and of great Note too that I could name 2. The Reverend Mr. Hooker a Man so bashful and modest by natural Disposition that he was not able to outface his own Pupils yet hath been rewarded with a competent Estate whilst living and a good Name and glorious Elogiums since his Death 3. Mr. Thomas Gouge was great in Modesty yet it never appeared by word or action that he put any value upon himself or hunted for any applause from Man and this was very observable in him that the Charities which were procured chiefly by his Interest and Industry where he had occasion to speak or to give an Account of them he would rather impute it to any one that had but the least hands and part in the procuring of them than assume any thing of it to himself Another Instance of his Modesty was that when he was ejected out of his Living of Sepulchres Parish he forbore Preaching saying That there was no need of his Labours in London where there were so many godly able and painful Ministers to carry on that Work According to the Apostle's Exhortation he was cloathed with Humility and had in a very eminent degree that Ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit which St. Peter tells us is in the sight of God of great Price so that there was not the least appearance either of Pride or Passion in any of his Words or Actions He was not only free from Anger and Bitterness but from all affected Gravity and Moroseness His Society and Converse was affable and pleasant He had a very great serenity of Mind and evenness of Temper which was visible in his very Countenance and according his Humility was rewarded with Honour and Respect from Men with the Love of all Parties though of different Sentiments with a great Tranquility of Mind with a peaceable and quiet Possession of the Good Things of this Life and at last with an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a gentle and easie Death for in a good old Age of Seventy seven Years he died in his Sleep without any sensible Pain or Sickness A. C. 1681. See his Life See more in the Ch. The Humble strangely advanced 4. Mr. John Fox in his younger Days and towards the latter and of King Henry the Eighth's Reign went to London where he lived humbly and obscurely and soon spent what his Friends had given him and his own Industry got him and began to be in want one Day sitting disconsolate in St. Paul's Church almost spent with long Fasting his Countenance being thin his Eyes hollow after the ghastful manner of dying Men insomuch that every Body shunned a Spectacle of so much horrour there came one to him as he was sitting in this humble and homely Posture and despicable Condition and thrust an untold Sum of Money into his Hand bidding him be of good Cheer and accept that as a common Courtesie from his country-men wishing him to make much of himself for within a few Days new Hopes were at hand Mr. Fox could never learn who this was but within Three Days after the Dutchess of Richmond sent for him to live in her House and be Tutor to the Earl of Surrey's Children then under her Charge Clark's Examp. Vol. 2. p. 610. 5. Humility says the Reverend Mr. Steel makes a Man think meanly of himself moderately of his own Notions and Apprehensions highly of those that deserve it and respectfully of all It was this which taught excellent Bishop Ridley when he was in Prison thus to accost honest Bishop Hooper However in some By-matters and Circumstances of Religion your Wisdom and my Simplicity I grant hath a little jarr'd yet now c. More Comfort to them if they had been on these Terms in the time of their Liberty and Prosperity Humility is a great step to Unity Ephes 4.2 I beseech you that ye walk with all lowliuess and meekness with long-suffering for hearing one another in love endeavouring to keep the Vnity of the Spirit in the bond of peace Pray behold how these Graces are here link'd together lowliness meekness unity and peace The humble Man will not endure that his Reputation shall outweigh the Peace of the Church and therefore is more willing that Truth should be victorious than himself He 'll go Two Miles for One to meet his Adversary in an honest way of Accommodation and when he cannot make his Judgment to bend yet his Heart shall stoop to you with all sincerity This Vertue made Aristippus come to Eschines when they were at fend with this greeting Eschines Shall we be Friends And this dictated his Answer Yes Sir with all my Heart But remember saith Aristippus That I being elder than you do make the first motion Yea said the other and therefore I conclude you to be the worthier Man for I began the Strife and you began the Peace Let us all then be cloathed with Humility assume not in regard of your Learning Wit or Parts consider you are but Sharers in our Common Benefactor neither let your Riches or Dignities make you speak or write otherwise than you would do without them and this will go a great way to prevent our biting and devouring one another See Mr. Steel 's Sermon in the Casuistical Morning Exercises CHAP. LXX Present Retribution to the Just. THE Vnjust Oppressors Extortioners Felons Thieves and fraudulent Persons think with their crooked Policy their crafty Dealings their Dissimulation and Tricks to impose upon the World to delude the Senses of Men and enrich themselves and be secure but upon a fair Examination it will be certainly found that Righteousness stands upon much the surer Ground and bids fair both for the Love of Man and the Blessing of God Righteousness exalts a Nation when Sin in general and Injustice in particular is the Reproach and Ruine of any People 1. Sir John Fitz-James of whom we have mentioned before in remarkable Justice was by King Henry the Eighth advanced to be Chief Justice of the King's-Bench 2. Sir Matthew Hale of whom we have mentioned as another Great Example of Justice was presently so taken Notice of by the Eye of the World that he was imployed in his Practice by all the King's Party he was assigned Council to the Earl of Strafford Arch-bishop Laud King Charles the First the Duke of Hamilton the Earl of Holland and the Lord Capel Afterwards being Councel for the Lord Craven he pleaded with that force of Argument that the then Attorney-General threarned him for appearing against the Government To whom he answered He was Pleading in Defence of those Laws which they declared they would maintain and preserve and he was doing his Duty to his Client so that he was not to be daunted with Threatnings Upon all these occasions he had discharged himself with so much Learning Fidelity and Courage that he came to be generally imployed for all that Party and afterwards Cromwel resolving to take him off from that Party endeavoured to promote him
upon his Head and a Charter in his Hand They are stiled by the King Consanguinii nostri our Cousins and may use the Stile of Nos but so may Viscounts too All Earls are Local except the Earl-Marshal of England who is also Officiary and the Earl Rivers who is denominated not from the Place but Family 4. Viscounts are so made by Patent 5. Barons so called from Baron or Varon Vir in Spanish are made by Writ and called thereby to sit in the Higher House of Parliament but most usually by Patent The Earls Palatines and Earls Marches of England had anciently their Barons under them and in Cheshire there are still such Barons But these not holding immediately from the King as the Bishop of Man under the Earl of Darby are no Peers The Head of the Barony is some Castle or chief Seat of the Noble Man which is not to be divided amongst Daughters if there be no Son but must defcend to the eldest Daughter All the Lords of England are Feudatories to the King swearing Fealty and doing Homage to him Their several Titles are thus A Duke hath the Title of Grace and may be stiled Most High Potent and Noble Prince a Marquess Most Potent and Noble Lord But so may Earls and Viscounts also A Baron Right Noble Lord. Their Coronets differ thus A Baron hath six Pearls upon the Circle A Viscount hath the Circle of Pearls without number An Earl's Contronet hath the Pearls raised upon Points and Leaves low between The Marquess a Pearl and a Strawberry-leaf round of equal height And a Duke's Coronet only Leaves without Pearls Note That the Dukes of the Blood-Royal bear a Coronet of Crosses and Flower-de-luce which is the same with that of the Prince of Wales and his is the same with the Kings the Arches Globe and Cross on the top of the King's Crown Their Parliamentary Robes are thus distinguished A Baron hath but two Guards on him Mantlet or short Cloak a Viscount two and a half an Earl three a Marquess three and a half and a Duke four Also the Mantle of a Duke Marquess and Earl is faced with Ermin that of a Viscount and Baron with plain white Fur. Their Marks of State are thus A Duke may have in all places out of the King's Presence a Cloth of Estate hanging down within half a Yard of the Ground so may his Dutchess and her Train born up by a Baroness and no Earl to wash with a Duke without the Duke's Pleasure A Marquess may have a Cloth of Estate reaching within a Yard of the Ground and that in all Places out of the Presence or the King or a Duke and his Marchioness to have her Train borne by a Knight's Wife and no Viscount to wash with a Marquess but at his Pleasure An Earl also may have a Cloth of Estate without Pendants but only Fring and a Countess may have her Train borne up by a Gentlewoman out of the Presence of her Superiors and in her Presence by a Gentleman A Viscount may have a Cover of Assay holden under his Cup while he drinks but no Assay taken as Dukes Marquesses and Earls may have and have a Travers in his own House and a Viscountess may have her Gown borne up by a Woman out of the Presence of her Superiours and in their Presence by a man A Baron may have the Cover of his Cup holden underneath whilst he drinketh and a Baroness may have her Gown borne up by a Man in the Presence of a Viscountess All Dukes eldest Sons are born as Marquesses and the younger as Lords with the addition of their Names as Lord Thomas Lord John c. A Marquess's eldest Son is called Lord of a Place and the younger Sons as Lord Thomas Lord John c. And Earl's eldest Son is born as a Viscount and shall go as a Viscount and shall have as many Powderings as a Viscount so their younger Sons are said to be born as Barons but shall go after all Barons and before all Baronets An Earl's eldest Son is called Lord of a place and all his Daughters Ladies but his youngest Sons are not Lords A Viscount's eldest Son is no Lord nor his Daughters Ladies and therefore the eldest Sons and the eldest Daughter of the first Viscount of England is said to be the first Gentleman and Gentlewoman without Title in England yet a Viscount's eldest Son is said to be born a Baron 6. The next Degree to Barons are Baronets which is the lowest Degree of Hoour that is Hereditary An Honour first instituted by King James An. 16 11. given by Patent to a Man and his Heir Males of his Body lawfully begotten for which each one is obliged to pay in the Exchecquer so much oney as will for three Years at Eight Pence per Diem pay 30 Foot Soldiers to serve in the Province of Vlster in Ireland which Sum amounts to 1095 l. which with Fees doth commonly arise tp 1200 l. Baronets have Precedence before all Knights except Knights of the Garter Knights who are Privy-Counsellors and Knights Banorets made under the King's Banner or Standard displayed in an Army Royal in open War and the King personally present or the Prince of Wales Baronets have the Priviledge to bear a Canton of their Coat of Arms or in a whole Scutcheon the Arms of Vlster viz. In a Field Argent a Hand Gules Also in the King's Armies to have place in the Gross near the King's Standard with some other particular for their Funerals The whole Number of Baronets are not to exceed 200 at one and the same time after which Number compleated as any one for want of Heirs come to be extinct the Number shall not be made up by new Creations but be suffered to diminish as appears by their Patent No Honour is ever to be created between Baronets and Barons The word Knight is derived from the German word Knecht signifying Originally a lusty Servitor The Germans by publick Authority bestowed on their young Men able to manage Arms a Shield and a Javelin as fit for Martial Service and to be a Member of the Commonwealth accounted befoe but a part of a Family and such a young Man publickly allow'd they call'd Knetcht from whence we had our Institution of Knighthood The thing Knight is at this Day signified in Latin French Spanish Italian and also in High and Low-Dutch Tongues by a word that properly signifies an Horseman because they were wont to serve in War on Horseback and were sometimes in England called Radenhyts id est Riding Soldiers the Latine Milites according to the common Law 1. Knights of the Garter so call'd because the Garter is an Emblem of Concord or Combination to prevent all Sinister Interpretation whereof the King commanded that Motto or Impress to be wrought on the Garter Honi Scit qui Maly Pence This Honourable Company was anciently a College or Corporation of 25 Companions called Knights of the Garter 14 secular
