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 MRS. GODOLPHI 
 
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JOHN EVELYN'S LIFE OF 
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 X 
 
THE LIFE OF 
 
 MRS. GODOLPHIN 
 
 BY JOHN EVELYN 
 
 OF WOOTTON ESQ. 
 
 r 
 
 Nenv edition 
 
 Edited by Edward William Harcourt 
 of Nuneham Park 
 
 OXON. ESQ^ 
 
 LONDON 
 
 SAMPSON LOW, MARSTON, SEARLE, AND 
 
 RIVINGTON, LIMITED, 
 
 ST. DUNSTAN'S HOUSE, FETTER LANE, FLEET STREET. 
 
 NEW YORK 
 ANSON D. F. RANDOLPH & CO. 
 
 1888. 
 
Preface. 
 
 Y grandfather, who was 
 a great-great-grandson of 
 John Evelyn, inherited 
 from his distinguished ancestor the 
 manuscript of a life of Mrs. Go- 
 dolphin. 
 
 In the year 1847 ^^ entrusted 
 this precious document to Samuel 
 Wilberforce, then Bishop of Ox- 
 ford, for publication. 
 
 Forty years have now elapsed 
 since that time, and I have been 
 
 advised that it would be desirable 
 
 to 
 
vi Preface. 
 
 to present a fresh edition of the 
 work to the public. 
 
 A valued friend has assured me 
 that, within his knowledge, many- 
 daughters of England have been 
 assisted, by the reading of this life, 
 to " walk through the fiery furnace 
 and feel no hurt," and "io *' main- 
 tain a simple unaffedled purity of 
 faith," even in the midst of some 
 of the more difficult paths of life. 
 
 Such then is the call to which 
 I respond. 
 
 It would be ill-judged in me to 
 load this book with a long preface, 
 provided as it already is with so 
 apt an introduction by Bishop 
 Wilberforce. The small altera- 
 tions I have adventured have been 
 simply in the direction of a stridter 
 
 adherence 
 
Preface. 
 
 adherence to the text, and the 
 additions * which I have made to 
 Mr. Hohnes' notes are but slight. 
 
 My chief concern is to per- 
 petuate the memory of Mistress 
 Blagge, whom Evelyn did so 
 ** infinitely esteem for her many 
 and extraordinary virtues,'* and of 
 whom he has given us so perfedt 
 a biography. 
 
 The *^ extraordinary virtues" of 
 Mrs. Godolphin are, in their several 
 measures, equally attainable by all, 
 whether they inhabit a palace or 
 a cottage. Each and every one has 
 it in her power to shed, in her 
 degree, the same radiant light, 
 which, as our Author shows us, 
 
 * These are distinguished by inverted 
 brackets. 
 
 was 
 
 Vll 
 
VIU 
 
 Preface. 
 
 was cast by ** this unspotted virgin, 
 " this loyal wife, this sincerefriend, 
 *' this consummate Christian," and 
 which is capable of so brightly 
 illuminating the dull atmosphere 
 of a heedless world. 
 
 E. W. Harcourt, 
 
 Nuneham Park, Oxon, 
 May, 1887. 
 
DEDICATION 
 
 BY 
 
 SAMUEL WILBERFORCE 
 
 1847 
 
To His Grace 
 
 EDWARD, 
 
 Lord Archbishop of York, Lord High 
 Almoner, &c. 
 
 
 «, tjk. kv 
 
 ^L/ 
 
 My Lord Archbishop, 
 
 OUR Grace will, I trust, 
 allow me to inscribe the 
 following pages to you. 
 Tour unmerited kindness, shown 
 to me on many other occasions, en- 
 trusted them to me for publication ; 
 and I well know that whilst your 
 Grace has felt that the light of such 
 an example as they exhibit ought not 
 to be concealed, you rejoice to know 
 
 that 
 
• • 
 
 Xll 
 
 Dedication. 
 
 
 that you have lived to see a British 
 
 
 Court which in purity of morals and 
 
 
 domestic virtue affords the most blessed 
 
 
 contrast to those evil days through 
 
 
 which Margaret Godolphin was en- 
 
 
 abled to live in the brightness of a 
 
 
 godly purity^ and to die in peace. 
 
 
 I have the honour to be. 
 
 
 Tour Grace s obliged and 
 
 
 affeBionate 
 
 
 S. OxoN : 
 
 
 Cuddesdon Palace, 
 
 . 
 
 Feb. 1847. 
 
( 
 
 |^3oA^ 
 
 MMmoi^!& CSj^/iJl^S 
 
 ^Jfetex^ 
 
 
 l^^^Sii^^('('»JF 
 
 ^^^^jo^^f^f 
 
 ^^n 
 
 ^^^^ 
 
 3i^^ 
 
 Introduction. 
 
 HE following Memoir 
 was drawn up by the ac- 
 complished John Evelyn, 
 of Wootton, and intended by him 
 for publication ; but it never re- 
 ceived his final corred:ions. In a 
 manuscript paper of memoranda 
 left at Wootton in Mr. Evelyn's 
 hand-writing, its title occurs in a 
 list of " Things I would write out 
 faire and reform if I had the lei- 
 sure." In his family, the MS. has 
 remained until the present time, 
 having passed into the hands of Mr. 
 
 Evelyn's 
 
XIV 
 
 Introdu8iion. 
 
 Evelyn's great - great - grandson,* 
 His Grace the Honourable Edward 
 Harcourt, Lord Archbishop of 
 York, by whom it has been en- 
 trusted for publication to the care 
 of the present Editor. The MS. 
 which is written with extraordinary 
 care and neatness, and apparently 
 in Mr. Evelyn's own hand-writing, 
 has been printed almost as it stands. 
 The original spelling, which is 
 not uniform throughout the 
 volume, has been preserved wher- 
 ever its strangeness did not throw 
 some obscurity over the meaning 
 of the passage. A few words 
 which here and there were needful 
 to complete the sense have been 
 conjedturally inserted, but always 
 in brackets. 
 
 * See Table V. p. 293. 
 
 Thi 
 
IntroduEiion, 
 
 The text is illustrated by two 
 genealogical tables, a short sketch 
 of the life of Sir George Blagge, 
 and a valuable body of illustrative 
 notes, which the Editor owes to 
 the accurate and well-furnished 
 pen of John Holmes, Esq. of the 
 British Museum, who has kindly 
 contributed them to this volume. 
 
 From the genealogical table it 
 will be seen, that Mrs. Godolphin 
 sprang from an ancient and ho- 
 nourable house, and that her blood 
 still flows in the veins of some of 
 the most illustrious of the nobility 
 of England. Her husband, who 
 rose to the highest honours of the 
 state, was early left a widower, 
 and, surviving his wife thirty-four 
 years, never remarried. He trans- 
 mitted to Francis, their only child, 
 the earldom of Godolphin. This 
 
 Francis, 
 
 XV 
 
xvi IntroduSiion. 
 
 Francis, 2nd Earl of Godolphin, 
 married Henrietta Churchill, eldest 
 daughter and co-heir of John 
 Duke of Marlborough, to whom 
 in her own right passed the duke- 
 dom of Marlborough. By the 
 death without issue of William 
 Godolophin, first, Viscount Rialton, 
 and afterwards, Marquis of Bland- 
 ford, — their only son who attained 
 to manhood, — the honours of the 
 house of Marlborough passed to 
 the family of Spencer from the 
 descendants of Margaret Godol- 
 phin. By the marriage of Mary 
 the heiress of the 2nd Lord Go- 
 dolphin to Thomas the 4th Duke 
 of Leeds, her name and blood 
 passed into the succession of that 
 illustrious house. 
 
 But it was not for gentle de- 
 scent or noble alliance that Mar- 
 garet 
 
IntroduBion. 
 
 xvii 
 
 garet Godolphin was the most re- 
 markable or best deserves remem- 
 brance. Rather did she add dis- 
 tinction to an ancient line, and 
 transmit to all her posterity that 
 memory of her virtues and inhe- 
 ritance of good deeds without 
 which titles and hereditary rank 
 are but splendid contradictions and 
 conspicuous blemishes. 
 
 Her lot was cast in the darkest 
 age of England's morals ; she lived 
 in a court where flourished in their 
 rankest luxuriance all the vice and 
 littleness, which the envy of de- 
 tractors without, has ever loved to 
 impute — and at times, thank God, 
 with such utter falsehood — to 
 courts in general. 
 
 In the reign of Charles the 
 Second, that revulsion of feeling 
 which affeCts nations just as it 
 
 does 
 
XVlll 
 
 IhtroduSiion. 
 
 does individuals had plunged into 
 dissipation all ranks on their escape 
 from the narrow austerities and 
 gloomy sourness of puritanism. 
 The court, as was natural, shared 
 to the full in these new excesses of 
 an unrestrained indulgence; whilst 
 many other influences led to its 
 wider corruption. The foreign 
 habits contrad:ed in their banish- 
 ment by the returning courtiers 
 were ill suited to the natural gra- 
 vity of English manners, and in- 
 troduced at once a wide-spread 
 licentiousness. The personal cha- 
 radier, moreover of the King 
 helped on the general corruption. 
 Gay, popular, and witty, with a 
 temper nothing could cross, and 
 an affability nothing could repress, 
 he was thoroughly sensual, selfish, 
 and depraved — vice in him was 
 
 made 
 
IntroduSiion. 
 
 XIX 
 
 made so attraffive by the wit and 
 gaiety with which it was tricked 
 out, that its utmost grossness seem- 
 ed for the time rather to win than 
 to repulse beholders. Around the 
 King clustered a band of congenial 
 spirits, a galaxy of corruption, who 
 spread the pollution upon every 
 side. The names of Buckingham 
 and Rochester, of Etheridge, Kil- 
 ligrew, and Sedley, still maintain 
 a bad preeminence in the annals 
 of English vice. As far as the 
 common eye could reach there 
 was little to resist the evil. The 
 Duke of York, the next heir to 
 the throne, a coldhearted liber- 
 tine, shared the vices of the King, 
 without the poor gloss of his social 
 attrad:ions. It was the day of Eng- 
 land's deepest degradation, when 
 in private life morality was a re- 
 proach. 
 
XX 
 
 IntroduEiion. 
 
 proach, truth departed, and reli- 
 gion a jest; when in affairs of state 
 French gold and foreign influence 
 had corrupted and subdued the 
 throned monarch, and England's 
 King was daily losing what had 
 been gained by the Protedlor of 
 the Commonwealth. 
 
 It was a day of heartless merri- 
 ment, upon which fell suddenly a 
 night of blackness, which swal- 
 lowed up its crew of godless re- 
 vellers. A pidiure more deeply 
 tragical than that thus simply 
 sketched by Mr. Evelyn at the end, 
 of Charles himself, can scarcely 
 be conceived. " I can never for- 
 get the inexpressible luxury and 
 prophaneness, gaming and all dis- 
 soluteness, and as it were total 
 forgetfulness of God (it being 
 Sunday evening) which this day 
 
 se'nnight 
 
IntroduBion. xxi 
 
 se'nnight I was witness of, the 
 King sitting and toying with his 
 concubines, Portsmouth, Cleave- 
 land, and Mazarine, &c. a French 
 boy singing love songs in that 
 glorious gallery, whilst about 20 
 of the great courtiers and other 
 dissolute persons were at Basset 
 round a large table, a bank of at 
 least 2000 in gold before them, 
 upon which two gentlemen who 
 were with me made reflexions 
 with astonishment. Six days after 
 was all in the dust." 
 
 'Evelyn's Diary ^ Feb. 1684-5. 
 
 In the midst of such a general 
 reign of wickedness, it is most re- 
 freshing to the wearied spirit to 
 find by closer search some living 
 witnesses for truth and holiness — 
 
 some 
 
xxu 
 
 IntroduSiion. 
 
 some who, through God's Grace, 
 passed at His call their vexed days 
 amongst the orgies of that crew, 
 as untainted by its evils, as is the 
 clear sunbeam by the corruption 
 of a loathsome atmosphere. Such 
 an one was Margaret Godolphin, 
 whom neither the license of those 
 evil days, nor the scandal and de- 
 tradtion with which they abound- 
 ed, ever touched in spirit or in 
 reputation. Verily she walked in 
 the flames of *' the fiery furnace 
 and felt no hurt, neither did the 
 smell of fire pass upon her." 
 
 In what strength she lived this 
 life the following pages will de- 
 clare. They will shew that ever 
 by her side, conversing with her 
 spirit through its living faith, there 
 was a fourth form like unto the 
 Son of God. And one thing for 
 
 our 
 
IntroduEiion. 
 
 our instruction and encouragement 
 may here be specially noted : that 
 in that day of reproach she was a 
 true daughter of the Church of 
 England. Puritanism did not con- 
 trad: her soul into moroseness ; nor 
 did she go to Rome to learn the 
 habits of devotion. In the train- 
 ing of our own Church she found 
 enough of God's teaching to in- 
 struct her soul ; in its lessons she 
 found a rule of holy self-denying 
 obedience ; in its prayers a practice 
 of devotion ; in its body a fellow- 
 ship with saints ; in its ordinances 
 a true communion with her God 
 and Saviour ; which were able to 
 maintain in simple, unaffeded pu- 
 rity her faith at court, in dutiful, 
 adtive love her married life ; which 
 sufficed to crown her hours of bitter 
 anguish and untimely death with a 
 
 joyful 
 
 XXlll 
 
xxiv 
 
 IntroduEiion. 
 
 
 joyful resignation and assured wait- 
 
 
 ing for her crown. 
 
 
 Such is the sketch presented in 
 
 
 these pages to the reader. May- 
 
 
 he in a better day learn in secret, 
 
 
 for himself, those lessons of hea- 
 
 
 venly wisdom which adorned the 
 
 
 life and glorified the death of Mar- 
 
 
 garet Godolphin. 
 
 
 •# 
 
 
 ^ 
 
The Life of Mrs. 
 Godolphin. 
 
 Vn Dieu v/V' vn Amy. 
 To THE Lady Sylvius. 
 
 Madam, 
 
 AM not vnmindfull of what 
 your Ladyship lately sug- 
 gested to me concerning that 
 blessed Saint now in heaven. Doe you 
 beleive I need be incited to preserve 
 the memory of one whose Image is 
 soe deeply printed in my heart ? Butt 
 you would have a more permanent 
 Record of her perfedions, and soe 
 would I ; not onely for the veneration 
 wee beare her precious Ashes, butt for 
 
 the 
 
 k' 
 
 B 
 
The Life of 
 
 the good of those who, emulous of her 
 vertues, would pursue the Instance of 
 it, in this, or perhapps any age before 
 it. 'Tis certaine the materialls I have 
 by me would furnish one who were 
 Master of a Stile becomeing soe admi- 
 rable a Subjedt ; and wish'd I have, a 
 thousand tymes, the person in the world 
 who knew her best, and most she loved, 
 would give vs the pidure his pencill 
 could best delineat : if such an Artist as 
 he is decline the vndertakeing, for fear 
 that even with all his skill he should not 
 reach the orriginall, how farr short am 
 I like to fall, who cannot pretend to 
 the meanest of his Talents. But as in- 
 dignation (they say) sometymes creats 
 a poem where there is no naturall dis- 
 position in the composer; soe a mighty 
 obligation, a holy freindshipp, and your 
 Ladyshipp's comands, irresistibly pre- 
 vaile with me rather to hazard the cen- 
 sure of my Imperfections, then to dis- 
 obey you, or suffer those precious me- 
 
 moryes 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 moryes to be lost which deserve con- 
 secration to Eternity : 'tis then the least 
 and last service I can express to a dye- 
 ing freind for whome I should not have 
 refused even to dye my selfe. Butt, 
 Madam, you will not exped: I should 
 be soe exadtly particular in the minuter 
 circumstances of her birth and what 
 past in her Infancy and more tender 
 years, because I have sometimes told 
 her pleasantly I would write her life; 
 when God knowes I little thought of 
 surviveing her whome often I have 
 wished might be att the closeing of myne 
 owneEyes. I had not the honor of being 
 acquainted with her till the last seaven 
 years of her life. I say the little expec- 
 tation I had of ereding to her a monu- 
 ment of this nature, made me not soe 
 Industrious to Informe myselfe of what 
 was past as I should have beene ; for I 
 am perswaded that from the begining 
 something of exterordnary remarkeable 
 was all along conspicuous in her ; nor 
 
 was 
 
 3 
 
4 
 
 The Life of 
 
 was it possible that my admiration of 
 her vertueSj when I came to know her, 
 should not have promipted me to en- 
 quire concerneing many particulars of 
 her life before I knew her. Something 
 I learned casually conversing with her, 
 diverse things from the papers comu- 
 nicated to me since her decease, and 
 from what your Ladyshipp has In- 
 formed me ; from whome I might de- 
 rive ample matter to furnish vpon this 
 subjed. Butt, as I said, it would be- 
 come a steadier hand, and the penn of 
 an Angells wing, to describe the life of 
 a Saint who is now amongst those Il- 
 lustrious orders. Butt, Madam, 'tis your 
 peremptorye Coinand, I should sett 
 downe what I know; and, how diffident 
 soever I ought to be of acquitting my 
 selfe as I should, yett since 'tis hardly 
 possible to say any thing soe indiffe- 
 rently butt must raise an Emulation in 
 those that read or hear of it to Imitate her 
 vertues, [I enter] vpon the adventure. 
 
 Where 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 Where this excellent Creature was 
 borne, I have learned from you; when, 
 from her selfe ; namely, as I remember, 
 on the Second of August, in the year 
 1652 ; a month and a year never to be 
 forgotten by me without a mixture of 
 different passions, for then had I born 
 that Child whose early hopes you have 
 often heard me deplore the loss of, nor 
 doe I yett remember him without emo- 
 tion. 
 
 'Tis not to informe your Ladyshipp 
 of a thing you doe not know, butt for 
 methods sake that I speake something of 
 the family of this Lady, which was very 
 honorable; her father was Collonell Tho- 
 mas Blagge, a Gent, of an ancient Suf- 
 folke family, and a person of soe exter- 
 ordnary witt and signall Loyalty, as not 
 only made him esteemed by that blessed 
 Martyr Charles the First, being made 
 Groome of his Bedd Chamber, butt to 
 
 be 
 
The Life of 
 
 be intrusted with one of his principall 
 Garrisons, namely that of Wallingford, 
 dureing the late rebellion. How wor- 
 thy ly he acquitted himselefe of that 
 charge in that vnhappy warr is vpon 
 another monumentall Record. Hee 
 lived to see his Majestye who now 
 raignes restored to his Kingdomes, and 
 to dye in his favour. Mrs. Blagge his 
 Lady (Mother to our Saint) was a wo- 
 man soe eminent in all the vertues and 
 perfedlions of her sex, that it were hard 
 to say whether were superior her Beau- 
 ty, Witt, or Piety ; for, as I have heard 
 from those who intimately knew her, 
 she was in all these very like her daugh- 
 ter, and then I am sure there could no- 
 thing be added to render her a most 
 admirable person. The iniquitye of the 
 tymes had accquainted her with sorrow 
 enough to have distradled her, being 
 left butt in difficult circumstances, yett 
 she lived to discharge all her husbands 
 engagements that were very consider- 
 able 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 able, and to provide an honourable 
 competency for noe less then 3 young 
 daughters, whereof this was the young- 
 est. 
 
 Itt was by this excellent mother that 
 this rare child was as early instituted in 
 the fear of God as she could speake : 
 and as her exterordnary discernment 
 soone advanced to a great and early 
 sence of Religion, soe she brought her 
 to be confirmed by the now Lord Bi- 
 shopp of Ely, Dodbor Gunning ; who 
 itt appeares was soe surprized att those 
 early Graces he discovered in her, that 
 he thought fitt she should be admitted 
 to the holy Sacrament when she was 
 hardly Eleavenyearsof Age : from that 
 moment forwards, young and spright- 
 fuU as she was, she was observed to live 
 with great circumspeAion, prescribeing 
 to herselfe a constant method of devo- 
 tion, and certaine dayes of abstinence, 
 that she might the better vacate to holy 
 
 dutyes. 
 
8 
 
 The Life of 
 
 dutyes, and gaine that mastery over her 
 appetite, which, with all other passions, 
 she had strangely subdued to my often 
 admiration. Butt I should have told 
 your Ladyshipp, though I remember 
 not on what occasion, she went with 
 the old Dutchess of Richmond into 
 France, who consigned her to the care 
 ofthe late Countess of Guilford, Groome 
 of the Stoole to the late Queen Mother, 
 with whome she continued till her Ma- 
 jestye came into England : And this 
 minds me of what I have heard, that 
 being frequently tempted by that By- 
 gott proselitesse to goe to Masse and 
 be a papist, our young Saint would not 
 only not be perswaded to it, but assert- 
 ed her better faith with such readiness 
 and constancy, (as according to the ar- 
 gument of that keen Religion) caused 
 her to be rudely treated and menaced 
 by the Countess ; soe as she was be- 
 come a Confessor, and almost a Martyr, 
 before she was 7 years old. This pas-. 
 
 sage 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 sage I have from her selfe,and she would 
 relate it with pretty circumstances : but 
 long staid she not in France ; when, 
 being returned to her mother, she lived 
 with her sometyme in London, till, the 
 raigneing pestilence of Sixty-five breake- 
 ing out, every body retireing into the 
 Country, she accompanyed her into 
 Suffolke amongst her fathers Relations 
 there, and past the Recess with soe 
 much order and satisfa6lIon, that with 
 exterordnary regrett she was taken no- 
 tice of to quitt it; when being demand- 
 ed by the then Dutchess of Yorke for 
 a Maid of Honour, her Mother was 
 prevailed with to place her little Daugh- 
 ter att Court. This was indeed a sur- 
 prizeing change of Aire, and a perilous 
 Climate for one soe very young as she, 
 and scarcely yett attained to the twelvth 
 year of her age : butt by how much 
 more the danger soe much greater the 
 virtue and discretion, which not only 
 preserved her steady in that giddy Sta- 
 tion, 
 
lO 
 
 The Life of 
 
 tion, but soe improv'd, that the exam- 
 ple of this little Saint influenced not 
 onely her honourable companions, butt 
 some who were advanc'd in yeares be- 
 fore her, and of the most illustrious 
 quality. What! shall I say, she like a 
 young Apostless began to plant Reli- 
 gion in that barren Soyle ? Arethusa 
 pass'd thro' all those turbulent waters 
 without soe much as the least staine or 
 tindture in her Christall; with her Piety 
 grew vp her Witt, which was soe spark- 
 ling, accompanyed with a Judgment 
 and Eloquence so exterordnary, a 
 Beauty and Ayre soe charmeing and 
 lovely, in a word, an Address soe vniver- 
 sally takeing, that, after few years, the 
 Court never saw or had seen such a 
 Constellation of perfedlions amongst all 
 their splendid Circles. Nor did this, 
 nor the admiration it created, the Elo- 
 gies she every day received, and appli- 
 cation of the greatest persons, at all elate 
 her ; she was still the same, allwayes in 
 
 perfedl 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. ii 
 
 perfedt good humour, allwayes humble, 
 allwayes Religious to exactness. Itt 
 rendred her not a whitt moross, tho' 
 sometymes more serious, casting still 
 about how she might continue the 
 houres of publique and private devo- 
 tion and other exercises of piety, to 
 comply with her duty and attendance 
 on her Royall Mistress without singu- 
 larity or Reproach. 
 
 Thus pass'd she her tyme in that 
 Court till the Dutchess dyed ; dureing 
 whose Sickness, accompanyed (as it 
 was) with many vncomfortable circum- 
 stances, she waited and attended with 
 an exterordnary sedulity, and, as she has 
 sometymes told me, when few of the 
 rest were able to endure the fatigue : 
 and, therefore, here, before I proceed, 
 I cannot but take notice of those holy 
 and exterordnary refledlions she made 
 vpon this occasion, as I find them 
 amongst other loose papers vnder her 
 
 owne 
 
12 The Life of 
 
 owne faire hand, when compareing her 
 dear Mothers sickness and other freinds 
 departure with that of the Dutchess; 
 thus she writes. 
 
 '^ Mrs. N. dead, was an example of 
 patience vnder a burthen that was well 
 nigh vnsupportable ; often she received 
 the blessed Sacrament, often she prayed 
 and was very much resigned, not sur- 
 prized nor in confusion, but perceive- 
 ing her sight decay, calling vpon God 
 after many holy and pious discourses 
 and exhortations, she calmely bidd her 
 freinds farewell. 
 
 "A poore woman dead, worne to 
 skyn and bones with a consumption, she 
 made noe Complaints, but trusted in 
 God, and that what he thought fitt was 
 best, and to him resign'd her soule. A 
 poore creature that had been a great 
 sinner, died in misserable paines, in ex- 
 ceeding terror ; God was gracious to 
 
 hen 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 13 
 
 her, she was patient,verydevout,she was 
 released in prayer. My mother dead, 
 at first surprized, and very unwilhng ; 
 she was afterwards resign'd, received 
 often, prayed much, had holy things 
 read to her, delighted in heavenly dis- 
 course, desired to be dissolved and be 
 with Christ, ended her life chearfully, 
 and without paine, left her family in 
 order, and was much lamented. 
 
 " The D - - dead, a princess ho- 
 noured in power, had much witt, much 
 mony, much esteeme ; she was full of 
 vnspeakable tortur, and died (poore 
 creature) in doubt of her Religion, 
 without the Sacrament, or divine by 
 her, like a poore wretch ; none remem- 
 bred her after one weeke, none sorry 
 for her ; she was tost and flung about, 
 and every one did what they would 
 with that stately carcase. What is this 
 world, what is greatness, what to be es- 
 teemed, or thought a witt ^ Wee shall 
 
 all 
 
14 The Life of 
 
 all be stript without sence or remem- 
 brance. But God, if wee serve him in 
 our health, will give vs patience in our 
 Sickness." 
 
 I repeate the instance as sett downe 
 in her diary e, to shew how early she 
 made these vsefull and pious Recollec- 
 tions ; for she must needs be then very 
 young, and att an age, att least, when 
 very few of her sex, and in her circum- 
 stances, much concerne themselves with 
 these mortifyeing refledions. Butt, as 
 I have often heard her say, she loved 
 to be att funeralls, and in the house of 
 mourning ; soe being of the most com- 
 passionate nature in the world, she was 
 a constant visiter of the sick and of peo- 
 ple in distress. But, to proceed ; she had 
 not been above two yeares att Court 
 before her virtue, beauty, and witt 
 made her be looked vpon as a little 
 miracle ; and, indeed, there were some 
 addresses made her of the greatest per- 
 sons. 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 sons, not from the attra6tion of aiFedted 
 CharmeSj for she was ever, att that 
 sprightfull and free age, severely care- 
 full how she might give the least coun- 
 tenance to that liberty which the Gal- 
 lants there doe vsually assume of talk- 
 ing with less reserve ; nor did this ec- 
 clipse her pretty humour, which was 
 chearfuU and easy amongst those she 
 thought worthy her conversation. Itt is 
 not to be discribed (for It was tho' natu- 
 rall, in her //^imitable) with what Grace, 
 ready and soUd vnderstanding,she would 
 discourse. Nothing that she conceived 
 could be better expressed, and when she 
 was sometymes provok'd to Railly, 
 there was nothing in the world soe 
 pleasant, and inoffensively diverting 
 (shall I say), or instru6tive ; for she ever 
 mingl'd her freest entertainments with 
 something which tended to serious, and 
 did it in such a manner as allwayes left 
 some impressions exterordnary, even 
 vpon those who came perhapps with in- 
 clinations 
 
 15 
 
1 6 The Life of 
 
 clinations to pervert the most harmless 
 conversations ; soe as it was Impossible 
 for any to introduce a syllable which 
 did not comply with the stridest rules 
 of decency. 
 
 But I shall not be soe well able to 
 describe what I should say vpon this 
 occasion, as by giveing your Ladyshipp 
 the measures which she prescribed her- 
 selfe for the government ot her A6lions 
 when she was of duty to attend vpon 
 her Majestye in publlque; and when it 
 was not only impossible, but vnbecome- 
 ing, to entertaine those who composed 
 the Roy all Circle, and were persons of 
 the most illustrious qualltye, without 
 censure and rudeness. Behold then. 
 Madam, what I find written in her 
 owne hands againe, and that might be 
 a coppy for all that succeed her in that 
 honourable Station to transcribe and 
 imitate it; for she kept not onely a 
 most accurate account of all her ac- 
 tions, 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 17 
 
 tions, butt did likewise register her 
 serious purposes and resolutions, the 
 better to confirme and fix them, soe 
 as they were not hasty fitts of zeale and 
 sudden transports, but sollemne and de- 
 Uberate ; and this I rather chuse to doe 
 alsoe in her owne very words and me- 
 thod, innocent, naturall, and unafPed;- 
 ed. 
 
 <c 
 
 My life^ by God's Grace, without 
 which I can doe nothing, 
 
 " I must, till Lent, rise att halfe an 
 houre after eight a clock ; whilst put- 
 ting on morning cloathes, say the pray- 
 er for Death and the Te Deum : then 
 presently to my prayers, and, soe, either 
 dress my selfe or goe to Church prayers. 
 In dressing, I must consider how little 
 it signifyes to the saveing of my soule, 
 and how foolish 'tis to be angry about 
 a thing so vnnecessary. Consider what 
 our Saviour suffered. — O Lord, assist 
 me. 
 
 " When 
 
1 8 The Life of 
 
 '^ When I goe into the withdrawing 
 roome, lett me consider what my call- 
 ing is ; to entertaine the Ladys, not to 
 talke foolishly to Men, more especially 
 the King ; lett me consider if a Tray- 
 tor be hatefull, she that betrayes the 
 soule of one is much worse; — the danger, 
 the sin of it. Then, without pretend- 
 ing to witt, how quiet and pleasant a 
 thing it is to be silent, or, if I doe 
 speake, that it be to the Glory of God. 
 — Lord, assist me. 
 
 ^' Att Church lett me mind in what 
 place I am ; what about to ask, even 
 the salvation of my soule ; to whome I 
 speak,— to the God that made me, re- 
 deemed and san6tifyed me, and can yett 
 cutt me off when he pleases. — O Lord, 
 assist me. 
 
 " When I goe to my Lady Fal- 
 mouths, I ought to take paines with her 
 
 about 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 19 
 
 about her Religion, or else I am not her 
 freind ; to shew example by calmness in 
 dispute, in never speaking ill of anybody 
 to her, butt excuseing them rather. 
 
 *' Goe to the Queene allwayes att 
 nine, and then read that place concern- 
 ing the drawing roome, and lett my 
 man waite for me to bring me word 
 before publique prayers begin. If I 
 find she dynes late, come downe, pray, 
 and read, namely, that concerning pray- 
 er ; and think why I read, to benefitt 
 my soule, pass my tyme well, and im- 
 prove my vnderstanding. — O Lord, as- 
 sist me. 
 
 " Be sure still to read that for the 
 drawing roome in the privy chamber, 
 or presence, or other place, before pray- 
 ers ; and soe againe into the drawing 
 room for an hour or soe ; and then slipp 
 to my chamber and divert myselfe in 
 reading some pretty booke, because the 
 
 Queen 
 
20 The Life of 
 
 Queen does not require my waiteing ; 
 after this to supper, which must not be 
 much if I have dyned well ; and att 
 neither meale to eate above two dishes, 
 because temperance is best both for 
 soule and body ; then goe vpp to the 
 Queen, haveing before read, and well 
 thought of what you have written. 
 Amen. 
 
 " Sett not vp above halfe an hour 
 after eleaven att most ; and as you vn- 
 dress, repeate that prayer againe ; butt, 
 before, consider that you are perhapps 
 goeing to sleepe your last; being in 
 bedd, repeate your hymne softly ere 
 you turne to sleepe. 
 
 " If I awake in the night lett me say 
 that (for which she had colle6led many 
 excellent passages, as I find among her 
 papers,) psalm. Lord, assist me. 
 
 " In the morning, wakeing, vse a short 
 
 devotion, 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 21 
 
 devotion, and then, as soone as ever you 
 awake, rise imediately to praise him. 
 The Lord assist me/' 
 
 In another place of the same Diarye, 
 about which tyme I suppose there was 
 some play to be aded by the maids of 
 honour. — '^ Now as to pleasure, they are 
 speaking of playes and laughing att de- 
 vout people ; well, I will laugh att my- 
 selfe for my impertinencyes, that by de- 
 grees I may come to wonder why any 
 body does like me; and divert the dis- 
 course ; and talk of God and moralitye ; 
 avoid those people when I come into 
 the drawing roome, especially among 
 great persons, to divert them ; because 
 noe raillary allmost can be innocent : 
 goe not to the Dutchess of Monmouth 
 above once a weeke, except when wee . 
 dress to rehearse, and then carry a booke 
 along with me to read when I don't 
 a6t, and soe come away before supper. 
 
 '' Talke 
 
22 The Life of 
 
 " Talke little when you are there ; 
 if they speak of any body I can't com- 
 mend, hold my peace, what jest soever 
 they make ; be sure never to talk to 
 the King; when they speak filthy ly, 
 tho' I be laugh'd att, looke grave, re- 
 membring that of Micha, [Malachi] 
 there will a tyme come when the Lord 
 will bind vp his Jewells. Never meddle 
 with others buisness, nor hardly ask a 
 question ; talk not slightly of religion. 
 If you speake any thing they like, say 
 'tis borrowed, and be humble when com- 
 mended. Before I speake. Lord, assist 
 me ; when I pray. Lord, heare me ; 
 when I am praised, God, humble me. 
 May the clock, the candle, every thing 
 I see, instruct me. Lord cleanse my 
 hands, lett my feete tread thy pathes. 
 Is any body laughed att, say it may be 
 my case ; is any in trouble, say, ' Lord, 
 in justice I deserve it; butt thou art all 
 mercy ; make me thankfull.' On Fes- 
 tivall evens I resolve to dyne att home, 
 
 and 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 23 
 
 and to repeat all the psalmes I know by 
 heart," (of which she had almost the 
 whole psalter,) " reserveing my reading 
 or part of my prayers till night; and 
 supp with bread and beere only. 
 
 " On Fry day es and Wednesdaies 
 rie eat nothing till after evening prayer ; 
 and soe come downe as soone as ever 
 the Queene has dyned, without goeing 
 to visitt, till my owne prayers are finish- 
 ed.- 
 
 *^ The same will I observe the day 
 before I receive ; vse to pray on those 
 dayes by daylight ; and early on Sun- 
 dayes^and think of no diversion till after 
 evening prayer ; to dyne abroad as 
 little as possible, but performe my con- 
 stant duty to God and the Queene. 
 Assist me, O Lord ; Amen. 
 
 " Sing Psalmes now and then out of 
 Sundayes. Endeavour to begg with 
 
 teares 
 
24 
 
 The Life of 
 
 teares what you aske, and ' O lett them 
 be, O Lord, my onely pleasure/ There 
 are 3 Sundayes to come from this Sa- 
 turday night; pray one day earnestly 
 to God for love, and against takeing his 
 name in vaine, pray against intempe- 
 rance and sensuaUty ; and the other day 
 for meekeness, and against envy; another 
 for fear and alliance^ and against de- 
 tradtion. 
 
 ^' I have vowed, if it be possible, not 
 to sett vpp past ten a clock ; therefore, 
 before you engage in company, goe 
 downe and read this, and be as much 
 alone as you can ; and, when you are 
 abroad, talke to men as little as may be : 
 carry your prayer booke in your pock- 
 ett, or any thing that may decently 
 keepe you from converseing with men." 
 
 Behold what this blessed saint had 
 promiscuously sett downe in her diary 
 att severall tymes, as resolutions made 
 
 vpon 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 vpon severall occasions, all of them 
 tending to the institution of her hfe in 
 a course of exterordnary and early piety, 
 for she was now very young; and I, 
 therefore, give them your Ladyshipp 
 in her owne method, without method 
 or studied connexion : nor are these the 
 first I have scene of hers in this nature. 
 She did vpon severall occurrences re- 
 cord her purposes, and what she soe re- 
 solved she pundlually perform'd. Butt 
 with what exterordnary caution she 
 governed herself att Court; how holy, 
 innocent, instrudive, and vsefull, her 
 intire conversation was ; how much she 
 improved in virtue, and made devotion 
 the pleasure as well as imployment of 
 her tyme, I need not tell your Lady- 
 shipp : nor vsed she to trick and dress 
 herselfe vpp, tho' in soe splendid and 
 vaine a theater, to the purposes of vanity, 
 or to be fine and ador'd : she was ex- 
 treamly shy of talking among the gal- 
 lants and young men, to pass away the 
 
 tediousness 
 
 25 
 
26 The Life of 
 
 tediousness of attendance ; nor made 
 she impertinent visitts; for she had fiU'd 
 vp the whole day, and destin'd almost 
 every minute of it to exercise. When, 
 therefore, I have sum'd vp all, and con- 
 sidered well how much of it all I have 
 scene, and how, with it all, she pre- 
 served the lively and elegant conversa- 
 tion which rendered her soe infinitely 
 agreeable to all that knew her, I can- 
 not butt redouble my admiration ; and 
 especially how often and sensible she 
 has discoursed with me concerning the 
 wonderfull satisfadlion she tooke in the 
 dutyes of Religion. 
 
 Butt here, before I proceed any fur- 
 ther, the method of tyme, and other 
 circumstances require me to say some- 
 thing how I came to be first acquainted 
 with this excellent creature, and by 
 what tyes of sacred freindshipp I find 
 my selfe soe highly obliged to celebrate 
 her memory ; and this I shall doe, the 
 
 rather. 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 27 
 
 rather, because the Lord has soe great 
 a part in itt, that, without ingratitude, 
 I may not pass it over ; nor is it with- 
 out fresh dehght that I still call to mind 
 those innocent dayes, and the sweet 
 conversation which fifteene yeares since 
 wee enjoyed, that, our familyes being 
 neare to one another, gave vs the 
 happyness to be knowne to the most 
 obhgeing neighbour in the world ; from 
 soe long a date it is that my wife com- 
 putes her first haveing had the blessing 
 of begining an acquaintance with Mrs. 
 Blagge, whome your mother and sister 
 sometimes kindly brought with them 
 to our poore villa. Butt few of those 
 civilityes of casuall or respedfull visitts 
 had passed, before my wife had disco- 
 vered such exterordnarycharmes,markes 
 of virtue, and discretion in her conver- 
 sation, that she would often reprove the 
 diffidence I was wont to express, when 
 they would sometymes discourse of Piety 
 and Religion eminent among the Court 
 
 Ladyes ; 
 
28 The Life of 
 
 Ladyes ; and vpon which subjed your 
 Ladyshipp would frequently joine with 
 my wife in confli6t against me, to the 
 reproach of my Moroseness, and Infi- 
 delity, especially of a thing soe airy 
 and soe gay as some represented this 
 Miracle to me. And in this Error I had 
 certainly persisted, nothwithstanding I 
 had sometymes taken notice of her, 
 both att my house and att Church, to 
 be a very agreeable Lady ; butt, that 
 she, or any body else in her Court cir- 
 cumstances, was principl'd with such 
 a solid Virtue, and did cultivate it to 
 that degree, I was brought to beleive 
 with soe much difficulty, that it was al- 
 most Seaven yeares before your Lady- 
 shipp could convince me. You had, 
 indeed, a Sister there, whose perfec- 
 tions would no longer suffer me to con- 
 tinue alltogeather in this false perswa- 
 sion ; butt, to beleive there were many 
 Saints in that Country, I was not much 
 inclined; nor, likely, had changed that 
 
 opinion 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 29 
 
 opinion, if an Imployment had not of 
 necessity sometymes obliged me to come 
 from my Recess, when I as little af- 
 fedled to be knowne and to multiply ac- 
 quaintance of that sex as another man. 
 I minded my Bookes and my Garden, 
 and the Circle was bigg enough for 
 me. I aspir'd to no offices, noe titles, 
 no favours att Court, and really was 
 hardly knowne to those next neigh- 
 bours of mine, whome I had lived all- 
 most twenty years by : butt the Coun- 
 try where this Lady lived I had much 
 more aversion to, for the reasons you 
 may guess, and which made her quitt 
 it assoone as she could. 'Twas, I say, 
 about a year that she had sometymes 
 beene att my house, when your Lady- 
 shipp came to he6lor me out of my 
 contracted humour, but I continually 
 return'd to it ; and when, by Chance, 
 you att any tyme nam'd her, I fancied 
 her some airy thing, that had more 
 Witt than Discretion ; till, vpon your 
 
 Ladyshipp 
 
30 The Life of 
 
 Ladyshipp and my Wifes more se- 
 verely reproaching me for being scarcely 
 civill to a Companion of your excel- 
 lent Sisters, for whome I had much es- 
 teeme (though butt little acquainted), 
 I found my selfe obHg'd, in good man- 
 ners, to walte vpon her when I came 
 to Whitehall. I speake of the Lady, 
 your Sister, then Maid of Honour; for 
 I would objedt, that there was a Witt 
 with her whome I feared, and that I 
 was the most unfitt person in the world 
 for the entertainments of the AntI 
 Chamber, and the little Spiritts that 
 dwell in Fairy Land. You assured me 
 she was humble and Religious, and ex- 
 treamly serious, and that, [if] I would be- 
 leive you, I should not be displeased with 
 the adventure ; for tho' she had abun- 
 dance of Witt, and rallied shrewdly, 
 yett she was civill and discreete, and 
 exterordnary obllgeing. Vpon this, I 
 made your Sister a visitt, and surprized 
 Mrs. Blagge, who it seems that day 
 
 was 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 31 
 
 was dress'd for Audience and Cere- 
 mony ; vpon which I would have with- 
 drawne, butt her Chamber fellow staid 
 me, and I was not vnwilling to hear 
 her talke ; butt, I since came to under- 
 stand, it was a day of solemn devotion 
 with her, and she excused her selfe, said 
 little, and look'd very humble, which 
 I liked, and soe for this tyme, tooke 
 my leave. 
 
 I concluded by this she might not be 
 that pert Lady I had fancyed ; and she 
 afterwards spake courteously to me, 
 casually meeting her in the house, and 
 that she hoped she had not frighted me 
 from her apartment. I came once or 
 twice after this with my wife to visitt 
 your Sister ; when this Lady keepeing 
 her Chamber caused me one day to 
 dyne with her, which I tooke kindly, 
 because 'twas without affedation and 
 with no danger of surfeiting. Butt her 
 conversation was a treat, and I began 
 
 to 
 
32 The Life of 
 
 to admire her temperance, and tooke 
 especiall notice, that, however wide or 
 indifferent the subjedt of our discourse 
 was amongst the rest, she would allwayes 
 divert it to some Rehgious conclusion; 
 and soe temper and season her Replyes 
 as shew'd a gratious heart, and that she 
 had a mind wholly taken vp with hea- 
 venly thoughts. 
 
