John Hoskyns(1566-1638).

[1733]John Hoskyns[GC], serjeant-at-lawe, was borne at Mounckton in the parish of in the com. of Hereford, Aº Dni<1566> [on[1734]St. Mark's day].

Mounckton belonged to the priory of Llantony juxta Glocester, where his ancestors had the office of cupbearer (or 'pocillator') to the prior. I have heard there was a windowe given by one Hoskyns there, as by the inscription did appeare.

Whither the serjeant were the eldest brother[1735]or no, I have forgott; but he had a brother, John[GD], D.D., a learned man, rector of Ledbury and canon of Hereford, who, I thinke, was eldest, who was designed to be a scholar, but this John (the serjeant) would not be quiet, but he must be a scholar too. In those dayes boyes were seldome taught to read that were not to be of some learned profession. So, upon his instant importunity, being then ten yeares of age, he learned to reade, and, at the yeare's end, entred into his Greeke grammar. This I have heard his sonne, Sir Benet Hoskyns, knight and baronett, severall times say.

He was of a strong constitution, and had a prodigiousmemorie. At ... yeares old, he went to Winton schole, where he was the flower of his time. I remember I have heard that one time he had not made his exercise (verse) and spake to one of his forme to shew him his, which he sawe. The schoolmaster presently calles for the exercises, and Hoskyns told him that he had writ it out but lost it, but he could repeate it, and repeated the other boye's exercise (I think 12 or 16 verses) only at once reading over. When the boy who really had made them shewed the master the same, and could not repeate them, he was whipped for stealing Hoskyns' exercise. I thinke John Owen[GE]and he were schoole-fellowes. There were many pretty stories of him when a schooleboy, which I have forgott. I have heard his son say that he was a yeare at Westminster; and not speeding there, he was sent to Winton.

The Latin verses in the quadrangle at Winton Colledge[GF], at the cocks where the boyes wash their hands, were of his making, where there is the picture[1736]of a good servant, with hind's feet, ... head, a padlock on his lippes, ... The Latin verses describe the properties of a good servant.

When he came to New College, he wasTerrae filius; but he was so bitterly satyricall that he was expelled and putt to his shifts.

He went into Somersetshire and taught a schole for about a yeare at Ilchester. He compiled there a Greeke lexicon as far as M, which I have seen. He maried (neer there) a rich widowe, [of Mr. Bourne]; she was a Moyle of Kent; by whome he had only one sonne and one daughter.

[After[1737]his mariage] he admitted himselfe at the Middle Temple, London. He wore good cloathes, and kept good company. His excellent witt gave him letters of commendacion to all ingeniose persons. At his[1738]first comeing to London he gott acquainted with the under-secretaries at court, where he was often usefull to them in writing their Latin letters.

His great witt quickly made him be taken notice of.

Ben: Johnson called himfather. Sir Benet (bishop Benet[1739]of Hereford was his godfather) told me that one time desiring Mr. Johnson to adopt him for his sonne, 'No,' said he, 'I dare not; 'tis honour enough for me to be your brother: I was your father's sonne, and 'twas he that polished me.' In shorte, his acquaintance were all the witts then about the towne; e.g. Sir Walter Raleigh, who was his fellow-prisoner in the Tower, where he was Sir Walter'sAristarchusto reviewe and polish Sir Walter's stile; John Donne, D.D.; John Owen, (vide Epigr. 1—

Hic liber est mundus; homines sunt, Hoskine, versus:Invenies paucos hîc ut in orbe bonos;)

Martyn, recorder of London; Sir Benjamin Ruddyer, with whom it was once his fortune to have a quarrell and fought a duell with him and hurt him in the knee, but they were afterwards friends again; Sir Henry Wotton, provost of Eaton College; cum multis aliis.

His conversation was exceedingly pleasant, and on the roade he would make any one good company to him. He was a great master of the Latin and Greke languages; a great divine. He understood the lawe well, but worst at that.

He was admitted at the Middle Temple anno ...; called to be a serjeant at lawe anno <1623> (vide Origines Juridiciales).

His verses on the fart in the Parliament house are printed in some of theDrolleries. He had a booke of poemes, neatly written by one of his clerkes, bigger then Dr. Donne's poemes, which his sonn Benet lent to he knowes not who, about 1653, and could never heare of it since. Mr. Thomas Henshawe haz an excellent Latin copie in rhythme in the prayse of ale of his.

