* * * * *
"WHOLE DUTY OF MAN," AUTHOR OF.
(From Baker's MSS, vol. xxxv. p. 469-470. Cambridge University Library.)
"Octo'r 31. 1698. Mr. Thomas Caulton, Vicar of Worksop, &c. [as
in the note p. xiii. to the editor's Preface, ed. 1842, with
unimportant variations, such as _Madam Frances Heathcote_, where
the printed copy has _Mrs. Heathcote_; Baker reads _Madam Ayre
of Rampton after dinner took_, where the printed copy has, _Mrs.
Eyre_. After _was dead_, follows in Baker,] and that in that
Month she had buried her Husband and severall Relations, but
that her comfort was, that by her Monthly Sacraments she
participated still with them in the Communion of Saints.
"Then she went to her Closet, and fetched out a Manuscript, w'ch
she said was the original of the _Whole Duty of Man_, tied
together and stitched, in 8'vo, like Sermon notes. She untied
it, saying, it was Dr. Fell's Correction and that the Author was
the Lady Packington (her Mother), in whose hand it was written.
"To prove this, the s'd Mr. Caulton further added that she said,
she had shewn it to Dr. Covell, Master of Christ's College[2] in
Cambridge, Dr. Stamford, Preb. of York, and Mr. Banks the
present Incumbent of the Great Church in Hull. She added,
withall, that _The Decay of Christian Piety_ was hers (The Lady
Packington's) also, but disowned any of the rest to be her
Mother's.
"This is a true Copy of what I wrote, from Mr. Caulton's Mouth,
two days before his Decease.
"Witness my hand,
"Nov. 15. 98.
"JOHN HEWYT."
"Bp. Fell tells us, that all these Tracts were written by the
excellent Author (whom he makes to be one and the same person)
at severall times, as y'e exigence of the Church, and the
benefit of soules directed y'r composures; and that he (the
Author) did likewise publish them apart, in the same order as
they were made. The last, it seems (w'ch is _The Lively
Oracles_), came out in 1678, the very year Dr. Woodhead died.
Had the Author liv'd longer, we should have had his Tract _Of
the Government of the Thoughts_, a work he had undertaken; and
certainly (as Bp. Fell hath told us), had this work been
finished, 'twould have equall'd, if not excelled, whatever that
inimitable hand had formerly wrote. Withall it may be observ'd,
that the Author of these Tracts speaks of the great Pestilence,
and of the great Fire of London, both w'ch happen'd after the
Restoration, whereas Bp. Chappell died in 1649. And further, in
sect. vii. of the _Lively Oracles_, n. 2., are these words, w'ch
I think cannot agree to Bp. Chappell [and less to Mr. Woodhead].
_I would not be hasty in charging Idolatry upon the Church of
Rome, or all in her Communion; but that their Image-Worship is a
most futall snare, in w'ch vast numbers of unhappy Souls are
taken, no Man can doubt, who hath with any Regard travailed in
Popish Countries: I myself, and thousands of others, whom the
late troubles, or other occasions, sent abroad, are, and have
been witnesses thereof_. {293} These words seem to have been
spoke by one that had been at Rome, and was forced into those
Countries after the troubles broke out here. But as for
Chappell, he never was at Rome, nor in any of those Countries.
"As for Archbp. Stern, no Man will believe him to have any just
Title to any of these Tracts. [The last Passage concerning
idolatry, will not agree with Mr. Woodhead, nor the rest with
Lady Packington.]
"In a letter from Mr. Hearne, dat. Oxon, Mar. 27, 1733, said by
Dr. Clavering, Bp. of Petr. to be wrote by one Mr. Basket, a
Clergyman of Worcestershire. See Dr. Hamond's _Letters_
published by Mr. Peck, et ultra Quære."
On so disputed a point as the authorship of the _Whole Duty of Man_,
your readers will probably welcome any discussion by one so competent to
form an opinion in such matters as Hearne.
The letter above given was unknown to the editor of Mr. Pickering's
edition.