his altar; and entering into sacred orders, he was made prebend of Layton Ecclesia, July 15, 1626, near Spalding, in the county of Huntingdon, the then decayed church of which he rebuilt by his own contributions and those of his kindred and friends, and especially those of his intimate associate, excellent Mr. Arthur Woodnot.

About 1629, Herbert was seized with a sharp quotidian ague, and thinking to remove it by change of air, went to Woodford, in Essex, to his beloved brother, Sir Henry Herbert. Here, by excess of dieting himself, he got rid indeed of the ague, but incurred great danger of consumption, to recover from which he went to Dauntsey in Wiltshire. The owner of it, the Earl of Danby, loved him, and gave him affectionate welcome. Here his health was apparently improved to a good degree of strength and cheerfulness.

A near kinsman to the Earl of Danby, Mr. Charles Danvers, of Bainton, in Wilts, often previously publicly declared a desire that Mr. Herbert would marry any of his nine daughters, for he had so many, but rather his daughter Jane than any other, because Jane was his beloved daughter. And he had often said the same to Mr. Herbert himself.

Jane's father died before Herbert's retirement to Dauntsey; yet some friends to both parties procured their meeting, at which time a mutual affection entered into both their hearts, as a conqueror enters into a surprised city; and love having got such possession, governed, and made there such laws and resolutions as neither party was able to resist; insomuch that she changed her name into Herbert the third day after this first interview.

About three months after this marriage, by the intervention of the Earl of Pembroke, Mr. Herbert was inducted into the good and more pleasant than healthful parsonage of Bemerton, near Salisbury.

When at his induction he was shut into Bemerton church, being left there alone to toll the bell, as the law required him, he stayed so much longer than an ordinary time before he returned to those friends that stayed expecting him at the church-door, that his friend Mr. Woodnot looked in at the church-window, and saw him lie prostrate on the ground before the altar; at which time and place, as he after told Mr. Woodnot, he set some rules to himself for the future management of his life, and then and there made a vow to labour to keep them.

That Mr. Herbert might the better preserve those holy rules which such a priest as he intended to be ought to observe, and that time might not insensibly blot them out of his memory, but that the next year might show him his variations from this year's resolutions, he did set down his rules then resolved upon, in that order as the world now sees them printed in the Country Parson.

This beautiful and touching history of his ministry at Bemerton is exquisitely narrated by Izaak Walton, in his elaborate, but in every line interesting, life of our poet.

"His chiefest recreation was music, in which heavenly art he was a most excellent master, and did himself compose many divine hymns and anthems, which he set and sung to his lute or viol; and though he was a lover of retiredness, yet his love to music was such, that he went usually twice every week, on certain appointed days, to the cathedral church in Salisbury, and at his return would say, that his time spent in prayer and cathedral-music elevated his soul, and was his heaven upon earth. But before his return thence to Bemerton, he would usually sing and play his part at an appointed private music-meeting; and to justify this practice he would often say, ‘religion does not banish mirth, but only moderates and sets rules to it.""

The consumptive tendency already indicated, and which was encouraged by the air of the locality, developed itself by degrees, and taking possession of Mr. Herbert's frame, at length prostrated it. The manner of his departure is thus beautifully described by Walton:

"Thus he continued meditating, and praying, and rejoicing till the day of his death; and on that day said to Mr. Woodnot, 'My dear friend, I am sorry I have nothing to present to my merciful God but sin and misery; but the first is pardoned, and a few hours will now put a period to the latter, for I shall suddenly go hence and be no more seen.' Upon which expression Mr. Woodnot took occasion to remember him of the re-edifying Layton church, and his many acts of mercy. To which he made answer, saying, 'They be good works if they be sprinkled with the blood of Christ, and not otherwise.' After this discourse he became more restless, and his soul seemed to be weary of her earthly tabernacle; and this uneasiness became so visible, that his wife, his three nieces, and Mr. Woodnot stood constantly about his bed, beholding him with sorrow, and an unwillingness to lose the sight of him whom they could not hope to see much longer. As they stood thus beholding him, his wife observed him to breathe faintly and with much trouble, and observed him to fall into a sudden agony, which so surprised her that she fell into a sudden passion, and required of him to know how he did. To which his answer was, that he had passed a conflict with his last enemy, and had overcome him by the merits of his master Jesus. After which answer he looked up and saw his wife and nieces weeping to an extremity, and charged them, if they loved him, to withdraw into the next room, and there pray every one alone for him; for nothing but their lamentations could make his death uncomfort

able. To which request their sighs and tears would not suffer them to make any reply; but they yielded him a sad obedience, leaving only with him Mr. Woodnot and Mr. Bostock. Immediately after they had left him, he said to Mr. Bostock, 'Pray, sir, open that door, then look into that cabinet, in which you may easily find my last will, and give it into my hand;' which being done, Mr. Herbert delivered it into the hand of Mr. Woodnot, and said: 'My old friend, I here deliver you my last will, in which you will find that I have made you sole executor for the good of my wife and nieces; and I desire you to show kindness to them, as they shall need it. I do not desire you to be just, for I know you will be so for your own sake; but I charge you, by the religion of our friendship, to be careful of them.' And having obtained Mr. Woodnot's promise to be so, he said, 'I am now ready to die.' After which words he said, 'Lord, forsake me not, now my strength faileth me; but grant me mercy for the merits of my Jesus. And now, Lord-Lord, now receive my soul!' And with those words he breathed forth his divine soul without any apparent disturbance, Mr. Woodnot and Mr. Bostock attending his last breath, and closing his eyes."

