adding, that I well knew that Divinity was the end whereto I was destin'd by my Parents, which I had so constantly proposed to my felf, that I never meant other, then to pass through this VVeftern School to it; but I faw that God who found me ready to go the farther way about, now called me the nearest and directeft way to that facred end; The Good man could no further oppole, but only pleaded the diftafte which would hereupon be justly taken by the Lord chief Justice, whom I undertook fully to fatisfie; which I did with no great difficulty, commending to his Lordship in my room, my old Friend and Chamber-fellow Mr. Cholmley, who finding an anfwerable acceptance difpofed himself to the place; So as we two, who came together to the University, now must leave it at once. Having then fixed my foot at Halfted, I found there a dangerous Oppofite, to the Succefs of my Ministry, a witty and bold Atheist, one Mr. Lilly, who by reafon of his Travails, and Abilities of Difcourfe and Behaviour, had fo deeply infinuated himself into my Patron, Sir Robert Drury, that there was small hopes (during his entirenefs) for me to work any good upon that Noble Patron of mine; who by the fuggeftion of this wicked Detractor was fet off from me before he knew me; Hereupon (I confefs) finding the obduredness and hopeless condition of that man, I bent my prayers against him, befeeching God daily, that he would be pleased to remove by some means or

other

other, that apparent hindrance of my faithful Labours, who gave me an anfwer accordingly: For this malicious man going haftily up to London, to exafperate my Patron against me, was then and there fwept away by the Peftilence, and never returned to do any farther Mischief; Now the coaft was clear before me, and I gained every day of the good Opi nion and favourable refpects of that Honourable Gentleman, and my worthy Neighbours : Being | now therefore fetled in that sweet and civil Country of Suffolk, near to S. Edmunds-Bury, my first work was to build up my house which was then extreamly ruinous, which done, the uncouth Solitarinefs of my life, and the extream incommodity of that fingle Houfe-keeping, drew my thoughts after two years to condefcend to the neceffity of a Married eftate, which God no lefs ftrangely provided for me; For walking from the Church on Monday in the Whitfon-week, with a Grave and Reverend Minifter, Mr. Grandidg, I faw a comely and modeft Gentlewoman ftanding at the Door of that house where we were invited to a wedding-dinner, and enquiring of that worthy Friend whether he knew her, Yes (quoth he) I know her well, and have bespoken her for your wife; when I further demanded an account of that Anfwer, he told me, fhe was the Daughter of a Gentleman whom he much refpected, Mr. George Winniff of Bretenham, that out of an opinion had of the fitness of that Match

for

for me, he had already treated with her Father about it, whom he found very apt to entertain it, advifing me not to neglect the opportunity; and not concealing the juft praises of the Modefty, Piety, good Difpofition, and other Vertues that were lodged in that feemly Prefence; I liftned to the motion as fent from God, and at last upon due profecution happily prevailed, enjoying the comforta ble Society of that meet Help for the space of fourty nine years: I had not paffed two years in this estate, when my Noble Friend Sir Edmund Bacon, with whom I had much intirenefs came to me, and carnestly follicited me for my Company in a Journey by him projected to the Spa in Ardenna, laying before me the Safety, the Eafiness, the Pleasure, and the Benefit of that fmall Extravagance, if opportunity were taken of that time, when the Earl of Hertford paffed in Embally to the Arch-Duke Albert of Bruxells; I foon yielded, as for the reasons by him urged, fo efpecially for the great defire I had to inform my felf ocularly of the State and practife of the Romish Church; the knowledge whereof might be of no fmall ufe to me in my Holy Station; Having therefore taken careful order for the Supply of my Charge, with the Affent and good allowance of my neereft Friends, I entred into this fecret Voyage; we waited fome dayes at Harwich for a winde, which we hoped might waft us over to Dunkerk, where

our

our Ambassador had lately landed, but at last having fpenta Day, and half a night at Sea, we were forced for want of favour from the wind, to put in at Quinborow, from whence coafting over the Rich and pleafant Country of Kent, we renewed our shipping at Dover, and foon landing at Calais, we paffed after two dayes by Wagon to the ftrong Towns of Graveling, and Dunkerk, where I could not but finde much horror in my felf to pafs under those dark, and dreadfull prifons, were fo many brave Englishmen, had breathed out their Souls in a miferable Captivity. From thence we paffed through Winnoxberg, Ipre, Gaunt, Courtray, to Bruxells, where the Ambaffador had newly fate down before us, That Noble Gertleman in whofe Company Itravelled, was welcomed with many kind Vifitations, amongst the reft there came to him an English Gentleman, who having run himself out of breath in the Inns of Court, had torfaken his Country, and therewith his Religion, and was turned both Bigot and Phyfitian, refiding now in Bruxels; This man after few interchanges of Complement with Sir Edmund Bacon fell into a Hyperbolical predication of the vvonderful miracles done nevvly by our Lady at Zichem, or Sherpen Leavell, that is Sharp bill; by Lipfius Apricollis; the credit vvhereof vvhen that vvorthy Knight vvittily queftioned, he avovved a particular miracle of cure vvrought by her upon himself; I coming into the room

in

in the midst of this Difcourfe (habited not like a Divine, but in fuch colour and fashion as might beft fecure my travel, and hearing my Countrymans zealous and confident Relations,at last askt him this question, Sir (Quoth I) put cafe this report be granted for true, I beseech you teach

of yours me what difference there is betwixt these miracles which you fay are wrought by this Lady, and those which were wrought by Vefpafian by fome Vestalls by Charmes and Spells; the rather for that I have noted, in the late published report of these miracles, fome Patients prefcribed to come upon a Friday, & fome to wash in fuch a well before their approach; and divers other fuch Charm-like obfervations; The Gentleman not expecting fuch a queftion from me, answered, Sir I do not profess this kind of Scholarship, but we have in the City many famous Divines, with whom if it would please you to conferr, you might fooner recieve fatiffaction; I askt him whom he took for the most eminent Divine of that place, he named to me Father Cofterus, undertaking that he would be very glad to give me conference, if I would be pleafed to come up to the Jefuites Colledge I willingly yielded; In the afternoon the forward Gentleman prevented his time to attend me to the Father, as he styled him,) who (as he said) was ready to entertain me with a meeting; I went alone up with him; the Porter shutting