THE AUTHOR OF HUDIBRAS AT LUDLOW CASTLE.
So little is known of Butler,—his life, as his biographers have given it to us, is made up of so very few anecdotes and dates,—that I have thought any Note which contained a fact about him, would be an acceptable addition to "N. & Q." (I shall value your space, you see, in future contributions). The following entries are copied from Lord Carbery's Account of the Expense incurred in making Ludlow Castle habitable after Clarendon's "Great Rebellion" (query, Civil War); and the entries are valuable as specifying the period of Butler's services as steward of Ludlow Castle, and the nature of the services performed by the great wit:—
"For sundry supplyes of furniture paid for by Mr. Samuell Butler, late Steward, from January, 1661, to January, 1662, ixli. ijs. vd., and more by him paid to sundry Brasiers, Pewterers, and Coopers, vjli. vijs. iijd. In both
xvli. ixs. viijd.
"For sundry other supplyes of furniture paid for by Mr. Edward Lloyd the succeeding Steward, from January, 1662, to January, 1667
clxli. xiiijs. xd.
"For several Bottles, Corkes, and Glasses, bought by Mr. Butler, late Steward, from January, 1661, to January, 1662, vjli. xiijs. jd., and for two Saddles and furniture for the Caterer and Slaughterman, xxvjs. viijd. In both
vijli. xixs. ixd."
I was at Ludlow Castle last autumn, and thought (of course) of Comus and Hudibras. I bought at the same time the three parts of my friend Mr. Wright's excellent History of Ludlow Castle, and paid in advance for the concluding part. Pray let me ask Mr. Wright (through "N. & Q.") by what time (I am a hungry antiquary) we may hope the concluding part will be published? I will gladly show Mr. Wright Lord Carbery's Account.
PETER CUNNINGHAM.