is as much to be deplored as not to be 4000 Years after it we know something what Death is by the Thought of that Time and Estate of our selves which was ' ere we were our Nephews haue the same Reason to â—ex 〈◊〉 yes that they 〈◊〉 not â—ung in our Dayes which we have 〈◊〉 that we shall not be old in theirs they who so re-went us did give place unto us and shall we grieve to give room to them who come after us And I 'm apt to think there 's nothing in Death it self that can afright us 't is only Fancy gives Death those hidious Shapes we think him in 't is the Saying of one I fear not to be dead yet am afraid to dye ' tho I don't see why we should be afraid of Death but as 't is the inlet to What Life is Eternity for Death is no more than a soft and easy Nothing Shouâ—d you ask me then what is Life I 'd answer with Crates who being asked this Question said nothing but turned him round and vanish'd and 't was judged a proper Answer Life's nothing but a dull repetition What Death is a vain fantastick Dream and there 's an end on 't But what ever 't is to live sure I am if you credit Seneca 't is no more to dye T is only Fancygives Death those hideous Shapes we think him in than to be born we felt no pain coming into the World nor shall we in the Act of leaving it Death is but a ceasing to be what we were before we were we are kindled and put out to cease to be and not to begin to be is the same thing I have met with one arguing thus Death which is accounted the most dreadful of all Evils is nothing to us saith he because while we are in being Death is not yet present so that it neither concerns us as living nor dead Epicurus in Gassend Synt. for while we are alive it hath not toucht us when we are dead we are not So that we look upon Death with our Eyes not with our Reason or we shou'd find a certain Sweetness in Mortality for that Essay on knowing our Friends in Heaven p. 87. can be no loss which can never be mist or desired again But let Death be what it will 't is certain 't is less troublesome than Sleep for in Sleep I may have disquieting Pains or Dreams and yet I fear not going to bed For Sleep gives us a sip of Joy but Death the full draught This is my Notion what DEATH is but I can't be sure I ' ent mistaken for my writing of my own Funeral shews I 'm yet alive or were I laid in my Grave I shou'd know as little what Death is as I do now for dying deprives us of knowing what we are doing or what other state we are commenceing T is a leap in the dark not knowing where we shall light as Mr. Hobbs told his inquisitive Friend when he was going to dye But ' tho I know so little what Death is there have been Men that have tried even in Death it self to relish and taste it but as I said before there are none of them come back to tell us the News Canius Julius endeavoured to make Trial what Death was that he might come again to acquaint his Friends with it No one was ever known to make Who once in Death's cold Arms a Nap did take Lucret. Lib. 3. Canius Iulius being condemn'd by that Beast Caligula as he was going to receive the stroke of the Executioner was ask'd by a Philosopher well Canius said he where about is your Soul now what is she doing what are you thinking of Iwas thinking 〈◊〉 and the faculties of my mind setled and fixt to try if in this short and quick instant of Death I cou'd perceive the motion of the Soul when she starts from the Body and what this passage is and whether she has any resentment of the separation that I may afterwards come again to acquaint my Frâ—ends with it But we don't read that Canius after he was put to death ever came to life again to acquaint his Friends what Death was But ' tho he did not there be those that have for my sâ—lf had once the Curiosity to visit two certain Persons one had been hang'd the other drown'd and both of them very miraculously brought to Life again I asked Of two men that came to Life again after they had bin hang'd and drown'd with an account of what they felt in their dying what Thoughts they had and what Pains they were sensible of The Person that was hang'd said He expected some sort of a strange change but knew not what but the pangs of Death were not so intolerable as some sharp Diseases nay he cou'd not be positive whether he felt any other pain than what his fears exacted He added that he grew senseless by little and little and at the first his Eyes represented a brisk shining red sort of Fire which grew paler and paler till at length it turn'd into a black after which he thought no more but insensibly acted the part of one that falls asleep not knowing how nor when The other gave me almost the same Account and both were dead apparently for a considerable Time These Instances are very satisfactory in cases of violent Death and for a natural Death I cannot but think it much easier diseases make a conquest of Life by Essay on knowing our Friends in Heaven p. 88. little and little therefore the strife must be less where the in equality of power is greater However by these instances we see there is a certain way by which some Men make tryal what Death is but I never expect to know it 'till I make the Experiment But I do believe if there be any evil in Death it wou'd appear to be for that Pain and Torment which we apprehend to arise on the breaking of those straight-bands which keep the Soul and Body together But that the Sâ—ght Hearing Smellâ—ng Taste leave us without Pain and unawares we know most certainly and why should we not The Sight Hearing Smâ—lling Taste leave us without Pain and why should we not believe the same of Feeling believe the same of Feeling But ' tho we can have no perfect Notion of Death yet this we are sure that Death is a profound sleep in which Nature lets it self fail insensibly when she is tyr'd with the disquiets of this Life It is a Cessation of all those Services which the Soul renders to the Flesh. This is Death as near as I can judge of it And if Death be no more then this I shan't shed one Tear at the Thoughts of my own Death tho' I have shed many at the Death of others I think the Thracians were much in the right to weep when a Child was born and to rejoyce when it dyed We also read that Lodowick Coâ—tusius a
Some Sicknesses besot others enrage Men some are too swift and others too slow If I could as easily decline Diseases as I could dislike 'em I should be Immortal But away with these Thoughts The Mark must not chuse what Arrow will be shot against it What God sends I must receive May I not be so curious to know what Weapon shall wound me as careful to provide the Plaister of Patience against it And surely I shall need Patience on a Sick Bed for if I 'm seized with a Feaver I fear I shall rave and rage Oh whither What Disease I woud be best contented to die of will my Mind sail when Distempers shall steer it Whither will my Fancy run when Diseases shall ride it My Tongue which of it self is a Fire Jam. 3. 6. sure will be a Wild-Fire when the Furnace of my Mouth is made seven times hotter with a burning Feaver But Lord ' tho I should talk idly to my own shame let me not talk wickedly to thy Dishonour Teach me the Art of Patience whilst I am well and give me the use of it when I am sick Commonly that Sicknes seizes Men which they least suspect In that day either lighten my Burden or strengthen my Back Make me who so often in my Health have discovered my Weakness presuming on my own strength to be strong in sickness when I solely rely on thy assistance But tho I mention a Feaver at 't is a Distemper I most dread yet 't is a great Question whether that Disease be to end 〈◊〉 Days For 't is commonly seen That Sickness seizeth on Men which they least suspect He that expects to be burnt with a Feaver may be drown'd with a Dropsie and she that fears to be Seing there be many Ways out of the World I bless God that I can die but once swell'd with a Tympany may be â—el'd with a Consumption I might mention a thousand other Diseases which unexpectedly may seize upon us Then seeing there be so many Ways out of the World and but one into it I bless my God that 〈◊〉 die but once and once I must know what that CHANGE means For in vain we take Mompâ—er-Air In hopes to leave the Thoughts of 〈◊〉 there And as I must die so If I don't mistake the Disease I shall die of for I expect to die of the Stone my weary Pilgrimage on Earth is almost finished so that my own Funeral is a proper Subject to employ my Thoughts and Men of a stronger My own Funeral is a proper Subject to Employ my Thoughts Body then I â—till they get a Lease of their Lives will do well to consider That they have no continuing City here Then Healâ—hful Man why should'st thou take such care To lengthen out thy Live's short Calendar Each Dropping Season and each Flower doth cry Fool as I fade and wither thou must die The beating of thy Pulse when thou art well Is but the tolling of thy Passing-Bell Night is thy Hearse whose Sable-Canopy Covers alike Deceased Day and thee And all those weeping Dews which nightly fall Are but as Tears shed for thy Funeral Thus you see Madam that Death no more spares the Strong and Heathful then he that is always sicklâ— but that we are all Pilgrims and Strangers oâ— Earth as our Fathers were befâ—re us On this Condition came we into the World that we should leave it again and therefore Anaxagoras having word Bona's saying upon the hearing of a Clock strike brought him his only Son was dead his Answer was I know he was born to die And BONA every time he heard the Clock strike would say Now I have one Hour less to live I can't say Death is so often in my thoughts that I shou'd cry every Hour I am so much nearer the Grave yet I may say aâ— often as I view the Hour-Glass and consider the swiftness of Time that I desire to â—ie Tears with her Grains of Sands that I might daily lament that I 've lived to no better purpose and am so little affected with the Death of others And as the consideration of the Death of others should remind me of my own so I hope a sight of my GRAVE will make Riches and what else I have doted on to appear in their own Nature as things of nothing in comparison of those above and as I go still Riches Plays Beauty c. have their value from our estimation of ' em nearer the nearer they seem unpleasanter the Fashion of this World 〈◊〉 awayâ— And I now perceive that Riches Paintings Iewels Songs Plays Beauty c. had their value to me meerly from mine own Estimation which now I begin to take off and look more intently on them They begin to vanish like Castles in the Clouds which are not there indeed but in our Imagination only And as the Thoughts of my Death shou'd wean me from this World so I perceive that the Egyptians found that the Sight of a Funeral was of great efficacy to this purpose and therefore at Rich-Mens-Banquets one went round about A piece of Timber wrought like the Carcass of a dead Man attended with a Train of Mourners the Table with a piece of Timber wrought like the Carcass of a dead Man attended with a Train of Mourners and he spake thus Oh 〈◊〉 that eat so â—avourly behold this Image for even so shall ye shortly become 'Till we have thus conquer'd the fear of Death every spectacle of Mortality terrifies us into what a Dump did the sight of Cyrusâ— Tomb strike the Mind of the great Alexander But thus to fear Death is always to live in the pangs of Death for most true it is Fear is more Pain than Pain there is no 〈◊〉 in Death it self like those in the Way or Prologue to it Then considering the Miseries of Humane Life I wonder any shou'd be afraid of Death 't is said of 〈◊〉 a Man of great Integrity that he gave one the option of Life or Death who told him he had 〈◊〉 The sight of Cyrus his Tomb terrify'd the Mind of the great Alexander die again than live again and certainly as Frederick the Emperour was wont to say The best thing in the World cou'd happen to a Man is to have a good going out of it I believe he spake as he thought for the wearied Man desires the Bed the languishing Man â—he Grave both wou'd fain be at rest I find this verified in my own Person for being always followed with one Disease or other I am so Zealous for a Passage out of this World that I now take my leave of every Place I depart from and think of nothing but dying I have already purchased a Grave where I intend to be buried and took upon it the only sure Possession I have in this World Of one who being put to his choice would rather die than live World All that I 〈◊〉 of thee living
Death then Reason commands Sense all obey to this Apprehension of Frailty Pleasures by little and little abandon us the Sweets of Life seem Sowr and we can find no other quiet but in the Hope Before Death and the Funeral no Man is Happy of that glorious Life to come 'T was the Saying of a great Man Before Death and the funeral no Man is happy But that I may Die in Peace 't is requisite that I Die daily Philip of Macedon gave a Boy a Pension ev'ry Morning to say to him Philip remember thou art a Man My Purse won't allow of a Daily Monitor but I hope this Essay on my Why God wou'd have me ignorant of my last Hour funeral will serve me as well to bear Death in Mind as if Philp's-Deaths-Dead were set before me But God wou'd have me ignorant of my last Hour that suspecting it always I might always be ready and where can I get ready if not in a Cell where are few Temptations to Sin and Vanity And therefore I 'll never leave it but like the silly-Grashopper Live and Die and perhaps be Buried in the same Ground But however my Body is dispos'd of I shall still be Your Friend INCOGNITO The Ladys Answer to my Eight Letter Sir I Can easily believe you are the First that ever Writ an Essay upon their own Funeral for our Dissolution is no inviting Subject it has but a Melancholy Aspect even when 't is look'd upon as the only Remedy of the Afflicted But How bitter are the Thoughts of Death to those that Live at Ease Which if you Consider you may well conclude had Valeria's Kindness been such as you would have had it you had ne'er enjoyed the Blessing you do now of Contemplating the Miseries of this Life till in Ransacking your Memory for all that could possibly any more afflict or torment you you light upon Death as the last and most dreadful of all terrible Things which being once fix'd in your Mind sets you out of the reach of all Temptations In this she makes it appear she loves you as well at least if not better than her own Soul that she affords you a Happiness she denies her self and chuses to leave you to the full Enjoyment of it without robbing you of the least Share But if you are Serious in the Thoughts of Death 't will do you more good than all her Smiles however you may prize ' em The Gentleman that thought he was as good as Dead when his Money was gone might have some cause to think himself really Dead tho he walk'd about perceiving the Fear every ones Countenance discover'd at the sight of him the Case of most Persons in his Circumstance therefore never be surpriz'd at his having more Brains than he could be quiet with for were your Case his in one respect it might be so perhaps in the other every one is not able to hear the Contempt of the World Tho' if well consider'd when we answer the Designs of Providence it should be all one to us whether we stand for a Penny or a Crown for in God's Account we are equally as useful and acceptable And I am perswaded there has been many great Saints very little seen or known in the World and whose only Share in it has been but Obscurity and Contempt and truly speaking what are we the better for so large a share of earthly Enjoyments that shall both disorder our Minds and Bodies that we can't discern our true Interest but place our Happiness in catching at departing shadows while we forget we are all born subjects of Death and begin to die from the first moment of our Life And 't is no matter how soon one is discharg'd of a Debt one must certainly pay And were our Life never so long to think in time we should have enough of living is a great mistake for at Fourscore Years and we shall think our lives short and our past Enjoyments extremely imperfect and any one that dies at Twenty can do no more That in general Death is saluted with the same shy Air whenever he claims the debt they are not willing to pay as well those he has long forborn as those he deals with more severely Yet methinks aged Person 's Experience and some sort of good Nature and Compassion might prevail with 'em willingly to make room for others that by their Deaths young Persons to whom they leave their Places may have the opportunity of making the same Experiment they have done of the Emptiness of all humane Ioys which is best known and believed by dear bought Experience and never till then can they be freed from the Tyranny of Vain-hopes and wild Ambition the Disease of Youth I confess I can't but wonder at the vain curiosity of the Philosophers who set themselves so much to know exactly in the last Minute of their Life what Being Death has which is none at all The most that can be seen of Death is by its Operation on our Bodies in this Life our total Dissolution is but the last stroke not much differing from the rest nor perhaps the most painful we know enough of it to make us hate the thoughts of it as of a Molancholy Subject and if ever we are brought to love it 't is certain it must be by looking beyond it For 't is to the consideration of that happy change of Life to which Death brings us that we are obliged for all our Ease and Comfort in this Life and from the hopes that in Death the Soul shall be set at Liberty and be triumphant over that Enemy which had so long insulted and with the sight and feeling of his Tyranny kept it in bondage and slavish fear There 's nothing in this World that is not under his Dominion his Character is stampt on every thing which makes 'em change corrupt and die that we are tir'd with such perpetual Alterations tho'it shou'd sometimes supply the place of a comfort to one that has no better for if a meer change will mend their Condition they are sure of that Relief since nothing remains in the same state all tends to a Dissolution the Heavens wax old as doth a Garment and shall be changed nay Death it self must shortly yield to Destruction and till then the worst it can do is but to change us for the better 'T is much to be admir'd there should be any Pretenders to the making a Divorce between Death and Sin that the same Persons that abhor the Sight oâ— Thoughts of Death shou'd take Sin into their Embraces for what 's so sure to let in Death as Sin For 't is not only the Wages of Sin but it's natural Issue and one may say 't is the only good thing Sin ever brought forth for we have many Advantages by Death since every degree of Death in the Body adds to the Life and Vigour of any Soul that is not already dead in Sin and in the
