of a contrary Faction suddenly caused his Commitment to the Tower Sir Henry Wotton observing this though he was not of that Faction for the Earls followers were also divided into their several interests which incouraged the Earl to those undertakings which proved so fatal to him and divers of his Confederation yet knowing Treason to be so comprehensive as to take in even Circumstances and out of them to make such Conclusions as subtle States-men shall project either for their revenge or safety considering this he thought prevention by absence out of England a better security than to stay in it and plead his innocency in a Prison Therefore did he so soon as the Earl was apprehended very quickly and as privately glide through Kent to Dover without so much as looking toward his native and beloved Bocton and was by the help of favourable winds and liberal payment within Sixteen hours after his departure from London set upon the French shore where he heard shortly after that the Earl was Arraign'd Condemned and Beheaded that his Friend Mr. Cuffe was hang'd and divers other persons of Eminent Quality executed The Times did not look so favourably upon Sir Henry Wotton as to invite his return into England having therefore procured of his elder brother the Lord Wotton an assurance that his Annuity should be paid him in Italy thither he went happily renewing his intermitted friendship and interest and indeed his great content in a new conversation with his old acquaintance in that Nation and more particularly in Florence which City is not more eminent for the great Dukes Court then for the great recourse of men of choicest note for Learning and Arts in which number he there met with his old Friend Seignior Vietta a Gentleman of Venice and then taken to be Secretary to the Great Duke of Tâ—â—cany After some stay in Florence he went the 4th time to visit Rome where in the English Colledge he had very many Friends their humanity made them really so though they knew him to be a dissenter from many of their Principles of Religion and having enjoyed their company and satisfied himself concerning some Curiosities that did partly occasion his Journey thither he returned back to Florence where a most notable accident befell him an accident that did not onely find new employment for his choice Abilities but introduce him a knowledge and an interest with our King James then King of Scotland which I shall proceed to relate But first I am to tell the Reader That though Queen Elizabeth or she and her Council were never willing to declare her Successor yet James then King of the Scots was confidently believed by most to be the man upon whom the sweet trouble of Kingly Government would be imposed and the Queen declining very fast both by age and visible infirmities those that were of the Romish perswasion in point of Religion even Rome it self and those of this Nation knowing that the death of the Queen and the establishing of her Successor were taken to be critical dayes for destroying or establishing the Protestant Religion in this Nation did therefore improve all opportunities for preventing a Protestant Prince to succeed Her And as the Pope's Excommunication of Queen Elizabeth had both by the judgement and practice of the Jesuited Papist exposed Her to be warrantably destroyed so if we may believe an angry Adversary a secular Priest against a Jesuite you may believe that about that time there were many endeavours first to excommunicate and then to shorten the life of King James Immediately after Sir Henry Wotton's return from Rome to Florence which was about a year before the death of Queen Elizabeth Ferdinand the great Duke of Florence had intercepted certain Letters that discovered a design to take away the life of the then King of Scots The Duke abhorring the Fact and resolving to endeavour a prevention of it advised with his Secretary Vietta by what means a caution might be best given to that King and after consideration it was resolved to be done by Sir Henry Wotton whom Vietta first commended to the Duke and the Duke had noted and approved of above all the English that frequented his Court. Sir Henry was gladly called by his Friend Vietta to the Duke who after much profession of trust and friendship acquainted him with the secret and beâ—ng well instructed dispatched him into Scotland with Letters to the King and with those Letters such Italian Antidotes against poyson â—s the Scots till then had been strangers to Having partel from the Duke he took up the name and language of an Italian and thinking it best to avoâ—d the line of English intelligence and dangeâ— he posted into Norway and through that Câ—untry towards Scotland where he found the Kâ—ng at Sterling then he used means by Bernard Lindsey one of the Kings Bed-Chamber to procure him a speedy and private conference with His Majesty assuring him That the business which he was to negotiate was of such consequence as had caused the great Duke of Tuscany to enjoyn him suddenly â—o leave his Native Countrey of Italy to impart it to his King This being by Bernard Lindsey mâ—de known to the King the King after a little wonder mixt with jealousie to hear of an Italian Ambassador or Messenger required his name which was said to be Octavio Baldi and appointed him to be heard privately â—t a fixed hour that Evening When Octavio Baldi came to the Presenceâ— Chamber-door he was requested to lay aside his long Rapier which Italian-like he then wore and being entred the Chamber he found there with the King three or four Scotch Lords standing distant in several corrers of the Chamber At the sight of whom he made a stand which the King observing bâ—d him be bold and deliver his Message for he wouâ—d undertake for the secresie of all that were presenâ— Then did Octavio Baldi deliver his Letterâ—s and his Message to the King in Italian which â—hen the King had graciously â—eceived after a little pause Octavio Baldi steps to the Table anâ— whispers to the King in his own Language that he was an English man beseeching Him for a more private conference with His Majesty and that he might be concealed during hâ—s stay in that Nation which was promised and really performed by the King during all his abode there which was about three Months all which time was spent with much pleasantness to the King and with as much to Octavio Baldi himself as that Countrey could afford from which he departed as true an Italian as he came thither To the Duke at Florence he return'd with a fair and grateful account of his employment and within some few Months after his return there came certain News to Florence that Queen Elizabeth was dead and James King of the Scots proclaimed King of England The Duke knowing travel and business to be the best Schools of wisdom and that Sir Henry Wotton had been tutor'd in both
called Basilicon Doron and their Orator was to acknowledge this great honour and return their gratitude to His Majesty for such a condescention at the close of which Letter he writ Quid Vaticanam Bodleianamque objicis hospes Unicus est nobis Bibliotheca Liber This Letter was writ in such excellent Latin was so full of Conceits and all the expressions so suted to the genius of the King that he inquired the Orators name and then ask'd William Earl of Pembroke if he knew him whose answer was That he knew him very well and that he was his Kinsman but he lov'd him more for his learning and vertue than for that he was of his name and family At which answer the King smil'd and asked the Earl leave that he might love him too for he took him to be the Jewel of that University The next occasion that he had to shew his great Abilities was with them to shew also his great affection to that Church in which he received his Baptism and of which he profest himself a member and the occasion was this There wâ—s one Andrew Melvin a Gentleman of Scotland who was in his own Countrey possest with an aversness if not a hatred of Church-government by Bishops and he seem'd to have a like aversness to our manner of Publick Worship and of Church-prayers and Ceremonies This Gentleman had travail'd France and resided so long in Geneva as to have his opinions the more confirm'd in him by the practice of that place from which he return'd into England some short time before or immediately after Mr. Herbert was made Orator This Mr. Melvin was a man of learning and was the Master of a great wit a wit full of knots and clenches a wit sharp and satyrical exceeded I think by none of that Nation but their Bucanen At Mr. Melvins return hither he writ and scattered in Latin many pieces of his wit against our Altars our Prayers and our Publick Worship of God in which Mr. Herbert took himself to be so much concern'd that as fast as Melvin writ and scatter'd them Mr. Herbert writ and scatter'd answers and reflections of the same sharpness upon him and them I think to the satisfaction of all un-ingaged persons But this Mr. Melvin was not only so busie against the Church but at last so bold with the King and State that he rayl'd and writ himself into the Tower at which time the Lady Arabella was an innocent prisoner there and he pleas'd himself much in sending the next day after his Commitment these two Verses to the good Lady which I will under-write because they may give the Reader a taste of his others which were like these Causa tibi mecum est communis Carceris Ara-Bella tibi causa est Araque sacra mihi I shall not trouble my Reader with an account of his enlargement from that Prison or his Death but tell him Mr. Herberts Verses were thought so worthy to be preserv'd that Dr. Duport the learned Dean of Peterborough hath lately collected and caus'd them to be printed as an honourable memorial of his friend Mr. George Herbert and the Cause he undertook And in order to my third and last observation of his great Abilities it will be needful to declare that about this time King James came very often to hunt at New-market and Royston and was almost as often invited to Cambridge where his entertainment was suted to his pleasant humor and where Mr. George Herbert was to welcome him with Gratulations and the Applauses of an Orator which he alwayes perform'd so well that he still grew more into the Kings favour insomuch that he had a particular appointment to attend His Majesty at Royston where after a Discourse with him His Majesty declar'd to his Kinsman the Earl of Pembroke That he found the Orators learning and wisdom much above his age or wit The year following the King appointed to end His progress at Cambridge and to stay there certain dayes at which time he was attended by the great Secretary of Nature and all Learning Sir Francis Bacon Lord Virulam and by the ever memorable and learned Dr. Andrews Bishop of Winchester both which did at that time begin a desir'd friendship with our Orator Upon whom the first put such a value on his judgement that he usually desir'd his approbation before he would expose any of his Books to be printed and thought him so worthy of his friendship that having translated many of the Prophet Davids Psalms into English Verse he made George Herbert his Patron of them by a publick dedication of them to him as the best Judge of Divine Poetry And for the learned Bishop it is observable that at that time there fell to be a modest debate about Predestination and Sanctity of life of both which the Orator did not long after send the Bishop some safe and useful Aphorisms in a long Letter written in Greek which was so remarkable for the language and matter that after the reading of it the Bishop put it into his bosom and did often shew it to Scholars both of this and forreign Nations but did alwayes return it back to the place where he first lodg'd it and continu'd it so near his heart till the last day of his life To these I might add the long and intire friendship betwixt him and Sir Henry Wotton and Dr. Donne but I have promis'd to contract my self and shall therefore only add one testimony to what is also mentioned in the Life of Dr. Donne namely that a little before his death he caused many Seals to be made and in them to be ingraven the figure of Christ crucified on an Anchor which is the emblem of hope and of which Dr. Donne would often say Crux mihi Anchora These Seals he sent to most of those friends on which he put a value and at Mr. Herberts death these Verses were found wrap't up with that Seal which was by the Doctor given to him When my dear Friend could write no more He gave this Seal and so gave ore When winds and waves rise highest I am sure This Anchor keeps my faith that me secure At this time of being Orator he had learnt to understand the Italian Spanish and French Tongues very perfectly hoping that as his Predecessor so he might in time attain the place of a Secretary of State being then high in the Kings favour and not meanly valued and lov'd by the most eminent and most powerful of the Court Nobility This and the love of a Court-conversation mixt with a laudable ambition to be something more then he then was drew him often from Cambridge to attend the King who then gave him a Sine Cure which fell into His Majesties disposal I think by the death of the Bishop of St. Asaph It was the same that Queen Elizabeth had formerly given to her Favourite Sir Philip Sidney and valued to be worth an hundred and twenty pound per
