Hell and that such a tearm of Years being expired the Devil should have his Soul the Articles were consented to The Man continuing after this to be of a very civil Conversation doing hurt to none but good to many and by degrees began to have a Name to be a Person of extraordinory Sagacity and was sought unto far and near for Counsel his Words being esteemed Oracles by the Vulgar And he did according to his Covenant upon all occasions secretly disseminate Principles of Atheism not being suspected for a Wizard But a few Weeks before the time indented with the Devil was fulfilled inexpressible Horror of Conscience surprised him so that he revealed the secret Transactions which had passed betwixt himself and the Devil He would sometimes with hideous Roarings tell those that came to visit him that now he knew that there was a God and a Devil a Heaven and an Hell So did he die a miserable Spectacle of the righteous and fearful Judgment of God And every Age does produce new Examples of those that have by their own Confession made the like cursed Covenants with the Prince of Darkness 5. In the Year 1664 several who were Indicted at the Assizes held at Taunton in Somerset-shire confessed that they had made an explicit League with the Devil and that he did Baptize Pictures of Wax with Oil giving them the names of those Persons they did intend mischief unto 6. Anno. 1678. One John Stuart and his Sister Annabil Steuart at the Assizes held at Paysley in Scotland confessed that they had been in confederacy with the Devil and that they had made an Image of Wax calling it by the name of Sir George Maxwel sticking Pins in the sides and on the breast of it Such an Image with Pins in it was really found in the Witches Houses and upon the removal of it the Pins being taken out Sir George had immediate ease and recovered his health 7. And no longer since than the last Year viz. on August 25. 1682. Three Women who were Executed at Exon in Devonshire all of them confessed that they had had Converses and Familiarities with the Devil 8. The following Relations of the new-New-England Witches are to be found in Mr. Cotton Mather's Wonders of the Invisible World THE Devil exhibiting himself ordinarily as a small black Man has saith Mr. Mather decoy'd a fearsâ—â— knot of proud froward ignorant envious and malicious Creatures to list themselves in his horrid Service by entring their Names in a Book by him tendred unto them These Witches whereof above a Score have now confessed and shown their Deeds and some are now tormented by the Devils for confessing have met in hellish Randezvouzes wherein the Confessors do say they have had their diabolical Sacraments imitating the Baptism and the Supper of our Lord. In these hellish Meetings these Monsters have associated themselves to do no less a thing than to destroy the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ in these parts of the World and in order hereunto First they each of them have their Spectres or Devils commissioned by them and representing of them to be the Engines of their Malice By these wicked Spectres they sieze poor People about the Country with various and bloody Torments and of those evidently preternatural Torments there are some have died They have bewitched some even so far as to make Self-destroyers and others are in many Towns here and there languishing under their evil Hands The People thus afflicted are miserably scratched and bitten so that the Marks are most visible to all the World but the Causes utterly invisible And the same invisible Furies do most visibly stick Pins into the Bodies of the Afflicted and scale them and hideously distort and disjoynt all their Members besides a Thousand others of Plagues beyond these of any natural Diseases which they give unto them Yea they sometimes drag the poor People out of their Chambers and carry them over Trees and Hills for divers Miles together A large part of the Persons Tortured by these Diabolical Spectres are horribly tempted by them sometimes with fair Promises and sometimes with hard Threatnings but always with felt Miseries to sign the Devils Laws in a Spectral Book laid before them which two or three of these poor Sufferers being by their tiresome Sufferings overcome to do they have immediately been released from all their Miseries and they appeared in Spectre then to Torture those that were before their fellow Sufferers The Witches which by their Covenant with the Devil are become Owners of Spectres are often-times by their own Spectres required and compelled to give their consent for the Molestation of some which they had no mind otherwise to fall upon and cruel Depradations are then made upon the Vicinage In the Prosecution of these Witchcrafts among a Thousand other unaccountable things the Spectres have an odd faculty of cloathing the most substantial and corporeal Instruments of Torture with Invisibility while the Wounds thereby given have been the most palpable things in the World so that the Sufferers assaulted with Instruments of Iron wholly unseen to the standers by though to their Cost seen by themselves have upon snatching wrested the Instruments out of the Spectres hands and every one has then immediately not only beheld but handled an Iron Instrument taken by a Devil from a Neighbour These wicked Spectres have proceeded so far as to steal several quantities of Money from divers People part of which Mouey has before sufficient Spectators been dropt out of the Air into the Hand of the Sufferers which the Spectres have been urging them to subscribe their Covenant with Death In such extravagant ways have these Wretches propounded the Dragooning of as many as they can in their own Combination and the Destroying of others with lingring spreading deadly Diseases till our Country should at last become too hot for us Among the Ghastly Instances of the Success which those bloody Witches have had we have seen even some of their own Children so dedicated unto the Devil that in their Infancy it is found the Imps have sucked them and rendred them venemous to a Prodgey 9. A Modern Instance of Witches Discovered and Condemned in a Tryal before that celebrated Judge Sir Matthew Hale as Printed in Mr. Cotton Mather's Wonders of the Invisible World IT may cast some Light upon the Dark things now in America if we just give a glance upon the like things lately happening in Europe We may see the Witchcrafts here most exactly resemble the Witchcrafts there and we may Judge Hale was a Person than whom no Man was more backward to condemn a Witch without full Evidence Now one of the latest Printed Accounts about a Tryal of Witches is of what was before him and it ran on this wife Printed in the Year 1682. And it is here the rather mentioned because it was a Tryal much considered by the Judges of New-England 1. Rose Cullender and Amy Duny were severally Indicted
His honour or profane this ground Let no black-mouth'd breath'd rank Curr Peaceful James his Ashes stur Princes are Gods O do not then Rake in their Graves to prove them Men. 56. Vpon the King of Sweden Upon this Place the great Gustavus died While Victory lay weeping by his side 57. Vpon Sir Francis Vere When Vere sought Death arm'd with his Sword and Shield Death was afraid to meet him in the Field But when his Weapons he had laid aside Death like a Coward struck him and he died 58. Another Here lieth Richard A Preene One Thousand Five Hundred Eighty Nine Of March the xx day And he that will die after him may 59. Another Here lieth he who was born and cryed Told Threescore Years fell sick and dyed 60. At Farlam on the West Marches toward Scotland near Naworth-Castle John Bell broken brow Ligs under this stean Fovr of mine een Sons Laid it on my weam I was a Man of my Meat Master of my Wife I lived on my own Land With mickle strife 61. In St. Paul 's was this Here lies John Dod a Servant of God to whom he is gone Father or Mother Sister or Brother he never knew none A Headborough and a Constable a Man of Fame The first of his House and last of his Name Died buryed and deceas'd the Fifteenth of May One Thousand Five Hundred and Fifteen being Whitson-Monday 62. On Mr. Burbidge the Tragedian Exit Burbidge 63. On Mr. Weymark a constant Walker in Paul ' s. Defessus sum ambulando 64. In St. Mary Saviours this Here lies William Emerson Who lived and died an honest Man 65. In the North-Country this Here ligs John Hubberton And there ligs his Wife Here ligs his Dagger And there ligs his Knife Here ligs his Daughter And there ligs his Son Heigh for brave John Hubberton 66. Vpon JOhn Death Here lies John Death the very same That went away with a Cousin of his Name 67. Vpon Mr. Parsons Organist at Westminster Death passing by and hearing Parsons play Stood much amazed at his depth of Skill And said this Artist must with me away For Death bereaves us of the better still But let the Quire while he keeps time sing on For Parsons rests his Service being done 68. On Mr. Charles Wray When I in Court had spent my tender Prime And done my best to please an Earthly Prince Even sick to see how I had lost my Time Death pitying mine Estate removed me thence And sent me mounted upon Angels Wings To serve my Saviour and the King of Kings 69. Many and sundry Opinions were conceived of Joan of Arck some judging her miraculously raised up by God for the good of France others that she was but a meer Impostor We will suspend our Judgment herein and referr you to the Epitaph which we find thus written on her Here lies Joan of Arck the which Some count Saint and some count Witch Some count Man and something more Some count Maid and some a Whore Her Life 's in question wrong or right Her Death 's in doubt by Laws or might Oh Innocence take heed of it How thou too near to Guilt dost sit Mean time France a Wonder saw A Woman Rule ' gainst Salique Law But Reader be content to stay Thy censure till the Judgment-day Then shalt thou know and not before Whether Saint Witch Man Maid or Whore 70. An Epitaph upon Sir Philip Sidney England Netherland the Heavens and the Arts All Soldiers and the World have made six Parts Of the Noble Sidney for none will suppose That a small heap of Stones can Sidney inclose England hath his Body for she it bred Netherland his Blood in her Defence shed The Heavens his Soul the Arts his Fame All Soldiers his Grief the World his Good Name 71. The following Epitaph was written upon the Tomb-stone of JOHN WHITE Esq a Member of the House of Commons in the Year 1640. and Father to Dr. Annesley's Wife lately deceased Here lies a John a burning shining Light Whose Name Life Actions all alike were WHITE 72. Mrs. Wilkinson with her