at cruel to discredit
assertions. The Dr. could not be influenced by views of interest to
give this, or any other account of his lordship; and could certainly
have no other incentive, but that of serving his country, by shewing
the instability of vice, and, by drawing into light an illustrious
penitent, adding one wreath more to the banners of virtue.

Burnet begins with telling us, that an accident fell out in the early
part of the Earl's life, which in its consequences confirmed him in
the pursuit of vicious courses.

"When he went to sea in the year 1665, there happened to be in the
same ship with him, Mr. Montague, and another gentleman of quality;
these two, the former especially, seemed persuaded that they mould
never return into England. Mr. Montague said, he was sure of it; the
other was not so positive. The earl of Rochester and the last of these
entered into a formal engagement, not without ceremonies of religion,
that if either of them died, he should appear and give the other
notice of the future state, if there was any. But Mr. Montague would
not enter into the bond. When the Day came that they thought to have
taken the Dutch fleet in the port of Bergen, Mr. Montague, tho' he had
such a strong presage in his mind of his approaching death, yet he
bravely stayed all the while in the place of the greatest danger. The
other gentleman signalized his courage in the most undaunted manner,
till near the end of the action; when he fell on a sudden into such a
trembling, that he could scarce stand: and Mr. Montague going to him
to hold him up, as they were in each other; arms, a cannon ball
carried away Mr. Montague's belly, so that he expired in an hour
after."

The earl of Rochester told Dr. Burnet, that these presages they had in
their minds, made some impression on him that there were separate
beings; and that the soul either by a natural sagacity, or some secret
notice communicated to it, had a sort of divination. But this
gentleman's never appearing was a snare to him during the rest of his
life: Though when he mentioned this, he could not but acknowledge, it
was an unreasonable thing for him to think that beings in another
state were not under such laws and limits that they could not command
their motion, but as the supreme power should order them; and that one
who had so corrupted the natural principles of truth as he had, had no
reason to expect that miracles should be wrought for his conviction.

He to