with cumbersome thoughts against which he made resistance by priuat prayer and by conference with one of his seruants that attended him About two of the clocke in the morning I came to him and he told me what combats he had with his enemie and I giuing him such counsell against the same as God gaue me wisdom to do he receiued it so hungerly as I was much comforted with it Presently he desired we might pray together that said he I may haue a feeling comfort of that you haue spoken which we did and at the end of praier hee concluded with repeating this word thrice Amen Immediatly after he made an excellent confession of his faith and of the hope that was in him touching his saluation concluding that his confession with a praier that God would strengthen him in that faith vnto the end and in his end After the end of which prayer he lifted vp his eyes and hands to heauen and vttered these words Now is my comforter come and hell gates shall not preuaile against mee and by the power and comfort of thy spirit I know I shall finish my course with ioy and after receiue the crowne of life from the end of which prayer and confession hee was neuer troubled with any temptation Then he being quiet for some halfe houre I asked him whether hee could call to mind that euer hee dealt hardly with any man and if he had so done to make restitution he smilingly answered I thanke God I neuer tooke nor got any goods vnlawfully or vncharitably and I thanke you for putting me in mind of this point Once more he made a confession of his faith vttered his dislike of Popery professing that he had often studied to see if he could find any comfort out of the Popish doctrine and confessed he could not see any thing in the Popish Religion but ambition humane policie and Heathenish superstition He often made his prayers to God by himselfe and with others he gaue most heauenly counsaile to his friends and to his seruants and where he thought the loue of the world had taken too deepe hold in any he disswaded from the same verifying that truth That he that is conuerted himselfe will strengthen others The speeches that he vttered that day were many and most comfortable amongst which I noted these which follow O my soule trust still in God for he is thy rocke and defence I find it is good to hold me fast by my God O Lord I haue none in heauen nor earth besides thee and therefore onely into thy hands I commend my soule for thou art my God and my redeemer O God thou hast kept mee from the wombe vntill now forsake me not but let my soule my tongue and all that is within me praise thy holy name As the Hart breatheth after the water brookes so my soule thirsteth after thee O Lord in this barren and drie land and clapping his hands vpon his heart he spake further here where no water of comfort is but that thou hast powred into it onely through thy sonne Christ and therefore to thee be honour praise for euermore Thus he continued and spent his time to the great comfort of al beholders vntill his senses externall decayed which hee perceiued so sensibly that he did tell when the parts of his body did die as when his legge his right eye his right hand and other parts were dead hee would say now is such a part dead The vse of his tongue God gaue him till within half an houre before his last breath with which he vttered many holy speeches wherof these were the last Forsake me not O Lord Be not thou farre from me O my God Hast thee to help me O my Lord my saluation And now Lord what wait I for My hope is onely in thee and into thy hands I commend my spirit Lord Iesus receiue my soule and alwayes hee concluded his prayers which himselfe vttered or which were made by others with these words To whom be praise and glorie for euermore Yea when his speech failed wee might perceiue him to pray though he could not vtter perfect words and so to continue concluding his prayer with the same thankesgiuing till hee pronounced this word Amen in this sort A me me en as though his soule before it went out of his bodie had beene keeping a part in that heauenly Anthem with the foure and twentie Elders which sing to him that sitteth vpon the Throne and liueth for euermore And thus hee continued till with much comfort and peace his life ended and his soule entred into the Kingdome of glorie which now I assure my selfe he doth enioy and wherto the God of heauen bring all his Saints in his appointed time which was about foure of the clocke in the afternoone vpon the eight and twentieth of October when he had liued one and fiftie yeares seuen daies and some odde houres too short a time if it had pleased God otherwise What can the remouing of him out of the house of clay prophesie but that God threatneth some punishment vpon vs the suruiuors when so worthy so wise so vertuous so religious and noble a Gentleman in the strength of his manhood is taken away of whose life and death I haue spoken the more largely first to let the Papists see that we preach not nor our good hearers practise not fleshly libertie as they falsly accuse vs secondly to let you Gentlemen and Iustices know