Brief memoirs of Nicholas Ferrar : founder of a Protestant religious establishment at Little Gidding, Huntingdonshire

FROM-THE- LIBRARY-OF
TRINITYCOLLEGETORDNTO

BRIEF MEMOIRS

OF

NICHOLAS FERRAR, M.A.

FOUNDER OF A PROTESTANT RELIGIOUS ESTABLISHMENT AT
LITTLE GIDDING, HUNTINGDONSHIRE.

* CS™ es~*^>^^'<2^7^)i^--~<^
collected from a Harrattoe

THE RIGHT REV. DR. TURNER,

FORMERLY LORD BISHOP OF ELY ;

3lnti no to cttttetJ, tottf; UtTDittons,

BY

THE REV. T. M. MACDONOGH

VICAR OF BOVINGDON.

EDITION.

LONDON:
JAMES NISBET AND CO. BERNERS STREET,

1837.

LONDON :
PRINTED BY ROBSON, LEVEY, AND FRANKLTK,

46 St. Martin's Lane.

784-59

JUN2U 1968

TO THE HONOURABLE

GRANVILLE DUDLEY RYDER.

THE first edition of this little volume
was dedicated to my mother — it was a surprise to
her. The second edition I venture to dedicate to you,
to whom also it will be a surprise. Pray pardon the
liberty, and accept the poor offering as it is meant.

The first edition was published anonymously. To
the second I affix my name, because I care not how
publicly I acknowledge myself

Your grateful

And affectionate servant,

T. M. MACDONOGH.

Bovingdon Vicarage,
June 1837.

PREFACE.

DR. FRANCIS TURNER, formerly Bishop of
Ely,, the biographer of Mr. Nicholas Ferrar,
was of opinion, that " his life was not only ad
mirable but imitable — by the gentry especially
— or by his fellow-citizens, who gain plentiful
estates, and then retire into the country/3

He adds, in a preface intended to have
been published with the Life of Ferrar : " If
some things in this Life are rather to be ad
mired than followed, I confess I had two ends
in writing it : first, and especially, as an ex
emplary pattern of Christian economics ; se
condly, as an illustrious example of a more
illuminate man in the Church of England than
any, I believe, they can shew us in the Church
of Rome, if they will tell us nothing but the
honest truth ; or any other sect whatever/3

The Editor thinks, also, that the contem
plation of so holy and self-denying a character

VI PREFACE.

may, under the Divine blessing, have a very
advantageous tendency in exciting a spirit of
devotion in professing Christians, and in sti
mulating them to a holy emulation of those
works which are the fruits, though not the
foundation, of their faith. All classes of
Christians may derive useful lessons from the
exemplary temper and self-denying devoted-
ness displayed in the character of this ex
cellent man.

The Editor is aware that there is a Life of
Mr. Nicholas Ferrar extant, by Dr. Peckard ;
but it is a scarce book. He is also not ig
norant that that Life has been reprinted in
Dr. Dodsworth's " Ecclesiastical Biography/'
a very valuable but voluminous work, to
which comparatively few readers can have
access. In the present form, the Memoirs are
attainable by many who never would have met
with them while they remained only in expen
sive or scarce biographical books. Of the
truth of this observation the Editor has had
repeated proof since the publication of the
first edition ; inasmuch as very many persons,
of varied and extensive reading, had never even
heard of Ferrar until they saw these Memoirs.

PREFACE. Vll

They are again put forth with a mixture of
real diffidence and humble hope : of diffidence,
lest the Editor's part of this little book should
be found unworthy of the subject; of hope,
that the principles and acts of such a man and
Christian as Nicholas Ferrar, as far as they are
imitable — and no one without an effort knows
the extent to which they are so — may, by
Divine grace, be blessed, to the benefit of the
Church, and the usefulness and happiness of
individuals.

If any young person into whose hands
this book may fall should see in Mr. Ferrar's
character the rare beauty of great industry and
transcendent talents united with deep humi
lity, filial piety, and Christian devotedness ;
and should be constrained by his early love to
God, his useful life, and happy death, to pur
sue a course so lovely and so blessed; then,
indeed, will the Editor have great cause for
thankfulness, in having been, in any degree,
instrumental in drawing such a character more
into public notice, and in exciting an imitation,
although humble, of so illustrious an example.

The present edition differs from the former
in this respect, that some points of historical

Vlll PREFACE.

record connected with the history of Ferrar,
before inserted in an Appendix, are now
blended into the narrative, and the Appendix
itself is discarded. The Editor has endea
voured to make these interpolations as little
digressive as possible.

MEMOIRS

OF

NICHOLAS FERRAR.

CHAPTER I.

MR. NICHOLAS FERRAR was born in London
on the first of February, in the year of our
Lord 1592, and was admitted, by baptism,
into the congregation of Christ's flock on the
twenty-eighth of the same month ; a day noted
and registered by himself, in after years, as
more memorable than the day of his birth ;
esteeming it, as he ought, a greater blessing
to be received into the Catholic church, than
to come into the world.

He was the third son of Mr. Nicholas
Ferrar, a wealthy merchant, and of his wife
Mary, of whom Bishop Lindsell was accus
tomed to say, " he knew of no woman supe
rior to her in eloquence, true judgment, or
wisdom; and that few were equal to her in

B

2 MEMOIRS OF

charity towards men, and in piety towards
God." And as the son became a follower of
St. John the Baptist, in a retired and mortified
life, so the parents were characterised by that
good report which the word of God bestows
on Zacharias and Elizabeth, the father and
mother of that burning and shining light, when
it says, that " they were both righteous before
God, walking in all the commandments and
ordinances of the Lord blameless." In his
childhood he is said to have possessed great
personal beauty ; and though he never enjoyed
a very robust state of health, but was subject
to feverish and aguish maladies from his in
fancy, yet his vigorous temper of mind over
came, in a great measure, the indisposition of
his body; so that he was noted, not only for
the activity peculiar to youth, but also for a
graceful and lively demeanour.

His talents began to develop themselves at
as early an age as six, when he became much
attached to the perusal and study of history ;
but the Bible especially occupied his attention,
and engaged his affections. In two or three
years he had made himself surprisingly ac
quainted with the historical part of the inspired

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 3

volume; and at this time he had committed
all the Psalms to memory. Then he took up
the English Chronicles,, and the Book of Mar
tyrs, which, whilst other boys of his age would
be playing, he would be reading; and rather
than not finish his story, which he seldom
forgot, he would often neglect his meals and
his sleep, in both of which he was naturally
moderate.

A circumstance which occurred in his sixth
year evinces how early sentiments of religion
had taken possession of his mind. Being one
night unable to sleep, a fit of scepticism seized
him, and gave him the greatest uneasiness. He
doubted whether there was a God, and if there
were, what was the most acceptable method of
serving him. In extreme grief he rose at mid
night, and went down to a grass-plot in the
garden, where he stood a long time sad and
pensive, reflecting seriously on the great doubts
which thus perplexed him. At length, throw
ing himself upon his face to the ground, and
spreading out his hands, he cried aloud, —
" Yes, there is, there must be a God : and he,
no question, if I duly and earnestly seek it of
him, will teach me not only how to know, but

MEMOIRS OF

how to serve him acceptably. He will be with
me all my life here, and at the end of it will
make me happy hereafter." His doubts now
vanished, and he returned to his apartment in
tranquillity ; but the recollection of the circum
stance made him ever after commiserate per
sons in distress of mind on religious accounts ;
to many of whom, in future life, his advice was
eminently consolatory and instructive.

Such was his early proficiency, that before
he was eight years old, it was found necessary
to place him at a school, where his opening
talents might be advantageously cultivated and
improved. He was accordingly fixed at a house
near Newbury, in Berkshire, under the super
intendence of a Mr. Brooks, a man excellent
for salutary discipline, and who introduced so
extraordinary a way of teaching and living,
that it is supposed the thoughtful child did,
under his practice and instruction, receive the
first impressions which disposed him to that
regular, self-denying, and religious course of
life, which he, after many years, formed,
heightened, and illustrated in his own family,
where it exhibited a noble figure of good old
Christian discipline.

NICHOLAS FERRAR. O

The rareness of this system, in this age of
education, evinces the disrepute into which it
has fallen ; but it may be questioned, whether
any modern system has been discovered, which,
either in theory or in practice, can be compared
to it.

Modern education teaches children any
thing but self-denial, and does any thing but
keep them in their proper places. Self-confi
dence is substituted for self-control \ and con
ceit and forwardness, or cleverness, as it is
called, are the base coin which parents are
content to receive from their children, instead
of those gems of the richest mine, humility,
obedience, and subjection. But this order of
things must work itself out; for the present
generation (except where grace performs what
education does not effect, or where the kind
ness of the disposition counteracts the defect
of the system,) will become, from its selfish
organisation, a generation of tyrants ; and the
next will be coerced into subjection, because
their parents will love too well to have their
own way, to allow their children to have theirs.

Mr. Brooks had lived and preached with
much deserved popularity in London ; but he

D MEMOIRS OF

forsook the noise of a great city to preside over
the education of children in a country re
tirement. He took great pains to teach his
children the Church Catechism. We may un
derstand by this word teach, that he went into
the pith of the matter. And here is another
manifest advantage over the too general apathy
which masters of modern schools shew to every
thing like religious instruction. The Church
Catechism is, perhaps, said by the pupils once
a week, or perhaps not ; but where is it taught
in our modern academies ? If the catechetical
plan now so properly adopted in some of our
parochial and Sunday schools be persevered
in, academies of a higher stamp must soon be
shamed into a scheme of religious instruction,
or else our village boys and girls will be sur
passing their superiors in life in the knowledge
which " maketh wise unto salvation/' Mr.
Brooks also taught his pupils the Psalter, the
Epistles, and the Gospels, for which young
Ferrar's extraordinary memory served him to
good purpose, and afforded him great conso
lation, when, many years after, he travelled
and fell dangerously ill amongst those who
take it for an act of heresy in a traveller to

NICHOLAS FERRAR. /

carry about with him an English Bible. None
of the pupils performed their tasks of this kind
(or indeed of any kind) so constantly, so cheer
fully, so easily, as young Ferrar. He com
prehended and retained things so naturally,
that whilst he conquered the greatest difficul
ties, he did not neglect the more easy, but not
less useful, parts of education. Among other
things he perfected himself in short-hand, an
acquirement exceedingly useful to a clergyman.
His masters were even proud of him, and gave
him the commendation that he could do what
he pleased: yet he had so little pride, and
took so little pleasure in hearing himself com
mended, that he would weep and forsake his
meals when they applauded him, and thus ex
pose him to the envy of his school-fellows ; so
that if his other good qualities were gained by
instruction and exercise, it seemed his modesty
and humility were naturally his own.

In his thirteenth year Mr. Brooks accom
panied his young scholar to Cambridge, in
order to settle him in that university, declaring
that " he was more than ripe for it," and
alleging his loss of time if he stayed any longer
at school. He placed him at Clare Hall, dis-

8 MEMOIRS OP

tinguished, as Dr. Turner records, for some
eminent men in their times in their several
faculties. Dr. Butler, for physic ; Mr. Lake,
who was afterwards advanced to be secretary
of state; Mr. George Ruggle, for his skill in
polite learning ; and then, for their knowledge
in divinity, there was Dutch Thompson (as he
was called long after at Cambridge), Mr. Par
kinson, and Dr. Austin Lindsell, afterwards
Lord Bishop of Peterborough, and at last of
Hereford; the latter of these was pleased to
receive young Ferrar under his own tuition.
He was entered only as a pensioner at first,
that he might be the more strictly obliged to
study and exercise ; but soon afterwards, at
the express and earnest desire of the fellows,
he was admitted fellow-commoner, in order,
as they said, that he might be their companion.
His tutor used frequently to invite his learned
friends to be present at trials of his memory,
and other exercises of his extraordinary facul
ties ; or, as he himself expressed it, " to see
his inside as well as his outside :" and though
great expectations were constantly excited on
these occasions, yet he ever surpassed those
expectations, whether in declaiming, or in dis-

NICHOLAS FERRAR. • 9

pitting, or in any other exhibition of memory,
argument, or talent ; although these trials were
often such as the fellows thought quite un
reasonable, urging that " it was a shame to
spur a fleet horse, which already outwent the
rider's desire, and won every race he put him
to." He had no sooner taken his first degree
in arts, which was in the year 1610, than the
master of Clare Hall, and the other electors,
urged this young fellow- commoner to try for
a fellowship, and chose him, by unanimous
consent, at the very next election. His lite
rary acquisitions and personal character were
by this time so conspicuous, that Dr. Lindsell
was wont to exclaim, (f may God keep him in
his right mind ! for if he should turn schis
matic or heretic, he would make work for all
the world 5 such a head ! such power of argu
ment ! such a tongue ! such a pen ! such a
memory withal he hath, with indefatigable
pains, that all these joined together, I know
not who would be able to contend with him !"
While he lived at college his life was re
markable for the strictest propriety and regu
larity in the best sense ; he was, in fact, a fit
example, not only for his equals in age, but also

B2

10 MEMOIRS OF

for those who were much his superiors in years
and experience. It was no slight indisposition
that kept him from chapel when he heard the
five o'clock bell (the hour at which the colleges
assembled at prayer in those days) ; and his
chamber might be known by the last candle
put out at night, and the first lighted in the
morning.

If his parts were excellent, his industry was
remarkable ; but his piety, for one of his age,
was incomparable ; and this circumstance made
it the more illustrious in a youth not above
twenty, that his fervours of devotion were well-
tempered and admirably governed by judgment
and discretion ; qualities that he possessed in a
more transcendent degree, his age considered,
than any one of his other eminent virtues.
Such good conduct in his affairs, with such
undoubted integrity, gained him universal es
teem, and a powerful influence over the hearts
of all those who were his particular friends.
But whilst such were the strength of his mind,
the progress of its enlargement, and the de
served success of his talents, industry, and
conduct, his constitution of body was not so
happy. It was so tender, that the physicians

NICHOLAS FERRAB,

11

observed there were few of either sex of a
more delicate frame than Ferrar. Nor did
the air of Cambridge agree with him ; therefore
he frequently repaired from the university to
Bourne, five miles from Cambridge, at the
house of his sister, Mrs. Collett, a lady of
excellent understanding, of much reading, and
solid piety. There he began his labour of love
to her children, whom he would catechise and
exhort with a fatherly goodness. He was in
deed to his dying day their spiritual friend
and father. Dr. Butler directed him to starve
away his aguish dispositions whenever they
returned upon him — a prescription very agree
able to his patient, who was a great lover of
abstinence ; but in spite of his strict adherence
to medical admonitions, either in physic or
in diet, he sank so low under repeated attacks
of ague, when he was of about seven years*
standing in the university, that Dr. Butler
recommended him, as the last remedy, to
change the air of England, and to go be
yond sea for the recovery of his health, and
for a necessary relaxation from his incessant
studies ; pronouncing that nothing but travel
could prolong his life, and even that pro-

12 MEMOIRS OF

bably not beyond his five or six and thirtieth
year.

The event, however, proved the fallacy, not
to say the presumption, of the doctor's augury.
Ferrar's exact temperance, and regular, how
ever austere, method of treating himself, over
reached the almost marvellous faculty which
Dr. Butler was supposed to possess in this
kind of natural divination. In the present
day, physicians of eminence venture not their
reputation upon so unstable a ground of popu
larity.

His parents were extremely unwilling to
part with him, and so were many of his fellow-
collegians, who loved him as a brother; yet
his tutor finally prevailed, bidding them all
hope comfortably that they should see him
again, not only improved in health and learn
ing, but grown in grace; " a stock which," his
biographer, Dr. Turner, adds, " few of our
young travellers know how to increase."

A letter to his family on this occasion has
been preserved, wherein he urges the import
ance of preparing for death. He exhorts his
brothers and sisters to piety, unity, and love;
consoles his parents with the thought, that if

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 13

he should soon be dead to them, he was yet
alive to God ; implores their forgiveness, if at
any time he had displeased them, and adds —
" It was God that gave me to you ; and if he
take me from you, be not only content, but
joyful, that I am delivered from the vale of
misery. This God, who hath kept me ever
since I was born, will preserve me unto the
end, and will give me grace to live in his faith,
to die in his favour, to rest in his peace, to
rise in his power, and to reign in his glory."
Ferrar was indeed (by grace given, cultivated,
and improved,) so confirmed and established
in goodness and truth, that there was no great
danger of his being tainted, either with the
vice or the superstition which he must needs
encounter in his foreign tour.

He had already gone over many of the con
troversial works on the disputed points be
tween the churches of England and Rome,
and he had read several of the ancient fathers ;
so that he might be safely ventured among
those who were adversaries of the truth, with
no other governor or guide than his heavenly
one.

14 MEMOIRS OF

CHAPTER II.

IT happened that the Lady Elizabeth, eldest
daughter of King James I. and grandmother of
George I.,- who had been recently married to
Frederick, Count Palatine of the Rhine, was
about to be conveyed to Holland, and so con
ducted home to the palatinate. She was the only
surviving daughter of King James. At the time
of her marriage with the Elector Palatine, after
wards King of Bohemia, she was in her six
teenth year. " If we may trust the painters,"
says the historian of the court of James I.,
" the symmetry of her features was heightened
by that mixture of the sprightly and the soft in
expression which lends to female beauty its
most powerful fascination."

England had seen nothing equal to the
splendour of her marriage, which was accom
plished by a zealously Protestant party, at the
head of which were Archbishop Abbot and Se
cretary Winwood. The king acquiesced, rather
than gave his cordial approbation ; the queen
was decidedly hostile, and never, it is said,

NICHOLAS FERBAR.

15

could endure the sight of Win wood afterwards.
She treated the Palatine himself with a haughti
ness bordering on contempt, and called his wife
by no other title than the " good-wife Pals
grave."

Arthur Wilson, in his " Life and Reign of
James I.," speaking of the Princess Elizabeth's
marriage, says, " while the archbishop was per
forming the ceremony, some coruscations and
lightnings of joy appeared in her countenance,
expressing more than an ordinary smile, being
almost elated to a laughter, which could not
clear the air of her fate, but was rather a fore
runner of more sad and dire events."

" The Princess Sophia (mother of George I.)
was the only surviving child of that only re
maining daughter of James I., who, being mar
ried to the most zealous Protestant prince of
the empire, became his partner in a series of
distresses, personal and domestic, in which
his committing himself on the cause of the Pro
testants of Bohemia, involved him and his
family for nearly half a century." *

During the King of Bohemia's struggles

* See Miss Benger's Life of the Queen of Bohemia.

16 MEMOIRS OF

with his powerful Roman Catholic adversaries
in the sacred cause of Protestantism, James I.
was roused to some activity, but only in nego
tiation; the people were greatly excited and in
terested in behalf of a family so nearly allied to
the blood-royal of England ; and some accom
plished diplomatists and negotiators were sent
to Brussels, Italy, and the secondary states of
Germany. But the Jesuits, who made them
selves peculiarly busy in the contests between
the Popish and the Protestant states, succeeded
in firmly establishing their influence over all the
princes of the house of Austria ; and at length
the great battle of Prague, in the month of
November 1619, completed the ruin of the
King of Bohemia, who fled with his family into
Holland.

Miss Benger's " Life of the Queen of Bo
hemia," exhibits the piety, resignation, and
many amiable traits in the domestic life of this
princess during the fallen state of her husband's
fortunes.

The whole chivalry of the English court was
on fire to support the claims of the King of
Bohemia, and to avenge the sufferings to which
the queen was exposed. Her father alone re-

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 17

mained unmoved ; he positively refused to de
part from a strict neutrality. Some volunteer
succours, consisting of picked men, and offi
cered by the flower of the nobility and gentry,
took up arms in this cause of the reformed
religion, civil liberty, and the rights of a dis
tressed queen and beauty; but their number
was restrained by Jarnes to two thousand two
hundred. This small force, commanded by the
brave Sir Horace Vere, opposed but a trifling
resistance to the army under Spinola, which
pressed on, and invaded the palatinate. In
1621, the ban of the empire was published
against the elector, and the execution of it
committed to the Duke of Bavaria.

The Palatine, despoiled of his electoral dig
nity, was obliged to live with his numerous
family in poverty and distress, either in Holland
or at Sedan, with his uncle the Duke of Bouil
lon ; and the new conquests of the Catholics
throughout Germany were attended with per
secutions of the Protestants. But the success
ful persecution of the King of Bohemia by the
Catholic powers, though it distressed, and op
pressed, and weakened, for a time, yet it did
not crush nor destroy the Protestant interest,

18 MEMOIRS OF

or Protestant succession, of that family. The
cause of Protestantism is the cause of truth,
and that shall prevail.

The author of " George III., his Court, and
Family," makes the following remark : " It is
a curious fact connected with the Brunswick
accession, that at the time of the gunpowder
plot, it was intended to extirpate the whole
royal family, except the Princess Elizabeth, after
wards Electress Palatine and Queen of Bohemia,
who was to have been educated as a Catholic,
for the maintenance of that religion. Yet from
the issue of that very lady was the Brunswick
family selected as the bulwark of the true Chris
tian religion, to the exclusion of the male line.
Thus the very person intended by the popish
faction for the head of a popish dynasty, became,
by the over-ruling hand of Providence, the wife
of a Protestant prince, and the mother of a
Protestant succession of princes down to the
present day."

Dr. Scott, who, at the period before alluded
to, was master of Clare Hall and sub-almoner
to the king, advised Mr. Ferrar by all means to
make one of her highness's retinue; whereupon,
being first created master of arts (the university

NICHOLAS FERRAB. 19

conferring his degree upon him, by extraor
dinary favour, before the commencement), he
took his leave of his beloved study in Clare
Hall, and exchanged the student's gown for the
apparel of a young courtier ; not that he cared
for a shining exterior, but merely falling into
the fashion of the day, and assuming those gar
ments which would be required by one who was
now to have admittance to the courts of princes.
Our Saviour himself, where he speaks of John
the Baptist, whose dress, according to St.
Matthew, was of camel's hair, and a leathern
girdle about his loins, does not seem to dis
allow soft raiment to those who are in kings'
palaces. The doctor carried young Ferrar to
court, presented him to the princess to kiss her
hand, and then introduced him to the acquaint
ance of her suite. The royal fleet soon left
England, and landed them at Flushing. No
sooner had Ferrar set his foot on shore, than he
was remarked by all about him as a close ob
server of men and things ; he was noticed as
one who spared no pains, or cost, to satisfy a
laudable curiosity : he quickly acquired enough
of the language of the country for the despatch
of common affairs, having his Dutch book with

20

MEMOIRS OF

its English translation continually about him,
to which he referred at the moment, as he had
occasion.

Ferrar's mind was not so constituted that
he could be satisfied merely with seeing sights,
or measuring the height of towers ; he set him
self laboriously to study the origin of the cities,
the nature of the government, the manners,
pursuits, and inclinations of the people in the
several provinces, the strength of their for
tresses, the magnitude of their arsenals and
magazines, as well as every particular of their
trade and commerce. He inquired into the re
venues which supported the expense of their
garrisons and their navies ; he examined the
difference between their system of ship-building
and ours ; he informed himself regarding their
inventions and manufactories, in which that in
dustrious people employed their lame and im
potent, — affording even cripples the means of
an honest livelihood.

He acquainted himself exactly with the doc
trine and discipline of their church. He visited
even the Brownists and Anabaptists at their
conventicles, and compared their practice with
their books. Above all, he was sedulous in

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 21

making a strict and diligent inquiry into the
providential dealings of Almighty God with the
nations, and the miracles of his mercy and jus
tice in rewards and punishments, which are
illustriously visible in the histories of every
country; though many such rich and useful ob
servations are hidden from us for want of in
quiry, or, if investigated, are buried in oblivion,
for want of being recorded.

Ferrar attended her highness at Middle-
burgh, to the Hague, and to Amsterdam. Her
journey was a triumph ; she was every where
received with royal honours ; and he, as an
ornament of her train, was much caressed.

But when she began to bend her course
direct to the palatinate, he, not intending to go
that way, but declaring his design of passing
through Westphalia into the upper parts of
Germany, some of the noblest adventurers in
that journey importuned him to accompany
them to Heidelberg, where the Count Palatine
held his court ; assuring him, if he sought ad
vancement by his travels, he stood fair to be
appointed secretary to her highness, who had
taken much notice of him, as well from her
own observation, as from every body's good
report.

22 MEMOIRS OF

But he answered, with his usual modesty,
that he aimed at lower things, and was not
qualified for such an appointment; so he kissed
her royal hand, and she graciously bid him
farewell, with kind wishes that he might be
prosperous in his travels.

He set forward from Amsterdam to Ham
burgh, and arrived safely there. He was nobly
entertained and welcomed by the English mer
chants, upon whom he had bills and letters of
credit to supply him with whatever money he
required ; which liberality was abundantly re
paid to his kind parents, by the high character
his countrymen abroad gave of him in- their
letters to their correspondents in London. Here
his strict adherence to the rules of temperance
excited admiration, even where it failed to
operate in the way of imitation.

The merchants, whose habits of life were
probably luxurious, observed he would never
taste wine or strong liquor, in order that he
might never be urged to drink with them. At
first they tempted him, but he had ever some
ready and pleasing apology; and when they
understood his temperance in sleep and diet,
they ceased to importune him, and were con
strained to admit (f that he was in the right

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 23

way, which yet they confessed they could not
hit." Even in these, his younger days, he pos
sessed such conversational powers, that without
the pedantry of assuming or imposing upon the
company, he would lead the discourse to some
useful consideration of virtue or vice ; and
would so delicately array the one, and so
adroitly disrobe the other, that his conversation
was no less pleasing than instructive ; ever in
troducing some pertinent and remarkable pas
sages from sacred or civil history in illustration
of what he advanced, and thus charming his
hearers by (to them) a new and profitable mode
of conversation.

Passing through several of their cities, he
came to Leipsic, where being in his own ele
ment again (for it was a university), he resolved
to remain for some time. And here again his
biographer gives a specimen of that unbounded
thirst for knowledge which characterised this
extraordinary young man.

He soon made inquiry for the ablest mas
ters in various arts, u whom," the bishop says,
cc he would gain entirely, if gold and good
words would gain them, to teach him their
mystery." Among other arts which he learned
abroad, was the skill of artificial memory.