 After this introdudtion she conjur'd 
 me not to baulk her holy Cell, and I 
 was not a little pleased to be soe so- 
 lemnly diverted and find my selfe mis- 
 taken, that soe young, soe elegant, soe 
 charming a Witt and Beauty should 
 preserve soe much Virtue in a place 
 where it neither naturally grew nor 
 much was cultivated ; for with all these 
 perfedions, Vivacitye and Apprehen- 
 tion beyond what I could expedl, she 
 seemed vnconcerned and steady, could 
 endure to be serious, and gently reprove 
 my Morossness, and was greatly de- 
 vout, 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 vout, which putt me out of all feare of 
 her Railary, and made me looke vpon 
 her with exterordnary respedl. Thus 
 every visitt abated of my prejudice : her 
 discourses were not trifleing and effe- 
 minate, butt full of Virtue and mate- 
 rially and of a most tender regard to 
 Religion. Butt itt was after your Lady- 
 shipps Mother was gone into Lincoln- 
 sheir, and had carryed away her com- 
 panion, that she told me, '^ now Mrs. 
 Howard is gone,she beleived she should 
 have little of my Company ; butt if I 
 were not weary of her, and would be 
 soe charitable, she should take it kindly 
 that I came often to her." This was a 
 Compliment you know I needed not, 
 for by this tyme I was soe well assured 
 of her Inclinacion to Goodness, that she 
 could not imagine me capable of neg- 
 le6ling a person from whose conversa- 
 tion I never return'd butt with advan- 
 tage. I soone perceived what touched 
 me to the heart, and that was her soule ; 
 
 and 
 
 D 
 
 33 
 
34 
 
 The Life of 
 
 and how her Inclinacions pointed to 
 God ; that her discourses^ designes, and 
 adions tended allwayes thither : and 
 other observations which I made to my 
 exterordnary wonder and admiracion. 
 This Creature (would I say to my 
 selfe) loves God; 'tis a thousand pittyes 
 butt she should persist ; whata new thing 
 is this, I think Paula and Eustochium 
 are come from Bethlehem to White- 
 hall ; and from this moment I began to 
 looke vpon her as sacred^ and to bless 
 God for the graces which shoone in her. 
 I dayly prayed for her as she had en- 
 joined me, and she began to open some 
 of her holy thoughts to me ; and I saw 
 a flagrant devotion, and that she had 
 totally resigned herselfe to God ; and 
 with these Incentiues, who, that had 
 any sence of Rehgion, could forbeare 
 to vallue her exceedingly ? 
 
 Itt was not long after this, that being 
 one day to visitt her, she seemed to me 
 
 more 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 35 
 
 more thoughtfull than ordinary. I asked 
 her what made her looke soe solemnly. 
 She told me she had never a freind in 
 the world. Noe, said I, thats impos- 
 sible ; I beleive no body has more ; for 
 all that know you must love you, and 
 those that love you are continually your 
 freinds. Butt I, who well knew where 
 her heart att that tyme was, asked her 
 what she esteemed a certaine Gentle- 
 man beyond the Seas. Alas, says she, 
 he is very ill, and that makes me very 
 much concerned ; butt I doe not speake 
 to you of him, whome God will I hope 
 be gratious to, but I would have a 
 Freind; in that name is a great deale 
 more then I can express; a faithfull 
 freind, whome I might trust with all 
 that I have, and God knows, that is 
 butt little ; for him whome you meane 
 does not care to meddle with my con- 
 cerns, nor would I give him the trou- 
 ble. This, to my remembrance, were 
 her very expressions to me. Madam, 
 
 said 
 
36 
 
 The Life of 
 
 said I, doe you speake this to me, as if 
 I were capable of serving you in any 
 thing considerable ? I beleive you the 
 person in the world (replyed she) who 
 would make such a freind as I wish for, 
 if I had meritt enough to deserve it. 
 Madam, said ], consider well what you 
 say, and what you do, for it is such a 
 trust, and soe great an obligation that 
 you lay vpon me, as I ought to em- 
 brace with all imaginable respedl, and 
 acknowledgment, for the greatest ho- 
 nour you could doe me. Madam, to be 
 called your freind were the most desire- 
 able in the world, and I am sure I 
 should endeavour to acquitt me of the 
 duty with great chearfullness and fide- 
 lity. Pray leave your complimenting, 
 (said she smileing) and be my freind 
 then, and looke vpon me henceforth as 
 your Child. To this purpose was her 
 obligeing reply ; and, there standing 
 pen and ink vpon the table, in which I 
 had been drawing something vpon a pa- 
 per 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 
 37 
 
 per like an Alter, she writt these words : 
 ^ Be this the Symboll of Inviolable 
 Freindship, — Marg. Blagge, T6th Oc- 
 tober, 1672/ and vnderneath, ' For my 
 
 brother E ; ' and soe delivered it 
 
 to me with a smile. Well, said I, Ma- 
 dam, this is an high obhgation, and you 
 have allready paid me for the greatest 
 service that I can ever pretend to doe 
 you ; butt yett doe you know what 
 you have done ? Yes, sayes she, very 
 well ; butt pray what doe you meane ? 
 Why, said I, the title that has conse- 
 crated this Alter is the Marriage of 
 Souls, and the Golden thread that tyes 
 the hearts of all the world ; I tell you. 
 Madam, Freindship is beyond all re- 
 lations of flesh and blood, because it is 
 less materiall ; there is nature in that of 
 parents and kindred, butt Freindshipp 
 is of course and without ele6lion; 
 for which [even] the Conjugall State it 
 selfe is not alwayes the most happy ; 
 and, therefore, those who have had best 
 
 experience 
 
38 The Life of 
 
 experience chuse their freind out of all 
 these circumstances, and have found 
 him more lasting, and more effeduall. 
 By this Symboll you give me title to 
 all that vou can with Honour and Re- 
 ligion part with in this world ; and it 
 is a topic I could adorne with glorious 
 examples of what I speak ; and the no- 
 blest things have been said vpon it ; 
 and the Laws and Measures of Freind- 
 shipp are the nicest and the most ob- 
 ligeing ; — but you know them all. Well, 
 replyed she, smileing, be it soe, — pray 
 what am I to doe ? Nay, said I, I'll 
 tell you first what you are to suffer. 
 
 The priviledges I claime (in virtue 
 of that charadler) are, that I may visitt 
 you without being thought importu- 
 nate ; that I may now and then write 
 to you to cultivate my Stile ; discourse 
 with you to improve my Vnderstand- 
 ing ; read to you to receive your Re- 
 flexions; and that you freely command 
 
 me 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 39 
 
 me vpon all occasions without any re- 
 serve whatsoever : you are to write to 
 me when I am absent ; mention me in 
 all your prayers to God, to admonish 
 me of all my failings, to visitt me in 
 sickness, to take care of me when I am 
 in distress, and never to forsake me, 
 change or lessen your particular esteeme, 
 till I prove vnconstant or perfidious, 
 and noe mans freind : in a word, there 
 is in Freindship something of all rela- 
 tions, and something above them all. 
 These, Madam, are the Laws, and they 
 are reciprocal! and eternall, &c. 
 
 Thus, for a tyme, 'twixt jest and 
 earnest, the conversation putt her into 
 the most agreeable humor in the world. 
 Well, said she, I will consider of what 
 you say ; butt pray remember you be 
 my freind, and when next you come, 
 I will tell you what I have for you to 
 doe in good earnest ; and a little after 
 writt me this Letter. 
 
 ^' My 
 
40 
 
 The Life of 
 
 " My Freind^ 
 *^ I have considered and minded well 
 what was said, and what I writt, and 
 will not recall it. I vnderstood some- 
 thing of the office of freindshipp before 
 I knew you, butt, after what you have 
 said and offered, I beleive I shall need 
 little Instru6lion. Gratitude, join'd with 
 the greatest esteeme I had before ofyou, 
 will require all that you mention on my 
 part : you are then, my first freind, the 
 first that ever I had, and ever shall you 
 be soe. This is trueth vpon the word 
 of a Christian ; and I beleive I shall not 
 lay downe my resolution of continueing 
 yours butt with my life. I thankfully 
 accept all your Councell, and will en- 
 deavour to follow it ; butt birds them- 
 selves have allwayes the good nature 
 to teach their young ones, and soe must 
 you ; looke vpon me then as your child 
 as well as friend, and love me as your 
 child, and, if you will, call me soe. 
 
 What 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 What Measures you are to observe I 
 meddle not with ; for a friend may doe 
 what he pleases ; they who give mony, 
 give all : 'tis a saying of your owne as 
 to Charity, they that are friends are 
 all things, — lett that be myne. Butt 
 as for the returnes for the good offices 
 I receive, I beleive my advice can be of 
 little vse to you, vnless to serve you as 
 an Ac5l of humility, which must be all 
 the reason you will ever have to require 
 it; what shall I say then more ? till death 
 reckon me your freind ; you see how I 
 think I am with you; and now, after 
 all this, I may grow old or forgettfuU, 
 and Melancholy or Stupid, and in that 
 Case, will no more answer for my selfe 
 then for a Stranger ; butt, whilst I am 
 my selfe and a Christian, I will be 
 yours." 
 
 Itt would be an vnpardonable osten- 
 tation in me, and a great temptation to 
 over vallue my selfe, and the poore 
 
 services 
 
 41 
 
42 
 
 The Life of 
 
 services she was pleased to accept of, 
 should I here repeate what she has left 
 me vnder her owne hand vpon this 
 subject, in the most pious and endear- 
 ing expressions that could possibly fall 
 from the most sincere and obligeing 
 Creature in the world : butt, to lett them 
 pass, — 'tis certaine, that from this mo- 
 ment, I no more look'd vpon her as 
 Mrs. Blagge, butt as my child indeed, 
 and did, to the vttmost of my poore 
 abihtye, advice and serve her in all 
 her secular and no few spirituall affaires 
 and concerns, with a diligence and fi- 
 delity becomeing the trust and confi- 
 dence she reposed in me, as an honour 
 to be envyed by the best of men : her 
 friendshipp after this to me was soe 
 transcendently sincere, noble, and Reli- 
 gious, as taught me all its demeansions, 
 beyond any thing I ever read of its 
 highest Ideas; and she herselfe was 
 heard to say, what she once thought to 
 be a name onely and nothing else, she 
 
 found 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 found a reall existance ; and that friend- 
 shipp was for mutuall Improvement, 
 and to fortifye every virtue. And, in- 
 deed, she was able to diredl, and Coun- 
 cell, and encourage, and Comfort ; nay, 
 and has often told me with becomeing 
 passion, That she with Joy could dye 
 for a friend ; vrgeing that sentence of 
 St. Pauls; Nor are the measures hard, 
 I am sure willingly would I have done 
 it for her: O [how] sweete,0 how desire- 
 able ! And, indeed, these holy transports 
 made the Christians comunicate all they 
 had ; the apostles speake of some who 
 would have pluck'd out their very eyes 
 and laid downe their necks for him, 
 and called nothing their owne which 
 others wanted. 'Tis this which made 
 those saints of one mind and of one 
 heart; 'tis this has Crown'd a hundred 
 thousand martyrs, and shewed vs that 
 the most consumate friendshipps are the 
 produAs of ReHgion and the love of 
 God. There are Inumerable expres- 
 sions 
 
 43 
 
44 The Life of 
 
 sions of this nature to be found in her 
 letters to me, which are Charming; and 
 indeed, soe tender and personal!, that, 
 tho' one (who) knew my demeritts as 
 well as I my selfe doe, would suspedl their 
 sincerity, yett I knew to be from her 
 heart, which was full of most generous 
 resentments. In a word, I may say, as 
 David did of Jonathan, her friendshipp 
 to me was passing the love of women ; 
 nor, verily, was it without an intire 
 simpathye on my part ; and there was 
 providence in itt as well as inclination ; 
 for the exceeding and most eminent 
 piety and goodness that ever conse- 
 crated a worthy freindshipp shone soe 
 bright in this blessed saint, as intitled 
 her to all the services, respedl, and ve- 
 neration I was capable of giveing her. 
 
 Never am I to forgett this Golden 
 expression of hers to me. I would 
 have (sayes she) nothing that passes be- 
 tweene vs have any Resemblance of 
 
 friendshipp 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 friendshipp that doe not last. Butt, 
 Madam, whither has this Indearing to- 
 pic transported me. 
 
 After this solemn engagement then, 
 she soone accquainted me with many of 
 her concerns; made me the depositarie 
 of her pious thoughts and resolutions, 
 and putt her whole fortune intirely 
 into my hands ; which, indeed, lay in 
 some danger, for want of that assist- 
 ance which she might have had from 
 an able person, tho' from none more 
 faithfull and more Industrious to Im- 
 prove it to the best of my capacity ; I 
 was only greiv'd when att any tyme 
 she thought it a trouble to me; butt 
 she would say : I am your Child, and 
 whither should I goe butt to you ; never 
 will I doe any thing without you whilst 
 I live: more defference and humihty 
 could she not have paid to a father; 
 more confidence in a friend ; and this 
 temper'd with that sweetness and ex- 
 
 terordnary 
 
 45 
 
46 The Life of 
 
 terordnary piety, that I am not able to 
 support the consideration of the loss of 
 such a friendshipp without vnspeakable 
 griefe. 
 
 Seldome or rarely came I to waite on 
 her (if she were not in company) , but 
 I found her in her little oratorie, and 
 some tymes all in feares ; for never was 
 Creature more devout and tender ; and 
 a thousand Cases and questions would she 
 propound to me; for which I would still 
 referr her to that Reverend and learn'd 
 divine with whomeshedidconstantlycor- 
 respond vpon all occasions of spirituall 
 advice ; soe carefull and curious was 
 this saint in the concernments of her 
 soule ; butt she would often tell me 
 he was too gentle, and, therefore, re- 
 quired of me to deale Impartially; I 
 was her friend, and that a friend was 
 Ghostly father, and every thing to her. 
 Indeed I would often reprove her tire- 
 some methods, and thought to plant 
 
 the 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 the consideracion of the memory and 
 love of God in her thoughts ; and to 
 cure her of the sad and frieghtfull ap- 
 prehensions she sometymes seemed to 
 have, that God was a severe exadler ; 
 that she had never done enough, and 
 served an austere Master, not to be 
 pleased without abundance of labour 
 and formes without end. And for this 
 she would frequently give me thanks, 
 that I had lett her see and tast more of 
 the love of God and delices of Religion 
 then ever she had before. And, very ly, 
 this holy and Religious temper of hers 
 was enough to winn the esteeme of all 
 that had any sence of goodness. Nor 
 was her tyme wholly spent in the con- 
 templative part of piety ; she was all- 
 wayes doeing some good offices for one 
 or other, gave frequent and consider- 
 able releife to poore and indigent peo- 
 ple, and not seldome made me her al- 
 moner, and the hand to convey it where 
 she could not well her selfe. Butt of 
 
 this 
 
 47 
 
48 The Life of 
 
 this, and the many visitts she in her 
 owne person made (delicate as she was) 
 to refresh and comfort the sick and mi- 
 serable, even amongst the most wretch- 
 edly poore, nott without great incon- 
 veniency to her health, I shall give 
 account hereafter : butt hitherto was 
 she advanc'd, being yett hardly enter'd 
 her Nineteenth yeare, an age that few in 
 her circumstances soe soone sett outatt; 
 and [would] that I begun as early and as 
 early finished. 
 
 Wee will now then looke vpon her 
 as att Whitehall, whither she came 
 from St. James to waite vpon her Ma- 
 jestye, after the death of the Dutchess, 
 when she was not above sixteene. I 
 had not then, indeed, the honour to 
 know her; butt I have heard from 
 others, that her beauty and her witt 
 was soe exterordnary improved, as there 
 had nothing been scene more surprize- 
 ing, and full of charmes ; every body 
 
 was 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 49 
 
 was in love with, and some allmost dye- 
 ing for her; whilst with all the Modesty 
 and Circumspedlion imaginable, she 
 strove to Eclipse the luster which she 
 gave; and would often check the vivacity 
 which was naturall, and perfed:ly be- 
 came her, for feare of giveing occasion 
 to those who lay in waite to deceive. 
 Butt it was not possible here to make the 
 least approach butt such as was full of 
 Honour ; and the distance she observ'd, 
 and Caution and^ Judgment she was 
 mistress of, proteded her from all im- 
 pertinent addresses ; till she had made a 
 Choice, without Reproach, and worthy 
 her Esteeme; namely, of that excellent 
 Person, who was afterwards her Hus- 
 band, after a passion of no less than 
 Nine long yeares, that they both had 
 been the most intire and faithfull lovers 
 in the world. This was a space indeed 
 of sufficient probation ; nor will I pre- 
 sume to dive into the circumstances 
 which made them be soe long resolve- 
 
 ing; 
 
50 The Life of 
 
 ing ; she being then it seems butt very 
 young, and both of a temper soe ex- 
 treamly discreete. Butt, as to the first 
 Impressions, I will relate to your Lady- 
 shipp what I have learn'd from her 
 selfe, when sometymes she was pleased 
 to trust me with diverse passages of her 
 Life. For it was not possible I could 
 hear of soe long an Amour, soe honor- 
 able a love and constant passion, and 
 which I easily perceived concerned her, 
 (as lookeing vpon herselfe vnsettled, 
 and one who had long since resolved 
 nott to make the Court her rest,) butt 
 I must be touched with some Care for 
 her. I would now and then kindly 
 chide her, why she suffered those lan- 
 guishments when I knew not on whome 
 to lay the blame. For, tho' she would 
 industriously conceale her disquiett and 
 divert it vnder the notion of the Spleene, 
 she could not but acknowledge to me 
 where the dart was fix'd ; nor was any 
 thing more ingenuous then what she 
 
 now 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 now writt me vpon this Subjedt; by 
 which your Ladyshipp will perceive, as 
 with what peculiar confidence she was 
 pleased to honour me, soe, with what 
 early prudence and great pietye she ma- 
 nag'd the passion, which, of all other, 
 young people arecomonly the most pre- 
 cipitate in and vnadvis'd. 
 
 " I came," sayes she, " soe young, as 
 I tell you, into the world (that is, about 
 14 yeares of Age) ; where no sooner was 
 I entred, butt various opinions were 
 delivered of me, and the person whome 
 you know, was more favourable then 
 the rest were to me, and did, after some 
 tyme, declare it to me. The first thing 
 which tempts young weomen is vanity, 
 and I made that my great designe. 
 Butt Love soone taught me another 
 Lesson, and I found the trouble of 
 being tyed to the hearing of any save 
 him ; which made me resolve that either 
 he or none should have the possession 
 
 of 
 
 51 
 
52 The Life of 
 
 of your Friend. Being thus soone sen- 
 cible of Love my selfe, I was easily 
 perswaded to keepe my selfe from give- 
 ing him any cause of Jealousye, and in 
 soe long a tyme never has there been 
 the least. 
 
 *^ This, vnder God's providence, has 
 been the means of preserveing me from 
 many of those missfortunes young Crea- 
 tures meet with in the world, and in a 
 Court espetially. Att first wee thought 
 of nothing but liveing allwayes to- 
 geather, and that wee should be happy. 
 Butt att last he was sent abroad by his 
 Majestye, and fell sick, which gave me 
 great trouble ; and I allow'd more tyme 
 for Prayer and the performance of holy 
 dutyes than before I had ever done, 
 and, I thank God, found infinite plea- 
 sure in it, farr beyond any other, and I 
 thoughtless of foolish things that vsed 
 to take vp my tyme. Being thus changed 
 my selfe, and likeing it soe well, I earn- 
 estly 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 53 
 
 estly begg'd of God that he would im- 
 part the same satisfadlion to him I 
 loved ; 'tis done, (my friend) 'tis done, 
 and from my soule I am thankfull ; 
 and, tho' I beleive he loves me passion- 
 ately, yett I am not where I was : my 
 place is fiU'd vpp with HIM who is all 
 in all. I find in him none of that tor- 
 menting passion to which I need sacre- 
 fice my selfe ; butt still, were wee diss- 
 engag'd from the world, wee should 
 marry vnder such restraints as were fitt, 
 and, by the agreeableness of our hu- 
 mour, make each other happy. Butt, 
 att present, there are obstructions : he 
 mustbeperpetuallyengagedinbuissness, 
 and follow the Court, and live allwayes 
 in the world, and soe have less tyme 
 for the service of God, which is a sens- 
 cible affliction to him ; wherefore, wee 
 are not determined to precipitate that 
 matter, butt to expec5l a while and see 
 how things will goe ; haveing a great 
 mind to be togeather, which cannot 
 
 with 
 
54 
 
 The Life of 
 
 with decency be done without marry- 
 ing, nor, to either of our satisfa6lions 
 without being free from the world. 
 In short, serving of God is our end, 
 and, if wee cannott do that quietly to- 
 geather, wee will asunder. You know 
 our Saviour sayes, that all could not 
 receive that dodlrine, but, to those who 
 could, he gave noe contradidtion ; and, 
 if wee can butt pass our younger yeares, 
 'tis not likely wee should be concerned 
 for marrying when old. If wee could 
 marry now, I don't see butt those in- 
 conveniencys may happen by sickness, 
 or absence, or death. In a word, if 
 we marry, it will be to serve God and 
 to encourage one another dayly ; if 
 wee doe not, 'tis for that end too ; and 
 wee know God will dire6l those who 
 sincerely desire his love above all' other 
 Considerations ; now, should wee both 
 resolve to continue as we are, be as- 
 sur'd, I should be as little Idle as if I 
 were a wife. I should attend to prayer 
 
 and 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 55 
 
 and all other Christian dutyes, and 
 make these my pleasures, seeing I chuse 
 not the condition out of restraint and 
 singularity, but to serve God the bet- 
 ter." 
 
 This (being in answer to something I 
 had written to her vpon a serious de- 
 bate, in which I had opposed a melan- 
 choly Resolution she would now and 
 then entertaine me with, of absolutely 
 renouncing the thoughts of Marriage 
 and wholly retireing in the world,) I 
 give you in her owne Style and holy 
 thoughts ; as an Instance of that early 
 piety and prudentiall weighing of things 
 and circumstances, which accompanied 
 all her adions ; nor could I have pre- 
 sented your Ladyshipp with a more Il- 
 lustrious part of her history nor more 
 instrudlive. 
 
 In good earnest, this purpose of 
 wholly vacateing to Religion, was att 
 
 this 
 
56 The Life of 
 
 this tyme soe imprinted in her, that, 
 whether she marryed orremain'd single, 
 resolv'd she was to depart the Court. 
 She had frequently told me that Seaven 
 yeares was enough, and too much, to 
 trifle any longer there : and, according- 
 ly, one day that I least dream't of it, 
 she came expressly to my lodgeing, and 
 accquainted me with her Intention to 
 goe live att Berkley House ; and, 
 that if she did alter her condition by 
 Marriage, it should be when she was 
 perfedly free, and had essayed how 
 her detachment from Royall servitude 
 would comport with her, before she 
 determin'd concerning another change. 
 I happen'd to be with her in the Queens 
 withdrawing roome, when a day or two 
 after, finding her oppertunity, and that 
 there was less company, she begg'd 
 leave of their Majestyes to retire ; never 
 shall I forgett the humble and become- 
 ing address she made, nor the Joy that 
 discover'd its selfe in this Angells coun- 
 tenance 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 tenance, above any thing I had ever 
 observed of transport in her, when she 
 had obtained her suite ; for, I must tell 
 you. Madam, she had made some at- 
 tempts before without success, which 
 gave her much anxietie. Their Majes- 
 tyes were both vnwilling to part with 
 such a Jewell; and, I confess, from that 
 tyme, I look'd vpon White Hall with 
 pitty, not to say Contempt. What will 
 become said I, of Corinthus, the Citty 
 of Luxury, when the graces have aban- 
 don'd it, whose piety and example is 
 soe highly necessary? Astrasa see left 
 the Lower world. And for my part, I 
 never sett my foote in it afterwards, 
 butt as ent 'ring into a solitude, and 
 was ready to cry out with the wife of 
 Phineas, that its glory was departed. 
 She tooke, I assure you, her leave of 
 their Majestyes with soe much mo- 
 desty and good a Grace, that, tho' they 
 look't as if they would have a little re- 
 proach' t her for makeing soe much hast, 
 
 they 
 
 ^1 
 
58 The Life of 
 
 they could not find in their hearts to 
 say an vnkind word to her ; butt there 
 was for all that I am certaine some- 
 thing att the heart like griefe ; and I 
 leave you, Madam, to imagine how the 
 rest of the Court mourn'd this Recess, 
 and how dim the tapers burnt as she 
 pass'd the anti-chamber. 'Is Mrs. 
 Blagge goeing/ sayes a faire creature; 
 ' why stay I here any longer ? ' others, 
 ^ that the Court had never such a Starr 
 in all its hemispheere ; ' and veryly, I 
 had not observed soe vniversall a damp 
 vpon the spiritts of every one that knew 
 her. Itt was, I remember, on a Sun- 
 day night, after most of the company 
 were departed, that I waited on her 
 downe to her Chamber, where she was 
 noe sooner enter'd, butt, falling on her 
 knees, she blessed God as for a Sign all 
 deliverance; she was come out of Egypt, 
 and now in the way to the Land of 
 Promise. You will easyly figure to 
 your selfe how buissy the young Saint 
 
 was 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 was the next morning in makeing vpp 
 her Kttle carriage to quitt her prison : 
 and, when you have fancied the Con- 
 flagration of a certaine Citty the Scrip- 
 ture speaks of, imagine this Lady truss- 
 ing vpp her little fardle, like the two 
 daughters whom the angell hastned and 
 conduced ; butt the similitude goes no 
 further ; for this holy Virgin went to 
 Zoar, they to the cave of Folly and 
 Intemperance ; there was no danger of 
 her lookeing back, and becomeing a 
 Statue for sorrow of what she left be- 
 hind. All her household stuffe, besides 
 a Bible and a bundle of Prayer bookes, 
 was packed vpp in a very little Com- 
 pass ; for she lived soe farr from super- 
 flultye, that she carryed all that was 
 vallueable in her person ; and, tho' she 
 had a Courtly wardrobe, she affedled it 
 not ; because every thing became her 
 that she putt on, and she became every 
 thing was putt vpon her. 
 
 59 
 
 She 
 
6o The Life of 
 
 She tooke her leave of the mother of 
 the Maids as became her ; butt she 
 could not weepe till your Ladyshipps 
 sister, whome she was still to leave in 
 Captivitye, fell on her neck, and then 
 there fell mutuall tears, that trickled 
 downe her Cheeks hke the dew of 
 Flowers, and made a lovely griefe : to 
 her and to your Ladyshipp she left her 
 pretty Oratorye, soe often consecrated 
 with her prayers and devotions, as to 
 the only successors of her Virtues and 
 Piety ; and, as I am perswaded that the 
 Court was every day less sensible of its 
 losse whilst you both continued in it, 
 because you trode in this Religious 
 Ladys Stepps, soe the piety it any where 
 still retaines is accountable to your 
 rare examples ; of such Importance is 
 one Religious Person to a whole Socie- 
 ty, and sometymes to a Nation. 
 
 Butt to returne to her remove from 
 Court. I am the more particular as 
 
 haveing 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 6i 
 
 haveing had the honour to waite on her 
 to Berkley House ; I tell your Lady- 
 shipp, I never beheld her more orient 
 then she appeared att this tyme, and 
 the moment she sett foote in the 
 Coach her eyes sparkled with Joy^ and 
 a marvelous lusture ; the Roses of her 
 Cheeks were soe fresh, and her coun- 
 tenance soe gay, as if, with the rest of 
 her perfedlions (had she not left your 
 two Sisters there), she had caryed all 
 the Beautyes as well as all the Virtue 
 of the Court away with her too. Butt 
 ah, had you seen with what effusion 
 and open armes she entred Berkley 
 House, and sprung into the Caresses of 
 my Lady, in what a trice after she was 
 ledd vp into her apartmentt she had 
 putt all her Equipage in order, rang'd 
 her Library, and disposed of her Com- 
 pendious Inventory, you would have 
 said there was nothing prettyer then 
 that buissy moment. And now when 
 she had consecrated her new Oratorye 
 
 with 
 
62 The Life of 
 
 with a devout Aspiration and the In- 
 cense of an humble Soule, for the bles- 
 sings of this sweete Retirement, she 
 satt downe and admired her sweet feli- 
 citye. For, as I told your Ladyshipp, 
 *twas not altogeather that she might be 
 dissengaged from Court that she de- 
 signed to quitt itt ; butt that she might 
 vacate more to strifter duty. She be- 
 lieved thatatt Berkley House she should 
 be more att her owne dissposall ; that 
 she should have noe body to observe 
 butt God ; be mistress of her houres, 
 and governe her affaires suitable to her 
 devout Inclinations : and when she se- 
 riously required my opinion of it, I 
 could not disapprove it. Itt brought to 
 mind how, in the declension of the Em- 
 pire, and when the sinns and vices of a 
 licentious and abandon'd age had al- 
 larm'd the Roman world with a bar- 
 barous and vniversall warr, like what 
 was now vpon the scene of Europe, 
 that Paula and her daughter Eustoch- 
 
 ium, 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 63 
 
 ium (two rich and beautiful! Ladys), 
 quitted the splendor of a pompous 
 Court for the Recesses of Bethelem and 
 the Solitudes of Judea, and to prostrate 
 themselves att the manger of a divine 
 babe, and then att the foote of Calva- 
 rye ; where this holy Mother and beau- 
 tious Daughter spent the rest of their 
 dayes in the recolledion of their lives, 
 andtheservice of Jesus : me-thought no- 
 thing more ever resembled this Ad: of 
 thoseDevotas than the heroick resolution 
 of our Saint ; in this yett superior to 
 theirs, as hers was spontaneous, theirs 
 by the importunityes of St. Hierome ; 
 abandoning the Royall Circle, where she 
 made vp the constellacions, for a Circle 
 of reall Starrs, and to stand before the 
 throne of the Lamb, she deserts the 
 glittering Balls and goes no more to the 
 Theater, that she may sing in the quire 
 of Seraphins, and contemplate the ce- 
 lestial! vision ; she cares not for the 
 Sumptuous Entertainments, the Mu- 
 
 sick. 
 
64 
 
 The Life of 
 
 sick. Masking, and perfumes, to morti- 
 fy e her sences, and enjoy intelledluall 
 pleasures ; she negledls the gay and stu- 
 dious Dress, the Raillery and reputa- 
 tion of a Witt, which made her the life 
 of Conversation and the pretty miracle 
 of Court, that she may adorne her 
 bright Soule, and converse with An- 
 gells ; she chuses rather to suffer dimi- 
 nution, and the censure of men as per- 
 cise and singular ; to be a reall Maid of 
 Honour, then to have the name, and 
 live in the scene of Temptation and 
 the pleasures of Sinn for a season : in a 
 word, I fancied her call'd, as was Abra- 
 ham out of Vr of the Chaldees and 
 from the Idolls of Haran. 
 
 Butt as nothing on this side heaven 
 is permanent long, she had not been in 
 this Imaginarye and indeed sweete re- 
 tirement, and where, tho' one of the 
 most magnificent pallaces of the Towne, 
 she had her apartment remote from the 
 
 buissy 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 buissy part of the house^ and was rarely 
 fitted for her purposes of devotion ; I 
 say, it was not long, when, partly from 
 the necessity of Complyance with the 
 Lady of the family, the continuall and 
 importune visitts of the great persons 
 which vs'd to frequent that place ob- 
 ligeing her to tedious Cerimony and 
 conversation that often interrupted 
 her Course, and partly other Circum- 
 stances, which for the present seemed less 
 favourable to their Intentions of mar- 
 riage soe soone, and the disquiett it putt 
 her to, she not only deliberated in good 
 earnest, butt resu m'd her for mer Inc 1 ina- 
 tion with more resolution than ever, of 
 removeing farther from these Impedi- 
 ments, and all togeather abandoning the 
 world. I have really been touch'din the 
 deepest sence to seethe Conflidls this de- 
 vout Creature vnderwent, betweene her 
 love and her devotion ; or shall I call 
 them both her love ; for soe they were : 
 a thousand tymes has she told me she 
 
 would 
 
 65 
 
66 The Life of 
 
 would abide as she was, and then her pitty 
 for him, who could not live in her ab- 
 sence, divided her afresh, and peirc'd her 
 to the soule ; and when she was in the 
 deepest of this Concerne for him, no- 
 thing I have ever read in the Epistles of 
 Seneca, had that excellent Stoick been 
 indeed a Christian, appear'd more di- 
 vinely philosophicall then the Topics 
 she would vse to divert his passion, and 
 reason him into an indifference for her, 
 when (of all things in the world) it was 
 not indifferent to her that he should 
 have lov'd her less. Butt she had really 
 that absolute Empire over her owne 
 affedions, and such potent Inclinations 
 to make God and Religion the buiss- 
 ness of her life, that, as I said, she was 
 many times vpon the Brink of Resolve- 
 ing to abandon all the world : she be- 
 leived that I, who knew love to be 
 stronger then death, would never ap- 
 prove of this resolution ; and, there- 
 fore, she pretended, att first, only to 
 
 make 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 make a visitt to her sister the Lady 
 Yarbrough in Yorksheir, for a month 
 or two dureing the summer ; butt, after 
 that, she could not conceale from me a 
 further designe of goeing from thence 
 to Hereford, to hv.e by herself, vnder 
 the diredtion of the Reverend Deane of 
 that Cathedrall, who had long been her 
 spirituall father. This was the Zoare 
 she often languished after, vseing that 
 of Righteous Lott, " Is it not a little 
 one, and my soule shall live." "Yes, my 
 friend," says she, " in perfect liberty e 
 without formes; frugally, without Con- 
 tempt ; conveniently, without pomp ; 
 att distance from the Bustle of the world, 
 where I shall forgett and be forgotten ; 
 be arbitress of my tyme, and serve God 
 regularly; chuse my Conversation; and, 
 when I alter my Condition, doe it with 
 your advice; which, I am sure, will never 
 be to alter a purpose soe reasonable, and 
 soe fitt for one in my Circumstances." 
 Thus would this blessed Creature dis- 
 course 
 
68 
 
 The Life of 
 
 course it with me, whilst, in the meane 
 tyme, she was ballanceing in herselfe 
 when it came to a Resolution. " The 
 Lord help me, dear freind," sayes 
 she to me, in another Letter, ^' I know 
 not what to determine ; sometymes I 
 think one thing, sometymes another ; 
 one day I fancy noe life soe pure as the 
 vnmarryed, another day I think it less 
 exemplarye, and that the marryed life 
 has more oppertunity of exerciseing 
 Charity; and then, againe, that 'tis full 
 of solicitude and worldlyness; soe as 
 what I shall doe I know not. He 
 can live without a wife willingly, butt 
 without me he is vnwilling to live ; 
 soe as if I doe not marry he is not in 
 danger of sinn; butt if I, or he, or both, 
 should repent; O Lord and Governor of 
 my life, leave me not to my selfe, to the 
 Counsell of my whole heart, butt send 
 me wisdome from thy throne to diredl, 
 assist, and lead me soberly inmydoeings. 
 Thou hast imparted to us reason for 
 
 our 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 69 
 
 our guide ; butt O rule thou that rea- 
 son, for without thou Condud: it I shall 
 be in perpetuall hazard. Lord, I re- 
 nounce all Judgment, all knowledge, and 
 discretion of my owne ; I desire not to 
 be a Child of this world, wise in their 
 Generation, butt to be a Foole that I 
 may indeed be wise. I am in a straight 
 and know not what to chuse, determine 
 thou for me, O blessed Lord. Remem- 
 ber that for near these one and twenty 
 yeares I have been thy care, and I bless 
 thee for it. Thou hast frequently and 
 wonderfully preserved me, both in spi- 
 ritual! and temporal! dangers, and, over 
 and above, has done Innumerable good 
 things for me ; O leave me not now in 
 this difficulty, butt once more be thou 
 my Councellor, and whilst I live will I 
 be thy faithfull, thankful 1, servant. Say, 
 Amen with me, dear freind." 
 
 Behold, Madam, the Letter, or ra- 
 ther the ejaculation which an heart, in- 
 
 tirely 
 
70 The Life of 
 
 tirely possess'd with Religious Senti- 
 ments, made her didlate on this occa- 
 sion ; nor should I have produc'd these 
 particulars (con-credited to me in spe- 
 tiall Confidence), butt to lett you see 
 with how holy a designe and considera- 
 cion she proceeded ; and how Infinitely 
 different from the method of makeing 
 love and receiveing addresses now a 
 dayes. Veryly, when I reflect vpon her 
 youth, beauty, witt, the temptations 
 and confli6ls she sustain'd, to comply 
 with the affedion she had for her two 
 Rivall loves (for soe I againe call 
 them), I am halfe astonish'd, butt you 
 shall hear how passionately she describes 
 it, and thus goes on. 
 
 " Much aiilided and in great agony 
 was your poor friend this day, to think 
 of the love of the holy Jesus, and yett 
 be soe little able to make him any re- 
 turne. For with what favour have I 
 protested against all afFedion to the 
 
 things 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 things of this world ; resigned them all 
 without exception ; when, the first mo- 
 ment I am tryed, I shrink away, and 
 am passionately fond of the Creature, 
 and forgetfull of the Creator. This, 
 when I consider'd, I fell on my knees, 
 and, with many teares, begg'd of God 
 to assist me with his Grace, and banish 
 from me all Concerne butt that of hea- 
 venly things, and wholly to possess my 
 heart himselfe ; and either releive me in 
 this Confli(5l, now soe long sustain'd, or 
 continue to me Strength to resist it, still 
 fearing if the combate cease notintyme, 
 I should repine for being putt vpon soe 
 hard a dutye. Butt then, againe, when 
 I call to mind the Grace of Selfe deny- 
 all, the honour of suffering for my Sa- 
 viour, the Reward propos'd for those 
 that conquer, the delight I shall con- 
 ceive in seeing and enjoying him ; the 
 happyness of the life above ; I that am 
 thus feeble, thus fearfull, call (out of 
 exercise of his Grace), yea, for tribula- 
 tion. 
 
 71 
 
72 The Life of 
 
 tion, for persecution, for contradidions 
 to my owne desires, and for every 
 thing agreeable to the Spiritt and dis- 
 pleasing to the flesh. Thus, with St. 
 Paul, when I am weake then am I 
 strong ; when I am in sorrow then am 
 I rejoiceing ; one whome I love is here ; 
 butt I am gott to other Company, and 
 well have I been regal'd, for God has 
 been very gratious to me ; most bitterly 
 have I wept to think how much of my 
 heart he has, how little my blessed Sa- 
 viour, who has loved and suffered for me 
 soe much more ; happy, ah happy, are 
 you my friend, that are past that mighty 
 love to the Creature. Butt I make this 
 my humble confession to God and you, 
 bewayleing my loveing any thing butt 
 himself; imploreing him to translate 
 my afFedions, and place them on him 
 alone. Thus to you doe I display my 
 griefe, I can leave him whome here 
 I love, to goe to my Jesus for ever ; 
 butt, I Confess, 'tis hard for me to leave 
 
 him 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 73 
 
 him now soe often as I doe ; and this 
 breaks my heart, that after soe many 
 solemn professions to God what I would 
 doe for him, I should with such reludl- 
 ancy part from this person, to pray, 
 and to read, and to goe to holy du- 
 tyes. 
 
 *' Now, dear freind, should I marry, 
 and refuse to goe to my Lord, part 
 vnwillingly, or refuse him, what would 
 become of me? No, No, I will re- 
 maine my Saviours ; he shall be my 
 love, my husband, my all ; I will keepe 
 my Virgin, present it vnto Christ, and 
 not putt myselfe into the temptation 
 of loveing any thing in Competition 
 with my God." 
 
 Thus farr this devout and tender 
 Creature : nor this the last wherein she 
 has conjur'd me to advise what she 
 should resolve on, when often her heart 
 as I said, has been divided betweene 
 her lovers, as was St. Pauls in another 
 
 case. 
 