the aforesaid Memoirs Vnder this Stone the Matchless Digby lies Digby the Great the Valiant and the Wise This Age's Wonder for his Noble Parts Skill'd in six Tongues and Learn'd in all the Arts. Born on the day he died th' Eleventh of June On which he bravely fought at Scanderoon 'T is rare that one and self-same Day should be His Day of Birth of Death of Victory 13. I had a Maternal Uncle that died the Third of March last 1678. which was the Anniversary day of his Birth and which is a Truth exceeding strange many Years ago he foretold the day of his death to be that of his Birth and he also averr'd the same but about the Week before his departure 14. Of the Family of the Trevours six successive principal Branches have been born the Sixth of July Same Memoirs 15. Meekren in his Medico Chirurgical Observations gives an Account of a Man that had a Septenary-Fever and Pliny if we may believe him tells us of one Antipater a Sidonian that also had a Fever or as some call it an Ague every Year upon his Birth-day As for the Nature of such Fevers or Agues they are as unaccountable as the Revolution of Sevens a Year in which it 's observ'd a great part of the World that get out of Childhood die in and we read of one Family that never escapes it Whether an Anniversary Ague is curable I dare not pretend since we want Examples perhaps from the Fewness of ' em 16. In the Family of the Hastings Earls of Pembrooke it is memorable that for many Generations together no Son ever saw the Father The Father being always dead before the Son was born Chetwind's Historical Collections I shall take particular Notice here of the Third of November both because 't is my own Birth-day and also for that I have observ'd some remarkable Accidents to have happen'd thereupon I had an Estate left me in Kent of which between thirty and forty Acres was Marsh-Land very conveniently flanking its Up-land and in those Days this Marsh Land was usually lot for Four Nobles an Acre My Father died 1643. Within a Year and half after his Decease such Charges and Water-scots came upon this Marsh-land by the Influence of the Sea that it was never worth one Farthing to me but very often eat into the Rents of the Up-land So that I often think this Day being my Birth-day hath the same evil Influence upon me that it had 580 Years since upon Earl Godwin and others concern'd in Low Lands 18. The Parliament so fatal to Rome's Concerns here in Henry VIII's time began the Third of November 26th of his Reign in which the Pope with his Authority was clean banish'd the Realm See Stow's Annals and Weaver p. 80. 19. The Third of November 1640. began that Parliament so direfully fatal to England in its Peace its Wealth its Religion its Gentry Nobility nay it s King 20. The Third of September was a remarkable Day to the English Attila Oliver 1650. He obtain'd a memorable Victory at Dunbar another at Worcester 1651. And that day he died 1658. 21. The Third of September was Dismal and Unhappy to the City of London and consequently to the whole Kingdom I come now to the Days of the Week 22. I. Tuesday Dies Martis was a most remarkable Day with Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury as Weaver 201 observes from Mat. Paris Upon a Tuesday he suffer'd upon a Tuesday he was Translated upon Tuesday the Peers of the Land sate against him at Northampton upon Tuesday he was Banished upon Tuesday the Lord appear'd to him at Pontiniac saying Thomas Thomas my Church shall be glorified in thy Blood Upon Tuesday he return'd from Exile upon Tuesday he got the Palm or Reward of Martyrdom upon Tuesday 1220. his Venerable Body receiv'd the Glory and Renown of Translation fifty Years after his Passion Thus my Author 22. II. Wednesday is said to have been the fortunate day of Sixtus Quintus that Pope of Renowned Merit that did so great and excellent Things in the time of his Government See The just Weight of the Scarlet Robe p. 101. his desired Praises On a Wednesday he was born on that Day he was made Monk on the same he was made General of his Order on that also was he successively created Cardinal elected Pope and also Inaugurated See Heylin speaking of the Temple of Jerusalem 23. III. Thursday was a fatal Day to Henry VIII as Stow 812. and so also to his Posterity He died on Thursday Jan. 28. King Edward VI. on Thursday July 6. Queen Mary on Thursday November 17. Queen Elizabeth on Thursday March 24. 24. IV. Friday was observ'd to be very fortunate to the Great Renowned Capt. Gonsalvo he having on that day given the French many Memorable Defeats 25. V. Saturday was a Lucky Day to Henry VII Upon that Day he atchiev'd the Victory upon Richard III. being August 22. 1485. On that day he entred the City being August 29. Correct Stow who mistakes the Day and he himself always acknowledged he had experienced it fortunate See Bacon in his Life 26. At Feltwell in Norfolk which lies East and West a Fire happen'd to break out at the West end which the West Wind blew and burn'd all the Street On that Day Twenty Years another Fire happened there which began at the East end and burn'd it to the Ground again This I had from a Reverend Divine 27. Collonel Hugh Grove of Wiltshire was beheaded at Exeter together with Coll John Penrudock on the Ninth day of May 1655. On that very day Three Years his Son and Heir died at London of a Malignant Fever and about the same Hour of the Day 28. A very good Friend of mine and old Acquaintance was born on the 15th of November his eldest Son was born on the 15th of November and his Second Son's First Son on the 15th of November Thus far I 'm beholding to Mr. Aubrey's Collections CHAP. XVI Premonitions of particular Changes or Accidents of Life FOR God to take notice of and concern himself with Particulars was an Article of Religion which Epicurus could not allow of because it seemed Inconsistent with the Majesty of the Supream Being to interrupt his own Peace and Quiet with so many little Punctilioes But for us Christians to doubt of it were very unreasonable since we find in Sacred Scripture that He was concerned about the Sin of Adam the Murder of Abel the Punishment of Cain the preservation of Noah the Production of Isaac the Correction of David the safety of Daniel and the Three Children and to pass over many more Instances the Death of his Son and St. Peter his Apostle 1. Sir Henry Wooton speaking of the Duke of Buckingham's Death takes notice of these Ominous Presagements before his end being to take his Leave of my Lord's Grace of Canterbury the only Bishop of London whom he knew well planted in the King 's unchangeable Affection by
and Milking her Cows and was now become the great Comforter and Encourager of her Husband exceeding chearfully God saith she hath had Mercy on me and any pains taking is pleasant to me There they lived some years with much comfort and had the Blessing of Marriage Divers Children After some three years he was met in Kent on the Road by one of the Tenants of the Estate and Saluted by the Name of Landlord Alas said he I am none oâ— your Landlord Yes you are said he I know more than you do of the settlement Your Father tho a cunning Lawyer with all his Wit could not alienate the Estate from you whom he had made Joint-purchaser My self and some other Tenants know it have refused to pay any Money to Dr. Reeves I have Sixteen Pounds ready for you in my hands which I will pay to your Acquittance and that will serve you to wage Law with them He was amazed at this wonderful Providence received the Money sued for his Estate in a Term or two recovered it He that loseth his Life for my sake and the Gospel shall find it His Blessed Wife in the midst of Blessings enjoying a Loving Husband Divers fine Children a plentiful Estate in the midst of these outward Blessings fell into a Way of questioning the truth of her Grace because of outward Prosperity This was her Sin without doubt for which Mr. Knight rebuked her But it was a severe rebuke that the Lord gave her for her unthankfulness A fine Boy about three years old fell into a Kettle of scalding Wort and was taken out by the Mother and Dyed This she looked on as the Lords Discipline for her unthankfulness and was instructed This Relation was sent me by the Reverend Mr. Singleton now living in Hogsdon-Square near the City of London And he received it from Mr. Knight who was intimately acquainted with Mr. Studly as was hinted before 34. One Nicholas West born at Putney in Surrey being a Student in Kings-College in Cambridge proved a Rakehel and very Wicked for something crossing him in the Colledge he could not find how to be revenged but by setting on fire the Master's Lodgings part whereof he burnt to the ground and immediately after he left the Colledge and lived very loosely but soon after by the influence of the Grace of God and good Advice he seasonably retrenched his Wildness turned hard Student and became an excellent Schollar and after smaller promotions he was at last made Bishop of Ely after which he became a worthy Benefactor to that Colledge and rebuilt the Master's Lodgings which he before had caused to be burnt He Died An. Dom. 1533. Memorands of Kings Colledge Those bodys are usually the most Healthful that break out in their Youth and many times the Souls of many prove the sounder for having vented themselves in their younger days commonly none are greater Enemies to Vice than such as have formerly been the Slaves of it a certain blackness in the Cradle hath been observed to give beginning and rise unto the most perfect Beauties and there are no sort of Men that have shined in greater Glory in the world than such whose first days have been sullied and a little overcast 35. Henry the fifth tho while Prince was Wild and Companion of Riotous Persons yet coming to the Crown the first thing he did was the Banishment of all such his old Companions Ten Miles from his presence 36. Paphnutius is reported to convert a Harlot by this means Pretending Love he desired to be brought into the most private Room she had which she brought him into but still he found fault and complained to her that he was afraid some Eye would see him to which she Answered None can see thee here but only God To which he replyed And dost thou think that God sees thee and yet wilt play the Harlot Which he so enforced that it prevailed upon her to a change Chetwoods Hist Collect. Wonderful were the Conversions of the Indians in America under the Ministry of the Reverend Mr. Eliot the first Preacher of the Gospel amongst ' em I shall give you the Narrative of these Conversious as I sind it drawn up in Mr. Eliot's Life written by Mr. Cotten Mather which is as follows viz. 37. The Indians that had felt the Impressions of Mr. Eliot's Ministry were quickly distinguished by the Name of Praying Indians and these Praying Indians as quickly were for a more decent and English way of Living and they desired a more fixed Cohabitation At several Places did they now combine and settle But the place of greatest Name among their Towns is that of Natick Here 't was that in the year 1651. those that had heretofore lived like the wild Beasts in the Wilderness now compacted themselves into a Town and they first apply'd themselves to the forming of their Civil Government Our general Court notwithstanding their exact Study to keep these Indians very sensible of their being subject unto the English Empire yet had allow'd them their smaller Courts wherein they might govern their own smaller Cases and Concerts after their own particular Modes and might have their Town Orders if I may call them so peculiar to themselves With respect hereunto Mr. Eliot on a Solemn Fast made a publick Vow That seeing these Indians were not prepossess'd with any Forms of Government he would instruct them into such a Form as we had written in the Word of God that so they might be a People in all things ruled by the Lord. Accordingly he expounded unto them the Eighteenth Chapter of Exodus and then they chose Rulers of Hundreds of Fifties of Tens and therewithal enter'd into this Covenant We are the Sons of Adam We and our fore-fathers have a long time been lost in our Sins but now the Mercy of the Lord beginneth to find us out again therefore the Grace of Christ helpeth us we do give our selves and our Children unto God to be his People He shall rule us in all our Affairs the Lord is our Judge the Lord is our Law-giver the Lord is our King he will save us and the wisdom which God has taught us in his Book shall guide us Oh Jehovah teach us Wisdom send thy Spirit into our Hearts take us to be thy People and let us take thee to be our God Such an Opinion about the Perfection of the Scripture had he that he thus express'd himself upon this Occasion God will bring Nations into Distress and Perplexity that so they may be forced unto the Scriptures all Governments will be shaken that Men may be forced at length to pitch upon that firm Foundation The Word of God The little Towns of these Indians being pitched upon this Foundation they utterly abandoned that Polygamy which had heretofore been common among them They made severe Laws against Fornication Drunkenness and Sabbath-breaking and other Immoralities which they began to lament after the Establishment of a Church-order among them and
