upon his Head and a Charter in his Hand They are stiled by the King Consanguinii nostri our Cousins and may use the Stile of Nos but so may Viscounts too All Earls are Local except the Earl-Marshal of England who is also Officiary and the Earl Rivers who is denominated not from the Place but Family 4. Viscounts are so made by Patent 5. Barons so called from Baron or Varon Vir in Spanish are made by Writ and called thereby to sit in the Higher House of Parliament but most usually by Patent The Earls Palatines and Earls Marches of England had anciently their Barons under them and in Cheshire there are still such Barons But these not holding immediately from the King as the Bishop of Man under the Earl of Darby are no Peers The Head of the Barony is some Castle or chief Seat of the Noble Man which is not to be divided amongst Daughters if there be no Son but must defcend to the eldest Daughter All the Lords of England are Feudatories to the King swearing Fealty and doing Homage to him Their several Titles are thus A Duke hath the Title of Grace and may be stiled Most High Potent and Noble Prince a Marquess Most Potent and Noble Lord But so may Earls and Viscounts also A Baron Right Noble Lord. Their Coronets differ thus A Baron hath six Pearls upon the Circle A Viscount hath the Circle of Pearls without number An Earl's Contronet hath the Pearls raised upon Points and Leaves low between The Marquess a Pearl and a Strawberry-leaf round of equal height And a Duke's Coronet only Leaves without Pearls Note That the Dukes of the Blood-Royal bear a Coronet of Crosses and Flower-de-luce which is the same with that of the Prince of Wales and his is the same with the Kings the Arches Globe and Cross on the top of the King's Crown Their Parliamentary Robes are thus distinguished A Baron hath but two Guards on him Mantlet or short Cloak a Viscount two and a half an Earl three a Marquess three and a half and a Duke four Also the Mantle of a Duke Marquess and Earl is faced with Ermin that of a Viscount and Baron with plain white Fur. Their Marks of State are thus A Duke may have in all places out of the King's Presence a Cloth of Estate hanging down within half a Yard of the Ground so may his Dutchess and her Train born up by a Baroness and no Earl to wash with a Duke without the Duke's Pleasure A Marquess may have a Cloth of Estate reaching within a Yard of the Ground and that in all Places out of the Presence or the King or a Duke and his Marchioness to have her Train borne by a Knight's Wife and no Viscount to wash with a Marquess but at his Pleasure An Earl also may have a Cloth of Estate without Pendants but only Fring and a Countess may have her Train borne up by a Gentlewoman out of the Presence of her Superiors and in her Presence by a Gentleman A Viscount may have a Cover of Assay holden under his Cup while he drinks but no Assay taken as Dukes Marquesses and Earls may have and have a Travers in his own House and a Viscountess may have her Gown borne up by a Woman out of the Presence of her Superiours and in their Presence by a man A Baron may have the Cover of his Cup holden underneath whilst he drinketh and a Baroness may have her Gown borne up by a Man in the Presence of a Viscountess All Dukes eldest Sons are born as Marquesses and the younger as Lords with the addition of their Names as Lord Thomas Lord John c. A Marquess's eldest Son is called Lord of a Place and the younger Sons as Lord Thomas Lord John c. And Earl's eldest Son is born as a Viscount and shall go as a Viscount and shall have as many Powderings as a Viscount so their younger Sons are said to be born as Barons but shall go after all Barons and before all Baronets An Earl's eldest Son is called Lord of a place and all his Daughters Ladies but his youngest Sons are not Lords A Viscount's eldest Son is no Lord nor his Daughters Ladies and therefore the eldest Sons and the eldest Daughter of the first Viscount of England is said to be the first Gentleman and Gentlewoman without Title in England yet a Viscount's eldest Son is said to be born a Baron 6. The next Degree to Barons are Baronets which is the lowest Degree of Hoour that is Hereditary An Honour first instituted by King James An. 16 11. given by Patent to a Man and his Heir Males of his Body lawfully begotten for which each one is obliged to pay in the Exchecquer so much oney as will for three Years at Eight Pence per Diem pay 30 Foot Soldiers to serve in the Province of Vlster in Ireland which Sum amounts to 1095 l. which with Fees doth commonly arise tp 1200 l. Baronets have Precedence before all Knights except Knights of the Garter Knights who are Privy-Counsellors and Knights Banorets made under the King's Banner or Standard displayed in an Army Royal in open War and the King personally present or the Prince of Wales Baronets have the Priviledge to bear a Canton of their Coat of Arms or in a whole Scutcheon the Arms of Vlster viz. In a Field Argent a Hand Gules Also in the King's Armies to have place in the Gross near the King's Standard with some other particular for their Funerals The whole Number of Baronets are not to exceed 200 at one and the same time after which Number compleated as any one for want of Heirs come to be extinct the Number shall not be made up by new Creations but be suffered to diminish as appears by their Patent No Honour is ever to be created between Baronets and Barons The word Knight is derived from the German word Knecht signifying Originally a lusty Servitor The Germans by publick Authority bestowed on their young Men able to manage Arms a Shield and a Javelin as fit for Martial Service and to be a Member of the Commonwealth accounted befoe but a part of a Family and such a young Man publickly allow'd they call'd Knetcht from whence we had our Institution of Knighthood The thing Knight is at this Day signified in Latin French Spanish Italian and also in High and Low-Dutch Tongues by a word that properly signifies an Horseman because they were wont to serve in War on Horseback and were sometimes in England called Radenhyts id est Riding Soldiers the Latine Milites according to the common Law 1. Knights of the Garter so call'd because the Garter is an Emblem of Concord or Combination to prevent all Sinister Interpretation whereof the King commanded that Motto or Impress to be wrought on the Garter Honi Scit qui Maly Pence This Honourable Company was anciently a College or Corporation of 25 Companions called Knights of the Garter 14 secular
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
against Heresies saith That some in his time had the spirit of Prophecy to foreknow things to come they saw Divine Dreams and Visions Ibid. 3. Cyprian in his 4th Epistle sets down this Vision with a Respect to the Persecution then raised by Aemilianus President of Egypt Paternus c. There was saith he an aged Father sitting at whose Right Hand was a young Man very Pensive and Sorrowful with his Hand on his Breast on the other Hand another Person with a Net in his Hand as threatning to catch those Men that were about him Whilst Cyprian was wondring hereat he seem'd to hear a Voice saying unto him The young man is sorrowful because his Precepts are not observed he on the Left Hand danceth and is merry for that hereby occasion is given him from the Antient Father to afflict Men. This was long before the Persecution happened Ibid. Cyprian faith he was by another Vision admonished to use a Spare Diet and he sparing in his Drink Ibid. 4. Valens the Emperor fully purposing to drive Basil out of Cesarea was warn'd by his Wife to desist for that she had been troubled with dreadful Dreams about him and their only Son Gallates was desperately ill at that time in the Judgment of the Physitians and this she imputed to the ill Design of the Emperor against Basil Valens hereupon sent for Basil saying thus to him If thy Faith be true pray that my Son die not of this Disease To whom Basil answer'd If you will believe as I do and bring the Church into Vnity and Concord your Child shall doubtless live The Emperor not agreeing to this Basil departed and the Child presently died Ibid. 5. Antonius Physitian to Augustus was admonished in a Dream by a Daemon that appeared to him in the form of the Goddess Pallas that altho' Augustus was sick yet he should not fail to be present in the Battle which was next day to he given by Brutus and Cassius and that he should there abide in his Tent which he would have done but by the Physicians deep Perswasions to the contrary For it came to pass that the Enemy's Soldiers won the Tents where questionless they had slain Augustus if he had been present there So upon this Dream he prevented his Death won the Day and remain'd sole Monarch of the Roman Empire and under his Reign was born the Saviour of the World Mexico's Treasury of Antient and Modern Times Book 5. C. 25. 6. Quintus Curtius declares in the Life of Alexander That when he laid Siege to the City of Tyre he being intreated for Succour of the Carthaginians who said they were descended of the Tyrians concluded to raise his Siege as despairing of ever surprizing it But in a Dream a Satyr appear'd to him after whom he follow'd as he fled before him into a Chamber his Interpreters told him that it was a sure Sign he should take the City if he pursued and continued the Siege which fell out to be true Idem ex Qu. Curtio 7. Katherine de Medicis Queen of France and Wife to King Henry the II. dream'd the day before the said King was wounded to Death That she saw him very sickly holding down his Head as he walked along the Streets of Paris being followed by an infinite number of his People that lamented for him Hereupon she most earnestly intreated him with wringing Hands and bended Knees not to adventure in the Rank of Tilters on that Day But he giving no Credit to her words the last Day of Feasting for the Marriage of Madam Margaret his Sister to Emanuel Philibert Duke of Savoy entred the Lists of Honour and running to break the Lance against a bold and worthy Knight the Count of Montgomery happened to be wounded of which wound the King died soon after Aged about 40. leaving his Kingdom sadly mourning for him Ibid. l. 5. c. 25. 8. His Son King Henry the third three days before he was murdered at St. Clou beheld in a Dream all his Royal Ornaments viz. his Linnen Vesture Sandals Dalmatian Robe Mantle of Azure Sattin Crowns Scepter and Hand of Justice Sword and gilt Spurs all bloody and soil'd with the Feet of Religious Men and others and that he was very angry with the Sexton of St. Dennis And though good Advice was given him to stand upon his Guard yet so it fell out that he could not avoid the fatal Chance Ibid. 9. Calphurnia Wife to the Adopted Father of Caesar having dreamed That she beheld Caesar slain and massacred gave him notice thereof but he in despite of the Dream went jocundly to the Senate next day where he found the sad Effect and Consequence of this Dream Ibid. Mr. Chetwind in his Hist Collections gives us the Account more at large thus viz. Caesar in the fifty sixth year of his Age was slain in the Senate Seventy of the chief Senators conspiring his Death he having the Night before when a Question was asked What Death was best answered The suddain and not propensed His Wife dreamt that Night That he lay dead in her lap and Spurina warned him to have heed to the Ides of March and a Note was given to him going to the Senate discovering the Conspiracy which he began to read but was interrupted and died with it in his hands 10. Bradwarain in his Preface to his Learned Book de Causa Dei tells us of a Dream he had in the Night when he was about his Book in Confutation of Pelagius he thought he was caught up into the Air and Pelagius came and took hold of him to cast him down head-long upon the Earth but he prevailed against him after much strugling and cast down Pelagius so that he brake his Neck and he lay dead upon the Earth Whereby he faith he was much comforted and strengthened Mr. Barkers Flores 11. Thomas Wotton Esq of Bocton Malherb in Kent Father to the Famous Sir H. Wotton a little before his death dreamed That the Vniversity-Treasury was Robbed by Townsmen and poor Scholars in number Five and wrote this Dream the next day by way of Postscript in a Letter to his Son Henry then of Queens Colledge The Letter dated 3 days before out of Kent came to his Son's hands the very Morning after the Robbery was committed The Letter being Communicated by Mr. Wotton gave such Light to this Work of Darkness that the Five guilty Persons were presently discovered and apprehended Dr. Plat's Nat. Hist of Oxfordsh c. 8. p. 47. 12. Astyages last King of the Medes saw in his Dream a Vine springing forth from the Womb of his only Daughter and at last so Flourish and Spread out it self that it seemed to overspread all Asia The Sooth-sayers being Consulted about it answered him That of his Daughter should be born a Son that should seize on the Empire of Asia and divest him of his Tertified with this Prediction he bestowed his Daughter on Cambyses an obscure Person and a Foreigner When his
