ministry. t He continued some time in this situation; but
the unsettled condition of the colony, and some unhappy
contentions in the plantation where he lived, induced him
to remove fiiet to Boston, then to England, in his advanced
years.t On his return from New England, the sliip was
overtaken in so violent a storm, that the mariners, Avho could
not be brought to pray before, came trembling io him like
dying men ; and they found him upon the deck exulting,
with his arms stretched towards heaven, and crying, " O !
zcho is now for heaven P who is boiuid for heaven?''''

After Mr. Saxton's arrival in his native country, he had
the offer of a considerable living in Kent, which lie declined
to accept, preferring the vicarage of Leeds in his own
county, to which he was inducted in the month of April,
1646, and possessed till his death, which happened Octo-
ber 1, 1651, having survived his daughter Silence, the wife of
Captain Samuel Pool, to whom she was married in New
England ; but she died at Leeds, as did also his w idow the
February following. He was a venerable, pious, and
learned divine ; but he used many plain expressions, which
often occasioned smiles, and once downright laughter in a

* Thoresby's Vicaria Leodiensis, p. 86.

+ Mather's Hist, of New Eng. b. iii. p. 3. % Ibid. p. 214.



140 LIVES OF THE PURITANS.

country church where he was preaching. His text was
Job xi. 12. " For vnin man would be wise, though man
be born like a wild ass's colt." He, observing the irreve-
rence of the people, threatened to make them cry before he
had done, and was as good as his word when he came to
the api>!ication. The aged minister, for whom he then
preached, told me, as ouranthor adds, that he never saw the
like in that church before, almost the whole of tiie congre-
gation being bathed in tears ; and he further observes, that
Mr. Saxton was a very sludious and learned man, and a
great Hebrcan, and he eonsta!itly carried his Hebrew Bible
wih him into the pu!j>it.» There gois under his name a
book, entided '' Christnuis Cheere; or. Profitable Notes of
Two Sermons preached the 25th of December, being com-
monly (how righdy let others judge) called Christmiis day,
and upon the day following, commonly called St. Stephen's
day," 1606. Mr. Palmer has, by mistake, classed our
venerable divine among the worthy ministers who were
ejected after the restoration. +



George Walker, B. D. — This learned divine wa«
born at Hawkshead in J^ancashire, in the year 1581, and
educated iii St. John's college, Cambridge. Being lavonred
with religious parents, he enjoyed the benefit of tlieir pious
instructions when very young,:): which appean d of signal
advantage to him in luture life. Having finished his
studies at the university, he went to London ; and, in the
year 1614, became rector of St. ,lohn the Evangelist, in
Watling-street.^ Here he continued a faithful and laborious
minister nearly forty years, refusing all other preferments,
though frequently offered him. He did not preach to obtain
preferment, but to win souls to Christ. About the same
time he became chaplain to Dr. Felton, bishop of Ely, who
made choice of him the very morning of his consecration.
He was a bold opposer of popery, and he engaged several
times in public disputations against its errors and super-

* Thorpshy's Vicaria Leodiensis, p. 87,88.

t Palmer's Noncon. JVIeni. vol. i. p. STl .

"l The follow ing curious anecdote is related of liim, which we £;ive with-
out comment; — " Being vi.^itcd when a child with the small-pox, and those
V ho stood expecfina: his dissolution, he started up out of a trance, uith this
rjaculation. Lord, take me noi nrcai/ lilt I have shewed forlh thy praises;
which, after his recovery, induced his parents to devote him to the minis*
try." — Fullei's jyorthie'f, part ii. p. 118.

^ Kcwconrt* Report, iiccl. vol. i. p. 375.



WALKER. ^ 141

slitions. In the year 1623 he had a public dispute with a
popish priest of the name of Smith, before a very large
assembly ; and, by the consent of both parties, the account of
it was afterwards published. He had many encounters with
Fisher, the famous Jesuit, and many others, who were
deemed the most able disputants of the RomisJi persuasion.*

Mr. Walker was a divine of sterling piety and strict
Sabbatarian principles ; and he often urged from the pulpit
the necessity of an exact observance of the Lord's day. lu
(he year 1635, having openly avowed his sentiments in one
of his sermons, and recommended the holy observance of
the sabbath, as opposed to a book published by Bishop
White of Ely, and set forth by public authority, he was
convened before Archbishop Laud, when he received
canonical admonition. + In the year 1638 he was prosecuted
and severely censured in the star-chamber. Having
preached a sermon in his own church, to prove " that it is
a sin to obey the greatest monarch on earth, in those things
which stand opposed to the commands of God," he was
committetl twelve weeks to the custody of a pursuivant, to
whom he paid fees to the amount of twenty pounds. Upon
his prosecution, he was shut up ten weeks close prisoner in
the Gatehouse, and at last compelled to enter into a bond
of a thousand pounds, to confine himself prisoner in his
brother's house at ClicsM ick, when his living was seques-
tered. He continued a prisoner upwards of two years, but
was afterwards released by an order of parliament.

