of Charity, whom he made his almoner, and paid constantly into her
hand, a tenth penny of what money he received for tythe, and gave her
power to dispose that to the poor of his parish, and with it a power
to dispose a tenth part of the corn that came yearly into his barn:
which trust she did most faithfully perform, and would often offer to
him an account of her stewardship, and as often beg an enlargement of
his bounty; for she rejoiced in the employment: and this was usually
laid out by her in blankets and shoes for some such poor people as she
knew to stand in most need of them. This as to her charity.--And for
his own, he set no limits to it: nor did ever turn his face from
any that he saw in want, but would relieve them; especially his poor
neighbours; to the meanest of whose houses he would go, and inform
himself of their wants, and relieve them cheerfully, if they were in
distress; and would always praise God, as much for being willing, as
for being able to do it. And when he was advised by a friend to be
more frugal, because he might have children, his answer was, "He would
not see the danger of want so far off: but being the Scripture does
so commend Charity, as to tell us that Charity is the top of Christian
virtues, the covering of sins, the fulfilling of the Law, the Life of
Faith; and that Charity hath a promise of the blessings of this life,
and of a reward in that life which is to come: being these, and more
excellent things are in Scripture spoken of thee, O Charity! and that,
being all my tythes and Church-dues are a deodate from thee, O my God!
make me, O my God! so far to trust thy promise, as to return them back
to thee; and by thy grace I will do so, in distributing them to any
of thy poor members that are in distress, or do but bear the image
of Jesus my Master." "Sir," said he to his friend, "my wife hath a
competent maintenance secured after my death; and therefore, as
this is my prayer, so this my resolution shall, by God's grace, be
unalterable."
[Sidenote: His illness]
This may be some account of the excellencies of the active part of his
life; and thus he continued, till a consumption so weakened him, as to
confine him to his house, or to the Chapel, which does almost join to
it; in which he continued to read prayers constantly twice every day,
though he were very weak: in one of which times of his reading, his
wife observed him to read in pain, and told him so, and that it wasted
his spirits, and weakened him; and he confessed it did, but said, his
"life could not be better spent, than in the service of his Master
Jesus, who had done and suffered so much for him. But," said he, "I
will not be wilful; for though my spirit be willing, yet I find my
flesh is weak; and therefore Mr. Bostock shall be appointed to read
prayers for me to-morrow; and I will now be only a hearer of them,
till this mortal shall put on immortality." And Mr. Bostock did
the next day undertake and continue this happy employment, till Mr.
Herbert's death. This Mr. Bostock was a learned and virtuous man,
an old friend of Mr. Herbert's, and then his Curate to the Church of
Fulston, which is a mile from Bemerton, to which Church Bemerton is
but a Chapel of Ease. And this Mr. Bostock did also constantly
supply the Church-service for Mr. Herbert in that Chapel, when the
Music-meeting at Salisbury caused his absence from it.
[Sidenote: Mr. Edward Duncon]
About one month before his death, his friend Mr. Farrer,--for an
account of whom I am by promise indebted to the Reader, and intend to
make him sudden payment,--hearing of Mr. Herbert's sickness, sent
Mr. Edmund Duncon--who is now Rector of Friar Barnet in the County of
Middlesex--from his house of Gidden Hall, which is near to Huntingdon,
to see Mr. Herbert, and to assure him, he wanted not his daily prayers
for his recovery; and Mr. Duncon was to return back to Gidden, with an
account of Mr. Herbert's condition. Mr. Duncon found him weak, and
at that time lying on his bed, or on a pallet; but at his seeing
Mr. Duncon he raised himself vigorously, saluted him, and with some
earnestness enquired the health of his brother Farrer; of which Mr.
Duncon satisfied him, and after some discourse of Mr. Farrer's holy
life, and the manner of his constant serving God, he said to Mr.
Duncon,--"Sir, I see by your habit that you are a Priest, and I desire
you to pray with me:" which being granted, Mr. Duncon asked him, "What
prayers?" To which Mr. Herbert's answer was, "O, Sir! the prayers of
my Mother, the Church of England: no other prayers are equal to them!