the Vicaridge of Torcester Ibid. 12. The late Earl of Rochester upon his Death-bed acknowledged how unworthily he had treated the Clergy reproaching them that they were proud and prophesied only for Rewards but now he had learned how to value them that he esteemed them as the Servants of the most High God who were to shew Men the Way to everlasting Life Mr. Parsons in his Funeral Sermon 13. Mr. Whitaker was much beloved his House frequented with many and friendly Visits his Sickness laid to heart and many Prayers publick and private put up for him some Fasts also kept with a special Reference to his Afflictions and his Funeral attended with many weeping Eyes See his Life Mr. Fairclough's Ministry was thought to bring a Temporal Blessing to the Parish 14. I think my candid Reader will easily pardon me if for Gratitude's sake I take an occasion here for the Glory of God and the Commendation of the People to make mention of the Respects Love and Kindnesses much beyond my Desert which I received as from the Inhabitants of Arundel and Shipley in Sussex so especially from the Parishioners of Preston Gubbals and Broughton in Shropshire together with the adjacent Neighbourhood which were so freely and plentifully shewed me whilst I was their Minister that I may testify of them they were kind to me even beyond their power some of them and I hope God would return it into their Bosoms and remember them in the day of their Distress for I speak this to their Praise I never met with a more loving People in my Life 15. Mons du Plessis on his Death-bed gave Thanks to the Minister that had assisted him prayed the Lord to prosper the Word in his Mouth prayed for M. Boucherean Minister of the Church in Saumur and said he Let it not trouble him to be patient he hath to do with a troublesome People the Lord impute not their Sins unto them Clark 's Examp. Vol. 2. c. 27. 16. Mrs. Drake on her Death-bed advised her Father to keep a Minister in his House and returned most affectionate Thanks to a Friend I suppose her Minister begging earnestly Forgiveness of him and would needs have his Hand and Promise for it Mrs. Drake revived 17. John Blacknal of Abington Esq by his last Will bequeathed certain Sums of Money to several Ministers for Duties omitted by him in his Life A. 1625. CHAP. LXI Remarkable Zeal and Devotion ZEal is a Composition of all the Passions the Affections warmed and heated into a lively Vigour and Activeness and this is so far from being a Fault that if it be made regular with Prudence and a Christian Discretion 't is good and commendable always in a good Matter And certainly if ever it be seasonable for us to kindle a fire upon the Altar 't is so when we are about to do sacrifice to God Almighty 1. Polycarp going with S. John to a Bath at Ephesus and espying Ceriathus the Heretick in it said ' Let us depart speedily for fear lest the Bath where the Lord's Adversary is do fall upon us Dr. Cave Prim Christ and Clark 's Marr. of Eccl. Hist 2. Origen when a Boy had an eager desire of Martyrdom So had Cyprian and Gregory Nazianzen Ibid. Dr. Cave Prim. Christ c. 3. The Venerable Bede was so devoutly affected in Reading the Scriptures that he would often shed Tears and after he had ended reading conclude with Prayers Clark 's Marr. of Eccl. Hist p. 100. 4. Tertullian used to pray thrice a day at the 3 6 9 hours Clark 5. Peter Chrysologus before he penned any thing would with great Ardency humbly betake to Prayer and seek unto God for Direction therein Clark 's Marr. of Eccl. Hist p. 88. 6. Luther advised George Spalatinus always to begin his Studies with Prayer For saith he there is no Master that can instruct us in Divine Matters but the Author of them Ibid. p. 195. And Melancthon testifies of Luther That he hath heard him so loud and earnest at his Prayers as if some Person were in company discoursing with him Much the same Advice doth Ludovicus Grotius give to all Students in Divinity To pray often And Thomas Aquinas is reported to use that Rule himself always to pray for the Resolution of any difficult and knotty Question and commends to others that Motto Bene orasse est bene studuisse 7. When Erasmus halted between two Opinions Capito continually called upon him to put off that Nicodemus-like Temper Clark 's Eccl. Hist p. 193. 8. Cardinal Wolsey when advanced to great Preferments in both Church and State having all State-business at his disposal and most Church-preferments in his power the Deanry of Lincoln the King's Almonership a House near Bridewel Durham Winchester Bath Worcester Hereford Tourney Lincoln S. Albans and York in his Possession and all other Promotions in his Gift was so devout that he neglected not one Collect of his Prayers for all the Cumbrances of his Place wherein he deceived many of the People who thought he had no time for his Business and his Servants who wondred how he could gain time for his Business from his Devotion Lloyd 's State-Worthies p. 8. 9. Luther was zealous in the Cause of the Reformation that he preached wrote and disputed publickly for it and when discouraged from going to Wormes whither he had been invited by the Emperour with a Promise of safe Conduct lest he should be served as John Husse at the Council of Constance he made Answer If there were as many Devils in the City as Tiles on the Houses to shake the Kingdom of Satan he would go thither And so fervent was he in Prayer that Vitus Theodorus saith of him that no Day passed wherein he spent not at least Three Hours in Prayer Once it fell out saith he that I heard him Good God! what a Spirit what a Confidence was in his very Expression with such a Reverence he sueth for any thing as one begging of God and yet with such Hope and Assurance as if he spake with a Loving Father or Friend Clark's Marr. of Eccl. Hist p. 141. 10. Sir Thomas Moor was so devour that the Duke of Norfolk coming on a time to Chelsey to Dine with him happened to find him in the Church singing in the Quire with a Surplice on his Back to whom after Service as they went homeward hand in hand together the Duke said God's Body my Lord Chancellor what a Parish-Clark a Parish-Clark you dishonour the King and his Office Nay said Sir Thomas smiling upon the Duke Your Grace may not think your Master and mine will be offended with me for serving of God his Master or thereby count his Office dishonoured England's Worthies by Will. Winstanley p. 201. When the King sent for him once at Mass he answered That when he had done with God he would wait on His Majesty Lloyd's Worthies p. 43. The same Answer Bishop Vsher return'd to Charles the Second Vid.
Liquors unless now and then a Glass by way of Cordial CHAP. LXXII Present Retribution to the Devout and Praying Or Prayers answered in Kind NEver did God say to any of the Seed of Jacob seek my face in vain Our Saviour hath resolved us by the Authority of his Word the Example of the Syrophoenician Woman Mat. 15 22. And the Parable of the Importunate Widow Luke 18.2 That Prayer is no vain or fruitless Point of Devotion Let Elijah Daniel David Jesus the Apostles and all the sincere Votaries of the Church of GOD give their Suffrage in the Case 1. Alexander Bishop of Constantinople when Arius was sent for thither by the Emperour to give an Account of his unquiet Behaviour at Alexandria shut himself up in the Church and there fell to Fasting and Prayer begging of God Night and Day with Tears That if Arius were true in his Opinion he might never see the Day of his Trial but if not that God would inflict some visible Judgment upon Arius the Author of so much Mischief Arius before the Emperour subscribed and swore to the Decrees of the Nicene Council but with Fraud and Equivocation for swearing that he heartily assented to what he had written he meant only a Form of Faith which he had purposely put in his Bosom upon this the good Emperour was satisfied and commanded Alexander to receive him into his Communion This was upon Saturday but the next Day expecting to the admitted he goes out of the Palace with Eusebius and many Followers in great Pomp and Pride but by and by in the chief Marker-place of the City his Conscience accused him his Belly loosened he called for the next Jakes whither he retired immediately and there his Fundament coming out he voided much Blood together with Bowels Spleen and Liver and so died wretchedly Clark's Marr. of Eccl. History 2. St. Augustine when the Goths and Vandals were broke into Africa and besieged Hippo sitting at Table one Day with his Presbyters and the Bishops that were fled thither from other places for Refuge said to them You know Brethren that from the beginning of this Siege my daily Prayers have been That God would either free us from it or give his Servants Patience and Courage to undergo what he imposeth or to take me out of this present evil World and I believe that God will answer my desire And accordingly the Third Month of the Siege he fell sick of a Fever and died Ibid. And Dr. Jer. Tailour Life of Christ. He was very powerful in Prayers so that sometimes thereby he hath cast out Devils Clark Ibid. I have mention'd formerly in my Christian 's Companion out of his Confessions that once being extreamly afflicted with the Tooth-ach so that he could not speak by writing he requested his Friends that came to visit him to pray with and for him which they did and immediately whilst they were at Prayers his Pain ceased and his Speech was restored 3. Luther being present at the Marriage of Philip. Duke of Pomerania with Mary Daughter to the Elector of Saxony prayed for a Blessing and taking Philip by the hand said The Lord God be with you and keep your Posterity from failing but his Wife continuing barren Four Years all his Male-stock was like to be extinct yet at length by God's Blessing according to Luther's Prayer he had Seven Sons by her which wonderfully increased the Family Clark's Marr. of Eccl. Hist p. 141. 4. Mr. Hugh Latimer used constantly in his Prayers to beg That God would restore the Gospel to England once again Which blessed be God hath been granted Clark's Exam. p. 461. 5. Luther is said to be able to prevail with God at his pleasure to obtain what he list according to that of Prov. 12.2 Once praying for the Recovery of Myconius he let fall this rapturous Expression Fiat voluntas mea Let my Will be done and then sweetning it Mea voluntas Domine quia tua My Will because thine which was granted Ibid. p. 466. 6. Henry late Lord Delamer in his Advice to his Children tells them That he had observed any Morning that he had hurried over his Devotions the Day following was not prosperous and that thing which particularly occasioned him to such haste met with ill success Lord Delamer's Works p. 3. 7. A. C. 1584 near Bern in Switzâ—rland a certain Hill in an Earthquake was carried violently over and beyond other Hills and covered a whole Village consisting of Ninety Families one Half-house only excepted wherein the Master of the Family with his Wife and Children were earnestly praying unto God This is attested by Polanus who lived in those parts Syntag. p. 841. Present Retribution to the Devout Prayers answered in kind c. 8. IF Mr. Elliot said of any Affiar I cannot bless it it was a worse omen to it then the most inauspicious Presages in the World but sometimes after he had been with God about a thing he was able successfully to foretel I have set a Mark upon it it will do well I shall never forget that when Enland and Holland were plunged into the unhappy War which the more sensible Protestants every-where had but sorrowful Apprehensions of our Elliot being in the height and heat of the War privatly asked What News we might next look for Answered unto the surprize of the Enquirer Our next News will be a Peace between the two Protestant Nations God knows I pray for it every day and I am verily perswaded we shall hear of it speedily And it came to pass accordingly There was a godly Minister of Charles-Town one Mr. Foster who with his Son was taken Captive by Turish Enemies much Prayer was made both privately and publickly by the good People for the Redemption of that Gentleman but we were at last informed that the bloody Prince in whose Dominion he was now a Slave was resolved that in his Life-time no Prisoner should be released And so the distressed Friends of this Prisoner now concluded Our hope is lost Well upon this Mr. Elliot in some of his next Prayers before a very solemn Congregation very broadly begg'd Heavenly Father work for the Redemption of thy poor Servant Foster and if the Prince which detains him will not as they say dismiss him as long as himself lives Lord we pray thee to kill that cruel Prince kill him and glorifie thy self upon him And now behold the Answer the poor captivated Gentleman quickly returns to us that had been Mourning for him as a lost Man and brings us news that the Prince was come to an untimely Death by which means he was now set at liberty Cotton Mather in his Life p. 50. 9. In 1642 One Mary Glover a Merchants Daughter in Thames-street being bewitched by one Mother Jackson who was arraigned at Newgate in London continuing every second day in most strange and dreadful Fits and Torments for about three Weeks or a Month after the Witch was condemned several Ministers and
All the Pastors of Caen and a good number of other Protestant Refugees belonging to the Town being in the Low Countreys Anno 1687 offered their unanimous and uniform Testimony to the Truth of this marvellous matter 16. There is likewise an undoubted Relation of a poor but a good Woman belonging to the Congregation of Mr. Daniel Burgess in London She had for many Years laboured under a Fistula in her Hip which had proceeded so far that the very Bone was tainted and she was turned out of the Hospital as Incurable This Person reading with Prayer over it that Passage in Mat. 15.28 Jesus said unto her O Woman Great is thy Faith be it unto thee as thou wilt And feeling her Soul by the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ carried forth unto a great Faith in him she found herself immediately and miraculously Cured of all her Malady I have not now the Relation of this matter at hand but this is as far as I can remember the Substance of what I received concerning it It was about the beginning of December 1694. 