justly urged to moderate severe Censures yet he would occasionally condemn himself for it and doubtless it had been attended with an heavy Repentance if God had not blest them with so mutual and cordial affections as in the midst of their sufferings made their bread of sorrow taste more pleasantly then the banquets of dull and low-spirited people The Recreations of his youth were Poetry in which he was so happy as if nature and all her varieties had been made onely to exercise his sharp wit and high facy and in those pieces which were facetiously Composed and carelesly scattered most of them being written before the twentieth year of his age it may appear by his choice Metaphors that both Nature and all the Arts joyned to assist him with their utmost skill It is a truth that in his penitential years viewing some of those pieces too loosely scattered in his youth he wish't they had been abortive or so short liv'd that his own eyes had witnessed their funerals But though he was no friend to them he was not so fallen out with heavenly Poetry as to forsake that no not in his declining age witnessed then by many Divine Sonnets and other high holy and harmonious Composures Yea even on his former sick-bed he wrote this heavenly Hymne expressing the great joy that then possest his soul in the Assurance of Gods favour to him An Hymne to God the Father WIlt thou forgive that sin where I begun Which was my sin though it were done before Wilt thou forgive that sin through which I run And do run still though still I do deplore When thou hast done thou hast not done For I have more Wilt thou forgive that sin which I have wonne Others to sin and made my sin their door Wilt thou forgive that sin which I did shun A year or two but wallowed in a score When thou hast done thou hast not done For I have more I have a sin of fear that when I 've spun My last thread I shall perish on the shore But swear by thy self that at my death thy Son Shall shine as he shines now and heretofore And having done that thou hast done I fear no more I have the rather mentioned this Hymne for that he caus'd it to be set to a most grave and solemn Tune and to be often sung to the Organ by the Choristers of St. Pauls Church in his own hearing especially at the Evening Service and at his return from his Customary Devotions in that place did occasionally say to a friend The words of this Hymne have restored to me the same thoughts of joy that possest my Soul in my sickness when I composed it And O the power of Church-musick that Harmony added to it has raised the Affections of my heart and quicned my graces of zeal and gratitude and I observe that I alwayes return from paying this publick duty of Prayer and Praise to God with an unexpressible tranquillity of mind and a willingness to leave the world After this manner did the Disciples of our Saviour and the best of Christians in those Ages of the Church nearest to his time offer their praises to Almighty God And the reader of St. Augustines life may there find that towards his dissolution he wept abundantly that the enemies of Christianity had broke in upon them and prophaned and ruin'd their Sanctuaries and because their Publick Hymns and Lauds were lost out of their Churches And after this manner have many devout Souls lifted up their hands and offered acceptable Sacrifices unto Almighty God where Dr. Donne offered his But now oh Lord 1656. Before I proceed further I think fit to inform the reader that not long before his death he caused to be drawn a figure of the Body of Christ extended upon an Anchor like those which Painters draw when they would present us with the picture of Christ crucified on the Cross his varying no otherwise then to affix him to an Anchor the Emblem of hope this he caused to be drawn in little and then many of those figures thus drawn to be ingraven very small in Helitropian Stones and set in gold and of these he sent to many of his dearest friends to be used as Seales or Rings and kept as memorials of him and of his affection to them His dear friends and benefactors Sir Henry Goolier and Sir Robert Drâ—wry could not be of that number Nor could the Lady Magdalen Herbert the mother of George Herbert for they had put off mortality and taken possession of the grave before him But Sir Henry Wootton and Dr. Hall the then late deceased Bishop of Norwitch were and so were Dr. Duppa Bishop of Salisbury and Dr. Henry King Bishop of Chichester lately deceased men in whom there was such a Commixture of general Learning of natural eloquence and Christian humility that they deserve a Commemoration by a pen equal to their own which none hath exceeded And in this enumeration of his friends though many must be omitted yet that man of primitive piety Mr. George Herbert may not I mean that George Herbert who was the Author of the Temple or Sacred Poems and Ejaculations A Book in which by declaring his own spiritual Conflicts he hath Comforted and raised many a dejected and discomposed Soul and charmed them into sweet and quiet thoughts A Book by the frequent reading whereof and the assistance of that Spirit that seemed to inspire the Author the Reader may attain habits of Peace and Piety and all the gifts of the Holy Ghost and Heaven and may by still reading still keep those sacred fires burning upon the Altar of so pure an heart as shall free it from the anxieties of this world and keep it fixt upon things that are above betwixt him and Dr. Donne there was a long and dear friendship made up by such a Sympathy of