SPECTATOR'S LIBRARY.

llinanApay, The Autobiography and Correspondence of Sir Simonds D'Ewes, Bart., during the Reigns of James L and Charles I. Edited by James Orehald IfsElwell, Esq.,

&c. Esc. In two volumes &nag.

FluTIon, The Whiteboy ; a Story of Ireland, in 1822. By Mn. S.C. Hall. In two volumes. Chapman and Hail.

ll'oroewor,

A Hand-book for Travellers in Spain and Readers at Home. Describing tho Country and Cities, the Natives and their Manners, the Antiquities, Religion, Legends, Pine Aith Literature, Sports, and Gastronomy, past and present ; with :Notices of Spa- nish History. In two volumes Murray.

THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF SIR SIMONDS D'EWES.

THE name of D'Ewes is met with, if not remembered by the general reader, as a reference to statements in the text of other writers ; but his character and merits are chiefly known to antiquaries or historians from the information contained in his great publication, The Journals of All the Parliaments during the Reign of Queen Elizabeth, and his manuscript collections and writings of various kinds, preserved at the British Museum in the Harleian MSS. In exhuming his autobiography from the British Museum, and printing it with a selection from the family correspondence, Mr. Halliwell has performed a useful service ; although it exhibits no moving accidents of any kind, and the substance of its historical information has already been conveyed to the public.

The leading facts in the life of Sir Simonds D'Ewes are few. He was born in 1602, and died in 1650; though his autobiography only comes down to 1636. After being sent to various schools, he entered St. John's College, Cambridge, as a Fellow Commoner, in 1618; and in 1620 he began his studies at the Temple,—having been admitted as a member nine years before, when only nine years old ! It was originally his in- tention to practice the law; but, having in 1626 married an heiress, and his father then settling five hundred a year upon him with another six hundred in reversion, D'Ewes devoted himself to the study of heraldry, legal and Parliamentary archteology, and history ; intermixing private and county business with his studies. In 1639 he rose to the dignity of High Sheriff for Suffolk, where his property was situated ; in the year following he was elected Member for Sudbury; and in 1641 he was made a Baronet, by Charles the First. Notwithstanding this favour, he sided with the Parliament on the breaking out of the civil wars,—as was to be expected, from his religious views and ideas of civil government ; the same consistency included him in the expulsion known by the name of Pride's Purge ; and two years afterwards he died.

There is not, apparently, in this outline, enough to fill nearly six hun- dred octavo pages, especially when we consider that the autobiographer stops short of the most busy and active fourteen years of his life : but D'Ewes was essentially a learned gossip. The history of his family is unfolded with all the minuteness of a herald, the clearness of a logician, and the precision of a lawyer. And by family we mean his descent both on the father's and mother's side; with a still more elaborate history of his wife's connexions, who seem to have had the best blood,—for though the D'Ewes were originally ancient and noble, of the duchy of Guelder- land, yet they left it in consequence of civil brawls, and came to England in the time of Henry the Eighth ; passing, as D'Ewes expresses it, under a cloud, which also seems to us to break the chain of evidence. These genealogical particulars, however, are not mere dry heraldry : D'Ewes exhibits his own character in narrating the trouble he took to hunt out evidence and establish facts, sometimes from records, sometimes from living witnesses. In like manner, he minutely tells any family circum- stance,—as the wonderful strength of a man-cook,----and narrates at large any family incident, or paints a family portrait ; some of which are interesting from their domestic character, and the natural feeling of the writer, despite of a cold disposition and formal manner. The differ- ent persons he encountered—and he encountered many, and some of emi- nence—are described in a similar way ; as well as the public sights he • saw—and, like a true gossip, he began early to look about him, and to frequent places where men do congregate. He also systematically inter- mingles notices of public events and public characters with his own pri- vate affairs ; and although little new light is thrown upon anything, it is not without interest to read the remarks of a contemporary upon events which now stand out in historical magnitude,—as the foundation of the colony of New England, the levy of Ship-money, and the disputes in the Church originated by Laud ; the last, by the by, an exact counterpart of the present dissensions. With the slightest allowance for the age, which affects the style, and for circumstances, which place the modern Lauds undermost, the following diatribe might be written by a D'Ewes of the present day.