He was a very strong man and active. He did the pomado in the saddle of the third horse in his armour (which Sir John Hoskins haz still) before William, earle of Pembroke. He was about my heighth.

He had a very readie witt, and would make verses on the roade, where he was the best company in the world. In Sir H. Wotton'sRemaynesare verses (dialogue) made on the roade by him and Sir Henry. He made an antheme (gett it) in English to be sung at Hereford Minster at the assizes; but Sir Robert Harley (a great Puritan) was much offended at it. He made the epitaph on Woodgate in New College cloysters. He made the best Latin epitaphs of his time; amongst many others an excellent one on Finch, this earl of Winchelsey's grandfather, who haz a noble monument at Eastwell in Kent.

I will now describe his seate at Morhampton (Hereff.), which he bought of....

[1740]At the gate-house is the picture of the old fellowe that made the fires, with a block on his back, boytle and wedges and hatchet. By him, this distich:—

Gratus ades quisquis descendis, amicus et hospes:Non decet hos humiles mensa superba Lares.

By the porch of the howse, on the wall, is the picture in the margent:—

Noverint universiet douch et gallanteꝑroviso semꝓhec est finalis concordia

Noverint universi

et douch et gallante

ꝑroviso semꝓ

hec est finalis concordia

Above it are these verses:—

Stat coelum, fateor, Copernice; terra movetur;Et mutant dominos tecta rotata suos.

In the chapelle, over the altar, are these two Hebrewe words[1741], viz.:—

וְשָֽׁמַעְתָּ֖ וְסָלָֽחְתָּ

and underneath this distich (1 Reg. 8. 30):—

Hac quicunque orat supplex exoret in aede,Nec pereant servis irrita vota tuis.

Here is an organ that was queen Elizabeth's.

In the gallery the picture of his brother ( Doctor) in the pulpit, serjeant in his robes, the howse, parke, etc.; and underneath are these verses:—

Est casa, sunt colles, lateres[1742], vivaria[1743], lymphae,Pascua, sylva, Ceres[1744]: si placet, adde preces[1745].

In the garden, the picture of the gardiner, on the wall of the howse, with his rake, spade, and water-pott in his left hand. By it, this distich:—

Pascitur et pascit locus hic, ornatur et ornat:Istud opus nondum lapsus amaret Adam.

In the first leafe of his fee-booke he drew the picture of a purse as in the margent, and wrote

καὶ δῶμεν ὁσκινδω.

underneath, out of Theocritus.

On his picture in the low gallery are writt on his deske these verses, viz.:—

Undecies senos exegi strenuus annos,Jam veniet nullo mors inopina die;Quae dixi, scripsi, gessive negotia, lusus,Obruat aeterno pax taciturna sinu.Si quid jure petunt homines, respondeat haeres,Dissipet ut cineres nulla querela meos.[1746]Quodque Deo, decoctor iniquus, debeo, solve,Quaeso, Fidejussor, {sanguine}, Christe, {tuo}.{ nomine } {meo}

These verses with a little alteration are sett on his monument.

Under severall venerable and shady oakes in the parke, he had seates made; and where was a fine purling spring, he did curbe it with stone.

This putts me in mind of Fr. Petrarch's villa in Italie, which is not long since printed, where were such devises—vide TomasiniPetrarcha redivivus, Lat., Amsterdam, 12mo.

Besides his excellent naturall memorie, he acquired the artificiall way of memorie.

He wrote his owne life (which his grandsonne Sir John Hoskyns, knight and baronet, haz), which was to shew that wheras Plutarch, ..., ..., etc., had wrote the lives of many generalles, etc., grandees, that he, or an active man might, from a private fortune by his witt and industrie attained to the dignity of a serjeant-at-lawe—but he should have said that they must have parts like his too.—This life I cannot borrowe.

He wrote severall treatises. Amongst others:—

His familiar letters were admirable.

He was a close prisoner in the Tower, tempore regis Jacobi, for speaking too boldly in the Parliament house of the king's profuse liberality to the Scotts. He made a comparison of a conduit, whereinto water came, andran-out afarre-off. 'Now,' said he, 'this pipe reaches as far as Edinborough.' He was kept a 'close prisoner' there, i.e., his windowes were boarded up. Through a small chinke he sawe once a crowe, and another time, a kite; the sight whereof, he sayd, was a great pleasure to him. He, with much adoe, obtained at length the favour to have his little son Bennet to be with him; and he then made this distich, viz.:—

Parvule dum puer es, nee scis incommoda linguae,Vincula da linguae, vel tibi vincla dabit.

