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SOME ACCOUNT

OF THE

LIFE AND DEATH

OF

JOHN WILMOT,

EARL OF ROCHESTER.

JOHN WILMOT, Earl of Rochester, was

JOHN

born in April, Anno Domini, 1648. His father was Henry, Earl of Rochester, but best known by the title of Lord Wilmot, who bore so conspicuous a part in all the late wars, that mention is often made of him in the history. He had the chief share in the honour of the preservation of CHARLES SECOND, after Worcester fight, and the conveying him from place, to place, till he happily escaped into France; but dying before the king's return, he left his son little other inheritance, than the honour and title derived to him, with the pretensions such eminent services gave him to the king's favour. These were carefully managed by the great prudence and discretion of his mother, a daughter of that noble and ancient

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family of the St. John's of Wiltshire, so that his education was carried on in all things according to his quality.

When he was at school he was an extraordinary proficient at his book; and those shining parts which have since appeared with so much lustre, began then to shew themselves. He acquired the Latin to such perfection, that, to his dying day, he retained a great relish for the fineness and beauty of that tongue; and was exactly versed in the incomparable authors that wrote about Augustus's time, whom he read often with that peculiar delight, which the greatest wits have ever found in the studies.

When he went to the university, the general joy that over-ran the whole nation upon His Majesty's restoration, but was not regulated with that sobriety and temperance, that became a serious gratitude to God for so great a blcssing, produced some of its ill effects on him; He began to love these disorders to much.

His tutor was that eminent and pious divine Dr. Bradford, afterwards promoted to the fees of Oxford and Worcester. And under his inspection, he was committed to the more immediate care of Mr. Phinehas Berry, a fellow of Wadham College, a very learned good-natured man, whom he afterwards used with much respect, and rewarded as became a great man. But the humour of that time wrought so much on him, that he broke off the course of his studies to which no means could ever effectually recal

him; till when he was in Italy, his governor, Dr.. Balfour, (a worthy and learned man, now a celebrated physician in Scotland, his native country) drew him to read such books as were most likely to bring him back to love learning and study: and he often acknowledged to me, in particular three days before his death, how much he was obliged to love and honour this his goyernor, to whom he thought he owed more than to all the world, next to his parents for his care and fidelity of him, while he was under his trust.

But no part of it affected him more sensibly, than that he engaged him by many tricks (so he expessed it) to delight in books and reading : so that, ever after, he took occasion, in the intervals of those woful extravagancies that consumed most of his time, to read much; and thǝ time was generally but indifferently employed, (for the choice of the subjects of his studies was not always good) yet the habitual love of knowledge, together with these fits of study, had much awakened his understanding, and prepared him for better things, when his mind should be so far changed as to re ish them.

He came from his travels in the 18th year of his age, and appeared at court with as great advantages as most ever had. He was a graceful and well-shaped person, tall, and well made, if not a little too slender. He was well bred : and what, by a modest behaviour natural to him and what, by a civility become almost as natural his conversation was easy and obliging. He had a strange vivacity of thought, and vigour

of expression. His wit had a subtilty and sub limity that were scarcely imitable. His style was clear and strong. When he used figures, they were very lively, and yet far enough out of the common road. He had made himself master of the ancient and modern wit, and of the modern French and Italian, as well as the Eng. lish. He loved to talk and write of speculative matters, and did it with so fine a thread, that even those that hated the subjects that his fancy run upon, yet could not but be charmed with his way of treating them. Boileau among the French and Cowley among the English wits, were those he admired most. Sometimes other men's thoughts mixed with his composures; but that flowed rather from the impressions they made on him when he read them, by which they came to return upon him as his own thoughts, than that he servilely copied them from any. For few men ever had a bolder flight of fancy, more steadily governed by judgment, than he had. No wonder a young man, so made and so improved, was very acceptable in a court.

Soon after his coming thither, he laid holdon the first occasion that offered, to shew his readiness to hazard his life in the defence and service of his country.

In the winter of 1665, he went with the Earl of Sandwich to sea, when he was sent to lie in wait for the Dutch East India fleet; and was in the Revenge, commanded by Sir Thomas Tiddiman, when the attack was made on the

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port of Bergen in Norway, the Dutch ships having got into that port. It was as desperate an attempt as ever was made during the whole action, the Earl of Rochester shewed as brave and as resolute courage as was possible. A person of honour told me he heard the Lord Clifford, who was in the same ship, often magnify his courage at that time very highly. Nor did the rigours of the season, the hardness of the voyage, and the extreme dangers he had been in, deter him from running the like on the very next occasion: for in the summer following, he went to sea again, without communicating his design to his nearest relations. He went on board the ship commanded by Sir Edward Sprague, the day before the great seafight of that year. Mr. Middleton, (brother to Sir Hugh Middleton) was shot in his arm. During the action, Sir Edward Sprague, not being satisfied with the behaviour of one of the captains, could not ea sily find a person who would cheerfully venture through so much danger, to carry his commands to that captain. This lord offered himself to the service; and went in a little boat through all the shot, and delivered his message and returned back to Sir Edward: which was much commended by all that saw it. He thought i necessary to begin his life with these demonstrations of his courage, in an element and way of fighting, which is acknowledged to be the greatest trial of clear and undaunted valour.

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