74 
 
 The Life of 
 
 case, even wishing to be dissolv'd, that 
 she might be with Christ, and freed 
 from all this solicitude, as she has fre- 
 quently express'd it to me. And now 
 what was 1 to returne? truely I was 
 myselfe alsoe sometymes divided in my 
 thoughts. She had perpetuall Inclina- 
 tions to retire from all the world, espe- 
 tially apprehending that, by any secular 
 circumstances, she might possibly re- 
 maine in a doubtful condition, and the 
 resolution was once soe strongly fix'd, 
 that with noe small dificulty I opposed 
 it. Being soe fully perswaded as I was, 
 that they would be exceeding blessings 
 to one another, rare examples of the 
 conjugal 1 state, and that nothing could 
 hinder the pursuite of an holy life and 
 the love of God soe much as this 
 pendulous and vncertaine condition, 
 whilst marriage she would iind compose 
 her devout spiritt, and improve it, I 
 told her, she was not free, as I con- 
 ceiv'd to resolve soe peremptory lye ;" 
 
 that 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 that it was to doe violence to one 
 whome she acknowledg'd could not live 
 without her ; nay, that, if to comply 
 with her, he putt constraint vpon him- 
 selfe, she should not doe well, since his 
 A6tion in this Case ought to be as free 
 as her owne ; and that she should doe a 
 much nobler and [more] self denying 
 thing, to preferr the satisfaction of soe 
 worthy a Creature before her owne. 
 I consented to all her Elogies of the 
 Virgin State, butt [affirmed] that 
 there were no less due to the Conju- 
 gall, and that if there were some temp- 
 tations in it, her meritts would be the 
 greater, and the exercise of her virtue ; 
 Circled indeed it was with some toller- 
 able thornes, butt rewarded with illus- 
 trious Coronetts for the good it pro- 
 duced; that, as to the oppertunityes of 
 serveing God, an a6tive life was prefer- 
 rable to the Contemplative ; and that I 
 shouldnotdoubttoseeas many Crown'd 
 in heaven who had been marryed, as of 
 
 Virgins ; 
 
 7S 
 
76 The Life of 
 
 Virgins ; since from Marriage all the 
 Virgins in the world had their orriginall, 
 and all the Saints that ever were or ever 
 shall be; that it was the Seminary of 
 the Church and care of Angells ; and 
 that [though] our beloved [Lord] were 
 borne of a Virgin, she was yett vail'd 
 vnder the Cover of Marriage ; and soe 
 when St. Paul exalted the CeHbate above 
 it, for the advantages he enumerates, 
 itt was nott to derogate from Marriage, 
 butt because of the present distress and 
 the Impediments of a family to an 
 Itinerant and Persecuted Apostle, and 
 those who in that Conjundure had noe 
 certaine aboade. That as to the per- 
 fedlion and puritye of the State, 'twas 
 one thing to be marryed to a Man, and 
 another to a Husband; to the first in- 
 deed, most of the world were joined, 
 to the second, none butt the Religious. 
 That, as 'twas Instituted in Paradise, and 
 dignifyed by our blessed Saviours pre- 
 sence, [and] compared to the most inti- 
 mate 
 
Mrs, Godolphin. 77 
 
 mate Indearements of Christ to his 
 Church, 'twas often blessed with exter- 
 ordnary prosperity even in this world. 
 That the fidelity, society, mutuall affec- 
 tion, and instance of religious Mar- 
 riages, the regularity of their Charity e, 
 and hospItaHty of their familyes, was 
 Emulous of the highest pretences of 
 the Virgin and more solitary Condition. 
 Doe you (would I say) esteeme it noe 
 honour to have given Saints to the 
 Church, and vsefull members to the 
 State in which you live ; and that you 
 can be hospitable to strangers, institute 
 your Children, give instruc5lion to your 
 servants, example to the neighbours, 
 and be the parent of a thousand other 
 blessings. I remembered her of what 
 sometymes she would say, that, if she 
 marryed and had noe Children, she 
 should be displeased ; and if she had, 
 she might have either too many, or too 
 wicked and vntoward ; this, I told her, 
 was to distrust Gods providence, and 
 
 she 
 
78 The Life of 
 
 she did not well to make those reflec- 
 tions ; when in all events there was ex- 
 cercise of faith, and patience. Industry, 
 and other graces; and that she would 
 not be happy vnless shee was alone, not 
 considering that the few may be as well 
 fooles, as vitious, — which is worse ; and 
 that one of the many may recompence 
 all her care for the rest ; that if she 
 who bare her had been of that mind, 
 there would have been one less Saint 
 to Glorifye God ; that I should have 
 wanted an excellent friend, and soe 
 would many others, who now bless'd 
 God for the Charityes she did them. 
 Vpon all these Topycs I challeng'd her 
 humility, her faith, and her love. I 
 laid before her how much more aiFedled, 
 morose, covetous, obnoxious to tempt- 
 ation and reproach an old Maid would 
 be, who was knowne to have engaged 
 her affection allready, than one who 
 had never entertain'd an address. Then 
 the trouble and sorrow of bringing 
 
 forth 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 79 
 
 forth and expence of a family, would 
 att another tyme affreight her; little 
 weomen, I told her, had little paine; 
 and that Queens had endured as much 
 with patience and chearfullness ; that 
 as to great fortunes and support, opu- 
 lent couples were not exempted from 
 Cares; and that, tho' I was assured God 
 had great blessings of that kind alsoe 
 in reserve, yett sowre provisions and 
 less Ambition, were as happy in the 
 mutuall aiFedllon of each other, where 
 there was a Competency for the pre- 
 sent, and soe faire a prospedl for the 
 future: in a word, that there was 
 some thing soe patriarch all (not to say 
 despotic) and Royall in a well govern'd 
 family, and worthy marriages, that I 
 could not butt give it preeminence to 
 all she had obje6ted. These were the 
 conflifts wee had on this subjed, and 
 the difficultyes she suggested ; where, I 
 plainly told her, Itt was by no means 
 agreeable to her piety, nor to the Equi- 
 
 tye 
 
8o 
 
 The Life of 
 
 tye of the thing, that any less conside- 
 ration than the fore sight of inevitable 
 ruine should suspend her resolutions of 
 giveing her selfe to a deserveing person, 
 whose approaches had been soe honour- 
 able, and whome she confess'd she lov'd 
 above all the world. There is certainly 
 nothing more calamitous then where 
 love (as they call it) drives the bar- 
 gaine, and passion blinds the Man; butt 
 soe the young things precipitate, and 
 the Giddy are entangled ; and when the 
 fancy cooles, repentance succeeds, and 
 it ends in aversion and anxietye. But 
 these Calentures concern'd not this 
 excellent Couple, and such a Conjuga- 
 tion of likely circumstances. I would 
 tell her itt was not enough to be happy 
 alone, when she might make another 
 soe ; or ought she to resolve not to alter 
 her Condition till she was out of reach 
 of accidents; that it became a cruell 
 and ill natur'd Laban to exad: a double 
 apprentyshipp for a Rachell ; that it 
 
 was 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 8i 
 
 was Saul that putt David to adventure 
 for a wife ; that the Heroick tymes 
 were now antiquated, and people pro- 
 ceeded by gentler and more compen- 
 dious methods ; and the decencyes of 
 her sex, and custome of the nation, and 
 the honour of the condition, and the 
 wantof Monasteryes and pyous Recesses 
 obliged her to marry. Marry then in 
 Gods name, said I, since my advice you 
 aske: itt is finally what I think you 
 ought to resolve on; tho', if I studdied 
 my owne satisfaction, I should rather 
 promote this aversion, and seeke to for- 
 tifye your suspicion ; for as I profess it 
 the greatest Contentment of my life 
 that you have vowed me your friend- 
 shipp soe solemnly, and that you will 
 be constant, whilst I incite you to marry 
 I endanger and putt it to the hazard ; 
 for perhapps your husband may be 
 jealous, tho' without cause; or he 
 may have particular dislike to me, or 
 may not be noble, free, and ingenious, 
 
 or 
 
82 
 
 The Life of 
 
 or may make you vnhappy otherwise, 
 which would be the greatest afflidion 
 could happen to me ; whereas, contin- 
 uing as you are, misstress of your selfe 
 and your conversation, your virtue and 
 my yeares, and the conscience of my 
 duty, and both our discretions, will pre- 
 serve our friendshipp honorable, pious, 
 and vsefull. In sum, I said nothing 
 vpon Marriage, butt what I could vn- 
 ravell to the advantage of virginitye, — 
 the ease of a single life, the opportuni- 
 tyes of doeing more good, of serveing 
 God better, of prolonging life — by ex- 
 ample and precept from Scripture, from 
 Fathers, from Legends and historyes, 
 and present her such a lovely pidlure 
 of that state, which approaches next 
 the nature of Angells, (who neither 
 marry nor are given in marriage), as 
 would have brought her to more than 
 a suspence, or requireing farther advice : 
 she would have needed no farther ar- 
 gument to render her more vnkind to 
 
 Hymen, 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 Hymen, and to the repose of one who 
 she knew I pittyed ; and, therefore, I 
 ever perswaded her against the Recess 
 she soe often was threatning, as a thing 
 singular and of little advantage. I 
 applauded her recourse to assiduous and 
 humble prayer ; that God would dired 
 her for the best, and that after all I had 
 said and written to her, she would make 
 that her Oracle ; being confident that 
 God, who had hitherto taken such sig- 
 nall care of her, would not suffer her 
 to miscarry in this Concerne. For I 
 could not endure to see her allwayes in a 
 doubtful 1 and vncertaine condition, be- 
 cause it could be profitable for neither ; 
 for when she had seriously consulted 
 her friends, she had done all that was 
 required ; and, since it could not but 
 be their vniversall sufirage, she was to 
 accquiess ; I therefore advised her, that 
 in case she still resolv'd to live as she 
 was, it should be butt for a tyme, 
 without Imposeing on her selfe,and soe. 
 
 from 
 
84 
 
 The Lfife of 
 
 from tyme to tyme, as Circumstances 
 might be ; butt till then mind her 
 healthy for she began to looke pale and 
 leane, and had been too negligent of 
 her selfe, which I reprov'd her for. 
 Butt this did not alltogeather the ef- 
 fed, — she rejoines, and writes to me 
 from Twicknam thus : — 
 
 " 26M July, 
 '' Your advice I like, and all you say 
 on both subjedis ; yett am still where I 
 was, wishing to live alone, as a thing 
 most suiteable to my humour, and the 
 nearest way to heaven ; nor can you 
 blame one soe weake as I am, to chuse 
 that path which will soonest bring me 
 to my Journeys end. However, I shall 
 observe your Rules, and soe farr your 
 counsell, as not to determine any thing 
 rashly till he give me free leave to doe 
 it. In the meane tyme, if you approve 
 of it, that the world may not think 
 by my growing leane, as you say, I 
 
 leave 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 leave it with regrett, for the tyme 
 I stay here I intend to take care of 
 my health, and drink the Cows milk 
 in the Morning; and because I am not 
 to sleep imediately vpon it, my Maid 
 shall read to me some divine Subje6l ; 
 then rise and finish my private dutyes, 
 then pray with my Servants, and be 
 dressed by Eleaven; and soe have tyme 
 before prayers to read a Chapter with 
 other dutyes ; note and colled: some- 
 thing out of what I read. Att six in 
 the Evening I will repeate my Course 
 againe, and, after that, learn such things 
 by heart as I gladly would retaine ; 
 after Supper pray with my people, and 
 by my selfe ; my Maid reading to me 
 whilst I am vndressing, and then lay 
 me downe in peace. This is the me- 
 thod I intend for ordnary dayes, nott 
 Frydayes, when you know I am to fast 
 and spend it intirely with God; or Sun- 
 dayes, [when] I will rise early and Im- 
 ploy it with as much devotion as I can ; 
 
 ^this 
 
 85 
 
86 The Life of 
 
 — this isj I say, the course I purpose here, 
 if you approve of it ; for the rest, eat 
 my meate heartyly, and comply with 
 the conversation of the Family; tho* I, 
 all this tyme, wish extreamly that I were 
 setled where I needed vse none of these 
 Impertinencyes, the observances and 
 ceremonyes of visitts, formall meals, 
 &c. to the expence of my tyme ; butt 
 wholly attend on God, night and day. 
 Nor should I dare yett to indulge my 
 selfe this liberty, did I att all please 
 my selfe in it as formerly I had done ; 
 or that I intend to continue it above 3 
 months att furthest, if I change not my 
 Condition, which is to marry (as you 
 would have me) and become worldly. 
 Soe as by the end of Summer I shall be 
 free, and then none will consider my 
 lookes, nor shall I be concern'd if they 
 doe, att the distance of my retreate. 
 Pray lett me know what you think of 
 all this. I was this day very devout, 
 but nott tender, and I hope it was as 
 
 well. 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 well, for I thank God I have made 
 good resolutions." 
 
 This being the substance of her let- 
 ter in reply to one of myne, your Lady- 
 shipp may perceive, as, how devoutly 
 this blessed Virgin, (for soe must I call 
 her,) spent her tyme in that delicious 
 place, and amongst such a Confluence 
 of Visittants, &c ; soe, how her heart 
 was bent vpon her Northern Recess, to 
 which I was soe averse ; and I was con- 
 fident she would not long have enjoy 'd 
 herselfe in it; nor could the distance of 
 Herefordsheir have worne him out of 
 her thoughts, which that of France and 
 Spaine could not doe. The trueth is, I 
 did heartyly pitty that worthy Gentle- 
 man, and saw noe reason in the world 
 why they should not both be happy in 
 each other, and my friend composed, 
 without takeing any exterordnary or 
 singular course. Tho' on the other hand, 
 when I considered thro' what difficul- 
 ty es 
 
 87 
 
88 
 
 The Life of 
 
 tyes and reluctances this tender crea- 
 ture, now in the flower of her beauty, 
 witt, and reputation att court, would 
 sacrifice all to God, I could hardly ab- 
 staine from crying out, O magnanimous 
 Virgin, I applaud your designe; I ap- 
 prove, I admire your choice ; I mag- 
 nifye your example ; itt is great, 'tis 
 illustrious, because it is the better part, 
 and form'd vpon just consideration ; 
 you have weighed itt long, and enquired 
 of God: I allow, I allow, and even en- 
 vye your purpose. O sweet repose of a 
 devout soule, the flames of Celestiall 
 love, the fruition of Jesus, the ante- 
 pasts of Heaven; what shall I call, what 
 shall I name it ; Consumate felicitye 
 who has none to feare, none to serve, 
 none to love butt God ; butt, whilst you 
 are made free, why leave you me be- 
 hind, intangl'd in the world; whilst you 
 are in the light, I [am] in darkness and a 
 chaos ; for when you are gone what is 
 the Court or Country to your friend. 
 
 I shall 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 I shall see you no more in the Circle, 
 nor Joine voices with you in the Quire, 
 nor visitt your holy cell ; with you our 
 Joyes are departed; receive me then 
 from this hateful! abode, and begg 
 of God that, the circumstances of my 
 life being composed, I, who Emulate, 
 may Imitate your example, and devote 
 the remainder of my few dayes to eter- 
 nity ; or, at least, while I am to converse 
 here below, (for you are gone from 
 the Earth) may I live in the contem- 
 plation of your virtues, and be a part 
 of your Intercessions. Goe then, my 
 holy freind, when you please, and be 
 happy. 
 
 Madam, you may possibly imagine 
 this a Romantick folly, or the trans- 
 port of some lover ; butt, I assure you, 
 they were the dictates of my mind and 
 heart, whilst I was Councelling her to 
 stay and to marry; for, tho' I thought 
 this more expedient, I could not but 
 
 pronounce 
 
 89 
 
90 
 
 The Life of 
 
 pronounce that the more perfed, and 
 exterordnary well. Thus she continued 
 att Twicknam, as it were in proba- 
 tion, for the most part retired, and 
 sometymes in conversation. He often 
 came to visitt her, and that broke her 
 heart if he abstained from comeing. She 
 was still vneasy ; soe after some weeks, 
 she return es to London, with full re- 
 solution of beginning her Journey, and 
 the very day was prefixt ; butt when 
 it approach'd, indeed it was not possible 
 to pacifye my Lady Berkley ; who, 
 being to lose the most sweet and agree- 
 able companion in the world, imploy'd 
 all that friendshipp, love, and passion 
 could inspire for the changeing her re- 
 solution ; and the Convulsion was soe 
 sensible to them both, that she was 
 forced to give way to her Lnportuni- 
 tyes, and deliberate on it some longer 
 tyme. Nor was itt alltogeather in the 
 consideration of my Lady alone, that 
 she sufFer'd herselfe to be prevailed on, 
 
 there 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 there were others whome (when it came 
 to the Test) she was vnwiUing to leave 
 for soe long a tyme, and soe great a 
 distance ; and^ among them, 1 should be 
 strangely vngratefull not to acknow- 
 ledge the share I had in her thoughts 
 and excellent nature, when I shall acc- 
 quaint you of the Resolution she had 
 to take a little house att Greenwich ; 
 and I had commission from her to find 
 out a place whither she might retire 
 to, without quite goeing, as it were out 
 of the world, into the North ; not 
 being able, as she affirmed, to comply 
 any longer with the receiveing and 
 paying Impertinent visitts, and other 
 avocations and circumstances, which 
 tooke vpp all her tyme att London, tho' 
 with a Lady who soe much esteem'd 
 her. I confess, I was not forward to 
 promote this designe; not only because I 
 thought [it] inconvenient for a Lady soe 
 young, and who was allready disposed 
 to a more than ordnary reservedness, to 
 
 cherish 
 
 91 
 
92 The Life of 
 
 cherish the humour, butt that it would 
 appeare hke something over singular in 
 her and prejudiciall to her health. I 
 proposed, therefore, her accepting the 
 best accomodation I could give her; 
 and she had certainly spent some consi- 
 derable tyme with my wife, and retir'd 
 to the little Cell where your Ladyshipp 
 has sometymes found her ; butt my 
 Lady Berkley could not suffer this 
 Ecclipse, or endure that she should goe 
 from her with any patience. Itt was 
 on this that she writes me thus at large 
 what confli6ts she had endur'd ; and att 
 the close : — " My best friend as to 
 my being in your family, itt was all- 
 most, and ah ! that it had not been all- 
 most, butt alltogeather ; for, whatever 
 you think, it is hard for me to describe 
 how sorry I am to be thus farr from 
 soe deare a friend ; and you don't know 
 that I have given over severall other pro- 
 posals of settling my selfe, when that 
 thought comes into my head that I 
 
 shall 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 shall be a great way from you, vnless I 
 continue where I am att least for some 
 months, till God is pleased to dispose 
 of me one way or other. 
 
 » 
 
 Butt whilst she was in this vncer- 
 tainty and suspence where she should 
 fix, and that the winter began to ap- 
 proach, there was a play to be adled 
 att Court before their Majestyes, where- 
 in none were to be Adors butt persons 
 of the most Illustrious quality; the 
 Lady Mary, since Princess of Orange, 
 the Dutchess of Monmouth, and all 
 the shineing beautyes ; and itt was not 
 possible to leave her out who had, vpon 
 the like solemnity formerly, and when 
 she was Maid of Honour, accquitted 
 her selfe with soe vniversall applause 
 and admiration ; and, veryly, never was 
 any thing more charmeing and more a 
 diver tisement, than to hear her att any 
 tyme recite or read a Dramatick poem. 
 She had not only a most happy memory, 
 
 butt 
 
 93 
 
94 
 
 The Life of 
 
 butt exquisite Judgment, and could 
 add those motions to her voice, as gave 
 what she pronounced, the greatest sweet- 
 ness and grace Imaginable. This, tho' 
 she would heretofore and butt rarely 
 have done for diversion and amongst 
 freinds, the most innocentt in the world 
 she had now intirely taken leave of; 
 and butt in Complyance with some 
 great Ladyes (whome she could not de- 
 cently refuse) did she willingly see a 
 play att the Theater ; and, therefore, to 
 be now herselfe an Adioress (tho' among 
 such an Assembly of noble Persons), 
 was ta putt a Mortification on her, 
 that cost her not only great relu6lancy 
 butt many teares. Butt there was noe 
 refuseing ; the King and Duke had laid 
 their Commands vpon her, to beare a 
 part with the Lady Mary and others 
 of Illustrious name. I came often to 
 her when she was reciteing, and am 
 wittness with what extreame regrett, 
 and how vnwelcome to her this honour 
 
 was. 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 was. Butt she 'had att this moment 
 alsoe another affaire in hand, which 
 more Imported her; and the difficulty 
 in compassing that which solely by his 
 Majestes favour was to be obtain'd, dis- 
 posed her the more reasonably to com- 
 ply. She had, ever since her Recess from 
 Court, liv'd in expedlation of the pre- 
 sent which, of course, their Majestyes 
 vsed to make to the Maids of Honour, 
 who, haveing waited a competent tyme 
 vpon the Queene, doe either marry or 
 withdraw from Court with their Royall 
 permission ; and now had she newly 
 solicited the Duke to bespeake my 
 Lord Treasurer about it; who gave her 
 kind words, butt told her he must have 
 the Kings particular diredion in it, butt 
 in the m.eane while, was not forward to 
 putt his Majestye in mind of it ; and 
 there was nothing to which she had a 
 greater aversion, then the Importuneing 
 great persons in her owne behalfe for 
 Civility which did not flow naturally 
 
 from 
 
 95 
 
96 The Life of 
 
 from those in whose power it lay to 
 oblige her. '^ I perceive," sayes she, 
 in a letter to me written 2 2d Septem- 
 ber, on this occasion, " that my buiss- 
 ness makes noe advance, and that where 
 I least expeded difficulty I find the 
 greatest. The King sayes nothing to 
 my Lord Treasurer, nor my Lord to 
 him ; soe, that for ought I perceive, 'tis 
 likely to depend thus a long tyme : 
 well, Gods will be done, as in Heaven, 
 soe on Earth ; in the meane tyme I am 
 extreamly heavy, for I would be free 
 from that place, and have nothing to 
 doe in itt att all ; butt it will not be, 
 for the play goes on mightyly, which I 
 hoped would never have proceeded 
 farther. Dear friend, I begg your 
 prayers this cloudy Weather, that God 
 would endow me with patience and 
 Resignation. Would you beleive itt, 
 there are some that envy me the honour 
 (as they esteeme it) of adling in this 
 play, and pass malitious Jests vpon me. 
 
 Now 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 Now you know I am to turne the other 
 Cheeke, nor take I notice of itt." 
 
 97 
 
 See the humility of this excellent 
 Creature, who you soe well knev/ 
 looked on this occasion as one of her 
 greatest afflidlions, and would have de- 
 volved the share she had in this Court 
 Magnificence on any other Lady with 
 a thousand acknowledgments, had their 
 Majestyes butt excused her ; butt there 
 was no retreating ; she had her part 
 assigned her, which, as itt was the most 
 illustrious, soe never was there any per- 
 formed with more grace, andbecomeing 
 the solemnity. She had on her that 
 day near twenty thousand pounds value 
 of Jewells, which were more sett off 
 with her native beauty and luster then 
 any they contributed of their owne to 
 hers ; in a word, she seemed to me a 
 Saint in Glory, abstracting her from the 
 Stage. For I must tell you, that amidst 
 all this pomp and serious impertinence, 
 
 whilst 
 
 H 
 
98 The Life of 
 
 whilst the rest were ading, and that her 
 part was sometymes to goe ofF, as the 
 scenes required, into the tireing roome, 
 where severail Ladyes her companions 
 were railing with the Gallants trifleingly 
 enough till they were called to reenter, 
 she, vnder pretence of conning her next 
 part, was retired into a Corner, reading 
 a booke of devotion, without att all 
 concerning herselfe or mingling with 
 the young Company ; as if she had no 
 farther part to adl, who was the princi- 
 pall person of the Comedy ; nor this 
 with the least discernable affectation, 
 butt to divert and take off her thoughts 
 from the present vanity, which from 
 her soule she abhorred. I mention the 
 passage as a singular work of her reall 
 piety, and to shew how she continually 
 applyed her mind on all occasions, and 
 how little transported with those splen- 
 did follyes and gay entertainments, 
 which vsually take vp soe much of the 
 pretious tyme which is given vs to 
 
 worke 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 worke out our Salvation. I need not 
 enlarge vpon the argument of the 
 Poem ; which you may be sure, how- 
 ever defedtive in other particulars, was 
 exactly modest, and suiteable to the 
 Persons, who were all of the first rank 
 and most illustrious of the Court : nor 
 need I recount to your Ladyshipp with 
 what a surprizeing and admirable aire 
 she trode the Stage, and performed her 
 Part, because she could doe nothing of 
 this sort, or any thing else she vnder- 
 tooke, indifferently, butt in the highest 
 perfedtion. Butt whilst the whole The- 
 ater were extolling her, she was then in 
 her owne Eyes, not only the humblest, 
 butt the most diffident of herself, and 
 least affeding praise. 
 
 Thus ended the Play, butt soe did 
 not her affii6lion, for a dissaster hap- 
 pened which extreamly concern'd her, 
 and that was the loss of a Diamond of 
 considerable vallue, which had been 
 
 lent 
 
 99 
 
loo The Life of 
 
 lent her by the Countess of Suffolke ; 
 the Stage was immediately swept, and 
 dilligent search made to find it, butt 
 without success; soe as probably it had 
 been taken from her, as she was oft in- 
 viron'd with that infinite Crowd v/hich 
 tis impossible to avoid vpon such occa- 
 sion. Butt the loss was soone repair d, 
 for his Royall Highness vnderstanding 
 the trouble she was in, generousely sent 
 her wherewithall to make my Lady 
 Suffolke a present of soe good a Jewell. 
 For the rest of that dayes triumph, I 
 have a particular account still by me 
 of the rich Apparell she had on her ; 
 amounting, besides the Pearles and 
 Pretious Stones, to above three hun- 
 dred pounds, butt of all which she 
 immediately dispofed her selfe, soe soone 
 as ever she could gett clear of the 
 Stage. Without complimenting any 
 Creature, or trifling with the rest who 
 ftaid the collation and refreshment that 
 was prepar'd, away she slipps like a 
 
 Spiritt 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 Spiritt to Berkley House, and to her 
 little Oratorye ; whither I waited on 
 her, and left her on her knees, thank- 
 ing God that she was deUvered from 
 this vanity, and with her Saviour againe ; 
 never, says she, will I come within this 
 temptation more whilst I breath. 
 
 And thus Mrs. Blagge tooke her 
 leave of the pomp and glory of the 
 world, and with fresh resolutions that, 
 if other circumstances did not intervene, 
 namely, such as might soe alter her 
 condition as decently to countenance 
 her longer stay in these Parts, she 
 would yett betake herselfe to her de- 
 sign'd retreat. She was not satisfyed 
 that those who could not butt take no- 
 tice what Person it was she preferred 
 before all the world, should speak of 
 her withdrawing from Court, and live- 
 ing now soe long neer it without pro- 
 ceeding any further; tho' divers could 
 not be driven from the opinion that she 
 
 was 
 
 loi 
 
I02 The Life of 
 
 was allready marry ed. Itt is certaine 
 that excellent Man could never think 
 of parting with her, nor she herselfe 
 from soe many Friends besides, as in- 
 finitely vallued her. Butt, vnless he 
 could alsoe decently have taken him- 
 selfe from Court, which was the thing 
 they both proje6led and desired, that 
 they might wholy quit all dependancys 
 which interrupted their liveing to- 
 geather, butt which, for many prudent 
 considerations, had been inconvenient 
 for him as yett, she was not easily per- 
 swaded to linger here and be vpon vn- 
 certaintyes (who had all along in her 
 Eye the modelling of her life, soe as 
 not to be obliged to those comply- 
 ances she was of necessity to vndergoe 
 in a station soe near to the Court,) vn- 
 less Mr. G. should fix on firme Im- 
 ployment as might not only counte- 
 nance her stay and marrying, butt ren- 
 der other circumstances easy likewise. 
 Tho', as I said, there was nothing which 
 
 they 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 103 
 
 they both did breathe after more then 
 to have settled somewhere, remote in 
 the Country from all Intanglements of 
 the World. Thus farr she had pleased 
 herselfe to accquaint me with her most 
 intimate concerns. I doe not affirme 
 thatj to obviate some objedtions of hers, 
 he meditated on the purchase of that 
 honorable Office which he afterwards 
 succeeded in; butt the Master of the 
 Robes, now Earle of Rochester, dis- 
 covering his intention about this tyme 
 to part with that place, might, in my 
 opinion, be an inducement with them 
 to marry; and rather trust God with the 
 event of things, then give the World 
 occasion, after soe long expe(5tation, to 
 think she made a retreat out of rashness 
 or discontent. Wherefore vpon the 1 6th 
 of May, which was Assention Day, 
 they both marryed togeather in the 
 Temple Church, by the Reverend 
 Do(5lor Lake, one of his Royall High- 
 nesse Chaplaines; my Lady Berkley 
 
 and 
 
104 
 
 The Life of 
 
 and a Servant of the Brides onely being 
 present, and I think nobody else, both 
 the blessed Paire receiveing the holy 
 Sacrament, and consecrateing the So- 
 lemnity with a double Mistery. 
 
 Her not acquainting me with this 
 particular of a good while after, occa- 
 sioned a friendly quarrel 1 betweene vs ; 
 that she, who had intrusted me for many 
 years with all her concerns, nay her 
 greatest Inclinations, and vpon occasion 
 not only named me for the particular 
 Friend that should be witness of her 
 Marriage, butt give her to her Hus- 
 band, should now with such Industry 
 conceale it from me. And now Tie 
 tell your Ladyshipp how I could not 
 butt discover it; for, noe sooner was the 
 Knott tyed, butt she one day desired I 
 would lett her pervse all the Letters I 
 had of hers, and which she knew I too 
 religiously reserv'd; not that she could 
 be conscious of haveing ever written 
 
 that 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 105 
 
 that to me which might not have past 
 the severest Eye ; butt because, there 
 being in many of them professions of 
 the sinceritye and holy friendshipp that 
 an excellent Soule (and such as hers 
 was) could express, they might by any 
 accident possibly fall into hands that 
 prophane every thing, and most, [the] 
 innocent and virtuous. I failed not to 
 transmitt them to her, nor she to re- 
 turne them, as indeed finding nothing 
 in them which should cause her to de- 
 prive me of a Treasure she knew I soe 
 infinitely vallued, nor could I beleive 
 that, tho' she had given [herself] to soe 
 worthy a Person, she design'd by sending 
 for her Letters to break with me, as La- 
 dys vse to doe with vnfortunate Rivalls. 
 For thus she accompanyes her Pacquett : 
 
 My Friend, This being Tuesday, a 
 Day which long since you know has 
 belonged to a Friend of myne, I have 
 putt togeather all the Letters, Papers, 
 
 and 
 
io6 
 
 The Life of 
 
 and other Fragments, excepting Medi- 
 tations, which I think you haveCoppyes 
 of, and among which are some Prayers 
 of mine, and all your Bookes, only 
 that you last sent me, and I am now 
 reading, of the Intercourse betweene 
 Christ and the Soule, I desire toretaine, 
 because now and then I am much 
 pleased and softned with some passages 
 of it ; and now I have this day prayed 
 your prayers, thought your thoughts, 
 wish'd, I dare say, your wishes, which 
 were that I might every Day sett looser 
 and looser to the things of this World, 
 discerning, as every Day I doe, the 
 folly and vanity of it : how short all its 
 Pleasures, how trifling all its Recrea- 
 tions, how false most of its Freind- 
 shipps,how transitory everything in it; 
 and on the contrary, how sweete the 
 Service of God, how delightful! the 
 meditateing on his Word, how pleasant 
 the Conversation of the Faithfull, and 
 above all, how charmeing Prayer, how 
 
 glorious 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 glorious our Hopes, how gratious our 
 God is to all his Children, how gentle 
 his Corre(5tions, and how frequently by 
 the first Invitations of his Spiritt, he 
 calls vs from our low Designes to those 
 great and noble ones of serveing him, 
 and attaineing eternall happiness. These 
 have been this Dayes Thoughts and 
 Imployment; for my Lady Hamilton 
 being here, and some Freinds att Cards, 
 I have had the whole Day to myselfe. 
 Rejoyce with me, my Friend, and be 
 exceeding glad, for soe it becomes vs 
 whenever v/ee have oppertunity of 
 serveing him. 
 
 And now, Madam, by this, which 
 accompanied the redition of her Letters, 
 your Ladyshipp may conclude what 
 Courtshipp there vsed to pass betweene 
 vs. However, her solicitude thus for 
 them on a suddaine might well, give me 
 vmbrage, and I was resolved to live 
 vnder an afFec5led Ignorance, assured by 
 
 knowing. 
 
 107 
 
io8 
 
 The Life of 
 
 knowing, and as afterwards I learn'd, 
 that this niceness could never proceed 
 from herselfe, but from some other pre- 
 valent obligation. And I ever esteemed 
 it an Impertinence to be over curious, 
 when I found there was designe of 
 concealement, and should have »much 
 wondred att it of her to me, butt that 
 I was soe perfedly acquainted with 
 her Virtues ; whereof one, and that 
 none of the least rare in her sex, was 
 that, whenever she was vnder a promise 
 of Sacrifice, [Secresie ?] nothing in the 
 World could vnlock her Bosome, or 
 slack her resolution. A Secrett was in- 
 deed a Secrett when comited to her : and 
 yett againe, when I called to mind the 
 reiterated Promisses she had made me 
 never to alter her condition without ad- 
 viselng with me, I was sometymes in 
 suspence of my Conjectures, and would 
 often reproach myselfe for the Sugges- 
 tion. Nor did this a little confirme 
 me that she was not marryed, that my 
 
 Lady 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 109 
 
 Lady Berkley now vpon her goeing 
 with her Husband, designed Ambasso- 
 der Exterordnarye to the Court of 
 France, and Plenepotentiarye att the 
 famous Treaty of Nymeghen, she so- 
 lemnly consulted me about her accom- 
 panying her Ladyshipp to Paris, and 
 staying there with her some competent 
 tyme, to see how God would dispose of 
 things. I must acknowledg I was 
 not soe averse from this proposall of 
 hers, as hopeing it might divert her 
 melancholy designe and hank[ering] 
 after Herefordsheir ; and since my son, 
 then butt a Youth, had importun'd me 
 to lett him travell, I was the easier in- 
 clin'd to gratifye him, vpon the assureance 
 I had of the great care she would have 
 of him, since he was not onely to accom- 
 pany her in the way, butt be in the same 
 House with her, and in all things in- 
 join'd to follow her diredtions. Nor 
 ever could he have had soe blessed an 
 opportvmitye of improveing himselfe ; 
 
 this 
 
no 
 
 The Life of 
 
 this little selfe interest obtained on me, 
 I confess, att that tyme; butt such as I 
 would most willingly have sacrificed, 
 could I have prevail'd with her to stay 
 without pursueing her Northerne Jour- 
 ney, where [the] abandoning herselfe to 
 Solitude, must soone have ruin'd her 
 health and made her vnhappy. 
 
 This excursion then concluded on, 
 and lyeing intirely vpon me for her 
 Provisions and Supplyes abroad, her 
 mind seem'd to be much att ease ; butt 
 it was some Months that this resolution 
 was taken ere they sett forth; and all 
 this tyme, I am perswaded, she and her 
 Husband liv'd with the same reserves 
 that the Angells doe in Heaven, not 
 thinking fitt to cohabitt till they de- 
 clar'd their Marriage, which, for reasons 
 best knowne to themselv's, they did 
 not doe till she came back from France 
 againe. In this interim, and towards 
 the latter end of June, she did me the 
 
 honour 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 Ill 
 
 honour to pass a fortnight att my little 
 Villa, and brought me a Letter of At- 
 torney to transadt all her concerns du- 
 reing her absence, as lookelng now 
 every Day when my Lord Berkley 
 would be dispatched and enter on his 
 Journey; when, behold, vpon the 27 th 
 a Fitt of an Appoplexy seizing on him 
 as he was sitting att the Councell Table 
 att White Hall, and continueing on 
 him all that night, without the least 
 appearance of releasing him from its 
 mortall efFedls, or if that might be pos- 
 sible, of ever restoreing him to tollerable 
 sence and vigour, banish'd all thoughts 
 of Embassyes, and, consequently, of our 
 goeing into France. But God was 
 more gratious to him; for the Phisitians 
 had, beyond all expectations, and even 
 amidst dispaire, brought him not only 
 out of this fatall Paroxysme, butt after 
 some tyme to soe much strength (tho' 
 in most men's opinions not perfedlly 
 restored to his memorye and abilityes), 
 
 as 
 
1 1 2 The Life of 
 
 as nothing would divert him from his 
 intended progress. On the loth of 
 November his Excellency sett forth 
 with his Traine; my son and I accom- 
 panying them the first Day to Sittin- 
 borne ; for, in regard of his Lordshipps 
 indisposition, they made butt easy Jour- 
 neys. Canterbury was our next nights 
 repose; when, in the Morning after wee 
 had been att Prayers in the Cathedrall, 
 Mrs. Godolphin and I walking alone 
 togeather, she declared to me what ex- 
 ceeding regrett she was in to leave her 
 Friends. Not without many teares I 
 expostulated with her, why she would 
 goe then ; I am engaged, sayes she, to 
 my Lady Berkley, who tells me I 
 breake her Heart if I forsake her, and 
 you see in what condition her Lord is ; 
 and poore Woman, what would become 
 of her if he should dye, and she have 
 never a Friend by her.^ nor would I 
 have People think I retire out of any 
 other respedl. Butt, Mr. E., if ever I 
 
 returne 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 returne againe, and doe not marry, I 
 will still retire, and end my Dayes 
 among you, and you are like to have 
 the share of the trouble : for she had 
 often said she would divide her Life 
 among her Freinds, and did me the 
 honour to putt me into the Rank of 
 one of the first. 
 
 This, Madam, was the only tyme 
 that in her Life she ever prevaricated 
 with me, and cover'd it with that ad- 
 dress, and was, I am most assured, in 
 deepest sorrow; as all my former suspi- 
 cions of her being marryed vanish't. 
 Doe you not think, sayes she, that it 
 afflidts me to the Soule to part with 
 you, and from one who I am sure you 
 beleive I love intirely, and leave in my 
 Condition ? This, vttered with a fflood 
 of sorrow, I was not able to sustaine 
 without reciprocall kindness and ten- 
 derness. Butt the tyme now calFd us 
 to break off this Conversation, the sad- 
 dest 
 
 113 
 
114 
 
 The Life of 
 
 dest that in my Life I ever saw [her] in; 
 she had left her Heart att another Place, 
 and with one that therefore did not ac- 
 company her because he was of a ten- 
 der nature, and durst not trust his Pas- 
 sion whilst their Designe was to con- 
 ceale their relation. Wee arrived this 
 evening att Dover, where, after Supper, 
 calling me into her Chamber, she signed 
 and delivered me her Will, before her 
 Maid, wherein she had me her Ad- 
 ministrator ; for it seemes her Husband 
 had impower'd her to dispose of what 
 she pleas'd, and as she pleased, as after- 
 wards she told me : this done, she de- 
 sired I would pray with her, and soe I 
 left her, as full of Sorrow as she could 
 hold. 
 
 Early the next Morning I waited on 
 her againe, and againe, and fell into the 
 same resentments ; and that now she 
 was soe near the tyme when she must 
 be separated from them she lov'd, I 
 
 know 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 know not how, said I, you part from 
 your Lover, butt never may you feele 
 what it is to part from a Friend. I 
 beleive there is one that you really love, 
 and that 'tis mutuall, how is it then 
 you thus goe from him, and he from 
 you ? this is strange proceedings, 'tis 
 spiritual], 'tis high, 'tis mysterious and 
 singular ; but find it a name if you can, 
 for I confess I vnderstand it not : doe 
 you preserve serenity of mind, and yett 
 continue languishing ? Nothing is in 
 nature soe repugnant as Love and ab- 
 sence, where nothing forbidds the objed 
 to be present. O heroick Soules, if 
 you think to be att ease, I shall be 
 glad ; butt greatly oblig'd to learne the 
 Secrett, and be taught to beare this 
 Divulsion with as little paine, since I 
 know of noe Ingagement you have to 
 goe from your Friends and those whome 
 you profess to love. Goe back, goe 
 back then, and be happy both, for this 
 Course will weare you both out, if 
 
 really 
 
 "5 
 
ii6 
 
 The Life of 
 
 really you love him. For goodness 
 sake doe not break my Heart (says 
 she), you see I am engaged ; and then 
 she wept and wore such a cloud of Sor- 
 row all that Morning, that she could 
 hardly speake a word when I lead her 
 downe to the Company, now prepare- 
 ing to goe on board. Itt was vpon 
 the 13 of November that vpon the 
 Beach wee tooke solemn leave, and I 
 should discover too much of my weak- 
 ness to express the trouble I was in, to 
 see her overwhelm'd with grief that she 
 could not speake one word ; butt thus 
 she was carried into the Yatch, when 
 being a little launched into the Sea, the 
 Fort from the Castle gave his Excel- 
 lencye 17 Guns, and was answered with 
 five, according to the Forme. 
 
 I recount this passage to your Lady- 
 shipp more minuitely, as being the 
 most passionate and most mysterious ; 
 nor will I, therefore, make any reflec- 
 tions 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 tions on it then what I am perswaded 
 your Ladyshipp must doe; and then 
 conclude them with admiration how 
 two Persons that lov'd each other soe 
 intirely, could support a Divorce soe 
 long ; or what might be the Cause, if 
 any other there were, butt a singular 
 and extreame niceness not to come to- 
 geather, which they might be suspeded 
 to doe, however to appearance they 
 lived reserved, till theypublickly avowed 
 their Marriage; which you may remem- 
 ber they forbare till they had made 
 their Familyes and Equipage com- 
 pleate. 
 
 On the 5th of December, she writt 
 me word of their safe arrivall att Paris, 
 and how they had dispos'd of them- 
 selvs ; togeather with an Account of 
 my Lord Ambassadors magnificent En- 
 try and Audience att the French Court, 
 with other pompious Circumstances; 
 which yett soe little concerned this ad- 
 mirable 
 
 II 
 
ii8 
 
 The Life of 
 
 mirable Creature, that she would [not] 
 onely be noe Speculator of it, butt not 
 soe much as once appeared att Court all 
 the tyme of her being att the Ambas- 
 sadors House. And, tho* the Report 
 of such a Beauty and Witt had soe 
 forerun her arivall by some who had 
 known her in the Circle att Court, that 
 the French King was desireous to see 
 her in that att Saint Germans ; yett she 
 soe order'd matters as to avoid all oc- 
 casions of goeing thither, and came 
 back to England without giveing that 
 great Monarch the satisfadlion of one 
 Glaunce, or her selfe of the Splendor 
 or Vanity of his Court. Which is soe 
 singular a Note in her sex, and of one 
 naturally soe curious and observeing, 
 that I cannot pass it over without a 
 just remarke ; especially being a Lady 
 soe infinitely compleasant, and of a na- 
 ture soe obligeing, Mistress alsoe of the 
 French Tongue to such perfedlion, as 
 rendered her capable of entertaining 
 
 Persons 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 Persons of the highest qualitye. Nor 
 was this reservdness out of humour or 
 singularity. She now considers her 
 selfe a marryed Woman ; and tho* she 
 went over to accompany my Lady, there 
 was no necessity for her to appeare att 
 Court, where the virtues of strangers did 
 not allwayes protect the Sex from In- 
 conveniencyes ; and she was resolv'd to 
 give no occasion to be talk'd of or ad- 
 mir'd. All the Tyme she could re- 
 deeme from those Civilityes she owed 
 my Lady, and which now begun to be 
 very tedious to one whose Heart was 
 in another Country, she spent in Devo- 
 tion, reading excellent Bookes, and 
 converseing with some few of her Acc- 
 quaintance ; butt without gratifyeing 
 her curiosity by goeing out to see the 
 many rarityes which the famous Citty 
 she was in invites all strangers to ; vn- 
 less it were that of her goeing one 
 afternoone to a Cloyster of Nuns ; 
 whose manner of liveing did not dis- 
 please 
 
 119 
 
120 
 
 The Life of 
 
 please her, whilst nothing of their Su- 
 perstition could endanger one soe well 
 principled in her Rehgion. I will give 
 your Ladyshipp a transcript of the first 
 Letter sent me after her arrivall att 
 Paris, to confirme it. 
 
 " My Friend, I promised you an Ac- 
 count of our Journey hither ; there was 
 nothing in it of exterordnary, no ill acci- 
 dent, nothing like Pintos Travells. Since 
 I came to Paris, 1 have hardly been out 
 of doores to visit any body ; butt there 
 has been a Preist to visitt me ; butt, 
 without Vanity, I think I said as much 
 for my Opinion as he did for his. I 
 am now reading Mounsieur Clauds 
 Defence de la Reformation, and hke it 
 most exceedingly ; soe as you need 
 have noe fear of me on that side. God 
 knows, the more one sees of their 
 Church, the more one finds to dislike 
 in itt; I did not imagine the tenth 
 part of the Superstition I find in it, yett 
 
 still 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 still could approve of their Orders. 
 Their Nunneryes seem to be holy In- 
 stitutions, if they are abused 'tis not 
 their fault : what is not perverted ? 
 Marriage itt selfe is become a snare, 
 and People seem to dispose of their 
 Children young, lest the remedy in- 
 crease the dissease : butt when I have 
 commended that baile of theirs, I have 
 said for them, I think, all that reason- 
 ably can be said. One thing I must 
 tell you. Friend, People can have the 
 Spleens here in Paris, lett them say 
 what they will of the Aire ; butt if 
 Arithmetick will cure itt, I am goeing 
 with my Charge, your Son, to be a 
 very hard Student, and wee intend to 
 be very wise." 
 
 I present you. Madam, with this 
 Fragment of a Letter, to show your 
 Ladyshipp how she spent her Tyme, 
 when she could redeeme it from Com- 
 plyances with the Company, and the 
 
 Decencyes 
 
 121 
 
122 
 
 The Life of 
 
 Decencyes of such Visitts as were not 
 to be resisted where Persons of Quah- 
 tye came to see her; butt of which 
 she grew soe weary att last — and for 
 another reason you may conje6ture, — 
 as within a Month or two of her ar- 
 rivall, this excellent Creature was quite 
 sick of France. 
 
 "I am weary," says she, in another 
 Letter to me of the 4th of February, 
 ^'of my Life, I have here no tyme for 
 my Soule. Cards wee play att four 
 Houres every Day ; whoever comes to 
 visitt, I must be by to interprett; where 
 ever a certaine Lady goes (if my Lady 
 H. be nott att hand), I must trudge ; 
 soe that poore I can scarce say my 
 Prayers, and seldome or never read. 
 Dear Friend, pray heartyly, that, if it 
 be Gods will, I may be restor'd to my 
 owne People, and to my God ; for, 
 tho' he be every where, I caiinott call 
 vpon him as I was wont att home : 
 
 therefore 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 therefore, for God's sake, pray that I 
 may speedily and once againe worshipp 
 him in his Congregation, and enjoy the 
 assistance of his Grace, the presence of 
 my best Freinds, whom as my Life I 
 love. I could content my selfe with 
 any thing, I think, were I once att 
 home. Butt I must doe nothing rashly ; 
 I hope yett, in God, through your 
 Prayers, and my owne firme Resolu- 
 tions, to gett home as soone as ever I 
 can ; being quite wearyed with dedi- 
 cateing my selfe perpetually to other 
 People. 'Tis almost one a Clock ere 
 I can gett to Bedd; soe that in the 
 Morning I am not able to rise before 
 Eight, and passing then an Hour in 
 Prayer and Psalmes, and an Houre 
 and a halfe in reading, sometymes one 
 Booke sometymes another, by the 
 tyme I am dress'd Publique Prayers 
 begin ; then follows Dinner, then Talk 
 till 3, then goe to Publick Prayers, 
 then prate againe, God knows, till Six 
 
 a Clock, 
 
 123 
 
124 
 
 The Life of 
 
 a Clock, and then with much difficulty 
 gett away to pray, for my self, for 
 you, and some other, then am I call'd 
 to Cards till Bed tyme. O pittye, pit- 
 tye me, dear Friend ! " 
 
 / I shall need repeate noe more of her 
 sad laments ; diverse have I by me ; and 
 yet it was still more for this interrup- 
 tion of her assiduous course and devo- 
 tion than for any other consideration. 
 She lookes vpon it as an Exile from 
 the House of God, which, like holy 
 David, was to her intollerable. Even 
 amongst the circumstances of splendour, 
 ease, and worldly diversion, she had 
 been made beleive she should be as 
 much Mistress of her retirements att 
 Paris as she was wont to be att Berkley 
 House : tho' neither there was she att 
 the Liberty she breath'd after, Devo- 
 tion, and Solitude, and Leasure for the 
 improvement of her Mind. Butt this 
 Affli(5lion did not last, for, vpon my 
 
 Lord 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 Lord Ambassadors prepareing to goe 
 to Nimoghen, and a real) pretence of 
 an Affaire that concern'd her, namely, 
 the disposeing of a considerable summe 
 of mony intrusted with me, she decently 
 tooke the opportunitye of Mr. Bernard 
 Greenvile returneing out of Italy, (whi- 
 ther he had been sent with a Publique 
 Chara(5ler to the great Duke of Tus- 
 cany) and passing through Paris, of 
 being conducted by that honorable and 
 worthy Gentleman, without those diffi- 
 cultyes she might otherwise have mett 
 with : nor doubt I butt my Lady Berkley, 
 who was privy to her being marryed, and 
 had now another Lady with her less 
 scrupulous and more diverting, was the 
 easier wrought on to part with one she 
 could suffer to be supplanted by another, 
 after such professions of the most super- 
 lative Friendshipp and Indearments in 
 the World, and which, I am certaine, 
 contributed not a little to what afflidled 
 this tender and good natured Creature. 
 
