as eafy and pleafant as any man living. Yet he always carried a book with him, and all his difcourfe was feafoned with religion."

"Though Colet was himself an excellent fcholar, yet he did not approve that anxious and laborious fort of learning, that was to be gained by running through all forts of books. He faid this did but wear away the natural edge of the human understanding, and made men the lefs capable of a true Chriftian fimplicity, and of genuine evangelical charity.".

He

could not bear, that the ftandard of a good ftyle fhould be taken from the exact rules of grammar; which, he would often affirm, did rather obftruct the purity of the language; which, he faid, was not to be attained but by reading of the beft and pureft authors. He fuffered by this opinion. For though, in confequence of his genius and his learning, he had attained a noble eloquence, and the perfect command of any fubject, yet in writing he did fometimes fall under the cenfure of the critics. And it was for this reafon, I prefume, that he abstained from the writing of books. Though I wish (fays Erafmus) that he had not abstained: for I fhould value the thoughts of fuch a man, in whatever language they were dreffed."

Erafmus was at Louvain when he first heard of the death of Dean Colet, which he greatly lamented. In a letter to Bishop Fisher, he expreffes himself thus: "I write (fays he) now in tears for the decease of Colet; a lofs and affiction more grievous to me, than any I have fuffered these thirty years. I know his ftate is happy; he is now delivered from a troublesome and wicked world, and enjoys the prefence of his Redeemer JESUS, whom he loved fo affectionately in his life. But, in the name of the world, I cannot but lament the lofs of fuch an admirable example of Chriftian piety, and fuch an excellent preacher of the Gospel of CHRIST. And, even in my own name, I must bewail the lofs of a conftant friend, and incomparable patron. All that I can do, is, to pay my juft tribute to his name and memory, and not to fuffer them to die, if any thing I write can live to pofterity (9).”

It has been already obferved, that Dean Colet's mother furvived him, and was appointed by him one of his executors, though he was of an extreme old age. After the death of her husband, Sir Henry, fhe continued, at Stepney, living retiredly in that house which her fon gave afterwards for the fafe abode of the mafter of St. Paul's fchool, in the time of any peftilential fickness. The greatest pleasure fhe enjoyed there, was to have the company of her fon, and to entertain thofe learned friends 3 D 3 which

(q) From Erafmus's epifle to Jodocus Jonas, Rector of the Univerfity of Erdford, the most valuable

materials of all the accounts of Dean Colet's life are taken.

which he brought along with him; efpecially Erafmus, whofe converfation the delighted in, and of whom the used to talk in his abfence, with a particular air of mirth, and pleasant freedom of fpeech. So her fon told Erafmus, in a letter from that country-houfe, in 1516. But fhe there out-lived all her comfort in this world, this her fon; which yet fhe bore in fo Chrif ́tian a manner, and with fo much patience, and refignation to the will of GOD, that Erafmus, many years after, cited her for an uncommon example of patience and fubmiffion under the lofs of children, when he comforted his friend Amerbach upon the lofs of his little daughter. "I knew in England (fays Erafmus) the mother of John Colet, a matron of fingular piety. She had by the fame hufband eleven fons and eleven daughters; all which were fnatched away from her, except her eldest fon; and fhe loft her husband far advanced in years. She herself being come to her ninetieth year, looked so smooth, and was fo chearful, that you would think the had never shed a tear, nor brought a child into the world; and, if I mistake not, fhe furvived her fon, Dean Colet. Now that which fupplied a woman with such a degree of fortitude, was not learning, but piety towards GOD."

Dean Colet drew up fome rudiments of grammar, with an abridgment of the principles of religion, and published them for the ftanding ufe and fervice of St. Paul's school, under the following title: RUDIMENTA GRAMMATICES A JOHANNE COLETO, DECANO ECCLESIE SANCTI PAULI LONDON. IN USUM SCHOLÆ AB IPSO INSTITUTE. Which little manual, called PAUL'S ACCIDENCE, the Dean dedicated to the master of his fchool, William Lily, in a fhort elegant Latin epistle, dated from his own houfe the first of Auguft, 1510.