"For mine own part, I have ever maintained obedience to the magistrate in all lawful things, and that the conscience ought not to be enforced; nay, 1 can honour and esteem a virtuous or learned Papist, who, being educated in that religion, supposeth it to be the truth. But for men to call themselves Protestants, as Bishop Laud, Bishop Wren, and their wicked adherents, to swallow up the pre- ferments of our Church, to inveigh against Popery in word only, and in the main to project and plot the ruin of the truth and gospel, to maintain and publish the most gross and feculent errors of the Romish synagogue, to cause Gods day to be profaned, his public service to be poisoned by idolatry and superstition, his faithful and painful ministers to be censured, suspended, deprived, and exiled, and to ' threaten a speedy ruin to the power of godliness,—this my soul abhors as the highest step of wickedness and of prevarication against God and his honour. I cannot but account the Pope, the Cardinals, and Jesuits themselves, saints in , comparison of these men. For as a few traitors within a besieged city are of a • greater danger for the ruin of it than a whole army without, so doubtless what Thwdore Bean saith of Pseudo-Lutherans of Germany is true of these men; that they do no less impudently and furiously weaken and undermine the gospel of truth, than if they were hired by the Pope himself at great rates. Besides, the gross heresies and horrible abominations of the Romish synagogue are so many and notorious, as I dare boldly aver, that it is impossible for any true Protestant, ' that knows but the truth in some indifferent measure, and leads his life in some proportion like apious Christian, ever willingly and by way of choice and election to turn Papist, either in whole or in part. But I see by daily experience, when ; &sines, aeholaws and others, are given up to a profane, vicious, and atheistical • life, they so far detest and bate such as be godly, aa ;slut judgment of God•they are at length given up to the hatred of the truth fteM also, an readily take In their defence andereed. any Popish, Palagian,or Anabaptistical tenets.* It will be seen from this extract, that the style of D'Ewes possesses a scholarly force and clearness. Mere expression, however, is of little effect unless it convey a. true transcript of the author's mind, which alone imparts a clunacter to composition. It if this kind of din- racter which gives its value and attraction to the autobiography babe us. Whatever he narrates had an importance in the author's own mind; he puts down nothing for mere writing's sake. His particulars, too, are often of a general character—one of' a elms, though the class be small; his comments frequently treat of religion or government largely ; and his notices often relate to persons whose very names excite attention. But the most striking feature of The Autobiography of Sir Simonds D'Erves is its domestic picture of a family of the time of the two first Stuarts, or rather of the Elizabethan age. The painting, however relates .rather to feelings and practice than to mere manners ; for the nature of D'Ewes was not adapted to external accomplishment or frivolities, as his studies raised him above them. Making allowance for the formal and precise character of the man,—which, however, did not subdue natural feelings so much as shape and regulate their exhiiition,.-- this autobiography may be considered as one of the most complete eald- bitions of an individual and a family that has ever been written.

Some of the most curious portions of the work are those which re- late to his own courtships and the second marriage of his father. The system of what is called " marrying " young people by their friends was at its height during those days, as it still prevails on the Continent,— although something more of freedom of choice seems to have been generally allowed the parties than we are apt to suppose. But the working of the system appears to have destroyed all the romance of love and courtship—to have made it more a matter of business, and of liking or bearing with, than of affection. A novelist, painting the courtship of a youth not out of his teens, would place all the doubts of the lover on the inconstancy of his mistress ; whereas the fear of Master D'Ewes was on his father.

COURTSHIP ris THE REIGN OF JAMES THE FIRST.

I must now come to speak a little largely of a particular business that concerns my first love; which, because it broke off abruptly and abortively, before the end of the ensuing summer, I will a little anticipate the after passages of it, and finish it here at once. This match was propounded first unto me upon Saturday the 20th day of October in the year 1620; to which, being of itself very worthy of entertainment, I was the rather induced to hearken by reason of my small stipend and inconvenient lodging at the Six Clerks' Office in Chancery Lane, [his father was one of the Six Clerks,] whereby my precious time was misspent or want de private chamber and study wherein to reside. From that day, for above half a year after, I had many discourses with one Mr. Bolden), a gentleman that first proposed it, how to effect it, and misspent many an hour in the care and thought of it, till the 8th day of this instant May, being Tuesday, when Mr. Waidegrave, of Lawford in the county of Essex, father of the gentlewoman named Jemima, being his younger daughter and co-heir apparent, come to London purposely to treat with my father about it; with whom after thrice meeting and some differences composed, he made a full agreement, so as there seemed nothing to be wanting to make up a full and due consunumstion but our mutual likings, who were to have matched: so now, had I not feared my father's inconstancy., I should have assured myself of a seasonable accomplishing my present expectation.

