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 Tho Overbury.

SIr Thomas Overbury, son to Sir Nicholas O∣verbury, one of the Judges of the Marches, was born at Burton on the Hill in Gloucester∣shire, bred in Oxford, and attained to be a most accomplished Gentleman, partly at Grayes-Inn•• and partly in France; which the happinesse of his Pen both in Poetry and Prose doth declare. In the later he is observed to be the first writer of Chara∣cters of our Nation. But if the great parts of this Gentleman were guilty of Insolence and Petulancy,

which some since have charged on his memory▪ reporting of him, that he should say, Somerset ow∣ed his advancement to him, and that he should walk with his hat on before the Queen; we may charitably presume, that his reduced age would have corrected such Juvenile extravagancies. It is questionable, whether Robert Carr Earl of So∣merset were more in the favour of King James, or this Sir Thomas Overbury in the favour of the Earl of Somerset, untill he lost it by disswading that Lord from keeping company with a Lady (the Wi••e of another person of honour) as neither for his credit here, or comfort hereafter. Soon after Sir Thomas was by King James designed Embassador for Russia. His false friends perswa∣ded him to decline the Employment, as no bet∣ter than an honourable Grave. Better lye some days in the Tower, than more months in a worse

Prison; A ship by Sea, and a barbarous cold Countrey by Land. Besides, they possessed him, that within a small time, the K. should be wrought to a good opinion of him. But he that willingly goes into a Prison, out of hope to come easily out of it, may stay therein so long, till he be too late convinced of another Judgement. Whilest Sir Thomas was in the Tower, his Refusal was pre∣sented to the King as an Act of high Contempt, as if he valued himself more than the King's ser∣vice. His strict restraint gave the greater liberty to his enemies to practice his death, 1615. which was by poyson performed: Yet was his blood le∣gally revenged, which cost some a violent, and others a civill death, as deprived of their Offi∣ces. The Earl was soon abated in King James his affection (Oh! the short distance betwixt the cooling and quenching of a Favourite) being condemned, and banished the Court.

Exact are the remarks he drew up of Foreign Countreys, & therefore no lesse such his transactions for his own. In this most esteemed with King James and his Master, that he suited both their Geniuses in the easie and clear method, wherein he expressed the most difficult and knotty Affairs; for they both being perplexed with that variety of Affairs in general, that they could not readily look into difficult Cases in particular, loved those that made things out easie and clear to them, as well fitted for their apprehensions, as obvious to their judgement—owning a Soul so quiet, that a∣bate its youthful extravagancies, it knew not a motion but what was Duty and Interest; felt no a∣gitation but what was reason, and what Philoso∣phy

conveyed into the souls of the wisest, and ob∣servation insinuated into the spirit of the closest: if he expected a recompence suitable to his services, or an acknowledgement answerable to his merit, he understood not the humour and nature of man-kinde, the interest of Favourites, or his own parts, too guilty of reputation to be advanced, and of power not to be suppressed.—It's Machi••∣vel's rule; That they who rise very high, should descend timely, and quit the envy, lest they lose the honour of their greatnesse. Although this Gen∣tleman's skill in accommodating Factions, in the Art of Negotiation, in the charm of Language, in the Interest of Princes, in mastering his own Resentments as well as his Enemies that provoked him, had preserved him, if he had known as well how to hold his Tongue, as how to speak; if he had understood others humours as well as they did his; and if he had skilled as well from whom to have refused kindnesse, as from whom he deserved it.—In a word, he that considered so many other Maximes, was defective in complyance with his own, viz. That vertue is there unprofi∣table, where too great; and that many had lost the fa∣vour of their Masters by over-much meriting it.