pre-devoured his estate), aud was only, for formality's sake, to be condemned in Guildhall, by extraordinary commissioners in Oyer and Terminer, whereof Sir John Markham was not the meanest. The fact for which he was arraigned, was for lending money to Margaret the wife of king Henry the Sixth. This be denied; and the single testimony of one Haukins, tortured on the rack, was produced against him. Judge Markham directed the jury (as it was his place, and no partiality in point of law to do) to find it only misprision of treason; whereby Sir Thomas saved his lands, though heavily fined, and life, though long imprisoned. The king was highly displeased at him, and vowed he should never sit on the bench any more. And here I hope it will not trespass on the grave character of this judge, to insert a modern and pleasant passage, being privy myself to the truth thereof. A lady would traverse a suit of law, against the will of her husband; who was contented to buy his quiet by giving her her will therein, though otherwise persuaded in his judgment the cause would go against her. This lady, dwelling in the shire-town, invited the judge to dinner, and (though thrifty enough of herself) treated him with sumptuous entertainment. Dinner being done, and the cause being called, the judge clearly gave it against her. And when in passion she vowed never to invite any judge again, "Nay, wife,” said he, “ vow never to invite a just judge any more." Well, king Edward was so vexed, that Sir John Markham was ousted of his chief-justiceship, and lived privately, but plentifully, the remainder of his life, having fair lands by Margaret his wife (daughter and co-heir of Sir Simon Leke, of Cotham in this county), besides the estate acquired by his practice and paternal inheritance. SEAMEN. EDWARD FENTON (brother to Sir Jeffrey Fenton, of whom hereafter*) was born in this county; whose nature inclined him wholly to sea-service; and, disdaining to go in a trodden path, he was ambitious to discover unknown passages. His achievements in this nature are related at large in Mr. Hackluit, and excellently contracted in an epitaph on his monument in Deptford church in Kent, erected by the right honourable Roger earl of Cork, who married his brother's daughter: "Memoriæ perenni Edwardi Fenton, Reginæ Elizabethæ olim pro corpore Armigeri, Jano O-Neal, ac post eum Comite Desmoniæ, in Hiberniâ turbantibus, fortissimi Taxiarchi, qui, post lustratum, improbo ausu, Septentrionalis Plage Apochryphum mare, et excussas variis peregrinationibus inertis Naturæ latebras, anno 1588, in celebri contra Hispanos Naumachiâ, meruit Navis Prætoriæ Navarchus. Obiit anno Domini 1603;" being some days after the death of queen Elizabeth.-Observe, by Title of WRITERS. the way, how God set up a generation of military men, both by sea and land, which began and expired with the reign of queen Elizabeth, like a suit of clothes made for her, and worn out with her; for Providence, designing a peaceable prince to succeed her (in whose time martial men would be rendered useless) so ordered the matter, that they all almost attended their mistress, before or after, within some short distance, unto her grave. WRITERS. WILLIAM MANSFIELD (named no doubt from and born at that noted market-town in this county) was bred a Dominican; and, for his skill in Logics, Ethics, Physics, and Metaphysics, in his age highly applauded. And because some prize a dram of foreign before a dram of home-bred praise, know that Leander Bononiensis* (though mistaking his name Massettus) giving him the appellation of inclytus Theologiæ Professor. He defended Thomas Aquinas against Henricus Gandavensis (though both of them were dead long before), and got great credit thereby. Bale (who is not usually so civil in his expressions) saith that he did strew branches of palms before Christ's ass,t which, if so, was (I assure you) no bad employment. He flourished anno Domini 1320. WILLIAM NOTTINGHAM was first prebendary, then chapter, of York; bred an Augustinian, and fourteen years the Provincial of his order: resigning which place, he went on some great employment to Rome; and, returning thence by Genoa, fell sick and recovered of the plague, being therein a monument of divine mercy, to prove that disease, though in itself mortal not always mortiferum. Amongst the many books he wrote, his "Concordance on the Evangelists" was most remarkable, which I behold as a leading piece in that kind, though since it hath met with many to follow it; a worthy work, to shew the harmony betwixt those four writers, though it hath met with many to decry the design, being accounted by Some impossible. As if there were contradictions herein past reconciling whose opinion cannot be reconciled with piety; seeing the Four Gospels are indited by one and the same spirit of unity and verity, of truth and concord; whilst, in two sentences really contrary, one must be false of necessity. Others unnecessary. As if it were nothing but the reconciling of those who never fell out; whereas, indeed, there are many seeming oppositions therein, to raise the reputation thereof. "Intellecta ab omnibus sunt, neglecta à plurimis ;" and some necessary difficulty becomes Scripture, to quicken our prayers, pains, and patience to understand it. * In quarto libro suorum Prædicatorum. † Bale de Scriptoribus Britannicis, cent. v. num. 2. Bale giveth him this lukewarm (call it hot, because coming from his mouth) commendation, "Non omninò impius in voluminibus quæ composuit."