CHAPTER III

The First Duke-The Founder of

H

Badminton

ENRY, afterwards first Duke of Beaufort, was the son of Edward Somerset, second Marquis, known by the Parliamentarians as Lord Herbert, by his first wife, Elizabeth, daughter of Sir William Dormer. Henry Somerset was born in 1629, and the early years of his life were passed at Raglan Castle. Of his father he probably saw but little, for at that time the former was deeply immersed in his studies and inventions, in conjunction with his assistant, "the unparalleled workman both for trust and skill," Caspar Kaltoff. Henry lost his mother when he was about seven years of age, and his father marrying again, he was sent abroad, and his education was probably entrusted to the Jesuits. He did not return to England till he was sixteen years of age.

Among the lesser historical figures of his time, Henry Somerset is one of the most interesting, as well as difficult to understand. His career is well worthy of study. The motives that actuated him at momentous crises are not apparent, but one

thing is clear-he saved his family. His life, which began under the deepest shadow, closed full of years, riches, and honour. Amid all the changes of the troublous times through which he lived, he continued to prosper. What manner of man could he have been? In the first place at a very early age he seems to have resolved to rebuild the family fortunes, and to have pursued this object steadily and resolutely, at whatever sacrifice of opinions, principles, or persons. Apart from this leading motive of his life, he seems to have been a reserved, cold man, of strict morals. one touch of nature that marked his rigidly selfcontained character was a love of state and splendour, of which in his early days he had had but little.

The

His return to England was sad enough. His grandfather, the first Marquis, was dead; his father a penniless wanderer; Raglan Castle in ruins, and the family estates confiscated. As we have seen, the last had passed into the possession of the Lord Protector. But Cromwell and the English Parliament, though they thought it right to punish what seemed to them treason, by the confiscation of lands, had a most English and conservative respect for the legal rights of property. No doubt there were some fanatics who viewed such matters differently, but the Protector and his councillors were not of these. Henry, Lord Herbert, had undoubted reversionary rights under the legal

settlement of the Somerset estates, which he had done nothing to forfeit. Cromwell seems to have acknowledged this, and granting his premiss, that those who had taken up arms against the Parliament were traitors, he acted in the matter in a perfectly just way. Lord Worcester therefore being considered as legally dead owing to his attainder, Henry Somerset's claims were admitted, and he appears shortly afterwards to have taken possession of some of the family estates, and to have enjoyed a considerable income from them.

The price he paid for the concession was conformity to the religion of the Lord Protector. He was advised to attend the chapel at Whitehall, and after some little delay he did so. Cromwell liked him personally, and soon admitted him to some degree of friendship. At this time he was known as "Mr. Herbert," and as such he sat in the Long Parliament.

To what extent his conformity in the matter of religion was real it is difficult to judge. There are traits in his character not inconsistent with genuine Puritanism, but my own impression is that he was always a Catholic at heart. After the Restoration we find him ever opposed to Protestantism, and he was more than suspected of a leaning towards Catholicism. He never took the oaths to William III., after whose accession he retired to Badminton. Whether, therefore, his conformity under Cromwell was the result of indifferentism or policy, or a

mixture of both, cannot be ascertained with certainty.

That Henry Somerset was never on good terms with his father is certain, nor did he behave particularly well to him or to his step-mother. No doubt he regarded his father as a hopeless visionary, and believed that the only way to keep possession of the family property was to withhold it from one who would cheerfully spend his last penny in mechanical works in which no one but himself believed.

After the Restoration the sun of royal favour shone on Henry Somerset, Lord Herbert. The question of the patent of the Dukedom of Somerset granted by Charles I. was one of the first that came before Parliament in 1660. This patent was then in the hands of Henry Somerset, though his father naturally claimed the title. The Seymour family also laid claim to the dukedom, and to them it was adjudged to belong. As compensation, Henry Somerset, then Earl and Marquis of Worcester, was created Duke of Beaufort in 1682. This title was also an acknowledgment of royal descent, for Beaufort was a property belonging to John of Gaunt, from whom the Somersets traced their origin.

This, however, is anticipating. In 1661, Henry Somerset, Lord Herbert, was appointed LordLieutenant of Gloucestershire, and two years later he entertained King Charles II. and his queen at Badminton. This estate had been left him by his