24 MEMOIRS OF

The Germans were in those days considered
exquisite mechanics ; these, as well as their
painters, weavers, dyers, and smiths, were much
at Ferrar's lodgings ; he had something to learn
from all, and he could treat with the artisans in
their proper terms : he could maintain a dia
logue with an architect in his own phrases ; he
could talk with mariners in their sea-terms,
knowing the name of every rope and pin in
a ship. But as knowledge was his end and
aim, he went beyond mere phraseology; and
such, indeed, was his curiosity in all the fine
parts of knowledge, that he made the great
world his book.

He took notes of all in short-hand, when he
was by himself, though his memory was so
tenacious, and so remarkably faithful, that fre
quently he could recall circumstances of time
and place, with the very words he heard, many
years after they had occurred.

At Leipsic the learned professors and vir
tuosi courted his acquaintance. But his repu
tation drawing too many visitors, he retired to
a neighbouring village, where he spent his time
in reading the choicest German authors.

All men concluded that he aspired to some
exalted situation in the state, by the vast pains

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 25

he used, and the scrupulous care he took of his
time. His father, overjoyed at his great pro
gress, wrote to him that " he should be allowed
time enough, and money to spare;" therefore
he charged him not to destroy himself by double
diligence. After he had visited several courts
of the dukes and princes of the empire, and
carefully surveyed the imperial court and city,
he bent his course from Vienna towards Italy.
Many German towns were at this time in
fected with the plague, so that when he came
upon the frontiers of Italy, on the Venetian ter
ritory, he was compelled at one place to perform
quarantine. This occurred during Lent : thus
he was forced in a double manner to do
penance, being under a restraint from com
pany, as well as from animal food; though, in
fact, neither of these things was a painful con
straint to one whose mind had such transcen
dent resources within itself, and whose appe
tites were always in an habitual state of morti
fication. He employed this season of solitude
to good purpose ; he had leisure now to call in
his thoughts, to revise his notes, and to reduce
his observations into method. His manner of
life was this : In the morning he went up into
c

26 MEMOIRS OF

a neighbouring mountain, where there grew an
abundance of wild thyme and rosemary ; there,
with a book or two, and with God, whom he
met at every turn in the closest walks of his
mind, having spent the day in reading, medita
tion, and prayer, he came down in the evening
to an early supper, his only set meal, of fish.
He omitted not his exercises of devotion, morn
ing, evening, and at midnight, during his tra
vels ; for to serve and to please God was the
delight of his soul. He needed not many books,
for he was his own concordance ; and as to the
New Testament, he had it in a manner without
book ; and when he had not time and place to
kneel in prayer, he made the lowest prostrations
of his spirit. One remarkable deliverance,
among many, which the providence of God
vouchsafed him in Italy, must not be omitted.
He was riding over some dangerous and narrow
passes of the Alps ; his guide was a little way
before him ; when, from the side of a hill be
tween him and his guide, an ass appeared, laden
with a huge piece of timber across her back,
running down the hill towards him : the road
was extremely narrow, with perpendicular
heights on one side, and a fearful precipitous

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 27

descent on the other. His guide, not hearing
the tread of Ferrar's mule, looked back, and
seeing the ass thus laden and approaching him,
cried out, " O Lord God ! the man is lost, if he
had a hundred lives!" Hearing the guide's
voice, he raised his eyes, and beheld his danger.
He saw the ass coming down rapidly upon him,
so that the timber, lying athwart, must, he
thought, of necessity precipitate him and his
mule into the valley beneath. To turn, there
was not time, even if turning could avert the
peril: he therefore fervently called upon God
to preserve him, and, by his omnipotent power,
to find some means of deliverance. At the
moment the ass came upon him, she tripped,
and with bowing, the timber, by a sudden and
violent motion, so swayed from him, that he,
stopping his mule, and the ass passing quietly
by, the log only brushed his side. Immediately
alighting, and falling flat on his face, he made
his most humble and hearty acknowledgments
to Almighty God for his preservation ; while
his guide and the owner of the ass, who by this
time had arrived, stood crossing themselves,
and exclaiming, (( A miracle ! a miracle ! "

28 MEMOIRS OF

CHAPTER III.

WE next find our traveller at Padua, where
the genius of the place presented him with a
fair opportunity, and his own infirm consti
tution gave him frequent occasion, to apply
himself diligently to the study of physic; in
which, by a rapid proficiency, he gained the
friendship and assistance of the most excellent
men in that university. Here, indeed, as at
Leipsic, he was (for his own comfort and
advantage) too well known, and his society
too much sought.

And besides the Paduans, he was oppressed
by frequent visits from the English, whose
character abroad is to seek too assiduously the
society and conversation of their own country
men : he therefore retired from the city, some
times ten, twenty, thirty, or forty miles into
the country, frequently changing his residence,
and then returning for three weeks or a month
to Padua, or to Venice, where he was received
and treated in an obliging manner by Sir Dud-

NICHOLAS FERRAB. 29

ley Carleton, at that time the English ambas
sador. Once during his stay at Padua he was
attacked by a violent fit of illness : his physi
cians were his particular acquaintance ; and as
the case approached to a crisis,, they had a
consultation in his chamber.

Bleeding was determined upon as the last
remedy; to which he was ready to submit,
though reasoning the case with them, he con
cluded it would hasten his end ; when a very
old physician, who came to him in pure kind
ness, and had been silent before, protested he
was his own best physician, and prevailed upon
them to defer the bleeding. Next morning
there appeared some favourable symptoms ; and
within three or four days, they were perfectly
of opinion, that had they opened a vein, he had
infallibly died. The good old physician, trans
ported with joy to have been, under God, his
preserver, came daily, and sat whole hours
with him whilst he kept his chamber, admiring
the excellency of his parts, as well intellectual
as moral.

Ferrar, as an ardent student in history, had
gone deep into the lore of Rome and her anti
quities ; he had also read with interest the best

30 MEMOIRS OF

accounts given in those days of modern Rome :
if this study had produced in him the wish that
it excited in St. Augustine, to have seen her
ancient glory, it gave him also an anxious
desire to see her modern policy. But con
ferring with some persons who were well ac
quainted with the English college there, and
who had recently come from thence, he was
assured that the Jesuits were not ignorant of
his name or talents ; that they were, in the
spirit of inquisitorial jealousy, watchful over
his movements on the continent; that they
had a description of his person, as well as his
character ; and they concluded he came abroad
upon some great design inimical perhaps to
the doctrines of their sect, or subversive of the
religion of Rome.

Rome was not, in the early part of the
seventeenth century, so safe a place for Pro
testants as it is now in the nineteenth. Ferrar
therefore, bent on visiting the papal city, stole
away from Padua, travelled very privately on
foot, and so arranged his progress that he
arrived at Rome on Monday, in the great holy
week before Easter-day.

He changed his lodging every night, and

NICHOLAS FERRAB. 31

stayed there but ten days, which he husbanded
so advantageously, as to be enabled to take
a view of every thing remarkable.

It is to be lamented that little detail of any
interest or importance can be afforded of his
visit to Rome. It would have been highly
interesting to have had a view of the reflec
tions of such a mind as Ferrar's upon a place
and a subject on which modern travellers of
much less power of intellect, depth of research,
or faculty of observation, delight to expatiate ;
and we must regret that a Christian, a scholar,
and a gentleman, — a man of diligent research
and acute observation, should have visited Rome
in the early part of the seventeenth century,
without, as far as we are able to discover,
gratifying the world by a transcript of his
reflections on such a visit.

His biographer, Dr. Turner, mentions one
curious circumstance which happened to our
traveller at Rome. He had unadvisedly pressed
into a gallery through which the Pope was
passing by in state, when all the people fell
on their knees to beg his indulgence and bless
ing before Easter. Though he was too sen
sible a traveller to have scrupled at such com-

32 MEMOIRS OF

pliments as are usually paid to the Pope as a
temporal prince, yet this good Protestant was
so surprised by the suddenness of the encoun
ter, that he remained standing. One of the
Swiss guards seeing him stand amazed amidst
the kneeling throng, and taking him per
haps for a Dutchman, ignorant of the cus
toms of Rome, came up to him, as if to pre
serve him from the consequences of his unin
tentional disrespect, and clapping his heavy
hand upon his shoulder, whispered softly in
his ear in the Dutch language, " Down, sim
pleton, down ! " When the Pope was gone
by, the Swiss took off his hand from his neck,
got up, and passed away in the throng; but
Ferrar, whilst he felt the kind intention of the
man, felt also the effects of his roughness for
a week after, nor would he thrust himself into
such places of danger any more.

And now, intending to take leave of Italy,
he repaired to Marseilles, designing thence to
go by sea to Spain. But at Marseilles he
met with an interruption. There he was again
seized by a fever, even more terrible than that
by which he was attacked at Padua. His phy
sician and his landlord took him for a knight

NICHOLAS FERRAR,

33

of Malta (as they afterwards told him, and
then he undeceived them) . They had so mis
taken him, on account of one of the little
crosses usually worn by those knights, which
they had discovered among other of his curio
sities, and which, in fact, had been presented
to him by one of the knights "of that order
when he was among them. The physician
confidently supposed him to be his countryman
(for he spoke perfect Italian), and wondered at
his proficiency and learned discoveries in the
medical science, which he thought extraordi
nary for a young knight of Malta.

At the beginning of his indisposition, he
despatched a letter to his dear friend, Mr. Gar-
ton, an English gentleman whom he had left
at Venice, earnestly entreating him to take a
charitable voyage to visit a sick friend, in a
place where he was perfectly a stranger 5 where
he was obliged to be " his own priest, his own
book, and was able to endure no light but from
his own memory;" therefore he prayed him to
come immediately, if he desired to see him
alive ; or, if he should be dead on his arrival,
to procure him some corner for Christian
burial.

c2

34 MEMOIRS OF

His fever grew so high, and his disease so
acute, that it was evident he must either mend
or die speedily. His doctor apprehended the
latter result as inevitable ; and one evening he
took, as he was fully persuaded, his final leave
of him. But it pleased God, whom Ferrar
night and day invoked with holy fervour, and
with no less resignation to his divine will, to
send him a sound and refreshing sleep, — a
sleep accompanied by so extraordinary a turn
in his disorder, and succeeded by a morning so
comfortable, that his physician pronounced it
to be a change preternatural, and little less
than supernatural ; and concluded that his
young and amiable patient was, in an especial
manner, under the care of the Divine Pro
vidence. To increase Ferrar's thankfulness
(and for which blessing he never ceased to
pour out his heart in praises to his Almighty
Deliverer), his friend Mr. Garton arrived on
that very day. The meeting of these friends
was touching. Garton wept over Ferrar with
tears of sympathy for his sufferings, and grati
tude for his preservation, and never parted from
him till his perfect recovery.

This young gentleman had fled from England

NICHOLAS FERBAR,

35

to Italy, having unhappily killed his antagonist
in a duel. At Padua he was noted as a stranger
of distressing habits of melancholy. There,
however, in a happy hour for him, he fell,
apparently by chance, into company with Mr.
Ferrar, and was so much charmed with his
wisdom, worth, and piety, that, after a time,
he poured out his whole heart to him, con
fessing with penitential sorrow the cause of
his dejection. Ferrar knew how to administer
the mercies of the Gospel to his case and con
science ; and, by God's grace, they were ap
plied with such efficacy, that the victim of
remorse and despair yielded at length to the
arguments of the Christian, and began to take
comfort and feel hope. Garton was never so
happy as in the company of Ferrar ; his coun
sels were balm to a wounded conscience ; and
thenceforward he loved and esteemed him be
yond every earthly being.

Soon after his restoration to health, Ferrar
embarked in a small English vessel of twelve
guns, bound from Marseilles to a port of
Spain. They sailed, but had not proceeded
far on their voyage before they were chased by
a Turkish pirate; and though the wind was

36 MEMOIRS OF

not very favourable to the pirate-vessel, yet she
gained upon them. The sailors of the English
vessel were seized with a panic at the sight of
their approaching enemy : they trembled at
the sure expectation of speedy captivity or
death. The master and the mate alone had
the heart to think of resistance ; but the crew
were inclined to strike sail and yield, without
an attempt at defence. Our traveller stood
upon the 'deck, heard all, and said nothing,
until the master of the vessel, approaching
him, asked his opinion ; " For," said he,
te this young gentleman has a life to lose as
well as we : let us hear what he thinks of it."
Then this young Christian worthy animated
them all with such words as David used; —
" Let us fall into the hands of God," he said,
" and not into the hands of men ; and espe
cially not into the hands of men who have cast
off all humanity." Then he persuaded them
to fight manfully, terrifying the fearful with
vehement and appalling representations of the
chains and stripes they would endure in
slavery; rousing the most phlegmatic among
them by stories of our ancestors, — how they
lorded it over the sea, and how they were re-

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 37

nowned over all for their naval victories. And
thus, his words, his energy,, and his eloquence,
had such an effect upon them, that they all, as
one man, prepared for action, and, together
with himself, made ready to engage the
enemy.

In the meantime, the Turk, who had been
striving to get the weather-gage, approached,
and was ready to hail them. The English re
solved to use the advantage of the wind whilst
they had it, and to give their assailants a broad
side. The master was actually giving the com
mand to that effect, when the Turkish vessel
suddenly fell off, and steered away with all the
sail she could make, to the inexpressible joy
and wonder of the English, until they perceived
her departure accounted for by the appearance
to leeward of a larger vessel, and, probably, a
better booty, which the Turk was unwilling to
lose ; for they saw him gaining apace upon her.

They now thanked God, and their gallant
passenger for his courage and conduct; and,
discerning his excellent skill in maritime affairs,
they would hardly believe that he had not been
some famous (e captain of the sea," in the Ve
netian service against the Turks, and that he

38 MEMOIRS OF

had " fought in famous battles." Being landed
safely at a port of Spain, he travelled to Ma
drid. On his arrival there, his first object of
solicitude was the pecuniary means by which
he could carry his future plans of travel into
execution ; and he, accordingly, with some
anxiety, inquired among the English merchants
there for the expected remittances. He, for
reasons which his biographer does not mention,
concealed his own name in this inquiry, and
spoke of Ferrar as his friend.

A reason may perhaps be discovered for
the great caution manifested by Mr. Ferrar,
during his stay at Madrid, in concealing his
real name and character ; and a reason may be
considered the more necessary, when it is re
membered that his caution amounted almost
to misrepresentation ; at least there was some
thing equivocal, when he " spoke of Ferrar as
his friend."

The fact appears to be, that at the time of
his visit to Madrid, William Cecil, who bore
the title of Lord Roos in right of his mother,
and was grandson of the Earl of Exeter, was
residing in the capital of Spain in a diplomatic
situation.

NICHOLAS FERRAB,

39

This nobleman visited Rome in the year
1607, accompanied by his tutor, Mr. Mole,
and there he apostatised from Protestantism,
and embraced the faith of the Romish church.
He added persecution to apostacy, and his
own tutor became the victim of his atrocious
delinquency. " Mr. Mole was seized upon by
the Inquisition, on a charge of circulating here
tical books, on the information, as was be
lieved, of his perfidious pupil. All efforts for
his release proved fruitless, and at the end of
thirty years he died a prisoner."* He was a
prisoner, therefore, during Ferrar's short stay
at Rome. But the presence and influence of
such a person at Madrid as Lord Roos might
well justify the strictest caution and secrecy on
the part of Ferrar, whose name, talents, and
Protestantism) we have already seen, were well
known at Rome (having excited the vigilance
and jealousy of the English bigots then at the
papal city), and were, probably, not unheard
of at Madrid. The man who could sacrifice
his own tutor, would not have scrupled to de
nounce any other known friend of the reformed

* Miss Aikin's Memoirs of the Court of James I.

40 MEMOIRS OF

religion, and especially one of the extraordinary
acquirements of Ferrar. Hence may we see a
strong motive for that extreme caution mani
fested by him at the capital of Spain.

But to return to Ferrar. His father, in
fact, supposing he could not reach Madrid so
soon, had remitted him no money thither.
The greater part of the supplies he had brought
from Marseilles were spent ; and for the first
time he found himself a stranger, in a strange
land, without a known friend, and with an
almost exhausted purse. His countrymen,
however, were soon so charmed with his
winning behaviour, and his fascinating and
sensible discourse, though he still thought not
fit to tell them who he was, that they frankly
offered him a very considerable sum, which he
as generously refused. But while he was deli
berating how to shape his affairs, and whither
to bend his course from Madrid, so as to take
an extensive survey of Spain, and then to re
turn through France to England, tidings of an
unexpected nature reached him.

He received intimation, through an indirect
channel, that his family were involved in great
difficulties ; and that such was the intricacy of

NICHOLAS FERRAB. 41

their embarrassments, that no one but himself
was likely to extricate them, and preserve them
from ruin. This intelligence at once fixed his
determination ; he instantly abandoned his plan
of visiting France. Affection and sympathy gave
wings to duty ; and resolving, as Dr. Turner
says, " to have gone homeward as straight as
an angel could lay a line, had it been in his
power/' he determined to press forward to
St. Sebastian's, and there take shipping for
England.

42 MEMOIRS OF

CHAPTER IV.

FEBRAR at once sold some small jewels to
supply his present necessity, and then set off
on foot, with a rich rapier in his hand, and
dressed (as the Spaniards call it) en cuerpo — in
doublet and hose. He chose this way of tra
velling in Spain, (a country not very hospitable
to strangers, and especially to known Protest
ants and unprotected,) not for economy only,
though that indeed was necessary, for his stock
of money was very low, but that he might pass
the more unsuspected and unquestioned. Those
who have witnessed the demoralising effects of
the wars of this century, well know the in
security of travelling even at the present day
in Spain, and will therefore conceive how
fraught with danger was the enterprise under
taken by Ferrar, at a period when similar
causes had operated upon the ill-governed and
unenlightened children of that bigoted soil.
He was a stranger, on foot, alone, venturing
to tread the mazes of the mountain-paths, . or

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 43

to toil along the still more perilous public road
from Madrid to St. Sebastian's, a distance of
above two hundred miles. He was not ignorant
of the hazard and peril of the undertaking. In
his progress to Madrid he must have frequently
encountered the startling evidence of guilt and
wrong, in those little stone or wooden crosses,
so commonly erected in Spain, where a mur
dered body has been found ; fearfully reminding
the defenceless wayfarer that a deed of dark
ness has been done, and that its lawless per
petrator is perhaps not only undiscovered, but
at hand. His journey, however, was a journey
of piety ', it was the result of a strong sense of
duty, acting upon a mind deeply influenced by
religious principles \ and he was therefore not
to be deterred from the performance of it by
pusillanimous apprehensions.

The same faith that animated the patriarch,
who knew not whither he was to go, fortified
the soul of Ferrar, in venturing forth to meet
with known and certain dangers : he was not
alone, for his Father was with him. He com
mitted himself and his enterprise to the pro
vidential care of Him, who had already been,
in an especial manner, his protector, his re-

44 MEMOIRS OF

storer, and his guide. We may, without any
undue stretch of fancy, suppose that Ferrar
took up the language of the Psalmist, which,
from his youth, was so familiar to him, and
said, " I will trust, and not be afraid." He
remembered, perhaps, his almost miraculous
escape at the passes of the Alps ; he recol
lected his restoration from the verge of the
grave at Padua and Marseilles ; he had not
forgotten the remarkable interposition of Pro
vidence, in delivering him and those that were
with him from the prospect of Turkish slavery,
or death ; and satisfied that he was in the way
of duty, although manifestly also in the way of
danger, he commended his cause and his per
son to Him whose past mercies he had abund
antly experienced, and confidently trusted in
him for future aid. " The Lord is my light
and my salvation," might Ferrar say, in the
language of David ; " whom shall I fear ?
The Lord is the strength of my life, of whom
shall I be afraid ? " " Thou art my rock and
my fortress, therefore for thy name's sake lead
me and guide me." " Thou art my hiding-
place ; thou shalt preserve me from trouble ;
thou shalt compass me about with songs of

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 45

deliverance." " The angel of the Lord en-
campeth round about them that fear him, and
delivereth them." With the songs of the sweet
Psalmist of Israel on his lips, and a sure hope
of God's help and blessing in his heart, Ferrar
turned his back upon the capital of Spain.

And now let us follow him in his adven
turous career, as closely at least as we are
acquainted with the detail of his journey, of
which the materials are indeed very scanty.
To avoid observation, as well as from pru
dential motives of economy, he was a pedes
trian ; and in all places where he thought fit
to enter into discourse, either with his hosts or
the persons he met or occasionally joined on
his journey, he expressed an inquisitive interest
about the state of the war in Flanders ; which
real or feigned anxiety gave rise to the opinion,
that he was a young Italian gentleman, going
towards Flanders to serve under the Marquis
Spinola, the great commander, in those parts,
for the King of Spain. At one little town the
governor was enamoured with the beauty of
Ferrar's sword, and asked it of him. He, howr-
ever, refused it, saying, that a man of courage
ought no more to part with his sword than with

46 MEMOIRS OF

his life. But, not disheartened by this refusal,
the governor urged him to the surrender of it :
upon which he replied wisely and resolutely,
that voluntarily he would not give it up ; and
that if it were taken from him by violence, he
should find friends at court that would avenge
his wrong, and enforce restitution. Upon this,
some bystanders concluded, by his free speech
and brave deportment, that he was some ex
traordinary person incognito, and therefore
advised the governor to press him no further
on this point. ee Well, sir," said the Spaniard
(whom Dr. Turner calls " a sharking Hector"),
" I did this only to try you : I see you love
your arms, which, indeed, is soldierlike. I
perceive you are for the Flemish wars, under
your countryman, Spinolaj" and so dismissed
him, to proceed on his wearisome journey.

One day, travelling entirely alone, and
meeting nobody, he was obliged to guess at
his way by certain landmarks which had been
given him where he lodged the preceding night.
Towards evening he perceived his way, as he
supposed it, led him to the summit of a lofty
hill, and ascending it with much pain and
labour, he saw a considerable circuit of ground,

NICHOLAS FEBRAR. 47

flanked and bulwarked on every side with steep
rocks, nor could he discern any path leading
out of it. At this he was in a sad perplexity,
suspecting that he had altogether mistaken the
hill that he should ascend, and apprehending
that his lodging that night must be on no
other couch than the bare earth, and with no
other canopy than the starry heavens. But
Ferrar was a man of prayer. He had found
also, that the God whom he worshipped was a
hearer and answerer of prayer. He had ex
perienced this : he had found prayer a channel
of grace for conveying and deriving blessings
from " God into our own bosoms, and so a
mean of worship, whereby we are to do homage
to God, and give him the glory of his power."
Ferrar knew that prayer is an humble appeal
from our (e impotency to God's omnipotence;"
and in this dilemma (as might be expected
from a person habitually prayerful), we are
told that he besought God to direct and help
him. (f Faith uses her wings of prayer to fly
to heaven ; but she uses also her feet of duty,
obedience, and diligence, with which she walks
and bestirs herself on earth." Ferrar, there
fore, seconded his prayers with his endeavours -,

48 MEMOIRS OF

and, as it was too late to retrace his steps, he
sought and looked in every quarter for some
way or means of direction. At length he per
ceived a large black hog emerging from be
tween two rocks : he resolved at once to make
this animal his guide, hoping it might be of
the domestic kind, and that its course might
lead to some habitation. The hog moved on
swiftly, and he marked it descend on the far
ther end of the mountain. Arriving at the
spot where it disappeared, he discovered an
aperture in a rock, evidently the work of man,
with a rude window to admit light. He en
tered, and found himself in a winding passage
cut out in the rock, which grew more and
more dark as he advanced. Presently he per
ceived a glimmering of light again, and soon
heard the voices of persons in conversation.
On opening a door, with which this gloomy
passage terminated, he found himself in a
venta, as the Spaniards call it, which is one of
those wretched inns here and there dispersed
throughout Spain for the reception of travellers.
He advanced, and saluted his host, who greatly
wondered how he had discovered an approach
to the house, if not secret, at least unfrequented

NICHOLAS FERBAR. 49

by travellers, and also expressed astonishment
at Ferrar's being alone. He quickly perceived,
by some unequivocal tokens, that his lot for
the night had fallen into very bad company ;
but there was now no retreating. Therefore,
complaining, as he had reason to do, of the
want of rest and sleep, he laid himself down
upon a bench, grasping his rapier in his hand.
Hardly had he composed himself, when two
ruffians came roaring into the room with an
immodest woman. One of these men affronted
the female, the other protected her. Thus they
feigned a quarrel : they flourished in the air
with their swords, and the weaker called upon
him on the bench to rise and help him. Ferrar,
however, with consummate presence of mind,
feigned himself during this scene in a profound
sleep : he was aware they only wished to en
gage him in a brawl, for a pretence to assassi
nate him with the law on their side ; but having
to deal with counterfeits, he kept clear of in
terference. At last the mock duel was at an
end, through the host's mediation ; and it
pleased God to restrain these evil spirits from
farther violence, and he heard no more of
them. Before daylight he was stirring ; and

50 MEMOIRS OF

having stolen away from this den of danger,
the first ray of the rising sun found him again
pursuing his arduous course towards St. Sebas
tian's. After a tedious and wearisome journey
he arrived there, and was constrained to remain
some time for a fair wind. The English mer
chants there, as every where else, were friendly
arid obliging to their unknown countryman,
whom they discerned to be a gentleman of
great worth and experience. They pressed
him day after day to command their purses ;
neither was he scrupulous in acknowledging
that his own was at a low ebb. In the end he
was content to accept the loan of about ten
pounds English, and no more ; for he knew that
there is sometimes as much courtesy and good
nature in receiving a kindness, as in bestowing
one. At length the wind came fair, and he was
accompanied aboard ship by several of his new
acquaintance, who, taking a kind leave of him,
with earnest wishes for his safety, beheld his
departure. His voyage was propitious ; and
after a few days he arrived safely at Dover,
where, leaping on shore, he fell on his face
upon his mother earth, and poured out fervent
thanksgivings to God, his heavenly Father, for

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 51

so many dangers overcome by sea and land,
and for restoring him safe and sound to his
native country. From Dover he hastened to
London ; nor can it be supposed that his
affectionate heart was insensible to those fluc
tuations of hope and fear which are excited on
the approach to home after a long absence.

This feeling would become more and more
intense in Ferrar as he came near the city of
his birth, and the habitation of his honoured
parents.

