ex Speed Chron. 7. Sir Nathaniel Barnardiston enjoyed his Father a less time than his Grand-Father his Father being removed by Death long before his Grand-Father but yet we may easily gather what his Carriage to him was from the high and extensive Value he set upon his Memory as he used to please himself to Discourse of his Father affirming That he was a very Godly Man and that it was a great Disadvantage for him to part with him so young These things and others he would often declare to his Children and Friends dropping many Tears to shew his great and strong Affection and when he made his Will he there exprest an importunate Desire to his Executors that the Bones of his Father might be digged out of the Earth where they were buried and laid by his own Body in a new vault he order'd his Executors to erect for the same purpose Thus though he could not live with his Father as long as he would have desired yet he designed that their Bodies or Relicks should lie together 'till the happy Resurrection-Day which certainly did denote a Noble Veneration and a most raised Filial Affection See his Life CHAP. LIV. Remarkable Instances of an Early Piety or Children Good betimes TO see young Trees newly planted hopeful and promising is a very lovely and inviting sight A Jeremiah sanctified from his Mother's Womb a Joshua pious in his young years a Timothy well instructed in the Scriptures from a Child are very pleasant in sacred Records And when we see the Seeds of Piety spring up so soon we are ready to impute it to the Influence of Heaven and the Efficacy of Divine Grace And though sometimes these Blossoms die before any Fruit appears and a good Beginning hath not always a good Ending yet certainly and Lot Solomon or our Senses be Witnesses in the case 't is the likeliest way to end well when we begin well 1. Mr. Samuel Crook to shew that his Heart even in his Youth was drawn up towards the Pole of Heaven translated divers of David's Psalms and composed several Hymns of his own Some of which he sung with Tears of Joy and Desire in his last Sickness See his Life p. 4. 2. Origen when a Child was mightily inquisitive into the Meaning of the Scriptures even tiring his Parents with asking Religious Questions comforting his Father in Prison with Letters and hardly forbearing to offer himself to Martyrdom Dr. Cave 's Prim. Christian 3. K. Edward VI. took Notes of such things he heard in Sermons which more nearly related to himself Hist of the Reform 4. Queen Elizabeth wrote a good hand before she was Four years old and understood Italian Ibid. 5. Sir Thomas Moore never offended his Father nor was ever offended by him 6. Arch-bishop Vsher at 10 years old found himself wrought upon by a Sermon on Rom. 12.1 I beseech you Brethren by the Mercies of God c. Dr. Bernard in his Life 7. Dr. W. Gouge when at School was continually studious even at play-hours conscionable in secret Prayer and sanctifying the Sabbath Clark 's Lives 8. Mr. Tho. Gataker was often chid by his Father from his Book Ibid. 9. Mr. Jeremy Whitaker when a School-Boy would frequently go in company 8 or 10 miles to hear a warming Sermon and took Notes and was helpful to others in repeating them and though his Father often and earnestly endeavoured to divert him yet when a Boy he was unmoveable in his Desires to be a Minister Ibid. 10. Mr. Herbert Palmer was esteemed sanctified even from the Womb at the Age of 4 or 5 years he would cry to go to his Lady Mothers Sir Tho. Palmer being his Father that he might hear somewhat of God When a Child little more than Five years old he wept in reading the Story of Joseph and took much pleasure in learning Chapters by heart he learned the French Tongue almost so soon as he could speak he often affirmed that he never remembred the learning of it by his Discourse he could hardly be distinguished from a Native French-man When at the Latin-School at vacant hours others were at play he was constantly observed to be reading studiously by himself Ibid. 11. Mr. Tho. Cartwright in his younger years rose many times in the night to seek out places to pray in Ibid. 12. Mr. Rich. Sedgwick when he was a School-boy and living with his Uncle and the rest of the Family were at their Games and Dancing he would be in a Corner mourning Ibid. 13. Mr. Julius Herring when a Boy was noted for his Diligence in Reading the Scriptures On Play-days he with 2 or 3 more School-fellows would pray together repeat the Heads of the Catechism with the Sermons which they heard last Lord's-day Ibid. 14. Mrs. Margaret Corbet Daughter of Sir Nathaniel Brent Warden of Merton-Colledge whom about 14 years of Age wrote Sermons with Dexterity and left many Volumes of such Notes writ with her own Hand Ibid. 15. Mrs. Elizabeth Wilkinson was from her Childhood very Docile took much pains in writing Sermons and collecting special Notes out of Practical Divines When I was saith she in a Narrative written with her own Hand about Twelve years old upon reading in the Practice of Piety concerning the happy State of the Godly and the miserable Condition of the Wicked in their Death and so on to all Eternity it pleased the Lord so to affect my Heart as from that time I was wrought over to a desire to walk in the Ways of God Ibid. 16. Mr. Caleb Vernon could read the Bible distinctly at Four years old and by six became very apt in places of Scripture the Theory thereof and moral Regard thereto exactly observant of his Parents with ambition to serve and please them in love To begin a Correspondency with a good Friend of his Mr. R. D. then in London he wrote this his first Letter at Ten years of age Dear Sir I Received your kind Letter for which I thank you and desire the Book which you sent me may be made of good effect to my Soul and that my Soul may be filled with the Love of God ' being ready for the Day of his coming to judge the World in Righteousness when the Kings of the Earth shall tremble and the Rulers shall be astonished at the Brightness of his coming when he shall come with his Holy Angels in Power and Glory to judge the Earth in the Valley of Jehoshaphat O! that my Soul was fit for his Coming that I may be like a flourishing Flower in the Garden of Eden prepared for the Lord Christ This is a Trying-day the Lord is searching Jerusalem with Candles to find out out-side Professors who do make clean the out-side of the Cup and Platter when their Hearts are full of Deceit Oh! that we might be comforting one another with his coming putting on the Breast-plate of Faith and laying aside the Traditions of Men. O! how near is his coming even at the
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
with shame See his Life by Mr. Clark p. 296. And another Lady Wife to the Lord Mordant confirmed by occasion of the Jesuit's absenting from the Disputation and sending his excuse that he had forgot all his Arguments tho' he had them before as ready as his Pater Nâ—ster as he believed through the just Judgment of God because he had undertaken to Dispute with so worthy a Man without License of his Superiour Ibid. p. 278. 4. One Mr. Charles Langford in a Book Published by him called God's wonderful Mercy in the Mount of woful Extremity A. C. 1672. Tells us that for near Forty Years he had been Buffeted severely by Satan who had left no Stone unturn'd to do him all the mischief that he could For the space of Forty Years saith he or thereabouts hath it pleased the Hand that took me out of my Mother's Womb to train me up and lead me along in this uncomfortable Wilderness of Temptation tho' I cannot say that in all these Years he hath left me to the violence of Spiritual Conflicts for then the Burthen had been too heavy for Flesh to stand under so long Yet must I needs say my clearest Day all that time was but clark and however I seemed to others in point of Comfort outwardly sure I am my Soul enjoyed not her rest nor could I ever say I was all that while more than a Prisoner of hope still subject unto Bondage and not discharged of the Debt nor delivered from my Fears It was but a hard shift that I made to hold up my head when I was at best my worst cannot be expressed until now at last that God for whom I waited in the way of his Judgments and from whom were my Expectations in the use of appointed means all this while came and was found of me when I look'd not for him and delivered me from my strong Enemy set my Feet upon a Rock and Established my goings I can say by experience Now I know there is a God and now I know there is a Devil Such have been the Delusions cursed Injections of Blasphemous Thoughts and dreadful Temptations wherewith he hath endeavoured to â—ll my Soul till the day the Lord by his great power delivered me out of his Hands That I have cause to know him and to make him known as I am able to the World In short tho' he had been tempted to Murder his Wife and made Provision for it and she knew it yet she still performed the duty of a faithful Yoke-fellow and upon April 16. 1669. a day for ever to be Solemnized as Glorious and Honourable by me his poor Creature They are his own words she going on in her constant course of Prayer after she had given the Lord his Holy and Reverend Titles using Moses's Arguments brake forth into these words My Father my Father What wilt thou do with my Husband He hath been speaking and acting still in thy cause Oh! Destroy him not for thine own Glory Oh! What dishonour will come to thy great Name if thou do it Oh! Rather do with me what thou wilt On Rather Do what thou wilt But spare my Husband c. He that is pleased to stile himself a God hearing Prayer and in most of his great works delights to advance his own power by using small and unlikely means after long tarrying and in a time when I looked not for him came now and owned his own Ordinance crowned the Cries and Faith and Patience of a poor Woman with such success that my praise shall be continually of him The proud may scorn but the humble shall hear thereof and be glad That roaring Lion mine Adversary the Devil that old Serpent that red Dragon that unclean Spirit that Liar that false Accuser Murderer Appollyon Abaddon even now when he thought himself almost settled in the Possession of his long sought Dominion and that there was no casting him out of my Soul which he had abused making it his Dung-hill whereon he laid all the fifth of Hellish Thoughts and Abominations that he could now was sent to his own place by my dear Lord Christ who broke the Doors of Brass and rescued me from the Rape of Hellish Furies c. See the Book writ by his own Hand p. 53 54. c. 5. When I was Minister of Shipley in Sussex a certain Man of another Parish on a Lord's Day after Evening Service came to me and desired to speak with me about some particular Case of Conscience I think it was concerning the Sin against the Holy Ghost after some discourse upon the point he told me that he had for many Years been haunted with doubts and great fears about his Salvation and could enjoy no comfort but at last unexpectedly as he was at his Loom for he was a Weaver by Trade a certain Text of Scripture was suggested to his mind by he knew not what secret Impulse and thereupon all the thick Fog which he had so long laboured under was scattered and the Room was filled with Light and he enjoyed a great Serenity and Peace and Comfort afterwards 6. Mrs. Polsted of Bednel Green for a great while was in great Darkness and Deserted It prevailed even to the uttering of words dreadful to her Friends But drawing near to her end she desired my Sister Dunn to stay with her that Night she died and to close her Eyes She lay by her upon the Bed when she spake to her thus O Mrs. Dunn it is a dreadful thing to be separated from Christ for ever for ever Yes so 't is says her Friend but I am perswaded it shall never be your Portion She fell into a kind of a Slumber and a little after spake Mrs. Dunn Christ is come let us haste to meet him let us haste to meet him She ask'd her if she had now closed with Christ yes said she I stick to my first choice I stick to my first choice What shall I render to the Lord What shall I render to the Lord And so died praising the Lord. 7. Mrs Charlton once told me That after a Desertion of about Eight Years she had such a Floud of Spiritual Joy that when she walk'd in the Streets they seem'd to her Pav'd with Gold for a Fortnights time and she was fain to beg of God to stay his Hand Her Body being not able to bear it 8. Mr. Nutkin of Okingham told me That once after near Fifty Years Profession upon a Day of Thanksgiving observed by himself upon a recovery from Sickness and to beg a Sanctified use of Health restored on a sudden a dark Cloud fell on him that all his Profession had been Hypocrisie That Day and the Night after which he passed without Sleep it continued and he was so held down by the Temptation he had not power to look into his Bible The next Day he thought thus Have I been so long acquainted with the Lord and shall not I dare to look into his
Things He could not endure to be put to Bed without Family-Duty but would put his Parents upon Duty and would with much Devotion kneel down and with great Patience and Delight continue 'till Duty was at an end When he had committed any fault he was easily convinced of it and would get into some Corner and Secret Place and with Tears beg Pardon of God and Strength against such a Sin He had a Friend that oft watched him and listned at his Chamber-door from whom I received this Narrative A Friend of his asked him Whether he were willing to die when he was first taken sick he answered No because he was afraid of his State as to another World Why Child said the other thou didst pray for a new Heart for an humble and a sincere Heart and I have heard thee Didst thou not pray with thy Heart I hope I did said he Not long after the same Person asked him again Whether he were willing to die He answered Now I am willing for I shall go to Christ He still grew weaker and weaker but carried it with a great deal of sweetness and patience waiting for his Change and at last did cheerfully commit his Spirit unto the Lord and calling upon the Name of the Lord and saying Lord Jesus Lord Jesâ—â— in whose Bosom he sweetly slept dying as I remember when he was about Five or Six Years old 8. Of a little Girl that was wrought upon when she was between Four and Five Years old Mary A. when she was between Four and Five Years old was greatly affected in hearing the Word of God and became very solicitous about her Soul and Everlasting Condition weeping bitterly to think what would become of her in another World asking strange Questions concerning God and Christ and her own Soul So that this little Mary before she was full Five Years old seemed to mind the one thing needful and to choose the better part and sate at the Feet of Christ many a time and oft with Tears She was very Conscientious in keeping the Sabbath spending the whole time either in Reading or Praying or learning her Catechism or teaching her Brethren and Sisters See took great delight in Reading of the Scripture and some part of it was more sweet to her than her appointed Food she would get several choice Scriptures by heart and discourse of them savourly and apply them suitably A little before she died she had a great Conflict with Satan and cried out I am none of his Her Mother seeing her in trouble asked her what was the matter she answered Satan did trouble me but now I thank God all is well I know I am none of his but Christ's After this she had a great Sence of God's Love and a Glorious Sight as if she had seen the very Heavens open and the Angels come to receive her by which her Heart was filled with Joy and her Tongue with Praise Being desired by the Standers-by to give them a particular Account of what she saw she answered You shall know hereafter and so in an Extasie of Joy and holy Triumph she went to Heaven when she was about Twelve Years old Hallelujah 9. Of a Child that began to look towards Heaven when she was about Four Years old A certain little Child when she was about Four Years old had a Conscientious Sence of her Duty towards her Parents because the Commandment saith Honour thy Father and thy Mother And though she had little advantage of Education she carried it with the greatest Reverence to her Parents imaginable so that she was no small Credit as well as Comfort to them She would be very attentive when she read the Scriptures and be much affected with them and would by no means be perswaded to prophane the Lord's Day but would spend it in some good Duties When she was taken sick one asked her Whether she were willing to die she answered Yes if God would pardon her Sins Being asked How her Sins should be pardoned she answered Through the Blood of Christ. There were very many observable Passages in the Life and Death of this Child but the Hurry and Grief that her Friends were in buried them 10. Charles Bridgman had no sooner learned to speak but he betook himself to Prayer His Sentences were wise and weighty and well might become some ancient Christian His Sickness lasted long and at least Three Days before his Death he prophesied his Departure and not only that he must die but the very Day The last Words which he spake were exactly these Pray pray pray nay yet pray and the more Prayers the better all prospers God is the best Physician into his Hands I commend my Spirit O Lord Jesus receive my Soul Now close mine Eyes Forgive me Father Mother Brother Sister all the World Now I am well my Pain is almost gone my Joy is at hand Lord have mercy on me O Lord receive my Soul unto thee And thus he yielded his Spirit up unto the Lord when he was about Twelve Years old This Narrative was taken out of Mr. Ambrose 's Life's Lease 11. Of a poor Child that was awakened when she was about Five Years old A certain very poor Child that had a very bad Father but it was to be hoped a very good Mother was by the Providence of God brought to the sight of a Godly Friend of mine who upon the first sight of the Child had a great pity for him and took an Affection to him and had a mind to bring him for Christ It was not long before the Lord was pleased to strike in with the Spiritual Exhortations of this good Man so that the Child was brought to a liking of the things of God He would ask very excellent Questions and Discourse about the Condition of his Soul and Heavenly Things and seemed mightily concerned what should become of his Soul when he should die so that his Discourse made some Christians even to stand astonished He was greatly taken with the great kindness of Christ in dying for Sinners and would be in Tears at the mention of them and seemed at a strange rate to be affected with the unspeakable Love of Christ After the Death of his Mother he would often repeat some of the Promises that are made unto Fatherless Children especially that in Exod. 22.22 Ye shall not afflict any Widow or the Fatherless Child if thou afflict them in any wise and they cry at all unto me I will surely hear their cry These words he would often repeat with Tears I am Fatherless and Motherless upon Earth yet if any wrong me I have a Father in Heaven who will take my part to him I commit myself and in him is all my trust Thus he continu'd in a Course of Holy Duties living in the fear of God and shewed wonderful Grace for a Child and died sweetly in the Faith of Jesus My Friend is a Judicious Christian of many Years Experience who was
no ways related to him but a constant Eye and Ear-witness of his Godly Life and Honourable and Cheerful Death from whom I received this Information 12. Of a notorious wicked Child who was taken up from begging and admirably converted with an Account of his holy Life and joyful Death when he was Nine Years old A very poor Child of the Parish of Newington-Butts came begging to the Door of a Dear Christian Friend of mine in a very lamentable Case so filthy and nasty that he would even have turned ones Stomach to have looked on him but it pleased God to raise in the Heart of my Friend a great pity and tenderness towards this poor Child so that in Charity he took him out of the Streets whose Parents were unknown who had nothing at all in him to commend him to any ones Charity but his Misery A Noble Piece of Charity And that which did make the kindness far the greater was that there seemed to be very little hopes of doing any good upon this Child for he was a very Monster of Wickedness and a thousand times more miserable and vile by his Sin than by his Poverty But this Sin and Misery was but a stronger Motive to that gracious Man to pity him and to do all that possibly he could to plack this Firebrand out of the Fire The Lord soon struck in with his godly Instructions so that an amazing Change was seen in the Child in a few Weeks space he was soon convinced of the Evil of his Ways no more News now of his calling of Names Swearing or Cursing no more taking of the Lord's Name in vain now he is Civil and Respective and such a strange alteration was wrought in the Child that all the Parish that rung of his Villany before was now ready to talk of his Reformation his Company his Talk his Employment is now changed and he is like another Creature so that the Glory of God's Free Grace began already to shine in him He was made to cry out of himself not only for his Swearing and Lying and other outwardly notorious Sins but he was in great horrour for the Sin of his Nature for the Vileness of his Heart and Original Corruption under it he was in so great anguish that the Trouble of his Spirit made him in a great measure to forget the Pains of his Body Being informed how willing and ready the Lord Christ was to accept of poor Sinners upon their Repentance and Turning and being counselled to venture himself upon Christ for Mercy and Salvation he said He would fain cast himself upon Christ but he could not but wonder how Christ should be willing to die for such a vile Wretch as he was and he found it one of the hardest things in the World to believe But at last it pleased the Lord to give him some shall hopes that there might be Mercy for him The Wednesday before he died the Child lay 〈…〉 for about half an Hour in which time be thought he saw a Vision of Angels 〈◊〉 he was out of his Trance he was in a little Pett and asked his Nurse Why she did not let him go Go whither Child said she Why along with those brave Gentlemen said he but they told me they would come and fetch me away for all you upon Friday next And he doubled his Words many times upon Friday next those brave Gentlemen will come for me And upon Friday Morning he sweetly went to rest using that very Expression Into thy Hands Lord I commit my Spirit He died punctually at that time which he had spoken of and in which he expected those Angels to come to him He was not much above Nine Years Old when he died This Narrative I had from a Judicious Holy Man unrelated to him who was an Eye and Ear-witness to all these things 13. Of a Child that was very serious at Four Years old John Sudlow was born of Religious Parents in the County of Middlesex whose great Care was to instil Spiritual Principles into him as soon as he was capable of understanding of them whose Endeavours the Lord was pleased to Crown with the desired Success so that to use the Expression of a Holy Man concerning him scarce more could be expected or desired from so little a one The first thing that did most affect him and made him endeavour to escape from the Wrath to come and to enquire what he should do to be saved was the Death of a little Brother when he saw him without Breath and not able to speak or stir and then carried out of Doors and put into a Pit-hole he was greatly concerned and asked notable Questions about him but that which was most affecting of himself and others was Whether he must die too which being answer'd it made such a deep Impression upon him that from that time forward he was exceeding serious and this was when he was about Four Years old When any Christian Friends have been Discoursing with his Father if they began to talk any thing about Religion to be sure they should have his Company and of his own accord he would leave all to hear any thing of Christ and creep as close to them as he could and listen as affectionately though it were an hour or two When he was Reading by himself in Draiton's Poems about Noah's Flood and the Ark he ask'd Who built the Ark It being answered That it was likely that Noah hired Men to help him to build it And would they said he build an Ark to save another and not go into it themselves Another Question he put was this Whether had the greater Glory Saints or Angels It being answered That Angels were the most excellent of Creatures and it 's to be thought their Nature is made capable of greater Glory than Man's He said He was of another Mind and his Reason was Because Angels were Servants and Saints are Children and that Christ never took upon him the Nature of Angels but he took upon him the Nature of Saints and by his being Man he hath advanced Human Nature above the Nature of Angels In the time of the Plague he was exceedingly concerned about his Soul and Everlasting State very much by himself upon his Knees This Prayer was found written in Short-hand after his Death O Lord God and merciful Father take pity upon me a miserable Sinner and strengthen me O Lord in thy Faith and make me one of thy Glorious Saints in Heaven O Lord keep me from this poisonous Infection however not my Will but thy Will be done O Lord on Earth as it is in Heaven but O Lord if thou hast appointed me to die by it O Lord fit me for Death and give me a good Heart to bear up under my Afflictions O Lord God and merciful Father take pity on me thy Child teach me O Lord thy Word make me strong in Faith O Lord I have sinned against thee Lord pardon my Sins I had been
by Heart and as it were made them his own He testifies likewise of Paula that she had most of the Bible by Heart and of Nepotian that with daily reading and meditating he had made his Heart Bibliothecani Christi The Library of Christ Clark's Examp. 16. Constantine the Great used to shew so much Reverence and Attention to the Word of God preached that many times he would stand up all the Sermon-time and when some of his Courtiers told him That it would tend to his Disparagement he answered That it was in the Service of the Great God who is no Respecter of Persons Clark in his Life 17. Charles the Great used to set his Crown upon the Bible as our Canutus sometime put his Crown upon the Rood both of them to intimate their Reverence c. Clark's Exam. Vol. 1. C. 119. 18. King Edward the Sixth was a diligent Attender upon Sermons heard them with great Reverence and penned them with his own Hand and studied them diligently afterwards Ibid. 19. The greatest delight of Queen Elizabeth was often to read the Bible and hear Sermons Ibid. 20. The young Lord Harrington was mighty attentive in hearing the Word of God preach'd or read Ibid. 21. Bugenhagius a Dutch Divine was so joyful when Luther and he and some others had finished the Translation of the Bible into Dutch that on that Day whereon they finished their Work he ever after invited his Friends to a Feast which he called A Feast of the Translation of the Bible Ibid. 22. Chrysostome preaching to his People used this Expression Get you Bibles by all means whatever they cost you you may better want Bread Light than the Knowledge of the Scriptures Ibid. ex Trapp 23. I can speak it by Experience saith Erasmus that there is little good to be got by the Scripture if a Man read it cursorily and carelesly but if he exercise himself therein constantly and conscionably he shall find such an efficacy in it as is not to be found in any other Book whatsoever Ibid. 24. Robert King of Sicily was so wonderfully affected with the Scriptures that speaking to Franc. Petrarcha he thus said of them I swear to you Petrarch that my Learning is more dear to me than my Kingdom and if I must want the one or the other I had much rather want my Diadem than my Learning Idem ex Cornel. de Lapide 25. I know saith Peter Martyr there are many that will never believe what we say of the Power of God's Word hidden in the Heart and not a few that will jeer us and think that we are mad for saying so But oh that they would be pleased but to make Trial Malè mihi sit ita enim in tantâ causâ juvare ausim nisi tandem capiantur Let it never go well with me for I am bold to swear in so weighty a Business if they find not themselves strangely taken and transformed into the same Image if they pass not into the Likeness of this Heavenly Pattern So Ephes 1.13 1 Thes 1.5 8. Ibid. 26. In all the Bible says the Reverend Mr. Burgesse in his Sermon in the Coll. Morn Exercise though it be an History of more than 4000 Years we read of but of One that was converted just before his Death And we do believe that he also did convert at his first Convincing Call Rarely do any savingly convert who do not upon their first Convictions convert St. Austin's stifled Convictions cost him dear You that will make so bold with Conscience as Spira did should expect to roar for it here as he did or hereafter to fare worse than many hope him to do They are considerable Divines who are not hopeless of his Salvation Thus far Mr. Burgesse 27. John an Egyptian Confessor whom Eusebius saw and heard tho' his Eyes were out and his Body mangled could repeat any passages out of the Old or New Testament whom I supposed saith he to be reading in a Book 'till coming near I was struck with great admiration Dr. Cave ' s Primitive Christian 28. Nazianzen professeth that he had willingly relinquished all other things for the sake of this Book Ibid. 29. Luther said He would not live in Paradise without the Word but with it he could live well enough in Hell Mr. Calamy 's Godly Man's Ark. 30. Gildas hath scarce one Paragraph in his Epistle unstored with Scripture and one of his chief Lamentations in Dioclesian's Persecution is for their Bibles being burnt in the Publick Markets Tho. Jones Sovereign of the Heart 31. Mr. Bradford to Willerton Bishop Bonner's Chaplain when he told him The People must learn all at the Priests not meddling with the Scriptures answered Then I see you would bring the People to hang up Christ and let Barabbas go as the Priests perswaded the People to do At which words Willerton was so offended that he had no lust to talk with him any more Fox Martyr 32. The Christians at the beginning of the Reformation were so in love with the Bible and studied it so diligently and used it in their Discourses and Disputations so frequently and boldly that Darbyshire Principal of Broadgates told Mr. Hawkes in Bishop Bonner's House You will have nothing but your little pretty God's Book Ibid. 33. Blesilla a devout Widow weak and sickly was never found without a Bible in her Hands S. Hierom. 34. Olympia Fulvia Morata born at Ferrara in a Letter to the young Princess of that place after getting out of the Idolatry of that Country saith It may seem incredible to you what a change the Lord then made upon my Spirit that former aversion I had to read the Scripture was then turned to have it as the greatest delight and pleasure in the World Anonym 35. One Captain Knox being a Prisoner in Ceilon in the East-Indies for near Twenty Years was extreamly pleased when he found there an English Bible which he purchased at a Rate and professeth That he never found Prayer so sweet to him as it was then See his Description of Ceilon 36. The Lady Jane Grey the Night before her Execution sent her Sister the Lady Catherine the Greek Testament in the end of which she wrote thus I Have here sent you Good Sister Catherine a Book which altho' it be not outwardly Printed with Gold yet inwardly it is more worth than precious Stones It is the Book dear Sister of the Law of the Lord it is his Testament and Last Will which he bequeathed to us Wretches which shall lead you to the Path of Eternal Joy and if you with a good Mind read it and with an earnest Heart purpose to follow it it shall bring you to an immortal and everlasting Life it shall teach you to live and learn you to die it shall win you more than you would have gained by the possession of your woful Father's Lands which if God had prospered you you should have inherited so that if you apply diligently this Book
Chancellor Bacon saith That Imagination is next Kin to Miracle-working Faith 25. When King Charles the First was Prisoner at Carisbrook-Castle there was a Woman Touched by him who had the King's-Evil in her Eye and had not seen in a Fortnight before her Eye-lids being glued together as they were at Prayers after the Touching the Womans Eyes opened Mr. Seymer Bowman with many others were Eye-witnesses of this 26. William Bakhouse of Swallowfield in Berk-shire Esq had an ugly Scab that grew on the middle of his Forehead which had been there for some Years and he could not be cured In his Journey to Peterborough he dreamt there That he was in a Church and saw a Hearse and that one did bid him wet his Scab with the Drops of the Marble The next Day he went to Morning-Service and afterwards going about the Church saw the very Hearse which was of Black Say for Queen Catherine Wife to King Henry the Eighth and the Marble Grave-stone by He found Drops on the Marble and there were some Cavities wherein he clip'd his Finger and wetted the Scab In Seven Days it was perfectly cured 27. Arise Evans had a fungous Nose and said It was reveal'd to him that the King's Hand would cure him and at the first coming of King Charles the Second into St. James's-Park he kiss'd the King's Hand and rubb'd his Nose with it which disturb'd the King but cured him Mr. Ashmole told me 28. There is extant a true Relation of the wonderful Cure of Mary Maillard Lame almost ever since she was born on Sunday the 26th of November 1693. With the Affidavits and Certificates of the Girl and several other credible and worthy Persons who knew her both before and since her being cured To which is added A Letter from Dr. Wellwood to the Right Honourable the Lady Mayoress upon that Subject London Printed for R. Baldwin near the Oxford-Arms in Warwick-lane 1664. 29. The following Letter I receiv'd from Mr. Moses Pitt with the Relation of Anne Jefferies Decemb. 3. 96. Reverend Sir I Have here sent you what I have Published of Anne Jefferies which you may if you please Reprint in your Collections only with these Additions which accrued not to my Memory or Information 'till after I had Published the same viz. That these Fairies are distinguished into Males and Females and than they are about the bigness of Children of Three or Four Years of Age. I also desire you to insert this Letter to me from my Kinsman Mr. Will. Tom who was the Person which Dined with the Lord Bishop of Gloucester when I told him this of Anne Jefferies and is a Merchant of as much Note as most in Devon or Cornwall and has been Mayor of Plimouth who knows Anne Jefferies who is still living as well as my self he sent me the Letter on my sending him one of the Books by Post I have the Original by me Plimouth May 12. 1696. Cous Pitt I Have yours with the inclosed Prints and do know and have heard that all in it is very true which with my Duty to my Lord Bishop of Gloucester you may acquaint his Lordship it 's needless for me to write to him I am Your Affectionate Kinsman and Servant William Tom. This is all I think needful to acquaint you with on this Subject I am Your True and Faithful Servant Moses Pitt 30. An Account of one Anne Jefferies now living in the County of Cornwall who was fed for Six Months by a small sort of Airy People called Faiâ—ies And of the strange and wonderful Cures she performed with Salves and Medicines she received from them for which she never took one Penny of her Patients In a Letter from Moses Pitt to the Right Reverend Father in God Dr. Edward Fowler Lord Bishop of Gloucester My LORD WHen about Christmass last I waited on you with my Printed Letter to the Author of a Book entituled Some Discourses upon Dr. Burnet now Lord Bishop of Salisbury and Dr. Tillotson late Lord Arch-bishop of Canterbury occasioned by the late Funeral Sermon of the former upon the latter After I had paid my Duty and Service to your Lordship you were pleased to mind me of my having told you a wonderful Story about Seventeen or Eighteen Years since in the Company of a Kinsman of mine a Tradesman of Plimouth who also confirmed part of it from his own Knowledge and the following Narrative you will sâ—â—d to contain the Substance of what you then heard And I doubt not but I could bring several other Persons now living to justifie the Truth of what I here write Nay the Person concerned who is at this time living in Cornwall must own it and a great deal more if she could be prevailed with to speak out My Lord I thought I could if any Person alive have prevail'd with her she being the Servant that attended me in my Childhood but your Lordship may see that I cannot and therefore your Lordship must be content with what I here publish I am satisfied I was not nor could be imposed on in this Affair the Particulars having made sâ— great an Impression on me from my Youth hitherto I know my Lord that the great part of the World will not believe the passages here related by reason of the strangeness of them but I cannot help their Vnbelief Your Lordship knows the Record where it 's mentioned That the great God did marvellous things in the sight of our Forefathers but for all that they sinned yet more and believed not his wondrous Works And therefore Vnbelief is no new Sin crept into the World And moreover my Lord if Men would give themselves time to think they cannot but remember that the great God has done as great and marvellous Works in our Age both in Judgment and in Mercy as be did in the Days of old by which the greatest Atheist may be convinc'd not only of the Being of a God but also that his Power and his Goodness are as manifest now as of old and therefore it 's the Duty of all that do by personal Knowledge know any extraordinary Works or Providences of God which are uncommon to publish them to the World that the great God may be glorified and Mankind edified which is purely and truly the Design of Publishing the following Narrative ANne Jefferies for that was her Maiden Name of whom the following strange things are related was born in the Parish of St. Teath in the County of Cornwall in December 1626. and she is still living 1696. being now in the Seventieth Year of her Age she is married to one William Warden formerly Hind a Hind is one that looks after the rest of the Servants the Grounds Cattel Corn c. of his Master to the late eminent Physician Dr. Richard Lower deceased and now lives as Hind to Sir Andrew Slanning of Devon Bar. I must acquaint you Sir that I have made it my Business but could not prevail to get
promising to pray for the Man and to get all the Force that he could in the Town to joyn with him he returns home about Eleven of the Clock at Night and finding there several Persons whom he intended to have sent for he desired them to joyn their Prayers with his on this Man's behalf which they continued for some part of he Night The next Morning Mr. Balsom going to Visit him again sound him in a very comfortable Condition and asked him how he did he answered Through the Goodness of God I have overcome Satan and am now as full of Comfort as I was before of Trouble Thus he continued cheerful tho' very weak all that Day and the next Morning died no Disease being apparent on him Clark's Martyr c. Wonderful Prod. p. 47. 4. The Devil of Mascon that so long molested the House of Mr. Perrheaud complained that he could not do any hurt there because they prayed so much Printed Narrative 5. Senercleus tells of a plain Country Fellow at Friburg in Germany to whom as he lay on his Death-bed the Devil appeared in the Shape of a tall grim Man claiming his Soul saying Thou hast been a notorious Sinner and I am now come to set down all thy Sins And thereupon drew out Paper and Ink and sitting down at a Table that stood by began to write The sick Man said My Soul is Christ's and all my Sins are nailed to his Cross but if thou desirest to set down my Sins write thus All our Righteousnesses are as filthy Rags The Devil set that down and bid him say on He did But thou Lord hast promised for thine own Name's-sake to blot out all our Iniquities and to make our Scarlet Sins White as Snow The Devil would not write these Words but was very earnest with the Man to go on with his former Confession Then said the sick Man with great cheerfulness The Son of God appeared to destroy the Works of the Devil Whereupon the Devil vanished and shortly after the sick Man died Clark's Mirrour ch 7. p. 33. 6. Mr. White of Dorchester to the Devil standing at his Bed's Feet said If thou hast nothing else to do thou mayest stand there still and I will betake myself to my Rest. And so composing himself to Sleep the Devil vanished away Ibid. 7. Luther lodging in the Castle at Wartzburg being troubled with Noises of the Devil 's making drove him away with saying Omnia subjecisti pedibus ejus Thou hast put all Things under his Feet Ibid. 8. Mr. Jos Allein in his Illness a little before his Death uttered these Words Away thou foul Fiend thon Enemy of all Mankind Art thou come now to molest me Now that I am just going now I am so weak and Death is upon me Trouble me not for I am none of thine I am the Lord 's Christ is mine and I am his His by Covenant I have sworn my self to be the Lords and his I will be Therefore be gone be gone be gone c. See his Life 9. A. C. 1663. One Thomas Sawdie a Boy of twelve Years of Age. Servant to Joh. Roberts of Trebilian in the Parish of Lawrack and County of Cornwal being possest by the Devil in a strange manner from whom he had received Money and falling sick after it sometimes with Fits like the Epilepsie in which he would continued for the space of seven or eight Hours sometimes like the Convulsion of which he had forty or fifty in a Day swelling of his Throat Distension of Limbs tearing off his Hair biting his own Flesh hollowing yelling whilstling neighing like a Stone-Horse lying as in a dead Sleep all Night halled out of his Bed and laid under the Bed with Arms spread abroad and such a stiffness in his Limbs that there was no bending of them without breaking them flying away from his Friends and in his Flight throwing off all his Cloaths Shirt and every thing presently drawing his Hands out and putting them in again when bound strait with a Napkin in three hard Knots getting his Legs one Arm and most of his Head through a Window where the Moulins were scarce three Inches asunder shooting his Body into a little Hole in the Wall up to the Waste of no capacity in the ordinary Course of Nature to contain such a Body as his was c. yet at last this Boy by the Prayers of three or four Ministers and other Neighbors was recovered out of this Share of the Devil He affirmed after his Recovery That at prayers he felt something as alive move out of his Belly towards his Throat upon which he then cried out He is gone he is gone and that the next Morning in the Field he went out like a Rat into a Fire which appeared near the hedge and both ascended into the Air and seemed to pass over to St. German's Town Attested by Mr. Toms Ministers Mr. Lydston Ministers Mr. Travers Ministers Mr. Teag Ministers John Roberts the Boy 's Master and Elizabeth his Wife Dorothy Sawdie Mrs. Jane Brooking and Mrs. Isabel her Daughter Tho. Geffery Hen. Palmer Constable With several others See the Printed Relation called A Return of Prayer Printed 1664. CHAP. XCV Satan hurting by Obsessions Possessions c. BY Obsessions I mean immediate Attempts and Assaults made upon the Disturbed Person by Satan or his Agents in such a manner as to discover themselves plainly to be of the Diabolical kind By Possessions the Insults of Satan in the very Body of the Person and this last way of Vexation I look upon as one of the worst when the Devil hath Power not only to Besiege the Town but to Enter the very castle and Domineer there and though there are some very late Authors that resolve all the History of the Demoniacks in the Gospel into Physical Distemperature of the Brain or Hypochondria yet I think they will be hard put to it to solve all the Difficulties and strange Occurrences of subsequent History 1. Mr. John Bruen of Stapleford in Cheshire Records the Story of a Boy called Thomas Harrison of Northwich about Eleven or Twelve Years of Age possessed with the Devil who by his Torments was brought so low that he was almost nothing but Skin and Bone yet for the space of Twenty four Hours every day having only one half hour respite which they call'd his Awaking time and wherein they gave him some Food he was of that extraordinary strength that if he folded his hands together no Man could pull them asunder if he rolled his Head or tossed his whole Body no Man could stay or restrain him He would to the great Astonishment of the Hearers Howl like a Dog Mew like a Cat Roar like a Bear Froth like a Boar when any pray'd with him his passions were strongest his Rage and Violence greatest ready to flye in their Faces and to drown their Voices by his yellings and outcries If any one came near him with a Bible though under
times sooner than Old Jude will forgive us once But Sam was of another Mind goes to Jude's House confesseth the Injury offers the Money Jude Pardons him but would take no Money This grieved him more upon which he goes to his Spiritual Father Mr. Ward opens to him the whole state of his Soul who in great tenderness poured Wine and Oyl into his Wounds See his Life See the Story of the Fire at Brightling in the last Chapter as also of the Staffordshire man that stole a Bible in the Chapter of Cursing c. 6. Rich. Rogers of Middle near Salop had a Bible stollen out of his Seat in the Church and a while after his Daughter one Morning found another thrown by the House Door which he made publick Proclamation of at Church and no body own'd or claim'd it From his own Mouth 7. Mr. Mackerness in the Narrative which himself hath publish'd of his own Life confesseth his stealing a Duck near Oxford and eating it and with great trouble of Spirit professeth himself willing to make four-fold Restitution if he knew to whom CHAP. CXVI Divine Judgments upon Sacrilege Simony SAcrilege is the Diversion of Holy and Ecclesiastick things to Profane and Secular use As Simeon and Levi so Theft and Sacrilege be evil Brethren saith Sir H. Spelman Theft robs our Neighbour Sacrilege God God himself hath told us That Lands and Houses may be sanctified to the Lord but things devoted are most Holy to the Lord Lev. 27.28 and not redeemable And the Charters of our Foundations of Monasteries and Abbies were generally in these words Concessi Deo Ecclesiae Offero Deo confirmavi Deo Ecclesiae c. Cook Magn. Chart. fol. 2.1.6 c. Simony is the Purchasing of what is Sacred and Spiritual with things of Secular Nature and Consideration Both which sins God hath appeared plainly against as may be made appear to any one that is acquainted with the History of the Church Uzzah died because be did but touch the Ark to save it He that prosaned the Sabbath was stoned Corah and his Company who medled with the things of the Priesthood wire swallowed up quick Ananias died Simon Magus was accursed 1. When Heliodorus was present in the Temple with his Soldiers ready to seize upon the Treasury by the Prayers of the People of Jerusalem the Lord of all Spirits and power shewed so great a Vision that he fell suddenly into an extream fear and trembling For there appeared unto him an Horse with a terrible Man sitting upon him most richly trapped which came fiercely and smote at him with his fore-feet Moreover there appeared two Young Men notable in Strength excellent in Beauty and comely in Apparel which stood by him on either side and scourged him with many stripes so that Heliodorus that came in with so great a company of Soldiers and Attendants was stricken dumb and carried out in a Litter upon means shoulders for his strength was so abated that he could not help himself but lay destitute of all hopes of Recovery so heavy was the Hand of God upon him until by the Prayers of Onias the High-Priest he was restored then he confessed that he which dwelt in Heaven had his Eyes on that Place and defended it from all those that came to hurt and spoil it Josephus 2. Sir Henry Spelman instanceth in these Examples following 1. William the Conqueror fires St. Peter's Church in York rifles the Monasteries destroyed Thirty Six Mother-Churches in Hampshire to make his New-Forest takes all their Plate Treasure Chalices c. Afterwards Robert his own Son rebels beats his Father and wounds both his Person and Honour Richard his beloved Son is killed in his Father's New-Forest by the goring of a Stag as Speed saith by ill Air as Cambden After which he burns the City of Manuts and Church of St. Mary's with two Anchorites upon which his Horse gives him a fall breaks his Belly his Body is forsaken by his Nobles and Servants but by the Courtesie of a Country Gentleman brought after three days to Caen in Normandy but there a Fire happening an Interruption is made again and afterwards Burial denyed by one that claimed the Ground At last a Composition being made he is Interred but the Town being afterwards taken by an Enemy his Bones are digged up and scattered as Chaff before the Wind. 2. His Son Henry Hunting in the New-Forest is Struck through the Jaws with the bough of a Tree 3. His Grandchild William second Son to Robert Eârl of Flanders in a War against his Uncle Henry the First received a small Wound in his Hand and died of it 4. Robert of Normandy the Conqueror's Eldest Son is disinherited by his Father imprison'd by his Brother Henry the First for 26 Years hath both his Eyes put out and is starved in Cardaff Gaol 5. William Rufus stores his Treasury by the Sale of Chalices and Church-Jewels and is afterwards killed by Sir Walter Tyrrel shooting at a Deer in New-Forest in the same place where a Church stood His Funeral was interrupted as his Fathers his Corpse brought by a â—iâ—â—y lean Beast to Winchester the Cart breaks by the way he is buried unlamented and his Bones after taken up and laid in a Coffin with Canutus his Bones c. 6. Hugh Earl of Shrewsbury 11th kennell'd his Dogs in the Church of S. Frydame where in the Morning they were found mad and himself afterwards fighting with the Enemy was shot dead in the Eye 7. King John rifled the Abbeys of Peterborough and Croyland and carrying his Sacrilegious Wealth to Lincoln the Earth swallows up Carts Carriages Horses and all his Church-Spoil and all the Church-spoilers the King passing the Washes in another place receives the News together with his own Sickness whereof he died 8. William Marshal Earl of Pembroke in the Irish War takes from the Bishop of Furnes two Mannors belonging to his Church is Excommunicated dies and is buried in the Temple-Church at London The Bishop sues to the King to return the Lands the King requires the Bishop to Absolve the Earl Both King and Bishop go to the Earl's Grave the Bishop is obstinate the Earl's Son is obstinate too the Bishop tells the King Sir what I have said stands immutable the Punishment of Malefactors is from the Lord and the Curse written in the Psalms will fall heavy upon Earl William in the next Generation shall his Name be forgot and his Sons shall not share the Blessing of Increase and Multiply and some of them shall die miserable Deaths and the Inheritance of all be dispersed and scattered and all this my Lord O King you shall see even in your Days With what Spirit soever the Bishop spake it in the space of Twenty Five Years all the Earl's five Sons inherited successively all die Childless particularly one in Prison and another by a fall from his Horse 9. Cardinal Woolsey while free from Sacrilege was the Catalogue of Humane
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
The Whole Written in a different Method from any thing Published on this Subject By a Person of Honour Price bound 2 s. The Secret History of White-Hall from the Restauration of Charles II. down to the Abdication of the Late King James Writ at the Request of a Noble Lord and conveyed to him in Letters By late Secretary Interpreter to the Marquess of Lovuois who by that means had the Perusal of all the Private Minutes between England and France for many Years The Whole consisting of Secret Memoirs c. Published from the Original Papers By D. Jones Gent. The whole PARABLE of Dives and Lazarus Explained and Applied Being several Sermons Preached in Cripplegate and Lothbury Churche Published at the request of the Hearers And recommended as proper to be given at Funerals Price bound 2 s. A Narative of the extraordinary Penitence of Robert Maynard who was Condemned for the Murther of John Stockton late Victualler in Grub-steet and Executed at Tybourn May 4. Together with several Conferences held with him in Newgate as also a Copy of the Paper which he left to be Published after his Death Both by Mr. Joseph Stevens Lecturer of Cripplegate and Lothbury Chruches The Dying Paftor's last Farewel to his Friends in Froome Selwood Shepton-Malleâ— brewton Wincalton and the Adjaâ—ent Parts Being several Sermons on â— John 3.15 Preached by that Learned and Pious Divine Mr. Henry Albin and prepared for the Press with his own Hand a little before his Death To which is added by another Hand an Elegy on Mrs. Mary Hamblen late of Froome in Somerser-shire Price bound 1 s. Poems on several Occasions VVrittep by the Ingenious Pindarick Lady The life of the Reverend Mr. Richard Baxter lft for the Press under his own Hand in Foliâ— The first and second Volumes of the French Book of Martyrs Published in English with Her Majesties Reâ—al Priviledge Price 20 s. The Tigurine Liturgy published with the Approbation of six Reverend Bishops Dr. Burthoggs Essay upon Reason and the Nature of Spirits Dedicateâ— to â—â— Lock Price 2 s. 6 d. The VVorks of the Right Honourable Henry late Lord Delamere and Earl of VVarrington containing his Lordships Advice to his Children several Speeches in Parliament c. with many other Occasional Discourses on the Affairs of the Two last Reigâ—s being Original Manuscripts written with his Lordships own Hand never before Printed Price bound 5 s. The General History of the Quakers both Men and VVomen from the First Rise of that sect down to this present Time Collected from Manuscripts c. A VVork never attempted before in English being written Originally in Latin by the Learned Crosius Price bound 5 s. Malbranches search after the Truth compleat in 2 Vol. Octavo To the second Part of this VVork is added the Authors Defence against the Accusations of Monsieur de la Ville also the Life of F. Malbranch of the Oratory at Paris with an Account of his VVorks and several particulars of his Controversie with Monsieur Arnaud Dr. of Sorborn and Monsieur Regis Professor in Philosophy at Paris writren by Monfieur le Vassor lately come over from Paris done out of French from the last Edition by Mr. Sault Author of the New Treatise of Algebra Both Volums 10 s. Bishop Barlow's Genuine Remains containing near 100 distinct Subjects Theological Philosophical Historical c. Published from his Lordships Papers by Sir Peter Pet Kt. Advocate General for the Kingdom of Ireland Price bound 6 s. Dr. Becker's Examination of the common Opinions concerning Spirits Apparitions their Nature Power Administration and Operations as also the Effects men are able to produce by their Communication Books now in the Press and designed for it Printed for John Dunton A Dissertation concerning the Future Conversion of the Jewish Nation Answering the Objections of the Reverend Mr. Baxter Dr. Lightfoot and others with an Enquiry into the First Resurrection By Increase Mather President of Harvard-College at Cambridge in New-England A Continuation of the Secret History of White-Hall from the Abdication of the late King James down to the Year 1696. Together with the Tragical History of the Stuarts from the first Rise of that Family down to the Death of Her Late Majesty of Blessed Memory Published from the Original Papers by D. Jones Gent. A Compendious History in Folio of the Lives and Deaths of all the most eminent Persons from the Crucifixion of our Blessed Saviour to this time By a Learned Hand who will add a Collect on of several 100 modern Lives omitted in all other works of this Nature The Church-History of New England is now almost finished including the Lives of the most eminent Divines of that Country from the first planting of it down to this present Year 1696. 'T is written by Mr. Cotton Mather Pastor of a Church in Boston from whom I shall receive the Manuscript Copy as oon as compleated and being a large Work 't will be Printed in Folio by way of Subscription The third and fourth Volumes of the French Book of Martyrs The Lord Faulkland's VVorks Secretary of State to King Charles the I. in Folio The second Edition of Right Christianity by the Reverend Mr. Matthew Barker Debates upon several Nice and Curious Points Price 2 s. 6 d. Conferences about the ill Practices of some vile Persons FINIS
