PUBLIC CHARACTERS

OF 1804-5.

ADMIRAL SIR JOHN BORLASE WARREN,

BART. K. B.

'N former periods of the English history, our young

IN

nobility and gentry had a more confined circle for their amusements, and a narrower theatre for their exploits, than at present. It was then customary either to serve a campaign or two in Flanders, or to pass their time at home, in the pleasures of a rude hospitality, and in the enjoyment of the sports of the field, which they carried to a degree of excess bordering on oppression. During the reign of Elizabeth, however, the insults of Spain, and the defeat of her boasted armada, pointed out a new field for the heroism of the nation; but in the time of James I. who must be allowed to have cultivated the arts of peace with success, a long and unbroken tranquillity, while it greatly contributed to the happiness of the nation, banished the fervour of enterprize, and damped the vigour of the people. Amidst the civil wars of the first Charles, the navy was, of course, allowed to B moulder

1804-1803.

moulder away in the few dock-yards at that time prepared for its reception; but soon after the Restoration the art of ship-building began to assume a scientific aspect.

It was not, however, until the Revolution that the fleet of England was considered as the chief source of our greatness; nor was it until the present and preceding reign that it attained its due importance. Even so recently as the American war, the combined navics of France and Spain appeared, for a few weeks, triumphant in the Channel;* but the memorable defeat of De Grasse, towards the conclusion of that contest, restored our wonted superiority.

It was, however, during the war which arose out of the French revolution, that Britain developed her naval energies, and exhibited a spectacle unknown both to ancient and modern times. We then beheld ourselves in possession of upwards of one hundred lineof-battle ships, while our thunder was heard in the remotest quarters of the globe, and our pennants were flying triumphant in every sea. All the enemies ports in Europe were blocked up during the greater part of the year, and our squadrons, reaching from the Texel to Gibraltar, seemed to hold Holland, France, and Spain in a state of siege. Our youth were

* It is well known that it was deemed prudent, on this occasion, to retreat into the Eristol Channel; and the author of this article has heard from an officer of distinction, that a British sailor on board the Royal George, unacquainted with the policy of the measure, but highly indignant at the supposed disgrace, threw a hammock over the head of his Siovereign, observing at the same time, "That his Majesty should never witness the flight of an English fleet!"

brought

brought from all parts of the united kingdoms on purpose to embark on the ocean, while a multitude of men, of the first fortunes and families, preferred all the hardships of a seafaring life to those pleasures, and that ease, which they might have enjoyed with impunity on shore.

Sir John Borlase Warren, the subject of this memoir, is descended from the family of Borlase, Burlace, or Burlacy, in the west of England. His immediate ancestor, John Burlacy, of St. Newbrine, in Cornwall, forms one branch; while Dr. Borlace, the historian of that county, springs from another; and the late Humphry Borlace, created Lord Borlace by James II. after his abdication, deduced his pedigree from a third.

That to which we now more immediately allude, removed into Buckinghamshire, where it obtained considerable estates. "This family (says Langley, in his county history) were very anciently situated in Cornwall; but after the purchase of Little Marlow and Medmenham manors, made Bockmer-house their residence, where by their hospitality they became very popular, and were at different times sheriffs (of the county), and members for the adjoining boroughs of Wycombe and Marlow, as from the pedigree particularly appears.

It is evident that the Borlaces, like their neighbours the Grenvilles, with whom they intermarried, took part during one period of the civil wars with the long parliament, for we find the name of "William Burlase" along with those of Ingolsby, Martin, and Scott, among

B 2

among the justices of the peace in the county of Bucks, which was then one of the most zealous in the kingdom, in behalf of the republicans, the appointment being dated "6 Martii, 1616." They also served many times as burgesses for Great Marlow, particularly in the parliament 15th and 16th Charles I. in the rolls of which we discover the name of " John Borlase."

During the long parliament, already alluded to, the celebrated Bulstrode Whitlocke, together with Peregrine Hobby, were returned for the borough of Great Marlow; but on the Restoration, "William Borlase" served during the 12th and 13th of Charles II. and "John Borlase" in the 31st and 32d of the same reign. In the first parliament of James II. we also discover "John Borlase, Bart." as well as in the time of William and Mary.

The male line of this family became extinct at the death of Sir John Borlase, Bart. August 8, 1688, who, in consequence of attaching himself to the royal cause, had not only been voted a delinquent, but prosecuted and secured the composition paid by him, amounting to 24001. was chiefly appropriated to the support of the garrison of Abingdon.* On his demise, his manors and estates devolved to an only daughter Anne, married to Arthur Warren, of Stapleford, in Nottinghamshire, by whom he had issue Borlase Warren, whose grandson is the subject of the present article.

*Whitlocke's Mem.

Young