The poems of George Herbert, the chief of which have been incidentally noticed, form two volumes, and are inspired by the most earnest piety.

ARTHUR WILSON.*

(1598-1652.)

"Arthur Wilson, son of Richard Wilson of Yarmouth, in Norfolk, gentleman, was born in that county, and became a gentle-commoner of Trinity College, Oxford, in 1631, being then about thirty-three years of age, where spending more than two years, was all the academical education that he ever received; but whether he took a degree, or was actually created M.A., does not appear in the registers. During his stay at college he was very punctual in frequenting the chapel and hall, and in observing all the orders of the college and University. He had little skill in the Latin tongue, less in the Greek, a good readiness in the French, and some smattering in the Dutch. He had travelled in Germany, France, and Spain, in the quality of a servant to Robert Earl of Essex, and was well seen in the mathematics and poetry, and something in the common law of the nation. He had composed some comedies, which were acted at the Blackfriars in London, by the king's players, and at the Act time at OxAnthony à Wood.

VOL. I.

*

U

ford, with good applause, himself being present; but whether they are printed I cannot yet tell; sure I am that I have seen several specimens of his poetry printed in divers books. His carriage was very courteous and obliging, and such as did become a well-bred gentleman. He also had a great skill of the English tongue, as well in writing as speaking; and had he bestowed his endeavours on another subject than that of history, they would have without doubt seemed better. For in those which he hath done are wanting the principal matters conducing to the completion of that faculty, viz. matter from record, exact time, name, and place; which, by his endeavouring too much to set out his bare collections in an affected and bombastic style, are much neglected. He wrote The History of Great Britain, being the Life and Reign of King James the First, relating to what passed from his first Access to the Crown till his Death (London, 1653), in which he favoured Robert Devereux, the last Earl of Essex, and his allies, and underprized such as were more in the king's favour than he. The reason is, because he from his youth had attended that count in his chamber, and had received an annual pension from him several years. After his death he was received into the family of Robert Earl of Warwick, and by him made his steward, of whose father, named Robert also, he maketh honourable mention in the said history; in which may easily be discerned a partial Presbyterian vein that constantly goes throughout the whole work; and it being the geny of those people to pry more than they should into the courts and comportments of princes, do take occasion thereupon to traduce and bespatter them. He died at Felsted, near Little Leighes (the seat of the Earl of Warwick), in the county of Essex, about the beginning of October, 1652, and was buried in the chancel of the church there."

SIR JOHN MENNIS.
(1598-1670.)

"John Mennis, the third son of Andrew Mennis, Esq. was born at St. Peter's, Sandwich, Kent, 11th May, 1598, and was educated in grammar learning in the free school there. In the seventeenth year of his age, or thereabouts, he became a commoner of Corpus Christi College, where continuing some years, did advance himself much in various sorts of learning, especially in humanity and poetry, and something in history. Afterwards he became a great traveller, a most noted seaman, and as well skilled in marine affairs, in building of ships, and all belonging thereunto, as any man of his time. In

the reign of King James I. he had a place in the Navy Office, and in the reign of King Charles I. was made comptroller of it. In 1636 I find him a militia captain, and in 1639 he was captain of a troop of horse in the expedition against the Scots. In 1641 I find him a vice-admiral; and by that title did he receive the honour of knighthood from his majesty at Dover, in the month of February in the same year. Afterwards, upon the breaking out of the rebellion, he closely adhered to the cause of his majesty; and in 1642 I find him captain of a ship called the Rainbow for his majesty's service, while Robert Earl Warwick was vice-admiral, but how long he continued in that employment I cannot tell; sure I am that when his majesty's cause declined he left the nation, and for a time adhered to Prince Rupert, while he roved on the seas against the usurpers in England; who being successless, he retired to King Charles II. in exile, took his fortune as other royalists did, yet always in a gay, cheerful, and merry condition. After the return of his majesty from his exile, he was made governor of Dover Castle, and had the place of chief comptroller of the navy conferred on him,* which he kept to his dying day, being accounted by all that knew him to be an honest and stout man, generous and religious, and well skilled in physic and chemistry. This person, who was always poetically given, and therefore his company was delightful to all ingenious and witty men, was author of a great book entitled Musarum Delicia, or the Muses' Recreation, containing several pieces of poetic wit (London, 1656, Oct. 2d). James Smith, whom I have mentioned under the year 1667, had so great a hand in that book, that he is esteemed the author almost of half of it. Sir John Mennis hath also written Epsom Wells, a poem; and divers other poems, scattered in other men's works. He hath also extant a mock poem on Sir William Davenant and his Gondibert; and did assist, as I have been credibly informed, Sir John Suckling in the composition of some of his poetry; on whom, and his fine troop of horse that ran away when they were to engage with the enemy, he wrote a scoffing ballad. At length, he having lived beyond the age of man, concluded his last days in the Navy Office in Seething Lane, within the city of London, on Saturday the 18th of February, 1670; whereupon his body was buried at the upper end of the chancel of the church of St. Olave's, in Hart Street, on the 27th day of the same month. Soon after was a neat monument erected over his grave, with an inscription thereon, much becoming the person for whom it was set up.” Thus far Anthony à Wood. The editor of the Wit's Recreation, &c. (1817) proceeds:

"After a diligent search through all the histories of the civil wars