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CROMWELL frustrated my chief hope, and would not fuffer me to come nigh the general, the head-quarters, or himself, nor ever once to speak to him. When the war seemed over, I was invited home again; but I call'd near twenty minifters together at Coventree, and told them that the crisis was now not far off; the army would fhortly fhew themselves in rebellion against King, Parliament and Church; and I was willing to venture my life to try to draw off as many as I could against them. They voted me to ftay: I went back, and it pleased God, that the very first day they met at Nottingham in council to confederate as I forefaw, I was not only kept away, but finally separated from them by bleeding almost to death, 120 ounces at the nofe; had not that prevented, I had hazarded my life at Triploe heath, where they broke out, but had done little good. For when the fober part then declared against them, they drew off about 5000 or 6000 men, and CROMWELL filled up their places with Sectaries, and was much ftronger than before. All that I could do after, was to preach and write against them. This is the true account of the cafe of your old friend,

RICHARD BAXTER.

How little knew Mr. DURELL! how falfely he described my cafe at Kederminster! I may not now stay you with a

narrative.

The DISTRESSES of a CLERGYMAN's family.

SIR,

O

To the STUDENT.

BSERVING in your last number the fcheme, which a

worthy friend of mine told me he intended to fend you, for raifing a fund for the maintenance of the Widows and Children of the inferiour Clergy, I have taken the liberty to fend you the following ftory; which, as it is true, proves how

neceflary

necessary a provifion of this kind is. Was every man to communicate the diftreffes which fall under his own obfervavation from the want of it, I am perfuaded you would have matter enough to fill several folios: but if you publish now and then a story of this kind, it will keep the scheme alive, and very poffibly be the occafion of its being carried into execution. The following I had from one of the family, who was a fharer of the diftreffes you will find in it. She would not give me leave either to mention her name or place; I fhall therefore speak of it in general terms.

A clergyman in the weft of England, poffefs'd of a living of 150 1. per annum, had five children, three fons and two daughters. The education of his fons he took to himself: that of his daughters fell to the lot of his wife, who (to tell her character in few words) was in no respect inferiour to any of her fex either for the charms of her person or mind; and if fhe was excell'd in merit by any of ours, it was by her husband, whose private character as a man and a christian made him as much the object of esteem to those who had the happiness of his acquaintance, as his amiable behaviour in his function gain'd him the love and veneration of all those who had only heard of his character, Under. the care and tuition of this worthy couple, who were living patterns of virtue and goodness, were these children brought up. After the father had feen his three fons settled in the world in trades suited to their capacities and his fortune, he died, and left his wife and two daughters worth about 200 1. and the goods of the house, which, as they had been many years married, could not be of any great value. What a fhocking downfall was this! thus to be reduc'd from an income of 150l. per annum, to that of 10 1.

But to let the lady tell her own ftory,-I fhall give it you in her own words. She faid, that the lofs of her father afflicted her too much to give her leave to think of herself, and that this misfortune threw her mother into fo violent a fit of illness as alarm'd her with the dreadful apprehenfions

1

of a fecond lofs equal to the firft: but time, fays fhe, and fcarcity of money having brought us a little to ourselves, my mother, fifter, and myself the melancholy remains of a once chearful family, began to think how we should live. My fifter and I propofed going to service, and to allow our mo◄ ther fomething every year out of our wages. My brothers too, whofe duty to her was no less than their love to us, infifted on being admitted into a contribution fo agreeable to their duty and inclination. My mother, who was behind none of us in affection, thanked us with tears in her eyes for our kind offer; and said, that she thought herself amply rewarded by this expreffion of their love and duty for all the care and pains they had coft her; but fhe hoped, as her poor husband was fo univerfally beloved by all that knew him, and had the happiness of living in the ftrictest friendfhip with gentlemen of the beft of fortunes, that their me mory of his merit would raise her fome friends; which would enable her to protect, and not to rob, her dear children. But how grofy was she mistaken in this! for all those neighbours, that us'd to come in and out fo freely and without ceremony, now made formal vifits of condoleance; and those who had profeffed the ftrongest friendship in my poor father's time, came feldom or never to fee us; which fhews, that diftress does not drive away friends, but only diftinguishes the real from the pretended ones. This hurt my mother to the laft degree; for as fhe was fincere herself, fhe was inclin'd to think every one else fo. I then thought we were at the height of our misery; but severer diftreffes were referv'd for us § for the 2001. which my father had with great care got toge ther, he generously lent to a neighbouring farmer to prevent his landlord from feizing his stock, and all our fecurity was the farmer's bond, who about this time broke and left the country, Thus were we totally deftitute of friends and fupport; and to add to this, we were obliged to remove from the parsonage houfe to give room for the gentleman and his family who was to fucceed my father. And as there was no houfe