Thus Englished by him:—

My little Ben, whil'st thou art young,And know'st not how to rule thy tongue,Make it thy slave whil'st thou art free,Least it, as mine, imprison thee.

[1747]I have heard that when he came out of the Tower, his crest (before expressed) was graunted him, viz., 'a lyon's head couped or, breathing fire.' The serjeant would say jocosely that it was the only lyon's head in England that tooke tobacco.

Not many moneths before his death (being at the assises or sessions at Hereford) a massive countrey fellowe trod on his toe, which caused a gangrene which was the cause of his death. One Mr. Dighton[CXXXIV.]of Glocester (an experienced chirurgian who had formerly been chirurgian in the warres in Ireland) was sent for to cure him; but his skill and care could not save him. His toes were first cutt-off. The minister of his parish had a clubbe-foote or feete (I think his name was Hugh). Said he, 'Sir Hugh'—after his toes were cutt off—'I must be acquainted with your shoemaker.'

[CXXXIV.]Mr. Dighton would oftentimes say that he generally observ'd in the Irish warres that those men that went to their wenches the day before the battayle either did dye upon the spott or came under his handes.Digitus Dei!

Sir Robert Pye, attorney of the court of wardes, was his neighbour, but there was no great goodwill between them—Sir Robert was haughty. He happened to dye on Christmas day: the newes being brought to the serjeant, said he 'The devill haz a Christmas pye.'

He was a very strong man, and valiant, and an early riser in the morning (scil., at four in the morning). He was black-eyed and had black hayre.

He lies buried under an altar monument on the north side of the choire of Dowr abbey in Herefordshire.

(In this abbey church of Dowre are twofrustum'sor remaynders of mayled and crosse-legged monuments, one sayd to be of a lord Chandois, th' other, the lord of Ewyas-lacy. A little before I sawe them a mower had taken one of the armes to whett his syth.)

On his monument is this inscription:—

Hoc tegitur tumulo totus quem non tegit orbis,Hoskinus, humani prodigium ingenii,Usque adeo excoluit duo pugnacissima rerumEt quae non subeunt numina[1748]pectus idem,Pieridum Legumque potens, jucundus honestoMixtus, Liticulans Musa, forense melos,Orando causas pariter pariterque canendo,Captavit merito clarus utrumque sophos.Sic dum jura tenens Solymorum et gentis Idumae,Narratur cytharâ percrepuisse David;[1749]Talem Thebanas[1750]struxisse Amphiona turres,Sic indefessa personuisse chely,Sic populos traxisse truces et agrestibus antrisExutos homines consociasse lyrâ;Sic magni pectus divinum arsisse Platonis,Tum, cum deplorans Astera, jura daret;Talem credibile est vixisse Solona poëtamEt queiscunque datum est et sapere et furere[1751].Sed tu, magne, peris, dum lis certatur utrinque,Te Astraea suum vultque Thalia suum.Haec habitat coelis, sed et haec terrestribus oris,Ipse tui judex poneris ante Deos;Scilicet in partes se dividit Hoskinus ambo,Haec coelo potitur particula, illa solo.{ Canoro cineri jurisprudentissimi{ Parentis pii, memoriae ergo,Obiit Aug. 27 { hunc posuit cippum conscriptum marmoreum1638 { flens Benettus, sequiturque Patrem{ non passibus aequis.

{ Canoro cineri jurisprudentissimi{ Parentis pii, memoriae ergo,Obiit Aug. 27 { hunc posuit cippum conscriptum marmoreum1638 { flens Benettus, sequiturque Patrem{ non passibus aequis.

This epitaph was made by Thomas Bonham, of Essex, esquier.

The serjeant's epitaph on his wife at Bowe church, Heriff.:—

Hic Benedicta jacet, de qua maledicere nemoCui genus aut virtus vel pia lingua potest:Bournii et Hoskinii conjux et prolis utriqueMater erat, Moyli filia, serva Dei.

