Richard Corbet(1583-1635).

[685]Epitaph on master Vincent Corbet, gardiner, father of the bishop: B. JUnderwoods, p. 177.

[686]Richard Corbet, episcopus (ex last edition of his poemes, in preface sc. p. 16) was made deane of Christ Church, 1620; bishop of Oxon, 1628; bishop of Norwich, 1632. Vide Anthony Wood'sAntiq. Oxon.

[687]Richard Corbet[CP], D.D., was the son of Vincent Corbet—vide his poem—

'better[688]knownBy Poynter's name then by his owneHere lies engaged till the dayOf raysing bones and quickning clay:No wonder, reader, that he hathTwo sirnames in one epitaph,For this one doth comprehendAll that both families could lend—

who was a gardner at Twicknam, as I have heard my old cosen Whitney say. Vide in B. Johnson'sUnderwoodsan epitaph on this Vincent Corbet, where he speakes of his nurseries etc., p. 177.

He was a Westminster scholar; old parson Bussey, of Alscott in Warwickshire, went to schoole with him—he would say that he was a very handsome man, but something apt to abuse, and a coward.

He was a student (vide Anthony Wood'sAntiq. Oxon.) of Christ-church in Oxford. He was very facetious, and a good fellowe. One time he and some of his acquaintance being merry at Fryar Bacon's study (where was good liquor sold), they were drinking on the leads of the house, and one of the scholars was asleepe, and had a paire of good silke stockings on. Dr. Corbet (then M.A., if not B.D.) gott a paire of cizers and cutt them full of little holes, but when the other awaked, and percieved how and by whom he was abused, he did chastise him, and made him pay for them.

After he was D. of Divinity, he sang ballads at the Crosse at Abingdon on a market-day. He and some ofhis camerades were at the taverne by the crosse,[L.](which by the way was then the finest of England; I remember it when I was a freshman: it was admirable curious Gothique architecture, and fine figures in the niches: 'twas one of those built by king ... for his queen: vide Chronicle). The ballad singer complaynd, he had no custome, he could not putt-off his ballades. The jolly Doctor putts-off his gowne, and putts-on the ballad singer's leathern jacket, and being a handsome man, and had a rare full voice, he presently vended a great many, and had a great audience.

[L.]'Twas after the fashion of the crosse in High-street in Bristowe, but more curious worke. Quaere if not marble?

After the death of Dr. , he was made deane of Christ-church (quaere if ever canon); vide[689]part iii, pag. 7b.

He had a good interest with great men, as you may find in his poems, and with the then great favourite, the duke of Bucks; his excellent witt was lettres of recommendation to him. I have forgott the story, but at the same time that Dr. Fell thought to have carried it, Dr. Corbet putt a pretty trick on to lett him take a journey on purpose to London for it, when he had already the graunt of it.

He preacht a sermon before the king at Woodstock (I suppose king James, quaere) and no doubt with a very good grace; but it happened that he was out, on which occasion there were made these verses:—

A reverend deane,With his band[690]starch't cleane,Did preach before the King;In his band string was spiedA ring that was tied[CQ],Was not that a pretty thing?If then without doubt,In his text he was out. . . . . . next,The ring without doubtWas the thing putt him out,For all that were there,On my conscience, dare sweare,That he handled it more than his text:—

vide the verses.

[691]His conversation[692]was extreme pleasant. Dr. Stubbins[CR]was one of his cronies; he was a jolly fatt Dr. and a very good house-keeper; parson of in Oxfordshire. As Dr. Corbet and he were riding in Lob-lane, in wett weather, ('tis an extraordinary deepe dirty lane) the coach fell; and Dr. Corbet sayd that Dr. Stubbins was up to the elbowes in mud, he was up to the elbowes in Stubbins.

Anno Domini <1628> he was made bishop of Oxford, and I have heard that he had an admirable, grave, and venerable aspect.

One time, as he was confirming, the country people pressing in to see[693]the ceremonie, sayd he, 'Beare-off there, or I'le confirme yee with my staffe.' Another time being to lay his hand on the head of a man very bald, he turns to his chaplaine (Lushington) and sayd, 'Some dust, Lushington,' (to keepe his hand from slipping). There was a man with a great venerable beard; sayd the bishop, 'You, behind the beard.'