forgiven the same loveth much The Forgiveness of our Sins will be an Endearment of our Affections and provoke us to love God better and delight more in our blessed Sight and Enjoyment of him 'T is true our Natures by our Apostasie are soyl'd and deformed 't is the Work of Grace to smooth and imbellish them This is the World the School the Stage where we are dressing our selves and putting on the Wedding-Garment of Holiness that at the Marriage of the Lamb and his Bride the Church we may be qualified for Happiness Christ is now washing our Souls clean by the Waters of Repentance the Graces of his Spirit and the Blood of his Cross that when we come into that heavenly Jerusalem that pure City we may be found clean all over If I wash thee not thou hast no part in me John 13.8 And Eph. 5.25 26 27. Christ loved the Church and gave himself that he might sanctifie and cleanse it And believe it that 's no light matter but it puts the God of Heaven upon infinite Charges and costs him not only many a Mercy many a Check Rod and Judgment upon us but the Graces of his Spirit the Blood of his Son the Calls of his Ministry and a continual Providence and Care for us Look over all this and say when there is such Hacking and Hewing so much Care and Concernment with Compass and Chizzel to carve the Stones of the Building what a mighty Glory is the Structure design'd for The Walls of Babylon they say were a Work of many Years I need not tell you how great or stately they were you may guess the Greatness of the Work by the Labour about it they say Three hundred thousand Men were continually employed in it for many Years From the Preparation made for Solomon's Temple the Stock left in Banco by David to that end the Gold from Ophir the Cedars from Lebanon the Thousands of Workmen about it you may guess the Glory of the Building These are but Shadows but poor Emblems to the New Jerusalem 2. The Place The very Name of it is sweet and glorious Where it lies I take not upon me to tell you 't is enough to me 't is somewhere not in Hell not on Earth but above them both therefore above the Evils of them both The Scripture gives us a large Account of the Excellency of that place above this World by excluding all the Evils Inconveniences and Disadvantages we are subject to here out of it Where-ever 't is 't is in no part of the Elementary World no not in any of the visible Orbs of the Heavens over our Heads The whole Universe is but a Scaffold to the Building to be taken down at the Last Day in order to the Commencement of that glory The Heavens themselves shall submit to the common Fate of the Universal Conflagration the Sun and Moon and all the apparent material Host of Heaven shall be dissolved and burn'd up like a Scroll into Ashes Vanity and Nothing The Elements themselves shall all melt with fervent Heat whole Nature shall stoop and a final Period be put to the Transactions of Things here and then a vast Space will be made void and empty to erect the Eternal Kingdom in What some Men guess of a Local Heaven above the Firmament I presume they have it all without Book For of the Place as well as Day knows no Man on Earth Behold the Heaven of Heavens is not able to contain the Majesty of the Great God and the Glory of his court and therefore I humbly conceive with deference to wiser Heads that one reason of taking down the Fabrick of this World then is to let the Glory of the Infinite God have free Scope and full Liberty not for his sake for nothing can obstruct his Power especially no Bars Bolts or Paper-walls and thin Enclosures of his own making but for our sakes whose Sence is finite and Faculties limited Psal 148.13 His Name is exalted his Glory is above the Earth and Heaven 'T is true we are told Psal 115.16 The Heaven even the Heavens are the Lords but the Earth he hath given to the Children of Men. But I suppose that means no more than that the Spheres above the Clouds especially the Firmament where the Sun Moon and Stars are do in especial manner shew forth the Power Goodness and Wisdom of God whereas the Earth is more immediately and directly made subservient to our use When the Scripture speaks of the last Glory it expresses it by the Name of New Heavens and a New Earth wherein dwells Righteousness i. e. If I mistake not a new World instead of both And thô we find still in Holy Writ the Throne of God and the Seat of the Blessed placed in Heaven that is but a lisping Phrase a condescending Figure that God useth to express himself to Man by such means as he is aptest to understand because we look upon those higher Parts the most Noble and Glorious of the World and withal to take off our Eyes Thoughts and Affections from the drossy Sediment of this Earth that lies below to teach us that our Happiness lies not here but we must look for it out of this World 3. The Riches of the Place Which are very great And if you ask how we may know that I answer by observing what comes thence How know we the Riches of the East and West-Indies but by taking Notice of the Wealth and Commodities that are carried out of those Countries and the Reports of them that have been there 1. The Riches that come thence What is there here that hath the Name of Goodness writ upon it which came not first from that Fountain The Earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof Every Beast of the Forest is his and the Cattle upon a Thousand Hills 'T is his Sun that shines upon our Heads and his Earth that is under our Feet and his Air that we draw with our Health and his Rain that makes our Fields fruitful the very Essence Existence and Excellence of this World and all Things in it are derived from that Original Whatever Things are beautiful strong wise good pleasant desirable these all are but Drops from that Ocean Every good Gift comes from above our Health Wealth Life and Learning are but lesser Tokens sent us out of that Country What have we here that is delightful or of any Account with us which is not there in a much more eminent manner In short here 's a Dungeon there 's a Paradise here we live we sin we die like Children of Men there we shall be as the Children of God like Angels glorified Creatures Here 's a World of Confusion Disorder and Discomfort there 's a Kingdom and Crowns for every Head Crowns incorruptible and full of Glory You may guess the Fruits of Canaan by the Eshcol the Cluster of Grapes that comes thence the Glory of Heaven by the little Beams that are darted hither
an Angel that gave the Boy Bread and Cheese Manlius Folio 17. Batman's Doom p. 421. 18. Mr. Patrick Simpson's Wife Martha Barson in her last Sickness was sorely Assaulted by Satan who suggested to her that she should be given over into his hands And it ended in a Visible Distraction which for a time grew upon her So that most unlike to her former practice she would break forth into dreadful and horrid Expressions and it was most violent on a Sabbath Morning when Mr. Simpson was going to Preach whereupon with an heavy Countenance he stood silent for a time and at last kneeled down and Prayed which she no whit regarded After which he turned to the Company that were present and said that he was sure that they who were now Witnesses of that sad hour should yet see a Gracious change and that the Devil's Malice against that poor Woman should have a shameful toil Her Distraction still continued untill Tuesday August the Ninth which Morning at the very dawning of it he went into his Garden and shut the Door where for many hours he was alone But a Godly VVoman one Mrs. Helen Garner VVife to one of the Bayliffs of Sterling who had been with his VVife all Night apprehending that Mr. Simpson might much wrong himself by much grief and fasting by some help she did climb over into the Garden But as she came near to the place where Mr. Simpson was she was terrified with an Extraordinary Noise which made her fall to the Ground It seemed to her like a mighty Rushing of Multitudes running together and withal she heard such a Melodious sound as made her Judge that it was more then humane VVhereupon she prayed to God to pardon her Rashness which her Affections to that Good Man of God had carried her to Yet afterwards going forwards she found him lying upon the ground she earnestly intreated him to tell her what he had from God He whom she had promised not to reveal it so long as he lived said O what am I being but Dust and Ashes that the Holy ministring Spirit should be sent by the Lord to deliver a message to me Adding that he had seen a Vision of Angels who did with an audible Voice give him an Answer from the Lord concerning his Wife's condition And returning into his House he said to all that were present Be of good cheer for e're ten hours be past I am sure that this Brand shall be plucked out of the Fire After praying by his VVife's Bed-side and making mention of Jacob's wrestling in Prayer she sate upright in the Bed and drawing aside the Curtain said Thou art this day Jacob who hast wrestled and also prevailed And now God hath made good his words which he spake this Morning to you for I am plucked out of the hands of Satan and he shall have no more Power over me This Interruption made him silent a while as I remember my self was in the Case of my Maid Mary Holland mentioned before But afterwards with great melting of heart he proceeded in Prayer and Magnified the Riches of Gods Love towards her And from that hour she spake most Comfortably and Christianly even to her Death which was Friday following Aug. 13. A. C. 1601. Her last words were with a loud Voice Come Lord Into thy hands I commend my Spirit Clark's Lives last Vol. p. 217 218. 19. In the Year 1539 not far from Sitta in Germany in the time of a great Dearth and Famine a certain Godly Matron having two Sons and destitute of all manner of Sustenance went with her Children to a certain Fountain hard by praying unto Almighty God that he would there relieve their Hunger by his infinite goodness As she was going a certain Man met her by the way and saluted her kindly and asked her whither she was going who confessed that she was going to that Fountain there hoping to be relieved by God to whom all things are possible for if he nourished the Children of Israel in the Desart 40 years how is it hard for him to nourish me and my Children with a Draught of Water And when she had spoken these Words the Man which was doubtless an Angel of God told her that seeing her Faith was so constant she should return Home and there should find Six Bushels of Meal for her and her Children The Woman returning found that true which was promised Beard 's Theat p. 442. 20. Under the Emperor Mauritius the City of Antioch was shaken with a terrible Earthquake after this manner There was a certain Citizen so given to bountifulness to the Poor that he would never Sup nor Dine unless he had one poor Man to be with him at his Table Upon a certain Evening seeking for such a Guest and finding none a Grave Old Man met him in the Market-place cloathed in white with Two Companions with him whom he entreated to sup with him But the Old Man answered him That he had more need to pray against the destruction of the City and presently shook his Handkerchief against One part of the City and then against another and being hardly entreated forbore the rest Which he had no sooner done but those Two parts of the City terribly shaken with an Earthquake were thrown to the Ground and Thousands of Men slain Which this good Citizen seeng trembled exceedingly To whom the Old Man in white answered and said by reason of Charity to the Poor his House and Family were preserved And presently these three Men which to question were Angels vanished out of sight This Story Sigisbert in his Chronicle reporteth Anno 583. 21. Hottinger tells a strange Story out of Nauclerus and Evagr. to this purpose it was an ancient custom at Constantinople at Communion to call for the Young Children that went to School and give them the Parcels of Bread and Wine that were left at doing of which the child of a certain Nobleman a Jew was with the Children who took of the Bread and Eat with them his angry Father who was a Glass-Maker put him into an Oven burning hot with Coals his Mother after Three Days finding him alive in the Furnace he told her a Woman in Purple habit came often to him and brought VVater to quench the Coals and Meat to allay his Hunger The Mother and the Child were afterwards Converted and Baptized and the Father Crucified by command of Justinian the Emperor Mr. Beard relates the same out of Nicephorus Lib. 17. Chap. 35. See more in The Chapters of Miraculous Cures of Diseases and Earnests of a Future Retribution and the last Example in the Ch. of Prediction of Prophets c. 22. Oh! said Mrs. Katharine Stubs upon her Death-bed if you saw such glorious Sight as I see you would rejoyce with me for I see a Vision of the Joys of Heaven and of the Glory that I shall go unto and I see infinite Millions of Angels attendant upon me and watching to carry
my Soul into the Kingdom of Heaven See her Life 23. I Remember says Mr. Increase Mather in his Disc of Angels that once in Discourse with the Learned Doctor Spencer in Cambridge concerning his Book of Prodigies he said to me that his Judgment was That the Evil Angels had Prenotions of many Future Things and did accordingly give strange Premonitions of them No doubt it is often so and yet as Lavater Schottus and others have noted there are sometimes Things signified by Angels which it is not easie to determine of what sort those Genii are VVhat shall be thought of the Phantom which appeared to General Vesselini assuring him that he might take the City of Muran by the Assistance of a Widow which Lived in that City which strangely came to pass accordingly in the Year 1644. There comes to my mind a very Unaccountable Thing which happened at London above Thirty Years ago It was this One Mr. Cutty an honest Citizen passing between Milk-street and Wood-street in Cheap-side on March 2d 1664 took up a Letter Sealed The Superscription whereof was these VVords following From Geneva to a Friend VVithin the Letter these VVords were written This is to give both timely and speedy Notice that in the Year 1665 in the latter end of May shall begin a Plague and hold very hot till the latter end of December and then cease but not quite and then go on till the latter end of the Spring the next Year And in 1665 and 66 putting both together shall not only happen a Plague but great Sea Fights such as the like was scarce ever heard of and this shall not be all but in the Year 1666 on the Second of September shall happen a Fire that shall burn down one of the Eminentest Cities in the World Mr. Cutty carried the Letter to the then Lord Mayor A Reverend Divine in London who was of his Acquaintance had a Copy of it before the sad Things here Predicted came to pass and at my last being at London was pleased to favour me with it as 't is here Related This Account being certainly true and very surprizing I thought it not unworthy the Publication 24. There are sometimes very unaccountable Motions and Impressions on the Spirits of good men which are wrought in them by the ministry of Holy Angels whose work it is to prevent and disappoint the Designs of Satan and of his evil Angels I remember one relates a remarkable Passage of a good man that when he was reading in his House he could not rest in his Spirit but he must step out of Doors which he had no sooner done but he saw a Child in a Pond of VVater ready to perish which would have been gone past recovery had not he gone out of his Doors just at that moment This Impression must needs be from a good Angel And an other like Passage is related in the Life of that Holy Man Mr. Dod One Evening though he had other work to attend he could not but he must got to such a Neighbour's House when he came to him he told him he knew not what he was come for but he could not rest in his Spirit until he had visited him The poor man was astonished for he had in the Violence of a Temptation put a Rope into his Pocket with an intent to have destroyed himself had not Mr. Dod's thus coming prevented it Surely an Angel of the Lord was in this Providence Bishop Hall speaks of one whom he knew that having been for Sixteen Years a Cripple had these monitions in his Sleep that he should go and wash in St. Matherns Well in Cornwell which he did and was suddenly recovered This he thinks was from Angelical Suggestion Marcus Aurelius Antoninus did in a Dream receive the Prescript of a Remedy for his Disease which the Physitians could not cure A Physitian of Vratislavium followed the Counsel he had given him in a Dream concerning the cure of a Disease which was to him incurable and he recovered the Patient It added to the wonder that a few Years after he met with that Receipt in a Book then newly Printed Histories report that the like to this happened to Philip and to Galen If Angels may Suggest things beneficial unto the minds of Men who are Strangers to God much more unto them that fear him Thus far Mr. Mather Converse with Angels and Spirits Extracted from the Miscellanies of John Aubery Esq 25 Dr. Richard Nepier was a Person of great Abstinence Innocence and Piety He spent every Day Two Hours in Family Prayer When a Patient or Querent came to him he presently went to his Closet to Pray and told to admiration the Recovery or Death of the Patient It appears by his Papers that he did converse with the Angel Raphael who gave him the Responses 26. Elias Ashmole Esq had all his Papers where is contained all his Practice for about Fifty Years which he Mr. Ashmole carefully bound up according to the year of our Lord in Volumes in Folio which are now reposited in the Library of the Museum in Oxford Before the Responses stands this Mark viz. R â„ž is which Mr. Ashmole said was Responsum Raphaelis The Angel told him if the Patient were curable or incurable There are also severalâ— other Queries to the Angel as to Religion Transubstantiation c. which I have forgot I remember one is Whether the Good Spirits or the Bad be most in Number R â„ž is The Good It is to be found there that he told John Prideaux D. D. Anno 1621 that Twenty Years hence 1641 he would be a Bishop and he was so sc Bishop of Worcester R â„ž is did resolve him That Mr. Booth of in Cheshire should have a Son that should inherit Three Years hence sc Sir George Booth the first Lord Delamere viz. from 1619. Sir George Booth aforesaid was born Decemb. 18th Anno 1622. This I extracted out of Dr. Nepier's Original Diary then in the possession of Mr. Ashmole It is impossible that the Prediction of Sir George Booth's Birth could be found any other way but by Angelical Revelation This Dr. Richard Nepier was Rector of Lynford in Bucks and did practise Physickâ— but gave most to the Poor that he got by it 'T is certain he foretold his own Death to a Day and Hour he died Praying upon his Knees being of a very great Age 1634. April the First One says why should one think the Intellectual World less Peopled than the Material Pliny in his Natural History tells us that in Africa do sometimes appear Multitudes of Aerial Shapes which suddenly Vanish Mr. Richard Baxter in his certainty of the World of Spirits hath a Discourse of Angels and wonders they are so little taken notice of he hath counted in Newman's Concordance of the Bible the word Angel in above 300 places Thus far Mr. Aubery CHAP. III. Concerning the Appearance of bad Angels or Daemons HEre I have a great Task and
Bodys swollen with bruises This was attested by Colonel Rogers the Governour of Hereford by a Letter to Mr. Baxter Dated August 23. 1656. As likewise by Mr. Sam. Jones's of Cocdreken Mr. Maur. Bedwell's of Swansy Mr. Daniel Higs and Captain Samuel Foley's both of Clonmell 16. In the year of our Lord 1652. Mary the Daughter of Edward Ellins of the Burrough of Evesham in the County of Worcester Gardiner then about nine or ten years old went in the Fields on a Saturday with some other children to gather Cowslips and finding in a Ditch by the way side at the said Town 's End one Catherine Huxley a single Woman Aged then about Forty years as is supposed easing Nature the children called her Witch and took up Stones to throw at her the said Mary also called her Witch and took up a Stone but was so affrighted that she could not throw it at her then they all run away from her and the said Mary being hindmost this Huxley said to her Ellins you shall have Stones enough in your Whereupon Mary fell that day very ill and continued so Weak and Languishing that her Friends feared she would not recover but a Month after she began to void Stones by the urinary Passages and some little Urine came away from her also when she voided any Stone the Stone she voided was heard by those that were by her to drop into the Pot or Bason and she had most grievous Pains in her Back and Reins like the pricking of Pins the Number of the Stones she voided was about eighty some plain Pebbles some plain Flints some very small and some about an Ounce Weight this she did for some space a Month or two or thereabouts until upon some strong Suspicions of Witchcraft the forenamed Huxley was apprehended examined and searched at whose Beds-head there was found several Stones such as the said Mary voided and was sent to Worcester where at the Summer Assizes in the said Year 1652. then at hand she was upon the Prosecution of the Friends of the said Mary Condemned and Executed Hist Disc of Apparitions and Witches p. 44. 17. Mr. Samuel Clark hath published the Apparition to Mr. White of Dorchester assessor to the Westminister assembly at Lambeth that the Devil in a light Night stood by his Bed-side She looked a while whether he would say or do any thing and then said If thou hast nothing else to do I have and turned himself to sleep Many say it from Mr. White himself Hist Disc of Apparitions and Witches p. 63. 18. Conveyances through the Air c. by Invisible Powers Extracted from the Miscellanies of John Aubery Esq In a Letter from the Reverend Mr. Paschal Rector of Chedzay in Somersetshire to Mr. Aurbery are these words Viz. The most Remarkable of all happen'd in that Day that I passed by the Door in my return hither which was Easter-Eve when Fry returning from Work that little he can do he was caught by the Woman Spectre by the Skirts of his Doublet and carried into the Air he was quickly mist by his Master and the Workmen and great enquiry was made for Fran. Fry but no hearing of him but about half an Hour after Fry was heard Whistling and Singing in a kind of a Quagmire He was now affected as he was wont to be in his Fits so that none regarded what he said but coming to Himself an Hour after he solemnly protested That the Daemon carried him so high that he saw his Master's House underneath him no bigger than an Hay-cock that he was in perfect Sense and prayed God not to suffer the Devil to destroy him That he was suddenly set down in that Quagmire The Workmen found one Shooe on one side of the House and the other Shooe on the other side his Periwig was espied next Morning hanging on the Top of a tall Tree It was soon observ'd that Fry's part of his Body that had laid in the Mud was much benum'd and therefore the next Saturday which was the Eve of Low-Sunday they carried him to Crediton to be let Blood which being done and the Company having left him for a little while returning they found him in a Fit with his Fore-head all bruised and swoln to a great bigness none being able to guess how it came till he recover'd himself and then he told them That a Bird flew in at the Window with a great force and with a Stone in its Mouth flew directly against his Fore-head The People looked for it and found on the Ground just under where he sate not a Stone but a weight of Brass or Copper which the People were breaking and parting it among themselves He was so very ill that he could not ride but one Mile or little more that Nighr since which time I have not heard of him save that he was ill handled the next Day being Sunday Indeed Sir you may wonder that I have not Visited that House and the poor afflicted People especially since I was so near and passed by the very Door I am very well assured of the Truth of what I have Written and as more appears you shall hear from me again 19. A Copy of a Letter from a Learned Friend of mine in Scotland Dated March 25. 1695. Honoured Sir I received yours Dated May 24 1694. In which you desire me to send you some Instances and Examples of Transportation by an Invisible Power The true cause of my delaying so long to reply to that Letter was not want of Kindness but of sit Materials for such a Reply As soon as I read your Letter of May 24. I called to mind a Story which I heard long ago concerning one of the Lord Duffus in the Shire of Murray his Predecessors of whom it is reported That upon a time when he was walking abroad in the Fields near to his own House he was suddenly carried away and â—ound the next day at Paris in the French King's Cellar with a Silver Cup in his Hand that being brought into the King's Presence and Question'd by him Who he was And how he came thither He told his Name his Countrey and the place of his Residence and that on such a Day of the Month which proved to be the Day immediately preceeding being in the Fields he heard the noise of a Whirl-wind and of Voices crying Horse and Hattock this is the World which the Fairies are said to use when they remove from any place whereupon he cried Horse and Hattock also and was immediately caught up and Transported through the Air by the Fairies to that place where after he had Drunk heartily he fell asleep and before he awoke the rest of the Company were gone and had left him in the posture wherein he was found It 's said the King gave him the Cup which was found in his Hand and dismiss'd him This Story if it could be sufficiently attested would be a Neble Instance for your purpose for which cause I
tell any one of it The Gentlewoman died and afterwards in a Tavern in London he spake of it and there going to make Water the Ghost of the Gentlewoman did appear to him He was afterwards troubled with the Apparition of her even sometimes in Company when he was drinking but he only perceiv'd it Before she did appear he did find a kind of a Chilness upon his Spirits she did appear to him in the morning before he was kill'd in a Duel This Account I have from an intimate Friend of mine who was an Acquaintance of his 13. In James-street in Covent-Garden 1647. did lodge a Gentlewoman a handsome Woman but common who was Mr. Mohun's Son to the Lord Mohun Sweet-heart Mr. Mohun was murthered about Ten a Clock in the Morning and at that very time his Mistress being in Bed saw Mr. Mohun come to her Bed-side drew the Curtain looked upon her and went away She call'd upon him but no answer She knock'd for her maid ask'd her for Mr. Mohun she said she did not see him and had the Key of her Chamber Door in her Pocket This Account I had from the Gentlewoman's own mouth and her maid's A parallel Story to this is That Mr. Brown Brother-in-law to the Lord Conningsby discover'd his being murther'd to several His Phantome appear'd to his Sister and her maid in Fleet-street about the time he was Killed in Herefordshire which was about a Year since 1693. 14. I must not forget an Apparition in my Country which appear'd several times to Dr. Turbervile's Sister at Salisbury which is much talk'd of One marry'd a second Wife and contrary to the Agreement and Settlement at the first VVife's marriage did wrong the Children by the first Venter The Settlement was hid behind a VVainscot in the Chamber where the Doctor 's Sister did lie And the Apparition of the first VVife did discover it to her By which means Right was done to the first Wife's Children 15. One Mr. Towes who had been School-fellow with Sir George Villers the Father of the first Duke of Buckingham and was his Friend and Neighbour as he lay in his Bed awake and it was Day-light came into his Chamber the Phantome of his dear Friend Sir George Villers Said Mr. Towes to him Why you are Dead what make you here Said the Knight I am dead but cannot rest in Peace for the Wickedness and Abomination of my Son George at Court I do appear to you to tell him of it and to advise and dehort him from his Evil ways Said Mr. Towes The Duâ—e will not believe me but will say that I am Mad or Dâ—at Said Sir George Go to him from me and tell him by such a Token some Mole that he had in some secret place which none but himself knew of Accordingly Mr. Tomes went to the Duke who laugh'd at his message At his return home the Phantome appear'd again and told him that the Duke would be stabb'd he drew out a Dagger a quarter of a Year after and you shall outlive him half a Year and the Warning that you shall have of your Death will be That your Nose shall fall a-bleeding All which accordingly fell out so 16. The Learned Henry Jacob Fellow of Merton-College in Oxford died at Dr. Jacob's M. D. House in Canterbury About a Week after his Death the Doctor being in Bed and awake and the Moon shining bright saw his Cousin Henry standing by his Bed in his Shirt with a white Cap on his Head and his Beard mustaches turning up as when he was alive The Doctor pinched himself and was sure he was awaked He turned to the other side from him and after some time took Courage to turn the other way again towards him and Henry Jacob stood there still he should have spoken to him but did not for which he has been ever since sorry About half an Hour after he vanished Not long after this the Cook-maid going to the Woodpile to fetch VVood to dress Supper saw him standing in his Shirt upon the VVoodpile This Account I had in a Letter from Dr. Jacob. 1673. relating to his Life for Mr. Anthony Word which is now in his Hands 17 Mr. T. M. an old Acquaintance of mine hath assured me that about a quarter of a Year after his VVives Death as he lay in Bed awake with his little Grand-child his Wife open'd the Closet Door and came into the Chamber to the Bedside and looked upon him and stooped down and kissed him her Lips were warm he fancied they would have been cold He was about to have embraced her but was afraid it might have done him hurt When she went from him he asked when he should see her again she turn'd about and smiled but said nothing The Closet Door striked as it uses to do both at her coming in and going out 18. Mr. Jo. Lydall or Trinity-College Soc. Oxon. March 11. 1649 50. Attests the ensuing Relation in a Letter to Mr. Aubrey thus Mr. Aubrey Concerning that which happened at Woodstock I was told by Mr. W. Haws who now lives with Sir William Fleetwood in the Park That the Committee which sat in the Mannor-house for Selling the King's Lands were frighted by strange Apparitions and that the Four Surveyors which were sent to measure the Park and Lodged themselves with some other Companions in the Mannor were pelted out of their Chambers by Stones thrown in at the Windows but from what Hands the Stones came they could not see that their Candles were continually put out as fast as they lighted them and that one with his Sword drawn to defend a Candle was with his own Scabbard in the mean time well Cudgell'd so that for the Blow or for fear he fell Sick and the others forced to remove some of them to Sir William Fleetwood's House and the rest to some other places But concerning the cutting of the Oak in particular I have nothing Your Friend To be commanded to my power John Lydall 19. A Minister who liv'd by Sir John Warre in Somersetshire about 1665 walking over the Park to give Sir John a Visit was rencounter'd by a venerable old Man who said to him Prepare your self for such a day which was about three Days after you shall die The Minister told Sir John Warre and my Lady this Story who heeded it not On the Morning fore-warn'd Sir John calls upon the Parson early to ride a Hunting and to Laugh at his Prediction His Maid went up to call him and found him stark dead This from my Lady Katherine Henly who had it from my Lady Warre 20. Dr. Twiss Minister of the New Church at Westminster told me That his Father Dr. Twiss Prolocutor of the Assembly of Divines and Author of Vindiciae when he was a School-Boy at Winchester saw the Phantome of a School-fellow of his deceased a Rakehell who said to him I am damned This was the occasion of Dr. Twiss the Fathers Conversion who had been before
give him them both my Goldsmith and my Medal vanished away together by your awakening of me Being arrived at Nismes and having not forgot his Dream he went to walk in the City till such time as Dinner was ready and passing up and down he went into a Goldsmith's Shop to ask him whether he had any Rarity to show him whereupon the Goldsmith answered That he had a Julius Caesar of Gold Monsieur de Peirese asked the Price of it he answered four Crowns which thing did fill the mind of that great Person both with Joy and Admiration as well for that he had found a Rarity which he had long very much fought for as also for the surprizing and strange manner whereby it came to his hand Ibid. 32. I have heard the late Monsieur Cameron a Person whose memory will be ever Blessed in our Churches say that he had from the mouth of Monsieur Calignen Chancellor of Navarre a Man of singular Virtue a memorable Passage that befel him in Bearne He went into a certain Town in the Countrey either for Diversion or for some Reason relating to his Health for he did not acquaint me either with the place or the occasion of the Journey one Night as he was asleep he heard a Voice which call'd him by his Name Calignon hereupon waking and hearing no more of it he imagin'd that he had Dreamed and fell asleep again a little after he heard the same Voice calling him in the same manner which made a greater Impression upon him then before So that being awaken'd he call'd his Wife who lay with him and told her what had happen'd so that they both lay a wake for some time expecting whether they might hear the Voice and whether it would say any thing more to them At last the Voice awaken'd him the third time calling him by his Name and advis'd him to retire presently out of the Town and to remove his Family for that the plague would rage horribly in that place within few days to which he added that it was very well that he followed this direction for as much as within few days after the Plague began in the Town and destroy'd a great Number of People This was certainly an Angel that spake to him who by the favourable and benign Providence of God drew him out of that danger which otherwise had been unavoidable For whether the Plague came by the Infection of the Air or by the Communion of some Infectious Persons or whether some Sorcerers and Witches as they say they sometimes do had resolv'd to diffuse their Infectious Poisons in that place it was that which did not exceed the Knowledge of an Angel Now if these Blessed Spirits which are appointed as a Guard of Pious Men in obedience to Gods Command do sometimes by speaking give them such Advertisements they also by the same command may convey the same Notices to them by Dreams The History of the last Age doth so fully attest the Truth of that of Lewis of Bourbon Prince of Conde that we cannot reasonably doubt thereof A little before his Journey from Dreux he Dreamed that he had fought three Bâ—â—els successively one after another wherein he had got the Victory and where his three great Enemies were Slain But that at last he also was mortally wounded and that after they were laid one upon another he also was laid upon their Dead Bodys the event was Remarkable For the Marshal de St. Andre was killed at Dreux the Duke of Guise Francis of Lorrain at Orleans the Constable of Montmorency at St. Dennis and this was the Triumvirate which they say had Sworn the ruin of those of the Religion and the Destruction of that Prince at last he himself was slain at Bassac as if there had been a Continuation of Deaths and Funerals Ibid. p. 120. 33. Zuinglius A.C. 1525 when the Mass was Abolished at Zurick being attach'd by a certain Scribe or Notary before the Bench of Senators which then consisted of 200 concerning the Real presence of the Sacrament debated the point with him and one Engelhard a Popish Doctor that day But some of the ruder sort repining demanded some Example out of the Scripture to shew that those words This is my Body were not spoken Parabolically Hereupon he began to revolve all things yet no Example came into his mind but a few Nights after Zuinglius Dreamed that he contended again with the Scribe till he was weary and at last was so dumb that he could not speak whereupon he was exceedingly troubled But after a while a Moniter came to him from above who said O thou sluggard Aâ—ise Why dost thou not Answer him with that which is Written in Exod. 12. This is the Lord 's Passover Immediately he awaked and leaping out of his Bed examined the Text and the next day disputed it before the whole Assembly which was entertained with such Approbation that all were satisfied And saith he the three next days we had the greatest Sacraments that ever I saw and the Number of them that look'd back to the Garlick and Flesh-Pots of Egypt was for less then Men thought they would have been Clark's Marr. of Eccl. Hist p. 150. ex Zuingl 34. Famous Salmsius intending to see Rome was Admonished in his Dream that if he went he should not return alive and had he gone probably he had not as being one that had so much provoked the Papists by his Learned labours especially in his care of Publishing and Polishing Nilus and Barlaam two eager Enemies of the Papal Monarchy Vita Salmas per Anton. Clem. Salmas Epist praefixa 35. Pope Innocent the fourth Dreamed that Robert Grosthead Bishop of Lincoln came to him and with his stast struck him on the side and said Surge miser veni ad Judicium Rise wretch and come to Judgment after which Dream within a few days the Pope ended his Life Simps Ch. Hist cent 13. p. 449. 36. Mr. Thomas Tilson Minister of Aylesford in Kent gives this strange Relation in a Letter to Mr. Baxter 1691. Reverend Sir Being informed that you are Writing about Witchcraft and Apparitions I take the Freedom tho a stranger to send you his following Relation Mary the Wife of John Goffe of Rochester being afflicted with a long illness removed to her Fathers house at West-Mulling which is about Nine Miles distant from her own There she died June the 4th this present Year 1691. The day before her departure she grew very impatiently desirous to see her two Children whom she had lest at home to the care of the Nurse She prayed her Husband to hire a Horse for she must go home and dye with her Children When they perswaded her to the contrary telling her she was not able to sit on Horseback she intreated them however to try If I cannot sit said she I will lye all along upon the Horse for I must go to see my poor Babes A Minister who lives in the Town was
speedy approaching of his final Destruction Fuller Abel Rediv. p. 32. 8. John Knox to the Earl of Morton who came to visit him in his Sickness said my Lord GOD hath given you many Blessings Wisdom Honour Nobility Riches many good and great Friends and he is now about to prefer you to the Government of the Realm the Earl of Marr the late Regent being newly dead in His Name I charge you use these Blessings better than formerly you have done seeking first the Glory of God the Furtherance of his Gospel the Maintenance of his Church and Ministry and then be careful of the King to procure his Good and the Welfare of the Realm if you do thus God will be with you and honour you if otherwise he will deprive you of all these Benefits and your end shall be Shame and Ignominy These Speeches the Earl call'd to mind about nine Years after at the time of his Execution saying That he had found John Knox to be a Prophet Fuller Abel Rediv. p. 322. 9. The same Knox a day or two before his Death calling Mr. Lindsey and Mr. Lawson to him the two Preachers of the Church said There is one thing that grieveth me exceedingly you have some time seen the Courage and Constancy of the Laird of Graing in the cause of God and now that unhapyy Man is casting himself away I pray you go to him from me and tell him that unless he forsake that wicked Course that he is in the Rock wherein he confides shall not defend him nor the Carnal Wisdom of the Man which he counts half a God which was young Leskington shall yeild him Help but he shall be shamefully pull'd out of that Nest and his Carcass hung before the Sun meaning the Castle which he kept against the King's Authority for his Soul is dear to me and if it were possible I would fain have him saved Accordingly they went to him conferr'd with him but could by no means divert him from his course But as Knox had foretold so the Year after his Castle was taken and his Body was there publickly hang'd before the Sun yet he did at his Death express a serious Repentance Ibid. p. 323. 10. How Mr. Dod by a secret Impulse of Spirit went at an unseasonable time to visit a Neighbour whom he found with a Halter in his Pocket going to hang himself and by such a seasonable Visit prevented his Death See elsewhere in this Book 11. Dr. Bernard in the Life of Arch-bishop Vsher tells us That the Bishop himself had confessed in his Hearing that oftentimes in his Sermons he found such warm Motions and Impulses upon his Mind to utter some things which he had not before intended to deliver or not to deliver with so much Briskness and Peremptoriness that he could not easily put them by without present Expression and Delivery I remember not the Doctor 's words but of this nature were those remarkable Predictions of his concerning the Massacre in Ireland and his own Poverty c. which because I have not Bishop Vsher's Life by me written by Dr. Bernard take out of Mr. Clark Upon the Suspension of the Statute in Ireland against the Toleration of Papists Preaching before the State at Dublin making Application of that Text Ezek. c. 4. v. 6. where the Prophet by lying on his Side was to bear the Iniquity of Judah for 40 days I have appointed thee saith the Lord each day for a year This saith he by the Consent of Interpreters signifies the time of 40 Years to the Destruction of Jerusalem and of that Nation for their Idolatry and so said he will I teckon from this Year the Sin of Ireland and at the end of the time those whom you now embace shall be your Ruin and you shall bear this Iniquity wherein he prov'd a Prophet For this was delivered by him A. C. 1601. and A. C. 1641. was the Irish Massacre and Rebellion and what a continued Expectation he had of a grat Judgment upon his Native Country I saith Dr. Bernard can witness from the year 1624. Clark in his Life Dr. Bernard I remember makes this Remark upon that Sermon that it was the last the Bishop wrote at length and it was dated with a particular Notion of the Day and Year He foretold likewise his own future Poverty when he was in his greatest Prosperity and spoke before many Witnesses 1624. repeated it often afterwards that he was perswaded that the greatest Shake to the Reformed Churches was yet to come In short as I said before he often acknowledged that sometimes in his Sermons he was resolved to forbear speaking of some things but it proved like Jeremiah's Fire shut up in his Bones that when he came to it he could not forbear unless he would have stood mute and proceeded no further Ibid. 12. Mr. Hugh Broughton in one of his Sermons 1588. when the Spanish Navy was upon the Sea and Men's Hearts were full of Fears of the Event Now saith he the Papists Knees knock one against another as the Knees of King Belshazzar did and News will come that the Lord hath scatter'd that Invincible Navy Fear ye not nor be dismay'd at these smoaking Firebrands In his Life p. 2. 13. Bishop Jewel crossing the Thames when on a sudden at the rising of a Tempest all were astonished looking for nothing but to be drowned assured Bishop Ridley that the Boat carry'd a Bishop that must be burnt and not drowned In Bishop Jewel's Life 14. Mrs. Katherine Stubs after she had Conceived with Child of a Daughter three or four Years after Marriage said many times to her Husband and others That that Child would be her Death She was delivered safely within a Fortnight and was able to go abroad but presently after fell sick of a Burning Quotidian Ague of which she died See her Life 15. Impulses Extracted from the Miscellanies of John Aubrey Esq Oliver Cromwell had certainly this Afflatus One that I knew that was at the Battle of Dunbar told me that Oliver was carried on with a Divine Impulse he did Laugh so excessively as if he had been drunk his Eyes sparkled with Spirits He obtain'd a great Victory but the Action was said to be contrary to Humane Prudence The same fit of Laughter seiz'd Oliver Cromwell just before the Battle of Naseby as a Kinsman of mine and a great Favourite of his Collonel J. P. then present testified 16. King Charles the I. after he was Condemn'd did tell Collonel Thomlinson that he believed That the English Monarchy was at an end About half an Hour after he told the Collonel That now he had an Assurance by a strong Impulse on his Spirit that his Son should Reign after him This Information I had from Fabian Philips Esq of the Inner-Temple who had good Authority for the Truth of it I have forgot who it was 17. The Lord Roscomon being a Boy of Ten Years of Age at Caen in Normandy one day was
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
pass by an Instance I have from a very honest Man in the next Parish who told me it himself That his Wife being big with Child near her Delivery he buys half a Dozen of Boards to make her a Bed against the time she lay in The Boards lying at the Door of his House there comes an old Fisher-woman yet alive and asked him whose were those Boards He told her they were his own She asked him again For what use he had them He replied For a Bed She again said Intend them for what you please she saw a dead Corps lying on them and that they would be a Coffin which struck the honest Man to the Heart fearing the death of his Wife But when the old Woman went off he calls presently for a Carpenter to make the Bed which was accordingly done but shortly after the honest Man had a Child died whose Coffin was made of the ends of those Boards 27. I shall tell you what I have had from one of the Masters of our College here a North-Country-man both by Birth and Education in his younger Years who made a Journey in the Harvest-time into the Shire of Ross and at my Desire made some Enquiry there concerning the Second-sight He reports That there they told him many Instances of this Knowledge which he had forgotten except two The first one of his Sisters a young Gentlewoman staying with a Friend at some 30 Miles distance from her Father's House and the ordinary place of her Residence One who had the Second-sight in the Family where she was saw a young Man attending her as she went up and down the House and this was about Three Months before her Marriage The second is a Woman in that Country who is reputed to have the Second-sight and declared that eight Days before the Death of a Gentleman there she saw a Bier or Coffin cover'd with a Cloth she knew carried as it were to the place of Burial and attended with a great Company one of which told her it was the Corps of such a Person naming that Gentleman who died Eight Days after Those that have this Faculty of the Second-sight see only things to come which are to happen shortly thereafter and sometimes foretel things which fall out Three or Four Years after For instance 28. One told his Master that he saw an Arrow in such a Man thorough his Body and yet no Blood came out His Master told him that it was impossible an Arrow should stick in a Man's body and no blood come out and if that came to pass he would be deem'd an Impostor But about five or six Years after the Man died and being brought to his Burial-place there arose a Debate anent his Grave and it came to such a height that they drew Arms and bended their Bows and one letting off an Arrow shot thro' the dead Body upon the Bier-trees and so no Blood could issue out at a dead Man's Wound Part of a Letter written to Mr. Aubrey by a Gentleman's Son in Straths-pey being a Student in Divinity Sir I am more willing than able to satisfie your Desire As for Instances I could furnish many I shall only insert some few attested by several of good Credit yet alive 29. And first Andrew Mackpherson of Clunie in Badenoch being in sute of the Laird of Gareloch's Daughter as he was upon a day going to Garloch the Lady Garloch was going somewhere from her House within kenning to the Road which Clunie was coming the Lady perceiving him said to her Attendants that yonder was Clunie going to see his Mistress One in her Company replied and said If you be he unless he marry within six Months he 'll never marry The Lady asked how did he know that He said very well for I see him saith he all inclosed in his Winding-Sheet except his Nostrils and his Mouth which will also close up within Six Months which happened even as he foretold within the said space he died and his Brother Duncan Mackpherson this present Clunic succeeded I have heard of a Gentleman whose Son had gone abroad and being Anxious to know how he was he went to consult one who told him that that same day 5 a Clock in the Afternoon his Son had married a Woman in France with whom he had got so many Thousand Crowns and within Two Years he should come to see Eather and Friends leaving his Wife with Child of a Daughter and a Son of six Months of Age behind him which accordingly was true About the same time two Years he came home and verified all that was soretold 30. One Archibald Mackeanyers alias Mackdonald living in Ardinmurch within 10 or 20 Miles or thereby of Glencoe and I was present my self where he foretold something which accordingly fell out In 1683 this Man being in Strathspey in John Mackdonald of Glencoe his Company told in Balachastell before the Laird of Grant his Lady and several others and also in my Father's House that Argyle few or none knew then where he was or at least there was no word of him then here should within two Twelvemonths thereafter come to the West-Highlands and raie a Rebellious Faction wh ich would be divided among themselves and disperse and he unfortunately be taken and Beheaded at Edinburgh and his Head set upon the Talbooth where his Father's Head was before him Which proved as true as he foretold it in 1685. thereafter 31. There as a young Lady of great Birth whom a Rich Knight fancied and came in sute of the Lady but she could not endure to fancy him being a harsh and unpleasant Man But her Friends importuning her daily she turned melancholy and lean Fasting and Weeping continually A common Fellow about the House meeting her one Day in the Fields asked her saying Mrs. Kate What is that that troubles you and makes you look so ill She replied That the Cause is known to many for my Friends would have me marry such a Man by Name but I cannot fancy him Nay says the Fellow give over these Niceties for he will be your first Husband and will not live long and besure he will leave you a rich Dowry which will procure you a great Match for I see a Lord upon each Shoulder of you All which came to pass in every Circumstance as Eye and Ear can witness 32. Near 40 Years ago Macklend and his Lady Sister to my Lord Seaforth were walking about their own House and in their Return both came into the Nurses Chamber where their young Child as on the Breast At their coming in the Nurse falls a weeping they asked the cause dreading the Child was sick or that she was scarce of Milk The Nurse replied the Child was well and she had abundance of Milk yet she still wept and being pressed to tell what ailed her she at last said Macklend would die and the Lady would shortly marry another Man Being enquired how she knew that Event she told
their own condition and with what difficulty they were rescued from so great a danger And for the most part great Penitents are more free from Pride and Contempt of others the consideration of what themselves once were being enough to keep them humble all their days So that Penitents are many times more throughly and perfectly good and after their recovery do in several respects out-strip and excel those who were never engaged in a vicious course of Life As a broken Bone that is well sett is sometimes stronger than it was before Thus far Arch-Bishop Tillotson I now proceed to give Instances of several strange Convictions and Conversions 1. Upon St. Paul's Sermon Preached upon occasion of the Altar inscribed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at Athens Dionysius the Areopagite with Damaris his Wife was converted 2. Justin Martyr was converted by beholding the Constancy Courage and Patience of the Christians in their Torments and Persecutions and the Instructions of an Old grave Man that met casually with him afterwards and advised him to quit the Philosophers and Study the Prophets Which he presently did tho he had been formerly under the Tutorage of Stoic Peripatetic Pythagorean and Platonist successively Clark's Marr. of Eccl. Hist. 3. Tertullian was converted by Reading the Scriptures and Writings of other Learned and Holy Men Quicquid agitur saith he speaking of Scripture Prenunciabatur Ibid. 4. Ambrose was converted by Origen Cyprian by the Ministry of Cecilius Presbyter of Carthage whose Name he afterward bore upon occasion of a Sermon he Preached on the History of the Prophet Jonas Ibid. 5. S. Augustine was converted by occasion of a Story related by Pontitian a Lawyer about the Retirement and Devotion of S. Antony the Hermit which so moved his Passions that he presently with-drew into the Garden broke forth into Tears and Cried out to his Dear Companion Alipius who followed him close at the Heels What is this What do we hear Vnlearned People rise and take Heaven by Violence whilst we with all our Learning wallow in Flesh and Blood Is it because we are ashamed to follow them Rather should we not be ashamed that they go before us And with this throwing himself upon the ground at a convenient distance from Alipius he seemed to hear a Voice as of some little child crying Tolle Lege Take up and Read concluding it to be a Voice from Heaven he opens the Book of St. Paul's Epistles which he had with him and hitting immediately upon that Text Rom. 13.12 13 14. Not in Rioting and Drunkenness not in Chambering and Wantonness c. He concluded it to be a very proper Lesson to spend his thoughts at that time upon Shewed it to Alipius who reading forward concluded the subsequent Verse to be as proper for him Aug. Conf. l. 8. c. 7.9 S. Augustine on a time forgetting the Argument he was upon made a digression to a point of Difference between the Orthodox and Manichees at which time one Firmus a Rich Merchant and a Manichee being present was so convinced that he came to him afterwards with Tears and on his Knees confessed his Errors and promised reformation Also one Felix a Manichee coming to Hippo to spread his Heresy in a Disputation with Augustine after the third time was so convinced that he recanted his Errors and was joyned to the Church Clark's Marr. of Eccl. Hist Here it may not be impertinent to remember that Austine going one time out of Curiosity to hear S. Ambrose was so lectured by an occasional Argument delivered in the Assembly by that Holy Man which touch'd his copy-hold that he thought verily Ambrose design'd it for a particular reproof Tho himself tells us in his Book of Confessions that he did afterwards believe S. Ambrose had no such purpose 6. Fulgentius being made the King's Collector and obliged to a Rigorous Exaction of Taxes and Impositions at last was wearied with the Burden and Variety of secular cares and dissatisfied with the vain felicity of the VVorld and in his Affections aspired after a more Spiritual Life and so began to pray and read the Scriptures and often resorted to the Monasteries where tho he perceived they had no VVorldly Solace yet neither had they any weariness in their present condition whereupon he brake out in these words with himself Why Travel I in the World It can yeild me no future or durable Reward answerable to my Pains Tho it be better to VVeep well then Rejoyce ill yet if to rejoyce be our desire how much more excellent is their Joy who have a good Conscience before God who dread nothing but Sin Study to do nothing but to accomplish the Precepts of Christ Now therefore let me change my Trade and as before I endeavour'd amongst my Noble Friends to prove more Noble so now let my Care and Imployment be amongst the Humble and Poor Servants of the Highest to become more Poor and Humble then they and like S. Matthew let me turn from a Publican to a Disciple Upon this he broke off his Old Acquaintance and Conversation and by degrees addicted himself to Fasting and Retirement Reading and Prayer and reading S. Augustine upon p. 36. without any further delay he put himself into a Monastery under Faustus where he became one of his Disciples Clark's Marr. of Eccl. Hist. p. 90 91. 7. Luther at the Age of One and Twenty was so affrighted at the violent Death of a Dear and Faithful Companion of his whom he mightily Loved that he betook himself into the Augustine Monks College at Erford and Writ to his Parents the occasion of his thus changing his course of Life and this was a good step to a serious Disposition and Religious Temper of Mind Afterwards by Sickness reading of S. Augustin's Works and observing how at Rome they said Masse in such a careless detestable manner that at the Communion-Table he heard the Curtezans laugh and boast of their Wickedness c. others say Bread thou art and Bread thou shalt remain c. And at last being startled with the profuseness of Indulgences sent from the Pope by John Tecelius into Germany with so large a Commission that tho a Man had defloured the Blessed Virgin yet for Money he could pardon his Sin Luther's Zeal took fire and set up for the Reformation Hear him giving an Account of himself Speaking of his own Works he thus Writes Above all things I now request the Pious Reader and beseech him for the Lord Jesus Christs fake that he reads my Books with Judgment yea with much pity and let him remember that I was sometime a Friaer and a Mad Papist and when I first undertcok this cause so Drunken and Drowned in Popish Doctrines that I was ready if I could to have killed all Men or to have assisted others in doing of it who withdrew their obedience from the Pope but in one Syllable Such a Soul was I as there are many at this day neither was I