sincere study of the Christian Religion had in it such Ioys and Sweetness as Courts were Strangers to And to shew to the World that his resigning his Crown was the result of Mature Thoughts upon transferring his Kingdoms to his Son he made this following Speech Other Princes says he leave their Crowns to their Children only at the instant See a Book call'd Curia Politiae p. 1. when they Dye that is when they are not fit to wear the Diadem any longer but as for me I was never willing that Death shoa'd make this Present to my Son but rather that he shou'd receive and hold this Blessing from me and as I was a means to make him live so before I Dyed I wou'd be a means to make him reign and thereby oblige him to me more entirely This Speech was no sooner ended but he Retreated to a Private House at Bruxelles and thence he descended to an humble Hermitage where he liv'd about 3 Years and died Certainly 't is as brave a thing to quit Crowns and Scepters as to gain and conquer'em Tho' of the Two I shou'd think 't is easier to resign a Crown than to wear it and therefore Queen Elizabeth was us'd to say If any Man knew the weight of a Crown hee 'd not take it up if it lay in his way Certainly a Private Life is the most happy as 't is free'd from all Noise and Nonsence from all envying or being envyed Besides my Senses in my Private Retreat are feasted with the clear and genuine taste of their Objects which are all Sophisticated in Courts and Cities I now live where I can safely think my Hours away and I am heartily sorry I did not Retreat sooner for I 'm weary of this Villanous World and the Foolish Impertinences of my own Sex a wretched Circle they move in of Vanity and Hurry But now I am free'd from all and nothing but the Smiles of Valeria m my present Wife whose Sense as well as Sex affords a more reasonable and Calmer Joy cou'd ever Reconcile me again to London But why shou'd I despair of seeing her here Foâ— she is only for a Spiritual Friendship And I do assâ—re her the Grove where I daily walk is prophan'd by no unholy Love and so very private that 't is hardly seen in a Year Then 't were Sweet 't were wondrous Sweet Cou'd I and Dear Valeria meet In this Lonesome Shady Grove Full of Friendship full of Love Oh! what Tender things wee 'd say Whilst the Minutes flew away But I talk of Impossibilities However I 'll Carve her Name on ev'ry Tree and Dream of her ev'ry Night yes I will Sabina for Conjugal Love may be very Passionatè Besides I don't retire from the World that my Thoughts might be idle for the Mind of Man is ever thinking and if I must think of something can it be better employed then in thinking of her who shou'd Study to make me Good and keep me Innocent Besides Madam a Private Retreat from the World is the only place where to Practice your Good Advice and to live to learn well how to Dye so that I am better pleas'd with living Incognito if it does not abate your Friendship than they that glitter in the Courts of Kings Thus Sabina have I bid the World good night before my time to go to Bed as 't were on purpose to make a Tryal of your Friendship for all Men adore the Rising Sun but few or scarce any have any Love for his Setting however this is my present Case and I 'm so well pleased with it That if one Mortall Two such Grants might have From Private Life I 'd Steal into my Grave I 'd Live unthought of and unheard of Dye And grudge Mankind my very Memory Cowley But after all I can Write of a Private Life perhaps you 'll say That Solitariness is a Trespass against the Nature of Man and God when he made all things saw it was not good for Man to be alone Then he who Lives and makes no Man partaker Usurps himself and closely Robs his Maker To this I Answer cou'd Man have liv'd still in Innocence and Women wou'd cease tempting surely nothing had bin so good as a Female Companion for as to the Men I have nothing to say to 'em but since Women have prov'd the Devil too or rather worse I think 't is better to fly 'em all all save the Dear Veria as Ioseph did his tempting Mistess Had our Grand-Mother Eve done so at first She had not bin the Mother of so much Sin and Misery as she hath bin to her Posterity I cou'd say more for Living Incognito which is the Art I am now learning but have tir'd you and my self too so shall only add Your Answer to this Letter is impatiently desired by Your Ladyships most Humble and most Obedient Servant JOHN DUNTON The LADY's Answer to my first LETTER SIR IF Living Incognito is an Art 't is of Nature's teaching for 't is very natural for those that are neither pleas'd with the World nor the World with them to retire from it which was the case with the Primitive Christians They liv'd amongst the Heathen that had a very different sense of things from them they could not speak their Thoughts they were so generally disapproved and condemned and being sensible their Habits of Vertue were yet but weak not throughly confirm'd by Time and Experience their Love and Zeal was only strong which made 'em fly from the contagion of ill Example and Temptation as well as from the fury of Persecution which was made the easier by that contempt they had for Riches Honour and Pleasure For I believe at first neither Pride Ambition or Vain-glory had the least share in so singular and remarkable a way of Living as in Caves and Desarts whatever it may have had since But to prevent the imputing our safety to any care and contrivance of our own we have seen that which was so innocently designed at first in tract of time became the source of all the Superstition with which the World hath since that time so much abounded Could they have secured to themselves good Thoughts as Dr. Fuller presum'd they always had their Retreat must needs have been happy But St. Jerome found it not so well for in the midst of his macerating Mortifications his Imagination brought him a Troop of beautiful Maids in a Dance as he himself relates Then what can stop the current of evil Thoughts that follows us in solitude notwithstanding all our care to get out of their reach That Man the Oracle pronounc'd happy had that advantage of having always been a poor Gardiner honestly imployed in getting his Living so that he had no temptation to contest with from without or within and all the World is agreed upon the innocent pleasure a Garden gives he was therefore certainly happy But whether the happiest in the World is a great question since 't was
am every minute going Every Thought I have is a Sand running out of the Glass of Life Then surely he is dead already that does not look for Death How stupid are we to think so little of DYING when not only the DEATH of men but every thing else dies to shew us the Way Sweet Day so cool so calm so bright The â—ridal of the Earth and Skie The Dew shall weep thy fall to Night For thou must die Sweet Rose whose hue angry and brave Bids the rash Gazer wipe his Bye Thy Root is ever in its Grave And thou must die Sweet Spring full of sweet Days and Roses A Box where Sweets compacted lye My Musick shews ye have your Closes And all must die There may be News of my Funeral before I can finish my Essay upon it Only a sweet and Virtuous Soul Like season'd Timber never gives But tho the whole World turn to Coal Then chiefly lives Herbert Besides the warning I have of my own DEATH in the death of every thing I meet abroad that I might want no warning when I go to SLEEP which is a Death in Scripture is compared to Sleep kind of dying too What is my BED but as it were a Passing-bell to remember me every four and twenty Hours of my Mortality and that the Grave must speedily be my Bed a Clod my Pillow and the Mold and Worms my Covering When I put off my Shirt it puts me in mind of my Winding-sheet and last My Night-Prayer c may be resembl'd to making my Will Shroud that must cover me when I sleep under ground Death in Scripture is compared to Sleep Well then may my Night Prayer be resembled to making my Will I will be careful not to die intestate as also not to defer my Will-making 'till I am not compos mentis 'till the Lethargy of drowsiness seizes upon me but being in perfect Memory I bequeath my Soul to God the rather because I am sure the Devil will accuse me when sleeping Oh the advantage of Spirits above Bodies If our Clay Cottage be not cooled with Rest the Roof falls The Devil will accuse me when sleeping a Fire Satan hath no such need The Night is his fittest time Rev. 12. 10. Thus Mans Vacation is the Terms for the Beasts of the Forest they move most whilst he lies quiet in his Bed Lest therefore whilst sleeping I be Out-lawed for want of appearance to Satans Charge I commit my Cause to him who An Appearance to Satan's Charge Lying along is an improper Posture for Piety neither slumbers nor sleeps Answer for me oh my God I wou'd not by this Expression be so understood as if I might defer my Night Prayer 'till I'm in Bed This lying along is an improper posture for Piety Indeed there is no Contrivance of our Body but some good Man in Scripture hath hanfel'd it with Prayer The Publican standing Iob sitting Hezekiah lying on his Bed Elijah with his Face between his Legs but of all Postures give me St. Paul's For this cause I bow my Knees to the Father of my Lord Jesus Christ. Knees when they may they must be hended I have read a Copy of a grant of liberty from Queen Mary to Henry Ratcliff Earl of Sussex giving him leave to wear a Night Cap or Coif in her Majesties presence counted a great Favour because of his Infirmity Job 18. 1 Kings 28. 42. Eph. 3. 14. Weavers Fun. Mon. p. 63. I know in case of necessity God would graciously accept my Devotion bound down in a sick-dressing but now whilst I am in perfect Health it is inexcusable Christ commanded some to take up their Bed in token of their full Recovery my Laziness may suspect least thus my Bed taking me up prove a presage of my ensuing Sickness Then Blessed Lord pardon the former Idleness of my Night-Devotion and I will never more offend thee in the same kind In case of Necessity God will accept my Devotion bound down in a Sick-Dressing And thus my Bed my Sleep and every thing else proclaims Death is on his March towards me And seeing my Sand runs faster than my Ink your Ladyship may have News of my Funeral before I can finish this Essay upon it How soon doth Man decay When Clothes are taken from a Chest of Sweets To swadle Infants whose young Breath Scarce knows the way Those Clouts are little Winding-sheets Which do consign and send them unto Death When Boys go first to Bed They step into their voluntary Graves Sleep binds them fast only their Breath Makes them not dead Successive Nights like rolling Waves Convey them quickly who are bound for Death When Youth is frank and free And calls for Musick while his Veins do swell All Day exchanging Mirth and Breath In Company That Musick summons to the Knel Which shall befriend him at the House of Death When Man grows staid and wise Getting a House and Home where he may move Within the Circle of his Breath Schooling his Eyes That dumb Inclosure maketh Love Unto the COFFIN that attends his death When Age grows loâ— and weak Marking his Grave and thawing ev'ry Year 'Till all do melt and drown his Breath When he wou'd speak A Chair or Litter shews the Bier Which shall convey him to the House of Death Man e're he is aware Hath put together a Solemnity And drest his Herse while he hath Breath I 'm here ringing my own Passing-Bell That 'T is impossible for a man to write of his own Funeral whilst he 's living As yet to spare Yet Lord instruct us so to die That all these Dyings may be life in Death Herbert Or had I not these Warnings of Death in the several Stages of Life yet I have such a Crazy Body as daily puts me in mind of my Grave and I 'm now by writing an Essay upon my own Funeral as 't were ringing my own Passing-Bell But perhaps you 'll say How can you write of your own Funeral when you are yet alive And were you dead you 'd be less able to handle your Pen as much at you love scribling Why Madam I am dead but don't be frighted that I appear again in this White Sheet For tho I 'm dead 'T is thus dead I was born seemingly dead I was born seemingly dead t was thought I was lugg'd out of my natural CELL into my Grave and I could have been content had I had no more than the Register or Sexton to tell the World that I had ever been However I may venture to say that from the first laying of these Mudd-Walls in my conception they have moldred away and the whole course of Life is but an active Death nay every Meal we eat is as it were a Ransom from one Death and lays up for another and while we think The whole Course of Life is but an active Death a Thought we die for the Clock strikes and reckons
a Grave Then what a Wretch is he that won't part with the World when it lies in his way to Heaven for he can neither carry it with him or use above six foot on 't when he is Dead or scarce so much for the Chimistry of Cardan Misers gripe at all the World but it slips thro' their Fingers and leaves nothing but Dust. found but six Dunces of Dust in the Ashes of a Calcin'd Body We brought nothing into this World and can carry nothing out but Worldlings ne'er consider this and therefore like Men that clasp at Spirits they catch nothing but Air they gripe at all the World to satisfie their Avarice but it slips through their Fingers and leaves nothing but Dust. But as great a Vanity as this is we find Covetousness to be the only Sin grows young as Men grow old Old Men have their Coverousness natural to 'em their Blood is cak'd and cold and Nature as it grows again toward Old Men have their Covetousness Natural to 'em Earth is fashion'd for the Iourney dull and heavy The nearer Death we grow in Years the more scraping we are and this Sneaking-Vice Drowns not till we Sink and I don't wonder at it for Dying-men will grasp at all they see while they see any thing but when their Senses fail Covetousness is the only Sin grows Young as Men grow Old then Farewell Riches the World 's too heavy then they let it fall Tho' we were misery all our Days yet when we expire we spread our Palms and let the World slip by but when ev'ry thing else is gone the Grave remains And in this Cell I shall lie hid with Iris till the Resurrection Lie still where thou art John for th' quiet o'th'Nation Nor can'st thou stir more without slat Conjuration Being now laid to sleep with my Dear a Marble-Tomb was to be our Blankets for Tombs are the Cloaths of the Dead but we shall get Iris and Phil. being laid to sleep they want the Marble for their Blankets no Cold if we wait for ' em However as I lived and died in a Cell so to shew I 'd be still Incognito I 'll here Write my Epitaph and then as one expresses it If no Man goes to Bed 'till he Dies nor ' wakes 'till the Resurrection Good-night t' ye here and Good-morrow hereafter Dunton's Epitaph on himself HEre lies his Dust who chiefly aim'd to know Dunton's Epitaph on himself Himself and chose to Live Incognito He was so great a Master of that Art He understands it now in ev'ry Part But tho' 't was Solitude he did so prize He has it least whil'st in this Cell he lies For whil'st depriv'd my dearest Life of thee The World was all an Hermitage to me But mixt with Iris nought can lonesome be My Name inquire not for thou must not know For Phil. desired when he from hence did go That he might allways lie Incognito Thus Man goeth to his long home and the Mourners go about the Man goes to his long home streets Ring the Bells for Dunton is Dead and Buryed that is as Mr. Uincent's Friends make a PULPIT of his Grave for on his Tomb-stone are Ring the Bells for Dunton is Dead and Buried these Words Immortal Souls to benefit and save I thus have made a Pulpit of my Grave So I have endeavour'd to make An Essay on my own Funeral which I have been only burying my self in Effigie being a Representation of what will be done when I 'm Dead whereas I 'm yet alive 't is excusable if I have follow'd their Examples who fill their Maps with Fancies of their own Brains But tho' I have been only burying my self in Effigie yet having a longing desire to be happy with Iris which When I dye in earnest I hope the thoughts of my Death Funeral will be no more terrible to me than 't is now in Speculation I can't be but by dying 't is no matter how soon my Dying Solemnity were over and when I come to dye in earnest I hope the thoughts of my Death and Funeral will be no more terrible to me then 't is now in Speculation 'T was said Philostratus liv'd Seven Years in his own Tomb that he might be acquainted with it That Death may become thus Familiar to me I 'll walk every Day with Ioseph a turn or two in my Garden with Death and with Herbet as often dress out my own Hearse I wou'd be so well acquainted with Death as impatiently to desire it not that I wou'd dye of an Appoplexy by a private Stab or any sudden Death From sudden Philostratus liv'd 7 Years in his Tomb. Death good Lord deliver me for whenever I dye I wou'd have so much notice that I may leave nothing behind me that I shou'd take to Heaven with me not that I wou'd be deliver'd from sudden Death in respect of it self Of sudden Death for I care not how short my passage be so it be safe Never any weary Traveller complain'd that he came too soon to his Journies end but I wou'd not have a sudden Death so as to be surpriz'd beforo I 'm summon'd However The Divine Herbert drest out his own Hearse dye I wou'd and as pleasant a sight as Valeria may think my funeral I did not care how soon she saw it as here describ'd for then she 'll have more I can't say enough of the World and I 'm sick on 't and wou'd fain change I wou'd leave nothing behind me that I shou'd take to Heaven with me it for Heaven 'T is true the Mannour of Sampsil is a fine sight but he that looks up to Heaven will not care for the World Oh how amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord of Hosts One Day in thy Courts is better than a Thousand I had rather be a Door-keeper in the House of God than live any longer in this vile World there 's nothing in it but Vanity Disappointments and black Ingratitude then oh that I was stript into a naked Spirit and set My Passionate Desire to be stript into a naked Spirit ashore in a better World Why lingrest thou bright Lamp of Heaven Why Do thy Steeds tread so slowly on must I Be forc'd to live when I desire to dye Lash thou those lasie Iades drive with full speed And end my slow pac'd Days that I may feed With Ioy on him for whom my Heart doth Bleed Post blessed Iesus Come Lord flee away And turn this Night into the brightest Day By thine approach come Lord and do not stay Take thou Doves Wings or give Doves Wings to me That I may leave this World and come to thee And ever in thy glorious Presence be I like not this bile World it is meer Dross Thou only art pure Gold then sure 't is loss To be without the Throne t' enjoy a Cross. What tho' I must pass through the Gates of
