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In what character Butler was admitted into that Lady's fervice, how long he continued in it, and why he left it, is, like the other incidents of his life, utterly unknown.

The viciffitudes of his condition placed him afterwards in the family of Sir Samuel Luke, one of Cromwell's officers. Here he observed fo much of the character of the fectaries, that he is faid to have written or begun his poem at this time; and it is likely that fuch a design would be formed in a place where he saw the principles and practices of the rebels, audacious and undisguised in the confidence of fuccefs.

At length the King returned, and the time came in which loyalty hoped for its reward. Butler, however, was only made fecretary to the Earl of Carbury, prefident of the principality of Wales; who conferred on him the ftewardship of Ludlow Castle, when the Court of the Marches was revived.

In this part of his life, he married Mrs. Herbert, a gentlewoman of a good family;

and lived, fays Wood, upon her fortune, having ftudied the common law, but never practifed it. A fortune fhe had, fays his biographer, but it was loft by bad fecurities.

In 1663 was published the first part, containing three cantos, of the poem of Hudibras, which, as Prior relates, was made known at Court by the taste and influence of the Earl of Dorfet. When it was known, it was neceffarily admired: the king quoted, the courtiers ftudied, and the whole party of the royalists applauded it. Every eye watched for the golden fhower which was to fall upon the author, who certainly was not without his part in the general expectation.

In 1664 the fecond part appeared; the curiofity of the nation was rekindled, and the writer was again praised and elated. But praife was his whole reward. Clarendon, fays Wood, gave him reafon to hope for "places and employments of value and cre"dit;" but no fuch advantages did he ever obtain. It is reported that the King once gave him three hundred guineas; but of this temporary bounty I find no proof. T 3

Wood

Wood relates that he was fecretary to Vil liers Duke of Buckingham, when he was Chancellor of Cambridge: this is doubted by. the other writer, who yet allows the Duke to have been his frequent benefactor. That

both these accounts are falfe there is reafon to fufpect, from a story told by Packe, in his account of the Life of Wycherley; and from fome verfes which Mr. Thyer has publifhed in the author's Remains.

"Mr. Wycherley," fays Packe, "had al46 ways laid hold of an opportunity which "offered of reprefenting to the Duke of Buckingham how well Mr. Butler had de"served of the royal family, by writing his

inimitable Hudibras; and that it was a "reproach to the Court, that a perfon of his "loyalty and wit fhould fuffer in obfcurity, and under the wants he did. The duke

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always feemed to hearken to him with at"tention enough; and after some time un

dertook to recommend his pretenfions to "his Majesty. Mr. Wycherley, in hopes to "keep him steady to his word, obtained of his Grace to name a day, when he might

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introduce that modeft and unfortunate poet to his new patron. At laft an appoint"ment was made, and the place of meeting "was agreed to be the Roebuck. Mr. But"ler and his friend attended accordingly: "the Duke joined them; but, as the d--l "would have it, the door of the room where they fat was open, and his Grace, who had feated himfelf near it, obferving a "pimp of his acquaintance (the creature too "was a knight) trip by with a brace of La"dies, immediately quitted his engagement, "to follow another kind of bufinefs, at "which he was more ready than in doing

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good offices to men of defert; though no "one was better qualified than he, both in "regard to his fortune and understanding, "to protect them, and, from that time to "the day of his death, poor Butler never "found the leaft effect of his promife!"

Such is the ftory. The verfes are written with a degree of acrimony, fuch as neglect and disappointment might naturally excite; and fuch as it would be hard to imagine. Butler capable of expreffing against a man who had any claim to his gratitude.

2

Notwithstanding this difcouragement and neglect, he ftill profecuted his defign; and in 1678 published the third part, which still leaves the poem imperfect and abrupt. How much more he originally intended, or with what events the action was to be concluded, it is vain to conjecture. Nor can it be thought ftrange that he fhould ftop here, however unexpectedly. To write without reward is fufficiently unpleasing. He had now arrived at an age when he might think it proper to be in jeft no longer, and perhaps his health might now begin to fail.

He died in 1680; and Mr. Longueville, having unsuccessfully folicited a subscription for his interment in Westminster Abbey, buried him at his own coft in the churchyard of Covent Garden*. Dr. Simon Patrick read the fervice.

*In a note in the "Biographia Britannica," p. 1075, he is faid, on the authority of the younger Mr. Longueville, to have lived for fome years in Rofe Street, Covent Garden, and alfo that he died there; the latter of these

particulars is rendered highly probable, by his being interred in the cemetry of that parish. H.

Granger