like this, they shall last till the last fire shall consume all learning."

Nor was this high, the only testimony and commendation given to his books; for at the first coming of King James, he inquired of Archbishop Whitgift for his friend, Mr. Hooker, that writ the books of Church-polity; to which the answer was, that he died a year before Queen Elizabeth, who received the sad news of his death with very much sorrow; to which the king replied, "And I receive it with no less, that 1 shall want the desired happiness of seeing and discoursing with that man, from whose books I have received such satisfaction; indeed, my lord, I have received more satisfaction in reading a leaf, or paragraph, in Mr. Hooker, though it were but about the fashion of churches, or church-music, or the like, but especially of the sacraments,' than I have had in the reading particular large treatises written but of one of those subjects by others, though very learned men. And I observe there is in Mr. Hooker no affected language; but a grave, comprehensive, clear manifestation of reason, and that backed with the authority of the Scripture, the Fathers, and Schoolmen, and with all law, both sacred and civil. And, though many others write well, yet in the next age they will be forgotten; but, doubtless, there is in every page of Mr. Hooker's book the picture of a divine soul, such pictures of truth and reason, and drawn in so sacred colours, that they shall never fade, but give an immortal

See Appendix, III.

memory to the author." And it is so truly true that the king thought what he spake, that, as the most learned of the nation have, and still do mention Mr. Hooker with reverence; so he also did never mention him but with the epithet of learned, or judicious, or reverend, or venerable Mr. Hooker. Nor did his son, our late King Charles the First, ever mention him but with the same reverence. And our learned antiquary, Mr. Camden, mentioning the death, and the modesty, and other virtues of Mr. Hooker, and magnifying his books, wished, "that, for the honour of this, and benefit of other nations, they were turned into the universal language [Latin]."

There might be many more and just occasions taken to speak of his books, which none ever did commend too much; but I decline them, and hasten to an account of his christian behaviour and death at Bourne: in which place he continued his customary rules of mortification and self-denial; was much in fasting, frequent in meditation and prayers, enjoying those blessed returns, which only men of strict lives feel and know, and of which men of loose and godless lives cannot be made sensible; for spiritual things are spiritually discerned.1

1 Bishopsbourne, the scene of Hooker's last labours and death. is situated about three miles south-east of Canterbury. The church and parsonage stand in a quiet retired spot, on the right of the Dover Road; and an avenue, turning off at the village of Bridge, and close by the church-yard wall, conducts to them, at the distance of a mile, through a beautiful and extensive park. The village consists but of a few houses.

The church, which has lately undergone some restorations, is a substantial structure, consisting of a nave and aisles, with a chancel and north aisle, in which latter there is a good perpendicular window with

E

At his entrance into this place, his friendship was much sought for by Dr. Hadrian Saravia, then, or about that time, made one of the Prebends of Canterbury; a German by birth, and sometime a pastor both in Flanders and Holland, where he had studied, and well considered the controverted points concerning episcopacy and sacrilege; and in England had a just occasion to declare his judgment concerning both, unto his brethren of the Low Countries; which was excepted against by Beza and others; against whose exceptions he rejoined, and thereby became the happy author of many learned tracts writ in Latin, especially of three; one, of the Degrees of Ministers, and of the Bishops' superiority above the Presbytery; a second, against Sacrilege; and a third, of Christian Obedience to Princes; the last being occasioned by Gretzerus, the Jesuit. And it is observable, that when, in a time of Church tumults, Beza gave his reasons to the Chancellor of Scotland for the abrogation of episcopacy in that nation, partly by letters, and more fully in a Treatise of a Threefold Episcopacy, (which he calls divine, human, and satanical,) this Dr. Saravia had, by the help of Bishop Whitgift, made such an early discovery of their intentions, that he had almost as soon

ancient stained glass. The monument erected to the memory of Hooker, by Sir W. Cowper, is on the south wall of the chancel, opposite the spot where he is interred. The east window has lately been refitted with (not very good) stained glass, at the expense of the rector of the parish, the Bishop of Rochester. At the west end is a massive tower, with four bells. There are several of the old oak stalls remaining in the chancel. The altar-fittings are modern, and not in character with the style of the building.