of sicknesse as it was a common and a constant report ouer all London that I was dead and the same confidently affirmed euen vnto the Kings Highnesse himselfe Vpon which occasion it pleased his most excellent Maiestie in token of his gratious goodnesse and great fauour towards me to send the said Lord Haie with the sayd Ring and this royall message vnto me namely That his Highnesse heartily wished a speedie and perfect recouerie of my health with all happie and good successe vnto me and that I might liue as long as the Diamonds of that Ring which therewithall he deliuered vnto me did endure And in token thereof required me to we are it and keepe it for his sake This most gratious and comfortable message restored a new life vnto me as comming from so renowmed and benigne a Souereigne vnto a seruant so farre vnworthy of so great a fauour and vpon whom not long before it had pleased his Maiestie yea in that very first day wherein we all had the happinesse to beholde him not only to bestow the honor of a Priuie Counseller but also without any answerable desert or merit of mine preceding to confirme that most honourable place of High Treasurer of England vnto me which the late Queene ELIZABETH after foureteene yeeres seruice and ten yeeres following her Court but not before vouchsafed I must needs yet say most gratiously so soon as it became void to grant vnto me and likewise within a short time after to aduance both me and my succession to the high honor degree of an Earle which is and shall be to me my house and posteritie an euerliuing demonstration aswell of his great benefit to vs as of our infinite bond to him thereby for euer The which inexplicable goodnesse of his Maiestie towards me besides many lustres of his bright shining fauours from time to time cast vpon me doe giue me iust cause to agnize that I am no waies able to merit no not the least part of them but onely with the humble and infinite earnestie of my heart in desire to deserue which I can yet no waies manifest but by that faithfull testimonie which shall neuer faile in me namely by demonstration of mine incessant cares labours and actuall indeuors for the behoofe and furtherance of his Maiesties seruices at the least thereby to shew that good will which is in me though I cannot shew that effect which is due to him since all that I possibly can or may doe is but meere debt and dutie and so in that course to spend such remaine of life as is left vnto me yea euen to the very last of my daies here when I am dead gone if euer occasion may or shall be offered to any of my posteritie to doe his Maiestie or any of his any acceptable seruice heereafter then let them hold esteeme themselues most happie if with the expence of life of all the fortunes that this world shall giue them they may actually approoue and witnesse with effect that they are not onely most loyall and dutifull vassals to this Imperiall Crowne but also the most humble faithfull and thankfull sonnes and sequell of such a seruant as was more bound vnto King IAMES his liege Master than euer subiect was vnto his Soueraigne especially he being such a Soueraigne adorned with such excellent parts of iustice clemencie and goodnesse indued with so admirable gifts of memory learning and iudgement and finally beautified with so many other regall graces and vertues so farre beyond all the Kings and Princes that either written storie or this present age hath to present vnto vs as I know not how any greater honor and felicitie can possiblie be added to the imperiall Crowne of and in this Great Britaine by his vndoubted right so happily vnited vnto vs than we now presently possesse and enioy in the Royall person of this our so renowmed and so rare a King Beseeching the eternall God that he and his may euermore both rule and raigne ouer vs yea euen as long as the Sunne and Moone endureth and that I and mine may for euer and euer become more and more thankfull at the least if it be possibly in me for so great honors graces and fauors as this most clement and renowmed King hath thus most gratiously vouchsafed vnto me the remembrance of which because it may neuer die but be perpetually recorded in the mindes of those that by the grace goodnesse of almighty God both now are hereafter shall be the lineall stirpe and succession of my house and family to serue both him his I haue heere therefore set downe this short narration of the true state and circumstance of the whole matter to the intent it may remaine to my posterity heereafter as a faithfull memorie thereof euen in this my last Will and Testament for euer 2 Matth. 