His case was laid before the house of commons in 1641,
when it was resolved, " That his commitment from the
council-table for preaching a sermon, October J 4, 1638,
and his detainment twelve weeks for the same, is against
the law and the liberty of the subject.

" That the prosecution of the said Walker in the star-
chamber, for preaching the said sermon, and his close
imprisonment thereupon for ten weeks in the Gatehouse,
and the payment of twenty pounds fees, is against law and
the liberty of the subject.

" That the five passages marked in the sermon, by Mr.
Attorney and Sir John Banks, contain no crime, nor deserve
any censure, nor he any punishment for them.

" That the enforcing the said Walker to enter into the
bond of one thousand pounds, for confinement in his

* Fuller's Worthies, part ii. p. 118.
f Wood's Athense Ojcob. vol. i, p. 840.



142 LIVES OF THE PURITANS.

brother's house at Cheswick, and his imprisonment there, is
against law.

" That the sequestration of the parsonage of the said
Walker, by Sir John Lamb, was done without any warrant,
and against the law of the land.

" That Walker ought to be restored to his parsonage,
and the whole profits thereof, from the time of the said
sequestration, and to have reparation for all such damages
as lie hath sustained by these several imprisonments, and
his case transmitted to the lords."*

W-ielher Mr. Walker received any reparation for
damages we have not been able to learn; but after his release
from confinement, he returned to his benefice and ministerial
charge in Wafling-street, where he continued the rest of his
days without fiirther molestation. In the year 1643 he was
chosen one of the assemljly of divines, where, by his muni-
ficent and generous behaviour, he gained a distinguished
reputation. The year following he was appointed one of
the committee for the examination and ordination of public
preachers. The same year he was one of the witnesses
against Archbishop Laud at his trial, when he deposed that
the archbishop had endeavoured to introduce arminianism
and the popish superstitions into the church of England. +
Though Wood reproaches him with having preached
against the king! and his party, he united with his brethren,
the London ministers, in their protestation against the king's
death, declaring that his majesty ought to have been
released. § He was a member of the first provincial as-
sembly in London, and sometimes chosen moderator. He
died in the year 1651, aged seventy years, and his remains
were interred in his own church in Watling-street. Fuller
says, " he was well skilled in the oriental languages, and
an excellent logician and divine. He was a man of a holy
life, an humble spirit, and a liberal hand, who deserved well
of Zion college library ; and who, by his example and per-
suasion, advanced a thousand pounds for the maintenance of

* Nalson's Collections, vol. ii. p. 250, 251.

+ Pijnne's Cant. Doome, p. 300, 532.

I Dr. Grey charges him with the same crime, for the proof of which he
appeals to the following passage in one of his sermons : " After God had
rejected Saul for his disobedience from being king over Israel," says Mr.
Walker, " and had declared his purpose to him by Samuel, an evil spirit of
fury, jealousy, and tyranny, came upon him." The reader will judge what
degree of proof it affords. — Grey's Examin, vol. i, p. 399.

§ Calaray'a Contin. vol. ii. p. 743.



VICARS. U%

preaching ministers in his native county." Wood calls
him " a learned man, but a severe puritan."*

His Works. — 1. The Sum of a Disputation between Mr. Walker,
Pastor of St. John the Evan., and a Popish Priest, calling himself Mr.
Smith, but indeed Norris, 1623.— 2. Fisher's Folly Unfolded; or, the
Taunting- Jesuit's Challenge Answered, 1624. — 3. Socinianism in th«
Fundamental Point of Justification Discovered and Confuted, 1641.
—4. The Doctrine of the Holy Weekly Sabbath, 1641.— 5. God mad«
Visible in all his AVorks, 1641. — 6. Sermons preached before th«
Parliament, 1644, &c.