Child went to Heaven from her Childbed on whose Tomb-stone a learned Doctor wrote the following Lines viz. Here lies Mother and Babe both without sins Next Birth will make her and her Infant Twins See Mr. Adams 's Sermon in the Continuation of Morning Exercise Questions and Cases of Conscience 73. Vpon Richard Howkins Here lies Richard Howkins who out of his store Gave Twenty good Shillings for the use of the Poor Upon condition his Body shoul'd ne'er be removed Until the appearing of our dearly Beloved 74. On the Tomb-stone of a great Scold was written Her Husband prays if by her Grave you walk You gently tread for if she 's wak'd she 'll talk 75. Vpon Mr. West Here lies Ned West of Men the best Well loved by his Wife But Oh he 's gone his Thread is spun And cut off by the Knife Of cruel Atropos Oh Jade Rokcy and flinty hearted Maid To kill so good a Man Take from my Wooff two Inches off And let him live again 76. On the Tomb of the Electeress Dowager of Saxony are to be seen the following Devices and Motto's I. Piety with an Heart in which some Beams from the Name Jehovah are centered with this Motto From him and to him II. Clemency with a Cloud of Dew hanging over the Land with this Motto Water is common to all III. Friendliness with a Sun piercing a dark Cloud over-against a Rainbow and this Motto He enlightens and makes glad IV. Magnanimity with a Rock upon which some Thunderbolts are darted with this Motto They don't terrifie V. Liberality with a Fountain from whence some Hands were taking out Water with this Motto So much the more plentiful VI. Patience with a Crucible full of Gold standing in the Fire with this Motto I burn but I am cleansed from my Dross or I shall come out more pure VII Pity or Compassion with a Silk-Worm beginning to Spin with this Motto I will serve you with my Bowels And VIII Humility with a Violet Flower growing in the Grass with this Motto The more humble the more fragrant Flying Post Nov. 21. 1696. 77. I find I have inserted in my Paper-book an Epitaph upon the Tomb of the Earl of Warwick in whose Death the Family was extinct Within this Marble doth Entombed lie Not one but all a Noble Family A Pearl of such a price that soon about Possession of it Heaven and Earth fell out Both could not have it so they did devise This fatal Salvo to divide the Prize Heaven shares the Soul and Earth his Body takes Thus we lose all while Earth and Heaven part stakes But Heaven not brooking that the Earth should share In the least Atom of a Piece so rare Intends to sue out by a new revize His Habeas Corpus at the Grand Assize Mr. Barker's Flores 78. I have read of a certain Prince who would have
Basil the Great lying at the last period of Life after he had piously instructed his own Friends breathed out his Soul with these last words Lord into thy Hands I commend my Spirit Cardan relates of a Man in Milan who having in Sixty Years been never without the Walls yet when the Duke hearing thereof sent him peremptory Command never to go out of the Gates during Life He that before had no inclination to do so yet soon died of Grief to be denied the Liberty of doing it Chetwinds Hist Collections The Customs of several Nations in the Burial of their Dead Many Persons 1. Kiss and kindly Salute their dead Friends and Relations to shew the natural tenderness and love they had for the deceased but this Custom is now quite abolished with us in many places though this Peactice ought not to be altogether discommended 2. As for the usage that is in some Countries of washing the Dead St. Chrysostom tells us that it was derived at first from the Person of our Lord and Saviour whose precious Body was washed as soon as they took it down from the Cross And we read in the Ninth Chapter of the Acts of the Apostles that a Woman of Joppa called Tabitha whom St. Peter restored to Life had been wash'd before she was laid out for the Grave The Indians burn their Dead 3. The Custom of Perfuming and Embalming the Corps hath in our days been especially in England much observed And indeed the very reason why the Primitive Christians were so careful to Perfume the Dead was because they regarded them as so many Members of the Mystical Body of the Redeemer of the World Tertullian in his Apology upbraiding the Heathens with the vast Expences of sweet Scents and Perfumes consumed in the Temples tells them that those Odours would be better employed in Perfuming and Embalming the Bodies of Christians and their dear Friends departed At the Canary Islands they bury their Dead with a Bottle of Wine standing by them 4. As concerning the manner of Apparelling the Dead all Christians use not the same Practice for some do only cover them with a large Winding-sheet as they do in France And others dress them in the very same Cloaths they were wont to wear as in Italy and several other places And others dress them and lay them in their Coffin in a white Shirt a clean Cap and sometimes as a late Act of Parliament enjoyns in Flannel this is the Custom in England The Chinese always before they bury their Dead if he was a Married Man bring him to his Wife that so she might first kiss him and bid him farewel The Method that ought to be observed in Funeral Processions for most Ranks ad Degrees of Men. First Children of the Hospital Two Conductors Poor Men. Gentlemens Servants in Cloaks Gentlemen in Cloaks Gentlemen in Gowns Aldermen in Black The Preacher A Penon of his own Arms Helm and Crest The Coat of Arms. Chief Mourners Two Assistants Aldermen not in Black Master of the Company if c. Master of the Hospital Then all Gentlemen not in Black Neighbours and others I might here enlarge upon Mourning for and the Ancient Customs and Manners of Burying the Dead in all Nations throughout all the habitable World The Ancient Romans did use them that were dead after two manners and they had two kinds of Obsequies the first and most Ancient was to cover the dead with Earth and to bury them as we do the other to burn their Bodies but this manner did not continue long Numa Pompilius was the Inventer of Obsequies and he instituted a High-Priest who had the Charge The first Honour which they used to perform in the Obsequies of Famous Persons was to commend the Party by an Oration Valerius Publicola made a Funeral Oration on the Death and in the Praise of Brutus In like manner Julius Casar being but Twelve Years old commended his Grandfather and Tiberius at the Age of Nine Years praised his Father The second Honour was to make Sword players to Fight Marcus and Decius Sons to Junius Brutus were the first that did practise this in Honour of their Father The third Honour was to make a Feast of Magnificent Furnishment The fourth was a distribution of Meat to all the common People And such a I have said before as could not be buried with the like and so great Pomp for the Expences were insupportable were buried in the Night-time by the Vespiliones cloathed all in white who carried the dead Body to his Grave They had likewise an Order that within some while after the Obsequies they would strew divers Flowers nd sweet Odours upon the Sepulchre as the Roman People did upon the Funeral Monument of Scipio And also they accustomed Yearly to Garnish Deck and Adorn the Tombs or Graves of the Dead with Posies Crowns and Garlands of all sorts of Flowers Husbands saith St. Jerom ad Pammachium were wont to strew spread or scatter over and upon the Graves and Sepulchres of their deceased dear Wives Violers Roses Lilies Hyacinths and divers Purple Flowers by which Vxorious Office they did mitigate and lessen the grief of their Hearts conceived by the loss of their Loving Bedfellows The like expression of Mutual Love Wives shewed to their buried Husbands Now above all Flowers in these Ceremonious Observances the Rose was in greatest request and had the sole preheminence as Kirman relates The Ancient Ethnicks did hold the springing of Flowers from the Grave of a deceased Friend as an Argument of his Happiness and it was their universal wish That the Tombâ—stones of their dead Friends might be light unto them and that a perpetual Spring-tide of all kind of fragrant Flowers might incircle their verdant Graves According to this of Persius Sat. 7. Dii majorum umbris tenuem sine pondere terram Spirantesque crocos in urna perpetuum ver Lie Earth light on their Bones may their Graves bear Fresh fragrant Flowers let Spring-tide still live there But to come back again The Magnificence in burning the Bodies of the Dead did far exceed in charges all other kinds of Funeral for with the Bodies of Persons of Principal regard as you may read in the Travels of George Sandys they burnt rich Odours Gold Jewels Apparel Herds of Cattel Flocks of Sheep Horses Hounds and sometimes the Concubines and Slaves whom they most respected to supply their wants to serve their delights and attend upon them in the lower Shades With the like Solemnity or far greater the Funerals of Patroclus were performed by Achilles for with him were burned Oxen Sheep Dogs Horses and twelve stout and valiant Sons of Noble Trojans Achilles pulls off the Hair off his Head and casts it into the Flame and besides institutes certain Funeral Games to the Honour of his slain Friend the Glory of the Greekish Nation Patroclus which is recorded by Homer in the 23d Book of his Iliads They used to quench these Funeral