what an example of vertue and vprightnesse you haue lost For though I doubt not but there be many good ones left yet I am sure you will all confesse he was the Bell-Wether in the flocke thirdly I would haue him whom this worthy Knight hath appointed and adopted to succeede in his house and the greatest part of his estate to imitate him in the course of his life to whome hee is so much beholding for the loue of his name which hath caused him to cast such extraordinarie fortunes vpon him lest perhappes it be said O domus antiqua quam dispari iam dominaris domino or lest he heare Non domus Domino sed Dominus domo Fourthly let it not be wondred that seruants which haue lost so worthy a Master and Countrey which hast lost so good a Gouernour doe take vp a great lamentation And for his worthy Ladie who Rachel-like will not be comforted doe not condemne her for the consideration of the comfort shee is depriued of amongst the wise that did know her happinesse in the enioying of such a husband will in some sort make her excuse and worke pittie and compassion for her sorrow Howbeit withall I must confesse I know none that hath more cause of comfort in respect of that assurance she may haue of a husbands happinesse then shee Lastly for my selfe if mournfull teares or astonishing thoughts could recall him back againe from the graue I would thinke my selfe bound for the losse of so worthy a friend to wish that my head were a fountain of teares to lament day and night for the fall of so good a man in Israel But I haue not so learned Christ and therfore thus much onely will I say Remember his life as an example worth imitation Remember his death by the sight whereof I do confesse I was better instructed how to die then by all the precepts that euer I read of that argument And so marke his life for it was good and holy and his end for it was peace And so in peace I leaue him enioying an eternall surpassing weight of glory assuring my selfe withall that vpon earth semper honos nomenque suum laudesque manebunt FINIS
and soundnesse in Religion was neuer questionable his vpright dealing voyde of partialitie or personall respect may be witnessed in that generall lamentation taken vp for him by the people in this Country and for his hating of couetousnesse and especially in the executing of his office his name shall not die whilest any that knew him is left aliue Who euer knew that he made vse of the countries mony or was vnwilling to come to any account for collected money committed to his charge for the countries behoofe hee was a man very much employed with the right honourable the Lord Willoughbie as Deputie Lieutenant vnder that most worthy Lord Threasorer and most wise Counseller the Lord Burley And when in the dayes of our late renowned and neuer to be forgotten Queene Elizabeth the mirrour of Christendome there was great employment for men and money to keepe vnder the superstitious and rebellious Irish besides the extraordinary paines he tooke and the great cost he was at to further that seruice he disbursed payments out of his owne purse for the country till Sessments could be conueniently made and the money collected And this can all you his fellow-labourers witnesse that neither feare nor fauor affinity nor consanguinity did euer hinder him from going on in an vpright course to doe seruice to God and our gracious King Neyther was he voyde of compassion in the execution of Iustice No no when hee dealt with Papists or had to punish hard-hearted Atheists which some refused to meddle withall this was his rule that he would Lapidare peccatum but saluare hominem yea such was his compassion that I know som Recusants that could not be perswaded by arguments for vsually reason cannot preuaile with them were moued and won to come to the Church by his milde mercifull and louing perswasion that he vsed vnto them and such as he could not reclaim he did greatly bemone and pitty In the case of Meum and Tuum this was his rule qui iudicat parte inaudita altera aequum licet statuerit haud aequus iudex In briefe thus did hee spend thirtie yeares of that his life which was in the whole but one and fiftie neuer refusing any paines or endeauours though to the spending of his estate the weakening yea as many here know and especially my selfe to the wearying of his body and the empayring of his health And let mee not forget that the last iourney that he tooke was for the seruice of God the safetie and peace of the King and Countrey wherein his behauior was so commendable and his speeches so good as were it not that these my lines would swell vnto too great a quantity I would set them down as his Swan-like song within few dayes before his death But to leaue these things the last consideration is of his Christian behauior which was eyther more publike and herein obserue his humilitie his charitable mercifulnesse or more priuate as his vnseene deuotion and charitie For the first I may truely say of him That hee made himselfe equall to those of low degree euer abhorring himselfe with Iob in the seruice of God in the ashes of true humilitie