Thomas Sackville, first earl of Dorset (1536-1608).

[925]Epigram on the earle of Dorset, who dyed suddenly at the council-boord.

Uncivil death! that would'st not once conferre,
 Dispute, or parle with our treasurer,
 Had he been thee, or of thy fatall tribe,
 He would have spar'd thy life, and ta'ne a bribe.
 He that so often had, with gold and witt,
 Injur'd strong lawe, and almost conquer'd it,
 At length, for want of evidence to shewe,
 Was forc't himselfe to take a deadly blowe.

These verses I transcribed out of the collection of my honoured friend and neighbour, Thomas Tyndale, esq.

Memorandum:—the tryall was with this Sir Richard Temple's great grandfather[926]. The Lord Treasurer had in his bosome some writings, which as he was pulling-out to give in evidience, sayed 'Here is that will strike you dead!' and as soon as he had spoken these words, fell downe starke dead in the place.—from Sir Richard Temple. (Memorandum:—an extraordinary perturbation of mind will bring an apoplexie: I know severall instances of it.)

'Twas this lord that gott Salisbury house cum appurtenantiis, juxta St. Bride's, in exchange for a piece of land, neer Cricklade in Wilts, I thinke called Marston, but the title was not good, nor did the value answer his promise.—from Seth, <bishop of> Sarum, who sayes that all the parish of St. Bride's belonged to the bishop of Sarum, as also all Shoe-lane.

Note.

In an old common-place book, of date circ. 1612, in Lincoln College library, is found this version of the lines:—

Immodest death! that never wouldst confer,
 Dispute, nor parlé, with our Treasurer,
 Had he bene thou, or of thy fatall tribe,
 He would have saved thy life and ta'ne a bribe.
 He that so often, both with golde and witt,
 Had injurde law, and almost conquerde it;
 He that could strengthen causes, and was able
 To starve a sutor at the Counsell-table;
 At length, not having evidence to show,
 Was faine, good lord, to take his death: 'twas so.