nutriment and augmentation is decent and salutary and conducive to action and the proper offices of nature but either a Redundancy or Deficiency are hurtful and obstructive Extraordinary fatness on the one hand devours up or overwhelms the Animal Spirits so that they must move like Travellers in the Wilds of Kent and Sussex Leanness impoverishes Nature and sets her upon a poor Horse that 's hardly able to carry himself 1. Zacutus speaks of a young Man so fat that he could scarce move himself or go or set one step forward but continually sate in a Chair in perpetual fear of being Choaked Zacutus cured him Zacut. prox Adm. l. 3. Obs 108. p. 416. 2. Dionisius Son of Clearchus the Tyrant of Heraclea was by reason of his Fat pressed with difficulty of Breathing and fear of Suffocation He could no feel very long and sharp Needles prick'd into his Sides and Belly upon adivce of his Physicians whilst they passed through the Fat till they touched upon the sensible Flesh Athenaeus l. 12. c. 12. p. 549. 3. Vitus a Matera a Learned Philosopher and Divine was so Fat that he was not able to get up a pair of Stairs He breathed with great difficulty nor could he Sleep lying along without danger of Suffocation Donat. Hist Mirab. l. 5. c. 2. p. 274. 4. I have seen saith the same Author ayoung Englishman carried through all Italy to be seen for Money who was of that monstrous Fatness and Thickness that the Duke of Mantua and Mountferrat commanded him to be Pourtray'd naked to the Life Ibid. 5. Anno 1520. a Nobleman born in Diethmarsia but sometimes living in Stockholme being sent to Prison by the Command of Christiern II. could not be thrust in at the Prison Door by reason of his extream Corpulency but was thrown aside into a Corner near it Zuing. Theat v. 2. l. 2. p. 279. 6. Pope Leo X. was Fat to a Proverb Ibid. 7. Polyeusus Sphettius an Athenian mentioned by Plutarch in Photion Ptolomeus Energes Magan who reigned 50 years in Cirene c. are taken notice of by Authors for their Extraordinary Corpulency CHAP. XXXI Instances of extraordinary Leanness 1. CYnesias called Philyrinus because he girt himself round within boards of the Wood Philyra least through his exceeding Talness and Slenderness he should break in the Waste Athen l. 12. c. 13. p. 551. 2. Panaretus was exceeding lean and thin notwithstanding which he passed his whole Life in a most entire and perfect Health Ibid. p. 562. 3. Philetas of Coos was an Excellent Critick and Poet in the time of Alexander the Great but withal he had a body of that exceeding leaness and lightness that he commonly wore Shoes of Lead and carried Lead about him least at sometime or other he should be blown away by the Wind. Ibid. p. 552. CHAP. XXXII Persons Long-liv'd 'T IS reported of Paracelsus that he would undertake if he had the Nurture of a Well-humour'd and Complexien'd Infant from his Nativity to put him in a way of living Everlastingly but that was a brag fit only for such a bold Thrasonical Smatterer in Chymistry and Magick as he was no doubt but Old Age and Death might be retarded and kept off much longer then they are in the Cases of some Persons where Nature hath given a due Contexture a fit Complexion of Humours with the Observation of a suitable Diet and where Divine Providence doth not resist 1. There is a Memorial entred upon the Wall of the Cathedral of Peterborough for one who being Sexton thereof Interred two Queen's therein Katherine Dowager and Mary of Scotland more then 50 years interceeding betwixt their several Sepultures this Vivacious Sexton also buried two Generations or the People on that place twice over Fullers Worthies p. 293. Northamp 2. Richard Chamond Esq served in the Office of Justice of Peace almost 60 years he saw above 50 several Judges of the Western Circuit was Unkle and great Unkle to 300 at the least and saw his youngest Child above 40 years of Age. Fullers Worth p. 211. Cornwal Carew's Survey of Cornwal p. 18. 3. In Herefordshire saith my Lord St. Albans there was a Morrice Dance of 8 Men whose years put together made up 800 that which was wanting in one superabounded in others Verulam Hist Life and Death p. 135. 4. William Paulet Marques of Winchester and Lord Treasurer of England 20 years together who died in the 10th year of Queen Elizabeth was born in the last years of Henry VI. He lived in all 106 years and three Quarters and odd days during the Reign of 9 Kings and Queens of England He saw the Children of his Childrens Children to the number of 103 and died 1572. Bakers Chron. p. 502. fullers Worth Hantshire p. 8. 5. One Polezew saith Mr. Carew of Cornwal reached to 130 years one Beauchamp to 106. And in the Parish where himself dwelt he professed to have remembred the Decease of 4 within 14 Weeks space whose years added together made up the Sum of 340 the same Gentleman made this Epitaph upon one Brawne an Irishman but Cornish Beggar Here Brawne the Quondam Beggar lies who counted by his Tale Some Sixscore Winters and above Such Vertue is in Ale Ale was his Meat his Drink his Cloth Ale did his Death reprieve And could he still have drank his Ale he had been still Alive 6. Democritus of Abdera a most Studious and Learned Philosopher who sent all his Life in the Contemplation and Investigation of things who lived in great Solitude and Poverty yet did arrive to 109 years Fulgos. l. 8. c. 14. p. 1095. 7. Simeon the Son of Cleophas called the Brother of our Lord and Bishop of Jerusalem lived 120 years though he was cut short by Martyrdom 8. Aquila and Priscilla first St. Paul's Hosts and afterwards his fellow Labourers lived together in Wedlock at least 100 years a piece Verulam p. 116. 9. Johannes Summer Matterus saith Platerus my great Grand-father by the Mother's side of an ancient Family after the Hundredth year of his Age Marryed a Wife of 30 years by whom he had a Son at whose sedding which was 20 years after the Old man was present and liv'd 6 years after that so that he compleated 126 years Plateri Obs. l. 1. p. 233. 10. Galen the great Physician who flourished about the Reign of Antoninus the Emperour is said to have lived 140 years from the time of his 28th year he was never seized with any Sickness save only a Feaver for one day only Fulgos. l. 8. c. 14. p. 1096. 11. James Sands near Brimingham in Seaffordshire lived 140 years and his Wife 120. He out-liv'd 5 Leases of 21 years a piece made unto him after he was Married Fullers Engl. Worth p. 47. 12. Sir Walter Rawleigh knew the Old Countess of Desmond who liv'd in the year 1589 and many years since who was Marryed in Edward IV's time and held her Joynture from all the Earls of Desmond since them The
was with Child of him she dreamed that she had a little white and barking Dog in her Womb which a Religious Person Interpreted thus An excellent Dog indeed for he shall be a Keeper of God's House and shall incessantly bark against the Adversâ—â—ies of it and as a famous Preacher shall cure many with his Medicinal Tongue Idem ex Heidfeld in Sphing c. 37. 25. Francis Petrarch had a Friend so desperately ill that he despaired of his Life wearied with Grief and Tears he fell into a slumber and seemed to see his sick Friend stand before him and tell him that he could not now stay any longer with him for there was one at the Door would interrupt their Discourse to whom he desired that he would recommend his weak Estate and that it he should undertake him he should be restored Presently a Physician enters Petrarch's Chamber who came from the sick as having given him over for a dead Man to comfort him Petrarch recounts his Dream to him with Tears and prevails with him to undertake his Friend who thereupon in a short time recovered Idem ex Fulg. l. 1. c. 5. 26. Arlotte Mother of William the Conqueror when great with Child of him dreamed that her Bowels were extended over all Normandy and England Bakers Chron. p. 28. 27. Whilst I lived at Prague saith an English Gentleman and one Night had sate up very late a drinking at a Feast early in the Morning the Sun-beams glancing on my Face as I lay in my Bed I dreamed that a shadow passing by told me That my Father was dead At which awaking I rose and wrote the Day and Hour and all Circumstances thereof in a Paper-Book which Book with many other things I put into a Barrel and sent it from Prague to Stode thence to be carried into England And now being at Nuremberg a Merchant of a Noble Family well Acquainted with me and my Relations arrived there who told me that my Father was dead about two Months ago I list not to write any Lies but that which I write is as true as strange When I returned into England some Four Years after I would not open the Barrel I sent from Prague till I had called my Sisters and some other Friends to be Witnesses where my self and they were astonished to see my written Dream answer the very day of my Father's Death Morison's Itin. p. 1. c. 1. A.B. Annot. on Relig. Med. p. 294. Wanley's Wonders of the Little World l. 6. c. 1. 28. The same Gentleman saith thus also I may lawfully swear that which my Kinsmen have heard witnessed by my Brother Henry whilst he liv'd that in my Youth at Cambridge I had the like Dream of my Mother's death where my Brother Henry lying by me early in the Morning I dreamed that my Mother passed by with a sad Countenance and told me That she could not come to my Commencement I being within 5 Months to proceed Master of Arts and she having promised at that time to come to Cambridge when I related this Dream to my Brother both of us awaking together in a Sweat he professed to me That he had dreamed the very same and when we had not the least knowledge of our Mother's sickness neither in our youthful Affections were any whit affected with the strangeness of this dream yet the next Carrier brought us word of our Mother's death Iâ—id 29. I cannot omit the Dream and Revelation of Joan d' Arke a Virgin who dreamed that she her self should be the only means to put Charles the 7th in possession of his Kingdom After she had acquainted her Father and Mother with her Dream she is brought to the Lord Baudricate and habited like a Man is presented to the King The Matter seemed ridiculous to the King he takes upon himself the Habit of a Country-man this Maid being brought into the Chamber goeth to the King and salutes him with a modest Countenance and delivered to him the Charge which she had received of the God of Heaven and told him That she should be the means to place the Crown upon his head and relieve Orleance that was Besieged by the English The King was persuaded to give her a Troop of 100 and a good Horse She puts her self into a Man's Habit and like a valourous Captain goeth towards Orleance and relieveth the Town with Victuals without resistance After she was in Orleance she sends a Letter to the King of England and his Troops and wisheth them to depart without shedding any more innocent Blood Joan d' Arke a second time relieveth Orleance and brings in fresh Provision she makes choice of 1500 Men and enters the Fort of Saint Loope the Virgin in the foremost of the Ranks crying Saint Denis the next Day they took two other Forts on the third Day the English made the French recoil but the Virgin incouraging her Men and marching couragiously was shot in the Arm Tush saith she this is a favour nothing amazed she takes the Arrow in one hand and her Sword in the other and enters the Fort. In these three Days the English lost 8000 Men and the French not one hundred and as a remembrance of their Victories the Statues of Charles the Seventh and Joan d' Arke are placed upon the Bridge of Orleance kneeling before a Crucifix Charles the Seventh is Crowned at Rheins all Champaigns yield unto him and the King that was in great danger of losing his Kingdom is now an absolute King The Divine Dreamer p. 15. 30. Cicero among other Dreams relates this A certain Man dreamed that there was an Egg hid under his Bed The Sooth-sayer to whom he applied himself for the Interpretation of the Dream told him That in the same place where he imagined to see the Egg there was Trensure hid Whereupon he caused the place to be digged up and there accordingly he found Silver and in the midst of it a good quantity of Gold and to give the Interpreter some testimony of his acknowledgment he brought him some pieces of the Silver which he had found but the Sooth-sayer hoping also to have some of the Gold said And will you not give me some of the Yolk too Amyrald Dis of Div. Dreams p. 22. 31. Monsieur Pâ—irese Councellor of the Parliament of Provence going from Mohrpellier to Nismes lay all Night in an Inn which is the mid-way betwixt these two places he had in his Company one James Rainier Citizen of Aix who in that Journey lodged in the same Chamber with him As that great Man slept Rainier observ'd that he talk'd and mutter'd something in his Sleep otherwise than was usual with him whereupon he wakened him and ask'd what was the matter Oh! said he you have made me lose a most excellent and pleasant Dream for I was dreaming That I was at Nismes and that a Goldsmith shew'd me a Golden Medal of Julius Caesar which he would sell me for four Crowns and as I was ready to
Hearts to be truly thankful Comfort my Fellow Sufferers that are immediately to follow Give them Strength and Comfort unto the end I forgive all the World even all those that have been the immediate Hastners of my Death I am in Charity with all Men. And now blessed Lord Jesus into thy Hands I commend my Spirit Our Father c. After which going up the Ladder he desired the Executioner not to be hard to him who answered No and said I pray Master forgive me To which he said I do with my whole Heart and I pray God forgive thee But I advise thee to leave off this bloody Trade The Executioner said I am forced to do what I do it 's against my Mind So lifting up his Hands to Heaven the Executioner did his Office 17. The Behaviour and Dying Words of Mr. ROGER SATCHEL who was Executed at Weymouth in the County of Dorset MR. Satchel at the time of the Duke's landing at Lyme lived at Culliton about Five Miles West of that Town No sooner had he the News of the Duke's being landed but he sets himself to work to serve him desiring all he knew to joyn with him and was one of the first that went to him to Lyme and was with him to the end But after the Rout travelling to and fro to secure himself was at last taken at Chard by three Moss Troopers He was from thence carried to Ilchester and so secured in Ilchester Gaol and at the Bloody Assizes at Dorchester took his Tryal and received his Sentence with the rest After Sentence two of his Friends came to him and told him there was no Hope He answer'd My Hope is in the Lord. After which he spent most of his time before Execution in Prayer and Meditation and conferring with many good Persons The Morning being come he prepared himself and all the way drawing to Execution was very devout Being come to the Place there was a Minister I think of that Place who sung a Psalm and prayed with them and would have some Discourse with this Person which he avoided as much as possible but he asked him what were his Grounds for joyning in that Rebellion who answered Had you Sir been there and a Protestant I believe you would have joyned too But do not speak to me about that I am come to die for my Sins not for my Treason against the King as you call it So pointing to the Wood that was to burn his Bowels he said I do not care for that what matters it what becomes of my Body so my Soul be at rest So praying to himself near half an Hour and advising some he knew never to yield to Popery he was turned off the Ladder He was a couragious bold spirited Man and one of great Reason just and punctual in all his Business and one that did much Good amongst his Neighbours 18. Mr. LANCASTER THere was at the same Time and Place one Mr. Lancaster executed whose Courage and Deportment was such that he out-braved Death and in a manner challenged it to hurt him saying I die for a good Cause and am going to a gracious God I desire all your Christian Prayers 'T is good to go to Heaven with Company And much more he spake concerning the Duke of Monmouth whom he supposed at that time to be living And so praying privately for some small time he was turned or rather leaped off the Ladder 19. The Last Speech of Mr. BENJAMIN SANDFORD at the Place of Execution HE with Nine more was brought from Dorchester to Bridport to be Executed Coming to the Place of Execution he held up his Hands to Heaven and turning himself to the People said I Am an Old Man you see and I little thought to have ended my Days at such a shameful Place and by such an ignominious Death and indeed it is dreadful to Flesh and Blood as well as a Reproach to Relations but it would have been a great deal more if I had suffered for some Felonious Account Says one to him Is not this worse do you think than Felony He answered I know not any thing that I have done so bad as Felony that this heavy Judgment should fall upon me except it be for my Sins against my God whom I have highly provok'd and must acknowledge have deserved Ten thousand times more Lord I trust thou hast pardoned them Seal my Pardon in the Blood of my Saviour Lord look upon and be with me to the last moment 20. JOHN BENNET THere was also Executed at the same time one John Bennet a poor Man but Pious and of good Report with his Neighbours in Lyme where he lived I have heard that when he was on Trial a certain Person inform'd his Lordship that the Prisoner then at the Bar had Alms of the Parish And that his Lordship should reply Do not trouble your selves I will ease the Parish of that trouble In Prison and at the Place of Execution he behaved himself so to all that many of his Enemies pitied him and would if it had lain in their Power as they said have saved him Here was a glorious Instance of Filial Affection His Son being then present offered to have died for him and was going up the Ladder if it might have been suffer'd He prayed some short time and so was translated as we have Hopes to think from this troublesome World into Celestial Joy and everlasting Happiness To conclude The Solemn Serious Dying Declarations and Christian Courage of the Western Sufferers have always outweighed with me the Evidence of those flagitious Witnesses who swore these Persons out of their Lives And I did and do most stedfastly believe that the only Plot in that Day was the same which the Almighty has at length owned and most signally prospered in the Hand of our Gracious August and Rightful Sovereign King William I mean the rescuing the Protestant Religion and the Laws and Liberties of England from a most impetuous Torrent of Popery and Tyranny wherewith they were most dangerously threatned Thus far the Author of the Bloody Assizes from whom I have extracted all the Memoirs relating to the Deaths and Sufferings of English Protestants from the Year 1678. to this Time While we are thus talking of Death and Dying I can't forbear naming the Ghostly Last Will and Testament of M. Armand It contains the real Inclinations of his Soul in all the Accidents of his Life That he was bigotted to the Roman Catholick Religion is plain by this Ghostly Will wherein he allows no Salvation out of it This Will being long I shall not insert it here but referr you to the Present State of Europe for December 1695. where you will find it recited at large Since the Publication of M. Arnaud's Ghostly Will there is come to light his Temporal Will wherein that which is most Remarkable is his persisting to acknowledge himself a Son of the Catholick Church and his bequeathing his Heart to the
Fasting and Repentance and the Almighty had Compassion on them Many Cities in the East were ruined by it and the City of Alexandria was sore shaken therewith which was the more Astonishing because it seldom happens in those Parts Some Years after Constantinople was shaken so violently that not only the Walls and Churches but all Greece trembled therewith In the Year 801 whilst Charles the Great was in Italy there was an Earthquake with great Noises which shook all France and Germany but especially Italy It overthrew several Towers and Mountains and the Church of St. Paul at Rome was destroyed by it 11. In the ninth tenth and eleventh Centuries an Earthquake happened in Scotland another in France a very great one in Asia several terrible ones with Whirlwinds in Germany also a great Earthquake in England where five Suns appeared at once and after four Moons at once In the Reign of King William the Conquerour Anno 1086 happened an Earthquake with a dreadful Noise In Anno 1100 in the Reign of King Henry the First the Earth moved with such Violence in England that many Building were shaken down in divers places an hideous Noise was heard and the Earth through several Rifts cast forth Fire for many Days together which neither by Water nor by any other Means could be suppress'd In Lumbardy in Ita◠about the same time was an Earthquake which lasted about six Weeks and removed a Town from the place where it stood a great distance In the Year 1179 on Christmas-Day at Oxenhall near Darlington in the County of Durham the Earth was lifted up almost like a Tower and so continued all that Day as it were immoveable till Evening and then fell with so horrible a Noise that it affrighted the Inhabitants thereabouts and the Earth swallowing it up made in the same place three Pits of a wonderful depth which were afterwards called Hell-Kettles 12. In the Year 1180 an Earthquake ruined a great part of the City of Naples The City of Catania in Sicily is destroyed with 19000 People by an Earthquake The K. of Iconium is swallowed up by an Earthquake and in England many Buildings were thrown down by the same means amongst which the Cathedral Church of Lincoln was rent in pieces 13. In the Year 1222 there were such Earthquakes in Italy and Lumbardy that the Cities and Towns were forsaken and the People kept abroad in the Fields in Tents many Houses and Churches were thrown down much People thereby crushed to Death the Earth trembled twice a Day in Lumbardy for 14 Days together besides two Cities in Cyprus and the City of Brescia were this Year destroyed by Earthquakes In the Year 1176 about the same time that Adrian the Fourth was made Pope was a dreadful Earthquake at Millain and the Country round about In Italy there was likewise a great Earthquake and another in England and a third in Germany 14. In the Year 1300 there was such an Earthquake in Rome as never was before and 48 Earthquakes happening in one Year whereby all Lumbardy was shaken A great Earthquake in London which shook down many Buildings Anothe Earthquake did much mischief about Bath and Bristol and two more happened in England not long after In the Year 1348 a terrible Earthquake happened at Constantinople which endured six Weeks and reached as far as Hungary and Italy 26 Cities were overthrown by it 15. In the Year 1456 there arose upon the Sea of Ancona in Italy together with a thick gloomy Cloud that extended above two Miles a Tempest of Wind Water Fire Lightning and Thunder which piercing to the most deep Abysses of the Seas forced by the Waves with a most dreadful Fury and carried all before it upon the Land which caused so horrible an Earthquake some time after that the Kingdom of Naples was almost ruined and all Italy carried the dismal Marks of it A Million of Houses and Castles were buried in their own Ruins and above 30000 People crushed to pieces and a huge Mountain overturned into the Lake De la Garde Soon after was a dreadful Earthquake in Millan another in Hungary 16. In Sept. 14. 1509 there happened a terrible Earthquake at Constantinople and in the County thereabouts Bajazet the second being Emperour by the Violence whereof a great part of that Imperial City with many stately Buildings both publick and private were overthrown and 13000 People overwhelm'd and slain the Terror whereof was so great that the People generally forsook their Houses and lay abroad in the Fields yea Bajazet himself thô very aged and sore troubled with the Gout lay abroad in the Fields in his Tent. The Earthquake continued as the Turks relate for a Month with little intermission In the year 1531 in the City of Lisbon in Portugal about 1400 Houses were overthrown by an Earthquake and 600 more so sorely shaken that they were ready to fall and many Churches cast to the Ground 17. In 1538. Mr. George Sandy's gives a Relation of a Remarkable Earthquake and Burning which happened near the City of Puteoli with the New formed Mountain for September 29 1538. the Country thereabouts having for several days before been Tormented with perpetual Earthquakes that no one House was left intire but all expected an immediate ruine after the Sea had retired 200 paces from the Shoar leaving abundance of Fish and Springs of fresh Water arising in the bottom this Mountain visible ascended about the second Hour of the Night with an hideous roaring Noise horribly vomitting Stones and such store of Cinders as overwhelm'd all the Buildings thereabouts 18. In 1571 February 17 a Prodigious Earthquake happened in the Eastern parts of Herefordshire near a little Town called Kinaston about 6 in the Evening the Earth began to open and a Hill called Marckly Hill with a Rock under it made a mighty bellowing Noise heard a-far off and then lifted up it self a great height and began to Travel bearing along with it the Trees that grew upon it the Sheep-folds and Flocks of Sheep abiding thereon at the same time having thus walked from Sunday Evening to Monday Noon it left a gaping distance 40 Foot wide and 80 Ells long the whole Field about 20 Acres the same Prodigy happened about the same time in Blackmore in that County A great Earthquake at Constantinople an Earthquake and Inundation in Holland very great Thunder and Earthquake in Spain an Earthquake and Bowls of Fire in Corinthia the Sun seem'd to cleave in sunder 19. In 1580 April 6 being Easter-Wednesday about 6 in the Afternoon happened a great Earthquake in England which shook all the Houses Castles and Churches every where as it went and put them in danger of utter Ruin at York it made the Bells in the Churches jangle In 1581 in Peru in America there happened an Earthquake which removed the City of Augnangum two Leagues from the place where it stood without demolishing it in regard the Scituation of the whole Country was changed
