Drury, and the coming in of Arthur Gray, lord lieutenant of

Ireland.

Say not that he did but stop a gap for a twelvemonth at the most; seeing it was such a gap, destruction had entered in thereat to the final ruin of that kingdom, had not his providence prevented it. For, in this juncture of time, Desmund began his rebellion, 1579, inviting Sir William to side with him, who wisely gave him the hearing, with a smile into the bargain. And although our knight (for want of force) could not cure the wound, yet he may be said to have washed and kept it clean, resigning it in a recovering condition to the lord Gray, who succeeded him. Afterwards he was sent over into the Low Countries, 1586, being commander of the English horse therein; and my author saith of him, "Brabantiam persultabat," (he leaped through Brabant†), importing 'celerity and success, yea as much conquest as so sudden an expedition was capable of. I suspect he survived not long after, meeting no more mention of his martial activity.

THE SHIRLEYS.

The ancient extraction in this county is sufficiently known.‡ The last age saw a leash of brethren of this family, severally eminent. This mindeth me of the Roman Horatii, though these expressed themselves in a different kind for the honour of their country. Pardon me if reckoning them up not according to their age.

Sir ANTHONY SHIRLEY, second son to Sir Thomas, set forth from Plymouth, May the 21st, 1596, in a ship called the Bevis of Southampton, attended with six lesser vessels. His design for St. Thome was violently diverted by the contagion they found on the south coast of Africa, where the rain did stink as it fell down from the heavens, and within six hours did turn into maggots. This made him turn his course to America, where he took and kept the city of St. Jago two days and nights, with two hundred and eighty men (whereof eighty were wounded in the service), against three thousand Portugals.

Hence he made for the Isle of Fuego, in the midst whereof a mountain, Ætna-like, always burning; and the wind did drive such a shower of ashes upon them, that one might have wrote his name with his finger on the upper deck. However, in this fiery Island they furnished themselves with good water, which they much wanted.

Hence he sailed to the island of Margarita, which to him did not answer its name, not finding here the pearl dresses which he expected. Nor was his gain considerable in taking the town of Saint Martha, the isle and chief town of Jamaica, * Camden's Elizabeth, in anno citato. † Camden's Elizabeth, in anno, 1586. Camden's Britannia, in Sussex. S Hacluyt's Voyages, Part III. p. 598.

whence he sailed more than thirty leagues up the river Rio-dolci, where he met with great extremity.

At last, being diseased in person, distressed for victuals, and deserted by all his other ships, he made by Newfoundland to England, where he arrived June 15, 1597. Now although some behold his voyage, begun with more courage than counsel, carried on with more valour than advice, and coming off with more honour than profit to himself or the nation (the Spaniard being rather frighted than harmed, rather braved than frighted therewith); yet impartial judgments, who measure not worth by success, justly allow it a prime place amongst the probable (though not prosperous) English adventures.

Sir ROBERT SHIRLEY, youngest son to Sir Thomas, was, by his brother Anthony, entered into the Persian court. Here he performed great service against the Turks, and shewed the difference between Persian and English valour; the latter having therein as much courage, and more mercy, giving quarter to captives who craved it, and performing life to those to whom he promised it. These his actions drew the envy of the Persian lords, and love of the ladies, amongst whom one (reputed a kins-woman to the great Sophy) after some opposition, was married unto him. She had more of ebony than ivory in her complexion; yet amiable enough, and very valiant, a quality considerable in that sex in those countries. With her he came over into England, and lived many years therein. He much affected to appear in foreign vests; and, as if his clothes were his limbs, accounted himself never ready till he had something of the Persian habit about him.

At last a contest happening betwixt him and the Persian ambassador (to whom some reported Sir Robert gave a box on the ear), the king sent them both into Persia, there mutually to impeach one another, and joined Doctor Gough (a senior fellow of Trinity College in Cambridge) in commission with Sir Robert. In this voyage (as I informed) both died on the seas, before the controverted difference was ever heard in the court of Persia, about the beginning of the reign of king Charles.

Sir THOMAS SHIRLEY.-I name him the last (though the eldest son of his father) because last appearing in the world, men's activity not always observing the method of their register. As the trophies of Miltiades would not suffer Themistocles to sleep ;* so the achievements of his two younger brethren gave an alarum unto his spirit. He was ashamed to see them worn like flowers in the breasts and bosoms of foreign princes, whilst he himself withered upon the stalk he grew on. This made him leave his aged father and fair inheritance in this county, and to

• Plutarch, in his Life.

undertake sea voyages into foreign parts, to the great honour of his nation, but small enriching of himself; so that he might say to his son, as Eneas to Ascanius:

Disce, puer, virtutem ex me verumque laborem,
Fortunam ex aliis.

"Virtue and labour learn from me thy father;

As for success, child, learn from others rather."

As to the general performances of these three brethren, I know the affidavit of a poet carrieth but a small credit in the court of history; and the comedy made of them is but a friendly foe to their memory, as suspected more accommodated to please the present spectators, than to inform posterity. However, as the belief of Miltio (when an inventory of his adopted son's misdemeanors was brought unto him) embraced a middle and moderate way, "Nec omnia credere nec nihil," (neither to believe all things nor nothing of what was told him): so in the list of their achievements we may safely pitch on the same proportion, and, when abatement is made for poetical embellishments, the remainder will speak them worthies in their generations. The certain dates of their respective deaths I cannot attain.

PHYSICIANS.