Sir George Moor then Chancellor of the Garter and Lieutenant of the Tower Sir George had some intimation of it and knowing prevention to be a great part of wisdom did therefore remove her with much haste from that to his own house at Lothesley in the County of Surry but too late by reason of some faithful promises which were so interchangeably passed as never to be violated by either party These promises were onely known to themseves and the friends of both parties used much diligence and many arguments to kill oâ— cool their affections to each other but in vainâ— for love is a flattering mischief that hath denyed aged and wise men a foresight of those evils that too often prove to be the children of that blind father a passion that carries uâ— to commit Errors with as much ease as whirlwinds remove feathers and begets in us aâ—â—unwearied industry to the attainment of whaâ— we desire And such an Industry did notwithstanding much watchfulness against it bring them secretly together I forbear to tell howâ— and to a marriage too without the allowancâ— of those friends whose approbation alwayâ— was and ever will be necessary to make evenâ— vertuous love become lawful And that the knowledge of their marriagâ— might not fall like an unexpected tempest oâ— those that were unwilling to have it so buâ— that preapprehensions might make it the lesâ— enormous it was purposely whispered into thâ— ears of many that it was so yet by none thaâ— could attest it But to put a period to thâ— jealousies of Sir George Doubt often begetting more restless thoughts then the certain knowledge of what we fear the news was iâ— favour to Mr. Donne and with his allowance made known to Sir Georgeâ— by his honorable friend and neighbour Henry Earl of Northumberland but it was to Sir George so immeasurably unwelcome and so transported him that as though his passion of anger and inconsideration might exceed theirs of love and errour he presently engaged his Sister the Lady Elsemore to joyn with him to procure her Lord to discharge Mr. Donne of the place he held under his Lordship This request was followed with violence and though Sir George were remembred that Errors might be overpunished and desired therefore to forbear till second considerations might clear some scruples yet he became restless until his suit was granted and the punishment executed And though the Lord Chancellor did not at Mr. Donnes dismission give him such a Commendation as the great Emperour Charles the fifth did of his Secretary Eraso when he presented him to his Son and Successor Philip the Second saying That in his Eraso he gave to him a greater gift then all his Estate and all the Kingdomes which he then resigned to him yet he said He parted with a Friend and such a Secretary as was fitter to serve a King then a subject And yet this Physick of Mr. Donnes dismission was not strong enough to purge out all Sir George's choler for he was not satisfied till Mr. Donne and his sometime Compupil in Cambridge that married him namely Samuel Brook who was after Doctor in Divinity and Master of Trinity Colledge and his brother Mr. Christopher Brook sometime Mr. Donnes Chamber-fellow in Lincolns Inn who gave Mr. Donne his Wife and witnessed the marriage were all committed and to three several prisons Mr. Donne was first enlarged who neither gave rest to his body or brain nor to any friend in whom he might hope to have an interest untill he had procured an enlargement for his two imprisoned friends He was now at liberty but his dayes were still cloudy and being past these troubles others did still multiply upon him for his wife was to her extreme sorrow detained from him and though with Jacob he endured not an hard service for her yet he lost a good one and was forced to make good his title to her and to get possession of her by a long and restless suit in Law which proved troublesom and chargeable to him whose youth and travel and needless bounty had brought his estate into a narrow compass It is observed and most truly that silence and submission are charming qualities and work most upon passionate men and it proved so with Sir George for these and a general report of Mr. Donnes merits together with his winning behaviour which when it would intice had a strange kind of elegant irresistible art these and time had so dispassionated Sir George that as the world had approved his Daughters choice so he also could not but see a more then ordinary merit in his new son and this at last melted him into so much remorse for Love and Anger are so like Agues as to have hot and cold fits and love in Parents though it may be quenched yet is easily rekindled and expires not till death denies mankind a natural heat that he labored his Sons restauration to his place using to that end both his own and his Sisters power to her Lord but with no success for his Answer was That though he was unfeignedly sorry for what he had done yet it was inconsistent with his place and credit to discharge and readmit servants at the request of passionate petitioners Sir Georges endeavour for Mr. Donnes re-admission was by all means to be kept secret for men do more naturally reluct for errours then submit to put on those blemishes that attend their visible acknowledgment But however it was not long before Sir George appeared to be so far reconciled as to wish their happiness and not to deny them his paternal blessing but yet refused to contribute any means that might conduce to their livelihood Mr Donnes estate was the greatest part spent in many and chargeable Travels Books and dear-bought Experience he out of all employment that might yield a support for himself and wife who had been curiously and plentifully educated both their natures generous and accustomed to conferr and not to receive Courtesies These and other considerations but chiefly that his wife was to bear a part in his sufferings surrounded him with many sad thoughts and some apparent apprehensions of want But his sorrows were lessened and his wants prevented by the seasonable courtesie of their noble kinsman Sir Francis Wolly of Pirford in Surrie who intreated them to a cohabitation with him where they remained with much freedom to themselves and equal content to him for many years and as their charge encreased she had yearly a child so did his love and bounty It hath been observed by wise and considering men that Wealth hath seldom been the Portion and never the Mark to discover good People but that Almighty God who disposeth all things wisely hath of his abundant goodness denied it he onely knows why to many whose minds he hath enriched with the greater Blessings of Knowledge and Vertue as â—he fairer Testimonies of his love to Mankind â—â—â— this was the present condition of this man â—â—â—â—â—â— excellent Erudition
1670. Sam Woodforde The LIFE OF Mr. GEORGE HERBERT THE Introduction IN a late retreat from the business of this World and those many little cares with which I have too often incumbred my self I fell into a Contemplation of some of those Historical passages that are recorded in Sacred Story and more particularly of what had past betwixt our Blessed Saviour and that wonder of Women and Sinners and Mourners Saint Mary Magdalen I call her Saint because I did not then nor do now consider her as when she was possest with seven Devils not as when her wanton Eyes and dissheveld Hair were designed and manag'd to charm and insnare amorous Beholders But I did then and do now consider her as after she had exprest a visible and sacred sorrow for her sensualities as after those Eyes had wept such a flood of penitential tears as did wash and that hair had wip't and she most passionately kist the feet of hers and our blessed Jesus And I do now consider that because she lov'd much not only much was forgiven her but that beside that blessed blessing of having her sins pardoned she also had from him a testimony that her alablaster box of precious oyntment poured on his head and feet and that Spikenard and those Spices that were by her dedicated to embalm and preserve his sacred body from putrefaction should so far preserve her own memory that these demonstrations of her sanctified love and of her officious and generous gratitude should be recorded and mentioned wheresoever his Gospel should be read intending thereby that as his so her name should also live to succeeding generations even till time shall be no more Upon occasion of which fair example I did lately look back and not without some content at least to my self that I have endeavour'd to deserve the love and preserve the memory of my two deceased friends Dr. Donne and Sir Henry Wotton by declaring the various employments and accidents of their Lives And though Mr. George Herbert whose Life I now intend to write were to me a stranger as to his person yet since he was and was worthy to be their friend and very many of his have been mine I judge it may not be unacceptable to thoseâ— that knew any of them in their lives or do now know their Writings to see this Conjunction of them after their deaths without which many things that concern'd them and some things that concern'd the Age in which they livâ—d would be less perfect and lost to posterity For these Reasons I have undertaken it and if I have prevented any abler person I beg pardon of him and my Reader The Life GEorge Herbert was born the Third day of April in the Year of our Redemption 1593. The place of his Birth was near to the Town of Montgomery and in that Castle that did then bear the name of that Town and County that Castle was then a place of state and strength and had been successively happy in the Family of the Herberts who had long possest it and with it a plentiful Estate and hearts as liberal to their poor Neighbours A Family that hath been blest with men of remarkable wisdom and with a willingness to serve their Countrey and indeed to do good to all Mankind for which they were eminent But alas this Family did in the late Rebellion suffer extremely in their Estates and the Heirs of that Castle saw it laid level with that earth that was too good to bury those Wretches that were the cause of it The Father of our George was Richard Herbert the Son of Edward Herbert Knight the Son of Richard Herbert Knight the Son of the famous Sir Richard Herbert of Colebrook in the County of Monmouth Banneret who was the youngest Brother of that memorable William Herbert Earl of Pembroke that liv'd in the Reign of our King Edward the fourth His Mother was Magdalen Newport the youngest Daughter of Sir Richard and Sister to Sir Francis Newport of High Arkall in the County of Salop Knight and Grand-father of Francis Lord Newport now Comptroller of His Majesties Houshold A Family that for their Loyalty have suffered much in their Estates and seen the ruine of that excellent Structure where their Ancestors have long liv'd and been memorable for their Hospitality This Mother of George Herbert of whose person and wisdom and vertue I intend to give a true account in a seasonable place was the happy Mother of seven Sons and three Daughters which she would often say was Jobs number and as often bless God that they were neither defective in their shapes or in their reason and often reprove them that did not praise God for so great a blessing I shall give the Reader a short accompt of their names and not say