empty

empty in the parish, and our poverty was too much known to expect any civilities from the neighbourhood, we went to a village, where we found fhelter in an honeft farmer's houfe here we lived all together fome time on the money we received for our goods, which we fold before we came a way. Two of my brothers were now out of their time, and came down to us; and both engag'd to allow their mother fo much per month out of their wages, and advis'd me and my fifter to go to London with them, and make a visit to a rich old uncle on my father's fide. So leaving my mother with the farmer's wife, who was a very good fort of woman, we fet out together: But the reception we met with at my uncle's was very cool. He told us, he was very forry for our misfortunes; but that our father had not us'd him very well, and for that reason he should not take any notice of his family. He was kind enough to tell us, we were good strong wenches, and young, and might very well go to fervice; but as for my mamma, as she was old and could not work, he would allow her 51. per annum. We thanked him kindly and left him. Tho' I was very well pleased with the friendship he intended my poor mamma, yet I was heartily enraged at the manner in which he offered it. One of my brothers told me, that he hop'd we would endeavour to reconcile ourselves to our station, and that if we would go to fervice, he would endeavour to get us places. He accordingly went home and told his mistress our cafe; who, as she was a good fort of a woman, fent for us, and in a week's time recommended us both to places, what they call in London places of all work. My fifter did not long live in this state of drudgery: fhe caught the fmall-pox and died: the news of which put an end to my poor mamma's life alfo. For my own part, as I had great health and spirits, I did very well in my place, and got so much the good-will of my miftrefs, that he told me it was a pity I fhould be in a place of all work, and that she would endeavour to recommend me into fome genteel family. In this fhe was as

good

good as her word, as you fee, fir, at prefent; for it was fhe that recommended me to the perfon I now serve.

Thus, fir, I have sent you this poor girl's ftory word for word, as I had it from her own mouth over a dish of tea; which you may publish, if you think it worthy your notice. By it we see the female part of a worthy family, that had liv'd many years in comfort, credit, and reputation, thrown into the highest distresses at once. Misfortunes, when they come

by degrees, are eafier born than fudden fhocks. Thofe, who have not experienced the changes of fortune, are but ill judges of the difficulty it is to those, who have spent the former part of their lives in ease and affluence, to reconcile themselves to ftations of drudgery and fervitude. Tho' this be greatly owing to a false pride, which is fhock'd at the found of poverty, yet it is productive of miseries of the severest kind. For my own part I have seen many clergymen's families more unhappy than that abovementioned, where lofs of virtue has been join'd to every other: and were we to believe the ftories of those miferable wretches, the prostitutes in London, how heartily would a good mind wish for the execution of this scheme! What numbers of unhappy people, and those too the least able to ftruggle with difficulties, viz. women, would this refcue from vice and mifery! What a scope is here for benevolence! What food for goodness! As I have the highest veneration for the religion eftablish'd in our country, fo have I the highest respect for its teachers. There is nothing I lament more than the great propenfity I have obferv'd among all degrees of people, to turn the inferiour clergy into ridicule, of which their poverty is the constant subject: and I am afraid, this is not a little owing to the difregard paid them by the dignify'd clergy, Were I to pitch upon a man equal to the execution of this laudable defign, it should be his Grace the ARCHBISHOP Of CANTERBURY, in whom are united the three effentials to every great action; a benevolent difpofition to give an inclination and relish to do good, a power to enable him to do

it,

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