nominations, which its ever-ailing master loved to
encourage. No higher fortune could have befallen a
youth like Edmund the younger than that of having
for daily examples those who were his home pre-
ceptors. But the time arrived when the boy needed
to benefit by a higher curriculum than his mother's
system embraced. In those days, as in ours, the
duties of curates were heavier than their stipends ;



310 ANCIENT MEETING HOUSES.

of this class was one Nelson a resident of Alder-
manbury who fitted up, till it resembled a school-
house, the vestry of St. Alphage, and there in the
capacity of parish tutor supplemented a scanty in-
1 come ; his array of scholars, meanwhile, including
' Edmund Calamy. As the latter made only little
progress under curate Nelson, he was ultimately
placed with " a kind of Fifth Monarchy man, called
Yewell, at Epsom ;" but even at Epsom his physical
improvement became more apparent than his mental
progress. It must be mentioned to his honour,
however, that Yewell's crude opinions on religion and
politics sufficed not to conceal his genial disposition.
He evinced a tender concern for his boys, and even
incurred the expense of providing a London minister
to preach to them weekly. But as something more
than kindness and improved health was necessary,
young Edmund was recalled to London, there to
attend another academy in the neighbourhood of
Pinners' Hall. He now made satisfactory progress.
Morning and evening he crossed the City, and was
wont at times to encounter a citizen of so great an
age, that his lore included a story of his having
witnessed Elizabeth's entry into London, on her
accession to the throne, in 1558.

On that tumult subsiding which the alleged
popish plot awakened, the Court promoted a reac-
tion of public feeling. The excuses offered for the
I. rigorous treatment of the Dissenters wore more of a
| political than a religious complexion. The Non-



LITTLE CARTER LANE. 311

conformists are said to have resembled the crown
jewels, because pawned at pleasure to a vindictive
Parliament when supplies were needed, to be par-
tially released on a dissolution. The year 1681
was a time of severe hardship to our Christian
fathers. Throughout England the Nonconformist
pulpits were vacant, not on account of faint-hearted
shrinkings from duty, but because the' pastors
were languishing in county gaols. Calamy carried
with him to the verge of life many personal remi-
niscences of those never-to-be-forgotten days. Even
as early as his tenth year the sight of his child's
face often gladdened the solitude of such prisoners
as were confined for conscience' sake, or in other
words, he was frequently the almoner of persons
whose sympathy prompted them to relieve by such
an agency the men of whom England was then un-
worthy. From many such did young Edmund
Calamy receive a blessing. His father eluded im-
prisonment, and did so by a dexterous adroitness
with which the agents of the law were unable to
cope. He was continually being sought, but by now
assuming one disguise, and anon another, and by a
frequent change of residence, he escaped the vigi-
lance of his enemies. They who convened the
Nonconformist meetings were constrained to act
with severest caution. As a mere child, Edmund
w T as often present at the proscribed assemblies, and
at such times he would ask himself the puzzling
question, Why could not men whose whole demeanour



312 ANCIENT MEETING HOUSES.

was self-denying and peaceful, live on unmolested ?

(He was present on two occasions when military
intruders from Whitehall suddenly disturbed the
services.

Notwithstanding the roughness of the times,
Edmund received the best training his parents were
able to afford. Thus, in addition to the educational
advantages already specified, he resided for a time
at Islington, in the house of Thomas Doolittle, and
was there in the society of youths who were destined
to achieve eminence in their several professions.
This school was broken up by the Government agents,
and Doolittle retired to Battersea.

Then came the winter of 1684, remarkable for
its severe frost. The river Thames was completely
frozen; and, on .account of the stalls and booths
erected on its surface, it more resembled a street
through a fair than its wonted familiar aspect.
Boats being superseded by coaches, the novelty of
the innovation attracted abundance of traffic. Very
vividly did the scene impress itself upon young
Calamy's imagination ; and he tells us of the multi-
farious sports e.g., fox-hunting, bear and bull-
baiting, which the hundreds of booths and shop-
keepers did their best to encourage. There was, of
course, the roasted ox the first thing suggested to
our fathers by such a scene as the frozen Thames.
For two months the citizens uninterruptedly enjoyed
their winter sports ; and the events of that clear, dry
Christmas had only just become events of history,



LITTLE CARTER LANE. 313

when Charles the Second was no more. Young
Edmund stood in Wood-street, one dismal February
morning, to hear the heralds proclaim the accession
of James the Second to the throne of England. Bad
as he had been, the populace retained an affection
for the late monarch, and some tears were shed at
the mention of the name and title of the new King.
In this memorable spring of 1685, the elder Calamy
also died. His constitution had never been robust ;
and, although treated by the most eminent phy-
sicians, he died of consumption at Totteridge, near
Barnet, whither he had gone for change of air. His
remains, on being brought to London, were deposited
in the church at Aldermanbury.

