I I gentleman, in the passion of laughter, died, and turn'd ti1eir mirth into mourning; leaving a sad ca~-eat by his example, to take heed of hazarding men's precious lives for a littl e sport. The younger b rother by this . means became the heire of the famcly, and was father of a numerous and hopeful issue. But while the incom parable mother shin'd in all the humane glorie she wisht, and bad the crowne of all outward felicity to the full, in the enioyment of the mutuall lo1·c of her most beloved husband, God in one moment tooke it away, and alienated her most excellent understanding in a difficult childbirth, wherein she brought forth two daughters which liv'd to be married, and one more that died, I think, assoone or before it was borne:' but after that, all the art of the best physitians in England could never restore her understanding : yet she was· not frantick, but had such a pretty deliration, that her ravings were more delightful! then other women's most rational! conversations. Upon this occasion her husbandc gave himselfe up to live retired with her, as became her condition, and made hast to marrie his sonne, which he did so young that I have heard say when the first child was borne, the father, mother, and child, could not make oneand-thirly yeares old. The-daughters and the rest of the children as soon as they grew up were married and disperst. I think I have heard she had some children after that childbirth which distemper'd her, and then my lady Hutcbinson must have been one of them, for she was the youngest daughter, and at nine yeares old so taking, and of such an amiable conversation, that rlie lady Arabella' would <= The twi ns l1ere mentioned as daughters are said by Thoroton to have been sons, viz. Sir John~ presently herein spoken of as the brother-in-law of Sir Thomas .1:-Iutchinson, and Sir Nicho1as, who served Charles the First with the same zeal as the rest of that family. ct Dy the lady Arabella is here meant the lady Arabella Stuart, whose romantic and mehlnchr,Jy story is told by Rapin, vol. ii. p. JGl and 189, in the reign of Jarnes the l<'irst. That mean-soul'd tyrant shut her up in the Tower, where she died, not without suspicion of poi!:on.
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