Autographs of royal, noble, learned, and remarkable personages conspicuous in English history, from the reign of Richard the Second to that of Charles the Second; with some illustrious foreigners; containing many passages from important letters. Engraved under the direction of Charles John Smith. Accompanied by concise biographical memoirs, and interesting extracts from the original documents / by John Gough Nichols.

John Gough Nichols

Date:: 1829

Credit: Autographs of royal, noble, learned, and remarkable personages conspicuous in English history, from the reign of Richard the Second to that of Charles the Second; with some illustrious foreigners; containing many passages from important letters. Engraved under the direction of Charles John Smith. Accompanied by concise biographical memoirs, and interesting extracts from the original documents / by John Gough Nichols. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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$KING CHARLES the SECOND, his FAMILY, and MINISTERS. T, 5 ’ ' Charles the Second, King of England, has been before noticed as Prince of Wales. On bis estoration he landed at Dover May 25, 1660, and made bis triumphal entry into London on the 29th of the same mont • ■was crowned April 23, 1661. His reign exhibits the English character in a more disgrace- u ig t an any other in history. After the loss of Clarendon, his ministers were as corrupt as his compa¬ nions were licentious, his measures impolitic abroad and tyrannical at home. Charles was a confirmed sen- sua ist and voluptuary. He possessed an easy, sauntering species of good nature; but was destitute of gene- rosity or tru y ^onourable feeling. He died Feb. 2, 1684-5, in his fifty-fifth year. [Very numerous Portraits. 1 ie passage o ai es s liting is hom the letter he addressed to Lord Chancellor Clarendon, after his first interview with his ueen . lev Jacc is not so exact as to be ceded a beuty> though her eyes are excelent good, and not any thing in her face that in the least c egree can s oqueone; on t le cont? ary she hath as much agreeablenesse in her lookes altogether as euery [ever] I saxv, and, if I have any skill in visiognimy,which 1 thmke I have, she must be as good a woman as ever was borne. Her conversation, as much as I can perceave, is vent good, for she has witt enough and[ a most agreeable voyse.—Portsmouth, 21 May, 8 in the Morning. For the Chancelour. See the [““fln Fell°wess ■ Memorials of Charles the First.” The initials (Nos. 2 and 3) are from the Lansdowne MSS. 1236, fol. 133, 134 ; and the Sign-manual (No. 4) from the Sloane MSS. 4293, fol. 4, prefixed to Butler’s patent for printing Hudibras. 5- Charles Lewis, Count Palatine of the Rhine, K. G. was the eldest surviving son of Frederick King of Bohemia and the Princess Elizabeth of Great Britain. He was born at Heidelberg, Dec. 12, 1617; and was educated at Leyden. At the age of eighteen he visited England, and was created a Knight of the Garter. In 1643 he came again ; and, while his brothers were exposing their persons in battles and sieges, with greater prudence paid his court to the Parliament, “joined,” says Collier, “ the two Houses at Westminster, and sat in the Assembly of Divines. It has been asserted that this was the result of an agreement between the King and himself; but a letter printed by Mr. Ellis (Second Series, vol. III. p. 333,) testifies from his own pen to “ the dislike your Majestie expressed of my wayes.” By the treaty of Munster in 1648 the Palsgrave was restored to the Lower Palatinate, on his quitting all claim to the Upper. He died Aug. 28,1680. \JVhole- length Portrait by Hollrnan; others, from Vandyke, Mirevelt, and HondthursQ His Signature “ Charles Lodovic,” is from the Sloane MSS. 1519, fol. 93. 6. Catherine of Braganza, Queen Consort of Charles the Second, was daughter of John the Fourth, King of Portugal, by Donna Lucia of Medina Sidonia. She was born at Villa Vicosa (while her father was only Duke of Braganza) Nov. 15, 1638; and was married to King Charles at Portsmouth, in May 1662. Her manners, remarks Granger, retained a strong tincture of the convent; and were but ill formed to please, much less to reclaim, the polite and dissolute Charles. The first years of her marriage were rendered unhappy by almost every passion that could disturb a female mind; but at length she sunk into all the tran¬ quillity of indifference. As Queen-dowager she resided at Somerset-house until 1692, when she returned to Portugal. In 1704 she became Regent of that Kingdom for her brother, whose infirmities rendered retire¬ ment necessary; and in that situation displayed considerable abilities, carrying on the war with Spain with great firmness and success. She died in 1705, aged 67. \_Numerous Portraits.] The Signature of “ Catiierina, R. is from the Additional MSS. (Brit. Mus.) 5716. 7. Anne, Duchess of York, whom an accident of passion placed so near to a throne, and who gave birth to two Sovereigns of England, was the elder of the two daughters of that wise and virtuous Chancellor Edward Hyde Earl of Clarendon, by Frances, daughter of Sir Thomas Aylesbury. She was a Maid of Honour to Queen Henrietta Maria when the Duke, to quote his own Memoirs, “fell in love” with her at Paris. “Besides her person,” he adds, “ she had all the qualities proper to inflame a heart less apt to take fire than his.” The marriage took place shortly before the Restoration; and was not announced either to the King or the lady’s father until after that event. “ The Duchess of York,” says Burnet, “ was a very extraordinary woman. She. had great knowledge, and a lively sense of things. She soon understood what belonged to a Princess, r,n(J took state on her rather too much. She writ well, and had begun the Duke’s life, of which she shewed me jj, volume, which was all taken from his own journal. She was generous and friendly, but too severe an c nemy.” Having changed to the Church of Rome in 1670, she died at St. James’s Palace, March 31, 1671, d0.ed. 33, [Portrait from Sir Peter Lely in Lodge.] The Autograph is from her own pocket-book of memoranda in the possession of Mr. Upcott, of the London Institut’ jCn 8. George Monck, Duke of Albemarle, K. G. was born in 1608, the son of a Devonshi’ ,e x^ni^ht who was royally descended through his grandmother, a daughter and coheiress of Arthur Plar tao.enet Viscount Lisle, the natural son of King Edward the Fourth. He was a soldier by profession ; and v service in th' > Low Countries until the breaking out of the Scottish rebellion in 1638, when he was ? pi:)0{nted Lieutena nt- Colonel of Lord Newport’s regiment. Subsequently he was for some time imprisoned ir ^ q;ower 0f London by the Parliament; but on his release in 1646 he openly joined that side. In 1654 ' was appojnted Com- mander-in-Chief in Scotland; and he continued at the head of government in ^at COyntry durino- the, remainder of the Protectorate. He rivalled Cromwell in skill and cunning; and jealousy by per feet acquiescence. On Oliver’s death his influence was universally apparent. Th ,e Republican faction sendW Lambert against him formed a pretext for his marching to London: and his c- JUti(ras an(, jadicious measnre° when there enabled him to become the deliverer and saviour of his country b ^-instating the monarchical form of government. The restored Sovereign at once made him Master of Horse Commander-in and a Duke. With the exception of being engaged with Prince Rupert ir 4 command of a fleet a-ainst the No. 11.—E. c$

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