T. GATAKER, Jurr. 201 country, where their labours were most wanted. Having continued these exercises some time, he removed to London, and became domestic chaplain to Sir William Cook, to whose lady he was nearly related. His admirable talent for preach- ing soon gained him so great a -reputation, that, in the year 1601, he was chosen preacher to the honourable society of Lincoln's-inn; where, for the space of ten years, he laboured with great acceptance, popularity, and usefulness. Previous to Mr. Gataker s settlement in this situation, Mr. Ley, after- wards Earl of Marlborough and lord treasurer, having been present, with his lady, when Mr. Gataker preached at St. Martin's in the Fields ' on their return home she asked an old servant how he liked the preacher. " Why truly," said the man, " he's a pretty pert boy ; and he made a reasonable good sermon." Not many weeks after, Mr. Ley, returning from Lincoln's-inn, said to his lady, " I will tell you some news. That young man, whom you heard at St. Martin's, is chosen lecturer at Lincoln's-inn." The old servant standing by and hearing this, said, " What ! will the benchers be taught by such a boy as he ?" Mr. Gataker having observed in one of his sermons, that it was as lawful for the husband- man to cultivate his ground as for counsellors to confer with their clients and give advice on the Lord's day; the appro- priate admonition was well received, and occasioned the alteration of the timeofpublic worship ; for, instead of preach- ing at seven o'clock in the morning, as had been the constant practice, he was desired to preach at the usual hour of morn- ing service. Hedid not, however, entirely leave Sir. William Cook's family, but in the vacations went down to their seat in Northamptonshire, where, during his stay, he preached constantly, sometimes in their domestic chapel, and some- times in the parish church. In this he acted purely from the motive of christian piety, uninfluenced by any worldly consi- derations, as very clearly appeared from the following circum- stance, peculiarly honourable to his memory: our author, after stating this fact, immediately adds, "And this he did with an apostolical mind, not for filthy lucre, but freely making the gospel a burden only to the dispenser. Yet such was the devotion of that religious pair, (Sir William and his lady,) that they would not serve God without cost; for they after- wards, in consideration of those pains, freely taken, settled upon Mr. Gataker an annuity of twenty pounds per annum, which he indeed received a few years ; but afterwards he remitted it unto th,e heir of that family, forbearing to use the right he had, and forbidding his executor to claim any
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