Dorsershire and also in Essex Colchester Dedham Coxal and other places abound in Bays Says and other new Drapery Appleby and Kendal in Cumberland for its great Cloth-Manufacture 17. Among the Woollen-Manufacture of England may be reckon'd the Weaving and Knitting of Stookings the use of which Woven and Knit Stocking hath not been in this Nation longer than the beginning of King James's Reign It being very memorable what Dr. Fuller relates of one William Rider an Apprentice at the Foot of London-Bridge called St. Magnes-Church who seeing in the House of an Italian Merchant a pair of knit Worsted-Stockins which he brought from Mantua and taking special Observation of them made a pair exactly like them which he presented to William Earl of Pembrooke and they are said to be the first of that sort worn in England and thenceforward they became more and more in use so that for many Years they have been very much and are now altogether worn and are a great part of the Trade in most places where there is any thing of Woollen-Manufacture especially at Norwich also the Isles of Jersey and Guernsey have a particular Name Present State of England Part 3. p. 74 c. The Silk-Stockin-Frame a curious Contrivance invented by an Oxford Scholar as Dr. Plot tells us was first used at Nottingham Ibid. The Weavers-Loom-Engine hath not been in use many Years in England especially the highest Improvement thereof call'd the Duck-Loom brought in a few Years since by Mr. Crouch a Weaver in Bishopsgate-street Ibid. 18. Bone-Lace which is the chief of the Ornamentals worn in this Nation tho not so totally as before Needlework came in fashion which tho brought to great Perfection yet hath obtained less esteem since those of Flanders and the Points of de Venice in Italy and Lorrain in France came into fashion yet Honyton in Devonshire is a noted Town for this sort of Workmanship as likewise Salisbury and Marleborough in Wiltshire Oldney in Buckinghamshire Amersham and Chesham in the same Shire Blandford in Dorsetshlre which last place also hath been famous for making of Band-strings and now Point-Laces it is said are much made there It is observed that the only Thread made in England till within a few Years was made at Maeidston in Kent Ibid. 19. The Blanketing Trade of Witney is advanced to that height that no Place comes near it the chief Material whereof is Fell-wool which they separate into five or six sorts viz. Long Fell Wool Head VVool Bay Wool Ordinary Middle and Tail Wool Long Fell VVool they send to Taunton c. for making VVorsted Stockins of Head VVool and Bay VVool they make the Blankets of 12 11 or 10 Quarters broad and sometimes send it to Keddermincter for making their Stuffs and to Evesham c. for making Yarn-Stockins or into Essex for making Bays of the Ordinary and Middle they make Blankets of 8 and 7 Quarters broad and of those mixt with the courser Locks of Fleece-wool a sort of Stuff they call Duffeilds of which and Blankets consists the chief Trade of Witney Nat Hist. Oxfordsh p. 278. These Duffields so called from a Town in Brabant otherwise called Shags or Trucking-Cloth are made in Pieces about 30 Yards long and one Yard and three Quarters broad and dyed Fâ—ed or Blue to please the Indians with whom the Merchants truck them for Beaver and other Furs c. of their best Tail VVool aremade Blankets call'd Cuts of 6 Quarters broad which serves Seamen for their Harnmocks and of their worst they make VVednell for Coller-makers VVrappers to pack Blankets in and Tilt-Cloths for Bargemen Ibid. 20. The Starch is made of the shortest and worst Bran steept in a VVater prepared for that Purpose by a Solution at first of Roch-Allum about a Pound to a Hogshead which will last for ever after for 10 or 14 Days in great Tubs then washt through an Ofier Basket over three other Tubs the sowre VVater of the second Tub washing it into the first and the sore of the third into the second and clear water from the Pump washing it into the third the fine Flowre thus wash'd from the Bran let stand in its own water for about a week then being settled at the bottom it is stirred up again and fresh Pump-water added and strained from its smallest Bran through a Lawn-sieve then being left to settle again for one day the water is drawn off to a small Matter then standing two Days more it becomes so fixt that with a Birchen broom they sweep the water left at the top up and down upon it to cleanse it from Filth and then pouring it off they wash its Surface yet cleaner by dashing upon it a bucket of fair Pump-water Then being cut out of the Tubs in great pieces with sharp Trowels it is boxed up in Troughs having holes in the bottom to drain the water from it always putting wet Cloaths between the wood and it within a day they take it out lay it on cold Bricks for two Days and dry it over a Bakers Oven four or five Days together to make Powder for Hair but if intended for Starch they then give it the Stove to give it the Starch grain Ibid. 21. Dr. Plot speaking of the Soles he met with in Oxfordshire he mentions these viz. Clay Chalk and others from their different Mixtures called Maum Red Land Sour Land Stone-brask Sandy and Gravelly For Clay it being most kindly for VVheat it is fallowed in May stirred in June or July when Manured their Manure is sometimes Dung sometimes with Sheep folded upon it Thus it â—es till the time of sowing VVheat in case of weeds they give it a second stirring before the last for Sowing In strong Clay the sowe Cone-wheat and the next year Beans and the next plowing in the Bean-brush at All-Saints Barley if the Land be rank Sprat-barley the fourth Year it lies fallow and then after a Summer till they sow it with VVinter Corn again c. For Chalk-lands when designed for VVheat it is tilled as the Clay only laid in four or six furrowed Lands and soiled with the best Mould or Dung but half rotten but Barley and Vetches are the most suitable Grain Ray-Grass mixt with None-such or Trefoild are most proper for the poorest sort For Maumy viz. White-clay Chalk and some Sand it is commonly sown with Wheat Miscellan Barly c. having the same Tillage kept high in Ridges Lying dry and warm as the Clay Rottennest Dung is most proper here Pease are best after Wheat a smart showre presently after the Sead-time within two Days is dangerous Red-Land is tilled before the Clay if moist when fallowed the better It requires no double stirring and if too fine it runs to May-weed Horse Cow and Sheepfold Dong agree well with it which must be plowed in for Wheat in the end of July for Barley slater this lies fallow every other year Sour-Land if of strong Swarth is Fallowed when
absolute blindness or if removed much farther off would not serve our Necessities But of this more hereafter 5. Motion Incredibly swift insomuch that as Lessius saith such Stars as are near the Equinoctial Line do move every Hour Forty millions of Miles every Million being 1000000 and so in one Hour move more than comes to 2000 times the Compass of the Earth The Sun saith the same Author in the compass of one Hour goes in its motion 1000000 Miles whereupon 't is certain that in the same space of time it equals the Compass of the Earth in its Course above Fifty times What an amazing Wonder of Omnipotence is this Let those Atheistical Sinners think of it that call daily for a Miracle to prove the Being of a God Here 's a Miracle that presents before us every Day And every Man that hath Eyes in his Head if he hath Brains too may see it and wonder Why what would Men have a God to do more than this If he should make a fresh Creation of a World every Hour Men might still wink and disbelieve and still call for fresh Miracles As if the Almighty Jehovah had nothing else to do than humour the silly Passions of Hard-hearted Sinners of pitiful incredulous Worms Well! it will not be long but God will justifie himself to these Men before Angels and Devils and shew that he did not leave himself without Witness in the World 6. Influences Which are divers and some of them not known to us or discoverable to us I shall mention some 1. Warming these sublunary Bodies and infusing such a Heat into them as is necessary for Life and Motion insomuch that without it there would be no Generation no Motion no Life in the Creatures of this World Take away but the Sun out of the Firmament and no Spring would appear Man would be no more the Acts of Accretion Growing Feeling Moving Seeing Living would all cease presently Sol Homo generant hominem Nay were the Sun removed but as far from us as the Fixed Stats England would be Ireland and all our Year prove a cold Winter our very Senses would prove chill and our Reasons follow hard after them For Temperamentum animi sequitur temperamentum Corporis What an excellent God have we to deal with who accommodates us so kindly seasonably suitably with Fire and Fuel from Heaven not only to ferment the Clouds in order to Rain to dissolve the Snow and Hail to warm the Air that pierceth our Bodies to foment the Earth and make it fruitful but also cherish our Human Bodies and makes our Souls more pleasant which dwell in such warm Stoves If all the Wood and combustible Matter on the Earth were heaped together to make one Pile in order to a great Bonfire for the benefit of the Earth it would not do so much good but would come infinitely short as the Stars and Planets of Heaven Besides if the Warmth of the lower Orbs be so friendly and beneficial to our Natures What is the Grace of God that comes down from the Inner Heaven the Light of his Countenance to our Inner Souls If the Sun with its pleasant Rays makes the sublunary World smile and laugh and sing shall not the Special Grace and Favour of the Almighty much more put Gladness into our Hearts And make us chearful in the Service of our Maker If the presence of the Hosts of Heaven the Sun Moon and Stars be so comfortable what is the Presence of the Lord of Hosts the blessed God the Communion of the holy Jesus the Influences of the Spirit of Grace the Company of Angels Cherubim and Seraphim Let us say as Psal 4. Many say who will shew us any good c. Besides if the outward Court of this World be so comforted with the Warmth of the outward Parts of Heaven is there nothing in the Emperial Orbs in the Inner Chambers to refresh and comfort the Church of God! Is the Atrium Gentium so pleasant and is the Sanctum Sanctorum the Holy of Holies devoid and desolate 2. The Flux and Reflux Ebb and Flowing of the Sea that indeed depends as generally concluded upon the Moon only But that is such a Wonder in Nature that it sufficiently illustrates the Power and Wisdom of God Psal 107.21 22 23. Oh that Men would praise the Lord c. Thus God who daily makes the great and wide Seas to Ebb and Flow is able also to make the like Changes and Vicissitudes in the World in the Church He turneth Man to Destruction again he says return ye Children of Men c. Psal 90.3 5 6. Psal 107.31 32. c. 3. Other secret Influences and Operations unknown to us as to Weather Health Plenty and it may be Wars and Peace Prosperity and Afflictions Life and Death For so far Astrologers go but I would be wise unto Sobriety and not peer too far lest I should be taxed for Curiosity in all this the Glory of God appears 5. Of Comets Thunder and Lightning Air and Winds Storms and Tempests Hail Rain Snow and Frosts extraordinary Signs and Apparitions I Shall here speak of the other inferiour Appurtenances of Heaven I choose to range them under that Notion because I intend not so much a Lecture of Philosophy as a plain Discourse of Divinity I mean the Comets Thunder and Lightning Wind and Air Vapours and Exhalations Storms and Tempests Hail Rain and Snow strange Apparitions and Phenomena I hope my time will not be quite lost nor I censur'd for impertinent in treating on these Things God himself therefore exhibiting them that we might duly meditate upon them and deduce Inferences thence for his Glory 1. Comets and Blazing Stars or whatever else of that Nature appears in the Heavens above us I pass over those Meteors of lesser moment Falling-Stars Burning Launces Flying Dragons Skipping Goats Ignes Fatui and Licking Fires as Exhalations of inferiour wonder Comets are the most stupendious I hope no Body amongst Christians is so silly as Democritus who took them for the Souls of the Saints triumphing in Glory or as others Fires carried thither by Spirits only to astonish the World Whatever they are generated of for I will not meddle here with the Physical Consideration their meaning is something the God of Nature who is so wise as to make nothing in vain without all doubt puts them in the Heavens for some Sign or other Nor dare I be peremptory to sign the particular signification I humbly conceive the most that we can read in those Coelestial Hierogliphicks is that God is going to do some great Thing in the World and that at the hanging out of those Flags it behoves Men to enquire into their Lives and search their ways more narrowly and prepare to meet their God who is coming to Judge the World in Equity and maketh these Flames of Fire his Harbingers to prepare his Way and give Notice of his coming I shall not trouble you with
Brugis for W. Thackery at the Angel in Duck-Lane Let part of France and part of Germany and Spain look to it for they either offensively or defensively shall batter themselves or some other People and in as much as it is gotten into Capricorn I pray God keep the Dominions of Great Britain in Peace because under Capricorn is the North part of Sotland for it is much to be feared the Scots may once more Rebel against England c. And at last I shall now conclude with this Astrological prediction that within this five years all Europe shall go near to be up in Arms. Multi multa sciunt sed nemo omnia Thus far my Author too truely 12. A Neighbour and Friend of mine in Shropshire with whom I have had several discourses about the Lawfulness and certainty of Astrology always asserted the Lawfulness of it because he saw nothing but what was natural in it but confessed the uncertainty of it in many cases as others have done before him not through default of the Art but the Weakness and Unskilfulness of the Artist And he mentioned some particular Instances of his own Experiments wherein he had hit upon the Truth as particularly when one Captain C. near Salop had lost a Horse out of his Stable he was sent for and desired to cast a Figure which he accordingly did and gave such a particular description of the Man that had stole him and the way he was gone that by Virtue of his Directions the Horse was presently found His other Instances I remember not but he was reputed an honest Farmer a good Neighbour and a very facetious Man I suppose he is stil lliving 13. Prophesies Extracted from the Miscellanies of John Aubrey Esq to pass by the Prophesies of Holy-Writ the Prophesies of Nostraedamus do foretel very strangely but not easily understood till they are fulfilled The Book is now common In a Book of Mr. William Lilly's are Hieroglyphick Prophesies Viz. Of the great Plague of London expressed by Graves and Dead Corps and a Scheme with II ascending the Sign of London and no Planets in the XII Houses Also there is the Picture of London all on Fire also Moles creeping c. Perhaps Mr. Lilly might be contented to have People believe that this was from himself But Mr. Thomas Flatman Poet did affirm that he had seen those Hieroglyphicks in an old Parchment Manuscript Writ in the time of the Monks 14. There is a Prophecy of William Tyndal poor Vicar of Welling in the County of Hertford made in the beginning of Queen Elizabeth's Reign I have seen it It is in English Verse two Pages and an half in Folio It fore-told our late Wars I know one that read it Forty Years since 15. Before the Civil-Wars there was much talk of the Lady Ann Davys's Prophesies for which she was kept Prisoner in the Tower of London She was Sister to the Earl of Castlehaven and Wife to Sir John Davys Lord Chief Justice in Ireland I have heard his Kinsman Counsellor Davys of Shraftsbury say that she being in London I think in the Tower did tell the very time of her Husbands Death in Ireland Thus far Mr. Aubrey CHAP. XII Of ORACLES ALL that I propound to my self under this Head is to shew not what Illusions and Impostures were used by the Priests to Cheat the poor Votaries with that Addressed to them much less to vindicate them from the Frauds of Ambiguity and Vanity but to evince this That by them God Almighty permitted sometimes Things otherwise Secret and Future to be made known and this by the mediation of invisible Spirits as the Agents that some Responses were given by Oracles which could not be imputed to the Artifice of a Mechanical Statue nor yet to the Wit of the Priest that officiated As for Instance among the Heathen Oracles for such only I mean this place 1. The Oracle of Delphos the most Famed of all other being consulted for a Resolution of this Question Who was the most happy Man The Answer was made Phedius who died but a while before in the Service of his Countrey The same Question being sent a second time by Gyges one of the greatest Kings in those days of all the Earth viz. Who was the happiest Man next to Phedius The Answer was made Aglaus Sophidius This Aglaus was a good honest Man well stricken in Years dwelling in a very narrow Corner of Arcadia where he had a little House and Land of his own sufficient with the yearly Profits thereof to maintain him plentifully with ease out of which he never went but employed himself in the Tillage and Husbandry of it to make the best benefit he could in such manner that as it appeared by that course of Life as he coveted least so he felt as little Trouble and Adversity while he lived Plin. Nat. Hist l. 7. c. 46. 2. Julian the Apostate Op. p. 181. Ep. 38. makes frequent mention of Oracles in his time particularly in an Epistle to Maximus the Cynick concerning whose Trouble he had by another though at a great distance Consulted the Oracle and received an Apposite Answer Doctor Tenison against Hobbs The Doctor adds also that which is to my purpose viz. I cannot prevail upon my Mind to think that the Priests had no Assistance from Daemons 3. Extracted from the Miscellanies of Mr. Aubrey Hieronimus Cardanus Lib. III. Synesiorum Somniorum Cap. XV. treats of this Subject which see Johannes Scotus Erigena when he was in Greece did go to an Oracle to Enquire for a Treatise of Aristotle and found it by the Response of the Oracle This he mentions in his Works lately Printed at Oxford and is quoted by Mr. Anthony à Wood in his Antiquities of Oxen in his Life 4. Concerning the Oracles of the Sybils there hath been much Controversie and many Discourses spent but after all we have little of their Writings to rely upon excepting only those of the Cumaean Prophetess and those especially which are Recorded by Virgil yet that very same Year that Jerusalem was taken by Pompey it was noised abroad in the World That Nature was with Child for the People of Rome of a King that should Reign over them Whereupon as Suetonius writeth in the Life of Augustus the Senate being affrighted made Order That none Born in that Year should be brought up They who had Wives great with Child promising themselves some hopes thereupon took care lest this Decree of the Senate should be carried to the Treasury The same Year P. Cornelius Lentulus was stirred up therewith conceiving some hopes for himself as both Appian Plutarch Salustius and Cicero in his third Oration against Cataline testifie c. 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his Son who was then scarce ten Years of age that he should always propound and set before him the Thirty-sixth year of his Life as the utmost he should ever attain unto which neither he nor his Father had gone beyond and his Son never reach'd unto for Robert Devereux his Son and also Earl of Essex was beheaded in the Thirty-fourth year of his age So that his dying Father seemed not in vain to have Admonished him as he did but to speak by Divine Inspiration and Suggestion Cambd. Annal. rer Angl. Part 2. p. 277. 5. Philip de Mornay L. du Plessis was in Paris upon black St. Bartholomew's-Day when News was brought him that the Admiral was slain he leaped out of his Bed and whilst he was putting on his Cloaths he felt an extraordinary Motion in himself which caused him to say God will deliver me out of this danger and I shall live to see it revenged On the contrary Monsieur Rameny his Tutor presently answer'd And I shall die in it both which came to pass Clark's Examples Vol. 2. p. 552. 6. Mr. John Carter sometimes Minister of Belstead in Suffolk having long studied the Book of the Revelations some of his Friends ask'd him what he thought of the Future Estate of our Church here in England You shall not said he need to fear Fire and Faggot any more but such dreadful Divisions will be amongst God's People and Professors as will equalize the greatest Persecution Herein we have found him a true Prophet Ibid. 7. It may seem happily incredible to some to relate how many Years agon Dr. Vsher L. Primate of Ireland confidently foretold the Changes which since are come to pass both in Ireland and in England both in Church and State and of the Poverty which himself should fall into which he oft spoke of in his greatest Prosperity Some took much notice of the Text on which he preached in St. Maries in Cambridge Anno Christi 1625. Upon the late Coronation-Day out of 1 Sam. 12.25 If you still do wickedly you shall be consumed both you and your King Others of the last Text he preached on at Court immediately before his Return into Ireland on 1 Cor. 14.33 God is not the Author of Confusion but of Peace as in all the Churches of the Saints IN his application he spake of the Confusions and Divisions which he was confident were then at the Doors Ibid. 8. A. C. 1624. He spake before many Witnesses and oft repeated it afterwards that he was perswaded that the greatest stroke to the Reformed Churches was yet to come And that the time of the utter Ruin of the Roman Antichrist should be when he thought himself most secure according to that Text Rev. 18.7 When she shall say I sit as a Queen and shall see no Sorrow c. Ibid. 9. When in the Reign of Queen Mary Dr. Sands was forced to fly out of England he was oonvey'd to the House of one Mower a Master of a Ship at Milton-Shoarâ— and and when the Wind served he took his leave of his Landlord and Landlady who had been married eight Years and had no Child and when he took his Leave of the Woman he thank'd her kindly for his Entertainment and gave her his Handkercheif with an old Royal of Gold in it saying Be of good Comfort e're an Year be past God will give you a Son and it came to pass according For when there lacked but one day of a Twelvemonth she was brought to Bed of a fair Son Ibid. 10. A. C. 1601. Popery much increasing in Ireland and there being too much connivance at them Dr. Vsher preaching before the State at Christ-Church in Dublin gave them his Sence about that Toleration boldly applying that Passage in the Vision of Ezek. ch 4.6 Where the Prophet by lying on his Side was to bear the Iniquity of Judah Forty Days each Day being appointed for a Year signifying the time of Forty Years to the Destruction of Jerusalem whereupon he added From this Year will I reckon the Sin of Ireland that those whom you now embrace shall be your Ruin and you shall bear this Iniquity which accordingly came to pass at the end of the Forty Years viz. A. C. 1641. in the late Rebellion and Massacre in Ireland affected by those Papists that were then connived at See his Life in Dr. Bernard 11. About the Year 1544. There was in Scotland one Mr. George Wiseheart a Man of Admirable Graces and singularly Learned who first Preached in Ross then in Dundee where to the great Admiration of his hearers he went over the Epistle to the Romans till at the Instigation of the Cardinal one Robert Misle a chief Man in that Town inhibited him from Preaching and required that he should trouble their Town no more for he would not suffer it And this was spoken in the Publick Congregation Whereupon Mr. Whiseheart musing a space with his Eyes lift up to Heaven after a while looking sorrowfully upon the Speaker and People he said God is my Witness that I minded never your trouble but your comsort Yea your trouble is to me more dolorous than it is to your selves But I am assured that to refuse Gods word and to chase from you his Messenger shall not preserve you from trouble but shall bring you into it For God shall send unto you Ministers that shall neither fear Burning nor Banishment I have offered you the Word of Salvation with the hazard of my Life And now ye your selves refuse me and I must leave mine innocency to be declared by my God If it be long prosperous with you I am not led by the Spirit of Truth but if unlooked for troubles come upon you acknowledge the cause and turn to God who is Gracious and Merciful and if you turn not at the first warning he will visit you with Fire and Sword And so he came down from the Pulpit and went out of the Town And whilst he was Preaching up and down in the Countreys News was brought him that the Plague was broken out in Dundee which begun in four days after he was prohibited Preaching there and raged so extreamly that it 's almost beyond credit how many dyed in twenty four hours space c. The Cardinal very eagerly sought Mr. Wisehearts Death and for that end caused a Letter to be sent unto him as if it had been from his familiar Friend the Laird of Kinnur desiring him with all possible speed to come unto him for that he was taken with a sudden Sickness In the mean time he had provided Sixty Men Armed to lye in wait by the way to Murther him The Letter being brought unto him by a Boy who also brought him an Horse to ride on Accompanied with some honest Men his Friends he set forwards on his Journey But as he was riding stopping on a sudden and musing a while he turned back and said to his Friends I will not go I am forbidden of
by reading Isa 53. 24. Lyra Immanuel Tromelius Paulus Riccius Lud. Curetus were converted Jews 25. R. Hakkunas Ben Nehunia was Converted by Occasion of the Miracles which he saw I am Hakkunas one of them that believe and have washed my self with the Holy Waters and walk in those right ways being induced thereunto by Miracles Hottinger out of Suidas c. 26. Elias Levita before his death became a Christian and with thirty more Jews receiv'd Baptism but upon what Occasions and Inducements I cannot learn A. C. 1547. Alsted 27. Eve Cohan was Converted by occasion of reading the New Testament which she found in the Chamber of her Dancing-Master in Holland but being threatned and ill-treated by her Mother upon it marry'd her Master came over into England and was Baptized at London about half a score Years ago 28. J. Sul a Turkish Chaous was born in Constantinople and for his Dexterity in managing Affairs was imployed by the Grand Seignior in the Ambassies once in Venice once into Russia and once to the Emperor of Germany where he resided at Vienna eighteen Months He had also Thirty three Gallies under his Command This great Man was by one of his Father's Slaves who attended ordinarily upon him much and frequently importuned to believe that Jesus Christ was the Son of God the only true Prophet greater than Mahomet J. Sul for a long time refused to hearken to him and sharply rebuked him for speaking to him of that Matter and when yet the Slave would not be silent but he did oft beat him kick him and caused him to be Bastonadied for his Importunity all which the Slave endured with much Patience and told him that tho' he should kill him he would not be silent concerning the Matter And it pleased God that at last some special Providence concurring he was induced to believe that indeed Jesus Christ whom the Jews Crucified was the Son of God and now alive in Heaven having all Power in Heaven and Earth committed to him And hereupon he took up a secret Resolution within himself to forsake his natural Country and his Father's House and to fly to the Christians to learn the Law of Christ and to make an open Profession of his Name that so his Soul might be saved in the great day of the Lord being convinced that all the Pleasures and Enjoyments of this World whereof he had a large Portion could not make any Man happy here nor deliver him from Death nor bring him to the Assurance of obtaining Glory in the World to come But that owning the Name of Jesus Christ by Faith and Obedience would procure all this After he was convinced hereof and thereupon fully resolved to go into some Christian Countrey he was two whole Years before he could contrive and find out a way how he might escape with Safety For had he been discover'd he by their Law was to be burnt alive This made him the more wary at last God's Providence so order'd it that he got Safe into Smyrna and from thence to Leghorn At Leghorn he was honourably entertain'd by one of the great Duke's Cousins who would have had him baptiz'd but because he was recommended to the Arch-Bishop of Paris and was to be conducted thither by some that came with him from Smyrna he excused himself and rejected that Favour At Paris he was receiv'd with much Respect as a Person of Quality and lodged in St. Lazaro a place appointed for entertaining and Instruction of Proselites who were bountifully there entertain'd The Priest that was to instruct and fit him for Baptism would have imposed upon his Belief and Practice in these things That Christ is in the Host That an Agnus Dei hath a Divine Virtue in it That the Crucifix is to be worshipped That the Pope is a Saint and Christ's Vicar That Saints and Images are to be respected in the Worship of God But in these Points he did so argue with them that they could not convince him and therefore were forced to let him alone And he was much troubled to find himself yoaked with Men of such a Belief so that he had thoughts of returning to Constantinople if the way had been open to him Whilst he lay under these Temptations Providence so order'd it that he fell into Acquaintance with two Arabians who were become Protestants By their means he got notice that there were besides the Papists among whom he was other Christians in Paris whose Faith and Worship was free from Superstition and a way was contriv'd how he should be brought into Acquaintance with them for under pretence of walking abroad to take the Air he shifted himself of the company of those which attended him from St. Lazaro and went with the Arabians to the House of a Protestant and was made acquainted with the Protestant Ministers in Paris who took special Care of him for the space of Forty three Days In which time they instructed him diligently in the Truth which also he did heartily embrace But great Search being made for him and they not being able to protect him from the Power of those who would have taken him into England where he arrived March the last and was entertain'd kindly and after 2. while had Means of Subsistence provided for him and was committed to the Care of Mr. Durie and Mr. Calandrine who took a great deal of pains in instructing him in the Principles of Religion and in observing his Conversation And in Process of time when he had gained a competent measure of Knowledge which he greedily drank and had given good Evidence of the Soundness and Sincerity of his Faith he was put upon making a Consession of his Faith which was written in French and being translated into English was publickly read to the whole Congregation It was subscribed thus J. Sul Chaous the Slave of my Lord Jesus Christ. After which the Minister that was to Baptize him asked him Whether he did not renounce before God and that Gongregation the Mahometan Sect He answer'd Yea He did renounce it utterly Q. Do you desire to make Profession of the Christian Faith and to be baptiz'd in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost as a Disciple of Christ A. Yea It is my earnest desire Q. Are you resolved in the future Course of your Life to submit to all the Ordinances of Christ c. A. Yea It is my sincere Resolution After this he was Baptized by the Name of Richard Christophilus Jan. 30. 1658. in the Church of St. Paul Covent-Garden See the Printed Narrative at large or Mr. Clark 's Abridgment of it in his Examples Vol. 2. c. 23. p. 120 121. c. 29. One Richard White a Smith of Wilden-Hall was a prophane Atheistical Man and believing that there was no Devils in his Cups would wish he could once see the Devil if there were such a Thing and that suddenly he changed his Life and became a Prosessor of Zeal
