He would by no means omit the customary time of proceffion, perfuading all, both rich and poor, if they defired the preservation of love, and their parish-rights and liberties, to accompany him in his perambulation; and most did fo: in which perambulation, he would ufually exprefs morepleafant difcourfe than at other times, and would then always drop fome loving and facetious obfervations to be remembered against the next year, especially by the boys and young people; ftill inclining them, and all his prefent parishioners, to meekness and mutual kindnesses and love; because "Love thinks not evil, but covers a multitude of infirmities".".

He was diligent to inquire who of his parish were fick, or any way diftreffed, and would often vifit them unfent for; fuppofing that the fitteft time to discover thofe errors, to which health and profperity had blinded: them. And having, by pious reafons and prayers, moulded them into holy refolutions for the time to come, he would incline them to confeffion, and bewailing their fins, with purpose to forfake them, and then to receive the communion, both as a ftrengthening of thofe holy refolutions; and as a feal betwixt God and them of his mercies to their fouls, in cafe that prefent: fickness did put a period to their lives.

And as he was thus watchful and charitable to the fick, fo he was diligent to prevent law-fuits, ftill urging his parishioners and neighbours to bear with each other's infirmities, and live in love, because (as St. John fays) "he that lives in love lives in God; for God is love." And to maintain this holy fire of love, conftantly burning on the altar of a pure heart, his. advice was to watch and pray, and always keep themfelves fit to receive. the communion, and then to receive it often: for it was both a confirming and a ftrengthening of their graces. This was his advice, and at his entrance or departure out of any houfe, he would ufually speak to the whole family,.

• It was among the injunctions given by Queen Elizabeth in 1559, on the abolition of those ceremonies, which attended the Popish proceffions, "that the parishioners fhall once in the "year, at the time accustomed, with the curate and the fubftantial men of the parish, walke. "about the parishes as they were accustomed, and at their returne to the church make their com"mon prayers." Many reafons concur to evince the neceflity of reviving the custom of holding thefe perambulations frequently and regularly. See in "The Book of Homilies," p.. 314 (Oxford edit. 1683), an exhortation to be spoken to fuch parifhes where they ufe their perambulation in Rogation-week for the overfight of the bounds and limits of their town.

family, and bless them by name; infomuch, that as he seemed in his youth to be taught of God, fo he feemed in this place to teach his precepts, as Enoch did by walking with him in all holiness and humility; making each day a step towards a bleffed eternity.. And though in this weak and de-clining age of the world, fuch examples are become barren, and almost incredible; yet let his memory be bleffed with this true recordation, because he that praises Richard Hooker praises God, who hath given fuch gifts to men; and let this humble and affectionate relation of him become fuch a pattern as may invite pofterity to imitate his virtues".

This was his constant behaviour at Borne; thus as Enoch, so he, walked with God; thus did he tread in the footsteps of primitive piety; and yet, as that great example of meekness and purity, even our blessed Jefus, was not free from falfe accufations, no more was this difciple of his, this moft humble, moft innocent, holy man. His was a flander parallel to that of chafte Susannah's by the wicked elders; or that against St. Athanafius, as it is recorded in his life (for that holy man had heretical enemies), and which this

1

P We may furely apply to this good man thefe lines of Mr. Cowley::

-his harmless life

"Does with fubftantial blessedness abound,

"And the foft wings of Peace cover him round.”

The Editor of this Work reads this description with inexpreffible fatisfaction, as it recalls to his remembrance the character of a much-honoured parent, who, in the instances of duty here related, literally trod in the steps of good Mr. Hooker; a bright example of primoval piety, adorning all the acquirements of a scholar and a divine with an unblemished fanctity of life

and manners.

"Nil me pœniteat fanum patris hujus.”

HOR..

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¶ "Scribit Theodoretus (lib. I. cap. 3.) fubornatam ab Arianis mulierem postulâfse Athana- "fium illati fibi per vim ftupri, cum illum fufcepiffet hofpitio. Cum igitur mulier in Atha"nafium fuas querelas proponeret, progrediens Timotheus Prefbyter, Egone, ait, mulier, vim "tibi et ftuprum intuli? Tum ipfa credens effe fibi ignotum Athanafium, convitiis facerdotem "excipiens, rem præfractius affeverat, et judicum fidem contra Timotheum obteftatur ad fce-"leris vindictam." (Notitia Conciliorum, &c. p. 123.)

this age calls trepanning'. The particulars need not a repetition; and that it was false needs no other teftimony than the public punishment of his accufers, and their open confeffion of his innocency. It was faid, that the accufation was contrived by a diffenting brother, one that endured not church-ceremonies, hating him for his book's fake, which he was not able to answer; and his name hath been told me; but I have not fo much confidence in the relation, as to make my pen fix a scandal on him to pofterity; I shall rather leave it doubtful till the great day of revelation. But this is certain, that he lay under the great charge, and the anxiety of this accufation, and kept it fecret to himself for many months; and, being a helpless man, had lain longer under this heavy burthen, but that the Protector of the innocent gave fuch an accidental occafion as forced him to make it known to his two dear friends, Edwyn Sandys and George Cranmer, who were fo fenfible of their tutor's fufferings, that they gave themselves no rest, till by their difquifitions and diligence they had found out the fraud, and brought him the welcome news, that his accufers did confefs they had wronged him, and begged his pardon: to which the good man's reply was to this purpose, " The Lord forgive them; and the Lord bless you for this "comfortable news'. Now I have a juft occafion to fay with Solomon,