Heaven O might my Days be lengthned so that I Might sing of thy great deeds before I die See how all things do their Joy and Gladness shew For that Age which is ready to ensue The Thracian Orpheus should not me o'recome Nor Linus though his Parents heard the Son If Pan Arcadia Judging strive with me Pan should Arcadia Judging Conquered be CHAP. XIII Of Prophets WE have frequent mention made of Prophets and Prophecying in the New as well as the Old Testament by which Divines do generally understand Preachers and Preaching and I believe they are partly in the right But I Query if or no the common Notion be deep and extensive enough For with an humble Deference to my Superiors and Betters I am of Opinion that Preachers cannot otherwise with any Propriety of Speech be call'd Prophets than as they are Authorized and Enabled by God Almighty to foretel their respective Flocks and particular Members of the Church they are concerned with what is like to be their future Doom in this partly but especially in the other World And this from their deep Contemplations of God's revealed Decrees their Study of Sacred Scriptures and the Refinedness and Soundness of their Judgments and withal if Men of a Sincere Piety and Devotion from the especial Communications of the Spirit of Grace And if there be any Probability in this 't is no wonder if we find Prophecying not quite ceased amongst us 1. Valentine the Emperor being slain in France and Eugenius nominated Emperor in his room Theodosius the Elder being very sorry and considering how dangerous a War lay before him yet thinking it a great Dishonour to suffer such an Action to go unpunished he muster'd up his Army and with all possible Speed marched against the Conspirators but as a good and holy Christian he first betook himself to Fasting and Prayer seeking unto God the Giver of Victory for Success in his Enterprize requesting the Prayers of other Holy Men also whereof one oâ— them sent him Word that he should have the Victory but should die in Italy and never return again to Constantinople He obtained the Victory fixed himself afterwards at Millain where he lived for some Years and there died Clark in his Life 2. Anno Christi 1279. there lived in Scotland one Thomas Lermouth a Man very greatly admired for his foretelling of Things to come He may justly be wondred at for foretelling so many Ages before the Union of the Kingdom of England and Scotland in the Ninth Degree of Bruce's Blood with the Succession of Bruce himself to the Crown being yet a Child and many other things which the Event hath made good The day before the Death of King Alexander he told the Earl of March that before the next Day at Noon such a Tempest should blow as Scotland had not felt many Years before The next morning proving a clear day the Earl challenged Thomas as an Imposter he replied That Noon was not yet past about which time a Post came to inform the Earl of the King 's sudden Death and then said Thomas This is the Tempest I foretold and so it shall prove to Scotland as indeed it did Spotwood's Hist of Ch. of Scotland l. 2. p. 47. Clark's Mir. c. 101. p. 467. 3. Duncan King of Scots had two principal Men whom he employ'd in all Matters of Importance Mackbeth and Banquho these two travelling together thro' a Forest were met by three Witches Weirds as the Scots call them whereof the first making Obeysance unto Mackbeth saluted him Thane that is Earl of Glammis the second Thane of Cander and the third King of Scotland This is unequal Dealing said Banquho to give my Friend all the Honour and none unto me to which one of the Weirds made answer That he indeed should not be King but out of his Loyns should come a Race of Kings that should for ever rule the Scots And having thus said they all vanished Upon their Arrival to the Court Mackbeth was immediately created Thane of Glammis and not long after some new Service requiring new Recompence he was honour'd with the Title of Thane of Cander Seeing then how happily the Prediction of the three Weirds fell out in the two formea he resolved not to be wanting to himself in fulfilling the third He therefore first killed the King and after by reason of his Command amongst the Soldiers he succeeded in his Throne Being scarce warm in his Seat he called to Mind the Prediction given to his Companion Banquho whom hereupon suspecting as his Supplanter he caused to be killed together with his whole Posterity only Fleance one of his Sons escaping with no small difficulty into Wales freed as he thought of all Feat of Banquho and his Issue he built Dunsinan Castle and made it his ordinary Seat afterwards on some new Fears consulting with his Wizzards concerning his future Estate he was told by one of them that he should never be overcome till Bernane-Wood being some Miles distant came to Dunsinan-Castle and by another that he should never be slain by any Man which was born of a Woman Secure then as he thought from all future Dangers he omitted no kind of Libidinous Cruelty for the space of eighteen Years for so long he tyranniz'd over Scotland But having then made up the Measure of his Iniquities Mackduffe the Governour of Fife with some other good Patriots privily met one Evening at Bernane-Wood and taking every one a Bough in his Hand the better to keep them from Discovery marched early in the Morning towards Dunsinan-Castle which they took by Storm Mackbeth escaping was pursued by Mackduffe who having overtaken him urged him to the Combat to whom the Tyrant half in Scorn returned That in vain he attempted to kill him it being his Destiny never to be slain by any that was born of a Woman Now then said Mackduffe is the fatal end drawn fast upon thee for I was never born of a Woman but violently cut out of my Mother's Belly which so daunted the Tyrant tho' otherwise a Valiant Man that he was easily slain In the mean time Fleance so prosper'd in Wales that he gain'd the Affection of the Prince's Daughter of the Country and by her had a Son call'd Walter who flying Wales return'd into Scotland where his Descent known he was restored to the Honours and Lands of his House and preferr'd to be Steward of the House of Edgar the Son of Malcoline the Third sirnamed Conmer King of Scotland the name of Stewart growing hence hereditary unto his Posterity From this Walter descended that Robert Stewart who succeeded David Bruce in the Kingdom of Scotland the Progenitor of nine Kings of the Name of Stewart which have reigned successively in the Kingdom Heylin's Cosmogr pag. 336. 4. Walter Devereux Earl of Essex having wasted his Spirits with Grief fell into a Dysentery whereof he died after he had requested of such as stood by him that they would admonish
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
and Strictness in Religion and told them that in a clear Moonshine Night the Devil in the shape of a great uggly Man stood by his Bed-side opening the Curtains and looking him in the Face and at last took up the Blanket and sometimes smiled on him then was more uggly and after a while in which he lay in great Terror the Apparition vanished and he was affrighted into the aforesaid Change of Life Attested by most credible and Religious Persons near Wolverhampton in Staffordshire who dwelling in the same-House with Mr. Baxter oft told the same to him Hist Disc of Apparitions and Witches p. 59. 30. Serj. Glanvil's Father had a fair Estate which he intended to settle on his elder Brother but he being a vicious young Man and there appear'd no Hopes of his Recovery he settled it on him that was his second Son Upon his death his eldest Son finding that what he had before looked on as the threatnings of an angry Father was now but too certain became Melancholy and that by Degrees wrought so great a Change on him that what his Father could not prevail in while he liv'd was now effected by the Severity of his last Will so that it was now too late for him to change in hopes of any Estate that was gone from him But his Brother observing the reality of the Change resolv'd within himself what to do so he call'd him with many of his Friends together to a Feast and after other Dishes had been serv'd up to the Dinner he order'd one that was cover'd to be set before his Brother and desired him to uncover it which he doing the Company was surpriz'd to find it full of Writings so he told them that he was now to do what he was sute his Father would have done if he had liv'd to see that happy Change which they now all saw in his Brother and therefore he freely restored to him the whole Estate Dr. Burnet in his Life of Sir Matthew Hale y. 8. 31. Bruno born in Collogne and Professor of Philosophy in Paris about the year of Christ 1080. being present at the singing of the Office for his Fellow-Professor now dead highly reputed for his Holy Life the dead Corps sits up in the Bier and crys out I am in God's just Judgments condemn'd These words he utter'd three several Days at which Bruno was so affrighted that a Man held so Pious was Damn'd began to think what would become of himself and many more Therefore concluding there was an Hell took himself with six of his Schollars to a hideous place for dark Woods high Hills Rocks and wild Beasts in the Province of Dauphin near Grenoble and there built a Monastery having obtain'd the Ground of Hugo Bishop of Grenoble the place call'd Carthusia whence his Monks took their Name See my Book of all Religions 32. Luther tells us of two Cardinals riding in great Pomp to the Council of Constance and by the way they heard a Man bitterly weeping and wailing When they came to him they found him intently viewing an uggly Toad and ask'd him why he wept so bitterly he told them his Heart was melted with this consideration that God had not made him such a loathsome and deformed Creature hoc est quod amarè fleo said he Whereupon one of them crys out Well said the Father Surgunt indocti rapient Coelum The Unlearned will arise and take Heaven and we with all our Learning shall be cast into Hell Luther in tertium praecept See more in this Book A Relation of the wonderful Conversion of a Kentish Gentleman Mr. Studly related to me by Mr. Knight Minister intimately acquainted with him 33. His Father was a Lawyer in Kent of about 400 l. per annum who had built a very fair Mansion-House upon the Estate He was a great Enemy to the Power of Religion and an Hater of those that were then call'd Puritans His Son in his youth seem'd to follow in the same Steps till the Lord that had separated him from the Womb call'd him home which was as followeth The young Man was at London and being drunk in some Company and going in the Night towards his Lodging fell into a Cellar and in the Fall was seiz'd with Horror and thought he fell into Hell at that time It pleased God he took little Harm by the Fall but lay there some Hours in a drunken Drowse his Body being heated with what he drank and his Soul awakned he thought he was actually in Hell After that he was come to himself and was gotten home into Kent he fell into Melancholy betook himself to read and study the Scriptures and to much Prayer Which at length his Father perceiv'd and fearing he would turn Puritan was troubled and dealt roughly with him made him dress his Horses which he humbly and willing submitted to And when at that time his Father perceived he sate up late at Night reading in his Bible he denied him Candle-light But being allowed a fire in his Chamber he told Mr. Knight he was wont to lye along and read by the fire light and said that while he was dressing his Fathers Horses in his Frock and in that time of reading by the fire he had those Comforts from the Lord and Joys that he had scarce experienced since His Father seeing this means ineffectual resolved to send him into France that by the Airiness of that Countrey his Melancholly temper might be cured He went and being at his own dispose by the Lords guiding him he placed himself in the House of a Godly Protestant Minister and between them after they were acquainted and such is the Cognation of saving grace in Divers Subjects that a little time will serve for Christians to be acquainted there grew great endearment Great progress he made in speaking the Language and his Father expecting an Account from the Gentleman with whom he sojourn'd of him of his proficiency in speaking French he sent it to him but soon after had Orders to return home And the Father directing it or he intreating it the Landlord with whom he had sojourned came into England with him and both made very welcome at his Father's House He not knowing that he was a Minister At last the Father took the French Gentleman and his Son at Prayers together and was angry paid him what was due to him and sent him away Then his Father having an interest in 〈◊〉 Person of Honour a great Lady at White-Hall whose Courts he as a Lawyer kept and his Son by his now past Education accomplisht for such an employ prevailed with that Lady to take his Son for her Gentleman to wait upon her in her Coach He thought by a Court Life to drive away his Melancholy as he call'd his Sons seriousness in Religion The Lady had many Servants some given to Swearing and Rudeness whom this Young Gentleman would take upon him to reprove with that Prudence and Gravity that Sin fell down