God first a wonderful preservation of his Life in a publick tumult at Lyons in France must make way which forces from him the Acknowledgement of a Deity Then his Father sends for him home and with much gentleness perswades him to read the Scriptures he lights upon the first of John and with it he feels a Divine Supernatural Majesty and Power seizing his Soul which brought him over by a compleat Conversion to Jesus Christ Thus as the Woman of Tekoa told David doth God devise means to bring back his Banished Flav. Divine Conduct p. 61. 4. Lavater tells us that many Spanish Souldiers going into the Wars of Germany were there converted to Christ by falling into the Cities and Towns where Godly Ministers and Christians were Ibid. 5. A Minister of Wales who had two Livings but took little care of either being at a Fair bought something at a Pedlars standing and rent off a Leaf of Mr. Perkin's Catechism to wrap it in and reading a line or two in it God set it home so as it did the work Ibid. 6. The Marriage of a Godly Man into a Carnal Family hath been ordered by Providence for the Conversion and Salvation of many therein Thus we read in the Life of that renowned English worthy Mr. John Bruen that in his second Match it was agreed that he should have one Years Diet in his Mother-in-Laws House During his abode there that year saith Mr. Clark the Lord was pleased by his means Graciously to work upon her Soul as also upon his Wifes Sister and half Sister their Brothers Mr. William and Thomas Fox with one or two of the Servants in that Family Ibid. p. 62. 7. Augustine once Preaching to his Congregation forgot the Argument which first he proposed and fell upon the Error of the Manichees beside his first intention By which discourse he converted one Firmus his Auditor who fell down at his Feet Weeping and Confessing he had lived a Manichee many Years Possidonius in vita Augustini c. 15. Flavel's Div. Conduct p. 63. 8. I knew one saith Mr. Flavel who going to Preach took up another Bible than that he designed in which not onely missing the Notes but the Chapter also in which his Text by was put to some loss thereby But after a short pause he resolved to speak to any other Scripture that might be presented to him and accordingly read that Text 2 Pet. 3.9 The Lord is not slack concerning his Promise c. And tho he had nothing prepared yet the Lord helpt him to speak both Methodically and Pertinently from it By which discourse a Gracious change was wrought upon one in that Congregration who hath since given good Evidence of a sound Conversion and Acknowledged this Sermon to be that first and onely means thereof Mr. Flavel's Div. Conduct p. 63. 9. One who had lived many Years in a Town where Christ had been as clearly and as long Preached as in any Town of England when he was about Seventy Six Years of Age went to visit a Sick Neighbour A Christian Friend of mine saith mine Author came to see him also and finding this Old Man there whom he Judged to be one that lived upon his own Stock Civility good Works c. He purposely fell into that Discourse to shew how many Persons lived upon their Duties but never came to Christ The Old Man sitting by the Bed-side heard him and God was pleased to convince him that he was such a Parson who had lived upon himself without Christ to that day and would say afterwards had I died before Threescore and Sixteen I had perisht for I knew not Christ Mr. Firmin in his Real Christian p. 97 98. 10. In the Year 1673. There came into this Port saith Mr. Flavel meaning Dartmouth a Ship of Poole in her return from Virginia in which Ship was one of that place a lusty Young Man of Twenty Three Years of Age who was a Chirurgeon in the Ship This Person in the Voyage fell into a deep Melancholly which the Devil greatly improved to serve his own design for the ruin of this Poor Man however it pleased God to restrain him from any attempts upon his own Life until he arrived here But shortly after his arrival upon the Lords Day early in the morning being in Bed with his Brother he took a Knife prepared for that purpose and cut his own Throat and withal leapt out of the Bed and tho the wound was deep and large yet thinking it might not soon enough dispatch his wretched Life desperately thrust it into his Stomach and so lay wallowing in his own Blood till his Brother awaking made a cry for help Hereupon a Physician and a Chirurgeon coming in found the wound in his Throat mortal and all they could do at present was onely to stitch it and apply a Plaister with design rather to enable him to speak for a little while than with any Expectation of cure for before that he breathed through the wound and his Voice was Inarticulate In this condition I found him that morning and apprehending him to be within a few Minutes of Eternity I laboured to work upon his Heart the sence of his condition telling him I had but little time to do any thing for him and therefore desired him to let me know what his own apprehensions of his present condition were He told me he hoped in God for Eternal Life I replyed that I feared his hopes were ungrounded for that the Scripture tell us No Murderer hath Eternal Life abiding in him but that was self-murther the grossest of all murthers And insisting upon the Aggravation and Heinousness of the Fact I perceived his vain Confidence began to fall and some Moltings of Heart appear'd in him He then began to lament with many Tears his Sin and Misery and asked me if there might yet be hope for one that had destroy'd himself and shed his own Blood I reply'd the Sin indeed is great but not unpardonable and if the Lord gave him Repentance unto Life and Faith to apply Jesus Christ it should be certainly pardon'd to him And finding him unacquainted with these things I open'd to him the Nature and Necessity of Faith and Repentance which he greedily suckt in and with great Vehemency cried to God that he would work them upon his Soul and intreated me also to pray with him and for him that it might be so I pray'd with him and the Lord thaw'd his Heart exceedingly The Duties of the Day necessitating me to leave him I briefly summ'd up what was most necessary in my parting counsel to him and took my leave never expecting to see him any more in this World But beyond my own and all Men's Expectation he continued all that day and panted most ardently after Christ Jesus no Discourses pleased him but Christ and Faith and in this Frame I found him in the Evening He rejoiced greatly to see me again and entreated me to continue my
Discourses upon these Subjects and after all told me Sir the Lord hath given me Repentance for this Sin yea and for every other Sin I see the evil of Sin now so as I never saw it before Oh I loath my self I am a very vile Creature in my own Eyes I do also believe Lord help my unbelief I am heartily willing to take Christ upon his own Terms One thing troubles me I doubt this bloody Sin will not be pardoned Will Jesus Christ said he apply his Blood to me that have shed my own I told him Christ shed his Blood even for them that with wicked Hands had shed the Blood of Christ and that was a Sin of deeper Guilt than this Well said he I will cast my self upon Christ let him do by me what he pleases And so I parted with him that Night Next Morning the Wounds were to be open'd and then the Opinion of the Chyrurgeon were he would immediately expire Accordingly at his Desire I came that Morning and found him in a most serious frame I prayed with him and then the Wound in his Stomach was opened but by this time the Ventricle it self was swoln out of the Orifice of the Wound and lay like a live discolour'd Tripe upon his Body and was also cut through so that all concluded it was impossible for him to live however they stitch'd the Wound in the Stomach enlarged the Orifice and fomented it and wrought it again into his Body and so stitching the Skin left him to the Dispose of Providence But so it was that both the deep VVound in his Throat and this in his Stomach healed and the more dangerous VVound Sin had made upon his Soul was I trust effectually healed also I spent many Hours with him in that Sickness and after his return home received this Account from Mr. Samuel Hardy a Minister in that Town Part whereof I shall Transcribe Dear Sir I was much troubled at the sad Providence in your Town but did much rejoyce that he fell into such Hands for his Body and Soul You have taken much Pains with him and I hope to good purpose I think if ever a great and thorough VVork were done such a way it is now and if never the like I am perswaded now it is Never grow weary of such good VVorks One such Instance is methinks enough to make you to abound in the work of the Lord all your days Flavel's Divine Conduct CHAP. XXI Wants strangely supplied JOseph was sold into Egypt by the Envy of his Brethren to make Provision for them and their Father in a time of Famine Elijah is fed by an Angel when he was ready to starve with Hunger under the Juniper-Tree and found to his great Surprizal a Cake baked on the Coals and a Cruise of Water at his Head another time by a Raven who brought him Bread and Flesh Morning and Evening and a third time by the Wisdom of Zarepheth's Barrel of Meal and Cruise of Oyl which failed not so long as there was necessity of it What should I tell of Daniel and the three Children's Pulse and Water our Saviour's Loaves and Fishes of the Money found in the Belly of a Fish of the great Draught of Fishes that astonished St. Peter into Amazement God feedeth the young Ravens c. 1. Origen with his poor Mother and six Children after the Father's Death and the Confiscation of all his Goods to the Emperor procured a Sustenance for himself and them by teaching a Grammar-School and after being weary of that Profession he betook himself to the stndy of Sacred Scripture and Divinity and thus throwing himself upon Divine Providence it pleased God he was entertain'd by a Religious and Rich Matron together with his Mother and Brethren Clark's Marr. of Eccl. Hist 2. Mr. Samuel Clark in the Life of that painful and humble Servant Mr. John Fox records a memorable Instance or Providence and it is thus That towards the end of King Henry the Eighth his Reign he went to London where he quickly spent that little his Friends had given him or he had acquired by his own Diligence and began to be in great want As one day he sat in St. Paul's Church spent with long Fasting his Countenance thin and his Eyes hollow after the ghastful manner of dying Men every one shunning a Spectacle of so much horror There came one to him whom he had never seen before and thrust an untold Sum of Money into his Hand bidding him be of good Cheer and accept that small Gift in good part from his Country-man and that he should make much of himself for that within a few Days new Hopes were at Hand and a more certain Condition of Livelihood Three Days after the Dutchess of Richmond sent for him to live in her House and be Tutor to the Earl of Surrey's Children then under her Care 3. Mr. Isaac Ambrose a worthy Divine whose Labours have made him acceptable to his Generation in his Epistle to the Earl of Bedford prefixed to his last things gives a pregnant Instance in his own Case his Words are these For my own part saith he however the Lord hath seen cause to give me but a poor pittance of outward things for which I bless his Name yet in the Income thereof I have many times observ'd so much of his peculiar Providence that thereby they have been very much sweetned and my Heart hath been raised to admire his Grace When of late under an hard Dispensation which I iudge not mete to mention wherein I suffer'd conscientiously all Streams of wonted Supplys being stopt the VVaters of Relief for my self and Family did run low I went to Bed with some Staggerings and Doubtings of the Fountains letting out it self for our refreshing but e're I did awake in the Morning a Letter was brought to my Bed-side which was signed by a choice Friend Mr. Anthony Ash which reported some unexpected breakings out of God's Goodness for my Comfort These are some of his Lines Your God who hath given you an Heart thankful to record your Experiences of his Goodness doth renew Experiences for your Encouragement Now shall I report one which will raise your Spirit towards-the God of your Mercies VVhereupon he sweetly concludes One Morsel of God's Provision especially when it comes in unexpected and upon Prayer when wants are most will be more sweet to a Spiritual Relish than all former Enjoyments were Flavel's Divine Conduct p. 93. 4. Rochell was strangely relieved by a Shoal of Fish that came into the Harbour when they were ready to perish with Famine such as they never observed before nor after that time Ibid. p. 31. 5. Mr. William Garaway a Gentleman sufficiently known for his excellent Parts and Activeness and Fidelity to both King and Country in several Parliaments during these three last Reigns told me lately of another such a Special and Remarkable Providence as this was which happened to a certain Sea-Port Town in England
reacheth to all Mankind but is most illustriously visible in watching over Kings and Princes those Great Instruments of Good to Mankind and so we find it Recorded in more Capital and Legible Characters by the Pen-Men of S. Scripture and so we may find it too in Humane Histories It would be too wide a Field to walk in to take a Prospect of Foreign Nations I shall in this place confine my self to my Own and Remark a little what signal Deliverances our Princes have received since the Reformation I. In the Reign of Queen Elizabeth 1. Pope Paulus Quintus a Man of a fierce Nature and Disposition A. C. 1569. was so far wrought upon That in the most Solemn manner that could be he Excommunicated and Anathematized our Blessed Queen and caused a Brief thereof with his Leaden Bull annexed thereto to be fastned to the Gate of the Bishop of London's Palace near Pauls Church by one John Felton who being Apprehended confessed the Fact and received the reward of his Treason on a Gibbet before the said Gate This Excommunication caused much Trouble on Man's part but manifold Preservations and Deliverances on God's part 2. A C. 1563. Arthur Poole of the Race of George Duke of Clarence of the House of York with sundry of his Kindred and Alliance Conspired to set on foot again the Title of Mary Queen of Scots and to bring an Army out of France into Wales to back the same but before they could bring their Plot to maturity it was discovered and themselves Condemned 3. A. C. 1570. the Earls of Northumberland and Westmoreland encouraged by Promises of Aid from the Pope and Spaniard raised a Rebellion against the Queen in the Northern Parts but the Fire was soon quenched the Earl of Northumberland being taken and Beheaded and the Earl of Westmoreland flying beyond Sea ended his Days in a poor and mean Condition 4. A. C. 1570 John Story Doctor of Law a Spy to the Duke de Alva Conspired with one Prestol a Man much addicted to Magick and a Subject to the King of Spain against the Life of Queen Elizabeth He gave Intelligence to the said Duke how he might Invade England and cause Ireland to revolt But God brought this Treason to light Story and Prestol were by the Parliament Condemned for Treason and accordingly Executed 5. A. C. 1571. The Bishop of Rosse practised with sundry English Men to intercept Queen Elizabeth and to trouble the Parliament then sitting that so another Queen might be set up instead of Elizabeth but there fell out such mutual Mistrust amongst the Conspirators that their Plot turned to their own Confusion 6. A. C. 1578. Thomas Stukely an English Fugitive plotted with Pius V. and Gregory XIII to Lead Forces into Ireland to Assist the Rebels and to Conquer it for the Pope's Natural Son for which purpose he was made General of 8000 Italian Soldiers but by the persuasion of Sebastian King of Portugal he first led his Troops into Mauritania and was there Slain 7. A. C. 1580. Nicholas Sanders an English Priest had a Consecrated Banner given him by the Pope and an Army of Spaniards wherewith he entred Ireland and joyning with the Rebels caused a great Insurrection but it proved the Ruin of himself and of all his Accomplices 8. A. C. 1581. Robert Parsons Edmond Campion with other Seminary Priests were sent by the Pope from Rome to England to with-draw the Queen's Subjects from their Allegiance and to prepare them to take part with Foreign Powers when sent into England but their design was frustrated Campion Shâ—rwin Kirby and Bryant were Convicted Condemned for High Treason and accoadingly Executed 9. A. C. 1583. John Somervil was Apprehended as he came in a desperate manner to have killed the Queen being moved thereto as himself confessed by the Reading of certain Popish Books published by certain Priests After his Condemnation he Strangled himself in Newgate 10. A. C. 1585. Will. Parry Doctor of Law made a promise to kill the Queen upon promise of Absolution from the Pope but through Terror he deferred till his Treason was discovered and he received a due Reward for the same A. C. 1586. John Ballard a Romish Priest persuaded some Gentlemen to kill the Queen as she was going to take the Air which they vowed to do but being discovered before the Effect Fourteen of them were Executed as Traitors A. C. 1587. William Stafford a young Gentleman and one Moody a desperate Ruffian were Suborned by a Foreign Ambassador then in England to kill the Queen but were prevented 13. A. C. 1588. Philip formerly of England then King of Spain endeavoured by his Invincible Armado to recover England the Strength of which take out of Ranzovius's Com. Bell. l. 1. c. 8. The Navy consisted of 130 Ships and carried 57868 Lasts Soldiers c. 19295. Sea-Men 8052. great Guns 2441. Pilas seu glandes Tormentarias I know not well whether my Author means Mortar-Pieces or Cannon-Bullets 123090. Hundreds of Powder 1151. a great quantity of fresh Water Dishes Candles Lamps Clubs Leather Tow Flax and Straw to stop the chinks of the Ships great Plenty Shields Wax-Candles Tallow-Candles long Sacks a great Number for carrying of the great Guns 40 Mules together with Wagons Wheels c. Field-Pieces 1500. long Guns 7000. Forked and Crooked at the Handle 1000. Halbards and Axes 1000. Short Pikes 6000. Pioneers 700. Persons needful for such an Expedition Stipendiary Soldiers Gunners Physicians Chirurgeons Priests Monks Nobles Servants Governours Judges Admirals Mariners Seamen Cooks c. almost 30693. Provision for 6 Months thus Hundreds of Bisket 11000 Barrels of Wine 21255 Hundreds of Salt Flesh 6000 Hundreds of Cheese 3433 Hundreds of Salt Fish 8000 Hundreds of Oats 3000 Hundreds of Beans c. 6320 Baths of Oil 11398 Baths of Vinegar 13687 Pipes of Potable Water 11870 Paid to the Soldiers for Stipend 12000 Ducats besides a great quantity of Gold and Silver for carrying on and maintaining the War And yet saith my Author the English discharged upon this Fleet 10000 Guns Pant. Attic. Bellar. par 2. p. 208 209. ex Comment Bell. Ranzov l. 1. c. 8. 14. A. C. 1593. Patrick Cullin an Irish Fencer was hired by English Fugitives in the Low Countries to kill the Queen and with that purpose came over but Intelligence being given thereof he was Apprehended and Executed 15. The same Year Edmond York and Richard Williams were hired in like manner to kill the Queen and to burn her Navy with Balls of wild Fire but the mischief was prevented and they deservedly Executed 16. A. C. 1598. Edward Squire being in a Ship on the Sea was taken by the Spaniards and by them carried into Spain where he was suborned and directed by Richard Whalepool and English Fugitive and a Jesuit to destroy the Queen by laying a strong Poyson which the Jesuit then gave him on the pummel of the Sadle whereon the Queen should ride that she laying her Hand thereon might carry the
scent to her Nose and thereby receive it into her Brain which if she had done it had been her Death Never any Treason against her came so near to Execution as this For the Traytor Squire observed his Direction did the Deed and that immediately before the Queen rode abroad but the Divine Providence kept her from touching the Pummel with her Hand yet was the Treason discovered and the Traytor received his reward 17. A. C. 1599. The Earl of Tyr-Owen an Irish-man having been some while in Spain returned from thence with a Rebellious Mind and by the Assistance of Spain and the Popish Faction raised a Rebellion whereby more damage accrued to the Queen and State than by any other Rebellion all her Days yet by the good hand of God this Rebellion also was subdued and that Land secured and quieted 18. A. C. 1600. There was a Plot for the removing some of the Queens chief Officers and Councellors from about her which had it been effected might have proved dangerous to her Person and State the rather because many Papists had a great hand in that Conspiracy But the Lord prevented the mischief intended 19. A. C. 1602. Henry Garnet Superiour of the Jesuits in England Robert Tresmand Jesuit Robert Catesby Francis Tresham and others in the Name of all the Romish Catholicks in England imployed Thomas Winter into Spain to obtain an Army from thence to joyn with a Popish Army that should be raised here to change the Government and Religion setled among us Spain and England being then at Wars the motion was readily embraced by the Spaniards and an hundâ—ed thousand Crowns promised to help forward the business but before any thing could be effected it pleased God to take away that Peerless Princess full of Years in peace on her Bed having Reigned Gloriously 44 Ysars four Months and seven Days being sixty nine Years six Months and seventeen Days old II. In the Reign of King James 1. In the first Year of his Reign before he was solemnly Anointed and Crowned Watson and Clark two Romish Priests drew into their Conspiracy some Noble Men some Knights and some Gentlemen to surprise the King and his Son Prince Henry presuming on Foreign Forces for Aid and Assistance intending to alter Religion and to set up such Officers of State as they ohought best but their Plot before it came to execution was discovered the Traytors Condemned some of them Executed and others through the Kings Clemency spared Garnet and Tresmond Jesuits with Catesby and Tresham notwithstanding the Death of Queen Elizabeth when they saw that King James Defended the same Faith continued to solicit the King of Spain to send an Army into England to joyn with the Forces of the Papists here for Extirpation of Religion But the King of Spain being in Treaty with the King of England about Peace refused to hearken to any such motion whereupon they together with other Unnatural and Trayterous Subjects Plotted the matchless merciless devilish and damnable Gun-powder Treason as is now to be shewed The Plot was to under-mine the Parliament-House and with Powder to blow up the King Prince Clergy Nobles Knights and Burgesses the very Confluence of all the flower of Glory Piety Learning Prudence and Authority in the Land Fathers Sons Brothers Allies Friends Foes Papists and Protestants all at one blast Their intent when that Irreligious Atchievement had been performed was to surprize the remainder of the King's Issue to alter Religion and Government and to bring in a Forreign Power Sir Edmond Baynam an attainted Person who stiled himself Prince of the Damned Crew was sent unto the Pope as he was the Temporal Prince to acquaint him with the Gun-powder Plot and now to the Plot it self The Sessions of Parliament being dissolved July 7th A. C. 1605. and Prorogued to the 7th of February following Catesby being at Lambeth sent for Thomas Winter who before had been imployed into Spain and acquainted him with the design of blowing up the Parliament-House who readily apprehending it said This indeed strikes at the Root only these helps were wanting a House for Residence and a skilfull Man to carry the Mine but the first Catesby assured him was easie to be got and for the Man he commended Guy Fawkes a sufficient Souldier and a forward Catholick Thus Robert Catesby John Wright Thomas Winter and Guy Fawkes had many Meetings and Conferences about the business till at last Thomas Piercy came puffing into Catesby's Lodging at Lambeth saying What Gentlemen shall we always be thinking and never do any thing You cannot be ignorant how things proceed To whom Catesby answered that something was resolved on but first an Oath for Secrecy was to be Administred for which purpose they appointed to meet some three Days after behind St. Clements Church beyond Temple-Bar where being met Peircy professed that for the Catholick cause himself would be the Man to advance it were it with the slaughter of the King which he was ready to undertake and do No Tom. said Catesby thou shalt not adventure thy self to so small purpose if thou wilt be a Traytor there is a Plot to greater Advantage and such a one as can never be discovered Hereupon all of them took the Oath of Secresie heard a Mass and received the Sacrament after which Catesby told them his devilish Devise by Mine and Gun-powder to blow up the Parliament-House and so by one stroke with the Destruction of many effect that at once which had been many Years attempting And for case of Conscience to kill the Innocent with the nocent he told that it was Warrantable by the Authority of Garnet himself the Superiour of the English Jesuits and of Garrard and Tresmond Jesuitical Priests likewise who by the Apostolical Power did commend the Fact and Absolve the Actors The Oath was given them by the said Garrard in these words You shall swear by the blessed Trinity and by the Sacrament you now purpose to receive never to disclose directly nor indirectly by Word or Circumstance the Matter that shall be proposed to you to keep secret nor desist from the Execution thereof until the rest shall give you leave The Project being thus far carried on in the next place the first thing they sought after was a House wherein they might begin the Work for which purpose no place was held fitter than a certain Edifice adjoyning to the Wall of the Parliament-House which served for a With-Drawing Room to the Assembled Lords and out of Parliament was at the disposal of the Keeper of the place and Wardrobe thereto belonging These did Piercy hire for his Lodgings entertained Fawkes as his Man who changed his Name into Johnson had the Keys and keeping of the Rooms Besides this they hired another House to lay in Provision of Powder and to frame and to fit Wood in for the carrying on the Mine which Catesby provided at Lambeth and Swore Robert Keyes into their Conspiracy whom he made the
the Odiousness of the Fact and to impute the Treason to the discontented Puritans Fawkes coming into Flanders found Owen unto whom after the Oath he declared the Plot which he very well approved of but Sir William Stanley being now in Spain Owen said that he would hardly be drawn into the Business having Suits now in England at the Court Yet he promised to engage him all that he could and to send into England with the first so soon as the Plot had taken Effect Upon this Fawkes to avoid further Suspicion kept still in Flanders all the beginning of September and then returning receiv'd the Keys of the Cellar and laid more Powder Billets and Faggots which done he retired into the Country and there kept till the end of October In the mean time Catesby and Peircy meeting at the Bath it was there concluded that because their numbec was but few Catesby himself should have power to call in whom he would to assist their design by which Authority he took in Sir Everard Digby of Rutlandshire and Francis Tresham Esq of Northamptonshire both of them of sufficient State and Wealth For Sir Everard offer'd Fifteen Hundred Pounds to forward the Action and Tresham Two Thousand But Peircy disdaining that any should out-run him in Evil promised Four Thousand Pounds out of the Earl of Northumberland's Rents and ten swift Horses to be used when the Blow was past Against which time to provide Ammunition Catesby also took in Ambrose Rookwood and John Grant two Recusant Gentlemen and without doubt others were acquainted also with it had these two grand Electors been apprehended alive whose own Tongues only could have given an Account of it The business being thus forwarded abroad by their Complices they at home were no less active For Peircy Winter and Fawkes had stored the Cellar with thirty fix Barrels of Gunpowder and instead of Shot has said upon them Bars of Iron Logs of Timber Massie stones Iron Crows Pickaxes and all their working Tools and to cover all great Store of Billets and Faggots so that nothing was wanting against that great and terrible day Neither were the Priests and Jesuits slack on their parts who usually concluded their Masses with Prayers for the good Success of their expected Hopes Upon Thursday in the Evening ten Days before the Parliament was to begin a Letter directed to the Lord Monteagle was deliver'd by an unknown Person to his Footman in the Street with a strict Charge to give it into his Lords own Hands which accordingly he did The Letter had neither Date nor Subscription and was somewhat unlegible This Letter was imparted to the Earl of Salisbury then Principal Secretary and they both presently acquainted the Lord Chamberlain next to the Earl of Worcester and Northampton and last to the King as followeth My Lord Out of the Love I bear to some of your Friends I have a care of your Preservation Therefore I would advise you as you tender your Life to devise some Excuse to shift off your Attendance at this Parliament For God and Man have concurr'd to punish the Wickedness of this time And think not slightly of this Advertisement but retire your self into your Country where you may expect the Event in safety For though there be no Appearance of any Stir yet I say they shall receive a terrible Blow this Parliament and yet they shall not see who hurts them This Counsel is not to be contemned because it may do you good and can do you no harm For the danger is past so soon as you have burnt the Letter and I hope God will give you the Grace to make a good use of it to whose holy Protection I commend you His Majesty after reading this Letter pausing a while and then reading it again deliver'd his Judgment that the Stile of it was too quick and pithy to be a Libel proceeding from the Superfluities of an idle Brain and by these Words That they should receive a terrible Blow at this Parliament and yet should not see who hurt them he presently apprehended that a sudden Danger by a Blast of Gunpowder was intended by some base Villain in a Corner though no Insurrection Rebellion or desperate Attempt appear'd And therefore wished that the Rooms under the Parliament-House should be thoroughly searched before himself or Peers should sit therein Hereupon it was concluded that the Lord-Chamberlain according to his Office should view all Rooms above and below but yet to prevent idle Rumours and to let things ripen further it was resolved that this Search should be deferr'd till Monday the day before the Parliament met and that then it should be done with a seeming slight Eye to avoid Suspect According to this Conclusion the Earl of Suffolk Lord-Chamberlain upon Monday in the Afternoon accompanied with the Lord Monteagle repair'd into these Under-Rooms and finding the Cellar so fully stored with Wood and Coals demanded of Fawkes the counteffeit Johnson who stood there attending as a Servant of small Repute who owned the place He answer'd that the Lodgings belong'd to Master Thomas Peircy and the Cellar also to lay in his Winter-Provision himself being the Keeper of it and Master Thomas Peircy's Servant whereunto the Earl as void of any Suspicion told him That his Master was well provided for Winter Blasts But when they were come forth the Lord Monteagle told him That he did much suspect Peircy to be the Inditer of the Letter knowing his Affection in Religion and the Friendship betwixt them professed so that his Heart gave him as he said when heard Peircy named that his Hand was in act The Lord-Chamberlain returning related to the King and Council what he had seen and the Suspition that the Lord Monteagle had of Peircy and himself of Johnson his Man all which increased His Majesties Jealousie so that he insisted contrary to the Opinion of some that a harrow Search should be made and the Billets and Coals turn'd up to the bottom and accordingly the Search was concluded to be made but under colour of searching for certain Hangings belonging to the House which were missing and conveyed away Sir Thomas Knevet a Gentleman of His Majesties Privy-Chamber was employ'd herein who about Midnight before the Parliament was to begin went to the place with a small but trusty number of Persons And at the Cellar Door entring in finding one who was Guy Fawkes at so unseasonable an Hour cloaked and booted he apprehended him and ransacking the Billets he found the Serpent's Nest stored with Thirty six Barrels of Powder and then searching the Villain he found a Dark-Lanthorn about him three Matches and other Instruments for blowing up the Powder And being no whit daunted he instantly confessed his Guiltiness vowing that if he had been within the House he would have blown up House and self and all and before the Council lamented nothing so much as that the Deed was not done saying The Devil and not God was the Discoverer