inclinations that they coveted and joyed to be in each others Company and this happy friendship was still maintained by many sacred indearments of which that which followeth may be some Testimony To Mr. George Herbert sent him with one of my Seales of the Anchor and Christ. A sheaf of Snakes used heretofore to be my Seal which is the Crest of our poor Family Qui prius assuetus serpeatum falce tabellas Signare haec nostrae Symbola parva domus Adscitus domui domini Adopted in Gods family and so My old Coat lost into new Arms I go The Cross my seal in Baptism spread below Does by that form into an Anchor grow Crosses grow Anchors bear as thou should'st do Thy Cross and that Cross grows an Anchor too But he that makes our Crosses Anchors thus Is Christ who there is crucified for us Yet with this I may my first Serpents hold God gives new blessings yet leaves the old The Serpent may as wise my pattern be My poyson as he feeds on dust that 's me And as he rounds the earth to murder sure He is my death
imployment was such that he could not be perswaded to it but went usually accompanied with some one friend to preach privately in some village not far from London his first Sermon being preached at Paddington This he did till His Majesty sent and appointed him a day to preach to him at White-hall and though much were expected from him both by His Majesty and others yet he was so happy which few are as to satisfie and exceed their expectations preaching the Word so as shewed his own heart was poâ—ssest with those very thoughts and joyes that hâ— labored to distill into others A Preacher â—â— earnest weeping sometimes for his Auditory sometimes with them alwayes preaching â—â— himself like an Angel from a cloud but â—â— none carrying some as St. Paul was â—â— Heaven in holy raptures and inticing otherâ— by a sacred Art and Courtship to amenâ— their lives here picturing a vice so as to make it ugly to those that practised it and a vertue so as to make it be beloved even by thoâ— that lov'd it not and all this with a most particular grace and an unexpressible addition of comeliness There may be some that may incline to think such indeed as have not heard him that my affection to my Friend hath transported me to an immoderate Commendation of his Preaching If this meets with any such Let me intreat though I will omit many yet that they will receive a double witness for what I say it being attested by a Gentleman of worth Mr. Chidley a frequent hearer of his Sermons being part of a funeral Elogie writ by him on Doctor Donne and a known truth though it be in Verse Each Altar had his fire He kept his love but not his object wiâ— He did not banish but transplanted it Taught it both time place and brought it home To Piety which it doth best become For say had ever pleasure such a dress Have you seen crimes so shâ—p't or loveliness Such as his lips did clothe Religion in Had not reproof a beauty passing sin Corrupted nature sorrowed that she stood So neer the danger of becoming good And when he preachâ—t she wish't her ears exempt From Piety that had such pow'r to tempt How did his sacred flattery beguile Men to amend More of this and more witnesses might be brought but I forbear and return That Summer in the very same moneth in which he entred into sacred Orders and was made the Kings Chaplain His Majesty then going his Progress was intreated to receive an entertainment in the University of Cambridge And Mr. Donne attending his Majesty at that time his Majesty was pleased to recommend him to the University to be made Doctor in Divinity Doctor Harsnet after Archbishop of York was then Vice-Chancellour who knowing him to be the Author of that learned Book the Pseudo-Martyr required no other proof of his Abilities but proposed it to the University who presently assented and exprest a gladness that they had such an occasion to intitle him to be theirs His Abilities and Industry in his Profession were so eminent and he so known and so beloved by Persons of Quality that within the first year of his entring into sacred Orders he had fourteen Advowsons of several Benefices presented to him But they were in the Countrey and he could not leave his beloved London to which place he had a natural inclination having received both his Birth and Education in it and there contracted a friendship with many whose conversation multiplyed the joyes of his life But an imployment that might affixe him to that place would be welcome for he needed it Immediately after his return from Cambridge his wife died leaving him a man of an unsetled estate and having buried five the careful father of seven children then living to whom he gave a voluntary assurance never to bring them under the subjection of a stepmother which promise he kept most faithfully burying with his tears all his earthly joyes in his most dear and deserving wives grave betaking himself to a most retired and solitary life In this retiredness which was often from the sight of his dearest friends he became crucified to the world and all those vanities those imaginary pleasures that are dayly acted on that restless stage and they crucified to him Nor is it hard to think being passions may be both changed and heightned by accidents but that that abundant affection which once was betwixt him and her who had long been the delight of his eyes the Companion of his youth her with whom he had divided so many pleasant sorrows and contented fears as Common-people are not capable of She being now removed by death a commeasurable