Transcribed from the 1903 S.P.C.K edition by David Price, email
ccx074@pglaf.org
LITTLE GIDDING
AND ITS INMATES
IN THE TIME OF KING CHARLES I.
WITH AN ACCOUNT OF
THE HARMONIES
DESIGNED AND CONSTRUCTED BY
NICHOLAS FERRAR.
BY
J. E. ACLAND, M.A.
LONDON:
SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE,
NORTHUMBERLAND AVENUE, W.C.;
43, QUEEN VICTORIA STREET, E.C.
BRIGHTON: 129, NORTH STREET.
1903.
[PUBLISHED UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE TRACT COMMITTEE.]
CHAPTER I. {1}
"How happy a king were I, if I had many more such workmen and workwomen
in my kingdom! Their art and ability is excellent. Let them know I will
not forget them. God's blessing on their hearts, and painful hands."
Such were the words and opinions of King Charles I., when speaking of the
happy and industrious family whose life and labours at Little Gidding are
described in the following pages, a family entirely devoted to good
works, under the able direction of Mr. Nicholas Ferrar, whose history has
happily been preserved for us with great accuracy, and which can hardly
fail to be attractive.
Although Nicholas Ferrar and Little Gidding are names that are invariably
associated with one another, it must not be imagined that he spent his
whole life there. It was not, indeed, till he was thirty-three years old
that he left the busy and stirring scenes for which he seemed so suited;
and before describing the twelve years of seclusion with which he ended
his life, it is necessary to say something about his more active
employments as a young man. They prove beyond doubt that he was endued
with abilities of the highest order, which might have led him to
positions of great public importance had his inclinations so prompted
him.
Nicholas Ferrar was born in the year 1592, his parents being conspicuous
for their piety and charity, their conscientious discharge of every duty,
and their careful training of a numerous family in every point of virtue
and religion, special attention being paid to the study of the Bible,
large portions of which were committed to memory.
Mr. Ferrar was a merchant, connected with all the great centres of
commerce, especially with the East and West Indies; and being given to
most generous hospitality, he was on friendly terms with many persons of
eminence, such as Drake, Raleigh, and Hawkins.
Nicholas was the third son, and his talents began to develop themselves
very early. His memory, which was naturally very retentive, was
carefully cultivated, and he was at all times eager and diligent in his
studies. At the age of fourteen he was admitted to Clare Hall,
Cambridge; four years later he took his degree, and was before long
elected to a Fellowship. But his health now broke down, and it was
considered that the only chance of his recovery lay in a complete change,
and in leaving England. Just at this time the Princess Elizabeth was
starting for the Palatinate, after her marriage with the Elector
Frederick, and Ferrar was fortunate in obtaining permission to be
included in her suite. They first went to Holland, but before long
Ferrar left the Royal party, as he had resolved on seeing some places not
included in the Royal programme.
We must, however, hurry over this part of Ferrar's life, very interesting
as it is, and it must suffice to say that in the course of five years he
visited many parts of Germany and Italy, then went to the south of
France, by sea to Spain, where he had several startling adventures, and
after travelling five hundred miles alone, and on foot, reached Saint
Sebastian, from which port he took ship to England.
The advantage of these travels to Ferrar was great in many ways. He
thoroughly mastered the languages of the various countries; he studied
closely their forms of government, trade, and commerce, and acquired an
insight even into the handicrafts of the people. He made himself
acquainted with the doctrines and discipline of the Churches and
religious sects, and procured, whenever he could do so, the assistance of
the ablest scholars to instruct him. Being well supplied with money by
his father, he was enabled to collect, besides other things, a great
number of prints and engravings by all the best masters; in fact, it is
stated that he let nothing of this sort escape him that was valuable; and
being all relative to, or illustrative of, passages in the Bible, they
were utilized to great advantage when in his later years he compiled "The
Harmonies."
