He did really believe all warr to be unlawfull, and did not thinke that the Parliament (whose proceedings he perfectly abhorred) did intruth intende to involve the nation in a civill warr, till after the battell of Edgehill, and then he thought any exspedient or stratagemm that was like to putt a speedy ende to it, to be the most commendable; and so havinge to mathematically conceaved an Engyne that should moove so lightly, as to be a brest-worke in all incounters and assaultes in the feilde, he carryed it to make the exsperiment into that parte of his Majestys army, which was only in that winter season in the Feilde, under the commaunde of the L'd Hopton in Hampshyre upon the borders of Sussex, wher he was shutt up in the Castle of Arrundell, which was forced after a shorte, sharpe seige, to yeild for want of victuall, and poore M'r Chillingworth with it fallinge into the Rebells hands, and beinge most barbarously treated by them, especially by that Clargy which followed them, and beinge broken with sicknesse contracted by the ill accommadation and wante of meate and fyre duringe the seige, which was in a terrible season of frost and snow, he dyed shortly after in pryson. He was a man of excellent parts, and of a cheerefull disposition, voyde of all kinde of vice, and indewed with many notable virtues, of a very publique hearte, and an indefatigable desyre to do good; his only unhappinesse proceeded from his sleepinge to little, and thinkinge to much, which sometymes threw him into violent feavers.
Edmund Waller, was borne to a very fayre estate, by the parsimony or frugality of a wise father and mother, and he thought it so commendable an advantage, that he resolved to improove it with his utmost care, upon which in his nature he was to much intent; and in order to that he was so much reserved and retyred, that he was scarce ever hearde of, till by his addresse and dexterity, he had gotten a very rich wife in the Citty, against all the recommendation, and countenance, and authority of the Courte, which was throughly ingaged on the behalfe of M'r Crofts, and which used to be succesfull in that age, against any opposition. He had the good fortune to have an allyance and frendshipp with D'r Morly, who had assisted and instructed him in the readinge many good bookes, to which his naturall parts and promptitude inclined him, especially the poetts, and at the age when other men used to give over writinge verses (for he was neere thirty yeeres of age when he first ingaged himselfe in that exercize, at least that he was knowen to do soe) he surpryzed the towne with two or three pieces of that kinde, as if a tenth muse had bene newly borne, to cherish droopinge poetry: the Doctor at that tyme brought him into that company which was most celebrated for good conversation, wher he was receaved and esteemed with greate applause and respecte. He was a very pleasant discourcer in earnest and in jest, and therfore very gratefull to all kinde of company, wher he was not the lesse esteemed, for beinge very rich. He had bene even nurced in Parliaments, wher he sate when he was very young,[1] and so when they were resumed agayne (after a longe intermission,[2]) he appeared in those assemblyes with greate advantage, havinge a gracefull way of speakinge, and by thinkinge much upon severall arguments (which his temper and complexion that had much of melancholique inclined him to) he seemed often to speake upon the suddayne, when the occasyon had only administred the opportunity of sayinge what he had throughly considered, which gave a greate lustre to all he sayde; which yett was rather of delight, then wayte. Ther needes no more be sayd to extoll the excellence and power of his witt, and pleasantnesse of his conversation, then that it was of magnitude enough to cover a world of very greate faultes, that is so cover them, that they were not taken notice of to his reproch, a narrownesse in his nature to the louest degree, an abjectnesse and want of courage to supporte him in any virtuous undertakinge, an insinuation and servile flattery to the height the vaynest and most imperious nature could be contented with: that it præserved and woone his life from those who were most resolved to take it, and in an occasyon in which he ought to have bene ambitious to have lost it, and then præserved him agayne from the reproch and contempt that was dew to him for so præservinge it, and for vindicatinge it at such a pryce: that it had power to reconcile him to those whome he had most offended and provoked, and continued to his age with that rare felicity, that his company was acceptable, wher his spirit was odious, and he was at least pittyed, wher he was most detested.