A.D. 1686. of his life. Among others, one was in opposing

and breaking a custom extremely absurd, but
of great antiquity in the college, which was called
On a particular day,

tucking the fresh-men.
the senior under-graduates, in the evening, called
the fresh-men to the fire, and made them hold
out their chins; whilst one of the seniors, with
the nail of his thumb (which was left long for
that purpose) grated off all the skin from the
lip to the chin, and then obliged him to drink
a beer-glass of water and salt. The time ap-
proaching when Sir Anthony was to be used
thus; he, finding the fresh-men a numerous
body, engaged them to stand stoutly in defence
of their chins. Accordingly, they all appearing
at the fire in the hall, one of the seniors (who
was the tyrant of that day) called Sir Anthony;
when he, according to agreement, gave the signal
to the juniors by striking the senior a box on
the ear, and immediately a skirmish ensued, in
which some of the seniors were severely beaten ;
nor was an end put to the combat till Sir An-
thony had made proper terms for the juniors.
At this time Dr. Prideaux came in to appease
the mutiny; and the doctor, always favourable
to youth in offences which proceeded from cou-

rage, granted them a pardon, and an abolition A.D. 1636. of that ridiculous custom.*

His mar

Some time after Sir Anthony had been at A.D. 1638. Oxford, several matches were proposed to him; riage. but, by the advice of his guardian, he made his addresses to one of the Lord Keeper Coventry's daughters; and his estate and character carrying with them a powerful recommendation to the father, as his youth and behaviour did to the lady, who was a woman of admirable beauty, accomplishments, and virtue, he succeeded in his suit, and was married on the 25th of February 1638-9, being under eighteen years of age.

After his marriage, he lived with his father-inlaw at Durham House and Canbury, till the Lord Keeper's death, which was in January 1639-40. During this interval, he accompanied his brotherin-law, Mr. Coventry, into Worcestershire, where he was soon distinguished for the gaiety of his temper. Among the sprightly sallies which gained him the reputation he then enjoyed, of being an amusing companion, were some conjuring tricks, * Stringer.

12 This lady was niece to the Earl of Southampton, who afterwards held the office of Lord Treasurer to Charles II.

A.D. 1638. which he accomplished by means of a confidential

servant. This man, when his master went to any house, easily gained admittance among the female servants by his knowledge in the reigning fashions; and such opportunitie she always improved to obtain intelligence of the love affairs of the family. These he conveyed to Sir Anthony, who never failed to turn them into mirth, by pretending knowledge in palmistry, and telling fortunes. It is not improbable but some such a trifling story as this, which was merely a sally of youth and humor, might be the foundation of Bishop Burnet's remark, "that he had the dotage of astrology in him to a high degree."

13

13 The bishop is, however, somewhat circumstantial in what he says. "He told me," he adds, after the passage quoted in the text, "that a Dutch doctor had, from the stars, foretold him the whole series of his life. But that which was before him when he told me this, proved false, if he told me true, for he said he was yet to be a greater man than he had been." It has been said, however, that Shaftesbury was in the habit of amusing the bishop with these tales to baffle his attempts to discover his political intrigues.-Seward's Anecdotes.

We find also in an old memoir of Shaftesbury, called Rawleigh Redivivus, a similar story. While Sir Anthony was yet a boy, a German, who had been persecuted in his own country on account of his Protestant opinions, found a refuge in the hospitality of the Coopers. The young baronet quickly excited his attention; and we are told that he was able, so precocious

his being

During his stay with Mr. Coventry, the prin- A.D. 1639. cipal people of the town of Tewkesbury invited Occasion of their neighbour, the Lord Keeper's son, to a public brought into dinner. All the neighbouring gentry were, upon

was his intellect, to comprehend the most abstruse subjects that
this gentleman proposed to him. Delighted with the ability and
attention of his young pupil, the German, one day, addressed
him thus: "Child! if thou wilt be religious and keep close
to God, and take care to avoid the vain and destructive allure-
ments of profaneness and debauchery, and entertain a fixed
resolution to improve all thy parts and abilities for the advan-
cing the Protestant and the prejudice of the Romish religion,
you shall be a man of the largest parts in Christendom, and
shall be an instrument of doing an extraordinary piece of service
to your prince, which shall be very acceptable to him; where-
upon you shall stand high in his favour, and be promoted to
very great honour; yet shall afterwards lose the prince's favour,
and be as much disrespected as before honoured and admired;
yet, at the same time, you shall be one of the most popular
men under heaven, &c. And that you may know this will fall
out according to my prediction, pray remember this that I am
now going to tell you, and write it down in your pocket-book
that you may not forget it :-Not long after your coming from
the university, you shall be in extreme danger of drowning,"
telling him the very day when it should happen.
The legend
goes on to tell how, upon the day specified, Sir Anthony, who
was then studying for the bar, was induced by his companions
to go by water to Greenwich. As he stepped into the boat, the
prediction and the coincidence occurred to him, and he would
have returned, but his companions refused to allow him. The
boat was upset, but all the party were saved. This prophecy
was, of course, never heard of until long after its fulfilment.

parliament.

A.D. 1639. this occasion, likewise invited. At the dinner,

Sir Anthony was placed near the upper end of the table, opposite to Sir Harry Spiller, one of the queen's council, a crafty perverse man, and so extremely vain, that he despised all whom he thought his inferiors. Sir Harry opened the conversation with many affronts to the bailiffs and their entertainment, which provoked and discountenanced both them and the rest of the townsmen who were at the entertainment; and the more, as the affront was given in the presence of the first gentlemen of the county, before whom they were willing to appear to the best advantage. When he had discharged abundance of his spleen and rough raillery, Sir Anthony thought it proper, as their guest, to encounter him: and being greatly superior in understanding to Sir Harry, he retorted his raillery with such wit and success, that he obtained a complete victory, and silenced him. This gained Sir Anthony the hearts of the people: he was made free of the town; and the next parliament, (which was called for April 13, 1640,) though he was absent, was not nineteen years old, and had no estate in the county, he was, without any application, or even his knowledge, unani