However time may seem to linger, when
expectation would urge it on, yet the period
when our fears are to be resolved into mournful
certainty, or our hopes into joyful reality, will
arrive, and that speedily. On Ferrar's arrival
in London, he flew to his father's house ; the
door was invitingly open — he rushed into the
well-known apartment, and in a moment was
at his father's feet, who, seeing a man whom
he did not know, in a Spanish garb, kneeling
and begging his blessing, demanded who he
was ; but when Ferrar named himself, the
good old man, who dreamed not of his coming,
raised him with transports of joy from his feet
to his bosom, and felt and expressed, as far as

52

MEMOIRS OF

words could express, the delight of an affec
tionate father, at the unexpected return of a
deservedly beloved son. By his many friends
he was received with every mark of cordial
regard. Thus, after upwards of five years' un
wearied travel of body and exercise of mind,
Ferrar returned home with an improved con
stitution, with an increased knowledge of men
and manners, with a mind additionally stored
with useful information, and a heart devoted to
the service of God and the good of man.

It is almost impossible not to be struck by
the various providential deliverances which had
attended Ferrar, during his absence from his
native country. The reflective reader will trace
in them the merciful dealings of Omnipotence,
upholding and preserving him for a future
sphere of ordained usefulness. Each deliver
ance was in itself a wonder. In one instance
(at the Alps), by the apparently accidental and
trivial circumstance of an animal tripping, the
destruction, which appeared instant and in
evitable, was averted ! In another case, a
mode of medical treatment, suggested by the
patient himself, and approved by one, in oppo
sition to a body of physicians, preserved his

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 53

life. A third example of providential deliver
ance may be stated, in that remarkable turn of
his disorder at Marseilles, which in one night
produced so entire and decided a change in
the symptoms of expected dissolution, that the
physician pronounced it to be preternatural.
Again, in the encounter with the Turkish
pirate, a few minutes more would have in
volved the two vessels in a desperate, deadly,
and unequal engagement, when, in a moment,
a richer booty hove in sight, and drew off the
unhallowed marauder from his fell purpose.
The same providential care accompanied him
through his hazardous expedition from Madrid
to St. Sebastian's : he passed along secure
amidst innumerable dangers ; it restrained the
hands of rapine and murder in the lone venta,
where he had taken refuge for a night ; it was
still with him in his " path/' and in " all his
ways ; " it hovered round his person when
again he launched upon the world of waters,
and conducted him in safety to his home. In
these things the invisible hand of providential
Omnipotence was extended. (e If God be with
us, who shall be against us ? " If the sparrow
fall not, when Providence upholds it, how

54 MEMOIRS OF

much more does man participate in the won
ders of that attribute ! Man, predestined to
future usefulness among the flock of the Sa
viour's redeemed people on earth, and to the
blessedness of the saints in heaven, experiences
that at every turn of his mortal pilgrimage,
" loving-kindness and tender mercy" (although,
perhaps, unobserved and unheeded at the time,)
ever prevent and follow him ; and which, after
wards, are retrospectively traced, with admiring
love and overwhelming gratitude.

If, in contemplating the escapes of our tra
veller, reflection should bring to the mind of
any reader the remembrance of mercies re
ceived, or deliverances wrought, even though
unequal in number or magnitude to those of
Ferrar, let a sense of them operate in begetting
gratitude and unreserved self- dedication to Him
66 whose mercy endureth for ever," — who never
" leaves nor forsakes" the subjects of his cove
nant-mercy in Christ, and who will assuredly
guide his believing people safely through the
water and the wilderness, to those peaceful
shores, and that prepared mansion, where a
door is open for their admission, and a recon
ciled Father is waiting their approach ; where

NICHOLAS FERRAB. 55

friendly angels shall rejoice at their arrival, and
where not a single wave of trouble shall disturb
them any more for ever.

Had Ferrar followed the leadings of his in
clination at this time, they would have con
ducted him back to his cell at Clare-hall : but
a destiny of greater activity awaited him \ he
had not been reserved for a life merely studious
or contemplative; and his aged parents laid
their affectionate commands upon him, to fix
with them on the great theatre of England —
the city of London ; and unless the reader is
by this time wearied of the history of Nicholas
Ferrar, he may learn, in the next chapter, what
part he had to play, and how he performed it.

56 MEMOIRS OF

CHAPTER V.

OLD Mr. Ferrar having been intimate with
those brave men and gallant sailors, Sir Walter
Raleigh, Sir John Hawkins, and Sir Francis
Drake, was a great lover and encourager of
foreign plantations, and was himself one of the
most early adventurers in that of Virginia and
the Somer Islands; a design, it must be acknow
ledged, great and worthy in its kind. It was
very generally embraced and undertaken by
our nobility, gentry, clergy, and by the city of
London.

It was considered a project for the common
good, for the employment of unsettled people,
for estates to younger brothers, and for the
supply of those commodities which we were
obliged to fetch from other countries at extra
ordinarily high rates ; but, above all, for the
conversion of the rude and miserable savages
to the Christian faith. Many of the bishops
and dignified clergy engaged in this affair with
an extraordinary zeal for the propagation of

NICHOLAS FERRAR.

57

the Gospel, and so to wipe off that aspersion
thrown upon the Church of England by the
Church of Rome, " that she converts no be
lievers abroad."

It may be urged, that, for some time after
the Reformation, there was more than enough
for the ministers of the Establishment to do at
home ; but however zealous the clergy may
have been, at the time of the colonisation of
Virginia, for the propagation of the reformed
religion abroad, it must nevertheless be ac
knowledged, that at a subsequent period of our
history, and even down almost to the com
mencement of the present century, a Laodicean
spirit on the subject of Christian missions had
manifested itself in our Church, which rendered
the Archbishop of Cambray's observation too
truly applicable.

Now we are indeed redeeming ourselves
from the guilty apathy which had benumbed
the Church and its members, and a little more
life is shewing itself in the awfully neglected
duty of attempting the evangelisation of the
dark parts of the earth. The authentic records
of missionary effort, whilst they give abundant
proof of the Divine blessing which has attended

D2

58 MEMOIRS OP

the exertions of our missionaries, exhibit also
the vast magnitude of the field ripe for the
harvest, and the comparative fewness of the
labourers in it. Let a candid — let a scriptural
inquiry be made on this point of overwhelming
interest, and then let the inquirer, whether
churchman or layman, ask himself, — " How
dare I refuse my co-operation ? "

Dr. Turner observes, in reference to the
missionary efforts of the Romanists in the six
teenth century, that though the Jesuits had
great " trading" on the vast continent of
Mexico, yet Virginia was safe enough from
any such charitable attempt of those " mer
chants ;" for where there are no mines of silver
or gold," he adds, " there we seldom hear"
that they have compassed the sea and land " to
make their proselytes."

Sir Edwin Sandys was an early and active
manager of the Virginian affair, and treasurer
to the company. With this gentleman Nicholas
Ferrar contracted, within two months of his re
turn, so intimate a friendship, that they were
seldom asunder.

Sir Edwin thought it no less his honour
and happiness to have been a pupil of the judi-

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 59

cious Hooker, than to have been son of the
Archbishop of York. The archbishop was one
of the translators of the Bible of 1565. His
son Edwin was the author of a tract, entitled
" Europae Speculum." He was knighted by
James I., by whom he was employed in many
public affairs. Mr. Ferrar's biographer de
scribes him as a man of judgment and piety.
" He was," he says, " indeed one of the glo
ries and blessings of his times."

Old Mr. Ferrar lent his great parlour and
hall for the weekly meetings of the governors
of the Virginia Company, and was much re
joiced to see his son as heartily affording his
assistance, as Sir Edwin readily accepting it,
in this great work. Nay, his care and charity
were not confined to Virginia, for he and his
brother, John Ferrar, freely bestowed two
shares of land they had in the Bermudas for
the maintenance of a free school there, whither
they also sent a liberal supply of Bibles and
Psalters for the children. He was soon made
known to above twenty peers of the realm,
who were engaged as adventurers in this de
sign ; but he was received with open arms by
Lord Southampton, the most generous pro
moter of the enterprise.

60 MEMOIRS OF

This nobleman was of a disposition ill
adapted to the servility and base intrigue
which too much prevailed in the court and
cabinet of King James ; hence he obtained no
share of political power, and was chosen trea
surer of the Virginian Company, contrary to
the wishes of the monarch ; and both in this
station, which was one of considerable weight
and influence, and in his place in parliament,
shewed himself an opponent of the measures of
the court. But what was still more bold, he
actually " rebuked the Lord Marquis of Buck
ingham, with some passion and acrimony, for
speaking often to the same thing in the House,
and out of order." The parliament was scarcely
adjourned, when the offended favourite pre
vailed upon the king to commit Lord South
ampton to private custody in the house of
Dr. Williams (Lord High Chancellor of Eng
land and Bishop of Lincoln!*), and afterwards
to confine him to his own seat at Tichfield,

* It is recorded by Sir S. D'Ewes, in a MS. " Life of
Himself/' in the British Museum, that when the king re
ceived the great seal from the officers who were sent to
demand it of Bacon, he had been overheard to say,
" Now, by my soul, I am pained at the heart where to
bestow this ; for, as for lawyers, I think they be all

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 61

under the inspection of Sir William Park-
hurst.

Lord Southampton expostulated with Dr.
Williams in a spirited letter, who, in his turn,
wrote to the Duke of Buckingham, recom
mending that the earl should be liberated.
The implacable Buckingham threatened to
make it a Star-chamber matter. The terror of
such a process may afford some palliation for
the submissions which high-minded persons
sometimes made to escape its tyranny. The
extent of the concessions which Lord South
ampton made (if he made any), the editor can
not state ; he was, however, liberated ; but,
disgusted with the state of things at home, he
accepted the command of an English regiment
raised for the Dutch service, and fell a victim,
together with his eldest son, to an epidemical
disease which broke out among the troops at
Bergen -op-Zoom.

Mr. Nicholas Ferrar was invariably named
as one in all committees ; he had become the

knaves." " Which, it seemeth," adds the narrator,
" that his Majesty spake at that time, to prepare a way
to bestow it on a clergyman, as the Marquis of Bucking
ham had intended."

62 MEMOIRS OF

secretary of the society to all intents and pur
poses, except in taking fees, which he left
entirely to the person who had the title of
secretary, but who was little more than his
amanuensis.

The letters of instruction to the colony were
drawn up by Ferrar : he had the framing and
ordering of all matters, either of government,
or for the improvement of the country by staple
commodities.

He treated with the civilians, common law
yers, and divines, destined for the colony. One
of the latter was a son of Dr. William Whit-
aker, the celebrated controversialist and Master
of St. John's College, Cambridge, whose pic
ture Cardinal Bellarmine placed in his study,
because, as he said, " though a heretic and
an adversary, he was the most learned he had
ever read." Although Dr. Whitaker's son had
competent church preferment in the north of
England, he quitted it and his country to assist
as a preacher of the Gospel in Virginia, and
obtained, for his labours in that colony, the
name of <e the apostle of Virginia/'

Ferrar also managed the victualling and
equipment of their ships. In short, if reading,

NICHOLAS FERRAR. DO

considering, and advising, availed to make him
master of his business, he studied it with such
unwearied industry, that he alone, as the trades
men and seamen acknowledged, could direct
all the officers ; so that, before he was aware
of it, this extraordinary young man had made
himself eminently useful to distant parts of the
new world. He was engaged in several very
important negotiations connected with the Vir
ginian scheme, which are too long to be in
serted here, but in all which he acquired the
highest reputation for prudence, integrity, ap
plication, and ability.

During this time, two offers, of a very oppo
site nature, but such as might have shaken
many a less decided character, did in vain
tempt this Christian hero to a little more love
of the world.

One was the mathematical lectureship in
Gresham College, which, Mr. Briggs being
about to vacate for the Savilian professor's
chair at Oxford, he importunately recom
mended Mr. Ferrar to the Company of Mer
cers, assuring them that his friend, whom he
wished to see his successor, was excellently
well qualified for that situation, and advised

64 MEMOIRS OF

them, "upon any terms, to fix him in the situa
tion, even though they should purchase him by
a considerable augmentation of salary. But
he humbly refused the offer, alleging that he
had " other intentions and aims, if it pleased
God to ripen them for a happy issue/' " It
was no great wonder," his right reverend bio
grapher remarks, (e that he would not make
geometry his mistress, who at the same time
declined another and a nobler offer > which was
a very agreeable person offered to him for a
wife, and a great fortune withal."

This lady was the only child and heiress of
a rich merchant, one of the Virginian Company,
who courted and wooed him to take her and
ten thousand pounds with her ; but Ferrar
argued playfully and pleasantly with her father,
that he was not worthy to enter into the honour
able estate of matrimony with so much wealth.
The father still enforced it, professing the great
love he had for him, and the happiness he
should derive from seeing such a man the hus
band of his daughter. This excess of kindness
then extorted from him a declaration, that his
resolution was " not to marry at all ;" for
though he knew the world and the Church too

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 65

well to speak or think dishonourably of mar
riage^ yet was he determined to deny himself
any thing that might obstruct his future great
design of retirement.

The good merchant appeared extremely per
plexed, and declared that if that were his re
solution, he should take his refusal the more
patiently, and expressed much affection for him
ever after.

The Virginian Company was not without
enemies, and those too amongst persons of
rank and influence. A very powerful and de
termined opponent of the association was
Lionel Cranfield, earl of Middlesex, who
abetted and encouraged certain accusations
against the society. When the council had
met to deliberate upon the alleged charges,
the deputy, Mr. Ferrar, was commanded to
come to the upper end of the table. Then the
accusers of the company desired of the lords,
that one of the clerks should read certain
letters and instructions ; which, being done,
the lords looked upon one another with evident
marks of astonishment, observing that there
was nothing dangerous in those papers, but,
on the contrary, matter of high commendation.

66 MEMOIRS OF

" Point out," said one, " where is the fault in
these instructions — for my own part I cannot
see any." The enemies of the company prayed
their lordships to hear them all read, and it
would soon appear where the fault lay. " Yes,
yes/' said the Lord-Treasurer Cranfield, with
vehemence, " read on, read on, we shall anon
find them." So they persisted to read; and
so much patience had they, or rather so much
pleasure, that many declared their time was
well spent. All the documents being read,
and nothing appearing disadvantageous to the
company, but, on the contrary, much to their
credit and honour, the Marquis of Hamilton
stood up and said there was one letter that he
desired might be read over again, on which he
wished to make a few observations ; which
being accordingly done, he said, "Well, my
lords, we have spent many hours here in hear
ing these papers, yet I could not help request
ing to hear this one letter over again, because I
think your lordships must agree with me that
it is absolutely a masterpiece ; and, indeed,
they are all in a high degree excellent. Truly
we have this day lost no time at all ; for, I do
assure you, if our attendance here were for

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 67

many days, I would willingly sit them out to
hear so pious, wise, and politic instructions as
these are." The Earl of Pembroke said,
"there is not one thing that deserves to be
excepted against; they deserve the highest
commendation ; they abound with soundness
of matter, profitable instruction, with respect
both to religion and policy \ and possess un
common elegance of language." Many con
curred in this opinion ; and one, addressing
Mr. Ferrar, said, " Mr. Deputy, I pray you tell
us who penned these papers ? we have reason
to think it was yourself." He, whose modesty
and humility were not inferior to his rare
accomplishments, replied, that they were the
letters of the company and its council ; that in
all weighty affairs rough draughts were made
of what they judged proper to be done, which
were presented to the council to receive any
alterations they pleased ; thus every thing was
concluded upon the advice of many. After
much commendation of his modesty and ability,
one replied to him, "Mr. Deputy, that the
papers before us are all the production of one
pen is plainly discernible : they are jewels, all
from one rich cabinet, of which we have un-

68 MEMOIRS OF

doubted reason to believe you are the true pos
sessor."

The charter of the company was neverthe
less suppressed. The extension of our colonies,
and the dissemination of the doctrines of the
Reformed Church on the continent of America,
both which objects were zealously advanced by
the Virginian Company, were probably ob
served with jealousy by the Spanish court;
and the influence of Spanish gold in the
English capital, may, during the corrupt reign
of James I., have had its effect in instigating
the persecution of the association.

Whether Crantield loved money better than
the interests of true religion and his country,
is a question which, at this period, it is not easy
to determine ; although, from the active part
he took in the suppression of the company, a
suspicion may perhaps be excited not quite
favourable to his immaculate patriotism, or
unquestionable disinterestedness.

In the year 1624 a parliament was called,
and now Mr. Ferrar had to appear in a new
character; for, without any effort or seeking
of his own, he was, through the influence and
by the means of some of the lords connected

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 69

with the Virginian Company, elected a member
of the House of Commons. Sir Edwin Sandys,
and other gentlemen of the company, were also
returned to sit in the same parliament.

It was during this session that the Lord-
Treasurer Cranfield was impeached, and ac
cused of oppressing the patentees. This noble
man had been brought up as a merchant, and
afterwards became, what in those days was
called a " projector," that is, a person employ
ing himself in pointing out to the officers of
the exchequer sources of profit to his majesty,
not always honourable nor legal ; and in nego
tiating monopolies, and procuring patents and
licenses for the king's subjects. By his con
summate knowledge of all the mysteries of
trade, he had contrived to work himself into
favour with the Duke of Buckingham ; and
having shortly after married a near relation of
the duke's, he was exalted with wonderful ex
pedition to the dignity of a privy-counsellor,
then master of the wards (a place of great trust
and profit), and subsequently obtained the high
office of lord-treasurer, and was created Earl
of Middlesex.

Cranfield gained much credit with the king

70 MEMOIRS OF

for his dexterity and shrewdness in financial
matters ; but he incurred the displeasure of the
Duke of Buckingham, which was the origin of
his downfal.

During the absence of the duke and Prince
Charles in Spain, the lord-treasurer, it would
appear, had been negligent in issuing out such
sums of money as were demanded for defraying
the enormous expenses incurred in that useless
mission : and not only this, but he had also
ceased to correspond with the duke with that
deference he had used to do ; — he had even the
courage to dispute his commands, and appeal
to the king, whose ear was always inclined to
him, and in whom he began to believe himself
so far fastened, that he should not stand in
need of the future support of the favourite.

The prince and the duke returned from
Spain ; the parliament was summoned for
February 12, 1624; and the Spanish match
was broken off.

The duke, finding that the parliament was
well-disposed towards him, and being assured
of the prince's kindness, projected the ruin of
this bold rival of his, of whom he saw clearly
that the king had so good an opinion, that it

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 71

would not be in his sole power to crush him, as
he had done others of exalted station.

He therefore persuaded some leading men
in the House of Commons to proceed against
the Earl of Middlesex in the way of impeach
ment, for corruption in his office. The king
strongly opposed this measure ; his reasons are
stated by Lord Clarendon, and distinguished
by extraordinary penetration: — "When this
prosecution was entered upon," says Claren
don, " and that the king clearly discerned it
was contrived by the duke, and that he had
also prevailed upon the prince to be well
pleased with it, his majesty sent for them, and
with much warmth dissuaded them from ap
pearing further in it; and conjured them to
use all their interest and authority to restrain
it, as such a wound to the crown as would not
easily be healed. And when he found the
duke unmoved by all the considerations, argu
ments, and commands he had offered, he said
with an oath, e Stenny, you are a fool, and will
shortly repent this folly ; and will find that in
a fit of popularity you are making a rod with
which you will be scourged yourself;' and,
turning to the prince, told him, that ' he would

72 MEMOIRS OF

have enough of parliament impeachments ;' and
6 when I shall be dead, you will have too much
cause to remember how much you have con
tributed to weaken the crown by the two pre^
cedents you are now so fond of/ intending as
well the engaging the parliament in the war. as
the prosecution of the Earl of Middlesex."

The king's warnings were not heeded ; and
the duke's power, supported by the prince's
countenance, was grown so great, that it was
in vain for the king to interpose. The Com
mons, therefore, proceeded to the impeach
ment, and Cranfield was brought to his trial.
The Lord Cavendish, Sir Edwin Sandys, and
Mr. Ferrar, were ordered by the house to draw
up the charge. Mr. Ferrar was deputed to
bring it in ; and he did so in a speech of very
considerable length, delivered with great natu
ral eloquence. The earl, however, made so
good a defence, that, in the opinion of many
who heard all the evidence, he was absolved
from any very notorious crime ; but, neverthe
less, he was condemned) and sentenced to be
excluded from his seat in parliament during his
life, deprived of his place, fined in the sum of
fifty thousand pounds, and committed to the

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 73

tower during the pleasure of the king, who
liberated him immediately !

It must be admitted that Ferrar was not
himself unscathed in this political contest : his
conscience was wounded both as regarded his
God and his king. In taking so active and
conspicuous a part in this transaction, he had
opposed the wishes of James, who was known
to be unfriendly to the impeachment. He had
yielded to the solicitations of the directors and
proprietors of the company, and in doing so, it
seems that some free speeches of his against
the will of his prince, though exceedingly well
meant, and tending to the ends of public jus
tice, were, nevertheless, a source of long and
deep regret to his loyal heart: so much so,
that he was heard to say, stretching out his
right hand, " I would I were assured of the
pardon of that sin, though on the condition
that this hand were cut off."

It is by no means improbable that, dis
gusted at the too great virulence manifested in
political discussions, as well as at the indecent
triumph displayed on the fall of Cranfield, and
feeling himself too much entangled in these
matters, so foreign from the tranquil and peace-

74 MEMOIRS OF

able bias of his mind, he resolved to avail him
self of the first opportunity of retiring with
honour from those turbulent scenes of man's
excited feeling. If at this time Mr. Ferrar's
hands were full of public business, they were
also overloaded with the affairs of his own
family, which, according to the information
communicated to him at Madrid, he found, at
his coming home, involved in such difficulties,
that nothing but a merciful Providence, con
summate address, and great good management,
could have effected their deliverance.

His brother John's property was seven
thousand pounds; but being engaged for his
friends and partners six thousand deep, he was
left to pay all the debt.

Mr. Ferrar the elder died about this time,
in a good old age, and left his son Nicholas
(although the younger) his sole executor. He
therefore undertook to satisfy all the creditors,
and gave himself no rest until he had done so ;
and also bought off his brother, by compound
ing upon very advantageous terms.

In grateful memorial of this preservation,
when his whole family was sinking, he, after
the affairs were settled, composed an admirable

NICHOLAS FERBAR.

form of thanksgiving for the occasion, setting
apart the last day of every month as a day of
devotion, in which these prayers and praises for
the family's deliverance were solemnly and
constantly offered up, until the iniquity of the
times dissolved their happy society.

While he was working with unremitting
industry to redeem those whom God had com
mitted to his charge from the ruin of their
temporal things, the great plague of 1625 began
to disclose its horrors. The infection had
reached the house next to the Ferrars, and an
individual there died of the plague. Hopes
had been entertained that the disease of the
deceased person was not the plague ; and the
Ferrar family were invited and attended the
funeral. But another sickening in the same
neighbour's house, Mr. Ferrar became con
vinced of the danger ; and, in pious care of his
aged mother, conveyed her and the rest of the
household to her daughter's, Mrs. Collet, at
Bourne, in Cambridgeshire. Still he did not
quit the city himself, but remained in it when
the weekly victims to the scourge amounted to
four thousand. His object was to pay every
one his due, and to clear the estate of all en-

76 MEMOIRS OF

gagements. His mother had purchased a manor
the year before, in so obscure a village as scarce
had any name in our most accurate maps, until
the fame of the holy life he afterwards lived in
that place, made the name of Little Gidding
sound almost as high in England during his
life, as that of the institution of Port Royal did
in a neighbouring kingdom.

To this spot of Ferrar's abode and employ
ment we must give a new chapter, where we
shall have to exhibit him in a new, but not less
useful or less interesting, character, in the
peaceful shades of devotional seclusion.

NICHOLAS FERBAR. 77

CHAPTER VI.

LITTLE Gidding was an almost depopulated
place^ near Huntingdon. The manor-house,
and a cottage for the shepherds, were the only
habitations in the parish. The whole estate
lay in pasture ; its situation was considered
healthy; and Ferrar had despatched his bro
ther John, at the beginning of the plague, to
make ready an apartment for him, whither at
last he came himself. His mother still re
mained at Bourne, while he was passing a
species of quarantine in Huntingdonshire, lest
he should carry infection among those whom
he so much loved. It was his wish that the
period of this expurgation should have extended
to a month, but the affectionate mother and
matron could not be so long restrained from
seeing him who had so nobly ventured and
stood between the living and the dead, to save
her and her posterity; and so, running all
hazards, within a few days of Ferrar 's arrival
at Gidding, she rode thither from Bourne, a
distance of about fifteen miles.

78 MEMOIRS OF

Their meeting was not unlike that of the
patriarch Jacob and his son Joseph, after his
father had given him up for lost, whilst he was
providing for the support of his family. The
interview was not only passionately kind, but
zealously devout; both of them blessing God
for his providential deliverance, and for their
happy re-union ; and she again and again
blessing her son. Could the ninety-first Psalm
fail to occur to Ferrar's mind and memory
on this occasion ? Could he forget what the
Psalmist there says of the godly, of their
security, and of their habitation ? Could he
hesitate, in grateful humility, to take up the
sacred song, and say, " I will say of the Lord,
He is my refuge and my fortress : my God ; in
him will I trust. Surely he shall deliver thee
from the snare of the fowler, and from the
noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with
his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou
trust ; his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by
night 'j nor for the arrow that flieth by day ; nor
for the pestilence that walketh at noon-day.
A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thou
sand at thy right hand \ but it shall not come

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 79

nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou
behold and see the reward of the wicked. Be
cause thou hast made the Lord which is my
refuge, even the Most High, thy habitation,
there shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any
plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall
give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee
in all thy ways."

Ferrar entreated his mother to enter their
rude house, and repose herself after her jour
ney. " Not so, my son," she replied, " not so ;
yonder I see the church ; thither let us go, to
give God thanks that he has brought me to
this good place, and restored to me my son."
She was assured of the difficulty of getting into
it j for as yet there had not been time to remove
the hay that was in it, which was speedily to
have been done. For by the sacrilege and
profaneness of the former proprietor of Gid-
ding, the house of God was turned into a
barn, and adapted to other degrading pur
poses connected with the habits and employ
ments of agriculture.

