Solomons recantation, entitvled Ecclesiastes paraphrased with a soliloquie or meditation upon every chapter : very seasonable and useful for these times / by Francis Quarles ; with a short relation of his life and death.

A SHORT RELATION Of the Life and Death of M^r. FRANCIS QUARLES, BY URSULA QUARLES, his sorrowfull Widow.

THough it be inconsistent with the duty of a Wife, to be injurious in any respect to her Husband; yet in this my bold undertaking I fear I shall be so to mine: which I doubt not but he would have for∣given, if he had been living, as proceeding from love; and I hope his friends will pardon (now he is dead) as being the last duty I can perform to a loving Husband. Those that see with what pen his Works are written, will say his Life deserved a more skilful Artist to set it forth: which office though many might have been procured to undertake; and to which I doubt not, but some would voluntarily have offered themselves, if they had known that such a thing had been intended: yet have I (with much zeal, though small discretion) adventured upon it my self, as being fully assured that none can be more sensible of the losse of him, then I, though thousands might have exprest that losse to the world with more Art and better judgement.

He was a Gentleman both by birth and desert: descended of an ancient Fa∣mily, and yet (which is rare in these last and worst times) he was an ornament to his Ancestors. His Father was Iames Quarles of Rumford Esquire, Clerk of the Green-cloth, and Purveior of the Navie to Queen Elizabeth, and yon∣ger brother to Sir Robert Quarles. His education was sutable to his birth; first, at schoole in the Country, where his School-fellows will say, he surpassed all his equals; afterward at Christs Colledge in Cambridge, where how he profited, I am not able to judge, but am fully assured by men of much learning and judgement, that his Works in very many places doe sufficiently testifie more then ordinary fruits of his Vniversity studies. Last of all, he was transplanted from thence to Lincolns Inne, where for some years he studied the Laws of Eng∣land; not so much out of desire to benefit himself thereby, as his friends and neighbours, (shewing therein his continuall inclination to peace) by compo∣sing suits and differences amongst them.

After he came to maturity, he was not desirous to put himself into the world, otherwise he might have had greater preferments then he had: He was neither so unfit for Court preferment, nor so ill beloved there, but that he might have raised his fortunes thereby, if he had had any inclination that way. But his mind was chiefly set upon his devotion and study: yet not altogether so much, but that he faithfully discharged the place of Cup-bearer to the Queen of Bohe∣mia, and the office of Secretary to the Reverend and learned Lord Primate of Ireland, that now is; and of Chronologer to the famous City of London; which place he held to his death, and would have given that City (and the world) a

testimony that he was their faithfull servant therein, if it had pleased God to blesse him with life to perfect what he had begun. He was the Husband of one Wife, by whom he had eighteen children; and how faithful and loving he was, my pen and their tears are not able to expresse.

In all his duties to God and man, he was conscionable and orderly: He pre∣ferred God and Religion to the first place in his thoughts, his King & Coun∣try to the second, his Family and Studies he reserved to the last: As for God, he was frequent in his devotions and prayers to him, and almost constant in reading or meditating on his holy Word, as his Divine Fancies and other parts of his Works will sufficiently testifie. For his Religion, he was a true son of the Church of England; an even Protestant, not in the least degree biassed to this hand of superstition, or that of schisme, though both those Factions were ready to cry him down for his inclination to the contrary. His love to his King and Country in these late unhappy times of distraction, was manifest, in that he used his pen, and powred out his continuall prayers and tears to quench this miserable fire of dissention, while too many others added daily fewell unto it. And for his family, his care was very great over that, even then, when his occasions caused his absence from it. And when he was at home his exhorta∣tions to us to continue in virtue and godly life, were so pious and frequent; his admonitions so grave and piercing; his reprehensions so mild and gentle, and (above all) his own example in every religious and morall duty, so constant and manifest, that his equall may be desired, but can hardly be met withall.

Neither was his good example of a godly life contained only with••n his own Family: others as well as we, have (or at least might have) made good use of it. For he was not addicted to any notorious vice whatsoever: He was courte∣ous and affable to all; moderate and discreet in all his actions: And though it be too frequent a fault (as we see by experience) in Gentlemen whose disposi∣tions incline them to the study of Poetry, to be loose and debauch'd in their lives and conversations; yet was it very far from him: Their delight could not be greater in the Tavern, then his was in his Study; to which he devoted him∣self late and early, usually by three a clock in the morning. The fruits thereof are best tasted by those, who have most perused his Works, and therefore I shall be silent in that particular. For though it had been necessary in another to have spoken somewh••t of his writings; yet I hope it will not be expected from me, seeing that neither the judgement of my Sex can be thought competent, nor (if it were) would the nearnesse of my relation to him suffer me to praise that, •• commendations whereof from others, I have often blushed.

