Diary of the times of Charles II/Volume 1/Sir Leoline Jenkins to Mr. Sidney, March 12

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The Countess Dowager of Sunderland to Mr. Sidney, March 12

Diary of the times of Charles II
by Henry Sidney

Sir Leoline Jenkins to Mr. Sidney, March 12

2664759Diary of the times of Charles II — Sir Leoline Jenkins to Mr. Sidney, March 12Henry Sidney

SIR LEOLINE JENKINS^[1] TO MR. SIDNEY.

March 12th.

⁠Sir,

It is with all humble thanks that I do acknowledge the favour of your most obliging letter of the 8th current.⁠ You let me see by it how great a charity you can have for me, and I cannot but tremble for fear that so noble well wishes should find themselves disappointed; not that they will be so, if God bless me, for want of entire duty to my master, but for want of the abilities requisite to the service. I must, therefore, beg leave to depend upon you, sir, as I must upon all those who are in the King's service for their advice and assistance as occasions shall offer. I will be sure, on my part, to make the best and thankfullest returns I can, and to yourself in particular, who are to be, if I have the honour to be admitted to the King's business, my polar star.

Whilst I am here in the city, I do not take upon me to write any news, only I may tell you what some of the gravest and best experienced citizens tell me, which is, that the generality of the city is at this time in a more sedate and well-tempered disposition than could well be expected so suddenly, after the fermentation that some humours were put into by the Petitioners.

I am your most humble

⁠And faithful servant,

L. Jenkins.

end of vol. i.

LONDON:
F. SHOBERL, JUN, 51, RUPERT STREET, HAYMARKET,
PRINTER TO H. R. H. PRINCE ALBERT.

↑ Sir Leoline Jenkins was the son of a yeoman in Glamorganshire. He was educated at Jesus College, Oxford, of which he became Master after the Restoration, having in the interval lived in retirement and acted as a private Tutor. He took to the practice of the civil and canon law; and in 1663 was admitted into Doctors' Commons, about 1664 made Judge of the Admiralty, and in 1668 Judge of the Prerogative Court. In 1673, he went as Plenipotentiary to the Congress of Cologne, with Lord Sunderland and Sir Joseph Williamson. He was joined with Sir W. Temple as Ambassador and Mediator at the treaty of Nimeguen, and in 1 680 he was made Secretary of State, He died in 1 685, aged 62."—Wynne's Life of Sir L. Jenkins.
⁠Burnet describes him as a "man of an exemplary life, and considerably learned; but he was dull and slow. He was suspected of leaning to popery, though very unjustly; but he was set on every punctilio of the Church of England to superstition, and was a great assertor of the divine right of monarchy, and was for carrying the prerogative high. He neither spoke nor writ well, but, being so eminent for the most courtly qualifications, other matters were the more easily dispensed with."
⁠Sir Leoline Jenkins was the leader in the House of Commons of the opposition to the Bill of Exclusion; and, in accordance with the character which Burnet has given of him, we find him resting his argument upon these four grounds of objection.
⁠First, that it was contrary to natural justice to condemn any man before the conviction or hearing of him.
⁠Secondly, that it is contrary to the principles of our religion to dispossess a man of his right because be differs in points of faith.
⁠Thirdly, that the Kings of England had their right from God alone, and that no power on earth could deprive them of it.
⁠Fourthly, because the Exclusion was against the Oath of Allegiance, taken in its own sense, without Jesuitical evasions; which, binding all persons to the King, his heirs and successors, the Duke, as presumptive heir, must be understood.
⁠The following story of Sir W. Temple and Sir Leoline Jenkins, which evidently rests upon the authority of Bishop Ken, is mentioned in the life of Sir Leoline by his biographer, Wynne. "Sir W. Temple and Sir Leoline Jenkins, being together at the Hague, after the conclusion of their embassy. Sir William sent a message to the Princess of Orange for leave to receive the communion the next day in her chapel. Accordingly, her Highness was pleased to give orders to her chaplains to make every thing ready; 'for though I am persuaded,' says she, 'he does not intend it, and by to-morrow will bethink himself of some business or excuse, yet my Lord Ambassador Jenkins I doubt not will be there, though he has not sent so formally to me.' Thus remarkable and well known was his piety and devotion to that discerning Princess, and it happened exactly according to her conjectures. This passage I have often heard spoken of, as well as many others, to the credit and honour of Sir L. Jenkins, by a right reverend prelate now living, who was at the time chaplain to her Royal Highness, and from whose judicious mouth I confess to have received the most early and strongest impressions of his character."
⁠The Prince of Orange had not a high opinion of the powers of Sir L. Jenkins; and, if what D'Estrades says of him be true, he wanted an essential qualification of a statesman, and that for which the Prince was very eminent—decision of mind. He calls him "homme peu résolutif;" but he was an honest, humble-minded man, and, according to James II., took as much pains to escape the appointment to the office of secretary of state as other men did to obtain it. A curious and characteristic anecdote is told of him. When he rose to the high offices in which he was employed, that he might be constantly reminded of his humble origin, he is said

