217 JAMES LEY, EARL OF MARLBOROUGH, [SIXTH son to Henry Ley, esq. of Tesfont Evias, in the county of Wilts, was placed at the age of sixteen in Brazen Nose college, Oxon, thence removed to the inns of court, and became so great a proficient in the study of the law as to be made choice of for Lent reader in Lincoln's Inn, forty-fourth of Elizabeth. After which his learning and abilities raised him to sundry degrees of honour and eminent employments. In the first years of king James he was called to the state and degree of sergeant at law, afterwards constituted chief justice of the king's bench in Ireland; and in 1609, being then a knight, was made the king's attorney in the court of wards. In 1620 he was created a baronet; in 1621, chief justice of the court of king's bench; and in 1625, lord high treasurer of England. From this office, says Granger, he was removed under a pretence of his great age, to make room for sir Richard Weston 2. In the same year he was advanced to the dignity of baron Ley, and in 1625 (1 Car. I.) to the title of earl of Marlborough, and soon after made president of the council 3. He died at Lincoln's Inn March 14, 1628, and was buried in the church of Westbury, where a sumptu • Biog. Hist. vol. ii. p. 109. • Dugdale's Baronage, vol. ii. p. 451. ous monument was erected to his memory, with a long inscription, which may be seen in Dugdale. Lord Clarendon speaks of the earl of Marlborough but slightingly; and says he was removed from the treasurership not only from his age, but disability, which had been a better reason against his promotion so few years before; that his infirmities were very little increased, but there was little reverence shown towards him 4. Dugdale 5 ascribes to this nobleman the following productions: "Reports of divers Cases in Law; tried in the Time of King James, and some Part of the Reign of King Charles the First." 1659. "A Treatise of Wards and Liveries.” The latter publication is in the British Museum, and has the following copious title, recommendatory of its contents: "A learned Treatise concerning Wards and Liveries; written by the Right Honourable and learned Gentleman Sir James Ley, Knight and Baronet, Earle of Marlebrough, Lord High Treasurer of England, when he was Atturney of his Majesties Court of Wards and Liveries. Wherein is set forth the Learning concerning Wards and Liveries, collected and well digested out of the Yeare-bookes, and other Authorities of the Law, for the Benefit of all that are studious." Lond. 1642. 12mo. Hist. of the Rebellion, vol. i. p. 39, folio edit. • Ubi sup. An Epistle dedicatory, to the Students of the Common Law of England, states that it was written by sir James Ley, when he was attorney of the wards and liveries, for his own private use; but was presented to publike view for the common good, &c. The contents of the book, being merely intended for the use of law professors, afford no presentable extract.] SIR FULKE GREVILL, LORD BROOKE, A MAN of much note in his time, but one of those admired wits who have lost much of their reputation in the eyes of posterity. A thousand accidents of birth, court-favour, or popularity, concur sometimes to gild a slender proportion of merit. After-ages, who look when those beams are withdrawn, wonder what attracted the eyes of the multitude. No man seems to me so astonishing an object of temporary admiration as the celebrated friend of the lord Brooke, the famous sir Philip Sidney3. [Lord Bacon reports that sir Fulke Grevill had much private access to queen Elizabeth, which he used honourably and did many men good; yet he would say merrily of himself, that he was like Robin Goodfellow, for when the maids spilt the milk-pan, or kept any racket, they would lay it upon Robin; so whatever tales the ladies about the queen told her, or other bad offices that they did, they would put it upon him. Apothegms, No. 235.] 3 [Aubrey relates a scurvy anecdote of lord Brooke, which he thinks has done him more discredit than sir Philip Sidney's friendship hath done him honour. In lord Bacon's prosperity, sir F. Grevill was his great friend and acquaintance, but when his lordship was in disgrace and want, he was so unworthy as to forbid his butler to let him have any more small beer, which crown. The learned of Europe dedicated their works to him; the republic of Poland thought him at least worthy to be in the nomination for their All the muses of England wept his death. When we, at this distance of time, inquire what prodigious merits excited such admiration, what do we find?-Great valour.-But it was an age of heroes.-In full of all other talents, we have a tedious, lamentable, pedantic, pastoral romance4, which the patience of a young virgin in love cannot now wade through; and some absurd attempts to fetter English verse in Roman chains; a proof that this applauded author understood little of the genius of his own language. The few of his letters extant he had often sent for, his stomach being nice, and the small beer of Gray's inn not liking his palate. Oxford Cabinet, p. 13.] * [Cowper, a critic of more taste and more candour than lord Orford, has left a fairer report of 4 "Those Arcadian scenes, that Maro sings, And Sidney, warbler of poetic prose." See the Task, book iv.] ⚫ [Sidney was preceded in this successless attempt by Spenser and Harvey, the latter of whom was proud to be considered as the primus artifex: hence the following egotistic boast in one of his controversial squabbles with Nash: "If I never deserve anye better remembraunce, let me be epitaphed, The Inventour of the English Hexameter, whome learned M. Stanihurst imitated in his Virgill, and excellent sir Philip Sid |