Sir Patience is for a parliament, Cramm'd brim full of fedition. Sir Bob is for the subject's right, Their famous deeds record: Sir John, he's for the interest Sir Patience, he calls for juftice, And then the wretch will fham us; Sheriff Bethel he packs a jury Well vers'd in ignoramus: Sir Tom would hang the Tory, And let the Whig go free; Sir Bob would have a commonwealth, And cry down monarchy. While still the brave Sir George Does all their deeds record; But Sir John, Sir John, Your loyalty restor❜d; Sir John he is for justice, Which rebels would destroy. Vive, Vive, Vive le Roy. And may fuch loyal Mayors, Such sheriffs find a jury Will to the King be kind; And may the King live long To rule fuch people here; And may ye fuch a Lord Mayor find And theriffs every year : That traytors may receive Maintains the royal caufe; JOHN SHEFFIELD, DUKE OF BUCKINGHAMSHIRE. "That wit, which, or in council, or in fight, HE family of Sheffield was eminent, fo far back as the reign of Henry III., in the perfon of Sir Robert Sheffield, Knt., who, by Felicia, his wife, daughter and heir of Terneby, had Robert, his fon, who married Anne, daughter and co-heir of Sir Simon Goure, and had iffue, Thomas, who died S. P., and Robert Sheffield, grandfather of Edmund, created firft Baron Sheffield, in the first year of Edward VI. His grandfon Edmund, who greatly distinguished himself in the reigns of Queen Elizabeth, of James I., and Charles I., was, by the latter, advanced to the dignity of Earl of Mulgrave, in Yorkshire.* His great grandfon was John, the subject of the present notice. He became one of the most eminent noblemen of his day, appeared in various places of honour and trust * Banks's Dormant and Extinct Baronage, vol. iv. and was advanced to a degree of dignity beyond all his predeceffors, being created Marquis of Normanby, in the fixth year of William and Mary, and in 1703 the fecond of Queen Anne, Duke of Normanby and Duke of Buckinghamshire.* At the breaking out of the fecond Dutch war in 1672, he went to sea as a volunteer under the Duke of York, and behaved with fo much gallantry at the battle of Solebay, that, on his return to London, the King gave him the command of the Royal Katharine, the best second-rate ship then in the navy; and it is not a little curious, that notwithstanding this, we find him, in the ensuing year, though at sea, yet acting in the post and with the commiffion of a Colonel, having himself raised a regiment of foot, to serve with the forces fent under the command of Marshal de Schomberg. The Duke was a man of great literary attainments, and was author of several works, in profe and in verse, which were published shortly after his death. Walpole, in his Catalogue of Noble Authors, fpeaks in rather flighting terms of these productions, as he fays, "It is certain, that his Grace's compofitions in profe have nothing extraordinary in them; his poetry is most indifferent, and the greatest part of both is already fallen into total neglect." This opinion, however, must be received with caution, as it is well known, that when Horace Walpole took the critical lash in hand, he laid it on unfparingly. The Duke fucceffively filled the offices of Chamberlain to James II., Privy Seal, and afterwards Prefident of the Council to Queen Anne. *Beatfon's Political Index. He died in 1720, leaving one fon, who died when quite a youth, and with whom the title became extinct. His Grace, while Earl of Mulgrave, was elected a Member of the Grocers' Company; and, in 1684, was chofen Master for the year enfuing. SIR JOHN CUTLER, BART. "On rend quelquefois juftice bien tard.” HERE is no part of the work I have undertaken, to which I feel myself fo incompetent to do juftice, as the vindication of Sir John Cutler's memory from the obloquy and calumnies by which it has been affailed for nearly a century and half. In endeavouring to refute the affertions of a man like Pope, I am conscious that I have no light task to perform; but, as I shall adduce nothing in defence of Sir John Cutler, which is not susceptible of proof, I truft I shall fucceed in removing, at least, a part of the prejudice which has been created against him by a poet, who, in the words of his eulogift, Johnfon," was fometimes wanton in his attacks," and many of whofe efforts " exhibit nothing but cool malignity."* Although the fatire in * Lives of the Poets, vol. iii. pp. 134 and 136. question is familiar to most readers, I have thought it best to insert it here, in order to place the "bane and antidote" by the fide of each other, and thus give the reader an opportunity of judging for himself. It forms a part of Pope's third epistle, addressed to Lord Bathurst, on the use of riches. "His grace's fate, fage Cutler could foresee, And well, he thought, advis'd him, live like me. Banish'd the doctor, and expell'd the friend? What but a want, which you, perhaps, think mad Cutler and Brutus, dying, both exclaim, Virtue and wealth, what are ye but a name?" All this is extremely bitter; and, if founded on fact, would stamp Sir John Cutler as one of the basest and most loathsome characters that ever lived; and it is to be lamented that Pennant, whofe good-nature might have taught him better, fhould give additional currency * May one venture to accufe Pope of plagiarism? In Fuller's Church Hiftory of Britain, ed. 1655, century 17, page 57, I find the following couplet on Bancroft, Archbishop of Canterbury : Here lies his Grace in cold clay clad Who dy'd for want of what he had. |