His father's condition is variously reprefented. Wood mentions him as competently wealthy; but Mr. Longueville, the fon of Butler's principal friend, fays he was an honeft farmer with fome fmall eftate, who made a fhift to educate his fon at the grammar school of Worcester, under Mr. Henry Bright, from whofe care he removed for a fhort time to Cambridge; but, for a want of money, was never made a member of any college, Wood leaves us rather doubtful whether he went to Cambridge or Oxford; but at last makes him pafs fix or feven years at Cambridge, without knowing in what hall or college: yet it can hardly be imagined that he lived fo long in either university, but as belonging to one houfe or another; and it is ftill lefs likely that he could have fo long inhabited a place of learning with fo little diftinction as to leave his refidence uncertain. Dr. Nafh has difcovered that his father was owner of a house and a little land, worth about eight pounds a year, ftill called Butler's

tenement,

Wood has his information from his brother, whofe narrative placed him at Cambridge,

in oppofition to that of his neighbours which fent him to Oxford. The brother's feems the best authority, till, by confeffing his inability to tell his hall or college, he gives reafon to fufpect that he was refolved to bestow on him an academical education; but durft not name a college, for fear of detection.

He was for fome time, according to the author of his Life, clerk to Mr. Jefferys of Earl's-Croomb in Worcestershire, an eminent juftice of the peace. In his fervice he had not only leisure for ftudy, but for recreation his amusements were mufick and painting; and the reward of his pencil was the friendship of the celebrated Cooper. Some pictures, faid to be his, were fhewn to Dr. Nafh, at Earl's Croomb; but when he enquired for them fome years afterwards, he found them deftroyed, to ftop windows, and owns that they hardly deferved a better fate.

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He was afterwards admitted into the family of the Countefs of Kent, where he had the ufe of a library; and fo much recom mended himfelf to Selden, that he was often employed by him in literary business. Selden,

as

as is well known, was fteward to the Coun tefs, and is supposed to have gained much of his wealth by managing her eftate,

In what character Butler was admitted into that Lady's fervice, how long he continued in it, and why he left it, is, like the other incidents of his life, utterly unknown.

The viciffitudes of his condition placed him afterwards in the family of Sir Samuel Luke, one of Cromwell's officers. Here he obferved fo much of the character of the fectaries, that he is faid to have written or begun his poem at this time; and it is likely that fuch a design would be formed in a place where he faw the principles and practices of the rebels, audacious and undisguifed in the confidence of fuccefs.

At length the King returned, and the time came in which loyalty hoped for its reward. Butler, however, was only made fecretary to the Earl of Carbury, prefident of the princi pality of Wales; who conferred on him the ftewardship of Ludlow Castle, when the Court of the Marches was revived.

In this part of his life, he married Mrs. Herbert, a gentlewoman of a good family; and lived, fays Wood, upon her fortune, having studied the common law, but never practifed it. A fortune the had, fays his biographer, but it was loft by bad fecurities.

In 1663 was published the first part, containing three cantos, of the poem of Hudibras, which, as Prior relates, was made known at Court by the tafte and influence of the Earl of Dorfet. When it was known, it was neceffarily admired: the king quoted, the courtiers ftudied, and the whole party of the royalists applauded it. Every eye watched for the golden fhower which was to fall upon the author, who certainly was not without his part in the general expectation,

In 1664 the fecond part appeared; the curiofity of the nation was rekindled, and the writer was again praifed and elated. But praife was his whole reward. Clarendon, fays Wood, gave him reafon to hope for places and employments of value and

"credit;"

"credit;" but no fuch advantages did he ever obtain. It is reported, that the King once gave him three hundred guineas; but of this. temporary bounty I find no proof,

Wood relates that he was fecretary to Villiers Duke of Buckingham, when he was Chancellor of Cambridge: this is doubted by the other writer, who yet allows the Duke to have been his frequent benefactor. That: both these accounts are false there is reafon to fufpect, from a story told by Packe, in his. account of the Life of Wycherley, and from: fome verses which Mr. Thyer has published in the author's remains.

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"Mr. Wycherley," fays Packs," had al-. ways laid hold of an opportunity which "offered of representing to the Duke of Buckingham how well Mr. Butler had de"ferved of the royal family, by writing his ❝ inimitable Hudibras; and that it was a reproach to the Court, that a perfon of his "loyalty and wit fhould fuffer in obfcurity, "and under the wants he did. The Duke.

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86

always feemed to hearken to him with at

"" tention

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