before him And if any of the Servants had been ill employed and they had heard him coming they would say Let us cease or be gone Mr. Studly is coming After a years time his Father waits upon the Lady to enquire of his Sons carriage She not being instructed to personate any thing Answered only as it was That she was glad she had seen his Sons Face he had wrought a mighty reformation in her Family She that had formerly been troubled with unruly Servants by his prudent carriage was now as quiet in her House as if she had lived in a private Family in the Countrey After this the Father stormed What will he make Puritans in White-Hall Told the Lady that was no place for him he would take him with him which to her trouble he did When he had him at home in Kent as his last refuge he thought of Marrying him And to that end found out a Match which he thought fit for his Ends to Stifle that work of Religion in his Son He bad him one Night put on his best Cloaths in the Morning and ordered his Servant to make ready their Horses in the Morning and himself to wait upon them When they were riding on the way he bad the Man ride before and spake to his Son to this purpose Son you have been matter of great grief to me and having used much means to reclaim you from this way you are in to no purpose I have one more remedy to apply in which if you comply with me I shall settle my Estate upon you else you shall never enjoy a groat of it I am riding to such a Gentlemans House to whose Daughter I intend to marry you The Son said little knowing that Family to be profane but went with his Father who before had made way there They were entertained Nobly he had a sight of the Young Lady a great Beauty and the Young Man much in Love with her When they had taken their leaves on the way his Father askt him what he thought of her He Answered no Man living but must be taken with such an one he feared she would not like him The Father was glad it had taken bid him take no care for that The Wooing was not long At Three Weeks End they both came to London to buy Things for the Wedding The Father had charged That in the Time of Wooing in that Gentleman's House there should be no Swearing or Debauchery lest his Son should be discouraged Wedding Cloaths were bought and the Day come the Young Couple were married At the Wedding-Dinner at her Father's House the Mask was taken off they fell to drinking Healths and Swearing among their Cups and amongst others the Bride Swore an Oath At which the Bridegroom as a man amazed took occasion to rise from Table stept forth and went to the Stable took an Horse none observing all were busie within he mounted and Rode away not knowing what to do He bewailed himself as he Rode along as undone and deservedly for that he had been so taken in Love and the business so hurried on in design He said he had at that time restrained Prayer and slackened his Communion with God when as in that Grand Affair of his Life he should have been doubly and trebly serious and so might thank himself that he was utterly undone He sometimes thought of riding quite away At last being among the Woods he led his Horse into a Solitary place tied him to a Treâ— in his distress and betook himself to his Prayers and Tears in which he spent the Afternoon The Providence of God had altered his Argument of Prayer which was now for the Conversion of his New Married Wife or he was undone This he pressed with Prayers and Tears a great part of that Afternoon and did not rise from Prayer without good hope of being heard At the Bride-House was hurry enough Horse and Man after they missed the Bridegroom sent every way No News of him He was wrestling as Jacob once at Peniel In the Evening he returned home and enquiring where his Bride was went up to her and found her in her Chamber pensive enough She askt him if he had done well to expose her to scorn and derision all the day He intreated her to sit down upon a Couch there by him and he would give her an Account of his doing what he had then done and tell her the Story of his whole Life and what the Lord through Grace had done for him He went over the Story here above-mention'd with many Beautiful Particulars no question here omitted not without great Affection and Tears the Flood-Gates of which had been opened in the Wood. And ever and anon in the discourse would say Through grace God did so and so for me When he had told her his Story over And by the way this was the Apostle Pauls method by which many were converted to tell over the Story of his Conversion she askt him what he meant by that word so often used in the Relation of his Life Through Grace so ignorantly had she been Educated And askt him if he thought there were No grace in God for her who was so wretched a stranger to God Yes my Dear saith he there is grace for thee and that I have been Praying for this day in the Wood and God hath heard my Prayer and seen my Tears and let us now go together to him about it Then did they kneel down by the Couch side and he Prayed and such Weeping and Supplication there was on both sides that when they were called down to Supper they had hardly Eyes to see with so swell'd were they with Weeping At Supper the Brides Father according to his custom Swore The Bride immediately said Father I beseech you Swear not At which the Bridegroom's Father in a great Rage rose from Table What says he is the Devil in him Hath he made his Wife a Puritan already And swore bitterly He would rather set fire with his own hands to the Four Conrers of his fair built House than ever he should enjoy it And accordingly he acted made his Will gave his Son when he should die Ten Pounds to cut off his Claim and gave the Estate to some others of whom Dr. Reeves was one And not long after Died. Dr. Reeves sent for the Gentleman paid him his Ten Pounds told him he had been a Rebellious Son and disobliged his Father and might thank himself He received the Ten Pounds and meekly departed His Wife the Match was so huddled up in a design had no Portion promised at least that the Young Man knew of who relied on his Father So that she was also deserted by her Friends And having Two Hundred Pounds in her own hand that hand that had been given her by a Grand-Mother with that they took and stock'd a Farm in Sussex where Mr. Knight hath often been and seen her who had been highly bred in her red Wastcoat
Tongue before he learned Latin and as his years encreased so he much improved in all sorts of Learning to her great Joy so that she committed to his care the Government of her whole House And afterwards when he had retired into a Monastery under Faustus she impatiently running to the Bishop cried out Restore the Son to his Mother the Master to his Servants and Houshold it becomes you to comfort such disconsolate Widows not to destroy my forlorn House Filling the Air with her Exclamations ever calling upon the Name of Fulgentius Ibid. p. 90 91. 3. Monica the Mother of S. Augustine was very sollicitous for the Conversion and Reformation of her Son admonishing him and spending many Prayers and Tears upon that score consulting with S. Ambrose about him who told her it was impossible a Child of so many Prayers and Tears should miscarry And afterwards when he was converted rejoycing at it she desired to be dissolved as being satisfied mightily in her Mind as to that which she desired most in this World the Conversion of her Son and according within a few days she fell sick and died August Confess 4. Ant. Wallaeus and his Wife were both careful in the Education of their Children and their first care was to train them up in Piety and good Manners for which end their Father read to them daily some Chapters and made some Application thereof unto them His next care was to bring them up in Learning neither would he wholly trust their Masters therein but many times examined them himself to see their Proficiency nor did he train them up to Science only but also to Prudence for which cause when they were come to Years of Discretion he used to impart to them the Affairs of Church and State asking their Judgments therein He sought not to advance his Children to high places knowing the danger thereof but rather desired a middle and competent Estate for them wherein they might live honestly and comfortably and according to his desire he lived to see his eldest Son John a Doctor of Physick and Professor thereof and employed by the States into France to fetch that Miracle of Learning Salmasius to Leyden his Daughter Margaret married to John of Breda Doctor of Both Laws his Daughter Katherine married to Anthony Clement a Learned and Pious Divine his Son Anthony a Lawyer his Son Baldwin a Student in Divinity only his youngest Daughter Susan remained at home to be a Comfort to her aged Mother Clark's Eccl. Hist p. 489. 5. It was a Saying of Ignatius that Parents ought to afford these three Things to their Children Correction Admonition and Instruction both in Humane Arts and God's Word all which preserve them from Idleness and Folly give them Wisdom and learn them Subjection and Obedience to their Superious Clark 's Examples p. 495. 6. In the Reign of Queen Mary there was one William Hunter a young Man of Brentwood in Essex who being condemned by Bishop Bonner to the Fire for his Religion and was sent down to Brentwood to be burnt there His Father and Mother came to him desiring heartily of God that he might continue constant to the end in that good way which he had begun His Mother added That she thought her self happy that she had born such a Child who could fine in his Heart to lose his Life for Christ's sake William answered For the little Pain that I shall have which is but for a moment Christ hath promised me a Crown of everlasting Joy His Mother kneeling down said I pray God to strengthen thee my Son to the end I think thee as well bestowed as any Child that ever I bore Ibid. 7. If I can but once find the Fear of God in those about me said Reverend Claviger Satis habeo satisque mihi Vxori filiis filiabus prospexi I shall have enough for my Self Wife and Children they will be all cared for Sel. CHAP. LVI Good Servants Remarkable THE Faithfulness of Abraham 's Servant is recorded to his everlasting Praise and so is Joseph 's Fidelity to his Master and the Apostles have laid down their Offices so expresly that now under the Evangelical Oeconomy a sincere discharging the Duties of that Relation is accounted an honourable Badge to the Person Good nature hath prevailed far with some but Grace with more only this is to be said by way of Apology for them of this lower Orb that they who take upon them to write Histories for the Benefit of future Ages are too apt to overlook this lower Class of People and pass them over in a careless Silence But God will not be forgetful 1. Publius Catienus Philosimus was left by his Master the Heir of his Estate yet did he resolve to die with him and therefore cast himself alive into that Funeral Fire which was prepared to burn the dead Body of his Master Sabellic l. 3. c. 8. p. 161. 2. M. Antonius an excellent Orator being accused of Incest his Servant the Witness deposing that he carried the Lanthorn before his Master when he went to commit this Villany was apprehended and to extort a Confession from him he was torn with Scourges set upon the Rack burnt with hot Irons all which notwithstanding he would not let fall a word whereby he might injure the Fame or Life of his Master although he knew him guilty Val. Max. l. 6. c. 8. p. 169. Lips Monit l. 2. c. 13. p. 331. 3. The Servant of Vrbinius Panopion knowing that the Soldiers commissioned to kill his Master were come to his House in Reatina changed Cloaths with him and having put his Ring upon his Finger he sent him out of a Postern-door but went himself to the Chamber and threw himself upon the Bed where he was slain in his Master's stead Panopion by that means escaped and afterward when the Times would permit it erected a noble Monument with a due Inscription in memory of the true Fidelity of so good a Servant Val. Max. L. 6. C. 8. p. 180. Lips Monit L. 2. C. 131 332. Dinoth L. 4. p. 300. 4. Antistius Restio was Proscribed by the Triumvirate and while all his domestick Servants were busied about the Plunder and Pillage of his House he conveyed himself away in the midst of the Night with what privacy he could his Departure was observed by a Servant of his whom not long before he had cast into Bonds and branded his Face with infamous Characters this Man traced his Wandring Footsteps with such Diligence that he overtook him and bare him Company in his Flight and at such time as the other were Scrambling for his Goods all his Care was to save his Life by whom he had been so severely used and though it might seem enough that he should forget what had passed he used all his Art to preserve his Patron for having heard that Pursuers were at hand he conveyed away his Master and having erected a Funeral Pile and set Fire to it he slew
the Reign of King James Dr. George Abbot Arch-bishop of Canterbury being a Hunting in a Park and shooting at a Deer his Arrow by mischance glanced and killed a Man upon which Fact it was much debated whether by it he were not become irregular and ought to be deprived of his Archiepiscopal Function as thought against his Will having his Hands embrued in Blood but Dr. Andrews Bishop of Winchester standing much in his Defence as likewise Sir Henry Martin the King's Advocate gave such Reasons for the mitigation of the Fact that he was cleared from all Imputation of Crime and thereupon judged Regular and in State to continue in his Archiepiscopal Charge Yet himself out of a Religious Tenderness of Mind kept that Day of the Year in which the mischance happened as a solemn Fast all his Life after Sir Rich. Bak. Chron. p. 446. 7. The Constables coming to serve a Warrant upon Mr. Thomas Tregoss for Preaching publickly one of them mere violent and furious than his Fellows whilst he reasoned with Mr. Tregoss holding the Mittimus in his Hand sunk down in the place seeming at the present to be dead but by the diligent Endeavours of those about him he was brought to himself again whereupon he departed without executing the Warrant And that which made this the more remarkable was for that this Constable was a lusty strong Man and never fainted in all his Life before And though they came again some Days after to execute the same Warrant yet had they not power to carry him to Prison for which as it was reported the other Constable was fined at the next Session See his Life 8. One Mr. Burgess late Minister of Graffam in Sussex being put to some trouble at his first coming to that place through the unkindess not to say dishonesty of some Neighbours made a Journey London for the better securing himself in the possession and returning home came late to the outward Skirts of the Parish where being apprehensive of Danger partly by reason of the great Darkness of the Night and partly by reason of the Waters and Ditches which are thereabouts somewhat formidable to a Stranger he did by some secret Ejaculations earnestly beg of God so to direct and preserve him in the way that he might not miscarry before he got to his own then a new Home and presently a Light shone about him to his great surprizal and comfort and did accompany him closely as the Pillar of Fire did the Israelites either going before him or surrounding him for I dare not be positive through the defect of my Memory 'till he got safe to his own House This hath been attested to me by his own Son an honest sober Man now living at Graffam and one Mr. Cockrill a near Neighbour who saith He heard Mr. Graffam the elder often speak of it with wonder 9. A pious Gentlewoman yet living when a Child fell into a Pond where she was like to perish a Man who was left alone in the House reading of a Book was suddenly so troubled though he knew not for what that he could read no longer upon which he walked out saw a Straw-hat swim upon the Pond and by and by the Child rise to the top of the Water he catches hold of the Child drew her out and so saved her Life Clark's Exam. Vol. 1. C. 83. 