On his return home, his natural inclination was to settle at Cambridge
and resume his work at Clare Hall; but, partly owing to his father's
advanced age, and partly on account of his elder brother having important
work in London in connection with the Virginia Plantation Company,
Nicholas Ferrar determined to settle there with them. Here he soon
attracted much attention for his many eminent qualities, reports of which
had, indeed, been received from abroad, and before long Sir Edwyn Sandys
and Lord Southampton, both of them governors of the Virginia Company,
having discovered for themselves his great worth, proposed him as King's
Counsel for the Plantation. He thus became deeply engaged in public
business; and as his work was continually produced in open court, his
reputation increased more and more. Two or three years later his powers
were still further tested, for the Spanish party exerted all their
influence to overthrow the Company; and as Nicholas Ferrar was at this
time the deputy-governor, the chief burden of the defence fell on his
shoulders. His efforts were, however, all in vain, and before long the
patent or charter was withdrawn, and the Company was dissolved, owing to
the false accusations brought against the managers and directors.
Ferrar was now elected Member of Parliament, and was able to bring before
the House and the public more fully the iniquity of these proceedings,
and by his skilful management cleared the directors, and brought their
opponents to justice and punishment.
This was the concluding act of Ferrar's public life, and we shall now
turn to a scene of a vastly different nature. But it has been necessary
to say thus much to exhibit in its true light the force of character, the
wonderful diligence and activity of the man, who (as we shall now see)
decided on devoting the rest of his life to religious exercises, to works
of charity and usefulness, but living apart and without interruption from
the busy world.
There is evidence to show that this had long been his wish, in fact, that
from his earliest years some such ideas had been in his mind; but until
now he had not seen his way to carry them out.
The first and most necessary step was to find a place suitable for his
purpose, and hearing that the lordship of Little Gidding was for sale, he
went to inspect it.
It was in an obscure part of the county of Huntingdon, a large manor
house and a cottage for shepherds the only buildings, with the exception
of a dilapidated church used as a barn. The air was healthy, and the
whole estate lay in pasture.
The spot seemed admirably adapted to his designs, and was accordingly
bought; and after settling his own business and also his brother's, he
moved to Little Gidding in the year 1625.
He now gathered round him a very large family party. His father was
dead, but his mother, his brother, and his sister, who was married to a
Mr. Collett, with the children of both families, all joined under the one
roof. When the establishment was completed and in proper working order,
it is said that they numbered forty persons, including schoolmasters and
servants.
The meeting between Nicholas Ferrar and his mother, who was now 73 years
old, is so characteristic that it must be related. Within three or four
days of his arrival, and before the necessary repairs had been carried
out, Mrs. Ferrar rides to Gidding from her daughter's home, no great
distance off. Nicholas Ferrar meets her outside the manor house, and
kneeling on the ground, asks and receives her blessing. He then entreats
her to enter his dwelling and repose herself after the journey.
"Not so," she says; "yonder I see the church, let us first go there and
give thanks to God."
She is told she cannot even get inside the door, for there had been no
time as yet to clear out the hay which was in it. But she persists in
her resolve, and thrusting herself in a little way, she kneels and prays.
Then sending for the workmen employed in the house, the hay is flung out
of the windows, and the church is cleansed as well as might be for the
present, and till this is done she will not set foot in her new home.
The following year, 1626, Nicholas Ferrar returned to London for a short
while to dispose of his house and bid good-bye to his friends. He now
was able to carry out a resolution, which it is believed he had made long
before, and was ordained Deacon by Dr. Laud, the future Archbishop of
Canterbury. Many people imagined that this was to enable him to seek
ecclesiastical preferments, and several valuable livings were soon
offered to him; but his sole object was that he might have the necessary
authority to carry on the spiritual work of his own home, and thus be of
greater use to his family.
He had doubtless by now worked out the general plan of life, and put his
house and the church into proper order. Certain glebe lands and tithes
which had been alienated from their rightful owners were restored; and to
prove the honesty of his purpose he even pulled down a very large
dovecote upon the premises, which contained a great number of pigeons.
The reason for this was that all his property was laid out as pasture,
and therefore the pigeons fed on his neighbours' corn-fields. In the
place of the dovecote he made a school-house, and permission was given to
the people of the towns and villages within reach to send their children
to be instructed under his supervision, and without payment or expense.
For this purpose he provided three resident masters; one was to teach
English to the poor children and Latin to his nephews and nieces, another
superintended the writing and arithmetic, while the third was for
instruction in the theory and practice of music.
There was also especial inducement held out to all children of the
neighbourhood to learn the Psalms by heart. Each one was given a
Psalter, and had to go to Gidding on Sunday mornings to repeat his
portion learnt during the week. There were sometimes more than a hundred
children, and they were given a penny for each Psalm learnt, and a dinner
served in the great hall.
