From Germany he bent his course to Italy. He came to Venice, and presented himself to sir Dudley Carleton', then ambassador there, to whom (being thereto encouraged) he often repaired.

13. Having spent some time in Italy at Venice, Padua, &c., resolves to see Rome; and what was to be seen in those ten days he stayed there, he omitted not. From thence to Marseilles in France,and by sea to Spain,―to Madrid, Sebastian, and so to England,-landed at Dover,-fell upon his face, kissed the ground, and gave God thanks for bringing him safe from manifold perils,-came by post to London to his father and mother, whom he parted with five years ago; his father then aged 72 years, his mother 62 years3.

14. Anno 1619. Now after some small time after his return, having given satisfaction to all friends concerning his travels, he was in some thought to settle himself again at Cambridge, he holding there the place of physician: but his parents, now growing old, would upon no terms let him live from them. And then found his brother John

1 Ambassador from Nov. 1610 to the end of 1615. See Lord Hardwicke's preface to Carleton's Despatches. "We had here... two gentlemen, whereof one is a Scottishman, and a pensioner, who were of the lady Elizabeth's train." Sir Dudley Carleton to John Chamberlain. Venice, July 9, 1613, in Birch's Court of James I. i. 255. Ferrar however cannot have been at Venice so early as this.

2 On the portraits painted by Cornelius Janssen in 1617 their ages are given as 71 and 62 years respectively.

"

2

2

Ferrar' in the great employments in the Virginia plantations and company, one of the king's counsel for those affairs, and soon after chosen deputy of the company, sir Edwin Sandys that most learned knight and wise patriot chosen governor. Very great was the reputation of the plantation and company, by the most wise, prudent, and industrious management of it by that most eminent man, intended to be chosen again for that year next ensuing. A bedchamber man and another courtier declared unto the court, that the king's pleasure was not to have sir Edwin Sandys chosen a second year to govern the company. The earl of Southampton3 was chosen governor and John Ferrar deputy. And thus began the year 1620.

1 "The Garland of two hundred and fiftie Tun, sent in June, 1619, for M. John Ferrars Plantation, with fortie fiue persons, who are yet detained in the Summer Ilands."Purchas, iv. 1776.

2 The pupil of Hooker, "treasurer to the undertakers for the western plantations, which he effectually advanced."Wood's Athena, ii. 473. He succeeded sir Thomas Smith in the office of treasurer [A. D. 1619], and John Ferrar succeeded Ald. Johnson in that of deputy (Anderson's Colonial Church, i. 313, Bancroft's Hist. of the Un. States, ch. 4, Purchas, iv. 1775, Birch's Court of James I. ii. 161).

3 Henry Wriothesley, third earl, the patron of Shakespeare, elected 1620. (Birch's Court of James I. ii. 206). He was educated in St. John's Coll. Cambridge.

4 There were only three dissentient voices out of near five hundred, (Peckard, 102). See Anderson, 327, n. 40. "To sir Edwin Sands in the Treasurership succeeded the right

15. Mr. Briggs, that famous, industrious, learned mathematician, that was reader at Gresham college', and after chosen to be professor at Oxford, would solemnly affirm (he being one of the Virginia company, and a great lover of Nicholas Ferrar) that in that art and science he far passed him. When he was to leave the place and go to Oxford, he went to the mercers' company, who have the giving of that place, that they should by all means go to Mr. N. Ferrar, and entreat him to accept of the place: for he was like, if he set to it, to be the ablest man in the world. He thought so of him, and would for ever honour the city that he was born in. The masters and wardens of that company of mercers came to persuade him to accept of it, neither could it hinder him much in his other designs, for it was but in term time. He most humbly thanked them, but said his good friend Mr. Briggs was much mistaken in him, his affection and goodness

Honorable Henry Earle of Southampton, whose industry together with that of those two brethren John and Nicolas Farrars the successive deputies have giuen much content to many, but to diuers others matter of complaint; wherein I am an unfit Judge."-Purchas, iv. 1779.

1 See Biogr. Brit., Ward's Gresham Professors, Wood's Athenæ, ii. 491. He resigned his Gresham professorship July 25, 1620. In 1622 he published a 4to tract on The Northwest Passage to the South Sea, through the continent of Virginia and Hudson's Bay.

2 The mercers (says Ward in Peckard, 93, n.) appoint to the chairs of law, physic and rhetoric; the city to those of divinity, astronomy, geometry and music.

towards him had misled his judgement:-he best knew his own infirmities, prayed them to pitch upon some worthy man, whereof Mr. Briggs knew many, but for himself he must not undertake that, which he was but a novice in at best.

16. The sixth stage of his life after his father's death (1620)', and his abode there at London with his mother unto 1624, that he went to Gidding, his ordering his father's estate, continuation in the Virginia business, chosen deputy to the company under the earl of Southampton's time of government, chosen parliament man 1624, helps his brother John in his private estate.

17. Now his father being dead, and he his sole executor, and with all care, love, and fidelity ordering and managing it, and being a continual exceeding stay and comfort to his dear mother,—she not permitting him to be absent from her, but to reside with her in her house, many daily occurrents happened, wherein he shewed his great wisdom and dexterity. His father left him an estate.

18. Now I shall relate briefly, that in the year 1624 he was chosen a parliament man, so great was his reputation and worth. An intention there was that there should be a complaint made to the parliament of those several persons that had abused the king's ears, and so highly wronged the company,

1 See Appendix.

2 "Then follows a long and large account of the Virginia affair &c." BAKER.

whereof as one of the actors and principal contrivers was the lord treasurer Cranfield, earl of Middlesex. The parliament sat, and Nicholas Ferrar being in many things made of the committee, often was chosen by the committee to make report of such things to the house'. All which he performed so well and pleasingly, that there was great notice taken of him, and in that parliament besides sir Edwin Sandys, there were above one hundred parliament men, that were of the Virginia company, and all these did to their fellow parliament men highly extol Nicholas Ferrar. Amongst other things, at last came in a charge against the earl of Middlesex, then lord treasurer, for bribes and other exorbitances, and in fell the Virginia affairs and his activity to take the patent from the company, under the pretence that it should be and yield to the king a greater revenue than it did, if it were ordered by his directions. Now the house appointed the lord Devonshire, then a member of the lower house3, sir Edwin Sandys and Nicholas Ferrar to draw up the

1 Commons' Journals, March 13, April 26, 29, May 19 (a. m. and p. m.), 20, 22, 24, 25, 28. See a long account of the company in Peckard, 84-168, and the authorities in Anderson, i. 352 seq.

2 See the proceedings in Lords' Journals, Apr. 8, 1624, et seq. esp. Apr. 16, Cobbett's Parl. Hist. i. 1411-1477, Hacket's Life of Williams, i. 189, Cabala (ed. 1663), 327.

3 Lord William Cavendish is mentioned as one of the chief promoters of this charge in Lords' Journals, Apr. 15, 1624. Cf. Comm. Journ. Apr. 23.