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DEATH AND CHARACTER OF EDWARD VI.

[BURNET (b. 1643, d. 1715) is eminent as a theologian and historian. His History of the Reformation is a standard work upon the subject.]

In the beginning of this year (1553), the young king' was seized with a deep cough, and all medicines that were used did rather increase than lessen it. He was so ill when the parliament met, that he was not able to go to Westminster, but ordered their first meeting and the sermon to be at Whitehall. In the time of his sickness, Bishop Ridley2 preached before him, and took occasion to run out much on works of charity, and the obligation that lay on men of high condition to be eminent in good works. This touched the king to the quick; so that, presently after the sermon, he sent for the bishop. And after he had commanded him to sit down by him, and be covered, he resumed most of the heads of the sermon, and said he looked upon himself as chiefly touched by it. He desired him, as he had already given him the exhortation in general, so to direct him to do his duty in that particular. The bishop, astonished at this tenderness in so young a prince, burst forth in tears, expressing how much he was overjoyed to see such inclinations in him; but told him he must take time to think on it, and craved leave to consult with the lord mayor and court of aldermen. So the king writ by him to them to consult speedily how the poor should be relieved. They considered there were three sorts of poor: such as were so by natural infirmity or folly, as impotent persons, and madmen or idiots; such as were so by accident, as sick or maimed persons; and such as, by their idleness, did cast themselves into poverty. So the king ordered the Greyfriars' Church, near Newgate, with the revenues belonging to it, to be a house for orphans; St. Bartholomew's, near Smithfield, to be a hospital; and gave his own house of Bridewell to be a place of correction and work for such as were wilfully idle. He also confirmed and enlarged the grant for the hospital of St. Thomas3 in South

wark, which he had erected and endowed in August last. And when he set his hands to these foundations, which was not done before the 5th of June this year, he thanked God who had prolonged his life till he had finished that design. So he was the first founder of those houses, which, by many great additions since that time, have risen to be amongst the noblest in Europe.

He expressed, in the whole course of his sickness, great submission to the will of God, and. seemed glad at the approaches of death; only the consideration of religion and the church touched him much; and upon that account he said he was desirous of life. His distemper rather increased than abated; so that the physicians had no hope of his recovery. Upon which a confident woman came, and undertook his cure if he might be put into her hands. This was done, and the physicians were put from him, upon this pretence that they having no hopes of his recovery, in a desperate case desperate remedies were to be applied. On the 6th of July, his spirits and body were so sunk that he found death approaching; and so he composed himself to die in a most devout manner. His whole exercise was in short prayers and ejaculations. The last that he was heard to use was in these words: "Lord God, deliver me out of this miserable and wretched life, and take me among Thy chosen ; howbeit, not my will, but Thine be done; Lord, I commit my spirit to Thee. O Lord, Thou knowest how happy it were for me to be with Thee; yet, for Thy Chosen's sake, send me life and health that I may truly serve Thee. O my Lord God, bless my people, and save Thine inheritance." Seeing some about him, he seemed troubled that they were so near, and had heard him; but with a pleasant countenance he said he had been praying to God. And soon after, the pangs of death coming upon him, he said to Sir Henry Sidney, who was holding him in his arms: "I am faint; Lord have mercy on me, and receive my spirit," and so he breathed out his innocent soul,

Thus died King Edward VI., that incomparable young prince. He was then in the sixteenth year of his age, and was counted the wonder of that time. He was not only earned in the tongues, and other liberal sciences, but knew well the state of his kingdom. He kept a book, in which he writ the characters that were given him of all the chief men of the nation, all the judges, lord-lieutenants, and justices of the peace over England; in it he had marked down their way of living, and their zeal for religion. He had studied the matter of the mint, with the exchange and value of money; so that he understood it well, as appears by his journal. He also understood fortification, and designed well. He knew all the harbours and ports, both of his own dominions, and of France and Scotland; and how much water they had, and what was the way of coming into them. He had acquired great knowledge of foreign affairs; so that he talked with the ambassadors about them in such a manner that they filled all the world with the highest opinion of him that was possible; which appears in most of the histories of that age. He had great quickness of apprehension; and, being mistrustful of his memory, used to take notes of almost everything he heard; he writ these first in Greek characters, that those about him might not understand them, and afterwards writ them out in his journal. He had a copy brought him of everything that passed in council, which he put in a chest, and kept the key of that always himself.