John Vicars was born in the city of London, in the
year 1582, descended from the Vicars in Cumberland, and
educated first in Clirist-cliurch hospital, London, then in
Queen's college, Oxford. Having finished his academical
studies, he retired to London, and became usher at Christ's-
church, which he kept till towards tlie close of life. Wood
calls him " a puritanical poet, and a zealous brother in the
cause;" and says, that, " upon the commencement of the
civil wars, he shewed his great forwardness for presbyte-
rianism, hated all people that loved obedience, and affrighted
many of the weaker sort, and others, from having any
agreement with the king's party, by continually inculcating
into their heads strange stories of God's wrath against the
cavaliers. Afterwards, when the independents became
predominant, he manifested great enmity against them,
especially after the king's death. "t He is said to have
" hated all people who loved obedience, as tlie devil doth
holy-water; and he could out-scold the boldest face in
Billingsgate, especially if kings, bishops, organs, or may-
poles, were to be the objects of tlieir zealous indignation.''^
He is warmly censured for calling the ceremonies of the
church" a stinking heap of atheistical and Roman rubbish ;"
and for suying, " Throw away the rubbish with the Lord's
enemies. V>x the Midianites, abolish the Amalekites: let
popery find no favour."^

Mr. Vicars was a most furious adversary to the indepen-
dents. The title of one of his pieces written against thenfi
will afford a curious specimen of the length to which the
different parties at that time carried their animosity. It is

* Fuller's Worthies, part ii. p. 118 — Wood's Athenae Oxon. vol. i.
p. 840.

+ Wood's Athenae, vol. ii. p. 85, 86.

t Foulis's Hist, of Plots, p. 179.

§ Walker's Attempt, part i. p. 17, 18.



il4 LIVES OF THE PURITANS.

as follows : " Coleman-street Conclave visited ; and that
grand Impostor, the Schismatics Cheater in Chief, (who liath
long slily lurked therein,) truly and duly discovered ; con-
taining a most palpable and plain Display of Mr. John
Goodwin's self-conviction, (under, his own hand writing,)
and of the notorious Heresies, Errors, Malice, Pride, and
Hypocrisy ofthis most hugeGaragantua in lalsely pretended
Piety, to the lamentable misleading of his too credulous
soul-murdered Proselytes of Coleman-street, and elsewhere:
collected principally out of his own big-braggadochio
wave-like swelling and swaggering Writings, full fraught
with six-footed Terms, and fleshlie rhetorical Phrases, far
more than solid and sacred Truths, and may fitly serve, (if it
be the Lord's will,) like Belshazzar's Hand-writing on the
Wall of his Conscience, to strike Terror and Shame into his
own Soul and shameless Face, and to undeceive his most
miserably cheated, and inchanted or bewitched Followers,"
16i8. Facing the title is John Goodwin's picture, with a
wind-mill over his head, and a weather-cock upon it; the
devil is represented blowing the sails ; and there are other
hieroglyphics or emblems about him, " designed," says
Wood, " to shew the instability of the man."* The late
Mr. Toplady, in the fervour of his zeal against arminianism,
seems highly delighted with what he calls " this facetious
title. "+ To us, however, it affords a lamentable proof of
the degradation to which even good men sometimes subject
themselves, when they suffer their passions to get the better
of their reason. Such language, in the present day, would
injustice be treated with silent contempt.

Though it does not appear at what place Mr. Vicars
laboured in the ministry, one of his name was beneficed at
Stamford in Lincolnshire, and prosecuted for nonconformity.
He was apprehended by a pursuivant and cast into prison,
upon the bare accusation of a drunken, popish innkeeper,
where he continued many weeks before any articles were
exhibited against him. He was afterwards bailed, but
forced to enter into bonds not to go ten miles from London.
And when he was carried before his spiritual judges, he was
again cast into prison, sentenced to pay a great fine, and
deprived of his living, upon the most frivolous charges,
which were disproved by many respectable witnesses,}



* Adieuce Oxon. vol. ii. p. 85.

t Toplady's Historic Proof, vol. i. p. 41.

J Huutlcy'i Prelates' Usurpations, p. 1G3.



p. YOUNG. 145

This, in all probability, was the same person.* Mr. Vicars
died August 12, 1652, aged seventy -two years. His re-
mains were interred in the church ofChiist-chuich hospital,
and over his grave Avas a large monumental inscription,
which, with the church, was destroyed by the coufiagration
in 1666.

