1642. CLASS V. COMMONERS IN GREAT EMPLOYMENTS. EDVARDUS NICOLAS, &c. Lely p. Vertue sc. large h. sh. SIR EDWARD NICHOLAS, Secretary of state, &c. from an original painting; in Lord Clarendon's History." SIR EDWARD NICHOLAS; in Simon's "Medals," p. 29.* SIR EDWARD NICHOLAS, Secretary of state to King Charles I. & II. Lely pinx. J. Scott fecit. 4to. In Evelyn's "Memoirs." Sir Edward Nicholas, a man of an unblemished character, and highly esteemed for his virtues by all that knew him, was many Promoted years principal secretary of state and privy-counsellor to Charles I. and II. Though he was, from long experience and uncommon industry, well qualified for the secretary's office, yet this old and faithful servant was dismissed from his employment by the intrigues of Mrs. Palmer, the royal mistress, and received in lieu of it 20,0001. granted him by the king. He was succeeded by Sir Henry Bennet, who was afterward created earl of Arlington. This was a step towards the disgrace of the Lord-chancellor Clarendon, as the old secretary was his principal friend, and the new one his inveterate enemy. Sir Edward Nicholas was father to Sir John Nicholas, knight of the Bath, and grandfather to Edward Nicholas, esq. who, in the reign of Anne, was member of parliament for Shaftesbury, in Dorsetshire. His letters from the Hague His effigies, modelled in wax, by AB. SIMON, are well preserved; in the possession of Charles Compton, esq. a relation of the family. Vide Simon's "Medals." He resigned the seals in 1663. The advowsons of the churches of Shaftesbury were the property of this family (which is now extinct) ever since the latter end of the reign of Charles II. See to the Marquis of Ormond, at Caen, are in Carte's Collection of Letters, from 1641 to 1660. Ob. 1 Sept. 1669, Æt. 77. He lies buried at West Horsley, in Surrey. See the Interregnum. SIR WILLIAM MORICE, secretary of state, &c. Houbraken sc. 1747. In the collection of Sir William Morice, bart. Illust. Head. SIR WILLIAM MORICE, knight. W. Richardson exc. May 26, 1660. Sir William Morice, who was allied to General Monck, was, for Promoted his own merit, and that of his illustrious kinsman, preferred to the office of secretary of state. He was a man of learning and good abilities, but was not completely qualified for his great employment, as he knew but little of foreign languages, and less of foreign affairs. It is currently reported, that the general told the king, "that his cousin Morice was well qualified for the secretary's office, as he understood the French, and could write shorthand.” This was very probably a calumny, as it is inconsistent with his good sense. It is certain that the secretary spoke Latin fluently, that he understood Greek, and that he acquitted himself during the seven years that he continued in his office* without reproach. He was succeeded by Sir John Trevor. Ob. 12 Dec. 1676. He was author of a book entitled, "The Common Right to the Lord's Supper asserted," which was first printed in quarto, 1651, and again in folio, 1660. One singularity is recorded of him, "That he would never suffer any man to say grace in his own house besides himself; there, he said, he was both priest and king." LEOLINUS JENKINS, eq. aur. LL. D. &c. 1723; h. sh. LEOLINUS JENKINS, eq. aur. H. Quiter p. et exc. h. sh. mezz. more in “Notitia Parliamentaria," by Browne Willis, esq. where there is a curious account of this ancient borough. The author has taken uncommon pains in his history of the towns in Dorsetshire, as he was born in that district. He resigned at Michaelmas, 1668. SIR LEOLINE JENKINS; in the "Oxford Almanack," 1740. Sir Leoline, or Lluellin Jenkins, who was born at Llantrissent, in Glamorganshire, was the son of an honest, plain countryman, whom Mr. John Aubrey says he knew. As his father's circumstances were but narrow, and he was a distant relation to David Jenkins the famous Welsh judge, that gentleman contributed something towards his education. About the time he took his bachelor's degree, Sir John Aubrey sent for him home to his house at Llantrithied, in Glamorganshire, to instruct his eldest son Lewis in grammar learning: he also took several other young gentlemen under his care, whom he taught in the church-house belonging to that place. He went to Oxford together with his pupils, and afterward travelled with Mr. Lewis Aubrey. Upon the resignation of Dr. Francis Mansell, which was soon after the restoration, he was elected principal of Jesus College. He afterward retired to London, and was made a judge of the admiralty, and of the prerogative court. In 1669, he was sent ambassador to France; and, in 1673, was sent to Cologn, in quality of plenipotentiary, together with the Earl of Arlington and Sir Joseph Williamson. In 1675, he was appointed a plenipotentiary at Nimeguen, together with Lord Berkeley and Sir William