I was never acquainted with him till 1667. and therefore have nothing to say of the former part of his Life; nor of the later, as to any public affairs, but only of what our familiar converse acquainted me: But the visible effects ⟨image 4⟩made me wonder at the industry and unwearied labours of his former Life. Besides the Four Volumes against Atheism and Infidelity, in Folio, which I after mention, when I was desired to borrow a Manuscript of his Law-Collections, he showed me, as I remember, about Two and Thirty Folio's, and told me, he had no other on that Subject (Collections out of the Tower-Records, &c.) and that the Amanuensis work that wrote them, cost him a Thousand pound. He was so set on study, that he resolvedly avoided all necessary diversions, and so little valued either grandeur, wealth, or any worldly vanity, that he avoided them to that notable degree, which incompetent judges took to be an excess. His Habit was so course and plain, that I, who am thought guilty of a culpable neglect therein, have been bold to desire him to lay by some things which seemed too homely. The House which I surrendered to him, and wherein he lived at Acton, was indeed well situate, but very small, and so far below the ordinary dwellings of men of ⟨image 4⟩his rank, as that divers Farmers thereabout had better; but it pleased him. Many censured him for choosing his last Wife below his Quality: but the good man more regarded his own daily comfort, than mens thoughts and talk. As far as I could discern, he chose one very suitable to his ends; one of his own judgment and temper, prudent and loving, and fit to please him; and that would not draw on him the trouble of much Acquaintance and Relations. His house-keeping was according to the rest, like his Estate and Mind, but not like his Place and Honour: for he resolved never to grasp at Riches, nor take great fees, but would refuse what many others thought too little. I wondered when he told me how small his Estate was, after such ways of getting as were before him: But as he had little, and desired little, so he was content with little, and suited his Dwelling, Table and Retinue thereto. He greatly shunned the visits of many, or great persons, that came not to him on necessary business, because all his hours were precious to him, and therefore he contrived the avoiding of them, ⟨image 5⟩and the free enjoyment of his beloved privacy.
I was never acquainted with him till 1667. and therefore have nothing to say of the former part of his Life; nor of the later, as to any publick affairs, but only of what our familiar converse acquainted me: But the visible effects ⟨image 4⟩made me wonder at the industry and unwearied labours of his former Life. Besides the Four Volumes against Atheism and Infidelity, in Folio, which I after mention, when I was desired to borrow a Manuscript of his Law-Collections, he shewed me, as I remember, about Two and Thirty Folio's, and told me, he had no other on that Subject (Collections out of the Tower-Records, &c.) and that the Amanuensis work that wrote them, cost him a Thousand pound. He was so set on study, that he resolvedly avoided all necessary diversions, and so little valued either grandure, wealth, or any worldly vanity, that he avoided them to that notable degree, which incompetent judges took to be an excess. His Habit was so course and plain, that I, who am thought guilty of a culpable neglect therein, have been bold to desire him to lay by some things which seemed too homely. The House which I surrendred to him, and wherein he lived at Acton, was indeed well scituate, but very small, and so far below the ordinary dwellings of men of ⟨image 4⟩his rank, as that divers Farmers thereabout had better; but it pleased him. Many censur'd him for choosing his last Wife below his Quality: but the good man more regarded his own daily comfort, than mens thoughts and talk. As far as I could discern, he chose one very suitable to his ends; one of his own judgment and temper, prudent and loving, and fit to please him; and that would not draw on him the trouble of much Acquaintance and Relations. His house-keeping was according to the rest, like his Estate and Mind, but not like his Place and Honour: for he resolved never to grasp at Riches, nor take great fees, but would refuse what many others thought too little. I wondered when he told me how small his Estate was, after such ways of getting as were before him: But as he had little, and desired little, so he was content with little, and suited his Dwelling, Table and Retinue thereto. He greatly shunned the visits of many, or great persons, that came not to him on necessary business, because all his hours were precious to him, and therefore he contrived the avoiding of them, ⟨image 5⟩and the free enjoyment of his beloved privacy.