•

The next day, being Friday May 25, I arrived at Colchester between twelve and one; and that afternoon saw Miss Jemima with the Lady Bingham her mother, (whom, having been the widow of Sir Richard Bingham, Knight, Mr. Waldegrese had married to his second wife,) and had some discourse with the old lady, and some short view of the gentlewoman; whom I did not take to be so handsome at this first view as I thought her afterwards. I went not home at this time with the old lady, but lay at a town called Langbam, near to Lawford, at one Mr. Little- bury's house; from whence, the next day, I went with him to Mr. Waldegrava's in the afternoon, and had full amass in private discourse afforded me with the young gentlewoman. That night I returned again with Mr. Littlebury (who had used a great deal of faithful care to make up this match) to his house; where having staid till Monday May 28th, in the forenoon we went again to Mr. Waldegrave's, and dined there. After which ended, I had several discourses with the young gentlewoman, and received from her so many rerntmstrances of west- teflon and affection, as her own father acknowledged she never had done before; and we all thought the business in fair forwardness for the consummation thereof. But I, fearing my father's inconstancy, by reason he was to settle above 1,100. per annum upon me, and to receive no portion, had all my expectations even at this present mixed with doubts; which were the more increased upon my return to him next day to Newplaoe, (for, his coach-horses going cheerfully, I went the whole thirty-eight miles from Lawford thither in a day,) where, having related to him my unexpected success, I found him in some strait, as if he knew not well now how to break it off, or go back. At my next return therefore thither, he wrote a strange letter to the young gentlewoman, and gave it me in charge to bring him an answer from her. It was penned in a good phrase but mixed with some unseasonable imperious passages; so as, presaging what effects it would produce, I kept it two or three days ere I delivered it after I was come to Mr. Waldegrave's; but fearing any father's dis- pleasure if I still kept it, and so an abortive issue of this overture, I at last rather chose to put it to the hazard. Truly, both the father and the young gentlewoman, whose affection I had gained very far, were content for my sake to have passed it over; but the Lady Bingham her mother told me plainly, my father took so early authority upon him as her daughter should never come under his power; and so, after all that cost bestowed by my father, being near upon 801., andall the trod and pains which had been bestowed by myself and others to effect this business, (although it hung in suspense till the 19th day of September next ensuing,) yet all was finally dashed.

The next matchmaking in which our hero engaged was the marriage of his father, a year or two afterwards. It now seems odd to find a young man just of age volunteering his advice upon such a subject, and offering his services as an agent to carry on the suit.

"Though the talk of this princely-intended match [Charles the First with the Infanta] filled the thoughts and discourses of most men, yet did the expectation of another marriage which nearly concerned me take up a great part of my time in the latter said of the foregoing February and the beginning of the ensuing March. For my most dear and blessed mother having deceased above four years and eight months now past, and my father, since his being a widower, falling into treaty with several persons about his second marriage, some of them being m the prime of their youth, I was almost continually agitated and troubled lest be should at last pitch upon some yonngpersou altogether unfit for his age; by which is 1 should not only reap mach dlsauesfes in my present life, but it was poen,

also he might thereby be drawn to give away the greatest part of his estate to the issue of a second wife, of which I saw daily experience of like cases, to the

