[1073]James Harrington, esq.—he was borne the first Fryday[1074]in January Anno Domini 1611, near Northampton. Quaere Mr. Marvell's epitaph on him.
[1075]James Harrington[EN], esq., borne the first Fryday in January 1611, neer Northampton; the son of [Sir[1076]Sapcote] Harrington of ... in the countie of ..., by..., daughter of Sir ... Samuel[1077], was borne at [Upton[1078]](Sir ... Samuel's house in Northamptonshire) anno....
He was a
He was much respected by the queen of Bohemia[EO], who was bred up by the lord Harrington's lady, and she owned the kindnes of the family.
Anno 1647, if not 6, he was by order of Parliament
made one of his Majestie's Bedchamber, at Holmeby, &c.
The king loved his company; only he would not endure
to heare of a Commonwealth: and Mr. Harington passionately
loved his majestie. Mr. Harrington and the king
often disputed about goverment. He was on the scaffoldwith the king when he was beheaded; and I have at these
meetings[1079]oftentimes heard him speake of king Charles I with
the greatest zeale and passion imaginable, and that his
death gave him so great griefe that he contracted a disease
by it; that never any thing did goe so neer to him.
Memorandum:—Mr.
He made severall essayes in Poetry, viz. love-verses, &c., and translated ... booke of Virgill's Æn.; but his muse was rough, and Mr. Henry Nevill, an ingeniose and well-bred gentleman, a member of the House of Commons, and an excellent (but concealed) poet, was his great familiar and confident friend, and disswaded him from tampering in poetrie which he didinvitâ Minervâ, and to improve his proper talent, viz. Politicall Reflections.
Whereupon he writ hisOceana, printed London <1656>. Mr. T. Hobbes was wont to say that Henry Nevill had a finger in that pye; and 'tis like enough. That ingeniose tractat, together with his and H. Nevill's smart discourses and inculcations, dayly at coffee-houses, made many proselytes.
In so much that, anno 1659, the beginning of Michaelmas-terme, he had every night a meeting at the (then) Turke's head, in the New Pallace-yard, where they take water, the next house to the staires, at one Miles's, where was made purposely a large ovall-table, with a passage in the middle for Miles to deliver his Coffee. About it sate his disciples, and the virtuosi. The discourses in this kind were the most ingeniose, and smart, that ever I heard, or expect to heare, and baned with great eagernesse: the arguments in the Parliament howse were but flatt to it.
He now printed a little pamphlet (4to) calledDivers modells of Popular Government, printed by Daniel Jakeman; and then his partie desired him to print another little pamphlet calledThe Rota, 4to.
Here[1080]we had (very formally) aballotting-box, and balloted how things should be caried, by way of tentamens. The room was every evening[1081]full as it could be cramm'd. I cannot now recount the whole number:—
Mr. Cyriack Skinner, an ingeniose young gentleman,
scholar to John Milton, was chaire-man. There was
Mr. Henry Nevill; major John Wildman; Mr.
[LXXVI.]Dr. Robert Wood[EP]was of theRota.—MS. Aubr. 8, fol. 11.
[LXXVI.]Dr. Robert Wood[EP]was of theRota.—MS. Aubr. 8, fol. 11.
... Stafford, esq., as antagonists[1088].
Several officers[1089].
We many times adjourned to the Rhenish-wine howse. One time Mr. Stafford and his gang came in, in drink, from the taverne[1090], and affronted the Junto (Mr. Stafford tore their orders and minutes). The soldiers offerd to kick them downe stayres, but Mr. Harrington's moderation and persuasion hindred it.
The doctrine was very taking, and the more because, as to human foresight, there was no possibility of the king'sreturne. But the greatest part of the Parliament-men perfectly hated this designe ofrotation by ballotting; for they were cursed tyrants, and in love with their power, and 'twas death to them, except 8 or 10, to admitt of this way, for H. Nevill proposed it in the Howse, and made it out to them, that except they embraced that modell of goverment they would be ruind—sed quos perdere vult Jupiteretc.,hos, &c.
Pride of senators for life is insufferable; and they were able to grind any one they owed ill will to to powder; they were hated by the armie and their countrey they represented, and their name and memorie stinkes—'twas worse then tyranny. Now this modell upon rotation was:—that the third part of the Senate[1091]should rote out by ballot every yeare, so that every ninth yeare the Howse would be wholly alterd; no magistrate to continue above 3 yeares, and all to be chosen by ballot, then which manner of choice, nothing can be invented more faire and impartiall.
