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. Ferrar 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. Ferrar, and others of the congregation, did at night, at the ring 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 and 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 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.

Thus did Mr. Ferrar 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. Ferrar, and the family in these devotions, and assist and ease him or them in the 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 fited for that purpose. And this course of piety, and gait liberality to his poor neighbours, Mr. Ferrar maintained till his death, which was in the year 1639'.

In this parlour was a tal let of brass, placed by the advice of Mr. Herbert, with this inscription approved by him:

(WHO BIDS ADIEU TO ALL FEARS AND HPE OF THIS WORLD,

AND ONLY DESIRES TO SERUI GOD)

STEP THIS TARIF.

Mr. Ferrar died Dec. 2, 16: He was buried in the Chapel-Yard. The tourbstone, which is placed over his remains, is without any inscription. That happy society, of which he

Mr. Ferrar'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 be ing 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. Ferrar's commending “The Considerations of John Val

was the founder, is thus noticed in a well-known ludicrous poem:

"To th' new-founded College came I
“Commended to the care of many;
"Bounteous are they, kind and loving,
"Doing whatsoe'er's behoving.

"These hold and walk together wholly,
"And state their lands on uses holy.
"Whether pure these are or are not,
"As I know not, so I care not:
"But if they be dissembling brothers,
"Their life surpasseth many others:

"See but their cell, school, and their temple,

"You'll say, the stars were their example."

Of this congregation of saints, see "Hacket's Life of Archbishop Williams," p. 50-33. During the civil commotions, their re ligion and loyalty exposed them to danger. The whole family "fled away and dispersed, and wood joyfully the sping of he goods.“ Hcb. x. 34.-All that they had restored to the Church, all that they had bestowed upon sacred eomieliness, all that they had gathered for their own livchhood and for altns were sized upon as lawful prey, taken from superstitious person

.

adesso" (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 returned back with many marginal notes, as they be now printed with it: and with them, Mr. Herbert's affectionate letter to Mr. Ferrar.

This John Valdesso was a Spaniard, and was for his learning and virtue much valued and

• The version of this celebrated work of John Valdesso is printed in octavo, and contains 311 pages. It is entitled, “The "Hundred and Ten Considerations of Signior JOHN VALDESSO, ** treating of those things which are most profitable, most "necessary, and most perfect in our Christian Profession. • Written in Spanish, brought out of Italy by Vergerius, and - brst set forth m Italian at Basil, by Caelius Secundus Curio, Anno 1550: afterward translated into French, and printed at Lyons, 1563, and again at Paris, 1565, and now translated out "of the Italian Copy into English, with Notes: Whereunto is added an Epistle of the Author's, or a Preface to his divine "Commentary upon the Romans. 1 Cor. ii. Howbeit we · speak Wisdom amongst them that are perfect, yet not the - Wndon of this World. Oxford: Printed by Leonard Lich* field, Printer to the University. Ann. Dom. 1638.”

Of the nature of this work we may form an idea from the Address of the Editor, the learned Dr. Jackson, to the ltender :

"These truly divine meditations or considerations of Signior - John Valdesso, a nobleman of Spun (who died almost an ~ hundred years agoe), having been so accept ble to pious Vigerius, to karned Cæhas Secundus Curio, and to many - others both French and Italian protestan's, that they have been "translated out of the original Spanish copy, and printed three VOL. II.

** or