On Mr. Bourne, his sonne-in-lawe[1752], by him:—

Nobilis innocuos transegit Bournius annosMulta legens, callens plurima, pauca loquens.Juridicus causis neque se ditavit[1753]agendisNon in habendo locans sed moriendo lucrum.

[1754]Serjeant Hoskins:—Serviens ad legem; quaere, if a knight. His crest (I believe) granted for his bold spirit, and (I suppose) contrived by himselfe.

Amici Egremund Thynne.Hic jacet Egremundus Rarus,Tuendis paradoxis clarus.Mortuus est, ut hic apparet:At si loqui posset, hoc negaret.

Amici Egremund Thynne.

Hic jacet Egremundus Rarus,Tuendis paradoxis clarus.Mortuus est, ut hic apparet:At si loqui posset, hoc negaret.

Was wont to say that all those that came to London were either carrion or crowes.

[1755]:—Hoskyns—to collect his nonsense discourse, which is very good.

Notes.[GC]Aubrey gives in trick the coat:—'parted per pale gules and azure, a chevron between 3 lions rampant or [Hoskyns]: the crest is a lion's head crowned or, vomiting flames.'[GD]John Hoskins, of 'Mownton' (Monnington on the Wye) in 'Lanwarne' parish, Hereford, was admitted probationer of New College June 22, 1584, and Fellow 1586. He was expelled in 1591 'propter dicteria maledica sub persona Terrae filii.' This was the Serjeant-at-Law.John Hoskins, of 'Mownton in Lanwarne parish,' Hereford, was admitted probationer of New College, Aug. 24, 1599, and fellow Aug. 24, 1601, and resigned his fellowship in 1613. He took D.C.L. in 1613. He died in 1631 (buried at Ledbury, on August 9). This was 'the Doctor.'[GE]John Owen (the 'epigrammatist'), of Armon in Carnarvonshire, was admitted probationer of New College Oct. 20, 1582, and Fellow March 31, 1584. He resigned his fellowship in 1591.[GF]Aubrey, writing Oct. 27, 1671, in Wood MS. F. 39, fol. 142, says:—'At Winton College is the picture of a servant with asses eares and hind's feet, a lock on mouth, etc., very good hioglyphick, with a hexastique in Latin underneath.... It was done by the serjeant when he went to school there; but now finely painted. It is at the fountain where the boyes wash their hands.'

[GC]Aubrey gives in trick the coat:—'parted per pale gules and azure, a chevron between 3 lions rampant or [Hoskyns]: the crest is a lion's head crowned or, vomiting flames.'

[GD]John Hoskins, of 'Mownton' (Monnington on the Wye) in 'Lanwarne' parish, Hereford, was admitted probationer of New College June 22, 1584, and Fellow 1586. He was expelled in 1591 'propter dicteria maledica sub persona Terrae filii.' This was the Serjeant-at-Law.John Hoskins, of 'Mownton in Lanwarne parish,' Hereford, was admitted probationer of New College, Aug. 24, 1599, and fellow Aug. 24, 1601, and resigned his fellowship in 1613. He took D.C.L. in 1613. He died in 1631 (buried at Ledbury, on August 9). This was 'the Doctor.'

John Hoskins, of 'Mownton in Lanwarne parish,' Hereford, was admitted probationer of New College, Aug. 24, 1599, and fellow Aug. 24, 1601, and resigned his fellowship in 1613. He took D.C.L. in 1613. He died in 1631 (buried at Ledbury, on August 9). This was 'the Doctor.'

[GE]John Owen (the 'epigrammatist'), of Armon in Carnarvonshire, was admitted probationer of New College Oct. 20, 1582, and Fellow March 31, 1584. He resigned his fellowship in 1591.

[GF]Aubrey, writing Oct. 27, 1671, in Wood MS. F. 39, fol. 142, says:—'At Winton College is the picture of a servant with asses eares and hind's feet, a lock on mouth, etc., very good hioglyphick, with a hexastique in Latin underneath.... It was done by the serjeant when he went to school there; but now finely painted. It is at the fountain where the boyes wash their hands.'

[GF]Aubrey, writing Oct. 27, 1671, in Wood MS. F. 39, fol. 142, says:—

'At Winton College is the picture of a servant with asses eares and hind's feet, a lock on mouth, etc., very good hioglyphick, with a hexastique in Latin underneath.... It was done by the serjeant when he went to school there; but now finely painted. It is at the fountain where the boyes wash their hands.'

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