Well: this meeting continued Novemb., Dec., Jan., till Febr. 20 or 21; and then, upon the unexpected turne upon generall Monke's comeing-in, all these aierie modells vanished. Then 'twas not fitt, nay treason, to have donne such; but I well remember, he[1092]severall times (at the breaking-up) sayd, 'Well, the king will come in. Let him come-in, and call a Parliament of the greatest Cavaliers in England, so they be men of estates, and let them sett but 7 yeares, and they will all turn Common-wealthe's men.'
He was wont to find fault with the constitution of our goverment, that 'twasby jumps, and told a story of a cavaliero he sawe at the Carnival in Italie, who rode on an excellent managed horse that with a touch of his toe would jumpe quite round. One side of his habit was Spanish, the other French; which sudden alteration of the same person pleasantly surprized the spectators. 'Just so,' said he, ''tis with us. When no Parliament, then absolute monarchie; when a Parliament, then it runnes to Commonwealth.'
[1093]Anno Domini 1660, he was committed[1094]prisoner to the Tower, where he was kept ...; then to Portsey castle. His durance in these prisons (he being a gentleman of a high spirit and hot head) was the procatractique cause of his deliration or madnesse; which was not outragious, for he would discourse rationally enough and be very facetious company, but he grew to have a phancy that[1095]his perspiration turned to flies, and sometimes to bees—ad cætera sobrius; and he had a timberversatilebuilt[1096]in Mr. Hart's garden (opposite to St. James's parke) to try the experiment. He would turne it to the sun, and sitt towards it; then he had his fox-tayles there to chase away and massacre all the flies and bees that were to be found there, and then shutt his chassees[1097]. Now this experiment was only to be tryed in warme weather, and some flies would lye so close in the cranies and the cloath (with which it was hung) that they would not presently shew themselves. A quarter of an hower after perhaps, a fly or two, or more, might be drawen-out of the lurking holes by the warmeth; and then he would crye out, 'Doe not you see it apparently that these come from me?' 'Twas the strangest sort of madnes that ever I found in any one: talke of any thing els, his discourse would be very ingeniose and pleasant.
Anno ... he married to his old sweet-heart Mris ... Dayrell[LXXVII.], of ..., a comely and discreete ladie. The motto to his seale, which was party per pale baron et femme Harrington and Dayrell was.... It happening so, from some private reasons, that he could not enjoy his deare in the flower and heate of his youth, he would never lye with her, but loved and admired her dearly: for she wasvergentibus anniswhen he maried her, and had lost her sweetenesse.
[LXXVII.]His wife was... Dayrell.Round about his seale, which was party per pale baron and femme[1098], were these words, scil.In longum coiere faces.
[LXXVII.]His wife was... Dayrell.Round about his seale, which was party per pale baron and femme[1098], were these words, scil.In longum coiere faces.
He was of a middling stature, well-trussed man, strong and thick, well-sett, sanguine, quick-hott-fiery hazell eie, thick moyst curled haire, as you may see by his picture. In his conversation very friendly, and facetious, and hospitable.
For above twenty yeares before he died (except his imprisonment) he lived in the Little-Ambry (a faire house on the left hand), which lookes into the Deane's-yard in Westminster. In the upper story he had a pretty gallery, which looked into the yard (over ... court) where he commonly dined, and meditated, and tooke his tobacco.
Hisamiciwere:—Henry Nevill, esq., who never forsooke him to his dyeing day. Though[1099]a whole yeare before he died, his memorie and discourse were taken away by a disease ('twas a[1100]sad sight to see such a sample of mortality, in one whom I lately knew, a brisque, lively cavaliero), this gentleman, whom I must never forget for his constant friendship, payd his visits as duly and respectfully as when his friend (J. H.) was in the prime of his understanding—a true friend.
----[LXXVIII.]Mr. Andrew Marvell, who made an epitaph for him, which quaere.
[LXXVIII.]Mr. Andrew
Marvell made a
good epitaph for
him, but
[LXXVIII.]Mr. Andrew
Marvell made a
good epitaph for
him, but
—His uncle, ... Samuel, esq.;
—his son, Mr. ... Samuel, an excellent architect, that has built severall delicate howses (Sir Robert Henley's, Sir Thomas Grosvenor's in Cheshire);
—Sir Thomas Dolman;
—Mr. Roger L'Estrange;
—Dr. John Pell;
—J. A.[1101]
He was wont to say that 'Right reason in contemplation is vertue in action,et vice versa.Vivere secundum naturamis to live vertuously, the Divines will not have it so'; and that 'when the Divines would have us be an inch above vertue, we fall an ell belowe it.'
These verses he made, about anno ..., ....
The state of nature never was so raw,But oakes bore acornes and ther was a lawBy which the spider and the silkeworme span;Each creature had her birthright, and must manBe illegitimate! have no child's parte!If reason had no wit, how came in arte?ingenium i.e. quoddam ingenitum.]
