Memoires of the lives, actions, sufferings & deaths of those noble, reverend and excellent personages that suffered by death, sequestration, decimation, or otherwise, for the Protestant religion and the great principle thereof, allegiance to their soveraigne, in our late intestine wars, from the year 1637 to the year 1660, and from thence continued to 1666 with the life and martyrdom of King Charles I / by Da. Lloyd ...

THE Life and Death OF FRANCIS Lord COTTINGTON.

SIR Francis Cottington being bred a youth under un∣der Sir Stafford, lived so long in Spain, till he made the garb and gravity of that Nation become his, and become him too. He raised himself by his natural strength, without any artificial advantage; having his parts above his learning, his experience, and (some will say) his success above all; so that at last he became Chancellour of the Exchequer, Baron of Hanworth in Middlesex, Constable of the Tower, 1640: and (upon the resignation of Do∣ctor Iuxon) Lord Treasurer of England, gaining also a very great estate.

Very reserved he was in his temper, and very slow in his pro∣ceedings, sticking to some private principles in both, and aiming at certain rules in all things: A temper that endeared him as much to his Master, Prince Charles his Person, as his integrity did to his Service; nor to his Service only, but to that of the whole Nation; in the merchandize whereof he was well versed, to the trade whereof he was very serviceable many ways, but eminent∣ly, in that he negotiated that the Spanish Treasure, which was used to be sent to Flanders by the way of Genoa, might be sent in English Bottoms, exceedingly enriched England for the time, and had it continued, it had made her the greatest Bank and Mart for Gold and Silver, of any Commonwealth in Europe.

Indeed, the advantage of his Education, the different Nations and Factions that he had to deal with, the direst opposition of ene∣mies, the treachery of friends, the contracts of States-men, the variety and force of experience from the chief Ministers of State, with their Intrigues of Government, made him so expert, that the Earl of Bristol and Sir Walter Aston could do nothing without him, and he only could finish the Treaty, which they had for many years spun out.

Men take several ways for the ends they propose themselves, some, that of confidence; others, that of respect and caution, &c. when indeed the main business is, to suit our selves with our own times, which this Lord did, and no man better, until looking into the depths of the late Faction, he declared at the Council-table,

1639. That they aimed at the ruin of Church and State. And viewing the state of the kingdom, he advised; That Leagues might be made abroad; and, that in this inevitable necessity, all ways to raise money should be used that were lawful. Wherefore he was one of those few that excluded the Indempnity by the Faction, and had the honour to dye Banished for the best Cause and Master, in those Forraign Countries; where he suffered as nobly for the Crown of England in his latter days, as he had acted honourably for it in his former. When he never came off better than in satisfying the Spaniards about Tolleration, reducing the whole of that affair to these two Maximes.

1. That Consciences were not to be forced, but to be won and reduced by the evidence of truth, with the aid of Reason, and in the use of all good means of Instruction and Perswasion.

2. That the causes of Conscience, wherein they exceed their bounds, and grow to matter of Faction, lose their nature: and that Sovereign Princes ought diligently to punish those foul pra∣ctices, though over-laid with the fairer pretences of Conscience and Religion.

One of his Maximes for Treaty, I think remarkable, viz. That kingdoms are more subject to fear than hope, and that it's safer work∣ing upon them by a power that may awe the one, than by advan∣tages that may excite the other. Since it's another rule, That States have no affection but interest, and that all kindnesses and civilities in those cases, are but oversights and weakness.

Another of his rules of Life I judge useful, viz. That since no man is absolute in all points, and since men are more naturally in∣clined out of envy to observe mens infirmities, than out of inge∣nuity to acknowledge their merit; he discovereth his abilities most, that least discovereth himself. To which I may add another, viz. That it is not only our known duty, but our visible advantage, to ascribe our most eminent performances to Providence, since it not only takes off the edge of envy, but improves the reason of admiration. None being less maliced, or more applauded than he, who is thought rather happy, than able; blessed, than active; and fortunate, than cunning.

Though yet all the caution of his life could not avoid the envy of his advancement, from so mean a beginning to so great ho∣nours; notwithstanding that it is no disparagement to any to give place to fresh Nobility, who ascend the same steps with those be∣fore them. New being only a term, saith one, only respecting us, not the world; for what is, was before us, and will be when we are no more: And indeed this personage considering the vanity and inconstancy of common applause or affronts, improved the one, and checked the other, by a constant neglect of both.

Three things inraged the Faction against him. 1. His atten∣dance on his Majesty when Prince, as his Secretary in his Journey to Spain. 2. His activity in promoting the King's Revenue and Trade. And 3. His great insight into the bottome of their Con∣federacy. In the first, whereof he acted only as a discreet Mini∣ster,

observing more Intrigues, and offering several Considerations, especially of address, formality and caution, that escaped greater persons: In the second, as a faithful Counsellor, by the same token, that he had the fairer quarter of some adversaries, because in the management of the Revenue, and the vacancy between the Lord Treasurer Weston's death, and the Lord Treasurer Iuxon's advance∣ment to that trust, he had some misunderstanding with my Lord Arch-bishop of Canterbury. And the King in an Express to the Queen, Ian. 23. 1642. speaking of competitions for Offices, hath these gracious syllables in behalf of this Lord: Digby and Duns∣more look for the Captainship of the Pensioners; Hertford once looked after it, but now I believe he expects either to be Treasurer, or of my Bed-chamber; I incline rather to the later, if thou like it, for I abso∣lutely hold Cottington the fittest man for the other. And in a third, as a wise States-man, that was not to be abused with umbrages. When the Rebellion seized on other mens Estates, it looked for a greater Treasure with my Lord Cottington's A B C, and Sir F. W. taking all their Papers.