grief took as full a possession of him as joy had done and so indeed it did for now his very soul was elemented of nothing but sadness now grief took so full a possession of his heart as to leave no place for joy If it did It was a joy to be alone where like a Pelican in the wilderness he might bemoan himself without witness or restraint and pour forth his passions like Job in the days of his affliction Oh that I might have the desire of my heart Oh that God would grant the thing that I long for For then as the grave is become her house so I would hasten to make it mine also that we two might there make our beds together in the dark Thus as the Israelites sate mourning by the rivers of Babylon when they rememâ—red Sion so he gave some ease to his oppressed heart by thus venting his sorrows Thus he began the day and ended the night ended the restless night and began the weary day in Lamentations And thus he continued till a consideration of his new ingagements to God and St. Pauls Wâ— is me if I preach not the Gospel disper'st those sad clouds that had now benighted his hopes and forc'd him to behold the light His first motion from his house was to preach where his beloved wife lay buried in St Clements Church near Temple-Bar London and his Text was a part of the Prophet Jeremy's Lamentation Lo I am the man that have seen affliction And indeed his very words and looks testified him to be truly such a man and they with the addition of his sighs and tears exprest in his Sermon did so work upon the affections of his hearers as melted and moulded them into a companionable sadness and so they left the Congregation but then their houses presented them with objects of diversion and his presented him with no diversions but with fresh objects of sorrow in beholding many helpless children a narrow fortune and a consideration of the many cares and casualties that attend their education In this time of sadness he was importuned by the grave Benchers of Lincolns Inne once the friends of his youth to accept of their Lecture which by reason of Dr. Gatakers removal from thence was then void of which he accepted being
most Gracious Majesty HAving been informed that certain persons have by the good wishes of the Archbishop of Armagh been directed hither with a most humble Petition unto Your Majesty that You will be pleased to make Mr. William Bedel now resident upon a small Benefice in Suffolk Governor of your Colledge at Dublin for the good of that Society and my self being required to render unto Your Majesty some testimony of the said William Bedel who was long my Chaplain at Venice in the time of my first imployment there I am bound in all Conscience and Truth so far as Your Majesty will vouchsafe to accept my poor judgement to affirm of him That I think hardly a fitter man for that Charge could have been propounded unto Your Majesty in Your whole Kingdom for singular Erudition and Piety Conformity to the Rites of the Church and Zeal to advance the Cause of God wherein his Travels abroad were not obscure in the time of the Excommunication of the Venetians For it may please Your Majesty to know that this is the man whom Padre Paulo took I may say into his very soul with whom he did communicate the inwardest thoughts of his heart from whom he professed to have received more knowledge in all Divinity both Scholastical and Positive than from any that he had ever practised in his dayes of which all the passages were well known to the King Your Father of most blessed memory And so with Your Majesties good favour I will end this needless Office for the general Fame of his Learning his Life and Christian temper and those Religious Labours which himself hath dedicated to your Majesty do better describe him than I am able Your MAJESTIES Most humble and faithful Servant H. WOTTON TO this Letter I shall add this That he was to the great joy of Sir Henry Wotton made Governor of the said Colledge and that after a fair discharge of his duty and trust there he was thence removed to be Bishop of Kilmore In both which places his life was so holy as seemed to equal the primitive Christians for as they so he kept all the Ember-weeks observed besides his private devotions the Canonical hours of Prayer very strictly and so he did all the Feasts and Fast-dayes of his Mother the Church of England his Patience and Charity were both such as shewed his affections were set upon things that are above for indeed his whole life brought forth the fruits of the Spirit there being in him such a remarkable meekness that as St. Paul advised his Timothy in the Election of a Bishop That he have a good report of those that be without so had he for those that were without even those that in point of Religion were of the Roman perswasion of which there were very many in his Diocess did yet ever look upon him with respect and reverence and testified it by a concealing and safe protecting him in the late horrid Rebellion in Ireland when the fury of the wild Irish knew no distinction of persons and yet there and then he was protected and cherished by those of a contrary perswasion and there and then he dyed though not by violence And with him was lost many of his learned Writings which were thought worthy of preservation and amongst the rest was lost the Bible which by many years labour and conference and study he had translated into the Irish Tongue with an intent to have printed it for publick use More might be said of Mr. Bedel who I told the Reader was Sir Henry Wottons first