A\MI LIFE OF WALTON. 



volence might be as diffusive as possible, a School was kept, in the 

 house, for Grammar, Arithmetic, and Music ; to which all the neigh- 

 bouring parents had permission to send their children. 



It ia true, that this society excited a notion in some, that it was 

 little better than a Popish seminary; and there are extant, in the 

 Preface to Peter Langtoft's Chronicle, edit. Hearne, two tracts, in 

 which it is termed a reputed nunnery: but upon a visit made 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; 1 in some of 

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

 with a visit : and that, LitUe Gidding being in the diocese of Lincoln, 

 Williams, at that time, being bbhop thereof, and their neighbour at 

 Bugden ; induced by motives of charity, at first perhaps mingled with 

 cunosity ; frequently did the same : when finding, there, nothing to 

 blame, and much to commend be more than once preached, and ex- 

 ercised 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 ratifi- 

 cation ; but the bishop, doubtless considering that vows which oblige 

 us to a perpetual conflict with our natural affections, do oftener prove 

 snares to the conscience 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 afterwards well bestowed on a 

 husband. 



Mr. Nicholas Farrar, though the younger of two brothers, had, 

 it seems, the government of this fraternity : he is, by all that have 

 written of htm, celebrated as well for his learning as his piety : yet has 

 he left nothing of his writing, save a short Preface to his friend Her- 

 bert's Poemt, and a Translation of a book much applauded in his day, 

 The hundred and ten Considerations of Signior John Valdesso. 2 



It is needless to add what was the subsequent fate of this harmless 

 society. Mr. Farrar died : the Rebellion broke out ; and when Po- 

 pery and superstition" was the cry, alas ! how could LitUe Gidding 



for four guinea*, another book of the like kind, compiled by the same 

 persons, entitled " Actions, Doctrines, and oilier Passages touching our 

 Blea*edLord and Saviour Jesus Christ." The title at length, of this also, 

 is riven by Hearne in toe. cit. 



(I) Preface to Peter Langtofi's Chron. edit. Hearne. Papers nt the end 

 of Vail Vtndici*. Hackrt's Life of Archbishop Williams, Part II pape 50, 

 Blogr. Brit, fiupplrmtnt. art. MAPLKTOFT. Life of Mr. Nicholas Farrar, 

 written by Dr. Turner, bishop of Ely, in the Christian's Magazine tor the 

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



(t) John Valdessa was of noble extraction, by birth a Spaniard, a no]. 

 dier 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 reason for his request, this most sage and pious aphorism, " Oportet 

 inter ritfne got ia et diem mortis spat turn aliquod intercedere ;" or, to give 

 it in English, " It is fit that between the business of life and the day of death, 

 some space should intervene." The reflection on which is supposed to have 

 moved the emperor to resign his dignities, and betake himself to an ancetic 

 life. In his retirement, which was fo the city of Naples, Valdesso wrote 

 .the book above mentioned in the Castilian language; and the same being 

 translated into Italian by Caclius Sccundus Curio of Basil, was out of ili.a 

 language translated into English by Mr. Farrar. It was printed in 4to. at 

 Oxford, 1038, and is often enough to be met with. 



