The Lives of the Poets of Great Britain and Ireland (1753) eBook

Theodore Watts-Dunton
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 353 pages of information about The Lives of the Poets of Great Britain and Ireland (1753).

The Lives of the Poets of Great Britain and Ireland (1753) eBook

Theodore Watts-Dunton
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 353 pages of information about The Lives of the Poets of Great Britain and Ireland (1753).

The Double Welcome, a Poem to the Duke of Marlborough.

Apollo’s Maggot in his Cups, or The Whimsical Creation of a Little Satirical Poet; a Lyric Ode, dedicated to Dickey Dickenson, the witty, but deformed Governor of Scarborough Spaw, 8vo. 1729.

The Ambitious Father, or The Politician’s Advice to his Son; a Poem in five Cantos, 1733, the last work he left finished.

Mr. Ward’s works, if collected, would amount to five volumes in 8vo. but he is most distinguished by his London Spy, a celebrated work in prose.

[Footnote A:  Notes on the Dunciad.]

* * * * *

Sir Roger L’ESTRANGE,

This gentleman was second son of Sir Hammon L’Estrange of Hunston in Norfolk, knt. and was born anno 1617[A].  In the year 1644 Sir Roger having obtained a commission from King Charles I. for reducing Lynne in Norfolk, then in possession of the Parliament, his design was discovered to colonel Walton the governour, and his person seized.  Upon the failing of this enterprize he was tried by a court-martial at Guildhall, London, and condemned to lose his life as a spy, coming from the King’s quarters without drum, trumpet, or pass; but was afterwards reprieved, and continued in Newgate several years.  Sir Roger in a work of his, called Truth and Loyalty Vindicated, has informed us, that, when he received sentence of death, which was pronounced against him by Dr. Mills, then judge advocate, and afterwards chancellor to the bishop of Norwich, he was cast into Newgate, where he was visited by Mr. Thorowgood and Mr. Arrowsmith, two members of the assembly of divines, who kindly offered him their utmost interest if he would make some petitionary acknowledgment, and submit to take the covenant, which he refused.  But that he might obtain a reprieve, he wrote several letters to the earl of Northumberland, the earl of Stamford, and others of the nobility, from whom he received favours.  In the House of Commons he was particularly obliged to Sir John Corbet, and Sir Henry Cholmondley.  He was reprieved in order to a further hearing; but after almost thirty months spent in vain endeavours, either to come to a hearing, or to put himself into an exchangeable condition, he printed a state of his case, as an Appeal from the Court-martial to the Parliament, dated at Newgate in 1647.

After almost four years imprisonment, with his keeper’s privity, he slipt into Kent, and then with much difficulty got beyond sea.  About the latter end of August 1653, upon the dissolution of the Long Parliament, by Cromwel, he returned into England, and presently acquainted the council, then sitting at Whitehall, that finding himself within the Act of Indemnity, he thought it his duty to give them notice of his return.  Soon after this he was served with the following order,

Wednesday September 7, 1655,

Ordered,

That Roger L’Estrange be sent unto, to attend the committee of this council for examination.

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The Lives of the Poets of Great Britain and Ireland (1753) from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.