Indeed this Lord sent such a Reply to some harangues of the House of Commons against him, as could not be Answered, but by suppressing both their Charge and his Answer: an essay of the Spar∣tanes valour, who being struck down with a mortal blow, used to stop their mouths with earth, that they might not be heard to quetch or groan, thereby to affright their fellows, or animate their enemies. And to prepare the way for his ruin, the most opprobri∣ous parts of his accusation were first whispered among the popula∣cy; That by this seeming suppression, men impatient of secrecy, might more eagerly divulge them, & the danger appear greater by an affected silence: Besides, the calumnies, and the suspitions were so contrived, as might force him and others to some course in their own defence, which they hitherto forbore; and by securing themselves to increase the publick fears. For the slanders fixed upon the King's Party, were designed rather to provoke than to amend them, that being provoked, they might think rather to provide for their security, than to adjust their actions, in a time when the most innocent man living was not safe, if either wise or honest.

Indeed he sate among the Faction at Westminster, so long as he had any hope of keeping them within any reasonable terms of mo∣deration, untill he and others saw that their longer continuance amongst them, might countenance their confederacy, but neither prevent, nor so much as allay their practises; And therefore among many eminent examples of loyalty and virtue of the noblest ex∣tracts and fairest estates in England, of which they could not easi∣ly suspect to be divested without an absolute overthrow of all the Laws of right and wrong, which was to be feared only by their Invasion on the Kings most undoubted Rights: (for when Majesty it self is assaulted, there can be no security for private fortunes; and those that decline upon design from the paths of equity, will never rest till they come to the extremity of in∣justice.) We find him with the King at York, where the King de∣clareth,

that he will not require any obedience from them, but by the Law of the Land. That he will Protect them from any illegal Impositions in the profession of the true Protestant Religion, the just Liberty of the Subject, and the undoubted Priviledge of the three Estates of Parliament. That he will not Engage them in any War, except for necessary defence against such as invade him, on them. And he with others subscribing a Protestation to live and dye with the King, according to their Allegiance, in defence of Religion and Laws, together with the prosperity and peace of the kingdom.

But this Resolution without treasure would not take effect, and therefore the Nobility, Gentry, Clergy, and both Universities, fur∣nished his Majesty with treasure, chusing rather to lay out then estates for the supply of his Majesty, than expose them to the lusts and usurpations of a Conspiracy. And yet treasure without a Treasurer could not at that time be either preserved or managed. and my Lord Cottington had been so good a husband for himself, that he was looked on in a time when his Majesties occasions were so craving, and suppy so uncertain, as the fittest Steward for his So∣veraign. Being so rich, that he would not abuse his Majesty himself, and so knowing, that he would not suffer others to do it. The Souldiery would have their flings at him for being so close in his advises, and wary in his place at Oxford: But he understood that in vain do the Brows beat and frown, the Eyes sparkle, the Tongue rant, the Fist bend, and the Arm swing, except care be taken that the Belly be fed. But when it pleased God that the best Cause had the worst success, and his Sacred Majesty more solici∣tous for his friends safety than his own, chusing to venture himself upon further hazzards, rather than expose their resolute Loyalty to all extremities, directed his followers to make as good terms of peace as they could, since it was in vain to linger out the war; This Lord, among others (whom when fortune failed, their courage stood to) had the contrivance first, and afterwards the benefit of the Oxford Articles, so far as the forfeiture of all his estate, (most part whereof came to Bradshaw's share) perpetual Banishment, but withal an opportunity to serve his Gracious Master in his old ca∣pacity, of Ambassador to the Court of Spain, in Joint Commission with Sir Edward Hyde, since the Right Honourable the Earl of Clarendon, and Lord High-Chancellor of England. Two per∣sons, whose abilities and experience could have done more than they did, had not interest been more with Princes, than honour; and present accommodations beyond future advantages: Consi∣derations that made it more adviseable for this ancient Lord, Cum satis naturae, satisque patriae, & gloriae vixisset; to prepare himself rather to dye in peace with God, than to concern himself in the affairs of men; of which he said (as it is reported) when some English Mercuries were offered him, that he would peruse, and re∣flect on them, when he could find some of the Rabbines hours which belonged neither to day nor night. So much longed he for the grave, where the weary are at rest, and that world where all are at peace. What point of time, about 165••. he died, in what

particular manner he was buried, what suitable Monument and Memory he hath, hath not come to my knowledge, and need not come to the Readers. This Lord himself could not endure a dis∣course that ran into frivolous particulars: And it is Lipsius his cen∣sure of Francis Guicciardines history; Minutissima quaeque narrat parum ex lege aut dignitate historiae.

Thy want of Tomb's an Ep'taph, thou wants a Grave Cottington, with more glory than others have. The Sun's Rise and Fall's no more Spain's hoast, Since this Lord's morn and night was within that Coast.