much of their Fortunes Edward the eldest was first made Knight of the Bath at that glorious time of our late Prince Henries being install'd Knight of the Garter and after many years useful travel and the attainment of many Languages he was by King James sent Ambassador Resident to the then French King Lewis the Thirteenth There he continued about two Years but he could not subject himself to a compliance with the humors of the Duke de Luines who was then the great and powerful Favourite at Court so that upon a complaint to our King he was call'd back into England in some displeasure but at his return he gave such an honourable account of his employment and so justified his Comportment to the Duke and all the Court that he was suddenly sent back upon the same Embassie from which he return'd in the beginning of the Reign of our good King Charles the first who made him first Baron of Castle-Island and not long after of Cherberie in the County of Salop He was a man of great learning and reason as appears by his printed Book de veritate and by his History of the Reign of King Henry the Eight and by several other Tracts The second and third Brothers were Richard and William who ventur'd their lives to purchase Honour in the Wars of the Low Countries and dyed Officers in that employment Charles was the fourth and dyed Fellow of New-Colledge in Oxford Henry was the sixth who became a menial servant to the Crown in the dayes of King James and hath continued to be so for fifty years during all which time he hath been Master of the Revels a place that requires a diligent wisdome with which God hath blest him The seventh Son was Thomas who being made Captain of a Ship in that Fleet with which Sir Robert Mansell was sent against Algiers â—id there shew a fortunate and true English valor Of the three Sisters I need not say more then that they were all married to persons of worth and plentiful fortunes and liv'd to be examples of vertue and to do good in their generations I now come to give my intended account of George who was the fifth of
what it is is the finest place in the University though not the gainfullest yet that will be about 30 l. per an but the commodiousness is beyond the Revenue for the Orator writes all the University Letters makes all the Orations be it to King Prince or whatever comes to the University to requite these pains he takes place next the Doctors is at all their Assemblies and Meetings and sits above the Proctors is Regent or Non-regent at his pleasure and such like Gaynesses which will please a young man well I long to hear from Sir Francis I pray Sir send the Letter you receive from him to me as soon as you can that I may work the heads to my purpose I hope I shall get this place without all your London helps of which I am very proud not but that I joy in your favours but that you may see that if all fail yet I am able to stand on mine own legs Noble Sir I thank you for your infinite favours I fear only that I have omitted some fitting circumstance yet you will pardon my haste which is very great though never so but that I have both time and work to be Your extreme Servant George Herbert SIR I Have received the things you sent me safe and now the only thing I long for is to hear of my dear sick Sister first how her health fares next whether my peace be yet made with her concerning my unkind departure Can I be so happy as to hear of both these that they succeed well Is it not too much for me Good Sir make it plain to her that I loved her even in my departure in looking to her Son and my charge I suppose she is not disposed to spend her eye-sight on a piece of paper or else I had wrote to her when I shall understand that a Letter will be seasonable my Pen is ready Concerning the Orators place all goes well yet the next Friday it is tryed and accordingly you shall hear I have forty businesses in my hands your Courtesie will pardon the haste of Jan. 19. 1619. Trin Coll. Your humblest Servant George Herbert SIR I Understand by Sir Francis Nethersols Letter that he fears I have not fully resolved of the matter since this place being civil may divert me too much from Divinity at which not without cause he thinks I aim but I have wrote him back that this dignity hath no such earthiness in it but it may very well be joined with Heaven or if it had to others yet to me it should not for ought I yet knew and therefore I desire him to send me a direct answer in his next Letter I pray Sir therefore cause this inclosed to be carried to his brothers house of his own name as I think â—t the sign of the Pedler and the Pack on London-bridge for there he assigns me I cannot yet find leisure to write to my Lord or Sir Benjamin Ruddyard but I hope I shall shortly though for the reckoning of your favours I shall never find time and paper enough yet am I Octob. 6. 1619. Trin Coll. Your readiest Servant George Herbert I remember my most humble duty to my Mother who cannot think me lazy since I rode 200 mile to see a Sister in a way I knew not in the midst of much business and all in a Fortnight not long since To the truly Noble Sir J. D. SIR I Understand by a Letter from my Brother Henry that he hath bought a parcel of Books for me and that they are coming over Now though they have hitherto travelled upon your charge yet if my Sister were acquainted that they are ready I dare say she would make good her promise of taking five or six pound upon her which she hath hitherto deferred to do not of her self but upon the want of those Books which were not to be got in England for that which surmounts though your noble disposition is infinitely free yet I had rather slie to my old ward that if any course could be taken of doubling my Annuity now upon condition that I should surcease from all title to it after I enter'd into a Benefice I should be most glad to entertain it and both pay for the surplusage of these Books and for ever after cease my clamorous and greedy bookish requests It is high time now that I should be no more a burden to you since I can never answer what I have already received for your favours are so ancient that they prevent my memory and yet still grow upon Your humblest Servant George Herbert I remember my most humble duty to my Mother I have wrote to my dear sick Sister this week already and therefore now I hope may be excused I pray Sir pardon my boldness of inclosing my Brothers Letter in yours for it was because I know your Lodging but not his To the worthiest Lady Mrs. Magdalen Herbert Madam EVery excuse hath in it somewhat of accusation and since I am innocent and yet must excuse how shall I do for that part of accusing By my â—oth as desperate and perplexed meâ— grow from thence bold so must I take the boldness of accusing you who would draw so dark a â—â—â—tain betwixt me and your purposes as that I had no glimmering neither of your goings nor the way which my Letters might haunt Yet I have given this Licence to Travel but I know not whether nor it It is therefore rather a Pinnace to discover and the intire Colony of Letters of Hundreds and Fifties must follow whose employment is more honourable than that which our State meditates to Virginia because you are worthier than all that Countrey of which that is a wretched inch for you have better treasure and a harmlessness If this sound like a flattery tear it out I am to my Letters as rigid a Puritane as Caesar was to his Wife Iâ— can as ill endure a suspitious and misinterpretable word as a fault but remember that nothing is flattery which the Speaker believes and of the grossest flatteries there is this good use that they tell us what we should be But Madam you are beyond instruction and therefore there can belong to you only â—aise of which though you be no good hearer yet allow all my Letters leave to have in them one part of it which is thankfulness towards you Michin July 11. 1607. Your unworthiest Servant Except your accepting have mended him John Donne To the worthiest Lady Mrs. Magdalen Herbert Madam THis is my second Letter in which though I cannot tell you what is good yet this is the worst that I must be a great part of it yet to me that is recompensed because you must be mingled After I knew you were gone for I must little less than accusingly tell you I knew not you would go I sent my first Letter like a Bevis of Hampton to seek Adventures This day I came to Town and to the best part of it your House
l. 24. r. do it 32. l. 2. r. fortune 63. l. 121. r. Dort In Sir H. Wotton 29. l. 10. r. samed 35. l. 9. as well 37. l. 22. dele Mr. Bedell 38. l. 17. dele mis 41. l. 8. r. delivery 45. l. 5. r. mont 47. l. 19. r. Syfiphâ— 53. l. 7. r. against 56. l. 24. r. Elegy 75. l. 19. r. those In Mr. Hoooker 25. l. 4. r. assiduous still 42. l. 7. r. God and so These must be thus corrected or that Paragraph will not be senceâ— 42 l. 11. r. and in wicked 42. l. 15. dele it 56. l. 20. r. answers In George Herbert 14. l. 4. r. his 24. dele of 32. l. 22. â—r Parish Church 33. l. 26. r. she 34. l. 4. dele at 49. l. 10. r. wants it 63. l. 24. dele too 65. l. 24. r. spirits and 72. l. 3. r. for the 80. l. 1. r. to their The Copy of a Letter writ to Mr. Isaac Walton by Doctor King Lord Bishop of Chichester Honest Isaac THough a Familiarity of more then Forty years continuance and the constant experience of your Love even in the worst times be sufficient to indear our Friendship yet I must confess my Affection much improved not onely by Evidences of private Respect to many that know and love you but by your new Demonstration of a publick Spirit testified in a diligent true and useful Collection of so many Material Passages as you have now afforded me in the Life of Venerable Mr. Hooker of which since desired by such a Friend as your self I shall not deny to give the Testimony of what I know concerning him and his learned Books but shall first here take a fair occasion to tell you that you have been happy in choosing to write the Lives of three such Persons as Posterity hath just cause to honour which they will do the more for the true Relation of them by your happy Pen of all which I shall give you my unfeigned Censure I shall begin with my most dear and incomparable Friend Dr. Donne late Dean of St. Pauls Church who not onely trusted me as his Executor but three days before his death delivered into my hands those excellent Sermons of his now made publick professing before Dr. Winniff Dr. Monford and I think your self then present at his bed side that it was by my restless importunity that he had prepared them for the Press together with which as his best Legacy he gave me all his Sermon-Notes and his other Papers containing an Extract of near Fifteen hundred Authours How these were got out of my hands you who were the Messenger for them and how lost both to me and your self is not now seasonable to complain but since they did miscarry I am glad that the general Demonstration of his Worth was so fairly preserved and represented to the World by your Pen in the History of his Life indeed so well that beside others the best Critick of our later time Mr. John Hales of Eaton Colledge affirm'd to me He had not seen a Life written with more advantage to the Subject or more reputation to the Writer then that of Dr. Donnes After the performance of this task for Dr. Donne you undertook the like office for our Friend Sir Henry Wotton betwixt which two there was a Friendship begun in Oxford continued in their various Travels and more confirmed in the religious Friendship of Age and doubtless this excellent Person had writ the Life of Dr. Donne if Death had not prevented him by which means his and your Pre-collections for that Work fell to the happy Menage of your Pen a Work which you would have declined if imperious Persuasions had not been stronger then your modest Resolutions against it And I am thus far glad that the first Life was so imposed upon you because it gave an unavoidable Cause of Writing the second if not 't is too probable we had wanted both which had been a prejudice to all Lovers of Honour and ingenious Learning And let me not leave my Friend Sir Henry without this Testimony added to yours That he was a Man of as Florid a Wit and as Elegant a Pen as any former or ours which in that kind is a most excellent Age hath ever produced And now having made this voluntary Observation of our two