total Dissolution of the Body the Soul is freed from any more sinning and all the sufferings of this Life a Condition much to be desir'd by all but those that are so blind to take their Misery for their Happiness and dore upon this present Life and such there are and ever was of whom St. Austin in amazement speaks when he says At what cost and labour do Men endeavour to prolong their Labours and by how many frights to fly Death to the end they may be able to fear it for the longer time 'T is true since Death was at first laid on Man as a penalty it must be allow'd to be that which Nature in it self abhors but God whose very Punishments are the effects of his Mercy and Goodness has ordain'd it to be the means to procure our Happiness both to wean our Affections from too much love of this Life and also to bring us to the possession of a better which if truly understood would more than overcome our natural aversion it wou'd make us long to be dissolv'd at least willing to die at our appointed time for those that believe and hope for a glorious Resurrection should they regret in Death the loss of their Bodies 't would look like the impertinent Folly of one that shou'd lament the loss of the Egg that was become a Chicken for sure it is for us to desire to be always what we are is to oppose the perfection of our Natures and speaks us degenerated to the lowest degree of Brutality Could we obtain a true Judgment of our selves we should like the Man you mention think it more Eligible to end than begin our Life again and 't is a great sign we have never labour'd for Heaven and Happiness when we are not weary enough to wish for Rest but like Children that pass their Day in trifling Follies are never weary but must be forced to Bed or else deluded to it by a false hope some such deceits are found for cheating Men as much as Children and often sends 'em to rest before they think on 't tho' were they not as insensible as Death it self can make 'em they cou'd scarce think of any thing else amongst the many Monitors the World affords us but yet I wonder how you can think it an easie matter to humble the preposterous Pride of Man 't is not the sight of a Funeral can do it nor yet your humbling Uerses he carefully secures his Pride from all Assaults while he lives and charges it to carry it to his Grave so dearly he loves it as his best Companion without which all worldly Enjoyments would be insipid and give him more pain than pleasure for Pride is the chief Ingredient in all our Pleasures to make 'em desirable and for that reason they do well to keep the thoughts of Death at an humble distance from their Pride for Death's the greatest Enemy it can encounter which first or last will get the Victory for how many Persons are in Mourning half their Life time for the Death of Pride Those who lament the loss of Youth the loss of Beauty or of Grandeur 't is all but Funeral sorrow for the loss of Pride the dear Companion of Beauty Youth and Grandeur which is gone before 'em but if that will satisfie 'em they shall soon follow This we must needs observe in the Death of our Friends and Relations who once enjoy'd this Life as much as we do yet cou'd not baffle Death but were forc'd to yield to his Summons which are so Arbitrary we have no Rule to take our Measures by to prevent surprize 't is therefore best to be always ready to entertain Death's Harbingers and make every thing our Monitor and almost all we see and converse with are naturally dispos'd to do us that courtesie wou'd we give leave for there is so much truth in what you call an Active Death that more of Death than Life appears in the imperfection of all humane Actions For Example Your ringing your Passing-Bell your laying your self out speaking your last Words describing your Looks and your Spouses Sentiments upon your Death and sight of you are very like the Dream of those that are under the Image and Similitude of Death and probably like Dreams may come to pass by contrarys For the Circumstances of your Death may differ so much from what you make account of that it may not permit you to Pray that Prayer you have prepared for obtaining the blessing to see and know again your Spouse in Heaven but let not this fright you for you may yet have this comfort If it is none of the Joys that belongs to Heaven you 'll be happy without it but if it is the common Blessing belongs to all beatified Spirits you 'll not want it Nor can I see the least reason to count our Death because 't is strange a dismal and mysterious Change for what shou'd we fear since there 's no being unhappy in God's Hands Had he never discover'd to us the Joys of another Life we have tasted so much of his Goodness in this as may well assure us there is nothing to expect but Happiness wherever he sends us for Death Sin and Misery was no portion of his providing 't was of our own procuring by Rebelion therefore 't is no matter what we are nor whether we go if we can leave Sin behind us How Beautiful were we made at first to enjoy an earthly Paradice till Rebellion and Sin changed all into misery and deformity But now how glorious shall we be made at the Resurrection to fit us for a heavenly Life where we are out of all possibility of any change for we are in no danger to forfeit that Life since all the Conditions we hold it by are already fulfilled for us You may well think what a bright and serene Morning the Resurrection will make and long for it at a great rate therefore to be provided for your happy Change is your chief care when you are once about to die you won't stay to be ask'd the least Question about your Funeral or disposing your Estate for you have not only made your Will but order'd every Circumstance of your funeral The Care and Fondness you shew for your Epitaph and the rich Monument you bequeath your self may very justly be imputed to your loving temper for had Iris been still alive you had never had such hot Thoughts and Concern for your cold Grave where you are laid in your Imagination with a Pleasure not inferiour to Kings and to assert your title to that Priviledge can prove your self as frail and mortal as the greatest Monarch alive But tho' you might think it necessary to make some Friendship and Acquaintance with Death before you fall into his Hands I can't see so much use of the Contemplation of your Funeral for to me 't is a care I shall never charge my Thoughts with but as I live and die Incognito so I wou'd
Earth and your Eyes never satisfied with seeing you should like a Moroco Mounted upon a Barb give a sudden check to your Passionate Love to Rambleng in its highest career and confine your self to a lonely Cell Sure Hope has represenâ—ed to your Fancy some excessive fine Prospect of learning the Art of Living Incognito which must be New for I believe you never was before under such an Inchantment I 'll go no farther therefore for an Instance then your Self to find a proof of something new after all the Pains you take to prove the contrary and yet the method you take to procure this mighty Happiness you expect is to me more new and strange that knowing as you do how easy it is for an Authorwhose Book sells to write on till he ruins the Bookseller you should lay such a Project of writing so many Letters and chuse a Person to help you so proper for such a purpose of ruining the Bookseller especially if I must bepaid too for doing mischief which plainly shews you have some new and Ill design against the World But I 'll take no Pay for such Services and this again is something new so that there needs no more to convince you of your mistaking the sence of Solomon I shall add no more but conclude Your c. From my Cell January 18th 1699. LETTER V. Being a Defence of Speedy Marrying after the Death of a good Wife Madam I Have now made so great a Progress in the Art of Living Incognito as that I Live so now whether I will or no not that I like it the better that I must now do that for my Safety which at first I design'd for my Pleasure but this Necessity added to my Natural Inclination to a Private Life will have that good Effect as to perfect me in the Art of Living Incognito seeing 't is likely Now to be my Daily Study to the End of my Life But for what Reasons I Refer you to my Printed Case and as Dismal as that is seeing I Marryed a Second Time in hopes to be as happy as I was at first the Subject of this Letter shall be Defence of Speedy Marrying after the Death of a good Wife One wou'd think Madam my being Banish'd to a Private Cell shou'd raise in my Breast an Aversion to your Sex by Reason my Dear wou'd not prevent it yet I see nothing can change my nature for the Thoughts of the good Wife I lately Buryed and that kind one I yet hope to find in Valeria fills me with an Extraordinary Opinion of Marriage and truly Madam your Displeasure at this has strangely Mis-lead your Friendship if it makes you angry with me for being such a Loving-Creature Sure Sabina you were not in Earnest when after the Death of my first Wife you reflected on my design of speedy Marrying again That Widdower only loved at first as he ought who Marries again as soon as decently he can 't is a known Truth those love their first Wives best who Marry soonest there 's a Remarkable instance of this now at Hackney neither is it rational to think they 'd run Head-long into a State of Life wherein they had been unfortunate alas Madam a good Wife at first does but whet ones Appetite the more for another and make one e'en languish for a second part to the same Tune A good Wife is but Woman in Body alone and a Woman with a wise Soul is the fittest Companion for Man otherwise God wou'd ha' given him a Friend rather than a Wife but we find even in Paradice twon't good for Man to be alone and that even then a she-Companion was the meetest helper If Man in Innocency needed a Help Solace and Comfort and Marriage was all these how deficient were our now miserable Lives without it For besides that it doubles Ioys and divides Griefs it creates new and unthought-of Contenments So that I admire Marriage is so unfashionable and that you and others are so backwards to 't for it not only includes all the Sweets of Life but he that hath a Wife which Loves him hath two Selfs and possesses all his Faculties double his Hands his Eyes and Mind he can at once leave Faithful at home and carry Faithful abroad Cato was so taken with Marriage that he 'd have no Widower live a month single and he did not stick to maintain that it was more Honourable to be a good Husband then a great Senator Madam when you 're blaming of hasty Matches you quite forget that when Ieptha's Daughter Dyed they mourned for that she Dyed a Maid and the truth is tho' we we find many Enemies to speedy Marriage yet 't is rare to find an Enemy to the use on 't and I don't wonder at this for both Sexes made but Man at first so that Marriage perfects Creation by restoring our lost Rib. Surely He I won't say she was made Imperfect that is not tending to Propagation Now all are concern'd here even Sabina herself if she 's Flesh and Bloood and consequently shou'd Marry as soon as they can for to have an honest Remedy at Hand and yet to seek out forbidden Cures is a Phrensy that deserves more then a Chain and a Dark Room But tho' speedy Marriage be often a Duty yet let generous minds beware in their haste of Marrying Poor for tho' they care the least for Wealth yet they 'l be most gall'd with the want of it for my own share my Flesh is not over Malicious towards sweet meats yet shou'd I lose Valeria I 'd soon Marry again for the defence of a good Custom a great deal of Love and a little Money Nay Madam think what you please of this speedy Marrying to something I must dedicate my self for my Dear in her parting with me seems to take away even the substance of my Soul along with her and certainly I laid up my chief Treasure whatever you may think of my Marrying so hastily in the Frail and Sickly Life of that Tender Wife But now shee 's gone I must not weep as one without hope for she 's as happy as Heaven can make her and I as Earth can make me if Valeria for my sake and her own good wou'd despise the World These were the Reasons why I Marryed so soon after the Death of my first Wife and made me think Time lost 'till I went about it for Madam the Soul is framed of such an active Nature that 't is impossible but it must assume something to it self to delight in we seldom find any without Peculiar Delight in some Peculiar thing and mine consists in carressing a Vertuous Wife But tho' something I must Like and Love yet nothing so Violently as to undo my self with wanting it yet will never love a Wife so little shou'd I Marry 50 as that she shall not Command the All of an honest Man and what wou'd they have more Confess Sabina shou'd not these considerations weigh down all
