him by His Holy Spirit, to assist and bless him all the days of his life; the other was, that the pious tender-hearted child promised and vowed to Almighty God, that he would serve Him faithfully and set himself entirely to keep all His commandments. Then he raised himself from the earth and returned to his chamber, where he spent most part of that night in great and good passions, watching and prayer. He scarcely in his whole life neglected one day to renew the memory of that night's work, after which he always felt more and more confirmation in all goodness. 4. In his thirteenth year Mr. Brooks would needs himself carry his young scholar to settle him in the university, declaring that he was more than ripe for it, and alledging his loss of time if he stayed any longer at school. He placed him in Clare Hall' at Cambridge, famous for a set of the most eminent men of their times in their several faculties; Dr. Butler, for physic, Mr. Lake' afterwards secretary to the lord treasurer Weston, and Mr. Ruggle that excellent comedian, all noted for their polite learning; Dutch Thomson* (as they 1 See in the Appendix a list of Ferrar's contemporaries at Clare Hall. 2 Some papers relating to Dr. Butler are in Baker's MSS. ii. 541, xix. 39, xxii. 39–44. 3 A. M. 1606. Reg. Acad. 4 Richard Thomson, A.B. 1587, A.M. 1591, "a Dutch man born of English parents and educated in Clare Hall," Wood's call him still at Cambridge), Mr. Parkinson', and Dr. Austin Linsell (afterwards lord bishop of Peterborough, and at last of Hereford), for their profound knowledge in divinity. The last of these, who was a general scholar, was pleased to receive a youth of so great hopes into his own tuition, every day reading to him admirably well: yet he ever acknowledged that he himself learnt more by teaching him, than he could teach him. He was entered but pensioner at first, that he might be more strictly obliged to study and exercise. But soon after the fellows would needs have him fellowcommoner, that he might be their companion, as they expressed themselves. His tutor would invite his learned friends to be present at hard trials of his memory and other his extraordinary faculties. And Fasti, i. 273, where is some account of him and his works. On his De Intercisione gratiæ, &c. see Heylin, Cypr. Angl. 122, and Clarke's Lives (1677), 55 fin. Wood has given incorrectly the title; it is Richardi Thomsonis Angli Diatriba de amissione et intercisione gratiæc et justificationis. 8vo. Lug. Bat. 1618. He does not notice the edition Lug. Bat. 1616 in a larger oct. 1 Thomas Parkinson, A.B. 1607–8, A.M. 1611, acted the part of Ignoramus before king James in 1614-5, was taxor in 1617, is recorded as fellow of Clare and M.A. in 1619, was proctor in 1621, and died before his year was out. Baker has preserved the entry of his burial from the register of St. Edwards. "Mr. Tho. Parkinson, M.A., fellow of Clare and proctor, buried Feb. 12, 1621.”—Baker in Hawkins's Ignoramus, xcvii. n. Le Neve's Fasti. 2 A.B. 1595, A.M. 1599, D.D. 1621. Reg. Acad. S though a friendly foe (as one calls a great expectation) was raised upon him, yet he often performed things greater than were expected, either in declaimang (which he was chosen to execute on the coronation day'), or in disputing, or which way ever they turned him, for he was all obedience. He was no sooner bachelor of arts but the master of Clare Hall and the other electors were pleased to invite this young fellow-commoner into a fellowship, and chose him by unanimous consent at their next election. Whilst he lived at the college, his life was the example not only of his equals, but of his superiors. It must be no little indisposition that kept him at home when he heard the five o'clock bell ring to 3 chapel. His chamber might be known by the last candle put out and by-the first lighted in the morning. As his parts were excellent, so his industry was admirable, but his piety at his years was incomparable; and what made this still more illustrious was that his fervours of devotion were so tempered a and well governed by a rare judgement and discretion, when he was not above twenty years old, that he seemed to possess this in a more eminent highth than any one of his other virtues. So good a conduct in his affairs, with such undoubted integrity, gained him universal esteem, with a powerful influence upon all his particular friends: and this good-natured youth would be overjoyed to use that 1. -n 6 The in as as Cd nd 1 St. James's day, “Jul. 25, 1610, in the college hall.”— Peckard. interest as a reconciler, if any difference happened among them, or to divert them from any ill-chosen resolution. His good old tutor would often change his mind upon his advice, and then would tell others of the society pleasantly, that if his pupil took them to task, he would alter them too. 5. But if such was the strength of his mind, yet his constitution of body was not so happy, for his physicians observed there were very few of either sex of a more delicate frame than he; neither did the air of Cambridge agree with him, wherefore he often went from the university (but not from his study) to the house of Mrs. Collett (his beloved sister) at Bourne, five miles from Cambridge. She was a gentlewoman of an excellent understanding much reading and solid piety. There he began his labour of love to her children, whom he would catechise and exhort with a fatherly goodness, and he continued to his dying day their true spiritual friend and father1. 6. About this time Dr. Butler directed him to starve away his aguish indispositions whenever 1 Mrs. Collett writes thus to her daughter Susanna Mapletoft, March 12, 1629: "I know you have been taught better, and I think it my greatest happiness that God hath provided so graciously for you all here [at Gidding], that my unability to instruct you hath been supplied beyond all expected insufficiency to admiration for the love and affection with which it has been performed. God give us all the grace to make the best use of it that still enjoy it." 2 Saying, "You must henceforth deal with this disorder pened y returned upon him, a prescription very agreehosen e to his patient, who was so great a lover of stinence. But notwithstanding his exact observince of all that he was ordered, he still so drooped ange tellar Fore ng Supiland sunk under his frequent agues (when he was about three years a graduate', that Dr. Butler advised it, as the last remedy for him, to change the ind, for air of England and go beyond sea for the recovery of - of his health, and a necessary diversion from his incesher sant studies, pronouncing that nothing but travel could preserve his life, and that scarce would prolong it beyond his thirty-fifth or thirty-sixth year; but the ed event proved otherwise, his regular and exact temperance (however austere methods) overreaching the marvellous faculty that great man had in this kind of natural divination. If his parents were extremely loth to part with him, so were many of his fellow-collegians, who loved him as a brother. Yet his tutor prevailed, bidding them all hope comfortably to see him again, not only improved in health and learning, but grown in grace, a stock few of our young travellers increase abroad. At his departure, he left behind him sticking in his study window a paper for his father and mother, very pathetically kind to them and his near kindred; where it was found three days after he was gone. is ld ad المـ er e. ed ty af ch he when it comes to you, as men do with beggars, when they |