deceased Friends I proceed to satisfie your desire concerning what I know and believe of the ever-memorable Mr. Hooker who was Schismaticorum Mallcus so great a Champion for the Church of Englands Rights against the Factious Torrent of Separatists that then ran high against Church-Discipline and in his unanswerable Books continues to be so against the unquiet Disciples of their Schism which now under other Names still carry on their Design and who as the proper Heirs of Irrational Zeal would again take into the scarce closed Wounds of a newly bleeding State and Church And first though I dare not say that I knew Mr. Hooker yet as our Ecclesiastical History reports to the honour of S. Ignatius that he lived in the time of St. John and had seen him in his Childhood so I also joy that in my Minority I have often seen Mr. Hooker with my Father who was then Bishop of London from whom and others at that time I have heard most of the material passages which you relate in the History of his Life and from my Father received such a Character of his Learning Humility and other Virtues that like Jewels of unvaluable price they still cast such a lustre as Envy or the Rust of Time shall never darken From my Father I have also heard all the Circumstances of the Plot to defame him and how Sir Edwin Sandys outwitted his Accusers and gained their Confession and I could give an account of each particular of that Plot but that I judge it fitter to be forgotten and rot in the same grave with the malicious Authors I may not omit to declare that my Fathers Knowledge of Mr. Hooker was occasioned by the Learned Dr. John Spencer who after the Death of Mr. Hooker was so careful to preserve his unvaluable Sixth Seventh and Eighth Books of ECCLESIASTICAL POLITY and his other Writings that he procured Henry Jackson then of Corpus Christi Colledge to transcribe for him all Mr. Hookers remaining written Papers many of which were imperfect for his Study had been rifled or worse used by Mr Chark and another of Principles too like his but these Papers were endeavored to be compleated by his dear friend Dr. Spencer who bequeathed them as a precious Legacy to my Father after whose Death they rested in my hand till Dr. Abbot then Archbishop of Canterbury commanded them out of my custody by authorizing Dr. John Barkcham to require and bring them to him to his Palace in Lambeth at which time I have heard they were put into the Bishops Library and that they remained there till the Martyrdom of Archbishop Laud and were then by the Brethren of
most glad to renew his intermitted friendship with those whom he so much loved and where he had been a Saul though not to persecute Christianity or to deride it yet in his irregular youth to neglect the visible practise of it there to become a Paul and preach salvation to his beloved brethren And now his life was as a Shining light among his old friends now he gave an ocular testimony of the strictness and regularity of it now he might say as St Paul adviseth his Corinthians Be ye followers of me as I follow Christ and walk as yee have me for an example not the example of a busie-body but of a contemplative a harmless an humble and an holy life and conversation The love of that noble society was expressed to him many wayes for besides fair lodgings that were set apart and newly furnished for him with all necessaries other courteesies were daily added indeed so many and so freely as if they meant their gratitude should exceed his merits and in this love-strife of desert and liberality they continued for the space of two years he preaching â—uthfully and constantly to them andâ— they liberally requiting him About which time the Emperour of Germany died and the Palsgrave who had lately married the Lady Elizabeth the Kings onely daugher was elected and crowned King of Bohemia the unhappy beginning of many miseries in that Nation King James whose Motto Beati pacifici did truly speak the very thoughts of his heart endeavoured first to prevent and after to compose the discords of that discomposed State and amongst other his endeavours did then send the Lord Hay Earl of Doncaster his Ambassadour to those unsetled Princes and by a special command from his Majesty Dr Donne was appointed to assist and attend that employment to the Princes of the Union for which the Earl was most glad who had alwayes put a great value on him and taken a great pleasure in his conversation and discourse and his friends of Lincolns Inne were as glad for they feared that his immoderate study and sadness for his wives death would as Jacob said make his daies few and respecting his bodily health evil too and of this there were some visible signs At his going he left his friends of Lincolns-Inne and they him with many reluctations for though he could not say as S. Paul to his Ephesians Behold you to whom I have preached the Kingdom of God shall from henceforth see my face no more yet he believing himself to be in a Consumption questioned and they feared it all concluding that his troubled mind with the help of his unintermitted studies hastened the decays of his weak body And God turned it to the best for this employment to say nothing of the event of it did not onely divert him from those too serious studies and sad thoughts but seemed to give him a new life by a true occasion of joy to be an eye-witness of the health of his most dear and most honoured Mistress the Qu. of Bohemia in a forraign Nation and to be a witness of that gladness which she expressed to see him Who having formerly known him a Courtier was much joyed to see him in a Canonical habit and more glad to be an ear-witness of his excellent and powerful Preaching About fourteen moneths after his departure out of England he returned to his friends of Lincolns-Inne with his sorrows moderated and his health improved and there betook himself to his constant course of Preaching About a year after his return out of Germany Dr. Cary was made Bishop of Exeter and by his removal the Deanry of St. Pauls being vacant the King sent to Dr. Donne and appointed him to attend him at Dinner the next day When his Majesty was sate down before he had eat any meat he said after his pleasant manner Dr. Donne I have invited you to Dinner and though you sit not down with me yet I will carve to you of a dish that I know you love well for knowing you love London I do therefore make you Dean of Pauls and when I have dined then do you take your beloved dish home to your study say grace there to your self and much good may it do you Immediately after he came to his Deanry he employed work-men to repair and beautifie the Chappel suffering as holy David once vowed his eyes and temples to take no rest till he had first beautified the house of God The next quarter following when his Father-in-law Sir George Moor whom Time had made a lover and admirer of him came to pay to him the conditioned summe of twenty pounds he refused to receive it and said as good Jacob did when he heard his beloved son Joseph was alive It is enough You have been kind to me and mine I know your present condition is such as not to abound and I hope mine is or will be such as not to need it I will therefore receive no more from you upon that contract and in testimony of it freely gave him up his bond Immediately after his admission into his Deanry the Vicarage of St. Dunstan in the West London fell to him by the death of Dr. White the Advowson of it having been given to him long before by his honourable friend Richard Earl of Dorset then the Patron and confirmed by his brother the late deceased Edward both of them men of much honour By these and another Ecclesiastical endowment which fell to him about the same time given to him formerly by the Earl of Kent he was enabled to become charitable to the poor and kind to his friends and to make such provision for his children that they were not left scandalous as relating to their or his Profession and Quality The next Parliament which was within that present year he was chosen Prolocutor to the Convocation and about that time was appointed by his Majesty his most gracious Master to preach very many occasional Sermons as at St. Paul's Cross and other places All which employments he performed to the admiration of the Representative Body of the whole Clergy of this Nation He was once and but once clouded with the Kings displeasure and it was about this time which was occasioned by some malicious whisperer who had told his Majesty that Dr. Donne had put on the general humour of the Pulpits and was become busie in insinuating a fear of the Kings inclining to Popery and a dislike of his Government and particularly for his then turning the Evening Lectures into Catechising and expounding the Prayer of our Lord and of the Belief and Commandments His Majesty was the more inclineable to believe this for that a Person of Nobility and great note betwixt whom and Dr. Donne there had been a great friendship was at this very time discarded the Court I shall forbear his name unless I had a fairer occasion and justly committed to prison which begot many rumours in the common people who in this Nation
advis'd him to return presently to England and joy the King with his new and better Title and there wait upon Fortune for a better employment When King James came into England he found amongst other of the late Queens Officers the Lord Wotton Comptroller of the House of whom he demanded If he knew one Henry Wotton that had spent much time in forreign Travel The Lord replied he knew him well and that he was his Brother then the King asking where he then was was answered at Venice or Florence but by late Letters from thence he understood he would suddenly be at Paris Send for him said the King and when he shall come into England bid him repair to me The Lord Wotton after a little wonder asked the King If he knew him to which the King answered You must rest unsatisfied of that till you bring the Gentleman to me Not many Months after this Discourse the Lord Wotton brought his brother to attend the King who took him in His Arms and bade him welcome by the name of Octavio Baldi saying he was the most honest and therefore the best Dissembler that ever he met with And said Seeing I know you neither want Learning Travel nor Experience and that I have had so real a Testimony of your faithfulness and abilities to manage an Embassage I have sent for you to declare my purpose which is to make use of you in that kind hereafter And indeed the King did so most of those two and twenty years of his Raign but before he dismist Octavio Baldi from his present attendance upon him he restored him to his old name of Henry Wotton by which he then knighted him Not long after this the King having resolved according to his Motto Beati pacifici to have a friendship with his Neighbour Kingdoms of France and Spain and also for divers weighty reasons to enter into an Alliance with the State of Venice and to that end to send Ambassadors to those several places did propose the choice of these Employments to Sir Henry Wotton who considering the smallness of his own Estate which he never took care to augment and knowing the Courts of great Princes to be sumptuous and necessarily expensive inclined most to that of Venice as being a place of more retirement and best suiting with his Genius who did ever love to joyn with Business Study and a tryal of natural Experiments for both which fruitful Italy that Darling of Nature and Cherisher of all Arts is so justly framed in all parts of the Christian World Sir Henry having after some short time and consideration resolved upon Venice and a large allowance being appointed by the King for his voyage thither and a setled maintenance during his stay there he left England nobly accompanied through France to Venice by Gentlemen of the best families and breeding that this Nation afforded they were too many to name but these two for following reasons may not be omitted Sir Albertus Morton his Nephew who went his Secretary and William Bedel a man of choice Learning and sanctified Wisdom who went his Chaplain And though his dear friend Dr. Donne then a private Gentleman was not one of that Number that did personally accompany him in this Voyage yet the reading of this following Letter sent by him to Sir Henry Wotton the morning before he left England may