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This great man died in the poffeffion of the highest honours and faireft reputation the 25th of December 1676, in the 84th year of his age. His grace was twice married, but had iffue only by his first lady. His titles defcended to his fon, Henry earl of Ogle, who was the faft heir male of his family, and died 1691, with whom the title of Newcastle in the line of Cavendish became extinct.

In his exile he wrote two comedies, viz.

The Country Captain, a Comedy, printed at Antwerp 1649, afterwards prefented by his Majefty's fervants at Black-Fryars, and very much commended by Mr. Leigh.

Variety, a Comedy, prefented by his Majefty's Servants at Black-Fryars, and firft printed in 1649, and generally bound with the Country Captain; it was alfo highly commended in a copy of verfes by Mr. Alexander Brome.

He likewife has written

The Humourous Lovers, a Comedy, acted by his royal highness's fervants, Lond. 1677, 4to. This was received with great applaufe, and efteemed one of the best plays of that time.

The Triumphant Widow; or, the Medley of Humours, a Comedy, acted by his royal highnefs's fervants, Lond. 1677, 4to. which pleafed Mr. Shadwell fo well, that he transcribed a part of it into his Bury Fair, one of the moft taking plays of that poet.

Shadwell fays of his grace, that he was the. greatest mafter of wit, the moft exact obferver of mankind, and the most accurate judge of humour, that ever he knew.

Sir JOHN BIRKENHEAD.

WIN

INSTANLEY, in his fhort account of this gentleman, fays, that they who are ignorant of his works, muft plead ignorance of all wit and learning; but the truth is, though he made fome figure in his time, yet it was not fo confiderable as to tranfmit his name with any luftre to pofterity, and Winftanley has been too peremptory, in fecluding thofe from wit, who fhould be ignorant of the fame of Birkenhead. This obfervation, however, excited us to a fearch after fome particulars concerning him; for Winstanley himself has given very few, and clofes his life in his ufual way, with only informing the readers that he lived in fuch a reign. The beft account we could find of him, is in the Athenæ Oxon. of Wood. Our author was fon of Randal Birkenhead of Northwich in Cheshire, Sadler, and was born there; he became a fervitor of Oriel College, under the tuition of Humphrey Lloyd, afterwards lord bifhop of Bangor. He continued in the college till he was made bachelor of arts, and then becoming Amanuenfis to Dr. Laud, afterwards archbishop of Canterbury, who, taking a liking to him for his ingenuity, did, by his diploma make him mafter of arts, An. 1639, and by his letters commendatory thereupon, he was elected probationer fellow of All-Souls College, in the year following. After the rebellion broke out, and the King fet up his court at Oxford, our author was appointed to write the Mercurii Aulici, which being very pleafing to the loyal party, his Majefty recommended

him to the electors, that they would chufe him moral philofophy reader; which being accordingly done, he continued in that office, with little profit from it, till 1648, at which time he was not only turned out thence, but from his fellowfhip, by the Prefbyterian vifitors. Afterwards, in this deftitute fituation, Wood obferves, that he retired to London, and made fhift to live upon his wits; having fome reputation in poetry, he was often applied to by young people in love, to write epiftles for them, and fongs, and fonnets on their mistreffes he was alfo employed in tranflating and writing other little things, fo as to procure a tolerable livelihood.

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Having, in this manner, fupported the gloomy period of confufion, he was, at his Majefty's restoration. by virtue of his letters, fent to the univerfity, created doctor of the civil law, and in 1661 he was elected a Burgess for Wilton, to ferve in that Parliament which began at Westminster the 8th of May, the fame year. In 1662, November 14, he received-the honour of knighthood, and January 1663 he was constituted one of the mafters of requests, in the room of Sir Richard Fanfhaw, when he went ambaffador into Spain, he being then alfo mafter of the faculties, and a member of the Royal Society. An anonymous writer tells us, that Sir John Berkenhead was a poor alehouse-keeper's fon, and that he rose by lying, or buffooning at court, to be one of the masters of requests, and faculty office, and also got by gifts at court 3000 1. This is a poor reflexion upon him, and indeed rather raifes, than detracts from his reputation, for a man certainly must have merit, who can rife without the advantage of fortune or birth, whereas these often procure a fool preferment, and make him eminent, who might otherwife have lived and died in ob

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fcurity. It is faid of Birkenhead, that when an unmannerly Member of Parliament, in oppofing him, took occafion to fay, that he was furprized to hear an alehoufe-keeper's fon talk fo confidently in the House, he coolly replied, I am an alehoufekeeper's fon, I own it, and am not afhamed of it, but had the gentleman, who upbraided me with my birth, been thus defcended, in all probability he would have been of the fame profeffion himfelf; a reply at once, fenfible and witty. Mr. Wood, however, feems to be of opinion, that he was too much given to bantering, and that if he had thrown lefs of the buffoon or mimic into his converfation, his wit would have been very agreeable. He is charged by Wood with a higher failing, which ought indeed rather to be conftrued one of the blackeft crimes, that is, ingratitude to thofe who affifted him in diftrefs, whom, fays he, he afterwards flighted. This is a heavy charge, and, if true, not a little diminishes his reputation, but methinks fome apology may even be made for his flighting thofe who affifted him in diftrefs; we find they were fuch perfons as could never challenge efteem, young men in love, for whom he wrote fonnets, and for whom he might have no friendship; it often happens, that men of parts are fo unhappy as to be obliged to fuch people, with whom, were their fituation otherwife, it would be beneath them to affociate; and it is no wonder when profperity returns, that they, in fome measure, forget obligations they owed to thofe of a rank fo much inferior: and fomething must be allowed to thrat pride, which a fuperior understanding naturally infpires.

Our author's works are

Mercurius Aulicus. Communicating the Intelligence, and the Affairs of the Court at Oxford to

the

the rest of the Kingdom, the first of these was published on the ift of January, 1642, and were carried on till about the end of 1645, after which time they were published but now and then. They were printed weekly in one sheet, and fometimes in more, in 4to, and contain, fays Wood, a great deal of wit and buffoonery.

News from Pembroke and Montgomery, or Oxford Manchestered, &c. printed in 1648 in one fheet 4to. It is a feigned fpeech, as spoken by Philip, earl of Pembroke, in the Convocation Houfe at Oxford, April 12, 1648, when he came to vifit, and undo the Univerfity, as Edward, Earl of Manchefter had done that of Cambridge, while he was Chancellor thereof. It is exceeding waggish, and much imitating his Lordship's way of fpeaking.

Paul's Church-yard; Libri Theologici, Politici, Hiftorici, mundinis Paulinis (una cum Templo) proftant venales, &c. printed in three several sheets in 4to. Anno 1649. Thefe Pamphlets contain feigned Titles of Books, and Acts of Parliaments, and feveral Queftions, all reflecting on the Reformers, and Men in thofe times.

The Four Legg'd Quaker, a Ballad, to the Tune of the Dog and Elders Maid, London 1659, in three columns in one fide of a fheet of paper.

A New Ballad of a famous German Prince, without date.

The Affembly Man, written 1647, London 1663, in three sheets in 4to. The copy of it was taken from the author by thofe that faid they could not rob, because all was theirs; at length after it had flept feveral years, the author published it to avoid falfe copies; it is alfo printed in a Book entitled Wit and Loyalty Revived, in a Collection of fome fmart Satires in Verfe and Profe, on the late times, London 1682, faid to be written by Cowley, our Author, and the famous Butler; he hath alfo fcat.

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