Falkland in Scotland, November 10, 1620, and constituted by King James I. lord-deputy of Ireland in 1622. In 1629 he was recalled in disgrace, the Roman catholics of that country having made complaints against the severity of his government. Leland, in his History of Ireland, represents his administration as indolent and gentle, rather than vigorous and austere; and himself as constantly harassed by the intrigues of the king's ministers, because he could not gratify their desires. Returning to England, Lord Falkland lived in honourable retirement. His death was occasioned by the breaking of his leg on a stand in Theobald's Park in 1633. He married the daughter and heiress of Sir Lawrence Tanfield, lord chief-baron of the exchequer, and left behind him a son named Lucius, the subject of the following article. He had a grandson also, named Henry, who was so extravagant in his youth that he sold his father's incomparable library for a horse and mare. Wood gives Lord Falkland a place in his Athenae; but the only work which he published was a "History of the most unfortunate prince, Edward II.," edited by Sir James Harrington, in octavo and folio, in 1680. Lord Orford, in his Royal and Noble Authors, tells us that Lord Falkland used to conceal, in writing his name, the successive years of his age; thus rendering the forgery of it difficult to one who did not know the secret.—T. J.
FALKLAND, Lucius Cary, second viscount, son of the preceding, one of the most distinguished statesmen of his age, was born in 1610. He was educated at Trinity college, Dublin, and at St. John's college, Oxford; and at an early period gained a high reputation for learning. He suffered temporary imprisonment in January, 1629-30, and was also threatened with the star-chamber, for sending a challenge to Sir Francis Willoughby. About this period he inherited a fine estate from his maternal grandfather. Chief-baron Tanfield, and shortly after incurred the displeasure of his father by marrying the daughter of Sir Richard Morrison. His friendship with the brother of this lady, who died shortly before the marriage, was celebrated by Ben Jonson in an Ode Pindaric. Lord Falkland, it appears, had hoped "to repair his own broken fortune and desperate hopes in court by some advantageous marriage of his son," and was at the time in treaty for this purpose with the earl of Portland, the lord-treasurer. Sir Lucius used every effort to obtain his father's forgiveness, and offered to transfer to him his whole property; but Lord Falkland continued inexorable, and it does not appear that he was ever reconciled to his son. On his death, which took place in September, 1633, Sir Lucius succeeded to the family dignities. With the exception of a few months' residence in Holland, he had spent the intervening period since his marriage in strict retirement, at Great Tew, Oxfordshire. His mansion was the rendezvous of not a few of the most learned men of the day; Sandys the poet, Hammond, Morley, Shelden, Gataker, and other great scholars, were his frequent guests; and the great Chillingworth wrote his famous treatise against the jesuit Holt, under Lord Falkland's roof. He spent eight or nine years in this retreat, honoured and beloved by all around him, dispensing his hospitality and his bounty with a rare delicacy and grace. The Scotch expedition of Charles I. in 1639, summoned Falkland from his happy retreat to assist in enforcing liturgical conformity on the presbyterians of the north. His departure from the studious peaceful society of Oxfordshire furnished a theme to the poets Cowley and Waller, and their verses bear the strongest testimony to the high value they set upon his worth. In the following year Lord Falkland was chosen member of parliament for Newport, Isle of Wight, and at once took a prominent part in redressing public grievances. He acted cordially with Hampden, Pym, Hyde, and other leaders of the parliament, in supporting the attainder of Strafford, the abolition of the star-chamber, the high commission court, and the council of York, and in passing the triennial act, and the act which restrained the king from dissolving or proroguing the parliament. He denounced the ship-money, condemned the conduct of the judges in supporting it, and moved the impeachment of the lord-keeper Finch, who had tampered with the judges, to induce them to give judgment for the king in that case. Though he entertained an unfavourable opinion of Laud, it does not appear that he took any part in the impeachment of that prelate. He was strenuous, however, for reducing the authority of the bishops; and in the discussion on the petitions for the abolition of episcopacy, 9th February, 1640-41, he delivered a powerful speech, showing that "some bishops and their adherents had been a great, if not a principal cause, of the many and grievous oppressions, both in religion and liberty, under which the kingdom had long laboured." He denounced in strong terms the Romanizing tendencies of Laud and his followers, and spoke with great severity of their persecution of the puritans, their grasping at civil office and favour, their support of Strafford in his arbitrary designs against the liberties of the people, and their kindling a civil war between Scotland and England. For these reasons he supported the proposal to abrogate "the temporal title, power, and employment" of the prelates, but argued for the maintenance of the episcopal order, not as necessary, but simply as convenient. He subsequently, however, opposed the bill, on discovering the ulterior designs of its principal supporters. A considerable body of moderate reformers, of whom Falkland and Hyde (afterwards Lord Clarendon) were the leaders, who had concurred in all the strong measures adopted by the parliament, were now inclined to pause; and, on the other hand, the views of Hampden and the other parliamentary leaders had gradually changed and enlarged. A direct collision soon took place between these two parties. Annoyed by the violence of his former friends, Falkland went over to the king's side when the Grand Remonstrance was brought forward, and soon after was very reluctantly induced by the earnest entreaties of Hyde to accept the office of secretary of state. But the attempt to arrest the five members, made without his privity, and in violation of the king's promise that he would take no step without the advice of his new counsellors, soon convinced Falkland that Charles was not to be saved or served. He still persevered, however, in his earnest though fruitless efforts to effect an amicable compromise between the king and the parliament. At the battle of Edgehill he fought with conspicuous courage and skill, and the day would in all probability have been won if his advice had been followed. He spent the succeeding weeks in attendance upon the king at Oxford. He displayed at the same time a reckless disregard of personal danger, and at the siege of Gloucester (August, 1643) was so active in visiting the most exposed trenches that his friend Hyde remonstrated against his thus exposing himself to risks. He replied in a jocular strain that "his office could not take away the privilege of his age, and that a secretary of war must be present at the greatest secret of danger." His career, however, was now near a close. A fortnight after the relief of Gloucester by Essex the hostile armies met at Newbury (September 20). Falkland sought the post where the battle was likely to be hottest, and, charging at the head of his troops, was mortally wounded by a musket shot, and fell dead from his horse.
"Thus fell," wrote Clarendon many years after, "that incomparable young man in the four-and-thirtieth year of his age, having so much despatched the true business of life that the eldest rarely attain to that immense knowledge, and the youngest enter not into the world with more innocency; whosoever leads such a life need be the less anxious upon how short warning it is taken from him." Lord Falkland was low in stature; as a speaker ungraceful, and his voice unmusical; but in spite of these disadvantages, his great talents and his great virtues, his liberal piety and sterling integrity, made him one of the most influential men in the kingdom, though he appears to have been too fastidious for public life. His vast natural abilities had been strengthened and disciplined by constant study and reflection. His learning was profound and extensive. "His memory," says Warwick, "retained all he read or heard; he loved his book, and was a great master of books." His sagacity was equal to his courage; he had a lively imagination, great quickness of perception, the most refined courtesy, and delicate sympathy with the feelings of others. No wonder that the death of this most excellent and accomplished young nobleman should have been regarded as a national calamity. The vivid portrait of Falkland, drawn by the pen of his dearest friend Clarendon, is one of the most beautiful tributes ever paid to departed worth.
Lord Falkland left "A Discourse of the Infallibility of the Church of Rome;" "A Discourse concerning Episcopacy;" and several other controversial treatises, with a few scattered poems. A number of his speeches also have been preserved.—(Clarendon's History of the Rebellion; Lives of the Friends and Contemporaries of Lord Clarendon, by Theresa Lewis.)—J T.
FALLE, Philip, a man of great learning, was born in 1655 in the Isle of Jersey. In 1669 he became commoner of Exeter
