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 the Lord Rich.

HE must needs be preferred, who was so rich∣ly descended and nobly allied, as to shew at Court upon his first appearance sixty Noblemen and Knights of his Relation, and a hundred and fifty thousand Pound a Year Revenue among his Friends. He was more beholding to the Temple for his Law, than to the Universities for his Learn∣ing. His severe and active Nature aspiring above the pedantiqueness of a Scholar, to the usefulness of a States-man: I could never endure (saith he) those Studies that furnish me only with unactive thoughts and useless discourse, that teach me only to think and speak.

His staid and solid parts commended Him to Cromwel, and Cromwel recommended him to King Henry the Eighth: He was Solicitor-General to His Majesty, and Steward to his Master: Cromwel was the M••wl, and Rich the Hammer of Abbeys: He laid open to the Monks their faults, and his Master made use of it to force them to a surrendry: For as he said, when those Religious Societies saw they had faults enough discovered to take away their Lands, they had wit enough to give them up. His Counsels overthrew Popery, and his Deposition cut off Sir Thomas More: for being sent to Sir Thomas, after much discourse with him, he ask∣ed him this subtle Question, Whether he would ac∣knowledge the King Supream Head, if it were enjoyned

by an Act of Parliament? Sir Thomas asked him a∣gain, If the Parliament enacted that God should not be Lord, whether he should consent to it? And those words undid him. He saw that the Protestant Re∣ligion was the Interest of England, as well as the Doctrine of Scripture; and therefore he carried it on in point of policy, as Archbishop Cranmer did in point of conscience. King Henry the eighth ad∣mired his distinct reasoning, and stayed judgment; and Queen Anne Bullen was taken with his graceful eloquence, and ingenious discourses: In the morn∣ing his plyant soul, that could answer all the turn∣ings and windings of business, was as reserved and solid as that of a demure States-man; in the even∣ing, as chearful and merry as that of a Debonair Courtier. He was the wisdome of the Court in the Presence, and its wit in the Closet; its Oracle there, and its pleasure here.

King Henry the eighth made him one of his Le∣gators, and King Edward the sixth one of his Council: Under him he carried on the Protestant Religion in point of conscience, which others ma∣naged in point of interest. He designed the de∣grees of the Reformation, and he set out its me∣thod, than whom none more zealous in things ne∣cessary, none more moderate in things indiffe∣rent. Active he was, but wary; stirring, but cautious. To him the Reformers resorted in point of Law, as to Cranmer and Ridley in point of Reli∣gion. Such his Prudence, that the Protector made him his Friend; such his Integrity, that the King made him Chancellour: where his Decrees were just, his Dispatches quick, his Judgments speedy, his Sums of Debates ••ull and satisfactory, his Sen∣tences

irreversible; his Assistants in the Rolls, an•• other Courts, able and honest. None more com∣plyant to Reason, none more stiff in things agains•• Reason: He would do any thing for King Edward the sixth's interest, nothing for Duke Dudley's am∣bition: therefore he observing the course of Af∣fairs, would rather resign his Place, than his Inte∣grity: when he could not with a safe conscience keep it, he with a contented mind parted with it; being honoured with the Barony of Leez, and en∣riched with the Western Abbies; it being the Pru∣dence of that time to interest the Nobility in the Papal Revenues, that so they might be engaged a∣gainst the Authority.

R. Rich Lord Chancellour, (saith my Author) then living in Great St. Bartholomews, though out∣wardly concurring with the rest, began now secret∣ly to favour the Duke of Somerset, and sent him a Letter, therein acquainting him with all passages at the Council-board, subscribing the same (either out of hast or familiarity) with no other Directi∣on save To the Duke; enjoyning his servant, a new Attendant, as newly entred into his Family, safely to deliver it. The Man made more hast than good speed; and his Lord wondring at his quick return, demanded of him where the Duke was when he de∣livered him the Letter? In the Charter-house, (said the servant) on the same token that he read it at the Window, and smiled thereat. But the Lord Rich smiled not at the Relation, as sadly sensible of the mistake, and delivery of the Letter to the Duke of Norfolk, no great friend of his, and an utter ene∣my to the Duke of Somerset.

Wonder not if this Lord rose early up the next

morning, who may be presumed not to have slept all Night: He hieth to the Court; and having gotten admittance into the Bed-chamber before the King was up,* 1.1 fell down on his Knees, and desired that his Old Age might be eased of this burthen∣some Office; pleading that there ought to be some preparatory intervals in States-men between their temporal business and their death: in order to which, he desired to retire to Essex, there to at∣tend his own Devotions. Nor would he rise from the ground till the King had granted his Request. And thus he saved himself from being stripped by o∣thers, by first pulling off his own Cloaths, who o∣therwise had lost his Chancellours place for reveal∣ing the secrets of the Council-board.

There are few places so impregnable, but Nature hath left in them some place or other by which they may be taken: none being armed at all points so well, but there is some way left whereby he may be surprized. He is the strongest that hath fewest ac∣cesses. He was a wise Man that said, Delay hath undone many for the other World, Hast hath un∣done more for this, Time well managed saves all in both.

But there is a Wheel in things, which undoeth all those that have not a Wheel that answereth it in their Souls; I mean a great capacity to comply and close with those grand Vicissitudes that with small and unobserved circumstances turn round the World, which this great Man was Master of, who had his Eye upon the turns, flexures and points of things and business, and his state and interest ready to correspond: He knew when to proceed, when to make a stand, and when to retire. It's said of

Grandees, That they are the first that find their own Griefs, and the last that find their Faults. Our Lord was quick in both, and hath taught us this, That certainly Men of great fortunes are strangers to themselves, and while they are in the puzzle of business have no time to tend the welfare either of Body or Soul; and that they must with-draw from this World, before they retire into another: For, Illi mors gravis incu∣bat, qui not us nimis omnibus, ignotus moritur sibi.

There are no more Remarques of this Per∣sonage, than that he was the Father of this Apo∣phthegme, Well done, if warily; and Great-Grand∣father to the present Earl of Warwick.

Notes

• * 1.1

  This story is related from the mouth of his Grand∣child the Earl of Warwik that last was.