; and about this time he married one
Mrs. Herbert, a gentlewoman of very good family. Anthony Wood says,
she was a widow, and that Butler supported himself by her jointure;
for though in his early years he had studied the common law, yet he
had made no advantage by the practice of it; but others assert, that
she was not a widow, and that though she had a competent fortune, it
proved of little or no advantage to Butler, as most of it was
unfortunately lost by being put out on bad security. Mr. Wood likewise
says, that he was secretary to the duke of Buckingham, when that lord
was chancellor of the university of Cambridge, and the life writer
assures us he had a great kindness for him: but the late ingenious
major Richardson Pack tells a story, which, if true, overthrows both
their assertions, and as it is somewhat particular, we shall give it a
place here. Mr. Wycherley had taken every opportunity to represent to
his grace the duke of Buckingham, how well Mr. Butler had deserved of
the Royal Family, by writing his inimitable Hudibras, and that it was
a reproach to the court, that a person of his loyalty and wit should
languish in obscurity, under so many wants. The duke seemed always to
hearken to him with attention, and, after some time, undertook to
recommend his pretentions to his Majesty. Mr. Wycherly, in hopes to
keep him steady to his word, obtained of his Grace to name a day, when
he might introduce that modest, unfortunate poet to his new patron; at
last an appointment was made, Mr. Butler and his friend attended
accordingly, the duke joined them. But, as the devil would have it
(says the major) 'the door of the room, where he sat, was open, and
his Grace, who had seated himself near it, observing a pimp of his
acquaintance (the creature too was a knight) trip by with a brace of
ladies, immediately quitted his engagement to follow another kind of
business, at which he was more ready, than at doing good offices to
men of desert, though no one was better qualified than he, both in
regard to his fortune, and understanding to protect them, and from
that hour to the day of his death, poor Butler never found the least
effect of his promise, and descended to the grave oppressed with want
and poverty.'

The excellent lord Buckhurst, the late earl of Dorset and Middlesex,
was a friend to our poet, who, as he was a man of wit and parts
himself, knew how to set a just value on those who excelled. He had
also promises of pl