testifie he wanted not his friends best wishes to attend him SIR AFter those reverend papers whose soul is Our good and great Kings lov'd hand and feard name By which to you he derives much of his And how he may makes you almost the same A Taper of his Torch a Copy writ From his Original and a fair Beam Of the same warm and dazling Sun though it Must in another Sphere his vertue stream After those Learned Papers which your hand Hath stor'd with notes of use and pleasure too From which rich treasury you may command Fit matter whether you will write or do After those loving Papers where Friends send With glad grief to your Sea-ward-steps farewel Which thicken on you now as prayers ascend To heaven on troops at a good mans passing-bell Admit this honest Paper and allow It such an audience as your self would ask What you would say at Venice this sayes now And has for nature what you have for task To swear much love nor to be chang'd before Honour alone will to your fortune fit Nor shall I then honour your fortune more Than I have done your honour-wanting-wit But 't is an easier load though both oppress To want than govern greatness for we are In that our own and onely business In this we must for others vices care 'T is therefore well your spirits now are plac'd ore-past In their last furnace in activity Which fits them Schools and Courts and Wars To touch and taste in any best degree For me if there be such a thing as I Fortune if there be such a thing as she Finds that I bear so well her tyrannie That she thinks nothing else so fit for me But though she part us to hear my oft prayers For your increase God is as near me here And to send you what I shall beg his stairs In length and ease are alike every where J. Donne SIR Henry Wotton was received by the State of Venice with much honour and gladness both for that he delivered his Embassage most elegantly in the Italian Language and came also in such a Juncture of time as his Masters friendship seem'd useful for that Republick the time of his coming thither was about the year 1604. Leonardo Donato being then Duke a wise and resolv'd man and to all purposes such Sir Henry VVotton would often say it as the State of Venice could not then have wanted there having been formerly in the time of Pope Clement the eighth some contests about the priviledges of Church-men and the power of the Civil Magistrate of which for the information of common Readers I shall say a little because it may give light to some passages that follow About the year 1603. the Republick of Venice made several Injunctions against Lay-persons giving Lands or Goods to the Church without Licence from the Civil-Magistrate and in that inhibition they exprest their reasons to be For that when it once came into the hands of the Ecclesiasticks it was not subject to alienation by reason whereof the lay people being at their death charitable even to excess the Clergy grew every day more numerous and pretending exemption from all publick service and taxes the burthen did grow too heavy to be born by the Laity Another occasion of difference was That about this time complaints were justly made by the Venetians against two Clergy-men the Abbot of Nervesa and a Canon of Vicenza for committing such sins as I think not fit to name nor are these mentioned with an Intent to fix a Scandal upon any Calling for holiness is not tyed to Ecclesiastical Orders and
with her presence I leave to the most hopeful Prince the Picture of the elected and crowned Queen of Bohemia his Aunt of clear and resplendent vertues through the clouds of her Fortune To my Lords Grace of Canterbury now being I leave my Picture of Divine Love rarely copied from one in the Kings Galleries of my presentation to his Majesty beseeching him to receive it as a pledge of my humble reverence to his great Wisdom And to the most worthy Lord Bishop of London Lord high Treasurer of England in true admiration of his Christian simplicity and contempt of earthly pomp I leave a Picture of Heraclitus bewailing and Democritus laughing at the world Most humbly beseeching the said Lord Archbishop his Grace and the Lord Bishop of London of both whose favours I have tasted in my life time to intercede with our most gracious Soveraign after my death in the bowels of Jesus Christ That out of compassionate memory of my long Services wherein I more studied the publick Honour then mine own Utility some Order may be taken out of my Arrears due in the Exchequer for such satisfaction of my Creditors as those whom I have Ordained Supervisors of this my â—ast Will and Testament shall present unto their Lordships without their farther trouble Hoping likewise in his Majesties most indubitable Goodness that he will keep me from all prejudice which I may otherwise suffer by any defect of formality in the Demand of my said Arrears To for a poor addition to his Cabinet I leave as Emblems of his attractive Vertues and Obliging Nobleness my great Load-stone and a piece of Amber of both kindes naturally united and onely differing in degree of Concoction which is thought somewhat rare Item A piece of Christal Sexangular as they grow all grasping divers several things within it which I bought among the Rhâ—â—tian Alps in the very place where it grew recommending most humbly unto his Lordship the reputation of my poor Name in the point of my debts as I have done to the forenamed Spiritual Lords and am heartily sorry that I have no better token of my humble thankfulness to his honoured Person It ' I leave to Sir Francis Windebank one of his Majesties principall Secretaries of State whom I found my great friend in point of Necessity the four Seasons of old Bassano to hang near the Eye in his Parlour being in little form which I bought at Venice where I first entred into his most worthy Acquaintance To the above named Doctor Bargrave Dean of Canterbury I leave all my Italian Books not disposed in this Will I leave to him likewise my Viol de Gamba which hath been twice with me in Italy in which Country I first contracted with him an unremovable Affection To my other Supervisor Mr. Nicholas Pey I leave my Chest or Cabinet of Instruments and Engines of all kinds of uses in the lower box whereof are some fit to be bequeathed to none but so entire an honest man as he is I leave him likewise forty pound for his pains in the solicitation of my Arrears and am sorry that my ragged Estate can reach no further to one that hath taken such care for me in the same kind during all my forreign Imployments To the Library at Eaton Colledg I leave all my Manuscripts not before disposed and to each of the Fellows a plain Ring â—of Gold enameld black all save the verge with this Motto within Amor unit omnia This is my last Will and Testament save that shall be added by a Schedule thereunto annexed Written on the first of October in the present year of our Redemption 1637. And subscribed by my self with the Testimony of these Witnesses Nich. Oudert Geo. Lash H. Wotton ANd now because the mind of man is best satisfied by the knowledge of Events I think fit to declare that every one that was named in his Will did gladly receive their Legacies by which and his most just and passionate desires for the payment of his debts they joyned in assisting the Overseers of his Will and by their joynt endeavours to the King then whom none was more willing conscionable satisfaction was given for his just debts The next thing wherewith I shall acquaint the Reader is That he went usually once a year if not oftner to the beloved Bocton-hall where he would say he found both cure for all cares by the company which he called the living furniture of that place and a restorative of his strength by the Connaturalness of that which he called his genial aire He yearly went also to Oxford But the Summer before his death he changed that for a journey to Winchester Colledge to which School he was first removed from Bocton And as he returned from Winchester towards Eaton Colledge said to a friend his Companion in that Journey How usefull was that advice of a Holy Monk who perswaded his friend to perform his Customary devotions in a constant place because in that place we usually meet with those very thoughts which possessed us at our last being there And I find it thus far experimentally true that at my now being in that School and seeing that very place where I sate when I was a boy occasioned me to remember those very thoughts of my youth which then possessed me sweet thoughts indeed that promised my growing years numerous pleasures without mixtures of cares and those to be enjoyed when time which I therefore thought slow pac'd had changed my youth into manhood But age and experience have taught me that those were but empty hopes And though my dayes have been many and those mixt with more pleasures than the sons of men do usually enjoy yet I have alwâ—â—es found it true as my Saviour did fore-tell Sufficient for the day is the evil thereof Nevertheless I saw there a succession of boyes using the same recreations and questionless possessed with the same thoughts that then possessed me Thus one generation succeeds another both in their lives recreations hopes fears and dâ—aths Aâ—ter his return from Winchester which was about nine Moneths before his death he fell into a dangerous Fever which weakned him much he was then also much troubled with an Asthma or continual short spitting but that infirmity he seemed to overcome in a good degree by leaving Tobacco which he had taken somewhat immoderately And about two moneths before his death in October 1639. he again fell into a Fever which though he seem'd to recover yet these still left him so weak that those common infirmities which were wont like civil Friends to visit him and after some short time to depart came both oftner and at last took up their constant habitations with him still weakning his body of which he grew dayly more sensible retiring oftner into his Study and making many Papers that had past his Pen both in the dayes of his youth and business useless by fire These and several unusual expressions to his Friends seemed
rest both to my self and my Reader His first four Books and large Epistle have been declared to be printed at his being at Boscum Anno 1594. Next I am to tell that at the end of these four Books there is printed this Advertisement to the Reader I have for some causes thought it at this time more fit to let go these first four Books by themselves than to stay both them and the rest till the whole might together be published Such generalities of the cause in question as are here handled it will be perhaps not amiss to consider apart by way of Introduction unto the Books that are to follow concerning particulars in the mean time the Reader is requested to mend the Printers errours as noted underneath And I am next to declare that his fifth Book which is larger than his first four was first also printed by it self Anno 1597. and dedicated to his Patron for till then he chose none the Archbishop These Books were read with an admiration of their excellency in This and their just fame spread it self into foraign Nations And I have been told more than forty years past that either Cardinal Allen or learned Doctor Stapleton both English men and in Italy about the time when Hookers four Books were first printed meeting with this general fame of them were desirous to read an Authour that both the Reformed and the learned of their own Church did so much magnifie and therefore caused them to be sent for and after reading them boasted to the Pope which then was Clement the eighth that though he had lately said he never met with an English Book whose Writer deserved the name of Author yet there now appear'd a wonder to them and it would be so to his Holiness if it were in Latin for a poor obscure English Priest had writ four such Books of Laws and Church Polity and in a Style that exprest so Grave and such Humble Majesty with clear demonstration of Reason that in all their readings they had not met with any that exceeded him and this begot in the Pope an earnest desire that Doctor Stapleton should bring the said four Books and looking on the English read a part of them to him in Latin which Doctor Stapleton did to the end of the first Book at the conclusion of which the Pope spake to this purpose There is no Learning