by reading Isa 53. 24. Lyra Immanuel Tromelius Paulus Riccius Lud. Curetus were converted Jews 25. R. Hakkunas Ben Nehunia was Converted by Occasion of the Miracles which he saw I am Hakkunas one of them that believe and have washed my self with the Holy Waters and walk in those right ways being induced thereunto by Miracles Hottinger out of Suidas c. 26. Elias Levita before his death became a Christian and with thirty more Jews receiv'd Baptism but upon what Occasions and Inducements I cannot learn A. C. 1547. Alsted 27. Eve Cohan was Converted by occasion of reading the New Testament which she found in the Chamber of her Dancing-Master in Holland but being threatned and ill-treated by her Mother upon it marry'd her Master came over into England and was Baptized at London about half a score Years ago 28. J. Sul a Turkish Chaous was born in Constantinople and for his Dexterity in managing Affairs was imployed by the Grand Seignior in the Ambassies once in Venice once into Russia and once to the Emperor of Germany where he resided at Vienna eighteen Months He had also Thirty three Gallies under his Command This great Man was by one of his Father's Slaves who attended ordinarily upon him much and frequently importuned to believe that Jesus Christ was the Son of God the only true Prophet greater than Mahomet J. Sul for a long time refused to hearken to him and sharply rebuked him for speaking to him of that Matter and when yet the Slave would not be silent but he did oft beat him kick him and caused him to be Bastonadied for his Importunity all which the Slave endured with much Patience and told him that tho' he should kill him he would not be silent concerning the Matter And it pleased God that at last some special Providence concurring he was induced to believe that indeed Jesus Christ whom the Jews Crucified was the Son of God and now alive in Heaven having all Power in Heaven and Earth committed to him And hereupon he took up a secret Resolution within himself to forsake his natural Country and his Father's House and to fly to the Christians to learn the Law of Christ and to make an open Profession of his Name that so his Soul might be saved in the great day of the Lord being convinced that all the Pleasures and Enjoyments of this World whereof he had a large Portion could not make any Man happy here nor deliver him from Death nor bring him to the Assurance of obtaining Glory in the World to come But that owning the Name of Jesus Christ by Faith and Obedience would procure all this After he was convinced hereof and thereupon fully resolved to go into some Christian Countrey he was two whole Years before he could contrive and find out a way how he might escape with Safety For had he been discover'd he by their Law was to be burnt alive This made him the more wary at last God's Providence so order'd it that he got Safe into Smyrna and from thence to Leghorn At Leghorn he was honourably entertain'd by one of the great Duke's Cousins who would have had him baptiz'd but because he was recommended to the Arch-Bishop of Paris and was to be conducted thither by some that came with him from Smyrna he excused himself and rejected that Favour At Paris he was receiv'd with much Respect as a Person of Quality and lodged in St. Lazaro a place appointed for entertaining and Instruction of Proselites who were bountifully there entertain'd The Priest that was to instruct and fit him for Baptism would have imposed upon his Belief and Practice in these things That Christ is in the Host That an Agnus Dei hath a Divine Virtue in it That the Crucifix is to be worshipped That the Pope is a Saint and Christ's Vicar That Saints and Images are to be respected in the Worship of God But in these Points he did so argue with them that they could not convince him and therefore were forced to let him alone And he was much troubled to find himself yoaked with Men of such a Belief so that he had thoughts of returning to Constantinople if the way had been open to him Whilst he lay under these Temptations Providence so order'd it that he fell into Acquaintance with two Arabians who were become Protestants By their means he got notice that there were besides the Papists among whom he was other Christians in Paris whose Faith and Worship was free from Superstition and a way was contriv'd how he should be brought into Acquaintance with them for under pretence of walking abroad to take the Air he shifted himself of the company of those which attended him from St. Lazaro and went with the Arabians to the House of a Protestant and was made acquainted with the Protestant Ministers in Paris who took special Care of him for the space of Forty three Days In which time they instructed him diligently in the Truth which also he did heartily embrace But great Search being made for him and they not being able to protect him from the Power of those who would have taken him into England where he arrived March the last and was entertain'd kindly and after 2. while had Means of Subsistence provided for him and was committed to the Care of Mr. Durie and Mr. Calandrine who took a great deal of pains in instructing him in the Principles of Religion and in observing his Conversation And in Process of time when he had gained a competent measure of Knowledge which he greedily drank and had given good Evidence of the Soundness and Sincerity of his Faith he was put upon making a Consession of his Faith which was written in French and being translated into English was publickly read to the whole Congregation It was subscribed thus J. Sul Chaous the Slave of my Lord Jesus Christ. After which the Minister that was to Baptize him asked him Whether he did not renounce before God and that Gongregation the Mahometan Sect He answer'd Yea He did renounce it utterly Q. Do you desire to make Profession of the Christian Faith and to be baptiz'd in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost as a Disciple of Christ A. Yea It is my earnest desire Q. Are you resolved in the future Course of your Life to submit to all the Ordinances of Christ c. A. Yea It is my sincere Resolution After this he was Baptized by the Name of Richard Christophilus Jan. 30. 1658. in the Church of St. Paul Covent-Garden See the Printed Narrative at large or Mr. Clark 's Abridgment of it in his Examples Vol. 2. c. 23. p. 120 121. c. 29. One Richard White a Smith of Wilden-Hall was a prophane Atheistical Man and believing that there was no Devils in his Cups would wish he could once see the Devil if there were such a Thing and that suddenly he changed his Life and became a Prosessor of Zeal
in wait for by the Circumcellions who designed to Murder him and they had certainly effected it but that the Person who was his Guide by a special Providence of God mistook his way and so led him into a by-path whereby he escaped their hands as afterwards came to his Knowledge for which he praised God as his only Deliverer Ibid. 5. Paulus Fagius when the Town of Isâ—a where he was Minister was greatly afflicted with the Pestilence understanding that many of the wealthiest Inhabitants intended to forsake the place without having any Respect or Care for such as laboured with that Disease and that the Houses of such as were Infected were commanded to be shut up by the Magistrate openly Admonished them either to continue in the Town or liberally to bestow their Alms before their Departure for the Relief of such as were Sick and during the time of the Visitation he himself in person would visit those that were sick he would administer Spiritual Comfort unto them Pray for them and would be present with them Day and Night and yet by the Providence of God he remained untouched and was preserved by the All powerful Hand of God Fuller Abel Rediv. p. 149. 6. A Gentlewoman having lain in a Trance for some Days was at length Buried for dead with a Gold Ring on her Finger the Sexton knowing thereof he and his Wife with a Lanthorn and Candle went privily the next Night and digged up the Coffin opened it untied the winding Sheet and was going to take off the Ring when suddenly the buried Lady raised up her self being just then supposed miraculously to come out of her Trance the Sexton and his Wife ran away in a horrible Fright leaving their Lanthorn behind them which she took up and made haste to her House and she knocking hard at the Door and the Maid-servant asking who was there she said 'T is I let me in The Maid being much Surprized thereat neglected to open the Door but ran away to her Master and acquainted him therewith he would scarce believe it till himself went to the Door and heard her Voice and let her in got her into a warm Bed and being well looked after she perfectly recovered and lived to have Three Children afterwards This is in a Book called The Victory of Patience 7. In the Massacre of Paris one Merlin a Minister of the Reformed Religion fled from the Persecutors to save his Life and hid himself in a Hay-mow where he was strangely preserved and nourished for the space of a Fortnight by a Hen that came constantly and every Day laid an Egg by him by which he was sustained Clark's Mirr p. 365. 8. In the same Persecution another Man being closely pursued for his Life got into a little Cellar in an old Castle over the Door of which presently came a Spider and Spun a thick Webb where the Persecutors came presently after to look for him but they seeing a thick Web over the Door declined seeking him there by which he was miraculously Saved See a Book called Mankind Displayed 9. At Seven-Oak in Kent was taken up an Infant of unknown Parents but by Charitable People was Baptized and brought up and bound Apprentice in London and came at last to be Mayor of the City Chetwind's Hist Collect. 10. There is lately come to my Hand says Mr. Mather in his Book of Providences an Account of some Remarkables which have hapned at Norwich in New-England drawn up by Mr. Fitch the Judicious and eminently Faithful Pastor of the Church in that place which that others may be incouraged to follow his Example in observing and recording the special VVorks of Divine Providence I shall here insert as I received it Remarkable Providences at Norwich 11. Many times the Heavens have been shut up but God hath answered our Prayers in sending Rain and sometimes so speedily and so plentifully after our seeking the Lord by Fasting and Prayer that the Heathen now for more than twenty years upon occasion of want of Rain will speak to us to call upon the Name of the Lord our God one special Instance of this kind I have already given and it 's upon Record in the History of the VVar with the Indians in New-England 12. Many among us have been in more than ordinary hazard by Rattle-Snakes some have set their Feet upon them some have been bitten by them upon the Skin and one as he was stooping down to dâ—nk at a Spring of VVater spied a Rattle-Snake within two Foot of his Head rising up against him thus manifold ways in danger by this Venomous Creature and yet none of us have suffered any harm but only one was bitten in the Finger and in a short time perfectly healed 13. In the time of the VVars with the Indians we were not only preserved from the Heathen in the midst of the Heathen but by the Lord 's making some of them to be a Wall of Defence unto us And thus we were saved by a destroying means 14. And at this time the Providence of God was very remarkable in preserving many of our People in one of our Garrisons who were driven to Garrison several Houses and the House of which now I speak did contain about sixty Persons and in this House one of the Souldiers taking a Gun Loaden with Bullets into his hand as he stood in a lower-Room the Lock being half bent and he holding the Gun right upwards the Gun was Discharged tho many People were in the Chamber yet none of them suffered any harm because Providence did guide the Shot into the Summer that piece of Timber which is the support of the Chamber 15. Also one in the same House looking with a Candle under a Bed for something he wanted fired some Flax which filled the Room with Flame and Smoke and two small Children lay sleeping in this peril but were preserved from the fire or any harm by the throng of People in the Room at length one of the Children was taken up by one of the Men with a purpose of throwing it out of the Camber Window but at that very moment there was such an abatement of the Flame and hope that the worst of the danger was past that he held the Child in his Arms and yet presently after the fire brake out again in the uppermost Room in the House nigh to a Barrel of Gun-powder But some were guided strengthned and succeeded in their endeavour to the extinguishing the fire so that the Lives and Limbs and Goods of all these were preserved by the good hand of God who doth wonderfully when we know not what to do 16. One of the Children of the Church grown up though not in full Communion was left to fall into a most notorious abominable Practice which did occasion the Church to meet and humble their Souls by Fasting and Prayer and at this time in the Sermon and Prayer it was declared That the Lord had determined either to bring our
long as might be The seven in the Boat apprehended themselves to be in a condition little better than that of them in the Ship having neither Sail nor Oars neither Bread nor Water and no Instrument of any sort except a Knife and a piece of Deal-board with which they made sticks and set them up in the sides of the Boat and cover'd them with some Irish-Cloth of their own Garments to keep off the spray of the Sea as much as could be by so poor a matter In this condition they drave with an hard VVind and high Sea all that day and the night following But in the next Morning about six a Clock they saw a Ketch the Master was Mr. Edmund Henfield of Salem in New-England under Sail which Ketch coming right with them took them up and brought them safe to New-England And it is yet further remarkable that when the Ship Foundred the Ketch which saved these Persons was many Leagues to the VVestward of her but was by a contrary VVind caused to stand back again to the Eastward where these distressed Persons were as hath been said met with and relieved 11. January 13. 1670. Three VVomen viz. the VVives of Lieut. Filer and of John Drake and of Nathaniel Lomas having crossed Connecticut-River upon a necessary and neighbourly Account and having done the work they went for were desirous to return their own Families the River being at that time partly shut up with Ice new and old and partly open There being some Pains taken aforehand to cut a way through the Ice the three VVomen abovesaid got into a Canoo with whom also there was Nathaniel Bissel and an Indian There was likewise another Canoo with two Men in it that went before them to help them in case they should meet with any Distress which indeed quickly came upon them for just as they were getting out of the narrow passage between the Ice being near the middle of the River a great part of the upper Ice came down upon them and struck the end of their Canoo and broke it to pieces so that it quickly sunk under them The Indian speedily got upon the Ice but Nathaniel Bissel and the abovesaid Women were left floating in the middle of the River being cut off from all manner of humane Help besides what did arise from themselves and the two Men in the little Canoo which was so small that three Persons durst seldom if ever venture in it they were indeed discern'd from one Shoar but the dangerous Ice would not admit from either Shoar one to come near them All things thus circumstanced the suddenness of the Stroke and Distress which is apt to amaze Men especially when no less than Life is concern'd the extream Coldness of the Weather it being a sharp Season that Persons out of the Water were in danger of freezing the unaptness of Persons to help themselves being mostly Women one big with Child and near the time of her Travel who was also carry'd away under the Ice the other as unskill'd and unactive to do any thing for self-preservation as almost any could be the Waters deep that there was no hopes of footing no passage to either Shoar in any Eye of Reason neither with their little Canoo by reason of the Ice nor without it the Ice being thin and rotten and full of holes Now that all should be brought off safely without the loss of Life or wrong to Health was counted in the day of it a Remarkable Providence To say how it was done is difficult yet something of the manner of the Deliverance may be mentioned the abovesaid Nathaniel Bissel piercing their Danger and being active in swimming endeavour'd what might be the preservation of himself and some others he strove to have swum to the upper Ice but the Stream being too hard he was forced downwards to the lower Ice where by reason of the slipperiness of the Ice and disadvantage of the Stream he found it difficult getting up at length by the good Hand of Providence being gotten upon the Ice he saw one of the Women swimming down under the Ice and perceiving an Hole or open place some few Rods below there he waited and took her up as she swum along The other two VVomen were in the River till the two Men in the little Canoo came for their Relief at length all of them got their Heads above the water and had a little time to pause tho' a long and difficult and dangerous way to any Shoar but by getting their little Canoo upon the Ice and carrying one at a time over hazardous Places they did though in a long while get all safe to the Shoar from whence they came 12. Very memorable was the Providence of God towards Mr. Ephraim How of New-Haven in New-England who was for an whole twelve Month given up by his Friends as a dead Man but God preserved him alive in a desolate Island where he had suffer'd Shipwreck and at last return'd him home to his Family The History of this Providence might have been mention'd amongst Sea-Deliverances yet considering it was not only so I shall here Record what himself being a godly Man did relate of the Lord 's marvellous Dispensations towards him that so others might be encouraged to put their trust in God in the times of their greatest Straits and Difficulties On the 25th of August in the Year 1676. the said Skipper How with his two eldest Sons set sail from New-Haven for Boston in a small Ketch Burden 17 Tun or thereabout After the Dispatch of their Business there they set Sail from thence for New-Haven again on the 10th of September following But contrary winds forced them back to Boston where the said How was taken ill with a violent Flux which Distemper continued near a Month many being at that time sick of the same Disease which proved mortal to some The Merciful Providence of God having spared his Life and restored him to some measure of Health he again set Sail from Boston Octob. 10. By a fair wind they went forward so as to make Cape Cod but suddenly the weather became very Tempestuous so as that they could not seaze the Cape but were forced off to Sea when they were endanger'd in a small Vessel by very fearful Storms and outragious VVinds and Seas Also his eldest Son fell sick and died in about Eleven Days after they set out to Sea He was no sooner dead but his other Son fell sick and died too This was a bitter Cup to the good Father It is noted in 1 Chron. 7.22 that when the Sons of Ephraim were dead Ephraim their Father mourned many days and his Brethren came to comfort him This Ephraim when his Sons were dead his Friends on Shoar knew it not nor could they come to comfort him But when his Friends and Relations could not the Lord himself did for they died after so sweet gracious and comfortable a manner as that their Father
Army it was because the Parliament rejected them They are the Words of one of their own Party that most of the Romanists that seem'd to be of the old King's side only fled to his Garrisons for shelter and not to take up Arms to offend the Parliament Christ Moderator par 2. p. 12 29. Several of them boasted they were able to make appear their Faithfulness and good Affection to them the Rump See the Petitions of Sir R. Talbot and Garret Moor Esq See more on this Subject in Dr. Stillingfleet 's Idolatry of the Church of Rome p. 301 c. IV. In the Reign of King Charles II. 1. There was a Design carry'd on all along to alienate the Affections of Protestants one from another as plainly shew'd it self first of all at the King's Return who being put hard to it by the several Obligations he had contracted upon himself and Promises made of shewing Favour to each considerable Party in England For he had at his Coronation in Scotland promised and swore by the Eternal and Almighty God who lives and reigns for ever to rule the People committed to his Charge according to the Will and Command of God revealed in his Word and according to the lowable Laws and Constitutions of that Realm no ways repugnant to the said Word and to procure to the utmost of his Power to the Kirk of God and whole Christian People true and perfect Peace in time coming c. See the Form and Order of his Coronation printed by Robert Dowglas Minister at Edinburgh and reprinted at London 1660. p. 20. c. After this Engagement to the Kirk of Scotland he made as kind a Promise to the Papists at Breda as I remember that upon Condition they would assist him in Recovery of his Father's Throne he would do what he could to promote the Interest of the Catholick Cause in England And he could do no less but oblige himself as faithfully to the Church of England who had been faithful Sticklers for his Father as long they were able and afterwards applied to the Son with such a Courage and Resolution that they never left him till they had brought him safe to his long-desired Home In this Distraction of Mind he came to his Throne and any one may easily guess what Difficulties he must needs encounter in his following Reign What Endeavours were used to hinder the Puritans or Protestant Dissenters from obtaining Favour with the King as that they were ready with Forces raised to oppose his Majesty c. See the Account of the Sham-Presbyterian-Plot the Papists devised then in Yarraton 's Discovery p. 4 5 6 8 16. What Metheds were taken to widen the Differences between the Church-men and Dissenters is too plain to need a Descant and too fresh to be forgotten 2. Another Plot in this King's Reign was the Burning of London in 1666. For it was not enough with our Adversaries to enkindle a Fire of Passion and Discord in the Minds of People they proceeded next to kindle a material Fire in our most stately Buildings and nothing less would serve than the Metropolis of the Nation the great Mart of these three Kingdoms For the Proof whereof I shall insist only upon these seven Particulars 1. Strange Provincial of the Jesuits Gray Pennington Barton Jesuits c. and Keimask a Dominican Fryar pretending to be Fifth-Monarchy-Men prevailed with one Green a Fifth-Monarchy man but poor by lending him 30 l. to be an Instrument in firing London Green brought in eight other Fifth-Monarchy-men as Assistants but deferring to do it presently they were discovered tried and executed only Green died in Prison the Jesuits were not discovered because not known to be such 1665 6. as appears by Oates's Nar. Art 34. compared with the publick Gazet Apr. 30. 1666. 2. Several Persons were taken with Fire-Balls brought before the Magistrates and Committed to Custody but rescued by the Favour of the D. of Y. 3. One Hubbard was Executed who confessed that he began the Fire with one Pie-de-loup a French-man who came over on that Design with 23 other French-men 4. Several Letters were produced from beyond Sea enquiring whither London was Burnt hearing date some Days before the Fire began 5. Several words which the Papists had cast out here to the same purpose were proved as may be seen in the Depositions and Informations before the Committee in the House of Commons in Sept. 1666. of which Sir Robert Brokes was Chair-man 6. The Benedictines boasted to Mr. Bedloe that they had a hand in it and shewed him several Letters about it and told him that they resolved to Burn it again and tampered with Mr. Bedloe about it 7. Groves with Three Irish-men Fired Southwark 8. Doth any man begin to doubt said the Lord Chancellour in his Speech at the Lord Stafford's Condemnation how London came to be Burnt And is it not apparent by those Instances that such is the Frantick Zeal of some Bigotted Papists that they resolve no means that may serve to advance the Catholick Cause shall be left unattempted tho' it be by Fire and Sword 9. If all this will not serve to convince my Incredulous Reader I refer him to the Monument in London Erected in Perpetuam hujus Neferie actionis Memoriam Where the dead Stones witness the Truth of it with a voice loud enough to be heard to the utmost parts of the World POSTSCRIPT 3. A third Plot in King Charles the II. Reign was that which is commonly known and called by some in way of Derision Oates's Plot which yet I am perswaded in my own breast was no sham for these Reasons following 1. Because March 25. 1679. it was resolved nemine contradicente by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons in Parliament Assembled That they do declare that they are fully satisfied by the Proofs they have heard that there now is and for diverse Years last past hath been a Horrid and Treasonable Plot and Conspiracy continued and carried on by those of the Popish Religion for the Murthering of His Majesty's Sacred Person and Subverting the Protestant Religion and the Ancient and Established Government of the Kingdom Joh. Brown Cleric Parliament 2. Because hereupon ' the King himself Issued out two several Proclamatins for a general Fast the first in these words CHARLES R. WHereas the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons in this Parliament Assembled being deeply sensible of the Sad and Calamitous Condition of this our Kingdom occasioned chiefly by the Impious and malicious Conspirary of a Popish Party who have not only Plotted and intended the Destruction of our Royal Person but the total Subdersion of our Government and of the true Protestant Religion c. have besought Vs that a Day might be set apart we have to this their humble Request most readily inclined Given at White-Hall Mar. 28 1679. 3. Because several Persons gave Testimony to the Truth thereof who were of their own party as Dr. Oates Capt. Bedloe
Qualities upon any but as Dispositions to Eternal Glory and a Token of special Love and everlasting Favour I shall therefore in the next place proceed to enquire after a few Remarkable Instances of this Nature and first of all of Faith that Grace that is so mightily commended under the Oeconomy of the New Testament 1. Luther was a Man of great Faith and Resolution as appears by these Passages in his Sermons Sir Devil I gear not thy Threatenings and Terrors for there is one whose Name is Jesus Christ in whom I believe He hath abolished the Law condemned Sin vanquished Death and destroyed Hell And again Good Mrs. Death Dost thou know this Man Christ Come and bite out his Tooth Hast thou forgotten how little thy Biting prevailed with him once Faith kills Reason that Beast and Monster that all the World cannot kill and Laughs at all the Iniquiry Rage and Fury of the World c. 2. Arch-Bishop Vsher though he fore-told in the time of his greatest Prosperity that he should die in Poverty yet made little Provision for the Storm and though his Losses in Ireland upon the turn of the Times were great and his Straits in England very considerable yet when two several Offers were made him from Foreign Nations the one from Cardinal Richlieu in relation to his great Learning with a promise of large Maintenance and Liberty to live where he listed in France among the Protestants the other from the States of Holland who proffered him the Place of Honorarius Professor at Leyden which had an ample Stipend belonging to it yet he refused both and chose rather to put himself upon Divine Providence in his own Countrey Clâ—rk in his Life 3. Mr. Heron on his Death-bed being minded of his young Children whom he had made but slender Provision for made this Answer which my Author saith was Censured for too light by some Persons That he did not fear but He that fed the young Ravens when they cried unto him would likewise take care of and provide for the young Herons Dr. Fuller in his Meditations 4. Mr. Lancaster being by Birth a good Gentleman and sometime Fellow in King's College in Cambridge he was but little of Stature but eminent as for other things especially for his living by Faith His Charge being great and his Means so small his Wife would many times come to him when she was to send her Maid to Banbury Market to buy Provision and tell him that she had no Money his usual Answer was Yet send your Maid and God will provide and though she had no Money yet she never returned empty for one or other that knew her to be Mr. Lancaster's Maid either by the way or in Banbury Town meeting her would give her Money which still supplied their present wants Mr. Clark in the Life of Dr. Harris 5. Mr. Edw. Lawrence formerly Minister of Basckarth in Shropshire but refusing to comply with the Act of Vniformity and thereupon being in danger of being turned out of his Living being ask'd How he would maintain his VVife and so many small Children as he had Made Answer I intend to live and maintain my Family upon the Fifth Chapter of Saint Matthew CHAP. XXVIII Remarkable Courage and Boldness FEar not thou them saith our Saviour that can destroy the Body and after that have nothing that they can do c. certainly a good Christian Courage in a good Cause and under the Conduct of an humble Prudence is the Gift of God and Blessing of Heaven and one of those Graces that bespeak the person endowed therewith to be somewhat more than common Man Our dear Saviour was taken notice of for one that Preach'd with Authority and the Apostles with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a liberty of Speech and boldness of Spirit which their Adversaries were not able to resist And sometimes we may pick up such Examples of boldness in succeeding Ages of the Church as these that follow 1. Ignatius being required to be present at the Gratulatory Sacrifices appointed by Trajan after the Parthian War which were to be offered in every City before Trajan's Face did justly and sharply reprove the Idolatry for which cause he was delivered to ten Soldiers to be carried to Rome Clark's Mar. of Eccl. Hist 2. Polycarp would not flie when in danger of Persecution and Martyrdom saying The will of the Lord be done and coming to the Searchers he communed with them very chearfully and commanded that the Table should be spread for them intreating them to eat and dine well requesting but one Hours space for his Prayers which was granted him Ibid. 3. Origen was in his early Years desirous of Martyrdom and would have thrusted himself into the Persecutors Hands had not his Mother in the Night time privily convey'd away his Cloathes on purpose to restrain him and when he could do no more he stoutly Exhorted his Father then â—â—â—â—rison by Letters that he would not alter his purpose of Suffering for his Son's sake Dr. Cave Prim. Christ Clark Marrow of Eccl. Hist. c. 4. Valentinian Jun. compassing the Church where Ambrose was in a great rage with a great number of Armed Souldiers commanded him to come forth but he nothing terrified answered That I will never willingly do neither will I betray the Sheepfold of my Sheep to the Wolves nor deliver up the Temple of God to the Authors of Blasphemy but if thou pleasest to kill me here 's my Breast peirce it as thou pleasest with Spear or Sword I am willing to embrace such a Death Upon which resolute Answer the Emperor with-drew ibid. 5. Luther's Courage and Boldness is well known when disswaded from going to Dispute at Worms for fear of his Enemies If I thought saith he there were danger of our Cause I would go tho' there were as many Devils in Worms as Tiles upon the Houses And another time to his Friends quaking for fear of future troubles Come saith he let 's sing the 46th Psalm and let all the Devils in Hell do their worst Pref. to his Sermons 6. John Frith to certain Messengers sent by the Arch-Bishop to bring him before him and they disswading Frith from stiffness in his Opinion about the Sacrament made answer I most heartily thank you for your Good-will and Councel whereby I see your Good-will to me yet my Cause and Conscience is such that in no wise I may or can without danger of Damnation start aside and fly from the Truth whereof I am convinced and which I have Published concerning the Lord's Supper so that if I be askt what my Judgment is about it I must needs declare my Judgment and Conscience therein as I have formerly written tho' I was sure to lose Twenty Lives if I had so many Clarks Eccl. Hist p. 158. 7. King Arthur to increase the Courage of his Soldiers Instituted the Order of Knights of the Round Table that he might reward the well deserving with Titles of Honour None
without Covering The whole Countrey round about where she dwelt will bear her Witness that she visited and relieved the Sick and cloathed the Naked She fed the Hungry and healed the Wounded Her Purse her Hand her Heart were all open for their Relief She bought many Precious Drugs and Cordial Waters She made several precious Salves and gave them all away to such as stood in need of them She spared not her best Pains being never weary of well-doing insomuch that in the extremity of her great Sickness such bowels of Compassion yearned in her she compounded several Medicines with her own Hands and applied them Thus will her Works praise her in the Gate and being dead she yet speaks Prov. 31.31 Heb. 11.14 for her precious Name lives The Lord will have the Name of the Righteous to be in everlasting Remembrance Psalm 112.6 and the Memory of the Just is blessed Clark's Examp. Vol. 2. c. 15. 4. Mr. John Bruen of Bruen-Stapleford for three years together whilst he lived in Chester maintained the Poor of his own Parish in the County allowing them all the Profit of his two Mills He relieved the Poor in Chester both daily at his Gate and otherwise Weekly as he was rated Ibid. 5. Mr. John Dod though his Means was very small yet was much given to Hospitality Scarce any Sabbath in the year but he dined both Poor and Rich commonly three or four Poor besides Strangers that came to hear him He had so large a Heart that upon occasion he hath given to some three Shillings to some five Shillings to some ten Shillings yea to some twenty Shillings and when the Poor came to buy Butter or Cheese he would command his Maid to take no Money of them Ibid. 6. Mr. Samuel Crook of Wrington in Sommersetshire was very bountiful to his Kindred that needed it and then he shewed it most when their Necessities swelled highest He was very charitable and open-handed to the poor Members of Jesus Christ And albeit his Charity shined most to those of his own Flock yet was it not shut up from Strangers but he was very liberal to them also upon good Occasions Yea when he went abroad to bestow the Gospel freely upon other Congregations adjacent such Poor as he found to be Hearers unless they were known to him to take up Hearing as a Cloak to cover their Idleness and Neglect of their Callings never went home empty-handed but he always warmed and cheered them with his Bounty as well as instructed them with his Doctrine Ibid. 7. Mr. John Carter sometime Minister of Delstead was very diligent in Visiting the Sick especily the poorer sort and he never went to the House of any poor Creature but he lest a Purse-Alms as well as a Spiritual-Alms of good and heavenly Advice and Prayer No poor body ever came to his Door that went away unhanded his Wife also looking unto that as well as himself Ibid. 8. Dr. William Gouge was very charitable especially to the Houshold of Faith He maintained some poor Schollars in the University wholly at his own Charge and contributed liberally towards the Maintenance of others He set a-part a Sacred Stock as he called it a Portion for the Poor proportionable to his Encoms which also he faithfully distributed Ibid. 9. Dr. Harris in his Works of Charity to the Poor was no less discreet than private When he met with fit Objects his Hand was more ready to give then his Tongue to proclaim it Indeed he was no Friend to idle lazy canting Persons who live on the Sweat of other Mens Brows Whosoever shall survey his Large Bills of Weekly and Quarterly Allowances besides considerable Sums given to poor Ministers and especially to poor Widows and Orphans who never knew whence it came and shall add thereunto his Legacies bequeathed in his Will to charitable Uses cannot but judge that his Charity exceeded the ordinary Proportions of his Revenues Ibid. 10. Mr. Ignatius Jordan of Exeter was famous for his Charity both in his Life and at his Death In his Life he was a free-hearted and open-handed Man He was a great Patron of the Poor another Job in that respect He could truly say with him as Job 30.25 Was not my Soul grieved for the Poor No doubt it was and did earnestly plead for them and especially for God's Poor honest poor Persons whose Hearts and Faces were set God-ward and Heaven-ward and his Hands were very open to relieve them He did that for them which many that had far greater Estates had not Hearts to do Ibid. He would often say That he wondred what rich Men meant that they gave so little to the Poor and raked so much together for their Children Do you not see quoth he what comes of it And hereupon he would reckon up divers Examples of such as heaped up much for their Children who within a short time had scattered and consumed all And on the Morth-side he often spake of such as had small beginnings and afterwards became rich or of a competent Estate giving a particular Instance in himself I came said he but with a Groat or Six pence in my Purse Had I had a Shilling in my Purse I had never been Mayor of Exeter Therefore leave Children but a little and they by God's Blessing upon their Labours and Industry may become Rich but leave them a great deal and they are in danger to become Beggars His Care for the Poor was most remarkable in the time of a great Plague in that City which was Anno Christi 1625. For in the absence of the Mayor he was chosen his Deputy and he seeing the sad and deplorable Condition of the City accepted of it and wrote his Letters to divers Towns in Devonshire and to some in Dorcet and Somersetshire by which means he procured several Sums of Money for the Supplial of the Wants of many Hundred of Poor that in that time were in a distressed Condition One that was an Eye-witness Related that he had seen Morning after Morning coming to his Door sometimes Thirty sometimes Forty yea Fifty Sixty or more wringing their Hands Some crying that their Husbands are Dead others that their Wives were Dead others that their Children are Dead and all that they had not wherewith to Bury them Some again cryed that their Families are Sick and they had not wherewithal to Relieve them others that they had divers Children but had neither Bread nor Money to Buy it for them Some cryed for Bread some for Physick others for Shrouds for their Dead and he not only heard them patiently but his Bowels yearned towards them and his Hands were stretched out for their Relief For standing in his Shop with his own Hands he ministred Supplies unto them all and so dismissed them for the present The next Morning when there was a renewal of their sad Complaints his charitable Care of them was renewed also And thus he continued Morning by Morning even for the space
20. Wroughton-Mannor in Wiltshire It was founded finished and endowed by himself alone disbursing Thirteen thousand Pounds paid down before the ensealing of the Conveyance for the Ground whereon it stood with some other Appurtenances besides Six thousand pound expended in the Building thereof and that vast yearly Endowment whereof heretofore not to mention the large Sums bequeathed by him to the Poor to Prisons to Colledges to mending High-ways to the Chamber of London besides the Twenty thousand Pounds left to the Discretion of his Executors He died 1611. in the Ninth Year of King James's Reign 3. Anno Dom. 1552. King Edward the Sixth in the Sixth Year of his Reign founded the Hospitals of Christ-Church in London and of St. Thomas in Southwark and the next Year of Bridewel for the Maintenance of three sorts of Poor The first for the Education of poor Children the second for impotent and lame Persons the third for idle Persons to imploy and set them on work A Princely Gift whereby Provision was made for all sorts of poor People such as were poor either by Birth or Casualty or else wilfully poor Besides by the said vertuous Prince were founded two Free-Schools in Louth in Lincolnshire with liberal Maintenance for a School-master and Usher in them both Likewise Christ's-Colledge in the University of Cambridge enjoyeth a Fellowship and three Scholars by the Gift of the said Excellent Prince 4. Sir William Cecil not long since Lord Treasurer in his Life-time gave thirty Pounds a year to â—t John's-Colledge in Cambridge he founded also an Hospital at Stamford for twelve poor People allowing to each of them six Pounds per Annum He also left great Sums of Money in trust in the hands of Mr. John Billet one of his Executors who has as carefully performed that Trust and partly by this Means and partly out of his own Estate hath done those excellent Works He repaired at the expence of divers hundred Pounds the Great Church in the City of Bath he enlarged the Hot and Cross-Bath there walling them about He built an Hospital there to entertain twelve poor People for a Month at the Spring and three Months at the Fall of the Leaf with Allowance of Four Pence a day he gave Two hundred Pounds to the Repairs of St. Martins-Church an hundred Marks to St. Clements to build a Window five Pounds to each of the four Parishes in Westminster for twelve years Upon the Building of the Market-House there he bestowed Three hundred Pounds whereof it made ten Pounds a year for the Benefit of the Poor He also gave twenty Pounds per Annum to Christ's Hospital till two hundred Pounds came out 5. Robert Earl of Dorchester Anno 1609. by his last Will and Testament ordained an Hospital to be built in East Green-street in Sussex allowing to the Building thereof a thousand Pounds to the which the Executors have added a thousand Pounds more and three hundred and thirty Pounds of yearly Revenue to maintain twenty poor Men and ten poor Women to each of them ten Pounds by the Year and besides to a Warden twenty Pounds and to two Assistants out of the Town to be chosen three Pounds six Shillings eight Pence a-piece per Annum 6. John Whitgift Arch-Bishop of Canterbury at his own proper Charge caused an Hospital to be built at Croyden for the Maintenance of Thirty poor People with a Free-School having a Master and an Usher and laid unto it Two hundred Pounds per Annum besides the Charge of the Building which is supposed to have cost Two thousand Pounds more 7. William Lamb Clothworker gave to these charitable Uses following He built the Conduit near Holborn with the Cock at Holborn-Bridge bringing the Water more than Two thousand Yards in Pipes of Lead at the Charge of Fifteen hundred Pounds He gave also to these Uses following To Twelve poor People of St. Faiths Parish Weekly Two pence a-piece To the Company of Clothworkers four Pounds per Annum For Reading Divine Service in St. James's Church Sundays Wednesdays and Fridays and for four Yearly Sermons and for Twelve poor Men and Twelve poor Women so many Gowns Shirts Smocks Shooes he gave Lands to the Yearly Value of thirty Pounds to each of the Towns of Ludlew and Bridgnorth One hundred Pounds to Christ's-Hospital Yearly six Pounds and to purchase Lands ten Pounds to St. Thomas's Hospital Yearly four Pounds to the Savoy to buy Bedding ten Pounds He erected a Free-School at Sutton Valens in Kent with Allowance to the Master of twenty Pounds to the Usher eight Pounds He built six Alms-Houses there with the Yearly Maintenance of ten Pounds He gave also toward the Free-School at Maidstone in Kent to set the poor Clothiers on work in Suffolk he gave One hundred Pounds 8. Sir Wolston Dixy Mayor free of the Skinners gave as followeth To the Maintenance of a Free-School in Dosworth yearly twenty Pounds to Christ's-Hospital in London yearly for ever Forty two Pounds for a Lecture in St. Michael Bassings-Hall yearly ten Pounds to the Poor of Newgate twenty Pounds to the two Compters of Ludgate and Bethlehem to each of them ten pounds to the four Prisons in Southwark twenty pounds thirteen shillings four pence to the Poor of Bassing-Hall ten pounds to Emanuel-Colledge in Cambridge to buy Lands to maintain two Fellows and two Scholats Six hundred pounds to the Building of the Colledge fifty pounds to be lent unto poor Merchants Five hundred pounds to the Hospital of St. Bartholomew and St. Thomas each of them Fifty pounds to the Poor of Bridewel twenty pounds to poor Maids Marriages One hundred pound to poor Strangers of the Dutch and French Churches fifty pounds towards the Building of the Pest-house Two hundred pounds The Sum of these Gifts in money amounted to more than Seventeen hundred pounds and the yearly Annuities to Seventy two pounds 9. Sir John Gresham Mercer and Mayor of London Anno 1548. in the Second Year of King Edward the Sixth gave ten pounds to the Poor to every Ward in London which was Twenty four within the City And to One hundred and twenty poor Men and Women to every one of them three Yards of Cloth for a Gown of eight or nine Shillings a yard to Maids Marriages and the Hospitals in London above Two hundred pounds He also founded a Free-School at Holt a Market-Town in Norfolk 10. Mr. Thomas Ridge Grocer gave to charitable Uses One thousand one hundred sixty three pounds Six shillings and eight pence viz. To the Company of Grocers to be lent to two young Men free of the Company an hundred pounds to his Men and Maid-Servants Sixty three pounds six shilling eight pence unto the Hospitals about London One hundred pounds unto Preachers Four hundred pounds to poor Tradesmen in and about London Three hundred pounds for a Lecture in Grace-Church One hundred pounds and in Gowns for poor Men One hundred pounds 11. Mr. Robert Offley Haberdasher gave Six
Expressions and Fruits of Ingenuity and good Nature no Man that is not quite degenerated into Stupidity but hath some sense of Duty in such cases The Bruit Creatures and Elements themselves have some Property very Analogous to the Vertue of Gratitude the Earth the Air the Seas Storks Elephants Dogs every thing almost insensate and sensible Man should much more excel in Gratitude as being capable of greater Gifts more sensible of them and more able to return them And the deeper the Divine Image is impressed upon any one the more excellent he is in this Quality 1. There was in Florence a Merchant whose Name was Francis Frescobald of a Noble Family and Liberal Mind who through a prosperous Success in his Affairs was grown up to an abundance of Wealth While he was at Florence a young Man presented himself to him asking his Alms for God's sake Frescobald beheld the ragged Stripling and in despight of his Tatters reading in his Countenance some Significations of Vertue was moved with Pity demanded his Country and Name I am said he of England my Name is Thomas Cromwell my Father meaning his Father-in-Law is a poor Man a Cloth-shearer I am strayed from my Country and am now come into Italy with the Camp of French-men that were over-thrown at Gatylion where I was Page to a Foot-man carrying after him his Pike and Burganet Frescobald took him into his House made him his Guest and at his Departure gave him a Horse new Apparel and 16 Ducats of Gold in his Purse Cromwell rendring him hearty Thankâ— returned into his Country where in process of time he became in such favour with King Henry the Eighth that he raised him to the Dignity of being Lord-High-Chancellor of England In the mean time Frescobald by great and successive Losses was become poor but remembring that some English Merchants owed him fifteen thousand Ducats he came to London to seek after it not thinking of what had passed betwixt Cromwell and him But travelling earnestly about his business he accidentally met with the Lord-Chancellor as he was riding to the Court The Chancellor alights embraces him and with a broken Voice cast refraining Tears he demanded if he were not Francis Frescobald the Florentine invites him that day to dinner to his House Frescobald wonders who this Lord should be at last after some pause he remembers him for the same he had relieved at Florence he therefore repairs to his House not a little joyed and walking in the Court attended his return He came soon after and was no sooner dismounted but he again embraced him with so friendly a Countenance as the Lord-Admiral and other Nobles then in his Company much marvelled at He turning back and holding Frescobald by the Hand Do you not wonder my Lord said he that I seem so glad of this Man This is he by whose means I have atchieved this my present degree and therewith recounted to them what had passed between them Then taking him by the Hand he led him to the Chamber where he dined and seated him next himself Afterwards leading him into a Chamber and commanding all to depart he lockt the Door then opening a Coffer he first took out 16 Ducats and delivering that to Frescobald My Friend said he here is your Money that you lent me at my departure from Florence here are other ten you bestowed in my Apparel with 10 more you disbursed for the Horse I rode upon But considering you are a Merchant it seemeth to me not honest to return your Money without some Consideration for the long detaining of it take you therefore these four Bags in every of which is four hundred Ducats to receive and enjoy from the hand of your assured Friend Which the Modesty of Frescobald would have refused the other forced them upon him This done he caused him to give him the Names of all his Debtors and the Sum they owed the Schedule he delivered to one of his Servants with charge to search out the Men if within any part of the Realm and straitly to charge them to make payment within 15 days or else to abidethe hazard of Displeasure The Servant so well performed the Command of his Master that in a very short time the whole Sum was paid in During all this time Frescobald lodged in the Lord-Chancellor's House who gave him the Entertainment he deserved and oftentimes moved him to abide in England offering him the Loan of Sixty thousand Ducats for the space of 4 years if he would continue and make his Bank at London But he desired to return into his own Country which he did with the great Favour of the Lord Cromwell and there richly arrived but he enjoyed his Wealth but a small time for in the first year of his return he died Hackwel 's Apol. l. 4. c. 10. Engl. Worth by W. Winstanley p. 213. Wanley 's Wond l. 3. c. 20. 2. Bishop Andrews's Gratitude to those from whom he had received any Benefits was most conspicuous as Dr. Ward Son to his first School-Master upon whom he bestowed the Living of Waltham in Hampshire Master Mulcaster his other School-Master he always reverendly respected living and being dead caused his Picture having but few other in his House to be set over his Study-door Upon a Kinsman of Dr. Wats which was all he could find of that Generation he bestowed Preferments in Pembroke-hall But should I go about to particularize all his Vertues it were sufficient of its self to make up a Volume Winstanley's Worthies p. 373. CHAP. XLVIII Remarkable Diligence Laboriousness and Studiousness GOD requires of all Men that they should be active and industrious in their places and he that is not so is a Burden to the Creation no Credit to his Creator nor Comfort as he should be to Others The hand of the diligent maketh rich saith Solomon if thou searchest for her as for hid treasures then shalt thou understand c. Whilst we have time let us do good saith our Saviour Neither Wealth nor Wisdom nor Goodness is to be had without Diligence and besides no Crown without a Combat I have fought the good fight saith St. Paul henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of glory 1. Irenaeus laboured exceedingly by Prayer Preaching Disputing Instructing and Reproving with Patience and Wisdom seeking the lost strengthning the weak recalling the wandring binding up the broken-hearted and confirming those that were strong insomuch that Tertullian saith of him He governed the Flock of Christ with such Integrity of Life and Sincerity of Doctrine that he was loved exceedingly by his own and feared by others Clark's Marr. of Eccles Hist 2. Origen was called Adamantinus for his hardiness and lustre say some because not daunted nor affrighted with any Labours or Afflictions whatsoever for he studied the hidden meaning of the Scriptures from a Child tired and sometimes posed his Father with Questions prompted him and others to Martyrdom could hardly be restrained from it himself
their proper Offices to attend upon the Soul 's or at the least were not able to perform them when the Soul was determined to be throughly employed Sabell Ex. L. 2. T. 7. p. 91. 18. Joseph Scaliger then at Paris when the horrible Butchery and Massacre was there was so intent upon his Study of the Hebrew Tongue that he did not so much as hear the Clashing of Arms the Cries of Children the Lamentations of Women nor the Clamours and Groans of Men. Heinsii Orat. 1. p. 4. Wanley's Wonders c. L. 3. C. 41. 19. Justin Martyr would not be satisfied in his Mind 'till he had got Instructers singularly seen in all the kinds of Philosophy Stoic Peripatetick Pythagorean and Platonist Clark's Marr. of Eccles History 20. Tertullian was In omni genere Doctrine paritus Lactant. inter Latinos omnes facilè princeps judicandus Vincent Lirin Excellently versed in Physicks Mathematicks History and Civil Law Clark's Marr. of Eccles History 21. Ephrem Syrus without the help of an Instructer attain'd to an excellent Skill in the Syrian Tongue and was also a great Philosopher and a very good Orator mightily admir'd by Basil for his Learning and for Three hundred thousand Verses which he wrote much esteem'd in which Abbas Zenobias Abraham Meras and Simeon endeavour'd much to imitate him Ibid. 22. Hierom distributed his time into two parts one for Study the other for Meditation and Prayer wherein also he spent a good part of the Night he allow'd himself the least part for Sleep less for Food none for Idleness when weary of Study he prayed or sung a Psalm and then to his Study again He read over all his Library and then rubbed up his old Readings he learned most of the Scriptures by Heart and read over Commentaries upon them not pretermitting the Works of Heathens and Hereticks and collected out of the Egyptian Writers but especially he read the Works of Origen whom he called Suum His own With great Charge he learned the Hebrew Chaldee and Syriac yet in this Course he took much pleasure Ibid. 23. Gregory the Great was very exact in spending his time saying That he was to give an Account of it unto God Ibid. p. 96. 24. Bernard living privately in his Cell spent his time in Study Meditation and Prayer often saying to himself Bernard Bernard remember for what end thou camest hither He allow'd himself very little time for Sleep often complaining that all that time was lost and so sparing was he in his Diet that less Sleep was necessary he never eat nor slept to satiety yea by his rigid Abstinence he so weakned his Stomach that he was scarce able to retain Food when he had eaten it and that little he did retain served rather to retard Death than prolong Life Yet all this while he remitted nothing of his Studies and Labours but equalled the other Monks in digging the Ground carrying Wood upon his Shoulders and busying himself about meaner Services and in the Intervals of these Labours he prayed and meditated Ibid. p. 104. 25. Zuinglius used to study standing and tied himself to certain Hours which he would not omit unless necessity compelled him from his first Rising 'till Ten a Clock he employed himself in Reading Writing Interpreting the Scripture and making his Sermons after Dinner 'till about Two a Clock he conferred with his Friends or gave Counsel to such as sought it and so to his Study 'till Supper after which having walk'd a-while he busied himself in Writing Letters which sometimes held him 'till Midnight Ibid. p. 153. 26. John Picus Mirandula read over whole Libraries both of Latin and Greek Authors with a wonderful celeâ—ity and yet culled out the most useful things s he went through them he was so versed in the Ancient Fathers as if he had made them his only Study all his Life long he was so well acquainted with Modern Writers that if any Difficulty were proposed to him out of them he could presently resolve it Concerning his Study of the Scriptures see under its proper Head Clark in his Life 27. Sir John Jeffery was born in Sussex and so profited in the Study of our Municipal Laws that he was preferred Secondary Judge of the Common Pleas and thence advanced by Queen Elizabeth in Michaelmas-Term the Nineteenth of her Reign to be Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer which place he Discharged for the time of Two Years to his great Commendation This was he who was called the Plodding Student whose Industry perfected Nature and was perfected by Experience It is said of him Nullus illi per otium dies exit partem noctium studiis vindicat non vacat somno sed succumbet oculos vigiliâ fatigatos candenetsque in opere detinet He spent no Day idly but part of the Nights he devoted to Study he had no leisure to Sleep but when surprized by it for wnat of it his weary Eyes when closing and falling by reason of his over-watching he still held to their work and compelled to wait upon him Floyd's State-Worthies p. 223. 28. Aristotle to hinder his being overtaken with Sleep he used sometimes to apply a Vessel of hot Oyl to his Stomach and when he slept he would hold a Brasen Ball in his Hand over a Basin that so when the Ball should fall down into it he might again be awaked by the Noise of it Laert. L. 5. p. 117 118. 29. Callistus the Third at Fourscore Years of AGe remitted nothing of his usual Industry and Constancy in his Studies but both read much himself and had others who read to him when he had any time to spare from the great Weight of his Affairs Plat. de Vitis Pontif. p. 320 321. 30. Jacobus Milichius a German Physician when Old Age began to grow upon him was so careful and sparing afterward of his time that no Man could find him at his own House but he was either Reading or Writing of something or else which was very rare with him he was Playing at Tables a Sport which he much delighted in after Dinner After Supper and in the Night he was at Studies and Succubrations which was the reason that he slept but little and also the cause of that Disease which took away his Life for the over-constant and the unseasonable Intentions of his Mind in his Studies was doubtless the occasion of the Apoplexy of which he died 1559. Melch. Adam in Vit. Germ. Med. p. 96. 31. Jacobus Schegkius when Aged Blind and Apoplectical had one to read to him and even then put forth most Learned Commentaries upon the Topicks of Aristotle Ibid. p. 295. 32. The Worshipful William Garaway Esq my Honoured Friend and Neighbour of Ford in Sussex now living and in the 81st Year of his Age in competent Health and great Vigour of Mind thô of excellent Natural Endowments and great Reading yet is still very inquisitive after more Knowledge careful to purchase all Books of worth as they come from