[REM.] NICHOLAS HOSTRESHAM.-Know, reader, I have placed him in this county, only on presumption that Horsham in this shire (no such place otherwise in England) is contracted for Hostresham. He was a learned man, a most famous physician, and esteemed highly of all the nobility of the land, who coveted his company on any conditions. It seemeth that he was none of those so pleasing and comformable to the humour of their patients, as that they press not the true cure of the disease; and yet none of those who are so regular in proceeding according to art for the disease, as that they respect not sufficiently the condition of their patients; but that he was of a middle temper, and so in effect was two physicians in one man. Many were the books he wrote, reckoned up by Bale* and Pits,† amongst which I take especial notice of one, contra dolorem renum, thus beginning," Lapis quandoque generatur in renibus." I observe this the rather, because his practice was wholly at home (it not appearing that he ever went beyond the sea); and this is contrary unto the confidence of such who have vehemently affirmed, that the stone was never heard of in England, until hops, and beer made therewith (about the year 1516), began to be commonly used. He flourished anno Domini 1443.

WRITERS.

[S.N.] LAURENCE SOMERCOTE was born, saith Bale, in

De Scriptoribus Britannicis, Cent. iv. num. 8.

In anno 1443.

the south part of the kingdom; but had, I am sure, his best English preferment in Sussex, being canon of Chichester."* After his breeding here under his careful parents and skilful masters, who taught him logic and rhetoric, he applied himself to the study of the law, and attained to great learning therein. Then, leaving the land, he went to Rome, and repaired to (his brother or kinsman) Robert Somercote, cardinal, who, it seems, procured him to be sub-deacon under the Pope. He wrote some books both in Latin and French; and flourished in the year of our lord 1240.

JOHN DRITON; so is his surname Englished by Bale. And why not as well John Driby (a village in Lincolnshire) seeing no Driton in all England? The truth is this; in Latin he wrote himself, de Aridâ Villâ, equivalent with Sicca Villa, or Sackvill, a surname most renowned in this county: and because it is added to his character, ex illustri quadam Angliæ familia procreatus, it suiteth well with our conjecturing him this countryman. He was bred, according to the mode of that age, in France; and there became, at Paris, summus gymnasii moderator, which (howsoever rendered in English) soundeth a high place conferred on a foreigner. In his time was much bustle in the university, about an Apocrypha Book (patched together out of the dreams of Joachim and Cyril, two monks), which was publicly read and commented on by many admirers thereof, by the name of "The Eternal Gospel." The Pope who often curseth where God blesseth, here blessed where God cursed; and notwithstanding the solemn commination against such additions to Scripture, favoured them, and (what a charitable Christian can scarcely believe) damned their opposers for heretics. This our Sackvill bestirred himself, and, with William de Sancto Amore and other pious men, opposed this piece of imposture.

Pits, in the character of this our de Aridâ Villá, treads like a foundered horse on stones, mentioning only that he met with much disturbance,-without any particulars thereof.

this Eternal Gospel had a temporal end, and (with the serpents of the Egyptian enchanters which vanished away) this pretended quint-essence Gospel sunk with shame into silence, whilst the other four Gospels (with the serpent of Moses) da last and continue. This our writer flourished 1260.

JOHN WINCHELSEY was bred in Oxford, and became a great scholar therein. I am not bound to believe Bale in full latitude, that he made a Centaur-divinity out of poets and philosophers; but this I believe, that in his old age he turned a Franciscan; and, when gray, became a green Novice of the De Scriptoribus Britannicis, Cent. iv. num. 2.

Idem, Cent. v. num 11.

VOL. III.

S

Order at Sarisbury. Many condemned him, that he would enter into such a life when ready to go out of the world; and others of his own convent commended him, who, being old, was concerned to find out the most compendious way to Heaven. The year of his probation was not ended, when he died and was buried in that convent, anno 1326.

SINCE THE REFORMATION.

[AMP.] WILLIAM PEMBLE was born in this county, where his parents had no plentiful estate; but their wants were supplied (as to this their son's education in learning) by the bounty of John Barker, of Mayfield in this shire, esquire, as by the following passage may appear, written by Mr. Capel, his worthy tutor :*

"You are the man who supported the vine, that bore this and many other excellent grapes. His studies had shrunk and withered, even then when they were about to knit, had it not been for you and your exhibitions, who have raised up an able scholar, a learned divine, a well-studied artist, a skilful linguist, and (which is the soul of all) a very godly minister."

So then, if I have missed master Pemble's native county, yet I shall be excused by the known proverb, Non ubi nascor, sed ubi pascor; Sussex affording him his most effectual maintenance. He was bred in (or if you will he bred) Magdalen Hall in Oxford; that house owing its late lustre to his learned lectures, the gravest in the university not disdaining their presence thereat. He was an excellent orator indeed, as who spake non ex ore sed ex pectore, many excellencies being in him; but above all, this was his crown, that he unfeignedly sought God's glory, and the good of men's souls. He died in the flower of his age, as he was making his lectures on the prophecy of Zachara (finishing but nine chapters of fourteen) anno Domini ..., of a burning fever.

THOMAS CHUNE, Esquire, living at Alfriston in this county, set forth a small manual, intitled "Collectiones Theologicarum Conclusionum." Indeed many have much opposed it (as what book meeteth not with opposition?); though such as dislike must commend the brevity and clearness of his positions. For mine own part I am glad to see a lay-gentleman so able and industrious. His book was set forth 1635.

THOMAS MAY was born in this county, of a worshipful but decayed family; bred fellow-commoner in Cambridge, in Sidney College, where he seriously applied himself to his studies. He afterwards lived in Westminster, and about the court. He was an elegant poet, and translated Lucan into English. Now

* In the Epistle Dedicatory, before his Lectures on the Sacrament.