of it Catesby and the rest posted into Warwickshire and began an open Rebellion being joyned with about Eighty more and so Trooping together broke open the Stables belonging to Warwick-Castle and took thence some great Horses Thence into Worcestershire and so to Staffordshire where they rifled the Lord Windsor's House of all the Armour Shot Powder c. But being pursued by the high Sheriff of Worcestershire and his Men who rush'd in upon them both the Wrights were shot through and slain with one Musquet-Bullet the rest being taken were carry'd Prisoners to London being all the way gaz'd at revil'd and detested by the common People for their horrid and horrible Treason and so at last they receiv'd the just Guerdon of their Wickedness See a fuller Account in Bishop Carleton's Thankful Remembrance of God's Mercy III. In the Reign of King Charles the First 1. Sir John Temple Master of the Rolls and one of His Majesty's most Honourable Privy-Council within the Kingdom of Ireland and who was Father of the present Sir William Temple relates in his History of the Irish Rebellion in 1641. and which History was first Printed in London in 1646. there in P. 16 17 and 18 sets down that the first Plot for the Rebellion carried on with so great Secresie as none of the English had Notice of it before it was ready to be put in Execution and that on the 22d of October 1641. In the very Evening before the Day appointed for a Surprizal of the Castle and City of Dublin Owen O Conall a Gentleman of an Irish Family but one who had been bred a Protestant and who had been drinking that Evening came to the Lord Justice Parsons there about Nine of the Clock and acquainted him with a Conspiracy for the seizing upon His Majesty's Castle of Dublin and the Magazine therein the next day but he did then make such a broken Relation of a Matter that seem'd so incredible in its self as that his Lordship did then give but very little Belief to it at first in regard it came from an obscure Person and one he conceived somewhat distemper'd in Drink but in some Hours after O Conall being somewhat recover'd from his said Distemper was examin'd upon Oath before the Lords Justices and his Examination gave such a particular Account of the Conspiracy and the Conspirators therein that caused the Lords Justices to sit up all that Night in Consultation for the strengthning of the Guards in the Castle of Dublin and likewise of the whole City and for the seizing of the Persons of the Conspirators that the Execution of the Plot was thereby prevented and otherwise the Castle of Dublin had been the next day in the Possession of the Rebels of Ireland and all the Protestants in Dublin had been the next day massacred The Papists planted the Soveraign Drug of Arminianism here in England on purpose to promote Divisions among us and endeavoured to Advance Arbitrary Power and inflame the Puritans as the Author of the History of Popish Sham-Plots from the Reign of Queen Elizabeth tells us out of a Letter sent to the Rector of Brussels And Cardinal Richlieu sent over one Chamberlain hither who for four Months had Consultations with the Jesuits how to stir up the Scots and foment our Broils as may be seen in Dr. Heylin's Life of Archbishop Laud and Habernfeild's Plot c. Or to speak in the very Words of the late Learned Bishop of Lincoln Dr. Barlow When King James slept with his Fathers and was Translated to a better Kingdom out of the reach of Popish Conspirators their Designs slept not they prosecuted their Plots and Conspiracies to Ruin our Church and Establish'd Religion as much in Charles the First as in his Father's time and at last it came to this Issue that other Means failing the King and Arch-Bishop must be taken away This was discover'd by an Honourable Person Andreas ab Habernfeild to the English Embassador Sir W. Boswel at the Hague and by him to the Arch-Bishop and by him to the King and the Original Copy of the Discovery being found in the Arch-Bishop's Library after his Death was then publish'd and is in print in many Hands and among others in mine In the mean time adds my Author the Civil Wars began and our Popish Conspirators are first in Arms and the bloody Rebellion and in Ireland murder'd above 100000 Protestants in cold Blood without any Provocation given but to kill Hereticks which according to them was Lawful and Meritorious And farther when in Process of that fatal Rebellion carry'd on by English and covertly by Popish Rebels that good King was taken and a Council of Priests and Jesuits sitting in London signified the Condition of Affairs here to a Council of their Confederates at Paris and they transmitted the Case to Rome from whence Directions and Commands were return'd back again to London in short it was determined that it was for the Interest of the Catholick Cause that the King shculd die and accordingly their Council of Priests and Jesuits in London voted his Death This saith the same Reverend Author is now notoriously known to be true and in print publish'd to the World by Reverend and Learned Person who if any shall call him to Account for it is so convinced of the Ttuth of what he writ that he publickly offers to make it good viz. Dr. Du-Moulin Canon of Canterbury in two Books written to the same purpose See more in Bishop Barlow's Book called Popish Principles c. inconsistent with the Safety of Protestant Princes The Irish Papists when they had promised to furnish his Majesty with 10000 Men for the helping of him against the Parliament did not but endeavour'd to cut off the King's Army there by Force and Treachery and employ'd Commissioners to Rome France Lorrain and Spain to invite a Foreign Power into England See Fowles Hist of Rom. Treasons and the Lord Orcery 's Answer to Peter Welsh About 30 Priests or Jesuits were met together by a Protestant Gentleman between Roan and Diep to whom they said taking him to be one of their Party they were going to England and would take Arms in the Independant Army to be Agitators The Romish Priest and Confessor is known who when he saw the fatal Stroke given to the King flourish'd with his Sword and said Now the greatest Enemy we had in the World is gone When the Murder was cried down as the greatest Villany the Pope commanded all the Papers about the Queen to be burnt Many intelligent Travellers told what Joy there was in the English Convents beyond Seas and the Seminaries upon Tidings of the King's Death Benedictines were afraid lest the Jesuits should get their Lands and the English Nuns contended who should be Abesses the Fryars of Dunkirk were jealous lest the Jesuits should engross all the Glory to themselves Du-Moul Answer to Plul. Angl. And tho' the Papists during the Civil Wars flock'd to the King's
troubled with the charge of the Roman Empire With this Answer the Ambassadors took their Leave and parted 14. Doris the Athenian having governed the Common-wealth Six and thirty years in upright Sincerity and Justice became aged and weary with Publick Negotiations Wherefore he dislodged from Athens and went to a Country-House or Farme which he had in a not far distant Village and there reading Books of Husbandry in the night-time and practising the Exercise of those Instructions in the day-time he wore out the space of 15 years Upon the Front-piece of his Gate these Words were engraven Fortune and Hope Adieu to ye both seeing I have found the true entrance to Rest and Contentment Ibid. All these excellent Men of whom we have spoken and an infinite number more left their Kingdoms Consulate Dignities Governments Cities Pallaces Favours Courts and Riches to the end that they might live peacefully And it is the more memorable in that no Slanderers Tongue can avouch that any of them forsook their Countries as being infamous wretchedly poor or banished but only being thereto moved in pure and simple Goodness and on their own liberal Free-will for the more commodious Order and Direction of their Lives before Death should tyrannize over them Ibid. 15. Democritus when he had reformed the Common-wealth of the Abderites and instituted Governors in all places on the Frontiers as also on the Sea-Coasts such as were honest minded Men and not ambitious Which being done he lived with the Citizens some years and perceiving them to be well reformed and that they had no more need of his Laws he made his Retirement to a solitary place to attend on his Philosophy highly contemning all matter of the World which are nothing but true Vanities well knowing that they deserved not to be sorrow'd for because Heraclitus did nothing else and daily therefore he laughed them to scorn Without the City and very near unto the Walls there was a Tree which we commonly call a Plane-tree somewhat low yet extending his Branches very amply under which he sat upon a Stone continually alone having no other Garment but a long Gown of coarse Stuff bare-footed his Visage pale with a long Beard and his Body very meager Somewhat near unto him there ran a River descending out of a Neighbouring little Hill whereon stood a Temple dedicated to the Nimphs round environed with wild Vines having good store of Books by him and diversity of Creatures whereof he dissected some setting instantly down what his Experience taught him Ibid l. 5. c. 19. 16. Charles the Fifth laid down first some of his Hereditary Dominions A. C. 1556. and the rest with the Empire not long after he had now enjoyed the one Forty years and the other Thirty six He was much disabled by the Gout he had been in the greatest Fatigues that ever Prince had undergone even since the Seventeenth year of his Age. He had gone nine times into Germany six times into Spain seven into Italy four into France had been ten times in the Netherlands ahd made two Expeditions into Africk had been twice in England had crossed the Seas eleven times had not only been a Conqueror in all his Wars but had taken a Pope a King of France and some Princes of Germany Prisoners but at last grew weary of this Pomp and Greatness of the World and retired to a place within the Confines of Castile and Portugal pleasant and of a temperate Air where he had seven Rooms twelve Servants about him and some other Servants sent to stay in the Neigbouring Towns At first he gave himself to Mechanick Studies making Clocks c. afterwards to Gardening c. and afterwards more to his Devotion using Discipline to himself with a Cord marked with the Severity he had used to himself with it and reserved by his Son afterward among his Rariries went often to the Chappel and Sacrament and was supposed to be in most Points a Protestant before he died Hist of the Reform 17. The Lord-Chief-Justice Hales having laid down his Place about a year before his Death betook himself to a retired Privacy in order to a Preparation for his Departure according to his own Paraphrase of Seneca's Thyestes Act 2. ' Let him that will ascend the Tottering Seat ' Of Courtly Grandeur and become as Great ' As are his mounting Wishes as for me ' Let sweet Repose and Rest my Portion be ' Give me some mean obscure Recess a Sphers ' Out of the Road of Business or the Fear ' Of falling lower wherre I sweetly may ' My self and dear Retirement till enjoy ' Let not my Life or Name be known unto ' The Grandees of the time tost to and fro ' By Censures and Applause but let my Age 'Slid gently by not over-thwar the Stage ' Of publick Action unheard unseen ' And unconcerned as if I he're had been ' And thus while I shall pass my silent days ' In shady Privacy free from the noise ' And bustles of the mad World then shall I 'A good old innocent Plebeian die ' Death is a meer Surprize a very Snare 'To him that makes it his Life's greatest care 'To be a publick Pageant known to all ' But unacquainted with himself doth fall See his Life written by Dr. Burnet 18. Mr. Abraham Cowley had much in the like manner retired from Publick Business to prepare for Death as he tells us in his Poem ' Well then I now do plainly see ' This busy World and I shall ne're agree ' The very Honey of all earthly Joy ' Doth of all Mears the soonest cloy ' And they methinks deserve my Pity ' Who for it can endure the Stings ' The Crowd the Buz and Murmurings ' Of this great Hive the City ' Ah! yet e're I descend to the Grave ' May I a small House and large Garden have ' And a few Friends and may Books but true ' Beth Wife and both delightful too c. And again Whilst this hard Truth I teach methinks I see The Monster London laugh at me ' I should at thee too foolish City ' If it were fit to laugh at Misery ' But thy Estate I pity ' Let but the wicked Men from out thee go ' And all the Fools that croud thee so ' Even thou who dost thy Millions boast 'A Village less than Islington will grow 'A Solitude almost See his Poems 19. Renatus Deschartes when he found that there were nothing worth his Knowledge among Men he made choice of a Desart at Egmond in Holland and there lead a solitary Life for the space of Five and twenty years and discovered many admirable things by hs Contemplation and composed his so much applauded Works A Summary of his Life by Borellus p. 13 17. 20. Gabriel Dugres speaketh of Cardinal Richlieu in these words The old Latin Proverb saith that Vir sapit qui pauca loquitur A Man is wise that sayeth but little We have likewise two old Proverbs
