Middlesex; and was baptized there, on the tenth of February, in the year 1608-9.

By both parents his descent was respectable: his mother was sister to Sir Lionel Cranfield, afterwards created Earl of Middlesex and Lord Treasurer; and his father, who had been returned in 1601 as member for the borough of Dunwich, was subsequently made principal secretary of state and comptroller of the household to King James the First.-Under his successor, the unfortunate Charles, he retained these dignified situations, and was by that monarch elevated to the additional rank of a privy counsellor.

This gentleman, who enjoyed the honour of knighthood, was the youngest son, by the first marriage, of Robert Suckling, Esq. of Woodton in the county of Norfolk; who had represented the city of Norwich in the two parliaments of 1570 and 1585, and whose ancestors had possessed estates in that village from the year 1348.

Aubrey relates, on the authority of Mrs. Bond, the wife of one of the poet's companions," that Suckling derived his vivacity and wit from his mother; for that "his father was but a dull fellow." Whether any sallies of this lady's brilliancy have been preserved, I know not they have, at least, eluded my researches.

If Aubrey be correct, and the father excelled not in the charms of conversation, in the power

he was, certainly, a man of sound judgment and acute observation. The writer of these pages possesses letters,

a Familiarly known by the name of “Jack Bond,” he is introduced by the poet in one or two of his poems as an interlocutor with himself— his social qualities, however, seem to have been his principal recommendation.

written by him on matters of family business, in which a solidity of judgment and a knowledge of human nature are displayed, in language of remarkable vigour: nor, can it reasonably be imagined, that, without qualifications, somewhat above an ordinary standard, Sir John (the father) would have been selected by his sovereign as a privy counsellor, in times which, verging fast towards turbulence and rebellion, were already marked by increasing difficulties and open dissatisfaction.

But in addition to these dignities, which he already enjoyed, Sir John was also an aspirant to still higher preferment. In the " Sidney State Papers " is a letter written by Lord Leicester to his son, in September, 1621, wherein he says, "It is not known who shall be chancellor of the Exchequer, now my Lord Brooke doth give it over it is between Sir Richard Weston and Sir John Suckling."

The appointment was conferred on Sir Richard Weston; but Sir John Suckling doubtlessly alleviated his chagrin by the enjoyment of a pension of one hundred pounds per annum; the patent for which may be seen in the seventeenth volume of Rymer's Fœdera, and in which his services are recited. But Mrs. Bond's estimate of the father's abilities is still further rendered questionable, by the appearance of a copy of verses prefixed, amongst others, to Coryat's Crudities, published in 1611.

It appears that the wits of the day joined in a series of panegyrical essays on that curious composition, and Sir John Suckling's muse is by no means the least entitled to commendation.

I shall not be dissuaded by the fear of incurring the charge of prolixity, from inserting his efforts.

INCIPIT JOHANNES SUTCLIN.

Whether I thee should either praise or pitty,
My senses at a great dilemma are:

For when I thinke how thou hast travail'd farre,
Can'st Greeke and Latin speake, art curteous, witty;
I thee in these, and, thee for them, commend;

But, when I thinke, how thou, false friends to keepe,
Dost weare thy body, and, dost leese thy sleepe,

I thee, then, pitty, and doe discommend.

Thy feete have gone a painful pilgrimage,

Thou many nights dost wrong thy hands and eyes,
In writing of thy long apologies;

Thy tongue is, all the day, thy restlesse page.

For shame, intreate them better; I this crave,

So they more ease, and, thou more wit shal't have.

Sir John's brother, Charles Suckling, of Woodton, in a MS. now before me, thus draws his portrait : "He was a man of grave deportement, and very comely person; of a fair complexion, with good features and flaxen haire.”

Of the early history of the subject of our narrative, very little is known: nor, if it were ascertained, can it be supposed much worth recording. It would be folly, therefore, to supply, by crude conjecture, the channels of authentic information; and equally absurd to dwell on the relation of that precocious intellect, which Langbaine has assigned him. A return, we are gravely informed, made for the injustice of nature, which had delayed the period of his birth two months beyond the usual term of gestation.

