xvi INTRODUCTION. until his death, 1633. In the early years of Pierson's residence, his ministrations had not been acceptable to Thomas Harley, the father of Sir Robert, who made frequent complaints of him to Bennett, 1662-1617. Bishop of Hereford, who used to declare, with truth, "that he received letters from the father against Mr. Pierson, and from his son in his behalf." John Harley, the grandfather of Sir Robert, never adopted the reformed doctrines, and was a zealous Romanist, and was said to have given some protection at Brampton Castle to Parsons and Champion, the Jesuits. It may be inferred, therefore, that these differences arose out of the religious views now probably first put forth at Brampton ; for it is said, " that a solemn day of prayer was e MS. Notes on observed at Stanage Lodge,awhere Sir Robert andhis most pious and the Rectors of Brampton virtuous lady (sister of Sir Richard Newport), Mr. Pierson and his BB to izuseum. godly family, and some few neighbours, presented supplicationsto the Lord, to turn the heart of Mr. Harley to express kindness to his son, and friendship towards Mr. Pierson ; to which it pleased the Lord to give a most gracious answer of peace; for, within a very short time, Mr. Harley, by a trusty servant, sent to Sir Robert, -' Tell my son, I will take care of the concerns of the estate, and pay his debts ; and tell him, I will be friends with Mr. Pierson, and then you will be a welcome messenger ;' and, accoralingly, he began and continued all expressions of high esteem and real friendship for him, and gave a copyhold estate to him and his wife for their joint lives, and in his enfeebled old age received his continual ministrations," and " to his dying day, no man, except in nearest relation to him, was more in his esteem, more dear unto him, or in whom he put more confidence, than Mr. Pierson." In Brampton, Pierson set up the strict observance of the Ember weeks and public and private fasts, frequently alluded to in these letters, " the resort to which of many godly persons from remote n MS. Notes of places was as the flight of doves to the windows of holy light b and Rectors, &c. P g " , ,
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