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
alibi 11. Bishop Vsher's Custom was to pray Four times a Day in and with his Family in the Morning at Six a Clock in the Evening at Eight and before Dinner and Supper in his Chappel at each of which he was always present On Fryday in the Afternoons there was constantly an Hour spent in his Chappel in Catechizing upon the Principles of Religion for the Instructing of his Family and on Sabbaths in the Evening the Sermon which he had preached in the Afternoon was repeated in his Chappel by one of his Chaplains See his Life 12. It is recorded to the everlasting Praise of the young Lord Harrington so famous for Piety that it was his constant use to pray twice every Day in secret twice with some choice Friends and Servants besides his Family-Duties See his Life 13. It was the Practice of Sir Nathaniel Barnardiston to pour out his Soul before the Lord in secret thrice every Day and sometimes oftner if he could gain opportunity besides his Family-Duties and Days of extraordinary Humiliation which he importunately embraced upon every occasion This I can testifie saith Mr. Fairclough upon mine own Experience that for many Years together when I was first acquainted with him I seldom visited him but if any convenient Place could be found we might not part except we had prayed together Nor was he more frequent in secret Prayer than constant in secret Reading the Scriptures See his Life 14. Mr. Samuel Fairclough upon the escape of his Child after a dangerous Fall made a solemn Vow in the Publick Congregation to give all the Tithe-Wool of the Parish to the Poor The Vow was Registred and Subscribed by his Hand and piously observed See his Life 15. Mr. Cotton Mather tells us Such was the Piety of Mr. Eliot that like another Moses he had upon his Face a continual Shine arising from his uninterrupted Communion with the Father of Spirits Indeed I cannot give a fuller Description of him than what was in a Paraphrase that I have heard himself to make upon that Scripture Our Conversation is in Heaven I writ from him as he uttered it Behold said he the Ancient and Excellent Character of a true Christian 't is that which Peter calls Holiness in all manner of Conversation you shall not find a Christian out of the way of Godly Conversation For First A Seventh part of our time is all spent in Heaven when we are duly zealous for and zealous on the Sabbath of God Besides God has written on the Head of the Sabbath Remember which looks both forwards and backwards and thus a good part of the Week will be spent in Sabbatizing Well but for the rest of our time Why we shall have that spent in Heaven e're we have done For Secondly We have have many Days for both Fasting and Thanksgiving in our Pilgrimage and here are so many Sabbaths more Moreover Thirdly we have our Lectures every Week and pious People won't miss them if they can help it Furthermore Fourthly We have our private Meetings wherein we Pray and Sing and repeat Sermons and confer together about the Things of God and being now come thus far we are in Heaven almost every day But a little farther Fifthly We perform Family Duties every Day we have our Morning and Evening Sacrifices wherein having read the Scriptures to our Families we call upon the Name of God and ever now and then carefully Catechise those that are under our Charge Sixthly We shall also have our daily Devotions in our Closets wherein unto Supplication before the Lord we shall add some serious Meditation upon his Word a David will be at this Work no less than thrice a Day Seventhly We have likewise many Scores of Ejaculations in a Day and these we have like Nehemiah in whatever place we come into Eighthly We have our occasional Thoughts and our occasional Talks upon Spiritual Matters and we have our occasional Acts of Charity wherein we do like the Inhabitants of Heaven every Day Ninthly In our Callings in our Civil Callings we keep up heavenly Frames we Buy and Sell and Toil yea we Eat and Drink with some Eye both to the Command and the Honour of God in all Behold I have not now left an Inch of Time to be carnal it is all engrossed for Heaven And yet lest here should not be enough Lastly We have our Spiritual Warfare We are always encountring the Enemies of our Souls which continually raises our Hearts unto our Helper and Leader in the Heavens Let no Man say 'T is impossible to live at this rate for we have known some live thus and others that have written of such a Life have but spun a Web out of their own blessed Experiences new-New-England has Examples of this Life thô alas 't is to be lamented that the Distractions of the World in too many Professors do becloud the Beauty of an Heavenly Conversation In fine our Employment lies in Heaven In the Morning if we ask Where am I to be to Day Our Souls must answer In Heaven In the Evening if we ask Where have I been to Day Our Souls may answer In Heaven If thou art a Believer thou art no Stranger to Heaven while thou livest and when thou diest Heaven will be no strange place to thee no thou hast been there a thousand times before In this Language have I heard him express himself and he did what he said he was a Boniface as well as a Benedict and he was one of those Qui faciendo docert quae facienda docent Thus far Mr. Cotton Mather 15. Mr. Henry Gearing's Covenant with GOD As I find it in his Life Published by Mr. John Shower O Most Dreadful GOD for the Passion of Thy Son I beseech Thee accept of Thy poor Prodigal now prostrating himself at Thy Door I have fallen from Thee by mine Iniquity and am by Nature a Son of Death and a Thousand-fold more the Child of Hell by my wicked Practice but of Thine Infinite Grace Thou hast promised Mercy to me in Christ if I will but turn to Thee with all my Heart Therefore upon the Call of thy Gospel I am now come in and throwing down my Weapons submit myself to thy Mercy And because Thou requirest as the Condition of my Peace with Thee that I should put away mine Idols and be at Defiance with all Thine Enemies which I acknowledge I have wickedly sided with against Thee I here from the bottom of my Heart renounce them all firmly Covenanting with Thee not to allow myself in any known Sin but to use Conscientiously all the Means that I know Thou hast prescribed for the Death and utter Destruction of all my Corruptions And whereas I have formerly inordinately and idolatrously let out my Affections upon the World I do here resign my Heart to Thee that madest it humbly protesting before Thy Glorious Majesty That it is the firm Resolution of my Heart and that I do unfeignedly desire Grace
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
how Happy it were for me to be with thee yet for thy Chosen sake send me Life and Death I suspect some Mistake in recording these last Words perhaps Life or Death that I may truly serve thee O my Lord God! bless thy People and save thine Inheritance O Lord God save thy People of England O my Lord God defend this Realm from Papistry and maintain thy true Religion that I and thy People may praise thy Holy Name for thy Son Jesus Christ's sake His last Words were I am faint Lord have mercy and take my Spirit He died aged 17. 108. The Lady Jane Grey by King Edward's Will proclaimed Queen of England the Night before she was beheaded sent her Sister her Greek Testament in the end whereof she wrote as may be seen under the Head of Love of the Holy Scriptures She spoke on the Scaffold thus GOod People I am come hither to Die and by a Law I am condemned to the same My Offence against the Queen's Majesty was only in consenting to the Device of others which now is deemed Treason yet it was never of my seeking but by Counsel of those who should seem to have further understanding of those things than I who knew little of the Law and much less of Titles to the Crown But touching the Procurement thereof by me or on my behalf I do here wash my Hands in Innocency before God and the Face of you all this Day and therewith she wrung her Hands wherein she had her Book I pray you all good Christian People to bear me Witness that I die a true Christian Woman and that I look to be saved by no other means but only by the Mercy of God in the Blood of his only Son Jesus Christ And I do confess That when I knew the Word of God I neglected the same and loved my self and the World and therefore this Plague and Punishment is justly befallen me for my Sins And I yet thank God of his Goodness that he hath been pleased to give me Respite to Repent in And now good People while I am alive I pray assist me with your Prayers She died 1554. aged 16. Tu quibus ista legas incertum est Lector ocellis Ipsa equidem siccis scribere non potui Fox 's Martyrol 109. Queen Elizabeth is reported upon her Death-bed but by what Author I confess I do not presently remember to complain of the want of Time Time Time a World of Wealth for an Inch of Time yet finished her Course with that of the Apostle 2 Tim. 4.7 I have fought a good Fight c. 110. The young Lord Harrington professed in his Sickness That he feared not Death in what shape soever it came declaring about two Hours before his Death that he still felt the assured Comforts and Joys of his Salvation by Jesus Christ And when Death approached he breathed forth these longing Expressions Oh that Joy Oh my God! when shall I be with thee And so sweetly resigned up his Spirit unto God An. 1613. aged 22. See in his Life in the Young Man's Calling and my Christian 's Companion 111. Henry Prince of Wales eldest Son to King James in his Sickness had these Words to one that waited on him Ah Tom I in vain wish for that time I lost with thee and others in vain Recreations Which puts me in mind of what Mr. Smith relates in the Funeral Solemnity of Mr. Moor Fellow of Gaius College and Keeper of the University Library viz. That he often lamented the Misery of our English Gentry who are commonly brought up to nothing but Hawks and Hounds and know not how to bestow their Time in a Rainy Day and in the midst of all their Plenty are in want of Friends necessary Reproof and most loving Admonition 112. The Earl of Strafford made this Speech on the Scaffold May 12. 