an argument of a sanctified heart and of a mind fit to receiue further grace from God For his mercifulnes enquire after that amongst his Tenants and if they speake truely they will confesse that they haue beene vsed so as few of their neighbours were dealt withall Who euer knew him take the forfeiture of any Lease or when fines and rents were vnpaide at times agreed vpon to vse any extremitie to get the same Nay what Tenant euer desired forbearance for a time eyther of Rent or Fine that had to his demaund a deniall The desolate Widdowes and Fatherlesse-Orphanes that liued vnder him were both regarded and prouided for by him Secondly inquire of his hospitality not only to the better sort of people but especially to the poore and you shall heare that their soules did blesse him whilest he liued and are now sorrowfull for his death Indeed this I confesse that in his hospitalitie he iudged drinking-banquets fitter for profane Baltasar with his companions then to be vsed in Christian meetings Thirdly if you list to heare more of his mercifulnes I doubt not but many haue tasted of it in his daily lending of money without pawnes or pledges or euer taking interest or forfeiture of bond the crying sinnes of this age If any vnknowne to him haue made vse of this his mercifulnesse like brodging Brokers I say to such a one as Peter said to Simon Magus for sure I am that hee was free in lending to all sorts of people both in this Countrey and some other parts within this Kingdome Carendo potius quam fruendo His vertue in this kinde both to Clergie and Laitie will appeare after his death But I am yet in the Suburbes of his mercifull dealing Now let meenter within the walls therof and the first thing that presents it selfe vnto my view is his liberality to poore Schollers places of learning and herein I might name vnto you sixe learned and profitable Preachers which were brought vp in the Vniuersities at his cost and charges Some now at this time in those places taste of his bountie and many both in Church and Common-wealth towards their education haue receiued exhibition from him till they were fitter for better fortunes But to leaue persons and to come to places Magdalen Colledge in Cambridge the famous Library in Oxford and Corpus Christi Colledge in the same Vniuersity where hee was seasoned with the grounds of learning by the now reuerend President of that house Doct. Spencer whom he deerly loued can tell you that hee was a good benefactor to those places in his life time and I must tell you that he hath giuen a large quantity of inheritance by yeare for euer vnto Corpus Christi Colledge in Oxford I need not relate vnto you how he hath endowed the free-Schoole in Market Raison with an yearely pension to maintaine a Schoole-master and that hee hath giuen an yearly maintenance for the planting of a Preacher at Welton one of his neighbour Townes where I heare by the Parishioners there was neuer setled Preacher in the memorie of any man nor scarce twenty Sermons this twentie yeares except by his meanes and yet the Parish is great and the law of our Church thankes be to God hath commanded otherwise Neither may I let passe since I am naming these things what great care he had to further Religion how free hee was in bestowing those spirituall preferments that were in his gift looking at nothing but how to prouide for the good of Gods people farre differing from the practise of many Patrons that let nothing passe without What wilt thou giue me But he was so free from this sinne that I haue heard him often earnestly wishing that a lawe might bee made by which the Patron should be sworne of his free gift
as well as the presented of his free entrance without any contract eyther directly or indirectly Shall I goe on to tell you of other deeds of mercie how for these thirtie yeares hee gaue tenne olde and poore men gownes and money euery yeare and of late added twentie more to the number how Market Raison had foure pounds yearely towards the releefe of their poore besides a hundreth and sixtie pound that was giuen to helpe the poorer and yonger sort of tradsemen by good summes to passe from one to another as there was need and now by his Will hath giuen a great summe of money to build an Hospitall and a large yearly pension for euer to relieue such as shall be placed in it besides the relieuing of tenne poore men with a certaine pension and gownes for euer that shall be chosen out of the Townes neere adioyning to his house at Snarford In briefe of late he hath beene at extraordinary charge to build finish and furnish a house fitting his place and calling and I haue obserued that since the laying of the first stone of that house which is seuen yeares past his charity hath encreased in his large summes he gaue to the poore in this Countrey as though hee meant to make sure the foundation of his house with the workes of charitie or hasted to prouide a Mansion for his soule in heauen before his earthly house was finished Now for his priuate bountie to poore Schollers and others of which he now findeth the comfort as it was