It will be as well now to describe in detail the "particular and more
punctual actions of each day in the week," which we get with great
exactness from the records left us by John Ferrar. To begin with
Sunday--early rising was encouraged on this day, as throughout the week,
namely, five o'clock in winter and four o'clock in summer. The younger
children first assembled in the great hall, where was always a good warm
fire in the winter. Here they found Nicholas Ferrar awaiting them, to
whom they repeated such chapters or Psalms as they had been given to
learn. After this they returned to their rooms to make themselves "more
comely in their best attires." Breakfast, and private reading or
conversation in their own rooms, went on till nine o'clock, when the bell
called them together again. They all met in the great hall, and, having
sung a hymn, proceeded in decent order to the church.
The three schoolmasters led the way, wearing their black gowns, the
youths (also in gowns) following two and two, John Ferrar and Mr. Collett
came next, and then Nicholas Ferrar leading his aged mother; immediately
behind her came Mrs. Collett and the daughters, and the procession closed
with all the servants.
Each as they came into church made a low obeisance, and took up their
allotted places; Nicholas Ferrar, in surplice and hood, saying the
service. This over, the "Psalm children" went to the manor house and
repeated their Psalms.
At half-past ten they went to the church again, when the minister of the
neighbouring parish came for the Communion Service and to preach. That
done, dinner was served in the house, first for the "Psalm children"--old
Mrs. Ferrar herself very often bringing in the first dish--and afterwards
for the rest of the family.
Recreation or walking in the garden was permitted till two o'clock, when
the bell called them together again for evening service at the nearest
parish church. Supper-time was five or six o'clock, and while it was
being prepared the organ was played in the great hall and an anthem was
sung. After supper each one could occupy himself as he wished, indoors
or walking abroad, or "passing the time with good discourse." At eight
o'clock there was more singing to the organ, followed by prayers, and
then the children, after asking the "old gentlewoman's" blessing, all bid
each good night.
Mr. Ferrar also made it his special care that no work in the house should
prevent the servants attending church; there were none left behind; and
on the Sundays when the Holy Communion was administered, "the servants
that had feasted with them in the church were not thought unworthy to eat
with them in the parlour," sitting at the end of the same table.
It would be tedious and uninteresting to attempt to follow the week-day
employments in the exact order in which they were carried out, but the
general plan may be given with advantage, as illustrating the principles
inculcated at Gidding.
The day began early--at four or five o'clock--by the children repeating
to Mr. Ferrar what they had learnt by heart the day before. At six
o'clock the recitation of the Psalms began, and it was so planned that
"certain members of the family repeated certain Psalms at every hour of
the day, every one knowing his turn and hour of attendance; and thus,
without undue interruption of other work, the whole book of Psalms was
repeated once in the twenty-four hours." In addition to this, the
children had to say one of the chapters of the Concordance, or Harmony of
the Four Evangelists, which was arranged purposely by Nicholas Ferrar, so
that it might be gone through once in every month.
Three times during the day the bell rang to summon them for a short
service in the church, on each occasion the proceeding being as described
for Sunday.
Every hour of the day had some special employment, some of the children
sitting in the great hall watched by Mrs. Ferrar, some in the new
school-house with the masters. Their occupations were as varied as
possible: English, Latin, and other languages, writing and ciphering, and
learning by heart being interspersed with singing, playing the organ, and
other instruments, making the Concordances, bookbinding and gilding, and
embroidery. At stated times the boys were encouraged in active outdoor
exercises, running, leaping, and archery. As the girls grew up they were
made to perfect themselves in good housewifery. A month at a time each
one had control of the housekeeping, all expenditure being carefully
booked; at the end of the month her accounts were looked over, and her
duties handed on to the next in rotation.
A room was set apart as an infirmary for any member of the family who
might require nursing, and another room for the reception of any poor
person who might be brought in sick or hurt. The ladies were taught to
dress their wounds, and to do all things necessary for their relief, but
the prescribing of medicines Mr. Ferrar kept for himself, as he had many
years studied this science. They distilled "cordial waters," and kept in
the dispensary a good supply of balsams, oils, and all things needful for
the cure of their patients.
At meal times the custom prevailed of reading aloud, the person whose
turn it might be, first having some light food, and after the reading was
finished, "in regard of his forbearance, always having the advantage of
some more food than his fellows!"
