The vertuous wife: or, the holy life of Mrs. Elizabth Walker, late wife of A. Walker, D.D. sometime Rector of Fyfield in Essex: Giving a modest and short account of her exemplary piety and charity. Published for the glory of God, and provoking others to the like graces and vertues. With some useful papers and letters writ by her on several occasions.

SECT. XX. Of our going to Tunbridge-Wells.

THough it be known to many, that we most frequently went to Tunbridge-Wells from 1661, and after some Intermissions, al∣most every Year till 1689. yet more may wonder why I write a Section of it here, to which this short Account might serve for an∣swer. I doe it because I find so much concern∣ing it under her Pen, who is the Subject and occasion of the whole. But that's not all, it is to shew how she behaved her self there, as well as with what Christian Frame of Spirit she at∣tended God's Providence, in expectation of a Blessing from him who made the Fountains of Waters, and gave to them their usefull Proper∣ties, and rendred them very beneficial to her. Many, 'tis true, go thither solely, or chiefly, to drink these Waters for their Health; but it is as true, many go thither for Pleasure and Diversion only; as many for a mixed reason including both; and to this last Rank belongs

her going thither: But lest any should be sur∣prized by this, I must Interpret my self.

She went thither to drink the Waters, which oft proved very advantageous to her, and that End was common to her, with many others; and she went for Divertisement and Pleasure, as many more; and this also was common to her with Hundreds, in Sound, but not in Sense or Meaning, and it may be was peculiar to her; and it is possible, few, if any, ever went so many years to Tunbridge-Wells on her design, and so impro∣ved it as she did; for while too many place their divertisement in easing their Minds of the Cares of their ordinary Employments, and as a Car∣naval, to gratifie their looser Fancies with freer Conversation, displaying their gawdy Bravery, Walking, Dancing, Gaming, not to speak so severely as to say, to drink Iniquity like Water, without numbering either Draughts or Glasses.

She went (I do not say at first with that Design, but when Use and Experience had taught her the opportunity and satisfaction of that Pra∣ctice) as to a place of Privacy and Retirement, to be vacant to God, and her Spiritual Con∣cernments, which I hope I shall evince to be unquestionably true, though it may seem a Pa∣radox, and next to Impossible.

Let me introduce this Narrative, (to render it more Intelligible,) with the Examples of two

Fathers (if I may so call them) of two very different Churches; Cardinal Bellarmine, and Mr. Isaac Ambrose. Bellarmine, as Scholars well know, was for many Years engaged, and as we speak Proverbially, over Head and Ears in deepest closest Studies, in Reading, and Disputing, and Publishing his Controversies; yet he reserved to himself a Month out of e∣very Year, his Dear September, which he wholly spent in Devotion, in Contemplation, Prayer, and such like Holy Exercises, which immediately, and solely respected the purifying and perfecting his own Mind and Heart, and Saving of his Soul.

Mr. Isaac Ambrose, who was, I think, a Non-conformist Minister, though I cannot affirm it, whose Works have sold so well both in Quarto and Folio; his Prima, Media, ulti∣ma, and his Looking unto Jesus; Printed first in a large Quarto Volume, and which was highly Commended to me by a very Learned Roman-Catholick, and the devoutest Man I ever knew of that Communion. This Mr. Isaac Ambrose, though he was indefatigably Painfull in his Ministry all the other parts of the Year for the Souls of others, yet in Autumn, for a Month, silenced or suspended himself, if I may so phrase it, which Month he spent most part in the Fields, and Solitary Woods, (Places like Southburrow, Canes,—or Mercers-Woods;

like Culverden, Rusthall-Common, Cu∣verly-Plain, or Fant-Hill, (this is Tunbridge-Wells Language,) and the Places adjacent to the Wells, which I have known almost a Wil∣derness, though now become a kind of Penta∣polis, an Heap of Cities joined in one, by such a Multitude of Commodious, Sumptuous Hou∣ses.)

And in these lonesome solitary retreating Places, far from disturbing Noise, or distra∣cting sight of Men, looking off all other Ob∣jects, did he spend the days of this Month, loo∣king steadily to Jesus, Conversing not so much as with Books (if I remember right what I read so many Years ago, and have not now by me to consult again) in Meditation, Contem∣plation, Thinking, and with intensest, closest, most fixed Application of his Mind to unseen and Coelestial things.

And what these two sequestred Months were to the above-named Fathers in their several ways, was the Water-drinking Season to this good Daughter of the Church of England, an Advantage as conducive to her Soul's Health, and Vigour, from the still Waters of the Ʋp∣per Springs, as those of the Nether Springs were to the relief of her Body.

'Tis fit I should account for what I say, which I will do when I have a little touched some Passages left by her own Pen, which speak

the Pious Sense she had of God, as in all things, so in the Tunbridge Journeys; one or two In¦stances may suffice for this.