continued in London Teaching and Preaching the Gospel so long as the Strength of his Body would permit and at length being old and stricken in Years he died comfortably and peaceably in the Lord being about Eighty Years old January 20. A. C. 1568. See his Life CHAP. L. Remarkable Silence or Reservedness of Men c. As also of Retirement SOme People love to make a loud Noise in the World but they are rarely the most wise and solid for the deepest Waters are generally the calmest and the emptiest Barrels in a Sea the greatest Sound and a Dear Friend of mine now Deceased Mr. J. Tutte no impolitick or irreligious Man commended this as his last Farewel-Admonition to his Step-Son upon his Death-Bed That he should fear God and endeavour to pass through the World without making any great Noise as he went 1. St. Basil affected a solitary Life 2. St. Hierom was in love with a Monastick Life that he might have more freedom to attend his Studies with a good Library and Heliodorus for his Companion retired into Syria and afterwards Heliodorus leaving him he betook to a Wilderness between the Syrians and the Saracens where he continued Four Years in great Solitude Clark's Marr. of Eccl. Hist 3. Bonosus Hierom's Fellow-Student having settled his Affairs forsaking his Country Parents Friends and onely accompanied with a few Books departed into a solitary Island to extricate himself from the Snares of the World and enjoy more Freedom in the Service of Christ Ibid. 4. Fulgentius a Year before his Death retired with some Brethren into the Island of Circina and there lived a most strict Life but the Necessities of his People requiring and their Importunity prevailing he returned to them and then fell into most grievous Sickness Ibid. p. 94. 5. Gregory the Great after his Father's Death having given his Estate to the Relief of the Poor betook himself to a Monastical Life first under Hilarion and afterwards under Maximianus both famous for Learning and Piety Ibid. p. 96. 6. John Picus of Mirandula Three Years before his Death retired himself from the Pleasures Profits and Honours of the World that he might live a more private Life and made over almost all his Estate in the Earldoms of Mirandula and Concordia to his Brother's Son and distributed a great part of his Money Plate and Jewels amongst the Poor Clark in his Life 7. Thomas Aquinas was called Bos or Ox by his School-fellows because he was also silent Textor 8. Mr. Samuel Daniel the English Poet being a Servant in Ordinary to Queen Anne and thereupon having a fair Salary allowed him kept a handsome Garden-House in Old-street near London where as a Tortoise burying himself in the Ground all Winter long he lay obscure some Months together that he might in Retirement enjoy the Felicity he aimed at and then afterwards he would appear in Publick to enjoy and converse with his Friends whereof the Two principal were Dr. Cowel and Mr. Cambden In his Old Age he turned Husbandman and Rented a Farm in Wiltshire nigh the Devises it is thought not so much for the hopes of Profit as to enjoy the Retiredness of a Country-life No question he pleased himself with Contentedness and Freedom from the Troubles of City and Court his Fancy being too fine and sublimated to be wrought down only for private Profit Select Lives of Worthies in England p. 338. 9. Mr. Michael Drayton another famed English Poet was very temperate in his Life and slow of Speech and inoffensive in Company Ibid. p. 341. 10. Mr. Abraham Cowley another excellent Man to make up the Triumovirate thô he took well at Court yet seems to resent the Inconveniences that attended it for he makes this his serious Wish To retire from the Buz and Noise of the City into some place of privacy where he might enjoy the pleasant Correspondence of many Books and a few Friends and one Wife and a pleasant Garden Thus he delivers himself in one of his Poems and in a Letter to Mr. Evelyn Author of the Kalendarium Hortense he declares it more at large professing that he had been then a pretty while aiming at it but was not yet arrived at that State of Mortal Happiness 11. One of the Cato's having attained to the Age of Eight and fifty Years gave over his Publick Charge and Travel in Affairs of the Roman Common-wealth and went to wear out the remainder of his Days near to Naples in a Country Village which then was called Picenum but now it is named Marca de Aâ—â—a where he maintained his Faculties and nourished himself with such Conveniences as his poor Lands and Living afforded him This Good and Vertuous Cato keeping a simple Cottage one while perusing his Books and other whiles looking to his Vines and Plants His Neighbours had written 〈◊〉 a Coal over his Door these words How happy a Man art thou O Cato because thou only knowest what it is to live in this World amongst other Men. Treasury of Anâ— and Modern Times p. 735. 12. Lucullus the Consul and Roman Captain continued at the Wars against the Parthians Sixteen Years together during which time he won much Honour to Rome many Provinces to the Common-wealth great Renown to himself and mighty Treasures for his Houses This Man after his Return from Asia to Rome found the State full of Partialities and Dissensions through the Quarrels between Marius and Sylla he resolved to leave Rome which forthwith he did put in effect causing certain places of sumptuyous Workmanship to be builded near Naples along by the Sea-side in a place now called Castello di Lupo There he made his Sojourning for the space of Eighteen Years in quite Repose and silent Pleasure free from all the Turmoils and Travails of State and in this Contentment he ended his Days Ibid. 13. Dioclesian after he had governed Rome 18 years and had attained to very old Age he gave over the Empire from whence he dismissed himself into Nicomedia with no other Intention but only to return home to his own House and there in Peace and Quiet to spend the rest of his Life and accordingly at Salon he dealt in Husbandry 12 years together After two years spent in this Retirement the Romans sent two worthy Ambassadors to entreat him to return to Rome again The Ambassadors found him in his Garden weeding his Beds of Lettis and other Herbs whom he answered thus My Friends do not you think it more honest and better that he who digged and planted these Lettis should eat them peaceably and quietly in his own House than to forsake such wholesome Fare and return to the Tumults and Rumors of Rome I have now made good proof both what it is to command and what Benefit ensueth by labouring and deliving in the Ground Leave me then to my self I entreat you in this private State of Life for I much rather affect to maintain my Life by the labour of my Hands than to be
were very brave Minded and valiant Men. As for her Daughters over and besides their Happiness to marry with wise and worthy Knights so were they well Educated in Houshold-Discipline by their excellent Breeding and famous Houses of generous Nourishing Treasury of Ancient and Modern Times C. 8. p. 761. 14. Madam Margaret de Savoy Wife to the Deceased Anne de Montmorency Constable of France who had Five Children all worthily Educated and evermore most lovingly affected unto the Crown of France as being very remarkable for their Fidelity as also well provided of Honourable Estates When News was brought her That one of her Sons was dead named Mombrum whom she most dearly affected above all the rest and was slain in the Battel at Dreux fought against the French Protestants in the Year 1562 and also That her Husband being wounded was there surprized she said blessed be God as well for the bad as the good and gave him hearty Thanks not only because her Son was slain but that her Husband remained wounded and a Prisoner for the Service of the King c. Ibid. 15. Madam Katherine du Salaignat Wife to Messiere Geffrey de Saillet a brave and hardy Knight in his Life-time she sending her Sons in their very young Years to Paris for Instruction was advised by some familiar Friend to keep them as yet at home because they were but young and tender She made Answer That her Children resembled Vessels wholly new wherein if good Liquor were put at the first they would savour thereof so long as Nature lasted In like manner if Children embrace good Doctrines in their Young Age they will relish always after thereof even to Old Age. Which they cannot do being kept under the Mother's Wing as we term it where neither are like Masters or commodious Means as it is in such places where all Vertues are taught to such as will seek for them For this good Lady added That she desired rather to be without Children than that they should not be vertuous And indeed such did her Sons prove to be and good Servitors to their King notwithstanding all the partiality in France Ibid. p. 763. 16. Under this Head of Good Wives may very fitly be inserted a short Narrative of the Life of Mrs. E with whom I was well acquainted her Love to her Husband proved to be that Non-such Love which she was prest too in her Wedding-Sermon such an unpresidented Love and Tenderness she had for him that there has not been a greater Instance of Conjugal Affection on her part neither cou'd it be known which of the two were most obliging and therefore it was that once upon a very remarkable occasion she told a young Lady That he lov'd her even to an excess if such a thing cou'd be between Man or Wife This is certain if there was any Contest between 'em 't was only which of the two loved most or which of 'em was most happy in their Married State Before their Marriage there was a Day of Prayer kept in order to it and one of the Divines that prayed had this Expression Let 'em never give Ear to those that may go about even in the least thing to divide ' em Which they both promised when the Day was concluded and subscribed their Hands to a formal Agreement as to this matter to shew their hearty Consent to it This incomparable Person was Descended from very Honourable Parents and had an extraordinary Education and I may sincercly say of her as Dr. Walker did of the Countess of Warwick That there many Daughters yea all their Daughters did vertuously but she I shall therefore Draw her tho' but in little who had nothing little nothing mean but a little esteem of her own Perfections and being mean in her own Eyes She was a Person of that great Piety that when the was but in the 34th Year of her Age I sound she had kept a Diary of her Soul-concerns for above Sixteen Years Her Honoured Father has given this Character of her That of all his Children she was the only one that had never once disobeyed him in her whole Life And her Husband lately told me for he 's still living and has enjoyn'd me to conceal her Name it being contrary to her Inclinations to have any thing she ever said or writ publish'd to the World for the whole time he was married to her which was many Years she never once omitted Secret Prayer twice a Day and was for all that time as constant in Reading the Scriptures in private besides what they read in the Family Her Husband by going to Bed before her has been often wak'd out of his Sleep by the extraordinary Goings-forth of her Soul in private Devotion And as to Publick Worship she never omitted going to the Sacrament and hearing two Sermons every Lord's Day from the Sixteenth Year of her Age to the time of her Sickness 'T will be of no small use to the Reader to insert here what I find in one of her Diaries it being the Rules she walked by in the management of her whole Life and I shall first insert Her Resolutions about Marriage which I found in the Journal of her Life written with her own Hand Her own Words were these viz. What I intend to do if it please God to bring me into a marry'd State For the Choice of a Husband his Person shall be such as I can entirely love and delight in His Humour as near as I can judge suitable to mine so that we may delight in each others Company I would not have him Hasty nor Passionate no not to others A Competency of Estate so that we may live and not be beholding to Friends is all I desire For I do not nor never did reckon that the Comforts of ones Life will or doth consist in having abundance of the World I would chiefly and above all have one that doth truly fear God not only a Professor but one that is seriously Godly and whose chief Delight is as near as I can judge and learn by others in the things of God I will if I can possibly have my Judgment go before my Affection in the Choice of a Husband If it please God my Parents live to see me married I will not entertain any Discourse with any that I intend to marry without their consent and liking If I am able too keep Servants they shall be as near as I can discover and by enquiring know of others those that truly sear God at least they shall be Civilized As for Men-Servants if I should marry a Citizen I shall think it my Duty to let my Husband alone with them but if he doth neglect his Duty to them by not calling them to an Account for the Sermons they hear Reading c. If I can't perswade him to it I shall then think I may and must take some care of their Souls As for Maids I 'll before ever I hire them tell them
conscientiously to discharge my Duty to all Relations let the Event be what it will O that I were so spiritual as to make a good use of all the Disappointments I have ever yet met with I bless God I have not promised my self Happiness in any thing in the World but have been some way or other disappointed in it God is very kind to me in it He sees how my Affections are still running out after the Creature and how apt I am to be fond of that which draws my Heart from God Now I will return to God let God do what he pleases with me I bless God for Relations and Friends but I desire to enjoy them more as God is pleased to make them a Blessing to me than for any outward Comfort I have in them O that I could love Christ more and Creatures less I see they are uncertain Comforts but in Christ is never failing Delight and Satisfaction to be had Upon a Dream she dreamt on the Nineteenth of November in the Year 1680. HER Dream in her own Words was this viz. Methoughts I was above Stairs and either something or a Voice said to me That I must in a very short time come and appear before my Judge there to give an Account of all I have done and then I should be tried whether I was sincere or no in what I did Methoughts I presently died but Soul and Body remained together 'till I were Summoned to Judgment I was extreamly concerned at this Voice and began to bethink myself what Account I could give at Judgment I could not tell whether I was really sincere or no. I began to Examine myself and thought what should I do The Day of Grace was over 't was too late to repent and the like c. and I could not tell what would become of me for ever I dreamt I went down Stairs and there the People told me I look'd like Death Aye says I so I well may when I am dead I could not tell what to do for a room to pray in to see if there were any hopes of acceptance I was so amazed and affrighted that I was almost besides myself for fear I was not siucere I then thought what Ends have I proposed to myself in the performance of Duties and could not find that I had designed any thing of Self in what I had done I was I hoped sincere though under great Fears and Amazements because of my appearing before the Heart-searching God I awaked in a great fright REFLECTION VI. Her Reflection in her own Words upon this Dream was this viz. OH my Soul What shall I now do This that was but a Dream will shortly be true I must e're long be Summoned to Judgment in a more Solemn Manner than I can now think of and there I must give up my Account before the Great GOD. If I am an Hypocrite I shall then be undone for ever Sure there is something more than ordinary in this Dream God is wonderful good and kind to me I have been very careless and negligent in the performance of all Duties God is pleased to give me one Warning more to see if I will do what I can towards an Assurance of Salvation If after all these Warnings I shall be found Christless my Damnation will be greatly aggravated my Summons to Judgment will be more dreadful than I can now think it will be When I must appear before my Judge fitting on his Throne I shall there be accountable for all my Thoughts Words and Actions before that God who knows them better than I do my self When the Sentence shall be pronounced and the Judge will stay to see it executed there will be no Repealing of that Sentence no avoiding its Execution but I must for ever then enter either into endless Joys or Torments What shall I now resolve upon I do and cannot but believe that this Day is near Die I must I am not sure of one Moments time more Am I mad then to live as I now do To be contented when I know not what will become of me for ever I now resolve through the Assistance of the Blessed Spirit to be more in the Work of Self-examination that I may not be surprized by Death or Judgment Blessed be God for bearing with me so long for giving me one Warning more before the Great Day of Judgment What wonderful Patience have I abused What need have I to be speedy and sincere in my Repentance and now do what I wish'd in my Sleep I had time to have done REFLECTION VII Upon Scalding her Foot Sept. 7. 1681. Her Reflection upon it was this which follows in her own Words viz. OH how great was that Smarting Pain I then presently considered if that pain was so dreadful what would be the Torments of the Damned If it is now so sad to have a little hot Liquor poured on ones foot what will it be to have Soul and Body tormented to lie burning in Fire and Brimstone for ever This pain though great yet is quickly over I have cooling things for it but in Hell a Drop of Cold Water cannot be obtained to cool the Tongue of the Damned tho' if that could be yet it would do but little good What doth God point out to me by all these Providences but that I should do the utmost I can to scape Hell Torments I have now time and opportunity to work out my Salvation How inexcusable shall I be if after all I should neglect so great Salvation What cause have I to admire Christ who not only died to deliver his from Hell-Torments but hath purchased such Joy and Glory for all such as durst trust themselves with him Well now what do I resolve upon Oh! for an Holy Ingenuity in my Carriage towards God! that I could but live as becomes the Redeemed of the Lord and make use of all Providences and Ordinances as God hath appointed them for Her Carriage before she Received the Sacrament IN her Sixteenth Year she had longing Desires to receive the Sacrament which she acquainted her Pastour with who told her That then she must forsake all Sin and cleave to Christ and not live in the omission of any known Duty or in the commission of any known Sin then he said She must make Religion her Business He said He hoped she made Conscience of Secret Prayer He said She knew what Paul said concerning the unmarried Woman That she cares for the things of the Lord how she might be holy both in body and spirit And he bid her observe this and he did not question but Christ would bid her Welcome and accordingly on the Sabbath-day following she went to the Sacrament but before she went she spent some time in Examination and could not find but that she had Truth of Grace And then she brake out in the following pathetical Ejaculations viz. Oh! how should the Thoughts of Free Grace ravish and fill me with Love to
God! Oh! how am I filled with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory Oh Lord I solemnly resolve against all my Sins These are the Murtherers that would not have thee to Reign over me Original Sin the pollution of my own Nature the Sins that I have committed before I knew what Sin was have rendred me obnoxious to thy Displeasure I beg of thee that thou wouldest give them their Death's Wound I shall now meditate on the wonderful Love of God in electing some to Salvation and passing by others and wonder that I shou'd be an Object of Electing Love sure Lord thou cou'dst not have chosen one more vile than I am and one that wou'd have carried it to thee as I have done I may well wonder at thy infinite Love I considered of the Love of God in parting with the Son of his Love to die for Sinners that God shou'd contrive such a way of Salvation for fallen Man and not for fallen Angels What an astonishing amazing Love was that that Christ shou'd become Man that he shou'd be so poor as not to have where to lay his Head when he came to enrich the World Oh that sweet Expression of Christ's Love when he says I was with him when he laid the Foundations of the World yet then my Thoughts were in the habitable part of the Earth and my Delights were with the Sons of Men. That I shou'd be one of them that Christ shou'd have in his Thoughts of Love I cou'd not but cry out And why me Lord why me Oh infinite Free Grace that I shou'd be freely chosen whereas if God had but required Satisfaction for one Sin tho' but a sinful thought I must have perish'd for ever I told Christ Dearest Jesus I cannot at this Sacrament take a denial of thy gracious Presence I come to meet with God and I cannot be contented without him I bless thy Name I have often enjoyed great Delight in this Ordinance but now I would enjoy more of God than ever I would have all my Graces grow and flourish I would have my Sins utterly destroyed and rooted out O Blessed Jesus I come to thee here are my Lusts my Pride my Vnbelief my want of Love to thee the base Sins of my Nature my disingenuous Carriage towards thee here Lord slay them before thee They are unwilling that thou shouldest rule in my Soul I did in these or the like Expressions make over my self to be more entirely God's and I dare own upon review that I did enjoy Christ This did in some measure set my Soul a longing for Heaven Lord said I if a Smile of thy Love is so sweet what are the full and ravishing Views of thy Love If a Glimps of my dearest Jesus is so sweet and refreshing what will the full Visions of God be for ever But my base Heart was several times trying to draw me from God O surely a Freedom from Sin will be unconceivably sweet to me that am so continually harassed with these Corruptions She writ abundance of such MEDITATIONS and EJACVLATIONS as these but here 's all that her Husband could ever get transcribed By these her MEMOIRS and RVLES for holy Living we not only see what an extraordinary Wife she was for her Husband says she fully practis'd 'em but also the happy Effects of a regular Course of Piety for certainly never was there on a Sick-bed a greater Instance of a willing Resignation to the Will of God as to either Life or Death She would often say to her Husband O my dear 't is a solemn thing to die but I can freely leave all the World but you and at saying so she would still burst out into Tears she said at another time Sickness is no time to prepare for Death were my Work now to do I were undone for ever But I shall stop here for she needs not borrowed Shades to set her off I need do no more than refer you to these Memoirs which are all the curious Contexture of her own Brain I shall only add She was MISTRESS IN THE ART OF OBLIGING in which she attain'd that Sovereign Perfection that she reigned over all Hearts with whom she did converse In a word She did consecrate her self entirely to God and was more afraid of Sin than of Hell it self In such a loose Age as this such an extraordinary Instance may perhaps be doubted as to the Truth of it but I do assure the Reader there 's nothing inserted in this Relation of Mrs. L but what is real Matter of Fact CHAP. LII Good Husbands Remarkable HVsbands have as much cause to be good as Wives and more clearness of Reason and strength of Judgment ordinarily to govern their Passions and direct their Actions and therefore they should excel the Women not only in Prudence but in Goodness and particularly Patience And so they do sometimes as for Instance 1. Sir Nathanael Barnardiston seemed here to imitate the Practice of the Lord Jesus towards his Church in his Conjugal Love Protection and full Contentation and Delight until he became a Pattern and Mirrour of Matrimonial Sweetness and Faithfulness and as it is said by one of the Rabbins concerning Methuselah's Wife That she had Nine Husbands in One for Age and Years so I may say of this Gentleman's Lady that she had Nine Husbands in him alone for his aimable Carriage and Graces These were it is true acted while he was living but he left a Testimonial in his Will of his living Affection after his own Death over and above the Marriage-Covenants to shew his endearedness of her by his Affectionate Remembrance when he himself was gone See his Life 2. Dominicus Catalusius was the Prince of Lesbos and is worthy of eternal Memory for the entire Love which he bare to his Wife she fell into a grievous Leprosie which made her appear more like unto a rotten Carcase than a living Body Her Husband not fearing in the least to be infected with the Contagion nor frighted with her horrible Aspects nor distasted with the loathsome Smells sent forth by her filthy Ulcers never forbid her either his Board or Bed but the true Love he had towards her turned all those things to him into Security and Pleasure Lond. Theatr. p. 462. Fulgos L. 4. C. 6. p. 526. 3. Ant. Wallaeus lived most lovingly with his Wife they never brake forth into Anger or mutual Brawling their mutual Care was to please each other and by Deeds to prevent each others's Desires neither did Wallaeus fear any thing more than that his Dear Wife should die before him-for he used her not only for the Government of his Family but for his constant Companion What soever befel him in the Common-wealth Church or Civil Converse he acquainted her with it ask'd and often followed her Advice for she was a modest and prudent Woman Clark's Eccles Hist p. 488. 4. Mr. Eliot of New-England loved prized and cherished that one Wife which was given to
him truly from the Lord with a kindness that notably represented the Compassion which he hereby taught his Church to expect from the Lord Jesus Christ and after he had lived with her more than half a Hundred Years he followed her to the Grave with Lamentations beyond those which the Jews from the Figure of a Letter in the Text affirm that Abraham deplored his Aged Sarah with her departure made a deeper Impression upon him than what any common Affliction could His whole Conversation with her had that Sweetness and that Gravity and Modesty beautifying of it that every one called them Zachary and Elizabeth Cott. Mather in his Life p. 57. 5. C. Plautius Numida a Senator having heard of the Death of his Wife and not able to bear the Weight of so great a Grief thrust his Sword into his Breast but by the sudden coming in of his Servants he was prevented from finishing his Design and his Wound was bound up by them nevertheless as soon as he found opportunity according to his desire he tore off his Plaisters opened the Lips of his Wound with his own Hand and let forth a Soul that was unwilling to stay in the Body after that his Wife had forsaken hers Val. Max. L. 4. C. 6. p. 114. 6. Philip sir-named the Good the First Author of that Greatness whereunto the House of Burgundy did arrive was about Twenty three Years of Age when his Father John Duke of Burgundy was slain by the Villany and Perfidiousness of Charles the Dauphin being informed of that unwelcome News full of Grief and Anger as he was he hasts into the Chamber of his Wife she was the Dauphin's Sister O said he my Michalea thy Brother hath murthered my Father Upon this his Wife that loved him dearly burst forth into Tears and Lamentations fearing least this Act of her Brother's would make a Breach betwixt her Husband and her which her Husband taking Notice of comforted her saying Be of good cheer tho' it was thy Brother's yet it is not thy fault neither will I esteem or love thee less for it c. Which accordingly he made good so long as they lived together Lips Monit L. 2. C. 17. p. 388. Pol. p. 200. Clark's Marr. c. 65. p. 291. Wanley's Wonders of the Little World p. 143. 7. Mr. Samuel Fairclough his Wife dying in Child-bed was blamed for his great Sorrow for such a pious Relation See his Life CHAP. LIII Good Children Remarkable THat old celebrated Proverb in our Church Train up a Child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it hath so much truth in it that a Good Education will either improve and meliorate the Nature of Persons or haunt them with continual Checks and Vneasiness of Thought all their Life after either they shall be made better by the Impression of early Notions upon their Hearts or smart for their Disobedience and Obstinacy For certainly a crooked Child seldom grows streight with Age and if a Plant is not flexible when young it will grow stiffer and more obdurate with time We use to Imprint the Seal when the Wax is warm and soft and Sow our Seed at Seed-time not in the Drought of Summer or the Coldness of Winter Every Body that hath Eyes takes Notice of the Rising Sun and the first opening of the Day every Gardiner and Farmer loves to see his Seeds and Grain and Plants promise well at the first And who is there so improvident among Christians as not to take notice and rejoyce in the early Product of their Instructions and Endeavours but especially to see them grateful and good in their particular Relations 1. Ant. Wallaeus attended upon his Parents so carefully in the time of their Sickness and so comforted them with Divine Consolations that at the Hour of Death they both blessed him and gave this Testimony of him that he had never offended them in all his Life Clark's Eccles History p. 471. 2. Q. cicero Brother of Marcus being proscribed and sought after to be slain by the Triumvirate was hid by his Son who for that cause was hurried to Torments but by no Punishments or Tortures could he forced to betray his Father The Father moved with the Piety and Constancy of the Son of his own accord offered himself to Death least for his sake they should determine with utmost severity against his Son Zonar Annual Tom. 2. p. 86. Xiphil in Augusto p. 60. 3. There happened in Sicily as it hath often an Irruption of Aetna now called Mount Gibel it murmurs burns belches up Flames and throws out its fiery Entrails making all the World to fly from it It happened then that in this violent and horrible breach of Fire every one flying and carring away what they had most precious with them Two Sons the one called Anapias the other Amphinomus careful of the Wealth and Goods of their Houses reflected on their Father and Mother both very old who could not save themselves from the Fire by slight And where shall we said they find a more precious Treasure than those who begat us The one took up his Father on his Shoulders the other his Mother and so made passage through the Flames It is an admirable thing that God in the Consideration of this Piety though Pagans did a Miracle for the Monuments of all Antiquity witness that the devouring Flames staid at this Spectacle and the Fire wasting and broiling all about them the Way only which these two good Sons passed was Tapestry'd with fresh Verdure and called afterwards by Posterity The Field of the Pious in Memory of this Accident Causs Hic Tom. 1. L 3. p. 113. Lon. Theatr. p. 272. Solin C. 11. p. 225. Camerar Oper. Subciscent 1. C. 86. p. 401. 4. Sir Thomas Moore being Lord Chancellor of England at the same time that his Father was a Judge of the King's-Bench he would always at his going to Westminster go first to the King's-Bench and ask his Father Blessing before he went to sit in the Chancery Baker's Chron. p. 406. Fuller H. S. L. 1. C. 6. p. 13. 5. The Carriage of Mr. Herbert Palmer towards his Parents was very dutiful and obsequious not only during his Minority but even afterwards which was very evident in that Honour and Respect which he continued to express to his Aged Mother to the Day of her Death Clark's Exampl Vol. 1. C. 23. 6. Our King Edward the First returning from the Wars in Palestine rested himself in Sicily where the Death of his Son and Heir coming first to his Ear and afterwards the Death of the King his Father he sorrowed much more for the loss of his Father than of his Son whereat King Charles of Sicily greatly wondred and asking the Reason of it had this Answer return'd him The loss of Sons is but light because it may be easily repaired but the Death of Parents is irremediable because they can never be bad again Idem
Samuel Fairclough at 13 years of Age upon hearing a Sermon of Mr. Ward 's concerning Zacheus his Restitution began to be very serious and devout as will be shewed under the Chapter of Restitution 23. Jabez-Eliezer Russel Son to William Russel in the Parish of St. Bartholomew the Great London was remarkable in his Life for his Obedience to his Parents in what they commanded him For his addicting himself to the reading of the holy Scriptures For his great Memory he was able to give a particular Account of most of the memorable Passages both in the Old and New Testament with the Names of Persons their Actions and the Circumstances thereof To say no more his retentive Faculty was so capacious that what-ever he read he made it his own His Meditations in the Word of God in the Practice of which he was both frequent and serious His frequent Praying taking notice of the Words and Works of God fearing Sin greatly wishing he had died when he came first out of the Womb because then he should not have sinned c. And in his Sickness having a great sense of both Original and Actual Sin using such Expressions as these I shall see the holy Angels and I shall be ashamed they will be so glorious for I am Dust and Ashes and there I shall see the Twelve Apostles sit upon Twelve Thrones c. And to his Mother ' Prayer will do me more good and is better than Sleep I am best when I pray And at last enquiring after his Sisters Names because as was supposed he thought he should know them in Heaven though he never saw them on Earth and so fell asleep in the Lord Feb. 19. 71. aged 9 years 2 months and 6 days See the Account of his Life and Death 24. Mrs. Luce Perrot late Wife of Mr. Rob. Perrot of London Minister amongst her last Speeches hath these I would not for ten thousand Worlds but have began to seek God betimes he then took me off from other Delights and carried me on step by step I then could see nothing in the World to delight in I then thought Holidays a Wearisomness to me would sometimes sit and see others play but took no delight therein for which they would laugh at me and tell me I studied Divinity c. When Children grow crooked at first they are hardly ever set streight again afterwards c. See the Printed Account of her Speeches p. 1 2. 25. Tho. Aquinas is reported to have loved his Book so dearly when he was but a Child that he must have it constantly to Bed with him and if at any time when he awaked out of Sleep he missed it he would fall a crying Pontan Attic. Bellar. 26. Susanna Bickes who died in the 14th Year of her Age Sept. 1. 1664. of a Pestilence at Leyden The first night she was seized betook her self earnestly to Private Prayer breaking forth into those words Psal 119. If thy law were not my Delight I should perish in my Affliction and Heb. 12.10 11. No chastening for the present seems joyous c. and then sighing to God with her Eyes up to Heaven she said Be merciful to me O Father be merciful to me poor Sinner according to thy Word Commending that Text Ps 55.23 to her sorrowful Parents and Isaiah 49.15 16 addding ' O comfortable words for both Mothers and Children c. Upon the Lord's-day she minded her Father of having her Name given up to be remembred in the Publick Prayers saying she had learned That the effectual fervent Prayer of the Righeeous availes much Yet out of Tenderness for their Safety would not have the Ministers to visit her but rather cast her self upon the Lord 's own Hand and accept of the Visits of others whom the Providence of God should send unto her One of her Visitants having told her that the Minister was taken ill at Church she wept bitterly saying to her Father Have I not matter enough for weeping having heard but just now that Domine de Wâ—t was taken sick in the Pulpit and went home so ill It is a sad Token for the People for when God is about to smite a Land or a City oftentimes he smites and removes their Pastors and ought we not then to lay such a thing to heart although for my part I know that I shall not long live to behold the Evil which may come and which I have helped to procure as well as others And I therefore pray with David Ps 25. Remember not O Lord the Sins of my Youth nor my Trespasses according to thy tender Mercy Remember thou me for thy Goodness sake O Lord. O how do I long Even as the Hart panteth c. Ps 42. and Ps 51. to the 11th verse which she enlarged upon much especially the 5th verse Behold I was shapen in Iniquity and in Sin did my Mother conceive me citing other Texts to the same purpose as Gen. 5.3 Eccl. 7.29 c. She desired her Father to go to Domine de Wit and Ardenois and thank them for the Learning and Instruction she had received by their Catechising O! that sweet Catechising said she unto which I did always resort with Gladness and waited upon it without Weariness until it were ended I have seen and understood that there is so little Comfort and Good and so much Vanity in the Kermis and idle Holidays of Play that I have grieved and been ashamed both for young and old People to see them so glad and mad upon Vanity Also dear Father ye shall give Thanks to my School-master and School-mistress who taught me the first beginnings of my Reading Professing that her Parents Carefulness for her Education and Instruction had been better to her than if they had provided ten thousand Gilders of Portion for her With many Arguments and Texts she comforted her Parents as 2 Sam. 24.14 2 Sam. 12.23 adding so ought ye to comfort your self after my Death and say Our Child is well for we know that they who trusted in God are well My dear Mother who hath done so much for me you must promise to me that after my Death ye shall not sorrow so much for I am afraid for you when I consider your Grief for me and for my other Sister and Brother who are gone through Death before me And consider your Neighbour who hath lost her two Sons and hath no more Children Ye shall both of ye promise me that ye will comfort one another Comfort your selves with Job who having lost all his Children said The Lord hath given c. And John 16.33 c. O Dear Father and Mother I wax more and more feeble and weak Oh! that I may quietly fall asleep in his Bosom Mark 10.14 16. I he here as a Child O Lord I am a Child receive me into thy gracious Arms. O Lord Grace Grace and not Justice for if thou enter into Judgment with me I cannot stand yea no Man living shall in
thy sight be justified After a little Rest and Slumber she spake to her Father with much Joy and Gladness 1 Cor. 15.54 c. Death is swallowed up of Victory c. She commanded afterwards Psal 84. to her Mother saying Read that Psalm Dear Mother and therewith ye may comfort one another As for me I am more and more spent and draw near unto my last Hour Pray with me pray that the Lord would vouchsafe me a soft Death And when they had prayed with her she turned to her Mother and with much Affection said Ah my Dear Loving Mother that which comes from the Heart doth ordinarily go to the Heart Once come and kiss me before I leave you and also my Dear Father and my Sister and Father let my Sister be trained up in the Ways of God as I have been I bewailed and wept for my Sister thinking she would die and now she weeps for me Also she took her young little Sister in her Ams a Child of Six Months old and kissed it with much Affection as if her Bowels had been moved speaking with many Heart-breaking Words both to her Parents and the Children 'till her Father said to one standing by Take away that young poor Lambkin from the hazard of that fiery Sickness Give her away for ye have too much already to bear Well Father said she did not God preserve the Three Children in the fiery Furnace Citing also Isa 43.3 After a little Rest awaking again she rehersed 1 Cor. 15.42 43. Isa 57.1 2. Job 19.25 26 27. John 5.28 c. Eph. 2.8 9. and descanted pathetically upon them adding My Dear Parents now we must shortly part my Speech faileth me pray the Lord for a quiet Close to my Combat I go to Heaven and there we shall find one another I go to Jesus Christ and to my Brother Jacob who did cry so much to God and call upon him to the very last Breath and to my little Sister which was but Three Years of Age when it died c. At last after she had prayed a pretty space by herself she asked her Parents If she had angred or grieved them at any time or done any thing that became her not Craving Forgiveness of them Then she began to dispose her Books and other little things with some proportion of Prudence and after a short Discant on the following Scriptures Psal 23. Rom. 8. 2 Tim. 4.7 8. 1 Cor. 6.20 Isa 53 Joh. 1. 1. Cor. 6.11 Rev. 7. 2 Cor. 5.1 2. she concluded with these Words My Soul shall now part from this Body and shall be taken up into the Heavenly Paradise there shall I dwell and go no more out but sit and sing Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Hosts c. O Lord God into thy Hands I commend my Spirit O Lord be gracious be merciful to me a poor Sinner And hereupon she fell a sleep Sept. 1. between Seven and Eight in the Evening having obtained according to her Prayers a quiet and soft Departure 26. Jacob Bickes above-mentioned Brother to the aforesaid Susanna was visited Three or Four Weeks before his Sister and slept most of his time 'till near his Death but so often as he awaked he gave himself to pray Upon motion made to send for the Physician he said Dear Father and Mother I will not have the Doctor any more The Lord shall help me I know he shall take me to himself and then he shall help all After Prayer Come now Dear Father and Mother said he and kiss me I know now that I shall die Adieu Dear Father and Mother Adieu my Dear Sister Adieu all Now shall I go to Heaven unto God and Jesus Christ and the Holy Angels Father know ye not what is said by Jer. 17. Blessed is he who trusteth in the Lord. Now I shall trust in him and he shall bless me And 1 John 2. Little children love not the world for the world passeth away Away then all that is in the World away with all my pleasant Things in the World Away with my Dagger which a Student had given him for where I go there 's nothing to do with Dagger and Sword Men shall not fight there but praise God Away with all my Books for where I go there 's nothing to be done with Books there I shall know and be learned sufficiently all things of true Wisdom and Learning without Books The Father telling him God would be near to him and help him Yea Father the Apostle Peter saith God resisteth the proud but gives grace to the humble I shall humble myself under the mighty Hand of God and he shall help and lift me up God hath given me so strong a Faith upon himself through Jesus Christ that the Devil himself shall flee from me for it is said John 3. He who believeth on the Son hath everlasting life and hath overcome the wicked one 1 John 2. Now I believe in Jesus Christ my Redeemer and he will not leave nor forsake me but shall give unto me Eternal Life then shall I sing Holy Holy Holy is the Lord of Sabath And with this short Word of Prayer Lord be merciful to me a poor Sinner he quietly breathed out his Soul and slept in the Lord aged Seven Years August 8. 1664. Extracted out of a Pamphlet called An Edifying Wonder of Two Children Printed at London for Richard Tomlins 1667. 27. The Reverend Mr. Clark in his Works quotes a Child of Two Years old that looked towards Heaven And credible History acquaints us with a Martyr of Seven Years old that was whipped almost to Death and never shed one Tear nor complained and at last had his Head struck off 28. Of Mary Warren born in May 1651 aged Ten Years in May 1661. When this Child was about Five or Six Years old she had a new plain Tammy Coat and when she was made ready was to be carried with other Children into Morefields but having looked upon her Coat how fine she was she presently went to her Chair sate down her Tears running down her Eyes she wept seriously by herself her Mother seeing it said to her How now Are you not well What 's the matter that you weep The Child answered Yes I am well but I would I had not been made ready for I am afraid my fine Cloaths will cast me down to Hell Her Mother said It 's not our Cloaths but wicked Hearts that hurt us She answered Aye Mother fine Cloaths make our Hearts proud What next follows was written by her Father on Friday Night Octob. 4. 1661. Her Mother asked her If she were willing to die she answered ' Aye very willing for then I shall sin no more for I know Christ's Blood hath made Satisfaction for my Sins October the Fifth her Mother going softly to the Chamber-door she heard her speaking alone and she listned and heard her say thus Come Lord Jesus come quickly and receive thy poor Creature out of all my Pains
On the Lord's Day Octob. 6. she said thus Here is nothing here but sin I am willing to die but either to live or to die which the Lord pleaseth his Will be done and so it will whether I will or no On Tuesday at Night Octob. 8. seeing her Mother weeping she said Mother do not weep for me but leave me to the Lord and let him do with me what he pleaseth And then clasping her Arms about her Mother's Neck her Mother said Thou embracest me but I trust thou art going to the Embracings of the Lord Jesus She answered Mother I know it that when I go from hence I shall go into Health and Happiness or else I should not undergo all my Pains with so much patience More Expressions of Mary Warren Pray you Mother take off these Plaisters for I would not have them I would have no Doctors or Apothecaries for God shall be my Physician and he will heal me I do not value the Things of this World no more than Dirt. Her Mother had told one That she thought her Daughter had Assaults of Satan she once looked very ghastly and now her Daughter said thus Once I think I looked ghastly and turned my Head on one side and on the other Satan stood upon my left side and God was upon my right side and opened the Gates of Heaven for me and he told me Satan should not hurt me though he sought to devour me like a roaring Lyon I am very sore from the Crown of my Head to the Sole of my Foot but I am so full of Comfort and Joy that I do feel but little of my Pain I do not know whether I shall live or die but whether I live or die it will be well for me I am not in trouble for my sins God is satisfied with his Son Jesus Christ for he hath wash'd them away with his Blood Then her Sister standing by she said Sister Betty and Sister Anne be sure your first Work be in the Morning to seek the Lord by Prayer and likewise in the Evening and give Thanks for your Food for you cannot pray too ofen to the Lord and though you cannot speak such Words as others have yet the Lord will accept of the Heart for you do not know how soon your Speech may be taken away as mine was She desired her Mother thus Do not let too much Company be here late at Night lest it should hinder them from seeking the Lord in Duty at home I know not whether I shall live or die but if I die and if you will have a Sermon I desire this may be the Text the Place I do not know but the Words may be comfortable to you That David when his Child was sick he cloathed himself in Sackcloth and wept but when his Child was dead he washed and eat Bread For you have wept much while I have been sick and if I die you have cause to rejoyce My Comfort is in the Lord there is Comfort indeed Though we may seek Comfort here and the Glory of this World yet what is all that All will be nothing when we come to lie upon a Death-bed then we would fain have the Love of God and cannot get it I am full of Comfort and Joy Though my Pains are very great yet I am full of Joy and Comfort I was very full of Comfort before but I am fuller of Joy this Hour than I have been yet It is better to live Lazarus's Life and to die Lazarus's Death than to live Dives's Life he had his Delicates and afterwards would have been glad to have had Lazarus dip his Finger in Water and cool his Tongue The last Night I could not stir my Head Hand nor Foot but by and by the Lord did help me to move my Head a little and at length my Body O what a good God have I that can cast down and raise up in a moment 29. Of the Expressions of an hopeful Child the Daughter of Mr. Edward Scarfield that was but Eleven Years of Age in March 1661 Gathered from a Letter written by one fearing God that lived in the House with the Child In August last this Child was sick of a Fever in which time she said to her Father who is a holy humble precious Man I am afraid I am not prepared to die and fell under much trouble of Spirit being sensible not only of actual Sins but of her lost Estate without Christ in Unbelief as Ephes 2.12 John 16.8 9. and she wept bitterly crying out thus My sins are greater than I can bear I doubt God will not forgive them telling her Father I am in unbelief and I cannot believe Yet she was drawn out to pray many times in those words of Psal 25. For thy Name 's sake O Lord pardon my sin for it is great Thus she lay oft mourning for sin and said I had rather have Christ than Health She would repeat many Promises of God's Mercy and Grace but said she could not believe But whilst her Father was praying the Lord raised her Soul up to believe as she told her Father when Prayer was ended Now I believe in Christ and I am not afraid of Death After this she said I had rather die than sin against God Since that time she hath continued quiet in mind as one that hath Peace with God Her Father saith that since she was Five Years old he remembred not that either a Lye or an Oath hath ever come out of her Mouth neither would she have wronged any to the value of a Pin. For these two last Relations I 'm beholding to Mr. Henry Jessey Next follows a Narrative of the Conversions and happy Deaths of several young Children extracted from Mr. White 's and Mr. Janeway's Treatises upon that Subject to which the Reader is refer'd for a much larger Account 1. THere was a Child of whom many things which I here relate I was an Ear-witness of and other things which I shall speak of him I am fully satisfied of This little Child when he died was in Coats somewhat above eight years old of singular Knowledge Affections and Duties for his Age of whom that I may give a more full Account For his Knowledge 1. He asked how the Angels could sin since there were none to tempt them and they were with God 2. It being told him that all Sins and Duties were commanded in the Ten Commandments and forbid I asked him what Commandment forbad Drunkenness He said Thou shalt not kill for they quartelled and killed one another His Father asked him who bid you learn your Book and there is no Commandment saith Thou shalt learn thy Book The Child answered in these words or to this purpose It is said Thou shalt honour thy Father and thy Mother you bid me learn my Book He asked his Father when he was at Dinner what became of Children that died before Baptism he made a little stop that he might answer him
suitable to his Capacity the Child prevented him saying I think it is thus God knows all things he knows which of those Children had they lived would have served him them he takes to Heaven and he knows which would not have served him them he casts into Hell I set not this down as a true Answer to the Question but it argued more than ordinary consideration in a Child For his Affections 1. Some years since his Mother found him crying His Mother taking him into her Lap ask'd him why he cried he answered with many Tears he feared he should go to Hell yet he served God as well as he could 2. Another time being found weeping upon a Lord's-day his Mother asked him why he cried he said Because he remembred no more of the Sermon 3. Other times he had wept lest he should not go to Heaven For his Practices I bless God his Practices were not unequal to his Affections and Knowledge he was often found in Corners at Prayer When my Wife sent him upon an Errand she would ask him why he staid he would answer with much ado that he thought there was no great haste so he stayed a little at Prayers he spent a quarter of an hour daily in secret Prayer he got his Brother to keep a Diary but he bid that we should not know of it till his Death-bed wherein he set down many of his Sins but none of his Duties for them he said were so few that he could easily remember them Some of which Sins were these 1st He whetted his Knife upon a Lord's-day 2d He did not reprove one that he heard swear 3d. He once omitted Prayer to go to play 4th He found his Heart dead and therefore omitted Prayer He one day hearing the Bell toll said He would not have any Rings given at his Burial but a good Book that may do them good 2. There was a little Child which frequented that excellent Duty of Secret Prayer and would ask the Mother strange Questions concerning Heaven and God and the Mother thought the Child had heard some discoursing of those Questions and so had taken them from their Conferences He once ran to his Mother and said O Mother I must go to God will you go with me His Mother said I must go when it pleaseth God but my Child how knowest thou that thou must go to God The Child answered God told me so for I love God and God loves me and after that cared no more to play but about a month after fell sick and died always saying in his Sickness that he must go to God and asking his Mother whether she would go with him 3. I know also a Minister who told me That one of his Children when but four years old said to him that he had seen God and his Angels and that he must go to them 4. This fourth History I have out of the Sermon at the Funeral of Mr. John Langham eldest Son to Mr. James Langham being but five years and a half old and it 's thus This sweet Child had arrived to that in five years and a little more that some which are here I am afraid have not arrived to in ten times that space He was a very dutiful Child to his Parents and would exceedingly rejoyce when he had done any thing or had carried himself so as to please them He was taken with the Book called the Practice of Piety and delighted to be reading in it His Father speaking to him one day about the Devil and Hell and things of that Nature he asked him if he were not afraid to be alone he answered No for God would defend him His Father asked him why he thought so he replied that he loved God and that he hoped God loved him The day before he died he desired me to pray for him I told him if he would have me to pray for him he must tell me what I should pray for and what he would have God to do for him He answered To pardon my Sins Oft upon his Sick-bed he would be repeating to himself the fifty fifth Chapter of Isaiah and other pieces of Scripture which in the time of his Health he had learned by heart 5. I shall next set down several Passages in a Letter written by one that went to School a rare Example for Children of that Age to follow I find he was to get time from his Sleep to write I shall not set down the whole Letter but leave out things of business and that are introductory The Letter BRother pray let me intreat you to fit and prepare your self for Death for it knocks at the door of young ones as well as the old there are as many young Souls in Golgotha as old the Sythe of Mortality mows down Lillies as well as Grass One thing I beg of you and I hope you will not deny me which is this seeing you have Knowledge Will Mind take heed you be not drawn away by hypocritical Deceivers for the Scripture saith That in the latter days many false Prophets shall arise who would deceive the very Elect themselves if it were possible but it is not possible for God will reserve some for himself Thus far Mr. White 6. Mrs. Sarah Howley at eight years old gave her self much to attending upon the Word preached and still continued very tender under it greatly savouring what she heard She was much in Secret Prayer as might easily be perceived by those who listened at the Chamber-door and was usually very importunate full of tears She was exceeding dutiful to her Parents very loath to grieve them in the least and if she had at any time which was very rare offended them she would weep bitterly She abhorred Lying and allowed her self in no known Sin The Lord's-day before that in which she died a Kinsman of hers came to see her and asking of her Whether she knew him she answered Yes I know you and I desire you would learn to know Christ you are young but you know not how soon you may die Now and then she dropt these words How long sweet Jesus Finish thy work sweet Jesus come away sweet Jesus come quickly sweet Lord help come away now now dear Jesus come quickly Good Lord give patience to me to wait thy appointed time Lord Jesus help me help me She oft commended her Spirit into the Lord's Hands and the last words which she was heard to speak were these Lord help Lord Jesus help Dear Jesus Blessed Jesus And thus upon the Lord's Day between Nine and Ten of the Clock in the Forenoon she slept sweetly in Jesus and began an everlasting Sabbath February 19. 1670. 7. Of a Child that was admirably affected with the Things of God when he was between Two and Three Years old A certain little Child whose Mother had Dedicated him to the Lord in her Womb when he could not speak plain would be crying after God and was greatly desirous to be taught good