But Mrs. Ferrar had in her devotion a
spark of that fire which warmed the breast of
Monica, the mother of St. Augustine, of whom

80 MEMOIRS OF

her son affirms, " that if a dragon had stood
between her and the altar, he verily believed
she would have stepped through him to advance
thither." So this devout matron persisted in
her ardent resolution, and, thrusting herself
into the church a little way, she kneeled, and
prayed and wept there for some time : then
coming forth, she charged her son to send in
stantly for all the workmen about the house,
which were many, and commanded them to
fling out all the hay at the church- window, and
to clean it as well as they could for the present.
She was obeyed ; and she saw all this done
before she would stir, or set her foot within the
door of her future abode. Such was this ma
tron's zeal for the Lord's house, such was her
" love for the habitation of his house, and the
place where his honour dwelleth."

The ruinous state of their dwelling afforded
not even necessary comforts ; there was scarcely
a dry room in the house in which to lodge the
lady of the manor ; yet they passed their time
away with great cheerfulness ; and the next
morning, orders were given for the thorough
repair of the church, and workmen were, with
out delay, employed in restoring the neglected

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 81

and profaned edifice to a state suitable to the
sacred purposes of its erection.

Thus did this holy woman acquit herself,
like a mother worthy indeed of such a son ;
her zeal in this transaction overstepping his, as
if she had vowed the Psalmist's vow, to give
herself C( no rest until she had found out a
place for the temple of the Lord." But she
publicly acknowledged at this time having made
another vow, of more solemn importance, which
was, " to serve God better than she had here
tofore done ; and to this end, to seek earnestly
to be made herself more a temple of the Holy
Ghost, since God had redeemed her and her
children from distress and death, and had
brought them to so pleasant a place, where she
could repeat the psalm in her own happy ex
perience, that e her lot was fallen in a fair
ground, and she had a goodly inheritance ; '
therefore e would she serve the Lord as long as
she lived.' "

At the expiration of a month, when no
danger appeared of infection from her son's
having come out of the fatal city, Mrs. Ferrar
sent for her children and grandchildren, and
other dear relations, from Bourne, that they

E2

82 MEMOIRS OF

might dwell and serve God together at the
new manorial habitation of Little Gidding. It
required cost, labour, and time, to repair the
old manor-house, so as to make it a suitable
abode for a religious and numerous family,
consisting of about forty persons ; of whom
above twenty were so descended from Mrs.
Ferrar, that they kneeled to her, morning and
evening, for her blessing. Then our good
master of the house, who was, as it were, the
soul that animated the whole family with piety,
began to bring all their affairs, both spiritual
and temporal, into as good order as could be
expected, where every thing was but in its
beginning, and as the afflictions of the times
permitted.

The church was now made fit for use ; and
in the enlargement and adorning of it, there
were none of the family that did not, in some
measure, assist and contribute ; and they who,
through absence, could not do it themselves,
contrived to have a stone laid by some hand that
was on the spot. Mr. Ferrar obtained leave of
the Lord Bishop of the diocese (Bishop Williams,
an old college-acquaintance of his, and now
his neighbour at Buckden), in consideration of

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 83

the plague still raging in the devoted city, and
that dreadful calamity being then the common
object of the kingdom's prayers, to use the
Litany every day in the church ; and, having
once introduced it, he had license to retain it
after the plague, thus interceding still for the
sins of the world, the origin and cause of all
its misery. They separated the public prayers
of the Church into three distinct daily services ;
and the clergyman of the next parish, Steeple
Gidding, was ever ready to assist them. He
was so friendly a man, that he and the family
at the manor-house were, from the convenient
situation of their respective churches and houses,
a help and blessing to each other. For, as the
shepherds lead their sheep in the eastern coun
tries, and go before them, to which custom our
Saviour alludes, where he says, that " the sheep
hear his voice and follow him," so this good
neighbour of theirs, like a true spiritual guide,
walked, with his own flock after him, from the
top of the hill hard by them, to officiate at their
church in the valley. Thus they began already
to taste the delicious fruits of peace and tran
quillity ; and they found, by comfortable expe
rience, how much the pleasant retirement of

84 MEMOIRS OF

the place (for their family was all the parish,)
contributed to the serenity of their thoughts,
and the purity of their devotion. In religious
exercises, in works of charity, in domestic and
agricultural avocations, and in superintending
the repairs of the house and church, they
passed the latter part of the unhealthy summer
of 1625, and all the long winter, at Gidding.
But at the approach of Easter, some of the
family decided on visiting London.

The plague had now ceased, and Mrs. Ferrar
desired to take her last leave of her town friends,
expecting to see them no more, unless it be
permitted to recognise those whom we have
loved on earth, at the great Easter morning of
the resurrection of the just ! She delighted in
her country privacy ; and in the quaint mode
of expression of the times, " she resolved," she
said, <e by God's mercy, to take livery and
seisen of her new purchase, by laying her bones
there," as the first purchase we read of in the
world was the burying-place of Sarah, the
mother of the faithful. Accordingly she re
paired to London ; and having let their great
house there, and having done all that they had
to do in this world, as those who would have

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 85

no more to do with it ; and God having blessed
them with all the success they could desire, in
the final settlement of their earthly concerns ;
they proposed to remain in London only till
about a fortnight after Whitsunday, and then
return to their future earthly destination at
Gidding.

As the holy season of Pentecost approached,
the embryo resolution in Ferrar's mind drew
towards maturity, and that which had hitherto
been only an intention, to be executed at a
convenient season, now became a full deter
mination. This resolution was no other than
entering into holy orders, and thus, in an espe
cial and solemn manner, devoting himself to
that religious course of life, which he had so
long and so ardently thirsted after. This in
tention, however, he concealed from his family,
even from his mother. The week before Whit
sunday his abstinence was observed to be more
than usually strict; his hours of sleep were
curtailed ; his devotional retirement more pro
longed ; and on Whitsun-eve it was supposed,
upon strong conjectural grounds, that he passed
the whole night in prayer and meditation in
his closet. But as such acts of devotion were
not unfrequent in Ferrar, they excited no won-

86 MEMOIRS OF

der, and no suspicion of his intended purpose.
His determination was now made ; and with
out acquainting any other of his friends of his
intention, lest they might oppose his design,
he confided his purpose only to his former
tutor, Dr. Lindsell, who was so transported
with delight to hear that his pupil had at last
decided on a course of life strongly recom
mended by him, and often debated between
them, that he was like one in a dream, and
could scarcely credit his own ears ; besides, he
anticipated the satisfaction of seeing his scholar
and his friend in full orders, since now he was
inclined to be a deacon ; and the Doctor would
often say, — " If Ferrar could but be prevailed
upon to ascend the pulpit, he were then in his
proper orb, and would shine among those who
turn many to righteousness."

Early on Trinity Sunday, in the year 1626,
in the thirty -fifth year of Mr. Ferrar Js age,
he repaired to Henry the Seventh's chapel, at
Westminster Abbey, with his friend Dr. Lind
sell, by whom Bishop Laud was prepared to
receive him, with tokens of particular esteem,
and with a great deal of joy, that he was to
lay hands on so extraordinary a person.

He was accordingly ordained a deacon, and

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 87

no more, for he protested he dare not advance
one step higher. Towards evening he returned
home to his mother, and entreated her to hear
him read a document, which he wished to shew
her, written on vellum, and signed with his
own hand. He drew it out from the place
where he wore it — next his heart ! It was a
solemn vow, which he had made to Almighty
God, " That since God had afforded him so
many striking deliverances from so many peril
ous attempts of the devil and man upon his
soul and body ; and since his family was now
rescued from a ruin so deplorable, and, but for
God's infinite goodness to them, unavoidable ;
he would separate himself to serve God in this
holy calling, namely, to be the Levite himself
in his own house, and to make his own rela
tions, who were many, his cure of souls ; "
adding, " that he had that day received epis
copal authority to do so." His devout mother,
and some of his relations who were present,
were as much amazed at the beginning of the
discourse, as they were overjoyed at the end
of it. She showered her tears and benedic
tions upon him, beseeching God to fill him
every day more and more with his Holy

88 MEMOIRS OF

Spirit, and to grant him a long life, as an un
speakable blessing to her and her whole family.
And they all assured him, that they likewise,
by God's assistance, would set themselves, with
greater care and diligence than ever, to attend
to the " one thing needful."

The earnest meditation, the fervent prayer,
and the deep humility, that preceded and ac
companied this holy man's dedication of him
self to the service of the sanctuary of his God,
are deserving of notice and imitation. A work,
excellent in itself, may yet be undertaken in
a spirit unworthy of it; and hence, perhaps,
the failure, in too many instances, of minis
terial usefulness. Is the ministry entered upon,
and carried on, in a secular spirit ? Then the
great Head of the Church, who, by his inspired
Apostle says, " Love not the world, neither
the things that are in the world," withholds
his blessing from those servants who make the
sanctuary subservient to worldly ends. Is the
end and aim of ministerial usefulness the glory
of God and the salvation of souls? Yet can
neither be accomplished by man's unaided
effort or ability, however powerful in mental,
or abundant in temporal resources. Erudition

NICHOLAS FERRAB. 89

may astonish, eloquence may dazzle, wealth
may influence, the world may applaud, every
thing may appear to combine to exalt a cha
racter, and yet the very thing which constitutes
its real value may be wanting. The light of
heaven must be given, or the temple of man's
building, however beautiful or magnificent, will
be all dark within. A living coal must be
brought from the altar to the lips of the pro
phet, or his song, though sweet and solemn,
shall die away in vain cadences. The Spirit of
our God must move upon the heart; or all will
be waste and void.

This insufficiency of man being once ac
knowledged and felt, brings him, with all he
has and is, to the foot of the mercy-seat, as
a dependent creature. It tells him that a work,
to be prosperous, must be begun, continued,
and ended in Him with whom is the residue of
the Spirit, from whom that Spirit flows, and by
whom it is given to all who ask for it. If one
person more than another needs the all-power
ful influences of the Spirit from above, it is he
who is called to the ministration of holy things
in the Lord's visible temple here below.

The mixing of secular pursuits and a secu-

90 MEMOIRS OF

lar spirit with the ministry of God's word, is
the great drawback upon ministerial useful
ness , and the consideration of (( whose they
are, and whom" they desire to (f serve," should
duly influence every candidate for holy orders,
before he venture to enter upon a course of
life, in which holiness should be the chief cha
racteristic.

The example of Mr. Ferrar, as respects his
pious meditation, his humility, his prayerful-
ness, his detachment from the world, his de-
votedness to the service of God and good of
his family, is imitable and deserving of imita
tion. It is by the blessing of God on similar
means and graces, that the labour of the Chris
tian minister is prospered, the Christian reli
gion preserved and extended, and families,
people, and nations converted; the wilderness
and the solitary place are made glad; and instead
of the place of dragons and desolation, there is
seen verdure and beauty, flowers, and blossoms,
and fruit.

O that priests and people could be roused to
a holy emulation of this devoted man ! Would
any one have a spark of that warmth which
animated his zeal, self-denial, and devotedriess,

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 91

let him go to the source whence Ferrar derived
it ; let him be reminded of a passage in Scrip
ture containing an invaluable promise, but to
the attainment of which, the soul that is sunk
in apathy or love of the world can never reach :
" Ye shall find me," says Jehovah, " when ye
seek me with the whole heart. "

MEMOIRS OF

CHAPTER VII.

THE news of his taking the order of deacon
was quickly spread over all the city and court.
Some of his friends were ready to condemn him.
But though all did not condemn, all wondered
at the course he had taken. The best and
wisest applauded him — among whom Sir Edwin
Sandys, who had as much veneration for him
now as he had affection for him heretofore.
This excellent person gave a new but unequi
vocal testimony of his confidence and respect
for Mr. Ferrar, by requesting him, and pre
vailing with him, to become executor to his last
will ; and he charged Lady Sandys (a lady of
extraordinary discretion and piety) to do no
thing of any great consequence in the manage
ment of the estate without the advice of Mr.
Ferrar.

Some nobleman connected with the Vir
ginia company, supposing that he would not
now refuse preferment in the church, though
he had declined advancement in the state,

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 93

offered him livings, then of considerable value.
One pressed him to accept a living of 300/.
a-year ; another nobleman courted him to take
a presentation of 400/. a-year ; but he returned
his acknowledgments to these honourable peers
for their good will, thus freely manifested, pro
mising to pray for their prosperity ; but as he
had already parted with all propriety in his
temporal estate, by sharing it equally with his
kindred for their common good, so he would
employ his talent, or half-talent as he called it
(for he had a very humble opinion of his own
abilities), to make them partakers of the true
spiritual treasures. So, bidding a long farewell
to the great and busy world, he, with his
mother and family, returned to Little Gidding.
The first thing that engaged Mrs. Ferrar's
attention, on her return to the country, was
the beautifying of the church. It was by this
time thoroughly repaired and made fit for the
purposes of divine worship ; but she was not
merely satisfied with the decent appearance of
the house of God, she would have it also
adorned. She ordered the walls to be wains
coted, and the floor neatly boarded ; and this
was done, not only for cleanliness, but for

94 MEMOIRS OF

warmth; for comfort was also to be considered,
when so much of their time was to be spent
in the church. She adorned the communion
table with carpets of blue silk, embroidered
with gold ; the pulpit and reading-desk were
hung with fine cloth of the same colour, richly
laced and fringed, with valances about each of
them. She covered the floor upon which the
altar was raised with sky-coloured silk, the
benches round the chancel with blue taffeta,
and all the rest, we are told, " was suitable
and very noble ; but these were ornaments only
for Sundays and holydays. There were carpets
of tapestry and green cloth for the week-days ;
there was a font set up ; and a great eagle of
brass, to hold a fair large Bible."

Let no one deride the zeal or taste displayed
by this excellent matron in the embellishment
of the Lord's house. She did it as unto the
Lord ! She thought differently from multitudes
of the rich, in her own days as well as the
present time, whose houses exhibit a display of
modern art, refinement, and luxury, far beyond
good Mrs. Ferrar's imagination, whilst the
houses of God which they frequent, in too
many instances scarcely present the appear-

NICHOLAS FERRAB. 9i>

ance of common decency , and are they content
to see it so ? It is upon the state of country
churches especially that this observation bears ;
and if this little book should fall into the hands
of any country gentlewoman, whether the
mother, wife, or sister of a country clergyman,
let her, as she looks round upon her well-
furnished, or, perhaps, well-adorned house,
pause, ere she add one superfluous article to
the already tasteful display, and reflect, that
the money expended in domestic articles merely
ornamental, if thrown into an altar-money purse,
and employed in the chaste and sober decora
tion of the house of God, might afford, not
only an exercise of taste, but also evince a
commendable zeal in a cause too much ne
glected.

It is not intended to place Mrs. Ferrar on
the pedestal of taste, as an object of imitation
in that respect; it is not her good taste, but
her good zeal that we would commend to our
countrywomen, and especially to those con
nected with the clergymen of our establishment.
Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your ceiled
houses, and the house of the Lord lie waste ?
Mrs. Ferrar thought the house of God the

96 MEMOIRS OF

only place on which costly furniture was not
ill bestowed, and in this her son not only ap
proved, but animated her zeal and devotion.

No sooner was the church finished, in all its
parts of decorum, comfort, and ornament, than
their care was immediately turned to a point of
unquestionable usefulness, which was the esta
blishment of a school. This circumstance will,
it is anticipated, prove at once a redeeming
feature in the character of Mrs. Ferrar, even
among those readers who think her zeal for
ornamenting the church had flowed into a
channel too profuse. But we shall see, that,
whilst the ornamental was not despised in the
Little Gidding establishment, the useful was
not overlooked. An ancient pigeon-house, that
belonged to the manor, was fixed upon for the
school-room. The feathery tenants were soon
disbanded. The Ferrars' estate was all pasture,
and they, having no harvest of their own,
thought it not right to harbour so many little
thieves, to devour their neighbour's corn ; so
the dovecot was enlarged and transformed into
a handsome school-house, where not only the
children of their own household were instructed,
but also those of adjoining parishes, upon the

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 97

request of their parents, had liberty to come.
" Here/' according to Mr. Ferrar's right reve
rend biographer, u they might learn virtue as
well as grammar, music, and arithmetic, to
gether with fair writing ; for which arts and
sciences they had three several masters ; and
they had their several hours of the day to
attend their distinct business." It will be
seen, by and by, why music was admitted
amongst the arts taught in the Little Gidding
academy ; the praise and glory of God were the
primary objects of the founder and foundress
of this remarkable little society; and the at
tachment of Mr. Ferrar to the effusions of the
sweet Psalmist of Israel would ill have accorded
with the absence of sacred vocal and instru
mental harmony.

He assigned to all his female relations, ac
cording to their ages and conditions, " cham
bers, closets, gardens, and walks of pleasure;
he fitted up convenient accommodations for the
schoolmasters and scholars, and placed his own
lodging so centrally in the house, that he could
hear every thing, and attend to the preservation
of good order." He fitted up one room, which
he called the infirmary, and appropriated it

98 MEMOIRS OF

solely to the use of any of his young household
who might be indisposed. As every thing at
Little Gidding was to be done decently and in
order, he appointed rules and times for the re
creation of the young; they had places for
running and vaulting, and for the exercise of
the bow and arrows. On Thursdays and Satur
days the children were allowed part of the after
noons for these pastimes; but although those
times are expressly mentioned as seasons of
recreation, we are not to suppose that the whole
of the other four days of the week were entirely
employed in the more sedate exercises.

As Little Gidding partook somewhat of the
conventual system, though without its defects,
our readers of the softer sex will perhaps wish
to know whether the females of the society
confined themselves to any peculiar dress or
habit. We are glad that we can afford them
information on this subject, by assuring them,
on the indisputable veracity of a bishop, that
ff the habit of the young women was a black
stuff, all of one grave fashion, and always the
same ;" and he adds, " if ever women merited
the title of the devout sex, these gentlewomen
won it by their carriage, and deserved to wear

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 99

it." But we can also gratify our fair inquirers
with particulars of a more interesting nature
regarding these good Protestant sisters of
charity.

They were expert with their needles, and
they made them, as well as their scissors, serve
the altar and the poor. They were " fine sur
geons," and kept by them balsams, and oils,
and every thing needful for the alleviation and
cure of simple surgical casualties. They super
intended the distilling of cordial waters ; and a
room was allotted them for the safe custody of
all their useful stores. And then, in the dis
tribution of them they were most liberal, as
occasion required ; and as they gave as freely
to their country neighbours as they had them
selves freely received all from God and their
good uncle, they were sure not to want appli
cants. None of them were fastidious about
dressing, with their own hands, the wounds of
the poor ; but as for prescribing medicines, that
they were strictly forbidden to do by their uncle.
It would have been more appropriately his de
partment, had he chosen to practise it : of his
ability to do so, none can doubt who remember
his studies at Padua. But, together with helps

100 MEMOIRS OF

and comforts for the body, these young ladies,
of whom there were upwards of nine, were able
and ready to administer good counsels, with
prayers and spiritual comforts, to their patients,
for their souls' health. To remove the burden
of household affairs from his aged mother's
shoulders, her son directed four of his nieces
to be the managers of the domestic economy,
but yet in such a manner that it might prove
a burden to none, but rather a recreation to all.
He contrived that every sister should be sole
directress of the household for one month in
four, and thus Mary's better part was not taken
away from her who acted the character of their
Martha. She was not to apply her hands to
any thing servile ; but her office required re
flection, management, the judicious direction of
servants,, and an authoritative, though mild,
firmness in being obeyed by them. She was
required to book every farthing of their weekly
expenses^ allowing every small matter its co
lumn in their account-book; so that, at the
end of the month or year, they could cast their
eye on what they spent in every little necessary
or comfort of life. These domestic exercises
made Mr. Ferrar's nieces, several of whom be-

NICHOLAS FERBAR. 101

came afterwards wives and mistresses of their
own establishments, not only perfect account
ants, but also good managers of a family.

The land was let out in parcels to their
tenants, who, by agreement, were to serve the
house with certain provisions at constant rates :
their diet was neat and frugal, yet accommo
dated with sufficient variety to every one's
health and constitution.

From this period of time, to write the life
of Mr. Ferrar is to write many lives ; that is,
to describe the way and manner of their living
under the discipline arid direction of him who
was their chief. It may therefore well be ex
pected, that the rule by which he ordered his
family should be set down ; and it will exhibit
a system which some will think severe, many
unnecessary, and more " righteous overmuch/'
A. few there will be who will admire, and
having the power, yet will not dare to imitate.
The world, commonly, still retains too strong a
hold upon the affections and hearts of men \
and the piety and virtues of Little Gidding
assimilate too little with the less retiring cha
racter of modern religion, to command follow
ers, though they may excite admiration.

102 MEMOIRS OF

CHAPTER VIII.

SUNDAY.

O day most calm, most bright,
The fruit of this, the next world's bud,
The indorsement of supreme delight,
Writ by a friend, and with his blood ;
The couch of time ; care's balm and bay ;
The week were dark but for thy light ;

Thy torch doth shew -the way.

* * * *

Thou art a day of mirth ;
And where the week-days trail on ground,
Thy flight is higher as thy birth.
O let me take thee at the bound,
Leaping with thee from seven to seven,
Till that we both, being toss'd from earth,
Fly hand in hand to heaven !

GEORGE HERBERT.

IN presenting a description of the pursuits and
habits of life of the inhabitants of Little Gid-
ding, it may be well to begin with the first and
best day of the week.

On the Lord's day, then, they rose, as on

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 103

other days, at five o'clock in winter, and four
in summer : Mrs. Ferrar herself would be up
at five ! Then, having, on their bended knees,
in their several apartments, offered to God
their morning sacrifice of prayer and praise,
through Him by whom alone that incense
reaches the mercy-seat availably, they repaired
into a spacious apartment furnished with cur
tains, and where, in winter, a cheerful fire was
kindled by the time of their assembling. There
they found Mr. Ferrar without fail, who, like
the shepherd-star that " bids the shepherd
fold," was their leader in all their morning and
evening devotional exercises.

To him the young people repeated the
chapters and Psalms they had committed to
memory, which usually lasted till about seven
o'clock. The morning meal, and their own
private reading or conversation, filled up the
chasm of time until nine o'clock, when the
bell called them to prayers in the church.
Then all the household reassembled in the
great chamber, where a hymn was sung, the
organ accompanying their voices. They then
proceeded, by a covered way, from the house
to the church, in order, two and two, according

104 MEMOIRS OF

to their ages and conditions ; the three school
masters, in gowns, leading the way; the
youths, in black gowns, following : then ap
peared Mr. Ferrar, leading his aged and vener
able mother, his two brothers going before
her, and all the children after her. The ser
vants closed the procession.

The masters took their places in the chancel ;
the boys kneeled on the upper steps ascending
into the chancel ; the women sat by themselves
(as was the custom in the ancient church) ; the
reading-desk and pulpit stood opposite to each
other, arid were of equal height. Mr. Ferrar's
contemporary, George Herbert, also reduced
the pulpit of his church of Layton Ecclesia
to the standard of its neighbour the desk ; for
Walton, in his life of Herbert, mentions that
" he (Herbert) would often say, they should
neither of them have a precedency or priority of
the other ; but that prayer and preaching, being
equally useful, might agree like brethren, and
have equal honour and estimation." It will
be admitted, in our days, that the desk is not
less honoured by a suitable and convenient
elevation of its neighbour, the pulpit ; but that
the pulpit, however lofty, is always disho-

NICHOLAS FERRAR.

105

noured when it becomes the medium of con
veying doctrine at variance with its Scriptural
ally below.

The family and household of Gidding Hall
being thus arranged, Mr. Ferrar, habited in
his surplice and hood, then stepped into the
reading-desk, and officiated at divine service.

After returning home, his elder nieces, and
some others deputed to that office, sat in a
gallery if it were summer-time, or if it were
winter in their large room with a fire, where
the children repeated to them the Psalms they
had learned out of book the week before.
These children were of neighbouring parishes,
to whom notice was given, that such of them
as would take the pains to learn the Psalms by
heart, and come on Sunday morning to repeat
them at Gidding, should have, each of them, a
Psalter bestowed on them, a penny, and their
Sunday dinner into the bargain.

The system of rewards has been condemned
in our day by many excellent persons, who are
nevertheless zealous for the instruction of the
youthful poor. To engender or encourage mer
cenary principles, they say, is an evil ; and so
it is : but to encourage habits of order, clean-

F2

106

MEMOIRS OF

liness, attendance on divine worship, proper
observance of the Lord's day, and the exercise
of memory, are points of such overpowering
importance, that they are well purchased even
at the dear rate of the principle objected to.
In some places, unhappily, nothing to any ex
tent, in the way of Sunday-school instruction,
can be effected without rewards ; but wherever
the mercenary bias manifests itself too pro
minently, it may be partially checked by the
watchful and judicious management of those
who have the oversight of the young. This
mercenary principle is not, however, universal.
In too many cases it has, no doubt, been dis
covered and lamented, and, perhaps, in more
instances discovered than remedied ; but it
may also be believed, that, in some cases, the
approbation of the teacher or stated visitor of
a Sunday-school has conveyed more real de
light to the heart of the young pupil, than pe
cuniary or any other species of reward could
possibly have done.

It may appear obvious, that in Mr. Ferrar's
time, when cheap and useful books for the
poor were unknown, the pecuniary reward of a
penny was more defensible than it would be in

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 107

our days, when a small series of some of our
penny books contains a little treasury of in
struction. But who will object to the poor
children's Sunday dinner ? A Sunday dinner,,
at which some adult Sunday scholars were per
mitted, at a gentleman's house near which the
editor once resided, was perhaps a very strong
inducement, in the first instance, to submit to
the two or three hours of instruction which
they received afterwards. But this inducement
gradually weakened, as the substantial advan
tage of instruction was felt ; and the desire of
learning to read, after the first difficulties were
over, became the real motive for attending,
which, probably, all the scholars would have
done, even if the dinner had been withheld.
One of these men declared to the editor, that
he would not exchange the benefit and comfort
which he had obtained by being able to read
the Holy Scriptures for any temporal advan
tage the world could bestow. The man was a
steady and consistent GHiristian, and was about
forty years of age when he began to learn to
read.