1641. MY Lord Primate of Ireland and my Lords and the rest of the Gentlemen it is a very great Comfort to me to have your Lordship by me this Day in regard I have been known to you a long time I should be very glad to obtain so much silence as to be heard a few Words but I doubt I shall not My Lord I come hither by the Good Will and Pleasure of Almighty God to pay that last Debt I owe to Sin which is Death and by the Blessing of God to rise again through the Merits of Christ Jesus to Eternal Glory I wish I had been private that I might have been heard My Lord if I might be so much beholden to you that I might use a few Words I should take it for a very great Courtesie My Lord I come hither to submit to that Judgment which hath passed against me I do it with a very quiet and contented Mind I do freely forgive all the World a Forgiveness that is not spoken from the Teeth outward as they say but from the Heart I speak it in the Presence of Almighty God before whom I stand that there is not in me so much as a displeasing Thought to any Creature I thank God I may say truly and my Conscience bears me witness that in all my Service since I have had the Honour to serve His Majesty in any Employment I never had any thing in my Heart but the joynt and individual Prosperity of the King and People If it hath been my Hap to be misconstrued it is the common Portion of us all while we are in this Life the Righteous Judgment is hereafter here we are subject to Error and apt to be misjudged one of another There is one thing I desire to clear my self of and I am very confident I speak it with so much clearness that I hope I shall have your Christian Charity in the belief of it I did always ever think the Parliaments of England were the happiest Constitutions that any Kingdom or Nation lived under and under God the happiest Means of making King and People happy so far have I been from being against Parliaments For my Death I here acquit all the World and pray God heartily to forgive them and in particular my Lord Primate I am very glad that His Majesty is pleased to conceive me not meriting so severe and heavy a Punishment as the utmost execution of this Sentence I am very glad and infinitely rejoyce in this Mercy of his and beseech God to turn it to him that he may find Mercy when he hath most need of it I wish this Kingdom all the Prosperity and Happiness in the World I did it living and now dying it is my Wish I do now profess it from my Heart and do most humbly recommend it to every Mâ—n here and wish every Man to lay his Hand upon his Heart and consider seriously whether the beginning of the Happiness of a People should be written in Letters of Blood I fear you are in a wrong way and I desire Almighty God that no one drop of my Blood may
and the Romans will come and take away both our Place and Nation Here was a causeless Cry against Christ That the Romans would come and see how just the Judgment of God was They crucified Christ for fear least the Romans should come and his Death was it which brought in the Romans upon them God punishing them with that which they most feared And I pray God this Clamour of venient Romani of which I have given no cause help not to bring them in For the Pope never had such a Harvest in England since the Reformation as he hath now upon the Sects and Divisions that are amongst us In the mean time by Honour and Dishonour by good Report and evil Report as a Deceiver and yet True am I passing through this World Some Particulars also I think it not amiss to speak of And first this I shall be bold to speak of The King our gracious Sovereign hath been also much and â—eed for bringing in of Popery but on my Conscience of which I shall give God a present Account I know him to be as free from this Charge as any Man living and I hold him to be as sound a Protestant according to the Religion by Law establish'd as any Man in this Kingdom and that he will venture his Life as far and as freely for it and I think I do or should know both his Affection to Religion and his Grounds for it as fully as any Man in England The second Particular is concerning this Great and Populous City which God bless Here hath been of late a Fashion taken up to gather Hands and then to go to the Great Court of this Kingdom the Parliament and clamour for Justice as if that Great and Wise Court before whom the Causes come which are unknown to the many could not or would not do Justice but at their Appointment A way which may endanger many an innocent Man and pluck his Blood upon their own Heads and perhaps upon the City 's also And this hath been lately practised against my self the Magistrates standing still and suffering them openly to proceed from Parish to Parish without Check God forgive the Setters of this I beg it with all my Heart but many well-meaning People are caught by it In St. Stephen's Case when nothing else would serve they stirred up the People against him and Herod went the same way when he had killed St. James yet he would not venture upon St. Peter till he found how the other pleased the People But take heed of having your Hands full of Blood For there is a Time best known to himself when God above other Sins makes Inquisition for Blood and when that Inquisition is on foot the Psalmist tells us that God remembers but that 's not all he remembers and forgets not the complaint of the poor that is whose blood is shed by oppression v. 9. Take heed of this 'T is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God but then especially when he is making Inquisition for Blood and with my Prayers to avert it I do heartily desire this City to remember the Prophecy Jer. 26.15 The third Particular is the poor Church of England It hath flourished and been a shelter to other neighbouring Churches when Storms have driven upon them But alas now 't is in a Storm it self and God only knows whether or how it shall get out And which is worse than a Storm from without it 's become like an Oak cleft to shivers with Wedges made out of its own Body and at every Cleft Profaneness and Irreligion is entering in while as Prosper speaks L. 2. de Contemptu Vitae c. 4. Men that introduce Profaneness are cloaked over with the Name of Imaginary Religion For we have lost the Substance and dwell too much in Opinion and that Church which all the Jesuites Machinations could not Ruine is fallen into Danger by her own The last Particular for I am not willing to be too long is my self I was Born and Baptized in the Bosom of the Church of England established by Law in that Profession I have ever since lived and in that I come now to die This is no time to dissemble with God least of all in matter of Religion and therefore I desire it may be remembred I have always lived in the Protestant Religion established in England What Clamours and Slanders I have endured for labouring to keep an Uniformity in the External Service of God according to the Doctrine and Discipline of this Church all Men know and I have abundantly felt Now at last I am accused of High Treason in Parliament a Crime which my Soul ever abhorred This Treason was charged to consist of these two Parts an Endeavour to subvert the Laws of the Land and to overthrow the True Protesant Religion established by Law Besides my Answers to the several Charges I protested my Innocency in both Houses It was said Prisoners Protestations at the Bar must not be taken I can bring no Witness of my Heart and the intentions thereof therefore I must come to my Protestation not at the Bar but at this hour and instant of my Death In which I hope all Men will be such Charitable Christians as not to think I would die and dissemble being instantly to give God an Account for the Truth of it I do therefore here in the Presence of God and his Holy Angels take it upon my Death That I never endeavoured the Subversion either of Law or Religion and I desire you all to remember this Protestation of mine for my Innocency in these and from all Treasons whatsoever I have been accused likewise as an Enemy to Parliaments No I understand them too well and the Benefit that comes by them too well to be so but I did mislike the Misgovernments of some Parliaments many ways and I had good Reason for it For Corruptio optimi est pessima the better the Thing is in nature the worse it is corrupted And that being the Highest Court over which no other here have jurisdiction when 't is misinformed or misgoverned the Subject is left without all Remedy But I have done I forgive all the World all and every of those bitter Enemies which have persecuted me and humbly desire to be forgiven of God first and then of every Man whether I have offended him or not if he do but conceive that I have Lord do thou forgive me and I beg forgiveness of him and so I heartily desire all to joyn in Prayer with me O Eternal God and Merciful Father look down upon me in Mercy in the Riches and Fulness of all thy Mercies look upon me but not till thou hast nail'd my Sins to the Cross of Christ not till thou hast bathed me in the Blood of Christ not till I have hid my self in the Wounds of Christ that so the Punishment due to my Sins may pass over me And since thou art pleased to try me
