HARRINGTON, JAMES, descended from an ancient and noble family in Rutiandshire, and the eldest son of Sir Sapcotes Harrington, was born in January 1611. He entered as a gentleman-commoner at Trinity College, Oxford, in 1629, and had there the advantage of Dr. Chillingworth's instructions. At the close of his residence at the university, during which his father had died, he set out on a course of travels; and going first to Holland, resided for some time at the Hague, where be lived on terms of familiarity with the Queen of Bohemia, daughter of James I., who was then a fugitive in Holland, and with the Prince of Orange. With the latter be visited the court of Denmark ; and the Prince of Orange subsequently confided to Harrington the management of all his affairs in England. From Holland he proceeded to France and Italy.
On his return to England, Harrington principally passed his time in retirement, cultivating the family affections and pursuing his studies in political science. But in 1646 he was requested by the com missioners whom parliament bad appointed to carry king Charles I. from Newcastle nearer to London, to undertake the task of waiting on his majesty, as being personally known to him, and as being no partisan. He complied with the request, and the manner in which he performed the task having pleased the king, he was shortly after made a groom of the bedchamber. The king now became much attached to him. "His majesty loved his company," says Anthony Wood, "and finding him to be an ingenious man, chose rather to converse with him than with others of his chamber. They had often dis courses concerning government ; but when they happened to talk of a commonwealth, the king seemed not to endure it." On the king's removal from the Isle of Wight to Hurst Castle, Harrington, who had offended the parliament commissioners at Newport, was removed from the king's service, and on his subsequently refusing to swear that be would not assist or conceal the king's escape, he was placed under arrest, and dotained until an application of General Ireton obtained him his liberty. He afterwards showed his attachment to the king by accompanying him to the scaffold.
"After the king's death," says Mr. Toland, "he was observed to keep much in his library, and more retired than usually, which was by his friends a long time attributed to melancholy or discontent." He was engaged however in the composition of his ' Oceana.' And when he had proceeded some we in its composition, making no secret of his views on government and of his partiality towards a commonwealth, ho found that be had already brought down upon himself the sus picions both of Cromwell and of the Royalists. His book was seized, while in the press, by Cromwell's order. Harrington. having failed in other attempts to recover the book, bethought himself at last of an application to Lady Claypole, Cromwell's favourite daughter, who was personally unknown to him, but of whose affability and kindness he had heard much. Being ushered into her room, be found there at first only a child of three years old. " He entertained the child so divertingly, that she suffered him to take her up in his arms till her mother came; whereupon he, stepping towards her and setting the child down at her feet, said, 'Madam, 'tis well yon are come at this nick of time, or I bad certainly stolen this pretty little lady.' Stolen her,' replied the mother, ' pray what to do with her 1 for she is yet too young to become your mistress.' Madam; said he, ' though her charms assure her of a more considerable conquest, yet I must confess it is not love but revenge that prompted me to commit this theft.' Lord,' answered the lady again, ' what injury have I done you that you should steal ray child?" None at all,' replied he, 'but that you might be induced to prevail with your father to do me justice, by restoring my child that he has stolen.' But she urging that it was impossible, because her father had children enough of his own, he told her at last it was the Issue of his brain which was misrepresented to the Protector, and taken out of the press by his order." Harriogton'e wit fascinated the lady, and through her intercession he succeeded. Cromwell after wards read the book, which, according to promise, had been dedicated to him, and professed to admire it.