The Lives of the Poets of Great Britain and Ireland (1753) Volume II.Cibber, Theophilus
History
The Lives of the Poets of Great Britain and Ireland (1753) Volume II.
Cibber, Theophilus
Poets, English -- Biography -- Early works to 1800; Poets, Irish -- Biography -- Early works to 1800
In the course of this civil war, we find the earl of Newcastle very
successful in his master's service; he more than once defeated Sir
Thomas Fairfax the general of the Parliament, and won several
important forts and battles; for which his Majesty in gratitude for
his services, by letters patent, dated the 27th of Oct. 1643, advanced
him to the dignity of marquiss of Newcastle; and in the preamble of
his patent, all his services (says Dugdale) are mentioned with
suitable encomiums.
In the year 1644, after Prince Rupert had been successful in raising
the siege of York, and flushed with the prosperity of his arms,
against the consent of the marquis, he risked the battle of Marston
Moor, in which the marquis's infantry were cut to pieces. Seeing the
King's affairs in these counties totally undone, he made the best of
his way to Scarborough, and from thence with a few of the principal
officers of his army took shipping for Hamburgh, and left his estates,
which were valued at upwards of twenty thousand pounds per ann. to be
plundered by the Parliament's forces. After staying six months at
Hamburgh, he went by sea to Amsterdam, and from thence made a journey
to Paris, where he continued for some time, and where, notwithstanding
the vast estate he had when the civil war broke out, his circumstances
were now so bad, that himself and his young wife, were reduced to pawn
their cloaths for sustenance[6]. He removed afterwards to Antwerp,
that he might be nearer his own country; and there, tho' under very
great difficulties, he resided for several years, while the Parliament
in the mean time levied vast sums upon his estate, insomuch that the
computation of what he lost by the disorders of those times, tho' none
of the particulars can be disproved, amount to an incredible sum; but
notwithstanding all these severities of fortune, he never lost his
spirit, and was often heard to say, that if he was not much mistaken,
the clouds of adversity which then hung over his country, would be
dispersed at last by the King's restoration; that rebellion would
entangle itself in its own toils, and after an interval of havock and
confusion, order would return once more by the restoration of an
exiled Prince. Notwithstanding the hardships of an eighteen years
banishment, in which he experienced variety of wretchedness, he
retained his vigour to the last. He was honoured by persons of the
highest distinction abroad, and Don John of Austria and several
princes of Germany visited him[7]. But what comforted him most, was
the company frequently of his young King, who in the midst of his
sufferings bestowed upon him the most noble Order of the Garter. The
gloomy period at last came to an end, and the marquis returned to his
country with his sovereign; and by letters patent dated the 16th of
March 1664, he was advanced to the dignity of earl of Ogle, and duke
of Newcastle. He spent the evening of his days in a country
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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