Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 37.djvu/130

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
Maxwell
116
Maxwell

Cardes, representing the Excellency and vtilitie of Vnion and Concord, with the incommodities of diuision and discorde, dedicated to the most hopefull Prince Charles,' 1612 (?) 5. 'A Speedy Passage to Heaven, or a perfect direction for every Christian to walk in the right path of true holinesse, containing an explanation of the tenne Commandments, the creede, and our Lords Prayer, with divers other godly prayers,' London, 1612, 8vo. 6. 'A Christian Almanacke, needefull and true for all countryes, persons and times, faithfully calculated by the course of holy Scripture,' London, 1612, 8vo. 7. 'Two Genealogical Tables or Pedigrees of the two most noble Princes Fredericke Prince Palatine, and the Lady Elizabeth his wife, shewing their Lineall discent equally, first from Robert the Emperour, and Prince Palatine, and Elizabeth the Empresse his Wife, in the 9 and 10 Degrees, and then from Edward the 3, the most victorious King of England, and Queene Philippa his Wife in the 11 Degree.' 8. 'A Monvment of Remembrance erected in Albion, in honour of the magnificent Departvre from Brittannie, and honorable receiuing in Germany, namely at Heidelberge, of the two most noble Princes Fredericke and Elizabeth. . . . Both of them being almost in one and the same degree of lineall descent from 25 Emperours of the East and West, of Romanes, Greekes, and Germans, and from 30 Kings of diuers countries,' London, 1613, 4to (Brit. Mus.) 9. 'Admirable and Notable Prophecies, vttered in former time by 24. famous Romain-Catholickes, concerning the Church of Romes defection, Tribulation, and reformation. Written first in Latine, & now published in the English tongue, both by James Maxwell, a Researcher of Antiquities,' London, by Ed : Allde, 1615, 4to (Brit. Mus.) 10. 'A New Eightfold Probation of the Chvrch of Englands Divine Constitvtion, prooved by many Pregnant arguments to be much more complete than any Geneuian in the world against the contrary assertion of the fifty-three petitioner-preachers of Scotland in their petition presented to the Kings most excellent Majesty,' London, 1617 (Brit. Mus.) 11. 'A Demonstrative Defence, or Tenfold Probation of the Doctrine of the Church of England tovching one of the most important points of our Creed, . . . which is of our Sauiours descending into hell after death to binde and subdue Sathan,' &c., London, 1617, 4to, usually bound up with No. 10 (Brit. Mus.) 12. 'Herodian of Alexandria, His History of Twenty Roman Cæsars and Emperors (of his Time), &c. Interpreted out of the Greeke Originall,' London, 1629, 4to (Brit. Mus.); another edit. 1635, 12mo (Brit. Mus.) 13. 'Emblema Animæ, or Morall Discourses reflecting upon Humanitie, by John Du Plessis, Cardinal Richelieu, translated into English,' London, 1635 (Brit. Mus.)

Besides the above Maxwell prepared a catalogue, printed in more than one of his books, of twenty-two works 'not as yet published.' They include many religious treatises on controversial topics, some royal genealogies and panegyrics, a poem on the antiquity of the city of London, tracts on fortune-telling and astrology, 'A Centurie of most noble Questions in Philosophic,' &c., and 'James-anna, or the Patterne of a Perfect Cittie.' The list in 'Carolanna' of works consecrated 'to the immortal memorie of two most noble Brittannish Queenes' contains fifteen more pretentious and fanciful Latin titles of works 'partly written,' among which are: 'Monarchæmeros, Panalbion,' 'Sapientia Cæsarum, seu Manuale Magnatum,' 'Carolidon,' 'Albion-Ibera,' 'Tuba Austriaca,' 'Charilaus seu Philolaus,' 'Rota Fortunæ Aulicorum.'

A second James Maxwell was appointed by Charles I, on 1 Nov. 1629, gentleman-usher of the black rod and custodian of Windsor Little Park (Lords' Journals, vii. 7 b; Gardiner, Hist. of England, vii. 75, ix. 235, 289, 346; Tighe and Davis, Annals of Windsor, ii. 178-80; Cal. State Papers, 1638-9, p. 586). He held those offices until 1644. Laud remained in custody at this Maxwell's house for ten weeks (1640-1), and was escorted by Maxwell in his own coach to the Tower on 1 March 1641 (Troubles and Tryals, p. 174). The archbishop in his diary acknowledges Maxwell's kindness (ib.) On 3 June 1644 he was granted leave to go into Scotland 'about his affaires,' and his goods were ordered not to be seized for assessment upon his house near Charing Cross until his return (Lords' Journals, vi. 575 a).

A third James Maxwell was in attendance, as groom of the bedchamber, on Charles I at Holmby House in 1647 (Jesse, Mem. of Court of England during the Stuarts, ii. 117; Wood, Athenæ, iii. 1116, iv. 16). He advanced the king large sums of money, for which jewels were pledged him and afterwards sold (Cal. State Papers, Dom. Ser. 1629-31, pp. 11, 99, 173, 174), and he was granted land in Derbyshire (ib. 17 June 1631, p. 81) and mines in the Peak country, where he carried on the manufacture of iron by a new process. He was also granted a patent for the manufacture of pipe-clay (ib. 1638-9 p. 248, 1639 pp. 384, 513). His brother, Robert Maxwell, was serjeant-at-arms to the House of Commons. This James Maxwell married the widow of one Ryther of Kingston-upon-Thames, surveyor of the stables to