that this man hath not searcht into nothing too hard for his understanding this man indeed deserves the name of an Authour his books will get reverence by Age for there is in them such seeds of Eternity that if the rest be like this they shall last till the last fire shall consume all Learning Nor was this high the onely testimony and commendations given to his Books for at the first coming of king James into this Kingdom he inquired of the Archbishop Whitgift for his friend Mr. Hooker that writ the Books of Church Polity to which the answer was that he dyed a year before Queen Elizabeth who received the sad news of his Death with very much Sorrow to which the King replyed and I receive it with no less that I shall want the desired happiness of seeing and discoursing with that man from whose Books I have received such satisfaction Indeed my Lord I have received more satisfaction in reading a leaf or paragragh in Mr. Hooker though it were but about the fashion of Churches or Church musick or the like but especially of the Sacraments than I have had in the reading particular large Treatises written but of one of those Subjects by others though very learned men and I observe there is in Mr. Hooker no affected language but a grave comprehensive clear manifestation of Reason and that back't with the Authority of the Scripture the Fathers and Schoolmen and with all Law both Sacred and Civil And though many others write well yet in the next age they will be forgotten but doubtless there is in every page of Mr. Hookers Book the picture of a Divine Soul such Pictures of Truth and Reason and drawn in so sacred Colours that they shall never fade but give an immortal memory to the Author And it is so truly true that the King thought what he spake that as the most learned of the Nation have and still do mention Mr. Hooker with reverence so he also did never mention him but with the Epithite of Learned or Judicious or Reverend or Venerable Mr. Hooker Nor did his Son our late King Charles the First ever mention him but with the same reverence enjoining his Son our now gracious King to be studious in Mr. Hookers Books And our learned Antiquary Mr. Cambden mentioning the death the modesty and other vertues of Mr. Hooker and magnifying his Books wish't That for the honour of this and benefit of other Nations they were turn'd into the Universal Language Which work though undertaken by many yet they have been weary and forsaken it but the Reader may now expect it having been long since begun and lately finisht by the happy Pen of Dr. Earl late Lord Bishop of Salisbury of whom I may justly say and let it not offend him because it is such a truth as ought not to be conceal'd from Posterity or those that now live and yet know him not that since Mr. Hooker dyed none have liv'd whom God hath blest with more innocent Wisdom more sanctified Learning or a moâ—e piousâ— peaceable primitive temper so that this excellent person seems to be only like himself and our veerbale Rich. Hooker and only fit to make the learned of all Nations happy in knowing what hath been too long confin'd to the language of our little Island There might be many more and just occasions taken to speak of his Books which none ever did or can commend too much but I decline them and hasten to an account of his Christian behaviour and death at Borne in which place he continued his customary Rules of Mortification and Self-denial was much in Fasting frequent in Meditation and Prayers enjoying those blessed returns which only men of strict lives feel and know and of which men of loose and godless lives cannot be made sensible for spiritual things are spiritually discern'd At his entrance into this place his friendship was much sought for by Dr. Hadrian Saravia then or about that time made one of the Prebends of Canterbury a German by Birth and sometimes a Pastor both in Flanders and Holland where he had studied and well considered the controverted points concerning Episcopacy and Sacriledge and in England had a just occasion to declare his judgment concerning both unto his Brethren Ministers of the Low Countreys which was excepted against by Theodor Beza and others against whose exceptions he rejoyned and thereby became the happy Author of many learned Tracts writ in Latin especially of three one of the Degrees of Ministers and of the Bishops superiority above the Presbytery a second against
charity ought to be imitated for though the spirit of revenge is so pleasing to Mankind that it is never conquered but by a supernatural grace being indeed so deeply rooted in humane Nature that to prevent the excesses of it for men would not know Moderation Almighty God allows not any degree of it to any man but sayes Vengeance is mine And though this be said by God himself yet this revenge is so pleasing that man is hardly perswaded to submit the menage of it to the Time and Justice and Wisdom of his Creator but would hasten to be his own Executioner of it And yet nevertheless if any man ever did wholly decline and leave this pleasing passion to the time and measure of God alone it was this Richard Hooker of whom I write for when his Slanderers were to suffer he laboured to procure their pardon and when that was denied him his Reply was That however he would fast and pray that God would give them repentance and patience to undergo their punishment And his prayers were so far returned into his own bosom that the first was granted if we may believe a penitent behaviour and an open confession And 't is observable that after this time he would often say to Dr. Saravia Oh with what quietness did I enjoy my Soul after I was free from the fears of my Slander and how much more after a conflict and victory over my desires of Revenge About the Year 1600 and of his Age 46 he fell into a long and sharp sickness occasioned by a cold taken in his passage betwixt London and Gravesend from the malignity of which he was never recovered for till his death he was not free from thoughtful Dayes and restless Nights but a submission to his Will that makes the sick mans Bed easie by giving rest to his Soul made his very languishment comfortable and yet all this time he was sollicitous in his Study and said often to Dr. Saravia who saw him daily and was the chief comfort of his life That he did not beg a long life of God for any other reason but to live to finish his three remaining Books of POLITY and then Lord let thy servant depart in peace which was his usual expression And God heard his prayers though he denied the Church the benefit of them as compleated by himself and 't is thought he hastened his own death by hastening to give life to his Books But this is certain that the nearer he was to his death the more he grew in Humility in Holy Thoughts and Resolutions About a month before his death this good man that never knew or at least never consider'd the pleasures of the Palate became first to lose his appetite then to have an aversness to all food insomuch that he seem'd to live some intermitted weeks by the smell of meat only and yet still studied and writ And now his guardian Angel seem'd to foretell him that the day of his dissolution drew near for which his vigorous Soul appear'd to thirst In this time of his Sickness and not many dayes before his Death his House was rob'd of which he having notice his Question was Are my Books and written Papers safe And being answered That they were his Reply was then it matters not for no other loss can trouble me About one day before his Death Dr. Saravia who knew the very secrets of his Soul for they were supposed to be Confessors to each other came to him and after a Conference of the Benefit the Necessity and Safety of the Churches Absolution it was resolved the Doctor should give him both that and the Sacrament the day following To which end the Doctor came and after a short retirement and privacy they return'd to the company and then the Doctor gave him and some of those friends which were with him the blessed Sacrament of the body and blood of our Jesus Which being performed the Doctor thought he saw a reverend gaity and joy in his face but it lasted not long for his bodily Infirmities did return suddenly and became more visible in so much that the Doctor apprehended Death ready to seize him yet after some amendment left him at Night with a promise to return early the day following which he did and then found him in better appearance deep in Contemplation and not inclinable to Discourse which gave the Doctor occasion to require his present Thoughts to which he replied That he was meditating the number and nature of Angels and their blessed obedience and order without which peace could not be in Heaven and oh that it might be so on Earth After which words he said I have lived to see this world is made up of perturbations and I have been long preparing to leave it and gathering comfort for the dreadful hour of making my account with God which I now apprehend to be near and though I have by his grace lov'd him in my youth and fear'd him in mine age and labour'd to have a conscience void of offence to him and to all men yet if thou O Lord be extreme to mark what I have done amiss who can abide it and therefore where I have failed Lord shew mercy to me for I plead not my righteousness but the forgiveness of my unrighteousness for his merits who dyed to purchase pardon for penitent sinners and since I owe thee a death Lord let it not be terrible and then take thine own time I submit to it let not mine O Lord but let thy Will be done with which expression he fell into a dangerous slumber dangerous as to his recovery yet recover he did but it was to speak only these few words Good Doctor God hath heard my daily petitions for I am at peace with all men and he is at peace with me and from that blessed assurance I feel that inward joy which this world can neither give nor take from meâ— More he would have spoken but his spirits failed him and after a short conflict betwixt Nature and Death a quiet Sigh put a period to his last breath and so he fell asleep And here I draw his Curtain till with the most glorious company of the Patriarchs and Apostles the most Noble Army of Martyrs and Confessors this most learned most humble holy man shall also awake to receive an eternal Tranquillity and with it a greater degree of Glory than common Christians shall be made partakers of In the mean time bless O Lord Lord bless his Brethren the Clergy of this Nation with effectual endeavours to attain if not to his great learning yet to his remarkable meekness his godly simplicity and his Christian moderation for these bring peace at the last And Lord let his most excellent Writings be blest with what he design'd when he undertook them which was Glory to Thee O God on High Peace in thy Church and Good Will to Mankind Amen Amen This following Epitaph was long since presented to the World
