The Life ofMafler John Fox, to recreate bimfclf, the caufe of his hurt not being removed, the figns thereof did likewife remain. From this time Mafter Fox began to be much fpoken of, fo r a good Hiftorian; the other Vertucs of bis Mind, as they were lefs known abroad, fo being by that which was known overfhadowed. Shortly after, he bega~ al(o for other Endowments, to wax famous, not oni.Y as a man learned, but as one for his fnendhnefs ufeful, and no lefs by art, th-an a natural indmation made to be helpful .to others. But modefty will not allow me, by way of Jo~mtal, to rehearfe the voluntary paim he took upon him:. io general to f.1y fomething of it w11l not be amifs ; and how, either by good Advice, comforrable Perfwafions, or a charitable Hand, he either relieved the wants, or fatisfied the defires of innumerable perfons; whereupon no mans houfe was in thofe times thronged with wore Clients than his. There repaired to him both Citizens and Strangers, Noblemen, :md common pe~ple of all degrees, and a I moO: all f~r the fame caufe; To feek fame Salve for a wounded Confctence•. At length, fame who were l1kewife fick in Body, would needs be carried to him ; but this, to !lop rumours, he would not fuffer t o be ufCd. For, becaufe they were brought thither, they were by forue repor ted to be cured. to ~~fi: [rofc~i~;~~:,~~~ ~~tha~e ~~ ~~~eti;hee~fef~~ r~~~~~n~~ 6~~~c~~f~,:~r~:t·, ~~i~~i~~ the couttefie of his own d1fpofition was i!'ljoyned him, and neglected not the performance of that duty, which the Office of his Miniftery had impofed upon him. Tha t littl e: time which his Friends, either_called away by other occafions, or afbamed of bei~g too tedious, had left free to his own d1fpofurc, he beftowed not in flecping, or taking h~& pleafurc, but in prayer and fl:udying ; in both which, he always relired himfelf into fowe private place apart, or made ufe of the nigh1s filence for fecrecy, unlcfs by chance fomelimes 1hc vehemem groans he mingled with his Prayer~, being heard by !ome that were near 1he place, gave notice how earnell: he was in his Devotions. For at no rime of the night could any man come to find his Labours ended; but often bath 1he next mornings light feen the !aft of his nights care difpatchcd. Now although thefe things be true, yet well I know there are many who· will find fa ult, th:lt . I have fo Oightly paffed them ove r ; and demand, why I produce not the m:mers themfdves, as wi tndli:s of his a&ions, or at lcall:wife fame par1icular example in each kind, that they may with more ftcurity giv~ wdn to _the reO:. But many things there are which hinper me from fo doing. Firfl:, that comm01~ civ1lity forbiddeth us, to publi_n1 abroad that, which the Confcience of another bath commmed to our fecrecy; and .a very tll example fl10uld he give, who fbould not rather by all means conceal, than ma~e known to the World, the fecrets of private Houfes, the jarrings ofFriends, and fuch privy fl1ps in mens lives, whereof it may eitherathame, ~~) ~~~:~~f;~~h~J.xt~~~~~ ~~en~~~~~n:h:;!~~~· :u11 r1 ~:~:t~~~:~eo~tff~~ rur~::i~n~~~~:t~~ were gathered, and 1hat I fhould mfrance m one or two Part1cul:us; yet what great affurance in the reil:, could I draw from hence. 1 will now bring the I::aft Argument, I know not whither I fltould fay, of his Ability or In~ dufiry; that he, whofo wholly bad given himfelf to pleafure his Friends, that he _had fet apart no time, for his other occafiom, yet wrote fo much, as it might well have been beheved1 he had done nothing clfe. I have here for their fakes, who may defire it, fet down the Titler of thofe Books be wrote; ;;~~~;:ri~ t~e:;leji~~:J~~}h;:;:,d~:.ri ~;j:;~~t;~~~~. A'J;;oct~fl=dg~~~7:;;~:::;;e. nn;'M;la~ ;:£~~;~ g~?r~~::t::~~';,;,dr~~~~~yhcDJ~~~~;~je;/;~~:~1$ ~:t:~~:::c~:.Jitpra Apoca!ypffm Rerum We are now come fo f.1r, as to be able from hence, to give the Readers a fli ll fi ght at once, o f the rcfl:of Mafl:er Foxtt life; which ought (I fuppofc) in like manner topleafe them, as wa fee thofe that travel, when they have be~n long tired with continual rugged ways and rough Fore£\:s, and come at length into the plain and. Champion-Countries, arc with the very change of {oil not a linle delighted and refrefhed. In this (as it were) draught of his conditions, we. fhall 6rfl: obfcrve that which might well be thought the chieftll: of his Vertues; to. wit, a deliberate and refolvcd cometnpt of all thin~, which are in greate£\: efteem among m~n, and efpecial\y of Pleafures: ':""hich mind of his, Whether inbred by Nature, acquired by D1fcipline, or infufed by Go'!, d td of neceffity give him great abili~y to ~rform '~ith oomme.nda~ion in whatfoe_ver he 11£\:ed to ra~e io h.and ; there being nothmg wh1ch can m1flead the mmd tQtO errors, wh1ch would C?the~w1fe ?f tt felf hold the right way, but what ~roccedeth from fame pleafll:re or other; ~ymg m watt to entrap us in our jourm:y, But fodtd Mafrer Fo~ hold pby Wtth thefe Eneaues, as one who defired n?t to favc himfelf by flying, or fil cher btmrelf in fome fecret place of retire ; but by often sktrmifhing, and experience in the manner offight, toencreafe his own fl: rength, and give to others an example of fortitude; ufing to fay, That they did no great matter, who fo rfook bufinefs and employmems in the World, le~ they iliould fuffer themfelves to be allured and deceived by them. For, that the things were m tbemfelves innocent, and then firfr ofall grew hu rt ful, when they were overvalued and purfued with avaricious defire; which he that can beat back when it alT::~ ileth him, and !lriveth to break in upon him, is defervedly called temper:lte; but th2t he who w::~s never in aoy temptation, may uther feem to have been good through waat of occafion to bt: otherwife, than by his own Vertue. He
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