Chaplain and much of his second Chaplain Isaac Bargrave Doctor in Divinity and the late learned and hospitable Dean of Canterbury as also of the Merit of many others that had the happiness to attend Sir Henry in his forreign imployments But the Reader may think that in this digression I have already carried him too far from Eaton-Colledge and therefore I shall lead him back as gently and as ordeâ—ly as I may to that place for a further conference concerning Sir Henry Wotton Sir Henry Wotton had propos'd to himself before he entred into his Collegiate life to write the life of Martin Luther and in it the History of the Reformation as it was carried on in Germany For the doing of which he had many advantages by his several Embassies into those parts and his interest in the several Princes of the Empire by whose means he had access to the Records of all the Hans Towns and the knowledge of many secret passages that fell not under common view and in these he had made a happy progress as is well known to his worthy friend Dr. Duppa the late Reverend Bishop of Salisbury but in the midst of this design His late Majesty King Charles that knew the value of Sir Henry Wottons Pen did by a perswasive loving violence to which may be added a promise of 500 l. a year force him to lay Luther aside and betake himself to write the History of England in which he proceeded to write some short Characters of a few Kings as a foundation upon which he meant to build but for the present meant to be more large in the story of Henry the sixth the Founder of that Colledge in which he then enjoy'd all the worldly happiness of his present being but Sir Henry dyed in the midst of this undertaking and the footsteps of his labours are not recoverable by a more than common diligence This is some account both of his inclination and the employment of his time in the Colledge where he seemed to have his Youth renewed by a continual conversation with that Learned Society and a daily recourse of other Friends of choicest breeding and parts by which that great blessing of a chearful heart was still maintained he being alwayes free even to the last of his dayes from that peevishness which usually attends Age. And yet his mirth was sometimes damp'd by the remembrance of divers old Debts partly contracted in his forreign Employments for which his just Arrears due from the King would have made satisfaction but being still delayed with Couâ—t-promises and finding some decayes of health he did about two years before his death out of a Christian desire that none should be a loser by it make his last Will concerning which a doubt still remains whether it discovered more holy wit or conscionable policy But there is no doubt but that his chief design was a Christian endeavour that his Debts might be satisfied And that it may remain as such a Testimony and a Legacy to those that lov'd him I shall here impart it to the Reader as it was found writ with his own hand IN the Name of God Almighty and All-merciful I Henry Wotton Provost of His Majesties Colledge by Eaton being mindfâ—â—â— of mine own mortality which the sin of our first Paâ—â—ents did bring upon all flesh Do by this last Will and Testament thus dispose of my self and the poor things I
Henry Savill that was after Sir Henry Savill Warden of Merton Colledge and Provost of Eaton He which founded in Oxford two famous Lectures and endowed them with liberal maintenance 'T was that Sir Henry Savil that translated and enlightned the History of Cornelius Tacitus with a most excellent Comment and enriched the world by his laborious and chargeable collecting the scattered pieces of S. Chrysostome and the publication of them in one entire Body in Greek in which Language he was a most judicious Critick 'T was this Sir Henry Savill that had the happiness to be a Contemporary and familiar friend to Mr. Hooker and let Posterity know it And in this year of 1577. He was admitted Fellow of the Colledge happy also in being the Contemporary and Friend of Dr. John Reynolds of whom I have lately spoken and of Dr. Spencer both which were after and successively made Presidents of Corpus-Christi Colledge men of great Learning and Merit and famous in their Generations Nor was Mr. Hooker more happy in his Contemporaries of his Time and Colledge than in the Pupillage and Friendship of his Edwin Sandys and George Cranmer of whom my Reader may note that this Edwin Sandys was after Sir Edwin Sandys and as famous for his Speculum Europae as his brother George for making Posterity beholden to his Pen by a learned Relation and Comment on his dangerous and remarkable Travels and for his harmonious Translation of the Psalms of David the Book of Job and other Poetical parts of Holy Writ into most high and elegant Verse And for Cranmer his other Pupil I shall refer my Reader to the printed Testimonies of our learned Mr. Cambden of Fines Morison and others This Cranmer whose Christen name was George was a Gentleman of singular hopes the eldest Son of Thomas Cranmer Son of Edmund Cranmer the Archbishops brother he spent much of his youth in Corpus-Christi Colledge in Oxford where he continued Master of Arts for many years before he removed and then betook himself to Travel accompanying that worthy Gentleman Sir Edwin Sandys into France Germany and Italy for the space of three years and after their happy return he betook himself to an Imployment under a Privy Counsellour of note for an unhappy undertaking after whose Fall he went in place of Secretary with Sir Henry