Читать книгу Notes and Queries, Number 49, October 5, 1850 - Various - Страница 3

(From Baker's MSS, vol. xxxv. p. 469-470. Cambridge University Library.)

"Octo'r 31. 1698. Mr. Thomas Caulton, Vicar of Worksop, &c. [as in the note p. xiii. to the editor's Preface, ed. 1842, with unimportant variations, such as Madam Frances Heathcote, where the printed copy has Mrs. Heathcote; Baker reads Madam Ayre of Rampton after dinner took, where the printed copy has, Mrs. Eyre. After was dead, follows in Baker,] and that in that Month she had buried her Husband and severall Relations, but that her comfort was, that by her Monthly Sacraments she participated still with them in the Communion of Saints.

"Then she went to her Closet, and fetched out a Manuscript, w'ch she said was the original of the Whole Duty of Man, tied together and stitched, in 8'vo, like Sermon notes. She untied it, saying, it was Dr. Fell's Correction and that the Author was the Lady Packington (her Mother), in whose hand it was written.

"To prove this, the s'd Mr. Caulton further added that she said, she had shewn it to Dr. Covell, Master of Christ's College2 in Cambridge, Dr. Stamford, Preb. of York, and Mr. Banks the present Incumbent of the Great Church in Hull. She added, withall, that The Decay of Christian Piety was hers (The Lady Packington's) also, but disowned any of the rest to be her Mother's.

"This is a true Copy of what I wrote, from Mr. Caulton's Mouth, two days before his Decease.

"Witness my hand,

"Nov. 15. 98.

"JOHN HEWYT."

"Bp. Fell tells us, that all these Tracts were written by the excellent Author (whom he makes to be one and the same person) at severall times, as y'e exigence of the Church, and the benefit of soules directed y'r composures; and that he (the Author) did likewise publish them apart, in the same order as they were made. The last, it seems (w'ch is The Lively Oracles), came out in 1678, the very year Dr. Woodhead died. Had the Author liv'd longer, we should have had his Tract Of the Government of the Thoughts, a work he had undertaken; and certainly (as Bp. Fell hath told us), had this work been finished, 'twould have equall'd, if not excelled, whatever that inimitable hand had formerly wrote. Withall it may be observ'd, that the Author of these Tracts speaks of the great Pestilence, and of the great Fire of London, both w'ch happen'd after the Restoration, whereas Bp. Chappell died in 1649. And further, in sect. vii. of the Lively Oracles, n. 2., are these words, w'ch I think cannot agree to Bp. Chappell [and less to Mr. Woodhead]. I would not be hasty in charging Idolatry upon the Church of Rome, or all in her Communion; but that their Image-Worship is a most futall snare, in w'ch vast numbers of unhappy Souls are taken, no Man can doubt, who hath with any Regard travailed in Popish Countries: I myself, and thousands of others, whom the late troubles, or other occasions, sent abroad, are, and have been witnesses thereof. These words seem to have been spoke by one that had been at Rome, and was forced into those Countries after the troubles broke out here. But as for Chappell, he never was at Rome, nor in any of those Countries.

"As for Archbp. Stern, no Man will believe him to have any just Title to any of these Tracts. [The last Passage concerning idolatry, will not agree with Mr. Woodhead, nor the rest with Lady Packington.]

"In a letter from Mr. Hearne, dat. Oxon, Mar. 27, 1733, said by Dr. Clavering, Bp. of Petr. to be wrote by one Mr. Basket, a Clergyman of Worcestershire. See Dr. Hamond's Letters published by Mr. Peck, et ultra Quære."

On so disputed a point as the authorship of the Whole Duty of Man, your readers will probably welcome any discussion by one so competent to form an opinion in such matters as Hearne.

The letter above given was unknown to the editor of Mr. Pickering's edition.

J.E.B. MAYOR.

Marlborough College.