demise without issue, having succeeded to the Earldom of his father, he married in the beginning of the year 1576, Mary the only surviving sister of Mr. Philip Sidney. The first proposal of this marriage was most cordially embraced by her father, who in a letter to the Earl of Leicester, his brother-in-law, speaks of his own mean "lineage and kin;" and attributes the great honour of the proposed connexion to his match in the noble house of Dudley, and for which he acknowledgeth himself bound to honour and serve the same to the uttermost of his power. "I have," says he, "so joyfully at heart this happy advancement of my child, "that I would lye a year in close prison, rather than it "should break. But alas! my derest Lord, myne abylyte "answereth not my harty desyer. I am poor; myne “estate, as well in lyvelod and moveable, is not unknown "to your Lordshyp, whych wantyth mutch to make me " able to equall that, whych I know my Lord of Pembrook may have. Twoo thousand l. I confes I have bequethed "her, whych your Lordshyp knowyth I myght better spare "her whan I wear dead, than one thousand lyvyng; and in "troth, my Lord, I have yt not; but borow yt I must, " and so I wyll: and, if your Lordshypp wyll get me leave, that I may feede my eyes with that joyfull syght of their couplying, I will give her a cup worth fyve hundryth 1. "Good, my Lord, bear wyth my poverty; for, if I had it, "lyttell would I regard any sum of money, but wyllyngly "would gyve it, protestyng before the almyghty God, that "if he and all the powers on earth would geve me my 66 choyce for a husband for her, I would choose the Earl of "Pembrooke." It is impossible not to lament the situation of this great and upright man, who found himself unable to advance a sufficient portion to his accomplished daughter. The annals of the reign of Elizabeth present us with too many instances of genuine virtue drooping under the shade of neglect, and unrewarded with those lucrative honours and compensations which are due to superior worth. THE generosity of Leicester removed every obstacle.The wisdom, the goodness, and beauty of the Countess of Pembroke are happily consecrated to the praises of latest posterity, by the grateful muse of Ben Jonson (9). (9) In the well-known epitaph, beginning with these lines: Underneath this marble hearse IN Mr. Addison IN 1577, Sir Henry Sidney was under the necessity of contending with the violence of powerful adversaries in his government of Ireland. The conduct of the Lord Deputy with regard to a tax imposed upon the English pale, was represented to the Queen in so unfavourable a light, as to excite her resentment. At this critical juncture he found a zealous and faithful advocate in his son. Mr. Sidney, having Mr. Addison attributes this beautiful composition to an uncertain author. Many of our poets have celebrated this lady. PEMBROKE, a pearl that orient is of kind, A Sidney right, shall not in silence sit, For she enjoys the wise Minerva's wit, And sets to school our poets every where, That doth presume the laurel crown to weare, In PEMBROKE'S books and verses you shall see. "A pleasant conceite," by Thomas Churchyard. Urania sister unto Astrofell, In whose brave mind, as in a golden coffer, All heavenly gifts and riches locked are, More rich than pearls of Ind or gold of Ophir, Spenser's "Colin Clout's come home again." Her own poet thus writes of her version of the psalms. By this, great lady, thou must then be known, And having collected all the articles of accusation that were invidiously objected to him, completely demonstrated the falsehood of them. Of this attempt to vindicate the injured fame of his father, Mr. Edward Waterhouse thus writes (1). "Let no man compare with Mr. Philip's pen. "I know he will send his discourse to your Lordship, and, when you read it, you shall have more cause to pray God "for him, than impute affection to me in this my opinion " of him (2)." The honour and integrity of Sir Henry Sidney, thus ably defended by his son, rendered him And this is that which thou may'st call thy own, superior Daniel's Poetical Works, Vol. 1. p. 256. Besides the above version, in allusion to which she is portrayed in one of her pictures with a Bible in her hand, she translated, "A Discourse of Life "and Death, written in French, by Philip Mornay, London, 1600, 4to." She is also classed among our dramatic poets, having published “the 66 tragedie of Antonie, done into English. London 1590, and 1595, 4to." “A dialogue between two shepherds in praise of Astræa," written by Lady Pembroke, is printed in " Davison's Poetical Rapsodie, 1602." (1) Letter to Sir Henry Sidney, in the Sidney Papers. Vol. 1. p. 228. (2) Letter to Sir Henry Sidney from his secretary, in the Sidney Papers. 77 superior to the artful attacks of his enemies. He was firmly re-instated in the Queen's favour, with the approbation and applause of all good men (3). THE natural fervency of his temper, animated by his eagerness to defend his father's conduct, had almost involved Mr. Sidney in an open quarrel with Thomas, Earl of Ormond, who was not only a relation of the Queen, but highly esteemed by her. This circumstance we learn from a letter written by Mr. Waterhouse to Sir Henry Sidney, and dated from Oatlands on the sixteenth day of September, 1577 (4). "Some litell occasions of discour"tesies have passed between the Erle of Ormond, and 66 Mr. Philip Sidney, because the Erle spoke unto him and "he answered not, but was in dead silence on purpose, "because he imputeth unto the Erle such practices as have "been made to alienate her Majesty's mind from your But the controversies are, I think, at the fardest; 66 Lordship. (3) The tax so vehemently opposed, was an ancient tax, and consisted in an exaction of victuals at a certain rate for the family of the Lord Deputy, and for the soldiers in garrison. The Queen commanded it to be levied with moderation. "She would have her subjects shorn, but not devoured." (4) Sidney Papers, Vol. 1. p. 227. |