But at this time, I beg of you to pray only the Litany, for I am
weak and faint:" and Mr. Duncon did so. After which, and some other
discourse of Mr. Farrer, Mrs. Herbert provided Mr. Duncon a plain
supper, and a clean lodging, and he betook himself to rest. This Mr.
Duncon tells me; and tells me, that, at his first view of Mr. Herbert,
he saw majesty and humility so reconciled in his looks and behaviour,
as begot in him an awful reverence for his person; and says, "his
discourse was so pious, and his motion so genteel and meek, that after
almost forty years, yet they remain still fresh in his memory."
The next morning Mr. Duncon left him, and betook himself to a journey
to Bath, but with a promise to return back to him within five days;
and he did so: but before I shall say any thing of what discourse then
fell betwixt them two, I will pay my promised account of Mr. Farrer.
[Sidenote: Mr. Nicholas Ferrer]
[Sidenote: Little Gidden]
Mr. Nicholas Farrer--who got the reputation of being called Saint
Nicholas at the age of six years--was born in London, and doubtless
had good education in his youth; but certainly was, at an early age,
made Fellow of Clare-Hall in Cambridge; where he continued to
be eminent for his piety, temperance, and learning. About the
twenty-sixth year of his age, he betook himself to travel: in which
he added, to his Latin and Greek, a perfect knowledge of all the
languages spoken in the Western parts of our Christian world; and
understood well the principles of their Religion, and of their manner,
and the reasons of their worship. In this his travel he met with many
persuasions to come into a communion with that church which calls
itself Catholic: but he returned from his travels as he went, eminent
for his obedience to his mother, the Church of England. In his absence
from England, Mr. Farrer's father--who was a merchant--allowed him a
liberal maintenance; and, not long after his return into England, Mr.
Farrer had, by the death of his father, or an elder brother, or both,
an estate left him, that enabled him to purchase land to the value of
four or five hundred pounds a year; the greatest part of which land
was at Little Gidden, four or six miles from Huntingdon, and about
eighteen from Cambridge; which place he chose for the privacy of it,
and for the Hall, which had the Parish-Church or Chapel, belonging
and adjoining near to it; for Mr. Farrer, having seen the manners and
vanities of the world, and found them to be, as Mr. Herbert says, "a
nothing between two dishes," did so contemn it, that he resolved to
spend the remainder of his life in mortifications, and in devotion,
and charity, and to be always prepared for death. And his life was
spent thus:
[Sidenote: Life there]
He and his family, which were like a little College, and about thirty
in number, did most of them keep Lent and all Ember-weeks strictly,
both in fasting and using all those mortifications and prayers that
the Church hath appointed to be then used; and he and they did the
like constantly on Fridays, and on the Vigils or Eves appointed to
be fasted before the Saints' days: and this frugality and abstinence
turned to the relief of the poor: but this was but a part of his
charity; none but God and he knew the rest.
[Sidenote: The daily round]
This family, which I have said to be in number about thirty, were a
part of them his kindred, and the rest chosen to be of a temper fit
to be moulded into a devout life; and all of them were for their
dispositions serviceable, and quiet, and humble, and free from
scandal. Having thus fitted himself for his family, he did, about the
year 1630, betake himself to a constant and methodical service of God;
and it was in this manner:--He, being accompanied with most of his
family, did himself use to read the common prayers--for he was a
Deacon--every day, at the appointed hours of ten and four, in the
Parish-Church, which was very near his house, and which he had both
repaired and adorned; for it was fallen into a great ruin, by reason
of a depopulation of the village before Mr. Farrer bought the manor.
And he did also constantly read the Matins every morning at the hour
of six, either in the Church, or in an Oratory, which was within his
own house. And many of the family did there continue with him after
the prayers were ended, and there they spent some hours in singing
Hymns, or Anthems, sometimes in the Church, and often to an organ in
the Oratory. And there they sometimes betook themselves to meditate,
or to pray privately, or to read a part of the New Testament to
themselves, or to continue their praying or reading the Psalms; and in
case the Psalms were not always read in the day, then Mr. Farrer,
and others of the congregation, did at night, at the ringing of
a watch-bell, repair to the Church or Oratory, and there betake
themselves to prayers and lauding God, and reading the Psalms that
had not been read in the day: and when these, or any part of the
congregation, grew weary or faint, the watch-bell was rung, sometimes
before, and sometimes after midnight; and then another part of the
family rose, and maintained the watch, sometimes by praying, or
singing lauds to God, or reading the Psalms; and when, after some
hours, they also grew weary or faint, then they rung the watch-bell
and were also relieved by some of the former, or by a new part of
the society, which continued their devotions--as hath been
mentioned--until morning. And it is to be noted, that in this
continued serving of God, the Psalter or the whole Book of Psalms, was
in every four and twenty hours sung or read over, from the first to
the last verse: and this was done as constantly as the sun runs his
circle every day about the world, and then begins again the same
instant that it ended.
