The History of the Worthies of England, Part 2 · County 26 · Section 10 – Section 12
Souldiers.
No City in Europe hath bred more (if not too many of late) and indeed we had had better T…adesmen if worse Souldiets. I dare not adventure into so large a Subject, and will instance but in one (to keep possession for the rest) submitting my self to the Readers censure, whether the Parties merit, or my private Relation puts me on his Memorial.
Sir THOMAS ROPER Son of Thomas Roper Servant to Queen Elizabeth, was born in Friday Street in London, whose Grandfather was a younger Son of the House of Heanour in Derby shire. Indeed Furneaux was the ancient name of that Family, until Richard Furneaux marryed Isald the Daughter of..... Roper of Beighton in the County of Derby Esquire, and on that Consideration was bound to assume the name of *Dugdale in his … of Warwickshire illust ated, p. 212.Roper by Indenture, Dated the S…venth of Henry the Sixth. This Sir Thomas Going over into the Lowe Countries became Page to Sir John Norrice, and was Captain of a Foot Company at sixteen years of age: what afterwards his Martial performances were, to avoid all suspicion of Flattery (to which my Relation may incline me) I have transcribed the rest out of the Original of his Patent.
Cum Thomas Roper Eques auratus, è Secretioribus Concilliariis nostris in regno nostro Hyberniae, jampridem nobis Bellicae virtutis Splendore clarus innotuerit; Utpote qui quam plurimis rebus per eum in nuperrimo bello hujus Regni fortiter gestis, praeclarum Nomen & Strenui Militis, & prudentis Ducis reportavit: Cujus virtus praecipuè in recessu in Provinciâ nostrâ Conaciae prope Le Boyle emicuit, ubi paucissimis admodum equestribus ingentes equitum turmas per Regni Meditullia hostiliter grassantes fortiter aggressus: Ita prudentiâ suâ singulari receptui cecinit, ut non modo, & se, & suos, sed etiam totum exercitum ab ingenti periculo Liberavit, hostesque quam plurimos ruinae tradidit.
Qui etiam, cum Provincia nostra Ultoniae bello deflagaverat, ob exploratam animi fortitudin…m ab honoratissimo Comite Essexiae exercitus tunc imperatore, unius ex omnibus designatus fuit ad Duellum eum Makal, uno ex fortissimis Tyronentium agminum ducibus suscipiendum, nisi praedictus Makal duello praedicto se exponere remisset.
Cumque etiam praedictus Thomas Roper, in nuperrimo Bello apud Brest in Regno Gallie se maximis periculis objiciendo & sanguinem suum effundendo Fortitudinem suam invictam demonstravit: Qui etiam in expeditione Portugalenci se fortiter ac honorifice … ac etiam apud Bergen in Belgio cum per Hispanos obsideretur invictissimae fortitudinis juvenem in defensione ejusdem se praebuit.
Qui etiam in expugnationis Kinsalensis die primus … juxta … propissime constitutus fuerat, Hispanesque ex eo oppido sepius eodem die …, fortissime felicissimeque, & ad maximam totius exercitus … … & profligavit.
Sciatis igitur quod nos intuitu praemissorum Dominum Thomam Roper millitem, &c.
Whereas Thomas Roper Knight, one of our Privy Councellors of our Kingdome of Ireland, long since hath been known unto us famous, with the Splendor of his Warlike vertue; As who by the many Atchievements valiantly performed by him in the late War of this Kingdome, hath gained the eminent Repute both of a stout Souldier, and a disc…eet Commander; whose Valour chiefly appeared in his Retreat near Le Boyle in …ur Province of Conaught, where with very few horse he undantedly charged great Troops of the Horse of the Enemy, who in a Hostile manner forraged the very Bowels of the Kingdome, and by his Wisdome made such a singular retreat, that he not only saved himself and his men, but also delivered the whole Army from great danger, and slew very many of his Enemies.
Who also when our Province of Ulster was all on Fire with war, being one out of many, was for the tryed resolution of his mind, chosen by the Right Honorable the E. of Essex, then General of the Army, to undertake a Duel with Makal, one or the stoutest Captains in the Army of Tyrone, had not the said Makal declined to expose himself to the appointed Duel.
And also when the aforesaid Thomas Raper, in the late war in the Kingdome of France at Brest, by exposing himself to the greatest perils, and sheding of his own bloud, demonstrated his courage to be unconquerable. Who also i… the voyage to Portugal, behaved himself valiantly and honorably; as also at Bergen in the Nether-lands, when it was besiedged by the Spaniards, approved himself a young man of … valour in the defence thereof. Who also in the day wherin Kinsale was assaulted, was placed in the first ranck, nearest of all unto the Town, and with no less success then valour, to the great safety of the whole army beat back and put to flight the Spaniards, who in the same day made several sallies out of the Tow….
Know therefore, that We in … of the premises have appointed the aforesaid Thomas Roper Knight, &c.
Then followeth his Patent, wherein King Charles in the third of his raign created him Baron of Bauntree, and Viscount … in Ireland.
I will only adde from exact intelligence, that he was a principal means to break the hearts of Irish Rebels; for whereas formerly the English were loaded with their own cloths, so that their slipping into Bogs did make them, and the slopping of their breeches did keep them prisoners therein; he first being then a Commander put himself into Irish Trouzes, and was imitated first by all his Officers, then Souldiers, so that thus habited they made the more effectual execution on their enemies. He died at … Rest, Anno Dom. 164.. and was buried with Anne his wife (daughter to Sir Henry …,) in Saint Johns Church in Dublin.
Seamen.
I behold these Sea men as the Sea it …elf, and suspect, if I launch far therein, I s…all see land no more: Besides, I know there be many laws made against Forestalers, and would be loth to fall under that penalty; for preventing the pains of some able person a … of the Trinity-…, who may write a just tract thereof.
Civilians.
Sir HENRY MARTIN Knight, was born in this City, where his Father left him forty pounds a year, and he used merrily to say, that if his Father had left him …, he would never have been a Scholar, but lived on his Lands; whereas this being (though a large encouragement, but) a scant maintenance, he plyed his book for a better livelyhood. He was bred a Fellow in New colledge in Oxford, and by the advice of Bishop Andrews addressed himself to the Study of the Civil Law.
By the advice of the said Bishop, Master Martin had weekly transmitted unto him from some Proctors at Lambeth, the Brief heads of the most Important causes which were to be tried in the high Commission, Then with some of his familiar friends in that faculty they privately pleaded those Causes amongst themselves, acting in their Chamber what was done in the Court. But Mr. Martin, making it his work, exceeded the rest in amplifying and agravating any fault moving of anger and indignation against the guilt thereof, or else in extenuating and excusing it, procure pitty, obtain pardon, or at least prevail for a lighter punishment. Some years he spent in this personated pleading, to enable himself against he was really called to that Profession.
Hence it was that afterwards he became so eminent an Advocate in the high Commission, that no cause could come amiss to him. For he was not to make new armour, but only to put it on and buckle it, not to invent but apply arguments to his Cliant. He was at last Knighted and made Judge of the Prerogative for Probate of Wills, and also of the Admiraltry in causes concerning forraign traffick; so that as King James said pleasantly; He was a mighty Monarch in his Jurisdiction over Land and Sea, the Living and dead. He died very aged and wealthy, Anno Dom. 1642.