The reading was to be something "delightful and easy, such as stories of
sea voyages, descriptions of foreign countries, their rise and fall, and
illustrated by the particular actions of eminent persons." And in order
that these stories might not be forgotten, it was further arranged that
notes (or "a summary collection") should be taken of everything worthy of
attention, and that these notes should afterwards be transcribed, and put
into language fitted to the capacity of the children, who then had, in
turn, to recite the stories. This practice brought the boys into a habit
of delivering any speech with assurance and good manner, and of
expressing themselves in a becoming and elegant style.
They also became thoroughly acquainted with ancient and modern history,
and knew and understood the great affairs of life better than many who
lived more in the world.
Analogous to this, and no doubt a development of it, were "The
maiden-sisters exercises." These were conversations or dialogues recited
by the Miss Colletts, illustrative of some special virtue, and always
enforced by examples taken from history.
The sisters, for this purpose, were known by such titles as The Patient,
The Cheerful, The Affectionate, etc., and formed themselves into what
they called "The Little Academy," of which Mary Collett was "The Chief,"
Mrs. Collett was called "The Moderator," John Ferrar "The Guardian," and
Nicholas Ferrar "The Visitor."
The subjects and the substance of the exercises were supplied by Nicholas
Ferrar himself, but the sisters were left to compile them in their own
words. They were prepared some time beforehand, and after they had been
recited were transcribed into books kept for the purpose.
Four folio volumes of these "conversations" are still in existence, and
are, no doubt, in the handwriting of Mary and Ann Collett. They are
bound in black leather, stamped with gilt lines, and with gilt edges, and
have been passed on from one member of the family to another to the
present owner, a Mr. Mapletoft Davis, living in Australia. {20}
Some idea of the general plan of these "exercises" may be gathered from
the following notes taken from the manuscripts.
The first meeting of the "Little Academy" was on Ash Wednesday, 1630,
when the subject was "The Folly of Delaying Repentance." The next
meeting was on Easter Monday, a speech being made on "Happiness,"
illustrated by stories of King Philip of Spain, King Henry IV. of France,
and Popes Marcellus and Adrian. On other occasions the following
subjects were selected: "Humility towards God, and moderation to equals
and enemies is most beneficial," illustrated by stories of Charles V.;
"We must overcome evil with good," illustration, John of Alexandria,
etc., etc.
At first it seems that the recitations were given on five festivals,
which days naturally provided suitable subjects, and afterwards it was
decided to increase the number to twelve days, and they pass the
following resolution: "Every day must handle a new matter, that's the
injunction; and because the days afford not any special occasion, the
particular names imposed on us shall be the subjects successively of our
several exercises." The titles were (1) "The Chief" (who chose for her
subject "Humility"); (2) The Patient; (3) The Affectionate; (4) The
Cheerful; (5) The Submiss; (6) The Obedient; (7) The Moderate. Generally
the conversations were enlivened by music and singing, but when the
subject was "Patience" this was omitted, and there was much less
anecdote. The discourse was also somewhat longer, so that the virtue
which was being illustrated was at the same time practically enforced.
It is not quite clear how long the exercises were continued, but in the
second volume of the manuscripts it is stated that many home troubles had
helped to break up the "Little Academy," especially old Mrs. Ferrar's
death, which was in the year 1634, and that the actors were reduced to
three, when their cousin, young Nicholas Ferrar, "took upon himself to
revive their antient practises." But after this the actors all appear
with fresh names.
Not content with the most careful and minute regulations for the
employment of every hour of the day in some secular or religious matter,
(for we read that "every hour had its company for the performance of some
special duty,") Nicholas Ferrar further arranged that those so inclined
should pursue their devotional exercises also at night. Two were to
watch together in a room set apart for the purpose; the womankind had a
room at one side of the house, and the men had one on the other side.
The watching lasted from 9 p.m. till 1 a.m., and during those four hours
the whole of the Book of Psalms was said over carefully, verse by verse,
alternately.
Mr. Ferrar himself generally watched twice in the week, the others never
more than once; and in the winter special precautions were taken to
prevent them suffering from cold.
At one o'clock, when the watch was finished, they lay down till six
o'clock, but did not actually go to bed at all, as on other nights.