His Works. — 1. A Prospective Glass to look into Heaven ; or,
the Celestial Caiuvaii Described, 1618. — 2. The Soiile's Sacred Solilo-
quie, 1618. — 3. England's Hallelujah; or, Great Lritain's grateful
Ketributiou for God's gracious Benediction in our many and i'amous
Deliverances, 1631. — 4. Quintessence of Cruelty; or, the Popish
Powder-plot related, 16... — 5. England's Reniembrancer; or, a
thankful Acknowledgement of Parliamentarie Mercies to the English
Nation, 1641. — 6. The Suifulness and Unlawfulness of making the
Picture of Christ's Humanity, 1641. — 7. God in the Mount; or, Eng-
land's Remembrancer, being a Panegerick Piramides erected to the
Honour of England's God, 1642.— 8. A Looking Glass for Malig-
nants; or, God's Hand against God-haters, 1643. — 9. God in the
Mount; or England's Remembrancer, being the First and Second
Part of a Parliamentary Chronicle, 1644. — 10. God's Arke overtopping
the World's Waves; or, a Third Part of Parliamentary Chronicle,
1646. — 11, The Burning-bush not consumed; or, the Fourth and
Last Part of a Parliamentary Chronicle, 1646. — The three last articles
were collected and published together, entitled, " Magnalia Dei
Auglicana; or, England's Parliamentary Chronicle, 1646. — 12. Cole-
man-street Conclave Visited, as noticed above, 1648. — 13. The Schis-
inatick Sifted, 16 . , . — 14. Soul-saving Knowledge, &c., 16 . . . — 15. The
Picture of a Puritan, 16. . . — 16. Dagon Demolished; or, Twenty admir-
able Examples of God's severe Justice and Displeasure against the
Subscribers of the late Engtagement against the King -and the whole
House of Peers, 1660. — He also published several Translations of
the Works of learned Men, among which was "Mischief's Mysterie ;
or. Treason's jMaster-piece, the Powder-plot, invented by Hellish
Malice, prevented by Heaveidy Means," 1617. This was licensed ;
and a new edition afterwards being Avanted, he waited upon Dr.
Baker, chaplain to Archbishop Laud, requesting to have the license
renewed, when the doctor refused, saying, " We are not so angry
with the papists now as we were twenty years ago."f



Patrick Young, A. M. — This celebrated scholar was
born at Seaton in Scotland, August 29, 158i, and educated
in the university of St. Andrews, where he took his degrees
in arts, and was afterwards incorporated at Oxford. He
was the son of Sir Peter Young, joint tutor with Buchanan
lo James I., and afterwards employed by the king in various
negociations, and rewarded with a pension. Upon the

* Huntley's Prelates' UsurpatioBs, p. 163.
+ Prynne's Cant. Doome, p. 184.

VOL. jir. L



146 LIVES OF THE PURITANS.

accession of James to the crown of England, bis father
accompanied him to this country, and placed Patrick in the
family of Dr. Lloyd, bishop of Chester, from whom he
derived great assistatice in his literary pursuits. In the year
1605 he went to Oxford, entered into deacon's orders, and
was elected chaplain of New College. He employed him-
self in this seat of the muses in the assiduous study of
ecclesiastical history and antiquities, and of the Greek
language, in which he acquired an extraordinary knowledge.
On his removal from the university he went to London,
with the intention of obtaining preferment at court, to which
he had easy access by means of his father. One of his
principal patrons was Dr. James Montague, bishop of Bath
and Wells, through whose interest he obtained a pension
from the king of fifty pounds a year ; and as he was master
of an elegant Latin style, his pen was occasionally employed
by his majesty, and by some other persons in power, in
writing letters ; and he was also engaged in examining the
archives of the kingdom.*

It was one of the first objects of his ambition to obtain the
post of keeper of Prince Henry's library and museum, in
the palace of St. James's, which was his residence, in this
he failed; but he was afterwards, through the influence of
his patron, Bishop Montague, elected librarian to the king.
To the royal library Mr. Young was a most assiduous
visitor, spending the greatest part of his time in it, and, at
the king's command, classing its contents in catalogues. He
had frequent literary conversations with his majesty, who
placed him in this situation, for which he was so well
qualified. By his persuasion, on the death of the very
learned Isaac Casaubon, in 1614, with whom he was
familiarly acquainted, the king purchased most of his books
and manuscripts for the library. Also, for the purpose of
augmenting the stores committed to his care, he was very
desirous of visiting the continent, but was unable to put his
design in execution till 1617, when he went to Paris, taking
with him recommendatory letters from the learned Camden
to some of his literary acquaintance in that metropolis. By
their means he was introduced to various other eminent
men, with whom, by tiie sweetness of his disposition, and
the candour and urbanity of his manners, he ingratiated
himself, and also rendered himself peculiarly dear to all
with whom he was connected. After his return, he assisted

» Biog. Britan. vol. viii. p. 438,0.— Aikin's Life of Selden and Usher,
p. 367.



p. YOUNG. 147

Mr. Thomas Rliead in making a Latin version of the
works of King James, a task undoubtedly considered as
highly important by the royal author. This translation,
" which," says Dr. Smith, " will extend to all eternity the
fame of this most learned king," appeared in 1619; and
Mr. Young was deputed to carry the present copy from his
majesty to the university of Cambridge, which was received
with all due respect in solemn convocation.

