and lineage. He left three sons, viz: Thomas, Edward, of Temple Dinesley, (from whom the families of Sadler of Sopwell, Wiltshire, and Sopwell in Ireland, are descended,) and Henry of Everly, near Hungerford, in Wiltshire; and four daughters, namely, Anne, married to Sir George Horsey of Digwell; Mary, married to Thomas Bollys, aliter Bowles, of Wallington; Jane, married to Edward Baesh of Stansted, Esq.; and Dorothy, who married Edward Elrington of Borstall, county of Berks.

Besides his legitimate family, Sir Ralph Sadler appears to have left a natural son, who shared in his care and affection. This was Richard Sadler, author of a manuscript treatise on the subject of horsemanship, presented by him as a new-year's gift to his father, Sir Ralph, with an acknowledgment of filial obligation, not only for his existence, but for the means of pursuing his studies at great expense at Paris, Strasburgh, and Pavia. He afterwards says, he derived the knowledge which he had of that noble animal, the horse, from the instructions of his father, and his early initiation under him in all equestrian exercises. It is not known what figure this favourite youth made in the world, but his tomb, in the churchyard of Standon, at the

east end of the Chancel, bears a brass plate with the following brief inscription:

Here lies inter'd under this stone,

Richard Sadler, once of this parish one.

The "inhabitant below" had left to the poor of the parish of Standon, a rent-charge of five pounds yearly, subject to the expense of keeping this tomb in repair, and out of this fund the plate has been replaced by the minister and church-warden.*

The extent of Sir Ralph Sadler's lands obtained him the character of the richest commoner of England, and, although Queen Elizabeth was as parsimonious in bestowing titles of nobility, as her successor was profuse, it is probable that Sir Ralph Sadler might have gained that rank, had he been desirous of aspiring to it. But from various minute circumstances in his Correspondence, as well

I owe these particulars to the kindness of Mr Clutterbuck of Watford, the Historian of Hertfordshire, to whom Mr Fenton, author of the History of Pembroke, communicated the Treatise on Horsemanship by Richard Sadler. I am thus enabled, by Mr Clutterbuck's liberality, to throw some light on the history of one of Sir Ralph Sadler's descendants unknown to his former biographers. Mr Clutterbuck thinks, with much probability, the jealousy of Sir Ralph's legitimate family occasioned this favourite child of love to be buried in an obscure corner of the churchyard, and apart from the stately mausoleum of his fathers.

as from the uniform favour which he enjoyed during so many reigns, we are enabled to collect, that the prudence of this statesman was greater than his ambition. In his negotiations, nothing is more remarkable than the accuracy with which he calculates the means to be used, in relation to the end to be obtained; and in pursuit of his fortune he seems no less heedfully to have proportioned his object to his capacity of gaining it with honour and safety. The story of the manor-house at Standon, shows that his moderation accompanied him to the grave; as his high employments during the very year of his death, prove that his talents remained unclouded to the last. The State Papers which have been preserved, relating almost entirely to public transactions, do not enable us to draw an accurate picture of the individual, although they display in the highest degree the talents of the statesman. But this deficiency is in some measure supplied by the industry of Lloyd, who has left the following character of Sir Ralph Sadler among his State Worthies.

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King Henry understood two things: 1. A man 2. A dish of meat; and was seldom deceived in either: For a man, none more complete than Sir Ralph [Sadler], who was at once a most exquisite writer, and a most valiant and experien

ced soldier; qualifications that seldom meet, (so great is the distance between the sword and the pen, the coat of mail and the gown,) yet divided this man and his time; his night being devoted to contemplation, and his days to action. Little was his body, but great his soul; the more vigorous, the more contracted. Quick and clear were his thoughts, speedy and resolute his performances. It was he that could not endure the spending of that time in designing one action, which might perform two; or that delay in performing two, that might have designed twenty. A great estate he got honestly, and spent nobly; knowing that princes honour them most, that have most; and the people them only that employ most: A prince hath more reason to fear money that is spent, than that which is hoarded; for it is easier for subjects to oppose a prince by applause than by armies. Reward (said Sir Ralph when he was offered a sum of money) should not empty the king's coffers; neither should riches be the pay of worth, which are merely the wages of labour: He that gives it, embaseth a man; he that takes it vilifieth himself: who is so most rewarded is least. Since honour hath lost the value of a reward, men have lost the merit of virtue, and both become mercenary; men

lusting rather after the wealth that buyeth, than after the qualities that deserve it.

"Two things, he observed, broke treaties; jealousy, when princes are successful; and fear, when they are unfortunate. Power, that hath need of none, makes all confederacies, either when it is felt, or when it is feared, or when it is envied.

"Three things Cato repented of; 1. That he went by water when he might go by land; 2. That he trusted a woman with a secret; 3. That he lost time. Two things Sir Ralph repented for: 1. That he had communicated a secret to two; 2. That he had lost any hour of the morning between four a clock and ten.

"He learned in King Henry the Eighth's time, as Cromwell's instrument, what he must advise (in point of religion) in Queen Elizabeth's time, as an eminent counsellour: His maxim being this, that zeal was the duty of a private breast, and moderation the interest of a publick state. The Protestants, Sir Ralph's conscience would have in the commencement of Queen Elizabeth, kept in hope; the Papists, his prudence would not have cast into despair. It was a maxim at that time in another case, that France should not presume, nor Spain be desperate.