The united advantages, encouragements,
and rewards at Little Gidding, brought many

108 MEMOIRS OF

children thither on the Lord's day. The happy
consequences of their Sunday tuition were not
confined to themselves. But Bishop Turner
shall himself give the detail. " This drew in,"
the Bishop says, " many boys and girls; so
that an honest divine, who frequented the place,
assured me, he had seen forty or fifty children
there at a time. Their parents, who were mostly
plain country folks, were entirely pleased and
obliged. And speedily, not only their parents,
but the neighbouring ministers, when they
came to Gidding, protested that a mighty
change was wrought, not only on the children,
but on the men and women, who sat hearing
their children repeating their books at home ;
for whereas heretofore their tongues were
exercised in singing lewd and profane, or, at
least, vain ballads, which much estranged their
minds from the way of virtue, now they heard
the streets and doors resounding with the
sacred poetry of David's harp, which drove
the evil spirit away from Saul." Thus one de
vout family brought again the golden age of
the Church, as it is described by St. Jerome,
when " every ploughman and every day-
labourer," he says, " refreshed himself at his

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 109

toil by singing the Psalms, and knew the time
of the day, without the sun, by the progress he
had made in his Psalter."

Some of the parents entreated that their
children might also be taught their catechism
at Gidding ; but that Mr. Ferrar refused, tell
ing them, that bringing children to learn their
Psalter was a thing by itself, but catechising
was the business of their own minister and of
their own parents. He informed them, that
in doing some things good in appearance, one
might do very ill, by encroaching on other
men's offices ; and he bade them have a special
care of this well-baited and hidden snare, which
the spiritual enemy every where lays in the way
of well-meaning people, whom, when he can
not persuade to open and known sin, he will
nevertheless tempt to do some handsome thing
which is not their part to act, but savours
rather of presumption in the performance.

The children not only repeated what they
had learned in the last week, but some of them
recited some part of what they had formerly
learned, to fix these incomparable devotions in
their memories. At half-past ten the minister
of the next parish came with his own people,

110 MEMOIRS OF

who were not many, and most of them tenants
to the lordship of Little Gidding, to preach
there. The bell rang again to church, and the
whole family, with the Psalms- children, as they
were called, met him, and having taken their
places, Mr. Ferrar went up into the chancel,
and, at the communion-table, read the second
service ; which being ended, and a Psalm sung,
their neighbouring minister preached. As they
came to the church, so in the same order they
retired from it, and returned to the house.
There they found long narrow tables ready
spread, and placed upon tressels, the poor
children arranging themselves on each side of
the tables. The venerable mistress of the house
did not think herself too good to follow our
Saviour's example, of girding himself and ser
ving his disciples ; for frequently she has been
seen to set the first dish, for the children, on
the table with her own hands. Grace being
said, the children took their dinner standing
to the tables, for to sit they were not per
mitted. Some of the family remained to see
every thing conducted and disposed of in good
order. The bell was rung to dinner in the
parlour ; and all the household, standing in the

NICHOLAS FERRAR. Ill

great dining-room, a hymn was sung by them,,
the organ playing. While they were feeding
their bodies, one of the family, whose turn it
was (for every one took his turn), read a
chapter in the Bible, that their hearts and ears
might not want the better spiritual food.

After dinner all had liberty to go whither
they pleased ; some to the gardens and or
chards, others to their chambers or closets.
About two o'clock the bell again called them
together for evening service at Steeple Gidding
church, about a mile from the manor-house.
On their return, the children went into the
great chamber, and repeated all the. Psalms
which they had learned and said in several
portions during the week. This being done,
they parted again, and disposed of themselves
as they listed till supper- time, which was about
six in the evening, when the bell ringing, they
came into the great parlour. The organ then
began to play, and they to sing their anthem,
whilst the refreshment was putting on the table.
After grace, one read a chapter, and then an
other read a story out of the Book of Martyrs,
or some part of sacred history. In summer
time, after supper, most of them recreated

112 MEMOIRS OF

themselves by walking : in winter, those who
preferred it retired to their own apartments, or
joined the elder people, who commonly enter
tained each other and the young with some
useful discourse. At eight o'clock they were
summoned to the oratory, where their devo
tional exercises again commenced by singing
an anthem : then followed the evening family
prayer. This being concluded, they separated
for the night ; the young retiring to their beds,
the others to their chambers ; for it was one
of the rules of the establishment, that " none
must, after evening prayer, go up and down
the house, but keep to their own apartments."
Such was the Sunday's employment at Little
Gidding, and very conformable was it with
Mr. Ferrar's judgment and opinion respecting
the proper observance of that holy day, which
opinion is thus expressed in his own words :
" It is a day of rest, not of pleasures ; it frees
us from bodily labour, but it should the more
produce the exercises of the mind. God blessed
the day and sanctified it. They must both go
together : if we would have it happy, we must
make it holy ; and that can be done by nothing
better than by taking a survey of all God's

NICHOLAS FEBRAR. 113

works, according to the two divisions of heaven
and earth, whereunto he hath reduced all sorts
of generations. And if it seem too long and
hard a matter to go through all, we need but
return to ourselves, where we shall find an
epitome of all."

On the first Sunday of the month, and on
the great solemn festivals, they celebrated the
holy communion without fail ; and the after
noon of the Saturday before it was employed
by the careful master of the house in explaining
that holy mystery to the younger, in exhorting
the elder, and in preparing them all for the
best and noblest entertainment of devout souls.
On communion-days, the servants that feasted
with them in the church were not thought un
worthy to eat in the parlour with them : it
was their custom to sit at the lower end of the
high table, where they dined that day.

We will mix up no description of their
weekly pursuits with this detail of their Sunday
employments. The account of the Lord's day
at Little Gidding shall stand, like the day it
self, alone ; and as we began the chapter with
its detail, with that we will also end it, calling
to the mind of the Scriptural reader the word

114 MEMOIRS OF

of the Lord by the prophet, which was no
doubt well known and well loved, because well
acted upon, at Little Gidding. " If thou turn
away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing
thy pleasure on my holy day ; and call the
Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord,
honourable ; and shalt honour him, not doing
thine own ways, nor finding thine own plea
sure, nor speaking thine own words : then
shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord ; and I
will cause thee to ride upon the high places of
the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of
Jacob thy father : for the mouth of the Lord
hath spoken it." Isaiah, Iviii. 13, 14.

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 115

CHAPTER IX.

ON the week-days they employed themselves
in the following mannner : they rose as early
at least as on Sundays ; then, after their pri
vate devotions, they came into the great
chamber before mentioned, where the younger
nephews and nieces repeated to Mr. Ferrar
himself some of the Psalms or chapters they
had learned that week. This done, they re
tired for a time, every one to their apartments.
At six the bell again invited them to the com
mon room \ and the company that had the
charge began the Psalms appointed for that
hour — for each hour of the day had a certain
proportion of Psalms allotted to be said in it,
by some part or division of the family; and
they all knew their order and time of attend
ance ; so that " the whole Psalter was duly and
devoutly said over by them, verse by verse, in
terchangeably, within the compass of the twenty-
four hours /"

Then one of them said, without book, one

116 MEMOIRS OF

of the heads of the concordance or harmony
which they had made of the four Evangelists,
of which more hereafter. This book was so
divided into heads or chapters, and so many of
those heads assigned to each hour of the day,
that, beginning still on the first day of each
month, and ending on the last, the Gospels were
all said over in every month. A short hymn
also was sung each hour, the organ playing to
it : the hymn was commonly this : —

So angels sing, and so sing we,
To God on high all glory be ;
Let him on earth his peace bestow,
And unto men his favour shew.

The services for every hour, though they
were very solemn, yet were so framed, that the
Collect, the Psalm, the Gospel, and all, lasted
but a quarter of an hour. This done, they
went all, in the order that has been described,
to prayers in the church, where Mr. Ferrar
officiated according to the Liturgy, without
adding or diminishing a word. By this time
the hour of seven was come, which had such
another office of Collect, Psalm, portion of the
Gospel, and hymn ready for it : this was per
formed by the second company. Then all the

NICHOLAS FERRAB. 117

children breakfasted, and went to the school-
house with their masters. The old gentle
woman took her chair, inspecting her daughters
and grandchildren, like the olive-branches round
about her table. They sat at their books or
other good employments, in great silence, or,
at least, avoiding " all vain talking and jesting,
that was not convenient/'

Every hour had its business, for so their
wise patron had contrived, who used to tell
them, that the golden mean, if one could light
upon it, was the only way to effect great things
with ease and pleasure; and this he prayed
them to observe, even in their spiritual exer
cises. Some of them, therefore, spent part of
the day in perfecting their concordance of the
Scripture, or in getting it by heart ; others in
practising their vocal or instrumental music ;
some learning to write or cipher ; some exer
cising their dexterity in gilding and binding
books, for which -purpose Mr. Ferrar engaged
the daughter of a Cambridge bookbinder, who
was expert in the business, to teach them that
piece of skill.

To justify their allotting a part of their
time to such mechanic arts, he put them in

118 MEMOIRS OF

mind of that passage in the Psalms, — " Blessed
are all they that fear the Lord and walk in his
ways, for thou shalt eat the labour of thine
hands ; " whereas ee the world,'' said he,
" thinks the living upon rents and others men's
labours to be their honour and happiness ;
David here makes the contrary an effect and
sign of blessedness/' He instructed them that
"this was Adam's punishment ; but it was also
his medicine, to cure him of sloth and luxury."
But to proceed. At eight, nine, and ten o'clock,
they did as at other hours. Just after the office
for ten, the bell summoned them to church,
when, by permission of the bishop of the dio
cese, the Litany was said every day in the
week. At eleven, the set company of that
hour did as the rest had done. Such was their
occupation on week-days in the morning. By
this time it was their dinner-hour ; and as the
meal was bringing in and setting on a table
below in the large parlour, they sung a hymn.
When grace was said, and they had all taken
their places, one of the youths, whose turn it
was, read to them out of some book of English
history ; for silence at meals they thought un
pleasant, and common discourse they found

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 119

unprofitable. It was therefore agreed, that
something easy and engaging, as voyages and
travels, descriptions of foreign countries, and
accounts of the rise, fall, and revolutions of
nations, should be reserved for a time when
the mind does not willingly admit of any very
serious or deep speculations. This was con
sidered as a certain way, not only to refresh,
but also especially to enrich, their minds with
many examples, tending to stir up generous
and good affections. For the better retaining
in memory what should be read, it was ordered
that a summary collection should be kept in
writing of all the passages worthy of their ob
servation. The drawing of this abstract was
one of their schoolmasters' tasks, and the
transcribing of it fair was the department of
some of the scholars.

Besides this, every day after dinner a re
petition was made of something formerly read,
the same matter, only in another form ; that
is, one of the boys, whose course it was, re
peated a story compiled on purpose for him,
and fitted to his capacity, by Mr. Ferrar. It
was short and pleasant; the language good,
the matter better, and always having a tend-

120 MEMOIRS OF

ency to increase their abhorrence of vice, and
to promote virtue. This practice brought the
youths into the habit of delivering any speech
with a becoming assurance ; and not only taught
them a graceful pronunciation, but accustomed
them to express themselves with propriety and
without affectation, when they spoke or wrote
after such excellent copies of a chaste and
clean style as Mr. Ferrar had set them.

This made them men betimes in useful
knowledge, and also made the females ac
quainted with ancient and modern history. A
family thus sequestering itself from the world,
could not be said to despise the world for want
of understanding ; for they knew the past and
present state of empires, and were more learned
in the great affairs of human life than many
who lived in the throng of business, yet had
little insight into things, and less into them
selves, notwithstanding the great scuffle in the
dark in which they were engaged, and for
which they were never the wiser.

Mr. Ferrar introduced another piece of
ancient Christian discipline, and that was
watching, or vigils ; " an exercise," his bio
grapher adds, (e almost lost in this drowsy age

NICHOLAS FEBRAR. 121

of ours." It was required only from those of
his family who would make it a free-will offer
ing ; no one was importuned, nor any the worse
thought of, that did not think fit to take part
in it. But he found many who were desirous
of being his fellows in the guard, and of keep
ing the watch in their courses.

Their directions were, to begin the vigil by
nine o'clock, which they continued till one in
the morning, and no longer ; though they that
watched went not at all to their beds that
night, but merely reclined from one to six in
the morning. This was performed in several
apartments and oratories, the men and women
separate. The two of either sex which watched
together, said, reverently and distinctly, all the
Psalms of David which they had not repeated
in the ordinary course during the day ; one of
them reciting one verse of the Psalm, and the
other saying the following verse, by way of
response.

And this they performed upon their knees,
except during some vacant spaces of time,
whilst, either some of them that could play,
refreshed themselves by playing and singing —
the organ being so placed, and tuned so low,

G

122 MEMOIRS OF

as not to disturb the rest of the family; — or
warmed themselves in winter by a good fire,
provided in a room near their closets, that they
might take no cold, or endanger their health,
of which the master of the house was ever ex
ceedingly careful. Their watch ended, they
came and knocked at his door, bidding him
good morrow, and leaving him a candle lighted
at his door. He then got up and went into
his study ; for one in the morning was the
hour at which he constantly rose to his prayers
and meditations, when it was not his turn to
sit up at the midnight devotions. In this he
was an hour earlier than our bishop and mar
tyr Latimer, who was accustomed, even after
he was eighty years of age, to rise at two !
Mr. Ferrar afterwards inured himself to watch
three times a- week regularly, accustoming two
of his nephews (whom he dearly loved) to en
dure hardships as good servants of Christ, and
to watch with him three or four hours, but
that only one night in the week.

During the heat of summer they sometimes
passed that night in the church. As the child
Samuel took up his lodging in the temple with
old Eli, so the boys, after a few hours, were

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 123

bidden to lay themselves down to sleep in a
bye-place, while their uncle persisted still in
his divine contemplations, and came not home
till five in the morning.

This is the description which Bishop Turner
gives of the daily and nightly occupations of
Mr. Ferrar and his family : they are presented
nearly in his own words, but they shall not be
dismissed entirely without remark.

The Church of England was not now merely
emerging from the darkness and trammels of
popery; it had emerged, and its members
could not now be said to be attached to the
performance of self-denying exercises, either
because those performances had remarkably
distinguished some of the followers of the
Church of Rome, or on account of the meri
torious plea which that church allows. The
charm was dissolved : time had cleared the re
ligious atmosphere from many clouds ; but it
had also generated exhalations of an unhealthy
nature. If the dense clouds of popery had
been dispersed, the fogs of an incipient laxity
in church discipline and morality had also col
lected. Men of an indiscreet zeal were found,
who thought they saw in ecclesiastical esta-

124 MEMOIRS OF

blishments the root of a disease which really
had its origin in some of its unhealthy branches;
and the church was assailed with unqualified
violence and malignity. Lord Clarendon de
scribes, with the fidelity of an eye-witness, the
contempt in which religious forms and cere
monies were held, and the profaneness and
sacrilege with which holy edifices were treated.
The Puritans, in one sweeping clause, denounced
the clergy as unworthy of the respect or regard
of the people. The monarch, whose arbitrary
proceedings were not calculated either to soften
the animosity between the Church and the Pu
ritans, or to heal the breach which controversy
had created in the Church itself, increased, by
his unwise measures, the miseries of the times.
To add to the other grounds of unhappiness,
a metaphysical divinity had usurped the pulpit,
and the people were tortured by hearing long,
dry disquisitions, which the heads even of the
learned could perhaps imperfectly comprehend,
whilst the hearts of the many were altogether
un assailed, unaffected, and uninfluenced. The
situation of the state was scarcely less de
plorable : party spirit ran high ; councils dis
tracted, popular feuds, met by alternate weak-

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 125

ness and violence, and deepening gradually
into bloodshed, distinguished the unhappy
reign of King Charles the First.

Society could not be exempt from the
effects of these evils : the head and heart being
sick, the members suffered, groaned, and bled.
Mr. Ferrar must have seen and lamented this.
He could not stem the torrent of the pre
vailing abuses in the church, state, and society;
he could only shew a noble example of de-
votedness and attachment to the institutions
which his heart loved and his conscience ap
proved. He retired from the Babel of his
times and country, to avoid her sins, and lest
he should be partaker of her plagues.

In his retirement, any more than in the
busy scenes of life, Mr. Ferrar's energy of cha
racter could not be restrained or concealed : in
whatever circumstances of life his lot had been
cast, Ferrar still would have been a hero. His
vow and his inclination had, by the blessing of
God, established him at Little Gidding ; and
there he shone as a bright light among his own
family and people, the love of God constraining
him to every good word and work, and the

126 MEMOIRS OF

love of souls influencing him to every effort,
by example, prayer, and precept, for the eternal
welfare of those about him. Besides being a
lover of episcopal and ecclesiastical discipline,
he had been brought up in the school of self-
denial, and therefore watched diligently against
the first temptation to relaxation, either in
public ordinances or private observances. His
attachment to the doctrines of the reformed
and established church placed Mr. Ferrar quite
beyond the suspicion of holding opinions at all
bordering upon the Romish doctrine of merit,
although his holy acts rivalled many of the
most eminent saints of that church. He knew
that there were two ways of performing reli
gious exercises : one, wherein a meritorious
plea is connected with them ; another, which
was Mr. Ferrar 's way, in which no saving
merit is attached to observances.

Mr. Ferrar knew that Luther's token of a
" standing or a falling church — justification by
faith only" was a sign from heaven, by which
to be guided, safely and surely, through all
the wanderings of the mortal pilgrimage. To
this blessed doctrine, which is the origin of all

NICHOLAS FERRAR.

true peace,* the source of all true holiness of
lip and life, he had willingly subscribed when
he was ordained to the service of the sanctuary,
and set his heart and hand to the imperishable
declaration, founded upon the eternal word of
God, that trwe are accounted righteous before
God only for the merit of our Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ by faith, and not for our own works
and deservings : wherefore that we are j ustified
by faith only, is a most wholesome doctrine,
and very full of comfort." f Nevertheless, he
found religious exercises salutary : he felt that,
by the grace of God, they were helps to the
growth of holiness in the mind and heart ; they
kept up the spiritual life within, and so tended
to the meetness for the heavenly inheritance ;
they were the means of more intimate com
munion between God and the soul; — and who
would relinquish one single devotional exercise,
were it likely to become the means, in whole
or in part, of any one of those objects, so dear
to the converted heart ?

The rules of the family have been given.

* " Being justified by faith, we have peace with God,
through our Lord Jesus Christ." — Rom. v. 1.
f Eleventh Article of the Church of England,

128 MEMOIRS OF

Are they censured, derided, or condemned now ?
So they were then. The Ferrars were well
aware, that having engaged to steer a straight
and even course for the port of everlasting rest,
the waves of censure and calumny would beat
upon them, though they were riding at anchor,
and that perhaps more furiously than when
they were out at sea. They therefore knew no
better way than to declare beforehand how
vigorously they resolved to bear up against
them. It was partly upon this consideration —
to set up, as it were, their defiance of all those
winds which are raised by the prince of the
power of the air out of the vulgar breath —
and partly, on the score of gratitude, to publish
their zealous acknowledgments of God's pecu
liar goodnes to their family, in bringing them
out of the great tempest of the world, safe into
that fair haven; — it was partly, perhaps, on
these grounds, like the ancient heathen votaries,
who, when they had escaped a storm, used to
set up and dedicate a tablet inscribing honour
and thanks to the power who delivered them,
that the society of Little Gidding did, with
the approbation of some other able advisers,
set up in their great parlour, the common room

NICHOLAS FERRAR.

129

of entertainment of all comers, the following
inscription, written in fair and legible charac
ters, on a large tablet : —

I. H. S.

He that, by reproof of our
errors, and remonstrance of
that which is more perfect,
seeks to make us better, is
welcome as an angel of
God;

He that any way goes
about to disturb us in that
which is, and ought to be,
among Christians, though
it be not usual in the world,
is a burden while he stays,
and shall bear his judgment
wherever he be ;

and I

But,

and

He that, by a cheerful
participation of that which
is good, confirms us in the
same, is welcome as a
Christian friend.

He that censures us in
absence, for that which in
presence he made a show
to approve of, both by a
double guilt of flattery and
slander, violates the bond
of friendship and Chris
tianity.

MARY FERRAR, widow, mother of this family, aged
about eighty years, bids adieu to all fears and hopes of
this world, and only desires to serve God.

130 MEMOIRS OF

CHAPTER X.

IT may not be entirely uninteresting to our
readers to know something of the conduct pur
sued by the inhabitants of the manor-house to
their country neighbours of the better sort.

It will be recollected, that when they en
tered upon the property of Gidding, the metro
polis was groaning under that afflictive scourge,
the plague; and their having so recently left
the seat of contagion, did, according to their
own wishes, put a stop to much intercourse
with the neighbouring gentry all that year.
Subsequently their design of religious retire
ment becoming well known, their neighbours
dispensed with the punctilios of ceremony ; yet
had they no provocation to censure them as
morose or uncivil; for, whenever they were
pleased to afford their company at Gidding
(which, for the novelty of the thing, many
frequently did), they were received with all the
obligingness, and treated with all the. respect,
to which, according to the rules of Christian

NICHOLAS FERBAB. 131

politeness and courtesy, they were entitled.
The more substantial marks of hospitality also
were not wanting ; the refreshments of wine,
or a tankard of ale, with a piece of cake, were
offered to all comers of any note ; but though
many of high quality lingered there, as if desi
rous to stay their meals, or take up their lodg
ing with them, yet they took it not amiss at
their departure, that no invitation was given
them, finding that it was not their custom to
entertain strangers in that indiscriminate man
ner, except in cases of manifest necessity or
charity.

It is obvious that limits were required in
their hospitalities, or they would have been
oppressed with a multitude of guests, which
they could not civilly, or indeed possibly, have
avoided. Yet some men of birth and fortune
(as they discovered themselves by their con
duct and conversation, and as they were known
to be afterwards), led by so extraordinary a
person as Mr. Ferrar, and the arrangements of
his household, sent their servants into the neigh
bouring village, to wait for them there till morn
ing, whilst they strayed in the dark to Gidding,
pretending to have lost their way, and entreat-

132 MEMOIRS OF

ing a night's lodging. Such adventurous guests
as these were set down to such an extemporary
supper of warm meats as the oven supplied, and
with which they were seldom unprovided.

One of these wandering guests gave an oral
account of his visit to Dr. Turner, and would
often celebrate that night's entertainment. The
vicinity of Little Gidding to the great northern
road drew great numbers, as well of the gentry
as the clergy, to call upon Mr. Ferrar, as they
passed and repassed that way. 'Many who
were perfectly unknown to him, but who knew
his merit, found some pretence or other to in
troduce themselves. Several persons of dis
tinction, and many eminent scholars, were
amongst his transient guests. Romish priests
also were among his visitors, anxious to ad
dress their discourse to him, and discover his
opinions, in which he had no reserves, as one
well set and firmly established in the principles
of the apostolical Church of England. He,
without inquiring who they were, always en
tertained them with a generous freedom and
calmness in their debates, and with all the
hospitable courtesy suitable to the condition in
which they appeared.

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 133

The nearest gentleman in the neighbourhood
was a Roman Catholic ; yet he and his lady
often visited at Gidding, without any pressing
expectations to be paid those respects in the
same kind, by a family so constantly better
employed than in returning visits of compli
ment. Besides, the master of their morals
used to warn them all, but especially the
younger people under his care, " that he is
wise and good, and like to continue so, that
keeps himself out of temptation."

One day, this neighbour brought with him
to Gidding three learned priests of his own
religious communion ; one of them a cele
brated writer for the Church of Rome ; all of
them full of curiosity to sound a man of such
depth of learning, of such an excellent under
standing, and of so great piety, as rumour had
attached to the character of Mr. Ferrar. He
did not decline engaging with them ; in which
he was upon a vast advantage above ordinary
managers of similar controversies, having in
his travels, with his own eyes, seen their prac
tices, and made it so much his business to
compare them with their pretences. The con
ference was spun out to a great length ; it was

134 MEMOIRS OF

supported on all hands with equal temper, and
with such acuteness too, as not to leave the
question where they found it. They traversed
every essential point of difference between Pro
testant and Papist, and parted upon such terms
as were proper for men who desired at least to
maintain the communion of charity with each
other.

One of them afterwards related that he had
" seen Little Gidding, the place so much in
every body's mouth ;" that " they found the
master of the house another kind of man than
they expected; a deep and solid man, of a
wonderful memory, sharp-witted, and of a
flaming eloquence. One who, besides his va
rious reading, spoke out of experience, with
insight into things, as well as books." In con
clusion, he was heard to say, that this man, if
he lived to make himself known to the world,
would give their church her hands full to
answer him, and trouble them in another man
ner than Luther had done.

A more enlarged account of Mr. Ferrar
and his recluses has been given, as to their
openness and easiness in conversation, to pre
vent the common observation against this way of

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 135

living, that f( it is a pity such holy men should
deprive the world of their company and ex
ample." It was the less necessary for Mr.
Ferrar to go out into the troublesome world,
when the world flocked to his retirement,
hardly one day passing in which some dis
tinguished person, either friend or stranger,
did not come to pay him reverence.

Mr. Ferrar was so easy of access, that al
though religiously careful of time, and anxious
to spend it to the best advantage, he always
gave orders that if any one came to speak with
him, though he were at his studies, he should
be informed of it ; for he hoped they came for
their good, or for his own ; and the whole de
sign of his life was to make himself and others
better. Seldom did any one part with him but
with satisfaction and improvement ; and it can
hardly be imagined what lasting fervours of de
votion many carried away with them, who had
spent but a few hours in that happy society.

It was one of the regulations of this esta
blishment, which had set itself so heartily for
heaven, that the presence of strangers should
on no account interfere with or interrupt their
stated devotional exercises, either in the house

136 MEMOIRS OF

or the church ; and if strangers of a different
communion chose to join them in their devo
tions, they were the more welcome on that
account. Some, indeed, who came only to
gaze, with no great design to improve by his
example, took upon them to tell him their
grave judgment, that he lived too retired ; that
he exacted too much from his own infirm body;
and that he studied too hard; whereas a life
of pleasure and recreation would better pre
serve him in health. He gave such persons to
know, " that what the world called living gal
lantly, and most like a gentleman, to eat and
drink well (as they call it) ; to keep as irregu
lar hours as they please of rising and going to
bed; to have their time so lying upon their
hands, as to rack their invention for modes of
mispending it, in hunting or hawking, carding
or dicing, riding abroad upon visits, and doing
all things accordingly ;" he protested " that
such a life to him (whatever it was to others)
would be so dangerous, that if it were put to
his choice, and he must instantly decide, whe
ther he would enter upon that course of life, or
suffer death, he would forthwith embrace the
latter, rather than accept the former."