17. In a Letter from the Reverend Mr. John How I find the ensuing Passages which I take the leave to expose unto the Publick It gives among us writes that wort by Man some Reviving to the Languishing Interest of Christianity and some Check to the Infidel Spirit that under the falsely assumed name of Deism would turn all Revealed Religion and indeed all Religion into Ridicule that God is pleased to own it by some late miraculous Cures wrought upon the Acting of Faith in Christ 18. That excellent Person proceeding then to recite some of the Instances which we have already mentioned he adds A fourth I have late certain Knowledge of but the thing was done six Years ago a Blackamooryouth Servant unto a religious Baroner He lately dining at my House assured me That his Servant having a great Aversion to Christianity and refusing Instruction was struck with universal Pains in all his Limbs which continued upon him a Year and half like Rheumatical but relieved by none of the apt usual Means that are wont to give Relief in such cases At length in his Torments which were great he grew serious instructible penitent and by the frequent Endeavours of the Parochial Minister a good man known to me brought to an understanding Acknowledement of Christ upon which Baptism being promised to him he consented but pressed to be carried unto the Assembly that he might own Christ publickly Upon the doing whereof he was immediately Cured and hath continued well ever since These are great Things Hallelujah Preparatives I hope to the Revival of Christianity and I fear to terrible Acts of Vengance upon obstinate persevering Infidels 19. Susanna Arch was a miserable Widow for divers Years overwhelmed with an horrid Leprosie which the Physicians that saw it pronounced incurable but from that very time that they told her so a strange perswasion came into her Mind that the Lord Jesus Christ would Cure her That Scripture came frequently into her Mind Mat. 8.2 Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean and she found herself enabled to plead this before him with some degree of Confidence that at last she should prevail She resolved that she would rely on the Lord Jesus Christ who in the Days of his Flesh when on Earth cured all Diseases and Sicknesses among the People and who had still as much Power now that he is glorified in Heaven She felt many Temptations to weaken her Confidence but still there came in seasonable and agreeable Scriptures with a mighty force upon her to strengthen it as at one time that in Mark 11.22 Have Faith in God At another time that in Job 11.40 Said I not unto thee that if thou wouldest believe thou shouldst see the Glory of God At another time that in Heb. 10.35 Cast not away your Confidence which hath great Recompence of Reward Her Leprosie had been complicated with a Phtisick which for many Years afflicted her but in the Month of Novemb 1694. she had her Phtisick removed without any Humane Power and she took that as a Token for Good that she should also be cured of her Leprosie and the late Miracles upon others enlivened this her Hope exceedingly In December the Distemper of this Godly Woman grew worse and worse upon her and when her Mind was uneasie those passages came to mind I know O Lord that thou canst do every thing and Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us On December 26. at Night she was buffeted with some Temptations that her Faith for her Cure having proved but a Fancy her Faith for her Soul must be so too but she cried out unto the Lord Lord I have cast my Soul upon thee and my Body upon thee and I am resolved now to cast all my Diseases upon thee Her Mind was hereupon composed and the next Night putting up her Hand unto her Head first on the one side and then on the other she felt a new Skin on both sides which very much amazed her whereupon she cried out Lord Jesus hast thou begun Thou wilt carry it on She then taking off her Head-Cloaths found the Scurf gone off her Head and a firm Skin appearing there and her Distemper which had extended itself all over her Body from Head to Foot in putrifying Sores was in like manner suddenly taken away to the admiration of all that were Beholders Reader Do not now encourage thy self in a vain Expectation of Miracles to relieve thy particular Afflictions but improve these Miracles as Intimations of what the Lord Jesus Christ can and will quickly do for his afflicted Church in the World These Four last Accounts were Extracted from Mr. Cotton Mather in his Sermon called Things for a Distress'd People Extracted from the Miscellanies of John Aubrey Esq 20. OUR English Chronicles do Record That in the Reign of King Henry the Third a Child was born in Kent that at Two Years old cured all Diseases Several Persons have been cured of the King's-Evil by the Touching or Handling of a Seventh Son 21. Samuel Scot Seventh Son of Mr. William Scot of Hedington in Wilt-shire did when a Child wonderful Cures by Touching only viz. as to the King's-Evil Wenns c. but as he grew to be a Man the Vertue did decrease and had he lived longer perhaps might have been spent 22. 'T is certain the Touch of a Dead Hand hath wrought wonderful Effects e. g. One a Painter of Stowel in Somerset-shire near Bridgewater had a Wenn in the inside of his Cheek as big as a Pullet's Egg which by the Advice of one was cur'd by once or twice Touching or Rubbing with a Dead Woman's Hand 23. Mr. Davys Mell the famous Violinist and Clock-maker had a Child Crook-back'd that was cured after the manner aforesaid 24. In Somerset-shire 't is confidently reported That some were cured of the King's-Evil by the Touch of the Duke of Monmouth The Lord
something in her Lap that looked like a white Bag as he thought which he did not observe before So soon as he had emptied his Pail he went into his Yard and stood still to try whether he could see her again but she was vanished In his Information he says That the Woman seemed to be habited in a brown-colour'd Petticoat Wastcoat and a white Hood such a one as his Wife's Sister usually wore and that her Countenance look'd extream Pale and Wan with her Teeth in sight but no Gums appearing and that her Physiognomy was like to that of his Wife's Sister who was Wife to William Barwick But notwithstanding the ghastliness of this Apparition it seems it made so little Impression in Lofthouse's Mind that he thought no more of it neither did he speak to any Body concerning it till the same Night as he was at his Family Duty of Prayer that that Apparition returned again to his Thoughts and discompos'd his Devotion so that after he had made an end of his Prayers he told the whole Story of what he had seen to his Wife who laying Circumstances together immediately inferr'd that her Sister was either drown'd or otherwise murdered and desired her Husband to look after him the next Day which was the Wednesday in Easter-Week Upon this Lofthouse recollecting what Barwick had told him of his carrying his Wife to his Unkle at Selby repairs to Harrison before-mentioned but found all that Barwick had said to be false For that Harrison had neither heard of Barwick nor his Wife neither did he know any thing of them Which notable Circumstance together with that other of the Apparition encreas'd his Suspicion to that degree that now concluding his Wife's Sister was murdered he went to the Lord-Mayor of York and having obtained his Warrant got Barwick apprehened who was no sooner brought before the Lord-Mayor but his own Conscience then accusing him he acknowledg'd the whole Matter as it has been already related as it appears by his Examination and Confession herewith printed To which are also annex'd the Informations of Lofthouse in like manner taken before the Lord-Mayor of York for a further Testimony and Confirmation of what is here set down On the Sixteenth of September 1690. the said William Barwick was brought to his Tryal before the Right Honourable Sir John Powel Knight one of the Judges of the Northern Circuit at the Assizes holden at York where he was found Guilty and afterwards hang'd in Chains See the Narrative 19. Colonel Venables had a Soldier in his Army that came out of Ireland and as under Colonel Hill who was then in London and would attest this following viz. That this Soldier looked pale and sad and pined and the Cause was unkown At last he came to Colonel Hill with his Confession that he had been a Servant 1. England as I remember to one that carried Stockings and such Ware about to sell an for his Money he had murdered his Master and buried him in such a Place and flying into Ireland listed himself his Soldier and that of a long time whenever he lay alone somewhat like a headless Man stood by his Bed saying to him Wil t thou yet Confess And in this case of Fear he had continued till lately it appeared to him when he had a Bedfellow which it never did before and said as before Wil t thou yet Confess and now seeing no hope of longer concealing it he confessed And as I remember saith my Author his going to Hispaniola was his Punishment instead of Death where Vengeance followed him This he offered then to bring Colonel Hill to me to attest Mr. Baxter 's Histor Disc of Apparitions and Witches c. p. 58. 20. Sir Edmundbury Godfrey's Murder was secretly acted and strangely discovered and the Actors brought to condign Punishment as is well known to most of this Nation that are now living 1. Captain Bedloe deposed thus concerning the Murder The Papists because Sir Edmundbury seemed to be an Obstacle to them and had taken the Information of Oats and Tonge about the Plot resolved and contrived to take away his Life 2. Pursuant to which Design they hired for 4000 Pound Le Phaire Welch Atkins Pritchard the Deponent and some Jesuites to do the Fact 3. Accordingly the above-named Persons trapann'd Sir Edmundbury into Somerset-house about 5 a Clock at Night on Saturday October the 12th 1678. 4. This Trapan was effected thus The Deponent was told by le Phaire that He Welch and Atkins met Sir Edmundbury near the King's-head Inn in the Strand and decoyed him into Somerset-house under Pretence of Apprehending some Plotters 5. When they had him in the upper great Court of Somerset-house they thrust him into a low Room put a Pistol to him and threaten'd him if he made a noise then stifled him between two Pillows and finding him still alive strangled him with a long Cravat in the Room where he lay 6. On Monday following precisely between Nine and Ten a Clock at Night the Body was shewn to the Deponent by Le Phaire in the Room or the next to it where the Duke of Albemarle lay in State in the upper square Court there it was by the help of a Dark-lanthorn the Deponent saw the Body in the presence of Le Phaire Welch Atkins and two other Persons Extracted out of the Journals of the Lords and Council Mr. Prance adds That pursuant to this Design they hired Hill Green Kelley the Deponent Gerald and Berry to do the Fact Accordingly they trapann'd Sir Edmundbury into Somerset-house Hill decoyed him down to the Water-Gate under pretence of parting a Fray when they had him near the Rails by the Queen's Stables Green strangled him with a twisted Handkerchief wrung his Neck quite round punched him with his Knee and dragg'd him into Dr. Godwin's Lodgings On the Monday Night following the Body was shown by he help of a Dark-lanthorn to the Deponent and then at Nine a Clock at Night the dead Body was carried out by certain Chair-men to the corner of Clarenden-house and from thence in a Coach to Primrose-hill says Bedloe into Covent-Garden and so to Long-acre and thence to Sohoe says Prance and from thence he was conveyed a-stride on Horseback before Hill into the Fields where they thrust his Sword through his Body and cast him into a Ditch Out of the Lord's Journal As this Murder was committed for Reward so it was discovered for Reward too 21. Anno 1675. March the 19th William Writtle of Chatham was condemn'd at Maidstone Assizes to be hang'd in Chains on Beacon-hill for murdering of Ann James his Sweetheart and her Son John about Six Years old The manner of which Murder and its Discovery was thus He tells her That he had taken a Malt-house near Canterbury and had near Faulson a small Living under Pretence of going to see them he leads her and her Son into a Copice near Beacon-hill where he first murdered the woman and
Blessings but when by the King and Pope's leave he had dissolved Forty small Monasteries to Erect two Colleges the one in Oxford the other in Ipswich the King seizeth upon his Palace at Westminster takes the Great Seal Wealth and Liberty from him his College at Ipswich destroyed before it was built that at Oxford receives a new Name himself is arrested of High Treason and to prevent a Publick and Ignominious Death Poisons himself 10. The Cardinal in dissolving his Forty Monasteries had made use of five Men besides Cromwel whereof two fought a Duel in which one was slain and the other hanged for Murder a third drowns himself in a Well a fourth a Rich Man too lives to beg his Bread from door to door the fifth a Bishop was cruelly murdered in Ireland by Tho. Fitz-Garret Son to the Earl of Kildare Pope Clement the Seventh that gave consent to this Dissolution is forced out of his Palace besieged at his Castle constrained there to eat Asses Flesh and at last dies of a miserable Disease Cromwel Cardinal Woolsey's Servant and Successor whilst sitting at the Council-Table is suddenly Apprehended sent to the Tower and thence to the Place of Execution 11. King Henry the Eighth who engrossed Sacrilege and entailed it to Posterity is afflicted with the Rebellion of his Subjects in Suffolk Lincoln Somerset York-shire the North Ireland c. with a great Dearth falls from one sin to another in the case of his Wives the three last die Childless the Children of the two first are declared Illegitimate And though he entail'd the Crown upon his Children and they all successively wore it yet they all die Childless and his Family is extinct and not to be mentioned but with his Crimes 12. Charles Brandon was an Active Man and aiding to Henry the Eighth in the Dissolution of Monasteries and received great Rewards out of his Church-Spoils and though he had four Wives yet by the fifth of Edw. 6. the Name Title and Family of Brandon was extinct 13. The Duke of Norfolk had by the Statute of Hen. 8. c. 13. the Monastery of Sibaton in Suffolk and the Lord Cobham the Chantry of Cobham in Kent since which time my Author remarks how heavy the Hand of Justice hath fallen upon those two Families 14. The Duke of Somerset had in the First Year of Edward the Sixth procured the Dissolution of some Chantries Free-Chapels and Hospitals defaceth part of St. Paul's Church converts the Charnel-House and a Chapel by it into Dwelling-Houses destroys the Steeple and part of the Church of St. John's of Jerusalem and with the Stone begins to build his House in the Strand but the consecrated Stone becomes unsuccessful so as the Builder doth not finish his House nor his Son Inherit it Afterwards the Duke was Indicted of Felony found Guilty and suffered by a Law that was but the year before passed by himself Sir Hen. Spelman De non Temerand Eccl. Epist to the Reader p. 28-38 CHAP. CXVII Divine Judgments upon Treachery TReachery had ever an ill Name and not undeservedly for it discovers the falseness of a Man's Heart and represents him to the World as a Man to fit to be trusted For who dares lean with any confidence upon a broken Reed And accordingly though it meets often with fine Promises yet is often served in self as it serves others with poor and miserable Performances Every one is ready to retort upon the traitor in the words of the Emperor Aâ—no proditionem odi proditorem I love the Treachery but hate the Traitor 1. Sir Robert Carre afterwards Earl of Somerset a great Favourite of King James admitted Sir Thomas Overbury into his Favour and put him in Trust with his most Secret Employments in which he behaved himself so discreetly and honestly that afterwards when the Earl of Somerset falling in Love with the Lady Frances Howard late Wife of the Earl of Essex but then divorced or intended to be divorced consulted with Sir Thomas about it and Sir Thomas freely disswading him from the Match with words reflecting much on the Countess's Reputation and doing this upon a Principle of unfeigned Love the Earl with the Advice of the Countess resolved upon Revenge and contrived the murdering of Sir Thomas afterwards in the Tower but after a mighty Celebration of the Wedding the Murder was discovered the Instruments hanged the Earl and Countess both convicted their Estate seized only their Lives by the King's favour were reprieved Select Lives of England 's Worthies p. 286 287. Detect of the Court and State in the Four last Reigns p. 39 40 c. 2. Nicholas Keretschen Governour of Gyula in Transylvania betrayed the same unto the Turks for a great Sum of Money but when he expected the Reward he was by the Command of Solyman the Great Turk thrust into an Hogshead stuck full of Nails with the points inward with this Inscription upon it Here receive the Reward of thy Treason if thou beest not faithful to thy Master neither wilt thou be so to me And so he was rolled up and down till he died Turk Hist p. 824. 