The Works of Thomas Carlyle/Volume 6/Letter 51
A small charitable act, for one who proved not very worthy. Friends of a young gentleman in trouble, Mr. Dudley Wyatt by name, have drawn this word from the Lieutenant-General, who on many grounds is powerful at Cambridge.
“TO DR. THOMAS HILL, MASTER OF TRINITY COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE”
Sir,—As I am informed, this Gentleman the Bearer hereof, in the year 1641, had leave of his College to travel into Ireland for seven years; and in his absence, he (being then actually employed against the Rebels in that Kingdom) was ejected out of his College by a mistake,—the College Registry being not looked into, to inquire the cause of his non-residence.
I cannot therefore but think it a just and reasonable request, That he be readmitted to all the benefits, rights and privileges which he enjoyed before that ejection; and therefore desire you would please to effect it accordingly. Wherein you shall do a favour will be owned by your affectionate friend and servant,
Dudley Wyatt, Scholar of Trinity College, 25th April 1628; B.A., 1631; Fellow, 4th October 1633; vanishes from the Bursar’s Books in 1645: no notice of him farther, or of any effect produced by the Lieutenant-General’s Letter on his behalf, is found in the College records. Indeed, directly after this Letter, the young gentleman, of a roving turn at any rate, appears to have discovered that there was new war and mischief in the wind, and better hope at Court than at College for a youth of spirit. He went to France to the Queen (as we may gather); went and came; developed himself into a busy spy and intriguer;—attained to Knighthood, to be the ‘Sir Dudley Wyatt’ of Clarendon’s History;[2] whom, and not us, he shall henceforth concern.
- ↑ ‘Muniment Room, Trinity College, Cambridge (Collection entitled Papers relating to Trinity Coll., vol. 3): a Transcript, Original now not forthcoming,—docketed in the hand of one Porter, Clerk to Thomas Parne, about 1724, L. P. Cromwell’s Letter concerning Sir Dudley Wyatt’ (Communicated by the Rev. J. Edleston, Fellow of Trinity, March 1849.)—Harl. mss. no. 7053, f. 153 b.: printed, from the latter, in Hartshorne’s Book Rarities in the University of Cambridge (London, 1829), p. 277. The Harl. mss. copy adds: ‘N. B. Upon this Letter Sir Dudley Wyatt was readmitted,’—but did not stay, as would appear.
- ↑ ii, 959, iii. 22, etc.