It was apparently some account of the "Harmonies of the Four Evangelists"
which first attracted King Charles' attention to the family living at
Gidding, and about the year 1631, being not far off with his Court, he
sent a gentleman to ask for the loan of the book. This was conceded with
some hesitation, and the King, having once got it into his hands, would
not part with it again, until he had obtained a promise that another
similar volume should be made for him. The work was promptly executed,
and may now be seen in the British Museum.
The careful study of the Harmonies or Concordances is most interesting,
and even in these modern times one at least is used daily as a means of
instruction for the children of the family where the book has an honoured
home, in much the same manner as the children at Little Gidding used it
two hundred and fifty years ago.
No more need be said about the Harmonies here, as a full account of the
manner of their construction and the history and resting-place of all the
specimens that can be heard of at the present time will be related in
another chapter.
But in close connection with the making of the Concordances must be
mentioned the art of bookbinding, and embroidered covers for books, as
well as embroidery for other purposes.
The Concordances are all bound in velvet or leather, and are nearly all
stamped with designs in gold, on much the same plan. The stamps chiefly
used are _fleurs-de-lis_, acorns, sprigs of oak, etc., and the amount of
ornamentation appears to depend upon the rank of the person for whom the
book was intended, and also partly upon the date when the book was made,
the earlier copies being much less elaborate than the later volumes.
It is also evident that books printed in the ordinary way were bound, or
re-bound, at Gidding. One of the most remarkable of which there is any
authentic account is a large folio Bible, printed by Barker, of London,
in the year 1639. It now belongs to the Marquis of Bute, and, as a rule,
is in his library at Cardiff; but he is most kind in allowing it to be
exhibited, and it has recently been shown at Bath, and before that at
Glasgow. The binding is of blue silk, elaborately decorated with designs
in gilt and silver thread, and in the centre are the royal arms and
initials C. R., which prove clearly enough for whom the work was
originally done. A competent authority, one of the great professional
connoisseurs, has declared the binding to be one of the most magnificent
specimens with which he is acquainted.
It would ill-befit one of the ruder sex to attempt to write critically
about the needlework of the maidens of Gidding, but we may sing their
praises for the skill, the industry, and the artistic results exhibited
by this branch of their daily occupations.
The specimen most easily examined by any one wishing to do so, is a cover
for a dressing-case in the South Kensington Museum; another similar piece
of work was lent by a gentleman in London to an exhibition in Dublin a
few years ago; he kindly supplied the information afterwards that he had
been for many years a collector and admirer of the Gidding needlework,
and had one or two Bible covers and some other pieces of their embroidery
in his possession.
A gentleman at Brighton has also a small 32mo New Testament, printed by
R. Barker, of London, A.D. 1640, which has a Gidding embroidered cover.
The design is a simple floral pattern worked in fine close stitches on
white silk, with a foundation of coarse canvas or holland, which was
perhaps glued on to the original boards. He has also a portrait of
Charles I. made in the same kind of stitch on a satin ground, but it is
not certain whether this was worked at Gidding or not. A great deal of
needlework of that date is wrongly attributed to the Miss Collets.
An altar cloth, shown at Dublin in 1888, was also stated to be their
work, and it is extremely probable that they would have done such things,
for it is mentioned "that they were expert with their needles, and made
them serve the altar and the poor."
In making the embroidery it would appear as if the pattern was first
drawn on paper, then cut out, and finally worked over, the designs being
for the most part in somewhat high relief.
It is worthy of remark that, almost invariably, whenever this embroidery
is put up for sale or is exhibited, it is marked as the work of the "Nuns
of Little Gidding." Now, it may be said that all those who at the
present day take any interest in the life, methods, or work of Nicholas
Ferrar and his nieces, do so with feelings of admiration, and are, at
least, not to be numbered amongst their detractors. Yet it is curious
how the one name which helped more than anything else to work their ruin
is even now, as a rule, attached to them. Within a few years of Nicholas
Ferrar's death, some of his enemies had a pamphlet printed and
distributed "not by hundreds, but by thousands, and given into the hands
of the parliament men as they went daily to the House of Commons." The
title was, "The Arminian Nunnery; a description of the newly erected
Monastical Place, or the Arminian Nunnery at Little Gidding." The books
were also given to the Puritan soldiers when near Gidding to excite them
to offer violence to the family. But why should the title "Nuns of
Little Gidding" be still the name most often given to the Miss Colletts?
Few persons can realize that it is the name invented by their enemies,
earnestly repudiated by themselves, and entirely devoid of truth.
