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"his heart; from whom he profefsed to have received more "knowledge in all divinity, both fcholaftical and pofitive, than "from any that he had ever practifed in his days; of which all "the passages were well known to the King your father, of "moft blefsed memory. And fo, with your Majefty's good "favour, I will end this needlefs office; for the general fame "of his learning, his life and Chriftian temper, and thofe reli"gious labours which himself hath dedicated to your Majefty, "do better defcribe him than I am able.

"Your Majefty's moft humble and faithful fervant,
"H. WOTTON."

To this letter I fhall add this, that he was, to the great joy of Sir Henry Wotton, made Governor of the said College (Auguft 1627); and that after a fair discharge of his duty and truft there, he was thence removed to be Bishop of Kilmore (September 3, 1629). In both which places his life was fo holy, as feemed to equal the primitive Chriftians. For as they, fo he kept all theẹ Ember weeks, obferved (befides his private devotions) the canoni cal hours of prayer very strictly, and fo he did all the feafts and faft-days of his mother, the Church of England. To which I may add, that his patience and charity were both fuch as fhewed his affections were fet "" upon things that are above;" for indeed his whole life brought forth the "fruits of the Spirit;" there being in him fuch a remarkable meeknefs that, as St. Paul advised his Timothy in the election of a bifhop, 1 Tim. iii. 7. "That he have a good report of those that be without;" fo had he: For those that were without, even those that in point of religion were of the Roman perfuafion (of which there were very many in his diocefe), did yet (fuch is the power of visible piety) ever look upon him with refpect and reverence, and teftified it by a concealing and fafe protecting him from death in the late horrid rebellion in Ireland, when the fury of the wild Irish knew no diftinction of perfons: and yet there and then he was protected and cherished by those of a contrary perfuafion; and there and then he died, not by violence or mifufage, but by grief in a quiet prifon (1629), And with him was loft many of his learned writings, which were thought worthy of preservation; and among the reft was loft the Bible, which by many years' labour, and conference, and ftudy, he had tranflated into the Irish tongue, with an intent to have it printed for public use.

! Burnet's Life of Bedel," p. 180, 209.

This zealous prelate, defirous that the free ufe of the Scriptures should disseminate a knowledge of the true religion among the Irish, felected one King, a convert from Popery, who was fuppofed to be the most elegant writer of his native language then alive, whether in profe or verfe. Though he was much advanced in years, the Bishop thought him not only capable of undertaking an Irish version of the Bible, but qualified for a higher character: He ordained him, gave him a benefice

More might be faid of Mr. Bedel, who, I told the reader, was Sir Henry Wotton's first chaplain, and much of his fecond chaplain Ifaac Bargrave ", Doctor in Divinity, and the late learned and hofpitable Dean of Canterbury; as alfo of the merits of many others that had the happiness to attend Sir Henry, in his foreign employments: But the reader may think that in this digreffion I have already carried him too far from Eaton college; and therefore I fhall lead him back as gently and as orderly as I may to that place, for a further conference concerning Sir Henry Wotton.

Sir Henry Wotton had propofed to himself, before he entered 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 feveral embassies into those parts, and his interest in the feveral Princes of the Empire: By whofe means he had access to the records of all the Hans towns, and the knowledge of many fecret passages that fell not under common view; and in these he had made a happy progrefs, as is well known to his worthy. friend Dr. Duppa, the late Reverend Bishop of Salisbury. But in the midst of this defign, his late Majefty, King Charles I. that knew the value of Sir Henry Wotton's pen, did, by a perfuafive loving violence, to which may be added a promise of five hundred pounds a year, force him to lay Luther afide, and betake himself to write the hiftory of England: In which he proceeded to write fome fhort characters of a few Kings, as a foundation upon which he meant to build; but for the prefent meant to be more large in the story of Henry VI. the founder of that College, in which he then enjoyed all the worldly happinefs of his prefent being. But Sir Henry died in the midit of this undertaking; and the footsteps of his labours are not recoverable by a more than common diligence P.

in his own diocefe, and employed him in this ufeful work, directing him to found his verfion on the English tranflation. The good Bishop revised the whole: And it was his ufual cuftom after dinner and fupper to read over a chapter, and to compare it with the original Hebrew, the LXXII, and Diodati's Italian verfion. See Burnet's "Life of Bishop Bedel," p. 118, 119,

n Of this excellent divine, and the cruel treatment he and his family received from Colonel Sandys, fee Mr. Todd's "Deans of Canterbury," p. 100.