His chaplain, Dr. Lushington[CS], was a very learned and ingeniose man, and they loved one another. The bishop sometimes would take the key of the wine-cellar, and he and his chaplaine would goe and lock themselves in and be merry. Then first he layes downe his episcopall hat,—'There lyes the Dr.' Then he putts of his gowne,—'There lyes the Bishop.' Then 'twas,—'Here's to thee, Corbet,' and 'Here's to thee, Lushington.'—From Josias Howe, B.D., Trin. Coll. Oxon.

He built a pretty house (quaere) neer the cawsey beyond Friar Bacon's studie.

He married[CT]..., whom 'twas sayd he begott. She was a very beautifull woman, and so was her mother. He had a son (I think Vincent) that went to schoole at Westminster, with Ned Bagshawe; a very handsome youth, but he is run out of all, and goes begging up and downe to gentlemen.

He was made bishop of Norwich, Anno Domini <1632>. He dyed <28 July, 1635>. The last words he sayd were, 'Good night, Lushington.' He lyes buried in the upper end of the choire at Norwich, [on the south side of the monument of bishop Herbert, the founder, under a faire gravestone of free-stone, from whence the inscription[CU]and scutcheon of brasse are stollen[694]].

His poems are pure naturall witt, delightfull and easie.

Quaere what he hath writt besides his poems: vide part iii, p.[695]7b.

It appeares by his verses to Master Ailesbury[CV], Dec. 9, 1618, that he had knowledge of analyticall learning, being so well acquainted with him and the learned Mr. Thomas Harriot.

[696]I have not seen the date of hisIter Boreale; but it ends thus:—

We return'd, but just with so much ore,As Rauleigh from his voyage, and no more.

[697]Memorandum:—his antagonist Dr. Price, the anniversarist, was made deane of the church at Hereford. Dr. Watts, canon of that church, told me, 1656, that this deane was a mighty pontificall proud man, and that one time when they went in procession about the cathedrall church, he would not doe it the usually way in his surplice, hood, etc., on foot, but rode on a mare, thus habited, with the Common-Prayer booke in his hand,reading. A stone-horse happend to breake loose[698]... he would never ride in procession afterwards.

[699]In the cathedral church of Norwich, upper end of the choeur, towards the steppes to the altar, in the middle is a little altar-tombe of bishop Herbert the founder; south of which tombe is a faire freestone gravestone of bishop Corbet, the inscription and shield of brasse are stollen. Vide A. Wood'sAntiq. Oxon. son fainiant.

Notes.[CP]Aubrey gives in colours the coat, 'or, a raven sable [Corbet],' wreathed with laurel.[CQ]An alternative reading is given:—'A ring he espyedIn his band-string tyed.'[CR]John Stubbinge, D.D., Ch. Ch., 1630: vicar of Ambrosden, co. Oxon., 1635.[CS]Thomas Lushington, D.D., Pembr., June 22, 1632, obiit Dec. 22, 1661. Notes of his life are found in Wood MS. F. 39, fol. 203v, 204, 259.[CT]Alice, daughter of Leonard Hutton, sometime Student of Christ Church, Canon of St. Paul's 1609-1632.[CU]In MS. Aubr. 8, fol. 9, Aubrey has a note, 'bishop Richard Corbet: vide memorandum 1671 in libro B pro reliquiis inscriptionis.' A copy of what was still legible of the inscription is found in a letter from Aubrey to Wood in Wood MS. F. 39.[CV]Sir Thomas Aylesbury, 1576-1657, Master of the Requests. He had been of Christ Church, Oxford.

[CP]Aubrey gives in colours the coat, 'or, a raven sable [Corbet],' wreathed with laurel.

[CQ]An alternative reading is given:—'A ring he espyedIn his band-string tyed.'

[CQ]An alternative reading is given:—

'A ring he espyedIn his band-string tyed.'

[CR]John Stubbinge, D.D., Ch. Ch., 1630: vicar of Ambrosden, co. Oxon., 1635.

[CS]Thomas Lushington, D.D., Pembr., June 22, 1632, obiit Dec. 22, 1661. Notes of his life are found in Wood MS. F. 39, fol. 203v, 204, 259.

[CT]Alice, daughter of Leonard Hutton, sometime Student of Christ Church, Canon of St. Paul's 1609-1632.

[CU]In MS. Aubr. 8, fol. 9, Aubrey has a note, 'bishop Richard Corbet: vide memorandum 1671 in libro B pro reliquiis inscriptionis.' A copy of what was still legible of the inscription is found in a letter from Aubrey to Wood in Wood MS. F. 39.

[CV]Sir Thomas Aylesbury, 1576-1657, Master of the Requests. He had been of Christ Church, Oxford.

Back to Index Next