[Sidenote: Mr. Farrer's Death]
Thus did Mr. Farrer and his happy family serve God day and night; thus
did they always behave themselves as in his presence. And they did
always eat and drink by the strictest rules of temperance; eat and
drink so as to be ready to rise at midnight, or at the call of a
watch-bell, and perform their devotions to God. And it is fit to
tell the Reader, that many of the Clergy, that were more inclined
to practical piety and devotion, than to doubtful and needless
disputations, did often come to Gidden Hall, and make themselves a
part of that happy society, and stay a week or more, and then join
with Mr. Farrer and the family in these devotions, and assist and ease
him or them in their watch by night. And these various devotions had
never less than two of the domestic family in the night; and the
watch was always kept in the Church or Oratory, unless in extreme cold
winter nights, and then it was maintained in a parlour, which had
a fire in it; and the parlour was fitted for that purpose. And this
course of piety, and great liberality to his poor neighbours, Mr.
Farrer maintained till his death, which was in the year 1639.[24]
[Sidenote: "Valdesso's Considerations"]
Mr. Farrer's and Mr. Herbert's devout lives were both so noted, that
the general report of their sanctity gave them occasion to renew that
slight acquaintance which was begun at their being contemporaries in
Cambridge; and this new holy friendship was long maintained without
any interview, but only by loving and endearing letters. And one
testimony of their friendship and pious designs, may appear by Mr.
Farrer's commending the "Considerations of John Valdesso"--a book
which he had met with in his travels, and translated out of Spanish
into English,--to be examined and censured by Mr. Herbert before it
was made public: which excellent book Mr. Herbert did read, and return
back with many marginal notes, as they be now printed with it; and
with them, Mr. Herbert's affectionate letter to Mr. Farrer.
[Sidenote: Valdesso himself]
This John Valdesso was a Spaniard, and was for his learning and virtue
much valued and loved by the great Emperor Charles the Fifth, whom
Valdesso had followed as a Cavalier all the time of his long and
dangerous wars: and when Valdesso grew old, and grew weary both of war
and the world, he took his fair opportunity to declare to the Emperor,
that his resolution was to decline his Majesty's service, and betake
himself to a quiet and contemplative life, "because there ought to
be a vacancy of time betwixt fighting and dying." The Emperor
had himself, for the same, or other like reasons, put on the same
resolution: but God and himself did, till then, only know them; and
he did therefore desire Valdesso to consider well of what he had said,
and to keep his purpose within his own breast, till they two might
have a second opportunity of a friendly discourse; which Valdesso
promised to do.
In the mean time the Emperor appoints privately a day for him and
Valdesso to meet again; and, after a pious and free discourse,
they both agreed on a certain day to receive the blessed Sacrament
publicly; and appointed an eloquent and devout Friar to preach a
Sermon of contempt of the world, and of the happiness and benefit of a
quiet and contemplative life; which the Friar did most affectionately.
After which Sermon, the Emperor took occasion to declare openly, "That
the Preacher had begot in him a resolution to lay down his dignities,
and to forsake the world, and betake himself to a monastical life."
And he pretended, he had persuaded John Valdesso to do the like: but
this is most certain, that after the Emperor had called his son Philip
out of England, and resigned to him all his kingdoms, that then the
Emperor and John Valdesso did perform their resolutions.
