Brief Lives, Vol. 2

Sir John Suckling (1608/9-1641).

[1019]Sir John Suckling[BU], knight, was the eldest son of <Sir John> Suckling, of the Green Cloath, tempore[1020] ... (I thinke, Car. I). His mother was the daughter of.... He was borne <Febr. 1608/9>.

I have heard Mris Bond say, that Sir John's father was but a dull fellow (her husband, Mr. Thomas Bond, knew him): the witt came by the mother.

Quaere Dr. Busby if he was not of Westminster schoole? he might be about his time. I have heard Sir William Davenant say that he went to the university of Cambridge at eleaven yeares of age, where he studied three or four yeares (I thinke, four). By 18 he had well travelled France and Italie, and part of Germany, and (I thinke also) of Spaine.

He returned into England an extraordinary accomplished gentleman, grew famous at court for his readie sparkling witt which was envyed, and he was (Sir William sayd) the bull that was bayted. He was incomparably readie at repartyng, and his witt most sparkling when most sett-upon and provoked.

He was the greatest gallant of his time, and the greatest gamester, both for bowling[LXXXVII.] and cards, so that no shop-keeper would trust him for 6d., as to-day, for instance, he might, by winning, be worth 200 li., the next day he might not be worth half so much, or perhaps be sometimes minus nihilo. Sir William (who was his intimate friend, and loved him intirely) would say that Sir John, when he was at his lowest ebbe in gameing, I meane when unfortunate, then would make himselfe most glorious in apparell, and sayd that it exalted his spirits, and that he had then best luck when he was most gallant, and his spirits were highest.

Sir William would say that he did not much care for a lord's converse, for they were in those dayes damnably proud and arrogant, and the French would say that 'My lord d'Angleterre ...[1021] comme un mastif-dog'; but now the age is more refined, and much by the example of his gracious majestie, who is the patterne of courtesie.

Anno Domini 163- there happened, unluckily, a difference between Sir John Suckling and Sir John Digby (brother to Sir Kenelme) about a mistresse or gameing, I have now forgott. Sir John was but a slight timberd man, and of midling stature; Sir John Digby a proper person of great strength, and courage answerable, and yielded to be the best swordman of his time. Sir John, with some 2 or 3 of his party assaults Sir John Digby goeing into a play-house; Sir J. D. had only his lacquey with him, but he[1022] flew on them like a tigre, and made them run. 'Twas pitty that this accident brought the blemish of cowardise to such an ingeniose young sparke. Sir J. D. was such a hero that there were very few but he would have served in the like manner.

Anno Domini 163- when the expedition was into Scotland, Sir John Suckling, at his owne chardge, raysed a troope of 100 very handsome young proper men, whom he clad in white doubletts and scarlett breeches, and scarlet coates, hatts, and ... feathers, well horsed, and armed. They say 'twas one of the finest sights in those dayes. But Sir John Menis made a lampoon[BV] of it (vide the old collection of lampoons):

I thinke the lampoon sayes he made an inglorious chardge against the Scotts.

Quaere in what army he was in the Civill Warres.

[1023]Anno ... he went into France, where after some time being come to the bottome of his fund that was left, reflecting on the miserable and despicable condition he should be reduced to, having nothing left to maintaine him, he (having a convenience for that purpose, lyeing at an apothecarie's house, in Paris) tooke poyson, which killed him miserably with vomiting. He was buryed in the Protestants church-yard. This was (to the best of my remembrance) 1646.

His picture, which is like him, before his Poems, says that he was but 28 yeares old when he dyed.

He was of middle stature and slight strength, brisque round eie, reddish fac't and red nose (ill liver), his head not very big, his hayre a kind of sand colour; his beard turnd-up naturally, so that he had brisk and gracefull looke. He died a batchelour.

Memorandum:—he made a magnificent entertainment in London, at ..., for a great number of ladies of quality, all beauties and young, which cost him ... hundreds of poundes, where were all the rarities that this part of the world could afford, and the last service of all was silke stockings and garters, and I thinke also gloves.