10. Mr. Sam. Fairclough one Evening after a Day spent with his Wife in Fasting and Prayer on her behalf being then great with Child and she walking abroad to meditate on the Promises of God fell over Head and Ears into a Pond heard a great Shriek goes out hastily to the Pond finds his Wife after twice sinking and laying sudden hold upon her before the third time saved her Life and Health and Little One with which she was pregnant without any hurt See his Life CHAP. LXXXI Persons strangely fitted for Great Employments 'T IS weak Evidence and Proof of the Divine Conduct and Government of the World to observe the strange Methods sometimes used in the Accomplishment of Men for Weighty and Sacred Offices to see the Turns of Providence the suprizing Catastrophes the removal of Difficulties the opening of Doors unexpectedly to make way for some Persons to Studies and Employments in Church and State 1. How strangely are things wheeled about by Providence Not what we or our Parents but what God designed shall take place Amos was very meanly employed at first but God designed him for a more honourable and comfortable Calling Amos 7.14 15. David followed the Ewes and likely never raised his Thoughts to higher Things in the Days of his youth but God made him the Royal Shepherd of a better Flock Psal 78.70 71. Peter and Andrew were imployed as Fisher-men but Christ calls them from that to an higher Calling Mat. 4.18 19. To be Fishers of Men. Pareus when he was Fourteen Years old was by the instigation of his Step-mother placed with an Apothecary but Providence so wrought that he was taken off from that and fitted for the Ministry wherein he became a fruitful and eminent Instrument to the Church James Andreas was by reason of his Fathers inability to keep him at School designed for a Carpenter but was afterwards by the perswasion of Friends and assistance of the Church-stock sent to Stutgard and thence to the University and so arrived to a very eminent Station of Service to the Church A Master-builder Oecolampadius was by his Father designed for a Merchant but his Mother by earnest Entreaties prevailed to keep him at School and this Man was a blessed Instrument in the Reformation of Religion Flavel's Divine Conduct p. 80. 2. Mr. Ben. Johnson was first bred in a private School near St. Martin's-Church then in Westminster-School under the Learned Mr. Cambden afterwards admitted into St. John's-College in Cambridge where his Continuance was but short for his Maintenance failing he was fain to return to the Trade of his Father-in-Law who was a Bricklayer He was one who helped in the Building of the New Structure of Lincoln's-Inn where having a Trowel in his Hand he had a Book in his Pocket that as his Work went forward so his Study went not backward Some Gentlemen pitying that such rare Endowments should be buried under the Rubbish of so mean a Calling did by their Bounty Manumise him freely to follow his own ingenuous Inclinations England's Worthies by W. Winstanley p. 342. 3. Dr. Donne first of Hare-Hall in Oxford then removed to Cambridge thence to Lincoln's-Inn at last he went to Travel with the Earl of Essex to Cales and thence to Italy and Spain Returning home he was chief Secretary to the Lord-Keeper Elsemore and marrying with the Lady Elsemore's Niece Daughter to Sir George Moor for which he was discharg'd of the Secretary's place which he held and cast into Prison by his incensed Father-in-Law But being set at liberty again by occasion of a Discourse upon the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy he
Anno 375. in the Fifty fifth Year of his Age and the Twelfth of his Empire Zuring Vol. 2. l. 7. p. 495. Pezel Mellific Hist Tom. 2. p. 277. 8. Alexander transported with Anger slew his dear Friend Clitus his Foster-Brother with his own Hands thopugh when the Heat was over he was difficultly restrained from killing himself for that fault whch his sudden Fury had incited him to commit Wieri opera p. 823. Justin Hist l. 12. p. 139. CHAP. CXII Divine Judgments upon Murder AMongst the Jews God had wisely ordered it That whosoever shed man's Blood in a private and malicious way by man should his Blood be shed and there was no other means allowed for the expiating the guilt of Murder and purging the Land that was defiled therewith but by the Blood of him that committed the Fact And therefore God Almighty where Man's Eye is too short-sighted to discover the sin or his Hand too weak or partial to punish it doth oftentimes take the Rod into his own Hand and avenge in a very Remarkable way this gross Sin As may be seen in the following Instances 1. Ambrose hath a very strange Story of a Man that was slain in the Night at Antioch by a Soldier in hope of Spoil This Man's Dog would not go away from his Master 's dead Corps but lay howling by it till day-light In the Morning many came to see that sad sight and among the rest the Murtherer came also that he might be the less suspected The Dog no sooner saw this Soldier but he ran fiercely at him and would never give over barking and baiting at him till he saw him apprehended and carryed to Prison where he confessed the Fact and for the same was deservedly executed 2. In September Anno Christi 1618 there lived a Man at Perin in Cornwall who had been blessed with an ample Possession and fruitful Issue unhappy only in a younger Son who taking Liberty from his Father's Bounty joyned with a Crew like himself who weary of the Land went Roving to Sea and in a smal Vessel Southward made Prize of all whom they could Master and so increased in Wealth Number and Strength that in the Streights they adventured upon a Turks Man of War where they got great Booty but their Powder by mischance taking fire our Gallant trusting to his skilful Swimming got to Shoar upon the Isle of Rhodes with the best of his Jewels about him Where after a while offering some of them to Sale to a Jew he knew them to be the Governour 's of the Gallies and therefore imprisoned him amongst other Christians whose miserable Slavery made them use their wits to recover their former Liberty and accordingly watching their Opportunity they slew some of their Officers and valiantly released themselves after which this Young Man got aboard an English Ship and came safe to London where his former Misery and some Skill that he had gotten that way preferred him to be Servant to a Surgeon who after a while sent him to the East-Indies There by his Diligence and Industry he got Money with which he returned home and longing to see his Native Country Cornwall in a small Ship from London he sailed Westward but e're he attained his Port he was Cast away upon that Coast where once more his excellent Skill in Swimming brought him safe to Shoar But then having been Fifteen Years absent he understood that his Father was much decayed in his Estate and had retired himself to live privately in a place not far off being indeed in Debt and Danger His Sister he finds married to a Mercer a meaner Match than her Birth promised To her he at first appears as a poor Stranger but after a while privately reveals himself to heer shewing her what Jewels and Gold he had concealed in a Bow-case about him and concluded that the next day he should appear to his Parents yet to keep Disguised till she and heer Husband should come thither to make their Common Joy compleat Being come to his Parents his Humble Behaviour suitable to his poor Suit of Cloaths melted the Old Couple into so much Compassion as to give him shelter from the Cold Season under their outward Roof and by degrees his stories of his Travels and Sufferings told with much Passion to the aged People made him their Guest so long by the Kitchen-fire that the Husband bad them Good Night and went to Bed And soon after his true Stories working Compassion in the weaker Vessel she wept and so did he But withal he taking pity of her Tears comforted her with a Piece of Gold which gave her assurance that he deserved a better Lodging which she afforded him and to which she brought him and being in Bed he shewed her his Wealth which was girded about him which he told her was sufficient to relieve her Husband's Wants and to spare for himself and so being weary he fell asleep The old Woman being tempted with the golden Bait that she had received and greedly thirsting after the Enjoyment of the rest she went to her Husband and awaking him presented him with this News and her Contrivance what farther to do And though with horrid Apprehensions he oft refused yet her pewling Eloquence Eve's Enchantments moved him at last to consent and to rise to be Master of all that Wealth by murdering the Owner thereof Which accordingly they did and withal covered the Corps with Cloaths till Opportunity served for their carrying of it away Early the next Morning hastens the Sister to her Father's House where with Signs of great Joy she enquires for a Sailor that should lodge there the last Night The old Folk at first denied that they had seen any such till she told them that he was her Brother and lost Brother which she knew assuredly by a Scar upon his Arm cut with a Sword in his Youth and that they were resolved to meet there the next Morning and be merry The Father hearing this hastily runs up into the Room and finding the mark as his Daughter had told him with horrid regret of this monstrous Murther of his own Son with the same Knife wherewith he killed him he cut his own Throat The Mother presently after going up to consult with her Husband what to do in a strange manner beholding them both weltring in Blood wild and agast finding the Instrument at hand readily rips up her own Belly till the Guts tumbled out The Daughter wondring at their delay in returning seeks about for them whom she found out too soon and with the sad sight of this Bloody Scene being overcome with sudden horror and Amazement for this Deluge of Destruction she sunk down and died the fatal end of that Family The Truth of these things was presently known and quickly flew to King James his Court clad with these Circumstances But the Imprinted Relation conceals their Names in favour of some Neighbour of Repute and kin to the Family Sanderson's Hist
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
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
the Horse threw him and broke his Neck and some of his Issue came to untimely ends And it is observed that a Curse hath remained upon the Estate ever since Mr. Thomas Tregoss Minister was so sensible of it that it cost him many fervent Prayers to God for the removal of that dreadful Curse as himself assured a Bosom Friend See his Life 5. Solyman the Turkish Emperor contrary to his Promise commanded the Traitors of Buda to be put to Death 6. The same Solyman promised his Daughter for a Reward to him that would betray the Island Rhodes but when this Christian Traytor challenged his Promise with a large Portion for Matrimony the Emperor brought his Daughter in very costly attired with a Vides me stetisse promissis You see I have stood to my Promise but withal commanded him to be flea'd and put on a Bed of Salt or his Daughter would not be a fit Match except for a Musselman whose Skin was circumeised and clean from Baptism Camerarius CHAP. CXVIII Divine Judgments upon Unfaithful Husbands GOD that hath Ordained the Nuptial Knot for a Band of Vnion intended it not only to tye the Handâ— but the Hearts of the married couple together also and therefore cannot be supposed to wink at the Fault of Vnkindness and Vnfaithfulness in either Party But especially he expects that the Man should excel in Prudence and Patience and give a good Example as well as Arguments and Instructions to his Wife 1. Anno Christi 1652. There was living in the Isle of Thanet in Kent one Adam Sprackling Esquire in the Parish of St. Lawrence who about Twenty Years before had married Katharine the Daughter of Sir Robert Leukner of Kent This Sprackling had a fair Estate but was exceeding Proud and Profane he frequented Taverns and Ale-houses where he used to Rant and Roar and Game and Swear exceedingly and upon small Occasions to Quaarel and draw his Weapon c. He regarded not the Sabbath nor the publick Worship of God By which dissolute Courses and God's Judgment upon him he exhausted his Estate and brought others into Bond for him whom he left to Imprisonment and Ruine and had at last Executions out against him and Bailiffs waiting to Arrest him Whereupon he was forced to keep home and make his House his Prison so that he could not domineer abroad as formerly This filled him full of Rage and made him extream Hasty and Cholerick so that his Wife was constrained to lock up her self from him being a Woman of many excellent Parts and Vertues But upon Saturday Night December the 11th 1652. this Sprackling as it seems resolved to do her a Mischief and being in his Kitchen had one Lamming a Neighbour of his with him and sent for one Knowles a Seaman to hinm but it being Ten a Clock at Night he desired to be excused being in Bed Then did he send for one Martin a poor old Man and his Tenant who tho' in Bed durst not but arise and come to him and when he came Lamming went his ways so that there remained only this Sprackling and his Wife and Martin and one Ewel his Man Then did Sprackling command Martin to bind Ewel's Legs which the one