* He died, and was buried in Leicester, anno Domini 1336. ROBERT WORSOP was born (saith Bale †) in the county, mistaken for the diocese of York, seeing Worsop is notoriously known to be in Nottinghamshire. He was bred an Augustinian in the convent of Tick-hill, not far from Doncaster, where he wrote many books, the one called "The Entrance of Sentences." Bale saith, that at last he was made a bishop, not naming his diocese; and no such prelate appearing in our English catalogue, it rendereth it suspicious, that either he was some Suffragan, or some titulary bishop of Greece. He died, and was buried at Tick-hill, about the year 1360. SINCE THE REFORMATION. Sir JEFFREY FENTON, Knight, born in this county, was for twenty-seven years privy councillor in Ireland to queen Elizabeth and king James. He translated the history of Francis Guicciardini out of Italian into English, and dedicated it to queen Elizabeth. He deceased at Dublin, October 19, 1608; and lieth buried in St Patrick's Church, under the same tomb with his father-in-law Dr. Robert Weston, sometime chancellor of Ireland. JOHN PLOUGH was born in this county,§ a pious and learned minister of the word; who, for his conscience, fled over into Basle in the reign of queen Mary. It happened that a book came over into the hands of the English exiles, written against the marriage of ministers, by one Miles Hoggard, a silly hosier in London, but highly opinioned of his learning. It was debated amongst the English, whether this book should be passed over with neglect, or answered. And here the reader is requested to pardon this digression, as proper enough for my profession. Solomon hath two proverbs, the one immediately succeeding, yet seemingly crossing, the other: "Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him: "_"Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit." Some will have the first precept given to magistrates (who are not to make their authority cheap by engaging against fools), and the latter to belong to all Christians. Others distinguish, that an answer according to his folly may be twofold; by way of complying with it, which may not, and confuting it, which Bale, de Script. Brit. cent. v. num. 44. † Ibid. cent. v. num. 76. J, Waræus, de Scriptoribus Hiberniæ, p. 137. ought to be done. Most make a difference between the railing fool and the reasoning fool; the former to be ordered, as Hezekiah did Rabshakeh, "Answer him not a word."* But, if he be a reasoning fool, who will offer to argue conceited of himself, take him off his speed with a short and seasonable return. Such a fool this Hoggard was adjudged, whom John Plough undertook to answer, and cut his comb so close, that the other appeared no more. He died in the beginning of the reign of queen Elizabeth. WILLIAM BRIGHTMAN was born in Nottingham (where some of his brethren were lately alive); bred fellow of Queen's College, in Cambridge, and afterwards beneficed at Hannes in Bedfordshire. No lover of conformity, yet no hater of conformists, being charitable to such who in judgment dissented from him. His memory is most remarkable for his "Comment on the Revelation," by some Protestants approved, praised, admired; by others slighted, contemned, condemned. Pro.-1. His very name, Brightman, imports something of illumination and clearness therein. 2. He makes many hard. places to be plain, and mysteries to be his histories, by his comment. 3. He foretold many things forty years ago, which we see performed in our days. Con.-1. Names are casual; and even Lucian himself, as bad as he was, had as much of light and lustre in his name. 2. He makes many plain places hard, and histories to be mysteries by his mis-interpretation; expounding the Seven Asian churches, then literally extant, to be Germany, France, England, &c. 3. Shooting so many arrows, no wonder some few if rather by hap than aim, hit the mark. Sure I am that time and Mr. Brightman will expound the hardest places in the Revelation; but what credit is to be given to the latter alone I will not engage. Such who dislike Mr. Brightman's writing, could not but commend his angelical living, who had so much of heaven in his heart. Walking through the vineyard of this world, he plucked and eat a few grapes, but put up none in his vessel, using wealth as if he used it not. His clay-cottage did crack and fall down in the same minute, so sudden was his death: but he who died daily could on no day be said to die suddenly, being always prepared for his dissolution, which happened anno Domini 16.. MEMORABLE PERSONS. ROBERT HOOD was (if not by birth) by his chiefest abode this country-man. Camden calls him prædonem mitissimum,† the gentlest thief that ever was: and know, reader, he is entered * 2 Kings viii. 36. His words are taken out of John Major. See his Britannia, in North Riding in Yorkshire.-F. into our catalogue, not for his thievery, but for his gentleness. Take the character of his (though not good) less bad behaviour from the pen of our poet.* "From wealthy abbots' chests, and churls' abundant store, What oftentimes he took, he shar'd amongst the poor : No lordly bishop came in lusty Robin's way, To him before he went, but for his pass must pay : And remedied the wrongs of many a virgin griev'd." But who made him a judge? or gave him a commission to take where it might best be spared, and give where it was most wanted? His principal residence was in Sherwood Forest in this county, though he had another haunt (he is no fox that hath but one hole) near the sea in the North Riding in Yorkshire, where Robin Hood's Bay still retaineth his name. Not that he was any pirate, but a land thief, who retreated to those unsuspected parts for his security. One may wonder how he escaped the hand of justice, dying in his bed for ought is found to the contrary; but it was because he was rather a merry than a mischievous thief (complimenting passengers out of their purses); never murdering any but deer, and this popular robber feasted the vicinage with his venison. He played his pranks, in the reign of king Richard the First, about the year of our Lord 1100. THOMAS MAGNUS.-He was an exposed child, left by his mother in the parish of Newark. What the poet † saith of the father of Cadmus (commanding his son to find his lost sister Europa, or else never to return) that he was, Facto pius et sceleratus eodem, "Expressing in one act a mind, Which was both cruel and was kind," may be applied to the mother of this and all such foundlings. Now it happened that some Yorkshire clothiers coming in the dark (very early or late) did light on this child, and resolved to pay both for his nursing and education, the charge whereof would not be great, equally divided betwixt them, according to the proverb: Multorum manibus grande levatur onus. "An heavy work is light to do, When many hands are put thereto." First then they took order he should be baptized in Newark, by the name of Thomas (probably the best person in their company); and because all of them had interest alike in him, for his sirname they assigned him Amang-us, which is amongst us, in the Northern pronunciation. They were very careful in his breeding. I confess Aristotle urgeth it as an argument against the breeding of children in • Drayton's Polyolbion, Song xxvi. p. 127. + Ovid, Metamorphoses. |