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.
About this Item
Title
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.
Author
Lloyd, David, 1635-1692.
Publication
London :: Printed by Thomas Milbourne for Samuel Speed ...,
1670.
Rights/Permissions
To the extent possible under law, the Text Creation Partnership has waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above, according to the terms of the CC0 1.0 Public Domain Dedication (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/). This waiver does not extend to any page images or other supplementary files associated with this work, which may be protected by copyright or other license restrictions. Please go to http://www.textcreationpartnership.org/ for more information.
Subject terms
Statesmen -- England -- Early works to 1800.
Favorites, Royal -- England -- Sources.
Great Britain -- History -- Tudors, 1485-1603 -- Sources.
Great Britain -- Kings and rulers.
Great Britain -- Court and courtiers -- Early works to 1800.
Link to this Item
http://name.umdl.umich.edu/A48794.0001.001
Cite this Item
"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." In the digital collection Early English Books Online. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A48794.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed October 31, 2024.
Pages
Observations on the Life of Sir J••hn Perrot.
SIr Iohn Perrot was a goodly Gen••••eman, and of the Sword: and as he was of a v••ry anci∣ent descent, as an H••ir to many Exst••acts of Gentry, especially from Guy de B••y••n o••Lawhern; so he was of a vast Estate, and came not to the Court for want. And to these Adjuncts he had the Endowments of Courage, and heighth of Spi∣rit, had it lighted on the allay of temper and discr••∣tion: the defect whereof, with a native freedome and boldness of speech, drew him into a Clouded set∣ting, and laid him open to the spleen and advantage of his Enemies. He was yet a wise man, and a brave Co••rtier, but roug••, and participa••ing more of a∣ctive
descriptionPage 511
than sedentary motions, as being in his Con∣stellation destinated for Arms. He was sent Lord-Deputy into Ireland, where he did the Queen very great and many Se••vices: Being out of envy accu∣sed of High Treason, and against the ••ueens will and consent condemned, he died suddenly in the Tower. He was Englands professed Friend, and Sir Christopher Hattons professed Enemy: He fell be∣cause he would stand alone. In the English Court at that time he that held not by Leicesters and Bur∣leighs favour, must yield to their frowns: What g••ound he gained in Forreign merits, (as the Sea) he lost in Domestick Interests. The most deserving R••cess••s, and serviceable absence from Courts, is incompatible with the way of interest and favour. Hi•• boysterous carriage rather removed than pre∣ferred him to Ireland, where he was to his cost, what he would have been to his advantage; chief in Command, and first in Counci••. His spirit was too great to be ruled, and his Interest too little to sway. He was so like a Son of Henry the a 1.1 eighth, that he would not be Q••ueen Elizabeths su••j••ct: but Hattons sly smoothness undermined his op••n roughness; the one dancing at Court with more success than the other fought in Ireland, He was born to enjoy, rather th••n make a Fortune; and to command, rather then stoop for respect. Boldness indeed is as necessary for a Souldier, as the Action for an Orator; and is a prevailing quality over weak men at all times, and wise men at their weak times: yet it begins well, but continueth not; closing al∣ways with the wiser sorts scorns, and the vulgars ••aughter. Sir Iohn Perrot was better at Counsel than Complement, and better at Execution than
descriptionPage 512
Counsel. None wo••se to command first on his own head, none better to be second, and under the di∣rection of others. He could not advise, because he looked not round on his dangers: he could not execute, because he saw them not. His alliance to his Soveraign commended him at first to her fa∣vour, and gave him up at last to her j••alousie; be∣ing too near to be modest, and too bold to be trust∣ed: and the more service he performed, he was thereby onely the more dangerous, and withal unhappy; his Successes onely puffing up his humor, and his Victories ripening his ambition to those fa∣tal Sallies against the Q••eens honour and Govern∣ment, that had cost him his life, had he not saved it with those very Rants he lost himself by: for when he had out of an innocent confidence of his cause, and a haughty conceit of hi•• Extraction, ex∣asperated his Noble J••ry to his Condemnation, he had no more to say for himself than Gods death will the Queen su••ser her Brother to be offered up as a sa∣crifice to the envy of my frisking Adversaries? On which words the Queen refused to sign the War∣rant for his E••ecution, though pressed to it from Reason and Interest, saying, They were all Knaves that condemned him. It's observed of him, that the Surplusage of his services in Ireland aba••ed the merit of ••hem; and that it was his oversight to have done too much there. His mor••al words were those in the grear Chamber of Dublin, when the Q••een sent him some respectful Letters after her Expostulatory ones, with an intimation of the Spa∣niards Design: Lo, now (saith he) she is ready to piss her self for fear of the Spaniard; I am again one of her white Boys.
descriptionPage 513
A great Birth and a great Minde a••e c••ushed in Commonwealths, and wa••ched in K••ng••omes: They who are to tall too stand, too stub••orn to bow, are but too fit to break. R••ssling Spirits ••aise ••hem∣selves at the settlement of Governm••nts, but fall after i••; being but unruly Wav••s to a st••ady Rock, breaking thems••lves on that solid Constitution they would break. Few aimed at Favourites as Sir Iohn did at the Lord Chanc••llor, but their Arrows fell on their own heads; Soveraignty being alwayes struck through prime Councellours, and Majesty through its chief Ministe••s. Sir Iohn Perrot no sooner cla••hed with Hatton,••han he lost the Queen•• and ever since he reflected on his Dancing, he lost his own footing, and never stood on his legs.
Notes
a 1.1
They say his father married a Familiar of King Hen∣ry's.