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Brief Lives, Vol. 2

Chapter 203: Notes.
By John Aubrey
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BiographiesBritish LiteratureHistory - Early Modern (c. 1450-1750)

About This Book

A collection of concise biographical sketches of contemporaries and earlier figures recorded by an antiquarian observer, combining factual entries—births, offices, publications, and inscriptions—with personal anecdotes, hearsay, heraldic and parish-register notes, bibliographic references, and occasional critical judgments. Entries range from terse records to extended reminiscences, often citing documentary sources or witness statements, and reflect an informal, detail-driven approach aimed at preserving lives, reputations, and local traditions for reference and remembrance.

Richard Sackville, fifth earl of Dorset (1622-1677).

[922]Richard Sackville[BB], earle of Dorset[923], father of this earle (Richard)—'twas he that translated[BC] the Cid, a French comoedie, into English, about 1640.

Obiit anno Domini 167<7>; sepult. with his ancestors at Knoll in Kent. He was a fellow of the Royall Societie. He maried <Frances> Cranfield, daughter of the earle of Middlesex, by whome he had severall sonnes and daughters.

His eldest sonne is Richard, earl of Dorset and Middlesex, a most noble lord and my most kind friend.

Obiit 16<77>.

Notes.

[BB] This note is in MS. Aubr. 8, fol. 20v. Aubrey gives in trick the coat:—'quarterly <or and gules> over all a bend vair [Sackville]; impaling, <or>, on a pale <azure>, 3 fleur de lys <of the field> [Cranfield],' surmounted by a coronet. The note contains some confusions, which may be cleared up. (a) MS. Aubr. 8 was written in 1681, 'this earl' is therefore Charles, 6th earl (succeeded 1677, died 1706); but Aubrey twice calls him Richard. (b) The translation of the Cid appeared, part i in 1637, and part ii in 1640. It was executed by Joseph Rutter (tutor to Richard, 5th earl) at the command of Edward, 4th earl; and therefore the attribution of the translation should be to Edward, 4th earl, who died 1652.

[BC] In MS. Aubr. 8, fol. 102v, Anthony Wood has written this note:—'In pag.[924] 10, 'tis said that Richard, earl of Dorset, translated into English a French comedy called the Cid, whereas both the parts of it were done by Joseph Rutter.' To which Aubrey answers: 'It was Sam Butler told me that my lord of Dorset translated it.'—In MS. Aubr. 7, fol. 9v, Aubrey writes: 'Sam. Butler (Hudebras) one time at the tavern sayd that 'twas this earl of Dorset's father that translated the comoedie called The Cid, writt by Corneille. Me thinks he should not be mistaken; but the world is mighty apt to it, you see.'