Temple; and, in 1680, he succeeded Mr. Henry April 26. Coventry in the office of secretary of state. He is said to have * preserved the leather breeches which he wore to Oxford, as a memorial of his good fortune in the world. Ob. 1 Sept. 1685, Et. 62. Several particulars in the above account are taken from a MS. of Mr. John Aubrey's in the Ashmolean Museum. SIR CHARLES LYTTELTON. P.W. Tomkins sc. In Grammont. From an original picture in the collection of Lord Westcote. Sir Charles Lyttleton early in life took to arms, and during the civil wars, was at the siege of Colchester: after the surrender of the town, he escaped into France, and returned in the year 1659, and joined Sir George Booth against Shrewsbury; but miscarrying, he * He gave the advowson of the rectory of Rotherfield Peppard, in Oxfordshire, to that college," for the better support of the headship. was taken prisoner, and confined in the Gatehouse, Westminster. He soon obtained his liberty, and was employed by his majesty on many secret and important services. Lord Clarendon in a letter to the Duke of Ormond, says, "he is worth his weight in gold." He was knighted in 1662, and had many employments; was brigadier-general till the revolution, when he resigned. He died at Hayley 1716, Et. 87. SIR RICHARD FANSHAWE, knight and baronet, one of his majesty's most honourable privy council, &c. Faithorne sc. h. sh. This print was engraved as a frontispiece for the Sermon preached at his Funeral by Henry Bagshaw, M. A. student of Christ Church, Oxon. SIR RICHARD FANSHAWE. Lely p. E. Harding sc. In Harding's" Biographical Mirrour," 1793. There is a portrait of him, by Sir Peter Lely, in the possession of Simon Fanshawe, esq. Sir Richard Fanshawe, who was the tenth and youngest son of Sir Henry Fanshawe, of Ware Park, in Hertfordshire, united, in an extraordinary degree, the qualifications of the gentleman, the scholar, and the statesman. He was taken early into the service of Charles I. who, in 1635, appointed him resident to the court of Spain; and, in the last year of his reign, made him treasurer of the navy, under the command of Prince Rupert. He was secretary of state to Charles II. during his residence in Scotland: and it was strongly expected that he would have been preferred to the same office after the restoration: but he was, contrary to his own and the general expectation, appointed master of the Requests. He was employed in several important embassies in this reign; particularly in negotiating the marriage betwixt the king and the infanta, and putting the last hand to a peace betwixt the kingdoms of Spain and Portugal, which had been for twenty-five years engaged in a ruinous war. He was an exact critic in the Latin tongue, spoke His "Original Letters during his Embassies in Spain and Portugal," 1702, 8vo. deserve the reader's notice. Some memorable passages relating to him and Lord Fanshawe, of Ware Park, are in Lloyd's "Memoirs," p. 684, &c. the Spanish with ease and propriety, and perfectly understood the Italian. The politeness of his manners, and the integrity of his life, did not only procure him the love and esteem of his own countrymen, but gained him unusual favour and respect in Spain; among a people notorious for their disregard to strangers, and too apt to overlook all merit but their own. He died at Madrid, June 16, 1666. See more of him among the poets. "Dominus GULIELMUS TEMPLE, eques et baronettus, sermi poti. Mag. Britanniæ regis ad ord'. fæd". Belgii legatus extr3. et apud tractatus pacis tam Aquisgrani, quam Neomagi, legat'. mediat. ejusdem sermi. regis a secretioribus consiliis, 1670." P. Lely p. P. Vandrebanc sc. large h. sh. Dominus GULIELMUS TEMPLE, &c. Lely p. Vertue sc. Before his Works; fol. Dominus GULIELMUS TEMPLE. Lely p. R. White sc. 8vo. Dominus GULIELMUS TEMPLE; 12mo. His portrait is at Lord Palmerston's, at Sheene, in Surrey. Sir William Temple was descended from a younger branch of a family of that name, seated at Temple Hall, in Leicestershire. His grandfather was secretary to the unfortunate Earl of Essex, favourite of Queen Elizabeth, and his father was Sir John Temple, master of the Rolls in Ireland. He was as much above the common level of politicians, as he was above the herd of authors. He displayed his great abilities in several important treaties and negotiations, the most considerable of which was the bringing to a happy conclusion the famous triple league betwixt England, Sweden, and Holland. This alliance, though the most prudent step ever taken by Charles II. was soon defeated by the Cabal, a set of men who were as great a disgrace to their country, as Sir William Temple was an honour to it. He was strongly solicited to go over to Holland, in order to break that league which he had a little before concluded: but he was too much a patriot to yield to any solicita |