from their very Enemies The Prodigies of our Saviour's Crucifixion procured a free Confession from some of his Enemies that certainly he was the Son of God See more Instances 1. Polycarp when first apprehended was pitied by many of his Enemies that so holy honest and aged a Man should be put to death After his Prayer at the Stake the flame framed it self in manner of a Vault or Sail of a Ship with the blustering Blasts of Wind so that it touched not the Holy Martyr's Body which sent forth a fragrant Smell like Frankincense but the cruel Persecutors thereupon call'd for a Tormentor to thrust him thro' the Side with a Spear which being done Blood issued out so abundantly that it quenched the Fire to the Astonishment of all Beholders Clark's Marr. of Eccl. Hist. 2. Dionysius the Areopagite being aimed at by the Idolatrous Priests who envied his Success in the Ministery with his gracious Lustre and Radiancy of Countenance abashed and so affrighted his Adversaries that they fled away Ibid. Some say that by the order of Sisinnius the Prefect of Gaul being thrown to wild Beasts they would not tear him put into a hot Oven it would not burn him at last was condemned to Decollation Ibid. 3. Justin Martyr seems accomplish'd by the Divine Providence to make a stout Apology to the Heathen Emperors for his Christian Brethren by passing first through all the famous Schools of the Heathen Philosophers by which means he was enabled and fitted to attack them with their own Weapons which he did ingeniously and couragiously and effectually in his Plea to Antoninus Pius c. Ibid. 4. Tertullian was raised in a seasonable time by God Almighty to plead the Cause of his Church against their Adversaries and slanderous Accusations for he ingeniously shew'd them that they never intended any Stirs or Rebellions against the Empire it being the Frinciple of the Christians to pray for all Men and render Good for Evil and whereas they were slander'd for murdering Infants how can that be saith he when their Custom is to abstain from all things strangled and from Blood c. Ibid. By his excellent Apologies he prevailed with Severus to favour the Christians 5. Cyprian vindicates the Christians from the Scandals charged upon them in his time by telling them that the Publick Calamities were not owing to the Christians but to the Idolatry of their Enemies that they were long before prophesied by Christ and the Heathens had no reason to expect any better than Famine Wars and Pestilences for their Wickedness and Cruelty in shedding so much Blood of the Christians Ibid. 6. Lactantius wrote seven Books of Institutions in the Behalf of the Christians against the Gentiles 7. Athanasius being accused by the Miletians to the Emperour that he had imposed a Tribute of Linnen Garments upon the Egyptians and had gathered the same it pleased God that Alipprius and Macarius two Presbyters of Alexandria happen'd to be present who easily wip'd off this false Charge afterwards he was accused that he had sent a Sum of Gold to one Philumenus to take away the Emperor but he easily clear'd himself of this too At last he was taxed that he had broken the sacred Chalice and cut off the Arm of one Arsenius that was slain and kept it for an Instrument in Magick Arsenius was a Presbyter who for some great Fault had hid himself Athanasius finding it difficult to clear himself in this Case employ'd one of his Deacons to enquire out this Arsenius who with some difficulty found him out which so satisfy'd the Emperor Constantine that he clear'd him and sent him back with Commendations to his Office requiring that this Epistle which he wrote upon this Score might be read in the Church to the Terror of his Adversaries Yet he was after some time effectually prosecuted by his Restless Adversaries and injuriously deposed Ibid. 8. The Arians prevailing for the Banishment of Basil Bishop of Caesarea and the writing being brought to Valens the Emperour to sign the Pens would not write the least tittle tho' often tried and when the Emperour being mad with rage endeavour'd still to confirm the Edict his Right Hand was struck with a great Trembling so that at last being terrified with these Judgments he tore the Writing in pieces Ibid. 9. Mr. John Husse who was condemn'd by the Council of Constance for Heresie was acquitted in a solemn Letter from any such fault in his Doctrine by the Bishop of Nazareth who was appointed and deputed by the See of Rome to be Inquisitor of Heresie in the City of Prague Martyrol p. 549. and more than that was commended for his Life and Conversation by the Testimony of no less than 54 of the Nobles of Moravia in a Letter written by them in his Behalf to the Council of Constance Which Letter and the Names of the Peers See Martyrol p. 386 387. 10. Edwond Everard Esq being an Agent in the French Court for the English Militia by Acquaintance and Discourse with the Lady Gourdon Sister to the Marquess of Huntley in Scotland then in a Popish Convent at Paris and with Collonel Richard Talbot and Peter his Brother Titular Arch-Bishop of Dublin got some small glimmerings of a grand Design on Foot for the publick Settling of Popery in England dissolving the Parliament or at least raising a Misunderstanding between them and His Majesty for Relieving the Catholicks in Ireland for killing His Majesty and setting up the D. of Y. coming over into England and making an Essay towards the Discovery of it at Court was by Malice and Arts of his Enemies falâ—ly Accused and sent to the Tower and there kept a close Prisoner four Years and never in all that time called to a fair Hearing yet at last when the Plot broke out by other Instruments and Means which God in his Wisdom produced and made use of He was Released from his illegal Confinement and brought upon the Stage as an Innocent Person and had Liberty granted him to Accuse his Accusers Anno Christi 1679. It were an endless Task to recount over the many Instances that are in the World even within ken of the present Generation of Persons who have been one while Afflicted Disgraced Fined Imprisoned c. as Persons not fit for common Society among their Fellows who have been afterwards received into Favours preferred to Places of Trust and Honour dandled upon the Knee of a benign Providence and died in the Vogue of the World good and honest Men. 11. Dr. Vsher wanted not Enemies who sought to scandalize him to King James under the Title of a Puritan which was very odious to the King in those Days hereby to prevent his further Preferment but God so order'd it that it proved an occasion of his Advancement For King James being jealous of him upon that score by reason of the Eminency of his Learning fell into Serious Discourse with him and thereby was so well satisfied in the Soundness of
Expressions and Fruits of Ingenuity and good Nature no Man that is not quite degenerated into Stupidity but hath some sense of Duty in such cases The Bruit Creatures and Elements themselves have some Property very Analogous to the Vertue of Gratitude the Earth the Air the Seas Storks Elephants Dogs every thing almost insensate and sensible Man should much more excel in Gratitude as being capable of greater Gifts more sensible of them and more able to return them And the deeper the Divine Image is impressed upon any one the more excellent he is in this Quality 1. There was in Florence a Merchant whose Name was Francis Frescobald of a Noble Family and Liberal Mind who through a prosperous Success in his Affairs was grown up to an abundance of Wealth While he was at Florence a young Man presented himself to him asking his Alms for God's sake Frescobald beheld the ragged Stripling and in despight of his Tatters reading in his Countenance some Significations of Vertue was moved with Pity demanded his Country and Name I am said he of England my Name is Thomas Cromwell my Father meaning his Father-in-Law is a poor Man a Cloth-shearer I am strayed from my Country and am now come into Italy with the Camp of French-men that were over-thrown at Gatylion where I was Page to a Foot-man carrying after him his Pike and Burganet Frescobald took him into his House made him his Guest and at his Departure gave him a Horse new Apparel and 16 Ducats of Gold in his Purse Cromwell rendring him hearty Thankâ— returned into his Country where in process of time he became in such favour with King Henry the Eighth that he raised him to the Dignity of being Lord-High-Chancellor of England In the mean time Frescobald by great and successive Losses was become poor but remembring that some English Merchants owed him fifteen thousand Ducats he came to London to seek after it not thinking of what had passed betwixt Cromwell and him But travelling earnestly about his business he accidentally met with the Lord-Chancellor as he was riding to the Court The Chancellor alights embraces him and with a broken Voice cast refraining Tears he demanded if he were not Francis Frescobald the Florentine invites him that day to dinner to his House Frescobald wonders who this Lord should be at last after some pause he remembers him for the same he had relieved at Florence he therefore repairs to his House not a little joyed and walking in the Court attended his return He came soon after and was no sooner dismounted but he again embraced him with so friendly a Countenance as the Lord-Admiral and other Nobles then in his Company much marvelled at He turning back and holding Frescobald by the Hand Do you not wonder my Lord said he that I seem so glad of this Man This is he by whose means I have atchieved this my present degree and therewith recounted to them what had passed between them Then taking him by the Hand he led him to the Chamber where he dined and seated him next himself Afterwards leading him into a Chamber and commanding all to depart he lockt the Door then opening a Coffer he first took out 16 Ducats and delivering that to Frescobald My Friend said he here is your Money that you lent me at my departure from Florence here are other ten you bestowed in my Apparel with 10 more you disbursed for the Horse I rode upon But considering you are a Merchant it seemeth to me not honest to return your Money without some Consideration for the long detaining of it take you therefore these four Bags in every of which is four hundred Ducats to receive and enjoy from the hand of your assured Friend Which the Modesty of Frescobald would have refused the other forced them upon him This done he caused him to give him the Names of all his Debtors and the Sum they owed the Schedule he delivered to one of his Servants with charge to search out the Men if within any part of the Realm and straitly to charge them to make payment within 15 days or else to abidethe hazard of Displeasure The Servant so well performed the Command of his Master that in a very short time the whole Sum was paid in During all this time Frescobald lodged in the Lord-Chancellor's House who gave him the Entertainment he deserved and oftentimes moved him to abide in England offering him the Loan of Sixty thousand Ducats for the space of 4 years if he would continue and make his Bank at London But he desired to return into his own Country which he did with the great Favour of the Lord Cromwell and there richly arrived but he enjoyed his Wealth but a small time for in the first year of his return he died Hackwel 's Apol. l. 4. c. 10. Engl. Worth by W. Winstanley p. 213. Wanley 's Wond l. 3. c. 20. 2. Bishop Andrews's Gratitude to those from whom he had received any Benefits was most conspicuous as Dr. Ward Son to his first School-Master upon whom he bestowed the Living of Waltham in Hampshire Master Mulcaster his other School-Master he always reverendly respected living and being dead caused his Picture having but few other in his House to be set over his Study-door Upon a Kinsman of Dr. Wats which was all he could find of that Generation he bestowed Preferments in Pembroke-hall But should I go about to particularize all his Vertues it were sufficient of its self to make up a Volume Winstanley's Worthies p. 373. CHAP. XLVIII Remarkable Diligence Laboriousness and Studiousness GOD requires of all Men that they should be active and industrious in their places and he that is not so is a Burden to the Creation no Credit to his Creator nor Comfort as he should be to Others The hand of the diligent maketh rich saith Solomon if thou searchest for her as for hid treasures then shalt thou understand c. Whilst we have time let us do good saith our Saviour Neither Wealth nor Wisdom nor Goodness is to be had without Diligence and besides no Crown without a Combat I have fought the good fight saith St. Paul henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of glory 1. Irenaeus laboured exceedingly by Prayer Preaching Disputing Instructing and Reproving with Patience and Wisdom seeking the lost strengthning the weak recalling the wandring binding up the broken-hearted and confirming those that were strong insomuch that Tertullian saith of him He governed the Flock of Christ with such Integrity of Life and Sincerity of Doctrine that he was loved exceedingly by his own and feared by others Clark's Marr. of Eccles Hist 2. Origen was called Adamantinus for his hardiness and lustre say some because not daunted nor affrighted with any Labours or Afflictions whatsoever for he studied the hidden meaning of the Scriptures from a Child tired and sometimes posed his Father with Questions prompted him and others to Martyrdom could hardly be restrained from it himself
in French to this purpose Parlez peu parlez bien Parlez rien ou parlez bien The first is in English Speak little speak well And the second is Speak nothing or speak well If every a Man did observe that Rule punctually and followed those Proverbs exactly it was the Cardinal For except in Publick Meetings and when State-Business were in agitation he spoke very little or nothing at all We said afore that when the King himself did speak to him in the behalf of an English Gentleman he nodded only unto the Gentleman and gave him never a word See his Life by Dugres p. 34. 21. Thomas a Kempis is remarked likewise for his Silence in Company execepting where Discourse was moved upon Religious Subjects See his Life 22. Mr. Samuel Fairclough had it deeply engraven on his Heart for he highly approved that common Saying viz. Bene vixit qui bene latuit A retired Life is an happy Life 'T is true his Parts and his Employment would not permit him to be hid but he always endeavoured it and he counted a Life of Meditation and Study and sweetest Life in the World It was from this settled Judgement that he did avoid as much as he was able all places of publick Trust See his Life CHAP. LI. Good Wives Remarkable A Good Wife is the Gift of the Lord and a good Thing and rarely to be found said the wisest of meer Men And we have reason to believe him the rather because the first Man Adam the righteous Lot the faithful Abraham the meek Moses the strong Sampson the wise Solomon the zealous Peter the Philosopher Socrates the Orator Cicero were all either over-reached or over-powered or afflicted with Women Yet the Grace of God and the Doctrine of Christianity hath been able to make some Wives so good that they have been an Honour to their Sex and a Comfort and Crown to their Husbands Amongst the old Heathens we find these following remarkable viz. 1. Andromache the Wife of Hector noted by Ovid for one of the best of Wives 2. Laodomia the Wife of Protesilaus who hearing that her Husband was killed at Troy slew her self because she would not out-live her Husband Ovid. 3. Penlope the Wife of Vlisses a Woman of rare Chastity for though her Husband presently after Marriage went to Troy where he stayed Ten years and was Ten years more wandring out of his way home yet would the not by any means violate the Faith given to her Husband in Marriage no not when it was reported that her Husband was dead and her Parents perswaded her to marry and many Nobles came to woo her and some were ready to take her by force but she craving Patience till a Web of Cloth which she had in hand was finished undid that in the night which she did by day and so beguiled them At last her Husband returned and slew the Ruffians who had disturbed his Wife and House Idem 4. Amongst the Christians Marcella a Noble Matron of Rome with whom Hierom was acquainted and under his Instruction she profited so much that in Points of Controversy upon Points of Scripture People repaired to her as a Judge therein Clark 's Marr of Eccl. Hist 5. Livia is recorded to have been easy to Augustus feigning her self wholly at the bâ—ck of her Husband not for her Husband's sake but for her own and her Childrens And whatever Sempronius Gracchus and Caâ—us Caesar boast of their Cornelians M. Antony of his Octavia Germanicus of Agrippina and Trajan of his Plotina whatever the Brittish History vaunts of Marcia Proba the Wife of Guitheline of Maud the good Wife of Henry the First of Joan Beaufort married to James the First King of Scotland of Eleanor of Castile Wife of Edward the First Philippa of Haynault married to Edward the Third for their Manly Deeds for the Preservation of their Husbands or their Kingdoms or for their Conjugal Affection certainly William the Third of England might justly exalt his single Mary above all the Wives of former times than whom no Woman greater for her Courage more religious in her Affection more amiable in her Countenance more modest in her Habit more affable in her discourse or who with a more obedient Readiness to serve her Royal Consort whether present or absent was more his Counsellor his Hands his Ears his Eyes and every way more assistant to him Certainly this was the True Rose of York born indeed among Thorns yet free from Prickles her self as the August William told his mournful Bishops and Grandees That Mary 's Outside was known to them but her intrinsick and just value was only known to himself Fr. Spanhemius in his Funeral Orat. of Q. Mary II. p. 22. 6. Carlot a Portu Daughter of the Noble Peter a Portu Wife to Frederick Spanhemius was of such Innocency and Dove-like Simplicity free from Fraud and Guile and depended so wholly upon her Husband that she was willing to be governed in all things by his Advice which is the chief Commendations of a Wife and so had all things common with him Clark 's Eccl. Hist p. 499. 7. Clara Cervenda was one of the most beautiful and fairest Virgins in all Bruges she was married to Bernard Valdaura at that time above Forty four years of age The first night after her Marriage she found that her Husband's Thighs were rolled and wrapped with Clouts and that he was a Man very sore and sickly for all which she loved him not a whit the less Not long after Valdaura fell so sick that all the Physicians despaired of his Life then did she so attend upon him that in six Weeks space she put not off her Cloaths only for shift nor rested above an hour or two at the most in a night and that in her Cloaths This Disease was a venemous Relick of the Pox and the Physicians counselled Clara not to touch the sick Man or come near him and so also did her Kindred and Neighbours All which moved her not but having taken order for that which concerned the Benefit of his Soul she provided him all things that might tend to the Health of his Body she made him Broths and Juleps she changed his Sheets and Clouts although by reason of a continual Loosness and many Sores about him his Body never left running with Matter and Filth so that he never had any clean part about him All the day after she rested not the Strength of her Love supporting the Delicacy of her Body by this good means valdaura escaped that danger After this by reason of a sharp and hot Rheum falling from his Brain the Gristle within his Nose began to be eaten away wherefore the Physicians appointed a certain Powder to be blown up softly into his Nose at certain times with a Quill no body could be found to take such a loathsome Service in hand because of the Stench that came from him But Clara did it chearfully and when his Cheeks and
offend Man and expose themselves to the disfavour of the World as Abraham believed contrary to all apparent Sense and common Reason and yet was blessed Or as Daniel and the three children ventured to Worship God in the prospect of temporal Dangers and yet were delivered Or as the Apostles left all to follow Christ and yet were rewarded For God is not unrighteous to forget our Works of Faith and Labours of Love which we shew toward his Name Heb. 6.10 This Subject is of a large Extent and therefore I must of necessity narrow it or it would carry me into all the particular Duties of our Religion 1. Mr. Lloyd speaking of Dr. Nicholas Wotton Doctor of the Civil Laws and first Dean of the two Metropolitan Churches of Canterbury and York saith Augustus lamented for Varus his Death because he said Now I have none in my Country to tell me the Truth with Wotton went off that Faithfulness that Peasants have and Princes want None more resolute abroad none more hold and downright at home His plain Dealing saved King Henry some Treasure King Edward the North Queen Mary Calice for a while and Queen Elizabeth her Faith and Crown A Virtue that made him the Overseer of most forreign Ministers Actions abroad and one of the Eighteen Executors of King Henry's Will and Testament at home He was Privy Counsellor to four successive Sovereigns viz. King Henry the VIII King Edward the VI Queen Mary Queen Elizabeth He was employed thirteen several times in Embassies to forreign Princes Five times to Charles the Fifth Emperour Once to Philip his Son King of Spain Once to Francis the First King of France Once to Mary Queen of Hungary Governess of the Netherlands Twice to William Duke of Cleve Once to renew the Peace between England France and Scotland Anno. 1540. Again to the same purpose at Cambray Anno 1549. Once sent Commissioner with others to Edinburgh in Scotland 1560. He refused the Archbishoprick of Canterbury profered him in the first of Queen Elizabeth Lloyd's Worthies p. 107.108 109. 2. Mr. Dod when single thinking how he should maintain a Wife and Children was encouraged by looking upon a Hen and Chickens scratching for their living and considering that the Hen did but live before now she was able to maintain all that Family And accordingly himself fared for God provided plentifully for him and his See his Life 3. One John Stewart Provost of Aaire in Scotland having lent or given a great part of his Estate to the Poor in Charity and at last being himself in straits he was called a Fool and reproached for what he had done upon which he goes over to France adventures to Fraight a Ship at Rochel with Salt c. upon his Credit returns home and vends the Commodities with which he paid his Debts and had 20000 Marks over to his own Pocket Clark's Leg. CHAP. LXVIII Present Retribution to Plain and Faithful Reprovers HE that rebukes a Man afterwards shall find more Favour then he that flattereth with his Tongue saith Solomon Prov. 28.23 That this effect doth not always follow is easily deducible from the Admonition of our Saviour who adviseth us not to give that which is Holy unto Dogs nor to cast Pearls before Swine lest they turn again and rent us c. But that when our Reproofs meet with fit and capable Subjects it is so is often proved by Experience 1. Bishop Barnes having suspended Nr. Bernard Gilpin requires him suddenly upon his return from a Journey out of the North to Preach a Visitation Sermon at Chester Mr. Gilpin desired to be excused as being not provided and being suspended But the Bishop accepting no denial at last Mr. Gilpin answered Seeing it cannot be otherwise your Lordship's Will be done And after a little pawse began his Sermon in the Application whereof he proceeded thus And now Reverend Father my Speech must be directed to your Fatherhood God hath exalted you to be Bishop of this Diocess and God requires an account of your Government hereof c. And so proceeding to tax the Faults of the Diocess Let not saith he your Lordship say these Crimes have been committed by the Fault of others without your Knowledge for whatsoever your self shall do in Person or suffer by your Connivency to be done is wholly your own therefore in the presence of God his Angels and Men I pronounce your Fatherhood to be the Author of all these Evils yea and in that strict Day of the General Account I shall be a Witness to testifie against you c. After which pungent Admonition contrary to expectation the Bishop brought Mr. Gilpin home and there walking with him in his Parlour takes him by the Hand and thus bespeaks him Father Gilpin I acknowledge you are fitter to be Bishop of Durham than myself to be Parson of this Church of yours I ask forgiveness for Errors past forgive me Father I know you have hatch'd up some Chickens that now seek to pick out your Eyes but so long as I shall live Bishop of Durham be secure no Man shall injure you See his Life by Bishop Carleton p. 58. 2. Bishop Latimer who sent K. Henry the Eighth the New Testament for a New-year's Gift with this Inscription Marriage is honourable among all Men and the Bed undefiled but Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge c. Who preach'd such pungent Sermons to the Court to the Judges to the Clergy to all yet lived well died comfortably put on the Crown of Martyrdom at his Exit out of this World and since his departure hath escaped the Lash of envious and reproachful Tongues much better than his then prosperous Adversaries and Persecutors See the Story of Dr. Wotton in the foregoing Chapter how his Fidelity and Veracity were rewarded with present Preferments and honourable Offices CHAP. LXIX Present Retribution to the Humble and Modest. MOdesty is a Vertue say some the will starve a Man and indeed among some undiscerning Persons it goes under no better Notion than Cowardice and Sneakingness of Spirit when Audaciousness and Arrogance are valued at a high rate among Fools But all the World is not foolish there are some wise and judicious Men dispersed here and there among us and these know how to judge of true Modesty and Humbleness of Spirit and with them these Qualities are of great Price But however God Almighty hath an especial Favour for them and doth value them and will reward them either here or hereafter He exalts the humble and meek and fills the hungry Soul with good things 1. Dr. Sanderson was a Man of great Modesty as well as Judgment and yet purely by the Dint of Merit and Modesty together made his way not only to considerable Preferment in the Church but gained upon the Estimation and Affections of all Parties in England and lived peaceably all his Days and now being dead hath escaped better the Bitings of virulent Tongues than some other bigotted Persons
