66 
LIFE OF LORD SCUDAMORE. 
and sober , and pious and hospitable life he led ” says Gibson “ made him esteemed and respected by 
all good men.” His intimacy with Laud was great and sincere; “true Friends they were and 
heartily disposed to serve each other, in all the Vicissitudes of their Lives. The Bishop often 
visited him at Holme Lacy, and preached at the church there on Nov. 20th, 1625, as shown in the 
“ Diary of the Life of Archbishop Laud ” (f 21.) 
The Duke of Buckingham did not fail to notice the brilliant qualities of Sir John Scudamore. 
During his attendance in Parliament they became warmly attached to each other. Party spirit was 
already running very high, and it may well be believed, that the Duke would be glad to secure the 
active services of a man of so much worth. It was to him Sir John Scudamore owed the next 
promotion that befel him. He was created Baron Scudamore of Dromore, and Viscount Scudamore 
of Sligo in Ireland. The patent is dated July 2nd, 1628, and the very next month we find 
Lord Scudamore at Portsmouth, engaged as a volunteer, to take part in the projected expedition 
for the relief of Rochelle. The Duke, who was a proud, overbearing, unscrupulous man, had become 
very unpopular. He was stabbed at Portsmouth, at the “Spotted Dog” inn, by Lieut. Felton, an 
officer who felt himself deeply aggrieved by the conduct of the Duke in his former expedition. This 
act, shocking and desperate as it was, met with much public approval. It probably took place in 
the actual presence of Lord Scudamore. It certainly affected him very deeply. 1 He however boldly 
braved the popular feeling against the Duke, and stayed at Portsmouth to attend the removal of his 
remains, “ An act of such Generosity and Honour , as gain’d him a great Character and Reputation ” 
says Gibson “even of the Duke’s Enemies as well as Friends” (Gibsons “Dore? &c., p. 70.) 
This assassination put an end to the expedition, and “ Lord Scudamore retired to his 
Country Course of Life again ; diverting himself sometimes with Planting and Grafting of Apple- 
trees , and making Experience of their several sorts of Fruit” (p. 70.) 
Lord Scudamore seems to have remained at Holme Lacy for the next seven years, and beyond 
1 Lord Scudamore wrote immediately to Laud, then Bishop of London, to give him an account of the assassination, and 
received the following answer, given by Gibson (p. 68), which his own after-fate renders the more interesting : 
“ My very good Lord, 
I received by your last Letter the saddest News that ever I heard in my Life. Yet I must and do heartily thank you for 
writing so lovingly to me. For if you had not written as you did, I had been left to the Wildness of the many Reports which 
spread about the City. And I know your pen writt those Letters with a Heart full of Sorrow, and in special for the barbarous 
and damnable Manner of it. I purpose not to write then, either to declaim in his Commendations, which so few would be¬ 
lieve ; or to express my Grief, which as few would pity : but only to let your Lordship know, that though I have passed a great 
deal of Heaviness, yet I have cause to expect more to come. And the Benefit of this will be, that I shall for ever less esteem 
what the Malice of the World can lay upon me. Under which, if any fall (as much is threatened) I thank you heartily for 
your second Letters, that you will appear, what I have ever hoped, a Friend in the time when Friends fall off. And I hope 
you think I shall in my way be ready ever to serve your Lordship. 
* * * & % 
I was not with his Majesty since this execrable Fact was committed, till now he came to Windsor, but stayed in London 
to give the best Comfort I could to the Lady Duchess, who, good Lady, hath been in great Extremity. Now the Court seems 
new to me, and I mean to turn over a new Leaf in it, for all those Things that are changeable. For the rest I must be the 
same I was, and patiently both expect and abide what God shall be pleased to lay upon me. To whose Gracious Providence 
I leave you and myself and shall ever rest, 
Your Lordships very loving 
Windsor, Friend and Servant 
Sept. 12, 1628. Guil. London. 