 Mrs. 
 
 125 
 
126 
 
 The Life of 
 
 Mrs. Godolphin (for soe now I call 
 her), haveing thus taken leave of Paris, 
 arrived att Dover the 3d of Aprill; in 
 which interim I had, by her direction, 
 order 'd her Accomodations to be re- 
 mov'd from Berkley House to Dodlor 
 Warnetts in Covent Garden, whose 
 wife was her near relation. Soe, on the 
 Sixth of Aprill she gave me notice of 
 her being come to London ; where the 
 next Day I waited on her, to the no 
 small Joy, you may be sure, of all her 
 Friends, as well as of my selfe. I will 
 not repeate to your Ladyshipp what 
 had already pass'd betweene vs in 
 freindly expostulations, for the vnkind- 
 ness of her soe long concealing from 
 me the circumstance of her Marriage ; 
 because she had expressed her Sorrow 
 with such an asseveration as in my 
 whole Life before I never heard her 
 vtter, soe as I could not butt forgive 
 her heartyly. Nor did this suffice, for 
 
 she 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 she often acknowledg'd her fault, and 
 beg'd of me that I would not diminish 
 ought of my good opinion of her, to 
 the least wounding the intire Freind- 
 shipp which was betweene vs ; protest- 
 ing she had been soe afflidled in her 
 selfe for it, that, were it to doe againe, 
 noe consideration or complyance in the 
 World should have prevailed on her to 
 break her Promise, as some had done 
 to her regrett. In good earnest I was 
 sorry to see her troubled for it, con- 
 sidering the Empire of a passionate 
 Love, the singular and silent way of 
 the Lover, whose gravitye and tem- 
 per you know soe well, and with whome 
 I had nothing of that intimacy and in- 
 dear*d Friendshipp which might intitle 
 me to the Confidence he has since 
 not thought me vnworthy of. I, there- 
 fore, mention this passage, because she 
 was a Person of soe exad: and nice 
 a Conscience, that for all the World 
 she would not have violated her Pro- 
 mise; 
 
 127 
 
128 
 
 The Life of 
 
 mise; nor did I ever find it in the least 
 save this, which, when all is done, was 
 of noe great importance ; save that I 
 tooke it a little to heart she should soe 
 industriously conceale a thing from one 
 to whome she had all along comuni- 
 cated her most intimate thoughts; and 
 when that affedlion of hers was placed, 
 which she would often acknowledge was 
 not possible for her to moderate as she 
 desir'd or bring to the least indifference, 
 after all her innocent stratagems and 
 endeavours, and even sometymes reso- 
 lutions to quitt all the World and think 
 of him only in her Prayers. 
 
 This scene being thus over, to my 
 great satisfadtion, and, as vpon all oc- 
 casions I advised, when those melan- 
 choly thoughts and fancyes vs'd to in- 
 terrupt her quiett ; wee will looke vpon 
 this Lady now, as a setled Woman, and 
 in the Armes of that excellent Person 
 the most worthy to possess her. Itt 
 
 was 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 was on the 13th of Aprill that she did 
 me the honour of a visitt att my house ; 
 expressing infinite acknowledgments to 
 Almighty God for his goodness to her, 
 after a most solemn manner, and that 
 once againe she was come among her 
 friends, beging of me, that I would 
 continue to assist her with those little 
 services she was pleased to accept. And 
 now, haveing thought fitt to make their 
 marriage noe longer a secrett, — for she 
 had not yett, I think, revealed it to her 
 sister, nor did his Majestye or Court 
 know any thing of it, till she was in 
 Equipage to appeare as became her — 
 she obtained of the Queen a consider- 
 able augmentation of a Lease she had 
 of certaine Lands in Spalding, about 
 which she was pleased to make vse of 
 my assistance, for the settlement of it. 
 This was in May, and by the next 
 month she had furnish'd and formed her 
 pretty family att Berkley house ; whe- 
 ther on the 27th of June, she removed 
 
 out 
 
 K 
 
 129 
 
130 
 
 The Life of 
 
 out of Covent Garden, and began to 
 receive the visitts and vsuall Congra- 
 tulations vpon Marriages, soe vniver- 
 sally approved of. 
 
 Dureing this, I had the good fortune 
 to secure a considerable summe due to 
 her, which lay in some danger. V : in 
 September I began to build and acco- 
 modate that pretty habitation for her in 
 Scotland yard, which she contrived and 
 adorn'd with soe much Ingenuity and 
 decency; and where your Ladyshipp 
 and all who knew and lov'd that excel- 
 lent creature, have been soe chearfull, 
 soe happy, and soe vnhappy, that I never 
 can pass or think vpon the place butt 
 a thousand sad thoughts afFed me. 
 
 Itt was dureing the fitting of that 
 Lodging, that she came downe to vs 
 att Sayes Court againe; and blessed the 
 little appartment you know, with her 
 presence, from the 28th of September 
 
 to 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 to the 19th of Odlober, her husband 
 then being att Newmarkett with his 
 Majesty ; nor can your Ladyshipp for- 
 gett how sweetly she liv'd in their re- 
 tirement all this winter ; till, hearing of 
 my Lord Berkleys returne from his 
 Embassey, she thought fitt to remove 
 to her owne Lodgings, now finished att 
 Whitehall, for alltogeather ; which ac- 
 cordingly she did on the last of March, 
 settling with that pretty and discreete 
 oeconomye soe naturall to her; and 
 never was there such an household of 
 faith, never Lady more worthy of the 
 blessings she was entering into, who 
 was soe thank full to God for them. 
 
 " Lord," (says she, in a Letter to me) 
 ^* when I this day considered my happy- 
 ness, in haveing soe perfect health of 
 body,chearfullaess of mind,noe disturb- 
 ance from without, nor griefe within, 
 my tyme my owne, my house quiett 
 sweete and pretty, all manner of Con- 
 
 veniencys 
 
 131 
 
132 
 
 The Life of 
 
 veniencys for serveing God in publick 
 and private, how happy in my Friends, 
 Husband, Relations, Servants, Creditt, 
 and none to waite or attend on but my 
 dear and beloved God from whome I 
 receive all this ; what a melting joy run 
 through me att the thoughts of all these 
 mercyes, and how did I think myselfe 
 obliged to goe to the foote of my Re- 
 deemer, and acknowledge my owne 
 vnworthincss of his favour : butt then 
 what words was I to make vse of; true- 
 ly att first of none att all, but a devout 
 silence did speake for me ; but, after that, 
 I power'd out my prayers, and was in 
 an amazement that there should be such 
 a sin as ingratitude in the world, and 
 that any should negledt this great duty ; 
 butt why doe I say all this to you my 
 friend ? truely that out of the abund- 
 ance of the heart the mouth speaketh, 
 and I am still soe full of it, that I can- 
 not forbeare expressing my thoughts to 
 you. 
 
 And 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 And that this was not a transient 
 rapture vpon the sence of her present 
 Enjoyment, butt a permanent and de- 
 vout afFe(5tIon; vpon the i6th day of 
 Odlober following, which day she con- 
 stantly vsed to give me an account of 
 her concernes the year past, I find this 
 passage in a Letter. 
 
 ^^ God Allmighty has been Infinitely 
 gratious to me this year, for he has 
 brought me back into my owne native 
 Country in safety, and honourably pros- 
 pered me in my temporall affaires ; 
 above my expecftation continued my 
 health, and my friends ; delivered me 
 from the torments of suspence ; given 
 me a husband that above all men living 
 I vallue ; in a word, I have little to 
 wish butt a Child, and to contribute 
 something to my friends happiness, 
 which I most impatiently desire; and 
 then I must think before I can remem- 
 ber. 
 
 133 
 
134 The Life of 
 
 ber, what I would have more then I 
 enjoy in this world, butt the continu- 
 ance of a thankfull heart to my God." 
 
 This, Madam, was the vse and the 
 gratefull returne she made of the short 
 blessings she enjoyed. Nor need I acc- 
 quaint your Ladyshipp, with what care 
 she instrudled her servants, how sedu- 
 lously she kept her family to Religious 
 dutyes, how decently she received her 
 friends, how profitably she imployed 
 every moment of tyme. Nothing in this 
 world had she more to wish, butt what 
 God soone after gave her, that she 
 might be Mother of a Child; which 
 she soe passionately desir'd after two 
 yeares that she yett had none, as in 
 the intervall she tooke home to her a 
 poore orphan girle, whome she tend- 
 ed, instrudled, and cherished, with the 
 tenderness of a naturall mother. For I 
 have beheld when she dress'd and vn- 
 dress'd it, and laid it to sleep with all 
 
 the 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 135 
 
 the circumstances of a carefull Mother 
 and nurse ; till it pleased God to give 
 her certaine hopes of the blessing she 
 thought onely wanting to consumate 
 her happyness. Nor did (as your Lady- 
 shipp well knows) any Inconveniency 
 of that burthen, att all slacken her de- 
 vout course, but improve it rather ; 
 when to other considerable Charityes a 
 little before she was brought to bedd, she 
 sent me ^^.70 to distribute ; by which 
 were releived many indigent people and 
 poore house keepers ; and this was her 
 owne entirely ; for her excellent husband 
 had the year before setled on her, not 
 onely the produdl, but absolute disposall 
 of the portion which she brought, to 
 above;^.4000. For the irreversible con- 
 tinuance thereof, they were pleased to 
 intrust me to manage the Stock. Soe as 
 now haveing still wherewithal! to in- 
 large her Charity e, without prejudice, 
 there was indeed nothing wanting which 
 she desired more in the world, as often 
 
 she 
 
136 
 
 The Life of 
 
 she would repeate it to me, butt the life 
 of that Dear Man, for soe she called her 
 husband, for whome she had now and 
 then much apprehension ; subjefl as he 
 was to fevors that had formerly en- 
 dangered him; not in the least fore- 
 bodeing of her owne departure, and 
 leaveing him behind her. Tho', vpon a 
 dreame of myne I once related to her 
 some yeares before, she affirmed with 
 much earnestness that she should cer- 
 tainely dye before me : which, tho' I 
 tooke little notice of then, and beleived 
 nothing less, I cannot butt since reflecft 
 vpon ; especially when I call to mind, 
 the order she gave the painter, that, in 
 the pi6lure she some years since be- 
 stowed vpon me, she would be drawne 
 in a lugubrous posture, sitting vpon a 
 Tomb stone adorned with a Sepulcher 
 Vrne ; nor was this att all my fancy, 
 butt her express desire. Butt, to lay noe 
 more stress on this, how frequently have 
 I heard her say she loved to be in the 
 
 house 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 house of Mourning. Nor does your 
 Ladyshipp forgett how, a few dayes be- 
 fore her Reckoning was out, my Lady 
 ViscountessMordantgiveingheravisitt, 
 andfindingher Eyes swollen with teares, 
 she told her she had been doeing a sad, 
 yett to her a pleasing thing, and that 
 was the writeing something to her hus- 
 band which she requested he would 
 doe for her, if she should dye of that 
 Child; and then added the great Com- 
 fort and satisfaction it was to her, that 
 she had putt her little concerns in or- 
 der, and otherwise made preparations 
 against all surprizes, and was perfedly 
 resigned. This discourse for the present 
 drew mutual I Tears, butt abated no- 
 thing of her wonted chearfullness: when, 
 on the fifteenth of May, which was the 
 Anniversary of her marriage, she, with 
 your Ladyshipp and sister Gr., honour'd 
 my poore house with a visitt, (the last 
 she ever gave me, and therefore not to 
 be forgotten) ; the perfect good humour 
 
 she 
 
 137 
 
I 
 
 138 The Life of 
 
 she then was in renders the memory 
 of it sad, as well as that she was in the 
 July after, when wee all went with her 
 to Mr. Ashmoles att Lambath who di- 
 verted her with many curiosityes : butt 
 after this, growing bigger she rarely 
 stirr'd abroad, save to the Chappell. Itt 
 was yett againe on the fourth of August, 
 that my Lady Mordant and my wife 
 (by assignation betweene them) went to 
 dyne with her att her pretty appartment ; 
 they found her well, butt something 
 more then vsually solemne; she had it 
 seemes been reading and sorting of pa- 
 pers and Letters, and how, sayes she, is it 
 possible to think of ones friends wee are 
 to leave behind, without concernment; 
 with discourse to this purpose. This 
 more then ordinary Impulse, that she 
 should not outlive the happiness she had 
 soe long wished for, made the Conver- 
 sation less gay and chearfull then other- 
 wise it was wont to be; and it seemes to 
 me, she had some apprehensions exter- 
 
 ordnary, 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 139 
 
 ordnary, which were not discern'd by 
 any of her friends, when often wishing 
 that she might, if soe it pleas'd God, 
 bring her husband one Child, and leave 
 him that pledge of her intire aiFedion. 
 She seemed to thirst after nothing more 
 than to be with God ; and veryly what 
 estimate she tooke of these poore satis- 
 fadlions here, when I have sometymes 
 refledted on the circumstances of her 
 youth and chearful temper, with the 
 prospedl of as much worldly happyness 
 as she could desire, I have extreamly 
 wondered att her contempt of it; finding 
 likewise that it did not proceed from 
 any peevish discontent or singularitye of 
 humour, butt from a philosophicalI,wise, 
 and pious consideration of the vicissitude 
 and instabilitye of all earthly fruitions, 
 and an ardent longing after that glori- 
 ous state, where (said she) I shall be 
 perfe<5lly att repose, and sin no more. 
 And that these were allmost her contin- 
 uall thoughts and aspirations, see how 
 
 she 
 
140 The Life of 
 
 she entertaines me, in a postcript about 
 the very tyme. 
 
 " Lett vs pray, that Gods Kingdome 
 of Grace being received into our hearts, 
 his Kingdome of Glory may succeed, 
 and soe wee ever be with the Lord ; 
 which indeed I long for, more then all 
 the satisfactions of this world; really, 
 Friend, there's nothing in it to be chosen 
 for itselfe. Is not eating to satisfye the 
 paine of hunger, sleepe to ease our 
 wearyness, and other divertisements to 
 take off the mind from being too intent 
 on things that it cannot allwayes support 
 without great inconveniency to its facul- 
 tyes? Retirement againe is to discharge 
 it of that burthen, and the staines it has 
 contracted by being in conversation, and 
 impertinent Company ; soe that vpon 
 the matter, our intire life is, in my 
 opinion, an inquiry after remedyes, 
 which doe often if not allways exchange 
 rather than cure our infirmityes ; I ac- 
 knowledge 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 knowledge that God has imparted to me 
 many great blessings ; which, if our na- 
 ture were not sadly depraved, wee might 
 exceedingly rejoyce in, butt wee make 
 soe ill vse of most of them, that wee 
 turne those things to mischiefes, which 
 are given to vs for our good &c." In this 
 style she goes on, and could a Seneca, 
 or an Antoninus, or indeed the wisest 
 and holyest person have vttered [aught] 
 more divine and piously serious : nor 
 did she say this only, butt she pradis'd 
 it : for with what devout and solemne 
 preparations pass'd the rest of this fatall 
 month ! Haveing received the blessed 
 sacrament butt two dayes before she 
 was brought to bedd, soe preventing 
 all possible surprizes, and waiteing now 
 with her wonted alacritye and resigna- 
 tion the approach of the confli6t she 
 was to enter vpon, she on the second of 
 September, began first to be sensible of 
 some alteration in her temper, and dure- 
 ing that night it was concluded it might 
 
 be 
 
 141 
 
142 
 
 The Life of 
 
 be her labour, and soe it was. With 
 what exceeding patience, devotion, and 
 courage she sustain'd it, your Lady- 
 shipp, who was all the tyme assisting, 
 with both those excellent sisters, can best 
 tell. 
 
 Itt was then on Tuesday the third 
 of that vnfortunate Month, when come- 
 ing about 1 1 a clock in the forenoone, 
 as my custome was, to visitt her and 
 ask of her health, that I found she was 
 inTravell; and you may easyly imagine 
 how extreamly I was concern'd, not to 
 stirr from the house till I had some as- 
 sureance that all succeeded well. And 
 indeed to all appearance soe it did. For 
 it pleas'd God that within an hour, your 
 Ladyshipp brought me the joyfuU ty- 
 deings of a Man Child born into the 
 world, and a very little after admitted 
 me to see and bless that lovely Babe by 
 the Mothers side ; when the very first 
 word she spake to me was, I hope you 
 
 have 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 have given thanks to God for his infi- 
 nite mercy to me. O with what satis- 
 fadlion, with what joy and over rapture 
 did I hear her pronounce it, with what 
 satisfadlion and pleasure did I see the 
 Mother safe, and her desire accomphsh- 
 ed, without any accident that could 
 give the least vmbrage or suspicion of 
 approaching danger; soe as me thought 
 of nothing more then rejoyceing and 
 praiseing God, auguering a thousand 
 benedictions. 
 
 In this faire and hopeful! condition 
 she continued all that day ; when her 
 husband, now att Windsor with the 
 Court, being sent for to come to double 
 and compleat the Joy, upon the Thurs- 
 day following his little Son was made 
 a Christian, [his name Francis] in pre- 
 sence of both the parents ; his Vnkle 
 Sir William Godolphyn, Mr. Harvey, 
 Treasurer to her Majestye, and Lady 
 Berkley being susceptors; theChaplaines 
 
 who 
 
 •43 
 
144 
 
 The Life of 
 
 who constantly vsed to say prayers in 
 the family, performeing the office. 
 
 Seeing this dear Lady soe well layd, 
 the Child Baptized, and every thing in 
 a hopefull way, my wife, who was now 
 to visitt her, and I, return'd home, as 
 full of joy and satisfa6lion as wee could 
 be, for the best and most estimable 
 friend wee had in the world ; butt ah, 
 how were wee both surprized, when on 
 the Sunday following there was a Letter 
 dehvered me in the Church, about the 
 latter end of the Morning Sermon, in 
 this dolefull style. 
 
 " My poore wife is fallen very ill of a 
 ifevor, with lightness in her head. You 
 know who sayes the prayer of the faith- 
 full shall save the sick; I humbly begg 
 your charitable prayers for this poore 
 creature and your distrafted servant. 
 London : Saturday, 9 a clock." 
 
 O how 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 O how was I struck through, as with 
 a dart. I am not able to tell your 
 Ladyshipp with how sad and apprehen- 
 sive thoughts my wife and I hastned 
 i mediately to Whitehall ; where wee 
 found her in all the circumstances of 
 danger; and, tho' distindlly knowing 
 those who came to visittand were about 
 her, yett had the distemper allready soe 
 farr prevailed on her spiritts, that it 
 was a sad and mournfull thing to find 
 how her fancy and vsual temper was 
 disorder'd. To all this, the season hap- 
 pened to prove excessively hott, which 
 exceedingly contributed to her suffer- 
 ing. There had been, when I came, 
 butt one physitian sent for ; butt my 
 wife, suspecting (with others) that this 
 violent surprize could not likely pro- 
 ceed from either the intemperance of 
 the weather, or impaire of one soe well 
 laid as to all appearance as she was, 
 butt possibly from accident, itt was 
 thought advisable to call an experi- 
 enced 
 
 H5 
 
146 
 
 The Life of 
 
 enc'd person in cases of this nature. 
 Butt itt was so very long ere the dodlor 
 could be found, and soe late ere he 
 came, that through the frequency and 
 violence of her fitts, which were now 
 delirious, her spiritts were soe farr 
 wasted, that tho' he were of the same 
 opinion, and that something was omit- 
 ted, yett would he by no entreaty be 
 perswaded to apply anything butt in 
 conjundtion with other phisityans. Doc- 
 tor Lowther being call'd away some 
 houres before, and besides it being now 
 farr in the night, itt w^as with exterord- 
 nary dificulty that I gott my antient 
 dear and religious friend. Doctor Need- 
 ham, since with God, and then but 
 valetudinaryehimselfe, to come. Others 
 who were sent for, wearyed as they pre- 
 tended with toyle, would not be pre- 
 vailed with to rise, except Dr. Short; 
 soe as till now, there had been little at- 
 tempted ; nor any thing even by these 
 with any assureance, soe farr she was 
 
 spent 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 147 
 
 spent, and her condition not admitting 
 of proper remedyes for what they 
 feared, gave slender hopes of success. 
 The Deliriums increase, and allbeit 
 with some promise and intermissions, to 
 appearance, yett were they only such 
 as proceeded from languor and tired- 
 ness ; soe that, tho' she still retained her 
 memory of the persons about her, what 
 she said was altogeather inconsistent, 
 and growing more impetuous and de- 
 plorable, gave presage of utmost dan- 
 ger. This only was highly remarkeable, 
 that in all this disorder of fancy and 
 allmost distradtion, she vttered not one 
 syllable or expression that might in the 
 least offend God, or any creature about 
 her ; a thing which dureing these alien- 
 ations of mind does seldome happen ; 
 butt which shewed how blessed a thing 
 it was to live holylye and carefully, as 
 this Innocent did ; persons that are de- 
 lirious vsually vttering extravigancyes 
 that discover their worst inclinations. 
 
 Butt 
 
148 
 
 The Life of 
 
 Butt she was now in a manner spent, 
 and no*t could physitians doe, when 
 neither the cupping nor the pidgeons, 
 those last of remedyes, wrought any 
 efFedt. Other things had been per- 
 happs convenient ; butt there was noe 
 strength to bear inward remedyes,when 
 even the most gentle had been fatall ; 
 and there now appearing a kind of 
 Erisypulus on herback,neck, and armes, 
 the malignancy grew desperate, — and 
 this excellent Creature passes a fiery 
 Triall,exercisedinall the circumstances 
 of paine and wearyness. Wee beheld 
 her now languishing vnder the last con- 
 flidls till the morning of the next day. 
 There had been, your Ladyshipp 
 knows, a consultation the night before, 
 and a resolution of attempting search- 
 ing att a venture, if she lived till day ; 
 and the rather, that the physitians might 
 not seeme to doe nothing in a desperate 
 case, than expeding any good effe(5t 
 without a miracle. Butt when the morn- 
 
 mg 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 ing came, finding her still more debili- 
 tated, and the paroxysmes impetuous 
 and allmost vncessant, all hopes being 
 given over, vpon the importunitye and 
 recomendation of that excellent and 
 pious lady, the Viscountess Mordant, 
 they permitted one Do6lor Ffaber to 
 make tryallof a Cordiall, celebrated by 
 her Ladyshipp for the great matter it 
 had performed ; and indeed it seem'd 
 att first to compose her, and somewhat 
 allay the violence of her fitts. Butt the 
 moments were short, and her conflidt is 
 repeated, with the vsual violence ; till 
 she who was wont to raise her selfe vp 
 as oft as they came, now sinkes downe 
 as no more able to sustaine them ; her 
 spiritts faint : till no more pulse per- 
 ceiveable, — for your Ladyshipp and I 
 held her all this while by the hands, — 
 with the most ardent prayers and offices 
 of the holy Man, who continually at- 
 tended, he earnestly, and wee all de- 
 voutly recomend, and she quietly ren- 
 ders 
 
 149 
 
I50 
 
 The Life of 
 
 ders vp her happy soule to her blessed 
 Redeemer ; in whose bosome she is now 
 deliver'd from all earthly misseryes, and 
 assumed into those blissfull Mansions 
 prepared for his Saints, and such as like 
 her excellent in virtue. 
 
 Thus ended this incomparable Lady : 
 our never to be sufficiently lamented 
 losse : leaveing not onely a disconsolate 
 Husband, whose vnexpressible griefe 
 and deep affliction would hardly suffer 
 him to be spedator of her languish- 
 ments, drown'd in tears and prostrate 
 att the mercy seate, butt all her Re- 
 lations, and [all] who had the honour to 
 know her, in as much reall and pun- 
 gent sorrow as Christians and tender 
 hearts were capable to express, and as 
 was highly due for soe sencible and 
 vniversall a loss, and soe infinitely de- 
 plor'd. 
 
 This fatall houre was (your Lady- 
 
 shipp 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 shipp knows) about one o'clock, att 
 noone, on the Munday, September the 
 nineth, 1678, in the 25 year and prime 
 of her age. O vnparalell'd loss ! O 
 griefe indicible ! By me never to be 
 forgotten — never to be overcome ! Nor 
 pass I the sad anniversary and lugu- 
 bruous period without the most senci- 
 ble emotions, sorrow that draws tears 
 from my very heart whilst I am recite- 
 ing it. 
 
 Butt thus she pass'd to a better 
 World, when only worthy of her, when 
 as if presageing what was att hand, she 
 that very day seavenight (as I noted) 
 furnish'd herselfe with the heavenly 
 Viaticum,after an exterordnaryprepara- 
 tion, preventing the possible dissadvan. 
 tages of what might surprize her spi- 
 ritts and disorder her recoUedion, with 
 a mostpious and heavenly address. Nor 
 was this taken notice of onely by those 
 who were witnesses of it some dayes 
 
 before 
 
 151 
 
152 
 
 The Life of 
 
 before she was brought to bedd, but 
 signally appeared in that paper which 
 she had left in the hands of her in- 
 dear'd Sister in law, Mistress Boscawen, 
 to deliver her Husband, in case of mor- 
 tall accident ; which, soe soone as it was 
 possible to compose his and the vni- 
 versall grief to any temper, was per- 
 form'd. 
 
 '^ My deare, not knowing how God 
 AUmighty may deale with me, I think 
 it my best course to settle my affaires, 
 soe as that, in case I be to leave this 
 world, noe earthly thing may take vp 
 my thoughts. In the first place, my 
 dear, beleive me, that of all earthly 
 things you were and are the most dear 
 to me; and I am convinced that no- 
 body ever had a better or halfe soe good 
 a husband. I begg your pardon for all 
 my Imperfed:ions, which I am sencible 
 were many; but such as I could help, 
 I did endeavour to subdue, that they 
 
 might 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 might not trouble you : for those defedls 
 which I could not red:ifye in myselfe, 
 as want of judgement in the manage- 
 ment of my family and household af- 
 faires, which I owne myselfe to be very 
 defedtive in, I hope your good nature 
 will excuse, and notremember to my dis- 
 advantage when I am gone. I ask your 
 pardon for the vanitye of my humour, 
 and for being often [more] melancholy 
 and splenetick than I had cause to be. 
 I was allwayes asham'd of myselfe when 
 I was soe, and sorry for it, and I hope 
 it will come into the number of those 
 faults which I could not help. Now (my 
 dear) God be with thee; pray God bless 
 you, and keepe you his faithfull Servant 
 for ever. In him be all thy joy and 
 delight, satisfaction and comfort, and 
 doe not grieve too much for me, since 
 I hope I shall be happy, being very 
 much resigned to God's will, and leave- 
 ing this world with, I hope, in Christ 
 Jesus, a good Conscience. Now, my 
 
 dear, 
 
 153 
 
154 The Life of 
 
 dear, if you please, permitt me to ask 
 leave to bestow a legacy or two amongst 
 my friends and servants. In the first 
 place, if it might be, I could wish, 
 when the Child I goe with grows of a 
 fitt bigness, itt might be either with my 
 sister Boscawen, or my sister Penn, for 
 I know they will be careful! of its better 
 Part, which is the cheife thing I am 
 concerned about. In the next place, I 
 desire you would give B [her wo- 
 man] one hundred pounds (the vse of 
 which being six pounds a year, she may 
 live att her Ffather's house vpon, if she 
 will, for I fear she will scarce gett any 
 body to bear with her want of good 
 service, as I have done). For my 
 Maid, if she doe not marry, I hope she 
 will be kept to looke after my Child, 
 when it comes from Nurse. In the 
 meane tyme, you will give her board 
 wages. For my two footemen, I hope 
 you will gett them places as soone as 
 you can, etc. However, if you be not 
 
 disposed 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 disposed to keepe them, you will give 
 them att parting ten pounds a piece. 
 I desire you will give my Sisters my 
 share of the Queen's Lease, fifty pounds 
 a year; itt is betweene them two, my 
 vnmarryed ones I meane; and to my 
 Cozen Sarah an hundred pounds in 
 mony. To my Lady Silvius my great 
 diamond ring, &c. 
 
 " Now, my dear, I have done, if 
 you please to lay out about an hundred 
 pounds more in rings for your five 
 Sisters, to remember me by. I know 
 nothing more I have to desire of you, 
 but that you will sometymes think of 
 me with kindness, butt never with too 
 much griefe. For my Funerall, I de- 
 sire there may be noe cost bestowed 
 vpon itt att all ; butt if I might, I would 
 begg that my body might lye where I 
 have had such a mind to goe myselfe, 
 att Godolphyn, among your freinds. 1 
 beleive, if I were carried by Sea, the 
 
 expence 
 
156 
 
 The Life of 
 
 expence would not be very great ; but 
 I don't insist vpon that place, if you 
 think it not reasonable ; lay me where 
 you please. 
 
 '* Pray, my deare, be kind to that 
 poore Child I leave behind, for my 
 sake, who lov'd you soe well ; butt I 
 need not bidd you, I know you will be 
 soe. If you should think fitt to marry 
 againe, I humbly begg that little for- 
 tune I brought, may be first settled 
 vpon my Child ; and that, as long as 
 any of your Sisters live, you will lett it 
 (if they permitt) live with them ; for it 
 may be, tho' you will love itt, my suc- 
 cessor will not be soe fond of itt, as they 
 I am sure will be. 
 
 " Now, my deare Child, farewell ; 
 the peace of God, which passeth all 
 vnderstanding, keepe your heart and 
 mind in the knowledge and love of 
 God, and of his Son Jesus Christ our 
 
 Lord ; 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 Lord ; and the blessing of God All- 
 mighty, the Father, the Sonn, and the 
 Holy Gost, be with thee, and remaine 
 with thee, ever and ever. Amen/' 
 
 Then follows what she had intrusted 
 me withall. 
 
 This indearing Instance of a truely 
 loyal! and admirable Wife were capa- 
 ble of the most noble reflexions, soe 
 religious, soe tender, soe discreete, and 
 every way becoming. That she accuses 
 herselfe of, being sometymes more so- 
 lemne than vsually young Ladies are, 
 and which she calls the Spleen, 1 can 
 by noe meanes admitt a fault : and, if 
 her other imperfedlions, of which she 
 beggs pardon, were but such as her 
 want of oeconomique prudence in the 
 management of her family, I dare pro- 
 nounce her the most consummate of all 
 the perfedions that can adorne or re- 
 comend her sex. 
 
 I say 
 
 57 
 
158 The Life of 
 
 I say nothing of the wonderfull af- 
 fedlion to her Husband, that made her 
 so desireous to mingle her dirt with his 
 in a dormitorye 300 miles from the rest 
 of all her Relations; and where, to my 
 knowledge, she would more contentedly 
 have pass'd all her dayes with him, then 
 amidst the splendor of the greatest 
 Court ; and where he might be the 
 Horizon, all that she could or cared to 
 see. 
 
 The education of her dear Child is 
 next : Observe with what care for the 
 better Part, with what excellent choice 
 for the person to whome she recomended 
 it. Nor does she extend her kindness 
 only to her Relations, butt the meanest 
 of her Servants. As for the Poore, she 
 had not onely sent those good workes 
 before her which she now enjoyes the 
 treasure and reward of in Heaven, butt 
 tooke order they might be continued 
 
 after 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 after her, and she being dead yett 
 speakes. 
 
 I might haply have taken it vnkind- 
 ly, if she had named soe much as a bro- 
 ther, and left me out; butt the Legatyes 
 she bequeathed, or rather desired her 
 Husband to gratifye her in, were only 
 to her Sisters and your Ladyshipp, ex- 
 cept what she bestows among her Do- 
 mestick ; to one of which she gave noe 
 less than an hundred pounds, and to 
 her owne Sisters the vallue of a thou- 
 sand ; lastly, to me the honour (att the 
 footeof this Paper) of being mentioned 
 the depositarye of her Trust, as I was 
 the distributer of her Bounty. Butt, 
 which was more obligeing, the solemne 
 profession to her Husband, a little be- 
 fore her Sickness, that she knew of no- 
 thing more she had to finish or wish 
 for in this World, butt that she might 
 doe me somesignall kindness. I confess 
 she had often both said and written soe 
 
 to 
 
 159 
 
i6o The Life of 
 
 to me, butt that she should think of it 
 as a Concerne doubly endeares her me- 
 mory. This (sayes that excellent Crea- 
 ture) she has left me to doe ; and Ma- 
 dam, he has done it, in allowing me 
 the honour of his freindshipp, and ac- 
 cepting my little services ; for the rest, 
 I have her Pidure in the house, and the 
 Idea of her virtues in my heart, besides 
 a thousand expressions of a religious 
 and noble Friendshipp, vnder her owne 
 fair hand, which I preserve and value 
 above all she could else bequeath me. 
 
 There was another small Pacquett 
 seal'd vp, which she desired by the su- 
 perscription might be burnt, and not 
 open'd, as accordingly it was performed ; 
 and, as I conceive, contained the Cy- 
 pher onely by which she vsually corre- 
 sponded with her ghostly Father, the 
 Deane of Hereford or some particu- 
 lars, which she would not trust her 
 memory with, in case she had lived, for 
 
 as 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 as I accquainted your Ladyshipp, she 
 kept a Catalogue of mercyes, deliver- 
 ances^ successes, resolutions, and other 
 assistances, for the disscusslon of her 
 Conscience with the most accurate nlce- 
 ness. Butt I enter not into this Se- 
 crett. 
 
 Thus began, lived, and ended this 
 incomparable Christian, Virgin, Wife, 
 and Freind, for an emulous example of 
 perfe6lion in all those capacityes. Butt 
 after all I have said, impossible will it 
 be to conceive what she was, without 
 endeavouring to imitate and attaine 
 those excellencyes and early virtues 
 which made her what she was : to shew 
 you that — , something I have here at- 
 tempted according to my poore ability; 
 butt he were a rare Artist indeed [who] 
 could reach the orriginall, and give those 
 last and liveing touches which should 
 make it breathe. But, Madam, that is 
 not to be expressed by lights and sha- 
 dows 
 
 i6l 
 
 M 
 
l62 
 
 The Life of 
 
 dows, which is alltogeather illustrious 
 and has nothing in it darke. 
 
 Here, then. Madam, after I have 
 recounted to you her Life, — buttwhich 
 reaches the profill onely, and wants a 
 world of finishing, — I should, according 
 to the usuall method, conclude it with 
 her Charader, if that accomplished 
 peice were not reserved for a greater 
 Master, and one that could describe her 
 mind. All I can pretend to, will 
 hardly reach the out strokes, and, when 
 I shall have done my best, be butt an 
 imperfed: copy. 
 
 Add this paper (Eledra) to the far- 
 die of my other Impertinencyes ; butt 
 take heed to the stepps and progress 
 you make ; for, if I live, I will write 
 your life ; att least from the first ap- 
 proaches of our friendshipp,till I carry it 
 into other Mansions. But, because your 
 great humility shall not suffer by the 
 
 admirable 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 admirable things I must say of you, nor 
 the brightness of the Subject be edipsed 
 by the defedls of the Instrument, it shall 
 be under supposed names, but in veri- 
 table instances ; for either wee want such 
 examples for good writers to exercise 
 their style and talents on, or good 
 writers to transmitt them to posteritye. 
 
 I know not really how she could doe 
 the age wee live in more Justice, nor 
 leave that to come a nobler monument 
 of Gratitude for the Improvements your 
 Conversation has taught it. Whilst Elec- 
 tra knows this,she will need noe Socrates 
 or Zeno to stand before her ; she re- 
 veres herselfe, and can do nothing be- 
 low her dignitye. I protest to you, the 
 thought that she is alwayes present, 
 and the contemplation of her vertues, is 
 more to me than a thousand dead phi- 
 losophers. But wee have a better mo- 
 nitor, and it were an imbecility infi- 
 nitely beneath us, to need the veneration 
 
 of 
 
 163 
 
164 
 
 The Life of 
 
 of men, when God, — all Eare and Eye, 
 omniscient and omnipresent, — observes 
 both our words and a(5lions. Lett us, 
 therefore, both, soe speak with God as 
 if men heard us, and so converse with 
 men as if God saw us. 
 
 Behold, Madam, what I once sub- 
 scribed at the foote of a Letter to this 
 blessed Creature; and often she would 
 smile at what I used to repeate upon 
 this subjedl, and as often did I disbe- 
 leive my selfe. Far, very far was it from 
 my imagination, farther, infinitely far- 
 ther from my desires, to survive (for) 
 this office ; who had it constantly in 
 my wishes, that she might close my 
 eyes ; butt soe it has pleased God, that 
 I should verifye my prophecy, and, on 
 your Ladyshipp's comand, absolve my 
 promise together. I have v/ritten her 
 Life, and should now present your 
 Ladyship with her Pidlure : here are 
 Colours, but where is (as I said) the 
 
 Master ? 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 Master ? She sat, indeed, some consi- 
 derable tyme to me ; and her conversa- 
 tion had been enough to inspire an 
 Artist ; but I assure you, there are some 
 pecuUar Graces, which the most skill- 
 full doe not arrive to in their most ela- 
 borate and finished pieces. And she 
 was full of those, and such as I never 
 yet did see in any of her sex but in 
 her alone ; and am certaine never shall, 
 unless it be in those few pieces she drew 
 her selfe, whereof your Ladyshipp is a 
 breathing and illustrious one, whilst you 
 tread the pathes of her piety and vir- 
 tues : this. Madam, I pretend to know, 
 and to shew you from whome I take 
 my measures. 
 
 The Picture. 
 
 Lett me first then recall to your 
 Ladyshipps remembrance how she 
 usually passed the day, for an instance 
 all most inimitable in the station where 
 
 she 
 
 ^(>5 
 
i66 
 
 7'he Life of 
 
 she was, the Court. I will begin with 
 Sunday the first of the weeke. 
 
 Were it never soe dark, wett or 
 uncomfortable weather, dureing the se- 
 verity of winter, she would rarely omit 
 being at the Chappell att 7 a'clock 
 prayers ; and, if a Comunion day, how 
 late soever her attendance were on the 
 Queen, and her owne exterordnary 
 preparation kept her up, she would be 
 dressed, and att her private Devotions, 
 some houres before the publick office 
 began. This brings to remembrance 
 what I could not then but smile att, 
 that finding one day a long pack thread 
 passing through the key hole of her 
 chamber doore, and reaching to her 
 bed's head, (opposite to that of your 
 sisters, if I be not mistaken,) and in- 
 quireing what it singnifyed, I att last 
 understood itt had been to awaken her 
 early in the morning; the Centinell, 
 whose station was of course near the en- 
 trance. 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 trance, being desired to pull it very hard 
 att such anhour^whilst the other extream 
 was tyed fast about her wrist; fearing 
 her maid might over sleep her selfe, or 
 call her later than she had appointed. 
 
 But, besides the monthly Comunions, 
 she rarely missed a Sunday throughout 
 the whole Year, wherein she did not re- 
 ceive the holy Sacrament, if she were 
 in towne and toUerable health; and I 
 well know she had those who gave her 
 constant advertisement where it was ce- 
 lebrated upon some more solemn festi- 
 vals ; besides not seldome on the weeke 
 days assisting at one poore creature's or 
 other ; and when sometymes, being in 
 the Country, or on a Journey, she had 
 not these oppertunityes, she made use 
 of a devout meditation upon that sacred 
 Mistery, byway of mentall Communion, 
 soe as she was in a continuall state of 
 preparation. And O, with what un- 
 speakable care and niceness did she use 
 to dress and trim her soul against this 
 
 Heavenly 
 
 167 
 
i68 
 
 The Life of 
 
 Heavenly Banquett; with what flagrant 
 devotion at the Altar. I doe assure 
 your Ladyshipp, I have seen her receive 
 the holy symbolls, with such an humble 
 and melting joy in her countenance, as 
 seem'd to be something of transport, 
 not to say angelic — something I cannot 
 describe: and she has her selfe confessed 
 to me to have felt in her soule such in- 
 fluxes of heavenly Joy as have allmost 
 carryed her into another world; I doe 
 not call them Rapts and Illapses, be- 
 cause she would not have endured to be 
 esteemedabove other humbleChristians ; 
 butt that she was sometymes visitted 
 with exterordnary favours I have many 
 reasons to believe : see what upon an- 
 other occasion she writes to me. 
 
 " O, my friend, how happy was I 
 on Sunday last. By reason of this foolish 
 play," (of which 1 have allready given 
 your Ladyshipp an account,) " most 
 imperfedl were my preparations, and 
 
 yett 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 yett I do not remember that God was 
 ever more gracious to me but once 
 afore ; and, indeed, that tyme I had soe 
 great a sense of my owne unworthyness 
 and the wonderfull condescencion and 
 love of God, that I had hke to have 
 fallen flat on my face; butt, that excepted, 
 this was the most refreshing. O Jesu, 
 (said I,) how happy are wee, how 
 blessed, that have the Lord for our 
 God. And you, blessed Angells, who 
 are present att these assemblyes, ad- 
 mireing the heavenly bounty, 1 tell you 
 I was even dissolved with love to God. 
 And yett, after all this, what wretched 
 things we are : I was drowsy att 
 Church, wandering in my thoughts, and 
 forgettfuU of these favours that very 
 day ; and great cause I had to lament my 
 sinns of even that day. Thus I ac- 
 knowledge to you Gods love to my 
 poore soule, and my foule ingratitude 
 to him ; that you may pray for the con- 
 tinuance of the one, and I trust the other 
 
 will 
 
 169 
 
170 
 
 The Life of 
 
 will in tyme grow less." See this hum- 
 ble soule. But I subjoyne one more. 
 
 " I bless God," (says she,) '' I grow 
 dayly less fond of the world, more 
 thankfull to God, less solicitous for 
 outward things, and more thirsty after 
 the blessed Sacrament; not as I was 
 wont, nor because I hold it my duty, 
 but out of an ardent desire to comme- 
 morate my Saviour's death, and to be 
 againe entertained with the wonderfull 
 pleasure that I feele there and noe 
 where else. All worldly joyes, all splen- 
 did ornaments, titles and honour, would 
 I bring to the feete of my crucifyed 
 baviour. 
 
 Nor did this blessed Saint hear the 
 word of God with less reverence : im- 
 ploying that day allmost intirely in 
 pious meditations, and never failing to 
 recoiled: what she had heard, with that 
 diligence that there was not a Sermon 
 
 but 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 but what she had abstraded, writeirig 
 downe the principall heads of the whole 
 discourse, soe soone as she came from 
 Church (if she had leisure), or, to be 
 sure, in the evening ere she slept ; and 
 this course she never omitted, nor to 
 repeat what she observed of most in- 
 strudive : and her memory was soe 
 happy, as nothing materiall escaped her. 
 This, to my astonishment, I can tes- 
 tifye. 
 