to himself by the frequent Noises and Disturbances which he makes in Peoples Houses When I first began this Work I heard a rapping at my Hall-door as with a Horse-whip twice and my Maid heard it likewise at the same time tho' she was in the Kitchen and I in the Parlour at that very Juncture My Wife suspected it to be a Token of some Funeral out of the Family within such a set time as a Year or so c. Many People have had the like and yet no Harm followed And I quere Whether by the Appearance of the Ghosts of Persons departed he doth not design to promote the Doctrine of Purgatory or some other superstitious Fancies I am sure many of the wild and fantastical Notions and Practices that have been adopted into Religion by Jews Greeks Papists and Pagans have been fathered upon such Causes viz. Visions and Revelations Ominous Signs and Apparitions 10. Joan Williford a Witch confessed before the Mayor and other Jurats of Feversham 1645. That the Devil promised her that she should not lack But never brought her more than Eight Pence or one Shilling at a time See the Examination and Confession of the said Joan and others 1645. CHAP. XCIX Divine Judgments by way of Retaliation THERE is no juster Law saith the old Poet than that those who are the Authors of Contriving a Mischief for others fall into it themselves and the Sacred Scripture agrees thereto and we have many Instances of such Judgments And certainly if any Evils in the World carry in them the Signature and Indication of the Cause these do 1. Haman was hanged upon the same Gallows that he prepared for Mordecai 2. David for his Adultery with Bathsheba was threatened with a Punishment of the like kind which was accordingly inflicted on him 2 Sam. 16.22 when Absalom spread a Tent upon the top of the House and went in unto his Father's Concubines 3. Those that accused Daniel to Darius and procured the throwing of him into the Lyons Den were afterwards thrown there themselves Dan. 6.24 4. The Story of Phalaris's Bull invented for the Torment of others and serving afterwards for himself is notorious in Heathen Story 5. The Lord Cromwel in Henry the VIII's Reign is remarked for suffering capital Punishment without ever coming to a Tryal by a Law which they say himself out of a servile Flattery to his Prince procured for others Of which Michael Drayton thus writes Those Laws I made alone my self to please To give a Power more freely to my Will Even to my Equals hurtful several ways Forced to things that most do say were Ill Upon me now as violently seize By which I lastly perish'd by my Skill On mine own Neck returning as my due That heavy Yoke wherein by me they drew Winstanly's Worth p. 216. 6. The Duke of Somerset in the Fifth Year of Edward VI. died by a Law which but a year before was Passed by himself Spelman 7. The Papists pitch'd upon the Fifth of November for their Gunpowder-Plot but that was by Divine Providence seasonably Discovered and some of the Traitors flying into Worcestershire c. with two pounds of Powder which they had Rifled out of the Lord Windsor's House and laid to dry at the Fire by occasion of a Spark flying upon it Catesby Rookwood and Grant were much scorched both in their Bodies and Faces and at the same time the Roof of the House was blown up with the violence of the Powder And upon the same day viz. November 5. 1623. according to the Popish Account by the fall of a House in Black-fryars London at a Popish Conventicle where one Drurie Preach'd at least Ninety Persons were killed Again upon the same day Novemb. 5. to the best of my Remembrance King William III. by Divine Favour and a special Conduct of Providence entered England in order to the Delivering of us from Popery and Arbitrary or Tyrannical Government 8. It was a voluntary Judgment which Archbishop Cranmer inflicted on himself when he first thrust that very hand into the Fire and burnt it with which he had Signed to the Popish Articles crying out Oh! my Vnworthy Right Hand but who will deny that the Hand of the Almighty was also concerned in it 9. The Spaniards who exercised so much Cruelty in the West-Indies telling the poor Natives that they had a Disease upon them which Gold was a Sovereign Remedy for were many of them Taken and Slain by the Indians and Gold poured down their Throats in a Reproachful way as if it were their God 10. The Bishop of Mentz who Burned the Poor of his Neighbourhood in a Barn and called them Rats mentioned elsewhere in this Book was afterwards punished to death with Rats 11. I have read of a Man that was haled out of doors in a violent manner by his own Son who cried out to him Oh! pray no further for just so far I dragg'd my Father 12. Often the very instrument of our Sin is the Instrument of our Punishment as a Child that we Cocker too much a Persons we Love inordinately any thing we doat upon 13. Sisera annoys God's People with Iron Chariots and is Slain with a Nail of iron Jezabel's Brains that devised Mischief against the Innocent were strewed upon Stones By a Letter to Jezreel she shed the Blood of Naboth and by a Letter from Jezreel the Blood of her Sons was shed Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Solomon's Temple that seven years work of so many Thousands therefore let him be turned a Grazing and seven Seasons pass over him Dan. 4.16 14. Frederick Barbarossa Emperor of Germany had often punished the City of Milan for siding with the Pope against him Yet on a time when Beatrix the Empress came to the Town the uncivil Citizens first Imprisoned her and then in a Scornful manner set her on a Mule with her Face towards the Tail which they caused her to hold in her hand instead of a Bridle And having thus Disgracefully carried her through all the Town they brought her to a Gate and kick'd her out The Emperor to Revenge this Wrong Besieged the City and at last took it adjudging all the People to Death but such as would redeem their Lives in this opprobrious manner He caused a Bunch of Figs to be fastned between the Buttocks of a skittish Mule and such as would live must with their hands bound behind them run after the Mule till with their teeth they had snatched out one or more of the Figs which condition with the hazard of many a sound kick was accepted and performed by many of them Heyl. Geog. p. 214. 15. The Donatists that cast the Holy Elements in the Lord's Supper to Dogs were themselves afterwards devoured by Dogs Zonaras 16. The Archbishop of Tours made sute for the Erection of a Court called Cambre Ardent wherein to condemn the Protestants to the Fire and was himself stricken with a Disease called the Fire of God which began at his Feet and
Weaver's Mon. p. 202. Clark's Examp. Vol. 1. P. 655. It were tiresome to reckon up all the Superstitions of the Roman Church their particular Saints with their particular Vertues their Penances Pilgrimages Largesses of Devotion Postures of Worship Habits Ceremonies Holy-days c. all which have made such a noisome stench in the World that in the beginning of the Reformation the Protestants cried out aloud Vaugh upon them and now the Quietists among themselves hold their Noses out of a Principle of Nauseousness and Abhorrency of them and rather chuse to lay aside all the external part of Worship or almost all than carry so long a Train of Superstitious Observances along with them when they go to the Church of God CHAP. CI. Divine Judgments upon Blasphemy and Profaneness BY Blasphemy I mean Speaking Irreverently and Disrespectfully of Sacred things and by Prophaneness an open Conversation agreeable to such Dishâ—â—â—â—rable and Rude Idea's And such Crimes certainly have no foundation of Security no ground to build any hopes of Impunity upon for so long as there is a God existent in the World and that God concerned in the Government of the World he will take notice of such open Disrespects or none 'T is the Interest of the Deity at least now and then to make a sharp Animadversion upon such open Impiety even in this World 1. Eugenius being Emperor Flavianus the Prefect desired Leave of him to Build an Altar to Victory at Milan which Ambrose hearing of departed from thence to Bononia but after a while returned again Eugenius and Flavianus being gone to War against Theodosius But before their departure they had sent word That when they returned Conquerors they would make the Great Church in Milan a Stable for Horses but God prevented them for Engenius was Slain by his own Soldiers and Theodesius got the Victory Clark's Marrow of Ecclesiastical History 2. A. C. 1617. Marcus Antonius de Dominis Arch-bishop of Spalato a Man Old and Corpulent and so unfit for Travel being almost at his Journeys end by Nature came into England leaving his Countrey Italy as he affirmed for Religion whereof he set forth in Writing many Reasons and being thereupon Entertained he Preached Railed and Writ against Rome extolling the Protestant Religion till he became Dean of Windsor and Master of the Savoy which he enjoyed for some few years Then whether he had higher hopes at home or the Humour and Fancy altering he went Retrograde And after five years stay here he Retracted all that he had said and written which so Incens'd King James that he commanded him within three days at his Peril to depart the Realm Who thereupon went to Rome and there in veighed as bitterly against the Protestants as he had done in England against the Papists hoping at least for Pardon if not for Preferment But notwithstanding his Recantation according to the Law of the Inquisition having once Revolted though now Returned he Suffered the Death of an Heretick had the Punishment of a Martyr though not the Honour For he was publickly burnt at Rome yet not burnt alive but dying in Prison and being Buried his Body was afterwards taken up and Burnt Such Honour have all such Saints For they hold it as a Maxim That that Foundation is never to be Built upon that was once of a Tottering Temper Sir Richard Baker's Chron. Clark's Examples C. 10. P. 27. 3. A. C. 1550. There was at Ferrara in Italy on Faninus who by Reading of good Books was by God's Grace Converted to the knowledge of the Truth wherein he found such Sweetness that by constant Reading Meditation and Prayer he grew so expert in the Scriptures that he was able to instruct others And though he durst not go out of the Bounds of his Calling to Preach openly yet by Conference and private Exhortations he did good to many This coming to the knowledge of the Pope's Clients they Apprehended and Committed him to Prison where by the earnest Solicitation of his Wife and Children and other Friends he was over-perswaded to Renounce the Truth and thereupon was Released out of Prison But it was not long before the Lord met with him for it So as falling into horrible Torments of Conscience he was near unto utter Despair for preferring the Love of his Kindred and Friends before the Service of Jesus Christ neither could he possibly be freed from these Terrors before he had fully resolved to venture his Life more faithfully in the Service of Christ Clark's Examples p. 27. 4. About the Year 1541. There was one William Barber Master of Art in Oxford a Godly and Learned Man that Disputed stoutly and accurately against the Doctrine of Transubstantiation Yet through the Iniquity of the Times was at last brought over to make a Recantation after which he never Prospered but wore away with Grief and Sorrow till he died Ibid. 5. In the Reign of Queen Mary there was one Sir James Hales Justice of the Common-Pleas who though he had adventured his Life for Queen Mary by refusing to Subscribe to her Disinheriting by King Edward the VI's Will yet for giving the Statutes in Charge against the Pope's Supremacy c. at the Sessions he was cast into Prison and there so cruelly handled and terrified with the apprehension of the Torments which they said were preparing for him that partly by the Flattery of the Bishops and partly by their Threats he was drawn to Recant After which he fell into such terrors of Conscience that he attempted to kill himself with a Pen-knife Yet being by God's Providence prevented and his Wounds he had given himself Cured he was delivered out of Prison and went home to his House but neither could he have any inward Peace by reason of his Apostacy But setting his House in Order he drowned himself in a River not far from his Habitation Ibid. 6. A. C. 1556. There was one Mr. Thomas Whittle an Essex Minister apprehended and carried before Bishop Bonner by whom he was laid in the Porter's Lodge all night upon the bare ground The next day the Bishop sent for him to his Chamber and asked him many Questions about the Sacraments of the Altar c. to which Mr. Whittle returned such Answers as much anger'd the Bishop whereupon he told him that he should return to Prison and be fed with nothing but Bread and Water and not content with Threats he fell upon him and beat him with his Fists and then put him into a little Room where he lay two Nights upon a Table shortly after the Bishop sent for him again Flattered him proffering him Articles cunningly drawn up and at last prevailed with him to Subscribe them But said he after I had done it I had little Joy for by and by my Conscience told me by God's Word I had done Evil by so slight a means to shake off the sweet Cross of Christ Oh! the Crafty Subtilty of Satan in his Members Let every Man whom God
London January the 13th 1583. at Paris-Garden where upon the Sabbath-Day were gathered together as accustomably they used great Multitudes of profane People to behold the Sport of Bear-baiting without respect of the Lord's-Day or any Exercise of Religion required therein Which profane Impiety the Lord that he might chasten in some sort and shew his Dislike thereof he caused the Scaffolds suddenly to break and the Beholders to tumble headlong down so that to the number of Eight Persons Men and Women were slain therewith besides many others which we re sore hurt and bruised to the shortening of their Days 7. The like Example happened at 3 Town in Bedfordshire called Risley in the Year 1607. where the Floor of a Chamber wherein a Number were gathered together to see a Play on the Sabbath-Day fell down by means whereof many were sore hurt and some killed Surely a Friendly Warning to such as more delight themselves with the Cruelty of Beasts and vain Sports than the Works of Mercy and Religion the Fruits of a true Faith which ought to be the Sabbath-Day's Exercise 8. Not long since in Bedfordshire a Match at Foot-ball being appointed o the Sabbath in the Afternoon whilst Two were in the Belfry tolling of a Bell to call the Company together there was suddenly heard a Clap of Thunder and a Flash of Lightning was seen by some that sate in the Church Porch coming through a dark Lane and flashing in their Faces which much terrified them and passing through the Porch into the Belfry it tripped up his Heels that was tolling the Bell and struck him stark dead and the other that was with him was so sorely blasted therewith that shortly after he died also Dr. Twiss on the Sabbath Ibid. 9. At a place called Tidworth on the Sabbath-day many being met together to play at Foot-ball in the Church-Yard one had his Leg broken which presently Gangrening he forthwith dyed thereof Eodem 10. Anno 1634. on a Lord's-day in the time of a great Frost Fourteen Young Men while they were playing at Foot-ball on the Ice on the River Trent near to Gainsborough meeting all together in a Scufflle the Ice suddenly brake and they were all Drowned Ibid. 11. In the Edge of Essex near Drinkley two Fellows working in a Chalk Pit the one was boasting to his Fellow how he had angred his Mistriss with staying so late at their Sports the last Sunday Night But he said he would anger her worse next Sunday He had no sooner said this but suddenly the Earth fell down upon him and slew him outright and by the fall thereof is Fellows Limb was broken who had been also sharer with him in his Jollity on the Lord's-day Ibid. 12. At Alâ—ester in Warwickshire upon the coming forth of the Declaration for Sports a Lusty Young Woman went on the Sabbath-day to a Green not far off where she said she would Dance as long as she could stand but while she was dancing God stuck her with a violent â—â—isease whereof within two or three Days after she died Ibid. 13. Also in the same place not long after a Young Man presently after the Evening Sermon was ended brought a Pair of Cudgels into the Street near to the Minister's House calling upon divers to play with him but they all refus'd at the length came one who took them up saying Though I never played in my Life yet I will play one bout now But shortly after as he was jesting with a Young Maid he took up a Birding-piece which was charged saying Have at thee and the Piece going off shot her in the Face whereof she immediately died for which Act he forfeited all his Goods and underwent the Trial of the Law These two I knew when I lived there Ibid. 14. At Woolston in the same County a Miller going forth on the Sabbath-day to a Wake when he came home at Night found his House Mill and all that he had burnt down to the Ground This I also saw saith Mr. Clark in his Mirror c. 115. 15. At Woolston in the same County many loose Persons kept a Whitson-Ale and had a Morris-dancing on the Sabbath-day in a Smith's Barn to the great Grief of the Godly Minister who laboured all that he could to restrain it But it pleas'd God that shortly after a Fire kindled in that Smith's Shop which burnt it down together with his House and Barn and raging furiously going sometimes with and sometimes against the Wind it burnt down many other Houses most of which were prime Actors in that profanation of the Lord's-day I my self knew these Four last Examples ibid. 16. In the County of Devon one Edward Ameridith a Gentleman having been pained in his Feet and being somewhat recovered one said unto him he was glad to see him so nimble Ameridith replied that he doubted not but to dance about the May-pole the next Lord-day but before he moved out of that place he was smitten with such feebleness of Heart and dizziness in his Head that desiring help to carry him to any House he died before the Lord's-day came ibid. 17. At Walton upon Thames in Surrey in a great Frost 1634. Three Young Men on the Lord's-day after they had been at Church in the Forenoon where the Minister press'd the Words of his Text out of 2 Cor. 5.10 That we must all appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ c. they gave little heed thereto but whisper'd all the while as they sate went in the Afternoon together over the Thames upon the Ice unto a House of Disorder and Gaming where they spent the rest of the Lord's-Day and part of the Night also in revelling One of them in a Tavern merrily discours'd the next day of his Sabbaths Acts and Voyage over the Ice but on Thursday next after these Three returning homewards and attempting to pass again over the Ice they all sunk down to the bottom as Stones whereof only one of them was miraculously preserved but the other two were drowned These Four last are attested by good Hands ibid. Mr. Fauconer Minister of Burford near Salisbury in his Book intituled The burden of England Scotland and Ireland and stiles himself Ed. de claro vado Printed for Thomas Slater and to be sold at his Shop in Duâ—â— Lane at the Sign of the Angel relateth a fearful Example of God's Justice about the year 1635. p. 1â—4 which was this 18. A Prophane company of Young men on the Lord's-day early in the Morning went to Claringdon Park to cut down a May-Pole and having loaden the Cart with it at Milner's Bars entring into the City of Salisbury one of the Cart wheels fell into a Rut which made the young Tree in the Cart which they had stoln for a May-Pole to give a great Surge on one side which struck one of the Company such a blow on the Head that it beat out his Brains so that he presently died in the place and lay there a
CXXX Divine Judgments upon Discontentedness Ill Nature c. FRowardness and Discontent are certainly Diagnosticks of an ill Nature and Prognosticks of an unhappy Life 'T is hardly possible where these Qualities are Natural and predominant quite to Conquer them For which Reason Bishop Jos Hall prefers Good Nature before Grace in the Election of a Wife because saith he it will be a hard Task where the Nature is peevish and froward for Grace to make an entire conquest whilst Life losteth 1. Mr. John Mackerness Born in Northamptonshire gives us under his own Hand this ill Account of himself That he was an uncleanly Child every Night almost till the Eighth or Ninth year of his Age defiling his Bed negligent of Sports and Games not respected by other Companions but often thrust out of their Society abiding at Northampton-School with much regret and discontent never returning back from his Friends to School but with great sorrow and crying wishing that his Eyes were out rather than to learn his Book there When there out of Sullenness refusing all Victuals but Bread and Butter telling his Guardian that he wanted Victuals when indeed he voluntarily pinched his own Belly to bring an Odium upon the House which occasioned his remove to Daintry from whence he returned to his Guardian without taking leave of his master He was sent afterwards to London put to a Merchant but within three Weeks an Ague seized him and made him so peevish that he resolved not to stay He was sent for down and put to Wadham College in Oxford Anno 1669. but being always of a troubled and tumultuous Spirit and that Temper improved with Discontent Slothfulness and Pride he scorned the Company he was sorted with and those that were his Seniors scorned him so that he was fain to walk by himself and lead a solitary Life He grew unsetled began to think meanly of both the Ministry and the study of Physick had a desire to be a Lawyer promising himself thereby great Riches and brave things in abundance His Guardian not giving way to it he makes a Journey to London having Sold all his Goods in the College to enter himself at the Inns of Court his Tutor once disswaded him but the second time he went privately but not speeding he returns privately to the College Next he would be a Clerk to an Uncle of his but his Guardian not approving of that that Design was broken off At the University he learnt to Drink please himself with Womens Company abuse Scripture in Jests once stole a Duck when Batchelor of Arts he bought a Horse took Money in his Pocket resolved to Travel into divers Parts of England but knew not whither steering his Course towards Nottingham he was by an Acquaintance recommended to a Doctor 's House in the Country about Twenty Miles distant from Oxford where he stayed and spent his Time in Gluttony After a quarter of a Year he would to Oxford again with great eagerness hires a Horse for the purpose but not having gone two Miles he fears the badness of the Ways and foulness of Weather and returns with design to stay at his former Quarters but turning again on a sudden resolves for Oxford again where his Companion being dead he lived more privately and studied more closely which got him some Repute and that making him proud he began to be glutted with Books and returned into the Country and thence to Oxford again and falling upon Hobbs his Book examined his Principles and so proceeded to the study of other Points of Divinity grew Proud of his Parts began to think of Practising Law Physick and Divinity together Till at last being toss'd with thousands of Thoughts going out of Oxford three times with a purpose to come thither no more before he took his Degree of Master of Arts being returned to Oxford out of the Country and told of a Man that are any manner of raw Flesh and that continually without ceasing Night or Day he was struck so deeply that he could not forbear Tears his Company that told him leaving him about Nine of the Clock he goes to his Study and stays a while to Pray but in the midst of his Prayer had a sense that God had forsaken him which made him cry out louder than usually Lord forgive me Lord forgive me a cool Numbness came over his Sinews and his Hands were clenched one Finger n another so that he could hardly sever them Upon which he calls his Bedfellow to bear him Company burns some Papers wherein he had writ some Notions that had been the occasion of his Spiritual Pride and Discontent falls into a violent heat of Blood and Sweating so that he verily thought he should die before Morning And thus toiling his Brain with variety of Conceits and Fancies his Anguish was unexpressible his Conscience clog'd Scriptures did but increase his Doubts he look'd upon fine Cloaths and Men of Repute as Reprobates condemn'd all but the Poor condemns the way he was in as too broad for Salvation The disquiet of his Mind caused a great Pain in his Head his Brains were disordered look'd about every Morning to know if he were distracted consults the Physician Physick doth no good Next he would go Preach in the Country And gather the People together to examine the Progress and Benefit made of Christ's Commands to repeat the Lord's Prayer remember his Death in the Sacrament and make Provision for the Poor and study to do all good possible But when he came he was ashamed to make any such Proposal Upon a plentiful Meal he became strangely distemper'd his Head violently pained his Teeth fixed as in the Falling-Sickness his Hands knit so fast together that he could hardly dissever them he fell low in the sight of all Men Removed to Astrop provided Oyls for his Head used Diversions as Riding Bowling Hunting fine Cloaths c. but found no Relief was troubled with Blasphemous Thoughts a coolness came upon his Head and took away his Senses One Night after some lavish Mirth and obscene Discourses used in the Day awaking in a strange kind of Discontent he gaped three or four times and conceived some unclean Spirit had entred every time of his gaping into him and that he should be shortly tormented which accordingly happened for he was no sooner fallen into a slumber but he perceived an Obduction of his Senses and was most grievously tormented in his Soul beyond all the sharpest pains of the Body Upon Prayer he was relieved but afterwards cast down more than before At the writing hereof November the last 1675. or 1676. he felt his Pains again in his sleep and continued still to think that some Evil Spirit infested him And hereupon he resolved to make this full and publick Confession to the World concluding thus Lord be merciful be pitiful unto me for I am even nothing before thee c. Heartily begging the prayers of all good Christians for him praying and entreating them
