Diary of John Manningham Part 42

A covetous fellowe had hangd himselfe, and was angry with him that cutt the rope to save his life. A covetous man rather will loose his lyfe then his goods.

One when the house was on fyre, and himselfe ready to be burnt, fell a seeking for his girdle, amidst the fyre.

h.o.m.o impius quid aliud quam immortale pecus. (_Ludovicus Vives._)

Felices essent artes, si nulli de eis judicarent nisi artifices. (_Mr.

Maynard._)

He thinks the statut of wills will be as greate a nurse of controversies as the statut of tayles and uses in common. The eggs are layd, and are nowe in hatching. (_Idem._)

[Sidenote: fo. 119.

1 Aprill.]

Wee are purged from our corruption, _non per gratiam naturae, sed per naturam gratiae_. (_Dr. Dod._)

Wee wors.h.i.+pt noe Saints, but wee prayd to Ladyes, in the Queenes tyme.

(_Mr. Curle._) This superst.i.tion shall be abolished we hope in our Kings raigne.

One reading Horace happened upon that verse:

_Virtus est vitium fugere, et sapientia prima Stult.i.tia caruisse._[177]

[Footnote 177: Epist. lib. i. 41.]

"Here is strange matter," said he, "_Virtus est vitium_." "Read on,"

said another. "Nay first lett us examine this;" and would not goe a word further. "Nay," said the other, "yf you gather such notes, I will find another as strange as that in the same verse, '_Et sapientia prima stult.i.tia_.'" (_T. Cranmer._)

_Natura brevium._ (_Fitch._) The nature of pigmies (said _B. Rudyerd_).

[Sidenote: 3.]

DR. SPENSER upon the 1 Mark, v. 29 to the 36.

Christs Sabboths dayes work, to cure the diseased; a miracle, a work of his mercy, that he would of his power that he could.

A man must take the tyme that Christ offereth himselfe: yf he was with Simon and Andrew at night, he parted into the wildernes in the morning.

The feuer left hir, and shee ministred, v. 31, hence he collected the conveniency of church-going for women to give publique thanks for safe deliverance.

[Sidenote: fo. 119^b.

3 Aprill, 1603.]

In the afternoone CLAPHAM. He prayed for the King and his sonne Henry Frederick and Frederick Henry; prayed for a further reformacion in our Churche.

Note: the 7 moneth amongst the Jewes, according to their civil computacion, was but the first in their ecclesiasticall.

Close fisted, that will give nothing to the ministers and musty doctors that lett learning mould and rust in them for want of use.

[Sidenote: 4.]

Gluttony and lechery dwell togither, _Venter et genitalia sunt membra vicina_. (_Mr. Key._) As they are placed in that prayer, Ecclesiasticus xxiii. _v._ 6. "Lett not the gredines of the belly, nor the l.u.s.t of the flesh, hold me." A great spender in leachery must be a great ravenor in glutony, to repayre what he looseth.

Dr. Parry told me the Countess Kildare a.s.sured him that the Queene caused the ring wherewith shee was wedded to the crowne, to be cutt from hir finger some 6 weekes before hir death, but wore a ring which the Earl of Ess.e.x gave hir unto the day of hir death.

[Sidenote: fo. 120.

5 Aprill.]

I heard that Sir Robert Carewe lay in the Kinges chamber the first night he brought the newes of hir Majesties death, and there related the whole discourse; whereupon he was made one of his chamber, a place of confidence and means to preferment.[178]

[Footnote 178: The curious admixture of fact and fiction in our Diarist's memoranda relating to Sir Robert Cary will be observed by every one who turns to his Memoirs before referred to. The princ.i.p.al fact in this entry is that James was foolish enough to reward the bringer of good tidings with an appointment as gentleman of his bed-chamber. The thing was so silly, and so much in the nature of an affront to the English Council, that the over-delighted monarch was obliged to withdraw the appointment, much to Cary's annoyance.

(Cary's Memoirs, ed. 1808, p. 132.)]

It is certaine the Queene was not embowelled, but wrapt up in cere cloth, and that verry il to, through the covetousnes of them that defrauded hir of the allowance of cloth was given them for that purpose.

[Sidenote: 6 April.]

There was a proclamacion published in the Kinges name conteining his thankefullnes to the people for continuance in their duty, in acknowledging him and receiving him as their rightfull successor, and a restraint of concurse unto him, especially such as were in office and had great place in their countryes, with a clause for continuing officers of justice in their place.[179]

[Footnote 179: One of the reasons alleged in this proclamation for restraining that "earnest and longing desire in all his majesties subiects to enioy the sight of his royall person and presence" which had induced "very many of good degree and quality to hasten and take their iourneys unto his highnesse," was that the country whither such "over-much resort and concourse" was made, being "over-charged with mult.i.tude, scarcity and dearth was like ynough to proceed."

(Book of Procs. fol. 1609, p. 5.) His Majesty left Edinburgh on the 5th April, the day on which this proclamation was published at Whitehall, and entered Berwick the day following.]

[Sidenote: 4 Aprill.]

A letter gratulatory to the Lord Maior, Aldermen, and Citizens, was read in their court, which letter came from his Majestie, dated at Halliroode House, 28 Martij, 1603; it conteined a promise of his favour, with an admonission to continue their course of government for matters of justice.[180]

[Footnote 180: See it printed in Stowe's Annales, ed. Howes, p.

818.]