The matter of this declaration being in such general terms, I said, I thought it without exception. But I prayed leave to except a circumstance, namely, the superscription: it being the proper character of the Jesuits1 in every book and exhibit of theirs. He said it was that auspicious name, worthy to be the alpha and omega of all our doings; and that we are commanded to write such things on the posts of our houses and upon our gates. (Deut. vi. 9.) I told him, I was far from excepting against that sacred, saving name of Jesus: only I could have wished it written at length, or any other way, to have differenced it from that which the papists only use, but no protestants. And, that the text he mentioned, was in the Old Testament (where there was no mention of Jesus, but of Jehovah) to my remembrance. But we passed from this towards the chapel, being about forty paces

1 Can this be the basis of Mr. Carlyle's words, who had acquired something of the Jesuit in his foreign travels? "If you view the forefront of these Devotions, you shall find these three Capital letters (IHS.) encircled in a sun, supported by two angels, with two devout nuns or women praying to it, one of them holding a cross in her hand. Now, what is this but an undoubted badge and character of a Popish and Jesuitical book; of an Idolatrous and Romish Devotion? Look into the frontispiece of all Jesuits' works, you shall find this stamp and impress on them (IHS.) in the self-same form as here: Look into your Popish Horaries, Primers, Offices, Prayers, and Devotions: Lo, there a cross, a (IHS.) and men praying to them, or before them: but never saw I such a forefront in any orthodox English or outlandish writers. Index animi vultus; the very effigies, draught, and portraiture therefore of the frontispiece proclaims the book itself, and him that penned it to be merely Popish: It hath the very mark and seal of the Beast upon its forehead; therefore, it must needs be his."-Prynne's Briefe Svrvay and Censvre of Mr. Cozens His Couzening Deuotions, 4. Compare ib. 40, 54.

from the house, yet staid a little (as with a parenthesis) by a glass of sack, a sugar-cake, and a fine napkin, brought by a inannerly maid. Which refreshed my memory to tell them what my lord bishop of Lincoln said of them. Wherein yet I brake no laws of humanity or hospitality (though spoken at his table.) For he said nothing but what they wished and were glad to hear; being but the relation of the grave and discreet answers (as my lord himself termed them) of the old gentlewoman to some of his lordship's expostulations.

To that part concerning the young deacon, whom his lordship had heard of, to come from Cambridge to officiate in their chapel; he (innuendo ever the younger son, who only was the speaker) said, that himself was the young deacon intended. That he is two and forty years old; was fellow of a house in Cambridge; and hath taken the orders of a deacon.-To say nothing of his having been at Rome (whereof I could have excepted no more against him than he might against me). For having been so long in the labour of the chapel, it is now high time we were at the church

At the entering thereof he made a low obeisance1; a few paces farther, a lower; coming to the half-pace (which was at the east end, where the table stood) he bowed to the ground, if not prostrated himself: then went up into a fair, large reading place (a preaching place being of the same proportion, right over against it). The mother, with all her train (which were her daughter and daughter's daughters) had a fair island seat.

He placed me above, upon the half-pace, with two fair window cushions of green velvet before me. Over against me was such another seat, so suited; but no body to sit in it. The daughter's four sons kneeled all the while on the edge of the half-pace; all in black gowns. (And they went to church

1 See below, note on p. 29. Add Eleazaris Dunconi De adoratione Dei versus altare. Determinatio Cantabrigiæ habita Martii 15. 1633. sine loco. 1660. Also published in English.

in round Monmouth caps1, as my man said; for I looked not back) the rest all in black, save one of the daughter's daughters, who was in a friar's grey gown.

We being thus placed, the deacon (for so I must now call him) with a very loud and distinct voice, began with the Litany, read divers prayers and collects in the book of Common-prayer, and Athanasius his creed, and concluded with The Peace of God, &c.

All ended, the mother, with all her company, attended my coming down. But her son (the deacon) told her, I would stay awhile to view the chapel. So with all their civil salutations towards me (which I returned them afar off; for I durst not come nearer, lest I should have light upon one of the virgins; not knowing whether they would have taken a kiss in good part or no) they departed home.

