ROBERT DEVEREUX, EARL OF ESSEX. A PARLIAMENTARY GENERAL. Born 1592. Died 1646. ROBERT DEVEREUX was the only son of the celebrated 1592. Robert Devereux, favourite to Queen Elizabeth, who paid His birth, parentage, with his life the penalty for his presumption of being and educaHer Majesty's lover. He was born at Essex House, in tion. the Strand, in 1592. His mother was Frances, daughter of Sir Francis Walsingham, and widow of the famous Sir Philip Sidney. Having lost his father in the second year of his age, he was left to the care of his grandmother, by whom he was sent to Eton, where he received his first education. He was removed from thence to Merton College, Oxford, in 1602. He was accordingly only ten years of age when he became a gentleman commoner. There were probably private reasons for this premature under-graduation, for he was taken into the house of the Warden of Merton, Sir Henry Savile, 1602. who was also Provost of Eton. 1606-11. Anecdote illustrative racter in youth. Sir Henry is believed to have been a friend of his father, and to have undertaken that his youth should be learnedly and religiously trained; and as the Warden was a man of severe morals and the most ascetic religious principles, Essex probably imbibed from him those anti-episcopal opinions that distinguished him at a later period. The young Earl of Essex was about two years the senior to Henry Prince of Wales, who also matriculated of his cha- at Oxford 1605, and the King made them both sharers in the same studies and amusements. The two youths became very conversant and familiar, "being near to each other in years, but nearer in affection." Nevertheless young Essex is said to have early evidenced the high spirit he had received from his progenitors. The Prince and Earl were playing tennis together, when, after a set or two, a dispute arose connected with the game. The Prince Henry so far forgot himself in his anger as to call Essex "the son of a traitor," on which the latter hit the King's son on the head with his racket," and so shrewdly that he drew blood." The incident came to the ears of King James, who examined into it, and, finding what provocation young Essex had received, dismissed the case with these words to the Prince of Wales, "That he who would strike him for his own honour, would be sure with more violent blows to strike his enemy in times to come." The quarrel was however fully healed, and many letters are extant which passed between the youths. Essex's hours were occupied in books that were more profitable than pleasing, but his recreations at Oxford were riding the great horse, running at the ring, and the exercise of arms. His mar solution of The King, who was a notorious meddler, appears to riage: dis- have occupied himself in his care for the children of it: travels: the late Earl, to have looked about for a suitable match first mili- for Essex with one of the daughters of the Earl of tary service, under Suffolk, his Lord Chamberlain; and on the 5th Sir T. Vere. January, 1606, the youthful Earl, who was only four teen years of age, was betrothed to Lady Frances Howard, a child still younger than himself. There were great entertainments at Court in honour of the nuptials. Inigo Jones and Ben Jonson lent their assistance in them; and the affianced couple received plate, jewels, and money gifts, to the amount of 4,000l. As the bridegroom was but fifteen, and the bride younger still, it was arranged that the Earl should pass the interval until he attained to man's estate in foreign travel. The young lady remained with her mother, a notoriously unprincipled woman, at Court; and a worse guide could not have been selected. Essex went abroad in 1608, and the first place he visited was Paris, where he was very graciously received and entertained by Henry IV. He remained on the Continent till 1611, in which year he returned to England to claim a wife, when he was unluckily attacked by the small-pox. In the absence of her husband, however, she gave her affections to Carr, the King's favourite, afterwards created Earl of Somerset. And although her father carried her down to Chartley, she shut herself up in her apartments there, pertinaciously separating herself from Essex, until at length the King was prevailed upon to consent to further a dissolution of marriage, to which her husband was ready enough to consent, saying, "When I came out of France I loved her: I cannot so now, neither ever shall I." While the proceedings continued, Essex went over the water to fight a duel with the lady's brother. But the King getting wind of this interfered by his ambassador in the Low Countries, who sends over a police report, that gives such a description of the young Earl's person, as may be interesting-"Le Comte d'Essex est de moyenne stature: un peu maigre: cheveulx noirs: sans barbe: la face un peu gastée de petites véroles: age de 23 ans." The duel was prevented; and in 1614 the Earl retired to his country seat at Chartley, where he spent some years in the VOL. II. T 1606. 1608. 1614. his travels. rural sports and amusements of the time, principally over Cannock Chace, where he enjoyed some manorial rights. But weary at length of such comparative inaction, he passed again to the Continent in the spring of 1620, where he served a campaign in the British Legion under Sir Horace Vere. He was a captain in a regiment in which Lords Oxford, Gerard, and Grey, with above 100 gentlemen of quality, also served. Count Mansfeldt, in the pay of England, also joined the army upon the Rhine, now under Prince Maurice of Nassau, who had the famous Spinola for an adversary, who had crossed that river with 30,000 men and entered the dominions of the King of Bohemia, to execute the Emperor's bidding against that unfortunate Sovereign. On reaching Darmstadt, in October, both the Prince of Orange Nassau and Spinola had withdrawn back into the Netherlands, because the termination of the ten years' truce had revived hostilities; and the English were joined to the army of the Protestant Union under the command of the Marquis of Anspach. This leader proved himself not at all to the taste of the valiant Britons, for he resisted every endeavour of Sir Horace Vere to have a brush with the Spaniards, and, without having had the least opportunity for distinction, they were in December put into winter-quarters about Manheim and Heidelberg. The peculiarities of Essex's character will be evidenced 1620. by the following episode in his history at this time. Incident in He could not endure the inaction of winter-quarters in Germany, and therefore obtained leave from Sir Horace Vere to proceed to England to press for the promised regiments, which there was every reason to fear were now prevented from being sent to the army in Germany by the intrigues of Gondomar, the Spanish Ambassador. His march led through France, and his train consisted of some twenty persons. Having reached Compiégne, he quitted his horses and attendants while he himself rode forward. At Gournay the postmaster, seeing the Earl likely to prove a good guest, positively refused him horses, pretending that he had none to give him till morning; but while he wrangled with him the Earl's train came up, and he got on his own saddle to go the next stage. The inn-keeper seeing he was about to lose his prey became insolent and provoking; whereupon Essex ran after him with a cudgel, and chastised him so effectually, that he put his head out of a window and shouted "Murder." When therefore Essex afterwards attempted to go a few paces on the road, he found himself barricaded with carts, and a mixed multitude armed with pitchforks, swords, and iron bars. The Earl and his attendants drew their pistols and stood on their defence; but after about the space of half-an-hour a French officer appeared, who requested the English to put up their arms; and, having seen right done, he opened the road to the Earl to proceed. 1620. the mea the re covery of his seat in On his arrival in England, he was named of a Council__ 1621. to consider and give advice how the recovery of the Engages in Palatinate might best be carried out. But whatever sures for might be the advice of the Council, the sinews of war were likely to be wanting. The Parliament met in the PalatiJanuary 1621, and it was not till June that they came nate: takes to a general resolution to spend their lives and the House fortunes in the defence of those of their religion and of Lords. of the Palatinate." But they would only vote one subsidy, or about 70,000l. Essex was quite keen in the matter, and it was at this time that he began to take an interest in the business of Parliament, having now taken his seat in the House of Lords. It is recorded that the Lords sat this session 110 times, and that the Earl of Essex was only absent eleven times, and that he had taken part in thirteen committees and two conferences with the Commons. 1622. the Low Essex now occupied himself in raising a regiment at his own expense for the maintenance of the Protestant Serves in cause on the Continent; and in the early part of 1622 Countries he carried them to the Dutch army, under the Prince of under |