utter ruin of many ancient and nobly extracted families. Having, therefore, no thought or hope to get any estate settled on myself by my own matching, by reason of my late miscarriage in my first treaty, which gave me abundant expe- rience of his inconstancy, my next votes and wishes were to see him well and -happily married to some good and ancient widow, every way fit for him. and ac- corthngly, he fell in treaty this February with Dame Elizabeth Denton, the widow and relict of Sir Anthony Denton, Knt, late of Tunbridge, in the county of Kent. She was the eldest daughter of Thomas Islam, Esq., of Langport, in North- amptonshire, deceased, and sister of Sir John Isham, Knt.,. living. Her age was about forty-five; and her estate, both in ready money and jointure, so considerable and fair, as my father had just grounds even in that respect, she requiring but a reasonable jointure, to desire the match. But she was, besides, very discreet, frugal, and religious; which, added to her estate and extraction, being both with- out exception, occasioned a gentleman, my father's very good friend, to snake the motion to him, knowing it to be very seasonable for the good of himself and his children, there being little likelihood that she should add to his number he already enjoyed, because she never had any issue by her former husband, although she continued his wife divers years. "I was first acquainted with this overture on Tuesday the 18th day of Fe- bruary, by my father himself; who being naturally marvellously inconstant, and -mclinmg, as I also gathered, to some younger woman for his wife, had broken off this treaty before the Tuesday following, being the 25th day of the same month: whereupon I went the same day to his office, and remonstrated to him the con- venience and fitness of this match in all respects, and how much it was desired by myself and sisters. Whereupon he gave me liberty to repair to the lady, and to bring on the former treaty again which had been abortively dissolved; which I did accordingly, the same afternoon; and so having set it on foot again the second time, I followed it close with my utmost care and diligence, and by my persuasion with either party cleared many doubts and obstacles, amounting well near to a new breach.

"Yet my father still interposing new matters, did so weary me with the daily experience of his irresolution, and despairing of any further good issue' although the marriage-conveyance were well near drawn, and our Lent reading beginning on Monday the ad day of March, I engaged myself in the performance of a moot, at New Inn, that day in the afternoon, where I argued the case with good success. The next morning I argued another law-case at another Inn of Chancery, with like success, though upon very little study; both which exercises I the rather undertook to free myself from further journeys and troubles in my father's wooing. But it pleased God to give such a blessing to my fanner endeavours, that all things being agreed on, and the deed of jointure ensealed on Wednesday morning, the 5th day of March, to my great joy and comfort, the marriage was solemnized, in St. Faith's Church, under St. Paul's; and then we dined and spent the residue of the day at the place where the lady had lodged, near Smithfield, all the time my father had been a suitor to her."

The perusal of these confessions will show that Simonds D'Ewes was not of a very vehement disposition or romantic cast : but something, perhaps, should be placed upon the age, and a personal formality or quaintness. His notice of the deaths of his grand-parents, his mother and his children, show feeling if not sensibility; and though his letters on the death of his wife, (which took place in his absence, some years after the autobiography closes,) look like those of a lawyer inquiring the particulars or dealing with a ease, there is no doubt but that he felt it deeply. His morals were unimpeachable, partly the result of tempera- ment ; his religion was that of the Church of England, inclining to the Pu- ritans, but liberal for his age, although not always free from its persecuting spirit, and he had the censorious cast of mind which often belongs to men of strict conduct and straitness in religion. Except his grand-parents, and his mother, who died young, he scarcely mentions anybody without hitting their weak place—if, indeed, he does not report gossip for fact— and with that mild malignancy which characterizes his class. Besides generally depreciating Bacon, and not perceiving his philosophical merits, he accuses him of an abominable propensity. His own family and father do not escape him ; for, though he does not say so in terms his narra- tive charges his father with cheating him out of the proceeds his ma- ternal grandfather's estate, to which he was left heir. Enemies or in- -different persons fare ill enough ; and he handles an old friend, Cotton the antiquary, with little delicacy. In editing the Autobiography, Mr. Halliwell judiciously does no more than is really necessary ; which many will think is doing little. The -Correspondence that follows it extends from 1600 to 1649; embraces many subjects and many writers ; and besides in a slight degree carrying on the autobiography, contains some curiously characteristic epistles. Mr. Halliwell has also added, from the Harleian MSS., a fragmentary "Secret History of the Reign of James I."; though it is chiefly occupied with the fortunes of Carr Earl of Somerset, and the murder of Sir Thomas Overbury. This is followed by a reprint of Wynne's Relation of the Journey into Spain, when Charles went on his romantic courtship. The latter is a curious tract, and of original authority; the Secret History is twaddling, and too evidently based upon report to have much value. It runs somewhat counter to the received story; but its sources of in- formation are obviously too doubtful, and the author too vulgarly credu- lous for weight to be attached to what he says, where he deviates, how- ever slightly, from other accounts.