Mr. Young, in the year 1620, entered into the married
state ; and, about the same time, though only in deacon's
orders, was presented to the rectory of Hays in Middlesex,
and the rectory of Llanindimel in Denbighshire,* and was
soon after collated to a prebend of St. Paul's, London, and
chosen to the office of treasurer of that church. In 1624,
on the death of Mr. Rhead, he was recommended by Bishop
Williams, then keeper of the great seal, to the Duke of
Buckingham, as the fittest person in the kingdom to succeed
him in the office of Latin secretary. Although he had
hitherto published nothing in his own name, he appears
to have acquired a high character among the learned, both
at home and abroad, many of the latter of whom corres-
ponded with him upon literary topics, and received from
him many signal advantages. When the celebrated John
Selden undertook to examine the Arundelian Marbles, he
chose Mr. Young for one of his companions; and he
derived so much assistance from him in drawing up the
account of these valuable remains, that, passing by all
patrons of higher rank, he inscribed his " Marmora Arun-
deleana" to Mr. Young, in an affectionate and grateful
dedication, which confers honour on both the friends.t

The famous Alexandrian manuscript of the Old and
New Testament being added to the treasures of the royal
library, Mr. Young employed himself assiduously in col-
lating it with other manuscripts and printed books, and
communicated many various readings to Grotius, Usher,
and other learned men. It was his intention to print the
whole in types similar to the letters of the original, and he
published a specimen of his design ; but some circumstances
occurred to prevent it from being accomplished. J The cause
of its failure Bishop Kennet ascribes to the puritans; and
says, " that religion and learning were so little countenanced
by the parliament and assembly of divines, that they never



* Walker's Attempt, part ii. p. 50.
+ Aikin's Lues of Selden and Usher,
X Ibid, p, 372.



p. 368—3:1.



148 LIVES OF THE PURITANS.

called for the work, and so it was left unfinished."* What
degree of credit is due to tliis statement, every reader who
is at all conversant with the history of this period will
easily judge. Wood observes, " that the laborious task
was undertaken by tlie request of the assembly of divines,"
and, towards the close of the year 1645, an ordinance was
read for printing and publishing it. He had tor his assistants
the learned Selden and Whitlocke ; but why it was never
completed he could never learn. t Another writer affirms,
that the premature death of Mr. Young prevented the
accomplishment of the design ; after which it was taken up
by Dr. Grabe.t

Mr. Young, however, in the year 1633, edited, from the
same manuscript, the " Epistles of Clemens Romanus;"
and, in the year 1637, he published, with a Latin version,
*' Catena Grajcorum Patrum .lobum, collectore Niceta
Heracleae Metropolita." In 1638, he published " Exposito
in Canticum Canticorum Folioti Episcopi Londinensis, una
cur I Alcuini in idem Canticum Corapendio." This work
was written by Gilb. Foliot, bishop of London, in the reign
of Henry II. He greatly contributed to tiie publication of
Walton's Polyglot Bible, particularly by his annotations in
vol. vi. of that learned production. He continued in the
office of librarian till the king's death ; and had made pre-
parations for editing various other manuscripts from the
royal library, besides those mentioned above, but the con-
fusions of the times prevented their publication. After his
death, most of his Greek and Latin manuscripts, collected
and written with his own hand, came to the possession of
the celebrated Dr. John Owen.§

From the concurrent testimony of Anthony Wood and
Dr. Walker, it is certain that Mr. Young espoused the
sentiments and cause of the presbyterians, and we have no
evidence that he ever declined from them afterwards;
therefore, he is with justice classed among the puritan



• Kennet's Hist, of Eng. vol. iii. p. 148.

+ Wood's Athenae Oxon. vol. i. p. 794.

:{: Aikin's Lives of Selden and Usher, p. i43.— This famous manuscript
is now deposited in the British Museum; but Dr. Grabe never accomplished
liis design. However, in the year 1786, Dr. Woide, by unexampled
labour and care, published a most perfect fac-simile of the New Testament,
printed in types resembling the characters of the original. The Rev. Mr.
Baber, one of the librarians of ihe British Museum, has lately published a
fac-simile of the Psalms, and has also this year, 1813, announced hit
intention of publishing the Pentateuch in a similar style.

<( Wood's Athens, vol. i. p. 794.



D. ROGERS. 149

worthies.* Upon his removal from the office of librarian,