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thereof; when on the sudden the floor fell down whereon they were assembled. It gave no charitable warning groan beforehand, but cracked, brake, and fell, all in an instant. Many were killed, more bruised, all frighted. Sad sight to behold the flesh and blood of different persons mingled together, and the brains of one on the head of another! One lacked a leg; another, an arm; a third, whole and entire, wanted nothing but breath, stifled in the ruins. Some protestants, coming merely to see, were made to suffer, and bear the heavy burden of their own curiosity. About ninety-five persons were slain outright; amongst whom Mr. Drury and Mr. Rodiat, priests, with the lady Webbe, were of the greatest quality. Nor must we forget, how, when one comforted a maid-child about ten years of age, exhorting her to patience for her mother and sister; the child replied, that, however it fared with them, this would be a great scandal to their religion; a speech commendable in any, admirable in one of her age.

Yet marvellous was God's mercy in the preservation of some there present. One corner of the first floor rather hung still than stood, (without any beams,) by the relative strength from the side walls; and about twenty persons upon it. These beheld that tragedy wherein instantly they expected to act, and, which was the worst, their fall would not only kill them, but by their weight they should be the unwilling slayers of others, which as yet laboured for life beneath them. It was put into their minds with their knives (fright adding force unto them) to cut their passage out of a loam wall into the next chamber, whereby their lives were preserved. Of those that fell, one was kept alive, (though embraced by death on either side,) a chair falling hollow upon her. Thus any arms are of proof, if Divine Providence be but pleased to put them on.

Next day was empanneled a coroner's inquest of substantial citizens to inquire into the cause and manner of their death. These found it done neither by miracle nor malice, no plot or indirect practice appearing, (as some no less falsely than maliciously gave it out,) the roof standing, side-wall sound, foundation firm, only the floor broken, by God's wisdom permitting it, and their own folly occasioning it. Nor could the carpenter be justly accused for slight and unfaithful building, making it substantial enough for any private purpose; and none could foresee that they would bring a church into a chamber. Twenty of the poorer sort were buried hard by in one grave, and the rest bestowed by their friends in several places of sepulture.

The sad death of these persons, the object of pity to all good and wise men, was the subject of envy to some, so silily superstitious as to repine at it,—that they had not a share in this slaughter.

of Frederic "fifth" of that name, Palatine of the Rhine, had not God almost miraculously lately countermanded it.

Yea, king James privately foretold to some principal persons, that this matter would prove the ruin of his daughter. There want not some who say, that he went about to verify his own prediction, by not sending seasonable succours for their assistance; who, had he turned his embassies into armies, might probably have prevented much protestant misery.

Others excuse king James, partly from the just hopes he had to accommodate all interests in a peaceable way; partly from the difficulty of conveying effectual forces into so far-distant a country.

Mean time both the Palatinates were lost, the Upper seized on by the emperor, the Nether (but higher in value) by the king of Spain, the city of Heidelberg taken and plundered, and the inestimable library of books therein carried over the Alps on mules' backs to Rome. Each mule laden with that learned burden had a silver plate on his forehead, wherein was engraven, Fero bibliothecam Principis Palatini. Now those books are placed in the pope's Vatican, entitling protestants to visit the place; who one day may have as good success, as now they have just right, to recover them.

As for the Palatinate, satirical tongues commonly called it "the land of promise," so frequently and so solemnly was the restitution thereof promised to king James, fed only with delays, which amounted to mannerly denials. Since, it hath pleased God to turn this "land of promise" into a "land of performance ;"* the present Palatine being peaceably possessed thereof.

12, 13. Prince Charles goes to Spain. His Return.

Prince Charles, with the duke of Buckingham, lately went privately through France, (where he saw the lady whom afterwards he married,) into Spain. It is questionable, whether then more blamed king James for sending him, or afterwards blessed God for his safe return. Sumptuous his entertainment in the Spanish court, where it was not the king's fault, but kingdom's defect, that any thing was wanting. He quickly discovered, (the coarseness of fine-pretending wares at distance are easily confuted near hand,) that the Spanish state had no mind or meaning of a match, as who demanded such unreasonable liberty in education of the royal offspring, (in case any were born betwixt them,) and other privileges for English papists, that the king neither could nor would in honour

The Nether Palatinate.

or conscience consent thereunto.* However, prince Charles (whose person was in their power) took his fair farewell with courteous compliance.

Though he entered Spain like a private person, he departed it like himself, and the son of his father; a stately fleet attending him home, September 12th. Foul weather forced them to put in at the Isle at Scilly, (the parings of England, south-west of Cornwall,) where in two days they fed on more and better flesh than they found in Spain for many months. Soon after, (October 5th,†) he arrived at Portsmouth; and the next day came to London, to the great rejoicing of all sorts of people, signified by their bonfires, ringing of bells, with other external expressions of joy.

14. The Palatinate beheld desperate.

King James now despaired of any restitution, especially since the duke of Bavaria was invested in the Upper Palatinate; and so his son-in-law's land cantoned betwixt a duke, a king, and an emperor ; whose joint consent being requisite to the restoring thereof, one would be sure to dissent from the seeming-consenting of other two. Whereupon, king James not only called the great council of his kingdom together, but also broke off all treaty with Spain.

15-17. A happy Parliament. The Convocation. Dr. Donne, Prolocutor.