did and the other suffered thinking that it had been only a ranting Humour of their Master Then began he to rage against his Wife who sate quietly by though she gave him none but loving and sweet Speeches yet did he draw his Dagger and struck her over the Face with it hurting her Jaw which she bore patiently saying little to him but he still continued to rage against her and when at last the Gentlewoman being weary and in great fear rose up and went to the Door her Husband followed he rwith a Chopping-knife in his Hand with which he struck at her Wrist and cut the Bone in sunder so that her Hand hung down only by the Sinews and Skin No help was near Ewel was bound and Martin being old and weak and fearing his own Life durst not interpose only he prayed his Mistress to stay and be quiet hoping all would be well and so getting a Napkin bound up her Hand with it After this towards Morning Sprackling still raging and railing at his Wife dashed her on the Forehead with the Iron Cleever whereupon she fell down bleeding but recovering her self on her Knees she cried and prayed unto God for the Pardon of her own Sins and her Husbands But as sh was thus praying her bloody Husband chopp'd her Head in the midst into the very Brains so that she fell down and died immediately Then did he kill six Dogs four of which he threw by his Wife and then chopped her twice into the Leg compelling Martin to wash Ewal's Face with her Blood himself also dipping Linnen in her Blood washed Martin's Face and he bloodied his own Face with it also For all which being apprehended and carried to Sandwich Gaol at the Sessions following which was April the 22d 1653. he was arraigned condemned and hanged on the 27th Day dying very desperately and not suffering any to come near him neither godly Ministers nor Gentlemen who desired to speak with him after his Condemnation This is moe largely published in Print by one that lived near the Place and was present at this Sprackling's Tryal 2. King Henry the VIII puts away Queen Katharine by Divorce after Twenty Years enjoyment of her and being desirous of Sons marries the Lady Ann Bullen and after she had brought him a Daughter the Lady Elizabeth and a Son born dead beheads her His next Wife dies in Child-bed some say she was ripp'd open by the King's Order He is divorced from his next Queen Ann of Cleve His next the Lady Katharine Howard is beheaded for Treason His last Wife was the Lady Katharine Parr His Three last are Childless and the Children of the Two first declared Illegitimate And tho' afterwards all his Three Children swayed the Scepter successively yet they all died Childless And as for himself his Name and Memory hath a Stench with it to this Day It were easie to add more Examples on this Subject CHAP. CXIX Divine Judgments upon Unfaithful Wives GOD hath not imposed upon Wives the Duty of Subjection and Obedience in vain but takes notice whether they observe it or not and accordingly executes his Judgments upon them that make no Conscience thereof And indeed the Sin it self leads naturally to its own Punishment in part by provoking the Husband to Displeasure teaching the Children to Disobey and precuring Shame and Contempt in the World as well as the Wrath of God and the Disfavour of his Providence 1. Cicero put away his Wife Terentia because she had made but small account of him in the Time of the Wars which were betwixt Caesar and Pompey So that when he went from Rome to Pompey she provided no fit Accommodations for his Journey and when he came back again into Italy she never shewed any spark of
Love or Good-will towards him Though he stayed long at Brundusium she never went to see him and when his Daughter took that long Journey from Rome to Brundusium to visit him she neither provided Company to conduct her nor gave her Money or other Necessaries for the way yea she so handled the matter that when Cicero came to Rome he found nothing in his House but bare Walls and yet was greatly in Debt by her Plut. in Vita ejus 2. Alboynus King of the Lombards having overcome in War Cunemundus King of the Jepidi and having slain him made a Drinking-Cup of his Skull yet took his Daughter Rosamund to Wife Now it fell out that Alboynus being one day drunk forced his Wife to drink out of her Father's Skull which she so much stomached that she promised one Helmichilâ—â— her self to Wife and Lombardy for a Dowry if he would kill her Husband the King which he assented to and performed But they were afterwards so hated for it that they were forced to fly to the Court of the Exarch of Ravenna who seeing Rosamund's Beauty and the Mass of Money and Jewels which they brought with them perswaded her to kill Helmichilde and to take him for her Husband which accordingly she promised to do And when her Husband Helmichilde coming out of the Bath called for Beer she gave him a strong Poyson but when he had drunk half of it suspecting the Matter he forced her to drink off the rest and so both died together Heil Geog. p. 150. 3. Joan Queen of Naples was insatiable for her Lust which cause her to hang her first Husband which was Andrew Second Son to the King of Hungry at her Window for Insufficiency Her second Husband was Lewis of Tarentum who did with over-straining himself to satisfie her Appetite Her third Husband James of Tarracon a gallant Gentleman she beheaded for lying with another Woman Her fourth Husband was Otho Duke of Brunswick in whose time the King of Hungary drave her out of her Kingdom and having taken her hung her out of the same Window where she had hang'd her first Husband Ibid p. 162. 4. An ancient Gentleman of good Account marrying a beautiful young Gentlewoman but having no Issue he took into his House a young Gentleman a Neighbour's Son and compleatly qualified purposing to make him a Sharer in his Estate This Gentleman grows familiar with his Wife which gave so much occasion of Suspicion and caus'd such a Rumour in the Country that his Father requires him to return home again He doth so but at parting promiseth Marriage to the Gentlewoman in case of her old Husband's Decease and she to him both with Oaths The old Gentleman's Maid meeting with this young Gallant over a Glass of Wine tells him in private how much his Company was missed at her Master's House and his Return desired But withal tho' she knew the Familiarities between him and her Mistress yet it was all feigned for another enjoyed both her Heart and Body naming the Person The Gentleman is startled but Incredulous After some time the old Gentleman sends for him again He goes in the Night but very privily having before by Letter desired that the Garden Door might be left open for him and tells the old Gentleman the Reason of his Absence But before he went back he goes softly to the Gentlewoman's Bed-Chamber Door who often lay by her self and hears the Whispers of two distinct Voices Upon which in a sudden Passion he resolves to break in upon them and run them through with a Sword but relenting with Tenderness he departs softly to his own home grows Melancholy and Distemper'd but recovering he resolved to Travel The old Man sends for him to take an unwilling Farewel At the Importunity of his Father he goes After Dinner the Wife singles him for a Farewel weeping in his Bosom and beseeching him to have a care of his Safety but especially of his Vow and Promise Instead of Reply he gave her a Letter which he desired her to peruse in his Absence She opens the Letter and reads there all the Story of her Lust laid open particularly and pathetically This struck her to the Heart she fell presently into Frensie and Despairing soon after died Which News came to the Gentleman before he reach'd Gravesend The old Man afterwards inriched him with a great part of his Land which he enjoys saith my Author to this Day Wonders of the Female World p. 125. out of Heywood CHAP. CXX Divine Judgments upon Undutiful Children A Wife Son maketh a glad Father but a foolish Son is the heaviness of his Mother saith Solomon Prov. 10.1 And in another Place the disobedient Child is threatned with a Punishment to be inflicted on him by the Ravens of the Valley and the young Eagles Prov. 30.17 as it were to signifie that such a one is in a fair way to an untimely and disgraceful Death like to perish and lie unburied in the open Air for Birds of Prey to feed upon and 't is certain many such Instances there are of Children who forsake the Counsels of their Parents and never return to the Paths of Vertue but go on till their Sin brings them to some miserable End 1. Freeman Sondes Esq Son of Sir George Sondes of Lees-Court in Shelwich in Kent being commanded by his Father to comply with the Will of his elder Brother in a small Matter relating to their Cloaths and in an obstinate manner disobeying so that his Father was provoked to use some threatning Expressions as that he should for the future depend much upon his Brother Freeman hereupon in great discontent when his elder Brother was fast asleep gave him a deadly Blow on the right side of his Head with the back of a Cleaver taken out of the Kitchen the Sunday Night before he did the Fact He after the Blow said he would have given all the World to recall it and made a stop of the rest to see how deep he had wounded him and finding it to be a mortal Wound having broken the Skull his Brother stretching himself on his Bed and struggling for Life and he gathering from thence that he was in great torment discovered then even in that Storm of Temptation so much of a relenting Spirit that to put him out of his pain he did reiterate his Blows with a Dagger which he had about him When he had thus imbrued his Hands in his Brother's Blood he threw the Cleaver out of a Window into the Garden and came with great confusion and disturbance in his Face into his Father's Bed-Chamber adjoyning to his Brother's with the Dagger in his Pocket and undrawing the Curtains shook his Father by the Shoulder who being thus awaken'd out of his Sleep received from his Mouth this Heart-breaking Message Father I have killed my Brother He being asTonished at it made this Reply with much horror What sayest thou Hast thou Wretch killed thy Brother Then you had
best kill me too The Son replyed No Sir I have done enough I am sure it was too much The Father Sir George upon this said Why then you must look to be hang'd Which Doom was accordingly pass'd upon him at the next Assizes held at Maidstone Anno 1655. See the Narrative of his Life and Death by R. Boreman 2. Anno Christi 1641. There was in Juchi near Cambray an unnatural Son that in a fury threw his Mother out of Doors thrice in one Day telling her That he had rather see his House on fire and burned to Ashes than that she should remain in it one Day longer And accordingly the very same Day his House was fired and wholly burned down with all that was in it none knowing how or by what means the Fire came Enguer de Monast v. 2. 3. Manlius relateth a Story of an old Man crooked with Age and almost pined with Hunger who having a Rich and Wealthy Son went to him only for some Food for his Belly and Cloaths for his Back But this proud young Man thinking that it would be a Dishonour to him to be born of such Parents drove him away denying not only to give him sustenance but disclaiming him from being his Father giving him bitter and reproachful Speeches which made the poor old Man to go away with an heavy Heart and Tears flowing from his Eyes Which the Lord beholding struck his unnatural Son with Madness of which he could never be cured till his Death 4. The same Author relates another Story of another Man that kept his Father in his old Age but used him very churlishly as if he had been his Slave thinking every thing too good for him and on a time coming in found a good Dish set on the Table for his Father which he took away and set courser Meat in the room But a while after sending his Servant to fetch out that Dish for himself he found the Meat turned into Snakes and the Sauce into Serpents one of which leaping up caught this unnatural Son by the Lip from which it could never be pulled to his Dying-day so that he could never feed himself but he must feed the Serpent also 5. Adolf Son of Arnold Duke of Guelders repining at his Father's long Life one Night as he was going to Bed came upon him suddenly and took him Prisoner and bare-legged as he was made him go on foot in a cold Season five German Leagues and then shut him up a close Prisoner for six Months in a dark Dungeon But the Lord suffered not such Disobedience to go unpunished For shortly after the Son was apprehended and long imprisoned and after his Release was slain in a Fight against the French History of the Netherlands 6. Henry Jones of Monmouth in Wales for an unnatural Murder of his Mother a Widow Mrs. Grace Jones out of a greedy desire to enjoy her Estate was at the Assizes held at Monmouth condemn'd to be pressed to Death his Sister to be burnt as consenting with him and his Boy hanged A. C. 1671. See the Narrative 7. A Malster near Cocks-Hill in Essex having made over all his Estate to his Son was afterwards turn'd out of Doors without so much as a Bed to lie on But the Son soon after slighted by his Sweet-heart hang'd himself 1674. Sir P. Pett being on January the 24th 1695. in the Company of the Honourable Sir Edward Lutwyche who was formerly Recorder of Chester and afterward one of the Judges of the Court of Common-Pleas he related to him That while he was Recorder of Chester a Father there who had two Sons demising some Land to his elder Son by his Will and ordering in his Will That for want of Heirs to the elder Son the Land should come to the younger Son and further enjoyning it to the elder Son in the Will that he should not cut off the Entail it so happen'd that notwithstanding the Father's Injunction the elder Brother did in process of time cut off the Entail And the younger Brother fearing that the elder would so do while they both walked amicably