[594]Charles Cavendish, colonel, was second son to the
right honourable
He was borne at ... anno.... He was well educated, and then travelled into France, Italie, &c.; but was so extremely delighted in travelling, that he went into Greece, all over; and that would not serve his turne but he would goe to Babylon, and then his governour would not adventure to goe any further with him; but to see Babylon he was to march in the Turks' armie. This account I had many yeares since, scilicet 1642, from my cosen Edmund Lyte, who was then gentleman usher to his mother the countesse dowager.
Mr. Thomas Hobbes told me that this Mr. Cavendish told him that the Greekes doe sing their Greeke.—In Herefordshire they have a touch of this singing; our old divines had. Our old vicar of Kington St. Michael, Mr. Hynd, did sing his sermons rather then reade them. You may find in Erasmus that the monkes used this fashion, who mocks them, that sometimes they would be very lowe, and by and by they would be mighty high,quando nihil opus est.—Anno 1660 comeing one morning to Mr. Hobbes, his Greeke Xenophon lay open on the board: sayd he, 'Had you come but a little sooner you had found a Greeke here that came to see me, who understands the old Greeke; I spake to him to read here in this booke, and he sangit; which putt me in mind of what Mr. Charles Cavendish told me' (as before); 'the first word is Ἔννοια, he pronounced iteÌ“Ìnnia.' The better way to explaine it is by prick-song,
Μῆνιν ἄειδε θεὰ Πηληϊάδεω Ἀχιλῆος · ἄνθÏωπος.
Μῆνιν ἄειδε θεὰ Πηληϊάδεω Ἀχιλῆος · ἄνθÏωπος.
Μῆνιν ἄειδε θεὰ Πηληϊάδεω Ἀχιλῆος · ἄνθÏωπος.
[595]Upon his returne into England the civill warres brake-out, and he tooke a comission of a colonel in his majestie's cause, wherin he did his majestie great service, and gave signall proofes of his valour;—e.g. out ofMercurii Aulici—
Grantham, in Lincolnshire, taken by col. Cavendish for the king, 23 March, 1642/3, and after demolished.—Young Hotham routed at Ancaster by col. Cavendish, 11 Apr. 1643.—Parliament forces routed or defeated at Dunnington by col. Cavendish, 13 June, 1643.Mercurius Aulicus, Tuesday, Aug. 1, 1643; 'It was advertised from Newarke that his majestie's forces having planted themselves at the siege of Gainsborough in com. Linc., were sett upon by the united powers of Cromwell, Nottingham, and Lincolne, the garrisons of these townes being almost totally drawn-out to make-up this army, which consisted of 24 troupes of horse and dragoons. Against this force, col. Cavendish having the command of 30 troupes of horse and dragoons, drawes out 16 only, and leaving all the rest for a reserve, advanced towards them, and engaged himselfe with this small partie against all their strength. Which being observed by the rebells, they gott between him and his reserve, routed his 16 troupes, being forespent with often watches, killed lievetenant-colonel Markam, most valiantly fighting in defence of his king and countrey. The most noble and gallant colonel himselfe, whilest he omitted no part of a brave commander, being cutt most dangerously in the head, was struck-off his horse, and so unfortunately shott with a brace of bullets after he was on the ground, whose life was most pretious to all noble and valiant gentlemen. Wherupon the reserve coming, routed and cutt downe the partie.'
Grantham, in Lincolnshire, taken by col. Cavendish for the king, 23 March, 1642/3, and after demolished.—Young Hotham routed at Ancaster by col. Cavendish, 11 Apr. 1643.—Parliament forces routed or defeated at Dunnington by col. Cavendish, 13 June, 1643.
Mercurius Aulicus, Tuesday, Aug. 1, 1643; 'It was advertised from Newarke that his majestie's forces having planted themselves at the siege of Gainsborough in com. Linc., were sett upon by the united powers of Cromwell, Nottingham, and Lincolne, the garrisons of these townes being almost totally drawn-out to make-up this army, which consisted of 24 troupes of horse and dragoons. Against this force, col. Cavendish having the command of 30 troupes of horse and dragoons, drawes out 16 only, and leaving all the rest for a reserve, advanced towards them, and engaged himselfe with this small partie against all their strength. Which being observed by the rebells, they gott between him and his reserve, routed his 16 troupes, being forespent with often watches, killed lievetenant-colonel Markam, most valiantly fighting in defence of his king and countrey. The most noble and gallant colonel himselfe, whilest he omitted no part of a brave commander, being cutt most dangerously in the head, was struck-off his horse, and so unfortunately shott with a brace of bullets after he was on the ground, whose life was most pretious to all noble and valiant gentlemen. Wherupon the reserve coming, routed and cutt downe the partie.'
