This was his resolution at the sending this letter to his dear mother; about which time, he was in the seventeenth year of his age; and as he grew older, so he grew in learning, and more and more in favour both with God and man; insomuch, that in this morning of that short day of his life, he seem'd to be mark'd out for virtue, and to become the care of heaven; for God still kept his soul in so holy a frame, that he may and ought to be a pattern of virtue to all posterity, and especially to his brethren of the clergy, of which the reader may expect a more exact account in what will follow.

I need not declare that he was a strict student, because, that he was so, there will be many testimonies in the future part of his life. I shall therefore only tell, that he was made Bachelor of Arts in the year 1611; Major Fellow of the College, March 15, 16152: And that in that year he was also made Master of Arts, he being then in the 22d year of his age; during all which time, all,

* It appears from the Bursar's books of Trinity College, that Mr. Herbert was elected a scholar of the house, May 5, 1609: Minor Fellow, Oct. 3, 1614: and Major Fellow, March 15, 1615. And we learn from the Grace Book of the University of Cambridge, that he was matriculated, Dec. 18, 1609, by the name of Georgius Harbert, the first among the Pensioners of Trinity College; became B. A. in 1612; M. A. in 1616; and on the 21st of October, 1619, was substituted to the office of Orator in the absence of Sir Francis Nethersole, Knight, then abroad on the King's business. VOL. II.

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or the greatest diversion from his study, was the practice of music, in which he became a great master; and of which he would say, "That it did " relieve his drooping spirits, compose his dis"tracted thoughts, and raised his weary soul so " far above the earth, that it gave him an earnest " of the joys of heaven before he possest them." And it may be noted, that from his first entrance into the College, the generous Dr. Nevil was a cherisher of his studies, and such a lover of his person, his behaviour, and the excellent endowments of his mind, that he took him often into his own company, by which he confirmed his native gentleness; and, if during this time he expressed any error, it was that he kept himself too much retired, and at too great a distance with all his inferiors; and his clothes seemed to prove, that he put too great a value on his parts and parentage*.

This may be some account of his disposition and of the employment of his time, till he was

• This is a true picture of a young academician, whom vanity incites to affix too great a value on the splendour of birth, and the frivolous distinctions of hereditary rank. At this time Mr. Herbert's pecuniary resources were not very plentiful. In a letter dated March 18, 1617, he writes; "I protest and vow I " even study thrift, and yet I am scarce able, with much ado, to " make one half year's allowance shake the hands with the other."

He seems to have been prodigiously fond of fine clothes; for his biographer tells us afterward, that "he enjoyed his gentile " humour for fine clothes and court-like company." And it appears that he did not change "his sword and silk clothes into a #canonical Master of Arts, which was anno 1615; and in the year 1619 he was chosen Orator for the University. His two precedent Orators, were Sir Robert Nanton and Sir Francis Nether

"canonical coat," till four years after he was Prebendary of Lincoln. If his taste in this respect had been doubted, he might have answered as Autolicus did to the simple shepherd....... "Shep. Are you a Courtier, an like you, Sir?

"Aut. Whether it like me, or no, I am a courtier. Seest thou " not the air of a court in these enfoldings? hath not my gaite " in it the measure of the Court?" Shakespear's Winter's Tale, Act IV. Scene XI.

Of the Office of Orator, which still continues the most honourable academical employment, Mr. Herbert has given the best description in a letter to a friend. "The Orator's place, " that you may understand what it is, is the finest place in the "University, though not the gainfullest, yet that will be about " 30l. per annum: But the commodiousness is beyond the re" venue, for the Orator writes all the University letters, makes "all the orations, be it to the King, Prince, or whatever comes to "the University. To requite these pains, he takes place next the "Doctors, is at all their assemblies and meetings, and sits above "the Proctors; is Regent or Non-regent at his pleasure, and " such like gaynesses which will please a young man well."

< " Robertus Naunton, Discipulus, Maii 2, 1582. Soc. Minor, "Oct. 2, 1585. Soc. Major, Mar. 15, 1586." (Bursar's Books at Trin. Coll.) Sir Robert Naunton, a native of Suffolk, was descended from a very ancient family in that county. He was transplanted from Trinity College to Trinity Hall, where he was chosen Fellow. He was the author of "Fragmenta Regalia, or "Observations on the late Queen Elizabeth, her Times and "Favourites," a tract usually printed along with "Arcana "Aulica; or Walsingham's Manual of Prudential Maxims

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soled: The first was not long after made Secretary of State; and Sir Francis not very long after his being Orator, was made Secretary to the Lady Elizabeth Queen of Bohemia. In this place of Orator, our George Herbert continued eight years, and managed it with as becoming and grave a gaiety as any had ever before or since his time. For " he had acquired great learning, and was blest " with a high fancy, a civil and sharp wit, and with

for the Statesman and Courtier;" the one being a compendium of politics for the ordering of a court life, the other a judicious collection of great examples that have acted in conformity to those precepts, and made themselves famous to posterity in their respective stations. He improved the opportunity of recommending himself to James I. at Hinching-brook, where the University met his Majesty on his first arrival from Scotland. The king was so well pleased with his eloquence and learning, that he first appointed him Secretary of State, and then Master of the Wards. Mr. Howell, in one of his letters, relates of him, that while he attended on the Earl of Rutland, as Ambassador to Denmark, he was appointed to deliver a Latin oration before the King. At the beginning of his speech, when he had pronounced Serenissime Rer, he was dashed out of countenance, and so gravelled, that he could go no farther.

Franciscus Nethersole, Discipulus, Ap. 12, 1605. Soc. Minor, Sep. 18, 1608. Soc. Major, Mar. 23, 1609. (Bursar's Books of Trinity College.) This gentleman, born at Nethersole, in the county of Kent, was preferred to be Ambassador to the Princes of the Union, and Secretary to the Lady Elizabeth, Queen of Bohemia. It is hard to say, whether he was more remarkable for his doings or sufferings on her behalf. He married Lucy, eldest daughter of Sir Henry Goodyear, of Polesworth in Warwickshire,

*a natural elegance, both in his behaviour,

"his tongue, and his pen.” Of all which, there might be very many particular evidences, but I will limit myself to the mention of but

three.

And the first notable occasion of shewing his fitness for this employment of Orator was manifested in a letter to King James upon the occasion of his sending that University his book, called

Warwickshire, by whose encouragement, being free of himself to any good design, he founded and endowed a very fair school at Polesworth aforesaid.

(Sir William Dugdale's Hist. of Warwickshire.)

James I. paid a visit to the University of Cambridge, in March 1614-15. When "Hee passed into Trinity College, " where all the house ranked on each side the entrance, he was " presented with a short oration by the Orator of the University, " Mr. Francis Nethersole, Fellow of the said College, kneeling "all the while on his knees, the which his Majesty graciously "accepted." (From a MS. in the possession of Mr. Todd, author of "The Lives of the Deans of Canterbury.") He was blamed at the time of the royal visit, " for calling the Prince Jacobissime "Carole; and some will add that he called him Jacobale too, "which neither pleased the King, nor any body else." To this circumstance is an allusion in a song written at that time.

"Most Jacob Charles," did Cambridge cry, " you welcome are to us." "An Oxford boy," &c.

Yet, notwithstanding this censure, the classical reader will be much pleased with the perusal of a funeral oration, spoken by Sir Francis Nethersole before the Vice Chancellor and the University, to the memory of Henry Prince of Wales. It is inserted in Bates's "Vitæ selectorum aliquet Virorum."