Portrait of Jane Austen (ca. 1810) by Cassandra Austen
Austen, as always, has a delightful wit about her, and a refreshing perspective on the historical events. 'Tis always good to find a pro-York, pro-Stuart writer!
The History
of England
from the reign of
Henry the 4thto the death of
Charles the 1st.
from the reign of
Henry the 4thto the death of
Charles the 1st.
By a partial, prejudiced, & ignorant
Historian.
[Continued]
James the 1st
Though this King had some faults, among which
& as the most principal, was his allowing his Mother's death, yet considered
on the whole I cannot help liking him. He married Anne of Denmark, and had
several Children; fortunately for him his eldest son Prince Henry died before
his Father or he might have experienced the evils which befell his unfortunate
Brother.
As I am myself partial to the roman catholic
religion, it is with infinite regret that I am obliged to blame the Behaviour of
any Member of it; yet Truth being I think very excusable in an Historian, I am
necessitated to say that in this reign the roman Catholics of England did not
behave like Gentlemen to the protestants. Their Behaviour indeed to the Royal
Family & both Houses of Parliament might justly be considered by them as
very uncivil, and even Sir Henry Percy tho' certainly the best bred man of the
party, had none of that general politeness which is so universally pleasing, as
his attentions were entirely confined to Lord Mounteagle.
Sir Walter Raleigh flourished in this &
the preceding reign, & is by many people held in great veneration &
respect — But as he was an enemy of the noble Essex, I have nothing to say in
praise of him, & must refer all those who may wish to be acquainted with the
particulars of his Life, to Mr Sheridan's play of
the Critic, where they will find many interesting Anecdotes as well of him as of
his freind Sir Christopher Hatton. — His Majesty was of that amiable disposition
which inclines to Freindship, & in such points was possessed of a keener
penetration in Discovering Merit than many other people. I once heard an
excellent sharade on a Carpet, of which the subject I am now reminds me, and as
I think it may afford my Readers some amusement to find it
out, I shall here take the liberty of presenting it to them.
Sharade
My first is what my second was to King James the 1st, and you tread on my whole.
The principal favourites of his Majesty
were Car, who was afterwards created Earl of Somerset and whose name perhaps may
have some share in the above-mentioned Sharade, & George Villiers afterwards
Duke of Buckingham. On his Majesty's death he was succeeded by his son
Charles.
Charles the 1st
This amiable Monarch seems born to have
suffered Misfortunes equal to those of his lovely Grandmother; Misfortunes which
he could not deserve since he was her descendant. Never certainly were there
before so many detestable Characters at one time in England as in this period of
its History; Never were amiable Men so scarce. The number of them throughout the
whole Kingdom amounting only to five, besides the
inhabitants of Oxford who were always loyal to their King & faithful to his
interests. The names of this noble five who never forgot the duty of the
Subject, or swerved from their attachment to his Majesty, were as follows — The
King himself, ever steadfast in his own support — Archbishop Laud, Earl of
Strafford, Viscount Faulkland, & Duke of Ormond, who were scarcely less
strenuous or zealous in the cause. While the Villains
of the time would make too long a list to be written or read; I shall therefore
content myself with mentioning the leaders of the Gang. Cromwell, Fairfax,
Hampden, & Pym may be considered as the original Causers of all the
disturbances, Distresses, & Civil Wars in which England for many years was
embroiled. In this reign as well as in that of Elizabeth, I am obliged in spite
of my attachment to the Scotch, to consider them as equally guilty with the
generality of the English, since they dared to think differently from their
Sovereign, to forget the Adoration which as Stuarts it
was their Duty to pay them, to rebel against, dethrone & imprison the
unfortunate Mary; to oppose, to deceive, and to sell the no less unfortunate
Charles. The Events of this Monarch's reign are too numerous for my pen, and
inded the recital of any Events (except what I make myself) is uninteresting to
me; my principal reason for undertaking the History of England being to prove
the innocence of the Queen of Scotland, which I flatter myself with having
effectually done, and to abuse Elizabeth, tho' I am rather fearful of having
fallen short in the latter part of my Scheme. —. As therefore it is not my
intention to give any particular account of the distresses into which this King
was involved through the misconduct & Cruelty of his Parliament, I shall
satisfy myself with vindicating him from the Reproach of arbitrary &
tyrannical Government with which he has often been charged. This, I feel, is not
difficult to be done, for with one argument I am certain of satisfying every
sensible & well disposed person whose opinions have been properly guided by
a good Education — & this argument is that he was a Stuart.
Finis Saturday Nov: 26th. 1791
---The full text can be found here: http://penelope.uchicago.edu/austen/austen.html
Those interested in antique books and manuscripts, might enjoy this: http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/ttp/austen/accessible/introduction.html
Live well!
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