no less good in matter, teaching them something of worth, exciting to virtue and the hatred of vice: and by this the young ones learned to speak gracefully and courageously.

46. Now to proceed. The afternoon's employments, as on Mondays, so also on the others of the rest of the weekdays,—the time and hours spent much at one. Dinner ended, these things performed, all departed the room, and each went where they thought good, until one o'clock. Then the bell tolled for the boys to school, and at that hour those that had their turns came up into the great chamber again, to say their psalms and head of concordance, sing a hymn and play on the organ whilst they sung. There old Mrs. Ferrar commonly sat till four o'clock, and, as before, each hour had its performance; some were at one employment and some at another, such as you heard before was their work.

47. Then rung the bell to prayer, which was performed by all, going to church again to divine service, and so home again. And at five the bell rung to supper, which was performed in the great parlour, with reading, &c., as you heard at noon. This done there was liberty given to retire where each would, in summer-time walking abroad, in winter there was a great fire in the room; so some went to one thing, some to another, to learn against next morning, there being many candles in the room in several places; and the three masters had leave to go to their studies, or where they would.

48.

Eight o'clock coming, the bell rung to prayers for bed-time; so all came up into the great chamber, where a hymn was sung, the organs playing, and then prayer said by Nicholas Ferrar. The room was well stored with candles. This done, all the children came, and craved on their knees their grandmother's and parents' blessing, then each bidding other good night, every one the sons and daughters waiting on their grandmother to her chamber, so each departed to their several chambers, closets, &c., and as before related, no more going up and down the house, the outward doors locked up. And thus in brief you have a relation of their manners and of their hours' employment and daily exercises all the week long, till Sunday again.

49. Nicholas Ferrar, considering more and more the extraordinary favour and blessings of God to his family, in a most superlative degree and in no less than a miraculous way delivering them out of so many eminent dangers; that it was their part in some measure to shew their more and more than thankfulness to God for them, and that in a more than ordinary or usual way or custom than was practised by most, none having more cause than their family to love and serve God at all times and in all places, in such manner as was pleasing to Him and agreeable to the doctrine of the Church of England and to the laws of the land:-hereupon with the advice, consent, and approbation of both religious, grave, learned divines, and amongst the rest upon

the invitation of that worthy servant of Christ, Mr. George Herbert', his most entire friend and brother (for so they styled each other):-Nicholas Ferrar, I say, propounded to those of the family, who should of their own free will and choice approve of the thing; for none should be enforced, or the less well thought of, that did only not like of it, or would not be ready to take a part in it. So he found those that did desire to be partners in the action. It was that every night two at least should take their turns, one in the seven nights to watch, and should begin it at nine at night, and so continue till one in the morning. It was to be performed in their several apartments and oratories appointed for the same: the womankind had theirs at one side of the house, the men on the other side, a great way asunder each from the other; and the daughters had for their companion one of their sisters, or sometimes a maidservant, whose desire it was then to watch (for you are to know, that most of the maids could read and say psalms without book). And the men that were actors had one of the boys at the least, if not two, that would also readily desire and strive who should watch, and they could

1 "Geo. Herbert, Coll. Trin. Art. Bac. 1612-3-Art. Mag. Coll. Trin. an. 1616. Regr. Acad." BAKER. There is a passing allusion to "Mr. Herbert's public rhetoric lectures in the university" in D'Ewes's Life, i. 121.

2 See below, § 50.

3 Once? or is it "to watch one night in the seven" ?

say all the psalms without book readily. And the organs were so placed, and then tuned so low, as that those that watched might, if they would, at some times sing and play to them, and yet no disturbance to any of the family in the house; but this was not usual every night done, only now and then. Now the matter was this they chiefly insisted on in their watch, and was the length' of it: that they two that watched should carefully and distinctly say all David's psalms over in those four hours' time, from nine to one o'clock, they having both a glass and the clocks to let them know how the night passed away. One of the watchers said one verse of the psalm, and the other the other verse interchangeably by way of responsal. They performed it on their knees all the time, except at some spaces of time and intermission which they used, when they in winter went to the fire to warm themselves, when extreme weather was. For in their rooms near them they had fires all night, and were otherwise provided that they took no cold to endanger their health, of which Nicholas Ferrar in all things was most careful. These watchers went not to their naked beds at all, but lay down upon them till six o'clock, and then rose3. This was to inure them,

1 Seems to mean: "This was their occupation during their watch, and what determined the length of it."

2 "They have promiscuous private prayers all the night long by nightly turns, just like as the English nuns at Saint Omers and other popish places: which private prayers are

upon any occasion that might happen, that they could do well without going into a bed. Their watch ended, they came and knocked at Nicholas Ferrar's door, bidding him good-morrow, leaving him a candle lighted at his door; who soon rose up and then went into his own study. This was that constant hour he always rose up at, to go to prayer and meditation, when it was not his own turn to watch. His nights of watching were twice a week for some years at the beginning, but afterwards he came to watch three times a week duly; and those that chose to watch with him were young Nicholas Ferrar, his dearly beloved nephew', in whom he took great joy, for the blossoms of goodness and ingenuity that he discerned to sprout out daily in him, and another towardly youth, whose name was Ferrar Collett. These two were companions in

(as it seems) taken out of John Cozens his Cozening Devotions (as they are rightly discovered to be by orthodox men) and extracted out of divers popish prayer-books."—Arminian Nunnery, cxxxviii. seq.

1 See below.

2Ffarrer Collet Huntingtoniensis admissus est ad secundam scholarium mensam sub tutela Dni Crashaw, postea Dni Beaumont. May 16, 1636." Admission book at Peterhouse. B.A. 1639-40, M. A. 1642. (Book at Peterhouse). "Ejected an. 1646. Nov. 6. Mr. Farrer Collett Huntingtoniensis, of the lady Ramsey's foundation."-Baker's MS. IV. 158. "Farrer Collett. Fellowship. He was born in the county of Huntingdon; was ejected Nov. 9, 1646.” Walker's Sufferings &c. (speaking of Peterhouse, 153). He proceeded B. D. in 1672. (Graduati Cant.)