OF

He also drew up, for the ufe of his fchool, another little tract of THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE EIGHT PARTS SPEECH; and which was printed at Antwerp in 1530, under the title of, ABSOLUTISSIMUS DE OCTO ORATIONIS PARTIUM CONSTRUCTIONE LIBELLUS. This, with fome alterations, and great additions, now makes up the Syntax in Lily's common grammar. The Dean fent it to Mr. Lily, with an ingenious and affectionate epiftle, dated from his own house in the year 1513. "Methinks, (fays he), my dear Lily, I bear the "fame affection to my new fchool, that a parent does to his "only fon; to whom he is willing not only to make over his "whole eftate, but is defirous even to impart his own bowels "alfo. And as the father thinks it to little purpose to have

begotten a fon, unlefs by diligent education he raises him up "into a good and ufeful man; fo I fhall not think it fufficient "that I have raised this school, and have conveyed my whole "eftate to it, even during my own life and health, unless I like"wife take all poffible care to nurture it in good letters, and "Chriftian manners, and bring it to fome degree of maturity

"and

and perfection. For this reason, I fend you this small trea"tife of THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE EIGHT PARTS OF

SPEECH; fmall indeed in itself, but such as will afford no "fmall advantage to our scholars, if you diligently teach and explain it. You know Horace was pleased with BREVITY in "the way of teaching; and I very much approve of his opinion "in that matter. If, in the reading of the claffic authors, any "notable examples to these rules fhall offer themselves, it will your part to mark them, as they shall occur."

"be

The Dean also wrote, MONITION TO A GODLY LIFE, which was printed at London in 1534, and 1563. There have been also published under his name, DAILY DEVOTIONS; OR THE CHRISTIAN'S MORNING AND EVENING SACRIFICE, &C. This work has been several times printed, but is faid not to be all of Colet's compofition. Many of his epiftles to Erafmus are printed among Erafmus's epiftles, and fome at the end of Knight's life of the Dean. There are alfo ftill remaining in manufcript, fome pieces of Colet's, particularly Commentarii in epiftolas D. Pauli ad Romanos & Corinthios; i. e. Commentaries on St. Paul's Epiftles to the Romans and Corinthians. And alfo, An analytical Commentary on the Apoftolical Epifles. It is faid, that these pieces of the Dean were found after his death in a very obfcure corner of his study, as if he had defigned they should lie buried in oblivion; and were written in fuch a manner, as if intended to be understood by no body but himself. With regard to fermons, he wrote but few; for he generally preached without notes.

We have no other works of the Dean to give any account of, except his Latin fermon preached before the Convocation, in 1511. This was printed the fame year by Richard Pynfon, in three sheets, 4to. under the following title: Oratio habita a Doctore Joanne Colet, Decano Sancti Pauli, ad Clerum in Convocatione,. anno 1511 (r). We fhall lay before the reader fome account of, and extracts from, this bold, honeft, and spirited attack, upon the corruptions of the Church and Clergy of that age (s). The Dean introduced his difcourfe in this manner : You

66

are this day affembled together, Reverend Fathers and bre"thren, to enter into council. What will be the refult of your confultations, and of what matters you will treat, we "are yet unacquainted. But we wish that, remembering your name and your profeffion, you would attend to the reforma"tion of ecclefiaftical affairs. For never was there a greater "need for it; never did the state of the Church more require ❝ your

(r) Dr. Knight reprinted this, together with an old English translation of it, fuppofed to have been done by the Dean himself, in the ap pendix to his life of Colet.

() In the extracts which we

have given from this fermon, we have not adhered to the old English translation, but have endeavoured to give the fenfe of the original Latin in more modern English.

"your infpection and inquiry. The fpoufe of CHRIST, the "Church, who ought to be without fpot or wrinkle, is become

foul and deformed; as Ifaiah fays, The faithful city is become "an barlot; and in the words of Jeremiah, She hath played the "whore with many lovers; whereby the hath conceived many "feeds of iniquity, and every day bringeth forth the fouleft "fruit. Wherefore I now warn you, Reverend Fathers, that "you employ your whole thoughts and attention upon the re"formation of the Church."

Colet then made fome apology for his undertaking to preach before fo learned and refpectable a body; and told them that, confcious of his own incapacity, he did it unwillingly, and only in obedience to the command of the Archbishop. He afterwards took for his text, the fecond verfe of the twelfth chapter of St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans. Be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your minds, that ye may prove what is the good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God. "This (faid the Dean) the Apoftle wrote to all Chriftians, but "chiefly to Priefts and Bishops. For they are the lights of the "world; and to them faid our SAVIOUR, Ye are the light of "the world; and alfo, If the light that is in you be darkness, how "great is that darkness? THAT is, If Priefts and Bifhops (who

ought to be lights to others) run in the dark ways of the "world, how great then fhall be the darknefs of the common "people? Wherefore St. Paul fays chiefly to Priefts and Bishops, "Be ye not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed, &c."

