emed to be displeased, by saying, "His friends
said their prayers backward for him: and that it was not his desire to
live a useless life, and by filling up a place keep another out of it,
that might do God and his Church service." He would often with
much joy and thankfulness mention, "That during his being a
housekeeper--which was more than forty years--there had not been one
buried out of his family, and that he was now like to be the first."
He would also often mention with thankfulness, "That till he was
three score years of age, he had never spent five shillings in law,
nor--upon himself--so much in wine: and rejoiced much that he had
so lived, as never to cause an hour's sorrow to his good father; and
hoped he should die without an enemy."

[Sidenote: Rules and habits]

He, in this retirement, had the Church prayers read in his chamber
twice every day; and at nine at night, some prayers read to him and
a part of his family out of "The Whole Duty of Man." As he was
remarkably punctual and regular in all his studies and actions, so he
used himself to be for his meals. And his dinner being appointed to
be constantly ready at the ending of prayers, and he expecting and
calling for it, was answered, "It would be ready in a quarter of an
hour." To which his reply was, "A quarter of an hour! Is a quarter
of an hour nothing to a man that probably has days not many hours to
live?" And though he did live many hours after this, yet he lived
not many days; for the day after--which was three days before his
death--he was become so weak and weary of either motion or sitting,
that he was content, or forced, to keep his bed: in which I desire he
may rest, till I have given some account of his behaviour there, and
immediately before it.

[Sidenote: His last days]

The day before he took his bed,--which was three days before his
death,--he, that he might receive a new assurance for the pardon of
his sins past, and be strengthened in his way to the New Jerusalem,
took the blessed Sacrament of the Body and Blood of his and our
blessed Jesus, from the hands of his Chaplain, Mr. Pullin, accompanied
with his wife, children, and a friend, in as awful, humble, and ardent
a manner, as outward reverence could express. After the praise and
thanksgiving for it was ended, he spake to this purpose: "Thou, O
God! tookest me out of my mother's womb, and hast been the powerful
protector of me to this present moment of my life: Thou hast neit