Anno Domini 1637 Sir John Suckling, William Davenant, poet laureat (not then knighted), and Jack Young came to the Bathe. Sir John came like a young prince for all manner of equipage and convenience, and Sir W. Davenant told me that he had a cart-load of bookes carried downe, and 'twas there, at Bath, that he writt the little tract in his booke about Socinianism. 'Twas as pleasant a journey as ever men had; in the heighth of a long peace and luxury, and in the venison season. The second night they lay at Marlborough, and walking on the delicate fine downes at the backside of the towne, whilest supper was making ready, the maydes were drying of cloathes on the bushes. Jack Young had espied a very pretty young girle, and had gott her consent for an assignation, which was about midnight, which they happened to overheare on the other side of the hedge, and were resolved to frustrate his designe. They were wont every night to play at cards after supper a good while; but Jack Young pretended wearinesse, etc. and must needes goe to bed, not to be perswaded by any meanes to the contrary. They had their landlady at supper with them; said they to her, 'Observe this poor gentleman how he yawnes, now is his mad fit comeing uppon him. We beseech you that you make fast his dores, and gett somebody to watch and looke to him, for about midnight he will fall to be most outragious: gett the hostler, or some strong fellow, to stay-up, and we will well content him, for he is our worthy friend, and a very honest gentleman, only, perhaps, twice in a yeare he falls into these fitts.' Jack Young slept not, but was ready to goe out as the clock struck to the houre of appointment, and then goeing to open the dore he was disappointed, knocks, bounces, stampes, calls, 'Tapster! Chamberlayne! Hostler!' sweares and curses dreadfully; nobody would come to him. Sir John and W. Davenant were expectant all this time, and ready to dye with laughter. I know not how he happened to gett-open the dore, and was comeing downe stayres. The hostler, a huge lusty fellow, fell upon him, and held him, and cryed, 'Good sir, take God in your mind, you shall not goe out to destroy your selfe.' J. Young struggled and strived, insomuch that at last he was quite spent and dispirited, and faine to goe to bed to rest himselfe. In the morning the landlady of the house came to see how he did, and brought him a cawdle. 'Oh sir,' sayd she, 'you had a heavy fitt last night, pray, sir, be pleased to take some of this to comfort your heart.' Jack Young thought the woman had been mad, and being exceedingly vexed, flirted the porrenger of cawdle in her face. The next day his camerades told him all the plott, how they crosse-bitt him. That night they went to Bronham-house, Sir Edward Baynton's (then a noble seat, since burnt in the civill warres), where they were nobly entertained severall dayes. From thence, they went to West Kington, to parson ... Davenant, Sir William's eldest brother, where they stayd a weeke—mirth, witt, and good cheer flowing. From thence to Bath, six or seven miles.

Memorandum:—parson Robert Davenant haz told me that that tract about Socinianisme was writt on the table in the parlour of the parsonage at West Kington.

[1024]My lady Southcot, whose husband hanged himselfe, was Sir John Suckling's sister, to whom he writes a consolatory letter, viz. the first. She afterwards maried ... Corbet, D.D., of Merton Coll. Oxon[BW]. At her house in Bishop's Gate-street, London, is an originall of her brother, Sir John, of Sir Anthony van-Dyke, all at length, leaning against a rock, with a play[1025]-booke, contemplating. It is a piece of great value. There is also another rare picture, viz. of that pretty creature, Mris Jane Shore, an originall.

When his Aglaura was <acted>, he bought all the cloathes himselfe, which were very rich; no tinsill, all the lace pure gold and silver, which cost him ... I have now forgott. He had some scaenes to it, which in those dayes were only used at masques.

Memorandum:—Mr. Snowdon tells me, that after Sir John's unluckie rencounter, or quarrell, with Sir John Digby, wherin he was baffled: 'twas strange to see the envie and ill nature of people to trample, and scoffe at, and deject one in disgrace; inhumane as well as un-christian. The lady ... Moray (quaere) had made an entertainment for severall persons of quality at Ashley (in Surrey, near Chertsey), whereat Mr. Snowdon then was. There was the countesse of Middlesex, whom Sir John had highly courted, and had spent on her, and in treating her, some thousand of pounds. At this entertainment she could not forbeare, but was so severe and ingrate as to upbraid Sir John of his late recieved baffle; and some other ladys had their flirts. The lady Moray (who invited them) seing Sir John out of countenance, for whose worth she alwaies had a respect: 'Well[1026],' sayd shee, 'I am a merry wench, and will never forsake an old friend in disgrace, so <co>me sitt downe by me, Sir John' (said she), and seated him on her right hand, and countenanced him. This raysed Sir John's dejected spirites that he threw his reparties about the table with so much sparklingness and gentilenes of witt, to the admiration of them all.

[1027]Sir John Suckling—from Mr. William Beeston—invented the game of cribbidge. He sent his cards to all gameing places in the country, which were marked with private markes of his: he gott 20,000 li. by this way. Sir Francis Cornwallis made Aglaura, except the end.