Innuendo's to the then King of England never considering adds he that if such Acts of State be not allowed Good no Prince in the World has any Title to his Crown and having by a short Reflection shewn the Ridiculousness of deriving Absolute Monarchy from Patriarchal Power he appeals to all the World whether it would not be more Advantageous to all Kings to own the Deerivation of their Power to the Consent of willing Nations than to have no better Title than Force c. which may be over-powered But notwithstanding the Innocence and Loyalty of that Doctrine he says He was told he must die or the Plot must die and complains that in order to the destroying the best Protestants of England the Bench was fill'd with such as had been blemishes to the Bar and Instances how against Law they had advised with the King's Council about bringing him to Death suffer'd a Jury to be pack'd by the King's Sollicitors and the Vnder-Sheriff admitted Jury men no Freeholders received Evidence not valid refus'd him a Copy of his Indictment or to suffer the Act of the 46th of Edw. 3. to be read that allows it had over-ruled the most important Points of Law without hearing and assumed to themselves a Power to make Constructions of Treason tho' against Law Sense and Reason which the Stat. of the 25th of Edw. 3. by which they pretended to Try him was reserved only to the Parliament and so praying God to forgive them and to avert the Evils that threatned the Nation to sanctifie those Sufferings to him and tho' he fell a Sacrifice to Idols not to suffer Idolatry to be established in this Land c. He concludes with a Thanksgiving that God had singled him out to be a Witness of his Truth and for that Good Old Cause in which from his Youth he had been engag'd c. His EPITAPH ALgernoon Sidney fills this Tomb An Atheist by declaiming Rome A Rebel bold by striving still To keep the Laws above the Will And hindring those would pull them down To leave no Limits to a Crown Crimes damn'd by Church and Government Oh whither must his Soul be sent Of Heaven it must needs despair If that the Pope be Turn-key there And Hell can ne'er it entertain For there is all Tyrannick Reign And Purgatory's such a Pretence As ne'er deceiv'd a Man of Sense Where goes it then where 't ought to go Where Pope and Devil have nought to do His CHARACTER There 's no need of any more than reading his Trial and Speech to know him as well as if he stood before us That he was a Person of extraordinary Sense and very close thinking which he had the Happiness of being able to express in Words as manly and apposite as the Sense included under ' em He was owner of as much Vertue and Religion as Sense and Reason tho' his Piety lay as far from Enthusiasm as any Man's He fear'd nothing but God and lov'd nothing on Earth like his Country and the just Liberties and Laws thereof whose Constitutions he had deeply and successfully inquired into To sum up all He had Piety enough for a Saint Courage enough for a General or a Martyr Sense enough for a Privy-Counsellor and Soul enough for a King and in a word if ever any he was a perfect Englishman 9. Mr. JAMES HOLLOWAY MR. Holloway declared That Mr. West proposed the Assassination but none seconded him That he could not perceive that Mr. Ferguson knew any thing of it and HOlloway said It was our Design to shed no Blood He being interrogated by Mr. Ferguson's Friend Mr. Sheriff Daniel whether he knew Ferguson he answer'd That he did know him but knew him to be against any Design of killing the King 10. Sir THOMAS ARMSTRONG HE had been all his Life a firm Servant and Friend to the Royal Family in their Exile and afterwards He had been in Prison for 'em under Cromwel and in danger both of Execution and Starving for all which they now rewarded him He had a particular Honour and Devotion for the Duke of Monmouth and push'd on his Interest on all Occasions being a Man of as undaunted English Courage as ever our Country produced In his Paper he thus expressed himself That he thanked Almighty God he found himself prepared for Death his Thoughts set upon another World and weaned from this yet he could not but give so much of his little time as to answer some Calumnies and particularly what Mr. Attorney accused him of at the Bar. That he prayed to be allowed a Tryal for his Life according to the Laws of the Land and urged the Statute of Edward 6. which was expresly for it but it signified nothing and he was with an Extraordinary Roughness condemned and made a precedent tho' Holloway had it offered him and he could not but think all the World would conclude his Case very different else why refused to him That Mr. Attorney charged him for being one of those that was to kill the King He took God to witness that he never had a Thought to take away the King's Life and that no Man ever had the Impudence to propose so barbarous and base a thing to him and that he never was in any Design to alter the Government That if he had been tried he could have proved the Lord Howard's base Reflections upon him to be notoriously false He concluded that he had lived and now died of the Reformed Religion a Protestant in the Communion of the Church of England and he heartily wished he had lived more strictly up to the Religion he believed That he had found the great Comfort of the Love and Mercy of God in and through his blessed Redeemer in whom he only trusted and verily hoped that he was going to partake of that fulness of Joy which is in his pesence the Hopes whereof infinitely pleased him He thanked God he had no repining but chearfully submitted to the Punishment of his Sins He freely forgave all the World even those concerned in taking away his Life tho' he could not but think his Sentence very hard he being denied the Laws of the Land On the Honourable Sir Thomas Armstrong Executed June 20. 1684. HAdst thou abroad found Safety in thy Flight Th' Immortal Honour had not flam'd so bright Thou hadst been still a worthy Patriot thought But now thy Glory 's to Perfection brought In Exile and in Death to England true What more could Brutus or just Cato do 11. Alderman CORNISH TO make an end of this Plot altogether 't will be necessary once more to invert the Order in which things happened and tho' Mr. Cornish suffer'd not till after the Judges returned from the West as well as Bateman after him yet we shall here treat of 'em both and so conclude this Matter Cornish on his Tryal is said to have denied his being at the Meeting and discoursing with the Duke of Monmouth Which they 'd have us believe
Limb for every Town in Christendom ☞ Thus Reader having given thee a Faithful Account of the Behaviour and Dying Speeches of the most Eminent Persons who suffered in Scotland I shall return again for London where the last Person of Quality that suffered was the Duke of Monmouth whose Expedition Sufferings and Dying Speech next follows 9. JAMES Duke of MONMOVTH THE last Person with whom we shall conclude this Mournful Tragedy and the greatest in it is the late James Duke of Monmouth one indeed who if he had been a little less might have been at this time one of the greatest Men both in England and the World By reason of some Passages in his Life not so defensible 't was thought at first better to draw a Veil before that unfortunate Prince and say nothing at all of him But what Allowances are made for Custom and Education God only knows I remember a shrewd Answer given to an Objection of this Nature Where said one should he learn any better But however where there has been any time to think soberly of past Actions or none of that Nature reiterated Charity is obliged to judge favourably And besides the good West-Country-men would be very angry if they should not find their Master that they loved so well and suffered so much for among the rest of these Noble Hero's None can deny but he was a great General a Man of Courage and Conduct and great Personal Valour having signaliz'd himself both at Mons and Maestricht so as to gain an high and just Reputation He was all along true and firm to the Protestant Interest in and out of Parliament tho' abhorring any base way of promoting it as well as his Friend my Lord Russel This is intended as a Character rather or very short Compendium than any History of his Life He was all along the Peoples Darling whose hearts were entirely his by his Courtesie and Affability as other Persons lost them by their sourness and haughty Pride After Russel's Death he went into Flanders whence had he prosecuted his Design and gone as 't is said he intended into the Emperor's Service how many Lawrels might he have won and how many more would now have been growing for him But his Fate was otherwise He came over into England After the defeat of his Army at Sedgemoor he fled with the Lord Gray who was first taken and he himself a little after brought up to London and on his Attainder in Parliament beheaded on Tower-Hill 'T is said a certain brave Old Officer who then came over with him and since with the Prince offered with a small Party of Horse to have ventured through all the Guards and took him off the Scaffold But they could not be got together his time was come Providence had designed other things that our Deliverance should be more Just and Peaceable and Wonderful and that the Glory thereof should be reserved for His Sacred Majesty King William Whom God grant long to Reign The Last Speech and Carriage of the Duke of Monmouth upon the Scaffold THE late Duke of Monmouth came from the Tower to the Scaffold attended by the Bishop of Ely the Bishop of Bath and Wells Dr. Tenison and Dr. Hooper which four the King sent him as his Assistants to prepare him for Death The Duke himself entreated all four of them to accompany him to the Place of Execution and to continue with him to the last The two Bishops going in the Lieutenant's Coach with him to the Bars made Seasonable and Devout Applications to him all the way and one of them desired him not to be surprized if they to the very last upon the Scaffold renewed those Exhortations to a particular Repentance which they had so often repeated before At his first coming upon the Scaffold he looked for the Executioner and seeing him said Is this the Man to do the Business Do the Work well Then the Duke of Monmouth began to speak some one or other of the Assistants during the whole time applying themselves to him Monmouth I shall say but very little I come to die I die a Protestant of the Church of England Assistants My Lord if you be of the Church of England you must acknowledge the Doctrine of Non-resistance to be true Mon. If I acknowledge the Doctrine of the Church of England in general that includes all Assist Sir it is fit to own that Doctrine particularly which respects your Case Here he was much urged about that Doctrine of Non-resistance but he repeated in effect his first Answer Then he began as if he was about to make a premeditated Speech in this manner Mon. I have had a Scandal raised upon me about a Woman a Lady of Vertue and Honour I will name her the Lady Henrietta Wentworth I declare That she is a very Vertuous and Godly Woman I have committed no sin with her and that which hath passed betwixt us was very Honest and Innocent in the sight of