There is a whole length portrait of him at Charlton, the seat of Lord Suffolk, in Wiltshire. The Earl of Dorset was an accomplished gentleman, and an ex- Cr. 1603. cellent judge and munificent patron of literary merit. He was hospitable and bountiful to profusion; and was a great lover of masking, tilting, and other princely exercises, which recommended him to the notice, and gained him the esteem, of Prince Henry. Ob. 28 Mar. 1624, Et. 35. ROBERT SIDNEY, earl of Leicester, &c. Simon Passæus sc. ROBERT SIDNEY, viscount Lisle, &c. 1617. S. Passæus sc. 4to. Robert Sidney, viscount Lisle, descended from a sister of Robert Dudley, earl of Leicester, was, by James I. created earl of Lei- Cr. 1618. cester, and baron Sidney of Penshurst, the 2d of August, 1618. In the early part of his life he was lord-chamberlain to Queen Anne; and, with Sir Francis Vere, greatly distinguished himself in the cele brated battle of Turnhoult, gained by Prince Maurice, 1597; that Cr. May 13, general himself ascribing the glorious success of the day to their 1603. good conduct and gallant behaviour. Ob. 1626. His portrait,* with others of the Sidney family, was lately at Penshurst, in Kent; but that valuable collection is now sold and dispersed. CHARLES BLOUNT, earl of Devonshire; whole length mezz. P. v. Somer pinx. V. Green sc. CHARLES BLOUNT, &c. in the King's library; rare. Charles Blount, second son of James, the sixth Lord Montjoy, had early a command in the fleet which defeated the famous Armada. He was appointed lieutenant of Ireland, where he repulsed the Spaniards with great honour, and was created by *He was younger brother of Sir Philip Sidney. Great part of Languet's Epistolæ, addressed to Sir Philip, concerns the education of this young man. It is surprising that the Letters of Languet should be so little read; they abound in anecdotes of the Sidney family, and shew Sir Philip Sidney to great advantage. Besides, Languet was, in all probability, the author of the Vindicia.-LORD HAILES. 20 Jac. I. James I. 1603, earl of Devonshire, and made knight of the Garter. He is said to have been beautiful in person, valiant, and learned: his character was sullied by his connexion with Penelope, sister to the Earl of Essex, and wife to Robert, lord Rich, whom she abandoned, and had several children by this earl; who, finding her, upon his return from Ireland, divorced from her husband, married her at Wanstead, in Essex, in 1605. The ceremony was performed by his chaplain, William Laud, afterward archbishop of Canterbury; an act which gave great concern to that prelate upon deliberate reflection. Ob. 1606, Æt. 43. Daniel wrote a Funeral Poem upon him. See "Memoirs of the Peers of England,” 1802. JOHN DIGBY, earl of Bristol, &c. R. Elstracke sc. Sold by Wm. Peake; 4to. rare. JOHN DIGBY, earl of Bristol. Bocquet sc. In " Noble Authors," by Park; 1806. JOHN DIGBY, earl of Bristol. Harding. JOHN DIGBY, earl of Bristol. Thane. JOHN DIGBY, earl of Bristol. C. Johnson; Houbraken sc. In the "Illust. Heads;" by mistake inscribed George Villiers, duke of Buckingham. This nobleman was one of the most accomplished ministers, a Cr.Sept.15, well as most estimable characters, of his time. He was ambassado from James to the emperor, and afterward to Spain. He possesse all the phlegm requisite for a Spanish embassy, and even for th tedious and fruitless negotiations of this reign. His credit in th court of Spain was beyond that of any other ambassador; and b received greater marks of distinction from his Catholic majesty. I the next reign, the Duke of Buckingham, who hated the man, dare to attack the minister; but he was bravely repelled. Upon t breaking out of the civil war, he sided with the parliament, and hi the command of two troops of horse in their service; but when saw that monarchy itself was in danger, he adhered to the king. Í His defence of his conduct in Spain, which was publicly called in question the Duke of Buckingham, is in the State Trials, and in the tenth volume of Rapi History. WILLIAM KNOLLIS, viscount Wallingford, with autograph. Thane. WILLIAM KNOLLIS, viscount Wallingford; 8vo. W. Richardson. William, son of Sir Francis Knolles, by Catharine Cary, daughter to Sir Thomas Bolen, and cousin-german to Queen Elizabeth. He succeeded his father in the office of treasurer of the queen's household, and was one of the delegates for making peace, 41 Eliz. Upon the accession of James, he was created baron of Grays, in Oxfordshire, the place of his residence; in the twelfth year of this reign he was constituted master of the court of wards.; and about Cr. Jan. 5, two years after, created viscount Wallingford. He died the 25th of May, 1632, in the 88th year of his age, and lies buried at Grays. The ancient seat of this family is now in the possession of Sir Thomas Stapleton, bart. 1616-7. HENRY HOWARD, earl of Northampton; from an original at Castle Howard. S. Pickard. (Halfpenny fec.) Henry Howard, earl of Northampton, (second son of the cele brated Earl of Surrey beheaded by Henry VIII.) was born at Shottisham, in Norfolk, about 1539. He was educated at Cambridge; and in 1568 was admitted to the degree of M. A. at Oxford. He was neglected during the reign of Elizabeth; but in the next reign he rose rapidly; being made a privy-counsellor, warden of the Cinque Ports, earl of Northampton, lord privy-seal, and knight of the Garter. He was a man of considerable talents, but destitute of principle. He was a party in the intrigue of his niece, the countess of Essex, with Carr, viscount Rochestor; and strongly suspected of being concerned in the murder of Sir Thomas Overbury. Affecting to be a Protestant, he enjoyed great favour with James I. but being, by an intercepted letter to Cardinal Bellarmine, discovered to be a confirmed papist, he was deprived of his estate. Ob. June 15, 1614. His works are, 1. "A Defensative against the Poison of supposed Prophecies," 4to and folio. 2. “An Apology for the Government of Women;" a manuscript in the Bodleian library. Some other manuscripts also from his pen are extant. *He was created earl of Banbury, 18 Aug. 1626. |