NICHOLAS FERRAB. 137

But, since we are speaking of visitors, whom
the sanctity of the man, and the novelty of the
establishment, had drawn to Gidding, we must
not omit to state how much honour was in
tended them by a visit from the queen-consort
of Charles the First, if she had not been pre
vented by the impassable state of the roads
across the country.

Her majesty being a rigid Roman Catholic,
the honour designed was the more remarkable.
Orders had actually been issued for the repair
of the roads, in contemplation of this visit ; but
the negligent observance of the command pre
cluded the intended honour. Whereupon, her
majesty, fancying that the king had all the
while only rallied her with the story of a Pro
testant family, the discipline of which excelled
that of the monasteries abroad, despatched a
gentleman (a Mr. Newton) to Little Gidding,
commanding him to take exact notice of what
he found, and bring her a clear account of
their manner of life, which he did, so much to
her majesty's admiration, that she greatly re
gretted the disappointment of her own journey.

But at the breaking out of that rebellion
which called the king to the north, when he

138 MEMOIRS OF

set up his royal standard at Nottingham, his
majesty being on his march thither, and being
told that he was not far from Gidding, gra
ciously resolved to visit that place ; so, striking
out of his way, he rode thither, accompanied
by the Prince of Wales, together with his
highness Prince Rupert, the Duke of Rich
mond, and many others of the valiant and
loyal nobility, who attended them in that ex
pedition. The king took a view of all with an
inquisitive eye, and, in the midst of his per
plexed affairs, spent some time in reading
their harmonies of the Bible,* while the prince
and the lords refreshed themselves with such
plain entertainment as the house in so great a
surprise afforded.

They humbly presented his majesty with
some devout books, which they had bound so
neatly with their own hands, that the king was
pleased to say he never saw such workman
ship. At parting, he prayed the blessing of
God might be upon them, and desired their

* They compiled one of these for the use of the king,
which is said to be in the library of St. John's College,
Oxford.

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 139

hearty prayers, wherein they never failed him
at the public services in their little church, till
by the fury of their opponents they were driven
away.

There can be no doubt that this visit of King
Charles I. to Gidding was not during the life
time of Mr. Nicholas Ferrar. Dr. Turner's
narrative is not distinguished by much atten
tion to chronological accuracy. He, however,
affords one clue to the discovery of the date of
this visit; whilst another biographer,* and an
historian f of those times, supply the deficiency.

Bishop Turner says, that the royal visit to
Gidding occurred when his majesty was on his
way to set up his standard at Nottingham ;
this, according to Clarendon, did not happen
until the year 1639. It may also be observed,
in confirmation of this statement, that Dr.
Turner, in his narrative of the honours con
ferred on the Ferrar family, never mentions
Mr. Ferrar, but states that they (the family
then residing at Gidding) presented him with
books, and afterwards, at his departure, his
majesty desired their prayers. The king, as

* Walton, in George Herbert. t Clarendon.

140 MEMOIRS OF

will be seen in the next chapter, had, prior to
his visit to Gidding, received two Scriptural
Concordances, or Harmonies, from Mr. Ferrar,
which his majesty highly prized and approved ;
and he held the family in great estimation.

Although curiosity may have been a power
ful motive in bringing Charles to Gidding, yet
we may believe that there was a good feeling
in it, inasmuch as the bias of the heart is often
developed by the objects to which curiosity
tends for gratification. A visit to an establish
ment, avowedly framed and supported upon
religious principles, would hardly be under
taken by an irreligious man at all, particularly
if attended by any personal inconvenience;
much less would it present any object of in
terest, inquiry, or gratification, for an irreli
gious king, and especially under the pressure
of those embarrassing and harassing circum
stances which distracted the mind of Charles
at this time. It is almost impossible not to be
charmed with the affable and condescending
conduct of the king whilst there; and this,
among many other records of his pious and
amiable turn of mind, increases the regret,
whilst it helps to confirm the truth of the

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 141

supposed paradox (expressed by a contempo
rary, and decided opponent of the king), that
so good a man should make so bad a prince.

But, to return from this digression to the
detail of the occasional visitors at Gidding.
As Mr. Ferrar sometimes went to wait upon
Bishop Williams as his diocesan at Buckden,
so the bishop, as his old acquaintance, and as
the visitor of the little academy, gave him his
company several times at Gidding. Once he
had a solemn invitation, in order to a con
firmation, not only of the young people in the
family who were not confirmed, but of the
gentry, and others in the neighbourhood, who
desired to avail themselves of this rite.

His lordship was complimented at the
church with cathedral music, and care was
taken that most of the choir of Peterborough
came over on purpose. The bishop himself
preached before the confirmation; and after
wards, with all his retinue, and the neighbour
ing divines and strangers, who were very
numerous, partook of a splendid dinner at the
manor-house ; " for," adds Dr. Turner, fe the
master of the house, notwithstanding his ex
emplary temperance and frugality, was not so

142 MEMOIRS OF

strait-laced as not to be a lover of hospitality,
and knew there was a time for feasting as well
as fasting. Yet," he continues, " I have been
assured, scarce any of the servants were left
at home, and only their great ovens were
employed, which was a fine, cheap, easy way,
he brought with him from Holland, of dress
ing meat, and such meat as the most curious
palates there applauded, but admired how they
cooked it."

The bishop surveyed the house ; their order
and manner of living he understood before, and
highly approved of. At his departure, he gave
them all his paternal benediction again, and
affectionately embracing Mr. Ferrar, took his
leave of him with this hearty good wish and
prayer : " Deus tibi animum istum, et animo
isti tempus longissimum concedat."

A transaction which came under the cogni
sance of Bishop Williams, probably about this
time, raised the character of the Ferrars, if
possible, higher than ever in his estimation,
and displayed an illustrious example of con
scientious feeling, nobly acted upon. The glebe
at Gidding had been alienated, and a composi
tion agreed upon, whereby the minister was to

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 143

be paid twenty pounds a-year as a compensa
tion for glebe and tithes. But the wise pur
chaser, who wished to have the kingdom of
heaven into the bargain, after a long search,
at length discovered the number of acres that
had once been glebe land ; but it was impossi
ble to find where those acres lay previous to
the enclosure, which was made a hundred years
before the Ferrars came to Gidding. There
fore Mr. Ferrar was never at rest till he pro
cured a decree in chancery for allotting and
laying out, in their lordship, the same number
of acres for glebe, in the most convenient
places.

Kennet's book on Impropriations affords ad
ditional particulars of this transaction. " Take,"
he says, " one example of restoring tithes im-
propriate within the archdeaconry of Hunting
don, at Little Gidding, where the excellent
family of the Ferrars lived in a perfectly reli
gious society. They were known, says Dr.
Racket, to the bishop (Dr. John Williams,
bishop of Lincoln) by right information, from
the time that they sealed a charter among
themselves, as it were, to be constant and
regular in their spiritual discipline. But their

144 MEMOIRS OF

heavenly-mindedness was best discovered to
him when two sons of Mrs. Ferrar, the mother
and matron of the household, treated with the
bishop to endow the church with the tithes
which had been impropriated. This was in
September 1633, as appears by what fell from
the pen of the donor, Mrs. Ferrar, under that
date:

" RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD,

" The expectation of opportunities hav
ing some years wheeled me off from the per
formance of this business, I now think it ne
cessary to break through all impediments, and
humbly to present to your lordship the desires
and intentions of my heart, beseeching you, on
God's behalf, to take them into your fatherly
consideration, and to give a speedy accom
plishment to them, by the direction of your
wisdom, and the assistance of your authority."

Then follows the notice of restitution ;
and the paper concludes with the following
prayer : —

" Be graciously pleased, Lord, now to
accept from thine handmaid the restitution of

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 145

that which hath been unduly heretofore taken
from thy ministers. And, as an earnest and
pledge of her total resignation of herself and
hers to thy service, vouchsafe to receive to the
use of thy Church this small portion of that
large estate which thou hast bestowed on her,
the unworthiest of thy servants. Lord, re
deem thy right, of which thou hast been too
long disseised by the world, both in the pos
session and in the person of thine handmaid.
And let this outward seizure of earth be ac
companied with an inward surrender of the
heart and spirit into thine own hands ; so that
the restorer, as well as that which is restored,
may become and be confirmed thine inherit
ance." The bishop commended her freewill
offering to God, and confirmed it.

Mrs. Ferrar did not long survive this act
of restitution. She had, according to her own
declaration affixed to the tablet in the great
room, bidden adieu to all the fears and hopes
of this world. Her faith would also have re
moved all fears concerning the next \ and her
hope, " a good hope through grace," would
have afforded her the humble but comfortable
assurance, that the victory over the grave being
H

146 MEMOIRS OF

accomplished, and death being deprived of its
sting, the act of dying would but open the
gate to the regions of that glory where the
great Conqueror is gone to prepare places for
his humble and faithful followers.

We are told by one who knew her (Bishop
Lindsell), that she was eloquent, judicious, and.
wise; that few were equal to her in charity
towards man, or piety towards God. Her zeal,
activity, devotion, disinterestedness, and self-
dedication to the service of God, these brief
Memoirs have feebly developed : but what would
be her trust at the last ? Upon which of these
ennobling qualities would she rest her ground
of acceptance with God ? Upon which would
she desire to urge her plea for pardon and
justification ? Neither upon one, nor upon all,
nor upon any thing short of the merits and
righteousness of the crucified Redeemer and
the interceding Saviour.

She loved, as all true Christians do, to glo
rify God in body and in spirit : she loved to
let her light so shine before men, that they
might see her good works, and glorify her
Father which is in heaven. But when, at the
end of a long and useful life, at the age of

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 147

about eighty-three, her body was committed
to the grave, and her spirit returned to Him
who gave it, what would be her boast when
entering into the joy of her Lord ? " Not by
works of righteousness which we have done,
but according to his mercy he saved us, by the
washing of regeneration and renewing of the
Holy Ghost, which he shed on us abundantly
through Jesus Christ our Saviour ; that being
justified by his grace, we should be made heirs
according to the hope of eternal life." (Titus,
iii. 5—70

148 MEMOIRS OF

CHAPTER XI.

THE Scriptural Concordance or Harmony, to
which allusion has twice been made in the
course of these Memoirs, was a mechanical
contrivance, said to have been since adopted by
Dr. Priestley. Mr. Ferrar devoted one hour
a-day to forming it. He directed his nieces to
cut the various parables, miracles, &c. out of
each Evangelist into separate slips, and arrange
them, by frequent trials, in a connected form.
This done, they were pasted down on sheets
of paper ; and so artificially was it performed,
that it had the appearance of a new sort of
printing; for every one that saw the books
when they were finished, supposed them to
have been printed, so exquisitely were all the
pieces united and pressed. The frontispiece
or title of the book was as follows : " The ac
tions, doctrines, and other passages touching
our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, as
they are related by the four Evangelists, re
duced into one complete body of history,
wherein that which is severally related by

NICHOLAS FERBAR. 149

them is expressed in their own words, by way
of comparison, &c. &c." In each page through
out the book pictures were inserted, repre
senting the facts themselves, or their types or
figures. The book was divided into one hun
dred and forty heads. By the care and judg
ment of Mr. Ferrar, the work grew daily into
greater perfection. Mrs. Ferrar, during her
lifetime, assisted in it, and became very expert
in the arrangement.

The fame of this performance was so great,
that the king, in one of his progresses, being
at Apethorpe, seven miles from Gidding, de
spatched a gentleman, one of his attendants,
to entreat (the very word used by the monarch)
a sight of the Gospel Concordance, which, he
heard, was so great a rarity ; promising to send
it back again ere many days should pass, after
he had perused it. Mr. Ferrar was at this
time, by an extraordinary urgency of business,
called to London : the family consulted, and
concluded that his majesty's pleasure ought to
be readily obeyed, though they thought their
humble effort unworthy the inspection of a
king. The gentleman, apprehending some de
mur about the delivery of the book, protested

150 MEMOIRS OF

that if he had it not then, the king, before he
slept, would send him again for it. The book
was accordingly delivered to him, and conveyed
to the monarch.

It was not, however, a few days, but several
months before the same gentleman brought
back the book from the king, who was pleased
to send him with it on purpose from London
to Gidding. He acquainted the family, on his
arrival, that he had many things in charge
from the king his master to say to them. First,
to give them his majesty's hearty thanks for
lending him the book ; then to signify his great
good liking of it ; then to excuse him for not
sooner returning it, and for writing his own
remarks upon many places in the margin : the
gentleman adding, that the king took such de
light in it, that no day passed wherein he did
not spend some time in reading and noting it.
" Lastly," said he, " I am to request you,
from his majesty, that he may have one of these
books for his own use." Whereupon the ladies
of the household set about it, and in a year's
time finished one for the king, binding it with
their own hands, after a fashion new and extra
ordinary.

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 151

The book was presented by the Archbishop
of Canterbury (Laud), and Dr. Cosin, the then
Master of Peterhouse, Cambridge. The king
admired it for the rare contrivance of the me
chanical part within and without, as well as for
its curious embellishments ; but, above all, for
the exquisite method which brought the Gospel
history into the most perfect harmony that was
ever framed. After a full view, he was pleased
to say, — it was a present fit for the greatest
king upon earth : and then turning to his Grace
of Canterbury, he said, " What think you, my
lord, shall I obtain a second favour of these
good people ? I have another suit to them.
The matter is this : I often read over the lives
and actions of the kings of Judah and Israel,
in the books of Kings and Chronicles, and I
find in them some difficulty in reconciling them
together. I should desire that these good
people should make me such a book, as would
bring these two books into one full and per
fect history ; and yet so, that I may at the
same time see them each severally and apart
to be read. They will, I know, readily under
stand my mind : will you let them know my
pleasure?" The archbishop and Dr. Cosin

152 MEMOIRS OF

assured the king it should be done; and in
timation thereof being sent to Gidding, the
family cheerfully, and without delay, com
menced the work. It was completely finished
in another year, bound up in purple velvet,
richly gilded, and presented by Mr. John Fer-
rar's own hand to the king, who, in the mean
time, had frequently inquired when his book
would be ready.

The king, upon the sight and perusal of it,
expressed himself most graciously in these
words : (( This book, in all kinds, surpasses
my hopes, and is done in a far more excellent
way of composition than I conceived it could
have been done. I shall make it my com
panion : herein I shall daily behold God's in
finite mercies and his just judgments ; his
rewarding of the good kings, his punishing of
the evil kings ; his promises and threatenings
surely accomplished. Now I must needs say
I have gained a treasure ! Their care, their
skill, and their cost, have been superlative, and
so let them know my esteem of it." After
much discourse about it, and regarding their
way of living, the king concluded thus : " How
happy a prince were I, if there were many such

NICHOLAS FEBRAR. 153

families in my kingdom, who would employ
themselves as these do at Gidding ! " The
title of the book was this : " The history of
the Israelites, from the death of King Saul to
their carrying away captive into Babylon. Col
lected out of the books of Kings and Chro
nicles, in the words of the texts themselves,
without any alteration of importance by addi
tion to them, or diminution from them ; where
by first all the actions and passages, in either
of the books of Kings and Chronicles, whether
jointly or severally, are reduced into the body
of one complete narrative." They were also
digested into an orderly dependence upon one
another ; some difficult passages were cleared,
and some seeming differences between the sa
cred records reconciled; and all was so con
trived, that notwithstanding this mutual com
position of the books of Kings and Chronicles
in this historical collection, yet the form of
each of them was preserved entire, and in such
a manner that they might easily be led seve-
verally and distinctly from first to last.

Another subject of compilation may here
be noticed, to which Mr. Ferrar did not scorn
to descend. It was one of the modes in which
H2

154 MEMOIRS OF

he relieved the more solemn employments at
Gidding, and mingled amusement with in
struction. The manor-house was not a house
of mourning, and the master of it had ever an
air of sweetness and cheerfulness in his very
aspect ; so he took care to provide for its in
mates useful and delightful entertainment.

If any pitied them, as some did the primi
tive Christians, because they saw no plays, nor
ever were seen upon the theatre ; yet, without
the danger of being at all corrupted, they were
equally diverted, and better instructed, by cer
tain interludes, dialogues, or discourses, selected
by Mr. Ferrar, and recited by the younger per
sons of the house. These innocent and profit
able recreations he introduced, to wean his
family from the Christmas games, and wilder
sports, which could hardly subsist without some
disorder or extravagance. On All Saints' day
they began, and at Christmas they proceeded,
on every holyday, gracefully to repeat and re
present occurrences taken from ancient and
modern historians, in opposition to the legends
of the Church of Rome. These Mr. Ferrar
formed into colloquies, with forcible appli
cation of all to their own circumstances ; and

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 155

for that very reason, because they were so
adapted to the private constitution of the family,
the books themselves (which were two or three
large folios) were not suited for publication,
although Dr. Turner asserts that they " were
well, and properly, and elegantly worded."
Mr. Ferrar himself compiled them, and wrote
them with his own hand, to be transcribed by
the actors who had parts in them; and his
main scope and aim was to expose and confute
the vulgar errors, and worse practices, of a sin
ful age and nation, notwithstanding the many
forms and visors of godliness in which persons
of both sexes, and of all conditions and qua
lities, disguised themselves to themselves, as
well as to others ; and then to represent and
press upon his family the true knowledge and
practice of things really Christian, however
disused and decried. In one word, to urge the
duty of mortification) especially of the affections
and appetites ; meaning by affections, pride of
every kind, ambition, envy, covetousness, anger;
and by appetites, all inordinate pleasures, as
gluttony, drunkenness, lust, and sloth.

The only work which Mr. Ferrar published
was his translation of " Divine Considerations,"

156

MEMOIRS OF

by Juan Valdes. This very rare book is in the
possession of the editor of these Memoirs. It
was first published in 1638 ; and that, as well
as a subsequent edition put forth in 1646, con
tains a recommendatory preface, and notes on
the text, by the excellent Mr. George Herbert.
Walton tells us that " Ferrar's and Her
bert's devout lives were both so noted, that the
general report of their sanctity gave them occa
sion to renew that slight acquaintance which
was begun at Cambridge ; and this holy friend
ship was long maintained without any inter
view, but only by loving and endearing letters.
One testimony/' he adds, (< of their friendship
and pious designs, may appear by Mr. Ferrar's
commending the Considerations of John Val-
desso, or Valdes, a book which he had trans
lated out of Spanish into English, to be exa
mined and censured [criticised] by Mr. Herbert,
before it was made public ; which excellent
book Mr. Herbert did read, and return with
many marginal notes, as they are now printed
with it ; and with them, Herbert's affectionate
letter to Ferrar." Juan Valdes was one of
those worthies whose honour it was to be de
nounced by the Inquisition. He was the author

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 15?

of some works on religious subjects. One of
them, the " Commentary on the First Epistle
of St. Paul to the Corinthians," is prohibited
in the Index of heretical works. He was tried
on account of this treatise and another, which
was found among the papers of Don Bartho
lomew Carranza de Miranda, theologian to
Charles V., but who, being charged with Lu
theran sentiments, such as doubting of pur
gatory, despising papal bulls, and preaching on
the justification of men by a lively faith in the
passion and death of Jesus Christ, was also per
secuted by the holy office. The work, supposed
at first to be Carranza' s, but which, in fact, was
the composition of Valdes, is called "Thoughts
on the Interpretation of the Holy Scriptures."
Valdes was also the author of another pro
duction, called " Acharo." All these works
were stigmatised and proscribed as being Lu
theran, and the author was declared to be a
formal heretic.

Valdes left Spain, and thus escaped im
prisonment. In 1559, Fray Lewis de la Cruz,
a prisoner in the Inquisition of Valladolid, de
clared that Valdes was living in Naples ; that
his " Thoughts/' &c., had been sent twenty

158 MEMOIRS OF

years before to Carranza, in the form of a
letter ; but that the work had its origin in the
Christian Institutes of Thaulero. Fray Do
minic de Roxas (another prisoner in the Inqui
sition) spoke of Valdes as the secretary of
Charles V. ; if that were the case, he must have
been called Juan Antonio de Valdes. Izaac
Walton asserts the latter opinion respecting
Valdes. He says, that for his learning and virtue
he was much beloved by Charles V., whom he
had followed in all his long and dangerous
wars j and when Valdes grew old, and wearied
both of wars and of the world, he declared to
the emperor that his resolution was, to decline
his service, and betake himself to a contem
plative life, (e because there ought to be a
vacancy betwixt fighting and dying." Charles
desired Valdes to consider well of what he had
said, and to keep his purpose within his own
breast, till they two might have a second op
portunity of a friendly discourse, which Valdes
promised to do. In the meantime, Charles
appointed privately a day for him and Valdes
to meet again; and after pious and free dis
course, they both agreed on a certain day to
receive the sacrament of the Lord's supper

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 159

publicly, and appointed an eloquent and de
vout friar to preach a sermon " on contempt
of the world, and on the happiness and benefit
of a quiet and contemplative life," which he did ;
and afterwards the emperor took occasion to
declare openly, " that the preacher had begot hi
him a resolution to lay down his dignities, and
to forsake the world," &c. " He pretended that
he had persuaded Valdes to do the like ; but
this is most certain, that after Philip returned
from England, then did the emperor and Valdes
perform their resolution. In his retirement
Valdes wrote his ( Divine Considerations,'
and other treatises of worth, which want a
second Mr. Ferrar to procure and translate
them/' This account of Valdes, Izaac Walton
received from a friend, who had it from the
mouth of Mr. Ferrar. The editor will prolong
this digression by observing, that in the work
alluded to, much is to be discovered of the
energy of Divine grace moving upon an en
lightened mind, and evinced in Christian ex
perience. This experience is always the same.
The person who goes to the word of God in
search of truth, believing it to be there, anxious
to find it, and with a mind unprejudiced by the

160 MEMOIRS OF

systems of men, will in all ages arrive at the
same conclusions. He may differ with others
about non-essentials; but the mortification of
sin, and renewal unto holiness, is the one thing
which he sees needful — the good part which
he chooses, and strives and prays for. It is
" a sign" by which, in the language of Valdes,
" he may know himself to be a son of God."
The young and tempted Christian may derive
encouragement from Valdes's view of gradual
sanctification ; and all who read his book may
admire and adore the goodness and unchange-
ableness of God, who, with all the diversity of
" gifts," " administrations," and "operations,"
is still in all ages ee the same Lord" and (e the
same Spirit," working the same experience in
the hearts of all who are called " from dark
ness into his marvellous light."

Walton affords also some interesting par
ticulars regarding the publication of another
book, better known than that of Valdes, and
of which Mr. George Herbert was the author,
and Mr. Ferrar the editor. Herbert, when in
a decaying state of body, having expressed, to
a mutual friend of his and Ferrar's, his com
plete resignation to the Divine will — that he

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 161

was " even pleased with his want of health/'
and that he waited " his appointed change with
hope and patience/' added, " I pray, deliver
this little book to my dear brother Ferrar, and
tell him he shall find in it a picture of the
many spiritual conflicts that have passed be
tween God and my soul, before I could submit
to the will of Jesus my Master, in whose ser
vice I have now found perfect freedom. De
sire him to read it ; and then, if he think it may
turn to the advantage of any poor dejected
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."

This book bears the name of " The Temple ;
or Sacred Poems and Private Ejaculations :"
of which Mr. Ferrar said, " 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."

When Mr. Ferrar sent this book to Cam
bridge to be licensed for the press, the vice-
chancellor objected to the verses,

" Religion stands on tiptoe in our land,
Ready to pass to the American strand :"

162 MEMOIRS OF

and refused to allow its publication unless they
were expunged. Mr. Ferrar, on the other
hand, would not consent to the book being
printed without them. This produced some
arguments for and against their publication;
but at last the vice-chancellor said, " I know
Mr. Herbert well, and I know that he had
many heavenly speculations, and was a divine
poet ; but I hope the world will not take him
for an inspired prophet :' and therefore I license
the whole book." Thus was it published, with
out the diminution or addition of a syllable;
Mr. Ferrar only contributing the preface, which
is usually printed with the book.

NICHOLAS FEBRAR. 163

CHAPTER XII.

IT was a maxim of Juan Valdes, whose " Di
vine Considerations5' have been adverted to.,
that fe by mortification a man maintains him
self in his Christian resolutions ;'3 that is, " in
such sort as faith and the Holy Spirit do mor
tify the affections and appetites of a man to
maintain him in those resolutions, which,
through his vocation, he hath made with the
world and with himself/5

Mr. Ferrar seems not only to have studied
the letter of Valdes's Considerations, but also
to have imbibed their spirit ; for it is recorded
of him, that he had gradually brought his
habits of mind and body into extraordinary
subjection, fe even/5 in the language of his
biographer, " to obey him as he pleased.3'

He was able to spend eighteen hours of the
twenty-four in useful business, serious study,
devout prayer, or heavenly meditation. He
habituated himself to sit seldom by the fire, or
indeed to sit at all in his study: walking, or

164 MEMOIRS OF

standing at a desk to read or write, was com
monly his posture ; and many things he penned
all the while kneeling upon his knees. During
the lifetime of his mother, she frequently and
earnestly entreated him to abate his rigour in
watching, until he abundantly satisfied her,
that, as it was of the greatest refreshment and
advantage to his soul, so it was quite harmless
to his body; and that he had a constitution
more liable to be endangered by the least
excess of sleeping or eating, than by the auste
rities which she deprecated.

But after the death of Mrs. Ferrar (who,
as his mother, and the venerable foundress and
governess of their religious house, overruled
him to a little more indulgence of himself), he
seldom went to bed above once a- week. He
was accustomed merely to lie down upon the
floor wrapped in a gown of black frieze, and
with a bear's skin under him : yet he felt no
decay of his strength in the last seven years of
his life, and his health was rather improving
than impairing in the midst of all his auste
rities.

Although he was very far removed from that
volatile character which is ever unfixed and un-

NICHOLAS FERBAR. 165

steady, yet would he never prolong his studies
or employments to a wearisome length, but
rather, as far as accidental occasions would
allow, vary his pursuits, and apportion certain
hours of the day and night to different avoca
tions. This he found less exhausting to mind
and body. The change afforded not only relief,
but a new pleasure and refreshment at every
turn. It must, however, be mentioned, that
when occasion required, he could firmly set
himself, day and night, to the performance of
any task, and never relax until he could say,
" It is done."