a very strong Faith in the Doctrine of the Resurrection and did greatly solace her Soul with excellent Scriptures which do speak the happy state of Believers as soon as their Souls are separated from their Bodies and what she quoted out of the Scripture she did excellently and sutably apply to her own use incomparably above the common reach of her Sex and Age. That in 1 Cor. 15.42 was a good support to her The Body is sown in Corruption but it should be raised incorruptible it is sown in dishonour it shall be raised in glory it is sown in weakness but it shall be raised in power And then she sweetly applies it and takes in this Cordial Behold thus it is and thus it shall be with my poor mortal Flesh Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord because they rest from their labours and their works do follow them The righteous perish and no Man layeth it to heart and the upright are taken away and no Man regardeth it that they are taken away from the evil to come they shall enter into peace they shall rest in their Beds every one who walked in their uprightness Behold now Father I shall rest and sleep in that Bed-chamber Then she quoted Job 19.25 25 26 27. I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand at the latter end upon the earth and though after my skin worms destroy this body yet in my Flesh shall I see God whom I shall see for my self and my eyes shall behold and not another though my reins be consumed within me Behold now Father this very Skin which you see and this very Flesh which you see shall be raised up again and these very Eyes which now are so dim shall on that day see and behold my dear and precious Redeemer albeit the Worms eat up my Flesh yet with these Eyes shall I behold God even I my self and not another for me Hear last words were these O Lord God into thy hands I commit my Spirit O Lord be gracious be merciful to me a poor Sinner And here she fell asleep She died the first of September 1664. betwixt seven and eight in the Evening in the fourteenth year of her Age. 18. Jacob Bicks the Brother of Susanna Bicks was born in Leyden in the year 1657. and had Religious Education under his Godly Parents the which the Lord was pleased to sanctify to his Conversion and by it lay in excellent Provisions to live upon in an hour of distress This sweet little Child was visited of the Lord of a very sore Sickness upon the sixth of August 1664. Once when his Parents had prayed with him they asked him if they should once more send for the Physician No said he I will have the Doctor no more the Lord will help me I know he will take me to himself and then he shall help all When his Parents had prayed with him again he said Come now dear Father and Mother and kiss me I know that I shall die Farewel dear Father and Mother Farewel dear Sister farewel all Now shall I go to Heaven unto God and Jesus Christ and the holy Angels Then with a short word of Prayer Lord be merciful to me a poor Sinner he quietly breathed out his Soul and sweetly slept in Jesus when he was about seven years old He died August 8. 1664. 19. John Harvey was born in London in the year 1654. His Father was a Dutch Merchant he was piously Educated under his vertuous Mother and soon began to suck in Divine Things with no small delight The first thing very observable in him was that when he was two years and eight months old he could speak as well as other Children do usually at five years old It was his Practice to be much by himself in secret Prayer and he was careful to manage that work so as that it might be as secret as possible it might be but his Frequency and Constancy made it to be so easily observed upon which one time one having a great mind to know what this sweet Babe prayed for got into a place near him and heard him very earnestly praying for the Church of God desiring that the Kingdom of the Gospel might be spread over the whole World and that the Kingdom of Grace might more and more come into the Hearts of God's People and that the Kingdom of Glory might be hastened He was wont to continue half an hour sometimes an hour upon his Knees together He would have a savoury word to say to every one that he conversed with to put them in mind of the Worth of Christ and their Souls and their nearness to Eternity He was next to the Bible most taken with reading of Reverend Mr. Baxter's Works especially his Saints Everlasting Rest and truly the Thoughts of that Rest and Eternity seemed to swallow up all other Thoughts and he lived in a constant Preparation for it and looked more like one that was ripe for Glory than an Inhabitant of this lower World His Mother asked him whether he were willing to die and leave her he answered Yes I am willing to leave you and go to my Heavenly Father His Mother answered Child if thou hadst but an assurance of God's Love I should not be so much troubled He answered and said to his Mother I am assured dear Mother that my Sins are forgiven and that I shall go to Heaven For said he here stood an Angel by me that told me I should quickly be in Glory At this his Mother burst forth into tears O Mother said he did you but know what Joy I feel you would not weep but rejoyce I tell you I am so full of Comfort that I can't tell you how I am O Mother I shall presently have my Head in my Father's Bosom and shall be there where the Four and twently Elders cast down their Crowns and sing Halleujah Glory and Praise to him that sits upon the Throne and unto the Lamb for ever CHAP. LV. Good Parents Remarkable PArents are not only obliged to provide a temporal Livelihood a Purse and Wife and calling for their Children but especially to see that they be brought up in the Fear of God and set out in a fair way to Heaven and the Salvation of their Souls and they that do the one and not the other had better never have been the Instruments or Means of conveying them into the World for certainly 't is better for us not to be at all than be miserable for ever 1. Eusebius the Father of Hierom was very careful of the Education of his Son and his Mother was a religious Woman and therefore from his Infancy he was trained up like another Timothy in the Knowledge of Christ and the sacred Scriptures Clark 's Marr. of Eccl. Hist 2. Mariana the Mother of Fulgentius after the Death of her Husband was very careful to train her Son up in Learning causing him to be instructed in the Greek
alibi 11. Bishop Vsher's Custom was to pray Four times a Day in and with his Family in the Morning at Six a Clock in the Evening at Eight and before Dinner and Supper in his Chappel at each of which he was always present On Fryday in the Afternoons there was constantly an Hour spent in his Chappel in Catechizing upon the Principles of Religion for the Instructing of his Family and on Sabbaths in the Evening the Sermon which he had preached in the Afternoon was repeated in his Chappel by one of his Chaplains See his Life 12. It is recorded to the everlasting Praise of the young Lord Harrington so famous for Piety that it was his constant use to pray twice every Day in secret twice with some choice Friends and Servants besides his Family-Duties See his Life 13. It was the Practice of Sir Nathaniel Barnardiston to pour out his Soul before the Lord in secret thrice every Day and sometimes oftner if he could gain opportunity besides his Family-Duties and Days of extraordinary Humiliation which he importunately embraced upon every occasion This I can testifie saith Mr. Fairclough upon mine own Experience that for many Years together when I was first acquainted with him I seldom visited him but if any convenient Place could be found we might not part except we had prayed together Nor was he more frequent in secret Prayer than constant in secret Reading the Scriptures See his Life 14. Mr. Samuel Fairclough upon the escape of his Child after a dangerous Fall made a solemn Vow in the Publick Congregation to give all the Tithe-Wool of the Parish to the Poor The Vow was Registred and Subscribed by his Hand and piously observed See his Life 15. Mr. Cotton Mather tells us Such was the Piety of Mr. Eliot that like another Moses he had upon his Face a continual Shine arising from his uninterrupted Communion with the Father of Spirits Indeed I cannot give a fuller Description of him than what was in a Paraphrase that I have heard himself to make upon that Scripture Our Conversation is in Heaven I writ from him as he uttered it Behold said he the Ancient and Excellent Character of a true Christian 't is that which Peter calls Holiness in all manner of Conversation you shall not find a Christian out of the way of Godly Conversation For First A Seventh part of our time is all spent in Heaven when we are duly zealous for and zealous on the Sabbath of God Besides God has written on the Head of the Sabbath Remember which looks both forwards and backwards and thus a good part of the Week will be spent in Sabbatizing Well but for the rest of our time Why we shall have that spent in Heaven e're we have done For Secondly We have have many Days for both Fasting and Thanksgiving in our Pilgrimage and here are so many Sabbaths more Moreover Thirdly we have our Lectures every Week and pious People won't miss them if they can help it Furthermore Fourthly We have our private Meetings wherein we Pray and Sing and repeat Sermons and confer together about the Things of God and being now come thus far we are in Heaven almost every day But a little farther Fifthly We perform Family Duties every Day we have our Morning and Evening Sacrifices wherein having read the Scriptures to our Families we call upon the Name of God and ever now and then carefully Catechise those that are under our Charge Sixthly We shall also have our daily Devotions in our Closets wherein unto Supplication before the Lord we shall add some serious Meditation upon his Word a David will be at this Work no less than thrice a Day Seventhly We have likewise many Scores of Ejaculations in a Day and these we have like Nehemiah in whatever place we come into Eighthly We have our occasional Thoughts and our occasional Talks upon Spiritual Matters and we have our occasional Acts of Charity wherein we do like the Inhabitants of Heaven every Day Ninthly In our Callings in our Civil Callings we keep up heavenly Frames we Buy and Sell and Toil yea we Eat and Drink with some Eye both to the Command and the Honour of God in all Behold I have not now left an Inch of Time to be carnal it is all engrossed for Heaven And yet lest here should not be enough Lastly We have our Spiritual Warfare We are always encountring the Enemies of our Souls which continually raises our Hearts unto our Helper and Leader in the Heavens Let no Man say 'T is impossible to live at this rate for we have known some live thus and others that have written of such a Life have but spun a Web out of their own blessed Experiences New-England has Examples of this Life thô alas 't is to be lamented that the Distractions of the World in too many Professors do becloud the Beauty of an Heavenly Conversation In fine our Employment lies in Heaven In the Morning if we ask Where am I to be to Day Our Souls must answer In Heaven In the Evening if we ask Where have I been to Day Our Souls may answer In Heaven If thou art a Believer thou art no Stranger to Heaven while thou livest and when thou diest Heaven will be no strange place to thee no thou hast been there a thousand times before In this Language have I heard him express himself and he did what he said he was a Boniface as well as a Benedict and he was one of those Qui faciendo docert quae facienda docent Thus far Mr. Cotton Mather 15. Mr. Henry Gearing's Covenant with GOD As I find it in his Life Published by Mr. John Shower O Most Dreadful GOD for the Passion of Thy Son I beseech Thee accept of Thy poor Prodigal now prostrating himself at Thy Door I have fallen from Thee by mine Iniquity and am by Nature a Son of Death and a Thousand-fold more the Child of Hell by my wicked Practice but of Thine Infinite Grace Thou hast promised Mercy to me in Christ if I will but turn to Thee with all my Heart Therefore upon the Call of thy Gospel I am now come in and throwing down my Weapons submit myself to thy Mercy And because Thou requirest as the Condition of my Peace with Thee that I should put away mine Idols and be at Defiance with all Thine Enemies which I acknowledge I have wickedly sided with against Thee I here from the bottom of my Heart renounce them all firmly Covenanting with Thee not to allow myself in any known Sin but to use Conscientiously all the Means that I know Thou hast prescribed for the Death and utter Destruction of all my Corruptions And whereas I have formerly inordinately and idolatrously let out my Affections upon the World I do here resign my Heart to Thee that madest it humbly protesting before Thy Glorious Majesty That it is the firm Resolution of my Heart and that I do unfeignedly desire Grace
from Thee that when thou shalt call me hereunto I may practise this my Resolution through Thy Assistance to forsake all that is dear unto me in this World rather than to turn from Thee to the Ways of Sin and that I will watch against all its Temptations whether of Prosperity or Adversity lest they should withdraw my Heart from Thee beseeching Thee also to help me against the Temptations of Satan to whose wicked Suggestions I resolve by thy Grace never to yield myself a Servant And because my own Righteousness is but menstruous Rags I renounce all Confidence therein and acknowledge that I am of my self a hopeless helpless undone Creature without Righteousness or Strength And for as much as Thou hast of Thy bottomless Mercy offered most graciously to me wretched Sinner to be again my God through Christ if I would accept of Thee I call Heaven and Earth to Record this Day that I do here solemnly avouch Thee for the Lord my God and with all possible Veneration bowing the Neck of my Soul under the Feet of Thy most Sacred Majesty I do here take Thee the Lord Jehovah Father Son and Holy Ghost for my Portion and Chief Good and do give up myself Body and Soul for Thy Servant promising and vowing to serve Thee in Holiness and Righteousness all the Days of my Life And since Thou hast appointed the Lord Jesus Christ the only Means of coming unto Thee I do here upon the bended Knees of my Soul accept of him as the only new and living Way by which Sinners may have Access to Thee and do here solemnly joyn myself in a Marriage-Covenant to him O blessed Jesus I come to Thee hungry and hardy bestead poor and wretched and miserable and blind and naked a most loathsome polluted Wretch a guilty condemned Malefactor unworthy for ever to wash the Feet of the Servants of my Lord much more to be solemnly married to the King of Glory but sith such is thine unparallell'd Love I do here with all my Power accept Thee and do take thee for my Head and Husband for better for worse for richer for poorer for all Times and Conditions to love and honour and obey Thee before all others and this to the Death I embrace Thee in all Thine Offices I renounce my own Worthiness and do here avow Thee for the Lord my Righteousness I renounce mine own Wisdom and do here take Thee for my only Guide I renounce my own Will and take Thy Will for my Law And since Thou hast told me that I must Suffer if I will Reign I do here Covenant with Thee to take my Lot as it falls with Thee and by Thy Grace assisting to run all Hazards with Thee verily purposing that neither Life nor Death shall part between Thee and Me. And because Thou hast been pleased to give me Thy Holy Laws as the Rule of my Life and the Way in which I should walk to Thy Kingdom I do here willingly put my Neck under Thy Yoke and set my Shoulder to Thy Burden and subscribing to all Thy Laws as holy just and good I solemnly take them as the Rule of my Words Thoughts and Actions promising that tho' my Flesh contradict and rebel yet I will endeavour to order and govern my whole Life according to thy Direction and will not allow myself in the neglect of any thing that I know to be my Duty Only because through the frailty of my Flesh I am subject to many Failings I am bold humbly to protest that unallowed Miscarriages contrary to the settled Bent and Resolution of my Heart shall not make void this Covenant for so Thou hast said Now Almighty GOD. Searcher of all Hearts Thou knowest that I make this Covenant with Thee this Day without any known Guile or Reservation beseeching Thee that if Thou espiest any Flaw or Falshood therein thou wouldst discover it to me and help me to do it aright And now Glory be to Thee O God the Father whom I shall be bold from this Day forward to look upon as my God and Father that ever thou shouldst find out such a way for the Recovery of undone Sinners Glory be to Thee O God the Son who hast loved me and washed me from my Sins in thy own Blood and art now become my Saviour and Redeemer Glory be to Thee O God the Holy Ghost who by the Finger of Thine Almighty Power hast turned about my Heart from Sin to God O dreadful Jehovah the Lord God Omnipotent Father Son and Holy Ghost Thou art now become my Covenant-Friend and I through Thine Infinite Grace am become thy Covenant-Servant Amen So be it And the Covenant which I have made on Earth let it be ratified in Heaven HENRY GEARING April 11. 1667. 16. For the Christians better Help for the keeping of this Covenant Mr. Allen in his Allarm to the Vnconverted gives this Advice about it This Covenant says he I advise you to make not only in Heart but in Word not only in Word but in Writing and that you wou'd with all possible Reverence spread the Writing before the Lord as if you would present it to him as your Act and Deed and when you have done this set your Hand to it keep it as a Memorial of the solemn Transactions that have passed between God and you that you may have Recourse to it in Doubts and Temptations Mr. Corbet in his Enquiry into the State of his Soul has these Expressions I do not cease says he to lament the more heinous Sins of my Life and cannot forbear the continual imploring of the Pardon of them I do not return again to them and I resolve never so to do I Watch and Pray and strive against all Sin but especially against those Sins to which I am more especially inclined my Conflicts are daily and am put hard to it But I do not yield up my self to any Sin nor lie down in it yea I do not suffer sinful Cogitations to lodge in me I find upon the review of my Life past according to the clearest Judgment that I can make that I have not gone backward but proceeded forward in the ways of Godliness I have been grieved that I am no more elevated in the hope of Heaven and that I cannot attain to a longing desire to be gone hence and to be there with Christ I think with my self sometimes were my Evidences clear for Heaven I would exult to be gone hence this very Hour but I find not this readiness at all times O Lord forgive my ten Thousand Talents I come to Jesus Christ who hath made satisfaction and lay this heavy Reckoning to his Account Lord forgive my Iniquity for it is exceeding great I have done what in me lies to call to remembrance all my remarkable Sins from my Childhood and Youth till now And as far as I can judge I have repented of them both generally and particularly And I now repent of them all from
Transaction between God and him and upon mature Deliberation he judged it most adviseable for him to make his Covenant with God as Explicit as Writing and Signing could render it that so it might leave the more Impression upon his Heart and Life and be an Evidence likewise which in Temptation or Desertion he might have recourse unto Wherefore he set apart a time for I think secret Fasting and Prayer before the Lord and then behold how this young Man counting it high time for hime to be bound out unto some Service took a course for it he subscribed an Holy Covenant of which this was the Matter this the Form The Covenant between God and my Soul renewed confirmed and signed Nov. 22. 1683. Whereas not only the Commands of God who hath often called upon me by his Word preached to give up my self both Body and Soul to be at his Disposal which calls by the publick Ministry were enough to engage me unto this but also the Christian Religion which I profess and my Baptism in which I took the Lord to be my God and promised to renounce the World the Flesh and the Devil and to dedicate my self unto the Service Work and Will of God do bind me hereunto in that God is such a God as deserves this yea infinitely more than this at my Hands my Creator the Fountain of my Being my Preserver my Benefactor my Lord my Soveraig my Judge he in whose Hands my Life my Breath and all my Concerns are he that doth protect me from all Dangers and supply me in all Wants support me under all Burdens and direct me in all Streights he alone that can make me Happy or Miserable he alone that can Save me or Damn me he alone that can give inward Peace and Joy that is my Friend my God in that Self-dedication is the Creatures Advancement these First-fruits if in Sincerity putting upon me a Gloriousness and Excellency in that Felicity hereafter depends upon my dedicating of my self unto God now in that this is the highest piece of Gratitude I am capable of expressing unto God and I know no better way to obey the Will of God than first to give up my self unto him And whereas the Mercies which the Lord hath been pleased graciously to bestow upon me are so many that even bare Morality doth shew me that I can never enough requite one that hath done so much for me except by giving up my self wholly to him 1669. Whereas God hath given me a godly Father and Mother 1674. In that when I was like to die being twice sick of a Feaver God was pleased to bless means for my Recovery and lengthen out the Thread of my Life 1675. Whereas when I by an Accident fell down and had like to have been deprived of the use of my Tongue God was in his good Providence graciously pleased to give me the use of it 1678. Whereas when I was sick of the Small Pox God was pleased to bless means for my Recovery whereas then I made Promises unto God that if he would give me my Health I would endeavour to become a new Creature and he hath done so for these five Years And whereas God hath of late been bestowing many and wonderful Mercies upon me What can I do less than give up my self wholly to him which now I do And O Lord God I beseech thee to accept of thy poor Prodigal now prostrating of himself before thee I confess O Lord I have fallen from thee by my Iniquity and am by Nature a Son of Hell but of thy infinite Grace thou hast promised Mercy to me in Christ If I will but turn unto thee with all my Heart therefore upon the call of thy Gospel I come in and from the bottom of my Heart I renounce all thy Enemies with whom I confess I have wickedly sided against thee firmly Covenanting with thee not to allow my self in any known Sin but conscientiously to use all means which thou hast prescribed for the utter Destruction of all my Corruptions And whereas I have inordinately let out my Affections upon the World I here resign my Heart unto thee that made it humbly protesting before thy glorious Majesty that it is the firm Resolution of my Heart and that I do unfeignedly desire Grace from thee that when thou shalt call me thereunto I may put in Practice my Resolution through thine Assistance to forsake all that is dear unto me in the World rather then to turn from thee to the ways of Sin and that I will watch over all its Temptations whether of Prosperity or Adversity lest they should withdraw my Heart from thee beseeching thee to help me I renounce all my own Righteousness and acknowledge that of my self I am helpless and undone and without Righteousness and whereas of thy bottomless Mercy thou hast offer'd to accept of me and to be reconciled to me and to be my God through Christ if I would accept of thee I do this day avouch thee to be the Lord my God I do here take the Lord Jehovah Father Son and Holy Ghost for my Portion and chief Good and do give up my self Body and Soul for thy Servant promising to endeavour to serve thee in Righteousness and Holiness I do here also on the bended Knees of my Soul accept of the Lord Jesus Christ as the only and living Way by which Sinners may have access to thee and do here joyn my self in a Marriage-Covenant with him O Lord Jesus I come to thee hungry poor miserable blind and naked and a most loathsome Creature a condemned Malefactor Who am I that I should be Married unto the King of Glory I do accept of thee for my Head and Husband and embrace thee in all they Offices I renounce my own Worthiness and do choose thee the Lord my Righteousness I do renounce my own Wisdom and do take thine for my Guide I take thy Will for my Will and thy Word for my Law I do here willingly put my Neck under thy Yoke I do subscribe to all the Laws as Holy Just and Good and do promise to take them as the Rule of my Thoughts Words and Actions but because I am subject to many Failings through frailty I do here protest here before thee that unallowed Miscarriages contrary to the constant Bent of my Heart shall not disannul this everlasting Covenant NATHANAEL MATHER It may justly be taken for granted that such a Work as this would have an Influence into his Conversation afterwards and so it had producing in him a Conversation which became the Gospel of Christ. He kept waiting upon God not only in the Family but also under the Ministry of Two that were near a-kin unto him namely his Father and his Brother whereby the Grace thus begun in him was not a little cherished and promoted and unto all known Sins he now kept saying as I find once in Short-hand written by him To my Lusts I have had Communion
with you all this while but I dare not have so any longer wherefore I renounce all Communion with you any more I will cleave to the God that made me My Account of him will be an unfinished Piece unless all the ensuing Strokes go to make it up These things he was exemplary for First He was one that walked by Rule He was very studious to learn the way of Conversing with God in every Duty and there was a Rule which he attended still unto In his private Papers I find a wise Collection of Rules by which he governed himself in the several Duties of Christianity and in all the Seasons and Stations of his Life He consulted the best Authors for Instruction in the Affairs of Practical Religion and not into Paper only but into Action to be transcribed what he most approved in all which the Will of God was the bright Pole-star by which he steer'd his Course The Reader shall enjoy and O that he would follow Two of this Young Man's Directories One of them was this I. O that I might lead a Spiritual Life Wherefore let me regulate my Life by the Word of God and by such Scriptures as these 1. For regulating my Thoughts Jer. 4.14 Isa 55.7 Mal. 3.17 Psal 104.34 Phil. 4.8 Prov. 23.26 Deut. 15.9 Eccles 10.20 Prov. 24.9 Mat. 9.4 Zech. 8.17 2. For Regulating my Affections Col. 3.2 5. Gal. 5.24 For my Delight Psal 1.2 Psal 37.5 For my Joy Phil. 4.4 Psal 43.4 My Desire Isa 26.8 9. Ezek. 7.16 My Love Mat. 22.37 Psal 119.97 My Hatred Psal 97.10 My Fear Luke 12.4 5. My Hope Psal 39.7 My Trust Psal 62.8 Isa 26.4 3. For Regulating my Speech Eph. 4.29 Col. 4.6 Deut. 6.6 7. Psal 119.46 Psal 71.8 24. Prov. 31.26 4. For Regulating my Work Tit. 3.8 2 Tim. 2.12 1 Tim. 5.10 Titus 2.14 Mat. 5.47 1 Tim. 6.8 Rev. 3.2 Rom. 13.12 Acts 26.20 Another of them was form'd into an Hymn the singing of which might produce fresher and stronger Efforts of Soul towards the thing that is good Besides these Rules which concerned his whole Walk he treasured up many more that referr'd to this and that Step in it and it was the predominant Care and Watch of his Heart not to tread awry Thus one might see askilful Christian in him And as he was desirous to live by Precept so he was to live by Promise too He sell into a particular Consideration how to improve the Promises of God in all the Occasions of Life which is indeed one of the most sanctifying Exercises in the World It was a Proposal which I find he made unto himself Let me Salute these Promises once a Day 1. For Supplying the Wants of the Day Phil. 4.19 2. For Growth in Grace Hos 14.5 3. For Subduing my Sins Mic. 7.19 4. For Success in my Vndertakings Psal 1.3 5 For Turning all the Events of the Day for good Rom. 8.28 6. For Audience of my Prayers John 14.13 14. 7. For Strength to manage all the Work of the Day Zech. 10.12 8. For Direction in Difficulty Psal 32.8 9. For Life Eternal Luke 12.31 John 3.16 Besides these Two Mat. 11.28 and Isa 44.3 Certainly that Man must quickly grow another Enoch who does thus walk with God Secondly He was one that lived in Prayer he was oft and long in the Mount with God It was his Custom every Day to enter into his Closet and shut his Door and pray to his Father in secret And And I guess from some of his Writings that he did thus no less than thrice a Day when he met with no Obstruction in it nor did he slubber over his Prayers with hasty Amputations but wrestie in them for a good part of an Hour together It was a most refreshing Communion with God which his Devotions brought him sometimes unto October 1. he meditated on that If a Man does intend to be truly Religious he must expect nothing but to save his Soul But how can this be true Must I lose my Body altogether Must I be willing that the Union between my Body and Soul should for evermore be loosed Must I be willing to be for ever without a Body No no. All that the Lord requires of me is to have my Body for a few Days or Years a few I say for they cannot be many to be wholly at the Service of my Soul and to be willing that the Union between these two Mates then should be dissolved the Soul first taking its Progress into everlasting Bliss the Body being laid in the Dust to rise at the Resurrection accompanying the Soul into its eternal Felicity My present Notion of this thing is this This Dissolution of the Union between the Soul and Body is but a Dismission of the Spirit into its Happiness after a wearisome Conflict here And as long as it shall be best for me to be here here I shall continue Infinite Wisdom is to be the Orderer of this and it will be a grievous and shameful Reflection thereupon for me to say It will be better for me to live than to die at such a time when I am called thereunto With my Body I must expect to lose all the pleasant Enjoyments of this World Liberty Library Study and Relations But yet neither shall I lose these As for my Liberty by True Religion and by dying for it too when need requires I shall gain the only Liberty even from the Body of Sin As for my Library if I die for Christ or in the Lord I shall have no need of it my Understanding shall be enough enlarged and I shall not need to turn over Books for Learning As for my Study my Paradice I shall have a better a larger and a more compleat than this As for my Relations those of them that are truly pious I shall only go before them and if there should be any of them not pious the longer I should stay with them here if they continue impenitent it would but make my Grief more intolerable I think when I leave them that I shall have no Hopes to see them again for ever But this is not all neither My Body must be used as the Soul's Instrument and here all that Strength and Ease which I have must be used for the Soul and truly there is Reason enough for it that so there may be Eternal Happiness for both together In Marriage the Husband and Wife should have the same Design Would it not be inhumane for the one to have a Design which tends to the Ruine of the other Just so my Soul and Body should have the same Design and the Body being the more vile of the two should be subordinate to the Soul And it is a necessary Disjunction either the Body the Strength and Ease and Members of it must be used for the good or for the hurt of the Soul there is no Medium here Let me then herein make my Body useful to my Soul in accomplishing all the good
that had any Children whom they were willing to have taught English and to Read and Write and to learn the Catechism and where he met with a competent Number he enquired for fit Persons to instruct them a Man for the Boys and a Woman for the Girls and agreed with them as afore for a Penny or Two-pence a Week which he undertook to pay It was a great Work incumbent upon Mr. Gouge not only to have poor Children taught to Read and Write and to be carefully instructed in the Principles of Religion but the Persons of grown Age the Poor especially should be furnished with necessary Helps and Means of Knowledge as the Bible and other good Books in their own Language among which were The Practice of Piety The Church Catechism The Duty of Man with some other pious and useful Treatises of which he caused a great Number to be Translated and Printed and to be sent down to all the chief Towns in Wales to be sold at easie Rates to those that were able to buy them and to be freely given to such Poor as were not able In both these Designs through the Blessing of God upon his unwearied Endeavours he found very great and good Success for by the large and bountiful Contributions which chiefly by his Industry and prudent Application were obtained from charitable Persons of all Ranks and Conditions from some of the Nobility and Gentry of Wales and of the Neighbouring Counties and of several of that Quality in and about London as also from some of the Reverend Bishops and Clergy and from the Inexhausted Fountain of Charity the City of London led on and encouraged by the most bountiful Example of the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen to all which he constantly added Two Thirds of his Estate which was very considerable I say by all these together there were every Year Eight hundred and sometimes a Thousand poor Children Educated as afore is expressed And by his Example and Perswasions with the Magistrates in all the chief Towns in Wales he prevailed with them to maintain and bring up at their own Charges the like Number of poor Children and under his Inspection and Care He also gave a very great Number of Books afore spoken of both in the Welch and in the English Tongues to such of the poorer sort as were unable to buy and willing to read and make use of them But that which was the greatest Work of all and amounted indeed to a mighty Charge was this He procured a new and very fair Impression of the Bible and Liturgy of the Church of England in the Welch Tongue to the Number of Eight thousand One thousand whereof were freely given to the Poor and the rest were sent to the Cities and principal Towns in Wales to be sold to the Rich at very reasonable and low Prizes viz. at Four Shillings a piece well bound and Clasped which was much cheaper than any English Bible that was of so fair a Print and Paper was ever sold for See the Narrative of his Life 2. For the Highlands in Scotland The Honourable Robert Boyle Esq commiserating the Ignorance of the poor Highlanders agreed with one Mr. W. Hewsdon M. A. formerly of Edinburgh for 10 l. and the Defraying of all his Charges to make a Journey into those Parts and procure a fit Person to Translate for him the New Testament Psalter and Church Catechism into Irish who accordingly went and procured one Mr. Kirk for the purpose The Translation being finished and Printed at Mr. Boyle's Charge he with Mr. Kirk made a Journey into those Highlands dispersed the Books according to Discretion Mr. Kirk stayed there many Years 'till about a Year or two ago he died there but not 'till he had seen the great Success of the Translation and his own Pains amongst them Insomuch that tho' before they had not any Books of Religion in their own Language yet in a short time many Schools were set up and so greedy were the People to learn the Contents of these new Books that in the Schools near Port O Kirk Seventeen of the Scholars turned Masters and so bred Seventeen Scholars more for the East West and North Highlands old People redeeming their time from their ordinary Labour to get Knowledge and in two Years and a half they came ordinarily to Church with their Psalters in their Hand viz. to South-End in Kentaire to the North of Sunderland in Kaithness Backham c. where there hath been a Sermon every Lord's-Day since 1684 and a Lecture on a Week-Day There are Schools Erected for the Teaching of Latin Greek and Hebrew People very industrious to learn a great Emendation of Manners the People extreamly thankful to God Almighty for raising up such a one as Mr. Boyle to distribute his Charity among them I am informed there is a Printed Relation of this Great Work and the Success of it but not being able to procure it I am satisfied with this Account of it signed with the aforesaid Mr. Hewsdon's own Hand and attested by Sir Peter Pett 3. For the East-Indians in the Isle Formosa near China Mr. Robert Junius late of Delpht in Holland was Nominated by the Honoured and Pious Senate of the famous Expedition of the Vnited Provinces for the Conversion of the Eastern Indians and particularly in Formosa who accordingly undertook the Charge went over to the Place bestowed much Pains in laying the Ground-work and Principles of Religion amongst them so that of Persons grown up Adult in that Isle of Formosa 5900 of both Sexes gave up their Names to Christ and professing their Faith and giving fit Answers to Questions propounded out of the Word of God were baptized by him He set up School-masters to instruct others and gained Six hundred Scholars to Read and Write collected the chief Heads of Religion and composed several Prayers and translated certain Psalms into the Formosan Language this in the Northern Parts mostly but in the Southern also he planted Churches in Three and twenty Towns and promoted the Worship of the True God At last having set divers Pastors over them being grown weak and unserviceable in Body and desirous to see his Aged Mother and Native Country he returned home again This Narration is Published in Latin by Casp Sabellius and prefixed to his Book called Antidotum Ambitionâ—â— and Printed at the Charge of J. Jansonius Amsterdam and attested by several others See the Narrative published at London 1650. 4. Foro the Indians in New-England Mr. Winslow in several Relations gives this following Account First Time Octob. 28. 1646. Four of us saith he having sought God went according to Appointment to the Wigwam or Tent made of Boughs and Mats of Waaubon an Indian Governour who had given up his Eldest Son before to be Educated by the English in the Knowledge of GOD where we found many Indians gathered together from all Quarters to learn of us the Knowledge of GOD.
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
same upon charitable Uses After this Vow finding his Estate wonderfully increased he began to build Alms-houses one in the Parish of St. George in Southwark another in St. Mary Newington because in those Parishes he observed many blind poor lame People were and never an Alms-house for them He built a Chappel near one of his Alms-houses and when he had so done with the Poor's Stock he bought Lands and Houses of Inheritance which he setled upon the Company of Drapers as for the Relief of his poor Alms-people so for the performing other charitable Gifts mentioned in his Last Will and Testament While he lived he was wont to go himself once a Month to his Alms-houses in his worst Cloaths that he might not be suspected to be the Founder of them and gave unto the poor People their promised Allowance This whilst living At his Death also he gave very considerable besides which he gave the left to his Wife and two Daughters about 10000 l. 9. William Pennoyer Esq Citizen and Merchant of London a Person wholly composed of Mercy and Goodness many Years before his Death turned great part of the Stock wherewith he traded into Lands of Inheritance to the value of Four hundred Pounds per Annum he lived frugally spending upon himself and Family about Two hundred Pounds per Annum and the Remainder he bestowed on charitable Uses His Legacies bequeathed in his Last Will and Testament were as followeth To poor Ministers Widows and others in distress about 150 l. To Four of his poor Tenants 20 l. Likewise 800 l. to be laid out here in Woollen-Cloth or other Commodities to be sent to New-England for the Vse of his poor Kindred there To Bristol 54 l. per Annum towards the Maintenance of a School-master and a Lecturer to Preach a Week-day Lecture there and to other charitable Vses He likewise setled 20 l. per Annum on Trusstees for the teaching of Forty Boys in or near White-Chappel and 40 s. yearly to buy Bibles for some of the Children He gave 12 l. Annum for maintaining a School at Hay in Brecknock-shire and 40 s. more yearly to buy Books for the Scholars Ten Pound per Annum for poor distressed People in Bethlehem Hospital London Ten Pound per Annum more to Ten of the blindest poorest oldest Cloath-workers at the Discretion of the Masters Wardens and Assistants of the said Company for the time being Forty Pound per Annum to Christ-Church Hospital for the placing out Four Children yearly and 40 s. more yearly to buy each of the Children a Bible Besides these he gave to his poor Kindred above 2000 l. by his Will And by a Codicil annexed thereunto he bequeathed to certain Trustees 1000 l. to be given to honest poor People As also 300 l. for Releasing poor Prisoners c. 10. Thomas Arnold Citizen and Haberdasher of London at his first setting up was not rich in Stock but being charitably disposed and ready to every good Work his Estate through God's Blessing very much increased He frequently enquired of others after such poor People as were over-burdened with Children or otherwise distressed yea he hired Men with Money to make it their Business to find out honest poor People on whom he might bestow his Charity and likewise did intrust others with considerable Sums to distribute among the poorer sort charging them to have special Respect to the honest Poor such whom they conceived did truly fear God That he was no Loser but a Gainer by his Liberality appeareth in that God so blessed him in his Calling that he attained to an Alderman's Estate and was chosen to that Office yea he gave over his Calling in the City and withdrew into the Country that he might the better mind God and the Concernments of his Soul more and the World less 11. John Clark Doctor of Physick one of great Repute for his Learning Piety and Charity sometime President of the College of Physicians was wont to lay by all the Lord's-days Fees as a sacred Stock for charitable Uses devoting that entirely to God which he received on his Day accounting it a piece of Sacriledge to appropriate it to himself or any common use whereupon God so prospered him in his Calling that tho' at first his Practice was little and his Estate not very great yet afterwards his Practice so increased and the World so flowed in upon him that he lived plentifully and comfortably 12. Dr. J. Bathurst likewise kept his Lord's-days Fees as a Bank for the Poor which was so far from lessening his Incomes that by the Blessing of God upon his Practice they were greatly in few Years augmented by it for tho' at his first coming to London he brought little Estate with him and here had small Acquaintance York-shire being his Native Country where he had spent his former Days yet the Lord was pleased so to prosper him in his Calling that in 20 Years time he purchased Lands of Inheritance to the value of 1000 l. per Annum to speak saith my Author what I know to be certain for in the Repute of some his Estate at his Death was no less than 2000 l. of yearly value 13. Dr. Edmond Trench likewise observed the same course as his Wife and divers other of his Friends do testifie And certain it is that this was no damage but a great advantage to him for he had as many Patients as his weak Body would permit him to visit and tho' he lived at a full and plentiful rate frequently and chearfully entertaining Ministers and Scholars at his Table yet did he gain a very considerable Estate which he left to his Wife and Children c. 14. Samuel Dunche of Pusey in the County of Berks Esq a Person that according to the Apostle's Rule Did good to all but especially to those of the Houshold of Faith used to send Moneys yearly to several Towns as to Stow upon the Woold in Gloucester-shire to Lamburn and others for the Relief of the Poor and upon the last here named he setled Lands of Inheritance for ever for the same use And to Rumsey in Hamp-shire he gave by Deed upon the like Account a Lease of Ninety nine Years to commence after his Decease The Poor also of the said Town whom he called his Alms-people had also during his Life weekly Relief from him and many other Towns together with them were large Sharers in the like Bounty Several poor Children of the said Town and likewise of those belong to Farringdon he set to School and did not only pay for their Teaching but also furnished them with Books convenient He caused also several good Books to be Printed at his own Charge which he freely gave to the Poor and gave considerable Sums of Money yearly for the Relief of poor Ministers and upon several of them he setled Annuities as 10 l. 20 l. per Annum for their Lives besides Legacies at his Death Besides all this his Hand was
between Seven and Eight of the Clock she took the New Testament to read and falling upon the Second Chapter of St. Mark she told her Mistress That she wondred at the Infidelity of the Jews and if such a thing had happenâ—d now saith she that was wrought upon the sick of the Palsie I would run very quickly and believe too and scare had she uttered those words but a redoubling of the Pain came upon her which forced her to stretch out her Leg on which the Bone made a snap her Leg extended itself her Foot and Knee were both restored to their proper situation her Pains ceased and she thought she had heard a Voice saying unto her Thou art healed and presently she walk'd up and down the Chamber and continues very well saving a little weakness The Witnesses who depose that she was extraordinary lame before Nov. 26. were her Father Mother the Inhabitants of the place where she was born and many others English French of all Ages of both Sexes Children of Five or Six Years old a Taylor who made her Cloaths her Shoo maker a Swiss that knew her from her Cradle the Surgeon who visited her Two Years before All which are attested and declared before Sir Sill. Ashurst Lord Mayor of London upon Oath Dec. 19. 1693. 5. Mr. Francis Culham born at New-Buckenham in the County of Norfolk on Christmas-Day 1631. and having been bred a Chirurgeon afterwards Dwelling at the White-Lion in South-Lambeth in the County of Surry in the Month of August 1671. unhappily fell backward and about Michaelmas ensuing had another Fall both which somewhat contused his Head About Three or Four Days after Christmas he complained of an alteration in his Health and about Two Days after became stupified in his Brain which gradually spread over his Body to this a Weakness in his Limbs succeeded so that he was forced to take his Bed and immediately grew not only speechless but lost the use of his Reason He lay a Month without eating any Food or taking any other Sustenance except a small quantity of Drink with a little Syrup of Violets sometimes once a Day which other Days he would intermit nevertheless in all that time he went not to Stool At the expiration of this Month he eat a good Meal and so did eat daily for some short time and after fasted a whole Week neither eating nor drinking any thing then receiving some Sustenance for a few Days he fasted another Week compleat These times of long Fasting being over he afterwards did eat but once in Three Days but then it was incredible both in respect of the Quantity and Manner for be would most greedily devour a whole Joynt of Meat at a Meal and that in a very short time This he usually tore in pieces after an extraordinary ravenous sort and drank therewith not less than Six or Seven Quarts of strong Drink which he always smelt to before he would taste and refused to Drink unless out of a Stone-bottle But the Distemper he seemed to lie under after such extravagant Eating was exceeding strange and remarkable for he made a dreadful and horrid Noise but inarticulate and lay roaring and howling most part of the Day after as sometimes he did before he did eat seeming to covet more Meat even then when he had fed most plentifully In this sad and deplorable Condition he continued keeping his Bed continually and refusing to take any internal Medicine nor did he know either Wife or Children Friends or Visitants or seem'd to take Notice of any other thing He use several sorts of Tones and Cries all lamentable enough and lay for the First Year with his Eyes continually open he would sometimes attempt to bite those that came near him In this time he was once let Blood and once Fluxed About a Month before his Recovery he was twice let Blood but how far that might signifie any thing is uncertain seeing no effect appeared 'till the Day of his Restauration which was the Twelfth of May. 1676. only for Two Days before he now and then wept seeming to have some sensible apprehension of his Wife and Children by holding them fast by the hand when they stood near him tho' since his Recovery he remembers it not But that Twelfth Day of May about Ten a Clock in the Morning by the miraculous Power and Mercy of God his Understanding began to return whereupon he made Signs by moving his Hands in a Writing posture for a Pen Ink and Paper which being brought to him he wrote as followeth LOrd grant a Power from thy Divine Nature I thought I saw the Glorious appear to me The Prayers of all good People I desire I desire the heavenly Water that I thirst no more It is the Light I desire from the most High As the Son doth appear in me I hope a better Work will be perfected in me It is heavenly Bread that I desire that I hunger no more and then I shall be more beautiful His Wife then offering him a Glass of Wine he refused it and wrote again thus It is Prayers I first desire Hereupon the Minister of the Parish was sent for to pray by him who tho' he was not then at home yet not long after bestowed a Visit on him After he had sate up a while Dr. Gale Master of St. Paul's School with Mr. Will. Perry another Minister and two Friends more accidentally passed by his House who being entreated to come in and Pray with him did very readily consent The Doctor being desirous fully and clearly to understand the condition of the Man asked several Questions and finding no Answer but abundance of Tears attended with great Trembling in all his Body and Blackness in his Lips the Doctor with the Company present went to Prayers reading the Office of the Church for the Visitation of the Sick Mr. Culham did manifest a great Devotion applying to himself several Passages in the Offices especially in the Absolution all the while powering out Tears and smiting his Breast And when these Words were pronounced Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost Mr. Culham with a loud Voice answered Glory be to God on High Thou hast wrought a great Work now Power is given from the most High c. After this he called for a Morsel of Bread though he had eaten none in all his Distempers refused to drink Sack as too strong for him wondered at his younger Son as grown out of Knowledge gave him his Blessing and commanded him to be dutiful to his Mother These two Ministers came that Night again to him and found him much recovered and since also have frequently visited him at which he always much rejoyceth Immediately upon his speaking he perfectly knew his Neighbours and former Acquaintance who came to see him in great Numbers The second Day after his Recovery he was able to walk about his Chamber leaning on anothers Shoulder the third Day with
a Staff only And now he is greatly increased in Strength feeds moderately sleeps well and his Intellects and Faculties are become exceeding clear and strong His Wife behaved herself toward him all the while he lay under this great Affliction with great Care and Affection and by an honest and industrious course of Life supported him and his Children Attested by Rich. Parr D. D. of Camerwel Tho. Gale D. D. Will. Perry M. A. N. Paget M. D. Elias Ashmole And. Needham Curate of Lambeth c. 6. In the Year 1676 about the thirteenth or fourteenth of this Month October in the Night between one and two of the Clock Jesch Claes being a Dutch Woman of Amsterdam who for fourteen Years had been Lame of both legs one of them being dead and without feeling so that she could not go but creep upon the Ground or was carried in peoples Arms as a Child being in Bed with her Husband who was a Boatman she was three times pulled by her Arm with which she awaked and cryed out O Lord What may this be Hereupon she heard an Answer in plain Words Be not afraid I come in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost Your Malady which hath for many Years been upon you shall cease and it shall be given you from God Almighty to walk again But keep this to your self till further Answer Whereupon she cryed aloud O Lord that I had a Light that I might know what this is Then had she this Answer There needs no Light the Light shall be given you from God Then came Light all over the Room and she saw a beautiful Youth about ten Years of Age with curled yellow Hair Clothed in White to the Feet who went from the Beds-head to the Chimney with a Light which a little after vanished Hereupon did there shoot something or gush from her Hip or diffuse it self through her Leg as a Water into her great Toe where she did find Life rising up felt it with her Hand crying out Lord give me my Feeling now which I have not had in so many Years And further she continued crying and praying to the Lord according to her weak Measure Yet she continued that Day Wednesday and the next Day Thursday as before till Evening at six a Clock at which time she sate at the Fire dressing the Food Then came as like a rushing Noise in both her Ears with which it was said to her Stand your going is given you again Then did she immediately stand up that had so many Years crept and went to the Door Her Husband meeting her being exceedingly afraid drew back In the mean while she cryed out My dear Husband I can go again The Man thinking it was a Spirit drew back saying You are not my Wife His Wife taking hold of him said My dear Husband I am the self-same that hath been Married these thirty Years to you The Almighty God hath given me my Going again But her Husband being amazed drew back to the side of the Room till at last she claspt her Hand about his Neck and yet he doubted and said to his Daughter Is this your Mother She answered Yes Father this we plainly see I had seen her go also before you came in This Person dwells upon Princes Island in Amsterdam This Account was sent from a Dutch Merchant procured by a Friend for Dr. R. Cudworth and contains the main Particulars that occur in the Dutch Printed Narrative which Monsieur Van Helmont brought over with him to my Lady Conway at Ragley who having enquired upon the spot when he was there at Amsterdam though of a genious not at all credulous of such Relations found the thing to be really true As also â—hilippus Lambergius in a Letter to Dr. Henry Moor sent this Testimony touching the Party cured That she was always reputed a very honest good Woman and that he believed there was no Fraud at all in that Business Glanvile's Saducism Triumph p. 427. 7. In this place may be accounted the strange way of curing the Struma or Scrophula commonly called the Evil which took its Derivation first of all from King Edward the Confessor and hath in after Ages been effected by the Kings of England and of France Concerning which take only this Story discoursing upon a time with Mr. Philip Caryll of Shipley in Sussex a Roman Catholick concerning Miracles done in this last Age in this Nation he produced this for an Instance That his Son being affected with that Distemper he having no Faith in the case was earnestly perswaded to address himself to King Charles the Second for a Touch of his Hand which having procured his Son was restored to perfect Health which he declared to me calling his Son into company and shewing him perfectly healed 8. Galen had a Man in Cure that had an Artery in his Ankle-bone half cut in sunder whereby he lost all his Blood before any Remedy could be applyed to him He writeth That he was advertised in his Sleep by some God or Angel that he should cut the Artery quite in sunder and the Ends would retire to each side and so lock together again When he awaked he executed what his Dream had represented to him and by that means cured the Man Treas of Ancient and Modern Times l. 5. p. 475. 9. A young Woman Married but without Children had a Disease about her Jaws and under her Cheek like unto Kernels and the Disease so corrupted her Face with Stench that she could scarce without great shame speak unto any Man This Woman was admonished in her Sleep to go to King Edward and get him to wash her Face with Water brought unto him and she should be whole To the Court she came and the King hearing of the matter disdained not to undertake it but having a Basin of Water brought unto him he dipped his Hand therein and washed the Womans Face and touched the diseased Part oftentimes sometimes also signing it with the Sign of the Cross When he had thus washed it the hard Crust or Skin was softned the Tumors dissolved and drawing his Hand by divers of the Holes out thence came divers little Worms whereof and of corrupt Matter and Blood they were full The Kings still pressed it with his Hand to bring forth the Corruption and endured the Stench of it until by such pressing he had brought forth all the Corruption This done he commanded her a sufficient Allowance every day for all things necessary until she had received perfect Health which was within a Week after and whereas she was ever before Barren within one Year she had a Child by her Husband This Disease hath since been called the Kings Evil and is frequently cured by the Touch of the Kings of England Stew's Annals p. 98. 10. Sir John Cheeke was once one of the Tutors to King Edward the Sixth afterwards Secretary of State much did the Kingdom value him but more the King for being once desperately
