State-worthies, or, The states-men and favourites of England since the reformation their prudence and policies, successes and miscarriages, advancements and falls, during the reigns of King Henry VIII, King Edward VI, Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth, King James, King Charles I.

Observations on the Life of Sir Francis Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury.

NObility without Vertue is a disgrace, Ver∣tue without Nobility low; but Nobility adorned with Vertue, and Vertue embel∣lished by Nobility, raiseth a man high as Nature reacheth: and he in whom these two concur, hath all the glory a man can attain unto, viz. both an Inclination and a Power to do well.

This is the man whose Greatn••ss was but the ser∣vant to his Goodness, and whose honour the In∣strument of his Vertue; who was reverenced like the Heavens he bore, for his B••neficence, as well as for his Glory. He saw four troublesome Reigns, but not troubled himself, as one that was so espou∣sed to the common and grand Concerns of Man∣kinde, as to be unin••e••ested in the particular and petty Designe of any party of it.

He had friends (and none more sure to them, or more devoted to that sacred thing called Friend∣ship) to ease his heart to, to support his judge∣ment by, to reform, or at least observe his defect in, to compose his mind with; but none to countenance in a Faction, or side with in a quarrel: Vsefulness is a Bond that tieth great and good men, and not respects.

How low Learning ran in our Land among our Native Nobility some two hundred years since, in the Reign of King Henry the sixth, too plainly ap∣peareth by the Motto in the Sword of the Martial

Earl of Shrewsbury, (where (saith my Author) at the same time a man may smile at the simplicity, and sigh at the barbarousness thereof) Sum Talboti pro occidere inimicos me••s: the be••t Latine that Lord, and perchance his Chaplain too in that Age could afford. The case was much altered here, where this Lords Grandchild was at once the chiefest * Coun∣cellour, and the most eminent Scholar of his Age. It's a reverend thing to see any ancient piece stan∣ding against time, much more to see an ancient Fa∣mily standing against Fortune. Certainly Prin∣ces that have able men of their Nobility, shall finde ease in employing them, and a better ••lide into their business: For people naturally bend to them, as born in some sort to com∣mand.