The state of nature never was so raw,But oakes bore acornes and ther was a lawBy which the spider and the silkeworme span;Each creature had her birthright, and must manBe illegitimate! have no child's parte!If reason had no wit, how came in arte?ingenium i.e. quoddam ingenitum.]
By Mr. James Harrington, esq., autorOceanae, whose handwriting this is.
[1104]Hic jacet | Jacobus Harrington, armiger | filius maximus natu | Sapcotis Harrington de Rand | in comitatu Lincolniae, equitis aurati | et Janae (matris ejus) filiae | Gulielmi Samuel de Upton in | comitatu Northampton, militis | qui | obiit septimo die Septembris | aetatis suae sexagesimo sexto | anno Domini 1677. | Nec virtutis nec animi dotes | arrha licet aeterni in animam amoris Dei | corruptione eximere queant corpus | Gen. iii. 19 | Pulveris enim es et reverteris | in pulverem |:—
[1104]Hic jacet | Jacobus Harrington, armiger | filius maximus natu | Sapcotis Harrington de Rand | in comitatu Lincolniae, equitis aurati | et Janae (matris ejus) filiae | Gulielmi Samuel de Upton in | comitatu Northampton, militis | qui | obiit septimo die Septembris | aetatis suae sexagesimo sexto | anno Domini 1677. | Nec virtutis nec animi dotes | arrha licet aeterni in animam amoris Dei | corruptione eximere queant corpus | Gen. iii. 19 | Pulveris enim es et reverteris | in pulverem |:—
author of theOceana—he lyes buried in the chancell of St. Margarite's Church at Westminster, the next grave to the illustrious Sir Walter Raleigh, under the south side of the altar where the priest stands.
[1105]☞ Pray remember to looke upon Mr. James Harrington's life: upon my alterations there. It was a philosophicall or politicall club, where gentlemen came at night to divert themselves with political discourse, and to see the way of balloting. It began at Miles's coffee-house about the middle of Michaelmas-terme, and was given over upon general Monke's comeing-in.
Sir John Hoskyns, etc., deane Arderne[1106], etc., would not like to have their names seen.
Notes.[EN]In MS. Aubr. 6, fol. 98v, Aubrey gives the reference 'vide Anthony Wood'sHist. et Antiq. Oxon.,' and the coat '..., a fret ...'. In MS. Aubr. 8, fol. 29v, he gives the coat for Harrington's marriage, viz.:—--'..., a fret ... [Harrington]; impaling, ..., a lion rampant crown'd ... [D'ayrell].'[EO]The princess Elizabeth, daughter of James I. Sir John Harington, her tutor, was created (July 21, 1603) baron Harington of Exton. He married Anne Kelway, and was grand-uncle to the author ofOceana.[EP]Robert Wood, M.A. (Mert.) 1649, appointed Fellow of Linc. Coll. by the Parliamentary Visitors, Sept. 19, and admitted Oct. 23, 1650; ejected by the King's Commissioners, Aug. 18, 1660.
[EN]In MS. Aubr. 6, fol. 98v, Aubrey gives the reference 'vide Anthony Wood'sHist. et Antiq. Oxon.,' and the coat '..., a fret ...'. In MS. Aubr. 8, fol. 29v, he gives the coat for Harrington's marriage, viz.:—--'..., a fret ... [Harrington]; impaling, ..., a lion rampant crown'd ... [D'ayrell].'
[EN]In MS. Aubr. 6, fol. 98v, Aubrey gives the reference 'vide Anthony Wood'sHist. et Antiq. Oxon.,' and the coat '..., a fret ...'. In MS. Aubr. 8, fol. 29v, he gives the coat for Harrington's marriage, viz.:—--'..., a fret ... [Harrington]; impaling, ..., a lion rampant crown'd ... [D'ayrell].'
[EO]The princess Elizabeth, daughter of James I. Sir John Harington, her tutor, was created (July 21, 1603) baron Harington of Exton. He married Anne Kelway, and was grand-uncle to the author ofOceana.
[EO]The princess Elizabeth, daughter of James I. Sir John Harington, her tutor, was created (July 21, 1603) baron Harington of Exton. He married Anne Kelway, and was grand-uncle to the author ofOceana.
[EP]Robert Wood, M.A. (Mert.) 1649, appointed Fellow of Linc. Coll. by the Parliamentary Visitors, Sept. 19, and admitted Oct. 23, 1650; ejected by the King's Commissioners, Aug. 18, 1660.
[EP]Robert Wood, M.A. (Mert.) 1649, appointed Fellow of Linc. Coll. by the Parliamentary Visitors, Sept. 19, and admitted Oct. 23, 1650; ejected by the King's Commissioners, Aug. 18, 1660.