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 Sir GEORGE RATCLIFFE.

THIS Gentleman might say as one of the fore-going Judges did, That he had been a very happy man, had it not been for that he was born in that age, wherein it was fatal to give good counsel. He was Born Anno 1587. at ... in York-shire, most of his relation taking to the Sword that gives laws (whereof 3. slain at Musele∣burgh-field, 2. died in the suppression of the Northern Rebellion 63 in 88. and 2. (whereof that excellent person Sir Iohn Ratcliffe, who when with Sir Charles Rich being sick, and desired by the Duke of Buckingham to retire into the Ships, returned, No, they came to

fight; and leaning on their Pikes challenged death its self) at the Isle of Rhee. He was bred to the Laws that were made by the Sword, so earnest was he in the behalf of those laws, when there was a suspicion that they should be made void by an Arbitrary power and Prerogative, that I find Sir Thomas Wentworth removed from York-shire to Essex, and Sir George Ratcliffe to Hertford-shire, to be confined for stickling in the Parliaments, Anno 1625, 1626. and yet so zealous he was for the Kings Prerogative and just Power, when it was in a real hazard to be over-born with tumults and combina∣tions, in the behalf of pretended Laws, that I find Sir George Rat∣cliffe involved in all the Earl of Straffords troubles. None will question his worth, that considereth him as the great Consident of that Earl in his affairs; and all persons must needs confess his faith∣fulness that observeth him that excellent persons companion in all his sufferings. The Lord Viscount Wentworth understood men and therefore when he was advanced President in the North, he made him Atturney General at York, and he was so sensible of serviceableness there, that when he was called to the Leiutenan∣cy of Ireland, he carried him as his chief favourite over thither. Where his contrivance was so good, that Cardinal Mazarine gave 10000. Pistols for a Copy of a model, pretended to be Sir George Ratcliffes, Intituled A model for the improvement and safeguard of Ire∣land. So happy his faculty of perswading, that it was said of his Speeches, as it was of Ciceroes, That the longest was the best. And so nimble his activity, that (though sometimes he permitted a design to be matter of discourse before it was finished, to see how it re∣lished with the vulgar, and try how it appeared to the wise) gene∣rally he thought not an affair well done, unless it was done before others thought of it. So subtile his wit, that a Reverend Judge upon his proceeding Barrister in the Inns of Court, Pronounced, Likely to prove either the best or the worst Instrument in the Common∣wealth. And that he would see through and unravil the intrigues of the most intangled business, or the most reserved man that he had to do with. And of so comprehensive a brain, that besides the Customs, the Manufactue, the Products, and the Trade of Ire∣land, wherein he had a great share. He managed 4. of the 25 Cole-mines, 6. of the 86. Mills, and had in his hand 12. of the 275. Woods in York-shire (that Country of which Hoornuis reports its bigger than his Masters seven Provinces, and as much under Gods blessing, though not so much under the warm Sun, as other parts of England; by the same token, that when the Earl of Crawford looked upon it as the Garden of Brittain, the Earl of Traquaire answered, It might be a Garden, but that it was too far from the House, meaning London.) The Gagites is a precious stone to be found only in the Eagles nest, and this Gentleman was a man of such choice parts, as could be expected only in the sharp-sighted Earl of Straffords Cabinet; who would not entertain your fine, but useless wits, which he compared to Jet, the Northern Com∣modity, that could draw straw to it only, having no power over more weighty bodies. But liked this person the better for ano∣ther

quality; It is remarkable, that hardships raised his spirit, as water inflames Jet; and easiness allayed it, as oil quenches that. When Sir Thomas Challoner (Tutor to Prince Henry) had found Alum near Gesburgh in this County; On this occasion, they are the words of an eye-witness, transcribed by my worthy friend,

he observed the leaves of trees thereabouts more deeply green, than elsewhere, the Oakes broad-spreading, but not deep rooted, with much strength, but little sap; the earth clayish, variously coloured; here white, there yellow, there blew, and the ways therein, in a clear night, glistering like glass; symptomes which first suggested unto him the presumption of Minerals, and of Alum most properly.

Some Gentlemen of the neighbour-hood burying their estates under the earth before they could get any Alum above ground, until Sir George contrived the bringing over of forraign Work-men (in Hogsheads, to prevent discovery) from Rochel in France, which advanced the discovery to a Mine Royal, Rented by Sir Paul Pinder, who paid yearly

To	the King	12500
the Earl of Mulgrave	01640
to Sir William Pennyman	c0600

Besides a constant salary to 800 Men at a time, until the good people at Westminster, that were designing one Monopoly of three kingdoms to themselves, were pleased to Vote this, and above 40. more of this Gentlemans pulblick discoveries, Monopolies to the respective Proprietors.

As he noted of his beloved Horses (for plenty and excellency of which he and his Country were both very eminent) that they had a mediocrity of necessary properties, being neither so Slight as the Barbe, nor so Slovenly as the Flemming, nor so Fiery as the Hungarian, nor so Aeiry as the Spanish Gennets, nor so Earthy and heavy as the German-horse, (these are his words transcribed by ano∣ther Author without any thanks to him) so I may character him, not so Nimble as a French-man, not so Slow as a Spaniard, not so Reserved and Observant as the Italian, not so Fierce as a German, not so Patient as a Dutch-man, but a collection of all indowments into one man, like that of all the beauties of Greece to form one Venus.

