in his travels, and tranflated out of Spanish into English) to be examined and cenfured by Mr. Herbert before it was made public; which excellent book "These truly divine meditations or confiderations of Signior John Valdesso, a nobleman of Spain (who died almoft an hundred years agoe), having been fo acceptable to pious Vige"rius, to learned Cælius Secundus Curio, and to many others both french and italian pro"teftants, that they have been tranflated out of the original fpanifh copy, and printed three or four times in thofe languages; it feemeth to me a reasonable and charitable defign to "print them now in English, without any alteration at all from the Italian copy, the Spanish "being either not at all extant, or not easy to be found. It is certain that the book containeth "many worthy difcourfes of experimental and practical divinity, well expreffed, and elegantly "illuftrated, especially concerning the doctrines of juftification and mortification: and yet, "notwithstanding, there be some few expreffions and fimilitudes in it, at which not only the "weak reader may stumble, and the envious quarrel; but alfo the wife and charitable reader "may justly blame. To have removed these few ftumbling-blocks, or offenfive paffages by leaving them out, or by altering them, had not been the work of a translator, but of an au"thor; befides the ill example of altering ancient authors, which is one of the greatest causes "of the corruption of truth and learning. Therefore, it hath been thought fit to print the "book according to the author's own copy, but withall to give particular notice of some fuf"picious places, and of some manifest errors which follow, particularly expreffed in the en"fuing pages; referring the reft, if any there be, to the judgment of the reader. He lived "where the fcriptures were in no reputation; and, therefore, no marvel that he should speak "fo flightly of them; but rather, on the contrary, it may feem a marvellous thing in our ages to have a statesman in thofe parts at that time fo far illuminated and taught of God "as he was.-May it pleafe the divine Goodnefs, that every reader may reap the like com"fort and profit to his foul, as the tranflator and publisher humbly and thankfully acknow"ledge that they have done, and they have their main fcope and aim in publishing it!" 66 Prefixed to "The Confiderations" is also an Addrefs from Cælius Secundus Curio to the Reader, in which we have the following account of Valdeffo: "Thefe Confiderations, as many well know, were firft written by the author in the fpanish language; but afterward, by a certain pious and worthy perfon, tranflated into Italian. Yet have they not been able "altogether to quit thofe forms of fpeech which are proper to Spain.-John Valdeffo was by "nation a Spaniard, of noble kindred, of an honourable degree, and a refplendent Chevalier "of the Emperor, but a much more honourable and refplendent Chevalier of Chrift. True "it is, he did not much follow the court after that Chrift had revealed himself to him; but "abode in Italy, spending the greatest part of his life at Naples, where with the fweetnesse of "his doctrine, and the fanctity of his life, he gained many difciples unto Chrit; and efpe"cially among the gentlemen and cavaliers, and fome ladies, he was very eminent and praife worthy book Mr. Herbert did read, and returned back with many marginal notes, as they be now printed with it: and with them, Mr. Herbert's affectionate letter to Mr. Ferrar. This John Valdeffo was a Spaniard, and was for his learning and virtue much valued and loved by the great Emperor Charles V. whom Valdeffo had followed as a cavalier all the time of his long and dangerous wars; and when Valdeffo grew old, and grew weary both of war and the world, he took his fair opportunity to declare to the Emperor, that his refolution was to decline his Majesty's fervice, and betake himself to a quiet and contemplative life, because there ought to be a vacancy of time betwixt fighting and dying. The Emperor had himself for the fame, or other like reasons, put on the fame refolution: But God and himself did, till then, only know them; and he did therefore defire Valdeffo to confider well of what he had faid, and to keep his purpofe within his own breaft, till they two might have "worthy in all kinds of praife. It feemed that he was appointed by God for a teacher and "pastor of noble and illuftrious perfonages: although he was of fuch benignity and charity, that he accounted himself debtor of his talents to every rude and mean person, and "became all things to all men, that he might gaine all to Christ: and not this alone, but he gave light to fome of the most famous preachers of Italy, which I very well know, having "converfed with them themselves. "He never had wife, but lived most continently; nor did he attend to ought elfe, as "much as he could, than unto mortification, in which death overtaking him, he became per"fectly mortified, fo as to be perfectly quickened in the resurrection of the just, and to enjoy "our Lord Chrift. He died in Naples about the year 1540. He hath left behind also cer"taine other good and pious compofitions, which, as I hope, fhall by Vergerius his meanes "be communicated unto you." Subjoined to "The Confiderations" is an Epiftle written by Valdeffo " to Lady Dona Julia de Gonzaga," to whom he dedicates " A Commentary upon the Epistle to the Romans." It appears, that along with this Commentary he sent to her all St. Paul's Epistles, tranflated from the Greek into the ordinary Caftilian language. He fays, that he had before tranflated the Pfalms of David from the original Hebrew, for her ufe; and he promises to furnish her with "The Hiftory of Chrift," in the fame language," at fuch time and manner as it fhall please the "Divine Majefty." Mr. Ifaac Walton in his "Complete Angler," p. 26, introduces a remark of Valdeffo, whom he calls an ingenious Spaniard, "that rivers, and the inhabitants of the watery element, were made for wife men to contemplate, and fools to pass by without confideration." have a second opportunity of a friendly discourse; which Valdeffo promised to do. In the mean time, the Emperor appoints privately a day for him and Valdeffo to meet again, and after a pious and free discourse, they both agreed on a certain