Friends: And he proved fo to Mr. Herbert; for be fides his own Bounty, he collected and return'd most of the Money that was paid for the Rebuilding of that Church; he kept all the Account of the Charges, and would often go down to ftate them, and fee all the Workmen paid. When I have faid, that this good Man was a useful Friend to Mr. Herbert's Father, and to his Mother, and continued to be so to him, till he clos'd his Eyes on his Death-bed; I will for bear to say more, till I have the next fair Occafion to mention the holy Friendship that was betwixt him and Mr. Herbert- From whom Mr. Woodnot carried to his Mother this following Letter, and deliver'd it to her in a Sickness which was not long before that which prov'd to be her laft,

A Letter of Mr. George Herbert to his Mother, in her Sickness.

Madam,

A because I was in hope I bould my felf carry all Sick

Tmy last parting from you I was the better content,

nefs out of your Family; but fince I know I did not, and that your fare continues, or rather encreaseth, I wish earneftly that I were again with you; and would quickly make good my Wife, but that my Employment does fix me here, being now but a Month to our Commencement: Wherein, my Abfence by how much it naturally augmenteth Sufpicion, by fo much shall it make my Prayers the more conftant and the more earnest for you to the God of all confolation---In the mean time I beseech you to be chearful, and comfort your felf in the God of all Comfort, who is not willing to behold any forrow but for Sin--What hath Affliction grievous in it more than for a Moment? or why should our Afflictions here have fo much power or boldness as to oppose the Hope of our Foys hereafter?---Madam! As the Earth is but a Point in refpect of the Heavens, fo are earthly Troubles compar'd to heavenly Foys; therefore, if either

Age

Age or Sickness lead you to thofe Joys, confider what Advantage you have over Youth and Health, who are now fo near thofe true Comforts-Your laft Letter gave me an Earthly Preferment, and kept Heavenly for your felf: But wou'd you divide and chufe too? Our College Cuftoms allow not that, and I should account my felf most happy, if I might change with you; for I have always obferv'd the Thred of Life to be like other Threds or Skenes of Silk, full of Snarls and Incumbrances: Happy is be, whofe bottom is wound up and laid ready for work in the New Jerufalem-For my felf, dear Mother, I always fear'd Sickness more than Death, because Sickness hath made me unable to perform thofe Offices for which I came into the World, and must yet be kept in it; but you are free'd from that Fear, who have already abundantly difcharg'd that part, having both ordered your Family, and fo brought up your Children that they have attain1à to the Years of Difcretion, and competent Maintenance-So that now if they do not well, the Fault cannot be charg'd on you; whofe Example and Care of them will juftify you both to the World and your own Confcience; infomuch, that whether you turn your Thoughts on the Life paft, or on the Joys that are to come, you have frong Prefervatives against all difquiet And for temporal Afflictions! I beseech you confider all that can happen to you are either Afflictions of Eftate, or Body, or Mind For thofe of Eftate, of what poor regard ought they to be, fince if we had Riches we are commanded to give them away? ? So that the best use of them is, having,not to have them But perhaps being above the common People, our Credit and Eftimation calls on us to live in a more fplendid Fashion: But, Oh God! bow easily is that answered, when we confider, that the Bleffings in the holy Scripture are never given to the Rich, but to the Poor. I never find Bleffed be the Rich, or Blef fed be the Noble, but Bleffed be the Meek, and Bleffed be the Poor, and Bleffed be the Mourners, for

they

an Apartment in it, as might beft fute Mr. Herbert's Accommodation and Liking. And in this place, by a Spare Diet, declining all perplexing Studies, moderate Exercife, and a chearful Converfation, his Health was apparently improv'd to a good degree of Strength and Chearfulness: And then he declared his Refolution both to marry, and to enter into the Sacred Orders of Priesthood: These had long been the defires of his Mother, and his other Relations; but fhe liv'd not to fee either, for fhe died in the Year 1627. And though he was disobedient to her about Layton Church, yet in Conformity to her Will, he kept his Fellowship in Cambridge, and his Orator's Place, till after her death; and then presently declin'd both: And the last the more willingly, that he might be fucceeded by his Friend Robert Creighton, who was Dr. Creighton, and the worthy Bishop of Wells.

