Characters from the Histories & Memoirs of the Seventeenth Century
History
Characters from the Histories & Memoirs of the Seventeenth Century
Great Britain -- Biography; Great Britain -- History -- Stuarts, 1603-1714
He was of a middle stature, of a slender and exactly well-proportion'd
shape in all parts, his complexion fair, his hayre of a light browne,
very thick sett in his youth, softer then the finest silke, curling
into loose greate rings att the ends, his eies of a lively grey,
well-shaped and full of life and vigour, graced with many becoming
motions, his visage thinne, his mouth well made, and his lipps very
ruddy and gracefull, allthough the nether chap shut over the upper,
yett it was in such a manner as was not unbecoming, his teeth were
even and white as the purest ivory, his chin was something long, and
the mold of his face, his forehead was not very high, his nose was
rays'd and sharpe, but withall he had a most amiable countenance,
which carried in it something of magnanimity and majesty mixt with
sweetnesse, that at the same time bespoke love and awe in all that
saw him; his skin was smooth and white, his legs and feete excellently
well made, he was quick in his pace and turnes, nimble and active and
gracefull in all his motions, he was apt for any bodily exercise, and
any that he did became him, he could dance admirably well, but neither
in youth nor riper yeares made any practise of it, he had skill in
fencing such as became a gentleman, he had a greate love of musick,
and often diverted himselfe with a violl, on which he play'd
masterly, he had an exact eare and judgement in other musick, he shott
excellently in bowes and gunns, and much us'd them for his exercise,
he had greate judgment in paintings, graving, sculpture, and all
liberal arts, and had many curiosities of vallue in all kinds, he took
greate delight in perspective glasses, and for his other rarities was
not so much affected with the antiquity as the merit of the worke--he
took much pleasure in emproovement of grounds, in planting groves and
walkes, and fruite-trees, in opening springs and making fish-ponds;
of country recreations he lov'd none but hawking, and in that was very
eager and much delighted for the time he us'd it, but soone left it
off; he was wonderful neate, cleanly and gentile in his habitt, and
had a very good fancy in it, but he left off very early the wearing
of aniething that was costly, yett in his plainest negligent habitt
appear'd very much a gentleman; he had more addresse than force of
body, yet the courage of his soule so supplied his members that
he never wanted strength when he found occasion to employ it; his
conversation was very pleasant for he was naturally chearful, had
a ready witt and apprehension; he was eager in every thing he did,
earnest in dispute, but withall very rationall, so that he was seldome
overcome, every thing that it was necessary for him to doe he did with
delight, free and unconstrein'd, he hated cerimonious complement, but
yett had a naturall civillity and complaisance to all people, he was
of a tender constitution, but through the vivacity of his spiritt
could undergo labours, watchings and journeyes, as well as any of
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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