ivility; and from those who were inquisitive they
concealed nothing, as indeed there was not any thing either in their
opinions or their practice, in the least degree necessary to be
concealed. Notwithstanding this, they were by some abused as Papists,
by others as Puritans, Mr. Ferrar himself, though possessed of
uncommon patience and resignation, yet in anguish of spirit complained
to his friends, that the perpetual obloquy he endured was a sort
of unceasing martyrdom. Added to all this, violent invectives and
inflammatory pamphlets were published against them. Amongst others,
not long after Mr. Ferrar's death, a treatise was addressed to the
Parliament, entitled, "The Arminian Nunnery, or a brief description
and relation of the late erected monastical place called the Arminian
Nunnery at Little Gidding in Huntingdonshire: humbly addressed to the
wise consideration of the present parliament. The foundation is by a
company of Ferrars at Gidding," printed by Thomas Underbill, 1641.

Soon after Mr. Ferrar's death, certain soldiers of the Parliament
resolved to plunder the house at Gidding. The family being informed of
their hasty approach, thought it prudent to fly; while these military
zealots, in the rage of what they called _reformation_, ransacked both
the church and the house; in doing which, they expressed a particular
spite against the organ. This they broke in pieces, of which they made
a large fire, and at it roasted several of Mr. Ferrar's sheep, which
they had killed in his grounds. This done, they seized all the plate,
furniture, and provision, which they could conveniently carry away.
And in this general devastation perished the works which Mr. Ferrar
had compiled for the use of his household, consisting chiefly of
harmonies of the Old and New Testament.]

[Footnote 25: Valdesso died at Naples in 1540.]

[Footnote 26: Altered from a Dirge in Shirley's "Contention of Ajax
and Ulysses."--The lines in Shirley are

"Your heads must come
To the cold tomb--
Only the actions of the just
Smell sweet and blossom in their dust."]

[Footnote 27: "Mr. George Herbert, Esq., Parson of Fuggleston and
Bemerton, was buried 3d day of March, 1632." (_Parish Register of
Bemerton_.')--It does not appear whether he was buried in the parish
church or in the chapel. His letter to Mr. Nicholas Ferrar, the
translator of Valdesso, is dated from his Parsonage at Bemerton, near
Salisbury, Sept. 29, 1632. It must be rememb