Indeed, the malcontents in England used to say, that the king took physic and called parliaments, both alike; using both for mere need, and not caring for either how little time they lasted. But now there happened as sweet a compliance betwixt the king and his subjects as ever happened in man's memory; the king not asking more than what was granted; both Houses, in the name of the whole kingdom, promising their assistance with their lives and fortunes for the recovery of the Palatinate. A smart petition was presented against the papists, and order promised for the education of their children in true religion.

As for the Convocation contemporary with this Parliament, large subsidies were granted by the clergy; otherwise no great matter of moment passed therein. I am informed, Dr. Joseph Hall preached the Latin sermon, and Dr. Donne was the Prolocutor.

The whole of the correspondence between the court of England and the courts of Rome and Spain, relating to this affair, not having been published at the period when Fuller wrote, he had not those data for forming a correct judgment about it which we possess. Every impartial man who has perused those and other cognate documents, will never extol either the "honour or conscience" of king James, but will draw a very unfavourable estimate of his protestantism.-EDIT. †The reader is requested to pardon

our short setting back of time,

This is that Dr. Donne, born in London, (but extracted from Wales,) by his mother's side, great great grandchild to Sir Thomas More, whom he much resembled in his endowments; a great traveller; first, secretary to the lord Egerton, and after, by the persuasion of king James and encouragement of bishop Morton, entered into Orders, made doctor of divinity, (of Trinity College in Cambridge,) and dean of St. Paul's; whose Life is no less truly than elegantly written by my worthily-respected friend, Mr. Izaak Walton; whence the reader may store himself with further information.

18-20. A Book falsely fathered on Isaac Casaubon. Falsehood detected, yet still continued. A.D. 1624.

The

A book was translated out of the French copy, by Abraham Darcye, entitled, "The Original of Idolatry;" pretended made by Dr. Isaac Casaubon, dead ten years before, dedicated to prince Charles, but presented to king James, and all the lords of the council; a book printed in French before the said Isaac Casaubon was born, whose name was fraudulently inserted in the title-page of the foregoing copy.

Meric Casaubon, his son, then Student of Christ's Church, by letter informed king James of the wrong done to his father, by making him the author of such a book, contrary to his genius and constant profession; being full of impertinent allegations out of obscure and late authors, whom his father never thought worthy the reading, much less the using their authority. His majesty was much incensed hereat; and Dr. Mountaine, bishop of London, had much ado to make his chaplain's peace for licensing thereof; the printer and translator being for some time kept in prison.

Yet, after all this, and after Meric Casaubon had written a Latin vindication to give satisfaction to all, the same translation is since printed in Amsterdam, with a justificatory preface of the former edition. So impudent are some, falsely to father books on worthy authors, to make them more vendible for their own profit, though it discredit the memory of others!

21. None of the worst Counsel.

The business of the Palatinate being now debated by martialists, the king's council of war, dissuading from regaining it in kind, advised him rather to recover it in value where he could, with the best conveniency, out of the Spanish dominions. For, the Palatinate was not worth the re-winning; which, grant recovered by the English, could not recover itself for many years, such the havoc and waste made therein. Secondly. It was hard to be gotten, such

the distance thereof; and harder to be kept, so ill-neighboured it was on all sides. So that the king, if so pleased, might, with as much honour and more ease, carve out his own reparations nearer home.

22-33. King James falleth sick. A Confluence of four Mischiefs. A Plaster applied to his Wrists, and Julap, without the Advice of his Physicians. Catechised on his Death-bed in his Faith and Charity. His Death, of a peaceable Nature. Made Nobility less respected by the Commonness thereof. His Eloquence and piercing Wit. King James's Return to Gondemar. Judicious, bountiful, and merciful. During these agitations king James fell sick at Theobald's of " a tertian ague," commonly called, in spring; for a king, rather physical than dangerous. But soon after his ague was heightened into a fever; four mischiefs meeting therein :

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First. The malignity of the malady in itself, hard to be cured. Secondly. An aged person of sixty years current. Thirdly. A plethoric body, full of ill humours. Fourthly. The king's averseness to physic and impatience under it. Yet the last was quickly removed, above expectation; the king, contrary to his custom, being very orderable in all his sickness. Such sudden alterations, some apprehend a certain prognostic of death; as if when men's minds acquire new qualities, they begin to habit and clothe themselves for a new world.

The countess of Buckingham contracted much suspicion to herself and her son, for applying a plaster to the king's wrists, without the consent of his physicians. And yet it plainly appeared, that Dr. John Remington, of Dunmow in Essex, made the same plaster; one honest, able, and successful in his practice, who had cured many patients by the same; a piece whereof applied to the king, one ate down into his belly, without the least hurt or disturbance of nature. However, after the applying thereof, the king grew worse.

The physicians refused to administer physic unto him till the plasters were taken off; which being done accordingly, his fifth, sixth, and seventh fits were easier, as Dr. Chambers said. On the Monday after, the plasters were laid on again without the advice of the physicians; and his majesty grew worse and worse; so that Mr. Hayes, the king's surgeon, was called out of his bed to take off the plasters. Mr. Baker, the duke's servant, made the king a julap, which the duke brought to the king with his own hand, of which the king drank twice, but refused the third time. After his death a bill was brought to the physicians to sign, that the ingredients of the julap and plasters were safe. But most refused it, because they

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