3. 3. b Exod. 20. 1. c 1. Sam. 3. 4. d Psal. 29. 4. e 1. Reg 19. 12. f Matth. 12. 19. g Ionah 3. 4. h Isa 58. 1. i Herodot in Polymma k August de 12. abusionum gradibus Tom. 9. l Ezec. 3. 17. m Ezec. 33. 7. n Matt. 28. 19. o 1. Cor. 11. 23. p 1. Tim. 6. 20. q Vinâ— contr haeres cap. 27. t Diodor. Antiquit lib. 2. 3. f Gen. 3. 19. t Gen. 5. 8. 11. 14. 27. u Psal. 49. 10. x Bern. de gradib humilitat y In festo S. Martini z Chrysost in Ep. ad Philip. Homil. 12. a Exo. 26. 31. b Ios. de bel Iud. Lib. 6. 6. c Hier. Epist. 128. d Matth. 27. 51. e Chrys. Hom. â— in 2. Cor. f Matt. 6. 30. g Psal. 103. 15. h Greg. in Psa. 5. Poenitent i Iac. 4. 14. k 2. Pet. 1. 14. l Diod. Sie Antiq. li. 2. 1. m In Cat. Maâ—or n Iob. 14. 2. o cap. 7. 6. p Basil. in Hexam Homil 5. q Homer Iliad 5. r 2. Sam. 14. 14. s 1. Reg. 2. 2. t Iob 30. 23. u Heb. 9. 27. x Senec. Epist. 70. ad Lucilium y Innoc. 3. de cont mund lib. 1. z Sen. Ep. 26 a Bern. de conuers ad cleric cap. 14. b Horat. Carm. Lib. 4. Ode 7. c Greg. Naz. orat 40. d Xenoph. in Apolog. pro Socrat. e Ammian Mercellin hist Lib. 16. Sigon de Occid Imp. lib. 6. f Psal. 82. 6. g Aug. de catechiz rudibus cap. 16. h Basil. in Hexam homil 5. i Chrys Conâ— 2. de Lâ—zaro k 2. Sam. 14. 25. l Luc. 16. 20. m Lucian in Necromant n Aâ—n Sylâ— â— Blond Decad 2. 6. Platin in Caelest 3. o Dion Histor. lib. 66. p Plutarch in vit Aemil. q Tit. Liu. lib. 45. r Tit. Liu. lib. 25. s Appian de bellis Puniâ—is t Deu. 32. 39. u 1. Sam. 2. 6 * Isa. 40. 23. x The life of Tresilian in the Mirrour of Magistr Epist. prâ—fix Aulic Barth Clerke * Holinshed An. 13. Eliz. y Horat. lib. 1. Epist. 17. 1 The words which his Lordship in his last will vseth of his Ladie are these Inprimis I giue will and bequeath vnto the Ladie Cicely Countesse of Dorset my most vertuous faithfull and dearely beloued wife not as any recompence of her infinit merit towards mee who for her incomparable loue zeale hartie affection euer shewed vnto me and for those her so rare many and reuerent vertues of chastitie modestie fidelitie humilitie secrecie wisdome patience and a mindâ— repleat with all pietie and goodnesse which euermore haue and do abound in her deserueth to be honoured loued and esteemed aboue all the transitory wealth and treasure of this world and therefore by no price of earthly riches can by me be valued recompensed or requiâ—ed To her therefore my most vermous faithfull and intirely beloued wife Not I say as a recompense but as a true token and testimony of my vnspeakable loue affection and estimation and reuerencâ— long since fixed and setled in my heart towards her I giue will and bequeath c. a From the 28. of May to the 15. of August so much as cost 154. li. 14. s. 7. d. b After 26. s. 8. d. the quarter when other men ordinarily sold for 40. s. the quarter c 〈…〉 d At Horseley e At Dorset house f Iustin. li. 25. g Luc. 13. 4. h Pliâ— â—at hist. lib. 7. 7. i Ibidem k Tull. in Lâ—lio l Nich. Hospital in Tumulis m Matth. Paris in Richard n Hier. Epist. 19. Tom. 9. Marcellin Lib. 30. * Ambros. de obit Valentinian o Socrat. Hist. Eccl. li. 3. 19. p Theodor. Hist. Eccl. Lib 4. 4. q Solon Hist. Eccl. Lib. 6. 6. r Hier. Epist. 3. ad Heliod s â—am 4. 20. * 2. Chron. 35. 23. t Iustin. Martyr Quaest. 79. u Hieron in Psa. 93. â—om 7. * Eccl. 9. 2. x Eccl. 38. 22. Heri mihi hodie tibi y Rom. 14. 4. z Plin. Nat. Hist. li. 7. 51. b Matt. 24. 42. c Matth. 25. 4. d 2. Reg. 20. 1. e Psal. 90. 12. f Eccle. 11. 3. g Olymp in Eccl. 11. Bern. Sermon paru 49. h Psal. 82. 1.