Mr. Ferrar's attachment to the Established
Church, and reverence for ecclesiastical dis
cipline, was a remarkable feature in his cha
racter. He had also antipathies as strongly
marked, perhaps, as these commendable predi
lections. He had conceived a hearty detesta
tion of the Roman mass, and this out of his
pure affection to God's honour and worship,
which he (having resided some years in popish
countries) observed to be mortally wounded
by the idolatrous adoration of that which he
thought many persons could not, and did not,
believe to be the body and blood of Christ.

166 MEMOIRS OF

On one occasion, in the honest and uncom
promising indignation of his heart, he said,
ee that such a sacrifice profaned the very place
wherein it was celebrated;" upon which one
of the company replied, " Why, sir, what if
mass should be celebrated in your house with
out your leave or knowledge, what would you
do ?"— " I will tell you a story/' said he. " A
peer of France, who had been long a pen
sioner* of Spain, being discovered, and flying
for refuge to the Spanish court, the king, upon
his arrival, instantly despatched his secretary to
a certain duke and grandee of Spain, entreating
him to lend a palace of his for the accommoda
tion of the fugitive nobleman. f Tell the king,'
said he, ' my house shall ever be at his majesty's
service ;' and when the secretary was returning
to court with this obliging answer — c Nay,'
said the duke, c stay and hear me out. As
soon as ever the house is mine again, to do
what I will with it, I will purge it in such a
manner that the world shall ring of it; for I
will burn it down to the ground, rather than it
shall be said hereafter that there harboured a

« A political pensioner — a spy.

NICHOLAS FEBRAR. 167

traitor under that roof.'" — " But, sir," said
the person whose conversation occasioned the
warmth of Mr. Ferrar 's address, (e do you
account the mass so great a traitor, that you
would burn your house if it was said there ?"
<( I say not so," answered Ferrar ; " for I have
not a purse to build another : but I tell you,
since you put it to me, / would pull down that
roomy though I built another." This was a sally
of his zeal ; and it is mentioned as one confu
tation of that obloquy, which malice, as impo
tent as virulent, endeavoured to fasten upon
him, that he was no enemy to popery, because
so much a friend to a retired way of living.

Mr. Ferrar possessed extraordinary discern
ment in the discovery of character. His friends
would often say he knew them better than they
knew themselves. If he conversed but a few
times with persons who did not designedly dis
guise themselves, he would see far into their
dispositions, and find how to work upon their
passions ; and then he would gently ply them
with such effectual persuasions to better things,
and would use such apt methods to dissuade and
reclaim them, if they were out of the way, that
he seldom failed, in some measure, to gain his

168 MEMOIRS OP

point. Besides, he was a man without fear in
an honest cause, and without any partial affec
tion, and would not strain his conscience,
though all the world might be immediately
applied to heal it. If any one attended him for
his advice in an affair of importance (and he
was the oracle of his friends), if the time and
place would allow, he would write down in
brief the substance of what they proposed;
then he would set down his answer, accom
panied by advice and reasons for approving or
disliking their proposition. He found by ex
perience, that, delivering his mind in a short
written note, especially to his country tenants
when they came to consult with him, saved a
great deal of time, prevented tedious and un
profitable conversation, allayed passions, and
removed misunderstandings. Another practice
of Mr. Ferrar was to transcribe and retain copies
of all letters of any consequence, though ad
dressed to an ordinary friend. And such a
master of insinuation was he for the good of
souls, that he would scarcely ever indite a
letter, though a very short one, without intro
ducing in it something tending to promote the
most excellent ends, and that with such judg-

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 169

ment, prudence, and courtesy, besides weight
and seriousness, as would not fail to be well
received. He would frequently say, the world
was in great error in not taking the right way
to do good, by a diffusive charity ; that it was
our Saviour's proverb, (( it is more blessed to
give than to receive ;'* but that Satan was the
author of that selfish proverb, in the sense in
which it is commonly used, (( Charity begins
at home/'

Their alms at Little Gidding, besides their
charity upon casualties, were so much every
day to poor housekeepers in the neighbourhood
of the manor, who were all admitted into a
lower room, whither Mr. Ferrar himself came
to see them served, to administer spiritual as
well as bodily comforts to them all, and to
inquire who were sick in any of the neighbour
ing villages, that he might send to relieve them.
He had a singular dexterity in reproving,
which he usually did by the relation of some
anecdote, the application of which to them
selves was easy; and as he had an admirable
faculty of advising others, whilst he seemed to
ask their advice, so it is well known that he
was most happy in applying the best remedies

170 MEMOIRS OF

to wounded consciences, which was one great
and chief end of his studies ; and with his
most affectionate efforts, he would assist persons
in their distresses, until he had, as it were, be
come the means of begetting them anew unto
God, — he understood it the better, from hav
ing undergone in his own tender age many and
grievous temptations.

Dr. Lindsell, once his tutor, and ever his
admirer, observing how daily more and more
refined and exalted was his practice of all
Christian virtues, would sometimes ask him to
what lengths he would go, and what examples
he would set them ? " Nay, sir," he would
reply, ee you are to answer this ; why did you,
at college, set me to read the lives of the
fathers, and of later saints in England, if not
to follow them ?"

He frequently penned excellent prayers for
several occasions, some only as short collects,
others of considerable length, composed on
some memorable domestic family and other
occurrences. He employed one of his nephews
in translating from the Italian the prayers of ]
Mynsinger, a large collection in folio, for all
sorts and conditions of men. In the prayers

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 171

of his own composition, whilst he begged new
blessings with all imaginable acknowledg
ments of the old which he had already re
ceived, he always interwove such clear instruc
tions as might teach every one their duties in
all good works.

Regarding extemporary prayers, he used to
say, there needed little other confutation of
that opinion or practice, than to take them in
short-hand and shew them some time after to
the very man who had used then. ee Ask/5
said he, " their own judgment of them (for I
think they will hardly know them again), and
see if they do not blame them."

To a certain extent Mr. Ferrar was right.
Prayer was no doubt in his days, and is now,
sometimes unquestionably poured forth in lan
guage so familiar, confused, and presumptuous,
as to be altogether unsuitable to the expression
of a needy, dependent, and sinful creature
addressing a Being of infinite holiness and
sovereign majesty, ee the King of kings, and
Lord of lords/' But the abuse of a practice
does not justify its disuse. It does not follow,
because some of the Puritans of the seven
teenth century sometimes prayed amiss, or the

172 MEMOIRS OF

fanatics of the nineteenth century pray pre
sumptuously, that humble, judicious, sober,
hearty-believing extemporary prayer should be
abandoned altogether. Many clergymen and
others, ministers as well as laymen, have
doubtless found that no written form of prayer
could be made to bear with such heart-touch
ing effect upon the state and character of
those whom they visit in sickness or sorrow,
as those extemporary outpourings of supplica
tion, founded upon a knowledge of the case of
the sufferer.

And so also in family worship there are
seasons and occurrences which occasionally call
forth a more particular and personal expres
sion of praise, prayer, or submission, than can
be found in any printed form, however excel
lent. As to private prayer, what mere form
can express the varied sensations of a heart
sometimes almost sinking under its own bitter -
nessj at other times shuddering at its own
deadness; now abashed and trembling at its
own sinfulness ; and then rejoicing fc in the
Lord5' for merciful providences, for pardoning
grace, and for redeeming love ? " O/' ex
claimed a venerable minister of the Gospel of

NICHOLAS FERBAR. 173

Christ, ff the sublimity of prayer ! How it dig
nifies those who are continually found in it !
It is indeed a wondrous grace, teaching us to
address God in his own way. What I say, he
dictates ! My words of prayer, though polluted
by the breath I breathe, still, blessed be his
name ! go up an unpolluted sacrifice by Christ.
I put my prayers into the Redeemer's hand ; he
pardons and purifies what is mine, takes them
spotless to his Father's throne, and they are

answered by innumerable blessings It

is a poor thing to have strong words and
weak desires ; but it is a blessing indeed when,
though the words may be feeble, the desires
are strong. . . . The Pharisees were to re
ceive ' the greater damnation' for their prayers ;
so is our condemnation obvious, when we
have nothing to bring before God but words.
Blessed is the man who knows how to whisper
out to God the inmost secrets of the soul."*

At a period when a strict adherence to litur
gical forms, in public and private, was among
many persons a test of truth and loyalty, we
may make allowances for aversions to any de-

* Mature Reflections, &c. of the Rev. Rowland Hill
in his old age, by the Rev. Edwin Sidney.

1/4 MEMOIRS OP

viation from those forms ; hence it may be
understood, that Mr. Ferraris objection to ex
temporary prayer arose more from the peculiar
character of the times in which he lived, and
the frequent abuse of the practice, than from
any thing wrong in that style of prayer itself.

The occasional and judicious use of extem
porary prayer is altogether compatible with the
highest veneration for our scriptural and beau
tiful liturgy. Some of the brightest ornaments
of our church, among the prelacy and clergy,
have practised it. Not to speak of living pre
lates who approve of it, did not Bishop Wilkins
write a treatise on the gift of prayer ? And as
to the good and great Usher, he was celebrated
for the fervency, fluency, and copiousness of
his extemporary prayers.

It has been remarked, that extemporary
prayer, either alone or in connexion with
liturgical forms, constitutes the worship of
all the reformed churches, at home or abroad ;
so that the practice of those ministers of the
church of England who reject it altogether,
and the prejudice which prevails against it
in this country, are peculiar to ourselves, and
unknown every where else.

NICHOLAS FERRAR.

The great affection and veneration Mr. Fer-
rar had for our liturgy appeared by his own daily
and devout reading of it ; and the frequent and
reverent use of it, he justly believed to be one
of the most likely expedients to gain over its
adversaries.

No man was better pleased with a decent
splendour in the house of God, nor was any
one more elevated with our solemn service,
performed with good and grave cathedral music,
of which his travels in Italy made him a per
fect judge; he used it in his house, and he
built, in the church, a gallery, in which he set
up an organ.

His reverence for and attachment to the
Psalms has been mentioned: he made it his
great endeavour to promote the learning of the
whole Psalter without book, not only by the
young people, but by the elder sort ; and he
was accustomed to engage the proper classes,
parents as well as children, in this profitable
task, on purpose to redeem them from their
vain thoughts and conversation, and to make
the repetition of these sacred hymns, without
interrupting the performance of any other
necessary duty, honest employment, or inno-

MEMOIRS OF

cent recreation, the subject of their mutual dis
courses. In like manner he used earnestly to
recommend committing to memory the Gospel
of our blessed Lord, and more, if they could, of
the New Testament : this, he would say, was
as needful food to our souls as meat is to our
bodies, which a man is to get by the sweat of
his brow; " for who knows/' said he, ei how
he may be disposed of before he dies ? Suppose
blind, suppose in a prison, or travelling where
he can have 110 help but from his memory !
No man/' he added, "till he has tried, can
imagine the comfort and advantage he may
derive from such a good treasure in his heart."

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 177

CHAPTER XIII.

IN the autumn of 1637, Mr. Ferrar, perceiving
in himself some inward faintness, and appre
hending that it was an indication of the break
ing up of his bodily health, broke off abruptly
from writing any farther on a subject which
was at that time under his consideration. This
breaking off is yet to be seen in an unfinished
treatise, still extant, with his reason for discon
tinuing it. He then began to write down
Contemplations on Death, in the following words :
ee The remembrance of death is very power
ful to restrain us from sinning. For he who
shall well consider that the day will come (and
he knoweth not how soon) when he shall be
laid upon a sick bed, weak and faint, without
ease and almost without strength, encompassed
with melancholy thoughts, and overwhelmed
with anguish ; when, on one side, his distemper
increasing upon him, the physician tells him
that he is past all hope of life ; and, on the
other, his friends urge him to dispose of his

1/8 MEMOIRS OF

worldly goods, and share his wealth among
them — that wealth which he procured with
trouble, and preserved with anxiety ; that
wealth which he now parts from with sorrow ; —
when again the priest calls upon him to take
the preparatory measures for his departure;
when he himself now begins to be assured that
here he hath no abiding city ; that this is no
longer a world for him 5 that no more suns
will rise and set upon him ; that for him there
will be no more seeing, no more hearing, no
more speaking, no more touching, no more
tasting, no more fancying, no more understand
ing, no more remembering, no more desiring,
no more loving, no more delights of any sort
to be enjoyed by him ; but that death will at
one stroke deprive him of all these things ; that
he will speedily be carried out of the house
which he had called his own, and is now be
come another's ; that he will be put into a cold
narrow grave ; that earth will be consigned to
earth, ashes to ashes, and dust to dust; — let
any man duly and daily ponder these things,

and how can it be that he should dare"

Here the strength of the writer failed him,
and his essay is left thus unfinished.

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 1/9

In the beginning of November he found
that his weakness and faintness increased; yet
on the first Friday in that month he went to
church, and officiated for the last time. The
same day he sent for his friend, the clergyman
of Great Gidding, whom he then requested to
come every day and read prayers for him ;
" For/' said he, " it is my first care that the
service of my God be not one day neglected by
those who can go to church ; and I know that
I shall not be able to perform my part there
any more.5' His family had now very sad and
dreadful apprehensions about him, which being
discernible in their looks, he exhorted them to
patience and resignation. Some of them urging
him to declare the reasons upon which he
spoke so confidently of the time of his disso
lution being at hand: uTo satisfy you/' he
replied, " I shall give you one reason : in all
former sicknesses I have ever had a strong de
sire to live, and an earnestness to pray God to
spare me, which he has hitherto done, even
when all hopes of life were past, by the
judgment of a most skilful physician : and I
may farther say, to the glory of his great name,
I never earnestly set myself to beg any thing of

180 MEMOIRS OF

God but he fulfilled the petition of his unworthy
servant. But now, of late, I have not any in
clination to beg longer life of God; nay, I
rather desire to be dissolved, and to be with
Christ." A general decay of bodily health and
strength grew upon him, but all the powers of
his soul were as active and lively as at any
time during his most vigorous health. On the
first Sunday in November, he received with
great desire and devotion the holy communion,
making a most solemn confession of his faith
and trust in Jesus ; renouncing all pretence of
meriting any thing, and saying, when men had
done all, they must truly acknowledge them
selves to be ee unprofitable servants.3' The
divine who administered to him declared he
had never heard so excellent a Christian con
fession of faith, and he thought he should never
hear the like again.

Mr. Ferrar passed the days and nights in
heavenly counsels to the family, and earnestly
exhorted them to persevere in the way he had
pointed out; and addressing himself particu
larly to his brother, said, " My dear brother, I
must now shortly appear before God, and give
an account of what I have taught this family.

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 181

And here, with a safe conscience, I can say, that
I have delivered nothing to you but what I
have thought agreeable to his word : therefore,
abide steadily by what I have taught. Worship
God in spirit and in truth. I will use no more
words. One thing, however, I must add, that
you may be both forewarned and prepared:
sad times are coming on, very sad times indeed ;
you will live to see them."* Then, grasping his
brother's hand, he said, " Oh, my brother ! 1
pity you, who must see these dreadful alter
ations. And when you shall see the true wor
ship of God brought to nought, and suppressed,
then look and fear that desolation is nigh at
hand. And in this great trial, may God of his
infinite mercy support and deliver you !"

He persuaded the family to adhere to the
doctrine and practice of the Church of England;
"to persevere in that good old way/' were his
very words : for having set himself firmly for

* When some farmers near Gidding, somewhat be
fore his death, desired longer leases of the lands which
they rented, he intimated that seven years would be long
enough. " Troublesome times were coming/' he said ;
and they might thank God if they enjoyed them so long
in peace."— BARNABAS OLEY'S Life of George Herbert.

182 MEMOIRS OF

scriptural, primitive Christianity, he counted
popery, as well as puritanism, arrant novelty.
He admonished the younger persons of his
household, whom he looked upon as suns in
the high noon of their Christian course, and
which had compassed much of heaven already,
that there was as much more of it before their
eyes, which must also be the travail of their
souls : and stooping to the capacities of the
children (his sister's children), he strove to
leave deepening impressions of the love, and
fear, and service of God upon their tender dis
positions, reminding them to keep their psalms
and gospels in their hearts: setting before their
eyes how many blessings God would return
upon them, and fervently calling upon Ihe
Lord to keep them in his holy protection.

Three days before his death, at about eight
o'clock in the morning, he summoned all his
family around him, and addressed his brother
John to this effect: "Brother, I would have
you go to the church, and at the west end, at
the door where we enter the church, I would
have you measure from the steps seven feet to
the westward, and at the end of those seven
feet, there let my grave be made." His brother

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 183

stood almost drowned in tears, as in truth were
all the standers-by: indeed, never had a family
more cause to bewail a loss. Mr. Ferrar con
tinued : " Brother, that first place of the length
of seven feet I leave for your burying place ;
you are my elder brother : God, I hope, will
let you there take up your resting-place till we
all rise again in joy/' When his brother re
turned, saying it was done as he desired;
e ( Then go," he added, ee and remove from my
study those three large hampers full of books,
that stand there locked up these many years.
They are comedies, tragedies, heroic poems,
and romances : let them be carried to the place
marked out for my grave, and there) upon it,
see you burn them all immediately." And this
he uttered with some vehemence and indigna
tion, adding, " Go, brother ; let it be done, let
it be done ; and then come again all of you to
me."

These books had been carefully locked up
ever since the family had taken up their abode
at Gidding, in order that no one should make
use of them or see them. There were many
hundreds, in several languages, which Mr. Fer
rar had procured at different places in his

184 MEMOIRS OF

travels, some of them with much search and
cost.

His orders were obeyed; the vain things
which once had charmed him were sacrificed
over the spot which was to receive his mortal
remains; and the smoke and flame of this
biblical holocaust, as they burst out from the
place of conflagration, and flared from the emi
nence on which the house and church stood,
excited the attention and alarm of the neigh
bourhood, and drew together very many per
sons, who imagined a destructive fire was hap
pening at Gidding.

When the people saw what was doing, they
went away, and reported that Mr. Ferrar was
dying, and his books burning. Within a few
days the report of this transaction had assumed
another feature, and it was currently asserted
in the neighbouring market towns, that he could
not die in peace until he had burned all his
books of magic and conjuration. This absurd
story was circulated with much industry, and
received with avidity; and persons who evi
dently desired to prejudice the minds of the
ignorant against Mr. Ferrar, and shake, if pos
sible, his reputation for sanctity, wrote and got

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 185

the report dispersed and spread abroad far and
wide.

In his earlier years he had found these
books very bewitching, in drawing him aside by
their fascinations from that steady and mental
obedience to the truth, which even in youth he
loved. He had felt the sorcery of their insidi
ous power, and he would now execute a judg
ment of zeal upon them, as the early converts
to Christ did at Ephesus ; for we read, " many
which used curious arts brought their books
together, and burned them before all men."
A renowned Italian wit, ^Eneas Sylvius, who
was afterwards Pope of Rome, by the name of
Pius the Second, having in his youth publicly
set forth some offensive things, retracted them
in his old age, entreating all men to prefer his
latter counsels to his early rashness ; and our
noble Sidney, on his death-bed, gave orders
that his " Arcadia" should be suppressed and
consumed to ashes, lest it might prove an in
centive to amorous passions : in like manner
our dying saint of Gidding, who long before
was dead to the censure of the world, and had
no longer any human thoughts of life about it,
realised the generous shame which the remem-

186 MEMOIRS OF

brance of youthful predilections created ; and
when his brother returned from doing exe
cution by fire upon the offensive volumes, and
assured him that they were all burnt, he sat up
in his bed, and poured out his soul in hearty
thanksgivings to Almighty God. He desired
that this act might be considered as the testi
mony of his disapprobation of all such pro
ductions, as tending to corrupt the mind of
man, and improper for the perusal of every
good and sincere Christian.

Many divines in the neighbourhood came
to visit Mr. Ferrar, or rather to learn of him
how to behave with an humble greatness of
mind under a similar dispensation : first he
would entreat them to join in some prayers
with him, and then proceed to such discourse
as was fitting for dying men. One visitor,
during Mr. Ferraris last illness, used language
of this kind : (< Sir, what joy may you now
have of the many alms-deeds you have done !"
And then he was proceeding to enumerate
some of them; but the good man unceremo
niously cut him short. " What ! speak you of
such things ?" he said ; " it had been but a
suitable return for me to have given all I had,

NICHOLAS FERRAB. 187

instead of scattering a few crumbs here and
there : God, forgive me !"

Another person, standing by his bed-side,
read from the ee Visitation of the Sick/' as pre
scribed in the liturgy of the established church,
" and for what cause soever this sickness is
sent unto you, whether it be to try your pa
tience for the example of others, or/' he went
on, "for our punishment" At the unau
thorised addition of these words Mr. Ferrar
was much displeased, beseeching him to speak
at that rate no more, for he was ee a most
miserable sinner."

Once, during his sickness, overhearing his
elder brother bewailing his and the family's
infinite loss, if this man of God should be
taken from them, and in his excess of grief
concluding thus, "Alas ! what will become of us
poor sheep, if the shepherd be taken away ?" —
his profound humility was so deeply wounded,
that they should put so much of their trust in
him, rather than in the living God, that, calling
his brother to his bed-side, he said, with great
energy, ce Oh, my brother ! what mean you by
using that undue expression ? Go, I pray you,

188 MEMOIRS OF

to the church, humble thyself, and fast this
day, and ask of God to forgive thee."

On the return of the next Lord's day, he
found himself more and more declining; and
heartily wishing to be released, he fervently
prayed, "Why stay I here, Lord, any longer,
who can do so little now but take my ease
and sleep ? Lord, in thy good time receive my
soul." And amidst other divine sentences out
of the Psalms, this he repeated almost in every
breath : (e Haste thee, O God, to deliver me ;
make haste to help me, O God \"

This Lord's day was the first Sunday in
the month, the constant day for their monthly
communion ; therefore he requested the minis
ter, that after he had celebrated the Lord's
supper in the church, he would come home
and consecrate again for him; ee since now
the heavenly table was his only support, for he
had done with the earthly."

When the clergyman advanced to give him
the sacred emblems, he first entreated the
prayer of absolution, having again made a full
and lively profession of his faith and state of
soul ; and then, with most exalted affection, re-

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 189

ceived them, and afterwards offered up his
very humble thanks for that most inestimable
benefit, uttering to the same purpose many
powerful and divine words, as one who had
no longer any human thoughts about him. But
afterwards he applied himself again to the
work in which he had resolved to live and
die; and that was, confirming his family in
the ways of piety ; more especially directing
this his last discourse to his most beloved
disciples, his two nieces, that they should be
stedfast, and commit themselves to the guid
ance of their Lord God and Jesus Christ their
Master. After midnight, having lain very still
for a considerable time, he spoke a little, and
observing that those about him did not dis
tinctly hear him, he said, with a loud voice,
" What, does my speech fail ? Oh, sweet Jesus,
let it not fail me to the last, I beseech thee \"
Then, being asked whether the clergymen
should be called, who not long before had left
his chamber, supposing he had been asleep,
he said, " Entreat them to come and pray to
gether.5' When they came in, he desired them
to say the prayer for a dying man ; which
ended, and they inquiring how he did, he

190 MEMOIRS OF

answered, " Pretty well, I thank my God and
you, and I shall be better;" then he lay motion
less for about half an hour, the family and
ministers standing about his bed, supposing
him to be in a refreshing slumber, when
suddenly casting his hands out of the bed
with great strength, and looking up and round
about him, he exclaimed, with a strong and
cheerful voice, (f Oh, what a blessed change is
here — what do I see ? — what do I see ? Oh, let
us come and sing and praise the Lord, and
magnify his holy name together : I have
been at a great feast: Oh, magnify the Lord
with me." One of his nieces said, f( At a
feast, dear father ?" " Yes," he replied, " at
the great King's feast;" and this he uttered
with a sound and perfect accent, as if he had
ailed nothing. While all stood somewhat
amazed, and unwilling to interrupt him, if he
should say more, he laid himself down quietly,
and putting his hands under the bed-covering,
stretched them out by his sides and closed his
eyes.

The clergy again went to prayers ; all
kneeled around his bed ; the officiating minister
had arrived at that part of the supplication

NICHOLAS FERBAR. 191

wherein he implored the Lord,, that " he would
be pleased to send his holy angels and convey
the soul of the departing man to its abode in
the heavens ;" even whilst these words were
uttered^ he opened his lips, and gave one
gasp ; after which, not once stirring or mov
ing hand or foot, he rendered up his soul to
be carried in the hands of angels to the rest
of the Lord Jesus. At that instant the clock
struck one, the hour at which he had con
stantly risen every morning to praise God, and
to pray to him; and at that very hour his
Almighty Father called him to his heavenly
kingdom, to praise him with an innumerable
company of angels, and with the spirits of just
men made perfect ; and, as one of the company
said, " he ended the Christian Sabbath here
upon earth, to begin the everlasting one in
heaven.5'

On the Thursday following, his remains
were deposited in a vault at the west end of
the church, as he had appointed. The burial
service was read, and a sermon preached on
the occasion by the Dean of Ely.

Dr. Peckard, one of Nicholas Ferraris bio
graphers, says, (e That he was eminently pious

192 MEMOIRS OF

towards God, benevolent towards man, and
perfectly sincere in all his dealings ; that he
was industrious beyond his strength, and in
defatigable in what he thought his duty ; that
he was blessed by Providence with uncommon
abilities, and by unremitted exertion of his
various talents attained many valuable accom
plishments, is very manifest, and is the least
that can be said in his praise ; and, though
greatly to his honour, is yet no more than
that degree of excellence which may have been
attained by many. But the spiritual exaltation
of mind, by which he rose above all earthly
considerations of advantage, and devoted him
self entirely to God — whom, in the strictest
sense, he loved with all his heart, with all his
soul, and with all his strength — being united
to the active virtues of a citizen of the world,
gives him a peculiar pre-eminence even among
those who excel in virtue. For though he
practised self-denial to the utmost, and exer
cised religious severities upon himself scarcely
inferior to those of the recluses of old, yet he
did not, like them, by a solitary and morose
retirement, deprive himself of the power con
tinually to do good, but led a life of active

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 193

virtue and benevolence. His youth was spent
in an incessant application to learned studies,
and the time of his travel was given to the
acquisition of universal wisdom. On his re
turn home, in conducting the affairs of an im
portant establishment, he displayed uncommon
abilities, integrity, and spirit. As a member
of the House of Commons, he gained distin
guished honour, and was appointed the prin
cipal manager to prosecute and bring to jus
tice the great man and corrupt minister of that
time. And having thus discharged the duties
of a virtuous citizen, he devoted the rest of his
life to the instruction of youth, to works of
Christian charity, and to the worship of God
in a religious retirement, while he was yet in
possession of his health and strength, and in
the prime of manhood ; that, like the great
author who was his daily and nightly study
and admonition, the royal Psalmist, he might
not sacrifice to God that which cost him
nothing. In one word, he was a rare ex
ample of that excellence in which are blended
all the brilliant qualities of the great man, with
all the amiable virtues of the good/'

The Right Reverend Dr. Turner, another of

K

194 MEMOIRS OF

his biographers, says of Nicholas Ferrar, 6e His
wisdom was the most admirable thing in him:"
— and truly it may be added, because it was
of the best sort.