together in a Field in Cheshire the younger Brother using several Expostulations with the elder did entreat him that he would observe the Injunction laid upon him in his deceas'd Father's Will and not cut off the Entail Whereupon the elder Brother thus replied to him Brother if ever I do it may that Bull or some other gore me to Death pointing to a Bull then grazing in the Field Yet this notwithstanding the elder Brother shortly after did cut off the Entail and afterwards walking in the same Field was there by a Bull gored to Death This Remarkable Providence as Sir Edward averrs happen'd within these Twenty Years This Account was sent me by Sir Peter Pett now living in London CHAP. CXXI Divine Judgments upon Careless Parents IT is a strange thing to me that Parents should look upon themselves as bound in Conscience to provide an Estate and temporal Livelihood for their Children and yet at Liberty in respect of their Good Manners and future Happiness as if they were obliged to do no more for them than for their Dogs and Horses Socrates might well stand and wonder to see Men take such pains to cut and carve Stones in the Likeness of Men and let their Children go rude and unpolish'd out of their Hands in the Likeness of Bruits Old Eli tho' a good Man yet because he was too soft a Parent destroyed his Sons and broke his own Neck 1. Sir George Sondes mentioned in the fore-going Chapter is strongly suspected for his too much Indulgence to his Son Freeman that committed that foul Murder as may be collected from Sir George's Answer in print upon occasion of a Charge made against him by some neighbouring Ministers See his own Words p. 15. Now saith he for the Education of my Children having buried many other and having now only two Sons remaining I confess I was more fond and indulgent and gave more way to them than otherwise I should have done And presently after speaking of them both he saith To that foolish Sports of Cocking they were addicted but the youngest most as also to Carding and he would play somewhat deep at those Games I often child him but could never break him of it He was in his Behaviour pleasing and courteous to none but cross-grain'd to all and as much to his Father as to any which I hoped that Years and Discretion might have made him leave in time Afterwards speaking concerning the Allowance which he made them he saith I ever gave them Money not only when but commonly before they asked and more than they desired Afterwards concerning his Son 's undutiful Carriage in his Letter to him in the Prison he writes thus Your Stubbornness appeared in the least trivial Things as in riding abroad to my Park and Town things you liked in themselves yet because I desired it of you you refused it saying
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
He hath done it already Brother And to one that had been helpful to him in his Sickness The God that made you and bought you with a great Price Redeem your Body and Soul unto himself Which were his last words Decemb. 23. 1652. aged 68. Ibid. p. 229. 94. Dr. Will. Gouge after three days illness complained Alas I have lost three days And to a Friend visiting him I am willing to die having I bless God nothing to do but to die And to his Sister being afraid to leave him alone Why Sister said he I shall I am sure be with Christ when I die Which he did Decemb. 12. 1653. aged 79. Ibid. p. 246. 95. Mr. Tho. Gataker gave this his last Charge to his Relations Sister Son Daughter c. My heart fails and my strength fails but God is my Fortress and the strong Rock of my Salvation into thy hands therefore I commend my Soul for thou hast redeemed me O God of Truth Son you have a great Charge look to it Instruct your Wife and Family in the fear of God and discharge your Ministry conscientiously To his Sister two Years older than himself he said Sister I thought you might have gone before me but God calls for me first I hope we shall meet in Heaven I pray God to bless you He admonished his Daughter to mind the World less and God more for that all things without Piety and the true fear of God are nothing worth Advising his Son Draper to Entertain some Pious Minister in his House to teach his Children and instruct his Family exhorting them all to Love and Unity And then commanded them all to withdraw He died July 27. 1654. aged near 80. Ibid. p. 259. 96. Mr. Bolton dying told his Children That none of them should dare think to meet him at God's Tribunal in an unregenerate Estate And when some of his Parish desired him to express what he felt in his Soul of the exceeding Comforts that are in Christ answered I am by the wonderful Mercy of God as full of Comfort as my heart can hold and feel nothing in my Soul but Christ with whom I heartily desire to be And looking upon some that were weeping said Oh what a deal of do there is ere one can die Chetwind's Collections 97. Mr. Whitaker Do not complain but bless God for me and entreat him to open the Prison-door He died 1654. aged 55. Ibid. p. 272. 98. Mr. Rich. Capel Sept. 21. 1656. preached twice taking his leave of the World by pressing Faith in God That Evening he repeated both his Sermons in his Family read his Chapter went to Prayer and so to Bed and died immediately Sept. 21. 1656. He often said That if God saw fit one had better die of a quick than lingring Death Ibid. p. 313. 99. Mr. Jessey the last Night he lived cried out Oh the unspeakable Love of God! Oh the vilest Oh the vilest that he should reach me when I could not reach him And then rehearsing over and over Blessed be that ever ever ever Blessed and Glorious Majesty And when a Cordial appointed for him was brought Trouble me not upon your own Peril trouble me not Then shewing his care for the Poor Widows and Fatherless and desiring Prayers and afterwards repeating Acts 2.27 and calling for more Julip more Julip meaning more Scriptures by and by he sang this Hymn Jerusalem my heart's Delight I come I come to thee Then shall my sorrows have an end When I thy Joys shall see Then often repeating those words Praises for ever Amen Amen Praises to the Amen for ever and ever Amen After a while he fell asleep Sept. 4. 1663. aged 63. Mr. Collier in his Life and Death p. 94. 100. Mr. Brand thus Oh! my God my God what is sinful Man Worm-man what manner of Love is this Love indeed O I cannot express it Oh! let me be with thee with thee O my God! Oh! I long for Heaven Oh! welcome Death Oh! happy Death that will put an end to all my Troubles and Afflictions one Moment in Abraham's Bosom will make amends for all turn Sorrow to Joy What a dreadful Appearance will there be at the Great Day what a sad thing to be disappointed and come short of Heaven O my Redeemer liveth I have served a good Master I would not desire Life for a Moment unless to promote the Interest of Christ If God would give me my choice what I would ask I would not ask Life Nay I have prayed to God that I might die Why so said a by-stander That I may be said he with God! O my God I would come to thee Let me live with Thee As he was going to Bed with much concernedness of Mind he said There will be a Cry at Midnight Prepare Prepare Which came to pass accordingly for after going to Bed he was taken with a Vomiting of Blood and after that died Dr. Annesly in his Life 101. Mr. John Janeway for the latter part of his Life he lived like a Man that was quite weary of the World and that looked upon himself as a stranger here and that lived in the constant sight of a better World He plainly declared himself but a Pilgrim that looked for a better Country a City that had Foundations whose builder and maker was God His Habit his Language his Deportment all spoke him one of another World His Meditations were so intense long and frequent that they ripened him apace for Heaven but somewhat weakned his Body Few Christians attain to such a holy contempt of the World and to such clear believing joyful constant Apprehensions of the transcendent Glories of the unseen World On his Death-bed he thus express'd himself O help me to Praise God I have now nothing else to do I have done with Prayer and all other Ordinances I have almost done conversing with Mortals I shall presently be beholding Christ himself that died for me and loved me and washed me in his Blood I shall before a few hours are over be in Eternity singing the Song of Moses and the Song of the Lamb. I shall presently stand upon Mount Zion with an innumerable company of Angels and the Spirits of the Just made perfect and Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant I shall hear the voice of much People and be one amongst them which shall say Hallelujah Salvation Glory Honour and Power unto the Lord our God and again we shall say Hallelujah And yet a very little while and I shall sing unto the Lamb a Song of Praise saying Worthy art thou to receive Praise who wert slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy Blood out of every Kindred and Tongue and People and Nation and hast made us unto our God Kings and Priests and we shall Reign with thee for ever and ever Methinks I stand as it were with one Foot in Heaven and the other upon Earth methinks I hear the Melody of Heaven and by Faith I see the Angels waiting
then requested they might sing a Psalm the Sheriff told him It must be with the Ropes about their Necks which they chearfully accepted and sung with such Heavenly Joy and Sweetness that many present saiâ—â— It both broke and rejoyc'd their hearts Thus in the experience of the delightfulness of Praising God on Earth he willingly closed his Eyes on a vain World to pass to that Eternal Employment Sept. 30. 1685. All present of all sorts were exceedingly affected and amazed Some Officers that had before insultingly said Surely these Persons have no thoughts of Death but will find themselves surprized by it after said That they now saw he and they had something extraordinary within that carried them through with such Joy Others of them said That they were so convinced of their Happiness that they would be glad to change Conditions with them All the Soldiers in general and all others lamenting exceedingly saying That it was so sad a thing to see them cut off they scarce knew how to bear it Some of the most malicious in the Place from whom nothing but Railing was expected said as they were carried to their Grave in Taunton Church voluntarily accompanied by most of the Town That these Persons had left a sufficient Evidence that they were now glorified Saints in Heaven A great Officer in the King's Army has been often heard to say That if you would learn to die go to the Young Men of Taunton Much more was uttered by them which shewed the Blessed and Glorious frames of their hearts to the Glory of Divine Grace but this is what occurs to Memory Mr. Benjamin Hewling about two hours before his Death writ this following Letter which shewed the great composure of his Mind Mr. Hewling's last Letter a little before his Execution Taunton Sept. 30. 1685. Honoured Mother THat News which I know you have a great while feared and we expected I must now acquaint you with That notwithstanding the Hopes you gave in your two last Letters Warrants are come down for my Execution and within these few hours I expect it to be performed Blessed be the Almighty God that gives comfort and support in such a day how ought we to magnifie his holy Name for all his Mercies that when we were running on in a course of sin he should stop us in our full Career and shew us that Christ whom we had pierced and out of his Free Grace enable us to look upon him with an Eye of Faith believing him able to save to the utmost all such as come to him Oh admirable long-suffering and Patience of God! that when we were dishonouring his Name he did not take that time to bring honour to himself by our destruction But he delighteth not in the death of a sinner but had rather he should turn to him and live And he has many ways of bringing his own to himself Blessed be his Holy Name that through Affliction he has taught my heart in some measure to be conformable to his Will which worketh Patience and Patience worketh Experience and Experience Hope which maketh not ashamed I bless God I am not ashamed of the Cause for which I lay down my Life and as I have engaged in it and fought for it so now I am going to Seal it with my Blood The Lord still carry on the same Cause which hath been long on foot and tho' we die in it and for it I question not but in his own good time he will raise up other Instruments more worthy to carry it on to the Glory of his Name and the Advancement of his Church and People Honoured Mother I know there has been nothing left undone by you or my Friends for the saving of my Life for which I return my hearty Acknowledgments to your self and them all and it 's my dying Request to you and them to Pardon all undutifulness 〈◊〉 unkindness in every Relation Pray give my Duty to my Grandfather and Grandmother Service to my Uncles and Aunts and my dear Love to all my Sisters to every Relation and Friend a particular Recommendation Pray tell 'em all how Precious an Interest in Christ is when we come to die and advise them never to rest in a Christless Estate For if we are his 't is no matter what the World do to us they can but kill the Body and blessed be God the Soul is out of their reach for I question not but their Malice wishes the Damnation of that as well as the Destruction of the Body which has too evidently appeared by their deceitful and â—â—tering Promises I commit you all to the Care and Protection of God who has promised to be a Father to the Fatherless and a Husband to the Widow and to supply the want of every Relation The Lord God of Heaven be your Comfort under these Sorrows and your Refuge from those Miseries we may easily fore-see coming upon poor England and the poor distâ—eâ—â—ed People of God in it The Lord carry you through this Vale of Tears with a resigning submissive Spirit and at last bring you to himself in Glory where I question not but you will meet your dying Son Ben. Hewling Their CHARACTERS THey were both of very sweet and obliging Tempers as has appeared in their History it being a very hard matter for their worst Enemies when they once knew 'em well not to Honour and Love ' em Mr. Benjamin the Elder reconciled the Lamb and the Lion exactly In the Field he seem'd made only for War and any where else for nothing but Love He without Flattery deserv'd to be call'd a very fine Man of a lovely Proportion extreamly well made as handsome a Meen and good an Air as perhaps few in England exceeded him His Picture is pretty like him The Younger Mr. William somewhat taller and more slender his Face fresh and lively as his Spirit being Master of an extraordinary vivacity and briskness of Temper Both of 'em Vertuous Pious and Courageous far above their Years and indeed seem'd to be Men too soon one of 'em not being Twenty the Eldest but Two and twenty when they dy'd verifying that common Observation That whatever is perfect sooner than ordinary has generally a shorter Period prefix'd it than what 's more base and ignoble 2. Mr. CHRISTOPHER BATTISCOMB HE was another young Gentleman of a good Family and very great Hopes and of a fair Estate which lay in Dorsetshire somewhere between Dorchester and Lyme He had studied some time at the Temple and having Occasions in the Country about the Time of my Lord Russel's Business he was there seiz'd on Suspicion of being concern'd in 't and clapt into the County Gaol at Dorchester where he behaved himself with that Prudence and winning Sweetness and shew'd so much Wit and innocent pleasantry of Temper as extreamly obliged both all his Keepers and Fellow-Prisoners and even Persons of the best Quality in that Town They knew how to value such a Gentleman