sick the King carefully enquiring of him every day at last his Physician told him there was no hope of his Life being given over by him for a dead Man No said the King he will not die at this time for this Morning I begged his Life from God in my Prayers and obtained it Which accordingly came to pass and he soon after contrary to all expectation wonderfully recovered This saith Dr. Fuller was attested by the old Earl of Huntington bred up in his Childhood with King Edward to Sir Thomas Cheeke who was alive Anno 1654 and Eighty Years of Age. Lloyd's State-Worthies p. 194. 11. Mrs. Savage Wife of Mr. Savage a Schoolmastet and Minister living in Horse-shooe-lane who having had a very troublesome Lameness in her Hand from a Child her Fingers being so contracted that her Hand was become almost wholly useless to her And in December 1693 having had withal some ilness and weakness of Body and having used some other means for the Cure but without Effect at last by Fasting and Prayer found real amendment and after they Duty ended fitting by the Fire-side the Story of the French Girle came into mind and her Husband having heard of it only by two Persons did not presently give present and full Assent to it but blessed God if it were true at length a strong Impression came into his Mind that his Wife's hand might be cured by that same means as the Girle 's Foot Thereupon he takes the Bible reads St. Matth. 8th chap. and at those Words Lord if thou wilt thou can'st make me clean with an extraordinary Emotion of Spirit he took hold of his Wife's Hand ask'd her If she had Faith adding That his Faith was as much as the Leaper's for though he did absolutely believe the Power of Christ yet he put an If to the Will of Christ. To which she Replyed That she had Faith in the Power of Christ that he was able now he is in Heaven to cure her as he was when upon Earth but whether it was his Pleasure or whether be saw it good for her she could not tell but if he thought fit for her she doubted not but he would heal her or to that purpose Her Husband proceeded Reading till the came to the Faith of the Centurion about his Servant when on a sudden she felt a Pain in her Knuckles and Fingers and pulling off her Glove her Hand instantly stretched out straight and became like the other and she was immediately cured of what was judged by all incurable Her Hand likewise received strength as well as streightness and whereas it used to be extreamly cold it is now as warm as the other And whereas formerly she was not able to go a Mile through weakness of Body she is now able to walk three or four For confirmation enquire at their House afore-mentioned See also the Appendix to the General History of Earthquakes p. 173 174. Take here another Relation as it came in a Letter from Hitchin in Hartford-shire as followeth Hitchin June the 6th 1693. Dear SIR 12. YOurs I received the last Night as to the Person you enquire after and the Lord's Work upon him take it in short as follows His Name is David Wright about twenty seven or twenty eight Years of Age he lived two or three Miles hence for some Years in the capacity of a Shepheard his distemper of Body by the Evil rendring him uncapable of hard Work At Michaelmas 1693 he desired a Religious Woman to take him into her Service which she was not willing to do because he was a profane Wretch and much given to Swearing and other Vices but upon his promising a Reformation and that he would go to hear the Word preached she hired him yet he afterwards went on his evil Courses and would not go to hear But Novmeber 29th last past having Notice that there was a Sermon to be Preached by one Mr. Edward Coles a worthy Minister his mind was so much fixed to go and hear him that notwithstanding the same day he had a Brother came for him with a Horse to go some Miles another way about urgent Business of his own yet he could by no means be prevail'd with to go with him of which Resolution he saith he can give no reason to himself he came to hear and the Word made such deep Impression upon his Mind that his Soul was converted and his Body healed at the same time He declares that while the Minister was Preaching his hard Heart was softened and the Eyes of his Mind enlightened whereby he had Faith in his blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and that at the same time he found his Body cured of the Evil under which he had long languished and is fully perswaded he shall never have it again But however God may please to do as to that this is certain that he hath been very well from the 29th of November to this very day But the Change upon his Soul is more remarkable then the Cure of his Body to see such a poor grosly ignorant Wretch so suddenly changed and to hear him blessing and praising of God and admiring his Grace and Love to him that he who knew nothing one Hour before should now speak so sensibly of Jesus Christ and Heavenly Things This is to the Astonishment and Admiration of all that knew him As to his bodily Distemper he had the King 's Evil for about fifteen or sixteen Years past and was formerly touched by King Charles the Second At first he was forced to keep his Bed for several Weeks together with great Pains and divers running Sores upon him but for about twelve Years past he hath been in Service for the most part yet never in Health all the while but had running Sores which were sometimes skined over and swelled and then he was at the worst and felt most Pain till they broke and run again He hath had these Sores in many parts of his Body of which the Scars are visible and two continued in the same place in the Small of his Back a long while and at the time when he came to hear the Sermon aforementioned they were skined over and swelled so that he was in very great Pain and cound not keep pace with his Company But while he was hearing the Swelling of his Sores sunk insensibly and he was well on a sudden and all his Pain was gone so that as they returned home he went before them leaping rejoycing and praising God for his great Mercy and loving Kindness to him all the way he went After he came home he continued to admire the exceeding Grace of God to so vile and ignorant a Sinner as he was and spent most part of the Night in this heavenly Exercise and still remains in this admirable frame of Heart Much more might be mentioned but this may suffice at present from Yours c. We whose Names are hereunto Subscribed do hereby attest and declare That
he hath threatned Diseases and Shortness of Life to them that are careless of his Laws and told us That the Wicked shall not live out half their Days And in order hereunto he permits Satan oftentimes to pour out his Malice and Venom upon Mankind partly by Witchcraft and preternatural Strokes as in the case of Job who was afflicted with Boyls and Botches vexations and noisome to a Proverb and in the Instances of the Demoniackâ— in the Gospel who were sorely tormented with Diseases and strange Fits and Convulsions so that they were rent and tore and tertured at upon a Wrack or Gibbet and partly by malicious Injections and Temptations provoked either to Presumption or Despair and all the ill Effects and Consequences of those grand Precipicies of Human Nature And in truth the end of all sinful Courses is Death 1. Langius tells a memorable and true Story of one Vlricus Neusesser who being grievously tormented with a Pain in his side suddenly felt under his Skin which yet was whole an Iron Nail as he thought and so it proved when the Chyrurgion had cut it out But nevertheless his great Torments continued which enraged him so that he cut his own Throat The third Day when he was carried out to be Buried Eucharius Rosenbader and Johannes ab Actenstet a great company of People standing about them dissected the Corps and ripping up the Ventricle found a round piece of Wood of a good length four Knives some even and sharp others indented like a Saw with other two rough pieces of Iron a span long there was also a Ball of Hear This hapned at Fugenstal 1539. Antid against Atheism l. 3. c. 5. 2. Wierus tells also of one that was possessed of which himself was an Eye-witness thâ—â— vomited up pieces of Cloth with Pins stuck in them Nails Needles and such like stuff which he contends doth not come from the Stomach but by a prestigious Slight of the Devil is only ingested into the Mouth Ibid. 3. Cardan relates the like of a good simple country Fellow and a Friend of his that had been a long time troubled with vomiting up Glass Iron Nails and Hair and that at that time he â—old Cardan of it he was not so perfectly restored but that something yet crashed in his Belly as if there were a Bag of Glass in it Ibid. 4. There were thirty Children strangely handled at Amsterdam 1566. of the Truth whereof Wierus professeth himself very well assured They were Tortured very much and cast very violent upon the Ground but when they arose out of their Fit knew nothing but thought they had been only asleep For the remedying of this Mischief they got the help of Physicians Wizards and Exorcists but without success only while the Exorcists were reading the Children vomited up Needles Thimbles shreds of Cloth pieces of Pots Glass Hair and other things of the like nature Ibid. 5. Now the Advantage I would make of those Relations is this That these Effects Extraordinary and Supernatural being so palpable and permanent they are not at all liable to such subtersuges as Atheists usually betake themselves to as of Melancholy and disturbance of Phansie in those that profess they see such strange things or any Fraud or Imposture in those that act Ibid. 6. This following Relation of a strange Witchcraft discovered in the Village Mehra in Sweedland was taken out of the publick Register of the Lords Commissioners appointed by his Majesty the King of Sweeden to examine the whole Business in the Years of our Lord 1669 and 1670. The News of this Witchcraft coming to the King's Ear his Majesty was pleased to appoint Commissioners some of the Clergy and some of the Laity to make a Journey to the Town afore-said and to examine the whole Business and accordingly the Examination was ordered to be on the 13th of August and the Commissioners met on the 12th Instant in the said Village at the Persons House to whom both the Minister and several People of Fashion complained with Tears in their Eyes of the miserable Condition they were in and therefore begged of them to think of some way whereby they might be delivered from that Calamity They gave the Commissioners very strange Instances of the Devils Tyranny among them how by the help of Witches he had drawn some hundreds of Children to him and made them subject to his Power how he hath been seen to go in a visible Shape through the Country and appeared daily to the People how he had wrought upon the poorer sort by presenting them with Meat and Drink and this way allured them to himself with other Circumstances to be mentioned hereafter The Inhabitants of the Village added with very great Lamentations That though their Children had told all and themselves saught God very earnestly by Prayer yet they were carried away by him And therefore begged of the Lords Commissioners to root out this hellish Crew that they might regain their former Rest and Quietness and the rather because the Children which used to be carried away in the Countrey or District of Elfdale since some Witches had been Burnt there remained unmolested That Day i. e. the 13th of August being the last Humiliation-day instituted by Authority for removing of this Judgment the Commissioners went to Church where there appeared a considerable Assembly both of Young and Old The Children could read most of them and sing Psalms and so could the Women though not with any great Zeal or Fervor There were Preached two Sermons that Day in which the miserable Case of those People that suffered themselves to be deluded by the Devil was laid open and these Sermons were at last concluded with very fervent Prayer The publick Worship being over all the People of the Town were called together to the Persons House near three Thousand of them Silence being commanded the King's Commission was read Publickly in the Hearing of them all and they were charged under very great Penalties to conceal nothing of what they knew and to say nothing but the Truth those especially who were guilty that the Children might be delivered from the Clutches of the Devil They all promised Obedience the guilty feignedly but the guiltless weeping and crying bitterly On the 14th of August the Commissioners met again consulting how they might withstand this dangerous Flood after long deliberation an Order also coming from his Majesty they did resolve to execute such as the Matter of Fact could be proved upon Examination being made there were discovered no less than three Score and Ten in the Village afore-said three and Twenty of which freely confessing their Crimes were condemned to die the rest one pretending she was with Child and the other denying and pleading not guilty were sent to Fahluna where most of them were afterwards Executed Fifteen Children which likewise confessed that they were engaged in this Witchery died as the rest Six and Thirty of them between nine and sixteen Years of Age
Second Son the Lord Francis was likewise miserably tortured by their wicked Contrivances and his Daughter the Lady Catherine was oft in great danger of her Life by their barbarous Dealings with strange Fits c. The Honourable Parents bore all these Afflictions with Christian Magnanimity little suspecting they proceeded from Witchcraft 'till it pleased God to discover the Villanous Practices of these Women whom the Devil now left to fall into the Hands of Justice for Murdering the Innocent and to remain notorious Examples of God's Judgment to future Ages They were apprehended about Christmas in 1618. and after Examination before divers Justices of Peace who wondred at their audacious Wickedness were all Three ordered to be carried to Lincoln-Jail Joan Flower the Mother it is said called for Bread and Butter by the way and wished it might never go through her if she were guilty of that which was charged upon her and so mumbling it in her Mouth she never spake a word more but fell down and died with horrible Torture both of Soul and Body before she got to the Jail The two Daughters were Examined before Sir William Pelbam and Mr. Butler Justices of Peace Feb. 4. 1618 where Philip the youngest made the following Confession That her Mother and Sister were very malicious against the Earl of Rutland his Countess and their Children because Margaret was turned out of the Lady's Service whereupon her Sister by her Mother's Order brought from the Castle the Right-hand Glove of the Lord Henry Ross who presently rubbed it on the Back of her Spirit called Rutterkin and then put it into boyling Water after which she prickt it very often and then buried it in the Yard wishing the Lord Ross might never thrive And so her Sister Margaret continued with her Mother and she often saw her Imp Rutterkin leap on her Shoulder and suck her Neck She confest also That she often heard her Mother curse the Earl and his Lady and would thereupon boyl Blood and Feathers together using many Devilish Speeches and strange Gestures She likewise acknowledg'd That she herself had a Spirit sucking her Left-breast in the form of a White Rat which it had done for three or four Years past and that when it came first to her she gave her Soul to it who promised to do her good and to force Tho. Symson to love her if she would suffer it to suck her which she agreed to and that it had suckt her two Nights before Margaret her Sister being Examined agreed in the Confession that Philip had made of their Malice to the Earl and about the young Lord's Glove which for other Circumstances for brevity's sake I here omit 12. About the same time Joan Wilmot of Goadby a Witch was Examined by Sir Henry Hastings and Dr. Fleming Justices in Leicester-shire about the Murther of Henry Lord Ross who declared That Joan Flower told her the Earl of Rutland had dealt badly by her and had put away her Daughter and though she could not have her Will of my Lord himself yet she had sped my Lord's Son and had stricken him to the Heart c. 13. Another Witch called Ellen Green of Stathorn in Leicester-shire was Examined about that time by the same Justices who confessed That Joan Wilmot above-named came to her about six Years since and perswaded her to forsake God and betake herself to the Devil to which she consented who then called two Spirits one like a young Cat which she named Puss and the other in the shape of a Mole which she called Hiff Hiff who instantly came and Wilmot going away left them with her after which they leapt on her Shoulder the Kitling sucking her Neck under her Right-ear and the Mole under her Left in the same place after which she sent the Kitling to a Baker in the Town who had called her Witch and struck her bidding it go and Bewitch him to Death And the Mole she sent to Anne Daws of the same Town upon the same Errand because she had called her Witch Whore and Jade and within a Fortnight after they both died After which she sent them to destroy two Husbandmen named Willison and Williman who died both in ten Days these four she murâ—hered while she dwelt at Waltham When she removed to Stathorn where she now dwelt upon a Difference between her and one Patchet's Wife a Yeoman there Joan Wilmot called her to go and touch Patchet's Wife and Child which she did touching the Woman in Bed and the Child in the Midwife's Arms and then sent her Spirits to Bewitch them to Death the Woman languished a Month before she died but the Child lived only 'till next Day after she had touched it adding that Joan Wilmot had a Spirit sucking on her like a little White Dog which she saw and that she gave her Soul to the Devil to have these Spirits at Command for any mischievous purpose and suffered them to suck her constantly about the Change and Full-Moon 14. One Anne Baker a Witch was likewise Apprehâ—â—◠〈◊〉 and Examined about the same time who confessed before Sir George Mannors and Dr. Fleming 〈◊〉 of Peace That she had a Spirit like a White Dog which she called a good Spirit and that one Peak and one Dennis's Wife of Belvoir told her That the young Lord Henry was dead and that his Glove was buried in the Ground which as it wasted and rotted in like manner did the Lord's Liver rot and waste likewise 15. Margaret and Philip Flower were arraigned at the Assizes at Lincoln before Sir Henry Hobart and Sir Edward Bromley Judges whereupon their confessing themselves Actors in the Destruction of Henry Lord Ross with other damnable Practices they were Condemned and Executed at Lincoln March 11. And the rest questionless suffered according to their Deserts History of Daemons p. 140 141 c. Discov of Witchcraft c. 16. Anno Dom. 1645. There was a notable Discovery of several Witches in Essex and among others one Elizabeth Clark was accused of this horrid Crime and Informations taken against her before Sir Harbottle Grimstone and Sir Thomas Bowes Justices of Peace for that Country John Rivet of Mannintree deposed That about Christmass his Wife was taken sick and lame with such violent Fits that he verily believed her Distemper was more than natural who thereupon went to one Hovey at Hadly in Suffolk who was reckoned a cunning Woman she told him That his Wife was Cursed or Bewitcht by two Women who were her near Neighbours and that she believed she was Bewitcht by Elizabeth Clark alias Bedingfield who lived near their House and that her Mother and some of her Kindred had formerly suffered as Witches and Murtherers At the same time Matthew Hopkins of Mannintree declared upon Oath That this suspected Witch being ordered by the Justices to be watched several Nights for Discovering her wicked Practices he coming into the Room where she was with one Mr. Sterne intending not to
so ascended upwards that he caused one member after another to be cut off and so he died miserably Acts and Monuments 17. There was one Christopher an Unmerciful Courtier who suffered a poor Lazar to die by him in a Ditch and himself shortly after perished in a Ditch Idem 18. Laurentius Valla Censured all that wrote before him and Erasmus comes after and Censures him as much Trapp 19. A. C. 1628. A Debauch'd Fellow in Banbury in Cheshire by Name Robinson by Profession a Beat-ward following that unlawful Calling and especially upon Festivals was cruelly rent in pieces by a Bear and so died fearfully M. S. of Mr. Burghal's of Acton 20. An Attorney approving of Mr. H. Burton's losing his Ears and Cursing him with a What a Pox c. his own Ear fell immediately a Bleeding plentifully See the Chapter of Divine Judgments upon Cursing the last Example CHAP. C. Divine Judgments upon Superstition To do what is not Commanded or to insist upon little observances which are no part of Religion as if they would commend us to God is that which we commonly call Superstition Such were the â—â—raclites forbearance to eat of the Sinew which shruck Gen. 32.32 Gideon's Ephod the Philistines not treading on the Threshold 1 Sam. 5.5 Racher's Stealing her Father's Idols Micha 's House of Gods Worshipping in High Places The Scribes and Pharisees Traditions their frequent Washings c. and such Vnscriptural Preciseness God hath in all Ages declared himself against For who more fit to prescribe in his own Worship than himself If Men will therefore presume to amend by their own Devices and make Supplies for the Defects of Infinite Wisdom they do it to their Peril For who hath required those things at their hands 1. Observable are the Words of Holy Humble Self-denying Musculus on 1 Cor. 11. Now a-days thou shalt find very many who in very many years do not so much as once partake of this Sacrament especially the Swenckfeldians who did so reject the Ecclesiastical Communion of all Churches that they themselves had none at all When at Ausperge I once asked a Ring-leader of the Sect when he had partaken with the Church of Christ of the Bread and Cup of the Lord he expresly answered he had then abstained about twelve years from the Communion being demanded why he had so done he reply'd That he had as yet not found any Church which was inwardly and outwardly Adorned with the Gifts and Vertues of the true Spouse of Christ and therefore he did put off and deferred his Communion untill he could find such a Church rightly Settled or Ordere This Principle carried a Pious Gentleman of a good Family in England much farther Mr. Edward Grefwold shut up himself and his Children in his House and would come at no Man nor suffer any Man to come at him lest he shoud communicate with them in their sin Sustenance for him and his Children was brought unto them and put in at some hole or window but he suffered no Man to come in and minister unto them no not when his Children and himself lay sick in great misery when by Order his House was broken open for the Justices of Peace in consideration of his Case were constrained so to do two of his Children were found dead in the House and one had lain so long unburied that the Body was Corrupted and did annoy the Room the Gentleman himself sick on his Bed in woful plight He had gone through his Bible and cut out the Contents Titles and every thing but the Text it self It is very likely that if hearing the Doctrine of Grace he did communicate with them in their sins much more was guilt contracted by civil conversings and if it be tried in right Reason I cannot see how that Consequence can be avoided Now he desirous to stick to what he had learned and not to delude himself with vain distinctions as too many of the Separation do fell first into deep perplexities and then at last came unto that desperate conclusion to shut up himself and his Children Mr. H. Hickman 's Sermon at St. Aldate's Oxon 1664. p. 39 40. 2. The Superstitions of the Heathen World are Gross and Notorious the Egyptians Worshipping a dead Isis Serapis Anubis living Dogs Cats Crocodiles c. The Carthaginians Romans Scythians Gauls Indians c. Sacrificing Mens Flesh to Saturn or rather Sathan Moloch c. At Nagracut in the Great Mogul's Countrey thousands of Indians cut out their own Tongues and Offer them in Sacrifice to an Idol called Matta The Peruvians often put out their own Eyes that they may with more Reverence serve the Sun Moon and Stars this is certainly a blind Devotion Amongst the Mahometans there are a great many Superstitious Sects concerning which I have said so much in my History of all Religions that I will say no more here but only Remark to the Reader That such mufled Superstition is a Punishment to it self by producing only a wild dark confused and groundless Peace and Satisfaction to the Consciences of the Votaries 3. A. C. 1170. In the Reign of King Henry II. Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury but a Rebel and Traytor to his King and Countrey being Murdered was at first obscurely buried but shortly after his Body was taken up and laid up in a most sumptuous Shrine in the Cathedral of Canterbury by his Successor Stephen Langton and by the Pope he was made a Martyr to whose Shrine People of all Degrees and from all Parts flocked in Pilgrimage and loaded it with such large Offerings that the Church round about did abound with more than Princely Riches the meanest whereof was of pure Gold garnished with many precious Stones The chiefest whereof was a Rich Gem Offered by King Lewis of France and such pressing there was to touch his Coffin and such creeping and kneeling to his Tomb that the prints of their Devotion in the Marble Stones remain to this day Yea the Church it self that was Dedicated to Christ was forced to give place to the Name of St. Thomas his Blood was almost matched in Vertue with our Saviour's and his old Shooe was devoutly kissed by all Passengers His Shrine was built about a Man's heighth all of Stone and above of plain Timber within which in an Iron Chest were his Bones The Timber-work was covered with Plates of Gold garnished with Branches Images Angels Chains Precious Stones and great Orient Pearls of inestimable value Erasmus when he was in England went to visit it but laughs at the Superstition of the Age which was so Prodigal upon a Dead Carcass when so many Living Christians were ready to Starve with Poverty and extreamly wanted the Charity of their Neighbours Erasm Colloq But in the Reign of King Henry VIII A. C. 1538. the Shrine was spoiled and the Spoils were so great that they filled two great Chests one of which six or eight strong Men could scarce carry out of the Church
neither do I fear to pawn my Soul upon it Presently the Devil came indeed in the shape of a tall Man black and terrible with a fearful Noise and roaring Wind and took away the Old Priest that he was never after heard of Fincelius c. Clarks Examples Vol. I. Chap. 38. 3. In Helvetia Anno 1556. a certain Man that earned his Living by making clean foul Linen in his Drunkenness used horrible Cursings wishing that the Devil might break his Neck if ever he went to his old Occupation again yet the next day when he was sober he went into the Field again about it where the Devil attended him in the likeness of a big swarthy Man asking him If he remembred his Wish and withal struck him over the shoulders so that his Feet and Hands presently dried yet the Lord gave not the Devil Power to do him so much hurt as he wish'd to himself Fincelius 4. Lamentable is the Relation of what happened in Holland in June 1681. as it is written by Theodorus Paludamus a Protestant Minister at Lewarden in Friezland a Person named Dowee Sitses a Mason in that County being reported to be in a desperate case I accompanyed a Gentleman who was sent to him by Order from the Lords of the Provincial where we found two Master-Chirurgeons and their two Servants busie in making of Plaisters and dressing the Patient and he in such a lamentable Condition as we could not behold but with Amazement his Hair was burnt off his Head to his Ears his whole Face burnt except his Eyes his Arms burnt in several places his Hands to the end of his Fingers were burnt like a roasted Fowl but could move all his Fingers his Breast and Back burnt in several places and yet his Shirt whole his Belly under the Navel for about the breadth of an hand was as black as a stock in which place the Chirurgeons made several Incisions and he felt it not his Privities Hips Thighs and Legs were terribly burnt yet not his Stockings his Feet were also burnt and indeed no Part was free so that he was a woful sight After the Patient was dress'd and had got a little breath both he and his Wife gave a full Account of the following Passages upon Oath Upon the 15th of June at Evening this Dowee Sitses came Drunk into a Tavern where he with the Man of the House and another drank three Quarts of Wine and coming home at Ten at Night he lay down to sleep upon Cushions in the Kitchen and fell into a Dream about a Story he had read in a Book of Simon de Vries of a certain Company that danced in Masquerade with every one a lighted Torch in their hand wherewith they burnt one another whereupon he awaked and stood up thinking to go into the Yard to make Water and of a sudden he found himself of a light flame in the midst of the Room which burnt him thus dreadfully and some part of his Cloaths upon which he cryed out for Help but none came then he began to faint and in his Distress cryed out O God be gracious unto me a poor sinner and thereupon the flame ceased in the twinkling of an Eye but he growing faint laid his Head upon a Cushion in the Room about Two in the Morning his Wife came down and found him in this sad Condition and felt something under her Feet which was like a parcel of Red-ashes and burnt Rags and taking hold of her Husband had only a burnt piece of his Sleeve in her Hand whereupon she cryed out O Lord Dowee thou art grievously burnt He answered the Devil hath brought me in this case upon which she called in the Neighbours and Chirurgeons His Wife said he had been much given to Drunkenness and often reproved in vain by the Ministers that he drank much Brandy and other strong Liquors though he had often sworn against it and usually cursed himself wishing that if he were Drunk again the Devil might tear him Limb from Limb So that God makes use of the Devil as an Executioner of his Judgment to bring the miserable Man 's own Curse upon him not one Limb or Member being left upon him R. B. his Wonderful Prodigies p. 25. out of a Book called The Drunkard fore-warn'd 5. A Woman in derby-shire having cozened a Boy of some Money was charged with it but she stiffly denyed it and being further urged to confess the Truth she in a fearful manner prayed God that the Earth might open and swallow her up quick if she had it and immediately the Earth under her opened and she sank into it and being afterwards digged for they found her Nine Foot within the Earth and that very Money was found in her Pocket This happened about the beginning of April 1661. and is well attested by the Neighbours as appears by the Printed Narrative And the same Story is abbreviated by Mr. Samuel Clark in his second Vol. of Examples 6. Since my return from Exile says Mr. H. Burton a certain Attorney at Law being in the House of one Mrs. Monday dwelling near Aldersgate Feb. 17th 1640. and mention being made of my Name and Sufferings and Mrs. Monday saying That England had never thriven since he suffered and that though she had never seen him yet she had shed many a Tear for him The said Attorney replyed Could so many wise Men and Judges by deceived for he suffered no more than he deserved nor so much neither and therefore what a Pox should you be sorry for such a Man as he No sooner had these words passed from him but his Right Ear suddenly and strangely fell a bleeding at the lower tip of it and so long it bled as it wet a whole Handkerchief so as it might have been wrung out whereat his Heart so fainted that he sent for half a Pint of Sack and drank it up himself alone Whereat his Brother then present with sundry more said to him You may see Brother what it is to speak against Mr. Burton Yet such was this Man's Spirit that instead of taking notice of the Hand of God herein he continued Cursing saying What a Pox had I not spoken a Word against Mr. Burton my Ear would have bled though he could not at that time shew any Reason or natural Cause why his Ear should then bleed it being whole and sound so as upon the ceasing of the Blood Mr. Monday's Maid wiping the Blood off his Ear and looking wistfully upon it could not discern whence the Blood should issue but only a small bore or hole no bigger than a Pin's point could go into there being neither Scratch nor Scab nor Scar in his Ear. Witnesses of this were the Attorney's Brother and his Wife Mrs. Adcock Mrs. Anne Roe Mrs. Joan Monday and Eleanor Hutton her Servant See his Life p. 50. 7. Mr. Vincent Minister of Bednal in the County of Stafford gives a short but true Relation of a dreadful Judgment that
and will restore it if thou wilt promise me my Life The Father being wonderfully disturbed promised that which he desired But the devilish Moor answered I know thou wilt not keep Promise with me therefore take thy Child unto thee and threw her out of the Window where she was quashed in pieces and then threw himself down headlong from the top of the House that he might avoid the Vengeance of his Master This Story was related unto Philip Count Nassau by the Secretary of the Count of Hainault 7. Anno Christi 1586. One Walsh B. B. of Ossory in Ireland a Man of Honest Life together with his two Servants were stabbed to Death by one Dulland an Irish old Soldier whilst he gravely reproved him for his foul Adulteries And the wicked Murtherer escaped away who had now committed Forty Five Murthers with his own Hand But ere long Vengeance found him out for he was by another Bloody Fellow Donald Spaniah shortly after slain himse f and his Head presented to the Lord Deputy of Ireland Camb. Clark's Mirrour Chap. 86. Ibid. 8. Anno Christi 1625. at Castleblanes in the County of Monoghan in the North of Ireland dwelt one Hugh Enratty and Lord Blaynes Bailiff who entertained a lusty Young Man into his House that was reported and strongly suspected to have committed a Murther in the Province of Leinster About a quarter of a Year after the Bailiff went abroad about his Lord's Affairs and when he was half a Mile on his way he returned home not knowing well himself what moved him so to do Entring into his House he found his Chamber-door fast barred on the inside and looking through the Wall which was made of Wattles undaubed he beheld his Guest upon his Bed and his Wife under him at which sight Enratty was so enraged that taking up a great Stone he flung it over the Wall which fell upon the Young Man's Head and dashed his Skull in pieces Presently after his former Murther came to light and the Justice of God appeared in punishing him for it when he thought himself most secure This I had from Doctor Teate upon his own knowledge Clark's Mirrour Chap. 86. Ibid. 9. Some Clothiers coming from Colebrook on a Shrove-Tuesday in the Morning through the Town of Branford as they passed by the Market-Place a certain Boy throwing with a stick at a Cock by chance hit one of them on the Foot the Man for the present finding no hurt from the stroke passeth on in his journey but before he came to London it began to pain him After he had disposed of his Horse he goes to a Cousin of his a Box-maker in Friday-street where pulling off his Boots he complained of a strange Pain in his Foot Upon which a Chirurgeon was sent for who told him 't was gangreen'd and must be cut off The Man was unwilling of so severe a Cure but would stay till Night At Night the Chirurgeon returns again tells him 't was now got into his Thigh or higher and that he was a dead Man And accordingly he died that Night but before his Death he confessed he had murder'd a Man in Gloucestershire and told whom and how and where c. viz. That he was a Lady's Steward who had bene keeping some Courts and getting in some Moneys and upon his return home this Person way-laid him and murdered and robb'd him and upon Enquiry afterwards it was found that the Boy which threw this stick at the Cock which gave occasion to this Gangreen was the Steward's Son whom he had murdered For the Family being reduced to Povery by the Death of the Father this Child was by some Friend recommended to a Place under a Tapster in Branford This Story Mr. John Lane of Horslydown-Lane Southwark doth attest to me upon the Credit of one Camping a Carpenter in Coleman-street who knew that Box-maker in Friday-street And I heard it lately reported from the Mouth of a very worthy Gentelman in the East of Sussex 10. William Writtle condemned at Maidstone Assizes for Murder mentioned in the following Chapter told a Minister that after he had murder'd Ann James going out of the Copice the Devil appared to him in the likeness of a Man and bid him go and murder the Boy And also how afterwards he saw her perfectly stand before him which made him so full of Horror that he had a Hell within him See the Narrative entituled News from Maidstone Assizes 11. Mr. Francis Cartwright clouded from his Youth with a stubborn and head-strong Disobedience to his Parents not bearing the Private and Publick Rebukes of his Minister Mr. Will. Storr of Market-Rason in Lincolnshire was at last so enraged against him that he was resolved to be revenged upon him and drawing his Sword with design only to give him some slight Wound it proved Mortal He clogg'd with guilt of Blood went for his escape to Berwick and there was apprehended but escaping thence he went for Plymouth By the way he was questioned at Warwick as suspected of Robbery thence to St. Malo's in France and in the Passage was in great danger by the Winds and Seas the Main-Mast being spent by the board So coming on Shoar in the Isle of Guernsey he passed to Rhodez and so to Roan where he lived in great misery and perplexity six Months thence to Rotterdam and Delph in Holland where Sir Fr. Vere entertained him sometime as Gentleman of his Company During his abode here he was continually sollicited to Repentnace by a Reverend Divine Mr. Trigg of Longledenham in Lincolnshire His Pardon being procured in England by his Father he is sent for home but no sooner Ship'd but the Seas swell as angry to bear his sins and the Tempest-beaten Vessel is chased by a Dunkirk Man of War No sooner is he come home but the Wife of the slain sueth out an Appeal against him and though a Ne Recipiatur was obtained for him yet his Pardon was question d at the Bench of Assize for Five Years together His Father dies He makes Submission in the Convocation-House before the Archbishop of Canterbury and other Bishops and Clergy Marries comm t s another in his own Defence is Apprehended Bailed again Imprisoned his Child is sick without hopes of Recovery the Mother weeps the Bell tolls the Grave is prepared he in Irons led to see his Departure The Child recovers most of his Estate is sold to satisfied Engagements his Money put to Usury most of it lost He goes to the Straights of Gibralter but going and returning is pursued with fresh dangers at Sea c. To conclude he now confessed to the World made his Publick Recantation with his own Hand and promised a serious Course of Reformation See the Life Confession and Hearty Repentance of â—ran Cartwright Gent. written with his own Hand 1621. CHAP. CXIII Murthers strangely Discovered WHEN Cain murdered his Brother Abel we do not read of any other Informer that appeared against him but the voice
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
and Compotations But this Error cost him dear for being on a time at a youthful Meeting one of his petulant Convivators poured a Cup of cold Water on his Head Which Affront he took so hainously that he went home and died Mr. Jo. Hales of Eaton 3. A. C. 1470. George Nevil Brother to the Great Earl of Warwick at his Instalment into his Archbishoprick of York made a Feast for the Nobility Gentry and Clergy wherein he spent 300 Quarters of Wheat 330 Tuns of Ale 104 Tuns of Wine one Pipe of spiced Wine 80 fat Oxen 6 wild Bulls 1004 Wethers 300 Hogs 300 Calves 3000 Geese 3000 Capons 300 Pigs 100 Peacocks 200 Cranes 200 Kids 2000 Chickens 4000 Pigeons 4000 Rabbits 204 Bitterns 4000 Ducks 400 Hernsews 200 Pheasants 500 Partridges 4000 Woodcocks 400 Piovers 100 Curlews 100 Quails 1000 Egrets 200 Rees above 400 Bucks Does and Roe-bucks 1506 hot Venison-Pasties 4000 cold Venison-Pasties 1000 Dishes of Gelly parted 4000 cold Custards 2000 hot Custards 300 Pikes 300 Breams 8 Seales 4 Propoises and 400 Tarts At this Feast the Earl of Warwick was Steward the Earl of Bedford Treasurer the Lord Hastings Comptroller with many more noble Officers Servitors 1000 Cooks 62 Kitchiners 515. Fuller's Hist of the Church But Seven Years after the King seized on all the Estate of this Archbishop and sent him over Prisoner to Callis in France where vinctus jacuit in summà inopiâ he was kept bound in extream Poverty Ibid. l. 4. cent 15. p. 193. 4. Cleopatra's Luxury in dissolving a Pearl which she took from her Ear in Vinegar to the Value of Fifty Thousand Pound and drinking it off at one Draught out of Vain-glory is well known and yet she was afterwards notwithstanding all her Bravery taken Prisoner and deprived of her Royal State and the other Pearl cut in twain and hung at both the Ears of the Statue of Venus in the Pantheon in Rome Plin. Nat. Hist l. 9. Fulg. Ex. l. 9 c. 5. Heliogabalus filled his Fish-ponds with Rose-water supplied his Lamps with the precious Balsam that distilled from the Trees in Arabia wore upon his Shooes Pearls and Precious Stones engraven strewed his Dining-room with Saffron and his Portico's with Dust of Gold he never wore the same Garments twice and yet they were of the richest silk or Cloth of Gold near the Sea he would eat no Fish in the Midland no Flesh his whole Meals were made often of the Tongues of Singing-Birds Peacocks or the Brains of costly Creatures he gathered in Rome 10000 weight of Spiders to shew the Greatness of his City his Bed was covered with Gold and Silver his Statue whilst he was living was worshipped for a God he set up a Senate of Women gave great Estates to wicked Bawds Panders Jesters c. But at last being generally despised he was slain by his Soldiers in the Fourth Year of his Reign his own Body and his Mother 's dragged along the Streets and cast into the common Laystall Imp. Hist Sabell Ex. l. 8. c. 7. Time's Store-house l. 10. c. 12. 6. Vitellius another Roman Emperor had 20000 Dishes of Fish and 7000 Fowl at one Supper and yet commended his own Temperance in a set Oration before the Senate and People of Rome In the time that he reigned which had need to be but short he wasted Nine Hundred Millions of Sesterces i. e. saith Budaeus 2500000 Crowns or as another 31250 l. Sterling For after he had reigned but Eight Months and a few Days he was slain in the midst of the City Joseph de Bell. Jud. l. 5. c. 13. Tacit. Hist l. 2. 7. Mahomet the Great Sultan at the taking of C. P. had one Helana a very beautiful Person presented to him with whom he was so taken that he spent all his Time with her and seemed quite to have emasculated his Spirit Upon which his Janisaries and Captains began to murmur and threatened to Depose him and put one of his Sons on the Throne One of his Courtiers with great Submission admonished him of it Whereupon he goes presently to his Paragon spent the whole Night with her appointed a Feast next Day sets his Curtezan at Table dressed in the most Princely Robes After Dinner having charged all his Nobles to appear together he brings her before them in his Left Hand and immediately with his Faulchion at one Blow struck off her Head saying Now judge by this whether your Emperor be not able to bridle his Affections Knowles 's Turk Hist 8. The Romans were so given to Pleasure and Luxury in their Apparel Food Ornaments Attendance and Retinue c. before the Decleâ—â—â—on of their Grandeur that Juvenal spends several Satyrs in exposing them to the Laughter and Reproach of the World So effeminate were they that they had a Distinction in their Rings and had some of massie Gold to wear in the Winter others more light for Summer-wear Lucullus had 5000 Cloaks Incredible Summs were expended upon Entertainments 9. The Monks before the Reformation and the Judgments that followed in Germany were grown to that heighth of Luxury that several Pens were exercised in publick Reflections and Censures upon them Among the rest an Author whom I have now by me and who stiles himself Frater de Viridi Valle in Prussia complains pathetically of the Pride of their Habit their Silk Gowns and Cloaks trailing behind them on the Ground their Pearls and Jewels in their Shooes and for a pleasant Jest I suppose tells a Story of one Monk who through extream Poverty was not able to purchase a Cloak with so long a Tail at last got a Mat upon his Back and went about strutting with that and looking on a time behind him to see how finely it trailed after him espied the Devil sitting upon the hinder end of it who laughed in his Face and cryed out saying Aha! plus velles si plus posses 10. Zaleucus the Law-giver of Locris made a Law That no Woman should be attended with more than one Maid in the Streets but when she was drunk nor walk out in the City by Night but when she was going to commit Adultery nor wear Gold or Embroidered Apparel but when she designed to set up for a common Strumpet nor that Men should wear Rings or Tissues but when they went a Whoring Heyl. Geogr. p. 158. This proved an effectual Restraint upon their Luxury that way CHAP. CXXVI Divine Judgments upon Pride Ambition c. HOW vain an Attempt it is for Men to lift up themselves and aspire above the Limits of their own Orb in despite of Him that rules in the Heavens and hath prescribed for wise Reasons the Rules of Humility to us Men threatning to resist the Proud and give Grace to the Humble may appear evidently from these following Examples 1. Colonel James Turner executed at Lime-street London 1663. being a Man of a high Spirit and not having an Estate answerable thereto wherewith to keep up that State and Grandeur
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
Basil the Great lying at the last period of Life after he had piously instructed his own Friends breathed out his Soul with these last words Lord into thy Hands I commend my Spirit Cardan relates of a Man in Milan who having in Sixty Years been never without the Walls yet when the Duke hearing thereof sent him peremptory Command never to go out of the Gates during Life He that before had no inclination to do so yet soon died of Grief to be denied the Liberty of doing it Chetwinds Hist Collections The Customs of several Nations in the Burial of their Dead Many Persons 1. Kiss and kindly Salute their dead Friends and Relations to shew the natural tenderness and love they had for the deceased but this Custom is now quite abolished with us in many places though this Peactice ought not to be altogether discommended 2. As for the usage that is in some Countries of washing the Dead St. Chrysostom tells us that it was derived at first from the Person of our Lord and Saviour whose precious Body was washed as soon as they took it down from the Cross And we read in the Ninth Chapter of the Acts of the Apostles that a Woman of Joppa called Tabitha whom St. Peter restored to Life had been wash'd before she was laid out for the Grave The Indians burn their Dead 3. The Custom of Perfuming and Embalming the Corps hath in our days been especially in England much observed And indeed the very reason why the Primitive Christians were so careful to Perfume the Dead was because they regarded them as so many Members of the Mystical Body of the Redeemer of the World Tertullian in his Apology upbraiding the Heathens with the vast Expences of sweet Scents and Perfumes consumed in the Temples tells them that those Odours would be better employed in Perfuming and Embalming the Bodies of Christians and their dear Friends departed At the Canary Islands they bury their Dead with a Bottle of Wine standing by them 4. As concerning the manner of Apparelling the Dead all Christians use not the same Practice for some do only cover them with a large Winding-sheet as they do in France And others dress them in the very same Cloaths they were wont to wear as in Italy and several other places And others dress them and lay them in their Coffin in a white Shirt a clean Cap and sometimes as a late Act of Parliament enjoyns in Flannel this is the Custom in England The Chinese always before they bury their Dead if he was a Married Man bring him to his Wife that so she might first kiss him and bid him farewel The Method that ought to be observed in Funeral Processions for most Ranks ad Degrees of Men. First Children of the Hospital Two Conductors Poor Men. Gentlemens Servants in Cloaks Gentlemen in Cloaks Gentlemen in Gowns Aldermen in Black The Preacher A Penon of his own Arms Helm and Crest The Coat of Arms. Chief Mourners Two Assistants Aldermen not in Black Master of the Company if c. Master of the Hospital Then all Gentlemen not in Black Neighbours and others I might here enlarge upon Mourning for and the Ancient Customs and Manners of Burying the Dead in all Nations throughout all the habitable World The Ancient Romans did use them that were dead after two manners and they had two kinds of Obsequies the first and most Ancient was to cover the dead with Earth and to bury them as we do the other to burn their Bodies but this manner did not continue long Numa Pompilius was the Inventer of Obsequies and he instituted a High-Priest who had the Charge The first Honour which they used to perform in the Obsequies of Famous Persons was to commend the Party by an Oration Valerius Publicola made a Funeral Oration on the Death and in the Praise of Brutus In like manner Julius Casar being but Twelve Years old commended his Grandfather and Tiberius at the Age of Nine Years praised his Father The second Honour was to make Sword players to Fight Marcus and Decius Sons to Junius Brutus were the first that did practise this in Honour of their Father The third Honour was to make a Feast of Magnificent Furnishment The fourth was a distribution of Meat to all the common People And such a I have said before as could not be buried with the like and so great Pomp for the Expences were insupportable were buried in the Night-time by the Vespiliones cloathed all in white who carried the dead Body to his Grave They had likewise an Order that within some while after the Obsequies they would strew divers Flowers nd sweet Odours upon the Sepulchre as the Roman People did upon the Funeral Monument of Scipio And also they accustomed Yearly to Garnish Deck and Adorn the Tombs or Graves of the Dead with Posies Crowns and Garlands of all sorts of Flowers Husbands saith St. Jerom ad Pammachium were wont to strew spread or scatter over and upon the Graves and Sepulchres of their deceased dear Wives Violers Roses Lilies Hyacinths and divers Purple Flowers by which Vxorious Office they did mitigate and lessen the grief of their Hearts conceived by the loss of their Loving Bedfellows The like expression of Mutual Love Wives shewed to their buried Husbands Now above all Flowers in these Ceremonious Observances the Rose was in greatest request and had the sole preheminence as Kirman relates The Ancient Ethnicks did hold the springing of Flowers from the Grave of a deceased Friend as an Argument of his Happiness and it was their universal wish That the Tombâ—stones of their dead Friends might be light unto them and that a perpetual Spring-tide of all kind of fragrant Flowers might incircle their verdant Graves According to this of Persius Sat. 7. Dii majorum umbris tenuem sine pondere terram Spirantesque crocos in urna perpetuum ver Lie Earth light on their Bones may their Graves bear Fresh fragrant Flowers let Spring-tide still live there But to come back again The Magnificence in burning the Bodies of the Dead did far exceed in charges all other kinds of Funeral for with the Bodies of Persons of Principal regard as you may read in the Travels of George Sandys they burnt rich Odours Gold Jewels Apparel Herds of Cattel Flocks of Sheep Horses Hounds and sometimes the Concubines and Slaves whom they most respected to supply their wants to serve their delights and attend upon them in the lower Shades With the like Solemnity or far greater the Funerals of Patroclus were performed by Achilles for with him were burned Oxen Sheep Dogs Horses and twelve stout and valiant Sons of Noble Trojans Achilles pulls off the Hair off his Head and casts it into the Flame and besides institutes certain Funeral Games to the Honour of his slain Friend the Glory of the Greekish Nation Patroclus which is recorded by Homer in the 23d Book of his Iliads They used to quench these Funeral
of his Death and Passion that Satisfaction may be made by this means for all my Sins and Crimes and the remembrance of them may be blotted out I witness also and profess that I humbly beg of him that being washed and cleansed in the Blood of that most high Redeemer shed for the sins of Mankind I may stand at the Judgment-Seat under the Image of my Redeemer Also I profess that I have diligently done my Endeavour according to the measure of Grace received and Bounty which God hath used towards me that I might Preach his Word holily and purely both in Sermons Writings and Commentaries and interpret his Holy Scriptures faithfully I also witness and profess That I have used no Jugglings no Evil and Sophistical Arts in my Controversies and Disputations which I have held with the Enemies of the Gospel but have exercised my self candidly and sincerely in maintaining the Truth But out alas that Study and Zeal of mine if it be worthy to be so called hath been so remiss and languishing that I confess innumerable things have been wanting in me to the well-performing of my Duty and unless the unmeasurable Bounty of God had been present my Studies had been vain and languid Moreover I acknowledge that unless the same Bounty had been present to me the Goods of the Mind which God hath given me would have made me guilty of the greater sin and Slothfulness before his Judgment-seat For which causes I witness and profess that I hope for no other help for Salvation but this only that seeing God is a Father of Mercy he shewed himself a Father unto me who acknowledge my self a Miserable Sinner As for Other Things after my Departure out of this Life I would have my Body committed to the Earth in that order and manner which is usual in this Church and City till the blessed Day of Resurrection cometh As for that Slender Patrimony which God hath given me I determine thus to dispose of it Let Anthony Calvin my most dear Brother be my Heir but only for Honour-sake let him take before hand and have to himself the Silver Charger given me by Varannius wherewith I desire him to be contented For whatsoever things remain in my Inheritance I request and commit them to his Faith that he return them to his Children when he dies I bequeath Ten Golden Scutes to the School of Boys from the same my Brother and Heir Also so much to Poor Strangers So much to Joan the Daughter of Charles Costan and of my Kinswoman But to Samuel and John the Sons of my said Brother I desire 40 Golden Scutes may be given to them by mine Heir when he dies To Ann Susan and Dorothy his Daughters 30 Scutes of Gold but to David their Brother because of his lightness and miscarriages but 25. This is the whole Sum of the whole Patrimony and Goods which God hath given me so near as I can estimate it setting a Price upon my Library my Moveables and all my Houshold Goods with all other my Faculties If there be found any thing above I would have it to be distributed to all these Children the Sons and Daughters of my Brother Neither do I exclude that David if he prove a good Husband If there shall be any surplusage above that Sum I believe there will be no great matter especially when my Debts are paid the care thereof I have committed to my said Brother upon whose Love and Fidelity I rely For which cause I will and appoint him to be the Executor of my Testament and together with him the Worshipful Lawrence Normandy giving them power to takean Inventory of my Goods without any more accurate Diligence of the Court I also permit them to sell my Moveables that out of the Money made thereof they may execute my Will above-written Dated this 25th of Apr. A. C. 1564. After this Will signed he made a Speech to the Senators and another to the Ministers both very grave and pathetical wrote a Letter to Mr. Viret an old Friend of his 80 Years of Age to prevent his Visiting of him concluding thus I would not have you to weary your self for my sake I hardly draw my Breath and I expect daily when it will fail me wholly It is enough that I live and die to Christ who is gain to his both in Life and Death Again Farewell May 11th 1564. On May 27th after much short breathing and sighing and those Words frequently uttered How long Lord how long about Sun setting he fell asleep Ibid. p. 312. 12. Cardinal Bellarmine made this his Last Will and Testament In the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ I Robert Bellarmine Cardinal of the Title of our Blessed Lady's Church called in Via This was a Year before his Death changed to the Name of St. Praxedes being promoted thereunto out of the Society of Jesus desired leave of Clement VIII of Sacred Memory to make my Will That my Goods might be applied to pious Uses that I might be sure that such Temporal Things as should remain after my Death and such as whilst I lived could neither be bestowed on the Poor or on Churches as being necessary for my own Maintenance might return unto the said Poor and Churches The Pope gave me a more general Grant than I desired which I did not accept but only for bestowing them on good Uses as I had desired This Indult or Grant is amongst other Bulls granted me in a great Leaf of Parchment sealed with Lead dated A. C. 1603. Apr. 8. in the 12th Year of the Pontificate of the said Pope Clement This Grant presupposed I made my Will at Capua whilst I was Archbishop of that City afterwards that Will being annulled I made another in Rome but the Circumstances of things being altered and that Second also abrogated I determined now again to make my Will being of the Age of Sixty Nine and very near as I imagine to my last Day but yet by the Grace of God in perfect Health of Body and Mind First therefore I desire with all my Heart to have my Soul commended into the hands of God whom from my Youth I have desired to serve and I beseech him not as a Valuer of Merit but as a Giver of Pardon to admit me amongst his Saints and Elect. I will have my Body not being opened to be carried without any Pomp to the Church of the Society either of the Roman College or of the professed Fathers and let the Exequies be made by the Fathers and Brothers alone of the Society without Concourse of the Holy College to wit of the Cardinals without any Bed made aloft without Arms or Scutcheons with the same plainness as is usual for others of the Society And this I do as earnestly as I can humbly entreat His Holiness that he will satisfie my Desire in it As for the Place of my Burial I would gladly have had my Body at the Feet of blessed Aloysius Gonzaga once my
