settled in London, desiring his assistance in this affair. The marriage took place on the 1st of July 1658, and a twelvemonth after he writes to his brother, that his present condition is, by the mercy of God, to his own heart's desire, as to health and other outward blessings; " and though," says he, "I cannot boast of wealth, yet I want not for a competent maintenance, his name be praised." The return of King Charles II., and the appointment of the Marquis of Ormond to the lord lieutenancy, cheered the hearts and brightened the prospects of his loyal subjects; and in 1660, Mr. Bowdler expresses his " hope that all things will be closed up, and that they shall, like good Christians and subjects, fear God, honor the king, and love one another." But the views of this excellent man were suddenly darkened when they were brightest, and his sun went down at noon day. He died in February 1661, at the age of 34; and was buried with much honor in the tomb of Archbishop Usher, formerly primate of Ireland. The letter in which the good Bishop of Meath announces this unhappy event to the elder brother of the deceased, is too interesting to be omitted, especially as it contains an honourable mention of their father. second a general in the army, the third a colonel, the fourth Bishop of Kildare, the fifth a knight banneret, being knighted by the king under the banner in the field. "Sir, "It hath been much mine unhappines, that I had not that acquaintance with you which I desired when I was last in London; and much more mine unhappines that our acquaintance should begin on the saddest of occasions, my deare sonne and your brother, Mr. John Bowdler's decease, whom the Lord hath been pleased to call to himselfe on the 4th instant. I cannot say what his disease was; onely the original was a cold of a day or two, for which he would needes (fatally) take physicke, and so was he stolne from us unexpectedly. The losse greately mine; but his wives such as is not to be expressed, she being now indeede a wife of sorrowes; and never was there couple of greater endearements to each other. But the greatest losse is to the publique, unto which he was so necessary an instrument in his way, that his want cannot be repaired. He was taken away, desired and lamented of all; nor, on account of affections, hath beene remembered the like funeral in Dublin as his hath beene. As to his condition for heaven, his end was as his life, the bending heavenward all along; and as to us who were witnesses of his end, I can say it, all of us were in him taught to die, and desired so to die. "His child (your nephewe) Thomas Bowdler, is now his mother's and my care; he is about three months old. I shall accoumpt him (as indeede he is) mine owne; he hath a promise of a blessing from heaven in his very countenance; and if the Lord lend him to us, we have in him a remembrance of his father, whom he so resembles. I desire your blessing on him, and your prayers for him, as also his grandfather's, of whom I heare so much that I ambitiously desire his acquaintance as youres. 66 -desireing the Lord to sanctify to us all dispensa tions (even these crosse to us), and to fit us for his goode treasure concerning us and ours, I leave you to his grace, ever remaineing, Sir, "Youres in all reall affection and service, He The person to whom this letter is addressed was elder and only brother to the deceased; and a truly brotherly affection subsisted between them. was then settled as a merchant in London, from whence he afterwards retired to Feversham in Kent, where he passed the latter years of his life. At the date of the above letter he was engaged in procuring for his brother the office of auditor of imprests, in which he had acted as deputy. Such views were suddenly cut off; but his care for his brother's family and friends continued, and his kindness for the father was transferred to the child, to whom, being himself childless, he afterwards became a parent. This boy was all that the father left, two other children having died in infancy. He was, during his early years, under the roof of his grandfather, the bishop of Meath, and was deserving of all the tender care and instruction which were bestowed upon him. He is described as a "very gracious child, very good and hopeful, as little given to any manner of vice or vanity as any of his yeares; one that would not tell a lie for any thing, and very capable of learning." At the age of ten years, his mother having been for some time married to a second husband, captain Annesley, he was sent to England at his uncle's request and his own particular desire, and committed to the care of his paternal relations; circumstances which would be scarce worth mentioning, but for the sake of introducing two letters from the excellent bishop, the one addressed to the uncle, the other to himself. former is dated Dublin, July 11, 1671. "Deare Sir, The "You have now at leingth your nephew, Thomas Bowdler, my grandchild, and his mother's dareling. By his being so long from you, you may understand our tendernes of him, and unwillingnes to part with him; which had not beene but to yourselfe, now his father, unto whose care every way he is committed, with assureance of good thereby to him. His education hath beene for some time, and last, in mine owne family, there cared for and tutored as mine owne child, and with mine owne child, by this gentleman from whom you now receive him, Mr. Jones; by whom, and, by himselfe, and by your owne observation, you may observe his proficiencie in learning according to his yeares, and in piety above his yeares. He hath beene brought up a child of the Church of England; and my request is, that he be so by your fatherly care continued, and kept from seedes of schisme and phanatischisme. God blesse him, and you, and youres. So leaving all of you to the goodenes and protection of the Almighty, I remaine, "Sir, "Youres very affectionately, "HEN. MIDENSIS." 1 The other letter was addressed nearly two years afterwards to his grandson, and is dated Dublin, March 21, 1673. "You are out of my feare and doubt of your well-being, being in such hands; yet are you not out of my care and remembrance notwithstanding, which you se in this, and I hope you find in my prayers for you daily. Prayers reach all places at what distance soever; and they are moste capable of goode by them who are God's children in love and obedience. Love him therefore (my child), the God of your fathers. He is your father in Christ Jesus, who gave you that goode father you had, and hath raised you up this you now have; whom I beseech God to continue to you, together with his who (I heare) are so tender of you. 1 "Your love to God is seene in serveing him; and let that be your daily study and practice. Let no evil examples, which your age may meete, corrupt you; but follow goodenes. And for your direction in that, continue (what I hope you do) your daily readings of God's word, beside what you heare of it in publique; make it your rule, and act nothing contrary. To all add prayer on all occasions, never to be intermitted, so shall you prosper in all thinges. Remember goode Josiah, who, when he was yet yong, began to seeke after the God of his father David. (2 Chron. xxxiv. 3.) "Be diligent in your studies, which will fit you for every calling whatsoever God shall order you unto. They who want that education have after wished for it; and they who have wastfully mispent their time, and past their opportunity for it, have after repented it too late. God direct |