and died Chetwind 's Hist Collections In the Year 1559. Henry the Second King of France was slain in the midst of his Pastimes and Triumphs and in publick Joy of the People For while he Celebrated the Nuptials of his Daughter at Paris in a Tilting the Splinter of a broken Lance flew with such violence and pierced his Eye that he died immediately In the Year 1491. Alphonsus the Son of John the Second King of Portugal being about Sixteen Years of Age a Prince of great Hopes and Wit took to Wife Isabella the Daughter of Ferdinand King of Spain whose Dowry was the ample Inheritance of her Father's Kingdoms The Nuptials were celebrated with the preparations of Six Hundred Triumphs Plays Running Racing Tilting Banquets So much Plenty so much Luxury that the Horse-boys and Slaves glistered in Tissue But oh immense Grief hardly the Seventh Month had passed when the young Prince sporting a Horse-back upon the Banks of Tagus was thrown from his Horse to the Ground so that his Scull was broken and he wounded to Death He was carried to a Fisher's House scarce big enough to contain him and two of his Followers there he lay down upon a Bed of Straw and expired The King flies thither with the Queen his Mother There they behold the miserable Spectacle their Pomp turn'd into Lamentation The growing Youth of their Son his Vertues Wealth like Flowers on a sudden disrobed by the North-winds blast and all to be buried in a miserable Grave O the sudden Whirlwinds of Human Affairs O most precipitate Falls of the most constant Things What shall I remember any more Basilius the Emperor was gored to death by a Hart while he was entangled in a troublesome Bough The ancient Monument in the Camp of Ambrosius near Aenipontus witnesses That a Noble Youth though under Age set Spurs to his Horse to make him leap a Ditch twenty foot broad The Horse took it but the Rider and the Horse fell by a sudden and almost the same kind of death That the Spoils of the Horse and the Garments of the Youth speak to this Day But this sudden Fate is common as well to the Good as to the Bad neither does it argue an unhappy Condition of the Soul unless any Person in the Act of burning Impiety feel himself struck with the Dart of Divine Vengeance Such was the Exit of Dathan and Abiram whom the gaping Earth miserably swallowed up obstinate in their Rebellion against Moses Such was the End of those Soldiers whom for their Irreverence to Elijah Heaven consumed with Balls of Fire Such was the End of the Hebrew whom the Revengers Sword pass'd thorough finding him in the Embraces of the Midianitess turning his Genial into his Funeral Bed So many Pores of the Body so many little Doors for Death Death does not shew himself always near yet is he always at hand What is more stupid than to wonder that that should fall out at any time which may happen every Day Our Limits are determined where the inexorable necessity of Fate has fix'd them But none of us knows how near they are prefixed So therefore let us form our Minds as if we were at the utmost extremity Let us make no Delay Death has infinite accesses So it is indeed and to what I have said I add It is reported that a certain Person dream'd that he was torn by the Jaws of a Lion He rises careless of his Dream and goes to Church with his Friends In the way he sees a Lyon of Stone gaping that upheld a Pillar Then declaring his Dream to his Companions not without Laughter Behold said he this is the Lyon that tore me in the Night So saying he thrust his Hand into the Lyon's Jaws crying to the Statue Thou hast thy Enemy now shut thy Jaws and if thou canst bite my Hand He had no sooner said the Word but he received a deadly Wound in that place where he thought he could have no harm for at the bottom of the Lyon's Mouth lay a Scorpion which no sooner felt his Hand but he put forth his Sting and stung the young Man to death Are Stones thus endued with Anger Where then is not Death if Lyons of Stone can kill In the same manner died the young Hylas who was kill'd by a Viper that lay hid in the Mouth of a Bear 's resemblance in Stone What shall I mention the Child kill'd by an Isicle dropping upon his Head from the Penthouse whom Martial laments in the following Verses Where next the Vipsan Pillars stands the Gate From whence the falling Rain wets Cloak and Hat A Child was passing by when strange to tell Vpon his Throat a frozen drop there fell Where while the Boy his cruel Fate bemoan'd The tender point straight melted in the Wound Would Chance have us adore her lawless Will Or tell where Death is not if Drops can kill 'T is the Saying of Annaeus Uncertain it is saith he in what place Death may expect thee therefore do thou expect Death in every place We trifle and at distance think the Ill While in our Bowels Death lies lurking still For in the moment of our Birth-day Morn That moment Life and Death conjoin'd were born And of that Thread with which our Lives we measure Our Thievish Hours still make a rapid â—â—â—zure Insensibly we die so Lamps expire When wanting Oil to feed the greedy Fire Though living still yet Death is then so nigh That oft-times as we speak we speaking die Senccio Cornelius a Roman Knight a Man of extream Frugality no less careful of his Patrimony than of his Body when he had sate all Day till Night by his Friend sick a Bed beyond all Hopes of Recovery when he had Supp'd well and cheary was taken with a violent Distemper the Quinsey scarcely retained his Breath within his contracted Jaws till Morning so that he deceas'd within a few Hours after he had performed all the Duties of a sound and healthy Man What follows is extracted from Mr. Increase Mather's Book of Remarkable Providences I Shall only add says he at present That there have been many sudden Deaths in this Countrey which should not pass without some Remark For when such Strokes are multiplied there is undoubtedly a speaking Voice of Providence therein And so it hath been with us in New-England this last Year and most of all the last Summer To my Observation in August last within the space of three or four Weeks there were twelve sudden Deaths and it may be others have observed more than I did some of them being in respect of sundry Cirrumstances exceeding awful Let me only add here that sudden Death is not always a Judgment unto those who are taken out of an evil World It may be a Mercy to them and a Warning unto others as the sudden Death of the Prophet Ezekiel's Wife was Many of whom the World was not worthy have been so removed out of it Moses died suddenly and
His honour or profane this ground Let no black-mouth'd breath'd rank Curr Peaceful James his Ashes stur Princes are Gods O do not then Rake in their Graves to prove them Men. 56. Vpon the King of Sweden Upon this Place the great Gustavus died While Victory lay weeping by his side 57. Vpon Sir Francis Vere When Vere sought Death arm'd with his Sword and Shield Death was afraid to meet him in the Field But when his Weapons he had laid aside Death like a Coward struck him and he died 58. Another Here lieth Richard A Preene One Thousand Five Hundred Eighty Nine Of March the xx day And he that will die after him may 59. Another Here lieth he who was born and cryed Told Threescore Years fell sick and dyed 60. At Farlam on the West Marches toward Scotland near Naworth-Castle John Bell broken brow Ligs under this stean Fovr of mine een Sons Laid it on my weam I was a Man of my Meat Master of my Wife I lived on my own Land With mickle strife 61. In St. Paul 's was this Here lies John Dod a Servant of God to whom he is gone Father or Mother Sister or Brother he never knew none A Headborough and a Constable a Man of Fame The first of his House and last of his Name Died buryed and deceas'd the Fifteenth of May One Thousand Five Hundred and Fifteen being Whitson-Monday 62. On Mr. Burbidge the Tragedian Exit Burbidge 63. On Mr. Weymark a constant Walker in Paul ' s. Defessus sum ambulando 64. In St. Mary Saviours this Here lies William Emerson Who lived and died an honest Man 65. In the North-Country this Here ligs John Hubberton And there ligs his Wife Here ligs his Dagger And there ligs his Knife Here ligs his Daughter And there ligs his Son Heigh for brave John Hubberton 66. Vpon JOhn Death Here lies John Death the very same That went away with a Cousin of his Name 67. Vpon Mr. Parsons Organist at Westminster Death passing by and hearing Parsons play Stood much amazed at his depth of Skill And said this Artist must with me away For Death bereaves us of the better still But let the Quire while he keeps time sing on For Parsons rests his Service being done 68. On Mr. Charles Wray When I in Court had spent my tender Prime And done my best to please an Earthly Prince Even sick to see how I had lost my Time Death pitying mine Estate removed me thence And sent me mounted upon Angels Wings To serve my Saviour and the King of Kings 69. Many and sundry Opinions were conceived of Joan of Arck some judging her miraculously raised up by God for the good of France others that she was but a meer Impostor We will suspend our Judgment herein and referr you to the Epitaph which we find thus written on her Here lies Joan of Arck the which Some count Saint and some count Witch Some count Man and something more Some count Maid and some a Whore Her Life 's in question wrong or right Her Death 's in doubt by Laws or might Oh Innocence take heed of it How thou too near to Guilt dost sit Mean time France a Wonder saw A Woman Rule ' gainst Salique Law But Reader be content to stay Thy censure till the Judgment-day Then shalt thou know and not before Whether Saint Witch Man Maid or Whore 70. An Epitaph upon Sir Philip Sidney England Netherland the Heavens and the Arts All Soldiers and the World have made six Parts Of the Noble Sidney for none will suppose That a small heap of Stones can Sidney inclose England hath his Body for she it bred Netherland his Blood in her Defence shed The Heavens his Soul the Arts his Fame All Soldiers his Grief the World his Good Name 71. The following Epitaph was written upon the Tomb-stone of JOHN WHITE Esq a Member of the House of Commons in the Year 1640. and Father to Dr. Annesley's Wife lately deceased Here lies a John a burning shining Light Whose Name Life Actions all alike were WHITE 72. Mrs. Wilkinson with her Child went to Heaven from her Childbed on whose Tomb-stone a learned Doctor wrote the following Lines viz. Here lies Mother and Babe both without sins Next Birth will make her and her Infant Twins See Mr. Adams 's Sermon in the Continuation of Morning Exercise Questions and Cases of Conscience 73. Vpon Richard Howkins Here lies Richard Howkins who out of his store Gave Twenty good Shillings for the use of the Poor Upon condition his Body shoul'd ne'er be removed Until the appearing of our dearly Beloved 74. On the Tomb-stone of a great Scold was written Her Husband prays if by her Grave you walk You gently tread for if she 's wak'd she 'll talk 75. Vpon Mr. West Here lies Ned West of Men the best Well loved by his Wife But Oh he 's gone his Thread is spun And cut off by the Knife Of cruel Atropos Oh Jade Rokcy and flinty hearted Maid To kill so good a Man Take from my Wooff two Inches off And let him live again 76. On the Tomb of the Electeress Dowager of Saxony are to be seen the following Devices and Motto's I. Piety with an Heart in which some Beams from the Name Jehovah are centered with this Motto From him and to him II. Clemency with a Cloud of Dew hanging over the Land with this Motto Water is common to all III. Friendliness with a Sun piercing a dark Cloud over-against a Rainbow and this Motto He enlightens and makes glad IV. Magnanimity with a Rock upon which some Thunderbolts are darted with this Motto They don't terrifie V. Liberality with a Fountain from whence some Hands were taking out Water with this Motto So much the more plentiful VI. Patience with a Crucible full of Gold standing in the Fire with this Motto I burn but I am cleansed from my Dross or I shall come out more pure VII Pity or Compassion with a Silk-Worm beginning to Spin with this Motto I will serve you with my Bowels And VIII Humility with a Violet Flower growing in the Grass with this Motto The more humble the more fragrant Flying Post Nov. 21. 1696. 77. I find I have inserted in my Paper-book an Epitaph upon the Tomb of the Earl of Warwick in whose Death the Family was extinct Within this Marble doth Entombed lie Not one but all a Noble Family A Pearl of such a price that soon about Possession of it Heaven and Earth fell out Both could not have it so they did devise This fatal Salvo to divide the Prize Heaven shares the Soul and Earth his Body takes Thus we lose all while Earth and Heaven part stakes But Heaven not brooking that the Earth should share In the least Atom of a Piece so rare Intends to sue out by a new revize His Habeas Corpus at the Grand Assize Mr. Barker's Flores 78. I have read of a certain Prince who would have