A SERMON PREACHED AT WESTMINSTER MAY 26. 1608. AT THE FVNERALL SOLEMNITIES of the Right Honorable Thomas Earle of Dorset late L. High Treasurer of ENGLAND By GEORGE ABBOT Doctor of Diuinitie and Deane of WINCHESTER one of his Lordships Chapleines Now published at the request of some honourable persons very few things being added which were then cut off by the shortnesse of the time IOH. 9. 4. The night commeth when no man can worke LONDON Printed by Melchisedech Bradwood for William Aspley 1608. TO THE RIHGT Honorable and most vertuous Lady the La. Cicely Countesse of DORSET THere are sundry reasons right Honourable which haue mooued me to giue my consent that this Sermon might be published One is to testifie my dutifull grateful respect towards that noble personage now deceased to whom when he was liuing I was so much bound for so many yeeres together Another is to giue satisfaction to diuers of speciall qualitie and note who haue earnestly intreated me that I will not denie this dutie to the dead nor such a kindnesse to them aliue but that they may reade that againe and againe which they heard once with no discontentment A third is that the world may truly take notice of many excellent vertues wherewith God had indued this honourable man and that as well with resolued knowledge to compose and settle his soule religiously towards heauen as with rare wisdome prudence otherwise to digest and dispatch either publike businesse touching his Souereigne and the State or his owne priuat affaires In the opening whereof as it should be vanitie to adde or amplifie any thing so it should be want of Christian dutie and regard to conceale that which is true especially since the relation may satisfie such as doubt and the example may prouoke others to imitate those good parts which are not euery where to be found Now it being published I haue as great reason to recommend it to your honourable patronage since you are the Suruiuer of that worthy couple who for so long time were ioyned together in the bands of Christian wedlocke And whom may it more concerne or vnto whom can it be more comfortable than to your Ladiship that there should be some memoriall of his well-doing whom you so deerly loued and so respectfully obserued in the time of your conuersation together Besides the reading of it may peraduenture be a Remembrancer vnto you of your owne mortalitie when you heare of his departure before you who as you supposed might haue ouer-liued you many yeeres And lastly the mention of that which his Lordship hath left touching your selfe may incite you to go forward in those vertuous and Christian courses which hitherto you haue so singularly demonstrated that besides the experience which his Lordship had and testified to the full the world which obserueth few good things vnlesse they be eminent taketh great notice of them and therefore it neerly concerneth your Honor to persist therein and to endeuour yet dayly to increase those good graces that the end may counteruaile yea exceed both the progresse and beginning I doubt not but God who hath begun his admirable worke in you will accomplish it and make it perfect so blessing you all the dayes of your pilgrimage heere that you may liue to your children and childrens children an honourable paterne of pietie religion and vertue and depart from this earth in a full age vnto the true and neuer ceasing ioyes of his euerlasting Kingdome Which he will alwayes pray for who is and long hath beene Your Honors very much bounden GEORGE ABBOT A SERMON PREAched at Westminster May 26. 1608. AT THE FVNERALL SOLEMNITIES of the Right Honourable Thomas Earle of Dorset late L. High Treasurer of ENGLAND ISAIAH 40. 6. A voice sayd Crie And he sayd What shall I crie All flesh is grasse and all the grace thereof is as the flower of the field 7. The grasse withereth the flower fadeth because the spirit of the Lord bloweth vpon it HEe that looketh into this Chapter shall see it to be a Prophecie of the comming of Christ of his appearing in the flesh and his taking of our humane nature vpon him so to bring grace and saluation to as manie as should beleeue And this touching the comming of Christ is not nakedly layd downe but with an intimation also of his fore-runner Iohn the Baptist the very words being vsed to make it the more notorious which are repeated in the third Chapter of Saint Mathew The voice of a crier in the wildernesse prepare the way of the Lord make his paths straight But to fit men so much the more to embrace that mercy which should be offred by him this sound reason is brought that of our selues we are mortall corruptible and transitorie and that therefore it is good that we should haue