73. Ibid. p. 75 76. out of the Bishop of Kilmore 20. Mr. Bilney going to the Place of Execution comforted himself with this Consideration That he was then sailing upon the troubled Sea but e're long his Ship would be in a quiet Harbour and I doubt not saith he but through the Grace of God I shall endure the Storm only I would entreat you to help me with your Prayers As he wet along the Streets he gave much Alms to the Poor by the Hands of one of his Friends At the Stake he made a long Confession of his Faith in an excellent manner and gave many sweet Exhortations to the Pople and then earnestly called upon God by Prayer and at the end rehearsed the 143 Psalm Then turning to the Officers he ask'd if they were ready Whereupon the Fire was kindled he holding up his Hands and crying sometime Jesus and sometime Credo But the Wind blowing away the Flame from him and the Pain enduring the longer he was put to a longer exercise of Patience till at last he gave up the Ghost Ibid. p. 124. 21. William Tindal whilst he was tying to the Stake cried with a fervent and loud Voice Lord open the King of England 's Eyes And so he was first strangled by the Hangman and then burnt A. C. 1556. Ibid. p. 129. 22. Leo Judae a little before his Death sent for the Pastors and Professors of Tigure and made before them a Confession of his Faith concluding thus To this my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ my Hope and my Salvation I wholly offer up my Soul and Body I cast my self wholly upon his Mercy and Grace c. Ibid. p. 137. 23. Cruciger after three Months illness calling his two young Daughters to repeat their Prayers before him and then himself praying with great fervency for himself the Church and those his Orphans concluded I call upon thee with a weak yet a true Faith I believe thy Promises which thou hast sealed with thy Blood and Resurrection c. Ibid. p. 145. 24. Martin Bucer in his Sickness to Mr Bradford coming to him and telling him that he would remember him in his Prayers being that Day to preach uttered these Words Ne abjicias me in tempore senectutis c. Forsake me not in the time of Age when my Strength fails me And being admonished in his Sickness that he should arm himself against the Assaults of the Devil he answered That he had nothing to do with the Devil because he was wholly in Christ And God forbid God forbid said he but that I should have some Experience of his Heavenly Comfort After Sermon Mr. Bradford coming again and declaring unto him the great Fear which the Physicians had to prescribe any thing unto him by reason of the Weakness of his Body with his Eyes fixed towards Heaven he uttered these Words I le ille regit moderatur omma He he it is that rules and governs all things And so in the midst of many pious Prayers he quietly yielded his Soul into the Hands of God Febr. 27. 1551. Ibid. p. 160. 25. George Prince of Anhalt falling sick of a most troublesome Disease was frequent in holy Prayer for himself for all the Princes of that Family for his Country and for Germany He had some portion of Holy Scriptures daily read to him He made his Will wherein he set down the Confession of his Faith and commended the Defence of the Churches to his Brother adding something to the Stipends of all the godly Ministers under his Charge often ruminated on those Texts God so loved the World that he gave c. No man shall take my sheep out of my hand Come uto me all ye that are weary c. And so in holy Meditations and Prayers he resigned up his Spirit unto God A. C. 1543. Ibid. p. 165. 26. John Rogers being degraded and excommunicated in Queen Mary's Reign was warned to prepare for Death before he arose If it be so said he I need not tye my Points Being afterwards brought to Smithfield and a Pardon offered him he refused to Recant His Wife with Nine small Children and the Tenth sucking at her Breast coming to him the sorrowful Sight nothing moved him But in the Flames he washed his Hands and with wonderful Patience took his Death He was the Protomartyr in Queen Mary's Reign The Sabbath before his Death he drank to Mr. Hooper who lodged in a Chamber beneath him bidding the Messenger to commend him to him and tell him That there was never a little Fellow that would better stick to a Man than he would to him Supposing they should be both burned together tho' it happened otherwise Ibid. p. 168. 27. Laurence Saunders being in Prison for a Year and three Months wrote thence in a Letter to his Wife I am merry and trust I shall be merry maugre the Teeth of the all the Devils in Hell Riches I have none to endow you with but that Treasure of tasting how sweet Christ is to hungry Consciences whereof I thank my Christ I do feel part that I bequeath unto you and to the rest of my beloved in Christ c. When he came near the Place of Execution at Coventry to be burned he went cheerfully to the Stake kissing of it and saying Welcome the Cross of Christ welcome Everlasting Life And the Fire being kindled he sweetly slept in the Lord. Ibid. p. 171. 28. Bishop Hooper being come to the Stake prayed about half an Hour and having a Box with a Pardon set before him he cried If you love my Soul away with it if you love my Soul away with it Three Irons being prepared to fasten him to the Stake he only put an iron Hoop about his middle bidding them to take away the rest saying I doubt not but God will give me strength to abide the extremity of the fire without binding When Reeds were cast to him he embraced and kissed them putting them under his Arm where he had Bags of Gun-powder also When Fire was first put to him the Faggots being green and the Wind blowing away the Flame he was but scorched More Faggots being laid to him the Fire was so suppress'd that his nether Parts were only burned his upper being scarce touched he prayed O Jesus the Son of David have mercy upon me and receive my Soul and wiping his Eyes with his Hands he said For God's Love let me have more Fire A third Fire being kindled it burned more violently yet was he alive a great while in it the last Words which he uttered being Lord Jesus receive my Spirit Ibid. p. 175. 29. Rowland Taylor going to the Stake at Hadley the Streets were full of People weeping and bewailing their Loss to whom he said I have preached to you God's Word and Truth and am come to seal it with my Blood He gave all his Money to the Poor for whom he was wont thus to provide formerly Coming to the Place of
Therefore have charitable Conceit of me That I know to swear is an Offence to swear falsly at any time is a great Sin but to swear falsly before the Presence of Almighty God before whom I am forthwith to appear were an Offence unpardonable Therefore think me not now rashly or untruly to confirm or protest any thing As for other Objections as That I was brought perforce into England That I carried Sixteen Thousand Pounds in Money out of England with me more than I made known That I should receive Letters from the French King and such like with many Protestations he utterly denied England's Worthies by Will. Winstanley p. 303. 119. The Death of Henry Bullinger Mr. Bullinger falling Sick and his Disease encreasing many Godly Ministers came to visit him but some Months after he recovered and preached as formerly but soon Relapsed when finding his vital Spirits wasted and Nature much decayed in him he concluded his Death was at hand and thereupon said as followeth If the Lord will make any farther use of me and my Ministry in his Church I will willingly obey him but if he pleases as I much desire to take me out of this miserable Life I shall exceedingly rejoyce that he will be so pleased to take me out of this miserable and corrupt Age to go to my Saviour Christ Socrates said he was glad when his Death approached because he thought he shou'd go to Hesiod Homer and other Learned Men deceased and whom he expected to meet in the other World then how much more do I joy who am sure that I shall see my Saviour Christ the Saints Patriarchs Prophets Apostles and all Holy Men which have lived from the beginning of the World These I say I am sure to see and to partake with them in Joy Why then should I not be willing to die to enjoy their perpetual Society in Glory And then with Tears told them That he was not unwilling to leave them for his own sake but for the sake of the Church Then having written his Farewel to the Senate and therein admonished them to take care of the Churches and Schools and by their permission chose one Ralph Gualter his Successor he patiently resigned up his Spirit into the Hands of his Redeemer dying Anno Christi 1575. and or his Age 71. 120. Mr. Haines Minister of Westminister was acquainted with a Gentleman of a very Holy Life and Conversation Which said Gentleman as he lay in his Bed one Morning a Boy of about twelve Years of Age appeared to him in a radiant Light and bid him prepare to Die in twelve Days He being surprized at it sent for Mr. Haines and told him of it who perswaded him from believing of it telling him 't was only a Fancy But within six Days he was siez'd with a violent Fever and four or five Hours before his Death the same Boy came and sate upon his Pillow and as the Gentleman grew paler he changed colour too and just as the Breath went out of the Body he disappeared This is attested by the Gentleman's Family for they all saw it and Mr. Haines related it to a Person of good Reputation from whom I received it 121. The Last Will of Mr. Henry Stubbs Deceased July â— 1678. Published at the Desire of his Widow Mrs. D. S. KNowing that I must shortly put off this my Earthly Tabernacle I make my Last Will and Testament Imprimis I commend my Soul into the Hands of God wholly trusting in Jesus Christ my dear Lord and Saviour through his All-sufficient Satisfaction and powerful Mediation to be accepted Eph. 1.6 Item I commit my Body to the Earth from whence 't was taken in sure and certain Hope of a Resurrection to Life Eternal building upon that sure Word John 6.40 Item I leave my Fatherless Children to the Lord who hath promised to be a Father to the Fatherless Ps 68.5 And to preserve them alive Jer. 49.11 Commanding them to keep the way of the Lord Gen. 18.19 Item I â—xhort my Widow to trust in the Lord of whose care she hath had no little Experience and therefore should trust in him Psal 9.10 And I desire her to read often Jer. 49.11 Psal 68.5 Heb. 13.5 Item The Congregations to which I have been formerly a Preacher and that with which I now am by a special Hand of Providence I commend to God and the Word of his Grace which is able to build them up and to give them an Inheritance amongst all them which are sanctified Acts 20.32 beseeching them by the Lord Jesus That as they ahve received of me how they ought to walk and please God so they would abound more and more 1 Thes 4.1 Item And for my Kindred according to the Flesh my Hearts Desire and Prayer to God for them is That they may be saved Rom. 10.1 Item And for all those yet living and who have seriously and earnestly desired my Prayers my earnest Request to God for them is That it would please him to do for them all as the Marter shall require 1 Kings 8.59 Item And for my Brethren in the Ministry my Prayer is That they may take heed to themselves and to all the Flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made them Overseers to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own Blood Acts 20.28 Item And for the People my Prayer is That they may obey them that have the Rule over them Heb. 13.17 Item And for Professors of Religion my Prayer is That they may walk worthy of God unto all well-pleasing being fruitful in every Good Work Col. 1.10 11. Item And for the King my Prayer is That Mercy and Truth may preserve him Prov. 26.28 And for Him and all that are in Authority my Prayer is That they may so lead their own Lives that the People under them may lead quiet and peaceable Lives in all Godliness and Honesty 1 Tim. 2.2 Item And for the whole Land of my Nativity my humble Prayer to the Lord of all Grace and Mercy is That the Power and Purity of the Gospel together with a Learned and Faithful Ministry to dispence the same may be continued and preserved therein The Last Words of those Eminent Persons who fell in the Defence of the Protestant Religion and the English Liberties both in London and the West of England from the Year 1678. to this time IN the two last Reigns many of the Flower of our Nobility and Gentry either lost their Lives or Estates or Liberties or Country whilst a Crew of Parasites triumphed and fluttered in their Ruins To see a Russel die meanly and ignobly in the Flower of his Age an Essex or a Godfry sacrificed to the insatiable Ambition and Revenge of their Enemies who yet not content with their Lives would like the Italian stab on after Death and tho' they could not reach their Souls endeavour to damn their Memories These and too many other such melancholy Instances would be
ready to make a short-sighted Man exclaim with Hercules in the Tragoedian That Vertue is but an empty Name or at least could only serve to make its Owners more sensibly unhappy But altho' such Examples might a little work on a weaker Vertue that which is more confirmed and solid can more easily resist it 'T is not impatient nor uneasie but still believes that Heaven is awake that the Iron Hands of Justice will at length overtake the Offenders and by their Destruction vindicate the Honour and Innocence of those whom they have ruin'd It considers any Riddles in Providence as a curious piece of Opticks which if judged of either before 't is finished or by piece meal here an Eye and there another distorted Feature appears not only unpleasing but really dreadful which yet if viewed when 't is compleat and taking all the Features together makes a Figure sufficiently regular and lovely Who almost could have imagined without some such Reflections as these that those brave Men we have seen for some Years past pick'd out and out off one after another with as much Scandal and Obloquy as cou'd be thrown upon 'em by the ungenerous Malice of thier Enemies when the very Attempt to clear their Reputation has been made almost Capital and involved those who had Courage enough to attempt it in little less Mischief than what they themselves endured That ever these Phoenixes should rise again and flourish in their Ashes That so many great Pens should already have done some of 'em Justice and the World as much to all the rest And with how much more Joy if 't were possible would those Heroes have received their Crowns could they have foreseen their Deaths wou'd have tended so far to work up the Nation to such a just Resentment as wou'd at last have so great an Influence as we find it had on our late glorious deliverance We shall therefore here under this Chapter add the Last Words and what 's Remarkable in the Deaths of those Eminent Persons who fell in Defence of the Protestant Religion and the English Liberties both in London and the West of England from the Year 1678. to this Time 1. Sir Edmundbury Godfrey declared some Days before his Death That he believed in his Conscience he should be the first Martyr Two Anagrams there were made on this brave Gentleman which for the peculiar luckiness of 'em it may not be ungrateful to the Reader to have 'em inserted Sir EDMVNDBVRY GODFREY Anagram I FIND MURDER'D BY ROGUES Another BY ROME'S RUDE FINGER DIE He was the first Martyr for our holy Protestant Religion We shall address what has been written on this Subject not only to Posterity but to all the sober unprejudic'd Men of the present Age and so dismiss it and go on to the rest for whom he only made way after we have presented you with one of the best pieces of Wit tht the Age has yielded on Sir Edmund's Death 'T is a part of that ingenious Poem call'd Bacchanalia Well Primrose my our Godfrey's Name on thee Like Hyacinth inscribed be On thee his Memory flourish still Sweet as thy Flower and lasting as thy Hill Whilst blushing Somerset to her Eternal Shame shall this Inscription wear The Devil's an Ass for Jesuits on this spot Broke both the Neck of Godfrey and the Plot. 2. Mr. COLLEDGE NO body can doubt but that 't was now very much the Interest of the Papists to get off if possible that foul Imputation of a Plot which stuck so deep upon 'em which had been confirm'd by Sir Edmund's Murther Coleman's never-to-be-forgotten Letters Arnold's Assassination and a great deal of Collateral Evidence which fell in unexpectedly many of those who gave it being utterly unacquainted with the first Discoverers After several unfortunate Attempts they had made to this purpose after the Living had perjur'd themselves and the Dying done worse to support their desperate Cause after Attempts to blast and ruine some of the Evidence and buy off others of 'em in both which publick Justice took notice of and punish'd 'em being of a Religion that sticks no Villany to serve an Interest and certainly the most indefatigable and firm People in the World when they set about any Design especially where Diana is concern'd not being yet discouraged they resolv'd to venture upon one Project more which prov'd but too successful to the Loss of the bravest and best Blood in the Kingdom and that was to Brand all those who were the steddiest Patriots and so their greatest Enemies of what Rank soever they were with the odious Character of Persons disaffected to the Government or in the old Language Enemies to Caesar They pretended to perswade the World that after all this great noise of a Popish Plot 't was only a Presbyterian one lay at the bottom Things being thus what can any Man of Modesty say to Mr. Colledge's Protestations over and over both in Prison and at his Death that he was perfectly innocent of what he dy'd for I did deny in them say he that is before the Council and do deny it upon my Death I never was in any manner of Plot in my days nor ever had any such Design as these Men have sworn against me I take God to witness as I am a dying Man and on the Terms of my Salvation I know not one Man upon the face of the Earth which would have stood by me And lower I knew not of any part of what they swore against me till I heard it sworn at the Bar. Again All the Arms we had was for our Defence in case the Papists should have made any Attempt by way of Massacre c. God is my Witness this is all I know And in his solemn Prayer and some of his almost very last Words 'T is thee O God I trust in I disown all Dispensations and will not go out of the World with a Lye in my Mouth And just after to the People From the sincerity of my Heart I declare again That these are the very Sentiments of my Soul as God shall have Mercy upon me Thus dy'd Mr. Colledge whose Blood as he himself desir'd it might sufficiently spoke the Justice of his Cause who seem'd in his Speech to have some Prophetick Intimations that his Blood would not be the last as indeed it was not but rather a Praelude to that which follow'd the Edge of the Law being now turn'd against all those who dar'd defend it He has one Daughter yet living whose Gratitude and Generosity to those who were kind to her under the Misfortunes of her Family is at present the Wonder and Entertainment of the Court of England and whose brave Soul speaks her the true Child of such a Father His CHARACTER How great and undaunted his Courage was both his Tryal and Death testifie He was very vigorous and earnest almost to a Fault in his Undertakings But certainly there are so few who err on that hand that
in Ireland without a Foe By their own barbarous Hands the Mad-men die And Massacre themselves they know not why Whilst the kind Irish howl to see the Gore And pious Catholicks their Fate deplore If you refuse to trust Erroneous Fame Royal Mac-Ninny will confirm the same We have lost more in injur'd Capel's Heir Than the poor Bankrupt Age can e're repair Nature indulg'd him so that there we saw All the choice strokes her steady hand cou'd draw He the Old English Glory did revive In him we had Plantagenets alive Grandeur and Fortune and a vast Renown Fit to support the lustre of a Crown All these in him were potently conjoyn'd But all was too ignoble for his Mind Wisdom and Vertue Properties Divine Those God-like ESSEX were entirely thine In his great Name he 's still preserv'd alive And will to all succeeding Times survive With just Progression as the constant Sun Doth move and through its bright Ecliptick run For whilst his Dust does undistinguish'd lie And his blest Soul is soar'd above the Sky Fame shall below his parted Breath supply 4. WILLIAM Lord RVSSEL THE next who fell under their Cruelty and to whose Death Essex's was but the Prologue was my Lord Russel without all Dispute one of the finest Gentlemen that ever England bred and whose Pious Life and Vertue was as much Treason against the Court by affronting them with what was so much hated there as any thing else that was sworn against him The Last Speech and Carriage of the Lord Russel upon the Scaffold c. ON Saturday July the 21st 1683. about Nine in the Morning the Sheriffs went to Newgate to see if the Lord Russel was ready and in a little time his Lordship came out and went into his Coach taking his Farewel of his Lady the Lord Cavendish and several other of his Friends at Newgate In the Coach were Dr. Tillotson and Dr. Burnet who accompanied him to the Scaffold built in Lincoln's Inn-Fields which was covered all over with Mourning Being come upon the Scaffold his Lordship bowed to the Persons present and turning to the Sheriff made this following Speech Mr. Sheriff I expected the Noise would be such that I should not be much heard I was never fond of much speaking much less now therefore I have set down in Paper all that I think fit to leave behind me God knows how far I was always from Designs against the King's Person or of altering the Government And I still pray for the Preservation of Both and of the Protestant Religion Mr. Sheriff I am told that Captain Walcot Yesterday siad something concerning my Knowledge of the Plot I know not whether the Report be true or not Mr. Sheriff I did not hear him name your Lordship Writer No my Lord your Lordship was not named by any of them Lord Russel I hope it is not for to my knowledge I never saw him nor spake with him in my whole Life and in the Words of a dying Man I profess I know of no Plot either against the King's Life or the Government But I have now done with this World and am going to a better I forgive all the World heartily and I thank God I die in Charity with all Men and I wish all sincere Protestants may love one another and not make way for Popery by their Animosities I pray God forgive them and continue the Protestant Religion amongst them that it may flourish so long as the Sun and Moon endures I am now more satisfied to die than ever I have been Then kneeling down his Lordship prayed to himself after which Dr. Tillotson kneeled down and prayed with him which being done his Lordship kneeled down and prayed a second time to himself then pull'd off his Whig put on his Cap took off his Crevat and Coat and bidding the Executioner after he had lain down a small moment do his Office without a Sign He gave him some Gold Then embracing Dr. Tillotson and Dr. Burnet he laid him down with his Neck upon the Block The Executioner missing at his first stroke though with that he took away his Life at two more severed the Head from the Body The Executioner held up the Head to the People as is usual in cases of Treason c. Which being done Mr. Sheriff ordered his Lordship's Friends or Servants to take the Body and dispose of it as they pleased being given them by His Majesty's Favour and Bounty His Body was convey'd to Cheneys in Buckinghamshire where 't was buried among his Ancestors There was a great Storm and many loud Claps of Thunder the day of his Martyrdom An Elegy was made on him immediately after his Death which seems by what we have of it to be writ with some Spirit and a great deal of Truth and Good-will only this Fragment on 't could be retriev'd which yet may not be unwelcome to the Reader 'T is done he 's crown'd and one bright Martyr more Black Rome is charg'd on thy too bulky score All like himself he mov'd so calm so free A generall Whisper question'd Which is he Deckt like a Lover tho' pale Death 's his Bride He carne and saw and overcame and dy'd Earth wept and all the vainly pitying Croud But Heaven his Death in Thunder groan'd aloud His CHARACTER For his Character if we 'll believe the best Men and those who knew him best 't is one of the most advantageous the Age or indeed our Nation has yielded Those are great words which Mr. Leviston Gower speaks of him on his Tryal but yet not a Syllable too big for his Merit tho' they are very expressive of it That he was one of the best Sons the best Fathers the best Husbands the best Masters the best Friends and the best Christians By other That he was a most Vertuous Prudent and Pious Gentleman A Man of that Vertue that none who knew him could think him guilty of such a Conspiracy A Man of great Honour and too Prudent to be concern'd in so vile and desperate a Design A Person of great Vertue and integrity One whom those he had long convers'd with never heard utter so much as a word of Indecency against the King And others of the highest Quality who had been often in his Company say That they had never heard any thing from him but what was Honourable Just and Loyal His Person was tall and proper his Temper even and aggreable and such as rendred his Vertues even more lovely than they did him His Piety and Devotion as unaffected and yet as remarkable as his Love to the Church of England The True Church of England as he himself calls it not those Tumours and Wens that grow upon it and pretended to be not only part but all of it in our late bad Times to whose Heighths and Extravagancies he thinks it no shame in his Speech to confess he could never rise He was of a Noble Courage which he did not express by
then requested they might sing a Psalm the Sheriff told him It must be with the Ropes about their Necks which they chearfully accepted and sung with such Heavenly Joy and Sweetness that many present saiâ—â— It both broke and rejoyc'd their hearts Thus in the experience of the delightfulness of Praising God on Earth he willingly closed his Eyes on a vain World to pass to that Eternal Employment Sept. 30. 1685. All present of all sorts were exceedingly affected and amazed Some Officers that had before insultingly said Surely these Persons have no thoughts of Death but will find themselves surprized by it after said That they now saw he and they had something extraordinary within that carried them through with such Joy Others of them said That they were so convinced of their Happiness that they would be glad to change Conditions with them All the Soldiers in general and all others lamenting exceedingly saying That it was so sad a thing to see them cut off they scarce knew how to bear it Some of the most malicious in the Place from whom nothing but Railing was expected said as they were carried to their Grave in Taunton Church voluntarily accompanied by most of the Town That these Persons had left a sufficient Evidence that they were now glorified Saints in Heaven A great Officer in the King's Army has been often heard to say That if you would learn to die go to the Young Men of Taunton Much more was uttered by them which shewed the Blessed and Glorious frames of their hearts to the Glory of Divine Grace but this is what occurs to Memory Mr. Benjamin Hewling about two hours before his Death writ this following Letter which shewed the great composure of his Mind Mr. Hewling's last Letter a little before his Execution Taunton Sept. 30. 1685. Honoured Mother THat News which I know you have a great while feared and we expected I must now acquaint you with That notwithstanding the Hopes you gave in your two last Letters Warrants are come down for my Execution and within these few hours I expect it to be performed Blessed be the Almighty God that gives comfort and support in such a day how ought we to magnifie his holy Name for all his Mercies that when we were running on in a course of sin he should stop us in our full Career and shew us that Christ whom we had pierced and out of his Free Grace enable us to look upon him with an Eye of Faith believing him able to save to the utmost all such as come to him Oh admirable long-suffering and Patience of God! that when we were dishonouring his Name he did not take that time to bring honour to himself by our destruction But he delighteth not in the death of a sinner but had rather he should turn to him and live And he has many ways of bringing his own to himself Blessed be his Holy Name that through Affliction he has taught my heart in some measure to be conformable to his Will which worketh Patience and Patience worketh Experience and Experience Hope which maketh not ashamed I bless God I am not ashamed of the Cause for which I lay down my Life and as I have engaged in it and fought for it so now I am going to Seal it with my Blood The Lord still carry on the same Cause which hath been long on foot and tho' we die in it and for it I question not but in his own good time he will raise up other Instruments more worthy to carry it on to the Glory of his Name and the Advancement of his Church and People Honoured Mother I know there has been nothing left undone by you or my Friends for the saving of my Life for which I return my hearty Acknowledgments to your self and them all and it 's my dying Request to you and them to Pardon all undutifulness 〈◊〉 unkindness in every Relation Pray give my Duty to my Grandfather and Grandmother Service to my Uncles and Aunts and my dear Love to all my Sisters to every Relation and Friend a particular Recommendation Pray tell 'em all how Precious an Interest in Christ is when we come to die and advise them never to rest in a Christless Estate For if we are his 't is no matter what the World do to us they can but kill the Body and blessed be God the Soul is out of their reach for I question not but their Malice wishes the Damnation of that as well as the Destruction of the Body which has too evidently appeared by their deceitful and â—â—tering Promises I commit you all to the Care and Protection of God who has promised to be a Father to the Fatherless and a Husband to the Widow and to supply the want of every Relation The Lord God of Heaven be your Comfort under these Sorrows and your Refuge from those Miseries we may easily fore-see coming upon poor England and the poor distâ—eâ—â—ed People of God in it The Lord carry you through this Vale of Tears with a resigning submissive Spirit and at last bring you to himself in Glory where I question not but you will meet your dying Son Ben. Hewling Their CHARACTERS THey were both of very sweet and obliging Tempers as has appeared in their History it being a very hard matter for their worst Enemies when they once knew 'em well not to Honour and Love ' em Mr. Benjamin the Elder reconciled the Lamb and the Lion exactly In the Field he seem'd made only for War and any where else for nothing but Love He without Flattery deserv'd to be call'd a very fine Man of a lovely Proportion extreamly well made as handsome a Meen and good an Air as perhaps few in England exceeded him His Picture is pretty like him The Younger Mr. William somewhat taller and more slender his Face fresh and lively as his Spirit being Master of an extraordinary vivacity and briskness of Temper Both of 'em Vertuous Pious and Courageous far above their Years and indeed seem'd to be Men too soon one of 'em not being Twenty the Eldest but Two and twenty when they dy'd verifying that common Observation That whatever is perfect sooner than ordinary has generally a shorter Period prefix'd it than what 's more base and ignoble 2. Mr. CHRISTOPHER BATTISCOMB HE was another young Gentleman of a good Family and very great Hopes and of a fair Estate which lay in Dorsetshire somewhere between Dorchester and Lyme He had studied some time at the Temple and having Occasions in the Country about the Time of my Lord Russel's Business he was there seiz'd on Suspicion of being concern'd in 't and clapt into the County Gaol at Dorchester where he behaved himself with that Prudence and winning Sweetness and shew'd so much Wit and innocent pleasantry of Temper as extreamly obliged both all his Keepers and Fellow-Prisoners and even Persons of the best Quality in that Town They knew how to value such a Gentleman