the Formalities that a Customary Practice can possibly impose Besides Gather your Rose-Buds whilst you may is an old Song and Nature having denyed me Children those tender Pledges of conjugal Love it cou'd be no Crime in me to prevent the work of Time and Marry as soon as I cou'd for fear of Staying 'till Time were past 'T is true Children are the poorest way of Immortalizing as may be and as Natural to a Beggar as a Prince yet for all that I shall be very Proud of getting an Heir to Sampsill when 't is consistent with doing Justice and of being a Father tho 't were but for one Day Not that I 'm in Post-haste but if pure Love can make a Woman Kind I hope with Valeria's leave to be happy a second time in a Marryed State and can never be so in any other But Valeria sure is Dead for I han't receiv'd a Line from her since we parted in Iewen-street or were she not had I all the World it shou'd be hers for tho I 'm treated with the greatest Indifference methinks I can n'ere be kind enough to those I Love But to digress no longer So much I was pleas'd with my first Marriage and so unlikely to forget that Dear Half that 's Dead that I may truly say all the time I lived without her I was as 't were in a Dream and I don't doubt shou'd I Marry a third time but I shall as I did at first find more Pleasure in Possession than I now do in expectation Then can you blame my hasty Marrying seeing when I Marryed my own Venus was suppos'd and so shee 'l prove at length all that 's excellent in Woman kind for what has the whole Sex more then in one alonâ— that is kind and loving and so I 'le think the Person I Marry were she made of Adamant Then Sabina acknowledge your Errour in Censuring my hasty Marriage You know not what Charms there are in a Virtuous Spouse what a Mine of pleasure what sprightly Life and Vigor did Iris give to all my Thoughts Looks and Actions how many new satisfactions in every thing she did How did I even live in her Dying Breath If you doubt this read her LIFE and you 'l find it so Now whilst I was a Widdower thought I with my self why might not some of these Vertues revive in a second Wife how ever Hit or Miss Luck's all and who 'd not hastily venture for such a Prize except as some have thought all Female Excellence is fled with Iris and I shou'd think so too were Valeria Dead who has Charms enough but her Bags hide 'em I might urge moâ—e in defence of a hasty Marriage as the Inclination of Black Men the Benefit in a Wives going to Market for I never knew nor cou'd Buy a Ioint of Meat The want of a Mistress to rule the Kitchin for I ne're presume to direct there to order about Tarts Puddings Wines and Kickshaws and I had almost forgot the Cream o' th' Iest the pleasure of a warm Bedfellow but I 'le not enlarge as not doubting but what 's said 〈◊〉 has fairly proved that every Widdowerought to Wed as soon as he can and that my Marrying again five Months after my Wife dyed was no slight to her Memory SLIGHT no I assure your Ladyship 't was to fulfill her DYING REQUEST 't was the desire of my Dear her self that after her Death I 'd speedily Marry again such regard had she to my future happiness and I cou'd not deny such a Wife any thing especially her last Request on her Death Bed that was utter'd with a tenderness that will n'ere be equal'd to slâ—ght this Request wou'd be to forget hâ—r which is the Crime you charge me wiâ—h and of which you 'l ever acquit me when you read the following EPITAPH now Ingraâ—'d on the Tomb erected to her Dear Memory viz. Here Lies all that was Mortal of ELIZABETH first Wife of JOHN DUNTON Citizen and Stationer of London who departed this Life May 28th 1697. Sacred Urn with whom we Trust This Dear Pile of Sacred Dust Know thy Charge and safely Guard 'Till Death's Brazen Gate 's Unbarr'd 'Till the Angel biâ—s it Rise And Remove to Paradise A Wife Obliging Tender Wise A Friend to comfort and Advise Vertue Mild as Zephirs Breath Piety which smil'd in Death Such a Wife and such a Friend All Lament and all Commend But with EATING CARES opprest He who knew and loved her best Who her LOYAL HEART did share He who reign'd unrival'd there And no Truce to Sighs will give 'Till he Dye with her to Live a I have desired in my Will to be Buriâ—d in the same Grave Or if more we wou'd comprize a The Name I call'd her by before our Marriage Here intâ—rr'd Fair Iris lyes Thus Madam you see I 'm so far from slighting the Memory of my Dear Iris by my hasty Marrying that to her very Ashes I keep a Body pure and Troth inviolable and that Separation can have no place in our Union which is too great to be exampled and as I owe this respect to the Memory of my first Wife so 't is no more when she proves as kind than I 'll pay to this or if possible a greater Tenderness for I ever thought he never lov'd who ever makes retreat Sabina are you yet reconcil'd to my HASTY MARRIAGE If not I must be forc'd to ' tell ye that no other Amusement but Marriage cou'd ha' sav'd my Life and you ' ent my Friend if you 'd have me dye when there were Remedies at hand Alas I no sooner thought of my Dear Departed and I hardly thought of any thing else 'till I had a NEW Wife to divert the Melancholy but I e'en pind aw'ay but thought I shou'd I get HER LIKENESS AGAIN that then Iris wou'd live with me still tho' but in Effigie and such a RESEMBLANCE of her must save my Life or nothing truly Madam 't was thus with me and I MUST BE SHACKLED AGAIN OR DYE FOR 'T What the success has been you 'l see in my PRINTED CASE but how happy I am yet to be time must discover However shou'd Wife Mother and all my Friends either continue or grow unkind yet I have this comfort left that by A SELF-ABNEGATION and dis-sociation from the World I shall be United to Him who is so much above all I ever had or the World can give as he is all I can wish to have and certainly he only is the DIVINE HERMIT who by not loving the World leaves it whilst he lives in it excluding himself as well from the Sâ—n as the Society of Men and by Acting thus he CONQUERS BY RETREATING and thereby shews he is not altogether beholding to Solitude for the Glory of his Vertue I have only to add That your speedy Answer will be Impatiently desired by Your Obedient Friend and very Humble Servant JOHN DUNTON The LADY's Answer to my Fifth
of the Thousand Letters on as many Uncommon Subjects Written by IOHN DUNTON during his Retreat from the World and sent to that Honourable Lady to whom he address'd His Conversation in Ireland With her Ladyships Answer to each Letter To be continued 'till the whole Correspondence is finish'd Man ere he is aware Hath put together a Solemnity And drest his Hearse while he hath Breath As yet to spare Yet Lord instruct us so to die That all these Dyings may be Life in Death Herbert LONDON Printed for the Author and are to be sold by A. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Oxford Arms in Warwick-Lane of whom is to be had the First and Second Parts Price of each 1 s. THE SECOND PART Of the ART of Living Incognito From my Cell April 10. 1700. LETTER VII Of every Thing Madam MY First Part of the Art of living Incognito having met with a kind Reception except from FOPPS who to shew their Wat a See my First Part of the Art of living Incognito p. 2. rail at every thing but the Product of their own Brain This has incourag'd me to Publish a Second Part For seeing ' was Sabina that first inspirâ—d me with the Resolution of living Incognito I now intend to proceed to the writing the Thousand Letters that must go to the perfecting of this ART except your Lady-ship should grow weary of the Correspondence or if you should my Project would be still Incognito for I 'm not so vain as to think that any thing but your Ladyships Remarks cou'd have given my Letters a Reputation in the World and without that tho I shou'd still have studied yet should no longer have Printed the Art of living Incognito But cou'd I doubt of that kind Reception it has met with when your Ladyship was pleased to say b In your Letter dared Ap. 10. That the World is much deluded with Appearances but if you are the Person that has raised their Expectation they 'l not grudge a Shilling to satisfie it but if their Envy is only raised they 'l content themselves with laughing at your presumptuous pretension of writing on a Thousand uncommon Subjects without ever reading it and spend some Wit upon the Lady concerned in it But whoever buyes it with indifference and so reads it will I believe find what 's worth his Money and commend it Soul of my Muse I thank thee and in that A short Poem dedicated to the Honourable Lady I pay the humble Tribute of my Fate How hast thou Crown'd my Head O what Divine Raptures inspir'd beyond the powerful Nine I will not call Rome's Caesars back again To shew their Triumphs one is in my Brain Great as all theirs and circl'd with thy BAYS My thoughts take Empire or'e all Land and Seas 'Gainst subtle Light'ning and fierce Thunder stroke I shall be safer than Augustus OKE With double Guard of Laurel and made free From Age look fresh still as my Daphnian-Tree And Printing still my Son and Heir shall be Criticks shall dread my Looks no Slander dare To approach my Books whilst your Idea's there Great Patroness of Cells I could create New Worlds methinks for thee and in a State As Free as Innocence shame all Poets Wit Could climb no higher than Elyzium yet Where they but build cool Arbors Shades and Groves Teach Brooks to murmur Songs 〈◊〉 please their Loves We will have other Flights erect new Things To call the Envy up of Queens and Kings Museus Homer and the sacred rest VVhom the VVorld thinks in their own Ashes blest Shall live again and only having wrot Our Friendship wish their other Songs forgot And themselves too but that our LETTERS must In spight of Time and Death quicken their Dust What cannot I command VVhat can a Thought Be ambitious of thus wreath'd but shall be brought By Virtue of your Charms I will undo The Year and at our pleasure make one New All Spring is Blooming Paradise but when You List shall with one Frown wither agen Astrologers leave poreing in the Skies Expect all Fate from fair Sabina's Eyes Thus exâ—asy'd with me scorn other Starr Admire and think it Heaven where we two are For he that learns to live Incognito Now lives in Heaven if quitting Earth be so Madam I have dedicated this short Poem to your Ladiship as a Poor Acknowledgment for your generous Remarks on my First Part of the Art of Living Incognito and as a Defiance to all Criticks I was willing the World should know your Opinion of what I A defiance to all Critticks Publish as believing none will presume to dislike what you approve of or if they do I shall not value it soâ— prefer your single Judgment to all others and therefore 't is the Honour of your Friendship is one of those things that I value my self most upon Then seeing the Art of Living Incognito has such an Ingenious and Honourable Lady to Protect and Defend it I shan't doubt but this Second Bart will be as well receiv'd as the FIRST however your consenting to my Printing of it is a sufficient Warrant for its Publication And I don't doubt after treating of every Ching in this Letter but to say something in my next which will be an Essay 〈◊〉 my own Funeral which shall justifie my Resolution to Live and Die in a private Cell Mâ— Resolution to live and die in a private Cell Whilst all the World is in an hurry busied here and there with Vanity and Vexation whilst few or none almost are looking after their Future State whilst most thus mistake their Happiness I shall endeavour to find it in a lonesome Cell which in my next I shall prove an Emblem of Death and I must needs love it as 't is a Place where I have nothing to do but to prepare for Heaven But tho' I live Incognito as I 'm charm'd with a quiet Life and partly as I am oblig'd to Privacy a For the Reasons tention'd 〈◊〉 my last 〈◊〉 Yet I have no such Pique to the World I mean that GREAT WORLD through which I am passing but that I 'm willing to give your Ladyship an Account what I formerly I observ'd in it and I shall think I 'm still advancing in the Art of living Incognito if in this Letter I treat Of every thing I mean every thing that affected me in my Cursory View of the GREAT â—ections 〈◊〉 every â—ing that â—fected me 〈◊〉 my curâ— view of â—e Word WORLD I call it a Cursory View as I hurry'd so fast through it to that private Cell where I now live Perhaps you 'll admire Sabina that the World should now take up my Thoughts when 't is my Happiness and Wish to be freed from it To this I Answer it must be confest That to avoid the Noise and Turbulency of the World the more quietly and undisturb'd to look into our selves has been the Practice of the most Discreet and Eminent Men even the
a far more delightful Relish than can be found in any Humane Science The Royal Prophet David found it so which fill'd his Psalms with such high Elogiums of the Law of God where he found his Hearts Desire and as it was his chiefest Business and Concern not only by continual Exercise in it Day and Night to perfect his own Delight so he earnestly recommends it to others as that which would give 'em the Wisdom of the Aged and make them wiser than their Enemies and never rests 'till he has made it plain that the Word of God is the only Remedy for all the Miseries of Humane Life consider therefore what a Treasure you have got in your Resolution of putting your self with more diligence upon this Spiritual Literature where you will not only See but Taste the Divine Goodness after which the study of the Great World and your self the Little World or whatever serves for Matter of Contemplation will all be refer'd to the glory of God as its ultimate end which will encrease your Joy and Happiness in that Day when you shall awake from the Dead and may perhaps be KNOWN amongst the rest to Your c. Dunton Represented AS DEAD and BURIED IN An Essay upon his own Funeral From my Cell April 30. 1700. LETTER VIII Madam IN my Sixth Letter I acquainted your Ladyship That tho' God had blest me with a competent Fortune yet that I was A Cell the best place to resine our Thoughts streightned at present and that as long as I continued so a Private Cell was the best Place to resine my Thoughts and to preserve my Liberty But can I doubt my Liberty when I am only a Prisoner to my Wifes Iointure That Minute she pulls off the Shackles I 'll receive her as a Dutiful Wife but can she be so whilst she refuses to make me easie When all that 's desir'd is but 500 Pound out 'T is an Emblem of Death of 6000 l. and that to pay off a Debt which she knew of before Marriage She tells me a In the Letters she sent me since we parted indeed That she loves me as her own Soul and that she and I are one and if so to use her own Expression she shou'd not let her Member suffer in the midst of a good Estate in which she has but her bare Life and that neither 'till I am Dead and Buried not in Effigie but in good Earnest But Valeria like some other Wives thinking all the Duty lies on the MANs side won't release a Foot of her Jointure so that at present I do as 't were want what I possess however I the less admire â—me Wives â—ink all â—e Duty â—es on the â—an's side at my Change of Fortune when I consider the Divine Providence useth Men here below as Counters in a Reckoning which now stand for Pence and straightways for Crowns Some all the time of their Lives are buryed in a deep Night we neither know their Entrance into the World nor their Passage out except by a Sprig of Rosemary if their Estate will bear it and if we know them by a Title 't is by that of their Miseries But if the World be such a perfect Lottery Give me the pliant Mind whose gentle measure Complies and suits with all Estates Which can let loose to a Crown and yet with Pleasure Take up within a Cloyster's Gates Herbert This is my Case 'till Valeria smiles till then I 'm confin'd to my little Cell where turning over in my Remembrance all that cou'd further afflict or torment me I was brought at last to think on the last of all dreadful Terrible Things DEATH And â—hy I â—hou'd not â—dmire at â—y change â—f Fortune seeing my present Dwelling and Circumstance is so very private as to be an Emblem of Death I think I can't make a better Advance in the Art of living Incognito then by making this Subject An Essay on my own Funeral c. Whilst I liv'd in Ireland my Friend Mr. Larkin brought me acquainted with a Gentleman who in his perfect Health sent for Of an Irish Gentleman who in his perfect Health sent for a Sexton to ring his Knell the Sexton to ring his Knell being ask'd the Reason he reply'd because he was DEAD that is said he in a Civil Sense I am Dead tho' I walk about for my Mony is gone and I were as good be out of the World this seems to be my Case yet 't is not this DEATH I 'm writing of but tho' 't is not yet we see by this Man who wou'd have his Knell rung whilst he was living that some Men have more Brains than they can be quiet with and the Death of such if not a Triumph yet as Feltham observes is a repose to themselves and to those who were their Acquaintance Those also that grudge themselves the Conveniencies of Life may be said to be DEAD whilst they are yet breathing as much as Every Miser is a dead Man the ' foresaid Gentleman for the one is starv'd for the want of Money and the other is starv'd with his Abundance and in this Sense each Miser is Dead like a Dog in a Wheel he toils to roast Meat for others eating and therefore might properly write an Essay on his own Funeral Tho if he shou'd he now makes his Will against his Will settles his Estate assures all for the World and at last sends for a Preacher who finds him unfitting for God or the World Sickness and Death I see are Bold and Impartial Serjeants the World and Wealth are but poor Bail upon Deaths Arrests all Means are nothing when God strikes Yet when a Rich Man is sick what resorting is there to his House by Kindred Friends and Neighbours He wants not for Company Counsel or Help when as an honest Poor Man may lye long enough under a tedious Sickness and have no such Visitants But my Funeral Essay is intended for neither of these Persons My desigâ— in wriâ—ting an Essay on my own Funeral for what I design is only an Essay on my Dead Body and what will happen to it and I wou'd here by laying my self out for Dead learn to dye at my own Funeral I can't find this Subject was ever handled before for ' tho some have seen themselves buryed in Pomp as I shall shew anon 'T is a Subject that was never writ of before yet no Man 'till now ' ere writ An Essay on his own Funeral neither has Any courteous Ghosts told this great Secrecy What 't is they are and we must be Mr. Norris I have never met any one of those Milions of Souls that have past into the other World to learn from 'em what Death is and therefore pnthe re-resenting my self Dead and buryed nothing can be expected but meer conjecture in the representing my self Dead and Buryed when I am yet alive you can expect nothing but meer