3. Banister Servant to the Duke of Buckingham in the Reign of Richard the Third upon the Promise of a Thousand Pounds basely betrayed his Lord and Master from whom he had formerly received great Favours but after this base Treachery he never had the Reward promised and beside had these Judgments befel him His Eldest Son fell Mad and so died in a Swine-stye His second Son became deformed in his Limbs and fell Lame His third Son was drowned in a small Puddle of Water His Eldest Daughter was suddenly struck with a Leprosie and himself in his Old Age was arraigned found guilty of Murther and escaped Hanging very narrowly Speed Chron. p. 97. 4. One Mr. Roscadden going on Pilgrimage according to the Blindness and Superstition of those Times his Wife had in his absence one if not more Children Whereupon at his return one John Tregoss advised and perswaded him to settle his Estate upon some Friend for the Use and Benefit of his Wife and Children lest after his Death the Heir at Common Law should turn his Wife and Children out of Doors Mr. Roscadden entertained and approved the Motion and entreated him to accept of the Trust which Request the said John Tregoss readily embraced But instead of a Deed in Trust he made it Absolute to himself and his Heirs for ever And accordingly so soon as Mr. Roscadden was dead he entred upon all his Lands and turned his Children out of Doors who for some time were fain to lie in a Hog-stye and every Morning went forth to the Dunghil and there upon their Knees imprecated and prayed that the Vengeance of God might fall upon this Tregoss and his Posterity for this so perfidious and merciless dealing And after this God's severe but righteous Judgments fell upon Tregss's Family For his Son Walter one day riding upon a Horse in a fair way
They brought to me the Man himself and when we ask'd him how he dared to sin again after such a Warning he had no Excuse But being a Person of Quality for some special Reason of Worldly Interest I must not name him Hist Disc of Apparitions and Witches p. 60. 27. Mr. William Rogers an Apothecary of Crancbrook in Kent exceeding much given to Drinking and Sabbath-breaking though a Young Man of a sweet and pleasing Temper was often admonished and perswaded by Mr. Robert Abbot Minister of the Place to come to Church but had often promised and failed But one Lord's-day in the Morning when he said he was ready to come he was taken sick and betook him to his Bed but it proving only an Ague next Morning he betook him to his old course again Next Week the Messenger of Death came in earnest Mr. Abbot addressed himself to him in his Chamber with these words Oh! how often have you deceived God your own Soul and me and what is now to be done I fear you will die and then what will become of you His Sickness prevailed and there was too great a Fire kindled in his Breast to be smothered it burned in his own Soul and it lightened from his Heart and Lips into the Ears and Hearts of those about him One while he cries out of his sins saying I have been a fearful Drunkard pouring in one Draught after another till one Draught could not keep down another I now would be glad if I could take the least of God's Creatures which I have abused I have neglected my Patients which have put their Lives in my hands and how many Souls have I thus murdered I have wilfully neglected God's House Service and Worship and tho' I purposed to go God strikes me thus before the day of my Promise comes because I am unworthy to come among God's People again Another while he falls to wishing Oh! that I might burn a long time in that Fire pointing to the Fire before him so I might not burn in Hell Oh! that God would grant me but one Year or a Month that the World might see with what an heart I have promised to God my Amendment Oh! that God would try me a little but I am unworthy Another while to his Companions Be warned by me to forsake your wicked ways lest you go to Hell as I must do Calls his young Servant tells him that he had been a wicked Master to him But be warned by me saith he you have a Friend that hath an Iron Furnace which burns hot a long time but if you give your self to my sins you shall be burned in the Furnace of Hell an hotter Furnace Millions of Millions of Ages The Minister propounding to him the Gospel-Promises of the largest size he cried It is too late I must be burned in Hell He pressed him with Tears not to cast away that Soul for which Christ died c. He answered He had cast off Christ and therefore must go to Hell In short at last in idleness of Thoughts and Talk he ended his miserable Life See the Narrative published by Mr. Abbot the Minister Or A Pamphlet called A Warning-piece to Drunkards p. 31 32. 28. Nathanael Butler was first addicted to Drunkenness Gaming Purloining and Fornication before he committed that Murder upon his Friend John Knight in Milk-street London 1657. for which he was afterwards condemned to the Gallows and executed 29. Tho. Savage used to spend the Sabbath at an Ale-House or a Base House and was that very Morning made Drunk by his Harlot with burnt Brandy when perswaded to Murder his Fellow-Servant for which he was executed at Ratcliff 1668. CHAP. CXXIV Divine Judgments upon Uncleanness Inordinate Love c. BIshop Latimer is said to have presented King Henry the VIII a new Testament wrapp'd up in a Napkin for a New Year's Gift with this Poesie about it Fornicators and Adulterers God will judge 'T was boldly done and the Admonition tho' very biting and pungent yet had the Word of God for its Basis and Foundation For to touch a little upon the History of this Sin 1. Eli's Sons 1 Sam. 2. David 2 Sam. 11. The two Women 1 King 3.16 may go for Scriptural Examples all faulty this way and all punished yea Solomon himself no doubt paid dear for his Polygamy and Concubinage not to except Jacob among the Patriarch's who was most crossed in his Children of any as I have noted before in this Book 2. Henry the VIII and our late King Charles the II. may be worthy of the Reader 's Remark 3. A. C. 1544. Henry Duke of Brunswick had for his Wife the Sister of Vlrick Duke of Wirtemberg who had for one of her Wairing-Maids one Eve Trottin with whose Beauty the Duke was so desperately smitten that after some Sollicitations he had several Children by her But after some time unknown to his Wife and her Friends he shut her up in his Castle of Stauffeburg and appoints two Women to lay a wooden Image representing her in her Bed giving out that Eve was sick at last this Image was laid up in a Coffin and it was pretended that Eve was dead The Counterfeit Corps was carried forth to be buried with all the usual Pomp and Ceremonies of a Funeral Prayers and Sacrifices The Dutchess and her Maids and other Companies of Virgins were present at the Solemnity all in mourning Apparel In the mean time Eve was kept in the Castle and the Duke had seven Children by her afterwards But at last the Imposture was brought to light to the perpetual Shame and Ignominy of the Duke with what ill Consequences more I cannot inform my self Sleidan's Commentar l. 15. 4. Childeric King of France was so odious for his Adulteries that his Nobles conspired against him and drove him out of the Kingdom Clark's Exampl Vol. I. c. 2. 5. Sir Robert Carr made afterwards Viscount Rochester a Minion of King James the I. and one of the Privy-Council falling in Love with the Countess of Essex who being married with Robert Earl of Essex both at Twelve Years of Age had lived above Ten Years without any carnal Knowledge one of another to make way for a Marriage with the same Countess procures the Commitment of Sir Tho. Overbury to the Tower because he discouraged Rochester from the said Match and at last his Death Upon which followed a Divorce between the Countess and the Earl her Husband a Creation of Rochester Earl of Somerset a Consummation of the Marriage between Rochester and the Countess of Essex a Celebration of the Wedding with the presence of the King Queen Prince and a great Confluence of Bishops and Nobles a gallant Masque of Lords and afterwards another Masque of the Princes Gentlemen which out-did this a Treat afterwards at Merchant's-Hall where the Mayor and Aldermen in their Gowns entertained the Bride and Bridegroom with the Attendance of the Duke of Lenox the Lord Privy-Seal the Lord-Chamberlain
the King's Absence these Penalties were inflicted upon the chief Officer whose manifest Corruptions the Hatred of the People to Men of that Profession who are apt to abuse their Science and Authority procured in Parliament to be thus punished Sir Ralph Hengham Chief Justice of the King's-Bench was Fined 7000 Marks Sir John Loveton Justice of the Lower Bench 3000 Sir William Brompton Justice 6000 Sir Solomon Rochester 4000 All Itenerant Justices Sir Richard Boyland 4000 All Itenerant Justices Sir Tho. Sadington 2000 All Itenerant Justices Sir Walter Hopton 2000 All Itenerant Justices Sir W. Sakam 3000 Robert Lithbury Master of the Rolls 1000 Roger Leicester 1000 Henry Bray Escheator and Judge for the Jews 1000 Sir Adam Stratton Chief Baron of the Exchequer was Fined 34000 Marks See the Relation of that memorable Parliament begun An. Regni 10. Richard II. p. 36 37. 2. Sir Francis Bacon Baron Verulam and Viscount St. Albans that Atlas of Learning suffer'd for but his Connivance at the Bribery and Corruption of his Servants and was by the Parliament put out of the Office of Lord Chancellor Ibid. 3. Judge Morgan who gave the Sentence of Death upon the Lady Jane Grey presently after fell and and in all his distracted Fits cried out continually Take away the Lady Jane Take away the Lady Jane from me and in this extream Distemper ended his Life Fox's Martyrol 4. June 24. 1678. Mr. Daniel Bachelor Minister told me of a Citizen of London to whom he was sent for in his Sickness whâ—n God had let loose Conscience upon him The Man repeated over all the Commandments and confessed the Sins be was guilty of against each Command such as Incest and Adultery lived in many Years The Chastity of his Servant he sollicited but was repulsed But his Master-Sin was Perjury taking false Oaths and hiring Met Knights of the Post as they are called frequently to do so The Devil led him into that Sin first as he said thus He wanted Proof for a Debt that was a just Debt and hired one of those who procured his Debt that was just in this unjust way By this he contracted Hardness of Heart and plunged himself in Villainies of that nature There were above an Hundred Actions against him when he died He fell sick on a Friday lay about ten Days under the horrid gnawings of the Worm that dieth not upon his Bed not in Distraction but Desperation crying out once in his presence I am damned for ever and added most fearful to hear Amen Amen Amen and had an Expression so blasphemous of the Holy and Ever-blessed God that for Horror I shall draw a Veil over it Yet some have Robb'd hard by the Gallows And this poor Wretch thus hung up in Chains by the Lord did not awaken sufficiently one of his Knights of the Post that came to see him while the Minister my Friend was present O take heed said he by my Example now I smart for what I have done and put you upon doing The Man in Health told him he was melancholick and was not moved He had a Charge to relate this woful Death of his to his Sister with whom he had been incestuously Wicked She gave a seemingly courteous Reception to him and seemed sensible of it The Minister my Friend when he had done his Errand coming down from her Chamber at the Door of which he had left his Galosho's missing them went up again and over-heard her say to a Companion of hers there The Fool thought I had been in earnest The Man though he had unjustly ravish'd Thousands out of Men died miserably poor This Relation was sent me by the Reverend Mr. Singleton now living in Hoxdon-Square near the City of London and is printed in the same Words I received it 5. It may not be altogether impertinent to take notice here what King Charles the I. applied to himself on the Scaffold that for one unjust Sentence which he had suffer'd to pass meaning the Earl of Strafford God had suffered the like unjust Judgment to be passed on him â—ee his Speech on the Scaffold 6. Sir P. P. in Letter to the Bishop of Lincoln saith That in the famous Marriage-Cause between Mrs. Isabella Jones and Sir Robert Carr in the Arches where Sir Robert Carr was claimed by her for her Husband though for want of full Proof of the Marriage Sir Giles Sweit the Dean of the Arches pronounced Sentence against the Marriage yet condemning Sir Robert Carr in 1500 Pound Costs to Mrs. Jones Which the Judge did because he was in Conscience convinced that Sir Robert Carr and Mrs. Jones were really married To this Sir Peter Pett in the aforesaid Letter adds I can saith he at any time acquaint you with the Circumstances of that Cause and give you an Account of the Remarkable Judgments of God inflicted on the Persons who tampered with the Witness in that Cause whereby the Marriage failed of Sentence Remains of Dr. Barlow Bishop of Lincoln p. 368. 