God Assist In your Opinion perhaps Sir as you have been often told i. e. in the Tower but this is not fit Discourse in this Place Mr. Sheriff Gostlin Sir were you ever married to her Mon. This is not a time to Answer that Question Sher. Gostlin Sir I hoped to have heard of your Repentance for the Treason and Bloodshed which hath been committed Mon. I die very Penitent Assist My Lord it is fit to be particular and considering the Publick Evil you have done you ought to do as much Good now as possibly you can by a Publick Acknowledgment Mon. What I have thought fit to say of Publick Affairs is in a Paper which I have signed I referr to my Paper Assist My Lord there is nothing in that Paper about Resistance and you ought to be particular in your Repentance and to have it well grounded God give you True Repentance Mon. I die very Penitent and die with great Chearfulness for I know I shall go to God Assist My Lord you must go to God in his own way Sir be sure you be truly Penitent and ask Forgiveness of God for the many you have wronged Mon. I am sorry for every one I have wronged I forgive every Body I have had many Enemies I forgive them all Assist Sir your Acknowledgment ought to be particular Mon. I am to die pray my Lord I referr to my Paper Assist They are but a few words that we desire We only desire an Answer to this Point Mon. I can bless God that he hath given me so much Grace that for these two Years last past I have led a Life unlike to my former course and in which I have been happy Assist Sir was there no Ill in these two Years In these Years these great Evils have happened and the giving Publick Satisfaction is a necessary part of Repentance be pleased to own a Detestation of your REBELLION Mon. I beg your Lordship that you would stick to my Paper Assist My Lord as I
my Soul I cannot find my small Concern with the Duke of Monmouth doth deserve this heavy Judgment on me but I know as I said before it is for Sins long unrepented of I die in Charity with all Men I desire all of you to bear me witness I die a true Professor of the Church of England beseeching the Lord still to stand up in the Defence of it God forgive my passionate Judges and cruel and hasty Jury God forgive them they know not what they have done God bless the King and though his Judges had no Mercy on me I wish he may find Mercy when he standeth most in need of it Make him O Lord a nursing Father to the Church let Mercy flow abundantly from him if it be thy Will to those poor Prisoners to be hereafter tried and Lord if it be thy holy Will stop this issue of Christian Bood and let my guiltless Blood be the last spilt on this account Gentlemen all Farewel Farewel all the Things of the World Then singing some few Verses of a Psalm and putting up some private Ejaculations to himself said O Lord into thy hands I commend my Spirit and so submitted to the Executioner September the 7th 1685. 3. The Behaviour and Dying Speech of Mr. Joseph Speed of Culliton AT the same time and place as he came near the Place of his Execution he spying his Country-man and Friend called him and said I am glad to see you here now because I am not known in these Parts being answered by his Friend I am sorry to see you in this Condition He replies It is the best Day I ever saw I thank God I have not led my Life as Unchristian-like as many have done having since the Years of Sixteen always had the Checks of Conscience on me which made me to avoid many gross and grievous Sins my course of Life hath been well known to you yet I cannot justifie my self All Men Err. I have not been the least of Sinners therefore cannot excuse my self but since my Confinement I have received so great Comfort in some Assurance of the Pardon of my Sins that I can now say I am willing to die to be dissolved and to be with Christ and say to Death Where is thy Sting and to Grave Where is thy Victory Being ask'd by some rude Soldiers Whether he was not sorty for the Rebellion he was found Guilty of He courageously reply'd If you call it a Rebellion I assure you I had no sinister Ends in being concerned for my whole Design in taking up Arms under the Duke of Monmouth was to fight for the Protestant Religion which my own Conscience dictated to me and which the said Duke declared for and had I think a lawful Call and Warrant for so doing and do not question that if I have committed any Sin in it but that it is pardoned Pray Mr. Sheriff let me be troubled no farther in answering of Questions but give me leave to prepare my self those few Minutes I have left for another World and go to my Jesus who is ready to receive me Then calling to his Friend who stood very near him said My dear Friend you know I have a dear Wife and Children who will find me wanting being somewhat incumbred in the World let me desire you as a Dying Man to see that she be not abused and as for my poor Children I hope the father of Heaven will take care of them and give thern Grace to be Dutiful to their distressed Mother And so with my dying Love to all my Friends when you see them I take leave of you and them and all the World desiring your Christian Prayers for me to the last moment Then repeating some Sentences of Scripture as Colossians chap. 3. v. 1 2. If you then c. and praying very fervently said I thank God I have Satisfaction I am ready and willing to suffer Shame for his Name And so pouring forth some private Ejaculations to himself and lifting up his Hands the Executioner did his Office The Soldiers then present said They never before were so taken with a Dying Man's Speech his Courage and Christian-like Resolution caused many violent Men against the Prisoners to repent of their Tyranny towards them some of whom in a short time died full of Horror And thus fell this Good Man a true Protestant and one that held out to the end An Account of those that suffered at Bridport and Lyme 1. AT Bridport one John Sparke who was a very Good Man and behaved himself with a great deal of Christian-like Courage to the end Being asked how he could endure those Hardships he had undergone since his being taken Says he If this be all 't is not so much but my Friend if you were to take a Journey in those ways you were not acquainted with you would I hope desire Advice from those that had formerly used those ways or lived near by them Yes says he Then said he The ways of Affliction which I have lately travelled in I had Advice many a time from a Minister who hath often told his Congregation of the troublesomeness of the Road and of the difficulty of getting through and has given me and Hundreds of others to understand the Pits and Stones in the way and how to avoid them He has been a Man used to those Roads many Years I have taken his Advice I am got thus far on comfortably and I trust shall do so to the end I am not afraid to fight a Duel with Death if so it must be Now I thank God I can truly say Oh Death where is thy Sting and Oh Grave where is thy Victory Two or three Days after his Sentence he was drawn to Execution but was very rudely and opprobriously dealt with to the Shame of those that then had the Charge over him their Rigour to him was more more like Turks than Christians Being come to the Place of Execution he prayed very devoutly but by the Rudeness of the Guards there could be no Copy taken to be said to be true He died very Couragiously and spake to them in these Words looking on the Soldiers saying Little do you think that this very Body of mine which you are now come to see cut in pieces will one Day rise up in Judgment against you and be your Accuser for your delight in spilling of Christian Blood The Heathens have far more Mercy Oh 't is sad when England must out-strip Infidels and Pagans But pray take notice Don't think that I am not in Charity with you I am so far that I forgive you and all the World and do desire the God of Mercies to forgive you and open your Hearts and turn you from Darkness to Light and from the Power of Satan to the Lord Jesus Christ And so Farewel I am going out of the Power of you all I have no dependance but upon my blessed Redeemer to whom I commit my dear Wife and Children
that unhappy Accident which threatned the putting a Stop to it for I ever esteemed Platonick-Love to be the most Noble and thought it might be allowed by all but some wise Persons are afraid least the Sex should creep in for a share Here was no Danger for tho' Nature and Art have done their utmost to make Cl s Charming to all her Wit c. being beyond most of her Sex yet P t having for many Years given such Testimonies of a Conjugal Affection even to excess if such a thing can be that I fanned their Friendship might have been honourably continued to the End of Time I hope what Difficulties they meet with at their first setting out will heighten their Friendship and make it more strong and lasting So wishes August 27. 1695. Your Humble Servant E This Letter was occasioned by a Misconstruction put on the Correspondence then carried on 'tween P t and the aforesaid Lady but E being universally Religious by consequence is universally Charitable and therefore as she knew no Harm thinks none but encourages the Correspondence Mr. Richard Mays was a Man of sincere Godliness A (r) Mr. Singleton worthy Person sufficiently known in this City for his great Skill and Pains in training up of Youth was the Happy Instrument which Providence made use of for the first awakening and enclining him to look out after God I have often heard him speak with great thankfulness both to God and him of that Mixture of Love and Prudence whereby he gained upon him Throughout the Whole of his Sickness of Six Weeks continuance all was clear between God and him 2 Sam. 23.4 His End was like the Light of the Evening when the Sun setteth an Evening without any Clouds He said to my self when I enquired of him concerning that Matter I have not indeed those Raptures of Joy which some have felt tho' yet he added blessed be God I have sometimes tasted of them too but I have a comfortable well-grounded Hope of Eternal Life Another time I have had my Infirmities and Failings but my Heart hath been right with God as to the main and I look for the Mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to Eternal Life Again another time I know that I have passed from Death to Life And again Blessed be God for our Lord Jesus Christ who hath delivered me from the Wrath to come In the Presence of others that stood by him when the sudden Blast was so strong as almost to puff out the Lamp of Life expecting to die in a very few Moments he said in the Words of the Psalmist Into thy Hands I commit my Spirit thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of Truth and this was uttered by him with a more than ordinary Chearfulness visibly spread on his Face He would often say in his Sickness If God hath any Pleasure in me and any more Work for me to do he will raise me up but if not lo here am I let him do with his Servant what seemeth him good In short I could neither observe my self nor learn from those that were constantly about him who must know this Matter better than any others and would not Lye for God himself that he had the least Darkness upon his Spirit as to his present and future State from the beginning of his Sickness till he gave up the Ghost which he did the last Lord's-Day about Five in the Morning the time when he was wont to arise and prepare himself for his Sacred Work Mr. Nathaniel Taylor in his Sermon at Mr. Mayo 's Funeral Dr. Samuel Annesley was reconciled to Death yea so desirous of it as hardly induced him to have his Life prayed for But hearing some Ministers had been fervently praying for his Life he replied I 'm then more reconciled to Life than ever for I 'm confident God will not give a Life so eminently in answer of Prayer as mine must be if he would not use it to greater purposes than ever before Yet some little time before his Change his Desires of Death appear'd strong and his Soul filled with the fore-tasts of Glory oft saying Come my dearest Jesus the nearer the more precious the more welcome Another time his Joy was so great that in an Ecstasie he cried out I cannot contain it What manner of Love is this to a poor Worm I can't express the thousandth part of what Praise is due to thee We know not what we do when we offer at praising God for his Mercies It 's but little I can give but Lord help me to give thee my All. I 'll die praising thee and rejoyce that there 's others can praise thee better I shall be satisfied with thy likeness satisfied satisfied Oh my dearest Jesus I come See a larger Account in Dr. Annesley's Funeral Sermon preach'd by Mr. Daniel Williams The Death of Old Mr. Eliot of new-New-England While he was making his Retreat out of this Evil World his Discourses from time to time ran upon The Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ It was the Theme which he still had recourse unto and we were sure to have something of this whatever other Subject he were upon On this he talk'd of this he pray'd for this he long'd and especially when any bad News arriv'd his usual Reflection thereon would be Behold some of the Clouds in which we must look for the Coming of the Son of Man At last his Lord for whom he had been long wishing Lord come I have been a great while ready for thy Coming At last I say his Lord came and fetched him away into the Joy of his Lord. He fell into some Languishments attended with a Fever which in a few Days brought him into the Pangs may I say or Joys of Death And while he lay in these Mr. Walter coming to him he said unto him Brother Thou art welcome to my very Soul Pray retire to my Study for me and give me leave to be gone meaning that he should not by Petitions to Heaven for his Life detain him here It was in these Languishments that speaking about the Work of the Gospel among the Indians he did after this Heavenly manner express himself There is a Cloud said he a dark Cloud upon the Work of the Gospel among the poor Indians The Lord revive and prâ—â—â—er that Work and grant it may live when I am dead It is a Work which I have been doing much and long about But what was the Word I spoke last I recall that Word My Doings Alas they have been poor and small and lean Doings and I 'll be the Man that shall throw the first Stone at them all Mr. Cotton Mather tells us of Mr. Elias That the Last of his ever setting Pen to Paper in the World was upon this Occasion I shall transcribe a short Letter which was written by the shaking Hand that had heretofore by Writing deserved so well from the Church of God but was now taking its leave of Writing for
are the best 10. The Granate is a shining transparent Gem of a Yellow Red almost like Fire or Minium They are brought out of Ethiopia Spain and Silesia 11. The Hyacinth or Jacinth is transparent of a Yellow Red found near the River Isera and in the Indies It is a great Cordial and Alexipharmick 12. The Jasper is Green sometimes Sky-coloured White and Red c. brought out of India Persia c. 13. The Ligure is a kind of Jacinth and hath the same Physical Virtues 14. Margarita Vnio Lapis Erythraeus the Pearl is found in Sea-Shelfish near the Persian or Indian Ocean and upon the Coast of Silesia Scotland c. They are cold and dry strengthen the Heart cleanse the Eyes c. 15. The Onyx-Stone hath the Colour of the Nail of a Man's Hand better known to the Ancients that to us Some take the Alabaster for it 16. The Opal is of divers Colours representing the Carbuncle the Amethyst and Emerald all very strongly and curiously mixed with incredible Light or Shining Horstius saith no Gem can be more Glorious and hath the Virtues of all together 17. The Ruby or Carbuncle is either White or Red the ripest as Red as Blood The best come from Ceitan and Pegu and are the hardest and coldest which you may perceive by your Mouth and Tongue and shining in the Dark steep'd in Vinegar they shine clearer Lapidaries can easily counterfeit them They are found in Hungary in the midst of Flints Tavernier's Travels in India 18. The Sapphire is of a glorious clear transparent Blue or Sky-colour which is called the Male The Female is White and Unripe They are found in the East-Indies and in Silesia and Bohemia and are of good use in Physick 19. The Sardonyx is of many Colours white Blackish cloudy some resembling the Rain-Bow It is brought out of the Indies and Arabia 20. Smaragdus Prasinus the Emerald is a clear transparent Gem of a very beautiful and glorious green found in Scythia Egypt Cyprus c. They grow in Stones forming a Vein in which they are by little and little refined and thickned Dr. Grew saith One in Gresham-Colledge being heated red-hot shines for a confiderable time 21. The Topaz is a Stone found in Zeilan and Arabia a kind of Ruby shining in the Night exceeding as Berchorius saith all Jewels in brightness and as Pliny saith all Jewels in bigness 22. The Turcois is of a dark sky-colour sometimes greenish or blueish found no where but in in Persia It loseth its colour by Oil Ointment or Wine and is easily counterfeited with Glass 23. The Loadstone Magnes from Magnesia in Greece where though to be first found Of an Iron colour tending to blue the Male if black the Female Of a Metallick or Iron matter found in Germany Norway Italy c. about Iron Mines sometimes in Devonshire it attracteth Iron according to its Poles and communicateth to Iron the same attractive power and a verticity to the North-Pole for which Reason 't is applied to Navigation and used by Travellers in the vast Desarts of Arabia It will suspend sometimes 60 sometimes 80 times its own weight But the best Load-stone in time loses very much of its strength which is recovered by application of more weight to it and this repeated at several Periods for which Reason it is said to be fed with Iron It does not lose its attractive Virtue altogether by being cast into the Fire but in part One give by Dr. Cotton to the Royal Society weighting 60 pounds found in Devonshire takes up no great weight indeed yet moves a Needle 9 foot distance Sir Tho. Pope Blunt Nat. Hist p. 182. CHAP. XLVI Stone less Precious 1. ALablaster our Moderns call this the Onyx but 't is certain 't is not the Onyx of the Ancients It is a kind of Marble indigested and soft it is so soft as to be cut it is called Gypsum It is brought out of India and Egypt 2. Amianth or Plumous Allum It differs not from Allum in form but it wants the taste of Allum nor will it burn like Allum 3. Arenosus Lapis Tophus the Sand-Stone It is very dry and sticks to the Tongue like Bole-Armenick and may be used instead thereof 4. Armenius Lapis is found in the Silver Mines in Armenia but is now found in Germany It is full of spots green sky-colour'd and blackish like the Lapis Lazuli with golden spots and Veins differing from it but only in ripeness save Lapis Lazuli is found in Gold Mines and this is Silver that which is sky-coloured is best 5. Aetites the Eagle-Stone is almost like the Bezoar-stone having another Stone that rattles within it Oriental or Occidental The Oriental is rough of divers colours commonly black having within it anothter Stone called Collimus about the bigness of Damlon The Occidental which are two forts are found in Germany one kind of them has Clay or Marle within it being smooth and of an ash colour the other kind has Earth within it both sorts are often found as big as a Goose's Egg. It is called the Eagle-Stone because found in Eagles Nests of which there are two kinds viz. Male and Female without which they bring not forth 6. Bezoar 7. Calaminaris Lapis Cathimia Climea Cadmia Lapidosa Calaminare is a yellow Stone not hard which when burning gives a yellow Fume found in Mettalick Mines Of this Copper-Smiths make Brass It is the most perfect Remedy for Sore Running and Rheumatick Eyes that is yet known 8. Calcarius Lime-stone is of grey colour almost like Marble which burnt is Quick-Lime 9. Chalcedonius Chalcedony shineth and hath as it were bright Stars within them 10. Cos Acone Lapis Naxius the Whet-stone 11. Feâ—otrope it is a Solar-Stone a kind of Jasper being of a greenish colour with red spots upon it Some take this for the true Blood-Stone 12. Haematites Scedenigni the Blood-Stone It is found in Iron-Mines in Germany of a black yellowish or iron colour The best is like Cinnabar It cools drys astringes mixt with Womans Milk it helps Blear Eyes 13. Hibernicus Lapis Irish Salt growing in Ireland and England is often used against Bruises instead of Sperma Ceti 14. Judaicus Lapis Tecolinthus Phenicites Syrincus Jews-Stone comes from Judea and Silesia roundish almost like an Olive tender and brittle with flakes the long way at equal distances as if done by a Turner It is sometimes as long as ones little Finger and is a Specifick against the Stone 15. Lapis Lazuli Cyanaeus Coeruleus Stellans Azurus the Azure-Stone is found in Gold Silver and in Copper-Mines and is like a Saphir or the flowers of Blue-Bottles with Golden Veins somewhat harder than the Armenian Stone found in Germany and in the Indies It purges Melancholly and is excellent for Fevers and the Gout 16. Lincis Lapis Belemites Dactylus Idaeus the Lynx-Stone said to be generated of a Lynx's Urine like to an Arrow or the Idaean Date shines almost
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