This was donne either the 28 or 29 of July, 1643, for upon this terrible rout, the lord Willoughby of Parhamforthwith yealded Gainsborough to the king's partie, July 30; the earle of Newcastle being then generall of that partie.
His body was first buried at ...,[XL.]but by order of his mother's will, when she was buried at Darby (where she has erected a noble monument for herselfe and lord) she ordered her sonne's body to be removed, and both to be layd in the vault there together, which was Feb. 18, 1674.
[XL.]Quaere if at Gainsborough or Newark? as I remember 'twas Newarke.
[XL.]Quaere if at Gainsborough or Newark? as I remember 'twas Newarke.
Funerall Sermon, by William Naylour, her chaplain, preached at Darby, Feb. 18, 1674. Lond. for Henry Broome. Texte, 2 Sam. iii. 38th verse.—page 16:
'He was the souldiers' mignion, and his majestie's darling, designed by him generall of the northern horse (and his commission was given him), a great marke of honour for one of about five and twenty: "thus shall it be donne to the man whom the king delights to honour."'Col. Cavendish was a princely person, and all his actions were agreable to that character: he had in an eminent degree that which the Greekes call εἶδος ἄξιον Ï„Ï…Ïαννίδος, the semblance and appearance of a man made to governe. Methinkes he gave cleare this indication, the king's cause lived with him, the king's cause died with him—when Cromwell heard that he was slaine, he cried upon itWe have donne our businesse.'And yet two things (I must confess) this commander knew not, pardon his ignorance,—he knew not to flie away—he knew not how to aske quarter—though an older did, I meane ... Henderson; for when this bold person entred Grantham on the one side, that wary gentleman, who should have attaqued it, fled away on the other. If Cato thought it usurpation in Caesar to give him his life, Cavendish thought it a greater for traytors and rebells of a common size to give him his. This brave hero might be opprest, (as he was at last by numbers) but he could not be conquered; the dying words of Epaminondas will fitt him,Satis vixi, invictus etiam morior.[596]'What wonders might have been expected from a commander so vigilant, so loyall, so constant, had he not dropt downe in his blooming age? But though he fell in his green yeares, he[597]fell a prince, and a great one too, in this respect greater then Abner; forAbner, that son of Mars, deserved his father's epithite, ἀλλοπÏόσαλλος,one of both sides, first he setts-up Isbosheth, and then deserts him. Whereas Cavendish merited such a statue as the Roman senate decreed L. Vitellius, and the same inscription,Pietatis immobilis erga Principem, one whose loyaltie to his great master nothing could shake.'Secondly, consider the noble Charles Cavendish in his extraction, and so he is a branch of that family, of which some descended that are kings of Scotland: this the wordFuimusjoyned to his maternall[XLI.]coate does plainly point at—not to urge at this time his descent by the father's side from one of the noblest families in England. An high extraction to some persons is like the dropsie, the greatnesse of the man is his disease, and renders him unweildie; but here is a person of great extract free from the swelling of greatness, as brisk and active as the lightest horseman that fought under him. In some parts of India, they tell us, that a nobleman accounts himselfe polluted if a plebeian touch him; but here is a person of that rank who used the same familiaritie[XLII.]and frankness amongst the meanest of his souldiers, the poorest miner, and amongst his equalls; and by stooping so low, he rose the higher in the common account, and was valued accordingly as a prince[598], and a great one; thus Abner and Cavendish run parallell in their titles and appellations.[XLI.]His mother was daughter to the lord Bruce, whose ancestors had been kings of Scotland.[XLII.]Sir Robert Harley (son), an ingeniose gent. and expert soldier, haz often sayd, that (generally) the commanders of the king's army would never be acquainted with their soldiers, which was an extraordinary prejudice to the kings cause. A captaine's good look, or good word (some times), does infinitely winne them, and oblige them; and he would say 'twas to admiration how souldiers will venture their lives for an obligeing officer.—quod N. B.'Consider Abner in the manner of his fall, that was by a treacherous hand, and so fell Cavendish. II Sam. iii. 27, "and when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab tooke him aside in the gate to speake with him quietly, and smote him there under the fifth rib, that he died, for the bloud of Asahel[599]his brother." Thus fell Abner; and thus Cavendish,—the colonell's horse being mired in a bog at the fight before Gainsborough, 1643, the rebels surround him, and take him prisoner; and after he was so, a base raskall comes behind him, and runs him through. Thus fell two great men by treacherous handes.'Thirdly and lastly, the place of his fall, that was in Israel.... Here Abner fell in his, and Cavendish fell in our Israel—the Church of England.... In this Church brave Cavendish fell, and what is more then that, in this Churches quarrel....'Thus I have compared colonel Cavendish with Abner, a fighting and a famous man in Israel; you see how he does equal, how he does exceed him.'