7. The Emperor of Muscovy sent for a Judge who had taken a Bribe viz. a Goose with its Belly full of Gold commanded him and the other Judges to appear before him not discovering the least Displeasure They all appeared chearful he commanded the Hangman to be brought in and ask'd him if he knew how to cut up a Goose Answer being made very well Then said the Emperor take away that Judge and cut him up after the same manner which was forthwith done accordingly Smythy's Treatise of Restitution p. 19. who says he had the Relation from a Minister whose Brother was an Eye-witness CHAP. CXXXV Divine Judgments upon Lying and Slandering OVR Tongues are the Indexes of our Mind to signifie the Thoughts and Meanings thereof to the World if the one agree not to the other the Motions are false and the Wheels out of order What is a Clâ—â—k good for if it doth not tell the true Hour of the Day Lyars are shut out of the Kingdom of Heaven and deserve but little Favour upon Earth and some times meet with just Punishments Prov. 19.5 1. Alexander the Great having read a History out of Aristobulus wherein the Author had intermingled certain counterfeit Praises flung the Book into the River saying the said Writer deserved to be flung there himself Coguet's Polit. Disc p. 130. 2. The Emperor Trajan sirnamed the Good Prince took away from the Son of Cabalus the Kingdom of Dacia that is Transilvania and Valachia only because he caught him in a Lye and told him That Rome the Mother of Truth could not permit a Lyar to possess a Kingdom Ibid. 3. Cyrus told the King of Armenia That a Lye was not capable of Pardon Ibid. 4. Monstrelet writes That Popiel King of Poland who had ever in his Mouth these Words If it be not true I would the Rats might cat me that he was so assailed by Rats in a Banquet that neither his Guards nor Fire nor Water could preserve him from them Ibid.
of Kings Companion of the Stars and Brother to the Sun and Moon to Constantine my Brother wishes Health Or rather let us borrow Names from the Bisnagentian King who was wont to be saluted The Bridegroom of Good Luck the God of great Provinces the King of most potent Kings Lord of all the Armies of Horse the Master and Teacher of those that understand not how to speak Emperor over three Emperors Conqueror of whatever he saw Preserver of his Conquests whom Eight Parts of the World fear a Knight to whom there is none to be compar'd a Vanquisher of every one that boasts in Strength the Hunter of Elephants Lord of the East South North West and Sea All this Peter Irricus relates Are here Titles enough If you please let us add a Series of Eulogies which the Soldan sets before his Epistles in this order Omnipotent Salmander before Carthage Lord of Jordan Lord of the East Lord of Bethlehem Lord of Paradise Praefect of Hell Supremest Emperor of Constantinople Lord of the Dry Fig the Lord by whom the Sun and Moon steer their course Protector of John the first Priest Emperor King of Kings Lord of the Christians Jews Turks the God's Friend In a Style not much unlike to this Solyman wrote to our Caesar To Charles the Fifth always most August Emperor Solyman his Contemporary sprung from the Victorious and most Noble Family of the Ottomans Emperor of Trebizond and Constantinople Lord of the World and Conqueror of the Earth c. What wou'd ye have more O truly Splendid Misery O Ashes and Nothing O Vanity of Vanity Most shameful is that Ignorance when Man forgets himself to be Man Wouldst thou have an Abstract an Epitome of all Humane Life Daniel the Archbishop and Elector of Mentz in Germany in a little Book of Prayers wrote with his own Hand these Precepts of Living 1. Life short 2. Beauty deceitful 3. Money flies away 4. Empire envy'd 5. War pernicious 6. Victory doubtful 7. Friendship fallacious 8. Old Age miserable 9. Death happiness 10. Wisdom Fame Eternal That Heavenly Wisdom that brings us to Kingdoms never destitute never to be invaded eternal A Nation bordering upon the Thracians and in Customs agreeing with them has this one peculiar to themselves That when an Infant is born the Relations sitting about it weeping and wailing enumerate the Miseries which the Child is to endure On the other side when a Man dies they bury him with Joy and Exultation recounting from how many Miseries he is deliver'd Deservedly this Nation claims to it self the Applaute of Wisdom who celebrate the Birth of Man with Tears and his Funeral with Pomp and Gladness Elegantly answered Laeâ—ius that Wise Man to a certain Person saying I am Sixty Years of Age. Thou callest these Sixty answered he which thou hast not Neither what is past nor what is to come is thine We depend upon a point of flying Time and it is the part of a great Man to have been moderate Plato was of Opinion that any Man became so much the wiser by how much the more lively he considered Death Therefore he gave this Law to his Disciples studious in Philosophy that when they went a Journey they should never cover their Feet whereby that wise Man insinuated that the end of Life was always to be thought on Nicholas Christophorus Radzivile Prince of Poland affirms that in Egypt they who excelled others in Prudence and Age were wont to carry the long Bones of dead Men carved out of Wood or Ebony shew them one to another and thereby exhort one another to Contemplation They also introduce the Remembrance of Death at their Tables and conclude their Banquets with this sad Sentence Memento Mori Remember to Die Caleph King of the Tartars in the City of Bagdat upon a Festival Day which they call Ramadan being resolved to shew himself to the People rode forth upon a Mule clad in Vestments that glistered with Gold Silver and precious Stones but over his Tulipan he wore a black Veil signifying that all his Pomp was one day to be clouded by the shades of Death Justinian the Emperor being dead a Coverlet was thrown over him wherein were wrought in Phrygian Work the Essigies and Figures of the Vanquished Cities and Barbarous Kings whom he had overcome Behold the Image of Death among Pageants Scaffolds Triumphs and Victories Death plays with Empires and knocks as well at the Towers of Kings as at the Cottages of the Poor Pope Martin the Fifth had this Symbol of a speaking Picture or of silent Poesie Upon a Funeral Pile kindled and ready to burn lay the Popes Triple Crown the Cardinals Hat the Archbishops Cap the Emperors Diadem the Kings Crown the Ducal Cap and Sword with this Motto Sic omnis gloria Mundi Thus all the Glory of the World I cannot but approve the Answer of a certain Mariner who being ask'd where his Father dy'd In the Sea said he And when the other ask'd him the same Question concerning his Grandfather his Great Grandfather and his Great Great Grandfather the Mariner still returned him the same Answer Then inferred the other And dost not thou fear to go to Sea To which the Seaman waving a Reply And where did your Father die In his Bed said the other where your Father your Grandfather and the rest of your Ancestors They all said the other died in their Beds Then said the Mariner And do not you fear to go to Bed so Fatal to all your Predecessors Very Elegantly and somewhat above a Sailor's Genius John Patriarch of Alexandria who took his Name from giving Alms while he was living and in health caused his Monument to be built but not to be finished for this Reason that upon Solemn Days when he performed Divine Service he might be put in mind by some of the Clergy in these Terms Sir your Monument is yet unfinished command it to be finished for you know not when the Hour may come When the Emperor of the East was newly chosen no Person had liberty to speak to him before the Stone-cutter had shewed him several sorts of Marble and asked him of which his Majesty would be pleased to have his Monument made What was the meaning of this but only to intimate these Words O Emperor exalt not thy self thou art but a Man thou shalt die like the meanest of Beggars therefore so govern thy Kingdom which thou art to lose that thou may'st gain an Eternal Kingdom Domitian the Emperor gave a Banquet to the Chief of the Senate and the Order of Knighthood after this manner He hung his House all with Mourning the Roofs Walls Pavements Seats were all covered with black bespeaking nothing but sorrow Into this Funeral Dining-room were all the Guests introduced by Night without any Attendants By each was placed a Bier with every one his Name inscribed upon it with such Candles as they were wont to burn in their Monuments They that waited were dad in black
in the performance of that Duty which like Jacob's Ladder tho' it stand upon the Earth yet it reaches up to Heaven Here 's the Love of God made manifest to a poor Sinner at the last hour like the Thief upon the Cross he that never new before what the Love of God was to his Soul finds it now filled with it and running over Now bless the Lord O my Soul yea all that is within me Bless his holy Name for this Dispensation Now Light appears out of Darkness in the Face of Jesus now all Worldly Joy and Comforts seem to me as they are things not hard to part with Father Mother Brothers Sister Wife Children House and Lands are as my dear Saviour saith to be parted with for him or we are not worthy of him I bless his Name I find no reluctancy to do it he hath brought me to his Foot-stool and I can say heartily the Will of the Lord be done in this matter I never before but saw a Beauty in Worldly Comforts but now those seem so faded by the greater Lustre and Beauty that I see in God in Christ Jesus that I am astonished where I have been wandring all my days spending my Time and my Money for that which is not Bread O strive to get a taste of this Love of God in Christ Jesus and it will perfectly wean you from this deceitful foolish World What is worldly Honour and Riches O set not your hearts upon them but get a Treasure in Heaven that your hearts may be there also O lose no time for if you ever knew the sweetness of it you would never be at rest till you found him whom your Soul loved it will be more yea infinitely more than all worldly Enjoyments can afford you tho' in their greatest Perfection it will make your Life sweet and your Death most comfortable It is the Bread which this World knoweth not of and therefore maketh little or no Enquiry after it Dearest Relations whilst you and my other dear Friends are like Aaron and Hur holding up the Hands of Moses I am through Grace getting Victory over the Amalekites I â—n embrace my dear and beloved Brother and Companion with more Joy in the Field of Suffering than ever I could have done had I met him crowned with the Lawrels of Victory Oh the Mercy to die with such a Friend and such a valiant Soldier of Jesus who hath kept his Garments clean I now begin to pity you that stay behind who have many Temptations to conflict with for a little yea a very little time and my Warfare will be accomplished and if God continue his Love and Influence upon my Soul it will be both short and sweet I have little of this World about me I leave you all the Legacy of what was ever dearest to me the best of Wives and five poor Children who must pass through an evil and sinful World but I have committed them to God who hath commanded to cast our Fatherless Children and Widows upon him Dear Parents Brothers Sister all adieu my time draws on my Paper is finished and your dying Child and Brother recommends you all to him who is All-sufficient to the God of Peace that brought again from the Dead our Lord Jesus the great Shepherd of the Sheep through the Blood of the Everlasting Covenant who will make you Perfect in every good Work to do his Will working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ to whom be Glory for ever and ever Amen RICHARD NELTHROP From the Palace of Newgate Octob. 30. 1685. Two of the Clock in the Morning Mr. Nelthrop's Last Speech THE great and inexpressible trouble and distraction I have been under since I came into Trouble especially since my close Confinement in Newgate hath so broken my Reason that for many Weeks last past till the day my Sentence was passed I have not had any composure of Mind and have been under the greatest trouble imaginable Since my dearest Wife hath had the Favour granted her of coming to me I am at present under great composedness of Mind through the Infinite Goodness of the Lord. As to what I stand Outlawed for and am now sentenced to die I can with comfort Appeal to the great God before whose Tribunal I am to appear that what I did was in the simplicity of my heart without seeking any private Advantage to my self but thinking it my Duty to hazard my Life for the Preservation of the Protestant Religion and English Liberties which I thought invaded and both in great danger of being lost As to the Design of Assassinating the late King or his present Majesty it always was a thing highly against my Judgment and which I always detested and I was never in the least concerned in it neither in Purse nor Person nor ever knew of any Arms bought for that intent nor did I believe there was any such Design or ever heard of any disappointment in such an Affair or Arms or Time or Place save what after the Discovery of the General Design Mr. West spoke of as to Arms bought by him And as to my self I was in the North when the late King was at New-Market and the first News I had of the Fire was at Beverly in York-shire As to my coming over with the late Duke of Monmouth it was in prosecution of the same ends but the Lord in his Holy and Wise Providence hath been pleased to blast all our Undertakings tho' there seemed to be a very unanimous and zealous Spirit in all those that came from beyond the Seas And as to the Duke of Monmouth's being declared King I was wholly Passive in it I never having been present at any publick Debate of that Affair and should never have advised it but complained of it to Col. Holmes and Captain Patchet I believe the Lord Gray and Mr. F the chief Promoters of it As to the Temptation of being an Evidence and bringing either into trouble or danger of his Life the meanest Person upon the Account for which I suffer I always abhorred and detested the thoughts of it both when in and out of danger and advised some very strongly against it except when under my Distraction in Prison that amongst other Temptations did violently assault me but through the goodness of my dearest God and Father I was preserved from it and indeed was wholly incapable and could never receive the least shadow of comfort from it but thought Death more eligible and was some time afore out of my distracted and disquieted condition wholly free from it though not without other Temptations far more Criminal in the sight of Men. I bless the Father of all Mercies and God of all Consolations that I find a great Resignedness of my Will to his finding infinitely more comfort in Death than ever I could place in Life tho' in a condition that might seem honourable every hour seeing the Will of God in ordering