• A life of this reformer, written with candour and impartiality, has long been a defideratum in the republic of letters. That which is extant in the English language, entitled "The Life and Death of Dr. Martin Luther, the Pafsages whereof have bin taken out of his owne and other godly and moft learned Men's Writings who lived in his Time, 1 Thess. v. 12, 13," was printed in 1611, and is a mere literal tranflation from Melchior Adam.

P Of this hiftorical work a very small fragment is extant, written in the Latin language, with great elegance, and entitled " Henrici VI.

Angliæ

This is fome account both of his inclination, and the employment both of his time in the College, where he feemed to have his youth renewed by a continual converfation with that learned fociety, and a daily recourfe of other friends of choiceft breeding and parts; by which that great bleffing of a cheerful heart was ftill maintained: He being always free, even to the last of his days, from that peevishnefs which usually attends age.

And yet his mirth was fometimes damped by the remembrance of divers old debts, partly contracted in his foreign employments; for which his juft arrears due from the King would have made fatisfaction. But being ftill delayed with court-promifes, and finding fome decays of health, he did, about two years before his death, out of a Chriftian defire, that none fhould be a lofer by him, make his laft Will. Concerning which, a doubt still remains, namely, whether it difcovered more holy wit, or confcionable policy? But there is no doubt, but that his chief defign was a Christian endeavour that his debts might be fatisfied.

And that it may remain as fuch a testimony, and a legacy to thofe that loved him, I fhall here impart it to the reader, as it was found written with his own hand.

IN the name of God almighty and all-merciful, I Henry Wotton, Provost of his Majesty's College by Eaton, being mindful of mine own mortality, which the sin of our first parents did bring upon all flesh, do by this last Will and Testament, thus dispose of myself, and the poor things I shall leave in this world. My soul I bequeath to the immortal God my Maker, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, my blessed Redeemer and Mediator, through his all-sole sufficient satisfaction for the sins of the whole world, and efficient for his elect, in the number of whom I am one by his mere grace, and thereof most unremoveably assured by his holy Spirit, the true Eternal Comforter. My body 1 bequeath to the earth, if I shall end my transitory days at, or near Eaton, to be buried in the Chapel of the said College, as the Fellows shall dispose thereof, with whom I have lived, my God knows, in all loving affection; or, if Į

Angliæ et Galliarum Regis, Hiberniæ Domini, Etonenfis ad Tamefin Collegii Conditoris vita et excessus."

"The grant of a penfion of 5001. a year, for his life, was made to Sir "Henry Wotton, Provoft of Eaton, and Gentleman of the King's Privy "Chamber. It is dated at Weftminster, Feb. 16, 1630."

He had a penfion of 2001. fettled on him in the third year of this reign, which was now augmented to 5001. to enable him to compofe the Ancient Hiftory of England, and to bestow 1001. on the amanuenfes and clerks necefsary to be employed in that work. (Acta Regia, p. 815.)

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9" Sir Henry Wotton is at this time under arreft for three hundred pounds, upon execution, and lies by it. He was taken coming from "the Lord Treasurer's, foliciting a debt of four thousand pounds, due to him from the King." (Mr. Garrard to the Lord Deputy. Strafford's Letters, Vol. I. p. 338.)

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shall die near Bocton Malherb, in the county of Kent, then I wish to be laid in that Parish-Church, as near as may be to the Sepulchre of my good Father, expecting a joyful resurrection with him in the day of Christ.

After this account of his faith, and this furrender of his foul to that God that inspired it, and this direction for the difpofal of his body, he proceeded to appoint, that his executors fhould lay over his grave a marble ftone, plain, and not coftly. And confidering that time moulders even marble to duft; for

"Monuments themselves must dier."

Therefore did he (waving the common way) think fit rather to preferve his name (to which the fon of Sirac adviseth all men) by a useful apophthegm, than by a large enumeration of his defcent or merits, of both which he might juftly have boasted; but he was content to forget them, and did choose only this prudent, pious fentence, to discover his difpofition and preferve his memory. It was directed by him to be thus infcribed:

HIC JACET HUJUS SENTENTIÆ PRIMUS AUTHOR, DISPUTANDI PRURITUS ECCLESIARUM SCABIES. NOMEN ALIAS QUÆRE.