Conjecture However I 'll close my Eyes on this vain World and dress out my Hearse in the best manner I can I went Yesterday to Stepny-Church to to view the Graves of others the better to prepare my Mind to write this Essay on my own Funeral I spent about Five Hours among the Tombs which tho' it be a Melancholy sight yet has something in it proper to instruct the Living In walking through What we may learn by walking through a Church-yard and by Viewing of Dead Mens Sculls a Church-yard especially that of Stepny and Chiswick we see a great number of Dead-mens-Sculls arranged one in Pile upon another which puts us in mind of the Vanity and Arrogance wherewith other while they have bin fill'd We need but walk through a Church yard to see what is this Foolish Animal Man Here we see what we Magnify what we call a King a Duke a Lord even a little Warm and Walking Earth that will be Ashes soon we came into the World crying and squalling and We consume our Lives in drivling Infancy in Ignorance Sleep c. so much of our Time 's consum'd in drivling Infancy in Ignorance Sleep Disease Trouble that the remainder is not worth the being rear'd to we see in walking through a Church yard how Time laughs us out of Greatness and shuts up our wide designs in a Dark Narrow Room Then what Midness is the Pomp the Noise Time shuts up our wids designs in a Dark Narrow-Room the Splendour the Frantick Glory of this Foolish Life we makeour selves Fools to disport our selves and vary a Thousand antick ugly shapes of Folly and Madness These fill up the Scenes and Empty Spaces of our Lives Folly and Madness fill up the Empty Spaces of our Lives The Thoughts of this one wou'd think shou'd abate our Pride and sensual Affections for why shou'd I be so Vain to Pride my selfe in outward Pomp and Bravery who within a few Hours may be a Dead Corpse carryed in Procession Methinks the Sight of a Funeral shou'd humble the Proudest Man or Proud Man that thou maist be humbled The Sight of a Funeral shou'd humble the Proudestman Go to the dull Church-yard and see Those Hillocks of Mortality Where Proudest Man is only Found By a small swelling of the Ground Here Crowds of Rich Bodyes are made Slaves to the Pick Ax and the Spade Dig but a Foot or two to make A cold Bed for thy Dead Friends sake 'T is odds but in that Scantling Boom Thou robbst some Great Man of his Tomb And in thy Delving Smit'st upon His Shin-Bone or his Cranion Some make a huge Noise in the World to have the Honour to fill out a more Splendid Epitaph Such Lessons as these we may learn by viewing the Tombs of those who make a huge Noise in the World that they may have the Honour to fill out a more Splendid Epitaph And as a walk through a Church yard shews us the Uanity and End of all Worldly Grandeur so it also shews us That Death is as Common as 't is Ingrateful Infants as well as Men dayly can direct us in it Witness every Church-yard where are to be seen Graves of all Sizes In ev'ry Church-yard are to be seen Graves of all Sizes This Treasury of Death Survey Where Young and Old like Tribute pay See what Acquaintance thou canst Spy Amongst those Skulls I prithee try Man of Science prithee shew Thy Darling Child or Aged Foe Mankind by thee alone are read And know'st thou nothing of the Dead No surely nothing at all for Alexander seeing Diogenes tumbling among Dead Bones ask'd him what he sought To whom the other Diogenes Tumbling among Dead-Bones Answered that which I cannot find The difference between the Rich and the Poor And as there be Graves of all Qualities and Sizes so who can see 'em covered with Green Turf and withering Grass and forget he must die Before we come into the Church we are presented with these Sights A 7th part of our Time is set a part to put us in mind of dying as if unfit to hear Gods Word untill we are put in mind of Death and this we are injoyn'd once in Seven Dayes as if it 7th part of our Time were to be set apart to put us in mind of dying And happy are those Christians whom the sight of Funerals and Graves Rings a Peal in their Ears of their own Dissolution which by most is so little remembred that 't is become a saying I thought no more on 't then of my Dying Day which tho' a wicked Expression yet I fear there 's a great deal of Truth in 't for my self must Confess That Living in a Country Uillage where a Burial was a Rarity I never thought of Death it was so seldom presented unto me coming to London where there is plenty of Funeralls so that Coffins and Corpse in the Grave Observations upon the Funerals in Country Villages and upon those in London justle for Elbow-Room for so they do both at Stepney and Chiswick and ev'ry Church-yard in this Populous Town I Slighted and neglected Death because grown an Object so constant and Common How soul is my Stomach to turn all Food into bad Humours Funerals neither few nor frequent work effectually on me London is a Library of Mortality Volumes of all Sorts and sizes Rich and Poor Infants Children Youth c. dayly dye I see there is more required to make a good Schollar than only the having of many Books Lord I therefore wish that thou wilt be my School-Master and teach me to Number my Days that I may apply my Heart unto Wisdom Thus Madam have I shewn what we may learn in a Church-yard where you 'l see me buryed ' ete my Letter is finisht It teaches us the Vanity and End of all Worldly Grandeur What little A Church-yard gives me hints about my own Death and fair warning to prepare for it reason such Worms as I have to be Proud That Death is the Fate of all that come into this World from the Man of 60 to the Infant that is just born And in this Particular it reminds me of my own Death and the consequence of it and therefore A walk toâ—a Church-yard I thought the most likely thing to prepare my Mind to write an Essay on my own Funeral And as a Church-yard gives me hints about my own Death and fair warning to prepare for it so it also shews us the Folly of murmuring that we are Mortal Creatures for shou'd I complain that there shall be a Time in the which I shall not be I may as well repent that there was a Time in the which I was not and so be greived that I am We have to Reason to murmur that we are mortal Creatures noâ— Old as Adam had bin had he liv'd to this present Year 1700 for not to have been 4000 Years before this Moment
Lawyer of Padua forbid to his Relations Tears and Lamentations by his Will and desired that he might have Harpers Pipers and all sorts of Musick at his Funeral who should partly go before partly follow the Corps leaving to every one of them a small sum of Mony His Bier he ordered to be carried by 12 Virgins that being clad in Green were to sing all tâ— way such songs as Mirth brought to their remembrance leaving to each a certain sum of Money instead of a Dowry Thus was he buryed in the Church of St. Sophia in Padua accompanied with a hundred Attendants together with all the A Lawyers merry Funeral Clergy of the City excepting those that wore Black for such by his Will he forbid his Funeral as it were turning his Funeral Rites into a Marriage-Ceremony I can't say how far such rejoycing as this is proper for a Funeral occasion but this I declare when I am once dead I wou'd not have my Friends lay it to heart But however they may carry it towards my Dead-body 't is a comfort to me that I have no slavish Fears of Death I can be contented when I 'm fairly dead to undergo the tedious conversation of Worms and Serpents those greedy Tenants of the Grave who will never be satisfyed till they have eat up the Ground-Landlord By which it appears that The end of all other Creatures is less deform'd than that of Man We must not live in Sin if we would not be afraid of Death Plants in their Death retain some pleasing smell of their Bodies The little Rose buryes her self in her natural sweetness and Carnation Colour only mans dead-Carkass is good for nothing but to feed Wormes and the Worms â—re long will feed sweetly on me But tho' â—fter my Skin Worms destroy this Body yet in my flesh shall I see God so that I am not solicitous how or when I shall make my Exit provided my Soul be happy and my Body buried in that manner I shall anon describe and therefore 't is I'm writing An Essay on my own Funeral The Worms will feed sweetly on me Job 24. 20. J b. 19. 26. why I am not terrified with the dismal knels the Blocks and Herses that attend Funerals that I may bid farwell to the World before I leave it that being in it the World may see I wou'd not be of it I wou'd willingly set all things in order before Death comes for the' I am not much terrified with the Solitude and Darkness of Graves as they resemble my present Cell nor with the Dismal Knellâ— the Blacks and Hearses c. that attends Funerals yet I must acknowledge Death is a serious thing for when a Man dyes he takes his solemn Leave of one World and gâ—es into another where he never was yet to receive his final Doom The Dread of this made Oldham cry out in his last Sickness Even I who thought I cou'd have been merry in sight of my Coffin and drunk a Health with the Seâ—ton in my own Grave now tremble at the least Envoy of the King of Terrors to see but the shaking of my Glass makes me turn pale and fear is like to prevent and do the Work of my Distemper 'T is strange to see Men of such great Curiosity so afraid of dying for who wou'd not be content to be a kind of Nothing for a Moment to be within one Instant of a Spirit and soaring through Oldham's Sunday-Thought in sickness p. 59. Regions he never saw and yet is curious to behold But Conscience makes Cowards of us all This made Lewis 2. so afraid of Death that when he was sick he forbid any Man to speak of Death in his Court. The wicked Liver ventures Eternity upon his last breath and therefore Death which lets him into it appears so gastly But the Rays of the setting Sun are the fairest and I desire to live in such a constant preparation for Death that my life may not set Reflections on a Death-â—ed Repentance in a Cloud as they generally do that croud up Repentance into so narrow a room as a sick-bed Solomon saith Man goeth to his long bome short preparation will not fit so long a Journey O let me not have my Oil to buy when I am to burn it they dreadfully mistake themselves that think a Man can live a Life of Holiness when he is just a dying and therefore when I come to dâ—e I wou'd have nothing to do but to dye For now I discover a Falacy whereby I have long dâ—eived my self which is this I I desired to begin my Repentance from my Birth-day have desired to begin my amendment from my Birth-Day or from the first Day of 〈◊〉 Year or from some eminent Festival that so my Repentance might bear some remarkable Date but when those days were come I have adjourned my Amendment to some other time Thus whilst I â—on'd not agree with my self when to start I have almost I aâ—journed my amendment to some other time lost the running of the Race I am resolved thus to befool my self no longer I see no time like to day Grant O Lord that to day I may hear thy Voice And if this day be obscure in the Calendar and remarkable in it self for nothing else give me to make it memorable in my Soul by now beginning the Reformation of my Life Not that I allow my self in any known sin none but an Atheist can do that But Bishop â—her tells us the best Man living does enough in the day to bring I 'le delay 〈◊〉 no longer â—im on his Kâ—s at Night and therefore I 'de now be more concern'd for my Soul then eyeâ— for having loyter'd too much in my way to Heaven I have noâ— a long Race to run by a sâ— Bâ—h a great way to go by a sâ—ing Sun Yet I hope I shou'd 〈◊〉 wholly despair if I 〈◊〉 but one moment left to repenâ— I shou'd not wholly despair if I had but one moment left to repent in for tho our Lord says 't is harder for a Rich-man â—o enter into Heaven then for a Camel to pass through a Needles Eye but yet he tells us 't is not Impossible for all that and 't is as hard for an old â—inner to enter into Heaven a for a Rich-man and doubtless very hard for a Death bed or momentary Repentance to obtain Salvation because 't is extreamly dubious whether it can be real but yet 't is not Impossible for we see the Thief on the Cross was sav'd with one single act of it exerted a moment ' Iis as hard for an old sinner to enter into Heaven as a Rich-man before he dyed that Example indeed is but one but yet it shews us there may be and is sometimes more or else that Example wou'd be to no purpose and as it evidences on one side that Continuation in sin is extream dangerous so on the other
it demonstrates that Dispair is still more so and never to be entertain'd even at our latest Breath for our Lord has declared at whatsoever time a sinner shall repent he will receive him But I would have no Man put off his Repentance From this Minute I bid sâ—rewel to Covetousness Pride Ambition c. because God is merciful for he that puts off his Reâ—entance to another Day as he has one day the less to repent in so he has the loss Inclination for such a work he that defers Repentance to a Death bed 't is a Thousand to one if he repents at all for besides his aversion to such a work his distemper may seize his Brain or he may dye suddenly and for that Reason Iâ— not run the hazard of a Death-bed Repentance but do from this Minute bid farewell to 〈◊〉 Pride Ambition c. and all my beloved Sins that so I may die with a good Conscience and My Reason for making my Will have nothing to trouble me when I 'm leaving the World And in order to this I have made my Will bequeathed my Soul into the hands of a Merciful God And have as you 'l bear anon given orders about my Funeral And thus your Lady 〈◊〉 sâ—s what a Melancholy thing it is for a Man to I 'm here burying my self in Effigie Write of his own Death especially if heâ— in Health and strength for methinks now I 'm as 't were Burying my self in 〈◊〉 I mean attending my own Corpse to the Grave 'T is the last Office of love 〈◊〉 a Friend and sure I am I can follow the Corpse of none except Valeria that I love better I live now where the The weekly Bill of Mortality never less than 200. in the most Healthful-Times Bells can scarce solemnize the Funeral of any Person but that I knew him or knew that he was my Neighbour and when these Bells tell me that now one and now another is buryed must not I acknowledge that they have the Correction due to me and paid 〈◊〉 Debt that I owe. In the most healthful Times Two hundred and upwards w◠〈◊〉 constant weekly Tribute paid to Mortality in London A large Bill 〈◊〉 it must be disâ—ged Can one City spend according to this weekly rate and not be Bankâ— of People At leastwise must not my Shot be call'd for to make up the Reckoning Seven Young Men yearly taken out of Athens to be devour'd by the Monster Minotaur When only Seven young 〈◊〉 and those chosen by 〈◊〉 were but yearly taken out of Athens to be devoured by the Monster Minotaur the whole City was in a constant fright Children for themselves and Parents for their Children yea their escaping of the first was but an introduction to the next Tears Lottery Were the Dwellers and Lodgers in London-weekly to cast Lots who shou'd make up this 200 how wou'd every one be afrighted Now None regard it my security concludes the afore said Number will consist of Infants and Old-Folk Few Men of middle-Age and amidst them surely not my self But oh is not this putting the Evil-day far from me the ready way to bring it the nearest to me The Lot is Weekly drawn tho not by me for me I am therefore concern'd seriously to provide left that Death's Prize prove my Blank for the Were the Dwellers in London weekly to cast Lotts who shou'd makeup the Bill of Mortality they wou'd be all afrighted Bells tell me as I hinted-before that now one and now another is buried and must not I acknowledge that they have the Correction due to me and paid the Debt that I owe 1. Hark! how chimes the Passing-Bell There 's no Musick to a Knell All the other Sounds we hear Flatter and but Cheat our Ear 2. This doth put us still in mind That our Flesh must be resign'd And a general silence made The World be Tenant to a Shade 3. This Bell calls our Holy Grone A loud Eccho to this Tone He that on his Pillow lies Half Embalm'd before he Dies Carries like a Sheep his Life To meet the Sacrificers Knife And for Eternity is prest Sad Bell-weather to the rest But is this Sound a Passing-Bell Then to Eternity farewell Poor Soul whose doom one Hour shall show Eternal Bliss or Endless Woe If Virtues Laws thou hast despis'd How wou'd that Virtue now be priz'd Or say thou didst in our loose Age On her forsaken side engage Wouldst thou the dear Remembrance now For the Worlds Monarchy fore-go What other Medicine canst thou 〈◊〉 T' asswage the FEVER in thy Mind Now ' waken'd Conscience speaks at large And Envious Fiends enhance the Charge Let the Bold Atheist now draw near And try thy drooping Heart to chear His briskest Wine and Wit to thee Will now alike insipid be In Deaths arrest the Hector's Sword As little Service can afford Who hopes for rescue here will fail And the grim Sergeant takes no Bail Once hearing one of these Passing-Bells Ring I pray'd that the Sick-man might have through Christ. 〈◊〉 safe Voyage to his long Home Afterwards The Tolling of the Bell has through mistake made me Pray for Persons that were departed this life I understood that the Party was Dead some Hours before and it seems in some Places of London the tolling of the Bell is but a Preface of course to the ringing it out Bells are better silent than thus telling Lies What is this but giving a false Alarm to Mens Devotions to make them to be ready armed with their Prayers for the assistance of such who have already fought the good fight and gotten the Conquest Not to say that Mens Charity herein may be suspected of Superstition in praying for the Dead However my Heart thus poured out was not spilt on the Ground My Prayers too late â—o do him good came soon enough to speak my good will What I freely tendered God took according to the Integrity of my Intention The Party I hope is in Abraham's Mens Charity herein may be suspected of Superstition in praying for the Dead Bosom and my Prayers are returned into my own But ' tho sometimes the Bells misâ—ad my Devotion and I may pray perhaps for a Dead-Neighbour yet Passing-Bells are of great use for The PASSING-BELL ringing calls me into God's Church to hear and learn and to pray for the departing Soul the Grave being digged warns me to prepare for Sickness and Death and passing by the Tombs of my dead Friends puts me in mind that e're long I must come to ' em Having these frequent warnings of my own Death I often think with my self What Use we should make of the Passing-Bell what Disease I wou'd be best contented to die of none please me The Stone the Cholick terrible as expected intollerable when felt The Palsey is Death before Death The Consumption a flattering Disease cozening Men into hope of long life at the last Gasp.