The now fatherless Edmund continued his educa-
tion at Merchant Taylors' School, and subsequently
had several tutors, the most noteworthy of whom
was Samuel Cradock, the conductor of an academy
for university learning near Newmarket. Calamy
retained some pleasant reminiscences of the days he
passed in the home of Samuel Cradock. The latter
not only attended to his classes, but ministered to a
congregation at his own house on Sabbath days, and
did so without a stipend. After leaving this pre-
ceptor, Calamy returned to his former tutor, Thomas
Doolittle, whose meeting was in Monkwell-street,
but whose manse was overshadowed by the now
classical shrine of Sylvanus Urban, at Clerkenwell.
The young scholar formed many valuable acquaint-
ances e.g., Shower, Howe, Taylor, and others, and



314 ANCIENT MEETING HOUSES.

he acted, on the advice of such able counsellors when
he ultimately embarked for Holland to read theology
at the Dutch universities.*

After going through his continental curriculum,
Calamy returned home with some highly nattering
testimonials from foreign professors. Prior to his
settlement he travelled about England, and we are
enabled to follow him in some of his wanderings.

* While Calamy was studying on the Continent he
obtained some information of a certain Mrs. Schurman, who,
besides her high literary attainments, possessed an exquisite
skill in painting glass and china. One piece, in particular,
on which she had only worked when in her best mood, was
a specimen of consummate art. Her excessive pains did not
go unrewarded; for many competent judges ventured an
opinion that the glass in question was the finest thing of the
kind extant. As the lady was well known, families of dis-
tinction, while passing through the district, usually made a
point of inspecting her treasures, principal among which was
the trifle referred to. Such callers were invariably very
politely received. On one occasion, the visitor being a lady,
the hostess pressed her to drink wine from the much-prized
glass ; and, accordingly, that article was handed over to a
maid to be washed. In her nervous carefulness, the girl
broke the cup, and, knowing too well the nature of the
mischief she had done, she ran and hid herself. When
obliged to restore the broken pieces, she exclaimed in terror,
"I could not help it ! indeed, madam, I could not help it ! "
Instead of upbraiding her maiden, this sage-like matron
returned to her visitor to exclaim, in the language of truest
wisdom: " I hope I shall learn from this passage to set more
value upon my time for the future, than to throw away so
much upon so brittle a trifle."

Another remarkable story of these times is supported by



LITTLE CARTER LANE. 315

He visited Oxford, and, while there, received an in-
vitation to visit the people of Whitchurch, where
the Nonconformists' pulpit was vacant. The mes-
senger was accompanied by a horse, upon which
Calamy returned, as desired. At Whitchurch a
well-to-do tradesman of Andover was encountered,
who, by way of addition to his compliments, re-
quested that a young scholar bearing so eminent a
name would also visit Andover. Accordingly, on

the testimony of Calamy. During the civil wars, a certain
youth determined to join the Parliamentary ranks, and
adhered to his resolution, although parents and friends
dissuaded him from it. His resolve was so firmly rooted as
to be proof against either entreaty or reason. His friends at
last delighted him by giving their reluctant consent. In one
of the sanguinary battles that followed, this youth was
severely wounded ; and, through neglect, mortification
ensued. He progressed from bad to worse, until the surgeons
decided on sacrificing the limb. The doctor, who attended
the patient on the night preceding the day appointed for the
amputation, carelessly left a bottle of dressing liquor and a
flask of refreshing cordial standing together by the bedside.
In the course of the night the invalid drank a large draught
of the cauterising fluid, and his immediate sensations were
those of being internally on fire. To all appearances he soon '
lapsed into a dying state, and on the following morning his
body was in an intense heat, his eyes resembling balls of fire.
Under circumstances so distressing, the surgeons decided on
not proceeding with the amputation, but allowed their
patient unlimited quantities of drink. The sequel was most
extraordinary ; for on examination, the injured limb was
found to have recovered from the mortification, and in a
brief space the youth was again abroad and in his usual
health.