first brought forth pregnant of another Nat. Hist Oxfordsh p. 189. 5. An. 1633. David Spilinbergerus Physician of Leutschovia tells us of a Cow in Hungary that brought forth a Calf with a great Belly wherein was found another Calf with all its Limbs perfect ibid. Bartholin tells us of a Female still-born Child pregnant with another Female duly plac'd in the Womb about a span in length ibid. The same Author met with an Egg at Witney containing another imperfect one in it like that Ovum in Ovo of Doctor Harvey's or that kept in the King of Denmarks Repository or the other Bartholin saw 1669 or which Schastin Jungius saw 1671. ibid. CHAP. IV. Examples of the Fruitfulness of some Women HE whose Wife is as a Fruitful Vine by the sides of his House and his Children like Olive Plants round about his Table is by the Psalmist pronounced a happy Man supposing that he be withal one that fears the Lord Let Goodness and Fruitfulness go together and they will Terminate in Blessedness every Vertuous Child being a Crown of Glory and a particular Comfort to his Parents But Ill Fruit is certainly a Curse and the more in number the more Reproachful and Burthensome however they prove when he that carries the Keys of the Womb opens so wide and pours out so plentifully let none Fault the Supreme Governor for his Dispensations but attend diligently his own Office in the Nurture and Education 1. One of the Maid-servants of Augustus the Emperor was delivered of five Children at a Birth the Mother together with her Children were buried in the Laurentine-way with an Inscription upon them by the Order of Augustus relating the same Gell. Noct. Attic. l. 1 c. c. 3. p. 249. 2. Also Serapia a Woman of Alexandria brought forth five Children at one Birth Cael. Rhod. Antiq. lect l. 4. c. 23. p. 180. 3. Doctor Fuller out of Ausonius speaks of a Roman Matron called Callicrate and thus Translateth her Epitaph as speaking in her own Person Twenty Nine Births Callicrate I told And of both Sexes saw none sent to Grave I was an Hundred and Five Summers Old Yet stay from staff my Hands did never crave A rare instance which yet in the former respects you will find surpassed in what follows Fullers Worth p. 138. 4. A Woman of Dunstable who as her Epitaph in the Church testifies bore at three several times three Children at a Birth and five at a Birth two other times Haker Ap. p. 224. 5. Elionera Salviata the Wife of Frescobald a Citizen of Florence was delivered of 52 Children never less then three at a Birth Fullers Worth p. 119. 6. Anno 1553. The Wife of John Gissinger a Tigurine was delivered of Twins and before the Year was out brought at once five more three Sons and two Daughters Schenck Ob. 1 p. 563. 7. Julius Sentinarius of Bononia came into the World with six Births and was himself the seventh Schenck Obs. 1. p. 563. 8. Jane Pancica Wife to Bernard a Sicilian of Agrigentum was so fruitful that in 30 Births she was delivered of 73 Children Camer Hor. Subcis Cent. 2. c. 66. p. 273. 9. The famous Story of the Welfs is this Irmentrudes the Wife of Isenbbard Earl of Altorf had unadvisedly accused of Adultery a Woman that had three Children at a Birth being not able to believe that one Man could at one time get so many Children adding that she deserved to be sowed up in a Sack and thrown into the River and accusing her to her Husband the Earl It happened that the next Year the Countess felt her self with Child and the Earl being from Home she was brought to Bed of 12 Male Children but all of them very little She fearing the reproach of Adultery whereof yet she was not Guilty commanded that 11 of them should be taken and cast into a River not far from the House and one only brought up it so fell out that Isenbard met the Woman that was carrying the little Infants to their Death and asking her whither she went with her Pail she reply'd she was going to drown a few Whelps in the River of Scherk The Earl came to her and in despite of her resistance would see what was there and discovering the Children pressed her in such wise that she told him all the matter He caused them to be secretly Educated and so soon as they were grown great and brought home to him he set them in the Hall by him whom his Wife had brought up Being thus by their Faces all known to be Brethren their Mother mov'd in Conscience confessed the Fact and obtained Pardon for her Fault in remembrance whereof the Honourable Race of Wolfs that is Whelps got their Name Camer ibid. p. 274. 10. John Francis Earl of Mirandula tells of one Dorothy who at two several Births brought forth 20 Sons 9 at the one and 11 at the other while she went with this burthen by reason of the mighty weight she was wont to tie a swathing-band about her Neck and Shoulders and with that to bear up her swolen Belly which fell down to her very Knees Schenck Obs. Med. l. 4. Obs. 1. p. 563. 11. Matthias Golancevius Bishop of Vladislavia in Poland it is said of his Mother that she was delivered of 12 Sons at once and that of all these he only lived the rest dying as soon as they were born ibid. 12. Alexander de Campo Fregosa Bishop of Ventimilium attested upon his Faith that at Lamaia a Noble-woman brought forth 16 Humane Births of the bigness of a Man's Palm all which had motion and that besides these 16 which had Humane likeness she brought forth at the same time a Creature in the likeness of a Horse which had all motion all the 17 were wrap'd in one and the same Secondine which is monstrous ibid. p. 164. 13. Anno 1217. Upon the 20th of January the Lady Margaret Wife to the Earl Virloslaus was in the Country of Cracovia brought to Bed of 30 living bodies all at once ibid. 14. Matilda some say Margaret Wife to Count Herman of Henneberg did see a poor Widow Woman begging her Bread for God's sake having in either Arm a Child which she had at one Birth this poor Woman craving her Alms the Countess rejected her saying That it was against Nature for a Woman that was Honest to conceive by her Husband two Children of one birth the poor Woman prayed to God that in Vindication of her Innocency he would send the Lady at one burden so many Children as there are Days in a Year a while after the Lady was brought to bed on the Friday before Palm-Sunday Anno 1276 and was delivered of 365 Children half Sons and half Daughters the odd one found to be a Hermophradite These were laid in two Basons and Baptized by Guido Suffragan Bishop of Utrict the Sons Named John and the Daughters Elizabeth who presently died Heylins Cosmogr p. 384. Grimstons Hist Nethel l.
1. p. 52. Camerar Hor. Subcis cent 2. c. 66. CHAP. V. Examples of the Numerous Issue of some Persons BE Fruitful and Multiply was a Blessing bestowed not only upon the rest of the Animal World at the Creation but upon Mankind especially and afterwards upon the Jewish Church more then others and 't is certain the more excellent any Being is the more desirable is its Increase and the Multiplication of its Species We are pleased with profitable Cattle and love to see our Orchards and Fields of Corn Fruitful Is it the glory of Man and Woman only to be barren Or should we not have some Zeal to fill up the vacant spaces in the Church of God Militant first and Triumphant afterwards And then happy they who produce most Fruit for Heaven 1. In the History of the Acts of Augustus Caesar it is Recorded that in his 12th Consulship upon the 11th day of April C. Crispinus Hilarius a Gentleman of Fesule came with a solemn Pomp into the Capitol attended upon with his 9 Children 7 Sons and two Daughters with 27 Grand-Children that were the Sons of his Children and 39 more who were his great Grand-Children the Sons of his Sons Sons and besides these with 12 Females that were his Childrens Daughters and with all these he solemnly Sacrificed Plin. l. 7. p. 162. 2. There was a Noble Lady of the Family of the Dalburges who saw of her own Race even to the sixth degree whereof the Germans have made this Distict Mater ait Natae dic Natae Filia Natam Vt moneat Natae plangere Filiolam Thus Englished by Hakwell Apolog. l. 3. c. 5. p. 224. The Aged Mother to her Daughter spake Daughter said she arise Thy Daughter to thy Daughter take Whose Daughter 's Daughter Cries 3. Vives speaks of a Village in Spain that had above a Hundred Houses whereof all the Inhabitants were issu'd from one certain Old Man who then liv'd when as that Village was so Peopled The Name of Propinquity how the youngest should call him could not be given for the Spanish affords not a Name above the great Grand-Fathers Father Vives in comment Sup. lib. de Civit. Dei l. 1. 8. c. 15. 4. In the Burrough of Leicester in the Church of St. Martins is a very remarkable Epitaph viz. Here lyeth the Body of John Heyrick of this Parish who departed this Life the second of April 1589 being about the Age of 76 years he did Marry Mary the Daughter of John Bond of Wardend in the County of Warwick Esq he lived with the said Mary in one House full 52 years and in all that time never buried Man Woman nor Child though they were sometimes 20 in Houshold He had Issue by the said Mary 5 Sons and 7 Daughters the said John was Mayor of the Town 1559. and again Anno 1572 the said Mary lived to 97 years and departed the 8th of December 1611. She did see before her departure of her Children and Childrens Children and their Children to the number of One Hundred Forty and two ibid. 5. In St. Innocents Church-yard in the City of Paris is to be seen the Epitaph of Yeoland Baily which doth shew that she had lived 84 years and might have seen 288 Verstegan saith 295 of her Children and Childrens Children she died on the 17th of April 1514. Hakewel ibid. p. 234. Versteg Restit decay'd Int. 1. p. 3. 6. In Markshal-Church in Essex on Mrs. Honywoods Tomb is this Inscription Here lieth the body of Mary Waters the Daughter and Co-heir of Robert Waters of Lenham in Kent Esq Wife of Robert Honywood of Charing in Kent Esq her only Husband who had at her decease lawfully descended from her 367 16 of her own body 114 Grand-Children 228 in the third Generation and 9 in the fourth She liv'd a most Pious Life and in a most Christian manner died here at Markshall in the 93 year of her Age and in the 44th of her Widowhood May 11th 1620. Wanly Hist of Man p. 41. 7. Dame Ester Temple Daughter to Miles Sands Esq was born at Latmos in Buckinghamshire and was marryed to Sir Thomas Temple of Stow Baronet she had 4 Sons and 9 Daughters which liv'd to be marry'd and so exceedingly multiplied that this Lady saw 700 extracted from her Body Doctor Fuller saith he bought the Truth hereof by a Wager he lost besides there was a new Generation of Marriageable Females just at her Death Had the Off-spring of this Lady been contracted into one place they were enough to have peopled a City of a competent proportion The Lady Temple died Anno 1656. Fullers Worthies p. 138. Buckinghamshire 8. We read saith Mr. Ricaut that the Eastern Parts of the World have abounded with Children of diver Mothers and but one Father and that ordinarily as great Personage in Egypt hath been attended with 100 lusty Sons in the Field proceeding from his own Loins well Armed and daring in all Attempts of Was. Paul Ricaut Esq present State of the Ottoman Empire p. 292. A Woman in Delph three several days voided three Worms out of her Navel and not long after was delivered of a Boy and then seven days after that of another Forest 17. Obs. 35. 10. I have heard the Reverend dr Annesley has had 25 Children for Dr. Manton baptizing one of them was asked how many children the Doctor had to whom he return'd this Answer That he was not certain how many but believ'd 't was Two Dozen or a Quarter of an Hundred CHAP. VI. Children crying in the Womb. 'T IS common for Infants at their first Exit out of their Mothers Womb to give some Significations of their resentment of the Change but to do it before they come into the common Air of this World is more rare and strange one would think it time enough for them to Cry when they are born and arrived at the brink of Troubles but some whether through the Strength of Nature or some premature Eruption of the Amnion or other Accident in the Womb or an extraordinary Sagacity in provident Nature and foresight of the Evils to come Anticipate their time and are heard to Cry before either the Mother or Midwife go about to disturb them in their little Mansions 1. At Heyford Purcel there was a Child that Cyred very Audibly in its Mothers Womb sometime before the Birth The People being frighted with it and expecting some Calamity should soon attend such a Prodigy pernicious forsooth not only to the place where heard but to the state it self whereas the Learned Bartholin more rightly Notes that the Ruin of Kingdoms depends rather upon the Wickedness of People than any such Vagitus Dr. Plot. Nat. Hist Oxf. p. 192. 2. Anno 1648. There was a Woman the Wife of a Seaman near to the Church of Holmiana who had been big for 8 Months she was of a good habit of body and nor Old this Woman upon the Eve of Christmas-day upon the Calends in the year following
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