knowne to none better then my selfe Onely this I wil say according to Salomons direction He cast his bread vpon the waters and as our Sauiour saith his right knew not what his left hand did for many a poore Scholler that neuer saw his face hath tasted of his loue whose prayers to God for him though vnknowne like harbingers haue entred into heauen to take vp roome for his comfort in the sauing grace of God Now for his priuat deuotion besides his daily reading in the booke of God and his paines hee tooke in other bookes especially in the writings of Bishop Iewel which hee greatly esteemed hauing found singular good out of them as vpon the day of his death he did acknowledge This one thing I cannot omit that euery Munday in the morning he did in his priuate studie recall to mind what he had learned vpon the Sabbath day and what vse he was to make to himself of the same And then his manner was to pray That all the weeke and the whole time of his life after hee might shew the fruit of that his learning and so he addressed himselfe to the works of his calling a custom worth imitation by all you Gentlemen and all other Christians that meane to attaine the happinesse he now enioyeth If any shall aske me how I knew these things I answer not by the sounding of a Trumpet or the ringing of a Bell when he went about these priuate duties of pietie but by a priuat conference I had with him of late in which as he asked counsell touching som needfull questions that concerned his comfort so he did open himselfe in this matter to me not with a desire it should be knowne but in humility to be further directed as in other points which I will not name so in this one Whether it were lawfull in his priuate prayers wherein he was to disclose and confesse the secrets of his hart to the Almighty to kneele vpon a Cushion by which question in what a base account of himselfe he appeared before God it is manifest to all that shall well consider thereof And withall it doeth much condemne the proud behauiour of many which in publique and priuate praiers dispose themselues as though they did contest with God and stood not sighing and crying for mercie and pardon for their treacherous rebellions against the Almightie but with the proud Pharisee were bragging of their deeds And thus he spent his life in which he was an instrument of much good a faithfull friend to the well-disposed a mercifull Iudge of offenders and a worthy example of vertue where euer hee came Now for the time of his sickenesse and death His sickenesse was seuen dayes in all which time howbeit his pains were often extreame yet neuer was he heard to vtter any impatient speech Little or nothing did hee sleepe eyther day or night and yet this was Gods mercie to him that hee neuer vttered any offensiue word that might argue eyther leuitie or impietie For the most part of fiue dayes and nights I was with him Whose calling was much honored by him in all his procedinges and to the meanest of whome he was a worthie Patron aganst all oppositions and so were many of his good friends diuers reuerend Ministers in whose godly speeches and deuout prayers and good companie he much reioyced and did acknowledge Gods goodnesse that those he loued in his life should be with him at his death I confesse he was diuers times and wayes assaulted by the Tempter who vsually came and iniected temptations into him when he should haue taken his naturall rest against all which hee made resistance by the Word of truth And acquainting me with the particulars that were laid to his charge when I shewed him what spirituall armor he might vse to quench those fierie darts hee would pause for a time as meditating of what I had said in the end hee did still breake out into these wordes Lord Iesu strengthen my faith and Lord I beleeue helpe my vnbeleefe He was much in meditation often in priuat mentall prayer and often he did tell me that thinking of death he did find no feare of it as formerly in his flesh he had done Vpō Wednesday in the morning I perceiuing his strength to decay and his paines to encrease entreated him that he would set his house in order and determine of his worldly affaires and he looking cheerefully vpon me thus spake Now I know you loue mee as I am sure you haue done long in that you wish I might die in peace which said he I assure my selfe I shall doe and for my worldly estate I haue made my Will I haue disposed of my land though not as you haue often wished yet so as I hope it shal stand and I will impart the same vnto my brother Wray which shortly after he did All that day he was in great paines often desiring me to pray for him and sometimes greeuing that his bodily paines would not giue him leaue to make a vocall prayer yet once vpon a sudden with lifted-vp eyes and handes hee powered out his heart in such a heauenly manner as might assure the hearers that Gods spirit spake in him Vpon Wednesday in the night about ten of the clocke he fell into a slumber in which he continued but a while and as he said when he awaked all my bodily pains are gone away but my mind is much troubled