He was an excellent husband of his time, rising often at four o'clock, and sometimes earlier, very rarely exceeding six, and that only when the college prayers were later than ordinary; and never, if he was well, going to bed till near ten. Quickly after his settlement at St. John's, he fixed to himself a weekly course of study, as appears from a letter he writ to his father Sept. 14, of that year 1710. "My tutor," says he, "did not talk to me about a method, &c. as I hear is customary; but I have (thinking it convenient) proposed to myself one, viz. on Tuesdays and Thursdays all day, and Saturday mornings, which are our Logic-lecture days, to read logic only, as being what I most need; Monday mornings Greek prose, chiefly Hierocles, as being read at lecture after dinner. When that is done, the rest of the afternoon I intend to turn the no other, having in the fore-mentioned space of eleven months read all "Thomas à Kempis de imitatione Christi," "The whole Duty of Man," some pieces of Kettlewell, "Brome of Fasting," almost all Nelson's "Festivals and Fasts," a book that he had a great value for, and which he quickly purchased after his arrival at St. John's; besides several chapters in the Greek Testament, and other parts of the Holy Bible. He had moreover in this time translated into English a Latin Sermon of Dr. Henry Byam's, preached before the clergy at Exeter, at the triennial visitation of Dr. Joseph Hall, Bishop of Exon; and Erpenius's "Epistle to the Reader" before his edition of Ringelbergius, and Erasmus "De ratione Studii ;" had made four and twenty Greek or Latin themes, eighteen copies of Latin verses, with some Greek, three Latin epistles, and three epitomes, one of which was the first part of Eustachius's Ethics, and transcribed into a paper book among his other exercises, but the other two do not appear. Besides all this, his practice was, for his improvement in the Greek tongue, to take the Latin translation of an author, either prose or verse, and turn it himself into Greek, either prose or verse; and, dividing his paper book into two columns, in one of them he writ his own version, and in the other the author, that so he might see wherein he fell short of the original. And thus, in the aforesaid space of 11 months, he had imitated a hundred verses of Theognis, 4 epigrams of Theocritus, and 11 dialogues of Mr. Leedes's Lucian, from the beginning in order, omitting only the eighth and the tenth (which he had done before he came to the University), and concluding with the thirteenth; and all this, notwithstanding his constant attendance on all the exercise of the house, and his tutor's private lectures. translation translation of a Greek author, prose and verse, by turns into Greek; Wednesday morning Latin prose, afternoon Latin verse; Friday morning Greek verse, afternoon Hebrew; Saturday afternoon Hebrew, and holy duties. If you think fit to make any additions or alterations, pray send them. I think also to make what he calls a common-place book, in which to write observations." Within less than a quarter of a year after his coming he was chosen scholar of the house; and the very worthy master, Dr. Gower, told him, it was his regular and good behaviour that got him that preferment, and was the likeliest means to get him more *. On this success our pious youth did not “sacrifice to his net, or burn incense to his drag," but gave the glory of it to God alone. For thus he prefaces the account he gave his father of it: "I have told you how God has delivered me from trouble; I am now to let you know with what great mercies he has blessed me." And concludes all thus: "I doubt not but you will join with me in praying to God to enable me to keep the favour of the Master, which by his blessing I have thus signally gained." His first and greatest concern after this, was to keep the oath (of observing the Statutes of his college) which he had taken when he was admitted scholar. And understanding that some of these were grown into disuse, " so that it would be ridiculous in him, nay perhaps to the disturbance of the peace of the college to pretend to observe them: I began," says he, "to doubt whether I could perform my oath, and at the same time comply with the customs of the College; and whether, to keep a good conscience, though with the loss of all my preferment here, I was not immediately to quit my scholarship at least, if not the College. On the other * On this occasion a very worthy member of that house wrote to his father the Letter printed in vol. I. p. 417. hand hand I could not think that, if the governing part and whole college should annul a law by their prac tice, one single scholar was obliged to observe it. However I could not be free (considering the dreadful guilt of the most heinous sin of perjury) from some doubts and scruples, and therefore made haste to wait on my good friend Mr. Roper, that I might know his sentiments. He, I thank God, has settled my mind, and freed me pretty well from my scruples. But it being a matter of the greatest importance to have one's conscience quiet and at ease, I would, when you have leisure and opportunity, beg your opinion of the case, whether, being ready, whenever my superiors shall require it, to perform every article of the Statutes that concerns me, or suffer the punishment they shall think fit to inflict; and performing to the best of my power, my power, whatever I can presume they would have me do, or punish me for not doing; and avoiding whatever they would have me not do, or would punish me if they knew I did, and observing whatever else I conveniently can; and being also sorry that all required by the Statutes is not to be performed, I faithfully perform my oath, and can with a good conscience acquit myself of perjury. And whether by the words faciam ab aliis observari, which are