Such is the account given by Mr. Fenton, from whofe notes on Waller most of this account must be borrowed, though I know not whether all that he relates is certain. The inftructer whom he affigns to Rofcommon is one Dr. Hall, by whom he cannot mean the famous Hall, then an old man and a bishop.

When the ftorm broke out upon Strafford, his house was a shelter no longer; and DilJon, by the advice of Ufher, was fent to Caen, where the Protestants had then an university, and continued his ftudies under Bochart.

Young Dillon, who was fent to ftudy under Bochart, and who is represented as having already made great proficiency in literature, could not be more than nine years old. Strafford went to govern Ireland in 1633, and was put to death eight years afterwards. That he was fent to Caen, is certain; that he was a great fcholar, may be

doubted.

At Caen he is faid to have had fome preternatural intelligence of his father's death.

"The

"The lord Rofcommon, being a boy of "ten years of age, at Caen in 'Normandy, "one day was, as it were, madly extrava"gant in playing, leaping, getting over "the tables, boards, &c. He was wont to "be fober enough; they faid, God grant "this bodes no ill-luck to him! In the heat "of this extravagant fit, he cries out, My

father is dead. A fortnight after, news 66 "came from Ireland that his father was dead. "This account I had from Mr. Knolles, "who was his governor, and then with "him,-fince secretary to the earl of Straf"ford; and I have heard his lordship's "relations confirm the fame." Aubrey's Mifcellany.

The prefent age is very little inclined to favour any accounts of this kind, nor will" the name of Aubrey much recommend it to credit: it ought not, however, to be omitted," because better evidence of a fact cannot eafily be found than is here offered, and it must be by preferving fuch relations that we may at last judge how much they are to be regarded. If we stay to examine this account, we shall VOL. I.

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fee

fee difficulties on both fides; here is a relation of a fact given by a man who had no intereft to deceive, and who could not be deceived himfelf; and here is, on the other hand, a miracle which produces no effect; the order of nature is interrupted, to discover not a future but only a distant event, the knowledge of which is of no use to him to whom it is revealed. Between thefe diffi culties, what way fhall be found? Is reafon or teftimony to be rejected? I believe what Ofborne fays of an appearance of fanctity. may be applied to fuch impulses or anticipa tions as this: Do not wholly flight them, because they may be true: but do not easily truft them, because they may be falfe.

The ftate both of England and Ireland was at this time fuch, that he who was abfent from either country had very little temptation to return: and therefore Rofcommon, when he left Caen, travelled into Italy, and amused himself with its antiquities, and particularly with medals, in which ha acquired uncommon skill.

At

At the Restoration, with the other friends of monarchy, he came to England, was made captain of the band of penfioners, and learned fo much of the diffolutenefs of the court, that he addicted himself immoderately to gaming, by which he was engaged in frequent quarrels, and which undoubtedly brought upon him its ufual concomitants, extravagance and diftrefs.

After fome time a difpute about part of his eftate forced him into Ireland, where he was made by the duke of Ormond captain of the guards, and met with an adventure thus related by Fenton.

"He was at Dublin as much as ever dif"tempered with the fame fatal affection for "play, which engaged him in one adven*ture that well deferves to be related. As he returned to his lodgings from a gamingtable, he was attacked in the dark by three "ruffians, who were employed to affaffinate him. The Earl defended himself with fo "much refolution, that he difpatched one of "the aggreffors; whifft a gentleman, acci❝dentally

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dentally paffing that way, interpofed, and difarmed another: the third fecured him"self by flight. This generous affiftant was "a difbanded officer, of a good family and "fair reputation; 'who, by what we call the partiality of fortune, to avoid cenfuring the iniquities of the times, wanted even a plain “fuit of cloaths to make a decent appearance દ at the caftle. But his lordship, on this "occafion, presenting him to the Duke of "Ormond, with great importunity prevailed "with his grace, that he might refign his "poft of captain of the guards to his friend; which for about three years the gentleman

enjoyed, and, upon his death, the duke "returned the commiffion to his generous "benefactor."

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When he had finished his business, he returned to London; was made Mafter of the Horse to the Dutchefs of York; and married the Lady Frances, daughter of the Earl of Burlington, and widow of Colonel Courteney;

He now bufied his mind with literary projects, and formed the plan of a fociety for refining our language, and fixing its ftandard;