I fhall now proceed to his Marriage; in order to which,it will be convenient, that I first give the Reader a fhort view of his Perfon, and then, an Account of his Wife, and of fome Circumstances concerning both---He was for his Perfon of a Stature inclining towards Talenefs; his Body was very straight, and so far from being cumbred with too much Flesh, that he was lean to an extremity. His Afpect was chearful, and his Speech and Motion did both declare him a Gentleman, for they were all fo meek and obliging, that they purchased love and refpect from all that knew him.

These, and his other vifible Vertues, begot him fo much love from a Gentleman of a noble Fortune, and a near Kinsman to his Friend the Earl of Danby; namely, from Mr. Charles Danvers of Bainton, in the County of Wilts, Efq; That Mr. Danvers having known him long and familiarily, did so much affect him, that he often and publickly declar'd a defire that Mr. Herbert would marry any of his Nine Daughters (for he had so many) but rather his Daughter

Jane

Jane than any other, because Fane was his beloved Daughter: And he had often faid the fame to Mr. Herbert himself; and that if he could like her for a Wife, and the him for a Husband, Jane fhould have a double Bleffing; and Mr. Danvers had fo often faid the like to Fane, and fo much commended Mr. Herbert to her, that Jane became fo much a Platonick, as to fall in Love with Mr. Herbert unfeen..

This was a fair Preparation for a Marriage; but a las, her Father died before Mr. Herbert's Retirement to Dantfel; yet fome Friends to both Parties procur'd their Meeting; at which time a mutual Affection entred into both their Hearts, as a Conqueror enters into a furprized City; and Love having got fuch Poffeffion, govern'd and made there fuch Laws and Refolutions, as neither Party was able to refift; infomuch that the chang'd her Name into Herbert, the third Day after this first Interview.

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This hafte might in others be thought a Love-frenfy, or worse: But it was not; for they had woed fo like Frinces as to have select Proxies; fuch as were true Friends to both Parties; fuch as well underflood Mr. Herbert's and her Temper of Mind; and alfo their Eftates fo well before this Interview, that the Suddennels was justifiable by the strictest Rules of Prudence: And the more, because it prov'd fo happy to both Parties; for the eternal Lover of Mankind made them happy in each others mutual and equal Affections and Compliance; indeed fo happy, that there was never any Oppofition betwixt them, unlefs it were a Conteft which fhould moft incline to a Compliance with the others Defires. And though this begot and continued in them fuch a mutual Love and Joy, and Content, as was no way defective; yet this mutual Content and Love, and Joy, did receive a daily Augmentation, by fuch daily Obligingness to each other, as fill added fuch new Afluences to the

E

former

former Fulnefs of these Divine Souls, as was only improvable in Heaven, where they now enjoy it.

About three Months after his Marriage, Dr. Curle,, who was then Rector of Bemerton in Wiltshire, was made Bishop of Bath and Wells, and not long after trandated to Winchester, and by that means the Prefentati on of a Clerk to Bemerton did not fall to the Earl of Pembroke (who was the undoubted Patron of it) but to the King, by reafon of Dr. Curle's Advancement; but Philip then Earl of Pembroke (for William was lately dead) requested the King to bellow it upon his Kinfman George Herbert, and the King faid, Moft willingly to Mr. Herbert, if it be worth his Acceptance: And the Earl as willingly and fuddenly fent it him, without feeking; but though Mr. Herbert had formerly put on a Refolution for the Clergy; yet, at receiving this Prefentation, the Apprehenfion of the laft great Account that he was to make for the Cure of fo many Souls, made him faft and pray often, and confider for not lefs than a Month: In which time he had fome Refolutions to decline both the Priesthood, and that Living. And in this time of confidering, He endur'd (as he would often fay) fuch Spiritual Conflits, as none can think, but only thofe that have endur'd them.

In the midst of thofe Conflicts, his old and dear Friend Mr. Arthur Woodnot took a Journey to falute him at Bainton (where he then was with his Wive's Friends and Relations) and was joyful to be an Eyewitnefs of his Health, and happy Marriage. And after they had rejoyc'd together fome few Days, they took a Journey to Wilton, the famous Seat of the Earls of Pembroke at which time the King, the Earl, and the whole Court were there, or at Salisbury, which is near to it. And at this time Mr, Herbert prefented his Thanks to the Earl for his Prefentation to Bemerton, but had not yet refolv'd to accept it, and told him the Reafon why, but that Night the Earl acquainted

Dr.