316 ANCIENT MEETING HOUSES.

the Thursday following, Calamy and his host rode
over to this hospitable merchant's house. A wel-
come not less abundant than the dinner which fol-
lowed awaited them, and, during the progress of the
meal, the host, in the course of his pleasant conver-
sation, astonished his visitors by quietly remarking,
" I have no doubt there will be a good congregation
this evening." On finding himself thus fairly en-
trapped young Edmund experienced some chagrin;
and his humour was not improved by the discovery
that a messenger was abroad collecting an audience ;
for he " thought this sort of management pretty
particular." The Andover of those days had its
separate Nonconformist societies, but they had only
a single meeting-house between them. The Presby-
terians and Independents worked harmoniously to-
gether; and, at this conjuncture, the last-named
section had lately lost their minister, Isaac Chauncy,
the predecessor of Doctor Watts in London.

This visit to Andover of a young divine bearing
so distinguished a name awakened unwonted ex-
citement in the little republic. After concluding
his sermon, Calamy was abruptly addressed by a
dame wearing a high hat, and who was in all other
respects, picturesquely attired. She invited the
young orator to remain at Andover, whither, she
declared, Providence had directed him. While
nearly losing command over his countenance,
Calamy replied that his youth would scarcely
warrant the immediate acceptance of so important



LITTLE CARTER LANE. 817

a charge, and, in addition to such considerations, he
knew little of their disposition. Because he had
pleased them on a single occasion, it did not follow
he should always succeed in doing so. While pro-
ceeding to strengthen the position she had assumed,
the ancient dame extolled the virtues of youthful
Christians, at the expense of those of riper years.
" Come, come, mother," interrupted Calamy, " do not
bear so hard on the old Christians among us." He
also embraced the opportunity of recommending the
Presbyterian minister, whose duties were then in-
conveniently divided between Andover and Win-
chester : " Fix him wholly among you," cried he,
" and ease him of going in his advanced age to
preach at Winchester once a fortnight." The old
lady happened to be a relict of the extreme orthodox
Puritan school ; and her wrathful explosion now
startled the company : " What, Mr. Sprint," she
shrieked, " old Mr. Sprint ? Alas ! he is a Bax-
terian ! He is a middle-way man ! He is an
occasional conformist ! He is neither fish nor flesh,
nor good red herring ! " Amid some glee, Calamy
endeavoured to soothe the singular human phenome-
non before him ; but his words were to no purpose.
" Sir," said the woman, as she stalked down the
aisle, " I wish you a good night."

Calamy returned to Oxford, and in that neigh-
bourhood inaugurated his ministry. Soon after he
removed to London, where he accepted numerous
engagements. His now seemingly prosperous path



318 ANCIENT MEETING HOUSES.

however, was not without its shades of sorrow ; for
about this time that bane of his kindred, consump-
tion, cut short his sister's life. Meantime a settle-
ment had not been decided on. Eeceiving a call
from Bristol, he travelled thither to judge of the
prospects presenting themselves. The stipend was
,1. a year, with a house ; but for the sake of his
mother, who preferred remaining in London, this fair
opening was declined. Immediately afterwards, by
settling with Matthew Sylvester at Blackfriars,
./ Calamy was honoured by next succeeding the
immortal Baxter.

We get many glimpses into a young minister's
diurnal experience in those distant days by atten-
tively following our author's voluminous narrative.
He lodged in Hoxton-square, and had Thomas
Reynolds for a landlord and house companion.
Their days glided happily on, for each was glad-
dened by the other's presence. Neither was rich.
Reynolds was pastor at the Weigh-house ; and as
for Calamy, he received from Matthew Sylvester a
quarterly allowance of ten pounds, the latter often
retaining a smaller amount for himself. As an
annual subscription of eighty pounds, however, was
insufficient for the maintenance of two, a separation
ensued, and Sylvester assumed the entire pastorate,
while his colleague engaged himself to Dr. Williams,
at Hand-alley, Bishopsgate. Calamy now gave
attention to a matter of a tenderer nature. Prom
the congregation of John Shower, in Jewin-street,



LITTLE CARTER LANE. 319

he selected Mary Watts, to whom he was united in
marriage in June, 1695. This happy union in no
way interfered with the domestic arrangements at
Hoxton, where the house was still shared by Thomas
Eeynolds.

