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Brief Lives, Vol. 2

Chapter 327: Note.
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.

John Wilmot, earl of Rochester (1648-1680).

[1259]John, earl of Rochester[CS]:—he went to schoole at <Burford>; was of Wadham College, Oxford; I suppose, had been in France.

About 18, he stole his lady, <Elizabeth> Malet, a daughter and heir, a great fortune; for which I remember I sawe him a prisoner in the Tower about 1662.

His youthly spirit and oppulent fortune did sometimes make him doe extravagant actions, but in the country he was generally civill enough. He was wont to say that when he came to Brentford the devill entred into him and never left him till he came into the country again to Alderbury or Woodstock.

He was raunger of Woodstock-parke and lived often at the lodge at the west end, a very delightfull place and noble prospect westwards. Here his lordship had severall lascivious pictures drawen.

His lordship read all manner of bookes. Mr. Andrew Marvell, who was a good judge of witt, was wont to say that he was the best English satyrist and had the right veine. 'Twas pitty death tooke him off so soon.

In his last sicknesse he was exceedingly paenitent and wrote a lettre of his repentance to Dr. Burnet, which is printed.

He sent for all his servants, even the piggard-boy, to come and heare his palinode[1260]. He dyed at Woodstock-parke, 26 July, 1680; and buried at Spilsbury in the same countie, Aug. 9 following.

His immature death putts me in mind of these verses of Propertius:—

Vere novo primoque in aetatis flore juventae,
 Ceu rosa virgineo pollice carpta, jaces.

[1261]On the death of my lord Rochester: pastorall.

1

As on his death-bed, gasping, Strephon lay,
 Strephon, the wonder of the plaines,
 The noblest of th' Arcadian swaines,
 Strephon, the bold, the witty, and the gay,
 With many a sigh, and many a teare, he said,
 'Remember me, ye shepheards, when I'me dead.

2

'Ye triflying glories of this world, adieu!
 And vain applauses of the age!
 For when we quit this earthly stage,
 Beleeve me, shepheards, for I tell you true,
 Those pleasures which from vertuous deeds we have
 Procure the sweetest slumbers in the grave.

3

'Then since your fatall houre must surely come,
 Surely your head ly low as mine,
 Your bright meridian soon decline,
 Beseech the mighty PAN to guard you home.
 If to Elysium you would happy fly,
 Live not like Strephon, but like Strephon die.'

T. Flatman.

Note.

[CS] Aubrey gives in trick the coat:—'<argent, on a fesse gules between 3 eagles' heads, erased sable, 3 escallops or> [Wilmot]; impaling, azure, 3 escallops or [Malet],' surmounted by an earl's coronet, and wreathed in laurel (for a poet). The top of fol. 55 has been cut off, the writing on the recto side having previously been scored out: I think the mutilation is due to Aubrey himself.