and died Chetwind 's Hist Collections In the Year 1559. Henry the Second King of France was slain in the midst of his Pastimes and Triumphs and in publick Joy of the People For while he Celebrated the Nuptials of his Daughter at Paris in a Tilting the Splinter of a broken Lance flew with such violence and pierced his Eye that he died immediately In the Year 1491. Alphonsus the Son of John the Second King of Portugal being about Sixteen Years of Age a Prince of great Hopes and Wit took to Wife Isabella the Daughter of Ferdinand King of Spain whose Dowry was the ample Inheritance of her Father's Kingdoms The Nuptials were celebrated with the preparations of Six Hundred Triumphs Plays Running Racing Tilting Banquets So much Plenty so much Luxury that the Horse-boys and Slaves glistered in Tissue But oh immense Grief hardly the Seventh Month had passed when the young Prince sporting a Horse-back upon the Banks of Tagus was thrown from his Horse to the Ground so that his Scull was broken and he wounded to Death He was carried to a Fisher's House scarce big enough to contain him and two of his Followers there he lay down upon a Bed of Straw and expired The King flies thither with the Queen his Mother There they behold the miserable Spectacle their Pomp turn'd into Lamentation The growing Youth of their Son his Vertues Wealth like Flowers on a sudden disrobed by the North-winds blast and all to be buried in a miserable Grave O the sudden Whirlwinds of Human Affairs O most precipitate Falls of the most constant Things What shall I remember any more Basilius the Emperor was gored to death by a Hart while he was entangled in a troublesome Bough The ancient Monument in the Camp of Ambrosius near Aenipontus witnesses That a Noble Youth though under Age set Spurs to his Horse to make him leap a Ditch twenty foot broad The Horse took it but the Rider and the Horse fell by a sudden and almost the same kind of death That the Spoils of the Horse and the Garments of the Youth speak to this Day But this sudden Fate is common as well to the Good as to the Bad neither does it argue an unhappy Condition of the Soul unless any Person in the Act of burning Impiety feel himself struck with the Dart of Divine Vengeance Such was the Exit of Dathan and Abiram whom the gaping Earth miserably swallowed up obstinate in their Rebellion against Moses Such was the End of those Soldiers whom for their Irreverence to Elijah Heaven consumed with Balls of Fire Such was the End of the Hebrew whom the Revengers Sword pass'd thorough finding him in the Embraces of the Midianitess turning his Genial into his Funeral Bed So many Pores of the Body so many little Doors for Death Death does not shew himself always near yet is he always at hand What is more stupid than to wonder that that should fall out at any time which may happen every Day Our Limits are determined where the inexorable necessity of Fate has fix'd them But none of us knows how near they are prefixed So therefore let us form our Minds as if we were at the utmost extremity Let us make no Delay Death has infinite accesses So it is indeed and to what I have said I add It is reported that a certain Person dream'd that he was torn by the Jaws of a Lion He rises careless of his Dream and goes to Church with his Friends In the way he sees a Lyon of Stone gaping that upheld a Pillar Then declaring his Dream to his Companions not without Laughter Behold said he this is the Lyon that tore me in the Night So saying he thrust his Hand into the Lyon's Jaws crying to the Statue Thou hast thy Enemy now shut thy Jaws and if thou canst bite my Hand He had no sooner said the Word but he received a deadly Wound in that place where he thought he could have no harm for at the bottom of the Lyon's Mouth lay a Scorpion which no sooner felt his Hand but he put forth his Sting and stung the young Man to death Are Stones thus endued with Anger Where then is not Death if Lyons of Stone can kill In the same manner died the young Hylas who was kill'd by a Viper that lay hid in the Mouth of a Bear 's resemblance in Stone What shall I mention the Child kill'd by an Isicle dropping upon his Head from the Penthouse whom Martial laments in the following Verses Where next the Vipsan Pillars stands the Gate From whence the falling Rain wets Cloak and Hat A Child was passing by when strange to tell Vpon his Throat a frozen drop there fell Where while the Boy his cruel Fate bemoan'd The tender point straight melted in the Wound Would Chance have us adore her lawless Will Or tell where Death is not if Drops can kill 'T is the Saying of Annaeus Uncertain it is saith he in what place Death may expect thee therefore do thou expect Death in every place We trifle and at distance think the Ill While in our Bowels Death lies lurking still For in the moment of our Birth-day Morn That moment Life and Death conjoin'd were born And of that Thread with which our Lives we measure Our Thievish Hours still make a rapid â—â—â—zure Insensibly we die so Lamps expire When wanting Oil to feed the greedy Fire Though living still yet Death is then so nigh That oft-times as we speak we speaking die Senccio Cornelius a Roman Knight a Man of extream Frugality no less careful of his Patrimony than of his Body when he had sate all Day till Night by his Friend sick a Bed beyond all Hopes of Recovery when he had Supp'd well and cheary was taken with a violent Distemper the Quinsey scarcely retained his Breath within his contracted Jaws till Morning so that he deceas'd within a few Hours after he had performed all the Duties of a sound and healthy Man What follows is extracted from Mr. Increase Mather's Book of Remarkable Providences I Shall only add says he at present That there have been many sudden Deaths in this Countrey which should not pass without some Remark For when such Strokes are multiplied there is undoubtedly a speaking Voice of Providence therein And so it hath been with us in new-New-England this last Year and most of all the last Summer To my Observation in August last within the space of three or four Weeks there were twelve sudden Deaths and it may be others have observed more than I did some of them being in respect of sundry Cirrumstances exceeding awful Let me only add here that sudden Death is not always a Judgment unto those who are taken out of an evil World It may be a Mercy to them and a Warning unto others as the sudden Death of the Prophet Ezekiel's Wife was Many of whom the World was not worthy have been so removed out of it Moses died suddenly and
a Child well shap'd and as long as a Man's Finger voided by the Mouth and conceived in the Stomach of a young Woman an abominable Taylors Wife Sometimes the Testicles are Treble sometimes the Pains double c. CHAP. XI Of Pigmies PIgmies are a kind of Dwarfs but by Report of Authors there is a whole Nation and Race of them and why Mankind may not be shriveled through the Propriety of the Climate into a Degenerous and Small Dwarfish Stature as well as Horses Kine Trees c. It will not be very casie to assign a Reason That there is such a Nation as Pigmies Authors ancient and modern affirm as Philostratus out of Apollonius Homer Aristotle Sir John Mandevile in his Travels cap. 64. Jovius in Muscovitâ legatione Olaus de Gent. Septent lib. 2. The Portugals have discovered many Dwarfs in Tartary Neiremb in Hist Nat. Odoricus de rebus Indicis says he found among the Indians Pigmies of three Palms high Delrio saith that Anno 1600 in Peruvio there was found a Province of Dwarfs Gemma Frisiu◠writes of a Boat of Pigmies that were seen being driven by a Tempest to the Kingdom of Norway Photius out of Cresias saith there are Negroes in the midst of India whom he calls Pigmies who are at the most but two Cubits high and most of them but one Cubit long few exceeding the Altitude of one Cubit and an half of which the King of that Countrey entertaineth 3000 for his Guard They are very Just and use the same Laws as the Indians do They Hunt Hares and Foxes not with Dogs but with Crows Kites Rooks and Eagles Jonston p. 226. CHAP. XII Of Dwarfs c. ALL Extremes are Wonderful but those of Littleness or Defect do oftentimes dispose to Contempt and Ridicule as if Nature had bestowed her Operations and Favours in too sparing and niggardly a manner yet even in this case the want of Stature is often supplied with a Compensation by inward Endowments which are quicken'd and made more intense by a kind of Antiperistasis like the Sun-beams contracted in a Burning-glass or which comes nearer to purpose like the Animal Faculties in a little Ant or Bee or Wasp or Spider 1. Julia the Neice of Augustus had a Dwarf called Canopas he was not above two Foot and an Hands breadth in height and she had a freed Maid of the same height Plin. l. 7. cap. 16. p. 165. 2. Marcus Varro reporteth that Marius Maximus and Marcus Tullius were both but two Cubits high and yet were both Gentlemen and Knights of Rome and Pliny testifies that he saw their Bodies embalmed Pliny l. 7. p. 165. 3. In the time of Theodosius there was seen in Egypt a Pigmey so small of body that he resembled a Partridge yet did he exercise all the Functions of a Man and could Sing Tuneably he lived to the Age of 25. Niceph. Hist Ecclesiast lib. 12. cap. 37. p. 379. 4. John de Estrix of Mechlen was brought to the Duke of Parma in Flanders Anno 1592. he was Aged 35 he had a long Beard and was no more then 3 Foot high he could not go up Stairs much less could he get up a Form but was always lift up by a Servant he was skilled in three Tongues Ingenious Industrious and play'd well at Tables Plater Obs. l. 3. p. 581. 5. There was a Dwarf at the Court of Wirtemberg at the Nuptials of the Duke of Bavaria the little Gentleman armed Cap-a-pee girt with a short Sword and with the like Spear in his Hand was put into a Pie that he might not be seen and the Pie set upon the Table at last raised the Lid and breaking loose thence he stepped out drew his Sword and after the manner of a Fencer Traversed his Ground upon the Table to the equal Wonder and Laughter of them that were present ibid. 6. Anno 1610. John Ducker an English-man who was about 45 years of Age had a long Beard and was only two Foot and a half high he was of streight and thick Limbs and well proportioned ibid. 582. 7. Augustus exhibited in his Plays one Lucius a young Man he was not full two Foot high he weighed but 17 Pounds yet had he a great and strong Voice Sucton p. 81. in Augusto 8. In the time of Jamblicus lived Alipius of Alexandria a most excellent Logician and a famous Philosopher but of so small and little a body that he little exceeded the Stature of those Pigmeys who are said to be but a Cubit high such as beheld him thought he was scarce any thing but Spirit and Soul so little grew that part of him that was syable to Corruption that it seemed to be consumed into a kind of Divine Nature Zuing. Vol. 2. p. 278. 9. Caracus was a Man of exceeding small Stature yet was he the Wisest Counsellor that was about Saladine that great Conqueror of the East ibid. 10. Anno 1306. Vladislaus Cubitalis that Pigmey King of Poland Reigned and Fought more Battels and obtained more glorious Victories therein then any of his long-shank'd Predecessors Vertue refuseth no Stature but commonly vast Bodies and extraordinary Statures have sottish dull and leaden Spirits Burtons Melan. p. 2. sect 3. p. 290. 11. Cardan says that he saw a Man in Italy not above a Cubit high carried about in a Parrots Cage And a Gentleman of good Reputation told Mr. Sandys that he saw a Man at Siena not exceeding the same Stature he was a French-man of the Countrey of Limosins with a formal Beard who was also shewn in a Cage for Money at the end whereof was a little hutch into which he retired and when the Assembly was full came forth and played on an Instrument Sand. in Ovid. Met. lib. 6. p. 114. 12. Philippa French born at Milcomb in Oxfordshire Aged 36 or 37 years of perfect Symmetry and Parts wanted half an Inch of a yard in height being then married c. Dr. Plot in his Nat. Hist of Oxfordsh p. 195. One of much the same Stature is to be seen by all Travellers that pass that way at the upper end of Guilford in Surrey 13. There was one Hans a Swiss brought over into England but a few years since Aged 38 but two Foot and 7 Inches high 14. A little Woman was here at Chichester in Sussex lately whom I saw my self not above two Cubits in height but her Legs were not very perfect CHAP. XIII Persons of a Wonderful Stature Giants WE are apt in the Ideas and Conceptions we frame to our selves of Natural Bodies to set and prescribe certain bounds to them beyond which they may not exceed not considering that there are many Reasons for which Nature may extend her Dimensions and stretch her Lines in the Structure or Augmentation of Bodies beyond the Reach of our common Apprehensions either in the first Seeds of Generation or the Food and Aliment they are Nourished with or the Climate and present Constitution of the Air or some
repaired even to old Age when he designeth extraordinary Services by them Dr. Annesley 's Funeral Sermon preached by Mr. Daniel Williams CHAP. XXXIV Persons reviving after a supposed Death I Expect this Title will be quarrelled at both by Naturalists and Divines the former will object the Impossibility of a habit returning into the subject after a perfect Privation the latter will fetch an Argument from the Decree of the Almighty and alledge the Determination of the Immortal Soul immediately after a Dissolution and Separation to its Eternal State and Abode To both which I make only this short Answer That I conceive that in some of the Cases hereafter mentioned the Privation was not perfect in others the Return was not Natural 1. Anno 1537 when the Plague raged at Colen one Richmet Adolick a Noble Lady died in Appearance and as the Fashion was then had her Rings and Jewels buried with her of which the covetous Sexton having notice came with a Companion of his to dig her up that being done they opened the Coffin and going about to pull off her Rings she rose up in her Shroud at which the Sacrilegious Villains being conscious of Guilt and oppressed with Fear fled and for haste left the Lanthorn and the Church Door open so that the Lday loosing her self took up the Lanthorn and went home her Husband hearing her Voice was as much terrified as the others had been but by degrees lessening his Fears he received her with Joy when he perceived she was a living Corps and not a Ghost or Spectre and she confessed to him that she had all that time been as one in a Sleep till two Men came rudely and waked her but when she was made sensible that she had been buried she started and then praised GOD that those Men's Evil Purposes had been the Means of her Safety and being thereupon taken great Care of she recovered her Health and lived to have three Sons afterwards as appears by her Monument erected in Memory of so strange a Deliverance and standing now in the Entrance of the Apostle's Church in Colen The Ladies Dictionary p. 491. 2. In the same City John Duns called Scotus falling into an Apoplexy was buried alive but had not the good Fortune as the other to be timely relieved for before he could be taken up he had beat his Brains against the Grave-Stone Ibid. 3. Anno 1661 to the Knowledge of many Hundred about London one Lawrence Cawthorn a Butcher in St. Nicholas Shambles who having provided all Things to his Marriage it is doubtful whether too much Strong-Waters or Opium given him by his Landlady who aimed at what Moneys he had got and knew she should not be the better for it if he married cast him into a profound Sleep so sleeping all that Night and all the next Day she got some of her Confederates to give out he was dead so buried him but the next Day being Sunday as the People passed to Church they heard a strange Groaning in the Ground but for a time could not tell what to make of it growing louder thô a kind of hollow Sound they informed the Churchwardens of it who only flouted at it as a Delusion of the Senses but the next Day being better informed and all Circumstances considered this new Grave was opened and the Body found warm thô dead with the stifling Vapours and violent Beatings against the Sides of the Coffin upon News of which the barbarous old Woman fled and we do not hear she ever was found agains Ibid. 4. The Story of Anne Green hanged at Oxford and returning to Life again is already related in the former part of this Book 5. Anno 1658 Elizabeth the Servant of one Mrs. Cope of Magdalen Parish in Oxford was indicted at the City Sessions for killing her Bastard-Child and putting it in the House of Office of which being convicted she was condemned to die and accordingly was hanged at Green-Ditch the place appointed for the Execution of the City-Malefactors where she hung so long that one of the By-standers scrupled not to say If she were not dead he would be hanged for her Being out down put into a Coffin and brought to the George Inn Life was found in her and after breathing a Vein being put to bed with another young Wench by her she came quickly to her self but was the Night following barbarously carried to Glocester-Green and there hanged a second time Dr. Plot 's Nat. Hist of Oxford ch 8. p. 119. 6. I have a Relation by me from Coventry well attested concerning a young Damosel who was given for dead by her Parents laid forth and Cakes baked for her Funeral and other Preparations made for the Solemnity yet afterwards returned to Life again But having misplaced the Paper and not being able to find it presently I cannot be exact in Particulars Mr. Richard Harris who lives there and is employed commonly in dispersing and collecting Letters Patents in several Counties of England is by Marriage related to the Family 7. I have mentioned another Example out of Dr. Marc Casauben of a Person who revived again before he was buried on purpose to discover a Murder of a former Wife 8. Mrs. Anna Atherton being about 14 Years of Age fell sick in November 1669 whereupon several Physicians were called to her Assistance who consulted about her Distemper and judged it to be something of an Ague thô the Symptoms thereof were somewhat different from those that were usual in that Distemper Her Disease proved too hard for their Skill and Medicines and brought the Patient to a thinness of Body paleness of Countenance and stupidness to any thing but her Devotions She was before of a full habit of Body of a brisk and lively Temper and prone to all kind of Exercise befitting her Age. Under this strong Alteration she continued till the beginning of February ensuing when by little and little she felt a sensible Decay of her whole Body which daily encreasing prevailed at length upon all the Organs of Life and Motion so that in appearance she lay void of either whereupon she was concluded to be really dead The Women who came to do their last Office to her Body perceived more heat and warmth in her than they thought to be usual in dead Bodies upon which they desisted a while and because the Room was close and a Fire had been always in it thinking the usual Warmth might proceed from thence they opened the Casements to let in what Air they could and put out the Fire and then left her sometime to her self But returning they found the same warmth to continue then they left her in this manner one whole Day yet could find no Alteration whereupon they applied a Looking-glass to her Mouth but not the least Cloud appeared They put live Coals to her Feet which discovered not the least sign of Life or Sense Notwithstanding her Mother was very timorous which made her delay her Burial and
blows first into a yellow Blossom which falling off there remains a Cod about the bigness of a Man's Thumb in which the substance is moist and yellow but as it ripens it swells bigger till it breaks the Cod and in short time becomes as white as Snow and then they gather it Purch Pilgr vol. 2. p. 1470. 35. Gum-lac comes from Trees like Plum-Trees out of which Trees comes a certain Gum which Pismires suck up and then they make the Lac round about the Branches of the Tree as Bees make Wax and when it is full the Owners come and breaking off the Branches lay them to dry and being dry the Branches shrink out and the Lac remains It comes from Pegu. Id. p. 1783. 36. The Herb Addad is bitter and the Root of it so Venemous that one drop of the juice will kill a Man within the space of one hour Ibid p. 850. 37. Sponges grow on the sides of Rocks 15 Fathom under water about the bottom of the Streights of Gibraltar Ibid. 38. The Resurrection-Tree grows in Manica which for the greatest part of the year is without a Leaf or Greeness but if one cut off a Bough and put it into the Water in the space of 10 hours it springs and flourisheth with Green Leaves but draw it out of the Water and as soon as it is dry it remains as it was before Ibid. p. 1537. 39. A Tree as big as an Oak of a middle size the Bark white like Horn-beam 6 or 7 yards high with ragged Boughs Leaf like the Bay-Leaf It beans neither Fruit nor Flower it stands on the side of an Hill in the day time it is withered and drops all night a Cloud hanging thereon so that it yields Water sufficient for one of the Gatary Islands wherein are 8000 Souls and above 100000 Cammels Mules and Goats c. The Water falls into a Pond made of Brick payed with Stone from whece it is conveyed into several Ponds through the whole Island for they have no other Water there except Rain Water The Pond hold 20000 Tun of Water and is filled in one night Many of our English that have been there attest the Truth thereof Idem p. 1369. 40. About Saffron-Walden in Essex grows great store of Saffron first brought into England in the Reign of Edward III. This in the month of July every third year being plucked up and after 20 days having the Root split and set again in the Earth about the end of September it putteth forth a whitish blue Flower out of the midst whereof comes â— Chives which are gathered in the morning before Sun-rising and being plucked out of the Flower are dried by a sort Fire and so great is the increase that cometh thereof that out of every Acre of Ground are made 80 or 100 pound weight of Saffron whilst it is most which being dried yield about 20 pound weight Cambd. Brit. p. 453. 41. The Assa-Fatida Tree is like our Brier in height the Leaves resemble Fig-Leaves the Root is like 〈◊〉 Radish-Root though the smell be 〈◊〉 paâ—e yet the taste is so pleasing that no Meat no Sauce no Vessel is pleasing to the Gusarat's Pallats where it grows except it relish of it Herbert's Travels 42. The Benjamin Gum issues from a high Tree smell and furnished with fruitless Branches the Leaves are not unlike to those of the Olive Pegu and Siam yield the best Clarks of Tree c. p. 199. 43. The Plantan-Tree is of a reasonable height the Body about the bigness of a Mans Thigh compacted of many Leaves wrapped one upon another adorned with Leaves instead of Boughs from the very ground which are for the most part about two Ells long and an Ell broad having a large Rib in the middle thereof The Fruit is a Bunch of 10 or 12 Plantans each a Span long and as big almost as a Man's Wrist The Rind being stripped off the Fruit is yellowish and of a pleasant Taste purch Pilgr p. 416. 44. The Palmeta-Tree yields a sweet and wholsome Wine by cutting or boring Holes in the Body of the Tree into which a Cane is put that receives the Sap and conveys it into Gourds It tasts like Whitewine but it ill not last above 24 Hours Purch Pilgr vol. 2. p. 1500. Vide more Numb 52. 45. The Tonal-Tree grows in New-Spain in whose Leaves breed certain smell Worms at first no bigger than a Flea at greatest about the bigness of our Lady Cows which they resemble which feeding on the Leaves are gathered by the Natives twice a year stifled with Ashes or Water and dried to Powder in the Shade Some call this Tree Tuna other the Prickle Pear bearing a Leaf of a slimy Nature and a Fruit blood-red and full of Seeds which give 〈…〉 like to Brasiletto Wood that will perish in a few days by the Fire But this Infect gives 〈…〉 â—â—â—manent Tincture and is Cochineel Sir Tho. Pope Blunt p. 75 76 c. Clark of Trees 〈…〉 pag. 201. 46. A Berry grows in Bermudas and New-England from a Plant called Red-Weed which is as Red as the Prickle Pear giving much the like Tincture out of which Berry come out first Worms which afterwards turn into Flies somewhat bigger than the Cochineel-Fly feeding on the same Berry in which we read there hath been found a colour no whit inferiour to that of the Cochineel-Fly and as to Medicinal Virtues much exceeding it Idem Sir Tho. Pope Blunt 47. Manguey grows in New-Spain it hath great and large Leaves at the end whereof is a strong and sharp point which they use for Pins and Needles and out of the Leaf they draw a kind of Thread which they use much to Sew with The Body of the Tree is big which when it is tender they cut and out of the hole proceeds a Liquor which they drink like Water being fresh and sweet This Liquor being sodden becomes Wine which being kept till sower makes good Vinegar Boil it a little more than for Wine and it makes a fine Syrup and Boil it till thick and it makes Honey Purch Pisgr v. 3. p. 957. 48. The Papiri Sedgie-Reeds grow in the Marines of Egypt whereof formerly they made Paper and from whence ours that is made of Rags assumed that Name They divide it into think flakes whereinto it naturally parteth then laying them on a Table and moistening them with the Glutinous Water of Nilus they press them together dry them in the Sun and then they are fitted for use Idem v. 2. p. 898. 49. Ananas ariseth from a Root like an Artichoke when they are ripe they shew themselves and are not above two foot high Without it is covered with a dry Rind hard and scaly within it is wholsom and pleasant and though a little of it seems to satiate the Appetite yet the Stomack likes it well and its easie of Digestion Idem 50. The Duroyen is in shape round at first opening it hath an unpleasant smell The Meat
another Earthquake in the same Country that reached 300 Leagues along the Sea-shore and 70 Leagues in Land and Levelled the Mountains along as it went threw down Cities turn'd the Rivers out of their Channels and made an universal Havock and Confusion all this was done saith the Author in the space of seven or eight Minutes sometime before this above 40000 People perished in an Earthquake about Puel and Naples 20. In 1590 happened a terrible Earthquake which made Austris Bohemia and Moravia to Tremble in 1591. In St. Michael Island in the West-Indies there was an Earthquake which continued about 16 days to the extream Terror of the French which inhabit there especially when by force thereof they perceiv'd the Earth to move from place to place and Villa Franca their Principal Town overthrown the Ships that then rode at Anchor trembled and quaked insomuch that the People thought the day of Judgment was come In 1593 another terrible Earthquake happened in Persia which overturn'd 3000 Houses in the City of Lair crushing to Death above 3000 Persons in their Ruins In 1614 there was a great Earthquake in Vercer one of the largest of the Azor's Islands belonging to the King of Portugal overturning the City of Agra 11 Churches 9 Chappels besides many private Houses and in the City of Praga hardly an House was left standing not long after a dreadful Earthquake happened in St. Michael another Island of the Azores the Sea opened and thrust forth an Island above a League and a half in length at the place where there was above 150 Fathom Water 21. In 1622 was a great Earthquake in Italy the shape of an Elephant was seen in the Air and three Suns Armies Fighting Monstrous Births Waters turned into Blood unusual and impetuous Tempests which overthrew several Towers 22. In 1627 an Earthquake happened in England and a great Fiery Beam was seen in the Air in France Six Suns in Cornwall at once and five Moons in Normandy In the same year July 31 happened an Earthquake in Apulia in Italy whereby in the City of Severine 10000 Souls were taken out of the World and in the Horrour of such infinite Ruins and Sepulchre of so many Mortals a great Bell thrown out of the Steeple by the Earthquake fell so fitly over a Child that it inclos'd him doing him no harm made a Bulwark for him against any other danger 23. In the year 1631 there happened a Terrible Earthquake in Naples and the Mountain of Soma after many terrible Bellowings Vomitted out burning streams of Fire which tumbled into the Adriatic Sea and cast out huge deal of Ashes the like happened the year following with great Damage and Loss to the Neighbouring places in Houses People and Cattle and in Apulia 17000 Persons were destroyed by the same 24. In the year 1631 there happened a Terrible Earthquake in the Island of St. Michael one of the Terceres in the Atlantick Ocean Westward upon June the 26th this Island began universally to shake which continued eight days so that the People leaving the cities Towns and Castles were forc'd to live in the open Fields which was attended with a dreadful breaking out of Fire that had not the Wind by Divine Providence blown from the Isle into the Sea and drove back this outragious Fire without doubt the whole Country had been burnt up and destroy'd 25. In 1560 about five a Clock about the County of Cumberland and Westmorland was a general Earthquake wherewith the People were so affrighted that many of them forsook their Houses and some Houses so shaken that their Chimneys fell down The same year the Island of Santorim at the bottom of the Streights in the Mediterranean Sea not far from Candia had formidable Earthquakes and Fires it was most remarkable upon September 24 1650 which shook the Isle till the 9th of October with such mighty and frequent Earthquakes that the People fearing their immediate Ruin was approaching were on their Knees Night and Day before the Altars it cannot be expressed what Horrour seized all Men especially when the Flames breaking through all Obstacles strove to make themselves away through the midst of the Waters of the Ocean about four Mites Eastward from Santorin for the Sea all on a suddain swelled thirty Cubits upward and extending it self wide through the Neighbouring Lands overturn'd all in its way 26. In 1657 the Spaniards felt a terrible blow in Peru which if it were not a Mark of the Wrath of Heaven saith the Author was at least a Sign that the Earth is weary of them especially in those Parts where they have stain'd it with so much Innocent Blood The City of Lima was swallowed up by an Earthquake and Calao another City not far from it was consumed by a Shower of Fire out of the Clouds 11000 Spaniards lost their Lives in this Calamity and the Earth devoured an 100 Millions of refin'd Silver which the Lucre of the Spaniards had forc'd out of her Bowels 27. In 1660 an Earthquake happened at Paris in France and at the same time we had News that part of the Pyrenean Mountains had been overthrown some days before they are certain Mountains that divide France and Spain it did great Mischief there overwhelm'd some Medicinal Baths many Houses and destroying much People one Church which sunk into the Caverns below was thrown up again and stands very firm but in another place this was look'd upon as a great Miracle especially by the French who have disputed with the Spaniard about a Church standing upon the Frontier-Line but now is removed near half a League within the acknowledged Limits of France 28. In 1665 there was a great Tempest accompanied with Thunder Lightning and an Earthquake in divers places in England at which time the stately Spire of Trinity Church in Coventry fell down and demolished a great part of the Church 29. In 1668 in Autumn a great part of Asia and some parts of Europe were infested with extraordinnry Earthquakes the Cities of Constantinople and Adrianople felt its effects but not with that Violence and continuance as in other places In some parts of Persia it continued for above fourscore days Torqueto and Bolio two considerable Cities were by its great Violence laid even to the Ground and all or most of their Inhabitants buryed in the Ruins above 6000 Persons Perished in the first of them and above 1800 in the latter and in all the Adjacent Cities it raged with extraordinary Fury destroying and ruining the Buildings killing many of the People and the rest were forced to quit the Towns and take up their Lodgings in the Fields 30. In 1687 October 20 the London Gazette gives a sad Relation of another Earthquake in the Kingdom of Peru in America whereby the City of Lima was totally overthrown and not an House left standing burying many of its inhabitants under its Ruins at the same time Callao Fenettei Pisco Chancay Los Florillos c. Most of the Sea-port