is a Grave when I 'm dead neither wou'd I 〈◊〉 ' â—is the Bed where my Iris Sleeps exchange it for the Mannor of Sampsil In this I follow the Example of Father Abraham for see how he beginneth to possess the World by no Land â—asture or Arable Lordship the First Thing is a Grave he was so far from coveting this World that he minded nothing but the purchase of a Burying-place and that he might not be disappointed of it he paid down the Money demanded of the Seller currant Money among the Merchants Why I purchased a Grave and woud not exchange it for the Mannor of Sampsil Of an Irish Bp. that woud be buried near the Gallows Most Men says Dr Fuller have been careful for the decent Interment of their 〈◊〉 few are of the Mind of Arbagastus an Irish Saint and Bishop of Spires who wou'd be buried near the Gallows in imitation of our Saviour whose Grave was on Mount Calvary near the place of Execution Yet after all it must be confest to want a Grave is the Cruelty of the Livine not the Misery of the Dead An English Gentleman not long since did lie on his Death-bed in Spain and the Jesuits did flock about him to pervert him to their Religion all was in vain their last Argument was If you will not turn Roman Catholick then your Body shall be unburied then Answer'd he I 'll stink and so turned his Head and died Thus Love if not to the Dead to the Living will make him if not a Grave a Hole and it was the Beggars Epitaph Naked I liv'd but being Dead Now behold I 'm covered Let us be careful to provide rest for our Souls for our Bodies when Dead A Gentleman threatned to be unburied if he woud not turn Roman Catholick The Beggars Epitaph will provide Rest for themselves Having proceeded so far towards my own Funeral as to secure six foot of Ground if the Grave-maker don't cheat me and having shaken Hands with my Friends and this vâ—in World Being approacht thus near towards my End methinks now all my Worldly Cares are drawing to their Period and 'twont be long before I shall reach that happy Shore where Iris is already landed Seing then I am falling towards mine Harbour and for a sight of her who died praying for my Eternal Welfare methinks I e'en long 'till Death has wafted me to those bright Regions where she is If I eâ—t mistaken I cou'd rejoice to see the Bearers that must carry me to her Grave and shou'd triumph cou'd the Dead speak when I 'm tumbled into it It even now sweetens the Thoughts of Heaven to me to think I shall one day see her there which if I do With what Ardours shall we then caress one another with what Transports of Divine Affection shall we mutually embrace Essay on knowning our Friends in Heaven p. 16. and vent those Innocent Flames which had so long lain smoothering in the Grave How passionately Rhetorical and Elegant will our Expressions be when our tender Sentiments which Death had frozen up when he congeal'd our Blood shall now be thaw'd again in the warm Airs of Paradise Like Men that have escaped a common Ship wreck and swim safe to the Shoar shall we there congratulate each other with Joy and Wonder What Extafies I shou'd be in upon seeing Iris again Then how pleas'd am I to think my Ashes will shortly be mingled with herâ— who loved me more than her own Life For it reioiced Iris to think she shou'd die fiâ—st and that she shou'd live in me so long as I liv'd And when we dyed 't was our mutual deâ—te to sleep together in the same Grave where as she exprest it we shall be still happy together if a senseless Happiness can be call'd so My Body can't Death the Journy to her is dark and melan choly fail of being Happy if it sleeps with Iris And for my 〈◊〉 I wish it no other Felicity when she hath shaken off these Raggs of Flesh than to ascend to her and to enjoy the same Bliss Then cast off this ROBE of CLAY my Soul and fly to overtake her 't is true DEATH the Journy to her is Dark and Melancholy but 't is a Comfort to think that the He forgets that he can die who complains of misery first Day of our Jubilee is DEATH He forgets that he can die who complains of Misery And therefore one petitioning NERO that he might be executed his Answer was Man why art thou not dead already when Death is in thy own Power We are in the Power of no Calamity while Death is in our own Death is the Cure of all Diseases Thus Madam you see what Improvement I make of my DEATH and FUNERAL and that I do what I can to secure a GRAVE for why shou'd I be unwilling to go to that Bed which my Blessed Lord hath perfumed with his own Body and is now become the Dormitories of the Saints 1. Then thou-that hast convers'd with God and Death In Speculation shall thy Breath Unwillingly expire into his Hand That comes to fetch it by Command From God that made thee Art thou loth to be Possess'd of thy Felicity Because thy Guide looks pale and must Convey thy Flesh to Dust Though that to Worms converted be What is all this to thee 2. Thou shalt not Feel Death's Sting but instant have Full Ioys and Triumph o're the Grave Where thy long-lov'd Companion flesh shall rest Until it â—e refin'd new drest For thy next Wearing in that Holy Place That Heaven where thou shalt Face to Face With Saints and Angels daily see Thy God and ever be Replenish'd with Celestial Bliss Oh my Soul think still on this when I am in my Grave my own Worms like the false Servants of The Grave is the Dormitories of the Saints some great Men shall devour me yet when my poor Corpse is mixt with common Dust it shall sleep safely with the Dear Eliza. Then grant O Lord that as I am thus laid in my Grave by thy Serjeant Death so I may be raised again by the quickning Power of thy Sons Resurrection and be conducted by one of thy glorious Messengers to the Gates of Heaven In this manner do I ponder on my Death and FUNERAL But whether I consider Why I ought to prepare for a speedy death my own Funeral or the Funeral of others I have Reason to prepare for a speedy DEATH and the Consequence of it 'T was Plato's Opinion That the Wise-man's Life was the Meditation of Death But Man in his Travails often measures his Grave yet is forgetful of His End seven Foot is his Demension yet most Men live in that security as if that small scantling had a perpetual extention But that my DEATH may not seem further off than-indeed it is I will daily expect it ' it were madness to think I shou'd never arrive at that to which I
Draught presented to her of those Heâ—venly jâ— she was going to possess And this was Iris Case for tho' she was now within a few Minutes of breathing her last yet 't is clear by the Prayer she then made that she was very sensible of what she said even so sensible that she was now in joyful Raptures and exprest a kind of impatience till she was dissolv'd And why because she spiritually saw what she could not utter doubtless she had a kind of Draught presented to her by her Guardian Angel of those Heavenly Joys she was almost ready to enter in possession of and therefore she now prayd more earnestly than ever and even longs 'till she 's convey'd by Angels into Abraham's Bosom which was now in a little time for she had no sooner ended her Prayer but DEATH seizes upon her Thus DEATH that on Humane Flesh doth use to feed With Time and Sickness two bold Thieves agreed To rob a House and e're the Break of Day To steal the Treasure of POOR JOHN away Siekness took foot but time went on apace DEATH came behind all come unto the Place TIME stays without Sickness would fain begin DEATH watcht a time and after was let in For Sickness faint when he shou'd stop her Breath DEATH stole upon her Sickness suffer'd Death DEATH had no sooner fixt his Dart into her But Hue and Cries pursue the Murderer The Noise was heard and TIME ran fast away Sickness no longer had the Heart to stay Death cou'd not surprize Iris DEATH with his Prey strait hid him under-ground Not since by any living Creature found And now the PALE Murderer has done his worst but t is my Comfort to think he cou'd not surprize Iris as Theevishly as he stole upon her for she She had assurance of Heaven Iris lov'd me and not my Fortunes and God blest our marriage We took each other for Richer for Poorer was Ripe for Heaven and had long expected him which made her often say Were my Work now to do I were undone forever Madam you may think me tedious on this Head but I cann't think so my self for Iris lov'd me and thought her Heart not enough to give me and as she loved me and not my Fortunes so God blest our Marriage accordingly for there was an even Thread of Endearment run through all we said or did for the Fifteen Years we livd together there never past one angry Word No disappointments tho we met with many did ever lessen this growing Affection Iris could not bear to see me dejected and heard of my Losses with only saying God will provide She never rail'd at Providence as they do who abuse their Friends for not being successful We took each other For Richer for Poorer and therefore all our distresses of Body and Mind were so equally divided that all hers were mine and all mine were hers and tho Death has now stole her from me yet such a kind and generous Wife can die but half Whilst I 'm preserv'd And as for my present Spouse tho she has been so Hungry as to fall in Love with her Jointure Irâ—s can die but half whilst I am preservd yet I still think cou'd she love as I do she 'd have no other Wish but me I inser this from my former Experience for when Iris and I were throughly Indear'd by a mutual confidence compliance and long Experience of each others Love No Jointure cou'd part us and had we lost all the World but one another Had we lost all but one another we had still bin happy we had still been happy I 'm sure had she enjoy'd 'em or my occasions requir'd 'em she 'd have dealt out Kingdoms to me without tiring Her Sympathy with me in all the Distresses of my Life makes her Virtues shine with the greater Lustre as Starrs in the darkest Night Like the Gloe-Worm the Emblem of true Friendship she still shin'd to me in the Dark and tho' this concern for me was no more than her Duty yet to requite her Love I made her my sole Executrix that I might give at the rate I lov'd her and was scarce contented with giving all I made Iris my sole Executrix and shall be as kind to Valeria when she grows oblieging Valeria falls in love with her Jointure Iris leads me from the Description of my own Death I 'm loth to give her the last Beck'n of Farewell And I 'll be as kind to Valeria when like Iris she thinks my Ease and Credit preferable to House and Land But whether does Iris lead me from the description of my own Death But Madam you can excuse it for 't is to shew how loth I am to give her the last beck'n of Farewell The best of Wives and my truest Friend is but part of her Character and I can't part with such a Treasure in post-haste Part bless me how it sounds The very Word is as Dagger thrust into my Heart and now it comes to the push I can't bear the Thoughts on 't That very Voice that did her Sickness tell Strook like a Midnight Chime or Knell At every Sound I took into my Sense a Wound 'T is true we first came together to help and prepare one another for Death but now Death has snatch'd her from me I am fainting away methinks I feel already the Terments to which a Heart is exposed that loses what it loves Thus the loving Hota followed her Husband to the Grave laid him in a sâ—ately Tomb and then for Nine Days together she wou'd neither Eat nor Drink whereof she dyed and was buried as she had order'd in her last Will by the side of her beloved Husband He first deceas'd she for a few Days try'd To live without him lik d it not and dy'd 1. Thus let me weep weep out mine Eyes Upon the Tomb where Iris lies Embalmed and enshrin'd Let not my Senses lead me home And leave dear Iris in the Tomb. Why should I stay behind We came together to prepare one another for Death The sight of her Dead Body makes me faint away Iris as happy as Heaven can make her 2. What Hope have I of Life or Bliss Under so dire a Fate as this What 's Man without a Heart There was but one 'twixt she and And that away from me did flee me When hence she did depart 3. And though the life of Sense I kept 'T were better in the Urn I slept For sleeping there I rest And then my Heart and I should be Cemented in tranquility And both for ever blest But tho I 've Reason thus to grieve for my Dear Iris except Valeria wou'd make me happy by despising the World Yet I wou'd not weep as one without hope For the time is short and therefore it remaineth that they that have Wives be as though they had none And they that Weep as though they wept not For the Fashion of this World passeth away
David fasted and Prayed for his Sick Son that his Life might be prolonged But when he was dead this Consideration comforted him I shall goe to him but he shall not return to me 2 Sam. 12 13. And this likewise shou'd comfort me under the loss of Iris to think she is gone to Heaven and that if I die in Christ I shall goe to her but this she cou'd not do but by dying which makes me the easier forgive Death for the Treasure he has stole from me and my next comfort to her being in Heaven is to think in what a triumphant Iris Triumphant Death is like the putting out of a prefum'd Candle manner she went thither In a painful Sickness of near Forty Weeks she never once repin'd at it but wou'd still say God had dealt tenderly with her and that she was wholly resign'd to his Will Then certainly the Death of such a Good Wife is like the putting out of a Wax-perfum'd Candle she in some measure recompenses the loss of Life with the sweet Odour she leaves behind her All must to their cold Graves But the Religious Actions of the Just Smell sweet in Death and Blossom in the Dust. In a Word Iris both in her Life and Death was like a Rose in June which tho dead and dry preserves a pleasing Sweetness and for that Reason Her Life was a continued Act of Piety was strewed by the Antients upon their Kindred's Graves 'T was but reasonable to think that a Life which was one continu'd Act of Piety shou'd have a joyful and happy ending And as Iris dyed in this Triumphant manner and with uttering such Expressions as I have here mention'd So I desire I may expire with these Words ETernal and everliving God I 'm now drawing near the Gates of Death and which is infinitely more terrible the Bar of thy Judgment oh Lord when I consider this my My last Prayer Flesh trembleth for fear of thee and my Heart is wounded within me But one deep calleth upon another the depth of my misery upon the depth of thy mercy Lord save now or I perish eternally Lord one day is with thee as a Thousand Years oh let thy mighty Spirit work in me now in this my last Hour whatsoever thou seest wanting to fit me for thy Mercy and Acceptance and then tho' I walk through the valley of the shadow of Death I will fear no Evil. There is but one step between me and Eternity then blessed Jesus have Mercy on me Pardon the Sins of my whole Life O let not my Sun go down upon thy Wrath but seal my Pardon before I go hence and be seen no more Dear Lord I neither desire nor expect of thee Life or Death may it be done unto me according to thy Will But since Death is my passage into thy Presence suffer not the Thoughts of it to be terrible unto me I can't without some Reluctance think of leaving my Friends and Relations and forever shutting my Eyes upon that World where I now live To go into a World where I never was but tho' the Light is pleasant and a joyful thing it is to behold the Sun yet let it abundantly content me oh Lord that whether waking or Sleeping dead or alive I shall be always thine tho' thou shouldst break all my Bones and from Day even till Night with pining Sickness and Aches make an end of me yet let me be dumb and not open my Mouth because it is thy doing suffer me not to whisper to my self what 's the reason the Lord will deal thus with me help me rather to consider what my Sins have deserved and what a poor Derivative thing I am What a meer dependant upon thee Lord I came into the World on thy Errand and I live only upon thy allowance Then let the consideration of thy Majesty and Glory swallow up all those petty Interests of my own which I create to my self and help me oh Lord in every Passage of my Life and Death to say thy will be done If it be thy will I shall dye now receive my Spirit and altho' I come In the Evening at the very last of all grant unto me that I may receive Eternal-Rest Blessed Lord as soon as ever the Chain of my mortality is broke let me take Wing and fly to thee Grant that sincerely reahing my Hands to thee from that Moment which is the upper Step of the Ladder of my Life next to Heaven thou mayest reach forth thy hand and receive me And when my Breath is gone grant oh Lord that I may see and know her again who dyed praying for my Everlasting-Happiness Into thy hand Lord I resign my Body and Soul Blessed Saviour receive my Spirit even so come Lord Jesus come quickly Amen I shall go to Iris but she shall not return to me I wou'd have these words be my last breath 'till my Lips fail and my Tongue cleaveth to the roof of my Mouth for as the Sun shines brightest at his setting so shou'd Man at his departing It is the evening crowns the day And now the Fatal Hour is come in which I must Resign to Dust This borrow'd Flesh whose Burden tires My Soul as it aspires Oh what a frail and undone Thing Is Man when his best Part is taking Wing But quake not Oh my Soul for Rest thou l't find This Pisgah Mount thy Canaan lies behind Look back and see the Worlds thin gaudy-Toys Look on and see the Crown of all thy Joys For such a Place is worthy to be sought Or were there none yet Heaven 's a pleasant Thought Nor for my bright Conductors will I stay But lead Heavens flaming Ministers the way In their known Passage to Eternal Day Where the blest CLIMES of Light will not seem fair Unless I meet my dear Redeemer there Unless I see my shining Saviours Face And grasp all Heaven in his sweet Embrace When the trembling Soul has Heav'n thus in sight Oh with what Joy and ravishing Delight She spreads her Wings and bids this World good Night Thus have I represented in what manner my Soul will leave that Body where it now dwells And have also considered in the Death of Iris with what tranquility and peace of conscience a Soul sequested from the World taketh her farewell of Earth Whilst thus I musing lay to my Bed side Attir'd in all his Mourning Pride The King of Terrors came Awful his Looks But not deform'd and grim He 's no such Goblin as we fancy him Scarce we our selves so civiliz'd and tame Unknown the Doom assign'd me in this change ' Tho justly I might fear Heavens worse Revenge Yet with my present Griefs redrest With curious Thoughts of unknown Worlds possest Enflam'd with Thirst of Liberty Long lovd but ne'er enjoy'd by me I su'd for leave the fatal Gulf to pass My vital Sand is almost run The Peace of Conscience with which a Soul sequestred from the-World