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
Cruelties to sweep the Country before him and Young and Old were hang'd by Clusters as if the Lord Chief Justice had designed to raise the Price of Halters After Ages will read with Astonishment the Barbarous Usage of those poor People of which among many Instances this one may seem sufficient whereby to take the Dimensions of all the rest That when the Sister of the two Hewlings hung upon the Chief Justice's Coach imploring Mercy on the behalf of her Brothers the merciless Judge to make her let go caused his Coachman to cut her hands and fingers with the Lash of his Whip Nor would he allow the Respite of the Execution but for two days tho' the Sister with Tears in her Eyes offered a Hundred Pounds for so small a Favour And whoever shelter'd any of those forlorn Creatures were hurried to the Slaughter-House with the same inexecrable Outrage without any consideration either of Age or Sex witness the Execution of the Lady Lisle at Winchester As for Argile and the Duke tho' they might die pitied yet in regard they had declared open Hostility it was no more than they were to expect upon ill Success The Christian Behaviour and Dying Speeches of some that were Condemned and Executed in the West I Shall next proceed to give an Account of the Christian Behaviour and Dying Speeches of some that were Condemned and Executed in the West And I shall begin with 1. The Dying Speech and Behaviour of Mr. Matth. Bragg MR. Matthew Bragg was a Gentleman descended from an Ancient and good Family he was bred an Attorney in which he practised the Law His Case being this He happened to be upon the Road Riding home to his House being come from a Gentleman's House for whom he kept Courts He as before being met with by a Party of Horse belonging to the Duke of Monmouth who were going to search the House of a Roman Catholick for Arms who lived two or three Miles from the Place they met him they required him to go with them and shew them the way he knowing the Country better than they did he desired to be excused telling them It was none of his Business and besides had no Arms. But his Excuses signified nothing they forced him amongst them where they went Being Arraigned and Pleading Not Guilty he put himself on the Tryal of God and his Country which found him and 28 more of 30 Guilty the Lord Chief Justice often saying If any Lawyer or Parson came under his Inspection they should not escape The Evidence against him was a Roman Catholick and a Woman of ill Fame to whom the Lord Chief Justice was wonderfully kind But his Evidence which were more than Twenty to prove his Innocence signified nothing the Jury being well instructed by my Lord Chief Justice Being thus found Guilty Sentence as presently pronounced and Execution awarded notwithstanding all the Interest that was made for him Thus being Condemned on Saturday and ordered to be Executed on Monday he spent the residue of his little time very devoutly and much becoming a good Christian and a true Protestant of the Church of England all which availed nothing with this Protestant Judge He was frequently visited by a worthy Divine of the Church of England who spent much time with him and received great Satisfaction from him The said Divine â—old me That his Deportment Behaviour and Converse was so much like an extraordinary Christian that he could not in the least doubt but this violent Passage would put him into the fruition of Happiness He wish'd and desir'd a little longer time out of no other Design but throughly to repent him of his Sins and make himself more sensible of and fit for to receive the Inheritance that is prepared for those that continue in Well-doing to the end When he came to the Place of Execution with great Courage and Resolution being as he said prepared for Death he behaved himself very gravely and devoutly Being asked when he was on the Ladder whether he was not sorry for his being concerned in the Rebellion He replied That he knew of none that he was Guilty of and prayed them not to trouble him adding He was not the first that was martyr'd He was so much a Christian as to forgive his Enemies And after some private Devotions he suddenly was Translated as we have all Hopes to believe from Earth to Heaven The only Favour of this Protestant Judge was to give his Body to his Friends in order to its Interment amongst his Ancestors 2. The Behaviour of Mr. Smith Constable of Chardstock ANother eminent Person that suffered with him at the same time and place was one Mr. Smith who was Constable of Chardstock who having some Monies in his Hands that belonged to the Militia which came to the knowledge of some of the Duke's Friends they obliged him to deliver it to them which he was forced to deliver and for this was Indicted for High Treason in assisting the Duke of Monmouth To which he pleaded Not Guilty The Evidence against him were the same with those that had been against Mr. Bragg The said Mr. Smith informed the Court and the Jury what little Credit ought to be given to the Evidence The Lord Chief Justice thundred at him saying Thou Villain methinks I see thee already with a Halter about thy Neck thou impudent Rebel to challenge these Evidences that are for the King To which the Prisoner reply'd very boldly My Lord I now see which way I am going and right or wrong I must die but this I comfort my self with That your Lordship can only destroy my Body it is out of your power to touch my Soul God forgive your Rashness Pray my Lord know it is not a small matter you are about the Blood of a Man is more precious than the whole World And then was stopped from saying any more The Evidences being heard a strict Charge was given the Jury about him To be short the Jury brought him in Guilty so that he with the rest received the Sentence of Death all together and were Executed on Monday but by particular Order from my Lord he was ordered to be first Executed The Day being come for Execution being Monday he with a Courage undaunted was brought to the Place where with Christian Exhortations to his Brethren that suffered with him he was ordered to prepare being the first to be Executed where he spake as followeth CHristian Friends I am now as you see launching into Eternity so that it may be expected I should speak something before I leave this miserable World and pass through those Sufferings which are dreadful to Flesh and Blood which indeed shall be but little because I long to be before a just Judge where I must give an Account not only for the Occasion of my Sufferings now but for Sins long unrepented of which indeed hath brought me to this dismal Place and shameful Death And truly dear Country-men having ransacked
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
late As to the Meetings I bless God I ever was at any of them and that I was any way Instrumental to the upholding of them and am troubled that I have I fear sinfully deprived my self of them and do believe if ever the Ordinances of God were rightly administred and the Gospel effectually preached it was in those Meetings that were held in Taunton the Lord bless the Seed that was there sown As to Elections of Members for Parliament I judge it my Birth-right and therefore was Industrious in it but I hope never did I am sure never intended troublesomness to any in it but especially to my Superiors I had ever a venerable and due esteem of Magistrates as the Ministers of God and they administring an Ordinance of God I also lie under a Reproach of being unfaithful to an Interest that I owned which I utterly deny and disown I pray God bless and forgive my violent Enemies that have industriously sought the taking away my Life It 's the hearty Prayer of JOHN HVCKER From Taunton-Castle a little before he suffered Sept. 30th 1685. 7. Captain MADDERS CAptain Madders at the time of the Duke's Landing was a Constable at Crewkern in the County of Somerset and so diligent and active for the King in his Office that when two Gentlemen of Lyme came there and brought the News of the Duke's Landing and desired Horses to Ride Post to acquaiut His Majesty therewith he immediately secured Horses for them the Town being generally otherways bent and assisted them so far as any called Loyal in those Times could do which was represented to the Lord Chief Justice in expectation thereby to save his Life But an Enquiry being made about his Religion and returned by a very worthy Gentleman of those Parts That he was a good Protestant an honest Man had a very good Character amongst his Neighbours O then says he I 'll hold a wager with you he is a Presbyterian I can smell them Forty Miles then surely he must die Being brought to the Place of Execution he was the last Man except one executed and he behaved himself whilst the rest were executing with great Zeal and lifting up his Hands and Eyes would often say Lord make me so willing and ready to the last And God did hear his Prayers for though he seemed to the Spectators to be somewhat unwilling to die yet at the last he died with as much Assurance and Christian Resolution as any for after his Publick Prayer he came once down the Ladder and prayed again privately then mounted the Ladder again The Sheriff saying Mr. Madders if you please you may have more Liberty He answered No I thank you Mr. Sheriff now I am ready I am willing and desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ Oh! you cannot imagine what Comfort and Refreshment I have received in a few minutes my Comforts are so great that I cannot contain my self So blessing and praising of God he was translated as I hope we have no grounds to imagine the contrary from Earth to Heaven repeating Rev. 20.6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first Resurrection on such the second Death hath no Power 8. The Dying Words of Captain Kidd Executed at the same Time and Place THis Gentleman was the last executed at that time as soon as Captain Madders was turned off he began to prepare to follow and called to the Guards and those present Do you see this pointing up to Eleven that were dead before him do you think this is not dreadful to me that Eleven of Twelve of us that but a few hours since came down together are dead and in Eternity And I just going to follow them and shall immediately be in the same condition Says one to him It must be dreadful to Flesh and Blood Says he Well Gentlemen I will assure you I am so far concerned that methinks I bethink their Happiness that they should be so long before me in Bliss and Happiness But I 'll make haste to follow I am satisfied this is the best day that ever I saw The day of a Man's Death is said to be better than the day of his Birth And truly so I find it as to my Flesh for I shall be presently free from sin and sorrow I am satisfied God hath done his best for me I might have live and forgotten God but now I am going where I shall sin no more 'T is a blessed thing to be free from sin and to be with Christ O how great were the Sufferings of Christ for us beyond all that I can undergo how great is that Glory to which I am going Then taking his leave of the People then present he prayed some small time very devoutly and with seeming great Joy and Comfort the Executioner did his Office 9. The Last Speech of Dr. Temple of Nottingham at the Place of Execution DOctor Temple was one of them that Landed with the Duke and was his Chief Physician and Chirurgeon he lived in Nottingham but minding to see other Parts of the World as I have heard goes for Holland where he came acquainted with the Duke of Monmouth concerning which he thus spoke just as he was going off the Ladder Christian Friends and dear Countrymen I Have somewhat to say and not very much before I depart from you and shall be seen no more And First As to my Engagement with the Duke of Monmouth Secondly How far I was concerned And Thirdly I shall leave all of you to be Judges in Matter of Fact And so for the First As a Dying Man I now declare That when I entred my self with the Duke of Monmouth to be his Chirurgeon it was on no other Account but to serve him in the West-Indies where I knew no other Design whatsoever but to possess himself of some of those Islands until I had been at Sea two days wherein one privately told me We are absolutely bound for England and I should take it from him it was true It much surprized me but knowing no way to avoid it or to get on shore though it was at that time contrary to my Inclinations if I could have avoided it I would not let others see that I had that dissatisfaction within me After our Landing at Lyme I knew it was never the nearer to attempt my Escape the Country being so beset on the other hand if the Duke of Monmouth did win the Day I might have raised my Fortunes as high as I could expect These were the Arguments that Flesh and Blood did create in my Breast for Self-prefervation While I was with the said Duke I did him as much Service as I could and faithfully After it pleased God to disperse that Army under his Command I endeavoured to secure my self but by Providence was taken at Honiton from thence committed to Exon and after removed to Dorchester where I received my Sentence and am now as you see just going to Execution The Lord