Even in the days under review, several years after
the Revolution, the Dissenters, for political reasons,
avoided the ostentation of public ordinations ; and
made it their custom to hold such meetings in
private. Calamy determined if possible to establish
a more honourable precedent, and, with a view to
that end, consulted several eminent divines. Sin-
gularly enough, both Bates and Howe shrank from
encouraging the innovation, through fear of awaken-
ing Government suspicion. Nevertheless, others
were found willing to conduct the solemnities of the
occasion. The meeting was convened at Little St.
Helen's, the service lasting eight hours, during
which seven persons were ordained. On several
accounts that longest summer day of 169-i was
memorable in the annals of Nonconformity.

Calamy rapidly rose into popularity, and was
elected to the Merchants' Lecture, at Salters' Hall,
in 1702, shortly prior to his accession to the pulpit
at Westminster. In this year he again visited
Oxford, and became intensely interested in dis-
covering that Clarendon's History of the Rebellion
was passing through the Universit} 7 Press. Calamy \
was then engaged in preparing his Account of the y
Ejected Ministers, and a strong curiosity prompted



*i



320 ANCIENT MEETING HOUSES.

him to obtain a sight of Clarendon's unpublished
sheets. He went to the printers ; but none of the
employe's dared to respond to so strange a request ;
and our author returned to his lodging is a dis-
consolate mood. Not despairing, he enquired of a
certain tradesman, if any persons were engaged at
the presses to whom a liberal donative would be
acceptable. A being of the kind required a poor
Dutchman was ultimately found ; for he produced
with alacity what sheets were printed, and actually
brought a portion of the manuscript also. By
reading throughout the night, Calamy enjoyed his-
stolen booty. He was delighted by discovering
that in regard to facts, Clarendon and himself were
not materially at variance. This method of gaining
his object cannot be commended as honourable. As
regards Calamy's Account of the Bartholomew Con-
fessors, its publication aroused the fierce resentment
of the Anglican priesthood. Some opponents pro-
posed condemning the book by a formal vote of
Convention, but if such a design was ever seriously
entertained, its execution was balked by a too eager
appreciation of its probable effect on the sale of the
book ; for one of the publishers offered a purse of
gold to any who would ensure the passing of the
contemplated vote.

The first edition of Calamy's Abridgment of
Baxter's Life was published in 1702. This work-
is a Defence of moderate Nonconformity ; and as
such became the spring-head of a controversy as



LITTLE CARTER LANE. -321

it were, which in, this place will not need any par-
ticular allusion. Several books were issued by the
contending parties. Calamy was arrayed against
Hoaclly, Ollyff, and Dorrington. We must make
due allowances for the temper of those times, and
then the combatants will receive very high com-
mendation, when we grant that they conducted their
literary skirmish with a kindliness of spirit not at
all characteristic of the Augustan age.

In 1708 the religious public was troubled by the
appearance in England of the sect called French
Prophets. The leaders of these fanatics laid claim
to inspiration, and were wont, besides, to go through
some strange performances. Calamy did his best to
promote their discomfiture by publishing his Caveat
against their doctrine and practice, for writing which
he received the thanks of the Queen. Our author's
next adventure was a pleasant tour into Scotland;
and of that journey he has left us ample details. On
re-crossing the Border he carried with him the well-
merited distinction of Doctor of Divinity.

His time was now occupied with many busy pro-
jects. In 1713 he published a revised edition of
his Account of Ejected Ministers, which the Non-
conformists hailed as a seasonable memento of heroic

-"""i.jr'"""""""*"*"-''"'"" 111 '" 1 *" 1 ? "'- .)

suffering, but which continued to excite the less
amiable attributes of the violent partisans of Church
and State. Of the latter party Dr. Walker assumed
the championship, and volunteered to counteract
what was deemed to be Calamy's pernicious in,-

21



322 ANCIENT MEETING HOUSES.

fluence. Circulars, containing a number of queries,
were dispersed among the clergy. The questions
principally related to those incumbents who were
sequestered during the Commonwealth for alleged
incompetence, ignorance, or immorality. The
minutest particulars were eagerly sought after e.g.,
of the rudeness of Cromwell's Triers, and the violent
behaviour of their abettors ; and also of the successors
of the superseded pastors, and of the school of
fanaticism to which they specially belonged; of
"their ridiculous praying or preaching, canting,
formal or immoral practices ; of the furious things
they did and said" against the Government, the
Church, and the State in general. The collectors
of these historical materials were encouraged in their
researches by the smoothest compliments and by the
blandest assurances. Indeed, his grace the bishop
and their reverences the archdeacons of the diocese
highly approved the undertaking.