Execution he was not suffered to speak to the People who much lamented his Death yet was very chearful saying Thanks be to God I am even at home And when he had prayed and made himself ready he went to the Stake and kissed it The Fire being kindled he held up his Hands and called upon God saying Merciful Father of Heaven for Jesus Christ my Saviour's sake receive my Soul into thy hands And so stood still without moving till one with an Halberd struck out his Brains Ibid. p. 178. 30. Mr. Bradford as soon as he approached the Stake fell flat on the Ground intending there to pur forth his Prayers to Almighty God for he was not permitted to do it publickly but Woodroffe the Sheriff commanded him to arise and dispatch for the People encreased and pressed upon him Whereupon as soon as he got up he embraced the Stake and kissed it put off his Cloaths gave them to his Servant comforted the Stripling that was to be burned with him and earnestly exhorted the People to Repentance Which so enraged the Sheriff that he commanded his Hands to be tyed His last Words that were audible were Strait is the way and narrow is the gate that leads to salvation and few there be that find it He endured the Flame as a fresh gale of Wind in a hot Summer's Day without any Reluctancy Ibid. p. 189. 31. Bishop Ridley and Bishop Latimer suffered together but were not permitted to speak at the Stake The Evening before their Execution Ridley washed his Beard and his Feet and bad those that supped with him to his Wedding the next Day demanding of his Brother Mr. Skipfide whether he thught his Sister his Wife could find in her Heart to be there and he answering That he durst say she would with all her Heart he professed to the thereof very glad At Supper-time he was very chearful and merry desiring those there present that went of which number Mrs. Irish his Hostess tho' an eager Papist was one to quiet themselves affirming That tho' his Breakfast was like to be somewhat sharp and painful yet his Supper he was sure would be pleasant and sweet They endured a long time in the Fire with most grievous Pains to the great Grief of the Beholders thro' the Indiscretion of those that composed the Pile burning as it were by piece-meal till at last their Souls mounted as in a flaming Chariot up to Heaven Ibid. p. 203 204. 32. Bishop Latimer when he came to the Stake lifting up his Eyes with a comfortable and lovely Countenance cried out God is faithful who will not suffer us to be tempted above what we are able and when the Fire was kindled O Father of Heaven receive my Soul His Blood as he was burning running out of his Heart in such abundance as if all the Blood of his Body had been gathered thither to the great Astonishmnt of the Beholders Ibid. p. 210. 33. Mr. Philpot going into Smithfield and the way being very foul two Officers took him up and bore him to the Stake to whom he said merrily What will you make me a Pope Being got into Smithfield he kneeled down and said I will pay my Vows in the midst of thee O Smithfield and kissing the Stake Shall I disdain to suffer at this Stake when my Lord and Saviour refused not to sufer a most vile Death for me And when the Fire was kindled with much Meekness and Comfort he resigned up his Spirit unto God Ibid. p. 222. 34. Archbishop Cranmer when tied to the Stake thrust first of all his Right Hand into the Fire wherewith he had subscribed to Popery crying out Ah my unworthy Right Hand So that his Hand died a Malefactor and the rest of his Body a Martyr Ibid. p. 228. 35. Bugenhagius drawing near to his End often repeated This is Life Eternal to know Thee the only true God and him whom thou hast sent Jesus Christ and so quietly departed this Life Aged 73. Ibid. p. 233. 36. Phil. Melancthon in the midst of many Heavenly Prayers surrendred his Soul unto him that gaveit Aged 63. Ibid. p. 241. 37. Hyperius falling sick of a Fever gave diverse Instructions to his Wife for the Education of his Children to his Children for the serving of God and obeying their Mother and when his Friends visited him requested them to bear Witness That he now died in that Faith which he had taught while he lived and so yielded up his Spirit to God Aged 53. Ibid. p. 265. 38. John Brentius falling sick of a Fever made his Will and therein set down a Confession of his Faith received the Sacrament exhorted the Ministers of Stutgard to Unity in Doctrine and a mutual Love always saying That he longed for a better an Eternal Life and so died Aged 71. Ibid. p. 298. 39. Bishop Jewel died praying and prayed dying His last Words worthy to be written with the Point of a Diamond never to be razed out were these A Crown of Righteousness is laid up for me Christ is my Righteousness this is my Body this day quickly let me come unto thee this day let me see thee Lord Jesus He was arrested by Death as he was preaching at Lacock upon those Words Walk in the Spirit and so carried from the Pulpit to Bed from which he never rose more Ibid. p. 311. 40. John Knox a Day or two before his Death sending for Mr. Lawson Mr. Lindsey the Elders and Deacons of the Church told them the Time was approaching which he long thirsted for wherein he should be released from all his Cares and be with his Saviour Christ for ever And now saith he God is my Witness whom I have served with my Spirit in the Gospel of his Son that I have taught nothing but the true and sincere Word of God I am not ignorant that many have and do blame my too great Rigor and Severity but God knows that in my Heart I never hated those against whom I thundered God's Judgments I did only hate their Sins and laboured according to my power to gain them to Christ That I did forbear none of what Condition soever I did it out of Fear of my God who hath placed me in the Function of his Ministry and I know will bring me to an Account Now Brethren for your selves I have no more to say but to warn you to take heed to the Flock over which God hath placed you Overseers which he hath Redeemed by the Blood of his only-begotten Son And you Mr. Lawson Fight a good Fight do the Work of the Lord with Courage and with a willing mand and God from Heaven bless you and the Church whereof you have the Charge Against it so long as it continues in the Doctrine of the Truth the Gates of Hell shall not prevail Having thus spoken and the Elders and Deacons being dismissed he called the two Preachers to him and said There is one thing that grieves me exceedingly you have
sometime seen the Courage and Constancy of the Laird of Grang. See this Passage under the Head of Discovery of Things secret or future by Impulses The next Day Knox gave Order for the making of his Coffin continuing all the Day in fervent Prayer crying Come Lord Jesus sweet Jesus into thy hands I commend my Spirit Being ask'd whether his Pains were great he answered That he did not esteem that a Pain which would be to him the end of all Troubles and the beginning of Eternal Joys Oft after some deep Meditation he used to say Oh! serve the Lord in Fear and Death shall not be troublesome to you Blessed is the Death of those that have part in the Death of Jesus The Night before his Death he slept some Hours with great unquietness often sighing and groaning And being ask'd why he mourned so heavily he answered In my Life-time I have been assaulted with Temptations from Satan and he hath oft cast my Sins into my Teeth to drive me to Despair yet God gave me Strength to overcome all his Temptations But now the subtil Serpent takes another course seeking to perswade me that all my Labours in the Ministry and the Fidelity that I have shewed in that Service hath not merited Heaven and Immortality But blessed be God that brought to my Mind these Scriptures What hast thou that thou hast not received And Not I but the Grace of God in me With which he is gone away ashamed and shall no more return And now I am sure that my Battle is at an end and that without pain of Body or trouble of Spirit I shall shortly change this Mortal and miserable Life with that Happy and Immortal Life that shall never have end After which one Praying by his Bed asked him after he had done If he heard the Prayer Yea said he and would to God all present had heard it with such an Ear and Heart as I. Adding Lord Jesus receive my Spirit With which words without any motion of Hands or Feet he fell asleep aged 62. A. C. 1572. The Earl of Murray when the Corpse was put into the Ground saying Here lies the Body of him who in his Life-time never feared the face of any Man Fuller Abel Rediv. p. 323 324. 41. Henry Bullinger in his last Sickness endured the sharpest Pains for four Months with an admirable Patience caused the Pastors and Professors of the City to come to him unto whom he delivered a large Oration wherein he thanked them for their Love opened to them his Faith freely forgave all his Enemies exhorted them to Constancy and Unity commended the Care of the Church and Publick School in Writing to the Senate desired that Rodolphus Gualterus might be his Successor c. And so in the midst of his Extremities sometimes repeating the 16 sometimes the 42 and sometimes the 51 Psalms sometimes the Lord's Prayer sometimes other Prayers at the last as one going to sleep he quietly yielded his Soul into the hands of God Sept. 18. 1575. aged 71. Ibid. p. 339. 42. Mr. Edw. Deering to his Friends on his Death-bed upon occasion of the Sun shining said There is but one Sun in the World nor but one Righteousness one Communion of Saints if I were the most Excellent of all Creatures in the World equal in Righteousness to Abraham Isaac and Jacob yet had I reason to confess my self to be a sinner and to expect Salvation only in the Righteousness of Jesus Christ for we all stand in need of the Grace of God As for my Death I bless God I feel so much inward Joy and Comfort that if put 〈◊〉 my choice whether to die or live I would a Thousand times rather chuse Death if it so stand with the Holy Will of God Ibid. p. 342. 43. Boquine in the Year 1582. on a Lord's-day preached twice and in the Evening heard another Sermon then supped chearfully and after Supper refreshed himself by walking abroad then went to visit a sick Friend and whilst he was comforting of him he found his own Spirits begin to sink and running to his Servant he said unto him Pray adding Lord receive my Soul and so departed in the Lord. Fuller Abel Rediv. p. 349. 44. Mr. Gilpin finding Death to approach him commanded the Poor to be called together unto whom he made a Speech and took his leave of them he did so likewise by others made many Exhortations to the Scholars and to divers others and so at last fell asleep in the Lord Anno 1583. aged 66. Ibid. p. 360. 45. Olevian in his Sickness made his Will and by Pious Meditations prepared for Death declared that he had learned by that Sickness to know the greatness of Sin and the greatness of God's Majesty more than ever he had done before To John Piscator coming to visit him he said that the day before for four hours together he had been filled with ineffable Joy for said he I thought I was in a most pleasant Meadow in which as I walked up and down I was besprinkled with a Heavenly Dew and that not sparingly but plentifully where both my Body and Soul were filled with unspeakable Joy To whom Piscator made answer That good Shepherd Jesus Christ lead thee into fresh Pastures yea said Olevian to the Springs of Living Waters Afterwards having repeated some Sentences full of Comfort out of Psal 42. Isa 9. and Mat. 11. he often said I would not have my Journey to God any longer deferred I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ And so bidding Farewel to his Colleagues and Friends in the Agony of Death Alsted asking if he were sure of his Salvation in Christ He answered Most sure and so gave up the Ghost Anno 1587. aged 51. Ibid. p. 376. 47. George Sohnius of Fribourg in Wetteraw bore his last Sickness with much Patience and with fervent Prayer often repeating O Christ thou art my Redeemer and I know that thou hast redeemed me I wholly depend upon thy Providence and Mercy from the very bottom of my Heart I commend my Spirit into thy Hands And so he slept in the Lord Anno Christi 1589. aged 38 Ibid. p. 385. 48. James Andreas born in Waibling at Wittenberg falling sick sent for James Herbrand saying I expect that after my Death many Adversaries will rise up to asperse me and therefore I sent for thee to hear the Confession of my Faith that so thou mayest witness for me when I am dead and gone that I died in the True Faith The same Confession he made also before the Pastors and Deacons of Tubing The Night before his Death he slept partly upon his Bed and partly in his Chair When the Clock struck Six in the Morning he said My â—our draws near He gave Thanks to God for bestowing Christ for revealing his Will in his Word for giving him Faith and the like Benefits And when ready to depart he said Lord into thy Hands I commend my Spirit
and Books and Collections I can rest my Soul on nothing but the Scriptures and above all that Passage lies most upon my Spirit Titus 2.11 12. The Grace of God that brings Salvation c. 76. Dr. Donn on his Dying-bed told his Friends I Repent of all my Life but that part I spent in Communion with God and doing good 77. Sir Walter Rawleigh in a Letter to his Wife after his Condemnation hath these words If you can live free from Want care for no more for the rest is but a Vanity Love God and begin betimes in him shall ye find True Everlasting and Endless Comfort My dear Wife Farewel Bless my Boy Pray for me and let my True God hold you both in his Arms. 78. Mr. Herbert the Divine Poet to one going about to Comfort him with the Remembrance of a good Work he had done in Repairing a ruinous Church belonging to his Ecclesiastical Dignity made answer 'T is a good Work if sprinkled with the Blood of Christ In the Preface before his Poems 79. Mr. Tho. Cartwright the last Sermon that he made was Dec. 25. on Eccl. 12.7 Then shall the dust return to the earth c. On the Tuesday following the Day before his Death he was two Hours on his Knees in private Prayer in which as he told his Wife he found wonderful and unutterable Joy and Comfort and within a few Hours after he quietly resigned up his Spirit to God Dec. 27. 1603. Mr. Clark 's Martyrol p. 21. 80. Mr. Paul Baines in his last Sickness had many Fears and Doubts God letting Satan loose upon him so that he went away with far less Comfort than many weaker Christians enjoy Ibid. p. 24. 81. Mr. William Bradshaw exhorted all that came to him to lay a good Foundation for a comfortable Death in time of Life and Health assuring them that their utmost Addresses and Endeavours would be little enough when they came to that Work Ibid. p. 51. 81. Mr. Richard Rothwel foretold his own Death I am well and shall be well shortly said he to some that sent to enquire how he did And afterwards whispering one in the Ear there present said Do you know my meaning I shall be with Christ e're long but do not tell them so And after Prayer smiling said he Now I am well Happy is he that hath not bow'd a knee to Baal He called upon the Company to sing Psal 120. And in the singing of it he died An. 1627. Aged 64. Ibid. p. 71. 83. Dr. Preston the Night before he died being Saturday he went to Bed and lay about three Hours desirous to sleep but slept not Then said My Dissolution is near let me go to my Home and to Jesus Christ who hath bought me with his most precious Blood About Four of the Clock the next Morning he said I feel Death coming to my Heart my Pain shall now be quickly turned into Joy And after Prayer made by a Friend he look'd on the Company turned away his Head and at Five a Clock on the Lord's-Day in the Morning gave up the Ghost An. 1628. Aged 41. or near it Ibid. p. 113. 84. Mr. Hildersam sickening with the Scurvy in the midst of Winter on March 4. being the Lord's-Day was prayed for in the Congregation of Ashby His Son also prayed with him divers times that Day and in the last Prayer he departed March 4. 1631. Had I time to pause upon it methinks the Death of many worthy Persons happening upon the Christian Sabbath is worthy of a special Remark Mr. Hildersam had given order in his Will that no Funeral Sermon should be preached at his Burial Ibid. p. 123. 85. Dr. Tho. Tailour of Aldermanbury expressed himself thus O said he we serve a good Lord who covers all our Imperfections and gives us great Wages for little Work And on the Lord's-Day he was dismissed hence to keep a perpetual Sabbath in Heaven in the Climacterical Year of his Age 56. Ibid. p. 127. 86. Mr. John Carter likewise Feb. 21. 1635. being the Lord's-Day ended his Life with a Doxology The Lord be thanked Ibid. p. 140. 87. Dr. Sibs died Anno 1631. Aged 58. Ibid. Dr. Chaderton Anno 1640. Aged 94. Ibid. 88. Mr. Ball being ask'd in his last Sickness whether he thought he should live or die answered I do not trouble my self about that matter And afterwards how he did replied Going to Heaven apace He died 1640. Aged 55. Ibid. 89. Dr. Potter died about the great Climacterical Year of his Age being suspected to have laid to Heart the Reproaches of some thrown upon him for a Sermon preached a little before at Westminster as too sharp against Innovations in the Church Ibid. 90. Mr. Julines Herrings the Night before his Departure was observed to rise upon his Knees and with Hands lifted up to Heaven to use these Words He is overcome overcome through the Strength of my Lord and only Saviour Jesus unto whom I am now going to keep a Sabbath in Glory And accordingly next Morning March 28. 1644. Aged 62. on the Sabbath-Day he departed Ibid. 168. 91. Mr. John Dod was tried with most bitter and sharp Pains of the Strangury and great Wrestlings with Satan but was Victorious To one watching with him he said That he had been wrestling with Satan all Night who accused him That he had neither preached nor prayed nor performed any Duty well for manner or end but saith he I have answer'd him from the Example of the Prodigal and the Publican One of his last Speeches was with Eyes and Hands lift up to Heaven I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ Which desire was granted him Anno 1645. aged 96. Ibid. p. 178. 92. Mr. Herbert Palmer after Isa 38 Chap. being read prayed himself to this purpose First for himself That God would heal the sinfulness of his Nature pardon all his Transgressions deliver him from Temptation accept him in Christ c. Then for the Publick the Nation King and Parliament Ministers c. For Scotland and the Churches in France New-England c. Queen's College Westminster the Country his Benefactors c. He departed December 25. 1647. aged 46. He desired his Friends not to Pray for his Life but Pray God saith he for Faith for Patience for Repentance for Joy in the Holy Ghost Lord saith he cast me down as low as Hell in Repentance and lift me up by Faith to the highest Heavens in confidence of thy Salvation The Tuesday before he departed This day Seven-night said he is the Day on which we have used to remember Christ's Nativity and on which I have preached Christ I shall scarce live to see it but for me was that Child born unto me was that Son given c. Ibid. p. 201. 93. Mr. John Cotton to Mr. Wilson taking his last leave of him and praying that God would lift up the Light of his Countenance upon him and shed his Love into his Soul presently answered
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
16. Ben. Johnson bestowed this as part of an Epitaph on his eldest Son dying an Infant Rest in soft Peace and asked say Here doth lie Ben Johnson his best piece of Poetry He died himself Anno Domini 1638. and was buried about the Belfry in the Abby-Church at Westminster having only upon a Pavement over his Grave this written O Rare Ben Johnson 17. Mr. William Shakespear was buried at Stratford upon Avon The Town of his Nativity upon whom one hath bestowed this Epitaph Renowned Spencer lie a thought more nigh To learned Chaucer and a rare Beaumont lie A little nearer Spencer to make room For Shakespear in your threefold fourfold Tomb To lodge all Four in one Bed make a shift Until Dooms-day for hardly will a Fifth Betwixt this Day and that by Fates be slain For whom your Curtains may be drawn again If your precedency in Death do bar A Fourth place in your sacred Sepulcher Under this sacred Marble of thine own Sleep rare Tragedìan Shakespear sleep alone Thy unmolested Peace in an unshared Cave Possess as Land not Tenant of the Grave That unto us and others it may be Honour hereafter to be laid by thee 18. Sir John Mandevile who died at Liege in Germany the 17th Day of November Anno 1372. had this Inscription upon his Tomb. Hic jacet vir nobilis Dr. Joannes de Mandevile Al. D. and Barbam Miles Dominus de Campdi Natus de Anglia Medicine Professor devotissimus Orator bonorum Largissimus pauperibus erogator qui toto quasi orbe Instracto Leodii diem vitae suae clausit extremum Anno Dom. M. CCC LXXI Mens Novemb. die 16. c. But the Town of St. Albans will not allow of this but claim the Honour of his Interment as well as that of his Birth and to this end they have a Rhiming Epitaph for him upon a Pillar near to which they suppose his Body to have been buried Which Epitaph saith Mr. Weaver being set to some lofty Tune as to the Hunting of Antichrist or the like it will be well worth the singing Thus it runs All you that pass by on this Pillar cast eye This Epitaph read if you can I will tell you a Tomb once stood in this Room Of a brave spirited Man John Mandevill by Name a Knight of great Fame Born in this honoured Town Before him was none that ever was known For Travel of so high Renown As the Knights in the Temple cross-legg'd in Marble In Armour with Sword and with Shield So was this Knight grac'd which Time hath defac'd That nothing but Ruins doth yield His Travels being done he shine like the Sun In Heavenly Canaan To which blessed Place O Lord of his Grace Bring us all Man after Man 19. Palmer of Orford within the Diocess of Rochester had this Epitaph Palmers all ouer Faders were I a Palmer lived here And Travyld still till worn wyth Age I ended this World's Pilgrimage On the blyst Assention Day In the cherful Month of May A Thowsand wyth fowre hundred seven And took my Jorney hense to Heaven 20. Rich. Davy Master of the Jewel-House and Mawd his Wife had this Epitaph Pray for the Sowl of Mawd Davy Whose Corps hereunder do lay She was Dawter of William Davy On whose Soul Jesu hae mercy I pray yow all for Cherite Say a Peter Noster and an Ave. 21. Rich. Bonevant laid interred in the Stone Church in the Diocess of Rochester had this Epitaph Preyeth for the Sowl in wey of Cherite Of Richard Bonevant late Mercer of London For the Brethren and Sisters of this Fraternite Owner of this Place called Castle of the Ston Remember him that is laid under Ston For hys Sowl and al Christian to prey To the merciful Jesew a Pater Noster anon And Ave to hys Moder and make no deley In March which decessyd the xix dey In the Year of our Lord God who keep him from pyne A Thousand four hundred fifty and nyne 22. And Sir John Dew Priest this O merciful Jesew Have Mercy on the Sowl of Sir John Dew 23. Another thus Here lies William Banknot and Anne his Wyff Swete Jesew grant to them and us everlasting Liff Pray yow hertely for Cherite Say a Pater Noster and an Ave. 1400. 24. Another with Arms upon the Monument thus Non hominem aspiciam ultra Olivio 25. Another thus Vixi peccavi penitui Naturae cessi Which was as Christian saith Mr. Cambden as that was Profane of the Roman Amici Dum vivimus Vivamus 26. In St. Leonard's Foster-lane is this Epitaph When the Bells be merely roung And Mass devoutly soung And the meat merely eaten Then sall Robert Trappis his Wiffs and his Chyldren be forgetten 27. The Pictures of Robert Agnes and Joan inlaid in Brass seem thus to speak Sancta Trinitas Unus Deus miserete nobis Et Ancillis tuis sperantibus in te O Mater Dei memento mei Jesu mercy Lady help 28. John Brokitwell an especial Founder or new Builder of Leonard's Foster-lane had this All yat will gud warks wurch Prey for them yat help thys Church Geuyng Almys for Cherite Pater Noster and Ave. 29. Vpon Michael Forlace c. this Prey for the Sowlygs of Michael Forlace and his Wyf and in the Worschypp of God and our Lady for theyr Faders and Moders wyth the Sowlygs of all Christen of yowr Cherite sey a Pater Noster and an Ave Maria. Body I Mary Pawson ly below sleepying Soul I Mary Pawson sit aboue weaking Both. We hope to meet again wyth Glory clothed Then Mary Pawson for ever blessed 30. Vpon Sir John Woodcock Lord Mayor this Hic jacet in requie Woodcock Jon vir generosus Major Londonie Mercerus valde morosus Miles qui fuerat ......... M. Domini mille centum quater ruit ille Cum X bis This John Woodcock was Lord Mayor Anno Dom. 1405. in which his Office he caused all the Werers in the River of Thames from Stanes to the River of Medway to be destroyed and the Trinks to be burned 31. Tho. Knowles Lord Mayor and John his Wife of St. Anthonies had this Epitaph Here lyth grauyn under this Ston Thomas Knowles both flesh and bon Grocer and Alderman Yeres forty Sheriff and twis Mayor truly And for he should not ly alone Here lyth wyth him his good Wyff Joane They were togeder Sixty yere And nineteen Children they had in fear Now ben they gon wee them miss Christ have there Sowlys to Heaven bliss Amen Ob. Ann. 14 32. The Epitaph of Walter Lempster Doctor of Physick Under this black Marbl ston lyeth the Body of Master Walter Lempster Doctor of Physick and also Phisition to the High and Mighty Prince Henry VII which Master Lempster gayve unto this Chyrch too Cheynes of fine Gold weying 14 Ounces and a quarter for to make certeyn Ornament to put on the blessyd Body of our Saviour Jesus He died the 9th of March M. CCCC 87. whose Soul God
imagine that there hath been nothing omitted to induce her to discover her pretended Accomplices But she hath still answered all these Interrogatives with so much Justness and Discretion and with so many marks of Sincerity That the most able Advocate in the Kingdom could not form a better Reply after fifteen days study upon the Interrogatives These are the very words of our Relations and of the Offices of Justice that have examined her She answered to every thing they ask'd her with very good sense and not without quickness of Wit she renders a Reason for her Faith and easily confounds all such as come to Pose her with Questions She hath been removed from Place to Place first to Crét then to the Hospital at Grenoble In all which Places she continues to fall into her Trances and to Discourse in her Fits They have shaved her Head and taken away all the Cloaths and Linen she had pretending she might have some Charm hid somewhere about her Nay some Priests came and exorcised her with Holy-Water as tho' she had been possessed with some Evil Spirit But to no purpose at all she is still the same Sometimes they have given way to some of the New Converts to approach her in the Day-time while she was in Prison or in the Hospital at Grenoble But they would never give leave to any of them to pass the Night in her Company nor to be Witness of what she said when she fell into her Ecstasie The last Letters say That the Rage of the false Devotees was so great against her that she could not be thought secure of her Life but for certain Persons of the first Note in tha Country who gave Orders about her All that I have here said is the naked Truth but it is not all the Truth For we give you no Particulars of what she hath either said or done There are some discreet able and unprejudiced Persons of that Country who labour to make an Exact Collection of all that is certain and well proved about her And we have most assured hopes that the Time is now coming in which it will be both safe and free to see it Reflections of Monsieur Jurieu upon the Strange and Miraculous Ecstasies of Isable Vincent p. 1. 11. One must be very dull in my Opinion saith the same Author not to see and not to feel the Hand of God and his very Finger in what happened in the Church of St. Malo's by the fall of a Thunder-bolt and in the strokes of Heaven which have burnt and beaten down so many Churches within these two last Years in this dreadful shaking of the Earth which hath overturned great Cities in Italy the Country of Antichrist and which hath caused a Trembling to the very Root of the Vatican the Seat of the Beast And lastly I see no cause why one should be so obstinate as not to see a Miraculous Token of the Will of God in those Singings that have been heard in the Air at the beginning of this Persecution Not to be touched with this Miracle Men will be wilful Doubters and yet there may be found in France above Thirty Thousand Witnesses of it Monsieur Vivens who was a Preacher in the Cevennes and held Assemblies there for the space of almost two Years brought us about Thirty or Forty at one time and we have it from his own Mouth that he himself heard these Wonderful Singings several times Now to have the satisfaction of treating this as a Fiction it is suggested by some that even in our seventh Letter of the first Year of our Pastorals we have related nothing but hear-says Yet notwithstanding would they but take the pains to read they would find that I have given the Certificates of Monsieur Maupoey Monsieur Bergeret Monsieur de la Bordette Madamoiselle de Formalagues Monsieur de Vallescure a Gentleman of the Cevennes who said he heard sung in the Air five or six Verses of the Fifth Psalm Since which I have received and have now in my Custody the Testimony of MOnsieur de la Bastide of Tourtelon Son to the said Vallescure who Attests the same thing with his Father I have also reported the Testimony of Madamoiselle de Vebron who assures me that she has distinguished in these Miraculous Singings above Thirty of our Psalms I have besides all this the Attestation of Monsieur de la Gardicolle a Gentleman of Honour who is now in this Country who hath deposed betwixt my Hands and in the Presence of five other Gentlemen all the Circumstances of these Singings he having heard them himself within Two Hundred Paces of the Town of Vigan The Truth whereof he assured me upon Oath nay with Tears in his Eyes being sensibly touched I have also the Depositions of two Inhabitants and Burgesses of the Town of Mauvezin in Armagnac who speak of it as Eye-Witnesses And last of all here is the Letter of one Monsieur de Besse written from Swisserland It is too Remarkable upon the Subject not to be made Publick Ibid. 11. The Divine Judgments upon the Jewish Nation may not iproperly come under this Head of which take this short Account The Jews which crucified the Lord of Life and wished That his Blood might be upon them and their Children presently after through the just Judgment of God had Blood to drink in full Measure There were slain in Caesarea Twenty Thousand in one day At Alexandria Fifty Thousand another day At Zabulon and Joppa Eight Thousand Four Hundred besides the burning of the Towns At Damascus Ten Thousand had their Throats cut In the Siege of Jerusalem they were so famish'd that Oxen's Dung was accounted good Meat Others fed upon old Leather and some Women boiled their own Children and did eat them Many thinking to save their Lives by flying to the Romans were slit in pieces to search for Gold and Jewels in their Guts Two Thousand died thus miserably in one Night Ninety seven Thousand were taken Prisoners at the Taking of the City by Titus and Eleven Hundred Thousand were slain As for the Prisoners some of them were carried to Rome in Triumph Others were slain in sundry Places at the Conqueror's Will Some were torn in pièces and devoured by Wild Beasts Others were compelled to march in Troops against their Fellows and to kill one another to make the Spectators Sport The Reliques of these wretched People were dispersd into all Nations under Heaven having no Magistrates of their own to Protect them but were and still are altogether at the Will and Discretion of the Lords of those Countries where they sojourn So that no Nation in the World is so vile and contemptible as the Jews In the time of Julian the Apostate leave was given to the Jews to re-build the Temple at Jerusalem but so soon as they had laid the foundations thereof all was overthrown by an Earthquake many Thousands of them being over-whelmed with the Ruines Then came forth a Fire
to reduce 'em from their Sins to a Holy and Religious Life that so their Souls may be saved in the great Day of the Lord is the earnest Desire of their Languishing and Sorrowful Friend DUNCOMB COLCHESTER Who desires this may be read in the Parish-Churches of Michel Dean and Westbury and shewn to such Gentlemen Friends and others as may bring God most Glory Nov. 1693. Signed and Delivered in the presence of several of his Friends 6. The Remarkable Penitence of J. H. The next Letter is written by a Woman and one of inferior Quality in the World but not at all inferior in her Repentance It was that and the Grace of God in her Heart which moved her to do it long before it was done and it was the pure effect of that when at last it was done and all her own Composure we are assured by Mr. Stephens an ancient Divine now living in London who gave her Absolution approved her Purpose in it and perused it when she had done it and hath seen other Letters of her Writing by which he could easily discern the Composure of this if there had been any other hand in it or any Reason to suspect it It is published with her Consent who is very ready to embrace any Motion tending to the Honour and Service of God or her own Humiliation Her Letter was directed to Mr. Minister in Portsmouth and is as follows viz. Reverend Sir I Have put Pen to Paper humbly beseeching you to hear me of your Charity a few Words The Enemy of my Soul hath raised many Objections to hinder my intended purpose and I have been almost perswaded to give it over but now having the Advice of a Pious Holy Minister of God who says it may be of great use I desire to take Shame to my self and to give Glory to the Majesty of Heaven who in great Love and Pity hath pluck'd me as a Firebrand out of the Fire and I am this Day a Living Monument of Mercy I cannot but be grieved at the many sad Examples I have given at Portsmouth My Sins have encreased the heap of the publick Impieties and made them cry the louder to Heaven for Vengeance both there and here too It is very meet right and my Duty to confess to the Glory of God and Praise of his Grace my crying Sins committed in that Place that some of my Companions in Evil may hear and fear and do no more such Wickedness About Nine or Ten Years agone I came a young Woman if I deserve that Name to P my Husband Cook of a Ship in that Harbour a very ill Husband no Excuse for me Almighty God did suffer two Sinners to come together in plague one another and whilst he acted the Part of a Drunkard with Shame and Confusion of Face be it spoken I acted the part of a Harlot giving my self over to work all Vncleanness with greediness insomuch that my very Name was a Proverb of Reproach to all Civil Women Two or Three Years I lived openly Scandalous and then it pleased the Almighty to visit me with a sore Fit of Sickness even to the Loss of my Limbs for a Season at which time I did beg of God to restore me to my Health and did faithfully promise never more to defile my Marriage Bed and the Lord was entreated at that time also and hath added to my Life these remaining Years Some time after it pleased the All-wise Providence to make me a Mother I was very thankful for the Mercy and was much reclaimed and I was in some measure convinced of the great Evil of sin and did put Pen to Paper with intent it should come to the Ministers hand but the Enemies of my Soul prevented and hindred that reasonable Design and I was again lull'd to sleep in the Bed of Carnal Security where I continued three or four Years with little Interruption in which time I buried my Husband and two Children After this I was in danger of being as bad as ever living at Service in the very midst of Temptation at Portbridge I continued there but a short space for the good Hand of Providence brought me to London where I had Time and Opportunity to reflect upon my ill-spent Life O that I might improve the Mercy O that I could tell you what God hath done for my Soul He hath brought me out of Darkness into his marvellous Light O that I could prevail with my Companions in Evil to seek the Lord while he may be found and call upon him while he is near Some of them are old Sinners grey hairs are upon them and they know it not I could be content to stand in a white sheet in your Church if I might but prevail with any one Soul to see the heinousness of my sin Nay I could be content to be stoned without the Walls of the Garrison so I might but be a means of the Conversion of any one Sinner O that I could write these Lines with my purest Blood I am grieved for the Dishonour I have done to God by my abominable sin and heartily wish my Head were Waters and mine Eyes were a Fountain of Tears that I might weep day and night for abusing Mercy O Sir you live in a place relating to Sodom cry aloud spare not to tell the Flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you Overseer their Sins and my Companions in Evil their Sins The Lord is coming to reckon with the Nations and with you God grant you may be found among the Faithful Shepherds watching them and giving them their Meat in due Season I humbly beg your Blessing desiring to be remembred in your Prayers and I humbly beseech the Almighty that this poor Paper may have its designed Effect that God may be glorified and our Souls saved in the day of the Lord Jesus Amen and Amen J. H. Jan. 22. 1693 4. 7. Sir Alan Broderick who was a Gentleman of Extraordinary Learning and Accomplishments did own with much Contrition that a long Scene of his Life had been acted in the Sports and Follies of Sin that he had sometime pursued a Pagan and abandon'd way Scepticism it self not excepted wherein the poignancy of his Wit and the strength of his Reasoning even in that very Argument the using of which proclaims a Man in the Language of the Holy Scriptures a Fool may have been the occasion of a great deal of Mischief towards some that are already gone to their Accounts Yet some Years before his Death the bent and tendency of his Life and Actions was Devout and Religious and in his Private Conversation with his Minister he would always be Discoursing some Cases of Conscience about retir'd Closet-Prayer or the Nature and Necessity of True Religion and in his last Sickness he thought himself under a mighty Incumbency to Pray but was much harassed and anxious what to do because of his fear of not performing it with all becoming Reverence and Seriousness
him a thousand Blessings and God at the same time made him also taste in his Mind ineffable Consolations but above all he knew not how to express those Comforts he felt in the Holy Assemblies and particularly in those where he administred the Lord's Supper In the mean time he had daily Experience of a very remarkable thing which the rest of God's Servants did doubtless experience as well as he and that is that thô he were surrounded with an Army of Enernies who ran about and made continual Search after him to take him yet while he was in these Religious Meetings and opened his Mouth to call upon the Name of the Lord to sing his Holy Praises and to preach his Word he had commonly as calm a Mind as if he had been in a free Country and the like Tranquility he also enjoyed when he took his Pen in Hand to labour for the Advancement of God's Kingdom and for the Consolation of his desolated Church and if God shall be pleased to favour him with Life and Means to publish some Works which he has composed in the midst of so many Dangers and which he sent to the Court for to vindicate the Doctrine which he preached the Reader will doubtless be surprized that amidst so many Troubles he could be possest with a Mind so calm as to write Things of that nature but God perfecteth his Strength in the Weakness of his Children On the other hand he had the Comfort to be a Witness of all the Wonders which God did for the Salvation of his poor People he could not but admire the Graces he bestowed on so many faithful Servants which he raised up daily in an extraordinary manner who were weak and contemptible in the Eyes of the Flesh but whom he strengthned by his Spirit whereby he accompanied at the same time his Word with a wonderful efficacy and of which many from time to time sealed the Truth by their own Blood with an unshaken Constancy thô they were pleased to Honour him so far as to look upon him as their Brother and Colleague in the Work of the Lord and that they esteemed him also as a Person to whom God was pleased to give greater Degrees of Light than to many others and that he edified then by his Conversation yet he never compared the Graces which they had received of the Lord with those which it pleased God to bestow upon him but that he found very great matter of Humiliation administred to him and that he esteemed those faithful Servants of God much more excellent than himself he saw plainly that God was pleased to lay up Treasures in Earthen Vessels that it was his Spirit which made those dumb Ones to speak which drew forth Praises from the Mouths of those little Babes and which made those mystical Stones to cry out One Night as he was going towards a place which he had appointed for a Meeting as he drew nigh unto it be heard the Voice of a Person who spake in the midst of the People whereupon he drew somewhat nigher and finding that he who spoke prayed to God he fell down upon his Knees as 't is a constant usage in the Religious Meetings of France and there be heard a long and excellent Prayer wherewith he was much edified when it was ended he drew nigh to the Person that pray'd and he found him to be a young Man and a poor Trades-man to whom he said Brother if you be disposed to make some Exhortation to the People you may proceed Alack replied that poor Trades-man how hould I do it I can neither Write nor Read Some time after this young Man as he went from place to place to pray for the Consolation of the People being taken with another young Man named Compan who together with him did what he could in that kind for the Peoples support they were both of them condemned to the Gallies and suffered their Punishment boldly confessing the Name of the Lord. I have noted before that Brousson had made choice of Henry Poutant for his Guide and Companion in the Work he was engaged in who was a young Man of about Five and twenty Years old full of Zeal and Piety and of unblamable Life and who having learnt to write in the Woods while he was with Brousson he put him upon Copying his Sermons as he had done himself and to disperse them in such Places where himself could not go to preach the Gospel But as he had Copied about a Dozen and that he saw that Brousson who had declined in his Health was then sick at Nismes he told him he was very desirous to go and visit their Brethren from place to place and read his Sermons unto them which Proposal being well liked of by Brousson he recommended him to the Grace of God and so Poutant went from place to place labouring every-where for the Instruction and Comfort of his Brethren when he had got together some faithful Ones he began with the Confession of Sin then sung a Psalm after which he pray'd again the second time to implore the Aid of the Holy Spirit in the succeeding Exercise then he read some Chapter in the Scripture and some Sermon the reading whereof was followed by a warm Exhortation which he made to those that were present upon the Things which they had heard and lastly he concluded the whole with an excellent Prayer which he made with admirable servour of Spirit as Brousson found that God bestowed a particular Blessing on his Labour he told him when he returned to him That he ought to continue his Work it was what himself greatly desired but finding Brousson somewhat re-established in his Health and that he was now in a Condition himself to go and preach the Gospel in Person as he had constantly done by Writing during the time of his Sickness by sending up and down Copies of his Sermons among the Faithful he had some regret to abandon Brousson knowing the need he had of his assistance for Poutant knew perfectly well all the Country whereas another faithful Friend whom Brousson had pitched upon for his Companion and who had already been some time with him did not know it near so well but Brousson told him he had rather want his assistance than that the People should be deprived of the Edification which they might receive by his Labours and that God who knew the sincerity of his Intentions would take care of him insomuch that being separated from him after that Brousson had again recommended him to the Grace of God God hath since that time done great things by his Ministry Brousson on his part set himself again to gather Meetings but as he found himself still very feâ—ble he could not from thence forward but every Eighth Day or thereabouts exercise his Function in the mean time he found the Zeal of the People much inflamed during his Sickness whether arising from the fear they had of being deprived of
the Comforts which God gave them in Times past or that from the great Number of Copies of his Sermons Letters and Prayers which he took care to disperse amongst them during his Sickness and which had been read by Persons of Quality and other wealthy Ones who 'till that time would not frequent the Religious Assemblies the Zeal of the most Cold and the Courage of the most Fearful had been influenced and raised up it matters not to determine but Persons of Quality and others who 'till then had testified less Zeal for the Truth came now to give Glory to God in the Holy Assemblies in the midst of all the People insomuch that afterwards it was one of Brousson's greatest care to prevent the Assemblies becoming too numerous to the end they might not make too much Noise and that the People might not be exposed to too great Evils however these Assemblies made so much Noise in the Kingdom that the People of other parts where those who preach'd in Cevennes and Lower Languedoc could not go were edified and strengthned Brousson also sent as far as possibly he could Copies of his Sermons Letters and Prayers to give part of those Instructions and Consolations to them afar off which God by his Ministry bestowed upon the People of Cevennes and Lower Languedoc He was seconded in the same good Work by Papus of whom you have heard somewhat before and who was saved by Divine Providence when Vivens was killed for he had been gone but a Minute out of the Cave where Vivens was invested on him God had bestowed the Spirit of Prayer in a great degree he had before the Death of Vivens begun to labour for the Consolation of the People by excellent Prayers and this he continued after his Death and went from place to place to keep small Meetings where he read the Holy Scriptures and some of the Sermons afore-mentioned and of which he had desired Copies besides whom there was another young Man whose Name was Vzes about twenty Years old who having got together ten or a dozen of the same Sermons got them by Heart and went also to repeat them from place to place and to comfort the People by Praying amongst them But what is more surprising than any thing hitherto related is that God was pleased to raise up the young Maidens for to labour for the Salvation and Comfort of that distressed People one whereof was called Isabel Redostiere about eighteen Years old the Daughter of a Country-man that lived at the foot of the Mountain Liron and the other Pintarde about sixteen or seventeen the Daughter of another Peasant near St. Hipolite They did not take upon them to administer the Sacraments but they went asunder from Place to Place and Desart to Desart to keep Meetings where they exhorted the People out of the Word of God to be converted sanctified be zealous for God come out of impure Babylon to give Glory to God and serve him in purity of Heart according to his Commandments and to be faithful to him unto Death and at the same time edisying comforting and strengthning the People by ardent and excellent Prayers Redostiere coming to know that Broussin with some other faithful Friends that accompanied him were upon an high Mountain she came thither to see them with another faithful Maiden that was elder than herself and who usually kept her Company in whom Brousson and his Friends observed such a Character of Modesty Humility Simplicity and Piety that ravished them with admiration When she happened to be in the same part of the Country where Brousson was she would often come to see and to confer with him about Religious Matters and especially she came frequently to those Assemblies where he administred the Lord's Supper and Brousson hath always testified that she was filled with the Grace of God After this same Maiden had for about two Years laboured for the Salvation and Support of the People she was taken and carried before the Intendant who said unto her So are you one of those Maidens who concern themselves in Preaching I have replied she given some Exhortations to my Brethren and have pray'd to God with them when occasion hat served if you call that Preaching I have Preached But do not you know said the Intendant that the King hath forbidden it I know it well said she again my Lord but the King of Kings the God of Heaven and Earth hath commanded it and I am obliged to obey him rather than Men. Then the Intendant proceeded and told her She deserved Death and that she ought not to expect any other Treatment than that which others had already suffered who had been so adventurous as to preach against the King's Orders But she made him answer She was not disinay'd at that and that she was fully resolved to suffer Death for the Glory and Service of God After many such Discourses the Intendant seeing this young Maiden dispos'd to suffer Martyrdom did not think fit to put her to Death for fear without doubt least the Constancy of this young Maiden should produce a quite contrary Effect to his Intentions he therefore contented himself to sentence her to a perpetual Imprisonment where she is still in the Tower of Constance in Aâ—guemortes with several other Women and faithful Maidens The other Maiden whote Name we told you was Pintarde laboured 〈◊〉 on her part in the Work of the Lord. Brousson had several times an opportunity to confer also 〈◊〉 her and to joyn with her in many an excellent Prayer she made to God that she for the most part drew out of the Psalms and those Old Prophets which agreed exactly to the then State of the Church of God in France and which she delivered with very great fervency One Night as Brousson drew nigh to a place where he had appointed a Meeting to be in the Neighbourhood of St. Hipolite he heard her make a Controversial Sermon or Discourse with great strenuousness She oftentimes kept Meetings where she prenched the Word of God and where she made excellent Prayers and this she continued two Years or better But at last this good Maiden fell into the Hands of her Enemies also with whom the Intendant had much the same Discourse as that already mentioned with the other Maiden but finding she was also very ready to go and suffer Martyrdom he contented himself to condemn her to perpetual Prison where she is still in the Castle of Sommieres These two holy Maidens had not been long Imprisoned but that God was pleased to raise up in Low Cevennes three other Maidens who also edified the People much by their excellent Prayers One of them among the rest and whom perhaps it 's not fit I should name did many times Extempore pray for Half an Hour and Three Quarters of an Hour wherein she very pathetically brought in and applied several Texts of Scripture insomuch that at the very same time she spake to God and
as please This Relation is attested by many Religious Persons whose Names follow Ericus Westergard Rotalph Rakestat and Thor. Venes Coadjutors of the Pastor in the Parish of Niaess That Anno 1639 upon the 20th Day of May by Command of the Lord President in Remerigi the Lord Paulus Tranius Pastor in Niaess we went to receive an Account of the monstrous Birth in Sundby brought forth by an honest Woman Anna the Daughter of Amandus the Wife of Gandbrandus Erlandsonius who had already been the Mother of Eleven Children the last of which she was delivered of upon March 4. 1638. This Anna in the Year 1639 upon the 7th of April began to grow ill and being in great Pains in her Belly her Neighbours were called the same Day at Evening in the presence of her Neighbours she brought forth an Egg in all respects like that of an Hen which being broken by the Women then present Anna Grim Elen Rudstad Gyro Rudstad and Catharina Sundby they found that in the Yolk and White it answered directly to a common Egg. Upon the 18th Day of April about Noon in the Presence of the same Persons she was delivered of another Egg which in Figure differed nothing from the former This was the Confession as well of the Mother as of them that were present we do Artest by our Seals in the Presence of the Lord President in the Parish of Niaess the Day and Year abovesaid Bar. Hist Anat. c. 1. n. 4. p. 10. 8. Anne Tromperin was delivered of a Boy and two Serpents upon St. John's Day Anno 1576. She said That in a very hot Day she had drunk of a Spring where she suspected that she had drank of the Sperm of Serpents The Child was so lean as that he was scarce any thing but Bones The Serpents were each of them an Ell in length and thick as the Arm of an Infant both which alive as they were were buried by the Midwife in the Church-yard Sennert Pract. Med. l. 4. par 2. sect 4. cap. 10. p. 327. 9. The Concubine of Pope Nicholas the Third was delivered of a Monster which resembled a Bear Martin the Fourth in the First Year of his Popedom entertained this Lady and fearing lest she should bring forth other Bear-Whelps he caused all the Bears which were painted or carved in the Pope's Palace whilst the Family of Vrsini bore sway in Rome to be blotted out and removed Camer Hor. Subs Cen. 10. At a Procession in Bois le Duc in Brabant some of the Citizens were disguised according to the Custom of the Place some in the Habit of Angels and others in the Shape of Devils as they are painted One of these Devils ran home to his House in that Attire took his Wife and threw her upon a Bed saying He would get a young Devil upon her He was not much deceived for his Wife bore a Child in that Shape which at his coming into the World began to run and skip up and down all over the Chamber Ibid. 11. Anno 1678 upon the 17th Day of January at Eight of the Clock after Noon there was at the Town of Quiro an honest Matron who was then deliver'd of a Child which had upon its Head five Horns opposite each to the other and like unto those of a Ram also from the upper part of his Forehead there hung backward a very long piece of Flesh that covered most part of his Back in Form like a Woman 's Head-Tire about his Neck there was a double Row of Flesh like the Collar of an Horse at the end of his Fingers were Claws like to those Tallons in Birds of Prey his Knees were in the hinder part of his Leg his Right Leg and Foot were of a shining red Colour the rest of his Body all swarthy He is said to come into the World with a great Cry which so frighted the Midwife and the Women present that they ran immediately out of the House Paraeus de Mons l. 24. 12. Lithgow tells of a Monster that below the Middle Part there was but one Body and above the Middle there were two living Souls the one separated from the other with several Members their Heads both of one bigness the belly of the one join'd with the Posterior Part of the other and their Faces looked both one way as if the one had carried the other on his Back Their Eyes were exceeding big and their Hands greater than an Infant of three times their Age. The Excrements of both issued forth at one place and their Thighs and Legs were of a great Growth not agreeable to their Age which was but 36 Days Their Feet like the Foot of a Camel round and cloven in the midst They eat insatiably and continually mourn'd when one slept the other waked Lithg par 2. p. 52. 13. A Woman at Prague having felt a Commotion in her Bowels while the Inwards of a Calf were taking out brought forth a Boy whose Liver Intestines Stomach and Spleen with the greatest part of the Mesentery hung out beyond the Navel Fabrit Obs Chir. Cen. 3. Obs 55. p. 239. 14. At Cracovia was born a Child terrible to behold with flaming and shining Eyes the Mouth and Nostrils were like to those of an Ox it had long Horns and a Back hairy like a Dog's It had the Faces of Apes in the Breast where the Teats should stand it had Cats Eyes under the Navel fasten'd to the Hypogastrium and they looked hideously It had the Heads of Dogs upon both Elbows and at the Whire-Bones of each Knee looking forwards It was Splay-footed and Splay-handed the Feet like Swans Feet and a Tail turn'd upwards that crook'd up backwards about half an Ell long It lived four Hours from its Birth and near its Death it spake thus Watch for the Lord your God comes This was Anno 1543. Lycosten de Prod p. 582. 15. Anno 1573 at St. Lawrence in the West-Indies was a Child born that had two Horns on the Head like those of Kids long Hair on the Body a Fleshy Girdle about his Middle double from whence hung a piece of Flesh like a Purse and a Bell of Flesh in his Left Hand white Boots of Flesh on its Legs doubled down In brief the whole Shape was horrid and diabolical and conceived to proceed from some Fright taken from the Antick Danceâ— of the Indians among whom the Devil sometimes appears Dr. More 's Immortality of the Soul l. 3. c. 7. p. 173. 16. At Boston in New-England Anno 1637 Mrs. Dyer was delivered of a Monster which had no Head the Face on the Breast the Ears like Apes Ears growing on the Shoulders the Eyes and Mouth stood far out the Nose hooking upward the Breast and Back full of Prickles the Navel and Belly where the Hips should have been in stead of Toes it had on each Foot three Claws upon the Back it had two great Holes like Mouths above the Eyes it had four Horns and
