presented by Peckard to the master's lodge in Magdalen College, Cambridge. It is somewhat more distinct than Mr.

The third conversation as discoursed on the feast of St. Andrew the

Apostle, 1632.

7. Sequel of the story of Lais, &c.

8. That we may now and then gather something of good use out of the words of very ill people: St. Ephraim the hermit and the harlot of Edessa. 9. That the greatest of sinners are sometimes very strangely converted: the same St. E. and another harlot of Edessa.

10. That it signifies nothing to repent unless we at the same time resolve also to make restitution of whatever we have unjustly defrauded others of: the penitent miser and his discourse with his many children.

11. That if other men act amiss, their doing so is no warrant for us to follow their examples: the south-country man and the north-country jury-man. 12. Sequel of the story of Pelagia.

13. That the poor should always be treated with great respect: Ingo, king of the Draves.

14. Same: Amadeus, duke of Savoy.

15. Sequel of story of Licinius.

16. That we must always be ready to lay down our lives for the cause of Christ: Modestus the president of Edessa and the orthodox Christian woman and her child.

17. That no alms is too valuable to be given to the poor: Aidan, bp. of Lindisfarn and Oswi king of the Northumbers.

The fourth conversation as discoursed in the third week of Advent, 1632.

19. That we must always be ready to lay down our very lives for the cause of Christ: St. Laurence the deacon.

The fifth conversation as discoursed on St. Stephen's day, 1632. 20. That the martyrs of Christ when under the most cruel torments often feel little or no pain: James Bainham.

21. Same: Widow Windelmuta.

22.

Same: Marian, a poor woman.

23. Same: Bishop Farrar.

24. Same: Thomas Hawkes.

25. Same: the confession of Bishop Boner.

26. Same: Peter Marchesy and Maurice Monge.

27. Same: lame Hugh Laverock and blind John ap Rice martyred at Stratford le Bow.

28. That the poor are the jewels of the church: St. Macarius and the covetous old maid.

The sixth conversation as discoursed on the feast of St. John the

Evangelist, 1632.

29. That the love of God and virtue ought still to be uppermost in all our thoughts: Theodora and Didymus.

Balfour's, but there is no other difference. At the back is a note stating that it is the portrait of Nicholas Ferrar, father to Mrs. Collett, "the head of our family." Mr. Hughes of Bedfont near Hounslow (whose mother, a daughter of Mr. Hugh Ferrar, bequeathed the two family portraits to Mr. Balfour) has a portrait which he supposes to be that of "John (?) Ferrar" the father (?) of N. F.

17. Portrait of Mary Ferrar, the mother, also by Janssen. In Mr. Balfour's possession. Inscription. Dolce inganno.

Etat. 62. 1617.

18. Portrait of N. F. by Janssen, presented by Peckard with the father's. Mr. Hughes has another "like that at Magdalen College, Cambridge, but whether copy or original," he does not know.

19. A portrait of Mrs. Ferrar with N. F. when a baby in her arms. In Mr. Hughes's possession.

20. A small portrait of Charles I. in needlework, said to have been executed by one of the Gidding family. In Mr. Hughes's possession.

30. As 20: Theodorus of Antioch.

31. Same: Marcus bp. of Arethusa.

32. That the persecutors of the saints and martyrs are generally, even at the same instant they afflict those good men and often after, much disturbed with an unusual terror, anguish and confusion of mind: Henry II. of France and the poor tailor of Paris.

The seventh conversation as discoursed on the feast of the holy

innocents, 1632.

33. As 20: Romanus of Antioch and the Christian child.

34. That it is the duty of parents not to grieve but to rejoice at what their children suffer for Christ's sake: Mrs. Clerk of Meaux and her son John Clerk.

35. Same: Mrs. Hunt and her son Wm. H.

36. That if there be a due care taken of their education, even children will always be ready to lay down their lives for Christ: Maximian and the two infant martyrs.

The eighth conversation, as discoursed on the feast of Circumcision, 1632.

37. That the clergy and all those who are intended for holy orders ought never to go into taverns: the hermit and the priest.

21.

Entries in the Gidding and other registers: inscriptions on tomb-stones &c. See the notes on the pedigree.