something else to rest our soules vpon For we consist but of flesh and that is like vnto the grasse And if we should imagine othermen to be better then our selues yet they are but as we are for all flesh is grasse and all the grace thereof is as the flower of the field Therefore it is best to trust to something els and that must be the sonne of God the Sauiour of the world the Redeemer of mankind the mighty God of Iacob I shall not at this time speake any thing concerning the comming of Christ but shall rather insist vpon the opening of the reason which leadeth vs vnto Christ Iesus Which that it may bee the more strongly imprinted in vs it is not barely deliuered but with a kinde of Preface or solemne introduction A voice said Cry And he said What shall I cry The whole may be diuided into these two parts A preparation and A proclamation The proclamation is the maine consisting of the latter words All flesh is grasse and all the grace thereof as the flower of the field c. In the preparation are two circumstances A commandement what should be done And the Prophets composing of himselfe to the performance of it Of all which in their order as God shall giue assistance A voice said Crie 2 We shall little need to inquire what voice this is which speaketh to Esay For that whereunto the Prophet would hearken is only the voice of God That which spake out of the mount in the twentieth of Exodus when the law was giuen downe to the people of Israel God spake these words and said That which called to Samuel in the dead time of the night and badde him go and doe a message to old Eli. That whereof Dauid could say The voice of the Lord is mightie the voice of the Lord is glorious The veritie the authority the maiestie of that which is vttered doth declare so much This biddeth the prophet Crie not speake only much lesse whisper but with an extention of his voice to deliuer his message This must not be as that was when God passed by Elias in a
instructions of the liuing When in this present spectacle wee may sensibly beholde that life is so vncertaine that we may say with Plinie Whereas there be in men innumerable signes of death there is no assured signe of safetie and of securitie in the yongest or the strongest let vs remember the counsell of our Master and Sauiour Wake therefore for yee know not what houre your master will come either by death or by the last and generall iudgement Let vs be like the wise virgins euer readie with oile in our lamps the oile of faith and good life Let vs say to our selues as God sayd to Hezechiah Put thine house in an order for thou shalt die and not liue Let vs speake thus to our soules Let vs not weaue the spiders-web that is bestow all our labour vpon that which is but vaine but weake and of no profit Let vs not fasten our selues to this transitorie world making that to be our ioy our comfort and delight but let our minde be setled on some thing of higher nature Let vs daily pray to God as Moses sometimes prayed Teach vs so to number our daies that we may apply our hearts vnto wisdome which must be the wisdome spirituall celestiall and eternall And this is so much the rather to be desired in this life because as we reade in Salomon if the tree doe fall toward the South or toward the North in the place that the tree falleth there it shall be that is as Olympiodorus and Saint Bernard do expound it as a man doth die either in the fauour or the disfauour of God so he must remaine immutabiliter irretractabiliter without changing or recalling Therefore men while they doe liue should cary themselues warily as being euer assured that they are in the eye of God and that he is among them in their greatest consultations and most honourable assemblies God standeth sayth Dauid in the Congregation of Princes he is a Iudge among Gods A Iudge to see and examine them a Iudge to strike and call vnto him whom and when it pleaseth him Let him euer be before our eyes that when he shall send for vs we may appeare with readinesse with alacritie and with confidence before the Throne of his Grace Which God the Father grant vs for his Sonne Christ Iesus his sake to both whom with the Holy Ghost be laud and praise and glorie now and euermore Amen TO THE READER BEcause there is mention made in this