Now (none but the deacon and I left) I observed the chapel, in general, to be fairly and sweetly adorned with herbs and flowers, natural in some places, and artificial upon every pillar along both sides the chapel (such as are in cathedral churches) with tapers (I mean great virgin-wax-candles) on every pillar.

The half-pace at the upper end (for there was no other division betwixt the body of the chapel and the east part) was all covered with tapestry. And, upon that half-pace, stood the communion-table (not altar-wise, as reported) with a rich carpet hanging very large upon the half-pace; and some plate, as a chalice, and candlesticks with wax candles.

By the preaching place stood the font; the leg, laver and cover, all of brass, cut and carved. The cover had a cross erected. The laver was of the bigness of a barber's bason.

And this is all which I had leisure to observe in the chapel; save that I asked for the organs? And he told me, they were not there; but that they had a pair in their house.

1 Fuller's Worthies, ii. 431 (8vo. ed.)

2 Wordsw. Eccl. Biogr. i. 523 n. Notes and Qu. x. 208.

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I asked also, what use they made of so many tapers? He said, to give them light, when they could not see without them.

Then (having, as I told you before, obtained leave to say what I listed) I asked him, to whom he made all those courtesies? He said, to God. I asked if the papists made any other answer for their bowing to images and crucifixes? yet we account them idolaters for so doing. He said, we have no such warrant for the one. But for the other we have a precept, to do all things with decency and order1; as he took this to be.

I demanded then, why he used not the same solemnity in his service at his house; And, whether he thought the chapel more holy than his house? He said, No. But that God was more immediately present, while we were worshiping him in the temple.

I replied, that I thought God was as present at Paul's cross as at Paul's church; and at the preaching-place at Whitehall, and 'spital sermons, as elsewhere. For where two or three are gathered together in His name, God is in the midst of them. And yet in those places (no, not in the body of the church, though there be a sermon and prayers there) we do not use this threefold reverence, nor any low bowing, unless in the chancel towards the east, where an altar or some crucifix is ?-He answered me something of the trinary number, which I did not understand, nor well hear.

This, as all other our discourse, being ended with mildness and moderation (on his part at least) I said farther, since their devotions (from which they would be loth to be diverted or interrupted, as in the said protestation appears) are more strict and regular than usual, if in their consciences they were persuaded that all their formalities and ceremonies were but adiaphora (things indifferent) I then thought they were as wise as serpents (in the Scripture sense) in complying so with the church ceremonies, that they might the safelier hold on

their course without exception. For in this comportment, I thought, authority would not except against them, unless for exceeding the cathedrals; who make but one reverence, whereas they make three. He said, I spake like one who seemed to have had experience in the world.

It being now near twelve o'clock, we ended our discourse, and I called for my horses; hoping that thereupon he would have invited me to stay dinner1: not that I care for his or any man's meat (for you had given me a dinner in too good a breakfast) but that I might have gained more time to have seen and observed more of their fashions; and whether the virgins and younger sort would have mingled with us; with divers other things, which such a dinner-time would have best ministered matter for. But, instead of making me stay, he helped me in calling for my horses; accompanying me even to my stirrup. And so, I not returning into the house, as we friendly met, we friendly parted.

Many more questions I thought on, when it was too late; and yet you see I was not idle for the short time I stayed. I asked him, of their monthly receiving the sacrament, and whether their servants (when they received) were attended by their masters and mistresses, and suffered not so much as to lay and take away their own trenchers, as I had heard? whereat he smiled, as at a frivolous fable, and said, the only difference from other days was, that the servants (the day they received) sat at the same table with them.

1 It was not the custom of the family to invite "Anonymous Persons" to stay dinner (see below, pp. 247, 248): it is however, some consolation to think that Lenton had eaten "too good a Breakfast," and that "a mannerly Maid" had before church stayed him "as with a parenthesis, by a Glass of Sack, Sugar-Cake and a fine Napkin," and all this before twelve o'clock. As probably half an hour would see him safe at "my Lord Mountague's," we are not surprised that he lived to tell the tale of his privations.