Mandaviffet Majore pietate quam impenfa H. Obiit iii. die Martii anno æræ ejufdem Epitaphium HENRICI CAVENDISH, Armig. FAME. HENRICO CAVENDISIO Guil. Equit. aurati a Chatesworth in agro Derb. Filio natu maximo Ex matre clariffima Elizab. Hardwick ab Hardwick in eodem agro nata quæ quarto Marito Georgio Salopiæ Comiti fexto Innupta eft Viro ftrenuo ac forti Ut qui unus (ex primis illis volonibus chiliarchis Cujus erat patiens ac peritus pariter Ubi autem negocia feciffet otio locum Non defes audiret In hoc agro Armis exuviifq; depofitis CIO ICC XVI. THE LIFE of WILLIAM, the Second Earl of DEVONSHIRE. W ILLIAM, the fecond Earl of Devonfhire, born in the year 1591, was very tenderly brought up, till he arrived to an age proper to be put under the care of a tutor. The perfon pitched upon for this important truft was Mr. Thomas Hobbs, an excellent fcholar in moft branches of literature. When the young Lord had finished his ftudies at home, he made a tour to feveral parts of Europe, attended by his tutor, who was well verfed both in the ancient and modern languages; and having feen every thing worthy of obfervation, returned to his native country. On his first appearance at Court, which was in 1609, King James was fo pleased with his graceful mien, and other fine accomplishments, that he conferred on him the honour of Knighthood; and, as an additional mark of the esteem he had for his perfon, procured his marriage with Chriftian, his own near kinfwoman, only daughter of his great favourite, Edward Lord Bruce, who had been, as many hiftorians obferve, one of the principal inftruments, in Queen Elizabeth's reign, of fecuring to him the Crown of England; in gratitude for which, his Majefty brought about this match, which was advantageous indeed to Lord Bruce, and yet not merely honorary to Sir William: as the King gave with the Lady 10,000l. fortune; and, to complete the work, even turned follicitor with B the the Earl, to make a farther fettlement on them out of his plentiful eftate, fuitable to his fon's poft, and the Lady's quality; which requeft was readily complied with. As Sir William, now Lord Cavendish (his father hav ing been created an Earl) was not only distinguished for his politeness, but a perfect mafter of languages, he was pitched upon to conduct feveral foreign Minifters to their audience, particularly the French, Venetian, and Dutch Ambaffadors. In 1625 his father died, to whofe titles and eftates he fucceeded. And in this fame year he attended Charles I, with his Countefs, to Canterbury, and affifted at the nuptials of that Prince with Henrietta, a Daughter of France, where he appeared in that fplendor, which does honour to a Court on fuch folemnities. We shall say no more with regard to his behaviour in the House of Lords (after his having been called up to that auguft Affembly, on his father's deceafe,) than that he discovered the fame zeal for the fervice of his King and Country, as he had done in the Houfe of Commons, was always heard with great attention, and equally beloved and efteemed in both. Some writers have been pleafed to obferve, by way of diminution to his character, that he became too much engaged in the exceffes predominant in that age; that his houfe rather appeared like a Prince's court than a fubject's, and that, by his exceffive gallantry and glorious way of living, he contracted a vaft debt, and greatly impaired his fortune. Perhaps he might have carried too far the natural propenfity he had to fplendor and magnificence, which the age he lived in fo much encouraged; but we do not hear of others fuffering on this account. It was a failing, indeed, but fuch a one as none but the great and generous are capable of falling falling into, and fince we are told of no other, we may prefume it was his only one. His general character, both in public and private life, which is drawn up by a very mafterly hand, will give us a perfect idea of his many amiable qualities. Mr. Hobbs, who had known him from an infant, fays of him, in the Dedication to the young Earl his fon, of the Hiftory of Thucydides, tranflated from the Greek; 66 By experience of many years I have had "the honour to ferve him, I know this, there was not any, who more really, and lefs for glory's "fake, favoured thofe that ftudied the liberal arts, "than my Lord your father did, nor in whofe "house a man fhould lefs need the University than "in his. For his own ftudy, it was beftowed, for "the most part, in that kind of learning, which "best deferveth the pains and hours of great per"fons, Hiftory and Civil Knowledge, and directed not to the oftentation of his reading, but to the government of his life, and the publick good; "for he fo read, that the learning that he took in "by ftudy, by judgment he digefted and convert"ed into wisdom and ability to benefit his coun try: To which he alfo applied himself with zeal, "but fuch as took no fire, either from faction or "ambition. And as he was a moft able man for "foundness of advice, and clear expreffion of him"felf in matters of difficulty and confequence, "both in publick and private; fo alfo was he one "whom no man was able either to draw or juftle out "of the ftrait path of juftice. Of which virtue, I "know not whether he deserved more by his feverity in impofing it (as he did to his laft breath) on himself, or by his magnanimity in not exact"ing it to himself from others. No man better dif"cerned of men, and therefore was he constant in "his friendships, because he regarded not the fortune nor adherence, but the men; with whom alsɔ 66 "he converfed with an openness of heart, that had "no other guard than his own integrity, and that "Nil confcire*. To his equals he carried himself equally, and to his inferiors familiarly, but main"taining his refpect fully, and only with the na"tive fplendor of his worth. In fum, he was "one in whom might plainly be perceived, that "Honour and Honefty are but the fame thing in the different degrees of perfons." The Earl departed this life at his house without Bifhopfgate, in London, where Devonshire-Square is now built, the 20th of June, 1628, and was buried in the vault at Allhallows church in Derby, leaving in minority his fon and fucceffor. By his excellent Lady he had iffue four children, viz. 1. William, his heir; 2. Charles; 3. Henry, who died young; and 4. Anne, married to Robert Lord Rich, fon and heir to Robert Earl of Warwick. * Or, in other words, that he was not confcious of having done any thing that was bad. |