LIFE OF WALTON. 43 



to it by some inquisitive persons, nothing to warrant 

 this suspicion appeared. Whoever would know more 

 of this singular institution is referred to the authorities 

 mentioned^ at the bottom of this page*; in some; of 

 which it will be found, that King Charles I. once 

 honoured the house with a visit : and that Little 

 Gidding being in the diocese of LincoIn^Williams, 

 at that time, being bishop thereof, and their neighbour 

 at Bugden; induced by motives of charity, at first 

 perhaps mingled with curiosity ; frequently did the 

 same ; when finding, there, nothing to blame, and 

 much to commend lie more than once preached, and 

 exercised his episcopal function of confirmation on the 

 young people there assembled. Two nieces of Mr. 

 Farrar offered to make a vow of perpetual chastity, 

 with the solemnity of episcopal blessing and ratifica- 

 tion; but the bishop, doubtless considering that vows 

 which oblige us to a perpetual conflict with our na-r 

 tural affections, do oftner prove snares to the consci- 

 ence of the votary than acceptable services in the sight 

 of God, dissuaded them from such an engagement; 

 and, being thus left at liberty, one of them was after* 

 wards well bestowed on a husband. 



Mr. Nicholas Farrar, though the younger of two 

 brothers, had, it seems, the government of this fra- 

 nity : he is, by all that have written of him, celebrated 

 as well for his learning as his piety : yet has he left 

 nothing of his writing, save a short Preface to his 

 friend Herbert's Poems^ and a Translation of a book 

 much applauded in his day, The hundred and Ten 

 Considerations of Siguior John Yaldcssof, 



* Preface to Peter Langtoft's Chron. edit. Hearne. Papers at the end of 

 Cali Vindicia. Racket's Life of Archbishop Williams, Part II. page 50, 

 Biogr. Brit. Supplement, Art. MAPLE TO FT. Life of Mr. Nicholas Farrar^ 

 written by Dr. Turner, Bishop of Ely, in the Christian 's Magazine for the 

 months of July, August, September, and October, 1761. 



f John Valdesso was of noble extraction, by birth a Spaniard, a soldie* 

 by profession, and a follower of the emperor Charles the Fifth. Grown 

 old, he obtained leave of the emperor to quit his service, assigning as a rea- 

 son for his request, this most sage and pious aphorism, " Ofortet inter vita 

 4< negotia 55* diem mortis spaiium aliquod intercedere ;" or, to give it in English, 



It is fit that between che business of life and the day of death, some space 