An event, however, of real importance to the interests of childhood, occurred to our poet at the tender age of

five years. His mother died at Norwich on the 28th of October, 1613," in the thirty-fifth year of her age. Whether deserving of the encomium of Aubrey, or notshe was certainly a lady endued with many virtues, and tenderly beloved by her husband.

A splendid tomb, rich in statuary, and allegorical sculpture, erected in the church of St. Andrew in that city, bears an inscription to her memory; wherein her worth is recorded, in terms more modest than is customary in epitaphs of that day. Amongst her other qualifications, as if in corroboration of Aubrey's statement, her mental accomplishments are alluded to, in direct terms.

"Thou wert so good, so chast, so wise, so true."

Her husband entertained the same estimation of her worth, to the last period of his life; for, in his will, dated but shortly before his decease, her portrait is singled out from other pictures which he possessed, and thus affectionately bequeathed:

"Item. I give to my loving brother in lawe, the Earl of Middlesex, my picture of my late dear wife, hanginge in my country house, amongst other pictures, in the little roome next the great hall; for the love he bare to my late deare wife, his most lovinge sister."c

This is given by most of Suckling's biographers, as the year of his birth — they had not paid attention to chronological facts.

c This lady had issue two sons John the eldest - the subject of the present memoir; and Lionel, who died young, and a bachelor; and four daughters. In the church of Pangbourne, in Berkshire, is a monument erected to the memories of three of these ladies, thus inscribed :

:

"Within a vault, under the marble stones hereunto adjoining, resteth the bodyes of three sisters: Martha, Ann, and Mary; the daughters of the Right Honourable Sir John Suckling, of Whitton in the county of Middlesex, Knight—who died Controuler of the Householde, and one of the most honourable Prive Councell, unto Kinge Charles the first - Martha was first maryed unto Sir George Sowthcott, of Shillingford, in the county of Devon, Knight; and dyed the wife of William Clagett, of Isleworth, in the county of Middlesex, Esquire. She dyed at the

Soon after the death of his mother, Suckling was removed from his father's care, and placed at a public school; though some uncertainty prevails as to the precise source of his earlier learning. If Aubrey can be relied on and his statements of dates and facts connected with our poet are frequently very inaccurate -he was received at Westminster; but I have sought in vain for a confirmation of this assertion. The records of that establishment, which relate to its scholars, reach no higher than the middle of the last century, and it is certainly known that he was not admitted on the foundation. Nor are the presages of his genius better preserved — though so much celebrated by contemporary writers a subject of greater regret: for the earliest indications of poetical talent are always worthy of record, as they show how far art and study may improve a spirit which is the inspiration of nature alone.

In 1623, Suckling was removed to Cambridge, and matriculated at Trinity College. He is entered there as John Suckling, junior- an epithet well merited, if we consider the date of his birth—though he was far from being so young as Davenant relates, who says, he proceeded to Cambridge in his eleventh year -- a statement well suited to accompany the assertion of Langbaine, that "he spoke Latin at five, and writ it at nine."

Bathe, the 29th of June, 1661. - Anne was marryed unto Sir John Davis; sonne of Sir John Davis; both Lords of this mannor, and dyed the 24th of July, 1659.Mary Sucklinge dyed a virgine, the 17th of October, 1658." Elizabeth, the youngest daughter, died at an early age, and also unmarried.

d In a letter, dated July 25th, 1678, "G. North, the master; and the Seniors of Trinity College in Cambridge," request a donation from Robert Suckling, Esq. of Woodton, (cousin to the poet) to assist them in erecting the library of that establishment, in Nevil's court. In this letter, the college is termed, 66 a kind of parent" towards his family, which had “always carried a great respect to their memory." At the back of the letter is the following endorsement-" May 19th, 1679. My Ffather sent by Mr. Brown, curate of Wootton, for me and himselfe, toward ye building herein specified, £120."— MS. pen. ed.