'He was the souldiers' mignion, and his majestie's darling, designed by him generall of the northern horse (and his commission was given him), a great marke of honour for one of about five and twenty: "thus shall it be donne to the man whom the king delights to honour."
'Col. Cavendish was a princely person, and all his actions were agreable to that character: he had in an eminent degree that which the Greekes call εἶδος ἄξιον Ï„Ï…Ïαννίδος, the semblance and appearance of a man made to governe. Methinkes he gave cleare this indication, the king's cause lived with him, the king's cause died with him—when Cromwell heard that he was slaine, he cried upon itWe have donne our businesse.
'And yet two things (I must confess) this commander knew not, pardon his ignorance,—he knew not to flie away—he knew not how to aske quarter—though an older did, I meane ... Henderson; for when this bold person entred Grantham on the one side, that wary gentleman, who should have attaqued it, fled away on the other. If Cato thought it usurpation in Caesar to give him his life, Cavendish thought it a greater for traytors and rebells of a common size to give him his. This brave hero might be opprest, (as he was at last by numbers) but he could not be conquered; the dying words of Epaminondas will fitt him,Satis vixi, invictus etiam morior.
[596]'What wonders might have been expected from a commander so vigilant, so loyall, so constant, had he not dropt downe in his blooming age? But though he fell in his green yeares, he[597]fell a prince, and a great one too, in this respect greater then Abner; forAbner, that son of Mars, deserved his father's epithite, ἀλλοπÏόσαλλος,one of both sides, first he setts-up Isbosheth, and then deserts him. Whereas Cavendish merited such a statue as the Roman senate decreed L. Vitellius, and the same inscription,Pietatis immobilis erga Principem, one whose loyaltie to his great master nothing could shake.
'Secondly, consider the noble Charles Cavendish in his extraction, and so he is a branch of that family, of which some descended that are kings of Scotland: this the wordFuimusjoyned to his maternall[XLI.]coate does plainly point at—not to urge at this time his descent by the father's side from one of the noblest families in England. An high extraction to some persons is like the dropsie, the greatnesse of the man is his disease, and renders him unweildie; but here is a person of great extract free from the swelling of greatness, as brisk and active as the lightest horseman that fought under him. In some parts of India, they tell us, that a nobleman accounts himselfe polluted if a plebeian touch him; but here is a person of that rank who used the same familiaritie[XLII.]and frankness amongst the meanest of his souldiers, the poorest miner, and amongst his equalls; and by stooping so low, he rose the higher in the common account, and was valued accordingly as a prince[598], and a great one; thus Abner and Cavendish run parallell in their titles and appellations.
[XLI.]His mother was daughter to the lord Bruce, whose ancestors had been kings of Scotland.
[XLI.]His mother was daughter to the lord Bruce, whose ancestors had been kings of Scotland.
[XLII.]Sir Robert Harley (son), an ingeniose gent. and expert soldier, haz often sayd, that (generally) the commanders of the king's army would never be acquainted with their soldiers, which was an extraordinary prejudice to the kings cause. A captaine's good look, or good word (some times), does infinitely winne them, and oblige them; and he would say 'twas to admiration how souldiers will venture their lives for an obligeing officer.—quod N. B.
[XLII.]Sir Robert Harley (son), an ingeniose gent. and expert soldier, haz often sayd, that (generally) the commanders of the king's army would never be acquainted with their soldiers, which was an extraordinary prejudice to the kings cause. A captaine's good look, or good word (some times), does infinitely winne them, and oblige them; and he would say 'twas to admiration how souldiers will venture their lives for an obligeing officer.—quod N. B.
'Consider Abner in the manner of his fall, that was by a treacherous hand, and so fell Cavendish. II Sam. iii. 27, "and when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab tooke him aside in the gate to speake with him quietly, and smote him there under the fifth rib, that he died, for the bloud of Asahel[599]his brother." Thus fell Abner; and thus Cavendish,—the colonell's horse being mired in a bog at the fight before Gainsborough, 1643, the rebels surround him, and take him prisoner; and after he was so, a base raskall comes behind him, and runs him through. Thus fell two great men by treacherous handes.
'Thirdly and lastly, the place of his fall, that was in Israel.... Here Abner fell in his, and Cavendish fell in our Israel—the Church of England.... In this Church brave Cavendish fell, and what is more then that, in this Churches quarrel....
'Thus I have compared colonel Cavendish with Abner, a fighting and a famous man in Israel; you see how he does equal, how he does exceed him.'