網頁圖片
PDF
ePub 版

after, I have heard he forbore to publish them: but since his death his sons did not. And 'tis pity, if God had been so pleased, that Mr. Perkins did not live to see, consider, and answer those proposals himself; for he was also of a most meek spirit, and of great and sanctified learning. And though, since their deaths, many of high parts and piety have undertaken to clear the controversy; yet for the most part they have rather satisfied themselves, than convinced the dissenting party. And, doubtless, many middle-witted men, which yet may mean well, many scholars that are in the highest form for learning, which yet may preach well, men that are but preachers, and shall never know, till they come to Heaven, where the questions stick betwixt Arminius and the Church of England,-if there be any,-will yet in this world be tampering with, and thereby perplexing the controversy, and do therefore justly fall under the reproof of St. Jude, for being busy-bodies, and for meddling with things they understand not."

And here it offers itself-I think not unfitly-to tell the Reader, that a friend of Sir Henry Wotton's being designed for the employment of an Ambassador, came to Eton, and requested from him some experimental rules for his prudent and safe carriage in his negociations; to whom he smilingly gave this for an infallible aphorism; "That, to be in safety himself, and serviceable to his country, he should always, and upon all occasions, speak the truth, -it seems a State paradox-for, says Sir Henry Wotton, you shall never be believed; and by this means your truth will secure yourself, if you shall ever be called to any account; and it will also put your adversaries-who will still hunt counter-to a loss in all their disquisitions and undertakings."

Many more of this nature might be observed; but they must be laid aside for I shall here make a little stop, and invite the Reader to look back with me, whilst, according to my promise, I shall say a little of Sir Albertus Morton, and Mr. William Bedel, whom I formerly mentioned.

I have told you that are my Reader, that at Sir Henry Wotton's first going Ambassador into Italy, his Cousin, Sir Albertus Morton, went his Secretary: and I am next to tell you, that Sir Albertus died Secretary of State to our late King; but cannot,

am not able to express the sorrow that possessed Sir Henry Wotton, at his first hearing the news that Sir Albertus was by death lost to him and this world. And yet the Reader may partly guess by these following expressions: the first in a letter to his Nicholas Pey, of which this that followeth is a part.

-“And, my dear Nich. when I had been here almost a fortnight, in the midst of my great contentment, I received notice of Sir Albertus Morton his departure out of this world, who was dearer to me than mine own being in it: what a wound it is to my heart, you that knew him, and know me, will easily believe: but our Creator's will must be done, and unrepiningly received by his own creatures, who is the Lord of all Nature and of all Fortune, when he taketh to himself now one, and then another, till that expected day, wherein it shall please him to dissolve the whole, and wrap up even the Heaven itself as a scroll of parchment. This is the last philosophy that we must study upon earth; let us therefore, that yet remain here, as our days and friends waste, reinforce our love to each other; which of all virtues, both spiritual and moral, hath the highest privilege, because death itself cannot end it. And my good Nich." &c.

This is a part of his sorrow thus expressed to his Nich. Pey: the other part is in this following Elegy, of which the Reader may safely conclude it was too hearty to be dissembled.

TEARS

WEPT AT THE GRAVE OF SIR ALBERTUS MORTON,

BY HENRY WOTTON.

Silence, in truth would speak my sorrow best,
For deepest wounds can least their feelings tell :
Yet, let me borrow from mine own unrest,
A time to bid him, whom I lov'd, farewell.

Oh, my unhappy lines! you that before

Have serv'd my youth to vent some wanton cries,

And now, congeal'd with grief, can scarce implore
Strength to accent, "Here my Albertus lies.”

This is that sable stone, this is the cave

And womb of earth, that doth his corse embrace:
While others sing his praise, let me engrave
These bleeding numbers to adorn the place.

Here will I paint the characters of woe;
Here will I pay my tribute to the dead;
And here my faithful tears in showers shall flow,
To humanize the flints on which I tread.

Where, though I mourn my matchless loss alone,
And none between my weakness judge and me;
Yet even these pensive walls allow my moan,
Whose doleful echoes to my plaints agree.

But is he gone? and live I rhyming here,
As if some Muse would listen to my lay?
When all distun'd sit waiting for their dear,
And bathe the banks where he was wont to play.