Killegrew in his Embassage into France and after his death he was sought after by the most Noble Lord Mount-Joy with whom he went into Ireland where he remained untill in a battel against the Rebels near Carlingford an unfortunate wound put an end both to his Life and the great Hopes that were conceived of him he being then but in the 36 year of his age Betwixt Mr. Hooker and these his two Pupils there was a sacred Friendship a Friendship made up of Religious Principles which increased dayly by a similitude of Inclinations to the same Recreations and Studies a Friendship elemented in Youth and in an University free from self-ends which the Friendships of Age usually are not and in this sweet this blessed this spiritual Amity they went on for many years and as the Holy Prophet saith so they took sweet counsel together and walked in the House of God as Friends By which means they improved it to such a degree of Amity as as bordered upon Heaven a Friendship so sacred that when it ended in this world it began in the next where it shall have no end And though this world cannot give any degree of Pleasure equal to such a Friendship yet Obedience to Parents and a desire to know the Affairs Manners Lawes and Learning of other Nations that they might thereby become the more serviceable unto their own made them put off their Gowns and leave the Colledge and Mr. Hooker to his Studies in which he was daily more assiduous still enriching his quiet and capacious Soul with the precious Learning of the Philosophers Casâ—ists and Schoolmen and with them the foundation and reason of all Laws both Sacred and Civil and with such other Learning as lay most remote from the track of common Studies And as he was diligent in these so he seemed restless in searching the scope and intention of Gods Spirit revealed to Mankind in the Sacred Scripture for the understanding of which he seemed to be assisted by the same Spirit with which they were written He that regardeth truth in the inward parts making him to understand wisdom secretly And the good man would often say that the Scripture was not writ to beget Disputations and Pride and Opposition to Government but Charity and Humility Moderation Obedience to Authority and peace to Mankind of which vertues no man did ever repent himself at his death And that this was really his judgment did appear in his future writings and in all the actions of his life Nor was this excellent man a stranger to the more light and airy parts of Learning as Musick and Poetry all which he had digested and made useful and of all which the Reader will have a fair testimony in what will follow In the Year 1579. the Chancellor of the University was given to understand that the publick Hebrew Lecture was not read according to the Statutes nor could be by reason of a distemper that had seiz'd the brain of Mr. Kingsmill who was to read it so that it lay long unread to the great detriment of those that were studious of that language Therefore the Chancellor writ to his Vice-chancellor and the University that he had heard such commendations of the excellent knowledge of Mr. Richard Hooker in that tongue that he desired he might be procured to read it And he did and continued to do so till he left Oxford Within three months after his undertaking this Lecture namely in October 1579. he was with Dr. Reynolds and others expell'd his Colledge and this Letter transcrib'd from Dr. Reynolds his own hand may give some account of it To Sir Francis Knolles I Am sorry Right Honourable that I am enforced to make unto you such a suit which I cannot move but I must complain of the unrighteous deaing of one of our Colledge who hath taken upon him against all Law and Reason to expell out of our house both me and Mr. Hooker and three other of our Fellows for doing that which by Oath we were bound to do Our matter must be heard before the Bishop of Winchester with whom I do not doubt but we shall find equity Howbeit forasmuch as some of our adversaries have said that the Bishop is already forestalled and will not give us such audience as we look for therefore I am humbly to beseech your Honour that you will desire the Bishop by your Letters to let us have Justice though it be with rigour so it be Justice our Cause is so good that I am sure we shall prevail by it Thus much I am bold to request of your Honour for Corpus Christi Colledge sake or rather for Christs
rest both to my self and my Reader His first four Books and large Epistle have been declared to be printed at his being at Boscum Anno 1594. Next I am to tell that at the end of these four Books there is printed this Advertisement to the Reader I have for some causes thought it at this time more fit to let go these first four Books by themselves than to stay both them and the rest till the whole might together be published Such generalities of the cause in question as are here handled it will be perhaps not amiss to consider apart by way of Introduction unto the Books that are to follow concerning particulars in the mean time the Reader is requested to mend the Printers errours as noted underneath And I am next to declare that his fifth Book which is larger than his first four was first also printed by it self Anno 1597. and dedicated to his Patron for till then he chose none the Archbishop These Books were read with an admiration of their excellency in This and their just fame spread it self into foraign Nations And I have been told more than forty years past that either Cardinal Allen or learned Doctor