In a word, the natural and acquired perfections of his mind were wonderful; but his virtues and true piety were yet more extraordinary. He expressed great tenderness to the miseries of the poor in his sickness, as hath been already shown. He took particular care of the suits of all poor persons; and gave Dr. Cox special charge to see that their petitions were speedily answered, and used oft to consult with him how to get their matters set forward. He was an exact keeper of his word; and therefore, as appears by his journal, was most careful to pay his debts and to keep his

credit, knowing that to be the chief nerve of government; since a prince that breaks his faith, and loses his credit, has thrown up that which he can never recover, and made himself liable to perpetual distrusts and extreme contempt. He had, above all things, a great regard to religion. He took notes of such things as he heard in sermons, which more especially concerned himself; and made his measures of all men by their zeal in that matter. All men who saw and observed these qualities in him, looked on him as one raised by God for most extraordinary ends; and, when he died, concluded that the sins of England had been great, that had provoked God to take from them a prince under whose government they were like to have seen such blessed times. He was so affable and sweet-natured, that all had free access to him at all times; by which he came to be most universally beloved; and all the high things that could be devised were said by the people to express their esteem of him.

The young king.-Succeeded his father, Henry VIII., in 1547, and died, 1553, at the age of sixteen.

Bishop Ridley.-Bishop of London; during the reign of Mary burnt, with Bishop Latimer, at Oxford.

St. Thomas.-This hospital is now a handsome and most extensive set of buildings on the Thames embankment, opposite the Houses of Parliament.

A confident woman.-One who had confidence in her own powers, feeling sure she could heal the king.

Incomparable.-Beyond comparison (on account of his worth and goodness).

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The tongues.-The languages, such as Greek and Latin.

SELF-KNOWLEDGE.

[From a speech by Mr. Disraeli, created Lord Beaconsfield in 1876.] He who would succeed in life, and obtain that position to which his character and capacity entitle him, has need of two kinds of knowledge-one of which is a knowledge of self. It would seem at the first blush that self-knowledge is not very difficult of attainment. If there be any subject on which a person can arrive at accurate conclusions, it should be his own disposition and talents. But it is not So. The period of youth in this respect is one of great

doubt and difficulty. It is a period alike of false confidence and unreasonable distrust, of perplexity, of despondency, and sometimes of despair.

How, then, is this self-knowledge to be acquired, and where are we to obtain assistance in this quest? From the family circle? Its incompetency in this respect is a proverb.1 Perception of character is always a rare gift, but around the domestic hearth it is almost unknown. Every one is acquainted with the erroneous estimates of their offspring which have been made even by illustrious parents. The silent but perhaps pensive boy is looked upon as a dullard, while the flippancy of youth in a commonplace character is interpreted into the vivacity of genius, which may in time astonish the world.

A better criterion should be found in the judgment of contemporaries2 who are our equals. But the generous ardour of youth is not favourable to critical3 discrimination. Its sympathy is quick; it admires and applauds; but it lavishes its applause and admiration on qualities which are often not intrinsically important, and it always exaggerates. And thus it is that the hero of school and of college often disappoints expectation in after life.

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I believe after all it will be found that it is best and inevitable in the pursuit of self-knowledge that we should depend on self-communion. In most instances there will be many errors and much self-deception in estimating one's own worth and capacity. One of the fruitful sources of that self-deception is to be found in the susceptibility of the youthful mind. The sympathy is so quick that we are apt to transfer to our own persons the qualities which we admire in others. If it be the age of a great poet, his numbers are for ever resounding in our ears, and we sigh for his laurels ; if a military age, nothing will content us but to be at the head of armies; if an age of oratory, we would fain be a brilliant speaker.

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