Among his larger works we must rank his water-raising engines, in which his earliest efforts are exhibited in the water-works he erected in connection with the Citadel or Keep of Raglan Castle; which, as will be more minutely explained in a future commentary, belongs to this period. It probably depended for its operation on the influence of heat from burning fuel acting on a suitably constructed boiler containing water, and so arranged as to be able to apply the expansive force of steam to the driving of water through vertical pipes to a considerable elevation, which in this instance is supposed to have been limited to a large cistern on the summit of the Citadel or Donjon, known as the Tower of Gwent. This early work may, in fact, have been the occasion of calling in the aid of Caspar Kaltoff; and once thus employed, his after retention by such a master is readily conceivable. But master, and man, and works have all disappeared, and no printed, written, or drawn record or model remains of the waterworks there set up, to enable us to point distinctly to precise particulars of arrangement. All that the inquisitive and ingenious investigator can find to reward his most prying curiosity, are certain strange mysterious grooves in the external wall of the Citadel, on one side facing the moat and the castle, which point like a hieroglyphic inscription to the precise place where once stood in active operation the first practical application in a primitive form of a means of employing steam as a useful mechanical agent.
The annexed engraving represents a view of that side of the Citadel which looks across the moat towards the castle; that is, across the place where a bridge once stood, and opposite the Fountain Court. Commencing from below we observe a gothic doorway, which was the entrance to the draw and the permanent bridges. Over the arched interior of this entrance is a chamber or cell, measuring about seven feet by five feet, and better than six feet high in the centre. On the outside front of the cell are seen indications of two square places; and above them, one to each, two upright channels or grooves, each one foot wide and the same in depth. Adjoining is another groove but terminating at bottom in two lesser grooves of four inches and a half in width, connected a little way up with the large groove. This second portion has a distinct cell behind it, less in dimensions than the first. From the summit of the three large vertical channels to the ground measures forty-six feet.
Now it would have been quite possible to work a small steam boiler in each cell, and the pipes from those boilers might have been enclosed in the grooves described, entering inwards at top to discharge their contents into a cistern on the Citadel roof. And the boilers might have been conveniently supplied with water from the moat either by hand pumps, or by forming a vacuum for that purpose. It is here, however, unnecessary to enter upon mechanical details, as the subject will appear at large when describing his matured Invention.
That inimitable portrait painter Vandyck, who was born 1598–9, studied under Rubens, and was an especial favourite with Charles the First, has undoubtedly left us a faithful portraiture of the features of both his Lordship and of Elizabeth his first wife; the former dating probably between 1621 and 1626, the latter between 1628 and 1635.
The portrait of Lady Herbert, three-quarter size, is to be seen in the dining-room at Badminton House. It displays an intellectual countenance of a serious, dignified and most pleasing cast; her dark auburn hair is combed close from the forehead backwards, but so as still to leave a fringe of small curls in front; her hair braided and knotted behind is entwined with a string of pearls, while a portion of her tresses from behind falls in abundant ringlets about her neck and shoulders. She wears a large plain pearl necklace; with single pearl-drops as ear-rings. Her dress is low-bodied, of white satin, with the usual long tight stomacher, full short sleeves and large white vandyked frills or cuffs; on her arms, near each elbow, are single strings of pearls, like bracelets. Over her shoulders is thrown a light narrow fur tippet with long ends terminating backwards in short tails. The artist has represented her looking slightly aside as she might appear crossing her drawing-room, in the highly graceful and becoming style which Vandyck always so happily selected for the subjects of his magic pencil.
This may have been the period to which his Lordship later in life fondly looked back as his “golden days.” He was, however, doomed to suffer his first great bereavement in the decease of his young wife at Worcester House in the Strand, on Sunday the 31st of May, 1635. She was buried at St. Cadocus, the parish church of Raglan, within the family vault beneath the Beaufort Chapel. He was thus left a widower with the charge of his son and heir not above six years of age, and two daughters.
A singular error, as to the date, occurring in all genealogies and biographical accounts that mention the decease of Lady Herbert, renders it the more important to refer to the following certificate obtained from the Heralds’ Office:—
“The right honourable Lady the Lady Elizabeth, late wife of the right honourable Edward Somerset Lord Herbert, son and heir to the right honourable Henry Earl of Worcester, and daughter of Sir William Dormer, Knight, eldest son of Robert Lord Dormer, of Wing, (which Sir William died in the lifetime of his father) and sister to the now Earl of Carnarvon, departed this mortal life at Worcester House in the Strand, near London, on Sunday the last of May, 1635, leaving issue, Mr. Henry Somerset, only son, about six years of age, Mrs. Anne eldest and Mrs. Elizabeth youngest daughter. Her body was honourably conveyed to Ragland, in the County of Monmouth in Wales, there to be interred. This Certificate was taken by George Owen Yorke, herald, the 1st day of June, 1635, to be registered in the Office of Arms, and testified by the right honourable Lord,
“Edward Herbert.”