This account of John Valdesso I received from a friend, that had it
from the mouth of Mr. Farrer. And the Reader may note, that in this
retirement John Valdesso writ his Hundred and Ten Considerations,
and many other treatises of worth, which want a second Mr. Farrer to
procure and translate them.[25]
[Sidenote: Failing strength]
[Sidenote: "The Temple"]
After this account of Mr. Farrer and John Valdesso, I proceed to my
account of Mr. Herbert and Mr. Duncon, who according to his promise
returned from Bath the fifth day, and then found Mr. Herbert much
weaker than he left him; and therefore their discourse could not be
long: but at Mr. Duncon's parting with him, Mr. Herbert spoke to this
purpose: "Sir, I pray you give my brother Farrer an account of the
decaying condition of my body, and tell him I beg him to continue his
daily prayers for me; and let him know that I have considered, that
God only is what he would be; and that I am, by his grace, become now
so like him, as to be pleased with what pleaseth him; and tell him,
that I do not repine, but am pleased with my want of health: and tell
him, my heart is fixed on that place where true joy is only to be
found; and that I long to be there, and do wait for my appointed
change with hope and patience." Having said this, he did, with so
sweet a humility as seemed to exalt him, bow down to Mr. Duncon, and
with a thoughtful and contented look, say to him, "Sir, I pray deliver
this little book to my dear brother Farrer, and tell him, he shall
find in it a picture of the many spiritual conflicts that have passed
betwixt God and my soul, before I could subject mine to the will of
Jesus my Master: in whose service I have now found perfect freedom.
Desire him to read it; and then, if he can think it may turn to the
advantage of any dejected poor soul, let it be made public; if
not, let him burn it; for I and it are less than the least of God's
mercies." Thus meanly did this humble man think of this excellent
book, which now bears the name of "The Temple; or, Sacred Poems and
Private Ejaculations;" of which Mr. Farrer would say, "There was in
it the picture of a divine soul in every page: and that the whole book
was such a harmony of holy passions, as would enrich the world with
pleasure and piety." And it appears to have done so; for there
have been more than twenty thousand of them sold since the first
impression.
[Sidenote: Its publication]
And this ought to be noted, that when Mr. Farrer sent this book to
Cambridge to be licensed for the press, the Vice-Chancellor would by
no means allow the two so much noted verses,
Ready to pass to the American strand,
to be printed; and Mr. Farrer would by no means allow the book to be
printed and want them. But after some time, and some arguments for and
against their being made public, the Vice-Chancellor said, "I knew Mr.
Herbert well, and know that he had many heavenly speculations, and
was a divine poet: but I hope the world will not take him to be an
inspired prophet, and therefore I license the whole book." So that it
came to be printed without the diminution or addition of a syllable,
since it was delivered into the hands of Mr. Duncon, save only that
Mr. Farrer hath added that excellent Preface that is printed before
it.
[Sidenote: Retrospect]
[Sidenote: Waiting for death]
At the time of Mr. Duncon's leaving Mr. Herbert,--which was about
three weeks before his death,--his old and dear friend Mr. Woodnot
came from London to Bemerton, and never left him till he had seen him
draw his last breath, and closed his eyes on his death-bed. In this
time of his decay, he was often visited and prayed for by all the
Clergy that lived near to him, especially by his friends the Bishop
and Prebends of the Cathedral Church in Salisbury; but by none
more devoutly than his wife, his three nieces,--then a part of his
family,--and Mr. Woodnot, who were the sad witnesses of his daily
decay; to whom he would often speak to this purpose: "I now look back
upon the pleasures of my life past, and see the content I have taken
in beauty, in wit, in music, and pleasant conversation, are now all
past by me like a dream, or as a shadow that returns not, and are now
all become dead to me, or I to them; and I see, that as my father and
generation hath done before me, so I also shall now suddenly (with
Job) make my bed also in the dark; and I praise God I am prepared for
it; and I praise him that I am not to learn patience now I stand
in such need of it; and that I have practised mortification, and
endeavoured to die daily, that I might not die eternally; and my hope
is, that I shall shortly leave this valley of tears, and be free from
all fevers and pain; and, which will be a more happy condition, I
shall be free from sin, and all the temptations and anxieties that
attend it: and this being past, I shall dwell in the New Jerusalem;
dwell there with men made perfect; dwell where these eyes shall see my
Master and Saviour Jesus; and with him see my dear Mother, and all
my relations and friends. But I must die, or not come to that happy
place. And this is my content, that I am going daily towards it: and
that every day which I have lived, hath taken a part of my appointed
time from me; and that I shall live the less time, for having lived
this and the day past," These, and the like expressions, which he
uttered often, may be said to be his enjoyment of Heaven before he
enjoyed it. The Sunday before his death, he rose suddenly from his bed
or couch, called for one of his instruments, took it into his hand and
said,
My God, my God,
My music shall find thee,
And every string
Shall have his attribute to sing.
