IN VITAM GEORGII HERBERTI, AB ISAACO WALTONO SCRIPTAM. O QUAM erubesco cum tuam vitam lego, Speculum sacerdotale, tu qualem piis Pastoris ideam et libro et vitâ tuâ, Tu quale sanctitatis elementis bonæ, Morumque nobis tradis exemplum ac typum! Exemplar illud grande qui solus fuit. Canonizet ergo quos velit Dominus Papa; *Sic Christum solens vocavit quoties ejus mentionem fecit. Sibique sanctos, quos facit, servet suos Urge ergo pensum; et interim scias velim, JACOB. DUPORT, S. T. P. Decanus Petr. THE INTRODUCTION. IN a late retreat from the business of this world, and those many little cares with which I have too often cumbered myself, I fell into a contemplation of some of those historical passages that are recorded in sacred story, and more particularly of what had passed betwixt our Blessed Saviour, and that wonder of women, and sinners, and mourners, Saint Mary Magdalen. I call her Saint, because I did not then, nor do now consider her, as when she was possessed with seven devils; not as when her wanton eyes and dishevelled hair were designed and managed to charm and insnare amorous beholders: but, I did then, and do now consider her, as after she had expressed a visible and sacred sorrow for her sensualities; as after those eyes had wept such a flood of penitential tears as did wash, and that hair had wiped, and she most passionately kissed the feet of hers and our blessed Jesus. And I do now consider, 136 THE INTRODUCTION. that because she loved much, not only much was forgiven her; but that, beside that blessed blessing of having her sins pardoned, and the joy of knowing her happy condition, she also had from him a testimony, that her alabaster box of precious ointment poured on his head and feet, and that spikenard, and those spices that were by her dedicated to embalm and preserve his sacred body from putrefaction, should so far preserve her own memory, that these demonstrations of her sanctified love, and of her officious and generous gratitude, should be recorded and mentioned wheresoever his gospel should be read; intending thereby, that, as his, so her name should also live to succeeding generations, even till time itself shall be no more. Upon occasion of which fair example, I did lately look back, and not without some content (at least to myself) that I have endeavoured to deserve the love, and preserve the memory of my two deceased friends, Dr. Donne and Sir Henry Wotton, by declaring the several employments and various accidents of their lives: and though Mr. George Herbert (whose Life I now intend to write) were to me a stranger as to his person, for I have only seen him; yet since he was, and was worthy to be, their friend, and very many of his have been mine, I judge it may not be unacceptable to those that knew any of them in their |