22. Over the church door is inscribed (and was, doubtless, in Ferrar's time, though the west front is new), This is none other but the house of God and the gate of heaven. On an old brass plate on the right of the church door, The house of prayer. In the nave, facing the door as you enter, stands a brazen font, on which are engraved alternately crosses and fleurs-de-lys: originally, as we learn from Lenton, this was surmounted by a cross, but now by a coronet of ruder workmanship, also composed of alternate crosses and fleurs-de-lys. Further on, close to the chancel arch, is a fine brass eagle; the claws, however, having been of silver, have disappeared. Within the chancel arch on the left side is a frame for an hour-glass, supported by a bracket. The communion-table of cedar, with its silk carpet, and brass table containing the creed, Lord's prayer, and commandments are preserved, together with a small piece of the tapestry which the sisters worked for the church. On the silver flagon (of 344 oz.) is inscribed.

"What Sr. Edwyn Sandys bequeathed

To

The remembrance of freindship,

His freinde hath consecrated

To

The Honour of God's Service.

1629."

And on the handle, "For the Church of Little Gidding in Huntingtonshyer." On the offertory dish, "For the Church of Little Gidding of the Guift of Susan Beckwith."

23. The names of some fields in the Gidding estate commemorate events in the family history. Thus King Close, where they met king Charles. So probably Poor folks' pasture, Church Close, Bell Close, Dovehouse Close, Pond Close, Cosens (Cousin's) Close.

24. "J. J." (? Jebb) supplied Peck with a list of various papers. I insert such as are still unprinted, in the hope that they may yet be recovered.

(Middle Hill MS. 9527.)

A. "At Mr. Mapletoft's at Bifield near Daintry in Northamptonshire.

...2. The grandmother (Mrs. Mary Ferrar's) answer [to the letter in Hearne's Caius, 781, 782], beginning with: What I have taught, &c.

3. Mary and Ann Collett's letter To our dear sisters. Dated 21 Febr. 1631. Subscribed. Mary Collett

Anne Collett.

[To which follows by a later hand.]

'Who both died virgins, resolving [so] to live when they were young, by the grace of God.

My much honoured aunt Mary, who took care of me and my brother Peter and sister Mary after the death of our reverend and pious father Mr. Joshua M. died in the 80th year of her age.

John Mapletoft.

Jan. 22, 1715.""

B. Then follows another list of papers probably at the same place.

"I.

Begins: It was the same day wherein the church celebrates the great festival of the purification &c. [printed, but only in part, by Hearne, Caius, 713 seq.]. Contains 291 pages. With an index of stories, beginning: The accuser himself.-Adrian and Marcellus &c.

This I have. [Peck's note.]

2. Beginning: The treble admonition which the name and profession of St. Luke &c. Ending: of learning.

This I want. [Peck's note.]

3. [A letter (I think of no great importance) from a father to his son. an. 1687. J.J.]

4. Beginning: Cheerful, pardon me, if I seem importunate. Ending: receiver of complaints. [Partly printed in Caius, 783 seq.]"

C. "At Mr. Bunbury's of Great Catworth. Books and MSS. belonging to Mr. John Mapletoft.

I.

Of the instruction of children in the Christian doctrine, by Ludovico Carbone, 16361. Wherein is demonstrated how necessary, worthy and acceptable to God this exercise of teaching the Christian doctrine is; and what profit children, masters, private families, cities and the whole church reaps thereby. There are also profitable advertisements given for the good training up of children gathered out of the holy scripture. A work very profitable and necessary for every Christian. Con Privilegii. Printed at Venice by John Guerigli, 1596.

At the end of this book are these words. Praise be to God and the blessed Virgin Annunciata 2.-But I say, Soli Deo gloria. [N. F.]

This translation was finished the 15 June, 1634, at the request of Edmund Duncon.

[I suppose this book to be of Mr. Nicholas Ferrar's writing, being in a scholarlike hand &c. J. J.]

2. Pia exercitia et documenta, excerpta, composita, scripta, labente ætatis suæ anno lxxx°. per Johannem Collett. [It is dedicated to the Holy Trinity, and contains a preface, litanies, prayers, petitions, hymns, exhortations and admonitions against several sins. J. J.] This book is a 4to, handsomely bound in Turkey leather.

3. Collections; part i. of some short sentences out of the holy scriptures upon divers subjects: part ii. Sentences upon the preceding subjects out of divers human authors. [This book is in 8vo. J. J.]

4. A large story book. Folio.

5, 6, 7. Three large books of dialogues. Folio.

8. A large book of stories, with outlandish proverbs at the end, englished by Mr. Geo. Herbert in all, 463 proverbs. [One story book begins with: The chief care of parents

1 Peckard seems to have had a MS. copy of this translation, which, he says, was sent to Cambridge to be licensed in 1636, but refused. See above, 51 n.

2 So far the Italian (Peckard).