I shall therefore rather desire le••ve to speak a word or two concerning the blessed end of my dear Husband, which was every way answerable to his godly life; or rather (indeed) surpassed it. For as gold is purified in the fire, so were all his Christian virtues more refined and remarkable during the time of his sicknesse.

His patience was wonderfull, insomuch as he would confesse no pain, even then when ••ll his friends perceived his disease to be mortall; but still rendred thanks to God for his speciall love to him, in taking him into his own hands to chastise, while others were exposed to the fury of their enemies, the power of pistols, and the trampling of horses.

He exprest great sorrow for his sins, and when it was told him, that his friends conceived he did thereby much harm to himself: he answered, They were not his friends, that would not give him leave to be penitent.

His Exhortations to his friends that came to visit him were most divine; wishing them to have a care of the expence of their time, and every day to call them∣selves to an accompt, that so when they come to their bed of sicknesse, they might lie up∣on it with a rejoycing heart. And doubtlesse such an one was his: Insomuch as he thanked God, that whereas he might have justly expected, that his conscience should look him in the face like a Lyon, it rather looked upon him like a Lamb: and that God had forgiven him his sins, and that night sealed him his pardon: And ma∣ny other heavenly expressions to the like effect. I might here adde what blessed advice he gave to me in particular, still to trust in God, whose promise is, to pro∣vide for the Widow and Fatherlesse, &c. but this is already imprinted in my heart; and therefore I shall not need here again to insert it.

His charity was extraordinary, in freely forgiving his greatest enemies, even those who were the cause of his sicknesse, and by consequence of his death. For, whereas a Petition full of unjust aspersions, was preferred against him by eight men, (whereof he knew not any two, nor they him, save only by sight) the first news of it struck him so to the heart, that he never recovered it, but said plainly, it would be his death. And when his friends (to comfort him) told him that Mr. I. S. (the chief promoter thereof) was called to an accompt for it, and would go neer to be punished; his answer was, God forbid, I seek not re∣venge, I freely forgive him, and the rest; onely I desire to be vindicated from their unjust aspersions; especially.* 1.1 [that for ought they know I may be a Papist] where∣as I never spake word to any of them in my life. Which imputation, how slande∣rous it was, may e••sily be discovered by a pass••ge in his greatest extremity, wherein his discretion may (perhaps) be taxed by some, but his Religion can∣not be questioned by any. For, a very able Doctor of the Romish Religion, being sent unto him by a friend, he would not take what he had prescribed, on∣ly because he was a Papist.

These were the remarkable passages in him during his sicknesse:* 1.2 The rest of the time he spent in Contemplation of God, and meditating upon his Word; especially upon Christs sufferings, and what a benefit those have, that by faith could lay hold on him, and what vertue there was in the least drop of his precious blood: intermingling here and there many devout prayers and ejaculations; which continued with him as long as his speech: and after, as we could perceive by some imperfect expressions. At which time a friend of his exhorting him to apply himself to finish his course here, and prepare himself for the world to come; he spake in Latin to this effect (as I am told) O dulcis Salvator mundi, sint tua ultima verba in Cruce, mea ulti∣ma verba in luce: In manus tuas Domine commendo spiritum meum. Et quae ore meo fari non possint, ab animo & corde sint à te te accepta. O sweet Saviour of the world, let thy last words upon the Crosse, be my last words in this world: Into thy hands Lord I commend my spirit: And what I cannot utter with my mouth, accept from my heart and soul. Which words being uttered distinctly,

to the understanding of his friend, he fell again into his former Contempla∣tions and Prayers; and so quietly gave up his soul to God, the eight day of September, 1644. after he had lived two and fifty years, and lyeth buried in the Parish Church of S. Foster, London.

Thus departed that blessed soul, whose losse I have great reason to bewail, and many others in time will be sensible of. But my particular comfort is in his dying words, that God will be a Husband to the Widow: And that which may comfort others as well as me, is (what a reverend Divine wrote to a friend concerning his death) that our losse is gain to him, who could not live in a worse age, nor die in a better time.

And here again, I humbly beg the Readers pardon. For I cannot expect but to be censured, by some for writing thus much, and by others for writing no more. To both which, my excuse is, my want of ability and judgement in matters of this nature. I was more averse (indeed) from medling with the Petition, then any other thing I have touched upon; lest (perhaps) it should be thought to savour a little of revenge; but God is my witnesse I had no such intention. My only aim and scope was, to fulfil the desires and commands of my dying Husband. Who wished all his friends to take notice, and make it known, that as be was trained up and lived in the true Protestant Religion, so in that Religion he died.

URSULA QUARLES.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Vide Psal. 31. ver. 7. & 20. I have hated them that hold of su∣perstitious vani∣ties: and my trust hath been in the Lord.
• * 1.2

  Let the lying lips be put to fi∣lence: which cruelly, disdain∣fully, and de∣spitefully speak against the righteous.