[409]Sir John Birkenhead, knight, was borne at Nantwych[410]in Cheshire. His father was a sadler there, and he had a brother a sadler, a trooper in Sir Thomas Ashton's regiment, who was quartered at my father's, who told me so.
He went to Oxford university at ... old, and was first a servitor of Oriall colledge: videAntiq. Oxon.[411]Mr. Gwin[412], minister of Wilton, was his contemporary there, who told me he wrote an excellent hand, and, in 163[7 or 8] when William Laud, archbishop of Canterbury, was last there, he had occasion to have some things well transcribed, and this Birkenhead was recommended to him, who performed[413]his businesse so well, that the archbishop recommended him to All Soules' college to be a fellow, and he was accordingly elected[414]. He was scholar enough, and a poet.
After Edgehill fight, when King Charles I first had his court at Oxford, he was pitched upon as one fitt to write the Newes, which Oxford Newes was calledMercurius Aulicus, which he writt wittily enough, till the surrender of the towne (which was June 24, 1646). He left a collection of all hisMercurius Aulicus'sand all his other pamphletts, which his executors (Sir Richard Mason and Sir Muddiford Bramston) were ordered by the king to give to the Archbishop of Canterbury's library.
After the surrender of Oxford, he was putt out of his fellowship by the Visitors, and was faine to shift for himselfe as well as he could. Most part of his time he spent at London, where he mett with severall persons of quality that loved his company, and made much of him.
He went over into France, where he stayed some time, I thinke not long. He received grace there from the dutches of Newcastle, I remember he tolde me.
He gott many a fourty shillings (I beleeve) by pamphletts, such as that of 'Col. Pride,' and 'The Last Will and Testament of Philip earle of Pembroke,' &c.
At the restauration of his majestie he was made Master of the Facultees, and afterwards one of the Masters of Requests. He was exceedingly confident[415], witty, not very gratefull to his benefactors, would lye damnably. He was of midling stature, great goggli eies, not of a sweet aspect.
He was chosen a burghes of Parliament at Wilton in Wiltshire, anno Domini 166<1>, i.e. of the King's long parliament. Anno 167<9> upon the choosing ofthisParliament[416], he went downe to be elected, and at Salisbury heard[417]how he was scorned and mocked at Wilton (whither he was goeing) and calledPensioner, etc.—
[Vendidit hic auro patriam, dominumque potentemImposuit; leges fixit pretio atque refixit.
[Vendidit hic auro patriam, dominumque potentemImposuit; leges fixit pretio atque refixit.
Virg.Aeneid, lib. vi. 621.
—This was Curio: vide Servium de hoc]—he went not to the borough where he intended to stand; but returned to London, and tooke it so to heart that he insensibly decayed and pined away; and so, December ...[XXI.], 1679, dyed at his lodgeings in Whitehall, and was buried Saturday, December 6, in St. Martyn's churchyard[XXII.]in-the-Fields, neer the church, according to his will and testament. His executors intend to sett up an inscription for him against the church wall.
[XXI.]quaere Anthony Wood to whom I writt the day of his death, which as I remember was the same day that Mr. Hobbes died.
[XXI.]quaere Anthony Wood to whom I writt the day of his death, which as I remember was the same day that Mr. Hobbes died.
[XXII.]His reason[418]was because he sayd they removed the bodies out of the church.
[XXII.]His reason[418]was because he sayd they removed the bodies out of the church.
He had the art of locall memory; and his topiques were the chambers, &c., in All Soules colledge (about 100), so that for 100 errands, &c., he would easily remember.
[419]He was created Dr. of LL.; had been with the king[420]. His library was sold to Sir Robert Atkins for 200li.His MSS. (chiefly copies of records) for 900li.