 How would this Lady rejoyce att the 
 approach of the Lord's day. She has 
 often told me she felt another soule in 
 her ; and that there was nothing more 
 affli(5led her than those impertinent 
 visitts on Sunday Evenings, which she 
 avoided with all imaginable industry ; 
 whilst yett seldome did she pass one 
 without goeing to visitt, pray by, or 
 instruct some poor religious Creature 
 or other, tho' it were to the remotest 
 part of the Towne ; and sometymes, if 
 
 the 
 
 71 
 
172 
 
 The Life of 
 
 the season were inviteing, walke into 
 the fields or Gardens to contemplate 
 the workes of God. In a word, she 
 was allwayes soe solemnly chearfull 
 upon that day, and soe devout, that, 
 without lookeing into the Kalender,one 
 might have read it in her countenance. 
 Thus was the Sunday taken up in 
 prayers, hearing, receiveing, meditate- 
 ing on the word and workes of God, 
 adls of Charity, and other holy exercises, 
 without the least formalitye or con- 
 fusion ; because she had cast all her af- 
 fairs into such a method, as rendered it 
 delightfull as well as holy. 
 
 Vpon festivall dayes, she never 
 omitted the offices of the Church ; take- 
 ing those opportunityes of visitting 
 poore sick people, relieveing and com- 
 forting them ; and then would lengthen 
 her evening retirements with proper 
 meditations on the Mystery, or come- 
 moration; for which she had, of her owne 
 
 colledlion. 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 colledlion, apposite entertainments: butt 
 then upon indidled fast dayes^ besides 
 what she weekly sett apart her selfe, 
 (and especially before the Monthly Co- 
 rn unions) how exterordnary were her 
 recesses and devotions on every Friday, 
 when she rarely stirr'd out of her little 
 Oratorye butt to publique prayers, and 
 then would end the evenings in visitts 
 of charity ; and did for several! years 
 observe the Lent with stridness, both 
 as to her reflexions and devotion, till, 
 finding it much impaire her health and 
 delicate constitution, something of those 
 severe mortifications she was perswaded 
 to abate. Only the holy weeke her ex- 
 ercises was extended to all the parts of 
 duty and more solemn preparation, 
 spent in an uninterrupted course of pe- 
 nitentiall and exterordnary devotion, 
 yett without superstitious usages or the 
 least morossness. 
 
 Vpon such Anniversaryes she would 
 
 be 
 
 173 
 
74 
 
 The Life of 
 
 be early att the Chappell ; and some- 
 tymes I have knowne her shutt up in 
 the Church after the pubhck offices 
 have been ended, without returneing 
 to her Chamber att all ; to prevent im- 
 pertinent visitts and avocations, and 
 that she might spend the day in conti- 
 nuall devotion. With these austerityes 
 passed she the dayes of abstinence ; nay, 
 though it fell upon a festival), and 
 when others thought themselves att 
 liberty. This recalls to me an answer 
 which she once returned me, kindly 
 reproveing her for a severity on a cer- 
 taine holy day. 
 
 "As to fasting on a festivall," (sayes 
 she,) " I had not done it, butt that I 
 had for it the opinion of a learned and 
 reverend Bishopp, who told me it was 
 not a fasting day of our owne make- 
 ing ; wee might, when a fast and a 
 feast of the Church meete, feast att 
 Church and fast att home ; which I did, 
 
 and 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 and it was a good day with me. I 
 could be content never to dyne soe 
 long as I live, soe as I might spend 
 every day like that." 
 
 By this your Ladyshipp may see how 
 well advised she was in all she did, and 
 what exterordnary gust and satisfadion 
 she received in her devout intercourses. 
 
 Butt the truth is, not onely did she 
 fast on dayes of Indidlion, and such as 
 the Church enjoynes ; every meale was 
 a day of abstinence with her ; for as she 
 seldome eate of above one or two dishes, 
 where there were great plenty, soe, very 
 rarely would she have any sauces, and 
 comonly chose the dryest and leanest 
 morsells : and frequently have I knowne 
 her deny her appetite things which I 
 am certaine she lov'd, soe as I have 
 made it now and then a little quarrell, 
 for treating her selfe no better; consi- 
 dering her tender fabrick, early riseing, 
 
 tedious 
 
 ^7S 
 
176 
 
 The Life of 
 
 tedious and late watchings, laborious 
 devotions, and not seldome even to 
 fainting in her retirements. Butt she 
 would tell me smileingly, that she was 
 as strong as a lion ; and though I ma- 
 nifestly perceived the contrary, both by 
 her countenance and other circum- 
 stances, that these austerityes did her 
 injury, she would disguise it with an 
 industry soe natural!, and putt such life 
 and chearfullness into her lookes and 
 mine, as has made me call to mind what 
 wee read of Daniell and his compa- 
 nions, (Dan. I ,) who after their ascetick 
 foode, looked fairer and in better point 
 then all the rest who eat of the Royal! 
 portion. '^ I can be fatt," (she would 
 tell me) " in three dayes when I will." 
 
 I forgott to remember your Lady- 
 shipp of her imploying most part of 
 Lent in workeing for poore people, 
 cutting out and makeing waistcoates 
 and other necessary coverings, which 
 
 she 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 she constantly distributed amongst them, 
 Hke another Dorcas, spending much of 
 her tyme, and no Uttle of her money, in 
 reheving, visitting, and enquireing of 
 them out. And whilst she was thus 
 busy with her needle, she would com- 
 monly have one or other read by her; 
 through which means, and a happy me- 
 mory, she had allmost the whole Scrip- 
 tures by heart, and was so versed in 
 Do6lor Hammond's Annotations and 
 other pradllcall bookes, Controversyes, 
 and Cases, as might have stocked some 
 who pass for noe small Divines ; not to 
 mention sundry divine penitentiall and 
 other Hymns, breathing of a Spiritt of 
 holy ness, and such as shew'd the tender- 
 ness of her heart, and wonderfuU love 
 to God. 
 
 Thus spent she the Sunday, feasts, 
 or fasts; nor were the exterordnary 
 weeke dayes other than Sundayes with 
 her when none came to interrupt her 
 
 course, 
 
 '^n 
 
178 
 
 The Life of 
 
 course, which, in some particulars, was 
 constant and unintermitted. For the 
 Sun had not yett dravvne the Curtaines 
 of his purple bed, whose riseing she oft 
 prevented, and even sometymes the 
 Morning watch, when this holy Virgin, 
 wakeing, after a short Ejaculation to 
 the Father of lights for the refreshment 
 she had received, thus excites herselfe, — 
 
 '' Up and he doeing, sleep no more ; 
 Hark I who is knocking att the doore ? 
 Arise y my faire one, come away ; 
 For thee I waite : arise , and pray. 
 Shake off thy Sleepe ; behold^ 'tis II 
 Canst thou love that, when I am by ? 
 Vaine thoughts, presume not to come 
 
 near, 
 Toul find no entertainements here ; 
 My Love has sworne — her vows are 
 
 past — 
 'That I shall be her first and last. 
 Rise then, my dearest, come and see 
 What pleasureas are reserv d for thee, 
 
 I come 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 / comCy dear Lord, Behold I rise, 
 I'heey I beyond all pleasures prize J^ 
 
 Doe not imagine I am pursueing a 
 romance, or in a rapture myselfe, whilst 
 I call her up with this angelick Hymne ; 
 since I can assure your Ladyshipp 'tis 
 butt what I find under her owne hand, 
 and amongst those devout transports 
 and composures of hers, which I am 
 certaine were her owne : and when she 
 was in health, she would be call'd, 
 whilst itt was yett darke, to seeke her 
 Lord, like those holy women that went 
 early to the Sepulcher. 
 
 Noe sooner was she descended from 
 her bed, butt she fell on her knees in 
 profound adoration ; and all the tymeof 
 her dressing, — which for the most part 
 she finished of her selfe without other 
 help, — her mayd was reading some part 
 of Scripture to her, and when her assist- 
 ance was necessary, she would take the 
 
 booke 
 
 179 
 
i8o 
 
 The Life of 
 
 booke herselfe, and read to her maid ; 
 thus continually imploy'd she her me- 
 ditations, till she was fully dress*d; 
 which she would be in a very little 
 tyme, even to all the agreeable circum- 
 stances becomeing her; because indeed 
 she became every thing, and this early 
 riseing and little indulgence to her ease, 
 made her looke like a flower, lovely, 
 and fresh, and full of health : being in 
 this posture, she withdrew to private 
 devotion in her closett, till her servant 
 advertised her it was tyme to goe to 
 the Chappell, where she was ever with 
 the first of the devout sex, were it never 
 soe wett, cold, and darke, even before 
 day breake, in midst of winter. 
 
 Returned from Chappell, she would 
 shutt her selfe upp in her little Oratorye 
 againe ; where, till the Queene requir'd 
 her attendance, (for I now describe her 
 as she was att Court,) she was either 
 imployed in reading some holy booke, 
 
 or 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 or getting some Chapter or Psalmes by 
 heart, such as she had colledled abun- 
 dance of the most edifyeing ; neither 
 omitted she to pray constantly with her 
 small family, which she tooke great 
 care to instruct upon all occasions. Nor 
 did her forenoone devotion determine 
 here : she not seldome might be found 
 in the Chappell att ten a'Clock in the 
 longer office. Nay, and I have some- 
 tymcs mett her above in his Majesty es 
 little oratory e before dinner, if conve- 
 niently she could slipp away from the 
 mixt Company of the withdrawing 
 Roome, whilst the Queene satt out; 
 and this she did, not out of singularity 
 or superstitious devotion, or that she 
 thought herselfe obliged to it, butt (as 
 she has told me) to avoid occasions of 
 idle and impertinent discourse, which 
 was all most unavoidable in the Ante- 
 Chambers. 
 
 Soe soone as her Majesty e had dyned, 
 
 (if 
 
 i8i 
 
l82 
 
 The Life of 
 
 (if it were her duty and turne to wayte,) 
 and that she had alsoe taken her repast, 
 if she owed no formall visitts, or were 
 not interrupted by others, she usually 
 spent the afternoone in workeing with 
 her needle ; which was comonly (butt 
 espetially, as I noted, in Lent tyme,) 
 makeing Coates and Garments for 
 poore people, and sometymes for great 
 and rich; for there was nothing but 
 [what] her delicate fingers could doe, 
 and she had an Invention and fancy soe 
 elegant and pretty, that when there was 
 any thing exterordnary to be done in 
 suiteing Ornaments and adjusting La- 
 dyes* matters att Court, tho' she afFedled 
 none of this her selfe, happy was the most 
 illustrious of the Circle, [who] could 
 have her to dress and sett them out. 
 
 She was sometymes engaged to pass 
 the after dynner att Cards, especially 
 when she came to Berkley House, 
 (where was great resort,) more to com- 
 ply 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 ply with others, than that she tooke the 
 least delight in it ; and tho', being co- 
 monly extreamly fortunate and very 
 skillfull, she comonly rose a winner, and 
 allwayes reserved her winnings for the 
 poore, itt was yett amongst the greatest 
 afflidtions of her life, when, to comply 
 with some persons of Qualitye, she satt 
 any thing long att itt. How many sad 
 complaints has she made to me of this 
 particular : I tell you she looked on it 
 as a Calamity and subjedlion insupport- 
 able. Butt neither did this nor any 
 other consideration detaine her from 
 being present att publick prayers att 3 
 or 4 a'clock; for she would then break 
 off, and happ'ly take that opportunitye 
 of makeing some visitt, if she had any 
 to pay. 
 
 She had her houres alsoe for reading 
 historye and diversions of that nature ; 
 butt allwayes such as were choice, pro- 
 fittable, and instrudlive, and she had de- 
 voured 
 
 183 
 
184 The Life of 
 
 voured an incredible deale of that solid 
 knowledge^ and could accompt of it to 
 admiration; soe as I have even beene 
 astonished to find such an heape of ex- 
 cellent things and materiall observations 
 coUeded and written with her owne 
 hand, many of which (since her being 
 with God) came to myne ; for, besides 
 a world of admirable prayers and pieces 
 of flagrant devotion, meditations, and 
 discourses on various subjeds (which 
 she compos'd), there was hardly a booke 
 she read that she had not common 
 placed, as it were, or taken some re- 
 markable note of; add this to the Diary 
 of her owne life, actions, resolutions, 
 and other circumstances, of which I shall 
 give some specimen . She had contradled 
 the intire historye of the Scriptures, and 
 the most illustrious examples, sentences, 
 and precepts, digested under apposite 
 and proper heads ; and coUedled to- 
 geather the result of every Article of 
 the Apostles' Creed, out of Bishopp 
 
 Pearson's 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 185 
 
 Pearson's excellent Treatise. I have all- 
 ready spoken of her Sermon Notes ; 
 butt to give a just Account of her Let- 
 ters, they are so many and in so excellent 
 natural! and easy a style, that, as for 
 their number, one would beleive she did 
 nothing else butt write, soe, for their 
 weight and ingenuity, that she ought to 
 doe nothing else ; and soe easyly did 
 her Invention flow, that I have seene her 
 write a very long letter without once 
 takeing off her penn (butt to dipp it), 
 and that with exterordnary Judgment; 
 they were cogent, pathetick, and oblige- 
 ing, and allwayes about doeing some 
 kind office, or Religious Correspond- 
 ence. Nor less was she indefatigable 
 in reading ; seldome stirring abroad 
 without some good booke about her, 
 that, if by any accident she were to 
 attend or be alone, she might lose no 
 tyme ; and indeed the tone of her voice 
 (when she read to others) was soe suited 
 to all the passions and figures either of 
 
 reading 
 
1 86 The Life of 
 
 reading or discourse, that there was no- 
 thing more charmeing then to heare her 
 recite with such a Spiritt and Judg- 
 ment as the periods fell. 'Tis hardly 
 to be imagined, the talent she peculiarly 
 had in repeating a comicall part or act- 
 ing it, when in a chearfull humour and 
 amongst some particular friends, she 
 would sometymes divert them ; and I 
 have heard her pronounce a Sermon in 
 French, which she had heard preached 
 by a fryar in Paris vpon the profession 
 of a Nun, att which she was present, 
 that really surprized me. Those who 
 have observed the fantastick motion of 
 those Zealotts in the pulpitt would have 
 seen in this Lady's adlion, invention, and 
 preachment, the prettiest and most in- 
 nocent Mimick in the World, and have 
 really beleived it had been the Enthusiast 
 himselfe, but for his frock and face, that 
 had inspired her : certainely she was 
 the most harmeless and diverting Crea- 
 ture in nature. Butt, as her witt was 
 
 infinite. 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 infinite, and in Conversation far superior 
 to any of her sex, soe , to curb it had 
 she such perpetuall apprehensions of 
 God's omnipresence, that she industri- 
 ously suppressed it. I could tell your 
 Ladyshipp of some artificial! helps she 
 vsed, to keep her allwayes in mind of 
 it : thus she would pin up some pa- 
 pers, as it were negligently, in places 
 where she most frequently used to be, 
 with some Charadler in it, or halfe word, 
 that signifyed to her some particular 
 duty or Caution ; and though I never 
 came to know this from her selfe, yett 
 by some observations which I made, I 
 am confident of what I say. Butt this 
 she did to curb and restraine as (I said) 
 her sprightfull witt, in perfeifl humility, 
 and out of feare and tenderness lest 
 she might offend ; tho' never was Crea- 
 ture more discreetely reserved, or that 
 better vnderstood when and what it 
 was fitt to speake and entertaine her 
 friends. 
 
 To 
 
 187 
 
i88 The Life of 
 
 To preserve her selfe then in this 
 humble temper, and assist her more 
 minute Confessions, she kept (as I have 
 hinted) an account of her adlions and 
 resolutions, as since her decease I find. 
 In this it was she sett downe her Infir- 
 mityes she laboured vnder, what deli- 
 verances she had from danger, what 
 favour received^ what Methods she re- 
 solved to take for the imployment of 
 her tyme, and obligations laid vpon 
 her selfe to performe what she soe re- 
 solved; which doubtless was a Course 
 to keep her close to duty, as well as the 
 frequent Counsells of her Ghostly father 
 upon all difficultyes by the constant 
 Intercourse of Letters; soe as she [was] 
 seldome in suspence, what she ought to 
 doe upon any difficulty which might 
 concerne her : and this infinitely con- 
 tributed to the Chearfullness of her 
 Spiritts and interior peace. She was 
 really soe afraid that others should think 
 
 too 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 too well of her, that she has sometymes 
 bitterly accused herselfe, and was wont 
 to send me an anniversary account of 
 her faileings and Infirmityes, in which 
 God knows they were very few, with 
 a grateful 1 remembrance to God of her 
 Improvements, which I knew to be 
 much greater then she would acknow- 
 ledge, desireing both advice and grayers 
 for her. 
 
 As in the Morning, soe in the Even- 
 ing, itt was even some exterordnary 
 and indispensable buissness which att 
 any tyme hindered her from the Church 
 office, which if she missed att three a' 
 clock, she would be sure to find att six, 
 whether she were abroad or att home ; 
 and after that as constantly retired some 
 competent tyme before Supper for re- 
 colledlion, Reading and private devo- 
 tion ; and would sometymes walk abroad 
 to contemplate the workes of God, for 
 which she was furnish with proper me- 
 ditations, 
 
 189 
 
190 
 
 The Life of 
 
 ditations, which she could extend out 
 of her owne stock, as I can witness, to 
 my singular edification and no small 
 admiration : there was really nothing 
 she cast her Eye upon, butt instead of 
 impertinent wandring she would derive 
 some holy use from. 
 
 *'I wish you here betymes," (one 
 day writeing to me,) '' that wee may 
 walk together. I fancy I could talk 
 of God for ever ; and, indeed, what 
 else can wee speake of butt our God, 
 of whome wee never can say enough : " 
 for Tuesday being usually the day I 
 visitted her of course, whether wee 
 walked into the Gardens, the fields, or 
 within doores, the most agreeable con- 
 versation to her, was the contemplation 
 of the workesof God; [or]thecontrive- 
 ing how to bring about some charitable 
 office ; and as she was strangely happy 
 in composing differences, soe was she 
 of soe lucky address and universally be- 
 loved, 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 loved, that what she undertooke she 
 seldome failed of accomplishing. Gene- 
 rous as she was, and soe obligeing to 
 her freinds, there hardly passed a day in 
 which she had not done some signall 
 kindness : nor disdained she the mean- 
 est Circumstances, soe she might doe 
 good ; not to omitt how resolute she 
 was in other dutyes. Nor in all these 
 pious Labours, [was she] the least trou- 
 blesome,scrupulous,singular, or morose, 
 butt [of] the most easy and chearfuU 
 conversation in the world. 
 
 Thus passed she the Evenings, till 
 Supper ; which she for the most part re- 
 fused her selfe, spending thattyme in her 
 oratory ; and if she did come downe, 
 eating spareingly, retired againe, soe 
 soone as decently she could disengage 
 her selfe, to pray with her little family, 
 and finish the rest of her private course 
 before she went to repose. This your 
 Ladyshipp knows and could speake to 
 
 much 
 
 191 
 
192 The Life of 
 
 much better then my selfe, whilst you 
 were fellow virgins and companions in 
 holy dutyes ; and thus lived she to God 
 and to her selfe. Let us now take a 
 view how she conversed with others, 
 Domesticks and Friends, after she was a 
 Wife, and had a family to governe. 
 
 It is usually said of marryed people, 
 '^ such a one has altered her condition," 
 indeed, soe had shee. But in noe sort 
 her Course. Itt could not be said of 
 this paire, that those who are marryed 
 cared for the things of this world how 
 they might please one another, for never 
 was there Lady pleased soe well as when 
 she was careing for the things of the 
 Lord ; and this she did (if any ever did) 
 without distracflion, knowing that she 
 could never please her husband better 
 then when she was pleasing God ; soe 
 as she was, (I may truely say,) the same 
 [as] a wife and a virgin. And such a 
 Marriage it was, I am perswaded, St. 
 
 Paul 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 Paul himselfe would have preferred 
 above the celibate he soe highly co- 
 mended, butt for which he had noe 
 command, but spoke on supposition. 
 
 She was none of those who would 
 have excused her comeing to the divine 
 and royall feasts because she had mar- 
 ryed an husband ; slacking in nothing 
 of her former zeale and labours of love, 
 without the least impeachment to her 
 domestick Charge. Soe dextrously she 
 knew to reconcile both those dutyes, 
 that I beleive there never was family 
 more an household of faith, never per- 
 sons linked togeather in a more honour- 
 able, happy, and easy bond : for as she 
 was an excellent Christian, she was a 
 noe less unparalleld wife. I need not 
 therefore describe this vertue to your 
 Ladyshipp, or call that complaisance 
 which was the height of a most vertuous 
 afFedtion ; and reciprocall ; for never 
 were two persons soe framed for one 
 
 another's 
 
 o 
 
 193 
 
194 
 
 The Life of 
 
 another's dispositions, never lived paire 
 in more peace and harmony; and yett, 
 tho' this conversation was the most 
 noble and becomeing in the world, 
 without troublesome fondness, yet she 
 could not conceale the afflidlion she 
 suffered when he was absent, as when 
 he had been sometymes sent abroad by 
 his Majesty e, upon diverse publick 
 concerns of State, nor the Joy that so 
 spread it selfe in her countenance, and 
 agreeable humour, when he was pre- 
 sent. In a word, she was conversation 
 as well as Companion for a wife and 
 excellent person ; soe as if ever two were 
 created for each other, and marriages, 
 as they say, made in heaven, this hap- 
 py paire were of the number. O irre- 
 parable loss, never to be repaired on 
 this side that blessed place. 
 
 For the prudent management of her 
 domestick affaires, she was not to learne 
 what ever might become the gravest 
 
 or 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 or [most] experienced Matron as well 
 as Mistress. She had soone made choice 
 of such servants, and putt all things in 
 such order, as nothing was more easy, 
 methodical!, andquiett; without singu- 
 larity or affedtation ; nothing more de- 
 cent and honourable. She provided 
 them bookes to read, prayers to use by 
 themselves, and constantly instructed 
 them herselfe in the principles of Reli- 
 gion; tooke care for their due receive- 
 ing of the holy Sacrament, and was, in 
 a word, the best mistress in the world : 
 wittness her bountiful] remembrance of 
 them att her death, of which I have 
 allready spoken. 
 
 She tooke exa(5b Accompt of her 
 dayly expenses, which every Saturday 
 she used to summe up, and never went 
 on score; soe just and provident she 
 was; makeing that a delight which 
 others looke on as a Burthen, — namely, 
 the care of her family, which she would 
 
 goe 
 
 195 
 
196 
 
 The Life of 
 
 goe through with an hardiness and mas- 
 cuhne virtue, soe farr was she from be- 
 ing nice and delicate ; and it infinitely 
 became her. None knew better then 
 she to buy and to chuse what was fitt ; 
 tempering a discreet frugalitye, with a 
 generous hand and a large heart ; and 
 if in any thing profuse itt was in her 
 Charitye. 
 
 And thus I have shewed your Lady- 
 shipp how she lived to God and to 
 herselfe ; I have now to add how she 
 conversed with her Neighbours, whom 
 she loved as herselfe. 
 
 Your Ladyshipp is of too generous a 
 Soule to forgett that particular affedion 
 she bore you to the last, the esteeme 
 she had of your excellent sister and 
 Relations : and methinks I still see the 
 concerne she shewed, when you were 
 prepareing to goe into Holland about 
 this tyme, because her solicitude for 
 
 your 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 your prosperity was accompany ed with 
 a tender friendshipp ; which I find you 
 would keepe in memory by the In- 
 stances you make to one, whome you 
 justly think have noe less grateful 1 dis- 
 position to celebrate her vertues. 
 
 Indeed, never was any Creature more 
 obligeing to her friends and Relations ; 
 to whose Civilityes that she might be 
 justj she not only kept a Catalogue of 
 those she had a more particular esteeme 
 of, butt would study all imaginable 
 wayes to be serviceable to them. Wee 
 both are wittnesses of the paines she 
 would undergoe to proselyte vaine or 
 indifferent Christians, and with what an 
 admirable address she did it ; without 
 the least diminution of her selfe, or 
 mean comply ance to gaine friendshipp 
 with esteeme ; tho' she was scrupulously 
 carefull not to multiply accquaintances, 
 considering the precious moments that 
 are lost in impertinent and formal vi- 
 
 sitts. 
 
 197 
 
198 
 
 The Life of 
 
 sitts, and therefore reduceing [them] to 
 a seled: and choice number. Nothing in 
 the world did more afflid her than the 
 trifling Conversation of some whome,of 
 Decency, she was obliged to bear with; 
 whilst there was not a visitt which she 
 returned to such, butt with a secrett de- 
 signe how she might either reclaime 
 those who were less reserved and cir- 
 cumspecftj or confirme and incourage 
 those that were more. Never should 
 you hear her speake to the disadvantage 
 of an absent person; butt, if others did, 
 she would be either silent and say no- 
 thing, unless where she could excuse 
 them, or endeavour to divert the dis- 
 course. In every thing else she had 
 a wonderfull complacency of nature, 
 v/hich was infinitely improved by Reli- 
 gion; and a kind of universall Charitye, 
 soe as to accomodate her selfe to all in- 
 nocent humours. She would sing, and 
 play, and a6b, and recite, and discourse 
 prettyly and innocently a thousand 
 
 harmeless 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 harmeless and ingenious purposes^ to re- 
 creat old and melancholy persons and 
 divert the younger. She had kindness 
 and good nature to sitt by the sick and 
 peevish, read and pray by them with 
 insuperable patience and chearfullness, 
 and comply even with little Children ; 
 she played att any the most difficult 
 games suiteable to their Conversation, 
 and that skillfully : nor was there any 
 resisting her agreeable way and govern- 
 ing spiritt ; soe that (as I noted) the 
 greatest Duchesses and Ladyes of the 
 Court sought her friendshipp and assist- 
 ance vpon any occasion of solemn pomp, 
 Masque, Ball, or exterordnary appear- 
 ance ; because of a certaine peculiar 
 fancy and address she had in suiteing, 
 dressing, and continueing things of Or- 
 nament, with universall approbation ; 
 whilst, in all these Complyances, she 
 was watchfull of opportunityes to in- 
 still something of vertue and Religion, 
 as well by her discourse as example, 
 
 and 
 
 199 
 
200 The Life of 
 
 and in such a manner, as not only 
 avoided the Censure of Impertinence 
 and singularity, butt which more en- 
 deared her to them. What shall I say ? 
 she had all the pretty arts and innocent 
 stratagems imaginable of mingling se- 
 rious things on all occasions, season- 
 ing even her diversions with something 
 of Religion ; which, as she would ma- 
 nage it, putt to rebuke all their stocks 
 of rayllery, soe as nothing was more 
 agreeable than her Company where 
 ever she came. Indeed there was no- 
 thing proofe against the abundance of 
 her wItt and piety : she made vertue 
 and holyness a chearfull thing, lovely 
 as her selfe ; and even in the Court, 
 how many of the greatest there were 
 made to looke upon Religion as a se- 
 rious thing, yett consistent with their 
 post. Butt this I need not recount to 
 your Ladyshipp, there are yett some 
 (and more I wish there were) who owe 
 their tindure to this Lady, and will, I 
 
 hope. 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 hope, retaine it ; soe as, if ever it were 
 an holy Court, 'twas when this Saint 
 was the Hfe of it. 'Twere easy to shew 
 whome, by her Councell and address, 
 she had rescued ; some from fatall pre- 
 cipices in that giddy Station ; others, 
 whome she has instructed, that were 
 Ignorant or careless; some, that she 
 gained to a severe Course, who were 
 listning to folly and ruine : in a word, 
 it was the pleasure of her life and the 
 buissness of the day, to cast about how 
 she might improve it to those advan- 
 tages. O, were the Courts of Princes 
 adorn'd and furnished with such a Circle 
 wee should call it Heaven on Earth, 
 and converse with Angells. Butt, to 
 justifye this and all that I have affirmed 
 concerning the piety of her thoughts, 
 the passion she had to improve others, 
 the richness of her Invention, naturall 
 Eloquence, and beauty of her Style, I 
 have no more to doe then to mind your 
 Ladyshipp of a Letter, written by this 
 
 Saint, 
 
 20I 
 
202 
 
 The Life of 
 
 Saint, when she was now gone from 
 Court; of which I am well assured you 
 are best accquainted, and can yett per- 
 happs produce the orriginall ; for my 
 part, I never read it butt I looke upon 
 it as inspired with an apostolick spiritt. 
 
 '^Deare Children, since you are both 
 soe lowly in your owne Eyes, as to 
 make use of me in a thing which either 
 of you would have done better, butt 
 that you distrust your selfes, — namely, 
 the paraphrases vpon the prayer lately 
 sent you; I thought my selfe obliged 
 deepely to consider it againe, and, have- 
 ing done soe, cannott satisfy my selfe, 
 unless I sett downe with Pen and Ink 
 what my opinion is of it. As to your 
 dressing, I can't beleive the Dodor 
 meant there should be any negle6t of 
 that beauty God has given you, soe it 
 be done with this Caution; first, that 
 you designe to captivate none for any 
 satisfadlion you take in the number of 
 
 Lovers 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 203 
 
 Lovers or in the Noise of a larger 
 traine of Admirers than other young 
 women have, butt purely for an honest 
 designe of disingageing your selves as 
 soone as you can from the place you 
 are in. In an honorable way; and, when 
 ever you see any young Man whome 
 in your hearts you cannot beleive will 
 prove that person I speak of, or any 
 marryed Man whome you know can- 
 not [marry], with such a one St. Paul 
 sayes you ought not to converse in the 
 least; I meane, if [it is] possible to be 
 avoided ; and in this age, you know, 
 women are not soe wonderfully soli- 
 cited that have the vertue and modesty 
 of you two. That good service the 
 Ladys of other principles have done 
 you, that men sooner find their Error, 
 and, without much difficulty, suspedled 
 conversations may be avoided. 
 
 " Indeed, it would be a most dread- 
 full sight, att the last day, to see any 
 
 man 
 
204 
 
 The Life of 
 
 man condemned upon your accounts ; 
 and yett such a thing may be, and yett 
 you honest; for if you willingly consent 
 men should looke upon you and follow 
 you, you are accessary to that sinn in St. 
 Mathew, ' Who ever lookes on a wo- 
 man to lust after her, hath committed 
 Adultery with her allready in his heart.' 
 Soe that my opinion is, that mankind, if 
 they make any particular applications, 
 tho' they don't make love, be, as much 
 as you can, avoided. As to your Con- 
 versation, there is nothing forbidden 
 butt what is either prophane, or unjust, 
 or indevout ; I meane, the encourage- 
 ing of any of that in others, by seeme- 
 ing well pleased with it. 'Tis true, wee 
 should not preach in the withdrawing 
 Roome ; butt wee must, by our lookes, 
 shew that wee fear God, and that wee 
 dare not hear any thing to his prejudice, 
 nor any thing filthy, or that tends to 
 the prejudice of our Neighbour ; and 
 where any of these are found, there, as 
 
 much 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 much as ever wee can, to avoid them. 
 As to what we say our selves, the same 
 Rules are to be observed ; and wee must 
 take care that wee talke not to be the 
 wittiest in the Company; to accquire 
 praise to ourselves above our Neigh- 
 bours. Wee may divert people, and 
 be innocently merry ; but then wee 
 must not designe praise to our selves, 
 nor please our selves (if wee have it) in 
 the thoughts of it; butt, in some short 
 and silent prayer, desire God to keepe 
 us low in our owne Eyes, as ' Lord, 
 make me poore in spiritt, that I may 
 inheritt the kingdome of Heaven,' or 
 by calling to mind that saying of St. 
 Paul, 'What hast thou which thou didst 
 not receive, and if thou hast received 
 it, why dost thou boast ? ' In short, wee 
 must talke, to divert others, not to 
 gaine applause to our selves; and if 
 there be any that are able and willing 
 to doe it, lett us not be impatient to 
 preferr them before us. Butt this is butt 
 
 sometymes 
 
 205 
 
206 
 
 The Life of 
 
 sometymes to be done ; 'tis not a fault 
 if you should not allwayes be soe willing 
 to keep silence whilst others speake. 
 
 ^'As to your retirement after you 
 come in, ^tis only to examine the day, 
 and, if you have been faulty, in all hu- 
 mility to acknowledge it to Allmighty 
 God ; and, what ever the fault has been, 
 to read some portion of Scripture which 
 concerns it, if you can find any; if not, 
 to read some Chapter in St. John's Gos- 
 pell, especially the 15, or i()^ or 17th, 
 &c. that doe most divinely sett forth 
 the Love of God to us. The reason 
 why I urge this, is, that your sorrow for 
 sin may proceed from the sense you 
 have of God's great mercy and love to 
 us ; and that Consideration will melt 
 your hearts, and keepe you close, and 
 make you desire to draw near him ; 
 but Hell terrifyes, and damnation 
 amazes, and I am never the better for 
 those refledions. 
 
 " And 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 207 
 
 " And after this is pass'd, you both 
 being Good, and friends as well as Sis- 
 ters, will doe well to contrive togeather 
 how you may defeate the Divell, and 
 make Solomon's words true, that ' two 
 are better then one.' After this, In God's 
 name, I know no harme, — if your devo- 
 tions of the day and task that you assigne 
 your selves are over, — butt that you may 
 be as chearfull as your Innocence can 
 make you, which in both is very great. 
 
 " As to one particular in the dress, I 
 think I have not spoken concerneing 
 the expensive part. Butt that only 
 
 concerns , and Mrs. , whose 
 
 purses are small, that they take care, 
 upon noe account whatsoever, they ex- 
 ceed what their pension is ; for noe 
 duty to the Queene, in makeing a shew 
 behind her, can excuse one from Justice 
 to our Neighbour, before that God in 
 whose presence we walke, and [who] 
 
 will 
 
2o8 The Life of 
 
 will avenge the Cause of the wronged. 
 Butt I am sensible not only this last, 
 butt all I have said, has been not onely 
 (as to my part) silly, butt as to yours, 
 superfluous; only Love and Goodwill 
 I dare say will plead my excuse before 
 two soe good young Creatures for a 
 greater fault than this, and, therefore, 
 not doubting but I am forgiven, I will 
 [end] with a prayer drawne from the 
 Sermon wee heard this morning. 
 
 " That you two, who have so glo- 
 riously and so resolutely sett your selves 
 to serve God in your younger dayes, 
 may continue to be still what you are, 
 examples of vertue and modesty in a 
 Court, dutifull to your Misstress, obe- 
 dient and loveing to your Mother, af- 
 fedlionate to each other, and charitable 
 to all the world. Besides, may you be 
 wise Virgins, haveing Oyle in your 
 Lamps ready prepar'd to meete the 
 Bridegroome. May you be burning 
 
 and 
 
Mrs. Godolphin, 
 
 and shineing lights in the midst of a 
 crooked and perverse Generation, and, 
 as the Minister said this day, ' May you, 
 as Samuel, and David, Josiah, Timo- 
 thy, and St. John, be wholly dedicated 
 to God's Service, as was the first ; zeal- 
 ous for his Glory, as was the second ; 
 constantly seeking the God of your fa- 
 thers, as was the third ; well instructed 
 in Scriptures, as was the fourth ; and 
 at last may you (as St. John was) be 
 admitted into the Bosome of our Dear 
 Jesus, where you will have your short 
 youth turned into Eternity, your 
 earthly treasure to an heavenly, and 
 your worldly greatness and power ex- 
 chang'd for a Crowne of Glory.' Amen 
 with all mv heart." 
 
 And now, O blessed Saint, how dost 
 thou shine above ! What a Circle of 
 Starrs diadems thy Temples ! what a 
 Jubilation amongst the Angells at thy 
 access into the Glorious Hierarchy ! 
 
 Verily, 
 
 209 
 
lO 
 
 The Life of 
 
 Verily, Madam, I have had thoughts 
 above the world when I sometymes 
 considered the life of this excellent 
 Creature ; her rare examples, happy suc- 
 cess, and the fruites which have been 
 planted and cultivated by her holy In- 
 dustrye and labour of Love, were it by 
 her beauty, by her witt, her Conversa- 
 tion, her prayers and devotions, her 
 zeal and pious Insinuations, her exam- 
 ple or peculiar addresse ; being wily, she 
 caught them by Craft ; and, as I said, I 
 would sometymes call her the fisheress 
 of her sex. What shall I add ? She was 
 fortunate in all she sett her hand to, 
 because she laid out all these perfedlions 
 in the service of God, the winning of 
 soules ; and great, great is her reward. 
 
 Nor did this confine her only to the 
 Court, amongst the Great. I have all- 
 ready told how diligently she would in- 
 quire out the poore and miserable, even 
 [in] Hospitalls, humble Cells, and Cot- 
 tages, 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 tages, whither I have sometymes accom- 
 panied her^ as farr as the very skirts and 
 obscure places of the Towne; among 
 whom she not only [gave] hberall almes, 
 but physitians and physick she would 
 send to some, yea, and administer Re- 
 medyes herselfe, and the meanest offices. 
 She would sit and read, instrudl and 
 pray, whole afternoones, and tooke care 
 for their spirituall releif by procureing 
 a Minister of Religion to prepare them 
 for the holy Sacrament; for which pur- 
 pose she not only carry ed and gave them 
 bookes of Salvation and Devotion, but 
 had herselfe colle6led diverse Psalmes 
 and Chapters proper to be read and 
 used vpon such occasions. How many 
 naked poore Creatures she covered ! I 
 have by me one List of no fewer than 
 twenty three, whome she cladd at one 
 tyme ; and your Ladyshipp may re- 
 member, and I have allready noted, 
 for whome she wrought with her owne 
 hands. 
 
 To 
 
 211 
 
212 The Life of 
 
 To assist her then in the disposeing 
 of these and inumerable other Cliari- 
 tyes, there was a poore religious Wid- 
 dow, whome your Ladyshipp knew she 
 had a more particular Confidence in. 
 How she found her out I never in- 
 formed my selfe, but well remember a 
 passage of something exterordnary that 
 happened to her concerning a Voice 
 which she solemnly affirmed had spoken 
 to her, being once att prayers in the 
 Church and in great distress. I shall 
 say nothing as to that, but that it was 
 this pious and humble Creature whose 
 diligence she vsed to informe her of 
 sick and miserable people; who accom- 
 panyed her to their Habitations, and 
 brought them Cloathes, Mony and Me- 
 dicines, and whereof they spent whole 
 dayes in devotion togeather. By her 
 it was she distributed weekly pensions; 
 looked after orphan Children ; put them 
 to schoole; visitted the prisons, out of 
 
 which 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 213 
 
 which (amongst diverse others,) she had 
 redeemed a dissolute son of hers, that 
 cost a very considerable summe, as she 
 had paid the debts, and indeed wholly 
 maintained the Mother to her dyeing 
 day, tho' being taken with a dead palsy, 
 and in a manner bed ridden, a year or 
 two before. She survived her Bene- 
 fadlress, but not her bounty : thus, 
 when she went into Ffrance, she ordered 
 me to continue many other pensions 
 which she gave; and I could give you 
 an account of what house rent she paid 
 for indigent houskeepers; what Ap- 
 prentices she put forth; and yourLady- 
 shipp remembers, and I have allready 
 touched, the little Child she kept all- 
 wayes with her, and cherished to the 
 last. Soe sedulous was she in these a6ls 
 of Charity, that, from the tyme I could 
 calculate, she had begun and persisted 
 in this Course from a Child her selfe : 
 and, for the last 7 Years of her life, I 
 can speake of my owne knowledge, 
 
 that 
 
214 
 
 The Life of 
 
 that her liberality was soe dispropor- 
 tion'd to her Revenue, that I have 
 sometymes called it profusion ; at which 
 she would smile, and bid me take no 
 care. What she herselfe distributed 
 more privately I know not, but sure I 
 am it was a great deale more than ever 
 she would discover, takeing all the Cau- 
 tions imaginable that nothing she did 
 of this nature should be knowne, no not 
 to her left hand what her right hand did ; 
 and, therefore, often would she her- 
 selfe walk out alone and on foote and 
 fasting and in midst of winter, (when 
 it was hardly fitt to send a servant out,) 
 to minister to some poore creatures she 
 had found out, and perhaps whome no 
 body knew of besides ; soe far had her 
 love to God and piety to others over- 
 come nature and the delicate tenderness 
 of her sex and constitution. 
 
 See then what I find in her Diarye, 
 among the Resolutions (as I said) she 
 
 was 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 was wont to set downe in her owne 
 hand. It seemes she had lost at Cards 
 (a diversion which she affedled not, but 
 to comply with others, when sometymes 
 she could not avoid it). Behold, Ma- 
 dam, with what remorse, with what dis- 
 cretion. 
 
 " June the 2d. 
 
 ^^ I will never play this halfe year 
 butt att 3 penny omber, and then with 
 one att halves. I will not I doe not vow, 
 but I will not doe it; — what, loose 
 mony att Cards, yett not give [to] the 
 poore! 'Tis robbing God, misspending 
 tyme, and missimploying my Talent: 
 three great Sinns. Three pounds would 
 have kept three people from starveing 
 a month : well, I will not play. 
 
 » 
 
 Here is a blessed Creature. *Tis in 
 this pretious Manuscript that I find 
 an account of the particular mercyes 
 
 she 
 
 215 
 
2l6 
 
 The Life of 
 
 she had received from God; amongst 
 which that he had given soe rehgious 
 a Mother, such good breeding, early 
 receiveing the blessed sacrament, the 
 prayers of holy people for her, and 
 assistance of a spirittuall Guide, which 
 (sayes she) I am confident was the re- 
 ward of my receiveing at the Charter 
 house. I take notice of it here, because 
 *tis there she blessed God that she had 
 been serviceable both to poore and 
 Rich, in that he had been pleased to 
 make her his Instrument, and soe goes 
 on to thank him for the many personal! 
 dangers and accidents she had escaped, 
 all which she particularizes. But to 
 returne to her Charityes, (than which 
 I know no greater marke of a consum- 
 mate Christian,) I may not omit that 
 other branch of it, her visitting and re- 
 leaseing of prisoners, of which I think 
 I can produce a list of above thirty 
 restrained for debts in severall prisons, 
 which she paid and compounded for at 
 
 once. 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 once. Nor were these (as I said) sud- 
 den fitts of devotion, but her continued 
 pradlice, and such as tooke up a con- 
 siderable portion of her hfe ; and such 
 infinite satisfadlion tooke she in this 
 blessed Imployment, as that often have 
 I knowne her privately slipp away and 
 breake from the gay and publique 
 Company, the greatest entertainments, 
 and greatest persons too of the Court, 
 to make astepp to some miserable poore 
 sick Creature, whilst those she quitted 
 have wondered why she went from the 
 conversation ; and more they would, had 
 they seen how the sceene was changed 
 from a Kingly palace to some meane 
 cottage, from the Company of princes to 
 poore necessitous wretches ; when, by 
 and by, she would returne as chearfull 
 and in good humour, as if she had been 
 about some worldly concerne, and ex- 
 cuse her absence in the most innocent 
 manner imaginable. Never must I for- 
 gett the innocent pleasure she tooke in 
 
 doeing 
 
 217 
 
2l8 
 
 The Life of 
 
 doeing Charityes. 'Twas one day that 
 I was with her, when seeing a poore 
 Creature in the streets, *^ Now," sayes 
 she to me, " how will I make that mi- 
 serable wretch rejoyce." Upon which 
 she sent him ten tymes more than 
 I am confident he ever could expedl. 
 This she spake, not as boasting, but 
 soe as one might perceive her very 
 soule lifted up in secret Joy, to consi- 
 der how the miserable man would be 
 made happy with the surprize. Soe as 
 summing all these Instances together, I 
 might well compare this Lady to those 
 excellent persons whose praise is in the 
 Gospell, and whose names (St. Paull 
 assures us. Ads x. 2,) are written in 
 thebooke of life; being like Cornelius 
 and Dorcas, full of good works and 
 Almes Deeds which she did ; as Pris- 
 cilla, she instructed many more perfe6lly 
 in the wayes of God; as Mary, she 
 bestowed much labour ; nor doe I ever 
 think of her but I call to mind the 
 
 Phebes, 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 Phebes, and Triphosas, Julia and OJym- 
 pia, Claudia and to whome the Appostle 
 would certainly have added Margarita, 
 (this pearle of ours,) had she been then 
 in the world; who were servants of the 
 Churches, succourers of the Saints, 
 helpers in Christ Jesus, and who were 
 even ready to lay downe their lives for 
 the Gospell . Soe fl agra nt was her zeale, 
 soe pure her Charitye, soe vehement 
 and sincere her love to God, as often to 
 quitt the Ease and pleasures of life, 
 and dismiss the Diversions of a Court, 
 to possess those Divine and supernall 
 pleasures of doeing good ; and the bles- 
 sing of him that was ready to perish 
 came upon her who caused the widows 
 heart to sing for Joy, for she was Eyes 
 to the blind, and feet to the Lame, in 
 all things, shewing herselfe a patterne 
 of good workes. In a word, her life 
 did soe shine before Men, that those 
 who saw her good workes could not 
 butt be stirred up to glorify e God. Yet 
 
 by 
 
 219 
 
220 
 
 The Life of 
 
 by grace we are saved through faith, 
 and not of our selves, it is the gift of 
 God; not of workes, lest any man 
 should boast, for we are his workman- 
 ship, created in Christ Jesus unto good 
 workes, which God hath before or- 
 dained that we should walke in them. 
 