Suspendisse potenti
Vestimenta Deo,

to have hung in his chamber the old pair of leathern breeches in which he first rode into Oxford a poor scholar of Jesus College. Sir Leoline Jenkins died in 1685, aged 62.
⁠It is a curious fact that two of the secretaries of state of Charles II., Sir Leoline Jenkins and Sir Joseph Williamson, had both been tutors. The latter was the son of a clergyman in Cumberland, and, from a travelling tutor, became Keeper of State Papers, and, in 1665, Under Secretary of State. He was afterwards Plenipotentiary at Cologne, and, from 1674 to 1678, Secretary of State, when he was succeeded by Lord Sunderland. He was Member for Thetford in 1678, and President of the Royal Society.—Biog. Dict. xxxii. 136.

[p303-1] Sir Leoline Jenkins was the son of a yeoman in Glamorganshire. He was educated at Jesus College, Oxford, of which he became Master after the Restoration, having in the interval lived in retirement and acted as a private Tutor. He took to the practice of the civil and canon law; and in 1663 was admitted into Doctors' Commons, about 1664 made Judge of the Admiralty, and in 1668 Judge of the Prerogative Court. In 1673, he went as Plenipotentiary to the Congress of Cologne, with Lord Sunderland and Sir Joseph Williamson. He was joined with Sir W. Temple as Ambassador and Mediator at the treaty of Nimeguen, and in 1 680 he was made Secretary of State, He died in 1 685, aged 62."—Wynne's Life of Sir L. Jenkins.
⁠Burnet describes him as a "man of an exemplary life, and considerably learned; but he was dull and slow. He was suspected of leaning to popery, though very unjustly; but he was set on every punctilio of the Church of England to superstition, and was a great assertor of the divine right of monarchy, and was for carrying the prerogative high. He neither spoke nor writ well, but, being so eminent for the most courtly qualifications, other matters were the more easily dispensed with."
⁠Sir Leoline Jenkins was the leader in the House of Commons of the opposition to the Bill of Exclusion; and, in accordance with the character which Burnet has given of him, we find him resting his argument upon these four grounds of objection.
⁠First, that it was contrary to natural justice to condemn any man before the conviction or hearing of him.
⁠Secondly, that it is contrary to the principles of our religion to dispossess a man of his right because be differs in points of faith.
⁠Thirdly, that the Kings of England had their right from God alone, and that no power on earth could deprive them of it.
⁠Fourthly, because the Exclusion was against the Oath of Allegiance, taken in its own sense, without Jesuitical evasions; which, binding all persons to the King, his heirs and successors, the Duke, as presumptive heir, must be understood.
⁠The following story of Sir W. Temple and Sir Leoline Jenkins, which evidently rests upon the authority of Bishop Ken, is mentioned in the life of Sir Leoline by his biographer, Wynne. "Sir W. Temple and Sir Leoline Jenkins, being together at the Hague, after the conclusion of their embassy. Sir William sent a message to the Princess of Orange for leave to receive the communion the next day in her chapel. Accordingly, her Highness was pleased to give orders to her chaplains to make every thing ready; 'for though I am persuaded,' says she, 'he does not intend it, and by to-morrow will bethink himself of some business or excuse, yet my Lord Ambassador Jenkins I doubt not will be there, though he has not sent so formally to me.' Thus remarkable and well known was his piety and devotion to that discerning Princess, and it happened exactly according to her conjectures. This passage I have often heard spoken of, as well as many others, to the credit and honour of Sir L. Jenkins, by a right reverend prelate now living, who was at the time chaplain to her Royal Highness, and from whose judicious mouth I confess to have received the most early and strongest impressions of his character."
⁠The Prince of Orange had not a high opinion of the powers of Sir L. Jenkins; and, if what D'Estrades says of him be true, he wanted an essential qualification of a statesman, and that for which the Prince was very eminent—decision of mind. He calls him "homme peu résolutif;" but he was an honest, humble-minded man, and, according to James II., took as much pains to escape the appointment to the office of secretary of state as other men did to obtain it. A curious and characteristic anecdote is told of him. When he rose to the high offices in which he was employed, that he might be constantly reminded of his humble origin, he is said

Suspendisse potenti
Vestimenta Deo,

to have hung in his chamber the old pair of leathern breeches in which he first rode into Oxford a poor scholar of Jesus College. Sir Leoline Jenkins died in 1685, aged 62.
⁠It is a curious fact that two of the secretaries of state of Charles II., Sir Leoline Jenkins and Sir Joseph Williamson, had both been tutors. The latter was the son of a clergyman in Cumberland, and, from a travelling tutor, became Keeper of State Papers, and, in 1665, Under Secretary of State. He was afterwards Plenipotentiary at Cologne, and, from 1674 to 1678, Secretary of State, when he was succeeded by Lord Sunderland. He was Member for Thetford in 1678, and President of the Royal Society.—Biog. Dict. xxxii. 136.

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