prevent all of you from such ignominious Deaths and I advise you all that you never take any great thing in hand but what you have a Warrant for from the Lord I assure you I had no satisfaction in this but this I am sure that if I have done any thing amiss in it it is pardoned I bless God I have that satisfaction I die a Professor of the Church of England I desire Pardon of all those I have any ways wronged or abused as I freely forgive all those that have wronged or abused me I am in Charity with all Men. Lord have Mercy upon me and give me strength to go through these Pains and give me full Assurance now at this last moment Come Lord Jesus come quickly 10. SAMVEL ROBBINS SAmuel Robbins of Charmouth in the County of Dorset was Executed or rather Murthered at Warham in the said County He received his Sentence of Death with great Courage and not at all dismayed saying very often in Prison before If it pleased God to call him now to glorifie his Name by this Providence of his to Death he should be ready but said he I am as Innocent of any thing I have done against any man that may deserve this Punishment as the Child now unborn When he came to the Place of Execution he very chearfully declared his Innocency to the Spectators as before and so Praying very devoutly for some time he was Executed 11. Mr. CHARLES SPEAK HE happened to be at Illminster at the time of the Duke's being there which was the greatest Crime he was guilty of the Validity of his Evidence I leave to those in the West which know how far it was carried that way He was a fine Courteous loving Gentleman and notwithstanding his Youth he acted the part of an Old Christian Soldier at his Death preparing himself to undergo those Pains saying very often They were nothing to his Deserts from God Almighty but as for what I am accused of and sentenced for I hope you will believe I am not so guilty as my Judge and Accusers have endeavoured to make me If it had pleased God I should have been willing to have lived some time longer but God's time being come I am willing I will be contented to drink this bitter Cup off Being at the Place of Execution the Croud was so great that I suppose he was shorter than otherwise he would have been but alas how could it be For on every side of him as well as up and down the Town the Inhabitants were weeping and bewailing him Oh 't is the worst day that ever we saw in this Town Must this good Gentleman die here Oh! yet save his Life I am ready to die for him and the like He prayed very heartily for near an hour and sung a Psalm and so we hope was translated to Heaven there to sing everlasting Praises and Hallelujahs 12. Mr. PARRET MR. Parret was executed at Taunton if I mistake not he said he was a Londoner and a Brewer When he came to the Place of Execution he seemed a Man almost unconcerned at Death After some time he began to deliver himself somewhat low in Voice to the People and after rising by degrees he seemed more like a Minister in a Pulpit Preaching devoutly than a Prisoner just going to Execution but I being then not well could not tarry to see his End But the Character I had was That he desired all not to be faint-hearted because of their fall and to think that there was no hopes remaining He said He verily believed God would yet work out Deliverance for them and at the time they were in the greatest Extremity that would be God's Opportunity Put your whole trust and confidence and dependance on the Lord and he will never leave you nor forsake you 13. The Last Speech of Henry Boddy Executed at Bath WHile he was in Prison especially after Sentence he behaved himself mighty humble meek and was much in Meditation which was observed by several Divines especially one who attended him to his last his Name Mr. Simpson His poor Wife coming to see him at Wells and to make her Interest with some Friends if possible to save his Life but finding it lost Labour and that she could by no means prevail she died there for grief before her Husband was Executed to his great grief When he came to the Place of Execution he delivered himself to the People in these Words GOod People I am come here to pay a Debt due to Nature which every one one time or another must pay though not in this manner or nature I am condemned as a Traytor and Rebel against my King which were things I always hated and abhorred and therefore give me so much time as to deliver my self to you and what I say I hope you will believe me at this time being just going to give an Account not only for every idle word but for all things I have done since I have had a Being I was Born in Lyme-Regis in the County of Dorses and bred up a Seaman from my Infancy I have had the Honour to serve His Majesty King Charles the Second in his Wars with the Dutch and French divers times I always thought it to be the Duty of every true English-man to stand up in his Country's Quarrel with Foreigners to maintain our Ancient Privileges and Honour of our Nation I served him faithfully And as for my Undertaking now with the late Duke of Monmouth for which I am now come to suffer Death As for my Designs I am sure they were good for I did believe him to be my Soveraign's Son and Heir but if otherwise I have done amiss and am sorry and hope the Lord hath pardoned it While I was in Arms I am sure there 's none can say I have personally wronged them I desire all your Prayers for me to the last I am no Orator therefore if you please speaking to the Minister do these last Spiritual Services for me as for to Pray with me and for me The Minister being much taken with him desired leave of the Sheriff to ask him some Questions which being granted the Minister said unto him I must make bold with you but not to hold you too long before I Pray but to satisfie my self and the People on what ground you stand I mean as concerning your everlasting state Now pray resolve me a few things First Whether you do own that Doctrine of Non-resistance owned by the Church That it is not Lawful on any Account whatsoever to take up Arms against the King O Sir as to that I answer Could I have been satisfied he had been my Lawful Prince I should not have done it But said the Minister he is and you are not to be Judge except you own those things some People will hardly have Charity for you after you are dead What matters that said he would you have me now you put me so close to
her Death With some Remarkable Passages relating both to her Person and Government I Shall conclude this History of Providence with a Collection of the memorable Speeches and Sayings of our never-enough lamented Sovereign the late Queen MARY and shall here and there add some remarkable Passages relating to her Person and Government as a Noble Testimony to Religion from one whose Parts and Endowments were as high as her Dignity as if Providence would not leave the prophane Age room to say that Religion was only pretended to by the Mean and Ignorant but convince them by the Vertuous Life and Dying Breath of a Princess every way so Glorious and Great So extraordinary strict says Bishop Fowler in his Preface relating to the Queen was Her Majesty's Life even from her Youth that for the Seventeen Years of her Married State the King as he hath professed could never see any thing in her which he could call a Fault and no Man continues this Learned Author can keep a stricter Guard upon his Words than His Majesty is always observed to do Then certainly a Collection of the Memorable Speeches of such a Princess must needs be very useful and so much the more so as there are several remarkable Sayings of this Royal Person scattered in so many Books which its hardly possible for any private Person to have all of them by him and therefore a View of them all at once in a Collection from the best Authors that have writ upon this Subject may perhaps be very acceptable to the serious Reader 1. That we may begin from her Cradle The most August Queen MARY II. was born in the Sixty second Year of this Age upon the Tenth of May James then Duke of York and the Lord Chancellor's Daughter being her Parents Many and conspicuous were the Prognosticks of a true and far from counterfeited Piety that glitter'd in her and shin'd forth in the early Dawn of her Infancy For when in her tender Years she had lost an excellent Mother and under the Tuition of Persons less concern'd was deliciously bred up in a Court full of all manner of Pleasure and Voluptuousness such was always her Constancy such her Temperance and Modesty that no Example of others no Allurement of Vice no Contagion of Neighbouring-Courts could force her to go astray from the right Path. She was instructed in the Fundamentals of the true Reform'd Religion by the Bishop of London which he so happily laid and she so cordially imbib'd that she could never be shaken by any treacherous Insinuations any Promises or Threats any Punishments or Rewards choosing rather to die than never so little to recede from the Truth wherein she had been grounded After she had spent the rest of her Childhood in those Studies by which generous and illustrious Souls are rais'd to the Expectations of great Fortune and had abundantly furnish'd herself as well with Christian as with Royal Vertues in the Fifteenth Year of her Age she was auspiciously Married to William the Third of that Name Prince of Orange William marries Mary a Kinsman a Kinswoman and thus by a double Tye and a firmer Knot than hitherto the most Noble Families of all Europe are joyn'd together She for her Ancestors claims the Family of the Stuarts He the Nassavian Race She the Monarchs of Great Britain He the Governours of Germany and the Caesars themselves The Nuptial Solemnities being over the Royal Bride cross'd over out of England into these Parts together with her Husband and chose for her Seat and Residence the Hague the most pleasant and delightful place not only of Holland but almost of all Europe Where belov'd of all Men and fix'd in the Good-will of all the People propensly devoted to her for the space of some Years she so charmingly and affectionately liv'd with her Husband the best of Men and no less cordially affectionate to her not only without the least Contention or Quarrel but without the least suspicion of Lukewarmness that she might well be said to be a conspicuous Example of Conjugal Affection not only to Kings and Princes and Men in high Degree but also to private Persons After some Interval of Time when they who bare ill will to our Princes and us to Liberty and Religion and more especially to this Republick stirr'd up new Troubles in England and the Nobility of the Kingdom call'd to their Aid our Prince While he strove one way and the Winds drove another at length wafted over with favourable Gales and Wishes safely arriv'd in England and without Resistance but rather with the general Applause of the Nation and as it were born upon the Shoulders of the People came to the Royal City When afterwards he invited his dearest Consort then the Companion of his Bed now of his Kingdom to partake of the Honour offer'd him and the Dignity soon after to be conferr'd upon him and the equal share of his Fortune in the Eighty ninth Year of this Age luckily and auspiciously both Husband and Wife were declar'd King and Queen with equal Power and Authority by the common Vote and Suffrage and unanimous Consent of both Houses In the Morning she rose with the Sun and worship'd the Lord of Heaven and Earth But when she was sometimes forc'd to rise at Midnight by reason of the urgent Affairs of the State and could not afterwards sleep she commanded either the Holy Scripture or some other pious Book to be brought her If any Persons came to visit her in a Morning before she had pour'd forth her Prayers she sent them back with this Expression That she was first to serve the King of Kings If any persons were said to seek her life by Treachery and Conspiracy her Answer was That she submitted to the Will of Heaven Francius 's Oration upon the Death of the Queen 2. Such was the Sanctity of Mary's Life that King William after her Decease calling to mind her Piety towards God the Integrity of her Life and her Extraordinary Knowledge of Sacred Things brake forth into this expression That if he could believe that ever any mortal Man could be born without the contamination of Sin he would believe it of the Queen And she preserv'd herself so chast and spotless that while she resided upon Earth she liv'd the Life of the Saints even in the Hurry of the Court where there are so many Incitements to evil Grevius 's Oration on the Death of the Queen 3. We had very admirable Accounts of the late Queen from her Court at the Hague during her Abode there from most unquestionable Testimonies which made us envy our Neighbours Happiness in such a Princess who knew their Happiness as 't was impossible they should not and had an extraordinary Value and Veneration for her And since her Return to her Native Country and her Advancement to the Throne here we never knew a more eminent Exception than she was to that common Observation Minuit praesentia Famam The Fame