Edm. Waller Pastor Poeta.
[1160]From Capt. Edmund Hamden, his cousin-german, 1690:—Edmund Waller, esq., was borne in the parish of Agmundesham, in Buckinghamshire, at a place called Winchmore-hill, which was sold by his father, and which he had a very great desire to have bought again, not long before his death, but the owner would not sell it: part of the house haz been new-built, but the roome wherein he was borne is yet standing. Said he, to his cousin Hamden, A stagge, when he is hunted, and neer spent, alwayes returnes home. He dyed at 83, and his witt was as florid then as at any time of his life. He derived his poëtick[1161] witt from the Hamdens; severall of them have been poets.
Whereas Rutt, that kept the ... Inne (the Crowne, I thinke) at Beconsfield, told me, many yeares since, that he had been distempered; captain Hamden affirmes it is false; but his brother was a foole, as to discourse or businesse, but was very learned. And whereas Dr. <Peter> Birch told me that he had a prodigiouse memorie; his sonnes affirme that he had no good memorie, and was never good to learne a thing by heart, but some things that pleased him he did strongly retaine.
[1162]Captain Hamden told me that the soldiers came to Beconsfield to search for money; his mother told them if they would goe along with her, she would shew them where she had buried five thousands pounds, and had them to the house of office.
[1163]Edmund Waller, esq., poet:—Mr. Christopher Wase repeating to him the bitter satyricall verses[XCIII.] made on Sir Carre Scroop, viz.—
Thy brother murdred, and thy sister whor'd,
Thy mother too—and yet thy penne's thy sword;
[XCIII.] 4 or 6 verses made against him by Driden or somebody else. <Marginal note by Anthony Wood.>
Mr. Waller replyed sur le champ 'that men write ill things well and good things ill; that satyricall[1164] writing was downehill, most easie and naturall; that at Billingsgate one might hear great heights of such witt; that the cursed earth naturally produces briars and thornes and weeds, but roses and fine flowers require cultivation.'
All his writings are free from offence.
His poems are reprinted now (1682) by his owne orders and his pictures (young and old) before it, and underneath