12 LIFE, TIMES, AND SCIENTIFIC LABOURS [1627. 



whence lie wrote to the Earl of Huntingdon on the 

 llth of June, informing him of his illness and inability 

 to leave his bedchamber.* 



The first year of the reign of Charles I. was an auspi 

 cious one, therefore, for the young Lord Herbert. His 

 father, a stalwart, hale man, was in the prime of life, 

 only 48 years of age, lord of one of the finest castles in 

 the kingdom, whether considered for the beauty, strength 

 and importance of its structure and its commanding 

 situation, or the extent of its parks, pastures, plantations, 

 and forests ; it was a luxurious place well stored with 

 paintings, furniture, and plate, while it was surrounded 

 with every embellishment of fountains, fishponds, sta 

 tuary, and gardens that art or wealth could command. 

 Lord Herbert himself was rich in acquired knowledge, 

 and in whatever way his natural genius then displayed 

 itself, such a mind as he possessed must have afforded 

 many evidences of latent talent. One important part 

 of a young nobleman s education in Elizabeth s time, 

 and later, was that of horsemanship, particularly in the 

 tilt-yard, a kind of adjunct to noble residences, sup 

 posed by many to have existed even at Raglan Castle, 

 but such an opinion is not even authorised by any 

 tradition. Some interest he might take in tournaments, 

 but we easily suspect without aiming at, or succeeding 

 in that skill in manoeuvres so requisite in the fierce and 

 fiery jousts appertaining to such knightly contests, 

 equipped in heavy armour, wielding a ponderous lance, 

 and mimicking all the maddest encounters of the fellest 

 enemies. We doubt if his talent lay that way. His 

 grandfather s horsemanship has been greatly extolled 



* Bodleian Library, &quot; Carte Papers Earl of 

 Huntingdon s Papers, Temp. Eliz. Car. II. 77. 

 No 120. The annexed engraving is a facsimile 

 of his autograph to the letter in question. 