being visited with the Small Pox when he was about six Years old his Tongue putrified and was quite consumed after which the Vvula in his Mouth being longer than it was before he could by the help of the other Organs of Speech discourse as plainly as if he had never lost his Tongue These things are Marvellous 13. And yet I have lately met with a passage more strange than any of these Related There is or was in the Year 1679 living near Kerchem in Germany a Man his Name is John Algair who suddenly lost the use of his Speech the case has been so with him that fourteen Years together he could never speak but at one hour of the Day just as the Sun comes to the Meridian he has the liberty of his Speech for an hour and no more so that he knoweth exactly when it is twelve a Clock because then he can speak and not a Minute before that nor a Minute after One. This is Related in the Germanic Ephemeridies of Miscellaneous Curiosities for the Year 1679. Observat 188. It is evident that the Sun has a marvelous Influence as to some Diseases which the Bodies of Men are subject unto For in Egypt tho' the Plague rage the Day before on that very day when the Sun enters into Leo it ceaseth when also the Floods of Nilus increase as Geographers inform us Moreover it is possible by Art to Teach those that are by Nature Deaf and Dumb to Speak The Dectilogy of Beda is pretty whereby Men speak as nimbly with the Fingers as with the Tongue taking five Fingers of the one Hand for Vowels and the several Positions of the other for Consonants But that Deaf Persons may learn to speak happy Experience hath proved and that by many Instances 14. Acustre has given an Account of the Method by him successfully observed in Teaching a Boy to Speak that was Born Deaf After the use of some Purgative Medicines he caused the Hair to be shaved off from his Head over the Coronal Suture and then frequently anointed the shaven place with a mixture of Aquavitae Salt Petre Oil of Butter Almonds c. having done this he began to speak to the Deaf Person not at his Ear but at his Coronal Suture and then after the use of Unctions and Emunctions the sound would pierce when at his Ears it could not enter so did he by degrees teach him to speak Vide Ephem German Anno 1670. Observation 350. But others have with good Effect followed another kind of Method 15. There was a Spanish Noble Man Brother to the Constable of Castile who being Born Deaf and also Dumb from his Infancy Physitians had long in vain tried Experiments for his relief At last a certain Priest undertook to teach him to speak his Attempt was at first laughed at but within a while the Gentleman was able notwithstanding his Deafness still remained to Converse or Discourse with any Friend He was taught to speak by putting a Cord about his Neck and straining or losening the same to advertise him when to open or shut his Mouth by the Example of his Teacher Nor was there any difference found between his Speech and that of other Men only that he did not regulate his Voice speaking commonly too high Vide Conferences of Virtuosi p. 215. 16. Not long since Fran. Mercur. Helmont designing to teach a Deaf Man to speak concluded it would be more easily practicable if the Experiment were made with an Eastern wide Mouth Language which does remarkably expose the Eye to the motion of the Lips Tongue and Throat Accordingly he cried with the Hebrew Tongue and in a short time his Dumb Schollar became an excellent Hebrician Others have lately been as Successful in their Attempts to cause Deaf Persons to speak and understand the Europaean Languages We need not go out of our own Nation for there we find living Instances 17. In the Philosopical Transactions for the Year 1670. Num. 61. an Account is given concerning Mr. Daniel Wâ—aley of Northampton in England who by an Accident lost his Hearing when he was about five Years of Age and so his Speech not at once but by degrees in about half a Years time In five Years 1661. the Learned and Ingenious Dr. Wallis of Oxford undertook to teach the Deaf Gentleman to speak and write Nor did the Doctor fail in attaining his end â—or in the space of one Year the Dumb Man had read over great part of the English Bible and had attained so much skill as to express himself intelligibly in ordinary Affairs to understand Letters written to him and to write Answers to them And when Forreigners out of curiosity came to Visit him he was able to pronounce the most difficult words of their Language even Polish it self which any could propose unto him Nor was this the only Person on whom the Doctor shewed his skill But he has since done the like for another a Gentleman of a very good Family who did from his Birth want his Hearing Likewise Dr. Holder in his late Book about the Natural Production of Letters giveth Rules for the Teaching the Deaf and Dumb to speak 18. Edward Bone of Ladock in Cornwall was Servant to Mr. Courtney also He was Deaf from his Gradle and consequently Dumb Nature cannot give out where she hath not received yet could learn and express to his Master that was stirring in the Country especially if there went any news of a Sermon within some Miles distant he would repair to that place with the soonest and setting himsef directly against the Preacher look him stedfastly in the Face while the Sermon lasted To which Religious Zeal his honest Life was also answerable assisted with a firm Memory he would not only know any Party whom he had once seen for ever after but also make him known to another by some special Observation and Difference There was one Kemp not living far off deffected accordingly on whose meetings there were such Embracings such strange often and earnest Tokenings such hearty Laughters and other passionate Gestures that their want of Tongue seemed rather a hinderance to others conceiving them than to their conceiving one another Fullers Worthies p. 206. in Cornwall Other Defects of Nature supplyed by Art 1. The Indians presented Augustus with a young Man with Shoulders or Arms that could perform with his Feet what others did with their Arms and Hands could bend a Bow shoot Arrows and sound a Trumpet Xiph. in August p. 55. 2. My self and others says Camerarius being once at Lombourg in the House of Erasmus Neustetetur he sent to a place not far off for one Thomas Sckiveiker a young Man of one and thirty Years of Age descended of a Worshipful House and Born without ever an Arm who did with his Feet all that a ready Man could do with his Hands Having seated himself in a place equal with the highth of the Table whereon the Meat was placed he took a Knife
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Hastings about Three Years ago where when the People were in great Poverty and suffer'd much by Scarcity of Money and Provisions it pleased God that an unusual and great Showl of Herrings came up the River by which the Inhabitants were plentifully supplied for the present and the next week after a Multitude of Cod succeeded them which were supposed to have driven the former into the River before them by which means the Necessity of the poor Inhabitants was supplied unexpectedly to Admiration 6. And this very Year 't is very observable when Money is at a low ebb amongst us and People every where muttering and complaining of the baseness of the old Coyn and the slowness of Coyning new Money c. God hath sent us in his Gracious Providence such a plentiful Harvest that not only the Farmers and poor People but even the Fields themselves to use the Psalmist's Phrase seem to laugh and sing 7. One Mr. Norwood late of Deptford a serious Christian being low in the VVorld and having several small Children his VVife then lying in was extreamly discontented at the Poverty and Straits of the Family the poor man pinched with this double Distress VVant of Provision and Peace too and belng unwilling to trouble his Master who was a Meal-Man and had relieved him formerly in his Troubles retires to Prayer opens his Case to God Almighty begs earnestly for a Supply returns home to his VVife and finds her in a pleasant Temper who ask'd him If any body had been with him Telling him That some body who would not tell whence he came had brought her Five Shillings This extreamly affected and chear'd the good man that he was free to speak of it in all Companies as occasion offered it self and at last mentioned it to the very Person a Minister Mr. J. J. that sent it who professed that being in his Study at that time upon a sudden and warm Impulse of mind he was put upon it 8 Another time his VVife was reduced to great Necessities for want of Shifts c. and was disturbed as before the good man goes the next Lord's Day to Church was Invited to Dine and Sup with a Friend said nothing of these wants but at going away the good VVoman of the House put him up Shifts for his VVife and Children and I think saith my Relater for himself too and ties up some money in one of them These are both Attested by one Mr. John Lane of Horsly down Lane in Southwark in a Letter dated July 3. 1695. and subscribed by several other hands of St. Olives Parish 9. Another person one Atkins formerly of Oxford lately of St. Olives in Southwark being brought to low Circumstances and so straitened with Poverty that they had neither Bread nor Drink nor Candle nor money to buy with the Wife grew impatient and the good man endeavoured to satisfie her with recounting over their former Experiences of Gods Goodness to them c. told her they would go to Prayer and beg for a supply he had not been long at his Devotions but a person knocking at the Door ask'd for Mr. Atkins but not willing to stay for his coming left Five Shillings with the woman for him not telling who sent it nor did they ever know his Name to this day which so wrought upon the unbelieving Wife that she was mightily affected with it and laid the consideration of it deeply to Heart This is likewise Attested by the aforesaid Author Mr. John Lane c. 10. A. C. 1555. betwixt Oxford and Aldebrough in the County of Suffolk when by unseasonable Weather a great Dearth was in the Land a Crop of Pease without Tillage or Sowing grew in the Rocks insomuch that in August there were gathered above one hundred Quarters a Quarter being 8 Bushels and in Blossoming remained as many more This is related by Mr. Speed and by the Author of the World Surveyed and others for a very great Truth CHAP. XXII Strange Instances of Consolation and Protection in Dangers MAN's Extremity we use to say is God's Opportunity and no doubt but one great Reason why God chuseth rather such Seasons to appear in is to give a clearer Demonstration of his Power and to shut out all others that may put in for a share of the Glory as Co-rivals with Him He will not give His Honour to any of His Creatures which they would be apt to challenge if God should put forth himself too early for their Relief and Assistance when they think they can stand upon their own Legs I. Personal Deliverances and Comforts c. 1. Polycarp being Conducted to the Theatre in order to his Suffering Martyrdom was Comforted and Encouraged by a Voice from Heaven Be of good Chear O Polycarp and play the Man The Speaker no Man saw but the Voice was heard by many of us said his Church at Smirna in their Epistle to the Brethren of Pontus Clark's Marr. of Ecclesi History 2. A brief Account of Mr. Roswell 's Tryal and Acquittal About the same time Mr. Roswell a very worthy Divine was Tryed for Treasonable Words in his Pulpit upon the Accusation of very vile and lewd Informers and a Surry Jury found him Guilty of High Treason upon the most villanous and improbable Evidence that had been ever given notwithstanding Sir John Tallot no Countenancer of Dissenters had appeared with great Generosity and Honour and Testified That the most material Witness was as Scandalous and Infamous a Wretch as lived It was at that time given out by those who thirsted for Blood That Mr. Roswell and Mr. Hays should die together and it was upon good Ground believe that the happy deliverance of Mr. Hays did much contribute to the preservation of Mr. Roswell though it is very probable that he had not escaped had not Sir John Talbot's worthy and most honourable Detestation of that accursed Villany prompted him to repair from the Court of King's Bench to King Charles II. and to make a Faithful Representation of the Case to him whereby when inhumane bloody Jefferys came a little after in a Transport of Joy to make his Report of the Eminent Service he and the Surry Jury had done in finding Mr. Roswell Guilty the King to his disappointment appeared under some Reluctancy and declared That Mr. Roswell should not die And so he was most happily delivered Bloody Assizes 3. Origen mightily Encouraged the Martyrs of his time visited such as were in deep Dungeons and close Imprisonment and after Sentence of Death accompanied them to the place of Execution putting himself often in great Danger thereby he kissed and embraced them at their last Farewell so that once the Heathens in their Rage had stoned him to Death if the Divine Power of God had not marvelloussy deliver'd him and the same Providence did at many other times Protect and Defend him oven so often as cannot be told c. Ibid. 4. Augustine going abroad to visit his Churches was laid
God! Oh! how am I filled with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory Oh Lord I solemnly resolve against all my Sins These are the Murtherers that would not have thee to Reign over me Original Sin the pollution of my own Nature the Sins that I have committed before I knew what Sin was have rendred me obnoxious to thy Displeasure I beg of thee that thou wouldest give them their Death's Wound I shall now meditate on the wonderful Love of God in electing some to Salvation and passing by others and wonder that I shou'd be an Object of Electing Love sure Lord thou cou'dst not have chosen one more vile than I am and one that wou'd have carried it to thee as I have done I may well wonder at thy infinite Love I considered of the Love of God in parting with the Son of his Love to die for Sinners that God shou'd contrive such a way of Salvation for fallen Man and not for fallen Angels What an astonishing amazing Love was that that Christ shou'd become Man that he shou'd be so poor as not to have where to lay his Head when he came to enrich the World Oh that sweet Expression of Christ's Love when he says I was with him when he laid the Foundations of the World yet then my Thoughts were in the habitable part of the Earth and my Delights were with the Sons of Men. That I shou'd be one of them that Christ shou'd have in his Thoughts of Love I cou'd not but cry out And why me Lord why me Oh infinite Free Grace that I shou'd be freely chosen whereas if God had but required Satisfaction for one Sin tho' but a sinful thought I must have perish'd for ever I told Christ Dearest Jesus I cannot at this Sacrament take a denial of thy gracious Presence I come to meet with God and I cannot be contented without him I bless thy Name I have often enjoyed great Delight in this Ordinance but now I would enjoy more of God than ever I would have all my Graces grow and flourish I would have my Sins utterly destroyed and rooted out O Blessed Jesus I come to thee here are my Lusts my Pride my Vnbelief my want of Love to thee the base Sins of my Nature my disingenuous Carriage towards thee here Lord slay them before thee They are unwilling that thou shouldest rule in my Soul I did in these or the like Expressions make over my self to be more entirely God's and I dare own upon review that I did enjoy Christ This did in some measure set my Soul a longing for Heaven Lord said I if a Smile of thy Love is so sweet what are the full and ravishing Views of thy Love If a Glimps of my dearest Jesus is so sweet and refreshing what will the full Visions of God be for ever But my base Heart was several times trying to draw me from God O surely a Freedom from Sin will be unconceivably sweet to me that am so continually harassed with these Corruptions She writ abundance of such MEDITATIONS and EJACVLATIONS as these but here 's all that her Husband could ever get transcribed By these her MEMOIRS and RVLES for holy Living we not only see what an extraordinary Wife she was for her Husband says she fully practis'd 'em but also the happy Effects of a regular Course of Piety for certainly never was there on a Sick-bed a greater Instance of a willing Resignation to the Will of God as to either Life or Death She would often say to her Husband O my dear 't is a solemn thing to die but I can freely leave all the World but you and at saying so she would still burst out into Tears she said at another time Sickness is no time to prepare for Death were my Work now to do I were undone for ever But I shall stop here for she needs not borrowed Shades to set her off I need do no more than refer you to these Memoirs which are all the curious Contexture of her own Brain I shall only add She was MISTRESS IN THE ART OF OBLIGING in which she attain'd that Sovereign Perfection that she reigned over all Hearts with whom she did converse In a word She did consecrate her self entirely to God and was more afraid of Sin than of Hell it self In such a loose Age as this such an extraordinary Instance may perhaps be doubted as to the Truth of it but I do assure the Reader there 's nothing inserted in this Relation of Mrs. L but what is real Matter of Fact CHAP. LII Good Husbands Remarkable HVsbands have as much cause to be good as Wives and more clearness of Reason and strength of Judgment ordinarily to govern their Passions and direct their Actions and therefore they should excel the Women not only in Prudence but in Goodness and particularly Patience And so they do sometimes as for Instance 1. Sir Nathanael Barnardiston seemed here to imitate the Practice of the Lord Jesus towards his Church in his Conjugal Love Protection and full Contentation and Delight until he became a Pattern and Mirrour of Matrimonial Sweetness and Faithfulness and as it is said by one of the Rabbins concerning Methuselah's Wife That she had Nine Husbands in One for Age and Years so I may say of this Gentleman's Lady that she had Nine Husbands in him alone for his aimable Carriage and Graces These were it is true acted while he was living but he left a Testimonial in his Will of his living Affection after his own Death over and above the Marriage-Covenants to shew his endearedness of her by his Affectionate Remembrance when he himself was gone See his Life 2. Dominicus Catalusius was the Prince of Lesbos and is worthy of eternal Memory for the entire Love which he bare to his Wife she fell into a grievous Leprosie which made her appear more like unto a rotten Carcase than a living Body Her Husband not fearing in the least to be infected with the Contagion nor frighted with her horrible Aspects nor distasted with the loathsome Smells sent forth by her filthy Ulcers never forbid her either his Board or Bed but the true Love he had towards her turned all those things to him into Security and Pleasure Lond. Theatr. p. 462. Fulgos L. 4. C. 6. p. 526. 3. Ant. Wallaeus lived most lovingly with his Wife they never brake forth into Anger or mutual Brawling their mutual Care was to please each other and by Deeds to prevent each others's Desires neither did Wallaeus fear any thing more than that his Dear Wife should die before him-for he used her not only for the Government of his Family but for his constant Companion What soever befel him in the Common-wealth Church or Civil Converse he acquainted her with it ask'd and often followed her Advice for she was a modest and prudent Woman Clark's Eccles Hist p. 488. 4. Mr. Eliot of new-New-England loved prized and cherished that one Wife which was given to
him truly from the Lord with a kindness that notably represented the Compassion which he hereby taught his Church to expect from the Lord Jesus Christ and after he had lived with her more than half a Hundred Years he followed her to the Grave with Lamentations beyond those which the Jews from the Figure of a Letter in the Text affirm that Abraham deplored his Aged Sarah with her departure made a deeper Impression upon him than what any common Affliction could His whole Conversation with her had that Sweetness and that Gravity and Modesty beautifying of it that every one called them Zachary and Elizabeth Cott. Mather in his Life p. 57. 5. C. Plautius Numida a Senator having heard of the Death of his Wife and not able to bear the Weight of so great a Grief thrust his Sword into his Breast but by the sudden coming in of his Servants he was prevented from finishing his Design and his Wound was bound up by them nevertheless as soon as he found opportunity according to his desire he tore off his Plaisters opened the Lips of his Wound with his own Hand and let forth a Soul that was unwilling to stay in the Body after that his Wife had forsaken hers Val. Max. L. 4. C. 6. p. 114. 6. Philip sir-named the Good the First Author of that Greatness whereunto the House of Burgundy did arrive was about Twenty three Years of Age when his Father John Duke of Burgundy was slain by the Villany and Perfidiousness of Charles the Dauphin being informed of that unwelcome News full of Grief and Anger as he was he hasts into the Chamber of his Wife she was the Dauphin's Sister O said he my Michalea thy Brother hath murthered my Father Upon this his Wife that loved him dearly burst forth into Tears and Lamentations fearing least this Act of her Brother's would make a Breach betwixt her Husband and her which her Husband taking Notice of comforted her saying Be of good cheer tho' it was thy Brother's yet it is not thy fault neither will I esteem or love thee less for it c. Which accordingly he made good so long as they lived together Lips Monit L. 2. C. 17. p. 388. Pol. p. 200. Clark's Marr. c. 65. p. 291. Wanley's Wonders of the Little World p. 143. 7. Mr. Samuel Fairclough his Wife dying in Child-bed was blamed for his great Sorrow for such a pious Relation See his Life CHAP. LIII Good Children Remarkable THat old celebrated Proverb in our Church Train up a Child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it hath so much truth in it that a Good Education will either improve and meliorate the Nature of Persons or haunt them with continual Checks and Vneasiness of Thought all their Life after either they shall be made better by the Impression of early Notions upon their Hearts or smart for their Disobedience and Obstinacy For certainly a crooked Child seldom grows streight with Age and if a Plant is not flexible when young it will grow stiffer and more obdurate with time We use to Imprint the Seal when the Wax is warm and soft and Sow our Seed at Seed-time not in the Drought of Summer or the Coldness of Winter Every Body that hath Eyes takes Notice of the Rising Sun and the first opening of the Day every Gardiner and Farmer loves to see his Seeds and Grain and Plants promise well at the first And who is there so improvident among Christians as not to take notice and rejoyce in the early Product of their Instructions and Endeavours but especially to see them grateful and good in their particular Relations 1. Ant. Wallaeus attended upon his Parents so carefully in the time of their Sickness and so comforted them with Divine Consolations that at the Hour of Death they both blessed him and gave this Testimony of him that he had never offended them in all his Life Clark's Eccles History p. 471. 2. Q. cicero Brother of Marcus being proscribed and sought after to be slain by the Triumvirate was hid by his Son who for that cause was hurried to Torments but by no Punishments or Tortures could he forced to betray his Father The Father moved with the Piety and Constancy of the Son of his own accord offered himself to Death least for his sake they should determine with utmost severity against his Son Zonar Annual Tom. 2. p. 86. Xiphil in Augusto p. 60. 3. There happened in Sicily as it hath often an Irruption of Aetna now called Mount Gibel it murmurs burns belches up Flames and throws out its fiery Entrails making all the World to fly from it It happened then that in this violent and horrible breach of Fire every one flying and carring away what they had most precious with them Two Sons the one called Anapias the other Amphinomus careful of the Wealth and Goods of their Houses reflected on their Father and Mother both very old who could not save themselves from the Fire by slight And where shall we said they find a more precious Treasure than those who begat us The one took up his Father on his Shoulders the other his Mother and so made passage through the Flames It is an admirable thing that God in the Consideration of this Piety though Pagans did a Miracle for the Monuments of all Antiquity witness that the devouring Flames staid at this Spectacle and the Fire wasting and broiling all about them the Way only which these two good Sons passed was Tapestry'd with fresh Verdure and called afterwards by Posterity The Field of the Pious in Memory of this Accident Causs Hic Tom. 1. L 3. p. 113. Lon. Theatr. p. 272. Solin C. 11. p. 225. Camerar Oper. Subciscent 1. C. 86. p. 401. 4. Sir Thomas Moore being Lord Chancellor of England at the same time that his Father was a Judge of the King's-Bench he would always at his going to Westminster go first to the King's-Bench and ask his Father Blessing before he went to sit in the Chancery Baker's Chron. p. 406. Fuller H. S. L. 1. C. 6. p. 13. 5. The Carriage of Mr. Herbert Palmer towards his Parents was very dutiful and obsequious not only during his Minority but even afterwards which was very evident in that Honour and Respect which he continued to express to his Aged Mother to the Day of her Death Clark's Exampl Vol. 1. C. 23. 6. Our King Edward the First returning from the Wars in Palestine rested himself in Sicily where the Death of his Son and Heir coming first to his Ear and afterwards the Death of the King his Father he sorrowed much more for the loss of his Father than of his Son whereat King Charles of Sicily greatly wondred and asking the Reason of it had this Answer return'd him The loss of Sons is but light because it may be easily repaired but the Death of Parents is irremediable because they can never be bad again Idem