And having tuned it, he played and sung:
The Sundays of man's life,
Threaded together on time's string,
Make bracelets to adorn the wife
Of the eternal glorious King:
On Sundays Heaven's doors stand ope;
Blessings are plentiful and rife,
More plentiful than hope.
Thus he sung on earth such Hymns and Anthems, as the Angels, and he,
and Mr. Farrer, now sing in Heaven.
[Sidenote: His Will]
[Sidenote: Last words]
Thus he continued meditating, and praying, and rejoicing, till the day
of his death; and on that day said to Mr. Woodnot, "My dear friend,
I am sorry I have nothing to present to my merciful God but sin and
misery; but the first is pardoned, and a few hours will now put a
period to the latter; for I shall suddenly go hence, and be no more
seen." Upon which expression Mr. Woodnot took occasion to remember him
of the re-edifying Layton Church, and his many acts of mercy. To which
he made answer, saying, "They be good works, if they be sprinkled
with the blood of Christ, and not otherwise." After this discourse he
became more restless, and his soul seemed to be weary of her earthly
tabernacle; and this uneasiness became so visible, that his wife,
his three nieces, and Mr. Woodnot, stood constantly about his bed,
beholding him with sorrow, and an unwillingness to lose the sight of
him, whom they could not hope to see much longer. As they stood thus
beholding him, his wife observed him to breathe faintly, and with
much trouble, and observed him to fall into a sudden agony; which so
surprised her, that she fell into a sudden passion, and required of
him to know how he did. To which his answer was, "that he had passed
a conflict with his last enemy, and had overcome him by the merits of
his Master Jesus." After which answer, he looked up, and saw his wife
and nieces weeping to an extremity, and charged them, if they loved
him, to withdraw into the next room, and there pray every one alone
for him; for nothing but their lamentations could make his death
uncomfortable. To which request their sighs and tears would not suffer
them to make any reply; but they yielded him a sad obedience, leaving
only with him Mr. Woodnot and Mr. Bostock. Immediately after they had
left him, he said to Mr. Bostock, "Pray, Sir, open that door, then
look into that cabinet, in which you may easily find my last Will, and
give it into my hand:" which being done, Mr. Herbert delivered it into
the hand of Mr. Woodnot, and said, "My old friend, I here deliver
you my last Will, in which you will find that I have made you my sole
Executor for the good of my wife and nieces; and I desire you to shew
kindness to them, as they shall need it: I do not desire you to be
just; for I know you will be so for your own sake; but I charge you,
by the religion of our friendship, to be careful of them." And having
obtained Mr. Woodnot's promise to be so, he said, "I am now ready
to die." After which words, he said, "Lord, forsake me not now my
strength faileth me: but grant me mercy for the merits of my Jesus.
And now, Lord--Lord, now receive my soul." And with those words he
breathed forth his divine soul, without any apparent disturbance, Mr.
Woodnot and Mr. Bostock attending his last breath, and closing his
eyes.
Thus he lived, and thus he died, like a Saint, unspotted of the
world, full of alms-deeds, full of humility, and all the examples of a
virtuous life; which I cannot conclude better, than with this borrowed
observation:
----All must to their cold graves:
But the religious actions of the just
Smell sweet in death, and blossom in the dust.[26]
Mr. George Herbert's have done so to this, and will doubtless do so to
succeeding generations.--I have but this to say more of him; that if
Andrew Melvin died before him,[27] then George Herbert died without an
enemy.[28] I wish--if God shall be so pleased--that I may be so happy
as to die like him.
IZ. WA.
[Sidenote: Mrs. Herbert]
There is a debt justly due to the memory of Mr. Herbert's virtuous
Wife; a part of which I will endeavour to pay, by a very short account
of the remainder of her life, which shall follow.