July 5. 1680. I went to London through the great Love and Care of my Dear Hus∣band. In order to my going to Tunbridge-Wells to drink the Waters, I being not well, my Dear Husband, Self, and Maid-Servant with us, the Eighth of the said Month, through God's Merciful Providence we came safe to Tunbridge, and were well accommodated, and stayed drinking the Waters six Weeks, I hope with good Success; with other Mercies there received, 'twas not the least, that I there met with some of my choicest Friends: Blessed be God for that his Favour to me, and for all the rest. We came Home August 21. where we were very welcome to our Family, and Parish-Neighbours, with much Expression of Kindness, and found all well, Praised be God.

July 16.—81. My Dear Husband, with my Self, and Child, went from Home to go to Tunbridge-Wells on my Account, to drink the Waters; we lodged the first Night at Bromly, next Night at Tunbridge Town, not being certain of our Lodgings at the Wells. But the next Day through God's good Providence we were received and accommodated where we were the Year before. That Morning, 18. My Husband and self drank the Waters,

and continued them twenty nine Days with good Success, Thanks be to God for all the Mercy of that Journey and Place. We re∣turned August the 16th, and came home the 18th, found all well, blessed be God, and for Welcome of Neighbours and Friends.

Thus did she continually in all her ways acknowledge God. This taste is enough.

Now to confirm what I affirmed before, how she improved this Retreat and Retirement to Religious Purposes, I know it is one of the most common Rules given to, and received by Water-Drinkers, to relax their Thoughts, not to be Intent, or over Serious, not to Read, or to apply their Minds closely to any thing during the time that they stay; which Rule I fear is not so good as common, nor needfull to be ob∣served, as easily believed through too much Propensity to Self-Indulgence; for I never knew the Waters more beneficial to any than to my Dear Wife, who never purchased the Success at the p••••ce of losing so much Precious Time. But on the contrary, as that Month used to be at Home the most busie and interrupting time of all the Year, by reason of Harvest; and being Blest with Servants to whom we could and did intrust those Affairs, without sollici∣tous Diffidence of their honest, prudent Care and Diligence; it was the quietest, and most sedate and calm Vacancy which fell within the

twelve Months Circle, which she employed accordingly.

Being now free even from the moderate Cares of usual Inspection of her Family, she rose at her constant Hour, four a Clock, and spent two hours or thereabouts with God; then ha∣ving begged a Blessing on them, about Six be∣gan to drink her Waters, Walking, and Con∣versing with serious Christian Friends, till she had finished that Day's Waters, and dined about one a Clock, and sat an hour after in Converse. The rest of the Day, which was here free from Domestick Cares and Inspection, and had no Diversion but receiving Visits, (which some Persons of Quality would condescend kindly to make her, and of which she would repay with Civility, as many in one day, as she re∣ceived in four or five,) she improved in Devo∣tion, Reading the Holy Scriptures, and other usefull Books, Meditation, and secret Prayer, and walking in a private commodious Walk, (which lay near our Lodgings,) which she much delight∣ed in, and called her Walk, for the Convenience it afforded her, both for the Health of her Bo∣dy, and Satisfaction of her Mind. Only she would appear once, or at the most twice in the whole Season, on the Greens on a Dancing Night, not so much by Inclination, as to avoid the Imputation of Moroseness and Affectation. Her Charity was also always very considerable

at Tunbridge-Wells; where she obtained signal Mercy from God, she shewed Mercy for his sake to those she judged fit Objects of it; though she had but a shallow Purse, she had deep Com∣passions, and I find above twenty Shillings in Money given in a Water-Season, besides Bibles and other good Books which she carried down with her, sent for to London, or bought there, to give away to poor People as often as she went.

The commodious Privacy of our Lodgings, (which we never changed, after we found the conveniency of them, for many Years,) contri∣buted much to her undisturbed Retirement; for the House standing alone, out of the noise of Ranting Neighbours, and of no great Receipt, that we could usually fill it with our Friends, and so chuse our Company; we had little Mo∣lestation by noise or hurry, or disagreeable Conversation which is not the least troublesome Grievance of that Place.

I know we were censured for the repu∣ted meanness of our Lodgings, but though we had no obligation to please any but our selves in that Particular, yet for the Reasons mentio∣ned, and many more, we would not have chan∣ged them for any we knew of thrice the Week∣ly Rent, though they had been offered us on e∣qual terms we paid for ours; and therefore we used to send before-hand to secure them, my Dear using to say, She had rather not go, than be

disappointed of them when she came thither. So dear was the advantage of so calm a Privacy to her in the midst of so great a Noise and Hurry, as usually attends that Place and Season.