John Rushworth (1607-1690).
[908]I was borne in Northumberland[909], but my parents were both born in the county of York. The title of the books I writ went by the name of Historicall Collections; except The earle of Strafford's triall, which I toke with my owne pen in characters at the time of his triall, which I have impartially published in folio. And I gave the first president of my method in writing and declaring onely matter of fact in order of time, without observation or reflection: but Dr. Nalson, a learned man, finds fault with me, but I leave it to posterity to judg.
I being neere of kin to Sir Thomas Fairfax, the parlament's generall, he made choice of me to be his secretary in the wars[910], by which means I am beter inabled to give account of military affairs, both in the first wars and in the second which hapened in the year 1648—all which I am now upon perfeting the same, but the times favors not the comeing of it forth.
There is an other thing which inables me the better to proceed with the work I am now upon, my privity to all debates and passages in the house of Commons: for that house made choice of me to be assistant at the table to Mr. Ellsing, clark of that parlament to the house of Commons, by which means I was privey to all circumstances in there procedings.
I might perticularly remonstrate more concernements of my owne, as being with the king Charles the first at the camp at Barwick, at the great councill at York, at Newborne[911] nere Newcastle upon the Scots invading of England, et cetera.
Both the houses of parlament had the confidence in me that they sent by me ther[912] addresses to the king after he left the parlament and went to Yorke. And it so fell out that I rode severall times, with that expedition betwen London and Yorke (being one hundred and fivetey miles) in 24 hours at a time.
Sir[913], pardon my boye's ignorance in writeing:
Jo. Rushworth[914].
Southwarke,
July 21, 1687.
Mr.[915] Rushworth tells me he is superannuated. He hath forgott to putt downe the name of the place where borne: as also that he was secretary to Sir Orlando Bridgeman, when Lord Keeper of the great seale, which was a considerable place.
[916]Yesterday I saw Mr. Rushworth: which was a great mortification. He hath quite lost his memory with drinking brandy. Remembred nothing of you, etc. His landlady wiped his nose like a child.
[917]John Rushworth, of Lincoln's Inne, esq., historian, died in the Rules Court Alley in Southwarke, at the widow Bayley's house, a good woman and who was very carefull and tendfull of him, on Monday the twelfth day of May 1690[918]; and was buried the Wednesday following behind the pulpit in St. George's church in Southwarke. He was about 83, onwards to 84. He had no son, but 3 or 4 daughters, virtuous woemen: one is maried to Sir Francis Vane of ... in the north. He had forgot his children before he died.