day to receive the bleffed facrament publicly, and appointed an eloquent and devout friar to preach a fermon of contempt of the world, and of the happiness and benefit of a quiet and contemplative life, which the friar did most affectionately. After which fermon, the Emperor took occafion to declare openly, "That the preacher had begot in him a refolution 66 to lay down his dignities, and to forfake the world, and betake himself 66 to a monaftical life"." And he pretended he had perfuaded John Valdesso to do the like; but this is moft certain, that after the Emperor had called his fon Philip out of England, and refigned to him all his kingdoms, that then the Emperor and John Valdeffo did perform their refolutions. This account of John Valdeffo I received from a friend, that had it from the mouth of Mr. Ferrar: And the reader may note, that in this retirement John Valdeffo wrote his "Hundred and Ten Confiderations," and many other treatises of worth, which want a fecond Mr. Ferrar to procure and tranflate them. After this account of Mr. Ferrar and John Valdeffo, I proceed to my account of Mr. Herbert and Mr. Duncon, who, according to his promise, returned from the Bath the fifth day, and then found Mr. Herbert much weaker than he left him: and, therefore, their discourse could not be long; but at Mr. Duncon's parting with him, Mr. Herbert spoke to this purpose: "Sir, I pray give my brother Ferrar an account of the decaying condition "of my body, and tell him I beg him to continue his daily prayers for me: And let him know, that I have confidered, that God only is what he "would 3 H 66 "Charles V. was defirous of expiating the many diforders of a life spent in continued wars, by devoting his last years to the fervice of God. He retired to the monaftery of Saint Juft, fituated near Placentia, on the frontiers of Caftile and Portugal. Is it not to be regretted that after his retirement he often expreffed his forrow for having obferved the fafe conduct, that he had formerly given to Luther, lamenting that he did not feize that reformer, to whom he had folemnly promifed fecurity? That bigotry must have been great indeed, which impelled a Christian Prince to lament that he had not violated the most facred engagement. "would be; and that I am, by his grace, become now fo like him, as to be pleased with what pleaseth him; -and tell him, that I do not repine, but "am pleased with my want of health; and tell him my heart is fixed on "that place where true joy is only to be found; and that I long to be "there, and do wait for my appointed change with hope and patience."Having faid this, he did, with so sweet a humility as feemed to exalt him, bow down to Mr. Duncon, and, with a thoughtful and contented look, fay to him, “Sir, I pray deliver this little book to my dear brother Ferrar, and "tell him, he shall find in it a picture of the many spiritual conflicts that "have paffed betwixt God and my foul, before I could fubject mine to the "will of Jefus my Mafter; in whofe fervice I have now found perfect free"dom; defire him to read it; and then, if he can think it may turn to the 66 advantage of any dejected poor foul, let it be made public; if not, let "him burn it; for I and it are less than the leaft of God's mercies.". Thus meanly did this humble man think of this excellent book, which now bears the name of " The Temple; or, Sacred Poems and Private Ejaculations;" of which Mr. Ferrar would fay, "There was in it the picture of a divine foul in every page; and that the whole book was such a harmony of holy paffions, as would enrich the world with pleasure and piety." And it appears to have done fo; for there have been more than twenty thousand of them fold fince the first impreffion. And this ought to be noted, that when Mr. Ferrar fent this book to Cambridge to be licensed for the prefs, the Vice Chancellor would by no means allow the two fo much noted verfes Religion ftands a tip-toe in our land, to be printed; and Mr. Ferrar would by no means allow the book to be printed • In "Peckard's Memoirs," &c. is inferted a prayer drawn up by Mr. Ferrar, on the particular occafion of the dangerous illness of his dear friend, Mr. George Herbert. p" Religion ftands on tiptoe on our land, "When printed and want them; but after fome time, and fome arguments for and against their being made public, the Vice Chancellor faid, "I knew Mr. "Herbert well, and know that he had many heavenly speculations, and was "a divine poet; but I hope the world will not take him to be an inspired prophet, and therefore I license the whole book." So that it came to be printed without the diminution or addition of a fyllable, fince it was delivered into the hands of Mr. Duncon, fave only that Mr. Ferrar hath added that excellent preface that is printed before it.. At the time of Mr. Duncon's leaving Mr. Herbert (which was about three weeks before his death), his old and dear friend Mr. Woodnot came from London to Bemerton, and never left him till he had feen him draw his last breath, and closed his eyes on his death-bed. In this time of his decay, he was often vifited and prayed for by all the clergy that lived near to him, especially by his friends the Bishop and Prebendaries of the cathedral church in Salisbury; but by none more devoutly than his wife, his three nieces (then a part of his family), and Mr. Woodnot, who were the fad witneffes of his daily decay; to whom he would often speak to this purpose: "I now look back upon the pleasures of my life paft, and fee the content I have taken in beauty, in wit, and mufic, and pleasant conversation, are now all paft by me like a dream or as a fhadow that returns not, and are now all become dead to me, or I to them; and I fee that as my father and "generation hath done before me, fo I alfo fhall now fuddenly (with Job) "make my bed alfo in the dark; and I praise God I am prepared for it; and 3 H 2 "I praise "When Sein shall swallow Tiber; and the Thames, "When Italy of us fhall have her will, "And all her calendars of fins fulfil, "Whereby one may foretell what fins, next year, "They have their times of gospel ev'n as we." (Mr. Herbert's CHURCH MILITANT.) It is unneceffary to remark the abfurdity of fuppofing, that the productions of a prophet are contained in thefe lines of Mr. George Herbert. |