those seven Brothers George Herbert spent much of his Childhood in a sweet content under the eye and care of his prudent mother and the tuition of a Chaplain or Tutor to him and two of his Brothers in her own Family for she was then a Widow where he continued till about the age of twelve years and being at that time well instructed in the Rules of Grammar he was not long after commended to the care of Dr. Neale who was then Dean of Westminster and by him to the care of Mr. Ireland who was then chief Master of that School where the beauties of his pretty behaviour and wit shin'd and became so eminent and lovely in this his innocent age that he seem'd to be marked out for piety and to become the care of Heaven and of a particular Angel to guard and guide him And thus he continued in that School till he came to be perfect in the learned Languages and especially in the Greek Tongue in which he after prov'd an excellent Critick About the age of Fifteen he being then a Kings Scholar was elected out of that School for Trinity Colledge in Cambridge to which place he was transplanted about the year 1608. And his prudent mother well knowing that he might easily lose or lessen that virtue and innocence which her advice and example had planted in his mind did therefore procure the generous and liberal Dr. Nevil who was then Dean of Canterbury and Master of that Colledge to take him into his particular care and provide him a Tutor which he did most gladly undertake for he knew the excellencies of his Mother and how to value such a friendship This was the method of his Education till he was setled in Cambridge where we will leave him in his Study till I have paid my promis'd account of his excellent mother and I will endeavour to make it short I have told her birth her Marriage and the Number of her Children and have given some short account of them I shall next tell the Reader that her husband dyed when our George was about the Age of four years and that she continued twelve years a Widow that she then maried hapily to a Noble Gentleman the brother and Heir of the Lord Danvers Earl of Danby who did highly value both her person and most excellent endowments of her mind In this time of her Widowhood she being desirous to give Edward her eldest son such advantages of Learning and other education as might suit his birth and fortune and thereby make him the more fit for the service of his Country did at his being of a fit age remove from Montgomery Castle with him and some of her yonger sons to Oxford and having entred Edward into Queens Colledge and provided him a fit Tutor she commended him to his Care yet she continued there with him and still kept him in a moderate awe of herself and so much under her own eye as to see and converse with him dayly but she managed this power over him without any such rigid sourness as might make her company a torment to her Child but with such a sweetness and complyance with the recreations and pleasure of youth as did incline him willingly to spend much of his time in the company of his dear and careful mother which was to her great content for she would often say That as our bodies take a nourishment sutable to the meat on which we feed so our souls do as insensibly take in vice by the example or Conversation with wicked Company and would therefore as often say That ignorance of Vice was the best preservation of Vertue and that the very knowledge of wickedness was as tinder to inflame and kindle sin and to keep it burning For these reasons she indeared him to her own Company and continued with him in Oxford four years in which time her great and harmless wit her chearful gravity and her oblieging behaviour gain'd her an acquaintance and friendship with most of any eminent worth or learning that were at that time in or near that University and particularly with Mr. John Donne who then came accidentally to that place in this time of her being there it was that John Done who was after Doctor Donne and Dean of Saint Pauls London and he at his leaving Oxford writ and left there a Character of the Beauties of her body and minde of the first he sayes No Spring nor Summer-Beauty has such grace As I have seen in an Autumnal face Of the latter he sayes In all her words to every hearer fit You may at Revels or at Council sit The rest of her Character may be read in his printed Poems in that Elegy which bears the name of the Autumnal Beauty For both he and she were then past the meridian of mans life This Amity begun at this time and place was not Amity that polluted their Souls but an Amity made up of a chain of sutable inclinations and vertues an Amity like that of St. Chrysostoms to his dear and vertuous Olimpias whom in his Letters he calls his Saint Or an Amity indeed more like that of St. Hierom to his Paula whose affection to her was such that he turn'd Poet in his old Age and then made her Epitaph wishing all his Body were turn'd into Tongues that he might declare her just praises to posterity And this Amity betwixt her and Mr. Donne was begun in a happy time for him he being then about the Fortieth year of his Age which was some years before he entred into Sacred Orders A time when his necessities needed a daily supply for the support of his Wife seven Children and a Family And in this time she prov'd one of his most bountiful Benefactors and he as grateful an acknowledger of it You may take one testimony of what I have said of them from this following Letter and Sonnet MADAM YOur Favours to me are every where I use them and have them I enjoy them at London and leave them there and yet find them at Micham Such Riddles as these become things unexpressible and such is your goodness I was almost sorry to find your Servant here this day because I was loth to have any witness of my not coming home last Night and indeed of my coming this Morning But my not coming was excusable because earnest business detain'd me and my coming this day is by the example of your St. Mary Magdalen who rose early upon Sunday to seek that which she lov'd most and so did I. And from her and my self I return such thanks as are due to one to whom we owe all the good opinion that they whom we need most have of us by this Messenger and on this good day I commit the inclosed Holy Hymns and Sonnets which for the matter not the workmanship have yet escap'd the fire to your judgment and to your protection too if you think them worthy of it and I have appointed this inclosed
Sonnet to usher them to your happy hand Micham July â—â— 1607 Your unworthiest Servant unless your accepting him have mended him Jo. Donne To the Lady Magdalen Herbert of St. Mary Magdalen HEr of your name whose fair inheritance Bethina was and jointure Magdalo An active faith so highly did advance That she once knew more than the Church did know The Resurrection so much good there is Deliver'd of her that some Fathers be Loth to believe one Woman could do this But think these Magdalens were two or three Increase their number Lady and their fame To their Devotion add your Innocence Take so much of th' example as of the name The latter half and in some recompence That they did harbour Christ himself a Guest Harbour these Hymns to his dear name addrest J. D. These Hymns are now lost to us but doubtless they were such as they two now sing in Heaven There might be more demonstrations of the Friendship and the many sacred Indearments betwixt these two excellent persons for I have many of their Letters in my hand and much more might be said of her great prudence and piety but my design was not to write hers but the life of her Son and therefore I shall only tell my Reader that about that very day twenty years that this Letter was dated and sent her I saw and heard this Mr. John Donne who was then Dean of St. Pauls weep and preach her Funeral Sermon in the Parish-Church of Chelsey near London where she now rests in her quiet Grave and where we must now leave her and return to her Son George whom we left in his Study in Cambridge And in Cambridge we may find our George Herberts behaviour to be such that we may conclude he consecrated the first fruits of his early age to vertue and a serious study of learning And that he did so this following Letter and Sonnet which were in the first year of his going to Cambridge sent his dear Mother for a New-years gift may appear to be some testimony But I fear the heat of my late Ague hath dryed up those springs by which Scholars say the Muses use to take up their habitations However I need not their help to reprove the vanity of those many Love-poems that are daily writ and consecrated to Venus nor to bewail that so few are writ that look towards God and Heaven For my own part my meaning dear Mother is in these Sonnets to declare my resolution to be that my poor Abilities in Poetry shall be all and ever consecrated to Gods glory And MY God where is that ancient heat towards thee Wherewith whole showls of Martyrs once did burn Besides their other flames Doth Poetry Wear Venus Livery only serve her turn Why are not Sonnets made of thee and layes Upon thine Altar burnt Cannot thy love He ghten a spirit to sound out thy praise As well as any she Cannot thy Dove Out-strip their Cupid easily in flight Or since thy wayes are deep and still the same Will not a verserun smooth that bears thy name Why doth that fire which by thy power and might Each breast does feel no braver fuel choose Than that which one day Worms may chance refuse Sure Lord there is enough in thee to dry Oceans of Ink for as the Deluge did Cover the Earth so doth thy Majesty Each Cloud distills thy praise and doth forbid Poets to turn it to another use Roses and Lillies speak thee and to make A pair of Cheeks of them is thy abuse Why should I Womens eyes for Chrystal take Such poor invention burns in their low mind Whose fire is wild and doth not upward go To praise and on thee Lord some Ink bestow Open the bones and you shall nothing find In the best face but filth when Lord in thee The beauty lies in the discovery G. H. This was his resolution at the sending this Letter to his dear Mother about which time he was in the Seventeenth year of his Age and as he grew older so he grew in learning and more and more in favour both with God and man insomuch that in this morning of that short day of his life he seem'd to be mark'd out for vertue and to become the care of Heaven for God still kept his soul in so holy a frame that he may and ought to be a pattern of vertue to all posterity and especially to his Brethren of the Clergy of which the Reader may expect a more exact account in what will follow I need not declare that he was a strict Student because that he was so there will be many testimonies in the future part of his life I shall therefore only tell that he was made Minor Fellow in the year 1609. Batchelor of Art in the year 1611. Major Fellow of the Colledge March 15. 1615. And that in that year he was also made Master of Arts he being then in the 22 d year of his Age during all which time all or the greatest diversion from his Study was the practice of Musick in which he became a great Master and of which he would say That it did relieve his drooping spirits compose his distracted thoughts and raised his weary Soul so far above Earth that it gave him an earnest of the joyes of Heaven before he possest them And it may be noted that from his first entrance into the Colledge the generous Dr. Nevil was a cherisher of his Studies and such a lover of his person his behaviour and the excellent endowments of his mind that he took him often into his own company by which he confirm'd his native gentileness and if during this time he exprest any Error it was that he kept himself too much retir'd and at too great a distance with all his inferiours and his cloaths seem'd to prove that he put too great a value on his parts and parentage This may be some account of his disposition and of the employment of his time till he was Master of Arts which was Anno 1615. and in the year 1619. he was chosen Orator for the University His two precedent Orators were Sir Robert Nanton and Sir Francis Nethersoll The first was not long after made Secretary of State and Sir Francis not long after his being Orator was made Secretary to the Lady Elizabeth Queen of Bohemia In this place of Orator our George Herbert continued eight years and manag'd it with as becoming and grave a gaity as any had ever before or since his time For He had acquir'd great Learning and was blest with a high fancy a civil and sharp wit and with a natural elegance both in his behaviour his tongue and his pen. Of all which there might be very many particular evidences but I will limit my self to the mention of but three And the first notable occasion of shewing his fitness for this employment of Orator was manifested in a Letter to King James who had sent the University his Book