ta kes her Farewell of Earth A meditation upon the fight of a Dead-man And Death said I will strike anon Then to dull Life I bid a long Farewell And stretcht for flight But as the last grains fell Death fail'd my flatter'd hopes and turn'd the Glass But tho' my Soul and Body en't yet parted yet I have convers'd too long with the World already so that now I 'll suppose my self a dead Man At the Sight whereof were I living I wou'd thus meditate Teach me O Lord so to number my Days that I may apply my Heart unto Wisdom for I see by this dead Friend here lying before me we soon pass away and are gone All Flesh I see in this Instance is Grass and the Beauty of it as the flower of the Field Thou oh God hast determined the number of my Days which I cannot pass And I see here in my dead Friend what will follow the Separation of my Soul and Body As long as this Tabernacle lodged the Soul of my Friend it was sensible active cou'd hear â—ee speak or move but now that Guest is driven forth there is nothing in it but breeds my abhorence so that I now see all Confidence in Man is vain and that I shall soon become I 've said nothing of the manner of my Dying but what I 've observed in the Death of others as Pale and Wan at this Dead-Corpse which I here behold with Terrour and Amazement And Lord help me to consider that as this Body is dead without the Soul so both Soul and Body without Grace So much for the supposed manner of my Dying and for those useful Thoughts that a Sight of my Dead-Corpse might afford in which I 've advanc'd nothing but what I 've observ'd in the Death of others especially of my dear Iris My Breath being gone I 'll next suppose my self Laid out for â—ead I 'm now Stript and Dress'd in a Shroud and now the Cry of the House is Bury the Dead out of my Sight Being now Stript and Drest in a Shroud great Care is taken by my Executor for I know he 'll be punctual to observe my Will that my Body be kept veiled and secret and not exposed to curious Eyes neither shou'd Cyrus wou'd have no Man stare in his Face after his Death the Dishonours wrought upon the Face by the Changes of Death be star'd upon by impertiâ—ent Persons When Cyrus was Dying he called his Sons and Friends to take their leave of him to touch his Hand to see him the last time and gave in Charge that when he had put his Veil over his Face No Man spou'd uncover it And Epiphanius's Body was resâ—d from inquisitive Eyes by a Miracle But nothing A sight of my Dead-Body shou'd affect my Relations of this will disturb the Dead but a sight of my Dead-Body shou'd affect the Living Then now all my Friends if you ben't dâ—wn'd in Tears come and observe what a Change is here What a Change indeed For my trembling Soul being fled Lo how the Successors Valeria makes a shift to cry for my Death of Sin do trample upon these Mud-walls and demolish my House of Clay This dismal sight one would think shou'd squeeze out a few Tears if not from my Heir who has Sign'd Seal'd and deliver'd and is hasty to Bury me yet surely it will from the Dear Valeria for tho some Wives Bury their Husbands only with a sow'r Visage Mask'd over with Dissimulation contracting like the Ephesian Matron second Marriages before they have worn out their Mourning Garments But Valeria may pass for a better Wife For When her dear Spouse's last Departure's nigh See where this Fubbs has made a shift to cry But I 'm Box'd up the Parli'ment be thanked Whose Act has made my Rime in Woollen Blanket Being laid in my Coffin come hither Valeria and view me a little The Chinesses always before they Bury their Dead if he was a Marryed Man bring him to his Wife that so she might first Kiss him and bid him Farewel when you have done this prithee Valeria gaze upon me see in A good Iointure signifies nothing to a Dead Wife my Dead Phiz what Comfort you will have of your Iointure which you once kept to my Ruin when you come to this For pridâ—ee try the Experiment If you shou'd put a Bâ—g of Guineas into my Hand I shou'd let it fall or cou'd you give me Sampâ— ' twoud be too heavy to carry to the other World for don't you see that my Eyes are closed and I observe nothing Then Valeria view me well uâ—ver my Face again for A Dead Husband is worth observing a dead Husband is worth observing and you 'll find the Luminaries of my Body which us'd to shine with a living Brightness like the Gelly of a slâ—g Meteor lie now â—tombed in Darkness and that ruddy Hue which gave the Name of Flesh to this whited Earth hath either chang'd its Colour or its Place In a Word my Head Arms Body Legs c. have now left their Motion and lie as still as a Wife could wish who loves nothing of her Husband but the Iointure he has left her No wonder then she refused to come when I sent for her but has reserv'd all her Love for my dead Body which perhaps she 'll wash with a Tear or two as it looks kind and will cost her nothing neither need she make any use of an Onion for 't is observ'd of Widows they have Tears at command See where The Treasure of my Bosom doth appear Now coming to my Corpse with her drow'd Eyes For Iointure brings her where her Husband dies To whose pale Relick she devoutly Payes Obedience real as her Love and Brays With many Tears till quite dissolv'd in them She SEEMS contriv'd into a Walking-Sream As Destiny had meant her to descend From Rivers only but to serve this end Next let my Sisters drop their pious-Rain Larkin and Kenswell too will Weep in vain For none can soften my stiff Clay agâ—in Whilst my Eye thus amazedly wonders o'er my Dead Body methinks I In the supposed View of my dead Body I behold other Mens Fate as well as my own view in it other Mens Fate as well as my own Then blessed Lord let me Die daily that when Death shall be swallowed up in Victory and the numberless Atoms of my Dust shall by thy Almighty Power be new moulded into a Body my Soul may make a re-entry and be both glorified together Death we do now behold thee gay and glad As at Dooms-day When Souls shall wear their new Aray And all thy Bones with Beauty shall be clad Therefore we can go Die as Sleep and trust Half that we have Unto an an honest faithful Grave Making our Pillows either Down or Dust Herbert My Corruption belongs to the maintaining of of the Order of the Universe I lie merrily down in my
Bed tho' I expect to rise again to resume the Burthen of all my Frears Hopes and Griefs the constant Attendants of my Life and yet look Sadly and mournfully upon the Grave tho' my Corruption belongs to the maintaining of the Order of the Universe but why should I be afraid of Corruption seeing at my next Rising much 'T is a great wonder how a little Dustresolv'd into Elements shou'd become a living Body but I no ways doubt of the Resurrection My Soul Body now seem at once laid out â—ayer clad than before I shall awake to Immortality and endless Joy With the Eye of Reason I can look through the Glory of the World and behold Vanity and Oblivion with the Eye of faith I can look through Oblivion and Corruption it self and behold Glory and Eternity 'T is indeed a Wonder how a little Dust resolv'd into Elements should become a living Body again But I no ways doubt of the Resurrection for I 'm sure that my Redeemer liveth and tho' after my skin Worms destroy this Body yet in my Fâ—esh shall I see God Then let the Body rise in what manner it will I 'm ravisht to think what a bright and serene Morning the Resurrection will prove after the long Night of Death and the languishing Slumbers of the Grave My Soul being fled I know not how nor where and my Body left as a ghastly Spectacle to my Wife and Friends Methinks now my Soul and Body too seem at once laid out Some think they shall Die presently if they make their Will So that having proceeded so far towards my Funeral as To purchase a Grave To suppose the manner of my Dying And to describe what a frightful Spectacle Death will make me 't will be proper next to give some Account of my UUill For I never was of their Opinion who think they must Die presently if their UUill be made and so neglect it till it Why I made my Will in a time of Health be too late A Sick-Bed is no proper place to disturb our Brains about Worldly Matters I therefore made my Will when I was best able A Scotch Laird having sent for a Clerk to make his Will began to him thus after Of a Will made by a Scotch Laird We shou'd avoid all unjust Partialities in the making our Wills the common Preface Imprimis I bequeath my Soul to God To which his Clerk made Answer very seriously But what if he wonnot take it mon With what temper of Spirit this was spoken I know not but sure I am 't is a point that deserves a serious Thoughtfulness and Gravity of Mind And particularly we should avoid all unjust Partialities which are oftentimes very ill Grounded But to proceed in the Account of my Will My Nurse and Uisitanâ—s having declared me Dead methinks I see my Executor whose Character My Executor sending in all haste to the Persons concern'd in my Will you shall have anon sending in all haste to the Persons concern'd in 〈◊〉 Wâ—ll for the Will of the Dead should be punctually observ'd fòr to these we owe a nobler Justice than to other Men as they are unable to right themselves It is the bravest thing in the World to do an Act of Kindness to him whom we shall never see again but yet hath deserved it of us and to whom we wou'd do it if he were present and unless we do so our Charity To fulfil the Request of the Dead is the noblest Friendship we canshew is Mercenary and our Friendships are direct Merchandize but what we do to the Dead or to the Living for their sakes is Gratitude and Vertue for Vertue 's sake and the Noblest Friendship we can shew Such a Generous Person I have made my Executor so that all concern'd will have speedy notice of my Death And now methinks I see all my Friends assembled about me some to weep News being sent of my Death my Relations come to my Cell in Hopes of a good Legacy but most rejoicing in Hopes of a good Legacy but because they may see the Vanity in waiting for Dead-mens-Shoes I 'll now suppose my Executor Reading to them the following Lines which are A Breviate of my last Will IN the Name of God Amen I Iohn Dunton Citizen and Stationer of London and late of St. Giles Cripplegate Parish in the County of Middlesex being through Mercy in Health of Body and Mind do make this my last Will and Testament A Breviate of my last will And first out of Choice and not as 't is matter of Form I commit my Soul into the Hands of God trusting through the Merits of Jesus Christ to be accepted with him I commit my Soul into the Hands of God My Body I Bequeath to the Dust in hopes of a Glorious Resurrection but with this Charge to my Executor that he sees it Buried in the same Grave with my first Wife for there as she exprest it we shall be still Happy together if a senseless Happiness can be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As to the World tho' I never loved it yet I have taken that Care in the I Bequeath my Body to the Dust. disposing of what I have as to give it to one that will keep open House for God and his poor Servants I mean to one that has Sense enough to enjoy I have made a person heir to my Estate that has sense enough to enjoy it and Piety enough to be Charitable it and Piety enough to be Charitable and for that Reason I thought my self oblig'd in Conscience to give it all from the presumprive Heir and his scraping Friend finding by sad Experience the more he has the more he coveâ—s so that if his Wealth encreases at the rate it has done hitherto he 'll starve himself and his whole Family and therefore to add my Estate to his would be in some sort to hasten his Death but that they might not think I forget 'em I bequeath to 'em that Text And the Covetous which the Lord abhors to reflect on as long as they live I 'm My presumtive heir wou'd starve himself shou'd his Wealth encrease very Cordial in this Advice for Men in their last Wills appear open and plain Hearted they dare not dye revenging of Injuries no! when they think they shall dye their Eyes are open and their Judgments unbiast In some sense Peath's the truest Friend for Death will not flatter but deals plainly with us and as Men dare not dye with a Lye in their Mouths nor in Malice with any so they should be careful that they do not leave their Death 's the truest friend Friends quarrelling for their Estates but take such care in their Wills that their Lands and Possessions may know their Owners after their Deaths We shou'd take care not to leave our Friends quarreling for our Estates when we are Dead and that mine may do so of what I