nutriment and augmentation is decent and salutary and conducive to action and the proper offices of nature but either a Redundancy or Deficiency are hurtful and obstructive Extraordinary fatness on the one hand devours up or overwhelms the Animal Spirits so that they must move like Travellers in the Wilds of Kent and Sussex Leanness impoverishes Nature and sets her upon a poor Horse that 's hardly able to carry himself 1. Zacutus speaks of a young Man so fat that he could scarce move himself or go or set one step forward but continually sate in a Chair in perpetual fear of being Choaked Zacutus cured him Zacut. prox Adm. l. 3. Obs 108. p. 416. 2. Dionisius Son of Clearchus the Tyrant of Heraclea was by reason of his Fat pressed with difficulty of Breathing and fear of Suffocation He could no feel very long and sharp Needles prick'd into his Sides and Belly upon adivce of his Physicians whilst they passed through the Fat till they touched upon the sensible Flesh Athenaeus l. 12. c. 12. p. 549. 3. Vitus a Matera a Learned Philosopher and Divine was so Fat that he was not able to get up a pair of Stairs He breathed with great difficulty nor could he Sleep lying along without danger of Suffocation Donat. Hist Mirab. l. 5. c. 2. p. 274. 4. I have seen saith the same Author ayoung Englishman carried through all Italy to be seen for Money who was of that monstrous Fatness and Thickness that the Duke of Mantua and Mountferrat commanded him to be Pourtray'd naked to the Life Ibid. 5. Anno 1520. a Nobleman born in Diethmarsia but sometimes living in Stockholme being sent to Prison by the Command of Christiern II. could not be thrust in at the Prison Door by reason of his extream Corpulency but was thrown aside into a Corner near it Zuing. Theat v. 2. l. 2. p. 279. 6. Pope Leo X. was Fat to a Proverb Ibid. 7. Polyeusus Sphettius an Athenian mentioned by Plutarch in Photion Ptolomeus Energes Magan who reigned 50 years in Cirene c. are taken notice of by Authors for their Extraordinary Corpulency CHAP. XXXI Instances of extraordinary Leanness 1. CYnesias called Philyrinus because he girt himself round within boards of the Wood Philyra least through his exceeding Talness and Slenderness he should break in the Waste Athen l. 12. c. 13. p. 551. 2. Panaretus was exceeding lean and thin notwithstanding which he passed his whole Life in a most entire and perfect Health Ibid. p. 562. 3. Philetas of Coos was an Excellent Critick and Poet in the time of Alexander the Great but withal he had a body of that exceeding leaness and lightness that he commonly wore Shoes of Lead and carried Lead about him least at sometime or other he should be blown away by the Wind. Ibid. p. 552. CHAP. XXXII Persons Long-liv'd 'T IS reported of Paracelsus that he would undertake if he had the Nurture of a Well-humour'd and Complexien'd Infant from his Nativity to put him in a way of living Everlastingly but that was a brag fit only for such a bold Thrasonical Smatterer in Chymistry and Magick as he was no doubt but Old Age and Death might be retarded and kept off much longer then they are in the Cases of some Persons where Nature hath given a due Contexture a fit Complexion of Humours with the Observation of a suitable Diet and where Divine Providence doth not resist 1. There is a Memorial entred upon the Wall of the Cathedral of Peterborough for one who being Sexton thereof Interred two Queen's therein Katherine Dowager and Mary of Scotland more then 50 years interceeding betwixt their several Sepultures this Vivacious Sexton also buried two Generations or the People on that place twice over Fullers Worthies p. 293. Northamp 2. Richard Chamond Esq served in the Office of Justice of Peace almost 60 years he saw above 50 several Judges of the Western Circuit was Unkle and great Unkle to 300 at the least and saw his youngest Child above 40 years of Age. Fullers Worth p. 211. Cornwal Carew's Survey of Cornwal p. 18. 3. In Herefordshire saith my Lord St. Albans there was a Morrice Dance of 8 Men whose years put together made up 800 that which was wanting in one superabounded in others Verulam Hist Life and Death p. 135. 4. William Paulet Marques of Winchester and Lord Treasurer of England 20 years together who died in the 10th year of Queen Elizabeth was born in the last years of Henry VI. He lived in all 106 years and three Quarters and odd days during the Reign of 9 Kings and Queens of England He saw the Children of his Childrens Children to the number of 103 and died 1572. Bakers Chron. p. 502. fullers Worth Hantshire p. 8. 5. One Polezew saith Mr. Carew of Cornwal reached to 130 years one Beauchamp to 106. And in the Parish where himself dwelt he professed to have remembred the Decease of 4 within 14 Weeks space whose years added together made up the Sum of 340 the same Gentleman made this Epitaph upon one Brawne an Irishman but Cornish Beggar Here Brawne the Quondam Beggar lies who counted by his Tale Some Sixscore Winters and above Such Vertue is in Ale Ale was his Meat his Drink his Cloth Ale did his Death reprieve And could he still have drank his Ale he had been still Alive 6. Democritus of Abdera a most Studious and Learned Philosopher who sent all his Life in the Contemplation and Investigation of things who lived in great Solitude and Poverty yet did arrive to 109 years Fulgos. l. 8. c. 14. p. 1095. 7. Simeon the Son of Cleophas called the Brother of our Lord and Bishop of Jerusalem lived 120 years though he was cut short by Martyrdom 8. Aquila and Priscilla first St. Paul's Hosts and afterwards his fellow Labourers lived together in Wedlock at least 100 years a piece Verulam p. 116. 9. Johannes Summer Matterus saith Platerus my great Grand-father by the Mother's side of an ancient Family after the Hundredth year of his Age Marryed a Wife of 30 years by whom he had a Son at whose sedding which was 20 years after the Old man was present and liv'd 6 years after that so that he compleated 126 years Plateri Obs. l. 1. p. 233. 10. Galen the great Physician who flourished about the Reign of Antoninus the Emperour is said to have lived 140 years from the time of his 28th year he was never seized with any Sickness save only a Feaver for one day only Fulgos. l. 8. c. 14. p. 1096. 11. James Sands near Brimingham in Seaffordshire lived 140 years and his Wife 120. He out-liv'd 5 Leases of 21 years a piece made unto him after he was Married Fullers Engl. Worth p. 47. 12. Sir Walter Rawleigh knew the Old Countess of Desmond who liv'd in the year 1589 and many years since who was Marryed in Edward IV's time and held her Joynture from all the Earls of Desmond since them The
Lord Bacon casts up her Age to be 140 at least adding withal that she recovered her Teeth after casting them 3 several times Rawleigh Hist World l. 1. c. 5. p. 166. Fuller p. 310 13. Garsius Aretinus lived to 194 years in good state of Health and deceased without being seized with any apparent Disease only perceiving this Strength somewhat weakned Thus writes Petranch of him to whom Garsias was great Grandfather by the Fathers side Fulgos. l. 8. c. 14. p. 1096. 14. Thomas Parre Son of John Parre born at Alderbury in the Parish of Winninton in Shropshire he was born in the Reign of King Edward IV. Anno 1483. at 80 years he marryed his first Wife Jane and in the space of 32 years had but two Children by her both of them short lived the one lived but a Month the other but a few years being Aged 120 he fell in Love with Katherine Milton and got her with Child He lived to above 150 years two Months before his Death he was brought up by thomas Earl of Arundel to Westminster he slept away most of his time and is thus Characterised by an Eye Witness of him From Head to Heel his body had all over A Quick set Thick set Natural Hairy Cover change of Air and Dyet are conceived to Accelerate his Death which happened November 15 Anno 1634 and was buried in the Abby Church at Westminster Fullers Worthies p. 11. Shropshire 15. John of Times was Armour-bearer to Charles the Great by whom he was also made Knight being a Man of great Temperance Sobriety and Contentment of Mind in his Condition of Life lived unto the 9th year of the Emperor Conrade and died at the Age of 361 years Anno 1128. 1146 saith Fulgosus Bakers Chron. p. 73. 16. Guido Bonatus a Man of great Learning saith he saw a Man whose name was Richard Anno 1223 who told him that he was a Soldier under Charlemain and that he had now lived to the 400th year of his Age. Fulgos. l. 8. c. 14. p. 1098. CHAP. XXXIII Examples of a Vegete and Healthful Old Age. I have often look'd upon Old Age as the very Dregs of Life the Sediment of our Natural Humour 's a Complex of Infirmities but the following Instances would tempt one to love Temperance for Lifes sake and Life for it self for no doubt but the Sweetness of Life consists much in the Healthful and Vegete Temper of our Bodies and a Virtuous course of Life and due Abstinence Conduceth much thereto when the Debauch'd Sensualist lies down under the Burden of his Carelesness and the Sins of his Youth never able to retrieve the Damages of his former Lusts 1. Sir Walter Rawleigh in his Discovery of Guiana reports of the King of Aromaia being 110 years Old came in a Morning on foot to him from his House which was 14 English Miles and returned on foot the same day Hakew. Apolog. l. 3. c. 1. p. 166. 2. Buchanan in his Scottish History speaks of one Lawrence who dwelling in one of the Orcades marryed a Wife after he was 100 years of Age and more and that when he was 140 years old he doubted not to go a Fishing alone in his little Boat though in a rough and Tempestuous Sea Camor Hor Subs. c. 2. cap. 68. p. 277. 3. Sigismemd Polcastrus a Physician and Philosopher of Padua Read there 50 years in his Old Age he buried 4 Sons in a short time at 70 years of Age he married again and by his second Wife he had 3 Sons the eldest of which called Anronius he saw dignified with a Degree in both Laws Jerome another of his Sons had his Cap set upon his Head by his Aged Father who Trembled and Wept for Joy not long after which the Old Man died Aged 94 years Schenck p. 539. 4. Platerus tells of Thomas Platerus His Father upon the Death of his first Wife Anno 1572. and the 73 year of his Age married a second time within the compass of 10 years he had 6 Children by her 2 Sons and 4 Daughters the youngest of his Daughters was born in the 81 year of his Age two years before he died J Foelix was born Anno 1536 and my Brother Thomas 1574 the distance between us being 38 years and yet my Brother is all Gray and seems Elder then my self possibly because he was gotten when my Father was stricken in years Pl. Obs. p. 275. 5. M. Valerllus Corvinus attained to the fulfilling of 100 years betwixt whose first and sixth Consulship there was the distance of 47 years yet was he sufficient in respect of the entireness of his bodily Strength not only for the most important Matters of the Common-wealth but also for the exactest Culture of his Fields a Memorable Example Val. Max. l. 8. c. 13. p. 236. 6. Metellus equalled the length of his Life and in extream Age was created Pontiffe for 22 years he had the ordering of the Ceremonies in all which time his Tongue never faultred in Solemn Prayers nor did his Hand tremble in the Offering of the Sacrifices Val. Max. ibid. p. 238. 7. Nicholaut Leonicenus was in the 96 year of his Age when Langius heard him at Ferrara where he had Taught more then 70 years he used to say that he enjoyed a Green and Vegete Age because he had delivered up his Youth chast unto Man's Estate Melch. Adam in Vit. Germ. Med. p. 141. 8. Massanissa was the King of Numidia for 60 years together and excelled all other Men in respect of Strength and of an admirable Old Age that for no Rein or Cold he would be induced to cover his Head they say of him that when he was on Horseback he would lead his Army for the most part both a compleat day and the whole Night also nor would he in extream Age omit any thing of that which he had accustomed to do when young and after the 86th year of his Age he begat a Son and whereas his Land was was waste and desert he left it fruitful by his continual Endeavours in the Cultivation of it he lived till he was above 90 years of Age. Val. M. p. 236. 9. Cornarus the Venetian was in his Youth of a Sickly body began to eat and drink first by measure to a certain weight thereby to recover his Health this Cure turned by use into a Diet that Diet into an extraordinary long Life even of 100 years and better without any decay of his Senses and with a constant enjoyment of Health Verulam's Hist of Life and Death p. 134. 10. Appius Claudius Coecus was blind for the space of very many years yet notwithstanding he was burden'd with this mischance he govern'd 4 Sons and five Daughters very many Dependants upon him yea and the Common-wealth it self with abundance of Prudence and Magnanimity when he had lived so long that he was even tired with living caused himself to be carried to the Senate for no other purpose then to perswade them
the Skin was married to the Bones with so close a conjunction that their Bodies seemed all Boney and tied together only with Nerves truly saith he you would have taken them for the very Images of Death The Younger of them walked well enough for he seemed not much unlike an Ape yet in walking the Bones cracket together very like the dry shells of Nuts Their Father continually attended the Furnace Symph Campej l. 4. c. 13. c Narat Histor Galeni 40. Worms have been found sometimes breed in the Heart which hath caused Palpitation and the Lunatick Passion and consquently Death 41. Arculanus relates that he saw a sharp Bone that stuck in the Throat of one at two months end come out through the Skin Forest l. 15. c. 42. A certain Student in the Colledge of Preleum who had swallowed down a branch of Grass voided it afterwards whole through the intercostal space Parcus l. 24. c. 19. 43. A certain Shepherd being forced to swallow a Knife with a Horn handle half a Foot long after a fortnights space and much pain upon an Aposthume breaking out of his Groins voided it there Idem Dr. Brown tells us That either this Knife or another is to be seen in the Emperor of Germany's Library I say this or another for there is the like Story of a Boy in Prussia that swallowed his Knife and had it taken out again by a Chirurgion Several Persons have swallowed Pins most of which they have voided again by Urine One Mrs. Skâ—ymsher of Aqualat in Shropshire near Newport as it was related to my Lord Paget in my hearing after she had swallowed down a Pin took it out of her Arm many years 44. Sudor Anglicus or the Sweating-sickness was a Pestilent kind of Fever which either killed or delivered the Patient in a day or two mostly peculiar to England but by its Contagion communicating it self sometimes to Holland it ended commonly in Sweating and there was hopes of Recovery by no other Medicines but Sudorificks This arose first of all Anno 1486. in the Summer time and in one day with an excessive Flux of Sweat would carry away many thousands They that were seized with it would be Sowed presently up in the Sheets and Blankets and earnestly intreat their Friends not to leave them till their 24 hours were out which Friends perhaps being seized presently after and thrust into the same Bed to them where being mightly covered with heaps of Cloaths they cried out wretchedly earnestly imploring the Favour of God and Man Gemma Cosmo l. 1. c. 8. 45. Lues Pannoniae or the Hungarian Fever Theriodes vulgarly the worm of the Brain began in the Expedition of the Emperor Maximilian II. against Soliman the Turkish Emperor Anno 1566. in Hungary and carried away a vast number of People insomuch that you might see dead Bodies lie in the Streets of Vienna whither the Army hastned daily First they were taken with a light rigour and coldness within less than an hour with extream heat and pain of the Head and Breast and unsatiable Thirst so that you might see them out of their Tents at Pitchers and Bowls of cold Water drinking till they had Breathed their last The 2d or at most the 3d day they grew Delirious sometimes there was attending a Disentary or Flux of the Liver sometimes the Colick and pain of their sides Matter thrown out by Stool or out of the Head into either Ear causing Deafness gave hopes of Recovery They all had spots like Flea-bitings upon their Body especially their Breast and Back Arms and Shoulders Jordanus de Pestis Phaenomini c. 19. Tract 1. 46. Febris Stigmatica otherwise called Lenticula or Punticula appeared first Anno 1505. and 1528. in Italy especially Cyprus and the Neighbouring Islands it was contagious upon contact at first it was easie and pleasant enough but afterwards was attended with uneasiness and weariness of Body heaviness of the Head or dulness of the Senses Delirium redness of Eyes Talkativeness red Spots about the seventh day in the Arms Back and Breast little or no Thirst c. few Women were taken with this Fever very sew old Men almost no Jews c. Tracaster l. 2 3. c. 6 7. de Contag Morb. 47. Morbus Gallicus was brought first by the Spaniards out of the Indies and shewed it self first in the Camp of Charles V. at Naples it spared none of what degree so ever Kings Lords or Ladies infected the Head Eyes Nose Pallat of the Mouch Skin Flesh Bones Ligaments and inward parts of the Body produced a lumpish heaviness in the Members wandring Pains faint Complexions Sadness Tumours Pustules Ulcers Buboes c. Barrow's method of Physick l. 6. c. 1 2 3. 48. Brunnae Lues of Lues Nova Moraviae not very mortal yet of an unusual form and strange Symptoms and very Contagious it began about Anno 1577. upon occasion of going into the Baths near Brunna The hurt did not appear until a formight or a month after Afterwards these Symptoms followed sluggishness and torture of Body a dejected Mind a sad Countenance pale Face a brown Circle about the Eyes a frowning Forehead an extraordinary heat in such places where they had used Cupping glasses in the day it produced Ulcers and much Corruption sometimes a kind of Scab all over the Body like the Small-Pox Callouses in the Head which broke and run pricking Pains all over the Body no rest perpetual crying out roaring tears avoiding all Conversation and sight of Men c. Jordanus de Lue Nova Moraviae CHAP. XXXVII Strange Birds I Do not intend to present my Reader here with a Complete Aviary or to tell him only what he knows already though perhaps the Book may fall into the hands of some who know more than I can tell them but only to speak of some of those Inhabitants of the Airy Region these Winged People of the Sky that common Eyes are least acquainted with and which we do not see every day whereof there is so great a variety and wherein there is such a pleasant sight of the Creator's Infinite Wisdom and Workmanship as is enough to allure our Eyes to a further Prospect and Disquisition of what there is above these 1. The Eagle is justly esteemed King of Birds The right Foot is reported greater than the left the Brain is so hot that mingled with Hemlock Juice and drank in Powder it will make one Mad. It drinks not because the Blood of what it Preys upon sufficeth it But in old Age when the Beak is crooked with dryness it preserves it self by drinking Aelian They have been seen a Cubit in largeness and some young ones whose Wings stretched out would reach 7 Ells the Claws were bigger than a great Man's Fingers and the Thighs greater than a Lions When the young ones are hatcht she holds them in her Talons against the Sun and having proved them to be Legitimate she takes them on her Wings and carries them
Fr Fowling Cardan adviseth thus Nux Vomica will stupifie Birds if you mingle it with their Meat I remember I took Crows in my Hand when I had powdered that Nut and mingled it with Flesh If small Birds eat Corn steeped in Wine-Lees and the Juice of Hemlock or Aqua-vitae or only in the Lees of stronger Wine or in the Decoction of white Helebore with an Ox-Gall this will astonish them Those Birds that Fly in Flocks to it are catched in Flocks as Partridges but Geese more than they but chiefly Ducks When you would make some Tame of the wild kind you must cut their wings and make a Trench about the Waters and feed them there with Plenty of pleasant Food For Ducks amongst other things that is the best which we call Sargum In the Night when the tame Ones cry the wild Ones will comethither to Meat For all Creatures agree in four things they all seek for Meat all seek for Pleasure all Fight and all are in Fear and here they understand one the other VVherefore in your Nets you shall sometimes catch a Thousand Ducks at once This may seem strange yet it is true and there is no bette way of Fowling you must chuse tame Ducks that are most like the wild Ducks in their Colour Cardan de Subtilit But this Art of Decoying is much Improved of late Years 2. There are other ways of Fowling which are well known in some places they use low Belling that is they go about in the Night with a Net in one hand to catch Birds in a Candle to draw the Birds towards the Light into the Net a Club to beat the Hedges and drive the Birds out and a little Bell which they ring continually to drown the noise of the Fowlers In other places they use a Stalking Horse especially for the killing of Woodcocks c. 3. For Fishing Sir Philip Harcourt in Oxfordshire hath so contrived his Fish-ponds that the Stews not only feed one another and may be served by letting the Water of the upper Ponds out into the lower but by a side Ditch cut along by them and places out of each may be any of them emptied without letting the Water into or giving the least disturbance to any of the rest Plot 's Nat. Hist. Oxford c. 9. p. 234. 4. Dr. Wilkins when Warden of Wadham College contrived an Engine for Fish of but few Gallons of Water 5. Cardan hath taught us an Ingenuous way to catch Fish thus Fishes are taken with Baits now the Baits must have four Properties they must smell well for this will make them come from remote places Such things are Anniseeds Juice of Panace and Cumin is best of them all They must tast well that they may the more desire them and they may be thereby deceived such are Blood especially Hogs Blood Cheese Bread principally of VVheat Butterflies the best are golden-coloured The Bait must Fume to the Head that it may make them drunk by its violent quality as Aqua-vitae Lees of VVine Last of all it must be Stupifactive to make them sensless Such are Marigold-Flowers that are to be had new every Month for this Herb whose Flowers are yellow cut in pieces will make great Fish astonished in one Hours time So is Lime for though it corrects VVater yet it kills Fish So is the Juice of all the Tithymals and both the Nux Vomica's called Nux Metelli or the sleeping Nut. But nothing is better than that Fruit which is brought from the East and is called Coculus Indicus It is a black Berry like unto a bay Berry but smaller and rounder Our Composition to take Fish is tried to be certain Take a quarter of an Ounce of Oriental Berries Cumin-seed and Aqua-vitae of each a sixth part of an Ounce Cheese one Ounce VVheat-meal 3 Ounces make little Pellats beating all together Cardan de Subtilitate 6. For Hunting it is distinguished according to the Animals we pursue or those we hunt with Those we pursue are Deer Hares Conies Foxes wild Bores Badgers Otters and sometimes Fowl Those Creatures we hunt with are Hounds Grey-Hounds Beagles and other Dogs trained up for particular Games In Sussex is much used the hunting of Moles Hawkes are used for the hunting of Fowl and Ferrets for Conies but what Improvements have been made in these Arts I leave the Curious to enquire CHAP. XIII Curiosities in Writing Cyphering c. THE Art of handling the Pen is much more Gentile and Liberal than that of handling the Spade and therefore no wounder if we find more strokes in Wit and Ingenuity in the one than in the other I intend not now to speak much of Brachygrphy tho an excellent late Invention of Contracting Words and Sentences into short Marks and Signatures nor the Art of writing well and giving Letters their due and decent Mathematical Proportions and Flourishes but of the Subtilty and Finenss of Delineation and Cyphering 1. There was one in Queen Elizabeth's time that wrote the Ten Commandments the Creed the Pater-Noster the Queen's Name and the Year of the Lord within the Compass of a Penny and gave a pair of Spectacles of such an artifical making that by the help thereof she did plainly and distinctly discern every Letter Dr. heylin 's Life of King Charles I. 2. One Francis Alumnius was so notable in the Mystery of Writing that he wrote the Apostle's Creed and the 14 first Verses of St. John's Gospel in the compass of a Penny and in full Words This he did in the presence of the Emperor Charles the V. and Pope Clement VII as is related by Genebrand in his Chronology and Simon Mayolus out of him who said he had the same Miracle at home in his keeping Hist Man Arts. Ch. 3. Pag. 34. 3. The Effigies of King William and Queen Mary with the Lord's Prayer the Creed and Ten Commandments the Magnificat the Prayer for the King and Queen the Prayer for the Royal Family the Prayer for the Clergy and People the Prayer of St. Chrysostom and the Blessing Engraven within a Circle two Inches and a half Diameter Engraven and Sold by John Sturt in Cranes-Court in the Old-Change near St. Pauls Price 2 d. 4. An Elegy on the Death of our most Gracious Soveraign lady Queen Mary engraven with so small a Circumference that it may be set in Rings or Lockets Engraven and Sold by and set in Rings or Lockets by Thomas Sturt 5. Mr. Mason the Author of a New Short-Hand is also very famous in writing many things in a little Compass 6. The written Picture of His Majesty King Charles the I. in St. John's-College Library taking up the whole Book of Psalms in the English Tongue and the written Picture of King James the I. and the Arms of England taking up the whole Book of Psalms in Latin in the Hands of Mr. Morehead Rector of Bucknel are pretty curiosities and much admired Dr. Plot 's Nat. Hist. Ox. p. 276. 7. The Polygraphy or
the Indians owed him a vast Sum of Money he offered to take that Statue in full Satisfaction of his Debt Plin. l. 7. c. 38. p. 175. 7. Arthur Gregory of Lime in Dorsetshire had the admirable Art of forcing the Seal of a Letter yet so invisibly that it still appeared a Virgin to the exactest Beholder Secretary Walsingham gave him a Pension Full. Worth p. 284. in Dors 8. Clavius saith That when he was a Student in the Mathematicks for the great Honour we had for Alex. Farnesius we invited that Prince into our School and among other Gifts and Shews that were presented him by the Ingenious a Mathematical One was imposed upon me Then was it that the force of a Concave was happily Serviceable to me for by the virtue and power of it I erected on high the Name of Alexander Farnesius impressed it in the Air all the Letters of it being radient and shining Fortes â—eriae Aca. p. 150. 9. Junellus Turrianus to delight the Emperor Charles V. sent wooden Sparrows into the Emperor's Dining Room which flew about there and returned at other times he caused little Armed Men to muster themselves upon the Table and artificially move according to the Discipline of War which was done so beyond example that the Superiour of the Order of S. Jerome being unskilled in the Mathematicks suspected it for VVitchcraft Hist of Man Arts. c. 2. p. 22. I shall not here say saith Gafferel any thing of that admirable Instrument which is to be seen in the hands of Mr. de Peyresk one of the King's Council which shews the Hours of the Day and the just time of the Ebbing and Flowing of the Sea by the motion of a little blueish VVater which is shut up within a little circular Pipe of Glass in which you shall sometime see this VVater quite conveyed away I shall also pass by Architas his wooden Fly saith he and Eagle which have in our Days been made to Fly at Norimberg the Author whereof hath also made admirable Hydraulicks and a perpetual Rain-bow as Antonius Possevinus reports As also the burning Glass which Proclus made in imitation of that wherewith Archimedes burnt the Ships of the Romans at the Siege of Syracuse The Statue of Memnon which always yielded a strange Sound at the Rising of the sun and those of Severinus Boetius so much admired by Theodoricus King of Italy who as Cassiodorus saith made Serpents of Brass to hiss Birds of Brass to sing and in a word gave as it were Life and Soul to all kind of Metals The Art of Flying which Lucian affirms that himself hath seen practis'd and which was publickly shewn upon the Theatre in Nero's time as Suetonius Reports The admirable effects which Roger Bacon promised as a raising ARtificial Clouds and causing Thander-claps to be and flashes of Lightning to be seen and afterwards to have all this end in a Shower again The Figure of the Heavens made in Brass by Turrianus of Cremona much more admirably done than that of Archimedes and was to be seen not many Years since in Spain together with a little Mill which on one side made a noise as of a Mill-Clack and on the other cast forth the Meal ground The Tree which they call Vegetal which is made to grow in a Glass in less than a Nights space The Rofe and all other Flowers which by Art are raised up out of their own Ashes The burning Lamp found in the Temple of Venus which the Violence of VVind could not extinguist and that other Candle made of a certain Stone lighted which was harder than any Iron whereof Lucas Tudensis and Tostatus make mention Lastly saith he for I still pursue the Pen of my Author I shall also omit to speak of the Invention of divers Hydraulicks in our own times which they do not imitate as also those Statues of Men and VVomen that Speak though inarticulately that move of themselves and play upon divers Instruments of Birds that fly and sing of Lions that roat of Dogs that bark and others that fight with Cats in the very same manner as living Dogs do and a thousand other wonderful Inventions of Men which are enough to aftonish our Senses Gaffarel unheard of Curios Part 2. Chap. 7. FINIS Directions to the Binder ☞ 1. Place the General Title and Practical Introduction being the small Letters in Crotchets concluding with 1 2. Place B B 2 and so on concluding with T. 3. Place the whole Second Alphabet 4. Place the Third Alphabet beginning Page 93. with a single Letter and concluding with P. 4. Place the other Third Alphabet beginning with Chap. 95. p. 1. and concluding with Y y. y. 5. Place the Fourth Alphabet which concludes with F f f f. 6. Place the Wonders of Nature which begins with a General Title and concludes with L. And in the last place bind the Curiosities of Art which begins also with a General Title and ends with 6 E 2. Books Lately Printed for Iohn Dunton A Compleat History of the most Remarkable Providences both of Judgment and Mercy which have happen'd in this present Age extracted from the best Writers the Authors own Observations and the numerous Relations sent him from divers parts of the three Kingdoms To which is added whatever is curious in the Works of Nature and Art The whole digested into one Volume under proper Heads being a Work set on Foot 30 Years ago by the Reverend Mr. Pool and since undertaken and finished by William Turner M. A. Vicar of Walberton in Sussex recommended as useful to Ministers in furnishing Topicks of Reproof and Exhortation and to private Christians for their Closets and Families The History of all Religions in the World from the Creation down to this present time in two Parts the first containing their Theory and the other relating their Practices An Essay upon the Works of Creation and Providence being an Introductory Discourse to the History of Remarkable Providences To which is added a Scheme of the said undertaking As also a Specimen of the Work it self in which is inserted the Penitential Letter written by Sir Duncâ—ms Colchester late of Westbury in Glocestershire with other Remarkable Instances of that Nature Price bound 2 s. These three written by Mr. Will. Turner M. A. and Vicar of Walberton in Sussex The Excellency of a Publick Spirit set forth in a Sermon Preached since much inlarged at the Funeral of that late Reverend Divine Dr. Samuel Annesly who departed this Life Decemb. 31. 1696. in the 77th Year of his Age with a brief Account of his Life and Death by Daniel Williams Minister of the Gospel Price bound 1 s. The Character of Dr. Sam. Annesly by way of Elegy with a Preface written by one of his Hearers Price 6 d. Advice to those who never Received the Sacrament Or the True Penitent Instructed before at and after his Receiving the Lord's Supper with Meditations suited to the several Parts of that solemn Ordinance
the Faith that we may have this Testimony in our own Consciences that all our Ways and Paths are well-pleasing to the Lord our great Soveraign that we may so even so run as to obtain an immortal Crown at last though the Righteous shall scarcely be saved and that we might be found upon Mount Sion with the Lamb among the Sealed ones of God is the earnest and daily Prayer of Your loving Sister Lydia Carter Mrs. Lydia Carter's Letter to her Brother Jeremiah Carter Loving Brother Jeremiah YOU are a young Man and you read of the young Man in the Gospel concerning whom it is said Christ looking upon him loved him I think that was but a common Love because of some hopefulness of more good or of less discovery of more evil in him than in many others The Lord knows that I do most tenderly love you as a Brother in the Flesh but oh how much more should I love you as a Brother in Christ Now that you may have a share in the Soul-saving Love of Christ that you may be more intimately acquainted with the deep Mystery of the Gospel that you may consecrate the Flower of your Youth to God that you may fly all Sins incident to your present State that you may be sensible of continued Mercies that you may improve all Opportunities and Abilities which you have received from God for God that you may earnestly contend for the Faith once delivered to the Saints that you may follow the Lord fully in your Generation and that you and I with all our Relations may one Day sit down in heavenly places together with Jesus Christ is the uncessant Prayer of Your very Loving Sister Lydia Carter August 10. 1655. Mrs. Lydia Carter's Letter to her Sister Child Loving Sister Child YOU are a Mother 't is a Blessing yet but an earthly Blessing Children are certain Cares uncertain Comforts Now that you may bear Christ in your Spirit as you have born Children in your Body that you may have further Experience of the preserving Love of God which passeth the Tenderness of Maternal Affection Isai 49.14 15. that you may always enjoy the Light of God's Countenance that you may be strengthned with all Might according to the glorious Power of God in your inward Man unto all Patience and Long-suffering with Joyfulness that you may by your heavenly Conversation adorn the Gospel of Jesus Christ that you may be counselled and comforted by the sweet Influences of the Spirit of Grace and that you may be one of those who shall be caught up in the Clouds together with all the Saints to meet the Lord in the Air and befor ever with him is the fervent Prayer of Your very Loving Sister Lydia Carter Mrs. Lydia Carter's Letter to her Aunt Child Most endeared Aunt WHom I love in the Truth and not I only but also all they that have known the Truth Grace be with you Mercy and Peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in Health even as your Soul prospereth I have no greater Joy than to hear that all the Lord's People walk in the Power of Godliness shewing forth the Praises of him who hath called us out of Darkness into his marvelous Light It is true I have need to be more fully instructed of those who have attained unto a full Age and by reason of use have their Senses exercised to discern both Good and Evil yet as one who hath obtained this Grace of the Lord as to be faithful in a few things I shall not be negligent to put you in remembrance of these things tho' you know them and are established in the present Truth That which the Lord expects at our Hands is that we should walk worthy of him who hath called us unto a Kingdom that we should live unto the praise of his rich Grace who hath so freely poured out his Soul unto Death for us Dying Love justly merits an humble holy thankful and fruitful Conversation Truly we live in a crooked and perverse Generation Satan hath his Seat in every place great is the subtilty of Sin the deceitfulness of our own Hearts the power and malice of our Spiritual Adversary it nearly concerns us therefore to give all diligence to make our calling and election sure before we go away from hence and be no more Aunt My continual and fervent Desire is That we may be every Day more and more enlightned into the Depths of Special and Distinguishing Love and that I may be helped forward in my Faith and Joy in the Holy Ghost by your Experiences is the Prayer of Your Affectionate Cousin Lydia Carter My Love unto all my Cousins praying that they may be blessed with all Spiritual Blessings in the common Saviour Mrs. Lydia Carter's Letter to her Sister Desborrow Loving Sister Desborrow THat we should exhort one another daily consider one another and provoke one another unto Love and Good Works is the Exhortation of the Scripture and such Counsel as I desire might be written upon your Heart and mine Sister You are now entred into the World with me but that an abundant entrance may be administred into the Kingdom of God unto us both that we may with Mary choose the better part which shall never be taken from us that we may grow in Grace and in the Knowledge of Jesus Christ that we may not be weary of Well-doing that we may approve our Hearts unto God in all manner of Holiness that we may be filled with Spiritual Graces suitable to our Relations and Conditions that we may persevere unto the End that we may have the Sence of God's Love kept alive and warm upon our Hearts that we may bring forth much Fruit proportionable to the precious Enjoyments of Divine Mercy that we may make it our Business to praise exalt and glorifie him who hath abundantly loved us in his Son that we may have a continual Eye upon him who is the Author and Finisher of our Faith that we may earnestly strive to attain unto the Resurrection of the Dead and that we may learn Christ love Christ and live Christ is the restless Desire of Your very Loving Sister Lydia Carter Your Husband and you shall not be forgotten by me in my Pleadings at the Throne of Grace Farewel These Letters were all sent me by her own Son who received 'em from his Father a little before his Death He also sent him the following Letter and Directions for the Management of his whole Life which being full of pious Instructions may properly come under this Head His Letter was this following My dear Child THY Master's Letter to me last Week gives me great Encouragement to think that if please God I live I shall receive a great deal of Comfort from thee he writes so fully that I profess I never read more written concerning any one in my Life of thy
chearfulness tractableness industriousness willingly to learn and obey of thy Truth and honesty and especially of thy Desire and Endeavour to know and serve the Lord. Oh Child this good Character of thee is the most comfortable and reviving Cordial that I have taken all the time of my late and long Sickness I pray God continue thy good Resolutions of living up to thy Master's wonderful Commendations of thee Now dear Child if thy Deserts answer these Praises I shall not fear but I shall meet thy Face in Heaven hereafter though through my corporal Indisposition I fear I shall see thy Face no more on Earth and in the new Jerusalem if thou diest in the Arms of Divine Embraces I shall see thee not disfigured with Pock-holes but dignified with celestial Glory and there wilt thou see thine own Mother's Face who killed herself with excessive Love to thee and who died Praying so earnestly for thy everlasting Salvation But I must subscribe in hast being much indisposed through a Cold I catch'd last Lord's Day in Preaching Your real loving Father Still Praying for the Welfare of your Soul and Body May 10. 1675. I shall next add his pious Counsel to his Son which he gave him at his own House December 25th 1675. which here follows in his own Words viz. Concerning your SOVL 1. AS you have been a Son of many Prayers and Tears being a long time earnestly begg'd of God and against all Human Hope being brought forth into the World by God's Special Hand of Providence and being wonderfully restored to Life again after sâ—me Hours seeming Death which immediately ensued after your Birth and being likewise as signally delivered from the nearest hazard and likelihood of Death when you had the Small-Pox I do therefore exhort and charge you in the Presence of the All-seeing God and as you will answer it before Jesus Christ the Judge of the Quick and Dead that you make it your primary and principal Care and Endeavour to know fear love obey and serve God your Creator and Deliverer as he hath revealed himself through his Son by his Spirit in his Holy Word 2. I do likewise counsel you to read God's Holy Word both in the Latin and English Bible as often as you have opportunity and I also counsel you to read over Wollebius's Compendium of Theology in Latin and English 'till you well understand both at such Seasons as you may most conveniently do it 3. I do likewise counsel you constantly every Morning and Evening to pray unto God for his Direction Protection and Benediction in all that you do and that with an audible Voice when you may conveniently do it or at least mentally expressing all possible Reverence Affection Joy and Thankfulness to God through Christ therein 4. I counsel you likewise manfully to resist all Extreams sinful Sadness and Despondency of Spirit and to exercise Faith Chearfulness and Delight in the remembrance of all God's Mercies and Deliverances 5. I do likewise counsel you carefully to shun all evil Company with all Temptations to and Occasions of Evil. 6. I do likewise counsel you to be Dutiful to your Mother Loving to your Brother and Sisters Obedient to your Master diligently and faithfully to serve the Lord in all Relations and Conditions as he requireth Concerning your BODY 1. I Counsel you to use moderate Exercise and lawful Recreations for the necessary Health of your Body being always moderate in your Eating Drinking and Sleeping Never spend too much Time of Cost in any Exercise or Recreation Concerning your ESTATE 1. I Do counsel you never to desert your Trade or Calling which you have by God's special Providence been call'd unto 2. I do counsel you to serve out your full time with cheerfulness and delight endeavouring to acquaint your self with all the Mysteries and Improvements of your Trade and if you find not convincing Reasons to the contrary to serve as Journey-man for One Year because I judge you may by that means gain more Acquaintance and Interest and a further Insight into your Trade 3. I do counsel you not to marry before you be Twenty five Years of age unless some remarkable Providence shall induce you thereunto 4. I do likewise counsel you to use all possible Prudence in your Choice of a Wife that she be truly Religious or at least eminently Vertuous that is born of honest Parents and who is of Age and Estate suitable unto your self 5. I do likewise counsel you not to sell any part of your Estate in Land if either your Wife's Portion or your borrowing of Money upon Interest may conveniently serve to set up your Trade 6. I do likewise counsel you to have a convenient Shop in a convenient Place at your own Charge which will very much facilitate and make way for your suitable and comfortable Marriage yet if you shall by some remarkable Providence meet with a Wife of a considerable Estate you may by her Portion set up your Trade without Mortgaging of your Land 7. Lastly I likewise counsel you in all Things and in all Times so to Think and Speak and Act as you may be willing to appear before God at Death and Judgment Decemb. 25. Anno Dom. 1675. 20. Constantine the Great did so honour the Countenance of old Paphnutias tho' disfigured by the loss of his Eye that he often with delight did kiss the Hollow of that Eye which was lost for the Cause of Christ Chetwind's Historical Collections 21. I have read of one Chilion a Dutch Schoolmaster who being perswaded to recant and save his Life for the sake of his Wife and poor Children answered If the whole Earth was turned into a Globe of Gold and all mine own I would part with it rather than with my Wife and Children and yet these I can part with for the sake of Jesus Christ. The like was said by George Carpenter as Mr. Fox relates Part 2. p. 113. Mr. Barker's Flores 22. A young Man condemned and brought to the Block and then remitted by Julian as he rose spake these Words Ah sweet Jesus am not I worthy to suffer for thy sake Luther's Coll. p. 247. CHAP. LXII Remarkable Zeal and Charity in Propagating Religion EVery thing is naturally apt to communicate its own Qualities Earth Air Fire and Water the Sun Moon and all the Planets the Light makes an Infant smile and the Night affects us with dulness and sleepiness God would make us good and happy as himself is and the Devil bad and miserable Jews and Mahometans and Hereticks have a Zeal many times to promote their particular and unsound Principles but we have some Examples of good Christians who have been forward and zealous to propagate the Gospel in sincerity 1. Mr. Tho. Gouge having a compassion for those parts of Wales which were distressed with Ignorance and wanted the Means of Knowledge made a Journey into South Wales and in every Town where he came he enquired what poor People there were
how Happy it were for me to be with thee yet for thy Chosen sake send me Life and Death I suspect some Mistake in recording these last Words perhaps Life or Death that I may truly serve thee O my Lord God! bless thy People and save thine Inheritance O Lord God save thy People of England O my Lord God defend this Realm from Papistry and maintain thy true Religion that I and thy People may praise thy Holy Name for thy Son Jesus Christ's sake His last Words were I am faint Lord have mercy and take my Spirit He died aged 17. 108. The Lady Jane Grey by King Edward's Will proclaimed Queen of England the Night before she was beheaded sent her Sister her Greek Testament in the end whereof she wrote as may be seen under the Head of Love of the Holy Scriptures She spoke on the Scaffold thus GOod People I am come hither to Die and by a Law I am condemned to the same My Offence against the Queen's Majesty was only in consenting to the Device of others which now is deemed Treason yet it was never of my seeking but by Counsel of those who should seem to have further understanding of those things than I who knew little of the Law and much less of Titles to the Crown But touching the Procurement thereof by me or on my behalf I do here wash my Hands in Innocency before God and the Face of you all this Day and therewith she wrung her Hands wherein she had her Book I pray you all good Christian People to bear me Witness that I die a true Christian Woman and that I look to be saved by no other means but only by the Mercy of God in the Blood of his only Son Jesus Christ And I do confess That when I knew the Word of God I neglected the same and loved my self and the World and therefore this Plague and Punishment is justly befallen me for my Sins And I yet thank God of his Goodness that he hath been pleased to give me Respite to Repent in And now good People while I am alive I pray assist me with your Prayers She died 1554. aged 16. Tu quibus ista legas incertum est Lector ocellis Ipsa equidem siccis scribere non potui Fox 's Martyrol 109. Queen Elizabeth is reported upon her Death-bed but by what Author I confess I do not presently remember to complain of the want of Time Time Time a World of Wealth for an Inch of Time yet finished her Course with that of the Apostle 2 Tim. 4.7 I have fought a good Fight c. 110. The young Lord Harrington professed in his Sickness That he feared not Death in what shape soever it came declaring about two Hours before his Death that he still felt the assured Comforts and Joys of his Salvation by Jesus Christ And when Death approached he breathed forth these longing Expressions Oh that Joy Oh my God! when shall I be with thee And so sweetly resigned up his Spirit unto God An. 1613. aged 22. See in his Life in the Young Man's Calling and my Christian 's Companion 111. Henry Prince of Wales eldest Son to King James in his Sickness had these Words to one that waited on him Ah Tom I in vain wish for that time I lost with thee and others in vain Recreations Which puts me in mind of what Mr. Smith relates in the Funeral Solemnity of Mr. Moor Fellow of Gaius College and Keeper of the University Library viz. That he often lamented the Misery of our English Gentry who are commonly brought up to nothing but Hawks and Hounds and know not how to bestow their Time in a Rainy Day and in the midst of all their Plenty are in want of Friends necessary Reproof and most loving Admonition 112. The Earl of Strafford made this Speech on the Scaffold May 12. 1641. MY Lord Primate of Ireland and my Lords and the rest of the Gentlemen it is a very great Comfort to me to have your Lordship by me this Day in regard I have been known to you a long time I should be very glad to obtain so much silence as to be heard a few Words but I doubt I shall not My Lord I come hither by the Good Will and Pleasure of Almighty God to pay that last Debt I owe to Sin which is Death and by the Blessing of God to rise again through the Merits of Christ Jesus to Eternal Glory I wish I had been private that I might have been heard My Lord if I might be so much beholden to you that I might use a few Words I should take it for a very great Courtesie My Lord I come hither to submit to that Judgment which hath passed against me I do it with a very quiet and contented Mind I do freely forgive all the World a Forgiveness that is not spoken from the Teeth outward as they say but from the Heart I speak it in the Presence of Almighty God before whom I stand that there is not in me so much as a displeasing Thought to any Creature I thank God I may say truly and my Conscience bears me witness that in all my Service since I have had the Honour to serve His Majesty in any Employment I never had any thing in my Heart but the joynt and individual Prosperity of the King and People If it hath been my Hap to be misconstrued it is the common Portion of us all while we are in this Life the Righteous Judgment is hereafter here we are subject to Error and apt to be misjudged one of another There is one thing I desire to clear my self of and I am very confident I speak it with so much clearness that I hope I shall have your Christian Charity in the belief of it I did always ever think the Parliaments of England were the happiest Constitutions that any Kingdom or Nation lived under and under God the happiest Means of making King and People happy so far have I been from being against Parliaments For my Death I here acquit all the World and pray God heartily to forgive them and in particular my Lord Primate I am very glad that His Majesty is pleased to conceive me not meriting so severe and heavy a Punishment as the utmost execution of this Sentence I am very glad and infinitely rejoyce in this Mercy of his and beseech God to turn it to him that he may find Mercy when he hath most need of it I wish this Kingdom all the Prosperity and Happiness in the World I did it living and now dying it is my Wish I do now profess it from my Heart and do most humbly recommend it to every Mâ—n here and wish every Man to lay his Hand upon his Heart and consider seriously whether the beginning of the Happiness of a People should be written in Letters of Blood I fear you are in a wrong way and I desire Almighty God that no one drop of my Blood may
rise up in Judgment against you My Lord I profess my self a True and Obedient Son to the Church of England to that Church wherein I was born and wherein I was bred Prosperity and Happiness be ever to it And wherein it hath been said That I have been enclined to Popery If it be an Objection worth answering let me say truly That from the Time I was One and twenty Years of Age till this Hour going up Nine and forty I never had thought in my Heart to doubt of the Truth of my Religion in England and never any had the boldness to suggest to me the contrary to the best of my Remembrance and so being reconciled to the Mercies of Christ Jesus my Saviour into whose Bosom I hope shortly to be gathered to enjoy those Eternal Happinesses that shall never have end I desire heartily the Forgiveness of every Man both for any rash or unadvised Word or Deed and desire your Prayers And so my Lords Farewel Farewel all the Things of this World Lord strengthen my Faith give me Confidence and Assurance in the Merits of Christ Jesus I desire that you would be silent and joyn in Prayers with me and I trust in God we shall all meet and live eternally in Heaven there to receive the Accomplishment of all Happiness where every Tear shall be wiped from our Eyes and every sad Thought from our Hearts and so God bless this Kingdom and Jesus have Mercy upon my Soul After this he prayed twice and with a low Obeysance took his Leave submitting to the Block The Relat. of his Execut. 113. Archbishop Laud made this his last Speech on the Scaffold Jan. 10. 1644. GOod People this is an uncomfortable time to preach yet I shall begin with a Text of Scripture Hebr. 12.2 Let us run with patience the race c. I have been long in my Race and how I have look'd to Jesus the Author and Finisher of my Faith he best knows I am now come to the end of my Race and here I find a Cross a Death of Shame but the Shame must be despised or no coming to the Right of God Jesus despised the Shame for me and God forbid but I should despise the Shame for him I am going apace as you see towards the Red Sea and my Feet are now upon the very brink of it an Argument I hope that God is bringing me into the Land of Promise for that was the way through which he led his Prophets but before they came to it he instituted a Passover for them a Lamb it was but to be eaten with sour Herbs I shall obey and labour to digest the sour Herbs as well as the Lamb and I shall remember it is the Lord 's Passover I shall not think of the Herbs nor be angry with the Hand that gathers them but look only to Him who instituted that and governs these for Men can have no more power over me than what is given them from above I am not in love with this Passage through the Red Sea for I have the Weaknesses and Infirmities of Flesh and Blood plentifully in me and I have prayed with my Saviour that this Cup of Red Wine might pass from me but if not God's Will not mine be done And I shall most willingly drink of this Cup as deep as he pleaseth and enter into this Sea yea and pass through it in the way that he shall lead me But I would have it remembred Good People that when God's Servants were in this boisterous Sea and Aaron among them the Egyptians which persecuted them and did in a manner drive them into that Sea were drowned in the same Waters while they were in pursuit of them I know the God whom I serve is able to deliver me from this Sea of Blood as the Three Children from the Furnace And I most humbly thank my Saviour for it my Resolution is now as theirs was then they would not worship the Image the King had set up nor will I the Imaginations which the People are setting up nor will I forsake the Temple and the Truth of God to follow the Bleating of Jeroboam's Calf in Dan and in Bethel And as for this People they are at this Day miserably misled God of his Mercy open their Eyes that they may see the right way for at this Day the Blind lead the Blind and if they go on both will certainly fall into the Ditch For my self I am and I acknowledge it in all Humility a most grievous Sinner many ways by Thought Word and Deed and I cannot doubt but that God hath Mercy in store for me a poor Penitent as well as for other Sinners I have now upon this sad Occasion ransacked every corner of my Heart and yet I thank God I have not found among the many any one Sin which deserves Death by any known Law of this Kingdom And yet hereby I charge nothing upon my Judges for if they proceed upon Proof by valuable Witnesses I or any other Innocent may be justly condemned and I thank God tho' the weight of this Sentence lie heavy upon me I am as quiet within as ever I was in my Life and tho' I am not only the first Archbishop but the first Man that ever died by an Ordinance in Parliament yet some of my Predecessors have gone this way tho' not by this means For Elphegus was hurried away and lost his Life by the Danes 3. and Simon Suabury in the Fury of Wat. Tyler and his Fellows before these St. John Baptist had his Head danced off by a lewd Woman and St. Cyprian Archbishop of Carthage submitted his Head to a persecuting Sword Many Examples great and good and they teach me Patience for I hope my Cause in Heaven will look of another dye than the Colour that is put upon it here and some Comfort it is to me that I go the way of these Great Men in their several Generations and also that my Charge as foul as it is made looks like that of the Jews against St. Paul Act. 25.3 for he was accused for the Law and the Temple i. e. Religion and like that of St. Stephen Act. 6.14 for breaking the Ordinances which Moses gave i. e. Law and Religion the Holy Place and the Temple v. 13. But you will say Do I then compare my self with the Integrity of St. Paul and St. Stephen No! far be that from me I only raise a Comfort to my self that these Great Saints and Servants of God were laid at in their times as I am now and 't is memorable that he who helped on this Accusation against St. Stephen did after all fall under the very same himself Yea but here 's a great Clamour that I would have brought in Popery I shall answer that more fully by and by In the mean time you know what the Pharisees said against Christ himself If we let him alone all men will believe in him venient Romani