This may be proved in several ways. The house at Little Gidding
contained two _married_ families, the boys and girls all growing up
together. The girls were purposely trained in such domestic matters as
would fit them for _good wives_, and five of them did eventually marry.
The two eldest alone, having reached the ages of thirty and thirty-two,
resolved to remain unmarried, but in no way took vows. Nicholas Ferrar
himself was once taxed with having started a "nunnery," and replied that
the name of "nuns" was odious, and declared himself against such vows of
single life with great earnestness.
Again, a visitor to Little Gidding, describing the place and the family,
says, "I saluted the mother and daughter _not like nuns_, but as we
salute other women."
Probably when the phrase "Nuns of Little Gidding" is used at the present
time, it is used in no reproachful sense; but the name is misleading, and
should be avoided, if for no other reason, because it was invented by the
enemies of Mr. Ferrar's family and objected to by themselves.
The family, as a matter of fact, were by no means recluses; they went
about amongst their neighbours, and were "very well reported of by all
who knew them." They purposely selected a quiet part of the country to
live in, that they might not be interrupted in their manifold
employments; but they appear to have been always ready to receive
visitors, and to treat them with hospitality.
Ferrar's rules for his own life were certainly somewhat austere, and as
time went on he increased its rigour, more especially after his mother's
death; but he never enforced on others what he did himself, and every
hour of the day appears to have been spent usefully and happily.
It may be interesting to give here the opinions of some of his more
notable friends. Mention has already been made of the important persons
he lived amongst in his public life, and besides them at this time there
was Dr. Laud the Archbishop, who was so delighted to ordain "such a man
as he never had before nor believed he ever should again." There was Dr.
Williams the Bishop of the Diocese, who often went to Gidding and "much
magnified all that Nicholas and Mrs. Ferrar had done;" and not to mention
others, there was George Herbert, "his very dear brother," who, "seeing
he could not draw Gidding any nearer to him, he would draw nearer to his
brother Ferrar," and was endeavouring to exchange his living merely to
carry out this wish. These two good men were indeed very similar in
their religious views; they "loved and trusted one another most entirely,
and drove a large stock of Christian intelligence together," and when
George Herbert died, he sent his manuscripts to Ferrar to publish or to
withhold, as he thought right. Chief amongst them were the poems now
such favourites in many a house. These, when Ferrar had many and many a
time read over, he kissed and embraced them again and again, saying,
"they were most worthy to be in the hands and hearts of all true
Christians that feared God and loved the Church of England."
The words of the Royal Friend who once or twice visited Gidding in person
stand at the commencement of this sketch, and sufficiently prove what was
his estimate of Ferrar and his works.
It may be easily conjectured, however, that this unusual life, conducted
by a man so well known as Ferrar, attracted a great deal of
attention--and that in the days when religious differences prevailed to a
sad extent, there were many persons eager enough not only to find fault,
but to misrepresent what was done by this family; who, to say the least,
did a great deal of good to their poorer neighbours, and did harm to no
one. But a closer acquaintance with Mr. Ferrar generally dispelled the
calumnies which report had spread of him and his ways. And one gentleman
who went to Gidding purposely to make out their case as bad as possible,
came away full of their praises.
In the end, however, their enemies prevailed; for the Puritan soldiers
(about the time of King Charles's death) did drive the family away,
ransacked the church, plundered the house, and destroyed many very
valuable books and manuscripts, and, in fact, everything that had been
left behind in a somewhat hasty flight. It is related that the organ
excited their anger more than anything, and that they relieved their
feelings by breaking it up, setting it on fire, and then roasting some of
Mr. Ferrar's sheep over it.
But he was not spared to see these distressful times himself, as he died
in December, 1637, having lived at Gidding about twelve years. The
accounts of his last illness are very interesting, as throwing a strong
light on his intensely religious character. In November, 1637, on his
return from the little church, he had an attack of faintness, and never
afterwards left the house. He knew from the first that he would not
recover, and said to those around him, "In former sickness I have had a
strong desire to live, and an earnestness to pray to my God to spare me,
which He hath to this day done, when all hopes of life were past by the
judgments of the most skilful physicians; and I may further say to the
Glory of His great name, I never earnestly set myself to beg of God
anything, but He fulfilled the petition of His most unworthy servant.