My Soul is fled where I shall know Iris again Man that was tumbled into the Grave of Elisha was rovived by Vertue of his Bones As my Body will now Sleep in the same Grave with my first Wife c. So I hope through the Merits of my blessed Saviour my Soul will be now fled where I shall find and know her again for I don't question but This is largly proved in my Essay on knowing our Friends in Heaven we shall know our Friends in Heaven Wise and Learned Men of all Ages and several Scriptures plainly shew it And as we are to be Buryed together so 't is my Desire that my Executor purchase a marble Tomb for when Valeria Dies he may well afford it not exceeding 50 l. and cause the following Superscription to be Engraved upon it Here lies Sleeping together Iohn Dunton Citizen and Stationer of London and Elizabeth his first Wife She departed this Life Friday May 28th 1697 And he c. And being the last that Dyed his Will was as they had promis'd each other in their Life time to be Buryed with her in the same Grave and that on this Tomb-stone shou'd be Engrav'd the following Lines I 'm come to Bed having lost my Pen and Sight To Sleep with Iris in her Cell this Night And leaving all for her will never take Another Farewel 'till our Ashes wake Dr. Brown indeed tells us at his Death He intends to take a total Remarks on my Tomb-stone Adieu of the World not caring for a Monument History or Epitaph not so much as the bare Memory of his Name to be found any where but in the universal Register of God This Superscription on my Diogenes desired to be Buryed with a Staff in his Hand to fright away the Crows Tomb shews I'ent for taking such a Farewell as this Nor am I so Cinical as to approve the Testament of Diogenes who willed his Friend to Bury him with a Staff in his Hand to Fright away the Crows No! I am for an Epitaph and such an Epitaph as may shew to my Friends how much I can value a Wife that loves me and indeed the Driginal of Epitaphs is owing to this Loving Temper For the first Epitaph The first Epitaph which was put upon Tombs was that of the Fair Rachel which was put upon Tombs was that of the Fair Rachel as is partly remarkt from Scripture for 't is said Rachel dyed and was Buryed in the way to Ephrath and Iacob set a Pillar upon her Grave and Boohartus assures us it was a Pyramid which Iacob erected sustained upon a dozen precious Stones with this Inscription Here lies Fair Rachel It shews the great Care Iacob took to preserve her Memory Composed of nothing but Beauty and Love A Grave is but a plain Suit but a Rich Monument is one Embroider'd and therefore in the erecting such a noble Pillar as this we see the great care Iacob had to preserve the Memory of his dear Rachel and I hope none will think me either Vain or Prodigal if I endeavour so far as I am able to imitate such a kind Husband however a Marble Tomb is the only Legacy I bequeath to my self and my ground Bedfellow and I expect we ha' A Marble Tomb is the Legacy I bequeath to my self Justice done us Not that I so much insist upon the Epitaph of my own Writing for if my Friends please they may scratch it out and Grave in the room of it these Words viz. To these whom Death again did Wed Their Grave 's their second Marriage-Bed For tho' the Hand of Fate cou'd Force 'Twixt Soul and Body a Divorce It cou'd not sunder Man and Wife When they both lived but one Life Peace good Reader do not Weep Peace the Lovers are asleep They sweet Turtles folded lye In the last knot Love cou'd tye And tho' they lye as they were Dead Their Pillow Stone their Sheets of Lead Pillow hard and Sheets not warm Love made the Bed they 'll take no harm Let them Sleep let them Sleep on 'Till this Stormy Night be gone And th' Eternal Morrow dawn Then the Curtains will be drawn And they wake into that Light Whose Day shall never end in Night I 'm so desirous of having this Tomb and Epitaph erected as a Memorial of our happy Marriage that had I Moneys to spare I 'd see it done in my Life time A good Memory the best Monument hereby to prevent the negligence of Heirs and to remind me of my own Mortality But after all the care we can take to preserve the Ashes of our Dead Friends it must be acknowledged That a good Memory is the best Monument My Debts Legacies being first paid the rest of my Estate I give to my Executor others are subject to casualty and we know that the Pyramids themselves doting with Age have forgotten the names of their Founders Thus having given instructions about my Funeral and Grave c. and bequeath'd what Legacies I think sit all the rest of my Estate both Personal and Real my Debts and Funeral Expences being first paid I do hereby give to my Executor who your Ladyship will know by the following Character He 's a Person truly Religious sincere in his Conversation wise in his own The Character of my Executor Business loving to my Relations very Charitable and I 'm sure will accomplish the whole intent of my Testament These are the Legacies I have bequeath'd to my Friends which some that have mist of their Expectation may perhaps say are like those in the Spanish Friar where Sir Flash having left many Legacies and his Executor asking where Of a Man who bequeath'd more than he was worth he should have 'em to pay he answer'd E'en where he pleas'd for he was better able to find 'em than himself But whoever thinks so with respect to me will find themselves mistaken for as great a strait as Valeria's Jointure has put me to my Death will soon open a way to an Estate besides the Reversions which in time may double what I now enjoy that will not only satisfie my few Creditors but more than pay all the Legaâ—ies I have here bequeath'd And therefore But I shall tire you with the Repetition of an odd Will which I had not inserted but to humble those that desire my Death This is my last Will till I make another Having given your Ladiship a Breviate of my last Will I 'll return again to my dead Body for I 'm still supposing my self unbury'd My Will being read to my friends and all things agreed upon in order to my Funeral next see the greedy Nurses sighting for my Shirt and Cloaths My greedy Nurses fighting for my Shirt and Cloths and Relations scuffling for what 's left and my hasty Relations scuffling for what 's left Keep the King's Peace as soon as Phil. is Dead They for his Money
Death It is to come to thee that gav'st me Breath And thou art better Lord than Dunghil Earth When shall I come Lord tell me tell me when What must I tarry Threestore Years and Ten My thirsty Soul cannot hold out till then Come dearest Saviour come unlock this Cage Of sinful Flesh lovingly stop the Rage Of my Desires and thou my Pilgrimage Thus have I finish'd the Essay on my own Funeral and have prov'd to I have now finish'd the Essay on my Funeral your Ladyship that my Cell being an Emblem of Death is the fittest place to prepare for Heaven To get ready for Death and the Grave is a matter of great Consequence and no place so fit for it as a Cell where there 's no interruption I don't wonder that ev'ry Man commends Timon for his No place so fit to prepare for Death as a Cell hating of Men for we find so much danger in being in Company that even Adam cou'd not live one Day in it and live Innocent the first News we hear of him after Eve was Associate to him was that he had forfeited his Native Purity for having met with a Female she strait seduc'd him Adam cou'd not live one day in Company live innocent And what follows Why now he must return to that ground out of which he was taken Then being born to dye I love my Cell as 't will transmit me to the Darkness and Oblivion of the Grave and remind me of my own Funeral Neither is this describing my own Funeral without a President for we read of several that have Bury'd themselves in Effigie Being born to dye I love my Cell and have learn'd to dye at their own Funerals The Emperour Adrian entr'd into his Empire by the Port of his Tomb he Celebrates himself his own Funerals and is led in Triumph to his Sepuchre Several that have bury'd themselves in Effigie Now wâ— the Peoples Expectation high For wonted Pomp and glittering Chivalry But lo their Emp'rour doth invite 'em all Not to a Shew but to his Funeral This was self Victory and deserveth more Than all the Conquests he had won before The Emperour Adrian Celebrates himself his own Fun'ral Proud Spirits be ye Spectators of this Funeral Pomp which this great Monarch Adrian Celebrates to Day He invites the Heaven and the Earth to his Exequies since in their view he accompanies his Portraid Skeleton unto the Tomb his Body conducts thither its Shadow the Original the painted Figure Charles the 5th Maximilian the Emperour of the East and several others have done the like till a Metamorphosis be made both of one and the other Oh glorious Action where Garlands of Cypress dispute the Preheminence with Laurel and Palm But Adrian is not the only Person that has been buried in Essigie for Charles the Fifth long before the Resignation of his Empire caus'd a Sepulchre to be made him with all its funeral Furniture which was privately carryed about with him wherever he went Maximilian the Emperour did the same and wou'd often follow his Coffin to the Grave in a Solemn Manner We also read that Iohn Patriarch of Alexandria while he was Living and in Health caus'd his Monument to be Built but not to be Finisht for this Reason that upon solemn Days when he performed Divine-Service he might be put in mind by some of the Clergy in these Words Sir your Monument is yet unfinish'd command it to be finisht for to Morrow you 're to Celebrate your own Funeral When the Emperrour of the East was newly chosen no Person had Liberty to speak to him before the Stone-Cutter had shew'd him several sorts of Marble Genebald Bp of Laudanum lay in a Bed made like a Coffin The Study of Vertue is the best Preparation for Death and ask'd him of which his Majesty wou'd be pleas'd to have his Monument made And many others in perfect Health have thus attended their own Funerals Genebald Bp. of Laudanum lay in a Bed made like a Coffin for 7 Years together and â—da a Woman of great Piety long before her Death caus'd her Coffin to be made which twice a Day she filled with Bread and Meat and gave to the Poor And certainly the Study of Vertue is the best Preparation for Death But we need not look into Ancient Times for Persons that have provided for their own funerals when our present Age abounds with so many Instances of this Nature I shall first Instance in the Reverend Mr. Baxter who Dates most of his Books from the Brink of the Grave Being in Mr. Baxter drew up his own Funeral Sermon my Quarters says this Pious Divine far from home but so extreme Languishing by the sudden loss of about a Gallon of Blood and having no Acquaintance about me nor any Book but my Bible and Living in continual Expectation of Death I bent my Thoughts on my everlasting Rest and because my Memory through extreme Weakness was imperfect I took my Pen In his Book called The Saints everlasting Rest. and began to draw up my own funeral Sermon or some Helps for my own Meditations of Heaven to sweeten both the rest of my Life and my Death I cou'd next tell your Ladyship of a Gentleman who Markt all his Plate with a Death's-head My own Mother would often visit that Grave where she desir'd to the Buried Mr. Thorp being in Debt Other late Instances of Pious-men who have kept their Coffins by ' em retreats to the Mint where he falls to Writing a Poem on himself which he calls a Living-Clegy and invites all his Creditors to his Funeral to lament his Death I have no Reason to do this for I have taken that care that if any come to my Funeral that I 'm oblig'd to they may have Cause rather to lament the loss of my Life than any thing they can lose by me Mr. Stephens of Lothbury kept his Coffin by him several Years Mrs. Parry of Monmouth did the same and so did Mrs. Collins 'till Mr. Thorp's Living-Esegy her Husband was Buryed in it I don't pretend to live up to these Examples but I 've already purchast a â—rave and in these Sheets I 'm following my Hearse to it and I hope this Essay on my Funeral will remind Mr. Stephens kept a Memento of Death in his own House me of Death when I 'm most Tempted to forget it but that I may not I shall ev'ry Day my self make funeral Processions I mean visit in Meditation every Hour my Grave There is no fooling with Life when 't is once turn'd beyond Thirty and therefore I wou'd now Dâ—lly Celebrate my own Funeral and invite to my Exequies Ambition Avarice and all other I would now daily Celebrate my own Funeral Passions wherewith I may be attainted to the end that I may be a Conquerour even by my own proper Defeat For when a Man yields to the Meditation of
on our Portion of Eternity nay we even form our Words with the Breath of our Nostrils and we have the less time to live wan't we dead already Eor ev'ry word we speak I say it again wa n't we dead already for Anaxagoras undertook to prove what 〈◊〉 we call Life is actual Death and that what we call Death is Life And as I am dead as dead as I 've here described so if I take a view of my My Father Mother c. and most of my Friends are dead Generation and Friends about me tho I enjoy them a while I find at last they follow the necessity of their Generation and are finally removed some by Age some by Sickness and some by casualty what a Bubble what a nothing What a wink of Life is Man Most of my Friends are gone and all by Death My Father is gone in one Friend my Mother in another Dear Ben in another Daphne the MATCHLESS DAPHNE in another Harris in another Showden in another and S. Darker in another the Delight of mine Eyes the pleasure of my Ears the Fellow of my Bed The Servants of my House my old School-fellows are either all gone or much impair'd Time was their Race but newly was begun Whose Glass is run They on the Troubled Sea were heretofore ' Tho now on Shore And 't is not long before it will be said Of me as 't is of them Alas he 's dead Now when I consider the Diminution I daily suffer in this kind methinks I stand as Aaron once did in the Camp betwixt the Living and the Dead and while I reflect on my self I find I so participate of both that I am indeed but half alive and half dead for half my Body by reason of the Stone c is dead and hath already taken Seizin of the Grave for me And as I hinted before I 'm half alive and half dead Five Parts of my Relations are dead the Companion also and Fellows of my Apprentiship are gone before So that if I wou'd adhere to the greater number as Many so in Factions I must repair to the Dead if I en't with 'em already for my Habitation My own Body moulders apace and the very top and Cover my THATCH above turns Colour grows Gray and withers But tho' my Friends are dead and I 'm dying apace my self yet I am so much My Body moulders apace the same with my Reverend Father which I dare not say of the other Persons I have here mention'd that he cannot die whilst I am alive THE youthful Blood that beat the winding Maze Within your Veins gave length unto my Days The active Heat distil'd a crimson Dew Through those warm Limbecks and made Me of you That to such full proportion I am grown People do still Me for Your Figure own Then since I have deriv'd a part from Thee Thou canst not dye whilst Thou hast part in Me. Thus Sabina having given you some general thoughts on my Death and Funeral I shall next lay my self out for Dead for I 'm now supposing what will I 'm now laying my self out for Dead happen one time or other And now when my Breath is gone my Eyes closed the Bell toll'd and my Body coffin'd up for the Grave where wou'd I have my Soul whether in Heaven or in Hell Sure not in Hell least I shou'd want Lazarus to cool my Tongue but in Heaven where there be Rivers of Pleasures c. I thus descend to a particular Application of Death to my self for the common No fight so terâ—ible as to see a man breathing his last sounds of Death-post's through our Ears without any stop whereas the seeing a Dead Friend the Spectacle thereof by a self Application Inns even in our Hearts Much more then shou'd the Representation of our own Deaths affect us for there 's no sight more Terrible then to see a Man breathing his last but It must be done my Soul tho' 't is a strange A dismal and mysterious change When thou shalt leave this Tenement of Clay And to an unknown Some-where wing away When Time shall be Eternity and thou how Shalt be thou know'st not what and live thou know'st not When Life 's close Knot by Writ from Destiny Disease shall cut or Age untye When after some delays some dying strife The Soul stands shivering on the ridge of Life With what a dreadful curiosity Does she lanch out into the Sea of vast Eternity Norris My Soul and Body Two old Friends being now parting methinks I see how The parting of Soul and Body my Mind wou'd fain utter it self and cannot for Respiration or Breathing is thus perform'd The outward Air is drawn in by the vocal Artery and sent by the mediation of the Midriffe to the Lungs which dilating themselves as a pair of Bellows reciprocally fetch it in and send it out to the Heart to cool it and from thence now being hoâ— convey it again still taking in fresh but How the Body is encoldned to a Fashionable Clay these Organs being now quite disabled the Spirits shrink inward and retire to the vanquish't Heart as if like Sons prest from an Indulgent-Father they wou'd come for a sad Farewell while that in the mean time pants with afrighting pangs and the hands and feet being the most remote from it are by degrees encoldned to a Fashionable Clay as if Death crept in at the Nails and by an insensible surprize suffocated the invirond Heart Curiously didst thou make me saith David in the lowest parts of the Earth but now to see those Elements which compounded made the Body to see them thus divided and the Man dissolved is a rueful fight And now methinks I see all my Friends like conduits dropping Teares about me while I neither know my wants nor they my cure Nay now my very Doctor tho' the most able Physitian I know in London stands as one that gaâ—es at a Comet which he can reach with nothing but his Eye alone To see The Doctor knows not what to prescribe all this happen to one whose Conversation has endear'd him to us is very dreadfull Oh the Pangs I felt when Iris was breathing her last for even then she lay uttering such Expressions as these I 'll love thee as long as I live Thou art a dear Child to me I pray God bless my Dear Yok-fellow and give him Grace I pray thoe give him grace to live so here as he may live What 's meant by a Lightning before Death with thee hereafter And all this she utter'd at the Time when she was actualy dying Which we found to be a Lightning before Death t is observed of sick Persons that a little before they die their Pains leave them and their Understanding and Memory retuns to them as a Candle just before it goes out gives a great Blaze This is what is call'd a Lightning before Death Iris had a kind of