part of the oath, I am obliged to tell lads continually their duty as far as I know it, and also to inform against transgressors." To which this answer was returned by his father: "I know not how to express my great obligations to Mr. Roper, particularly from his freeing you from your scruples about the Statutes, which thing, no doubt, he has well considered, and therefore he is best able to give you satisfaction. I herewith send you our University-statutes, in the 195th page whereof, you have this matter resolved. The resolution indeed has not the same authority in respect of Statutes that it has of ours, but I your think the reason is the same for both. It is the governing part of the college that must answer for the neglect or disuse of any statute, the main busi ness ness of the juniors, and what I suppose is often enjoined them in those very Statutes, being obedience. And what you resolve upon in discharge of your oath, is I believe as much as the foundress herself, if she were alive, would require of you. It is out of your province to attempt a reformation, and would be an affront to your governors. And the faciam ab aliis observari can never be meant to oblige you to oppose them. I bless God for his extraordinary grace to you in giving you so conscientious a regard to oaths, which I doubt are generally too much disregarded in both Universities; of which the sad effects are too visible all over the nation." In his next to his father he thus expresses himself: "I return you many thanks, and praise God that I am by yours, and good Mr. Roper's assistance, now so well satisfied in a matter of such import ance." His temperance was always very great, and his fasting and abstinence rather more than his weak constitution could well bear. Yet we shall find him still increasing those rigours; and though at first he contented himself with missing his breakfast, and eating his bare commons on the Churchfasts, and his days of preparation for the blessed Sacrament; afterwards on the approach of Lent his rules were more severe, which, being written in his "Officium Eucharisticum" without any date, might be made about this time *. * "Remember to observe all Lent with abstinence and retirement, and interruption of visits; and the Wednesdays and Fridays therein, together with the Holy-passion-week, with strict fasting. Observe all Vigils with abstinence and prayer, as also Embers and Rogations; and all Fridays in the year with strict fasting. But have always regard to thy health, and necessary occasions, as travelling and the like. Be not over-scrupulous as to the accidents of place, friends, civility, &c. which may sometimes put by thy stated rules. Be always prepared for charitable offices; and let not thy fasts make thee peevish, affected in them, or self-conceited for them. Sanctify all thy actions, especially on these times, by a holy intention; and doubt not but God will bless and accept thee. But be sure at Lent, and all other fasts, beg Before he had fully spent this Lent according to the foregoing rules, there was an additional sorrow to the solemn one of the season, from the death of Dr. Gower, the worthy master of the college, of which he gave his father the account transcribed below *. beg his assistance even to out-do thyself. Obey the precepts of the Gospel, and follow its counsels as thou canst. Obey the church." The abstinence here mentioned respected both the quality and quantity of the food; and the strict fasting was eating but one spare meal on those days, which was most commonly a dinner in the hall. * " HONOURED SIR, St. John's, Cam. March 28, 1711. "YOURS of the 26th I received this evening, and agree with you in your opinion of our late excellent Master; for, alas! our good friend and benefactor, and the honour of this College and University, died yesterday about two in the afternoon. He was last week thought to be in a fair way of recovery from the illness I mentioned in my last; but being on Monday in the afternoon taken with an aguish shivering, he thought, they said, himself that he should die. He lay speechless, and I think senseless too, from four the next morning. And upon his death you might see in all faces deep sorrow for the loss of so good a governor, except in those loose youths, who thought he held the reins too tight, and hope now to be no more punished for their irregularities. The President went the Friday before to his living at Lynn, to administer the Sacrament there at Easter, but is sent for back to college; and a schedule is this day affixed to the chapel-door to give notice of the vacancy, and that according to statute 13 days hence, viz. on the 9th of April a new Master will be chosen, and Dr. Jenkin (they say) will, without opposition, be the man. Thus has it pleased God to take to himself from us a man indced too good for us, as he had a little before a better. For to night being in Mr. Roper's chamber, Before we begin to read,' says he, you shall hear a letter, in which I have an account of the death of Ep. Ken. Here,' says he, have I lost another good friend and acquaintance; he died as he lived, a plain humble man.' And then upon my asking (that I might give you an account) where and when, &c. he took up the letter again, and read the particulars to me thus: He came hither (to my Lord Weymouth's) on the 9th in Mrs. Thynne's coach, at whose seat he had been all the winter, designing for the Bath on the 12th, but was hindered by the return of his illness. He had two physicians from the Bath and the Devizes, and desired to know their opinion of his condition, for he was not, he said, at all afraid to die, and therefore desired they would tell him the truth. Upon their saying there was but small hopes, he replied, God's will be done! and so died the 19th; leaving order in his will to be buried in the church-yard of |