this years resolutions he therefore did set down his Rules in that order as the World now sees them printed in a little Book call'd The Countrey Parson in which some of his Rules are The Parsons Knowledge The Parson on Sundayes The Parson Praying The Parson Preaching The Parsons Charity The Parson comforting the Sick The Parson Arguing The Parson Condescending The Parson in his Journey The Parson in his Mirth The Parson with his Church-wardens The Parsons Blessing the People And his behavior toward God and man may be said to be a practical Comment on these and the other holy Rules set down in that useful Book A Book so full of plain prudent and useful Rules that that Countrey Parson that can spare 12 d. and yet wants is scarce excusable because it will both direct him what he is to do and convince him for not having done it At the Death of Mr. Herbert this Book fell into the hands of his friend Mr. Woodnot and he commended it into the trusty hands of Mr. Bar. Oly. who publish't it with a most conscientious and excellent Preface from which I have had some of those Truths that are related in this life of Mr. Herbert The Text for his first Sermon was taken out of Solomons Proverbs and the words were Keep thy heart with all diligence In which first Sermon he gave his Parishioners many necessary holy safe Rules for the discharge of a good Conscience both to God and man And deliver'd his Sermon after a most florid manner both with great learning and eloquence And at the close of his Sermon told them That should not be his constant way of Preaching and that he would not fill their heads with unnecessary Notionsâ— but that for their sakes his language and his expressions should be more plain and practical in his future Sermons And he then made it his humble request That they would be constant to the Afternoons Service and Catechising And shewed them convincing reasons why he desir'd it and his obliging example and perswasions brought them to a willing conformity to his desires The Texts for all his Sermons were constantly taken out of the Gospel for the day and he did as constantly declare why the Church did appoint that portion of Scripture to be that day read And in what manner the Collect for every Sunday does refer to the Gospel or to the Epistle then read to them and that they might pray with understanding he did usually take occasion to explain not only the Collect for every particular day but the reasons of all the other Collects and Responses in our Service and made it appear to them that the whole Service of the Church was a reasonable and therefore an acceptable Sacrifice to God as namely that we begin with Confession of our selves to be vile miserable sinners and that we begin so because till we have confessed our selves to be such we are not capable of that mercy which we acknowledge we need and pray for but having in the prayer of our Lord begg'd pardon for those sins which we have confest And hoping that as the Priest hath declar'd our Absolution so by our publick Confession and real Repentance we have obtain'd that pardon Then we dare proceed to beg of the Lord to open our lips that our mouths may shew forth his praise for till then we are neither able nor worthy to praise him But this being suppos'd we are then fit to say Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost and fit to proceed to a further service of our God in the Collects and Psalms and Lands that follow in the Service And as to these Psalms and Lauds he proceeded to inform them why they were so often and some of them daily repeated in our Church-service namely the Psalms every Month because they be an Historical and thankful repetition of mercies past and such a composition of prayers and praises as ought to be repeated often and publickly for with such Sacrifices God is honour'd and well-pleased This for the Psalms And for the Hymns and Lauds appointed to be daily repeated or sung after the first and second Lessons were read to the Congregation he proceeded to inform them that it was most reasonable after they have heard the will and goodness of God declar'd or preach't by the Priest in his reading the two Chapters that it was then a seasonable Duty to rise up and express their gratitude to Almighty God for those his mercies to them and to all Mankind and say with the blessed Virgin That their Souls do magnifie the Lord and that their spirits do also rejoyce in God their Saviour And that it was their Duty also to rejoyce with Simeon in his Song and say with him That their eyes have also seen their salvation for they have seen that salvation which was but prophesied till his time and he then broke out in expressions of joy to see it but they live to see it daily in the History of it and therefore ought daily to rejoyce and daily to offer up their Sacrifices of praise to their God for that and all his mercies A service which is now the constant employment of that blessed Virgin and Simeon and all those blessed Saints that are possest of Heaven and where they are at this time interchangeably and constantly singing Holy Holy Holy Lord God Glory be to God on High and on Earth peace And he taught them that to do this was an acceptable service to God because the Prophet David sayes in his Psalms He that praiseth the Lord honoureth him He made them to understand how happy they be that are freed from the incumbrances of that Law which our Fore-fathers groan'd under namely from the Legal Sacrifices and from the many Ceremonies of the Levitical Law freed from Circumcision and from the strict observation of the Jewish Sabbath and the like And he made them know that having receiv'd so many and so great blessings by being born since the dayes of our Saviour it must be an acceptable Sacrifice to Almighty God for them to acknowledge those blessings and stand up and worship and say as Zacharias did Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath in our dayes visited and redeemed his people and he hath in our dayes remembred and shewed that mercy which by the mouth of the Prophets he promised to our Fore-fathers and this he hath done according to his holy Covenant made with them And we live to see and enjoy the benefit of it in his Birth in his Life his Passion his Resurrection and Ascension into Heaven where he now sits sensible of all our temptations and infirmities and where he is at this present time making intercession for us to his and our Father and therefore they ought daily to express their publick gratulations and say daily with Zacharias Blessed be that Lord God of Israel that hath thus visited and thus redeemed his people These
were some of the reasons by which Mr. Herbert instructed his Congregation for the use of the Psalms and the Hymns appointed to be daily sung or said in the Church-service He inform'd them when the Priest did pray only for the Congregation and not for himself and when they did only pray for him as namely after the repetition of the Creed before he proceeds to pray the Lords prayer or any of the appointed Collects the Priest is directed to kneel down and pray for them saying The Lord be with you And then they pray for him saying And with thy spirit and he assur'd them that when there is such mutual love and such joint prayers offered for each other then the holy Angels look down from Heaven and are ready to carry such charitable desires to God Almighty and he as ready to receive them and that a Christian Congregation calling thus upon God with one heart and one voyce and in one reverend and humble posture look as beautifully as Jerusalem that is at peace with it self He instructed them why the prayer of our Lord was pray'd often in every full service of the Church namely at the conclusion of the several parts of that Service and pray'd then not only because it was compos'd and commanded by our Jesus that made it but as a perfect pattern for our less perfect Forms of prayer and therefore fittest to sum up and conclude all our imperfect Petitions He instructed them that as by the second Commandment we are requir'd not to bow down or worship an Idol or false god so by the contrary Rule we are to bow down and kneel or stand up and worship the true God And he instructed them why the Church requir'd the Congregation to stand up at the repetition of the Creeds namely because they did thereby declare both their obedience to the Church and an assent to that faith into which they had been baptizâ—d And he taught them that in that shoâ—ter Creed or Doxology so often repeated daily they also stood up to testifie their belief to be that the God that they trusted in was one God and three persons the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost to whom the Priest gave glory And because there had been Heretic â—s that had denied some of these three persons to be God therefore the Congregation stood up and honour'd him by conâ—essing and saying It was so in the beginning is now so and shall ever be so World without end And as gave their assent to this beâ—â—ef by saying Amen He instructed them what benefit they had by the Churches appointing the â— elebration of Holy-dayes and the excellent use of them namely that they were set apart for particular Commemorations of particular mercies received from Almighty God and as Reveâ—end Mr. Hooker sayes to be the Land marâ—s to distinguish times for by them we are taught to take notice how the years pass by us and that we ought not to let them pass without a Celebration of praise for those mercies which they give us occasion to remember and therefore the year is appointed to begin the 25th day of March a day in which we commemorate the Angels appearing to the B. Virgin with the joyful tydings that she should concâ—ive and bear a Son that should be the redeemer of Mankind and she did so Forty weeks after this joyful salutation namely at our Christmas a day in which we commemorate his Birth with joy and praise and that eight dayes after this happy Birth we celebrate his Circumcision namely in that which we call New-years day And that upon that we call Twelfth-day we commemorate the manifestation of the unsearchable riches of Jesus to the Gentiles And that day we also celebrate the memory of his goodness in sending a Star to guide the three wise men from the East to Bethlem that they might there worship and present him with their oblations of Gold Frankincense and Myrrhe And he Mr. Herbert instructed them that Jesus was Forty dayes after his Birth presented by his blessed mother in the Temple namely on that day which we call the Purification of the blessed Virgin Saint Mary And he instructed them that by the Lent-fast we imitate and commemorate our Saviours humiliation in fasting Forty dayes and that we ought to endeavour to be like him in purity And that on Good fryday we commemorate and condole his Crucifixion And at Easter commemorate his glorious Resurrection And he taught them that after Jesus had manifested himself to his Disciples to be that Christ that was crucified dead and buried that then by his appearing and conversing with them for the space of Forty dayes after his Resurrection he then and not till then ascended into Heaven in the sight of his Disciples namely on that day which we call the Ascension or Holy Thursday And that we then celebrate the performance of the promise which he made to his Disciples at or before his Ascension namely that though he left them yet he would send them the Holy Ghost to be their Comforter and he did so on that day which the Church calls Whit sunday Thus the Church keeps an Historical and circular Commemoration of times as they pass by us of such times as ought to incline us to occasional praises for the particular blessings which we do or might receive at those holy times He made them know why the Church hath appointed Ember-weeks and to know the reason why the Commandements and the Epistles and Gospels were to be read at the Altar or Communion Table why the Priest was to pray the Litany Kneeling and why to pray some Collects standing and he gave them many other observations fit for his plain Congregation but not fit for me now to mention for I must set limits to my Pen and not make that a Treatise which I intended to be a much shorter account than I have made it but I have done when I have told the Reader that he was constant in Catechising every Sunday in the Afternoon and that his Catechising was after his second lesson and in the Pulpit and that he never exceeded his half hour and was always so happy as to have a full Congregation But to this I must add That if he were at any time too zealous in his Sermons it was in reproving the indecencies of the peoples behaviour in the time of Divine Service and of those Ministers that hudled up the Church-prayers without a visible reverence and affection namely such as seem'd to say the Lords prayer or a Collect in a breath but for himself his custom was to stop betwixt every Collect and give the people time to consider what they had pray'd and to force their desires affectionately to God before he engag'd them into new Petitions And by this account of his diligence to make his Parishioners understand what and why they pray'd and prais'd and ador'd their Creator I hope I shall the more easily obtain the Readers belief