"A certain lewd woman came to his chamber, and folicited his charity under this cogent argument, 'that if he should deny her, fhe would lay base attempts to his charge;' and by this means, at feveral times, fhe had gotten money from him; until at laft Providence was pleafed to concern itself for the righting wronged innocence. It fo fell out, that this woman came to him when his two dear friends Mr. Sandys and Mr. Cranmer were with him: wondering to fee fuch a perfon come with fo much confidence, they inquired of their tutor the occafion of it, who in a little time tells them the truth of the whole abufe. Upon which they contrive at wway to be prefent in his chamber, where they might hear the whole difcourfe at her next

coming.

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Friends are born for the days of adverfity, and fuch you have proved to me and to my God I fay, as did the mother of St. John Baptift, Thus "bath the Lord dealt with me, in the day wherein he looked upon me, to take away my reproach among men. And, O my God, neither my life, nor my reputation are fafe in mine own keeping, but in thine, who didft take care of me when I yet hanged on my mother's breaft. Bleffed are they "that put their truft in thee, O Lord; for when falfe witneffes were rifen up against me; when fhame was ready to cover my face; when I was "bowed down with an horrible dread, and went mourning all the day long; when my nights were reftlefs, and my fleeps broken with a fear "worse than death; when my foul thirfted for a deliverance, as the hart "panteth for the rivers of water; then thou, Lord, didft hear my com

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plaints, pity my condition, and art now become my deliverer; and as “long as I live I will hold up my hands in this manner, and magnify thy "mercies, who didft pot give me over as a prey to mine enemies. O "bleffed are they that put their truft in thee; and no profperity shall make "me forget thofe days of forrows, or to perform thofe vows that I have "made to thee in the days of my fears and affliction; for with such facri"fices thou, O God, art well pleased; and I will pay them."

Thus did the joy and gratitude of this good man's heart break forth; and it is obfervable, that as the invitation to this flander was his meek behaviour and dove-like fimplicity, for which he was remarkable; fo his Christian charity ought to be imitated. For though the spirit of revenge is so pleasing to mankind, that it is never conquered but by a fupernatural grace, being indeed fo deeply rooted in human nature, that to prevent the exceffes of it (for men would not know moderation), Almighty God allows not any degree of it to any man, but fays, "Vengeance is mine:" and though this be faid by God himself, yet this revenge is so pleasing, that man is hardly per

coming. An opportunity foon offered, and the lewd woman perfifting in her threats of laying ill things to his charge, if she was denied what she came for, money, his two friends stepped forth from behind the curtains to her confufion and the fhame of those who had employed her in fo vile an action; for his flanderers were punished for this their vile attempt, who at their fuffering fhewed a penitent behaviour, and made an open confeffion." (Prince's Wor-.. thies, &c. p. 396.).

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perfuaded to submit the manage of it to the time, and juftice, and wisdom his of his Creator, but would haften to be own executioner of it. And yet, nevertheless, if any man ever did wholly decline, and leave this pleasing paffion to the time and measure of God alone, it was this Richard Hooker, of whom I write: for when his flanderers were to fuffer, he laboured to procure their pardon; and when that was denied him, his reply was, "That, however, he would faft and pray, that God would give them repentance and patience to undergo their punishment. And his prayers were so far returned into his own bofom, that the first was granted, if we may believe a penitent behaviour, and an open confeffion. And it is obfervable, that after this time he would often fay to Dr. Saravia, "O with "what quietnefs did I enjoy my foul, after I was free from the fears of my "flander! And how much more after a conflict and victory over my de"fires of revenge'."

In the year 1600, and of his age forty-fix, he fell into a long and sharp fickness, occafioned by a cold taken in his paffage betwixt London and Gravefend, from the malignity of which, he was never recovered; for till his death, he was not free from thoughtful days and reftlefs nights; but a fubmiffion to his will that makes the fick man's bed eafy, by giving reft to his foul, made his very languishment comfortable; and yet all this time he was folicitous in his study, and faid often to Dr. Saravia (who saw him daily, and was the chief comfort of his life,) "That he did not beg a "long life of God, for any other reason, but to live to finish his three remaining books of Polity; and then, Lord, let thy fervant depart in peace";" which was his ufual expreffion. And God heard his prayers, though he denied the benefit of them as completed by himself; and it is his, thought he haftened his own death, by haftening to give life to books.

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But

"When an unworthy afperfion was caft on Mr. Hooker-(If Chrift was dafht, fhall Christians escape in their journey to heaven?)-Mr. Travers being asked of a private friend what he thought of the truth of the accufation? "In truth," said he, " I take Mr. Hooker to be "a holy man." A fpeech which, coming from an adverfary, founds no lefs to the commendation of his charity who spoke it, than to the praise of his piety of whom it was fpoken." (Fuller.)

u How different this from the application of the fame words by Hugh Peters, and by an advocate for political reform in later times!