pœnitentiam agenti de male exactæ vitæ cursu diutius eo quod post pœnitentiam reliquum temporis spatio victoriam referre. Sed hoc ut fiat diligentia plurima opus habet: non aliter quam corporibus quæ diuturno morbo laborarunt dieta necessaria est, et major cura adhibenda. Forsan enim vix possibile est confertim et uno quasi ictu alimenta morbi præcidere. Sed per Dei potestatem, et hominum vicinitatem, et fratrum auxilium, et pœnitentiam synceram, et curam continuam felici tandem exitu emendatur. Optimum quidem est non omnino peccare, bonum vero et peccantem resipiscere: sicut optimum est semper sanum esse, bonum vero et post morbum revalescere. Deo gloria et potentia in secula seculorum. Amen. Sept. 21. Last night I was with Mr. Wotton (who writ the Essay on Ancient and Modern Learning) at the tavern, together with Mr. Thwaites, and Mr. Willis. Mr. Wotton is a person of general learning, a great talker and braggadocio, but of little judgment in any one particular science. He told me, he had begun sometime since to translate Græves's Rom. Denarius, but had not finished, and could not tell whether he should ever perfect it. Mr. Wotton told me, Mr. Baker of St. John's col. Cambridge had writ the history and antiquities of that college; and that he is every ways qualified (being a very industrious and judicious man) to write the hist. and antiq. of that university. He told me also, that he really believed Cambridge to be much later than Oxon. Sept. 23. There was taken lately upon London 66 Bridge, which has been attested before a publick notary, a paper containing the following words: viz. "This is to certifie all whom it may concern that "the Bp. of Sarum has received 5000 libs for voting for occasional conformity, and that he is to re"ceive 30000 libs more, and the revenue of his bishoprick during life, whenever presbytery shall be "established in England, which he endeavours to "have effected, and 'tis feared that he will succeed " in the undertaking." 66 Sept. 28. Mr. Wesley's Letter 9. On my printing a poem on the Battle of Blenheim, I was sent for to London by a person of quality in January last, the duke of Marlborough having promised me a chaplain's place in one of the new regiments, and another honourable person greater favours. I had writt two books against the dissenters, at which they were very angry. The person who sent for me up, told me, I must drop that controversy, and at last, that I must publickly, and in print, recant or palliate what I had writ against the dissenters. He added, that those people expected so many friends in the next house of commons more than they had in the last, that when they came to sit, they had resolv'd to call those to account who had affronted them. This had a contrary effect to what was expected. I left my fortunes in God's hands. Samuel Wesley, father of the celebrated John Wesley. The letter given above throws much light on the history of the writer, and forms a good supplement to the long accounts already given of him by Nichols, in his Anecdotes of Bowyer, v. 212, &c. and Chalmers in the Generul Biographical Dictionary. Wesley was, at the time of writing the letter, rector of Epworth in Lincolnshire. He afterwards, in 1723, obtained the living of Wroot in the same county, (both in the gift of the king,) and held them till his death, which happened April 30, 1735. and resolved to act according to my conscience, and as soon as I came into the country, to use what little interest I had in our election to serve those who were not likely to be partial to the dissenters. But before I would act, I was so nice as to write to coll. Whichcott, because there had been some intimacy betwixt us, giving him the reasons why I thought myself obliged to vote against him. This letter he expos'd, and his friends reported there was treason in it, after which I gave copies of it. They likewise threaten'd to write up against me, and throw me out of my chaplain's place, which the Duke had given me, and throw me into gaol, all which (I thank 'em) they have fully effected. I wrote to London to know why I was turn'd out, without knowing my accusation? My coll. Lepell answer'd, That a person of the first quality told him, 'twas for something I had published which was not approv'd of at court, and for having concern'd myself too much in some other matters. The first must be my books against the dissenters; the latter my acting in the election for my own county, which I thought I had as much right to do as any freeholder :-God be praised, these crimes were link'd together! After this, the friends of the new candidates, the dissenters and their adherents, charged me with preaching treason, and reported I was distracted; (where then was their mercy?) but, at last, were content to throw me into prison, according to their promise, for no great debt, to a relation and zealous friend of one of the new members. They knew 'twas sufficient to do my business, I having been thrown behind by a series of misfortunes. My parsonage barn was blown down e're I had recovered the takeing my living; my house, great part of it, burnt down about two years since; my flax, great part of my income, now in my own hands, I doubt willfully fired and burnt in the night, whilst I was last in London; my income sunk about one half, by the low price of grain; and my credit lost, by the taking away my regiment. I was brought to Lincoln Castle June the 23d last past. About three weeks since, my very unkind people, thinking they had not yet done enough, have in the night stabb'd my three COWS, which were a great part of my poor numerous family's subsistence. For which God forgive them. Wesley. There is a gathering making in the university for the relief of Mr. Wesley, to the great mortification of the fanaticks. Sept. 29. The duke of Shrewsbury has written a letter to the bishop of Oxford, (his couzin,) that he has married an Italian lady of excellent accomplishments, that she is turned from the church of Rome, that he is comeing with her into England; and desires his Lordship that, when she is here, he would be pleased to give such arguments to her, as may settle and fix her in the Protestant religion. Oct. 1. Mr. Wesley's letter has procured him very considerable benefactions not only in Oxford (where Magd. college has given him 30 libs, Jesus 16, and most of the rest proportionably) but at London and in divers other places, particularly my lord Nottingham (who is reckoned none of the most generous) has sent him 30 libs. The justices, this sessions at Oxford, have given near 20 libs. to Mr. Wesley in consideration of his great distress. Oct. 9. Out of Dr. Langbaine's Coll. vol. viii. pag. 88. Jan. 23, 1617. John Shurle had a patent from Arthur Lake, bishop of Bath and Welles and vice chan. of Oxon, for the office of ale taisting, and the makeing and assiseing of botles of hey: in which place were formerly Ed. Prickett, before him Will. Indifferent, before him Will. Ellis. The office of ale taisting requires, that he goe to every ale brewer that day they brew, according to their courses, and tast their ale for which his ancient fee is one gallon of strong ale, and two gallons of small wort, worth a peny. The hay botles are to be made according to the price of hey; and the weight allowed by the leet, which at this time (1640) is thus: good hay beeing 20s a load, the peny botle ought to wey 3 lb. Oct. 10. On the Tack. The globe of the earth on which we dwell Is tackt unto the poles; The little worlds, our carcasses, Are tackt unto our souls. |