THE LIFE OF SIR HENRY WOTTON. SIR IR HENRY WOTTON (whofe life I now intend to write) was born in the year of our Redemption, 1568, in Bocton-Hall (commonly called Bocton, or Bougton-Place, or Palace) in the parish of Bocton Malherbe, in the fruitful country of Kent: Bocton-hall being an ancient and goodly ftructure, beautifying, and being beautified by the parish-church of Bocton Malherbe adjoining unto it, and both seated within a fair park of the Wottons, on the brow of such a hill as gives the advantage of a large prospect, and of equal pleasure to all beholders. But this house and church are not remarkable for any thing fo much as for that the memorable family of the Wottons have so long inhabited the one, and now lie buried in the other, as appears by their many monuments in that church; the Wottons being a family that hath brought forth divers perfons eminent for wifdom and valour, whofe heroic acts and noble employments, both in England and in foreign parts, have adorned themselves and this nation, which they have served abroad faithfully in the discharge of their great truft, and prudently in their negociations with several princes; and also served at home with much honour and juftice, in their wife managing a great part of the public affairs thereof in the various times. both of war and peace. But Bocton Malherbe, alias Boughton Malherbe, lies in the middle of the county of Kent. Sir Nicholas Wotton, Lord Mayor of London in 1416 and 1431, obtained the poffeffion of this place by marrying the only daughter of Richard Corby. It continued in the ancient family of the Wottons, until it came to Thomas Lord Wotton, whofe eldest daughter the Lady Katharine Stanhope, by marrying Henry Lord Stanhope, fon of Philip Earl of Chesterfield, transferred it into another family. (Harris's Hift. of Kent.) Of these monuments fee "Hafted's History of Kent," vol. II. p. 437;-"Harris's History of Kent," p. 48. But left I should be thought by any that may incline either to deny or doubt this truth, not to have observed moderation in the commendation of this family; and also for that I believe the merits and memory of fuch perfons ought to be thankfully recorded, I shall offer to the confideration of every reader, out of the teftimony of their pedigree and our chronicles, a part, and but a part, of that juft commendation which might be from thence enlarged, and shall then leave the indifferent reader to judge whether my error be an excefs or defect of commendations. Sir Robert Wotton of Bocton Malherbe, Knight, was born about the year of Christ, 1460: He, living in the reign of King Edward IV. was by him trusted to be Lieutenant of Guifnes, to be Knight Porter, and Comptroller of Calais, where he died, and lies honourably buried. Sir Edward Wotton of Bocton Malherbe, Knight (fon and heir of the faid Sir Robert) was born in the year of Chrift, 1489, in the reign of King Henry VII.; he was made Treasurer of Calais, and of the Privy Council to King Henry VIII. who offered him to be Lord Chancellor of England; "But," faith Hollinfhed, in his Chronicle," out of a virtuous modefty he "refused it." Thomas Wotton of Bocton Malherbe, Efquire, fon and heir of the faid Sir Edward, and the father of our Sir Henry that occafions this relation, was born in the year of Chrift, 1521: He was a gentleman excellently educated, and ftudious in all the liberal arts; in the knowledge whereof he attained unto a great perfection; who, though he had (befides those abilities, a very noble and plentiful eftate and the ancient intereft of his predeceffors) many invitations from Queen Elizabeth to change his country recreations and retirement for a court, offering him a knighthood (fhe was then with him at his Bocton-hall), and that to be but as an earnest of some more honourable and more profitable employment under her; yet he humbly refused both, being a man of great modefty, of a most plain and fingle heart, of an ancient freedom and integrity of mind. A commendation which Hollingfhed informs us that the family of the Wottons was very ancient, and that "Some perfons of that furname for their fingularities of wit and learning, for their honour "and government in and of the realm, about the prince and elfewhere, at home and abroad, "deferve fuch commendations, that they merit nives fignari lapillo." (Chron. Vol. 1. p. 1402.) which Sir Henry Wotton took occafion often to remember with great gladnefs, and thankfully to boaft himself the fon of fuch a father; from whom indeed he derived that noble ingenuity that was always practised by himfelf, and which he ever both commended and cherished in others. This Thomas was also remarkable for hospitality, a great lover and