Colet then proceeded to explain what was meant by being conformed to this world, under four heads; Devilish Pride, Carnal Lufts, Worldly Covetoufnefs, and Secular Bufinefs. Thefe

(faid the Dean) are in the world, as St. John witneffeth, who fays, that all that is in the world is either the luft of the fish, the "luft of the eyes, or the pride of life. And thefe fame things do

now fo reign in the Church, and amongst ecclefiaftical per"fons, that we may in a manner truly fay, All that is in the "Church is either the luft of the flesh, the luft of the eyes, or the pride of life."

He then proceeded more particularly to treat of DEVILISH PRIDE, or THE PRIDE OF LIFE. "In thefe days (faid he) how much greedinefs, and earneft defire of honour and of dignity, is feen among Churchmen! How do they run, till "they are out of breath, from benefice to benefice, from the lefs to the greater, and from the lower to the higher! Who is there that does not fee this? and who can fee it, without grief? Moft of those who have obtained thefe dignities in the Church, do alfo carry their heads in fuch an high and lofty manner, that they feem not to be put into an humble Bishopric of CHRIST, but rather into the high Lordship and power of this world. Not knowing, or not remembering, what CHRIST, the Prince of meeknefs, faid to his difciples

"whom

66

"whom he called to be Bishops of his Church. The Princes of "the Gentiles (faid he) exercife dominion over them, and thofe that. are great exercife authority upon them: But it shall not be fo amang you; but whosoever will be chief among you, let him be 66 your fervant, &c. By which words our SAVIOUR plainly "teaches, that any dignity in his Church should be no other "than a meek fervice.

66

He then treated of CARNAL LUSTS, OF CONCUPISCENCE. "Hath not this vice (faid he) grown and increased in the Church "to fuch a degree, that the generality of Ecclefiaftics, in this age, mind nothing but what delights and pleases their fenfes They give themselves up to feastings and banquettings, to "vain and idle difcourfe, to foolish jefts, to fports, and to hunting and hawking; and, in short, are immerfed in the pleafures of this world, and diligent only in the indulgence of their fenfuality and voluptuoufnefs."

66

In treating of COVETOUSNESS, which St. John, he obferves, calls the LUST OF THE EYES, and St. Paul IDOLATRY, he fays, "This abominable peftilence hath in fuch a manner entered "into the minds of almoft all Priefts, and hath fo blinded the 66 eyes of the mind, that we can now fee nothing, except that "only which feems likely to produce us fome gain. In thefe "days, what is it that we feek for in the Church, except fat be"nefices, and high promotions? And when we have obtained "thofe promotions, what do we regard, but the tythes and the "rents? Nor do we care how many, or how confiderable the "benefices are which we take, provided they be but of a great "value. Oh AVARICE! COVETOUSNESS! With the utmost "truth did the Apostle Paul ftile thee, THE ROOT OF ALL "EVIL. For from thee cometh this heaping of benefice upon "benefice. Thou art the cause that fuch great penfions are af figned, from many benefices refigned. Thou occafioneft fo "many profecutions for tythes, for offerings, for mortuaries, "and for dilapidations, by the right and title of the Church; "and for all which we contend with as much eagerness as for Our lives. Oh Covetoufnefs! thou art the caufe that the vifi"tations of Bishops are fo chargeable. From thee proceeds "the corruption of Courts, and those new and daily inven"tions, with which the common people are fo perfecuted. And "from thee comes the haughtiness and infolence of officials. "Oh Covetoufnefs! mother of all iniquity! thou caufeft the "earneft defire of ordinaries to extend their jurifdictions. Of "thee comes the great abufes in the probate of wills, and the fequeftration of fruits. Of thee the rigorous and fuperfti "tious obfervance of all thofe Canons which bring in profit to "the Court; and the fhameful neglect of all others that tend only to the reformation of manners."

66

. In

He then proceeded to treat of SECULAR BUSINESS, "which (faid he) Priests and Bishops do in these days fo wholly "employ