mr. Edward Sackville; Sir Henry Bellasis, Knight of the Bath, son and heir to the Lord Bellasis; Mr. Bellasis, brother to the Lord Faucon bridge; and Mr. Wentworth, son to Sir George; accompanying an acquaintance out of town, upon their return, being informed there were highwaymen and thieves on the road, meeting a tanner, and suspecting him for one of them, after some resistance made by him, killed him; for this mischance they were arraigned at the King's Bench bar, but by the jury quitted, it not being probable that persons of their estates and quality would set upon a single person to do him injury, but it might happen merely by a mistake, and good intent of freeing the road.”—Heath's Chronicle, p. 505.

publication, took place after a debauch at the Cock Tavern, Bow Street, then a famous house of recreation.* Sir Charles Sedley, who was the worst of the party, was tried before Sir Robert Hyde, Chief-justice of the Common Pleas, and fined in the large sum of five hundred pounds. His lordship's name having transspired during the proceedings, the judge inquired, says Pepys, "whether it was that Buckhurst that was lately tried for robbery; and when answered, yes, he asked whether he had so soon forgot his deliverance at that time; and that it would have more become him to have been at his prayers begging God's forgiveness, than now running into such courses again." There must have been more in the story of the robbery than has been handed down to us, or the judge would scarcely have ventured upon such an admonition. Fortunately, from this period we hear little of Lord Dorset's debaucheries. It may be remarked, however, that Nell Gywnn was for some time under his protection, previously to her becoming the mistress of Charles.

In what was still an ostentatious and a romantic age,when the sun of chivalry had scarcely yet set, and when, to be considered valiant, it was necessary to have given personal proof of valour-the gay courtiers of Charles made war a pastime, and eagerly volunteered their services in the sickliest climates, and on the most hazardous expeditions. Among these candidates for fame was Lord Buckhurst. In 1665 he hastened on board the fleet under the Duke of York, and consequently was present at the great naval fight of the 3rd of June, when the Dutch Admiral Opdam was blown up, and thirty of

*The particulars of this affair will be found by the curious in Anthony Wood's Life of Himself, and also in the Athenæ Oxonienses, vol. ii. p. 1100, where they are again detailed by the antiquary.

his ships either destroyed or captured. The night before the action, with a gallantry and recklessness of spirit the true philosophy of which is questionable, he is said to have composed his famous song:

"To all ye ladies now on land,

We men at sea indite," &c.

Whether the song were really written on the eve of battle, may perhaps be doubted: there is certainly no reference to any proximity on the part of the enemy's fleet, a circumstance which could hardly fail to have been touched upon, had it been known to the writer. The young and courtly volunteers seem to have passed their time pleasantly enough : *—

"To pass the tedious hours away,

We throw a merry main,

Or else at serious ombre play;
But why should we in vain
Each other's ruin thus pursue?
We were undone when we left you,
With a fa, la, la, la, la.

But now our fears tempestuous grow,
And cast our hopes away;
Whilst you, regardless of our woe,

Sit careless at a play;

Perhaps permit some happier man,

To kiss your hand, or flirt your fan,
With a fa, la, la, la, la."

* According to Sheffield, Duke of Buckingham, however, they were sufficiently long at sea to grow tired of each other's society: "Tis observable," he says, 'that the first night we came to London, the Lord Blany, Sir Thomas Clifford, afterwards Lord Treasurer, Mr. Henry Saville, and myself, though such familiar friends as to be very often together for many years after, were then so satiated and cloyed with each other, by our being shut up together so long in one ship, that I remember we avoided one another's company at least for a whole month after; though, except myself, there could hardly be any more pleasant." --Duke of Buckingham's Works, vol. ii. p. 5.