Which may be Englished thus:

HERE LIES THE FIRST AUTHOR OF THIS SENTENCE, THE ITCH OF DISPUTATION WILL PROVE THE SCAB OF THE CHURCH.

INQUIRE HIS NAME ELSEWHERE.

And if any fhall object, as I think fome have, that Sir Henry Wotton was not the first author of this fentence, but that this, or a fentence like it, was long before his time; to him I anfwer, that Solomon fays, "Nothing can be spoken, that hath "not been spoken: For there is no new thing under the fun." But grant, that in his various readings, he had met with this, or a like fentence, yet reafon mixed with charity fhould perfuade all readers to believe, that Sir Henry Wotton's mind was then fo fixed on that part of the Communion of Saints which is above, that an holy lethargy did surprise his memory. For doubtlefs, if he had not believed himself to be the firft author of what he faid, he was too prudent firft to own, and then expofe it to the public view and cenfure of every critic. And queftionless it will be charity in all readers to think his mind was then fo fixed on heaven, that a holy zeal did transport him; and that in this

«Quandoquidem data funt ipfis quoque fata fepulchris."

5

JUVEN. Sat. x. 146.

facred ecftafy, his thoughts were then only of the church. triumphant,-into which he daily expected his admiffion; and that Almighty God was then pleased to make him a prophet, to tell the church militant, and particularly that part of it in this nation, where the weeds of controverfy grow to be daily both more numerous, and more deftructive to humble piety; and where men have confciences that boggle at ceremonies, and yet fcruple not to speak and act fuch fins as the ancient humble Chriftians believed to be a fin to think; and where, as our reverend Hooker fays, "Former Simplicity, and Soft"nefs of Spirit, is not now to be found, because, Zeal hath "drowned Charity, and Skill Meeknefs." It will be good to think that these fad changes have proved this epitaph to be a useful caution unto us of this nation; and the fad effects thereof in Germany have proved it to be a mournful truth.

This by way of obfervation concerning his epitaph: The reft of his Will follows in his own words.

Further, I the said Henry Wotton, do constitute and ordain to be joint executors of this my last Will and Testament, my two grand. nephews, Albert Morton, second son to Sir Robert Morton, Knight, late deceased, and Thomas Bargrave, eldest son to Dr. Bargrave, Dean of Canterbury, husband to my right virtuous and only niece. And I do pray the aforesaid Dr. Bargrave, and Mr. Nicholas Pey, my most faithful and chosen friends, together with Mr. John Harrison', one of the Fellows of Eaton College, best acquainted with my books and pictures, and other utensils, to be supervisors of this my last Will and Testament. And I do pray the aforesaid Dr. Bargrave and Mr. Nicholas Pey, to be solicitors for such arrearages as shall appear due unto me from his Majesty's Exchequer at the time of my death; and to assist my fore-named executors in some reasonable and conscientious satisfaction of my creditors, and discharge of my legacies now specified; or that shall be hereafter added unto this my Testament by any codicil or schedule, or left in the hands or in any memorial with the aforesaid Mr. John Harrison.

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5 Such was the ancient simplicity and softness of spirit, which sometimes prevailed in the world, that they, whofe words were even as oracles amongst men, feemed evermore loth to give fentence against any thing publicly received in the church of God, except it were wonderfully apparently evil; for that they did not fo much incline to that feverity, which delighteth to reprove the leaft things it feeth amils, as to that charity which is unwilling to behold any thing, that duty bindeth to reprove. The fate of this prefent age, wherein Zeal hath drowned Charity, and Skill Meekness, will not now fuffer any man to marvel, whatsoever he shall hear reproved, by whomfoever.

(Hooker's Eccles. Book IV. Sect. I.)

Mr. J. HARRISON was elected Fellow of Eaton College, October 28, 1636. He was probably that learned and eminent divine, whom Anthony Wood mentions as the author of " A Vindication of the Holy Scriptures, or the Manifestation of Jefus Chrift the true Meffiah already come. London, 1658. (Ath. Ox, vol. II. p. 991.)

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