ing deportment, he possessed a singular power of attracting the affections of men. SIR ROBERT SHERLEY. The next shoot from the ancient stock of the Sher leys, whose fortunes we shall accompany, is Sir Robert Sherley, a gentleman whose adventures are only less extraordinary than those of his brother, Sir Anthony. For this reason, and because he is more intimately connected with the preceding relation than his elder brother, Sir Thomas Sherley, we have determined on placing him, though youngest in birth, the second in historical order. Mr. Nicholls,* in a pedigree of the Sherleys of Westneston, places the birth of Sir Robert Sherley in the year 1564; but on what authority does not appear. Indeed, there is reason to believe, that this date is erroneous. By an inscription on an engraved portrait of Sir Robert Sherley, it appears that he entered Rome on the 28th September, 1609, in the twenty-eighth year of his age, which would make his birth in the year 1581. In corroboration of this evidence, we have the testimony of Sir Anthony, who, in speaking of his voyage to Persia, in 1599, observes, "I had my brother with me, a * History of Leicestershire, v. iii. p. 723. K young gentleman, whose affection to me had only led him to that disaster, and the working of his own virtue, desiring, in the beginning of his best years, to enable himself to those things which his good mind raised his thoughts unto."* Sir Anthony would certainly not have used language like this, if his brother had been born in 1564, consequently, thirty-five years of age, and only one year younger than himself. Indeed, Sir Robert is, throughout Sir Anthony's travels, treated as a youth, and to whom his elder brother, on his quitting Persia, thinks it necessary to give special instructions, as to his studies and behaviour; and Sir Robert, also, in speaking of himself at this period, states, that his years were but few. On the other hand, Herbert, who was with him when he died in 1627, remarks, that he was old and unable for further service, and that, at the time of his death, he had not exceeded his great climacteric. It is difficult to reconcile Herbert's observation with our conjecture, unless we suppose that the climate of the East had produced a premature old age. If the inscription on the print, however, is entitled to any authority, the question is decided; but, even supposing it to be erroneous, we think there are sufficient * Sir Anthony Sherley's Travels, p. 20. + Herbert's Travels. grounds for assigning a later date than 1564, for his birth. There is another mistake in the biography of this gentleman. It is asserted in Stow's Chronicles continued by Howes, (anno 1612,) and is repeated by Baker, and other subsequent writers, "that Sir Robert Sherley, about sixteen years ago, (that is, about 1596,) betook himself to travel, and served divers Christian princes, for the space of five years; but chiefly under Rodolphus, the Roman Emperor, who employed him in embassy, wherein he so discreetly and honourably demeaned himself, that he was made Earl of the Empire. After that, he went into Persia, and served the Persian ten years." The greater part of this statement must be founded in mistake; for, supposing that Sir Robert commenced his travels in 1596, the time fixed by this account, he could not have served "divers Christian princes for five years," and afterwards gone into Persia; for it is beyond question, that he went into Persia with his brother, in 1599; and it is equally clear that he was not made an Earl of the Empire before he went into Persia, the patent for that honour bearing date in 1609. The mistake has, we presume, arisen from confounding Sir Anthony and Sir Robert together; the former having commenced his public career about the time above assigned for Sir Robert "betaking himself to travel," and having been actually |