much beloved of his country; to which may juftly be added, that he was a cherisher of learning, as appears by that excellent antiquary, Mr. William Lambert', in his Perambulation of Kent. This Thomas had four fons, Sir Edward, Sir James, Sir John, and Sir Edward was knighted by Queen Elizabeth, and made Comptroller of d William Lambard of Lincoln's Inn, gent. a pupil of Lawrence Nowell the learned Antiquary, and known to the country magiftrate as the author of "Eirenarcha, or of the Office "of the Justices of Peace, 1599," and of the "Duties of Conftables, Borfholders, Tithing"Men, and fuch other Lowe and Lay Minifters of the Peace, 1601." His "Perambulation "of Kent," much applauded by Camden, encouraged many more men of learning to endeavour the like fervices for their country. His chief work is "The Archaionomia five de prifcis Anglorum Legibus, 1568," being a tranflation of the Anglo-Saxon Laws. * Sir Henry Wotton, in a letter to Lord Zouch, dated Florence, Aug. 14, 1592, mentions his brother Edward, as having loft his wife, a gentlewoman, in his opinion, of most rare virtue; his brother James as gone to serve in the Low Countries; and his brother John as retired to a folitary life, and at fome difference with his lady. "My brother Edward hath, either against his will, as fome fay, or with it, as I fay, been knighted." (Letter to Lord Zouch, dated Sienna, Dec. 13, 1592.)—Sir Edward Wotton was, in 1585, fent Ambassador into Scotland, for the purpose of contracting a league offensive and defensive with the king, to counteract the holy league, which the Pope, the Spanish King, the Guifes, and others had made to extirpate the reformed religion. (Spotfwood's Hift. p. 339.)—— Ed Sir Henry Wotton's character, while he was engaged in that embaffy, is thus drawn by Dr. Robertfon. "This man was gay, well-bred, and entertaining; he excelled in all the "exercises for which James had a passion, and amused the young king by relating the adven"tures which he had met with, and the obfervations he had made during a long refidence in "foreign countries, but under the veil of these fuperficial qualities, he concealed a dangerous " and intriguing spirit. He foon grew into high favour with James, and while he was feem"ingly attentive only to pleasure and diverfions, he acquired influence over the public coun"cils, to a degree which was indecent for a ftranger to poffefs." (Hiftory of Scotland, B. VII.) of her Majefty's Household. "He was," faith Camden, "A man re"markable for many and great employments in the ftate during her reign, "and fent feveral times Ambassador into foreign nations. After her death, he was by King James made Comptroller of his Household, and called to "be of his Privy Council, and by him advanced to be Lord Wotton, Baron "of Merley in Kent, and made Lord Lieutenant of that county." Sir James, the fecond fon, may be numbered among the martial men of his age, who was in the thirty-eight of Queen Elizabeth's reign (with Robert Earl of Suffex, Count Lodowick of Naffau, Don Chriftophoro, fon of Antonio King of Portugal, and divers other gentlemen of nobleness and valour,) knighted in the field near Cadiz in Spain, after they had gotten great honour and riches, befides a notable retaliation of injuries by taking that town. Sir John being a gentleman excellently accomplished, both by learning and travel, was knighted by Queen Elizabeth, and by her looked upon with more than ordinary favour, and with intentions of preferment; but death in his younger years put a period to his growing hopes. Of Sir Henry, my following discourse shall give an account. The defcent of thefe fore-named Wottons were all in a direct line, and most of them and their actions in the memory of those with whom we have converfed: But if I had looked fo far back as to Sir Nicholas Wotton (who lived in the reign of King Richard II.) or before him, upon divers others of great note in their feveral ages, I might by fome be thought tedious; and yet others may more juftly think me negligent, if I omit to mention Nicholas Wotton, the fourth fon of Sir Robert, whom I first named. This Nicholas Wotton was Doctor of Law, and fometime Dean both of York and Canterbury; a man whom God did not only bless with a long life, 8 He was installed Dean of York, Dec. 4, 1544, as in 1542 he was conftituted the first Dean of Canterbury by the Charter of Incorporation. He held both thefe preferments to the time of his death, Jan. 26, 1566-7.-What Sir Henry Wotton faid of Sir Philip Sidney, has been applied to Nicholas Wotton. "That he was the very measure of congruity." Henry VIII. thus addreffed him on his appointment to a foreign embaffy; "I have sent a head by "Cromwell, |