Stapleton both English men and in Italy about the time when Hookers four Books were first printed meeting with this general fame of them were desirous to read an Authour that both the Reformed and the learned of their own Church did so much magnifie and therefore caused them to be sent for and after reading them boasted to the Pope which then was Clement the eighth that though he had lately said he never met with an English Book whose Writer deserved the name of Author yet there now appear'd a wonder to them and it would be so to his Holiness if it were in Latin for a poor obscure English Priest had writ four such Books of Laws and Church Polity and in a Style that exprest so Grave and such Humble Majesty with clear demonstration of Reason that in all their readings they had not met with any that exceeded him and this begot in the Pope an earnest desire that Doctor Stapleton should bring the said four Books and looking on the English read a part of them to him in Latin which Doctor Stapleton did to the end of the first Book at the conclusion of which the Pope spake to this purpose There is no Learning that this man hath not searcht into nothing too hard for his understanding this man indeed deserves the name of an Authour his books will get reverence by Age for there is in them such seeds of Eternity that if the rest be like this they shall last till the last fire shall consume all Learning Nor was this high the onely testimony and commendations given to his Books for at the first coming of king James into this Kingdom he inquired of the Archbishop Whitgift for his friend Mr. Hooker that writ the Books of Church Polity to which the answer was that he dyed a year before Queen Elizabeth who received the sad news of his Death with very much Sorrow to which the King replyed and I receive it with no less that I shall want the desired happiness of seeing and discoursing with that man from whose Books I have received such satisfaction Indeed my Lord I have received more satisfaction in reading a leaf or paragragh in Mr. Hooker though it were but about the fashion of Churches or Church musick or the like but especially of the Sacraments than I have had in the reading particular large Treatises written but of one of those Subjects by others though very learned men and I observe there is in Mr. Hooker no affected language but a grave comprehensive clear manifestation of Reason and that back't with the Authority of the Scripture the Fathers and Schoolmen and with all Law both Sacred and Civil And though many others write well yet in the next age they will be forgotten but doubtless there is in every page of Mr. Hookers Book the picture of a Divine Soul such Pictures of Truth and Reason and drawn in so sacred Colours that they shall never fade but give an immortal memory to the Author And it is so truly true that the King thought what he spake that as the most learned of the Nation have and still do mention Mr. Hooker with reverence so he also did never mention him but with the Epithite of Learned or Judicious or Reverend or Venerable Mr. Hooker Nor did his Son our late King Charles the First ever mention him but with the same reverence enjoining his Son our now gracious King to be studious in Mr. Hookers Books And our learned Antiquary Mr. Cambden mentioning the death the modesty and other vertues of Mr. Hooker and magnifying his Books wish't That for the honour of this and benefit of other Nations they were turn'd into the Universal Language Which work though undertaken by many yet they have been weary and forsaken it but the Reader may now expect it having been long since begun and lately finisht by the happy Pen of Dr. Earl late Lord Bishop of Salisbury of whom I may justly say and let it not offend him because it is such a truth as ought not to be conceal'd from Posterity or those that now live and yet know him not that since Mr. Hooker dyed none have liv'd whom God hath blest with more innocent Wisdom more sanctified Learning or a moâ—e piousâ— peaceable primitive temper so that this excellent person seems to be only like himself and our veerbale Rich. Hooker and only fit to make the learned of all Nations happy in knowing what hath been too long confin'd to the language of our little Island There might be many more and just occasions taken to speak of his Books which none ever did or can commend too much but I decline them and hasten to an account of his Christian behaviour and death at Borne in which place he continued his customary Rules of Mortification and Self-denial was much in Fasting frequent in Meditation and Prayers enjoying those blessed returns which only men of strict lives feel and know and of which men of loose and godless lives cannot be made sensible for spiritual things are spiritually discern'd At his entrance into this place his friendship was much sought for by Dr. Hadrian Saravia then or about that time made one of the Prebends of Canterbury a German by Birth and sometimes a Pastor both in Flanders and Holland where he had studied and well considered the controverted points concerning Episcopacy and Sacriledge and in England had a just occasion to declare his judgment concerning both unto his Brethren Ministers of the Low Countreys which was excepted against by Theodor Beza and others against whose exceptions he rejoyned and thereby became the happy Author of many learned Tracts writ in Latin especially of three one of the Degrees of Ministers and of the Bishops superiority above the Presbytery a second against