In the wisdom of Nicholas Ferrar we find,
not merely prudence in relation to the ordinary
concerns of life ; not merely sagacity in the
management of worldly concerns ; not merely
the elevations of mind which adorn the man
of science and the scholar ; for all these, and
more than these, may be united in the same
person, who may be nevertheless a fool before
God ; — but whilst we find in Mr. Ferrar all
these qualities, we discover also a wisdom of a
higher character, consisting in the fear of God,
the knowledge of God, the love of God ; in
short, in a right state of heart before God.

True wisdom is the religion of the Bible ;
the religion of the Gospel ; " the choice of the
best end pursued by the best means/' This
was Ferraris wisdom. St. Paul, when writing
to Timothy, congratulates him, because that
" from a child" he had known the holy Scrip
tures, which " are able to make wise unto sal
vation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus/*.
Ferrar also from a child was taught to believe

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 195

and reverence the holy Scriptures ; he saw
that true wisdom has to do with our spiritual
and immortal interests ; and, a foundation being
thus laid in a sincere faith in the Gospel, he
was armed at all points for the Christian war
fare. Pleasure, fame, wealth, ambition, were
all held as nothing with him, in comparison
with the great end of existence, " being made
wise unto salvation, through faith which is in
Christ Jesus/5 His retirement from busy life
was not the result of disappointed ambition;
it was not the decision of a man soured by the
neglect of an unfeeling or capricious world ;
nor was it the consequence of fallen fortunes,
or declining health ; but the deliberate, judi
cious, wise resolve of a man whom ambition
might have raised to a lofty pinnacle of worldly
honour ; whose counsel and society were
courted by the excellent, the learned, and the
noble ; whose great powers of mind and
strength of body were scarcely in their zenith
of manly vigour ; and yet who voluntarily re
signed all prospects, promises, and offers of
worldly advantage, for that calm course,
wherein retirement might be made useful to
himself and others; and he and they might,

196 MEMOIRS OF

by the blessing of the Most High upon the
means, be made " wise unto salvation.93

It was said of Nicholas Ferrar, that he was
a demonstration against those who say that
the constitution of man's body can scarce be
so evenly tempered as to be equally capable of
a quick wit, a strong memory, and a deep
judgment. His humility, prudence, charity,
temperance, industry, were all in that degree,
and of that constancy, that all who knew him
well, in our time and nation, will say, with one
mouth, that he was incomparably the best
man we knew \"

(( Mark," then, ef the perfect man. and
behold the upright, for the end of that man
is peace."

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 197

CHAPTER XIV.

AMONG the members of the Ferrar family at
Gidding, there was one who was blessed with
a similarity of genius to the subject of the
foregoing memoir, and who also possessed
remarkable accomplishments in learning and
virtue. He was the son of Mr. John Ferrar,
and nephew and namesake of Nicholas. He
was born in the year 1620; and when he be
came capable of instruction, his uncle took him
under his own immediate care ; and finding in
him a quickness of parts, and a turn of dispo
sition congenial to his own, he instructed and
assisted him in the same course of studies
which he himself had pursued in the early
part of his life. In these he made such a
rapid proficiency as was the astonishment of
all who knew him, and, could it not be proved
by sufficient testimony, might occasion a great
difficulty of belief.

In Dr. Peckard's life of his uncle, we find
the following observations respecting Nicholas
Ferrar, junior : —

198 MEMOIRS OF

ef It cannot be expected that the life of a
young man, who scarce ever went from the
sequestered place of his education, and died
before he was one and twenty, should abound
with incidents ; but if the term of existence
were to be measured by virtue and knowledge,
few would be found who have lived so long.

e{ This extraordinary youth was dearly be
loved of his uncle, who spared no diligence or
expense in his education \ providing able tutors
both in the sciences and in languages, and be
stowing great part of his own time in his in
struction. He too, like his uncle, with un
common quickness of parts, and extraordinary
strength of memory, possessed an equal ardour
for improvement, and an indefatigable spirit of
application."

For some additional particulars, the editor
has had recourse to Dr. Wordsworth's valuable,
instructive, and interesting work of ecclesias
tical biography, wherein, as an appendix to the
life of Nicholas Ferrar, senior, he transcribes
from a MS. in the Lambeth library (which ap
pears to be written by Mr. John Ferrar) an
account of Nicholas Ferrar, junior's, visit to
London, its object and result. The narrative

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 199

is here abridged,, but it is hoped may be
deemed not an uninteresting sequel to these
memoirs.

During his uncle's life, Nicholas Ferrar,
junior, was employed by him in the translation
of Mynsinger's Devotions, a volume containing
a large collection of prayers for all sorts and
conditions of men. There were also seven
other greater works finished, and one only de
vised, in which young Ferrar took a very pro
minent part. The second of these works, in
the order in which they are mentioned in the
MS. before alluded to, was that book which
had been compiled at Gidding by the command
of King Charles the First, and to which refer
ence has already been made in a former part of
these memoirs. It was called 6e the History of
the Israelites, from the death of King Saul to
the carrying away captive into Babylon/' &c.
The third work was occasioned and effected
upon a letter sent to Gidding from a person
of honour, intimating that the prince, having
seen the king his father's book (that is, the
book which was first of all presented him, the
Concordance of the Four Evangelists), would
have begged it of the king, but he told him that

200 MEMOIRS OF

he might not part with that rich jewel, for he
daily made use of it ; but if he desired one, he
made no question but the same heart and hands
that framed his would fit him also with one for
his use, and hoped he would make use of it, for
it was the book of books, &c.

Upon the intimation given of the prince's
desire, though Mr. Nicholas Ferrar, senior, was
then with God, yet his young nephew that bare
his name, having seen all the former works
done in the house, did, in concurrence with
others of his family, determine to go beyond the
expectation of the prince ; and as he had at
tained to the knowledge of many languages, he
thought a concordance of four several languages
would be more useful and beneficial and plea
sant to the young prince's disposition ; and so,
they, uniting their heads and hands lovingly to
gether, did devote certain portions of time in
every day to the formation of the work until it
was completed. It was then, upon consulta
tion, thought fitting that it should not go single
and alone, but to stay awhile till Nicholas
Ferrar, junior, had finished four other pieces of
works, wherein were displayed the extraordi
nary proficiency he had made in the knowledge

NICHOLAS FERRAB. 201

i

of languages. All these five pieces, that one
for the prince and four for the king, being
made ready, they were carried up to London ;
but in the way they went by Cambridge, and
there were shewed to some eminent persons, a
bishop then present there, and other learned
scholars. All these learned men gave their
approbation to the works, and no small com
mendation, as well as admiration, that they
were so contrived and ordered, for substance
and form, by one of those tender years.

Nicholas Ferrar coming to London, as he
had directions, addressed himself to the Arch
bishop of Canterbury, by whom he was received
not merely with cordiality, but with tenderness
and affection, who desired a sight of the books ;
which, when he had well seen and perused, he
very highly commended in every particular.
After much discourse, he permitted young Fer
rar to depart, giving him directions that next
day in the afternoon, being Maundy-Thursday,
he should meet him at Whitehall. The arch
bishop came at the appointed time, and found
Ferrar and others waiting his leisure. " Come/'
said he, " follow me where I go •" and then led
them into a room where the king stood by the

202 MEMOIRS OF

fire, with many nobles attending him. When
the king saw the archbishop enter the room,
he said, {C What ! have you brought with you
those rarities and jewels you told me of?"
" Yes, sire, here is the young gentleman and
his works/' So, taking him by the hand, he
led him up to the king. He falling down on
his knees, the king gave him his hand to kiss,
bidding him rise up. A box was opened, and
Nicholas Ferrar presented to the king that
book made for the prince, who, first admiring
its splendid binding and appendages, said,
££ Here is a fine book for Charles indeed ! I
hope it will soon make him in love with what
is within it, for I know it is good." So, opening
it, and with much pleasure perusing it, he said
merrily to the lords, e( What think ye of it ?
For my part, I like it in all respects exceeding
well, and find Charles will here have a double
benefit by the well contrivement of it, and not
only obtain, by a daily reading of it, a full in
formation of our blessed Saviour's life, doctrine,
and actions (the chief foundation of Christian
religion), but the knowledge of four languages.
A couple of better things a prince cannot de
sire, nor the world recommend unto him. And

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 203

lo ! here are also store of rare pictures to de
light his eye with."

Then Nicholas Ferrar, the king looking
upon him, bowing said, " May it please your
majesty, this work was undertaken upon the
prince's command. But 1 dared not present it
to him till it had your majesty's approbation
and allowance." " Why so ?" said the king ;
" it is an excellent thing for him,, and will do
him much good." ee Sir," said Ferrar, " my
learned and religious wise uncle, under whose
wings I was covered, and had my education
from my youth, gave me, amongst other rules,
this one, that I should never give any thing,
though never so good and fitting, to any person
whatever that had a superior over him, without
his consent and approbation first obtained . . .
I have therefore come, by the favour of my
lord of Canterbury, to present this piece unto
your majesty's view, and to beg your good
leave to carry it to the prince." The king
heard the youth with attention, and, turning to
the lords, commended the counsel and the
practice of it ; and then addressing the arch
bishop, said, " Let this young gentleman have
your letters to the prince to-morrow, to Rich-

204 MEMOIRS OF

mond, and let him carry this present. It is a
good day you know, and a good work would
be done upon it/'

Nicholas Ferrar then produced the four
other works which had been prepared for the
acceptance of the king, the inspection of which
excited in the highest degree his majesty's ad
miration. It appeared marvellous in his eyes
that a young man of twenty-one years of age
" should attain to the understanding and know
ledge of more languages than he was years
old ;" for one of the books was the New Tes
tament translated into twenty-four languages;
and that he knew those several languages, and
could translate them all into English or Latin,
he gave irrefragable proof before he left the
royal presence. The inspection of these works
occupied some time, and the king exclaimed :
ec We have spent part of our Maundy-Thursday
to good purpose." The nobles also expressed
their wonder and delight at what they had seen.
At last, the king, looking upon Nicholas Ferrar,
repeated his command that he should go the
next morning to Richmond, and carry to the
prince the book prepared for him. " And after
the holyday/' said he^ ff return to my lord of

NICHOLAS FERRAB. 205

Canterbury, and then you shall know my good
approbation of all you have done ; and: he shall
signify to you my will and pleasure what I will
have you to do, and where you are to go." He
then dismissed him with a cheerful royal look.
*****

The following morning Nicholas Ferrar,
having received his introductory letter to the
prince's tutor, was sent off to Richmond by
the archbishop, in a coach with four horses,
and on his arrival presented his credentials.
His reception by Bishop Duppa (the tutor) was
of the most flattering description, who forth
with ushered him into the presence of Prince
Charles, to whom he presented the book. The
prince hastily opened it, saying, tf Here's a
gallant outside,5' and gave it to the bishop, who
read the title-page and frontispiece. Then the
prince took it, and turning it all over, leaf by

leaf, said, " Better and better." " II

pleaseth me exceedingly, and I wish daily to
read in it/' Many questions were asked and
answered ; and the little Duke of York, having
also seen the book and the fine pictures in it,
came to Nicholas Ferrar, and said, " Will you
not make me also such another fine book ? I

206 MEMOIRS OF

pray you do it.'* Ferrar promised the young
prince that it should be done ; and the cour
tiers who stood by laughed* heartily at the
duke's earnestness, who would have no nay.
The prince at last went to dinner, expressing
much joy at his book.

The bishop took Ferrar by the hand, and,
with great demonstration of favour, led him
into a room where the Duke of Buckingham and
other nobles were, who sitting down to dinner,
the bishop placed Nicholas Ferrar by the table
at his side. The bishop demanded many ques
tions at table concerning Gidding, to which
he received satisfaction; saying, my lord of
Canterbury's letters had informed him of what
had passed before the king at Whitehall, and
of the rare pieces which were shewed the king,
whereof, he said, he hoped one day to have the
happiness to see them ; and added, e( this
present given the prince was very acceptable,
and he made no question but the prince would
receive not only much pleasure in it, but great
good by it in every kind."

* The book was made and printed, but no opportu
nity ever occurred to present it.

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 207

After dinner, the bishop led Ferrar into a
room where were the prince, the duke, and
divers court ladies looking upon the book. . . .
After many questions demanded and answered,
it growing late, Ferrar craved leave to depart ;
and humbly bowing to the prince, his highness
rose up, 'and came towards him, and moving
his hat, said, e£ I am much beholden to you for
the jewel you have given me, and for the con-
trivement of it ; and to the Gidding gentle
women, that have taken so much pains about
it, to make it so curious a piece." Then put
ting his hand into his pocket, he pulled out a
handful of twenty-shilling pieces of gold, say
ing (Nicholas Ferrar stepping back), fe Nay, I
do not give you this as any reward in recom
pense of your book, for I esteem it every way
above much gold, and prize it at a far greater
rate ; only you shall take this as a present tes
timony of my acceptance of it, and my esteem
of you ; I shall study how I may in the future
let all know how much I deem of your worth
and the book i" and then gave him his handful
of gold. And so Nicholas Ferrar departing,
divers courtiers would needs accompany him
to his coach, and the bishop down stairs ;

208 MEMOIRS OF

and thus, with great demonstration of much
civility, they parted, the bishop willing his
secretary to accompany him to the coach.

Saturday morning, repair was made to the
archbishop, to let him know what had passed
at Richmond ; for so he had given order, who
said he much longed to know what entertain
ment was given to the book and person. He
liked all well that passed, and said he was
right glad that things went as he hoped, and
should acquaint the king with all. Then taking
Nicholas Ferraris father aside, he said, "Let
your care now cease for your hopeful son, or
for his future preferment, or estate, or present
maintenance. God has so inclined the king's
heart and his liking to your son, and the gifts
God hath endued him with ; and having been
informed of his virtuous pious education and
singular industry, and Christian deportment
and sober inclination, — that he will take him
from you into his own protection and care,
and make him his scholar and servant; and
hath given me order, that after the holy days
being past I should send him to Oxford, and
that there he shall be maintained in all things
needful for him at the king's own charge, and

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 209

shall not need what he can desire to further
him in the prosecution of those works he hath

begun in matter of languages Assure

yourself he shall want nothing. In a word,
the king is greatly in love with him, and you
will and have cause to bless and praise God
for such a son.5' So Mr. John Ferrar, being
ravished with joy, in all humble manner gave
thanks to my lord's grace. And they return
ing to Nicholas Ferrar, my lord embraced him,
and gave him his benediction. Nicholas Fer
rar, kneeling down, took the archbishop's
hand and kissed it. He took him up in his
arms, and laid his hand to his cheek, and
earnestly besought Almighty God to bless
him and increase all graces in him, and fit
him every day more and more for an instru
ment of his glory here upon earth, and a saint
in heaven ; " which/' said he ef is the only
happiness that can be desired, and ought to
be our chief end in all our actions. God bless
you ! God bless you ! I have told your father
what is to be done for you after the holydays.
God will provide for you better than your
father can : God bless you and keep you \"
So they parted from his grace.

210 MEMOIRS OF

But he never saw him more ! On Easter
day (being next morning) he was desirous to
receive the communion at St. Paul's, whither
he went at an early hour and communi
cated ; and returning home, had little appetite
to his dinner, eating little or nothing. He
went, yet, to a sermon in the afternoon, but
at night grew somewhat worse.

On Monday morning his father sent for
a learned physician, who came and visited
him, and gave him what he thought fitting :
but he grew worse and worse. Then was
another physician joined to the first ; they
consulted and prescribed, but he mended not ;
but with great patience and cheerfulness did
bear his sickness, wholly committing himself
to God's good will and pleasure ; only telling
his friends and the Bishop of Peterborough
(that loved him dearly, and came to visit him
twice in that short time), that he was no way
troubled to die, and to go to heaven, where he
knew was only peace and quiet, and perma
nent joys ; whereas all things in the world
were but trouble and vexation : " and as death
must be the end of all men, he that went
soonest to heaven was the happiest man." The

NICHOLAS FERRAB. 211

bishop said, on retiring, that Nicholas Ferrar
was better prepared to die than he, and was
a true child of God, and could comfort himself
in God, without directions from him or others ;
that his pious education, under his pious uncle
of blessed memory, his old and dear friend,
was now shewed forth in these his so young
years, that they had taken mighty root down
ward, and in his soul, and now sprang up with
not only leaves and fair blossoms, but with
good and ripe fruit of heavenly matters. . . .
The bishop also endeavoured to prepare Mr.
John Ferrar for the death of his son. He
begged him not to dwell upon his own loss, but
to look to that crown which his son, by the
mercies of God and merits of his Saviour, he
was persuaded would enjoy in heaven. " He
is too good, he is too good," said he, " to live
longer in these ill approaching times. . /' Tu
mults had, in fact, then begun ; and the Arch
bishop of Canterbury's house at Lambeth was
one night assaulted by a rabble of lewd people ;
which when Nicholas Ferrar was told of, as he
lay in his sick-bed, « Alas ! alas I" said he,
" God help his church and poor England ! I
now fear, indeed, what my dear uncle said be-

212 MEMOIRS OF

fore he died is at hand, that evil days were
coining, and happy were they who went to
heaven before they came. It is high time that
supreme authority take care of these growing
evils. God amend all ! Truly, truly, it troubles
me." And at another time, when some one
said to him, ce Are you not grieved to leave this
world, you who are now so young, and in the
flower of your youth and hopes ?" he answered
cheerfully, " No, truly, I leave all to God's
good will and pleasure ; he is my best father,
and knoweth what is best for me. Alas ! I am
too young to be mine own judge what is best
for me, to die or live ; but let all be as God's
will is. If I live, I desire it may be to his
further glory, and the comfort and service that
I intend to be to my father, who loves me so
dearly, and in his old age to be his servant. If
I die, I hope my father will submit all to God's
will and pleasure, and rejoice at my happiness
in heaven, where, by the merits of my blessed
Lord and Saviour, I know I shall go out of
this wretched life."

In this manner, and upon the visits of
friends, he would discourse. The bishop came
to him two days before he died, who found

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 213

him in a most cheerful state of mind, ready to
depart and be with God. The bishop addressed
his father, saying, " God give you consolation,
and prepare you to part with your good son.
He will in a few hours, I think, go to a better
world ; for he is no way for this that I see, by
his body and by his soul. Be of good com
fort ; you give him but again to Him that gave
him to you for a season."

In two days after, God took him away : he
died praying and calling upon God, ee Lord
Jesus, receive my soul ! Lord, receive it !
Amen !"

This young man, as remarkable for his
early piety as for his extraordinary talents and
attainments, departed this life in May 1640.
But the connexion between the king and the
Ferrar family did not cease 011 his death. For
it appears., from several papers still in being,
that there was what may be justly called a
friendly intercourse subsisting, even till the dis
tressful year of 1646. It was in April of that
year that the king left Oxford. Being unre
solved how to dispose of himself, he shifted
ajbout from place to place, with his trusty

214 MEMOIRS OF

chaplain, Dr. Hudson, and at length came to
Downham, in Norfolk. From thence he came,
on May 2d, to Gidding. The king having an
entire confidence in the family, made himself
known to Mr. John Ferrar, who received his
majesty with all possible duty and respect ;
but fearing that Gidding, from the known
loyalty of the family, might be a suspected
place, for better concealment he conducted
his majesty to a private house at Coppinford,
an obscure village at a small distance from
Gidding, and not far from Stilton. Here the
king slept, and went thence, May 3, to Stam
ford, and from thence, on May the 5th, to the
Scotch army.

The distresses of the unhappy monarch,
independently of the last bloody scene of the
tragedy, excited commiseration in the hearts
even of some who never sided amongst his par
tisans in the war. We are told in the life of
Thomas Rosewell, afterwards a dissenting minis
ter, and who was found guilty of treason in the
reign of Charles the Second, that, " travelling
a little from home, he accidentally saw King
Charles the First in the fields, sitting at dinner
under a tree, with some few persons about

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 215

him." This made such a deep impression in
his mind as disposed him to the greater com
passion and loyalty towards the unhappy king.
Dr. Hudson (before mentioned), the faithful
companion of the king's flight, made himself,
by his uncompromising loyalty and zeal in
the king's service, extremely obnoxious to the
tyrant parliamentary party. Twice, in the years
1646 and 1648, was he taken prisoner and
escaped ; but at last, pressed by the opponents
of the king, he fled with others to Woodcroft
House, near Peterborough. The house being
forced, and most of the royalists taken, Hud
son, with some of the most courageous, went
to the battlements, where they defended them
selves for some time. At length, upon promise
of quarter, they yielded ; and when they had
so done, the promise of quarter was broken.
Hudson, being thrown over the battlements,
caught hold of a spout or out- stone, and there
hung ; but his hands being cut off, he fell
into the moat underneath, much wounded,
and desired to come on land to die there. As
he approached the shore, one of his enemies
beat out his brains with the but-end of his
musket !

216 MEMOIRS OF

Mr. Ferrar, a little before his death, had
said to his brother John, " Sad times are com
ing on, very sad times., and you will live to see
them." The prediction was fulfilled ! John
Ferrar had not only to mourn over the death
of his worldly comforts, in the decease of his
much-beloved brother and son, but lived to
witness the breaking up of the establishment at
Gidding, the destruction of his property, and
the dispersion of the family. During Mr. Fer
rar' s life, they had suffered the persecution of
slander and misrepresentation. They had been
vilified as Papists; they had been abused as
Puritans ; their establishment had been de
nounced even to parliament as an ee Arminian
nunnery," in an inflammatory pamphlet full of
invective, malignity, and falsehood.

Mr. Ferrar himself, though possessed of
uncommon patience and resignation, was yet
knowrn, in anguish of spirit, to complain to his
friends that the perpetual obloquy he endured
was a sort of unceasing martyrdom. But after
his death persecution became more open, more
daring — sanctioned by the dominant parlia
mentary tyranny of those wretched times. The
establishment at Little Gidding became an

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 217

object of abhorrence and persecution by the
zealots who hated forms of devotion and loy
alty to the king.

An attachment and adherence to forms in
divine worship was motive enough for persecu
tion by persons who held all religious forms
as arrant superstition ; and even the graces of
piety, charity, and benevolence, which distin
guished the household of Gidding-hall could
not disarm bigotry of its sting, nor persecution
of its malice.

A short time before the commission of ac
tual violence, Bishop Williams paid his last
friendly visit at Gidding, and seeing the in
scription in the parlour (which has been before
alluded to), he said to Mr. John Ferrar, " I
would advise you to take this tablet down.
You see the times grow high and turbulent,
and no one knows where the rage and madness
of the people may end. I am just come from
Boston, where I was used very coarsely. I do
not speak as by authority, I only advise you as
Ma friend, for fear of offence, or worse conse
quences.5' Then, after sincerely condoling
with them on their family bereavements, he
bade them his final farewell; but ever after

218 MEMOIRS OF

continued their firm friend, and constantly vin
dicated the family from the many slanders of
their false accusers. No family perhaps suf
fered more from less cause of offence; for
though they were pious and firm members of
the Church of England, they behaved them
selves quietly, and with Christian benevolence,
towards all men of all denominations ; and al
though they practised austerities which were
not exceeded by some of the severe monastic
institutions, yet they neither required them
from others, nor in themselves attributed any
saving merit to them— austerities which mis
taken piety thought a duty, but which, it must
be confessed, have not any proper foundation
in the Christian institution.

Not long before the mournful tragedy which
closed the mortal career of King Charles, cer
tain soldiers of the parliament party resolved
to plunder Mr. Ferrar's house ; and these mili
tary despots, in the rage of what they called
reformation, ransacked the church and house
at Little Gidding. In this work of destruction
they manifested a peculiar spite against the
organ ; this they broke in pieces, of which
they made a large fire, and roasted thereat

NICHOLAS FERRAR. 219

several of Mr. (John) Ferrar's sheep, which
they had killed on his grounds. This done,
they seized all the plate, furniture, and provi
sion, which they could conveniently carry away.
In this devastation perished some works of
Nicholas Ferrar's which merited a better fate.
The establishment was thus broken up, and
the family dispersed.

" Little Gidding," it has been observed,
" was in England what Port -Royal was in
France. Ardent devotion to the Redeemer
characterised both. In each, peace, charity,
good order, and love to the souls and bodies
of men, were eminently exhibited ; upon each
the hand of persecution fell with unrelenting
severity. Port -Royal was destroyed by the
Jesuits — Little Gidding by the Puritans."

The rage and malice of men is, however,
happily kept within bounds by the over-ruling
power and providence of God; and often
when rulers and people devise nothing short of
absolute destruction, they imagine (( a vain
thing.'5 The manor-house of Gidding was
plundered, and the inhabitants were driven to
seek shelter and safety elsewhere. In this day,
after an interval of nearly two centuries, the

762005

220 MEMOIRS OF NICHOLAS FEBRAR.

abode of the Ferrars has indeed ceased to exist,
but the church still stands; and the zeal and
liberal piety of the good mother of that family,
in renovating the then desecrated edifice, and
restoring the alienated property of the living, is
still found to be a blessing which the assaults
of persecution could not reach nor destroy.
The permanent provision thus made for the
support of the minister of religion at Gidding
has preserved to the neighbouring population
the means of grace in the due performance of
the rites and ordinances of the Established
Church ; and at this very time the Gospel of
the Lord Jesus Christ is preached with fidelity,
earnestness, and zeal, within the very walls
once consecrated by the piety of the Ferrars.
They " rest from their labours, and their works
do follow them/'

THE END,

LONDON :
PRINTED BY ROBSON, LEVEY, AND FRANKLY*,

46 St. Martin's Lane.

BX TURNER

5620 BRIEF MEMOIRS OF

.RT8 NICHOLAS FERRAR

1837

78459

DATE

ISSUED TO

SS37