He was of middle stature and slight strength, brisque round eie, reddish fac't and red nose (ill liver), his head not very big, his hayre a kind of sand colour; his beard turnd-up naturally, so that he had brisk and gracefull looke. He died a batchelour.
Memorandum:—he made a magnificent entertainment in London, at ..., for a great number of ladies of quality, all beauties and young, which cost him ... hundreds of poundes, where were all the rarities that this part of the world could afford, and the last service of all was silke stockings and garters, and I thinke also gloves.
Anno Domini 1637 Sir John Suckling, William Davenant, poet laureat (not then knighted), and Jack Young came to the Bathe. Sir John came like a young prince for all manner of equipage and convenience, and Sir W. Davenant told me that he had a cart-load of bookes carried downe, and 'twas there, at Bath, that he writt the little tract in his booke about Socinianism. 'Twas as pleasant a journey as ever men had; in the heighth of a long peace and luxury, and in the venison season. The second night they lay at Marlborough, and walking on the delicate fine downes at the backside of the towne, whilest supper was making ready, the maydes were drying of cloathes on the bushes. Jack Young had espied a very pretty young girle, and had gott her consent for an assignation, which was about midnight, which they happened to overheare on the other side of the hedge, and were resolved to frustrate his designe. They were wont every night to play at cards after supper a good while; but Jack Young pretended wearinesse, etc. and must needes goe to bed, not to be perswaded by any meanes to the contrary. They had their landlady at supper with them; said they to her, 'Observe this poor gentleman how he yawnes, now is his mad fit comeing uppon him. We beseech you that you make fast his dores, and gett somebody to watch and looke to him, for about midnight he will fall to be most outragious: gett the hostler, or some strong fellow, to stay-up, and we will well content him, for he is our worthy friend, and a very honest gentleman, only, perhaps, twice in a yeare he falls into these fitts.' Jack Young slept not, but was ready to goe out as the clock struck to the houre of appointment, and then goeing to open the dore he was disappointed, knocks, bounces, stampes, calls, 'Tapster! Chamberlayne! Hostler!' sweares and curses dreadfully; nobody would come to him. Sir John and W. Davenant were expectant all this time, and ready to dye with laughter. I know not how he happened to gett-open the dore, and was comeing downe stayres. The hostler, a huge lusty fellow, fell upon him, and held him, and cryed, 'Good sir, take God in your mind, you shall not goe out to destroy your selfe.' J. Young struggled and strived, insomuch that at last he was quite spent and dispirited, and faine to goe to bed to rest himselfe. In the morning the landlady of the house came to see how he did, and brought him a cawdle. 'Oh sir,' sayd she, 'you had a heavy fitt last night, pray, sir, be pleased to take some of this to comfort your heart.' Jack Young thought the woman had been mad, and being exceedingly vexed, flirted the porrenger of cawdle in her face. The next day his camerades told him all the plott, how they crosse-bitt him. That night they went to Bronham-house, Sir Edward Baynton's (then a noble seat, since burnt in the civill warres), where they were nobly entertained severall dayes. From thence, they went to West Kington, to parson ... Davenant, Sir William's eldest brother, where they stayd a weeke—mirth, witt, and good cheer flowing. From thence to Bath, six or seven miles.
Memorandum:—parson Robert Davenant haz told me that that tract about Socinianisme was writt on the table in the parlour of the parsonage at West Kington.
[1024]My lady Southcot, whose husband hanged himselfe, was Sir John Suckling's sister, to whom he writes a consolatory letter, viz. the first. She afterwards maried ... Corbet, D.D., of Merton Coll. Oxon[BW]. At her house in Bishop's Gate-street, London, is an originall of her brother, Sir John, of Sir Anthony van-Dyke, all at length, leaning against a rock, with a play[1025]-booke, contemplating. It is a piece of great value. There is also another rare picture, viz. of that pretty creature, Mris Jane Shore, an originall.
When his Aglaura was <acted>, he bought all the cloathes himselfe, which were very rich; no tinsill, all the lace pure gold and silver, which cost him ... I have now forgott. He had some scaenes to it, which in those dayes were only used at masques.
Memorandum:—Mr. Snowdon tells me, that after Sir John's unluckie rencounter, or quarrell, with Sir John Digby, wherin he was baffled: 'twas strange to see the envie and ill nature of people to trample, and scoffe at, and deject one in disgrace; inhumane as well as un-christian. The lady ... Moray (quaere) had made an entertainment for severall persons of quality at Ashley (in Surrey, near Chertsey), whereat Mr. Snowdon then was. There was the countesse of Middlesex, whom Sir John had highly courted, and had spent on her, and in treating her, some thousand of pounds. At this entertainment she could not forbeare, but was so severe and ingrate as to upbraid Sir John of his late recieved baffle; and some other ladys had their flirts. The lady Moray (who invited them) seing Sir John out of countenance, for whose worth she alwaies had a respect: 'Well[1026],' sayd shee, 'I am a merry wench, and will never forsake an old friend in disgrace, so <co>me sitt downe by me, Sir John' (said she), and seated him on her right hand, and countenanced him. This raysed Sir John's dejected spirites that he threw his reparties about the table with so much sparklingness and gentilenes of witt, to the admiration of them all.
[1027]Sir John Suckling—from Mr. William Beeston—invented the game of cribbidge. He sent his cards to all gameing places in the country, which were marked with private markes of his: he gott 20,000 li. by this way. Sir Francis Cornwallis made Aglaura, except the end.
Notes.
[BU] Aubrey gives in trick the coat:—'parted per pale gules and argent, 3 bucks or; a crescent for difference,' wreathing it in laurel. On this he notes: (a) 'This coat was in his banner when he went into Scotland'; (b) 'Suckling of Wotton in Norfolke'; (c) 'vide Heralds' Office'; (d) 'Memorandum:—this Sir John <Suckling> is not to be found in the <Heralds'> Office: quaere Sir ... Bourman of White Hall.' Dr. Philip Bliss has added also the reference: 'vide part iii, pag. 4b,' i.e. MS. Aubr. 8, fol. 10v, the passage given supra.