Sir George was hugely pleased to reflect, that as those (they are Melchior Canus his words) who out of curiosity and novelty op∣pose antiquity, teach posterity how they may contradict them: So those that were so perverse in disparaging the actions of their Su∣periors, did but chalk out the way for their inferiors to disparage theirs; especially, since it was too obvious, how easily the people might be exasperated against them whom they had raised against others. The 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the many running into opinions of men and things, as Calderinus in Lud. Vives did to Masse, Eamus ergo (said he) quia sic placet in communes errores. And that he thought it not more unpardonable in him to dissent from them, than it was in

them to differ from their Superiors and Ancestors. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Arist. Eth. 1. 6.) The one rendring him only 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ingeniously bold, the other them 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 audaciously pre∣sumptuous: Refreshing himself with that of Mimnermus,

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

In that time which he might call infoelix seculum, as well as Bel∣larmine calleth that Age between 900, and 1100. when men of the same character that Vives gives Iames Arch-bishop of Genoa, com∣monly called Iames de Voragine, for devouring books as these peo∣ple did men; Homines ferres oris & plumbis cordis of three Nati∣ons, conspired the ruin of one man, of whom we may say as Clau∣dian did of Ruffinus (offensis Ruffinus divide terris) though all that they could do was to charge him home, and Calumniari fortiter, that something might stick, though his Litchfield Adversary, like a Coventry-man, did his best (worst) at first, for the Earl of Strafford his Patron, since he setled a perplexed conveiance for him at Lon∣don, acquainted him with so many serviceable men that were at his devotion in the North; (for the observing of and acquainting himself with choice men was his peculiar faculty) and was so active both on the Popular and the Royal account, being Charged November 13.

Sir George Ratcliffe was sent for the same day by a Serjeant at Arms dispatched into Ireland, who accordingly December 4. came in, and yielded himself to the Speaker, from whence he was Com∣mitted to Custody, and an Impeachment drawn up against him, consisting of these Articles:

First, That he had conspired and joyned with the Earl of Strafford, to bring into Ireland an Arbitrary Government, and to subvert the Fundamental Laws.

Secondly, That he had indeavoured to bring in an Army from Ireland, to subdue the Subjects of England.

Thirdly, That he joyned with the Earl to use Regal Power, and to deprive Subjects of their Liberty and Property.

Fourthly, That he joyned with him to take out forty thou∣sand pounds out of the Exchequer of Ireland, and bought To∣bacco therewith, and converted the profit thereof to their own uses.

Fifthly, That he hath traiterously Confederated with the Earl to countenance Papists, and built Monasteries, to alienate the af∣fections of the Irish Subjects from the subjection of England.

Sixthly, That they had agreed together to draw away the Subjects of Scotland from the King.

Seventhly, That to preserve himself, and the said Earl, he had laboured to subvert the Liberties and Priviledges of Parliament in Ireland.

An Impeachment they drew, that they might confine him; but prosecuted not, lest they should shame themselves, but permitting him to go whither he would; they waited the event of things, and when that fell out much beyond their expectation, they ad∣ventured

to condemn him unheard: In all their Treaties with his Majesty, inserting Sir George Ratcliffe (that Mr. Hampden said, was one of the most dangerous men that adhered to the King) for one that they would have utterly excluded Pardon. The main instance where∣by they intended to render him odious, was doubtless his severity to the Children and Relations of those that came under the lash, as disaffected to the Government; but since Proles est pars parentis, and one part of the body suffereth for the offences of the other, (the hand steals, the feet are stocked; the tongue forswears, the ears are cut off) it is thought con••istent with Divine Justice, and necessary for humane prudence, to correct the Children with the Parents, that those people that are so hardy as to adventure their own Concerns for the disturbance of the Publick, may yet be fear∣ful of troublesome practises, with regard to the Interest of their Innocent Children; those Pledges Common-wealths have that men will be quiet. When he had privately detected the Conspi∣racious, laid open the Plots, and taken off many Instruments of the Faction, he died Anno 165. ... Leaving these remarques behinde him, 1. That with Tamerlain, he never bestowed place on a man that was over-ambitious for it. 2. That he feared more the com∣mitting, than the discovery of an Irregularity; That he gave away to Charitable Uses a tenth of what he got, that he loved a Grave rather than a gawdy Religion; often using Tully's saying of the Roman Lady, (in reference some practices of the Roman Church) that she danced better than became a modest Woman: Being dead in the lower part of his body of a Palsie, as we are informed, his Soul retired to the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the Upper-room of his Clay Cottage, as much employed in Contemplation the latter end of his Life, as he had been in action in the beginning.

Ne Ingentes Augustissimi viri ruinae etiam Perirent Memoriae, G. Ratcliffe, Equitis Aurati D. D. C. Q. L. M. E. M. Monumentum saltem chartaceum ne desideret vir ultra Marmo∣ra perrenandus.