Sermon of a Ring sent vnto that Honorable person by his most sacred Maiestie the humble acceptance whereof is set downe with so gratefull remembrance of his dutie and deuotion to his Highnesse and because the words otherwise imply a great deale of obseruable matter I haue thought it not amisse to offer them to more publike view as they are deliuered by his Lordship in his last will which is as followeth ALso I giue will and bequeath vnto my sayd wel-beloued sonne ROBERT Lord BVCKHVRST after my decease for and during his life onely out of those Iewels of Golde Pearle and Precious stone which I keepe and reserue as Iewels for my selfe the sole vse and occupation only of one Ring of Golde enameled blacke and set round ouer all the whole Ring with Diamonds to the number of twentie whereof fiue Diamonds being placed in the vppermost part of the said Ring do represent the fashion of a Crosse and the other fifteene are set round and ouer all the sayd Ring And after the decease of my said sonne BVCKHVRST then I giue will and bequeath the like sole vse and occupation only of the said Ring vnto my Nephew RICHARD SACKVILLE his eldest sonne for and during his life only And after his decease then vnto the next heire male begotten of the bodie of the sayd RICHARD SACKVILLE my Nephew for and during his life only And so from heire male to heire male of the SACKVILLS after the decease of euery of them seuerally and successiuely for and during the life and liues only of euery such heire male seuerally and successiuely charging and earnestly requiring all and euery of my said heire males before specified euen as they regard the last request of him by whose great trauell care and industrie if the Diuine prouidence of God that hath vouchsafed to giue it shall so please to continue it they are like to receiue the addition and aduancement of so great honor possessions and patrimonie that although percase in this strict course of the common lawes of this Realme the Entaile of goods and chattels may hardly stand vpright that yet for the preseruation and continuance of this gift of mine intended by mee to remaine as an heire-lome to the house and familie of the SACKVILLS so long as almightie God according to the effects of his former goodnesse vnto that house by the continuance thereof during the space of so many hundred yeeres past shall please to vpholde the same they and euery of them will forbeare in any sort to oppugne it or to bring it in question or to brandle and controuert the will of their so well deseruing Ancestour and specially in a matter so honest reasonable fit and conuenient as this is but rather with all willing readie and contented mindes to suffer the same to passe as an heire-lome from heire male to heire male according to the true intent and meaning of this my last will and Testament in that behalfe Which said Ring set all ouer with twentie Diamonds as is aforesaid I desire charge my said sonne BVCKHVRST vpon my blessing and in like sort all other the heires male whom God shall vouchsafe from age to age to raise vnto my house and familie and vnto whom if the Highest so please my heartie desire and meaning is the said Ring set with twenty Diamonds as is aforesaid may lineally and successiuely descend and come for euer namely that with all prouident care and heedfull circumspection they will safely keepe retaine and preserue the said Ring whensoeuer and as often as he shall come to their hands and possession euen as one of the greatest gifts and iewels which in true estimation all circumstances considered I haue to leaue vnto them And to the intent they may know how iust and great cause both they and I haue to holde the said Ring in so high esteeme it is most requisite that I doe heere set downe the whole course and circumstance how and from whom the said Ring did come to my possession which was thus In the beginning of the moneth of Iune 1607 this Ring thus set with twentie Diamonds as is aforesaid was sent vnto me from my most gracious Souereigne King Iames by that honorable personage the Lord Hay one of the Gentlemen of his Highnesse Bed-chamber the Court then being at Whitehall in London and I at that time remaining at Horsley house in Surrey twentie miles from London where I lay in such extremitie