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, more corpulent through his cloathes then
in his body, yet fat enough, his cloathes ever being made large and
easie, the Doublets quilted for steletto proofe, his Breeches in great
pleites and full stuffed: Hee was naturally of a timorous disposition,
which was the reason of his quilted Doublets: His eyes large, ever
rowling after any stranger came in his presence, insomuch, as many
for shame have left the roome, as being out of countenance: His Beard
was very thin: His Tongue too large for his mouth, which ever made
him speak full in the mouth, and made him drink very uncomely, as if
eating his drink, which came out into the cup of each side of his
mouth: His skin was as soft as Taffeta Sarsnet, which felt so, because
hee never washt his hands, onely rubb'd his fingers ends slightly with
the wet end of a Naptkin: His Legs were very weake, having had (as was
thought) some foul play in his youth, or rather before he was born,
that he was not able to stand at seven years of age, that weaknesse
made him ever leaning on other mens shoulders, his walke was ever
circular ... He was very temperate in his exercises, and in his dyet,
and not intemperate in his drinking; however in his old age, and
_Buckinghams_ joviall Suppers, when he had any turne to doe with
him, made him sometimes overtaken, which he would the very next day
remember, and repent with teares; it is true, he dranke very often,
which was rather out of a custom then any delight, and his drinks were
of that kind for strength, as Frontiniack, Canary, High Country wine,
Tent Wine, and Scottish Ale, that had he not had a very strong brain,
might have daily been overtaken, although he seldom drank at any
one time above four spoonfulls, many times not above one or two; He
was very constant in all things, his Favourites excepted, in which
he loved change, yet never cast down any (he once raised) from
the height of greatnesse, though from their wonted nearnesse, and
privacy; unlesse by their own default, by opposing his change, as in
_Somersets_ case: yet had he not been in that foul poysoning busines,
and so cast down himself, I do verily beleeve not him neither; for al
his other Favorites he left great in Honour, great in Fortune; and did
much love _Mountgomery_, and trusted him more at the very last gaspe,
then at the first minute of his Favoriteship: In his Dyet, Apparrell,
and Journeys, he was very constant; in his Apparrell so constant, as
by his good wil he would never change his cloathes untill worn out to
very ragges: His Fashion never: Insomuch as one bringing to him a Hat
of a _Spanish_ Block, he cast it from him, swearing he neither loved
them nor their fashions. Another time, bringing him Roses on his
Shooes, he asked, if they would make him a ruffe-footed-Dove? one yard
of six penny Ribbond served that turne: His Dyet and Journies were
so constant, that the best observing Courtier of our time was wont
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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