 And now, after all this, I need noe 
 more prod uce her Diary e ; haveing gi ven 
 your Ladyshipp so mmute an Account 
 of her Life and adlions, I shall onely 
 add, that to the particulars of the Mer- 
 cyes she received, Resolutions made, 
 and Graces which she desired, she com- 
 posed many excellent Prayers, Praises, 
 and Devotions,pertinent to the occasion ; 
 and to which I might subjoine the won- 
 derfull Condescension, already noted, 
 in constantly giveing me once a year a 
 little history of her life, and what had 
 happened of most concerne in her par- 
 ticular, what faileings, and Improve- 
 ments she was sencible of, with an In- 
 
 genuitye 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 221 
 
 genuitye exterordnary, and breathing a 
 pious friendshipp; desireing my direc- 
 tion and my prayers, which a thousand 
 tymes I needed more than she, who 
 had, as your Ladyshipp well knows, 
 (and is already noted) a Ghostly father, 
 with whome frequently corresponding, 
 she constantly received proper Minis- 
 teryes and advice in matters cognizable 
 to that sacred Charadler. To him it 
 was she often revealed her Conscience, 
 as from a Child she before had done 
 to a devout and learned prelate of our 
 Church by the exterordnary Care of 
 his [her ?] pious and excellent Mother, 
 as herself has told me lookeing on it 
 as the greatest blessing she had ever 
 left her. 
 
 And thus, Madam, I have, accord- 
 ing to the best of my poore ability, 
 complyed with your Ladyshipp's co- 
 mands, and given you the Life of this 
 Incomparable Lady : which though I 
 
 may 
 
222 The Life of 
 
 may not have performed to the height 
 and merit of the subje6l, I have yet 
 me-thinks paid an obhgation to the 
 memory of one you loved, and that 
 honoured me with friendship never to 
 be forgotten, since it let me into a 
 Conversation of soe great advantage. 
 In a word, to justifye what I present 
 your Ladyshipp, and summ up all. 
 I have been oft partaker of her sad- 
 ness and brighter dayes, v/ittness of 
 her devoutest Recolle6tions, accurate 
 and exterordnary preparations, ardent 
 Zeale, and unwearyed Devotions, 
 chearfull and even profusive Charityes 
 and labours of Love; for her secular 
 concerns was only in order to Spirit- 
 tuall. 
 
 In summe. 
 
 Never was there a more unspotted 
 virgin, a more loyall wife, a more sincere 
 friend, a more consummate Christian ; 
 
 add 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 add to this, a florid youth, an exquisite 
 and naturall beauty, and gracefullness 
 the most becomeing. Nor was she to 
 be disguised : there was nothing more 
 quick and peircing than her apprehen- 
 sion, nothing more faithfull than her 
 memory, more solid and mature than 
 her Judgment; insomuch as I have 
 heard her husband affirme to me (whose 
 discernment all that have the honour 
 to know him will allow to be exter- 
 ordnary) that, even in the greatest diffi- 
 cultyes and occasions, he has both asked 
 and preferred her advice with conti- 
 nual! success; and with these solid parts 
 she had all the advantages of a most 
 sparkling witt, a naturall Eloquence, 
 a gentle and agreeable tone of voice, 
 and a charmeing accent when she spake ; 
 whilst the Charmes of her countenance 
 were made up of the greatest Inno- 
 cence, modesty, and goodness Imagi- 
 nable, agreeable to the Composure 
 of her thoughts, and the union of a 
 
 thousand 
 
 223 
 
224 The Life of 
 
 thousand perfedlions: add to all this, 
 she was Just, Invincible, secrett, ingeni- 
 ously sinceere, faithful! in her promises, 
 and to a Miracle, temperate, and mis- 
 tress of her passions and resolutions; and 
 soe well had she imployed her spann 
 of tyme, that as oft as I consider how 
 much she knew, and writt, and did, I 
 am plainly astonished, and blush even 
 for my selfe. O how delightfuU en- 
 tertaining was this Lady, how grave 
 her discourse, how unlike the Conver- 
 sation of her sex; when she was the 
 most facetious, it would allwayes end 
 in a chearfuU composedness the most 
 becomeing in the world, for she was 
 the tenderest Creature living of taking 
 advantage of anothers Imperfedtions ; 
 nothing could be more humble and full 
 of Compassion, nothing more disposed 
 to all offices of kindness. In a word, 
 what perfe6lions were scatered amongst 
 others of her sex, seem'd here to be 
 united, and she went every day im- 
 
 proveing. 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 225 
 
 proveingjShineing brighter and ascend- 
 ing still in vertue. 
 
 I should here add something con- 
 cerning the obsequies and funerall of 
 this blessed Saint; on which occasion is 
 not to be omitted the earnest request 
 she soe provisionally made that she 
 might be interred in the Dormitorye 
 of her husband's family and Relations, 
 tho' it were not much less then three 
 hundred miles distance from the place 
 where she was borne and bred ; that 
 soe her ashes might hereafter be min- 
 gl'd with his whome soe intirely she 
 loved ; and which, after her Corps had 
 been enbalm'd and wrapt in Lead, was 
 (as your Ladyshipp knows) as religi- 
 ously performed, decently and with 
 much honour, but without pomp or 
 ostentation, on the i6th day of Sep- 
 tember, 1678, in the Church of Bre- 
 ague, in the parish of Godolphin, in 
 Cornwall, of which that family have 
 
 been 
 
 Q 
 
226 
 
 The Life of 
 
 been Lords and of illustrious name both 
 before and since the Conquest ; and 
 where, being alive, she had often in my 
 hearing expressed such a longing desire 
 to have passed the rest of her dayes ; 
 that, being remote from the noise of 
 Cittyes Courts and the subjedling Im- 
 pertinences attending them, she might 
 intlrely vacate [to] theserviceof God: not 
 but that wherever she lived she did it as 
 much as ever any blessed Creature did, 
 but because she fancyed she should doe 
 it better there ; which was impossible. 
 
 Here then let us leave our Saint at 
 rest, but our selves at none, till by fol- 
 lowing her example wee arrive at that 
 blessed repose whether she is gone be- 
 fore. 
 
 For thou {deare Soule) to Heavens fledd. 
 Hast all the vertues with thee^ thither 
 Wee here see thee no more, [ledd, 
 ^hou to that bright and glorious place 
 
 Art 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 Art runriy hast won the Race : 
 A Crowne of Rayes^ 
 And never fadeing Bayes^ 
 Such as on Heaven s Parnassus grows, 
 
 Deck thyne Angelic k Brows ; 
 A Robe of Righteousness about thee cast. 
 Bathed in Celestiall Bliss, thou there dost 
 tast 
 Pleasures att God!s right hand. 
 Pleasures that ever last. 
 And greater then wee here can vnder- 
 
 stand. 
 Butt are for such as serve him best re- 
 served in store, 
 
 2. 
 
 How long. Lord, ah I how long 
 
 Wate wee below ! 
 Our sodenfeete stick in the Clay^ 
 Wee thro'' the bodye's Dungeon see no day. 
 
 Sorrows on sorrows throngs 
 Friendshipps {the souls of life) and 
 
 f rends depart 
 ^0 other worlds, and new Relations know. 
 
 Ah! 
 
 227 
 
228 
 
 The Life of 
 
 Ah I thou who art 
 The starry orbs above 
 Essentiall love^ 
 Reach forth thy gratious hand. 
 And send me wings for flighty 
 Sett me vpon that holy Land, 
 O bring me to the happy shoare 
 
 Where no dark night 
 Obscure the day, where all is light ; 
 A Citty there^ not made with hands ^ 
 Within the blissfull Region stands. 
 Where wee in every streete 
 Our dearest friends againe shall meete, 
 Andfriendshipps more refind and sweete, 
 And never loose them more. 
 
 Amen, 
 
 Finis. 
 
 Epitaph 
 
Mrs. Godolphin. 
 
 229 
 
 Epitaph. 
 
 
 In Margaritam Epitaphium. 
 
 
 Here lyes a pearle^ none such the ocean 
 
 
 yields 
 
 
 In all the Treasures of his liquid fields ; 
 
 
 Butt such as that wise Merchant wisely 
 
 
 sought 
 
 
 Who ihe bright Gemm with all his sub- 
 
 
 stance bought. 
 
 
 Such to Jerusalem above translates 
 
 
 Our God^ fadorne the Entrance of her 
 
 
 gates. 
 
 
 The Spouse with such Embrodery does 
 
 
 come 
 
 
 To meete her Nuptialls the Celestiall 
 
 
 Groome, 
 
 - 
 
 On the copper plate sothered 
 
 
 on the Cofiinn. 
 
 * 
 
 
Notes. 
 
 Page I. 
 
 ADAUr This is addressed to 
 Anne,daughterof William Howard, 
 fourth son of Thomas, first Earl of 
 Berkshire, and wife of Sir Gabriel 
 Sylvius. See Table IV. 
 
 P. I. This sign, p>^ > the oyevraXda 
 
 or Sa/us Pytbagoro", which Evelyn prefixes to 
 the Memoir, may also be seen on the urn in the 
 portrait; another proof, if such were wanting, of 
 the authenticity of the picture. 
 
 P. 5. ^^ An ancient Suffolke family.''^ See 
 Table I. and the note attached to it. 
 
 P. 6. " Upon another monumentall record^ 
 In the north transept of Westminster Abbey. 
 This monument no longer exists, but the inscrip- 
 tion has been preserved, and a transcript of it is 
 given at the end of this note. 
 
 Col. Blagge was one of the first who took up 
 
 arms 
 
232 
 
 Notes. 
 
 arms in the cause of Charles I., in whose service 
 he had been as Groom of the Bedchamber. The 
 King raised his standard at Nottingham on the 
 25th August, 1642. By the "Ledger"* for the 
 year 1643 it appears that Charles had sixteen 
 regiments, exclusive of artillery. One of these 
 regiments then bore the name of Colonel Blagge, 
 by whom it was commanded; and in the accompt 
 of monies paid by John Ashburnham for the 
 King's service, between the 1st of April, 1642, 
 and the 26th of Oct. 1 643, of which the original, 
 signed on every page by Charles himself, is in the 
 possession of the Earlof Ashburnham, are the fol- 
 lowing entries : 
 
 " To Coll. Blagg's regiment as gift : j^20." 
 
 *' To Coll. Blagg towards a magazine: j^400." 
 
 "To Collonel Blagg ^50." 
 
 At this time Col. Blagge was about thirty years 
 of age. The regiment which hecommanded had 
 been raised very probably in Suffolk, where his 
 personal influence, joined to that of the families 
 of Jermyn, Hervey, North, and Gilbert, with 
 whom he was connedled, would give him great 
 weight. His regiment suffered some loss at New- 
 bury, but his name does not occur amongst those 
 of the officers present at Edgehill, Naseby, or 
 Marston Moor. His post was Wallingford, a 
 
 * Vindication of John Ashburnham, by the late Earl of 
 Ashburnham, vol. ii. app. p. xlii. 
 
 place 
 
Notes. 
 
 233 
 
 place of great importance to the Royal cause, and 
 which he long and gallantly defended. By a 
 memorandum extant amongst some of his papers 
 andaccomptsinthe British Museum, the garrison 
 assigned for its defence appears to have been 1000 
 foot, and 200 dragoons. Situated in the midst 
 of one of the most loyal portions of the kingdom, 
 Wallingford possessed a strong castle, and was 
 otherwise so well adapted for military purposes, 
 that, long after the destrudion of the castle, the 
 Marshal-Duke of Schomberg,a praflised engineer, 
 pronounced it to be capable, from its natural 
 resources, of being rendered almost impregnable. 
 Charles repeatedlyrepaired to Wallingford during 
 the war. When that monarch had unfortunately 
 placed himself in the hands of the Scots, such 
 of the English towns as still held out against the 
 Parliament received his permission to surrender. 
 Wallingford was besieged by Sir Thomas Fairfax 
 in person, who reported his proceedings from 
 time to time to the Commons, with the various 
 proposals for terms of capitulation. On the 1 7th 
 of July, Fairfax reported that all was agreed upon, 
 save that Col. Blagge demanded, for himself and 
 the garrison — " not to be questioned for any thing 
 done as soldiers during the war." The Commons 
 demurred to this and other conditions insisted 
 upon by Colonel Blagge, and ordered the siege to 
 be carried on. However, a few days afterwards, 
 articles were settled and signed by Fairfax and 
 
 Blagge 
 
234 
 
 Notes, 
 
 Blagge for the surrender of the castle and town, 
 on Wednesday, the 29th of July ; on which 
 day, according to the terms of the second article 
 of capitulation, the governor, and all officers and 
 soldiers of the garrison, with all other persons 
 therein, marched out of Wallingford with their 
 horses and arms properly belonging to them and 
 proportionable to their commands or imploy- 
 ments, with flying colours, trumpets sounding, 
 drums beating, match lighted at both ends, bul- 
 lets in their mouths, and every soldier twelve 
 charges of powder, match and bullet proportion- 
 able ; in short, with all the pride, and pomp, and 
 circumstance of glorious war. 
 
 No notice of Colonel Blagge's proceedings 
 during the remainder of Charles's life has been 
 met with. Upon the death of Charles he trans- 
 ferred his loyalty and his services to the young 
 and exiled monarch, and joined in the attempt 
 which he made to obtain his crown and kingdom. 
 
 After the loss of the battle of Worcester, on 
 the 3rd September, 1 651, Charles fled towards 
 the North, accompanied by the Duke of Buck- 
 ingham, the Earls of Derby and Lauderdale, Lords 
 Talbot and Wilmot, (afterwards Earl of Ro- 
 chester), Col. Blagge (Charles's "Tom Blague"), 
 Col. Roscarrock, Marmaduke Darcy (Charles's 
 'duke Darcy), Richard Lane, William Armorer, 
 Hugh May, Charles Gifi^ard, and others to about 
 the number of sixty. 
 
 After 
 
Notes. 
 
 After a flight of about twenty-five miles they 
 stopped, by Giifard's advice, at a house called 
 White Ladies, belonging to John Penderel, about 
 half a mile beyond Boscobel, which belonged to 
 Wm. Penderel. 
 
 Here they separated : Charles entrusted his 
 watch to Lord Wilmot, and his diamond George 
 to Col. Blagge,and having cut his hair very short, 
 and stained his hands and face, he put on a coun- 
 try fellow's habit j and, with no companion save 
 Richard Penderell, set out with an intent to reach 
 London. After hiding awhile at Boscobel, and 
 many escapes from danger, he was joined by Wil- 
 mot, and at length took ship at Shoreham for 
 Fecamp. By the account which Charles himself 
 gave to PepySjhe appears to have refused to accede 
 to the plan which the nobles and gentlemen who 
 accompanied him to White Ladies had formed, 
 to join General Lesley's Scottish Horse, who, to 
 the number of three thousand, had escaped from 
 Worcester. Charles had certainly observed the 
 behaviour of the Scots in the battle, and probably 
 remembered his father's fate : to his distrust of 
 their courage he owed his safety. That distrust 
 must have been great which induced him to adl 
 as he did. He says, "all the persons of quality 
 and officers who were with me (except my Lord 
 Wilmot, with whom a place was agreed upon for 
 our meeting at London, if we escaped, and who 
 endeavoured to go on horseback, in regard, as I 
 
 think 
 
 235 
 
236 
 
 Notes. 
 
 think, of his being too big to go on foot), were 
 resolved to go and join with the three thousand 
 disordered horse, thinking to get away with them 
 to Scotland. But as I did before believe, they 
 were not marched six miles, after they got to 
 them, but they were all routed by a single troop 
 of horse : which shows that ?ny opinion was not 
 wrong in not sticking to men who had run away" 
 
 In this aftion, near Newport, the Earls of 
 Derby and Lauderdale, with Giffard and some 
 others were taken prisoners. The Duke of 
 Buckingham, Colonel Blagge, Darcy, and May 
 took refuge at Bloore Park, near Cheswardine, 
 about five miles from Newport, and eight from 
 Stafford. Buckingham, having trusted his George 
 to May, escaped to London, and from thence 
 joined Charles in France. 
 
 " Col. Blagge, remaining at Mr. Barlow's house 
 at Bloorpipe, eight miles from Stafford, his first 
 adiion was, to hide his Majesty's George under 
 a heap of chips and dust ; yet the Colonel could 
 not conceal himself so well, but that he was here, 
 soon after, taken and carried prisoner to Stafford, 
 and from thence conveyed to the Tower of Lon- 
 don. Meantime the George was transmitted to 
 Mr. Robert Milward, of Stafford, (son of Sir 
 Robert Milward, Chief Justice of Chester,) for 
 bettersecurity,whoafterwardsfaithfullyconveyed 
 it to Colonel Blagge in the Tower, by the trusty 
 hands of Mr. Isaac Walton ; and the Colonel not 
 
 long 
 
Notes. 
 
 long after happily escaping thence, restored it to 
 his Majesty's own hands, which had been thus 
 wonderfully preserved from being made a prize to 
 sordid rebels." — Blount's "Boscobel." 
 
 This preservation of Charles's George was no 
 trifling addition to Col. Blagge's more important 
 services. The badge of" the most noble order " 
 of knighthood in Europe was in those days the 
 constant ornament alike of the sovereign and of 
 the knights companions ; its use was not restridled 
 as now, to '* collar days " at court. A knight of 
 the Garter rarely appeared without the smaller 
 George, the ensign of his dignity, and his honour 
 was held to be concerned in its preservation. A 
 curious instance is given by Bishop Goodman — 
 " In proclaiming the King (James I.), the Lords 
 coming to London, Ludgate was shut, and there 
 the Lord Mayor and the Aldermen were, who, 
 seeing the Lords, told them that none should 
 come into the city, unless they came with an in- 
 tent to proclaim James, King of Scots, King of 
 England. They replied they came with no other 
 intent, and did promise, upon their honour, that 
 they would proclaim him. The Lord Mayor, 
 Sir Robert Lee, replied, that it was no sufficient 
 security to take their honours' word in so great a 
 business, and that he would have better security : 
 whereupon one or two of the Lords pulled off 
 their blue ribbons together with their Georges, 
 and did mortgage them that they would proclaim 
 
 none 
 
 237 
 
238 Notes. 
 
 none other, and then they were admitted, and 
 did proclaim King James accordingly." Shake- 
 speare makes Richard to exclaim 
 
 " Now by my George^ my Garter, and my Crown." 
 
 But to the *' George" thusplacedin Col.Blagge's 
 safe keeping, a still higher interest attached. It 
 was doubtless that which had long hung on the 
 breast of Charles I. which had been delivered by 
 him onthescafFold to Bishop Juxon, and towhich 
 applied, as the Bishop solemnly deposed, the 
 word " Remember ! " uttered by the King a mi- 
 nute before the axe fell. The George which 
 Charles " wore at the time of his martyrdom, 
 was curiously cut in an onyx set about with 
 twenty-one large table diamonds in the fashion of 
 a garter ; on the back side of the George was a 
 pi6lure of his Queen, rarely well limn'd, set in a 
 case of gold, the lid neatly enameTd with Gold- 
 smith's work, and surrounded with another gar- 
 ter, adorned with a like number of equal sized 
 diamonds as was the fore side." (Ashmole 228, 
 who caused the Jewell to be engraved by Hollar, 
 shewing the front and the back of the George, 
 and also the miniature of the Queen.) 
 
 Within six months after the restoration of 
 Charles II. died Col. Blagge, leaving his four 
 daughters young and orphans,(Margaretwas eight 
 years old) but, as it will be seen, to the credit of 
 the families of BerkeleyandVilliers,not friendless. 
 
 Charles 
 
Notes. 239 
 
 Charles and James also appear to have remem- 
 bered the children of Col. Blagge, their friend in 
 adversity. 
 
 (On the monument were these arms : two bend- 
 lets engrailed gu. for Blagge, impaling Az. a 
 lion passant arg. between three Jieurs-de-lis or, 
 for North : with this inscription.) 
 
 Thomas Blagge, Armig. 
 In Agro Suffolciensi nobili et antiqua familia 
 Vir egregiis animi et corporis dotibus, 
 Quibus artes honestas adjunxerat, 
 Clarus militiae et don.*, Regibus Carolo Primo et Secundo 
 Fidus imprimis et gratus 
 A quibus utriusque, inter honoratiora Cubiculi ministeria adjedtus, 
 Utilem operam navaverat, praecipue in Bello Arci fVallingfordiemi impositus, 
 Quam ceteris posne omnibus expugnatis, diu fortiter tenuit. 
 
 Nee, nisi Rege jubente, e prassidio excessit 
 Nee minora pertulit Regis Causa diu foras in exilio jaftatur, 
 Saepe in patria Captivus, fidei su£e obstinationem 
 Ubique singular! exemplo app. 
 Ob hoc sub Regis felicissimo reditu, cohortis stipatorum 
 Tribunatu et profedura Yarmutha et Praesidii Largarenih 
 Donatus, potuit majora sperare, sed immatura morte interceptus 
 Principem suum cui in adversis constantissime adhaeserat 
 Jam muneratorem futurum, in secundis deseruit: 
 Obiit Christ! ane. Pie 14 die Ncmemb, 
 Anno Salutis 1660. 
 iEtatis suae 47, 
 
 A portrait of Colonel Blagge is at Gogmagog 
 Hills, near Cambridge, the seat of his descendant, 
 the present Lord Godolphin. 
 
 P. 6. " Mrs. Blagge" Mary, daughter of 
 Sir Roger North, of Mildenhall. See table I. 
 
 p. 7. 
 
24-0 
 
 Notes. 
 
 p. 7. " Bishop of Elyr Dr. Peter Gun- 
 ning, Master of St. John's Coll. Cambridge, 
 Bishop of Chichester in 1669, Bishop of Ely in 
 1674 ; who " can do nothing but what is well." 
 — Diary ^ Feb. 23, 1673. He died in 1684. 
 There are many notices of him in Pepys' Diary, 
 and in Baxter's Life and Times. He took a pro- 
 minent part in the Savoy Conference. 
 
 P. 8. ''Old Duchess of Richmond:' Mary 
 Villiers, sister of George, second Duke of Buck- 
 ingham. Her first husband was Charles, Lord 
 Herbert, to whom she was married by proxy in 
 1634. Lord Herbert died at Florence before his 
 return home, and within a few days of his mar- 
 riage. She married secondly James Stuart, Duke 
 of Richmond and Lennox, who died in 1655 ; 
 and thirdly, Thomas Howard, younger brother 
 of Charles, first Earl of Carlisle. He died in 
 1678. The Duchess had no children. See Ta- 
 ble IIL 
 
 P. 8. " late Countess of Guilford:' Eliza- 
 beth Fielding, cousin of the Duke of Bucking- 
 ham and of the Duchess of Richmond, widow 
 of Lewis Boyle, Viscount Kenelmeky, second son 
 of Richard, Earl of Cork. She was created 
 Countess of Guilford for life, in 1660. See Ta- 
 ble in. 
 
 P. 8. ** Groom of the Stoole'' (Custos Stelae.) 
 The Countess of Guilford was " groom of the 
 stole" to Henrietta Maria ; Lady Arlington (Isa- 
 bella 
 
bella de Nassau, daughter of Lewis of Nassau, 
 Lord of Beverwaert, and sister of Marshal Ou- 
 werkerk) was " Groom of the Stole " to Katha- 
 rine of Braganza in 1683. Herniece, Elizabeth, 
 Countess of Derby, sister of James, Duke of 
 Ormond, was made *' Groom of the Stole" on 
 the accession of William and Mary. At a later 
 period, in 1704, the Duchess of Marlborough 
 was appointed " Groom of the Stole " to Queen 
 Anne, but the title of her office was changed 
 to " Mistress of the Robes." Elizabeth, the heiress 
 of the great house of Percy, sister of the Duke of 
 Montagu, cousin of the Duke of Bedford and 
 of the Duchess of Devonshire, and wife of 
 Charles, (theproud)Dukeof Somerset, was made 
 "Groom of the Stole "in 17 10. Since the ac- 
 cession of the House of Hanover, the title of 
 " Groom of the Stole," has been given, I believe, 
 exclusively, to the principal noble attendant on 
 the person of the King. In some French 
 memoirs the title has been spelled "Grumstui," 
 and a singular perversion of its meaning may be 
 seen in the Memoirs of the Comte de Brienne. 
 In p. 103 Lord Rochester (Laurence Hyde) is 
 called Master of the Robes, and Godolphin 
 himself had previously been appointed to that 
 office, an office different from that of Groom of 
 the Stole, in July, 1678. 
 
 P. 8. ^'' the late ^een mother^^ Henrietta 
 Maria, who died Aug. 10, 1669. 
 
 P. 9. 
 
 R 
 
242 
 
 Notes. 
 
 p. 9. ''the then Duchess cf York:' Anne 
 Hyde, daughter of the Lord Chancellor Claren- 
 don, and first wife of James, Duke of York, after- 
 wards James II. 
 
 P. II. ''till the Duchess died:' March 31, 
 1671. 
 
 P. 18. "My Lady Falmouth:' Elizabeth 
 Bagot, daughter of Hervey Bagot, third son of 
 Sir Hervey Bagot, Baronet, of Blithfield. She 
 had been one of the maids of honour to the 
 Duchess of York, and was at this time the 
 widow of Charles Berkeley, first Viscount Fitz- 
 hardinge and Earl of Falmouth, killed in the sea- 
 fight with the Dutch, June 3, 1665. See Table 
 II. Pepys calls her^ in 1 666, " a pretty woman ; 
 she was now in her second or third mourning, 
 and pretty pleasant in her looks." In July, 
 1667, he says that she was about to marry young 
 Jermyn : she however married, for her second 
 husband, Charles Sackville, Earl of Dorset ; a 
 marriage which did not escape the coarse sneers of 
 Dryden and the Earlof Mulgrave. There are se- 
 veral engravings from portraits of her as Miss 
 Bagot. The finest portrait of her is that in the 
 col!e6lion of Earl Spencer, at Althorpe. 
 
 P. 21. " Scf?ie play to be acted by the maids 
 of honour:^ Probably Dryden's play of "The 
 Indian Emperour," or the conquest of Mexico 
 by the Spaniards, which was aded at Court, 13 
 Jan. 1668. It was written by Dryden alone in 
 
 oa. 
 
 . 
 
Notes. 
 
 Oft. 1667, as a sequel to the "Indian Queen," 
 which had been written by him in 1664, in 
 conjun6lion with Sir Robert Howard. It was 
 dedicated by him to the Duchess of Monmouth, 
 whose patronage first established Dryden's popu- 
 larity, and she took part in the performance. 
 Pepys mentions with praise the ailing of the 
 Duchess of Monmouth and of " Mrs. Corn- 
 wallis," viz., Henrietta Maria Cornwallis, whose 
 brother Charles became afterwards the Duchess's 
 second husband. See also an account of what 
 took place on Dec. 15, 1674. 
 
 P. 21. " Duchess of Monmouth ^^ The Lady 
 Anne Scot, daughter and sole heir of Francis, 
 Earl of Buccleuch, wife of James, Duke of Mon- 
 mouth, who was beheaded July 15, 1685. — 
 
 " — she had known adversity, 
 Though born in such a high degree ; 
 In pride of power, in beauty's bloom. 
 Had wept o'er Monmouth's bloody tomb.'' 
 
 In 1688 she married for her second husband 
 Charles, Lord CornwalHs, the son of Frederic, 
 first Lord Cornwallis, by Elizabeth, daughter of 
 Sir John Ashburnham. The Duchess died in 
 1732, aet. 81. The present Duke of Buccleuch 
 is the lineal descendant of the Duke and Duchess 
 of Monmouth, who had been created Duke and 
 Duchess of Buccleuch in Scotland. The Duchess' 
 titles were not affeded by the attainder of her 
 husband. 
 
 P. 27. 
 
 243 
 
244 
 
 Notes. 
 
 p. 27. ''Our family es being neare to one an- 
 other P The family seat of the Evelyns was at 
 Wotton, near Dorking, in Surrey, where Evelyn 
 often visited, although he did not reside there till 
 May, 1694. Ashted, near Epsom, belonged to 
 Sir Robert Howard, uncle to Lady Sylvius : 
 Deepden, now Mr. Hope's, belonged to Mr. 
 Charles Howard, ancestorof the presentDukeof 
 Norfolk : and Albury, now Mr. Drummond's, 
 was the residence of Henry Howard, afterwards 
 Duke of Norfolk. All these places are at short 
 distances from each other. 
 
 P. 27. '' Tour mother and sister y Elizabeth, 
 daughter of Lord Dundas, wife of William 
 Howard, fourth son of Thomas, first Earl of 
 Berkshire; and Dorothy Howard, afterwards 
 the wife of Col. James Graham, of Levens. See 
 Table IV. 
 
 P. 30. " Tour sister y then maid of honour ^ 
 See the last note. 
 
 P. 34. " Pau/ina and Eustochius." See p. 
 62, and all the accounts of St. Jerome. 
 
 P. 48. " Jtt Whitehall^ whither she came 
 from St. yames,'^ to the Queen's service, after 
 the death of the Duchess of York in 1671, 
 
 P. 49. " That excellent person who was after- 
 wards her husband^ [Concerning Mr. Godolphin 
 many opposite opinions may be gathered ac- 
 •cording to the historians we consult. The days 
 in which he lived were difficult times in which 
 
 to 
 
Notes. 
 
 to preserve a strid political consistency. Burnet 
 describes him as " a man of the clearest head and 
 the calmest temper; the most incorrupt of all the 
 ministers ever known ;" Swift's description, on 
 the other hand, is less favourable. Doubtless his 
 calm temper assisted in enabling him to endure 
 the patient waiting of nine years, which was re- 
 quired of him before the lady of his choice 
 bestowed her hand upon him.] 
 
 P. 5 2. " Mr. Godolphin sent abroad:' In 
 1668 he had accompanied his relation Sir Wil- 
 liam Godolphin on a mission to Spain. 
 
 P. 56. " At Berkley house:' *' One of the 
 most magnificent pallaces of the towne." (p. 64.) 
 The splendid mansion built by Sir John Berkeley 
 of Bruton, created Lord Berkeley of Stratton, at 
 Hay Hill Farm, in the parish of St. James. The 
 names and titles are still preserved mjohn Street, 
 Berkeley Square and Street, Bruton Street, Strat- 
 ton Street, Hay Street, Hill Street, and also Hay- 
 hilly Farm Street, and Charles Street, after Lord 
 Berkeley's brother, Charles, Earl of Falmouth. 
 Part of the gardens are still preserved in those 
 attached to Devonshire House and Lansdowne 
 (originally Bute) House. Some idea of their ex- 
 tent may be formed from this enumeration. A 
 description of Berkeley House is given by Evelyn 
 in his Diary, Sept. 25, 1672 : the only view of 
 it which is known to exist is that shown in the 
 accompanying wood-cut, copied from the large 
 
 map 
 
 245 
 
246 
 
 Notes, 
 
 map of London published by Ogilby and Mor- 
 gan, about 1682. 
 
 f;;:;:;:-.V'V:::-^:.v:'v-n^:-^y::i^^ ilHlMiiiiiiiiJ 
 
 
 :^::MfrM^ WMkWm^-. 
 
 Pennant, whose error is copied by many others, 
 strangely attributes the building of this house to 
 the family of the Earls of Berkeley: of course 
 the scandalous anecdote introduced by him is 
 equally out of place with his more sober narrative 
 that Christian, Countess of Devonshire, lived"in 
 the antient house — on the site of Berkeley House, 
 where she received Waller and Denham, and 
 where she died in 1674," (Jan. 16, 1674-5). 
 Now John, Lord Berkeley of Stratton, the builder 
 of Berkeley House, did not die till the year 1678, 
 and, after his death, his widow continued to re- 
 side there ; for in 1684, Evelyn, who had been 
 requested by Lady Berkeley of Stratton to a6t as 
 trustee for her children, was consulted by her as 
 to the propriety of building two streets in Berke- 
 ley Gardens, ** reserving the house and as much 
 
 of 
 
Notes. 
 
 of the gardens as the breadth of the house;" these 
 streets are apparently the present Berkeley Street 
 and Stratton Street. After the death of Lady 
 Berkeley, the mansion was inhabited by the Prin- 
 cess (afterwards Queen) Anne until Jan. 1695, 
 when, upon her reconciliation with William III. 
 she was invited to keep her court at Whitehall. 
 The old town house of the Earls of Devon- 
 shire was not in Piccadilly, but in Bishopsgate, 
 where Devonshire Square nowstands ; William, 
 the second Earl, died there in 1628. His widow, 
 Christian, the loyal and exemplary Countess of 
 Devonshire, did not reside in London ; she lived 
 and died at Roehampton in Surrey, in the house 
 which had been inhabited by Weston, Earl of 
 Portland, and which now belongs to Mr. Robert 
 Gosling the banker. It was at Roehampton, not 
 in Piccadilly, that she received Waller and Den- 
 ham. Her son William, the third Earl, died in 
 the same house in Nov. 1684. His son William, 
 the fourth Earl (afterwards created Duke) of De- 
 vonshire, having, at first, no town house, rented 
 and lived in Montagu House (the old British 
 Museum, in Great Russell Street), which was 
 burned down, during his occupation of it, in Jan. 
 1686. After the accession of William III. "the 
 Duke of Devonshire took it into his head, that 
 could he have the Duchess of Portsmouth's lodg- 
 ings (at Whitehall) where there was a fine room 
 for ballsy it would give him a very magnificent 
 
 247 
 
 air. 
 
 >' 
 
248 
 
 Notes. 
 
 air." (Duchess of Marlborough's Defence of her 
 Condu6l, p. 29.) 
 
 It is probable that the Duke purchased Berke- 
 ley House after it had been vacated by the Prin- 
 cess Anne in 1695, and changed its name to 
 Devonshire House, since Bishop Kennetsays that 
 he died Aug. 18, 1707, in " Devonshire House, 
 Piccadilly^ The present Devonshire House, 
 standing certainly on the site of Berkeley House, 
 was not built by him, but by his grandson, the 
 third duke, some time after the year 1730, [The 
 building of this house cost ^^20,000, including 
 j^ 1,000 presented by William third Duke of 
 Devonshire to Kent the architedl for his plans 
 and designs. The cost of building Berkeley 
 House, built by Lord Berkeley of Stratton, had 
 been ^^ 30,000, a vast sum in those days.] To 
 this house and to its builder applies the epigram 
 composed by Horace (afterwards LordWalpole 
 of Wolterton), brother of Sir Robert Walpole ; 
 who, callingone day at Devonshire House, which 
 was just finished, and not finding the Duke at 
 home, left this epigram upon the table, 
 
 " Ut dominus, domus est ; non extra fulta columnis 
 Marmoreis splendet } quod tenet, intus habet." 
 
 SirJohnDenham, whose name being associated 
 with that ofthe Countess of Devonshire perhaps 
 misled Pennant, had a house and gardens in Pic- 
 cadilly ; near to the spot where Burlington House 
 now stands, adjoining to which stood Lord Cla- 
 rendon's 
 
Notes. 
 
 rendon's famous mansion (the Dunkirk House 
 of the Lampoons), afterwards the Duke of Albe- 
 marle's ; the site of the present Albemarle Street, 
 Dover Street, and Bond Street, including the late 
 Clarendon Hotel and Ashburnham House. The 
 mansions thus named, viz. Sir John Denham's, 
 Burlington House, Albemarle House, and Berke- 
 ley House, occupied nearly the whole of the north 
 of Piccadilly: the ground to the west of Berkeley 
 House was divided into six fields, known as 
 " Penniless Bank," " Little Brook-field," " Stone 
 Bridge-field," " Great Brook-field," *' Mr. Aud- 
 ley's land," and "Shoulder of Mutton Field." 
 To the north and north-west, Berkeley Gardens 
 were bounded by the land " where grazed the 
 cows" of Alexander Davies, of Ebury, in Pim- 
 lico ; whose daughter and heir, Mary, married 
 Sir Thomas Grosvenor in 1676, and whose 
 name is preserved in " Davies Street." 
 
 George, Lord Berkeley of Berkeley, afterwards 
 Earl of Berkeley, lived at another Berkeley House, 
 in the parish of St. John's, Clerkenwell, on the 
 site of the present Berkeley Street, which leads 
 from St. John's Lane to Red Lion Street. His 
 family had lived there for several generations ; his 
 father died there, Aug. 165 8, his third son James 
 was baptized there i June 1663, and from the 
 same house he write son Feb. 23, 1678, to Pepys, 
 who on the previous day acknowledges a letter 
 from his lordship " at St. Johns " (Correspond- 
 ence, 
 
 249 
 
250 
 
 Notes, 
 
 ence, vol. v. pp. 42 — 45). In Clerkenwell also, 
 in 1 68 1, Lord Berkeley received a deputation 
 (headed by Tillotson, then Dean of Canterbury) 
 from Sion College, to which he had presented 
 the library colledled by Sir Robert Coke, son of 
 Lord Chief Justice Coke. From the Coke family 
 Lord Berkeley inherited Durdans, near Epsom, 
 mentioned as his residence both by Evelyn and 
 Pepys. Clerkenwell has long since ceased to be 
 a suburb of great beauty and a fashionable neigh- 
 bourhood, but in the seventeenth century it was 
 both : its groves and gardens adorned the natural 
 inequalities of the ground, and it possessed the 
 mansionsof the Earlsof Aylesbury, Berkeley, and 
 Northampton, the Dukeof Newcastle, the Chal- 
 loner family, &c. : Bishop Burnetand many others 
 attached to the court also resided there. The 
 streets are many of them namied after their former 
 owners or inhabitants. The Marquis of North- 
 ampton still retains vast propertyin Clerkenwell 
 and Islington, 
 
 P. 60. " The mother of the maids.^^ The mo- 
 ther of the maids in the court of Catharine of Bra- 
 ganza, was Bridget, Lady Sanderson, daughter of 
 Sir Edward Tyrrell, Knt. and wifeof SirWilliam 
 Sanderson, Gentleman of the Privy Chamber to 
 Charles II. Lady Sanderson had previously been 
 mother of the maids of honour in the court of 
 Henrietta Maria : she died 17 Jan. 168 1, act. 
 89,having survived her husband (with whom she 
 
 had 
 
Notes. 
 
 had lived in wedlock for fifty years) nearly five 
 years. He died 25 July 1676, zet. 90: SirWm. 
 Sanderson is the author of several works. 
 
 P. 61. " Afy Lady:' Lady Berkeley of Strat- 
 ton (see Table II.) was Christiana, daughter of 
 Sir Andrew Riccard, Knight ; and widow of 
 Henry Rich, Lord Kensington, only son of Ro- 
 bert Rich, second Earl of Holland and fifth Earl 
 of Warwick, by Elizabeth Ingram, his first wife. 
 She died in 1 698. Sir Andrew Riccard was one 
 of London's richest merchant-princes : he was 
 Presidentof the East India Company,and in that 
 capacity figures in the great case of monopolies, 
 E. I. Company, v. Skinner. A marble statue, 
 ereded to his honour by the Turkey Company, 
 of which hewasPresidentforeighteen years, still 
 exists on his monument in the Church of St. 
 Olave, Hart Street. He was knighted July 10, 
 1668, and died Sept. 6, 1672, aged 68. A por- 
 trait of Lady Berkeley, by Lely, and a portrait of 
 Lord Kensington, her first husband, are in the 
 colleftion of the Earl Fitzhardinge at Berkeley 
 Castle. 
 
 P. 61. " Tour two sisters^ Apparently an 
 error for ^* you two sisters." See Table IV. 
 
 P. 61. " Her sister J the Lady Tarborough:' 
 Mrs. Godolphin's eldest sister, Henrietta Marie 
 Blagge. See Table I. It may suffice here to state 
 that this lady, whose conduct was not free from 
 blame, has been mistaken by some editors of 
 
 Grammont 
 
 251 
 
252 
 
 Notes. 
 
 Grammont and by Horace Walpole for the sub- 
 ject of this memoir. 
 
 P. 6-]. " The Dean of Hereford:' George 
 Benson, of whom nothing is known except the 
 dates of his several preferments. He was M.A. 
 of Queen's Coll., Oxford ; D.D. 2 Aug. 1660, 
 on the 8th of the same month he was installed 
 PrebendaryofWellington,inHerefordCathedral, 
 and on the 14th of Sept. in that year, was ap- 
 pointed Archdeacon of Hereford : on the i6th 
 June, 1 67 1, he was made Prebendary of Wor- 
 cester, in the room of Dr. William Dowdeswell. 
 He was appointed Dean of Hereford on the 
 loth Sept, 1672, and continued to hold the 
 Archdeaconry also, until the 15th Dec. 1684, 
 when he resigned the latter dignity to his son, 
 Samuel Benson. The Dean died on the 24th 
 Aug. 1692, aet. 78, and was buried in his own 
 cathedral. 
 
 P. 84. " From Twickenham^'' " Twickenham 
 ParkjLord Berkeley's countryseat," Diary, March 
 23, 1676. In the earlier part of the century it 
 had been the property and residence of Lucy, 
 eldest daughter of John, first Lord Harrington, 
 of Exton, and after the death, in 1614, of her 
 brotherJohn,inheritorof most of his large estates. 
 She married Edward Russell, third Earl of Bed- 
 ford, and when Moor Park in Hertfordshire was 
 granted to him in 1 61 7, she made over her inte- 
 rest in Twickenham Park to her kinsman William 
 
 Harrington 
 
Notes. 
 
 Harrington. Lord Berkeley probably acquired 
 it by purchase : it has since belonged to the Ver- 
 nons, and to several families in succession, and it 
 was lately the property of Mr. Francis Gosling 
 the banker. 
 
 P. 93. " Play at Court before their Majes- 
 ties.^'* " Saw a comedy at night at Court, aded 
 by the ladies only, amongst them Lady Mary and 
 Ann, his Royal Highness' two daughters, and my 
 dear friend Mrs. Blagg, who, having the principal 
 part, performed it to admiration. They were all 
 covered with jewels," Diary, Dec. 15, 1674. 
 The play was ** Calisto or the Chaste Nymph," 
 by John Crowne, who, by Rochester's influence, 
 had in this instance supplanted Dryden. It was 
 printed in 1675, and a copy is preserved in the 
 library of the British Museum. After the title- 
 page is a list of the performers,all of whom how- 
 ever did not bear, at the time of a6ling the play, 
 the titles which the printed list gives to them. 
 The list is as follows: 
 
 C<7//;/^, a chaste and favourite nymph of Diana, 
 beloved by Jupiter. " Her Highness the Lady 
 Mary," a daughter of the Duke of York, and 
 afterwards Queen of England, 
 
 Nyphe, a chaste young nymph, friend to Ca- 
 listo. *' Her Highness the Lady Anne," a daugh- 
 ter of the Duke of York, and afterwards Queen 
 of England. 
 
