the king's cause, that he persuaded him to a long forgetfulness of his intended journey to London, and then was so unwilling to lose his converfation and company, that he made an occafion to go to Afhbourne, that he might conduct him fo far on horseback by Hanson Toot and Bentley.*

Angler. I have heard say that Colonel Lovelace was afterwards, in his distress, a constant partaker of Mr. Cotton's open and generous difpofition.

Hoft. Alas! Sir, his difpofition is over generous for his fortunes; and it is famous in all the Peak, that Mr. Cotton is now detained

is

* That this friendship, so happily begun between the two poets, was a lasting one we have undoubted evidence in Mr. Cotton's Elegy To the Memory of my worthy Friend Coll. RICHARD LOVELACE,' appended to a posthumous edition of Lovelace's Lucafta, printed in 1659, the year after his death. In this collection of poems one addreffed by Lovelace 'To the nobleft of our Youth, ' and beft of Friends, CHARLES COTTON, Efquire, being 'at Beresford, at his house in Staffordshire;' in which is the following teftimony of gratitude for Mr. Cotton's having contributed to his neceffities, when he was in prison.

'What fate was mine, when in mine obfcure cave, 'Shut up almost close prisoner in a grave, "Your beams could reach me through the vault of night, 'And canton the dark dungeon with light.'-ED.

L

from Beresford against his defires, left his enemies fhould incommode him.

Angler. Say not fo: I would not have it true, that a gentleman of fo high a candour and of fuch worth fhould be an exile from his eftates.

Hoft. Were it other than true, I should indeed be happy he has none but friends in all this country, unless it be fome remnant of thofe injurious and rank weeds that sprung up through the Commonweal under the late tyranny. He is of a clear courage, like his noble father; and both manifested a conftant loyalty for the king, during the frenzy of those rugged times.

Painter. It may be this brought against him a part of his present cares.

Hoft. Alas, it did that; for it is a known truth how the estate was encumber'd on his Majesty's behalf and indeed my master showed himself to be a loving subject in those sad diftractions, when there was a danger so much as to be thought of the royal party. And another great charge was to enrich his house and grounds with all manner of curious ornamental art, in so much that they be noted in these parts for a garden of devices. And fome of our chiefeft nobility think themselves happy in Mr.

Cotton's friendship; as Lord Jermayne, and the most noble Earl of Devonshire,* who lives in his stately mansion at Chatsworth, and permits a familiarity with him; nay, I have seen them practise with foils in our great Hall, and notwithstanding the Earl has the longer arm and is esteemed a very dextrous fencer, he cannot, with all his parries, defend himself against Mr. Cotton's counterpoint and skilful difengagements.

Painter. I pray you, what age is Mr. Charles Cotton?

Hoft. Sir, Mr. Cotton was born forty-seven years, gone the 28th of laft month: but he is yet in the morning and flower of his life; and to look at him you might believe him to be less than forty, by reason of his youthful carriage and comeliness; and when he converses with his inferiors, fuch as myself and others, who have the happiness to call him our master, the fweetness of his difcourfe and his difcreet familiarity expels every fear. And then, Sir! if you could see him, (as I have often,) in his fuit of flashed velvet, or rich taffeta, you would be fure he was bred at court; indeed, he is notable for

* William, Earl of Devonshire, mentioned in Cotton's Wonders of the Peak, p. 24. 1681.—ED.

his comportment and alluring person. Nevertheless, I have sometimes feen him transported beyond his usual behaviour: and I cannot help me from smiling at a story of himself, I have heard him relate to his friends.

Angler. I beseech you let us have it.

Hoft. Well, Sir! you are to know Mr. Cotton will sometimes have a flight hindrance in his speech; and fo on a time he found a ftout beggar that fat under the great yew tree, near to the door of the Hall; whereupon he asked him, with an hesitation, What-d-doft-d-do -here-f-friend?'-Now it chanced the beggar had the fame infirmity of speech with noble Mr. Cotton, but greater; fo he began to stammer in his answering, and make wry words and looks; upon this, Mr. Cotton, thinking he mocked at him, feized the man on a fudden, and declared he was a sturdy rogue, and he would teach him his manners, and have him put in the stocks. Thereupon the other, in his fright, could not but ftut the more, feeing how obnoxious he was to fo fine a gentleman; till at length Mr. Cotton, finding it to be a real entanglement in the fellow's speech, was all at once mollified, and did humbly ask pardon for his first severity; and after that fell a laughing, and with pleasant perfuafions called him into

his house, and feasted him there, till the beggar thought himself as g-great as a L-Lord.

Painter. Ah! ha! ha! a mighty pleasant story.

Angler. I dare to think the beggar was not the only guest at the Hall that has tafted of Mr. Cotton's good cheer.

Host. Sir, you are right; and I well remember, when my mafter refolved to build the fishing-house, and that Prospect Tower, that you shall fee to-morrow, he engaged a mafter architect from the town of Nottingham, to fee that the ftone-work was fkilfully managed. This was Mr. Lancelot Rolfton, * a man of folid abilities, and instructed in many arts; and because he was of a fertile wit, and withal a brother of the angle, Mr. Cotton held him to be, as he always proved himself, a brave gentleman and a scholar, and after a time, entered into a familiarity with him, which hath continued to this day-but Sirs,-I humbly afk your pardon; I would not be thought to venture myself on your civility, nor take too much of the converfation.

Probably the fon of Mr. Thomas Rollefton, who built the church at Mayfield, in Dove Vale, in 1616.— Pitt's Survey of Staffordshire, p. 225.-ED.