Dwell then in endless bliss with happy souls,
Discharg'd from Nature's and from Fortune's trust;
Whilst on this fluid globe my hour-glass rolls,
And runs the rest of my remaining dust.

This concerning his Sir Albertus Morton.

H. W.

And for what I shall say concerning Mr. William Bedel, I must prepare the Reader by telling him, that when King James sent Sir Henry Wotton Ambassador to the State of Venice, he sent also an Ambassador to the King of France, and another to the King of Spain. With the Ambassador of France went Joseph Hall, late Bishop of Norwich, whose many and useful works speak his great merit: with the Ambassador to Spain went James Wadsworth; and with Sir Henry Wotton went William Bedel.

These three Chaplains to these three Ambassadors were all bred in one University, all of one College,* all beneficed in one Diocese, and all most dear and entire friends. But in Spain, Mr. Wadsworth met with temptations, or reasons, such as were so powerful as to persuade him—who of the three was formerly observed to be the most averse to that Religion that calls itself Catholic-to disclaim himself a member of the Church of England, and to declare himself for the Church of Rome, discharging himself of his attendance on the Ambassador, and betaking himself to a monasterial life, in which he lived very regularly and so died.†

When Dr. Hall, the late Bishop of Norwich, came into England, he wrote to Mr. Wadsworth,-it is the first Epistle in his printed Decades,-to persuade his return, or to shew the reason of his apostacy. The letter seemed to have in it many sweet expressions of love; and yet there was in it some expression that was so unpleasant to Mr. Wadsworth, that he chose rather to acquaint his old friend Mr. Bedel with his motives; by which means there passed betwixt Mr. Bedel and Mr. Wadsworth, divers letters which be extant in print, and did well deserve it; for in them there seems to be a controversy, not of Religion only, but who should answer each other with most love and meekness; which I mention the rather, because it too seldom falls out to be so in a book-war.

There is yet a little more to be said of Mr. Bedel, for the greater part of which the Reader is referred to this following letter of Sir Henry Wotton's, written to our late King Charles the First:

"May it please Your most Gracious Majesty,

"Having been informed that certain persons have, by the good wishes of the Archbishop of Armagh, been directed hither, with a most humble petition unto your Majesty that you will be pleased to make Mr. William Bedel-now resident upon a small benefice in Suffolk-Governor of your College at Dublin, for the good of

* Emanuel College in Cambridge.

He had been appointed to teach the Infanta English, when the match between her and Prince Charles was supposed to be concluded.

that Society; and myself being required to render unto your Majesty some testimony of the said William Bedel who was long my Chaplain at Venice, in the time of my first employment there, I am bound in all conscience and truth-so far as your Majesty will vouchsafe to accept my poor judgment—to affirm of him, that I think hardly a fitter man for that charge could have been propounded unto your Majesty in your whole kingdom, for singu. lar erudition and piety, conformity to the rites of the Church, and zeal to advance the cause of God, wherein his travails abroad were not obscure in the time of the Excommunication of the Venetians.

"For it may please your Majesty to know, that this is the man whom Padre Paulo took, I may say, into his very soul, with whom he did communicate the inwardest thoughts of his heart; from whom he professed to have received more knowledge in all Divinity, both scholastical and positive, than from any that he had ever practised in his days; of which all the passages were well known to the King your Father, of most blessed memory. And so, with your Majesty's good favour, I will end this needless office; for the general fame of his learning, his life and Christian temper, and those religious labours which himself hath dedicated to your Majesty, do better describe him than I am able. Your Majesty's

Most humble and faithful servant,
H. WOTTON."

To this letter I shall add this: that he was to the great joy of Sir Henry Wotton-made Governor of the said college ;* and that, after a fair discharge of his duty and trust there he was thence removed to be Bishop of Kilmore.† In both places his life was so holy, as seemed to equal the primitive Christians: for as they, so he kept all the Ember-weeks, observed-besides his private devotions-the canonical hours of prayer very strictly, and so he did all the Feasts and Fast-days of his mother, the Church of England. To which I may add, that his patience and charity were both such, as shewed his affections were set upon things that are above; for indeed his whole life brought forth the * Aug. 1627. + Sept. 3, 1629.

« 上一頁繼續 »