 Jupiter, in love with Calisto. " The Lady 
 
 Henrietta 
 
 253 
 
254 
 
 Notes. 
 
 Henrietta Wentworth;" rather Henrietta, Baro- 
 ness Wentworth of Nettlested, which dignity 
 descended to her on the death, in 1665, of her 
 father, Thomas Wentworth, the last Earl of 
 Cleveland. She is well known by her disgrace- 
 ful connexion, at a later period, with the Duke 
 of Monmouth, whom she did not long survive, 
 dying on April 23, 1686. Although Dryden 
 was deprived, by means of Lord Rochester, of 
 the honour of composing the comedy performed 
 before their Majesties, an honour due to him as 
 Poet Laureat, he yet composed an Epilogue to 
 Calisto, which it was intended should have been 
 spoken by Lady Wentworth. However, through 
 Rochester's influence, it was not recited, and an 
 epilogue written by Crowne was spoken by Lady 
 Wentworth as Jupiter. Dryden's begins 
 
 *' As Jupiter I made my court in vain, 
 I'll now assume my native shape again." 
 
 And ends thus (addressing Charles himself), 
 
 " Two glorious nymphs of your own godlike line, 
 Whose morning rays, like noontide, strike and shine j 
 Whom you to suppliant monarchs shall dispose, 
 To bind your friends, and to disarm your foes." 
 
 On which Sir Walter Scott remarks : *'ThegIo- 
 rius nymphs, afterwards Queen Anne and 
 Mary, both lived to exclude their own father 
 and his son from the throne. Derrick,! suppose, 
 alluded to this circumstance when in the penul- 
 timate 
 
timate line he read supplant for suppliant mon- 
 archs." 
 
 Juno. *' The Countess of Sussex." Lady Anne 
 Fitzroy, daughter of Charles II. by the Duchess 
 of Cleveland, and wife of Thomas, Lord Dacre 
 and Earl of Sussex. 
 
 Psecas, an envious nymph, enemy to Calisto, 
 beloved by Mercury. " The Lady Mary Mor- 
 dant," daughter and heir of Henry, second Earl 
 of Peterborough : she married in 1677, Henry, 
 seventh Duke of Norfolk, from w^hom she was 
 divorced in April 1 700. She afterwards married 
 Sir John Germaine, to whom she left a great part 
 of the Peterborough estates. 
 
 Diana^ goddess of Chastity. " Mrs. Blagge, 
 late maid of honour to the Queen." Mrs. Go- 
 dolphin. 
 
 Mercury^ in love Vv-ith Psecas. " Mrs. Jen- 
 nings, maid of honour to the Duchess.'* Sarah 
 Jennings, afterwards married to John Churchill, 
 the great Duke of Marlborough. 
 
 The " Nymphs attending on Diana, who also 
 danced in the Prologue, and in several Entries in 
 the Play," were 
 
 *'The Countess of Darby." Elizabeth Butler, 
 daughter of Thomas, Earl of Ossory, (eldest son 
 of James, first Duke of Ormond) by Amelia, 
 daughter of Lewis of Nassau, of Beverwaert. 
 She was the wife of William, ninth Earl of 
 Derby, and niece of Lady Arlington, mentioned 
 
 in 
 
256 Notes. 
 
 on p. 240. Her only son and her youngest 
 daughter died unmarried. Her eldest daughter. 
 Lady Henrietta, married first John Annesly, 
 fourth Earl of Anglesea, and secondly John, first 
 Earl of Ashburnham. 
 
 ^*The Countess of Pembroke." Henriette de 
 Querouaille(sister to the Duchess of Portsmouth), 
 wife of Philip Herbert, seventh Earl of Pembroke. 
 Bishop Kennett,and some of the lampoons of the 
 time, spell the name Carewell. 
 
 " The Lady Katharine Herbert.'* Sister-in- 
 law to the preceding, being daughter of Philip, 
 fifth Earl of Pembroke, by Katharine, daughter 
 of Sir William Villiers of Brookesby. See Table 
 in. She afterwards married Sir John Williams, 
 Bart., of Llangibby. 
 
 "Mrs. Fitz- Gerald." Probably Katharine 
 (daughter of John Fitz Gerald of Dromana), who 
 married, in 1677, Edward Villiers, eldest son of 
 George, fourth Viscount Grandison. See Table 
 III. 
 
 " Mrs. Frazier,maid of honour to the Queen." 
 
 The " men that danced " were 
 
 " His Grace the Duke of Monmouth." 
 
 *' The Viscount Dunblaine." Edward Os- 
 borne, Lord Latimer, one of the Gentlemen of 
 the Bedchamber to Charles n.,eldestson of Tho- 
 mas, Earl of Danby (afterwards created Marquis 
 of Carmarthen and Duke of Leeds). After the 
 representation, but before the publication of the 
 
 piece, 
 
Notes, 
 
 piece, the Earl of Danby was created Viscount 
 Dunblaine in Scotland, which dignity was as- 
 sumed as a title of courtesy by his son, Lord Lati- 
 mer. ByTable L it will be seen that the present 
 Dukeof Leedsisthe lineal representative of Mrs. 
 Godolphin. 
 
 " The Lord Daincourt." Robert Leake, eldest 
 son of Nicolas, second Earl of Scarsdale, whom 
 he afterwards succeeded in that title. 
 
 *' Mr. Trevor." John Trevor, eldest son of 
 Sir John Trevor, (Secretary of State, who had 
 died in 1 672,) by Ruth, daughter of John Hamp- 
 den and great niece of Oliver Cromwell, He 
 was elder brother of Thomas Trevor, Lord 
 Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, who was 
 created Lord Trevor in 1726. 
 
 " Mr. Harpe." 
 
 " Mr. Lane." 
 Neither in this list, nor amongst the names given 
 in the Diary,is there any notice of the Duchess of 
 Monmouth, whom Evelyn here mentions as one of 
 " the shineing beautyes " who performed. It is 
 probable that Evelyn's Diary written at the time, 
 corroborated as it is by the published list, is the 
 more corre6l on this point. The Duchess of 
 Monmouth too had some years before met with 
 a severe accident whilst dancing, which caused 
 an incurable lameness. See Pepys^ Diary, Sept. 
 20, 1668. 
 
 P. 95. '* Lord Treasurer'^ Thomas Osborne, 
 
 Earl 
 
 257 
 
258 
 
 Notes. 
 
 Earl of Danby, afterwards created Duke of 
 Leeds ; see the preceding note. 
 
 P. loo. " ne Countess of Suffolk." "Was 
 at the repetition of the pastoral, on which occa- 
 sion Mrs. Blagg had about her neere 20,000/. 
 worth of Jewells, of which she lost one, worth 
 about 80/., borrowed of the Countess of Suffolk. 
 The press was so greate, that 'tis a wonder she 
 lost no more. The Duke made it good." 
 Diary, Dec. 22, 1674. The Countess of Suffolk 
 was Barbara, daughter of Sir Edward Villiers, 
 widow of Thomas, son of Philip, Viscount 
 Wenman, and second wife of James Howard, 
 third Earl of Suffolk. She was first Lady of 
 the Bedchamber to the Queen. She died in 
 168 1. See Table IIL 
 
 P. 103. " The master of the Robes, now Earle 
 of Rochester r Laurence Hyde (second son of 
 the Chancellor Clarendon) was created Earl of 
 Rochester at the end of 1682, a fa6l which 
 proves that Evelyn did not write this life until 
 some years after Mrs. Godolphin's death. It 
 would appear that Godolphin purchased this 
 place as a certain provision on which he might 
 marry. Laurence Hyde is the L(?rj of the 
 lampoons. 
 
 P. 103. "Dr. LakeP John Lake of St. 
 John's Coll. Cambridge, successively Arch- 
 deacon of Cleveland, Bishop of Sodor and Man, 
 of Bristol and Chichester. He was deprived 
 
 for 
 
Notes, 
 
 for not taking the oaths to William and Mary, 
 and was succeeded in his See of Chichester by 
 Simon Patrick, then Dean of Peterborough. 
 
 P. 1 06. '■^ Intercourse betweene Christ and the 
 Souk." It is probable that Mrs. Godolphin 
 here speaks of the subjeB of the book which 
 Evelyn lent to her. No book with that title 
 has been found. 
 
 P. 107. "My Ladj Hamilton^ This was 
 Frances Jennings, daughter of Richard Jennings 
 of Sandridge,and elder sister of Sarah, afterwards 
 the celebrated Duchess of Marlborough. She 
 had been one of the maids of honour to the 
 Duchess of York, and was distinguished as much 
 by her giddiness as by her beauty. Pepys says of 
 her (in Feb. 1 665) " What mad freaks the mayds 
 of honor at court have! that Mrs. Jenings, one 
 of the Dutchesses's maids, the other day dressed 
 herself like an orange wench, and went up and 
 down and cried oranges ; 'till, falling down or by 
 some accident, her fine shoes were discerned and 
 she put to a great deal of shame." She married 
 Sir George Hamilton, grandson of James, first 
 Earl of Abercorn, and brother of Count Anthony 
 Hamilton, authorof the MemoiresdeGrammont. 
 It was as his widow that Mrs. Godolphin and 
 John Evelyn now knew her. Evelyn in his 
 Diary, 12 Nov. 1675, calls her "a sprightly 
 young lady, much in the good graces of the 
 (Berkeley) family, wife of that valiant and worthy 
 
 gentleman 
 
 259 
 
26o 
 
 Notes. 
 
 gentleman George Hamilton, not long after slain 
 in the wars. She had been a maid of honour to 
 the Duchess and now turned Papist." Lady 
 Hamilton, if she did not accompany Lord and 
 Lady Berkeley to Paris in 1675, was there du- 
 ring the time of Mrs. Godolphin's stay with 
 them. She married for her second husband 
 Richard Talbot, who had been one of her ad- 
 mirers whilst she was a maid of honour, but had 
 married Miss Boynton, and was now a widower. 
 He was created Earl of Tyrconnel by James II. 
 and appointed by him in 1686 to succeed the 
 Earl of Clarendon as Lord Deputy of Ireland, 
 whither the Countess accompanied him. Tyr- 
 connel, as is well known, remained attached to 
 James, who, after his abdication, created him, 
 in 1689, Duke of Tyrconnel. A change soon 
 came o'er the fortunes of the Duchess. Her 
 husband died in August 1691, and William's 
 successful occupation of Ireland reduced her to 
 obscurity and poverty. The frolicsome maid 
 of honour, the ** sprightly young lady " was 
 reduced to sell, not for amusement but for live- 
 lihood : in Pennant's words "Above stairs (at 
 the new Exchange in the Strand), sat, in the 
 charader of a milliner, the reduced Duchess of 
 Tyrconnel ; wife to Richard Talbot, Lord 
 Deputy of Ireland under James II. a bigotted 
 papist, and fit instrument of the designs of the 
 infatuated prince, who had created him Earl 
 
 before 
 
Notes. 
 
 before his abdication, and after that, Duke of 
 Tyrconnel. A female, suspe6led to have been 
 his Duchess, after his death, supported herself 
 for a few days (till she was known and other- 
 wise provided for) by the little trade of this 
 place : having delicacy enough not to wish to 
 be dete£led, she sat in a white mask, and a 
 white dress, and was known by the name of 
 the white widow" The Duchess of Tyrconnel 
 became a pensioner of the exiled monarch ; and 
 having, probably through Marlborough's in- 
 fluence, obtained leave to reside in Dublin, 
 lived in the praftice of the most austere asceti- 
 cism, and died there, in all outward appear- 
 ance, very miserably, at the advanced age of 
 eighty-two, in 1730; whilst her sister Duchess 
 was living, perhaps more miserably, in all 
 pomp and splendour at Blenheim and Pall 
 Mall, a torment to herself and all around her. 
 
 A portrait of the " Countess of Tyrconnel," 
 painted in all probability for Lady Berkeley of 
 Stratton, is in the colledlion at Berkeley Castle ; 
 engravings of other portraits of "Miss Jennings" 
 are frequent. 
 
 P. 1 09. " Ambassador to the Court of France^ 
 John, Lord Berkeley of Stratton, (see Table II.) 
 left England on this Embassy 14 Nov. 1675. 
 Evelyn in his Diary for Oft. and Nov. in that 
 year, gives many particulars. If we were to 
 trust to the editor of Evelyn's Diary and to the 
 
 first 
 
 261 
 
262 
 
 Notes. 
 
 first two editions of Pepys', the Lord and Lady- 
 Berkeley, so often named as Mrs. Godolphin's 
 warm friends, were George, Lord Berkeley of 
 Berkeley, afterwards created Earl of Berkeley, 
 and his wife, Elizabeth, daughter and co-heir of 
 John Massingbeard,esq. of Lincolnshire ; and, in 
 the absence of all connexion between them and 
 the families of Blagge and Godolphin, there 
 would be great difficulty in showing any pro- 
 bable cause for the friendship, not to call it 
 patronage, which Mrs. Godolphin and her 
 husband received. The editors of Evelyn and 
 Pepys have unfortunately fallen into the error, 
 which I have pointed out as having been com- 
 mitted before them by Pennant, of confounding 
 the two Lords Berkeley, if not the two *' Ber- 
 keley-houses." In Lord Braybrooke's new and 
 enlarged edition of Pepys the error is cor- 
 reded. 
 
 John, Lord Berkeley of Stratton, originally 
 known as Sir John Berkeley, and in the service 
 of Charles I. at the same time with Colonel 
 Blagge, Mrs. Godolphin's father, was concerned 
 with John Ashburnham and Colonel Legge in 
 the flight of Charles I. from Hampton Court to 
 the Isle of Wight ; a vexed point of history, on 
 which Lord Clarendon's misstatements have 
 been well correfted by the late Earl of Ash- 
 burnham. During the exile of the royal family 
 he became the favourite of James, Duke of 
 
 York, 
 
Notes. 
 
 263 
 
 York, whose favour he never lost ; although 
 he was represented to Charles as the secret 
 agent of the Court of France, and as the known 
 enemy of the Chancellor Clarendon and his 
 party. The Chancellor's enmity Berkeley 
 shared alike with Ashburnham and Legge, for 
 all alike stood in the Chancellor's way ; Berke- 
 ley however obtained his peerage in 1658, as 
 the price of James' return to his brother Charles ; 
 the others, although high in favour with Charles 
 II., wereennobledin the persons of their descen- 
 dants. Clarendon makes the enmity between 
 himself and Berkeley, who had once been his own 
 familiar " Dear Jack," to arise from his opposition 
 to Berkeley's claim to the mastership of the 
 Court of Wards. James II., in his Memoirs, 
 attributes it to Clarendon's advice to Lady Mor- 
 ton to rejecfl Berkeley's proposals of marriage. 
 
 Lady Morton, one of the brightest ornaments 
 of" the beautiful race of Villiers," was Elizabeth, 
 daughter of Sir Edward Villiers, niece of the 
 Duke of Buckingham, and widow of Robert 
 Douglas, 8th Earl of Morton, who died in 1649. 
 Whilst she was Lady Dalkeith, and during the 
 stay of Charles the First's family at Exeter, she 
 had had the charge of the Princess Henrietta, 
 afterwards Duchess of Orleans ; and to her 
 Fuller inscribes his " Good Thoughts in Bad 
 Times." Her noble rescue of her royal ward, 
 whom she carried on her back from Oatlands 
 
 to 
 
264 
 
 Notes, 
 
 to Dover, in the disguise of a beggar and her 
 child, is well known. Lady Morton died in 1654. 
 
 Besides enjoying the personal favour of the 
 Duke of York, Berkeley was a near kinsman of 
 the influential Harry Jermyn, Earl of St. Alban's, 
 who, as we see by the table of the Blagge family, 
 was also a relative of Mrs. Godolphin: the close 
 connexion of the Berkeley and Godolphin families 
 fully accounts for the longand intimate friendship 
 which existed between them. 
 
 After the Restoration Berkeley's rise was 
 rapid, and his employments numerous. In 1660 
 he was appointed a commissioner of the Admi- 
 ralty, in June 1 662 a privy counsellor for Ireland, 
 and soon afterwards Lord President of Con- 
 naught. In 1664 he was made a master of the 
 ordnance, and in 1665 a commissioner of 
 Tangier. All these offices he held at the same 
 time, and so early as 1663, Pepys says that 
 Lord Berkeley boasted of having gained £50,000 
 in the navy alone. This sum appears so great 
 that one might well have suspedled some error 
 in the transcription of Pepys' Diary* But the 
 statement is true, and there can, therefore, be 
 no wonder that, in 1665, we read of Berkeley's 
 ■beginning a house at St. James', next to the 
 Lord Chancellor's, nor at Evelyn's mentioning, 
 in 1672, that it had cost .£30,000. He had also 
 more indire6l ways of obtaining money through 
 his influence with the Duke of York, as Pepys 
 
 mentions 
 
Notes. 
 
 265 
 
 mentions in 1668. [He also received a large 
 dowry with his wife, Christiana, who was 
 daughter of Sir Andrew Riccard, a wealthy 
 East India Merchant. She had previously been 
 married to Sir John Geare, and to Henry Rich, 
 Lord Kensington.] In April 1670 Lord Berke- 
 ley was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, 
 where he remained till August 1672. In 
 Oftober 1674, he was named to the embassy 
 to France, in which he was accompanied by 
 Mrs. Godolphin, and by Evelyn's son. From 
 this embassy he returned in June 1677, and in 
 the following year he died. 
 
 A portrait of Lord Berkeley when a boy, 
 and another portrait of him by Vandyke, are in 
 in the coUedlion of the Earl Fitzhardinge at 
 Berkeley Castle. A portrait of him, his lady, 
 and a servant, in one piece, painted in 1676 by 
 Gaspard Netscher, is mentioned by Vertue ; but 
 it is not included in Sir Wm. Musgrave's 
 account of the piftures at Berkeley Castle. 
 
 As Evelyn and Pepys' Diaries may be con- 
 sulted, I add the following corrected index to the 
 places where Lord Berkeley of Stratton is meant, 
 (8vo editions). Evelyn ii. 255. 260. 373-375. 
 398. 413. 417.421. 425. iii. 90. 117. 177. 338. 
 Pepys i. 115. 121. 122. 163. 282. ; ii. 2I. loi. 
 132. 141. 173. 224. 238. 249. 250. 256. 346. 
 423.; iii. 167. 183. 228. 236. 386. 395. ; iv. 
 62. 174. 1 8 1. The other places relate to George, 
 
 Lord 
 
266 
 
 Notes. 
 
 Lord Berkeley of Berkeley, afterwards Earl of 
 Berkeley, viz. Evelyn, vol. ii. 136. 140. 147. 
 198. 214. 385. ; vol. iii. 6-]. Pepys, vol. i. 39. 
 95- 305- ; vol. ii. 80. ; vol. iii. 87. 230. 291. 
 vol. V. 42-45. 
 
 P. 120. ''Nothing like Pinto's TravehP 
 The name of Fernam Mendez Pinto will ever 
 remain associated with falsehood and exaggera- 
 tion. He lived in the i6th century, but his 
 travels were not translated into English until 
 1663, whence probably Mrs. Godolphin's ac- 
 quaintance with them. Congreve'swell known 
 lines, almost become proverbial, (and which it 
 is impossible to quote without remembering 
 their very witty application by the present 
 Bishop of LlandafF,) 
 
 " Ferdinand Mendez Pinto was but a type of thee, 
 Thou liar of the first magnitude ! " 
 
 Lcwefor Lwe^ Aft ii. Sc 5, 
 
 were not written until after Mrs. Godolphin's 
 death. Claude's Defence de la Reformation^ 
 written in reply to the Jansenist Nicole, was 
 first published in 1673, so that at the time of 
 Mrs. Godolphin's visit to Paris, the book must 
 have had the additional charm of novelty. 
 
 P. 1 2 1 . " that baile of theirs'' Perhaps for 
 bale, sorrow, or destru6lion. 
 
 P. 1 2 1 . ''My charge your sonP " I settled 
 affaires, my sonn being to go into France, with 
 
 my 
 
Notes. 
 
 267 
 
 my Lord Berkeley, designed ambassador extra- 
 ordinary for France, and plenipotentiary for the 
 general peace of Nimeguen." Diary, 15 Oft. 
 1675. This son was John Evelyn, great-grand- 
 father of the [the Hon. Edward Harcourt] Arch- 
 bishop of York. At this time he was about nine- 
 teen years of age. In the following letter to his 
 father the allusions to his ** pretty pious gover- 
 ness's" christian name, and to her marriage with 
 Godolphin,are too evident to be mistaken. [John 
 Evelyn jun., died before his father, at the age of 
 41, in the year 1698. He left an only surviving 
 son, born 1681, and a daughter. The son was 
 made a Baronet, and the daughter married the 
 Hon. Simon Harcourt.] 
 
 ** Dear Father, 
 " I MOST humbly thank you for your kind letter, 
 it came to me just before my Pretty, Pious, 
 Pearly Governesse left me ; whose departure 
 makes this place cease to be either Athens, or 
 any thing else but a very melancholy abode to 
 me : now my Minerva is gone I am as desolate 
 as the owl that used to sit on her Temple, and 
 almost in as great a Passion as Achilles for the 
 losse of Briseis ; I could methinks looke very 
 xmohpa on her Agamemnon, and can hardly 
 forbear drawing on him at this distance, but 
 that your letter, like an Appealing Gentle 
 Minerva, quiets me and says 
 
 'AW 
 
268 
 
 Notes, 
 
 'AAX* ay£, \r\y epilog /u.t]de ^(poQ eXKto xupC' 
 'AX\' fiTOL eTreffiy juev vvEiZiaov, Cjg eaETaiirep. 
 
 so that I am satisfy'd to follow the Hero's 
 Example and call my Agamemnon, though not 
 otVo/3ap£c, yet with permission 
 
 S^ Cicero's son was a whole year at Athens, 
 the scholar of Cratippus. If my Cicero will 
 let me stay here so long too, I will endeavour 
 to recover my time, and not return empty, to 
 follow his steps, to link my Greek and Latine 
 studys together, and that not only in Philosophy, 
 but also in the pradlice of Eloquence, (in order 
 to the law), that I may equally excell in the 
 mastery of both languages, I am bold to borrow 
 this from Cicero but I hide it so well that I 
 cannot expresse myself better. 
 
 " The Cratippus's here" are very dear, and, to 
 satisfy your expe6lations, I must be my own 
 Cratippus in every art and science, now I pay 
 for my lodging, diet, and every thing else ; 
 which I beleeve Marcus found cheaper in 
 Greece when his father wrote to him than I 
 doe here. My Lord had audience of the K. 
 the 7th. so says Nouvelles Ordinaires of the 
 town, which with that of Brussels I read for 
 30 sous a month. The Citadell of Liege is 
 dismantled, and those of Huy and Dinant too. 
 
 President 
 
Notes. 
 
 President Mole's library is selling now on the 
 Quay des Augustins, there are abundance of fine 
 bookes and curious there. The Post would be 
 gon yi I should stay to coliedl any more news 
 out of the Gazette. My humble service to my 
 Unkle Glanvil, duty to my dear mother, I am 
 
 " Your obedient Son, 
 John Evelyn. 
 
 n 
 
 269 
 
 " Madame Feret was much pleased with her 
 letter, etc. I will endeavour to write a better 
 hand." 
 
 Endorsed by Evelyn, 
 *' My son John, from Paris, 1676." 
 
 P. 122. "My Lad;^ H^ Lady Hamilton, 
 see p. 107. 
 
 P. 125. "Mr. Bernard Grenvilk" of Abs- 
 Court at Walton on Thames in Surrey, " an 
 old house in a pretty parke." Diary, 17 Sept. 
 1673. In August 1672, Bernard Grenville, 
 Gentleman of the Horse, and Groom of the 
 Bedchamber to Charles II., had been sent on a 
 mission to Savoy, and it was probably on his 
 return from this mission that he escorted Mrs. 
 Godolphin to England. He was the second 
 son of Sir Beville Grenville, killed at Lans- 
 downe fight, whose eldest son. Sir John Gren- 
 ville, the bearer of Charles Il.'s messages to the 
 Lords and Commons, was created Viscount 
 
 Lansdowne 
 
270 
 
 Notes. 
 
 Lansdowne and Earl of Bath. After the 
 death, without issue, of William, grandson of 
 the first Earl of Bath, George, second son of 
 Bernard Grenville, was created Lord Lans- 
 downe, in 171 1. He is well known as a poet. 
 The title became extind at his death in 1735. 
 
 P. 1 26. " Dr. Warnett's in Covent Garden^ 
 whose wife was her near relation^ Of this re- 
 lationship I find no trace. 
 
 P. 1 29. ** Lease she had of certaine lands in 
 Spalding^ See Diary of 9 Nov. 1676. "Fi- 
 nished the lease of Spalding for Mr. Godol- 
 phin." An estate at Spalding had been left to 
 Mrs. Godolphin and her sisters by their mother, 
 to whom it had been granted on lease by Queen 
 Henrietta Maria. Mrs. Godolphin bequeathed 
 her share to her sisters Dorothy and Mary. 
 
 P. 130. ^^ Her pretty habitation in Scotland 
 Tardy " To London to take order about the 
 building of an house, or rather an appartment 
 which had all the conveniences of an house, 
 for my deare friend Mr. Godolphin and lady, 
 which I undertook to contrive and survey, and 
 employ workmen, till it should be quite finished ; 
 it being just over against his majesties wood 
 yard by the Thames side, leading to Scotland 
 Yard." Diary, 12 Sept. 1676. Who « V.» 
 the architect was, it is not easy to determine. 
 It must not be mistaken to mean Vanburgh, for 
 he was not born till 1672. 
 
 P. 136. 
 
Notes. 
 
 p. 136. " The pi£lure she some years since be- 
 stowed upon me" This pi6lure, of which a 
 reduced engraving is prefixed to this volume, is 
 still preserved at Wotton, the ancestral resi- 
 dence of John Evelyn. It may be observed 
 that the xfvraX^a which Evelyn had used at 
 the commencement of this Life, and in other of 
 his MSS. is also represented on the urn in the 
 picture. The painter's name is not on the 
 portrait, neither is there any tradition in the 
 Evelyn family of his name. A very competent 
 judge pronounced it, after due examination, to 
 be in his opinion the work of Caspar Netscher ; 
 and his opinion is strengthened greatly by the 
 fadl that of the five piflures which Vertue 
 mentions as painted by Netscher during his 
 short stay in England, one is a pi£lure of 
 *' Lord Berkeley of Stratton, his lady, and a 
 servant, in one piece, dated 1676." It is pro- 
 bable that Mrs. Godolphin would choose to be 
 painted by the same artist who painted her in- 
 timate friends. Another portrait of Mrs. Go- 
 dolphin, painted in all probability for her 
 friend Lady Berkeley of Stratton, is mentioned 
 in Sir Wm. Musgrave's list, as existing in 1790 
 at Berkeley Castle, and it is still, as it is be- 
 lieved, in the coUedion of the Earl of Fitz- 
 hardinge. 
 
 P. 137. "My Lady Viscountess Mordant^'' 
 Elizabeth Carey, daughter and sole heir of 
 
 Thomas, 
 
 271 
 
272 
 
 Notes. 
 
 Thomas, second son of Robert, Earl of Mon- 
 mouth, wife of John, Viscount Mordaunt of 
 Avalon, eldest son of John, Earl of Peter- 
 borough. Evelyn speaks very highly of this 
 lady in his Diary at this time. " I went to 
 Lady Mordaunt, who put £100 into my hands 
 to dispose of for pious uses, relief of prisoners, 
 poor, &c. Many a sum had she sent me on 
 similar occasions : a blessed creature she was, 
 and one that loved and feared God exemplarily." 
 Aug. 16, 1678. 
 
 P. 137. " Tour ladyship and sister Gr''\aharn). 
 Dorothy Howard, wife of Colonel James Gra- 
 ham of Levens. See Table IV. 
 
 P. 138. *■' Mr. Ashmol^s at LambathP This 
 visit was on the 23rd of July, and on the 
 same day, " Mr. Godolphin was made master 
 of the robes to the King." On the 25th July, 
 Evelyn adds " there was sent to me £70 from 
 whom I knew not, to be by me distributed 
 among poore people : I afterwards found it 
 was from that deere friend (Mrs. Godolphin) 
 who had frequently given me large sums to 
 bestow on charities." It is scarcely necessary 
 to say that the museum called " Mr. Ashmole's 
 att Lambath " is now the Ashmolean at Oxford. 
 Of the MSS. which Evelyn mentions in his 
 Diary, a catalogue has recently been printed 
 by the University. 
 
 P. 143. "Mr. Harvye treasurer to her Ma- 
 
 jestye" 
 
Notes. 
 
 jestyeT John Hervey, eldest son of Sir William 
 Hervey of Ickworth ; he was a great favourite 
 with Charles II. a leading man in Parliament, 
 and a patron of letters: he died 1 8 Jan. 1679. 
 
 P. 146. "Dr. Lowther :^^ perhaps Dr. 
 Lower, mentioned below, may have been 
 meant. 
 
 P. 146. ^* Dr. Needham.''' Diary, Nov. 4, 
 1679. "Went to the funerall of my pious, 
 dear and ancient learned friend. Dr. Jasper 
 Needham, who was buried at St. Bride's 
 Church. He was a true and holy Christian, 
 and one who loved me with greate affeflion." 
 
 P. 146. ''Dr. Short:' Dr. Peregrine 
 Short, whom Evelyn thus mentions in his 
 Diary, 29 Nov. 1694. "I visited the Marquis 
 of Normanby (John Sheffield, who had pre- 
 viously been Earl of Mulgrave, and was after- 
 wards created Duke of Buckinghamshire) and 
 had much discourse concerning K. Chas. II. 
 being poisoned. Also concerning the ^inquino, 
 which the Physicians would not give to the 
 King at a time when in a dangerous ague it 
 was the only thing that could cure him ; (out of 
 envy because it had been brought into vogue 
 by Mr. Tudor, an Apothecary) ; till Dr. Short, 
 to whom the King sent to know his opinion of 
 it privately, he being reputed a papist, (but 
 who was in truth a very honest good Christian), 
 sent word to the King that it was the only 
 
 thing 
 
 273 
 
274 
 
 Notes. 
 
 thing which could save his life , and then the 
 King injoined his Physicians to give it to him, 
 which they did, and he recovered. Being 
 asked by this Lord why they would not pre- 
 scribe it. Dr. Lower said it would spoil their 
 pra6lice, or some such expression, and at last 
 confessed that it was a remedy fit only for 
 kings.'* 
 
 P. 149. "Z)r. Ffaber to make try all of a 
 cordially No notice of Dr. Faber, nor of his 
 cordial, has been met with. 
 
 P. 152. ** Mrs. Boscawen^ her sister in law, 
 Jael Godolphin, wife of Edward Boscawen ; 
 their son was created Viscount Falmouth, 
 and their daughter, Anne, was afterwards the 
 wife of Evelyn's grandson. See Tables L 
 and V. 
 
 P. 1 54. "My sister Penn" Probably one 
 of the unmarried sisters of Mr. Godolphin, 
 named after her aunt Penelope^ Lady Fitz- 
 hardinge (see Table IL) ; only two of Go- 
 dolphin's sisters were married, viz. Elizabeth 
 to Sir Edward Northcote, Bart, and Jane (or 
 Jael) to Edward Boscawen. Nine brothers 
 and sisters of Godolphin died unmarried. 
 There were sixteen in all, 
 
 P. 155. ^^ my share of the ^eens lease" See 
 note to p. 129. 
 
 P. 203. "produce the originally There can 
 be no doubt that this letter was addressed to 
 
 Lady 
 
Notes. 
 
 ^75 
 
 Lady Sylvius, whilst still unmarried, and to her 
 sister Dorothy. 
 
 P. 225. '■'■with much honor ^"^ Evelyn gives 
 in his Diary the following particulars of Mrs. 
 Godolphin's last illness and funeral. 
 1678.] 
 3 Sept. I went to London to dine with Mrs. 
 Godolphin (formerly Mrs. Blagg, who had ben 
 maid of honour to the Queene), and found her 
 in labour ; she was brought to bed of a sonn, 
 who was baptiz'd in the chamber, by the name 
 of Francis, y^ susceptors being S"" W°^ Godolphin 
 (head of the family), M^ Jn°. Hervey, Treass'". 
 to the Queene, and Mrs. Boscawen, sister to S'". 
 William, and the father. 
 
 8. Whilst I was at Church came a letter from 
 Mr. Godolphin that my deare friend, his lady, 
 was exceedingly ill, and desiring my prayers 
 and assistance. My wife and I tooke boate im- 
 mediately and went to White-hall ; where to my 
 inexpressible sorrow, I found she had been at- 
 tacq'd with the new fever, then reigning this 
 excessive hot autumn, and which was so violent 
 that it was not thought she could last many 
 hours. 
 
 9. She died in the 26th yeare of her age, to 
 the inexpressible afflidlion of her deare husband 
 and all her relations ; but of none in the world 
 more than of myselfe,who lost the most excellent 
 and inestimable friend that ever liv'd. Never 
 
 was 
 
276 Notes. 
 
 was a more virtuous and inviolable friendship ; 
 never a more religious, discreet and admirable 
 creature, beloved of all, admired of all, for all 
 possible perfe6lions of her sex. She is gon to 
 receive the reward of her signal charity, and all 
 other her Christian graces ; too blessed a creature 
 to converse with mortals, fitted as she was by a 
 most holy life to be received into the mansions 
 above. She was for witt, beauty, good-nature, 
 fidelity, discretion, and all acomplishments, the 
 most incomparable person. How shall I ever 
 repay the obligations to her for the infinite good 
 offices she did my soule, by so oft engaging me 
 to make religion the termes and tie of the friend- 
 ship there was between us ! She was the best 
 wife, the best mistress, the best friend that ever 
 husband had. But it is not here that I pretend 
 to give her charafter, having designed to consecrate 
 her worthy life to posterity. 
 
 Her husband, struck with unspeakable afflic- 
 tion, fell down as dead. The King himselfe and 
 all the Court expressed their sorrow. To the 
 poore and miserable her losse was irreparable, 
 for there was no degree but had some obligation 
 to her memorie. So carefull and provident was 
 she to be prepared for all possible accidents, that 
 (as if she foresaw her end) she received the 
 heavenly viaticum but the Sunday before, after 
 a most solemn recolledlion. She put all her 
 domestic concerns into y^ exadlest order, and 
 
 left 
 
Notes. 
 
 left a letter direfted to her husband, to be opened 
 in case she died in child-bed ; in which, with the 
 most pathetic and endearing expressions of a 
 most loyal and virtuous wife, she begs his kind- 
 nesse to her memorie might be continu'd by his 
 care and esteeme of those she left behind, even 
 to her domestic servants, to the meanest of which 
 she left considerable legacies, as well as to the 
 poore. It was now seven yeares since she was 
 maid of honor to y® Queene, that she reguarded 
 me as a father, a brother, and what is more, a 
 friend. We often prayed, visited the sick and 
 miserable, received, read, discoursed and com- 
 municated in all holy offices together. She was 
 most deare to my wife and afFedionate to my 
 children. But she is gon ! This onely is my 
 comfort that she is happy in Christ and I shall 
 shortly behold her againe ! She desir'd to be 
 buried in the dormitorie of his family, neere 
 300 miles from all her other friends. So afflided 
 was her husband at this severe losse, that the 
 entire care of her funerall was committed to me. 
 Having closed the eyes and dropped a tear upon 
 the cheeke of my deare departed friend, lovely 
 even in death, I caused her corps to be embalmed 
 and wrapped in lead, with a plate of brasse 
 soldered thereon, with an inscription, and other 
 circumstances due to her worth ; with as much 
 diligence and care as my grieved heart would 
 permit me ; I then retired home for two dales, 
 
 which 
 
 277 
 
278 
 
 Notes. 
 
 which were spent in solitude and sad reflec- 
 tions. 
 
 17. She was accordingly carried toGodolphin 
 in Cornwall, in a hearse with six horses, at- 
 tended by two coaches of as many, with about 
 30 of her relations and servants. There accom- 
 panied the hearse her husband's brother, S^ W°^., 
 two more of his brothers, and three sisters : 
 her husband was so overcome with grief, that 
 he was wholly unfit to travel so long a journey 
 till he was more composed. I went as far as 
 Hounslow with a sad heart, but was obliged to 
 return upon some indispensible affaires. The 
 corpse was ordered to be taken out of the hearse 
 every night, and decently placed in y^ house, 
 with tapers about it, and her servants attending, 
 to Cornwall ; and then was honorably interr'd 
 in the parish church of Godolphin. This 
 funeral cost not much less than £1000. 
 
 With Mr. Godolphin I looked over and sorted 
 his lady's papers, most of which consisted of 
 Prayers, Meditations, Sermon-notes, Discourses, 
 and colleftions on severall religious subjedls ; and 
 many of her owne happy composing, and so 
 pertinently digested, as if she had ben all her 
 life a student in divinity. We found a diary 
 of her solemn resolutions, all tending to pradlical 
 virtue, with letters from sele6l friends, all put 
 into exadl method. It astonish'd us to see 
 
 what 
 
Notes. 
 
 279 
 
 what she had read and written, her youth con- 
 sidered. 
 
 16 Odi. Mr. Godolphin requested me to con- 
 tinue the trust his wife had reposed in me in 
 behalfFof his little sonn ; conjuring me to transfer 
 the friendship I had for his deare wife, on him 
 and his. 
 
 TABLE I. 
 
TABLE I. 
 
 PEDIGREE OF BLAGGE AND GODOLPHIN. 
 
 Cecily, (second vjife) dau.=:ROBERTBLAGGE, or=pKATHERINE, {first 
 
 of sir John Brooke, Lord 
 Cobham, by Margaret, dau. 
 of Edward Neville, Lord 
 Abergavenny. She married 
 also John Barret, and, third- 
 ly. Sir Richard Walden, 
 Knt. She died 35 Hen. VIII. 
 
 irg. 2 bends engrailed^ 
 u. for Blagge. 
 
 Blague, or Blage, 
 of Broke Montague, 
 CO. Somerset, and 
 Cleyndon, in Darent, 
 CO. Kent. Baron of 
 the Exchequer, 27 
 June, 1511, d. 13 Sept. 
 15Z2. 
 
 wife), dau. and h, 
 of Thos. Brune, or 
 Browne of Horse- 
 man's Place, in Dart- 
 ford, CO. Kent. 
 
 INNE, {first=fSlR AMBROSE: 
 
 yi/V), dau. of 
 ir George 
 levening- 
 lam. 
 
 JERMYN, of 
 Rushbrook, 
 c». Suffolk, 
 d. 1577. 
 
 L 
 
 rDOROTHY, (secondwife): 
 dau. of William Badbye, 
 widow of Richard Good- 
 riche. In 1563, she had 
 a lease from Eliz. of the 
 manor of Stanmore, co. 
 Middlesex, d. Apr. 
 1594- 
 
 1 
 
 Sir George 
 Blagge, 
 Knt. b. 1512, 
 d. 1 551. See 
 note A. 
 
 Barnaby 
 Blagge, who 
 in 33 Hen. VIII. 
 sold Horse- 
 man's Place, 
 ob. s. p. 
 
 1 
 
 John (or 
 
 Thomas) 
 
 Blagge, 
 
 ob. s. p. 
 
 ir Robert: 
 
 ERM^N, of 
 
 Lushbrook, 
 . 19 April, 
 614. 
 
 Judith 
 Blagge, 
 d. oa. 
 1614. 
 
 Henry Blagge, of Hornings- 
 herth, co. Suffolk, who sold 
 Cleyndon, 24. Eliz. d. Apr. 
 1596. 
 
 I 
 
 _L 
 
 :HESTHER 
 JERMYN, 
 
 m. 8 oa. 
 157X. 
 
 Charles Le; 
 
 Grise, of 
 
 Brockdish. 
 
 USAN, who mar- SIR THOMAS: 
 
 led Sir William Jermyn, of 
 
 lervey, ancestor Rushbrooke, 
 
 f the Marquess of living 1622. 
 iristol. 
 
 MARGA-: 
 
 ret 
 Clarke. 
 
 r Ambrose BLAGGE,=pMARTHA Barber, 
 
 of Horningsherth, d. 
 1663. 
 
 Five children. 
 
 I 1 
 
 'HOMAS Henry Jer- 
 ERMYN, MYN, created 
 'hose son, Lord Jermyn 
 'nomas, in 1684, with 
 limitation to 
 his brother, 
 created Earl of 
 St. Alban's 
 1 660. Died s. 
 p. 1683. 
 
 :Hesther 
 
 Blagge, 
 
 m. /.5 
 
 Nov. 
 
 1566. 
 
 I 
 Doro- 
 
 of Bury, first wife, 
 m. 31 Mar. 1608, d. 
 Aug. 1624. 
 
 THY 
 
 Blag- 
 ge. 
 
 icceeded 
 i second 
 iOrd Jer- 
 lyn, but 
 ied s. p. 
 1 1703. 
 
 Colonel Thomas Blagge,: 
 of Horningsherth, Groom of the 
 Bedchamber to Charles 1. and 
 Governor of Wallingford,which 
 surrendered to Fairfax in 1646. 
 After the Restoration he was co- 
 lonel of a regiment and Gov- 
 ernor of Yarmouth and Land- 
 guard Fort, d. 14 Nov. 1660, 
 bur. at Westminster, where a 
 monument to him formerly ex- 
 isted. 
 
 ;Mary North, 
 dau. of Sir Ro- 
 ger North, of 
 Mildenhall, by 
 Elizabeth, dau. 
 of Sir John Gil- 
 bert, of Great 
 Finborow, co. 
 Sufiblk. 
 
 ~r — " 
 George 
 
 Blagge. 
 
 Harry 
 Blagge. 
 
 T — I — rn — I 
 Martha. 
 
 Judith. 
 
 Anne. 
 
 Katha- 
 rine. 
 
 [R THO-: 
 [AS YAR- 
 URGH of 
 
 naith, 
 ieriff of 
 "orkshire 
 576, aet. 
 7- 
 
 Henrietta 
 
 Maria 
 
 BLAGGE (for 
 whom see 
 Grammont's 
 Memoirs). 
 
 1 1 
 
 Dorothy 
 Blagge. 
 
 M ARGA-: 
 
 RET 
 
 BLAGGE, 
 
 b. 2 Aug. 
 1652, Maid 
 of Honor 
 to Que^n 
 Catharine, 
 m. 16 May, 
 1675, d. 9 
 Sept. 1678, buried at Breage, 
 CO. Cornwall, 16 Sept 1678. 
 
 Mary 
 
 Blagge, 
 
 Maid of Honor 
 
 to the Duchess 
 
 of York, m. — 
 
 Colclough. 
 
 B 
 
 SIDNEY GODOLPHIN, HENRY: 
 
 3rd son of Sir Francis GoDOL- 
 
 Godolphin, K.B. A PHIN, 
 
 Lord of the Treasury in Provost 
 
 1679, and First Lord in of Eton, 
 
 1684. Created Lord and 
 
 Godelphin, 0/ Rialton, Dean of 
 
 in Sept. 1684. Lord St. 
 
 High Treasurer in 1704, Paul's, 
 
 K. G. created Viscount d. Jan. 
 
 Rialton,and Earlof Go- 1733. 
 dolphin, 29 Dec. 1706. 
 Died 1712. 
 
 Mary, 
 
 dau. of 
 
 Col. 
 
 Sidney 
 
 Godol- 
 
 phin. 
 
6 
 
 I I I 
 
 Pen children, of whom two were 
 naids of honor. The youngest of 
 hese (Alice), was maid of honor 
 o Queen Anne, dying at Windsor 
 n 1786, aet. 97. The other (Hen- 
 ietta Maria) married Sir Marma- 
 uke Wyvil, bart. of Constable 
 Jurton, CO. Yorkshire. 
 