The above more particularly refers to the see of
Exeter, where the clergy showed no indolence in
doing as they were bidden, since the whole business
was sanctioned by " the right reverend father in
God, the lord bishop, and archdeacons of this dio-
cese." It is true that the clergy encountered some
obstacles and checks in their invidious enquiries.
Thus, in a palish presided over by one of Dr.
Walker's disciples, there lived a venerable dame,
whose strength of body had declined, but whose
wits were unimpaired by years. During the civil



LITTLE CARTER LANE. 323

wars her family espoused the Eoyalist side, and,
on that account, severely suffered. Her father,
it would seem, was superseded by those uncom-
promising advocates of pure religion and a grave
deportment Cromwell's Triers. With some glee
the parson discovered in this old lady an agent com-
petent to further his interest with Dr. Walker, and
with " the reverend father in God, the lord bishop,
and archdeacons of this diocese." Pocketing his
sheet of queries, our parson hasted to the cottage,
which he entered, and in the blandest of humours
commenced some such dialogue as the following :
" Well, my good mistress, it rejoices my heart to see
you so blythe after all your family troubles and with
your infirmities of age ; but I hope yet to see some
reparation made you for your losses in the late times
of cant and fanaticism." " I am content, parson,"
she replied, "to let bygones be bygones, and go
quietly to heaven." On the business assuming
this unpromising aspect the chivalrous vicar chid
" her simplicity, and told her he hoped she would
be wiser than to let slip such an opportunity, and
presently falls to asking her questions out of his
paper concerning her father." The dame continued
obstinate, and said such reminiscences " were better
forgotten." At this stage the parson lost his temper ;
questions and arguments were superseded by invec-
tive, and he absolutely refused to stir without re-
ceiving a full account of the wrongs inflicted on the
sequestered vicar, the dame's father. The revelation

21*



324 ANCIENT MEETING HOUSES.

made, only bred further disappointment, and increased
the clergyman's consternation, for the information
" was not at all to his gust." Christian principle,
in the person of his informer, proved superior to
filial love. Vainly, by artful questions, did the
parson endeavour to elicit admissions from which
damaging conclusions could be drawn. He spoke at
random some spiteful things about the minister in-
stalled by Cromwell's Triers, but his auditor's reply
was a grateful acknowledgment of light received
from that Puritan pastor. Chagrined at his final
non-success, the parson " stormed and raged " with
disappointment, till, finding all to no purpose, he
rushed from the cottage, forgetting to pocket Dr.
Walker's sheet of queries.

Circular letters were also dispatched into other
dioceses ; and shortly aiter the publication of Calamy's
Account, Walker's folio was subscribed for by thir-
teen hundred persons. The sheer absurdity of certain
details in the book excited some mirthful derision ;
but, on the other hand, the work was extolled as
the Anglican Book of Martyrs. Churchmen, how-
ever, were not unanimous in admiring the monument
raised by Walker, and one of their number con-
temptuously styled it " a farrago of false and sense-
less legends." Posterity can estimate the author's
merit without being biassed by party rancour. Un-
doubtedly, the Doctor has done his best to palliate
the odium of drunkenness, tavern-haunting, and

J swearing, so inseparably associated with the clergy



LITTLE CARTER LANE. 325

of the Eestoration ; and any obstacles in the way of
vindication he thought he annihilated by calling
them " hackney imputations." Confusion of arrange-
ment and mistakes in the text are also noteworthy
features of Walker's book. Many of his " martyrs "
could boast of attributes which degrade humanity
below the nature of brutes, and, morally speaking,
render man all that is contemptible.

Walker's task was at the best an invidious under-
taking. He attempted to weaken his opponent's
testimony by expressing suspicion that the Noncon-
formists' failings had been covered, or that at the
least they had been extenuated. He portrays as