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 Edm. Anderson.

SIr Edmund Anderson was born a younger bro∣ther of a Gentile Extract at Flixborough in Lincolnshire, and bred in the inner Temple. I have been informed that his Father left him a thousand pounds for his portion, which this our Sir Edmund multiplyed into many, by his great pro∣ficiency in the Common-Law, being made the 24th of Queen Elizabeth Chief Justice of the Common-Pleas. When Secretary Davison was sentenced in the Star-Chamber for the business of the Queen of Scots, Judge Anderson said of him, that therein he had done * 1.1 justum non juste; and so acquitting him of all malice, censured him with the rest of his indiscretion. When H. Cuffe was arraigned about the rising of the Earl of Essex, and when Sir Edward Coke the Queens Solicitor opposed him, and the other answered Syllogistically, our Ander∣son (sitting there as a Judge of Law, not Logick) checked both Pleader and Prisoner, ob stolido•• syllo∣gismos, for their foolish Syllogismes, appointing the former to press the Statute of Edward the third.* 1.2 He died in the third of King Iames, leaving great Estates to several sons. He was a pure Legist, that had little skil in the affairs of the world, always al∣ledging a decisive Case or Statute on any matter or question, without any regard to the decency, or respect to be had towards a State, or Government, and without that account of a moderate interpre∣tation

some circumstances of things require, being so much the less useful as he was incompliant, and one whom none addre••sed to, because, as one ob∣serves of Cardinal Corrado; Such think they do in same manner sacrifice themselves, when they do but in the ••e st••••ct against their own opinions, to do a man a little p••e••sure. There are a kind of honest men of good conscience, whose capacities being narrow, uncertain private resolutions, inconsistent with publick interest; who may for me pass for good men, but shall never be censed or registred for good Cit••ze••s; because when streight-laced and short apprehensions are resolved into conscience and m••ximes, those men are obliged to be so obstinate as ••o change or remit nothing of their first resolu∣tions, how unreasonable soever in themselves, or dangerous in the consequence. State-policy is wholly involved in matter and circumstances of time, place, and persons; not capable of such exact rules as Geometry, Arithmetick, and other Sciences, whose subject is abstracted from matter; he who ••••ss••••geth State-affairs by general rules, will quickly ruine both himself and those who a••e committed to his government; the quintessence of policy doth consist in the dexterous and skilful ap∣plication of general rules to the subject matter: co•• of the great ends of policy and government, is the creating a mutual confidence amongst men; and to ••llay those distracting jealousies grounded ••n an universal suspicion of humane nature, much like the good Womans fear that the Log would ••••••p out o•• the fire, and knock out the brains of her Child) which have no other use, than the beget∣••••g 〈…〉〈…〉rp••tu••l v••xatio••s, the discouragement of

free Trade and Converse; a teaching of them who are suspected often to do worse than they ima∣gined, and the creating of sedition and troubles.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Camb∣den Eliz. An. 1587.
• * 1.2

  Idem, Anno 1600.