 Francis Godolphin, and: 
 Earl of Godolphin, and Vis- 
 count Rialton, b. 3 Sept. 
 1678, created in 1735, Lord 
 Godolphin of Helstone^ with 
 remainder to the issue of his 
 uncle Henry. Died 17 Jan. 
 1766. 
 
 Henrietta Churchill, 
 
 Fra> 
 
 eldest dau. and co-heir of 
 
 GOD 
 
 John, Duke of Marlborough. 
 
 PHIN, 
 
 Duchess of Marlborough in 
 
 Lord 
 
 her owfi right. Died 24 061. 
 
 dolph 
 
 I73J, aet. 53. 
 
 Heist 
 
 
 Ob. s 
 
 
 178 
 
 rHOMAS = HENRI- 
 •ELHAM ETTA 
 
 lOLLES, 
 
 )uke of 
 lewcas- 
 le, K.G. 
 
 Godol- 
 phin, 
 m. 2 
 April, 
 1717, d. 
 s. p. 
 
 Henry 
 
 Godol- 
 phin, 
 died 
 young. 
 
 I 2. 
 Thomas Os=^Mary Go- 
 
 borne, 4th 
 Duke of 
 Leeds, b. 6 
 Nov. 171 3. 
 K. G. d. 23 
 Mar. 1789. 
 
 dolphin, 
 m. 26 June, 
 1740 d. 3 
 Aug. 1764, 
 aet. 41. 
 
 William Godolphin=Mary Catei 
 called Viscount Rialton, D'YONGHE, d 
 afterwards Marquis of Peter d'Yonghi 
 Blandford, ob, s. p. 24 Utrecht, m. 15 y 
 Aug. 173 1, whereby the 1729; she rema 
 Marlborough titles and es- 1st June 1734 
 tates passed to Spencer, William Wynd 
 Earl of Sunderland. Bart, and d. 1779 
 
 Buried at Mortla 
 
 "homas Os- 
 ;ORNE,Mar- 
 uis of Car- 
 iarthen, b. 
 747, d. I 761. 
 
 AMELIA D'ARCY, {first wife] only=pFRANCIS GODOLPHIN OS-=p CATHARINE ANG^ 
 
 dau. and h. of Robert, last Earl of 
 Holderiiess, and Baroness Conyers, 
 remarried in 1779, John Byron, esq, 
 (father of Lord Byron) and died in 
 1781. 
 
 BORNE, 5th Duke of Leeds, 
 born 29 Jan. 1751? died 31 
 Jan. 1799. 
 
 {second wife) m. 
 Mistress of the Rob 
 Queen Adelaide, d. 
 
 ;eorge WIL-; 
 
 lAM FREDE- 
 
 ic Osborne, 
 th Duke of 
 eeds, Baron 
 'onyers, b. 
 775, m. 1797, 
 , 1838. 
 
 RANCIS = LoUISA GEORGE: 
 ;ODOL- CATHA- GODOL- 
 HIN RINE PHIN OS- 
 
 I'ARCY CATON. borne, 
 iSBORNE, b. 1802, 
 
 th Duke of Leeds, m. 1824. 
 . 1798, m. 1828. 
 
 Charlotte 
 
 Francis Go-:pElizabeth 
 
 Tho- = 
 
 =Mary Hen- 
 
 Sidney 
 
 Catha 
 
 Townshend 
 
 , dolphin Os- 
 
 Charlotte 
 
 MAS 
 
 rietta Ju- 
 
 Godol- 
 
 ANNE W 
 
 dau. of 
 
 borne, b. 
 
 Eden, dau. 
 
 PEL- 
 
 liana Os- 
 
 phin 
 
 OSBORN] 
 
 George, ist 
 
 I777,m, 1800. 
 
 ofWiUlam, 
 
 HAM, 
 
 borne, b. 
 
 Os- 
 
 1798, m. 
 
 Marquis 
 
 Created in 
 
 1st Lord 
 
 Earl 
 
 1776, m. 
 
 borne, 
 
 1819, Ca 
 
 Townshend. 
 
 1832, Lord 
 
 Auckland. 
 
 of 
 
 1801. 
 
 b. 16 
 
 John Wh 
 
 
 Godolphin of 
 
 
 Chi- 
 
 
 Dec. 
 
 Melville. 
 
 
 Farnham 
 
 
 chea- 
 
 
 1789. 
 
 
 1 
 
 Royal. 
 
 . . ...... 
 
 
 ter. 
 
 1 
 
 r 
 
 
 HAR- 
 RIET 
 ARUN- 
 DEL 
 STEW- 
 ART. 
 
 Godol- 
 phin Os- 
 borne, 
 b. 1804, m, 
 1834. 
 
 EORGE GODOL- 
 HIN OSBORNE, b. 
 1828. 
 
 FRANCIS GEORGE 
 GODOLPHIN OS- 
 BORNE, b. 1830. 
 
 Caroline 
 
 SYDNEY; 
 
 P-Emi- 
 
 D'ARCY 
 
 Ch 
 
 MONTAGU, 
 
 GODOL- 
 
 LY, 
 
 Godol- 
 
 LO 
 
 dau. of 
 
 PHIN 
 
 d. of 
 
 phin 
 
 OS- 
 
 Matthew 
 
 OS- 
 
 Pas- 
 
 Osborne, 
 
 BO] 
 
 Montagu, 
 
 BORNE, 
 
 COE 
 
 b. 1814, 
 
 b. 1 
 
 fourth Lord 
 
 b. 1800 
 
 Gren- 
 
 married 
 
 m. 
 
 Rokeby. 
 
 in holy 
 
 FELL. 
 
 Anne 
 
 T.] 
 
 
 orders. 
 
 
 Katharine 
 Douglas. 
 
 Bri 
 ma 
 Bt. 
 I8j 
 
 ~\ 
 
 WILLIAM Godol- 
 phin Osborne, b. 
 1835. 
 
 Note 
 
282 
 
 Notes. 
 
 Note A. 
 
 IR George Blagge deserves more 
 notice than the mere mention of his 
 name in the preceding table. 
 
 He was born in the year 1512, and 
 was educated at Cambridge.^ At a comparatively- 
 early age he was introduced at the Court of Henry 
 VIII. ^ and in the absence of other criteria we may 
 judge favourably of him from the charafters of his 
 two chief companions and friends, the Earl of Surrey 
 and Sir Thomas Wyat. In 06lober, 1 543, when the 
 Imperialists under the immediate eye of Charles V. 
 aided by the English under the command of Sir 
 John Wallop, formed the siege of Landreci,^ which 
 Francis I. hastened to relieve in person, Surrey with 
 other young nobles, joined the English forces, and 
 was accompanied in his expedition by G. Blagge. 
 Both incurred personal danger, and Sir John Wal- 
 lop mentions in a letter to the King a narrow escape 
 of Blagge * in these terms. " Yesterday, Blagge, 
 who arrived here with my Lord of Surrey, went 
 with Mr. Carew to see the said trench, and escaped 
 very hardly from a piece of ordnance that was shot 
 towards him." 
 
 ^ Works of Surrey and Wyat, by Nott, vol. i. p. xcvi. 
 2 Strype's Annals (Oxford Ed.), vol. ii. pt. ii. p. 419. 
 ^ Surrey and Wyat, vol. i. app. xxxix. 
 * lb. vol. i. p. Ivii. 
 
 A proof 
 
Notes. 283 
 
 A proof of the high estimation in which Blagge 
 was held by Surrey, is afforded by the following 
 beautiful lines, prefixed to his version of the Ixxiii 
 Psalm." 
 
 " T'he sudden storms that hea<ve me to and fro. 
 
 Had nxiell near pierced Faith, my guiding sail. 
 For I that on the noble 'voyage go 
 
 To succour truth, and falsehood to assail. 
 Constrained am to bear my sails full loiv j 
 
 And ne'ver could attain some pleasant gale. 
 For unto such the prosperous 'winds do blotv 
 
 As men from port to port to seek anjail. 
 This bred despair ; 'whereof such doubts did gronv 
 
 That I ganfaint, and all my courage fail. 
 But no'w, my Blage, mine error 'well I see j 
 
 Such goodly light King Da'vid gi'veth me.'''' 
 
 In a court like that of Henry VIII. high favour 
 was near akin to danger and to death, and Blagge 
 escaped as hardly from the fires in Smithfield as from 
 the French cannon at Landreci. In 1546, when 
 Wriothesley and Gardiner commenced proceedings 
 under the statute of the Six Articles, he was taken 
 up as a " favorer of the Gospel," ^ and was only 
 saved by Henry's personal interposition. Fox's nar- 
 rative is this : ' 
 
 " Here would also something be said of Sir George 
 
 ' Surrey and Wyat, vol. i. p. 80. 
 
 ^ Strype's Memorials, vol. i. pt. i. p. 598, 
 
 ''' Fox's A£ls and Monuments, 11 35 (ed. 1546). 
 
 Blage, 
 
284 
 
 Notes, 
 
 Blage, one of the King's Privy Chamber, who, 
 being falsely accused by Sir Hugh Calverley, lent, 
 and Master Littleton, was sent for by Wriothesley, 
 Lord Chancellor, the Sunday before Anne Askew 
 suffered, and the next day was carried to Newgate, 
 and from thence to Guildhall, where he was con- 
 demned the same day, and appointed to be burned 
 the Wednesday following. The words which his 
 accusers laid unto him were these : * What if a mouse 
 should eat the bread ? then, by my consent, they 
 should hang up the mouse : ' whereas, indeed, these 
 words he never spake, as to his life's end he pro- 
 tested. But the truth (as he said) was this, that 
 they, craftily to undermine him, walking with him 
 in Paul's Church, after a sermon of Dr. Crome, 
 asked if he were at the sermon. He said, ' Yea.' 
 * I heard say,' saith Master Littleton, * that he said 
 in his sermon, that the mass profiteth neither for the 
 quick nor for the dead.' * No,' saith Master Blage, 
 ' Wherefore then ? Belike for a gentleman, when 
 he rideth a hunting, to keep his horse from stum- 
 bling.' And so they departing, immediately after 
 he was apprehended (as is shewed) and condemned 
 to be burned. When this was heard among them 
 of the Privy Chamber, the King, hearing them 
 whispering together (which he could never abide) 
 commanded them to tell him the matter. Where- 
 upon the matter being opened, and suit made to the 
 King, especially by the good Earl of Bedford, then 
 Lord Privy Seal, the King, being sore offended with 
 their doings, that they would come so near him, and 
 even into his Privy Chamber without his know- 
 ledge, sent for Wriothesley, commanding eftsoons 
 to draw out his pardon himself, and so was he set at 
 
 liberty : 
 
Notes. 
 
 liberty : who, coming after to the King's presence, 
 * Ah ! my pig ' (saith the King to him, for so he 
 was wont to call him). * Yea,' said he, '■ if your 
 Majesty had not been better to me than your bishops 
 were, your pig had been roasted ere this time.' " 
 
 Fox is in error ^ when he speaks of Blagge as one 
 of the Gentlemen of the Privy Chamber, a post 
 which he never held, and also in calling him at that 
 time Sir George Blagge. Fox antedates Blagge's 
 knighthood, an honour which was conferred on him 
 in 1547, by the Proteftor Duke of Somerset, whom, 
 whilst Earl of Hertford, Blagge accompanied in the 
 Expedition to Scotland.'' Blagge was knighted after 
 the fight at Musselborough,^° and in the same year 
 he and Sir Thomas Holcroft were made Commis- 
 sioners of the Musters.^^ In 1548-9 occurred that 
 tragedy wherein one Seymour the Lord Admiral, 
 fell by the warrant of his own brother, the Prote6lor 
 Duke of Somerset, himself destined to fall under the 
 same axe. Some of the depositions of the witnesses 
 against the Lord Admiral have long since appeared ; ^^ 
 those of the Marquis of Dorset, the Lord Russell, 
 (Privy Seal) Sir George Blagge, and Lord Clynton, 
 have only recently been brought to light.^^ Blagge's 
 
 evidence 
 
 ^ Strype's Annals, vol. ii. pt. ii. p. 419. 
 ^ Surrey and Wyat, vol, ii. p. Ixxxiii. 
 
 285 
 
 ^° Holinshed, vol. iii. p. 888. 
 
 ^^ Holinshed, vol. iii. p. 868. 
 12 
 
 In Haynes' State Papers from the Burghley Collec- 
 tions, belonging to the Marquis of Salisbury, at Hatfield. 
 ^^ From the State Paper Office, by Mr. Fraser Tytler in 
 
 his 
 
286 
 
 Notes. 
 
 evidence tends to prove the criminal projects of the 
 Lord Admiral. 
 
 In 1550 died Lord Wrlothesley, at whose hands 
 whilst Lord Chancellor, Sir George Blagge had in- 
 curred such imminent peril. Blagge's narrow es- 
 cape may account for, although it cannot excuse 
 the severity of the only remains of his writings ; 
 which are lines on the death of Wriothesley. Dr. 
 Nott, by whom they were first printed, ^^ and in 
 whose work they may be found, says that he gives 
 them " from the Harrington MS. more from the 
 circumstance of their having been written by one of 
 Surrey's friends than from any merit they possess." 
 
 On the 17th June in the following year, 1551,^' 
 Sir George Blagge died at Stanmore in Middlesex, 
 of which his wife Dorothy afterwards obtained a 
 lease from Queen Elizabeth. 
 
 Sir Thomas Wyat was wont to say that he che- 
 rished three friends in particular — *' Poynings for 
 the generosity of his disposition, Blagge for his ivit, 
 and Mason for his learning.^^ In a letter from 
 Lever to Ascham ^'^ it is said, in allusion to his loss. 
 
 his " England during the reigns of Edw. VI. and Mary." 
 vol. i. pp. 146, etc. 
 
 ^* Surrey and Wyat, vol. i. p. xcvi, 
 
 ^^ Gage's History of Suffolk. 
 
 ^^ Surrey and Wyat, vol. ii. p. Ixxxiii. 
 
 ^■^ Strype's Cheke, p. 89. 
 
 that 
 
Notes. 
 
 that England was " punished, as to courtship, by 
 Gentle Blager '^ 
 
 287 
 
 ^^ By a statement in Nott's Surrey and Wyat, vol. il. p. 
 Ixv. it would seem that Blagge did not die until after his 
 friend Wyat's execution in 1553, as he was appointed to 
 offices previously held by Wyat, viz. " Keeper of the King's 
 Messuage at Maidstone," and " High Steward of Maid- 
 stone." 
 
TABLE 
 
 ! 
 
 SHOWING THE CONNEXION BETWEEN THE FAMILIES 
 
 Sir Francis GODOLPHIN, of Godolphin, CO. Corn-— Margaret, daughter of John Killigrew of Arwenick, 
 wall. His second son, John, mar. Judith Meredith, co. Cornwall, 
 
 and founded a younger branch of the family. 
 
 SIR WILLIAM GODOL-=pTHOMAEINE, dau. of Tho- 
 
 PHIN, d. 16:3. 
 
 mas Sidney, of Wrighton, 
 CO. Norfolk. 
 
 Sir Maurice Berke- 
 ley, of Bruton, d. 
 1617. 
 
 Elizabeth, dau. of Sii 
 William Killigrew. 
 
 sir francis: 
 Godolphin 
 b. 1605, made 
 K.B. at the 
 coronation of 
 Charles II. in 
 1661 ; he had 
 sixteen 
 
 children, most 
 of whom died 
 unm. 
 
 iDOROTHY SIDNEY GO- 
 
 BtRKE- 
 LEY, second 
 daughtei of 
 Sir Henry 
 Berkeley of 
 Yarlingtoii. 
 
 DOLPHIN, Co- 
 lonel in Charles 
 l.'s service, killed 
 at the fight of 
 Chayford, I© 
 Feb. 1642-3. 
 
 William PENE-r:pSiR Charles 
 GoDOL- LOPE Berkeley, 
 PHIN. GODOL- knighted in 
 
 Colonel in PHIN. 1613, Treasu- 
 the service rer of the 
 
 of Charles Household to 
 
 I. Charles II. 
 
 Succeeded his 
 son as second 
 Viscount Fitz- 
 hardinge, d. 
 1668. 
 
 SrR Sir 
 
 Henry Mau- 
 Berke- rice 
 LEY. Berke- 
 
 ley. 
 
 L. 
 
 I ■ 
 
 Sir Wil- 
 liam GO- 
 DOLPHIN, 
 
 created Ba 
 ronet 1661. 
 d. unm. 17 
 August, 
 1710, 
 leaving his 
 estates to 
 Francis, 
 second Earl 
 of Godolphin 
 
 T" 
 
 FRAN- 
 CIS 
 
 GODOL- 
 PHIN, 
 d. S. p. 
 
 SIDNEY: 
 GOEOL- 
 PHIN, 
 
 Earl 
 
 OF GO- 
 DOL- 
 PHIN, 
 
 Lord 
 High 
 Treasurer 
 and K.G. 
 d. 1712, 
 husband 
 of the 
 subject 
 of this 
 memcir. 
 
 margaret 
 Blagge, 
 
 the subject 
 
 of this memoir. 
 
 See Table I. 
 
 Henry 
 
 GO- 
 DOL- 
 PHIN, 
 D.D. 
 Dean 
 of St. 
 Paul's 
 and 
 
 Provost 
 of Eton. 
 
 =;iMary 
 GODOL- 
 PHIN, 
 dau. of 
 Sidney 
 Godol- 
 phin, 
 des- 
 cended 
 from 
 John 
 younger 
 son of 
 the first 
 named 
 Sir 
 
 Francis 
 Godol- 
 phin. 
 
 1 
 
 Charles 
 
 GODOL- 
 PHIN. m. 
 Elizabeth 
 dau. of 
 Francis 
 Godol- 
 phin, des- 
 cended 
 from John 
 Godol- 
 phin, 
 d. s. p. 
 1720. 
 
 sir maurice: 
 Berkeley, 
 
 succeeded as 
 third Viscount 
 Fitzhardinge, 
 d. s. p. 1690. 
 
 :ANNE, 
 dau. of 
 Henry 
 Lee of 
 Quaren-i 
 don, coj" 
 Bucks. 
 
 Francis, second Earl of Go-: 
 dolphin, created in 1735? 
 Lord Godolphin of Helstone, 
 with remainder to the issue of 
 his uncle, Henry Godolphin, 
 d. 1766, when the honours 
 granted to Sidney, the first 
 Earl, became extindt. 
 
 rHENRIETTA 
 
 Churchill, 
 Duchess of 
 Marlborough, 
 d. 1733. 
 
 Francis Godolphin, succeeded as second 
 Lord Godolphin of Helstone, mar. ist Barbara, 
 dau. of Wm. Bentinck, Earl of Portland; 2dly, 
 Anne, dau. of John, Earl Fitzwilliam, ob. s. p. 
 1785, when his title became extind. 
 
 See Table I. 
 
II. 
 
 OF GODOLPHIN AND BERKELEY (OF BRUTON). 
 
 Sir Henry Berkeley of Bruton, co. Somerset, eldest=p Margaret, dau. of William Lygoii. 
 son of Sir Maurice Berkeley, Standard Bearer to Henry 
 
 VIII. 
 
 Sir Henry Berkeley,: 
 of Yarlington. 
 
 Elizabeth Neville, eldest dau. of Sir 
 Henry Neville of Billingbear, co. Berks, by 
 Anne, dau. of Sir Henry Killigrew. 
 
 SrR EDWARD^pMARGARET, daU. 
 
 Berkeley 
 ofPyUe. d. 
 1654. 
 
 and co-h. of John 
 Holland, of 
 Steyning, wid. of 
 Tho. Kitson, of 
 Wells. 
 
 SIR William 
 Berkeley. 
 Fellow of Mer- 
 ton Coll. i6z5, 
 Governor of 
 Virginia 1661 — 
 1676, bur. at 
 Twickenham, 
 I J July, 1667. 
 He published an 
 account of 
 Virginia. 
 
 Sir John Berkeley, ofrpCHRisTiANA, dau. of 
 
 Bruton, created LORD 
 Berkeley of Stratton 20 
 May, 1658, Lord Deputy 
 of Ireland, 1670, Ambas- 
 sador to France, 1675, 
 died 1678. See note to 
 p. 109. 
 
 Sir Andrew Riccard, 
 widow of Henry Rich, 
 Lord Kensington (son 
 of Robert, Earl of 
 Holland and 
 ^Varwick). She died 
 in 1698. See note to 
 p. 61. 
 
 Maurice 
 Berkeley 
 of Yarling- 
 ton, d. s, p. 
 1674. 
 
 Edward Berkeley, of 
 J>yile, d. 1669. His 
 grandson, William 
 Berkeley, who mar. 
 Anne, dau. of Sir Edw, 
 Seymour, took the name of 
 P.ortman ; from him 
 descends Edw. Berkeley 
 Portman, Lord Portman. 
 
 i__ 
 
 1— — — I ; I 
 
 SIR Charles = Elizabeth Sir John 
 
 Berkeley, Bagot. The Wil- Berke- 
 
 created Lord LADY FAL- LIAM LEY suc- 
 
 Berkeley of _ MOUTH (see Berke- ceedcd as 
 
 Rathdowne, note to p. 12). LEY, fourth 
 
 and Viscount She married. Governor Viscount 
 
 Fitzhardinge, secondly, of Ports- Fitzhar- 
 
 (Irish honours) Charles mouth, dinge, d. 
 
 withremainder Sackville, killed in 171 2, 
 
 to his father. Earl of 1666. when 
 
 and his issue Dorset. ob. s. p. his titles 
 male. After- became 
 
 wards created, 17 March, 1664, extinft. 
 
 Lord Botetourt and Earl of Fal- 
 mouth in England. Killed in 
 the naval fight with the Dutch, 
 3 June, 1665, when his English 
 honours became extinft. 
 
 BAR- 
 BARA, 
 dau. of 
 Sir Ed- 
 ward 
 Viliiers, 
 sister of 
 the first 
 Earl of 
 Jersey. 
 See 
 Table 
 HI. 
 
 Charles, 
 
 John, 
 
 WlLLIAM,=p 
 
 second 
 
 third 
 
 fourth Lord 
 
 Lord 
 
 Lord 
 
 Berkeley 
 
 Berkeley 
 
 Berke- 
 
 of Stratton, 
 
 of Stratton, 
 
 ley of 
 
 d. 1 741. 
 
 d. s. p. 
 
 Strat- 
 
 
 1682. 
 
 1 
 
 ton, 
 d. s. p. 
 1697. 
 
 1 
 
 
 Frances, 
 dau. of Sir 
 John 
 Temple, 
 of East 
 Sheen. 
 
 Mary Berkeley, m. Walter Chet- 
 wynd of Ingestre, co. Stalford, created 
 in 1717 Baron Rathdowne and Vis- 
 count Chetwynd, ancestor of the 
 present Viscount Chetwynd. 
 
 Frances 
 Berke- 
 ley, m. 
 Sir Tho- 
 mas Clar- 
 ges, bart. 
 
 John, fifth Lord Ber- 
 keley of Stratton, d. 
 unm. 1773, when the 
 title became extinft. 
 He left his chief estates 
 to Frederick Augus- 
 tus, Earl of Berkeley. 
 
 Charles =pFKANCES West, 
 
 Berke- 
 ley, d. 
 before his 
 brother. 
 
 d. and h. of John 
 West, by the 
 heiress of Erisey of 
 Erisey, who had 
 married the heiress 
 of Killigrew of 
 Arwenick. 
 
 SIR John Wodehouse, Bart, created Lord: 
 Wodehouse, 26 Od. 1797. 
 
 SOPHIA, only dau. and heir. m. in March 1769, 
 d. 16 April, 1815. 
 
 U 
 
TABLE 
 
 TO SHEW THE PATRONAGE EXTENDED TO MRS. 
 AUDREY, first wife, daughter and heir of Wm. Sanders of:^SlR GEORGE VlLLIERS of Brokesby, co. Leicester,:^ 
 
 Harrington, co. Northumberland, d. 1587, had three 
 daughters and two sons. 
 
 d. 1606. 
 
 John, — Eliza- 
 
 T" 
 
 Lord 
 Butler, 
 of 
 Bram- 
 
 fieid. 
 
 Sir William 
 
 BETH VlLLIERS, cre- 
 
 VlL- ated Bart. 1619. 
 
 LIERS. His title became 
 
 extind on the 
 death of his grandson, Sir 
 Wm. Villiers, in 171 1, 
 daughter Katharine m. 
 Earl of Pembroke. Their 
 Lady Katharine Herbert, 
 Calisto : see p. 253. 
 
 SIR EDWARD; 
 VILLIERS, 
 President of 
 Munster, 
 1622, d. 1626. 
 
 aet. 67. His 
 Philip, fifth 
 
 daughter 
 aiied in 
 
 Barbara, d. of 
 
 Sir John St. John, 
 niece of Oliver St. 
 John, who was crea. 
 ted Viscount Gran- 
 dison, with remain- 
 der to her issue. 
 
 John Villiers= 
 created Lord Vil- 
 liers and Viscount 
 Purbeck, 1619. 
 m. 2ndly, Eliza- 
 beth Slingsby, 
 He died 1657. 
 
 Frances, 
 dr. of Sir 
 Edward 
 Coke^ Lord 
 Chief 
 Justice. 
 
 I 
 
 Jane, 
 
 who m. 
 1st, 
 James 
 Ley, 
 Earl of 
 Marlbo- 
 rough, 
 Lord 
 High 
 Treasu- 
 rer, and 
 2ndly 
 Wm. 
 Ash- 
 
 burnham , 
 son of Sir John 
 Ashburnham. 
 
 WIL-: 
 
 LIAM 
 
 Vil- 
 liers, 
 
 suc- 
 ceed- 
 ed as 
 second 
 Vis- 
 count 
 Gran- 
 dison, 
 d. 
 1643. 
 
 , second 
 
 Mary, 
 3d dau. 
 of Paul, 
 Viscount 
 Bayning, 
 m 2dly, 
 Charles, 
 Earl of 
 Angle- 
 sey. 
 3rdly, 
 Arthur 
 Gorges. 
 
 John 
 Vil- 
 liers, 
 third 
 Vis- 
 count 
 Gran- 
 dison, 
 Ob. 
 s. p. 
 
 GEORGE: 
 VIL- 
 LIERS, 
 
 fourth 
 Viscount 
 Grandi- 
 son, d. 
 1699, ^^■ 
 82. 
 
 Mary 
 Leigh, 
 dau. of 
 Fran- 
 cis, 
 
 Earl of 
 Chi- 
 ches- 
 ter, d. 
 167I. 
 
 Ed-: 
 
 WARD 
 VIL- 
 LIERS, 
 
 d. 
 1689. 
 
 Bare.-\ra 
 Villiers, m. 
 Roger Palmer, 
 Earlof Castie- 
 
 maine. She 
 was created 
 Duchess of 
 Cleveland 
 1670, d. 1709. 
 
 EDW A RD=pKATHARINE, 
 
 VILLIERS, 
 m. 1677, 
 d. 1693, in 
 
 his father's 
 lifetime. 
 
 dau. of John 
 Fitzgerald of 
 Dromana. She 
 performed in 
 Calisto^ see p, 
 253. 
 
 WIL- 
 LIAM 
 VIL- 
 LIERS, 
 d. 
 1723. 
 
 I 
 
 = Katha- 
 rine, 
 second 
 dau. 
 
 widow of 
 the Mar- 
 quis de 
 Puissars. 
 
 Frances, 
 dau. of 
 Theophilus 
 Howard, 
 Earl of 
 Suffolk, ^he 
 was Gover- 
 ness of the 
 Princesses 
 Mary and 
 Anne, 
 
 Barbara 
 
 VlLLIERS, 
 
 m. 1st, 
 Thomas 
 Wenman, 
 son of 
 Philip, 
 Viscount 
 Wenman, 
 2d, James 
 Howard, 
 third Earl of 
 Suffolk. She 
 d. 1681. See 
 f>. 100. 
 
 1 
 
 ELIZA- 
 BETH 
 VIL- 
 LIERS, 
 ni. Ro- 
 bert 
 Dou- 
 glas, 
 Lord 
 Dal- 
 keith 
 and 
 Earl of 
 Mor- 
 ton, d. 
 1654. 
 
 John 
 Vil- 
 liers. 
 After 
 much 
 litiga- 
 tion, 
 all 
 titles 
 have 
 been 
 refii- 
 sed to 
 his 
 des- 
 cend- 
 ants. 
 
 Edward 
 Villiers, 
 cr. Visct. 
 Villiers, 
 16 , cr. 
 Earl of 
 Jersey, 
 1697, d. 
 1711. 
 
 :BARBA- 
 
 RA, da. 
 of Wil- 
 liam Chif- 
 finch. 
 
 HENRYrp 
 
 VIL- 
 LIERS, 
 Gover- 
 nor of 
 Tyne- 
 mouth, 
 d. 1707 
 
 Henry== 
 
 FITZ- 
 ROY, 
 created 
 Duke of 
 Grafton. 
 
 Anne, wife 
 of Thomas, 
 Lord Dacre, 
 and Earl of 
 Sussex. See 
 f. 251. 
 
 John Vil- : 
 LIERS, Visct. 
 Grandison, 
 created Earl 
 of Grandison, 
 d. 1766, aet. 
 85. 
 
 V 
 
 FRANCES, 
 dau. of A. 
 Carey, Vis- 
 count Falk- 
 land. 
 
 WIL- 
 LIAM- 
 VIL- 
 LIERS. 
 
 I~^ 
 
 WILLIAM 
 VILLIERS, 
 
 second Earl 
 of Jersey, d. 
 1721. 
 
 : Judith, 
 da. of Fre- 
 deric Hern, 
 d. 1735. 
 
 1 
 
 Henry 
 
 Villiers, 
 d. 17SJ. 
 
 James Vil- = Jane, 
 LIERS, Lord dau. of 
 Villiers, m. Richard 
 1728, d. Butler. 
 
 1732. 
 
 William 
 Villiers, 
 Lord Vil- 
 liers, 
 b. 1715, 
 d. 173 . 
 
 Elizabeth, m. A. J. Ma- 
 son. She was created Coun- 
 tess Grandison. Her son 
 George, Earl Grandison, d. 
 s. p. in 1800. 
 
 William Vil- Thomas Villiers, 
 
 LIERS, third 
 Earl oi^ Jersey. 
 
 created Earl of Cla- 
 rendon, 1776. 
 
III. 
 
 GODOLPHIN BY THE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM'S FAMILY. 
 
 Mary, daughter of Anthony Beaumont of Glenfield, co. Leicester; created countess of Buckingham for life 
 1618, m. zndly, Sir William Rayner; jrdiy, Sir Thomas Compton, second son of the first Lord Compton. 
 She died 1632. Her sister Elizabeth, married Sir John Ashbumham, and was the mother of John Ashburnham. 
 
 She was afterwards created Baroness Cramond in Scotland. 
 
 VIL- 
 159?^, 
 
 George 
 
 LIERS, b. 
 
 m. 1620. 
 Created Duke of 
 Buckingham, 
 162J. Assassi- 
 nated 1628. 
 
 Katharine, d. 
 and h. of Francis 
 Manners, Earl of 
 Rutland. She m. 
 2dly, Randal 
 Macdonald, Mar- 
 quis of Antrim. 
 
 CHRISTO-q 
 
 fElizabeth, 
 
 PHER VIL- 
 
 dau. of Geo. 
 
 LIERS, 
 
 Sheldon of 
 
 created 
 
 Leicestershire. 
 
 Earl of An- 
 
 
 glesey, 
 162J. 
 
 ^) 
 
 1 
 
 1 1 
 
 William Field- 
 ing, created Earl 
 of Denbigh, 1622. 
 Killed 164J. His 
 second son George 
 is ancestor of the 
 present Earl of 
 Denbigh. 
 
 :MARy VIL- 
 LIERS, who 
 erefted a splen- 
 did monument 
 at Portsmouth 
 to her brothel's 
 memory. 
 
 GEORGE = 
 
 = Mary, 
 
 Fran- 
 
 Mary Vil- 
 
 Charles 
 
 Susan 
 
 Mary 
 
 
 Anne 
 
 Eliza- 
 
 ViLLIERS, 
 
 d. and 
 
 cis VIL- 
 
 LIERS, 
 
 to whom 
 
 ViLLIERS, 
 
 VIL- 
 
 Field- 
 
 Field- 
 
 beth 
 
 b. 1628. 
 
 h. of 
 
 LIERS, 
 
 the Dukedom 
 
 Earl of An- 
 
 LIERS, 
 
 ing, m. 
 
 ing, m. 
 
 Fielding, 
 
 Second 
 
 Tho- 
 
 b. 1629, 
 
 of Buckingham 
 
 glesey. He 
 
 m. Tho- 
 
 James, 
 
 Baptist 
 
 m. Lewis 
 
 Duke of 
 
 mas, 
 
 killed 
 
 was limited in 
 
 m. Mary, 
 
 mas 
 
 Duke of 
 
 Noel, s. 
 
 Bo\le, 
 
 Bucking- 
 
 Lord 
 
 1648. 
 
 1627. 
 
 m. 1st 
 
 widow of 
 
 Savile, 
 
 Hamil- 
 
 and h. of 
 
 Viscount 
 
 ham, wh» 
 
 Fair- 
 
 
 Charles 
 
 , Lord 
 
 Wm. Vil- 
 
 Earl of 
 
 ton, be- 
 
 Edward, 
 
 Kenelmetry, 
 
 tvas accom- 
 
 fax. 
 
 
 Herbert 
 
 , 2dly, 
 
 liers, 2d 
 
 Sussex. 
 
 headed 
 
 Visct. 
 
 second sou 
 
 panied in 
 
 
 
 James Stuart, 
 
 Visct. Gran- 
 
 
 1649, by 
 
 Camp- 
 
 of Richard, 
 
 his tscape 
 
 
 
 Duke of Rich- 
 
 dison, and 
 
 
 whom she 
 
 den, d. 
 
 Earl of 
 
 from IVor- 
 
 
 
 mond, 
 
 3dly, 
 
 died s. p. 
 
 
 had Anne, 
 
 1636. 
 
 Cork. She 
 
 ceiter hy 
 
 
 
 Thos. Howard, 
 
 1659. 
 
 
 Duchess 
 
 
 was created 
 
 Colonel 
 
 
 
 brother of the 
 
 
 
 of Hamil- 
 
 Countess of Guildford 
 
 Blagge^. 
 
 
 
 Earl of Carlisle. 
 
 
 
 ton in her 
 
 for life. 
 
 July 1660. 
 
 d. s. p. 
 
 
 
 She is the " Old 
 
 
 
 own right. 
 
 Under her care Mrs. 
 
 1687. 
 
 
 
 Duchess 
 
 of Rich- 
 
 
 
 
 Godolphin -was placed 
 
 
 
 
 mond " 
 
 mentioned 
 
 
 
 
 hy the 
 
 Duchess of 
 
 
 
 
 in p. 8. 
 
 
 
 
 
 RY, 
 
 Richmon 
 m. 
 
 i, see p. 8. 
 
 Elizabeth Vil- 
 
 1 
 Barbara Vil- 
 
 1 1 ■■ 1 
 
 ANNE VIL- HENRIETTA, m. MA 
 
 
 LIERS, Maid of Ho- 
 
 liers, m 
 
 . John, 
 
 LIERS, 
 
 maid in 1695, John 
 
 William 
 
 
 
 nor to Mary, 
 
 Prm- 
 
 Berkeley, 
 
 fourth 
 
 ofhonor 
 
 to Campbell, Earl 
 
 O'Bryen 
 
 « 
 
 
 cess of Orang 
 
 e, m. 
 
 Viscount Fitzhard- 
 
 Mary, Prin- of Breadalbane, 
 
 Earl of In- 
 
 
 Lord George. 
 
 third 
 
 ing, d. 1708. See 
 
 cess of 
 
 d. 1720. 
 
 chiquin. 
 
 
 
 son of Wm. , 
 
 Duke of 
 
 Table H. 
 
 
 Orange, 
 
 m. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Hamilton, created 
 
 
 
 Wm. Ben- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Earl of Orl< 
 
 :ne 
 
 y- 
 
 • 
 
 
 tinck, Earl of \ 
 Portland. ^ 
 
 / 
 
 V 
 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 / 
 
 
 
 
 V 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
TABLE IV. 
 
 SHEWING THE DESCENT AND CONNEXIONS OF 
 LADY SYLVIUS. 
 
 Thomas Howard, first Earl of Berkshire, 2nd son: 
 of Thomas, Earl of Suffolk, d. 1669. 
 
 ;Elizabeth Cecil, dau. and co-heir of William, Earl 
 of Exeter. 
 
 I 
 
 I I. 
 Charles 
 
 Howard, 
 
 2nd Earl of 
 
 Berkshire, 
 
 d. 1679. 
 
 Thomas 
 Howard, 
 3rd Earl of 
 Berkshire, 
 d. 1706. 
 
 . J. 
 
 Hen- 
 ry 
 
 How- 
 ard, 
 d.1663. 
 
 ■W'iL.= Elizabeth, 
 
 LIAM 
 
 How- 
 ard. 
 
 dau. of Lord 
 Dundas, the 
 mother of Lady 
 Sylvius, see p. 
 27. 
 
 Edward 
 Howard. 
 
 SIR Robert Ho- 
 ward, Auditor of 
 the Exchequer, &c. 
 the well-knowa 
 author, lived at 
 Ashted, near Epsom. 
 
 ~TY\ 
 
 Philip 
 Howard. 
 
 James 
 Howard. 
 
 Algernon 
 Howard. 
 
 ANNE: 
 
 Ogle, 
 
 {first 
 wife)., 
 maid of 
 honour 
 to 
 
 Queen 
 Catha- 
 rine. 
 
 ANNE Howard, 
 OD, innupt. 
 
 LRA- =1 
 
 =Mary 
 
 VEN 
 
 Bowes, 
 
 HO- 
 
 {second 
 
 WARD. 
 
 wife). 
 
 
 dau. of 
 
 
 George, 
 
 
 B. of 
 
 
 Elford. 
 
 Coi. JAMES: 
 
 Graham, 
 of Levens, 
 Privy 
 Purse to 
 James, 
 D. of 
 York. 
 
 ;DOROTHY 
 
 Howard, 
 
 maid of 
 honour. 
 The sister 
 of Lady 
 Silvius. 
 See pp. 
 27, 30, 61, 
 
 137- 
 
 SIR GABRIEL 
 
 SYLVIUS, 
 Hofftnaester 
 to the Prince 
 of Orange : 
 Envoy to 
 Brunswick in 
 Feb. 1679-80, 
 and Envoy 
 Extr. to Den- 
 mark in June 
 1685. 
 
 :Anne Howard, maid of honour 
 to Queen Catharine, m. 1 3 Nov, 
 1677, at Henry VH.'s Chapel, by 
 the Dean of Westminster, Dr. John 
 Dolben, then Bishop of Rochester, 
 afterwards Archbp. of York. See 
 an account of her marriage in 
 Evelyn, ii. 436. The LADY 
 SYLVIUS to whom this wori is 
 dedicated. 
 
 Henry Bowes=pCatherine Graham. 
 Howard, 4th 
 Earl of Berk- 
 shire. 
 
 V 
 
TABLE V. 
 
 SHEWING THE CONNEXION BETWEEN THE FAMILIES OF 
 GODOLPHIN, EVELYN, AND HARCOURT, 
 
 Sir FRANCIS: 
 
 GODOLPHIN, 
 K.B. 
 
 DOROTHY, dau. of JOHNEVE- 
 Sir Henry Berke- LYN, d. 
 ley, of Yarlington. 1705, xt. 
 8s. 
 
 ;Mary, dau. 
 of Sir Ri- 
 chard Browne. 
 
 Sir Philip^Anne, dau. of Sir William 
 
 HAR- 
 COURT, 
 
 d. 1688. 
 
 SIDNEY GODOL-:;=MARGA- 
 
 PHIN, Earl of 
 Godolphin, 
 K.G. d. 1712. 
 
 RET 
 
 BLAGGE, 
 d. 1678. 
 
 Edward 
 
 BOSCA- 
 WEN, d. 
 1685. 
 
 -1 ■-— 
 
 ijANE 
 GODOL- 
 PHIN, 
 d. 1730. 
 
 -) 
 
 Waller, of Osterley Park, d. 
 1614. 
 
 John Eve-=pMartha 
 
 LYN, ob. in 
 V. p. 1698, 
 
 £t. 44. 
 
 I 
 
 Francis Go-: 
 
 DOLPHIN, 
 2nd Earl of 
 Godolphin, 
 d. 1766, 
 
 :HENRIETTA 
 
 Churchill, 
 Duchess of 
 Marlborough, 
 d. 1733. 
 
 I 
 
 Hugh 
 
 BOSCA- 
 
 wen. 
 Vis- 
 count 
 Fal- 
 mouth, 
 d. 1734. 
 
 SPEN- 
 CER, d. 
 
 1726. 
 
 Simon, Vis- 
 count Har- 
 court. Lord 
 High Chan- 
 cellor, d. 
 1727. 
 
 rpREBECCA, 
 dau. of 
 Thomas 
 Clark. 
 
 L 
 
 rfzCHARLOTTE GOD- 
 FREY (niece of 
 the Duke of 
 Marlborough), 
 maid of honor to 
 Queen Anne, d. 
 1754- 
 
 ANNE rpSiR JOHN 
 
 BOSCA- 
 
 WEN, 
 
 d. 1751, 
 
 Evelyn, 
 Bart. d. 
 1763. 
 
 Eliza- 
 
 BETH 
 
 Eve- 
 lyn, d. 
 1760. 
 
 William 
 Godol- 
 phin, 
 Marquis of 
 Blandford, 
 d. 1731. 
 
 I 
 
 HON. SI- 
 MON HAR- 
 COURT, d. 
 
 1720. in V. p. 
 
 THOMAS:pMARY MARY^SIR JOHN 
 
 OSBORNE 
 4th Duke 
 of Leeds, 
 d. 1789. 
 
 GO 
 DOL- 
 PHIN, 
 died 
 1764. 
 
 BOSCA- 
 WEN, d. 
 1749. 
 
 Evelyn, 
 Bart. d. 
 1767. 
 
 Simon, 
 1st Earl 
 Har- 
 court, d. 
 1777. 
 
 Rebecca 
 Le Bass, 
 d, 1765. 
 
 George Ven-: 
 ables Ver- 
 non, Lord 
 Vernon, d. 
 1780. 
 
 :MARTHA 
 
 Har. 
 court, 
 d. 1794 
 (his 3rd 
 wife). 
 
 Francis g. 
 Osborne, 
 5th Duke 
 of Leeds. 
 
 See Table I. 
 
 Sir Frederic 
 
 Evelyn, mar- 
 ried Mary 
 Turton,d. s, p. 
 1812. 
 
 WILLIAM 
 HARCOURT, 
 3rd Earl 
 Harcourt, 
 ob. s. p. 
 1830. 
 
 George simon=Elizabeth, 
 HARCOURT, 2nd dau. of Geo. 
 
 Earl Harcourt, 
 ob. s. p. 1809. 
 
 Lord Vernon, 
 m. 1765. 
 
 HON. 
 Edward 
 harcourt, 
 Apb. of 
 York, d. 
 1847, St. 91. 
 
 =pANNE LEVE- 
 SON GOWER, 
 dau. of Gran- 
 ville, 1st 
 Marquis 
 of Stafford. 
 
 William 
 harcourt, 
 d. 1871, 
 at. 81. 
 
 :MATILDA MARY, 
 dau. of Col, W. Gooch. 
 
 Edward William 
 harcourt. 
 
 Susan Harriet, dau. 
 of Geo. 2nd. Earl of 
 Sheffield, 
 
 See Preface, 
 
i 
 
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