The Thoresby Society

Mar. 2. Die Dom. Mr. Sharp from Matt. xii. 18, showed that we should imitate Christ in showing judgment to others ; long for the calling of the Jews, and fulness of the Gentiles : afterwards rid with much company to York, supposing it an act both of necessity and mercy.

3. Made appearance for the election of the Lord Clifford and Lord Fairfax, as Parliament-men for the County; after dinner rid, to Bulmer, to visit relations.

4. Returned home.

9 and 10. At home both days, imitating Mr. Ca-lamy and Mr. Caryl's pictures: Oh, that I could as well follow their heavenly directions !

April 11. Was a day appointed by Parliament for humiliation and prayer.

17. Went along with my dear father towards Newcastle, and so to Rock and Berwick, experiencing all along the goodness of God in our preservation.

26. We returned safe home, Laus Deo !

 

June 1. Die Dom. Mr. M. made a passing mean sermon, and, as far as I could judge, out of spite, to render Protestant Dissenters odious ; and the discourse was much more inconvenient considering the present face of things.

17. Went to the Spaws, and stayed till Saturday. I went to Knaresborough to see St. Robert's Chapel in the Rock, (of which see my Collections, &c.) and the admirable petrifying well.

25. Taking the inscriptions upon some monuments in Halifax Church.

26. Mostly at Mr. Brearcliff's, and viewing the Antiquities of the place, as the View-tree, with the halizfaex, &c. (vid. Cam. Brit.) and Johannes de Sa-cro-bosco's hill, &c.

 

July 11. Morning transcribing and epitomizing the famous Lord Bacon's life, &c.; most of the day busy with the hay : by a good Providence thereby avoiding the Feast at Hunslet (whither I was invited by Uncle Idle) which ended in great discontents, troubles, and misunderstandings betwixt two brothers, T. and M. I. The Lord reconcile them ! &c.


Aug. 4. Perusing Dubartas, translated by Sylvester.

5. The Lives of Walter and Robert Devereux, Earls of Essex : both days very cloudy and rainy, being the Apertio Portarum.

7. All day writing Memoirs of Sir Francis Wal-singham, Sir Philip Sydney, Sir Francis Drake.

8. Of Sir Walter Raleigh; rest of day with Mr. Illingworth, (late President of Emanuel College) who dined here, &c.

9. Writing memoirs of Sir Thomas Overbury and Camden.

11. Collecting Memoirs of Bishop Andrews, and
12.Of Dr. Donne, and Sir Henry Wotton ; and at Uncle's with Mr. Illingworth.

14 At home all day writing, viz. George Duke of Buckingham, and some of Dr. Wild's Poems; which pious and ingenious poet died this last week, at London.

26. All day within : and most of it was reading the Trials of the Popish Conspirators. Blessed be God, for disappointing their wicked
enterprises !

Sep. 13. Went with my dear father to York, and from thence to Bulmer.

14. Die Dom. Mr. Hasle endeavoured (though, alas, slenderly in comparison of the teaching we enjoy) to show the mercy of God towards his creatures.

15. Was up by three in the morning for York, where the Lords Fairfax and Clifford joined for Knights of the Shire ; Sir John Kay opposed; 'twas put to the poll in the country. I took the inscription upon Mrs. Middleton's (a great benefactress) hospital, and returned safe home.

18, 19, 20. All the days with the workmen at the garden; in the evenings, mostly perusing Clarke's Martyrology, and epitomizing most of the Lives adjoined; viz. Dr. Collet, Bishops Coverdale and Sands, Mr. Greenham, &c.

25, 26, 27, With the workmen all day : evening generally transcribing Memoirs of Mr. Bennet, Lambert, Barns, &c.

 

Oct. 13. Attending the funeral of Mr. Samuel Bradley ; dead in the prime of his days. Mr. Benson, 1 Cor. xv. last verse, treated of the immortality of the soul. At night, reading the Sad Estate of Francis Spira.

 

Nov. 5. Mr. Sharp from Psm. cxxiv. 6, showed very well that we have infinite reason to bless God for his deliverances to this sinful nation, &c. But, alas! these national mercies, for which I desire to bless God, are all embittered by my personal affliction, that dispensation which even presses me down to the very pit; a lamentable affliction that has laid my superlative comfort in the dust.

6, &c. Spent the latter part of this week, as the beginning, and as the end of the last, in weeping, lamentation, and mourning for my inestimable loss of the best of fathers.

12. As to my health, which was not only impaired but almost destroyed by continued and excessive mourning for my irreparable loss; it is now much better, the pains of the stone and strangury (which till then I never knew the terrors of,) are abated.


Dec 12. At the funeral of my cousin Robert Cloudsley, who lived to a good old age and died happily ; he much lamented the death of my dear father, and though weak yet came to comfort me, and when urged to take gloves refused, saying, he should be heartily sorry to live so long in this world as to wear them.* Oh, happy men, that thus die in the Lord !

25. Mr. Sharp, Jer. xxx. 7, showed, that it is really to be feared there is a great day coming upon us of these lands, that, in all probability, may exceed in terror that of the Jews ; cruelty being then in its infancy, which is now strangely improved. Now the reasons why such sad and terrible days may be expected are, 1st. Because it hath been the lot of all the Protestant Churches in the nations about us, the Netherlands, Valteline, Savoy, the whole Empire, Germany, Bohemia, Ireland, Scotland, and why should impenitent England be left unpunished ? the very dregs seem to be reserved for us. 2d. None of the neighbouring nations have enjoyed those mercies that we have. Such famous, faithful ministers ; such multitudes of professors ; such uninterrupted prosperity ; such wonderful discoveries, and yet we walk unworthily, which argues that God designs rather to pluck us down than build us up. 3rd. The schisms, heresies, divisions amongst us testify against us, and forego our ruin, as in Jerusalem before its desolation, in Germany before those wars, and in France before the terrible massacres: Rev. Moulin complaining that the ministers had forsaken old truths, and affected new niceties in religion. 4th. We have not been profited by the judgments already inflicted upon us; the pestilence that swept away thousands, and the destroying hand of God in our own families have yet left us an impenitent people. How few have heard the voice of the rod ! the generality, instead of repenting, impute all to the fanatics, and then Christiani ad Leones, fine and confine, raise, ruin, banish them. Lastly, things seem at present to ripen towards utter confusion, and hasten fast to the greatest day that ever was foretold by the slaying of the two witnesses.