The poet's
two uncles, Robert Herrick and William Herrick of Beaumanor, the
latter subsequently knighted (1) for his usefulness as jeweller and
money-lender to James I., were appointed guardians to the children.
(1) Dr. Grosart, in his interesting and valuable Memorial
Introduction to Herrick's poems, quotes this curious item
from Win-wood's _Manorials of Affairs of State_: "On Easter
Tuesday [1605], one Mr. William Herrick, a goldsmith in
Cheapside, was Knighted for making a Hole in the great
Diamond the King cloth wear. The party little expected the
honour, but he did his work so well as won the King to an
extraordinary liking of it."
Young Robert appears to have attended school in Westminster until his
fifteenth year, when he was apprenticed to Sir William, who had learned
the gentle art of goldsmith from his nephew's father. Though Robert's
indentures bound him for ten years, Sir William is supposed to have
offered no remonstrance when he was asked, long before that term
expired, to cancel the engagement and allow Robert to enter Cambridge,
which he did as fellow-commoner at St.
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