But now and of late, I have not, nor do not find in my heart any
inclination to beg longer life."
During his illness he continually exhorted the family that they should
"constantly adhere to the doctrine of the Church of England, and to
continue in the good old way;" he forewarned them of coming oppositions
and of danger and trouble, and urged them to shrink not to rely on God,
to serve Him with soul and body, for "He made both, and both must worship
Him in sincerity of devotion." "He will have both inward love, and
outward reverence of body and gesture."
About three days before his death, he made John Ferrar mark out the place
for his grave seven feet from the west end of the church, leaving space
for his elder brother's grave nearest the church. He then directed that
all the books of comedies, tragedies, love-hymns, etc. (three great
hampers full, which had been locked up for many years), should be burnt
on the place marked for his grave. There were many hundreds in various
languages, which he had collected when a young man, but which he had
abjured as dangerous, full of idolatry, and apt to undermine the
Christian religion.
He retained full power of mind, and suffered no pain throughout the whole
illness, and passed away at one o'clock on the Sunday night, the very
hour that he constantly rose up every morning to praise God, and to pray
unto Him.
The family carried on all the good works in the which they had been
instructed, until they were driven away by the military zealots of the
Puritan party; but in later and more peaceful times they again assembled
in the old home, though there is no authentic account of the date, nor of
the particular members of the family that returned; but their exile does
not appear to have been of long duration, as there are entries in the
register of Gidding church, and inscriptions on brasses or tombstones,
which record events in the family history of the Ferrars and Collets
(such as baptisms and burials) as early as the year 1650--and at frequent
dates afterwards. The Gidding estate, which had originally been bought
by old Mrs. Ferrar, passed to her eldest son John, which is proved by his
being described on his tombstone as "Lord of this Manor," and he was
succeeded by his eldest son, who was resident there in the year 1715, as
stated by Dr. Mapletoft in one of the Concordances.
CHAPTER II.
THE CONCORDANCES OR HARMONIES.
Of all the work carried on at Gidding, nothing attracted more favourable
notice at the time, than the Concordances of the Four Evangelists, and of
other portions of the Bible, and at the present day they are also highly
valued by those who possess them, partly no doubt from a feeling of
admiration for Nicholas Ferrar himself, who designed them, but no less
for their intrinsic worth, and for the skill and industry employed in
their making.
Even in the books which treat of Ferrar's life with the greatest
exactness, reference is made to some six or seven Harmonies, but several
of these have been either lost or destroyed, or cannot now be traced;
while within the last few years, several not mentioned in the printed
biographies have been discovered, and in the following pages much
interesting matter will be brought forward about them, and the histories
of the various volumes will be given. {35}
The notoriety attaching to the Concordances can be easily accounted for
by the great interest shown in the work by King Charles I. There does
not appear to be any evidence to show that the King knew Nicholas Ferrar
personally, before he first heard of the Concordance which was in daily
use at Gidding. The family had settled there the very year King Charles
I. began to reign, but in Ferrar's early life, as already stated, he was
a distinguished public servant and Member of Parliament, and had,
moreover, travelled in the suite of the King's sister; so that in all
probability Ferrar's name and character were not unknown to him.
But in order to prove the real value of the work, not only as a clever
contrivance, but as an aid to religious instruction, and to the study of
the Gospel history, it is necessary to put on one side the prestige of
the royal patronage, and to give an accurate description of some one
volume.
The Harmony selected for this purpose is one of the earliest, and least
elaborate; it was made for a private friend of the Ferrars, and is no
doubt almost an exact reproduction of the volume which was used every day
by the children at Little Gidding; for it was a part of their daily duty
to repeat portions of the Harmony to Mr. Ferrar--the book being so
divided that "beginning still at the first day of the month, and ending
at the last day of the month, all the heads or chapters were said over in
every month's time."
The principle of the work was this--to make one continuous history of all
the actions and discourses of our Lord wherever related, and this to be
so arranged that the Gospel of any one Evangelist could be read straight
through from first to last.
To do this without confusion was no easy task, for every word of all four
Evangelists is in the Harmony, and yet in reading them as one connected
story there is no repetition. The whole of the Gospel history is divided
for this purpose into one hundred and fifty heads or chapters, each
chapter containing some special subject, and being made complete by the
bringing together the words of each Evangelist treating of that subject.
The following selection will show the manner in which the subjects were
chosen--